Peacemonger

Amberlyn Hillheart Halfling Folk Hero Celestial Warlock AC: 15 (Studded Leather Armor+3 Dex) | HP: 24/24 (2d8Hit Die+6Con modifier+4Tough Feat) | Speed: 25 ft. Senses: passive Perception 11, Insight 11, Investigation 9 Str:Save: -1 Athletics: -1 Carrying Capacity: 120 lb. Lift/Push/Drag: 240 lb. 8 (-1) | Dex:Initiative: +3 Save: +3 Acrobatics: +3 Slight-of-Hand: +3 Stealth: +3 16 (+3) | Con:Save: +3 16 (+3) | Int:Save: -1 Arcana: -1 History: -1 Investigation: -1 Nature: +1 Religion: -1 8 (-1) | Wis:Save: +3 Animal Handling: +3 Insight: +1 Medicine: +1 Perception: +1 Survival: +3 12 (+1) | Cha:Save: +6 Deception: +4 Intimidation: +6 Performance: +4 Persuasion: +4 19 (+4) Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common, Halfling Spell Slots: 2/2 | Healing Light: 0/3d6 | BraveYou have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. | LuckyWhen you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die. You must use the new result, even if it is a 1. | NimbleYou can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours. | Children of the WoodsYou know the Druidcraft Cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast the Entangle spell once per long rest. At 5th level, you can cast Spike Growth spell once per long rest. These spells don't require the material components normally required. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells. | TimberwalkAbility checks made to track you are at disadvantage and you can move through difficult terrain made of non-magical plants and overgrowth without expending extra movement. | Eldritch InvocationsAgonizing Blast Repelling Blast “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’ | My actions . . . Downtime Rani Amberlyn 's eyes light up as Rani mentions the 'look'. "Yeah! I think... I think I've that look before. I mean, seen other ladies and all use it." Amberlyn snaps her fingers. "Brilliant! I mean, I just normally feel like a deer in lantern lights, probably come across as prey. A look. Hope you don't mind help me practice." He first attempt makes her look constipated. He second try just looks awkward. By the third, it's starting to get somewhere... Work Skulking Scarecrows Amberlyn watches as Pen gets a wicked claw. Shaking her head, cursing in her mind, she knows she needs to be more. With one hand she once again blasts Badmaw's opponent, trying to weaken it enough for the Barbarian to finish it off. With her other she uses the last of her healing light to help Pen, even if only a little. She then does something unexpected. She runs towards Pen, flailing her arms. "Hey ugly! Attack me! Come on! Take your best shot, buddy!" She's goading the scarecrow, if it even can be goaded. OOC Movement: Move to O7 (after attack and bonus action) Action: Attacking Scarecrow 1 again. Hits. By my math, Scarecrow 1 has 1 HP left... Bonus Action: Healing Light for Pen Reaction: —Assuming Amberlyn is hit, going to react with Hellish (Celestial) Rebuke

Half-Orc Gladiator Paladin HP: 7/14 | AC: 18 | HD: 0d10/1d10 | Passive Perception: + | Initiative: +0 | Speed: 30' Str:Save: +3 Athletics: +5* 16 | Dex:Save: +0 Acrobatics: +0 Sleight of Hand: +0 Stealth: +0 11 | Con:Save: +2 14 | Int:Save: +1 Arcana: +1 History: +1 Investigation: +1 Nature: +1 Religion: +3* 13 | Wis:Save: +4* Animal Handling: +2 Insight: +2 Medicine: +2 Perception: +2 Survival: +214 | Cha:Save: +5* Deception: +3 Intimidation: +5* Performance: +5* Persuasion: +5* 16 DarkvisionThanks to your orc blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. | Relentless EnduranceWhen you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.: 1/1 | Savage AttacksWhen you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit. | LanguagesCommon Orc Giant Gnome Divine Sense: 4/4 | Lay on Hands: 2/5 IC: “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’ | My actions . . . It's a tricky situation, and so long as those Goblins are sniping at them, it makes everything a risk. Still, she didn't come up here to become a tailor or basket weaver. Seeing Yod ready to go after his quarry, she gives him a nod and leaps over the fence. She rushes towards the large rock very much out of place, and has her shield up against any arrows coming her way. She sees the two Goblins she had earlier, one now burnt to a crisp, the other still very much in the fight. If she can just strike it down, or at the very least chase it out of cover... OOC Movement: Move to AQ31, hopefully using the rock as cover from the windmill Goblins Action: Dodge Bonus Action: -

Hill Dwarf Outlander Wild Magic Barbarian AC: 18 (+1Dex + 4Con + 3Shield ) | HP: 75/75 (5d12+20Con Modifier 4*Level+10Tough Feat: 2*Level+5Dwarven Toughness: 1*Level) | Speed: 25' Senses: passive Perception 11, Insight 11, Investigation 10 StrSave: +6 Athletics: +6 Carrying Capacity: 240 lb. Lift/Push/Drag: 480 lb.: 16 (+3) | DexSave: +1 Acrobatics: +1 Slight-of-Hand: +1 Stealth: +1: 13 (+1) | ConSave: +7: 18 (+4) | IntSave: +0 Arcana: +0 History: +0 Investigation: +0 Nature: +3 Religion: +0: 10 (+0) | WisSave: +1 Animal Handling: +4 Insight: +1 Medicine: +1 Perception: +1 Survival: +4: 12 (+1) | ChaSave: -1 Deception: -1 Intimidation: +2 Performance: -1 Persuasion: -1: 8 (-1) Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, Elvish Wild Surge Rages: 3/3 | Magic Awareness: 2/2 Darkvision 60' | Dwarven ResilienceYou have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage. | StonecunningWhenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. | Unarmored DefenseWhile you are not wearing any armor, your armor class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. | Danger SenseAt 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren't as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated. | Reckless AttackStarting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn. | Extra Attack | Fast MovementStarting at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor. +1 Red Dragonnel Shield+1 shield that offers resistance to fire damage “My words,” Modri said. | ‘My thoughts,’ Modri thought. | My actions . . . Modri smile fades as he accepts Coltan is not enjoying the moment as he is. "Sure, but perhaps when you're in a lighter spirit. Perhaps over drinks we can spar with words and talk about everything." Modri switches over to Dwarvish. "Deeds over words, brother. We've an army to fight, and don't have the luxury of collecting other grudges." The Barbarian's expression is more solemn, thoughtful. Coltan knows, perhaps others too, that Modri generally hides that part of himself. He does show it when the need arises. He doesn't feel any need to stop the Cleric from leaving and taking the time he needs. OOC Movement: - Bonus Action: - Action: - Reaction: SentinelYou have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard, gaining the following benefits. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn. Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach. When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn't have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature. in effect

Paths to Resolution I've put in a few posts here about conflict resolution, debates, arguments, etc. One thing I've hinted at, but haven't be explicit about, is the underlying philosophy. The problem that many of us run into is when there is a disagreement, when there is a problem, we focus on the wrong questions, we lean into the wrong goals. Then we get confused and annoyed when it doesn't feel like we've been heard, or when even if the GM and/or players rule in our favor it doesn't feel satisfying. It's because we've been having the wrong conversation. For the most part, in TTRPG the resolution should be "we continue to play/go back to playing a fun collaborative storytelling game". That's the whole point. To play in a game, that is collaborative and storytelling in natures, whether it leans towards one of these aspects or is shared equally among game - collaborative - storytelling. Being "right" or "correct" usually has little to do with the game, and more with a player or GM's own ego. Too often our ego gets intertwined with our fun in the game, and though it's not an automatic killer to a game, it does set up conditions that could, if our ego gets too wounded, can indeed ruin the game. This is probably the root of a lot of what has worked well for me as a GM, and even as a players. It's not that I don't make mistakes or offend anyone. It's that when someone calls me out, I aim to resolve it, which is never to get into a debate. On the rare occasion I really feel like someone's roleplaying is a problem, one more the goal isn't to debate them, isn't to tear them down, but to resolve the specific issue(s). Personal attacks true or not, harsh or mild are not just petty, but ineffective. So long as "how do we reach a resolution?" is front of mind, it's hard not to be genuine. There's two things I think are worth keeping in mind with this. The first is discipline. It's one thing to say to focus on resolutions, to work things out, to admit we're wrong, or just let it go when someone else is, it's another to put it into practice. We all get frustrated. We all get annoyed. We all at some point wished someone else would've done something differently in a game at it's bothersome. Part of it is to keep in mind that's real life too, why should our roleplaying games be any different? Part of it is to resist the temptation to get sidetracked. Cause it's tempting. What's tempting will be different for each of us. For some, it's tempting to get into that flame war, for others it's tempting to step onto the soapbox with alignment and morality, and for others still it's tempting to try to take control of a situation that's not ours to take the reigns for. Step back, eye on the prize, course correct. The other thing is priority. The death of games is when having a fun time, of putting in energy and care falls too far down on the priority list. As said, roleplaying games shouldn't be someone's top priority. Even for professional DMs, there's still loved ones and other life stuff too to put higher up on the list. Just as when someone just can't post any more, can't sit down for 15-45 minutes to knock out a post, the game is essentially over, so too is it the case when the priority is to focus and fuel some sort of problem. Whether it's hating a fellow player, whether it's being mad at the trajectory of a story, or a rule decision, or anything else, the more effort we put into being upset pushing resolution further and further away, and it isn't sustainable. As always, maybe a problem is too big, and the game is ruined for us. It happens. At that point, the resolution is to walk away.

Hill Dwarf Outlander Wild Magic Barbarian AC: 18 (+1Dex + 4Con + 3Shield ) | HP: 75/75 (5d12+20Con Modifier 4*Level+10Tough Feat: 2*Level+5Dwarven Toughness: 1*Level) | Speed: 25' Senses: passive Perception 11, Insight 11, Investigation 10 StrSave: +6 Athletics: +6 Carrying Capacity: 240 lb. Lift/Push/Drag: 480 lb.: 16 (+3) | DexSave: +1 Acrobatics: +1 Slight-of-Hand: +1 Stealth: +1: 13 (+1) | ConSave: +7: 18 (+4) | IntSave: +0 Arcana: +0 History: +0 Investigation: +0 Nature: +3 Religion: +0: 10 (+0) | WisSave: +1 Animal Handling: +4 Insight: +1 Medicine: +1 Perception: +1 Survival: +4: 12 (+1) | ChaSave: -1 Deception: -1 Intimidation: +2 Performance: -1 Persuasion: -1: 8 (-1) Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, Elvish Wild Surge Rages: 3/3 | Magic Awareness: 2/2 Darkvision 60' | Dwarven ResilienceYou have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage. | StonecunningWhenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. | Unarmored DefenseWhile you are not wearing any armor, your armor class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. | Danger SenseAt 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren't as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated. | Reckless AttackStarting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn. | Extra Attack | Fast MovementStarting at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor. +1 Red Dragonnel Shield+1 shield that offers resistance to fire damage “My words,” Modri said. | ‘My thoughts,’ Modri thought. | My actions . . . Having handed over the vast majority of all the coin and other fancy things he'd collected, Modri feels a weight lifted on his shoulders. With Michelle's display, he's holding in a laughter, until they're finally gone. "Ahar! Now that's an exit!" He shakes his head smiling. "Damn war. Makes me wonder how many fun and fiery folk are in the Dragon Army ranks. Plenty of cowards and fiends to be sure, but likely a handful I'd share a drink with if given the chance. Alas, can just share a fight with them." He glances at those still around. "I'm a mind to say the same thing or worse if anyone asks me to be prim and proper. Doesn't matter, since it looks like we're heading out again." - Modri offers up 50 gold to get the supplies, wagons, and horses they need. His pack is much, much lighter now, just over 200 gold worth left before his contribution. Even that much feels like far too much for the Dwarf, but realizes these are strange times. The exchange earlier with Michelle has put Modri in a good mood. OOC Movement: - Bonus Action: - Action: - Reaction: SentinelYou have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard, gaining the following benefits. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn. Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach. When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn't have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature. in effect

Jacoby is smiling as Aurelia finishes. "Have to admit I didn't have high hopes for the stories. Reputation of your faith is well... it's kind of old fashioned, all work, no play. Glad the rumors are wrong. Sounds like you lot have plenty of interesting things going on. Fights, dealing with criminal underbellies, mysteries, even romance. You know, you can save the two gold, these tales are plenty good enough. Well, assuming Miss Callie here has a good one of her own. I'd be surprised if she didn't." He's been looking away, focusing on his work moving the raft. He finally does look over straight to Callie, a very strong expression of interest in what she has to say written all over his face.

Half-Orc Gladiator Paladin HP: 7/14 | AC: 18 | HD: 0d10/1d10 | Passive Perception: + | Initiative: +0 | Speed: 30' Str:Save: +3 Athletics: +5* 16 | Dex:Save: +0 Acrobatics: +0 Sleight of Hand: +0 Stealth: +0 11 | Con:Save: +2 14 | Int:Save: +1 Arcana: +1 History: +1 Investigation: +1 Nature: +1 Religion: +3* 13 | Wis:Save: +4* Animal Handling: +2 Insight: +2 Medicine: +2 Perception: +2 Survival: +214 | Cha:Save: +5* Deception: +3 Intimidation: +5* Performance: +5* Persuasion: +5* 16 DarkvisionThanks to your orc blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. | Relentless EnduranceWhen you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.: 1/1 | Savage AttacksWhen you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit. | LanguagesCommon Orc Giant Gnome Divine Sense: 4/4 | Lay on Hands: 2/5 IC: “My words,” | ‘My thoughts,’ | My actions . . . Duala hears Garon call out that Thordin's fallen. She closes her eyes, whispering a quick prayer. More voices comes and she sees Ezra move towards their fallen comrade, and so she has to have faith in them, and she moves towards the other side of the building, trying to put herself in a position to either flank behind the remaining goblins not in the windmill, or support Yod if he needs it. I'm not strong enough. Not yet. She tries to brush off the self-doubts, second guessing each decision, each action, and instead put her mind to the present. OOC Movement & Action: Move and dash to AO34, hopefully using the building as full cover from Goblins 5-8 unless they move Action: - Bonus Action: -

It looks like tbgg dropped their other games, so likely this one too. If that's the case will Rin be NPCed or should we act as if she got separated and didn't make it into the portal?

- Human (Rogue/Monk) AC: 16 | HP: 39/39 | Initiative: +9 | Passive Perception: 13 Jozelle says very little. Though he expression remains calm and collected, no amount of mental fortitude or dissonance can keep the body from showing signs of weakness. Her her is far messier, her pale skin flush red from the heat. It is a good thing she travels light, else she may not have been able to keep up. Finally she speaks "That Vadim retreats in their moment of victory gives hope that following him matters. That he eludes us is... frustrating." The poetic language ends with the last word. "Do we rest? Do we press on?" Mechanics Main Hand: Rapier Off Hand: Torch Action: - Bonus Action: - Move: - Manipulate: - HD: 4/4d8

: Rani is up again.

Jacoby's eyes go a little wide in surprise as Callie blurts out her name, and then the names of the others. But still, he smiles shortly after. "Thank you, Callie. I was far too self-conscious to ask after the curse had its way with me back there." With a little extra strength he pushes the raft ever forward as Argus begins his tale, a two-parter with both a poem and a personal story. "Now there we are. Poetry, mystery, some things to chew on. Are these ape-men the monsters, or are we? Are they specters in our life or are we drifting by in theirs." He nods approvingly. "I admit, I'd been worried that it'd be nothing by scriptures and stern messages. We don't see too many of your faith, and even Merridy keeps to herself mostly. She's pleasant, but pretty quiet. Only transported her once myself, as I think the giving the story wasn't to her liking. But here we have fighting, dangers, tales even of criminal underbellies. Mark me impressed." The sun continues to rise Salt behind them gets smaller, while the wastes in front begin to draw nearer.

Pacing As mentioned in other posts in this thread, play-by-post games are comparatively slow compared to playing real time. Very, very slow. What may take a few hours in real life can be months of a PbP game. And that's all right. That said, it does take some extra considerations. Levelling up faster, a more condensed story, fewer random encounters, or maybe just being there for a fun game while it lasts and not getting too worked up whether a game has a definitive beginning, middle, and end, all of these are more are valid. For me, I feel the question of pacing is synonymous with investment. How often should we post (and in some cases how much should we put in each post) in order to get the investment that we want from the GM and/or players. As always, it depends. For me, I've found for a game to have a fighting chance at last for awhile and making at least some progress, games need to start with a higher pace. Enough story, enough events, enough hooks need to go into the game. From experience, I've seen about 3ish times a week minimally, up to and including multiple posts a day, usually does the trick. Eventually things slow down. Whether it's two weeks or three months, games do slow. And at that point, it's a question of if people feel invested, if they want to see what happens next? Savvy GMs will place enough plot hooks at the start so even if the party only got through a single fight, they're sold on it. Otherwise, if there's promises that things will get "interesting eventually", the clock is ticking. Even when the game slows down, I've seen that roughly once a week, most weeks, seems to be about as slow as a game can get before it's dwindling. If we think of a game like a house plant, it needs a certain level of water and sunlight to grow, maybe every now and then a quick injection of some house plant fertilizer. Similar, games need a certain level of posts with that occasional really cool moment to get extra life into the story. PCs who post less often end up as more or less dead weight, end up as backup characters. GMs who post less are generally borrowing form the investment and goodwill built by the game so far. And of course this is also acceptable. We get a busy month, season, I've seen games on hiatus for months come back (though usually such games have been running for a couple years or so prior). It is though about not getting into "debt", of not expending more delays, more slowdowns than the interest in the game has built up. Once a week, most weeks, is the minimum though. For anyone that wants a game that is deeper, more epic, getting from level 1 to level 10+ game, the aim should be higher. If that's what we want though. Just as games need investment to last, so too do players (and the GM) need to be able to invest what's being asked for. Most players can't do a post every single day. Most GMs can't either. If the bar is raised too high, although hypothetically could make for a great game, won't be if there's no one to play. With all this said, I think the biggest lessons for a GM is to 1) consider how often we need to post to have the kind of game we want 2) double check that we and our prospective players can post that much or if we're getting in over our heads and 3) communicate it so everyone's on the same page.

Hill Dwarf Outlander Wild Magic Barbarian AC: 18 (+1Dex + 4Con + 3Shield ) | HP: 75/75 (5d12+20Con Modifier 4*Level+10Tough Feat: 2*Level+5Dwarven Toughness: 1*Level) | Speed: 25' Senses: passive Perception 11, Insight 11, Investigation 10 StrSave: +6 Athletics: +6 Carrying Capacity: 240 lb. Lift/Push/Drag: 480 lb.: 16 (+3) | DexSave: +1 Acrobatics: +1 Slight-of-Hand: +1 Stealth: +1: 13 (+1) | ConSave: +7: 18 (+4) | IntSave: +0 Arcana: +0 History: +0 Investigation: +0 Nature: +3 Religion: +0: 10 (+0) | WisSave: +1 Animal Handling: +4 Insight: +1 Medicine: +1 Perception: +1 Survival: +4: 12 (+1) | ChaSave: -1 Deception: -1 Intimidation: +2 Performance: -1 Persuasion: -1: 8 (-1) Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common, Dwarvish, Elvish Wild Surge Rages: 3/3 | Magic Awareness: 2/2 Darkvision 60' | Dwarven ResilienceYou have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage. | StonecunningWhenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. | Unarmored DefenseWhile you are not wearing any armor, your armor class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. | Danger SenseAt 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren't as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated. | Reckless AttackStarting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn. | Extra Attack | Fast MovementStarting at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor. +1 Red Dragonnel Shield+1 shield that offers resistance to fire damage “My words,” Modri said. | ‘My thoughts,’ Modri thought. | My actions . . . Modri also turns, hearing Coltan admonish Michelle just after Modri had basically told the guards to knock it off. He looks at Coltan for a few long seconds before offering his own snort, but otherwise says nothing more. He'd already made a promise to himself that short of protecting her life and safety, he wasn't going to fight Michelle's fights for her. She was a victim of circumstance, but that didn't change what she'd done and who she'd done it for. She could decide to accept or resist Coltan's ask of her. She didn't need him acting like some chivalrous fop. No, he'd stay near the guards instead. OOC Movement: - Bonus Action: - Action: - Reaction: SentinelYou have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard, gaining the following benefits. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn. Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach. When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn't have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature. in effect