Salt & Steel: Crafting Methods

Document type: Economy Design — Foundational
Status: Canonical
Last updated: 2026-04
See also: Currency System | Modifier System | Base Types | Economy Philosophy | Trade System

Overview: The Determinism Spectrum

Crafting in Salt & Steel exists on a spectrum from pure randomness to near-determinism. This is not an accident — it is a deliberate design position informed by PoE's decade of experimentation with crafting determinism and the lessons from the Harvest debacle of 2020.

The core design position: Players should be able to improve their probability of desired outcomes through knowledge and material investment, but they should not be able to guarantee specific results at high tiers through affordable methods. This principle has two parts:

Randomness maintains item discovery excitement. If anyone can deterministically craft any modifier combination for a known cost, finding a matching item on the ground is no longer exciting. Items become manufacturing outputs rather than discoveries.
Economic differentiation requires scarcity. Truly excellent items must be rare to be economically meaningful. A perfectly tuned Legendary Cutlass should feel like an achievement — either found through extraordinary luck or built through extraordinary investment. Neither path should be routinely achievable.

The crafting system is calibrated so that players who understand it get better-than-average results, not perfect results with certainty. The difference between a novice who Doubloon-rolls 50 times and an expert who uses Scrimshaw Tokens + Anchored modifiers is real and meaningful. The difference should not be "novice gets junk, expert gets perfection" — it should be "novice gets useful gear, expert gets excellent gear."

Tier 1: Pure Random Crafting

Pure random crafting methods give players control over the item base and rarity state, but nothing else. Outcomes are drawn from the full eligible modifier pool at natural probability weights.

Steel Filing Application (Common → Uncommon)

How it works: Apply a Steel Filing to any Common item. The item becomes Uncommon with 1-2 random modifiers chosen from the full eligible pool. The Engraving/Mark split is respected: the item can receive 1 Engraving and 1 Mark, or 2 Marks, but not 2 Engravings.

When to use: When you need gear quickly and don't care about specific outcomes. Leveling content. Generating starting material for the Doubloon full-set vendor recipe.

Cost: Low (Steel Filing) Determinism level: None — full pool, no weighting

Compass Rose Application (Any → Rare)

How it works: Apply a Compass Rose to any Common item to immediately generate a Rare with 3-6 random modifiers. Or apply to an Uncommon item to upgrade to Rare (adding 2-4 additional modifiers). The "Rose-and-go" method is the fastest path to having Rare gear but the least reliable for specific modifier combinations.

When to use: Map rolling (applying Compass Roses to Treasure Map Fragments to generate Rare chart regions with higher content bonuses). Quick gearing when any Rare of the correct type will do. Early-league crafting before more efficient methods are unlocked.

The Rose-Scour cycle: Apply Compass Rose to get a Rare. If all modifiers are useless, apply an Expunge Rag (see Tier 1 removal below) to return to Common, then apply another Rose. Repeat until a useful modifier combination appears. Inefficient but zero knowledge requirement.

Cost: Low (Compass Rose) Determinism level: None

Doubloon Rolling (Rare → New Rare)

How it works: Apply a Doubloon to a Rare or Legendary item. All modifiers are removed and a completely new set of 3-6 (Rare) or 4-6 (Legendary) modifiers is generated randomly from the full eligible pool.

When to use: When an item has the right base type and ilvl but wrong modifiers, and the player wants a fresh start on the same base. "Doubloon-spamming" — applying Doubloons repeatedly until a desired combination appears — is the baseline brute-force crafting method.

Expected Cost to Land Specific Modifiers:

Hitting one T1 modifier: approximately 10-30 Doubloons (depending on modifier weight)
Hitting two specific T1 modifiers simultaneously: approximately 150-500 Doubloons
Hitting three specific T1 modifiers: approximately 2,000-10,000 Doubloons (extreme)

Design Note: Doubloon-rolling remains the most accessible crafting method and the one players use most. Its pure randomness is its feature: anyone can do it, and occasionally it delivers extraordinary results. The high cost to hit specific combinations at high tiers is not a bug — it is the mechanism that maintains item scarcity and trade value.

Cost: Moderate (Doubloon per application) Determinism level: None

Expunge Rag Application (Rare → Common)

How it works: Apply an Expunge Rag (scarce; equivalent to Orb of Scouring) to a Rare or Legendary item. All modifiers are removed; the item returns to Common rarity. Used to reset a failed craft and try again.

When to use: When Doubloon-rolling has produced an item with too many useless modifiers and the base type is good enough to start over. Less commonly used than in PoE because the Doubloon already applies a fresh roll — the Expunge Rag is only needed when returning to Common rarity to use Steel Filing or Compass Rose.

Cost: Moderate (Expunge Rag — slightly more than a Doubloon) Determinism level: None (deterministic removal, but subsequent crafting is random)

Tier 2: Weighted Random Crafting

Weighted random methods allow players to shift the probability distribution — making certain outcomes more likely or certain outcomes impossible — without guaranteeing specific results.

Scrimshaw Crafting

How it works: Apply 1-2 Scrimshaw Tokens to an item before applying a Doubloon or Compass Rose. The Tokens modify the modifier weight tables:

Blade Scrimshaw — boosts Cutting, Impaling, and related physical damage modifier weights by 400%; blocks all elemental damage modifier families
Powder Scrimshaw — boosts Piercing, Reload Speed, and projectile modifier weights by 400%; blocks all melee-exclusive modifier families
Tide Scrimshaw — boosts Supernatural, Tide Magic, and resistance modifier weights by 400%; blocks all physical damage modifier families
Black Scrimshaw — removes all defensive and utility modifier families from the pool; forces exclusively offensive modifiers (double-edged: guarantees offense, prevents defense)
Anchor Scrimshaw — boosts HP, FP, and defensive modifier weights by 400%; blocks all offensive modifier families

When two Scrimshaw Tokens are applied simultaneously, their effects stack: blocked families from both tokens are removed, and boosted families from both tokens multiply. A Blade Scrimshaw + Powder Scrimshaw combination eliminates elemental and melee-exclusive families and boosts both physical physical damage types — narrowing the pool significantly.

Scrimshaw Application Sequence:

Apply Token 1 to item (item now shows "Scrimshaw Applied" status)
Optionally apply Token 2 (stacking effects; item shows "Double Scrimshaw")
Apply Doubloon or Compass Rose — pool is modified for this single roll
Tokens consumed; item returns to normal eligible pool for future rolls

When to use: When targeting a broad modifier category (offensive, defensive, a specific damage type) without needing a specific modifier. Superior to pure Doubloon-rolling when you know what category you want but not exactly which modifier within that category.

Cost: Low-moderate (Scrimshaw Tokens + Doubloon) Determinism level: Category-weighted; specific modifier within category still random

Essence Bottle Crafting

How it works: Apply an Essence Bottle to any Common, Uncommon, or Rare item. The Essence's guaranteed modifier is applied to the appropriate slot (Engraving or Mark), and a Doubloon-equivalent reroll fills remaining modifier slots from the full pool.

Key difference from Scrimshaw: The Essence guarantees one specific modifier at a specific tier — not a category, but the modifier itself. "Deafening Essence of the Leviathan" guarantees the highest-tier Maximum HP Mark. All other modifier slots are random.

When to use: When one modifier is absolutely critical to the build (e.g., the build's viability depends on high Maximum HP), and the player is willing to accept randomness on all other slots. Most efficient when:

The guaranteed modifier is the hardest to land naturally
The player has acceptable tolerance for variety in the remaining modifiers
The build is flexible enough to work with different combinations in the remaining slots

Example Crafting Sequence — Tank Build Chest Piece:

Target: Corsair's Longcoat with high Maximum HP
Method: Apply "Deafening Essence of the Leviathan" → guaranteed T1 HP Mark (+135-150 HP)
Result: T1 HP Mark is locked; remaining 2 Engravings + 2 Marks are random
If the random modifiers are useful (even two good ones is excellent), keep the item
If all random modifiers are poor, apply another Essence → reroll all non-HP modifiers; HP is preserved? No — Essence Bottle rewrites all modifier slots including the previous Essence's modifier. Repeated Essence application does not stack — it replaces. Each Essence application is independent.
Best practice: Use once on a good base, assess, decide whether to continue

Cost: Moderate (Essence Bottle, drops in specific content zones) Determinism level: One modifier guaranteed; all others random

Salvage Crafting

How it works: Apply Salvage Materials (looted from specific monster types or regions) to an item before applying a Doubloon. The Salvage Material weights the modifier pool toward the thematic modifiers of its source, functioning similarly to Scrimshaw Tokens but with weaker individual effect and combining differently.

Types and Effects:

Kraken Ink: +200% weight to Corrosion and Supernatural modifiers; cannot block families
Drowned Man's Bone: +200% weight to undead-effectiveness and death-related modifiers
Spanish Silver: +300% weight to Treasure Find, social, and economic modifiers
Pirate Ironwork: +250% weight to Attack Speed and melee physical modifiers
Storm Timber: +300% weight to ship equipment and weather-resistance modifiers

Salvage Materials stack additively when multiple of the same type are applied (up to 3 can be applied before rolling). Three Kraken Inks provides +600% weight to Corrosion/Supernatural modifiers — significantly more impactful than a single application.

Why This Exists: Salvage Crafting creates a direct link between content engagement and crafting outcomes. A player who wants Corrosion-damage modifiers on their weapon should farm Kraken enemies — not because the game forces them to but because Kraken Ink makes their crafting goal more achievable. This loop — content engagement → material acquisition → improved crafting probability — is the cleanest realization of Salt & Steel's treasure-hunting economy identity.

Cost: Moderate (Salvage Materials variable; Doubloon per application) Determinism level: Pool-weighted; no specific guarantees

Tier 3: Semi-Deterministic Crafting

Semi-deterministic methods give the player significant control over outcomes while retaining some randomness. They typically involve category control with individual variance, or protection of existing modifiers while randomizing others.

Blacksmith Bench Crafting (Category Targeting)

How it works: The player accesses a Blacksmith's Bench (found in port towns, upgradeable through Craftsman NPCs). The Bench interface shows the item's current modifiers and offers "Reforge" operations by category:

"Reforge Offensive Engravings" — rerolls all Engravings using offensive modifier pools only
"Reforge Defensive Marks" — rerolls all Marks using defensive modifier pools only
"Reforge Utility" — rerolls any Mark using utility modifier pools only
"Add from Combat pool" — adds one modifier from the combat pool to an open slot

The key limitation: "Reforge" operations reroll all modifiers in the targeted category, not just one. "Reforge Offensive Engravings" replaces all existing Engravings. The player cannot protect specific Engravings while rerolling others through this method alone.

When to use: When the Engraving set is poor but the Mark set is good (or vice versa), and the player wants to preserve one side while randomizing the other. This is the natural companion to the Anchored modifier system.

Cost: Moderate currency cost at the Bench (scales by item rarity); operations are paid in Doubloons Determinism level: Category-level control; individual modifiers within category still random

Anchored Modifier Metacrafting

How it works: The most sophisticated crafting method accessible to all players. Combines Anchored modifiers (benchcrafted "protection" mods) with Blacksmith Bench operations to protect good modifiers while randomizing bad ones.

Core Metacrafting Mods:

"Engravings Cannot Be Changed" — applied at Bench; protects all Engraving slots during subsequent currency operations; cost 4 Lodestones
"Marks Cannot Be Changed" — protects all Mark slots; cost 4 Lodestones
"Three Anchors" — allows up to 3 Anchored modifiers simultaneously; cost 2 Lodestones + must be unlocked through Master Craftsman questline

Example Metacrafting Sequence — Legendary Cutlass with good Engravings, poor Marks:

Step 1: Start with a Legendary Cutlass with T1 Physical Damage Engraving (excellent) and T3 Attack Speed Engraving (good) — but poor Marks (low HP, low Crit)
Step 2: Apply "Engravings Cannot Be Changed" at the Blacksmith Bench (cost: 4 Lodestones). Item now shows Anchored status.
Step 3: Apply a Doubloon — rerolls only Marks (Engravings are protected). New Marks generated from full Mark pool.
Step 4: If new Marks are poor, apply another Doubloon — repeat.
Step 5: When satisfied with Marks OR when budget exhausted, remove "Engravings Cannot Be Changed" from the Anchored slot at no currency cost.
Step 6: If one Mark slot is open (2 Marks rolled, 1 slot empty), apply Piece of Eight to fill with a random Mark from the full pool.
Step 7: Apply Lodestone to maximize the roll values of all modifiers.

Cost: High (Lodestones for protection mods; Doubloons for rerolling; Piece of Eight for filling; Lodestone to maximize)
Determinism level: Modifier category protection is guaranteed; specific modifiers within unprotected slots are random; final Lodestone application is value-targeted but still has variance within tier

Alchemist's Table Crafting

How it works: The Alchemist's Table (NPC craftsman; unlocked through Voyage progression) allows combining crafting materials for targeted effects not achievable through standard currency:

Key Alchemist's Table Operations:

"Transmute [Damage Type]" — converts all physical Damage Engravings on an item from one type to another (e.g., converts Cutting Engravings to Impaling equivalents; modifier tiers preserved; value rolls randomized)
"Purify Essence" — consumes 3 lower-tier Essence Bottles of the same type to create 1 higher-tier Essence Bottle
"Compound Salvage" — combines 2 different Salvage Materials, creating a dual-effect material that applies both weighting effects simultaneously at moderate strength
"Extract Modifier" — consumes the item; the most valuable modifier is preserved as an Anchored-equivalent material that can be added to another item of the same type (semi-deterministic modifier transfer; rare expensive recipe)

When to use: When a specific conversion or combination isn't achievable through standard crafting. The "Extract Modifier" recipe is among the most valuable in the game — it provides the ability to transfer a perfect modifier from a poor base to a good base, at high cost and item destruction.

Cost: High (materials + Alchemist's fees in Doubloons)
Determinism level: Operation-specific; Transmute operations are fully deterministic (specific type conversion guaranteed, values random); Compound Salvage is weighted-random; Extract is near-deterministic (the modifier is transferred; the exact value within tier is preserved from the original)

Tier 4: Deterministic Crafting

Deterministic crafting methods give the player near-full or full control over outcomes. They are expensive, unlockable, and represent the highest investment tier of the crafting system.

Anchored Modifier Application (Benchcraft)

How it works: At the Blacksmith Bench, select an Anchored modifier from the unlocked list and apply it directly to an open modifier slot. No randomness in which modifier appears — the player chooses the exact modifier. The value roll within the modifier's tier range remains random; apply Lodestone afterward to maximize.

What's available: See the Modifier System document's Anchored Modifier Catalog. Available options unlock through Master Craftsman progression and specific questlines.

The one-at-a-time limit: Only one Anchored modifier can exist on an item at once (unless "Three Anchors" is active). The Anchored slot is visually distinct (blue tinted modifier text).

The "last slot" use case: After crafting 5 excellent modifiers through randomized methods, the 6th slot is filled deterministically with the Anchored modifier of choice. This is the most common use pattern: the Anchored modifier finishes a craft rather than starting one.

Cost: Moderate-high (varies by modifier; unlocked through Craftsman progression)
Determinism level: Modifier selection fully deterministic; value within tier is random (Lodestone required for maximization)

Ancient Formulae (Found Recipes)

How it works: Ancient Formulae are rare drop items — found in excavated ruins, recovered from sunken wrecks, and rewarded by specific questlines. Each Formula is a recipe that, when consumed, produces a specific result:

Example Ancient Formulae:

"The Admiral's Recipe" — costs 1 Piece of Eight + 1 Lodestone; applies exactly "Broadside's Edge" Engraving at T1 value (100% roll) to a weapon. One-time use; item consumed.
"The Surgeon's Craft" — costs 1 Piece of Eight + 20 Doubloons; applies exactly "of the Leviathan" (T1 HP) at a guaranteed 90%+ value roll to any item. One-time use.
"The Sea Witch's Binding" — costs 2 Black Spots; applies exactly "Ghost-Sight" Cursed modifier without randomization. One-time use.
"The Shipwright's Masterwork" — costs 20 Hull Patches + 5 Lodestones; upgrades a ship equipment item's base stats by one tier. One-time use.

Rarity: Ancient Formulae drop rates are tuned so that completing a full crafting build with them would require hundreds of hours of targeted farming. They are powerful tools, not reliable pipelines.

Trade value: High; the most valuable formulae trade for significant Lodestone quantities.

Design Note: Ancient Formulae are deterministic crafting that is gated by rarity rather than cost. Finding the right Formula is itself an endgame goal. The pirate context makes them feel earned: these are literal recipes from master craftsmen who lived and died long ago — their knowledge, recovered, becomes your tool.

Determinism level: Complete — exact modifier, exact tier, near-guaranteed value roll
Access gating: Drop rarity (not cost)

Master Crafting (Craftsman NPC Commissioned Work)

How it works: Through the Crew and Port system, players can recruit and develop Master Craftsmen as crew members. A Master Craftsman (Blacksmith, Alchemist, Rigger, Cannon-Forger) at high skill level unlocks Commission crafting — the player specifies exact modifier targets, the Craftsman evaluates feasibility, and produces the result at high material cost.

Commission Process:

Player specifies desired modifier (exact modifier and minimum tier)
Craftsman NPC evaluates feasibility (some modifiers are not Commissionable)
Craftsman quotes a material cost (materials + Doubloons + time)
Player commits materials; Craftsman works for 1-4 in-game days (real: 24-96 hours)
Result delivered with guaranteed modifier at quoted tier; value within tier is the Commission average (higher-tier Craftsmen provide higher-percentile rolls within the tier)

Commissionable Modifiers (examples):

Physical Damage Engravings at any tier (cost scales with tier)
Defense Marks at any tier
Attack Speed Engravings up to T3 (T1-T2 not Commissionable without legendary Craftsman)
Ship Equipment modifiers (Cannon damage, Sail speed, Hull DR)

Non-Commissionable Modifiers:

Region-locked modifiers (require source materials, not Craftsman skill)
Cursed modifiers (not Commissionable; require Black Spot)
Anchor Scrimshaw effects (these use Scrimshaw Tokens, not Craftsman skill)

Craftsman Development: Master Craftsmen are crew members who level through use. A Blacksmith who commissions 100 weapons advances their skill and unlocks higher-tier Commission options. Legendary Craftsmen (max-skill) can Commission T1 modifiers that others cannot.

Cost: Very High (material cost scales exponentially with tier; T1 Commission costs approximately 5x what T3 Commission costs for same modifier family)
Determinism level: Modifier and tier guaranteed; value roll is Craftsman-skill-dependent (master-level gets 80th percentile roll average; legendary-level gets 95th percentile)

Rune Carving (Scrimshandering Masterwork)

How it works: A specialized crafting method unique to Salt & Steel, accessible through the Arcane skill tree (Tide Caller's Circle) and the Sea Witch faction. Rune Carving applies permanent runic inscriptions to items that function as guaranteed modifiers — but are also visible to enemies with supernatural senses and cannot be Anchored over.

Key Rune Types:

"Rune of the Storm" — guarantees +20% Attack Speed (fixed value, not a range; exactly 20%)
"Rune of the Deep" — guarantees +100 Maximum HP (fixed value)
"Rune of the Tide" — guarantees +25% Tide Magic Damage (fixed value)
"Rune of Blood" — guarantees +30% damage; −10% HP (a fixed-cost/fixed-benefit that mimics a mild Cursed modifier)
"Rune of the Drowned" — guarantees immunity to Drowning and underwater movement penalties; −15% fire resistance (fixed tradeoff)

Runic Modifiers vs. Standard Modifiers:

Runes occupy standard Engraving or Mark slots (counted toward the 3/3 limit)
Rune values are fixed (not value-range rolls; no Lodestone can change them)
Runes are permanent once applied (cannot be removed without destroying the item)
Multiple runes can appear on one item if slot space allows

Access Requirements: Rune Carving is gated behind the Tide Caller's Circle skill tree (Arcane character investment required) and the Sea Witch faction reputation (at least Friendly). The recipes are taught by Sea Witch craftswomen in specific port locations.

Cost: Low-moderate in materials (specific ritual components); high in character investment (Arcane skill tree opportunity cost)
Determinism level: Complete — exact modifier, exact value, permanent

Ship Crafting

Ship crafting operates as a parallel system to character gear crafting. Ships have their own slot types (Cannons, Sails, Figurehead, Hull, Wheel) with corresponding crafting methods. The same determinism spectrum applies.

Hull Construction and Upgrade

How it works: Ships can be upgraded through the Shipwright NPC at major ports. Hull upgrades require:

Hull Patches (primary material)
Specific lumber or iron materials (content-dropped)
Doubloons (labor cost)
Time (the Shipwright works over 1-4 in-game days)

Upgrading from Wooden Hull to Copper-Sheathed Hull requires 30 Hull Patches + 10 Copper Ingots (drops from Spanish wreck content) + 20 Doubloons. The result is deterministic — specific upgrade path always produces the specific next tier hull.

Design Note: Ship hull upgrades are deterministic by design — the ship progression system should feel like earned advancement, not gambling. The RNG is in the modifiers that appear on ship equipment items (Cannons, Sails), not in the fundamental ship progression.

Cannon Forging

How it works: Cannon base types can be found as drops or purchased at Shipwright vendors. Applying modifiers to Cannons follows the same Engraving/Mark system as character weapons.

Cannon-specific Engravings (examples):

"Long-Range" — +20-30% effective range
"Rapid-Fire" — +15-20% fire rate reduction (faster broadside cycling)
"Hull-Piercing" — penetrating shot; ignores 3 ship DR

Cannon-specific Marks (examples):

"of the Broadside Master" — +10-15% accuracy when firing in coordinated broadside
"of the Gunner" — +10-20% Crew Morale when cannon kills an enemy crew member (keeps gunners motivated)

Cannon crafting uses the same Scrimshaw Tokens, Essence Bottles, and Doubloons as character gear crafting. Hull Patches are also required for cannon installation and upgrade (representing mounting hardware and ship modification labor).

Sail Weaving (with Magical Properties)

How it works: Sails are a unique item type that can receive both standard modifiers and magical weaving effects. Standard modifiers (Speed Engraving, Maneuverability Mark) apply through normal crafting. Magical weaving is a separate process:

Magical Weaving: The Sea Witch faction offers Sail Weaving services at their Arcane Loom. Magical sails are woven with specific properties tied to weather and ocean magic:

"Storm-Woven" — +30% ship speed during Storm weather; no speed penalty for sailing into storm
"Fog-Traced" — +50% effective range in Fog; ship invisible to enemy detection at distances over 200m
"Tide-Borne" — generates 2 FP per minute for all arcane crew members while at sea

Magical weaving costs Tide Scrimshaw Materials + Doubloons + Sea Witch reputation (at least Friendly). The weaving process is deterministic for the specific effect (the player chooses which weaving to apply) but value-variable within a range for numeric properties.

Figurehead Carving (Legendary Crafting Questline)

How it works: The most elaborate crafting system in the game. The Figurehead Carving questline is unlocked through the Master Carpenter crew member at maximum skill (level 5), requiring Voyage-level content completion.

The Questline:

Obtain a "Heart of the Ship" (a large piece of specific Mythic-tier wood dropped from Legendary Sea Serpent encounters)
Commission the Master Carpenter to carve a figurehead (takes 7 in-game days; player must complete 3 side quests during this period to maintain the Carpenter's focus)
Choose from three carving paths at completion:
- The Warrior's Prow (combat-focused figurehead; bonus to boarding effectiveness, crew combat stats)
- The Sea Witch's Grace (arcane-focused; bonus to supernatural resistance, spell power)
- The Navigator's Eye (exploration-focused; bonus to chart accuracy, treasure find, encounter detection range)
The chosen figurehead has fixed base properties and two open Mark slots for further modification
Apply standard crafting methods to the two open Mark slots

Result: A Legendary-tier Figurehead with a guaranteed thematic core (fully deterministic from the questline choice) and two randomized modifiers (Doubloon-rolled or Essence-applied by the player).

Design Note: The Figurehead Carving questline is the endgame crafting experience — the one piece of content designed to make the player feel like they are making something. The choice of carving path is meaningful and permanent. The resulting figurehead is an identity piece for the ship, visible to all other players in port and at sea. A ship whose Figurehead emerged from the Legendary Carving quest is displaying an achievement, not just a modifier set.

Crafting Methods Summary Table

Method	Determinism Tier	Cost	Knowledge Required	Best Used For
Steel Filing	None	Very Low	None	Quick Uncommon generation
Compass Rose (Rose-and-go)	None	Low	None	Quick Rare gear; Chart rolling
Doubloon Rolling	None	Moderate-High	Low	Brute-force modifier hunting
Scrimshaw Crafting	Weighted Random	Moderate	Moderate	Targeting modifier categories
Essence Bottle	One Guaranteed	Moderate	Low-Moderate	One critical modifier
Salvage Crafting	Weighted Random	Moderate	Moderate	Thematic modifier farming
Blacksmith Bench + Anchored	Category-Semi	High	High	Protecting good modifier sets
Alchemist's Table	Semi-High	High	High	Complex material operations
Ancient Formulae	Near-Full	Rarity-Gated	Low (recipe found)	Specific high-value modifiers
Master Crafting (Commission)	High	Very High	Moderate	Reliable tier-specific modifiers
Rune Carving	Complete	Medium + Skill Gate	High (build gate)	Fixed-value arcane modifiers
Figurehead Carving Quest	Guided-Deterministic	Questline	High	Ship Figurehead identity
Ship Hull Upgrade	Fully Deterministic	High	Low	Core ship progression

Calibration Philosophy: Avoiding the Harvest Problem

PoE's Harvest crafting (3.11, June 2020) demonstrated the economic consequences of excessive determinism. Methods that allowed near-guaranteed production of high-tier items at 1/100th the cost of market values collapsed the economy for several seasons. GGG's response — nerfing into near-irrelevance — caused significant player backlash. Neither extreme was satisfying.

Salt & Steel's calibration target:

The Expert's Advantage: A player who understands the full crafting system — who uses Scrimshaw Tokens to weight the pool, applies Essence Bottles for critical modifiers, uses Anchored protection during Doubloon rerolling, and finishes with a Master Craftsman Commission for the final slot — should achieve results approximately 3-5x better (in terms of expected value from a given currency investment) than a player who only uses Doubloon rolling.

Not the Expert's Guarantee: The expert's advantage does not mean certainty. A player who does everything correctly still needs multiple applications of Doubloon-rolling to hit the right combination on non-deterministic slots. The advantage is probability, not certainty.

The Harvest Test: Would any combination of available crafting methods allow a player to produce a specific 6-modifier Legendary item with all T1 modifiers in a single crafting session for under 500 Lodestones? If yes, the method is too deterministic and should be redesigned.

The Novice Floor: A player who only uses Compass Roses and Doubloons, with no knowledge of advanced methods, should be able to produce Rare gear suitable for mid-game content. The advanced methods improve on this floor; they do not gate content behind them.

Cross-References

Currency System — currencies used in each crafting method
Modifier System — modifiers that crafting produces and rerolls
Base Types — base items that crafting is applied to
Economy Philosophy — why the determinism spectrum is calibrated as it is
Trade System — when crafted items enter the player economy