New to D&D and love the DND Beyond character building/sheets.
Probably a dopey question, but do you only make active (wield?) those weapons that your character is currently holding. Say my character has a shield, a scimitar and a dagger. If she is holding the shield in one hand and the scimitar in the other, but her dagger is on her belt. Should she only be wielding (and thus showing as an attack on the new character sheet) the weapon she actually holding in her hand, ie the scimitar?
Or would you assume you could choose to wield any of your weapons providing you have free hands (or can make your hand(s) free) and have them all listed under possible attacks on the character sheet?
"Wielding" is another word for using. In terms of in-game terminology, you use the weapon in your hand (for things like fighting style, some feats, etc.). However, 5e has made it relatively quick and painless to swap weapons. So, you probably should have both your scimitar and your dagger listed, as different circumstances will cause you to use different weapons. Plus, it's just easier to have the stats for everything already visible and ready-to-use on the character sheet.
I have a general rule of thumb for my players on wielding weapons. Their character can carry one two-handed / large weapon on their back and two one-handed weapons, one on each hip. With exception where is plausible. These weapons are the ones I consider wielded. They can stash more weapons in their packs, but these weapons cost an action to get to instead of the ones they are currently carrying. Like my rogue Raven King, she has a holster on each of her thighs that can sheathe 4 daggers. So she theoretically has quick access to 8 daggers. The only thing I change here is I allow shield bearers to retrieve their shield from the back of their pack at the beginning of combat for free, for that first round only though. If they don't retrieve it that first round, then they spend an action to retrieve it.
Drawing a weapon is an action, but you can combine that with movement, it's not stated but it makes sense that if you don't move you can substitute the movement for an additional action, as long as it's not an "attack" action. That's how I play it anyway, so you can always house rule it.
From the rule book
INTERACTING WITH OBJECTS AROUND YOU
Here are a few examples of the sorts of thing you can do in tandem with your movement and action:
draw or sheathe a sword
open or close a door
withdraw a potion from your backpack
pick up a dropped axe
take a bauble from a table
remove a ring from your finger
stuff some food into your mouth
plant a banner in the ground
fish a few coins from your belt pouch
drink all the ale in a flagon
throw a lever or a switch
pull a torch from a sconce
take a book from a shelf you can reach
extinguish a small flame
don a mask
pull the hood of your cloak up and over your head
put your ear to a door
kick a small stone
turn a key in a lock
tap the floor with a 10-foot pole
hand an item to another character
So my "house rule" is, if you don't move you can take an "attack action" swing a sword, cast a spell, and one other action as shown above, where it makes sense of course.
From a DND beyond perspective, if you don't make an inventory item active, it won't show on your character sheet in the Actions Section etc... I generally make all the weapons on my person active so that they all display in the action section, and then mentally track (as I would in any game) which weapon I am holding etc...
Hi All
New to D&D and love the DND Beyond character building/sheets.
Probably a dopey question, but do you only make active (wield?) those weapons that your character is currently holding. Say my character has a shield, a scimitar and a dagger. If she is holding the shield in one hand and the scimitar in the other, but her dagger is on her belt. Should she only be wielding (and thus showing as an attack on the new character sheet) the weapon she actually holding in her hand, ie the scimitar?
Or would you assume you could choose to wield any of your weapons providing you have free hands (or can make your hand(s) free) and have them all listed under possible attacks on the character sheet?
Thanks!
"Wielding" is another word for using. In terms of in-game terminology, you use the weapon in your hand (for things like fighting style, some feats, etc.). However, 5e has made it relatively quick and painless to swap weapons. So, you probably should have both your scimitar and your dagger listed, as different circumstances will cause you to use different weapons. Plus, it's just easier to have the stats for everything already visible and ready-to-use on the character sheet.
Thanks....that was my instinct buy my DM is as much a newbie as I am and didn't think they should be listed under attack just under inventory
I have a general rule of thumb for my players on wielding weapons. Their character can carry one two-handed / large weapon on their back and two one-handed weapons, one on each hip. With exception where is plausible. These weapons are the ones I consider wielded. They can stash more weapons in their packs, but these weapons cost an action to get to instead of the ones they are currently carrying. Like my rogue Raven King, she has a holster on each of her thighs that can sheathe 4 daggers. So she theoretically has quick access to 8 daggers. The only thing I change here is I allow shield bearers to retrieve their shield from the back of their pack at the beginning of combat for free, for that first round only though. If they don't retrieve it that first round, then they spend an action to retrieve it.
That sounds like a good rule of thumb! Consider it adopted :)
Thanks!
Drawing a weapon is an action, but you can combine that with movement, it's not stated but it makes sense that if you don't move you can substitute the movement for an additional action, as long as it's not an "attack" action. That's how I play it anyway, so you can always house rule it.
From the rule book
So my "house rule" is, if you don't move you can take an "attack action" swing a sword, cast a spell, and one other action as shown above, where it makes sense of course.
From a DND beyond perspective, if you don't make an inventory item active, it won't show on your character sheet in the Actions Section etc... I generally make all the weapons on my person active so that they all display in the action section, and then mentally track (as I would in any game) which weapon I am holding etc...
Thanks.....that was exactly my thinking 😀