Skillful Applications

Being proficient with a tool can grant advantage on certain checks where knowledge of that craft/trade is beneficial. For example, a character who is proficient with a poisoner’s kit would have advantage on Medicine checks to attempt to counteract poisons; similarly, a character who is proficient with cartographer’s tools would have advantage on Survival checks for orientation and navigation in the wilds based on their familiarity with maps and geography in general.

Where such a synergy exists for a passive check—someone proficient with thieves’ tools noticing if a lock is trapped—the character’s proficiency bonus is applied to the check in addition to any existing bonuses (e.g. being proficient in the associated skill) to a maximum of double-proficiency.

See Xanathar’s Guide to Everything for more examples.

Added to House Rules 18 Feb 2024.