Editing 23a:Armorsmith

{{Quality|Fine|06:06, 29 July 2010 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color      = 0:1
| skill      = Armorsmith
| profession = [[Metalsmith]]
| job name   = [[Metalsmithing]]
| tasks      =
* Forge [[armor]]
| workshop   =
* [[Metalsmith's forge]]
* [[Magma forge]]}}
{{av}}

The '''armorsmith''' skill is used to make all [[metal]] [[armor]] and [[shields]] at a [[metalsmith's forge]] (or [[magma forge]]).

Like all artisans in ''Dwarf Fortress'', skilled armorsmiths make armor more quickly, and of a higher [[quality]], than unskilled dwarves.  The higher the quality of armor, the more damage it can block, which helps to minimize [[sparring]] injuries and casualties in [[combat]].  A [[legendary]]+5 armorsmith is potentially the most valuable dwarf any fortress could hope to have.  This makes armorsmith skill a very popular choice in [[starting builds]].

Since the Metalsmithing labor covers not only this skill but also [[weaponsmith]], [[metalsmith]], and [[metal crafter]], it may be difficult to control which dwarves perform each type of smithing task.

== Training armorsmiths ==
To train an armorsmith to legendary (or legendary+5, better still), you must have him or her make hundreds of pieces of armor.  You may want to use [[copper]] or [[bronze]] for this (or [[iron]], if you have ample quantities of [[goblinite]]) - save your precious steel for after the training is done (though you may opt to make a few steel suits early on for your soldiers to wear).

These hundreds of pieces of armor will rapidly [[clutter]] the forge, greatly slowing down the smithy's progress.  To keep up with a high-skill armorsmith, you must employ several full-time [[Hauling|haulers]] to clear out the shop: either item haulers, to drag the pieces to nearby armor [[stockpile]]s, or refuse haulers, to chuck them into the [[chasm]].  Setting up several forges and having the smithy move from one to the next when they get cluttered works well in concert with multiple haulers.  You can also employ a spare metalsmith of any sort to keep destroying and rebuilding the forges to clear them out.

Making one piece of armor grants 30 [[experience]] points, regardless of how many metal [[bar]]s it takes to create.  Therefore, you should train your armorsmiths on pieces of armor that take only one bar to create (helms, caps, shields, bucklers, gauntlets, boots, and leggings).

If you wish to recover the metal used to make these items (via [[melt]]ing), you should make chain [[leggings]], which have a 50% recovery rate, higher than that of other armor items. Care should be taken not to melt [[masterpiece]] leggings your smith might create during training, as this can cause him or her a VERY bad [[thought]]. You may also opt to [[trade]] the armor to [[merchant]]s.

In addition to training an armorsmith the hard way, you can try to boost your chances of getting a legendary armorsmith via a [[strange mood]] by having your peasants and other dwarves without "moodable" skills construct a single item of armor.  This will give them dabbling skill in armorsmithing, and will cause them to become legendary+1 armorsmiths should they have a fey or secretive mood (but not a possession).  A moody armorsmith will always create some form of [[artifact]] armor, often of incredible value. Immigrant metalsmiths which have skill in armorsmithing are also excellent candidates to ensure that they do not become legendary furnace operators.

== See also ==
* [[Armor piece]]

{{Skills}}