QQ&A: Improve Help by ignoring it
I came across an interesting question while trawling the sprawling, sandbox dungeon we call the internet:
“How would you improve the Help action?”
It’s a great question, so I thought I’d fire off a quick Q&A (or QQ&A) about it.
Why is it a great question?
Because the idea behind the Help action is awesome. In turn-based games, it can feel as though the players aren’t really working together. It’s not quite like everyone is doing their own thing, but sometimes it feels like overlapping games of Solitaire.
The Help action tries to overcome that.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t do much. It doesn’t come up often and it’s a boring effect.
How would I fix it?
Eh…
I’m not sure I would. I’ve made it unnecessary through a mix of laying down the law and doing other things.
There are three contexts where Help tends to show up.
The first is in combat, where one PC distracts an enemy or something.
I play things differently. I let players know that, if they’re adjacent in the initiative order, they’re acting simultaneously. If PC 1 casts firebolt and PC 2 swings an axe, that doesn’t change much. But if PC 1 grabs one end of a chain and wants to go all Battle-of-Hoth on an elephant, PC 2 can grab the other end and help them.
With that in play, Help isn’t all that useful. If PC 1 wants to distract the enemy, they can roll Intimidation while their mate attacks.
The second context is cases where it doesn’t make sense.
Picking a lock is a one-person job. Having someone look over your shoulder isn’t going to help you.
If a player tries to pull that sort of manure, I tell them no.
The third context is where another person could actually help them out. One person can move a couch, but it’s easier with two. Does that mean one uses a Help action? Not really - either they move the couch without issue or they both roll for Strength.
I’m not saying I’d never allow one PC to Help another. They just don’t need to in my games all that often, since they have so many ways to help without Helping.
Speaking of small tweaks with big changes…
Footprints is perfect for the GM who wants their worlds to come alive. It all comes from one, simple tweak - making your monsters live in the world, not just exist on it.
It’s a handy guide, full of dozens of ways to make the player’s enemies feel real rather than slapped on.
You can learn more right here: