Tinker

"Are you aware of the Tinker classification?" "Covers anyone with powers that give them an advanced grasp of science. Lets them make technology years ahead of its time. Ray guns, ice blasters, mechanized suits of armor, advanced computers."<ref>Gestation 1.6</ref>

Tinkers are parahumans that can create devices or alter existing devices well beyond their usual restrictions on education, knowledge, resources and/or laws of physics.

The term "Tinker" was initially created alongside other PRT Classifications by the PRT ground-patrol and response teams in New York as a means of quickly identifying threats and adopting strategies.<ref name="PRT Quest">PRT Quest document</ref>

Methodology

Tinkers can create devices or alter existing devices well beyond their usual restrictions on education, knowledge, resources and/or laws of physics. They are driven by an inspiration aspect and vary a great deal in how they get their ideas. In many cases, Tinkers can get new ideas by studying powers and the work of other Tinkers. For example, Bakuda developed time and space warping bombs by scanning and studying material that had been affected by Clockblocker and Vista's powers.

Tinkers break down into two main categories: method and specialty Tinkers.

• Specialty Tinkers are Tinkers that specialize in a specific area such as concealed devices, medicine, remote control, travel (underground) wavelengths and etc.
• Method Tinkers are unique in how they tinker; they might have Manton-derived limitations or approach tinkering from a unique approach. These Tinkers tend to fall into the wide scope and narrow scope categories, in turn.

Tinkers work within the laws of physics, but many work with extradimensional forces<ref>Comments on the Cast Page</ref>. It's generally impossible for anyone but a Tinker to repair or maintain a Tinker's technology, which prevents them mass-marketing their inventions<ref>Comments on Scourge 19.6</ref>.

Tinker are hard to "slap a rating" on, but the PRT judges them based on the threat that they pose to the PRT and the greater community.

Trigger events

Considered a "mental" power, and tends to arise from psychological stress rather than violence.<ref name="9.3">Sentinel 9.3</ref>

Combinations with other ratings

[Coming soon]

Use by the PRT

Most tinkers have a specialty, something they’re particularly good at or something that they can do which other Tinkers can’t.<ref name="16.5">Monarch 16.5</ref><ref name="1.6">Gestation 1.6</ref> A typical tinker can artificially assume any number of other classifications, depending on their specialty. PRT tries to append specialty to the classification whenever possible.<ref name="PRT"/>

Most Tinker devices require regular maintenance and can be controlled only by a Tinker (often the original creator), often prohibiting their creations from entering common use by society. It's usually impossible for a non-tinker to copy the process of creating tinkertech without shard guidance.^{[citation needed]}

PRT countermeasures

Tinkers are less dangerous when removed from their gear, but should not be assumed

to be harmless. A typical tinker can artificially assume any number of other classifications, depending on specialty. Specialty should be appended to the

classification in every case possible. (ie. phasing specialty or electricity specialty)<ref name="PRT Quest" />

Known Tinkers

Note: This list describes the Tinker ratings of different capes. For a full overview of their abilities, please check their individual pages.

Name	Known ratings	Power description
Andrew Richter	Tinker<ref name="I10.5">Interlude 10.5</ref>	Computer programming and AI development
Bakuda	Tinker 6<ref name="I6">Interlude 6</ref>	Explosives, ranging from standard ordinance to weapons that can have parahuman-like effects
Bauble	Tinker<ref name="22.2">Cell 22.2</ref>	Glassworking and glassworking tools
Big Rig	Tinker<ref name="22.2"/>	Designing drones that fabricate large construction machinery
Blasto	Tinker 6 (Master 5, Blaster 2, Changer 2, Brute 2)<ref name="19.y">Interlude 19.y - Blasto</ref>	Botany, with a focus on hybridization with animal life and cloning
Bonesaw	Tinker ?	Human anatomy and modification
Cask	Tinker 5 (Blaster 1, Brute 2, Master 1, Trump 2)	Produces chemical mixtures with a range of healing, transformative, deleterious and physical/mental altering qualities. Limited amounts at a time restricted by available space.
Chariot	Tinker/Mover?<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Devices that help with mobility and/or rapid transit
Clay	Shaker 4 (Tinker 1, Striker 1)	Creates a spray of liquid force-field that quickly hardens and can be formed into rough shapes.
Colin Wallis	Tinker<ref name="cast">Cast page</ref><ref name="1.6">Gestation 1.6</ref>	Efficiency, hybrid, and minimized technology.<ref name=":0">Defiant has the 'tinker up efficiency/hybrid/minimized technology' skill tree. Stinger has the 'missile' skill tree. Tecton has the 'Seismic and Architecture' skill trees. - Spacebattles comment by wildbow </ref>
Cranial	Tinker ?	Neurology<ref name="22.2"/>
Dodge	Tinker ?	Pocket dimensions<ref name="22.2"/>
Dragon	Thinker<ref name=":1">Dragon is a thinker who co-opts and draws inspiration from other tinkers' work. - wildbow reddit comment</ref>, Tinker<ref name=":2">TL;DR is that tinkers can't pass on tips to humanity. Even Masamune, even Dragon. - wildbow reddit comment.</ref>, Trump<ref name=":3">I can say that it matches up with the trend that people who trigger in circumstances where powered individuals are present or involved get powers that often relate to powers; trump powers - reddit wildbow comment</ref>	Co-opts and draws inspiration from other tinkers' work.<ref name=":1" />
Glace	Tinker ?<ref name="26.3">Sting 26.3</ref>	Ice based effects including Cryogenics, Cryonics and stasis<ref name="22.2"/>
Hero	Tinker ?	First Tinker, part of the original Triumvirate. Power believed to be manipulating and enhancing wavelengths and frequencies.
Kid Win	Tinker 4<ref name ="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref><ref name="cast"/><ref name ="3.3">Agitation 3.3</ref>	Modular equipment
Lab Rat	Tinker<ref name="27.3"/>	Specializes in tinker drugs that turn subjects into monsters while storing their original state for when the transformation ends.
Leet	Tinker	Can create anything, but rate of failure increases if the object is too similar or identical to one he's created before
Mannequin	Tinker<ref name="12.6">Plague 12.6</ref>	Formerly biome, terraforming and ecosystems. Currently used for body modifications, turning various body parts into self-contained systems.<ref name="12.6"/>
Masamune	Tinker<ref name=":2" />	Mass-reproduction.
Ogun	Tinker/Shaker	Shaker ability 'upgrades' existing technology into physics breaking science fiction technology<ref name="WDH">Wildbow's Weaver Dice: Helena document</ref>
Pyrotechnical	Tinker<ref name="22.2"/>	A tinker focusing on flame manipulation, special effects, guns.
Saint	Tinker 0<ref name="28.2">Cockroaches 28.2</ref>	Use of Dragon's tech
Squealer	Tinker 2 (Mover 3)<ref name="9.1"/>	Modified outsized vehicles with numerous differing effects
Stinger	Tinker<ref name=":0" />	Missile technology.<ref name=":0" />
String Theory	Tinker<ref name="27.3">Extinction 27.3</ref>	Tinker favoring macro-scale doomsday devices, created objects had timers built in from start of creation process, with catastrophic misfires if interrupted.
Tecton	Tinker (Shaker)<ref name="24.1">Crushed 24.1</ref><ref name="18.5"/>, Thinker<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref>	Architecture, seimic technology<ref name=":0" /> and geology sense<ref name="18.5"/>
Toy Soldier	Tinker<ref name="22.2" />	A powersuit user with a suit the size of a small building.

Trivia

• Wildbow has made a page about tinkers, that can be found here.

References

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