Dropping a Pack

[moritheil]

One other very minor comment, there are no such things as move equivalent actions in 3.5.

I always thought that drawing a weapon while standing still was a MEA. Is it just called a "move action," then?

 

[reveal]

I always thought that drawing a weapon while standing still was a MEA. Is it just called a "move action," then?

Yes. They basically made it simpler so you can either take a full action, standard action, move action, or free action in combat. No more partial actions or move "equivalent" actions.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I always thought that drawing a weapon while standing still was a MEA. Is it just called a "move action," then?

Yes. 3.5 did away with the distinction between "move actions" (as in, move across the floor) and "move-equivalent actions" (as in, do something in about the same amount of time it would take to move across the floor).

Now, you've just got "move actions" (which you can use to either move across the floor or to do something in about the same amount of time it would take to move across the floor).

 

[glass]

I always thought that drawing a weapon while standing still was a MEA. Is it just called a "move action," then?

Yep. The reason it was called an MEA is that the Standard Action in 3.0 included a move (and took the full round). You could replace the move that was part of the standard action with an MEA. The Partial Action was the Standard Action minus the move.

In 3.5, the Standard Action is different. It is pretty much equivalent of the 3.0 Partial Action. Since the move is no longer included, it now needs its own action type (Move Action), which is also used for other things requiring a like amount of effort in the round (that used to be MEAs).

It's much simpler in 3.5!


glass.

 

[glass]

...and to actually answer the OP's question:

He gets into a bit of a scruff with a gnoll, and wants to drop the pack to be more mobile while fighting the gnoll. Now, dropping an item is a free action, but somehow I think shrugging out of a backpack would take more than that.

I'd rule it was a move action to shuck of your backpack (I voted MEA as that seemed the closest, even though as noted above there is no such thing in 3.5).

I'd consider allowing it to be combined with an actual move, analogous to the drawing a weapon rule, but as it's a little more involved that drawing a weapon I'd say it cut the character's movement in half for that action. I'd also set some fairly trivial prereq equivalent to the +1 BAB (+1 base reflex save perhaps).

If the rogue had a suitable weapon and was willing to cut it off, I wouldn't allow him to do it free, but I would allow him to use a single (automatically successful) attack if he had more than one.


glass.

 

[cmanos]

Excellent, cutting the pack off is not desirable as this is going to be atactic used often and I don't want to carry around spare packs.

And where would this "Adventurer's Pack" be located?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

And where would this "Adventurer's Pack" be located?

Talk to your DM - basically, take a normal backpack, and double or triple the price for being a "masterwork backpack."

 

[Inigo Carmine]

Talk to your DM - basically, take a normal backpack, and double or triple the price for being a "masterwork backpack."

Masterworking nonweapons/armor is typically a +50g to the price. At least that's for the items that add +2 to skills (such as MW thieves tools, and crafting kits, etc).

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Masterworking nonweapons/armor is typically a +50g to the price. At least that's for the items that add +2 to skills (such as MW thieves tools, and crafting kits, etc).

Well ...

Thieves’ tools: 30 gp
Thieves’ tools, masterwork: 100 gp

Artisan’s tools: 5 gp
Artisan’s tools, masterwork: 55 gp

Tool, masterwork: 50 gp

It's not quite as simple as +50. And, besides, a masterwork backpack doesn't actually provide any bonuses on skill checks, as the above do.

 

[Murrdox]

Well... it's not that new. It's given as a key part of what a fighter might do in a sample encounter in the AD&D 1st Ed. DMG, p. 225 (c) 1979.

No, I agree, it's not that new, and if it turned into an abuse, I'd start ruling aganist it.

However, the players that I have invariably consists of either powergamers who don't understand any tactics beyond what gives them a +1 or -1 to hit (i.e. if it doesn't have a modifier attached to it, they can't fathom it) or very inexperienced players who can manage to roll the attack dice and add up damage.

Ugh! I keep forgetting there is no such thing as MEA actions anymore! I stopped playing for a year just a few months after 3.5 came out. I have to get re-accumstomed to the new terminology