There are fifteen different conditions that can be applied to characters and creatures in Dungeons and Dragons (also known as DnD) fifth edition. Conditions alter a creature or character's capabilities in a variety of ways and can be the result of an attack, a spell, a class feature, or another effect. Most conditions are impairments, however, a few can be beneficial to you or your enemies in gameplay. 

 

Conditions last until a duration of time has passed or until it is countered. Below we will review each condition and what happens to a character or “creature” while it is subject to the condition. This will help you to know what to do the next time you fall subject to one.

 

Note: If multiple effects cause the same condition, each instance of the condition has its own duration, but the effects do not worsen.

 

Conditions

Saving throws, resting for a period of time, and spells may help to take the sting out of many conditions, but the effects of the conditions could still make or break a crucial situation during gameplay.

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Blinded

A blinded creature can’t see, which means it will automatically fail any ability check that requires sight. Attack rolls against blinded creatures have advantage, and the blinded creature’s own attack rolls now have disadvantage. On the plus side, while you are blinded you can still hear what is going on around you making it easier to attack your foes even though you can’t see them.

 

Certain spells can cause blindness such as Blindness/Deafness, Color Spray, and Sunbeam. Blindness can be a powerful condition in combat as enemies that can’t see will struggle to cast spells and other attacks your way. It can also take you out of combat quickly if you fall victim to its effects.

 

Charmed

Being Charmed is a way of giving a creature an advantage (not an in-game advantage on rolls). You automatically have advantage on ability checks when interacting with a charmed creature. A charmed creature also can’t attack you or use abilities and magical effects that cause you harm. 

 

A couple of obvious ways to inflict this condition are by using spells such as Charm Person or Charm Monster. Being able to apply the Charmed condition is the way to go if you’re looking to have advantage on a Persuasion check or if you're seeking to divert an attacking entity’s attention elsewhere.

 

Deafened

A deafened creature can’t hear for the duration of the condition. Additionally, Perception checks that rely on hearing will automatically fail which can cause distress if you have an enemy sneaking up on you or your party members need to tell you something quickly. 

 

Alternatively, deafening an enemy makes sneaking past them much easier. Some spells that can cause deafness are Blindness/Deafness and Thunderwave. Any spell or item that causes a loud noise may be used to cause this condition on your foe.

 

Exhausted

Exhaustion is a special condition as it is the only one that comes in tiers. When a creature is subject to a special ability or harsh environmental conditions (such as a Barbarian’s Frenzy feature or walking through harsh terrain for an extended period of time), it may gain one or more levels of exhaustion.

 

The following discusses what each tier of exhaustion does to you: At level 1 you have disadvantage on ability checks, at level 2 your speed is halved, at level 3, you have disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws, at level 4, your hit point maximum is halved, at level 5, your speed is reduced to zero,  and if you reach level 6, you suffer from Death.

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These effects are the only condition that stacks and creatures can die of exhaustion, therefore this is a condition you must be very wary of. The easiest way to combat exhaustion is with rest; for example, a long rest along with rations of food and water will reduce your exhaustion by one level.

 

Frightened

While the source of its fear is within the line of sight a frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls. The creature will also not move any closer to you as you are the source of their fear.

 

Some examples of causes of fear are Intimidating Presence, Draconic Presence, Fey Presence, and Menacing Attack Maneuver. There are others available to you as well, so get out there and strike some fear into your enemies!

 

Grappled

Imagine grabbing someone in a tight squeeze and not letting go, that’s what a grapple is. A grappled creature loses all speed bringing it down to zero, regardless of any bonuses they may have.

 

The Grapple condition is fairly simple to understand, but it does come with some caveats to keep in mind. You can only grapple a creature that is up to one size larger than you (so no big hugs for Titans).

 

Additionally, a grappled creature can still attack you, so make sure you’re ready to take a few hits to keep the grappled creature in place.

 

Incapacitated

Incapacitation is another simple condition to understand, but it is one that can ruin your combat if you fall victim to it. An incapacitated creature cannot take any actions nor can it make any reactions.

 

An interesting idea to keep in mind is that many other conditions can also incapacitate a creature. For example, if you (or your enemy) become paralyzed or petrified, you may also become incapacitated in addition to several other menacing effects. 

 

This condition doesn’t end in battle either, drinking too much lager at the tavern could incapacitate you as well, so keep this condition in mind on and off the field of battle.

 

Invisible

Did you see that? No? That’s because it was invisible! This condition does exactly what it says, it makes a creature invisible and they disappear from view. This means that without the aid of magic spells or items, the creature can’t be seen.

 

Mechanically, they’re considered heavily obscured in terms of hiding. Attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage, while the invisible creature gains advantage on their attack rolls. On the plus side, invisibility doesn’t stop the creature from being detected entirely as noise, smell, or tracks can still easily give away its position.

 

Paralyzed

Paralysis is the condition in which the body cannot move, therefore any paralyzed creature is also incapacitated (see the incapacitated condition above). The creature is frozen in place like a statue, therefore they can’t move or speak.

 

While under the influence of the condition, a paralyzed creature fails all Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the paralyzed creature have advantage, and successful attacks are considered critical hits as long as the attacker is within five feet of the paralyzed target.

 

Petrified

Being paralyzed may be like turning into a statue, but being petrified quite literally turns you into an unmoving, un-attacking statue of your former self. A petrified creature, along with any nonmagical objects it’s carrying or wearing, is turned into stone. The petrified creature can’t speak, move, or pass Strength or Dexterity saving throws. Also, all attacks made against a petrified creature have advantage.

 

There are silver linings to this condition, believe it or not. Petrified creatures don’t age, and they’re resistant to all types of damage brought against them. They are also immune to poison and disease, though any effects they had before the petrification are paused rather than removed for good.

 

Poisoned

Did you eat some strange food or drink an odd substance given to you by an unassuming old lady in the woods? You may have just ingested poison. The Poison condition can be given to you in several different ways. You may be hit with a poisoned arrow or a Wizard may cast Ray of Sickness against you.

 

Being poisoned means you have disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks. It also means you need to seek treatment or rest as soon as possible. We hope you have a cleric close by to rid yourself of this condition as soon as possible.

 

Prone

A prone creature has been knocked to the ground in some way and can no longer get up until the condition ends. They have disadvantage on attack rolls, and as long as the attacker is within five feet all attack rolls against the prone creature have advantage. Attack rolls beyond the five feet distance have disadvantage.

 

Until a prone creature is able to get up, their only option for moving is to crawl which has a slower movement speed than standing and moving.

 

Restrained

Like with being Grappled, the Restrained condition reduces a creature’s speed to zero making them unable to move. No speed benefits will have any effect on the speed reduction. Affected creatures have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws and attack rolls, while attack rolls against the restrained creature have advantage.

 

It can be beneficial to team up with a teammate to make the most of this condition when it applies to your enemy because if one party member can hold an enemy down, the other can swoop in with an extra powerful attack against the restrained enemy.

 

Stunned

Being stunned is to be very shocked or surprised. In DnD 5e the stunned condition means a creature becomes incapacitated (see the incapacitated condition above) and cannot take any actions nor can it make any reactions. 

 

Stunned creatures can still speak, but with difficulty. They also fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws, while creatures who are attacking the stunned creature gain advantage. Some spells that can cause a creature to become stunned are Contagion, Divine Word, Symbol, Power Word Stun,  and Psychic Scream.

 

Unconscious

If you have ever passed out then you have a good idea of how the Unconscious condition works. As well as causing the creature to not be able to take any actions or make any reactions (see the incapacitated condition above), the unconscious condition causes the creature to drop everything it’s holding and fall to the ground. The unconscious creature cannot speak or move, and they are unaware of anything happening around them.

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An unconscious creature fails all Strength and Dexterity saving throws, all attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and attacks from within five feet of the incapacitated creature are automatic critical hits.