Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 McMechanism Jul 01, 2015 7:13:15	A minotaur successfully throws a PC off a ledge in combat. The PC fails a DEX saving throw to try and grab onto the ledge as he falls. Another PC who comes much later in initiative but is standing nearby says "I want to react and use my vine arm to catch him before he falls."   All story fluff aside, it made perfect sense that he would try and grab his companion who was falling off a ledge right next to him but it wasn't his go and rules wise, this doesn't trigger a reaction. So I wasn't sure how to adjudicate. I ended up saying he can make an attempt to save his friend now as his action and he'll have to forgo his turn later in the round.    What should I have done to stay within the rules?
#2 iserith Jul 01, 2015 7:37:23	The rules are largely descriptive, not largely prescriptive. That is to say, the rules are tools the DM uses to adjudicate situations that arise in play as needed, not limits to what a character can do (with some exceptions). If a player tries to react to save a friend, the DM can say that suceeds, fails, or is uncertain. In the latter case, the DM applies whatever mechanics he or she thinks applies to resolve the action. Here, you said "Yes, you can catch your friend before he falls, but it takes up your reaction for this round." That is fair and in line with the rules. You might also have added, "Until your friend acts to secure himself, you're short the use of one hand..." if that was appropriate.
#3 Thoughts_My_Aim Jul 01, 2015 7:41:27	I'm with iserith on this one. The game gets far, far less interesting if you start taking the attitude that "everything that is not permitted is forbidden" rather than the attitude that "everything that is not forbidden is permitted."   It's something a person could reasonably do, there's a reasonable way to model it baked into the system (reactions). No reason it can't happen.
#4 McMechanism Jul 01, 2015 8:55:10	Understood. Many thanks both.