Odd question...

[Alucard2099]

I'm currently making the move from 3.5 to 5.0. I'm trying to understand the swift actions and what they can do and cannot do.

For example. In 3.5, you can get a feat called quick draw. It lets you switch from melee to ranged or vise versa as a swift action.

In 5.0, can you do this as a normal swift action?

[Shadow]

I'm currently making the move from 3.5 to 5.0. I'm trying to understand the swift actions and what they can do and cannot do.

For example. In 3.5, you can get a feat called quick draw. It lets you switch from melee to ranged or vise versa as a swift action.

In 5.0, can you do this as a normal swift action?

In 5e there is no such thing as a swift action. I think you're referring to a bonus action.
The general idea is that switching weapons should be simple and part of the attack action. So stowing a weapon and drawing another (single weapon, not two) happens as part of the attack. But as I said, that's the intention.
Rules lawyers will claim that you can only do one or the other for free, as each player gets to interact with one thing as part of another thing (opening a door is part of movement, drawing a weapon is part of attacking), and that the second interaction requires another action (either your Action or a Thief's bonus Use an Object). But that wasn't the intent and they are splitting hairs.

The intent was that these things are simple to do and can happen organically without needing a bunch of rules about everything.

[ghost_warlock]

The intent was that these things are simple to do and can happen organically without needing a bunch of rules about everything.

This is one of the things I think I like most about this edition. D&D has always seemed needlessly strict about what a character can actually do during its obscenely long six-second round.

[Slipperychicken]

I'm currently making the move from 3.5 to 5.0. I'm trying to understand the swift actions and what they can do and cannot do.

For example. In 3.5, you can get a feat called quick draw. It lets you switch from melee to ranged or vise versa as a swift action.


That's not what quick draw (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#quickDraw) did in 3.5. It just let you retrieve weapons as a free action. Even without the feat, any character could freely alternate between melee and ranged, provided they had multiple attacks and the appropriate weapons ready (for instance, one could make a melee attack with a dagger, then throw that same dagger at another target).


Also, there are no swift actions in 5e. Each round you get an action (similar to standard action), a bonus action, a reaction (similar to an immediate action), and movement. You also get one object-interaction which you can take as part of your action (a list of examples appears in PHB, page 190, but it includes stuff like drawing weapons and opening doors).

[Celcey]

Each round you get an action (similar to standard action), a bonus action, a reaction (similar to an immediate action), and movement. You also get one object-interaction which you can take as part of your action (a list of examples appears in PHB, page 190, but it includes stuff like drawing weapons and opening doors).

You only get a bonus action if something gives you a bonus action, though- you don't just automatically have one. Also, I'm pretty sure you can take a free simple action during your movement, in addition to the one you can take when you take you action.

[AstralFire]

You only get a bonus action if something gives you a bonus action, though- you don't just automatically have one. Also, I'm pretty sure you can take a free simple action during your movement, in addition to the one you can take when you take you action.

I was under the impression that "you only get a bonus action if something gives you a bonus action" simply meant that there are no universal methods of taking a bonus action: it comes purely from class features or spells, whereas everyone has access to opportunity attacks as a reaction.

[Celcey]

I was under the impression that "you only get a bonus action if something gives you a bonus action" simply meant that there are no universal methods of taking a bonus action: it comes purely from class features or spells, whereas everyone has access to opportunity attacks as a reaction.

You can also get one from two weapon fighting, but yeah, basically.

[AstralFire]

Okay, thanks, just checking. Was worried I just told all the players for my upcoming campaign the total wrong thing. :smallredface:

[Slipperychicken]

Also, I'm pretty sure you can take a free simple action during your movement, in addition to the one you can take when you take you action.

That's what I meant by the object-interaction stuff in PHB, page 190. Unless there's something I missed, of course.