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| Source | Player’s Handbook 🛒 |
|---|---|
| Cost | 2 gp |
| Weight | 10 lb. |
| Category | Adventuring Gear |
| Full rules | open5e.com ↗ |
The Miner’s Pick is one of those unassuming pieces of equipment that experienced adventurers have come to appreciate. What appears at first glance to be a simple tool can become the key to hidden treasures and new pathways in the right hands.
Versatile Applications
The pick truly shines in underground adventures. It allows you to break through rock, chip gems from walls, or clear blocked passages. Many Dungeon Masters grant advantage on appropriate Strength rolls when the right equipment is used. A dwarf with a pick trying to break through a stone wall? That practically screams for an advantage roll!
Particularly creative players also use the pick as an improvised weapon. Weighing 10 pounds, it’s heavy but certainly impactful. As a one-handed improvised melee weapon, it normally deals 1d4 + Strength modifier piercing damage, though the final damage value is up to the Dungeon Master.
Synergies with Character Classes
Dwarves naturally benefit most from this tool, given their cultural familiarity with mining traditions. A cleric with the Forge domain or a fighter with the Guild Artisan background can also develop interesting synergies. The Player’s Handbook 🛒 contains further details on backgrounds that pair well with the pick.
Druids, however, should note that this is a metal object, which could be problematic depending on the Dungeon Master’s interpretation. Alternative materials like hardened wood with a stone tip offer solutions here.
Practical Tips for Players
The 10-pound weight makes the pick an investment that should be carefully considered. It’s particularly suitable for characters with high Strength or those who have an ox or cart available. In longer dungeon crawls, it can make the difference between success and failure.
A clever trick: The pick also serves as an excellent piton in softer rock types. With the right technique, you can even create a makeshift anchor for ropes. Combined with tools like a hammer and iron spikes, it becomes a complete mountaineering kit.
Atmosphere and Roleplay
The Miner’s Pick adds an authentic adventure atmosphere to any group. The characteristic ping, ping, ping when striking stone, the sparks that fly – all of this significantly enhances immersion. For just 2 gold pieces, you get a tool that can tell countless stories.
Experienced Dungeon Masters love to use the pick as a plot element. Hidden chambers, collapsed tunnels, or mysterious ores – the possibilities are endless. It embodies the spirit of classic dungeon crawling and reminds us that sometimes the simplest tools enable the greatest adventures.
This article was created using AI, based on data from the 5e-database project (D&D 5e System Reference Document, licensed under CC BY 4.0).
