D&D 5e rule changes: Difference between revisions

This page and related pages summarise rule changes from the implementation of ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons#Dungeons_&_Dragons_5th_edition Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition]'' (D&D 5e) rules to ''[[Baldur's Gate 3]]'' (BG3).

== Fundamental changes ==

{{hatnote|See also: [[D&D 5e class changes|Class changes]] and [[D&D 5e race changes|Race Changes]]}}

* The level cap is 12.

=== Death ===

** Only party members ever make death saving throws. Other characters, including important NPCs, are killed outright when their health is reduced to 0 by lethal damage, and cannot be resurrected.

=== Combat ===

* Combat areas tend to have a large amount of verticality, but are rather small in horizontal size. This has led to the following mechanical changes:

** The ranges of [[Spells|spells]] are reduced as described on the [[Spells|spells]] page, often to 60 ft.

* Cover from D&D has not been implemented, but a line of sight to the target is still required for ranged weapon attacks and most projectile spells.

* When a creature is at least 10 ft above their target and makes a ranged attack, they receive a +2 bonus to the attack roll due to [[High Ground Rules|high ground]]. When a creature is at least 10 ft below their target and makes a ranged attack, they receive a -2 penalty to the attack roll due to low ground.

* Rules for sound and hearing are not implemented and NPCs may only detect what they see. If you [[Hide|hide]] while not in a creature's sight cone, you automatically succeed. If you try to hide while in a creature's sight cone, or are already hidden and enter a creature's sight cone, you must roll stealth against the creature's passive perception. This may be a straight roll, advantage, or disadvantage, based on the creature's senses and the level of lighting. Some creatures with different senses such as blindsight may follow different rules.

* Prepared spell casters may change their prepared spells at any time out of combat.

** Some spells with an ongoing effect will end if the caster unprepares them, while others will not. It's not clear whether this inconsistency is intentional.

* Verbal, Somatic, and Material components are ignored. Being [[Silenced (Condition)|silenced]] prevents casting of most spells; however, some spells that do not have verbal components in 5e do ignore this, such as [[Ice Knife]].

** Bards will play an equipped Musical Instrument, or whistle if they have none equipped, while casting Bard spells. This is cosmetic, however.

* The game does not stop a character from casting a leveled spell with both an action and a bonus action in the same turn.

* All caster classes are capable of Ritual casting, and Ritual Caster [[Feats|feat]] instead allows the selection of two Ritual Spells. Ritual casting does not take any more time than normal casting, but cannot be done in combat.

** Some spells that are not ritual spells in 5e have become so, such as [[Disguise Self]]; see [[D&D 5e spell changes]] for more.

* [[Shove]] is not a part of the attack action. It is a bonus action available to all characters. Shove only pushes the target back an amount that depends on the shover's strength and the target's weight. It normally does not knock them prone unless they are shoved off a high ledge.

* [[Falling damage]] is calculated linearly based on fall height and deals consistent damage based on a percentage of a creature's max HP, it is also guaranteed to cause a creature to go [[Prone (Condition)|prone]] if a fall deals more than 25% of a creature's max HP and will never cause a creature to go prone below that.

* [[Jump|Jumping]] is a bonus action which consumes 10 ft of movement speed. With a Strength score of 10 or below, a creature can jump 15 ft, and this increases by 5 ft for every two points in strength above 10. At 20 Str a creature may spend 10 ft of movement speed and a bonus action to jump, and can travel 35 ft effectively increasing the creature's movement speed by up to 25 feet. You also don't roll an athletics check prior of the jump for it to succeed without being hit by an obstacle you are jumping beyond (such as a fence). You also don't roll acrobatics check when landing in any difficulty terrain where failing you fall proned (except when landing on slippery ice or grease).

* The Dodge action is not implemented, with the exception of the [[Monk]]'s [[Patient Defence]] ability or [[Fighter]] [[Battle Master]]'s [[Evasive Footwork]] manoeuvre functioning similarly.

* Consuming a [[Potions|potion]] is only a bonus action.

* If a creature [[Throw|throws]] a potion as an action, it will break and affect all targets in a small radius. This applies to many - but not all - types of [[Potions]].

* There are options to [[Throw|throw]] creatures which are at least one size smaller than you (not always accurately implemented). There is a minimum [[Strength]] required, based on the target's weight, and you need to win a contested check using your [[Athletics]].

* Bonus action attack options such as offhand weapon attacks do not require a character to first take the attack action.

** [[Heavily Encumbered (Condition)|Heavily encumbered]]: A character becomes heavily encumbered at 18 lbs (9 kg) times their Strength rather than 10 times. It also prevents them from being able to climb or jump at all in addition to the normal effects.

* Exhaustion is not implemented.

* [[Frightened (Condition)|Frightened]]: Creatures which are frightened are unable to move at all (rather than being unable to move toward the source of their fear), unless the effect instead makes them "[[Fear|fearful]]", which gives them the frightened effect as well as making them flee.

* Grappled is not implemented.