Im fairly new to DMing and we just started using D&D 5e for my campaign.
I have a few characters that either have a Handy Haversack or a Bag of Holding. I'm not 100% sure what the difference, but the descriptions make it sound like the Handy Haversack will give you want you want when you reach in. The Bag of Holding is more like a normal bag in that you may have to look for what you want.
With that being said, is it possible to pickpocket from either of those magical items? Given my understanding, would it be possible to randomly grab an item from a Bag of Holding like a normal bag? However, you wouldn't get anything from the Handy Haversack because you have to know what item you are reaching in for?
Neither item is immune to being pickpocketed via Sleight of Hand. So assuming you don't know what is inside, it seems to be random chance on what you might find on top.
Whether or not that item is easily pocketed is where hilarity might ensure. Say, a small pouch with coins and a longbow are the only two items in a haversack. It might be a 50/50 chance of either item, but the DC for pickpocketing the Longbow is probably a DC 20 or 25 vs. a DC 10 or 15.
And opinion, the Haversack will deliver something to the top if you know it is in there. It also means that reaching your hand in randomly has random results, because of this:
"When you reach into the haversack for a specific item, the item is always magically on top."
So if you don't reach in for a specific item, its random what's on top. And since it isn't attuned, if someone else knows what is in the sack, they can get it if they want to. That applies to friends and foes.
The 'always on top' for the haversack is mostly a holdover from previous editions. The difference used to be the bag of holding won on capacity, but the haversack let you get items as what would now be an object interaction.
The only problem with pickpocketing from someone's handy haversack or bag of holding is that it takes an action to retrieve an object from either one. It'd be a bit awkward to have your hand in someone's back for six seconds, no matter how stealthy you are.
Huh, I'm just now realizing that any of my games and any games I've watched online have treated the bag of holding as appearing to be empty unless you're reaching in to grab a specific item, but that's nowhere in the item description. Still, the specifics of how it works seems really open to interpretation... if it was simply a gateway to a 64 cubic foot chamber there would be no way to get anything out of it without first climbing inside, and that can't exactly be done as a single action. Although I guess it could be a space that expands? I'm sure there's a ton of errata about what can or can't be done with these items...
For me, the big advantage of the bag of holding, aside from the obvious loophole in encumbrance, is the fact that if someone is searching magically for an item they think you may be carrying, if it's in the bag of holding, they pretty much always will fail to find it.
I believe the general convention is you have to know what you're trying to pull out of both the Bag Of Holding and the Handy Haversack, the "the item is always magically on top" text for the Haversack seems like it's because the Haversack has a more defined shape than just a Bag. How specifically you have to know the item is likely up to the DM. So if you want to pull the 50 diamonds worth 25gp each that you know you have in YOUR BoH, piece of cake. But if you find a BoH while adventuring, can you say "I reach into the Bag and pull out all the gems that are inside", are you able to? Or do you have to turn the bag inside out and just see what was in there?
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Im fairly new to DMing and we just started using D&D 5e for my campaign.
I have a few characters that either have a Handy Haversack or a Bag of Holding. I'm not 100% sure what the difference, but the descriptions make it sound like the Handy Haversack will give you want you want when you reach in. The Bag of Holding is more like a normal bag in that you may have to look for what you want.
With that being said, is it possible to pickpocket from either of those magical items? Given my understanding, would it be possible to randomly grab an item from a Bag of Holding like a normal bag? However, you wouldn't get anything from the Handy Haversack because you have to know what item you are reaching in for?
Here is an opinion:
Neither item is immune to being pickpocketed via Sleight of Hand. So assuming you don't know what is inside, it seems to be random chance on what you might find on top.
Whether or not that item is easily pocketed is where hilarity might ensure. Say, a small pouch with coins and a longbow are the only two items in a haversack. It might be a 50/50 chance of either item, but the DC for pickpocketing the Longbow is probably a DC 20 or 25 vs. a DC 10 or 15.
And opinion, the Haversack will deliver something to the top if you know it is in there. It also means that reaching your hand in randomly has random results, because of this:
"When you reach into the haversack for a specific item, the item is always magically on top."
So if you don't reach in for a specific item, its random what's on top. And since it isn't attuned, if someone else knows what is in the sack, they can get it if they want to. That applies to friends and foes.
GLHF
The 'always on top' for the haversack is mostly a holdover from previous editions. The difference used to be the bag of holding won on capacity, but the haversack let you get items as what would now be an object interaction.
I didn't play older editions, but at a glance I can tell you that the differences between these two items didn't transition well.
The only problem with pickpocketing from someone's handy haversack or bag of holding is that it takes an action to retrieve an object from either one. It'd be a bit awkward to have your hand in someone's back for six seconds, no matter how stealthy you are.
I would give the attempt a suitably high DC.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Huh, I'm just now realizing that any of my games and any games I've watched online have treated the bag of holding as appearing to be empty unless you're reaching in to grab a specific item, but that's nowhere in the item description. Still, the specifics of how it works seems really open to interpretation... if it was simply a gateway to a 64 cubic foot chamber there would be no way to get anything out of it without first climbing inside, and that can't exactly be done as a single action. Although I guess it could be a space that expands? I'm sure there's a ton of errata about what can or can't be done with these items...
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For me, the big advantage of the bag of holding, aside from the obvious loophole in encumbrance, is the fact that if someone is searching magically for an item they think you may be carrying, if it's in the bag of holding, they pretty much always will fail to find it.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
I believe the general convention is you have to know what you're trying to pull out of both the Bag Of Holding and the Handy Haversack, the "the item is always magically on top" text for the Haversack seems like it's because the Haversack has a more defined shape than just a Bag. How specifically you have to know the item is likely up to the DM. So if you want to pull the 50 diamonds worth 25gp each that you know you have in YOUR BoH, piece of cake. But if you find a BoH while adventuring, can you say "I reach into the Bag and pull out all the gems that are inside", are you able to? Or do you have to turn the bag inside out and just see what was in there?