D&D 5E Is the Help action broken?

Charlaquin · Jan 21, 2019

Reynard said:
As the OP that has long since resolved this issue in my game, I don't quite get the irritation people are displaying at this thread being Necro'd. Isn't it better that folks add to an already existing thread than create a new one on a subject that has been covered already? I mean, i don't care. I'm not a mod, not does one extra thread in my fee cause me distress. it just seems weird that people are mad.

I don’t think anyone’s mad, I’m just trying to point out to the people popping in to answer your question that you have probably long since moved on. If they had their own questions or points of discussion on the subject of the help action, this seems like a great place to post them, that’s just not what I had been seeing.

BookBarbarian · Jan 21, 2019

Mistwell said:

This was worth a necro.

Well done.

doctorbadwolf · Jan 21, 2019

Warpiglet said:
The thread is so old I tried to laugh and give xp only to see I had done so years ago for the same posts! Yet I read it again like it was a new discussion! Funny.

Just so happens I have been thinking g about it this again lately as I was thinking about a familiar for an arcana cleric..:

I went to xp a post on the first page, and then saw that I couldn't, and then saw that it was my post from exactly 100 years ago!

Mistwell · Jan 21, 2019

doctorbadwolf said:
I went to xp a post on the first page, and then saw that I couldn't, and then saw that it was my post from exactly 100 years ago!

OK I XP'ed that post on your behalf. Your past self thanks you.

doctorbadwolf · Jan 22, 2019

Mistwell said:
OK I XP'ed that post on your behalf. Your past self thanks you.

Necro XP farming is broken [MENTION=1]Morrus[/MENTION] please nerf!

CapnZapp · Jan 22, 2019

Since this thread has become more a chat thread about necromancy, I started a new one.

Grakarg · Jan 23, 2019

Wow, 5 pages on an old necro thread and I have a couple of points no one made.

For Familiars, remember that they act on THEIR OWN initiative. Your wizard can freely issue a command for the familiar to help, but they will be going one their own turn likely at some point sometime else in the initiative order. The Help action may not be assisting the wizard's attack. It might help the fighter's first attack (don't forget its just for one attack...), or it might not be a relevant action at all if the familiar goes late in the initiative order. Only beastmaster rangers get to have their pets act on their initiative.

Also, the familiar is technically an NPC and may be controlled by the DM. While it is common to let the player decide where their familiar moves to and what it does, its really in the DM's purview. So be aware if they run it like that and instead want you to issue the command ("Mousebane! Go distract that Necromancer!") and they themselves move your pet cat somewhere that might not be the best spot for others in your group as it trys to complete your commands. ("No not that one! The OTHER necromancer!")

Belfast Biker · Feb 4, 2019

"Your familiar acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands."

I'd assume my DM would let my little imp obey me, and perhaps READY the help action until I attack?

KarinsDad · Feb 4, 2019

Xeviat said:
The fragility of the familiar makes this difficult to keep going.

Which is why one should do it with summoned creatures instead of familiars.

A group of PCs can have advantage for many of the melee and ranged attacks in an encounter by having most or all of the summoned creatures do the help action. If the foes concentrate their attacks on the summoned creatures, they are not concentrating their attacks on the PCs, and summoned creatures tend to be a lot more durable than familiars.

CapnZapp · Feb 5, 2019

KarinsDad said:
Which is why one should do it with summoned creatures instead of familiars.

A group of PCs can have advantage for many of the melee and ranged attacks in an encounter by having most or all of the summoned creatures do the help action. If the foes concentrate their attacks on the summoned creatures, they are not concentrating their attacks on the PCs, and summoned creatures tend to be a lot more durable than familiars.

Though what this essentially says is: summons are OP.

(I mean, once they're summoned, having them help out as opposed to making their own attacks isn't particularly OP.

At low levels, abstaining from their own attack is a significant cost. At high level, it isn't, but at that stage having the Summoner hide to avoid losing Concentration becomes a cost in itself. Plus, foes with area attacks that can clear out all summons on one swoop are no longer rare)

But yes, you're basically right: using your Familiar to gain advantage in combat is discussed much more often than the utility of the tactic really deserves. (Unless your DM is afraid to slay the familiar, of course)

D&D 5E Is the Help action broken?

Charlaquin

Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)

BookBarbarian

Expert Long Rester

doctorbadwolf

Heretic of The Seventh Circle

Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)

doctorbadwolf

Heretic of The Seventh Circle

CapnZapp

Legend

Grakarg

Explorer

Belfast Biker

First Post

KarinsDad

Adventurer

CapnZapp

Legend

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