How many times would you need to take master craftsman for both weapons and armor?

Question

I have been looking into making magical items with a non-magical character. Naturally this brings up the feat master craftsman.

I get the part about the ranks count as your caster level for creating the item, and then your total modifier is what you use to make the item. So I am fine with that part.

Its the parts (paraphrased) which give me confusion.

Choose one Craft or Profession skill in which you possess at least 5 ranks. You can create magic items using these feats, substituting your ranks in the chosen skill for your total caster level. You must use the chosen skill for the check to create the item.

To me it sounds like I would have to take the master craftsman feat multiple times if I wanted to craft both weapons (not bows) and armor. You only have to take the magic item creation feat once however.

So, do you only need to take the feat once but can use multiple craft/profession skills with it, or do you need to take master craftsman multiple times?

Answer 1

Because the feat Master Craftsman lacks a Special entry like, for example, the feat Skill Focus, a creature can't take the feat Master Craftsman multiple times. I've read that to expand the feat's mandate one should, if the GM allows, apply it to a very broad Craft or Profession skill like, for example, Craft (metalworking) rather than Craft (bows) or Craft (weapons). Other than this workaround, by the book, what you're describing is accurate: it is just a very limited feat.

However, since the turn of the century, level 3 wizards have been taking the feat Craft Wondrous Item, for instance, and the game's still chugging along. With that in mind, I suggest trying to persuade the GM to allow your mundane character to use his item creation feats to create any appropriate magic item—y'know, just like a wizard could—substituting his ranks in any Craft or Profession for caster level. After all, experience has shown that making one's own magic items doesn't break the game anymore than it is already, and, unlike the wizard, your character's paying a skill rank tax and a feat tax for the privilege.

Answer 2

RAW. This feat itself does not allow you to make magic items. It only allows you to *qualify * for taking the Craft Wondrous Item or Craft Magic Arms & Armour feats without needing to be a spell-caster. This clearly sucks.