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Whether you’re using tiles or a hexagonal grid inDungeons & Dragons, size matters, if you’re a Dungeon Master or a fledgling player, understanding how creature sizes can affect the game can be importantto overcoming even the strongest of foes (or making those foes even more imposing, as a DM).
There are a lot of creative ways to utilize size differences that may not be immediately clear in the Player’s Handbook or the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The easiest way to start is to know how different sizes may affect your character.
Updated on July 15, 2025, by Marissa Fiore:While creature size has stayed the same in the Fifth Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, there have been some species added through sourcebooks, as well as some debate over the speed of others. This article has been updated to reflect that and meet current publication standards.
Tile or Hex Area
2 1/2 by 2 1/2 feet
1/4 square or hex
Intellect Devourer (the brains with legs)
5 by 5 feet
1 square or hex
10 by 10 feet
4-square or 3-hex grid
15 by 15 feet
9-square or 7-hex grid
20 by 20 feet
16-square or 12-hex grid
Kraken, Purple Worm, Ancient Dragon
There are several ways that size can influence your games, including some differences that might be clearer than others.
The space the creatures take up is not a representation of their literal sizebut instead,the area that they envelop in game terms. Even though a three-foot-tall Gnome is much shorter than a seven-foot-tall Goliath, they still maintain the same five-foot square.
Although fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragonsdoesn’t break down the specifics regarding height and weight dimensions, there are several resources from prior editions that go into more detail, such as fromDungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition.
Creature Movement And Actions
Utilizing your size is as easy as standing in the right place. A standard door frame can be blocked by aSmallorMedium-sized creature.
A hostile creature can only move through your space if it isat least two sizes large or smaller than you, and even then, consider your spaceas difficult terrain(requiring them to usetwice their movement to move through your tile or hex).
Variant Rules
If your DM allows it,Page 272 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide also allows for thevariant rulesOverrun(When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature’s space,the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature) andTumble(A creature can try totumble through a hostile creature’s space, ducking and weaving past the opponent).
Squeezing
If a given area is no more than one size smaller than you, you’re able to still move through it. However, it comes with a price.
While a Large-sized creature occupies a space meant for a Medium-sized creature, for example, the creature’smovement is halved, they havedisadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity Saving Throws, andattack rolls against the creature have advantage. If you’re going to move in a tight space, make sure you’re not there for long.
As asmall or tiny character, it might be worth looking for smaller areas to sneak through, especially in ruins or caves. It could provide an upper hand against larger enemies.
Since Medium and Small creatures technically occupy the same 5-foot tile, it’s ultimatelyup to the DM’s discretionwhere and how a Medium creature would squeeze in places that a Small creature can move through normally.
However, there are some creatures and species the squeezing rules don’t apply to. This is thanks to an ability calledAmorphous. A creature that has this ability canmove through any space, so long as it is larger than one inch. The catch is that you have towear and carry nothing.
One species that has this ability istheplasmoid. Much like many of the oozes in D&D, a plasmoid can successfully navigate these small openings,not suffering from the disadvantagesthat any other creature might face.
In addition to this way of squeezing through areas that would otherwise be closed to a creature of the same size, you also would haveadvantage on escaping or catching a foe in a grapple. Grappling will be talked about a little further in this guide.
Flanking
Even without the flanking variant rule,surrounding a creature is much easier if they’re larger. Given a standard tile grid, for example, aMedium-sized creature can be attacked simultaneously by up to eight opponentsin melee range, whereasa Large-sized creature can be attacked by up to 12 different creatures.
If the flanking rule is in effect, it just means more opportunities to flank.
Grappling
Abilities likegrapplingspecify that the targetmust be no more than one size larger than you.However, that one-step of size difference doesn’t penalize your checks in any way. The same goes forgrabbing a smaller creatureand forshoving.
Cover
It should stand to reason thatshooting through a Large-sized creature to hit a Small-sized Goblinshould be affected by some form of cover (whether that behalf cover, three-quarters cover,ortotal cover).
Even though there isn’t a rule in the handbook about it, ask your Dungeon Master if your three-foot tall Gnome Warlock can hide behind the leg of yourseven-foot tall BugbearGoliath buddy forhalf cover(+2 to AC and Dexterity saving throws).
Speed
When it comes to movement, there aresimilarities between creatures that share a size. For example, most medium-sized creatures have 30 feet of movement they can take in a turn. That, however, is not the case for all medium creatures. In fact, there is one species that has been hotly debated among players and DMs alike.
Dwarves, as listed in the Player’s Handbook, arebetween four and five feet tall and are medium-sized creatures. Not small, counting as medium. Just medium. However, unlike the other medium species to pick from, like humans, tieflings, and the like, a player choosing a dwarfwill only have 25 feet of movement.
The reason this has been a controversial topic is that a character’s or creature’s movement can havegreat consequences in combat terms.
Just how creatures take up a certain amount of feet on the map,the more you’re able to move, the better you can position yourselfand eventhe easier time you have escapingif things go poorly.
While speed can still vary greatly among creatures of the same size, just like in the dwarvish example above, the majority of creatures who share a size can also share a speed. The following table will give you some examples.
Four tiles or hexes (per turn)
Five tiles or hexes (per turn)
Six tiles or hexes (per turn)
Eight tiles or hexes (per turn)
Ancient Black Dragon, Tarrasque
The above table isbased on walking speed. Not all creatures have an additional way to move, and those that do may swim, fly, burrow, etc., much faster or slower than they walk.
Carrying Capacity
Larger or smaller creatures have different carrying capacitiesbased on the ruling from page 176 of the Player’s Handbook. Normal carrying capacity allows you tocarry up to 15 times your Strength scoreas aMedium creature(in pounds), whereaspushing,dragging, orliftingany weight is calculated by30 times your Strength score. If you go beyond this range, your speed drops to 5 feet.
This changes when you get larger;each size category above Mediumdoubles your carrying capacity.
On the contrary, aTiny-sized creature has that carrying capacityhalved.
Creatures like Goliaths have the abilityPowerful Build, which allows them to be considered one size larger when determining their carrying capacity.
This carries over if the Goliath grows in size for whatever reason (likeEnlarge Reduce), making it possible for them to carry some very impressive weights.
Once again, thisdoesn’t seem to mention a distinction between Small and Medium-sized creatures, so the general assumption is that you treat Small-sized creatures to have the same carrying capacity as a Medium-sized creature.
Heavy Weapons
Although weapon sizes are a thing of the past, there is still a hang-up with Heavy Weapons.Small and Tiny-sized creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls when using them. This includes Glaives, Greataxes, Greatswords, Halberds, Mauls, Pikes, Heavy Crossbows and Longbows.
As always, you can talk to your DM if you want your Halfling Fighter to have a personalized Halberd that fits your aesthetic.
Larger Races
Several Medium-sized races have abilities thatallow them to act as if they were larger, allowing them tocarry and lift morethan the others. Here’s a short list of the races that let you feel like you’re larger than life.
Powerful Build
A few races have this ability, allowing them tocarry, push, drag, and lift as if they were one size larger. This includesBugbears, Firbolgs, GoliathsandLoxodons.
Equine Build
Same as thePowerful Build, except theEquine BuildforCentaursalso hinders their ability to climb.
Hippo Build
All the benefits of thePowerful Buildfeature, but withadvantage on Strength saving throwsas well asStrength skill checks.
How Size Effects Spells
You might already be aware of the spellEnlarge Reduce, which is a convenient way for spell-casters to increase or decrease the size category of an ally. Butthere are other spellsthat also reference the size category of either the caster or their targets.
Feel free to use these methods of influencing your spell-casting, but keep in mind thatEnlarge Reduceonly lasts for one minute. Use that time wisely.
Alter Self
You can’t appear as a creature a different size than you, and as a concentration spell, you can’t mix it withEnlarge Reduceunless you have another caster in the party that can use it. However…
Disguise Self
Hour-long spell that changes your appearancewithout concentration? Excellent! Especially when mixed withEnlarge Reduce, you can have a cheap and quick method ofmaking yourself look like an imposing Ogre, or make it seem like you’re a friendly Troll.
Tree Stride
As a concentration spell,Enlarge Reducecan’t help us here. But even this 5th-level spellrequires that you be the same size or smaller than the trees you move between, so choosing a Small-sized caster (like a Gnome or Halfling) could be useful.
Dimension Door
and Thunder Step
Both spells state thatyou can only tag-along a creature of your size or smaller, which might make itdifficult to use these spells as a Small-sized caster. AlthoughEnlarge Reducecan work in a pinch, using a 2nd-level spell slot can be tricky.
Other Ways To Grow
With all the differentclasses and abilities, there are a few that eitherinfluence your sizeorutilize the size of others.
Duergar
Duergar Magic
The pale half-brother of Dwarves, Deurgar gain the ability to castEnlarge Reduceat 3rd levelwithout a material component.
Rune Knight
Giant Might
At 3rd level, Rune Knights (theFightersubclass) canincrease their size category as long as they are smaller than Large size when they do so. Even if their size increases from Small to Medium, they still gainadvantage on Strength checksandsaving throws, as well as dealan additional 1d6 damage with their unarmed strikesfor the duration (one minute).
Hunter
Hunter’s Prey
At 3rd level for a Hunter (Rangersubclass), they canuse their reaction to make an attack against a Large or larger creature within five feet of themthat misses the ranger with an attack (provided you can see the creature).
