Can You Opportunity Attack More Than Once in D&D 5e?
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The short answer is yes, but it’s complicated. While you’re limited to one reaction per round, which typically translates to only one opportunity attack (AoO), specific circumstances and character features can allow you to circumvent this restriction and potentially make multiple AoOs in a single round. It’s not about stacking Extra Attack or getting multiple bonus actions, but about manipulating the timing and triggers within the game’s rules.
Understanding the Basics: Reactions and Opportunity Attacks
The key to understanding multiple AoOs lies in the concept of the reaction. Every character has one reaction per round of combat. This reaction is a special, instant response to a specific trigger. An AoO is one such reaction.
The Player’s Handbook defines an opportunity attack as: “You can make an opportunity attack when a hostile creature that you can see moves out of your reach.” This uses your reaction, allowing you to make a single melee attack against the provoking creature right before it leaves your reach.
Circumventing the One Reaction Limit
The trick to getting more than one AoO hinges on either:
- Finding a way to gain additional reactions.
- Finding abilities that duplicate the effect of an opportunity attack without actually being an opportunity attack (or using your reaction at all!).
Let’s explore how these scenarios play out:
Gaining Additional Reactions
Gaining additional reactions is extremely rare in 5e. There are very few ways to do it, and they often come with significant limitations. Some rare abilities or items might grant an additional reaction, but these are exceptions, not the rule.
Triggering Multiple AoOs Through Specific Abilities
This is the more common, and more strategically viable, path to achieving multiple “opportunity attack” effects. Certain abilities mimic the effect of an AoO without actually being one, or without consuming your single reaction.
- War Caster and Booming Blade/Green-Flame Blade: This is the most well-known method. The War Caster feat allows you to cast a spell that targets only one creature as an opportunity attack. If you combine this with Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade, you’re essentially delivering a powerful attack with added effects as your opportunity attack. This uses your reaction, but it significantly enhances the impact of your single AoO.
- Sentinel Feat: The Sentinel feat can effectively trigger another attack. It has several benefits, including:
- 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 attack against the attacking creature. While this doesn’t give you another AoO for a creature leaving your reach, it gives you a different opportunity to attack using your reaction, triggered by a different event.
- Commander’s Strike (Battle Master Fighter): While not an AoO itself, this maneuver allows a Battle Master Fighter to forgo one of their own attacks to allow an ally to use their reaction to make an attack. This effectively grants an ally an extra attack outside their normal turn, simulating the impact of an additional AoO for the party.
Strategic Considerations
It’s crucial to remember that even with these abilities, you are still constrained by your single reaction. Choosing when to use your reaction is a tactical decision. Do you use it to deliver a Booming Blade when a powerful enemy tries to escape? Or do you hold it in reserve in case a weaker creature tries to slip past you to attack a vulnerable ally?
Positioning and teamwork also play a crucial role. A character with Sentinel positioned near allies can effectively deter enemies from attacking those allies, knowing they’ll face an immediate counterattack. Coordinating with allies to set up these situations is vital.
Combat in D&D 5e is about more than just maximizing damage output; it’s about controlling the battlefield, protecting your allies, and exploiting enemy weaknesses. Mastering the use of opportunity attacks, and understanding how to bend the rules to create more chances to strike, is a key element of effective strategy. Delve into the intricacies of game design and mechanics with the Games Learning Society to enhance your understanding and enjoyment of tabletop role-playing. Check them out at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What exactly triggers an Opportunity Attack?
An Opportunity Attack is triggered when a hostile creature you can see moves out of your reach. The triggering creature must use its movement, action, bonus action, or reaction to leave your reach. For example, if a hostile creature is pushed out of your range, it does not trigger an Opportunity Attack.
2. Can I make an Opportunity Attack if I’m surprised?
No. If you are surprised, you can’t take actions, move, or react until after your first turn ends. This means you cannot make an Opportunity Attack if you are surprised.
3. Does the Disengage action prevent Opportunity Attacks?
Yes. A creature that takes the Disengage action does not provoke Opportunity Attacks for the rest of its turn.
4. Can I use Extra Attack with an Opportunity Attack?
No. Extra Attack only applies when you take the Attack action on your turn. An Opportunity Attack is a reaction, not an Attack action. It’s a single melee attack.
5. Can I move after making an Opportunity Attack?
Yes, if you haven’t already used your movement for your turn. Making an Opportunity Attack does not consume your movement.
6. Can I choose not to make an Opportunity Attack?
Yes. You are never obligated to make an Opportunity Attack. You can choose to reserve your reaction for something else.
7. Can I make an Opportunity Attack against a creature that is teleporting?
No. Teleportation does not trigger Opportunity Attacks because it’s not considered movement.
8. Can I make an Opportunity Attack against a creature that is flying away?
Yes, if the creature is flying away using its own movement and leaves your reach. If the creature is being forcibly moved through the air, it does not provoke an attack.
9. Can I use a ranged attack for an Opportunity Attack?
No. Opportunity Attacks are always melee attacks.
10. Can I use a spell as an Opportunity Attack?
Normally, no. However, the War Caster feat allows you to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action that targets only one creature as an Opportunity Attack.
11. Does shoving a creature provoke an Opportunity Attack?
The act of shoving a creature does not provoke an Opportunity Attack from the target. However, if you shove a creature away from you and it uses its own movement to leave your reach, it will provoke an Opportunity Attack from you, unless it takes the Disengage action.
12. Can I Sneak Attack with an Opportunity Attack as a Rogue?
Yes, a Rogue can use Sneak Attack on an Opportunity Attack if they meet the requirements for Sneak Attack (advantage on the attack roll or an ally within 5 feet of the target). You can only apply sneak attack once per turn, but an opportunity attack occurs outside of your turn.
13. If I have multiple reach weapons, can I choose which one to use for an Opportunity Attack?
Yes. You can choose which reach weapon to use for the Opportunity Attack, as long as the creature is within the weapon’s reach.
14. Does the Slow spell affect Opportunity Attacks?
Yes. The Slow spell reduces a creature’s speed and also states: “If the creature casts a spell with a casting time of 1 action, increase the casting time to 1 action or 1 bonus action (creature’s choice).” If a creature attempts to Disengage, its speed is halved. If the creature attempts to take an Attack Action with the Slowed condition, it might not be able to perform the required attacks due to this feature.
15. If a creature moves in and out of my reach multiple times in a single turn, can I make multiple Opportunity Attacks?
No. A creature can only provoke one Opportunity Attack per action, spell, or movement that causes it to leave your reach. Also, you still only have one reaction per round, meaning you can only act upon one such provocation.
In conclusion, mastering the intricacies of opportunity attacks requires a thorough understanding of the rules, strategic positioning, and careful coordination with your fellow adventurers. By leveraging specific feats and abilities, you can significantly enhance your combat effectiveness and control the flow of battle. Remember, the key is not just to strike, but to strike at the right moment, maximizing the impact of your single, precious reaction.