Courageous Assault

[The Total Package]

The ability states:

With a mighty shout, you can stir an ally to attack. If your next action is to cast the courageous anthem composition cantrip, one ally of your choice who gains a status bonus from the spell can immediately use their reaction to make a melee Strike.

My question is, if its the first round of combat and my allies have not acted yet, can I use this ability on them even though they don't have their reaction available yet.

[Baarogue]

The Total Package wrote:

The ability states:

With a mighty shout, you can stir an ally to attack. If your next action is to cast the courageous anthem composition cantrip, one ally of your choice who gains a status bonus from the spell can immediately use their reaction to make a melee Strike.

My question is, if its the first round of combat and my allies have not acted yet, can I use this ability on them even though they don't have their reaction available yet.

If your GM says they don't have their reaction yet, then they don't have their reaction to use for the Strike. It's up to your GM whether a character has their reaction before their first turn. Check with them before wasting this ability, because it doesn't make an exception for the first turn like some other abilities do

[Lia Wynn]

Another option is to simply Delay until someone who can use that Strike goes.

Or, use Courageous Assault in Round 2.

[Claxon]

Yeah, a while back there was a discussion (I think it was actually a side discussion not the main point of the thread) about reactions.

Some people said they viewed it as "you should always have your reaction, but the GM can sometimes justify taking it away". Myself (and others) said we should view it as "you can never assume you have your reaction before your turn, but there are many exceptions that might grant you a reaction before your turn".

The rules simply say:

Quote:

Your reactions let you respond immediately to what’s happening around you. The GM determines whether you can use reactions before your first turn begins, depending on the situation in which the encounter happens. Once your first turn begins, you gain your actions and reaction. You gain 1 reaction per round. You can use a reaction on anyone’s turn (including your own), but only when its trigger occurs. If you don’t use your reaction, you lose it at the start of your next turn, though you typically then gain a reaction at the start of that turn.

Make of that what you will.

But in any event, if the GM decides that a character doesn't have a reaction available, they wouldn't be able to take a reaction in response to Courageous Shout.

Of course, depending on turn order you could always delay your turn.

[Dr. Frank Funkelstein]

Commander uses the elegant solution to actually grant a reaction, sidestepping this issue.

I agree that asking the GM is the way to go, i usually decide that on the group being surprised by a combat or starting it.