Fumbles & Fails

Introduction Credits

Fumbles and failures have appealed to us since Lead Designer: Marco Fossati
we started to play this wonderful game. Writer: Marco Fossati
We’ve always loved the crazy moments that Art Director: Marco Bertini
can happen by chance on a fumble or failure. Graphic Designer and Layout: Marco Bertini
This book is written for those who love them too! Editor: Matt Everson
Cheers, Cover Art: Rick Hershey
Sign of the Dragon Internal Art: Publisher's Choiche Quality Stock Art Rick
Hershey/ Fat Goblin Games. Grandfailure. Some artwork
On the Cover © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights
reserved. The Dungeon Masters Guild was used as a
A spell can harm also its caster, if its powers aren't enough, source for some of the art. All art taken from there is
its will is not strong, or simply for bad luck. Bad luck is owned by Wizards of the Coast and is used with
often the most harmful. permission under the Community Content Agreement for
the Dungeon Masters Guild.
King Rendoran, Sorcerer-King of Lymen Special Thanks to: : Venti di Ruolo, Alessio Annaloro,
Alessandro Fierro, Andrea Caramia, Andrea “Il Rosso”
Lucca, Enrico Romeo

Created with Homebrewery

Overview

This volume aims to provide rules for fumbles on attack
rolls and failures on ability checks and saving throws.
The book contains the following chapters:

Chapter 1: Fumbles
Chapter 2: Failures

Contents

Introduction and Credits....................................2

Chapter 1: Fumbles 4

Melee Weapon Attack’s Fumbles...........................................4
Table .........................................................................................4

Ranged Weapon Attack’s Fumbles........................................5
Table .........................................................................................5

Spell Attack’s Fumbles .............................................................6
Table .........................................................................................6

Chapter 2: Failures 8

Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution Checks Failures....8
Table .........................................................................................8

Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Checks Failures.....9
Table .........................................................................................9

Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution Saving Throws 9
Failures ........................................................................................

Table .........................................................................................9
Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Saving Throws 10
Failures .....................................................................................

Table .......................................................................................10

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Chapter 1: Fumbles Broken Weapon

This chapter presents tables for random If it’s a weapon that isn’t magical or adamantine, your
fumbles which happen when a character, a weapon is irreparably ruined. If it’s magical or adamantine,
NPC, or a monster rolls a 1 when it makes a roll a d20. On a 1, that weapon is ruined, and its properties
weapon attack. lost forever.

Melee Weapon Attack Damaged Weapon
Fumbles
If it’s a weapon that isn’t magical or adamantine your
The table below shows you the fumbles that might happen weapon is damaged and gains a permanent -1 to attack
on a melee weapon attack. rolls and -1 to damage (minimum damage of 1). These
penalties are cumulative and when that weapon is
Melee Weapon Attack Fumbles damaged three times then it is permanently broken. If it’s
magical or adamantine, roll a d20. On a 1, that weapon is
d100 Fumble damaged.
01-09 Nothing
10-16 Light injury Dizziness
17-23 Auto hit
24-30 Wounded You stumble against someone or something like a shield, a
31-37 Friendly target wall, a door, an object, a rock, or you own weapon. Make a
38-44 Off guard DC 10 Constitution check. On a successful check, you are
45-51 False move stunned until the start of your next round. On a failed
52-58 Fall check, you are stunned for 1 minute. At the end of each of
59-65 Dizziness your next turn, you can make another Constitution check,
66-72 Damaged weapon ending the effect on a success.
73-79 Dropped weapon
80-86 Stuck weapon Dropped Weapon
87-93 Broken weapon
94-00 Something in the eye Your weapon is not equipped and is now 5 feet away from
you. The DM chooses in which direction that weapon
Auto Hit drops.

You hit yourself. Roll the normal damage caused by the Fall
weapon.
You are knocked prone.

False Move

You make a very clumsy move and you’re an easy target for
your enemies. Anyone that makes an attack against you
until the start of your next turn gains advantage.

Friendly Target DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check.

You inadvertently hit a creature that isn’t hostile to you that Wounded
is within your weapon range. Roll the damage of the attack.
That creature can use its reaction to halve that damage. If You wound yourself. For 1 minute, at the start of each of
there is more than 1 possible creature that can be hit, the your next turns, you suffer 1d6 damage. As an action, you
DM randomly determines which one will be hit. If no can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Medicine) check. On a
targets are available, then nothing happens. success, the effect ends.

Light Injury Ranged Weapon Attack
Fumbles
You make a misstep and suffer a physical injury. Your
movement is halved until you finish a short or long rest, you The table below shows you the fumbles that might happen
are magically healed for at least 1 hit point or are the target on a ranged weapon attack.
of a restoration spell.
Ranged Weapon Attack Fumbles
Nothing
d100 Fumble
Nothing unusual happens. 01-09 Nothing
10-18 Give them hope
Off Guard 18-27 Easy prey
28-46 Friendly target
You are caught off guard by the target of your attack. It can 47-55 False move
use its reaction to make a melee attack against you. 56-64 Fall
65-73 Object/Structure
Something in the Eye 74-82 Dropped weapon
83-91 Broken weapon
Something enters in your eye. You are blinded until the end 91-00 Something in the eye
of your next turn.
Broken Weapon
Stuck Weapon
If it’s a weapon that isn’t magical or adamantine, your
Your weapon is stuck into something like the ground, a weapon is irreparably ruined. If it’s magical or adamantine,
door, your opponent’s armor or shield, or a wall. As an roll a d20. On a 1, that weapon is ruined, and its properties
action you can try to extract it by succeeding on a lost forever.

Dropped Weapon 5

You lose your weapon that drops within 5 feet of you. The
DM chooses in which direction that weapon drops.

Easy Prey

You expose yourself to other attacks. Your position is
revealed, and you cannot use stealth or benefit from
concealment until the start of your next turn. Until the end
of your turn, any creature that can see you and is hostile to
you can use its reaction to make a ranged weapon attack to
you.

Fall

You fall on the ground. You are prone until the start of your
next turn.

False Move

You make a very clumsy move and you’re an easy target for
your enemies. Anyone that makes an attack against you
until the start of your next turn gains advantage.

Friendly Target

You inadvertently hit a creature that isn’t hostile to you that
is within your weapon range. Roll the damage of the attack.
That creature can use its reaction to halve that damage. If
there is more than 1 possible creature that can be hit, the
DM randomly determines which one will be hit. If no
targets are available, then nothing happens.

CHAPTER 1 | FUMBLES

Give Them Hope Auto Hit

Your very bad move emboldens your target. Until the end of You hit yourself. Roll the normal damage caused by the
its next turn, it has advantage on saving throws, ability spell attack.
checks, and attack rolls.
Backfire
Nothing
The spell bursts and its magical energy spreads around
Nothing unusual happens. you. All creatures within 10 feet of you (including you) must
make a DC 10 dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, that
Object/Structure creatures take 2d4 force damage, of half as much damage
of a successful one.
You hit an object that isn’t worn or carried by a creature or
a structure like a door, a window, or something else. Roll Blank Mind
the damage for the attack. If there aren’t valid targets, then
nothing happens The magical energy of the spell overcomes you. You have
difficulty recalling spells of 1st level or higher. For 1
Something in the Eye minute, at the start of your turn, make a DC 10 Intelligence
(Arcana) check. On a failed check you can’t cast spells of
Something enters in your eye. You are blinded until the end 1st level or higher. On a successful check, the effect ends.
of your next turn.
Poisoned
Spell Attack Fumbles
The magical energy of the spell poisons your body. Make a
The table below shows you the fumbles that might happen DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you are
on a spell attack. poisoned for 1 minute.

Spell Attack Fumbles Dizziness

d100 Fumble The magical energy of the spell stuns you. Make a DC 10
01-09 Nothing Constitution check. On a successful check, you are stunned
10-16 Deafened until the start of your next round. On a failed check, you are
17-23 Auto hit stunned for 1 minute. At the end of each of your next turn,
24-30 Blank mind you can make another Constitution check, ending the effect
31-37 Friendly target on a success. Fall You fall on the ground. You are prone
38-44 Teleport until the start of your next turn.
45-51 False move
52-58 Fall
59-65 Dizziness
66-72 Wild Magic
73-79 Backfire
80-86 Fatigue
87-93 Poisoned
94-00 Something in the eye

6 CHAPTER 1 | FUMBLES

False Move Teleport

You make a very clumsy move and you’re an easy target for The spell backfires and you are teleported 30 feet away in a
your enemies. Anyone that makes an attack against you direction randomly determined by the table below. If that
until the start of your next turn gains advantage. area is occupied then you now occupy the nearest available
space.
Fatigue
Directions
The magical energy of your spell fatigues you. You gain one
level of exhaustion. d4 Direction
1 North
Friendly Target 2 East
3 West
You inadvertently hit a creature that isn’t hostile to you 4 South
within your reach or spell range. Roll the damage of the
attack. That creature can use its reaction to halve that Something in the Eye
damage. If there is more than 1 possible creature that can
be hit, the DM randomly determines which one will be hit. Something enters in your eye. You are blinded until the end
If no targets are available, then nothing happens. of your next turn.

Deafened Wild Surge

The spell emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet. The magical energy of your spell suddenly creates a surge
You are deafened for 1 minute. of chaotic magic. Roll on the sorcerer’s wild magic table to
determine what happens.
Nothing

Nothing unusual happens.

Chapter 2: Failures Dropped Item

This chapter presents tables for random fails You lose 1 item that you are holding or carrying. The type
which happen when a character, a NPC, or a of the item is randomly chosen, according to the table
monster rolls a 1 on an ability checks or below. The DM chooses which specific item is dropped. If
saving throws. you don’t own the type of item rolled, then nothing happens

House Rule Items

To use this chapter’s tables correctly it’s d4 Item
important that if assume, as a house rule, that a 1 A weapon
natural 1 always means a failure on checks and 2 Shield
saving throws. 3 A magic item
4 A mundane item
Dexterity, Strength, and
Constitution Checks Fall
Failures
You are knocked prone.
The table below shows you the effects that might happen
when a 1 is rolled on Dexterity, Strength and Constitution False Move
checks.
You make a very clumsy move and you’re an easy target for
Check Failures your enemies. Anyone that makes an attack against you
until the start of your next turn gains advantage. If there
d100 Failure aren’t hostile creatures that can attack you, then nothing
01-10 Nothing happens.
11-19 Light injury
20-28 Hurt Fatigue
29-37 Wounded
38-46 Fatigue You gain one level of exhaustion.
47-55 Ally disadvantage
56-64 False move Hurt
65-73 Fall
74-82 Dizziness You cause 1d6 damage to yourself.
83-91 Dropped item
92-00 Something in the eye Light Injury

Ally Disadvantage You make a misstep and suffer a physical injury. Your
movement is halved until you finish a short or long rest, you
You make a very clumsy move and you disturb a creature are magically healed for at least 1 hit point or are the target
that isn’t hostile to you within 10 feet of you, randomly of a restoration spell.
chosen. That creature has disadvantage to any attack rolls,
ability checks and saving throws until the end of its next Nothing
turn. If there aren’t such creatures within range, then
nothing happens. Nothing unusual happens.

Dizziness Something in the Eye

You stumble against someone or something like a shield, a Something enters in your eye. You are blinded until the end
wall, a door, an object, a rock, or something else. Make a of your next turn.
DC 10 Constitution check. On a successful check, you are
stunned until the start of your next round. On a failed Wounded
check, you are stunned for 1 minute. At the end of each of
your next turn, you can make another Constitution check, You wound yourself. For 1 minute, at the start of each of
ending the effect on a success. your next turns, you suffer 1d6 damage. As an action, you
can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Medicine) check. On a
success, the effect ends.

Intelligence, Wisdom, If the check doesn’t involve interaction with creatures, then
and Charisma Checks nothing happens.
Failures
Mockery
The table below shows you the effects that might happen
when a 1 is rolled on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma A creature that can see you ridicules you. You are ashamed
checks. and suffer 1d6 psychic damage.

Nothing

Nothing unusual happens.

Check Failures Dexterity, Strength, and
Constitution Saving
d100 Failure Throws Failures

The table below shows you the effects that might happen
when a 1 is rolled on Dexterity, Strength and Constitution
saving throws.

Check Failures

d100 Failure
01-10 Nothing
11-19 Light injury
20-28 Double damage
29-37 Wounded
38-46 Fatigue
47-55 Frightened
56-64 False move
65-73 Fall
74-82 Dizziness
83-91 Dropped item
92-00 Something in the eye

01-10 Nothing Double Damage

11-28 Delusion You suffer a lot more than usual. You take double damage.
If the effect doesn’t include damage, then nothing happens.
29-46 Mockery

47-64 Hostility Dizziness

65-82 Fatigue You stumble against someone or something like a shield, a
wall, a door, an object, a rock, or something else. Make a
83-100 Embarrassment DC 10 Constitution check. On a successful check, you are
stunned until the start of your next round. On a failed
Delusion check, you are stunned for 1 minute. At the end of each of
your next turn, you can make another Constitution check,
You are demotivated by your failure. You have disadvantage ending the effect on a success.
on any other Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability
check until you finish a short or long rest. Dropped Item

Embarrassment You lose 1 item that you are holding or carrying. The type
of the item is randomly chosen, according to the table
You make a very bad performance. You have disadvantage below. The DM chooses which specific item is dropped. If
to any Charisma check towards any creature that saw you you don’t own the type of item rolled, then nothing happens
until you finish a long rest. If nobody saw you, then nothing
happens. Items Item
A weapon
Fatigue d4 Shield
1 A magic item
The mental effort fatigues you. You gain one level of 2 A mundane item
exhaustion. 3
4
Hostility

Your target becomes violently angry and is now hostile
towards you.

CHAPTER 2 | FAILURES 9

Fall Blinded

You are knocked prone. Somehow, you can’t see for some moments. You are
blinded until the start of your next turn.
False Move
Charmed
You make a very clumsy move and you’re an easy target for
your enemies. Anyone that makes an attack against you You are fascinated by the source of the effect that forced
until the start of your next turn gains advantage. If there you to make the saving throw. You are charmed by for 1
aren’t hostile creatures, then nothing happens. minute. Until you are charmed, you cannot attack or harm
that source. At the end of each of your next turns, you can
Fatigue make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect on a
success.
You gain one level of exhaustion.
Delusion
Frightened
You are demotivated by your failure. You have disadvantage
You are scared by the source of the effect that forced you to on any other Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving
make the saving throw. You are frightened for 1 minute. At throws for 1 minute.
the end of each of your next turns, you can make a DC 10
Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect on a success. Double Damage

Light Injury You suffer a lot more than usual. You take double damage.
If the effect doesn’t include damage, then nothing happens.
You make a misstep and suffer a physical injury. Your
movement is halved until you finish a short or long rest, or Dizziness
until you are magically healed of at least 1 hp or you are
target of a lesser restoration or greater restoration spell. You are under mental confusion. Make a DC 10
Constitution check. On a successful check, you are stunned
Nothing until the start of your next round. On a failed check, you are
stunned for 1 minute. At the end of each of your next turn,
Nothing unusual happens. you can make another Constitution check, ending the effect
on a success.
Something in the Eye
Fall
Something enters in your eye. You are blinded until the end
of your next turn. You are knocked prone.

Wounded Fatigue

You are wounded. For 1 minute, at the start of each of your You gain one level of exhaustion.
next turns, you suffer 1d6 damage. As an action, you can
make a DC 10 Intelligence (Medicine) check. On a success, Frightened
the effect ends.
You are scared by the source of the effect that forced you to
Intelligence, Wisdom, make the saving throw. You are frightened for 1 minute. At
and Charisma Saving the end of each of your next turns, you can make a DC 10
Throws Failures Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

The table below shows you the effects that might happen Nothing
when a 1 is rolled on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma
saving throws. Nothing unusual happens.

Check Failures Shocked

d100 Failure You are shocked by what happened to you. You are
paralyzed until the end of your next turn.
01-10 Nothing
11-19 Charmed Speechless

You are astonished by the effect. You cannot speak until the
end of your next turn.

20-28 Double damage
29-37 Delusion

38-46 Fatigue
47-55 Frightened

56-64 Shocked
65-73 Fall

74-82 Dizziness

83-91 Speechless

92-00 Blinded

10 CHAPTER 2 | FAILURES