Battle Forger (Dwarf, Fighter Archetype)

Battle forgers are not only masters of creating masterwork items made of metal, but also of fashioning masterwork arms and armor of every kind. When a battle forger crafts weapons, armor, or shields, he can infuse them with a tiny fraction of his own inherent martial power—this enables the creation with powerful effects, but also binds the effects to the creator. When using Craft (armorsmithing), Craft (weaponsmithing), or another required Craft skill to create a masterwork mundane item, a battle forger gains a competence bonus equal to his battle forger level on the Craft check. In addition, a battle forger can use Craft (armorsmithing) or Craft (weaponsmithing) to identify magical arms and armor as if using detect magic. He must hold the weapon or armor for 1 round to make such a check. A battle forger can employ his mystical martial energies to convert a non-masterwork weapon, suit of armor, or shield into its masterwork equivalent. In so doing, a normal sword becomes a masterwork sword, a suit of leather armor becomes a masterwork suit of leather armor, and so on at a phenomenal rate. A battle forger can transform a number of non-masterwork item weapons, armor, or shields into masterwork items a number of times each day equal to his Constitution modifier.

To transform a mundane item into a masterwork equivalent requires 1 hour of work and a Craft skill check against the appropriate DC (see Table 4-4: Craft Skills). Doing so also consumes special reagents, but the cost of these materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. The battle forger can affect 50 pieces of ammunition as if they were one weapon, and he can decide if the object’s appearance changes to reflect this improved quality. If an object has multiple masterwork options (such as a double weapon, or a spiked shield that could be made masterwork as a weapon or armor), the battle forger must choose one option of the object to affect (though he can expend another use of this ability to affect another option). If the target object has no masterwork equivalent, then this ability has no effect.

Should a battle forger expend all his daily uses of this transformative ability, he can create masterwork items through the usual methods as normal (see Craft Masterwork Items on p. 93 of the Core Rulebook). In either case, a battle forger must have the necessary tools at hand when crafting the desired item, such as a forge or similar implements. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 1st level.

Forgehand (Ex)

Starting at 2nd level, a battle forger gains a +1 bonus on Fortitude saves against nonlethal damage from hot conditions (see Heat in the Environmental Rules section of the Game Masters Guide), and on Reflex saves against fire-based spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd. This ability replaces bravery.

Master Smith (Ex)

At 2nd level, a battle forger gains Master Craftsman as a bonus feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites. When using this feat to craft magical weapons, armor, shields, or bracers, the battle forger uses his level as his caster level and is considered to have all necessary requirements (including spells) to construct the item. As normal, he must spend the appropriate gp and time costs for its construction. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 2nd level.