Does changing weapons count as an action?

Good morning, Midgardians!

My question is: when a player wants his character to change weapons, does that count as an action? The manual says that if it's only one object, it's fine, but if you wanna interact with more than one object, it will count as an action. So imagine I'm wielding a 1h sword and a shield, but I wanna use my 2h mace. Ok, I swap my weapons without spending an action. But what if I wanna wield my 1h sword and my shield? That would count as an action since they are two objects, wouldn't it?

Thanks in advance.

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

Quote from Sequilonis >>

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

 But what happens when you are switching one weapon for other two. The Manual says that you can only interact with one object without spending an action. I'm talking about 2024 rules, by the way.

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from Sequilonis >>

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

 But what happens when you are switching one weapon for other two. The Manual says that you can only interact with one object without spending an action. I'm talking about 2024 rules, by the way.

Switching from one weapon to two weapons requires stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons. In the absence of a feature like the Dual Wielder feat that specifically overrides this, you can normally only do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one as your free object interaction and one as an action (either the Utilize action or as part of the Attack action). So you would not be able to do all that in one turn without Dual Wielder (or some other similar thing) or using something like Action Surge to be able to take a second action on the turn.

In practice, switching from using a single weapon to using two weapons in the middle of a fight is probably a pretty rare thing, since most weapon-using characters are built around one or the other.

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from Sequilonis >>

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

 But what happens when you are switching one weapon for other two. The Manual says that you can only interact with one object without spending an action. I'm talking about 2024 rules, by the way.

Switching from one weapon to two weapons requires stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons. In the absence of a feature like the Dual Wielder feat that specifically overrides this, you can normally only do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one as your free object interaction and one as an action (either the Utilize action or as part of the Attack action). So you would not be able to do all that in one turn without Dual Wielder (or some other similar thing) or using something like Action Surge to be able to take a second action on the turn.

In practice, switching from using a single weapon to using two weapons in the middle of a fight is probably a pretty rare thing, since most weapon-using characters are built around one or the other.

So you would be able to do it, but you'd spend your action, right?

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from Sequilonis >>

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

 But what happens when you are switching one weapon for other two. The Manual says that you can only interact with one object without spending an action. I'm talking about 2024 rules, by the way.

Switching from one weapon to two weapons requires stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons. In the absence of a feature like the Dual Wielder feat that specifically overrides this, you can normally only do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one as your free object interaction and one as an action (either the Utilize action or as part of the Attack action). So you would not be able to do all that in one turn without Dual Wielder (or some other similar thing) or using something like Action Surge to be able to take a second action on the turn.

In practice, switching from using a single weapon to using two weapons in the middle of a fight is probably a pretty rare thing, since most weapon-using characters are built around one or the other.

 

So you would be able to do it, but you'd spend your action, right?

No, as I said, stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons cannot be done in one turn without special features or additional actions.

Normally, you can do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one using your free object interaction and one using your action. Stowing one weapon and drawing two is three draw/stow operations.

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from Sequilonis >>

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

 But what happens when you are switching one weapon for other two. The Manual says that you can only interact with one object without spending an action. I'm talking about 2024 rules, by the way.

Switching from one weapon to two weapons requires stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons. In the absence of a feature like the Dual Wielder feat that specifically overrides this, you can normally only do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one as your free object interaction and one as an action (either the Utilize action or as part of the Attack action). So you would not be able to do all that in one turn without Dual Wielder (or some other similar thing) or using something like Action Surge to be able to take a second action on the turn.

In practice, switching from using a single weapon to using two weapons in the middle of a fight is probably a pretty rare thing, since most weapon-using characters are built around one or the other.

 

So you would be able to do it, but you'd spend your action, right?

 In practice, no.

The Attack action includes this:

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.

So, for every attack you get as part of taking the Attack action, you can stow or draw one weapon, plus you get your free interaction. If you only get one attack per round, you could stow your current weapon (free interaction) and attack somebody, drawing a new weapon as part of the process. If you have extra, non-bonus-action, attacks (or Nick mastery), you can draw another weapon when you make the extra attack. If you try, you can do some very silly things with this, assuming your GM lets you.

If you have Dual Wielder, you can draw or stow two weapons instead of one each time. (But probably not stow and draw at the same time.)

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from Sequilonis >>

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

 But what happens when you are switching one weapon for other two. The Manual says that you can only interact with one object without spending an action. I'm talking about 2024 rules, by the way.

Switching from one weapon to two weapons requires stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons. In the absence of a feature like the Dual Wielder feat that specifically overrides this, you can normally only do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one as your free object interaction and one as an action (either the Utilize action or as part of the Attack action). So you would not be able to do all that in one turn without Dual Wielder (or some other similar thing) or using something like Action Surge to be able to take a second action on the turn.

In practice, switching from using a single weapon to using two weapons in the middle of a fight is probably a pretty rare thing, since most weapon-using characters are built around one or the other.

 

So you would be able to do it, but you'd spend your action, right?

No, as I said, stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons cannot be done in one turn without special features or additional actions.

Normally, you can do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one using your free object interaction and one using your action. Stowing one weapon and drawing two is three draw/stow operations.

So I could do it only if I'm switching one weapon for another, and it won't spend an action in the process, right?

(Forget about this question, it's already been answered below) By the way, what if I drop the weapons rather than stowing them?  (that is, wielding 2 weapons, dropping them and drawing one weapon).

Thanks for all your help.

Quote from jl8e >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

Quote from Sequilonis >>

To don or doff a Shield requires a Utilize action to matter what. This is right in the description of the item.

There is more flexibility if you are switching other items like going from Shortsword and Scimitar to a Maul. In that case, you can take advantage your object interaction and the rules for drawing/stowing weapons as part of your attacks with the Attack action to swap your weapons without totally wasting a turn.

 But what happens when you are switching one weapon for other two. The Manual says that you can only interact with one object without spending an action. I'm talking about 2024 rules, by the way.

Switching from one weapon to two weapons requires stowing one weapon and drawing two weapons. In the absence of a feature like the Dual Wielder feat that specifically overrides this, you can normally only do two draw/stow operations in one turn: one as your free object interaction and one as an action (either the Utilize action or as part of the Attack action). So you would not be able to do all that in one turn without Dual Wielder (or some other similar thing) or using something like Action Surge to be able to take a second action on the turn.

In practice, switching from using a single weapon to using two weapons in the middle of a fight is probably a pretty rare thing, since most weapon-using characters are built around one or the other.

 

So you would be able to do it, but you'd spend your action, right?

 In practice, no.

The Attack action includes this:

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.

So, for every attack you get as part of taking the Attack action, you can stow or draw one weapon, plus you get your free interaction. If you only get one attack per round, you could stow your current weapon (free interaction) and attack somebody, drawing a new weapon as part of the process. If you have extra, non-bonus-action, attacks (or Nick mastery), you can draw another weapon when you make the extra attack. If you try, you can do some very silly things with this, assuming your GM lets you.

If you have Dual Wielder, you can draw or stow two weapons instead of one each time. (But probably not stow and draw at the same time.)

Oh, I forgot about that section! So answering myself in the previous post, dropping them also count as stowing.

So without Dual Wielder, I can switch one weapon for another and still be able to attack. Is that right?

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

So without Dual Wielder, I can switch one weapon for another and still be able to attack. Is that right?

Yes. You can put one weapon away with your free object interaction, and draw a different one as part of the Attack action.

Quote from wagnarokkr >>

Quote from JaimeVonCarstein >>

So without Dual Wielder, I can switch one weapon for another and still be able to attack. Is that right?

Yes. You can put one weapon away with your free object interaction, and draw a different one as part of the Attack action.

Brilliant! Thank you, mate!

You will increase the number of weapons you can switch and use based on how many attacks you get to make during your Attack Action. Particularly Fighters can make use of this to activate different weapon mastery effects. Using both the Attack Action and your free item interaction:

1 attack - can switch weapons before or after attacking so can use any weapon in your inventory.

2 attacks - can strike with the weapon you are holding, then swap for any other weapon for the second strike.

3 attacks - can strike with any two weapons in your inventory, either 2-1 or 1-2.

4 attacks - can strike with up to three weapons, starting with the one you are holding, in the pattern 1-2-1 or 1-1-2.

If you are holding two weapons things get messier, though the Nick property helps you get an extra attack and weapon swap in your Attack Action (5 attacks - up to 4 different weapons).

You can't draw/stow as part of a bonus action attack otherwise. 

If you have Dual Wielder feat and are using dual weapons you can basically cycle through a different weapon for every attack, for 6 attacks with up to 6 weapons.

When using thrown weapons you can almost always throw whatever you want from wherever. 

I would not put much effort into tracking this mid game, just give the players the rough weapon numbers and trust them not to take the piss.