Does the new PHB go into any more detail on weapon swapping then the 2014 did? It seems that there’s so many cases that a little detail would help. For example, sheathing a dagger and drawing a short sword would be way easier then sheathing/slinging a mace and shield and drawing a long bow but the current rules are pretty vague on exactly what the latter case would entail. My understanding of RAW for the dagger to sword would be that it’s an action to accomplish but for one hand & shield to something would be what, 2 actions?
My understanding, from the playtest documents, is that you can sheathe/unsheathe one weapon per attack, while donning/doffing a shield continues to take an action. (Someone who’s seen the actual book should be able to confirm or correct me.)
I haven't read the new Player Handbook yet but i hope there will be an better solution/mechanic for swapping between bow and two daggers.
The current rules make it extremely hard to do while in reality it's a hundred times harder/slower to stow one two handed sword than to sheath your daggers. That you would need a feat to stow two daggers is really beyond me ..
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.
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.
[...]
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This is also what I found in the new PHB, and I don't find any other mention of equipping/unequipping weapons.
If you use two weapon fighting (using Light property), does this mean that at the start of the turn, if both weapons are sheathed you can only draw one on the beginning of your turn if you also want to make an attack on that turn?
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.
[...]
---
This is also what I found in the new PHB, and I don't find any other mention of equipping/unequipping weapons.
If you use two weapon fighting (using Light property), does this mean that at the start of the turn, if both weapons are sheathed you can only draw one on the beginning of your turn if you also want to make an attack on that turn?
As far as I understand the rules, yes.
However, in my opinion you could also use the "one free interaction per turn" rule to draw the other weapon you need before taking the Attack Action (EDIT: or during).
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Time-Limited Object Interactions
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, as explained in “Combat” later in this chapter.
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.
[...]
---
This is also what I found in the new PHB, and I don't find any other mention of equipping/unequipping weapons.
If you use two weapon fighting (using Light property), does this mean that at the start of the turn, if both weapons are sheathed you can only draw one on the beginning of your turn if you also want to make an attack on that turn?
Not really? The way it reads you can draw a weapon per attack. At least that's how I read it.
The two weapon fighting feat lets you draw two weapons at once. Which is kinda pointless if you can draw a weapon with each attack... But anyways.
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.
[...]
---
This is also what I found in the new PHB, and I don't find any other mention of equipping/unequipping weapons.
If you use two weapon fighting (using Light property), does this mean that at the start of the turn, if both weapons are sheathed you can only draw one on the beginning of your turn if you also want to make an attack on that turn?
Not really? The way it reads you can draw a weapon per attack. At least that's how I read it.
The two weapon fighting feat lets you draw two weapons at once. Which is kinda pointless if you can draw a weapon with each attack... But anyways.
When you make an extra attack as a result of using a weapon that has the Light property, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of that attack if you aren’t already adding it to the damage.
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.
[...]
---
This is also what I found in the new PHB, and I don't find any other mention of equipping/unequipping weapons.
If you use two weapon fighting (using Light property), does this mean that at the start of the turn, if both weapons are sheathed you can only draw one on the beginning of your turn if you also want to make an attack on that turn?
Not really? The way it reads you can draw a weapon per attack. At least that's how I read it.
The two weapon fighting feat lets you draw two weapons at once. Which is kinda pointless if you can draw a weapon with each attack... But anyways.
Technically, the 2nd attack when using the rule for the Light property is not part of an Attack action. Instead, it's a defined Bonus Action that includes the ability to make an attack. So, you would only be able to draw one weapon for free with the Equipping and Unequipping Weapons rule.
But, as has been stated, you can use your object interaction from the Interacting with Things combat rule to draw your other weapon.
How i read the core rule; when you take the Attack action, you can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action. Meaning:
When you take a bonus action to attack, you can't equip or unequip any weapon when you make an attack as part of this action.
When you take a reaction to attack, you can't equip or unequip any weapon when you make an attack as part of this action.
ATTACK ACTION: 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
And if you have the Dual Wielder feat; when you take the Attack action, you can either equip or unequip two weapons when you make an attack as part of this action. Still no weapon equip/uneqquip during bonus action or reaction.
DUAl WIELDER: Quick Draw. You can draw or stow two weapons that lack the Two-Handed property when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.
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.
[...]
---
This is also what I found in the new PHB, and I don't find any other mention of equipping/unequipping weapons.
If you use two weapon fighting (using Light property), does this mean that at the start of the turn, if both weapons are sheathed you can only draw one on the beginning of your turn if you also want to make an attack on that turn?
Not really? The way it reads you can draw a weapon per attack. At least that's how I read it.
The two weapon fighting feat lets you draw two weapons at once. Which is kinda pointless if you can draw a weapon with each attack... But anyways.
When you make an extra attack as a result of using a weapon that has the Light property, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of that attack if you aren’t already adding it to the damage.
A difference between NPC monsters vs player characters i can see is that one can't equip or unequip as part of Multiattack action because it's not the Attack action.
A difference between NPC monsters vs player characters i can see is that one can't equip or unequip as part of Multiattack action because it's not the Attack action.
Weapon drawing and stowing is much more flexible now, and is clarified as part of the Attack action: "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."
Something worth noting is that this flexibility no longer extends to donning or doffing a Shield, which would require the Utilize action, this is clarified in the online version of the Armor Table.
There is one specific question I would love to get some Sage Advice on though and this is in regards to the Thrown property. This Weapon Property specifically states ‘and you can draw that weapon as part of the attack’, is this in addition to the drawing and stowing from the Attack action?
If so this means two things:
That you can attack with a thrown weapon that you are not currently holding as a bonus action, from say the Light property, which normally you could not do.
If you throw a weapon as part of the Attack action, then you can also draw or stow another weapon... For example, a lv5 Fighter with Polearm Master and a Pike could Attack, use the BA Polearm attack, then throw a Trident (one-handed) and draw a Halberd ready to take two opportunity attacks if the opportunity presents itself.
Another note is that two weapon Masteries allow for additional attacks during an Attack action, these would also allowing for more weapon swaps:
Cleave: When used would allow for a Halberd, to be drawn and stowed at level one, ready for the free object interaction to draw a different weapon.
Nick: Makes the Light property extra attack part of the Attack action, and so able to be used to draw or stow a weapon, which if Thrown can allow for some real weapon juggling to take place even at level one.
Weapon drawing and stowing is much more flexible now, and is clarified as part of the Attack action: "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."
Something worth noting is that this flexibility no longer extends to donning or doffing a Shield, which would require the Utilize action, this is clarified in the online version of the Armor Table.
There is one specific question I would love to get some Sage Advice on though and this is in regards to the Thrown property. This Weapon Property specifically states ‘and you can draw that weapon as part of the attack’, is this in addition to the drawing and stowing from the Attack action?
If so this means two things:
That you can attack with a thrown weapon that you are not currently holding as a bonus action, from say the Light property, which normally you could not do.
If you throw a weapon as part of the Attack action, then you can also draw or stow another weapon... For example, a lv5 Fighter with Polearm Master and a Pike could Attack, use the BA Polearm attack, then throw a Trident (one-handed) and draw a Halberd ready to take two opportunity attacks if the opportunity presents itself.
Another note is that two weapon Masteries allow for additional attacks during an Attack action, these would also allowing for more weapon swaps:
Cleave: When used would allow for a Halberd, to be drawn and stowed at level one, ready for the free object interaction to draw a different weapon.
Nick: Makes the Light property extra attack part of the Attack action, and so able to be used to draw or stow a weapon, which if Thrown can allow for some real weapon juggling to take place even at level one.
I think the drawing/stowing rules are supposed to be per attack action and not per action. There is the feat that lets you draw two weapons at the same time which is largely pointless if you can draw a weapon with each attack. Like the thrown property is useless as well. Or maybe those are left over rules and the do intend to let you draw a weapon with each attack. But that also leads to dual wielding and using a shield.
Bhthephoenix, the rules seem pretty clearly and consistently in support of drawing or stowing a weapon for every attack that is part of your Action.
This does not mean that the Thrown or Light properties are less useful, but rather the opposite.
Drawing or Stowing two weapons as part of the action with the Dual Wielder feat though does appear to be more of a ribbon feature unless you want to be maximising the Masteries that you use (which in the feat’s defence, does appear to be part of the design aims)
Bhthephoenix, the rules seem pretty clearly and consistently in support of drawing or stowing a weapon for every attack that is part of your Action.
This does not mean that the Thrown or Light properties are less useful, but rather the opposite. Drawing or Stowing two weapons as part of the actual with the Dual Wielder feat does appear to be more of a ribbon feature though unless you want to be maximising the Masteries that you use (which in the feat’s defence, does appear to be part of the design aims)
Yes, but per action does mean you can use a shield and attack with multiple weapons. And the statements with thrown weapons and being able to draw two weapons at once are redundant and not needed. So either an error was made and it was supposed to be per attack action (hence both thrown and feat would make sense) or they changed it from that.
My real question is was it intended to make longswords pointless and to use a great sword into shortsword into scimitar into shortsword and back to great sword?
Actually at level 4 you go great Axe, cleave with greataxe, switch to dual scimitars, make those two attacks, switch back to great Axe for the next round.
Longsword isn’t pointless, Sap and a Shield works nicely defensively.
At lv4 a Fighter with Action Surge and Great Weapon Master could as you say:
1st Attack, draw a Greataxe then attack. Cleave into a second enemy and then stow the axe. Killing both so that you are no longer in melee range with an enemy… and to trigger Great Weapon Master
2nd (/third) attack, draw a Shortsword and attack with it then gain advantage to the next attack. Then with Vex draw and attack with a Scimitar…
But you wouldn’t then be able to put away the two light weapons to draw the Greataxe… soo:
Instead you would draw and throw a Handaxe and a Dagger/Light Hammer which as both offer another interaction as well means you could:
draw a Greataxe then drop it on the floor and use your free object interaction to pick it up again… then move in for your bonus action attack.
Does the new PHB go into any more detail on weapon swapping then the 2014 did? It seems that there’s so many cases that a little detail would help. For example, sheathing a dagger and drawing a short sword would be way easier then sheathing/slinging a mace and shield and drawing a long bow but the current rules are pretty vague on exactly what the latter case would entail. My understanding of RAW for the dagger to sword would be that it’s an action to accomplish but for one hand & shield to something would be what, 2 actions?
My understanding, from the playtest documents, is that you can sheathe/unsheathe one weapon per attack, while donning/doffing a shield continues to take an action. (Someone who’s seen the actual book should be able to confirm or correct me.)
I haven't read the new Player Handbook yet but i hope there will be an better solution/mechanic for swapping between bow and two daggers.
The current rules make it extremely hard to do while in reality it's a hundred times harder/slower to stow one two handed sword than to sheath your daggers.
That you would need a feat to stow two daggers is really beyond me ..
We have now included this in the Attack Action:
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Attack [Action]
[...]
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.
[...]
---
This is also what I found in the new PHB, and I don't find any other mention of equipping/unequipping weapons.
If you use two weapon fighting (using Light property), does this mean that at the start of the turn, if both weapons are sheathed you can only draw one on the beginning of your turn if you also want to make an attack on that turn?
As far as I understand the rules, yes.
However, in my opinion you could also use the "one free interaction per turn" rule to draw the other weapon you need before taking the Attack Action (EDIT: or during).
---
Time-Limited Object Interactions
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, as explained in “Combat” later in this chapter.
Not really? The way it reads you can draw a weapon per attack. At least that's how I read it.
The two weapon fighting feat lets you draw two weapons at once. Which is kinda pointless if you can draw a weapon with each attack... But anyways.
Are you referring to the Fighting Style Feat?
And Dual Wielder has this:
Technically, the 2nd attack when using the rule for the Light property is not part of an Attack action. Instead, it's a defined Bonus Action that includes the ability to make an attack. So, you would only be able to draw one weapon for free with the Equipping and Unequipping Weapons rule.
But, as has been stated, you can use your object interaction from the Interacting with Things combat rule to draw your other weapon.
Oh that's a good point, didn't see the Time-Limited Object Interactions rules.
How i read the core rule; when you take the Attack action, you can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action. Meaning:
When you take a bonus action to attack, you can't equip or unequip any weapon when you make an attack as part of this action.
When you take a reaction to attack, you can't equip or unequip any weapon when you make an attack as part of this action.
And if you have the Dual Wielder feat; when you take the Attack action, you can either equip or unequip two weapons when you make an attack as part of this action. Still no weapon equip/uneqquip during bonus action or reaction.
Yeah I think it's supposed to be dual wielder that I was thinking of.
A difference between NPC monsters vs player characters i can see is that one can't equip or unequip as part of Multiattack action because it's not the Attack action.
Uh... that's a very good point!
Weapon drawing and stowing is much more flexible now, and is clarified as part of the Attack action: "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."
Something worth noting is that this flexibility no longer extends to donning or doffing a Shield, which would require the Utilize action, this is clarified in the online version of the Armor Table.
There is one specific question I would love to get some Sage Advice on though and this is in regards to the Thrown property. This Weapon Property specifically states ‘and you can draw that weapon as part of the attack’, is this in addition to the drawing and stowing from the Attack action?
If so this means two things:
Another note is that two weapon Masteries allow for additional attacks during an Attack action, these would also allowing for more weapon swaps:
I think the drawing/stowing rules are supposed to be per attack action and not per action. There is the feat that lets you draw two weapons at the same time which is largely pointless if you can draw a weapon with each attack. Like the thrown property is useless as well. Or maybe those are left over rules and the do intend to let you draw a weapon with each attack. But that also leads to dual wielding and using a shield.
Bhthephoenix, the rules seem pretty clearly and consistently in support of drawing or stowing a weapon for every attack that is part of your Action.
This does not mean that the Thrown or Light properties are less useful, but rather the opposite.
Drawing or Stowing two weapons as part of the action with the Dual Wielder feat though does appear to be more of a ribbon feature unless you want to be maximising the Masteries that you use (which in the feat’s defence, does appear to be part of the design aims)
Yes, but per action does mean you can use a shield and attack with multiple weapons. And the statements with thrown weapons and being able to draw two weapons at once are redundant and not needed. So either an error was made and it was supposed to be per attack action (hence both thrown and feat would make sense) or they changed it from that.
My real question is was it intended to make longswords pointless and to use a great sword into shortsword into scimitar into shortsword and back to great sword?
Actually at level 4 you go great Axe, cleave with greataxe, switch to dual scimitars, make those two attacks, switch back to great Axe for the next round.
Longsword isn’t pointless, Sap and a Shield works nicely defensively.
At lv4 a Fighter with Action Surge and Great Weapon Master could as you say:
1st Attack, draw a Greataxe then attack. Cleave into a second enemy and then stow the axe. Killing both so that you are no longer in melee range with an enemy… and to trigger Great Weapon Master
2nd (/third) attack, draw a Shortsword and attack with it then gain advantage to the next attack. Then with Vex draw and attack with a Scimitar…
But you wouldn’t then be able to put away the two light weapons to draw the Greataxe… soo:
Instead you would draw and throw a Handaxe and a Dagger/Light Hammer which as both offer another interaction as well means you could:
draw a Greataxe then drop it on the floor and use your free object interaction to pick it up again… then move in for your bonus action attack.