[RPG] say something to an ally when it’s not the turn and we are both in combat

combatdnd-5e

For instance I want to suggest a spell or a generic action to an ally because my PC has a better view of the battlefield. Can I do that or I must wait my turn?

Best Answer

Though I don't see disallowance specifically stated, the combat rules suggest that you cannot speak out-of-turn. From the SRD, italics mine:

Other Activity on Your Turn

...

You can communicate however you are able, through brief utterances and gestures, as you take your turn.

...

In my experience, however, it is quite common for DMs to ignore this rule. The community has brought up many reasons to ignore it:

  • To allow the players to strategize for difficult or complicated combat encounters
  • To keep combat engaging for players who are waiting for their turns to come up
  • To encourage banter between opposing sides during combat

Even if your group decides to use this rule some of the above benefits can be had through a simple workaround. As pointed out by Foo Bar "[There is] a clean workaround in the 5E action economy: if you think of something out of turn and need to say it right then, it uses your reaction to do so. That fits the description on PHB p190 and turns kibitzing into a resource decision."

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