I'm a bit confused by the wording of the Legendary Action rules on pg.11 of the D&D5E Monster Manual. As well as the wording of Legendary Actions in some of the Monster Stat Blocks.

   MM pg.11
A legendary creature can take a certain number of special actions-called legendary actions-outside its turn. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creatures turn. A legendary creature regains spent legendary actions at the start of it's turn. It isn't required to use its legendary actions, and it can't use legendary actions while incapacitated.

MM pg.98 - Ancient Red Dragon
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below (not included). Only 1 legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of it's turn.

So does that mean the Dragon gets to perform a single legendary action over the course of a combat round, as long as it at the end of the turn of another creature. OR, does that mean it can perform up to 3 legendary actions (each at the end of another creatures turn, across the turn endings of multiple creatures) over the course of a combat round.

The former is what my gut wants to be true but the latter is what I think is intended. The latter seems pretty deadly no? Granted these are "Legends" so they should be bad assed. I guess I'm so scarred by 4E's Player over DM Agency the Old School DM is not used to seeing such powerful monsters.

Quote from: Gwarh;834957I'm a bit confused by the wording of the Legendary Action rules on pg.11 of the D&D5E Monster Manual. As well as the wording of Legendary Actions in some of the Monster Stat Blocks.

   MM pg.11
A legendary creature can take a certain number of special actions-called legendary actions-outside its turn. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creatures turn. A legendary creature regains spent legendary actions at the start of it's turn. It isn't required to use its legendary actions, and it can't use legendary actions while incapacitated.

MM pg.98 - Ancient Red Dragon
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below (not included). Only 1 legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of it's turn.

So does that mean the Dragon gets to perform a single legendary action over the course of a combat round, as long as it at the end of the turn of another creature. OR, does that mean it can perform up to 3 legendary actions (each at the end of another creatures turn, across the turn endings of multiple creatures) over the course of a combat round.

The former is what my gut wants to be true but the latter is what I think is intended. The latter seems pretty deadly no? Granted these are "Legends" so they should be bad assed. I guess I'm so scarred by 4E's Player over DM Agency the Old School DM is not used to seeing such powerful monsters.

The latter, definitely.

It's the latter.

So a Great Red could, at the end of a player turn, tail swipe three times (once per Player Turn), or detect and tail swipe, or just detect.  If however it buffets, with it's Wing Attack, then it can only do TWO actions, one of which cannot be another Wing Attack (as those take two Legendary Actions.)

What they said. The actions are one per players action. Within the limits of what can be done.

For example last session I DMed saw the group of 3 face off against an Adult White Dragon. Same 3 Legendary actions.
Nox goes first and opens up with a spell. Dragon uses legendary tail attack right after
James goes next and the dragon uses Legendary tail attack again.
Dragons turn now and breathweapon and the three attacks it gets
Daern goes last and the dragon now cannot use Wing attack as it has only 1 legendary point left. So a third tail attack.
If there had been a fourth member the dragon could not have acted unless it held one of its legendary points.
Same with excess points. Say the dragon is facing just 1 person. It could tail attack or wing buffet. But not bitch slap the adventurer with its legendary tail 3 times.