Custom forging

Custom forging is an alternative system to the basic forging commands which is more involved and has more requirements, but can create more customised items influenced by the choices of the forger.

To make items with custom forging, you must already know the relevant Forging abilities - See 'help forging' for more details on the basic process and the skill itself.

To begin with, you need a mold, strong enough to take the metal you are using, just like standard forging, but once you have the mold the process diverges.

Firstly you need to cast a weapon blank of the appropriate type. You can do this with the command;

cast <metal> weapon blank with <mold>

If you are making an armour, use the following syntax to make rough armour pieces;

cast <metal> armour pieces with <mold>

The type of item will be determined by the mold, and you must have the metal you select in ingot forms. Different items need a different number of ingots, the cost for a custom blank or armour pieces is the same as the metal cost for the equivalent item forged under the standard system.

In order to use the cast command to make a blank or armour pieces, you need an appropriate heat source to melt the metal. This can be either a city forge, a furnace, or a sufficiently hot campfire. Makeshift furnaces can be made using stones that you can obtain with the 'mine' command and a pickaxe item, and must be fuelled by wood or coal. Once you have enough stones, use the 'make' command to construct the furnace. Campfires can be made using an ability in the General skill group, but to use a campfire for forging it needs to be very hot, so requires an excessively large amount of wood.

Next, you need to convert this blank into a blade or weapon head for the weapon you are making, or the rough armour pieces into shaped armour pieces;

shape <blank/pieces> to <grade> <style>

You can type 'shape grades' to see what grades are available, and how reliably you can make items of any particular grade. If you attempt to make a grade higher than you are generally capable of, you have a chance of succeeding, but may also end up with a lower quality item. The grade of an item is only cosmetic, and won't affect its use in fights, but it will affect the description of the item.

You can type 'shape styles' to see which styles are available to you. As you improve your forging abilities, you will gain access to more styles. Styles are also only cosmetic, but will have a dramatic effect on the item description.

In order to shape a blank or armour pieces, you need the correct tools. If you are working in a city forge, you will automatically use the forge's tools to shape your item - If you are forging elsewhere, you will need to wield a special 'smith's hammer' item and there will need to be an anvil item on the floor. Both of these can be made at industries.

If you're not happy with the quality of the item, or don't like the design of your chosen style, you can convert it back into a blank or collection of rough armour pieces to try again with the following command;

reforge <blade/weapon head/armour pieces>

Reforging requires the same tools as shaping.

As well as a blade or weapon head, you need a hilt or handle for your weapon. Different types of hilt/handle are required for different weapons, and you have some choice over the style of hilt too.

Type 'craft list hilts' to see what kind of hilts and handles you can make. As your abilities improve other types or styles of hilts will become available. Once you've chosen an option, type 'craft <item>' to make it. The resources required will depend on the style of hilt, and most hilts will need you to be wielding a knife or dagger in your right hand to craft.

Finally, you're ready to combine the blade and hilt, but you can choose how it will look first. Type the following command to see how it will look if you just go ahead and combine them;

attach preview <blade> to <hilt>

You can change this with the weapon assembly option, using the command;

options weapon assembly <elements>

Where the possible elements are grade, hilt, material and style. You can use all or no elements, and can put them in whatever order you want. Play around and use the 'attach preview' syntax to check how each option that you consider will look, then when you're happy type the following command to carry out the assembly;

attach <blade> to <hilt>

Your new customised weapon is now ready to use!

If you are making an armour rather than a weapon, you don't need a hilt; the styled armour pieces will be sufficient, and you use the alternative command below;

assemble <armour pieces>

As with weapons you can preview how the item will be displayed and customise this with the following commands;

assemble preview <armour pieces> options armour assembly <elements>

The possible elements for armours are grade, material and style.