D&D 5E Rogues, Thieves' Tools & Expertise

[daddystabz]

​In 5e Rogues get an ability called Expertise that let them add their Proficiency Bonus when using Thieves Tools as an option for double Proficiency bonus but Rogues are already proficient with Thieves Tools so what would this give them overall?

Does the base automatic proficiency with Thieves Tools just allow the Rogue to attempt the check with Thieves Tools in the first place? Or does it give an overall +2 Proficiency bonus or allow you to roll with Advantage? And then when you add Expertise on top of the base Proficiency does it double it somehow?

 

[RhaezDaevan]

Yes, expertise is used on a skill or tool you're already proficient in. You then add double proficiency bonus to those checks/rolls.

 

[daddystabz]

So essentially I can get a +4 bonus with my Thieves' Tools skill rolls.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

So essentially I can get a +4 bonus with my Thieves' Tools skill rolls.

At first level, yes, you could get +2 from proficiency and another +2 from expertise. When you get to higher levels, and have a proficiency bonus of +5, you would get another +5 from expertise for a total of +10.

 

[Thank Dog]

It gives them double their proficiency bonus.

Any character can be proficient in Thieves' Tools, they just have to select it through their background or pick it up using downtime. However the rogue, and only the rogue, can choose Thieves' Tools as one of their Expertise choices (the bard Expertise ability specifically states that it can only apply to skill proficiencies).

So a rogue without Expertise in Thieves' Tools or a regular character with proficiency in Thieves' Tools, can add their proficiency bonus to any check they make when using Thieves' Tools to disarm a trap or open a lock. A rogue that has Expertise in Thieves' Tools, however, can add their proficiency bonus twice.

Which ability score is used for the task is up to the DM.

 

[ren1999]

How many classes have Expertise other than the Rogue and Bard? I could take time to search, but you can answer faster.

 

[Zalabim]

Only the bard and rogue have expertise, rangers have a benefit from familiar terrain which has a similar mechanic.

 

[Parmandur]

Knowledge Cleric gets to pick two bonus skills that get expertise from Arcana, Religion, Hiatory or Nature. So, 2 1/7 classes, I suppose, and maybe some future subclass.