Falling: count distance, damage and the landing condition

SRD 5.2.1 · Hazards

At the table

1. At the end of a fall, roll 1d6 Bludgeoning damage per 10 feet, to a maximum of 20d6.
2. The landing creature is Prone unless it avoids all damage from the fall.
3. Into liquid, a Reaction and successful DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics check can halve the resulting damage.

Example decision

A creature falls 30 feet onto ordinary ground with no feature reducing damage. What damage dice and landing condition apply?

3d6 Bludgeoning damage, and Prone if it takes damage.

Three ten-foot increments produce 3d6. The creature has the Prone condition on landing unless it avoids taking any fall damage. The liquid-entry option does not apply to this ground landing. If another effect removes all damage, recheck the explicit exception to the landing condition.

Watch for this mistake

The liquid check costs a Reaction. Do not grant it after that Reaction has already been spent, and do not describe a success as automatically preventing all damage.

Ask the table

How far did the creature fall, what is the landing surface, and what damage remains?

Source rule

A creature that falls takes 1d6 Bludgeoning damage at the end of the fall for every 10 feet it fell, to a maximum of 20d6. When the creature lands, it has the Prone condition unless it avoids taking any damage from the fall. A creature that falls into water or another liquid can use its Reaction to make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to hit the surface head or feet first. On a successful check, any damage resulting from the fall is halved.

Source: SRD 5.2.1, 182. Online guide.