Need confirmation on if the new rules allow switching a weapon for each attack in an attack action or just each attack action.
The example given in the PHB showing a combat situation seems to indicate it's meant to be for each attack in an attack action, but they seemingly also break their own rule about only being able to equip or unequip a weapon in an attack on a attack action
Jared: Very good. Shreeve?
Jared: It tries to block your swing, but the force of your blow destroys the skeleton!
Russell: I swing at the next skeleton with 11 to hit.
Jared: The skeleton dodges out of the way.
Russell: Rats. That’s my turn.
In this example from the PHB Russell drops a weapon (unequiping under 2024 rules) then equips a new weapon, then attacks. And after this he attacks again.
Russell should not have been able to do two attacks in the situation above with the Warhammer, only one from the way the rules are set out.
Anyone know what is meant to be the correct use of this rulr
There are plenty of features in the game which would allow Russell to attack twice, such as Extra Attack.
He can drop the sword as a free object interaction, using the "Interacting with Things" Combat rule from the "Your Turn" subsection.
He can then equip the warhammer using the "Equipping and Unequipping Weapons" rule from the description of an Attack Action, which allows a character to equip or unequip a weapon when making an attack as part of the Attack Action.
The topic of weapon switching mid-combat came up in this thread not too long ago, but it mainly concerned whether the rules allow it once per attack or once per Attack action. I already voiced my opinions there, but either way you slice it I don't see how the rules support that example.
Thanks, this post does not seem to have an official answer posted on the topic. Most seem to be for it being once per attack, but both sides have good arguments. Hope an official stance on this occurs soon
Thanks, this post does not seem to have an official answer posted on the topic. Most seem to be for it being once per attack, but both sides have good arguments. Hope an official stance on this occurs soon
I think the official stance is that it going to have to be only one equip/unequip per turn. As it is, all martial characters should go from using two handed weapons into using dual wielding to maximize their number of attacks and damage. By level 8 you take Dual Wielder and Great Weapon Master. and I think starting at level 5 its not going to be uncommon for martial characters to end up with 5-6 attacks every round.
Thanks, this post does not seem to have an official answer posted on the topic. Most seem to be for it being once per attack, but both sides have good arguments. Hope an official stance on this occurs soon
I think the official stance is that it going to have to be only one equip/unequip per turn. As it is, all martial characters should go from using two handed weapons into using dual wielding to maximize their number of attacks and damage. By level 8 you take Dual Wielder and Great Weapon Master. and I think starting at level 5 its not going to be uncommon for martial characters to end up with 5-6 attacks every round.
At level 5, the maximum attacks you can make in a round is 4 or 6 with action surge .
Nick can only be used once per turn, you only have 1 BA for DW, and then the 2 from Attack and Extra Attack (4 if surged)
I think they should rule out Sheathing or Stowing a weapon as part of the attacks and limit it to Dropping. That way it makes more sense and it's riskier to do as you suggest.
Thanks, this post does not seem to have an official answer posted on the topic. Most seem to be for it being once per attack, but both sides have good arguments. Hope an official stance on this occurs soon
I think the official stance is that it going to have to be only one equip/unequip per turn. As it is, all martial characters should go from using two handed weapons into using dual wielding to maximize their number of attacks and damage. By level 8 you take Dual Wielder and Great Weapon Master. and I think starting at level 5 its not going to be uncommon for martial characters to end up with 5-6 attacks every round.
It's like some sick joke, Conjure Animals gets nerfed because the druid making 8 identical attacks per round is apparently bogging down combat so much that the game is unplayable, but suddenly martials making 5-6 attacks each with a different weapon, different weapon mastery, and different damage dice is a super cool thing we should all be excited about. I would not be surprised if this gets HBed away at many tables because it's going to bog down combat and be an incredible annoyance to keep track of.
Conjure Animals had other issues (no one ever said the creatures have to be identical, it forces the DM to pick random stat blocks mid-game, 8 attacks is indeed crazy for the purposes of breaking concentration on spells which is why Animate Objects no longer lets you create 8 tiny creatures either.)
I'm still firmly on the side that one weapon swap per attack is not the intent and the 2014 rules had similar weapon swapping shenanigans since dropping a weapon on the ground was free.
As much as one weapon change per attack would make for some epic fights, reading through all the ways people have come up with using it to max attacks and conditions seems like it would take the fun out of the game
Thanks, this post does not seem to have an official answer posted on the topic. Most seem to be for it being once per attack, but both sides have good arguments. Hope an official stance on this occurs soon
I think the official stance is that it going to have to be only one equip/unequip per turn. As it is, all martial characters should go from using two handed weapons into using dual wielding to maximize their number of attacks and damage. By level 8 you take Dual Wielder and Great Weapon Master. and I think starting at level 5 its not going to be uncommon for martial characters to end up with 5-6 attacks every round.
At level 5, the maximum attacks you can make in a round is 4 or 6 with action surge .
Nick can only be used once per turn, you only have 1 BA for DW, and then the 2 from Attack and Extra Attack (4 if surged)
I think they should rule out Sheathing or Stowing a weapon as part of the attacks and limit it to Dropping. That way it makes more sense and it's riskier to do as you suggest.
6 is the max I've found so far. I haven't had the time to min/max yet to see how high I can go.
Basically cleave and the hunters extra attack along with the dual wielder feat and a light weapon combined for 6 attacks. Action surge would give you 7 attacks in one round at level 5.
Thanks, this post does not seem to have an official answer posted on the topic. Most seem to be for it being once per attack, but both sides have good arguments. Hope an official stance on this occurs soon
I think the official stance is that it going to have to be only one equip/unequip per turn. As it is, all martial characters should go from using two handed weapons into using dual wielding to maximize their number of attacks and damage. By level 8 you take Dual Wielder and Great Weapon Master. and I think starting at level 5 its not going to be uncommon for martial characters to end up with 5-6 attacks every round.
It's like some sick joke, Conjure Animals gets nerfed because the druid making 8 identical attacks per round is apparently bogging down combat so much that the game is unplayable, but suddenly martials making 5-6 attacks each with a different weapon, different weapon mastery, and different damage dice is a super cool thing we should all be excited about. I would not be surprised if this gets HBed away at many tables because it's going to bog down combat and be an incredible annoyance to keep track of.
I've already banned it at my table. Though I am probably the only person who would have figured it out until it starts hitting optimizer channels.
Is it "a" weapon or "the" weapon used in the Attack Action?
Sorry, I think I don't understand :( Could you please quote the rule you're referring to?
Or are you talking about the sentence "When you take the Attack action, you can make one attack roll with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike" in the Attack [Action]?
Is it "a" weapon or "the" weapon used in the Attack Action?
Guessing about what you are asking .. it is "a" weapon.
As part of the ATTACK action the rules state
"Equipping and Unequipping Weapons. You can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action. You do so either before or after the attack. If you equip a weapon before an attack, you don’t need to use it for that attack. Equipping a weapon includes drawing it from a sheath or picking it up. Unequipping a weapon includes sheathing, stowing, or dropping it."
You can equip or unequip a weapon, either before or after the attack, and if you equip it before an attack it does not need to be used for that attack.
In addition, the rule explicitly states "when you make an attack as part of this action" ... which, as written, would mean any of the attacks. The rule does NOT say ONCE when you make an attack as part of this action. It just specifies making an attack. As a result, RAW, the rule pretty clearly allows a weapon swap on every attack taken as part of the Attack action.
Keep in mind that this does not apply to attacks made as Bonus Actions or Reactions (opportunity attacks) - so the weapon swapping can only happen during an Attack action.
This is also a SPECIFIC rule applying to interacting with weapons during the Attack action. There is no indication that this would interact with the Object interaction rules in any way.
Finally, in the combat rules in general there is the following allowed on your turn:
"Interacting with Things. You can interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe."
A character can interact with one object for "free" during their turn. This is in addition to any other object interactions allowed for by the action the character chooses to take. e.g. Taking the Utilize action allows a character to interact with an object that requires more time or effort for the interaction AND close a door or equip a weapon (etc), taking the Magic action allows the character to use a magic item AND open a door (etc), and taking the Attack action allows a character to equip or unequip weapons as part of an attack AND still have a free object interaction. Nothing in the rules suggests that interacting with objects as part of an Action removes the free object interaction allowed once/turn.
Note, this is what the rules say. In my opinion, you need to add rules that aren't stated explicitly to limit the character to ONE interaction with an object for their entire turn including any object interaction provided by the action chosen by the character. Nothing in the rules suggests that a character loses their free object interaction for the combat turn if they interact with an object as part of the action. The rules even give an explicit example of using the Utilize action to interact with a second object.
Here is the rule on what you can do on your turn:
"Your Turn
On your turn, you can move a distance up to your Speed and take one action. You decide whether to move first or take your action first.
The main actions you can take are listed in “Actions” earlier in this chapter. A character’s features and a monster’s stat block also provide action options. “Movement and Position” later in this chapter gives the rules for movement.
Communicating. You can communicate however you are able—through brief utterances and gestures—as you take your turn. Doing so uses neither your action nor your move.
Extended communication, such as a detailed explanation of something or an attempt to persuade a foe, requires an action. The Influence action is the main way you try to influence a monster.
Interacting with Things. You can interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe.
If you want to interact with a second object, you need to take the Utilize action. Some magic items and other special objects always require an action to use, as stated in their descriptions.
The DM might require you to use an action for any of these activities when it needs special care or when it presents an unusual obstacle. For instance, the DM might require you to take the Utilize action to open a stuck door or turn a crank to lower a drawbridge.
Doing Nothing on Your Turn. You can forgo moving, taking an action, or doing anything at all on your turn. If you can’t decide what to do, consider taking the defensive Dodge action or the Ready action to delay acting."
Finally, I understand the ways these rules can be used to allow for more attacks. In my opinion, this is more down to the Nick property of certain weapons rather than this whole issue with weapon swapping.
The Nick property plus the Dual Wielder feat effectively gives 2 extra attacks.
The Nick property allows the extra bonus action attack allowed by the light property to be moved into the Attack action. Not a big deal because the light property doesn't give you more than one extra attack and the Nick property moves it. However, the dual wielder feat explicitly allows a character to take a bonus action attack independent of the light property feature essentially giving back the bonus action attack that the Nick property moved to the Attack action. As a result, the Dual Wielder feat + Nick property results in 2 extra attacks/turn. A level 4 character could have 3 attacks that way essentially tripling their melee weapon damage capability.
Weapon swapping is just icing on the cake and might allow an extra attack here or there due to making use of other class features that can add additional attacks but it isn't really the core of the issue for most DMs (in my opinion) ... though all the weapon swapping shenanigans does feel extremely gamey,
In addition, the rule explicitly states "when you make an attack as part of this action" ... which, as written, would mean any of the attacks. The rule does NOT say ONCE when you make an attack as part of this action. It just specifies making an attack. As a result, RAW, the rule pretty clearly allows a weapon swap on every attack taken as part of the Attack action.
Great post and that part is how I actually interpreted the rules as well. But I would like to check, given an example, if what I want to accomplish seems fair / legal. I'm currently building a Fey Wanderer, dual wielding a hand crossbow and a scimitar. I'm angling her to be a roving hunter, moving a lot around the field firing bolts from afar as her first attack and then closing in with her scimitar as her second's and then trying to move away from her target after the damage is done.
I'm level 3 so as a first ASI, I was debating getting Crossbow Expert, to be able to easily reload my crossbow; being able to fire up close would not be a concern for now, as I wanted to maximize the added damage from Dreadful Strike, when getting level 5, by hitting multiple targets in a round, and avoiding killing the first target too fast and losing the opportunity to move my HM on a new target with my BA.
But I also wanted the Speedy feat, to be able to move around more easily, and having that disadvantage on the opportunity attack seemed like everything I needed for my playstyle. I then realized that maybe, I could pull some mechanic to kindda circumvent that loading property from the crossbow by mixing some equipping and unequipping of my scimitar on different steps of my attack action.
So here how I see it would be played out:
Round 1 start
Main hand: hand crossbow Offhand: free
- Attack with the hand crossbow - End of the attack: equip the scimitar - as nowhere does it state that the weapon having the equip/unequip interaction needs to be the same as the one that did the attack
Main hand: hand crossbow Offhand: scimitar
- Move up close - Nick attack with the scimitar - End of the attack: unequip the scimitar to be ready to load my crossbow on the next round or second attack starting at level 5
Main hand: hand crossbow Offhand: free
Rinse and repeat
As you can see, my hand crossbow basically stays always equipped and its attacks are only used to equip the scimitar. By the looks of it, does that seems reasonable? I would probably end up getting Crossbow Expert anyways at level 8, so those "shenanigans" would only last 4 levels.
- Move up close - Nick attack with the scimitar - End of the attack: unequip the scimitar to be ready to load my crossbow on the next round or second attack starting at level 5
So here is the problem with that; using Nick makes the second attack part of the same Attack Action that you made with the hand crossbow. You get to equip or unequip a weapon once per Attack Action, not per attack roll.
The distinction between an attack roll and an Attack Action is really important. At level 5 a fighter can attack twice when they take an Attack Action. They don't get two Attack Actions. With Nick they could even attack a third time for their Attack Action and still have their Bonus Action free. Even though they made 3 dice rolls they only made a single Attack Action and the ability to equip or unequip a weapon is limited to one per Attack Action. So they could either equip or unequip one weapon even though they made three rolls.
If they had some ability that let them equip or unequip a weapon as a Bonus Action (I don't know of any such ability, but I might be overlooking it or such an ability could be created in the future) they would be able to do that as well since they still have their Bonus Action (the advantage of using Nick).
They could then decide to use Action Surge to make a second Attack Action. This would allow a second opportunity to equip or unequip a weapon since it is a second Attack Action in its own right (and as there is no limit to the number of times Extra Attack can be used in a turn they would get to make two rolls).
- Move up close - Nick attack with the scimitar - End of the attack: unequip the scimitar to be ready to load my crossbow on the next round or second attack starting at level 5
So here is the problem with that; using Nick makes the second attack part of the same Attack Action that you made with the hand crossbow. You get to equip or unequip a weapon once per Attack Action, not per attack roll. [...]
Personally, I believe the rules allow for multiple swaps per Attack action, but without errata or an updated Sage Advice Compendium, the debate will probably continue.
EDIT: for "swap", I meant equipping or unequipping a weapon.
Personally, I believe the rules allow for multiple swaps per Attack action, but without errata or an updated Sage Advice Compendium, the debate will probably continue.
Some people are just in denial (and/or can homebrew whatever limitations they desire). "You can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action" is pretty unequivocal. Note: that's not a full weapon "swap;" it's just half of one. However, anyone can still use their 1 free "object interaction" per turn to draw or stow a single weapon...
If it makes anyone less nervous about this rule...from Dual Wielder: "You can draw or stow two weapons that lack the Two-Handed property when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one." Which, I think, means you can draw a pair or stow a pair, not do two full draws/stows. So it still doesn't allow a full swap per attack.
I have to admit that I'm not entirely sure of my basic premise either. It does seem like if they meant it for every attack roll then they should have specified that more clearly, but I can definitely see why they wouldn't simply put the ability to equip or unequip a weapon under attack rolls (since they can be made because of a Reaction or Bonus Action).
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Need confirmation on if the new rules allow switching a weapon for each attack in an attack action or just each attack action.
The example given in the PHB showing a combat situation seems to indicate it's meant to be for each attack in an attack action, but they seemingly also break their own rule about only being able to equip or unequip a weapon in an attack on a attack action
Jared: Very good. Shreeve?
Jared: It tries to block your swing, but the force of your blow destroys the skeleton!
Russell: I swing at the next skeleton with 11 to hit.
Jared: The skeleton dodges out of the way.
Russell: Rats. That’s my turn.
In this example from the PHB Russell drops a weapon (unequiping under 2024 rules) then equips a new weapon, then attacks. And after this he attacks again.
Russell should not have been able to do two attacks in the situation above with the Warhammer, only one from the way the rules are set out.
Anyone know what is meant to be the correct use of this rulr
There are plenty of features in the game which would allow Russell to attack twice, such as Extra Attack.
He can drop the sword as a free object interaction, using the "Interacting with Things" Combat rule from the "Your Turn" subsection.
He can then equip the warhammer using the "Equipping and Unequipping Weapons" rule from the description of an Attack Action, which allows a character to equip or unequip a weapon when making an attack as part of the Attack Action.
Good catch, that does seem to be an oversight.
The topic of weapon switching mid-combat came up in this thread not too long ago, but it mainly concerned whether the rules allow it once per attack or once per Attack action. I already voiced my opinions there, but either way you slice it I don't see how the rules support that example.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Thanks, you are correct. So the example doesn't show if weapons can be switched once per attack ,or once per attack action.
Thanks, this post does not seem to have an official answer posted on the topic. Most seem to be for it being once per attack, but both sides have good arguments. Hope an official stance on this occurs soon
I think the official stance is that it going to have to be only one equip/unequip per turn. As it is, all martial characters should go from using two handed weapons into using dual wielding to maximize their number of attacks and damage. By level 8 you take Dual Wielder and Great Weapon Master. and I think starting at level 5 its not going to be uncommon for martial characters to end up with 5-6 attacks every round.
At level 5, the maximum attacks you can make in a round is 4 or 6 with action surge .
Nick can only be used once per turn, you only have 1 BA for DW, and then the 2 from Attack and Extra Attack (4 if surged)
I think they should rule out Sheathing or Stowing a weapon as part of the attacks and limit it to Dropping. That way it makes more sense and it's riskier to do as you suggest.
It's like some sick joke, Conjure Animals gets nerfed because the druid making 8 identical attacks per round is apparently bogging down combat so much that the game is unplayable, but suddenly martials making 5-6 attacks each with a different weapon, different weapon mastery, and different damage dice is a super cool thing we should all be excited about. I would not be surprised if this gets HBed away at many tables because it's going to bog down combat and be an incredible annoyance to keep track of.
Conjure Animals had other issues (no one ever said the creatures have to be identical, it forces the DM to pick random stat blocks mid-game, 8 attacks is indeed crazy for the purposes of breaking concentration on spells which is why Animate Objects no longer lets you create 8 tiny creatures either.)
I'm still firmly on the side that one weapon swap per attack is not the intent and the 2014 rules had similar weapon swapping shenanigans since dropping a weapon on the ground was free.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
As much as one weapon change per attack would make for some epic fights, reading through all the ways people have come up with using it to max attacks and conditions seems like it would take the fun out of the game
6 is the max I've found so far. I haven't had the time to min/max yet to see how high I can go.
Basically cleave and the hunters extra attack along with the dual wielder feat and a light weapon combined for 6 attacks. Action surge would give you 7 attacks in one round at level 5.
I've already banned it at my table. Though I am probably the only person who would have figured it out until it starts hitting optimizer channels.
Is it "a" weapon or "the" weapon used in the Attack Action?
Sorry, I think I don't understand :( Could you please quote the rule you're referring to?
Or are you talking about the sentence "When you take the Attack action, you can make one attack roll with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike" in the Attack [Action]?
To me, "a weapon" in that sentence seems fine.
Guessing about what you are asking .. it is "a" weapon.
As part of the ATTACK action the rules state
"Equipping and Unequipping Weapons. You can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action. You do so either before or after the attack. If you equip a weapon before an attack, you don’t need to use it for that attack. Equipping a weapon includes drawing it from a sheath or picking it up. Unequipping a weapon includes sheathing, stowing, or dropping it."
You can equip or unequip a weapon, either before or after the attack, and if you equip it before an attack it does not need to be used for that attack.
In addition, the rule explicitly states "when you make an attack as part of this action" ... which, as written, would mean any of the attacks. The rule does NOT say ONCE when you make an attack as part of this action. It just specifies making an attack. As a result, RAW, the rule pretty clearly allows a weapon swap on every attack taken as part of the Attack action.
Keep in mind that this does not apply to attacks made as Bonus Actions or Reactions (opportunity attacks) - so the weapon swapping can only happen during an Attack action.
This is also a SPECIFIC rule applying to interacting with weapons during the Attack action. There is no indication that this would interact with the Object interaction rules in any way.
Finally, in the combat rules in general there is the following allowed on your turn:
"Interacting with Things. You can interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe."
A character can interact with one object for "free" during their turn. This is in addition to any other object interactions allowed for by the action the character chooses to take. e.g. Taking the Utilize action allows a character to interact with an object that requires more time or effort for the interaction AND close a door or equip a weapon (etc), taking the Magic action allows the character to use a magic item AND open a door (etc), and taking the Attack action allows a character to equip or unequip weapons as part of an attack AND still have a free object interaction. Nothing in the rules suggests that interacting with objects as part of an Action removes the free object interaction allowed once/turn.
Note, this is what the rules say. In my opinion, you need to add rules that aren't stated explicitly to limit the character to ONE interaction with an object for their entire turn including any object interaction provided by the action chosen by the character. Nothing in the rules suggests that a character loses their free object interaction for the combat turn if they interact with an object as part of the action. The rules even give an explicit example of using the Utilize action to interact with a second object.
Here is the rule on what you can do on your turn:
"Your Turn
On your turn, you can move a distance up to your Speed and take one action. You decide whether to move first or take your action first.
The main actions you can take are listed in “Actions” earlier in this chapter. A character’s features and a monster’s stat block also provide action options. “Movement and Position” later in this chapter gives the rules for movement.
Communicating. You can communicate however you are able—through brief utterances and gestures—as you take your turn. Doing so uses neither your action nor your move.
Extended communication, such as a detailed explanation of something or an attempt to persuade a foe, requires an action. The Influence action is the main way you try to influence a monster.
Interacting with Things. You can interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe.
If you want to interact with a second object, you need to take the Utilize action. Some magic items and other special objects always require an action to use, as stated in their descriptions.
The DM might require you to use an action for any of these activities when it needs special care or when it presents an unusual obstacle. For instance, the DM might require you to take the Utilize action to open a stuck door or turn a crank to lower a drawbridge.
Doing Nothing on Your Turn. You can forgo moving, taking an action, or doing anything at all on your turn. If you can’t decide what to do, consider taking the defensive Dodge action or the Ready action to delay acting."
Finally, I understand the ways these rules can be used to allow for more attacks. In my opinion, this is more down to the Nick property of certain weapons rather than this whole issue with weapon swapping.
The Nick property plus the Dual Wielder feat effectively gives 2 extra attacks.
The Nick property allows the extra bonus action attack allowed by the light property to be moved into the Attack action. Not a big deal because the light property doesn't give you more than one extra attack and the Nick property moves it. However, the dual wielder feat explicitly allows a character to take a bonus action attack independent of the light property feature essentially giving back the bonus action attack that the Nick property moved to the Attack action. As a result, the Dual Wielder feat + Nick property results in 2 extra attacks/turn. A level 4 character could have 3 attacks that way essentially tripling their melee weapon damage capability.
Weapon swapping is just icing on the cake and might allow an extra attack here or there due to making use of other class features that can add additional attacks but it isn't really the core of the issue for most DMs (in my opinion) ... though all the weapon swapping shenanigans does feel extremely gamey,
Great post and that part is how I actually interpreted the rules as well. But I would like to check, given an example, if what I want to accomplish seems fair / legal. I'm currently building a Fey Wanderer, dual wielding a hand crossbow and a scimitar. I'm angling her to be a roving hunter, moving a lot around the field firing bolts from afar as her first attack and then closing in with her scimitar as her second's and then trying to move away from her target after the damage is done.
I'm level 3 so as a first ASI, I was debating getting Crossbow Expert, to be able to easily reload my crossbow; being able to fire up close would not be a concern for now, as I wanted to maximize the added damage from Dreadful Strike, when getting level 5, by hitting multiple targets in a round, and avoiding killing the first target too fast and losing the opportunity to move my HM on a new target with my BA.
But I also wanted the Speedy feat, to be able to move around more easily, and having that disadvantage on the opportunity attack seemed like everything I needed for my playstyle. I then realized that maybe, I could pull some mechanic to kindda circumvent that loading property from the crossbow by mixing some equipping and unequipping of my scimitar on different steps of my attack action.
So here how I see it would be played out:
Round 1 start
Main hand: hand crossbow
Offhand: free
- Attack with the hand crossbow
- End of the attack: equip the scimitar - as nowhere does it state that the weapon having the equip/unequip interaction needs to be the same as the one that did the attack
Main hand: hand crossbow
Offhand: scimitar
- Move up close
- Nick attack with the scimitar
- End of the attack: unequip the scimitar to be ready to load my crossbow on the next round or second attack starting at level 5
Main hand: hand crossbow
Offhand: free
Rinse and repeat
As you can see, my hand crossbow basically stays always equipped and its attacks are only used to equip the scimitar. By the looks of it, does that seems reasonable? I would probably end up getting Crossbow Expert anyways at level 8, so those "shenanigans" would only last 4 levels.
So here is the problem with that; using Nick makes the second attack part of the same Attack Action that you made with the hand crossbow. You get to equip or unequip a weapon once per Attack Action, not per attack roll.
The distinction between an attack roll and an Attack Action is really important. At level 5 a fighter can attack twice when they take an Attack Action. They don't get two Attack Actions. With Nick they could even attack a third time for their Attack Action and still have their Bonus Action free. Even though they made 3 dice rolls they only made a single Attack Action and the ability to equip or unequip a weapon is limited to one per Attack Action. So they could either equip or unequip one weapon even though they made three rolls.
If they had some ability that let them equip or unequip a weapon as a Bonus Action (I don't know of any such ability, but I might be overlooking it or such an ability could be created in the future) they would be able to do that as well since they still have their Bonus Action (the advantage of using Nick).
They could then decide to use Action Surge to make a second Attack Action. This would allow a second opportunity to equip or unequip a weapon since it is a second Attack Action in its own right (and as there is no limit to the number of times Extra Attack can be used in a turn they would get to make two rolls).
There was a long debate in the thread Equip or Unequip a weapon - once per attack or once per Attack [Action]? (and others on different threads) about how many weapon swaps you can do per Attack action.
Personally, I believe the rules allow for multiple swaps per Attack action, but without errata or an updated Sage Advice Compendium, the debate will probably continue.
EDIT: for "swap", I meant equipping or unequipping a weapon.
Some people are just in denial (and/or can homebrew whatever limitations they desire). "You can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action" is pretty unequivocal. Note: that's not a full weapon "swap;" it's just half of one. However, anyone can still use their 1 free "object interaction" per turn to draw or stow a single weapon...
If it makes anyone less nervous about this rule...from Dual Wielder: "You can draw or stow two weapons that lack the Two-Handed property when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one." Which, I think, means you can draw a pair or stow a pair, not do two full draws/stows. So it still doesn't allow a full swap per attack.
I have to admit that I'm not entirely sure of my basic premise either. It does seem like if they meant it for every attack roll then they should have specified that more clearly, but I can definitely see why they wouldn't simply put the ability to equip or unequip a weapon under attack rolls (since they can be made because of a Reaction or Bonus Action).