One of the designs I use for making creatures more interesting is to give them things to do when it is not their turn. Sometimes I use reactions -- my kobolds are extremely acrobatic little buggers that as a reaction can "roll with it" and take half damage while moving 5 feet if struck as a reaction, for example -- and sometimes I use "legendary" action for not-legendary creatures -- my giant toads can make one tongue attack as a "legendary" action anytime during the round. I build these abilities on a case by case basis, often referencing other sources like the LevelUp Monster Menagerie, or the monster abilities books from DMsGuild or whatever.
My questions are these:
A) Do you beef up your baddies with off-turn abilities? If so, what method do you suually use? What kinds of abilities? Any really fun examples?
ii) Is there a functional difference in play I should consider between deciding on a reaction ability versus a "legendary" ability? I often decide arbitrarily but there's an itch in the back of my mind that says the form might matter.
and
3) I don't usually add too many bonus actions, but if I do they are almost never attacks. Instead I add movement or self healing or aiding another or things like that. Do you utilize bonus actions as much, more or less than reactions/legendaries?
My questions are these:
A) Do you beef up your baddies with off-turn abilities? If so, what method do you suually use? What kinds of abilities? Any really fun examples?
ii) Is there a functional difference in play I should consider between deciding on a reaction ability versus a "legendary" ability? I often decide arbitrarily but there's an itch in the back of my mind that says the form might matter.
and
3) I don't usually add too many bonus actions, but if I do they are almost never attacks. Instead I add movement or self healing or aiding another or things like that. Do you utilize bonus actions as much, more or less than reactions/legendaries?
