Conditions
Conditions alter a creature’s capabilities in a variety of ways and can arise as a result of a spell, a class feature, a monster’s attack, or other effect. Most conditions, such as blinded, are impairments, but a few, such as invisible, can be advantageous.
Conditon Rules
Duration
A condition lasts either until it is countered (the Prone condition is countered by standing up, for example) or for a duration specified by the effect that imposed the condition. If a condition can be countered, it is described in the condition's description.
Static Conditions
If multiple effects impose the same condition on a creature, but that condition doesn't have any additional or stacking effects (see below), each instance of the condition has its own duration, but the condition’s effects don’t get worse. A creature either has that condition or doesn’t.
Evolving Conditions
Some conditions might turn into worse conditions if not properly countered (the Bleeding condition might turn into the Gaping Wounds condition, for example.) In this scenario, the new condition and its duration replaces the old condition.
Stacking Conditions
Some conditions have additional effects if they are inflicted multiple times on a creature, represented by their Stack. Accumulating Stacks causes additional effects based on the amount of Stacks a creature has. If a creature that already has a stack of a Stacking Condition suffers another effect that causes them to gain that condition again, it instead gains an amount of stacks specified in the effect's description. A creature suffers the effects of its current Stack amount.
An effect that removes a stacking condition reduces its level as specified in the effect's description, with all effects of that stacking condition ending if a creature's Stacks of that condition are reduced below 1.
Bleeding
(Evolving Condition)
- The creature takes 1d4 Slashing damage at the start of their turn.
- If a creature that is already Bleeding is inflicted with the Bleeding condition again, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw, where the DC equals 5 + the damage taken. On a failed save, the bleeding condition worsens into the Gaping Wounds condition.
- If a creature regains 10 or more hit points from a single source in a round, or if it is restored to its maximum hit points, this condition is cured.
Blinded
(Static Condition)
- A Blinded creature can't see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
Burning
(Static Condition)
- While a creature is Burning, it takes 1d10 Fire damage at the start of its turns.
- If a creature is doused or submerged in water, or enters a zone without oxygen to fuel the fire, this condition ends.
Charmed
(Static Condition)
- A Charmed creature can't attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects.
- The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.
Dazed
(Static Condition)
- The creature cannot take reactions
- The creature has disadvantage on ability checks and Dexterity saving throws.
- Melee attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s own attack rolls have disadvantage.
- The creature cannot concentrate on a spell, and any spells it was concentrating on immediately end.
Deafened
(Static Condition)
- A Deafened creature can't hear and automatically fails any ability check that requires hearing.
Dying
(Static Condition)
The following is a variation of the basic rules for when characters are downed in combat. It allows for some limited actions to still be used.
When a creature is reduced below 0 hit points, they begin Dying. They stop dying if they regain hit points, they they succeed 3 Death saving throws (becoming stabilized) or they die. At the start of the dying creature's turn, it must make a Death saving throw. This saving throw has no associated ability.
If the creature accumulates 3 fails, they die. If they accumulate 3 successes, the creature is stabilized and makes no death saving throws, but still suffers the other effects of Dying until they regain hit points. Taking damage while stabilized resets their total death save failure/success pool, causing them to repeat the saves.
While Dying, a creature has the following traits:
- The creature is Prone (see conditions), and can't stand until it regains hit points.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
- Any spells the creature was concentrating on immediately end, as if they had fallen Unconscious. The DM decides whether other abilities that would normally be canceled by falling Unconscious also end.
- Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, a dying creature can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn, and can't cast a leveled spell.
If creature that is dying scores a critical hit against another creature with an attack roll, they regain 1 hit point.
Exhaustion
(Stacking Condition)
Some special abilities and environmental hazards, such as starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching temperatures, can lead to a special condition called Exhaustion. Exhaustion is measured in eleven levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of Exhaustion, as specified in the effect's description.
Finishing a long rest reduces a creature's Exhaustion Stack by 1, provided that the creature has also ingested some food and drink. Also, being raised from the dead reduces a creature's Exhaustion stack by 1.
| Stack | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | -1 to D20 rolls |
| 2 | -2 to D20 rolls |
| 3 | -3 to D20 rolls |
| 4 | -4 to D20 rolls |
| 5 | -5 to D20 rolls |
| 6 | -6 to D20 rolls |
| 7 | -7 to D20 rolls |
| 8 | -8 to D20 rolls |
| 9 | -9 to D20 rolls |
| 10 | -10 to D20 rolls |
| 11 | Death |
Frightened
(Static Condition)
- A Frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.
- The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.
Gaping Wounds
(Evolving Condition)
- The creature is Bleeding (see condition), and takes an additional 2d4 Slashing damage at the start of its turns.
- The creature's speed is halved
- If this condition isn't cured before the duration ends, the creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw when the duration ends. On a failed save, the creature takes 1d10 Poison damage, and the duration resets.
- If a creature regains 20 or more hit points from a single source in a round, or if it is restored to its maximum hit points, this condition is cured.
Incapacitated
(Static Condition)
- An Incapacitated creature can't take actions or reactions.
Invisible
(Static Condition)
- An Invisible creature is impossible to see without the aid of magic or a special sense. For the purpose of hiding, the creature is heavily obscured. The creature's location can be detected by any noise it makes or any tracks it leaves.
- Attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage, and the creature's attack rolls have advantage.
Lethargic
(Static Condition)
- A Lethagic creature can't take Actions or Reactions
- The creature's movement speed is halved
- The creature has disadvantage on all D20 rolls
- The creature can't use any Legendary or Lair Actions it has.
Mindbroken
(Stacking Condition)
A creature can lose Mindbroken by not performing similar acts in sequence- by taking a different action on its turn than the one previous- after which 1 stack is removed. Outside of combat, 1 stack of Mindbroken is lost each minute a creature spends only performing light activity.
| Stack | Effects |
|---|---|
| 1 | -1 to attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. |
| 2 | -2 to attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. |
| 3 | -3 to attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. |
| 4 | -4 to attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. |
| 5 | Intelligence score reduced by 2 until creature completes a short or long rest, all stacks of Mindbroken are lost. |
Paralyzed
(Static Condition)
- A Paralyzed creature is Incapacitated (see condition) and can't move or speak.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
- Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
Partial Paralysis
(Static Condition)
- A Partially Paralyzed creature can only take an action or bonus action on its turn, not both.
- Creatures can't use any Fly speed they have, and flying creatures fall to the ground.
- Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn.
Petrified
(Static Condition)
- A Petrified creature is transformed, along with any nonmagical object it is wearing or carrying, into a solid inanimate substance (usually stone). Its weight increases by a factor of ten, and it ceases aging.
- The creature is Incapacitated (see the condition), can't move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- The creature has resistance to all damage.
- The creature is immune to poison and disease, although a poison or disease already in its system is suspended, not neutralized.
Poisoned
(Static Condition)
- A Poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Prone
(Static Condition)
- A Prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
- The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
- An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.
Restrained
(Static Condition)
- A Restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
- The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Slowed
(Stacking Condition)
If a creature is inflicted with Slowed, it loses all of its stacks after 1 minute.
| Stack | Effects |
|---|---|
| 1 | -10 to walking speed |
| 2 | Can only take an action or bonus action on its turn, not both, plus all previous Stack effects. |
| 3 | Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn, plus all previous Stack effects. |
| 4 | Can't use any Fly speed they have, flying creatures fall to the ground, plus all previous Stack effects. |
| 5 | Becomes Incapacitated (see condition) and can't Move, plus all previous Stack effects. |
Stunned
(Static Condition)
- A Stunned creature is Incapacitated (see the condition), can't move, and can speak only falteringly.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
Unconscious
(Static Condition)
- An Unconscious creature is Incapacitated (see the condition), can't move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings
- The creature drops whatever it's holding and falls Prone.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
- Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
Grappling
When a creature wants to grab a creature or wrestle with it, they can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack: a Grapple. If the creature is able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.
The target of a grapple must be no more than one size larger than the grappling creature and must be within reach. Using at least one free hand, the grappler tries to seize the target by making a grapple check instead of an attack roll: a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength or Dexterity saving throw (the target chooses the ability to use).
A Grappled creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed.
You can release the target whenever you like (no action required). The grapple ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition), or if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the Thunderwave spell.