Carrying and using items

I am reading the Beginner Box - Hero's Handbook, and I'm a bit confused about some of the rules regarding carrying and using items.

As I read the rules, if a PC carries an item in a pocket or a sheath he needs to spend an action retrieving it (e.g. 1 action to draw a dagger from a sheath or 1 action to take out a cigar from a pocket). And then he needs to use one action to actually use the thing (e.g. 1 Strike action to hit with the dagger, or 1 Interact action to light the cigar).

But then it seems there are some exceptions to this. In the description of the Healer's Tool and the Repair Kit (among others) it specifically says that "you can draw and replace them as part of the action that uses them".

The way I understand this is that by default I need two actions: 1 to draw/retrieve and 1 to interact. UNLESS noted otherwise in the description of the gear/item?

Is that correct? Seems like a weird distinction I must say.

The rest of us Pathfinder 2nd Edition players are a little confused, too, because the latest Core Rulebook errata about items and tools changed the rules.

Ordinarily, if an item is in a sheath, belt pouch, bandolier, pocket, or tied to a fastener on my character's armor, retrieving it takes one Interact action to get it from storage to held-in-hand ready to use. And using it is a separate action. And an Interact action triggers an attack of opportunity from an enemy with the Attack of Opportunity ability, so pulling out an item can be dangerous. Reference: Carrying and Using Items.

We have a few exceptions.
1) Taking something out of a backpack takes 2 Interact actions because the backpack must first be slipped off the character's back. The reason characters still use backpacks is because it allows carrying up to 2 extra bulk. Reference: Table 6-2: Changing Equipment. and Backpack.

2) Arrows and other ammunition can be drawn out of the quiver as part of a reload without requiring a separate Interact actions. This is great for longbows and shortbows that have Reload 0, so drawing the arrow takes no time at all. Reference: Reload.

3) Up to 2 Bulk of tools can be worn in bandoliers, pockets, etc. in easy reach so that they can be used without having to draw the items beforehand. I think the easy-reach exception for tools is because these kits have many small pieces, such as gauze, herbal salves, bandages, and suturing thread and needles in Healer's Tools, and drawing each item individually would be too complicated. Ordinarily, tools are used in Exploration Mode where activities, such as Treat Wounds, take several minutes and unpacking items is built right into those several minutes. However, we have special cases, such as Battle Medicine, where such things can be accomplished in a single action and the rules don't change for that. Reference: Wearing Tools.

As part of the errata changes, worn containers like belt pouches and bandoliers don't have to be tracked anymore. Backpacks, sacks, bags of holding, etc. that make carrying lighter and retrieving longer do have to have their contents tracked.

Mm, yeah, that Horn of Fog (2-action activation) I got, initially thinking I was saving an action on the 3-action spell cast, turned out not to be a deal. Although if my character's wearing it on a cord slung over the shoulder, that should be like a bandolier, but it isn't tools, is it? :-/

Horn of Fog says, "Usage held in 1 hand;" so it must be moved to hand from where it was attachd to the character in an Interact action before it can be activated in a two-action Interact.

Worse, though you envision it as hanging from a cord, the PF2 rules currently lack a way to use such a cord (the closest PF2 comes to the PF1 Weapon Cord is the Tethered weapon trait). So it would take another Interact action to pocket it again if you wanted to free the hand. A Release free action would drop it on the ground.

Yeah I'm gonna just sell the dratted thing.

Yeah I'm gonna just sell the dratted thing.

You can just hold it in your hand and it only casts 2 actions...

For one non weapon, item I would allow a player to suspend it from a short rope or sling allowing it to be drawn with one action and dropped(back to hanging/slung) as a free action.

We need weapon cords back. If only to stop littering dungeons with dropped items.

Greener and sustainable adventuring demands it.

We need weapon cords back. If only to stop littering dungeons with dropped items.

Greener and sustainable adventuring demands it.

As long as you limit it to 1 or 2 and non weapons only I'm all for it.

1 on each wrist, 1H weapons allowed, 1 Interact action to put back in a free hand and impossible to stow or throw while attached to the cord would be my take on it.