Making an AttackRule

7.12.2021

These are more specific rules, based on those for making attacks.

Melee Attacks

Used in hand-to-hand combat, a melee attack allows you to attack a foe within your reach. A melee attack uses a handheld weapon such as a sword, a warhammer, or an axe. A monster makes a melee attack when it strikes with its claws, horns, teeth, tentacles, or other body part. A few spells also involve making a melee attack. See "Attacks and Defence" for rules on making an attack with a melee weapon.

Most creatures have a 5-foot reach and can thus attack targets within 5 feet of them when making a melee attack. Certain creatures (typically those larger than Medium) have melee attacks with a greater reach than 5 feet, as noted in their descriptions. Some weapons also grant you greater reach.

Melee weapons use Strength, though the finesse property allows you to use Dexterity as well.

Unarmed Attacks. Instead of using a weapon to make a melee weapon attack, you can use an unarmed strike: a punch, kick, head-butt, or similar forceful blow (none of which count as weapons). On a hit, an unarmed strike deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1 + your Strength modifier. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes.

Improvised Weapons. Instead of using your bare fists, you can try to grab a chair or a broken bottle. Though the DM may rule larger dice, these Improvised Weapons usually have a 1d3 base damage die. They count as simple weapons.

Ranged Attacks

When you make a ranged attack, you fire a bow or a crossbow, hurl a handaxe, or otherwise send projectiles to strike a foe at a distance. A monster might shoot spines from its tail. Many spells also involve making a ranged attack. See "Attacks and Defence" for base rules on making an attack with ranged weapon.

Range. You can make ranged attacks only against targets within a specified range. If a ranged attack, such as one made with a spell, has a single range, you can’t attack a target beyond this range.

Some ranged attacks, such as those made with a longbow or a shortbow, have two ranges. The smaller number is the normal range, and the larger number is the long range. Your attack roll has disadvantage when your target is beyond normal range, and you can’t attack a target beyond the long range. Read the range property for more.

Ranged Attacks in Close Combat. Aiming a ranged attack is more difficult when a foe is next to you. When you make a ranged attack with a weapon, a spell, or some other means, you have disadvantage on the attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature who can see you and who isn’t incapacitated.

Prone Attacks. If you are prone while making a ranged attack with a weapon that isn't thrown or a bow, the attack roll has a +2 bonus on attacks on creatures more than 15 feet away and disadvantage on creatures within 15 feet.

Automatic Weapon Attacks. Some ranged weapons, such as some firearms, are automatic. This is marked by the shots/turn property.

The amount of times you attack does not depend on your character's skill, but on the weapon's power. If you use an automatic weapon to make an attack, you cannot make any other attacks during your turn, and you cannot fire more times than the number specified.

When you attack, you can make as many attack rolls as property says. You can spread these as usual over your movement. However, you roll only one attack roll per creature attacked, dealing damage or no damage depending on this one roll.

You can attack a number of different creatures equal to or less than half the amount of shots you can fire per turn.