Hi I have been looking at the idea of playing a character with dual weapons and a bow as a back up and question how drawing said weapons and stowing them work.
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.
Does that part mean you equip or unequip a weapon per attack on the attack action or Per attack action.
Example A: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature and draw my second scimitar as apart of my second attack.
Example B: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature but cannot draw my second scimitar.
The last clarification i would like is if Example A is correct, could I stow my scimitar after making my third attack with dual wielding & the nick property
Does that part mean you equip or unequip a weapon per attack on the attack action or Per attack action.
Example A: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature and draw my second scimitar as apart of my second attack.
Example B: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature but cannot draw my second scimitar.
There is no real consensus about this unfortunately. Some believe that the text means what it says, i.e draw once per attack. And some believe that that is to much and that the text is written with just the one attack that normally comes with the Attack Action in mind, i.e draw once per action.
There are several long threads about it (see below) so best is to ask your DM, or if you are the DM just make a call.
Hi I have been looking at the idea of playing a character with dual weapons and a bow as a back up and question how drawing said weapons and stowing them work.
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.
Does that part mean you equip or unequip a weapon per attack on the attack action or Per attack action.
Once per attack, not per action. (I am aware there are those that disagree. I do not find their arguments at all persuasive. They usually come down to claiming that an ability that says "when you do X you can do Y" with no other conditions does not apply each and every time you do X.)
Let's say you're a 20th level fighter. You take the Attack action. As part of that action, you will make four attacks. Each one is an attack you make as part of the Attack action. When you make an attack as part of the Attack action, you can draw or stow a weapon.
So, you attack with a dagger. You can stow a weapon.
Then you attack with a longsword. You can stow a weapon.
Now you attack again, picking up a glaive first.
Finally, you drop the glaive and punch somebody.
(You also have the default free object interaction, so you could draw a crossbow and shoot instead of punching.)
You can do all of it. Under normal circumstances, there's no particularly good reason you'd want to. The rule mostly exists so the weird situations where you really do want to swap weapons around can be adjudicated.
Can you use the mechanic to the max to squeak out a little extra damage? Yes, as long as your DM doesn't say "Bob, this is getting too silly. How do you even have all those weapons on you to draw and stow them so easily?"
But there are lots of mechanics where if you're trying as hard as you can to optimize your damage, you can (on paper). That doesn't mean the reading of the rule that allows it is wrong, especially when the reading is so straightforward. It just means that stretching the mechanics to the breaking point can produce silly results.
Example A: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature and draw my second scimitar as apart of my second attack.
Example B: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature but cannot draw my second scimitar.
The last clarification i would like is if Example A is correct, could I stow my scimitar after making my third attack with dual wielding & the nick property
Example A is correct.
The Nick attack is explicitly part of the attack action, so it also grants a weapon interaction.
The attack you get from Dual Wielder (or the one from the Light property if you don't have Nick) is not part of the attack action, but a bonus action, so you do not get a weapon interaction along with it.
Does that mean you can do some odd things while "dual wielding"? Yes, but see above.
There is no real consensus about this unfortunately. Some believe that the text means what it says, i.e draw once per attack. And some believe that that is to much and that the text is written with just the one attack that normally comes with the Attack Action in mind, i.e draw once per action.
With the second interpretation, you would also get your one free object interaction per turn
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
My read is that above and beyond the free item interaction, you can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of the Attack action.
You can also draw a Thrown weapon as part of a ranged attack you do with any action.
I am going with the first interpretation. When you make an attack as part of the attack action, you can draw, sheathe, drop, pickup one weapon that doesn't need to be used in the attack. But if you want to draw, sheathe, drop, pickup another weapon in that same attack action, you must use your Free Interact.
As noted, thrown weapons have their own rule, a thrown weapon can be drawn and thrown in the same motion.
Weapon juggling is not something my table would ever allow, and appears desired by just a small (but vocal) minority - but your table may decide otherwise.
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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.
"make an attack as part of this action" The action is "attack" when you take the attack action, certain characters gain multiple attacks. This is a mechanical expression of this character's enhanced skill and experience in fighting. A practiced wielder of weapons can put away or draw weapons with more finesse than an unpracticed one. You also are explicitly not making all your attacks at once in some sort of literal damage stack. therefore you can obviously do multiple draws with multiple attacks.
Nick specifies it allows a second attack as part of the action, so it counts. A scenario to visualize the questions at play
Jimjohn the fighter and Funklebert the paladin are doing battle against a gang of goblins jimjohn began the fight with his sword drawn because he's a nervous little *****, but Funklebert had no weapon drawn because he was licking a toad (non-hallucinogenic, he's just a pervert) jimjohn attacks with the sword and, thinking to switch to a bow to nail the bastard throwing chamberpots from the back, stows his sword. he has no other attacks (lv 4), and so it is not until his next turn that he is able to draw and fire the bow Funklebert has to ready his spear and attack, but he's more skilled (level 5) and has a second attack. can HE draw an axe and hurl it at Shitbucket the Goblin? NO, because he would have to stow his spear. He wants to drop the spear and draw the axe? RAW says he cant because dropping the item takes the same resource as stowing it, making dropping the item pointless, and so we will ignore RAW and say he can do this. If you want to go with RAW, though, then consider the idea that he is chaining these attack together, and his timing is off so the rhythm just doesnt work. I dont care, its dumb, do what you want. however, what if Jimjohn had remembered to level up with the rest of the party like the DM messaged him about 4 times? Now he is level 5 as well! this version of the encounter has Jimjohn with sword readied, attack, sheathe the sword as part of that attack, then draw his bow as part of the second attack. But though Shitbucket is slain, his brother-cousin Pisskup has snuck around behind with his dreaded Nightsoil Knives (daggers stolen from a well-trafficked latrine)! He draws one (taking the attack action), stabbing Funklebert in the shin and using the flair of his DRAMATIC UNSHEATHING to disguise the drawing of a second dagger that is aimed at Funklebert's funklebits, but he is only Nicked, haha. Pisskup then makes a final attack, using his bonus action to hurl one of his daggers directly at poor Jimjohn's eyes, before cavern suddenly collapses without warning.
RAW in Round 1 Jimjohn can attack with the sword, unequip it and equip a bow as a free item interaction while Funklebert can equip his spear and attack with his spear, stow his toad as a free item interaction and draw a handaxe and throw it as part of the ranged attack.
In Round 2 Jimjohn can attack with the bow and Funklebert can attack with spear or throw more handaxe.
2014 text lists "free item interaction" and does indeed include weapons as an example... but the text is "or you could draw your weapon as part of the same action you use to attack." so, under the old rules, no difference is made between the draw/stow per attack and the FOI. he can sheathe it, but not ready the bow
the new rules remove the weapons example entirely "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." We both clearly see the Draw/attack and FOI as separate mechanics under the new rules, so i wont belabor that issue
HOWEVER if they are indeed separate then the moving the D/a from one place to the other must mean it is not included in the FOI, and therefore you cannot use your FOI to draw or stow weapons
this serves two purposes: firstly, it limits the weapon-switching in a reasonable manner, but secondly it reserves your object interaction for other purposes. I dunno about you, but I'd be irritated as hell if my DM said "you cant open the door if you draw your sword, you'll have to start by making an unarmed attack"
this serves two purposes: firstly, it limits the weapon-switching in a reasonable manner, but secondly it reserves your object interaction for other purposes. I dunno about you, but I'd be irritated as hell if my DM said "you cant open the door if you draw your sword, you'll have to start by making an unarmed attack"
You get one free general object interaction, plus one free weapon interaction per Attack/attack. Describe the scenario in which you think this might happen
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
[...] the new rules remove the weapons example entirely "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." We both clearly see the Draw/attack and FOI as separate mechanics under the new rules, so i wont belabor that issue
HOWEVER if they are indeed separate then the moving the D/a from one place to the other must mean it is not included in the FOI, and therefore you cannot use your FOI to draw or stow weapons
this serves two purposes: firstly, it limits the weapon-switching in a reasonable manner, but secondly it reserves your object interaction for other purposes. I dunno about you, but I'd be irritated as hell if my DM said "you cant open the door if you draw your sword, you'll have to start by making an unarmed attack"
Under the 2024 rules, a weapon is an object:
Weapon
A weapon is an object that is in the Simple or Martial weapon category. See also chapter 6 (“Weapons”).
And Object is also defined:
Object
An object is a nonliving, distinct thing. Composite things, like buildings, comprise more than one object. See also “Breaking Objects.”
I also believe the example on the PHB is possible thanks to the use of the Time-Limited Object Interactions in addition to the Equipping & Unequipping Weapons rule (interestingly, "drop" is mentioned twice, and I think on purpose)
Russell: I drop my sword and pull out my warhammer [...]
Vulnerability. An attack that deals bludgeoning damage is deadly to skeletons. Shreeve knows this from past experience, which is why she drops her sword and switches to a Bludgeoning weapon. [...]
How you interact with things around you depend on what it is and what you do, as we can see from various rules throughout the game.
1. You can interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or action. When time is short, such as in combat, interactions with objects are limited: one free interaction per turn. That interaction must occur during a creature’s movement or action. Any additional interactions require the Utilize action. Such Time-Limited Object Interactions can be with any objects, including weapon.
2. Any additional interactions require theUtilizeaction. 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.
3. You can draw a Thrownweapon as part of ranged attacks.
4. You can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of the Attackaction, either before or after the attack, including drawing it from a sheath, picking it up, sheathing, stowing, or dropping it.
Wether you interpret point 4 as 1/attack or 1/action is beside the 3 other points, which all give you ways of interacting with things.
You get one free general object interaction, plus one free weapon interaction per Attack/attack. Describe the scenario in which you think this might happen
that was exactly my point, I think you misread my post. go check it again and i think you'll see where you went awry
I also believe the example on the PHB is possible thanks to the use of the Time-Limited Object Interactions in addition to the Equipping & Unequipping Weapons rule (interestingly, "drop" is mentioned twice, and I think on purpose)
Russell: I drop my sword and pull out my warhammer [...]
Vulnerability. An attack that deals bludgeoning damage is deadly to skeletons. Shreeve knows this from past experience, which is why she drops her sword and switches to a Bludgeoning weapon. [...]
I find this convincing *if* we rule that dropping an item is indeed an object interaction (RAW says this, but again thats patently stupid as letting something fall is exactly NOT interacting with it), otherwise its a example of play that simply doesnt track with the new rules.
You get one free general object interaction, plus one free weapon interaction per Attack/attack. Describe the scenario in which you think this might happen
that was exactly my point, I think you misread my post. go check it again and i think you'll see where you went awry
I also believe the example on the PHB is possible thanks to the use of the Time-Limited Object Interactions in addition to the Equipping & Unequipping Weapons rule (interestingly, "drop" is mentioned twice, and I think on purpose)
Russell: I drop my sword and pull out my warhammer [...]
Vulnerability. An attack that deals bludgeoning damage is deadly to skeletons. Shreeve knows this from past experience, which is why she drops her sword and switches to a Bludgeoning weapon. [...]
I find this convincing *if* we rule that dropping an item is indeed an object interaction (RAW says this, but again thats patently stupid as letting something fall is exactly NOT interacting with it), otherwise its a example of play that simply doesnt track with the new rules.
You could read it as Russell is "unequipping a weapon, that includes sheathing, stowing, or dropping it", and then using "Time-Limited Object Interaction" to pull out the warhammer.
I find this convincing *if* we rule that dropping an item is indeed an object interaction (RAW says this, but again thats patently stupid as letting something fall is exactly NOT interacting with it), otherwise its a example of play that simply doesnt track with the new rules.
I'd say that "dropping" an item now being an interaction (instead of being a completely free "something that just happens" event) is entirely intended. And this is because in the 2014 rules "dropping" something (mainly a weapon) wasn't covered by the rules (and thus was a free event) and that was something that some people used but also something that many found to be stupid.
You get one free general object interaction, plus one free weapon interaction per Attack/attack. Describe the scenario in which you think this might happen
that was exactly my point, I think you misread my post. go check it again and i think you'll see where you went awry
I misread nothing, and am not the one "going awry" here
You said you would irritated if your DM did something no DM would ever do
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I find this convincing *if* we rule that dropping an item is indeed an object interaction (RAW says this, but again thats patently stupid as letting something fall is exactly NOT interacting with it), otherwise its a example of play that simply doesnt track with the new rules.
If you want to look at it from a "realism" perspective, you're in the middle of a fight. If you just drop the weapon you're holding, you're likely to trip over it. Similarly, you can't just fling it aside without risking hitting an ally. Dropping it or setting it down requires a modicum of time and attention.
Looked at from purely a game-mechanical sense, you don't want there to be multiple ways of ridding yourself of a wielded weapon in the action economy -- it adds extra complication and potential confusion. (And people who want to do silly weapon swapping tricks will use the free method to get even sillier. They'll end up fighting with a pile of weapons at their feet, picking them up with an interaction, and dropping them again for free.)
Hi I have been looking at the idea of playing a character with dual weapons and a bow as a back up and question how drawing said weapons and stowing them work.
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.
Does that part mean you equip or unequip a weapon per attack on the attack action or Per attack action.
Example A: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature and draw my second scimitar as apart of my second attack.
Example B: I make my first attack and draw one scimitar along with it. Then I make my second attack with the extra attack feature but cannot draw my second scimitar.
The last clarification i would like is if Example A is correct, could I stow my scimitar after making my third attack with dual wielding & the nick property
There is no real consensus about this unfortunately. Some believe that the text means what it says, i.e draw once per attack. And some believe that that is to much and that the text is written with just the one attack that normally comes with the Attack Action in mind, i.e draw once per action.
There are several long threads about it (see below) so best is to ask your DM, or if you are the DM just make a call.
equip-or-unequip-a-weapon-once-per-attack-or-once
weapon-swapping-and-the-2024-phb
switching-weapons-in-combat
drawing-weapons-within-opportunity-attacks
equipping-a-weapon-when-not-taking-the-attack
Once per attack, not per action. (I am aware there are those that disagree. I do not find their arguments at all persuasive. They usually come down to claiming that an ability that says "when you do X you can do Y" with no other conditions does not apply each and every time you do X.)
Let's say you're a 20th level fighter. You take the Attack action. As part of that action, you will make four attacks. Each one is an attack you make as part of the Attack action. When you make an attack as part of the Attack action, you can draw or stow a weapon.
So, you attack with a dagger. You can stow a weapon.
Then you attack with a longsword. You can stow a weapon.
Now you attack again, picking up a glaive first.
Finally, you drop the glaive and punch somebody.
(You also have the default free object interaction, so you could draw a crossbow and shoot instead of punching.)
You can do all of it. Under normal circumstances, there's no particularly good reason you'd want to. The rule mostly exists so the weird situations where you really do want to swap weapons around can be adjudicated.
Can you use the mechanic to the max to squeak out a little extra damage? Yes, as long as your DM doesn't say "Bob, this is getting too silly. How do you even have all those weapons on you to draw and stow them so easily?"
But there are lots of mechanics where if you're trying as hard as you can to optimize your damage, you can (on paper). That doesn't mean the reading of the rule that allows it is wrong, especially when the reading is so straightforward. It just means that stretching the mechanics to the breaking point can produce silly results.
Example A is correct.
The Nick attack is explicitly part of the attack action, so it also grants a weapon interaction.
The attack you get from Dual Wielder (or the one from the Light property if you don't have Nick) is not part of the attack action, but a bonus action, so you do not get a weapon interaction along with it.
Does that mean you can do some odd things while "dual wielding"? Yes, but see above.
With the second interpretation, you would also get your one free object interaction per turn
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
My read is that above and beyond the free item interaction, you can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of the Attack action.
You can also draw a Thrown weapon as part of a ranged attack you do with any action.
I am going with the first interpretation. When you make an attack as part of the attack action, you can draw, sheathe, drop, pickup one weapon that doesn't need to be used in the attack. But if you want to draw, sheathe, drop, pickup another weapon in that same attack action, you must use your Free Interact.
As noted, thrown weapons have their own rule, a thrown weapon can be drawn and thrown in the same motion.
Weapon juggling is not something my table would ever allow, and appears desired by just a small (but vocal) minority - but your table may decide otherwise.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
"make an attack as part of this action"
The action is "attack"
when you take the attack action, certain characters gain multiple attacks. This is a mechanical expression of this character's enhanced skill and experience in fighting. A practiced wielder of weapons can put away or draw weapons with more finesse than an unpracticed one. You also are explicitly not making all your attacks at once in some sort of literal damage stack. therefore you can obviously do multiple draws with multiple attacks.
Nick specifies it allows a second attack as part of the action, so it counts.
A scenario to visualize the questions at play
Jimjohn the fighter and Funklebert the paladin are doing battle against a gang of goblins
jimjohn began the fight with his sword drawn because he's a nervous little *****, but Funklebert had no weapon drawn because he was licking a toad (non-hallucinogenic, he's just a pervert)
jimjohn attacks with the sword and, thinking to switch to a bow to nail the bastard throwing chamberpots from the back, stows his sword. he has no other attacks (lv 4), and so it is not until his next turn that he is able to draw and fire the bow
Funklebert has to ready his spear and attack, but he's more skilled (level 5) and has a second attack. can HE draw an axe and hurl it at Shitbucket the Goblin? NO, because he would have to stow his spear. He wants to drop the spear and draw the axe? RAW says he cant because dropping the item takes the same resource as stowing it, making dropping the item pointless, and so we will ignore RAW and say he can do this. If you want to go with RAW, though, then consider the idea that he is chaining these attack together, and his timing is off so the rhythm just doesnt work. I dont care, its dumb, do what you want.
however, what if Jimjohn had remembered to level up with the rest of the party like the DM messaged him about 4 times? Now he is level 5 as well!
this version of the encounter has Jimjohn with sword readied, attack, sheathe the sword as part of that attack, then draw his bow as part of the second attack. But though Shitbucket is slain, his brother-cousin Pisskup has snuck around behind with his dreaded Nightsoil Knives (daggers stolen from a well-trafficked latrine)!
He draws one (taking the attack action), stabbing Funklebert in the shin and using the flair of his DRAMATIC UNSHEATHING to disguise the drawing of a second dagger that is aimed at Funklebert's funklebits, but he is only Nicked, haha. Pisskup then makes a final attack, using his bonus action to hurl one of his daggers directly at poor Jimjohn's eyes, before cavern suddenly collapses without warning.
Rocks fall, everyone dies
RAW in Round 1 Jimjohn can attack with the sword, unequip it and equip a bow as a free item interaction while Funklebert can equip his spear and attack with his spear, stow his toad as a free item interaction and draw a handaxe and throw it as part of the ranged attack.
In Round 2 Jimjohn can attack with the bow and Funklebert can attack with spear or throw more handaxe.
nope
2014 text lists "free item interaction" and does indeed include weapons as an example... but the text is "or you could draw your weapon as part of the same action you use to attack."
so, under the old rules, no difference is made between the draw/stow per attack and the FOI. he can sheathe it, but not ready the bow
the new rules remove the weapons example entirely
"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."
We both clearly see the Draw/attack and FOI as separate mechanics under the new rules, so i wont belabor that issue
HOWEVER if they are indeed separate then the moving the D/a from one place to the other must mean it is not included in the FOI, and therefore you cannot use your FOI to draw or stow weapons
this serves two purposes: firstly, it limits the weapon-switching in a reasonable manner, but secondly it reserves your object interaction for other purposes. I dunno about you, but I'd be irritated as hell if my DM said "you cant open the door if you draw your sword, you'll have to start by making an unarmed attack"
I nearly forgot, i need to congratulate you for this very funny detail
You get one free general object interaction, plus one free weapon interaction per Attack/attack. Describe the scenario in which you think this might happen
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Under the 2024 rules, a weapon is an object:
And Object is also defined:
I also believe the example on the PHB is possible thanks to the use of the Time-Limited Object Interactions in addition to the Equipping & Unequipping Weapons rule (interestingly, "drop" is mentioned twice, and I think on purpose)
How you interact with things around you depend on what it is and what you do, as we can see from various rules throughout the game.
that was exactly my point, I think you misread my post. go check it again and i think you'll see where you went awry
I find this convincing *if* we rule that dropping an item is indeed an object interaction (RAW says this, but again thats patently stupid as letting something fall is exactly NOT interacting with it), otherwise its a example of play that simply doesnt track with the new rules.
You could read it as Russell is "unequipping a weapon, that includes sheathing, stowing, or dropping it", and then using "Time-Limited Object Interaction" to pull out the warhammer.
I'd say that "dropping" an item now being an interaction (instead of being a completely free "something that just happens" event) is entirely intended. And this is because in the 2014 rules "dropping" something (mainly a weapon) wasn't covered by the rules (and thus was a free event) and that was something that some people used but also something that many found to be stupid.
I misread nothing, and am not the one "going awry" here
You said you would irritated if your DM did something no DM would ever do
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
If you want to look at it from a "realism" perspective, you're in the middle of a fight. If you just drop the weapon you're holding, you're likely to trip over it. Similarly, you can't just fling it aside without risking hitting an ally. Dropping it or setting it down requires a modicum of time and attention.
Looked at from purely a game-mechanical sense, you don't want there to be multiple ways of ridding yourself of a wielded weapon in the action economy -- it adds extra complication and potential confusion. (And people who want to do silly weapon swapping tricks will use the free method to get even sillier. They'll end up fighting with a pile of weapons at their feet, picking them up with an interaction, and dropping them again for free.)
You can either stow a weapon (this includes dropping the weapon) or draw a weapon, not both.