Table of Contents:
You are a half-orc Barbarian that has the Berserker Specialization. As a new player, you are enthralled to finally reach level 3 after intense fighting with bandits in the forest. As the party rests for the night, you all make the mistake of keeping the fire lit, where the bandits continue to creep, and a raid comes.
It’s showtime.
You rage as soon as possible, and on your next turn, you try out your new ability, Frenzy. –Which allows the Barbarian class to attack an enemy as a bonus action while you are enraged!
This raid lasts more than six rounds, requiring the Barbarian to use up 2 total rages. –Which means two Frenzy abilities.
Ugh. According to the Dungeon Master, you get two levels of exhaustion. Your speed is halved now, and you have a disadvantage on every ability check. Suddenly, you find yourself in hot water. Literally.
A volcano explodes around the forest, sending geysers of hot and steaming water out of the forest ground! Turns out you’re fighting in an ancient volcanic crater. And it chose now of all times to blow! The DM purses their lips before asking you to make a Constitution saving throw.
Nat 1.
The geysers are too hot to take over a prolonged period, and you get another level of exhaustion due to the heat. The raiders are still coming, though, and the poor Barbarian now has a disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws. What an unlucky scenario!
After the session, the Barbarian player has questions about the exact function of the exhaustion condition…
What is Exhaustion?
Exhaustion is a condition that has long-term effects on creatures, including monsters and player characters. There are six levels:
Level 1: Disadvantage on ability checks.
Level 2: Speed halved.
Level 3: Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws.
Level 4: Hit Point maximum halved.
Level 5: Speed reduced to 0.
Level 6: Death.
As you can see, each level of exhaustion has a compounding effect. Each level above is more detrimental than those below, and each level persists until that particular exhaustion level is lowered.
Every level is quite self-explanatory, aside from Level 6. So I’ll explain that one in detail.
More About Level 6: Death
I personally like to think level 6 exhaustion is like a heart attack from over-exertion. Your heart stops. While every DM could adjudicate this differently, I treat level 6 exhaustion deaths as simple as it can be:
- The affected player character dies.
- There is no chance for saving throws.
- There are no death saves to roll.
- The only way to reverse level 6 exhaustion would be to revive the player from death.
Conveniently, the specific rules related to the exhaustion condition state that players raised from the dead will automatically have a point of exhaustion removed. This defeats the inevitable loophole that would have otherwise been created. (Raised from the dead, with level 6 exhaustion still!?! Death to you!)
How To Properly Play With Exhaustion In The Game
The main point of exhaustion is to play around with detrimental effects that your players can get into, either through their character abilities (like Frenzy), sleeplessness, starvation and thirst, how they interact with extreme environmental temperatures, from strenuous exercises, or from specific monsters. To help people looking to find the save DC (Difficulty Challenge) for determining exhaustion, I highlighted those DCs and other important information about that subject in bold.
Exhaustion Involving Abilities:
Class Features like Frenzy and spells like Sickening Radiance (4th level Evocation) can cause exhaustion, either for the player or their target. Make sure to read the ability and apply the effect correctly.
For quick reference, I noted any ability or spell that I’ve found and noted how exhaustion triggers from their use:
Frenzy (Barbarian Class, Berserker Specialization):
After Frenzy is used, one level of exhaustion is applied when the Barbarian’s Rage ability ends. There is no saving throw.
Sickening Radiance (4th level Evocation) Spell:
This ability affects all creatures in a 30-foot radius. If they fail a Constitution saving throw, one level of exhaustion applies. However, this effect is removed as soon as the spell ends, so it is temporary.
Tenser’s Transformation (Wizard Class, 6th level Transmutation) Spell:
The Wizard must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw when this spell ends. If they fail, they suffer one point of exhaustion.
Exhaustion Involving Sleeplessness:
While going without sleep is rare in my games of D&D, it is vital to know the consequences if players don’t want to sleep through a long rest.
Creatures that endure a whole day without finishing a long rest must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If they fail, they suffer one level of exhaustion.
Going multiple days without sleeping increases the Difficulty Challenge. The DC increases by 5 for each consecutive 24-hour period that the creature goes without rest.
The DC resets back to 10 after they finish a long rest.
Exhaustion Involving Starvation And Thirst:
Similarly to sleep, eating and drinking are also required to prevent exhaustion.
Food:
According to the Player’s Handbook (PHB), Players must eat one ration per day (one pound of food). Eating half a ration can count as half a day without food. Duh!
Anyway, exhaustion takes effect when a character goes without food for several days.
This is the exact calculation before exhaustion can take effect: 3 days + Constitution Modifier (minimum 1). Each day beyond this limit gives that creature one level of exhaustion.
This resets after eating a complete ration.
Water:
A creature needs one gallon of water per day. If they drink about half that amount by the end of that day, they must roll a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. Should they fail, they gain one level of exhaustion.
There is no saving throw if they drink no water that day. Straight to exhaustion jail! Players must drink two gallons of water daily if the weather is hot. Drink up.
Exhaustion Involving Extreme Temperatures:
Extreme Cold:
In environments with frigid temperatures, anyone exposed must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw for every hour they remain in that environment. If they fail, they gain one level of exhaustion.
The DC curiously does not evolve to more challenging levels.
You do not need to make a saving throw if:
- You are adapted to cold climates.
- You have resistance or immunity to cold damage.
- You are wearing warm clothing.
Extreme Heat:
In environments with a very high temperature, anyone exposed without access to drinkable water must make a DC 5 Constitution saving throw in the first hour they remain in that environment. If they fail, they suffer one level of exhaustion.
Unlike for the extreme cold, the Constitution saving throw DC is set to increase by 1 for each additional hour (So 3 total hours in a hot environment means a DC 7 CON save).
Any creature with heavy clothing, medium armor, or heavy armor must roll with a disadvantage on the Constitution saving throw.
You do not need to make a saving throw if:
- You are adapted to hot climates.
- You have resistance or immunity to heat damage.
Exhaustion Involving Strenuous Exercises:
As far as I could research on exhaustion when it comes to strenuous activity, I can only find two such exercises that factor in exhaustion as a possible penalty:
Chases:
Sometimes, you must chase a target, like a thief or a running enemy. The Dungeon’s Master Guide (DMG) has specific rules for the Dash ability during chase scenes, which can end with players suffering multiple levels of exhaustion.
Participants in the chase must use this calculation to determine how many consequence-free Dashes they can take: 3 + their Constitution Modifier.
For any Dashes taken after that, the player must take a DC 10 Constitution check at the end of their turn. Any failure means they gain a level of exhaustion. Suppose a creature reaches exhaustion level 5 in the chase. In that case, they automatically have to drop out, as their speed is effectively at 0.
Strangely, the DMG is forgiving with players who suffer exhaustion after chase scenes. They can complete a short or long rest to remove all levels of exhaustion, no matter how many levels they reached. Very interesting!
Swimming:
Concerning prolonged swimming activity, exhaustion matters a lot. The specific rules from the DMG vary depending on the depth you are swimming. This only affects creatures that do not have a swimming speed:
- Surface Level: For each hour you swim, you must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion.
- Swimming under 100 feet of water: Each hour counts as two hours instead, which means you gain two levels of exhaustion should you fail the above saving throw.
- Swimming under 200 feet of water: Each hour counts as four hours instead, which means four levels of exhaustion should you fail the saving throw. Very dangerous!
The DC 10 Constitution saving throw for the creature can be ignored if they use a magical item that aids in swimming.
Monsters That Cause Exhaustion:
For players wary of spoilers, you have been warned. The list of monsters that cause exhaustion is rare and far in between. Here is a list of some that I’ve found:
Soul Monger (CR11, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes):
This elf abomination from the Shadowfell has an Area of Effect ability that can cause exhaustion. If you are caught in their weariness aura (60 ft. cube), you must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or suffer damage and one point of exhaustion.
Accursed Defiler (CR4, Tome of Beasts):
This undead creature features a slam attack. If they make a critical hit, the target gets one level of exhaustion on top of the damage rolled.
Atropal (CR30 , Tomb of Annihilation):
Again, beware of spoilers. I am horrified to learn of the Atropal… This undead god-baby can take a legendary action to wail. Any creature within 120 feet of it must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Good luck.
Now You Know What Exhaustion Does In D&D 5e!
Upon researching the subject, I got into it thinking that the simple set of rules for exhaustion would be an easy writing exercise. However, after some exhaustive research (hah), I quickly discovered some specific nuances involving the condition that I had never considered. This was a wonderful learning experience for me, and I hope you found this useful for you, too. –Whether you are a player or a fellow Dungeon Master like myself, I hope you enjoyed the read.
While I took a lot of time reading and researching, I may have missed some official exhaustion rules. I suspect I’ve missed some monsters in the D&D universe, but I don’t know. Please leave a comment if I missed anything that I should add so I can help others look up this unique feature of the game.
Thank you.