Caldwell's DM Screen

These conditions modify a creature’s capabilities in various ways (spells, monster abilities, etc.).

• Blinded: Cannot see, automatically fails sight-based checks, attackers have advantage.
• Charmed: Cannot attack the charmer; the charmer has advantage on social checks.
• Deafened: Cannot hear, automatically fails hearing-based checks.
• Frightened: Disadvantage on checks/attacks while source of fear is in sight.
• Grappled: Speed 0; ends if grappler is incapacitated or forced away.
• Incapacitated: Cannot take actions or reactions.
• Invisible: Cannot be seen without special senses; attackers have disadvantage.
• Paralyzed: Incapacitated, can’t move, fails Str/Dex saves; hits within 5 ft. are crits.
• Petrified: Transformed into a solid substance; incapacitated.
• Poisoned: Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
• Prone: Movement cost doubles, disadvantage on attacks unless attacker is within 5 ft.
• Restrained: Speed 0; disadvantage on attacks and Dex saves.
• Stunned: Incapacitated, can’t move, fails Str/Dex saves.
• Unconscious: Incapacitated, drops items, prone, fails Str/Dex saves, hits within 5 ft. are crits.
• Exhaustion: 6 levels. Worsening penalties up to death at level 6.

A character rolls a d20 plus modifiers. The DC reflects the task’s difficulty.

Skills by Ability: Str (Athletics), Dex (Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth), Con (—), Int (Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, Religion), Wis (Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Survival), Cha (Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion).

• Overland Pace:
  • Fast: 4 mph (–5 Passive Perception)
  • Normal: 3 mph
  • Slow: 2 mph (allows Stealth)
• Forced March: After 8 hours, DC 10+1/hr CON save or gain exhaustion.
• Visibility & Encounter Distance: Adjust for weather, terrain, time of day.

Common actions: Attack, Cast a Spell, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Grapple, Help, Hide, Ready, Search, Shove, Use Object.

Cover:

• Half Cover: +2 AC / Dex saves
• Three-Quarters Cover: +5 AC / Dex saves
• Total Cover: Cannot be targeted directly

• Falling: 1d6 per 10 ft. (max 20d6)
• Suffocating: CON mod in minutes, or risk dropping to 0 hp
• Resistance/Immunity/Vulnerability: Halve/Negate/Double certain damage types
• Massive Damage: Can kill outright if large enough
• Death Saves: 3 fails = death, 3 successes = stable (1 = 2 fails, 20 = 1 hp immediately)

Common Object Stats:

Lighting:

• Bright Light: Normal vision
• Dim Light: Disadvantage on sight-based Perception
• Darkness: Creatures without darkvision are effectively blinded

NPC Attitudes:

• Friendly: Likely to help or assist.
• Indifferent: Neutral; can be swayed by roleplay/checks.
• Hostile: Opposes or undermines the party.

Use Persuasion/Deception/Intimidation/Insight checks to influence or gauge NPCs. Adjust DCs contextually.

A combined table of common adventuring gear, with cost and weight where applicable.

Typical sea (and air) vessels, their costs, speeds, required crew, and more.

Costs and times for constructing larger holdings.

Daily upkeep for various properties, plus staffing requirements.

Costs for inn stays, meals, and drinks by quality tier.

• Blinded: Fail checks requiring sight; disadvantage on attacks; attacks vs you have advantage.
• Charmed: Can’t harm charmer; charmer has advantage on social checks vs you.
• Deafened: Fail checks involving hearing.
• Frightened: Disadvantage on ability checks/attacks while source is in line of sight; can’t move closer to it.
• Grappled: Speed 0; ends if grappler is incapacitated or you break free (opposed check).
• Incapacitated: Can’t take actions or reactions.
• Invisible: Attacks vs you have disadvantage; you have advantage on your attacks (unless otherwise detected).
• Paralyzed: Incapacitated, can’t move/speak, fail STR/DEX saves; attacks have advantage and auto-crit if attacker within 5 ft.
• Petrified: Incapacitated, unaware, fail STR/DEX saves, attacks vs you have advantage, you have resistance to all damage, immune to poison/disease.
• Poisoned: Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
• Prone: Disadvantage on attacks; must crawl or stand; attacks vs you have advantage if attacker is within 5 ft. otherwise disadvantage.
• Restrained: Speed 0, attacks vs you have advantage, your attacks have disadvantage, disadvantage on DEX saves.
• Stable: 0 HP & unconscious but no death saving throws. Remains unconscious.
• Stunned: Incapacitated, can’t move, fail STR/DEX saves, attacks vs you have advantage.
• Unconscious: Incapacitated, can’t move/speak, drop anything held, fall prone, fail STR/DEX saves, attacks vs you have advantage and auto-crit if within 5 ft.

• Instant Death: If damage remaining after dropping to 0 HP is equal to or exceeds your max HP, you die outright.
• Death Saves: At 0 HP, you start making DC 10 death saves each turn. 3 successes = stable, 3 failures = death. Natural 1 = 2 failures, natural 20 = regain 1 HP.
• Damage at 0 HP: Automatically fail 1 death save, or 2 on a critical hit.
• Subdual: When reducing a creature to 0 HP with a melee attack, you can choose to knock it unconscious instead of killing it.
• First Aid: Action to stabilize an unconscious creature with DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine). A stable creature remains at 0 HP but no longer makes death saves.
• Short Rest: 1 hour; can spend Hit Dice to regain HP.
• Long Rest: 8 hours; fully restore HP, recover spell slots, regain half total Hit Dice (min 1).
• Healing Kit: Typically used to stabilize (no check needed) if you have one with charges left.
• Potion of Healing: Commonly 2d4+2 HP restored; see also Greater, Superior, Supreme for bigger dice/heals.

• Bonus Action Spells: If you cast a bonus action spell, the only other spell you can cast this turn is a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action (PHB p.202).
• Action Surge (Fighters): Casting two spells using Action Surge is fine if neither is a bonus action spell. If one is bonus action, then your other spells must be cantrips (same rule as above).
• Reactions: You can still cast a reaction spell on your turn, but if you've already cast a bonus action spell, that imposes the same limitation: any other spells must be cantrips with a 1-action casting time.

Long Jump: Move 10+ ft. then jump a number of feet up to your Strength score (half that distance if standing).

High Jump: With 10+ ft. run-up, jump 3 + STR mod in feet (half if standing).

Suffocation: # of minutes = 1 + CON mod (min 30s). After that, you survive CON mod in rounds, then drop to 0 HP.

Cover:

• Half Cover: +2 to AC & DEX saves
• Three-Quarters Cover: +5 to AC & DEX saves
• Total Cover: Cannot be targeted directly.

Senses:

• Blindsight: Perceive surroundings without sight.
• Darkvision: See in dim light as bright, darkness as dim (grayscale, typically).
• Tremorsense: Detect/locate vibrations within range.
• Truesight: See in magical darkness, see invisible creatures/objects, detect illusions, see into the Ethereal Plane, etc.

Each level of exhaustion applies its effect cumulatively. Finishing a long rest reduces exhaustion by 1 level (if you also eat/drink).

Optional DMG rules for item creation. Costs assume time and special ingredients per DM’s discretion.