Frightened

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. — Basic Rules

The Frightened condition is another powerful debuff that is quite common in the 5e system. While it may not be as potent as Blinded or Paralyzed, the big advantage that Frightened has over these conditions is that it is typically applied to an area of effect rather than a single creature. Applying disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls to multiple creatures can reshape the battlefield drastically, especially if those creatures don’t have a high WIS score (the most common save for the Frightened condition). The other effect, not being able to move closer to the source of fear, can be crippling for melee creatures as they won’t be able to close the distance and dish out attacks. Methods Some examples of things that can apply the Frightened condition are: • Fear (spell) • Dragon’s Frightful Presence (monster ability) • Conquest Paladin’s Conquering Presence (class feature) Leonin’s Daunting Roar (racial feature)