Expanding reactions in 5e

[CubicsRube]

What if there more options in 5e that characters could use as their reaction? Would characters eat people?

Some things like being able to move 5', or shove an enemy back shouldn't be game breaking, and i like the idea of giving players an option to do something in response to what's going on around them.

What do y'all think?

 

[Rhenny]

5e is quite an adaptable beast. If you like making combat more complicated, and you don't mind slowing down turns, give it a shot. But, remember to let your foes do the same and see if that keeps balance and gives you what you are looking for.

Be wary of too many options. That often leads to option paralysis and really bogs down gameplay.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Most reactions are in response to specific trigger events. What sort of reactions triggered by what sort of events are you thinking of?

 

[Quickleaf]

What if there more options in 5e that characters could use as their reaction? Would characters eat people?

Some things like being able to move 5', or shove an enemy back shouldn't be game breaking, and i like the idea of giving players an option to do something in response to what's going on around them.

What do y'all think?

I've done this with small groups and with players running fighters (who want this increased complexity), and it works very well.

However, for a larger group or for less tactical players, I wouldn't consider the increased play time worth it.

One thing I've tried is including "parrying", allowing PCs with Extra Attack to hold attacks and use them to parry melee attacks (having to make attack roll against attacker's roll as DC). Though this is in addition to the normal Reaction rules, and doesn't count as a reaction.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

As others have said, it could work. Monsters would need access to similar reactions to even out the action economy, though.

 

[Sleepy Walker]

I'm with the general consensus. It could very well work.

I do think it would slow things down a fair amount. I know that as a player I regularly try to have 2 to 3 reaction options available to me. Normally it is something like absorb elements, shield, defensive dualist, counter spell, etc. Having more options, especially in bigger battles where many things could potentially trigger a reaction, could result in option paralysis (as Rhenny pointed out). I know I already slow down a bit when I look at what I want to use my single reaction on, the lots of damaging fireball spells that could be targeting me or if that frost great sword that I might be able to dodge with shield or duelist.

 

[CubicsRube]

I think my idea would be to put in "mundane" reactions
Most reactions are either nested in spells or in niche class abilities re battlemaster.

But i like the idea of a character being able to stand near a pillar soo if they are shot at can use their reaction to duck behind said pillar. Or a swarm of enemies that scatter 5 feet away from the source of a fireball blast.

So maybe that might be the only other option I'd think about. Although i like the thought if being able to grapple someone in response to them leaving your threat range or in response to an attack. It seems thematic to have an orc wrestler the fighter that has just clobbered him.

 

[jaelis]

I would be a little wary of introducing unlimited reactions that have a good chance to let a character negate attacks, like the pillar idea. Pillars would become really popular and fights really long, perhaps.

The first grapple idea just requires allowing a grapple as an OA, that is very simple In response to an attack, that seems pretty potent, I guess all your combatants would end up grappling. Which is maybe kind of realistic, but I'm not sure it would be that much fun.

 

[Ezequielramone]

Low fantasy gaming has some options you could use as Reactions. Like saving a friend next to you or "intercept" an enemy moving in your "speed reach" (if you have 30ft spd you can intercept an enemy when he moves in some ponit 30 ft close to you).

 

[Charlaquin]

Although i like the thought if being able to grapple someone in response to them leaving your threat range or in response to an attack. It seems thematic to have an orc wrestler the fighter that has just clobbered him.

This should be super easy to achieve. Just rule that anything that a character with Extra Attack could do in place of a single attack when they take the Attack Action (such as attempting a grapple, shoving a creature, disarming a creature if you’re using that option from the DMG, etc.) can also be done in place of an Opportunity Attack.