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Can a PC with Freedom of Movement escape from being swallowed?

For example, a Kraken swallows a PC who has freedom of movement. Would that PC be able to leave or not?

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2 Answers 2

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No, it cannot help you escape once swallowed

The relevant parts of the Freedom of Movement spell are quoted below (PHB pg 244):

... spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the targets speed nor cause the target to be paralyzed or restrained.

Being swallowed is neither a spell nor magical effect so this paragraph doesn't help us.

The target can also spend 5 feet of Movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as Manacles or a creature that has it Grappled.

Grappled is not Restrained, so this would not get the PC out of being swallowed. If your DM took a more generous reading of that line quoted above, then they could interpret "nonmagical restraints" to include anything that gives you the Restrained condition, but that's not how I read it.

Assuming you had the spell cast on you before you were swallowed, you could get out of the initial grapple that allowed the Kraken to swallow you, since it can only swallow a creature that it has previously grappled. From MM pg 197:

If the target is a Large or smaller creature grappled by the kraken, that creature is swallowed...

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    \$\begingroup\$ "nonmagical restraints" also includes creatures that grapple you, given as one of the examples. That sounds like it's on par with a creature swallowing you. \$\endgroup\$
    – Danny Cuppen
    May 28, 2018 at 16:55
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    \$\begingroup\$ "such as Manacles or a creature that has it Grappled" -> This list is by no means extensive, and swallowing is just on par with the given examples. It is a bit extreme to assume that "escape from nonmagical restraints" can't be used to break the "Restrained" condition. \$\endgroup\$
    – T. Sar
    May 28, 2018 at 19:30
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    \$\begingroup\$ @T.Sar Depends what we count as a "restraint". If I'm trapped inside a locked prison cell (but free to dance about within that cell), does Freedom of Movement get me through the locked door? If I'm stuck at the bottom of a pit, does it let me climb out? IMHO, manacles:prison cell seems analogous to grappled:swallowed. \$\endgroup\$
    – GB supports the mod strike
    May 28, 2018 at 22:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ If you are trapped in the prison of your own mind does Freedom of Movement give you peace? \$\endgroup\$
    – OganM
    May 29, 2018 at 0:00
  • \$\begingroup\$ @geoffrey a prison cell doesn't restraint you - you can still move freely and it doesn't drop your speed to zero. If you're chained to a wall inside a cell, freedom can help you escape the chains and move, but won't get you out of the room. My argument here is that the kraken's victim should at least be able to move freely inside of it. \$\endgroup\$
    – T. Sar
    May 29, 2018 at 10:32
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Yes

1st scenario: PC has already freedom of movement.

For swallowing, the creature first has to grapple, and from the spell description: "The target can also spend 5 feet of Movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as Manacles or a creature that has it Grappled" (FoM link). In this case the PC will not even be swallowed.

2nd scenario: PC obtain freedom of movement after he is swallowed.

The main effects of being swallowed are the Blindness and Restrained conditions (check the description of "Bite" for the Kraken). While Freedom of Movement cannot counteract the blindness, it will make you free from restraint. From spell description: "For the Duration, the target's Movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, and Spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the target's speed nor cause the target to be Paralyzed or Restrained." If being eaten doesn't fall into "spell or magical effect", it's still considered as a "restrain", so "the target can also spend 5 feet of Movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints".

So yes, you can do something, you just need some light... and to escape the body of the swallower.

While is quite intuitive how to escape from a Giant Toad, a Kraken is much larger and it will take quite some time to actually find the way out. But yes, you can escape from the creature.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Not all creatures that swallow other creatures must first grapple them. A Kraken must, but a Purple Worm doesn't need to do that. \$\endgroup\$
    – Gandalfmeansme
    May 28, 2018 at 17:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ how is being eaten by a Kraken "[a] spell [or] other magical effect"? I don't see how the spell helps you walk out of the Kraken. \$\endgroup\$
    – PixelMaster
    May 28, 2018 at 22:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ If being eaten doesn't fall into "spell or magical effect", it's still considered as a "restrain", so (from FoM description) "The target can also spend 5 feet of Movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints". So it's still possible to escape from a Swallow ability with Freedom of Movement. \$\endgroup\$
    – Pown
    May 29, 2018 at 8:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Pown you should really put that in your answer. Because the swallow ability is not a magical ability. So right now your answer is at least incomplete if not incorrect. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rubiksmoose
    May 29, 2018 at 13:15

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