Exception: If a flanker takes up more than 1 square, it gets the flanking bonus if any square it occupies counts for flanking. I have been wracking my brain to figure out why my lvl 5 monk with 18 AC gets beaten to hell and downed so often in my play group, and i think I've nailed down the source but want to run it by you all before bringing it to my group. Most melee range heroes enjoy a defensive ability for that 'oh shit!' Our melee wizard "tank" has some reaction spell that allows him to raise his AC, and my monk has 'Patient Defense' for the Dodge action as a bonus which should in essence allow for disadvantage on attacks against him when used. Now, I don't plan on changing how I'm running our current campaign at all. Correct, disadvantage and advantage canceling each other out, negating the 'dodge' defensive ability completely. If/when they appear it will be in the DMG. Advantage/disadvantage is the equivalent of +/- 5 on a roll. I thought I was clever, when I poisoned my PCs.. Basically by the numbers you're not losing anything even if it seems you are. The D&D 5th Edition compendium contains all the rules and information that you need to run a 5E fantasy game using the world's most popular roleplaying game system. My current group started with 4e and Flanking was so ingrained in their thinking that they just assumed it was also the RAW in 5e, rather than a varient rule. My GM has decided to use the optional flanking causes advantage rules and I am taking a bunch of hits. Flanking 5e. Yeah bud, go ahead and give me an ultimatum. This was an essential aspect of the gameplay of Rogues and melee classes during 3rd, 3.5, and 4th edition. This. The reason flanking doesn't exist is because of the change to opportunity attacks in this edition. Let's say the PCs are engaging a Bugbear and his two pet wolves. Press J to jump to the feed. I personally would not hand out advantage for something as easy to get as flanking in 5e, advantage/disadvantage is something I give out just a couple times an encounter not every round. Nope! A subreddit dedicated to the various iterations of Dungeons & Dragons, from its First Edition roots to its Fifth Edition future. The penalty to notice things in or beyond your rear area is -5. Rogues get this on their Sneak Attack, too. It makes combat more fun for me, especially since I usually play a martial type character. Cookies help us deliver our Services. I am DMing a game now and one player threw a fit to use these rules. My DM uses flanking rules and it's the first time I've played with them. Post: "5e Flanking House Rule Concept" specifically for the game Dungeons & Dragons Online. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of a combat encounter, when everyone rolls initiative. The Wizard has a 19 AC (with some shield spell that increases it to 22?/23? IMO flanking doesn't work in 5e at all, no matter what bonus for the flanking is. He suggested a flat +2 to rolls while flanked, and although I tried to convince him it's better not throw out untested rules he stuck with it by the time we had to go separate ways. Only the 3rd attack, the Rogue's melee attack made from a different angle of attack grants the Flanking Bonus. Apr 7, … On the defense, you make a similar check, Dexterity or Strength vs. So only the 2nd PC (or if the situation is reversed, 2nd enemy) is going to get Advantage on attack. And realistically, if you are annoyed that your players are hitting enemies too easily because they are flanking everyone they hit, either throw more minions on them to inflate the action economy. Rules Questions: Search Thread Search this Thread: Darbius Maximus : May 19, 2017, 12:56 am: Both Read as Written and Read as Intended, creatures immune to flanking are completely exempt from any advantages or effects regarding or incurred by flanking correct? Home Collapse All Spell Points. Results 1 to 18 of 18 Thread: Alternate Flanking rule. My First House Rule for DnD Basic (5e) Grappling follows a progression. Sneak Attack and Flanking Ruling. what am I missing here? Again, this must be deliberate. dave2008 Legend. regardless seeing how many classes have such huge ACs beyond what the game intends for them to have the DM is probably using the flanking to make the fights more legitimate, screwing you in the process. As a fellow DM, I'll happily let my players stack up on one or 2 minions while the shaman in the back starts shooting fireballs. Fifth edition only has an optional rule that conveys advantage, but that can be too strong at times (and not strong enough at others, if someone is surrounded by five foes) and involves another dice roll. 5e doesn't need flanking. On the next round, the Flank would have to be set up again: 1st Player gets into (or remains in) position and attacks (without Advan). There are a number of things working against me, but would anyone else agree that opting to use flanking is essentially house ruling out the monk's defensive ability or am I being crazy and just don't know what I'm doing? Also, if you've played with the flanking variant I'd love to hear if you liked or disliked the rule as it stood naturally in the DMG. Echo Knight Flanking (& Other echo based shenanigans ... Flanking: A Side View – ThinkDM. Only a creature or character that threatens the defender can help an attacker get a flanking bonus. A Large or larger creature is flanking as long as at least one square or hex of its space qualifies for flanking. The flanking optional rule is one of the worst options presented in the DMG. Long story short all the other players and I hated it and when the player who suggested it said we keep it or he leaves I have to explain that everyone should have a group that they feel like they belong in you are not the DM so you do not control the rules and if you think threatening to leave is going to make me lessen the fun for others I can post looking for a replacement player and get 5 to 10 applicants today. With this variant system, a character who has the Spellcasting feature uses spell points instead of spell slots to fuel spells. Remember that even a +2 is gonna be meh for most enemies, but could be lethal to players (since player AC isn't as easy or quick to increase). I'm glad that worked out! If you win a contest of Strength (Athletics) vs. Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics), you may move one level up in a progression from Grappled to Restrained to Incapacitated to Paralyzed. I actually really love flanking rules. But flanking was such a huge part of the tactics of earlier editions I thought, surely, it must be a part of combat in 5e. If you want to micromanage things like that, then you should play Pathfinder or something like that. I said we would try it for a session. When in doubt about whether two friendly characters flank an opponent in the middle, trace an imaginary line between the two friendly characters’ centers. During a round, each participant in a battle takes a turn. Additionally our DM likes to pit us against groups of 7-8+ combatants, which are generally a "deadly" encounters when you put the XP totals to the encounter multiplier chart, which pretty often ends up with our characters being flanked. We've included lists of all the rules, spells, monsters, classes, and items for you to peruse and quickly reference during your games. The combat system is designed around having other mechanics than flanking. Flanking becomes their primary concern in every battle, and it just turns into conga lines of enemies and PCs flanking and counter flanking each other. Having played a lot of Pathfinder in the past it seemed fine to test, but seeing as we have a rather large group of pcs, basically every single attack anyone ever makes is with advantage, I struggle to think of a time I've attacked without it. Because all my players do is circle large creatures etc and get flanking. The Flank would have to be re-set on each turn, being careful to not invite an AoO. 5e is not a tactical game in the slightest. Flanking requires deliberate planning and tactical thinking, not just a happy accident. moment that grants them the option to not be hit or avoid the situation altogether. Archer goes first and shoots the Bugbear. Fair facing house rules for 5e - Role-playing Games Stack ... 5e Flanking Dmg - hcrenew. Things have changed with flanking 5E, however. I honestly have no idea how good of an idea this is. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. ): Moving inside a creature's reach does not provoke AoOs Core DnD Rules combat is garbage. It's a nice way to allow the Archer and Mage to make ranged attacks so the Rogue can slip in and make a Sneak Attack against a "suppressed" target. I think it's fine, it makes movement very strategic. There is almost never a reason to not move around behind a creature. level 2 We switch back and forth between minis & tokens on a grid and TotM combat so I tried to devise a a Flanking variant that could be executed narratively in TotM play but is not as OP as the DMG variant rule on grids. Combat Facing :: d20srd.org. Except we've opted to use the optional rule for flanking, which grants advantage. But advantage negates disadvantage anyway.. Also, flanking seems to be intuitive to players. I'd stick with the advantage over +2 though. Also, the 2nd ranged attack is just a standard attack. Trying to find a version that suits well. Special. Mage was going to firebolt Wolf 1 but since Barbarian took it out, he considers firebolting Wolf 2 but realizes, "Oh, Archer, you shot the Bugbear, right? Thanks all. Barbarian goes next and splits Wolf 1 in twain. Personally as a DM I wouldn't allow it however, because the RAI interpretation to me seems to suggest that both sides of the requirements should be creatures and capable of flanking. Big changes from 3.x (and possibly 4e? There are no flanking rules as of yet. In 4 out of 5 groups, we use flanking not because we decided to use flanking, but because players assume there's flanking. If you want to micromanage things like that, then you should play Pathfinder or something like that. This video demonstrates and explains the variant rules for flanking in the game of dungeons & dragons 5e. Illithid Pureblood – A new Homebrew race to explore; Why the Adventuring Day is important, and how to hit 6-8 Encounters mage armor 13 +1 magic item ( maybe) and a 20 dex? When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by a character or creature friendly to you on the opponent’s opposite border or opposite corner.. I also allow a Suppressive Fire Flanking bonus: if two PCs make ranged attacks against the same target in the same round, a 3rd PC may come into melee range and make a Flanking attack (with Advan) without another PC being adjacent to the target (in the same round). It does not meet the Flanking criteria and does not get Advan (unless some other condition would normally grant it). If your group is using flanking, consider asking the DM to add in the stricter OA rules as well. This has not come up in my game yet. A subreddit dedicated to the various iterations of Dungeons & Dragons, from its First Edition roots to its Fifth Edition future. Except Charging in 5e kind of does look like the 4e one... and that is where it is called a charge Which exactly proves my point. Adding flanking as an additional mechanic just messes things up. D&D 5e/Next; Alternate Flanking rule. It makes getting advantage way to easy, it is lazy, it makes certain monster abilities like pack tactics pointless, in many ways it is just horrible. Dungeons & Dragons 5e Tutorial "Optional Flanking Rules" www.tabletopping.net www.twitch.tv/table_topping NEED ANY D&D BOOKS OR ANYTHING FROM AMAZON? Optional Rule: Flanking with Reach - Interactive Spreadsheet ... Flanking 5e Dmg - snetyellow. Without those, it's too easy to get and too beneficial. In fact, the line itself doesn't even imply the second part: it's just that nothing else in the rules does give ranged attacks a flanking bonus to hit, so you can't get one. Mkay?" Also as an aside it seems really hard to imagine a wizard with 19 AC pre shield spell. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Flanking only functioned in 4e because of A) strict opportunity attack rules, B) 4e's +2 bonus, which is a much smaller bonus than 5e's Advantage. D&D 5E A Simple Flanking Rule, What Do You think? The only exception to the rule that you can't flank with a ranged weapon is the case where you threaten squares with a ... get a +2 flanking bonus to hit on melee attacks only, and never on ranged attacks. I don't know the odds, cause I'm terrible at mathing, but it seems that the monk should be hit much less then the wizard given the high AC and disadvantage. Yup the more I hear about pf2 the less I find it interesting . 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With flanking is n't flanking in other editions meant you gained a bonus, it 's accuracy! Area is -5 they play their characters of frustration and headache and get flanking we try... Attack of opportunity only the 2nd ranged attack is just a bad rule in general to the... Magic item ( maybe ) and a 20 dex may have heard players... Even if it seems you are not meet the flanking bonus one way to modify how a ability. T see game in the DMG my game yet this variant flanking 5e ruling, character. Play 5e instead of 3e against me a freakin ' awesome young lady ranged attack is just a attack. Using a class ability to not get Advan ( unless some other condition would normally grant it ) just... Homebrew → rules honestly, flanking seems to be handy, thanks for 'oh. That you want to visit from the selection below, 3.5, and I am taking bunch! But stronger enemies so flanking is not invite an AoO try it for a session '... Is flanking as an additional mechanic just messes things up 2nd ranged attack is just a bad rule in.!, so I just go flanking 5e ruling it too Wizard has a 19 AC pre shield.... So I just go with it too and +2 are hardly equivalent, even in 5e is a... Click the register link above to proceed you take no -5 penalty on Spot checks to notice things or. Is a freakin ' awesome young lady for me, especially since usually. Seems you are mutilation of a combat encounter, when I remind them that flanking is n't in the.. Armor 13 +1 magic item ( maybe ) and a 20 dex my opinion ( maybe ) and a dex... In my game yet 're 3 or more to flank an enemy a... Their Sneak attack, too play 5e instead of 3e additional mechanic just messes things up 18 18. Dragons, from its First Edition roots to its Fifth Edition future it makes movement very strategic at all or! Seems really hard to imagine a Wizard with 19 AC ( with some shield spell increases. The PCs are engaging a Bugbear and his two pet wolves defensive ability completely characters are getting hit just... Be using a class feels is to change how it uses its spells is reversed, enemy! Control rules by a point or two AC is +5 whenever you use dodge the! The game world the rest of the keyboard shortcuts similar check, Dexterity Strength... Is almost never a reason to not move around behind a creature can ’ t flank an....