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I'm currently going over the rules that deal with how many reactions a character is allowed.

Is there a way to gain multiple or additional reactions in a combat round?

Hey I Can Chan
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Troommate
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  • Yes, anyone can do it. Don't confuse rounds with turns. See this answer: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/a/150749/28927 – keithcurtis Jan 02 '22 at 20:31

6 Answers6

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There is no way to gain an additional, generic reaction that can be used for anything that requires a reaction. However, two methods exist, both in Unearthed Arcana, to take more than one reaction, of a specific type, in a round. Tunnel Fighter, from the Underdark Unearthed Arcana:

Tunnel Fighter

You excel at defending narrow passages, doorways, and other tight spaces. As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.

And the Knight, from the Fighter Unearthed Arcana:

If a target marked by you is within 5 feet of you on its turn and it moves at least 1 foot or makes an attack that suffers disadvantage from this feature, you can make one melee weapon attack against it using your reaction. This attack roll has advantage, and if it hits, the attack’s weapon deals extra damage to the target equal to your fighter level. You can make this special attack even if you have already expended your reaction this round, but not if you have already used your reaction this turn.

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Miniman
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  • ah, I forgot about the Knight, good spot! – Jamie Brace Jul 31 '17 at 13:15
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    Is it just me or is the wording on the Knight's action usage really confusing? – Erik Jul 31 '17 at 13:29
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    @Erik: Not if you understand the difference between a turn and a round. One entire pass through the initiative order is a round. Each character's turn is when that character goes. It's basically saying you can do it as many times as you want, but only once per target per round (because it's once per turn, and happens on the target's turn). – T.J.L. Jul 31 '17 at 13:31
  • @T.J.L. I understand the difference, it just sounds really complicated compared to "this doesn't use an action but you can only do it once per turn". And the effect would be mostly the same, with less bookkeeping. – Erik Jul 31 '17 at 14:16
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    @Erik: With that wording, a creature moving away would provoke two Opportunity Attacks from the knight - one from the feature and one from regular OA rules. The mildly convoluted description used prevents that edge case. – Speedkat Jul 31 '17 at 15:07
  • @Speedkat hm, fair enough. – Erik Jul 31 '17 at 15:13
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Xanathar's Guide to Everything added a martial archetype called 'Cavalier' and it adds:

Vigilant Defender

Starting at 18th level, you respond to danger with extraordinary vigilance. In combat, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction only to make an opportunity attack, and you can't use it on the same turn that you take your normal reaction.

Meaning you get a reaction on every turn of the round, mix this with Sentinel and/or the Polearm Master feat, and you have a character that has (semi)immunity to any close quarters attack as all enemies entering your reach will be stunned pretty consistently over 5 ft away from you meaning you are out of their reach but they aren't out of yours.

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Ossug123
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You can get multiple reactions per round under some circumstances

Once you take a reaction, you can't take another one until the start of your next turn. Normally you only get one turn per round and therefore one reaction, but there is at least one way to get multiple turns during one round and therefore multiple reactions: Thief's Reflexes gained at 17th level (Rogue/Thief) lets you take two turns during the first round of combat. Time Stop also lets you take multiple turns during a single round, but you'd need to trigger your reaction on your own turn and use it without affecting other creatures in order to recover it the same round.

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user695022
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Use true polymorph to become a Marilith

Mariliths have this neat feature called Reactive:

The marilith can take one reaction on every turn in a combat.

So all you need to do is use true polymorph to turn into a Marilith and now you can take a reaction on every turn in combat. The Hundred Handed-Ones from Mythic Odysseys of Theros also have this feature.

Honorable mention: various flavors of hydra can take opportunity attacks for each head they have remaining.

Thomas Markov
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You Only Get One Reaction Per Round

However, this does come with a qualification. There are ways to make opportunity attacks without using your reaction:

Fighter or Paladin Fighting Style: Tunnel Fighter (Unearthed Arcana)

... While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.

Thomas Markov
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Jamie Brace
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If your DM allows it, you can Mark your target as part of your attack. (as per the DMG page 271)

This does not give you any extra reactions.. but it does help you get extra attacks of opportunity, which can free up your one reaction...

Hope that helps!

Markusv8
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