Bags of Holding and external factors

[VertDeLion]

Hello again, fellow adventurers and storytellers, I have a question about Bags of Holdings. For a detailed delve into my situation, check the tab~
I've put my adventurers in a campaign where they are set to kill four demi-gods who have turned from benevolent protectors to cruel tyrants for some reason. In order to put a little spice into each of the encounters, I've given each of them a more-or-less unique mechanic rather than the simple tank and spank.
The Fire demi-god uses the traditional World of Warcraft boss fight strategies: don't stand in the fire. Keep re-positioning.
The Water demi-god uses a stacking debuff that freezes the heroes solid on the last stack, or shatters for damage based on how many stacks they had.
The Earth demi-god uses vision limitation, and entrapment in stone tombs (ever play Final Fantasy VII? Reno's Pyramid ability)

The Storm demi-god projects lightning, forcing dexterity checks to dodge the bolts. However, I've hinted to my players many times not to bring metal with them, because the lightning will automatically hit them (failed dex save) as long as they carry metal.

Can external sources affect objects inside Bags of Holding. For example, if I have a mechanic that draws lightning to anyone carrying metal (excluding coins) could I reason that someone carrying a sword in their Bag of Holding would get hit?

[Erys]

Hello again, fellow adventurers and storytellers, I have a question about Bags of Holdings. For a detailed delve into my situation, check the tab~
I've put my adventurers in a campaign where they are set to kill four demi-gods who have turned from benevolent protectors to cruel tyrants for some reason. In order to put a little spice into each of the encounters, I've given each of them a more-or-less unique mechanic rather than the simple tank and spank.
The Fire demi-god uses the traditional World of Warcraft boss fight strategies: don't stand in the fire. Keep re-positioning.
The Water demi-god uses a stacking debuff that freezes the heroes solid on the last stack, or shatters for damage based on how many stacks they had.
The Earth demi-god uses vision limitation, and entrapment in stone tombs (ever play Final Fantasy VII? Reno's Pyramid ability)

The Storm demi-god projects lightning, forcing dexterity checks to dodge the bolts. However, I've hinted to my players many times not to bring metal with them, because the lightning will automatically hit them (failed dex save) as long as they carry metal.

Can external sources affect objects inside Bags of Holding. For example, if I have a mechanic that draws lightning to anyone carrying metal (excluding coins) could I reason that someone carrying a sword in their Bag of Holding would get hit?

Generally, so long as the bag is shut, items within bags of holding and other extra-dimensional storage spaces are not affected by things/events happening in the prime material.

[Zanthy1]

Generally, so long as the bag is shut, items within bags of holding and other extra-dimensional storage spaces are not affected by things/events happening in the prime material.

This. It's not considered on their person, but in a pocket dimension

[Armok]

Hello again, fellow adventurers and storytellers, I have a question about Bags of Holdings. For a detailed delve into my situation, check the tab~
I've put my adventurers in a campaign where they are set to kill four demi-gods who have turned from benevolent protectors to cruel tyrants for some reason. In order to put a little spice into each of the encounters, I've given each of them a more-or-less unique mechanic rather than the simple tank and spank.
The Fire demi-god uses the traditional World of Warcraft boss fight strategies: don't stand in the fire. Keep re-positioning.
The Water demi-god uses a stacking debuff that freezes the heroes solid on the last stack, or shatters for damage based on how many stacks they had.
The Earth demi-god uses vision limitation, and entrapment in stone tombs (ever play Final Fantasy VII? Reno's Pyramid ability)

The Storm demi-god projects lightning, forcing dexterity checks to dodge the bolts. However, I've hinted to my players many times not to bring metal with them, because the lightning will automatically hit them (failed dex save) as long as they carry metal.

Can external sources affect objects inside Bags of Holding. For example, if I have a mechanic that draws lightning to anyone carrying metal (excluding coins) could I reason that someone carrying a sword in their Bag of Holding would get hit?

I wouldn't. The inside of a bag of holding is its own tiny demiplane, separate from the outside world... or at least that's how I interpret it. Then again I don't enforce the bag having no air, and also placed a dungeon inside it. Mostly because it sounded like a fun weird place to set a dungeon.

So, uh, yeah. Might wanna take my opinion with a grain of salt.

[Thrasher92]

The Bag of Holding is just a doorway that is shaped like a backpack. If damaged to an extent, that would shut the doorway so it wouldn't be opened by that door again but, nothing would happen to the objects inside because they are in their separate pocket dimension.

[pwykersotz]

I'll buck the trend. I would say that it does count. I view a Bag of Holding not as a true extradimensional space that is actually on a seperate plane, but as a distorted section of the material plane where the barrier between it and the Astral is thinned. Think of it like a balloon in a bottle (http://littleshop.physics.colostate.edu/onlineexperiments/Balloon%20In%20A%20Bottle.html). The balloon is the bag, the inside is the Astral plane, and the outside is the prime. And just like if there's something in the bag, if the balloon is popped, anything within would fall into the bottle, just like the bag says it's scattered in the Astral Plane. Space is stretched, that's all. It's not actually another plane (at least not necessarily, this is just my interpretation).

So yeah, if distance isn't a factor, lightning would still be attracted to them. But since space is stretched, that metal object might be a good bit further away than the edge of the bag is.

[Dalebert]

Yeah, I tend to think of it as warped space as well rather than a completely separate plane of existence. Not sure if that's in line with the item's description though.

[pwykersotz]

Yeah, I tend to think of it as warped space as well rather than a completely separate plane of existence. Not sure if that's in line with the item's description though.

It can be interpreted reasonably that way, yes. The item calls out OTHER items that make extra-dimensional spaces (that cause the bag to pop), but the bag itself is notably absent from that list. Thus, up to the individual DM's discretion.