To the uninitiated, woodcarving is a barbaric art of little use outside of tribal activity. Though the art indeed does stem from the first civilisations of the world, it is a valuable skill for any society. From bows to carved statues, woodcarving provides many utility and luxury goods that many cultures, such as the gnomes and wood elves, have taken up. Why Woodcarving? Woodcarving seems like an odd profession for a character to take up. There is very little in the lines of armor and weapons, and not much outside of that. But a creative player may come up with all sorts of uses for the Woodcarver's Tools, such as fletching arrows or whittling a shield from wood. Furthermore, the recurring themes of magic within nature make the art of woodcarving carry these magical properties to the forefront with new opportunities for woodcarvers to display their talent. Inside a Woodcarver's Toolkit According to Xanathar's Guide to Everything (p. 85) , the following can be found in a set of woodcarver's tools: Knife

Gouge

Small saw These help for the basics of woodcarving, and do not need further necessities. As such, no other equipment is added by this module. Proficiency in woodcarving describe the knowledge of the physical and magical properties of various types of trees and wood, as well as the skills necessary to craft objects from wood. Xanathar's Guide to Everything explains in detail what proficiency describes, including the history surrounding certain wooden objects, insight into their design quirks, and special knowledge when investigating a wooden object (p. 85). What can a Woodcarver do? Skill Checks in a Project Each project has an amount of skill checks needed to perform the task. These tasks can be anything from recalling a blueprint- an Intelligence (Woodcarving) check- to summoning forth a spirit to infuse a totem pole- a Wisdom (Woodcarving) check. Fletching Forming arrows, bows, and crossbows from wood is one of the most ancient and widespread uses of wood. The defense of a settlement through the use of wood-based ballistics predates history itself, and entire professions surround the practice. A flecther can easily find work in a city that demands munitions, or a settlement that could do with a hunting lodge. Luxury Items Some wooden items are prized for their aesthetic value, and can be sold for a considerable price. The amount of wood needed is typically factored into the net profit and the time needed to create the item. Carving Carving wooden items can be useful. Shields, quarterstaffs, and other useful items can be formed from wood. Some druids will also get use out of an ancient woodcarved armor known to some as laminar armor. Skill Checks A woodcarver must draw upon a series of skills to perform their works. From being able to identify the proper measures to take to making the cut needed to perform said measures, the abilities of a woodcarver widely vary. As such, skill checks made by a woodcarver use Woodcarving. Proficiency in woodcarver's tools allows a character to add their proficiency bonus to woodcarving skill checks. Similar to other skill checks, a main attribute is also designated to the skill check based on the nature of the check. For example, an attempt to discern the magical properties of a type of wood may call for an Intelligence (Woodcarving) check, while whittling a quarterstaff may require a Dexterity (Woodcarving) check.

In Xanathar's Guide to Everything, there is an alternative ruling to skill checks with tools (p. 78) . Instead of making the Tool Kit a skill by itself, proficiency simply adds an extra proficiency bonus (or advantage, if the player making the check has double proficiency) to the check. For example, recalling the significance of the engravings in a wooden totem pole may be a Intelligence (Religion) check. Players making the check, however, could add their proficiency if they were proficient in Woodcarver's Tools, or gain advantage on the skill check if proficient in both Religion and Woodcarver's Tools. Alternatively, using the same rules, you may grant a special bonus if a player with proficiency in both the skill and the relevant tools upon passing the skill check. How many skill checks are needed? The scale of a project can range from mere hours to whole weeks or even months of hard work and dedication. As such, each project has a predetermined amount of skill checks that are taken throughout the duration. As a DM, it is up to you to decide the nature of these skill checks. What happens on a failed check? A failed check often causes some sort of issue to occur while producing a result. If the task is a binary action, such as attempting to retrieve information about the cultural significance of a certain carving, then a failed roll can be a simple "no". Some skill checks, however, are made to determine if any setbacks occur while performing a gradual process, such as fashioning a weapon. As such, failing these skill checks does not cease the process entirely. Instead, it incurs one of the following setbacks. Possible Setbacks d6 Setback 1 The project takes one extra unit of time (If the project is measured in hours, it takes one extra hour) 2 The project needs 1.5x as many resources 3 The woodcarver is injured and takes 7 (2d6) hazard damage (see below) 4 The project loses 25% of its total value 5 The quality of the item is reduced by one level OR the item is completed in disrepair, requiring 24 hours to repair it when completed 6 The project's remaining skill checks are made with disadvantage Hazard Damage d4 Damage Type 1 Psychic (mental strain) 2 Bludgeoning 3 Piercing 4 Slashing Types of Skill Checks Strength Sometime, an especially large piece of wood may need to be worked into an object, such as a large totem or a plank of wood. These sorts of objects may invoke a Strength (Woodcarving) skill check. Here are some examples of strength based skill checks. Strength Checks Situation DC Cleaving big chunks off of a wooden block 10 Hefting a large log around a work area 15 Keeping a large, uneven object steady while working with it 20 Dexterity Manual dexterity is the bread and butter of the skills a woodcarver needs to create objects of their trade. Situations that demand this skill, or any skill of fine-tuned movement, call for a Dexterity (Woodcarving) check. Here are some examples. Dexterity Checks Situation DC Making a small wooden figurine (XGTE p. 85) 10 Carving a longbow 15 Making detailed carvings of animals or people on a wooden surface 20 Intelligence The arcane and natural properties can be identified based on prior knowledge and proper amounts of educated guessing. These sorts of knowledge rely on Intelligence (Woodcarving) skill checks. Situation DC Identifying whether an object is magical or not 10 Identifying a type of uncommon wood based on its properties 15 Discerning the cultural significance of an item without context 20 Wisdom The ability to imbue wooden totems with magical properties requires an understanding of the forces of nature. When enchanting totems, a Wisdom (Woodcarving) check is needed. Situation DC Persuading a minor spirit to lend its power 10 Convincing a medium spirit to imbue a totem of higher power 15 Enchanting a high level totem with the powers of a major spirit or ancestor 20

Woodworking The various types of wood around the material plane (and even beyond) hold special properties outside of their physical nature. Fletching The art of creating arrows and bows is an ancient one. In fact, archery precedes our recording of history, and its origins derive from the ancestors of the modern human, by proto-humans who used great slings to hunt their prey. As such, the art of fletching has many long centuries of practice. For a woodcarver, the construction of a bow is quite simple, but an essential part of their profession. Bows Bows and crossbows are a staple in the weapons of war. Striking from a distance makes a difference in many a battle, and entire divisions of armies are composed of variations of the basic archer. Bow Table Project Time Cost Checks needed Blowgun 4 hours 5 gp 1 Shortbow 3 days 15 gp 2 Longbow 3 days 25 gp 2 Hand Crossbow 1 week 35 gp 2 Light Crossbow 3 days 15 gp 2 Heavy Crossbow 1 week 25 gp 2 Arrows Regardless of whether a fighter uses the traditional bow or the (relatively) new-age crossbow, they rely on ammunition to fire in order to inlfict damage on a would-be assailant. In Xanathar's Guide to Everything, a short rest produces 5 arrows while a long rest produces 20 (p. 85) . Although this does provide a helpful guide to the rate at which arrows are produced, it does not account for Gritty Realism Resting or other rest lengths that may make the production of arrows seem strange (DMG p. 267) . Instead, arrows and bolts produced will take a set amount of time, as well as other items fletched. To cover the costs of the arrows, the player may pay a certain amount of money or attempt to find the resources themselves. Ammunition Table Project Time Cost Checks needed 5 arrows 1 hour 2 sp or 1 Forage 1 5 bolts 1 hour 2 sp or 1 Forage 1 20 darts 1 hour 2 sp or 1 Forage 1

Luxury Items Although some wooden items hold a value in their utility, others are simply coveted for their high quality craftsmanship. From intricate chairs to totem poles, the value of these items can be based off the skill of the craftsmanship and the approximate weight. These qualities also affect the time and difficulty of the work. Luxury Table Quality Value Time Checks Needed Common 20 cp per lb. Half the normal time Uncommon 50 cp per lb. Normal amount of time Rare 1 sp per lb. About 1.5x as much time, rounding down by month Very Rare 5 sp per lb. About 2x as long, rounding up by month Legendary 10 sp per lb. About 3x as long, rounding up by month Wooden Items Table Item Weight Time Checks Needed Chair 20 lb. 2 weeks 1 Bed Frame 50 lb. 1 month (4 weeks) 2 Bench 75 lb. 6 weeks 2 Desk 75 lb. 6 weeks 2 Totem 10 lb. 1 month 2 Table 50 lb. 1 month 2 Set of Spoons 10 lb. 1 week 1 Set of Bowls 10 lb. 1 week 1 Artpiece (Not otherwise specified) - 1 week per 10 lb. 1 check per 40 lb, rounding up Magic Items Some items invoke value from being able to perform some task. These items use a Totem, or a combination of multiple totem parts, to act as vessel for a spirit. A spirit requires a certain quality of Totem. Next, an offering must be made to the spirit, with the amount depending on the strength of the spirit, and it must be persuaded to imbue the totem with its power by making an additional skill check. This check is a Wisdom (Woodcarving) check. The bonuses a spirit confers can be randomly generated based on the tables or selected by the players at the DM's discretion. Using a Totem Like many magic items, a totem requires a holder who is bound to it. As such, to use the magic of the totem, it must be attuned to a holder who may then control its effects. Imbuing Totems Spirit Offering Needed Minor 10 gp Medium 50 gp Major 100 gp Minor Benefits d6 Benefit 1 The totem knows a cantrip from the Druid spell list and can cast it as its holder's bonus action once every 24 hours 2 The totem attracts a certain type of non-humanoid creature, such as beasts, fey, or dragons within 100 feet 3 The totem repels a certain type of non-humanoid creature, such as beasts, fey, or dragons within 100 feet 4 The totem wards a 20-foot cube area as if it were affected by the alarm spell 5 The totem heals up to 3 creatures chosen by its holder for 1d4 hitpoints on a short rest 6 As an action, the holder may grant 1d4 temporary hitpoints to themself and targeted creatures within 30 feet Medium Benefits d6 Benefit 1 The totem knows a 1st-level spell from the Druid spell list and can cast it as its holder's bonus action twice every 24 hours 2 The totem attracts humanoids within 100 feet 3 The totem repels humanoids within 100 feet 4 Once a week, the holder may use an action to cast Lesser Restoration 5 Once a week, the holder may use an action to cast Cause Fear as a 1st-level spell 6 The totem heals up to 5 creatures chosen by its holder for 1d8 hitpoints on a short rest Major Benefits d6 Benefit 1 The totem knows a 2nd-level spell from the Druid spell list and can cast it as its holder's bonus action twice every 24 hours 2 Once a week, the totem may hold concentration on one of its holder's spells for up to 1 minute 3 Once a week, the holder may use an action to cast Greater Restoration 4 The totem knows a cantrip from the Druid spell list and can cast it as its holder's bonus action 5 Once every 24 hours, the holder may use an action to gain advantage on one type skill check 6 The totem heals up to 8 creatures chosen by its holder for 1d10 hitpoints on a short rest

Carving Wooden Items Some items serve a utility purpose without needing magical assistance. These items are simpler to make, but ususally don't give many benefits beyond their intended use. Furthermore, outside of magical repairs, wooden items tend to be irrepairable when broken. Carving Table Item Cost Time Skill Checks Simple Melee Weapon 1 gp 1 day 1 Martial Melee Weapon 10 gp 3 days 2 Shield 5 gp 3 days 2 Splintering Armor 50 gp 1 week 3 Woad Armor 200 gp 2 weeks 3 Laminar Amor 200 gp 1 month 3 Durability The durability of items is as follows Item Type Health Simple Weapon 3 (1d6) Martial Weapon 10 (3d6) Shield 10 (3d6) Splintering Armor 10 (3d6) Woad Armor 10 (3d6) Laminar Amor 18 (4d8) Wooden Armor Used by druids and rangers, wooden armor confers defenses similar to metal armor. It is more susceptible to breaking from use like most wooden items, but because it is imbued with natural magic it can regenerate 3 (1d6) object hitpoints over the duration of a short rest. This reflects its ability to regrow missing or broken parts of the armor. An Ancient Secret The secrets of wooden armor are closely kept, and a woodcarver who wishes to learn them must find approval amoung those who guard it. The most common wearers of wooden armor are rangers, as well as druids who forgo their animal forms in favor of approaching the enemies of nature in their truest form. Druids who follow the Circle of the Land are more likely than not to have access to this Wooden Armor, as do rangers in the Hunter Conclave. A DM has the final say on the class and racial restrictions on the knowledge of and ability to use wooden armor. Types of Wooden Armor Wooden armor comes in three forms, as well as a wooden shield. These armors are not magical for the purposes of value, but are also non-metal. Each one is similar to a metal variant, using wood that is lighter but of equal durability. Wooden Armor Item Type AC Strength Stealth Weight Shield Shield +2 — — 6 lb. Splintering Armor Medium 13 + Dex modifier (max 2) — — 10 lb. Woad Amor Medium 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) — Disadvantage 10 lb. Laminar Armor Heavy 17 15 Disadvantage 30 lb.