Yes, as in no attacks of opportunity just doesn't work.
I understand the thought that opportunity attacks slow down the game but actually, when you do damage during an opportunity attack that speeds up the game.
I think it really depends on the mind-set of the players. I can see how damage from AOOs can shorten a combat. Our group, however, tends to have two types of players:
A.
Tactical Gonks, who understand the AOO rules intuitively and can make quick judgements re tactical advantage gained v exposure to attack/damage. They love tactical options and feats.
B.
Tactical Schmucks, who, after 12 years, still don't intuitively grok movement, AOOs, reach etc. and sssllloooowwww the game down with re-worked movement/actions after an "Are you sure?" from the DM, or raised eyebrows, or player intervention etc.. They see AOOs (and other tactical elements, e.g. reach) as 'traps' to be avoided, not a set of factors to balance/exploit/enrich the game.
I would say we are about 50/50 and the time we lose from group B easily outweighs any time won through AOOs. We were discussing this the other day, and none of us could think of a single instance of a combat where there wasn't some form of AOO-driven discussion.
Just adjudging what does and doesn't provoke is a massive time-sink in itself. Spell-like ability? Supernatural ability? Drawing a weapon? Retrieving an item? You'd have thought after 12 years we would know them all. I know, let's look it up on that
incredibly long list once again.
Nobody should ever step away from a dangerous opponent without provoking an opportunity attack.
You're not going to speed past a fighter without him or her taking a swing at you. If you really want to get to that wizard, you're going to have to pay some blood.
And we need opportunity attacks to make some of the popular feats still useful such as point blank firing and quick drawing of a ranged weapon.
Furthermore, Dodge Action could be so much more useful if you extended that to opportunity attacks and defending your allies with them.
Lots of absolutes in there, but yes. That's why we need a tactical module. Ideally with a simple dial with a setting between between Gonk and Schmuck, to keep everyone happy and keep the game moving.