Thieves’ Tools

These tools are some of the most popular tools for adventurers, explorers and... ahem, the more unruly among us. These tools are highly valuable to unlock doors, disable traps, and to get inside of chests not meant for you.

Using Thieves Tools

Thieves' Tools are designed for use on foiling traps and opening locks. These tasks, while some of them can be avoided using skills and magic, are far less dangerous if you remove them permanently. When you attempt to disarm a trap or open a lock, you must make a Dexterity check contested by the Disarm DC or Lock DC of the trap or lock, respectively. You can add your proficiency modifier to these checks if you are proficient with Thieves' Tools.

Contents

Thieves' tools include a small file, a set of lock picks, a small mirror mounted on a metal handle, a set of narrow-bladed scissors, and a pair of pliers. Your tools weigh 1 lb and costs 25 gp.

Breaking Locks

Each lock also has a Break DC, and can be broken open by expertly applying strength at a particular angle, this requires an Investigation check against the Break DC of the lock and then a Strength check. If you are proficient in Thieves' Tools, you make the Investigation check with advantage. On a success, you know how to properly apply strength to break it and you, or someone else under your direction, can make a Strength check against the Break DC of the lock, breaking it on a success. On a failed Strength check, the lock may become damaged and unable to be opened using your Thieves' Tools, this is based on the DM's discretion.

Types of Locks

There are a variety of locks that can be unlocked by using your Thieves' Tools. Each trap highlighted below has a variety of conditions for opening them. You must be able to fulfill each requirement before the lock can be opened.

Mundane Locks

Mundane locks are the typical locks found on personal items. These locks are relatively simple with only a few pins or springs keeping ne'er-do-wells out. Depending on the quality and construction, these locks are relatively simple to circumnavigate, though some of the masterwork locks can keep all but the most accomplished thieves out.

Spring Locks and Pin Locks

In most towns, there are two different types of locks that can be found in a variety of locations, the Spring Locks and the Pin Locks. Spring Locks are cheap and easy to produce, though they can easily be brute forced opened. Pin Locks are more complicated and harder to produce, causing them to be more expensive and more difficult to break open.

Exotic Locks

There are a variety of exotic locks that can be found over the course of an adventurer, and they each require a different way of solving them. The following are only a few types of locks found in an adventure with a few examples of their requirements to be opened, unless you have the proper key. Most exotic locks can not be broken open with brute force.

Dual Lock

This lock has a corresponding twin lock that must also be opened at the same time, they are typically anywhere from 10 to 30 feet apart from each other, if not further away to dissuade crafty criminals from opening them. These locks typically have the same Lock DC and they must be opened at the exact same time or the locks might be permanently destroyed and can not be attempted again.
To open a Dual Lock, this requires two sets of Thieves' Tools and at least two people attempting this check at the same time. If one fails the check by 5 or more, the locks are permanently destroyed. If they failed the check by less than 5, they can attempt one more time before the locks permanently are destroyed.
If one of them fails the check, both must repeat the check to open the lock. This lock can only be opened if both succeed on their check at the same time.
Casting the spell Knock unlocks only one of the locks and must be done at the same time as the other lock is picked open.

False Lock

This lock is not actually a lock, but rather a cleverly disguised lock designed to confuse and thwart would be thieves. When an attempt is made on this lock, there are special pins in the back that will constantly reposition themselves and will act as if the lockpicker has failed in their attempt to pick the lock. A suspicious lockpicker can succeed on an Investigation check to determine that the lock they are working on is a False Lock, the DC is based on DM's discretion with DC 15 being the average for these type of locks.

Multi-Stage Lock

Multi-Stage Locks require quick fingers and a great deal of skill to properly unlock. They have multiple stages in the lock, and they must be quickly dealt with in order to properly bypass this lock. These types of locks require 2 or more successful checks in a row to unlock.
Certain Multi-Stage Locks might require certain portions of it to be unlocked in a set order. To bypass these locks, a lockpicker must succeed on an Investigation check against the Lock DC to properly map out which portions of the lock must be worked on and in what order.

Elven Lock

These locks are deeply tied to the ebb and flow of magic and require the lockpicker to be able to cast spells in order to unlock it. While attempting to unlock the lock, the lockpicker must succeed on the Lock DC as well as expend a spell slot of an appropriate level, depending on the quality of the lock and DM discretion, in order to open the lock. On a failed check, they can reattempt but must expend another spell slot in the attempt.

Dvergr Lock

This lock is designed for wrecking and destroying lockpicks, even if the lockpicker is successful in their attempt. When a lockpicker fails a check to pick the lock, their lockpick is destroyed by a heavy pin or tumbler coming down and snapping the pick. The heavy pin then returns to its position and will rearm itself for any other attempts.
Per the DM's discretion, a wary lockpicker can attempt to remove their lockpick before it is crushed by succeeding on a Dexterity saving throw to remove their lockpick in time. They have disadvantage on the saving throw if they failed the initial lockpick check by 5 or more.
Certain Dvergr Locks have a built in heavy pin that will always descend as part of unlocking the lock. If a lockpicker is successful in unlocking certain Dvergr Locks, they must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw to remove their lockpicks in time against the DC of the lock. If they succeeded in the attempt to unlock the lock by 5 or more, they make this saving throw with advantage.