Ability Checks: When the DM asks you to make an ability check, you roll a d20 and add any relevant ability modifiers or proficiencies. For example, if making a Wisdom check, you add your Wisdom modifier.
Ability Scores: These are your character's core stats that influence their ability to handle challenges. You add the corresponding ability modifier to rolls when required.
Actions: In combat, you can usually perform one action per turn, such as attacking, casting a spell, or getting up from being prone.
Advantage: Allows you to roll two dice and choose the higher result, often used in attack rolls.
Area of Effect: When a spell or ability targets a specific area rather than a single individual, often requiring careful placement to affect enemies without harming allies. Areas can take shapes like cones, cubes, cylinders, lines, or spheres.
Armor Class: The number opponents need to meet or exceed to hit you, typically determined by your armor and/or shield.
Attack Roll: A roll, usually with a d20 plus your attack modifier, to see if you successfully hit an opponent. More details can be found in our guide on how to play Dungeons & Dragons 5E.
Attack of Opportunity: A reactionary attack that occurs when a hostile character moves through a contested space.
Bonus Action: An additional action you can take during a combat round, depending on your class and feats.
(Rolling a) Critical: Happens when you roll a 20, often resulting in extra damage or other benefits depending on your class and feats. Either way, something good happens.
Charisma: Relates to actions involving persuasion, intimidation, and other social interactions.
Combat Round: The sequence where characters take turns to act in combat, with each round representing about 6 seconds of in-game time.
Constitution: Involves actions related to endurance and health, like resisting illness or avoiding nausea.
Concentration: If you're maintaining a spell that requires concentration and you get hit, you must roll to see if you can keep the spell active.
Components: Certain spells require specific elements to cast: verbal (speaking), somatic (gestures), or material (physical objects). Some spells need all three.
D20: A twenty-sided die, primarily used for attack rolls and various checks in Dungeons & Dragons.
Damage Roll: The roll you make after successfully hitting an opponent to determine how much damage you deal, often modified by your weapon or feats.
Dexterity: Involves actions requiring agility, such as acrobatics or stealth.
DM (Dungeon Master): The person who narrates the game, plays NPCs, and asks you to roll dice.
Feats (Features): Traits often tied to your character’s race or class, providing bonuses, special abilities, or the ability to cast certain spells.
Hit Die: Dice you roll to heal during a short rest, which are replenished after a long rest.
Initiative: Determines the order in which characters take their turns in combat, usually based on a d20 roll plus your Dexterity modifier.
Intelligence: Involves mental tasks, such as solving puzzles or recalling knowledge.
Instantaneous: A spell that takes effect immediately and cannot be dispelled.
Long Rest: An eight-hour rest that fully heals players, replenishes hit dice, and restores spell slots.
Modifier(s): A number added to your rolls, such as for ability checks, attack rolls, or damage rolls.
NPC (Non-Player Characters): Characters in the game controlled by the DM rather than by players.
Passive Proficiencies: Automatic bonuses calculated as 10 + your ability modifier + proficiency bonus, used without rolling.
PC (Player Character): A character controlled by a player.
Proficiencies: Skills your character excels in, providing bonuses to relevant ability checks, like animal handling or history.
Range: The distance your attack or spell can reach, typically measured in feet.
Reaction: An action you can take during another character's turn, often in response to something they do.
Saving Throws: Rolls you make to avoid negative effects, like resisting a spell or dodging a trap, using specific saving throw modifiers. More details are available in our guide on how to play Dungeons & Dragons 5E.
Short Rest: A one-hour rest that allows players to roll hit dice for healing and some classes to regain spell slots.
Speed: The distance your character can move in a round, where 5 feet equals one square on a map.
Spellcasting Ability: A modifier added to certain spells to determine their effectiveness or hit rate.
Spellcasting DC: The number an opponent must roll to avoid or minimize the effects of your spell, based on the spell and your spellcasting ability.
Spell Slots: The number of times you can cast certain spells before needing a long rest to recharge.
Strength: Relates to physical power, like actions involving lifting or grappling.
Wisdom: Relates to perception and intuition, like actions involving insight or survival.
D&D Glossaries
