"grabbing" objects by its vertices
 

If an object is selected can you drag it by clicking a vertex so you can snap an object to other objects using this vertex?

Or is it only possible to "grab" an object (or sub-element selection) by its pivot?

It feels like you made a simple question confusing.

Do you wonder if you can move a object by using vertixes, well you can do that just press>>space bar>>vertixes and select your vertixes and move them like you move the object.

Or do you want to change your pivot? You do that by first selecting the wanted tool then hitting>>insert.

I hope that helped. :)

I meant your second option, but without moving the pivot..

It seems that you can only "grab" an object when you hover its pivot or an axis...

In 3dsmax you can just hover the whole object and start moving, when snap to vertices is on, you can use this to grab an object by this vertex and snap this to the vertex of another object for example.. which is very handy.. because it reduces the operation with a few steps

Select the vert on the object you want to move. Select the vert on the object you want to snap to.

Modify > Snap Align Objects > Point to Point.

Not as easy as Max (one of the things I like about Max) but does the job.

thanks, that comes close...