Cavalier 18th feature question

[Mimersbrønd]

"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."

Do enemies still have to provoke the attack of opportunity, or do you just get a free attack on each creatures turn?

and if so does the attack have to hit the same creature that is taking its turn. Or can you choose to hit a different creature multiple times on other enemies turns?

I hope i am wrong, cause otherwise this is way too strong.

Sorry for english, and thank you for your help :)

[nickl_2000]

Do enemies still have to provoke the attack of opportunity
Yes


, or do you just get a free attack on each creatures turn?
No

Basically this is saying that you are eligible to get an attack of opportunity on everyone else's turn without spending a reaction on it. However, it has a caveat that you don't get this if you use your reaction on something else (casting shield, defensive duelist, shield master, etc).

[Mimersbrønd]

Ah, thanks :)

[BarneyBent]

Pair with BB and Warcaster!

[Mimersbrønd]

Pair with BB and Warcaster!

I fail to see how Booming Blade is good since their movement is 0 anyway cause of Hold The Line that Cavalier gets at 10th level.

Assuming that is what you mean by BB

[OracularPoet]

I fail to see how Booming Blade is good since their movement is 0 anyway cause of Hold The Line that Cavalier gets at 10th level.

Assuming that is what you mean by BB

Still gets extra damage without trigger. Add in Spell Sniper and Polearm Master for 25x25 square of lockdown. Really just need Polearm Master for lockdown part; BB and Spell Sniper for extra pain.

[BarneyBent]

I fail to see how Booming Blade is good since their movement is 0 anyway cause of Hold The Line that Cavalier gets at 10th level.

Assuming that is what you mean by BB

Not technically. Speed is reduced to 0 when hit by an opportunity attack. Warcaster replaces the opportunity attack with a spell. By RAW, you’re hitting the target with a spell, not an opportunity attack. Of course, it would be a fairly reasonable interpretation to apply that effect still, but not technically RAW.

Of course, that same thing calls into question whether you can actually use Warcaster. The class feature says you can only use the reaction for opportunity attacks (i.e. not spells). The feat says when a hostile creature provokes an opportunity attack, you can use your reaction to cast a spell instead. This seems like a case of specific vs specific and would be up to DM interpretation.

But if we assume that a) we can use BB and b) it will set the targets speed to 0, it still does an extra 3d8 damage at that level, and unlike other cantrips it keys off your main attack stat instead of a secondary spellcasting stat.

GFB would be better but it targets multiple enemies so can’t be used with Warcaster.

A generous DM might allow you to use something like Eldritch Blast provided all beams target the same person. Would require a two-level dip into Warlock, Crossbow Expert and high CHA to be worth it though, so would only really function at level 20. Would be potentially insane damage though.