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An Adult Blue Dragon has the following action

Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

If a creature that is within 5 feet of the Dragon makes the Dex saving throw, and the dragon moves, does that provoke an opportunity Attack on the dragon?

In my head, if a character is busy trying not to get knocked prone, then they wouldn't have time to get a quick attack in.

However, the action doesn't specifically state that it prevents attacks of opportunity.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to the site! Excellent first question. \$\endgroup\$
    – daze413
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 3:11

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It does provoke an attack of opportunity

If the dragon leaves the reach of the creature, then it will provoke an attack of opportunity. Like you said, the action doesn't specifically preclude this.

For further evidence, PHB 292 states that a prone creature has disadvantage on attack rolls. Even if the creature is knocked prone by the wing attack, it can make an attack of opportunity (with disadvantage) against the dragon.

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Yes, it does provoke opportunity attacks

This particular scenario is covered on the Sage Advice compedium, page 16:

Does the movement from a dragon’s Wing Attack legendary action draw attacks of opportunity if it moves out of reach?

Nothing in Wing Attack protects the dragon from opportunity attacks.

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Strictly - No

Wing Attacks:

MM 91: Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions): The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC20 Dex Save or take (2d6+7) bludgeoning dmg and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

DM Opportunity Attacks:

DMG 252 Opportunity Attacks can interrupt triggers, but if the action has no timing, the reaction occurs AFTER its trigger is finished, as in the Ready action phase.

Since no timing is specified with the wing attack, no opportunity attack can be made.

PHB 195 A PC uses their reaction to make an opportunity attack.

The saving throw isn't necessarily a reaction, but the PC is trying to react to the wing attack, and the player is being asked to make a saving throw. This lends itself to the argument the PC cannot make an opportunity attack.

Loosely – Maybe If you want your party to have fun, you could allow them to do the attack, but only with disadvantage.

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    \$\begingroup\$ A Reaction is not needed to make a Saving Throw. The timing of any legendary action is also specified in the first chapter of the Monster Manual \$\endgroup\$
    – daze413
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 3:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ @daze413 there's no mention of timing for the legendary Action, it lonly says that it occurs at the end of another creature's turn. Moreover, the Wing attack is a specific sub-action, within the legendary action. As for saving throws being a reaction. There's nothing in any of the manuals (that I can find, please correct me if I'm wrong :) ) that says one way or the other. However, they do FEEL like reactions. \$\endgroup\$
    – Vangrat
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 3:27
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Nexmilitis A saving throw is decidedly not a (mechanical) reaction. If a creature is forced to make multiple saving throws in a round, does it automatically fail all of them but the first? That would thoroughly break the game. \$\endgroup\$
    – Icyfire
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 3:31
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    \$\begingroup\$ Wing Attack isn't a sub-action of a legendary action, it is a legendary action option, meaning the dragon can use it as its legendary action, so its timing is exactly after another creature's turn. For Saves, you're right, there's nothing in the manuals that say Saves need a Reaction, so they don't. And it makes sense that way because- oh, @Icyfire beat me to it. \$\endgroup\$
    – daze413
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 3:32
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    \$\begingroup\$ MM 11: "Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn." There is the timing. To be explicit, it is: Alice's turn starts > Alice turn ends > Dragon uses Wing Attack > Save to see if Alice is knocked prone > Dragon chooses to move out of Alice's range > Alice takes an opportunity attack (Disadvantage if prone) > Dragon's turn starts \$\endgroup\$
    – daze413
    Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 3:39

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