Questions tagged [equipment]
For questions about items usable by a character, sometimes carried on their person.
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Why does everyone carry a 10' pole?
Based on this comment over on CRPG Addict:
No adventuring party is complete without a ten foot pole.
...
Jason, but WHY? In God's name, WHAT IS IT FOR?!
What is a 10 foot pole used for (its ...
104
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10
answers
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Where do adventurers keep all their stuff?
This is a bit of an equipment logistics question so might not be all that interesting to everyone but... Reading the 5e PHB, the backpack weight listing says:
Backpack: 1 cubic foot/30 pounds of ...
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Do you have to have thieves' tools in order to pick a lock?
Does a character have to have thieves' tools (TT) in order to pick a lock? Not necessarily proficiency in the tool, but at least have the tool itself?
I'm confused about picking locks and whether or ...
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13
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How can I explain to my player that Alchemist's Fire is safe to carry?
The Player's Handbook (p. 148) says that Alchemist's Fire "ignites when exposed to air":
Alchemist's Fire. This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an action, you can throw this ...
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6
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Can the arcane/druidic focus staff double as quarterstaff?
Does the staff version of an arcane or druidic focus also work as a quarterstaff?
At least at character creation can you say that for example your druids quarterstaff and druid focus staff is one and ...
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5
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Why are ball bearings so common in the Forgotten Realms?
A standard starting item in some packs is "a bag of 1000 ball bearings." Now, I am still a D&D newbie, but it seems to me that the cart is way before the horse here. Heavy-load-bearing ...
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2
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What's the starting wealth for higher levels?
The PHB only gives starting wealth for Level 1 PCs. Based on my experience in other games, specifically Pathfinder, I would expect to get more at higher levels. Where can I find an appropriate table ...
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7
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What is the point of a shield proficiency?
PHB describes the downsides of wearing an armor you are not proficient with:
Armor Proficiency.
Your class gives you proficiency with certain types of armor. If you wear armor that you lack ...
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43
votes
6
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What is the difference between an Arcane Focus and a Component Pouch?
Reading through the Player's Handbook, I've noticed that the Sorceror, Warlock and Wizard classes can all take either an arcane focus or a component pouch. My understanding is that an arcane focus ...
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4
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What is the use of a little bag of sand?
In the Scholar's pack on page 151 of the PHB it notes that you get a 'little bag of sand'. Is there any mention of what the intended use of that is in-game? I haven't found anything in the equipment ...
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How to reward players that come prepared for non-combat, non-RP situations? I.e., real life
For example, players who either spend their starting gold on combat gear, but not items like bedrolls and rations; or who, at char creation, simply ignored the equipment packs and just loaded up on ...
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9
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What is the point of lowering the hood on a hooded lantern?
From the PHB, p. 152:
Lantern, Hooded. A hooded lantern casts bright light
in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30
feet. Once lit, it burns for 6 hours on a flask (1 pint) of
...
- 65.5k
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2
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Can clerics create holy water?
I'm running a 5th edition campaign that's going well. I'm not very versed in the system just yet, and my group has run into a little bit of a bind - it's not game-breaking, but it tends to come up ...
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Can a spellbook contain cantrips?
Is it possible for cantrips to be written in a spellbook? Their description suggests not, as well as the fact that the Wizard's cantrips are 'known' rather than being in their spellbook.
For example, ...
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9
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How to destroy a spellbook when the wizard dies?
I would like to use a wizard as the enemy. I've done that before but this time is different: his class level will be above the group's level. As with any other wizard in the world he has to use a ...
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How much does a day's ration really weigh, one or two pounds?
In the PHB, the equipment list says that a day's ration weighs 2 pounds (p. 150), however, page 185 says that only 1 pound of food is required per day:
A character needs one pound of food per day ...
- 491
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3
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Are purchasable animals overpowered?
I have recently discovered that you can buy a large variety of rather strong creatures for very cheap amounts. A character that is moderately specialized in handle animal can easily get a +15 by level ...
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5
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Can animated undead wear armor and use weapons?
A wizard has just killed a group of heavily armored fighters with great weapons. He uses Animate Dead on the bodies. The spell reads as:
This spell creates an undead servant. Choose a pile of bones ...
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10
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Is there an official way to effectively carry a holy symbol without breaking Vow of Poverty?
A cleric who takes Vow of Poverty (Book of Exalted Deeds) can't carry a holy symbol. This is both true under the rules-as-written (he is allowed no material possessions except simple weapons, simple ...
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Does the True Polymorph spell form a creature with equipment?
When a spellcaster transforms an object or creature into a creature using the True Polymorph spell, does that creature form with equipment?
Example: if a spellcaster used True Polymorph to ...
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1
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Does a Wizard's spellbook need to be a book?
In the PHB under The Book's Appearance the text give two examples of how a spellbook looks like a book and one example with it being just a collection of notes.
Does a Wizard's spellbook need to be a ...
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8
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How to handle inventory and story of a player leaving
A player left my group recently. It was mutual and not-unexpected, and during the last session, the character left for an unspecified purpose.
The character (lawful-good wizard) who left had a few ...
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Do manacles provide any sort of in-game mechanical effect or condition?
Reading the description of manacles, they don't seem to actually do anything rules-wise mechanically when used. Am I missing something or am I just being too literal?
Do the manacles actually ...
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3
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What rules or guidelines are there about when to allow a party to acquire plate mail?
I have heard it said that 5e does not balance its encounters with respect to magic items; in other words it does not consider possession of magic items when defining appropriately challenging ...
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3
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Where are the NPC mages' spellbooks in the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure?
In Lost Mine of Phandelver, the party comes across (and presumably defeats) multiple mages. These are not specifically described as Wizards, but their spellcasting is Intelligence-based, and they know ...
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Can I cast spells that require a material component and still hold my hammer and shield?
I have a human cleric (war domain) with the War Caster feat. She holds a warhammer and a shield. Am I able to cast spells that require a material component and still hold my hammer and shield?
If not,...
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3
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What benefits does a tent give a character?
In my campaign (me being DM) one of my players entered an adventuring gear supplier, and they wanted to buy something. They asked “What does a tent do?” And the only thing I could think of was that it ...
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2
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Choosing equipment options at character creation
So if I'm correct, when you chose your starter gear and wealth you can either choose to roll some dice depending on your class and buy everything from that or you can choose the starter gear from your ...
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If PCs bought Volo’s guide from him - how much about creatures do they know?
A recent WotC published adventure gives PCs the opportunity to meet Volo and even buy his self-proclaimed “famous” Volo’s Guide to Monsters book in-game. Spoiler below:
This raises a few questions. ...
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2
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How recoverable is Magical Ammunition?
From Xanathar's Guide to Everything:
Walloping Ammunition: This ammunition packs a wallop. A creature hit by the ammunition must succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
...
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25
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2
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Would a centaur benefit from snowshoes?
I'm getting ready to run Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden and one of my players is going to be a centaur. Reading over the rules about travel, I see the talk of snowshoes and I have to wonder if ...
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Does a druid starting with a bow start with no arrows?
A druid's starting equipment consists of:
(a) a wooden shield or (b) any simple weapon
(a) a scimitar or (b) any simple melee weapon
Leather armor, an explorer’s pack, and a druidic focus
...
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votes
4
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Uses of the herbalism kit
Herbalism Kit. This kit contains a variety of instruments such as clippers, mortar and pestle, and pouches and vials used by herbalists to create remedies and potions. Proficiency with this kit lets ...
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Is there a way to stabilize a PC with Medicine check?
Due to a player shortage tonight I had to quickly roll a healer. Due to time I let the DM do most of it for me as I'm still pretty new. I did the naming and rolled for my stats but I let him pick my ...
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Can a Wizard cast a spell as a ritual without physically accessing a spellbook?
Part of the answer to this question what can a wizard do without a spellbook got me wondering. It states that you, as a wizard, can't cast a ritual spell without your spellbook.
And I can't help ...
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5
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In Out of the Abyss, one character requires an item yet starts with it confiscated. What should I do?
I am running Out of the Abyss, and there is a cleric in my campaign. This cleric requires his holy symbol to really do anything. However, you do not start with any items in this. I don't know what I ...
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What's the point of quivers?
Quivers weigh one pound and hold twenty arrows. Twenty arrows weigh one pound.
What's the point of having a case that weighs the same as what it holds? It won't let you hold more?
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How much weight can the standard 50' rope hold?
If I'm climbing down a rope, and get near the bottom, how much would I have to be carrying to break the rope?
What is the strength of a standard 50 foot rope from the equipment list?
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Can a Spell Focus or Component Pouch be used with a spell that has costless consumed components?
Spellcasters do not always need to provide the literal materials when casting spells with costless components, that's what pouches and foci are for.
A character can use a component pouch or a ...
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Should a wizard buy fine inks every time he want to copy spells into his spellbook?
PHB says that Wizards should use 'fine inks' for 50 gp for every levels of the spell he want to copy into his spellbook.
The problem is that there are no any 'fine inks' in the PHB goods list, just ...
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If an area is covered in both Ball Bearings and Caltrops, does the creature need to move at half speed or quarter speed to avoid both their effects?
So say I drop both Caltrops and Ball Bearings onto the same area. If a creature, for example an orc, moves across the area and doesn't wish to make any saves, does it move at half or quarter speed?
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If I stole a spellbook from a wizard, could I learn spells with it?
So I have this character idea: a rogue who wanted to be a wizard, but didn't have enough money to go to a wizard school. And I was thinking, if he stole a wizard's spellbook, what could he do with it? ...
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If I drop a bag containing 15 flasks of alchemist's fire on a giant and it hits, will it take 15d4 fire damage and so on?
While flying over a giant, I drop a bag containing 15 flasks of alchemist's fire and hit them. Will the giant take 15d4 fire damage and so on? Will the damage also be 15d4 for the following round?
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Can a player put a torch mount on their shield to hold a torch without using a hand?
Human fighter found a useful way around the issue of having to hold a torch or find a torch-bearer. He wants to affix a device like a sconce to the front of his shield that will hold a torch in place.
...
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Can Mage Hand pour out a vial of acid?
The description of Mage Hand says:
You can use your action to control the hand. You can use the hand to manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an ...
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Does a wizard need to hold a component pouch or focus in one hand in order for it to work?
One of my PCs is a (weird) wizard who is frequently switching quickly between items—one turn he's wielding a quarterstaff two-handed, the next he's got a component pouch and a dagger, and after that, ...
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Guide for using all the tools and kits
I can't seem to find this information in the three main rule books, but outside of some general information about lock picking, is there a definitive guide for how to use the various tools and kits ...
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4
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Does a net have 5 hit points or have to take 5 damage?
Under net (PHB pg 148):
Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net.
So does the net need to take a total of 5 ...
- 1,290
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4
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What do a minotaur's rations consist of, and can a dragonborn eat them?
I'm playing a game of 5e, and our dragonborn lost all of his rations from a magical key. He was given rations by our minotaur. What do those rations consist of? Would the dragonborn face any issues ...
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Is a Scythe an official weapon?
The sickle is an in-game weapon, but I couldn't find the stats for the Scythe.
I remember in 3.5 it had a Scythe.
In the DM book, I found that Avatar of Death use a Scythe with the following stats
...
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