Mechanical Rules Clarification

## Actions in Combat

If you are new to D&D and are unsure what exactly you can do with what, here is a very handy cheat sheet that to this day even I still have up to remind myself just how many options I have available.

## Server Travel Times

It is assumed that when you take on a quest that you have a mount of some description either hired from a stable or personally owned. This does not affect the rewards in any way, but you can assume that you will have a mount with you that will not assist you in combat or impact you in any negative way.

Travel is also assumed to be instant between the locations, but for any Dungeon Master or Player that is curious or wishes to follow such a rule here are the movement speeds:

* Walking Speed: 4 miles per hour
* Mount Speed: 40 miles per hour

## Drinking and Intoxication

Drinking any alcoholic beverage in rapid succession will cause you to make Constitution Saving Throws vs Poison.

A character can drink a total of their CON+3 standard drinks before needing to take any of these constitution saves. The save DC starts at 10 for the first over the limit, and will increase by +2 for each drink there after.

A failure on this check will increase your exhaustion by +1.

**Note: Alcohol is a poisonous substance.**

## Grappling Rules

When you have *INVULUNTARY* movement a grapple is broken, so any flying creature you have grappled will be released from the grapple at the end of the turn as their speed drops to 0, which will cause them to fall.

You will both need to take fall damage unless you yourself have flying when you attempt the grapple. You also cannot Grapple a target if you do not have a hand free. This means you cannot be wielding a sword and shield as the shield is stated to take up your otherwise free hand.

## Movement on Reactions when Prone

Interesting note with standing up - it states that HALF your movement is needed to stand. Many classes and races allow for movement on reaction, however when you are knocked into prone unless your movement speed in the reaction phase is at least half of your entire movement allowance and you have the movement to spare in your turn, you will remain prone.

You can still attempt to crawl away as a reaction, but this is considered the same movement rules as difficult terrain.

## Drawing Two Weapons in Combat

Drawing two weapon from a sheath actually takes an action. So if you do not have your weapons out at the start of combat or need to swap from a sword to dual daggers, you will waste an action drawing your weapons. This can be overridden with the dual wielding feat.

## Cancelling Spells

Spells that do not have a concentration component but have a duration exceeding 1 action cannot be cancelled by the caster without the use of Dispel Magic.

## Casting Spells of Length

When you cast a spell that has a length of greater than 1 round, you must spend the entire time in actions casting the spell. The spell slot is consumed at the end of casting, and for the duration of the casting you must concentrate on the spell as you would any other concentration spell.

## Detecting Magic and Counter Spelling

Spells that are cast around the player by other players or NPCs are not recognisable at first glance, magic is innately invisible so unless you recognise the speech the character is using and the motions of the spell being cast, or can see the effects of the magic being pulled together typically you will not know what is happening outside of they are casting a spell.

Recognising WHAT spell is being cast is the battle. To effectively realise exactly what is happening a player **MUST** make an **Arcana check** as a reaction to deduce what spell it is, the DC for this is 15+Spell Level. If you share the spell within your class list you can roll this check with advantage.

Additionally spells like detect magic do not show if a being has magic. Detect magic shows if ITEMS have magic, or the weaves of spells being cast, but not the spell itself or what it is. This means that Spells like - Counterspell and Anti-magic field but do not stop things like a Dragonborn's breath weapon, but do negate or supress things classified as spells.

If you are in doubt of what a spell is:

* A spell can be a magical based item;
* A spell is an ability that is powered through spell slots;
* Typically all instances of the ability, item or spell will state magical or spell.

## Rule of Lethargy

You can elect to fail whatever you want in this server as a roleplay mechanic, saves, checks anything. You can always elect to fail. You must roll to succeed.

## Non Lethal Attacks

Non Lethal damage can only be dealt with Melee attacks, regardless of their otherwise typing. You can elect as part of your melee attack when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points to make this non-lethal instead.

## Critical Hits and Critical Misses

Critical hits (20 on d20) will hit regardless of AC value and deal double the damage dice for the hit.

Critical misses (1 on a d20) will miss regardless of total to hit value.

DMs like to do a fumble or mishap for this crit miss, and that's fine. But if it's severe in it's effect or you feel it's unfair. Let a member of Staff know and we will inspect.

## Advantage and Disadvantage Stacking

Advantage and Disadvantage can stack, but you can never benefit from having multiples of Advantage/Disadvantage. If you have Disadvantage and Advantage you are considered to have neither. If you have Advantage from multiple sources granting Advantage, you will only be considered to have Advantage from one of these sources.

## Opportunity Attacks and Burrowing Opponents

Burrowing does not leave a tunnel unless otherwise specified. However, anyone who burrows down or otherwise out of sight from a player will still take an opportunity attack.

Consider the following image:

The purple will be considered half cover, and red is leaving threat range on a reach weapon user (10ft. Range).

As the player moves FROM the purple to the red an Attack of Opportunity or AOO is made with half cover rules in effect. This is similar to burrowing straight down, at the same distance. However, the burrower could be considered to have 3/4 cover instead. But will still take an AOO when leaving the effective threat range of the user. In this case, again, by moving into total cover.

## Magical Item Discovery

During your time within the server you may find or be rewarded with Magical Items by a Dungeon Master. While you will be told what the item is, your character will not inherently know the properties or even what the item is.

To discover the properties of an item, you will need to either use the Identify spell for quick knowledge during an encounter or wait to have it appraised by an NPC back at one of the cities. Alternative to this, a character can sit with the item for an hour to discover it's properties. This is also done within a city environment through roleplay and does not require the actual time being spent in real life. It just needs to be stated that you are studying it for an hour.

**Note: Any CURSED items discovered in this way that a Character sits with for an hour to identify will be FORCEFULLY attuned to the player.**