Expanded Combat & Conditions

General Adjustments

Initiative and Surprise

If a Natural 20 is rolled for Initiative, that character gains Advantage to a D20 Test they make during their first turn (of their choice). If a Surprised creature rolls a Natural 20, they instead are not Surprised.
Surprise functions similarly to base 5e, with the following clarifications and adjustments:

• Surprised creatures are declared by the GM before the first turn of combat begins.
• If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other and combat begins as normal. Otherwise, the GM compares the Stealth checks of anyone hiding against the Passive Perception of each creature on the opposing side. Any creature that doesn’t notice a threat becomes Surprised.
• If a Hiding creature performs an action that would alert nearby enemies (such as attacking or casting an audible and/or visual spell), combat begins and Surprise (if any) is declared by the GM, as normal. All creatures who performed such an action, loses that action during this first turn of combat (e.g. if attacked as an Action, no Action for this turn).
• A Surprised creature has Disadvantage on their Initiative roll.
• A member of a group can be Surprised even if the other members aren’t.

Free Object Interactions

In addition to having an Action and Bonus Action on their turn during combat, all creatures are also allotted a single Free Object Interaction on each of their turns. Though every option for this Free Object Interaction is available via the Use an Object action, the same is not true vice versa. Though what you can explicitly do with this interaction is ultimately determined by your GM, the following are some examples of what you can do:

• Draw and/or stow a weapon in the same turn (instead of the regular Action).
• Open a door or simple container.
• Pick up a weapon or object from the ground or an open container.
• Hand an object to another creature.
• Retrieve an item from an active Bandolier.

Opportunity Attacks

• Cannot be done to allies.

Retrieving, Stowing, and Using Items from Storage

• Basic Out of Storage. Retrieving or stowing an item in your storage (i.e. your bag) takes an Action. This includes adventuring gear, potions, scrolls, and weapons.
• Recently Stolen Items. Stowing an item not belonging to you (GMs discretion) takes an Action and Bonus Action.
• Potions and Gear. Items like potions and certain adventuring gear that require the Utilize action to use, can be used as part of the same Action you take to retrieve it out of storage. Using an aforementioned item that is already in your hands (i.e. not in storage), can instead be used as a Bonus Action.
• Spell Scrolls. Using a spell scroll to cast a spell is done so through normal rules. This is seperate from the Action it takes to retrieve the scroll from storage.
• Weapons. You can draw and/or stow a weapon as part of the same Action.
• Bandolier Exceptions. Retrieving or stowing an item from an active Bandolier has certain rule additions/replacements.

Combat Adjustments

Tactical Combat

Flanking

• Every creature can Flank.
• While you and an ally are Flanking an enemy, both you and your ally have a +2 bonus on Attack Rolls against that enemy.
• To Flank an enemy, you and your ally must be on opposite sides or corners of the creature. A line drawn between the center of your space and the center of your ally’s space must pass through opposite sides or opposite corners of the enemy’s space.
• A creature cannot provide Flanking if it cannot see the enemy, it is Incapacitated, it is wielding a Ranged Weapon, or if it is under an effect that would prevent it from attacking that enemy (e.g. Charmed condition).

Mounting an Unwilling Creature / Climbing onto a Bigger Creature

If a creature wants to jump onto another, unwilling creature, it can do so by Grappling. A Small or Medium creature has little chance of making a successful Grapple against a Huge or Gargantuan creature, however, unless magic has granted the grappler supernatural might.
As an alternative, a suitably large opponent can be treated as terrain for the purpose of jumping onto its back or clinging to a limb. After making the necessary steps to get into position and onto the larger creature (usually through an Ability Check or two), the smaller creature uses the Grapple Action to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target’s Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the smaller creature wins the contest, it successfully moves into the target creature’s space and clings to its body. While in the target’s space, the smaller creature moves with the target and has Advantage on Attack Rolls against it. If the smaller creature fails, it drops to a nearby unoccupied space and depending on the height, might take some fall damage (subject to GMs discretion).
The smaller creature can move around within the larger creature’s space, treating the space as Difficult Terrain. The larger creature’s ability to attack the smaller creature depends on the smaller creature’s location, and is left to the GMs discretion. The larger creature can dislodge the smaller creature as an Action—knocking it off, scraping it against a wall, or grabbing and throwing it—by making a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the smaller creature’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The smaller creature chooses which ability to use.

Opportunity Attacks

• A creature can make an Opportunity Attack when a Hostile creature they can see moves out of their reach, or when a Hostile creature stands up from Prone while within their reach. To make the Opportunity Attack, you use your Reaction to make one Melee Attack against the provoking creature. The attack occurs right before the creature leaves your reach.
• A creature can avoid provoking an Opportunity Attack by taking the Disengage action. You also don’t provoke an Opportunity Attack when you teleport or when someone or something moves you without using your movement, Action, or Reaction. For example, you don’t provoke an Opportunity Attack if an explosion hurls you out of a foe’s reach or if gravity causes you to fall past an enemy.
• A creature that stands up from Prone that provokes an Opportunity Attack, cannot be knocked Prone again from that Opportunity Attack, even if their Speed is reduced to 0 from it.

Additional Actions in Combat

Bypass

A creature can try to move through a Hostile creature's space, whether that is by forcing its way through or by ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an Action or Bonus Action, the bypasser makes a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the Hostile creature's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (their choice). If the bypasser wins the contest, it can move through the Hostile creature's space once this turn. The Hostile creature can choose to just let the bypasser pass them instead of rolling. If the bypasser takes this as a Bonus Action, their roll has Disadvantage.

Dip

As a Bonus Action, a creature can dip their weapon in a surface (that the GM deems acceptable), or coat a weapon with a poison or flask of oil in their hand or bandolier (Action otherwise).

• Surface. Until the start of the creature's next turn, their weapon deals an additional 1d4 damage of a Damage Type determined by the surface (GMs discretion).
• Coating. Until a specified time or until 3 attacks are made with the dipped weapon, the creature deals an additional amount of damage with the weapon—the damage and Damage Type determined by the item or the GM.

If dual-wielding, the creature can dip both weapons. If dipping arrows or bolts, they can dip up to five at a time; each ammunition deals the 1d4 damage seperately. Depending on the surface, the GM may also decide the damage is higher than 1d4.

Disarm

A creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or other item from a target’s grasp. As an Action, the attacker makes an Attack Roll with their weapon, a Strength (Athletics) check, or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the attacker wins the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender drops the item.
The defender has Advantage on their roll if it’s holding the item with two or more hands. You have Advantage on your roll if your Size is larger than the target, or Disadvantage if your Size is smaller.

Shove Aside

When a creature tries to Shove a target, they can choose to push the target to the side (to a space within 5 feet), rather than way. Doing so gives the target Advantage on their save.

Additional Free Actions in Combat

Jump

Once per Round, you can jump a number of feet determined by your Strength (no action required). The amount of feet you cover is calculated in the ways below (based on the type of jump you're doing). A running jump requires you to move at least 10 feet on foot before the jump.

• Running Long Jump: Strength
• Standing Long Jump: Strength / 2
• Running High Jump: 3 + Strength
• Standing High Jump: (3 + Strength) / 2

Regardless of how you jump, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement. You cannot jump unless you have enough movement to do so. If you land in Difficult Terrain, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to land on your feet; otherwise, you land Prone. Furthermore, the amount of feet you can jump is always rounded down, to the nearest 5 feet. Alternatively, while making a running jump, you can make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check; on a success, the amount of feet you can jump is instead rounded up, to the nearest 5 feet.
Examples of Jump Distance

Strength Score	Running Long Jump	Standing Long Jump	Running High Jump	Standing High Jump
10	10 ft.	5 ft.	10 ft.	5 ft.
12	10 ft.	5 ft.	15 ft.	5 ft.
15	15 ft.	5 ft.	15 ft.	5 ft.
20	20 ft.	10 ft.	20 ft.	10 ft.

Damage Types

Normally in base 5e, there are a total of 13 damage types as seen below:

• Bludgeoning
• Piercing
• Slashing
• Fire
• Cold
• Poison (toxin)
• Acid (corrosion)
• Psychic (mental)
• Necrotic (decay)
• Radiant (holy/blinding)
• Lightning (electricity)
• Thunder (sound/shockwave)
• Force (pure magic/void)

In addition to these, there is also the following:

True Damage

• This is unmodifiable, true damage that represents the sacrificing of one's own vigor and soul stability.
• A creature that takes True Damage cannot have that damage be increased or decreased by any effect (except for specific circumstances as per your GMs discretion).
• Resistance, Immunity, and Vulnerability to True Damage does not exist.
• This damage is specific to certain ancestry traits, class features, and boss encounters.
• A creature that falls to 0 Hit Points from taking True Damage rolls all Death Saving Throws with Disadvantage, and all checks other creatures make to stabilize or revive the fallen creature have Disadvantage.

Bleed Damage

• This is persistent damage that represents loss of blood.
• Creatures that do not have blood or that do not need blood to function, such as nonliving creatures, are immune to Bleed Damage.
• A creature that takes Bleed Damage from a source other than the Bleeding condition gains a number of Bleed Stacks equal to the damage taken. If a creature already has Bleed Stacks, the new Bleed Stacks are added to the existing ones.
• If a creature without the Bleeding condition loses Hit Point from Bleed Damage, it gains the Bleeding Condition. Bleeding does not occur if the Bleed Damage is dealt to Temporary Hit Points, unless stated otherwise.
• If a creature has Resistance and/or Damage Reduction to Physical Damage, nonmagical or otherwise, that reduction also applies to Bleed Damage.

(See below for Bleeding condition)

New and Updated Conditions

In addition to the normal conditions in base 5e and Bleeding (as described above), the following conditions exist. Certain spells, features, and monsters use these new conditions.

Anchored

• No Teleportation. You can't be magically transported through any means of teleportation (includes but is not limited to spells and features).

Bleeding

• Bleed Damage. You take Bleed damage at the start of your turn equal to the number of Bleed Stacks you have. The number of Bleed Stacks you have is then reduced by 1.
• Removing the Condition. The condition ends if the number of Bleed Stacks you have is 0, or if you receive any amount of magical healing. It can also end with a use of a Healer's Kit, or if a creature takes an Action and succeeds on a Wisdom (Medicine) check to patch you up (DC is equal to 5 + the number of Bleed Stacks you have).
• Condition Immunity. If you do not have blood or do not need blood to function, you are immune to the Bleeding condition.

Cowering

• A Cowering creature is frozen in fear and is Incapacitated (see the condition), they cannot move, but they can speak, often times in barely coherent pleas for mercy.
• Attack Rolls against the creature have Advantage.
• If a Cowering creature stops being Frightened, they stop Cowering.

Dazed

• Turn Affected. You can only do one of the following things on your turn: move, take an Action, or take a Bonus Action. If you are affected by something that grants extra actions (like from the Haste spell), you can still take those extra actions.

Encumbered

• A creature becomes Encumbered when carrying weight in excess of their Carrying Capacity.
• While Encumbered, a creature’s Speed (for all types) is reduced by 10 feet, and they suffer Disadvantage on all D20 Tests they make that rely on Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.

Exhaustion

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.
• Spell Save DC Affected. The Spell Save DC of any spell you cast is reduced by 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.

Frightened

• 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.
• A Frightened creature that suffers from another effect that causes the Frightened condition and fails the effect by 5 or more, starts Cowering.

Intoxicated

• Intoxicated Levels. This condition is cumulative. The first time you receive it, you are Drunk. The second time you receive it, you are Blackout. While you are Blackout, every hour, you must succeed a DC 10 + per hour Constitution Saving Throw, or gain the Unconscious condition.
• Attacks Affected. You have Disadvantage on Attack Rolls.
• Saving Throws Affected. You have Disadvantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, but you have Advantage on Saving Throws to avoid or end the Frightened condition on yourself.
• Removing Intoxicated Levels. If you are Drunk, you will turn sober and lose the condition after 1d6 hours. If you are Blackout however, you instead become Drunk after 1d4 hours.
  
• Blackout: Dexterity Affected. You have Disadvantage on Ability Checks that use Dexterity.
• Blackout: Intelligence Affected. You have Disadvantage on Ability Checks and Saving Throws that use Intelligence.
• Blackout: Speed Reduced. Your Speed is halved, and if you ever more an amount of feet greater than your Constitution score, you gain the Prone condition.

Muted

• A Muted creature is unable to speak or cast spells that require Verbal components.

Shocked

• Can't take Reactions.
• Has Disadvantage on Ability Checks and Saving Throws that use Strength or Dexterity.
• Had Disadvantage on Attack Rolls.

Silenced

• Cannot speak, cast spells that include a verbal component, or use Spell Scrolls.

Slowed

• A Slowed creature spends 1 extra foot of movement for every foot they move using their Speed.
• Attack Rolls against the creature have Advantage.
• The creature has Disadvantage on Dexterity Saving Throws.