When you look at a game such as Dungeons and Dragons, especially D&D 5e, one of the first things you notice is the sheer freedom the game offers, and a big part of that is free action or free object interaction, as they are sometimes referred to.
And even though the game’s general rules are pretty simple and easy to remember, there are numerous rules that even experienced DMs can miss. Free actions are the mechanic that can affect many things in the game but is not fully explained by the rulebook.
In this blog, I will dive into what free action is and provide a closer look at how you can use it.
Types of free action in D&D 5e
If we want to be technically accurate, a “Free Action” existed only in older editions of D&D. It represented an action that you can perform in combat for free and an action that doesn’t interfere with other types of combat actions.
When DnD 5e came out, the name stuck because there were some similar actions in the new edition.
Now there are five official things you can do in each turn: movement, action, bonus action, reaction, and object interaction. A free action would be something that doesn’t fall into these categories but still amounts to an activity by your character.
DnD 5e free action can relate to:
Communication
Since one turn is usually defined as roughly six seconds, you can usually exchange information with other teammates during combat and not spend a whole action to do it if it’s only a sentence or two. This is where you would use a 5e free action.
However, the rules around this aren’t developed in detail by game creators, so much of it will rely on the DM.
Personally, I will allow my players to speak without limits for the duration of that free action since that can make the game much more exciting and fun. But, if you would like to keep the game realistic, tell your players to limit their dialogue.
For example, if someone wishes to negotiate a deal with an enemy NPC, I would allow them extra time to talk as it makes sense, and it will be fun to see the role-playing.
On the other hand, when one of my players tries to develop a detailed strategy with other players during his free action in combat, I tell them I won’t allow it. It’s not realistic to stop and develop complex ideas while a giant troll is trying to kill you.
Object interaction
Opening or closing a door, sheathing, dropping or brandishing a weapon, or simply handing an object to someone can be a free action. There is a list of basic things that can be done as “object interactions” in Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook.
But even the brightest minds of the DnD developer team couldn’t predict all real situations players would be in, so feel free to improvise it as long as you stick to the basic logic, which includes performing a minor action.
Interacting with an object more than once will require you to use your action.
Combat-related free actions
A couple of class abilities, magic items, spells, and monster abilities allow for a few free-action abilities. But in general, there are five options that everyone can use as a free action:
- Drop to a prone position
- Spellcaster dropping concentration on a spell
- Releasing someone from a grapple
- Execute weapon flourishes or other non-mechanical gestures
- Drop an item or take one hand off a two-handed weapon
For some summoning spells, free action would include commanding your summon to do something.
Ask the DM
In the end, as rule 0 of DnD says, “the DM is always right.” Check with your DM if he agrees with all of these free actions named here or if they have any modifications.
It is always best that your DM is transparent about free actions before your sessions begin so that everyone clearly understands what they can and can’t do.
Considering that we are all playing DnD to have fun, your DM will most likely allow free actions from time to time, especially when they see that it can have a positive outcome on the game.
