D&D 5E Bag of Holding Question

[Ulfgeir]

It is easier to fit one lion in a Bag of Holding than 50 house cats.

Unless you can have it as a Box of Holding...

 

[MarkB]

The outside dimensions are 2' diameter x 4' long. A cylinder of 2' diameter x 4' long is only a bit over 12 cubic feet - and the bag is listed as being able to carry several times that volume. Unless you want to rule that each individual item must still fit within the outside dimensions, but that's not in the item description.

It doesn't say it's a cylinder. It says its depth is four feet, and it's two feet wide at the mouth. Once you get past the mouth, the rest of it can be wide enough to accommodate its full 64-cubic-feet capacity.

 

[The Green Hermit]

That's what we've been doing but as were at 5th level I think we need to put reasonably limits on it that benefit both party and DM. This is mostly an exercise to try and avoid the arbitrary augment of the BoH blowing up.

I'm all for it blowing up!

 

[R_J_K75]

Unless you can have it as a Box of Holding...

What about Litter Box of Holding?

 

[R_J_K75]

I'm all for it blowing up!

Honestly after I started the thread I kind of came to the same conclusion.

 

[Voadam]

For comparison there does seem to be a lot of history of big 2x4 duffel bag bags of holding in D&D history, although Basic D&D had small sacs. As noted instead of a 2' circle opening by 4' depth, an interior of 4' x 4' x 4' would work, but is not required by the description.

5e:
This bag has an interior space considerably larger than its outside dimensions, roughly 2 feet in diameter at the mouth and 4 feet deep. The bag can hold up to 500 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 64 cubic feet. The bag weighs 15 pounds, regardless of its contents. Retrieving an item from the bag requires an action.

4e PH:
Bag of Holding Level 5
This item appears to be a simple sack of brown canvas.
Wondrous Item 1,000 gp
Property: This bag can hold up to 200 pounds in weight or 20 cubic feet in volume, but it always weighs only 1 pound. Drawing an item from a bag of holding is a minor action.

3.5 SRD:
Bag of Holding
This appears to be a common cloth sack about 2 feet by 4 feet in size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space: Its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into the bag, it weighs a fixed amount. This weight, and the limits in weight and volume of the bag’s contents, depend on the bag’s type, as shown on the table below.
Bag Bag Weight Contents
Weight Limit Contents
Volume Limit Market Price
Type I 15 lb. 250 lb. 30 cu. ft. 2,500 gp
Type II 25 lb. 500 lb. 70 cu. ft. 5,000 gp
Type III 35 lb. 1,000 lb. 150 cu. ft. 7,400 gp
Type IV 60 lb. 1,500 lb. 250 cu. ft. 10,000 gp
If the bag is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag ruptures and is ruined. All contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside out, its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. If living creatures are placed within the bag, they can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time they suffocate. Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move action—unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action.
If a bag of holding is placed within a portable hole a rift to the Astral Plane is torn in the space: Bag and hole alike are sucked into the void and forever lost. If a portable hole is placed within a bag of holding, it opens a gate to the Astral Plane: The hole, the bag, and any creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn there, destroying the portable hole and bag of holding in the process.
Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, secret chest.

3.0 SRD:
Bag of Holding
The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space: Its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into the bag, it weighs a fixed amount. This weight, and the limits in weight and volume of the bag’s contents, depend on the bag’s type, as shown on the table below:
Bag Bag Weight Volume Market
Type Weight Limit Limit Price
---- ------ ------ ------ ------
Bag 1 15 lb. 250 lb. 30 cu. ft. 2,500 gp
Bag 2 25 lb. 500 lb. 70 cu. ft. 5,000 gp
Bag 3 35 lb. 1,000 lb. 150 cu. ft. 7,400 gp
Bag 4 60 lb. 1,500 lb. 250 cu. ft. 10,000 gp
If the bag is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag ruptures and is ruined. All contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside out, its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. If living creatures are placed within the bag, they can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time they suffocate. Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move equivalent action, unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action.
If a bag of holding is placed within a portable hole, a rift to the Astral Plane is torn in the space: Bag and hole alike are sucked into the void and forever lost. If a portable hole is placed within a bag of holding, it opens a gate to the Astral Plane: The hole, the bag, and any creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn there, destroying the portable hole and bag of holding in the process.
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, secret chest.

2e Revised DMG:
Bag of Holding: As with other magical bags, this one appears to be a common cloth sack of about 2 feet by 4 feet size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space, and its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into this item, the bag always weighs a fixed amount. This weight, the bag’s weight limit in contents, and its volume limit are determined by making a percentage roll and consulting the table below:
Weight Volume
D100 Weight Limit Limit
01–30 15 lbs. 250 lbs. 30 cu. ft.
31–70 15 lbs. 500 lbs. 70 cu. ft.
71–90 35 lbs. 1,000 lbs. 150 cu. ft.
91–100 60 lbs. 1,500 lbs. 250 cu. ft.
If overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag will rupture and be ruined. The contents will be lost forever in the vortices of nilspace.

1e DMG:
Bag of Holding: As with other magic bags, this one appears to be a common cloth sack of about 2’ × 4’ size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space, and its inside is larger than its outside dimensions.
Regardless of what is put into this item, the bag of holding always weighs a fixed amount. This weight, the bag’s weight limit in contents, and its volume content are dependent upon its quality as shown below:
Dice Weight Weight Limit Volume Limit
01-30 15 pounds 250 pounds 30 cubic feet
31-70 15 pounds 500 pounds 70 cubic feet
71-90 35 pounds 1,000 pounds 150 cubic feet
91-00 60 pounds 1,500 pounds 250 cubic feet
If overloaded, or sharp objects are placed within so as to pierce it, the bag will rupture and be ruined, and the contents will be lost forever in the vortices of nilspace.

OD&D:
Bag of Holding: A sack-sized magical bag which will contain 10,000 Gold Pieces as if they were only 300. Objects up to 10’ length and 5’ width and 3’ height may be stuffed into the bag, but the weight equivalent, regardless of the weight of the object, then becomes 600.

Moldvay B/X Basic:
Bag of Holding: This item looks like a normal small sack, but will actually hold treasures up to 10,000 coins in weight, but will only weigh 600 coins when full. An item to be placed inside the bag may be no larger than 10' x 5' x 3'. An object any larger than that will not fit inside.

 

[R_J_K75]

For comparison there does seem to be a lot of history of big 2x4 duffel bag bags of holding in D&D history, although Basic D&D had small sacs. As noted instead of a 2' circle opening by 4' depth, an interior of 4' x 4' x 4' would work, but is not required by the description.

5e:
This bag has an interior space considerably larger than its outside dimensions, roughly 2 feet in diameter at the mouth and 4 feet deep. The bag can hold up to 500 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 64 cubic feet. The bag weighs 15 pounds, regardless of its contents. Retrieving an item from the bag requires an action.

4e PH:
Bag of Holding Level 5
This item appears to be a simple sack of brown canvas.
Wondrous Item 1,000 gp
Property: This bag can hold up to 200 pounds in weight or 20 cubic feet in volume, but it always weighs only 1 pound. Drawing an item from a bag of holding is a minor action.

3.5 SRD:
Bag of Holding
This appears to be a common cloth sack about 2 feet by 4 feet in size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space: Its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into the bag, it weighs a fixed amount. This weight, and the limits in weight and volume of the bag’s contents, depend on the bag’s type, as shown on the table below.
Bag Bag Weight Contents
Weight Limit Contents
Volume Limit Market Price
Type I 15 lb. 250 lb. 30 cu. ft. 2,500 gp
Type II 25 lb. 500 lb. 70 cu. ft. 5,000 gp
Type III 35 lb. 1,000 lb. 150 cu. ft. 7,400 gp
Type IV 60 lb. 1,500 lb. 250 cu. ft. 10,000 gp
If the bag is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag ruptures and is ruined. All contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside out, its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. If living creatures are placed within the bag, they can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time they suffocate. Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move action—unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action.
If a bag of holding is placed within a portable hole a rift to the Astral Plane is torn in the space: Bag and hole alike are sucked into the void and forever lost. If a portable hole is placed within a bag of holding, it opens a gate to the Astral Plane: The hole, the bag, and any creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn there, destroying the portable hole and bag of holding in the process.
Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, secret chest.

3.0 SRD:
Bag of Holding
The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space: Its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into the bag, it weighs a fixed amount. This weight, and the limits in weight and volume of the bag’s contents, depend on the bag’s type, as shown on the table below:
Bag Bag Weight Volume Market
Type Weight Limit Limit Price
---- ------ ------ ------ ------
Bag 1 15 lb. 250 lb. 30 cu. ft. 2,500 gp
Bag 2 25 lb. 500 lb. 70 cu. ft. 5,000 gp
Bag 3 35 lb. 1,000 lb. 150 cu. ft. 7,400 gp
Bag 4 60 lb. 1,500 lb. 250 cu. ft. 10,000 gp
If the bag is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag ruptures and is ruined. All contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside out, its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. If living creatures are placed within the bag, they can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time they suffocate. Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move equivalent action, unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action.
If a bag of holding is placed within a portable hole, a rift to the Astral Plane is torn in the space: Bag and hole alike are sucked into the void and forever lost. If a portable hole is placed within a bag of holding, it opens a gate to the Astral Plane: The hole, the bag, and any creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn there, destroying the portable hole and bag of holding in the process.
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, secret chest.

2e Revised DMG:
Bag of Holding: As with other magical bags, this one appears to be a common cloth sack of about 2 feet by 4 feet size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space, and its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into this item, the bag always weighs a fixed amount. This weight, the bag’s weight limit in contents, and its volume limit are determined by making a percentage roll and consulting the table below:
Weight Volume
D100 Weight Limit Limit
01–30 15 lbs. 250 lbs. 30 cu. ft.
31–70 15 lbs. 500 lbs. 70 cu. ft.
71–90 35 lbs. 1,000 lbs. 150 cu. ft.
91–100 60 lbs. 1,500 lbs. 250 cu. ft.
If overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag will rupture and be ruined. The contents will be lost forever in the vortices of nilspace.

1e DMG:
Bag of Holding: As with other magic bags, this one appears to be a common cloth sack of about 2’ × 4’ size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space, and its inside is larger than its outside dimensions.
Regardless of what is put into this item, the bag of holding always weighs a fixed amount. This weight, the bag’s weight limit in contents, and its volume content are dependent upon its quality as shown below:
Dice Weight Weight Limit Volume Limit
01-30 15 pounds 250 pounds 30 cubic feet
31-70 15 pounds 500 pounds 70 cubic feet
71-90 35 pounds 1,000 pounds 150 cubic feet
91-00 60 pounds 1,500 pounds 250 cubic feet
If overloaded, or sharp objects are placed within so as to pierce it, the bag will rupture and be ruined, and the contents will be lost forever in the vortices of nilspace.

OD&D:
Bag of Holding: A sack-sized magical bag which will contain 10,000 Gold Pieces as if they were only 300. Objects up to 10’ length and 5’ width and 3’ height may be stuffed into the bag, but the weight equivalent, regardless of the weight of the object, then becomes 600.

Moldvay B/X Basic:
Bag of Holding: This item looks like a normal small sack, but will actually hold treasures up to 10,000 coins in weight, but will only weigh 600 coins when full. An item to be placed inside the bag may be no larger than 10' x 5' x 3'. An object any larger than that will not fit inside.

So where do you stand on the original question?

 

[Lanefan]

So it looks like 4e really stripped it down, sharply reducing its interior capacity; and 5e relaxed this a bit but still didn't get back to the 1e-2e-3e versions and variability, while instead greatly reducing the exterior size.

 

[Lanefan]

@Voadam I'm not sure if this item still exists in 5e but earlier editions also had Heward's Handy Haversack, which was in essence a Backpack of Holding; smaller, lighter, and with less payload than a true Bag of Holding but using the same general principle of being bigger on the inside.

That satchel picture @MarkB posted makes me wonder if 5e tried to combine these two items into one.

 

[R_J_K75]

So it looks like 4e really stripped it down, sharply reducing its interior capacity; and 5e relaxed this a bit but still didn't get back to the 1e-2e-3e versions and variability, while instead greatly reducing the exterior size.

One thing I've hated about edition transitions is that things such as Boh changed. No point in my opinion.