D&D 5E Advantage when two allies are in melee with the same enemy?

[doctorhook]

I'm having a brain fart: I've been under the assumption that if Billy and Bobby (both 1st level fighters) are both within 5 feet of their enemy, then both of them get advantage on attack rolls against that enemy, since he's distracted by both of them. However, I can't find in the Player's Handbook where I got this idea from or if it's even RAW.

If I've got this wrong, please correct me.

If I've got this right, I have a followup question: what is the purpose of the help action in combat? Why spend your action to distract an enemy if you could accomplish the same thing using an actual attack?

Thanks gang.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

You do not get advantage just for having 2 people adjacent to an enemy. There are some monsters who have an ability called Pack Tactics which give them that ability, but PCs don't get it.

There is an optional rule in the DMG that allows you to "flank" an enemy and get advantage. But it's not part of the normal rules.

 

[CapnZapp]

The main reason why anyone would gang up on enemies (apart from the obvious desire to down them faster) is that rogues get sneak attack.

But that is a special deal for rogues only. Unless you use the optional flanking rules, there's no mechanical reason why you would want to gang up on foes in 5E.

Why? Game is simple, is all.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

If I've got this right, I have a followup question: what is the purpose of the help action in combat? Why spend your action to distract an enemy if you could accomplish the same thing using an actual attack?

Your first question's been answered, so I'll take the followup:

Help action in combat is useful only when your ally's attack is significantly stronger than your own and has a good chance of missing if you don't help. Some examples:

When fighting werewolves, if you have no silver weapon yourself, Help the guy who does have one.

When your barbarian ally has Great Weapon Mastery and does 20 points of damage on a hit, and you're a 2nd level wizard with Str 10 who does 4 points of damage on a hit, Help the barbarian land his hit.

If you're a wizard's familiar who can't even attack at all, Help someone who can.

If the druid is about to blow his 5th level spell slot casting Contagion (Slimy Doom), Help him hit with his attack so it isn't wasted.

 

[PnPgamer]

You do not get advantage just for having 2 people adjacent to an enemy. There are some monsters who have an ability called Pack Tactics which give them that ability, but PCs don't get it.

There is an optional rule in the DMG that allows you to "flank" an enemy and get advantage. But it's not part of the normal rules.

Actually Barbarians with wolf totem (the one gained at 3rd level) gives advantage to all allies that attack an enemy who is 5ft from you.

 

[aramis erak]

I'm having a brain fart: I've been under the assumption that if Billy and Bobby (both 1st level fighters) are both within 5 feet of their enemy, then both of them get advantage on attack rolls against that enemy, since he's distracted by both of them. However, I can't find in the Player's Handbook where I got this idea from or if it's even RAW.

If I've got this wrong, please correct me.

If I've got this right, I have a followup question: what is the purpose of the help action in combat? Why spend your action to distract an enemy if you could accomplish the same thing using an actual attack?

Thanks gang.

You've just described the Pack Tactics special ability.

Flanking requires them to be opposite the target.

 

[Staffan]

My guess is that you mixed up the conditions for the rogue's sneak attack with general rules about advantage. Rogues get to sneak attack when (a) they have advantage on the attack, or (b) there is another enemy of your target within 5 ft of it and you don't have disadvantage on the roll. It's fairly easy to get that confused into "Rogues get to sneak attack when they have advantage, which they can get by having an ally in melee with the target."

 

[Smoo]

I toyed with the idea of allowing "flanking" as described in the DMG. Then it occurred to me that it's trivially easy with the new movement rules to get into flanking position every round as long as you have two allies on one enemy. I'm not a fan of incorporating rules that make actions or features obsolete, and in my mind allowing this flanking completely nerfed the Help action, which I'd like to see used more. So I decided against it.

I came to the same conclusion when considering whether to allow characters proficient in Acrobatics to use it to avoid opportunity attacks. I decided I didn't want to nerf the Disengage action, which I'd also like to see used more.

I understand most players abhor the idea of "wasting" their turn using actions like Help and Disengage in lieu of attacking, and I was with them for a while, but now I don't care. I think they're interesting tactical options and aren't wasted turns at all if used well.

 

[Psikerlord#]

Yeah we added flanking, then removed it, because it was too easy to hit everything (and be hit). Devalued AC too much and made damage and HP even more important than they already are.

 

[Chocolategravy]

Yeah we added flanking, then removed it, because it was too easy to hit everything (and be hit). Devalued AC too much and made damage and HP even more important than they already are.

Also makes several barbarian, fighter and monk abilities and a feat relatively worthless. Hurray advantage mechanic!

- Doesn't stack with itself!
- Gives a bigger bonus than a character gets from proficiency going from level 1 to level 20!
- One size fits all benefit perfect for representing slight advantages like a prone enemy, and significant advantages like an immobile enemy equally!
- The ideal mechanic for absolutely nothing!
- But wait, use it now and you get to roll not one, but TWO dice! That is right folks, people just love love love rolling dice and now you get to roll TWICE AS MANY DICE, dice, dice! Everyone loves dice and you you will love this mechanic!