Glossary

A campaign is a series of adventures. See also “Adventure.”

A cantrip is a level 0 spell, which is cast without a spell slot. See also “Spells.”

Your size and Strength score determine the maximum weight in pounds that you can carry, as shown in the Carrying Capacity table. The table also shows the maximum weight you can drag, lift, or push. While dragging, lifting, or pushing weight in excess of the maximum weight you can carry, your Speed can be no more than 5 feet. Carrying Capacity Creature Size Carry Drag/Lift/Push Tiny Str. × 7.5 lb. Str. × 15 lb. Small/Medium Str. × 15 lb. Str. × 30 lb. Large Str. × 30 lb. Str. × 60 lb. Huge Str. × 60 lb. Str. × 120 lb. Gargantuan Str. × 120 lb. Str. × 240 lb.

Challenge Rating (CR) summarizes the threat a monster poses to a group of four player characters. Compare a monster’s CR to the characters’ level. If the CR is higher, the monster is likely a danger. If the CR is lower, the monster likely poses little threat. But circumstances and the number of player characters can significantly alter how threatening a monster is in actual play. “Gameplay Toolbox” (“Combat Encounters”) provides guidance to the GM on using CR while planning potential combat encounters. See also “Stat Block.”

A character sheet is a paper or digital record that you use to track your character’s information. See also “Character Creation.”

A Climb Speed can be used in place of Speed to traverse a vertical surface without expending the extra movement normally associated with climbing. See also “Climbing” and “Speed.”

While you’re climbing, each foot of movement costs 1 extra foot (2 extra feet in Difficult Terrain). You ignore this extra cost if you have a Climb Speed and use it to climb. At the GM’s option, climbing a slippery surface or one with few handholds might require a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

Some spells and other effects require Concentration to remain active, as specified in their descriptions. If the effect’s creator loses Concentration, the effect ends. If the effect has a maximum duration, the effect’s description specifies how long the creator can concentrate on it: up to 1 minute, 1 hour, or some other duration. The creator can end Concentration at any time (no action required). The following factors break Concentration. Another Concentration Effect. You lose Concentration on an effect the moment you start casting a spell that requires Concentration or activate another effect that requires Concentration. Damage. If you take damage, you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw to maintain Concentration. The DC equals 10 or half the damage taken (round down), whichever number is higher, up to a maximum DC of 30. Incapacitated or Dead. Your Concentration ends if you have the Incapacitated condition or you die.

A condition is a temporary game state. The definition of a condition says how it affects its recipient, and various rules define how to end a condition. This glossary defines these conditions: Blinded Charmed Deafened Exhaustion Frightened Grappled Incapacitated Invisible Paralyzed Petrified Poisoned Prone Restrained Stunned Unconscious A condition doesn’t stack with itself; a recipient either has a condition or doesn’t. The Exhaustion condition is an exception to that rule.

A Cone is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a point of origin in a direction its creator chooses. A Cone’s width at any point along its length is equal to that point’s distance from the point of origin. For example, a Cone is 15 feet wide at a point along its length that is 15 feet from the point of origin. The effect that creates a Cone specifies its maximum length. A Cone’s point of origin isn’t included in the area of effect unless its creator decides otherwise.

Cover provides a degree of protection to a target behind it. There are three degrees of cover, each of which provides a different benefit to a target: Half Cover (+2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws), Three-Quarters Cover (+5 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws), and Total Cover (can’t be targeted directly). If behind more than one degree of cover, a target benefits only from the most protective degree. See also “Playing the Game” (“Combat”).

While you’re crawling, each foot of movement costs 1 extra foot (2 extra feet in Difficult Terrain). See also “Speed.”

Any being in the game, including a player’s character, is a creature. See also “Creature Type.”

Every creature, including every player character, has a tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature it is. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. These are the game’s creature types: Aberration Beast Celestial Construct Dragon Elemental Fey Fiend Giant Humanoid Monstrosity Ooze Plant Undead The types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways.

If you roll a 20 on the d20 for an attack roll, you score a Critical Hit, and the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target’s AC. A Critical Hit lets you roll extra dice for the attack’s damage against the target. Roll all of the attack’s damage dice twice and add them together. Then add any relevant modifiers. See also “Playing the Game” (“Damage and Healing”).

A Cube is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a point of origin located anywhere on a face of the Cube. The effect that creates a Cube specifies its size, which is the length of each side. A Cube’s point of origin isn’t included in the area of effect unless its creator decides otherwise.

Some game effects curse a creature or an object. The effect that confers a curse defines what the curse does. Curses can be removed by the Remove Curse and Greater Restoration spells or other magic that explicitly ends curses.

A Cylinder is an area of effect that extends in straight lines from a point of origin located at the center of the circular top or bottom of the Cylinder. The effect that creates a Cylinder specifies the radius of the Cylinder’s base and the Cylinder’s height. A Cylinder’s point of origin is included in the area of effect.

D20 Tests encompass the three main d20 rolls of the game: ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. If something in the game affects D20 Tests, it affects all three of these rolls. The GM determines whether a D20 Test is warranted in a given circumstance. See also “Playing the Game” (“D20 Tests”).

Damage represents harm that causes a creature or an object to lose Hit Points.