Strength Benchmarks

Athletics Climb

Easy (DC 10)

Scale a cliff with plenty of handholds
Moderate (DC 15) Climb a rough stone wall
Hard (DC 20)
Climb a sheer surface with scant handholds
Formidable (DC 30) Climb an oiled rope

Athletics Jump
Easy (DC 10)
Hard (DC 20)

Jump a few feet farther than you normally could

Throw a grappling hook in the middle of a long jump

Athletics Swim

Easy (DC 10)

Tread water in rough conditions
Hard (DC 20)
Swim in stormy waters
Formidable (DC 30) Swim free of a vortex

Improvised Tasks Break an Object

Easy (DC 10)

Force open a stuck wooden door
Hard (DC 20)
Break open a solid locked door; break rope bonds
Very Hard (DC 25) Break open a solid barred door or elaborate lock
Formidable (DC 30) Break open a heavy door held by a metal bar or
masterwork lock; break chain bonds or manacles

Improvised Tasks Mighty Strength

Moderate (DC 15)
Hard (DC 20)
Very Hard (DC 25)
Contest (vs. STR)

Push through an earthen tunnel that is too small

Hang on to a wagon while being dragged behind it
Tip over a large stone statue; keep a boulder from rolling
Push a door open when someone else is holding it

Dexterity Benchmarks
Acrobatics Balance
Easy (DC 10)
Moderate (DC 15)
Hard (DC 20)
Very Hard (DC 25)

Walk across an icy surface

Walk on a narrow ledge
Cross a wildly swaying rope bridge
Walk across a tightrope; surf down staircase on a shield

Acrobatics Tumble

Moderate (DC 15) Swing from a chandelier

Very Hard (DC 25) Somersault over a creature of the same size

Sleight of Hand Conceal an Object

Easy (DC 10)
Contest (vs. WIS)

Perform simple feats of sleight of hand

Palm an object while under close observation

Contest (vs. WIS)

Hide in an obscured area

Stealth

Improvised Tasks Disarm a Trap*

Easy (DC 10)

Keep a pit trap from opening when its triggered
Moderate (DC 15) Keep a scything blade trap from triggering
Hard (DC 20)
Prevent a poison needle or gas trap from springing
Very Hard (DC 25) Disarm an intricate trap
Formidable (DC 30) Disarm a magic trap

Improvised Tasks Drive

Moderate (DC 15)
Hard (DC 20)

Control a heavily laden cart on a steep descent

Steer a chariot around a tight turn or around an obstacle

Improvised Tasks Open a Lock*

Moderate (DC 15) Pick a simple lock

Hard (DC 20)
Pick a typical lock
Very Hard (DC 25) Pick an elaborate lock
Formidable (DC 30) Pick a masterwork lock
Formidable (DC 30) Pick a magical lock (requires feat)
* Requires proficiency with thieves tools

Constitution Benchmarks

Improvised Tasks Hardy Endurance

Easy (DC 10)
Moderate (DC 15)

Quaff an entire stein of ale in one go

March overland for CON+5 hours in a row (save);
roll down a steep slope without taking damage (save)
Hard (DC 20)
Swim for 1 hour without rest
Very Hard (DC 25) Swim for 3 hours without rest
Formidable (DC 30) March overland for CON+20 hours in a row (save)

Intelligence Benchmarks

Arcana, History, Nature, Religion Recall Lore

Easy (DC 10)
Moderate (DC 15)

Recall widely known facts; identify a common symbol

Recall specific details about widely known facts; recall
vague information about slightly obscure facts; identify
an uncommon monster
Hard (DC 20)
Recall specific details about obscure facts; recall vague
information about truly esoteric facts; identify a spell as
it is being cast (higher-level spells might be harder);
understand a dialect of a known language
Very Hard (DC 25) Recall specific details about truly esoteric facts known
only to a few; identify an especially rare monster;
decipher a simple message in an unfamiliar language;
identify the persistent effects of a spell
Formidable (DC 30) Identify a unique monster

Search

Easy (DC 10)

Find a simple tripwire or a pit covered with branches

and leaves
Moderate (DC 15) Find the signs of a creature passing across dry ground
and deduce its nature and the direction of its travel; find
a hidden compartment in a chest
Hard (DC 20)
Find a typical secret door; find a typical pressure plate in
the floor; locate a tripwire
Very Hard (DC 25) Find a particularly well-hidden secret door or
well-disguised pressure plate

Improvised Tasks Clever Solutions

Easy (DC 10)

Communicate a simple idea to a creature that doesnt

share your language
Moderate (DC 15) Deduce what kind of weapon caused an injury; estimate
the value of a piece of jewelry; pull together a disguise to
help an ally pass as a city guard
Hard (DC 20)
Determine how to cause part of a tunnel to collapse;
estimate the value of a gemstone
Very Hard (DC 25) Estimate the value of a rare, antique, or exotic item
Contest (vs. INT)
Pass off a forged document as real

Resting

Short Rest (at least 1 hour)

You can spend any or all of your Hit Dice during a short rest. For each HD you
spend in this way, roll the die and add your CON modifier to it. You regain hit
points equal to the total. You can decide to spend an additional HD after each
roll. Once you have spent a HD, you must complete a long rest to regain it.

Long Rest (at least 8 hours)

Sleep or perform light activity: reading, talking, eating, or standing watch for
no more than 2 hours of the rest period. If the rest is interrupted by strenuous
activitysuch as attacking, taking damage, or casting a spellyou must start
over unless the interruption lasted less than 1 hour. You must have at least
1 hit point to take a long rest. At the end of the rest, regain all your hit points
and half your maximum number of HD (round up). You cant benefit from
more than one long rest in a 24-hour period.

Wisdom Benchmarks
Animal Handling

Moderate (DC 15) Get animal to keep moving while tired

Hard (DC 20)
Train animal for a task; calm aggressive wild animal
Very Hard (DC 25) Calm panicked animal; rear wild animal
Formidable (DC 30) Tame wild animal

Insight Sense Motive

Moderate (DC 15)

Discern who among a cagey group is the leader; read a

persons motives or attitude.
Hard (DC 20)
Interpret enemies hand signs
Very Hard (DC 25) Sense an outside influence on a person, such as an
enchantment spell
Contest (vs. CHA) Recognize a lie; see through a disguise

Medicine Administer First Aid

Easy (DC 10)
Hard (DC 20)

Identify a common ailment or poison from its symptoms;

stabilize a dying creature
Identify a rare ailment or poison

Perception Listen

Moderate (DC 15) Eavesdrop on a conversation through a door

Very Hard (DC 25) Eavesdrop on a whispered conversation through a door
Contest (vs. DEX) Hear someone whos trying to be silent

Perception Spot
Hard (DC 20)
Contest (vs. DEX)

Find a tiny item such as a gem in a pile of other items

Spot a creature that is hiding

Survival Track (requires feat)

Easy (DC 10)

Track a creature through snow or mud
Moderate (DC 15) Track a creature through a forest.
Hard (DC 20)
Track a creature across dirt or grass
Very Hard (DC 25) Track a creature across bare stone
Formidable (DC 30) Track a creature across dirt or grass after a rainfall

Survival Wilderness Survival

Easy (DC 10)
Moderate (DC 15)
Hard (DC 20)

Hunt/forage for food while traveling in the wilderness

Avoid natural hazards, such as quicksand
Keep from getting lost while traveling in the wilderness

Damage and Dying

Instant Death
Unconscious
Death Saves

Damage at 0 hp

You die if the remaining damage after 0 equals or

exceeds your hit point maximum.
At 0 hit points you fall unconscious. You become
conscious if you regain any hit points.
Whenever you start your turn with 0 hit points, you must
make a CON save (DC 10). Third success, you become
stable; third failure, you die. Successes and failures dont
need to be consecutive, and the number of both is reset
to 0 when you regain any hit points or become stable.
Natural 1: Counts as two failures.
Natural 20: You regain 1 hit point.
Each time a creature with 0 hit points takes damage, it
suffers a death saving throw failure. If the damage equals
the creatures hit point maximum, it dies.

Creature Sizes
Creatures can squeeze as if one size smaller; see Conditions for Squeezing.
Surround and Fills are given as multiples of Medium creatures.
Size
Space (ft.)
Surround
Fills
Tiny
2 2
8
1
Small
55
8
1
Medium
55
8
1
Large
10 10
12
1
Huge
15 15
16
2
Gargantuan
20 20*
20
2
* or larger

Charisma Benchmarks
Deception

Contest (vs. WIS)

Intimidation
Hard (DC 20)

Fast-talk or con someone; adopt a disguise; impersonate

someones voice; give false assurance to dull suspicion;
tell a convincing lie

Contest (vs. WIS)

Get an unruly crowd to move out of the way; badger

allied soldiers into a fighting mood; goad a person to act
Pry information out of a prisoner

Easy (DC 10)

Easy (DC 10)
Moderate (DC 15)

Entertain a crowd with a tall tale

Give a pleasing speech
Give a rousing or inspiring speech

Moderate (DC 15)

Contest (vs. WIS)

Calm and comfort a distraught person

Persuade someone to do something; convince someone
to back down from a confrontation

Performance Oratory

Persuasion

Improvised Tasks Gather Information

Easy (DC 10)

Gather the common gossip in a town or neighborhood;

learn about the local power figures
Moderate (DC 15) Find what you need in an unfamiliar city; find out whos
really in power
Hard (DC 20)
Suss out local information only a few other people know
Very Hard (DC 25) Dig up obscure community news or lore

NPC Reactions
Influencing a creature generally requires a CHA check.

Friendly NPC

Default The NPC will do as you wish for requests that dont involve risk or
sacrifice
DC 10 The NPC accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as you wish
DC 20 The NPC accepts a significant risk or sacrifice to do as you wish

Indifferent NPC

Default The NPC offers no help or harm

DC 10 The NPC will do as you wish without taking risks or making
sacrifices
DC 20 The NPC accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as you wish

Hostile NPC

Default The NPC opposes your actions and may take risks to do so
DC 10 The NPC offers no help or harm
DC 20 The NPC will help you as long as there are no risks or sacrifices
involved

Random Encounters

Surprise DCs

Dungeon 10 min; Wilderness 1 hr

Population Density
d20
Densely Inhabited
1620
Typical Dungeon
1820
Mostly Uninhabited
20
Encounter Distance 1d20+20 ft;
outdoors 5 normal; 10 difficult

Surprise is a WIS saving throw with

a DC based on creature alertness.
Paranoid
0
Vigilant
5
Disinterested
10
Unfocused
15
Distracted
20

Travel Pace
Use the Readiness DC during exploration in place of the Surprise DC.
Difficult terrain* halves the maximum distance covered.
Travel
Readiness
Max Distance per
Pace
DC
5 minutes
1 hour
1 day
Cautious
0
225 ft.
mile
5 miles
Slow
5
450 ft.
1 mile
10 miles
Moderate
10
900 ft.
2 miles
15 miles
Fast
15
1,800 ft.
3 miles
25 miles
* Difficult terrain includes forest, jungle, mountain, and swamp;
normal terrain includes desert, hills, plains, road/path, and tundra

Special Actions
Charge

Climb*
Coup de Grace

Disengage

Dodge

Grapple

Help

Hinder

Hustle
Jump*

Knock Down

Ready an Action

Swim*

Choose a target at least 10 feet away; move up to half

your speed (to a position where the target is in your
reach) and make a single melee attack.
With sufficient handholds, you can climb at your
speed; without, make an Athletics check.
Attack an adjacent, unconscious creature. If you hit the
creature and deal damage, the creature drops to 0 hit
points. If the creature was already at 0 hit points, it dies.
Move up to half your speed. If you leave a hostile
creatures reach during this movement, you do not
provoke an opportunity attack from that creature.
Focus entirely on avoiding attacks. Until your next turn,
attack rolls against you have disadvantage, and you make
Dexterity saving throws with advantage. You lose this
benefit if you cannot move or take actions.
Using at least one free hand, try to grab and hold a
creature no more than one size larger than youcontest
your STR vs. the creatures STR or DEX (the creature
chooses). If you win, the creatures speed becomes 0 and
cannot increase until the grapple ends.
Moving a Grappled Creature. If you move while
grappling a creature, you drag or carry it, and every 5 feet
costs you 5 extra feet of movement, unless the creature
is two or more sizes smaller than you.
Restraining a Creature. As a separate action, you can
restrain a grappled creaturecontest your STR vs. the
creatures STR or DEX (the creature chooses). If you win,
the creature is restrained. While you restrain it, attacks
against you have advantage, your attacks have disadvantage, and you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving
throws. You can stop restraining a creature at any time.
Ending a Grapple. Release a grappled creature
whenever you like (you must if you cant take actions or if
you lose control of the grabbing limb). If a force removes
a grappled creature from your reach, the creature is
freed, unless the force also targets and moves you. A
grappled creature can escape as an action by winning a
contest of STR or DEX (its choice) vs. your STR.
Aid another creature in the completion of a task, or aid
another creature in one of its attacks against a creature
within 5 feet of you. The creature you aid gains
advantage for the next relevant ability check or attack
roll it makes before your next turn.
Distract or otherwise hinder another creature within 5
feet of you; describe the manner in which you do so. The
creature has disadvantage on the next relevant ability
check or attack roll it makes before your next turn.
Use your action to move (again) up to your speed.
Long Jump: Walk at least 10 feet to leap your STR
score in feet; otherwise, your STR score in feet.
High Jump: Walk at least 10 feet to leap up 3 + your
STR modifier in feet; otherwise, your STR modifier in
feet (minimum 1). Total reach = jump height + 1 height.
You knock a creature prone (no more than one size
larger than you) by winning a contest of your STR vs.
that creatures STR or DEX (the creature chooses).
Choose a trigger event youll be able to perceive and an
action you want to take when that happens. When the
trigger occurs, use your reaction to take the action you
chose. This may interrupt another creatures action.
You can swim your speed.
* This action is a move

Conditions
Blinded

Charmed

Crawling*
Deafened
Exhausted*
Falling*

Frightened

Holding Breath*

Incorporeal

Invisible

Paralyzed

Prone

Restrained

Squeezing*

Stunned

Unconscious

Automatically fails any ability check involving sight.

Attack rolls against blind creatures have advantage;
a blind creatures attack rolls have disadvantage.
Cannot attack charmer or target charmer with harmful
abilities or magical effects. Charmer has advantage on
any ability check to interact socially with the creature.
While prone, crawling movement costs double.
Automatically fails any ability check involving hearing.
See Exhaustion section.
A creature who falls takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage per
10 feet fallen (maximum 20d6). The creature lands
prone, unless it avoids taking damage from the fall.
Disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the
source of its fear is within line of sight. Cannot willingly
move to a position where it would end a turn closer to
the source of its fear than where it started.
A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes
equal to its CON modifier (minimum 30 seconds). After
that, if it cant breathe for a number of rounds equal to its
CON modifier (minimum 1), it falls unconscious. If it still
cant breathe, it loses all its hit points.
Resistance against nonmagical damage; targets have
resistance against its nonmagical damage. Can move
through (but not stop in) objects or other creatures.
An invisible creature is impossible to see without the aid
of magic or a special sense. For hiding, the creature is
heavily obscured. The creatures location can be detected
by any noise it makes or any tracks it leaves. Attack rolls
against the creature have disadvantage, and the
creatures attack rolls have advantage.
Cannot move, speak, or take an action not purely mental.
Creature drops whatever its holding and falls prone. The
creature automatically fails STR and DEX saving throws.
Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
Prone creatures may crawl or stand up but otherwise
cant move. Prone creatures have disadvantage on attack
rolls. Attack rolls against prone creatures have disadvantage unless the attacker is adjacent, in which case
attack rolls have advantage. A creature can drop prone
by using 5 feet of movement, and must use its entire
move to stand (but if its speed is 0, it cant stand).
Speed becomes 0, and it cannot benefit from bonuses to
its speed. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creatures attack rolls have disadvantage.
The creature has disadvantage on DEX saving throws.
Can move around as if one size smaller. Movement costs
5 feet extra for every 5 feet. Squeezing creatures have
disadvantage on attack rolls and DEX saving throws;
attack rolls against squeezing creatures have advantage.
Cannot move or take actions. Automatically fails STR
and DEX saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature
have advantage.
An unconscious creature drops whatever its holding and
falls prone. The creature cannot move, take actions, or
perceive its surroundings. The creature automatically
fails STR and DEX saving throws. Attack rolls against
the creature have advantage.
* Not a condition per se; more of a situation

Default DCs
Trivial
Easy
Moderate
Hard
Very Hard
Formidable
Nearly Impossible

Door/Wall HP
5
10
15
20
25
30
35

Material
Adamantine
Glass
Iron
Stone
Wood

Weather

Door
Wall*
120
60
5
5
60
30
60
30
10
10
* per inch of thickness

Hide and Seek

Stealth

A hidden creature has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that dont
know its there. To hide, make a DEX [Stealth] check, and contest against
creatures who would sense you (WIS [Perception]) and/or creatures
searching for you (INT [Search]). You must have cover or be obscured and you
must remain quiet; otherwise, you can be seen or heard.

Perception

WIS [Perception] to notice (this is the default to use); INT [Search] to search.
Searching should be reasonably specific. Contest notice or search roll against
DEX [Stealth] of a creature trying to hide.

Languages
Standard
Common
Dwarvish
Elvish
Giant
Gnomish
Goblin
Gnoll
Halfling
Orc

Speakers
Humans
Dwarves
Elves
Ogres, Giants
Gnomes
Goblinoids
Gnolls
Halflings
Orcs

Script
Common
Dwarvish
Elvish
Dwarvish
Dwarvish
Dwarvish
Common
Common
Dwarvish

Exotic
Abyssal
Celestial
Draconic
Deep Speech
Infernal
Primordial
Sylvan
Undercommon

Speakers
Demons
Celestials
Dragons
Aberrations
Devils
Elementals
Fey
Underdark
traders

Script
Infernal
Celestial
Draconic
Infernal
Infernal
Dwarvish
Elvish
Elvish

Don/Remove Armor

Magic Item Rarity

You benefit from armor AC only if

you take the full time to don it.
Category
Don
Remove*
Light
1 min.
1 min.
Medium
5 min.
1 min.
Heavy
10 min.
5 min.
* With help, reduce this time by

Rarity
Min. Level Item Value
Common
2
50100 gp
Uncommon 3
100500 gp
Rare
5
5005,000 gp
Very Rare
7 5,00010,000 gp
Legendary
9 10,00050,000 gp
Artifact
11
50,000+ gp

Potion Miscibility (Optional)

If a character drinks a potion while under the effect of another, roll 1d100.
01
The mixture creates a magical explosion, dealing 6d10 force damage
to the mixer and 1d10 force damage to each creature within 5 feet of
the mixer.
0203 The mixture becomes a potion of poison.
0408 The mixture becomes a potion of delusion that appears to have one
of the mixed potions effects.
0915 Both potions lose their effects.
1625 One potion loses its effect.
2635 Both potions work, but with half their normal effects. If an effect
cannot be halved, at least in duration, it is instead lost.
3690 Both potions work normally.
9199 One potion has twice the normal effect. If no effect can be doubled,
at least in duration, both potions work normally.
00
Only one potion works, but its effect is permanent. Choose the
simplest effect to make permanent, or the one that seems the most
fun. For example, a potion of healing might increase the drinkers
maximum hit points by 4, or oil of etherealness might permanently
make the user incorporeal. At your discretion, dispel magic or
remove curse might end this lasting effect.

Temperate Spring/Fall
No special weather
Storm (light rain)
Storm (heavy rain)
Temperate Summer
No special weather
Hot
Storm (heavy rain)
Tundra/Arctic
Cold
Cold, storm (snow)
Cold, storm (heavy snow)

Weather Phenomena

d20
114
1518
19-20
d20
114
1518
1920
d20
114
1518
1920

Temperate Winter
Cold
Cold, storm (snow)
Cold, storm (heavy snow)
Desert
Hot
Hot, storm (dust)
Hot, storm (heavy rain)
Tropical Summer
Hot
Hot, storm (light rain)
Hot, storm (heavy rain)

d20
114
1518
1920
d20
114
1518
1920
d20
114
1518
1920

Cold Below 0: CON save (DC 10) vs. exhaustion each full hour. Creatures
without cold weather gear automatically fail this save.
Heat Above 100: CON save (DC 10) vs. exhaustion each full hour. Creatures
wearing medium or heavy armor or heavy clothing suffer disadvantage.
Storms: Reduce travel speeds to (if combined with difficult terrain then ).
Dust Storm/Heavy Rain: Visibility reduced to 50 ft, creatures suffer
disadvantage on saves against surprise.
Heavy Snow: As heavy rain, and reduce speed for 1d6 days after the storm.

Food and Water

Water: 1 gal. per character per day.* Half Ration: CON save (DC 10) vs.
exhaustion each full day (if the character is already exhausted, 2 levels of
exhaustion). Less than Half Ration: One level exhaustion per full day (if the
character is already exhausted, 2 levels of exhaustion).
Food: 1 lb. per character per day.* Half Ration: day of starvation per full day.
Less than Half Ration: 1 day of starvation per full day. Result: After 3+CON
modifier days of starvation, one level of exhaustion per full day without food,
or CON save (DC 10) vs. exhaustion per full day on half rations.
* Large 4, Huge 16, Gargantuan 32 or greater 2 if hot weather

Exhaustion
Effects that apply exhaustion add levels of exhaustion. Effects that remove
exhaustion subtract levels of exhaustion. 24 hours of full rations (food and
water) that include 8 hours of rest remove 1 level of exhaustion.
Level 1. Disadvantage on all attacks and ability checks; cannot maintain
concentration on spells. (Also applies to levels 25.)
Level 2. Speed reduced to . When attempting to cast a spell, make a DC 10
CON check or the spell is expended without effect. (Also applies to levels 35.)
Level 3. Speed is reduced to , and maximum hit points reduced to .
Level 4. Speed becomes 0, and maximum hit points are reduced to .
Level 5. Drop to 0 hit points and cannot regain hit points.
Level 6. The character dies.

Scroll Mishap (Optional)

If a character fails a spell scroll and a DC 10 magic ability save, roll 1d6.
1 A surge of uncontrolled magical energy deals 1d6 psychic damage per level
of the spell to the caster.
2 The spell affects the caster or an ally instead of the intended target, or
affects a random target nearby if the caster was the intended target.
3 The spell takes effect at a random location within the spells range.
4 The spells effect is contrary to its normal effect, but is neither harmful nor
beneficial. For instance, a fireball might produce an area of harmless cold.
5 The caster suffers a minor but bizarre effect related to the spell. Such
effects last only as long as the original spells duration, or 2d10 minutes for
spells that take effect instantaneously. For example, a fireball might cause
smoke to pour from the casters ears for 2d10 minutes.
6 The spell activates after 1d12 hours. If the caster was the intended target,
the spell takes effect normally. If the caster was not the intended target, the
spell goes off in the general direction of the intended target, up to the spells
maximum range, if the target has moved away.