Secret Lesson 89

Rules Glossary N–R

Lesson 88 carried the Rules Glossary through:

I–M

Now we continue with every glossary entry from:

N

through:

R

This section contains several rules that appear constantly in combat and exploration:

NPCs

OBJECTS

OCCUPIED SPACES

OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS

PARALYSIS

PASSIVE PERCEPTION

PETRIFICATION

POISONED

PROFICIENCY

PRONE

REACH

REACTIONS

READYING ACTIONS

RESISTANCE

RESTRAINED

RITUALS

and:

ROUNDING

Several of these definitions are especially important because the SRD 5.2.1 wording differs from assumptions players sometimes carry from older rules, particularly Opportunity Attacks, Paralyzed, Prone, Ready, and Ritual casting.

PART ONE — COMPLETE N–R GLOSSARY INDEX

N

  1. Nonplayer Character

O

  1. Object

  2. Occupied Space

  3. Opportunity Attacks

P

  1. Paralyzed [Condition]

  2. Passive Perception

  3. Per Day

  4. Petrified [Condition]

  5. Player Character

  6. Poisoned [Condition]

  7. Possession

  8. Proficiency

  9. Prone [Condition]

R

  1. Reach

  2. Reaction

  3. Ready [Action]

  4. Resistance

  5. Restrained [Condition]

  6. Ritual

  7. Round Down

These are the official glossary entries from N through R in the SRD 5.2.1.

PART TWO — NONPLAYER CHARACTER

A:

NONPLAYER CHARACTER

or:

NPC

is a monster that has:

A PERSONAL NAME

and:

A DISTINCT PERSONALITY

 

Remember the glossary definition of:

MONSTER

from Lesson 88.

A monster is any creature:

CONTROLLED BY THE GM

even if that creature is benevolent.

An NPC is therefore a more specific category.

EXAMPLE

A generic city guard controlled by the GM might simply function as:

A MONSTER

for game terminology.

But:

CAPTAIN SERENA VALE

who has a name, motives, personality, allies, and history is:

AN NPC

NPC DOES NOT MEAN ENEMY

An NPC can be:

FRIENDLY

INDIFFERENT

or:

HOSTILE

They might be:

  • an ally

  • a merchant

  • a king

  • a prisoner

  • a villain

  • a guide

  • a rival

  • a quest giver

The term describes:

WHO CONTROLS THE CHARACTER AND ITS DISTINCT IDENTITY

not whether you fight it.

PART THREE — OBJECT

An:

OBJECT

is a:

NONLIVING, DISTINCT THING

 

Examples could include:

A SWORD

A DOOR

A CHEST

A STATUE

or:

A ROPE

COMPOSITE THINGS

A large composite structure can contain:

MULTIPLE OBJECTS

The SRD specifically notes that something such as:

A BUILDING

is composed of more than one object.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Suppose a spell says:

“TARGET ONE OBJECT”

That doesn't automatically mean you can designate:

AN ENTIRE CASTLE

as a single object.

The rules recognize composite structures as being made from:

MULTIPLE OBJECTS

OBJECTS VS CREATURES

This distinction appears constantly.

A spell might target:

A CREATURE

but not an object.

Another might target:

A CREATURE OR OBJECT

Others might affect:

ONLY OBJECTS

Always read the target language.

BREAKING OBJECTS

Remember Lesson 86.

Objects can have:

ARMOR CLASS

HIT POINTS

DAMAGE IMMUNITIES

and sometimes:

DAMAGE THRESHOLDS

So being an object doesn't mean:

AUTOMATICALLY DESTROYED BY ANY ATTACK

PART FOUR — OCCUPIED SPACE

A space is:

OCCUPIED

if:

A CREATURE IS IN IT

or if it is:

COMPLETELY FILLED BY OBJECTS

 

EXAMPLE 1 — CREATURE

A Medium Fighter stands in a space.

That space is:

OCCUPIED

EXAMPLE 2 — OBJECT

A massive stone block completely fills a space.

That space is also:

OCCUPIED

even though no creature is there.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Many rules require:

AN UNOCCUPIED SPACE

Teleportation spells frequently use that wording.

Summoning spells often create creatures in:

UNOCCUPIED SPACES

Movement rules also care about:

WHO OR WHAT OCCUPIES A SPACE

OCCUPIED DOES NOT MEAN “IMPASSABLE IN EVERY POSSIBLE CASE”

The glossary tells you:

WHETHER THE SPACE IS OCCUPIED

Other movement rules determine:

WHETHER AND HOW YOU CAN PASS THROUGH IT

Keep definitions separate.

PART FIVE — OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS

Opportunity Attacks represent the danger of:

LEAVING AN ENEMY'S REACH CARELESSLY

You can make one when a creature:

YOU CAN SEE

leaves your:

REACH

using:

ITS ACTION

ITS BONUS ACTION

ITS REACTION

or:

ONE OF ITS SPEEDS

 

This wording is extremely important.

REQUIREMENT 1 — YOU MUST SEE THE CREATURE

If you can't see the creature:

NO OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

under this rule.

REQUIREMENT 2 — IT MUST LEAVE YOUR REACH

If your Reach is:

5 FEET

and the creature moves from 5 feet away to:

10 FEET AWAY

it leaves your Reach.

That can trigger:

AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

REQUIREMENT 3 — THE MOVEMENT MUST QUALIFY

The creature must leave using:

ACTION

BONUS ACTION

REACTION

or:

ONE OF ITS SPEEDS

This is why not every forced movement triggers an Opportunity Attack.

MAKING THE ATTACK

You spend:

YOUR REACTION

to make:

ONE MELEE ATTACK

using either:

A WEAPON

or:

AN UNARMED STRIKE

against the provoking creature.

WHEN DOES THE ATTACK HAPPEN?

It occurs:

IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE CREATURE LEAVES YOUR REACH

This timing matters.

Suppose the creature has:

2 HP

You hit with the Opportunity Attack and reduce it to 0.

It may never complete:

THE MOVEMENT THAT PROVOKED THE ATTACK

because the attack occurred before it left your Reach.

NOT A FULL ATTACK ACTION

An Opportunity Attack gives:

ONE MELEE ATTACK

It does not give you:

THE ATTACK ACTION

So a Fighter with Extra Attack doesn't automatically make:

TWO OR THREE OPPORTUNITY ATTACK ATTACKS

The Reaction gives:

ONE MELEE ATTACK

DISENGAGE

The:

DISENGAGE ACTION

prevents your movement from provoking Opportunity Attacks for the rest of that turn.

TELEPORTATION

Teleportation does not provoke an Opportunity Attack merely because your position changes.

You didn't leave the creature's Reach by:

MOVING THROUGH THE INTERVENING SPACE

The Combat rules explicitly distinguish Teleportation from qualifying movement.

FORCED MOVEMENT

Suppose an explosion:

HURLS YOU 20 FEET

out of an enemy's Reach.

That movement didn't use:

YOUR MOVEMENT

YOUR ACTION

YOUR BONUS ACTION

or:

YOUR REACTION

So it doesn't provoke under the normal Opportunity Attack rule.

IMPORTANT SRD 5.2.1 DETAIL

The trigger specifically includes leaving Reach using:

A REACTION

So if an effect makes a creature move using:

ITS OWN REACTION

that movement can potentially provoke if all the other Opportunity Attack requirements are satisfied.

This is different from being physically pushed without using one of those resources.

PART SIX — PARALYZED [CONDITION]

Paralyzed is one of the most dangerous conditions in combat.

While:

PARALYZED

you suffer five major consequences.

EFFECT 1 — INCAPACITATED

You have:

INCAPACITATED

That means, from Lesson 88:

NO ACTIONS

NO BONUS ACTIONS

NO REACTIONS

CONCENTRATION BREAKS

CAN'T SPEAK

and if Initiative were being rolled while already Incapacitated:

DISADVANTAGE ON INITIATIVE

EFFECT 2 — SPEED 0

Your Speed becomes:

0

and:

CAN'T INCREASE

EFFECT 3 — AUTOMATIC SAVE FAILURES

You automatically fail:

STRENGTH SAVING THROWS

and:

DEXTERITY SAVING THROWS

No d20 is rolled.

IMPORTANT

You do not automatically fail:

CONSTITUTION SAVES

INTELLIGENCE SAVES

WISDOM SAVES

or:

CHARISMA SAVES

merely because you are Paralyzed.

Only:

STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY

are automatically failed by this condition.

EFFECT 4 — ATTACKS AGAINST YOU

Attack rolls against you have:

ADVANTAGE

EFFECT 5 — AUTOMATIC CRITICAL HITS AT CLOSE RANGE

If an attacker is within:

5 FEET OF YOU

and its Attack Roll:

HITS

that hit is automatically:

A CRITICAL HIT

IMPORTANT

It isn't enough for the attack to be:

A MELEE ATTACK

The rule cares about the attacker's actual distance:

WITHIN 5 FEET

EXAMPLE

A Paralyzed enemy has:

AC 18

Fighter stands:

5 FEET AWAY

Attack:

19 TOTAL

Hit.

Because attacker is within 5 feet:

CRITICAL HIT

ATTACK FROM 10 FEET

A creature uses a Reach weapon from:

10 FEET AWAY

Attack Roll still has:

ADVANTAGE

because the target is Paralyzed.

But the automatic Critical Hit clause requires:

ATTACKER WITHIN 5 FEET

So that hit is not automatically critical merely because it was a melee attack.

PART SEVEN — PASSIVE PERCEPTION

Passive Perception represents a creature's:

GENERAL AWARENESS OF ITS SURROUNDINGS

The GM uses it when determining whether a creature notices something:

WITHOUT CONSCIOUSLY MAKING A WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECK

 

FORMULA

PASSIVE PERCEPTION = 10 + WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECK BONUS

EXAMPLE

Wisdom modifier:

+2

Perception proficiency:

+3

Wisdom (Perception) bonus:

2 + 3 =

+5

Passive Perception:

10 + 5 =

15

ADVANTAGE

If you have Advantage on:

WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECKS

Passive Perception increases by:

+5

So:

15 + 5 =

20

DISADVANTAGE

If you have Disadvantage on those checks:

−5

15 − 5 =

10

PASSIVE PERCEPTION IS NOT A ROLL

The player doesn't normally pick up a d20 and roll:

“PASSIVE PERCEPTION”

It is:

A SCORE

The GM can compare something against it.

HIDDEN CREATURE INTERACTION

Remember Lesson 87.

A successful hider records the total of their:

DEXTERITY (STEALTH)

check.

That number becomes the DC for someone attempting to find them through:

WISDOM (PERCEPTION)

Passive Perception can therefore be useful when the GM decides whether a creature notices something:

WITHOUT ACTIVELY SEARCHING

EXAMPLE

Rogue Hide total:

18

Guard Passive Perception:

14

The guard doesn't automatically beat:

DC 18

through passive awareness.

If circumstances lead the guard to actively Search, the Search action can involve an actual:

WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECK

PART EIGHT — PER DAY

Sometimes a rule says something can be used:

A CERTAIN NUMBER OF TIMES PER DAY

In SRD 5.2.1, this means that after you run out of those uses, you must:

FINISH A LONG REST

before you can use it again.

IMPORTANT

“Per day” is not handled as:

“THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT AND EVERYTHING AUTOMATICALLY RESETS”

The game connects the refresh to:

FINISHING A LONG REST

EXAMPLE

A monster ability says:

1/DAY

It uses that ability.

To use it again under the Per Day rule:

IT MUST FINISH A LONG REST

PART NINE — PETRIFIED [CONDITION]

Petrified is one of the most severe conditions in the game.

It changes both:

YOUR BODY

and:

YOUR COMBAT CAPABILITIES

 

EFFECT 1 — TURNED INTO INANIMATE SUBSTANCE

You are transformed into:

A SOLID INANIMATE SUBSTANCE

usually:

STONE

Your nonmagical worn and carried objects transform with you.

YOUR WEIGHT

Your weight becomes:

TEN TIMES NORMAL

EXAMPLE

Normal weight:

160 POUNDS

Petrified:

160 × 10 =

1,600 POUNDS

AGING

You:

STOP AGING

while Petrified.

EFFECT 2 — INCAPACITATED

You have:

INCAPACITATED

So:

NO ACTION

NO BONUS ACTION

NO REACTION

NO SPEECH

and:

CONCENTRATION BREAKS

EFFECT 3 — SPEED 0

Speed:

0

and:

CAN'T INCREASE

EFFECT 4 — ATTACKS AGAINST YOU

Attack Rolls against you have:

ADVANTAGE

EFFECT 5 — SAVING THROWS

You automatically fail:

STRENGTH

and:

DEXTERITY

Saving Throws.

EFFECT 6 — RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

You have:

RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

EXAMPLE

Incoming damage:

31 FIRE

Resistance:

31 ÷ 2 = 15.5

Round down:

15 FIRE DAMAGE

EFFECT 7 — POISONED IMMUNITY

You have Immunity to:

THE POISONED CONDITION

IMPORTANT

The condition specifically says:

IMMUNITY TO POISONED

Do not silently rewrite that as:

“IMMUNITY TO POISON DAMAGE”

Those are different rules.

Petrified already provides:

RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

but its listed Immunity is specifically to:

THE POISONED CONDITION

PART TEN — PLAYER CHARACTER

A:

PLAYER CHARACTER

is a character:

CONTROLLED BY A PLAYER

 

This contrasts with:

MONSTER

which is controlled by:

THE GM

and:

NPC

which is a GM-controlled monster with a distinct name and personality.

SIMPLE CONTROL MAP

Term Controlled By
Player Character Player
Monster GM
NPC GM

An NPC is a particular kind of:

MONSTER

under the glossary terminology.

PART ELEVEN — POISONED [CONDITION]

While:

POISONED

you have:

DISADVANTAGE ON ATTACK ROLLS

and:

DISADVANTAGE ON ABILITY CHECKS

 

EXAMPLE — ATTACK

Normal attack:

d20 + 6

Poisoned:

ROLL TWO D20s

use:

LOWER RESULT

then add +6.

EXAMPLE — STEALTH

Dexterity (Stealth):

DISADVANTAGE

because it is an:

ABILITY CHECK

WHAT ABOUT SAVING THROWS?

The Poisoned condition itself does not impose Disadvantage on:

SAVING THROWS

EXAMPLE

A Poisoned adventurer makes:

WISDOM SAVING THROW

Does Poisoned impose Disadvantage?

NO

not from the Poisoned condition itself.

POISON DAMAGE ≠ POISONED

Another important distinction:

POISON DAMAGE

is a damage type.

POISONED

is a condition.

A creature can be:

IMMUNE TO POISON DAMAGE

without necessarily being immune to:

POISONED

unless its rules say so.

Likewise, immunity to Poisoned doesn't automatically mean immunity to:

POISON DAMAGE

PART TWELVE — POSSESSION

Some effects allow one creature or entity to:

POSSESS ANOTHER CREATURE

The glossary does not provide one universal possession procedure.

Instead:

THE EFFECT CAUSING THE POSSESSION DEFINES HOW IT WORKS

 

IMPORTANT

Do not assume all possession means:

TOTAL CONTROL

SHARED SENSES

BODY REPLACEMENT

SOUL TRANSFER

or any other specific mechanic.

Those details must come from:

THE POSSESSING EFFECT

PREVENTING POSSESSION

The glossary specifically identifies:

PROTECTION FROM EVIL AND GOOD

as capable of preventing possession.

ENDING POSSESSION

It identifies:

DISPEL EVIL AND GOOD

as a way to end possession.

SPELL-SPECIFIC RULES STILL MATTER

For example, Magic Jar has its own detailed possession mechanics.

Those specific rules control:

THAT SPELL

The generic Possession glossary entry does not replace them.

PART THIRTEEN — PROFICIENCY

If you have:

PROFICIENCY

with something, you can add your:

PROFICIENCY BONUS

to any:

D20 TEST

you make using that thing.

You might have proficiency in:

A SKILL

A SAVING THROW

A WEAPON

or:

A TOOL

EXAMPLE — SKILL

Dexterity:

+3

PB:

+3

Stealth proficiency.

Dexterity (Stealth):

3 + 3 =

+6

EXAMPLE — NO PROFICIENCY

Same Dexterity:

+3

No Stealth proficiency.

Dexterity (Stealth):

+3

You don't add:

PB

EXAMPLE — WEAPON

Strength modifier:

+4

PB:

+3

Proficient with Longsword.

Attack Roll:

4 + 3 =

+7

PROFICIENCY BONUS DOESN'T NORMALLY STACK WITH ITSELF

The broader Proficiency rule established earlier in the SRD says you can't add your PB to the same roll:

MORE THAN ONCE

Even if two separate facts both make proficiency relevant.

EXPERTISE

Expertise is a specific rule that:

DOUBLES YOUR PROFICIENCY BONUS

for qualifying Skill checks.

That is not the same as:

ADDING PROFICIENCY TWICE

It is a rule that modifies the PB before adding it.

PART FOURTEEN — PRONE [CONDITION]

Prone affects:

MOVEMENT

and:

ATTACK ROLLS

 

EFFECT 1 — MOVEMENT RESTRICTED

While Prone, your movement options are:

CRAWL

or:

STAND UP

STANDING UP

To stand and end Prone, spend movement equal to:

HALF YOUR SPEED

rounded down.

EXAMPLE

Speed:

30 FEET

Cost to stand:

30 ÷ 2 =

15 FEET

SPEED 25

25 ÷ 2 = 12.5

Round down:

12 FEET

IMPORTANT

Standing cost is based on:

HALF YOUR SPEED

not:

HALF YOUR REMAINING MOVEMENT

SPEED 0

If your Speed is:

0

you:

CAN'T STAND UP

because the condition explicitly says you can't right yourself while Speed is 0.

EFFECT 2 — YOUR ATTACKS

Your Attack Rolls have:

DISADVANTAGE

EFFECT 3 — ATTACKS AGAINST YOU

An Attack Roll against you has:

ADVANTAGE

if the attacker is within:

5 FEET

Otherwise:

DISADVANTAGE

THIS USES DISTANCE, NOT ATTACK TYPE

This is important.

Attacker 5 feet away

ADVANTAGE

Attacker 10 feet away

DISADVANTAGE

The rule doesn't say:

“MELEE ADVANTAGE, RANGED DISADVANTAGE”

It uses:

DISTANCE

REACH WEAPON EXAMPLE

A Fighter attacks a Prone enemy from:

10 FEET

using a weapon with Reach.

Even though it is a:

MELEE ATTACK

the attacker isn't within:

5 FEET

Therefore the Prone condition gives:

DISADVANTAGE

on that attack.

RANGED ATTACK AT 5 FEET

A Ranger with a bow stands:

5 FEET

from the Prone enemy.

Prone gives:

ADVANTAGE

because the attacker is within 5 feet.

But the normal close-combat ranged-attack rule can give:

DISADVANTAGE

if the nearby enemy can see the attacker and isn't Incapacitated.

Advantage + Disadvantage:

CANCEL

So the final roll can become:

NORMAL

assuming no other sources apply.

This is an excellent example of:

MULTIPLE GENERAL RULES INTERACTING

PART FIFTEEN — REACH

Unless a rule says otherwise, a creature has:

5-FOOT REACH

 

This determines how far away you can normally target something with:

A MELEE ATTACK

and also matters for:

OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS

EXAMPLE

Normal Reach:

5 FEET

Enemy:

5 FEET AWAY

You can make a typical melee attack.

Enemy:

10 FEET AWAY

Normally:

OUTSIDE YOUR REACH

unless a weapon, creature trait, or other rule extends it.

REACH WEAPONS

Certain weapons have:

REACH

Their property adds:

5 FEET

to your Reach when attacking with that weapon.

It also modifies the Reach used for:

OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS WITH THAT WEAPON

 

EXAMPLE

Normal Reach:

5

Reach weapon:

+5

Reach while attacking with it:

10 FEET

IMPORTANT

Having one Reach weapon doesn't necessarily mean:

EVERY ATTACK YOU CAN MAKE NOW HAS 10-FOOT REACH

The weapon property applies when:

ATTACKING WITH THAT WEAPON

and when determining Opportunity Attack Reach:

WITH IT

PART SIXTEEN — REACTION

A:

REACTION

is a special action taken in response to:

A SPECIFIC TRIGGER

defined by the Reaction's rule.

WHEN CAN YOU TAKE IT?

You can take a Reaction:

ON ANOTHER CREATURE'S TURN

You can also take one:

ON YOUR OWN TURN

if its trigger occurs.

REACTION ON YOUR OWN TURN

Using a Reaction on your turn doesn't prevent you from also taking:

AN ACTION

A BONUS ACTION

or:

BOTH

provided you have them available.

HOW MANY?

After using a Reaction:

YOU CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER

until:

THE START OF YOUR NEXT TURN

EXAMPLE

Your turn begins.

Your Reaction becomes:

AVAILABLE

Later during an enemy's turn you make:

AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

Reaction used.

You can't use another Reaction until:

THE START OF YOUR NEXT TURN

IMPORTANT TIMING

The reset is:

START OF YOUR TURN

not:

END OF YOUR TURN

EVERY CREATURE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK REACTION

The Opportunity Attack is a Reaction available to:

ALL CREATURES

subject to its trigger and requirements.

REACTION DOES NOT MEAN “FREE ACTION”

It is a limited resource.

If you spend it on:

AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

you may no longer have it for another Reaction feature before your next turn.

Choosing when to spend your Reaction is therefore part of:

ACTION ECONOMY

PART SEVENTEEN — READY [ACTION]

The:

READY ACTION

lets you prepare to act when a particular circumstance occurs.

You take Ready:

ON YOUR TURN

and potentially act later by using:

YOUR REACTION

before:

THE START OF YOUR NEXT TURN

 

STEP 1 — DEFINE A PERCEIVABLE TRIGGER

Choose something you could:

PERCEIVE

Examples:

“IF THE DOOR OPENS...”

“IF THE ORC ENTERS THE ROOM...”

“IF THE WIZARD RAISES THE CRYSTAL...”

The trigger can't merely be some unknowable event your character has:

NO WAY TO PERCEIVE

STEP 2 — CHOOSE YOUR RESPONSE

Choose either:

AN ACTION

you will take,

or:

MOVE UP TO YOUR SPEED

in response.

IMPORTANT

Ready doesn't say:

“READY A BONUS ACTION”

It gives you either:

AN ACTION

or:

MOVEMENT UP TO SPEED

as the prepared response.

STEP 3 — WAIT

Your turn continues and eventually ends.

STEP 4 — TRIGGER OCCURS

When the perceivable trigger finishes:

YOU CHOOSE

whether to:

USE YOUR REACTION

or:

IGNORE THE TRIGGER

YOU ARE NOT FORCED TO ACT

Suppose you Ready:

“IF THE DRAGON APPROACHES, I PULL THE LEVER.”

The dragon approaches.

You have changed your mind.

You may:

IGNORE THE TRIGGER

THE RESPONSE HAPPENS AFTER THE TRIGGER

The Ready rule says your Reaction occurs:

RIGHT AFTER THE TRIGGER FINISHES

This matters greatly.

EXAMPLE

Trigger:

“WHEN THE GOBLIN STEPS THROUGH THE DOOR, I ATTACK.”

The goblin first:

STEPS THROUGH THE DOOR

Then:

YOUR REACTION OCCURS

You don't attack before the triggering event unless another specific Reaction gives different timing.

IF THE TRIGGER NEVER OCCURS

The Readied option expires at:

THE START OF YOUR NEXT TURN

You don't carry it indefinitely into later rounds.

PART EIGHTEEN — READYING A SPELL

Readying a spell has additional rules.

First:

YOU CAST THE SPELL NOW

on your turn.

You expend:

THE NORMAL RESOURCES

at that time.

EXAMPLE

You Ready a level 3 spell.

The level 3 spell slot is expended:

WHEN YOU READY THE SPELL

not when the later trigger occurs.

CASTING TIME REQUIREMENT

A spell can be Readied only if its normal Casting Time is:

AN ACTION

CAN YOU READY MISTY STEP?

Casting Time:

BONUS ACTION

Therefore:

NO

not through the general Ready-a-spell rule.

CAN YOU READY SHIELD?

Casting Time:

REACTION

Again:

NO

The Ready spell rule requires:

CASTING TIME OF AN ACTION

HOLDING THE MAGIC REQUIRES CONCENTRATION

After casting the spell:

YOU HOLD ITS ENERGY

That requires:

CONCENTRATION

until no later than:

THE START OF YOUR NEXT TURN

EVEN IF THE SPELL NORMALLY DOESN'T REQUIRE CONCENTRATION

This is crucial.

Suppose you Ready:

FIRE BOLT

Fire Bolt normally has:

NO CONCENTRATION DURATION

But while holding the readied spell:

YOU MUST CONCENTRATE

EXISTING CONCENTRATION

Suppose you're already concentrating on:

FLY

Then you Ready Fire Bolt.

Holding the readied spell requires:

CONCENTRATION

So your existing Fly Concentration:

ENDS

because you can maintain only:

ONE CONCENTRATION EFFECT

CONCENTRATION BREAKS BEFORE TRIGGER

The spell:

DISSIPATES

and:

HAS NO EFFECT

The resources used to cast it have already been:

EXPENDED

They are not refunded.

TRIGGER OCCURS

Use:

YOUR REACTION

to release the held spell.

NO REACTION AVAILABLE?

Then you can't release it through the Ready response.

That is why using another Reaction while holding a readied spell can be:

A MAJOR DECISION

PART NINETEEN — RESISTANCE

If you have:

RESISTANCE

to a damage type, damage of that type is:

HALVED

against you.

Always:

ROUND DOWN

 

EXAMPLE 1

Fire damage:

20

Fire Resistance:

20 ÷ 2 =

10 DAMAGE

EXAMPLE 2

Fire damage:

21

21 ÷ 2 = 10.5

Round down:

10 DAMAGE

RESISTANCE APPLIES ONLY ONCE TO AN INSTANCE OF DAMAGE

Suppose you somehow have:

TWO SOURCES OF FIRE RESISTANCE

You don't halve:

TWICE

The Resistance is applied:

ONCE

to that instance.

EXAMPLE

Incoming Fire damage:

40

Two separate Fire Resistance sources.

Result:

20 DAMAGE

Not:

40 ÷ 2 ÷ 2 = 10.

RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE + SPECIFIC RESISTANCE

Suppose you have:

RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

and also:

FIRE RESISTANCE

Incoming Fire:

30

Result:

15

not:

7

after repeated halving.

Multiple relevant Resistances don't stack.

RESISTANCE AND VULNERABILITY

The detailed Damage rules establish the order:

1 — OTHER ADJUSTMENTS

2 — RESISTANCE

3 — VULNERABILITY

 

EXAMPLE

Incoming Fire:

28

Magical effect reduces damage by:

5

First:

28 − 5 =

23

Creature has Fire Resistance:

23 ÷ 2 = 11.5

Round down:

11

Creature also has Fire Vulnerability:

11 × 2 =

22

Final:

22 FIRE DAMAGE

RESISTANCE IS NOT IMMUNITY

Resistance

HALF DAMAGE

Immunity

NO EFFECT FROM THAT DAMAGE TYPE

Do not confuse them.

PART TWENTY — RESTRAINED [CONDITION]

While:

RESTRAINED

you suffer three major effects.

EFFECT 1 — SPEED 0

Your Speed becomes:

0

and:

CAN'T INCREASE

EFFECT 2 — ATTACK ROLLS

Attack Rolls against you have:

ADVANTAGE

Your own Attack Rolls have:

DISADVANTAGE

EFFECT 3 — DEXTERITY SAVES

You have:

DISADVANTAGE

on:

DEXTERITY SAVING THROWS

WHAT RESTRAINED DOES NOT DO

Restrained does not itself give you:

INCAPACITATED

Therefore you can still potentially:

TAKE ACTIONS

TAKE BONUS ACTIONS

TAKE REACTIONS

SPEAK

CAST SPELLS

provided the spell's requirements can be met and no other rule prevents it.

EXAMPLE

A Wizard is Restrained by magical vines.

Can the Wizard cast a spell?

POSSIBLY YES

Restrained itself doesn't prohibit spellcasting.

But if the spell requires:

AN ATTACK ROLL

that Spell Attack has:

DISADVANTAGE

If the effect instead forces an enemy to make:

A SAVING THROW

Restrained doesn't automatically impose a penalty on the enemy's save.

RESTRAINED VS GRAPPLED

Compare:

Effect Grappled Restrained
Speed 0 Yes Yes
Can't increase Speed Yes Yes
Own attacks Disadvantage Only against targets other than grappler All attacks
Attacks against you Advantage No general Grappled effect Yes
Dex saves Disadvantage No Yes
Incapacitated No No

Restrained is generally:

MORE SEVERE

than Grappled.

PART TWENTY-ONE — RITUAL

If you have a spell:

PREPARED

and that spell has:

THE RITUAL TAG

you can cast it:

AS A RITUAL

 

EXTRA CASTING TIME

The Ritual version takes:

10 MINUTES LONGER

than the spell's normal Casting Time.

EXAMPLE

Normal Casting Time:

ACTION

Ritual version:

10 MINUTES + THE NORMAL CASTING TIME

In practical play, that means it isn't usually an immediate combat option.

NO SPELL SLOT

A Ritual:

DOESN'T EXPEND A SPELL SLOT

CONSEQUENCE

Since no spell slot is used:

THE RITUAL VERSION CAN'T BE CAST AT A HIGHER LEVEL

EXAMPLE

A level 1 Ritual spell has an effect that improves when cast using:

A HIGHER-LEVEL SPELL SLOT

If you cast it as a Ritual:

NO SLOT IS SPENT

Therefore:

NO HIGHER-LEVEL CASTING

GENERAL RULE REQUIRES PREPARED

The glossary says the spell must be:

PREPARED

SPECIFIC EXCEPTION — WIZARD

Earlier in this course we learned that the Wizard's:

RITUAL ADEPT

feature provides a specific exception for Wizard Ritual spells in the spellbook.

That feature can allow the Wizard to cast a qualifying spell as a Ritual:

WITHOUT HAVING IT PREPARED

provided the feature's own requirements are satisfied.

This is a perfect example of:

SPECIFIC RULE OVERRIDES GENERAL RULE

RITUAL AND LONG CASTING

Because Ritual casting adds:

10 MINUTES

a Ritual becomes a spell with a long casting time.

Therefore the long-casting rules apply:

MAGIC ACTION EACH TURN

and:

CONCENTRATION DURING THE CASTING

If that Concentration is broken:

SPELL FAILS

and because a Ritual spends no slot:

THERE IS NO SPELL SLOT TO LOSE

PART TWENTY-TWO — ROUND DOWN

The default arithmetic rule is:

ROUND DOWN

Whenever you:

DIVIDE

or:

MULTIPLY

a number and produce a fraction:

ROUND DOWN

even if the fraction is:

ONE-HALF OR GREATER

 

EXAMPLE 1

5 ÷ 2 =

2.5

Round down:

2

EXAMPLE 2

7 ÷ 2 =

3.5

Round down:

3

EXAMPLE 3 — RESISTANCE

23 damage divided by 2:

11.5

Final:

11

EXAMPLE 4 — STANDING FROM PRONE

Speed:

25

Half:

12.5

Round down:

12 FEET

SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS

Some rules explicitly tell you to:

ROUND UP

When a specific rule does that:

FOLLOW THE SPECIFIC RULE

Example from multiclassing:

some calculations explicitly tell you which direction to round.

The default remains:

ROUND DOWN

PART TWENTY-THREE — PARALYZED VS RESTRAINED VS PRONE

These conditions are often confused.

PRONE

You:

CAN ACT

but:

YOUR ATTACKS HAVE DISADVANTAGE

Standing requires:

HALF SPEED

Attacks against you depend on:

ATTACKER DISTANCE

RESTRAINED

You:

CAN ACT

but:

SPEED 0

OWN ATTACKS DISADVANTAGE

ATTACKS AGAINST YOU ADVANTAGE

DEX SAVES DISADVANTAGE

PARALYZED

Much more severe:

INCAPACITATED

SPEED 0

AUTO FAIL STR/DEX SAVES

ATTACKS AGAINST YOU ADVANTAGE

CLOSE HITS AUTOMATICALLY CRIT

COMPARISON TABLE

Rule Prone Restrained Paralyzed
Speed 0 No Yes Yes
Can act Yes Yes No
Own attacks Disadvantage Yes Yes Can't normally act
Attacks against you Advantage Within 5 ft only Yes Yes
Dex saves Disadvantage No Yes Automatic failure
Str saves automatic failure No No Yes
Close hits auto crit No No Yes
Breaks Concentration automatically No No Yes, via Incapacitated

PART TWENTY-FOUR — PRONE + SPEED 0

This interaction is simple but important.

To stand from Prone, you spend:

HALF YOUR SPEED

But Prone also says:

IF SPEED IS 0, YOU CAN'T RIGHT YOURSELF

EXAMPLE

A creature is:

PRONE

and:

RESTRAINED

Restrained gives:

SPEED 0

Can it stand?

NO

It remains Prone until its Speed is no longer 0 or another rule changes the situation.

GRAPPLED + PRONE

Same concept.

Grappled gives:

SPEED 0

If the Grappled creature is also:

PRONE

it can't stand while that Speed-0 effect persists.

This combination can be tactically powerful.

PART TWENTY-FIVE — OPPORTUNITY ATTACK + REACTION

Opportunity Attacks use:

YOUR REACTION

So every Opportunity Attack creates an important decision.

EXAMPLE

A Wizard has a Reaction spell available.

An enemy begins leaving the Wizard's Reach.

The Wizard could potentially use the Reaction for:

OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

If they do:

REACTION IS SPENT

They can't later use another Reaction before:

THE START OF THEIR NEXT TURN

ACTION ECONOMY LESSON

A Reaction is not:

FREE

It is one limited decision window.

Sometimes allowing an enemy to move away is strategically better than spending your Reaction if you're saving it for:

SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT

PART TWENTY-SIX — READY + REACTION

The Ready action uses:

YOUR ACTION NOW

to create a possible:

REACTION LATER

So the cost is actually:

ACTION + POSSIBLE REACTION

EXAMPLE

Fighter uses:

READY

Trigger:

“WHEN THE GOBLIN OPENS THE DOOR, I ATTACK IT.”

The Fighter's normal Action is:

ALREADY SPENT

If the trigger occurs:

REACTION

makes the chosen attack.

If the trigger never occurs:

NO ATTACK HAPPENS

The Action has still been:

USED

EXTRA ATTACK?

Suppose the Fighter normally makes two attacks when taking:

THE ATTACK ACTION

Can the Fighter Ready the Attack action?

The Ready rule lets you choose:

AN ACTION

for the response.

However, Extra Attack normally functions when you take the Attack action on your turn.

A Readied Attack occurs through a Reaction:

OUTSIDE THAT NORMAL ON-YOUR-TURN USE

So don't automatically assume the full Extra Attack routine transfers to the Reaction.

Follow the specific Extra Attack feature's timing.

This is another example of:

READING FEATURE WORDING TOGETHER WITH READY

PART TWENTY-SEVEN — READY SPELL + CONCENTRATION

This deserves its own tactical example.

Wizard is concentrating on:

HASTE

The Wizard wants to Ready:

FIRE BOLT

STEP 1

Take:

READY ACTION

STEP 2

Cast Fire Bolt immediately.

STEP 3

Holding Fire Bolt requires:

CONCENTRATION

STEP 4

You were already concentrating on:

HASTE

Starting the new Concentration means:

HASTE ENDS

STEP 5

Now you hold Fire Bolt until:

  • the trigger occurs,

  • Concentration breaks,

  • or the start of your next turn arrives.

This means Readying a spell can have a much larger cost than:

“I'LL JUST WAIT TO CAST IT LATER”

Mechanically:

YOU ALREADY CAST IT

and are:

HOLDING ITS ENERGY

PART TWENTY-EIGHT — PASSIVE PERCEPTION + LIGHTLY OBSCURED

Passive Perception uses:

WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECK BONUS

Advantage on those checks gives:

+5

Disadvantage gives:

−5

EXAMPLE

Passive Perception normally:

16

The creature is trying to perceive something in:

DIM LIGHT

Dim Light is:

LIGHTLY OBSCURED

Lightly Obscured gives Disadvantage on:

WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECKS TO SEE

Therefore, when that Disadvantage applies to the relevant Perception:

Passive Perception:

16 − 5 =

11

This is why lighting matters even when:

NO ONE IS ACTIVELY ROLLING

PART TWENTY-NINE — PASSIVE PERCEPTION + ADVANTAGE

Normal Passive Perception:

14

A feature grants Advantage on relevant Wisdom (Perception) checks.

Passive:

14 + 5 =

19

No dice are rolled.

The:

+5

represents the effect of Advantage on the passive score.

PART THIRTY — PETRIFIED + DAMAGE

A Petrified creature has:

RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

Suppose an attack deals:

18 BLUDGEONING

plus:

9 FIRE

These are separate damage components.

Apply Resistance to each relevant instance as required by the damage rules.

Bludgeoning:

18 ÷ 2 =

9

Fire:

9 ÷ 2 = 4.5

Round down:

4

Total HP loss:

13

The creature is extremely resistant to damage.

But it isn't automatically:

INVULNERABLE

PART THIRTY-ONE — POISONED + ATTACKS + SAVES

A Poisoned Fighter has:

DISADVANTAGE ON ATTACK ROLLS

and:

DISADVANTAGE ON ABILITY CHECKS

ATTACK

Disadvantage:

YES

ATHLETICS CHECK

Disadvantage:

YES

CONSTITUTION SAVE

Disadvantage:

NO

not from Poisoned.

DEATH SAVE

Disadvantage:

NO

not from Poisoned.

This is another reason to distinguish:

D20 TEST

from:

WHICH TYPE OF D20 TEST A CONDITION ACTUALLY AFFECTS

PART THIRTY-TWO — RESISTANCE + ROUND DOWN

These glossary entries frequently work together.

EXAMPLE

Damage:

17

Resistance:

17 ÷ 2 = 8.5

Round down:

8

EXAMPLE

Damage:

1

Resistance:

1 ÷ 2 = 0.5

Round down:

0

Yes, Resistance can reduce:

1 DAMAGE TO 0

because the general rule rounds down.

PART THIRTY-THREE — COMMON BEGINNER MISTAKES

MISTAKE 1 — THINKING NPC MEANS ENEMY

An NPC is a named, distinct GM-controlled character.

It can be:

FRIENDLY

MISTAKE 2 — TREATING AN ENTIRE BUILDING AS ONE OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY

Composite things such as buildings consist of:

MULTIPLE OBJECTS

MISTAKE 3 — THINKING ONLY CREATURES CAN OCCUPY SPACES

A space completely filled by objects is also:

OCCUPIED

MISTAKE 4 — MAKING OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS AGAINST CREATURES YOU CAN'T SEE

You must:

SEE THE CREATURE

MISTAKE 5 — MAKING AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK WHEN A CREATURE ENTERS YOUR REACH

The normal trigger is:

LEAVING YOUR REACH

not entering it.

MISTAKE 6 — MAKING AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK AFTER THE CREATURE HAS ALREADY LEFT

The attack occurs:

RIGHT BEFORE IT LEAVES

MISTAKE 7 — USING EXTRA ATTACK WITH A NORMAL OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

The Opportunity Attack grants:

ONE MELEE ATTACK

not a full Attack action.

MISTAKE 8 — PROVOKING AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK FROM TELEPORTATION

Normal Teleportation:

DOESN'T PROVOKE

MISTAKE 9 — PROVOKING FROM EVERY INSTANCE OF FORCED MOVEMENT

Movement that doesn't use the listed movement resources:

DOESN'T NORMALLY PROVOKE

MISTAKE 10 — FORGETTING MOVEMENT USING A REACTION CAN QUALIFY

The SRD 5.2.1 trigger explicitly includes:

REACTION

MISTAKE 11 — THINKING PARALYZED ONLY MEANS SPEED 0

It also includes:

INCAPACITATED

AUTO FAIL STR/DEX SAVES

ATTACK ADVANTAGE

CLOSE-RANGE AUTO CRITICALS

MISTAKE 12 — AUTOMATICALLY FAILING EVERY SAVE WHILE PARALYZED

Only:

STRENGTH

and:

DEXTERITY

MISTAKE 13 — MAKING EVERY HIT AGAINST PARALYZED AN AUTOMATIC CRIT

Attacker must be:

WITHIN 5 FEET

MISTAKE 14 — THINKING PASSIVE PERCEPTION IS A D20 ROLL

It is:

A SCORE

MISTAKE 15 — CALCULATING PASSIVE PERCEPTION AS 10 + WISDOM MODIFIER ONLY

Use:

10 + FULL WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECK BONUS

That can include proficiency or other modifiers.

MISTAKE 16 — IGNORING ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE ON PASSIVE PERCEPTION

Advantage:

+5

Disadvantage:

−5

MISTAKE 17 — RESETTING “PER DAY” ABILITIES AT MIDNIGHT

The glossary ties replenishment to:

FINISHING A LONG REST

MISTAKE 18 — THINKING PETRIFIED MAKES YOU WEIGHTLESS

Your weight becomes:

TEN TIMES GREATER

MISTAKE 19 — THINKING PETRIFIED CREATURES KEEP AGING

They:

CEASE AGING

MISTAKE 20 — THINKING PETRIFIED MEANS IMMUNE TO ALL DAMAGE

It gives:

RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

not damage Immunity.

MISTAKE 21 — TURNING PETRIFIED'S POISONED IMMUNITY INTO POISON-DAMAGE IMMUNITY

The condition specifies:

POISONED CONDITION IMMUNITY

MISTAKE 22 — THINKING PLAYER CHARACTER MEANS “ANY IMPORTANT CHARACTER”

It specifically means:

CHARACTER CONTROLLED BY A PLAYER

MISTAKE 23 — APPLYING POISONED TO SAVING THROWS

Poisoned affects:

ATTACK ROLLS

and:

ABILITY CHECKS

not saves.

MISTAKE 24 — CONFUSING POISON DAMAGE WITH POISONED

One is:

DAMAGE TYPE

The other is:

CONDITION

MISTAKE 25 — INVENTING UNIVERSAL POSSESSION RULES

The effect causing possession tells you:

HOW THAT POSSESSION WORKS

MISTAKE 26 — ADDING PROFICIENCY BONUS TO EVERYTHING

You add it when:

YOUR PROFICIENCY IS RELEVANT

MISTAKE 27 — ADDING PROFICIENCY BONUS TWICE

PB normally:

DOESN'T STACK WITH ITSELF

MISTAKE 28 — STANDING FROM PRONE USING HALF YOUR REMAINING MOVEMENT

The cost is:

HALF YOUR SPEED

MISTAKE 29 — ROUNDING HALF SPEED UP

Default:

ROUND DOWN

MISTAKE 30 — STANDING WHILE SPEED 0

You:

CAN'T

MISTAKE 31 — THINKING ALL MELEE ATTACKS HAVE ADVANTAGE AGAINST PRONE

Attacker must be:

WITHIN 5 FEET

MISTAKE 32 — THINKING ALL RANGED ATTACKS HAVE DISADVANTAGE AGAINST PRONE

If the ranged attacker is within:

5 FEET

Prone itself gives that attacker:

ADVANTAGE

Other rules may also impose Disadvantage.

MISTAKE 33 — THINKING EVERY CREATURE HAS 10-FOOT REACH

Default:

5 FEET

MISTAKE 34 — USING ONE REACTION PER ROUND REGARDLESS OF TURN RESET

Your Reaction refreshes at:

START OF YOUR TURN

MISTAKE 35 — THINKING YOU CAN'T USE A REACTION ON YOUR OWN TURN

You can if:

ITS TRIGGER OCCURS

MISTAKE 36 — TAKING TWO REACTIONS BEFORE YOUR NEXT TURN

Normally:

NO

MISTAKE 37 — READYING AN IMPERCEPTIBLE TRIGGER

The trigger must be:

PERCEIVABLE

MISTAKE 38 — THINKING THE READIED RESPONSE INTERRUPTS THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIGGER

The normal Ready response occurs:

AFTER THE TRIGGER FINISHES

MISTAKE 39 — BEING FORCED TO USE YOUR READIED RESPONSE

You can:

IGNORE THE TRIGGER

MISTAKE 40 — READYING A BONUS ACTION

The general Ready rule gives:

AN ACTION

or:

MOVEMENT

MISTAKE 41 — READYING ANY SPELL

A Readied spell must normally have Casting Time:

ACTION

MISTAKE 42 — SPENDING THE SPELL SLOT ONLY WHEN THE TRIGGER OCCURS

You cast the Readied spell:

IMMEDIATELY

and spend resources:

THEN

MISTAKE 43 — THINKING A READIED NON-CONCENTRATION SPELL REQUIRES NO CONCENTRATION

Holding any Readied spell requires:

CONCENTRATION

MISTAKE 44 — REFUNDING THE SPELL SLOT IF READIED CONCENTRATION BREAKS

The spell:

DISSIPATES

The already-spent resources are:

NOT REFUNDED

MISTAKE 45 — STACKING MULTIPLE RESISTANCES

Resistance applies:

ONCE PER DAMAGE INSTANCE

MISTAKE 46 — ROUNDING RESISTANCE UP

Always:

ROUND DOWN

MISTAKE 47 — CONFUSING RESISTANCE WITH IMMUNITY

Resistance:

HALF

Immunity:

NO EFFECT

MISTAKE 48 — THINKING RESTRAINED MEANS INCAPACITATED

It doesn't.

MISTAKE 49 — FORGETTING RESTRAINED AFFECTS DEXTERITY SAVES

They have:

DISADVANTAGE

MISTAKE 50 — THINKING A RESTRAINED CREATURE CAN'T CAST ANY SPELL

Restrained itself doesn't prohibit spellcasting.

MISTAKE 51 — CASTING ANY PREPARED SPELL AS A RITUAL

It must also have:

RITUAL TAG

MISTAKE 52 — CASTING A RITUAL AT A HIGHER LEVEL

Ritual:

SPENDS NO SLOT

Therefore:

CAN'T BE UPCAST

MISTAKE 53 — FORGETTING THE EXTRA TEN MINUTES

Ritual version:

NORMAL CASTING TIME + 10 MINUTES

MISTAKE 54 — IGNORING SPECIFIC CLASS EXCEPTIONS

The Wizard's Ritual Adept is one example where:

SPECIFIC OVERRIDES GENERAL

MISTAKE 55 — ROUNDING .5 UP BY DEFAULT

SRD default:

ROUND DOWN

even when the fractional portion is:

ONE-HALF OR GREATER

QUICK RECAP

N

Nonplayer Character

A GM-controlled monster with:

PERSONAL NAME + DISTINCT PERSONALITY

O

Object

A:

NONLIVING DISTINCT THING

Composite structures can contain:

MULTIPLE OBJECTS

Occupied Space

Occupied by:

A CREATURE

or completely filled by:

OBJECTS

Opportunity Attacks

Trigger when a visible creature leaves your Reach using:

ACTION

BONUS ACTION

REACTION

or:

ONE OF ITS SPEEDS

Response:

REACTION → ONE MELEE ATTACK

Attack occurs:

BEFORE IT LEAVES

P

Paralyzed

INCAPACITATED

SPEED 0

AUTO FAIL STR/DEX SAVES

ATTACKS AGAINST ADVANTAGE

HITS FROM WITHIN 5 FEET ARE CRITICAL HITS

Passive Perception

10 + WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECK BONUS

Advantage:

+5

Disadvantage:

−5

Per Day

Uses refresh through:

FINISHING A LONG REST

after uses are exhausted.

Petrified

SOLID INANIMATE SUBSTANCE

WEIGHT ×10

NO AGING

INCAPACITATED

SPEED 0

ATTACKS AGAINST ADVANTAGE

AUTO FAIL STR/DEX SAVES

RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

IMMUNITY TO POISONED

Player Character

Character controlled by:

A PLAYER

Poisoned

Disadvantage on:

ATTACK ROLLS

and:

ABILITY CHECKS

Possession

The causing effect defines:

HOW IT WORKS

Proficiency

Relevant proficiency allows:

PROFICIENCY BONUS

on the associated D20 Test.

Prone

CRAWL OR STAND

Standing:

HALF SPEED, ROUND DOWN

Own attacks:

DISADVANTAGE

Attacks against:

ADVANTAGE WITHIN 5 FEET

DISADVANTAGE OTHERWISE

R

Reach

Default:

5 FEET

unless another rule says otherwise.

Reaction

Triggered special action.

Normal limit:

ONE UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN

Ready

Use:

ACTION NOW

Prepare:

ACTION OR MOVEMENT

Execute later with:

REACTION

Readied Spell

CAST NOW

RESOURCES SPENT NOW

ACTION CASTING TIME ONLY

CONCENTRATION WHILE HELD

REACTION TO RELEASE

Resistance

HALF RELEVANT DAMAGE

ROUND DOWN

ONLY ONCE PER INSTANCE

Restrained

SPEED 0

ATTACKS AGAINST ADVANTAGE

OWN ATTACKS DISADVANTAGE

DEX SAVES DISADVANTAGE

Ritual

Prepared spell with:

RITUAL TAG

Casting Time:

+10 MINUTES

Spell slot:

NONE

Higher-level casting:

NO

Round Down

Fractions:

ROUND DOWN

unless a rule specifically says otherwise.

PRIME HERO CHALLENGE

A level 8 Fighter has:

Strength: 18
Dexterity: 14
Speed: 30 feet
Reach: 5 feet
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Passive Perception: 15

Resolve the following situations.

CHALLENGE 1 — PRONE

The Fighter falls Prone.

How much movement is required to stand?

30 ÷ 2 =

15 FEET

CHALLENGE 2 — PRONE + SPEED 0

The Fighter becomes Grappled while Prone.

Grappled Speed:

0

Can the Fighter stand?

NO

CHALLENGE 3 — OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

An enemy the Fighter can see moves from:

5 FEET AWAY

to:

10 FEET AWAY

using its Speed.

Trigger?

YES

The Fighter may spend:

REACTION

to make:

ONE MELEE ATTACK

The attack occurs:

BEFORE THE ENEMY LEAVES REACH

CHALLENGE 4 — FORCED MOVEMENT

An explosion throws the same enemy:

20 FEET AWAY

without the enemy using its movement, Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction.

Opportunity Attack?

NO

CHALLENGE 5 — PARALYZED TARGET

The Fighter attacks a Paralyzed enemy from:

5 FEET

Attack Roll:

ADVANTAGE

If it hits:

CRITICAL HIT

CHALLENGE 6 — REACH WEAPON

The Fighter instead attacks that Paralyzed enemy from:

10 FEET

with a Reach weapon.

Attack:

ADVANTAGE

Automatic Critical Hit from Paralyzed?

NO

because the attacker isn't:

WITHIN 5 FEET

CHALLENGE 7 — PASSIVE PERCEPTION

Passive Perception:

15

A circumstance gives Advantage on Wisdom (Perception).

New Passive Perception:

15 + 5 =

20

CHALLENGE 8 — PETRIFIED

The Fighter becomes Petrified.

Incoming Slashing damage:

27

Resistance to all damage:

27 ÷ 2 = 13.5

Round down:

13 DAMAGE

CHALLENGE 9 — POISONED

The Fighter is Poisoned.

Weapon Attack Roll:

DISADVANTAGE

Strength (Athletics):

DISADVANTAGE

Constitution Saving Throw:

NORMAL

from Poisoned alone.

CHALLENGE 10 — READY

The Fighter says:

“IF THE CULTIST COMES THROUGH THE DOOR, I ATTACK.”

Action spent:

READY

Cultist later enters.

The Fighter can spend:

REACTION

after the trigger finishes to make the prepared response.

CHALLENGE 11 — REACTION ALREADY USED

Before the cultist enters, the Fighter uses an Opportunity Attack.

Can the Fighter later execute the Readied response before the start of their next turn?

NO

because the Reaction has already been:

SPENT

CHALLENGE 12 — RESISTANCE

A creature has Fire Resistance.

Incoming Fire:

35

35 ÷ 2 = 17.5

Round down:

17 DAMAGE

CHALLENGE 13 — DOUBLE RESISTANCE

The creature has two different sources of Fire Resistance.

Incoming Fire:

35

Final:

17

not:

8

because Resistance applies only:

ONCE

to the damage instance.

CHALLENGE 14 — RESTRAINED

The Fighter becomes Restrained.

Speed:

0

Fighter's Attack Rolls:

DISADVANTAGE

Attacks against Fighter:

ADVANTAGE

Dexterity Saves:

DISADVANTAGE

Can the Fighter still take an Action?

YES

Restrained doesn't itself impose:

INCAPACITATED

CHALLENGE 15 — ROUND DOWN

Speed:

25 FEET

Prone standing cost:

25 ÷ 2 = 12.5

Default rounding:

12 FEET

LESSON 89 — KEY TAKEAWAYS

The N–R glossary block is filled with rules that determine positioning, perception, conditions, and reaction timing.

Remember especially:

AN NPC IS A NAMED GM-CONTROLLED CHARACTER WITH A DISTINCT PERSONALITY

AN OBJECT IS A NONLIVING DISTINCT THING

BUILDINGS CAN CONTAIN MULTIPLE OBJECTS

A SPACE CAN BE OCCUPIED BY A CREATURE OR COMPLETELY FILLED BY OBJECTS

OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS REQUIRE YOU TO SEE THE CREATURE

THEY TRIGGER WHEN A CREATURE LEAVES YOUR REACH USING ITS ACTION, BONUS ACTION, REACTION, OR A SPEED

AN OPPORTUNITY ATTACK IS ONE MELEE ATTACK, NOT THE ATTACK ACTION

TELEPORTATION AND ORDINARY FORCED MOVEMENT DON'T NORMALLY PROVOKE

PARALYZED INCLUDES INCAPACITATED

PARALYZED AUTOMATICALLY FAILS STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY SAVES

ATTACKS AGAINST PARALYZED CREATURES HAVE ADVANTAGE

A HIT AGAINST A PARALYZED CREATURE IS AUTOMATICALLY CRITICAL IF THE ATTACKER IS WITHIN 5 FEET

PASSIVE PERCEPTION IS 10 + THE FULL WISDOM (PERCEPTION) CHECK BONUS

ADVANTAGE ADDS 5 TO PASSIVE PERCEPTION

DISADVANTAGE SUBTRACTS 5

“PER DAY” RECHARGES THROUGH A LONG REST

PETRIFIED MULTIPLIES WEIGHT BY TEN AND STOPS AGING

PETRIFIED GRANTS RESISTANCE TO ALL DAMAGE

PETRIFIED GRANTS IMMUNITY TO THE POISONED CONDITION

POISONED AFFECTS ATTACK ROLLS AND ABILITY CHECKS, NOT SAVING THROWS

POSSESSION USES THE RULES OF THE EFFECT THAT CREATED IT

PROFICIENCY ALLOWS YOU TO ADD YOUR PROFICIENCY BONUS WHEN RELEVANT

PRONE COSTS HALF YOUR SPEED TO END

SPEED 0 PREVENTS YOU FROM STANDING FROM PRONE

PRONE ATTACK MODIFIERS DEPEND ON WHETHER THE ATTACKER IS WITHIN 5 FEET

DEFAULT REACH IS 5 FEET

A REACTION CAN HAPPEN ON YOUR TURN OR SOMEONE ELSE'S TURN

AFTER USING A REACTION, YOU DON'T GET ANOTHER UNTIL THE START OF YOUR NEXT TURN

READY USES YOUR ACTION NOW AND YOUR REACTION LATER

THE READY TRIGGER MUST BE PERCEIVABLE

A NORMAL READIED RESPONSE HAPPENS AFTER THE TRIGGER FINISHES

YOU CAN IGNORE A READIED TRIGGER

A READIED SPELL IS CAST AND PAID FOR WHEN YOU READY IT

ONLY ACTION-CASTING-TIME SPELLS CAN NORMALLY BE READIED

HOLDING A READIED SPELL REQUIRES CONCENTRATION

RESISTANCE HALVES DAMAGE AND ROUNDS DOWN

MULTIPLE RESISTANCES TO THE SAME DAMAGE DON'T STACK

RESTRAINED IS NOT THE SAME AS INCAPACITATED

RITUAL CASTING ADDS TEN MINUTES AND SPENDS NO SPELL SLOT

RITUAL SPELLS CAN'T BE UPCAST THROUGH RITUAL CASTING

and:

WHEN THE GAME PRODUCES A FRACTION, THE DEFAULT RULE IS ROUND DOWN

unless a specific rule explicitly tells you otherwise.

NEXT LESSON

LESSON 90 — RULES GLOSSARY S–Z

The next lesson completes the entire Rules Glossary.

We will cover every remaining official term from:

S

through:

Z

including:

SAVING THROWS

SEARCH

SHORT RESTS

SPEED

SPHERES

STABLE

STUDY

STUNNED

SUFFOCATION

SWIMMING

TELEPATHY

TELEPORTATION

TEMPORARY HIT POINTS

TREMORSENSE

TRUESIGHT

UNCONSCIOUS

UNARMED STRIKES

UTILIZE

VULNERABILITY

and:

EVERY OTHER SRD 5.2.1 GLOSSARY ENTRY THROUGH Z

After Lesson 90, the Rules Glossary section of the course will be complete, and Lesson 91 will begin the:

GAMEPLAY TOOLBOX

with:

ADVANCED TRAVEL RULES

SRD 5.2.1 ATTRIBUTION

This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.