Smithmagic in Dofus: runes, the sink, breaking and exos for beginners
6 min read
Smithmagic lets you change the stats of an existing item by applying runes to it. Each attempt can succeed, succeed while damaging another line, or fail: the whole craft is about managing those losses. Here is what to understand before you place your first rune.
Contents
Smithmagic in one sentence
A crafted item leaves the workshop with rolls picked at random between a minimum and a maximum. Smithmagic corrects that luck: raising a stat that rolled low, adding one that is missing, or pushing an item beyond what it normally offers.
It is done in a workshop, with the smithmagic profession that matches the item type. You can do it yourself or hand your item to an experienced smithmage, who charges kamas for the work.
| Smithmagic profession (French name) | Items it works on |
|---|---|
| Joaillomage | Amulets and rings |
| Cordomage | Boots and belts |
| Costumage | Hats, cloaks and bags |
| Forgemage | Daggers, swords, axes, hammers, shovels… |
| Sculptemage | Bows, wands and staffs |
| Façomage | Shields |
Runes and their weight
Each stat has its own rune: Str for Strength, Int for Intelligence, Vit for Vitality, and so on. They come in three sizes: the basic rune, the Pa rune and the Ra rune, each stronger than the last. At the crusher, three runes of one size merge into one rune of the next size.
What matters is the rune’s weight. A basic Intelligence rune weighs 1, a Pa rune 3, a Ra rune 10. Rare stats weigh far more: a single damage or range rune is worth dozens of Strength runes. The heavier the rune, the harder the attempt and the more it hurts when it fails.
No need to memorise tables: the weight shows up when you hover over a rune in the interface.
Tip : Rule of thumb: once a stat goes past roughly twenty times the value of the small rune, switch to the next size. Above 20 Strength, the Pa rune becomes more efficient than the basic one.
The three outcomes of an attempt
Every rune you place gives one of these three results, shown in colour in the history panel on the left of the interface:
- Critical success: the rune goes through and nothing is lost elsewhere. That is the goal.
- Neutral success: the rune goes through, but another stat loses the equivalent of its weight.
- Critical failure: the rune does not go through, and the item still loses weight on other lines.
Tip : Your odds of a critical success rise when the item is far from its maximum weight and the target line is not close to its cap. Keep a little of every stat too: a line at zero can no longer absorb a loss. Finally, a malus (a negative line) halves the weight of the runes you apply to it.
The sink: the concept to master
When a small rune knocks out a heavy line, the difference in weight does not vanish: it stays stored in the item as a sink, also called the well or remainder. If a Pa Intelligence rune (weight 3) makes you lose a line that weighed 30, the item keeps a sink of 27.
That sink is then spent first on every loss: as long as some remains, your failures no longer hit your good lines. Smithmages use it to raise a stat safely, or to fund a risky attempt.
The sink is not displayed: count it again from the history panel whenever you are unsure.
Watch out : The sink is wiped if the item changes hands: a trade, a marketplace listing, or a trip into a mount’s inventory. Finish your session before you move the item.
Breaking items: making your own runes
Runes are obtained by breaking equipment at the crusher, found in smithmagic workshops. The item is destroyed and gives runes tied to its stats. The yield depends on the item’s rolls and on a coefficient specific to each item: it drops when the same piece is broken a lot over a period, and climbs back when players break other items of a similar level.
There are two ways to break: a standard break, which returns runes for every stat, and a focused break, which favours a single stat in larger quantity.
Breaking can pay, but it takes price knowledge and some accepted losses. When you start, buying runes on the marketplace is safer: you know exactly what you spend.
Overmax, exos and transcendence
These are the three finishing techniques of advanced smithmagic. They make the most expensive items valuable, and they also cause the biggest losses.
| Technique | Idea | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Overmax (“over”) | Pushing a stat above the item’s maximum | The game caps overmax; it is usually the first line hit by later losses. |
| Exotic (“exo”) | Adding a stat the item does not have, such as an AP or MP | The most wanted exos need a critical success, which is very rare: it is a matter of budget. |
| Transcendence | Adding one last line with a special rune that always succeeds | The item must have no over and no exo, and can no longer be modified afterwards. |
Watch out : With the item migrator, Ankama can retroactively change the values of equipment already in circulation. Those adjustments can remove an over, an exo or a transcendence lock: never bet everything on one item.
Starting smithmagic without going broke
Smithmagic professions level as you apply runes, up to level 200. The top level is also the one that lets you sign an item. The cheapest way to progress is to work on low-level items with light runes, then move up step by step.
- 1Pick a single smithmagic profession, ideally for an item type you wear or know how to resell.
- 2Level the first ranks on cheap items with inexpensive, light runes.
- 3Aim for items close to their maximum rolls: there is less to fix and a better chance of critical success.
- 4Learn to build and track a sink on worthless items before touching expensive gear.
- 5Write down what you spend on runes and compare it with the resale price of the finished item.
Tip : Levelling a smithmagic profession eats a lot of runes. If you are short on time, a profession pack gives you what you need to clear tiers without buying everything yourself.
The risks to know
Smithmagic remains a game of controlled chance: a perfect item can lose a line with a single rune. Never work on an item whose loss would hurt you, and keep a kamas reserve before any exo attempt.
If you hand an item to a smithmage, do it in the workshop, through the interface built for that service, and agree on the price first. To fund your runes, our guide on how to earn kamas covers the lasting methods, and the one on profitable professions helps you choose what to level alongside.
Frequently asked questions
How does the sink work in Dofus smithmagic?
When a light rune makes you lose a heavier line, the weight difference stays in the item as a sink. That sink absorbs the next losses first, which protects your other stats. It disappears if the item is traded or listed for sale.
Should I break items or buy runes?
When starting out, buying runes on the marketplace is simpler and more predictable. Breaking can be worthwhile once you know prices and item coefficients well, but it involves some losses.
Which smithmagic profession should I pick first?
The one matching the items you wear or resell. Jewellery smithmagic (rings and amulets) is often recommended because those items are in high demand, but competition varies from server to server.
What is an AP exo in Dofus?
It is an action point added to an item that does not naturally have one. The attempt only works on a critical success, which is very rare, and each try costs an expensive rune: it is for players with a solid kamas reserve.
Can you still smithmagic a transcended item?
No. The transcendence rune adds a final stat with guaranteed success, but it locks the item: no other rune can be applied afterwards.