5e Crash Course

Basic Rules Ability Scores

Your character sheet lists 6 ability scores. These determine
How to Play your character's strengths and weaknesses. Every class has a
few scores that they depend on most for their abilities.
1) The DM describes the environment
The DM tells you where your characters are and what’s Strength: Your natural athleticism and bodily power. Used
around them, presenting the basic scope of options that for melee weapon attacks, unarmed attacks, and actions
present themselves (how many doors lead out of a room, that require physical strength.
what’s on a table, who’s in the tavern, and so on). Dexterity: Your physical agility and reflexes. Used for
skills such as Acrobatics, Stealth, and Sleight of Hand.
2) The players describe what they do Ranged weapon attacks and Armor Class depend on this
Declare an action, ask for more information about something, score.
ask if you see something specficially, etc. Do whatever feels Constitution: Your health, stamina, and vital force. How
reasonable given the circumstances as if you yourself were much damage your body can take, your ability to resist
there. poisons and physical exhaustion, etc. Your Hit Points are
calculated using this score.
3) The DM narrates the results of actions Intelligence: Your learned knowledge, memory, and
The DM will tell you how the world reacts in response to your analytical skill. Used for skills such as History, Arcana,
actions. You may be asked to roll a check to determine if your and Investigation.
action was successful, or how much of something you saw. Wisdom: Your awareness and intuition. Used for skills
such as Insight, Perception, and Survival. Spells
The D20 commonly target this stat for saving throws.
Charisma: Your confidence, social skills, and strength of
You will often be asked to roll an ability check, attack roll, or your personality. Used for skills such as Persuasion and
saving throw. You will roll a d20 when making a check of any Deception. Determines your ability to command a
kind, and add the applicable bonus found on your character conversation.
sheet. A check is made by taking the following steps.
Skill Uses
Roll the d20. For attacks and death saving throws only, 1
is a critical fail, and 20 is a critical success. Sometimes Acrobatics: Maintain balance or general nimbleness.
your DM may apply this to other checks as well. Animal Handling: Any interaction with an animal.
Add the bonus found on your character sheet. For Arcana: Recall magical lore, decipher spells, determine if
example, if you are told to make a Perception check, you an item is magical, etc.
would roll a d20 and add the number listed by your Athletics: Perform feats of endurance or physical
Perception skill. strength.
Apply circumstantial bonuses and penalties. Deception: Lying, using disguises, etc.
Sometimes game situations will impact your roll. These History: Whether your character knows some sort of lore
will be given by either the DM, a spell, or your class about the world or a specific person.
abilities. Insight: Determine if someone is being truthful or feels
Compare the total to the target number. You are trying suspicious.
to beat a Difficulty Class (DC) when you make a check. Intimidation: Trying to scare someone through threats.
Your total must meet or exceed the DC to be considered a Investigation: What you're able to deduce about
success. When making an attack roll, you must meet or something upon close inspection.
exceed the target's Armor Class (AC) to hit. Medicine: Stabilize a dying creature, diagnose a poison,
etc.
Nature: Remembering facts specifically aobut nature.
Perception: What you notice about your surroundings.
Advantage & Disadvantage Performance: Playing music, storytelling, dancing, etc.
Persuasion: Convincing others to agree through
You may be told by the DM or an ability to make a convincing arguments, tact, social graces, etc. without any
check with Advantage or with Disadvantage. form of deception.
Advantage: When you roll the d20, roll twice Religion: What you know about religious lore specifically.
and use the higher number. Sleight of Hand: Used in situations that require careful
Disadvantage: When you roll the d20, roll twice hand work, such as pickpocketing, concealing an item,
and use the lower number. lockpicking, etc.
Stealth: Your ability to be sneaky. Certain armor imposes
disadvantage on Stealth.
Survival: Tracking footprints, foraging for food or water,
navigating wilderness, etc.
BASIC RULES
1
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Combat Basics Being Prone
Combat is at times complex, but can be broken down into You can drop prone without using any speed. Standing up
this simple series of events: costs half your speed, and you can’t stand up if you don’t have
enough movement left or if your speed is 0. Every foot of
All creatures roll Initiative (d20 + Initiative score) to movement while crawling prone costs 1 extra foot. Crawling
determine turn order. 5ft in difficult terrain, therefore, costs 15ft of movement.
The DM calls on each creature to act on their turn. A prone creature's attacks have disadvantage.
A creature performs their action(s) and movement. Attacks against a prone creature within 5ft have
Turn order cycles indefinitely. advantage. Otherwise, they have disadvantage (assuming
Combat ends when all threats have been neutralized. the target is hostile and not incapacitated).
Rounds & Turns Moving Around Other Creatures
A round of combat is complete when everyone completes You can move through a nonhostile creature’s space, but not
their turn in order of their Initiative rolls (d20 + Initiative). through a hostile creature’s space unless the creature is at
One round of combat is equal to 6 seconds of in-game time. least two sizes larger/smaller than you (considered difficult
terrain). You can’t willingly end your move in another
Critical Hits & Fails creature's space.
If the d20 roll for an attack is a 20, the attack hits If you leave a hostile creature’s reach during your move,
regardless of any modifiers or the target’s AC and you you provoke an opportunity attack (see Reactions).
double the damage dice (not damage modifiers). Object Interaction
If the d20 roll for an attack is a 1, the attack misses
regardless of any modifiers or the target’s AC. You are allowed to make simple interactions with objects
around you without using your action. These are things such
Action Economy as drawing/sheathing a weapon, opening a door, handing
someone an item, etc.
A creature may perform any or all of the following options per
round by default: Bonus Actions
Bonus Actions are reserved specifically for abilities that
Movement up to their speed
require them. You cannot use a Bonus Action to perform an
1 Action
Action activity (such as Dash) unless you have an ability that
1 Reaction (conditional)
1 Bonus Action (conditional)
specifically allows it. You also cannot perform a Bonus Action
ability as your Action (such as controlling a Spiritual
Weapon).
Movement Two-Weapon Fighting
On your turn, you may move up to your movement speed When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee
across the field. One square is typically equal to 5ft of weapon that you’re holding in one hand, you can use a bonus
movement. Optionally, you can spend your Action to Dash action to attack with a different light melee weapon that
and move up to your movement speed again on your turn. you’re holding in the other hand.
You don’t add your ability modifier to the damage of the
Breaking Up Your Movement bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.
You can break up your movement on your turn, using some of
your speed before and after your action. Example: If you have Reactions
a speed of 30ft, you can move 10ft, take your action, and then A reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind,
move 20ft. which can occur on your turn or on someone else’s. An ability
If you take an action that includes more than one weapon will tell you if it requires a reaction. When you take a
attack, you can break up your movement even further by reaction, you can’t take another until the start of your next
moving between those attacks. turn.
Different Speeds Opportunity Attacks
Unless you specifically have a Climbing or Swimming speed, You can make an opportunity attack when a hostile creature
every foot of movement costs 1 extra foot when performing that you can see moves out of your reach. Use your reaction
these activities. to make one melee attack against the provoking creature.
Difficult Terrain You can avoid provoking an opportunity attack by taking
Every foot of movement in difficult terrain costs 1 extra foot. the Disengage Action. You also don’t provoke opportunity
attacks when you teleport or when something moves you
This rule is true even if multiple things in a space count as without using your movement, action, or reaction.
difficult terrain.

COMBAT BASICS
3
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
 Types of Main Actions Attack Actions
You can choose one of the following options as your Action: For an attack to successfully hit a target, the attack roll must
meet or exceed the target's Armor Class (AC). An attack is
Make an Attack
made by doing the following:
Cast a spell Choose a target: Pick a target within your attack's range.
Dash Determine modifiers: The DM determines cover,
Disengage advantage or disadvantage, etc. Spells and other abilities
Dodge may affect attacks against the target as well.
Help Attempt the attack: Make an attack roll (d20 + your
Hide weapon's attack bonus). On hit, roll damage and apply any
Search applicable effects of the attack.
Use an object

Ready an Action Unseen Attackers/Targets

You can 'Ready' an Action to perform it later in the round by Attacks against targets you can’t see (hidden,
invisible, etc.) have disadvantage. This is true
spending your Reaction. whether you’re guessing the target’s location or
Decide what trigger you are waiting for to perform the you’re targeting a creature you can hear but not
action (i.e. When the enemy becomes visible again). see. If the target isn’t in the location you targeted,
Choose the Action you will perform. you automatically miss.
When the trigger occurs, you either spend your Reaction If you are hidden from the target—both unseen
to perform the Action or ignore it. Unspent spells are lost. and unheard—you have advantage on your attack.
You give away your location whether the attack hits
Dash or misses.

Move up to your movement speed again on your turn.

Disengage Ranged Attacks
You movement will not provke opportunity attacks for the rest Ranged weapons use your Dexterity modifier. Thrown
of your turn. weapons use the same modifier you would use for a melee
attack with that weapon.
Dodge All ranged attack rules also apply to ranged spell attacks.
Until the start of your next turn, attacks against you have Range
disadvantage if you can see the attacker, and you make A weapon's range is displayed with two numbers (e.g. A
Dexterity saving throws with advantage. You lose this benefit dagger has 20/60 range). The first number is the weapon's
if you are incapacitated or if your speed is dropped to 0. effective range in feet. The second number is the maximum
range of the weapon, but any attack made beyond the first
Help number is made with disadvantage.
Aid an ally to give them advantage on the next ability check Close Combat Ranged Attacks
they make to perform the task you are helping with.
You may also aid an ally in attacking a creature that is You have disadvantage on the attack if you are within 5ft of a
within 5ft of you. You feint, distract the target, etc. to make hostile creature who can see you and isn’t incapacitated.
your ally’s attack more effective. If your ally attacks the target
before your next turn, their first attack roll is made with Melee Attacks
advantage. Melee weapons use your Strength modifier, with the
exception of Finesse weapons which use your choice of
Hide Strength or Dexterity.
Attempt a Stealth check to gain the benefits of being hidden. All melee attack rules also apply to melee spell attacks.
Search Reach
Most creatures have a 5ft reach and can thus attack targets
Devote your attention to finding something. You may be asked within 5ft of them with a melee attack. Certain weapons or
to roll a Perception or Investigation check. creatures may have a longer reach.
Use an Object Unarmed Attacks
When an object requires your Action for its use, you take the You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, meaning your
Use an Object action. This is also used when you want to attack bonus is your proficiency + Strength modifier. On hit,
interact with multiple surrounding objects on your turn. you deal 1 + your Strength modifier in bludgeoning damage.
COMBAT ACTIONS | ATTACK ACTIONS
4
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Attack Actions cont. Damage and Death
Other Attack Options Resistance & Vulnerability
Instead of dealing damage to a target, you may take an If a creature or object has resistance to a damage type,
alternative type of attack action. If you’re able to make damage of that type is halved against it. If a creature or
multiple attacks with the Attack action (such as with the object has vulnerability to a damage type, damage of that type
Extra Attack class feature), these attacks replace one of them. is doubled against it.
Resistance and vulnerability are applied after all other
Grapple modifiers are added to damage.
Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by
making a grapple check: an Athletics check contested by the Dropping to 0 Hit Points
target’s Athletics or Acrobatics check (the target chooses the When you drop to 0 hit points, you either die outright or fall
ability to use). The target must be no more than one size unconscious. Melee attacks within 5ft while at 0 hit points
larger than you, and must be within your reach. If you automatically crit.
succeed, the target’s speed becomes 0 and it can’t benefit
from any bonus to its speed. Unconscious
Escaping a Grapple: A grappled creature can use its If damage reduces you to 0 hit points and fails to kill you, you
action to escape by attempting the grapple check again. fall unconscious. This unconsciousness ends if you regain
Moving a Grappled Creature: When you move, you can any hit points.
drag or carry the grappled creature with you, but your
speed is halved unless the creature is two or more sizes Instant Death
smaller than you. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is
damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals
Shove or exceeds your hit point maximum.
You either to knock the target prone or push them away from For example, a cleric with a maximum of 12 hit points
you. The target must be no more than one size larger than currently has 6 hit points. If she takes 18 damage from an
you, and must be within your reach. attack, she is reduced to 0 hit points, but 12 damage remains.
You make an Athletics check contested by the target’s Because the remaining damage equals her hit point
Athletics or Acrobatics check (the target chooses the ability to maximum, the cleric dies.
use). On success, you choose to either knock the target prone
or push it 5ft away from you. Death Saving Throws
Whenever you start your turn with 0 hit points, you make a
death saving throw.
Knocking a Creature Out Roll a d20. If the roll is 10 or higher, you succeed.
Otherwise, you fail. On your third success, you become
When an attacker reduces a creature to 0 hit points stable. On your third failure, you die. The successes and
with a melee attack, the attacker can choose to failures don’t need to be consecutive. The number of both is
knock the creature out rather than kill it. The reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become
attacker can make this choice the instant the stable.
damage is dealt. The creature then falls
unconscious and is stable. Rolling 1 or 20: If you roll a 1 on the d20, it counts as two
failures. If you roll a 20, you stabilize and regain 1 hit
point.
Damage at 0 Hit Points: If you take any damage while
you have 0 hit points, you suffer a death saving throw
failure. If the damage is from a critical hit, you suffer two
failures instead. If the damage equals or exceeds your hit
point maximum, you suffer instant death.
Stabilizing a Creature
You can use your action to administer first aid to an
unconscious creature and attempt to stabilize it, which
requires a successful DC 10 Medicine check.
A stable creature doesn’t make death saving throws, even
though it has 0 hit points, but it does remain unconscious. If
the unconscious creature takes damage again, it is no longer
stable.

ATTACK ACTIONS | DAMAGE & DEATH

5
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
 1/17/2019 5e Character Creation | GM Binder

 
You have 6 ability scores: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Your proficiency bonus is determined by your total character
Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Your abilities, skills, and level. See your class leveling table to find your proficiency
combat prowess are dependent on these scores. Generate a bonus.
stat block with the following steps: Mark down all of your proficiencies given by your Class,
Race, and Background. These include saving throws, skills,
Roll 4d6, drop the lowest number, and record the resulting equipment, tools, and language proficiencies.
total number.
Do this a total of 6 times. 
Assign these numbers to your ability scores as you see fit,
adding any racial bonuses that apply. You’ll want to put the You will be told to roll a saving throw when you are trying to
highest numbers in the scores that your class depends on resist an effect. Your bonus to saving throws is equal to the
most. respective ability modifier.
If you are proficient in a saving throw, you also add your
If you want to save time or don’t like the idea of randomly proficiency bonus on top of the ability modifier.
determining ability scores, you can use the following scores
instead: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. 
Your ability scores are used to determine your ability
modifier, which is used to calculate various bonuses. See the Each skill is tied to a specific ability score. Your bonus for that
following table to determine your modifier from your ability skill is equal to its respective ability modifier.
score. Your starting ability scores cap at 20. If you are proficient in that skill, you also add your
proficiency bonus on top of the ability modifier.
Ability Score Modifier To calculate Passive Wisdom (Perception), add your total
Perception bonus + 10.
1 ­5
2­3 ­4 
4­5 ­3 Equipment bonuses are calculated in Step 4 of this guide.
If you are proficient with a particular set of tools, you simply
6­7 ­2 add your proficiency bonus to any check made with that tool.
8­9 ­1 You are NOT required to have proficiency in a set of tools to
use them. However, you ARE required to have proficiency with
10­11 +0
tools that craft items, such as the Herbalism Kit. This will be
12­13 +1 listed in the tool's description.
14­15 +2

16­17 +3
Your Race and Background will list which langagues you
18­19 +4 know. By default, you can speak and write these languages
20­21 +5 unless stated otherwise.

Standard Languages
 Westron
Sindarin • Dunlendish
Hit Dice & Hit Points Dalish • Easterling
Each class has a different Hit Die with determines their Hit Rohirric
Points. See your class description to find this information and Haradric
how to calculate hit points. You gain one hit dice for each level Losoth
you gain in that class. For example: A 3rd level Cleric would Orkish
have 3d8 total hit dice. Anduin
Primarily, hit dice are used to heal during a short rest. You Tongue
regain half your total hit dice back after a long rest. Exotic Languages
Adûnaic
Initiative Black Speech
Your Initiative bonus is equal to your DEX modifier. This is Old Entish
added to a d20 roll to determine your place in the combat Khuzdul
order. Quenya
Silvan
Drúadan
Beast Speech

2
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
https://www.gmbinder.com/documents/print/-LSLKyw-PaCu0yvueeC2 2/5
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
1/17/2019 5e Character Creation | GM Binder

 
(PHB pg. 148) Choose equipment from the starter equipment Each class has their own set of abilities gained on level-up.
listed for your class. See below for an example. See your class leveling table for everything you have access to
at your current level.
Cleric Equipment 
(a) a mace, or (b) a warhammer (if proficient) Every class has subclasses to choose from which allow for
(a) scale mail, or (b) leather armor, or (c) chain
mail (if proficient)
further character customization. Clerics have domains, Bards
(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts, or (b) any have colleges, Rogues have archetypes, etc. Plan ahead for
simple weapon which subclass you would like to take once you reach that
(a) priest's pack, or (b) an explorer's pack level. Don't forget to note these abilities on your sheet when
A shield and a holy symbol you level up!
The cleric chose the following equipment: Mace, 
Chain mail, Light Crossbow and 20 bolts, Explorer's
Pack, Shield, and Holy Symbol. Some classes have spellcasting as a class feature. Every
spellcasting class has their own casting rules, so be sure to be
familiar with whichever you choose.

Spellcasting Modifier
Armor
The ability modifier used to calculate your spell bonuses.
Armor determines your Armor Class (AC). If you are not
wearing armor, your AC = 10 + DEX modifier.
If you are wearing armor, you follow the rules listed for that Spell Save DC
armor. For example: Leather armor gives you an AC of 11 + Some spells require the target to make a saving throw in order
DEX modifer, while chain mail gives you a flat AC of 16. You to take effect. They make the save against your spell save DC,
should only wear armor if you are proficient with it. Non- which your class tells you how to calculate.
proficient armor imposes penalties on your character.
Weapons Spell Attack Bonus
You can wield any weapon you wish, but you receive extra Some spells will tell you to make a melee spell attack or a
bonuses if you are proficient with that weapon. ranged spell attack. Treat this as if you were making a weapon
attack by making a d20 roll + your spell attack bonus against
the target's AC.
Attack Bonus
Add this number to a d20 roll to see if your attack hits the All of the same rules apply as if you were making a weapon
target. If you are proficient with a weapon, your Attack Bonus attack (e.g. A ranged spell attack against a proned target would
with that weapon = proficiency bonus + ability modifier. have disadvantage).

Melee weapons = STR modifier

Ranged weapons = DEX modifier
Finesse weapons = STR or DEX modifer (your choice)

If you are NOT proficient with a weapon, you ONLY add the
relevant ability modifier to your Attack Bonus.

If the weapon has the Thrown property, you use the same
ability modifier you would use to make a melee attack with the
weapon.

Weapon Damage
When you confirm a hit on a target, roll how much damage you
deal. Each weapon has a different damage die. Add the
weapon's relevant ability modifer to damage.

Example: A Barbarian has a STR mod of +4. His Greataxe

deals 1d12 + 4 slashing damage.

3
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
https://www.gmbinder.com/documents/print/-LSLKyw-PaCu0yvueeC2 3/5
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.