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The Githyanki Supreme Commander, in its stat block (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, p. 206), is granted three types of legendary actions, one of them being the Teleport action:

Teleport. The githyanki magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing and carrying, to an unoccupied space it can see within 30 feet of it. [...]

Simple. However, the description of the action continues:

[...] It also becomes insubstantial until the start of its next turn. While insubstantial, it can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. If it ends its turn inside an object, it takes 16 (3d10) force damage and is moved to the nearest unoccupied space.

Since legendary actions can only be taken "at the end of another creature's turn" (specified in the generic description of the Legendary actions), how can the Githyanki Supreme Commander move (or, as a matter of fact, end its turn inside an object) while insubstantial if the insubstantiality ends at the start of its turn?

Remember that it cannot teleport to a space it can't see, or to an occupied space.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ That sounds like it should be able to choose to Teleport on it's turn. Is Teleport listed elsewhere in the stat block, and referenced in the legendary actions section? \$\endgroup\$
    – Caleth
    Apr 26, 2019 at 15:27
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Caleth I've checked, and Teleport is only listed in the legendary actions section. \$\endgroup\$
    – Vigil
    Apr 26, 2019 at 15:35

3 Answers 3

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The Githyanki Supreme Commander could Ready movement.

The Supreme Commander could take the Ready action to ready a move and sets the trigger for the moment they become insubstantial. Later in the round, they could use their Legendary Action to teleport and become insubstantial. Then they could use their reaction to take the readied movement and move through other creatures and objects, taking the damage if they ended the move in another creature or object's space.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Very nice answer. I think it's worth mentioning the "ends its turn inside an object" clause is therefore an error - given the insubstantial state ends at the start of its turn, it seems like that clause should apply then. \$\endgroup\$
    – Vigil
    Apr 26, 2019 at 15:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ This ability does seem a bit flaky, as though it's design went through a few iterations and was never quite worked out. In addition to @user48255's answer, as a DM, I might house-rule that the Gith commander can move after teleporting (using up any 'left over' movement from it's last turn perhaps). Makes more sense that way. \$\endgroup\$
    – PJRZ
    Apr 26, 2019 at 15:40
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    \$\begingroup\$ @PJRZ or it could be a standard templating for insubstantial granting abilities, which would normally occur during a creature's turn \$\endgroup\$
    – Caleth
    Apr 26, 2019 at 15:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ They could also be forced to move by a spell or ability before their next turn (eg dissonant whispers) \$\endgroup\$
    – Rubiksmoose
    Apr 26, 2019 at 16:53
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    \$\begingroup\$ Nitpicking, but you don't ready the Dash action in order to move - "First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it." Readying the Dash action, strictly, would be pointless, as all it does is increase your movement speed at a time when you aren't actually allowed to move - but you can simply Ready to move in response to a trigger. \$\endgroup\$
    – Carcer
    Apr 26, 2019 at 20:17
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The Githyanki Supreme Commander can get bodied

Since the supreme commander remains insubstantial until the start of its turn, forced movement (for example via the 'shove' action) can result in its being moved into objects or creatures of its opponents' choice. Furthermore, since it loses the ability to move through solid objects at the start of its turn yet doesn't get to take damage and be shunted out til the end of its turn, the supreme commander, if shoved into a solid object, effectively takes 3d10 force damage instead of its next turn (actions it can take while superposed with opaque solid matter withstanding).

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Well, I guess it's another question, but can you move (drag, shove) an insubstantial being? \$\endgroup\$
    – Meta4ic
    Apr 27, 2019 at 0:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ I mean, it works on ghosts, so... \$\endgroup\$
    – Please stop being evil
    Apr 27, 2019 at 5:59
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Your speed does not replenish until the end of a round.

Githyanki Commander Supreme has 30ft of movement. If he only moved 10ft during his turn, he would still have 20ft of movement left to use until the round ends.

So you could teleport somewhere, and then use what is left of your movement. So if you used that 20ft to end movement inside of a tree, you would take damage when your turn starts.

This would be RAI, but I believe that movement in this case is part of the legendary action.

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    \$\begingroup\$ "Your speed does not replenish until the end of a round." Can you cite a source for this? Your speed is a static thing; as far as I know, your movement is a thing you can do on your turn, up to your speed. If you could move outside your turn, there'd be no reason to specify that the Ready action could be used to ready a move \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Apr 26, 2019 at 21:26

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