Smith’s Tools in D&D 5e (Updated for the 2024 Rules)

Smith’s Tools

• Ability: Strength
• Utilize: Pry open a door or container (DC 20)
• Craft: Any Melee weapon (except Club, Greatclub, Quarterstaff, and Whip), Medium armor (except Hide), Heavy armor, Ball Bearings, Bucket, Caltrops, Chain, Crowbar, Firearm Bullets, Grappling Hook, Iron Pot, Iron Spikes, Sling Bullets

Proficiency with Smith’s Tools

Being proficient with Smith’s Tools lets you bring a bit of the forge with you wherever you go. In practical terms, that means:

• Crafting a wide variety of melee weapons, armor, and metal-based gear
• Boosting checks related to identifying or understanding metal items, like prying open a door or container (DC 20)

If you want to learn more about crafting your own gear with your Smith’s Tools, check out our crafting guide, which includes everything you can craft, how long it takes, and how crafting time can be reduced. You’ll also find all of the rules associated with crafting in the new Player’s Handbook!

How to Gain Proficiency with Smith’s Tools

Choosing the Artisan background at character creation gives you proficiency in three Artisan’s Tools, which you can choose Smith’s Tools with. You can also pick up the Crafter feat, which gives you proficiency in three Artisan’s Tools.

Making Checks with Smith’s Tools

If you’re proficient with Smith’s Tools, you add your Proficiency Bonus to any check using the tools. If you also have a relevant skill—like Investigation or History—you get Advantage on that check. This works great when trying to examine a mysterious sword or deduce how a lock was broken with brute force.

For example: a Strength (Smith’s Tools) check to bend iron bars could help you get Advantage on your check if you’re also proficient in Athletics.

Expanded Uses for Smith’s Tools

Beyond building and fixing gear, these tools can lend an edge to social and exploration encounters too. According to Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, you can:

• Use Arcana or History to glean lore about magical or historical metal objects
• Use Investigation to uncover subtle wear, tampering, or weak points in metalwork
• Utilize tools to pry open metal doors or containers (DC 20, Strength-based)

Plus, with access to a hot enough flame, you can restore damaged metal items—10 HP per hour of work, which can make all the difference when resources are tight.

Who Should Use Smith’s Tools?

Any character who wants to be the party’s gear monkey, fixer, or weapon maker should consider this proficiency. Especially useful for:

• Fighters: Want to RP as a battle-hardened veteran who maintains the party’s gear? This is a perfect flavor-meets-function pick.
• Artificers: Smith’s Tools are a natural fit for tinkerers and inventors looking to repair or modify gear.
• Paladins: Any holy knight worth their shiny armor should be able to repair the dents and nicks that come with smiting evil.

It’s also great for downtime activities. With crafting rules streamlined in 2024, you can build swords, buckets, chain, even bullets for firearms—all without needing spellcasting ability.

Forge Ahead!

Smith’s Tools aren’t just for background flavor—they can shape a whole character concept. From a grizzled dwarven smith who mends weapons between battles to a traveling weaponsmith peddling wares in every port, this toolkit adds grit and utility to any adventurer’s kit. Forge ahead and give it a swing!