Fatigue in 5e: A Complete Guide to Fatigue in DD (2023)

Exhaustion Level 1: Skill Checks

The first level of exhaustion in D&D is impressiveDisadvantageon all yoursproficiency tests.

This level primarily affects out-of-combat rolls, since it has no effect on your attack rolls or saving throws. So you do all skill checks at a disadvantage while suffering from level 1 fatigue.

Do you have to do a strength test (track and field) to climb a cliff? Disadvantage. Are you trying to retrieve information about an esoteric tome that your party found using an Intelligence Test (Arcana)? Also disadvantage. You've volunteered to keep watch despite your exhaustion and your GM asks for a wisdom (perception) check? Disadvantage, disadvantage, disadvantage.

That means if you attempt a grapple or escape a grapple effect and the ability doesn't trigger a saving throw, you're at a disadvantage. So, level 1 fatigue can play a role in combat in certain scenarios.

Exhaustion level 2: Halves movement speed

The second level of fatigue in 5e halves your overall movement speed.

When you have two levels of fatigue, you move slower. While this will most likely be the most annoying in combat. But it also affects how fast your party moves when traveling.

Moving at half your overall speed slows the party down. When you need to get somewhere fast, you become a burden.

I don't say that to make it sound unfunny. But it presents a unique challenge for your group.

However, second tier fatigue probably affects melee combatants the most. If they can't move fast enough to engage their enemies, they become much less effective.

Fatigue Level 3: Attack rolls & saving throws

The third level of fatigue imposes attack rolls and a disadvantagesave litters.

This fatigue level basically makes every roll your character makesmuchmore difficult.

At this point, your character will be so exhausted that it will work at a much lower capacity in combat or on adventures. All attacks (even spell attack rolls) are rolled at disadvantage. And if they are subjected to an ability, spell, or trap that requires a saving throw, that roll is also rolled with disadvantage.

Also if your character is knocked unconscious and starts makingdeath saves, guess what?You also make deadly saves at disadvantage while suffering level 3 fatigue.

Exhaustion Level 4: Maximum hit points halved

The fourth level of fatigue halves yourshit point maximum.

This level of fatigue doesn't simply reduce your total hit points by half. Oh no it ismuchworse than that.

Reduce yoursmaximalHalf hit points means your character can only heal up to half of their total amount at a time. This is a major blow to any character's survivability. When you have half your total possible health, each hit is that much more dangerous.

Let's look at an example. Even if you got a 4^thLevel Barbarian with a Constitution of 18 and you miraculously rolled maximum hit points, you'd have a maximum hit point of 63. With four levels of fatigue, that drops to 31. for a 4^thFlat front line, combat-oriented class, that's a huge disadvantage. Also with the damage resistances of the barbarian with theirWutspecial feature.

Fatigue Level 5: Zero movement speed

The fifth level of fatigue reduces your character's speed to zero.

That's it.

If you have delayed recovering from your exhaustion level that far, you lose the ability to move at all. Your character becomes so tired and, well, exhausted that he loses all ability to move on his own.

Obviously this is a big problem for any character. class doesn't matter. And it is the crucial moment since the last stage of exhaustion is the end.

Exhaustion Level 6: Death

The sixth level of fatigue results in a creature's death.

That's the end of it.

No saving throw to stop him. No death saves. No cure.

Once your character reaches six levels of fatigue, he simply dies. The only way to recover at this point is through resurrection magic.

Causes of Fatigue: Adventure

Exploration and travel in a D&D world holds more dangers than monsters and traps. Extreme climate, lack of food or water and failure to find adequate rest, all cases of exhaustion.

The most common sources of fatigue in D&D 5e occur outside of combat during adventures or travel.

The funny thing about this mechanic isIt's really up to your game master what causes fatigue. If they feel that a particular choice or foray into an area would cause fatigue, or at least require a saving throw, that's up to them.

However, there are several sources of fatigue that are detailed in the various D&D sourcebooks.

Don't rest

If your character doesn't take onelong rest, they must make a Constitution saving throw or reach a fatigue level.

Lack of food and/or water

If your character does not eat for a time of 3 + his Constitution modifier, he suffers one level of fatigue. Accordingly, your character must drink a gallon of water per day (two gallons in hot weather). If they only drink half of it, you roll a Constitution check. If they drink less than half a gallon, they automatically enter a level of exhaustion.

Travel non-stop for more than eight hours

If your character doesn't take a break and travels eight hours straight, he must roll a Constitution savefor every hour after the first eightand take a fatigue level on failure.

Jagend

If your character exerts himself beyond his usual abilities during a chase, he gains a level of fatigue. Per page 252 ofDungeon Master's Guide, a creature may use a sprint action equal to 3 + its Constitution modifier multiple times during a chase. But each time they do so, they must pass a Constitution check or reach a fatigue level.

Extreme climate zones

Creatures unaccustomed to extreme climates (frozen tundras, heat-soaked deserts, sky-high mountains, etc.) may experience fatigue from staying in these places for too long. However, if your character has a certain resistance to the natural climate, it would not affect him. For example, tieflings wouldn't be affected as badly by the heat of a desert (unless the heat isparticularlyoppressive) due to their fire damage resistance or Goliath would not suffer thanks to their high elevations of tower mountainsMountain bornCharacteristic.

Swim for more than an hour

If your character swims for more than an hour, he rolls a Constitution check and gains a fatigue level if he fails. The time increases to eight hours if a creature has oneswim speed. Also, swimming at a depth of 200 feet counts as four hours.

Rowing a boat for more than eight hours

As with non-stop voyage, if your character rows a boat for more than eight hours at a time, he must succeed at a Constitution check or reach an exhaustion level.

Ice cold water

Falling into freezing water could inflict fatigue on your character. Well, the caveat is that this would only affect creatureswithoutResistance or immunity to cold damage.

Impact on the environment

Some environments have unnatural effects that can drain your character's vitality.Tasha's cauldron of everythinghas a whole mess of supernatural environmental effects, including haunted areas that drain creatures of literal energy and incomplete demi-planes that cause psychic dissonance. Both of these environmental effects can cause a creature to gain a level of fatigue.

Trapped under rubble

Tasha's cauldron of everythingintroduced a special environmental hazard in the case of avalanches. Eventually, being caught up and trapped in an avalanche causes a creature to suffer from exhaustion due to lack of oxygen. This idea might apply if one gets trapped under some form of debris for a long enough period of time.

Fatigue Causes: Spells

There aren't that many spells that cause fatigue in 5e. But you have a few ways to magically impose fatigue on a creature.

You might think that there are spells that inflict fatigue on a target. But that's actually not the case at all. As a matter of fact,only four spells that cause fatigue in 5e.

Even then, only three report exhaustion as an effect or side effect of their casting. The fourth is more of a conclusion.

I think there are two reasons for this.

First of all, exhaustion is just so useful. It's really only of use to you when your enemy is suffering from multiple levels of fatigue. Just imposing the first level won't do you much good. So you have to take the time to cast a spell repeatedly to make it really worth it.

Secondly, once you've managed to impose multiple levels of fatigue in a short amount of time, it becomes way too overwhelming. Once you put three levels of fatigue on a creature, it has a disadvantage on all of its rolls and moves at half its maximum speed. That's a big disadvantage. So it can't betoFatigue can easily be inflicted with a spell. Otherwise the mechanics will make it way too strong.

With that in mind, you can see why there aren't that many spells that cause fatigue. But that doesn't mean they don't exist.

The four spells in D&D 5e dasmayCauses of exhaustion are:

• Dream
• Morbid radiation (wxya)
• Tensers Transformation (wxya)
• Wish

Well, two of those are from the core rules of D&D and the other two are fromXanathar's Guide to Everything. So let's go into it in as much detail as possible.

Dream

TheDreamSpell is one of the most direct ways to inflict fatigue on another creature. The spell basically allows you to manipulate a target creature's dreams while they are asleep. It can force exhaustion by denying the target creature a full night's sleep, turning their dream into a horrible, horrible nightmare. Since a creature must take a long rest or roll Constitution checks against fatigue every 24 hours, this is the caseDreamSpell is one of the easier ways to inflict Fatigue out of combat.

Morbid charisma

Bad charismacomes fromXanathar's Guide to Everything. Basically, this spell covers a radius of effect. A creature within the area of ​​effect must attempt a Constitution save to cast itradiant damageand prevent a level of exhaustion from being reached. This spell is one of the few ways players have to inflict fatigue in combat.

Tensers Transformation

This spell not so much likeCausedFatigue, as it gives the caster a level.Tenser's transformationcomes fromXanathar's Guide to Everything. This spell allows a caster to enhance their martial ability; They grant them extra hit points, give them proficiency with a range of weapons and armor, and make their weapon attacks more powerful. The downside is that after the spell ends, you must make a Constitution check or reach a fatigue level.

Wish

TheWishThe spell doesn't specifically state that you can inflict fatigue on another creature. But since the spell's wording is intentionally open-ended and actually encourages creative uses, it's not too far out of the realm of possibility that you could use it to induce fatigue.

Fatigue Causes: Monster Abilities

Some monsters in D&D 5e have abilities that inflict fatigue on another creature.

As with spells, there aren't that many monsters with exhaustion effects in D&D. Also, none of these creatures are from the Core Rules orMonster Manual, so you'll need to look for additional sourcebooks if you want to access them.

That is, although these creatures have the ability to inflict fatigue, they function similarly to the few spells that do the same. They usually involve some type of role and have a limited number of uses. So it's still a bit difficult to use these creatures as a method to impart fatigue levels to players.

Anyway. Without further ado, here are the five creatures in D&D 5e that can cause fatigue:

• Gingwatzim (Candlekeep Mysteries (CKM))
• Jade-Tiger (CKM)
• Soul Merchant (Mordenkainen's Tome of Enemies (MToF))
• Sibriex (MToF)
• Remaining Quori (Eberron: Rising from the Last War)

Each of these creatures has an ability that either directly inflicts a level of fatigue or has a long-term effect that adds levels over time.

Eliminate Fatigue: Rest

Completing a long pause in D&D 5e removes one level of fatigue provided you have enough food and water available.

As simple as that.

All you have to do is eat a good dinner, drink some water, get at least six hours of sleep, and you'll lose a single level of fatigue. Ending a long pause is the least resource-intensive way to fix fatigue. However, it takes a little longer if you have multiple exhaustion levels.

See rules as writtenYou can only finish one long break every 24 hours. That means you can't knock off multiple long breaks over the course of a day. You have to split them up.

So if your character has three or four levels of fatigue, it means that you will have to wait several days for him to return to normal.

Well, all of this assumes you're playing with the standard long rest rules. If you use the optional variantEpic heroism, a long break lasts only an hour. That means youmayComplete several long breaks throughout a day, each eliminating a level of fatigue.

Remove Fatigue: Spell

There are a few spells that cure fatigue. But this is a literal "pair" of spells.Greater RecoveryAndWishcan heal one level of fatigue when cast.

Yes, those are your only ways to remove fatigue with a spell.

Thegreater recoveryThe spell specifically states, "You can decrease the target's fatigue level by one...." so it's actually pretty simple. But like a long break, it's just the only level.

Then there are theWishCurse. The most powerful spell in D&D 5e actually takes things a bit further, stating "You allow up to twenty creatures you can see to regain all hit points, and you end all effects on them described in the larger restoration spell." Well, to me that reads like "You can reduce up to twenty creatures you can see by one level of fatigue" along with all that other stuff. Which is pretty powerful all in all. But in this situation, your GM must decide how this works.

But that's it.

You must have access to eithergreater recovery, a 5^thLevel spells available until 17^thLevel Constructors or 9^DieLevel bards, clerics, druids and celestial warlocks or theWishmagic, a 9^ebenSpells available until April 17th^thLevel wizards, genius warlocks and sorcerers.

Eliminate Fatigue: Magic Items

There is exactly one magic item that cures fatigue; the potion of vitality.

Yes. If you want to use a magic item to remove your exhaustion, you have an option. A very rare potion at that.

However, the Potion of Vitality is the most effective way to fix Exhaustion in D&D 5e.

The Potion of Vitality is as follows:

See,removed the Potion of VitalityATLevels of exhaustion when consumed. Not one level at a time.

So if you have multiple fatigue levels and are lucky enough to have a vitality potion handy, you'd better gulp down this sucker.

Does fatigue carry over to polymorph?

Yes; Fatigue spreads to creatures affected by itpolymorphQuickly.Polymorphdoesn't specifically say it removes conditions, so rules as written, exhaustion is even carried over into the polymorphic form.

Now when a creature transforms into a creature with immunity to the state of exhaustion, it does not suffer the effects of exhaustionwhile transformed. Once they return to their original form, they have maintained their previous fatigue level ever sincepolymorphdoes not specifically say it cures disease.

That said, this is a fairly GM-dependent decision. So ask your GM what his decision will be should the circumstance arise.

Do short breaks prevent fatigue?

In a way yes;short breaksprevent fatigue. Since traveling longer than eight hours continuously requires a Constitution check, stopping for a brief rest for an hour ensures that you don't need to save against fatigue during the journey. That said, short breaks don't remove fatigue levels, so they don'tImmediatelyprevent it.

Do itOtherSpell causes fatigue?

NO; TheOtherSpell does not cause fatigue in D&D 5e.

I've seen quite a few people online claiming thatOthergrants the target a fatigue level when the spell ends. But that's actually not true at all. The spell doesn't mention fatigue at all, so it doesn't cause it when it ends.