I was looking through the monster manual, when I realised that the spears of guards have reach. I thought this was kind of weird, because normally spears don't have that feature. I just accepted that they might have been different spears, since guards might have different weapons than other people. Then, later I found out that the dagger of a mage has reach. A dagger... I thought that I missed something and that maybe all medium creatures have reach, because I couldn't find any exceptions in the monster manual. Then I saw the spider, not a giant spider, a tiny spider has a bite attack with a 5 ft. reach. Now I'm just really confused and not sure if I should keep the reach on any creature using weapons that don't normally have reach, because this is just weird.
The 5 foot reach for all creatures is so they can hit the creature next to them if playing on a grid. It would make more sense for some creatures like spiders to have a reach of zero and need to enter your space to attack (as they have in previous editions), but in most cases it's not possible to enter another creature's space in 5e.
Every creature is assumed to have a 5 foot reach with melee attacks, that is just the standard attack what is right next to you. It is assumed that you control a 5x5 cube around you when in combat which is why enemies cannot willingly move through your space (5x5 foot cube). Weapons or creatures that have the Reach property have a 10 foot reach.
A correction or two, if I may:
~ Most creatures will have a reach of 5 feet but it would be wrong to assume every creature does because there are many exceptions where creatures have naturally greater reaches. Like the Bugbear for instance, although a Medium creature, has a reach of 10 feet. When looking at a monster stat block the reach so given for its attacks can represent varying factors like limbs, size, speed, weapon and so on. It's simplified for convenience. Beyond that you can just describe it how you want. For instance, a Tiny spider - still has a reach of 5 feet so you could just say this spider rushed forward, bit the target, and jumped back. They're quick little buggers and there are spiders in real life that can rush forward, bite and get back within 6 seconds so why not in D&D?
~ Cubes are 5x5x5 feet not 5x5 as 5x5 feet is a square. Easier to just say 5ft cube.
~ Enemies and non-enemies can move through your space. If you are unwilling/hostile the creature must be 2 size categories smaller or larger than you or 1 size category smaller in some cases (like Halflings). If you're Medium then that Tiny spider can move through your space whether you want it to or not and there's nothing you can do (it does not provoke attack of opportunity). However, they treat it as difficult terrain (costs twice the movement). Likewise, you can move through that spider's space and it cannot do anything, but it will cost 10 feet of movement. See the Movement and Position bit in the Combat section of the PHB/Basic Rules.
~ Weapons with the reach property are not necessarily 10 feet reach. They "add 5 feet to your range" when attacking with them. This is an important distinction because if you were a Bugbear for instance your reach with the weapon would be 15 feet. (Bugbears with reach weapons like the Glaive and the feats Sentinel and Polearm Master are amazing guards especially with Lunging Attack (20 ft reach) or Pushing Attack (pushes target 15 feet) from Fighter - Battle Master).
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I was looking through the monster manual, when I realised that the spears of guards have reach. I thought this was kind of weird, because normally spears don't have that feature. I just accepted that they might have been different spears, since guards might have different weapons than other people. Then, later I found out that the dagger of a mage has reach. A dagger... I thought that I missed something and that maybe all medium creatures have reach, because I couldn't find any exceptions in the monster manual. Then I saw the spider, not a giant spider, a tiny spider has a bite attack with a 5 ft. reach. Now I'm just really confused and not sure if I should keep the reach on any creature using weapons that don't normally have reach, because this is just weird.
Every monster attack has a reach, but it is not the Reach property of a weapon. That reach is just is distance with which the monster can attack.
The 5 foot reach for all creatures is so they can hit the creature next to them if playing on a grid. It would make more sense for some creatures like spiders to have a reach of zero and need to enter your space to attack (as they have in previous editions), but in most cases it's not possible to enter another creature's space in 5e.
A correction or two, if I may:
~ Most creatures will have a reach of 5 feet but it would be wrong to assume every creature does because there are many exceptions where creatures have naturally greater reaches. Like the Bugbear for instance, although a Medium creature, has a reach of 10 feet. When looking at a monster stat block the reach so given for its attacks can represent varying factors like limbs, size, speed, weapon and so on. It's simplified for convenience. Beyond that you can just describe it how you want. For instance, a Tiny spider - still has a reach of 5 feet so you could just say this spider rushed forward, bit the target, and jumped back. They're quick little buggers and there are spiders in real life that can rush forward, bite and get back within 6 seconds so why not in D&D?
~ Cubes are 5x5x5 feet not 5x5 as 5x5 feet is a square. Easier to just say 5ft cube.
~ Enemies and non-enemies can move through your space. If you are unwilling/hostile the creature must be 2 size categories smaller or larger than you or 1 size category smaller in some cases (like Halflings). If you're Medium then that Tiny spider can move through your space whether you want it to or not and there's nothing you can do (it does not provoke attack of opportunity). However, they treat it as difficult terrain (costs twice the movement). Likewise, you can move through that spider's space and it cannot do anything, but it will cost 10 feet of movement. See the Movement and Position bit in the Combat section of the PHB/Basic Rules.
~ Weapons with the reach property are not necessarily 10 feet reach. They "add 5 feet to your range" when attacking with them. This is an important distinction because if you were a Bugbear for instance your reach with the weapon would be 15 feet. (Bugbears with reach weapons like the Glaive and the feats Sentinel and Polearm Master are amazing guards especially with Lunging Attack (20 ft reach) or Pushing Attack (pushes target 15 feet) from Fighter - Battle Master).
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
So it's just a misunderstanding. Ok, thanks!
FYI, all "Swarms of Tiny Beasts" in the MM have reach of 0 feet.
Swarm of Bats
Swarm of Insects
Swarm of Insects (Beetles)
Swarm of Insects (Centipedes)
Swarm of Insects (Spiders)
Swarm of Insects (Wasps)
Swarm of Poisonous Snakes
Swarm of Quippers
Swarm of Rats
Swarm of Ravens