D&D 5e Rules Reference

D&D 5e Rules Reference

This skill provides guidance on finding and using D&D 5e rules for campaign content creation.

Quick Reference

For most content creation tasks, agents should:

1. Use general D&D knowledge (training data includes extensive 5e coverage)
2. State mechanical assumptions explicitly so humans can verify
3. Prefer narrative-first design over mechanical precision

When to Look Up Rules

Always verify:

• Exact spell effects and ranges
• Monster stat blocks (CR, HP, AC, abilities)
• Class features at specific levels
• Magic item properties

Usually fine from memory:

• General combat flow (actions, bonus actions, reactions)
• Advantage/​disadvantage mechanics
• Skill checks and DCs
• Common conditions (prone, grappled, frightened)

SRD Reference Sources

Primary: D&D 5e SRD in Markdown

The System Reference Document (SRD) contains the core rules released under Creative Commons CC-BY-4.0.

Best repository: OldManUmby/​DND.SRD.Wiki

• 362+ stars, actively maintained (updated January 2025)
• Organized into folders: Classes, Spells, Monsters, Equipment, Gamemastering
• Optimized for Obsidian.md but works as plain markdown
• Contains SRD 5.1 with all errata through November 2018

Alternative: ucffool/​OGL-SRD5

• Searchable website at www.ogl-srd5.com
• Also fully maintained in markdown

SRD 5.2 (2024 Rules)

Released April 2025, SRD 5.2 reflects the 2024 Player's Handbook revision:

• 361 pages of updated rules
• New class features (Fighter weapon mastery, Ranger spells at level 1, etc.)
• 16 additional feats (Alert, Magic Initiate, Savage Attacker, etc.)
• Updated backgrounds with ability score bonuses
• Monster stat blocks from 2025 Monster Manual

Source: Official D&D Beyond SRD Markdown version: springbov/​dndsrd5.2_markdown

Quick Reference Cheat Sheets

For session-time lookups (DCs, conditions, combat options):

Sly Flourish's Lazy 5e Cheat Sheet - Single page covering:

• Improvised statistics for objects/​traps/​hazards
• Difficulty class descriptions
• Deadly encounter benchmark
• Area of effect guidelines
• Condition descriptions
• Random names

Source: slyflourish.com/​revised_5e_cheat_sheet.html

D&D Compendium Cheat Sheets - Multiple formats:

• Player's Actions and Effects QuickRef
• Combat Cheat Sheet
• Various presentation styles

Source: dnd-compendium.com/​player-guides/​cheat-sheets

Rules Philosophy for Content Creation

"Right Enough" Standard

The goal is rules that enable fun roleplay, not perfect simulation. When designing content:

1. Narrative coherence > mechanical precision - A dragon's breath should feel terrifying even if we estimate the DC
2. Player agency > strict rules - If a creative solution could work, lean toward allowing it
3. Consistency within campaign > RAW - House rules that stick are better than looking up edge cases

Common Agent Pitfalls

From CLAUDE.md guidance on agent limitations with rules:

Training mixes up similar systems and homebrew. Exact modifiers and edge cases may be wrong. Always verify mechanical details against source material.

Specific watch-outs:

• Pathfinder 2e vs D&D 5e (different action economy)
• D&D 5e 2014 vs 2024 rules (significant class changes)
• Homebrew that got into training data
• Video game adaptations (Baldur's Gate 3 has differences)

Stating Assumptions

When creating content with mechanical elements, be explicit:

Good:

The trap triggers on a DC 15 Perception check to notice, DC 12 Dexterity save to avoid, dealing 2d6 piercing damage (appropriate for a level 3 party).

Bad:

The trap is moderately difficult to detect and does some damage.

Downloading SRD for Local Reference

To add SRD content to this repository for agent reference:

# Clone the SRD wiki (5.1)
git clone https://github.com/​OldManUmby/​DND.SRD.Wiki.git references/​srd-5.1

# Or just the specific folders you need
# The full repo is ~10MB

Consider adding only the sections most relevant to your campaigns to keep the repo focused.

See Also

• references/ - Local copies of rules excerpts (if downloaded)
• /​resources/​tools-and-generators.md - Online tools for mechanics
• Campaign-specific house rules in campaigns/<name>/​CLAUDE.md