Barony Tinkering Guide: Master the Mechanist Class & Automaton Race

The Barony tinkering guide is essential for anyone diving into the game’s most complex and rewarding playstyle. As a Mechanist using the Automaton race, you’ll harness the power of scrap, traps, and robotic allies to dominate every level. This comprehensive Barony tinkering guide breaks down everything you need to know—from early-game survival to late-game mastery—so you can unlock your full potential.

The Core Mechanics of Tinkering in Barony

Tinkering isn’t just a skill—it’s your entire gameplay engine. In Barony, the Tinkering skill allows you to salvage, craft, and repair items using scrap. You can’t use it until you find or start with a Tinkering Kit, which is often in “Decrepit” condition. Repairing it should be your first priority once you reach a high enough Tinkering level.

There are two types of scrap: Metal and Magic, each obtained by salvaging different items. Weapons (except quivers), armor, spellbooks, scrolls, gems, and even food can be salvaged. However, potions, mundane books, and quivers cannot be broken down. Community reports confirm that salvaging a legendary weapon like Shaurir’s mace yields around 16 metal and 34 magic scrap—more than most common gear.

Salvaging provides three key benefits:

1. Free up inventory space.
2. Generate scrap for crafting and repairs.
3. Earn Tinkering XP (up to 60 points max).

Higher-quality items yield more scrap, and your Tinkering skill directly affects how much you receive—potentially doubling returns at higher levels. The most efficient way to level Tinkering? Combine salvaging with repeated use of crafted items in combat, especially Bear Traps and Sentry Bots.

Crafting Your Arsenal: Traps, Bots, and Hardware

Once you’ve amassed scrap, it’s time to craft. The Tinkering Kit lets you build five main categories: Traps, Bots, Hardware, Upgrades, and Repairs.

Traps

These are the backbone of any mechanist strategy. There are four Tinkering-exclusive traps:

• Flame Trap: Deals fire damage and ignites enemies.
• Freeze Trap: Slows foes and deals cold damage.
• Sleep Trap: Puts enemies into an infinite sleep state.
• Teleportation Trap: Sends targets to a random location on the map.

A powerful community trick: Use a lockpick on a deployed teleport trap to turn it into a “destination” trap. Then place another teleport trap nearby—the enemy gets warped to the destination. This setup can funnel enemies into kill zones surrounded by turrets and other traps.

Bots

Bots are deployable allies with unique roles:

• Noisemaker: Lures enemies with sound but only lasts a few seconds.
• Dummybot: Draws aggro and takes hits. Can be used to train Unarmed/Polearm skills up to level 20.
• Gyrobot: Not for combat, but invaluable as a scout. It detects traps, exits, monsters, and valuable items via audio cues and minimap flashes.
• Sentry Bot & Spellbot: Stationary turrets that fire bolts or spells. They ignore friendly fire—use carefully.

You can only deploy a limited number of bots based on your Tinkering level: 6 at 60, 8 at 80, and 10 at 100. Player experience confirms that having 3 Gyrobots following you and 7 turrets in the starting room creates an unbeatable defensive setup.

Hardware

Useful everyday tools include:

• Backpack (requires Tinkering 65): Increases inventory space.
• Lantern: Eliminates need for torches—just turn them into scrap.
• Lockpick: Crafted from 2 metal scrap; useful for unlocking chests and disarming traps.
• Glasses: Grants +1 Perception.

💡 Pro Tip: You can use a Gyrobot to carry a trap across gaps, then place it remotely—perfect for hard-to-reach areas.

Salvaging, Repairing, and Leveling Your Skill

Salvaging is the lifeblood of the Mechanist. You can do it in three ways:

1. Open the Tinkering menu and right-click trash.
2. Hold the kit in your offhand and right-click items.
3. Cast the Salvage Spell (only available to Automatons)—this clears all eligible scrap in range but risks destroying useful items.

While the kit gives more Tinkering XP, the spell grants Magic XP—ideal if you’re also building arcane abilities.

Repairing is equally vital. At Tinkering 60+, you can repair basic gear. By 75+, even high-tier items like shields and cloaks become repairable—but expect to spend hundreds of scrap. The guide notes that some items, like rings and enchanted feathers, remain unrepairable regardless of skill level.

Upgrading bots from Excellent to Artisan quality costs scrap and gives 10% XP per upgrade. This is a great way to progress when you’re low on crafting opportunities.

Optimizing the Automaton Race with the Mechanist Class

Choosing the Automaton race unlocks unique advantages for the Mechanist. Unlike other races, Automatons:

• Can enter shops without hostility.
• Use cursed items without penalty—great for rapid skill leveling.
• Have a heat meter instead of mana, fueled by eating scrap, books, gems, and rocks.

When your boiler is super-heated (blue icon), your heat regenerates twice as fast. If your heat is below half max, regeneration doubles again—making this a core loop for sustainable magic use.

Player experience confirms that swimming in lava still hurts—but you gain both boiler and mana heat. This makes it a risky but viable option for players chasing extreme heat spikes.

Also, Automatons have +20 Tinkering when repairing items—a niche but powerful bonus that scales with your repair efficiency.

Final Tips and Strategies

• Start with loot: Collect torches, books, and gemstones early. Turn them into scrap for immediate fuel.
• Use lockpicks creatively: Modify trap triggers to avoid friendly fire or target specific enemies.
• Stack traps: Place multiple traps in one spot—no collision detection means they all trigger simultaneously.
• Deploy bots strategically: Use Dummybots to tank Minotaurs, Gyrobots to scout, and Sentries to cover chokepoints.
• Save scrap for upgrades: Once you have hundreds of scrap, prioritize upgrading bots and repairing artifacts.

The Mechanist class is arguably the most versatile in Barony, excelling in both single-player and multiplayer scenarios. With smart scrap management and strategic deployment, you can turn any level into a battlefield of your design.

🔗 For official updates and developer insights, visit the Barony Steam page.

FAQ

Q: Can I repair any item with Tinkering Level 100? A: No. Despite the skill description claiming “repair anything,” player experience confirms that rings, amulets, glasses, and enchanted feathers remain unrepairable even at Legendary level.

Q: How do I get the Salvage Spell? A: Only Automatons can cast the Salvage Spell. It’s not found in loot—it’s a racial ability tied to the Automaton race’s unique magic system.

Q: What’s the best way to level Tinkering quickly? A: Craft a stack of Bear Traps (they cost only metal scrap) and lure enemies toward them. Use them repeatedly in combat—this gives consistent XP and helps manage inventory.

Q: Can I use Gyrobots to move items across gaps? A: Yes. A Gyrobot can pick up and carry items, including traps, allowing you to place them remotely—perfect for crossing chasms or setting up ambushes.