Rules help: Familiars

[AaronOfBarbaria]

With Flyby, you have the option of getting half-cover consistently (hides behind you or another party member). 3/4ths and full cover is harder, but if it's available Flyby let's you get back to it. It's definitely not foolproof, but it mitigates some risk.

A very good point.

I am not sure help works when you fly ayway.

There is no language in the Help action that makes it's timing for the "within 5 feet of you" any different than any other action that can be done against a target at the same distance, such as making a melee attack. Sure, the attack has a roll involved that can be used to separate things out so that you are sure you can move away after having attacked, but that doesn't mean that it is any less clear that you can move away after having helped.

Also, the elements in the game that provide a benefit conditionally upon being in the appropriate place at the time of some thing happening use the word "while." As such, if the Help action required you to be within 5 feet of the intended target of the attack at the same time as the attack is made it would read "attacking a creature while it is within 5 feet of you." instead of how it does read.

Lastly, the argument of going with what "makes narrative sense" when needing something to guide how to interpret the rule: The help action lists "distract the target," as explanation of how it does what it does - is harassing the target while moving away, such as a bird "dive bombing" the target's face/head and flying away provoking a reflexive look in the direction it flew (to see if it is coming back at you, or even a "what the heck was that?" look) not a reasonable enough way to "distract the target"?

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

None, but remember that to Help someone, you must be able to do the task they are doing.

For example, I would not let an owl familiar Help on an attempt to pick a lock.

Are familiars actually capable of making attacks?

 

[Saggo]

Are familiars actually capable of making attacks?

Effectively no. Find Familiar says they can't attack, but technically (pedantically) they never lost their "weapon".

More importantly, the rule that you must be capable of a task alone is specifically under Ability Checks, PHB p 175. Attacks are a separate type of check, which the Help Action (p192) provides an alternative for.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The difference is that it states "attacking a creature within 5ft of you". The other person has to attack a creature that is within 5 ft of you.
Imagine following case:
You help to attack someone. Then it is the enemy's turn who hust retreats. Do you still think another creatire should get advantage after there is no connection anymore between the creature and the one helping. If you think "yes" flyby works. Not in my game.
When you are reading rules you should ask yourself if it makes sense in similar cases. And also if the reading makes one of many options so much better that every other option is terrible. So no, no flyby help except when you use a readied action to time the attack. Still very good for an arcane trickster

 

[ryan92084]

The full relevant Help action text:
"Alternatively, you can aid a friendly creature in attacking a creature within 5 feet of you. You feint, distract the target, or in some other way team up to make your ally’s attack more effective. If your ally attacks the target before your next turn, the first attack roll is made with advantage" [Basic Rules]

So your familiar can use Help to "aid a friendly creature in attacking a creature within 5 feet of [it]" and then since the only requirements beyond using the action within 5 feet of the target is time based the familiar is free to move away. This is no different from using the attack action to attack a creature within 5 feet of you and then moving away after. Without any caveats once an action is spent it has done its thing.

For narrative reasoning the owl swoops in and screeches in the goblins ear and flies off before the goblin can take a swing. The subsequent ear ringing distracts the goblin enough to not notice your hammer blow until too late.

Furthermore the JC has clarified the intent of Help a few times
Can use help and leave http://www.sageadvice.eu/2014/11/03/help-action-2/
Familiars can help http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/12/09/familiar-help/
Familiars can still help http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/11/25/can-a-familiar-use-help-to-grant-advantage-at-range/

 

[Eis]

Agreed to everything that @AaronOfBarbaria said.

In addition, about items 1 and 2: In my table, the wizard commands his owl to be aware and to alert him in sight of dangers. But what is "danger" to an owl? I don't think wild animals can understand complex traps like pressure plates or wire traps. Maybe (MAYBE!) it can perceive obviously mechanical apparatus—like bear traps—if they are in natural environments, but it wouldn't probably distinguish such equipments from decorations in a building/dungeon. It would alert the wizard, however, if it sees a larger creature (than the owl itself) that frightens it, like wolves, goblins, gargoyles, golens, etc. Also, the owl may not regard to humanoids as dangerous, since it is used to "walk" with some of them.

some of this may be true but remember that your familiar is not an actual owl....it is a spirit that is in the form of an owl (or other form as applicable)

 

[Guest 6801328]

Although JC has pretty clearly indicated that familiar's can do this stunt, I wish it had been ruled otherwise. Or at least that Owls didn't have fly-by.
1) It's just too cheesy.
2) I agree with the logic that since a familiar can't Attack, it's not an Action it's capable of, and thus cannot Help.
3) It's OP in the case of the Owl.
4) It leads to a choice trap: the Owl is so obviously the "best" familiar.
5) It leads to the DM trying to kill the Owl, and I don't think intentionally designed abilities should drive that kind of player-vs-DM escalation.
6) Did I mention that it's just cheesy?

 

[ryan92084]

Like a lot of his other twitter rulings JC didn't really have a lot of choice. Intended interaction or not there'd have to be errata to rule any other way.

I agree with the cheesiness, I only used the option with my chain lock when we were in real trouble because it just felt off having an invis familiar doling out advantage.

 

[leonardoraele]

some of this may be true but remember that your familiar is not an actual owl....it is a spirit that is in the form of an owl (or other form as applicable)

I know, but this shouldn't change the familiar's statisticics. In particular, its Intelligence score remains the same.

 

[leonardoraele]

Although JC has pretty clearly indicated that familiar's can do this stunt, I wish it had been ruled otherwise. Or at least that Owls didn't have fly-by.
1) It's just too cheesy.
2) I agree with the logic that since a familiar can't Attack, it's not an Action it's capable of, and thus cannot Help.
3) It's OP in the case of the Owl.
4) It leads to a choice trap: the Owl is so obviously the "best" familiar.
5) It leads to the DM trying to kill the Owl, and I don't think intentionally designed abilities should drive that kind of player-vs-DM escalation.
6) Did I mention that it's just cheesy?

I agree with you. Also, the wizard doesn't need to have find familiar prepared to use the familiar, so it really feels like free advantage. (plus scouting)

You can rule that the owl can't help because it can't perform the task (attack), if it really bothers you, but then you will probably have to deal with a frustrated and complaining player. =(