The Tool Tooltip Tool: Your Ultimate Minecraft Gear Comparator
Ever stood in your base, staring at two pickaxes from different mods, completely unsure which one deserves a spot on your hotbar? You are not alone. The world of modded Minecraft throws dozens of tools at you, each with hidden stats that the vanilla interface simply refuses to show. The Tool Tooltip Tool mod steps in to clear up that confusion, giving you instant, in-game access to the numbers that matter most.
What Does The Tool Tooltip Tool Actually Do?
At its core, this mod adds a straightforward but incredibly useful feature: detailed tooltips for your tools, weapons, and armor. When you hover over an item and press the right key (or simply enable advanced tooltips, depending on your version), you will see a breakdown of its core attributes. No more guessing whether a Metallurgy Tartarite pickaxe outperforms a Galacticraft Desh pickaxe, or how a Thermal Expansion Invar tool stacks up against a Mekanism paxel. The mod reveals the raw data behind every swing, dig, and block break.
Key Stats Revealed
The mod focuses on four essential properties that define any tool's performance:
- Max Durability: The total number of uses before the tool breaks. Essential for planning long mining trips.
- Efficiency: How fast the tool mines appropriate blocks. Higher numbers mean quicker resource gathering.
- Harvest Level: The tier of materials the tool can successfully mine. This tells you if that shiny new pick can actually grab obsidian or cobalt.
- Enchantability: A hidden value that affects how easily the tool receives powerful enchantments from an enchanting table. A higher enchantability often leads to better enchantments with less lapis spent.
For multi-tools like paxels, the mod goes a step further and displays separate stats for each tool type (pickaxe, shovel, axe) right in the same tooltip. This means you can instantly compare the mining speed of a paxel’s shovel head versus its pickaxe head without ever leaving your inventory screen.
How the Tooltips Appear In-Game
The display method changed slightly across versions, so it is worth knowing what to expect. In version 0.3.0 and older, you needed to hold the SHIFT key while hovering over an item to see the extra information. Starting with version 0.4.0, the mod integrates with Minecraft’s built-in advanced tooltips toggle (activated by pressing F3+H). This makes the feature feel like a natural part of the game rather than an external overlay. Once advanced tooltips are on, every compatible tool, sword, bow, armor piece, and even hoes will proudly show their hidden stats without any extra key presses.
Compatibility and Version Guide
The Tool Tooltip Tool is designed to work with vanilla-like tools, meaning most standard pickaxes, shovels, axes, swords, and armor from both vanilla Minecraft and a wide range of mods. However, it does not support tools from Tinkers’ Construct, as those use a completely different stat system. For the vast majority of other modded gear, the tooltips will appear without issue.
Getting the right version for your setup is crucial. Here is a quick reference:
- Version 0.4.0: Requires Forge for Minecraft 1.9, build 1887 or newer. This version expanded support to swords, armor, bows, hoes, and more.
- Version 0.3.0: Compatible with Forge for Minecraft 1.7.10, builds from 1448 onward. This version does nothing when loaded on a server, making it safe to include in server modpacks without causing issues.
- Version 0.2.0: Works with Forge for Minecraft 1.7.10, builds from 1208 up to (but not including) 1448. Be careful: this older version will crash if accidentally loaded on a server, so keep it strictly client-side.
If you are juggling multiple mods, you might appreciate how easily The Tool Tooltip Tool can be added to your setup via the foxygame.net launcher — a modern, flexible launcher that lets you browse and install mods directly from its menu, saving you from manual file wrangling. The launcher handles version matching automatically, so you never have to worry about grabbing the wrong Forge build.
Client-Side Simplicity and Modpack Friendliness
One of the best aspects of this mod is its lightweight, client-only nature. From version 0.3.0 onward, placing the mod file on a server simply does nothing; it will not cause crashes or conflicts. This makes it an ideal candidate for personal use even on servers that do not officially include it. You can install it on your own client, join any modded server, and instantly gain access to all the comparative tool data without needing the server admin to add anything. The author also explicitly allows inclusion in modpacks, though a quick notification is appreciated.
Why You Need This Mod in Your Modded Arsenal
Modded Minecraft thrives on variety, but variety often brings analysis paralysis. Without The Tool Tooltip Tool, comparing a Mekanism pickaxe to an IndustrialCraft drill means digging through wikis or testing blindly. With it, you make informed decisions in seconds. The mod respects your time and keeps the focus on playing, not researching. Whether you are a veteran modpack explorer or just dipping your toes into tech and magic mods, having durability, efficiency, harvest level, and enchantability at your fingertips transforms how you manage your gear.
Final Thoughts
The Tool Tooltip Tool does exactly what its name promises and does it with zero bloat. It bridges the information gap that plagues heavily modded inventories, turning uncertainty into clarity. By revealing the hidden stats of your tools, weapons, and armor, it helps you pick the right equipment for every task, from mining deepslate to enchanting a god sword. Install it on your client, toggle advanced tooltips, and never wonder about tool quality again. Your next mining expedition will thank you.