Combat
What a creature can do in combat, the actions it can take, common
cover DCs and common fighting rules
Order of Operations
Determine Surprise | Establish Positions | Roll Initiative | Take Turns | Begin the Next Round |
- Determine Surprise
- Establish Positions
- Roll Initiative
- Take Turns
- Begin the Next Round
Common Combat Rules
Rule | Description |
---|---|
Surprise | A creature who is surprised at the start of combat misses their turn in the first round of combat, and cannot take a reaction until that turn ends. |
Critical Hit/Miss on Attack Rolls | Rolling a critical miss on an attack roll means you automatically miss the attack. Rolling a critical hit means you get to roll your damage roll twice. |
Damage Resistance / Vulnerability | If a creature is resistant to a form of damage, damage of that type is halved against them. If they are vulnerable, damage of that type is instead doubled. |
Two Weapon Fighting | If you use the Attack action with a light melee weapon that you're holding in 1 hand, you can use a Bonus Action to attack with a different light melee weapon you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of this bonus attack, should it hit. |
Ranged Attacks in Close Combat | If you are making a ranged attack and your target is within 5 feet, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. |
Actions in Combat
Action | Description |
---|---|
Attack | Make a melee or ranged attack |
Cast a Spell | Cast a cantrip or a spell of 1st level or higher |
Dash | Gain extra movement equal to your speed (plus any modifiers) for the current turn |
Disengage | Your movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity for the rest of the turn |
Dodge | Any attack roll made against you has disadvantage until the start of your next turn, and you make Dex saving throws with advantage. Effect stops if incapacitated or speed becomes 0 |
Escape | A Grappled creature can use its action to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the Strength (Athletics) check of the creature grappling it. |
Grapple | Counts as an Attack action. Make a Strength (Athletics) check vs the target's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) (their choice). If you succeed, the target becomes Grappled. They can take an Escape action to escape the grapple. |
Help | Aid another creature in a task it is performing, or an attack it is making - it gains advantage on it's next ability check for that task, or attack roll for the attack |
Hide | Make a Dex (Stealth) check. If successful, you become hidden - unseen and unheard |
Ready | Agree with your DM a "trigger", and an action you take when that trigger "fires". You perform the action on the turn that the trigger fires. E.g "If the goblin walks towards me, I fire my arrow" |
Search | Make a Wis (Perception) or Int (Investigation) check to find something. |
Shove | Using an Attack action, you can Shove a creature. The target must be no more than 1 size larger than you. Make a Strength (Athletics) against the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). On success, you push the target 5ft OR knock it prone. |
Use a Magic Item | Use a magic item that requires your action for its use |
Use an Object | Use an object, other than a magic item, that requires your action for its use |
Use a Special Ability | Use a class feature, racial ability or other special ability that requires your action for its use |
Cover
Cover Type | Example of cover | AC & Dex Saving Throw Bonus |
---|---|---|
Half | A low wall, a large piece of furniture, a narrow tree trunk, another creature | +2 |
Three-Quarters | A portcullis, an arrow slit, a thick tree trunk | +5 |
Total (Completely obscured, e.g behind a wall) | Creature cannot be targeted by an attack or spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect |
Everything A Creature Can Do On It's Turn
Move | Move up to your speed. Movement can include jumping, swimming, climbing, etc. Movement can be broken up, e.g move 10ft, attack, move 20ft |
Take an Action | By default, every creature can take one action per turn |
Take an Bonus Action | Some creatures get bonus actions based on their class, race, etc. A creature can only ever take a single bonus action per turn. |
Communicate | A creature can communicate when moving or performing an action, via speaking, gestures, etc. |
Interact with the Environment | A creature can interact with 1 object or feature of the environment as they move or take their action. To interact with a 2nd, they must use the "Use an Object" action |
Equipment
Listings, values and weights for armour, ammunition, and other
non-weapon adventuring gear
Light Armour
Armor | Cost | Base AC | Strength | Stealth | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Padded | 5 gp | 11 | — | 8 lb. | |
Leather | 10 gp | 11 | — | — | 10 lb. |
Studded leather | 45 gp | 12 | — | — | 13 lb. |
Medium Armour
Armor | Cost | Base AC | Strength | Stealth | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hide | 10 gp | 12 |
— | — | 12 lb. |
Chain shirt | 50 gp | 13 |
— | — | 20 lb. |
Scale mail | 50 gp | 14 |
— | 45 lb. | |
Breastplate | 400 gp | 14 |
— | — | 20 lb. |
Half plate | 750 gp | 15 |
— | 40 lb. |
Heavy Armour
Armor | Cost | Base AC | Strength | Stealth | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ring mail | 30 gp | 14 | — | 40 lb. | |
Chain mail | 75 gp | 16 | 13 | 55 lb. | |
Splint | 200 gp | 17 | 15 | 60 lb. | |
Plate | 1,500 gp | 18 | 15 | 65 lb. |
Shields
Armor | Cost | Base AC | Strength | Stealth | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shield | 10 gp | +2 | — | — | 6 lb. |
Ammunition
Arrows (20) | 1 gp | 1 lb. |
Blowgun needles (50) | 1 gp | 1 lb. |
Crossbow bolts (20) | 1 gp | 1 1/2 lb. |
Sling bullets (20) | 4 cp | 1 1/2 lb. |
Arcane Focus
Crystal | 10 gp | 1 lb. |
Orb | 20 gp | 3 lb. |
Rod | 10 gp | 2 lb. |
Staff | 5 gp | 4 lb. |
Wand | 10 gp | 1 lb. |
Druidic Focus
Sprig of mistletoe | 1 gp | - |
Totem | 1 gp | - |
Wooden staff | 5 gp | 4 lb. |
Yew wand | 10 gp | 1 lb. |
Holy Symbol
Amulet | 5 gp | 1 lb. |
Emblem | 5 gp | - |
Reliquary | 5 gp | 2 lb. |
Other Adventuring Gear
See Other Adventuring Gear for details on how to use adventuring gear items.Or click on any item to open a new tab to that items detail page on D&D Beyond.
Abacus | 2 gp | 2 lb. |
Acid (vial) | 25 gp | 1 lb. |
Alchemist's fire (flask) | 50 gp | 1 lb. |
Antitoxin (vial) | 50 gp | - |
Backpack | 2 gp | 5 lb. |
Ball bearings (bag of 1,000) | 1 gp | 2 lb. |
Barrel | 2 gp | 70 lb. |
Basket | 4 sp | 2 lb. |
Bedroll | 1 gp | 7 lb. |
Bell | 1 gp | - |
Blanket | 5 sp | 3 lb. |
Block and tackle | 1 gp | 5 lb. |
Book | 25 gp | 5 lb. |
Bottle, glass | 2 gp | 2 lb. |
Bucket | 5 cp | 2 lb. |
Caltrops (bag of 20) | 1 gp | 2 lb. |
Candle | 1 cp | - |
Case, crossbow bolt | 1 gp | 1 lb. |
Case, map or scroll | 1 gp | 1 lb. |
Chain (10 feet) | 5 gp | 10 lb. |
Chalk (1 piece) | 1 cp | - |
Chest | 5 gp | 25 lb. |
Climber's kit | 25 gp | 12 lb. |
Clothes, common | 5 sp | 3 lb. |
Clothes, costume | 5 gp | 4 lb. |
Clothes, fine | 15 gp | 6 lb. |
Clothes, traveler's | 2 gp | 4 lb. |
Component pouch | 25 gp | 2 lb. |
Crowbar | 2 gp | 5 lb. |
Fishing tackle | 1 gp | 4 lb. |
Flask or tankard | 2 cp | 1 lb. |
Grappling hook | 2 gp | 4 lb. |
Hammer | 1 gp | 3 lb. |
Hammer, sledge | 2 gp | 10 lb. |
Healer's kit | 5 gp | 3 lb. |
Holy water (flask) | 25 gp | 1 lb. |
Hourglass | 25 gp | 1 lb. |
Hunting trap | 5 gp | 25 lb. |
Ink (1 ounce bottle) | 10 gp | - |
Ink pen | 2 cp | - |
Jug or pitcher | 2 cp | 4 lb. |
Ladder (10 foot) | 1 sp | 25 lb. |
Lamp | 5 sp | 1 lb. |
Lantern, bullseye | 10 gp | 2 lb. |
Lantern, hooded | 5 gp | 2 lb. |
Lock | 10 gp | 1 lb. |
Magnifying glass | 100 gp | - |
Manacles | 2 gp | 6 lb. |
Mess kit | 2 sp | 1 lb. |
Mirror, steel | 5 gp | 1/2 lb. |
Oil (flask) | 1 sp | 1 lb. |
Paper (one sheet) | 2 sp | - |
Parchment (one sheet) | 1 sp | - |
Perfume (vial) | 5 gp | - |
Pick, miner's | 2 gp | 10 lb. |
Piton | 5 cp | 1/4 lb. |
Poison, basic (vial) | 100 gp | - |
Pole (10-foot) | 5 cp | 7 lb. |
Pot, iron | 2 gp | 10 lb. |
Potion of healing | 50 gp | 1/2 lb. |
Pouch | 5 sp | 1 lb. |
Quiver | 1 gp | 1 lb. |
Ram, portable | 4 gp | 35 lb. |
Rations (1 day) | 5 sp | 2 lb. |
Robes | 1 gp | 4 lb. |
Rope, hempen (50 feet) | 1 gp | 10 lb. |
Rope, silk (50 feet) | 10 gp | 5 lb. |
Sack | 1 cp | 1/2 lb. |
Scale, merchant's | 5 gp | 3 lb. |
Sealing wax | 5 sp | - |
Shovel | 2 gp | 5 lb. |
Signal whistle | 5 cp | - |
Signet ring | 5 gp | - |
Soap | 2 cp | - |
Spellbook | 50 gp | 3 lb. |
Spikes, iron (10) | 1 gp | 5 lb. |
Spyglass | 1,000 gp | 1 lb. |
Tent, two-person | 2 gp | 20 lb. |
Tinderbox | 5 sp | 1 lb. |
Torch | 1 cp | 1 lb. |
Vial | 1 gp | - |
Waterskin | 2 sp | 5 lb. (full) |
Whetstone | 1 cp | l lb. |
Weapons
Listings, values and weights for weapons
Simple Melee Weapons
Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
---|---|---|---|---|
Club | 1 sp | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | |
Dagger | 2 gp | 1d4 piercing | 1 lb. |
, , (range 20/60) |
Greatclub | 2 sp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 10 lb. | |
Handaxe | 5 gp | 1d6 slashing | 2 lb. |
, (range 20/60) |
Javelin | 5 sp | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. |
(range 30/120) |
Hammer | 2 gp | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2 lb. |
, (range 20/60) |
Mace | 5 gp | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | — |
Quarterstaff | 2 sp | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lb. |
(1d8) |
Sickle | 1 gp | 1d4 slashing | 2 lb. | |
Spear | 1 gp | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. |
(range 20/60), (1d8) |
Simple Ranged Weapons
Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
---|---|---|---|---|
Crossbow, light |
25 gp | 1d8 piercing | 5 lb. |
(range 80/320), , |
Dart | 5 cp | 1d4 piercing | 1/4 lb. |
, (range 20/60) |
Shortbow | 25 gp | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. |
(range 80/320), |
Sling | 1 sp | 1d4 bludgeoning | — |
(range 30/120) |
Martial Melee Weapons
Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
---|---|---|---|---|
Battleaxe | 10 gp | 1d8 slashing | 4 lb. |
(1d10) |
Flail | 10 gp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 2 lb. | — |
Glaive | 20 gp | 1d10 slashing | 6 lb. |
, , |
Greataxe | 30 gp | 1d12 slashing | 7 lb. |
, |
Greatsword | 50 gp | 2d6 slashing | 6 lb. |
, |
Halberd | 20 gp | 1d10 slashing | 6 lb. |
, , |
Lance | 10 gp | 1d12 piercing | 6 lb. |
, |
Longsword | 15 gp | 1d8 slashing | 3 lb. |
(1d10) |
Maul | 10 gp | 2d6 bludgeoning | 10 lb. |
, |
Morningstar | 15 gp | 1d8 piercing | 4 lb. | — |
Pike | 5 gp | 1d10 piercing | 18 lb. |
, , |
Rapier | 25 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | |
Scimitar | 25 gp | 1d6 slashing | 3 lb. |
, |
Shortsword | 10 gp | 1d6 piercing | 2 lb. |
, |
Trident | 5 gp | 1d6 piercing | 4 lb. |
(range 20/60), (1d8) |
War Pick | 5 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. | — |
Warhammer | 15 gp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 2 lb. |
(1d10) |
Whip | 2 gp | 1d4 slashing | 3 lb. |
, |
Martial Ranged Weapons
Weapon | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blowgun | 10 gp | 1 piercing | 1 lb. |
(range 25/100), |
Crossbow, hand | 75 gp | 1d6 piercing | 3 lb. |
(range 30/120), , |
Crossbow, heavy | 50 gp | 1d10 piercing | 18 lb. |
(range 100/400), , , |
Longbow | 50 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 lb. |
(range 150/600), , |
Net | 1 gp | — | 3 lb. |
, (range 5/15) |
Abilities, Skills & DCs
Ability score value-to-modifier, ability score modifier calculator,
skills to ability score, suggested DC to difficulties
Attributes & Modifiers
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 |
0
Skills
Strength | Athletics |
Dexterity |
Athletics Acrobatics Sleight of Hand Stealth |
Constitution | Consitution has no associated skills, but a Constitution check could apply for situations such as holding ones breath, going without sleep, laboring for hours without rest or surviving without food. |
Intelligence |
Arcana History Investigation Nature Religion |
Wisdom |
Animal Handling Insight Medicine Perception Survival |
Charisma |
Deception Intimidation Performance Persuasion |
DCs
Task Difficulty | DC |
---|---|
Very Easy | 5 |
Easy | 10 |
Medium | 15 |
Hard | 20 |
Very Hard | 25 |
Nearly Impossible | 30 |
Conditions
Listing of the conditions a creature can be affected by and their
effects
Blinded |
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Charmed |
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Deafened |
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Exhaustion |
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Frightened |
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Grappled |
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Incapacitated |
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Invisible |
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Paralyzed |
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Petrified |
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Poisoned |
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Prone |
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Restrained |
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Stunned |
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Unconscious |
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Travel, Terrain & Landscape
Suggested DCs for tracking, travel times, weather effects and
random weather
Tracking DCs
Player makes a WIS (Survival) check to track a creature
Ground Surface | DC |
---|---|
Soft (e.g snow, mud) | 10 |
Dirt or Grass | 15 |
Bare stone | 20 |
Each day since track was left | +5 |
Creature left a trail | -5 |
Travel Times
Party takes 10 hours to travel 24 miles a day (additional 8 hours for rest and 6 hours to make/break camp, prepare meals, forage, and hunt as time permits).
Difcult terrain halves your speed
Pace | Distance / Hour | Distance / Day | Effects |
---|---|---|---|
Slow | 2 miles | 18 miles | Can use Stealth |
Normal | 3 miles | 24 miles | - |
Fast | 4 miles | 30 miles | -5 on Passive WIS (Perception) checks |
Weather Effects
Weather | Effects |
---|---|
Extreme Cold | Each hour, creatures must pass a DC 10 CON saving throw, or gain 1 point of exhaustion. Creatures with cold resistance or those wearing specialist cold weather equipment (gloves, thick coat, etc.) auto succeed. |
Extreme Heat | Each hour, creatures must pass a CON saving throw, or gain 1 point of exhaustion. DC starts at 5, and goes up by 5 for every hour of exposure to the extreme heat. Creatures wearing armour or thick clothing have disadvantage on the roll. Creatures with heat resistance auto succeed. |
Strong Wind | Disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks and WIS (Perception) checks based on hearing. A strong wind also extinguishes open flames, disperses fog and makes flying via non-magical means extremely difficult. |
Dust/Sand Storm | Often created via strong winds, a dust/sand storm causes disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks and WIS (Perception) checks based on sight. |
Heavy Rain/Snow | Disadvantage on WIS (Perception) checks based on sight and hearing, and extinguishes open flames. |
Random Weather
% Chance | Cold Climate | Moderate Climate | Hot Climate |
---|---|---|---|
01-70 | Cold, calm | Normal for season | Hot, calm |
71-80 | Heat wave (01-30) or cold snap (31-100) |
Heat wave (01-50) or cold snap (51-100) |
Hot, windy |
81-90 | Precipitation (snow) | Precipitation (normal for season) | Hot, windy |
91-99 | Snowstorm | Thunderstorm, snowstorm | Duststorm |
100 | Blizzard | Windstorm, blizzard, hurricane, tornado | Downpour |
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