Rules Glossary

This glossary defines terms and conditions used throughout the rules. Use Cmd/Ctrl+F to search.

For a quick summary of conditions, see the Conditions Quick Ref.

Glossary Conventions

Tags in Brackets. Some entries have a tag in brackets after the entry's name, as in "Attack [Action]." A tag—Action, Area of Effect, Attitude, Condition, or Hazard—indicates that a rule is part of a family of rules.

"You." The game's rules often talk about something happening to "you" in the game world. That "you" refers to the creature or object that the rule applies to in a particular moment of play.

"See Also." Some glossary entries include a See also section that points to other entries in the glossary or other parts of the rules.

Abbreviations

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A

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 special actions provided by your features:

Adventure

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

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.

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 GM designates as your ally.

Area of Effect

Many spells and features specify an area of effect with one of six shapes: Cone, Cube, Cylinder, Emanation, Line, or Sphere. An area of effect has a point of origin from which the effect erupts. If all straight lines from the point of origin to a location are blocked, that location isn't included in the area.

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 is 10 plus your Dexterity modifier. If a rule gives you another base AC calculation, you choose which to use.

Armor Training

Armor training allows you to use armor of a certain category without drawbacks. Without training, you have Disadvantage on D20 Tests involving Strength or Dexterity, and you can't cast spells.

Attack [Action]

When you take the Attack action, you can make one attack roll with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike.

Equipping and Unequipping Weapons. You can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action. You do so either before or after the attack. If you equip a weapon before an attack, you don't need to use it for that attack. Equipping a weapon includes drawing it from a sheath or picking it up. Unequipping a weapon includes sheathing, stowing, or dropping it.

Moving between Attacks. If you move on your turn and have a feature, such as Extra Attack, that gives you more than one attack as part of the Attack action, you can use some or all of that movement to move between those attacks.

Attack Roll

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

Attunement

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

Attitude

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

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B

Blinded [Condition]

While you have the Blinded condition, you experience the following effects.

Can't See. You can't see and automatically fail any ability check that requires sight.

Attacks Affected. Attack rolls against you have Advantage, and your attack rolls have Disadvantage.

Blindsight

If you have Blindsight, you can see within a specific range without relying on physical sight. Within that range, you can see anything that isn't behind Total Cover even if you have the Blinded condition or are in Darkness.

Bloodied

A creature is Bloodied while it has half its Hit Points or fewer remaining.

Bonus Action

A Bonus Action is a special action you can take on the same turn as 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 GM may allow a creature to break it automatically with the Attack or Utilize action.

Object Armor Class

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.

Object Hit Points

Damage Types and Objects. Objects have Immunity to Poison and Psychic damage. The GM 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 [Hazard]

A burning creature or object takes 1d4 Fire damage at the start of each of its turns. As an action, you can extinguish fire on yourself by giving yourself the Prone condition and rolling on the ground. The fire also goes out if it is doused, submerged, or suffocated.

Burrow Speed

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

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C

Campaign

A campaign is a series of adventures.

Cantrip

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

Carrying Capacity

Your size and Strength score determine 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.

Challenge Rating

Challenge Rating (CR) summarizes the threat a monster poses to a group of four player characters. If the CR is higher than the characters' level, the monster is likely a danger.

Character Sheet

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

Charmed [Condition]

While you have the Charmed condition, you experience the following effects.

Can't Harm the Charmer. You can't attack the charmer or target the charmer with damaging abilities or magical effects.

Social Advantage. The charmer has Advantage on any ability check to interact with you socially.

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 GM'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 extra movement.

Concentration

Some spells and other effects require Concentration to remain active, as specified in their descriptions. If the effect's creator loses Concentration, the effect ends. The creator can end Concentration at any time (no action required). The following factors break Concentration.

Another Concentration Effect. You lose Concentration on an effect the moment you start casting a spell that requires Concentration or activate another effect that requires Concentration.

Damage. If you take damage, you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw to maintain Concentration. The DC equals 10 or half the damage taken (round down), whichever number is higher, up to a maximum DC of 30.

Incapacitated or Dead. Your Concentration ends if you have the Incapacitated condition or you die.

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 protection: Half Cover (+2 AC and Dex saves), Three-Quarters Cover (+5 AC and Dex saves), Total Cover (can't be targeted directly).

Crawling

While 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 has a type: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, or Undead.

Critical Hit

If you roll a 20 on the d20 for an attack roll, you score a Critical Hit. Roll all of the attack's damage dice twice and add them together, then add 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 extends from a point of origin at the center of the circular top or bottom. The origin is included in the area.

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D

D20 Test

D20 Tests encompass ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. If something affects D20 Tests, it affects all three.

Damage

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

Damage Roll

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

Damage Threshold

A creature or object with a damage threshold has Immunity to all damage unless it takes damage equal to or greater than the threshold from a single attack or effect.

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 GM assign a type to a new effect.

Darkness

An area of Darkness is Heavily Obscured.

Darkvision

If you have Darkvision, you can see in Dim Light within a specified range as if it were Bright Light, and in Darkness as if it were Dim Light. You discern colors in Darkness only as shades of gray.

Dash [Action]

When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement equal to your Speed for the current turn.

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 [Condition]

While you have the Deafened condition, you experience the following effect.

Can't Hear. You can't hear and automatically fail any ability check that requires hearing.

Death Saving Throw

A player character must make a Death Saving Throw if they start their turn with 0 Hit Points.

Dehydration [Hazard]

A creature requires an amount of water per day based on its size, as shown in the Water Needs per Day table. A creature that drinks less than half the required water for a day gains 1 Exhaustion level at the day's end. Exhaustion caused by dehydration can't be removed until the creature drinks the full amount of water required for a day.

Water Needs per Day

Difficult Terrain

Every foot of movement in Difficult Terrain costs 1 extra foot. Causes include creatures, furniture, snow, ice, rubble, undergrowth, liquid between shin- and waist-deep, narrow openings, and slopes of 20 degrees or more.

Difficulty Class

A Difficulty Class (DC) is the target number for an ability check or 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. Advantage and Disadvantage cancel each other.

Disengage [Action]

If you take the Disengage action, your movement doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks for the rest of the turn.

Dodge [Action]

If you take the Dodge action, attack rolls against you have Disadvantage if you can see the attacker, and you make Dexterity saving throws with Advantage until the start of your next turn. You lose these benefits if Incapacitated or Speed is 0.

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E

Emanation [Area of Effect]

An Emanation extends in straight lines from a creature or object in all directions. It moves with its origin unless instantaneous or stationary.

Encounter

An encounter is a scene in an adventure involving 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 rules or GM.

Exhaustion [Condition]

While you have the Exhaustion condition, you experience the following effects.

Exhaustion Levels. This condition is cumulative. Each time you receive it, you gain 1 Exhaustion level. You die if your Exhaustion level is 6.

D20 Tests Affected. When you make a D20 Test, the roll is reduced by 2 times your Exhaustion level.

Speed Reduced. Your Speed is reduced by a number of feet equal to 5 times your Exhaustion level.

Removing Exhaustion Levels. Finishing a Long Rest removes 1 of your Exhaustion levels. When your Exhaustion level reaches 0, the condition ends.

Experience Points

Characters earn Experience Points (XP) as they overcome challenges. When XP crosses certain thresholds, the character's level increases.

Expertise

Expertise doubles your Proficiency Bonus for ability checks with a skill proficiency in which you have Expertise.

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F

Falling [Hazard]

A creature that falls takes 1d6 Bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it fell, to a maximum of 20d6. The creature has the Prone condition unless it avoids taking any damage.

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.

Flying

While flying, you fall if you have the Incapacitated or Prone condition or your Fly Speed is reduced to 0. You can stay aloft if you can hover.

Frightened [Condition]

While you have the Frightened condition, you experience the following effects.

Ability Checks and Attacks Affected. You have Disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of fear is within line of sight.

Can't Approach. You can't willingly move closer to the source of fear.

Friendly [Attitude]

A Friendly creature views you favorably. You have Advantage on ability checks to influence a Friendly creature.

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G

Grappled [Condition]

While you have the Grappled condition, you experience the following effects.

Speed 0. Your Speed is 0 and can't increase.

Attacks Affected. You have Disadvantage on attack rolls against any target other than the grappler.

Movable. The grappler can drag or carry you when it moves, but every foot of movement costs it 1 extra foot unless you are Tiny or two or more sizes smaller than it.

Grappling

A creature can grapple another using an Unarmed Strike. Successfully grappling gives the target the Grappled condition. A creature must have a hand free to grapple and can grapple only one creature per hand. The Grappled creature can escape with a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the grapple's escape DC.

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H

Hazard

A hazard is an environmental danger: Burning, Dehydration, Falling, Malnutrition, or Suffocation.

Healing

Healing restores Hit Points.

Heavily Obscured

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

Help [Action]

You can assist an ability check (granting Advantage on the next check with a chosen skill) or assist an attack roll (giving Advantage on the next attack against an enemy within 5 feet of you).

Heroic Inspiration

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

Hide [Action]

To hide, succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check while Heavily Obscured or behind Three-Quarters or Total Cover, and out of enemy line of sight. You gain the Invisible condition while hidden.

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 "Character Creation." 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 ability checks 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.

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I

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 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 GM 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 GM may say it functions as that weapon and uses that weapon's rules. For example, the GM could treat a table leg as a Club.

Incapacitated [Condition]

While you have the Incapacitated condition, you experience the following effects.

Inactive. You can't take any action, Bonus Action, or Reaction.

No Concentration. Your Concentration is broken.

Speechless. You can't speak.

Surprised. If you're Incapacitated when you roll Initiative, you have Disadvantage on the roll.

Indifferent [Attitude]

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

Influence [Action]

With the Influence action, you urge a monster to do something. Describe or roleplay how you're communicating with the monster. The GM then determines whether the monster feels willing, unwilling, or hesitant due to your interaction.

Willing. If your urging aligns with the monster's desires, no ability check is necessary; the monster fulfills your request in a way it prefers.

Unwilling. If your urging is repugnant to the monster or counter to its alignment, no ability check is necessary; it doesn't comply.

Hesitant. If you urge the monster to do something that it is hesitant to do, you must make an ability check, which is affected by the monster's attitude: Indifferent, Friendly, or Hostile. The GM chooses the check, which has a default DC equal to 15 or the monster's Intelligence score, whichever is higher. On a successful check, the monster does as urged. On a failed check, you must wait 24 hours before urging it in the same way again.

Influence Checks

Initiative

Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. Roll d20 + Dexterity modifier. Your Initiative score (for optional rules) equals 10 + Dexterity modifier.

Invisible [Condition]

While you have the Invisible condition, you experience the following effects.

Surprise. If you're Invisible when you roll Initiative, you have Advantage on the roll.

Concealed. You aren't affected by any effect that requires its target to be seen unless the effect's creator can somehow see you. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying is also concealed.

Attacks Affected. Attack rolls against you have Disadvantage, and your attack rolls have Advantage. If a creature can somehow see you, you don't gain this benefit against that creature.

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J-K

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 it to 1 Hit Point. The creature has the Unconscious condition and starts a Short Rest.

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L

Lightly Obscured

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

Line [Area of Effect]

A Line extends from a point of origin in a straight path along its length and covers an area defined by its width.

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. A standing Long Jump is half that distance.

Long Rest

A Long Rest is at least 8 hours of extended downtime (6+ hours sleep, 2 hours light activity). Benefits: regain all HP and Hit Dice, restore reduced ability scores, reduce Exhaustion by 1.

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M

Magic [Action]

When you take the Magic action, you cast a spell with a casting time of an action or use a feature/magic item that requires a Magic action.

Magical Effect

An effect is magical if created by a spell, a magic item, or a phenomenon labeled as magical.

Malnutrition [Hazard]

A creature needs an amount of food per day based on its size, as shown in the Food Needs per Day table. A creature that eats but consumes less than half the required food for a day must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 Exhaustion level at the day's end. A creature that eats nothing for 5 days automatically gains 1 Exhaustion level at the end of the fifth day as well as an additional level at the end of each subsequent day without food.

Exhaustion caused by malnutrition can't be removed until the creature eats the full amount of food required for a day.

Food Needs per Day

Monster

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

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N-O

Nonplayer Character

An NPC is a monster that has a personal name and distinct personality.

Object

An object is a nonliving, distinct thing.

Occupied Space

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

Opportunity Attacks

You can make an Opportunity Attack when a creature you can see leaves your reach. Take a Reaction to make one melee attack against the provoking creature.

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P

Paralyzed [Condition]

While you have the Paralyzed condition, you experience the following effects.

Incapacitated. You have the Incapacitated condition.

Speed 0. Your Speed is 0 and can't increase.

Saving Throws Affected. You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Attacks Affected. Attack rolls against you have Advantage.

Automatic Critical Hits. Any attack roll that hits you is a Critical Hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of you.

Passive Perception

Passive Perception equals 10 + Wisdom (Perception) bonus. Add 5 if you have Advantage on such checks; subtract 5 if you have Disadvantage.

Per Day

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

Petrified [Condition]

While you have the Petrified condition, you experience the following effects.

Turned to Inanimate Substance. You are transformed, along with any nonmagical objects you are wearing and carrying, into a solid inanimate substance (usually stone). Your weight increases by a factor of ten, and you cease aging.

Incapacitated. You have the Incapacitated condition.

Speed 0. Your Speed is 0 and can't increase.

Attacks Affected. Attack rolls against you have Advantage.

Saving Throws Affected. You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Automatic Critical Hits. Any attack roll that hits you is a Critical Hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of you.

Resist Damage. You have Resistance to all damage.

Poison Immunity. You have Immunity to the Poisoned condition.

Player Character

A player character is a character controlled by a player.

Poisoned [Condition]

While you have the Poisoned condition, you experience the following effect.

Ability Checks and Attacks Affected. You have Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Possession

A possessing effect defines how possession operates. It can be prevented by Protection from Evil and Good and ended by Dispel Evil and Good.

Proficiency

If you have proficiency with something, add your Proficiency Bonus to any D20 Test using that thing.

Prone [Condition]

While you have the Prone condition, you experience the following effects.

Restricted Movement. Your only movement options are to crawl or to spend an amount of movement equal to half your Speed (round down) to right yourself and thereby end the condition. If your Speed is 0, you can't right yourself.

Attacks Affected. You have Disadvantage on attack rolls. An attack roll against you has Advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of you. Otherwise, that attack roll has Disadvantage.

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R

Reach

A creature has a reach of 5 feet unless a rule says otherwise.

Reaction

A Reaction is a special action taken in response to a trigger. You can take one Reaction per round. The Opportunity Attack is a Reaction available to all creatures.

Ready [Action]

You take the Ready action to wait for a circumstance before acting. Choose a perceivable trigger and an action (or movement) to take in response. When the trigger occurs, you can either take your Reaction right after the trigger finishes or ignore the trigger.

Readying a Spell. When you Ready a spell, you cast it as normal (expending any resources used to cast it) but hold its energy, which you release with your Reaction when the trigger occurs. To be readied, a spell must have a casting time of an action, and holding on to the spell's magic requires Concentration, which you can maintain up to the start of your next turn. If your Concentration is broken, the spell dissipates without taking effect.

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 [Condition]

While you have the Restrained condition, you experience the following effects.

Speed 0. Your Speed is 0 and can't increase.

Attacks Affected. Attack rolls against you have Advantage, and your attack rolls have Disadvantage.

Saving Throws Affected. You have Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

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.

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S

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 [Action]

When you take the Search action, you make a Wisdom check to discern something that isn't obvious. The Search table suggests which skills are applicable when you take this action, depending on what you're trying to detect.

Search

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 GM—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 "Spells."

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, Medium, 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 GM determining its actual alignment.

AC, Initiative, and HP. These entries give the monster's Armor Class, Initiative, and Hit Points. 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.

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. 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 GM determines whether you use the static number or the die expression in parentheses; you don't use both.

Study [Action]

When you take the Study action, you make an Intelligence check to study your memory, a book, a clue, or another source of knowledge and call to mind an important piece of information about it.

The Areas of Knowledge table suggests which skills are applicable to various areas of knowledge.

Areas of Knowledge

Stunned [Condition]

While you have the Stunned condition, you experience the following effects.

Incapacitated. You have the Incapacitated condition.

Saving Throws Affected. You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Attacks Affected. Attack rolls against you have Advantage.

Suffocation [Hazard]

A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 plus its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds) before suffocation begins. When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it gains 1 Exhaustion level at the end of each of its turns. When a creature can breathe again, it removes all levels of Exhaustion it gained from suffocating.

Surprise

If a creature is caught unawares by the start of combat, that creature is surprised, which causes it to have Disadvantage on its Initiative roll.

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 GM'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.

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T

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

A creature with Tremorsense can pinpoint the location of creatures and moving objects within a specific range, provided that the creature with Tremorsense and anything it is detecting are both in contact with the same surface (such as the ground, a wall, or a ceiling) or the same liquid.

Tremorsense can't detect creatures or objects in the air, and it doesn't count as a form of sight.

Truesight

If you have Truesight, your vision is enhanced within a specified range. Within that range, your vision pierces through the following:

Darkness. You can see in normal and magical Darkness.

Invisibility. You see creatures and objects that have the Invisible condition.

Visual Illusions. Visual illusions appear transparent to you, and you automatically succeed on saving throws against them.

Transformations. You discern the true form of any creature or object you see that has been transformed by magic.

Ethereal Plane. You see into the Ethereal Plane.

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U

Unarmed Strike

Instead of using a weapon to make a melee attack, you can use a punch, kick, headbutt, 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 [Condition]

While you have the Unconscious condition, you experience the following effects.

Inert. You have the Incapacitated and Prone conditions, and you drop whatever you're holding. When this condition ends, you remain Prone.

Speed 0. Your Speed is 0 and can't increase.

Attacks Affected. Attack rolls against you have Advantage.

Saving Throws Affected. You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Automatic Critical Hits. Any attack roll that hits you is a Critical Hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of you.

Unaware. You're unaware of your surroundings.

Unoccupied Space

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

Utilize [Action]

You normally interact with an object while doing something else, such as when you draw a sword as part of the Attack action. When an object requires an action for its use, you take the Utilize action.

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V

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.

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W

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.