The Crafting Class: When Progression Fantasy Gets Creative
Why crafting-focused stories are gaining popularity. Blacksmiths, alchemists, and non-combat progression.
They're not fighters. They're crafters.
And somehow, watching someone make potions or forge swords is just as satisfying as watching someone swing them.
What Are Crafting Class Stories?
Progression fantasy where the protagonist advances through creation rather than combat. Common classes:
- Blacksmith/Artificer
- Alchemist/Potion Maker
- Enchanter
- Cook/Chef
- Builder/Architect
- Tailor/Seamstress
- Runesmith
- Jeweler/Gem crafter
The system exists, but advancement comes from making things, not killing things.
Why They're Popular
Different power fantasy. Creating instead of destroying. Building up rather than tearing down.
Cozy vibes. Less life-or-death, more satisfying work. Lower stress reading.
Clear progression. Quality of creations shows growth visibly. You can see improvement.
Problem-solving. Crafting challenges are puzzles. Intellectual satisfaction.
Supporting role fantasy. Being the one who equips heroes. The person behind the legends.
Real-world parallel. Making things is satisfying IRL too. The appeal translates.
Unique challenges. Different obstacles than combat stories offer.
The Crafting Loop
Good crafting stories have a satisfying rhythm:
- Challenge: Need to create something specific
- Gathering: Finding/acquiring materials
- Experimentation: Trying approaches
- Creation: The actual crafting
- Result: Success, failure, or unexpected outcome
- Application: Seeing the creation used
- Growth: Skills improve for next project
This loop can be as engaging as combat loops. Maybe more.
Types of Crafting Stories
The Shop Owner
Runs a business. Social and economic elements alongside crafting. Customer interactions matter.
The Wandering Crafter
Travels, gathers materials, crafts for survival. Adventure with crafting focus.
The Support Character
Makes equipment for combat-focused party members. The power behind the throne.
The Inventor
Creates new things, not just standard items. Innovation as progression.
The Reluctant Crafter
Wanted to fight, got stuck with crafting class, learns to love it. Growth arc.
The Craftsman Teacher
Masters their craft, then teaches others. Knowledge transfer as story.
Challenges Unique to Crafting
Pacing. Detailed crafting can slow narrative. Balance is hard.
Combat integration. Most stories need SOME action. How to include it?
Skill demonstration. Showing expertise is harder than showing fighting.
Stakes. Lower life-or-death tension needs replacement stakes.
Reader engagement. Making the technical interesting requires skill.
What Makes It Good
The craft matters. Detailed, interesting crafting process. We learn alongside characters.
Non-combat stakes. Business success, reputation, creation goals, perfecting the art.
Knowledge progression. Character learns and we learn with them.
Satisfying reveals. When a creation exceeds expectations. The moment of completion.
Integration with world. Crafting affects the broader narrative. Creations matter.
Unique voice. Crafters see the world differently than warriors.
What Makes It Bad
Boring process. "They crafted a sword. It was good." Show the work.
Combat anyway. When crafters just become fighters. Abandoning the premise.
No stakes. Everything works perfectly always. No failure or challenge.
Irrelevant creations. Items that don't matter to the story.
Skipped crafting. If you're not going to show the crafting, why this genre?
Classic Examples
Ascendance of a Bookworm - Crafting knowledge as power
Beware of Chicken - Farming as cultivation (crafting-adjacent)
The Runesmith - LitRPG crafting focus
Mark of the Fool - Has strong crafting elements
Legends & Lattes - Opening a coffee shop as the quest
In Web Fiction
Crafting stories appear in:
- Dedicated crafting LitRPG
- Slice of life fantasy
- Base building (crafting + management)
- Shop management isekai
Often combined with cozy/low-stakes tones.
The Alchemy of Appeal
Crafting stories work because creation is inherently satisfying.
We like watching someone be good at making things. The same appeal as cooking shows, maker videos, and artisan content.
Fantasy crafting adds:
- Magic making it more impressive
- System tracking making progress visible
- World context making creations matter
- Stakes (even if lower) adding tension
Finding Crafting Stories
Tags: "crafting," "non-combat," "crafter mc," "blacksmith," "alchemist," "slice of life"
Platforms: Royal Road has a dedicated niche
Note: Often combined with base building or shop management tags
Generating Your Own
narrator can create crafting-focused stories:
- "Blacksmith progression fantasy with detailed forging"
- "Alchemist LitRPG with potion creation focus"
- "Crafter MC supporting an adventurer party"
- "Shop owner isekai with business management elements"
Specify the craft type and how much combat you want included.
The Creative Path
Not every power fantasy is about fighting. Some of us dream of making things.
Crafting stories let us experience that. The satisfaction of creation. The pride of something made well. The progression from novice to master craftsman.
Forge your path. Brew your destiny. Build your future.
The hammer falls. The potion bubbles. Something wonderful takes shape.