The Adventurer's Field Manual D&D 2024 · Roll20
The Adventurer's Field Manual

Combat,
Resolved.

A glance-and-go reference for players and DMs. Every fight comes down to one question — start there, follow the colour, roll the dice.

Tap the die — equal succeeds.

What kind of roll is this?

Almost every moment of confusion at the table dissolves the instant you answer this. Three paths, three colours — pick one.

01

The three rolls

Name which one you're making before any dice hit the table. Compare to AC or DC — and remember the spell card always overrules your sheet.

vs Armour Class

Attack

d20 + attack bonus ≥ AC
→ hit, then roll damage
< AC → miss · no save
  • Swords, maces, daggers
  • Crossbows & bows
  • Fire Bolt, Guiding Bolt
  • Opportunity attacks
Target rolls vs your DC

Save

d20 + save mod ≥ DC
→ success
spell text says what each does
  • Burning Hands, breath
  • Command, charms
  • Poison & traps
  • Most area effects
vs the DM's DC

Check

d20 + skill mod ≥ DC
→ success
else fail / partial
  • Force a door
  • Search a room
  • Track footprints
  • Persuade / intimidate
02

Your turn, in order

One move, one action, and a bonus action only if something grants you one. Walk it top to bottom.

  • Start of turnConditions tick, effects you started fire.
  • Read the battlefieldWhat can I see? How far? Am I in melee?
  • MoveUp to your speed — split it around the action.
  • ActionAttack, cast, dash, dodge, help…
  • Bonus actionOnly if a feature explicitly grants one.
  • ReactionOff your turn — opportunity attack, shield, etc.
  • End turnSay "that's me" so the table can move on.

The action menu

AttackA weapon or unarmed strike.
Cast a SpellCasting time of one action.
DashExtra move equal to your speed.
DisengageMoving won't provoke this turn.
DodgeAttackers get disadvantage.
HelpGive an ally advantage.
HideTry to become unseen.
ReadyBank an action for a trigger.
SearchLook for what's hidden.
Use ObjectInteract meaningfully.

Before you roll, in Roll20

  1. Pick the target and know your bonus.
  2. Say the roll type out loud — attack, save or check.
  3. Roll the d20 and add the modifier.
  4. Compare to AC or DC. Equal succeeds.
  5. Narrate the hit and read the damage.
03

Running an encounter

The same seven beats every fight, from the moment swords come out to the moment the dust settles.

Set the scene

Where, who, lighting, cover.

Awareness

Who's hidden or surprised?

Initiative

Everyone rolls; order the turns.

Run the round

Turn by turn, top to bottom.

Resolve

Attacks vs AC, saves vs DC.

Track

HP, conditions, who's down.

Continue

Next round, or wrap the fight.

Make monsters feel alive

Smart enemies hunt the healer or caster, not the tank.
Beasts charge the nearest threat and rarely retreat.
The bloodied may flee, surrender or fight twice as hard.

Initiative, without the headache

Group identical foes onto one initiative count and act as a block.
Surprised creatures roll initiative with disadvantage (2024 rule).
Use token markers for hurt, dead, fleeing and surrendered.
04

Movement & positioning

It's squares, not maths. One square is five feet — count squares and you'll never stall the turn.

you enemy 6 squares = 30 ft reach

Speed in squares

SpeedSquaresNote
25 ft5dwarves, small folk
30 ft6most heroes
35 ft7and split it freely

Opportunity attacks

Leave a hostile's reach, while seen, and it has a reaction → one melee attack vs your AC.
Disengage spends your action to move freely with no provoking.
Ranged in melee: a hostile within 5 ft who sees you gives your ranged attacks disadvantage — spell attacks included.
05

Spellcasting

A spell either rolls to hit you, or makes you roll to resist. The card tells you which — always read it before the dice.

Spell attack

The caster rolls against your Armour Class, exactly like a weapon.

d20 + spell attack mod vs AC

e.g. Fire Bolt, Guiding Bolt, Chromatic Orb.

Save spell

You roll a saving throw against the caster's spell save DC.

your save ≥ spell save DC

A pass often still takes half — read the card.

Your spell save DC
8 + proficiency bonus + spellcasting modifier

Casting ability by class

AbilityClasses
INTWizard
WISCleric, Druid, Ranger
CHABard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Paladin

Slots, healing & the version trap

A slot is spent the moment you cast — hit or miss. A whiffed spell still burns it.
Healing never exceeds max HP; temp HP doesn't stack — take the higher.
Inflict Wounds was an attack in 2014 and a CON save in 2024. Trust the card in front of you.
06

Twelve traps to avoid

The mix-ups that stall a table mid-fight — and the one-line fix for each. Nine of them vanish the moment you name the roll out loud.

1A save after every attack
Bandit rolls to shoot, so the target rolls a Dex save to dodge.
Attack vs AC. No save unless the ability says so.
2"I have to beat the AC"
A roll of 16 vs AC 16 counts as a miss.
Equal succeeds — 16 ≥ 16 hits. Same for DCs.
3Confusing AC with save DC
Rolling Burning Hands against the target's AC.
Area effects → the target rolls a save vs your DC.
4"They saved, so it missed"
Passed the save, so Burning Hands does nothing.
A pass usually still takes half damage — read the card.
5Guessing the spell version
Assuming Inflict Wounds is always an attack roll.
2014 = attack vs AC; 2024 = CON save. Read your sheet.
6Free advantage on initiative
"They only saw one of you" → everyone gets advantage.
All roll normally. Surprised → disadvantage on init.
7Tracking each monster apart
Bandits 1, 2, 3 and 4 each get their own initiative.
Group identical foes on one count; act as a block.
8"Save vs the free swing"
Leaving melee, so roll a save to avoid the hit.
An opportunity attack is an attack roll vs your AC.
9Point-blank ranged shots
Firing a crossbow next to a foe at a normal roll.
Hostile within 5 ft → ranged attacks have disadvantage.
10"Nat 1 means chaos"
A natural 1 breaks your weapon or hits an ally.
Nat 1 just misses. Fumbles are an optional house rule.
11Rolling when it's not needed
"Roll to notice the door is ajar / the body on the floor."
Some things are just visible. Roll only when uncertain.
12Wrong skill for the clue
One "Investigation" roll for spotting, reading and tracking.
Perception spots · Investigation deduces · Survival tracks.
1
Natural 1On an attack roll it automatically misses — nothing more, by default.
20
Natural 20On an attack roll it automatically hits — and it's a critical.
07

The pocket reference

Everything on one screen. Glance, confirm, roll — then get back to the story.

Attack
d20 + attack bonus vs AC
≥ AC → hit, roll damage
< AC → miss · no save
Save
d20 + save mod vs DC
≥ DC → success
card says what each does
Check
d20 + skill mod vs DC
≥ DC → success
< DC → fail / partial
Movement
1 square = 5 ft
25 → 5 · 30 → 6 · 35 → 7
split allowed
Opportunity
Leave reach + seen + reaction
→ one melee attack vs AC
Disengage prevents it
Ranged in melee
Hostile within 5 ft & sees you
→ disadvantage
incl. ranged spell attacks
Spell slots
Spent when cast —
hit or miss
a missed spell still burns it
Healing
Never above HP max
overflow is wasted
temp HP doesn't stack → higher
Nat 1 & 20
1 → auto-miss (no fumble)
20 → auto-hit + crit
only on attack rolls

Your turn, in one breath

What can I see? How far? In melee?
Move X ft → here (provoking?)
Action: attack / cast / dodge / help…
"I rolled X — if it hits, Y damage."
Bonus action? (only if granted)
"That's me — ending my turn."

DM's Roll20 screen

  1. Map with the grid switched on.
  2. Monster stat block, popped out.
  3. Adventure notes alongside.
  4. Initiative & HP tracker.
One rule above all

Equal succeeds.

Match the number and you're in — on attacks, saves and checks alike. Name which of the three rolls you're making, compare to AC or DC, and remember the spell card always overrules this sheet.

Now roll the dice.