Gathering tool
Gathering tools (often just called tools) are a type of equipment used to gather certain types of crafting materials from resource nodes. There are three types of gathering tools: harvesting sickles, logging axes and mining picks. There are no restrictions to professions, races, or crafting disciplines: All characters can equip all three types at once and gather each type of resource. Each character on the account must have their own set of tools equipped in order to gather from nodes.
Higher tier resources require better quality of tools in order to gather successfully. Attempting to gather with a poorer quality tool than required will result in various Junk ruined materials instead of the intended crafting materials. Higher-level gathering tools can also gather all lower-level materials of the same type. For example, Steel Mining Pick can gather Gold Ore in addition to all the materials that the lower level Iron Mining Pick can gather.
Overview[edit]
| Slot | Gathering tool | Material |
|---|---|---|
 Foraging |
Harvesting sickle | Ingredients |
 Logging |
Logging axe | Logs |
 Mining |
Mining pick | Ore |
Mechanics[edit]
Gathering tools are equipped in the three gathering tool slots in the bottom right of the equipment tab in the Hero panel, only one tool of each type can be equipped at a time. Like salvage kits, tools do not stack and have a set amount of charges. Each strike (also called hit) on a resource node will consume one charge. Once all the charges are used up, the gathering tool is destroyed and leaves the slot empty. As equipment, gathering tools have a required level to be equipped and cannot be equipped during combat. The required level of the gathering tool corresponds to a tier, which determines what types of nodes the tool can be used to successfully gather from.
Ruined material[edit]
Using a gathering tool of a lower tier than required for a resource node will produce a ruined material instead of the node's intended result. Foraging generally gives Ruined Plant Fibers; logging gives Ruined Logs; and mining gives Ruined Ore Chunks. This junk material has no use besides being sold to a merchant.
It is advised to always use the highest tier tool available, as juggling multiple tools and potentially accidentally getting ruined materials is not worth the mere coppers saved by the cheaper tool.
Glyphs and special tools[edit]
- Primary article: Glyph (upgrade)
There are three categories of gathering tools: Basic, Material, and Enhanced.
Material tools gather additional resources, and Enhanced tools provide utility bonuses when gathering. Basic gathering tools have an upgrade slot for glyphs, which represent permanent versions of each Material and Enhanced tool's effect. Glyphs can be swapped out as preferred, with the glyph returning to your inventory for use in another tool.
Unlimited Gathering Tools[edit]
All three gathering tools have unlimited use versions that do not run out of charges (and thus will never break). They also do not have a level requirement, and can successfully harvest all tiers of nodes. They can be purchased from the Gem Store for gems when available. Some individual tools are available, but they are usually sold in themed packs of three (i.e. one of each type). Many unlimited tools come with a glyph pre-slotted, or a 
Black Lion Glyph Selection Container allowing any glyph to be selected.
Like normal equipment, it isn't possible to use them on multiple characters at the same time. Using them on a different character requires moving it via the bank or an Shared Inventory Slot.
See the navigation at the bottom of the page for a full list of unlimited gathering tools.
Skins[edit]
- See also: Wardrobe/Gathering tools
Except for the basic set of Unbreakable Gathering Tools, all unlimited gathering tools have unique skins, often themed for current content; such as the Molten Alliance Mining Pick coinciding with Flame and Frost. Like weapons and armor, these skins can be changed in the Fashion panel. As opposed to other skins, changing the skin of a tool is free and does not cost transmutation charges, even for limited use tools. If you apply a skin to a gathering tool with limited uses, the skin will also need to be reapplied to your next tool when the current breaks.
Certain skins' animations affect gathering speed, making them significantly faster than regular harvesting tools.[1][2]
Categories of Gathering Tools[edit]
Basic Gathering Tools[edit]
- Copper — First-tier tools. No level requirement.
- Iron — Second-tier tools. Required Level: 10.
- Steel — Third-tier tools. Required level: 20.
- Darksteel — Fourth-tier tools. Required level: 30.
- Mithril — Fifth-tier tools. Required level: 45.
- Orichalcum — Sixth-tier tools. Required level: 60. All special tools below are also of this tier.
Material Gathering Tools[edit]
Required level: 60
- Forester's — Chance to receive bonus wood logs in addition to your gathering results.
- Herbalist's — Chance to receive bonus harvesting materials in addition to your gathering results.
- Leatherworker's — Chance to receive bonus leather scraps in addition to your gathering results.
- Tailor's — Chance to receive bonus cloth scraps in addition to your gathering results.
- Prospector's — Chance to receive bonus Ores in addition to your gathering results.
- Scavenger's — Chance to receive bonus Fine crafting material in addition to your gathering results.
- Watchknight's — Chance to receive bonus Watchwork Sprockets in addition to your gathering results.
Enhanced Gathering Tools[edit]
Required level: 60
- Bountiful (of Bounty) — Grants a 33% chance to gain an extra strike while gathering.
- Flying — Increases movement speed by 100% for 5 seconds after gathering.
- Industrious — Gather 50% faster.
- Reapers — Gathers all similar nodes in a certain radius.
- Timekeeper — 33% chance to complete gathering instantly.
Other special tools[edit]
- Frostbitten — Each gathering strike gives one bonus
Snowflake. Required level: 15. - Unbound — Each gathering strike gives bonus
Unbound Magic. Required level: 60. - Volatile — Each gathering strike gives bonus
Volatile Magic. Required level: 60.
Acquisition[edit]
Basic Gathering Tools[edit]
- Looted from various enemies and containers.
- Story rewards
- Level rewards
- Standard Merchants — All basic tools or level-appropriate tools for their location.
- Laurel Merchants
- Master Craftsmen
- Gathering Merchants
- Various Karma merchants
Material Gathering Tools[edit]
- Gathering Merchants — Leatherworker's, Tailor's, Scavenger's, Watchknight's, Prospector's, Forester's, Herbalist's
Enhanced Gathering Tools[edit]
- Gathering Merchants — Flying, Industrious, of Bounty, Reaper's
Other special tools[edit]
- Festival Merchants
Charity Corps Seraph (Only available during Wintersday) — Frostbitten
- Various Renown heart merchants in each Living World Season 3 map — Unbound Magic
- Various Renown heart merchants in each Living World Season 4 map — Volatile Magic
- Domain of Istan
- Sandswept Isles
- Domain of Kourna
- Jahai Bluffs
- Thunderhead Peaks
- Dragonfall (Requires specific achievements to access vendor, but does not need heart completion)
Unlimited Gathering Tools[edit]
- Eldritch Horror infinite gathering tools — Purchasing Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds Deluxe or Ultimate edition.
- Fairy Dust Gathering Tools Pack — Purchasing Guild Wars 2: Visions of Eternity Deluxe or Ultimate edition.
- Others are sold in the
Gem store, with a few also available for 
Black Lion Statuettes.
Exalted Mining Tool is exclusively available for statuettes.
- These tools will sometimes also come with glyphs:
- Tools not available in packages will in general not come with a glyph.
- Packages of three tools will usually come with pre-inserted glyphs if purchased separately, or three glyph selection containers when purchased as a set.
- There are many exceptions; check specific tools's pages for their upgrade slot and notes.
- For a list of exceptions, see: Glyph (upgrade)#Standard Unlimited Gathering Tool glyph acquisition and exceptions
List of Gathering Tools[edit]
- Limited-use special gathering tools
 Harvesting |
 Logging |
 Mining |
Equivalent Glyph | |
| Material Gathering Tools | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alchemist's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 Alchemy
|
| Forester's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Forester
|
| Herbalist's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Herbalist
|
| Leatherworker's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Leatherworker
|
| Prospector's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Prospector
|
| Scavenger's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Scavenger
|
| Tailor's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Tailor
|
| Watchknight's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Watchknight
|
| Enhanced Gathering Tools | ||||
| Bounty |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 Bounty
|
| Flying |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 Flight
|
| Industrious |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 Industry
|
| Reaper's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 Reaping
|
| Timekeeper's |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Timekeeper
|
| Other special tools | ||||
| Frostbitten |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
— |
| Unbound |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 the Unbound
|
| Volatile |  Sickle |
 Axe |
 Pick |
 Volatility
|
- Unlimited gathering tools
See also[edit]
Trivia[edit]
- Gathering tools were soulbound prior to the November 15, 2012 game update.
- Gathering tools were reworked and glyphs added during the April 10, 2018 game update.
External Link[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Fastest gathering tools and multi-strike tools as of 2025". Guild Wars 2 Forums. 2025-07-16. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
- ^ "Table of Unlimited Gathering Tool casting speeds". [Fast] Farming community.
