perform your actions after you move

a creature takes its action after it moves and not before it moves

if you have a bonus action that allows you to dash you can do the dash after your action

moving between attacks

if you take an action that includes more than one melee attack, you must break up your movement by using it between those attacks

before each attack you must or at least expend move at least the same proportion of your move as each attack

if you have 2 attacks, you must use one attack once after using or expending 1/2 of your move, and use a second attack after using or expending the other 1/2 of your move

if you have 3 attacks, you must use one attack once after using or expending 1/3 of your move, and use a second attack after using or expending another 1/3 of your move, and use your last attack after you use or expend your last 1/3 of your move

if you have 4 attacks, you must use one attack once after using or expending 1/4 of your move, and use a second attack after using or expending another 1/4 of your move, and use your third attack after using or expending another 1/4 of your move, and use your last attack after using or expending your last 1/4 of your move

overrun, shove, shove aside, and tumble can be used at any time in their part of the move and don't have to wait until the move, or its part of the move is used or expended

attacks granted by bonus actions are performed before or after the attack attack of your choice, including the bonus attack from the shield master feat

attack

with this action, you make an attack

see the "Making an Attack" section below for the rules that govern attacks

certain features, such as the extra attack feature of the fighter, allow you to make more than one attack with this action

cast a spell

spellcasters such as wizards and clerics, as well as many monsters, have access to spells and can use them to great effect in combat

each spell has a casting time, which specifies whether the caster must use an action, a reaction, minutes, or even hours to cast the spell

casting a spell is, therefore, not necessarily just an action

most spells do have a casting time of 1 action, so a spellcaster often uses his or her action in combat to cast such a spell.

see spellcasting for the rules on spellcasting

climb onto a bigger creature

a suitably large opponent, two or more sizes larger than you, can be treated as terrain for the purpose of jumping onto its back or clinging to a limb

after making any ability checks necessary to get into position and onto the larger creature, the smaller creature can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack to climb onto a bigger creature

if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them

the creature hast to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the target’s passive Dexterity (Acrobatics)

if it succeeds, the smaller creature 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

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 your 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

if the larger creature is able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them

dash

when you take the dash action, you gain extra movement for the current turn

the increase equals your speed, after applying any modifiers

with a speed of 30 feet, for example, you can move up to 60 feet on your turn if you dash

any increase or decrease to your speed changes this additional movement by the same amount

if your speed of 30 feet is reduced to 15 feet, for instance, you can move up to 30 feet this turn if you dash.

when dash can be used as a bonus action it allows you to move the extra distance after your action

any creature that dashes as an action can also dash as a bonus action

disarm

a creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or another item from a target’s grasp

the attacker makes an attack roll against the target’s AC

if the attacker hits the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender must make a Strength saving throw against 8 + the attackers attack bonus or it drops the item

the attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target is holding the item with two or more hands

the attacker has advantage on its attack roll if it is larger than the attacking creature or disadvantage if it is smaller.

if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

disengage

you can take the disengage action before you move

if you do your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of the turn

dodge

you can take the dodge action before you move

until the start of your next turn, any attack roll made against you has disadvantage if you can see the attacker, and you make dexterity saving throws with advantage

you lose this benefit if you are incapacitated or if your speed drops to 0

escape a grapple

a grappled creature can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple escape

if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

or if you can move you can use your reaction to try and escape a grapple as you start moving

to do so, you must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your opponent's passive Strength (Athletics)

you have advantage on the check if the creature is smaller than you

you have advantage if your opponent is using only one hand

you have disadvantage on the  check if the creature is larger than you

when you want to grab a creature or wrestle with it, you can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple

if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

the target of your grapple must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach

using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple check instead of an attack roll

a Strength (Athletics) check against the target's passive Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) (the target chooses the ability to use)

you have advantage on the check if the creature is smaller than you and disadvantage on the  heck if the creature is larger than you

you succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated

if you succeed, you subject the target to the grappled condition

the condition specifies the things that end it, and you can release the target whenever you like (no action required).

Moving a Grappled Creature

when you move, you can drag or carry the grappled creature with you, but your speed is halved, unless the creature is two or more sizes smaller than you

grapple

healing surge

you can spend one of its hit dice to heal

roll the die and add your constitution modifier, you heal a number of hit points equal to the total

help

you can lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task

when you take the Help action, the creature you help gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform the task you are helping with, provided that it makes the check before the start of your next turn

alternatively, you can help a friendly creature in attacking a creature within your reach

you feint or distract the target, or in some other way team up to make your ally's attack more effective

if your ally attacks the target before your next turn, the first attack roll is made with advantage.

hide

you can take the hide action before you move

when you take the Hide action, you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check in an attempt to hide, following the rules for hiding

you cannot hide from a creature that can see you

if you succeed, you gain certain benefits, as described in the "Unseen Attackers and Targets" section later in this chapter.

improvising an action

your character can do things not covered by the actions in this chapter, such as breaking down doors, intimidating enemies, sensing weaknesses in magical defenses, or calling for a parley with a foe

the only limits to the actions you can attempt are your imagination and your character’s ability scores

see the descriptions of the ability scores in for inspiration as you improvise.

when you describe an action not detailed elsewhere in the rules, the dungeon master tells you whether that action is possible and what kind of roll you need to make, if any, to determine success or failure

overrun

using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to overrun a creature

if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them

when a creature tries to move through a hostile creature’s space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature

the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check against the hostile creature’s passive Strength (Athletics)

the creature attempting the overrun has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller

if the mover wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn

ready

sometimes you want to get the jump on a foe or wait for a particular circumstance before you act

to do so, you can take the ready action on your turn, which lets you act before the start of your next turn

first, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction

then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger

when the trigger occurs, you can either take your action right after the trigger finishes or ignore the trigger

when you ready a spell, you cast it as normal but hold its energy, which you release with your reaction when the trigger occurs

to be readied, a spell must have a casting time of 1 action, and holding onto the spell's magic requires concentration

if your concentration is broken, the spell dissipates without taking effect but still costing you the spell slot

ready - notes

the use of broad language is acceptable, if anyone i see for instance

and use cantrips so you don't lose your spell slots

ready - examples

"ready my (ranged attack) and attack any hostile creature i see casting a spell"

"ready my (melee attack) and attack any hostile creature i see move into range"

"i prepare (spell) and cast it at the first hostile creature i see move into range"

search

when you take the search action, you devote your attention to finding something

depending on the nature of your search, the dungeon master might have you make a Wisdom (Perception) check or an Intelligence (Investigation) check

spotting something without searching uses your passive senses unless you attention is elsewhere like when you are taking another action then it is at a disadvantage

shove

using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature, either to knock it prone or push it away from you

if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them

the target must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach

instead of making an attack roll, you make a Strength (Athletics) check against the target's passive Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) (the target chooses the ability to use)

the creature attempting the shove has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller

you succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated

if you succeed, you either knock the target can go prone or be pushed your natural reach away from you, if you have enough move left over you can move into the target's square

shove aside

using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a target to the side

if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them

the target must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your natural reach

instead of making an attack roll, you make a Strength (Athletics) check against the target's passive Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) (the target chooses the ability to use)

the creature attempting the shove has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller

the attacker has disadvantage on its Strength (Athletics) check because of the difficulty of the attack

you succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated

if the check is successful, the attacker moves the target to a different space adjacent to the right or left of target's original space, if the attacker has enough move left it can move into the target's original space

tumble

using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to tumble past a creature, if you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them

a creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature’s space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. The tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the hostile creature’s passive Dexterity (Acrobatics)

if the tumbler succeeds, it can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn

use an object

you can normally interact with an object while doing something else as a bonus action

when an object requires your action for its use, you take the use an object action

this action can also be done as a bonus action by anyone

here are a few examples of the sorts of thing you can do when you use an object

draw or sheathe a weapon

draw and load a piece of ammunition

open or close a door

withdraw a potion from your belt pouch

pick up an item

take a bauble from a table

remove a ring from your finger

stuff some food into your mouth

plant a banner in a portable hole

fish a few coins from your belt pouch

drink all the ale in a flagon or a potion from a flask

throw a lever or a switch

pull a torch from a sconce

take a book from a shelf you can reach

extinguish a small flame

don a mask

pull the hood of your cloak up and over your head

put your ear to a door

kick a small stone

turn a key in a lock

tap the floor with a 10-foot pole

hand an item to another character

simultaneous effects

most effects in the game happen in succession, following an order set by the rules or the dungeon master

in rare cases, effects can happen at the same time, especially at the start or end of a creature’s turn

if two or more things happen at the same time on a character or monster’s turn, the person at the game table — whether player or DM — who controls that creature decides the order in which those things happen

for example, if two effects occur at the end of a player character’s turn, the player decides which of the two effects happens first

mounted combat

a willing creature that is at least one size larger than you and that has an appropriate anatomy can serve as a mount, using the following rules

mounting and dismounting

during your move, you can mount or dismount a creature that is within your natural reach

doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed

for example, if your speed is 30 feet, you must spend 15 feet of movement to mount a horse, therefore, you can’t mount it if you don’t have 15 feet of movement left or if your speed is 0

if an effect moves your mount against its will while you’re on it, you must succeed on a DC 10 strength saving throw or fall off the mount, landing prone in a space adjacent to it

if you’re knocked prone while mounted, you must succeed on a DC 15 strength saving throw or fall off the mount, landing prone in a space adjacent to it

if your mount is knocked prone, you must succeed on a DC 15 dexterity saving throw to use your reaction to dismount it as it falls and land on your feet, otherwise, you are dismounted and fall prone in a space adjacent to it.

controlling a mount in combat

while you’re mounted, you have two options

you can either control the mount or allow it to act independently

you can control a mount only if it has been trained to accept a rider

domesticated creatures are assumed to have such training

intelligent creatures, such as dragons, generally act independently

the initiative of a controlled mount changes to match yours when you mount it

it moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: dash, disengage, and dodge

if the mount is war trained you can use a bonus action to direct it to attack

a controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it

an independent mount retains its place in the initiative order

bearing a rider puts no restrictions on the actions the mount can take, and it moves and acts as it wishes

it might flee from combat, rush to attack and devour a badly injured foe, or otherwise act against your wishes

in either case, if the mount provokes an opportunity attack while you’re on it, the attacker can target you or the mount

all weapons with the heavy quality have disadvantage on attacks made by mounted creatures

underwater combat

underwater the following rules apply

when making a melee weapon attack, a creature that doesn't have a swimming speed (either natural or granted by magic) has disadvantage on the attack roll unless the weapon is a dagger, javelin, short sword, spear, or trident

a ranged weapon attack automatically misses a target beyond the weapon's normal range, even against a target within normal range, the attack roll has disadvantage unless the weapon is a crossbow, a net, or a weapon that is thrown like a javelin (including a spear, trident, or dart) unless used by a creature with a swim speed

creatures and objects that are fully immersed in water have resistance to fire damage