D&D 5E Opportunity Attack and Full cover

[ZickZak]

Hello,
what if a monster stands next to a wall with a PC and it leaves the PC's 5 ft range by going through the wall. Does the PC still get Opportunity Attack? (aside from being a bit weird on its own- you can run around in circles, but the minute you step back it's a free attack)

 

[iserith]

Opportunity attacks occur right before the creature leaves your reach. So they aren't in the wall yet when the attack occurs.

 

[Rabulias]

Assuming incorporeal, what if they drop into the floor?

 

[iserith]

Assuming incorporeal, what if they drop into the floor?

If they leave reach, they provoke. If they don't, they don't. Depending on the terrain setup, an incorporeal monster can move into a wall or floor (total cover) with no issue as long as they don't leave reach. This is not a bad tactic because even if they take 1d10 damage or whatever from staying in the wall or floor, this might be less damage than they might take if they stick around. Just stay adjacent to the PC to avoid the OA.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

(aside from being a bit weird on its own- you can run around in circles, but the minute you step back it's a free attack)

It is a bit weird, but only in the world of squares. If we play with the variant rules on a grid of squares (and likely most of us do), we can run a circle around an opponent and never provoke (not true in 3rd edition). However, the rules are written with the theatre of the mind in...err, mind, and in that world, it just doesn't really make any sense. Sure we could describe our characters as running around their opponents but since there is no fundamental advantage for doing so, it's just kind of silly. Remember, flanking is an optional rule to a variant rules system (again, likely something most of us do).

Now to your question. If our opponents try to escape us, they will suffer the consequences. Either they must use their precious action to disengage or provoke an attack of opportunity.

 

[Oofta]

You make an opportunity attack "...when a hostile creature that you can see moves out of your reach." They still have to be within your reach when you make the attack otherwise you couldn't hit them.

But it's tricky. Could you hit the creature if your weapon could go through the wall (or floor)?

So my ruling is: imagine the creature is just doing a normal move, no wall, no floor. Would that movement normally provoke an opportunity attack? Then it does. So if a PC and a ghost are fighting and both are adjacent to the wall, the ghost can move into the wall while still being adjacent to the fighter even though it's now in the wall. If the ghost is standing next to the wall but the PC is not, the ghost provokes an OA if it walks into the wall.

In most cases, sinking into the floor will not provoke,

At least that's how I rule.

 

[auburn2]

Opportunity attacks occur right before the creature leaves your reach. So they aren't in the wall yet when the attack occurs.

If you are standing next to the wall though your reach extends into the wall, so they are inside the wall before they leave it no?

IF you think if this with a square grid - there are 8 squares surrounding you and your reach extends into all of them. The square to your left is a wall. The square straight ahead is the enemy. The square to the diagonal ahead and right is a wall. The enemy moves to your right from the square he is on to the square to your diagonal, he is now insied the wall but is still within your reach.

 

[iserith]

If you are standing next to the wall though your reach extends into the wall, so they are inside the wall before they leave it no?

If you can't see the target, you can't make an OA. Total cover means you can't see it.

 

[TheSword]

Attacks of opportunity are one of the worst rules for ensure combat remains static. Running away often becomes suicide rather than life saving.,

I’ve started adding disengage as a bonus action to all creatures large or bigger.

 

[jasper]

Situation. Oofta is trying to become one with the wall.
Being evil. If Caspar the ghost is attacking out the wall, I would give him 3/4 cover for the AOO.
Being nice, If Caspar thumps OOFTA on the nose, walks thru him and into the wall, I would give him 1/2 cover for AOO.
Why? Because this is edge case for AOO and why you are up ZickZak get me and oofta an coke. Please.