I'm new to 5e and volunteered to be our groups GM. While prepping I had this question.Is disengage a combat action or a move action (or somewhere in between). I think it is a combat action presumably 'followed by' a move action. While disengaging, the character is presumed to be blocking, preparing to block or threatening to block an opponents blow so they can not make an attack on the opponent (and the opponent can't make an opportunity attack on them), while they are moving their move rate of say 30 feet presumably away from the enemy. Is there as DC roll or ability roll to this? The rules don't seem to indicate one is needed.
What Voras said. Just remember that the person doesn't need to use all of it's move after disengaging (or ever, really). And no, you don't need to roll for it. The "cost" is that it uses up your action for that turn meaning you can't do anything else.
Also, you can use disengage to run at or through a group of opponents. Disengage does NOT mean move away ... it means move up to your speed without having to suffer any opportunity attacks. So you can use it to move through a large group of opponents if you want to ... helps in an ambush if you want to run and join the rest of the party or if you want to run through a bunch of opponents to attack a weaker target (or the boss) at the back on later turns.
What everyone's said so far is correct. Disengage is an Action. Using it is conceptually like a toggled condition--Use the action, and your movement no longer provokes Opportunity Attacks (except from something with the Sentinel feat) until the end of your turn.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
The exact wording is "If you take the Disengage action, your movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of the turn." And that's pretty much all there is to it. There are a couple of other abilities that interact with Opportunity Attacks to be aware of if you're a new DM:
Sentinel - If someone has this feat, they can make an Opportunity attack even if their target has taken the Disengage action.
Polearm Master - If someone has this feat, a creature can provoke an Opportunity Attack by moving towards them, not just away. The Disengage rules still apply, so if I Disengage and bum rush someone with Polearm Master, they can't make an Opportunity Attack when I close the distance.
Flyby - Some creatures have a trait called Flyby. Having it means they do not provoke an Opportunity Attack when they leave a creature's reach. The most common example would be owls of various sizes, one reason why an Owl is such a popular familiar option(it swoops in, uses the Help action, and swoops out). Sentinel doesn't get around it, because Flyby is not Disengage. Polearm Master is a different story I believe. Flyby only references leaving a creature's reach, not entering it. So an owl getting close to someone with Polearm Master should still provoke an Opportunity Attack.
Flyby only references leaving a creature's reach, not entering it. So an owl getting close to someone with Polearm Master should still provoke an Opportunity Attack.
Correct. The trait is unambiguous on that point, and is confirmed by JC to be the case.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Disengage takes the place of any move that is defined as an action such as attacking a creature. Movement is not considered an action within the list of things you can do in a round. So basically this is a PC or creature putting their focus on defence as they move through a space. Am I understanding this correctly?
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Discord: MasterWitch#2965
My World Anvil account if you're interested. Work in progress.
Disengage takes the place of any move that is defined as an action such as attacking a creature. Movement is not considered an action within the list of things you can do in a round. So basically this is a PC or creature putting their focus on defence as they move through a space. Am I understanding this correctly?
Disengage does not... take the place of a move. It's an action (and for Rogues, a bonus action) you can take which functionally modifies the movement you take on the same turn you use it. That modification applies for your entire movement, not just one space.
How you interpret the differences between the Disengage and Dodge actions is up to you, in terms of "focusing on defense".
What Voras said. Just remember that the person doesn't need to use all of it's move after disengaging (or ever, really). And no, you don't need to roll for it. The "cost" is that it uses up your action for that turn meaning you can't do anything else.
Thank you Lost While Fishing!
I was also having a hard time wrapping my head around this, and your explanation with the "Cost" set me straight.
I'll just add that it's a bad habit to use the phrase "move action". The term "Action" has specific meanings in 5e. Just say "move" or "movement" instead.
In general, during a character's Turn in combat, they can use an Action (and possibly a Bonus Action), and use up their movement, and interact with an item (such as drawing a sword or picking up a small object) and do certain things for free (such as dropping an item or shouting a few words of communication) and that's pretty much it.
If you somehow had two actions (usually by using Action Surge as a Fighter), then yes, you can take the Attack action, then Action Surge to use the Disengage action. Or if you were a Rogue you could use your Cunning Action feature to Disengage as a Bonus Action, then attack as your main Action. (Please note that the Extra Attack feature is not two actions, only two attacks when you take the Attack action)
Think of the Disengage action as modifying your movement. If you take the Disengage action, any future movement on the same turn no longer provokes Opportunity Attacks from creatures around you. That's it. That's all it does.
If you want to "prepare yourself for the blow", you're probably better off taking the Dodge action, which means that whenever an enemy attempts to hit you, they have Disadvantage on the roll. Disengage only means 'if I walk past this enemy goblin, he can't Opportunity Attack me with his sword because I Disengaged).
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Hi,
I'm new to 5e and volunteered to be our groups GM. While prepping I had this question.Is disengage a combat action or a move action (or somewhere in between).
I think it is a combat action presumably 'followed by' a move action. While disengaging, the character is presumed to be blocking, preparing to block or threatening to block an opponents blow so they can not make an attack on the opponent (and the opponent can't make an opportunity attack on them), while they are moving their move rate of say 30 feet presumably away from the enemy. Is there as DC roll or ability roll to this? The rules don't seem to indicate one is needed.
Exactly, you use the disengage action, causing your move action to not trigger opportunity attacks.
What Voras said. Just remember that the person doesn't need to use all of it's move after disengaging (or ever, really). And no, you don't need to roll for it. The "cost" is that it uses up your action for that turn meaning you can't do anything else.
Also, you can use disengage to run at or through a group of opponents. Disengage does NOT mean move away ... it means move up to your speed without having to suffer any opportunity attacks. So you can use it to move through a large group of opponents if you want to ... helps in an ambush if you want to run and join the rest of the party or if you want to run through a bunch of opponents to attack a weaker target (or the boss) at the back on later turns.
What everyone's said so far is correct. Disengage is an Action. Using it is conceptually like a toggled condition--Use the action, and your movement no longer provokes Opportunity Attacks (except from something with the Sentinel feat) until the end of your turn.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
The exact wording is "If you take the Disengage action, your movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of the turn." And that's pretty much all there is to it. There are a couple of other abilities that interact with Opportunity Attacks to be aware of if you're a new DM:
Sentinel - If someone has this feat, they can make an Opportunity attack even if their target has taken the Disengage action.
Polearm Master - If someone has this feat, a creature can provoke an Opportunity Attack by moving towards them, not just away. The Disengage rules still apply, so if I Disengage and bum rush someone with Polearm Master, they can't make an Opportunity Attack when I close the distance.
Flyby - Some creatures have a trait called Flyby. Having it means they do not provoke an Opportunity Attack when they leave a creature's reach. The most common example would be owls of various sizes, one reason why an Owl is such a popular familiar option(it swoops in, uses the Help action, and swoops out). Sentinel doesn't get around it, because Flyby is not Disengage. Polearm Master is a different story I believe. Flyby only references leaving a creature's reach, not entering it. So an owl getting close to someone with Polearm Master should still provoke an Opportunity Attack.
Thank you folks.
Excellent help and clarifications
Correct. The trait is unambiguous on that point, and is confirmed by JC to be the case.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Just for clarification:
Disengage takes the place of any move that is defined as an action such as attacking a creature. Movement is not considered an action within the list of things you can do in a round. So basically this is a PC or creature putting their focus on defence as they move through a space. Am I understanding this correctly?
Discord: MasterWitch#2965
My World Anvil account if you're interested. Work in progress.
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/land-of-the-fallen-7Blandfall7D-masterwitch
Disengage does not... take the place of a move. It's an action (and for Rogues, a bonus action) you can take which functionally modifies the movement you take on the same turn you use it. That modification applies for your entire movement, not just one space.
How you interpret the differences between the Disengage and Dodge actions is up to you, in terms of "focusing on defense".
Thank you Lost While Fishing!
I was also having a hard time wrapping my head around this, and your explanation with the "Cost" set me straight.
Cheers!
I'll just add that it's a bad habit to use the phrase "move action". The term "Action" has specific meanings in 5e. Just say "move" or "movement" instead.
In general, during a character's Turn in combat, they can use an Action (and possibly a Bonus Action), and use up their movement, and interact with an item (such as drawing a sword or picking up a small object) and do certain things for free (such as dropping an item or shouting a few words of communication) and that's pretty much it.
So basically, if I have it as an extra turn, I can attack and then disengage (prepare myself for the blow and save some extra hp)?
ZiaJ
If you somehow had two actions (usually by using Action Surge as a Fighter), then yes, you can take the Attack action, then Action Surge to use the Disengage action. Or if you were a Rogue you could use your Cunning Action feature to Disengage as a Bonus Action, then attack as your main Action. (Please note that the Extra Attack feature is not two actions, only two attacks when you take the Attack action)
Think of the Disengage action as modifying your movement. If you take the Disengage action, any future movement on the same turn no longer provokes Opportunity Attacks from creatures around you. That's it. That's all it does.
If you want to "prepare yourself for the blow", you're probably better off taking the Dodge action, which means that whenever an enemy attempts to hit you, they have Disadvantage on the roll. Disengage only means 'if I walk past this enemy goblin, he can't Opportunity Attack me with his sword because I Disengaged).