Incapacitated 5e

On its own, the incapacitated condition is the simplest to understand in all of DnD 5e. However, the condition becomes more confusing when you realize that incapacitation is rarely applied on its own.

This article will go over:

• What it means to be incapacitated in 5e

• The conditions that include the incapacitated condition

• Other effects of being incapacitated that aren’t explicitly laid out it in the condition’s effect

• Spells that cause the incapacitated condition

• Rules clarifications on incapacitation

What Does It Mean to Be Incapacitated in 5e?

To be incapacitated in 5e means you can’t take actions, reactions, or bonus actions.

That incapacitated condition has other, unstated effects (listed below), but for now, let’s turn to the other conditions that cause the incapacitated condition.

What Counts as Incapacitated in 5e?

Several other conditions in 5e count as the incapacitated condition: Paralyzed, Petrified, Stunned, and Unconscious. As DnD 5e’s Lead Designer, Jeremy Crawford, put it in an interview, “very few things in the game apply the incapacitated condition on its own. It’s almost always a part of a bigger package.”

Here’s more on each of the conditions that also apply the incapacitated condition:

• Paralyzed. In addition to being incapacitated, a paralyzed creature:

  • Can’t move or speak

  • Is attacked with advantage

  • Is automatically critically hit if the attacker is within 5 feet

  • Automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws

• Petrified. In addition to being incapacitated, a petrified creature:

  • Can’t move or speak, and is unaware of surroundings

  • Is attacked with advantage

  • Automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws

  • Has resistance to all damage

  • Has immunity to poison and disease

  • Turns to solid stone, weights 10x as much, and ceases aging.

• Stunned. In addition to being incapacitated, a stunned creature:

  • Can’t move, and can speak only falteringly

  • Is attacked with advantage

  • Automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws

• Unconscious. In addition to being incapacitated, an unconscious creature:

  • Can’t move or speak, and is unaware of surroundings

  • Is attacked with advantage

  • Is automatically critically hit if the attacker is within 5 feet

  • Automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws

  • Drops what it’s holding and falls prone

Here’s a handy table that breaks down each of the four conditions that come with the incapacitated condition:

*Can speak only falteringly

You can think of each as a different tier of power: Stunned is the weakest effect, unconscious is the strongest effect, and paralyzed is somewhere in the middle. Petrified is a weird condition that doesn’t come up very often, and its odd rider effects and permanency make it harder to place on this power scale.

When asked why they made this design choice, Crawford answered, “we had a variety of conditions that needed to refer to incapacitated, and we wanted one word that all of the rules could refer to as basically the shut-off mechanism.”

Other Effects of Being Incapacitated DnD 5e

There are several effects of being incapacitated that are scattered throughout the game’s rules:

1. An incapacitated creature cannot take bonus actions. “Anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions also prevents you from taking a bonus action” (PHB 189). Also reaffirmed in this Sage Advice thread.

2. An incapacitated creature cannot concentrate on spells. “You lose concentration on a spell if you are incapacitated” (PHB 203).

3. An incapacitated creature does not give an attacker disadvantage on ranged attacks made from within 5 feet. “When you make a ranged attack…you have disadvantage on the attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature who can see you and who isn’t incapacitated” (PHB 195).

4. An incapacitated creature automatically fails grapple and shove ability checks. “You succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated” (PHB 195 + 196).

5. An incapacitated creature loses certain class or subclass features. Several class and subclass features cease being active when a player is incapacitated (listed below).

6. An incapacitated creature loses the benefits of the Dodge action. “You lose this benefit if you are incapacitated” (PHB 192).

7. An incapacitated creature does not count towards flanking. “A creature also can’t flank an enemy while it is incapacitated” (DMG 251).

8. An incapacitated creature cannot communicate telepathically. “While the monster is incapacitated, it can’t initiate telepathic contact, and any current contact is terminated” (MM 9).

Spells That Cause the Incapacitated Condition 5e

A handful of spells in DnD 5e can cause the incapacitated condition:

• Tasha’s Hideous Laughter: 1st-level enchantment spell that forces a creature to become incapacitated and fall prone and unable to stand up if it fails a Wisdom saving throw. A creature immune to the prone condition still becomes incapacitated (SAC 20). This is one of the few edge cases in 5e where a creature can still move while incapacitated.

• Nathair’s Mischief: 2nd-level illusion that has a 1 in 4 chance to cause creatures in a 20-foot cube who fail a Wisdom save to become incapacitated and use all their movement to move in a random direction. Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons added this to the spell lists of Bards, Sorcerers, and Wizards.

• Hypnotic Pattern: 3rd-level illusion spell that charms creatures in a 30-foot cube on a failed Wisdom saving throw. While charmed, affected creatures are also incapacitated and have a speed of 0. Immunity to charm grants immunity to the incapacitated effect of this spell as well.

• Feign Death: 3rd-level necromancy spell that causes a creature to appear dead. As such, the target is incapacitated, blinded, and has 0 speed.

• Banishment: 4th-level abjuration spell that sends a creature to a harmless demiplane on a failed Charisma saving throw. While banished, the creature is incapacitated. It can still technically move, but there’s nowhere for it to move to, really.

• Raulothim’s Psychic Lance: 4th-level enchantment spell that deals heavy psychic damage and incapacitates a target for one round on a failed Intelligence save. This is one of only a few effects that incapacitate a target while still allowing it to move.

  Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons added this to the spell lists of Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards.

• Banishing Smite: 5th-level abjuration spell that deals heavy damage and returns/sends a creature to its plane/a harmless demiplane if it is below 50 hit points. While banished, the creature is incapacitated. It can still technically move, but there’s nowhere for it to move to, really.

• Modify Memory: 5th-level enchantment spell that charms a creature on a failed Wisdom saving throw. While charmed, affected creatures are also incapacitated and are unaware of their surroundings.

• Symbol: 7th-level abjuration spell that can be set with the Pain glyph to incapacitate enemies in a 60-foot radius for 1 minute on a failed Constitution saving throw.

  This is one of only a few effects that incapacitate a target while still allowing it to move.

Additionally, an Enchantment Wizard’s Hypnotic Gaze feature incapacitates a creature who is charmed by its effect after failing a Wisdom saving throw.

Many other spells cause the incapacitated condition indirectly by applying the paralyzed, petrified, stunned, or unconscious conditions. You can check out my spell sorter and sort by each condition to see every spell in 5e that causes these conditions.

5e Incapacitated Rules Clarifications

Here are answers to some of the most common rules questions about the incapacitated condition in DnD 5e:

• The incapacitated condition does not give advantage to attackers. However, the paralyzed, unconscious, and petrified conditions do include the incapacitated condition and do give advantage to attackers. The stunned condition includes the incapacitated condition, but does not give advantage to attackers.

• You can move while incapacitated, if no other conditions are active. This is a rare thing, but it is possible. Most notably, with the spells Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (against prone-immune creatures), Raulothim’s Psychic Lance, and Symbol (Pain glyph).

• A sleeping creature is incapacitated. Because a sleeping creature is unconscious (DMG 248) and an unconscious creature is incapacitated.

• The incapacitated condition prevents legendary actions. “A legendary creature…can’t use legendary actions while incapacitated” (MM 11).

• Incapacitated creatures don’t fall prone. Only unconscious creatures fall prone automatically.

• You can make free object interactions while incapacitated, if no other conditions are active. If you can move, you can take a free object interaction “in tandem with your movement” (PHB 190). However, if you are suffering from another condition that prevents movement, you cannot take a free object interaction on your turn.

Other Times You Can Become Incapacitated DnD 5e

There are a few other rare cases where you can become incapacitated in 5e:

• Tomb of Levistus Eldritch Invocation. 5th-level Warlock invocation that allows a character to gain 10 temporary hit points in reaction to taking damage. This also incapacitates the character and drops their speed to 0. (XGtE 57)

• Short Term Madness. A 21-30 on a d100 roll results in a character being incapacitated and spending the duration screaming, laughing, or weeping (DMG 259).

• Wild Magic Sorcerer’s Wild Magic Surge. Subclass feature; a 41-42 on a d100 roll results in the player becoming a potted plant, which is incapacitated.

Creatures That Cause the Incapacitated Condition 5e

• Yochlol

• Red Dragon (lair action)

• Harpy

• Myconid Sovereign

• Bheur Hag

• Corpse Flower

• Howler

• Star Spawn Seer

Class and Subclass Features That Are Lost While Incapacitated

Many of the class and subclass features in 5e don’t function or cease functioning when a player becomes incapacitated:

Class Features That Are Lost With Incapacitated Condition 5e

• Barbarian: Danger Sense

• Barbarian: Feral Instinct

• Bard: Countercharm

• Rogue: Elusive

Subclass Features That Are Lost With Incapacitated Condition 5e

• Glamour Bard: Unbreakable Majesty

• Grave Cleric: Keeper of Souls

• Twilight Cleric: Channel Divinity: Twilight Sanctuary

• Circle of Spores Druid: Fungal Body

• Circle of Stars Druid: Starry Form

• Eldritch Knight Fighter: Weapon Bond

• Cavalier Fighter: Born to the Saddle

• Cavalier Fighter: Unwavering Mark

• Psi Warrior Fighter: Bulwark of Force

• Rune Knight Fighter: Storm Rune

• Kensei Monk: Agile Parry

• Astral Self Monk: Arms of the Astral Self

• Astral Self Monk: Visage of the Astral Self

• Astral Self Monk: Awakened Astral Self

• Conquest Paladin: Aura of Conquest

• Conquest Paladin: Scornful Rebuke

• Redemption Paladin: Protective Spirit

• Glory Paladin: Aura of Alacrity

• Watchers Paladin: Aura of the Sentinel

• Swarmkeeper Ranger: Writhing Tide

• Divine Soul Sorcerer: Empowered Healing

• Divine Soul Sorcerer: Otherworldly Wings

• Shadow Sorcerer: Umbral Form

• Aberrant Mind Sorcerer: Telepathic Speech

• Hexblade Warlock: Hexblade’s Curse

• Bladesinging Wizard: Bladesong

DnD 5e Incapacitated FAQ

Incapacitated DnD 5e FAQ:

1. Can you move while incapacitated in 5e? Yes, you can move while incapacitated in DnD 5e; as long as it is the only condition affecting you, all it does is prevent you from taking actions, bonus actions, or reactions. However, the four conditions that automatically apply the incapacitated condition (stunned, paralyzed, unconscious, and petrified) all prevent movement, so you often cannot move while incapacitated.

2. What happens when attacking an incapacitated creature in 5e? Nothing special happens when attacking an incapacitated creature in DnD 5e, as long as it is the only condition affecting that creature. Creatures suffering from the incapacitated condition are not attacked with advantage, unless another condition that grants attackers advantage is on them.

   However, all four conditions that cause a creature to become incapacitated (stunned, paralyzed, unconscious, and petrified) cause a creature to be attacked with advantage, so it is often the case that attacking an incapacitated creature gives you attack advantage in DnD 5e.

3. Can you take bonus actions while incapacitated in 5e? No, you cannot take bonus actions while incapacitated in 5e. The incapacitated condition prevents the creature from taking any actions, which includes bonus actions.

4. Can incapacitated creatures make saving throws in 5e? Yes, incapacitated creatures can still make saving throws in 5e. The incapacitated condition does not restrict a creature from making saving throws against ongoing effects or spells that require saving throws.

   However, all four conditions that cause a creature to become incapacitated (stunned, paralyzed, unconscious, and petrified) cause a creature to automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws, so an incapacitated creature does not make these saving throws if afflicted by one of these conditions, as is almost always the case.

5. Do you auto crit an incapacitated creature in 5e? No, you do not auto crit an incapacitated creature in DnD 5e. However, two of the four conditions that cause a creature to become incapacitated (paralyzed and unconscious) cause a creature to be auto crit from attacks made within 5 feet of the target (not ranged attacks). So you do auto crit incapacitated creatures in these circumstances.

6. Is sleeping considered incapacitated in 5e? Yes, sleeping is considered incapacitated in DnD 5e. Technically, it is considered being unconscious, but part of the unconscious condition includes being incapacitated.

7. Stunned vs. incapacitated in 5e: The stunned condition causes a creature to be incapacitated (can’t take actions or reactions), but also comes with additional effects: the inability to move, being attacked with advantage, and automatically failing Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

8. Unconscious vs. incapacitated in 5e: The unconscious condition causes a creature to be incapacitated (can’t take actions or reactions), but also comes with additional effects: the inability to move or speak, being attacked with advantage, being automatically critically hit when the attacker is within 5 feet, and automatically failing Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

9. Does incapacitated stop legendary actions in 5e? Yes, incapacitated stops legendary actions. According to the Monster Manual, “a legendary creature “can’t use [legendary actions] while incapacitated or otherwise unable to take actions” (pg. 11).