Improvising an Action (Examples)

[Necrosnoop110]

Anyone use Improvising an Action in an interesting or notable way? Any good examples beyond the ones given? Especially ones that could be replicated by other gaming tables.



Improvising an Action
Your character can do things not covered by the actions in this chapter, such as breaking down doors, intimidating enemies, sensing weaknesses in magical defenses, or calling for a parley with a foe. The only limits to the actions you can attempt are your imagination and your character's ability scores. See the descriptions of the ability scores in chapter 7 for inspiration as you improvise.

When you describe an action not detailed elsewhere in the rules, the DM tells you whether that action is possible and what kind of roll you need to make, if any, to determine success or failure.

Source: PHB, page 193

[Kurt Kurageous]

What comes to mind is almost every noncombative action done when combat is going on.

The acrobatic entertainer continues their rope gymnastics routine in an attempt to distract as many foes as possible. The paladin ignores the lowbrow brawl started by the horny bard and drains her stein of beer, belching loudly as a form of intimidation to warn others away from her.

These improvised actions don't preclude reactions or the use of a bonus action.

[Psyren]

My group does it all the time, interacting with the environment in interesting ways. Like if I put a chandelier in a ballroom where a fight breaks out, and the players want to swing from it for extra movement on their turn or cut the rope to have it crash down on some guards, I'm all for that.

Note that other great DM tools that work with improvised actions are Improvising Damage (DMG 249) and Resolution And Consequences (DMG 242), which includes subtopics like Success At A Cost and Degrees Of Failure.

[PhoenixPhyre]

I'd say 90+% of the things people do fall under this category. Whether in combat (formally Actions) or not (just normal interactions).

Ability checks during social or exploration that's not in combat? Improvised Actions. Improvised Actions are the default for anything not listed. Which is most things.

5e does not require having specifically-labeled buttons to push to do things. This note is just a reminder of that.

[Psyren]

5e does not require having specifically-labeled buttons to push to do things. This note is just a reminder of that.

Indeed, and this is perhaps the edition's biggest strength over its predecessors.

[Demonslayer666]

Fling dirt in their eyes to blind them is usually the first one I think of.
Tackle, toss, pin, called shot, knock something from their hands, stop the bad guy from pulling a lever/hinder movement, etc. I usually let the player come up with just about anything reasonable.

I think of the battlemaster maneuvers (or other class abilities), and I'd allow most of those, but not at the efficiency level as the Battlemaster. I'd have them make a roll of somekind that's not as easy.

[Telok]

Anyone use Improvising an Action in an interesting or notable way? Any good examples beyond the ones given? Especially ones that could be replicated by other gaming tables.

All fail that I've seen.

Cut a rope bridge to send a caster down a huge deep chasm & landed in not-previously-mentioned giant spider webs below. Bugger just stayed there zapping at us anytime we got close to the edge.

Saw someone try to pick up a goblin & throw it off a ledge. Guy needed to make three grapples to do it, couldn't manage more than two without the goblin escaping and it kept pounding him the whole time.

One guy tried to knock over a statue on some orcs. Was explained as a strength check, then a non-proficient attack roll per orc, then like 4d6 dex save for half. Just went to start hitting them with a sword instead, gwm ftw.

Someone once jumped out of a tree from stealth on a surprise round. But advantage doesn't stack & he blew a luck reroll to not flub the dex check jump & fall for damage + prone next to the enemy.

One guy wanted to Beowulf a werewolf but got explained the grapple rules didn't let you do that and unarmed attacks were crap non-magic damage. He just settled for pushing it prone so the guy with a magic weapon could hit more.

[da newt]

I'm a big fan, but it's VERY DM dependant.

I want to wrestle the magic whip out of the Balor's hands - or I want to put my shield in the face of the BBEG caster so he can't see anything in that direction - I want to ask the BBEG what he hopes to accomplish by fighting us because it seems pointless / not in his best interest in any way - etc. Sure, but now it's in the DM's hands to resolve as they see fit.

Sometimes this is rewarded, sometimes it is not and you should have just whacked it with your weapon because then at least you know what you might accomplish and how likely you are to succeed.

And even when there are DMG rules for these sorts of things, does the DM know / use them?

It's hugely variable.