What is a Bag of Holding D&D? Your Complete Guide
A Bag of Holding in Dungeons & Dragons is an enchanted, extradimensional item that serves as a remarkably useful storage solution for adventurers. It is essentially a bag with an interior space much larger than its physical dimensions. Imagine a seemingly normal sack that can hold an astounding amount of gear, treasure, and even (briefly) living creatures. In its standard form, the bag has a mouth approximately two feet in diameter and is about four feet deep. It can hold up to 500 pounds of items, provided their total volume does not exceed 64 cubic feet. Crucially, the bag itself weighs 15 pounds, regardless of its contents. This makes it an incredibly valuable asset for any adventuring party, allowing them to carry vast amounts of supplies without being bogged down by encumbrance. The Bag of Holding is a staple magic item, known for its utility and potential for both great convenience and perilous situations. It is classified as an uncommon magic item and its magic is considered conjuration.
The Magic Behind the Bag
The Bag of Holding’s magic lies in its ability to access an extradimensional space. This means that the interior of the bag exists outside of the normal dimensions of the world, allowing it to contain far more than its physical size would suggest. This is not just a matter of clever folding or compacting; it truly is a different realm linked to the bag. This concept of a pocket dimension is crucial for understanding how the Bag of Holding functions, and it also highlights why certain interactions with other magical items can lead to disastrous consequences. The conjuration magic is what allows the bag to open a portal to this other space.
Practical Applications and Common Uses
The applications of a Bag of Holding are varied and incredibly useful:
- Carrying Capacity: Primarily, it’s used to circumvent the encumbrance rules, allowing characters to carry substantial loot, armor, and other essentials without slowing them down.
- Storage: It serves as a mobile storage unit for anything an adventurer might collect along their travels, from weapons and tools to food and treasure.
- Emergency Supply: Parties often use it to store rations, potions, and spare gear, ensuring they’re prepared for unexpected situations.
- Hiding Place: While not its primary function, its extradimensional nature can be exploited in creative ways.
- Transportation: While not recommended, it could temporarily transport a creature or two if necessary (with oxygen being a major consideration).
Potential Dangers and Caveats
While incredibly useful, the Bag of Holding isn’t without its dangers and limitations:
- Limited Oxygen: Breathing creatures can only survive inside the bag for a limited time. This duration is calculated by 10 divided by the number of creatures (minimum 1 minute) before they start to suffocate.
- Overloading: If the bag’s weight or volume limit is exceeded, or if it’s pierced by a sharp object, the bag ruptures, and its contents are lost forever.
- Extradimensional Conflicts: Certain interactions with other extradimensional spaces, like placing a Bag of Holding inside another Bag of Holding, create a catastrophic effect and are to be avoided.
- Creatures in the Bag: Though living creatures can be placed inside, this should not be considered as a safe place for long term stay and only should be done in desperate situations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much can a Bag of Holding really hold?
A standard Bag of Holding can hold up to 500 pounds of items, with a maximum volume of 64 cubic feet. It is important to keep both of these limits in mind, as reaching either will prevent you from putting more items inside.
2. What happens if you put a Bag of Holding inside another Bag of Holding?
Placing a Bag of Holding inside another Bag of Holding results in a catastrophic rupture. Both bags are destroyed, and a gate to the Astral Plane opens, sucking nearby creatures and objects through it. This is a very dangerous situation that should be avoided at all costs.
3. Can living creatures breathe inside a Bag of Holding?
Yes, living creatures can be placed inside a Bag of Holding, but the air supply is limited. They can survive for a number of minutes calculated by 10 divided by the number of creatures (minimum 1 minute), after which they begin to suffocate.
4. What happens if a Bag of Holding is overloaded or damaged?
If the bag is overloaded with weight or volume, or if it is pierced by a sharp object, the bag ruptures and is ruined, and all its contents are lost forever.
5. Is a Bag of Holding better than a Haversack?
The Bag of Holding typically holds more, is more common, and is generally easier to obtain than a Heward’s Handy Haversack. While the Haversack weighs less, the difference is negligible for most adventuring situations.
6. What is the opposite of a Bag of Holding?
The opposite of a Bag of Holding is often described as a Bag of Devouring. Instead of storing items, this bag is a feeding orifice for an extradimensional creature. Items placed inside are consumed.
7. Is there anything better than a Bag of Holding?
The Portable Hole is often considered superior to the Bag of Holding because it has a much larger capacity for storage, with approximately 282 cubic feet.
8. How do you access items in a Bag of Holding?
Accessing items in a Bag of Holding requires an action in combat. You can’t treat it as an easily accessed pocket of items while in the midst of battle, but still provides ease of storage while outside of battle.
9. Can you detect the contents of a Bag of Holding with magic?
No, the contents of a Bag of Holding are within an extradimensional space, which is considered beyond the range of most detection spells like Detect Magic.
10. Can you put weapons and armor inside a Bag of Holding?
Yes, a Bag of Holding can hold weapons, armor, and any other mundane items that fit within its size and weight limitations. Plate armor can be folded or taken apart to fit within the opening.
11. Who invented the Bag of Holding?
According to some lore, Bags of Holding are ancient magical items that originated from the world of Krynn and were brought over by kenders.
12. Can you put a backpack inside a Bag of Holding?
Yes, you can place a backpack inside a Bag of Holding, but items inside the backpack within the extradimensional space are treated as items within the bag’s extradimensional space itself, making them inaccessible without emptying the backpack first.
13. Can a Bag of Holding be destroyed by fire?
No, a Bag of Holding is not fireproof but resistant to fire damage. Thus, it can potentially be destroyed if exposed to extreme heat or fire damage.
14. What happens if a Bag of Holding is turned inside out?
Turning a Bag of Holding inside out will cause its contents to spill out unharmed. However, the bag must be turned right-side out again before it can be used.
15. What is the difference between a Bag of Holding and an Immovable Rod?
A Bag of Holding utilizes its own extradimensional space, while an Immovable Rod is fixed in place in the current dimension. If an Immovable Rod is placed inside a Bag of Holding, the rod’s position in the bag’s dimension will not change, but the bag itself can be moved.
The Bag of Holding is an essential item for any D&D adventurer, offering incredible convenience while adding an element of potential danger and strategy. Understanding its mechanics and limitations is crucial for maximizing its benefits and avoiding potential pitfalls.