D&D 5E Disarming results

[MarkB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=GGVJ4vbwHio#t=28s

While I am not a practitioner of taekwondo, nor do I approve of it as a combat style, this clip shows just how easy it is to disarm a weapon without application of egregious force.
It takes less than about five pounds of force, regardless of how well the opponent has a hold of his weapon. The wrist folds inward causing the fingers to extend, your other hand claps it out of their grip without any effort at all.

I haven't found a weapon I couldn't do it to, ranging all the way up to an AK47 and all the way down to a SEAL's SOG knife (about a three inch blade).

Would that sort of disarm be part of what basket hilts on certain swords are intended to counter? Or are those purely about deflecting weapon attacks to the hand?

 

[Sekhmet]

Would that sort of disarm be part of what basket hilts on certain swords are intended to counter? Or are those purely about deflecting weapon attacks to the hand?

They wouldn't really prevent that sort of disarm. Basket hilts were primarily to protect the hand from slashing or stabbing attacks, and then for decoration.

 

[Stormonu]

The one thing about disarm that bothers me is any disarm->pick-up->disarm->pick-up vicious cycles that you can get stuck in combat. Other than putting in an artifical limit on the number of times to disarm, has anyone got a good idea from preventing such wackiness?

 

[Li Shenron]

RAW: Nonlethal damage, p. 18 of How to Play. Granted, it's still damage, but it is entirely in the spirit that you want (I think).

Mm... not very much.

 

[MortalPlague]

The one thing about disarm that bothers me is any disarm->pick-up->disarm->pick-up vicious cycles that you can get stuck in combat. Other than putting in an artifical limit on the number of times to disarm, has anyone got a good idea from preventing such wackiness?

I don't think any monster will have the staying power to make this an issue.

As for picking something up from a contested square, I'd use a dexterity contest. If you have an action requirement, it means you can't disarm and take the weapon in one turn, which means the enemy has the chance to pick it up. If it costs them an action to pick it up, they just get disarmed again. A contest seems like a great way to do it.

 

[Kobold Stew]

As for picking something up from a contested square, I'd use a dexterity contest. If you have an action requirement, it means you can't disarm and take the weapon in one turn, which means the enemy has the chance to pick it up. If it costs them an action to pick it up, they just get disarmed again. A contest seems like a great way to do it.

This is a good summary of the problem. Thanks. For my tastes, with a Dexterity contest, the cost is becomes too high -- A successful disarming ends up giving a 30-70% chance of disarming the opponent, which is not worth a character investing in. Trip becomes much more reliable.

 

[Stormonu]

This is a good summary of the problem. Thanks. For my tastes, with a Dexterity contest, the cost is becomes too high -- A successful disarming ends up giving a 30-70% chance of disarming the opponent, which is not worth a character investing in. Trip becomes much more reliable.

'Fraid I haven't been keeping up with the packets - is tripping automatic like disarm? Should it go to a contest (Perhaps STR)? Seems to me if Disarm was a Dex contest, Trip a STR contest, Intimidate a CHR contest, Bull Rush a CON contest and the like, it'd make for some interesting decisions for fighters to make. But, would it also weaken them (i.e., you have to hit AND win the contest. It's like making the wizard roll an attack to hit with Charm Person and then the opponent gets a save on top of that).

 

[Kobold Stew]

'Fraid I haven't been keeping up with the packets - is tripping automatic like disarm? Should it go to a contest (Perhaps STR)? Seems to me if Disarm was a Dex contest, Trip a STR contest, Intimidate a CHR contest, Bull Rush a CON contest and the like, it'd make for some interesting decisions for fighters to make. But, would it also weaken them (i.e., you have to hit AND win the contest. It's like making the wizard roll an attack to hit with Charm Person and then the opponent gets a save on top of that).

I tried to summarize the situation in the original post -- quickly, though, both are possible in the current rules. It can be an opposed contest, and there exists a maneuver to make it automatic.

The problem is in play, there is some confusion about how it all fits together.