2024/5.5e Disarm House Rule — Feedback Welcome

I know Disarm itself isn't a new idea. The 2014 DMG had an optional Disarm rule, and I've seen several discussions about adapting it to the 2024 rules, particularly by replacing the old opposed check with the new save-DC framework used by Grapple and Shove.

What I haven't found is a version that tries to address the whole procedure consistently: melee and ranged attempts, relative size, two-handed grips, what objects can actually be disarmed, and—perhaps most importantly—what characters can do with the object once it hits the floor.

The 2024 PHB explicitly allows characters to improvise actions not detailed elsewhere in the rules, leaving the DM to determine whether the action is possible and what D20 Test, if any, is required. Sage Advice then specifically confirms that any character can attempt to disarm a foe, treating it as one of those improvised actions. 

Can a non-Battle Master attempt to disarm someone?
The Disarming Attack maneuver is designed for the Battle Master Fighter, but any character can try to disarm a foe. Such an attempt falls under improvising an action not detailed by the rules and is therefore adjudicated by the DM.

For this reason, I tried putting together a standardized house rule that could be used whenever it comes up rather than requiring a new ruling each time.

The intention isn't to replace the Battle Master's Disarming Attack, which remains substantially better: it deals normal attack damage plus the Superiority Die, forces a Strength ST and then potentially disarms the target. This version instead costs one of the attacker's attacks, aloows the target to choose between a Strength or Dexterity ST, and deals no damage.

I'd be interested in feedback particularly on the save DC, the size rules, and the handling of the dropped object.

Disarm

When you take the Attack action, you can replace one of your attacks with an attempt to disarm a creature of an object it is holding.

Choose one object the target is holding. The target must make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw, choosing which ability to use.

Save DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + the ability modifier you would use for the attack

For example, a Strength-based attack uses Strength, while an attack made with a Finesse weapon can use Dexterity if you are using Dexterity for that attack. A Warlock using Pact of the Blade can use Charisma if Charisma is the ability used for attacks with his Pact Weapon.

• On a failed save, the target drops the chosen object in its space.
• The Disarm attempt deals no damage.

Size

If the target is larger than the attacker, it has Advantage on the saving throw.

If the target is smaller than the attacker, it has Disadvantage on the saving throw.

A creature that is two or more sizes larger than the attacker cannot be disarmed by this action.

This restriction also applies to ranged Disarm attempts. A projectile might certainly strike the object, but against a creature vastly larger than the attacker the impact is insufficient to overcome the creature’s grip, leverage, and the inertia of the object being held.

Two-Handed Grip

If the target is holding the chosen object with two hands, it has Advantage on the saving throw.

This represents the substantially greater difficulty of knocking away an object secured with both hands.

Ranged Disarm

A Disarm attempt can be made with a ranged weapon or a thrown weapon as well.

If the target is beyond the weapon’s normal range, it has Advantage on the saving throw, representing the reduced precision and effectiveness of the attack at long range.

The normal size restrictions above still apply.

Eligible Objects

Disarm can target an object that the creature is actually holding, such as:

• a weapon;
• a wand, rod, staff, or spellcasting focus;
• a potion or other handheld item;
• another object carried openly in the hand.

It cannot normally remove equipment that is worn, strapped, secured, or donned.

For instance, a donned shield cannot be disarmed. Sage Advice specifically confirms that Disarming Attack cannot make a creature drop a shield because a donned shield is not merely an object being held.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Normal rules for Advantage and Disadvantage apply. Multiple sources of Advantage do not stack, and multiple sources of Disadvantage do not stack. If both Advantage and Disadvantage apply, they cancel each other out as normal, regardless of how many sources of either are present.

For example, a Medium character attempting to disarm a Large creature holding a greatsword in two hands still gives the target Advantage rather than “double Advantage.”

Interacting with a Disarmed Object

Once an object has been dropped, creatures can interact with it normally.

Any creature can use its free object interaction during its turn to pick up or otherwise manipulate a disarmed object it can physically reach, such as by kicking, sliding, batting, or tossing it aside.

By default, this interaction can move the object up to 5 feet.

The DM may allow the object to be moved farther if the creature uses an appropriately long limb, tail, tentacle, tendril, wing, weapon with the Reach property, or other suitable implement, provided the interaction remains physically plausible and sufficiently simple.

More substantial manipulation may instead require the Utilize action.

If the disarmed object is a weapon, a creature with a free hand can also pick it up immediately before or after an attack it makes as part of the Attack action, following the normal rules for equipping a weapon. The creature does not need to use the weapon it picked up for that attack.

Once holding the object, the creature can use a subsequent attack available to it to throw the object, provided the rules granting that attack allow it. If the object is a weapon with the Thrown property, resolve the attack normally. Otherwise, resolve the throw using the rules for an Improvised Weapon.