like if l dont have my hands free,could l use my tail for the Somatic? could i hold a wand with my tail and use it? could l hold a sword or dagger and swing it with my tail?
"If a spell requires a somatic component, the caster must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures."
sword would be a no at my table - while an elephant can paint with a brush i'd so no player options provide tails that provide that much strength/flexibility.
The Loxodon's trunk is probably the most well-defined "tail" that any of the races currently have:
Trunk
You can grasp things with your trunk, and you can use it as a snorkel. It has a reach of 5 feet, and it can lift a number of pounds equal to five times your Strength score. You can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature; open or close a door or a container; grapple someone; or make an unarmed strike. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options.
Your trunk can’t wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell.
That fact that the Trunk warranted a racial feature writeup is certainly a good indication that it is more dextrous and useful than the tails of Lizardfolk, Kobolds, Dragonborn (if indeed they have them), Tabaxi, or Tieflings. If a Trunk can't do it, no reason to think those other tails can.
Simic Hybrids can develop "Grappling Appendages" tentacles, which are similar in some ways to a Trunk, but also don't mention being able to do somatic components:
Grappling Appendages - You have two special appendages growing alongside your arms. Choose whether they’re both claws or tentacles. As an action, you can use one of them to try to grapple a creature. Each one is also a natural weapon, which you can use to make an unarmed strike. If you hit with it, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Immediately after hitting, you can try to grapple the target as a bonus action. These appendages can’t precisely manipulate anything and can’t wield weapons, magic items, or other specialized equipment.
It's not impossible that a Lemur Person race or something could be published with a tail that counts as a free hand. Or, a racially-qualified feat, which gives you better control over your tail to the extent that it can be used as a free hand. But in the current rules, no, nothing provides for tails to be used that way.
The Loxodon's trunk is probably the most well-defined "tail" that any of the races currently have:
Trunk
You can grasp things with your trunk, and you can use it as a snorkel. It has a reach of 5 feet, and it can lift a number of pounds equal to five times your Strength score. You can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature; open or close a door or a container; grapple someone; or make an unarmed strike. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options.
Your trunk can’t wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell.
That fact that the Trunk warranted a racial feature writeup is certainly a good indication that it is more dextrous and useful than the tails of Lizardfolk, Kobolds, Dragonborn (if indeed they have them), Tabaxi, or Tieflings. If a Trunk can't do it, no reason to think those other tails can.
Simic Hybrids can develop "Grappling Appendages" tentacles, which are similar in some ways to a Trunk, but also don't mention being able to do somatic components:
Grappling Appendages - You have two special appendages growing alongside your arms. Choose whether they’re both claws or tentacles. As an action, you can use one of them to try to grapple a creature. Each one is also a natural weapon, which you can use to make an unarmed strike. If you hit with it, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Immediately after hitting, you can try to grapple the target as a bonus action. These appendages can’t precisely manipulate anything and can’t wield weapons, magic items, or other specialized equipment.
It's not impossible that a Lemur Person race or something could be published with a tail that counts as a free hand. Or, a racially-qualified feat, which gives you better control over your tail to the extent that it can be used as a free hand. But in the current rules, no, nothing provides for tails to be used that way.
for the trunk part,l would not expect something so large and thick to be able to cast spells,though the lack of use with swords and shields is a surprise.
The tail would specifically have to be noted as not only prehensile, but also capable of performing delicate tasks. No official race has this as an ability, so you'd have to homebrew something and get your DM to approve it.
If, and that is quite an 'if', the tail your character has is prehensile, I would allow the tail to hold items, but only hold them, like a holy symbol or an arcane focus.
I would not allow arcane gestures or use of magic items.
RAW, you can hold anything in your tail or trunk, you just can't attack or cast anything with it. With my free interaction I took my shield from my hand and attacked perfectly fine with my sword. I just took the -2 to my AC because of the trunk holding my shield. No DM fiat required.
The Loxodon's trunk is probably the most well-defined "tail" that any of the races currently have:
Trunk
You can grasp things with your trunk, and you can use it as a snorkel. It has a reach of 5 feet, and it can lift a number of pounds equal to five times your Strength score. You can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature; open or close a door or a container; grapple someone; or make an unarmed strike. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options.
Your trunk can’t wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell.
That fact that the Trunk warranted a racial feature writeup is certainly a good indication that it is more dextrous and useful than the tails of Lizardfolk, Kobolds, Dragonborn (if indeed they have them), Tabaxi, or Tieflings. If a Trunk can't do it, no reason to think those other tails can.
Simic Hybrids can develop "Grappling Appendages" tentacles, which are similar in some ways to a Trunk, but also don't mention being able to do somatic components:
Grappling Appendages - You have two special appendages growing alongside your arms. Choose whether they’re both claws or tentacles. As an action, you can use one of them to try to grapple a creature. Each one is also a natural weapon, which you can use to make an unarmed strike. If you hit with it, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Immediately after hitting, you can try to grapple the target as a bonus action. These appendages can’t precisely manipulate anything and can’t wield weapons, magic items, or other specialized equipment.
It's not impossible that a Lemur Person race or something could be published with a tail that counts as a free hand. Or, a racially-qualified feat, which gives you better control over your tail to the extent that it can be used as a free hand. But in the current rules, no, nothing provides for tails to be used that way.
for the trunk part,l would not expect something so large and thick to be able to cast spells,though the lack of use with swords and shields is a surprise.
the key thing that lets things use tools...
Thumbs.
the tail does not have a thumb.
the loxodon trunk does not have a thumb.
for the trunk or tail example:
try using a sword by manipulating only a rope, puppeteer if it, and the rope is just wrapped around the hilt. No knots.
or for a shield, put it on a horizontal bar. That has no way of “locking” it in place. And swing it around or hit it, and see how long until it slides off. The trunk or tail could bend more for a better grip of the shield... but then it changes Th e angle of the shield from being useful.
RAW, you can hold anything in your tail or trunk, you just can't attack or cast anything with it. With my free interaction I took my shield from my hand and attacked perfectly fine with my sword. I just took the -2 to my AC because of the trunk holding my shield. No DM fiat required.
100% what the creators had in mind probably.
basiclaly just saves you “some action economy” when switching weapons and such.
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like if l dont have my hands free,could l use my tail for the Somatic? could i hold a wand with my tail and use it? could l hold a sword or dagger and swing it with my tail?
"If a spell requires a somatic component, the caster must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures."
sword would be a no at my table - while an elephant can paint with a brush i'd so no player options provide tails that provide that much strength/flexibility.
of the 3 i'd say maybe to a wand
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Sounds like you are looking to play everyone's favorite hornless tiefling Kurt?
this picture shows exactly what l want to do! (well,maybe just have a surprise dagger,but still the same idea)
The Loxodon's trunk is probably the most well-defined "tail" that any of the races currently have:
That fact that the Trunk warranted a racial feature writeup is certainly a good indication that it is more dextrous and useful than the tails of Lizardfolk, Kobolds, Dragonborn (if indeed they have them), Tabaxi, or Tieflings. If a Trunk can't do it, no reason to think those other tails can.
Simic Hybrids can develop "Grappling Appendages" tentacles, which are similar in some ways to a Trunk, but also don't mention being able to do somatic components:
It's not impossible that a Lemur Person race or something could be published with a tail that counts as a free hand. Or, a racially-qualified feat, which gives you better control over your tail to the extent that it can be used as a free hand. But in the current rules, no, nothing provides for tails to be used that way.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
for the trunk part,l would not expect something so large and thick to be able to cast spells,though the lack of use with swords and shields is a surprise.
The tail would specifically have to be noted as not only prehensile, but also capable of performing delicate tasks. No official race has this as an ability, so you'd have to homebrew something and get your DM to approve it.
If, and that is quite an 'if', the tail your character has is prehensile, I would allow the tail to hold items, but only hold them, like a holy symbol or an arcane focus.
I would not allow arcane gestures or use of magic items.
When I played a Luxodon I could switch my shield, thus my AC went down by 2, to my trunk to hold it as I used my longsword 2 handed.
RAW, you can hold anything in your tail or trunk, you just can't attack or cast anything with it. With my free interaction I took my shield from my hand and attacked perfectly fine with my sword. I just took the -2 to my AC because of the trunk holding my shield. No DM fiat required.
the key thing that lets things use tools...
Thumbs.
the tail does not have a thumb.
the loxodon trunk does not have a thumb.
for the trunk or tail example:
try using a sword by manipulating only a rope, puppeteer if it, and the rope is just wrapped around the hilt. No knots.
or for a shield, put it on a horizontal bar. That has no way of “locking” it in place. And swing it around or hit it, and see how long until it slides off. The trunk or tail could bend more for a better grip of the shield... but then it changes Th e angle of the shield from being useful.
100% what the creators had in mind probably.
basiclaly just saves you “some action economy” when switching weapons and such.
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