D&D 5e Toolkits, what are they good for?
In D&D tools help you to do something you couldn’t otherwise do, such as craft or repair an item, forge a document, or pick a lock. Your character features give you proficiency with certain tools. Proficiency with a tool allows you to add your proficiency bonus to any ability check you make using that tool. Tool use is not tied to a single ability, since proficiency with a tool represents broader knowledge of its use. For example, a GM might ask a player to make a Dexterity check to carve a fine detail with their woodcarver’s tools, or a Strength check to make something out of a particularly hard wood.
Resources and Resolution. In addition to the appropriate tools for the item to be crafted, a character needs raw materials worth half of the item's selling cost. To determine how many workweeks it takes to create an item, divide its gold piece cost by 50. A character can complete multiple items in a workweek if the items' combined cost is 50 gp or lower. Items that cost more than 50 gp can be completed over longer periods of time, as long as the work in progress is stored in a safe location.
Below is a short list of just some of the things you can do with the different tools. Some of which, aren’t as obvious. Xanthar’s Guide gives us a great starting point. Join us, as we discuss these options and add our own ideas into the mix. Come and join us live and share your own thoughts and ideas.
Alchemist Tools
Arcana. Proficiency with alchemist’s supplies allows characters to gain information on concoctions such as potions, poultices and other strange mixtures.
Investigation. When a character is searching an area and discovers strange powders, liquids or even gases.
Alchemical Crafting. A character can use this tool proficiency to create alchemical items. A character can spend gold purchase raw materials. The DM can allow a character to make a check using the indicated skill with an advantage. As part of a long rest, you can use alchemist’s supplies to make one dose of acid, alchemist’s fire, antitoxin, oil, perfume, or soap.
Artisan’s Tools (Tinker Tools)
History. The character can identify the age of an object such as a construct, information about the creator, or even knowledge about how it has evolved or impacted culture.
Investigation. The character can determine the detail of how a construct or artificer’s device may function.
Repair. A character can restore 2d6 hit points to a damaged object (including constructs) for each hour of work. For any object, you need access to the raw materials required to repair it. For metal or similar objects, the character needs access to an open flame with enough heat to make the material malleable.
Disguise Kit
Deception. When it comes to attempting to deceive an enemy or ally, a simple bit of paint, a change of clothes, or other alterations to a character can reinforce the deception.
Intimidation. Tossing together some makeup to add fake abs, dangerous scars or other menacing details can add to the fear a character is trying to instill.
Performance. When a character attempts to put on a show, the story and showmanship can be significantly enhanced by an accompanying outfit.
Persuasion. There is authority and weight in attire someone possesses. Whether it’s a guard’s uniform or a noble’s suit. Dressing the part can grant a character a measure of weight to the check.
Create Disguise. As part of a long rest, you can create a disguise to match a uniform, outfit, scar, or other feature you have seen in the last 10 days. It takes a character 10 minutes to don such a disguise. You can carry a number of disguises equal to your proficiency bonus on you at a time without drawing undue attention.
Forgery Kit
Arcana. A forgery kit can be used in conjunction with the Arcana skill to determine if a magic item is real or fake. Deception. A well-crafted forgery, such as papers proclaiming you to be a noble or a writ that grants you safe passage, can lend credence to a lie.
History. A forgery kit combined with your knowledge of history improves your ability to create fake historical documents or to tell if an old document is authentic. Investigation. When you examine objects, proficiency with a forgery kit is useful for determining how an object was made and whether it is genuine.
Other Tools. Knowledge of other tools makes your forgeries that much more believable. For example, you could combine proficiency with a forgery kit and proficiency with cartographer’s tools to make a fake map.
Quick Fake. As part of a short rest, you can produce a forged document no more than one page in length. As part of a long rest, you can produce a document that is up to four pages long. Your Intelligence check using a forgery kit determines the DC for someone else’s Intelligence (Investigation) check to spot the fake.
Herbalism Kit
Arcana. Your knowledge of nature and uses of herbs can add insight to your magical studies that deal with plants and your attempts to identify potions.
Investigation. When you inspect an area overgrown with plants, your proficiency can help you pick out details and clues that others might miss.
Medicine. Your mastery of herbalism improves your ability to treat illnesses and wounds by augmenting your methods of care with medicinal plants. Nature and Survival. When you travel in the wild, your skill in herbalism makes it easier to identify plants and spot sources of food that others might overlook.
Identify Plants. You can identify most plants with a quick inspection of their appearance and smell.
Navigator’s Tools
Survival. Knowledge of navigator’s tools helps you avoid becoming lost and also grants you insight into the most likely location for roads and settlements.
Sighting. By taking careful measurements, you can determine your position on a nautical chart and the time of day.
Poisoner’s Kit
History. Your training with poisons can help you when you try to recall facts about infamous poisonings. Investigation or Perception. Your knowledge of poisons has taught you to handle those substances carefully, giving you an edge when you inspect poisoned objects or try to extract clues from events that involve poison.
Medicine. When you treat the victim of a poison, your knowledge grants you added insight into how to provide the best care to your patient.
Nature, Survival. Working with poisons enables you to acquire lore about which plants and animals are poisonous.
Handle Poison. Your proficiency allows you to handle and apply a poison without the risk of exposing yourself to its effects.
Thieves’ Tools
History. Your knowledge of traps grants you insight when answering questions about locations that are renowned for their traps.
Investigation and Perception. You gain additional insight when looking for traps, because you have learned a variety of common signs that betray their presence.
Set a Trap. Just as you can disable traps, you can also set them. As part of a short rest, you can create a trap using items you have on hand. The total of your check becomes the DC for someone else’s attempt to discover or disable the trap. The trap deals damage appropriate to the materials used in crafting it (such as poison or a weapon) or damage equal to half the total of your check, whichever the DM deems appropriate.
We delve into the common tools, but you can find all of them in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything!
Unearthed Tips and Tricks
Monster Variant: Champion of Arms
Origin Stat: Hill Giant
Lost Features: Greatclub (replaced with a greataxe), rock (becomes a sling)
New Features 11 Intelligence
The thrill of Battle. Whenever a creature within 60 feet of the champion dies, the champion gains 12 temporary hit points and has advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until the end of its next turn.
Reaction
Battle Experience (3/Day). When the champion or a creature it can see makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, it can use its reaction to force the target to roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll, saving throw, or ability check.
Encounter: Hot Delivery
The characters are hired by Singe, an azer who took to a life of baking and sales. His particular love for cooking thrust him into a world of creation, of hot stoves. He has found himself a unique customer. One that contacted him from the frigid planes. For obvious reasons, he cannot deliver his product to the customer, a noble barbarian clan chief. He needs a group of adventurers to deliver the hot stove into the icy wilderness to customers. He has also reached out to some local merchants, who would be interested in acquiring a few for their own shops. The characters must venture forth with a wagon of two dozen small fiery stoves. The kicker is, the stoves hold magma mephits inside and they are always trying to escape. The characters must keep them contained and safe, for the stoves have no value without them.
Magic Item: Chromatic Blade
Weapon (any sword), uncommon (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
The sword has 4 charges. While holding it, when you cast a spell that deals damage you can use your reaction to change the spell's damage type. You choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder for the damage type.
The sword regains 1d4 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the sword bursts with a rainbow of light turns to mist, and is destroyed.
Dungeon Master Tip: Give the players what they want as much as you can
Sometimes it’s not just about letting the players have agency and letting them make decisions in the world you’re building. Sometimes you need to listen to what they’re aiming for and help them reach that point on their own. If you find yourself getting annoyed at your players for always going off and doing something different, you might not be telling the kind of stories you’re interested in.
Player Tip: Unseen Fortress
For this, you need to be able to cast the spell rope trick, and have the find familiar spell. The rope trick spell allows its caster (no concentration required) to create an extradimensional space at the end of the rope that rises into the area. The caster can climp inside space (lasts for 1 hour) to escape danger. Now, since anyone can climb the rope, you pull the rope up into the space so the enemy can’t reach. When you’re ready to attack, you climb down the rope just enough to send pain and suffering to your enemies, then move back up into your safe space. Alternatively, you can cast touch spells through your familiar while you hide in safely. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “familiars die so easily”. Well, top them off with blink or mirror image and they will become surprisingly resilient. You’re welcome.
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Keep your blades sharp and spells prepared heroes!
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