I want a house rule to make it easier for either side to run away from combat.
My main gripe with the standard rule is running away from combat devolving into:
- A dashes + moves away from B (provokes opportunity attack)
- B dashes + moves adjacent to A again
- A dashes + moves away from B (provokes opportunity attack)
- B dashes + moves adjacent to B again
or:
- A disengages + moves away from B
- B walks up to A and attacks
- A disengages + moves away from B
- B walks up to A and attacks
Two rules I've considered:
Making running away from a fight a realistic tactical option achieves a few goals:
- Make it easier for PCs to get themselves out of trouble without the DM having to pull punches to save them (therefore giving the DM "permissions" to use intelligent/dangerous NPCs/creatures without having to worry "will it be a party wipe if the PCs decide to engage in combat")
- Make it easier to run stories with recurring villains by making it easier to end combats with both sides still alive.
- Make combat more dynamic and increase the value of tactics such as grappling/restraining, flanking, blocking an obvious escape route, readying an action, battlefield control spells, etc. (If you don't want someone to be able to run away, do something tactical to prevent their retreat.)
I've considered two house rules which each might help:
You only get an opportunity attack if an opponent both enters and exits a square in your range on the same turn. (So, generally, get an opportunity attack if someone runs past you, but not directly away from you.)
After taking the Dash action, you cannot make opportunity attacks until your next turn.
Are there any hidden downsides to these two options? Are there other house rules that could achieve my goal more cleanly?