So as both a Player and DM I feel this maneuver is lacking. Yes it’s cool to disarm an opponent, but it’s something any character can attempt, this just makes it easy for the Battlemaster without using an action. What I find lacking is the clarity of the disarmament. I personally feel that since this is a maneuver of a trained weapons expert, a class feature, it should do more than just have it drop at the opponents feet where they can use their object interaction to pick it right back up. Nothing crazy just like “an opponent disarmed in this way has the I weapon flung 10 feet away from them in an unoccupied square .” Then at least they’d have to move to retrieve it allowing for a potential AoO. It’s just something that’s been frustrating me as a player of a Battlemaster and as a DM I don’t think it’s unreasonable.
The DM in question doesn’t allow the “object interaction to kick it away” because they don’t want NPCs to be able to do it to the PCs. Which I get, but since it’s a special class feature I think it needs some sort of codifying to make it actually useful.
That sounds like your DM preventing the interaction to make this impactful is the actual source of the issue. That's a case of the DM modifying the game that you have an issue with, not the rules themselves.
I also don't like that anyone can simply use a free interact to pick up a disarmed weapon with no consequence (not even an opportunity attack against them when they bend completely over to reach the ground to do it), but I would also not allow a free interact to be used to kick a weapon away. Picking up an item is mentioned as something one can do with their interact, and since we play RAW, that would obviously be 'allowed' (albeit we'll complain under our breath as we do so). But kicking something away is more like an attack (reaching into an opponent's controlled area, to strike at something), and as such I would say that requires an attack roll, and therefore not eligible as a free interact.
Obviously, every table is different, and at the end of the day each group will come up with what works for them.
Personally, I think a better system would be to require giving up an attack to pick up a weapon. In real life, if you drop a weapon during a fight, you'd never try to pick it back up while still in the fight - you'd transition to a different weapon instead). Once the immediate threat is dealt with, THEN you'd see about retrieving your dropped weapon.
It's like they keep trying to make tabletop more like a video game. It was a major complaint of 4e, and one of the primary reasons so many people didn't play it; and here they go again, with the same trend in 5e2024.
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Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
I think this situation could also happen under the 2014 rules. We got some unofficial advice from the Dev:
@mpetruzz The disarm maneuver drops the item at the target’s feet. They can pick it up free and still attack. Seems like limited use @JeremyECrawford If you use the maneuver on your turn, you can pick up the dropped weapon.
@keybuk with Disarming Attack, can fighter Attack (Action), Disarm (Maneuvre) and then pick up the weapon (Free Interaction)? @JeremyECrawford The rules don’t stop a fighter from using Disarming Attack and picking up the dropped item. A DM might say the item is out of reach. @JeremyECrawford I would allow the fighter to pick up the item if it was close by and the fighter had a hand free.
So as both a Player and DM I feel this maneuver is lacking. Yes it’s cool to disarm an opponent, but it’s something any character can attempt, this just makes it easy for the Battlemaster without using an action. What I find lacking is the clarity of the disarmament. I personally feel that since this is a maneuver of a trained weapons expert, a class feature, it should do more than just have it drop at the opponents feet where they can use their object interaction to pick it right back up. Nothing crazy just like “an opponent disarmed in this way has the I weapon flung 10 feet away from them in an unoccupied square .” Then at least they’d have to move to retrieve it allowing for a potential AoO. It’s just something that’s been frustrating me as a player of a Battlemaster and as a DM I don’t think it’s unreasonable.
The DM in question doesn’t allow the “object interaction to kick it away” because they don’t want NPCs to be able to do it to the PCs. Which I get, but since it’s a special class feature I think it needs some sort of codifying to make it actually useful.
Why would you kick it away rather than pick it up yourself? But regardless, enemies should be able to do it too.
So as both a Player and DM I feel this maneuver is lacking. Yes it’s cool to disarm an opponent, but it’s something any character can attempt, this just makes it easy for the Battlemaster without using an action. What I find lacking is the clarity of the disarmament. I personally feel that since this is a maneuver of a trained weapons expert, a class feature, it should do more than just have it drop at the opponents feet where they can use their object interaction to pick it right back up. Nothing crazy just like “an opponent disarmed in this way has the I weapon flung 10 feet away from them in an unoccupied square .” Then at least they’d have to move to retrieve it allowing for a potential AoO. It’s just something that’s been frustrating me as a player of a Battlemaster and as a DM I don’t think it’s unreasonable.
The DM in question doesn’t allow the “object interaction to kick it away” because they don’t want NPCs to be able to do it to the PCs. Which I get, but since it’s a special class feature I think it needs some sort of codifying to make it actually useful.
Why would you kick it away rather than pick it up yourself? But regardless, enemies should be able to do it too.
If you are using sword and shield or dual wielding weapons, you don't have a hand free to pick up the enemy's weapon.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
So as both a Player and DM I feel this maneuver is lacking. Yes it’s cool to disarm an opponent, but it’s something any character can attempt, this just makes it easy for the Battlemaster without using an action. What I find lacking is the clarity of the disarmament. I personally feel that since this is a maneuver of a trained weapons expert, a class feature, it should do more than just have it drop at the opponents feet where they can use their object interaction to pick it right back up. Nothing crazy just like “an opponent disarmed in this way has the I weapon flung 10 feet away from them in an unoccupied square .” Then at least they’d have to move to retrieve it allowing for a potential AoO. It’s just something that’s been frustrating me as a player of a Battlemaster and as a DM I don’t think it’s unreasonable.
The DM in question doesn’t allow the “object interaction to kick it away” because they don’t want NPCs to be able to do it to the PCs. Which I get, but since it’s a special class feature I think it needs some sort of codifying to make it actually useful.
Why would you kick it away rather than pick it up yourself? But regardless, enemies should be able to do it too.
If you are using sword and shield or dual wielding weapons, you don't have a hand free to pick up the enemy's weapon.
You can drop your weapon and then pick up theirs, presumably you are choosing to disarm because they have a particularly powerful weapon. Or just pick a different maneuver if you are using that fighting style. Not all maneuvers work with all fighting styles.
You can drop your weapon and then pick up theirs, presumably you are choosing to disarm because they have a particularly powerful weapon. Or just pick a different maneuver if you are using that fighting style. Not all maneuvers work with all fighting styles.
That's a bad assumption, all weapons are powerful compared to not having one.
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So as both a Player and DM I feel this maneuver is lacking. Yes it’s cool to disarm an opponent, but it’s something any character can attempt, this just makes it easy for the Battlemaster without using an action. What I find lacking is the clarity of the disarmament. I personally feel that since this is a maneuver of a trained weapons expert, a class feature, it should do more than just have it drop at the opponents feet where they can use their object interaction to pick it right back up. Nothing crazy just like “an opponent disarmed in this way has the I weapon flung 10 feet away from them in an unoccupied square .” Then at least they’d have to move to retrieve it allowing for a potential AoO. It’s just something that’s been frustrating me as a player of a Battlemaster and as a DM I don’t think it’s unreasonable.
The DM in question doesn’t allow the “object interaction to kick it away” because they don’t want NPCs to be able to do it to the PCs. Which I get, but since it’s a special class feature I think it needs some sort of codifying to make it actually useful.
That sounds like your DM preventing the interaction to make this impactful is the actual source of the issue. That's a case of the DM modifying the game that you have an issue with, not the rules themselves.
I also don't like that anyone can simply use a free interact to pick up a disarmed weapon with no consequence (not even an opportunity attack against them when they bend completely over to reach the ground to do it), but I would also not allow a free interact to be used to kick a weapon away. Picking up an item is mentioned as something one can do with their interact, and since we play RAW, that would obviously be 'allowed' (albeit we'll complain under our breath as we do so). But kicking something away is more like an attack (reaching into an opponent's controlled area, to strike at something), and as such I would say that requires an attack roll, and therefore not eligible as a free interact.
Obviously, every table is different, and at the end of the day each group will come up with what works for them.
Personally, I think a better system would be to require giving up an attack to pick up a weapon. In real life, if you drop a weapon during a fight, you'd never try to pick it back up while still in the fight - you'd transition to a different weapon instead). Once the immediate threat is dealt with, THEN you'd see about retrieving your dropped weapon.
It's like they keep trying to make tabletop more like a video game. It was a major complaint of 4e, and one of the primary reasons so many people didn't play it; and here they go again, with the same trend in 5e2024.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
I think this situation could also happen under the 2014 rules. We got some unofficial advice from the Dev:
Why would you kick it away rather than pick it up yourself? But regardless, enemies should be able to do it too.
If you are using sword and shield or dual wielding weapons, you don't have a hand free to pick up the enemy's weapon.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
You can drop your weapon and then pick up theirs, presumably you are choosing to disarm because they have a particularly powerful weapon. Or just pick a different maneuver if you are using that fighting style. Not all maneuvers work with all fighting styles.
That's a bad assumption, all weapons are powerful compared to not having one.