D&D Combat: Actual Example | The First Arcadian's D&D Tutorial

You read the Player's Handbook page to page but still can't make sense of how does combat work in DnD? In this video, I present a made-up combat scenario in D&D. My goal here is not to teach you how to battle (for that I point you towards the previous video: • How Combat Works in D&... ) but rather to give you an actual example so you can see how are the actions handled, how do you make attack rolls and damage rolls, all the things that you might not understand even after reading about them, until you see it in action. Once again, if you have any questions that I failed to answer, ask them in the comments, I will do my best to help.
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[@gwargumm9511]

I think this is the best combat video on KZbin. Thanks for this visuals. I like that you did not over simplify the example. Very good example with multiple layers of what could happen in combat.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you, comments like this make my day! Even if all the other videos didn't get any more views, knowing this video is helping people makes it all worth it

[@MasterCowsChaos]

I've watched like 5 videos from well-known D&D youtubers trying to understand combat, but yours in the only one that did the trick. if y'all need a simple explanation, look no further

[@pasha9113]

I've watched quite a few videos as a newbie player and this one has been the clearest and most helpful - thank you!

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Try my D&D Tutorial playlist, you'll find other stuff to your liking there too 🙂 (and if you don't, let me know so I can improve things up!)

[@asraiSOA]

Nicely done. I knew all of this, but appreciated this. Great video to send to someone who is 'fuzzy' on things. I REALLY liked your inserted 'Intimidation' example. SO many PC's never consider their other abilities and traits. The 'hack and slash til death' seems to be ingrained in so many people. LOL

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

That was kinda my goal, reminding people they can think outside the box within the scope of "an action", especially for new players who don't have those ingrained ideas yet. Thank you for your support! I hope to see you around :)

[@sophiaispro_]

I really enjoyed the suspense that was present near the end of the battle 😅

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Half of a good battle is draaaamaaaa XD

[@lzrdguy88]

On behalf of the visual learners in the group, thank you!

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Happy to be of service!

[@D3vinG]

Thank you so much, I've been running a D&D campaign for the last couple of months (with no idea what I'm doing) but I sequestered my players on a ship so we can all get into the groove of role-playing, we're about to hit our first island tomorrow, and this was the most helpful video I came across about straight combat. I'm subscribed for more helpful tips. Thanks again!

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Man, that sounds like a dream. D&D cruise? Where can I sign up? I'm glad I helped, and I hope you like the rest of the channel :D

[@ZacSwarty4368]

Great combat vid, thanks 🙏

[@gorrilla_umbra8916]

Don't be sorry. I'm new to the game, haven't played yet, only read the player handbook, and watched two of your videos. And so far you have helped me piece together all of the information Ive gathered from reading, in a way that I can understand.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you! If I can help in any way with a specific video, let me know :D

[@daniellemorales2216]

I'm a new DM and Player leading a younger group and this was a great explanation video. Thank you

[@hermansims2296]

This is a good straight forward description of a basic combat encounter in D&D. I will recommend your videos to any new player that wants to understand the rules better. Thank you very much for taking the time to create your content.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank *you* for the support, those recommendations are an incredible help. And I hope you like my other videos for DMs too, the players can't have aaaall the fun :)

[@hermansims2296]

@@TheFirstArcadianDnD Been a DM since on a Christmas Day a long time ago, but not in a galaxy far away, I had a blue box with a dragon on it, I think I was 12 or 13, I read for 2hrs then called my friend, Mike Holcomb, from across the street to come over and play this game. I made him even though he thought I was crazy. We had slips of paper put in one of the boxes and then held in the air. The roller would reach up and into the magic dice box and pull out the number they rolled. From that day forward, to include now, I've always been the DM. Not totally true, I love to play some characters, but I'm always wanting to create the fantasy world that players can be enticed into fully becoming their characters as they adventure!

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

@@hermansims2296 I ressonate with those feelings. No matter how many characters you play, nothing feels quite the same once you experience the joy of building your world, breathing life into it, and then letting your players loose on it, and simply watching them have fun, their stories flourish, kinda like living a life they never lived. Also, those stories are amazing, that mistique of opening your box for the first time, calling your friends from across the street and having that first D&D experience... Kinda makes me sad I never had that experience from the country I live in and the time I started playing

[@alexwilliams6022]

Cheers mate, I'm learning the rules so I can dm in a month or so and this was really helpful! 👌🏼

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

That is great! We need more DMs out there. Best of luck in your future storytelling, and if I can help with something, or if there's a particular thing you'd like me to explain in video, please let me know!

[@ameretsu]

Great video. I have not played D&D since the first edition, so these run-throughs are very helpful to this very old DM.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Happy to be of service :) If you have any suggestions for other guides people would benefit from, feel free to shoot them away!

[@arms1110]

Hey man! Thanks a lot for your detailed explanation, between those I looked on KZbin your tutorial are among the best ones, very concise explanation with rl examples

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Your comment just made my day :D Thank you, I'm glad I am helping. Tell me how it went! And let me know if I can do anything to help!

[@nikolanovkovic4103]

Great example, great explanation. I can give new players a hint which I use when playing. If the attack is below creatures (or players) natural AC, it means that he missed him, if the hit is between nat. AC and dexterity modifier, the creature evaded the hit, and if the hit is between the dex modifier to AC and AC added by armour, creature IS HIT, but saved by the armour (weapon bounced of armour). This is just my idea and presentation to players, its not really a rule :) hope I explained it well

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

I do a similar thing and the players love it, they feel like they are getting closer do determining the actual AC :p

[@johnxscar]

very good instructions

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you :)

[@prestongarcia5160]

you are so helpful I could not find a tutorial like this, TNX

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you, commander Rex :D When I started playing I stuggled myself with undertanding all this, I'm glad I was able to help the people who are starting now

[@anthonyat2401]

Very clear and concise with good illustration. Many thanks.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank YOU! I tried not to overcomplicate things, it's good to hear that it worked!

[@Eddie_boi]

Thanks for the info!! I will use this when i dm

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Glad I could help :)

[@ashwinnmyburgh9364]

This was awesome, really helped me out.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Glad I could help :)

[@juddery]

This was brilliant, thank you. I'm brand new to D&D, but have wanted to play for years, so I've ended up having to try to put together a small group to achieve that. That means though that I need to DM. No small task for someone with no experience. Anyway, actually explaining with examples makes it so much easier to get it into my head. Subscribed.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you! I hope to live up to the compliment :) It was one of the biggest hurdles for me too, when I was learning the game. There were no examples anywhere of how combat actually worked, so I had to piece up things as I believed they should be. I'm glad I could help, and I hope I continue to do so!

[@juddery]

@@TheFirstArcadianDnD well it worked extremely well for me and despite watching many vds on the subject, this was the first I'd come across with actual practical examples. Such a simple concept, yet so rarely done. Anyway, thanks again and thanks for replying. No if I could just find the answer to why I've bought over 20 sets of poly dice in the last week alone, that would be awesome, lol. I mean seriously, am I expecting the great dice shortage of 2023? That'll be one to tell the grand kids, lol. Ere, when I were a lad, we had an abundance of dice. They used to grow in fields as far as the eye could see. Really granddad, that's so excitong. Please tell us more. 🤣

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

​@@juddery I regret to inform you have been afflicted by the dice curse. I offer my condolences for I know there is no cure. Only getting more dice. Until your wallet runs out...

[@juddery]

@@TheFirstArcadianDnD lol, oh no, not.... The dice curse! I shall fight it on the beaches, I shall fight it in the forgotten realms, the deepest mines, wherever it rears its ugle head, I shall fight it with my last breath... right after I order this one last set of super cool dice that I've just seen, that perfectly matches the theme of my new character. 😁

[@dannyjackson8084]

Congrats on hitting 100 subs, keep it up brother

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

It was you man, you were number 100! Thank you 👊

[@leedouglass4106]

This video was so helpful. i'm running my first game tomorrow, thank you!!

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Good luck! Anything I can do to help, you let me know! :D

[@joshuawarne986]

Great video mate very helpful

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Happy to be of service!

[@stevekirkby6570]

I reckon this is one of the best straightforward examples of combat gameplay out there. I think you should do more of these dealing with other specifics in detail... you need more views for this! Where abouts in Portugal are you? I ask because I am probably (perhaps!) the only one running a game in the Azores (Faial). So, if your ever visiting, give me a shout! Keep up the great tutorial videos!

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Hello Açores! :D I'm in Lisbon, but if I ever visit the islands I will be sure to give a shout! I only visited Madeira so far, it would actually be awesome to go there. Do you have a specific scenario in mind for which an actual example would be useful?

[@zdez1937]

Very helpful, thanks alot buddy

[@matttillman7430]

This is the first video to explain AC and "to hit" without knowing the being's THAC0 or having a To Hit Table IN A WAY THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

[@asraiSOA]

Yes, good description overall, but THAC0's not a thing anymore.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Knowing I'm helping makes me happy. Getting comments like this makes me the happiest.

[@paulanthony1689]

Good video, examples are helpful

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful

[@markcampbell8622]

I really like this video. Sorry it took me a year to find it.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Well, thank you for watching it despite it came out a year ago! Wait. Did we just beat the algorithm???

[@j__h9221]

Perfect.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you :D

[@leopalma9351]

years after this video release and its still helping new Dms/ players get comfortable with Battle. My questions are, as a Dm, if a blow is to almost kill a PC who is new to the game could you modify the amount of damage or just let the dice tell the story?, also, if a weapon or hit says 12 damage (2D6+ X) is that giving the Dm an option to choose between the flat rate damage or the dice roll?

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you for the kind words, and sorry for the time it took me to answer :) The DM always has the ability to "lie" about the dice rolled behind the screen, and only them can judge the situation live and decide if that's appropriate or not. To protect new players, I can easily understand the decision, but I would advise caution with that, because it can undermine other aspects of the game, especially if used too often. For more information in that I recommend this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/apDKXmx8j9eamtU As for the second question, yes! That's exactly what it is. The number before the parenthesis is the average result of that dice roll- Sometimes it's just easier to take it instead of rolling every time.

[@hauptsacheeinkanal3515]

Perfect 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@courtlandgeyer6237]

Very helpful - thank you! Question: if a spell caster is attacking with a spell/cantriip that must “hit” an opponent’s armor class, does the spell caster get their proficiency bonus added?

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

You're welcome :D Yes, casters normally add their profficiency bonus when rolling to hit enemy ACs (they're always proficient in their own spells). The only situation where that may not happen is when they use spells that are not "theirs", like when they cast through a magic item, some wierd feat, or something like that.

[@gajanannataraj7481]

This was so helpful! What if the last reaction attack had failed? Would the skeleton have been able to run away and end the combat?

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you! I'm glad it helped! And yes, the skeleton's actions afterwards would be at the DM's discretion, but it would perfectly possible it would run and end combat if the players chose not to pursue it

[@gajanannataraj7481]

@@TheFirstArcadianDnD thank you so much!

[@christopherknox]

Doesn’t the guy with the crossbow have to roll at disadvantage, since his companion is between him and the target? Also, I think the arrow would only do half damage to the skeleton (piercing), unless it was magical.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

5th edition doesn't really specify any penalty for shooting attacks through other creatures' spaces, although you can use cover rules to simulate that (the ally is partially hiding the creature, giving it half-cover and a +2 bonus to its AC). I also add a little twist: if the attacker rolls a natural 1, the damage is applied in full to the ally between them and the target, but that's just my house rule. About the damage, skeletons only have immunity to poison and vulnerability to bludgeoning. You may be thinking about previous editions, I believe they did use to have resistance to slashing and piercing before.

[@christopherknox]

@@TheFirstArcadianDnD Thanks for the clarification!

[@oshishivar4587]

What size the minis need tó play hex ?28 or 32 ? Im super beginner

[@balancepositivetherapy]

I wish you had shown the numbers of the spell part on screen including how the DC was calculated. Do you have a combat video where more spells are used?

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

I don't, but I can always make a v2.0 of this video, or one focusing exclusively on spells :) In any case, the spell DC is usually calculated by adding 8 + the ability modifier the character uses to cast spells + the proficiency bonus. Let's say I have a level 1 wizard, with a 18 Intelligence (which gives them a +4 modifier), a 16 score for wisdom (+3 modifier) and a +2 proficiency modifier. Wizards use intelligence to cast spells, so the spell DC for that character would be 8+4+2 = 14. If that character was a druid instead, who uses wisdom instead of intelligence, the DC would be 8+3+2 = 13 instead. I hope this was useful!

[@balancepositivetherapy]

@@TheFirstArcadianDnD thanks!

[@blackburn2304]

Great tutorial. Question though, I see that Goriks attack damage with his warhammer is +4. Does that affect his hit chance at all?

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Thank you :) You can see at 1:54 that Gorik's modifier to hit is +4 (the first box after where it says "Warhamm") and the damage is 1d8 + 2 (the second box), so his damage bonus is actually +2 (equal to his strength modifier). That doesn't affect likelihood of hitting at all, just the attack damage. Only the bonus to the attack roll (not damage) affects hit chance, which basically increases the probability of hitting by 5% for each +1. Put simply, the bonus to attack boosts your chance of hitting, the bonus to damage boosts the total damage you deal once you confirmed you hit. Was this too confusing?

[@Baither]

What about proficiency ? lets say my rogue does 1d4. 4 damage has +3 ability modifier thats 7 damage. wont i need to add additional proficiency bonus ?

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

No, that is a common question, but in most cases you only add your ability modifier to the damage roll, none others. I believe there is a feat or some special feature that does allow you to add profficiency to damage too, but that's the exception, not the norm. Hope I helped!

[@Baither]

@@TheFirstArcadianDnD i just read the 5th edition ruleset and it seems like rogue has proficieny with simple weapons which includes daggers ad finess weapons allowing Them to add proficiency bonus too. Not sure if this is exactly the official rules but to me that would make sense

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

​@@Baither Rogues have proficiency with simple weapons + hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers and shortswords, meaning any attack done with these weapons adds the proficiency bonus to hit. So, for example, if your rogue has a +4 dexterity modifier and a +3 proficiency bonus, and you attack a creature with a weapon you're proficient with (let's say, a shortsowrd), you will roll 1d20 + 4 + 3 to hit, and in case you hit you'll deal 1d6 + 4 (assuming this is your main hand weapon attack, since attacking with the off-hand weapon doesn't benefit from the ability bonus)

[@sortehuse]

The stange thing is that nowhere in the core rulebook is it described how the DM is supposed to run combat.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

And that is not even the strangest thing 🙃

[@ArnoldQMudskipper]

Wasn't one of the players flanked at one point? Or, does the enemy have to be on exact opposite sides?

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Yes, it has to be on opposite sides. A good way to visualize it is drawing a line between the two characters - the enemy is only flanked if that line crosses opposite sides/corners of the enemy's area. Also, flanking is an optional rule, so it may not even apply, I kinda forgot that when making the video because I've been using it since forever :p

[@meatKog]

Intimidate skill

[@meg6pat]

Interesting approach but the move is only six seconds, so no long speeches can be made. Also it makes DM so much harder to go alone with this, or mb it’s only me.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

True. Personally, I tend to be more permissive with speeches in the middle of action (within reason of course), but I also heard other DMs with a very interesting take. They actually include a "dialogue round" within the initiative order, to promote some roleplay during combat. I never tried that myself, but seems like a really interesting take!

[@TheTomar33]

It not clear, would help if you had some more visual add ie character sheet.

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

I am considering making a second version of this video, hopefully with a better camera, and if I do I might add the character sheets for easier reference. The only reason I didn't include them all the time here is because the layout of the sheet itself makes it difficult to show it alongside the video. Either I had to zoom so much that you couldn't see anything else, or it'd be so zoomed out that you couldn't even read anything

[@lilycorne9503]

Fighter "I try to hit" "I trey to hit" "I try to hit"... DnD 5e xd

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

Yeah... Unless you're a battle master, that class gets old really quick... On the other hand, it's a perfect class for a rookie player!

[@ctochtli2964]

10:30 But Skeletons don't have ears. 🤔

[@TheFirstArcadianDnD]

They perceive words through the vibration that sound waves make on their bones, don't you know the first thing about skeletons? 😂