D&D 5e Conditions Explained: A Complete Guide

A basilisk locks eyes with the paladin. The GM says, "Make a Constitution save." The paladin rolls a 6. And then... what exactly? Is the paladin Petrified immediately? Can they still act? Does the effect stack with the Poisoned condition they picked up last round?

Conditions are one of the most referenced and most misunderstood parts of D&D 5e. They come up in nearly every combat encounter, but most tables fumble at least a few of the rules. That's because the 15 conditions interact with each other in ways that aren't always intuitive, and the PHB spreads the details across a dense appendix that's hard to scan mid-fight.

This guide covers every condition in D&D 5e - what it does mechanically, when it comes up, and how to use it well as a Game Master. Bookmark this one. You'll need it.

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How Conditions Work in D&D 5e

A condition is a named status effect that changes what a creature can do. Some are simple (Prone just means you're on the ground), others are devastating (Paralyzed shuts down a creature almost entirely).

Key rules that apply across all conditions:

• Multiple conditions stack. A creature can be Blinded, Poisoned, and Prone at the same time. Each condition's effects apply independently.
• Conditions don't stack with themselves - you can't be "double Blinded." The exception is Exhaustion, which has six cumulative levels.
• Duration varies. Some conditions last until the end of a turn, others until a save is made, and some until specifically cured (like Petrified).
• Ending conditions. The spell or effect that caused the condition specifies how it ends. Some end on a successful save at the end of a turn, some require specific actions (like standing up from Prone), and some require magic to remove.

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Blinded

What it does: A Blinded creature can't see. Attack rolls against it have advantage. The creature's attack rolls have disadvantage. The creature automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.

When it comes up: Blindness/Deafness spell, Darkness (if the creature doesn't have darkvision or blindsight), Color Spray, Blinding Smite, staring at a basilisk, getting sand thrown in your eyes.

GM tips: Blinded is stronger than it looks. Advantage on attacks against the creature and disadvantage on the creature's attacks is a massive swing. It also shuts down opportunity attacks (which require sight) and most targeted spells (which require you to see the target). Use it to challenge powerful melee characters who rely on locking down enemies.

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Charmed

What it does: A Charmed creature can't attack the charmer or target it with harmful abilities or magical effects. The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.

When it comes up: Charm Person, Hypnotic Pattern (sort of - it incapacitates too), Fey Presence (warlock), vampire abilities, succubus/incubus kiss.

GM tips: Charmed is the condition players argue about most. It doesn't make someone your puppet - it just prevents hostility and makes you more persuasive. A Charmed guard won't attack you, but won't hand over the keys to the dungeon just because you asked nicely. The advantage on Charisma checks is where the real power lies. Also note: many Charmed effects end if you or your allies do anything harmful to the target, so one careless party member can break the whole setup.

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Deafened

What it does: A Deafened creature can't hear and automatically fails any ability check that requires hearing.

When it comes up: Blindness/Deafness spell, thunderous explosions, some monster abilities. Rarely inflicted in practice.

GM tips: Deafened is the weakest condition in 5e and it's not close. It doesn't affect attacks, saves, or movement. Its main impact is preventing verbal communication and causing automatic failure on Perception checks that rely on hearing. Use it for flavor and tension rather than mechanical punishment - the party can't hear the approaching reinforcements, can't coordinate tactics verbally, can't benefit from Bardic Inspiration that requires hearing. The real value is narrative, not numbers.

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Exhaustion

What it does: Exhaustion has six levels, each adding cumulative penalties:

| Level | Effect | |-------|--------| | 1 | Disadvantage on ability checks | | 2 | Speed halved | | 3 | Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws | | 4 | Hit point maximum halved | | 5 | Speed reduced to 0 | | 6 | Death |

When it comes up: Forced march without rest, starvation, extreme cold or heat, some spells (Sickening Radiance), class features (Berserker Barbarian's Frenzy), resurrection effects, failing death saves from Dream spell.

GM tips: Exhaustion is the only condition that stacks with itself, and that makes it uniquely dangerous. It's also one of the hardest to remove - only a long rest reduces it by one level, or Greater Restoration removes one level. This makes it an excellent tool for long-running consequences. Travel through a desert? Exhaustion. Push through a dungeon without sleeping? Exhaustion. It creates stakes that healing spells can't instantly erase.

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Frightened

What it does: A Frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight. The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.

When it comes up: Fear, Cause Fear, Dragon's Frightful Presence, Turn Undead (reversed - undead flee), Intimidation effects, some monster abilities (mummies, banshees).

GM tips: Frightened is a soft control condition. It doesn't prevent a creature from acting, but the movement restriction and disadvantage make it significantly weaker. The key detail is "within line of sight" - a Frightened creature can break line of sight by moving behind cover, which removes the disadvantage (though the condition itself remains). Smart players and smart monsters will use this. Also, Frightened pairs well with other conditions. A creature that's both Frightened and Restrained is in serious trouble.

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Grappled

What it does: A Grappled creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed. The condition ends if the grappler is Incapacitated or if the creature is moved outside the grappler's reach.

When it comes up: The Grapple action (Athletics check vs. Athletics or Acrobatics), many monster abilities (tentacles, bites that grab, mimics), Entangle (technically Restrained, but conceptually similar).

GM tips: Grappled is weaker than people think on its own - it only reduces speed to 0. The creature can still attack, cast spells, and take other actions normally. Grappled becomes powerful when combined with other effects. Grapple + Shove Prone is a classic combo: the target has 0 speed (can't stand up) and is Prone (attacks within 5 feet have advantage). Also note that grappling doesn't require a free hand if a monster uses a natural weapon - that's a creature-specific rule that trips up many GMs.

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Incapacitated

What it does: An Incapacitated creature can't take actions or reactions.

When it comes up: Directly from Hypnotic Pattern, Banishment (sort of), Tasha's Hideous Laughter (also Prone). It's also embedded in Paralyzed, Petrified, Stunned, and Unconscious - those all include Incapacitated as part of their effects.

GM tips: Incapacitated is the base layer for the most devastating conditions in the game. On its own, it's already strong - no actions and no reactions means no opportunity attacks, no Shield spell, no Counterspell. If a creature is Incapacitated, it can still move and still make saving throws normally. That's the gap between Incapacitated and Stunned/Paralyzed.

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Invisible

What it does: An Invisible creature is impossible to see without the aid of magic or a special sense. The creature's location can be detected by noise or tracks. Attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage. The creature's attack rolls have advantage.

When it comes up: Invisibility, Greater Invisibility, potions of invisibility, rogue's Cloak of Shadows, some monster abilities (invisible stalkers, will-o'-wisps).

GM tips: Invisible doesn't mean undetectable. An Invisible creature can still be heard, tracked, and targeted (with disadvantage). Most spells that require you to "see" the target can't target Invisible creatures, but area-of-effect spells work normally. The big difference between Invisibility and Greater Invisibility is that the greater version doesn't drop when you attack or cast a spell - this makes it dramatically more powerful in combat. If an Invisible creature gives away their position (by attacking, talking, etc.), enemies know the square they're in and can attack that square with disadvantage.

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Paralyzed

What it does: A Paralyzed creature is Incapacitated (can't take actions or reactions), can't move or speak, automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws, attack rolls against it have advantage, and any hit from within 5 feet is an automatic critical hit.

When it comes up: Hold Person, Hold Monster, ghoul's Claws attack, some poisons, monster abilities.

GM tips: Paralyzed is one of the most lethal conditions in the game because of the automatic crits from melee range. A Paralyzed character surrounded by enemies can be killed in a single round, even at high levels. Use Hold Person and Hold Monster carefully on both sides of the screen - when a player lands it on a boss, it feels amazing. When you land it on a player character, it can feel like an instant death sentence. Consider using it on tanky characters who can survive a round of crits rather than squishier party members.

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Petrified

What it does: A Petrified creature is transformed into a solid inanimate substance (usually stone). It's Incapacitated, can't move or speak, is unaware of its surroundings, has resistance to all damage, is immune to poison and disease (though existing poison/disease is suspended), and automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saves. Attack rolls against it have advantage.

When it comes up: Flesh to Stone, basilisk gaze, cockatrice bite, medusa gaze, beholder's petrification ray, gorgon breath.

GM tips: Petrified is effectively "removed from play until cured." The creature is stone. It doesn't age, doesn't take ongoing damage, doesn't do anything. It's the D&D equivalent of being frozen in carbonite. Removing it requires Greater Restoration or similar magic, making it a serious consequence. For GMs, Petrified is best used as a dramatic threat rather than a common occurrence. The basilisk encounter where the party finds petrified adventurers in its lair is a classic for a reason - it shows what's at stake before combat begins.

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Poisoned

What it does: A Poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

When it comes up: Poison damage from weapons, monster bites and stings, Ray of Sickness, poisonous food or drink, green dragon breath, purple worm stinger, and dozens of other sources.

GM tips: Poisoned is the workhorse condition of the monster manual. Tons of creatures inflict it - spiders, snakes, assassins, green dragons, and more. The disadvantage on attack rolls makes it solid in combat, and disadvantage on ability checks means the Poisoned rogue can't reliably pick locks or sneak. It's a common and well-balanced condition that creates meaningful penalties without being crippling. Note that many creatures (constructs, undead, fiends) are immune to the Poisoned condition, which limits its usefulness against certain enemy types.

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Prone

What it does: A Prone creature's only movement option is to crawl (costs 1 extra foot per foot moved) unless it stands up, which costs half its movement. The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet, or disadvantage if the attacker is more than 5 feet away.

When it comes up: Being knocked down (Shove action, Thunderwave, Grease), tripping, falling, voluntarily dropping Prone for cover, waking up after being Unconscious.

GM tips: Prone is the condition with the most tactical depth. The 5-foot rule creates interesting decisions: melee attackers love hitting Prone targets, but ranged attackers hate it. This makes Prone especially strong against melee-heavy enemies and weak against ranged ones. The "standing costs half movement" rule also means Prone punishes creatures with low speed - a creature with 20 feet of movement that gets knocked Prone can stand up (10 feet) and only has 10 feet left to work with. Combine Prone with Grapple (speed 0 = can't stand up) for the classic battlefield control combo.

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Restrained

What it does: A Restrained creature's speed becomes 0 and can't benefit from any bonus to speed. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. The creature's attack rolls have disadvantage. The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

When it comes up: Entangle, Web, Ensnaring Strike, net attacks, some monster abilities (ropers, giant spiders), manacles.

GM tips: Restrained is a step up from Grappled - same speed reduction to 0, but adds advantage on attacks against the target, disadvantage on the target's attacks, and disadvantage on Dex saves. That Dex save disadvantage is particularly nasty because many of the game's most damaging effects (Fireball, dragon breath, Lightning Bolt) target Dex saves. A Restrained creature hit with a Fireball is much more likely to take full damage. Use Restrained when you want to lock down a target more completely than Grappled but without the total shutdown of Paralyzed or Stunned.

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Stunned

What it does: A Stunned creature is Incapacitated (can't take actions or reactions), can't move, can speak only falteringly, automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws, and attack rolls against it have advantage.

When it comes up: Stunning Strike (monk), Power Word Stun, Divine Word, Contagion, some monster abilities (mind flayers, certain dragon attacks).

GM tips: Stunned is Paralyzed's slightly less lethal sibling. The key difference: Stunned doesn't grant automatic crits from melee hits. It's still devastating - auto-fail on Str/Dex saves and advantage on all attacks is brutal - but the creature won't get one-rounded as easily as a Paralyzed target. Monks with Stunning Strike are the most common source of this condition. If you're a GM running a monk in your party, expect Stunning Strike to trivialize solo boss fights. Consider giving important enemies legendary resistance or Con save proficiency to keep things interesting.

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Unconscious

What it does: An Unconscious creature is Incapacitated, can't move or speak, is unaware of its surroundings, drops whatever it's holding and falls Prone, automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws, attack rolls against it have advantage, and hits from within 5 feet are automatic crits.

When it comes up: Dropping to 0 HP, Sleep spell, being put to sleep by poison or magic, some monster abilities (dryad's Fey Charm if the target is charmed to sleep).

GM tips: Unconscious is essentially Paralyzed plus Prone plus unaware. It's the condition of "you're down." In most cases, Unconscious comes from dropping to 0 HP, which means the creature is also making death saving throws. The auto-crit from melee hits means an Unconscious character takes two failed death saves from a single melee hit - one for taking damage while at 0 HP and one because it's a crit. This makes attacking downed characters extremely lethal, which is why many GMs have monsters ignore downed PCs unless the monster has reason to finish them off. Use this judiciously - intelligent enemies might coup de grâce a healer who keeps getting back up, but a pack of wolves would move to the next standing threat.

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Condition Interactions and Combos

Understanding individual conditions is one thing. Understanding how they stack and interact is what separates decent GMs from great ones.

The Grapple + Prone Combo

Grapple a creature (speed drops to 0), then Shove it Prone. With 0 speed, it can't spend half its movement to stand up. It stays on the ground with disadvantage on its attacks while melee attackers have advantage against it. This is one of the strongest martial combos in the game and doesn't require any spell slots.

The Paralyzed Death Spiral

A Paralyzed creature auto-fails Dex saves. That means follow-up spells that require Dex saves automatically deal full damage. Layer a Fireball on a Held creature and watch the damage pile up.

Condition Severity Ladder

From least to most debilitating:

1. Deafened - minimal mechanical impact
2. Poisoned - disadvantage on attacks and checks
3. Frightened - disadvantage plus movement restriction
4. Blinded - advantage/disadvantage swing on attacks
5. Prone - situationally strong, tactical implications
6. Grappled - speed 0, combo enabler
7. Restrained - Grappled plus attack penalties and Dex save disadvantage
8. Charmed - prevents hostility, social advantage
9. Incapacitated - no actions or reactions
10. Stunned - Incapacitated plus auto-fail saves, attack advantage
11. Paralyzed - Stunned plus auto-crits from melee
12. Unconscious - Paralyzed plus Prone, unaware
13. Petrified - effectively removed from play
14. Exhaustion (Level 6) - death

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Tips for Game Masters

Track Conditions Visibly

Use physical tokens, colored rings on miniatures, or a digital tool to mark which creatures have which conditions. If you and your players can't see the conditions at a glance, you'll forget them - and forgetting conditions means the game isn't running fairly.

Our Condition Tracker tool gives you a quick-reference card for every condition in 5e, so you never have to pause combat to look up what Restrained actually does.

Use Conditions Narratively

"The ghoul's claws dig into your shoulder and you feel your muscles seize - you're Paralyzed" is better than "make a Con save... you fail, you're Paralyzed." Describe what the condition feels like. What does Frightened look like for this character? Does the fighter grit their teeth and hold their ground, or does the fear show on their face? Conditions are rules, but they're also storytelling moments.

Don't Over-Condition Your Players

Stacking multiple harsh conditions on the same PC can make a player feel like they're not playing the game. One or two conditions creates tension and forces interesting decisions. Four conditions means they're sitting there watching everyone else play. Spread conditions across the party rather than focusing everything on one target.

Know the Save-Enders

Most spell-based conditions allow a saving throw at the end of each turn. Monster-inflicted conditions often last until the end of the monster's next turn or require a specific action to break free (like an Athletics check to escape a grapple). Know the escape clause before you apply the condition so you can tell players immediately what they need to do to break free.

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Start Playing with Conditions That Matter

Conditions turn D&D combat from "I hit, you hit, someone drops" into something tactical, dramatic, and unpredictable. A well-placed Hold Person can change an entire encounter. A Frightened warrior fleeing from a dragon sets up a chase scene no one planned for.

The more comfortable you are with conditions, the more dynamic your encounters become. Keep this guide handy, use a tracker at your table, and don't be afraid to throw conditions at your players - as long as you give them a fair chance to shake them off.