D&D 5E Question on diagonal movement with minatures (or VTT)

[jgsugden]

The rules say you can't move trough an enemy creature's space. The yellow line cuts along the corner of a square occupied by an enemy creature. This really asks whether creatures occupy the grid lines around themselves.

While the rules are not specific to how we treat this, they are specific about corners for terrain blocking:

Corners. Diagonal movement can’t cross the corner of a wall, large tree, or other terrain feature that fills its space.

You could think about this two ways: 1.) As the rule applies for non-creatures, it sets a precedent that should apply to creatures, or 2.) They had an opportunity to specify hostile creatures here and decided not to do so.

Note that if your answer is that you can't pass along that diagonal, then 4 enemies surrounding a PC in the cardinal directions would lock that PC down and prevent any movement, while 4 enemies standing at the diagonals would not do so. I do not believe that to be desirable.

C = Character, E = Empty, O = Opponent

Trapped!

EOE
OCO
EOE

Free to flee!

OEO
ECE
OEO

I would allow the movement along the diagonal corner.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I agree that by RAW your DM is incorrect on both accounts: you are not moving through a space occupied by the minotaur and even if another enemy was at the 10 ft square space, you can move along diagonals so you would not be stopped by that either.

One thing I think people sometimes forget when dealing with grids (either VTT or minis) is the space a creature "occupies" is not literally filled by that creature. This is why you can move through a non-hostile creature's space, you just can't end your move in their space. If you think about an elevator that might be 5' x 5', you could have 4-5 people standing in it without any issue (might be a bit tight, but not too bad really) despite D&D's medium creature occupying that entire space. It is also the reason why creatures can move through a space one-size category smaller than what they would normally occupy, they just spend extra movement while in smaller spaces and have disadvantage on attack rolls and DEX saves.

So, while the minotaur occupies a 10' x 10' space, there is plenty of room inside that area. Without optional rules from the DMG for Overrun or Tumble (pg. 272), you cannot move through the minotaur's space unless you are Small (or Tiny) or Gargantuan. However, since characters can move diagonally (not just horizontally and vertically), the blue knight is moving around the Minotaur's space, not through a square occupied by the minotaur.

However, if we change the map a bit and the double-black lines represented a wall, you would have to follow the red path, and you would be going through a square that is actually occupied by the minotaur. If your tables uses the optional Overrun or Tumble rules, you could try to move to the minotaur's space (white circle), and if you are successful continue moving along the red path. If your table doesn't use the Overrun/Tumble rules, you would have to go completely around the minotaur.

View attachment 123435

If you remove the Minotaur from this example, the red line is still an illegal move. You can't move diagonal through a wall space.

 

[DND_Reborn]

If you remove the Minotaur from this example, the red line is still an illegal move. You can't move diagonal through a wall space.

The walls are on the interior of the other spaces, not the spaces the creature would occupy when moving. If it were otherwise, I would agree with you and not drawn it the way I had.

 

[cmad1977]

I just don’t nitpick things so hard.
Attack of opportunity and you get to where you want to go.

 

[tommybahama]

Thanks for all the replies. This was one of those combats where the DM was rolling hot and maybe doing a bit of metagaming as well so the potential for a TPK was real. That five feet of extra movement could have been the difference between life and death for two of the party including my character.

 

[Li Shenron]

Our DM says that's not allowed because it moves through the enemy minotaur's space. He ruled I would have to move along the green path which leaves me 5 feet short of where I wanted

Your DM is wrong with regard to at least a couple of things.

First, if you use the Disengage action, you don't provoke OAs anywhere. It does not matter the path, disengaging makes you safe, end of discussion. PHB page 192.

In addition, if you did not use Disengage, following the green path and then continuing away would not help, you would still provoke an OA. You provoke an OA when moving out of reach, no matter the path, PHB page 195.

The part which is tricky is whether the four squares occupied by the minotaur count as being "filled" by it. PHB page 191 says: "A creature's space is the area in feet that it effectively controls in combat, not an expression of its physical dimensions." The grid rules on next page say "Diagonal movement can't cross the corner of a wall, large tree, or other terrain feature that fills its space."

I would rule that controlling a space is not the same as filling it, and following the yellow path is possible, but the "large tree" example might suggest otherwise i.e. you have to move around to get past (using the miniature bases could be a legitimate way to adjudicate: can you move straight through the yellow path without having to push the minotaur base to the side?). However this is about being able to move at all along the path, nothing to do with OAs.

 

[Shiroiken]

The only way I've ever prevented anyone from moving across corners of enemies is between two of equal or larger size (you can force your way past two smaller ones). Creatures don't occupy the entire space, even if they are moving around within it.

 

[jasper]

Srd 93 If you take the Disengage action, your movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of
The turn. So you can take the yellow path and blow kisses at the minotaur with no OOA.
If you don’t disengage and take the green path the minotaur with 5 feet reach can take an OOA at the marked 10ft square or at 20 ft square. The space two squares left of minotaurs toes.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Unless I am missing something, a number of comments seem to be about a possible OA?

The blue knight disengaged and the OP acknowledged there would be no OA. When the DM disapproved, it was because he ruled the blue knight could not move diagonally across the front corner of the minotaur. The DM insisted that corner of the minotaur be avoided, and the green path had to be followed instead.

Pretty much I think everyone has agreed the yellow line is permissible RAW. We also know if the DM decides to rule otherwise, that is fine as long as the table knows the altered movement rules and all are in agreement on them.

 

[akr71]

Unless I am missing something, a number of comments seem to be about a possible OA?

The blue knight disengaged and the OP acknowledged there would be no OA. When the DM disapproved, it was because he ruled the blue knight could not move diagonally across the front corner of the minotaur. The DM insisted that corner of the minotaur be avoided, and the green path had to be followed instead.

Pretty much I think everyone has agreed the yellow line is permissible RAW. We also know if the DM decides to rule otherwise, that is fine as long as the table knows the altered movement rules and all are in agreement on them.

This was my thought exactly. If the knight disengaged as their action, follow the yellow path with absolutely no worries about an attack of opportunity. The knight is spending their action to negate the chance of the minotaur getting an OA.