Questions tagged [reactions]

For questions about reactions - an action taken by an entity in response to a trigger happening.

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Is there a scenario where a gnoll flesh gnawer can move at least 45 feet during its Rampage bonus action?

The base movement speed of a gnoll flesh gnawer is 30 feet, and if it activates rampage by bringing a creature to 0 hit points, it can move an additional 15 feet for a total of 45 feet during "normal" ...
A Random Guy's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
3k views

Does preventing a creature from taking actions also prevent reactions? [duplicate]

I'm slightly confused by the use of the word "action" in the text. The section on "Reactions" states: Certain special abilities, spells, and situations allow you to take a special action called a ...
Exempt-Medic's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
244 views

Are there limitations on what spells a creature can cast while holding a readied spell?

Are there limitations on what spells a creature can cast while holding a readied spell? To give an example, say that a cleric uses their action to cast, and hold, a sacred flame, with some arbitrary ...
L0neGamer's user avatar
  • 4,777
8 votes
1 answer
3k views

Can a character use multiple reactions in response to the same trigger?

Let's say you're a fighter with Combat Reflexes, and Boundless Reprisals. This means that on a given turn, you will have up to 3 reactions to use: Two normal reactions, and one additional reaction ...
Strill's user avatar
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13 votes
3 answers
10k views

When, exactly, does the Rogue Scout get to use their Skirmisher ability?

As written, a Scout Rogue "can move up to half your speed as a reaction when an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you." What exactly constitutes when an enemy "ends its turn"? Does this mean the ...
K.L.R.'s user avatar
  • 8,363
8 votes
1 answer
3k views

Can you cast bonus action and reaction spells while already casting a spell with a casting time longer than a turn?

Can a bonus action or reaction spell be cast while already casting a spell with a casting time of more than a turn? (If the bonus action or reaction spell is not a concentration spell.) I found this ...
Addo Oakwald's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
425 views

What comes first: A Berserker Barbarian's Retaliation attack or a Concentration Check?

Let us assume there is a Berserker Barbarian who is currently concentrating on a smite spell such as wrathful smite. Because they are concentrating on a spell the following applies: Whenever you ...
Exempt-Medic's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

Some concentration spells give you a special action. Does the War Caster feat let these be used instead of opportunity attacks?

Some concentration spells give you a special action. Does the War Caster feat (PHB, p. 170) let these be used instead of opportunity attacks? For a specific example, the dragon's breath (XGtE, p. 154)...
RallozarX's user avatar
  • 5,597
7 votes
1 answer
685 views

Can a creature targeted by the Glamour bard's Mantle of Inspiration use its reaction to move if it already had temporary hit points previously?

The College of Glamour bard's Mantle of Inspiration feature (XGtE, p. 14) is worded this way: As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to grant yourself a wondrous ...
Alexandre Yergeau's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Do I have to take the Ready action to make an opportunity attack?

So, a friend and I are in a debate right now about how an opportunity attack works. From what I understand after reading the handbook, you can only perform an opportunity attack if you use an action ...
salsote's user avatar
  • 33
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

What happens if you cast Dissonant Whispers on a Hydra?

A Hydra gets extra reactions which "can be used only for opportunity attacks". The Dissonant Whispers spell forces a creature to consume its reaction to do stuff one cannot ordinarily do with a ...
Please stop being evil's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is it possible to chain the Dissonant Whispers spell if multiple characters have the War Caster feat?

The Dissonant Whispers spell description (PHB, p. 234) states: The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction, if ...
Amon's user avatar
  • 73
3 votes
0 answers
44 views

Does the effect of the Command spell take place immediately if cast on the target's turn? [duplicate]

The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or follow the command on its next turn. If you were to cast Command as a reaction (e.g. readied action or war caster opportunity) on the turn of the ...
PyroQwerty's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

If a caster wants to use a spell scroll as a reaction, do they need to already be holding it in their hand?

If a caster wants to use a spell scroll as a reaction (casting a spell that has a reaction casting time), do they need to already be holding it in their hand? What if they have the War Caster feat?
Yhyhyhy's user avatar
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26 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can you use a reaction to affect initiative rolls?

Expanding upon this question in a tweet at Jeremy Crawford who confirms once again that Initiative is a skill check and can be modified by things that modify ability checks. Cutting Words states ...
FrazzleUK's user avatar
  • 1,599
11 votes
3 answers
14k views

When does a character's reaction reset, per turn or per round?

When does a character's reaction reset, per turn or per round? This happened last game and I'm just looking for clarification. My group has been playing (a 5e homebrew campaign) with an unspoken ...
user56434's user avatar
  • 135
12 votes
1 answer
3k views

If I have the War Caster feat, can I use the Thorn Whip cantrip to stop an enemy caster from escaping using the Dimension Door spell?

Assume I am playing a druid or warlock with the War Caster feat, which allows me to cast single target spells in place of using a melee attack of opportunity. I also know the thorn whip cantrip. A ...
user56399's user avatar
  • 121
6 votes
0 answers
124 views

Reaction while holding a readied action? [duplicate]

So when you hold an action using the Ready action you use your reaction to act when the trigger happens. however you're able to ignore the trigger. So while you are using the Ready action, are you ...
user56371's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
5k views

What is the highest number of sneak attacks that a Pure/High Level Rogue (Level 17+) can make in one round?

Rogues only get one sneak attack per turn. Which means that they can only get it once on their turn and once with their reaction (through Sentinel or a Battle Master's Commander's Strike or an Attack ...
KelvintheWizard's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

If my Scout rogue has used his full movement on his turn, can he later use the reaction from the Skirmisher feature to move again?

Here is the situation I am wondering about: My Rogue is in melee with an opponent. On his turn he disengages, and moves his full movement away from his opponent. The opponent, on their turn, uses ...
Greg Bromley's user avatar
19 votes
2 answers
3k views

Can I cast reaction spells like Shield or Counterspell when I'm in the middle of casting a spell with a long casting time and don't stop casting it?

Can I use reaction spells like shield or counterspell when I'm in the middle of casting a spell with a long casting time and don't stop casting it? The Sage Advice Compendium says: Can you cast a ...
Radek Mateusz Sawicki's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
1k views

Can I change my movement/action in the middle of the turn after an enemy's reaction?

Imagine I'm a rogue and I see an opponent 50' away. In my turn I want to use my movement and my Dash bonus action (Cunning Action) to approach it and use my Action to attack. Then, after moving just ...
Miliv's user avatar
  • 465
6 votes
2 answers
321 views

How can the PCs use a reaction to avoid this effect in the season 8 epic, Stardock Under Siege?

Stardock Under Siege (DDEP08-02) concludes with all of the tables in the Epic boarding skiffs and facing off against a massive mothership. The PCs are tasked with destroying the mothership before time ...
Red Orca's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
397 views

Can you make multiple attacks with a net or a weapon with the loading property if you have multiple individual actions or reactions?

The net item has a special property which says: When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a net, you can make only one attack regardless of the number of attacks you can ...
David Coffron's user avatar
51 votes
9 answers
13k views

What to do when surprise and a high initiative roll conflict with the narrative?

Consider the following situation. Two creatures A and B sneak up on a creature X, successfully remaining unnoticed by it. Without signalling this to B in any way, A then throws a dagger at X from its ...
Mars Plastic's user avatar
  • 4,967
17 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can a character with the War Caster feat call a bolt with Call Lightning instead of making an opportunity attack? [duplicate]

One of my players has a 6th level druid character, and he asked me if, as long as he had the War Caster feat, could he invoke an active Call Lightning spell and use a reaction to call down a new bolt ...
gareth the elf's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
862 views

If a projectile attack at a monk misses, can the monk use Deflect Missiles to catch the projectiles and throw them back? [duplicate]

Say there are projectiles aimed at a monk that don’t quite beat the AC, leading to a missed attack, but the roll was close to hitting (only falling short by 3-5). Can monk use Deflect Missiles to ...
MajinMonkey's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
657 views

If a dagger thrown at a monk splits into multiple daggers mid-air, each with their own attack and damage rolls, can Deflect Missiles deflect them all?

Situation: A dagger is thrown at a monk. On that attack, the dagger multiplies into 2 or 3 daggers in mid-air, each dagger with its own rolls for attack and damage. The daggers move one after another ...
MajinMonkey's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
264 views

Does a spell cast instead of an opportunity attack still observe the timing of an opportunity attack?

The War Caster feat (PHB, p. 170) states that: When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, instead of ...
shosti's user avatar
  • 103
10 votes
2 answers
4k views

Is this part of the description of the Archfey warlock's Misty Escape feature redundant?

From the Archfey warlock patron feature Misty Escape (PHB, p. 109). When you take damage, you can use your reaction to turn invisible and teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. ...
NathanS's user avatar
  • 79k
9 votes
1 answer
344 views

Take Reactions on your own turn?

In regards to Reaction based effects. Is there any way someone can use them on their own turn? Or is it invariably necessary for it to occur as a Reaction to something? For instance, if a character ...
Energy Magick's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
73 views

Does lightning bolt trigger wrath of the storm? [duplicate]

A enemy wizard cast lightning bolt while within five feet of a tempest domain cleric. The cleric inquired if the lightning bolt triggers the wrath of the storm feature since the enemy wizard was "...
GcL's user avatar
  • 34.3k
10 votes
4 answers
4k views

How does the Open Hand monk's ability to prevent a target hit by Flurry of Blows from taking reactions work?

The Way of the Open Hand monk's Open Hand Technique states: Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy’s ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a ...
Adam Goodwine's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
3k views

For the Circle of Spores druid's Halo of Spores feature, is your reaction used regardless of whether the other creature succeeds on the saving throw?

The Circle of Spores druid's Halo of Spores feature (Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica, p. 27) states the following: When a creature you can see moves into a space within 10 feet of you or starts its ...
Johnny Rum's user avatar
20 votes
4 answers
6k views

Can a Hydra make multiple opportunity attacks at once?

A normal creature only has one reaction that may be used as a single attack of opportunity. A Hydra, though, has one of these reactions per head. My question would be: may several reactions be ...
techorix's user avatar
  • 853
3 votes
1 answer
10k views

Can a character take a reaction before their turn? [duplicate]

Can a character use his reaction in the first round of combat before their turn? There is no surprise involved here.
Nerdanel Lancaster's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
352 views

Can reaction powers by default be disabled as a free action?

The reaction modifier's description includes, The user can only prevent the reaction effect from occurring by choosing to deactivate the effect entirely (as a free action), in which case no ...
Selekate's user avatar
  • 1,692
5 votes
2 answers
602 views

Can an Abjuration Wizard's Arcane Ward only absorb damage from one attack using Projected Ward?

The School of Abjuration wizard's Projected Ward feature (PHB, p. 115) says: Starting at 6th level, when a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to ...
Mark Omo's user avatar
  • 1,570
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

Can an enemy take a reaction if you target them with a spell while the Time Stop spell is active?

Say a character casts time stop on themselves. While the spell is active, they target another creature with a spell (thus ending the time stop). Can that targeted character make a reaction to the ...
Allan Mills's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
4k views

Can the Defensive Duelist feat be used at the same time as the Uncanny Dodge Rogue feature?

I'm making a Bladesinger (Wizard)/Swashbuckler (Rogue) Multiclass. Can the Rogue's Uncanny Dodge class feature be used at the same time as the Defensive Duelist feat?
TribalBearWarrior's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
435 views

Is there any mechanical difference between the phrases, "as a reaction..." and "can use your reaction..."?

I was reading Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes when I stumbled on an interesting turn of phrase (it's repeated often in the book and in others, but this was where I first realized it). The Demonic Boons ...
SeraphsWrath's user avatar
  • 7,430
13 votes
3 answers
7k views

Does someone who fails against Dissonant Whispers on their turn waste their movement for that turn?

Dissonant whispers (PHB, pg. 235) says: The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction to move as far as its speed ...
NathanS's user avatar
  • 79k
26 votes
2 answers
3k views

Is the spell from the third benefit of the War Caster feat still considered an opportunity attack for the Sentinel feat?

The third benefit of the War Caster feat (PHB, p. 170) allows you to cast a spell when an enemy provokes an opportunity attack from you. The spell must target only the provoking creature, and can ...
Man_Over_Game's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
3k views

Can a controlled mount make an Opportunity Attack?

According to the Player's Handbook, pg. 198: Controlling a Mount While you're mounted, you have two options. You can either control the mount or allow it to act independently. You can ...
Man_Over_Game's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can you use a reaction while being brought to 0 HP?

Our GM threw enemies at us that had a reaction allowing them to counterattack when attacked. (I don’t know the reaction’s wording; he almost never shares such details.) Upon our killing one of them, ...
Frungi's user avatar
  • 225
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can you cancel Shield using readied Dispel Magic?

Our paladin attacks an enemy wizard. He used shield to block the paladin's attack. Knowing we are dealing with a magic user, I've readied dispel magic beforehand when an enemy is casting a spell, and ...
Vylix's user avatar
  • 32.6k
34 votes
5 answers
5k views

How much information should the defender have when deciding whether or not to cast Shield?

I'm playing a 5e campaign as a Fighter, planning on becoming an Eldritch Knight. Thus far (we're still level 1), the DM has been resolving attack rolls against us by telling us the result of the ...
A_S00's user avatar
  • 12.6k
3 votes
3 answers
15k views

War Caster Feat: Opportunity Attack Casting following a Bonus Action spell

The war caster feat includes the following feature: When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather ...
kando's user avatar
  • 165
18 votes
2 answers
7k views

Can you react to an opportunity attack?

Say you move out of an enemy's range, and they opportunity attack you. Can you then cast Shield as a reaction, or do another reaction when that happens?
Cyanic's user avatar
  • 3,802
20 votes
2 answers
5k views

Can a reaction interrupt multiattack?

Last night, an Owlbear attacked us. It was injured, then attacked my Warlock. Obviously it uses its Multiattack action (MM, pg. 249): Multiattack. The owlbear makes two attacks: one with its beak and ...
NathanS's user avatar
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