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I am thinking about roleplaying a Rock Gnome, and was wondering whether my interpretation of the Tinker trait was correct.

The rock gnome's tinker Trait (PHB pg. 37) says:

Using those [tinker's] tools you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning).

From this sentence, I understand that repairing the device requires only 1 hour of work (no materials) and, most important matter, that the repair grants another 24 hours of life to the device. Is my interpretation correct?

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You are correct RAW

Generally, features will tell you everything that the rules require about them in their description. Since the rules do not state that any materials are needed, no such need is dictated. And repairs do indeed only take 1 hour to complete giving the item 24 more hours of life after.

One important thing to note is that the repair must occur before the 24 hour life of the toy expires:

The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning)

Note how it says "keep" it functioning, not to bring its functionality back. There is no listed way to make it functional again after 24 hours.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't see that implication in the rules. There's nothing special about that 24 hour period that makes 'fixable' become 'non-fixable' just because time has passed. The 10g is pretty clearly the cost of materials, which would not need to be paid for again and there's nothing magical about 24 hours passing that would require a whole new item be built. \$\endgroup\$
    – user47897
    Jan 25, 2019 at 15:16
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MarkTO good point regarding the repair cost (I had forgotten about that). However, about the repairability I have quoted the section and my logic regarding it. The wording does indeed suggest there is something special about it. Whether it is intended or not I do not know. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rubiksmoose
    Jan 25, 2019 at 15:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Rubiksmoose Depends how you read it. To me it's clear you can repair whenever you want and not in the first 24 hours. To me they would have stated that the device is completely unusable after 24 hours and that you must create a new one UNLESS you take 1 hour to repair it. That to me would be read the way you interpret it. \$\endgroup\$
    – Franck
    Jan 25, 2019 at 16:24
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Rubiksmoose I honestly think a lot of problems with DND come from reading every little thing so closely. I think we are reading into the minutest details of syntax things that the writers never intended to put there and drawing conclusions based on that with only an imagined basis for these conclusions, especially when it matters the least. \$\endgroup\$
    – user47897
    Jan 25, 2019 at 17:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MarkTO You can always just dismantle the broken clockwork and reassemble it. Tinker is the equivalent of a racial cantrip, not much use but not too restrictive. \$\endgroup\$
    – Miles Bedinger
    Feb 7, 2019 at 21:36
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Your interpretation is correct , However to me it also seems that the repair has to be done in that 24 hour period of it still working.

So on short rests or during part of a long rest you could spend a hour to have it work another 24 hours.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Hmm... so you think the rules imply that the object definitely breaks after 24 hours, but fixing it before it breaks can grant it another 24 hours of lifetime (from the time I have fixed it). Correct? \$\endgroup\$
    – Easymode44
    Jan 25, 2019 at 10:30
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    \$\begingroup\$ I think you are correct, but you should cite and explain why you think that the timing is as you say. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rubiksmoose
    Jan 25, 2019 at 12:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't see that implication in the rules. There's nothing special about that 24 hour period that makes 'fixable' become 'non-fixable' just because time has passed. The 10g is pretty clearly the cost of materials, which would not need to be paid for again and there's nothing magical about 24 hours passing that would require a whole new item be built. \$\endgroup\$
    – user47897
    Jan 25, 2019 at 15:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ I will look again when I get home sunday. But as I read it and based off the part he cited it seemed as stated. The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning). Since there was no break in sentence with a period I read it all together. Mayne RAI it is ment to be repaired at any point. Sunday I will edit my answer of another one hasn't been made \$\endgroup\$
    – Deceptecium
    Jan 25, 2019 at 20:14

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