Picking up twohanded weapon with one hand?

[Foxydono]

I'm trying to make a strength based ranger that can disarm an opponent with its whip. The 'problem' is that even if I manage to disarm my opponent, he or she van just pick up their weapon as part of their movement the next turn. So I don't gain a lot by doing this.

But I can pick up the weapon as well as long as I have a free hand to do so. This poses some questions though:
- Can I drop my shield as a free action, so I can still pick up the dropped weapon as part of my movement?
- The whip is not considered a light weapon, so I can only dual wield the picked up weapon when it's light. But what if I pick up a heavy or a twohanded weapon? Could I pick up a twohanded weapon with one hand?
- If this is the case, could I still attack with my whip (maybe with disadvantage)?

I did browse around a bit, but I could 't find the answer I was looking for. So hopefully you guys can help me out.

[Malifice]

I'm trying to make a strength based ranger that can disarm an opponent with its whip. The 'problem' is that even if I manage to disarm my opponent, he or she van just pick up their weapon as part of their movement the next turn. So I don't gain a lot by doing this.

But I can pick up the weapon as well as long as I have a free hand to do so. This poses some questions though:
- Can I drop my shield as a free action, so I can still pick up the dropped weapon as part of my movement?
- The whip is not considered a light weapon, so I can only dual wield the picked up weapon when it's light. But what if I pick up a heavy or a twohanded weapon? Could I pick up a twohanded weapon with one hand?
- If this is the case, could I still attack with my whip (maybe with disadvantage)?

I did browse around a bit, but I could 't find the answer I was looking for. So hopefully you guys can help me out.

Donning/ Doffing a shield is an action.

Why dont you just use your 'one free object interaction' per turn to kick the weapon away?

[Foxydono]

Well I could do that, but how far can you shove or kick a weapon away? The opponent can just pick the weapon up again during his or her movement, so the benefit would be minor. Unless you kick the weapon so far out of reach that the opponent triggers an attack of opportunity of course!

[Malifice]

Well I could do that, but how far can you shove or kick a weapon away? The opponent can just pick the weapon up again during his or her movement, so the benefit would be minor. Unless you kick the weapon so far out of reach that the opponent triggers an attack of opportunity of course!

Exactly.

You could also substitute an attack for the shove action (or take the Martial adept feat or a level or two in Battlemaster for the pushing attack manouver)

The latter option also gets disarming attack as a manouver as well.

You hit the guy (spam disarming attack) and then you hit the guy (spamming pushing attack).

Bam presto; he's been clobbered twice, disarmed and now pushed backwards 10' away from his weapon.

[CursedRhubarb]

You would be able to pick it up. Holding a weapon only requires one hand, this is what let's paladin's, clerics, bladelocks, and others weild something like a greatsword and still be able to cast spells.

You would not be able to attack while holding it in one hand and your main weapon in the other unless both the weapon you pick up and the one you had before qualify for two weapon fighting.

But you can disarm, pick it up, and retreat or hold your ground.

[JAL_1138]

I forget if it was a Sage Advice or a Mearls tweet, but one or the other of them said you could hold a two-handed weapon in one hand but not use it one-handed. It was in the context of casting; you wouldn't need War aster feat for a mage with a greatsword or polearm to cast, because you could just let go of it with one hand, perform the somatic component with your now-free hand, and put your hand back on the weapon afterward. You just need two hands to actually swing the thing.

And you only need one hand to attack with a 1H weapon like a whip, so no disadvantage if you're just attacking w/ the whip. You're not "dual wielding" if you're only using one weapon (and not trying to get the bonus action attack for TWF). When actually dual-wielding (to get the bonus action attack), both weapons must be light unless you have the Dual Wielder feat, so no whip+(light weapon) TWF combo without the feat.

Malifice is correct about donning/doffing a shield being an Action (because center-grip shields and bucklers don't exist in D&D, apparently).

Kicking the weapon away is a DM decision on whether it's possible and how far you kick it; no RAW on it as far as I'm aware. I'd allow it, probably a Str Athletics check or something to see how far, but keep in mind that's just me and not the rules.

Keep in mind a disarmed enemy can't make opportunity attacks with the weapon. Someone else in the party could run in, grab it, run back, and only risk an unarmed attack (1+Str unless Monk or Tavern Brawler? I forget the unarmed strike damage). Or stay close to them and not even risk the unarmed op attack.

[Rysto]

You would not be able to attack while holding it in one hand and your main weapon in the other unless both the weapon you pick up and the one you had before qualify for two weapon fighting.

Why not? I can't think of anything in the rules that would prevent you from attacking with a one-handed weapon while your other hand is carrying something. It wouldn't qualify for two-weapon fighting of course but that's no bar to simply attacking with one weapon.

[Shining Wrath]

Only time I'd object to you picking up a two handed weapon with one hand would be if all of the following were true

The weapon was also a heavy weapon (small races cannot wield proficiently)
You were a member of a small race (halfling or gnome)
You had dumped Strength (8 or less)


I can see asking for a DC 5 strength check in that situation.

I houseruled that picking something up off the floor while in a threatened square provokes an opportunity attack, precisely because I thought that disarming someone ought to impose more than a minor inconvenience. Ask your DM if he finds that acceptable, remembering it will work both ways.

[CursedRhubarb]

Why not? I can't think of anything in the rules that would prevent you from attacking with a one-handed weapon while your other hand is carrying something. It wouldn't qualify for two-weapon fighting of course but that's no bar to simply attacking with one weapon.

I suppose there isn't anything that says you can't just use the main hand one huh? So I guess you could use your main hand 1h weapon.

Just make sure to clearly state the one you pick up is an "object" and there shouldn't be any issues. If you call it a "weapon" I could see confusion leading to people calling foul by thinking you want to use it for twf or to use a 2h weapon one handed.

[Malifice]

Only time I'd object to you picking up a two handed weapon with one hand would be if all of the following were true

The weapon was also a heavy weapon (small races cannot wield proficiently)
You were a member of a small race (halfling or gnome)
You had dumped Strength (8 or less)


I can see asking for a DC 5 strength check in that situation.

I houseruled that picking something up off the floor while in a threatened square provokes an opportunity attack, precisely because I thought that disarming someone ought to impose more than a minor inconvenience. Ask your DM if he finds that acceptable, remembering it will work both ways.

Dude, a Two handed weapon is like 3-5 kgs.

If tou cant pick up 3-5 kgs with one hand, then you really need to hit the gym.

[CursedRhubarb]

Dude, a Two handed weapon is like 3-5 kgs.

If tou cant pick up 3-5 kgs with one hand, then you really need to hit the gym.

A greatsword is the same weight as a set of manacles so it is kind of silly to be able to use one but not the other. XD

[JAL_1138]

A greatsword is the same weight as a set of manacles so it is kind of silly to be able to use one but not the other. XD

I figure it's a question of relative size, not weight, for Small races (despite the name of the "Heavy" property). A Halfling Battlemaster Fighter with 20 Str who can bench-press a half-elf Valor Bard still can't use a glaive proficently while the Valor Bard can.

[Foxydono]

Thanks for all the replies! So if I can sum it up (correct me if I'm wrong):
- I cannot drop my shield as a free action, but only as a normal action.
- I could shove the weapon away as part of my movement with a strength (athletics) check. The distance will depend on the DM.
- I can pick up the weapon myself (would this trigger an AoO?) if I have a free hand, even if it's a two-handed weapon.
- When holding the two-handed weapon in my offhand I can still attack with my whip.

So my two questions remaining are:
- If my opponent leaves my (or my weapons if there is a difference?) reach, I get a AoO as a reaction. In case of a reach weapon is this 5 or 10 feet? I read various threads about this, but not everyone is saying the same thing.
- Does picking up a weapon near my opponent trigger an AoO?

[Malifice]

So my two questions remaining are:
- If my opponent leaves my (or my weapons if there is a difference?) reach, I get a AoO as a reaction. In case of a reach weapon is this 5 or 10 feet? I read various threads about this, but not everyone is saying the same thing.
- Does picking up a weapon near my opponent trigger an AoO?

1) If your opponent leaves your reach without taking the disengage action you get an AoO. If your reach is 10' becuase of a reach weapon, then thats your reach.

2) No.

[Addaran]

- Can I drop my shield as a free action, so I can still pick up the dropped weapon as part of my movement?


- I could shove the weapon away as part of my movement with a strength (athletics) check. The distance will depend on the DM.


There's no "movement" action that you can substitude in 5ed. You get your speed in movement for the turn, but you can't exchange it for something else even if you aren't gonna use it.

You do get one free "object interaction" per turn however. Picking a weapon/object is one of the possible choice. Kicking away a weapon is probably an option too, but i'd ask the DM to make sure. A "real" shove (i.e. pushing the enemy back or prone) can only be used during the attack action. If you have extra attacks, you can mix both attacks and shove attempts or do multiple shove.

P.S. Shield Master give you a free shove that uses your bonus action.



No problem attacking with the whip while holding something huge in the other hand. If it's a weapon, you'd technically lose the dueling +2 damage bonus if it applied. Wich make sense, the dueling stance is about having one arm free (or shield) not holding something unconfortably long in the other hand.

[Shining Wrath]

Dude, a Two handed weapon is like 3-5 kgs.

If tou cant pick up 3-5 kgs with one hand, then you really need to hit the gym.

Note my 3 criteria: you're small, you're weak, and it's not just a 2-handed weapon but one that small people take a penalty to use. And the DC was 5. Without adding too much complexity I'm trying for "guy with 40 cm length arm trying to lift 3m length halberd by the butt end of the handle, one handed, with puny muscles - might not manage it".

[LordVonDerp]

- The whip is not considered a light weapon, so I can only dual wield the picked up weapon when it's light. But what if I pick up a heavy or a twohanded weapon? Could I pick up a twohanded weapon with one hand?
- If this is the case, could I still attack with my whip (maybe with disadvantage)?

I did browse around a bit, but I could 't find the answer I was looking for. So hopefully you guys can help me out.

Can you lift a six pound metal bar with one hand?

Also, the dual wielding rules specify attacking with a weapon in each hand, simply holding one in each hand is fine.

[RSP]

Just to add, nothing in the rules prevents you from having a weapon in each hand and attacking with each, if you have multiple attacks (not including bonus action attacks).

So a 5th level fighter could hold a long sword in each hand, take the attack action and use the 1st attack with the long sword in his left hand, and the 2nd with the one in his right hand. Each weapon would also get strength mod.

The rules of TWF in needing light weapons, and not adding your ability mod, only apply to the bonus action attack. To get the bonus action attack, the fighter in this example would need the Dual Wielder feat, or use Light weapons in each hand.