Root · Board game rules
Can you fabricate object tokens if none are available on the board?
Quick answer
No — if the item supply doesn't have the matching item chit available, you cannot craft that card.
Details
Crafting a card that grants an immediate effect often requires taking a matching item from the map's item supply and placing it in your Crafted Items box, scoring the victory points shown on the card [p.7 — Crafting Cards]. However, this action depends entirely on the physical supply of item chits near the map.
The rulebook explicitly states that if the supply does not have the matching item to take, you cannot craft the card [p.7 — Crafting Cards]. There is no mechanism to fabricate or substitute a token if the supply is empty — the action simply cannot be taken.
Watch out: This only applies to items with immediate effects tied to taking a physical chit. Cards with persistent effects (tucked under your faction board) don't require taking an item from the supply, so they can still be crafted even if the item supply is depleted [p.7 — Crafting Cards].