PDA

View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Tools / Crafting Items



Sk8ter274
2018-01-10, 10:15 PM
To my knowledge, there is no definite in game way to use tools to craft items. Both the PHB & DMG give some info on what is inside the tools themselves, but nothing to create items in the game. Long story short, I wanted to roll a dwarven bard whose clan is famous for its ale, spirits, and hospitality to adventurers. Naturally, I gave him proficiency in brewer's supplies. I decided, along with my DM's permission, to build a table of possible creations and their effects for the first four levels. I'd appreciate some feedback to fine tune and tweak it.

Brewer's Supplies - All item necessary required to brew ale and spirits, including bottles.

Limitations
1. Can only be used 1/per long rest & must be restocked after 3 uses.
2. Only three items can be fermenting at any given time regardless of uses left.
3. Resupplying is 1000gp due to having to use fresh ingredients and sterile tools
4. PC's can only benefit from drink once per long rest
5. Temp HP last until lost in combat or until short rest, whichever comes first
6. 1 bottle = 1 use unless otherwise specified (IE Whiskey, Scotch, Wine,etc)




1 - 3 - - - - - 1d4 bottles of watery ale - - - - - No Effects - - - - - Fermentation time - 1 Day - - - - - CON SAVE DC 2 (NAT 1 = All uses are lost and must resupply before another attempt)


4 - 9 - - - - - 1d6 bottles of cheap ale - - - - - +CON MOD of Temp HP - - - - - Fermentation - 1 Day - - - - - CON SAVE DC 3


10 - 14 - - - - - 2d4 bottles of common ale - - - - - 1d6+CON MOD of Temp HP - - - - - Fermentation - 4 Days - - - - - CON SAVE DC 5


15 - 18 - - - - - 2d6 bottles of Artisan Ale - - - - - 1d8+CON MOD of Temp HP - - - - - Fermentation - 1 Week - - - - - CON SAVE DC 7


19 - 20 - - - - - 1 bottle of Whiskey(5 servings) - - - - - 1d12+CON MOD of Temp HP & Resistance to all dmg for 1hr - - - - - Fermentation - 2 weeks - - - - - CON SAVE DC14

Nat 20 - - - - - 1 bottle of Scotch (5 Servings) - - - - - 1d12+CON MOD of Temp HP & Resistance to all dmg for 1hr & +10 CHA for 1hr - - - - - Fermentation - - - - - 4 weeks - - - - - CON SAVE DC16

Ixidor92
2018-01-12, 12:54 PM
So Xanathar's guide to everything did offer concrete rules and expanded uses for all the tool kits in the game. I would suggest looking through those before continuing.

Sk8ter274
2018-01-13, 08:33 PM
Thanks fr the info. Didn't think to look there.

However, other than purifying water, the tools don't really give me what I'm looking for.

I'm still relatively new to D&D, but I'm of the belief that tools should be made to create whether it's something that directly helps the party, ie potions, or simply make money like using mason tools to create a small statue of marble that you can sell to the right person. However, I don't want them abused like the party waiting a day for the wizard to brew enough healing potions to supply an army. It's the whole reason I added those fairly long fermentation time limits along with having to wait a long rest between buffs.

SilverStud
2018-01-14, 03:56 AM
In my most humble opinion, I'd ask your DM if there are any particular special alcohols in his world. If you're in the Forgotten Realms or some other prepackaged world, you can look them up with relative ease.

I say this because alcohol is often a big part of culture. Just look at how we define our own cultures. When I say "Irish" "Russian" "Mexican" "French", you probably think Guinness, vodka, tequila, and wine.

Since you've got a Brewer's Kit in particular, you should be aware of a few things. Most alcohols (the good ones, the ones worth paying for) take longer to ferment/age/brew than most adventures! Many of the finest vintages of wine are decades in the bottle, whiskey takes at least 18 months. Unless you've got some serious fermentation magic, you won't be able to make anything nicer than sour mash while adventuring.

Another thing to be aware of is that breweries are not portable. Moonshiners (before 2010) had to hide their stills well, because constantly uprooting and moving them would ruin the drink. The presses and barrels for wine are huge and certainly not travel sized for your convenience. So unless you've got a large-time-scale campaign set in a city of some kind, you won't be able to use your brewer's tools often.

One last note: You have proficiency in brewer's tools, which is "the items needed to pursue [brewing]." It costs 20gp and weighs 9 pounds. Somehow I doubt the tools include uncharred oak barrels, distilling vats, or vineyards. Mostly likely the tools are things like various measuring instruments, flasks for the finished product, etc.

Sk8ter274
2018-01-14, 12:54 PM
Most alcohols (the good ones, the ones worth paying for) take longer to ferment/age/brew than most adventures! Many of the finest vintages of wine are decades in the bottle, whiskey takes at least 18 months. Unless you've got some serious fermentation magic, you won't be able to make anything nicer than sour mash while adventuring.

Another thing to be aware of is that breweries are not portable. Moonshiners (before 2010) had to hide their stills well, because constantly uprooting and moving them would ruin the drink. The presses and barrels for wine are huge and certainly not travel sized for your convenience. So unless you've got a large-time-scale campaign set in a city of some kind, you won't be able to use your brewer's tools often.

One last note: You have proficiency in brewer's tools, which is "the items needed to pursue [brewing]." It costs 20gp and weighs 9 pounds. Somehow I doubt the tools include uncharred oak barrels, distilling vats, or vineyards. Mostly likely the tools are things like various measuring instruments, flasks for the finished product, etc.


Fair point. I purposely shortened the fermentation times so by the time a single product is finished, a 1d6 temporary HP boost is pointless. I'm starting to think maybe the table I originally posted would be best for lvls 1-5, maybe even 10, with the next table requiring to find recipes and exotic ingredients, agave for tequila or sugarcane for rum, along with much longer fermentation times like a month minimum.

Although you did give me an excellent idea for " fermentation magic" to explain the unusually short fermentation time. Definitely gonna have to talk it over with the DM. Thanks BTW

As for distilling vats and barrels, I don't it's much of an issue since I'm "brewing" one or two tops bottle at any given time. At most, it's gonna be six-pack of ale/beer or a single bottle of high end spirits. Plus, I'm also sacrificing realism for practicality for that exact reason.