Thinking further on this, I came up with some more ideas for replacing enemy AoO's with other reactions. I'm going to call it
Enemy Reactions.
Using
Enemy Reactions, I would hope to do the following:
- encourage more player character movement in the battlefield
- encourage tactical choices about which enemies to target with attacks and spells
- increase variety in enemy types
- have fun
When choosing enemies for a combat, you would decide on the
type of enemy. The enemy would gain a different
Enemy Reaction based on their type. This reaction replaces the enemy's ability to take Attacks of Opportunity, which are now reserved only for Player Characters.
Common Enemy Reactions
Nimble Reaction: As a reaction to taking damage, the enemy may move up to half its speed.
Defensive Reaction: As a reaction to taking damage, the enemy takes the Dodge action. The benefits last until after the enemy is the target of an attack or an effect requiring a Dexterity Saving Throw.
Tough Reaction: As a reaction to taking damage, the enemy gains resistance to the next damage it takes.
Uncommon Enemy Reactions
Blasting Reaction: As a reaction to taking damage, the enemy creates a 5 ft. zone of damaging energy (choose between acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder). The first creature to start their turn in the zone takes an amount of damage equal to 1d4 x Enemy's Hit Dice.
Striking Reaction: As a reaction to taking damage, the enemy marks the creature who attacked. The enemy gains advantage to their next attack against the marked opponent. This effect lasts until the beginning of the enemy's next turn.
Commanding Reaction: As a reaction to taking damage, the enemy moves one ally up to 10 feet closer.
Strange Reactions
Wild Reaction: As a reaction to taking damage, the enemy causes 1d6 damage to all creatures surrounding it.
Those are my ideas so far!
Here's how I see this playing out in combat.
The Player Characters enter the next room of the dungeon. There is an Ogre, two Hobgoblins, and six Goblins.
The Goblins have Nimble Reactions. They are running around, hurling daggers, being tricksy. The Hobgoblins have Tough Reactions. They carry big ol' shields that they raise up after taking damage. The Ogre has a Commanding Reaction. He keeps moving goblins and hobgoblins back towards him for cover whenever he gets hit.
The Wizard wins initiative, and launches a fireball! It nukes a few goblins, and the others use their reactions to spread out!
The Fighter goes next. He engages one of the hobgoblins, successfully striking with his longsword, then moving back to the group. The hobgoblin raises his shield, gaining resistance to the next attack.
Now the Rogue has a choice. He could try to finish off that hobgoblin, but he sees it's taken a Tough Reaction. So instead he targets the other hobgoblin. He misses, and the hobgoblin does not get to react.
The cleric runs past the goblins and hobgoblins and casts Inflict Wounds on the big bad ogre. It hits! The ogre takes a ton of damage, and as a reaction shifts one of those hobgoblins towards him so they are now flanking the cleric.
Now the bad guys go. The goblins are spread out and throwing daggers, one hobgoblin is attacking the rogue, and the other is flanking the cleric with the ogre.
Anyways, just an idea! What do you think? Any more reactions you would add?