"Handy" Item rules


Homebrew and House Rules

Liberty's Edge

These are rules that you may already use. I find that the idea of having a few 'handy' items is often house-ruled because it just makes plain sense. I just thought I'd codify them.

All characters now have three 'handy' item slots. Items in these slots are not equipped, but they are not stored, either. They are 'handy'. I'm going to stop using the quotes, but please know that handy is now a Term. It is supposed to represent a couple of items in your pockets, at your belt... in handy locations.

Retrieving a handy item is a free action. Replacing a handy item is also a free action. If your character is a haunted oracle, accessing and replacing a handy item is now a move action.

Only small items may be handy. This includes wands, rocks, thrown alchemy weapons, thieves' tools, daggers, mirrors, flint, and small musical instruments (such as a flute). Weapons larger than a dagger may not normally be handy.

Quick-draw now designates all weapons on your person as being handy.

The Handy Haversack creates two new handy slots, one on each side. After all, it is very handy, is it not? Similar items may also grant additional handy slots.

Archers must designate a quiver as being handy. If they do not, retrieving a stored arrow takes a move action.

Thoughts?


This sounds harmless enough, though I think it may create a level of micromanagement in some players that might become unnerving.

Liberty's Edge

It is a little bit of micromanagement, but it always annoys me that the wand of true strike that I use all the time is buried under the a pile of stuff in my backpack and I have to store it as a move action every time I want to use it. Then, unless I drop it on the ground, I need another move action to put it away. Realistically, this is something my character would have in a handy location, such as at his belt or in a pocket.

Of course, once it's possible for any item to be designated as handy, there must be a limit to the number of items that take this designation. Ideally, there should also be a limit to the possible types of handy items. It doesn't make much sense to make a suit of armor handy, for instance.

Under most circumstances, using this rule, I tell players that they can have "a couple" of handy items that are easily accessed. If they press the issue and ask for a limit, it's three.


I like the idea of a harness worn under a jacket or some such that has several sleeves for carrying wands that can be grabbed quickly, much like you'd see undercover cops using in movies for holding pistols.

Much more flavorful and badass sounding than sticking the wand in your belt.


The rules have a "belt pouch" but never really have any particular rules for having things in it, as compared to being buried in your backpack.. at the bottom.

Myself, I tend to designate several "small" objects there.. if only for RP sake.

"where is that chalk"
"in my belt pouch"!

or whatever.

I like your idea :) it tends to mesh well with that.

-S


Foghammer wrote:

I like the idea of a harness worn under a jacket or some such that has several sleeves for carrying wands that can be grabbed quickly, much like you'd see undercover cops using in movies for holding pistols.

Much more flavorful and badass sounding than sticking the wand in your belt.

A wandoleer, perhaps? With pouches for components as well? Hmm...

As far as handy slots, good thinking... for small or smartly attached/holstered items... One might get extra points for cleverness if a belt with many handy pouches is bright yellow, thought such is not very stealthy :)

Large items, such as (non-weapon) hammers, axes, camp shovels, and other long gear, would not generally be carried inside a pack, but would have leather straps to carry the gear over the shoulder.

You would be amazed how many ways soldiers find to stow items in pockets, belt pouches and clipped to harnesses for ready use. I can think of a dozen items used regularly that could be reached in an instant with one hand, while wearing armor, without going into my pack or changing position at all: Ammo (components/small trown weapons), water, energy bars (rations), knife, lighter (tinderstick), flashlight (scroll tube with permanent light cast inside and a lens/cover), shades, compass, binocs (spyglass), battle dressing (bandages), spool of string (you'd be surprised), chalk, flares, sidearm (dagger), etc...

Basically, if the player can explain or demonstrate the handiness of an item, they should be allowed to use such, rather than being limited to a fixed number.

Liberty's Edge

Grumpy Old Man wrote:
You would be amazed how many ways soldiers find to stow items in pockets, belt pouches and clipped to harnesses for ready use...

That is very true. But not everyone is a soldier (not even all fighters), and the handiness of all these items is partly the fault of their combat webbing and other excellent gear. I really just wanted to establish a baseline, and three handy items sounds like a great baseline to me. Most modern people, after all, have keys, a wallet, and maybe a cell phone. And that's about it. I'd personally allow for a few extra slots with clever explanations and ranks in appropriate skills (but no more than two or three), and a utility belt of some kind could easily add half a dozen slots or so without being magical at all. A masterwork utility belt and a sash with pockets might add as many as ten or twenty, if a character really wants to have lots of stuff handy. Most characters and players will not go to the effort to do this.

A nifty Handy Haversack or a Robe of Useful Items might make all your small, mundane items handy. I'd be fine with that, but would increase the cost a little for this additional functionality.

Liberty's Edge

Selgard wrote:

The rules have a "belt pouch" but never really have any particular rules for having things in it, as compared to being buried in your backpack.. at the bottom.

Myself, I tend to designate several "small" objects there.. if only for RP sake.
"where is that chalk"
"in my belt pouch"!
or whatever.
I like your idea :) it tends to mesh well with that.

-S

Thanks. That's exactly what got me started thinking about this.

Foghammer wrote:


I like the idea of a harness worn under a jacket or some such that has several sleeves for carrying wands that can be grabbed quickly, much like you'd see undercover cops using in movies for holding pistols.

Much more flavorful and badass sounding than sticking the wand in your belt.

How does this look?

New Item:
Wand Quiver
The wand quiver takes up a handy item slot, much like a quiver for ammunition. An average wand quiver has enough space for four wands, while a masterwork-quality quiver has space for six. Only wands may be stored in a wand quiver, but they are all considered handy as long as the wand quiver is equipped. Some wand quivers are bandoliers, harnesses, or belt attachments, but they still take up a handy slot, not a belt or a torso slot.
Cost: 20 gp (average) 60 gp (masterwork)
Weight: 1 lb.


Lyrax wrote:


All characters now have three 'handy' item slots. Items in these slots are not equipped, but they are not stored, either. They are 'handy'.
Lyrax wrote:


How does this look?
New Item:
Wand Quiver
The wand quiver takes up a handy item slot, much like a quiver for ammunition. An average wand quiver has enough space for four wands, while a masterwork-quality quiver has space for six. Only wands may be stored in a wand quiver, but they are all considered handy as long as the wand quiver is equipped. Some wand quivers are bandoliers, harnesses, or belt attachments, but they still take up a handy slot, not a belt or a torso slot.
Cost: 20 gp (average) 60 gp (masterwork)
Weight: 1 lb.

So is the wand quiver equipped or handy?

Liberty's Edge

Oh, you got me!
We'll say the wand quiver is handy, not equipped. Or, if you prefer, it's an exception to the rule that equips in a handy slot. Either way, it amounts to the same - just pretend I'm not a professional and I don't have an editor.


I've always made available to my players a "potion belt" that looks like a sash for shotgun shells (think Old West). Of course, this is on the assumption that a potion vial is a small tubular flask (about the size of a 12-gauge shotgun shell). Held 10 potions, and retrieval is a move action, allowing retrieval (while moving, if necessary) and drinking in a full round.

I also allowed a scroll pouch that was compartmentized for easy referencing of 20 scrolls. Assuming they were organized in some way, retrieval is a move action, allowing the scroll to be cast in the same round.


I think your system breaks down if you allow containers full of things to be in your 'handy slot'.

I'd rather ask players to interact with their inventory and simply explain how they have made items super easily accessible.

Packing strategy has other implications for role play too - character appearance, picking pockets, concealing weapons\magic. If a player simply has two amorphous slots they don't have to consider their characters quirks.

I'm fine with a rule of thumb that a player can likely create 2-4 items they can get as a swift action.


Sigurd wrote:

I think your system breaks down if you allow containers full of things to be in your 'handy slot'.

I'd rather ask players to interact with their inventory and simply explain how they have made items super easily accessible.

Packing strategy has other implications for role play too - character appearance, picking pockets, concealing weapons\magic. If a player simply has two amorphous slots they don't have to consider their characters quirks.

I'm fine with a rule of thumb that a player can likely create 2-4 items they can get as a swift action.

This. +9000

Nothing would tickle me more than to get "that guy*" in the party caught by a clever pickpocket in a huge city, and then explain to him how easy it is to steal things when they're "handy."

*:You know the one; the rogue that slips things into his pack when the party is still looting, and then tries to munchkin-ize everything he gets.

Liberty's Edge

Sigurd wrote:
I think your system breaks down if you allow containers full of things to be in your 'handy slot'.

I wouldn't, most of the time.

Here are the exceptions:
-Container is full of ammunition (it must be agreed that ammunition is super accessible, or ranged fighting breaks in half)
-Container is specifically made for the purpose (such as a wand quiver or a potion belt) and is limited in some fashion. Since the RAW contain no such containers, a DM is free to allow or forbid these at will.

And I would hope that a DM would make extra allowances for people who roleplay and explain things through character quirks. But I'm not about to make up rules for that - just a few hard-and-fast guidelines to make it easier. And if there's somebody who doesn't feel like talking about how his character is dressed or whatever... he can have a few amorphous slots so he doesn't feel too left out.


Lyrax wrote:

These are rules that you may already use. I find that the idea of having a few 'handy' items is often house-ruled because it just makes plain sense. I just thought I'd codify them.

All characters now have three 'handy' item slots. Items in these slots are not equipped, but they are not stored, either. They are 'handy'. I'm going to stop using the quotes, but please know that handy is now a Term. It is supposed to represent a couple of items in your pockets, at your belt... in handy locations.

Retrieving a handy item is a free action. Replacing a handy item is also a free action. If your character is a haunted oracle, accessing and replacing a handy item is now a move action.

Only small items may be handy. This includes wands, rocks, thrown alchemy weapons, thieves' tools, daggers, mirrors, flint, and small musical instruments (such as a flute). Weapons larger than a dagger may not normally be handy.

Quick-draw now designates all weapons on your person as being handy.

The Handy Haversack creates two new handy slots, one on each side. After all, it is very handy, is it not? Similar items may also grant additional handy slots.

Archers must designate a quiver as being handy. If they do not, retrieving a stored arrow takes a move action.

Thoughts?

Sir/Mam you get +1 internets. Enjoy your internets, whilst I enjoy your brilliant idea.

Liberty's Edge

It's sir, and thank you very much for your kind words.


Here is my version, going from the wonderful origional idea and its evolutions in the thread, to my own design asthetic of "how does this interact with a regular lvl 1 human commoner?"

Handy Items: Characters (PC and NPC) may have Handy items. These are specific items weighing no more than 5 pounds (and usually less), and no larger than 16 inches, that the character keeps within easy reach without making them any more vunerable to outside interference (stealing, sunder, etc.)

A character may have up to their Wisdom modifier in Handy items at any one time, representing the awareness needed to keep the item accessible outside normal storage without leaving it vunerable to enemies or the enviorment. (There is no penalty for a negative modifier, but the minimum number of slots is 0, rather than 1, so a character with Wisdom 11 or lower has no Handy slots.) Beyond this limitation, there is no limit to the number of Handy items a character may have during a period of time, such as in the case of drinking Cure potions or throwing alchemist fire in several battles. Designating an item as Handy is a move action (although often a full round action as it is first retreived then designated). A character could re-designate his handy items during a fight, as long as the neccessary actions are spent.

Weapons may not normally be designated as Handy, although many items that can be Handy could be used as improvised weapons. A weapon is either fully sheathed in a secure yet accessible location, stowed like a standard item, or held in the hand, making the Handy designation unneccessary. Magic Items that have a weapon function (staves, rods, etc) may not be designated as Handy unless the weapon function is one that must be activated (Rod of Lordly Might) in which case the item may be Handy as long as it is in its base, non-weapon form. Certain magic items (see below) may allow a weapon to be Handy.

Certain items may grant extra Handy slots. A Handy Haversack grants 2 extra handy slots, which can hold weapons. A Glove of Storing effectively grants a single Handy slot, overriding the normal limitations on weight, size, and type. Alchemical Bandoleers grant 10 handy slots. A Wand Bracer allows a character to designate 3 wands as handy. A character could wear two wand bracers, but it must be remembered that retreiving a Handy wand from a bracer requires the opposite hand. A Potion Belt can provides 4 Handy slots for potions.
For further information on these items, see below.

Items

Alchemical Bandoleer: 30gp This leather harness contains various adjustable straps, loops, hooks, and buckles for attaching common Alchemical Items, from Sunrods to Tindertwigs, Thunderstones to Alchemist Fire. Similarily shaped items, such as an Elemental Gem, Dust of Appearance, or Holy Water, may also be attached. The bandoleer allows up to 10 appropriate items to be designated as Handy.

Wand Bracer: 10gp This leather bracer appears reversed, having a flat surface on the insid of the arm. Upon said surface are a three lines of tiny loops, the ones closest to the wrist secured by a small button rather than directly sewn on. The bracer allows up to 3 wands to be designated as Handy.

Potion Belt: 20gp This thick leather belt is obviously not intended to hold up pants, rather it is worn over regular clothes or armor. Four small compartments adorn the front of the belt, though they are hidden behind small metal plates. The compartments are capped by stiff leather tops secured by small buttons, and inside is a lining of soft but thick padding, usually sheep's wool or cotton. A Potion Belt allows up to 4 potions or similarly shaped and sized items, such as poison vials, or soverign glue vials, to be designated as Handy.

Contributor

Honestly, I don't have much trouble with a character having anything be handy so long as they have a reasonable explanation of how it is handy.

Wizards already have spell component pouches which hold hundreds of tiny articles which the wizards always can have to hand when they feel like it, so it's not that big of a deal to assume they have a magician's vest with extra pockets or hidden pockets in their sleeves to miraculously conjure out whatever it is they happen to need at the moment.

Giving everyone else that same utility is more than fair. One assumes the rogue has a full set of lock picks but he has no trouble pulling out the right one for the task at hand.

I think the perk of the handy haversack is that you can suddenly reach into your magic bag and pull out things which one would not reasonably have handy due to size limitations. Ditto the efficient quiver.


though i don't call it handy items i have always just assumed that a wizard's favorite wand is tucked into his belt for easy use and use the same rules that apply to fighters pulling a sword, if you have base +1 then you can pull the wand as part of a move action. you'll need the quickdraw feat to make it a free action, i would also allow this with potions as i describe them as small vials.

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