D&D 5E How do OAs trigger when an enemy has multiple reaches?

Stalker0 · Sep 30, 2020

Take for example a Dragon. They have a reach as small as 5ft with their claw, and as large as 15ft with their tail.

So in order to "leave the enemy's reach" to generate an OA....do I need to just leave the 5 ft area, or the 15 foot?

CleverNickName · Sep 30, 2020

Interesting question. An adult red dragon has three attacks with three different reaches: 5' for the claw, 10' for the bite, and 15' for the tail.

I don't know if it's the "right way" or not, but the way I would rule it: if the character moves 5 feet away, the dragon can use its reaction to make an OA with its claw. If the character moves 10 feet away, the dragon can use its reaction to make an OA with either its claw or its bite. And if the character moves 15 feet away, the dragon can use its reaction to make an OA with either its claw, its bite, or its tail.

Charlaquin · Sep 30, 2020

I’d say moving out of any of its attack’s reaches provokes an opportunity attack with that attack. So, if you are 15 feet from the dragon and you move to 20 feet away, it can make a tail attack against you but not a claw attack or a bite attack. If you move from 10 feet away to 15 feet away, it can make a bite attack but not a claw attack or a tail attack. If you move from 5 feet to 10 feet, it can make a claw attack but not a bite attack or a tail attack.

Of course, since the dragon only has one reaction and it’s opportunity attacks don’t stop movement, this is functionally pretty much the same as CleverNickName’s ruling in most situations.

Dausuul · Sep 30, 2020

CleverNickName said:
Interesting question. An adult red dragon has three attacks with three different reaches: 5' for the claw, 10' for the bite, and 15' for the tail.

I don't know if it's the "right way" or not, but the way I would rule it: if the character moves 5 feet away, the dragon can use its reaction to make an OA with its claw. If the character moves 10 feet away, the dragon can use its reaction to make an OA with either its claw or its bite. And if the character moves 15 feet away, the dragon can use its reaction to make an OA with either its claw, its bite, or its tail.

This is backward, isn't it? OAs themselves must also follow the reach rules. A character 15 feet away is already out of reach of the dragon's bite and claw; the tail is the only option available. On the other hand, a character 5 feet away is a legit target for all three, and the OA rules just say you make "one melee attack" against the provoking creature. So, by the book, bite or tail can be used when you move out of reach of the claw.

Personally, I'd be inclined to follow Charlaquin's approach: The attack used for OA must have the reach that was used to trigger the OA. It feels more intuitive and fair. But I believe RAW allows the use of any melee attack that can hit the target.

Shiroiken · Sep 30, 2020

DM's choice I'd say, but if a shorter one is allowed, it must be with the attack it's moving out of (thus only the claw could be used when moving away from 5 ft).

Hriston · Sep 30, 2020

@JeremyECrawford If a monster has 2 different reaches, when does it get opportunity attacks? Like the roc’s talons at 5 feet and beak at 10.
— Yatagarasu (@eightspancrow) April 24, 2016

If you have more than one reach, a foe provokes an opportunity attack when it leaves any of them. #DnD

Mistwell · Sep 30, 2020

We've been playing that you measure threat range not per specific attack, just threat range per creature. So anywhere from 5 to 15 feet you're still in their threat range and have not left it, and only after you leave their 15' range do you trigger.

But that tweet looks fine too. It would have helped one of my PCs.

CleverNickName · Sep 30, 2020

Dausuul said:
This is backward, isn't it? OAs themselves must also follow the reach rules. A character 15 feet away is already out of reach of the dragon's bite and claw; the tail is the only option available. On the other hand, a character 5 feet away is a legit target for all three, and the OA rules just say you make "one melee attack" against the provoking creature. So, by the book, bite or tail can be used when you move out of reach of the claw.

Well yes, but the assumption is for the character to move 15 feet, they have to move one foot at a time. The dragon's target will cross the five-foot mark first, and instead of stopping there it just keeps moving. So the dragon can decide to use its reaction at any point along that 15-foot movement: 5' if it wants to use its claw, 10' if it wants to use its bite, or 15' if it prefers the tail.

Dausuul · Sep 30, 2020

CleverNickName said:
Well yes, but the assumption is for the character to move 15 feet, it moves one foot at a time. The target will cross the five-foot mark first, and then it just keeps moving. So the dragon can decide to use its reaction at any point along that 15-foot movement: 5' if it wants to use its claw, 10' if it wants to use its bite, or 15' if it prefers the tail.

Ah, I see. Yes, that makes sense. I thought you were assuming the character started at X distance, rather than starting at adjacent and moving through the "zones" of the dragon's attacks.

GMMichael · Sep 30, 2020

Dausuul said:
Personally, I'd be inclined to follow Charlaquin's approach: The attack used for OA must have the reach that was used to trigger the OA. It feels more intuitive and fair. But I believe RAW allows the use of any melee attack that can hit the target.

What about RAI? An opportunity attack is a melee attack against someone "fleeing or passing by." Just backing away from a dragon's claws isn't fleeing or passing by. You're still fighting the dragon. In this sense, there's no OA due until a character tries to leave an opponent's furthest reach. An OA is retroactive, anyway: "the attack occurs right before the creature leaves your reach." So the DM should be able to choose which attack mode is used, given that even the shortest mode doesn't trigger until an enemy has left his range already.

This is better than the 3-zone approach, because it prevents the "Which-Zones-Did-She-Leave" minigame, and it streamlines (ahem) OAs until a character is actually "fleeing."