D&D 5E Combat in low tunnels

[Robbzilla]

Are there any rules for combat in low tunnels?

For example, a typical 6' tall human is fighting a goblin in a 4' tall tunnel. How would this be handled? I did a cursory search of the DMG, and this forum, with no luck.

Will there be any movement penalties? Would a fireball squash out farther since it can't occupy the 20' sphere?

Help!

 

[guachi]

I haven't seen anything. I have seen ad-hoc rules from past modules with rules that impose a 'to-hit' penalty on creatures that are too big. In 5e terms it'd be like imposing disadvantage on the attack.

I don't own the Dungeoneer's Survival Guide for 1e but I wouldn't be surprised if it had rules on fighting in tunnels.

 

[Robbzilla]

I was thinking of giving taller characters disadvantage, and a movement penalty of maybe 10 feet? So far, that's about as far as I've gotten in my thought process. I might have the dungeoneers survival guide floating around, so I'll check and see if it has anything. (I'm an old school 1E DM trying to write his first module in 20 years or so... I want it to be... irritating. Just not so irritating that my younger friends will want to thrash me. Heh)

The good news: I have the book! (I had forgotten that the stupid thing has the DM Index on page 64). The bad news: Nothing in it... I guess the search continues.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

From http://5esrd.com/gamemastering/combat/

Squeezing into a Smaller Space

A creature can squeeze through a space that is large enough for a creature one size smaller than it. Thus, a Large creature can squeeze through a passage that’s only 5 feet wide. While squeezing through a space, a creature must spend 1 extra foot for every foot it moves there, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage while it’s in the smaller space.

It's also in the PHB somewhere around page 180-190, in a sidebar on the top left.

 

[Shiroiken]

Would a fireball squash out farther since it can't occupy the 20' sphere?

Sadly, not by RAW. Back in the day (1E and maybe 2E), Fireball had a CF amount which came out to about the same radius in a dome... unless you were in a smaller space that couldn't fit it. This made fireball much less the default damage spell it is today, because it could backfire on the party if used carelessly (as could Lightning Bolt if it struck a wall). It got changed by 3E, so now it doesn't expand beyond the listed radius.

 

[Kobold Stew]

PHB p. 192, "Squeezing into a smaller space".

 

[Robbzilla]

Yeah, but that only mentioned thinner areas, not shorter ones. It's essentially what I'm working with as a reference, but was hoping for something more concrete. Oh well... I'm homebrewing, for the most part, so they'll live... or die.

Thanks all!

 

[mrpopstar]

Yeah, but that only mentioned thinner areas, not shorter ones. It's essentially what I'm working with as a reference, but was hoping for something more concrete. Oh well... I'm homebrewing, for the most part, so they'll live... or die.

Thinner or shorter, they're both smaller. — Page 192 holds the answer!

 

[Kobold Stew]

Yeah, but that only mentioned thinner areas, not shorter ones. It's essentially what I'm working with as a reference, but was hoping for something more concrete. Oh well... I'm homebrewing, for the most part, so they'll live... or die.

Thanks all!

Really, I think you've got the answer in the PHB. You of course can choose to homebrew, but you should be fine with RAW.

 

[Lanefan]

Where the real fun begins is when you've got people crawling through 3' high passages...and meeting opposition....and unable to use both sword and shield as they won't both fit...and only able to fight one-v-one...

Having once been on the receiving end of a near-TPK due to this (the opponents were ghouls who had little if any problem with the cramped conditions) I've developed a great respect for the idea.

Lanefan