Let's see, so far I've used the ability to do or plan to do a lot of things.
Light up a bullet or arrow to use as a tracer round, or to fire straight in the air as a signal flare.
Record messages on arrows and have your fighter shoot it with his longbow. Boom, you now have Message with a range of 600 feet. Relay information, give orders, shoot it across a ravine to the other side to communicate with someone, etc.
Making the Paladin's sword glow.
Casting it on five rocks and using them at the edges of our campsite, extending the range that whoever was on watch could see.
Making two objects simulate the smell and sound of the sea to calm the nerves of a sailor so they could sleep.
Best use I've done was using the 5 item max as a signaling system with the general of a friendly army. Our job was to infiltrate the enemy camp and accomplish three specific goals. I made five coins glow and handed them to him. Every time we accomplished one of our goals, I would use it again on a new coin, causing one of the original five to stop glowing. That way the general knew what we had accomplished, and if all the remaining ones went off in rapid succession, it was a signal that we were in trouble.
Used it to enhance my rock gnome's Tinker clockwork puppets, putting on a show for children that earns her some extra coin and goodwill.
Recording a character during the peak of a tantrum and then playing it back to him later as part of an intervention.
It's pretty much Prestidigitation but not quite as useful. Still though, if you need to justify shenanigans then it's pretty easy to do so!
On the note of battle smith. I used the feature to allow my steel defender to communicate in limited phrases. If someone greeted him a "Howdy" would emit from his mouth. The two methods I used was either he would tap a ring on his finger with his other hand to activate a message, or build him a mouth and build false teeth into it and throw in an artificial tongue and tap at the one that fit the situation. Did he spot an unknown entity when the party is camping? "Ive spotted something!" The actual process of putting it together may be a lil clunky and you should ask your dm about it ofcourse. But if you can then the possibilities are quite many!
Our Artificer cast the light feature on a medallion that my halfling rogue wears around his neck (kept tucked away most of the time). When he's in dim/dark areas, he pulls it out so he can make close-up perception checks without disadvantage.
Question: (And I know the proper answer to this is "Check with your DM") how would y'all play it?
When moving through the forest, an Artificer casts the aroma of evergreens on an item. Would this affect the ability of creatures who use smell as part of their perception? Would it give disadvantage or negate advantage for the creature when trying to locate the character? Maybe he casts it on several stones and drops them in his wake. Would it throw off the scent?
When moving through the forest, an Artificer casts the aroma of evergreens on an item. Would this affect the ability of creatures who use smell as part of their perception? Would it give disadvantage or negate advantage for the creature when trying to locate the character? Maybe he casts it on several stones and drops them in his wake. Would it throw off the scent?
I don't think it would be enough to completely throw off the scent, but I would say it would be enough to give advantage on stealth rolls to remain innocuous or increase the DC of an opposing perception check.
Recording a character during the peak of a tantrum and then playing it back to him later as part of an intervention
How does this work? The message must be one you speak, no? Home Rule?
It wasn't a verbal thing - during the tantrum he visibly threatened another character with an evil look on his face (they're a Kalashtar and their other half got a little out of control.)
My artificer made a picture/hologram of the look on their face as a way of getting through to them that this is what the party sees when it happens. It ended up being a really great character moment.
Recording a character during the peak of a tantrum and then playing it back to him later as part of an intervention
How does this work? The message must be one you speak, no? Home Rule?
It wasn't a verbal thing - during the tantrum he visibly threatened another character with an evil look on his face (they're a Kalashtar and their other half got a little out of control.)
My artificer made a picture/hologram of the look on their face as a way of getting through to them that this is what the party sees when it happens. It ended up being a really great character moment.
I'm playing an Aarakocra Monk and in our party we have an Artificer Battlesmith. I would like to know (because I cannot find anywhere other than peoples opinions), whether a Magically Tinkered item is magical. It appears to me that to imbue something with magic like it describes in the artificer pages, the item gains the magical property. Which in my mind makes the item inherently magical, at least until the oldest tinkered object gets replaced with the new one once you reach your maximum limit of items.
So! If the Artificer were to use Magical Tinkering, stirring a pot of nail varnish with a lockpick or whatever, and imbue that varnish with 5ft of bright light, would that varnish count as magical varnish?
And if so! If my Aarakocra then coated his talons in said magical varnish, granting 5ft of bright light and 5ft of dim to the talons as per the varnishes newly acquired magical property, would that then mean that any slash and unarmed strike from said talons would have the property of magical damage? No bonuses, just no longer non-magical physical strikes.
I'd love to get some quotes and references to somewhere legit that could answer this for me. Everyone's opinions are great but i really want to see it in writing from a source book or official notes from the creators whether this sort of thing could work. nowhere can I find has a clear definition on whether the tinkered item becomes magical or not. It certainly seems to be to me and many others. But there's people that dispute it with no evidence. Show me your findings and I'll thoroughly look through it.
Even if the varnish were magic, it doesn't do the damage. The talons do. You might be able to introduce some poison that way, but they wouldn't do magical damage. I can't cite any rule, but a good rule of thumb is if the rules don't say it can, then it can't. There are several instances where the rules say that something imparts the ability to inflict magical damage (or overcome resistance to normal damage) , but this isn't one of them.
Edit: The Artificer gets the spell Magic Weapon as a second level spell. Why would he have that spell if he could just use Magical Tinkering?
Edit edit: A hat of disguise is magical, but I don't think you could do much damage hitting someone with it.
I'm thinking of using it to addd a light source to my boomerang, so that I can throw it to light up a view of the area for the party members who don't have night vision
I'm thinking of using it to addd a light source to my boomerang, so that I can throw it to light up a view of the area for the party members who don't have night vision
I'm thinking of using it to addd a light source to my boomerang, so that I can throw it to light up a view of the area for the party members who don't have night vision
Is a boomerang a tiny object?
Yes, most weapons are "Tiny Objects". Keep in mind that the size categories are intended for creatures... so "small" would be about the size of a small creature like a Gnome or a Goblin. Tiny is basically anything that fits in your hand. I believe that any weapon that lacks the "heavy" property is essentially a tiny object.
Recording a character during the peak of a tantrum and then playing it back to him later as part of an intervention
How does this work? The message must be one you speak, no? Home Rule?
That's what made me sad, when I looked in beyond I didn't saw the detailed description at first and thought my Harengon Artificer could pull a Judy Hopps and record someone monologuing and then play it back, but then I saw the detailed text and my Idea went down the drain xD
Also what I wonder, are all other effects really permanent as soon as magical tinkering is used and only the message plays on touch? Would therethical be funny to have multiple rings used where one emits light on touch and two others play a sound like a soundboard, like char wants to make light but hits the wrong ring xD
Here's the most fine I've personally had with Magical Tinkering!
I've been an Artificer Main for awhile now, getting really familiar with its various useful abilities and also how DM's often rule on them in game. I should also clarify that I RP in a lot more strict detail than simple RAW requires.
The Rules As Written merely says "You [...] touch a Tiny nonmagical object as an action and give it one of the following magical properties [...] The object continuously emits your choice of [...] a nonverbal sound [...] The chosen phenomenon is perceivable up to 10 feet away."
Rather than simply touch something that already exists, I have always chosen to first take some time to Tinker with things like small bits of metal, buttons, cloth, etc, and describe my character as creating an object with a round surface area that has little spikes around the sides. I then "record" the sound of Thunderclap or Thunderwave into it.
Then I or another member of my Party take this Sound FX Button and plant it somewhere - needs to be ground that it can be pressed into, ie. not stone - and activate it before returning to the party. The sound of Thunderwave can be heard not only above ground, but is also amplified and travels even further underground.
Any enemies who are likely to be distracted by sounds are drawn to the SFX Button, while the Party and I slip past via a different route.
I've mainly used this in the CoS module, first time doing it was to distract the various Blights around the Winery as we tried to get in or out when under attack (thus the need for the sound to be able to travel underground). Worked beautifully, I must say! I've used variations of this at least three other times in other games!
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I figure that Magical Tinkering is more like putting some magical schmutz on the surface of the tiny object, so it doesn't permeate the object itself.
Helpful rewriter of Japanese->English translation and delver into software codebases (she/e/they)
Nope.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Let's see, so far I've used the ability to do or plan to do a lot of things.
Light up a bullet or arrow to use as a tracer round, or to fire straight in the air as a signal flare.
Record messages on arrows and have your fighter shoot it with his longbow. Boom, you now have Message with a range of 600 feet. Relay information, give orders, shoot it across a ravine to the other side to communicate with someone, etc.
Making the Paladin's sword glow.
Casting it on five rocks and using them at the edges of our campsite, extending the range that whoever was on watch could see.
Making two objects simulate the smell and sound of the sea to calm the nerves of a sailor so they could sleep.
Best use I've done was using the 5 item max as a signaling system with the general of a friendly army. Our job was to infiltrate the enemy camp and accomplish three specific goals. I made five coins glow and handed them to him. Every time we accomplished one of our goals, I would use it again on a new coin, causing one of the original five to stop glowing. That way the general knew what we had accomplished, and if all the remaining ones went off in rapid succession, it was a signal that we were in trouble.
Used it to enhance my rock gnome's Tinker clockwork puppets, putting on a show for children that earns her some extra coin and goodwill.
Recording a character during the peak of a tantrum and then playing it back to him later as part of an intervention.
It's pretty much Prestidigitation but not quite as useful. Still though, if you need to justify shenanigans then it's pretty easy to do so!
On the note of battle smith. I used the feature to allow my steel defender to communicate in limited phrases. If someone greeted him a "Howdy" would emit from his mouth. The two methods I used was either he would tap a ring on his finger with his other hand to activate a message, or build him a mouth and build false teeth into it and throw in an artificial tongue and tap at the one that fit the situation. Did he spot an unknown entity when the party is camping? "Ive spotted something!" The actual process of putting it together may be a lil clunky and you should ask your dm about it ofcourse. But if you can then the possibilities are quite many!
Our Artificer cast the light feature on a medallion that my halfling rogue wears around his neck (kept tucked away most of the time). When he's in dim/dark areas, he pulls it out so he can make close-up perception checks without disadvantage.
Question: (And I know the proper answer to this is "Check with your DM") how would y'all play it?
When moving through the forest, an Artificer casts the aroma of evergreens on an item. Would this affect the ability of creatures who use smell as part of their perception? Would it give disadvantage or negate advantage for the creature when trying to locate the character? Maybe he casts it on several stones and drops them in his wake. Would it throw off the scent?
I don't think it would be enough to completely throw off the scent, but I would say it would be enough to give advantage on stealth rolls to remain innocuous or increase the DC of an opposing perception check.
How does this work? The message must be one you speak, no? Home Rule?
It wasn't a verbal thing - during the tantrum he visibly threatened another character with an evil look on his face (they're a Kalashtar and their other half got a little out of control.)
My artificer made a picture/hologram of the look on their face as a way of getting through to them that this is what the party sees when it happens. It ended up being a really great character moment.
AH, nice, thanks!
I'm playing an Aarakocra Monk and in our party we have an Artificer Battlesmith. I would like to know (because I cannot find anywhere other than peoples opinions), whether a Magically Tinkered item is magical. It appears to me that to imbue something with magic like it describes in the artificer pages, the item gains the magical property. Which in my mind makes the item inherently magical, at least until the oldest tinkered object gets replaced with the new one once you reach your maximum limit of items.
So! If the Artificer were to use Magical Tinkering, stirring a pot of nail varnish with a lockpick or whatever, and imbue that varnish with 5ft of bright light, would that varnish count as magical varnish?
And if so! If my Aarakocra then coated his talons in said magical varnish, granting 5ft of bright light and 5ft of dim to the talons as per the varnishes newly acquired magical property, would that then mean that any slash and unarmed strike from said talons would have the property of magical damage? No bonuses, just no longer non-magical physical strikes.
I'd love to get some quotes and references to somewhere legit that could answer this for me. Everyone's opinions are great but i really want to see it in writing from a source book or official notes from the creators whether this sort of thing could work. nowhere can I find has a clear definition on whether the tinkered item becomes magical or not. It certainly seems to be to me and many others. But there's people that dispute it with no evidence. Show me your findings and I'll thoroughly look through it.
Even if the varnish were magic, it doesn't do the damage. The talons do. You might be able to introduce some poison that way, but they wouldn't do magical damage. I can't cite any rule, but a good rule of thumb is if the rules don't say it can, then it can't. There are several instances where the rules say that something imparts the ability to inflict magical damage (or overcome resistance to normal damage) , but this isn't one of them.
Edit: The Artificer gets the spell Magic Weapon as a second level spell. Why would he have that spell if he could just use Magical Tinkering?
Edit edit: A hat of disguise is magical, but I don't think you could do much damage hitting someone with it.
This makes a lot of sense. Like with the hat, sure you could put your hand in it and punch but it's not a magical punch.
I'm thinking of using it to addd a light source to my boomerang, so that I can throw it to light up a view of the area for the party members who don't have night vision
Is a boomerang a tiny object?
One fun thing I created for the party was a white noise machine for when the party sleeps at night or a recording of a bard for a type of iPod.
Yes, most weapons are "Tiny Objects". Keep in mind that the size categories are intended for creatures... so "small" would be about the size of a small creature like a Gnome or a Goblin. Tiny is basically anything that fits in your hand. I believe that any weapon that lacks the "heavy" property is essentially a tiny object.
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for an Odor has anyone had a DM let you sleeping gas or Ether? Great quick way to knock someone out.
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No, that wouldn’t be within the scope of the item’s rules. It might smell like ether, but it wouldn’t function like it.
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Content Troubleshooting
That's what made me sad, when I looked in beyond I didn't saw the detailed description at first and thought my Harengon Artificer could pull a Judy Hopps and record someone monologuing and then play it back, but then I saw the detailed text and my Idea went down the drain xD
Also what I wonder, are all other effects really permanent as soon as magical tinkering is used and only the message plays on touch? Would therethical be funny to have multiple rings used where one emits light on touch and two others play a sound like a soundboard, like char wants to make light but hits the wrong ring xD
Here's the most fine I've personally had with Magical Tinkering!
I've been an Artificer Main for awhile now, getting really familiar with its various useful abilities and also how DM's often rule on them in game. I should also clarify that I RP in a lot more strict detail than simple RAW requires.
The Rules As Written merely says "You [...] touch a Tiny nonmagical object as an action and give it one of the following magical properties [...] The object continuously emits your choice of [...] a nonverbal sound [...] The chosen phenomenon is perceivable up to 10 feet away."
Rather than simply touch something that already exists, I have always chosen to first take some time to Tinker with things like small bits of metal, buttons, cloth, etc, and describe my character as creating an object with a round surface area that has little spikes around the sides. I then "record" the sound of Thunderclap or Thunderwave into it.
Then I or another member of my Party take this Sound FX Button and plant it somewhere - needs to be ground that it can be pressed into, ie. not stone - and activate it before returning to the party. The sound of Thunderwave can be heard not only above ground, but is also amplified and travels even further underground.
Any enemies who are likely to be distracted by sounds are drawn to the SFX Button, while the Party and I slip past via a different route.
I've mainly used this in the CoS module, first time doing it was to distract the various Blights around the Winery as we tried to get in or out when under attack (thus the need for the sound to be able to travel underground). Worked beautifully, I must say! I've used variations of this at least three other times in other games!