D&D 5E [5e] Movement question

[John Brebeuf]

Hi everyone,

New to the forum, with a question that came up while DMing the 1st session of Curse of Strahd this evening. The party was in an encounter with a specter (S), and the party's fighter (f) was in melee range of the specter at 9 o'clock. The paladin (p) wanted to use his movement to get into flanking position at 3 o'clock by moving through squares also within melee range of the specter:

|_|_|_|_|
|p|f|S|_|


|_|_|_|_|
|_|f|S|p|

I ruled that his movement had to end once he was within melee range if he wanted to attack the same turn; otherwise he'd have to use the Disengage action, so he ended his turn here:

|_|p|_|_|
|_|f|S|_|

Was this the correct ruling, or should I have allowed him to use his normal movement to move into flanking position and still attack?

 

[Mouseferatu]

That was not correct.

You only draw an opportunity attack when you leave someone's threatened area. Moving within the threatened area is safe to do.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Of course, there's also no flanking bonus in 5E unless you're using an optional rule.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

The basic rules of 5E say that, once you're within reach of an enemy, you can run circles around them without provoking anything; it's only when you leave their threatened area that you risk an opportunity attack (if you don't disengage). If I understand your scenario correctly, the paladin should have been able to move directly into a flanking position and still attack, no problem.

Between the ease of moving around enemies in combat, and the significant difference between the Advantage mechanic and simply having +2 to hit, the optional rules for flanking in 5E are widely considered to be inadequate. If you really wanted to give Advantage for flanking, I would strongly consider changing the movement rules so that you can't move around enemies so easily.

 

[Ancalagon]

Flanking only really matters for a few things:

1: Ganging up is always good

2: Sneak attack for rogues - but you don't need a "proper" flank, just have an ally near the enemy.

3: And this is where flanking matters: movement control. As the others have said, you can run circles around an enemy without provoking an attack of opportunity AND the enemy can do that to your PC as well!. However, once the foe is flank between 2 PCs, the foe's movement are quite constrained - the "safe" area is much smaller. And depending on where/how he leaves this area, said foe may received two attacks of opportunity.

 

[John Brebeuf]

The basic rules of 5E say that, once you're within reach of an enemy, you can run circles around them without provoking anything; it's only when you leave their threatened area that you risk an opportunity attack (if you don't disengage). If I understand your scenario correctly, the paladin should have been able to move directly into a flanking position and still attack, no problem.

Between the ease of moving around enemies in combat, and the significant difference between the Advantage mechanic and simply having +2 to hit, the optional rules for flanking in 5E are widely considered to be inadequate. If you really wanted to give Advantage for flanking, I would strongly consider changing the movement rules so that you can't move around enemies so easily.

That's what I'll do. I think I'll make it that once you're in melee range, you then can't move more than an additional 5' w/o allowing for an opportunity attack unless you use the Disengage action.

 

[jaelis]

That's what I'll do. I think I'll make it that once you're in melee range, you then can't move more than an additional 5' w/o allowing for an opportunity attack unless you use the Disengage action.

That will make 15'+ reach awfully powerful.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Just make sure it will add to your game. My players have come from 3e, 4e, and/or Pathfinder, and so far no one has been dissatisfied with 5e's more generous movement rules. Surprised, yes, but not unhappy.

 

[CapnZapp]

Flanking only really matters for a few things:
...
However, once the foe is flank between 2 PCs, the foe's movement are quite constrained - the "safe" area is much smaller. And depending on where/how he leaves this area, said foe may received two attacks of opportunity.

You don't need flanking rules for this, though.

Even with the lenient standard rules, you're effectively stuck if you're between two foes = you have to soak the OA of at least one to move much at all.


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[Ancalagon]

You don't need flanking rules for this, though.

Even with the lenient standard rules, you're effectively stuck if you're between two foes = you have to soak the OA of at least one to move much at all.


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Erm, yes, this is what I meant....

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