[RPG] Is a character considered within 5 feet of another character if it is diagonal to it? In dnd 5e

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I couldn’t find something about this in the players handbook (it is entirely possible I might have missed something), but is a character considered (within 5 feet) of another character if it is diagonal to it?

Best Answer

Yes.

Given the wording here, I'm assuming you're using the, technically variant, rules for playing on a grid.

The basic rule for Space, found on page 191 of the Player's Handbook, says (emphasis mine):

A creature’s space also reflects the area it needs to fight effectively. For that reason, there’s a limit to the number of creatures that can surround another creature in combat. Assuming Medium combatants, eight creatures can fit in a 5-foot radius around another one.

When playing on a grid, 8 enemies surrounding a single person is easily represented by a 3x3 square, and would include the 'diagonal' spots.