D&D 5E Full list of official advantage / disadvantage situations?

[Melba Toast]

Hi there. Long time lurker coming out of the shadows. Recently switched to 5th edition after being a AD&D stalwart for 2 decades. Its been a... challenging... transition.

Just wondering if anyone has bothered to produce (and share) a complete list of advantage and disadvantage situations based on the PHB and DMG? I did find one based on the Basic Rules pdf but have found that its missing quite a lot.

Even though the books suggest that advantage and disadvantage such be used at DMs discretion on a case by case basis, fact is that advantage and disadvantage are codified in the rules through special powers and spells and other circumstances, and you cannot simply hand-wave those away without pissing off your players.

 

[Blue]

Hi there. Long time lurker coming out of the shadows. Recently switched to 5th edition after being a AD&D stalwart for 2 decades. Its been a... challenging... transition.

Just wondering if anyone has bothered to produce (and share) a complete list of advantage and disadvantage situations based on the PHB and DMG? I did find one based on the Basic Rules pdf but have found that its missing quite a lot.

Even though the books suggest that advantage and disadvantage such be used at DMs discretion on a case by case basis, fact is that advantage and disadvantage are codified in the rules through special powers and spells and other circumstances, and you cannot simply hand-wave those away without pissing off your players.

You don't hand wave away anything in the rules. But you do add more at the DM's digression, just like in 3.x they often suggested a +/-2 to a roll for modifiers outside what the system happens to code. With 5e being even more of a "need a DM" and less "codified simulation", it's not just expected, it's downright needed for DMs to take an active role and apply advantage and disadvantage where is makes sense in addition to the places listed. That doesn't mean you need to do it a lot, it means you need to do it where it makes sense. If you assume that the rules will catch 90% of the times it should be assigned, that has the DM giving it out ad-hoc one time for every nine times the rules give it out. (80% is 1 ad-hoc for every 4 ruled.) Not a lot, but definitely there.

Also take note of the inspiration mechanic, where the DM will hand out inspiration and the players will turn that into advantage at a later point.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I'm generally not one to offer this sort of unsolicited advice...but in this case I wonder if perhaps it might be a waste of time to have such a list?

There is the list of conditions in the PHB/Basic Rules, most of which involve advantage/disadvantage in some way. There are a few situations described in the adventuring and combat chapters, and a note on crowbars (might be one or more in the equipment section--I think books have it). Other than those few scattered elements, everything that grants advantage or disadvantage is described within the element itself. It's within the race, the class, the spell, the monster, the magic item, even the crowbar description.

So it just seems like really a waste of effort to make such a list when every instance it comes up is going to directly tell you it is applied, and if that element isn't in play at the time it probably doesn't matter.

 

[Maffo]

I dont think an official list exists and i do not think you need one. Some rules do specify certain situation where you have advantage/disadvantage. It is however for the greatest part the dm's responsibility to dish out advantage/disadvantage in the right situations. For example i like to give my players advantage when they roleplay a skill check well. Writing an actual letter to a person asking for help for example.

 

[redrick]

The condition list is the most helpful for this, because these are the advantageous/disadvantageous situations that tend to come up organically.

When I started 5e last summer, my rule was that I expected each player to learn or write down their own spells and class features, and be the authority on them. So, if the dwarf had advantage vs poison saves, it was that player's job to note that when a poison save came up. The correlary to this was that it was my job to take the players word for it, unless I KNEW different. If I had a question, I'd scribble a note, and look it up during a break, or after the session. If a player was using a feature incorrectly (sometimes to their disadvantage!) I'd let them know, and Wes adjust for next session.

Over time, all of us became more familiar with the various rules and situations, and had an easier time catching each other.

A comprehensive list of advantage and disadvantage would be quite large.

 

[Sunseeker]

The list is basically whenever you think it should happen. 5E is very heavy on the whole "DM discretion" thing. You're not really going to ever have a codified situation list.

 

[pming]

Hiya!

As you may have guessed...there isn't one, nor is there ever likely to be one. The 5e system isn't that kind of system. Just because something in the rules says that Adv/Disadv applies or not doesn't mean this is a carved-in-stone, always-no-matter-what application.

I've specifically nixed a characters "Advantage due to special ability" a handful of times in the 10 months we've been playing simply do to the fact that in that particular situation, it didn't make sense at all for it to apply. Likewise I've done it the other way around...where the normal situation should have resulted in a Disadvantage roll to the player, but, due to the particular circumstances at that moment, they didn't have to roll at Disadvantage.

You know what happened? Nothing. The rules didn't suddenly burst into flame. Demons didn't erupt out of the books. My players weren't "pissed" or "exuberant". The game ran perfectly fine.

That's how it's supposed to run. That's how it was designed, and they did a bang up job of it if you ask me and my group! If you feel your players are going to get "pissed" when you "hand-wave away" something in the rules...you need more mature players, IMHO. Or they need to come to grips with the very real fact that the DM in 5e is the rules more so than in the last two or three iterations of the D&D game. If a rule/situation/whatever can't be found in the book to fit the situation at hand, then it falls squarely on the DM's lap to make up a rule and apply it. If a rule can be found, then it falls squarely on the DM's lap as to how, or even IF, to apply that rule. A lot of players who grew up with 3.x/4e/PF are still having a helluva time accepting that they can't just point to something in the book and say "See! I'm right, you're wrong!" and end the debate. I guess it's like a spoiled child suddenly having to spend the weekend with the hard-azzed uncle who doesn't give in to all their whining and expectations. A cold wake up call, but one that will, in the long run, be good for them (like kicking some addiction).

Seeing as you come from a 1e background, I don't think you will have much trouble getting a feel for 5e once you let go of your anxiety about "wrecking the game"; 5e is VERY forgiving in this regards. Your players need to do the same thing. Accept that it is a very "loosey-goosey" game system, and that everything is up for interpretation by the DM.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Dragonsbane]

Here is a list of things stated outright. I use this as a basis and then of course other reasons as they come along, via DM judgement.

Advantage on your attack if . .
if the attacker is invisible
if the attacker has higher ground
if the attacker is flanking or attacking from behind
if the defender is blinded
if the defender is incapacitated
if the defender is paralyzed
if the defender is prone within 5 feet of the attacker
if the defender is restrained
if the defender is stunned
if the defender is unconcious
if the defender is squeezing through a space

Disadvantage on the attack if . .
the attacker is blinded
the attacker is frightened and within sight of the source of the fear
the attacker is poisoned
the attacker is prone
the attacker is restrained
the attacker is making a ranged attack while within 5 feet of a hostile creature
the defender is invisible
the defender is using the Dodge action
the defender is at long range from a ranged attack

 

[aramis erak]

I dont think an official list exists and i do not think you need one. Some rules do specify certain situation where you have advantage/disadvantage. It is however for the greatest part the dm's responsibility to dish out advantage/disadvantage in the right situations. For example i like to give my players advantage when they roleplay a skill check well. Writing an actual letter to a person asking for help for example.

It can be summed up quite nicely.
The last paragraph of the actual rule on Advantage and Disadvantage (PBR 57, PHB 173) reads:

You usually gain advantage or disadvantage through
the use of special abilities, actions, or spells. Inspiration
(see chapter 4) can also give a character advantage on
checks related to the character’s personality, ideals,
or bonds. The DM can also decide that circumstances
influence a roll in one direction or the other and grant
advantage or impose disadvantage as a result.

That's the official list. Abilities, actions, spells, inspiration, or DM whim.

 

[PnPgamer]

I think that most of the time during combat is where usually the rules state clearly when to have or not have advantages. Out of combat however there are situations in which dm whim is more prominent