Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

General discussion of Guilds that doesn't fit into the other forums.
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Karjus
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Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Karjus »

  • Provisioner
    A branch of the Guild that specializes in the acquisition of goods for use in crafting. Likely less time spent in a workyard, and more time either out in the world dealing with some of the various gathering professions or even at a farmyard. Possible recipient of minor Druidry.
    Skill Focus: Animal Husbandry, Farming, Mining, Skinning, Woodcutting
  • Artificer
    A branch of the Guild that specializes in the crafting of finished goods. May just focus on one particular skill, or be broader. Will be around the workshops more and are likely what most would consider a traditional "crafter". Possible recipient of minor Locksmithing.
    Skill Focus: Construction, Leatherworking, Masonry, Metalworking, Pottery, Tailoring, Weaving, Woodworking
  • Merchant
    A branch of the Guild that is less specialized in crafting/supply, and more in the art of negotiation/swindling. Will likely be traveling more and using contacts within a network than doing either supply/craft as much. Possible recipient of minor Artifice.
    Skill Focus: Trading, and to a degree Performing Skills
Ability Ideas
  • Tinker
    The Artificer can work on a finished item, trying to improve the quality of one of the core components. Requires more raw materials/components. Has a chance of failure based on skill/tier of upgrade, that it won't damage the item.
  • Exchange
    The Artificer can swap out components on a finished item, potentially lowering the item quality or improving it. Requires the part you are replacing, and you don't get the old part back. Has a chance of failure based on skill, and doing so can lower the quality of the component.
  • Scavenge
    The Provisioner is adapt at finding supplies wherever they can. Similar to the Adventurer ability, but would instead find some raw materials. Go through old ruins and gather up anything still usable.
  • Scrap
    Sometimes the Provisioner can't get their hands on what they need, but they can make do from existing items. They can scrap an item, and in return they get some of the raw materials used for its components. What survives the process is based on the appropriate skill for the resource, IE, a woodcutter would have a higher chance of getting wood from dismantling an object but without mining they'd not have much chance of getting metal.
- Karjus

Speaking to you, XYZ says, "Never bother to wash it. It gets dirty again anyway."
Speaking to XYZ, you say, "I hope you don't treat your ass the same way."
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Marcuson
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Marcuson »

Other potential Artisan Guild ability ideas that were thrown around in chat:
  • Exotic material specialists. Artisans are the ones who work with Celestium/Sunsteel/Yew/Gaelwood/etc.
  • Gunsmithing. Artisans are the ones who can manufacture basic firearms parts. (Could they make gunpowder? Or maybe scholars are the ones who make it? Or can gunpowder only be bought from exotic merchants?)
  • Horticulture, based on the tree- and herb-planting idea I posted about earlier.
  • Heron mentioned a "choice cuts" ability where people could cut fancy steaks instead of just hunks of meat.
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Karjus
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Karjus »

Ability - Connections
Merchants are adept at browsing the local market and not just getting the best deals, but also finding items that are buried under a pile of junk that people have missed or hunting down that extra rare bit of kit that everyone is hunting for. At {{Market}} locations the Merchant can see if they can get their hands on anything particular rare every X amount of time. Once activated, a small list of items are generated that only that Merchant is able to buy at the market. Once the timer is up, those items are gone and the next time the Merchant checks the market a new set will be generated.

The list of items may range from something as simple as some material at a reduced price to normal, to chances to spawn rarer materials, higher quality items, or a unique from the loot table (if uniques are ever added)
- Karjus

Speaking to you, XYZ says, "Never bother to wash it. It gets dirty again anyway."
Speaking to XYZ, you say, "I hope you don't treat your ass the same way."
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Lexx416
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Lexx416 »

I think to avoid confusion with the Artifice skill, I'd call the Artificer a Tinker, personally.
"You hear the Woses, the Wild Men of the Woods... Remnants of an older time they be, living few and secretly, wild and wary as beasts."
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Karjus
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Karjus »

Funnily I was attempting to avoid Tinker as it just didn't sound officious enough. Lol. But totally valid point.
- Karjus

Speaking to you, XYZ says, "Never bother to wash it. It gets dirty again anyway."
Speaking to XYZ, you say, "I hope you don't treat your ass the same way."
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Irylia
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Irylia »

Interesting ideas, I especially like the concept of some crafters having lockmithing since it really is a skill these kinds of professionals would have potentially developed, but I know Rias is very guarded with who has access to that particular skill. Just gonna plop this here for tie-in to the previous thread for reference and consolidation: http://cogg.contrarium.net/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=553
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Karjus
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Karjus »

By limited, I really mean it. 200-300 or so. Maybe 400, tops. Let them deal with the majority of boxes.

Nothing special. Any locksmith crafting skills should go to Adventurers.
- Karjus

Speaking to you, XYZ says, "Never bother to wash it. It gets dirty again anyway."
Speaking to XYZ, you say, "I hope you don't treat your ass the same way."
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Lexx416
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Lexx416 »

Karjus wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:07 am Funnily I was attempting to avoid Tinker as it just didn't sound officious enough. Lol. But totally valid point.
Yeah, I get that. I lean towards Tinker more, just because it feels low-magic and gas-lamp appropriate. Granted, I still think it's problematic for other reasons - largely that people coming from Fantasy Book genres that are higher concept fantasy than COGG tend to equate tinkers/tinkerers/tinkering with STEAM PUNK MAD SCIENCE.

It feels very much like a "what do we call the Druid Scholar" issue - wherein it's hard to pin down a name that's JUST right, without also having too much baggage associated with it that folks can bring in.

Tradesperson might be a bit of a better compromise with what that particular branch of Artisans might do. But if we did that, I'd probably rename Provisioner to Day-Laborer (and then THAT has certain connotations too).

I'm current reading through some stuff by Henry Mayhew, and if I stumble onto any cool or neat sounding names that would fit with the Artisans, I'll pass it along!
"You hear the Woses, the Wild Men of the Woods... Remnants of an older time they be, living few and secretly, wild and wary as beasts."
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Marcuson
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Re: Artisans Guild - Abilities/Specializations

Post by Marcuson »

Lexx416 wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 1:38 pm
Karjus wrote: Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:07 am Funnily I was attempting to avoid Tinker as it just didn't sound officious enough. Lol. But totally valid point.
Yeah, I get that. I lean towards Tinker more, just because it feels low-magic and gas-lamp appropriate. Granted, I still think it's problematic for other reasons - largely that people coming from Fantasy Book genres that are higher concept fantasy than COGG tend to equate tinkers/tinkerers/tinkering with STEAM PUNK MAD SCIENCE.
I agree that "Tinker" has some connotations that we might not necessarily want. How about Outfitter?
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