Incapacitated
Incapacitated
• An incapacitated creature can’t take actions or reactions.
— Basic Rules
Incapacitating a creature is an extremely effective way to take them out of combat. Because the creature can’t take actions or reactions, they can usually no longer impact the battle in any way. The Incapacited condition is also extremely powerful because it is usually the fail case for passive abilities applied by creatures in 5e. Things like concentrating on a spell, the Paladin’s aura, or Sneak Attack/Pack Tactics are negated when the creature (or in Sneak Attack/Pack Tactic’s case, the creature’s ally) is incapacitated.
While it may seem counterintuitive, incapacitating a creature isn’t the same as knocking it unconscious. Rather, becoming incapacitated is part of the Unconcious condition and is what prevents unconscious creatures from using actions, reactions, and other class features. While knocking a creature unconscious is the most common way to incapacitate a creature, there are some spells or other conditions that can apply this condition. Methods Some examples of things that can apply the Incapacitated condition are: • Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (spell) • Hypnotic Pattern (spell) • Stunned (condition) Banishment/Banishing Strike (spell)
Incapacitating a creature is an extremely effective way to take them out of combat. Because the creature can’t take actions or reactions, they can usually no longer impact the battle in any way. The Incapacited condition is also extremely powerful because it is usually the fail case for passive abilities applied by creatures in 5e. Things like concentrating on a spell, the Paladin’s aura, or Sneak Attack/Pack Tactics are negated when the creature (or in Sneak Attack/Pack Tactic’s case, the creature’s ally) is incapacitated.
While it may seem counterintuitive, incapacitating a creature isn’t the same as knocking it unconscious. Rather, becoming incapacitated is part of the Unconcious condition and is what prevents unconscious creatures from using actions, reactions, and other class features. While knocking a creature unconscious is the most common way to incapacitate a creature, there are some spells or other conditions that can apply this condition. Methods Some examples of things that can apply the Incapacitated condition are: • Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (spell) • Hypnotic Pattern (spell) • Stunned (condition) Banishment/Banishing Strike (spell)