Prone 5e | D&D Mechanics Overview

Published on December 27, 2023, last updated on March 3, 2024

D&D face down

In D&D, suddenly finding yourself on the ground isn’t just a blow to your ego: the prone position poses real threats to people who find themselves on their side against their will.

When a creature is prone, it’s not completely unconscious, but it is certainly in a pinch, and this state affects everything from its attack rolls to how it moves, which can lead to dangerous situations, especially if it’s surrounded by goblins with sharpened spears.

What is prone position?

According to the basic rules, when a creature dies, the following effects occur:

Face down

A prone creature’s only movement is by crawling, unless it ends the state by standing up. The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls. If the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature, the attack roll against the creature has advantage; otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.

Appendix A: Conditions – Ground Rules

A creature can be knocked prone by falling, stumbling, or by certain spells and abilities.

The effects of movement

A prone creature’s movement is limited to crawling unless it stands up, at which point its movement speed is halved.

When crawling, it takes an extra foot for every foot of movement, making it the same as walking through difficult terrain, which can severely affect a prone creature’s ability to escape an immediate threat.

Impact on Combat

Another aspect of this condition that hinders a prone creature’s ability to defend itself is that attacks within 5 feet are given advantage, and all attacks are given disadvantage.

Recovering from prone position

Standing up from a prone state is easy, but does incur a movement cost, which can affect a character’s ability to move around the battlefield, making when to stand up a strategic decision.

Tactical Use

Prone is an interesting state that allows for greater tactical breadth as it can be easily applied and utilized by fighting characters, and it also has a unique combination with flying creatures, fighting, and other aspects of the game.

Push-off action

Forcing a creature into a prone position is something any creature with a high Strength modifier can do, and even more so if they’re skilled in athletics.

By putting a creature prone at the right time during initiative, you can give your allies advantage on attacks against a prone target. If your class has the extra attack feature, you can also replace one of your attacks with a bull rush attempt, potentially giving you advantage on attacks against a prone target.

Keep in mind that you can only push creatures that are one size larger than you.

Fighting face-down creatures

Grappling a prone creature reduces the grappled creature’s speed to 0 and prevents it from using movement to get up. This is an effective strategy for melee characters to lock down and debuff enemies, allowing allies to continue attacking with the advantage.

Knock the flyer down and place him face down

When a flying creature without the hover ability is knocked prone, it instantly falls 500 feet and is likely to crash into the ground and take falling damage. Forcing a flying creature into a prone state can be difficult, but this is a powerful strategy for a Battle Master using the trip attack maneuver and a bow.

Go prone to avoid ranged attacks

Being prone is one of the few states that actually has an advantage: if you’re being attacked from a distance, going prone can give the attacker disadvantage when they try to attack you.

Effect of forcing prone position

Since prone is one of the most common states, there are many ways to force an enemy into prone. Below are some of the most common ways to force prone:

Spells that cause prone status

Command: This 1st level buff spell allows you to make creatures obey a single word command. Using the command “grovel” can cause the target to fall prone if it fails a Wisdom saving throw. Grease: A 1st level summoning spell that creates a slippery surface, causing any creature that fails a Dexterity saving throw to fall prone. Hideous Laughter: This 1st level buff spell can incapacitate creatures with laughter. If the target fails a Wisdom saving throw, they fall prone, incapacitated and unable to get up. Earth Tremor: A 1st level summoning spell that shakes the ground. Creatures within range fall prone if they fail a Dexterity saving throw. Thunderous Smite: A 1st level summoning spell for the paladin that adds a thunderous force to your next hit. If the attack hits, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked 10 feet back and knocked prone. Sleet Storm: This 3rd level summoning spell creates a sleet storm, making the ground slippery. Any creatures within the area must maintain their balance or be knocked prone. Tsunami: A 3rd level summoning spell that summons a wave of water. Any creature caught in the wave must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone by the force of the water.

Also note that anything that causes an icy surface to form can also cause a creature that fails a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to slip and fall.

Class features that cause the prone position

The most common and mundane way to kill a target is to use a bull rush action to knock them down.

Many martial arts subclasses, such as the Barbarian, Fighter, and Monk, have ways of using their abilities to knock down targets. Examples of this are the trip attack of the Battle Master mentioned above, but also the powerful thrust of the Barbarian of the Path of the Giant, and the open hand technique of the Monk of the Path of the Open Hand.

It’s time to rise up

The prone state in D&D 5e is a fundamental and tactical aspect of combat. It affects attack rolls and movement and can be used strategically in a variety of situations. Understanding how and when to use or recover from this state can have a huge impact on the outcome of a battle.