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The Six Abilities

All creatures—characters and monsters—have six abilities that measure physical and mental characteristics, as shown on the Ability Descriptions table.

Ability	Score Measures...
Strength	Physical might
Dexterity	Agility, reflexes, and balance
Constitution	Health and stamina
Intelligence	Reasoning and memory
Wisdom	Perceptiveness and mental fortitude
Charisma	Confidence, poise, and charm

Ability Scores

Each ability has a score from 1 to 20, although some monsters have a score as high as 30. The score represents the magnitude of an ability. The Ability Scores table summarizes what the scores mean.

Score	Meaning
1	This is the lowest a score can normally go. If an effect reduces a score to 0, that effect explains what happens.
2–9	This represents a weak capability.
10–11	This represents the human average.
12–19	This represents a strong capability.
20	This is the highest an adventurer's score can go unless a feature says otherwise.
21–29	This represents an extraordinary capability.
30	This is the highest a score can go.

Ability Modifiers

Each ability has a modifier that you apply whenever you make a D20 Test with that ability (explained in "D20 Tests"). An ability modifier is derived from its score, as shown in the Ability Modifiers table.

Score	Modifier
1	−5
2–3	−4
4–5	−3
6–7	−2
8–9	−1
10–11	+0
12–13	+1
14–15	+2
16–17	+3
18–19	+4
20–21	+5
22–23	+6
24–25	+7
26–27	+8
28–29	+9
30	+10

D20 Tests

When the outcome of an action is uncertain, the game uses a d20 roll to determine success or failure. These rolls are called D20 Tests, and they come in three kinds: ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. They follow these steps:

• Roll 1d20
• Add Modifiers
• Compare the Total to a Target Number

Ability Checks

An ability check represents a creature using talent and training to try to overcome a challenge, such as forcing open a stuck door, picking a lock, entertaining a crowd, or deciphering a cipher. The DM and the rules often call for an ability check when a creature attempts something other than an attack that has a chance of meaningful failure. When the outcome is uncertain and narratively interesting, the dice determine the result.

Ability Modifier

An ability check is named for the ability modifier it uses: a Strength check, an Intelligence check, and so on. Different ability checks are called for in different situations, depending on which ability is most relevant. See the Ability Check Examples table for examples of each check's use.

Ability	Make a Check To...
Strength	Lift, push, pull, or break something
Dexterity	Move nimbly, quickly, or quietly
Constitution	Push your body beyond normal limits
Intelligence	Reason or remember
Wisdom	Notice things in the environment or in creatures' behavior
Charisma	Influence, entertain, or deceive

Proficiency Bonus

Add your Proficiency Bonus to an ability check when the DM determines that a skill or tool proficiency is relevant to the check and you have that proficiency. For example, if a rule refers to a Strength (Acrobatics or Athletics) check, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to the check if you have proficiency in the Acrobatics or Athletics skill. See "Proficiency" later in this chapter for more information about skill and tool proficiencies.

Difficulty Class

The Difficulty Class of an ability check represents the task's difficulty. The more difficult the task, the higher its DC. The rules provide DCs for certain checks, but the DM ultimately sets them. The Typical Difficulty Classes table presents a range of possible DCs for ability checks.

Task Difficulty	DC
Very easy	5
Easy	10
Medium	15
Hard	20
Very hard	25
Nearly impossible	30

Saving Throws

A saving throw—also called a save—represents an attempt to evade or resist a threat, such as a fiery explosion, a blast of poisonous gas, or a spell trying to invade your mind. You don't normally choose to make a save; you must make one because your character or a monster (if you're the DM) is at risk. A save's result is detailed in the effect that caused it.

If you don't want to resist the effect, you can choose to fail the save without rolling.

Ability Modifier

Saving throws are named for the ability modifiers they use: a Constitution saving throw, a Wisdom saving throw, and so on. Different saving throws are used to resist different kinds of effects, as shown on the Saving Throw Examples table.

Ability	Make a Save To...
Strength	Physically resist direct force
Dexterity	Dodge out of harm's way
Constitution	Endure a toxic hazard
Intelligence	Recognize an illusion as fake
Wisdom	Resist a mental assault
Charisma	Assert your identity

Proficiency Bonus

You add your Proficiency Bonus to your saving throw if you have proficiency in that kind of save. See "Proficiency" later in this chapter.

Difficulty Class

The Difficulty Class for a saving throw is determined by the effect that causes it or by the DM. For example, if a spell forces you to make a save, the DC is determined by the caster's spellcasting ability and Proficiency Bonus. Monster abilities that call for saves specify the DC.

Attack Rolls

An attack roll determines whether an attack hits a target. An attack roll hits if the roll equals or exceeds the target's Armor Class. Attack rolls usually occur in battle, described in "Combat" later in this chapter, but the DM might also ask for an attack roll in other situations, such as an archery competition.

Ability Modifier

The Attack Roll Abilities table shows which ability modifier to use for different types of attack rolls.

Ability	Attack Type
Strength	Melee attack with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike
Dexterity	Ranged attack with a weapon
Varies	Spell attack (the ability used is determined by the spellcaster's spellcasting feature, as explained in chapter 7)

Some features let you use different ability modifiers from those listed. For example, the Finesse property (see chapter 6) lets you use Strength or Dexterity with a weapon that has that property.

Proficiency Bonus

You add your Proficiency Bonus to your attack roll when you attack using a weapon you have proficiency with, as well as when you attack with a spell. See "Proficiency" later in this chapter for more information about weapon proficiencies.

Armor Class

A creature's Armor Class represents how well the creature avoids being wounded in combat. The AC of a character is determined at character creation (see chapter 2), whereas the AC of a monster appears in its stat block.

Calculating AC

All creatures start with the same base AC calculation:

Base AC = 10 + the creature's Dexterity modifier

A creature's AC can then be modified by armor, magic items, spells, and more.

Only One Base AC

Some spells and class features give characters a different way to calculate their AC. A character with multiple features that give different ways to calculate AC must choose which one to use; only one base calculation can be in effect for a creature.

Rolling 20 or 1

If you roll a 20 on the d20 (called a "natural 20") for an attack roll, the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. This is called a Critical Hit (see "Combat" later in this chapter).

If you roll a 1 on the d20 (a "natural 1") for an attack roll, the attack misses regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC.

Advantage/Disadvantage

Sometimes a D20 Test is modified by Advantage or Disadvantage. Advantage reflects the positive circumstances surrounding a d20 roll, while Disadvantage reflects negative circumstances.

You usually acquire Advantage or Disadvantage through the use of special abilities and actions. The DM can also decide that circumstances grant Advantage or impose Disadvantage.

Roll Two D20s

When a roll has either Advantage or Disadvantage, roll a second d20 when you make the roll. Use the higher of the two rolls if you have Advantage, and use the lower roll if you have Disadvantage. For example, if you have Disadvantage and roll an 18 and a 3, use the 3. If you instead have Advantage and roll those numbers, use the 18.

They Don't Stack

If multiple situations affect a roll and they all grant Advantage on it, you still roll only two d20s. Similarly, if multiple situations impose Disadvantage on a roll, you roll only two d20s.

If circumstances cause a roll to have both Advantage and Disadvantage, the roll has neither of them, and you roll one d20. This is true even if multiple circumstances impose Disadvantage and only one grants Advantage or vice versa. In such a situation, you have neither Advantage nor Disadvantage.

Interactions with Rerolls

When you have Advantage or Disadvantage and something in the game lets you reroll or replace the d20, you can reroll or replace only one die, not both. You choose which one.

For example, if you have Heroic Inspiration (see the sidebar) and roll a 3 and an 18 on an ability check that has Advantage or Disadvantage, you could expend your Heroic Inspiration to reroll one of those dice, not both of them.

Heroic Inspiration Sometimes the DM or a rule gives you Heroic Inspiration. If you have Heroic Inspiration, you can expend it to reroll any die immediately after rolling it, and you must use the new roll.

Only One at a Time

You can never have more than one instance of Heroic Inspiration. If something gives you Heroic Inspiration and you already have it, you can give it to a player character in your group who lacks it.

Gaining Heroic Inspiration

Your DM can give you Heroic Inspiration for a variety of reasons. Typically, DMs award it when you do something particularly heroic, in character, or entertaining. It's a reward for making the game more fun for everyone playing.

Other rules might allow your character to gain Heroic Inspiration independent of the DM's decision. For example, Human characters start each day with Heroic Inspiration.

Proficiency

Characters and monsters are good at various things. Some are skilled with many weapons, while others can use only a few. Some are better at understanding people's motives, and others are better at unlocking the secrets of the multiverse. All creatures have a Proficiency Bonus, which reflects the impact that training has on the creature's capabilities. A character's Proficiency Bonus increases as the character gains levels (described in chapter 2). A monster's Proficiency Bonus is based on its Challenge Rating. The Proficiency Bonus table shows how the bonus is determined.

This bonus is applied to a D20 Test when the creature has proficiency in a skill, in a saving throw, or with an item that the creature uses to make the D20 Test. The bonus is also used for spell attacks and for calculating the DC of saving throws for spells.

Level or CR	Bonus
Up to 4	+2
5–8	+3
9–12	+4
13–16	+5
17–20	+6
21–24	+7
25–28	+8
29–30	+9

The Bonus Doesn't Stack

Your Proficiency Bonus can't be added to a die roll or another number more than once. For example, if a rule allows you to make a Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check, you add your Proficiency Bonus if you're proficient in either skill, but you don't add it twice if you're proficient in both skills.

Occasionally, a Proficiency Bonus might be multiplied or divided (doubled or halved, for example) before being added. For example, the Expertise feature doubles the Proficiency Bonus for certain ability checks. Whenever the bonus is used, it can be multiplied only once and divided only once.

Skill Proficiencies

Most ability checks involve using a skill, which represents a category of things creatures try to do with an ability check. The descriptions of the actions you take (see "Actions" later in this chapter) specify which skill applies if you make an ability check for that action, and many other rules note when a skill is relevant. The DM has the ultimate say on whether a skill is relevant in a situation.

If a creature is proficient in a skill, the creature applies its Proficiency Bonus to ability checks involving that skill. Without proficiency in a skill, a creature can still make ability checks involving that skill but doesn't add its Proficiency Bonus. For example, if a character tries to climb a cliff, the DM might ask for a Strength (Athletics) check. If the character has Athletics proficiency, the character adds their Proficiency Bonus to the Strength check. If the character lacks that proficiency, they make the check without adding their Proficiency Bonus.

Skill List

The skills are shown on the Skills table, which notes example uses for each skill proficiency as well as the ability check the skill most often applies to.

Skill	Ability	Example Uses
Acrobatics	Dexterity	Stay on your feet in a tricky situation, or perform an acrobatic stunt.
Animal Handling	Wisdom	Calm or train an animal, or get an animal to behave in a certain way.
Arcana	Intelligence	Recall lore about spells, magic items, and the planes of existence.
Athletics	Strength	Jump farther than normal, stay afloat in rough water, or break something.
Deception	Charisma	Tell a convincing lie, or wear a disguise convincingly.
History	Intelligence	Recall lore about historical events, people, nations, and cultures.
Insight	Wisdom	Discern a person's mood and intentions.
Intimidation	Charisma	Awe or threaten someone into doing what you want.
Investigation	Intelligence	Find obscure information in books, or deduce how something works.
Medicine	Wisdom	Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
Nature	Intelligence	Recall lore about terrain, plants, animals, and weather.
Perception	Wisdom	Using a combination of senses, notice something that's easy to miss.
Performance	Charisma	Act, tell a story, perform music, or dance.
Persuasion	Charisma	Honestly and graciously convince someone of something.
Religion	Intelligence	Recall lore about gods, religious rituals, and holy symbols.
Sleight of Hand	Dexterity	Pick a pocket, conceal a handheld object, or perform legerdemain.
Stealth	Dexterity	Escape notice by moving quietly and hiding behind things.
Survival	Wisdom	Follow tracks, forage, find a trail, or avoid natural hazards.

Determining Skills

A character's starting skill proficiencies are determined at character creation, and a monster's skill proficiencies appear in its stat block.

Skills with Different Abilities Each skill proficiency is associated with an ability check. For example, the Intimidation skill is associated with Charisma. In some situations, the DM might allow you to apply your skill proficiency to a different ability check. For example, if a character tries to intimidate someone through a show of physical strength, the DM might ask for a Strength (Intimidation) check rather than a Charisma (Intimidation) check. That character would make a Strength check and add their Proficiency Bonus if they have Intimidation proficiency.

Saving Throw Proficiencies

Proficiency in a saving throw lets a character add their Proficiency Bonus to saves that use a particular ability. For example, proficiency in Wisdom saves lets you add your Proficiency Bonus to your Wisdom saves. Some monsters also have saving throw proficiencies, as noted in their stat blocks.

Each class gives proficiency in at least two saving throws, representing that class's training in evading or resisting certain threats. Wizards, for example, are proficient in Intelligence and Wisdom saves; they train to resist mental assault.

Equipment Proficiencies

A character gains proficiency with various weapons and tools from their class and background. There are two categories of equipment proficiency:

• Weapons
• Tools

Actions

When you do something other than moving or communicating, you typically take an action. The Action table lists the game's main actions, which are defined in more detail in the rules glossary.

Action	Summary
Attack	Attack with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike.
Dash	For the rest of the turn, give yourself extra movement equal to your Speed.
Disengage	Your movement doesn't provoke Opportunity Attack for the rest of the turn.
Dodge	Until the start of your next turn, attack rolls against you have Disadvantage, and you make Dexterity saving throws with Advantage. You lose this benefit if you have the Incapacitated condition or if your Speed is 0.
Help	Help another creature's ability check or attack roll, or administer first aid.
Hide	Make a Dexterity (Stealth) check.
Influence	Make a Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, Performance, or Persuasion) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to alter a creature's attitude.
Magic	Cast a spell, use a magic item, or use a magical feature.
Ready	Prepare to take an action in response to a trigger you define.
Search	Make a Wisdom (Insight, Medicine, Perception, or Survival) check.
Study	Make an Intelligence (Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, or Religion) check.
Utilize	Use a nonmagical object.

Player characters and monsters can also do things not covered by these actions. Many class features and other abilities provide additional action options, and you can improvise other actions. When you describe an action not detailed elsewhere in the rules, the Dungeon Master tells you whether that action is possible and what kind of D20 Test you need to make, if any.

One Thing at a Time

The game uses actions to govern how much you can do at one time. You can take only one action at a time. This principle is most important in combat, as explained in "Combat" later in this chapter.

Actions can come up in other situations, too: in a social interaction, you can try to Influence a creature or use the Search action to read the creature's body language, but you can't do both at the same time. And when you're exploring a dungeon, you can't simultaneously use the Search action to look for traps and use the Help action to aid another character who's trying to open a stuck door (with the Utilize action).

Bonus Actions

Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a Bonus Action. The Cunning Action feature, for example, allows a Rogue to take a Bonus Action. You can take a Bonus Action only when a special ability, a spell, or another feature of the game states that you can do something as a Bonus Action. You otherwise don't have a Bonus Action to take.

You can take only one Bonus Action on your turn, so you must choose which Bonus Action to use if you have more than one available.

You choose when to take a Bonus Action during your turn unless the Bonus Action's timing is specified. Anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions also prevents you from taking a Bonus Action.

Reactions

Certain special abilities, spells, and situations allow you to take a special action called a Reaction. A Reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind, which can occur on your turn or on someone else's. The Opportunity Attack, described later in this chapter, is the most common type of Reaction.

When you take a Reaction, you can't take another one until the start of your next turn. If the reaction interrupts another creature's turn, that creature can continue its turn right after the Reaction.

In terms of timing, a Reaction takes place immediately after its trigger unless the Reaction's description says otherwise.

What Would Your Character Do? Ask yourself as you play, "What would my character do?" Playing a role involves some amount of getting into another person's head and understanding what motivates them and how those motivations translate into action. In D&D, those actions unfold against the backdrop of a fantastic world full of situations we can only imagine. How does your character react to those situations? This advice comes with one important caveat: avoid character choices that ruin the fun of the other players and the DM. Choose actions that delight you and your friends.

Social Interaction

During their adventures, player characters meet many different people and face some monsters that would rather talk than fight. In those situations, it's time for social interaction, which takes many forms. For example, you might try to convince a burglar to confess to wrongdoing or try to flatter a guard. The Dungeon Master assumes the roles of any nonplayer characters who are participating.

An NPC's attitude toward your character is Friendly, Indifferent, or Hostile, as defined in the rules glossary. Friendly NPCs are predisposed to help, and Hostile ones are inclined to hinder.

Social interactions progress in two ways: through roleplaying and ability checks.

Roleplaying

Roleplaying is, literally, the act of playing out a role. In this case, it's you as a player determining how your character thinks, acts, and talks. Roleplaying is part of every aspect of the game, and it comes to the fore during social interactions.

As you roleplay, consider whether you prefer an active approach or a descriptive approach, each of which is described in "Social Interaction Example."

The DM uses an NPC's personality and your character's actions and attitudes to determine how an NPC reacts. A cowardly bandit might buckle under threats of imprisonment. A stubborn merchant refuses to help if the characters badger her. A vain dragon laps up flattery.

When interacting with an NPC, pay attention to the DM's portrayal of the NPC's personality. You might be able to learn an NPC's goals and then use that information to influence the NPC.

If you offer NPCs something they want or play on their sympathies, fears, or goals, you can form friendships, ward off violence, or learn a key piece of information. On the other hand, if you insult a proud warrior or speak ill of a noble's allies, your efforts to convince or deceive will likely fail.

Ability Checks

Ability checks can be key in determining the outcome of a social interaction. Your roleplaying efforts can alter an NPC's attitude, but there might still be an element of chance if the DM wants dice to play a role in determining an NPC's response to you. In such situations, the DM will typically ask you to take the Influence action.

Pay attention to your skill proficiencies when thinking of how you will interact with an NPC; use an approach that relies on your group's skill proficiencies. For example, if the group needs to trick a guard into letting them into a castle, the Rogue who is proficient in Deception should lead the discussion.

Social Interaction Example

In this scene, players engage in a social interaction encounter. You and your group determine how similar scenes play out in your adventures.

Four adventurers—Shreeve, Mirabella, Auro, and Gareth—have traveled to the Blood on the Vine tavern in the grim village of Barovia.

• Jared (as DM):

• Maeve (as Mirabella):

• Jared:

• Russell (as Shreeve):

• Jared:

• Amy (as Auro):

• Russell:

• Phillip (as Gareth):

• Maeve (as Mirabella):

• Jared:

• Maeve:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

Active Roleplaying Notice throughout the example how Russell and Amy actively roleplay their characters' behavior. In this active approach, they speak with their characters' voices, like an actor taking on a role. The players might even echo their characters' body language. They still need to describe things that can't reasonably be acted out.

Descriptive Roleplaying Notice how Phillip describes his character's words and action. Drawing on his mental image of his character, he says what his character does and how the character does it. If this approach is most comfortable for you, keep these things in mind:

• Describe your character's emotions and attitude.
• Focus on your character's intent and how others might perceive it.
• Provide as much embellishment as you feel comfortable with. Don't worry about getting things exactly right. Focus on what your character would do, and describe what you see in your mind.

(1)—Ability Checks Phillip's character, Gareth, makes a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine whether he reads Ismark's unspoken cues. Wisdom is the ability that measures perceptiveness and intuition. Insight reflects a character's skill at reading other people's moods and intentions. The DM set the DC at 15, which Gareth beats. With a successful Wisdom (Insight) check, Gareth gleans information that wasn't obvious, so it wasn't part of the DM's earlier narration. For more information, see "Ability Scores" and "Proficiency" earlier in this chapter and the Search action in the rules glossary.

• Amy:

• Russell:

• Maeve:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Russell:

(2)—Influencing NPCs Gareth takes the Influence action, which characters can take to influence an NPC. It's easier to influence an NPC who's already disposed to help you, as Ismark is here. Ismark's Friendly attitude gives Phillip Advantage on the roll. In this case, Advantage made the difference between success and failure.

• Jared:
• Maeve:
• Jared:
• Russell:
• Jared:
• Russell:
• Jared:
• Russell:
• Jared:

Exploration

Exploration involves delving into places that are dangerous and full of mystery. The rules in this section detail some of the ways adventurers interact with the environment in such places.

Adventuring Equipment

As adventurers explore, their equipment can help them in many ways. For example, they can reach out-of-the-way places with a Ladder, perceive things they wouldn't otherwise notice with a Torch or another light source, bypass locked doors and containers with Thieves' Tools, and create obstacles for pursuers with Caltrops.

See chapter 6 for rules on many items that are useful on adventures. The items in that chapter's "Tools" and "Adventuring Gear" sections are especially useful. The weapons in that chapter can also be used for more than battle; you could use a Quarterstaff, for example, to push a sinister-looking button that you're reluctant to touch.

Vision and Light

Some adventuring tasks—such as noticing danger, hitting an enemy, and targeting certain spells—are affected by sight, so effects that obscure vision can hinder you, as explained below.

Obscured Areas

An area might be Lightly or Heavily Obscured. In a Lightly Obscured area—such as an area with Dim Light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage—you have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

A Heavily Obscured area—such as an area with Darkness, heavy fog, or dense foliage—is opaque. You have the Blinded condition when trying to see something there.

Light

The presence or absence of light determines the category of illumination in an area, as defined below.

Bright Light

Bright Light lets most creatures see normally. Even gloomy days provide Bright Light, as do torches, lanterns, fires, and other sources of illumination within a specific radius.

Dim Light

Dim Light, also called shadows, creates a Lightly Obscured area. An area of Dim Light is usually a boundary between Bright Light and surrounding Darkness. The soft light of twilight and dawn also counts as Dim Light. A full moon might bathe the land in Dim Light.

Darkness

Darkness creates a Heavily Obscured area. Characters face Darkness outdoors at night (even most moonlit nights), within the confines of an unlit dungeon, or in an area of magical Darkness.

Special Senses

Some creatures have special senses that help them perceive things in certain situations. The rules glossary defines the following special senses:

• Blindsight
• Darkvision
• Tremorsense
• Truesight

Hiding

Adventurers and monsters often hide, whether to spy on one another, sneak past a guardian, or set an ambush. The Dungeon Master decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. When you try to hide, you take the Hide action.

Interacting with Objects

Interacting with objects is often simple to resolve. The player tells the DM that their character is doing something, such as moving a lever or opening a door, and the DM describes what happens. Sometimes, however, rules govern what you can do with an object, as detailed in the following sections.

What Is an Object?

For the purpose of the rules, an object is a discrete, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone. It isn't a building or a vehicle, which are composed of many objects.

Time-Limited Object Interactions

When time is short, such as in combat, interactions with objects are limited: one free interaction per turn. That interaction must occur during a creature's movement or action. Any additional interactions require the Utilize action, as explained in "Combat" later in this chapter.

Finding Hidden Objects

When your character searches for hidden things, such as a secret door or a trap, the DM typically asks you to make a Wisdom (Perception) check, provided you describe the character searching in the hidden object's vicinity. On a success, you find the object, other important details, or both.

If you describe your character searching nowhere near a hidden object, a Wisdom (Perception) check won't reveal the object, no matter the check's total.

Carrying Objects

You can usually carry your gear and treasure without worrying about the weight of those objects. If you try to haul an unusually heavy object or a massive number of lighter objects, the DM might require you to abide by the rules for carrying capacity in the rules glossary.

Breaking Objects

As an action, you can automatically break or otherwise destroy a fragile, nonmagical object, such as a glass container or a piece of paper. If you try to damage something more resilient, the DM might use the rules on breaking objects in the rules glossary.

Hazards

Monsters are the main perils characters face, but other dangers await. The rules glossary defines the following hazards:

• Burning
• Dehydration
• Falling
• Malnutrition
• Suffocation

Travel

During an adventure, the characters might travel long distances on trips that could take hours or days. The DM can summarize this travel without calculating exact distances or travel times, or the DM might have you use the travel pace rules below.

If you need to know how fast you can move when every second matters, see the movement rules in "Combat" later in this chapter.

Marching Order The adventurers should establish a marching order while they travel, whether indoors or outdoors. A marching order makes it easier to determine which characters are affected by traps, which ones can spot hidden enemies, and which ones are the closest to those enemies if a fight breaks out. You can change your marching order outside combat and record the order any way you like: write it down, for example, or arrange miniatures to show it.

Travel Pace

While traveling outside combat, a group can move at a Fast, Normal, or Slow pace, as shown on the Travel Pace table. The table states how far the party can move in a period of time; if riding horses or other mounts, the group can move twice that distance for 1 hour, after which the mounts need a Short or Long Rest before they can move at that increased pace again (see chapter 6 for a selection of mounts for sale). The Dungeon Master's Guide has rules that affect which pace you can choose in certain types of terrain.

| Fast | 400 feet | 4 miles | 30 miles | | Normal | 300 feet | 3 miles | 24 miles | | Slow | 200 feet | 2 miles | 18 miles |

Each travel pace has a game effect, as defined below.

Fast

Traveling at a Fast pace imposes Disadvantage on a traveler's Wisdom (Perception or Survival) and Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Normal

Traveling at a Normal pace imposes Disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Slow

Traveling at a Slow pace grants Advantage on Wisdom (Perception or Survival) checks.

Vehicles

Travelers in wagons, carriages, or other land vehicles choose a pace as normal. Characters in a waterborne vessel are limited to the speed of the vessel, and they don't choose a travel pace. Depending on the vessel and the size of the crew, ships might be able to travel for up to 24 hours per day. Chapter 6 includes vehicles for sale.

Exploration Example

This scene finds the player characters investigating a mysterious and potentially dangerous location. They're moving through the environment and interacting with things they find there.

The characters are exploring Castle Ravenloft, and the DM describes the room the characters have entered.

• Jared (as DM):

• Phillip (as Gareth):

• Maeve (as Mirabella):

• Jared:

• Russell (as Shreeve):

• Amy (as Auro):

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Maeve:

Everyone Is Accounted For Exploration is open-ended; the players don't take turns moving around the dungeon the way they do in combat. But the DM frequently checks in to make sure it's clear where everyone is and what they're doing.

Teamwork Matters The player characters are working toward a common goal. They move together through the dungeon and cooperate to overcome its challenges. When the characters enter the room, they explore different parts of the room. When Auro finds a secret door behind the fireplace later in the example, they come together again to examine it, and Gareth figures out how to bypass the fire. It might seem like Russell's character wasn't doing much, but Shreeve was protecting the group by guarding the door.

(3)—Worth Rolling with or without Proficiency You usually have a chance of success on an ability check even if you don't have proficiency in a relevant skill. In the example, Phillip gets a 20 without proficiency. The d20 brings many surprises to the game—surprises that the DM then interprets.

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Maeve:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Maeve:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

(4)—Finding Hidden Objects Adventure environments are full of secrets: traps, concealed doors, loose floorboards, and hidden treasures. Characters often use Wisdom checks to find things—see the Search action in the rules glossary—but sometimes they stumble on them accidentally, as Auro did here.

(5)—Casting Spells Many characters have the ability to cast spells, which have a huge variety of effects. Some spells are mostly useful in combat, by dealing damage or imposing conditions. Other spells have utility in exploration. If you're playing a spellcaster, look for a mix of combat-effective and utilitarian spells to help deal with varied challenges.

Know Your Spells! Have your Player's Handbook open to the description of a spell before you cast it. Don't expect the DM to know how your spell works, and be ready to answer any questions about it.

(6)—Vision and Light The DM determines what the adventurers can perceive, which means being aware of light sources—like the leaping flames in the fireplace and Shreeve's glowing sword—as well as obscuring factors like smoke and fog. See "Vision and Light" earlier in this chapter for more information.

(7)—Saving Throws A saving throw is used to see whether a creature avoids or resists something. When the chest releases toxic gas, Phillip's and Amy's characters make Constitution saving throws. Constitution is one of the six abilities that measure creatures' capabilities, and it has to do with health and stamina. When they fail their saves, the gas causes them to have the Paralyzed condition. See "Conditions" later in this chapter for more information.

Combat

Adventurers encounter many dangerous monsters and nefarious villains. In those moments, combat often breaks out.

The Order of Combat

A typical combat encounter is a clash between two sides: a flurry of weapon swings, feints, parries, footwork, and spellcasting. The game organizes combat into a cycle of rounds and turns. A round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. During a round, each participant in a battle takes a turn. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of combat when everyone rolls Initiative. Once everyone has taken a turn, the fight continues to the next round if neither side is defeated.

Combat Step by Step

Combat unfolds in these steps:

• Establish Positions
• Roll Initiative
• Take Turns

Initiative

Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant rolls Initiative; they make a Dexterity check that determines their place in the Initiative order. The DM rolls for monsters. For a group of identical creatures, the DM makes a single roll, so each member of the group has the same Initiative.

Surprise

If a combatant is surprised by combat starting, that combatant has Disadvantage on their Initiative roll. For example, if an ambusher starts combat while hidden from a foe who is unaware that combat is starting, that foe is surprised.

Initiative Order

A combatant's check total is called their Initiative count, or Initiative for short. The DM ranks the combatants, from highest to lowest Initiative. This is the order in which they act during each round. The Initiative order remains the same from round to round.

Ties

If a tie occurs, the DM decides the order among tied monsters, and the players decide the order among tied characters. The DM decides the order if the tie is between a monster and a player character.

Your Turn

On your turn, you can move a distance up to your Speed and take one action. You decide whether to move first or take your action first.

The main actions you can take are listed in "Actions" earlier in this chapter. A character's features and a monster's stat block also provide action options. "Movement and Position" later in this chapter gives the rules for movement.

Communicating

You can communicate however you are able—through brief utterances and gestures—as you take your turn. Doing so uses neither your action nor your move.

Extended communication, such as a detailed explanation of something or an attempt to persuade a foe, requires an action. The Influence action is the main way you try to influence a monster.

Interacting with Things

You can interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe.

If you want to interact with a second object, you need to take the Utilize action. Some magic items and other special objects always require an action to use, as stated in their descriptions.

The DM might require you to use an action for any of these activities when it needs special care or when it presents an unusual obstacle. For instance, the DM might require you to take the Utilize action to open a stuck door or turn a crank to lower a drawbridge.

Doing Nothing on Your Turn

You can forgo moving, taking an action, or doing anything at all on your turn. If you can't decide what to do, consider taking the defensive Dodge action or the Ready action to delay acting.

Ending Combat

Combat ends when one side or the other is defeated, which can mean the creatures are killed or knocked out or have surrendered or fled. Combat can also end when both sides agree to end it.

Movement and Position

On your turn, you can move a distance equal to your Speed or less. Or you can decide not to move.

Your movement can include climbing, crawling, jumping, and swimming (each explained in the rules glossary). These different modes of movement can be combined with your regular movement, or they can constitute your entire move.

However you're moving with your Speed, you deduct the distance of each part of your move from it until it is used up or until you are done moving, whichever comes first.

A character's Speed is determined during character creation. A monster's Speed is noted in the monster's stat block. See the rules glossary for more about Speed as well as about special speeds, such as a Climb Speed, Fly Speed, or Swim Speed.

Difficult Terrain

Combatants are often slowed down by Difficult Terrain. Low furniture, rubble, undergrowth, steep stairs, snow, and shallow bogs are examples of Difficult Terrain.

Every foot of movement in Difficult Terrain costs 1 extra foot, even if multiple things in a space count as Difficult Terrain.

Playing on a Grid If you play using a square grid and miniatures or other tokens, follow these rules.

Squares

Each square represents 5 feet.

Speed

Rather than moving foot by foot, move square by square on the grid, using your Speed in 5-foot segments. You can translate your Speed into squares by dividing it by 5. For example, a Speed of 30 feet translates into 6 squares. If you use a grid often, consider writing your Speed in squares on your character sheet.

Entering a Square

To enter a square, you must have enough movement left to pay for entering. It costs 1 square of movement to enter an unoccupied square that's adjacent to your space (orthogonally or diagonally adjacent). A square of Difficult Terrain costs 2 squares to enter. Other effects might make a square cost even more.

Corners

Diagonal movement can't cross the corner of a wall, a large tree, or another terrain feature that fills its space.

Ranges

To determine the range on a grid between two things—whether creatures or objects—count squares from a square adjacent to one of them and stop counting in the space of the other one. Count by the shortest route.

Breaking Up Your Move

You can break up your move, using some of its movement before and after any action, Bonus Action, or Reaction you take on the same turn. For example, if you have a Speed of 30 feet, you could go 10 feet, take an action, and then go 20 feet.

Dropping Prone

On your turn, you can give yourself the Prone condition without using an action or any of your Speed, but you can't do so if your Speed is 0.

Creature Size

A creature belongs to a size category, which determines the width of the square space the creature occupies on a map, as shown on the Creature Size and Space table. That table lists the sizes from smallest (Tiny) to largest (Gargantuan). A creature's space is the area that it effectively controls in combat and the area it needs to fight effectively.

A character's size is determined by species, and a monster's size is specified in the monster's stat block.

Size	Space (Feet)	Space (Squares)
Tiny	2½ by 2½ feet	4 per square
Small	5 by 5 feet	1 square
Medium	5 by 5 feet	1 square
Large	10 by 10 feet	4 squares (2 by 2)
Huge	15 by 15 feet	9 squares (3 by 3)
Gargantuan	20 by 20 feet	16 squares (4 by 4)

Moving around Other Creatures

During your move, you can pass through the space of an ally, a creature that has the Incapacitated condition, a Tiny creature, or a creature that is two sizes larger or smaller than you.

Another creature's space is Difficult Terrain for you unless that creature is Tiny or your ally.

You can't willingly end a move in a space occupied by another creature. If you somehow end a turn in a space with another creature, you have the Prone condition unless you are Tiny or are of a larger size than the other creature.

Making an Attack

When you take the Attack action, you make an attack. Some other actions, Bonus Actions, and Reactions also let you make an attack. Whether you strike with a Melee weapon, fire a Ranged weapon, or make an attack roll as part of a spell, an attack has the following structure:

• Choose a Target
• Determine Modifiers
• Resolve the Attack

Cover

Walls, trees, creatures, and other obstacles can provide cover, making a target more difficult to harm. As detailed in the Cover table, there are three degrees of cover, each of which gives a different benefit to a target.

A target can benefit from cover only when an attack or other effect originates on the opposite side of the cover. If a target is behind multiple sources of cover, only the most protective degree of cover applies; the degrees aren't added together. For example, if a target is behind a creature that gives Half Cover and a tree trunk that gives Three-Quarters Cover, the target has Three-Quarters Cover.

Degree	Benefit to Target	Offered By...
Half	+2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws	Another creature or an object that covers at least half of the target
Three-Quarters	+5 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws	An object that covers at least three-quarters of the target
Total	Can't be targeted directly	An object that covers the whole target

Unseen Attackers and Targets When you make an attack roll against a target you can't see, you have Disadvantage on the roll. This is true whether you're guessing the target's location or targeting a creature you can hear but not see. If the target isn't in the location you targeted, you miss. When a creature can't see you, you have Advantage on attack rolls against it. If you are hidden when you make an attack roll, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses.

Ranged Attacks

When you make a ranged attack, you fire a bow, hurl an axe, or otherwise send projectiles to strike a foe at a distance. Many spells also involve making a ranged attack.

Range

You can make ranged attacks only against targets within a specified range. If a ranged attack, such as one made with a spell, has a single range, you can't attack a target beyond this range.

Some ranged attacks, such as those made with a Longbow, have two ranges. The smaller number is the normal range, and the larger number is the long range. Your attack roll has Disadvantage when your target is beyond normal range, and you can't attack a target beyond long range.

Ranged Attacks in Close Combat

Aiming a ranged attack is more difficult when a foe is next to you. When you make a ranged attack roll with a weapon, a spell, or some other means, you have Disadvantage on the roll if you are within 5 feet of an enemy who can see you and doesn't have the Incapacitated condition.

Melee Attacks

A melee attack allows you to attack a target within your reach. A melee attack typically uses a handheld weapon or an Unarmed Strike. Many monsters make melee attacks with claws, teeth, or other body parts. A few spells also involve melee attacks.

Reach

A creature has a 5-foot reach and can thus attack targets within 5 feet when making a melee attack. Certain creatures have melee attacks with a reach greater than 5 feet, as noted in their descriptions.

Opportunity Attacks

Combatants watch for enemies to drop their guard. If you move heedlessly past your foes, you put yourself in danger by provoking an Opportunity Attack.

Avoiding Opportunity Attack

You can avoid provoking an Opportunity Attack by taking the Disengage action. You also don't provoke an Opportunity Attack when you Teleport or when you are moved without using your movement, action, Bonus Action, or Reaction. For example, you don't provoke an Opportunity Attack if an explosion hurls you out of a foe's reach or if you fall past an enemy.

Making an Opportunity Attack

You can make an Opportunity Attack when a creature that you can see leaves your reach. To make the attack, take a Reaction to make one melee attack with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike against that creature. The attack occurs right before it leaves your reach.

Mounted Combat

A willing creature that is at least one size larger than a rider and that has an appropriate anatomy can serve as a mount, using the following rules.

Mounting and Dismounting

During your move, you can mount a creature that is within 5 feet of you or dismount. Doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your Speed (round down). For example, if your Speed is 30 feet, you spend 15 feet of movement to mount a horse.

Controlling a Mount

You can control a mount only if it has been trained to accept a rider. Domesticated horses, mules, and similar creatures have such training.

The Initiative of a controlled mount changes to match yours when you mount it. It moves on your turn as you direct it, and it has only three action options during that turn: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge. A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it.

In contrast, an independent mount—one that lets you ride but ignores your control—retains its place in the Initiative order and moves and acts as it likes.

Falling Off

If an effect is about to move your mount against its will while you're on it, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall off, landing with the Prone condition in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the mount.

While mounted, you must make the same save if you're knocked Prone or the mount is.

Underwater Combat

A fight underwater follows these rules.

Impeded Weapons

When making a melee attack roll with a weapon underwater, a creature that lacks a Swim Speed has Disadvantage on the attack roll unless the weapon deals Piercing damage.

A ranged attack roll with a weapon underwater automatically misses a target beyond the weapon's normal range, and the attack roll has Disadvantage against a target within normal range.

Fire Resistance

Anything underwater has Resistance to Fire damage (explained in "Damage and Healing").

Damage and Healing

Injury and death are frequent threats in D&D, as detailed in the following rules.

Hit Points

Hit Points represent durability and the will to live. Creatures with more Hit Points are more difficult to kill. Your Hit Point maximum is the number of Hit Points you have when uninjured. Your current Hit Points can be any number from that maximum down to 0, which is the lowest Hit Points can go.

Whenever you take damage, subtract it from your Hit Points. Hit Point loss has no effect on your capabilities until you reach 0 Hit Points.

If you have half your Hit Points or fewer, you're Bloodied, which has no game effect on its own but which might trigger other game effects.

Resting Adventurers can't spend every hour adventuring. They need rest. Any creature can take hour-long Short Rests in the midst of a day and an 8-hour Long Rest to end it. Regaining Hit Points is one of the main benefits of a rest. The rules glossary provides the rules for Short and Long Rests.

Damage Rolls

Each weapon, spell, and damaging monster ability specifies the damage it deals. You roll the damage dice, add any modifiers, and deal the damage to your target. If there's a penalty to the damage, it's possible to deal 0 damage but not negative damage.

When attacking with a weapon, you add your ability modifier—the same modifier used for the attack roll—to the damage roll. A spell tells you which dice to roll for damage and whether to add any modifiers. Unless a rule says otherwise, you don't add your ability modifier to a fixed damage amount that doesn't use a roll, such as the damage of a Blowgun. See chapter 6 for weapons' damage dice and chapter 7 for spells' damage dice.

Critical Hits

When you score a Critical Hit, you deal extra damage. Roll the attack's damage dice twice, add them together, and add any relevant modifiers as normal. For example, if you score a Critical Hit with a Dagger, roll 2d4 for the damage rather than 1d4, and add your relevant ability modifier. If the attack involves other damage dice, such as from the Rogue's Sneak Attack feature, you also roll those dice twice.

Saving Throws and Damage

Damage dealt via saving throws uses these rules.

Damage against Multiple Targets

When you create a damaging effect that forces two or more targets to make saving throws against it at the same time, roll the damage once for all the targets. For example, when a wizard casts Fireball, the spell's damage is rolled once for all creatures caught in the blast.

Half Damage

Many saving throw effects deal half damage (round down) to a target when the target succeeds on the saving throw. The halved damage is equal to half the damage that would be dealt on a failed save.

Damage Types

Each instance of damage has a type, like Fire or Slashing. Damage types are listed in the rules glossary and have no rules of their own, but other rules, such as Resistance, rely on damage types.

Resistance and Vulnerability

Some creatures and objects have Resistance or Vulnerability to certain damage types. If you have Resistance to a damage type, damage of that type is halved against you (round down). If you have Vulnerability to a damage type, damage of that type is doubled against you. For example, if you have Resistance to Cold damage, such damage is halved against you, and if you have Vulnerability to Fire damage, such damage is doubled against you.

No Stacking

Multiple instances of Resistance or Vulnerability that affect the same damage type count as only one instance. For example, if you have Resistance to Necrotic damage as well as Resistance to all damage, Necrotic damage is reduced by half against you.

Order of Application

Modifiers to damage are applied in the following order: adjustments such as bonuses, penalties, or multipliers are applied first; Resistance is applied second; and Vulnerability is applied third.

For example, a creature has Resistance to all damage and Vulnerability to Fire damage, and it's within a magical aura that reduces all damage by 5. If it takes 28 Fire damage, the damage is first reduced by 5 (to 23), then halved for the creature's Resistance (and rounded down to 11), then doubled for its Vulnerability (to 22).

Immunity

Some creatures and objects have Immunity to certain damage types and conditions. Immunity to a damage type means you don't take damage of that type, and Immunity to a condition means you aren't affected by it.

Healing

Hit Points can be restored by magic, such as the Cure Wounds spell or a Potion of Healing, or by a Short or Long Rest.

When you receive healing, add the restored Hit Points to your current Hit Points. Your Hit Points can't exceed your Hit Point maximum, so any Hit Points regained in excess of the maximum are lost. For example, if you receive 8 Hit Points of healing and have 14 Hit Points and a Hit Point maximum of 20, you regain 6 Hit Points, not 8.

Dropping to 0 Hit Points

When a creature drops to 0 Hit Points, it either dies outright or falls Unconscious, as explained below.

Instant Death

Here are the main ways a creature can die instantly.

Monster Death

A monster dies the instant it drops to 0 Hit Points, although a Dungeon Master can ignore this rule for an individual monster and treat it like a character.

Hit Point Maximum of 0

A creature dies if its Hit Point maximum reaches 0. Certain effects drain life energy, reducing a creature's Hit Point maximum.

Massive Damage

When damage reduces a character to 0 Hit Points and damage remains, the character dies if the remainder equals or exceeds their Hit Point maximum. For example, if your character has a Hit Point maximum of 12, currently has 6 Hit Points, and takes 18 damage, the character drops to 0 Hit Points, but 12 damage remains. The character then dies, since 12 equals their Hit Point maximum.

Character Demise

If your character dies, others might find a magical way to revive your character, such as with the Raise Dead spell. Or talk with the DM about making a new character to join the group. The rules glossary has more information on being dead.

Falling Unconscious

If you reach 0 Hit Points and don't die instantly, you have the Unconscious condition until you regain any Hit Points, and you now face making Death Saving Throws (see below).

Knocking Out a Creature When you would reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with a melee attack, you can instead reduce the creature to 1 Hit Point and give it the Unconscious condition. It then starts a Short Rest, at the end of which that condition ends on it. The condition ends early if the creature regains any Hit Points or if someone takes an action to administer first aid to it, making a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check.

Death Saving Throws

Whenever you start your turn with 0 Hit Points, you must make a Death Saving Throw to determine whether you creep closer to death or hang on to life. Unlike other saving throws, this one isn't tied to an ability score. You're in the hands of fate now.

Three Successes/Failures

Roll 1d20. If the roll is 10 or higher, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail. A success or failure has no effect by itself. On your third success, you become Stable (see "Stabilizing a Character" below). On your third failure, you die.

The successes and failures don't need to be consecutive; keep track of both until you collect three of a kind. The number of both is reset to zero when you regain any Hit Points or become Stable.

Rolling a 1 or 20

When you roll a 1 on the d20 for a Death Saving Throw, you suffer two failures. If you roll a 20 on the d20, you regain 1 Hit Point.

Damage at 0 Hit Points

If you take any damage while you have 0 Hit Points, you suffer a Death Saving Throw failure. If the damage is from a Critical Hit, you suffer two failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your Hit Point maximum, you die.

Stabilizing a Character

You can take the Help action to try to stabilize a creature with 0 Hit Points, which requires a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check.

A Stable creature doesn't make Death Saving Throws even though it has 0 Hit Points, but it still has the Unconscious condition. If the creature takes damage, it stops being Stable and starts making Death Saving Throws again. A Stable creature that isn't healed regains 1 Hit Point after 1d4 hours.

Temporary Hit Points

Some spells and other effects confer Temporary Hit Points, which are a buffer against losing actual Hit Points, as explained below.

Lose Temporary Hit Points First

If you have Temporary Hit Points and take damage, those points are lost first, and any leftover damage carries over to your Hit Points. For example, if you have 5 Temporary Hit Points and take 7 damage, you lose those points and then lose 2 Hit Points.

Duration

Temporary Hit Points last until they're depleted or you finish a Long Rest.

Temporary Hit Points Don't Stack

Temporary Hit Points can't be added together. If you have Temporary Hit Points and receive more of them, you decide whether to keep the ones you have or to gain the new ones. For example, if a spell grants you 12 Temporary Hit Points when you already have 10, you can have 12 or 10, not 22.

They're Not Hit Points or Healing

Temporary Hit Points can't be added to your Hit Points, healing can't restore them, and receiving Temporary Hit Points doesn't count as healing. Because Temporary Hit Points aren't Hit Points, a creature can be at full Hit Points and receive Temporary Hit Points.

If you have 0 Hit Points, receiving Temporary Hit Points doesn't restore you to consciousness. Only true healing can save you.

Conditions

Many effects impose a condition, a temporary state that alters the recipient's capabilities. The following conditions are defined in the rules glossary:

• Blinded
• Charmed
• Deafened
• Exhaustion
• Frightened
• Grappled
• Incapacitated
• Invisible
• Paralyzed
• Petrified
• Poisoned
• Prone
• Restrained
• Stunned
• Unconscious

The definition of a condition specifies what happens to its recipient while affected by it, and some conditions apply other conditions.

Duration

A condition lasts either for a duration specified by the effect that imposed the condition or until the condition is countered (the Prone condition is countered by standing up, for example).

Conditions Don't Stack

If multiple effects impose the same condition on you, each instance of the condition has its own duration, but the condition's effects don't get worse. Either you have a condition or you don't. The Exhaustion condition is an exception; its effects get worse if you have the condition and receive it again.

Combat and Damage Example

In this scene, threats force a group of adventurers into battle. This example demonstrates the turn-based flow of combat that gives each player a chance to detail what they do during the high-stakes moments of a fight.

Below Castle Ravenloft, the characters enter combat!

• Jared (as DM):

• Russell (as Shreeve):

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Maeve (as Mirabella):

• Phillip (as Gareth):

• Amy (as Auro):

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Maeve:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Amy:

• Jared:

• Russell:

(8)—Starting Combat While describing the skeletons animating, the DM gets ready to start combat by mentally figuring out where everyone is, referring to the map of the area and the party's established marching order.

(9)—Rolling Initiative The next step in combat is for everyone involved to roll Initiative.

(10)—Taking Turns Now each participant in the battle takes a turn in Initiative order. The skeletons go first because they got the highest Initiative: 20.

(11)—Attack Rolls When a creature attacks, whether swinging a sword or firing an arrow from a bow, its player makes an attack roll. If the total is equal to or higher than the target's Armor Class (AC), the attack hits.

(12)—Spells and Reactions Mirabella casts the Shield spell. It's a special property of this spell that it can be cast even when it's not the caster's turn, using her Reaction (see "Actions" earlier in this chapter).

(13)—Special Abilities Auro's Sneak Attack lets him deal extra damage to the skeletons, and his Cunning Action lets him Disengage as a Bonus Action. These are examples of class features (described in chapter 3) that let characters bend the rules.

(14)—Vulnerability An attack that deals Bludgeoning damage is deadly to skeletons. Shreeve knows this from past experience, which is why she drops her sword and switches to a Bludgeoning weapon. She rolls only 7 damage, but the DM knows the skeleton actually takes 14 damage.

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Russell:

• Jared:

• Maeve:

• Jared:

• Maeve:

• Jared:

• Maeve:

• Jared:

• Maeve:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared:

• Phillip:

• Jared (rolling):

• Phillip:

• Jared:

(15)—Areas of Effect Spells and many other effects in the game fill a specific area that is defined by the rules, like the 15-foot Cube of the Thunderwave spell. See the rules glossary for more on areas of effect.

(16)—Saving Throws The skeletons make Constitution saving throws to resist the Thunderwave spell. When they fail those saves, they take damage and are pushed, as defined in that spell's description.

Damage and Hit Points The skeletons have 13 Hit Points each, so the spells and attacks in this example deal enough damage to destroy them. If a spell or an attack dealt less than 13 damage, the DM would keep track of the damage each skeleton has taken until it is reduced to 0 Hit Points and is destroyed.

(17)—Saving Throws Gareth's Sear Undead is a class feature (see chapter 3). As with Mirabella's Thunderwave spell, Sear Undead forces the skeletons to make a saving throw.

Ability Check

An ability check is a D20 Test that represents using one of the six abilities—or a specific skill associated with an ability—to overcome a challenge.

Ability Score and Modifier

A creature has six ability scores—Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma—each of which has a corresponding modifier. Add the modifier when you make a D20 Test with the corresponding ability or when a rule asks you to do so.

Action

On your turn, you can take one action. Choose which action to take from those below or from the special actions provided by your features. These actions are defined elsewhere in this glossary:

• Attack
• Dodge
• Dash
• Help
• Disengage
• Hide
• Influence
• Magic
• Ready
• Search
• Study
• Utilize

Advantage

If you have Advantage on a D20 Test, roll two d20s, and use the higher roll. A roll can't be affected by more than one Advantage, and Advantage and Disadvantage on the same roll cancel each other.

Adventure

An adventure is a series of encounters. A story emerges through playing them.

Alignment

A creature's alignment broadly describes its ethical attitudes and ideals. Alignment is a combination of two factors: one identifies morality (good, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). These factors allow for nine possible combinations, such as Lawful Good and Neutral Evil.

Ally

A creature is your ally if it is a member of your adventuring party, your friend, on your side in combat, or a creature that the rules or the DM designates as your ally.

Area of Effect

The descriptions of many spells and other features specify that they have an area of effect, which typically has one of six shapes. These shapes are defined elsewhere in this glossary:

• Cone
• Cube
• Cylinder
• Emanation
• Line
• Sphere An area of effect has a point of origin, a location from which the effect's energy erupts. The rules for each shape specify how to position its point of origin. If all straight lines extending from the point of origin to a location in the area of effect are blocked, that location isn't included in the area of effect. To block a line, an obstruction must provide Total Cover. If the creator of an area of effect places it at an unseen point and an obstruction—such as a wall—is between the creator and that point, the point of origin comes into being on the near side of the obstruction.

Armor Class

An Armor Class (AC) is the target number for an attack roll. AC represents how difficult it is to hit a target. Your base AC calculation is 10 plus your Dexterity modifier. If a rule gives you another base AC calculation, you choose which calculation to use; you can't use more than one.

Armor Training

Armor training allows you to use armor of a certain category without the following drawbacks. If you wear Light, Medium, or Heavy armor and lack training with it, you have Disadvantage on any D20 Test that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can't cast spells. If you use a Shield and lack training with it, you don't gain its AC bonus.

Attack

(No definition found)

Attack Roll

An attack roll is a D20 Test that represents making an attack with a weapon, an Unarmed Strike, or a spell.

Attitude

A monster has a starting attitude toward a player character: Friendly, Hostile, or Indifferent.

Attunement

Some magic items require a creature to form a bond—called Attunement—with them before the creature can use an item's magical properties. A creature can have Attunement with no more than three magic items at a time.

Blinded

(No definition found)

Blindsight

(No definition found)

Bloodied

(No definition found)

Bonus Action

A Bonus Action is a special action that you can take on the same turn that you take an action. You can't take more than one Bonus Action on a turn, and you have a Bonus Action to take only if a rule explicitly says so.

Breaking Objects

Objects can be harmed by attacks and by some spells, using the rules below. If an object is exceedingly fragile, the DM may allow a creature to break it automatically with the Attack or Utilize action.

Armor Class

The Object Armor Class table suggests ACs for various substances.

AC	Substance
11	Cloth, paper, rope
13	Crystal, glass, ice
15	Wood
17	Stone
19	Iron, steel
21	Mithral
23	Adamantite

Hit Points

An object is destroyed when it has 0 Hit Points. The Object Hit Points table suggests Hit Points for fragile and resilient objects that are Large or smaller. To track Hit Points for a Huge or Gargantuan object, divide it into Large or smaller sections, and track each section's Hit Points separately. The DM determines whether destroying part of an object causes the whole thing to collapse.

Size	Fragile	Resilient
Tiny (bottle, lock)	2 (1d4)	5 (2d4)
Small (chest, lute)	3 (1d6)	10 (3d6)
Medium (barrel, chandelier)	4 (1d8)	18 (4d8)
Large (cart, dining table)	5 (1d10)	27 (5d10)

Damage Types and Objects

Objects have Immunity to Poison and Psychic damage. The DM might decide that some damage types are more or less effective against an object. For example, Bludgeoning damage works well for smashing things but not for cutting. Paper or cloth objects might have Vulnerability to Fire damage.

Damage Threshold

Big objects, such as castle walls, often have extra resilience represented by a damage threshold.

No Ability Scores

An object lacks ability scores unless a rule assigns scores to the object. Without ability scores, an object can't make ability checks, and it fails all saving throws.

Bright Light

Bright Light is normal illumination.

Burning

(No definition found)

Burrow Speed

A creature that has a Burrow Speed can use that speed to move through sand, earth, mud, or ice. The creature can't burrow through solid rock unless the creature has a trait that allows it to do so.

Campaign

A campaign is a series of adventures.

Cantrip

A cantrip is a level 0 spell, which is cast without a spell slot.

Carrying Capacity

Your size and Strength score determines the maximum weight in pounds that you can carry, as shown in the Carrying Capacity table. The table also shows the maximum weight you can drag, lift or push. While dragging, lifting, or pushing weight in excess of the maximum weight you can carry, your Speed can be no more than 5 feet.

Creature Size	Carry	Drag/Lift/Push
Tiny	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 7.5 lb.	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 15 lb.
Small/Medium	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 15 lb.	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 30 lb.
Large	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 30 lb.	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 60 lb.
Huge	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 60 lb.	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 120 lb.
Gargantuan	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 120 lb.	#$prompt_number:title=Enter Strength Score$# × 240 lb.

Challenge Rating

Challenge Rating (CR) summarizes the threat a monster poses to a group of four player characters. Compare a monster's CR to the characters' level. If the CR is higher, the monster is likely a danger. If the CR is lower, the monster likely poses little threat. But circumstances and the number of player characters can significantly alter how threatening a monster is in actual play. The Dungeon Master's Guide provides guidance to the DM on using CR while planning potential combat encounters.

Character Sheet

A character sheet is a paper or digital record that you use to track your character's information.

Charmed

(No definition found)

Climbing

While you're climbing, each foot of movement costs 1 extra foot (2 extra feet in difficult terrain). You ignore this extra cost if you have a Climb Speed and use it to climb. At the DM's option, climbing a slippery surface or one with few handholds might require a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

Climb Speed

A Climb Speed can be used in place of Speed to traverse a vertical surface without expending the extra movement normally associated with climbing.

Concentration

(No definition found)

Condition

A condition is a temporary game state. The definition of a condition says how it affects its recipient, and various rules define how to end a condition. This glossary defines these conditions:

• Blinded
• Charmed
• Deafened
• Exhaustion
• Frightened
• Grappled
• Incapacitated
• Invisible
• Paralyzed
• Petrified
• Poisoned
• Prone
• Restrained
• Stunned
• Unconscious A condition doesn't stack with itself; a recipient either has a condition or doesn't. The Exhaustion condition is an exception to that rule.

Cone [Area of Effect]

A Cone is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a point of origin in a direction its creator chooses. A Cone's width at any point along its length is equal to that point's distance from the point of origin. For example, a Cone is 15 feet wide at a point along its length that is 15 feet from the point of origin. The effect that creates a Cone specifies its maximum length. A Cone's point of origin isn't included in the area of effect unless its creator decides otherwise.

Cover

Cover provides a degree of protection to a target behind it. There are three degrees of cover, each of which provides a different benefit to a target: Half Cover (+2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws), Three-Quarters Cover (+5 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws), and Total Cover (can't be targeted directly). If behind more than one degree of cover, a target benefits only from the most protective degree.

Crawling

While you're crawling, each foot of movement costs 1 extra foot (2 extra feet in difficult terrain).

Creature

Any being in the game, including a player's character, is a creature.

Creature Type

Every creature, including every player character, has a tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature it is. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. These are the game's creature types:

• Aberration
• Beast
• Celestial
• Construct
• Dragon
• Elemental
• Fey
• Fiend
• Giant
• Humanoid
• Monstrosity
• Ooze
• Plant
• Undead The types don't have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways.

Critical Hit

If you roll a 20 on the d20 for an attack roll, you score a Critical Hit, and the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. A Critical Hit lets you roll extra dice for the attack's damage against the target. Roll all of the attack's damage dice twice and add them together. Then add any relevant modifiers.

Cube [Area of Effect]

A Cube is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a point of origin located anywhere on a face of the Cube. The effect that creates a Cube specifies its size, which is the length of each side. A Cube's point of origin isn't included in the area of effect unless its creator decides otherwise.

Curses

Some game effects curse a creature or an object. The effect that confers a curse defines what the curse does. Curses can be removed by the Remove Curse and Greater Restoration spells or other magic that explicitly ends curses.

Cylinder [Area of Effect]

A Cylinder is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a point of origin located at the center of the circular top or bottom of the Cylinder. The effect that creates a Cylinder specifies the radius of the Cylinder's base and the Cylinder's height. A Cylinder's point of origin is included in the area of effect.

D20 Test

D20 Tests encompass the three main d20 rolls of the game: ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. If something in the game affects D20 Tests, it affects all three of these rolls. The DM determines whether a D20 Test is warranted in a given circumstance.

Damage

Damage represents harm that causes a creature or an object to lose Hit Points.

Damage Roll

A damage roll is a die roll, adjusted by any applicable modifiers, that deals damage to a target.

Damage Threshold

A creature or an object that has a damage threshold has Immunity to all damage unless it takes an amount of damage from a single attack or effect equal to or greater than its damage threshold, in which case it takes that entire instance of damage. Any damage that fails to meet or exceed the damage threshold is superficial and doesn't reduce Hit Points. For example, if an object has a damage threshold of 10, the object takes no damage if 9 damage is dealt to it, since that damage fails to exceed the threshold. If the same object is dealt 11 damage, it takes all of that damage.

Damage Types

Attacks and other harmful effects deal different types of damage. Damage types have no rules of their own, but other rules, such as Resistance, rely on the types. The Damage Types table offers examples to help a DM assign a type to a new effect.

Type	Examples
Acid	Corrosive liquids, digestive enzymes
Bludgeoning	Blunt objects, constriction, falling
Cold	Freezing water, icy blasts
Fire	Flames, unbearable heat
Force	Pure magical energy
Lightning	Electricity
Necrotic	Life-draining energy
Piercing	Fangs, puncturing objects
Poison	Toxic gas, venom
Psychic	Mind-rending energy
Radiant	Holy energy, searing radiation
Slashing	Claws, cutting objects
Thunder	Concussive sound

Darkness

An area of Darkness is Heavily Obscured.

Darkvision

(No definition found)

Dash

(No definition found)

Dead

A dead creature has no Hit Points and can't regain them unless it is first revived by magic such as the Raise Dead or Revivify spell. When such a spell is cast, the spirit knows who is casting it and can refuse. The spirit of a dead creature has left the body and departed for the Outer Planes, and reviving the creature requires calling the spirit back. If the creature returns to life, the revival effect determines the creature's current Hit Points. Unless otherwise stated, the creature returns to life with any conditions, magical contagions, or curses that were affecting it at death if the durations of those effects are still ongoing. If the creature died with any Exhaustion levels, it returns with 1 fewer level. If the creature had Attunement to one or more magic items, it is no longer attuned to them.

Deafened

(No definition found)

Death Saving Throw

A player character must make a Death Saving Throw (also called a Death Save) if they start their turn with 0 Hit Points.

Dehydration

(No definition found)

Difficult Terrain

If a space is Difficult Terrain, every foot of movement in that space costs 1 extra foot. For example, moving 5 feet through Difficult Terrain costs 10 feet of movement. Difficult Terrain isn't cumulative; either a space is Difficult Terrain or it isn't. A space is Difficult Terrain if the space contains any of the following or something similar:

• A creature that isn't Tiny or your ally
• Furniture that is sized for creatures of your size or larger
• Heavy snow, ice, rubble, or undergrowth
• Liquid that's between shin- and waist-deep
• A narrow opening sized for a creature one size smaller than you
• A slope of 20 degrees or more

Difficulty Class

A Difficulty Class (DC) is the target number for an ability check or a saving throw.

Dim Light

An area with Dim Light is Lightly Obscured.

Disadvantage

If you have Disadvantage on a D20 Test, roll two d20s and use the lower roll. A roll can't be affected by more than one Disadvantage, and Advantage and Disadvantage on the same roll cancel each other.

Disengage

(No definition found)

Dodge

(No definition found)

Emanation [Area of Effect]

An Emanation is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a creature or an object in all directions. The effect that creates an Emanation specifies the distance it extends. An Emanation moves with the creature or object that is its origin unless it is an instantaneous or a stationary effect. An Emanation's origin (creature or object) isn't included in the area of effect unless its creator decides otherwise.

Encounter

An encounter is a scene in an adventure that is part of at least one of the game's three pillars: social interaction, exploration, or combat.

Enemy

A creature is your enemy if it fights against you in combat, actively works to harm you, or is designated as your enemy by the rules or DM.

Exhaustion

(No definition found)

Experience Points

As they overcome challenges and complete adventures, characters earn Experience Points (XP) which are awarded by the Dungeon Master. When a character's XP total crosses certain thresholds, the character's level increases. The Dungeon Master's Guide provides guidance on awarding XP.

Expertise

Expertise is a feature that enhances your use of a skill proficiency. When you make an ability check with a skill proficiency in which you have Expertise, your Proficiency Bonus is doubled for that check unless the bonus is doubled by another feature. If you gain Expertise, you gain it in one skill in which you have proficiency. You can't have Expertise in the same skill proficiency more than once.

Falling

(No definition found)

Flying

A variety of effects allow a creature to fly. While flying, you fall if you have the Incapacitated or Prone condition or your Fly Speed is reduced to 0. You can stay aloft in those circumstances if you can hover.

Fly Speed

A Fly Speed can be used to travel through the air. While you have a Fly Speed, you can stay aloft until you land, fall, or die.

Friendly [Attitude]

A Friendly creature views you favorably. You have advantage on an ability check to influence a Friendly creature.

Frightened

(No definition found)

Grappled

(No definition found)

Grappling

A creature can grapple another creature. Characters typically grapple by using an Unarmed Strike. Many monsters have special attacks that allow them to quickly grapple prey. However a grapple is initiated, it follows these rules.

Grappled Condition

Successfully grappling a creature gives it the Grappled condition.

One Grapple per Hand

A creature must have a hand free to grapple another creature. Some stat blocks and game effects allow a creature to grapple using a tentacle, a maw, or another body part. Whatever part a grappler uses, it can grapple only one creature at a time with that part, and the grappler can't use that part to target another creature unless it ends the grapple.

Ending a Grapple

A Grappled creature can use its action to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the grapple's escape DC, ending the condition on itself on a success. The condition also ends if the grappler has the Incapacitated condition or if the distance between the Grappled target and the grappler exceeds the grapple's range. In addition, the grappler can release the target at any time (no action required).

Hazard

A hazard is an environmental danger.

Healing

Healing is how you regain Hit Points.

Heavily Obscured

You have the Blinded condition while trying to see something in a Heavily Obscured space.

Help

(No definition found)

Heroic Inspiration

If you (a player character) have Heroic Inspiration, you can expend it to reroll any die immediately after rolling it, and you must use the new roll. If you gain Heroic Inspiration but already have it, it's lost unless you give it to a player character who lacks it.

Hide

(No definition found)

High Jump

When you make a High Jump, you leap into the air a number of feet equal to 3 plus your Strength modifier (minimum of 0 feet) if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing High Jump, you can jump only half that distance. Either way, each foot of the jump costs a foot of movement. You can extend your arms half your height above yourself during the jump. Thus, you can reach a distance equal to the height of the jump plus 1½ times your height.

Hit Point Dice

Hit Point Dice, or Hit Dice for short, help determine a player character's Hit Point maximum, as explained in chapter 2. Most monsters also have Hit Dice. A creature can spend Hit Dice during a Short Rest to regain Hit Points.

Hit Points

Hit Points (HP) are a measure of how difficult it is to kill or destroy a creature or an object. Damage reduces Hit Points, and healing restores them. You can't have more Hit Points than your Hit Point maximum, and you can't have less than 0.

Hostile [Attitude]

A Hostile creature views you unfavorably. You have Disadvantage on an ability check to influence a Hostile creature.

Hover

Some creatures can hover, as noted in their stat blocks, and some spells and other effects grant the ability to hover. Hovering while flying prevents you from falling in certain circumstances.

Illusions

Spells and other effects sometimes create magical illusions. Such an effect defines what the illusion does and which senses or mental faculties it deceives. If an illusion manifests in space, the illusion is insubstantial and weightless, yet it seems to be affected by the environment as if the illusion were real unless the effect that created it specifies otherwise. For example, a visual illusion of a creature casts shadows and reflections, and wind appears to affect the illusory creature. Similarly, an audible illusion echoes in an echoey space.

Immunity

If you have Immunity to a damage type or a condition, it doesn't affect you in any way.

Improvised Weapons

An improvised weapon is an object wielded as a makeshift weapon, such as broken glass, a table leg, or a frying pan. A Simple or Martial weapon also counts as an improvised weapon if it's wielded in a way contrary to its design; if you use a Ranged weapon to make a melee attack or throw a Melee weapon that lacks the Thrown property, the weapon counts as an improvised weapon. An improvised weapon follows the rules below.

Proficiency

Don't add your Proficiency Bonus to attack rolls with an improvised weapon.

Damage

On a hit, the weapon deals 1d4 damage of a type the DM thinks is appropriate for the object.

Range

If you throw the weapon, it has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.

Weapon Equivalents

If an improvised weapon resembles a Simple or Martial weapon, the DM may say it functions as that weapon and uses that weapon's rules. For example, the DM could treat a table leg as a Club.

Incapacitated

(No definition found)

Indifferent [Attitude]

An Indifferent creature has no desire to help or hinder you. Indifferent is the default attitude of a monster.

Influence

(No definition found)

Initiative

Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. The combat rules in chapter 1 explain how to roll Initiative. Sometimes a DM might have combatants use their Initiative scores instead of rolling Initiative. Your Initiative score equals 10 plus your Dexterity modifier. If you have Advantage on Initiative rolls, increase your Initiative score by 5. If you have Disadvantage on those rolls, decrease that score by 5.

Invisible

(No definition found)

Jumping

When you jump, you make either a Long Jump (horizontal) or a High Jump (vertical).

Knocking Out a Creature

When you would reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with a melee attack, you can instead reduce the creature to 1 Hit Point. The creature then has the Unconscious condition and starts a Short Rest. The creature remains Unconscious until it regains any Hit Points or until someone uses an action to administer first aid to it, which requires a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check.

Lightly Obscured

You have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to see something in a Lightly Obscured space.

Line [Area of Effect]

A Line is an area of effect that extends from a point of origin in a straight path along its length and covers an area defined by its width. The effect that creates a Line specifies its length and width. A Line's point of origin isn't included in the area of effect unless its creator decides otherwise.

Long Jump

When you make a Long Jump, you leap horizontally a number of feet up to your Strength score if you move at least 10 feet immediately before the jump. When you make a standing Long Jump, you can leap only half that distance. Either way, each foot you jump costs a foot of movement. If you land in difficult terrain, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or have the Prone condition. This Long Jump rule assumes that the height of the jump doesn't matter, such as a jump across a stream or chasm. At your DM's option, you must succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to clear a low obstacle (no taller than a quarter of the jump's distance), such as a hedge or low wall. Otherwise, you hit the obstacle.

Long Rest

A Long Rest is a period of extended downtime—at least 8 hours—available to any creature. During a Long Rest, you sleep for at least 6 hours and perform no more than 2 hours of light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch. During sleep, you have the Unconscious condition. After you finish a Long Rest, you must wait at least 16 hours before starting another one.

Benefits of the Rest

To start a Long Rest, you must have at least 1 Hit Point. When you finish the rest, you gain the following benefits:

• Regain All HP: You regain all lost Hit Points and all spent Hit Point Dice. If your Hit Point maximum was reduced, it returns to normal.
• Ability Scores Restored: If any of your ability scores were reduced, they return to normal.
• Exhaustion Reduced: If you have the Exhaustion condition, its level decreases by 1.
• Special Feature: Some features are recharged by a Long Rest. If you have such a feature, it recharges in the way specified in its description.

Interrupting the Rest

A Long Rest is stopped by the following interruptions:

• Rolling Initiative
• Casting a spell other than a cantrip
• Taking any damage.
• 1 hour of walking or other physical exertion.

If you rested at least 1 hour before the interruption you gain the benefits of a Short Rest.

You can resume a Long Rest immediately after an interruption. If you do so, the rest requires 1 additional hour per interruption to finish.

Magic

(No definition found)

Magical Effect

An effect is magical if it is created by a spell, a magic item, or a phenomenon that a rule labels as magical.

Malnutrition

(No definition found)

Monster

A monster is a creature controlled by the DM, even if the creature is benevolent.

Nonplayer Character

A nonplayer character (NPC) is a monster that has a personal name and a distinct personality.

Object

An object is a nonliving, distinct thing. Composite things, like buildings, comprise more than one object.

Occupied Space

A space is occupied if a creature is in it or if it is completely filled by objects.

Opportunity Attack

(No definition found)

Paralyzed

(No definition found)

Passive Perception

Passive Perception is a score that reflects a creature's general awareness of its surroundings. The DM uses this score when determining whether a creature notices something without consciously making a Wisdom (Perception) check. A creature's Passive Perception equals 10 plus the creature's Wisdom (Perception) check bonus. If the creature has Advantage on such checks, increase the score by 5. If the creature has Disadvantage on them, decrease the score by 5. For example, a level 1 character with a Wisdom of 15 and proficiency in Perception has a Passive Perception of 14 (10 + 2 + 2). If that character has Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks, the score becomes 10 + 2 + 2 + 5.

Per Day

If a rule says you can use something a certain number of times per day, that means you must finish a Long Rest to use it again after you run out of uses.

Petrified

(No definition found)

Player Character

A player character is a character controlled by a player.

Poisoned

(No definition found)

Possession

Some effects cause a creature to be possessed by another creature or entity. A possessing effect defines how the possession operates. Possession can be prevented by the Protection from Evil and Good spell and ended by the Dispel Evil and Good spell.

Proficiency

If you have proficiency with something, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to any D20 Test you make using that thing. A creature might have proficiency in a skill or saving throw or with a weapon or tool.

Prone

(No definition found)

Reaction

A Reaction is a special action taken in response to a trigger defined in the Reaction's description. You can take a Reaction on another creature's turn, and if you take it on your turn, you can do so even if you also take an action, a Bonus Action, or both. Once you take a Reaction, you can't take another one until the start of your next turn. The Opportunity Attack is a Reaction available to all creatures.

Ready

(No definition found)

Resistance

If you have Resistance to a damage type, damage of that type is halved against you (round down). Resistance is applied only once to an instance of damage.

Restrained

(No definition found)

Ritual

If you have a spell prepared that has the Ritual tag, you can cast that spell as a Ritual. The Ritual version of a spell takes 10 minutes longer to cast than normal. It also doesn't expend a spell slot, which means the ritual version of a spell can't be cast at a higher level.

Round Down

Whenever you divide or multiply a number in the game, round down if you end up with a fraction, even if the fraction is one-half or greater. Some rules make an exception and tell you to round up.

Save

Save is another name for a saving throw.

Saving Throw

A saving throw—also called a save—represents an attempt to avoid or resist a threat. You normally make a saving throw only when a rule requires you to do so, but you can decide to fail the save without rolling. The result of a save is detailed in the effect that allowed it. If a target is forced to make a save and lacks the ability score used by it, the target automatically fails.

Search

(No definition found)

Shape-Shifting

If an effect, such as Wild Shape or the Polymorph spell, lets you shape-shift, its description specifies what happens to you. Unless that description says otherwise, any ongoing effects on you—conditions, spells, curses, and the like—carry over from one form to the other. You revert to your true form if you die.

Short Rest

A Short Rest is a 1-hour period of downtime, during which a creature does nothing more strenuous than reading, talking, eating, or standing watch. To start a Short Rest, you must have at least 1 Hit Point.

Benefits of the Rest

When you finish the rest, you gain the following benefits:

• Spend Hit Point Dice: You can spend one or more of your Hit Point Dice to regain Hit Points. For each Hit Point Die you spend in this way, roll the die and add your Constitution modifier to it. You regain Hit Points equal to the total (minimum of 1 Hit Point). You can decide to spend an additional Hit Point Die after each roll.
• Special Feature: Some features are recharged by a Short Rest. If you have such a feature, it recharges in the way specified in its description.

Interrupting the Rest

A Short Rest is stopped by the following interruptions:

• Rolling Initiative
• Casting a spell other than a cantrip
• Taking any damage An interrupted Short Rest confers no benefits.

Simultaneous Effects

If two or more things happen at the same time on a turn, the person at the game table—player or DM whose turn it is decides the order in which those things happen. For example, if two effects occur at the start of a player character's turn, the player decides which of the effects happens first.

Size

A creature or an object belongs to a size category: Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, or Gargantuan. A creature's size determines how much space the creature occupies in combat. An object's size affects its Hit Points.

Skill

A skill is an area of specialization associated with an ability check. If you have proficiency in a skill, you can add your Proficiency Bonus when you make an ability check associated with that skill.

Speed

A creature has a Speed, which is the distance in feet the creature can cover when it moves on its turn.

Special Speeds

Some creatures have special speeds, such as a Burrow Speed, Climb Speed, Fly Speed, or Swim Speed, each of which is defined in this glossary. If you have more than one speed, choose which one to use when you move; you can switch between the speeds during your move. Whenever you switch, subtract the distance already moved from the new speed. The result determines how much farther you can move. If the result is 0 or less, you can't use the new speed during the current move. For example, if you have a Speed of 30 and a Fly Speed of 40, you could fly 10 feet, walk 10 feet, and leap into the air to fly 20 feet more.

Changes to Your Speeds

If an effect increases or decreases your Speed for a time, any special speed you have increases or decreases by an equal amount for the same duration. For example, if your Speed is reduced to 0 and you have a Climb Speed, your Climb Speed is also reduced to 0. Similarly, if your Speed is halved and you have a Fly Speed, your Fly Speed is also halved.

Spell

A spell is a magical effect that has the characteristics described in chapter 7.

Spell Attack

A spell attack is an attack roll made as part of a spell or another magical effect.

Spellcasting Focus

A Spellcasting Focus is an object that certain creatures can use in place of a spell's Material components if those materials aren't consumed by the spell and don't have a cost specified. Some classes allow its members to use certain types of Spellcasting Focuses.

Sphere [Area of Effect]

A Sphere is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a point of origin outward in all directions. The effect that creates a Sphere specifies the distance it extends as the radius of the Sphere. A Sphere's point of origin is included in the Sphere's area of effect.

Stable

A creature is Stable if it has 0 Hit Points but isn't required to make Death Saving Throws.

Stat Block

A stat block contains the game statistics of a monster. Each stat block includes the following information presented after the monster's name.

Size

A monster is Tiny, Small, Med ium, Large, Huge, or Gargantuan.

Creature Type

This entry notes the family of beings a monster belongs to, along with any descriptive tags.

Alignment

An alignment is suggested for the monster, with the DM determining its actual alignment.

AC, Initiative, and HP

These entries give the monster's Armor Class, Initiative, and Hit Points, which are detailed in chapter 1. In parentheses after the Hit Points, the monster's Hit Point Dice are provided, along with the contribution of its Constitution, if any, to its Hit Points. Following the Initiative modifier is an Initiative score. Some creatures that are created by magic lack Hit Dice and Initiative information.

Speed

Here the monster's Speed is provided, along with any special speeds.

Ability Scores

A table provides the monster's ability scores, modifiers, and saving throw modifiers, all of which are detailed in chapter 1.

Skills

This entry lists the monster's skill proficiencies, if any.

Resistances and Vulnerabilities

These entries list the monster's Resistances and Vulnerabilities, if any.

Immunities

This section lists the monster's damage and condition Immunities, if any.

Gear

If the monster has any equipment that can be given away or retrieved, it's listed in this entry.

Senses

This entry lists the monster's special senses, such as Darkvision, and its Passive Perception.

Languages

This entry lists any languages the monster knows.

CR

Challenge Rating summarizes the threat a monster poses and is detailed in the Monster Manual. The Experience Points characters receive for defeating a monster and its Proficiency Bonus follow. Some creatures that are created by magic have no CR.

Traits

The monster's traits, if any, are features that are active at all times or in certain situations.

Actions

The monster can take these actions in addition to those detailed in this glossary.

Bonus Actions

If the monster has Bonus Action options, they are listed in this section.

Reactions

If the monster can take special Reactions, those are listed in this section.

Attack Notation

The entry for a monster's attack starts by identifying whether the attack is a melee or a ranged attack and then provides the attack roll's bonus, its reach or range, and what happens on a hit. An attack is against one target unless its entry says otherwise.

Saving Throw Effect Notation

If an effect forces a saving throw, the effect's entry starts by identifying the kind of saving throw required and then provides the save's DC, a description of which creatures must make the save, and what happens on a failed or a successful save.

Damage Notation

A stat block usually provides both a static number and a die expression for each instance of damage. For example, an attack might deal 4 (1d4 + 2) damage on a hit. The DM determines whether you use the static number or the die expression in parentheses; you don't use both.

Study

(No definition found)

Stunned

(No definition found)

Suffocation

(No definition found)

Surprised

(No definition found)

Swimming

While you're swimming, each foot of movement costs 1 extra foot (2 extra feet in difficult terrain). You ignore this extra cost if you have a Swim Speed and use it to swim. At the DM's option, moving any distance in rough water might require a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

Swim Speed

A Swim Speed can be used to swim without expending the extra movement normally associated with swimming.

Target

A target is the creature or object targeted by an attack roll, forced to make a saving throw by an effect, or selected to receive the effects of a spell or another phenomenon.

Telepathy

Telepathy is a magical ability that allows a creature to communicate mentally with another creature within a specified range. Unless a rule states otherwise, the contacted creature doesn't need to share a language with the telepath to understand this communication, but the contacted creature must be able to understand at least one language or be telepathic itself to understand. A telepath doesn't need to see a contacted creature, and the telepath can start or end the telepathic contact at any time (no action required). Telepathic contact can't be initiated and is immediately broken if either the telepath or the other creature has the Incapacitated condition. Telepathic contact is also broken if the contacted creature is no longer within the telepathy's range or if the telepath contacts a different creature within range. A creature without telepathy can receive telepathic messages but can't initiate a telepathic conversation. Once a telepathic conversation starts, the non-telepath can communicate mentally to the telepath until the telepathic connection ends.

Teleportation

Teleportation is a special kind of magical transportation. If you teleport, you disappear and reappear elsewhere instantly, without moving through the intervening space. This transportation doesn't expend movement unless a rule tells you otherwise, and teleportation never provokes Opportunity Attacks. When you teleport, all the equipment you're wearing and carrying teleports with you. If you're touching another creature when you teleport, that creature doesn't teleport with you unless the teleportation effect says otherwise. If the destination space of your teleportation is occupied by another creature or blocked by a solid obstacle, you instead appear in the nearest unoccupied space of your choice. The description of a teleportation effect tells you if you must see the teleportation's destination.

Temporary Hit Points

Temporary Hit Points are granted by certain effects and act as a buffer against losing real Hit Points.

Tremorsense

(No definition found)

Truesight

(No definition found)

Unarmed Strike

Instead of using a weapon to make a melee attack, you can use a punch, kick, head-butt, or similar forceful blow. In game terms, this is an Unarmed Strike—a melee attack that involves you using your body to damage, grapple, or shove a target within 5 feet of you. Whenever you use your Unarmed Strike, choose one of the following options for its effect.

Damage

You make an attack roll against the target. Your bonus to the roll equals your Strength modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus. On a hit, the target takes Bludgeoning damage equal to 1 plus your Strength modifier.

Grapple

The target must succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (it chooses which), or it has the Grappled condition. The DC for the saving throw and any escape attempts equals 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus. This grapple is possible only if the target is no more than one size larger than you and if you have a hand free to grab it.

Shove

The target must succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (it chooses which), or you either push it 5 feet away or cause it to have the Prone condition. The DC for the saving throw equals 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus. This shove is possible only if the target is no more than one size larger than you.

Unconscious

(No definition found)

Unoccupied Space

A space is unoccupied if no creatures are in it and it isn't completely filled by objects.

Utilize

(No definition found)

Vulnerability

If you have Vulnerability to a damage type, damage of that type is doubled against you. Vulnerability is applied only once to an instance of damage.

Weapon

A weapon is an object that is in the Simple or Martial weapon category.

Weapon Attack

A weapon attack is an attack roll made with a weapon.