We wanted to make the "healing potions as a bonus action" house rule, but we (mostly *I*) like to complicate things.
Base (house) rule: Adventurers have a 4-slot potion belt. If you have a free hand, drinking one of these 4 potions is a Bonus Action. If you don't, it's a Move action or "Action action". To administer a potion (from anywhere you're carrying it) to another person is the "Item Interaction" action.
Additionally, you can buy bandoliers, custom gloves, etc. that can add more "slots". One example:
Gloves of Potion Access: these gloves hold 4 potions (2 per glove) in quick-drink-release slots. Drinking a potion from one of these slots is always a Bonus action (or Action). You cannot give a potion from these slots to anyone else during combat. Re/placing a potion into one of these slots takes 1 minute.
What do you think about our implementation of this common house rule? and, How much should such an item cost? (the belt, and the gloves)
The first thing to recognize is that by RAW retrieving a potion (but not drinking it) is Interact with an object. If the group want to permit another interact with an object 'action' on the same turn they have to waive the rule that retrieving the potion is an IwaO or they have to deny the ability to interact with a second object.
Second, potion access should be considered I believe. There is a big difference between retrieving a potion from your pack and retrieving a potion from a purpose made pouch or bandoleer. This is where we had our discussion with the DM. He agreed to allow us to have purpose made harness/pouch that held three potion bottles securely but also allowed ready access for drinking. I described a harness that is worn on your thigh opposite your weapon. There are spaces for three potion bottles and the harness allows the potions to be retrieved with a smooth motion of one (either) hand. If you have something in both hands then something has to be done to address what you do with the other thing. I typically stick my rapier in the ground or lean it up against the wall and retrieve my potion. I usually want my spell casting focus more than I want my rapier in my hand.
I don't feel a purpose made harness needs to be magical but I try to place a reasonable limit on this feature with the 3-potion capacity. Potion bottles, in my lore, are made of thick glass and they have a narrow profile, nearly a square shape and a short neck (think whiskey flask), and a flat bottom so they would stand up on a book shelf. The neck is fairly wide to allow the liquid to drain quickly when opened, not as tiny as a whiskey flask.
The only question left to answer is, if you go to such careful measures to describe handling potions, is it OK with your group to agree that consuming a potion can be part of that Interact with an Object or not? Will consuming a potion take an action as it does in RAW?
When I am not in the dungeon, but I am knocking about a town, village or city in my 'street clothes' I have another purpose built pouch that I wear on my belt that carries only one potion, which is almost always a healing potion, just in case.
I decided 10gp is more than fair for such a harness that would hold three potions. You may think something else.
Never intended to make the harness/glove magical; I think I gave the wrong impression by saying "Common". It is, in our intention, just a purpose-built crafting of leather and buckles.
Never intended to make the harness/glove magical; I think I gave the wrong impression by saying "Common". It is, in our intention, just a purpose-built crafting of leather and buckles.
Thanks for the lengthy and considered reply!
so more of something to just make them easier to grab...maybe anywhere from 15-30 GP since they would be pretty useful
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We wanted to make the "healing potions as a bonus action" house rule, but we (mostly *I*) like to complicate things.
Base (house) rule: Adventurers have a 4-slot potion belt. If you have a free hand, drinking one of these 4 potions is a Bonus Action. If you don't, it's a Move action or "Action action". To administer a potion (from anywhere you're carrying it) to another person is the "Item Interaction" action.
Additionally, you can buy bandoliers, custom gloves, etc. that can add more "slots". One example:
Gloves of Potion Access: these gloves hold 4 potions (2 per glove) in quick-drink-release slots. Drinking a potion from one of these slots is always a Bonus action (or Action). You cannot give a potion from these slots to anyone else during combat. Re/placing a potion into one of these slots takes 1 minute.
What do you think about our implementation of this common house rule? and, How much should such an item cost? (the belt, and the gloves)
if it is a magic item then it would usually be hard to find in any type of store
I've been down this road with our DM.
The first thing to recognize is that by RAW retrieving a potion (but not drinking it) is Interact with an object. If the group want to permit another interact with an object 'action' on the same turn they have to waive the rule that retrieving the potion is an IwaO or they have to deny the ability to interact with a second object.
Second, potion access should be considered I believe. There is a big difference between retrieving a potion from your pack and retrieving a potion from a purpose made pouch or bandoleer. This is where we had our discussion with the DM. He agreed to allow us to have purpose made harness/pouch that held three potion bottles securely but also allowed ready access for drinking. I described a harness that is worn on your thigh opposite your weapon. There are spaces for three potion bottles and the harness allows the potions to be retrieved with a smooth motion of one (either) hand. If you have something in both hands then something has to be done to address what you do with the other thing. I typically stick my rapier in the ground or lean it up against the wall and retrieve my potion. I usually want my spell casting focus more than I want my rapier in my hand.
I don't feel a purpose made harness needs to be magical but I try to place a reasonable limit on this feature with the 3-potion capacity. Potion bottles, in my lore, are made of thick glass and they have a narrow profile, nearly a square shape and a short neck (think whiskey flask), and a flat bottom so they would stand up on a book shelf. The neck is fairly wide to allow the liquid to drain quickly when opened, not as tiny as a whiskey flask.
The only question left to answer is, if you go to such careful measures to describe handling potions, is it OK with your group to agree that consuming a potion can be part of that Interact with an Object or not? Will consuming a potion take an action as it does in RAW?
When I am not in the dungeon, but I am knocking about a town, village or city in my 'street clothes' I have another purpose built pouch that I wear on my belt that carries only one potion, which is almost always a healing potion, just in case.
I decided 10gp is more than fair for such a harness that would hold three potions. You may think something else.
Enjoy the weekend and the game.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Never intended to make the harness/glove magical; I think I gave the wrong impression by saying "Common". It is, in our intention, just a purpose-built crafting of leather and buckles.
Thanks for the lengthy and considered reply!
so more of something to just make them easier to grab...maybe anywhere from 15-30 GP since they would be pretty useful