Prone in D&D 5e: Why 'Melee vs. Ranged' Isn't the Actual Rule
The prone condition in D&D 5e isn't a melee-vs-ranged rule. It's a distance rule, and the difference changes how reach weapons and close-range shots actually resolve.
D&D 5e Rules — Page 2
Clear explainers for D&D 5e rules — from concentration and cover to XP, conditions, and the edge cases that come up at the table.
Carrying Capacity 5e: The Math Nobody at the Table Actually Does
Carrying capacity 5e is Strength times 15, and almost no table enforces it. Here's the real math, when it actually matters, and why it keeps getting skipped.
Counterspell 5e: The Spell Nobody Casts Right
Counterspell 5e sounds simple until it hits the table: what you're allowed to know before you cast it, how upcasting actually works, and whether a counterspell can itself be countered.
Advantage and Disadvantage 5e: Why It Never Stacks, No Matter How Many Sources You Have
Advantage and disadvantage 5e never stack, even with three sources on the same roll. Here's the exact rule, why one of each cancels out, and why tables keep arguing anyway.
Inspiration 5e: The Reward Everyone Forgets to Give (and Use)
Inspiration 5e is one of the most-skipped rules in the game. Here's how it actually works, why tables drop it within a few sessions, and how an AI Game Master keeps the count.
Sneak Attack 5e: The Rule Rogues Keep Misplaying
Sneak Attack 5e sounds simple until a table has to apply it live. Here's the actual trigger, the once-per-turn nuance, and the six ways it gets misplayed.
Exhaustion 5e: The Condition Nobody at the Table Tracks
Exhaustion 5e is the only condition that stacks, and the one most tables forget to track. Here's how the six levels work, and why it keeps vanishing.
Help Action 5e: The Rule Everyone Wastes
The Help action 5e looks like a free assist. It's actually a bet on your ally's next move, and most tables lose that bet without noticing.
Hide Action 5e: The Rule Nobody at the Table Agrees On
Hiding got rewritten in the 2024 D&D rules, folded into the Invisible condition with a fixed DC. Most tables are still running the old version.
Grappling 5e: Why It Turns Into a Stalemate
Grappling 5e is one of the simplest combat options in the rulebook and one of the most likely to grind a fight to a halt. Here's the rule, the shove combo, and why it stalls.
Opportunity Attacks 5e: The Rule Everyone Forgets Mid-Combat
Opportunity attacks 5e are simple on paper and constantly missed at the table. Here's the exact trigger, the exceptions, and why groups keep forgetting them.
Downtime 5e: Stop Treating Quiet Weeks Like Shopping
Downtime 5e should create choices, debts, and consequences between adventures - not just shopping, crafting, and calendar math.