Questions tagged [combat]
For questions primarily about combat, the systems used in roleplaying games to resolve conflict through violent means, often to the death of one or more characters. Combat often involves several subsystems that determine whether harm is inflicted (to-hit) and the extent of that harm (damage).
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Can monsters enter the area controlled by a character who is playing dead?
Normally in combat, you can neither move through a hostile creature's space (unless there is a big size difference or you use special optional actions like Overrun), nor can you end your movement in ...
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When a Beast Master Ranger is incapacitated, who controls the primal companion?
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything's Primal Companion description says:
If you are incapacitated, the beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
Since it's a magically summoned primal ...
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How to determine Tower shield cover against an adjacent, Large creature?
Suppose that a Medium creature stands 10 ft. away from a Large one (e.g., after taking a 5 ft. step back), and uses a Tower shield to grant itself total cover towards the direction of the Large ...
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How to make physical character's combat become more tactical and interesting?
My situation:
The fighter-type PCs (fighter, ranger, monk) feels the combats are boring for them. They have nothing to do rather than attack. Their maneuvers (trip, disarm, etc.) usually fail because ...
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How can we streamline a game with seven players in DnD 5e?
The question is: how do I balance gameplay when it comes to initiative?
The game is in person, every other week or so. My party is comprised of 7 players, two of whom are noobs. I, myself, and also ...
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Is a dead creature inside a Shambling Mound still Engulfed?
I was playing in a game where there was a Shambling Mound and after Engulfing a creature and killing it, the creature goes about its turn and Engulfs a second person. The DM didn't specify anything ...
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In Rolemaster Unified, when in the combat round do persistent spell effects occur?
Using the lvl 4 spell from "Wind Law" Stun Cloud I as an example (Rolemaster Unified Spell Law pg 159), but this question comes up for other spells.
Stun Cloud I – Creates a 5'R cloud of ...
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Homebrew Review: exhaustion and "dying"-Condition
This is a homebrew review request for the "dying"-condition, but the different exhaustion plays a part in that.
Exhaustion: There are 10 levels of exhaustion, each level of
exhaustion a ...
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Can multiple Legendary Actions be used in 1 round?
I had a whole thing typed for this and then saw I need to broaden the scope of my question.
If a creature has 4 Legendary Actions on its sheet (like the Lich) and it states:
The lich can take 3 ...
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How Exactly Do I Balance Combat Encounters In D&D With The Rules From The DMG?
So, I have a quick question about the encounter balancing. Now, I know HOW to do it, and I have done it the same way all the way through CoS...but I'm starting to think I might be wrong here. When it ...
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If the verbal component of a spell isn't visible, can it be Counterspelled?
The Casting Time description of Counterspell states.
1 reaction, which you take when you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell
I am playing a spell-caster who almost always wears a ...
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Multiclassing - Extra Attacks and Sneak Attacks
So, I'm playing a level 5 Fighter Battle Master. I'm thinking about multiclassing with Rogue, for the Sneak Attack. I'll use a rapier, since it has 1d8 damage and acuity. At level 5/1 (Fighter/Rogue)
...
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Can CMD be aided, directly and/or by aiding AC?
Can one Aid another's CMD?
Let's look at two possible ways, and then a twist.
1. Can one aid CMD directly?
Aid Another lists several uses, of which CMD isn't one of them:
If you succeed, your friend ...
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How to use AnyDice to properly calculate using Sneak Attack with multiple attacks?
I am trying to create a damage percentage study on AnyDice.com for a 5e Rogue using both an Attack and a Bonus Action attack with two different weapons. Most of this is pretty straightforward, in that ...
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How do I encourage players to use items and strategy in combat, instead of just standing there and saying "I attack"?
Scenario: I am a first time DM, playing with two of my best friends, who are first time players. One of them plays a Dwarf Cleric, the other one a Wood Elf Fighter. We played "Dragons of ...
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Can a Beast Barbarian use the Unarmed Fighting fighting style with Claw attacks?
If you have a Path of the Beast Barbarian who is using the Form of the Beast Claws, can this be combined with the Fighting Style: Unarmed Fighting to make the claws do 1d8 instead of 1d6 (if you are ...
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Are the 'Rules of the Game' web articles for using special attacks as attacks of opportunity corroborated by any other source?
To provide some context, I am prepping a new direction for my players in to the the worlds of H.P Lovecraft for a change of pace. So I would like to use the D20 rules for that and I had a mind to try ...
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When using elven accuracy, do you have to take the results of the reroll?
The Elven Accuracy feat says:
"Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll using Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can reroll one of the dice once."
Assuming you meet the ...
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Do we have to stick to the confines of a Multiattack description?
If a creature has Multiattack that says
1 spear attack and 1 longsword attack
am I limited to just that? Or is this just some template where we can substitude 1 attack for something else, like
2 ...
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Is it possible for two characters using the Sword of Kas and the Eye and Hand of Vecna to have the items destroy each other at the same time?
I'm creating a campaign, and I'm thinking about having Vecna take over the body of an NPC attuned to his eye and hand (because of the 5% chance that Vecna takes over a body after a spell is cast), ...
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Can the spell "Final Sacrifice" be used on the homunculus from the spell "Shadow Spy?"
Context
I am playing a 4th-level Tangible Dream (Emotional Acceptance) Psychic, preparing for the 5th level.
Weighing my options, Shadow Spy + Final Sacrifice could really put an immediate end to a ...
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Combat lethality
Thematically, and with the game's focus, combat in Trail of Cthulhu is supposed to be bad news for players. But if I look at the actual mechanics, I can't see the supposed lethality.
As a crude ...
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How Is Damage Determined For Sunlight Hypersensitivity?
So, as the title states, I'm curious about how the damage is determined with sunlight Hypersensitivity. I was looking through the monster manuals of DnD 5E and I came across a total of 4 monsters that ...
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Is the Dragonborn's Breath Weapon from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons an attack?
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons presents an alternative version for dragonborns. One of the features that have been changed is the Breath Weapon:
Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack action on your ...
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How can you transfer items in battle? [closed]
When I say item, I mean armour, weapon, materials etc. Can you transfer items across distance without using movement or throwing them preferably without using the bonus action of the sender?
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Can you use two weapon fighting while maintaining a grapple?
Grappling just says you must use at least one free hand to initiate a grapple. But once you have successfully grappled a target, can you then engage in two-weapon fighting against that target? Or do ...
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If a special melee attack is successful, does it "hit"? [duplicate]
I have a Fighter PC, second level as of last night, who I would like to become a Battlemaster at third. One of the Maneuvers I am considering is Grappling Strike, which says:
Immediately after you ...
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What is the best ranged weapon for a bard? [closed]
I am making a Aasimar College of Creation Bard and don't really like the Vicious Mockery cantrip very well. It doesn't fit well with the idea I have for it. I need ideas for a ranged weapon that isn't ...
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Does the Enemies Abound spell force a creature to move toward a perceived enemy in order to attack them?
The Enemies Abound spell specifies (emphasis mine):
Whenever the affected creature chooses another creature as a target, it must choose the target at random from among the creatures it can see within ...
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How do allied Supporting Characters (NPCs) work in Dune combat?
I'm struggling to work out what to do with allied Supporting Characters (allied NPCs) during a skirmish conflict in Dune. Some parts of the rules seem to imply the GM treats them like they would an ...
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Is there an option to Move an Asset without rolling dice in Dune?
I've started running Dune and am crashing into things that the rulebook does not explain well. Please can anyone who has run Dune or run/played other Modiphius 2d20 games help?
Movement: So when a ...
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Is melee attacks' reach always written?
So, a group of mine made this doubt pop up: do huge creatures have reach just because of their size?
From what I understand, a creature has reach on a melee attack only if it's written as this one (an ...
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Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts for combat advantage?
My knowledge domain cleric just levelled up and got the Channel Divinity: Read Thoughs ability. Provided I use this ability during combat and the enemy fails their saving throw, would reading their ...
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Is there a prescribed method to determine order of combat within the three phases?
My group played our first round of combat in Avatar Legends and definitely stumbled through it.
It went fairly well, but there was a confusing point when we weren't sure how to determine order of ...
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Can you use Second Wind outside of combat? [duplicate]
The fighter's Second Wind feature says:
You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to ...
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Can you choose to not participate in combat?
The combat rules state, on page 189 PHB:
Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check to determine their place in the ...
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Does Hordemaster epic destiny perk trigger once per ally or once overall?
I want to understand exactly how Dark Sun's "Hordemaster" Level 30 feature works (Dark Sun Campaign Setting, page 100).
Horde Attack (30th level): Once per encounter, when you or an ally ...
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When does the target of Otto's Irresistible Dance start to dance?
The spell Otto's Irresistible Dance enchants a creature so that it
begins a comic dance in place: shuffling, tapping its feet, and capering
which has several negative effects on the creature:
A ...
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When can new monsters joining a combat act?
My question is if, during a combat, I introduce a second wave of enemies (the party is fighting 10 goblins but then a second party of 5 who were flanking/hiding joins on the second round), when can ...
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How can creatures fight in cramped spaces like on a boat?
The rowboat in the core rules is stated to weigh 100 pounds. It is further described in Ghosts of Saltmarsh to be large enough for 4 creatures (2 crew, 2 passengers), and sized 10 feet by 5 feet. This ...
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How many creatures fit on a Carpet of Flying during combat?
The Carpet of Flying comes in four sizes. To keep it simple, let's just look at the smallest carpet, which is 3 feet by 5 feet in size, can carry 200 lb., and has a fly speed of 80. It can carry twice ...
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How can I design fun combat encounters for a party traveling down a river on a raft?
So in my adventure, it is possible that my players will travel down a river, on a raft. The river itself is haunted and they will come across enemies.
I already have ideas for some specific enemies ...
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What are the best buff spells for a 10th level party to use on a fighter for a 1v1 arena vs a dragon?
A party consisting of a 10th level fighter, wizard, druid, and cleric are in a situation where the fighter will be planeshifted into a planar arena to fight a dragon. They don't know the nature of ...
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Can draconic Strike be used to damage objects?
Under Monk of the Way of the Ascendant Dragon, the Draconic Strike ability says:
When you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or ...
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How to survive level 1 as a wizard?
At level 1, a wizard has a very small amount of hp compared to most classes, and lacks armour proficiencies meaning they must invest in Dexterity as well as constitution to have less AC than most ...
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Is there any monster with statblock changes during an encounter?
So I've been DMing D&D 5e for quite some time. My table enjoys long, challenging encounters. However many monsters end up repeating the same actions after a few rounds. I usually circumvent this ...
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What's the Perception DC to hear a creature dying from sneak attack?
I make a sneak attack against a lone target, with a spell or bow, killing the target in one hit.
How difficult is it for the target's allies in the next room to notice?
The Perception DC to hear the ...
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The GOD SLAP - Balancing for 5th edition
Question about balancing for 5th edition combat.
I have this idea for a new attack. I call it the God Slap. A technique unique to monks that must be learned from studying at the feet of a master. The ...
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Can a monk use Stunning Strike on a creature that has already failed a save against their Stunning Strike in the previous round?
If a monk hits a creature and stuns it with Stunning Strike—thus stunning it until the end of the monk's next turn—can the monk then use another Stunning Strike on the same creature the next turn, ...
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Making disengaging interesting?
Let's set the scene; this is a Pathfinder 2e game. The PCs have recovered the target package from the area, they've fixed the carriage, they've looted everything, and they are ready to escape. ...
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