Ally
A creature on the same side as you; the prerequisite for many cooperation effects such as Help, healing, and flanking.
An ally is a creature on the same side as you. This includes party members, friendly NPCs traveling with you, summoned creatures and familiars you control, and any other creature actively cooperating toward your goals during the current scene.
Why it matters: Many rules grant benefits to allies or trigger only against non-allies. Examples include:
- Help action can be taken on behalf of an ally
- Healing spells that affect only "willing creatures" generally target allies
- Flanking (optional rule) requires an ally on the opposite side of a target
- Features such as the Bard's Bardic Inspiration are usually directed at allies
Determining ally status: The DM is the arbiter. By default, members of the same party are allies. A charmed creature is not necessarily an ally — it views the charmer as a friendly acquaintance, but the rules treating allies still apply at the DM's discretion. A creature can stop being an ally mid-scene if its goals diverge sharply (a betrayal, a charm ending mid-combat).