Depending on the thing being dropped - it might bend, it might break, it might bounce or roll (and so not be at your feet when you want to use your "pick it up" interaction).
If you are placing it down carefully to avoid any of the above, then that would use up your item interaction since you aren't simply "dropping" it.
I've never really understood people who complain that an enemy could just pick something back up once you Disarm them. Surely if it's worth Disarming in the first place then it's worth using your own free interaction to pick it up yourself afterward while it's still your turn.
I've never really understood people who complain that an enemy could just pick something back up once you Disarm them. Surely if it's worth Disarming in the first place then it's worth using your own free interaction to pick it up yourself afterward while it's still your turn.
That would be generally illegal, although there are ways around the problem.
I've never really understood people who complain that an enemy could just pick something back up once you Disarm them. Surely if it's worth Disarming in the first place then it's worth using your own free interaction to pick it up yourself afterward while it's still your turn.
That would be generally illegal, although there are ways around the problem.
Oh, so the issue is that the Disarmed object is in the enemy's space? I wouldn't think you can only grab an item from your own space; most of the time you can grab anything within your arms' reach without having to move there, right? At most I might see needing to drop prone to grab the dropped item.
Oh, so the issue is that the Disarmed object is in the enemy's space?
Yes, assuming you are within your own unarmed Reach of the enemy or both have the movement to get closer and don't mind getting closer (the latter is usually false for a ranged disarm) and you have a free hand (usually false) and you want to do it with your free item interaction (more on this below).
I wouldn't think you can only grab an item from your own space;
The item interaction rules, like all of 5E, leave a lot to be desired, but so far as I know there is widespread consensus that your free interaction is limited to your own space and you'll need an action to interact with an object in another space you can reach - for example, we know you need an action to deploy caltrops, ball bearings, or oil to another space, and dropping something is no harder than picking something up. Your game is going to get very chaotic very quickly if free item interactions can interact with objects in another's space (not least because you'll let your players circumvent the rules for caltrops, ball bearings, and oil, as I said).
most of the time you can grab anything within your arms' reach without having to move there, right?
Yes, certainly. For example, if an Artillerist is next to you and so is their cannon, you can attack them with an unarmed strike and you can attack their cannon with an unarmed strike - and since the cannon is an object, instead of attacking, you can simply take it and have it. However, as I noted above, every DM I've ever encountered would make you spend your action to accomplish that.
I wouldn't think you can only grab an item from your own space;
The item interaction rules, like all of 5E, leave a lot to be desired, but so far as I know there is widespread consensus that your free interaction is limited to your own space and you'll need an action to interact with an object in another space you can reach - for example, we know you need an action to deploy caltrops, ball bearings, or oil to another space, and dropping something is no harder than picking something up. Your game is going to get very chaotic very quickly if free item interactions can interact with objects in another's space (not least because you'll let your players circumvent the rules for caltrops, ball bearings, and oil, as I said).
Interesting. Thanks for explaining the logic, it at least makes sense now.
On the other hand, the example list of free interactions from the chapter you linked does notably include "take a bauble from a table". Unless that's a particularly tiny table, or it expects us to climb on top of it first, I'd consider that a pretty solid example of a free item interaction in a neighboring space.
I wouldn't think you can only grab an item from your own space;
The item interaction rules, like all of 5E, leave a lot to be desired, but so far as I know there is widespread consensus that your free interaction is limited to your own space and you'll need an action to interact with an object in another space you can reach - for example, we know you need an action to deploy caltrops, ball bearings, or oil to another space, and dropping something is no harder than picking something up. Your game is going to get very chaotic very quickly if free item interactions can interact with objects in another's space (not least because you'll let your players circumvent the rules for caltrops, ball bearings, and oil, as I said).
Interesting. Thanks for explaining the logic, it at least makes sense now.
On the other hand, the example list of free interactions from the chapter you linked does notably include "take a bauble from a table". Unless that's a particularly tiny table, or it expects us to climb on top of it first, I'd consider that a pretty solid example of a free item interaction in a neighboring space.
I think the rules generally imply that you stand next to something to interact with it, so interacting with something in an adjacent space isn't unreasonable.
Grabbing weapons from adjacent spaces also makes the "drop-weapon, cast-spell, pick-up-weapon" tactic of some players more troublesome for the player.
The rules for interacting with objects around you do not necessarily mean strictly in your space, it can be within reach. To open a door, throw a lever or hand an item to another character are all exemples of what you can freely do which can be in a space you can reach rather than yours.
The item interaction rules, like all of 5E, leave a lot
Yeah, they're pretty free-form. But some would argue that's a good thing.
dropping something is no harder than picking something up.
Uh. That's just not true under any analysis. The rules disagree. Common sense disagrees. Science disagrees. My old man back disagrees.
In fact, dropping something takes less effort than holding it at all. *Dropping* it is what happens when you stop putting effort into holding it.
Unfortunately, you seem to base most of your explanations on this as a central principle, and it has no merit. Picking something up takes more effort that dropping it. That's just a fact.
Your game is going to get very chaotic very quickly if free item interactions can interact with objects in another's space (not least because you'll let your players circumvent the rules for caltrops, ball bearings, and oil...
Not really. You can allow free interacts without compromising any existing rules by, well, just following those rules. If an item takes an action to use... then that item isn't a free interact.
The idea behind free interacts is interactions *as part of another action*. Drawing a sword and attacking. Pulling the vial out of your bag to throw the alchemist fire. Grabbing the dagger off the ground as you run by to rethrow it. Etc.
And, you can generally reach any object in... well, your reach. That's what reach means. It sounds silly to say because it is tautologically true: **You can reach things that are within your reach.**
Being able to reach something as part of your free interact doesn't need to make it ignore normal action economy rules, though. That's where this whole thing seems to breakdown in your comment. Just because you can reach adjacent squares doesn't mean deploying caltrops is a free interact. It still takes an action because you're not just freeaction discarding the whole pouch on the ground, you're taking an action to open it, start scattering them in a semi-functional scattered area. You're "using" the item. Action.
These concepts are distinct. Reach. And Use an Item. Free Item Interaction.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Depending on the thing being dropped - it might bend, it might break, it might bounce or roll (and so not be at your feet when you want to use your "pick it up" interaction).
If you are placing it down carefully to avoid any of the above, then that would use up your item interaction since you aren't simply "dropping" it.
I've never really understood people who complain that an enemy could just pick something back up once you Disarm them. Surely if it's worth Disarming in the first place then it's worth using your own free interaction to pick it up yourself afterward while it's still your turn.
Inra Dawnborn, Lv 2 Human Paladin - Dragon of Icespire Peak, from the North
That would be generally illegal, although there are ways around the problem.
Oh, so the issue is that the Disarmed object is in the enemy's space? I wouldn't think you can only grab an item from your own space; most of the time you can grab anything within your arms' reach without having to move there, right? At most I might see needing to drop prone to grab the dropped item.
Inra Dawnborn, Lv 2 Human Paladin - Dragon of Icespire Peak, from the North
Yes, assuming you are within your own unarmed Reach of the enemy or both have the movement to get closer and don't mind getting closer (the latter is usually false for a ranged disarm) and you have a free hand (usually false) and you want to do it with your free item interaction (more on this below).
The item interaction rules, like all of 5E, leave a lot to be desired, but so far as I know there is widespread consensus that your free interaction is limited to your own space and you'll need an action to interact with an object in another space you can reach - for example, we know you need an action to deploy caltrops, ball bearings, or oil to another space, and dropping something is no harder than picking something up. Your game is going to get very chaotic very quickly if free item interactions can interact with objects in another's space (not least because you'll let your players circumvent the rules for caltrops, ball bearings, and oil, as I said).
Yes, certainly. For example, if an Artillerist is next to you and so is their cannon, you can attack them with an unarmed strike and you can attack their cannon with an unarmed strike - and since the cannon is an object, instead of attacking, you can simply take it and have it. However, as I noted above, every DM I've ever encountered would make you spend your action to accomplish that.
Interesting. Thanks for explaining the logic, it at least makes sense now.
On the other hand, the example list of free interactions from the chapter you linked does notably include "take a bauble from a table". Unless that's a particularly tiny table, or it expects us to climb on top of it first, I'd consider that a pretty solid example of a free item interaction in a neighboring space.
Inra Dawnborn, Lv 2 Human Paladin - Dragon of Icespire Peak, from the North
I think the rules generally imply that you stand next to something to interact with it, so interacting with something in an adjacent space isn't unreasonable.
Grabbing weapons from adjacent spaces also makes the "drop-weapon, cast-spell, pick-up-weapon" tactic of some players more troublesome for the player.
The rules for interacting with objects around you do not necessarily mean strictly in your space, it can be within reach. To open a door, throw a lever or hand an item to another character are all exemples of what you can freely do which can be in a space you can reach rather than yours.
Yeah, they're pretty free-form. But some would argue that's a good thing.
Uh. That's just not true under any analysis. The rules disagree. Common sense disagrees. Science disagrees. My old man back disagrees.
In fact, dropping something takes less effort than holding it at all. *Dropping* it is what happens when you stop putting effort into holding it.
Unfortunately, you seem to base most of your explanations on this as a central principle, and it has no merit. Picking something up takes more effort that dropping it. That's just a fact.
Not really. You can allow free interacts without compromising any existing rules by, well, just following those rules. If an item takes an action to use... then that item isn't a free interact.
The idea behind free interacts is interactions *as part of another action*. Drawing a sword and attacking. Pulling the vial out of your bag to throw the alchemist fire. Grabbing the dagger off the ground as you run by to rethrow it. Etc.
And, you can generally reach any object in... well, your reach. That's what reach means. It sounds silly to say because it is tautologically true: **You can reach things that are within your reach.**
Being able to reach something as part of your free interact doesn't need to make it ignore normal action economy rules, though. That's where this whole thing seems to breakdown in your comment. Just because you can reach adjacent squares doesn't mean deploying caltrops is a free interact. It still takes an action because you're not just freeaction discarding the whole pouch on the ground, you're taking an action to open it, start scattering them in a semi-functional scattered area. You're "using" the item. Action.
These concepts are distinct. Reach. And Use an Item. Free Item Interaction.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.