Was wondering what the rules are on sacrifice in d&d? For example if a PC and my character are standing side by side fighting a monster, if i save an action or something and he's about to be killed, could i move infront of him/pull him behind me, and take the hit? Might seem stupid to do but for story reasons this could occur. Trying not to discuss it with the GM, for the GM may use it against me and whatnot...it's a pretty hard campaign
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Self Sacrifice? (In Character)
- Thread starter NotaGM
- Start date
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
You can ready an action to do that. When your turn in combat comes up, say something like "I note how Ragnar is dead on his feet and how the monster is preparing for another deadly assault. Then I prepare myself to dive in the way of the attack. I'm readying an action to take the hit for Ragnar if an attack is made against him."
It's up to your DM from there.
Tony Vargas
Legend
The bottom line is that you "can't" do that by the rules in 5e - which just means you absolutely can try it, the DM just rules whether and how it works.
Readying an action for something like that would seem pretty extreme, to me - you're giving up your action and anything you could do to prevent an enemy from attacking that ally for it. It also doesn't fit thematically, in combat. Just using a Reaction right at the moment sounds fine to me, the fact you're taking the hit for the ally seem a big enough price to pay.
There's already a way for some characters to give an enemy disadvantage as a reaction. If you wanted to try to save an ally from an attack as a reaction, maybe the DM would let you give the attack disadvantage, at a price - he'd roll 2 dice, if either missed the ally, the ally is missed, but if the other would hit you, you take the hit. Of course, that's assuming you react to the attack before it's rolled. If you react to the hit, you'd presumably have to just take the hit.
One thing about DM-ruling actions like this is that it doesn't make a lot of sense to turn them into some sort of rule. That's a rule-change not a ruling. So it'd be case-by-case, depending on how you describe it and what the DM thinks of it. Some might be a lot harder on you than others.
Readying an action for something like that would seem pretty extreme, to me - you're giving up your action and anything you could do to prevent an enemy from attacking that ally for it. It also doesn't fit thematically, in combat. Just using a Reaction right at the moment sounds fine to me, the fact you're taking the hit for the ally seem a big enough price to pay.
There's already a way for some characters to give an enemy disadvantage as a reaction. If you wanted to try to save an ally from an attack as a reaction, maybe the DM would let you give the attack disadvantage, at a price - he'd roll 2 dice, if either missed the ally, the ally is missed, but if the other would hit you, you take the hit. Of course, that's assuming you react to the attack before it's rolled. If you react to the hit, you'd presumably have to just take the hit.
One thing about DM-ruling actions like this is that it doesn't make a lot of sense to turn them into some sort of rule. That's a rule-change not a ruling. So it'd be case-by-case, depending on how you describe it and what the DM thinks of it. Some might be a lot harder on you than others.
A character can take a dodge action to impose disadvantage on an attacker.
As a parallel, I'd definitely allow a character to use their action to interpose themselves between an enemy and an ally. I'd give the same end result of disadvantage to the attacker if it persists in attacking the defended character. On a case by case basis, the attacker may decide to change the target of his attack.
As a parallel, I'd definitely allow a character to use their action to interpose themselves between an enemy and an ally. I'd give the same end result of disadvantage to the attacker if it persists in attacking the defended character. On a case by case basis, the attacker may decide to change the target of his attack.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
I’d allow it, but I’d require a check to pull it off – maybe Athletics or Acrobatics. And I might give you disadvantage on your next action, since you acted out of turn.
If it would mean your character’s death instead of another’s, I’d probably invoke the rule of awesome as a DM and put it at an insanely low DC to succeed.
If it would mean your character’s death instead of another’s, I’d probably invoke the rule of awesome as a DM and put it at an insanely low DC to succeed.
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