# Forum > Gaming > Roleplaying Games > D&D 5e/Next >  Tool proficiencies

## Spacehamster

So found many guides on making the most out of tool proficiencies but did not find any with what classes/backgrounds/races that gives them, anyone know of such a list? :)

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## Sigreid

With the exception of a few things like bards and musical instruments and thieves with thieves tools, I think they mostly come from backgrounds.  That and Xanathar's has rules for paid training.

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## Psyren

There are feats that grant tool proficiencies as well; the most straightforward of these is Skilled from core, but a few others like Prodigy and Artificer Initiate grant tool proficiencies as well.

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## MrStabby

> With the exception of a few things like bards and musical instruments and thieves with thieves tools, I think they mostly come from backgrounds.  That and Xanathar's has rules for paid training.


I think quite a few classes do as well.  I think kensei monk has calligraphy tools? Battlemaster gets smithing tools?  Artificers naturally get access to a bundle as well (more confident on this bit).

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## Lunali

If you do make a tool focused character, strongly recommend artificer 6 at least as that gives you expertise with any tools you have proficiency with.

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## ftafp

> So found many guides on making the most out of tool proficiencies but did not find any with what classes/backgrounds/races that gives them, anyone know of such a list? :)


The elf subraces in Monsters of the Multiverse and Spelljammer get tool proficiencies that they can swap out every long rest. besides that, tech-focused races like dwarves, rock gnomes, warforged, autognomes, and mark of making humans all get too proficiencies, and older elves and dwarves have a huge amount of weapon proficiencies that they they can swap out for tools

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## Xihirli

Druid gets Herbalism, Rogue gets Thieves Tools.
Artificer gets all the tools you could want.

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## Rukelnikov

Rune knight 3 gives blacksmith tools plus expertise in all tools

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## TheBrassDuke

Play an Eladrin, get your proficiencies through class/background features first, and THEN you can also grab two MORE proficiencies that you can swap out per Long Rest. 

My Chronurgist/Peace Cleric does this after Trance if theres a particular need for any odd tool or weapon proficiency. Need to make a nice necklace? Grab Jewelers Tool proficiency over LR. Already have that and Greatsword proficiency and you need Leatherworking tool proficiency soon? Swap one out for tomorrow!

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## Mastikator

> If you do make a tool focused character, strongly recommend artificer 6 at least as that gives you expertise with any tools you have proficiency with.


Rune knight (with fire giant rune) can get this as well. But I think artificers get the greatest number of tools.

A mountain dwarf artificer (6) with charlatan background can have 14 different tool expertise's, before feats.

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## Spacehamster

Thanks for all the insight! Is there a list somewhere where you can see which tool use which ability score cause 99% sure its not in the DMG. 🤔

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## Psyren

> Thanks for all the insight! Is there a list somewhere where you can see which tool use which ability score cause 99% sure its not in the DMG. 🤔


That list doesn't exist, it's up to you to describe how you're using the tool(s) so that your DM can determine which ability score applies. For example, thieves' tools to pick a lock would probably be Dexterity since it involves fine manipulation of components like tumblers, but if you're instead using them to figure out which runes on a trapped wall need to be scratched out to safely disable it, that would likely be Intelligence instead. 5e is designed to be a bit more open to multiple approaches and challenge types in that regard.

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## Spacehamster

> That list doesn't exist, it's up to you to describe how you're using the tool(s) so that your DM can determine which ability score applies. For example, thieves' tools to pick a lock would probably be Dexterity since it involves fine manipulation of components like tumblers, but if you're instead using them to figure out which runes on a trapped wall need to be scratched out to safely disable it, that would likely be Intelligence instead. 5e is designed to be a bit more open to multiple approaches and challenge types in that regard.


Yeah common sense as we do it right now, just found it strange they never put it directly on paper which tool works with which attribute. :)

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## Psyren

> Yeah common sense as we do it right now, just found it strange they never put it directly on paper which tool works with which attribute. :)


Potentially, every tool can work with every attribute  :Small Smile:  The only limit is your imagination and what you can convince your DM to let you attempt

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## Chronos

That's also true with skills, though, as they explicitly mention.  But they still list which ability is typically used with which skill, and some of the examples of the atypical cases.  I don't think it's too odd to expect that they would have done similar with tools.

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## Psyren

> That's also true with skills, though, as they explicitly mention.  But they still list which ability is typically used with which skill, and some of the examples of the atypical cases.  I don't think it's too odd to expect that they would have done similar with tools.


I'd say the point of tools is that they are more specific in application than skills, but you may end up with more _of_ those specific applications depending on the type of campaign you're in, and thus the tool proficiency could be more worthwhile to have. For example, a forgery kit could go along with a Charisma check to bluff your way past a guard/official with a fake writ, and it could also go along with an Intelligence or Wisdom check to spot the fake entry in a ledger, or a falsified historical document etc. In these examples, that one tool proficiency could save you needing anywhere from 3-5 skills across multiple ability scores, but only be applicable if forged/fake documents are involved.

The other consideration is the "tool + skill rule", which was optional in Xanathars and appears to be getting made baseline in 1DnD - whereby if you have a skill and a tool proficiency that modify the same check, you get automatic advantage. Using one of the examples above - if you have both Deception and Forgery Kit, you'd have advantage on your attempts to flash a takeout menu at a guard as though it were a search warrant and gain access to a place you shouldn't be.

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