rules question - taking something from an adjacent willing ally

[fba827]

I may simply be missing it , but ...

What type of action (standard/move/minor) is it to get an item from an adjacent willing ally's belongings?

-I can find getting something from your own belongings (minor action)
-I can find getting a small object without being caught (via theivery) from an enemy but that has a chance of not getting the item and has the condition of it being small.

But let's say I'm standing behind Mr. Wizard and I want to take a potion out of his pack (because he can't spare the minor action this round). He is adjacent. He is an ally. and he is willing. Neither of the above two referenced rules seems applicable.

A standard action (with no sort of thievery or other check) seems reasonable to me. But I thought I'd ask in case there was a rule I was simply not remembering/not noticing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

I'd probably make it a no check minor action if the ally was willing, a standard action Thievery check if the ally was not.

 

[Camelot]

Unfortunately, the rules don't state anything specific, so this is all in the realm of house rules. You can do whatever you please and not have to worry about it balancing with the rest of the rules.

I would say to use a minor action, because it's a minor action to pick something up that's unattended in a square adjacent to you. Your ally can let you treat the object as unattended. If it's in a backpack or pouch or something, this might require a standard action. But unsheathing a weapon from an ally would be the same action they'd need to use.

 

[Ryujin]

For a willing ally I would make it exactly the same sort of action that I would require for the player to recover the same item, from his own person.

 

[the Jester]

I would definitely make it a standard action. It's simply harder to take something from someone else (especially if they are moving around in combat and such!) that to pull it from your own belt.

I'd make it a no-check standard, assuming a willing ally, similar to feeding an ally a potion vs. drinking one yourself.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I'd go with a minor action to take a held or readily-drawable stowed item from a willing ally, or to hand an item to a willing ally with a free hand or to place an item on an ally such that he can draw it with a minor action.

The closest thing to exchanging an item between allies that you could do while strictly following the letter of the rules would be to move adjacent to an ally, drop the item (free action), then, on his turn, the ally uses a minor action to pick it up. You could delay or even ready to prevent an enemy from slipping in and making off with the item 'between' your turns.

The other place to look for an analogous rule is potions. Taking a potion is a minor. Giving an unconscious ally a potion is a Standard. Willing isn't the same thing as dying or unconscious, of course, so it's not a great analogy.

...

A dicier thing to handle might be throwing someone an item. Throwing something is a lot like making an attack, so could be a standard action. You might need to ready that action - 'until the ally has a hand free' for instance. Then you need to decide on any roll or action to catch the item.

 

[Festivus]

I would definitely make it a standard action. It's simply harder to take something from someone else (especially if they are moving around in combat and such!) that to pull it from your own belt.

I'd make it a no-check standard, assuming a willing ally, similar to feeding an ally a potion vs. drinking one yourself.

How about a minor to work around that house rule then. Player A drops item as a free action, player B picks it up as a minor.

Making it a standard would be acceptable if it's a plate of jello in my opinion.

 

[fba827]

The closest thing to exchanging an item between allies that you could do while strictly following the letter of the rules would be to move adjacent to an ally, drop the item (free action), then, (snip)

While a good idea that that does work within the strictest letter of the defined rules, it would still require a minor action from the carrier to retrieve the item before he/she can drop it (free action)... so it doesn't quite fit the situation described.

 

[caudor]

Minor action. Then roll a d20.

If you get a one, then you grabbed something you did not intend to grab. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

 

[Camelot]

How about a minor to work around that house rule then. Player A drops item as a free action, player B picks it up as a minor.

Making it a standard would be acceptable if it's a plate of jello in my opinion.

Player A would have to use a minor action to put it in his or her hand before he or she can drop it, which (in the OP's case) he or she doesn't have time to do.

Unless you want to rule that you can wiggle your butt as a free action, thus causing all your items to fall off you like ornaments from a Christmas tree.