Making an Attack (PSR Supplement)

**PSR** is an alternate ruleset compatible with most 5e content.
System Differences The Basics Time The d20 Ability Check Ability Scores Strength Dexterity Constitution Knowledge Perception Charisma Saving Throws Skills Senses Carry Slots	Encounters Group Turns Round‑Table Turns Staggered Turns Your Turn Move Action Bonus Action Reaction Making an Attack Unarmed Strike Sunder Defense Cover Shifts Phases	Hit Points & Damage Temporary Hit Points Damage Types Max Damage Rest & Recovery Downtime Downtime Trading Downtime Enterprise Defeat Dramatic Death Common Hazards Extreme Climates Conditions	Items Goods & Currency Material Goods Weapons Improvised Attire Shields Tools Gear Attunement Objects Damaging Objects Hauling Objects Vehicles Artillery NPCs Mount Cohort Stat Blocks Vulnerability, Resistance, & Immunity

Slashing with a sword, shooting a firearm, throwing a kick, or striking with a spell—each of these is an attack. An attack has a straightforward structure.

Choose target. Pick a target within your attack's range: a creature, object, or location. For melee weapons and unarmed strikes the range is 5 feet.
Modifiers. Your narrator determines if the target has cover, and if you have advantage or disadvantage on your attack roll. Spells and other effects can add or subtract modifiers from the attack roll too.
Attack roll. Roll a d20, adding modifiers to your attack roll as determined in the previous step. If the result equals or exceeds the target's defense, the attack hits. Otherwise the attack misses.
Damage. On a hit, you make a damage roll. Your weapon or effect specifies the damage. Some attacks have effects in addition to or instead of damage.

Attack Roll

When you make an attack, your attack roll determines whether your attack hits or misses. To make an attack roll, roll a d20 and apply relevant modifiers to the rolled number. If the total of the roll plus the modifiers equals or exceeds the target's defense, the attack hits. Otherwise, the attack misses.

Your defense is determined primarily by your Dexterity and what attire you wear. The defense of a monster is noted in its stat block.

When you make an attack roll, you're making an "attack." If there isn’t an attack roll, it isn’t an attack.

Modifiers to the Attack Roll

When you make an attack roll, the two most common modifiers to the roll are an ability modifier and your PB. When a monster makes an attack roll, it uses the modifier noted its stat block.

Ability Modifier. The ability modifier used for an attack with a weapon or unarmed strike is Strength. Weapons with the finesse property can instead use Dexterity. Aimed weapons use your choice of Dexterity or Perception. Some attacks, like those from spells, use a different ability modifier entirely.

Proficiency Bonus. Add your PB to your attack roll when you attack using a weapon with which you have proficiency, when you make an unarmed strike, and when you attack with a spell.

Rolling 1 or 20: Critical Hits & Critical Misses

Critical Hit. If the d20 for an attack roll lands on 20, this is called a natural 20. The attack hits regardless of the target's defense, so long as the target doesn't have total cover against your attack. This is called a critical hit, and as detailed under damage rolls a critical hit will deal max damage.

Critical Miss. If the d20 lands on 1, this is called a natural 1. The attack misses regardless of the target's defense.

Unseen Attackers & Targets

If you can’t see a creature, it is effectively Invisible to you. When you attack an Invisible target, you suffer disadvantage on the attack roll.

This is true whether you're guessing the target's location or targeting a creature you can hear but can't see. If the target isn't within a 5-foot square of the guessed location, your attack misses regardless of the attack roll, but typically the narrator merely says that the attack missed—not if you guessed the correct location.

When a creature can't see you, on the other hand, you have advantage on attack rolls targeting that creature.

These effects are summarized in the Invisible condition. You can use the Hide action to potentially gain these benefits.

Ranged Attack

When you make a ranged attack, you send a projectile to strike a foe from a distance. This could be shooting a bow, hurling a boomerang, tossing a stone, or casting a spell to send a magic bolt, among other possibilities.

Range. You can only make ranged attacks within a range specified by the attacking effect.

Short and Long Ranges. Many ranged attacks specify two ranges: a short and long range. If the target is beyond your short range, your attack roll has hindrance.

Ranged Attacks in Close Combat. You are Threatened whenever you are within 5 feet of an enemy who can see you and who isn't Incapacitated. Being Threatened means you have disadvantage on any ranged attack roll you make. This remains true even if the threatening enemy is Invisible to you.

Melee Attack

Used in hand-to-hand combat, a melee attack aims to hit a target within your reach. A melee attack is typically made with a handheld weapon like a sword or a club. Sometimes casting a spell, like blast bolt, involves a melee attack. You can also make a special attack called an unarmed strike without a weapon. Some creatures can make natural melee attacks with claws, bites, or the like.

Reach. You have a 5-foot reach and thus you can make a melee attack against a target within 5 feet of you. Some creatures have a reach even greater than this. When wielding a reach weapon like a halberd or whip, your reach with that weapon extends by another 5 feet, becoming 10 feet instead.