Net and Attcak

[Costantine10]

If i have a net and a sword in the other hand, i can attack with the net and then attack with my sword with extra attack or action surge?
If not can you please let me know why?

[Fighting_Ferret]

You are able to do that.

[Belac93]

That is not possible, as nets and swords are not light weapons, meaning you cannot use them with another weapon. If you have the dual-wielder feat, then you can hold one in each hand and attack as a bonus action.

Alternatively, you can hold the net in one hand, throw it, draw your sword, and then attack with the sword (you are allowed to draw or stow one weapon every turn).

[Naanomi]

PHB Page 148:
When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a net, you can make only one attack regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make
...may be intended to mean you can only attack with *that net* once, but seems to read that in fact the net attack is the only attack you can make with that action. Action Surge seems to be effective as normal, and offhand attacks (as a 'bonus action') may still be good. I like to combine net with things that either give you other options in combat (Shield Mastery: shove person over, drop a net on them) or already eat up your attack actions (Beastmasters love nets!)

[Fighting_Ferret]

He isn't trying to use two-weapon fighting, so isn't attempting to make a bonus action attack. There is no need to require the throw, then draw, then attack, when it equates to the exact same outcome with needless steps to conform to rules.

If he isn't trying to squeeze in a bonus action: attack, then he can do it via action surge.

[Fighting_Ferret]

PHB Page 148:
...may be intended to mean you can only attack with *that net* once, but seems to read that in fact the net attack is the only attack you can make with that action. Action Surge seems to be effective as normal, and offhand attacks (as a 'bonus action') may still be good. I like to combine net with things that either give you other options in combat (Shield Mastery: shove person over, drop a net on them) or already eat up your attack actions (Beastmasters love nets!)

I just re-read that part on the net... I agree with the interpretation of that is the only attack you can make that turn... and am left wondering why on earth they would do that... as it makes using the net practically worthless. I can see the reason for not allowing a fighter with multiple attacks to possibly restrain up to 8 enemies in a round, but they cannot draw that many nets in a round... at max they could attempt 2 nets.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I just re-read that part on the net... I agree with the interpretation of that is the only attack you can make that turn... and am left wondering why on earth they would do that... as it makes using the net practically worthless. I can see the reason for not allowing a fighter with multiple attacks to possibly restrain up to 8 enemies in a round, but they cannot draw that many nets in a round... at max they could attempt 2 nets.

My guess is verisimilitude. Entangling someone in a net is not a conventional 'ah hit it wiv muh axe'; it's a more complicated manoeuvre that requires extra time and effort to pull off.

I agree that it makes the net seem unattractive, which is a shame, but then, I never heard about net-fighting being a thing in actual, proper warfare IRL.

What I do like is a homebrewed bolas that has finesse and a longer range. That seems reasonable as an 'exotic weapon', right?

[Costantine10]

let me understand, i'm a fighter i use net, than i move to enemy trapped in my net and i can't attack him with my trident with extra attack( lv 5). What the hell? Can i use at least action surge for attack the enemy?

[Fighting_Ferret]

You can use your action surge to attack them, yes. Otherwise, RAW, no.

The net seems like a really poor weapon. The positive is that you can get the restrained condition on an enemy, until it is freed. It has to waste its turn freeing itself, or another target has to waste a turn freeing it. A lowly goblin has a 45% chance of freeing itself via a strength check, or a 70% chance of freeing itself via attacking the net directly (with average damage rolls). The downside being you get no follow up attacks, that is on your party to do, and you aren't guaranteed to hit (40-55% at level 1 vs the above mentioned goblin, depending on your dex score).

[Costantine10]

You can use your action surge to attack them, yes. Otherwise, RAW, no.

The net seems like a really poor weapon. The positive is that you can get the restrained condition on an enemy, until it is freed. It has to waste its turn freeing itself, or another target has to waste a turn freeing it. A lowly goblin has a 45% chance of freeing itself via a strength check, or a 70% chance of freeing itself via attacking the net directly (with average damage rolls). The downside being you get no follow up attacks, that is on your party to do, and you aren't guaranteed to hit (40-55% at level 1 vs the above mentioned goblin, depending on your dex score).

can i use my bonus action to attack with a light weapon with the dual wielder feat?

[Slipperychicken]

My guess is verisimilitude. Entangling someone in a net is not a conventional 'ah hit it wiv muh axe'; it's a more complicated manoeuvre that requires extra time and effort to pull off.

Loading a crossbow is also a complicated maneuver, but under dnd rules a user is allowed to make as many attacks as he wishes with other weapons after loading and firing a crossbow.

My guess is that they think the restrained condition is worth an extra attack or two because of all the nice things it does, including lockdown, wasting at least one attack from the target, giving advantage on attacks against the target, and disadvantaging the target's own attacks. It's a lot to accomplish with just one attack. If you have a low level NPC buddy, having him use nets on enemies probably isn't a bad idea; it wastes the enemy's time at least, and is an excellent debuff at best.


If someone in my group wanted to use nets, I'd houserule that it only restricts the number of attacks he could make with a net. He could net someone and stab that person with an extra attack, but throwing two or three nets in the same turn is out of the question.

[Fighting_Ferret]

can i use my bonus action to attack with a light weapon with the dual wielder feat?

Again the answer is no, as the net doesn't meet the requirements for two-weapon fighting without the dual wielder feat (in order to get rid of the light weapon restriction).

Your best bet is to talk to your DM and see if they are open to look at it like Slippery Chicken says above... only 1 net attack per round with the ability to still use your extra attacks.

[RickAllison]

Again the answer is no, as the net doesn't meet the requirements for two-weapon fighting without the dual wielder feat (in order to get rid of the light weapon restriction).

Your best bet is to talk to your DM and see if they are open to look at it like Slippery Chicken says above... only 1 net attack per round with the ability to still use your extra attacks.

A more important restriction is that the net is a ranged weapon and TWF requires a melee weapon. So even with the Dual-Wielder feat, you cannot TWF with it.

Now anyone with Haste becomes a boss with a net! They can only take one attack with the action from Haste anyway, so a Bladesinger or Valor Bard can blow one attack on a net, then still use Extra Attack (or a spell) for their main action.

[Fighting_Ferret]

A more important restriction is that the net is a ranged weapon and TWF requires a melee weapon. So even with the Dual-Wielder feat, you cannot TWF with it.

Now anyone with Haste becomes a boss with a net! They can only take one attack with the action from Haste anyway, so a Bladesinger or Valor Bard can blow one attack on a net, then still use Extra Attack (or a spell) for their main action.

Good catch! The net is a ranged weapon, but it is also a one-handed weapon with the thrown property. It doesn't meet the melee weapon part of that definition, but is such a weird weapon anyways. It is a ranged weapon, so you might think DEX is the primary ability, but then again... thrown, so STR. It only takes one hand to throw (should be two, but I digress) but also dis-allows any other extra attacks you might be able to make that turn. I know restrained is a nasty status, but prone isn't too far removed, and it can count as a normal attack, allowing for all subsequent attacks to be made. The net seemingly penalizes its user too much for what it grants (not that too many people actually use them...)

[Easy_Lee]

Aww what the hell, WotC? Netting people is a good strategy, so it must be arbitrarily nerfed?

Yeah, I don't see any way to contest the RAW on this one. I'm just going to have to house rule it.

[MaxWilson]

Good catch! The net is a ranged weapon, but it is also a one-handed weapon with the thrown property. It doesn't meet the melee weapon part of that definition, but is such a weird weapon anyways. It is a ranged weapon, so you might think DEX is the primary ability, but then again... thrown, so STR. It only takes one hand to throw (should be two, but I digress) but also dis-allows any other extra attacks you might be able to make that turn. I know restrained is a nasty status, but prone isn't too far removed, and it can count as a normal attack, allowing for all subsequent attacks to be made. The net seemingly penalizes its user too much for what it grants (not that too many people actually use them...)

That's not what the Thrown property does.


Thrown: If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. If the weapon is a melee weapon, you use the same ability modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you would use for a melee attack with the weapon. For example, if you throw a handaxe, you use your Strength, but if you throw a dagger, you can use either your Strength or your Dexterity, since the dagger has the finesse property.

Since Net isn't a melee weapon, the underlined clause does not apply. So it's just a normal ranged attack using Dex that happens to cause you to throw your weapon as part of the attack.

BTW, nets have two major advantages over knocking someone prone: (1) take more action economy to get out of; (2) grant advantage on ranged attacks (e.g. skeleton archers). So, giving a net or two to your skeletons so they can restrain targets for your other skeletons (and the PCs) to hit can be profitable.

Nets also have interesting interactions with Sneak Attack (do damage and restrain! Rogues aren't proficient by default though) and, possibly, with the EK's War Magic (depending on how your DM interprets the "can only attack once" clause).

[Fighting_Ferret]

That's not what the Thrown property does.



Since Net isn't a melee weapon, the underlined clause does not apply. So it's just a normal ranged attack using Dex that happens to cause you to throw your weapon as part of the attack.

BTW, nets have two major advantages over knocking someone prone: (1) take more action economy to get out of; (2) grant advantage on ranged attacks (e.g. skeleton archers). So, giving a net or two to your skeletons so they can restrain targets for your other skeletons (and the PCs) to hit can be profitable.

Nets also have interesting interactions with Sneak Attack (do damage and restrain! Rogues aren't proficient by default though) and, possibly, with the EK's War Magic (depending on how your DM interprets the "can only attack once" clause).

I'm willing to concede the first part about what Ability mod to use to determine to hit, but given that a net doesn't do any damage, noting that the net is the only weapon with "thrown" property that is a ranged weapon. Not to prolong the original discussion, which has already been concluded upon, but how are you justifying sneak attack working on net attacks, when a net doesn't do any damage for the extra damage from sneak attack to add to?

[MaxWilson]

I'm willing to concede the first part about what Ability mod to use to determine to hit, but given that a net doesn't do any damage, noting that the net is the only weapon with "thrown" property that is a ranged weapon. Not to prolong the original discussion, which has already been concluded upon, but how are you justifying sneak attack working on net attacks, when a net doesn't do any damage for the extra damage from sneak attack to add to?

The truest answer to your question is that I haven't thought that much about it. I noticed it as an interesting curiosity at one point; it didn't seem overpowered; nobody at my table has actually tried it so there's been nothing there to motivate further thinking; and this is the first time anyone on the Internet has challenged it either.

So, let's consult the Sneak Attack definition:


Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.

I don't see any requirement there that you must "hit and do damage", so from a RAW perspective it seems clear that you can in fact use a Net to sneak attack. But let's think this through a bit more using our DM hats. Two questions arise: (1) what type is this damage? Normal sneak attack damage adds damage of whatever the type weapon used; nets don't have any damage; (2) what is physically occurring with this sneak attack? Is the Rogue using the net to simultaneously strangle the creature? But that's not how strangulation works in 5E. In fact, how does sneak attack physically work in the first place?

Considering these points, I think I'd reluctantly conclude as a DM that I would overrule(?) RAW in this case and say, "Regular nets don't do sneak attack damage, because there's no damage type." Other GITPers may have a different take on it though.

Nets are still really interesting though, especially for minionmancers.

[Plaguescarred]

You can't deal an "extra" something that you don't deal in the first place if we go by it's very definition. So you can't deal extra damage if you don't deal damage.

[Plaguescarred]

noting that the net is the only weapon with "thrown" property that is a ranged weapon. It's not the only one, the dart is a ranged weapon weapon with the thrown property.


Because of the particularity of the net, it would not work with Extra Attack (as it's limited to only 1 attack per action) or Two-Weapon Fighting (as it's not a melee weapon), but it would indeed work with Action Surge or any additional action letting you attack again such as Haste.

[Fighting_Ferret]

It's not the only one, the dart is a ranged weapon weapon with the thrown property.

True the dart also has the thrown property, but also has the finesse property, meaning either can be used, which is why the net being Dex based had me scratching my head... I don't really care... I'm just amazed at the poor handling of the net.

[Telok]

Also note that the range increment on a net is 5 feet, melee range. Attacking with a net at 10 feet is at disadvantage. Attacking with a ranged weapon in melee is at disadvantage. So attacking with a net is at disadvantage.

[Easy_Lee]

Also note that the range increment on a net is 5 feet, melee range. Attacking with a net at 10 feet is at disadvantage. Attacking with a ranged weapon in melee is at disadvantage. So attacking with a net is at disadvantage.

Thrown weapons are technically different from ranged weapons, so I think they get around this, not positive.

[MaxWilson]

Also note that the range increment on a net is 5 feet, melee range. Attacking with a net at 10 feet is at disadvantage. Attacking with a ranged weapon in melee is at disadvantage. So attacking with a net is at disadvantage.

Unless the target is prone and only 5' away. Then it's non-advantage.

[RickAllison]

Unless the target is prone and only 5' away. Then it's non-advantage.

Additionally, I think certain feats or fighting styles get around the melee disadvantage.

[MaxWilson]

Additionally, I think certain feats or fighting styles get around the melee disadvantage.

Yes. I oversimplified for pith's sake.

[Saggo]

Thrown weapons are technically different from ranged weapons, so I think they get around this, not positive.

Really getting technical, there are only Ranged Weapons and Melee Weapons, and either could have a Thrown property. Regardless, Page 195 which details disadvantage for close combat and long range is only concerned about Ranged Attacks and a net will be a ranged attack (unless improvised of course). It really seems like they wanted nets to be disadvantaged before situational/feat modifiers.

[Easy_Lee]

Really getting technical, there are only Ranged Weapons and Melee Weapons, and either could have a Thrown property. Regardless, Page 195 which details disadvantage for close combat and long range is only concerned about Ranged Attacks and a net will be a ranged attack (unless improvised of course). It really seems like they wanted nets to be disadvantaged before situational/feat modifiers.

Gotcha. I wasn't sure if thrown weapon attacks counted as ranged attacks for the purpose of disadvantage. After all, WotC doesn't seem to consider thrown attacks as ranged for the purpose of the fighting style Archery. I figured there was a distinction.

[Plaguescarred]

Gotcha. I wasn't sure if thrown weapon attacks counted as ranged attacks for the purpose of disadvantage. After all, WotC doesn't seem to consider thrown attacks as ranged for the purpose of the fighting style Archery. I figured there was a distinction.While there is melee and ranged weapons having the thrown property, throwing a weapon always count as a ranged attack but doing so doesn't count as a ranged weapon unless it's one. So a melee weapon that is thrown is not a ranged weapon even though you're making a ranged attack with it.


Thrown: If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack

[Vogonjeltz]

I just re-read that part on the net... I agree with the interpretation of that is the only attack you can make that turn... and am left wondering why on earth they would do that... as it makes using the net practically worthless. I can see the reason for not allowing a fighter with multiple attacks to possibly restrain up to 8 enemies in a round, but they cannot draw that many nets in a round... at max they could attempt 2 nets.

I think it makes it desirable to use nets specifically on reactions or bonus actions as there would only be one attack anyway.

[Zalabim]

Loading a crossbow is also a complicated maneuver, but under dnd rules a user is allowed to make as many attacks as he wishes with other weapons after loading and firing a crossbow.

Has this actually been clarified? Because it looks like it has the same restriction as the Net, to me.