Monster Crafting - Part 3
It’s been a few chaotic months at Dump Stat, but we are now back to Monster Crafting! Last time, we talked more about the system, how we were going to add granularity, and went over some feedback about likes/dislikes. This time, we are actually going to start working on the rules and slice up some monsters to really start clawing our way through the system.
In case you missed it:
Part 1 - Introduction to Monster Crafting
Part 2 - Breaking down Monsters
Monster Crafting
After a monster has been defeated, what remains are valuable spell and magical components that crafters and mages value. These components must first be harvested while the corpse is still fresh, and then used quickly or preserved.
When a creature is defeated, a number of components can be harvested from the creature equal to its Proficiency Bonus. Harvesting additional materials is impossible as too many other parts have been damaged, mutilated, or corrupted.
For example, if you were harvesting a Red Dragon Wyrmling you would be able to harvest two items as its Proficiency Bonus is +2. If you harvested its Breath Weapon gland and its scales to make a fire-resistant item, you wouldn’t then be able to harvest its teeth or claws to make a magic weapon. This is because the process to remove the scales and breath weapon organ pulls on the latent magic in the creature and steals that magic from the rest of its body when you remove them. You could still gather up the claws and teeth, but they lack enough magical essence, known as quintessence, to create magic items with them.
Once you have harvested the selected items, you can then use them to craft your items. This might be a magical weapon, if you took claws and teeth, or magical armor, if you took scales. This process requires you to use tools that you are proficient with, such as Alchemist’s Supplies or Smith’s Tools.
Certain components must be used quickly as the magic is unstable. This makes stockpiling certain components unwise. If an item or component has a limited time for it to be used, it will be listed alongside the rest of its information. In addition, you must finish constructing your item before the time passes. If the item expires while you are still working on the magic item, you automatically fail to make the magic item until you find more of that component.
Harvesting Components
When you harvest a component from a creature, you must first declare what you are harvesting. You must then make an appropriate Ability Check based on what you are harvesting and what you are going to be using it for, you can always make a Survival check. Each component lists what Ability, Tool, or Skill is required to harvest it, the DC to harvest it, what you can craft with that component, and how long the component remains potent.
You must harvest the components within 24 hours of the creature dying. If a spell like Gentle Repose is cast on the corpse, it extends how long you can harvest the creature.
Crafting with Components
Once you have harvested the components, you can use them to craft potions, weapons, armor, or any other magical item. Certain components can only be crafted into specific magic items, while other components have a variety of uses. Each magic item presented below lists what components are used to craft it, along with anything else you might need.
In addition, certain components are just quintessence. Quintessence is a fine magical element that can be used in crafting almost any magical item. It can replace the gold cost when crafting magic items, such as a Potion of Healing, which requires 25 gp or an equal amount of quintessence.
Rarity and Components
Depending on how powerful of a creature you fought, the more powerful the component you get from the creature. A component that comes from a creature with a +2 Proficiency Bonus is not as refined or powerful as one that comes from a creature with a +7 Proficiency Bonus.
The following chart breaks down the components’ rarity based on Proficiency Bonus. You can not craft an item that has a rarity above the component’s rarity, but you can use a component with a greater rarity to produce a magic item of a lower rarity.
Proficiency Bonus | Rarity
+2 | Common
+3 | Uncommon
+4 | Rare
+5 | Very Rare
+6 | Legendary
+7 | Artifact
For example, you have defeated a Red Dragon Wyrmling with a +2 Proficiency Bonus. You could get Common components when you harvest that wyrmling. If you wanted to craft an Uncommon magic item, you could not use those Common components to craft it as they are not powerful enough. You would have to find a monster that had a Proficiency Bonus of +3 or greater to gain more potent components.
Example Components
Monsters are broken down into multiple components by reviewing their statblock. Each creature type, resistance, immunity, trait, and more can be harvested into components. The following is a list of only a few components, along with how to harvest the components and what you could craft with them.
In addition, there are unique components you can gather from creatures with Legendary Actions. These components are unique to that creature and unlock unique items to be crafted from the components.
This list is incomplete and includes a few example components and items; more is to come. It is broken down by Creature Type, Innate Abilities, Traits, and Actions. Most components only list a single item to be created from them, which will change as more is added to this system.
Creature Types
Dragon
The magical essence of dragons is crafted into potent brews that transform the imbiber into a powerful dragon.
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Arcana, Alchemist’s Supplies, Survival
Component Dragon’s Essence
Craft Potion of Dragon’s Form (Alchemist’s Supplies)
Humanoid
Humanoids come in many shapes and sizes, their essence useful for creating potions and elixirs that disguise and hide.
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Alchemist’s Supplies, Nature, Survival
Component Humanoid’s Essence
Craft Potion of Disguise (Alchemist’s Supplies), Arrow of Dragon Slaying (Fletcher’s Kit)
Ooze
Caustic oils and slime make up many creatures in this category. Their essence is used for creating powerful acids that melt through most substances.
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Alchemist’s Supplies, Nature, Survival
Component Ooze’s Essence
Craft Potion of Oozing (Alchemist’s Supplies), Acid (Alchemist’s Supplies; see Tool Craft)
Innate Abilities
AC
If the creature’s AC exceeds 10 plus its Dexterity Bonus, and it isn’t wearing armor in its Gear section, it has a natural armor that can be turned into leather or scalework.
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Leatherworker’s Supplies, Survival
Component Hide
Craft Leather Armor (Leatherworker’s Supplies), Studded Leather Armor (Leatherworker’s Supplies), Magical Leather Armor (Leatherworker’s Supplies)
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Letherworker’s Supplies, Survival
Component Scales; Requirements The creature has scales
Craft Dragon Scale Mail (Smith’s Tools)
Ability Score
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Alchemist’s Supplies, Survival
Component Ability’s Essence (based on Ability Score); Requirement Ability Score must be equal to or greater than 20
Craft Potion of Intellect (Alchemist’s Supplies), Potion of Dexterity (Alchemist’s Supplies)
Darkvision
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Arcana, Alchemist’s Supplies, Survival
Component Lucidum Crystals
Craft Eyes of Minute Seeing (Glassworker’s Supplies), Goggles of Night (Glassworker’s Supplies), Darkvision Elixir (Alchemist’s Supplies)
Actions
Rend
Harvest DC 10 + half CR; Harvest Skill Smith’s Tools, Survival
Component Claws & Teeth
Craft Magical Weapons (Smith’s Tools)
Breath Weapon
Harvest DC 10 + half CR + PB; Harvest Skill Arcana, Alchemist’s Supplies, Survival
Component Breath Gland (tied to element; i.e. Fire Breath Gland)
Craft Potion of Dragon’s Breath (Alchemist’s Supplies), Dragon’s Porter (Brewer’s Supplies; see Tool Craft)
Spellcasting
Harvest DC 10 + half CR + PB; Harvest Skill Arcana, Survival
Component Quintessence (up to 50 gp, +2; 150 gp, +3; 500 gp, +4; 1,000 gp, +5; 2,500 gp, +6; 10,000 gp, +7)
Craft Magic Items (replaces up to an amount of gold based on rarity)
Example Items
Potion of Dragon’s Form
Wondrous Item, Rarity Varies
When you drink this potion, you cast the Polymorph spell on yourself, shape-shifting into a creature with the Dragon type. The dragon’s CR can not exceed the potion’s rarity, listed in the chart below.
Max CR | Rarity | Duration
1 | Common | 1 Minute
4 | Uncommon | 10 Minutes
8 | Rare | 1 Hour
12 | Very Rare | 8 Hours
16 | Legendary | 24 Hours
20 | Artifact | Until Dispelled or Reduced to 0 Hit Points
Crafting DC Common (10); Uncommon (13); Rare (15); Very Rare (18); Legendary (20); Artifact (23); Tool or Skill Alchemist’s Supplies
Ingredients Dragon’s Essence; Crafting Time 8 hours per Rarity (Common 8 Hours, Artifact 48 Hours)
Darkvision Elixir
Wondrous Item, Rarity Varies
When you drink this potion, you have Darkvision. If you already have Darkvision, drinking the potion extends the range of your Darkvision. The Darkvision’s Range and Duration are based on the potion’s rarity, listed in the chart below.
Rarity | Range | Duration
Common | 30 feet | 10 Minutes
Uncommon | 60 feet | 1 Hour
Rare | 60 feet | 8 Hours
Very Rare | 120 feet | 8 Hours
Legendary | 240 feet | 24 Hours
Artifact | Unlimited | 1 Week
Crafting DC Common (10); Uncommon (13); Rare (15); Very Rare (18); Legendary (20); Artifact (23); Tool or Skill Alchemist’s Supplies
Ingredients Lucidum Crystals; Crafting Time 2 hours per Rarity (Common 2 Hours, Artifact 12 Hours)
What’s Next
Now that we’ve gone over some of the base rules, we’ll be refining and adding more as we go along. I want this system to work alongside Tool Craft, so some changes will have to be made on this first draft of rules, but it at least gives us a starting point.
Is there something you’d like to see? Anything jump out to you that you think needs to be included? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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