Bag of Devouring Screwup?

[TheBarbecueChip]

So I'm reading through my new DMG and I get to the magic item. Lots of cool stuff. This thread isn't meant to be a rant against cursed items. I actually like the idea but I'm confused about the bag of devouring. So there's a 50/50 chance that a player is drawn inside when they reach in. Fine, cool, whatever. They can make a strength check to climb out. Okay, sure. I might add a constitution check to avoid being sickened by the smell coming from their super duper adventuring shorts but that's just me. Another character can pull them out with a higher strength check as long as they aren't pulled in too. Makes sense. Any creature that starts its turn in the bag is eaten and destroyed............. wat?:smallconfused:

So it's easier to climb out from inside the bag than it is for someone to pull you out but in order to take the action required to climb out your turn has to start which means you've already been devoured..........? Am I missing something?

[Vogonjeltz]

Assuming you got pulled in on your turn, you get that one chance to pull yourself out.

[TheBarbecueChip]

So the rescuer might get to use it but the original victim wouldn't?

[Daishain]

So the rescuer might get to use it but the original victim wouldn't?
Reach in as a free action. Get pulled in by the bag. It's still your turn, use your action to climb the hell out of there. Fail, and your buddies have 6 seconds to pull you out instead.

[Xetheral]

Any creature that starts its turn in the bag is eaten and destroyed.


Reach in as a free action. Get pulled in by the bag. It's still your turn, use your action to climb the hell out of there. Fail, and your buddies have 6 seconds to pull you out instead.

A little odd that the time-until-devoured is measured in turns...I would think this is far more of an out-of-combat trap than an in-combat one. And if one does reach in during combat with their free item interaction, I sure hope they chose to do it before taking their action, rather than after.

[TheBarbecueChip]

Actually retrieving an item from a bag of holding isn't a nonaction (since technically free actions aren't a thing anymore) it requires your action to retrieve a stored item.

[SharkForce]

Actually retrieving an item from a bag of holding isn't a nonaction (since technically free actions aren't a thing anymore) it requires your action to retrieve a stored time.

everyone gets one free "interact with object" as part of their action.

[GiantOctopodes]

everyone gets one free "interact with object" as part of their action.

Almost, but not *quite* there. Everyone gets one free "interact with object", which can either be taken during their movement, or during their action. So let's cover the following examples:

"I reach into my trusty bag of holding as I move forward 30', pulling out my magic hand crossbow I recently put in there. I then use my action to shoot it at the Kobold on the bridge."
- Use object done during movement, you are sucked inside, have your action free to climb out.
"I move over to the lever with the first 15' of my movement, throwing it down and casting the Kobold into the green slime oozing below. As a thief, I use my bonus action to pull out the one key that will open the door to our salvation, which can't be picked, as we discovered earlier, and I use the remaining 15' of my movement to go to the door. I use my action to unlock the door."
- Use object done during bonus action, still have action free to climb out.
"I pull out the gem of binding and hurl it at the lich, sending his soul back to his phalactyr"
- Use object done during action, but the action intended to be taken (throwing the gem) ceases to be possible when you are pulled inside. A kind, reasonable DM will allow you to use your action to climb out instead.
"I slice the bindings off my comrades, and then run to the door, pulling out my lockpicks as I do so"
- Use object done during movement, action already taken, you are hosed.
"I flip the switch, engaging the whirling blades and turning the kobolds into mincemeat. Using my action, I retrieve my Staff of Wonderous power from the bag of holding."
- Drawing the item *was* your action. You have none left, you are hosed.
"I draw my hand crossbow and shoot the rope from which the prisoner is hanging, freeing him before the hangman can throw the lever. I run towards the hangman, drawing the prisoner's favored blade from the bag of holding as I do so using my bonus action as a thief"
- Action already taken, bonus action used to attempt to retrieve the item, you are hosed.

So, as indicated by others previously, it all depends on what you have and have not done on your turn when you try to get the item out. If you get devoured before your action, you can climb. If not, you're hosed. Myself, I'd probably allow someone to make the check on their next turn before being devoured, but perhaps I am too kind.

[nyjastul69]

Why does 5e care about tracking initiative outside of combat? Also, when would that initiative be rolled in a 5e game. I'm not very familiar with this ed. Yet.

[TheBarbecueChip]

Almost, but not *quite* there. Everyone gets one free "interact with object", which can either be taken during their movement, or during their action. So let's cover the following examples:

"I reach into my trusty bag of holding as I move forward 30', pulling out my magic hand crossbow I recently put in there. I then use my action to shoot it at the Kobold on the bridge."
- Use object done during movement, you are sucked inside, have your action free to climb out.
"I move over to the lever with the first 15' of my movement, throwing it down and casting the Kobold into the green slime oozing below. As a thief, I use my bonus action to pull out the one key that will open the door to our salvation, which can't be picked, as we discovered earlier, and I use the remaining 15' of my movement to go to the door. I use my action to unlock the door."
- Use object done during bonus action, still have action free to climb out.
"I pull out the gem of binding and hurl it at the lich, sending his soul back to his phalactyr"
- Use object done during action, but the action intended to be taken (throwing the gem) ceases to be possible when you are pulled inside. A kind, reasonable DM will allow you to use your action to climb out instead.
"I slice the bindings off my comrades, and then run to the door, pulling out my lockpicks as I do so"
- Use object done during movement, action already taken, you are hosed.
"I flip the switch, engaging the whirling blades and turning the kobolds into mincemeat. Using my action, I retrieve my Staff of Wonderous power from the bag of holding."
- Drawing the item *was* your action. You have none left, you are hosed.
"I draw my hand crossbow and shoot the rope from which the prisoner is hanging, freeing him before the hangman can throw the lever. I run towards the hangman, drawing the prisoner's favored blade from the bag of holding as I do so using my bonus action as a thief"
- Action already taken, bonus action used to attempt to retrieve the item, you are hosed.

So, as indicated by others previously, it all depends on what you have and have not done on your turn when you try to get the item out. If you get devoured before your action, you can climb. If not, you're hosed. Myself, I'd probably allow someone to make the check on their next turn before being devoured, but perhaps I am too kind.

A bag of devouring is modeled on a bag of holding. It is clearly stated in the description of the bag of holding that it requires an action to retrieve a stored object from a bag of holding. Therefore it is not a character's one free interaction with an object, it is their entire action. I think the best answer is probably the one that relies on the kindness and reasonableness of the DM but that isn't necessarily RAW .

[Ziegander]

Since you never actually retrieved an item from the bag if you got pulled in, perhaps it was the designers' intention that reaching into the bag and getting sucked in doesn't actually take your action, and thus you can still attempt a Strength check to climb your way out before you are instantly killed.

Why it is an instant kill though is beyond me. Have it deal some "bite" and "acid" damage so that it must take its time "chewing you up" and actually, y'know, devouring you while you attempt to escape.

[MadGrady]

Yeah, it is clearly intended to give the player at least ONE chance to escape. Whether that happens this turn or next doesn't really matter, especially in cases where this is occurring outside of combat. Much eaiser to story this one out.

As long as a DM grants at least one chance to escape, should be fine.

I do like the image of it taking a few turns to chew and dissolve though.....

[Vogonjeltz]

Since you never actually retrieved an item from the bag if you got pulled in, perhaps it was the designers' intention that reaching into the bag and getting sucked in doesn't actually take your action, and thus you can still attempt a Strength check to climb your way out before you are instantly killed.

Why it is an instant kill though is beyond me. Have it deal some "bite" and "acid" damage so that it must take its time "chewing you up" and actually, y'know, devouring you while you attempt to escape.

I'd agree with the action stopped = no action taken pov. That being said, when is this really going to come up in combat? Like you're going to find this bag and take it with you never having used it before and THEN decide to search it mid combat? Not likely.

[Mellack]

I'd agree with the action stopped = no action taken pov. That being said, when is this really going to come up in combat? Like you're going to find this bag and take it with you never having used it before and THEN decide to search it mid combat? Not likely.

I understand there is a 50/50 chance of it behaving like a normal bag of holding or trying to eat you. So you might have a time or two of it working fine until it attacks, which might make it in combat.