Fanatics come fight here! ( 20th level gladiator arena )

GG

Good game. Since we're done, can you explain reactions please? I keep getting my butt kicked due to not knowing when to take them.

Quote from RangerTwoBlades >>

Good game. Since we're done, can you explain reactions please? I keep getting my butt kicked due to not knowing when to take them.

 Oh sorry for the wait, I was doing a thing. Basically reactions are like actions but on another player's turn. Spells like shield have a casting time of one reaction, which is kinda like the response to an attack or something specified in the reaction.

If I didn't explain well enough, here https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/ddvram/combat#Reactions

It looks like your character has the following reactions 
Opportunity Attack - When a creature moves away from you you get to attack them
Absorb Elements(1st) - When you get hit with an elemental attck ( Ex. Fireball ) You gain resistance to that attack and add 1d6 of the element type into your next melee attack
Shield(1st) - Gain more AC when you get hit with an attack
Retaliation - When you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.

Reactions are better explained as an If this happens, then you get to do this. For example, with shield IF a puny melee fighter attacks me THEN I get +5 to AC. Some reactions have limited uses but that's probably just spells. If I get anything wrong then someone will most likely correct me.

that seems accurate to me

Quote from RangerTwoBlades >>

Good game. Since we're done, can you explain reactions please? I keep getting my butt kicked due to not knowing when to take them.

 they are a special action you can take on other people's turn. you can only do it once between your turn, and only if specific features or spells let you. such as shield(spell): when a creature attacks you, you may cast this spell to gain a plus 5 bonus to your armor class." or vengeful assault (variant dragon born feature): "When you take damage from a creature in range of a weapon you are wielding, you can use your reaction to make an attack with the weapon against that creature. Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest."

Quote from Nikoli_Goodfellow_King_Of_Random >>

Reactions are better explained as an If this happens, then you get to do this. For example, with shield IF a puny melee fighter attacks me THEN I get +5 to AC. Some reactions have limited uses but that's probably just spells. If I get anything wrong then someone will most likely correct me.

 and like Nikoli_Goodfellow_King_Of_Random says, only at certain times when the specific reaction says.

Thank you all so much for the advice! Now I can not get decimated every time!

If anyone's looking for a barber to take a little off the top, I've got some time.

what's that ability that prevents anyone from getting advantage against you? I think it's a high level rouge one, but still.

Yeah that'll do it

Quote from Nikoli_Goodfellow_King_Of_Random >>

Reactions are better explained as an If this happens, then you get to do this. For example, with shield IF a puny melee fighter attacks me THEN I get +5 to AC. Some reactions have limited uses but that's probably just spells. If I get anything wrong then someone will most likely correct me.

 oh yeah, @Nikoli_Goodfellow_King_Of_Random, you can only take one reaction between each of your turns.

Also note that reactions occur after their triggers (unless explicitly said otherwise, like Shield). So for example, if someone damages you and you want to cast Hellish Rebuke in response, the Hellish Rebuke occurs after the damage (so if the damage brings you to 0, you can't cast Hellish Rebuke).

Quote from Persuasion >>

Also note that reactions occur after their triggers (unless explicitly said otherwise, like Shield). So for example, if someone damages you and you want to cast Hellish Rebuke in response, the Hellish Rebuke occurs after the damage (so if the damage brings you to 0, you can't cast Hellish Rebuke).

 I did not know this actually

Quote from Nikoli_Goodfellow_King_Of_Random >>

Quote from Persuasion >>

Also note that reactions occur after their triggers (unless explicitly said otherwise, like Shield). So for example, if someone damages you and you want to cast Hellish Rebuke in response, the Hellish Rebuke occurs after the damage (so if the damage brings you to 0, you can't cast Hellish Rebuke).

 I did not know this actually

 it can actually make a difference

it also prevents "I'm taking you down with me" situations

I created a couple characters, Anyone want to help me test them out?

https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Nikoli_Goodfellow_King_Of_Random/characters/38206147

https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Nikoli_Goodfellow_King_Of_Random/characters/37760473

Define "test"