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## Introduction In my time playing 5th edition, I've found that combat is severely lackluster for melee combatants. Besides simply not having many options during their turn other than elaborately lengthening the phrase "I hit the enemy", I am of the opinion that the martials are too rooted, too afraid to try to move around the enemy, for fear of attacks of opportunity. Thus, melee fights devolve into stalemates where one creature sees if they can out-damage the other, all while verbosely describing just how well they hit their enemy with their sword. These extra reaction options are intended to elegantly aid both DM's and players alike in not only moving around during combat, but to allow players to think and participate in combat outside of their turns, and to give mechanical backing to some of the descriptions of clashing swords and the like. The following reactions are available to all characters, both NPCs and player characters alike. Thanks to [/u/aeyana](https://www.reddit.com/user/aeyana) for helping balance these out. ### Chase When a creature would provoke an opportunity attack from you, you may use your reaction to, instead, move up to half of your speed, stumbling after them. You must end this movement closer to the creature that triggered this reaction than you started. > ##### Design Notes > The intention behind chase is to give the ability to keep a fleeing foe from simply being able to escape a fight by simply having a flat speed advantage. ### Defend When a creature hits you with an attack, you may use your reaction to attempt to perform some maneuver to grant yourself safety; ducking behind your shield, deflecting a weapon with a well timed blade, or something else entirely. Roll 1d20, and add a modifier equal to your Armor Class minus 10 to the roll. If the result is equal to or higher than the attack roll made against you, the attack misses instead. If the result is lower, the attack is considered a critical hit instead. > ##### Design Notes > Defending, as a reaction, grants you not only the ability to give mechanical backing to your description of a missed attack, but also allows those who really cannot take that next hit to take a gamble to avoid it instead, with fairly serious consequences for gambling wrong. \columnbreak ### Escape When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack, you may use your reaction to focus on escaping them by shift into their blind spot while they're distracted. Until the end of your next turn, the creature has disadvantage on opportunity attacks against you. > ##### Design Notes > The disengage action is often underused if only because it requires devoting your entire action to flee, which you tend to only consider if you are being overwhelmed, unless you're a rogue or goblin, in which case you take that bonus action to cheese enemies into submission. Escape is intended to give other characters the ability to avoid skirmishes that they do not want to have, while not entirely replacing the disengage action.
##### Art Credit Alley Evasion by [Scott Murphy](http://www.murphyillustration.com/)
\pagebreak ## Variant: Reactions as Feats While, in my opinion, combat would flow best with these reactions being available to every combatant, a noticeable group of people suggested having these as feats, which I have added here. I find that, in order for combat to be effectively varied and fluid, every character should have access to the reactions; however, I also understand that not every game is the same, not every character is the same, and not everyone is wholly unsatisfied with the rooted combat of 5th edition. Plus, getting a DM to agree to a few additional feats is way easier than agreeing to new, global rules. ### Counter Mastery You've learned to position yourself in such a way as to deflect blows effectively. You gain the following benefits: * Increase your Constitution by 1, to a maximum of 20. * When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you may use your reaction to attempt parry the attack. Roll 1d20, and add a modifier equal to your Armor Class minus 10 to the roll. If the result is equal to or higher than the attack roll made against you, the attack misses instead. If the result is lower, the attack is considered a critical hit instead. \columnbreak ### Pursuer One way or another, you've become adept at chasing down those who would rather flee than fight. You gain the following benefits: * Increase your Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20. * When a creature would provoke an attack of opportunity from you, you may choose to, instead, move up to half of your speed. You must end this movement closer to the creature that triggered this reaction than you started. ### Escape Artist You manage to slip out of bad situations with ease. You gain the following benefits: * Increase your Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20. * When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack, you may use your reaction to focus on that creature, staying within their blind spot while they're distracted. Until the end of your next turn, the creature has disadvantage opportunity attacks against you.
##### Art Credit Swashbuckling by [Josu Hernaiz](https://twitter.com/josuoh?lang=en)