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One of my players is a Mountain Dwarf (proficient with blacksmith tools, of course), and he would like to practice forging tools, weapons and armor. For this, he would like to build his own forge near the party's headquarters.
How much gold would the forge cost ? (anvil, hammer, tools, hearth, tuyere, bellows, coal coke, etc)
Bonus question: how long would it take to build it ? (there are nearby blacksmiths that could help. And yes, he could "borrow"/use the other forges, but he wants his own)
There was a supplement for 3rd edition D&D called the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook which provided costings for player-built dungeons. Facilities such as stables, libraries and forges featured prominently. It could easily be adapted for 5th edition. There are two specific options from that source you might use:
Note that for routine smithing, no ability check is required, merely proficiency, a forge, and one day per 5 gp value of the created item (PHB p.187 / SRD p.88, "Crafting"). The bonus granted by the Fancy Smithy becomes relevant only in the case of particularly fine work (PHB p.172 / SRD p.80, "Other Dexterity Checks"):
Other Dexterity Checks. The GM might call for a Dexterity check when you try to accomplish tasks like the following:
[...]
- Craft a small or detailed object
Given the value of the smithy, you can use the "Building a Stronghold" table (DMG p.128) as a guide to how long it should take to construct. I'd estimate a week for the basic smithy, and a month for the fancy one.
