Say I am holding a two-handed weapon in one hand (not wielding it); what kind of action is it for me to grab it with my free hand (so that I am again wielding it)?
My players and I could not find a clearly defined rule on the matter.
Is it a free action, like releasing it was? Or is it a single (interact) action? Or something else?
We're kind of surprised that since there is a release action, there doesn't appear to be a grab action.
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Most items that require two hands can be carried in only one hand, but you must spend an Interact action to change your grip in order to use the item.
Taking a hand off is a free action to release. Putting a hand back on is 1 action to Interact.
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Thanks everyone! Finding even simple rules in this new edition isn't easy sometimes!
Interestingly, this has the consequence that drawing weapons and shifting to a 2 handed grip are both actions that provoke an AoO, from an enemy that has that ability.
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Here is a similar question that came up: If you have two free hands and want to draw or pick up weapons, can you do it as one action or do you have to take two actions to do so? RAW I suspect it is the former but I suspect I will allow it at my tables so we don't have whole rounds spent just getting equipment ready.
I definitely haven't seen any rule that would allow 2 draws as 1 action. I know that quick draw felt pretty solid as a choice for a dual weapon ranger in the plates because of that.
I don't think houseruling a 2 weapon draw would break the game, but I'm not sure how essential it is, with the first round of combat seeming to be not quite as crucial as it was in 1E.
not to mention that you need to spend 2 actions to draw a 2handed weapon :D
Unless I'm missing a more specific rule somewhere, that's a much less solid assertion. There's just as much support for drawing a 2 handed weapon into a proper grip as 1 interact action.
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I was just being sarcastic due to the rule that grasping a 2hander with your offhand cost an action.
By that same logic, you draw the sword from the scabbard with your main hand then you have to grasp it with your off hand to make a proper 2handed grip.
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So it is important to pick up a 2-handed item with both hands when you can. The first entry in the table reads as follows:
Draw, stow, or pick up an item
1 or 2 hands
Interact
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How does this work with a longbow? Since it requires 2 hands to use, but can be held in one, do we assume that when you are not actively firing it its being held in one hand? That it does not require a reload action sort of confuses the state of the weapon when its not actively firing. Generally, its not going to matter, but if the wielder has natural weapons (claws) and attack of opportunity, does it have to spend an action to loose one hand grip in order to use the AoO? If so, does that mean it needs to spend an action to restore the 2nd hand grip? That seems odd since they would immediately drop that grip in order to draw and nock an arrow.
So to clarify:
* You can retrieve a 2-handed weapon with 1 interact action + 2 hands to immediately wield it.
* You cannot retrieve a longsword and a steel shield with 1 interact action + 2 hands; a character must use 2 interact actions to separately retrieve each item instead.
Correct?
What if, for example, a squire simultaneously hands a sword and shield to you? Also 2 interact actions? (Seems correct to me but I'm curious if others view it that way.)
Specifically this is mentioned.
If you retrieve a two-handed item with only one hand, you still need to change your grip before you can wield or use it.
So it's probably a good idea when you retrieve your weapon to use both hands.
I was just being sarcastic due to the rule that grasping a 2hander with your offhand cost an action.
By that same logic, you draw the sword from the scabbard with your main hand then you have to grasp it with your off hand to make a proper 2handed grip.
I just want to see a 2handed draw of a sword from a scabbard. Hahaha!!
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Some of these newer questions, such as drawing a two-handed weapon with two actions, are also being asked by my table, independently of this thread. :P
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So you can use both hands to draw two handed weapon as one action....look at page 273 table 6-2...the "Draw, sow or pickup item" allows one or two hands to be used. It even has a sub note about only using one hand to draw a two handed weapon requires another action
Seems pretty clear to me