Restrained in D&D 5e — Condition Rules and How to Escape

A restrained creature has speed 0 and can't benefit from any bonus to its speed. Attack rolls against it have advantage, its attack rolls have disadvantage, and it has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. The rules are the same in 2014 and 2024. Restrained is what webs, nets, vines and constricting snakes do to you.

Track who's stuck with the condition tracker.

Restrained rules

• •Speed 0: your speed is 0 and can't increase.
• •Attacks affected: attack rolls against you have advantage, and your attack rolls have disadvantage.
• •Saving throws affected: you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Restrained doesn't take away actions, bonus actions, reactions or spellcasting. You can still cast a spell, drink a potion or use your action to try to break free.

Restrained vs grappled

Many monsters do both: the constrictor snake, giant octopus and otyugh grapple a target, and the target is also restrained until the grapple ends. Escaping the grapple ends both.

What causes restrained

Spells

• •Entangle (1st level): Strength save or restrained by plants.
• •Web (2nd level): Dexterity save or restrained while in the webs.
• •Black Tentacles (4th level, called Evard's Black Tentacles in the Player's Handbook).
• •Flesh to Stone (6th level): restrained first, then petrified after three failed saves.
• •Telekinesis (5th level) can hold a creature restrained in its grip.

Monsters

• •Giant spider's Web attack and the ettercap's Web.
• •Constrictor snake, giant constrictor snake, giant octopus, otyugh, roper, and kraken: grapple plus restrained.
• •Gelatinous cube: an engulfed creature is restrained and takes acid damage.
• •Basilisk, cockatrice and medusa: the first failed save against petrification restrains you; the next failure petrifies you.

Items

• •Net (2014): a Large or smaller creature hit by a net is restrained until freed. A DC 10 Strength check or 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) frees it.

How to escape restrained

• •Use your action on the stated check. Web and Entangle allow a Strength check against the spell save DC (Strength (Athletics) in 2024). Monster webs list their own DC.
• •Escape the grapple if the restraint comes from one. Use your action on Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) against the escape DC.
• •Damage or destroy the source. Webbing burns, nets can be cut, and a concentration spell ends if the caster loses concentration.
• •Freedom of Movement (4th level): magic can't restrain the target, and it can spend 5 feet of movement to escape nonmagical restraints or a grapple.

Common rulings and edge cases

• •Advantage comes from every direction. Unlike prone, there's no range clause. A ranged attack from 60 feet gets advantage against a restrained target.
• •Restrained doesn't stop you standing up, but your speed is 0, so you can't spend movement to do it. If you're prone and restrained, you stay prone.
• •Teleportation isn't speed. Misty Step moves you without using speed. Whether that frees you from a web or a grapple depends on the source; leaving the web's area ends that restraint.
• •Dex save disadvantage stacks badly with area spells. A restrained enemy in a Fireball is more likely to take full damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a restrained creature cast spells?

Yes. Restrained doesn't stop actions or spellcasting, though spell attack rolls have disadvantage. Spells that need a saving throw work normally.

What is the difference between grappled and restrained?

Both set your speed to 0. Restrained also gives attackers advantage, gives your attacks disadvantage, and gives you disadvantage on Dexterity saves. Grappled on its own doesn't do any of that in 2014 (the 2024 version gives disadvantage on attacks against anyone except the grappler).

How do you break free from Web?

Use your action to make a Strength check (Strength (Athletics) in 2024) against the caster's spell save DC. Fire also burns away a 5-foot cube of web in one round.

Do ranged attacks get advantage against a restrained creature?

Yes. All attack rolls against a restrained creature have advantage, whatever the range.

Does Freedom of Movement end restrained?

Freedom of Movement stops spells and magical effects from restraining the target, and lets it spend 5 feet of movement to slip out of nonmagical restraints such as manacles or a grapple.

Related rules

• •All D&D 5e conditions
• •Grappled and Prone
• •Petrified — where a basilisk's restraint leads
• •Paralyzed
• •Condition tracker

Rules checked against the D&D 5e SRD 5.1 (2014) and SRD 5.2.1 (2024).