D&D 5E Arguments about if the help action breaks invisibility. This is the second title. A third title, Thread = Dead.

[DND_Reborn]

Which is the reason that the whole help action doesn't really make much sense. What is a thing thing that anyone can always do, without a fail, that is more distracting than whacking someone with an axe, but still is not an any kind of an attack?

Actually, the only time I see this as a good thing is if someone has a big attack bonus and the other doesn't. At lower levels, my helping the raging barbarian will give them advantage, offsetting the -5 penalty for their +10 damage via GWM. I'm not likely to hit for much, if I hit, so I am better off helping them.

The only other time is to give rogues SA, which isn't necessary anyway because with the familiar there, most DMs would rule that counts as an enemy for the target already.

 

[TheSword]

Which is the reason that the whole help action doesn't really make much sense. What is a thing thing that anyone can always do, without a fail, that is more distracting than whacking someone with an axe, but still is not an any kind of an attack?

I personally agree. Also our group almost never uses help in attack rolls because it is almost always better to make your own attack and hope you both hit.

In my Runelords campaign a low level priest NPC prone on the ground used the help action to grab a goblins leg to pull it off balance while a PC attacked it.

It’s worked well. But I definitely would have had it break invisibility! Lol

 

[jasper]

You have asked
1. Does the Help Action from an invisible familiar break invisibility? My answer is NO. Others have said yes. So It now up to your dm. And I will follow the ruling, now that your invisible owl has farted in my face, I know his location.
Q2. What are spells the party can to buff the familiar to survive in combat? All the spells that buff the party just make the familiar one of the target critters.
As a DM Sometimes I target familiars using help action sometimes I don't. It depends on too many things to list.

 

[DND_Reborn]

The whole point of this thread was that the DM already made his mind up and I was trying to figure out how to make sure it doesn’t die I got as far as my own suggestion and someone saying DS sorcerer to make it slightly better.

That's fair, but then most PCs with special familiars (IME) don't put them in harms way directly by using the Help action. What is your PC doing that you are trying to get advantage on?

 

[jmartkdr2]

Actually, the only time I see this as a good thing is if someone has a big attack bonus and the other doesn't. At lower levels, my helping the raging barbarian will give them advantage, offsetting the -5 penalty for their +10 damage via GWM. I'm not likely to hit for much, if I hit, so I am better off helping them.

The only other time is to give rogues SA, which isn't necessary anyway because with the familiar there, most DMs would rule that counts as an enemy for the target already.

I used this combo on a warlock who was built around using shadow blade - I had them take Pact of the Chain, and used booming blade as my action, so getting advantage 90+% of the time was really nice. Although I had to give up extra attack to make it happen.

But that's an edge case at best, and I don't even recall if I had the familiar bother going invisible. I don't think it was ever specifically targeted but AoE definitely ended it a few times.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I used this combo on a warlock who was built around using shadow blade - I had them take Pact of the Chain, and used booming blade as my action, so getting advantage 90+% of the time was really nice. Although I had to give up extra attack to make it happen.

But that's an edge case at best, and I don't even recall if I had the familiar bother going invisible. I don't think it was ever specifically targeted but AoE definitely ended it a few times.

I do a similar thing with my cleric/rogue/wizard doing Holy Weapon sometimes instead of Shadow Blade. Of course I really love it because I can cast Holy Weapon (or Shadow Blade) as a bonus action, cast booming blade as my action and get an attack in with sneak attack.

I guess IME there are so many other ways to get advantage (we use flanking all the time), having a familiar do it has happened less than a handful of times at our tables.

 

[Charlaquin]

Given the wording under the Help Action:

View attachment 124710

I would also rule this removed any Invisibility. If the target creature can't see you, how are you really distracting it???

I feel like an invisible creature making noise near me would be pretty distracting.

Sprite: Hey! Over here!
Me: Who said that?
Rogue: stabs me.

 

[TwoSix]

Because people take advantage to do things like this. Firm but fair.

And if it was remotely overpowered, it would be an issue. Fortunately, it isn't.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Can a familiar wear armor or barding?

Seems reasonable to me. As a DM I'd maybe require a little bit of enchanting to allow it to stay with the familiar through bamfing into the world and back, getting killed, etc. But, once enchanted, I'd also allow enchantment to give it THP every day and maybe let it cast Dragon's Breath 1/day or something.

I'm all for letting PCs spend money on making their pets stronger and less vulnerable.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I feel like an invisible creature making noise near me would be pretty distracting.

Sprite: Hey! Over here!
Me: Who said that?
Rogue: stabs me.

We've all been there, friend.