DM Reference Guide

Core Mechanics & Skills

basic mechanics PH 7 strength PH 175

Dice rolls Associated skills

Dice rolls must meet or exceed the target. Athletics
Advantage & disadvantage Climbing, jumping, lifting, swimming.
Advantage and disadvantage don’t stack. If both
Skill DC examples
are in effect they’re cancelled out.
Easy
Round down
Force open a stuck door, tread rough water.
Whenever dividing a number, if the result is a
Medium
fraction it’s rounded down.
Climb a free-hanging rope, grip a moving wagon.
Hard
ability scores PH 13
Climb a wall with few handholds.
Score Mod. Score Mod. Rules
1 -5 16 - 17 +3 Carry capacity
2-3 -4 18 - 19 +4 Carry capacity (lbs) equals STR score x 15
4-5 -3 20 - 21 +5 Push/drag/lift equals x2 carry capacity. Speed
6-7 -2 22 - 23 +6 drops to 5ft when doing so.
8-9 -1 24 - 25 +7 Double these values for each size category above
10 - 11 0 26 - 27 +8 medium. Halve for each category smaller.
12 - 13 +1 28 - 29 +9 Jumping
14 - 15 +2 30 +10 Standing horizontal jump (ft), distance equal to
half total STR score; full STR score with min. 10
ability checks PH 174 foot running start.
Basic check Standing vertical jump (ft), distance equal to
d20 + ability modifier (+ extra modifiers) half of 3+STR modifier; 3+STR with min. 10 foot
Passive check running start.
10 + ability modifier (+/- 5 adv/disadv)
Group check dexterity PH 176
Everyone rolls and at least half succeed. Associated skills
Proficiency Acrobatics
Skill or tool proficiency allows a character add Balance, dives, flips, somersaults.
their proficiency modifier to a roll. Sleight of hand
Steal or plant an item, manual dexterity.
typical dc’s PH 174
Stealth
Task difficulty DC Hide from observation. Opposed check.
Very easy 5
Skill DC examples
Easy 10
Easy
Medium 15
Palm a coin, walk across an icy surface.
Hard 20
Medium
Very hard 25
Escape tight rope bindings, pick a typical lock.
Nearly impossible 30
Hard
Average rolls Disarm a professionally-made trap.
A character with an ability score of 10 and no
proficiency should succeed 50% of the time.
 Skills
constitution PH 177 Wisdom PH 178

Skill examples Associated skills

Endure a marathon, grasp hot metal without Animal handling
flinching, win a drinking contest. Calming animals, intuit intent, control mount.
Insight
Rules
Determine intent, pick a lie.
Breathing
Medicine
Can hold breath equal to 1 + CON modifier, min
Stabilise a dying creature, diagnose illness.
30 seconds. After this, can survive rounds equal
Perception
to CON modifer, then character begins to die.
See in the distance, eavesdrop, oppose stealth.
Concentration
Survival
DC10 or DC(half damage taken), whichever is
Follow tracks, hunt & gather, predict weather.
higher.
Hit points Skill DC examples
Add hit die + CON modifier per level. If CON Easy
modifier increases, add +1 HP per additional Spot a distant landmark, follow clear tracks.
CON modifier point. This is retroactive. Medium
Interpret non-verbal communications.
intelligence PH 177 Hard
Track over barren terrain, diagnose rare ailment.
Associated skills
Arcana charisma PH 178
Lore about magical creatures, spells, symbols.
History Associated skills
Information about past events. Deception
Investigation Lie, disguise yourself, forge documents.
Search for clues, hidden objects, cause of death. Intimidation
Nature Threaten through physical presence or violence.
Lore about plants, animals, terrain, and climate. Performance
Religion Entertain an audience.
Lore about deities, prayers, cults, holy symbols. Pursuasion
Tact, social graces, negotiation, diplomacy.
Skill DC examples
Easy Skill DC examples
Remember common info, identify obvious trap. Easy
Medium A routine performance, scare a spineless noble.
Identify uncommon symbols or cause of death. Medium
Hard Intimidate thugs, persuade an acquaintence.
Idenify well-hidden trap, recall esoteric info. Hard
Rally a crowd, negotiate a peace treaty.
 Combat
Combat numbers
Melee attack
1d20 + STR mod + proficiency bonus +
situational modifiers. Use DEX instead of STR if
using finesse weapon.
Ranged attack
1d20 + DEX mod + proficiency bonus +
situational modifiers.
Disadvantage if shooting at enemy within 5ft.
Spell attack
1d20 + INT/WIS/CHA mod + proficiency bonus
+ situational modifiers.
Disadvantage if casting at enemy within 5ft.
Spell save DC
DC8 + INT/WIS/CHA mod + proficiency bonus
+ situational modifiers.
Half cover (PH 196)
Grants a +2 bonus to AC. Occurs if a target has
more than half its body obscured by an obstacle,
eg: a low wall or furniture.
Three-quarter cover (PH 196)
Grants a +5 bonus to AC. Occurs if a target has
3/4 of its body obscured by an obstacle, eg: an
arrrow slit.
Critical hits (PH 196)
A natural 20 attack roll is a critical hit. Roll the
damage dice twice, then add relevant modifiers.
The Combat Round PH 189
1. Establish surprise
Opposed Stealth vs Perception checks. Surprised
creatures can’t move, act, or react until the end
of the first round.
2. Establish positions
DM determines placement based on marching
order and enemy placements.
3. Roll initiative
1d20+DEX modifier. Ties resolved by whoever
has the higher DEX modifier.
4. Turn order
Participants take turns to act. Everyone gets one
turn: a movement, an action, and free, bonus,
and reactions where applicable. A round has
completed when everyone has had one turn.
actions in combat PH 192
Attack
Melee, ranged or spell attack against target.
Cast a spell
Will be either targeted attack, requiring attack
roll vs AC, or a spell effect which requires the
target to save vs caster’s DC.
Dash
Move at your speed as an action in addition to
your usual movement.
Disengage
Allows player to move out of melee range
without triggering an opportunity attack.
Dodge
Focus entirely on defence. Advantage on DEX
saves, attackers attack with disadvantage.
Grapple (PH 195)
You grab your target. Target must be no more
than one size bigger than you. Make an Althletics
check vs Athletics or Acrobatics.
Target can make another escape attempt each
round.
You can move a grappled creature with you, but
your speed is halved.
Help
Helped creature gets advantage on next attack if
within 5ft.
Hide
Stealth check vs Perception. Attacking when
hidden grants advantage, and usually reveals
your position.
Ready
Sacrifice action to have an automatic reaction
against a specific trigger event.
Search
Perception or Investigation check.
Shove (PH 195)
You force a target to move. Target must be no
more than one size bigger than you. Make an
Athletics vs Athletics or Acrobatics. Success
knocks target 5 ft away or prone.
Use an object
Everything else, eg: drink a potion, lower a gate.
 Combat
conditions PH 290 Stunned
Subject is Incapacitated, can’t move, and can
Blinded only speak falteringly. Auto fails STR and DEX
Auto fail on checks requiring sight. Disadvantage checks. Attack rolls against have advantage.
when the subject attacks, and attacks against it Unconscious
have advantage. Subject is Incapacitated, can’t move or speak, is
Charmed unaware of surroundings. Drops whatever it’s
Can’t atack or target charmer. Charmer has holding and falls prone. Auto fail STR and DEX
advantage in any social interaction with subject. checks. Attack rolls against have advantage. Any
Deafened successful attacks within 5ft auto crit.
Auto fail on checks requiring hearing.
Frightened Healing & dying PH 197
Disadvantage on attacks when cause of fear is
HP below zero
visible. Can’t willingly move closer to the cause.
When your HP is reduced to zero, you fall
Grappled
unconscious and make death saving throws.
Speed is zero. Ends if removed from grappler’s
Death saving throws
reach or if grappler is incapacitated.
Roll 1d20. 10 or higher is success. Three
Incapacitated
successes in total means you’re stabilised, three
Can’t take actions or reactions.
failures means you’re dead. A natural 20 grants
Invisible
1HP. A natural 1 counts as two failures.
Can’t be seen unaided; considered heavily
Instant death
obscured. Attacks made by an invisible creature
You die if your HP goes below 0 and you then
have advantage; attacks against one have
take additional damage equal to your HP.
disadvantage.
First aid
Paralysed
A character can stablise a dying creature by
Subject is Incapacitated, can’t move or speak.
succeeding on a DC10 Medicine check.
Auto fail STR and DEX checks, attacks against
Healing Potions
have advantage. Successful attacks from within
Healing potions provide 2d4+2 HP.
5ft auto crit.
Stablised
Petrified
A stablised creature has 0HP and is unconscious.
Subject is transformed, along with all non-
Non-lethal damage (PH 198)
magical objects carried or worn) into a solid,
You can knock your target unconscious if you
inanimate substance. Auto fail STR and DEX
make a melee attack that reduces it to 0HP.
checks, attacks against have advantage. Subject
Short rest (PH 186)
has resistance to all damage, and is immune to
Minimum 1 hour spent resting: eating, drinking,
poison and disease (current effects suspended).
tending wounds. Recover HP up to maximum
Poisoned
number of hit dice + CON modifier. Can recover
Disadvantage on attacks and checks.
total number of hit dice once per day.
Prone
Long rest (PH 186)
Can only crawl. Disadvantage on attack rolls.
Minimum 8 hours spent eating, drinking,
Attacks within 5ft have advantage, all others
sleeping, keeping watch for maximum 2 hours.
have disadvantage.
If interrupted, characters must restart the rest
Restrained
period to benefit from it. Recover all HP and
Speed is zero and disadvantage on attacks and
spent hit dice up to half available total. Can have
DEX saves. Attacks against have advantage.
no more than one long rest per 24 hour period.
 Exploration
sight & light PH 183 Breaking stuff DMG 246

Types of Light Material AC Material AC

Bright light Cloth, rope 11 Iron, steel 19
Daylight, torches and lanterns within set radius. Crystal, glass 13 Mithril 21
Dim light Wood, bone 15 Adamantine 23
Shadows, dawn, dusk. Confers disadvantage on Stone 17
sight/Perception checks.
Object Fragile Tough
Darkness
Tiny: bottle, lock 1d4 2d4
Night, unlit dungeons, magical darkness.
Small: chest, lute 1d6 3d6
Confers Blindness.
Medium: barrel, door 1d8 4d8
Lightly obscured
Large: cart, window 1d10 5d10
Dim light, fog, moderate foilage. Confers
Huge/Gargantuan DM’s discretion
disadvantage on sight/Perception checks.
Heavily obscured
Locks & Traps DMG 120
Darkness, thick fog, dense foilage. Confers
Blindness. Picking a lock
Characters need Thieves Tools to pick a
Types of Sight
lock. Tool proficiency grants a bonus. Using
Blindsight
improvised tools confers disadvantage.
Can perceive surroundings without using sight.
Traps
Radius depends on the creature.
To defeat a trap, characters must first Perceive
Darkvision
(WIS) it, then Investigate (INT) its function,
See in darkess as if it were dim light. Can’t see
then use DEX/Thieves Tools to disable it. EG:
colours.
1. DC15 Perception (WIS) to notice
Truesight
2. DC10 Investigate (INT) to locate the
Unimpeded sight within a set range. Can see
mechanism
through normal and magical darkness, see
3. Three successive DC10 DEX to disable
invisible creatures and objects, automatically
the mechanism, or DC15 to jump over
detect visual illusions, perceive the true form of
without triggering it.
magically changed creatures, and see into the
Traps can also be defeated using improvised
Ethereal Plane.
means - such as locating and disconneting a
Light Source Bright Dim Lasts mechanism - or by simply circumventing it.
Candle 5’ +5’ 1 hr
Lamp 15’ +30’ 6 hrs Trap Danger Save DC Attack
Lantern, bullseye 60’ C +60’ C 6 hrs Setback 10-11 +3 to +5
Lantern, hooded 30’ +30’ 6 hrs Dangerous 12-15 +6 to +8
Torch 20’ +20’ 1 hr Deadly 16-20 +9 to +12
Continual Flame 20’ +20’ Dispell
Dancing Lights - 10’ <1 min
Faerie Fire - 10’ <1 min
Flame Blade 10’ +10’ <10 min
Holy Aura - 5’ <1 min
Light 20’ +20’ 1 hr
Moonbeam - 5’ cyl <1 min
 Exploration
Monster Proficiency MM 8 Tracking DMG 244

CR Bonus CR Mod. Surface DC

0-4 +2 17 - 20 +6 Soft, eg: snow or mud 10
5-8 +3 21 - 24 +7 Dirt or grass 15
9 - 12 +4 25 - 28 +8 Bare earth 20
13 - 16 +5 29, 30 +9 Each day since creature passed +5
Creature left a trail, eg: blood -5
Damage severity DMG 249

Character Travel PH 182

Level “Dang” “Shit!” *Dead* Time Fast Normal Slow
1-4 1d10 2d10 4d10 Minutes 400ft. 300ft. 200ft.
5-10 2d10 4d10 10d10 Hours 4 miles 3 miles 2 miles
11-16 4d10 10d10 18d10 Days 30 miles 24 miles 18 miles
17-20 10d10 18d10 24d10 Effects -5 to - Can use
passive stealth
Improvising Damage DMG 249 perception
Dice Examples Forced March
1d10 Burned by coals, hit by falling After 8 hours of travel, characters have to make
bookcase, pricked by poison needle CON checks to prevent exhaustion:
2d10 Struck by lightning, fall into fire pit DC10+1/hr past 8.
4d10 Hit by falling rubble A long rest removes one level of exhaustion.
10d10 Crushed by compacting walls, hit by Level Effect
whirring blades, wading through lava 1 Disadvantage on ability checks
18d10 Submerged in lava, hit by crashing 2 Speed halved
flying fortress 3 Disadvantage on attacks and saves
24d10 Fall into firey vortex on Elemental 4 HP max halved
Plan of Fire, crushed in the jaws of a 5 Speed reduced to 0
godlike or moon-sized creature 6 Death

Encounter distance DMScreen

Foraging DMG 111
Outdoor visibility Distance When travelling at normal or slow pace, party
Clear day, no obstructions 2 miles can make a Wisdom (Survival) check to find
Rain 1 mile food. The DC reflects how hard it is to find food
Fog 100-300 ft. and water in a given area.
From a height x20 Food & water availability DC
Audible range Distance Abundant food and water 10
Trying to be quiet 2d6 x5 ft. Limited food and water 15
Normal noise level 2d6 x10 ft. Very little, if any, food and water 20
Very loud 2d6 x50 ft. Success: 1d6+WIS modifier to determine the
pounds of food and water found.
A medium creature needs 1 pound of food and 1
pound of water per day.
 Magic
Casting Spells PH 201 Magic items DMG 136

Spells known Identification

Bards, rangers, sorcerers and warlocks have a Magic items can be identified with the Identify
limited number of spells available, which they spell, or by spending a short rest focussing on it.
don’t need to prepare. Only one item can be focussed on per rest.
All casters have access to a set number of Potions
cantrips, which they can cast at will. Potions can be tasted to give an idea of their
Preparing spells function.
Clerics, druids, paladins and wizards must Attunement
choose which spells to prepare from the lists Some items need to be attuned before use. First
available to them. identify it, then spend a short rest attuning.
Spells are prepared at the end of a long rest. An item can only be attuned to one character at a
Spell slots time and a character can only be attuned to three
Spellcasters have access to a certain number of items at a time.
spell slots, as dictated by their class and level. A Attunement ends when the character has been
spell can only be cast if a spell slot of equal level 100+ ft. away from the item for 24 hours, or
or lower is available. voluntarily with a short rest.
Rituals Spells & spellbooks
Bards, clerics, druids and wizards can cast ritual Wizard spells can be copied to a spellbook if they
spells without having to prepare them. have a high enough spell slot to cast it. It takes
Spell components 2 hours and 50gp per spell level. Copying a spell
Spells have verbal, somatic, and material from a scroll consumes the scroll.
components. Casters must have access to all
required components in order to cast spells. Magic item rarity DMG 135
A component pouch is assumed to have all
Character
the material components for a spellcaster’s
Rarity Level Value
spells inside it. The exception is spells that list
Common 1st or higher 50-100 gp
components with a specific cost. A focus can
Uncommon 1st or higher 101-500 gp
take the place of a component pouch.
Rare 5th or higher 501 - 5k gp
Casting in armour
Very rare 11th or higher 5001 - 50k gp
A caster can only cast while wearing armour if
Legendary 17th or higher 50,001+ gp
they’re proficient with that type of armour.
Boosting spells Example magic items
Casting some spells in a spell slot of a higher Common
level than required will boost the spell effect. Potion of healing, 1st level spell scrolls.
Stacking spell effects Uncommon
If two spells that have the same effect target the +1 weapons, bag of holding, mithral armour.
same creature, only the more potent spell has an Rare
effect. +2 weapons, ring of feather fall, staff of healing.
Recovering spell slots Very rare
Spell slots are totally recovered at the end of a +3 weapons, dragon scale armour, crystal ball.
long rest. Warlocks, wizards, socercers and some Legendary
druids have features that allow them to recover Deck of many things, robe of the archmagi, rod
additional slots. of resurrection, vorpal sword.
 The Wider World
Common Expenses NPC Earnings
Weapons & Armour (PH 145, 149) Status Min. income/mo. Profit/mo.
Simple melee weapon 1sp - 5gp Poor 6gp 4sp
Simple ranged weapons 1sp - 25gp Unskilled labour, mercenaries, peddlers, theives
Martial melee weapons 5 - 50gp Modest 30gp 2gp
Martial ranged weapons 10 - 75gp Soldiers with families, labourers, hedge wizards
Light armour 5 - 45gp Comfortable 60gp 4gp
Medium armour 10 - 750gp Skilled tradesfolk, merchants, military officers
Heavy armour 30 - 1500gp Wealthy 120gp 8gp
, 150, DMG 188)
Adventuring Gear (PH Very successful merchants, royal sycophants
Acid 25gp Aristocratic 300gp 20gp
Antitoxin 50gp Politicians, guild leaders, high priests
Ammo 1gp (20 arrows/bolts) Note
Healer’s kit 5gp Minimum income per month is income before
Rations (1 day) 5sp any expenses (upkeep, taxes, etc). Profit per
Rope 1gp month is expendable income (beer, savings,
Healing 2d4+2, common, ~50gp etc). This assumes a fairly benevolent ruler (ie,
Greater healing 4d4+4, uncommon modest taxation) and a peacetime setting.
Superior healing 8d4+8, rare
Supreme healing 10d4+20, very rare
calendar events DMG 33
Food & Accommodation, (PH 158) Days, weeks & months
Inn/Night Meals/day Each month is comprised of three ten-day weeks,
Squalid 7cp 3cp ie: a tenday. The events observed will depend on
Poor 1sp 6cp what race and culture are observing them.
Modest 5sp 3sp
Examples of physical observances
Comfortable 8sp 5sp
The changing of the seasons.
Wealthy 2gp 8sp
Midsummer and midwinter.
Aristocratic 4gp 2gp
The harvest cycle.
Transport (PH 159) Examples of religious observances
Coach within city 1cp Celestial phenomena such as eclipses.
Coach between cities 3c/mile Date of a hero’s ascention to godhood.
Road or gate toll 1cp Appointment of a new church leader.
Ship 1sp/mile
Donkey/mule 8gp Examples of cultural observances
Riding horse 75gp A monarch’s birthday.
Warhorse 400gp Market day or craft festivals.
Anniversary of a great victory.
Trade goods (PH 157)
When guild apprentices are chosen.
1 lb. flour or 1 chicken 2cp
1 lb. iron or 1 sq. yd. canvas 1sp Examples of fantastical observances
1 lb. cinnamon or pepper, or 1 sheep 2gp When the Feywilds appear in a local forest.
1 lb. of cloves or 1 pig 3gp When a great dragon demands a regular tithe.
1 sq. yd. silk or 1 cow 10gp A haunted castle appears on a nearby hill.
1 lb. of gold 50gp The full moon affects a lycanthrope population.
DM Reference Guide by /u/timothy776
Background by Akinna Stock
NPC Earnings by /u/bjornbob1234