Level Up (A5E) Broken armor and maintanance

[lichmaster]

One of my players found a broken armor that he'd like to repair (a splint mail) He has proficiency with smithing tools and access to them, but we're not sure RAW if that's enough or not.

If I check the table for the armors or materials, I see that repairing it is a DC 15 check, with an experise die due to the material (steel), but it requires a forge and smith tools. If I check the rules for maintenance only the tools are mentioned. On the tools section, it says that with 1h of work smith tools can be used to mend "many" weapons and armors (I wonder what that many means...)

So, which is it?
If the forge is required, repairing while out adventuring is basically not a thing. If it's not required, then why is it mentioned on multiple tables?

I can make a ruling about this, but would like to have an official answer.

 

[Micah Sweet]

One of my players found a broken armor that he'd like to repair (a splint mail) He has proficiency with smithing tools and access to them, but we're not sure RAW if that's enough or not.

If I check the table for the armors or materials, I see that repairing it is a DC 15 check, with an experise die due to the material (steel), but it requires a forge and smith tools. If I check the rules for maintenance only the tools are mentioned. On the tools section, it says that with 1h of work smith tools can be used to mend "many" weapons and armors (I wonder what that many means...)

So, which is it?
If the forge is required, repairing while out adventuring is basically not a thing. If it's not required, then why is it mentioned on multiple tables?

I can make a ruling about this, but would like to have an official answer.

Portable forges are absolutely a thing, and could be considered part of a smith's tools set. In fact, they ought to be, as the tools aren't much good at moving metal without heat.

 

[lichmaster]

Portable forges are absolutely a thing, and could be considered part of a smith's tools set. In fact, they ought to be, as the tools aren't much good at moving metal without heat.

Ok, but this doesn't really answer my question. If they're part of smith tools (from the description I'm not sure, and IMO should asolutely count as a bulky item at the very least), are they mentioned separately?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Ok, but this doesn't really answer my question. If they're part of smith tools (from the description I'm not sure, and IMO should asolutely count as a bulky item at the very least), are they mentioned separately?

I don't think so, no, but as I said smith tools aren't of much use without a way to heat the metal, and the basic components of a forge are portable (if bulky), so I would rule a portable forge is part of the kit.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

the added line of "access to a forge" implies smith's tools don't include one (which the tool description says outright)...so i'd probably say a portable forge is, like, a 10 gp item that's like 20 pounds and counts as a bulky item, that can be used in place of a forge. or you could increase the smith's tools weight by 20ish pounds and say the portable forge it comes with counts as a bulky item if you think making the forge cost extra is overkill.

 

[Distracted DM]

I know OP is looking for a RAW answer, the best I can do is try to see between the RAW lines since they're not too specific.

Remember that equipment can be Damaged or Broken. Maybe a forge is required for Broken, but Damaged can be repaired with just smiths tools?

 

[Micah Sweet]

I know OP is looking for a RAW answer, the best I can do is try to see between the RAW lines since they're not too specific.

Remember that equipment can be Damaged or Broken. Maybe a forge is required for Broken, but Damaged can be repaired with just smiths tools?

Yeah, if RAW doesn't make sense to me, I just change the rules.

 

[Jim | Variant Codex Press]

Ok, but this doesn't really answer my question. If they're part of smith tools (from the description I'm not sure, and IMO should asolutely count as a bulky item at the very least), are they mentioned separately?

There are several other metals that call for smith’s tools without adding “access to a forge”. Specific beats general, so just follow what it says for the material type.

 

[lichmaster]

There are several other metals that call for smith’s tools without adding “access to a forge”. Specific beats general, so just follow what it says for the material type.

That's a good point, only the strongest metals require a forge (from steel onwards).
From what I can gather in all this, there's a significant difference between a maintanance roll and a repair one. The first is quite ordinary and only requires basic tools, the second may need more infrastructure and may not be feasible while adventuring.
Portable forges seem a possible but very cumbersome solution.
This also means that inferior metal armors may have a point in some situations, but I'm not sure having this kind of problem for the "standard" solution is ideal..