When combat begins, the DM will ask everyone to "roll for initiative". This is how we establish what order everyone's turn is in.
When the DM asks for an initiative roll, do the following:

		At the top center of your character sheet is a box labeled, "Initiative." Click the word, "Initiative". (The chat window might complain about no token being selected, ignore that message.)
		Roll a d20, and add to the result the number listed in your sheet's "initiative" box.   (This bonus is equal to your Dexterity modifier.)

The DM will keep track of the initiative order. Whoever had the highest initiative roll will get to have their turn first. The DM will also make initiative rolls for your foes.

Your turn in a combat round consists of a set number of steps, which can be performed in any order. You can also opt to not use one or more of these steps.

• You may perform 1 action. See below for a list of possible actions.
• You may move a distance up to your speed in feet.
• You may perform minor flourishes, such as shouting out a sentence and/or interacting with 1 object in the environment.
• You may perform 1 "bonus action", but only if a feature or spell states that it may be performed as a bonus action.
  (Not many 1st-level characters even have any bonus actions available to them.)
  If multiple bonus actions are available to you, you are still only allowed to use one.

Your movement can be divided however you like within your turn. For example, if your speed is 30, you could opt to: Move 10', perform your action, then move 20'.
You don't have to use up all of your movement distance if you don't want to.

On your turn, you may take only one of a number of possible actions. The most common actions are to attack or to cast a spell.




You make one melee or ranged attack. This potentially involves two steps: An attack roll and, if you manage to hit, then a damage roll.

The attack roll:

		In the "attacks and spellcasting" section of your sheet, click the weapon you want to attack with.
		Roll a d20, and add to the result the number listed under the "ATK" column for your weapon in your sheet's "attacks and spellcasting" section.   (This bonus is equal to an ability modifier, plus your proficiency bonus if you are proficient in that weapon. The ability modifier is Strength for melee weapons, Dexterity for range weapons, and your choice of Strength or Dexterity for weapons with the "finesse" property.)

Based on your attack roll, the DM will tell you if you missed or hit.
  (The DM knows this by checking if your roll matches or beats the value of your foe's "armor class".)


The damage roll:

		In the CHAT WINDOW, where it displayed the results of your attack roll, click the name of the weapon.   BTW, what are all those numbers displayed for your attack roll? The top number is result of your roll. In this example, I rolled an 11. The middle numbers are the range of your attack, if it's a ranged weapon. Since a dagger can be thrown, it has a range available (even though I might be using it as a melee attack in this example.) This is displayed as "#/#", where the first # is the weapon's normal range in feet, and the second number is its long-range. If you want to use the long-range, then you'll have disadvantage on this attack roll. The name of your weapon.
		Roll your weapon's damage dice, and add any modifiers as described for its damage in the "attacks and spellcasting" section of your sheet.   (The bonus is the same ability modifier used in your attack. Note that your proficiency bonus is not added to your damage roll.) In this example, I would roll 1d4+3. If you roll a critical hit on your attack roll (a "natural 20"), then you get to roll all of your damage dice twice, but still only add your ability modifier once. So a critical hit for my example would deal 2d4+3 damage.

Weilding Two Weapons:
If you don't plan to use two weapons at a time, then of course you don't need to remember this rule.
To wield two weapons, each of them must have the "light" property.
Your first attack is performed as normal, using either one of your weapons. You then have the option of attacking with your other weapon as a bonus action. If this second attack hits, then you do not add your ability modifier to its damage roll, unless that modifier is negative.
If either weapon has the "thrown" property, then you can opt to throw that weapon.




See the "Spell Casting" page for the details on casting spells.

The majority of spells take 1 action to cast.
But one should double check a spell description's "casting time" to make sure. Some spells must be cast as a bonus action, as a longer length of time, or as a reaction.




Using your action to disengage means that your movement will not provoke opportunity attacks for the rest of your turn.
This is handy if you need to flee or otherwise pilot around the battlefield.

  Why does the "opportunity attack" rule exist? I suspect it is so that players cannot exploit the system.
For example, imagine that your character were battling the plant monster from "Little Shop of Horrors". Being a plant, it has no movement: it's stuck in place. So without this rule, a character could stand just outside of the plant's reach. On the player's turn, the character could move up to the plant, attack, and then move back out of range. The plant would never be able to defend itself.




Your speed doubles.




For example drinking a magic potion or zapping a wand, if you're ever lucky enough to own these.




If there's anything else you would like your character to do which would use up all of the time in your round, you are free to use your action for that. Lengthy tasks may require dedicating more than one of your turns to them.

For example, perhaps your character would like to pull a rug out from under someone's feet, or attempt to negotiate.

Ranged Attacks in close Combat:
If any foe (not just your target) is within 5 feet of you, then you have disadvantage on your ranged attack.

Grappling:
Instead of attacking with a weapon, you can opt to have your attack be a grapple.
If you grapple a creature, you prevent it from moving. It may still try to attack you, or it can try to break free. Other players can take advantage of a grapple and attempt to tie-down the creature, or disarm it. You can also move the grappled creature with you, although your speed is halved.
The target of your grapple must not be too much larger than you, and you must have at least 1 free hand in order to perform a grapple.
To perform the grapple, make an Athletics skill check. The DM will make a roll for your target and tell you if you succeed.

Shove:
With this attack, you attempt to either knock your foe to the floor, or knock it 5 feet backwards. This move might be handy if you're fighting on a cliff, for example. The target must not be too much larger than you.
To perform the shove, make an Athletics skill check. The DM will make a roll for your target and tell you if you succeed.

On your turn, you may also opt to use your action to perform any of the following.




Until the start of your next turn, any attack made on you by an opponent you can see has disadvantage.
And your Dexterity saving throws have advantage.

I have never seen anyone use this option, as it's generally more useful to attack instead.




You can lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task. While you are helping, that creature gains advantage on the next ability check it makes on that task.

Alternatively you can help an ally make an attack (by feinting, distracting, etc.) While you are helping, your ally has advantage on the first of their next attacks.




You can "ready" an action by telling the DM that your character is waiting for a certain trigger in the environment. You must also tell the DM what your character intends to do if that trigger comes up.
For example, "If the cultist moves over the trap door, then I'll pull the lever to activate it." This means that your action will occur outside of your turn, or not occur at all if the trigger never happens.

You have the option to ignore the trigger when it comes up.


  Experienced players may have noticed that I did not list the "hide" action here. In our game, hiding while in the middle of combat is not an option. Your foe is already aware that you are near it, hiding won't help.