This backpack has a central pouch and two side pouches, each of which is an extradimensional space. Each side pouch can hold up to 20 pounds of material, not exceeding a volume of 2 cubic feet. The large central pouch can hold up to 8 cubic feet or 80 pounds of material. The backpack always weighs 5 pounds, regardless of its contents.
Placing an object in the haversack follows the normal rules for interacting with objects. Retrieving an item from the haversack requires you to use an action. When you reach into the haversack for a specific item, the item is always magically on top.
The haversack has a few limitations. If it is overloaded, or if a sharp object pierces it or tears it, the haversack ruptures and is destroyed. If the haversack is destroyed, its contents are lost forever, although an artifact always turns up again somewhere. If the haversack is turned inside out, its contents spill forth, unharmed, and the haversack must be put right before it can be used again. If a breathing creature is placed within the haversack, the creature can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time it begins to suffocate.
Placing the haversack inside an extradimensional space created by a bag of holding, portable hole, or similar item instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the Astral Plane. The gate originates where the one item was placed inside the other. Any creature within 10 feet of the gate is sucked through it and deposited in a random location on the Astral Plane. The gate then closes. The gate is one-way only and can't be reopened.
Notes: Utility, Container
Both the Bag of Holding and Handy Haversack have spaces inside with no given shape. The 4 feet deep is in reference to the bag itself. Basically, the Bag of Holding is a sack with magical space inside, the Handy Haversack is a backpack with magical space inside.
Since the space has no defined shape, only volume, items fit so long as they aren't super large.
As for the sword, it's total volume is far below the limit, so go ahead.
Switching depends on if you just follow the explicit text, or also the implied text.
As the Bag of Holding's name tells us nothing, and its text says it is 2 feet wide at mouth & 4 feet deep, but mentions no straps, it must be a large sack. This means it would either occupy a hand to carry, or be secured such that it would take a few rounds to access. Additionally, it would require 2 hands to access contents (1 to hold the bag, the other to reach in). This would explain its Uncommon status.
Meanwhile the Handy Haversack, by its name, tells us it is a haversack, a single strap backpack that can be worn as a hip bag. This means it could be accessed while worn, and with only 1 hand, explaining its Rare status.
If you just care about explicit text, swapping rarity could work.
"my gm uses variant encumbrance so this is a lot better than a bag o' holding especially for my str 2 character "
How can one have a 2 str when the minimum ability score is 3? Even when rolling 3d6, the least favorable ability score generation system, the minimum is 3.
Aren't there some game effects that cam forcibly reduce one's abllities down far as potentially even 1, AFTER play has begun?
One tpk later
Exactly what I was wondering.
"Placing the haversack inside an extradimensional space created by a bag of holding, portable hole, or similar item instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the Astral Plane. The gate originates where the one item was placed inside the other. Any creature within 10 feet of the gate is sucked through it and deposited in a random location on the Astral Plane. The gate then closes. The gate is one-way only and can't be reopened."
So, you can't combine these items?
Kobolds get -2 to Str, so rolling a 3 for stats can potentially get your starting Str down to 1.
Bag in hand, quiver on hip, haversack on back and balled-up hole in your belt pouch; just gotta keep'em separated. On that note, efficient quivers don't have that little clause, so RAW you could stuff those into bags without issue, but not the other way around.
If the item you're looking for is always on top, I'm surprised it's an action to retrieve it. That's no faster than a bag of holding. I might make it a bonus action or even a reaction. That would justify its rare status.
I think the intent was for Bags of Holding to be disorganized enough that it would take several retrieves to get to anything at all...
as stated in the item description as soon as you place this into a portable hole or bag of holding or other extra dementional storage space both items are destroyed and everyone within ten feet gets deposited at a random location on the astral plane
It does weigh less, but I’m not sure that’s terribly useful. I guess it depends on the DM.
What if you climbed up into a space created by Rope Trick? Would that open a gate?
You can combine them. Once.
I'd say the space made by Rope Trick is created by a spell, where it specifically destroys the bags and creates a gate if they're placed inside an extradimensional space created by an item. Reading it like that, it wouldn't open up a gate.
This. If extradimensional spaces created by spells counted then 99% of adventuring parties would be lost forever once the Bard learns Magnificent Mansion. 😂
Because spells are exempt, this actually opens up a very fun use for the haversack, which is to combine it with the Critical Role Wristpocket spell to smuggle up to 120 lbs of gear somewhere, since the haversack itself never weighs more than 5 lbs total (at least, not unless you attach something to the outside I suppose). Can't do that with the heavier Bag of Holding!
Also I just wanted to add, but there is one good reason why the haversack is rare compared to the uncommon bag of holding, aside from being lighter (and therefore handier); the haversack actually uses extradimensional spaces to store its items. This differs from the bag of holding which never mentions containing an extradimensional space, it is only described as having a larger interior than its exterior. This means that if you walk into an antimagic field, while the bag won't be usable, your gear will be unharmed, while strictly speaking a bag of holding should explode apart if it contains more than it can now hold.
Would make more sense to make this one Common, either that or rebuild it (besides, any DM forgoes having to actually look inside the BoG, so the benefits of this one are irrelevant), maybe if it took no action to search inside the bag, or allow to search and use an item as a bonus action, that would definitely increase its rarity.
"Placing the haversack inside an extradimensional space created by a bag of holding, portable hole, or similar item instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the Astral Plane.". this also works in any combo of the itens.
the good thing about handy haversacks is that they can be put inside other handy haversacks
You have to rumage through a bag of holding to get a specific item. Depending on how sadistic your DM is, this might take up valuable time.
The haversack always has what you are looking for right on top when you open it. Don't know why it is rare, though. can't be much harder to make than a bag of holding.