The rules for the 2024 D&D Utilize [Action] are rather simple per the Free Rules and the Player’s Handbook. The magic is hidden in the siege engine blurb in the Dungeon Masters Guide.
Simply, Utilize lets you use non-magical items that take more than a bare moment to activate.
You normally interact with an object while doing something else, such as when you draw a sword as part of the Attack action. When an object requires an action for its use, you take the Utilize action.
Within the siege equipment rules, you can see the potential for Utilize. There, each engine has a different number of utilizations that it takes — frequently these are things like aim, load, fire. Each engine requires between one and five rounds for a single person to use these massive elements of war.
What’s the magic in a catapult? Nothing, normally.
But an enterprising DM will realize that there is an implied crew in siege engines. Full staffed these can be used within a normal combat round.
Also, and probably more intriguing, is the implication of time pressure.
Imagine now an opponent using mangonel. It takes two Utilize to load, two to aim and one action to fire. In our example we’ll use a crew of three, which lets the mangonel fire every other round and the crew do some other annoying things.
Our heroes are on a mission to take out the emplacement of the siege engine.
The weapon itself has an AC of 15 with 100 HP. It could take a long time to damage it.
Taking out the crew is easier, of course. And thanks to the number of Utilize [Action] required the DM and PCs know the time it takes to make the mangonel no longer effective at attacking their allies. Each loss of a crew member slows down the enemy and grants your allies time to act in other ways.
It’s a clock, without a clock.
You can also use this technique for a chase scene!
Let’s say your PCs run to the docks, board a sailing vessel and need to get going fast. Maybe it’s a ketch, with a main mast and an aft mast and foresail.
Quick and speedy let’s say that setting the sails requires two at the aft, one at the foresail and three at the main, plus there are two utilize actions needed to release the lines. Yes, this is highly gamist, but allows a scene to develop.
That’s an eight segment clock for the party to escape. Maybe they have an artificer with a servant, or a familiar that can help. Maybe the rogue uses Fast Hands. These can speed things up, for sure.
The group knows, quickly that while under assault they need eight actions in order to be undersail and then the enemy will be behind them.
No need for fiddly rolls, unless they take a wound or condition that would limit the ability to succeed at these mundane tasks.
Building ad hoc clocks from the Utilize [Action] can also be done with traps (the number required to disarm or the number before the flooded room no longer offers room for breath).
Maybe do similar with rituals and the Magic [Action]. Is the group raiding a grove where evil druids are conducting a multi-step ritual to bring the mushrooms to life in order to choke out a local farm?
Come up with a number of Magic actions that are required for success. Now the two groups both know the timing of success.
If there are seven druids that need 14 Magic actions to succeed they can choose to all ignore the PCs and perform their magic or some can address the PCs. The solution is up to them and creates an interesting balance of choice.
No, these aren’t the clocks of Blades in the Dark. They still create a sense of timing and urgency within your game.
