D&D (2024) D&D Beyond Article on Crafting

[mamba]

I don’t really see a way to thread the needle between the two.

there isn’t, so they rightfully go with the simulationist one, the gamist one does not really need a crafting system

 

[Minigiant]

Yep. Crafting does not sound like it needs you to make rolls, but the hard stat link does mean that people will mostly pick tool proficiencies using their class power stat.

Which I guess is still better than some GMs deciding that every tool use is clearly Int and nothing else ever.

Yes

Crafting, no stat

The new Utilize action uses a stat

So you now unlock chests with
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) + Thieves tools
Or
Strength (Athletics) + Smith's tools

Fighter, Barbarian, and Paladin BUFF.

 

[Minigiant]

My guesses

Tool	Crafts	Utilize Action
Alchemist's supplies	Acid, Alchemists Fire	Intelligence (Arcana) to start a fire or create smoke
Brewer's supplies	Alcohol, Water	Wisdom (Medicine) to buff healing
Cartographer's tools	Maps	Wisdom (Survival) to Track
Calligrapher's supplies	Spell Scroll	Intelligence (History) to forge signature
Carpenter's tools	Shelter?	Strength (Athletics) checks to open metal locks and disarm metal traps
Cobbler's tools	Shoes???	Wisdom (Survival) to Track
Cook's utensils	Food	Wisdom (Survival) to Forage
Glassblower's tools	Glassware	???
Jeweler's tools	Foci	???
Leatherworker's tools	Leather Armors, Foci, and Weapons	???
Mason's tools	Shelter, Stone Armors, Foci, and Weapons	Strength (Athletics) checks to open stone locks and disarm stone traps
Painter's supplies	Foci	???
Smith's tools	Metal Armors, Foci, and Weapons	Strength (Athletics) checks to open metal locks and disarm metal traps
Tinker's tools	Mechanical stuff	Strength (Athletics) checks to open mechanical locks and disarm mechanical traps
Weaver's tools	Cloth Armors, Foci, and Weapons	???
Woodcarver's tools	Wooden Armors, Foci, and Weapons	Strength (Athletics) checks to open wooden locks and disarm wooden traps

 

[Azzy]

I’ve always felt the point of adventuring was to loot enough gold that you could afford to pay someone else to do the boring jobs.

But then, lots of people like Minecraft, the appeal is totally lost on me.

In the first game of 5e I ran 10 years ago, one of my players want to craft stuff. I figure I'll run this by him to get his opinion.

 

[Horwath]

There were certainly a lot produced during the English civil war period. The limiting factor there is availability of materials rather than labour.

The weird thing about D&D is it pretty much ignores helmets, which we can deduce is by far the most important piece of armour, given that it is worn by warriors of all periods, even when they wore nothing else.

D&D ignores helmets the same way Hollywood does, no point of describing your beautiful character if it's behind a visor and you can barely glimpse eye color.

 

[Horwath]

In the first game of 5e I ran 10 years ago, one of my players want to craft stuff. I figure I'll run this by him to get his opinion.

best version that we managed to do is:

crafting costs in raw materials are 80% of market price.
you need applicable tool proficiency
you can produce 50GP of market price per day, 100GP if you have expertise in the tools.
some special materials may apply.
if you have expertise and atleast 5th level, you can craft basic +1 weapons and armors(+1000 GP market price)

 

[KYRON45]

Why do adventurers want to craft things?
Isn't it a common complaint that there is little use for gold in 5e?
I just vanquished the bandits, conquered the trolls and defeated the dragon in a battle so glorious that the (sorry Snarf) bards will regale future generations about it for eons....what's next....making candles, whittling lawn gnomes?

To each their own, i just don't get it.

 

[Horwath]

Why do adventurers want to craft things?
Isn't it a common complaint that there is little use for gold in 5e?
I just vanquished the bandits, conquered the trolls and defeated the dragon in a battle so glorious that the (sorry Snarf) bards will regale future generations about it for eons....what's next....making candles, whittling lawn gnomes?

To each their own, i just don't get it.

Sometimes you do not get from loot what you want/need.
also there is room for customization of gear with crafting, if the DM likes to houserule a little.
there is not always everything available in shops.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

there isn’t, so they rightfully go with the simulationist one, the gamist one does not really need a crafting system

The survival-craft genre is currently very popular in computer games, and even some board games. I could see commercial reasons for taking a more gamist approach to crafting.

Certainly not something I would want though.

 

[KYRON45]

Sometimes you do not get from loot what you want/need.
also there is room for customization of gear with crafting, if the DM likes to houserule a little.
there is not always everything available in shops.

I understand the generalness of it. People want more stuff than the stuff they are offered.
But back in the before times getting the things you wanted was why you went out into the world to earn those things in various character sheet related ways.
The very idea of a 6th level party taking the time to darn their own socks and make their own cutlery just seems to go against the grain for me. D&D needs its Martha Stewarts too i guess.

Game on my friends.