Can you climb into a bag of holding then have someone pull just your head out so you don’t suffocate but are still contained within the extra dimensional space? Friends of mine have done this a few times and I’ve always been on the fence on if that should actually work or not. Initially I said yes I think it’s possible but it has led to some shenanigans that have made me question that decision. I’m wondering is there a mechanical reason why this won’t work or is it a situation where I’m going to have to just say no because I want it to be no longer used.
This will not work. You can't be in the dimensional space and not in the BoH at the same time. Until the object is fully within the bag, it is not considered in the dimensional space that is within the BoH. So the way I'd rule this is that the person's weight is not reduced until they are fully submerged in the bag.
A bag of holding, like most magic items, leaves some details out for GM discretion. You could rule as Socon suggested, but there's no RAW stating what they said is accurate. Certainly, it's explicitly legal to pull this trick with a portable hole.
However, another key detail not explicitly covered in the magic item's description is the size of the pocket dimension's aperture, which is implied to be the same size as the mouth of the bag. The bag is consistently depicted as a satchel or purse. Nothing that can't fit through the aperture can get inside, obviously - if you poke a hole in the bottom of a bag of holding, you at best get a hole into the perfectly mundane inside space, and at worst destroy the item. You are 100% within your rights to issue your PCs bags of holding that don't have mouths wide enough to get a Medium creature inside, if you want to stop it from happening.
I would apply the same or similar rules as portable hole that quindraco mentioned. While it is stationary and fully open, they can breath, while it is closed and moving, it is sealed.
It is definitely not intended (for either item) to be able to carry around creatures with unlimited air.
However, another key detail not explicitly covered in the magic item's description is the size of the pocket dimension's aperture, which is implied to be the same size as the mouth of the bag.
You mean the "roughly 2 feet in diameter at the mouth" part?
This will not work. You can't be in the dimensional space and not in the BoH at the same time. Until the object is fully within the bag, it is not considered in the dimensional space that is within the BoH. So the way I'd rule this is that the person's weight is not reduced until they are fully submerged in the bag.
There is not any RAW saying this it true. The only limit to fitting something in the bag is the 2' diameter opening, the weight limit, and the volume limit. The volume equates to a 4x4x4 cube, or a cylinder with diameter the width of the opening and 20 feet deep. I'd argue that the interior volume, like that of a mundane bag, is not shaped in a "hard" fashion, so it is entirely possible that said creature might not be able to stand in the bag and have their head stick out per the OP, but that is my interpretation and is not backed up by RAW either.
to adjudicate weight, and assuming the creature can mitigate actually positioning themselves per the OP, id say the portion of their body inside the bag would, collectively with other contents, weigh 15 pounds, and their head would weigh normal...so the whole kit might be ~30 pounds?
I would apply the same or similar rules as portable hole that quindraco mentioned. While it is stationary and fully open, they can breath, while it is closed and moving, it is sealed.
It is definitely not intended (for either item) to be able to carry around creatures with unlimited air
Yeah I didn't see anything RAW against it either it definitely felt weird for RAI though which is why it's always stuck out to me as one of my more iffy rulings I've ever given
This will not work. You can't be in the dimensional space and not in the BoH at the same time. Until the object is fully within the bag, it is not considered in the dimensional space that is within the BoH. So the way I'd rule this is that the person's weight is not reduced until they are fully submerged in the bag.
There is not any RAW saying this it true. The only limit to fitting something in the bag is the 2' diameter opening, the weight limit, and the volume limit. The volume equates to a 4x4x4 cube, or a cylinder with diameter the width of the opening and 20 feet deep. I'd argue that the interior volume, like that of a mundane bag, is not shaped in a "hard" fashion, so it is entirely possible that said creature might not be able to stand in the bag and have their head stick out per the OP, but that is my interpretation and is not backed up by RAW either.
to adjudicate weight, and assuming the creature can mitigate actually positioning themselves per the OP, id say the portion of their body inside the bag would, collectively with other contents, weigh 15 pounds, and their head would weigh normal...so the whole kit might be ~30 pounds?
I agree there's nothing RAW against it that I saw. For the standing issue none of us really ever thought of that. I think we all imagined BOH as a drawstring bag initially so they sort of said they'd cinch it slightly around their neck not enough to hurt but enough to keep them stuck there.
I agree there's nothing RAW against it that I saw. For the standing issue none of us really ever thought of that. I think we all imagined BOH as a drawstring bag initially so they sort of said they'd cinch it slightly around their neck not enough to hurt but enough to keep them stuck there.
The picture is of a canvas bag with a flap-like cover. It would be fully open or fully closed, no in between.
I agree there's nothing RAW against it that I saw. For the standing issue none of us really ever thought of that. I think we all imagined BOH as a drawstring bag initially so they sort of said they'd cinch it slightly around their neck not enough to hurt but enough to keep them stuck there.
The picture is of a canvas bag with a flap-like cover. It would be fully open or fully closed, so in between.
Yeah but at the time we weren't looking at the pic in the book which i think is partly where the issue lies
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Can you climb into a bag of holding then have someone pull just your head out so you don’t suffocate but are still contained within the extra dimensional space? Friends of mine have done this a few times and I’ve always been on the fence on if that should actually work or not. Initially I said yes I think it’s possible but it has led to some shenanigans that have made me question that decision. I’m wondering is there a mechanical reason why this won’t work or is it a situation where I’m going to have to just say no because I want it to be no longer used.
This will not work. You can't be in the dimensional space and not in the BoH at the same time. Until the object is fully within the bag, it is not considered in the dimensional space that is within the BoH. So the way I'd rule this is that the person's weight is not reduced until they are fully submerged in the bag.
A bag of holding, like most magic items, leaves some details out for GM discretion. You could rule as Socon suggested, but there's no RAW stating what they said is accurate. Certainly, it's explicitly legal to pull this trick with a portable hole.
However, another key detail not explicitly covered in the magic item's description is the size of the pocket dimension's aperture, which is implied to be the same size as the mouth of the bag. The bag is consistently depicted as a satchel or purse. Nothing that can't fit through the aperture can get inside, obviously - if you poke a hole in the bottom of a bag of holding, you at best get a hole into the perfectly mundane inside space, and at worst destroy the item. You are 100% within your rights to issue your PCs bags of holding that don't have mouths wide enough to get a Medium creature inside, if you want to stop it from happening.
I would apply the same or similar rules as portable hole that quindraco mentioned. While it is stationary and fully open, they can breath, while it is closed and moving, it is sealed.
It is definitely not intended (for either item) to be able to carry around creatures with unlimited air.
You mean the "roughly 2 feet in diameter at the mouth" part?
It is otherwise roughly a 4×4×4 cube inside.
There is not any RAW saying this it true. The only limit to fitting something in the bag is the 2' diameter opening, the weight limit, and the volume limit. The volume equates to a 4x4x4 cube, or a cylinder with diameter the width of the opening and 20 feet deep. I'd argue that the interior volume, like that of a mundane bag, is not shaped in a "hard" fashion, so it is entirely possible that said creature might not be able to stand in the bag and have their head stick out per the OP, but that is my interpretation and is not backed up by RAW either.
to adjudicate weight, and assuming the creature can mitigate actually positioning themselves per the OP, id say the portion of their body inside the bag would, collectively with other contents, weigh 15 pounds, and their head would weigh normal...so the whole kit might be ~30 pounds?
Yeah I didn't see anything RAW against it either it definitely felt weird for RAI though which is why it's always stuck out to me as one of my more iffy rulings I've ever given
I agree there's nothing RAW against it that I saw. For the standing issue none of us really ever thought of that. I think we all imagined BOH as a drawstring bag initially so they sort of said they'd cinch it slightly around their neck not enough to hurt but enough to keep them stuck there.
The picture is of a canvas bag with a flap-like cover. It would be fully open or fully closed, no in between.
Yeah but at the time we weren't looking at the pic in the book which i think is partly where the issue lies