I'm using the flanking rules in my table, and one of my players said he can flank with his cat familiar. I'm allowing it to now, but i really want to know if this is in the rules or if we house ruled without knowing?
Capable of attacking is required, see incapacitated.
You have this entirely backward. The rules require that a flanking ally not be incapacitated. Being incapacitated means you can't attack, but not having an attack doesn't make you incapacitated.
Flanking rules don't matter. The Help action is all you need.
You can lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task. When you take the Help action, the creature you aid gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform the task you are helping with, provided that it makes the check before the start of your next turn.
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.
EDIT: I suppose flanking rules would only matter for characters with multiple Attack actions.
Flanking rules don't matter. The Help action is all you need.
You can lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task. When you take the Help action, the creature you aid gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform the task you are helping with, provided that it makes the check before the start of your next turn.
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.
The Help action only grants advantage to a specific ally on a single attack. If the group are playing with flanking, which OP's are, flanking is vastly superior to Help.
Flanking (and help) rules allow it. But monsters should react accordingly, and quickly knock out any vulnerable tiny creatures which are causing such a nuisance.
Likewise, teams of enemies can use the same tactics. The party should expect to be harried by enemy cats and owls and rabbits whenever they face a spellcaster.
Flanking (and help) rules allow it. But monsters should react accordingly, and quickly knock out any vulnerable tiny creatures which are causing such a nuisance.
Likewise, teams of enemies can use the same tactics. The party should expect to be harried by enemy cats and owls and rabbits whenever they face a spellcaster.
This is why Owls are popular; flyby after using the help action. For the flanking rules, it isn't needed, but now the familiar will need to stay in melee range. Help allows the owl to move away.
Doesn't mean it will not be targeted though; a pissed off opponent is still a pissed off opponent.
I'm using the flanking rules in my table, and one of my players said he can flank with his cat familiar. I'm allowing it to now, but i really want to know if this is in the rules or if we house ruled without knowing?
The familiar can use the HELP action, which in combat confers advantage to the one attacking a creature within 5’ of both.
Familiars are creatures who are your allies; there's no reason that they shouldn't be able to flank according to the flanking rules. No Help required.
Because they can’t attack...
And? The rules don't require the ally to attack, or even to be capable of attacking.
Capable of attacking is required, see incapacitated.
You have this entirely backward. The rules require that a flanking ally not be incapacitated. Being incapacitated means you can't attack, but not having an attack doesn't make you incapacitated.
It all comes down to what your DM considers an ally, which I am not sure is actually defined anywhere in the rules.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Where are the flanking rules? I only knew of the Help action.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
They're an optional variant in the DMG, here (you'll have to scroll down a bit).
Flanking rules don't matter. The Help action is all you need.
You can lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task. When you take the Help action, the creature you aid gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform the task you are helping with, provided that it makes the check before the start of your next turn.
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.
EDIT: I suppose flanking rules would only matter for characters with multiple Attack actions.
The Help action only grants advantage to a specific ally on a single attack. If the group are playing with flanking, which OP's are, flanking is vastly superior to Help.
Either way, kill the cat. Problem solved.
Whoah whoah whoah, calm down there Schrödinger!
Actually, they can attack. It just doesn't hit very hard.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
They can't if they are summoned by find familiar (unless they are a chainlock).
Like that. But they can also channel spells.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Flanking (and help) rules allow it. But monsters should react accordingly, and quickly knock out any vulnerable tiny creatures which are causing such a nuisance.
Likewise, teams of enemies can use the same tactics. The party should expect to be harried by enemy cats and owls and rabbits whenever they face a spellcaster.
This is why Owls are popular; flyby after using the help action. For the flanking rules, it isn't needed, but now the familiar will need to stay in melee range. Help allows the owl to move away.
Doesn't mean it will not be targeted though; a pissed off opponent is still a pissed off opponent.