Dungeons & Dragons 5e: How & When to Use the Help Action

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Plus, some stories from our writers on when they successfully used the help action
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Are you confused about how the help action actually works in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition? If so, you're not alone—and this is the perfect article for you. In this article we go over the rules for using the help action in and out of combat, as well as when you should and shouldn't use the help action. We've also included a few stories from our staff on when they successfully used the help action in their games. Keep reading to learn more.

Using the Help Action in DnD 5e

The help action can be used in or out of combat, and it works similarly in both instances: the character being helped gets advantage on their next ability check or attack roll. However, to get this advantage they must perform the task or attack the enemy that the helper designated before the helper's next turn.

Section 1 of 4:

Help Action Rules

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    You can use the help action in combat and out of combat. The rules are similar for both applications, but your DM may decide how and when you can use a help action.
    • Combat: There are two ways to use the help action in combat. [1] Both of these count as an action, not a bonus action (unless your character's race, class, or feats say otherwise).
      • You help another character with a task. The other character will get advantage on their next ability check to perform or complete the task, as long as they make the check before the start of your next turn.
      • You help a friendly creature attack another creature (both must be within five feet of you). The friendly creature will get advantage on their next attack roll on the creature, as long as they attack before the start of your next turn.
    • Out of combat: You can offer to help another character with a task. This will give the other character advantage on the ability check to perform or complete that task. [2] Note that this isn't technically a help action since you're not in combat, but many players still call it a help action.
      • Your character must be able to do the task on their own to offer help. For example, if one of your allies is trying to forge a document, your character must have proficiency with a forgery kit to help with the task.
      • The task must be one that wouldn't be hindered by a pair of extra hands. For example, helping your ally break down a door is plausible; helping your ally fill a very small bottle with a potion isn't.
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    Find Familiar is a 1st level conjuration spell that can be learned by Wizards. Familiars can't attack, but they can use other actions—including help. [3] Familiars must follow the same rules as player characters when it comes to the help action: in combat they must be within five feet of the ally they're helping and the enemy, and out of combat they can only help with a task that they'd be able to do on their own.
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Section 2 of 4:

When to Use the Help Action

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    If a nearby ally is fighting a difficult enemy, you might consider helping your ally instead of attacking the enemy yourself. Perhaps your nearby ally is very strong, and you want to ensure that they land a hit on the enemy because the overall total damage would be higher than if you landed an attack.
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    Editor perspective: "It can be tempting for every player at the table to be a hero and deal as much damage as possible in combat, but you can be a team player too! While playing a sorcerer, I was in a tough fight and running low on spells, so I gave the help action to our barbarian. My sorcerer successfully distracted a frost giant, and the barbarian took it down. Keep an eye out for moments in combat when it might be more effective to help an ally than make a move yourself."

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    While your proficiency score doesn't influence the advantage that your ally gets, your proficiency in a skill or tool does matter from both a gameplay and narrative standpoint.
    • From a gameplay standpoint, you can only help an ally out of combat if it was something your character would be able to do on their own. Depending on your DM, they may rely on your proficiencies to determine what tasks you could reasonably do without external help.
    • From a narrative standpoint, if your character is the type to help out their allies, they would be probably more willing to help with something they know how to do. Your ally would also probably be more willing to accept help from someone who knew how to help with the task at hand.
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    If you're a bow-user and you find yourself too close to an enemy to attack without disadvantage (and you don't want to incur an attack of opportunity) or you're a spellcaster who's out of spell slots, you can use your action to help a nearby ally instead of doing nothing.
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    If you have a character that is the type to help anyone and everyone, it might make sense for them to offer to help even when the DM might say no. The worst that will happen is that the DM says no, and they may make an exception if you have a compelling reason to offer up help.
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Section 3 of 4:

When Not to Use the Help Action

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    A clumsy Paladin wouldn't really be much help when the Rogue is picking locks, and a Wizard's familiar can't help with every single attack roll just because it can do the help action.
    • If you want your character to offer help with the intention that they will be turned down, communicate that with your group beforehand and let the DM know that you're not actually trying to use the help action, you're just roleplaying.
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    This is pretty obvious, but if the DM has said you can't help an ally with something, don't keep trying. If you're not sure why your DM made that decision, you can always ask them for clarification (but save any lengthy discussions about gameplay for after the session).
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Section 4 of 4:

Editor Stories

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We asked our staff writer Hannah Dillon about times she used the help action in DnD:

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    "Our party was trying to cross a pit with spikes at the bottom with nothing but a rope. My character, a Dhampir Barbarian, stayed back to help another character hold the rope so the other party members could cross. Because her help action gave her ally advantage, they were able to hold the rope so everyone could cross without falling and taking damage (and she was able to cross by jumping thanks to her high strength stat)."
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    "My Genasi Rogue was fighting alongside an ally. I'd given him the Mastermind roguish archetype, which allowed him to use help as a bonus action. After attacking, he used his help bonus action to create a noise behind the enemy with Thaumaturgy to distract them. This allowed his nearby ally to get advantage on their next attack."
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    "While exploring an old building, our party came across some text written in an ancient language. Because it used the Infernal alphabet, my Tiefling Cleric was able to help an ally decipher what was written due to his knowledge of the script. Together, they were able to figure out what the text said, which gave us a valuable clue to the puzzle we were trying to solve."
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      Tips

      • As a DM, don't be afraid to tell your players no when it comes to the help action, especially when it's out of combat. If a player wants their character or character's familiar to use the help action, they should have a plausible explanation for why and how this action will work.
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      • On the other hand, don't be afraid to bend the rules a little as a DM, especially regarding help actions outside of combat. If a player has a fun or compelling reason for using the help action, you can either let it slide or detail how the character tried to help but was potentially unsuccessful.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/basic-rules-2014/combat#Help
      2. ↑ https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/basic-rules-2014/using-ability-scores#WorkingTogether
      3. ↑ https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Find%20Familiar#content

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