Rules Index | GM Screen


Pathfinder Unchained / Background Skills / Expanded Skill Uses

Expanded Craft

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 51
An understanding of the properties and quality of an object comes part and parcel with the ability to craft it. Some of these checks could take extended periods of time, especially involved tasks like restoring a mural, as determined by the GM.

This entry also includes two useful Craft skills not specifically listed in the Core Rulebook: Craft (blacksmithing) and Craft (musical instruments).

TaskCraft SkillDC
Determine what culture (e.g., elves, frost giants, etc.) made an itemBy item type15
Identify a famous maker's markBy item type10
Identify an obscure maker's mark1By item type20
Identify the creator of an item with no mark1By item type30
Determine the hardness and hit points of an item1By item type20
Determine the items an alchemist makes with substances from his lab1Alchemy15
Etch metal armor plates with decorative designsArmor or paintings15
Identify a suit of masterwork armor on sightArmor15
Determine what type of environment a basket's material came fromBaskets10
Determine the specific region a basket's material came fromBaskets20
Smelt ore and refine the metalBlacksmithing15
Create armor spikes or shield spikes without Craft (armor)1Blacksmithing+5
Determine a book's approximate ageBooks10
Identify a composite bow on sightBows10
Identify a masterwork bow on sightBows15
Determine a writer's experience level and handedness1Calligraphy10
Write an invitation that matches appropriate social conventionsCalligraphy10
Create a makeshift barrel or crateCarpentry10
Create a rudimentary raft from found materialsCarpentry or ships15
Carve fine woodworkingCarpentry or sculptures15
Create wooden armor or a wooden shield without Craft (armor)Carpentry+5
Correctly dye a garment or bolt of clothCloth10
Mend a sailCloth, clothing, or ships15
Tailor a garment to another size or body shapeClothing10
Create temporary cold-weather gear (grants a +2 bonus)Clothing20
Create padded armor without Craft (armor)Clothing+5
Locate or identify naturally formed glassGlass10
Identify the work of famous jewelersJewelry15
Create a fake gemstone1JewelryOpposed2
Identify the sort of creature from which a piece or leather came1Leather103
Skin an animal and tan the hideLeather15
Create a high-quality item from the hide of a nonstandard creatureLeather20
Create leather, studded leather, or hide armor without Craft (armor)Leather+5
Aid another on a Disable Device check to open a lock1Locks5
Tune a musical instrumentMusical instruments10
Create paint or other pigments from scratchPaintings10
Re-create someone's likeness from memoryPaintings15
Re-create someone's likeness from an eyewitness accountPaintings20
Create a temporary or makeshift kilnPottery20
Make a mold of an object or part of a bodySculptures10
Alter shoes to a different size or foot shape1Shoes10
Recognize a famous ship and where it likely came fromShips10
Identify whether a stone wall is entirely stone or a veneerStonemasonry10
Create a temporary stone support or small rampart with found suppliesStonemasonry15
Determine the age of a mechanical trapTraps15
Identify a masterwork weapon on sightWeapons15
1 A character must be trained in the listed skill to attempt this task.
2 With a successful opposed Perception or Craft (jewelry) check, a character identifies the work as a fake.
3 This DC is for items made from the hides of common animals, such as cattle, and increases by 5 for other types of creatures.

The table below lists which craft skills to use for certain prominent items and adventuring tools. The list omits obvious items—outfits are made with Craft (clothing), keelboats with Craft (ships), and so on. More specific skills can also be used instead of the listed skill, such as using Craft (tattoos) instead of Craft (paintings) for a tattoo.

ItemCraft Skill
Alchemist's labAlchemy
Artisan's toolsBlacksmithing or carpentry
BackpackClothing or leather
BardingArmor
BedrollCloth or leather
CaltropsWeapons
Cart or carriageCarpentry
ChainBlacksmithing or traps
ChestCarpentry or locks
Climber's KitBlacksmithing
Disguise KitAlchemy or paintings
Flint and steelBlacksmithing or stonemasonry
Grappling hookBlacksmithing or weapons
Gunslinger's kitAlchemy or blacksmithing
Harrow deckPaintings
Healer's kitAlchemy or cloth
Hemp ropeBaskets or cloth
LampBlacksmithing or glass
ManaclesBlacksmithing or locks
Masterwork toolBlacksmithing
Musical instrumentMusical instuments
SaddleLeather
Scroll caseCarpentry or leather
Signet ringJewelry
Silk ropeCloth
Silver holy symbolBlacksmithing or sculpture
Skeleton keyLocks
Spell component pouchLeather
SpyglassGlass
TattooPaintings
TentCloth or leather
Thieve's toolsBlacksmithing or locks
WaterskinLeather
Wood holy symbolCarpentry or sculpture


The following table indicates which Craft skills are typically used to create common worn items. While the normal system for creating magic items doesn’t incorporate Craft skills, such skills could reasonably be used while creating a magic item to make it appear especially ornate.

Worn ItemCraft Skill
AmuletJewelry
BeltLeather or clothing
BraceletBlacksmithing or jewelry
BracerArmor or leather
BroochJewelry
Cape or cloakCloth or clothing
CircletBlacksmithing or jewelry
CrownBlacksmithing or jewelry
GauntletArmor
GirdleClothing or leather
Glasses or gogglesGlass
GloveClothing or leather
HatClothing or leather
HeadbandCloth or clothing
HelmArmor
MaskClothing or leather
NecklaceBlacksmithing or jewelry
PeriaptJewelry
PhylacteryLeather or carpentry
RingJewelry
RobeClothing
VestmentsClothing