Fumbles in Melee - Natural 1 on an Attack Roll

Rolling a Natural 1 on an Attack Roll could result in dropping one's weapon. The Attacker who rolls a 1 on their d20 roll needs to immediately use their reaction to make a DC10 Dexterity Saving Throw** or drop their weapon.

Use of a wrist strap or gauntlet chain of some kind to help secure the weapon to the attacker's wrist grants Advantage on the Dexterity Saving Throw but does not negate the need to make the Save attempt as straps and chains can of course break.

On a failed Save determine if the weapon drops at the attacker's feet or careens out of their reach in a random direction.

**If the Saving Throw fails by 5 or more the weapon breaks if it is non-magical.

• On a failed Save, roll a d6; on a result of 1 or 2, the weapons falls in the same 5' square the character occupies.
  • Retrieving the weapon costs a Bonus Action

• If the result is 3-6:
  • Roll a second d6 plus a d8.
    • The d6 result multiplied by 5 is the distance in feet from the character the weapon careens away (5-30 feet)
    • The d8 result indicates direction:
      • 1 = NW
      • 2 = North
      • 3 = NE
      • 4 = East
      • 5 = SE
      • 6 = South
      • 7 = SW
      • 8 = West
      
      
      
  • Retrieving the weapon is a Bonus Action but obviously the attacker must use Movement rules to move to the spot where the weapon was dropped.
  • Additionally, if the weapon comes to rest in a square already occupied by another creature (friend or foe) that creature must also use their reaction to make a DC 10 Dexterity Saving Throw or take half the damage that would have been dealt if the attack had been successfully delivered to the intended target.

Player: "I attack the Orc Barbarian"
Rolls Natural 1
DM: "You hand him your sword; he is grateful."

**The Saving Throw uses the Attacker's Reaction for that combat round.

If the Attacker has already used their Reaction for that round, for example making an Opportunity Attack or casting a spell that uses Reaction, then the Saving Throw automatically fails.

Likewise, if they have lost their Reaction due to having to make the Fumble Save, they cannot perform other tasks that use Reaction, such as Opportunity Attacks, nor can they cast spells such as Counterspell that cost a Reaction.

Related Articles

• Critical Hits in Combat
• Flanking
• Fumbles - Spellcasting - Natural 1 on Spell Attack Rolls