Do You Get Advantage on Restrained Creatures? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, you absolutely do get advantage on attack rolls against a restrained creature. The restrained condition is a significant debuff in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (5e), designed to severely limit a creature’s effectiveness in combat. One of the key elements of this condition is the vulnerability it creates, making restrained foes easier targets for their opponents. Let’s dive into the specifics of the restrained condition and explore the nuances of how it affects combat.

Understanding the Restrained Condition

The restrained condition in 5e is a powerful status effect that has profound implications for both the affected creature and its opponents. Here’s a breakdown of what it entails:

• Speed Reduction: A restrained creature’s speed becomes 0, and it cannot benefit from any bonuses to its speed. This completely negates movement options, making escape incredibly difficult.

• Disadvantage on Attacks: The restrained creature’s own attack rolls have disadvantage, meaning they roll twice and take the lower result. This makes it far more challenging for them to hit their targets.

• Disadvantage on Dexterity Saves: They also suffer disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. This makes them more susceptible to area-of-effect spells and other effects that rely on Dexterity saves.

• Advantage on Attacks Against: Crucially, attack rolls against the restrained creature have advantage. This is the primary reason the condition is so debilitating, as opponents will find it much easier to land successful hits.

The combination of these effects makes restrained creatures highly vulnerable and significantly easier to defeat in combat.

How the Restrained Condition Works

The restrained condition doesn’t just randomly appear; it is usually inflicted through specific actions, spells, or abilities. It can be the result of:

• Grapple to Pin: A successful grapple can be followed up by an action to “pin” the target, resulting in both the grappler and the grappled being restrained.
• Spells and Abilities: Certain spells and abilities impose the restrained condition as part of their effects, such as the entangle or web spells.
• Specific Items or Traps: Some magical items or environmental traps may also cause the restrained condition upon activation.

It’s important to recognize how you’re inflicting the restrained condition because that often determines how long it lasts and what actions are available.

The Impact of Advantage Against Restrained Creatures

The advantage on attack rolls against a restrained creature drastically increases the chance of landing a hit. When attacking with advantage, you roll two d20s and take the higher result. This significantly improves your odds, making it easier to overcome the target’s armor class (AC) and deal damage.

This benefit makes restraining a key strategy for certain player characters (PCs) and enemies, especially those who rely on hitting reliably, like martial classes. It’s particularly potent when facing high-AC foes or when combined with other debuffs.

FAQs: Restrained Creatures and Combat Mechanics

Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to the restrained condition, designed to further clarify its implications:

Do restrained creatures have disadvantage on all attacks?

Yes, restrained creatures have disadvantage on all attack rolls, regardless of who the target is.

How is the restrained condition different from grappled?

While both grapple and restrained reduce mobility, grapple only stops movement away from the grappler while restrained completely stops movement and imposes disadvantage on attacks and DEX saves, in addition to giving advantage to attacks against them.

If I’m grappling a creature, do I get advantage on attacks against it?

Yes, you get advantage on Attack rolls against a creature you are Grappling.

Do stunned creatures also give advantage on attacks?

Yes, you get advantage on attacks against stunned creatures. This effect, like the restrained condition, highlights the immense impact stunning can have in combat.

Can a grappled creature still attack?

Yes, a grappled creature can still attack, but with disadvantage on their attacks, unless they are targeting their grappler.

Can a restrained creature take opportunity attacks?

Yes, a restrained creature can take opportunity attacks, but these attacks are made with disadvantage.

Do invisible creatures have advantage on attacks?

Yes, invisible creatures have advantage on attack rolls. However, attacks against them have disadvantage unless the attacker has a way to see them.

Should I grapple or shove first?

Typically, it’s best to grapple first, then shove. Grappling restricts movement, and shoving a grappled target prone makes them unable to get up due to their 0 speed.

Do large creatures get advantage on grapple checks?

No, by RAW (Rules As Written), there is no size-based advantage on grapple checks. However, DMs may choose to add this as a house rule.

Does invisibility give advantage on grapple checks?

No, invisibility does not grant advantage on grapple checks, as it is an ability check, not an attack roll.

Can restrained creatures use items?

Yes, restrained creatures can use their free object interaction, allowing them to use items if they’re not limited by other factors.

Do restrained creatures fail Dex saves?

While they have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, they do not automatically fail them. It still requires a roll.

Can a restrained creature cast spells?

Yes, a restrained creature can cast spells, but they have disadvantage on spell attack rolls and can have restrictions if their limbs are bound such that they can’t perform somatic components.

Can restrained creatures flank?

Yes, restrained creatures can still participate in flanking. While they have disadvantage on attacks, their presence still helps allies gain advantage on attacks.

Do barbarians get advantage on grapple or shove checks?

Yes, a raging barbarian gets advantage on Strength checks, including grapple and shove checks due to their rage.

Conclusion

The restrained condition is a powerful tool and a debilitating debuff in 5e. The combination of no movement, disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saves, coupled with advantage on attacks against the restrained creature makes it an effective way to control the battlefield and focus fire. Understanding its implications is vital for both players and DMs to maximize their strategies and ensure engaging and balanced combat encounters. By mastering how and when to inflict this condition, you can gain a significant edge in your D&D adventures.