This example follows the Basic Rules and covers ranged attacks, movement, cover, ready action, reactions, ammunition retrieval and disadvantage. Selena is based on the Folk Hero Fighter from the Starter Set Characters.
Whilst travelling through a canyon, Selena is involved in a shoot-out with two mercenaries. Many large rocks and partial walls are littered around the canyon.
The two mercenaries are assumed to have no natural modifiers to attack rolls and ability checks. They wear leather armour, wield short bows and have 8 HP. They also both have a movement speed of 30' and are 10' from Selena.
Initiative (Selena): rolls 12 + 3 = 15
Selena has +3 to her initiative checks due to her +3 dexterity modifier.
Initiative (Mercenary 1): rolls 5
Initiative (Mercenary 2): rolls 14
Round 1
Selena unstraps her long bow and shoots at Mercenary 1. Rolls 3 + 7 = 10 which misses AC 11. Then moves 30' away, behind a waist-high boulder, at 40' from the Mercenaries.
Selena has +7 to attack rolls with her long bow, due to +3 dexterity modifier, a +2 proficiency bonus with martial weapons and +2 bonus from Fighting Style (Archery). Movement can be made before or after an action and Selena has a movement speed of 30'.
Mercenary 1 draws his short bow and shoots at Selena. Rolls 3 which misses AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves 30' away, behind a waist-high boulder, at 70' from Selena.
Selena is behind half cover and thus receives a +2 bonus to AC from attacks that are from the opposite side of the cover.
Mercenary 2 draws his short bow and shoots at Selena. Rolls 12 + 2 = 14 which ? AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves 25' away, behind a waist-high boulder, at 65' from Selena.
Round 2
Selena fires at Mercenary 1. Rolls 14 + 7 = 21 which hits AC 11 + 2 = 13. Damage is 7 + 3 = 10 which reduces Mercenary 1 to -2 HP and he dies.
Selena has +3 to damage rolls with her long bow, due to her +3 dexterity modifier.
Mercenary 2 fires at Selena. Rolls 19 which hits AC 14 + 2 = 16. Damage is 4 which reduces Selena to 8 HP. Then moves 20' away, behind a neck-high boulder, at 85' from Selena.
Round 3
Selena fires at Mercenary 2. Rolls 6 + 7 = 13 which misses AC 11 + 5 = 16.
Mercenary 2 is behind three-quarters cover and thus receives a +5 bonus to AC from attacks that are from the opposite side of the cover.
Mercenary 2 fires at Selena. Rolls (17, 6) = 6 which misses AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves 30' away, behind a large wall, at 115' from Selena.
A short bow has a normal range of 80', hence Mercenary 2 has disadvantage on his attack. If a roll has disadvantage, then two dice are rolled and the lowest number is taken as the result.
Round 4
Selena readies an action to fire if Mercenary 2 leaves cover.
Mercenary 2 is behind full cover and thus can't be targeted. Can ready an action to trigger when a certain condition is met.
Mercenary 2 fires at Selena. Rolls (10, 11) = 10 which misses AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves out of cover.
Selena fires at Mercenary 2 as soon as he appears from behind cover. Rolls 9 + 7 = 16 which hits AC 11. Damage is 2 + 3 = 5 which reduces Mercenary 2 to 3 HP.
The triggered action is classified as a reaction. Only one reaction can be performed by a combatant each round. A long bow has a normal range of 150', hence Selena is still in range.
Mercenary 2 moves 30' away, behind a large wall, at 145' from Selena.
The combatant's turn continues after it is interrupted by a reaction.
Selena allows the mercenary to continue to flee and the combat is over. Selena cautiously retrieves two intact arrows from the battlefield.
At the end of a battle, half the ammunition used can be retrieved.
Whilst travelling through a canyon, Selena is involved in a shoot-out with two mercenaries. Many large rocks and partial walls are littered around the canyon.
The two mercenaries are assumed to have no natural modifiers to attack rolls and ability checks. They wear leather armour, wield short bows and have 8 HP. They also both have a movement speed of 30' and are 10' from Selena.
Initiative (Selena): rolls 12 + 3 = 15
Selena has +3 to her initiative checks due to her +3 dexterity modifier.
Initiative (Mercenary 1): rolls 5
Initiative (Mercenary 2): rolls 14
Round 1
Selena unstraps her long bow and shoots at Mercenary 1. Rolls 3 + 7 = 10 which misses AC 11. Then moves 30' away, behind a waist-high boulder, at 40' from the Mercenaries.
Selena has +7 to attack rolls with her long bow, due to +3 dexterity modifier, a +2 proficiency bonus with martial weapons and +2 bonus from Fighting Style (Archery). Movement can be made before or after an action and Selena has a movement speed of 30'.
Mercenary 1 draws his short bow and shoots at Selena. Rolls 3 which misses AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves 30' away, behind a waist-high boulder, at 70' from Selena.
Selena is behind half cover and thus receives a +2 bonus to AC from attacks that are from the opposite side of the cover.
Mercenary 2 draws his short bow and shoots at Selena. Rolls 12 + 2 = 14 which ? AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves 25' away, behind a waist-high boulder, at 65' from Selena.
Round 2
Selena fires at Mercenary 1. Rolls 14 + 7 = 21 which hits AC 11 + 2 = 13. Damage is 7 + 3 = 10 which reduces Mercenary 1 to -2 HP and he dies.
Selena has +3 to damage rolls with her long bow, due to her +3 dexterity modifier.
Mercenary 2 fires at Selena. Rolls 19 which hits AC 14 + 2 = 16. Damage is 4 which reduces Selena to 8 HP. Then moves 20' away, behind a neck-high boulder, at 85' from Selena.
Round 3
Selena fires at Mercenary 2. Rolls 6 + 7 = 13 which misses AC 11 + 5 = 16.
Mercenary 2 is behind three-quarters cover and thus receives a +5 bonus to AC from attacks that are from the opposite side of the cover.
Mercenary 2 fires at Selena. Rolls (17, 6) = 6 which misses AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves 30' away, behind a large wall, at 115' from Selena.
A short bow has a normal range of 80', hence Mercenary 2 has disadvantage on his attack. If a roll has disadvantage, then two dice are rolled and the lowest number is taken as the result.
Round 4
Selena readies an action to fire if Mercenary 2 leaves cover.
Mercenary 2 is behind full cover and thus can't be targeted. Can ready an action to trigger when a certain condition is met.
Mercenary 2 fires at Selena. Rolls (10, 11) = 10 which misses AC 14 + 2 = 16. Then moves out of cover.
Selena fires at Mercenary 2 as soon as he appears from behind cover. Rolls 9 + 7 = 16 which hits AC 11. Damage is 2 + 3 = 5 which reduces Mercenary 2 to 3 HP.
The triggered action is classified as a reaction. Only one reaction can be performed by a combatant each round. A long bow has a normal range of 150', hence Selena is still in range.
Mercenary 2 moves 30' away, behind a large wall, at 145' from Selena.
The combatant's turn continues after it is interrupted by a reaction.
Selena allows the mercenary to continue to flee and the combat is over. Selena cautiously retrieves two intact arrows from the battlefield.
At the end of a battle, half the ammunition used can be retrieved.