Technically, speaking would be considered an action unto itself, on par with using the Help action, or Using an Item action. Using items is another free action once on your turn. So, strictly by the rules, I suppose you'd need to use your Reaction after holding your action?
Most DMs allow casual conversation, but when you start getting into discussing tactics, or shouting warnings... that's when things get tricky, because the conversations end up affecting how things play out.
I allow one or two sentences out of turn. It's just too hard to carry on a conversation where several minutes pass between statement and response because you're waiting while players and monsters take their actions. I wouldn't allow every player to speak on every other players' turn, though. Reaction is probably a good way to treat it, if you feel the need for hard rules. I just let the conversation go until I feel the need to keep it moving, and then remind them their time for talking is up at my discretion.
The answer is, you wouldn't be doing it on someone elses turn. In theory all of combat is happening in unison, so if you are talking it is happening on your turn. The turn system is just to mechanically maintain the 6 seconds that is an entire round of combat.
In the PHB (p 190) it says that stating a sentence or two is a free action on your turn. [emphasis added]
If speaking a sentence or two is a free action on your turn, what is it when you want to do this on someone else's turn?
I see no where that
"stating a sentence or two is a free action on your turn. [emphasis added] If speaking a sentence or two is a free action on your turn" pg 190 PHB.....
off your turn is also a free action as long as its simple...
In the PHB (p 190) it says that stating a sentence or two is a free action on your turn. [emphasis added]
If speaking a sentence or two is a free action on your turn, what is it when you want to do this on someone else's turn?
I see no where that
"stating a sentence or two is a free action on your turn. [emphasis added] If speaking a sentence or two is a free action on your turn" pg 190 PHB.....
off your turn is also a free action as long as its simple...
In the PHB under "Other Activity on your turn"
"Other Activity on Your Turn
Your turn can include a variety of flourishes that require neither your action nor your move.
You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn."
Since everyone's turn occurs in the same 6 second turn simultaneously and are only divided up by initiative in order to make it easier to resolve, the characters are essentially communicating at the same time. The reason this is worded to restrict talking to your turn is to prevent other players from talking over the player whose turn it is. The DM can of course run it however they wish but if they have a problem player that likes to speak up or interrupt other players then they can be referred to this rule which attempts to constrain the character making comments to other characters to that character's turn.
Personally, I don't mind allowing some chatter and interaction between players as long as the person taking their turn has as much opportunity as they want to express the action they want to take and ask any questions or clarifications.
In the PHB (p 190) it says that stating a sentence or two is a free action on your turn. [emphasis added]
If speaking a sentence or two is a free action on your turn, what is it when you want to do this on someone else's turn?
Free action is no longer a D&D term
3rd Ed. QED
Speak
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn’t your turn. Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.
Seem players still reference it due to DMs consolidating old rules to their guidance as DM ....
Talking is a rule i loosely follow or enforce in combat, letting player characters briefly communicate togheter wether on their turn or not. But i can also put a hard limit similar to object interactions;, while they can interact with others for free, interacting too much eventually use your action. This tend to limit more extensive back and forth.
A fair portion of DM's limit their players way too much, you want to squash real "role" play, put in MORE house-rules or constricting rulings on character interaction in combat. seen it from AD&D all the way up to 5E and D&D One test, relax they want to be heroes don't hamstring them.
There is a difference between combat roleplay and extended back and forth tactic talk during about 6 second rounds. DMs often need to limit when players frequently speak more than brief utturances between them.
Minutia, too many DM's take that way too far, "don't do this don't do that" and reasonable players realize it is not a 3 hour talk and chop" don't shut your players down if they love it enough to be talking that much, it only takes you to kill it...
You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn.
However, this is one of those areas where common sense absolutely must prevail. D&D is meant to be a social and fun game and it's the DM's job to make sure that the players are having fun. I think that this is an important conversation to pre-game with the players before beginning the game. Something like this:
"Hey guys, wouldn't it be awesome if we ran combat in a fast-paced manner such that the player is acting quickly while feeling a bit rushed and confused and overwhelmed and having to make decisions with limited information and communication during the chaos of battle, just like how the player's character would be feeling in that moment? That way, our characters would actually be making some mistakes and we'd get to roll with that and see how it plays out for them and then maybe they learn over time through post-mortem discussions with the other characters? Wouldn't that be super fun?"
If all of the players respond with "Wow, yeah that would be exciting! We should totally do that!" then that's how you run the game.
But if all of the players respond with "No way, that's super dumb. We want to make sure that we're making good decisions so that we don't get wiped in a random fight." then you really need to work with your players to allow them to have fun and not just be annoyed and stressed. Again, making sure the game is fun is the DM's main job, it's important.
This can be especially important if the group has one or more new players. If a new player is playing a wizard and is saying something like, "Hmm, I dunno, I'm sort of thinking about running up to that big monster and stabbing him with my dagger, what do you guys think?" and another player just responds with "Well, don't you still have spell slots? You should probably just stay in the back and cast Fireball". Should a DM really insert himself into that situation and be like "Hey, no talking out of turn -- New Player, his character would not have been able to tell your character to do that -- and now you've taken too long to act so you've just lost your action!" Absolutely not, that would be a travesty to the game.
On the other hand, these rules are structured this way in order to try to avoid having a table captain that always talks over the other players and always tries to tell everyone what they should do and in doing so is sort of ruining the fun for the other players. The DM's job is to make sure that ALL of the players are having fun so this is a way for the DM to enforce shutting that guy up so that the other players can have their time to shine on their own turns.
In this case I think that the written rules should be used as "guidelines" for running a smooth and fun game and nothing more.
From a RAI standpoint, you have 6 seconds a round. This means that two people couldn’t have a conversation, but you could shout ‘I think they have magic resistance’ even on someone else’s turn, as it is technically happening in that same 6 second span.
From my interpretation personally, ooc planning could (and should) be allowed as long as it can be communicated quickly in game (‘I’ll get that one!’), but you can’t form a complex plan in a single round.
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Helper of Create a World thread/Sedge is Chaotic Neutral/ Mega Yahtzee High: 34, Low: 14/I speak English, je me parle le Francais, agus Labhraim beagan Gaeilge
This why real combat teams have a SOP (Standard Operating Procedures for those that don’t know the acronym) that all team members know and use. This can be as simple as” geek the mage first” up to considerable more complex taking in multiple possible scenarios. In game I’ve seldom seen a set of PCs actually work one out but have been in groups that the layers did the design work and then ran with it.
This why real combat teams have a SOP (Standard Operating Procedures for those that don’t know the acronym) that all team members know and use. This can be as simple as” geek the mage first” up to considerable more complex taking in multiple possible scenarios. In game I’ve seldom seen a set of PCs actually work one out but have been in groups that the layers did the design work and then ran with it.
I actually have seen a set of PCs work out SOP. It was back in the early 80s, the players were mustered-out Viet Nam vets, and they gave me as their DM a fast, hard education in small group tactics. It was truly scary how effective they were.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S. Thompson
When life is bleak, all hope is lost, a wall is at your back, you always have one option left...attack! Attack! ATTACK! - Me
You could make the first 5 words free, then have them use a Speak action to say the next 5 words (thus to a maximum of 10 words on their turn). Adjust the numbers as necessary.
You could make the first 5 words free, then have them use a Speak action to say the next 5 words (thus to a maximum of 10 words on their turn). Adjust the numbers as necessary.
This makes sense to me. A 6-second combat turn is no time to be monologuing.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S. Thompson
When life is bleak, all hope is lost, a wall is at your back, you always have one option left...attack! Attack! ATTACK! - Me
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In the PHB (p 190) it says that stating a sentence or two is a free action on your turn. [emphasis added]
If speaking a sentence or two is a free action on your turn, what is it when you want to do this on someone else's turn?
?? would have to be a reaction.. if it was something.
And that would spend it wouldn't it?
Itinerant Deputy Shire-reave Tomas Burrfoot - world walker, Raft-captain, speaker to his dead
Toddy Shelfungus- Rider of the Order of Ill Luck, Speaker to Friends of Friends, and Horribly big nosed
Jarl Archi of Jenisis Glade Fee- Noble Knight of the Dragonborn Goldcrest Clan, Sorcerer of the Noble Investigator;y; Knightly order of the Wolfhound
Technically, speaking would be considered an action unto itself, on par with using the Help action, or Using an Item action. Using items is another free action once on your turn. So, strictly by the rules, I suppose you'd need to use your Reaction after holding your action?
Most DMs allow casual conversation, but when you start getting into discussing tactics, or shouting warnings... that's when things get tricky, because the conversations end up affecting how things play out.
I allow one or two sentences out of turn. It's just too hard to carry on a conversation where several minutes pass between statement and response because you're waiting while players and monsters take their actions. I wouldn't allow every player to speak on every other players' turn, though. Reaction is probably a good way to treat it, if you feel the need for hard rules. I just let the conversation go until I feel the need to keep it moving, and then remind them their time for talking is up at my discretion.
The answer is, you wouldn't be doing it on someone elses turn. In theory all of combat is happening in unison, so if you are talking it is happening on your turn. The turn system is just to mechanically maintain the 6 seconds that is an entire round of combat.
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"Play the game however you want to play the game. After all, your fun doesn't threaten my fun."
Let players talk freely, limit character discussion.
No one should be having a debate in combat anyway.
I see no where that
"stating a sentence or two is a free action on your turn. [emphasis added] If speaking a sentence or two is a free action on your turn" pg 190 PHB.....
off your turn is also a free action as long as its simple...
Ninja
In the PHB under "Other Activity on your turn"
"Other Activity on Your Turn
Your turn can include a variety of flourishes that require neither your action nor your move.
You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn."
Since everyone's turn occurs in the same 6 second turn simultaneously and are only divided up by initiative in order to make it easier to resolve, the characters are essentially communicating at the same time. The reason this is worded to restrict talking to your turn is to prevent other players from talking over the player whose turn it is. The DM can of course run it however they wish but if they have a problem player that likes to speak up or interrupt other players then they can be referred to this rule which attempts to constrain the character making comments to other characters to that character's turn.
Personally, I don't mind allowing some chatter and interaction between players as long as the person taking their turn has as much opportunity as they want to express the action they want to take and ask any questions or clarifications.
Free action is no longer a D&D term
3rd Ed. QED
Speak
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn’t your turn. Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.
Seem players still reference it due to DMs consolidating old rules to their guidance as DM ....
Ninja
People argue in combat all the time in Novels and Movies, but i know you want to limit that fun hehehehe shhhhhhhh DM Shhhhhhhh players got this....
Ninja
Talking is a rule i loosely follow or enforce in combat, letting player characters briefly communicate togheter wether on their turn or not. But i can also put a hard limit similar to object interactions;, while they can interact with others for free, interacting too much eventually use your action. This tend to limit more extensive back and forth.
A fair portion of DM's limit their players way too much, you want to squash real "role" play, put in MORE house-rules or constricting rulings on character interaction in combat. seen it from AD&D all the way up to 5E and D&D One test, relax they want to be heroes don't hamstring them.
Ninja
There is a difference between combat roleplay and extended back and forth tactic talk during about 6 second rounds. DMs often need to limit when players frequently speak more than brief utturances between them.
Minutia, too many DM's take that way too far, "don't do this don't do that" and reasonable players realize it is not a 3 hour talk and chop" don't shut your players down if they love it enough to be talking that much, it only takes you to kill it...
Ninja
So, RAW has this:
However, this is one of those areas where common sense absolutely must prevail. D&D is meant to be a social and fun game and it's the DM's job to make sure that the players are having fun. I think that this is an important conversation to pre-game with the players before beginning the game. Something like this:
"Hey guys, wouldn't it be awesome if we ran combat in a fast-paced manner such that the player is acting quickly while feeling a bit rushed and confused and overwhelmed and having to make decisions with limited information and communication during the chaos of battle, just like how the player's character would be feeling in that moment? That way, our characters would actually be making some mistakes and we'd get to roll with that and see how it plays out for them and then maybe they learn over time through post-mortem discussions with the other characters? Wouldn't that be super fun?"
If all of the players respond with "Wow, yeah that would be exciting! We should totally do that!" then that's how you run the game.
But if all of the players respond with "No way, that's super dumb. We want to make sure that we're making good decisions so that we don't get wiped in a random fight." then you really need to work with your players to allow them to have fun and not just be annoyed and stressed. Again, making sure the game is fun is the DM's main job, it's important.
This can be especially important if the group has one or more new players. If a new player is playing a wizard and is saying something like, "Hmm, I dunno, I'm sort of thinking about running up to that big monster and stabbing him with my dagger, what do you guys think?" and another player just responds with "Well, don't you still have spell slots? You should probably just stay in the back and cast Fireball". Should a DM really insert himself into that situation and be like "Hey, no talking out of turn -- New Player, his character would not have been able to tell your character to do that -- and now you've taken too long to act so you've just lost your action!" Absolutely not, that would be a travesty to the game.
On the other hand, these rules are structured this way in order to try to avoid having a table captain that always talks over the other players and always tries to tell everyone what they should do and in doing so is sort of ruining the fun for the other players. The DM's job is to make sure that ALL of the players are having fun so this is a way for the DM to enforce shutting that guy up so that the other players can have their time to shine on their own turns.
In this case I think that the written rules should be used as "guidelines" for running a smooth and fun game and nothing more.
From a RAI standpoint, you have 6 seconds a round. This means that two people couldn’t have a conversation, but you could shout ‘I think they have magic resistance’ even on someone else’s turn, as it is technically happening in that same 6 second span.
From my interpretation personally, ooc planning could (and should) be allowed as long as it can be communicated quickly in game (‘I’ll get that one!’), but you can’t form a complex plan in a single round.
Helper of Create a World thread/Sedge is Chaotic Neutral/ Mega Yahtzee High: 34, Low: 14/I speak English, je me parle le Francais, agus Labhraim beagan Gaeilge
Dream of Days Lore Bard 9/Wizard 4 Baulder's Gate: Descent to Avernus (In Person/Over Zoom)
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Ex Sig
This why real combat teams have a SOP (Standard Operating Procedures for those that don’t know the acronym) that all team members know and use. This can be as simple as” geek the mage first” up to considerable more complex taking in multiple possible scenarios. In game I’ve seldom seen a set of PCs actually work one out but have been in groups that the layers did the design work and then ran with it.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I actually have seen a set of PCs work out SOP. It was back in the early 80s, the players were mustered-out Viet Nam vets, and they gave me as their DM a fast, hard education in small group tactics. It was truly scary how effective they were.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"
- Hunter S. Thompson
When life is bleak, all hope is lost, a wall is at your back, you always have one option left...attack! Attack! ATTACK!
- Me
You could make the first 5 words free, then have them use a Speak action to say the next 5 words (thus to a maximum of 10 words on their turn). Adjust the numbers as necessary.
This makes sense to me. A 6-second combat turn is no time to be monologuing.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"
- Hunter S. Thompson
When life is bleak, all hope is lost, a wall is at your back, you always have one option left...attack! Attack! ATTACK!
- Me