You’ve probably been running in circles. You’re in the Mawdun Quarry, the air is thick with dust, and your map icon is screaming at you that there's an objective nearby. It says PoE 2 tinkers tools. You clear every single mob. You break every jar. You even check the corners where the textures look a bit wonky.
Nothing.
It is incredibly frustrating, honestly. Path of Exile 2 is a masterpiece of complexity, but sometimes that complexity comes with early-access quirks that make you want to put your head through a monitor. The "Tinker’s Tools" isn't a complex crafting system or some endgame gear piece—at least not in the way most people expect. It’s a quest objective in Act 2 that has become the bane of many players' existence because it feels like it’s straight-up broken.
What Are Path of Exile 2 Tinkers Tools Anyway?
Let’s clear the air. In the current state of the game, the poe 2 tinkers tools are a quest item found in the Mawdun Quarry. They aren't a permanent addition to your inventory that lets you dismantle gear or anything fancy. Basically, they're a "gather" quest item.
Most players stumble upon the mention of these tools and think they’ve missed a massive new mechanic. I've seen people on Reddit speculating if this is how you unlock the new version of the Crafting Bench.
It's not.
✨ Don't miss: Why This Link to the Past GBA Walkthrough Still Hits Different Decades Later
It is just a small part of the Mawdun Quarry questline. If you find them, you move on. If you don't, you're stuck looking at a greyed-out icon or a persistent quest marker that won't go away. The "tools" themselves don't actually show up in your inventory as a physical item you can use to fix your boots. It’s more of a world-interaction trigger.
The Mawdun Quarry Bug: Why It Won't Drop
Here is the real kicker. A huge chunk of the player base—especially those of us who started on day one—encountered a bug where the tools simply do not exist. You go to the designated "Checkpoint" area, find the small cluster of tents and a chest, and... it's empty. Or it drops a couple of gold coins and a white rusted sword.
The map icon stays. Your quest log stays. You feel like you're losing your mind.
The Checkpoint Chest Trick
If you're stuck, look for a specific layout in the Quarry. The maps are procedurally generated, so it’s never in the exact same spot, but the "Checkpoint" always looks the same.
- A bridge leading into a dead-end alcove.
- A few weathered tents.
- A small trunk or chest.
If you open that trunk and nothing happens, the instance is likely bugged for you. This happens because the loot table for that specific quest chest sometimes fails to prioritize the quest trigger. It's kinda silly that a main-path quest can just "fail" to spawn its objective, but that's the nature of the beast right now.
🔗 Read more: All Barn Locations Forza Horizon 5: What Most People Get Wrong
How to Actually Get the PoE 2 Tinkers Tools
Don't just keep clearing the same map. If it didn't drop the first time, it’s not going to magically appear if you wait ten minutes. You have to force the game to try again.
- Waypoint out. Go back to the nearest town or a different zone.
- Reset the instance. This is the part people miss. Hold Ctrl and left-click on the Mawdun Quarry waypoint.
- Create a "New" instance. Do not just click the existing one. You need a fresh roll of the dice.
- Rush the Checkpoint. Ignore the side mobs. Just find that bridge and the tents again.
Some players have reported it taking five or six tries. Personally, it took me three resets before the chest finally coughed up the "completion" state. You’ll know it worked because the icon on your map will grey out or disappear. You won't get a "Tinker's Tools" item in your bag—the quest just progresses.
Misconceptions About Tinkering in PoE 2
Since the name "Tinker's Tools" sounds so much like a profession, people keep confusing this quest with actual crafting.
If you are looking for the PoE 2 crafting system, that’s handled through NPCs like Una and the use of currency like Transmutation Orbs or the new versions of Exalted Orbs. There is no "Tinkering" profession like you might find in an MMO.
Also, don't confuse this with the "Tinkers' Construct" mod from other games. I've seen search results mixing the two up. Path of Exile 2 is much more about the "Exile" life—meaning you're lucky if you find a rock to sharpen your sword with, let alone a full set of specialized tools.
💡 You might also like: When Was Monopoly Invented: The Truth About Lizzie Magie and the Parker Brothers
Why You Should Just Skip It (Sometimes)
Honestly? If the bug persists after three or four resets, just keep playing. As of the current patch, this quest isn't always a "hard" gate for the entire campaign. Many players have just ignored the Mawdun Quarry completion and kept moving into the later parts of Act 2.
Life is too short to farm a bugged chest for twenty minutes when there are bosses to kill.
Final Steps for the Frustrated Exile
If you are determined to clear that map icon, here is your checklist:
- Check your loot filter. If you're using a strict filter, make sure it isn't accidentally hiding the white-tier items that sometimes drop alongside the quest completion.
- Clear the "Ambush". Sometimes the chest won't "count" as opened until the 3-4 mobs that spawn nearby are actually dead.
- Unequip Rarity gear. There’s a weird community theory that high "Item Rarity" stats mess with quest drops in the Quarry. It sounds like superstition, but in a game this complex, who knows?
Once that icon is gone, get out of the Quarry. It’s one of the least rewarding zones in the act once you’ve got the waypoint. Move on to the boss fights where the real loot is hiding.
Next Steps:
If you've managed to clear the Quarry and are looking to actually improve your gear, you should start hoarding Lesser Jeweller's Orbs. In PoE 2, sockets are tied to the skill gems themselves, not the armor, so your "tinkering" will actually happen in the skill menu rather than at a workbench in the Quarry. You can also check out the town vendors every time you level up; they often refresh with better base-type items that are easier to "tinker" with using your basic currency.