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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fenris-77" data-source="post: 7998717" data-attributes="member: 6993955">I tend to use the, admittedly somewhat arbitrary, break point of 'does it do damage'. If all you're doing is kicking the guards down the stairs, i.e. they aren't taking HP damage, then I feel well justified adjudicating it outside the combat rules. You certainly can adjudicate it inside the combat rules and still have it be cinematic though, for sure. You'll notice your example also escapes the three rolls to succeed model presented above? That's really the key. Make it one roll, however you're doing it, and it becomes a more approachable idea, and the math is less likely to get on top of you.Something that can be an important decision point here for the DM is the roll for initiative. Unlike the rest of the game, D&D has that very specific indicator that the game is NOW IN COMBAT MODE. Dun-dun-daaah!! Once you roll initiative expectations change a little. The stair kicking example is one I might allow as an action in response to my stating two guards appear at the top of the stairs. An action to delay or obstruct those guards doesn't have to happen after initiative is rolled. The stair kick, or throwing a table, or pulling down a tapestry, all those things can be resolved outside combat without breaking the game. That's part of why damage is my break point. It's really about the goal of the action. If the goal is to kick the guards down the stairs so that your escape attempt can continue, then rolling initiative just gums things up. I'd allow the action, and if it failed, then we're in combat. However, if the goal of kicking the guards down the stairs is to injure them, then it seems like a roll initiative and enter combat kind of idea.I think your last sentence is really important. The players need to have some idea of how their swashbuckle may work, or they simply won't attempt it, or even suggest it. I think that the production of some player facing text might be necessary. Even a discussion in session zero about that sort of thing, where the DM sets some limits and manages expectations, could help. I prefer something more concrete though.</blockquote>

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