I've been building my first Artificer for a game I'll be playing with some friends, and actually looking at the class, I'm a bit stumped by the tool requirements. Magical Tinkering requires Tinker's tools (or an artisan's tools), and Tools of the Trade later requires just Tinker's tools. My confusion is that you only start with Thieves tools, if you aren't taking an Artisan background, are you just stuck rolling for GP and hoping you get enough to buy one ir a Tinker's tools? I know UA lited Thieves tools for Magical Tinkering before, but in the official book it does not. Unless I just can't read.
Yeh-sadly you are required to get them. So.. that can be a real pain in some games that require specific backgrounds and or choices. In not-those, I usually make my own background based off of folk hero and sage to just get all the proficiencies and tools.
Though if you are allowed to "presell" equipement, if you choose the right weapons, and armour, and sell all of it-and portions of your dungeoneer's pack. You can make 50 gold assuming 1/2 sale price. Scale Mail sells for 25. Xbow+boltst for 12.5. two maces sell for 5 gold I think it was. So you can get 42.5g for the equipment only. Then you either have to sell more from your dungeon pack. Sell your thieves tools (and then later make them with your tinker tools---because I think I'd rather have tinkers for several levels than thieves). Or your background can come with gold if you have the right one. (and some come with sellable items as well. --While I used folk hero on my Alchemist Artificer, I sold the Pot to buy a cooking tools actually) (With folk hero, I managed it via selling xbow/bow/scale mail, 1 mace (kept a knife), and the 10gold pouch. bought tinker tools and hide medium armour)
it kind of is weird, sucks a bit.. but it worked for one of my games. its even weirder when literally nothing in the class explicitly calls for thieves tools-while several features call for tinker's tools (including the level 3) or at least artisen tools (lv 1). In a home game probably should always consider asking for the other.. The game does assume you'd get it from background though--due to the cost difference between theives and tinker.
I assume they just forgot they changed things and kind of did an accident. Which happens. in a home game ask for a switch-or do the trade method above.
Yeh-sadly you are required to get them. So.. that can be a real pain in some games that require specific backgrounds and or choices. In not-those, I usually make my own background based off of folk hero and sage to just get all the proficiencies and tools.
Though if you are allowed to "presell" equipement, if you choose the right weapons, and armour, and sell all of it-and portions of your dungeoneer's pack. You can make 50 gold assuming 1/2 sale price. Scale Mail sells for 25. Xbow+boltst for 12.5. two maces sell for 5 gold I think it was. So you can get 42.5g for the equipment only. Then you either have to sell more from your dungeon pack. Sell your thieves tools (and then later make them with your tinker tools---because I think I'd rather have tinkers for several levels than thieves). Or your background can come with gold if you have the right one. (and some come with sellable items as well. --While I used folk hero on my Alchemist Artificer, I sold the Pot to buy a cooking tools actually) (With folk hero, I managed it via selling xbow/bow/scale mail, 1 mace (kept a knife), and the 10gold pouch. bought tinker tools and hide medium armour)
it kind of is weird, sucks a bit.. but it worked for one of my games. its even weirder when literally nothing in the class explicitly calls for thieves tools-while several features call for tinker's tools (including the level 3) or at least artisen tools (lv 1). In a home game probably should always consider asking for the other.. The game does assume you'd get it from background though--due to the cost difference between theives and tinker.
I assume they just forgot they changed things and kind of did an accident. Which happens. in a home game ask for a switch-or do the trade method above.
Yea.. If this weren't an unintentional flub, it's kind of a "Screw You" to any player that doesn't want to take an Artisan Background... My Artificer was a Soldier who was constantly amazed by magic and science and spent all his free time tinkering. He eventually left his service when he was allowed and pursued what had become his passion. After the swap from UA to Official, my DM and I decided that he had amassed his Tinkering Tools during his time in service anyways.
In my case, my Alchemist was taken in by a gnome wizard early in life. But found that she had 0 aptitude for magic. She could undrstand it, she could use things to manipulate it. But she herself had no way to grasp it. So, she started with a wand, and learned to use other things to do what she wants. Then used that, to help buildi better versions. t o build better versions. Pulling herself up by her own bootostraps.
But I ultimately threw in a random "and then our villiage near us got attacked by a hoarde, the Wizard and young me helped defend it becoming a folk hero. Then later somoene came looking for the wizard who was wanted in another kingdom for a misunderstanding. Ultimately they vanished, I hide all of our work in a secret bunker up the mountain. Then I set off to see the world, find my adopted parent, and just expand my horizons and learn new techniques"
feels sorta tacked on, but I needed the stuff that background gave me. (since I think if you make a custom background you don't get the item sets that standard also come iwth.? cause folk hero comes with artisen tools and also 10gp/pot/shovel/etc. Which I wanted)
I am a tad surprised the wording isn't "Thieves tools or tinker's tools" so you could do either, and choose either at level 1.
The odd implication of starting with thieves' tools when you really need tinker's tools is that at some point in level 1 you steal yourself a set of tinker's tools.
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Bark side up, bark side down, it really, truly does not matter.
I use Folk Hero--because tool profiencies and I get a set of tools -tinkerer's tools- as well. Soo. I pull the jRPG thing. I'm a Hero in the area.... but I also totally walked into somone's house, and opened their work bench and took stuff
It's also weird to me that there can be a negative connotation with just owning thieves tools (only thieves would want to carry them), so why/how do artificiers start with them? I haven't heard a great flavor explanation for this yet, not there isn't one.
It's also weird to me that there can be a negative connotation with just owning thieves tools (only thieves would want to carry them), so why/how do artificiers start with them? I haven't heard a great flavor explanation for this yet, not there isn't one.
Conceivably locksmiths might also carry thieves' tools. Surely people in fantasy worlds also occasionally lock themselves out of their houses?
It's also weird to me that there can be a negative connotation with just owning thieves tools (only thieves would want to carry them), so why/how do artificiers start with them? I haven't heard a great flavor explanation for this yet, not there isn't one.
I mean even in real life right now. You can buy Locksmith tools off Amazon and in some hardware stores. Just... a straight up kit
I mean, I learned to pick locks out of boredom. A lot can be done with the metal clip a lot of pens have and a paperclip.. even some staples. Pretty sure everyday items can be flavored into thieves' tools. So it makes sense that an Artificer would have ready access to those kinds of tools or objects and likely be very proficient with them.
I think it would've been a treat if they started with "Artificer tools" and they counted as theives and tinker's just a neat combo pack. but I"m also a big fan of that alchemy kit +poison kit from Acquisitions Inc
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Hello,
I've been building my first Artificer for a game I'll be playing with some friends, and actually looking at the class, I'm a bit stumped by the tool requirements. Magical Tinkering requires Tinker's tools (or an artisan's tools), and Tools of the Trade later requires just Tinker's tools. My confusion is that you only start with Thieves tools, if you aren't taking an Artisan background, are you just stuck rolling for GP and hoping you get enough to buy one ir a Tinker's tools? I know UA lited Thieves tools for Magical Tinkering before, but in the official book it does not. Unless I just can't read.
Thanks
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D&D Beyond FoundersYes, you are correct - an Artificer character doesn't automatically start with Tinker's Tools, unless from a background.
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Yeh-sadly you are required to get them. So.. that can be a real pain in some games that require specific backgrounds and or choices. In not-those, I usually make my own background based off of folk hero and sage to just get all the proficiencies and tools.
Though if you are allowed to "presell" equipement, if you choose the right weapons, and armour, and sell all of it-and portions of your dungeoneer's pack. You can make 50 gold assuming 1/2 sale price. Scale Mail sells for 25. Xbow+boltst for 12.5. two maces sell for 5 gold I think it was. So you can get 42.5g for the equipment only. Then you either have to sell more from your dungeon pack. Sell your thieves tools (and then later make them with your tinker tools---because I think I'd rather have tinkers for several levels than thieves). Or your background can come with gold if you have the right one. (and some come with sellable items as well. --While I used folk hero on my Alchemist Artificer, I sold the Pot to buy a cooking tools actually)
(With folk hero, I managed it via selling xbow/bow/scale mail, 1 mace (kept a knife), and the 10gold pouch. bought tinker tools and hide medium armour)
it kind of is weird, sucks a bit.. but it worked for one of my games. its even weirder when literally nothing in the class explicitly calls for thieves tools-while several features call for tinker's tools (including the level 3) or at least artisen tools (lv 1). In a home game probably should always consider asking for the other..
The game does assume you'd get it from background though--due to the cost difference between theives and tinker.
I assume they just forgot they changed things and kind of did an accident. Which happens. in a home game ask for a switch-or do the trade method above.
Yea.. If this weren't an unintentional flub, it's kind of a "Screw You" to any player that doesn't want to take an Artisan Background... My Artificer was a Soldier who was constantly amazed by magic and science and spent all his free time tinkering. He eventually left his service when he was allowed and pursued what had become his passion. After the swap from UA to Official, my DM and I decided that he had amassed his Tinkering Tools during his time in service anyways.
In my case, my Alchemist was taken in by a gnome wizard early in life. But found that she had 0 aptitude for magic. She could undrstand it, she could use things to manipulate it. But she herself had no way to grasp it. So, she started with a wand, and learned to use other things to do what she wants. Then used that, to help buildi better versions. t o build better versions. Pulling herself up by her own bootostraps.
But I ultimately threw in a random "and then our villiage near us got attacked by a hoarde, the Wizard and young me helped defend it becoming a folk hero. Then later somoene came looking for the wizard who was wanted in another kingdom for a misunderstanding. Ultimately they vanished, I hide all of our work in a secret bunker up the mountain. Then I set off to see the world, find my adopted parent, and just expand my horizons and learn new techniques"
feels sorta tacked on, but I needed the stuff that background gave me.
(since I think if you make a custom background you don't get the item sets that standard also come iwth.? cause folk hero comes with artisen tools and also 10gp/pot/shovel/etc. Which I wanted)
I am a tad surprised the wording isn't "Thieves tools or tinker's tools" so you could do either, and choose either at level 1.
The odd implication of starting with thieves' tools when you really need tinker's tools is that at some point in level 1 you steal yourself a set of tinker's tools.
Bark side up, bark side down, it really, truly does not matter.
Honestly I do enjoy workin that in.
I use Folk Hero--because tool profiencies and I get a set of tools -tinkerer's tools- as well.
Soo. I pull the jRPG thing. I'm a Hero in the area.... but I also totally walked into somone's house, and opened their work bench and took stuff
It's also weird to me that there can be a negative connotation with just owning thieves tools (only thieves would want to carry them), so why/how do artificiers start with them? I haven't heard a great flavor explanation for this yet, not there isn't one.
Conceivably locksmiths might also carry thieves' tools. Surely people in fantasy worlds also occasionally lock themselves out of their houses?
I have found itt! I'm not the only one! Hopefully they might fix this in the reprint of the class in Tcoe
I mean even in real life right now. You can buy Locksmith tools off Amazon and in some hardware stores. Just... a straight up kit
I mean, I learned to pick locks out of boredom. A lot can be done with the metal clip a lot of pens have and a paperclip.. even some staples. Pretty sure everyday items can be flavored into thieves' tools. So it makes sense that an Artificer would have ready access to those kinds of tools or objects and likely be very proficient with them.
I think it would've been a treat if they started with "Artificer tools" and they counted as theives and tinker's just a neat combo pack.
but I"m also a big fan of that alchemy kit +poison kit from Acquisitions Inc