EA Mythic reveals new details about the Warhammer Online Crafting system, offering a link to this podcast from Mark Jacobs on the topic. There are more details in the announcement, and here's a portion:

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EA Mythic, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), unveiled new details for the crafting system in Warhammer® Online: Age of Reckoning™ (WAR). With two crafting abilities (Apothecary and Talisman Making) and four supporting gathering skills (Cultivating, Magical Salvaging, Scavenging and Butchering), the MMORPG incorporates an innovative crafting system to aid players in their fights on the battlefield’s of WAR.

“Crafting is a beloved MMORPG element for many players, however, it can often feel like an unnecessary addition to the game,” said Mark Jacobs, general manager of EA Mythic and WAR’s lead game designer. “The crafting system I’ve envisioned for WAR is innovative, fun and doesn’t require hours and hours of grinding materials, items or recipes in order to succeed. It is a system that is tied directly to your Realm’s ongoing war effort whether you are a player who loves PvE, RvR or simply crafting in general.”

The Apothecary crafting ability allows players to create all manner of useful potions, lotions and powders to heal, enhance stats, or cause damage to others. By combining various ingredients, players will even have the opportunity to “design” their own potions according to their needs. The second crafting ability, Talisman Making, will allow players to make useful items imbued with magic powers to be worn by a character.