D&D 5E Dropping your sword during the enemy's turn?
MonsterEnvy
Legend
The better question is why is this being asked. You only need one free hand. And you don't need to keep both hands on a two handed weapon at all times.
I play a lot of war casters. I also believe in action economy. It has been ruled by Jeremy Crawford that dropping an item is a No Action. If it was a free action, you would not be able to do it as you can only take free actions on your turn. Jeremy's rulings are not AL official, but its what we got since the admins won't make rulings.
Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
This is a good point, the distinction between a free action and no action. People can talk when it's not their turn. It seems dropping a sword should be at least as easy.
Flamestrike
Legend
Drop it on your turn, leave a hand free, or take the warcaster feat for mine.
Im very particular with components and casting.
I do wish warcaster instead read 'You may use a weapon as the focus for your spells' instead of how it does read.
Im very particular with components and casting.
I do wish warcaster instead read 'You may use a weapon as the focus for your spells' instead of how it does read.
Plaguescarred
D&D Playtester for WoTC since 2012
No since item interactions occur on your turn, either as an action or free, not as a reaction on someone else's turn.
Ask your DM he may allow it anyway though.
BoldItalic
First Post
I'd allow it but ...
Make a Dex save to avoid dropping your sword point-first onto your foot. Success means you can go ahead with your reaction spell. Failure means you take 1 weapon die of damage (e.g. 1d8) and can't cast the spell.
Makes it more exciting.
Make a Dex save to avoid dropping your sword point-first onto your foot. Success means you can go ahead with your reaction spell. Failure means you take 1 weapon die of damage (e.g. 1d8) and can't cast the spell.
Makes it more exciting.
Prism
Explorer
I assume it refers to sword and shield
Arial Black
Adventurer
D&D is a turn-based system; you can only do stuff on your own turn!
Whatever that 'stuff' is.
Unless you have a specific, written exception.
'Talking' (briefly) is such an exception.
So are Reactions.
But 'dropping something' is not.
JC has not made 'dropping' an item a 'no action'; he simply acknowledges that the use of a two-handed weapon involves the constant shifting of your grip, and that each hand continually releases and re-grasps the weapon as part of its use. Two-handed weapons do not require both hands to be glued to it! You just have to have two hands free (of anything apart from the weapon, obviously) in order to execute an attack with it. When not actually executing an attack, you only need one hand to hold it. Weapons are physically balanced with this in mind.
Note that at any given instant, at least one hand will be gripping the weapon, but it switches from hand to hand, and from 1H to 2H, constantly while being used. But you need two hands available to manipulate it at the moment you execute an attack with it.
But if you want to drop it, whether it is a 1H or 2H weapon, that is something you choose to do. You can only do stuff on your own turn. You cannot choose to drop an item when it isn't your turn.
You can only choose to cast shield when it isn't your turn because Reactions are specific exceptions. You cannot choose to drop an item outside of your own turn.
If you have a weapon in one hand, whether it is a 1H or 2H weapon, then your other hand is free to cast a spell. If you are holding a 2H weapon in one hand while your other hand is free, then you are able to execute an attack with it because you have two hands free (holding nothing but the weapon) at the moment you execute the attack.
If you are holding two weapons or a weapon and a shield, then you do not have a hand free to cast a spell, and you may not choose to drop a weapon when it isn't your turn.
If you TWF or sword & board and want to cast spells, you need the Warcaster feat, or if you can use a holy symbol (and the spell has a material component that doesn't cost money) then you can have the holy symbol on your shield and so you don't need a free hand to cast that spell.
Whatever that 'stuff' is.
Unless you have a specific, written exception.
'Talking' (briefly) is such an exception.
So are Reactions.
But 'dropping something' is not.
JC has not made 'dropping' an item a 'no action'; he simply acknowledges that the use of a two-handed weapon involves the constant shifting of your grip, and that each hand continually releases and re-grasps the weapon as part of its use. Two-handed weapons do not require both hands to be glued to it! You just have to have two hands free (of anything apart from the weapon, obviously) in order to execute an attack with it. When not actually executing an attack, you only need one hand to hold it. Weapons are physically balanced with this in mind.
Note that at any given instant, at least one hand will be gripping the weapon, but it switches from hand to hand, and from 1H to 2H, constantly while being used. But you need two hands available to manipulate it at the moment you execute an attack with it.
But if you want to drop it, whether it is a 1H or 2H weapon, that is something you choose to do. You can only do stuff on your own turn. You cannot choose to drop an item when it isn't your turn.
You can only choose to cast shield when it isn't your turn because Reactions are specific exceptions. You cannot choose to drop an item outside of your own turn.
If you have a weapon in one hand, whether it is a 1H or 2H weapon, then your other hand is free to cast a spell. If you are holding a 2H weapon in one hand while your other hand is free, then you are able to execute an attack with it because you have two hands free (holding nothing but the weapon) at the moment you execute the attack.
If you are holding two weapons or a weapon and a shield, then you do not have a hand free to cast a spell, and you may not choose to drop a weapon when it isn't your turn.
If you TWF or sword & board and want to cast spells, you need the Warcaster feat, or if you can use a holy symbol (and the spell has a material component that doesn't cost money) then you can have the holy symbol on your shield and so you don't need a free hand to cast that spell.
jgsugden
Legend
RAW are covered above. RAI is subject to debate as I'm not really sure whether designers would gave wanted that access toshield without a feat or free hand. However, this is one of those situations where I encourage folks that are not bound by the RAW to ask what ruling seems like more fun? D&D when reasonable player requests are granted. It encourages creativity and heroics that feel like heroics. To that end, regardless of RAW, I'd allow it.
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