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

[MarkB]

I'm not sure I'm following correctly. So, if you're within 5' of a dragon and try to withdraw totally...are you saying the dragon gets 3 OAs? Or that he gets to pick any OA?

The latter. Other considerations aside, creatures only get one reaction each round.

 

[Tom Bagwell]

The latter. Other considerations aside, creatures only get one reaction each round.

Thanks, that was my assumption, but I wasn't following some of the explanations..

 

[GMMichael]

I'm not sure I'm following correctly. So, if you're within 5' of a dragon and try to withdraw totally...are you saying the dragon gets 3 OAs? Or that he gets to pick any OA?

Erm, no. If you Disengage, the dragon gets zero OAs as you flee or pass by. So yes, one of the combat actions that emulates fleeing or passing by (the others being Dash and Dodge), and should be most likely to provoke an opportunity attack actually prevents opportunity attacks. Which makes me wonder why there's a rule for Opportunity Attacks. (Hmm, new thread?)

 

[Li Shenron]

This does open a minor exploit for ranged attackers in melee. Normally the dichotomy for such characters is that they must either attack with disadvantage if within 5 feet of the foe, or move away and risk being attacked themselves. With the above rule, they can step back 5 feet with no risk and then attack normally.

Not the point here, but this suggests me that the 5ft rule for range shooting in melee would have been better if it said within an enemy's melee range.

 

[NotAYakk]

You can simplify; you provoke an OA by moving away from a creature, never towards.

Covers 99% of cases the same and the remaining 1% cases are dumb.