Player Characters (PCs) have proficiency in tools based on their background, race, class, or certain feats. Players, most often, have a choice in the kind of tools they take, but their choices are limited based on their character.
After character creation is done and the tools are listed on the character sheet, their tool proficiencies are seldom mentioned again. What is the point of having tools and proficiency in those tools if you never use them?
Players and DMs lack an understanding of how to use tools in Dungeons & Dragons 5e. They are often ignored, misunderstood, or poorly utilized. But, if used correctly, tools can add an interesting and fun element to your game, as well as make PCs more rounded and believable!How do you use tools in Dungeons & Dragons 5e? Having proficiency in a tool means more than just being allowed to carry around a hammer and chisel. Tools should allow players to:
Add their proficiency modifier to skill check rolls that are related to their professional knowledge
Create items themselves instead of having to buy them
Find creative solutions to problems
Play their character in a more believable way knowing they have training in a certain field
Tools in Dungeons & Dragons 5e
There are a variety of tools to choose from in D&D 5e. Players can choose a number of these tools based on their background, class, race and chosen feats. Some tool proficiencies only come from certain backgrounds, such as proficiency in poising or thieve’s tools.
If a player has proficiency in a tool, then they can add their proficiency bonus to all dice rolls which use that tool. This can be a great advantage to players and a reason why they should find ways to use their tools and training whenever possible.
Below you will find every tool in D&D 5e. Each section is set up in the same way and includes:
A list of what items are in the toolset
An explanation of the profession in a fantasy setting
An excerpt from Xanathar Guide to Everything that gives a list of skills and special uses for the tool
An explanation of the knowledge that comes with the tool proficiency and how to use it
A list of examples of when to ask for a skill check for each tool
Although each section will begin with a quote from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, if you don’t have a copy of this book yet, I highly recommend stopping by your local game store and picking one up!
This incredible resource is a DM must have! If you can’t get to a store, you can purchase one from our partner, Noble Knight Games, for $10 off retailprice!(whoot!)
Another great resource to keep in your back pocket is my eBook, NPCs for RPGs! This resource alone can cut down your prep-time and make you feel more confident in your session. Each NPC has his/her own side quest, so you will never feel unprepared for an NPC interaction again! Check it out below!
NPCs for RPGs by Halfling Hannah
Artisan Tools
All the tools listed below are considered “Artisan Tools,” that is, supplies a person would need to make a living at a trade. The trades traditionally used in D&D are listed below, but you can always create some of your own!
In order to better utilize these tools, it is important to remember their purpose and possible extensions of them. Players proficient with one of these tools will, by natural extension, be proficient in aspects directly related to the trade. This mentality will help you provide situations in which the players can shine!
Tools List for D&D 5e
Because this post is so long, I have included links that will take you directly to whichever section of the post you want to go!
Simply click the links below for the information you are looking for or keep scrolling to browse all the tools in alphabetical order!
Cost: 50 gp
Includes: two glass beakers, a metal frame to hold a beaker in place over an open flame, a glass stirring rod, a small mortar and pestle, and a pouch of common alchemical ingredients, including salt, powdered iron, and purified water.
This tool set is one of the most expensive in the game and for good reason. An alchemist deals with potions and chemical concoctions. Alchemists make their living by studying the arcane through the natural world. They are known for their potions, balms, and, perhaps, more interesting concoctions.
With the right materials and their tools, alchemists can make potions of healing, alchemist’s fire, smoke bombs, real bombs, and much more.
Alchemist’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana. Proficiency with alchemist’s supplies allows you to unlock more information on Arcana checks involving potions and similar materials.Investigation. When you inspect an area for clues, proficiency with alchemist’s supplies grants additional insight into any chemicals or other substances that might have been used in the area.Alchemical Crafting. You can use this tool proficiency to create alchemical items. A character can spend money to collect raw materials, which weigh 1 pound for every 50 gp spent. The DM can allow a character to make a check using the indicated skill with 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. Subtract half the value of the created item from the total gp worth of raw materials you are carrying.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 79
Alchemist Knowledge
By extension of their trade, Alchemists will be very knowledgeable in the following:
Chemicals and their various uses
Detecting chemicals by their smell or taste
Weighing and measuring by sight
Knowing possible cures for diseases based on symptoms
Knowing what chemicals should NOT be mixed together (big boom)
Making deductions based on factual evidence
Alchemists are usually very curious. They want to know what everything is and what it does. They love to run experiments and collect nearly everything to study.
Research, questioning, and studying are an alchemist’s bread and butter. If your alchemist is trying to do any of those things, I would let them add their proficiency modifier to the skill check roll.
When to ask for an Alchemist Tool’s check
Often times, if a situation arises in which the alchemist of the group is investigating a chemical, as long as it is a basic chemical, I tell them what it is. No rolls necessary. Chemicals are an alchemist’s livelihood and making a mistake could mean missing fingers, so I assume they know their stuff.
For more rare chemicals, I might give them advantage, or ask them to make a roll an intelligence check and add their proficiency modifier to the roll. This is a great way to use tools and proficiencies to improve gameplay and make your players feel like specialists!
Ask for an alchemist tool’s skill check when your players are trying to create a helpful potion or balm out of herbs or chemicals. Remember, alchemists focus on helpful potions (or big booms). They do not have knowledge of poisons except for what to avoid putting in potions.
Additionally, you can ask for alchemist’s tools check or if PCs are wanting to:
Collect “evidence” or “samples” of any kind
Identify a substance, potion or spell components
Discover the properties of a substance or plant
Research of any kind, including quickly skimming books
Understanding theories or other alchemists notes
Although some of these don’t have to do with the alchemist’s tool directly, they are still linked to the knowledge a proficient alchemist would have.
The tools are a symbol of the player’s knowledge. I always allow players to roll with their proficiency bonus if they are working on something that relates to the field of alchemy.
Back to Tools List
Brewer’s Tools
Cost: 20 gp
Includes: a large glass jug , a quantity of hops, a siphon, and several feet of tubing.Brewer’s make their living brewing beer, wine or other spirits. If your player chooses this tools option, I highly suggest you ask them to come up with a signature drink.
Not only can you use this drink during the campaign, but it allows their character something to be proud of and brag about. It is up to you and the player to decide how good the drink actually is. You can roll percentile dice or just decide for yourselves, it’s up to you!
Brewer’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
History. Proficiency with brewer’s supplies gives you additional insight on Intelligence (History) checks concerning events that involve alcohol as a significant element.Medicine. This tool proficiency grants additional insight when you treat anyone suffering from alcohol poisoning or when you can use alcohol to dull pain.Persuasion. A stiff drink can help soften the hardest heart. Your proficiency with brewer’s supplies can help you ply someone with drink, giving them just enough alcohol to mellow their mood.Potable Water. Your knowledge of brewing enables you to purify water that would otherwise be undrinkable. As part of a long rest, you can purify up to 6 gallons of water, or 1 gallon as part of a short rest.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 79
Brewer’s Knowledge
Brewing is actually a very precise science. In order to get the right amount of alcohol to sweetness ratio and/or to get each bottle to come out with a consistent flavor, the brewer must have a lot of practice and knowledge.
Because of their trade, brewers have natural knowledge of:
Buying and selling goods
Weighing and measuring
Purity/quality of ingredients
Flavor profiles
Business practices (I like to give brewer’s a shortlist of “business contacts.” These are NPC they know and can reach out to if need be)
People– alcohol is often social and brewers know how to get to the heart of an issue
When to ask for a Brewer’s Tools check
Obviously, if the PC is attempting to brew, they should roll using their tools (most often I will have players roll either an intelligence, wisdom, or performance based on their character). However, there are other situations which could warrant a “brewer’s tools check.” Such as:
Attempting to judge the purity of water
Investigating a crop blight
Mixing drinks
Identifying the quality of a drink
Using that roll of tubing for…whatever the heck you player might think of
Cost: 10 gp
Includes: ink, a dozen sheets of parchment, and three quills.Calligraphy is the art of “fancy writing.” It requires patience, skill and an eye for detail. A skilled calligrapher would be in high demand for tasks, such as:
Writing invitations for the rich and powerful
Commissioned commemorative documents
Official legal documents
Creating pieces of art
Adding decorative elements to books, maps, and other documents
Calligrapher’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana. Although calligraphy is of little help in deciphering the content of magical writings, proficiency with these supplies can aid in identifying who wrote a script of a magical nature.History. This tool proficiency can augment the benefit of successful checks made to analyze or investigate ancient writings, scrolls, or other texts, including runes etched in stone or messages in frescoes or other displays.Decipher Treasure Map. This tool proficiency grants you expertise in examining maps. You can make an Intelligence check to determine a map’s age, whether a map includes any hidden messages, or similar facts.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 80
Calligrapher’s Knowledge
It is likely a skilled Calligrapher would know the rich and powerful of whatever town/city in which they grew up. Perhaps not on a first name level, but they would differentially know who is who.
Because of their trade, a calligrapher would have a natural knowledge of:
Fine papers and inks
The subtle language differences between the rich and middle class
Where to find buyers for expensive items
How to spot hidden messages and nuances in writing and maps
Basic understanding of ancient ruins and texts as part of their study
When to ask for a Calligrapher’s Tools check
When PCs asks to use calligraphy, I have them make a dexterity or intelligence check, based on the character, then addtheir proficiency modifier to the roll.
Some other times you could ask the player to make a check using calligrapher’s tools could be:
Spotting a hidden idea or symbol in a letter or document
Understanding the message of a legal document
Creating a piece of calligraphy art as a gift or to sell
Embellishing a letter or document to look more official
Cost: 8 gp
Includes: a saw, a hammer, nails, a hatchet, a square, a ruler, an adze, a plane, and a chisel.A carpenter works with wood to create furniture, structures, or tools. A carpenter’s skills are in high demand no matter the size of a city or village, and having one in your group just might save your party!
Most carpenters specialize in one area, so you might ask your player what area of carpentry their character specializes: fine furniture, cabinetry, structures (read support beams and decorations for buildings), tools, or small items.
Carpenter’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
History. This tool proficiency aids you in identifying the use and the origin of wooden buildings and other large wooden objects.Investigation. You gain additional insight when inspecting areas within wooden structures, because you know tricks of construction that can conceal areas from discovery.Perception. You can spot irregularities in wooden walls or floors, making it easier to find trap doors and secret passages.Stealth. You can quickly assess the weak spots in a wooden floor, making it easier to avoid the places that creak and groan when they’re stepped on.Fortify. With 1 minute of work and raw materials, you can make a door or window harder to force open. Increase the DC needed to open it by 5.Temporary Shelter. As part of a long rest, you can construct a lean-to or a similar shelter to keep your group dry and in the shade for the duration of the rest. Because it was fashioned quickly from whatever wood was available , the shelter collapses 1d3 days after being assembled.
Xanthar’s Guide to Everything page 80
Carpenter’s Knowledge
Because of their training and apprenticeship, carpenter’s have a natural knowledge of:
Wood types and their uses. A skilled carpenter can identify nearly every variety of trees used for lumber.
Well built vs. cheap furniture and items
The structuralintegrity of buildings as well as the ability to read blueprints (which is harder than you might think!)
Identify false bottoms in drawers, as well as find hidden buttons, drawers or mechanisms and even traps!
When to ask for a Carpenter’s Tools check
If you player is attempting to create or carve something into wood, have them make a dexterity/strength check, depending on the situation, then add their proficiency modifier to the roll.
Here are some other situations that could call for a carpenter’s tools check:
Fixing a wooden object, (e.g. wagon wheel)
Attempting to open a wooden box without opening the lock
Rigging a door/window or box with a booby-trap or to make harder to open (add 5 to the door/window’s AC)
Checking a piece of furniture for false backs or hidden drawers or while looking for traps on a door, chest, or other wooden object
Building a temporary structure for the group while traveling
Costs: 15 gp
Includes: A quill, ink, parchment, a pair of compasses, calipers, and a ruler.A cartographer makes maps. They can scout out unmapped areas, create detailed maps of known areas, or simply mass-produce maps for purchase.
A skilled cartographer is often found in a large city where there are abundant adventurer’s to purchase their maps. You will likely also find them at Universities and accompanying official missions for kingdoms to new or little known locations.
Cartographer’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana, History, Religion. You can use your knowledge of maps and locations to unearth more detailed information when you use these skills. For instance, you might spot hidden messages in a map, identify when the map was made to determine if geographical features have changed since then, and so forth.Nature. Your familiarity with physical geography makes it easier for you to answer questions or solve issues relating to the terrain around you.Survival. Your understanding of geography makes it easier to find paths to civilization, to predict areas where villages or towns might be found, and to avoid becoming lost. You have studied so many maps that common patterns, such as how trade routes evolve and where settlements a rise in relation to geographic locations, are familiar to you.Craft a Map. While traveling, you can draw a map as you go in addition to engaging in other activity.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 80
Cartographer’s Knowledge
Due to their occupation, a cartographer has a large knowledge base of locations, as well as distances and measurements. You can expect your cartographer to know:
Where all the major cities, mountain ranges and bodies of water are
A rough estimate of how long it will take to travel pretty much anywhere
A helpful list of nearby cities and towns
Where to find information on landmarks and history
How to NOT get lost
When to ask for a Cartographer’s Tools skill check
If the player is consulting one of his/her many maps, have him/her make an intelligence roll plus their proficiency modifier for their cartography tools.
You can also have them make a cartographer’s tools check when the player wants to:
Record the location of a new discovery on a current map
Create a new map (real or fake) of an area or specific location
Attempt to understand hidden messages on a map or follow a coded map (e.g. treasure map)
Cost: 5 gp
Includes: a hammer, an awl, a knife, a shoe stand, a cutter, spare leather, and thread. (Xanthar’s Guide to Everything, page 80)
Some of you might be surprised to learn that a cobbler is someone who makes shoes. Cobblers are similar to leatherworkers, but they specialize in hard, tough leather fit for making shoes.
Cobbler’s are found in every city and town, but their level varies greatly. Some cobbler’s focus on making rough, working shoes for the common folks, while others are really artists, crafting only the finest of shoes for Lords and Ladies.
Cobbler’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana, History. Your knowledge of shoes aids you in identifying the magical properties of enchanted boots or the history of such items.Investigation. Footwear holds a surprising number of secrets. You can learn where someone has recently visited by examining the wear and the dirt that has accumulated on their shoes. Your experience in repairing shoes makes it easier for you to identify where damage might come from.Maintain Shoes. As part of a long rest, you can repair your companions’ shoes. For the next 24 hours, up to six creatures of your choice who wear shoes you worked on can travel up to 10 hours a day without making saving throws to avoid exhaustion.Craft Hidden Compartment. With 8 hours of work, you can add a hidden compartment to a pair of shoes. The compartment can hold an object up to 3 inches long and 1 inch wide and deep. You make an Intelligence check using your tool proficiency to determine the Intelligence (Investigation) check DC needed to find the compartment.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 80
Cobbler’s Knowledge
Few things are as essential for all walks of life as shoes. Because of this, cobblers have special knowledge not just of shoes, but of the people who wear them too. You can expect a cobbler to know:
Quality leather items from junk
A person’s social status based on their shoes
Several people in their home community (rank depends on the quality of shoes sold)
Where to find quality shops for clothing and leather goods
The size and height of a person based on their footprints
Where the person is likely to have traveled recently/what profession they practice
When to ask for a Cobbler’s Tools check
Because cobbler’s tools consist of leather, glue, an awl or leather punch, tough sewing materials, and molding materials (for making models of feet to work off of), they are actually quite useful for a variety of things that don’t include making shoes.Ask your player to roll a dexterity/intelligence check and add their proficiency bonus to the roll when using their cobbler’s tools. Below are some possible situation in which your players might want to use their cobbler’s tools:
Fixing broken or damaged leather items (specifically shoes, but you could roll with disadvantage on fixing other leather items)
Making a new pair of shoes or repairing current ones
Measuring an object
Punching holes in soft materials or binding material together with laces
Making molds or casts, especially of footprints
Sewing
Stitching up another player’s wounds to keep them from bleeding out (Disadvantage? yes Freaking Awesome? Also yes.)
Vegetables wiht Black PanCost: 1 gp
Includes: a metal pot, knives, forks, a stirring spoon, and a ladle.
One of the cheapest and perhaps humblest of the tools is the cook’s utensils. But don’t let it fool you into thinking it is useless. It might be the most practical of the toolsets!
Whether the character was a professional chef, or just a gifted amateur, having a dedicated cook in the party is a benefit to everyone!
Cook Utensils Skills and Special Uses
History. Your knowledge of cooking techniques allows you to assess the social patterns involved in a culture’s eating habits.Medicine. When administering treatment, you can transform medicine that is bitter or sour into a pleasing concoction.Survival. When foraging for food, you can make do with ingredients you scavenge that others would be unable to transform into nourishing meals.Prepare Meals. As part of a short rest, you can prepare a tasty meal that helps your companions regain their strength. You and up to five creatures of your choice regain 1 extra hit point per Hit Die spent during a short rest, provided you have access to your cook’s utensils and sufficient food.
Xanathar Guide to Everything page 81
A Cook’s Knowledge
A cook who is used to forging in the woods for food and making due with what they have will definitely know the following:
Eatable vs. poisonous plants and berries
A variety of snares, traps, and baits for catching game
How to tell if an animal is sick or healthy
How to tell if plants are healthy or blighted
Healthy/immune-boosting herbs and plants
When to ask for a Cook’s Utensil’s check
When players use cook’s utensil’s for a skill check, I will most often have them roll an intelligence or wisdom check based on the character. They then add their proficiency modifier to the roll.
Some situations in which you could have player’s roll using cook’s utensils include:
Finding and preparing meals while traveling
Spotting poison or impurities in food
Preparing a gourmet meal for a troll so it won’t eat your friends (was that too specific?)
Cost: 25 gp
Includes: cosmetics, hair dye, small props, and a few pieces of clothing.
If you don’t have a the magical ability to disguise yourself, then a disguise kit is practically a necessity. While it isn’t flawless, it gets the job done in a pinch. Containing make-up and other ways to disguise one’s appearance, disguise kits are a basic staple of D&D.
Usually only those with a more…shall we say “colorful” background are given the option to take the disguise kit, but they should be widely available in larger cities where theaters are more common. Unlike thieves tools, which might raise suspicion if you go looking for them, most shop owners won’t question someone trying to find a disguise kit. Making them readily available to character who might not otherwise have them.
Remember, having a disguise kit and being proficient with a disguise kit are two very different things!
Disguise Kit Skills and Special Uses
Deception. In certain cases, a disguise can improve your ability to weave convincing lies.Intimidation. The right disguise can make you look more fearsome, whether you want to scare someone away by posing as a plague victim or intimidate a gang of thugs by taking the appearance of a bully.Performance. A cunning disguise can enhance an audience’s enjoyment of a performance, provided the disguise is properly designed to evoke the desired reaction.Persuasion. Folk tend to trust a person in uniform. If you disguise yourself as an authority figure, your efforts to persuade others are often more effective.Create Disguise. As part of a long rest, you can create a disguise. It takes you 1 minute to don such a disguise once you have created it. You can carry only one such disguise on you at a time without drawing undue attention, unless you have a bag of holding or a similar method to keep them hidden. Each disguise weighs 1 pound.At other times, it takes 10 minutes to craft a disguise that involves moderate changes to your appearance, and 30 minutes for one that requires more extensive changes.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 81
Disguise Kit Knowledge
For those players who are accustomed to disguising themselves, life has given them a particular knowledge others likely don’t possess. Those proficient with disguise kits likely also:
Know how to blend into a crowd
Know how to be/cause a distraction when needed
Understand how people from different walks of life dress and act
Knows when and how to hide
When to ask for a Disguise Kit skill check
Likely, this will be one of the easiest tools to ask for a skill check. Your players will let you know when they want to use their disguise kit, and you will ask them to make either a dexterity or performance check (based on their character) and add their proficiency modifier to the roll.
Some examples of when to use a disguise kit and ask for a check are:
Cost: 15 gp
Includes: several different types of ink, a variety of parchments and papers, several quills, seals and sealing wax, gold and silver leaf, and small tools to sculpt melted wax to mimic a seal.
Another staple of D&D, forgery kits allow players to make copies of documents or forge someone’s seal or signature. While calligraphy tools focus on making new documents that look and sound official, forgery kits are for copying existing documents.
Forgery Kits Skills and Special Uses
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.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 81
Forgery Kit Knowledge
If your player has proficiency in forgery, you can bet they also have knowledge of other shady practices. Forgery is not something anyone knows how to do.
Sure, we all forged mom or dad’s signature on a field trip slip or a sick note once… or twice, but that is far different from true forgery. If your player has proficiency with a forgery kit, they almost certainly also know:
At least one black market or underground contact
How to identify authentic vs. falsified documents
How to obtain handwriting or official documents “off the books”
A dealer or handler of fake art, documents or other items
When to ask for a Forgery Kit skill check
The neat part about forgery kits is that they can be used in conjunction with other tools to make a more convincing copy of an item.
For example, using a forgery kit with calligraphy tools creates a more convincing “legal document” or “writ.” A forgery kit and cartographer’s tools pair together to make a fake map look real!
If a player wants to use a forgery kit in conjunction with another tool, have them roll for each separately, both times adding their proficiency modifier to the roll (provided they have proficiency with the tool).
If one player has proficiency in a toolset and another has proficiency with the forgery kit, and they want to work together to create a forged item, you have two options:
Have both players roll for their respective parts, adding their own proficiency to the roll. In this option, one player is creating the item (e.g. a map or document) and the other player is adding special touches to the end product to make it look more real (e.g. a seal or a signature). I would suggest adding to the DC of spotting the document is a fake based on how high the forgery roll is for this option.
Have one player roll with advantage and add proficiency ONCE. In this case, both players are working together on the item to add authentic touches throughout. Remember, only add one proficiency bonus to the highest of the two rolls.
Some other times you could ask for a forgery kit skill check include:
Spotting a fake item or document
Attempting to copy seals or handwriting as samples to keep for later
Identifying family seals or crests
Adding gold or silver leaf to something (and trust me, it isn’t ever what you think it will be.)
Cost: 30 gp
Includes: a blowpipe, a small marver, blocks, and tweezers. You need a source of heat to work glass.Glassblowing is the process of taking a molten piece of glass and shaping it into a useable object or work of art. Traditionally, this was the way in which glass objects were made.
If you have never seen this process before, it is amazing to watch! Check out the YouTube video by the Chrysler Museum of Art below to learn more about this process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxgIEeIBCFo
Glassblowing Tools Skill and Special Uses
Arcana, History.Your knowledge of glassmaking techniques aids you when you examine glass objects, such as potion bottles or glass items found in a treasure hoard. For instance, you can study how a glass potion bottle has been changed by its contents to help determine a potion’s effects. (A potion might leave behind a residue, deform the glass, or stain it.) Investigation. When you study an area, your knowledge can aid you if the clues include broken glass or glass objects.Identify Weakness. With 1 minute of study, you can identify the weak points in a glass object. Any damage dealt to the object by striking a weak spot is doubled.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 82
Glassblower’s Knowledge
At this point you may be thinking, how could this toolset possibly be useful? Yes, you do need a fire that gets up to 2300 degrees F in our world to melt glass, but remember, this is a fantasy world we are talking about!
Imagine a wizard/sorcerer who comes from a family of elite glassblowers. He/she could use any number of fire spells to melt the glass and infuse it with magic to make it nearly impossible to break! Or glow a certain color if poison or tainted water is poured into it.
All I am saying is there is a whole fantasy realm of possibilities here that you should keep open for your players!
That being said, even in normal circumstances, there is a large body of knowledge a glassblower would know in addition to their trade, such as:
Glass in a fantasy world is restricted to the wealthy, you can believe a glassblower would know the rich and famous of the city in which they work
Quality glass items vs. cheaply made
The purpose of a custom glass container
Magic infused glass items
Potentially what potion is in a glass vial based on how the glass reacts to it (this would be a high DC though, I would suggest 20)
When to ask for a Glassblower’s skill check
Most often you will ask for a glassblower’s skill check when the player is attempting to make a complicated glass object. If they want to make simple vials or potion bottles, I let the player make 1d4 of such items per hour.
Some other events that might call for a glassblower’s skill check might be:
Analyzing the glass pieces in a damaged room to determine how it was broken (e.g. explosion vs. punched)
Cutting glass to open a window/door without alerting anyone
Cost: 5gp
Includes: pouches to store herbs, clippers and leather gloves for collecting plants, a mortar and pestle, and several glass jars.
An herbalism kit is different from an alchemist’s tools or a poisoner’s kit. Herbs are the main ingredient used in potions, while chemicals are the base of alchemist kits. The two are very different. Herbalist focus on finding/growing herbs necessary to create healing potions and antitoxins.
Herbalists know plants and how to use them. They can create balms and salves that can be used to treat diseases. Proficiency in this kit is required to create antitoxins and potions of healing.
Herbalism Kit Skills and Special Uses
Arcana. Your knowledge of the 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.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 82
Herbalist’s Knowledge
Herbalist’s know pretty everything there is to know about plants. Which at eatable, which are rare and, therefore, expensive, and which plants to avoid. Beyond that, herbalist also might know:
Potion sellers! Always helpful.
How to barter/trade for the best prices on potions
How to brew an exceptionalpot of tea
How to forage for tasty and nutritional food
Identify a variety of diseases based on their symptoms
When to ask for a Herbalism Kit skill check
When a player wants to create a potion, healing balm or salve, have them roll an intelligence/wisdom check and add their proficiency to the roll. Some other situation that might call for a herbalism kit skill check are:
Identifying a poison and creating an antitoxin
Identifying a disease and knowing a cure
Foraging for herbs or food
Identifying plants or berries
Analyzing the contents of a potion to know its effects
Cost: 25 gp
Includes: a small saw and hammer, files, pliers, and tweezers.A Jeweler is a person who works with precious stones and metals or other, more common materials. In a fantasy setting, this can include creating simple jewelry for common folks, cultural pieces, ceremonial items, enchanted items, or extremely fancy jewelry for the rich.
If one of your players has proficiency in jeweler’s tools, you might want to ask exactly what kind of jewelry they make. This will give you greater insight into who/what the player might know.
Jeweler’s Tools Skill and Special Uses
Arcana. Proficiency with jeweler’s tools grants you knowledge about the reputed mystical uses of gems. This insight proves handy when you make Arcana checks related to gems or gem-encrusted items.Investigation. When you inspect jeweled objects, your proficiency with jeweler’s tools aids you in picking out clues they might hold.Identify Gems. You can identify gems and determine their value at a glance.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 82
Jeweler’s Knowledge
Understanding gemstones is actually a pretty useful skill in D&D. A lot of enchanted items are created using the natural magic found in gemstones. This means that jeweler’s know a lot more than you might think at first glance.
You can expect a jeweler in D&D to know:
The suppliers of gems and rare metals in most major cities
How to spot a fake gem or item from a mile away
The common uses of specific gems in enchanting
The value of nearly any gem or piece of jewelry
When to ask for a Jeweler’s Tool skill check
When I ask for a jeweler’s tools skill check, I always back the skill check on what the player is trying to do.
For example, if they are trying to determine whether or not an item is the original or a knock-off, I would tell them to roll an investigation check and add their proficiency.
However, if they are trying to craft an item, I would ask them to roll a dexterity skill check and add their proficiency.
Here are some situations for a jeweler’s tools skill check:
Crafting a piece of jewelry
Examining a jewel-encrusted item to determine its possible purpose
Authenticating or dating a piece of jewelry
Appraising the value of gems or jewelry
*Note* If a player wants to grind a gem to create gem dust to use as a spell component, I let them do this without rolling a check.
Back to Tools List
Leatherworker’s Tools
Cost: 5gp
Includes: a knife, a small mallet, an edger, a hole punch, thread, and leather scraps.“Leatherworker” is an extremely broad term for anyone who works with leather. In a fantasy setting, this could mean a lot of things, and you will want to clarify with your player exactly what area of leatherworking they are trained in.
A leatherworker could include making: saddles, leather armor, gloves, chaps, backpacks or saddlebags, book bindings, belts, component pouches, furniture, clothing, and engraved leather items.
Leatherworker’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana. Your expertise in working with leather grants you added insight when you inspect magic items crafted from leather, such as boots and some cloaks.Investigation. You gain added insight when studying leather items or clues related to them, as you draw on your knowledge of leather to pick out details that others would overlook.Identify Hides. When looking at a hide or a leather item, you can determine the source of the leather and any special techniques used to treat it. For example, you can spot the difference between leather crafted using dwarven methods and leather crafted using halfling methods.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 82
Leatherworker’s Knowledge
Because the techniques used in creating leather items are roughly the same, leatherworkers have a large base of knowledge in their field. If an item is made of leather, any leatherworker should know quite a bit about it, even if they have never made the item themselves.
You can expect leatherworkers to have a knowledge of:
Leather tanning methods, as often times tanning and leatherworking go hand-in-hand
A contact list of hunters and farmers who would’ve provided them with animal skins
Ability to spot leather craftsmanship from other cultures
How to judge the quality of a leather item
At least a small well of knowledge of arcane ruins that can engraved on leather and what they do
When to ask for Leatherworker’s Tools skill check
Much like the jeweler’s tools above, the skill check I ask player’s to make when using leatherworker’s tools is based on their actions. If they are trying to craft or repair a leather item, I have them roll a dexterity skill check and add their proficiency modifier to the roll.
If, however, the player is wanting to determine the age or quality of a leather item, I would ask them to roll an investigation or perceptioncheck (their choice) and add their proficiency modifier to the roll.
Here are some more examples of times you could ask for a leatherworker’s tools skill check:
Appraising the value of leather items
Crafting leather items or tanning leather while out on the road
Cost: 10 gp
Includes: a trowel, a hammer, a chisel, brushes, and a square.Mason’s work with brick and stone to create buildings and structures. Masons can be found in any village or city and should be considered the “working class.” Don’t ignore this toolset just yet, it has just as many benefits as more “upper-class” professions.
Mason’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
History. Your expertise aids you in identifying a stone building’s date of construction and purpose, a long with insight into who might have built it.Investigation. You gain additional insight when inspecting areas within stone structures.Perception. You can spot irregularities in stone walls or floors, making it easier to find trap doors and secret passages.Demolition. Your knowledge of masonry allows you to spot weak points in brick walls. You deal double damage to such structures with your weapon attacks.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 83
Mason’s Knowledge
A mason is more of a people-profession than a lot of other more “upper-class” trades. A mason builds and repairs homes, businesses and even places of worship. They are seen as “down-to-earth” and people often trust a mason right away.
There is more to masonry than just laying one brick on to of another. Masons have special skills and knowledge such as:
An understanding of materials and which are the strongest or weakest
A network of clients and businesses who would be willing to help them in a pinch
The ability to determine how old a structure is and what culture created it
Knowledge of where different types of stone are located in the earth and what forces create them
When to ask for Mason’s tools skill checks
Although at first glance, you may think you would never ask for a Manson’s tools skill check, there are a surprising amount of scenarios where this is useful. Turns out, adventurers do a lot of exploring in ancient dungeons and ruins, making a mason a surprisingly useful trade to have on the team!
Ask your player to make a skill check based on what they are trying to accomplish and add their proficiency modifier to the roll. Some examples of when you might ask for a mason’s tools skill check are when a player wants to:
Determine the age/culture of origin/purpose of a building or structure
Find the weak point in a building in order to collapse it
Investigate the type of rock found in an area to determine what geological features might be in the area (e.g. If traveling underground, the party might start to see a lot of obsidian, the mason would know they are getting close to volcanic activity)
Cost: 25 gp
Includes: a sextant, a compass, calipers, a ruler, parchment, ink, and a quill.
Often taken with the “sailor” background, navigators are responsible for tracking a ship’s course at sea. Back before GPS, this was a very important job and required a lot of skill and knowledge in several areas.
Navigator’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
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.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 83
Navigator’s Knowledge
A navigator’s one job it to keep the ship or group from becoming lost. They are trained to know where they are at all times. This can come in very handy when adventuring through the wilderness!
Because of their training, you can expect a navigator will know:
More advanced mathematics and astronomy
The time of day based on the sun’s position in the sky
Good & bad weather signs
Everything about certain areas they navigate often
At least a few Captains whom they have worked for
When to ask for Navigator’s Tools skill check
A naviagor’s tool skill check is pretty straightforward. Most often you will have the player roll an intelligence/wisdom skill check (their choice) and add their proficiency bonus to the roll.
It is likely these are the two skill checks you will be asking for most often because most often players will be adventuring and relying on the navigator to find the way. There are some other times you could ask for a navigator’s skill check, such as when a player wants to:
Look at a map and determine the quickest/safest way to get to their destination
Cost: 10 gp
Includes: an easel, canvas, paints, brushes, charcoal sticks, and a palette.
For some, adventuring means seeking gold and riches. To others, it means finding new and exciting subjects for their art! Painters are artists seeking to capture the most exciting and beautiful landscapes and subject matter to bring a new perspective to their art!
Taking this proficiency means your player has interpreted the phrase “suffer for art” very literally. However, this proficiency isn’t without its more practical uses as well!
Painter’s Supplies Skills and Special Uses
Arcana, History, Religion. Your expertise aids you in uncovering lore of any sort that is attached to a work of art, such as the magical properties of a painting or the origins of a strange mural found in a dungeon.Investigation, Perception. When you inspect a painting or a similar work of visual art, your knowledge of the practices behind creating it can grant you additional insight.Painting and Drawing. As part of a short or long rest, you can produce a simple work of art. Although your work might lack precision, you can capture an image or a scene, or make a quick copy of a piece of art you saw.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 83
Painter’s Knowledge
To become an artist takes more than just talent. A proficient painter has studied for years to understand all the history and techniques of his/her profession.
This makes artist walking history books when it comes to art and art subject matter. A very useful skill when your party is search for clues about an ancient being!
Because of their studious nature, you can expect your painter to know:
A brief history of most of the gods (they are a big subject in art, after all), wars, and legendary items or people
A wide variety of interesting people (artists are known for being eccentric!)
How to spot a fake painting from an original
The value of ancient art pieces the party might find
When to ask for a Painter’s Supplies skill check
Artists should be able to quickly paint a copy of what they see, provided they take a long or short rest, no roll required.
However, I would have a player roll either an intelligence or wisdom skill check and add their proficiency bonus for any of the following:
Spotting an original piece among a bunch of copies
Determining the age/value/origins of a work of art
Cost: 50 gp
Includes: glass vials, a mortar and pestle, chemicals, and a glass stirring rod.
A poisoner is the black sheep of the herbalist family. You aren’t likely to see a player with proficiency in poisoning outside of ex-criminals and assassins.
Poisoners specialize in creating lethal and toxic concoctions to kill or incapacitate their enemies. This specialized training gives poisoners unique skills and knowledge no other profession gains.
Poisoner’s Kit Skills and Special Uses
History. Your training with poisons can help you when you try to recall facts about infamous poisonings.Investigation, 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 risk of exposing yourself to its effects.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 83
Poisoner’s Knowledge
Poisoners know their poisons, be they natural or man-made. They are very knowledgeable on how poisons affect the body and where to find them. A proficient poisoner’s knowledge will include:
Where to find poisons, be they chemicals, herbs, or animal parts as well as who sells them
Identify poisons based on their effects on the human body and how to counteract them
How to handle poisons without harming self or others
How to disguise the taste of poison
When to ask for a Poisoner’s Kit skill check
Poisoning is a specific skill set, but it does have some far-reaching implications. If the player is working with a poison, ask for a dexterity skill check. If they are attempting to research or understand a poison, ask for either an intelligence or wisdom skill check, based on the character’s strengths.
Make sure to have the player add their proficiency if they don’t already have proficiency in the skill.
Some situations in which your player might want to make a poisoner’s kit check are:
Identifying a poison based on it’s effects
Collecting poison from an unusual source (e.g. the fangs of an unknown creature)
Testing a food or water source for poison
Creating a new poison
*Note* Much like with other tools, if a poisoner wants to make a simple poison from common materials, I let them do without requiring a roll. I only make the player roll to create a new poison or collect poison from an unfamiliar source.Back to Tools List
Potter’s Tools
Cost: 10 gp
Includes: potter’s needles, ribs, scrapers, a knife, and calipers.A potter uses his/her hands and some tools to mold clay into useable items, such as pots, jars, or pieces of art. The clay is then fired in a kiln to harden it.
Much like the glassblower and the painter, a proficiency in pottery is often overlooked by players and DMs. However, being a potter in a fantasy world would have been a very practical profession!
While the wealthy might order glass or precious metal items, common folks would have turned to a potter to provide them with everyday items. The world of D&D is practically littered with pottery, making a knowledge of it extremely practical!
Potter’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
History. Your expertise aids you in identifying ceramic objects, including when they were created and their likely place or culture of origin.Investigation, Perception. You gain additional insight when inspecting ceramics, uncovering clues others would overlook by spotting minor irregularities.Reconstruction. By examining pottery shards, you can determine an object’s original, intact form and its likely purpose.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 84
Potter’s Knowledge
Potters are unique in that they have both practical and artistic knowledge which they use in their work. A potter must have an artist’s eye to create beautiful pieces people want to buy, but they also much know the benefits and limitations of the materials they are working with.
The combination of art and practically in this profession should be fun to explore! Some areas a potter would be especial knowledgable of include:
Geographic areas to find different types of clay and how to use them
History of pottery stylesand techniques in different cultures
A wide and eclectic client base
The purpose of items, especially if they were for common use, decorative, or ceremonial
When to ask for a Potter’s Tools skill check
If a player wants to make simply objects using their pottery tools, I do not make them roll a skill check. I allow players to make 1d4 small pieces of pottery per hour they work which much then be fired (heated in a kiln) over a long rest to be ready to use.
If a player is attempting to make a more intricate piece, I have them roll a dexterity skill check and add their proficiency modifier to the roll. If they are investigating a piece of pottery, I let them choose between an intelligence or wisdom skill check plus their proficiency modifier.
You could have you player roll a potter’s tools skill check if they are:
Attempting to date, appraise, or otherwise understand a piece of pottery or investigate broken pottery
Determining if a piece is authentic or fake
Find clayorunderstand a geological area based on the dirt found there
Use their tools for a purpose other than creating pottery, such as removing a small object or delicately placing one
Cost: 20 gp
Includes: hammers, tongs, charcoal, rags, and a whetstone.Smiths forge iron in useful items using a furnace and tools. Any item made of metal had to go through the hands of a smith, from a mighty sword to the simple horseshoe.
In a fantasy setting, blacksmiths are an important part of the economy. When you players find a village or city, their first stop is likely a blacksmith. Repairing and upgrading weapons and armor are essential in D&D, and blacksmiths make that possible.
Because of their essential nature, having a player with proficiency in smithing can be quite useful. While they cannot make items while on the road (unless they have the magical or alchemical means to create a very hot fire) but they do have skills and knowledge the group needs.
Smith’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana and History. Your expertise lends you additional insight when examining metal objects, such as weapons.Investigation. You can spot clues and make deductions that others might overlook when an investigation involves armor, weapons, or other metalwork.Repair. With access to your tools and an open flame hot enough to make metal pliable, you can restore 10 hit points to a damaged metal object for each hour of work.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 85
Smith’s Knowledge
A smith’s knowledge goes beyond their trade. To become a proficient blacksmith, a player must have connections to materials, rich knowledge of those materials, and a skillful hand.
If your player is proficient with smith’s tool, then you can expect that PC to know:
The properties and uses of various metals
Mining connections
How to manipulate and utilize fire
How to spot quality items from inferior ones
When trying to decide if a player should add their proficiency to a skill check roll because of their proficiency with a tool, it is important to remember that each profession has additional skills that are necessary to be proficient in that profession.
This knowledge comes from years of apprenticeship and practice. Make sure to take this into consideration when asking for skill checks!
When to ask for a Smith’s Tools skill check
If a player wants to forge a simple object or make a basic repair, I do not have the player roll a skill check. I assume that these tasks are elementary for a proficient blacksmith, given they have the right tools and access to a forge.
However, if a player would like to forge an item or weapon that is more difficult or repair something that has been shattered, have the player roll a strength or dexterity skill check and add their proficiency modifier.
Alternatively, if the player is examining a metal object to learn about it, have the player roll an intelligence or wisdom skill check and add their proficiency modifier. Some situations that might require a skill check are when the player wants to:
Open a metal object or door without unlocking it
Determine the value of weapons or armor
Understand how a metal object was used based on the wear and damage the item received
Repurpose a metal object to fit their needs in a pinch
Cost: 25 gp
Includes: a small file, a set of lock picks, a small mirror mounted on a metal handle, a set of narrow-bladed scissors, and a pair of pliers.
Perhaps the most used tools in D&D, thieve’s tools are used to pick locks, see around corners, disarm traps and stealthy commit crimes. Those with proficiency in thieve’s tools are ex-criminals, assassins, and rogues. These tools are not for common, law-abiding citizens.
Players with proficiency in thieve’s tools will also have contacts in the criminal world and will likely have other nefarious knowledge as well.
Thieve’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
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.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 84
Thieve’s Knowledge
Thieves are experts at finding valuables and disarming the traps that often guard said valuables. Such a skill might have been learned in order to survive the streets of a city or during a particularly rebellious phase of life. However the skill were learned, they come with knowledge few others will have.A proficient thief will know
Contacts in the criminal world, including a fence (someone who buys stolen items)
How to gain information on a target through bribes, tailing, or deceit
How to find hidden valuables
Where to look for traps
How to spot a rich target
When a player who is proficient with thieve’s tools is attempting any action that involves the knowledge above, I always let them add their proficiency modifier to their skill check.
I do this to extend the usefulness of the tool and account for the knowledge a proficient thief would have. It is a great way to make tools a more important part of the game, and I highly recommend it!
When to ask for a Thieve’s Tools skill check
There are many situations in which you might allow players to add their thieves’ tool proficiency to a skill check roll. If the player is doing any criminal activity or attempting to learn about a target through sneaky means, it is likely they should be adding their proficiency.
Some examples of when I might ask for a thieve’s tools skill check are when a player:
Attempts to stealthily open a locked door or window
Disarms or sets a trap
Attempts to gain information using questionable means
Investigates a room for a hidden safe or stash
Even though a few of these do not directly include the use of thieve’s tools (such as the gathering of information) I take into account what a proficient thieve would know. Tools imply knowledge, make sure to take that knowledge into consideration.
Back to Tools List
Tinker’s Tools
Cost: 50 gp
Includes: a variety of hand tools, thread, needles, a whetstone, scraps of cloth and leather, and a small pot of glue.Tinkers are creative inventors who use a variety of tools and materials to craft…well…anything they can think of! Tinkers are even able to invent something out of random spare parts. They are mechanically-minded and have a keen eye for engineering.
Perhaps more than the other professions, tinkers have a broad knowledge of mechanics and principals of movement, as well as mathematics, physics, and even magic! Although, this knowledge could be limited to what they needed to know for specific projects.
A proficient tinker will have a lot of random knowledge. I think it is fun to have players make a short list of random knowledge, which they can call upon in times of trouble.
Tinker’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
History. You can determine the age and origin of objects, even if you have only a few pieces remaining from the original.Investigation. When you inspect a damaged object, you gain knowledge of how it was damaged and how long ago.Repair. You can restore 10 hit points to a damaged object for each hour of work. For any object, you need access to the raw materials required to repair it. For metal objects, you need access to an open flame hot enough to make the metal pliable.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 85
Tinker’s Knowledge
In order for their experiments and inventions to work, tinkers must study many subjects. They likely are not experts in any one field, but rather do the research they need for a project and then move on.
*DM Idea* Have you tinker player jot down a list of inventions, both successful and failed. This will give you a better idea of what knowledge they might have!
This jumbled and eclectic collection of knowledge means a tinker should be allowed to use his/her proficiency outside of constructing new items. It is likely a tinker will know a little in each of the following fields:
Steam or arcane power systems (depending on your style of game)
Joints, gears, and the physics of motion
Astronomy (moving calendars and constellation trackers)
Various fields of mathematics
When a player is attempting to do/understand anything within a field they have likely studied, I allowed them to add their tinker’s tool proficiency to the roll.
When to ask for a Tinker Tools skill check
It is important to remember that proficiency in tinker tools doesn’t just mean the player knows how to use hand tools. Proficiency also means they know how to be a successful tinker.
Taking this into consideration, so situations in which I could call for a skill check and allow my player to add their tinker tool proficiency would include:
Understanding the function of an invention, including how to turn it on/off and what its weaknesses might be
Gaining insight into a clue which has mathematical, theoretical, or physics roots
Building something useful out of scraps or random materials under pressure
Recalling random, but useful, information from previous studies
All of these actions should have proficiency added to their skill check roll for a proficient tinker. It pays to have a nerd on the team!
Back to Tools List
Weaver’s Tools
Cost: 1 gp
Includes: thread, needles, and scraps of cloth. You know how to work a loom, but such equipment is too large to transport.Weavers use a loom to weave together materials to create fabrics for clothing and other uses. This fabric can be anything from fine silk to coarse wool.
Much like real life, a weaver could create fine clothing for the rich or cheap cloth for peasants. You should ask your player what type of fabric/clothing they specialize in making to get a better idea of what they might know as a weaver.
Weaver’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana, History. Your expertise lends you additional insight when examining cloth objects, including cloaks and robes.Investigation. Using your knowledge of the process of creating cloth objects, you can spot clues and make deductions that others would overlook when you examine tapestries, upholstery, clothing, and other woven items.Repair. As part of a short rest, you can repair a single damaged cloth object.Craft Clothing. Assuming you have access to sufficient cloth and thread, you can create an outfit for a creature as part of a long rest.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 85
Weaver’s Knowledge
Weavers need to know a lot of people to keep their business viable. Not only do they need raw materials to create fabrics, but they also need to sell those fabrics to seamstress’ or merchants.
This means that weavers will know not only everything about their craft but often everything about the business world too! You can expect a weaver to know:
Who to contact for materials (silk, wool, cotton, etc.) and who to contact to sell woven fabrics
At least one contact in the black market (even if they have never used it themselves)
How to spot a rich person in a crowd based on what they are wearing
How to dress for every occasion
When to ask for a Weaver’s Tool skill check
Depending on the character, this could be a really fun proficiency to have! A flamboyant bard or a snobby noble might constantly ask to judge people based on what they are wearing.
In such cases, I would suggest having the player roll an insight skill check and add their proficiency bonus because of their weaver’s knowledge. Some other examples of when I would ask players to roll a skill check for weaver’s tools might be when a player:
Looks for clues based on tapestries, fabric found at the scene, or damaged clothing on a suspect
Wants to gain insights based on what the NPC is wearing (social status, where they have traveled, etc.)
Determines the enchantment placed on a cloak based on the symbols embroidered on it
Spot the richest person in the room, you know, to “talk” to them
Cost: 1 gp
Includes: a knife, a gouge, and a small saw.A woodcarver is skilled at adding intricate designs to wooden objects. This can be as simple as a adding decorative touches to a walking stick or as complex as carving ruins into a wand.
Woodcarvers make their living using their patience and skillful hands to make any mundane wooden object extraordinary.
Woodcarver’s Tools Skills and Special Uses
Arcana, History. Your expertise lends you additional insight when you examine wooden objects, such as figurines or arrows.Nature. Your knowledge of wooden objects gives you some added insight when you examine trees.Repair. As part of a short rest, you can repair a single damaged wooden object.Craft Arrows. As part of a short rest, you can craft up to five arrows. As part of a long rest, you can craft up to twenty. You must have enough wood on hand to produce them.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything page 85
Woodcarver’s Knowledge
Woodcarvers know a lot of information regarding wood varieties. They are accustomed to working with different woods depending on the purpose of the item they are making. They also know how to make useful items, and can do so quickly.
Beyond knowing how to carve wood, you can expect a woodcarver to know:
How to identify trees as well as how to know if a tree is healthy or not
Quality lumber and wooden items from inferior ones
Basic ruins for enchantments
Styles and techniques of carving that are unique to other cultures
When to ask for a Woodcarver’s Tool skill check
Like with many other tool sets, if a player with proficiency in woodcarving wants to make a simple wooden object, I let them do so without rolling a skill check.
In order to create more complex objects or carve intricate details, have the player make a dexterity skill check and add their proficiency modifier to the roll. If the player is attempting to learn about a wooden object, ask them to make an intelligence or wisdom skill check, depending on their character’s strengths, and add their proficiency modifier.
Some specific examples of when to ask for a woodcarver’s tools skill check could include when a player:
Investigates the purpose or iconography on a wooden object
Examining an object’s carvings to determine what enchantment has been placed on it
Discovering clues based on the features or style of a wooden item
Attempting to repair a delicate wooden object, such as a wand
Many DMs and players have complained about the uselessness of tool proficiencies in 5th edition. The problem, however, does not lie in the tools themselves, but in player and DM inability to look outside the toolbox.
Tool proficiency in D&D is meant to act as a representation of past PC experiences and knowledge. To have a proficiency in a tool means the character has been trained in its use, gaining knowledge and contacts related to that profession.Tools are as useful as you want to make them. They are open-ended. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything does a great job of filling in some missing pieces, but only you can make them useful depending on how you treat them.
If you haven’t given tool even a passing glance in the past, I encourage you to rethink how you use them in your campaign. Start asking your players what their proficiencies are and create scenarios tailored to them.
Everything about your players should count for something, even their tools.
Until next time,
May your game have advantage, my friends!
-Halfling Hannah
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The DMs Guide to Using Legendary Actions & Resistances 5e
Legendary monsters are just that. Legendary. They are the stuff lore and nightmares are made of. It makes sense that these monsters should be difficult to kill on their own. But what would happen if a mage simply cast a spell that took the creature out of the fight on the first round? That’s…well…lame.
Legendary Resistance in Dungeons & Dragons 5e ensures that legendary creatures are not rendered powerless by one failed saving throw. If a legendary creature fails a save, they can choose to succeed on that save instead. In a similar way, Legendary Actions allow one creature to have multiple turns, making a single monster encounter much more challenging.
These Legendary tactics are part of what makes these creatures so terrifying. While they make the battle more interesting, the question becomes: How should a Dungeon Master use them to create more epic encounters?
What are Legendary Resistances & Legendary Actions?
Legendary Resistance 5e
Legendary Resistance is an innate ability given to extremely powerful creatures. Creatures of this level are naturally more in touch with the arcane, giving them great advantages against magic.
The number of Legendary Resistances a creature can use will depend on the creature itself, most often, it is 3 times per day.
This ability “activates” when the creature fails a save of any kind. If a creature fails, it can choose to succeed instead. This wording is very important. The creature is not forced to use its Legendary Resistance, it chooses to do so or not to do so. We will discuss this more in the “Purpose” section of the article.
Legendary Actions
Legendary creatures also have Legendary Actions. A Legendary Creature can use one of its Legendary Actions at the end of another creature’s turn. Spend Legendary Actions are regained at the end of the creature’s turn.
Legendary Actions can ONLY be used at the end of another creature’s turn.
ALL actions spent during the round are regained at the END of the Legendary Creature’s turn and can be used in the next round. This means a Legendary Creature should take one Legendary Action per round of combat.
What is the Purpose of “Legendary Actions”?
Most often, the party will face only one Legendary creature in an encounter. Normally, this would mean that the creature would have to survive an onslaught of attacks from the party until its next turn. This would be unbalanced, enter Legendary Actions.
To better understand Legendary Actions, let’s look at an example from Roll20:
Lich Legendary Actions:
The Lich can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Spent legendary Actions are regained at the start of each turn.
Cantrip: The lich casts a cantrip.
Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions): The lich uses its Paralyzing Touch.
Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions): The lich fixes its gaze on one creature it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become Frightened for 1 minute. The Frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the lich’s gaze for the next 24 hours.
Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions): Each non-undead creature within 20 feet of the lich must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The Lich has 4 options for its Legendary Action. At the end of any other creature’s turn in combat, the Lich can choose to use any one of these, but it can only use one at a time.
This means the Lich could cast a cantrip after each player’s turn in combat because a Cantrip is a free action. Or, the Lich could use Frightening Gaze once during the round by spending 2 actions. But it CANNOT use both a Cantrip and Frightening Gaze at the same time.
Once the round is finished and the Lich has taken its turn again, it regains all spend actions. This means if the Lich used “Disrupt Life” at the cost of 3 actions last round, it can use it again the following round.
Turning One Monster into Multiple Monsters
Because the Lich has the option to attack outside of its turn, Legendary Actions essentially turn a single encounter into multiple encounters. Be sure to take this into consideration when building your encounter!
If you aren’t sure if your party can handle a Monster of Legendary proportions, or if you need more help building balanced encounters in general, you will find all the help you need in this article, “Building Balanced Encounters.“
What is the Purpose of “Legendary Resistances”?
Why do some creatures have LR? Many DMs have questioned the purpose or usefulness of this mechanic. But LR is an important part of encounter building.
The purpose of Legendary Resistance is to prevent a powerful creature from being rendered helpless because of one failed saving throw. These creatures are often ancient and powerful. In the overall story, it would not make sense for such a creature to fall easily to arcane tricks.
By allowing the creature to choose 3 times where it can choose to succeed on a saving throw, the mechanic balances potentially game-wrecking spells. An encounter with one of these creatures should be harrowing, Legendary Resistance helps to ensure that it is just that.
When to Use Legendary Resistance
This ability is triggered only when the creature fails a saving throw. When this happens, the creature can choose to let the fail stand or to succeed instead.
The creature is NOTrequired to succeed when it fails. Legendary creatures are intelligent, or at least experienced, such a creature would know when to let a fail stand and when to change the fates.
Feel free to pick and choose what spells to resist and which to allow the creature to fail. This is not cheating or meta-gaming! This is the perk of a Legendary Creature! Such creatures should be a challenge and that is the whole point to Legendary Resistance.
Could this be frustrating to spell casters? Yes. Casting a high-level spell only to have it flicked away is frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be! When you use a resistance, work it into the narrative of the story to make your players feel powerful, not useless. More on this below!
Legendary Resistances and the Narrative of Combat
No one likes to be dismissed, and Legendary Resistance can feel like a complete diss to spell casters. To avoid frustration and the feeling of being “useless,” be sure to work those moments into the narrative of the combat.
Instead of simply saying, “The Lich fails the save, but uses a Legendary Resistance.” Describe that moment! Let the players know what the Lich is thinking by telling how it acts/responds. Just telling the players the Lich saves will make them frustrated and feel useless; however, if you say:
You see the Lich’s form begin to shrink, it looks as though your polymorph spell is taking effect! Its body begins to twist and shrink…but then…it stops. The Lich clinches a fist and gives a gravelly shout and the transformation is undone. It looks to you, eyes burning brightly and says with a hint of surprise in his voice, “Well, well. I suppose I should take you more seriously…this is going to be fun.”
Halfling Hannah
How a Legendary Creature reacts to using Resistance will vary based on its intelligence, pride, and other key factors. Regardless of how it reacts, the point is that it should react.
These reactions will keep your combat interesting and make even battle feel like part of the story. If you aren’t sure how to describe situations like these, you can check out my article on Becoming a DM (Description Master!)
Here are some ideas to get you thinking!
An Intelligent Creature’s Reaction to Using Resistance
Pride: I didn’t have to use that, I just did it to prove that you cannot hurt me! *internally* crap crap crap crap crap…
Surprise: Especially the first time this ability is required! A monster of this power is not used to being challenged by something that requires it to use what is essentially an “in-case-of-emergency” feature.
Denial: Not to worry, that won’t happen again! (once it does, move to the next stage)
Anger: How dare such a small and useless adversary force an ancient being to use such a power! Make them pay for it!
Alternatives to Legendary Resistances
There are many Dungeon Masters who do not like the Legendary Resistance mechanic in D&D 5e. Alternatively, you can choose to throw out Legendary Resistances and substitute any of the following:
Advantage on Saving Throws
If you are DM who likes to let the dice decide, then you can give your Legendary Creature advantage on all saving throws. This option removes the DM and leaves everything to chance while still giving the monster resistance to magic.
Resistance to Certain Effects
Some monsters already have this ability, but if they do not (or you are homebrewing), then you can choose to make your creature immune to certain magic, such as “being charmed.”
Luck Points
While Luck Points are similar to Legendary Resistance, Luck Points allow the user to “reroll” instead of “automatically succeed.” Some DMs are more comfortable with this option as it still has a limit and still allows the dice to decide.
Give Your Game Advantage
When using a Legendary Creature as your final boss, or just as a deadly encounter, mastering Legendary Resistance and Legendary Actions will be key in ensuring the battle is EPIC.
If you have any questions I did not answer, be sure to Cast Sending and let me know! Want more tips and tricks, check out the recent articles below. To stay caught up on all things Halfling, make sure to subscribe to our DM League (plus you get a free gift just for signing up! Yay!).
Until next time,
May your game have advantage, my friends!
-Halfling Hannah
Want to support Halfling Hobbies? Buy from the Trinket Shop!
Curse of Strahd is a low-magic, high-fantasy setting. This is because the commodity of magic within Strahd’s domain of Barovia is scarce and the magic that once existed is either
The School of Illusion is a school of magic that specializes in deceit. Like the School of Enchantment, illusion spells focus on altering the perceptions of others to achieve your goals. This can be as innocent as creating an image in a 5 foot cube to as wicked as harnessing the nightmares of your enemies to drive them into madness.
No. Strahd Von Zarovich, the Vampire villian of the D&D adventure module starting back in AD&D, cannot be completely destroyed. Because he is the ruler of a Domain of Dread, if “killed” Strahd will regenerate within his Domain anywhere from a few days to months later.
So if you’ve got a player asking to be a lycanthrope or want to include a Big Bad Evil Pupper in your campaign, but you’re not sure where to start, this article is for you. We’re going to explore several ways that you can incorporate werewolves into your campaign.
Each player at your table has a story to tell. They have loving crafted their character and are excited to share their backstory with the group. The problem is, the other party members are just as excited about their own characters and don’t really care about the other player’s characters.
What is a Dungeon Master to do? How do you connect all your player’s backstories together to create a singular story in which all can participate? While there are a lot of moving parts, weaving together backstories doesn’t have to be a feat of alchemy!
To connect character backstories in Dungeons & Dragons 5e, use the following character traits to create shared goals, memories, enemies or experiences:
Character’s Purpose: what are they hoping to find or gain?
Character Flaws: specific vices the character just can’t seem to break
Past Relationships: any meaningful relationship will do (parental, friendships, romantic, even vengeful)
Events that scared the character: an attack on their village, their home burning down, any event major or minor
Locations: where did the character grow up? Is there a place they visited often?
Secret and/or Gossip: these can be the best ways to tie characters together! The reveal is always fun!
While you certainly won’t use all of these at the same time, the purpose of this list is to give you options that will work with your group. Some groups might be united against a single villain they have all encountered previously while others might find they have a similar connection with a sacred location.
This list will give you the flexibility to be able to tie ANY group together into one exciting adventure in which everyone gets to shine!
Always Work WITH Your Players to Create Backstories
When starting a new campaign, it can be very tempting to try to force your players into your mold. You know what you want your story to be, how the world works and what your villain is trying to accomplish, you just need to plug in your players and go!
This approach can, and almost always will, leave several players on the sidelines. Your players have ideas on what they want the world to be like and what role their character will play in it. If you reject all of their ideas, they will not be as invested in your campaign.
A better option is to work WITH your players to create your world. Allow players to have a say in what your world looks like. Let them imagine cities and locations and create new political structures or alliances.
While you may have to veto some ideas (“No, not everyone has a pet dragon”) you will be surprised how many creative and amazing ideas come from creating a world together.
Working together has the added benefit of making your players more invested in your campaign as a whole. When players feel involved in the decision-making process they feel as if the world is truly their own.
Help Your Players Write Complex Characters
Now that you have created a world your players are excited to live in, help them write complex and interesting characters.
Unless you are DMing for a veteran group of players, it is likely your players might struggle to develop a complex character.
Static vs Complex Characters
In writing, characters that have a purpose, who grow and adapt throughout the story in order to meet that purpose are called “Complex characters.” Those characters that do not grow throughout the story and who, by and large, stay the same are called “Static Characters.”
In order to tell a more interesting story and, ultimately, link your players’ backstories together, your PCs need to be complex. This means they need to have goals, a purpose, relationships, flaws and other characteristics that will help them change over the course of the story.
It is likely your players are more concerned about which spells to take and which hit-dice to use than on this delicate process of character development, that’s where you come in, DM.
As the DM, your primary job is to give the players situations and problems which will change their characters over time. The hope is that this group of rag-tag adventurers will become heroes, but who really knows.
In order to do this correctly, you need to have something to work with from the start. Don’t just leave it up to your players to figure their characters out on their own. Most of the time you just will get a few half-thought-out flaws and traits pulled from the back of the PHB which they will never look at again.
A far superior solution is to guide your players through this process to ensure they have a complex character and you have the information you need to tie that character into the overall story.
Cheat Sheet for Complex Characters
The easiest way I have found to do this is with a Character Sheet. No, not the one that has all the stats on it, one just for characteristics.
And, yes, I know the character sheet has a place for “backstory” “flaws” and “traits” but it is just simply not enough to really guide players in the process of creating truly complex characters.
After searching, unsuccessfully, online for such a sheet, I have created my own. This sheet helps players think through the most important aspects of their character while also providing you with an easy to read cheat sheet of their traits! It’s a Win-Win for sure!
Before your first session, have your players fill out this sheet and get it back to you. This will give you all the information you need to weave together their backstories seamlessly AND it will ensure your players have thought through their characters BEFORE the first game.
You can either click on the image above to print the character cheat sheet or join our DMLeauge to get the fillable PDF download. (I promise, I am not spammy and I will never send you anything I wouldn’t like to receive myself!)
If your players need more help creating their backstory, I highly recommend this post by Geek and Sundry.
Now that you have your players have their backstories and you have the cheat sheets, here is how to use them to weave together character backstories.
How to Weave Backstories Together Using the Cheat Sheet
Now that you have helped your players work through their character creation, it is important to find a way to connect the party together before they ever even meet. You can do this in a variety of ways, using one or several of the options below.
Keep in mind that you DO NOT have to connect the entire party together with one event, purpose or relationship. However, all members should have at least one connection to another member of the group.
These connections are important because they drive party decisions, keep all players invested in the party and give each character a chance to shine.
Use the following parts of the Cheat Sheet to find/create connections between character backstories:
Purpose/Goals
Question to ask: Why is your character out adventuring?
There are endless reasons a player character might take up a life of adventuring. It could be as simple as seeking treasure and glory; or as complex as searching for a mystical item that might bring a lost loved one back from the dead.
In this category, the goal itself isn’t important, it is simply necessary that the player has a goal and that they are working toward it. If a player is having a difficult time thinking of a goal, here are some of my favorites to get them thinking!
Seeking a stolen family item
To restore family honor after a terrible misfortune
Raise the funds to set up a bakery for mom
Earn enough money to impress a noble family so he/she can marry their son/daughter
Kill enough creatures to satisfy the darkness within
Figure out how to get rid of a mysterious entity that has haunted the family for generations
Save a terminally ill friend/family member
Prove their strength to a verbally abusive parent
Prove the world wrong, a street urchin can become someone great!
Any of these are a great place to start and you will notice the rest of the backstory will start to materialize just by picking a goal!
Shared Goals
While their backstories may not be the same, if the goals are similar, this can be a great way to tie characters together. If two characters are seeking rare magical items, tie those items together in some way that fits into the greater plot of your campaign.
Here is an example: Two players are both seeking a magical stone. One seeks the power to heal, the other the power to destroy. The stones, they find out, are actually a part of an ancient crown comprised of 5 stones which belonged to a blood-thirsty Queen. Her remains, along with her crown, were sealed away.
These two players will likely work together to find the clues to where the Queen was buried and what the other 3 stones do. If their motivation is strong enough, they will attempt to rob the tomb, unleashing your main Villain.
You can do this with any goal your party members have, but it only works if they have a goal connected to a strong motivation. As DM, you need to make sure this is the case.
Find a way to connect goals together, and then connect those goals into your overall campaign. This is easiest if you don’t have your campaign set in stone and can create new events to fit your characters’ goals.
Flaws
Question to ask: What specific vice does your character always fall for?
Flaws are an underutilized part of D&D. A character is only as good as their deepest flaw. All people have flaws, even the best of people, it is what makes us people. Having characters without specific flaws is just boring.
Have your players come up with 2-3 specific flaws for their characters. Resist the urge to let them write weak flaws such as, “I like to drink too much.” Instead, point them deeper by asking more questions.
In this case, I would ask, “What made them start drinking?” “When does your character find the urge to drink irresistible?” “Do they know when to stop?” “What kind of a drunk are they? Irritating, loud, aggressive, touchy?”
These types of questions keep the player thinking about the deeper aspects of their flaws. If the character is an angry drunk who always starts a fight when they drink, this leads to incredible party role-playing opportunities!
In the same way, other flaws can connect characters and parties together in meaningful and entertaining ways. Characters who share the same flaw can help one another to overcome it.
On the other hand, characters who do not approve of another character’s flaw can attempt to “save” or “reform” them. This is also entertaining! There’s nothing better than a lawful-good Paladin trying to teach a neutral, criminal Kenku that, “Stealing is BAD.“
Connecting Characters with Flaws
While characters can be connected by overcoming shared flaws together, they can also be connected by the flaw itself.
Depending on what the flaw is will depend on how you connect them as the DM, but here are some examples:
One Characters Flaw
Another Character’s Connection
I owe so much gold to a tavern in the city that the tavern owner sent me out adventuring to earn it back. Either I bring back a lost family item or I go to jail for a very long time…
I am the son of the tavern owner. I am accompanying this vagrant to ensure he doesn’t run out on his debts or steal our family heirloom.
I owe a LOT of money to the local crime lord. I ran out on my debts a long time ago and cannot return to the city or he/she will kill me.
The same crime lord of the city I grew up in killed my father over an unpaid debt, leaving my mother destitute. She died in the gutter a few years later and I have vowed revenge.
I tend to believe anyone. I gave my family’s savings to a street merchant once in exchange for a healing potion that would cure anything! It didn’t work though, and my mother said, “Come back with the money or don’t come back at all!”
I can sell ANYTHING! I will never forget the time I sold piss as a cure-all to some poor chump! HA! I am banned from several towns because of it though. Bum rap really.
As you can see, the possibilities here are endless! Positive or negative, flaws can really bond party members together. If you see some flaws that look like they could go together, make sure to take advantage of them!
Relationships
Question to ask: what relationships are most important to you?
Known on the official D&D character sheet as “bonds” relationships are vitally important for building complex characters AND weaving character backstories together.
It could make sense for multiple party members to have a connection with the same person, positively or negatively. It is even possible that one character sees the person as an angel who saved them, while the other sees them as the devil himself.
You can either do this naturally as players come up with their own connections or you can tell players about this connection if their backgrounds fit.
This category is so wide open that it is almost difficult to describe. The connection could literally be anyone in your world!
For example, one player could have been saved from a burning building by a man passing through the town and, therefore, idealizes him. Yet, that same man could be the criminal who murdered another player’s father for a few silver pieces.
My advice would be this: if a major part of multiple players’ backstories hinges on one person, especially if they don’t know who that person is, try to find a way to make itthe same person.
If it doesn’t fit smoothly, don’t force it. But if there is a connection, use it!
Key Memories or Events
Question to ask: is there an event or memory that defines who you are?
Another popular method of connecting character backstories is to use an event that affects all the party members. This usually requires the DM to give the entire group guidelines, such as “You are all from the same city.” Because all the players are from the same city, one event could affect them all and the memory of it could bring them together.
This event could be a natural disaster, a political move, or invasion. Whatever the event, it is likely your players will want to set it right or get revenge, which is exactly what you want. For more ideas and how to use them, see the chart below!
Event
How to use it
A political uprising of the common people leaves the capital city in ruins. The royal family is slaughtered as the nobility run for their lives.
A member of the royal family (player 1) escapes the palace and hides in a nearby shed. He/she is discovered by a street urchin (player 2) who shows him/her how to survive on the streets.
A foul blight is ruining the harvest, bankrupting small farms and businesses alike.
The city is paying adventuring parties to find the source of the blight and end it. People from all walks of life are gathering together to form adventuring groups (your party is one of them) in order to save their family businesses or just to get out of the city.
The woods are becoming increasingly more dangerous. Bandits are plundering unchecked by the law, evil cultists are kidnapping people for unholy rituals, and there are even rumors of Hags.
Each member of the party could have been affected by the increasingly dangerous woods. Some players could have lost family members, others could have a friend kidnapped and they are hoping to recuse them, and another could have had a little sister kidnapped and turned into a hag.
Using Memories to Connect Characters
Another option is to use memories of the same or similar events to connect players’ backstories. This could be the memory of a creature that haunts them, an event, a person, or even a reoccurring dream. Perhaps another player has a similar experience or memory, though they have no other connection to one another.
In this case, the shared memory or dream could cause the two players to seek answers together. You as the DM could use this however you want! Is it a prophecy? A warning? The plot of some evil creature? It’s up to you!
Locations
Question to ask: where did your character grow up or where are they most familiar?
Locations are not necessarily the best of connections, but they can lead to other ways to connect characters. Being from the same town means characters may know some of the same people, long for the same foods they miss or share memories of growing up there.
Shared locations can lead to some natural connection, but only if you have painted a picture of the area well. Players need to feel like they really know the area they are from. Have thing sense of ownership will connect players from the same area quickly.
In addition to having players be from the same area, you can use a few of the methods above to connect them even more through events and people!
Secrets/Gossip
Question to ask: What secrets are you hiding?
My favorite way to connect players is through the secrets they are hiding. Everyone has a secret, even if it is innocent. Have your players come up with a secret then tie a few of those together and watch the fun!
If your players are having a hard time coming up with a secret, here are a few tried and true ones that could easily play into other character’s backstories!
I was a member of a gang when I was a kid. We once burned down a shop with the shopkeeper inside, I have never EVER forgotten the screams. I still hear them occasionally at night…
I don’t know how I can use magic. One night I woke up to a lady in white standing by my bed. She touched my head and I could suddenly do incredible things. She said she would come back someday and I would have to return her favor.
I once stole food from a poor child on the street to impress my snobbish friends. The look in his/her eyes still haunts me.
(Paladin) I don’t really believe in my religion and I am looking for an opportunity to break my oath. Religious life SUCKS.
It would be easy to link other players to any of these secrets or to use them in the main plot. Even if none of the secrets turn out to be usable in connecting players to other players, they will still increase the complexity of your characters and can be used for some fun role play!
Quick Guide Recap:
While connecting all your characters together through their backstories is no easy task, it can be done in a variety of ways. Just remember these tips:
Don’t force it! If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. Not all characters MUST be connected
Look for natural or potential connections between characters using the cheat sheet
Work with players to create backstories that will line up with what you have in mind
Encourage players to come up with their own connections to one another. You don’t have to do all the hard work!
Whenever possible, use people, places, and events to connect your party through shared experiences.
Your players have worked hard to come up with a great character. Give them the attention they deserve by including their story into the main plot of the campaign. Always strive to connect characters together to increase buy-in for one another and, above all, keep being awesome, DM.
Until next time,
May your game have advantage, my friends!
-Halfling Hannah
Want to support Halfling Hobbies? Buy from the Trinket Shop!
Curse of Strahd is a low-magic, high-fantasy setting. This is because the commodity of magic within Strahd’s domain of Barovia is scarce and the magic that once existed is either
The School of Illusion is a school of magic that specializes in deceit. Like the School of Enchantment, illusion spells focus on altering the perceptions of others to achieve your goals. This can be as innocent as creating an image in a 5 foot cube to as wicked as harnessing the nightmares of your enemies to drive them into madness.
No. Strahd Von Zarovich, the Vampire villian of the D&D adventure module starting back in AD&D, cannot be completely destroyed. Because he is the ruler of a Domain of Dread, if “killed” Strahd will regenerate within his Domain anywhere from a few days to months later.
So if you’ve got a player asking to be a lycanthrope or want to include a Big Bad Evil Pupper in your campaign, but you’re not sure where to start, this article is for you. We’re going to explore several ways that you can incorporate werewolves into your campaign.
When adventuring, your party will likely come across a variety of creepy and terrifying monsters. Certain monsters could even leave them running in fear, unable to cope with what they are seeing. This condition is called “frightened” and it can add an incredible level of role-playing to your campaign!
What is the “fear” or “frightened” condition in Dungeons & Dragons 5e?
“Frightened” is a condition caused by either a creature’s ability or a spell. The target of the ability or spell must make a wisdom saving throw (the DC depends on the creature using the ability or casting the spell). On a failed save, the target suffers the following disadvantages:
Disadvantage on ability checks and saving rolls while in line of sight of the creature it is afraid of
Cannot willing move closer to its source of fear
While, most often, monsters will be the source of fear, the “frightened” condition can be used by DMs or make the game more realistic and interesting. By using fear in more creative ways, player characters become more rounded and opportunities for role-playing are greatly increased.
How to Use Fear in Combat
If you are using a creature which has an ability, such as the Mummy and Mummy Lord’s “Dreadful Gaze” (page 228 of the Monster Manuel), then you have the option to frighten your players.
The ability works like this:
Dreadful Glare. The mummy targets one creature it can see within 60 ft. of it. If the target can see the mummy, it must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened until the end of the mummy’s next turn. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for the same duration. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the Dreadful Glare of all mummies (but not mummy lords) for the next 24 hours.
This is typical of nearly all monsters with the option to “frighten.” Notice the DC for this monster is relatively low, while a Mummy Lord’s DC is much higher (DC 16).
DCs will vary depending on how powerful and, therefore, threatening the monster is. Below are DCs for all the monsters in the Monster Manuel that contain a “Frighten” ability. You can use this chart to help you calculate fear DCs for your own homebrewed monsters.
Monsters that Use Fear
Monster
Challenge Rating
DC
Scarecrow (p. 268 Monster Manuel)
1 (200 XP)
11
Sea Hag (p. 179 Monster Manuel)
2 (450 XP)
11
Spectator (p. 30 Monster Manuel)
3 (700 XP)
13
Banshee (p. 23 Monster Manuel)
4 (1,100 XP)
13
Beholder (p. 28 Monster Manuel)
13 (10,000 XP)
16
Nalfeshnee (p. 62 Monster Manuel)
13 (10,000 XP)
15
Lich (p. 202 Monster Manuel)
21 (33,000 XP)
18
Pit Fiend (p. 77 Monster Manuel)
20 (25,000 XP)
21
Ancient Dragons
Black (p. 87 Monster Manuel)
21 (33,000 XP)
19
Blue (p. 90 Monster Manuel)
23 (50,000 XP)
20
Green (p. 93 Monster Manuel)
22 (41,000 XP)
19
Red (p. 97 Monster Manuel)
24 (62,000 XP)
21
White (p. 100 Monster Manuel)
20 (25,000 XP)
16
Brass (p. 104 Monster Manuel)
20 (25,000 XP)
18
Bronze (p. 107 Monster Manuel)
22 (41,000 XP)
20
Copper (p. 110 Monster Manuel)
21 (33,000 XP)
21
Gold (p. 113 Monster Manuel)
24 (62,000 XP)
24
For all the monsters I have used and researched, the DC is always against the player’s Wisdom modifier. (If you find a time when this isn’t true, be sure to let me know! Cast Sending to shoot me a message!)
This makes monsters with fear abilities especially effective against parties with low Wisdom stats. Beefy players who rely on their ridiculously over-powered melee attacks won’t be able to get near a monster with fear. This makes fear-based monsters a great option for balancing encounters with such groups.
What do Your Players Fear?
Encounters and monsters don’t have to be the only times your players are frightened.
To make characters more realistic and fun to role-play, I like to have my players come up with a short “fears” list. This doesn’t have too extensive, but too often flaws and fears are left out of character building. If you know me, you know I am all about making whole characters.
As your players are making their characters, ask them to include 3-5 things of which their character is afraid and are linked to the character’s backstory. Below are some options if they can’t think of any:
I almost drowned as a child and am now deathly afraid of rivers, lakes, and oceans.
I have had nightmares ever since I was a child about an old woman with long fingers reaching out to grab me. Because of this, I am afraid to sleep alone, just in case it isn’t a dream…
Spiders. I just HATE spiders.
My brother dared me to go into an abandoned mine shaft once. When I went in, he locked the door and left me there all night. I can’t stand the feeling of being “locked-in” or being underground.
I went for a walk at night once and ended going by a cemetery. Everyone says I am crazy, but I know what I saw that night and I will never go near one again.
My mother used to tell me stories about the monsters that would eat people who wandered into the woods at night. I know they are just stories…Really! I do! …
Once you know what each of your players fears, you can use that fear to develop their character even outside of combat!
How to Use Fear Outside of Combat
Fear can be a great way to motivate or grow your players. Once you know what your players fear, you can use it (sparingly!) to create epic moments of tension or humor!
When heroes are forced to face their fears, it is always impactful. Whether it is the intrepid explorer Indiana Jones (Snakes! Why does it always have to be snakes?!) or the adorably cautious Ron Weasely (Why does it have to be “follow the spiders“? Why couldn’t it be “follow the butterflies”?!) fear is impactful.
While your adventurers are out saving the world, they should be growing as individuals. Part of this includes facing their fears. Your main storyline should include opportunities for each of your players to face their fears for the greater good. This is the stuff character development is made of!
For example, if a player is afraid of going underground, have an important clue located in an abandoned mine and hint that only that player can uncover it.
You will also want to include several smaller quests that lead up to a big leap in character development so that the moment feels like it has been earned and not just dumped on the player.
In these situations, you can have the player roll a Wisdom check to determine if their character would go or not (if they can’t make up their minds) OR you can let the rest of the party convince them.
Using Fear for Role-Playing
While using fear to make combat more interesting is good, using it to encourage role-play, character development AND bonding between party members is a far superior method.
When a player encounters something they are afraid of, you better believe the rest of the party is going to notice and ask why. This leads to characters sharing their backstories and bonding. Something every DM desperately wants.
Once the player shares why they are afraid, the party will likely try to find a way to help them overcome their fear. This will generate great moments, most of which will be hilarious!
Try It Out!
Yes, fear is a condition that can affect combat, but it is so much more than that. In the hands of a great DM, fear becomes a tool for character development, role-play, tension, humor, and plot.
Try using a healthy dose of fear in your next game and see the difference it can make!
Until next time,
May your game have advantage, my friends!
-Halfling Hannah
Want to support Halfling Hobbies? Buy from our Trinket Shop!
Curse of Strahd is a low-magic, high-fantasy setting. This is because the commodity of magic within Strahd’s domain of Barovia is scarce and the magic that once existed is either
The School of Illusion is a school of magic that specializes in deceit. Like the School of Enchantment, illusion spells focus on altering the perceptions of others to achieve your goals. This can be as innocent as creating an image in a 5 foot cube to as wicked as harnessing the nightmares of your enemies to drive them into madness.
No. Strahd Von Zarovich, the Vampire villian of the D&D adventure module starting back in AD&D, cannot be completely destroyed. Because he is the ruler of a Domain of Dread, if “killed” Strahd will regenerate within his Domain anywhere from a few days to months later.
So if you’ve got a player asking to be a lycanthrope or want to include a Big Bad Evil Pupper in your campaign, but you’re not sure where to start, this article is for you. We’re going to explore several ways that you can incorporate werewolves into your campaign.
Everything in Dungeons & Dragons has an AC or Armor Class. This number indicates how difficult that thing is to harm. Determining AC for players is relatively easy, however, how do you know the AC of, say, a door? And how do you describe a missed attack in a way that isn’t repetitive or boring? That’s where this quick guide comes in!
How do you determine AC in Dungeons & Dragons 5e?
To determine is an attack “hits,” roll a d20 and add any modifiers if the number is equal to or greater than the creature’s armor class, the attack hits.
To determine your players or NPCs base Armor Class, you simply add 10 + their Dexterity modifier.
To determine the AC of objects, decide how difficult they are to break. A wooden door might have an Armor Class of 11, but a metal chest will have an AC of 14.
Your Player’s Armor Class
The base AC of your players determines how difficult they are to hit. When rolling an attack, if the number rolled plus any modifiers is equal to or greater than the armor class, the attack hits.
For flavor in your descriptions, you can attribute a missed attack to either the player’s dexterity or armor, but either way, the number that determines AC comes from the player’s Dexterity modifier.
The higher the player’s AC, the more difficult it is for enemies to land a hit on them. Most players will not start with a high AC, but there are several ways for Players or NPCs to raise their AC.
Armor and Shields
Armor and shields both serve to increase AC, but players must have proficiency with the armor they are wearing or the will suffer penalties to ability checks.
Most players think they can jump into whatever set of armor they want and start fighting like normal, but it takes a lot of training to be able to fight in armor. Class determines proficiency, and if players do not have proficiency in the armor they are wearing, then the following penalties apply:
Disadvantage on Strength & Dexterity Ability Checks
Disadvantage on Strength & Dex Saving Throws
Disadvantage on Attacks that relies on Strength or Dexterity
Cannot cast Spells
Unlike armor, anyone can use a shield. A shield adds +2 to Armor Class and does not pose any disadvantages other than it requires one hand to wield. This means that if a weapon requires two hands to use, then the player cannot wield the shield and use that weapon at the same time.
Likewise, if a spell requires two hands to cast, the player must first put away or drop the shield before casting, lower their armor class by 2.
Armor Class by Armor Type
Armor
Armor Class (AC)
Strength Required
Disadvantage to Stealth
Light Armor
Padded
11 + Dex Mod
–
Yes
Leather
11+ Dex Mod
–
Studded
12 + Dex Mod
–
Medium Armor
Hide
12 + Dex Mod
–
Chain Shirt
13 + Dex Mod
–
Scale mail
14 + Dex Mod
–
Yes
Breastplate
14 + Dex Mod
–
Half Plate
15 + Dex Mod
–
Heavy Armor
Ring Mail
14
–
Yes
Chain mail
16
13
Yes
Splint
17
15
Yes
Plate
18
15
Yes
Selling Armor & Weapons
As your party levels up and gains gold, they will likely want to upgrade their weapons and armor. This means they will be looking to sell their old gear or maybe even sell the armor and weapons they come across on their adventures.
A good rule of thumb is that undamaged armor and weapons used by players will sell for half or less of their cost (see chart below).
Armor (Non-Magical)
Cost
Undamaged Selling Price
Damaged Selling Price
Light Armor
Padded
5 gp
2 gp
2 silver
Leather
10 gp
5 gp
1 gp
Studded Leather
45 gp
22 gp
10 gp
Medium Armor
Hide
10 gp
5 gp
1 gp
Chain Shirt
50 gp
25 gp
12 gp
Scale mail
50 gp
25 gp
12 gp
Breastplate
400 gp
200 gp
50 gp
Half plate
750 gp
375 gp
100 gp
Heavy Armor
Ring mail
30 gp
15 gp
3 gp
Chain mail
75 gp
37 gp
10 gp
Splint
200 gp
100 gp
40 gp
Plate
1,500 gp
750 gp
300 gp
Shield
Shield
10 gp
5 gp
2 silver
Pulling Armor Off Dead Enemies
Perhaps your party likes to save money by trying to salvage armor from dead enemies. While this might seem economical, in real life it is unlikely that such items would actually fit.
Unlike weapons that are universal in size, armor is fitted to the individual. This means one person’s armor is not likely to fit another person perfectly. While the armor will still offer the same level of protection, ill-fitting armor is likely to impose disadvantages.
If a player chooses to use armor that does not fit them, they have the same disadvantages as if they were not proficient in the armor type until they get it altered. This ruling allows players to save money (alternations are far cheaper than buying the set of the armor itself) but maintains a logical sense of reality.
The Armor Class of Objects
Most often your players will be trying to hit enemies. Each monster stat box will include the monster’s AC. However, there are times when your players will be aiming for inanimate objects which do not have a dexterity modifier. How do you determine the AC of objects?
While AC can refer to how quickly something can dodge out of the way of attacks, it can also relate to how hefty something is. Objects that are easily broken will have a low AC, while sturdy objects will have a much higher AC. See the chart below for a helpful reference.
Metal doors, metal chests, locks (if trying to break), stone objects
16-18
Arcane objects, extremely sturdy objects
19-20
diamond, mithril
20-25
Items that are nearly impossible to break
26-30
Describing Missed Attacks
When your players or monsters miss an attack, instead of just saying “They miss you,” and moving on, try using some of these phrases:
The attack glances off your armor leaving a long scratch on the metal
At the last moment, you raise your shield, forcing the attack to bounce off harmlessly
You fire your arrow, it hits just where you aimed, but you watch as it shatters against the iron scales of the beast
You raise your sword and bring it down in an arc strike, but the enemy jumps nimby over your attack, avoiding it
The monster lunges at you, you hold up your sword, catching it before its jaws sink into your neck. It snaps at you madly, unable to reach you before you throw it off
Remember, even missed attacks can be opportunities for epic battle descriptions! Make them just as interesting as your successful attacks if you want to keep your players engaged.
Everything has an Armor class. AC is one of the most useful machines in the game and you can use it in a variety of ways to add depth and flavor to your campaign.
Now that you know the ins and out of Armor Class, you should always know what hits and what doesn’t.
Until next time,
May your game have advantage, my friends!
-Halfling Hannah
Want to support Halfling Hobbies? Buy from our Trinket Shop!
Curse of Strahd is a low-magic, high-fantasy setting. This is because the commodity of magic within Strahd’s domain of Barovia is scarce and the magic that once existed is either
The School of Illusion is a school of magic that specializes in deceit. Like the School of Enchantment, illusion spells focus on altering the perceptions of others to achieve your goals. This can be as innocent as creating an image in a 5 foot cube to as wicked as harnessing the nightmares of your enemies to drive them into madness.
No. Strahd Von Zarovich, the Vampire villian of the D&D adventure module starting back in AD&D, cannot be completely destroyed. Because he is the ruler of a Domain of Dread, if “killed” Strahd will regenerate within his Domain anywhere from a few days to months later.
So if you’ve got a player asking to be a lycanthrope or want to include a Big Bad Evil Pupper in your campaign, but you’re not sure where to start, this article is for you. We’re going to explore several ways that you can incorporate werewolves into your campaign.
You spent countless hours planning the perfect encounter. It is perfectly balanced, the monster is terrifying and your players are…on their phones. Does this sound familiar? How can you keep your players engaged during combat?
There are 5 easy and game-changing tips to keep your players engaged during combat:
Use Music and Sound Effects
Use Interesting and Detailed Maps
Move FASTER
Always Follow the Rule of Cool
Give Inspiration! (Seriously!!!)
Use Music and Sound Effects
I love using music and sound effects before, during and after combat. Actually, I have fantasy music going at all times while I DM. My app of choice is DMDJ. You can see my full review of the app on my post “10 Apps Every DM Needs”
I enjoy this app because I can layer music, special effects, nature sounds, and dungeon sounds all at the same time. I have a few set songs and sounds I like to use in different terrains and then hit special effects as needed when my players act in combat.
Music cues players to pay attention and special effects do a great job of grabbing attention during combat. This is one of the easiest ways to increase player engagement during combat and I really don’t know why you wouldn’t do it.
Use Interesting and Detailed Maps
I am a fan of the “theater of the mind” type of play, in fact, I try to use it whenever possible. But if you find your players are losing interest in combat, then it might be time to bring out the maps.
Detailed maps with miniatures and environmental aspects are a quick and easy way to immediately engage your players. There’s nothing quite like hearing your players shout, “Whoa!” when you bring out an awesome map you worked really hard to make.
Although this can be time consuming and expensive, it doesn’t have to be. You can make your own trees and bushes relatively cheaply (articles on this to come) and miniatures are becoming more and more affordable thanks to 3D printing options!
Free Option: Paper Minis
Of course, if you really don’t have the money to buy or make miniatures, I love to recommend Printable Heros. Here you can download and print miniatures FOR FREE. The artwork on these is simply breathtaking. Please support this amazing artist! (No connection, no affiliate, I just really love these).
I mean, look at these! All you have to do is print and fold to have amazing paper minis for your table!
Make the Environment Matter
While you are creating this amazing map for the battle, take into consideration how your players might use the environment. Encouraging your players to use the environment in creative ways is a great way to create engagement!
Allow players to hide behind trees or objects and give them 1/2 or 3/4 cover for doing so. Allow them to throw items or set them on fire. Anything at all really, as long as they are thinking creatively!
If players are taking the time to come up with plans regarding the objects around them, you can bet they are staying engaged!
Move Faster
Nothing is more boring than when players take FOREVER to take their turns. It shouldn’t take longer than 10 seconds for a player to take a turn and THAT INCLUDES YOU.
You cannot take forever to figure out what your monsters can do during combat. I understand that there is a lot going on, BUT, you should have looked over these monsters before the encounter to the point where you have memorized their actions.
Here are some great ways to help keep combat moving:
Use a minute egg timer. Players must turn the timer at the start of their turn and they have only until the sand runs out to complete their turn. If the timer runs out and they haven’t decided what to do, then they lose their turn.
Use an initiative tracker. Having a physical initiative tracker helps players know when their turn is coming up. This keeps combat moving and if the player is not ready, you can move them in the initiative order to give them more time.
Use spell cards. Spell cards (or an app) really help to keep spell casters moving. It can take way too long to look up spell effects, so having them on hand is a great way to shave off time. My top recommend app to track spells is Spells 5e, for the full review of this app with pictures, you can read my article where I recommend my top 10 favorite apps for DMs.
Always Follow the “Rule of Cool”
I am a firm believer in the “rule of cool.” This rule states that if what the player wants to do is really cool and adds enjoyment to the game, then you should allow them to do it.
Of course, this is within reason but, for the most part, I try to let players at least attempt their crazy ideas. Because my players know this, they tend to be more engaged in combat. Other players could do something crazy and they don’t want to miss it!
Allowing players to do crazy (and sometimes stupid) stuff during combat keeps everyone engaged and laughing. The more of this you allow, the more your players will be engaged.
To follow the rule of cool, you have to give up a little bit of control. I know for some DMs this is a real challenge, but the more you let players write their own stories, the more they will engage with the story.
Give Inspiration! (Seriously!!)
My last (and perhaps greatest) tip to keep players engaged in combat is to give inspiration.
The inspiration mechanic catches a lot of flack in 5e and most DMs either don’t use it or don’t know about it. It is, sadly, the most underrated and underutilized mechanic in D&D. But it can literally change your game.
Inspiration allows DM to reward great role-play. If you have a player that is always ready, always coming up with fun and creative ideas, then you should be giving that player inspiration points.
If you don’t know what inspiration is or how to give it to your players, make sure to check out this post to learn why your should be using this amazing mechanic “When and How to Give Inspiration“
Inspiration gives players advantage on a roll of their choice. I even let players choose to use inspiration after they roll. This is highly beneficial for players. You, as the DM, get to decide who gets these points. If you tie it to engaging in combat and coming up with creative ideas, then you can essentially “train” your players to be engaged during combat.
If you don’t want to look up from your monster stats and see your players on their phones, then follow these simple tips! You will be surprised how much you can increase your player engaged during combat.
Keep your combat what it should be: Epic. Keep those players engaged!
Until next time,
May your game have advantage, my friends!
-Halfling Hannah
Want to support Halfling Hobbies? Buy from our Trinket Shop!
Curse of Strahd is a low-magic, high-fantasy setting. This is because the commodity of magic within Strahd’s domain of Barovia is scarce and the magic that once existed is either
The School of Illusion is a school of magic that specializes in deceit. Like the School of Enchantment, illusion spells focus on altering the perceptions of others to achieve your goals. This can be as innocent as creating an image in a 5 foot cube to as wicked as harnessing the nightmares of your enemies to drive them into madness.
No. Strahd Von Zarovich, the Vampire villian of the D&D adventure module starting back in AD&D, cannot be completely destroyed. Because he is the ruler of a Domain of Dread, if “killed” Strahd will regenerate within his Domain anywhere from a few days to months later.
So if you’ve got a player asking to be a lycanthrope or want to include a Big Bad Evil Pupper in your campaign, but you’re not sure where to start, this article is for you. We’re going to explore several ways that you can incorporate werewolves into your campaign.
