D&D 5E Would Allowing Multiple Reactions Break The Game?

[ECMO3]

Normally, a 5E character only gets 1 reaction.

Most of the time, that is fine. However, I am of the opinion that there may be aspects of the game which may benefit from allowing more than 1. For example, creating a front line to protect squishy party members is difficult to do when a character can only attempt to hit/stop one enemy. There are also fighting styles -such as the protection style- which seem rather weak because you get one use per turn and then your fighting style effectively turns off (as opposed to being constantly usable like most styles are). Also, I feel as though combat could feel less static if there are more opportunities to react to what is happening and engage in the action.

I do not want an unlimited number of reactions. Off the top of my head, my rough idea is to either allow something like
[# of reactions = 1/2 proficiency bonus (round up)].
This would mean 1 reaction for levels 1 - 4; 2r for levels 5 - 12; and 3r for levels 13 - 20.

How do you feel this would change play?

More importantly, would this break the game?

Yes it would and not because of front line fighters, but rather casters because the most powerful reactions are spells by far:

1. Cast a save or suck, then spam silvery Barbs over and over again until the target fails the save.

2. Use shield when you get hit by an arrow, then counterspell the cone of cold on the next turn and if that didn't work absorb elements to half the damage, then finally silvery barbs on the next arrow that manages to roll a crit to get through the shield.

3. A bladesinger with warcaster, casts Ashardalon Stride on herself, takes the dodge action, goes into melee and surrounds herself with opponents then uses disintegrate, psychic lance and banishement twice on the first four opponents that leave her reach.

Aside from the fact it would greatly unbalance the game in favor of casters it would also slow down combat tremendously.

Taking this kind of stuff away is one of the major improvements from other editions and is part of why this edition is so much more successful.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Yes it would and not because of front line fighters, but rather casters because the most powerful reactions are spells by far:

1. Cast a save or suck, then spam silvery Barbs over and over again until the target fails the save.

2. Use shield when you get hit by an arrow, then counterspell the cone of cold on the next turn and if that didn't work absorb elements to half the damage, then finally silvery barbs on the next arrow that manages to roll a crit to get through the shield.

3. A bladesinger with warcaster, casts Ashardalon Stride on herself, takes the dodge action, goes into melee and surrounds herself with opponents then uses disintegrate, psychic lance and banishement twice on the first four opponents that leave her reach.

Aside from the fact it would greatly unbalance the game in favor of casters it would also slow down combat tremendously.

Taking this kind of stuff away is one of the major improvements from other editions and is part of why this edition is so much more successful.

And if you can only use one reaction per turn?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

So like, threatened squares count as difficult terrain, costing double movement? Hmm...

I had considered that as an extra benefit of the Protection Fighting Style. Add a feat to that which allows you to use a bonus action on a turn where you don’t move, to cause enemies who move through your threatened space to make a save vs damage equal to your Str or Dex + prof bonus. Each enemy can only take the damage 1/round.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Another thing I’ve done that lets fighters control the fight more is to change Action Surge to Heroic Actions. You have a number of Heroic Actions equal to the number of attacks you would gain by using Action Surge to take the attack action, assuming at least one short rest per day.

That is, you get 2 at level 2, and it increases to 4 at level 5, etc.

These are per day, and you can’t use them like a legendary action to make a single attack after the end of another creatures turn, or in place of a reaction.

 

[jmartkdr2]

And if you can only use one reaction per turn?

Examples #2 an #3 are both using reactions on per turn.

 

[Maxperson]

Imagine a protector style fighter (disadvantage as a reaction) and sentinel at the same time. Add in some spell interactions.

I was thinking a protector style Paladin with Sentinel, but same idea.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Examples #2 an #3 are both using reactions on per turn.

Pretty sure #2 has counterspell and absorb elements on the same turn.

#3 sounds like lots of reactions, but honestly am not sure what they’re describing.

 

[ECMO3]

And if you can only use one reaction per turn?

Most of those examples other than silvery barbs would still apply because they happen on different turns.

A surrounded 11th level bladesinger who is dodging could sucessively disintegrate, psychic barbs, banish and banish four successive enemies that leave her reach because that would all happen on four different turns.

Another wizard could silvery barbs a save on her tunr, shield an enemy who hits her, counterspell another enemy, then silvery barbs again if an attack gets through the shield because it is all happening on different turns.

 

[Weiley31]

Ask the Marilieth. She'll let ya know.

 

[ECMO3]

#3 sounds like lots of reactions, but honestly am not sure what they’re describing.

It is 4 reactions on 4 different turns.

I am bladsinger I cast Ashardalon's Stride (bonus action) and then use dodge as my action. I pull out my whip (so I have a 10 foot reach) and walk into the midst of a bunch of enemies. I am near impossible to hit and I damaging them because of AS. The worst place to be is right next to me. My turn ends.

1. Enemy 1 turn: Enemy 1 tries to leave and go attack someone else (anyone else). I distingrate him
2. New turn - Enemy 2 turn: He tries to leave. I hit him with psychich lance.
3. New turn - Enemy 3 turn: he tries to leave, I hit him with banishment (dropping AS)
4. New turn - Enemy 4 turn: he tries to leave. hit him with banisment (enemy 3 comes back but his turn is already over)