Help action in combat

[Dr. Cliché]

Let's say I use the second option in the Help action:

"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."

Here's my question - does the target have to be within 5ft of me when I use the help action, or when my ally actually attacks it?

i.e. can it negate the effect by moving away before the ally has his action?

[Tanarii]

Here's my question - does the target have to be within 5ft of me when I use the help action, or when my ally actually attacks it?
Yes. :smallbiggrin:

Seriously though, it's probably intended to work like a melee attack. Ie you need to be adjacent when you execute it, and can move away afterwards. OTOH I can see where someone could easily interpret it as needing to stay in place to maintain the effect until your ally attacks.

[Laserlight]

you can aid a friendly creature in attacking a creature within 5 feet of you

I would read that as yes, you have to be within 5ft at the time your ally attacks. Otherwise it's not "a creature within 5ft of you".

[Saggo]

I would read that as yes, you have to be within 5ft at the time your ally attacks. Otherwise it's not "a creature within 5ft of you".

The clause is just "within 5ft of you", not "a creature within 5ft of you", and it's also subordinate or nested. The problem is they give no punctuation or context to clarify if the main clause is "You aid within 5ft of you" or if it's more like you say "attacking a creature within 5ft of you." ("attacking a creature" is itself another subordinate clause.)

If it is the latter, then you get odd situations where you can aid on a target across the entire map on your turn, be teleported to the target on a subsequent turn, and then your friendly creature makes their advantaged attack.

[Laserlight]

The clause is just "within 5ft of you", not "a creature within 5ft of you", and it's also subordinate or nested. The problem is they give no punctuation or context to clarify if the main clause is "You aid within 5ft of you" or if it's more like you say "attacking a creature within 5ft of you."

If it is the latter, then you get odd situations where you can aid on a target across the entire map on your turn, be teleported to the target on a subsequent turn, and then your friendly creature makes their advantaged attack.

I am pleased to be able to say that I haven't needed to diagram a sentence or worry about insubordinate clauses for 35 years. :smallsmile:

It sounds as if you are saying that Aid Giver has to be within 5ft of Target at the moment Ally attacks (which I agree with), but doesn't necessarily have to have been within 5ft at the moment of taking the Aid action. (For instance: AG stands in place and does Aid; Target charges AG and makes contact; Ally moves up and makes his first attack with advantage. I think that mechanically I would rule that AG did a Ready Action with the trigger being "Target moves within 5ft of me or vice versa" rather saying that it's possible to Aid at range.

[RickAllison]

I interpreted it as needing to be close to mess with the target, but retreats are possible after. This would be something like giving a rapid offensive that doesn't ever hit them, but distracts them for a moment.

[R.Shackleford]

Let's say I use the second option in the Help action:

"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."

Here's my question - does the target have to be within 5ft of me when I use the help action, or when my ally actually attacks it?

i.e. can it negate the effect by moving away before the ally has his action?

5' of you when you take the help action.

You can then move away.

It's been confirmed by tweet.

[Corran]

5' of you when you take the help action.

You can then move away.

It's been confirmed by tweet.
Yep. Here it is.
http://www.sageadvice.eu/2014/11/03/help-action-2/



Here's my question - does the target have to be within 5ft of me when I use the help action, or when my ally actually attacks it?

i.e. can it negate the effect by moving away before the ally has his action?
Heh, this is about an owl familiar, isnt it?:smalltongue: