The Forger
A Budding Blacksmith
by Drasca

Class: Barbarian
Nickname: Cubist
Other Possible Names: Griswold's Apprentice, Creator, Smithy

Introduction

The Cubist, in essence, can be viewed as a creator. He creates his own weapons, his armor, and all his fighting gear. He is a large muscular man of few words, set in a pitch-dark room aglow with coals and hot iron. He is the forger, the maker.

A smith needs tools, supplies, and experience. The Horadric Malus was Charsi’s tool; the Horadric Cube shall be our hero’s tool of choice and from the rare elements of jewels, gems and other supplies, and with those he shall forge the weapons of war.

Rules

The Forger will never skip putting Griswold, Smith or Hephasto out of their misery when encountered. Only death can come between the Cubist and these three, and even then death cannot completely stop him.

Cannot use Imbues until quest X (insert one here).

Items

Basic & Superior Items
Blacksmithing is fine work, and our Hero can freely don and wield such glorifying items without hesitation. No souls bother our hero in these works, but he can finely appreciate the superior work of blacksmiths. (Basic items are freely used.)

Socketed & Gemmed Items
Ah, to stud Gems is a fine art in choice. Our forger recognizes gems as magical entities separate from the forger. Make use of Gemmed items Hero, for they will last you long.

In practice, socketable items will be the next step from basic items for our Hero. I personally recommend getting a dual perfect skull helm, and low quality diamonds, emerald (one weapon needs poison ), and sapphires for weapons. Higher quality perfect diamonds are the gems of choice for a tower shield.

Ethereal Items
Scrap material. The item cannot be used, "as is" and must be shaped by the Forger's touch.

As a Forger, you'll probably encounter some base items you'd like to work with using the cube or the newest LoD feature: having items socketed. Ethereal items should be no different, but as scrap.

LoD's Socketing Feature
Socket only base items or items created yourself. Socketing a unique or other restricted item does not qualify for being "created" by the Forger.

Runes & Rune Words
Rune Words feel like unique items, but are not officially prohibited. The point of the Forger was to create items of personal touch, acting some-what like an anti-elitist. In practice, his equipment would be sub-par most of the game.

As for individual Runes themselves, yes, create Battle-Armor laced with runes if you'd like.

Jewels
Use jewels as you'd like, just follow regular item restrictions.

Jewelry
When coming to forging rings and amulets, one finds that a great part of jewelry pieces is unsalvageable. Therefore in practice, it takes 3 amulets or 3 rings to forge 1 ring or amulet. It is possible to forge magical jewelry with find item, however rare.

Some Forging Recipes
Ingredients | Result
3 Perfect Gems + Magical Item | Random Magical Item of Same Base Type
6 Perfect Skulls + Rare Item | Random Rare Item of Same Base Type
3 Magical Rings | 1 Magical Amulet
3 Magical Amulets | 1 Magical Ring

The resulting item's clvl is not purely random. The resulting item's enchantment(s) is dependant on one's character level.

Magicals and Rares
If these are not of your creation, then it would be humiliation among your peers to wear that of another’s creation. One crafts his own work, however feeble it is in the beginning, whenever supplies build to the plateau (the arcane numbers 3 and 6). Seek out the weapon or armor of your liking that has within it the base magic needed to perform your work. The rewards are the most gratifying, as one has spent the most time in forging one’s own items.

Sets
Each Set item is but a part of a whole. When wearing any one set item alone, it feels incomplete and missing its pair. Our Hero feels this and cannot bear to wield set items separately. They must be worn in complete sets or not worn at all.

Uniques
They are a marvel to behold, but they were crafted by another and hold their allegiance to their creators. It is something every forger feels with the items he created. He put his soul into his work. We feel it and we respect it. Uniques are Restricted.

Note that all the items our Hero creates are technically uniques. They are unique to him because no one else crafted them. They bear his mark.

Skills

Alchemy (Find Potion) & Forge Item (Find Item) will be required. Other skills optional, but be warned of mana requirements, as one will be playing much of the time without mana steal.

Summary & Tactics

Make your own items, full sets are allowed, don’t bother gambling, but purchasing basic items is fine. Use find-item and the Cube to add to your repertoire of battle machines enormously.

Leap is extraordinarily useful for stun-knockback in its radius and for its low mana cost. This can give one the room one needs for creating a Grim Ward and using find pot when is in dire need. Of course, running away or portaling out is always an option, too. ;)