So I'm just starting getting into DMing. I've been listening to multiple podcasts just to help guide me in running games. I have a question about legendary actions. Per the basic rules and the monster manual:
A legendary creature can take a certain number of special actions--called legendaryactions--outside its turn. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the
end of another creature's turn.
But I often hear DM's waiting to take legendary actions once the next player declares what they want to do to the legendary creature. Is this within the rules or is this DMs taking liberties? Thanks.
Perhaps they're using Legendary Resistance in response to an attack, which allows them to automatically pass a failed saving throw...
Otherwise, they're taking liberties. As you have pointed out, a legendary action should happen at the end of another creature's turn, not during it. Essentially you insert the legendary actions between player turns.
Definitely not legendary resistance. In the instance I heard most recently, the DM used a legendary action to moved the creature after the PC declared an attack, but before the roll. The DM said, before you do that, after the previous characters turn, the legendary creature is going to use his legendary action to move without taking an attack of opportunity. My gut tells me that is not in the spirit of the rule and he should have made the call before he said the next player could start their turn. That's why I was looking for some clarification. Thanks for the answer.
Well, that depends. The second player's turn doesn't actually start until the DM says it starts, so if the player tried to rush things by declaring what he was doing early, the DM is entirely entitled to say "wait up, the monster's taking a legendary action first".
So I'm just starting getting into DMing. I've been listening to multiple podcasts just to help guide me in running games. I have a question about legendary actions. Per the basic rules and the monster manual:
Perhaps they're using Legendary Resistance in response to an attack, which allows them to automatically pass a failed saving throw...
Otherwise, they're taking liberties. As you have pointed out, a legendary action should happen at the end of another creature's turn, not during it. Essentially you insert the legendary actions between player turns.
Definitely not legendary resistance. In the instance I heard most recently, the DM used a legendary action to moved the creature after the PC declared an attack, but before the roll. The DM said, before you do that, after the previous characters turn, the legendary creature is going to use his legendary action to move without taking an attack of opportunity. My gut tells me that is not in the spirit of the rule and he should have made the call before he said the next player could start their turn. That's why I was looking for some clarification. Thanks for the answer.
Well, that depends. The second player's turn doesn't actually start until the DM says it starts, so if the player tried to rush things by declaring what he was doing early, the DM is entirely entitled to say "wait up, the monster's taking a legendary action first".
If a player jumps the gun, it makes makes sense for the DM to interject. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.