D&D 5E Help Action? Most underrated rule?

[keterys]

I suspect most DMs will just swat a normal familiar out of the air, but many do seem to object to an invisible imp doing it. Warlock Pact of the Chain and all that. You can even have the imp do move-by Helps, where it flies down 20-ft Helps, then flies away 20-ft.

Though AE does start killing it handily fairly quickly, so it falls back into relative unimportance.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I suspect most DMs will just swat a normal familiar out of the air, but many do seem to object to an invisible imp doing it. Warlock Pact of the Chain and all that. You can even have the imp do move-by Helps, where it flies down 20-ft Helps, then flies away 20-ft.

What's going on with the narrative here? If an owl is swooping by to distract someone, then sure, it's a big loud bird that's flapping and distracting. If it's an invisible imp, then... why would the enemy be distracted by that?

 

[billd91]

What's going on with the narrative here? If an owl is swooping by to distract someone, then sure, it's a big loud bird that's flapping and distracting. If it's an invisible imp, then... why would the enemy be distracted by that?

I think if an invisible imp was running around and between my legs blowing on a kazoo - I might be distracted even though I couldn't see it.

 

[keterys]

Umm, yeah, an invisible imp would bug me a _lot_ more than a visible foe I could plan around.

The biggest danger in D&D is a failure of imagination!

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I think if an invisible imp was running around and between my legs blowing on a kazoo - I might be distracted even though I couldn't see it.

Maybe. If you even notice it. There's a lot going on in combat, and tiny creatures aren't generally that loud. And it's not like this thing can physically hurt you, in any way, or try to grab your leg and prevent you from dodging.

I'm just saying, an invisible imp leaves a lot more room for DM intervention than a visible owl. The imp is bordering on "the rules were never meant to cover this situation" territory.

 

[Paraxis]

Invisible isn't the same as being hidden, enemies know where to target you even if you are flying. You still provoke attacks of opportunity for leaving a reach so fly by attacks seem dangerous. All invisible does is grant disadvantage to the attacks made against you and provide you with the concealment you need to try and take the Hide action.

Imp next to dragons head Helping the next character hit it, if the dragon cares he just attacks it most likely hits even with disadvantage and kills it, or just catches it in the area of his next breath weapon attack.

 

[seebs]

You're doing the math wrong.

If they have a 50%, and you help, yes, that's 75% * their damage.

If you have a 25% chance of hit, and they a 50%, your contribution effect is your damage * your hit chance and theirs is their damage.

So, taking the two sets of numbers... (d6+3, 25%) & (d10+4, 50%)... vs (d10+4,75%)...
that's (6.5*0.25) + (9.5*0.5) vs (9.5*0.75)
or (1.625)+(4.75)= 6.375 vs (7.125)
Even at 25% chance of hit... you're better off helping.

And that ignores crits.

Lets add the crits
({6.5*0.2}+{10*0.05})+({9.5*0.45}+{15*0.05}) vs ({9.5*0.7}+{15*0.05})
({1.3}+{0.5})+({4.275}+{0.75}) vs ({6.65}+{0.75})
(1.8)+(5.025) vs (7.5)
(6.825) vs (7.5)

That looks about right, which is why I had all those qualifiers like "if my damage is comparable".

Actually, that makes an interesting point. The benefit of helping someone who crits on 19-20 or 18-20 is pretty significant! A 15th level champion crits on 18-20. Advantage gives them nearly a 27% chance of a crit, which is to say, it adds about 12% chance of a crit. If my chance of a crit is only 5%, helping them can be huge. The other case would be a rogue. Of course, if you can help a rogue, you're already granting them sneak attack if they don't have disadvantage, but if something gives them disadvantage, helping them with the attack can let them roll sneak attack. And your damage is quite likely less than their sneak attack...

So, as with most of these things, it varies. In the game I've been using this in, my attacks are +5 to hit, d6+3, and our big heavy is I think at d10+4 damage, so helping him hit is nearly always better than making a separate attack, if I have to choose. (... but since the custom class lets me use help as a bonus action, I don't.)

 

[TarionzCousin]

I think if an invisible imp was running around and between my legs blowing on a kazoo - I might be distracted even though I couldn't see it.

Right. So where can my PC get a kazoo?

 

[miniaturehoarder]

It is wonderful for low CR minions to help out the tough boss monsters too.

I assumed that rule was a big reason WHY the Encounter XP multiplier gets high with a lot of foes. Especially with foes that get extra damage dice with allies nearby.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

Invisible isn't the same as being hidden, enemies know where to target you even if you are flying. You still provoke attacks of opportunity for leaving a reach so fly by attacks seem dangerous. All invisible does is grant disadvantage to the attacks made against you and provide you with the concealment you need to try and take the Hide action.

"You can make an opportunity attack when a hostile creature that you can see moves out of your reach."