D&D 5E How often do you make OA’s

[FrogReaver]

In absence of a perfect response please select the closest answer.

 

[Seramus]

Probably around twice an encounter when specifically playing a Melee PC. I tend to play more tanks than melee DPS though, which probably slants my experience somewhat.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

It vary's wildly based on the tactical habits of the DM.

 

[the Jester]

It vary's wildly based on the tactical habits of the DM.

For me, this is true as a player; and as a DM, it varies wildly based on the tactical habits of the players. As a player, my current active character really likes to provoke- I have a good AC and several reactions available when hit- and as a DM, my monsters provoke when it's appropriate to their tactical acumen and the situation.

 

[Seramus]

as a DM, my monsters provoke when it's appropriate to their tactical acumen and the situation.

This is definitely true. At my table, intelligent enemies will intentionally provoke to burn OAs from melee characters so squishier characters can move around. Slightly less often from players, but it does happen.

 

[auburn2]

Wow I am only one who said less than once a day!

I use reactions a lot (more than 50% of combat turns), but rarely OAs, mostly because reactions are used for something else. For me to make an opportunity attack the planets need to align and the following 4 things need to be true:
1. I have a reaction available
2. I am not saving my reaction for something more important
3. I am in position to make an opportunity attack
4. The enemy does something that provokes an OA

It is rare that all four of those things line up at once for the melee characters I play. When they do line up most of the time it is because the enemy decides to flee and use dash action instead of disengage action.

 

[CubicsRube]

I make them at every opportunity.

 

[Shiroiken]

When I saw OA, I was thinking Oriental Adventures or maybe Original Adventures...

Anywho, as a player I don't get opportunity attacks very often, because my primary DM seldom has enemies provoke them. He usually does so when there's a significant tactical advantage, or if an unintelligent creature is running away. I think this is a carryover mentality from 3E, where no one ever wanted to provoke an attack of opportunity if they could avoid it.

I'm more than willing to provoke an opportunity attack, both as a player and DM. In both cases it depends on what I tactically need to do (as a DM this is based on the creature's Int), and how dangerous I feel the opportunity attack will be. When fighting giants (or my party's paladin), I know that the potential damage is certainly not worth it. If facing something that doesn't deal that much damage (or my monster has a lot of HP), then an opportunity attack is often worth doing.

 

[CubicsRube]

When I saw OA, I was thinking Oriental Adventures or maybe Original Adventures...

Anywho, as a player I don't get opportunity attacks very often, because my primary DM seldom has enemies provoke them. He usually does so when there's a significant tactical advantage, or if an unintelligent creature is running away. I think this is a carryover mentality from 3E, where no one ever wanted to provoke an attack of opportunity if they could avoid it.

I'm more than willing to provoke an opportunity attack, both as a player and DM. In both cases it depends on what I tactically need to do (as a DM this is based on the creature's Int), and how dangerous I feel the opportunity attack will be. When fighting giants (or my party's paladin), I know that the potential damage is certainly not worth it. If facing something that doesn't deal that much damage (or my monster has a lot of HP), then an opportunity attack is often worth doing.

Nothing scares a party more than a bunch of brute running past the front line straight to the casters!

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

My only long-term 5e PC is a dwarf fighter with the Sentinel feat. Nobody ever provokes opportunity attacks. Sometimes I get a free attack from Sentinel, because opponents don't know I have that ability, but opportunity attacks are a "known" quantity so nobody provokes. OAs are less common than in 3e and 4e; fewer things trigger them.