Well with a shield by RAW there is no interaction question at all - it takes an action to don/doff a shield, right?
D&D 5E How do you rule switching weapons?
Well with a shield by RAW there is no interaction question at all - it takes an action to don/doff a shield, right?
The Crimson Binome
Hero
I'm on the "swap loadouts as a single interaction" team. This isn't Pathfinder, and I don't want to bother tracking where every weapon on the ground is.
I also treat thrown weapons as ammunition, so you can stow your sword and still throw 2-4 javelins without stopping.
I also treat thrown weapons as ammunition, so you can stow your sword and still throw 2-4 javelins without stopping.
Oofta
Legend
I mostly follow the rules. There is no free "switching" of weapons, if you really want you can drop a weapon. If a weapon that requires two hands to fight with you can be held in one hand. So you can hold a bow in one hand while fighting with that rapier in the other, or throw a javelin while still holding that greatsword.
I don't always pay a lot of attention to shields when it comes to things like grappling or climbing - you can generally either without taking off your shield. But yeah, the rules are kind of a pain for people that have a shield and want to swap out for a bow so I do allow an attack to replace dropping your shield. I always assume you start a fight with no particular weapon drawn.
I don't always pay a lot of attention to shields when it comes to things like grappling or climbing - you can generally either without taking off your shield. But yeah, the rules are kind of a pain for people that have a shield and want to swap out for a bow so I do allow an attack to replace dropping your shield. I always assume you start a fight with no particular weapon drawn.
Brandon Kettler
First Post
I don't sweat the 1h battleaxe and shield as much as the 2h great axe. I didn't know there was a RAW way to handle it, so I'll factor that in in the future. I was mainly considering what was realistic to me to accomplish in a 6 second window. Spending time putting stuff away while running 30 feet and swinging a weapon at someone didn't leave enough time to fiddle with and make sure weapons/shields were appropriately and securely stowed as another was swapped in, at least in my mind.
The Old Crow
Explorer
Stowing a weapon costs an object interaction. Drawing a weapon can be done for each attack. My reason? The ammo property. It makes no sense to me that an arrows can be drawn an unlimited amount of times, but daggers cannot. I like things to be consistent.
Hriston
Dungeon Master of Middle-earth
1. Dropping any item(s) you're holding is free. Likewise, taking a hand off an item you're holding with both hands is free.
2. Drawing or sheathing a weapon requires your one object interaction, as does picking up an item from the ground.
3. Donning or doffing a shield takes an action.
Interestingly, by one reading of RAW, if you have help removing your shield, it only takes half an action, but I have no idea what that means so choose to ignore it.
Ed Laprade
First Post
Yeah, too easy for a player to forget that the dropped bow has to be picked up after a battle, although the character certainly wouldn't. One of those 'little things' that I find it easier to not worry about.
Satyrn
First Post
My table just lets characters switch weapons without any reference to the type/amount of actions used. We regularly switch our weapon loadouts from ranged to melee, including two weapon fighting and sword and board, without eati g up any actions. So I guess that'd be "it's a free action at my table."
It works just fine for us.
I think my DM (or me when I'm DMing) might say "Okay, that's just too much" if a player tried to juggle a sword and crossbow like the monk in that other thread, but it'd because it's just silly. We might both just go with it, too.
Lancelot
Adventurer
At my table, dropping / sheathing / drawing are all object interactions. You get one for free each round, and after that it's a bonus action (or an action, if you've got not bonus action left).
Hence, drawing a weapon and attacking at the start of combat is no problem. The draw is free, and you still have both your action and bonus action remaining.
However, switching weapons in the middle of combat (or dropping your current weapon and drawing a new one) is going to cost at least a bonus action. You've already used your free action to drop or sheathe your "old" weapon. You need the bonus action to draw your new weapon.
This strikes me as reasonable. If 3 orcs are beating on you with axes in a frantic melee, and you're slinging your longbow across your back and drawing a (let's say) halberd, it's probably a more involved maneuver than a free action.
...and, needless to say, we strictly enforce the requirement of a full action to equip or remove a shield.
Hence, drawing a weapon and attacking at the start of combat is no problem. The draw is free, and you still have both your action and bonus action remaining.
However, switching weapons in the middle of combat (or dropping your current weapon and drawing a new one) is going to cost at least a bonus action. You've already used your free action to drop or sheathe your "old" weapon. You need the bonus action to draw your new weapon.
This strikes me as reasonable. If 3 orcs are beating on you with axes in a frantic melee, and you're slinging your longbow across your back and drawing a (let's say) halberd, it's probably a more involved maneuver than a free action.
...and, needless to say, we strictly enforce the requirement of a full action to equip or remove a shield.
i handle that the opposite way - i assume competence of the character and they pick up the weapon after a fight without the player needing to say it. that saves me the trouble of mentioning everything they see round after round - which is something the character has as a reminder that the player doesn't and so on. but that way, i can let the thing play simply and not have to worry about "you didn't say you picked up your sword after" silliness but still leave the tactical aspects in play.
51 flavors and all that.
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