Causes of disadvantage in 5e?

[CubicsRube]

In order to not threadjack doc_kluless's excellent thread on darkvision, I'm wondering what things might cause characters disadvantage on rolls?

It comes to mind that you can just raise the dc, but giving disadvantage can be more interesting in the sense it js more interactive. It feels punitive to the characters, and if they can find a way to negate the disadvantage they get to feel a sense of satisfaction.

What comes to mind immediately is:
* dex checks on loose ground
* perception checks in dark and noisy (or sound absorbing) places
* charisma checks using a language that is not known by the other person
* knowledge checks for obscure lore
* fighting while afraid
* fighting an invisible creature
* stealth in a dry forest (lotsa leaves!)

What else can the brains of enworld come up with?

 

[jaelis]

Well a quick review of the conditions adds:
* being poisoned
* attacking while restrained
* attacking while prone

Many spells imposes disadvantage under various circumstances.

You have disadvantage on Str/Dex attacks and checks while wearing armor you aren't proficient with. Also stealth checks in some armor.

 

[guachi]

I'd add Charisma checks between nationalities/races/religions/species that have some kind of enmity. It's not in the rules that I'm aware of but I'm reminded of the race interaction chart (or whatever it's called) from 1e.

 

[alienux]

There's an old reddit thread I saw awhile back that attempted to list all possible causes of both Advantage and Disadvantage. It's here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/29xk0j/5e_summary_of_situations_causing_advantage_or/

 

[MarkB]

Check through each of the Conditions in the appendix at the back of the PHB - most of them impose some form of Advantage / Disadvantage.

Heavy obscurement such as magical darkness or fog is a bit of a 'trap' effect, in that it grants advantage to attack others because they can't see you, and disadvantage because you can't see them - thus cancelling out not only its own effects but also every other potential source of advantage or disadvantage that might arise during that combat, which is not interesting.

Exhaustion imposes a lot of penalties depending upon the level you're at, starting out with disdvantage on ability checks.

 

[nswanson27]

My DM. By far, the biggest cause of disadvantage.

 

[jaelis]

My DM. By far, the biggest cause of disadvantage.

Only because you don't bring enough pizza

 

[ExploderWizard]

- forgetting to bring dice
- not bringing enough beer
- bringing pizza with fruit on it
- forgetting to wipe your feet
-

 

[Chris Walz]

I'd add Charisma checks between nationalities/races/religions/species that have some kind of enmity. It's not in the rules that I'm aware of but I'm reminded of the race interaction chart (or whatever it's called) from 1e.

I like to add some mechanical flair to languages myself. I will often give Advantage if a characters shows they have learned the native language of whomever they are persuading. On the flip side, some NPCs may be so xenophobic that using Common around them is enough to be a Disadvantage.

The cool thing about social ability checks is that an NPC's opinions can be sources of Advantage/Disadvantage, not just concrete physical stuff that is easily observable.

 

[aco175]

I would not give disadvantage to knowledge checks to remember obscure lore, that would be a higher DC. Disadvantage my be using a library to find the lore if the library is small and outdated, or even if the PC tries to use History rather than Arcana to remember the lore, or visa-versa depending on what was the appropriate check to start with. I tend to have a DC in mind for the check and try to say yes to players if they want to use another skill in the place of what would be the best skill.