Glossary

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.

A damage roll is a die roll, adjusted by any applicable modifiers, that deals damage to a target. See also “Playing the Game” (“Damage and Healing”).

A creature or an object that has a damage threshold has Immunity to all damage unless it takes an amount of damage from a single attack or effect equal to or greater than its damage threshold, in which case it takes that entire instance of damage. Any damage that fails to meet or exceed the damage threshold is superficial and doesn’t reduce Hit Points. For example, if an object has a damage threshold of 10, the object takes no damage if 9 damage is dealt to it, since that damage fails to exceed the threshold. If the same object is dealt 11 damage, it takes all of that damage.

Attacks and other harmful effects deal different types of damage. Damage types have no rules of their own, but other rules, such as Resistance, rely on the types. The Damage Types table offers examples to help a GM assign a type to a new effect. Damage Types Type Examples Acid Corrosive liquids, digestive enzymes Bludgeoning Blunt objects, constriction, falling Cold Freezing water, icy blasts Fire Flames, unbearable heat Force Pure magical energy Lightning Electricity Type Examples Necrotic Life-draining energy Piercing Fangs, puncturing objects Poison Toxic gas, venom Psychic Mind-rending energy Radiant Holy energy, searing radiation Slashing Claws, cutting objects Thunder Concussive sound

An area of Darkness is Heavily Obscured. See also “Heavily Obscured” and “Playing the Game” (“Exploration”).

If you have Darkvision, you can see in Dim Light within a specified range as if it were Bright Light and in Darkness within that range as if it were Dim Light. You discern colors in that Darkness only as shades of gray. See also “Playing the Game” (“Exploration”).

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. If your Speed of 30 feet is reduced to 15 feet, you can move up to 30 feet this turn if you Dash. If you have a special speed, such as a Fly Speed or Swim Speed, you can use that speed instead of your Speed when you take this action. You choose which speed to use each time you take it. See also “Speed.”

A dead creature has no Hit Points and can’t regain them unless it is first revived by magic such as the Raise Dead or Revivify spell. When such a spell is cast, the spirit knows who is casting it and can refuse. The spirit of a dead creature has left the body and departed for the Outer Planes, and reviving the creature requires calling the spirit back. If the creature returns to life, the revival effect determines the creature’s current Hit Points. Unless otherwise stated, the creature returns to life with any conditions, magical contagions, or curses that were affecting it at death if the durations of those effects are still ongoing. If the creature died with any Exhaustion levels, it returns with 1 fewer level. If the creature had Attunement to one or more magic items, it is no longer attuned to them.

A player character must make a Death Saving Throw (also called a Death Save) if they start their turn with 0 Hit Points. See also “Playing the Game” (“Damage and Healing”).

Swimming through deep water (more than 100 feet deep) presents additional challenges because of the water’s pressure and cold temperature. After each hour of swimming in deep water, a creature that lacks a Swim Speed must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 Exhaustion level.

A creature requires an amount of water per day based on its size, as shown in the Water Needs per Day table. A creature that drinks less than half the required water for a day gains 1 Exhaustion level at the day’s end. Exhaustion caused by dehydration can’t be removed until the creature drinks the full amount of water required for a day. See also “Exhaustion.” Water Needs per Day Size Water Tiny 1/4 gallon Small 1 gallon Medium 1 gallon Size Water Large 4 gallons Huge 16 gallons Gargantuan 64 gallons

Demonic Possession arises from the chaos and evil of the Abyss and commonly besets creatures that interact with demonic objects or linger in desecrated locations, where demonic spirits await victims. A creature that becomes the target of Demonic Possession must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by a bodiless demonic entity. Whenever the possessed creature rolls a 1 on a D20 Test, the demonic entity takes control of the creature and determines the creature’s behavior thereafter. At the end of each of the possessed creature’s later turns, the creature makes a DC 15 Charisma saving throw, regaining control of itself on a success. After finishing a Long Rest, a creature with Demonic Possession makes a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the effect ends on the creature. A Dispel Evil and Good spell or any magic that removes a curse also ends the effect on it.

If a space is Difficult Terrain, every foot of movement in that space costs 1 extra foot. For example, moving 5 feet through Difficult Terrain costs 10 feet of movement. Difficult Terrain isn’t cumulative; either a space is Difficult Terrain or it isn’t. A space is Difficult Terrain if the space contains any of the following or something similar: - A creature that isn’t Tiny or your ally - Furniture that is sized for creatures of your size or larger - Heavy snow, ice, rubble, or undergrowth - Liquid that’s between shin- and waist-deep - A narrow opening sized for a creature one size smaller than you - A slope of 20 degrees or more

A Difficulty Class (DC) is the target number for an ability check or a saving throw. See also “Playing the Game” (“D20 Tests”).

An area with Dim Light is Lightly Obscured. See also “Lightly Obscured” and “Playing the Game” (“Exploration”).