Sentinel Feat 5e: Lock Down Enemies (2024 Rules)
Sentinel is a level 4 General feat (Strength or Dexterity 13+) that gives +1 Strength or Dexterity and turns you into a wall. Any creature you hit with an opportunity attack has its speed drop to 0 for the turn, and enemies within 5 feet provoke an opportunity attack if they Disengage or hit one of your allies.
What does the Sentinel feat do in 2024?
Sentinel is the feat that makes "I stand in the doorway" an actual plan. In the 2024 Player's Handbook it is a General feat for level 4 and up, with a prerequisite of Strength or Dexterity 13. You get:
- Ability Score Increase: +1 Strength or Dexterity, to a maximum of 20.
- Guardian: right after a creature within 5 feet of you takes the Disengage action, or hits someone other than you with an attack, you can make an opportunity attack against it.
- Halt: when you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, its speed becomes 0 for the rest of the current turn.
All of this runs on your reaction, so you get one Sentinel attack per round. Choose your moment.
How did Sentinel change from 2014 to 2024?
The core idea is the same, but the triggers moved. Here is what happens in each common situation:
| Situation | 2014 Sentinel | 2024 Sentinel |
|---|---|---|
| Enemy leaves your reach normally | Opportunity attack; a hit sets speed to 0 | Same |
| Enemy within 5 ft. takes Disengage | Still provokes when it leaves your reach | You attack right after it Disengages |
| Enemy within 5 ft. attacks an ally | Reaction weapon attack on any attack, hit or miss (not if the ally also has Sentinel) | Opportunity attack only if the enemy hits |
| Does the ally-protection attack stop movement? | No, it is not an opportunity attack | Yes, it is an opportunity attack, so Halt applies |
| Prerequisite and ability bonus | None / none | Level 4+, Str or Dex 13+ / +1 Str or Dex |
Net result: the 2024 version triggers a little less often when enemies attack allies (it needs a hit), but each trigger does more, because it can also root the attacker in place. The Disengage change also closes a gap: with a 10-foot reach weapon in 2014, a Disengaging enemy still provoked when it left your reach. In 2024 the Disengage trigger only works on creatures within 5 feet.
How often will Sentinel stop an enemy?
Halt only works if your opportunity attack hits, so your attack bonus decides how reliable your wall is. Roll the d20 and compare:
| Enemy AC | Attack +5 (level 1–4) | Attack +7 (level 5) | Attack +9 (level 9–11) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 70% | 80% | 90% |
| 14 | 60% | 70% | 80% |
| 16 | 50% | 60% | 70% |
| 18 | 40% | 50% | 60% |
A level 5 fighter with +7 to hit stops an AC 14 enemy 7 times in 10. Against a heavily armored knight it is closer to a coin flip. That is why Sentinel shines against fast, lightly armored skirmishers like wolves, goblins and assassins, the exact enemies who like to run past the fighter to reach the wizard.
Is Sentinel worth it in 2024?
For a character whose job is to protect the party, yes. It is one of the few feats that changes how enemies have to play. Smart monsters stop trying to slip past you, which effectively protects your back line even on rounds you never use your reaction.
It is a weaker pick if your character already spends the reaction elsewhere, such as a rogue's Uncanny Dodge, a caster's Shield spell, or a paladin's Interception style. It also asks your DM to play enemies that move around; if every fight is a static slugfest, Sentinel rarely triggers.
Best users
- Fighters and paladins in heavy armor: high AC plus Sentinel means enemies must deal with you first.
- Barbarians: Rage damage makes the opportunity attack hurt, and they want enemies swinging at them.
- Dexterity tanks: the 2024 prerequisite allows Dexterity, so a rapier or shortsword fighter qualifies.
Does Sentinel work with Polearm Master?
In 2014 this was the best-known feat combo in the game: Polearm Master made enemies provoke when entering your 10-foot reach, and Sentinel stopped them dead before they reached you. In 2024, Polearm Master's Reactive Strike is a plain reaction attack rather than an opportunity attack, so by the written rules Halt does not apply to it. The pair still works for leaving your reach and for Guardian triggers. Ask your DM whether they keep the old interaction.
Sentinel pairs nicely with War Caster for gish characters too: War Caster lets you cast a spell instead of making the opportunity attack when a creature leaves your reach, so a melee cleric or bladesinger can still punish enemies who walk away.
Quick tactics with Sentinel
- Stand next to the squishiest ally so any enemy attacking them is also within 5 feet of you.
- Hold your reaction for the enemy who matters most, usually the one heading for the healer.
- Remember the speed 0 lasts only for the current turn; the enemy can move normally on its next turn.
- Combine with the Topple or Slow weapon mastery to keep enemies pinned on your own turn.
FAQ
Does Sentinel stop Disengage in 2024?
Yes, but differently. In 2024, when a creature within 5 feet of you takes the Disengage action, you can immediately make an opportunity attack against it, and a hit drops its speed to 0. In 2014, Disengaging creatures still provoked when they left your reach.
Does Sentinel work on a miss?
In 2024 the ally-protection trigger needs the enemy to hit someone other than you. In 2014 it triggered when the enemy attacked anyone else, hit or miss. Halt only works when your opportunity attack hits.
How many times can you use Sentinel per round?
Once, in practice. Every Sentinel attack uses your reaction, and you get one reaction per round, which resets at the start of your turn.
Is Sentinel good in 2024?
Yes, for any melee character whose job is to protect the back line. The 2024 version makes the ally-protection attack a real opportunity attack, so it also stops the enemy in place.
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Contains content from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.