The problem is that you're adding a new rule for this.

Basically, this doesn't need to be a separate mechanic. If it's something that every sensible person would do anyway - which mechanically is the case here given that you assign no cost to doing the action - assume it's already calculated into AC. Falling prone is what's there for the more drastic approach when you really need protection from ranged attacks without access to cover. Adding an extra rule for this would be like adding a rule that calculates AC differently if a player says their character will be alert to enemy actions during combat. This is simply redundant information.

My recommendation therefore would be to not attempt to tweak it, but rather drop it entirely and treat it as roleplaying fluff.

Disadvantage is too much for crouching

You could improve it by rewording it to be:

A creature may use half movement to enter a crouched position. While a creature is crouching they gain +2 AC against ranged attacks not stacking with cover or shields. they also have disadvantage on attack rolls until they use half movement speed to come out of crouch. A creature may not be both crouched and prone at the same time.

Crouching character also spend extra 1 foot movement per foot moved.

Making it a +2 to AC not stacking with shield or cover should balance it fairly well.

Note: I have not used this but it seems more reasonable and realistic than disadvantage.

Your rule is too broad

The change you proposed affects all characters, while the problem that sparked it is much more limited. I propose that you should not add a new option to all characters, but solve the problem of the ranger with using the rules for being Prone and adding this rule:

Being prone does not impose Disadvantage on your attacks with a crossbow. However, you have to spend a bonus action for a light crossbow or an Action for a heavy crossbow to reload it while Prone.

I'd like to answer just the question title, with a suggestion, based on the kinds of rule tweaking I often employ in D&D:

How should I modify this crouching rule so that it grants some sort of mechanical advantage, but not big enough so players can abuse it?

• Going into a crouch, and coming out of a crouch, costs 5 feet of movement. Movement whilst crouching costs +1 foot per foot of distance. This is strictly better than dropping prone and getting back up on their turn.




• A crouching character upgrades their cover by a single step against Ranged and Melee attacks (i.e. this does not improve dexterity saves against spells). If they upgrade from 3/4 to total cover, then they can no longer see their target either - e.g. think ducking or moving away when behind an arrow slit. This is usually a worse benefit than dropping prone, or could be equally achieved by moving around a corner etc.




• Melee attacks from adjacent positions against crouching characters gain Advantage, same as against prone characters. Note this is somewhat countered by the additional cover that the character has gained, but as an attacker, I'd usually still opt for -2 with Advantage.

I have not played those exact rules above, but have ruled similarly in ad-hoc situations where there was certain types of cover that players wanted to take better advantage of - e.g. gravestones in a graveyard. It worked fine in those circumstances, and gave a feeling of using suitable tactics in a ranged battle.

Crouching only helps when you have cover

Crouching in the open doesn't really do anything significant. Sure, it makes you a shorter target and might be a -1 penalty to ranged attacks more than 20 feet away at best (but when you consider that halflings and dwarfs don't get a bonus to ranged AC just because they're short, even this would be silly). Crouching really doesn't do much for you unless you have something to crouch behind which covers all or most of your body.

Crouching has drawbacks

A crouching player is less mobile and would have a harder time dodging attacks, especially in close quarters. So while it might give disadvantage against ranged attacks while in cover, it would also give any melee attackers advantage (or perhaps only +2 so that it is sort of a half prone state) against you. This gives you a tool to punish crouching spam with ambushes and high-mobility melee monsters.

I agree with Cubic's answer that you are adding an unnecessary mechanic. Behaviors like this are assumed to be part of your character's actions without being explicitly called out in the rules.

However, if you feel the need to confer some advantage for crouching in your game, you need to balance it with non-trivial costs. The only cost you have is that the character's effective movement rate is halved while crouching, but there is no cost to enter or exit the crouch, so the character can stand up, move, and crouch again without incurring any costs.

Ideas to fix this:

1. Make crouching and standing up cost something. Maybe it's 5-10ft of movement to do so, maybe its a bonus action. Paying a bonus action is more expensive than movement for some character classes, less for others, consider that when making your decisions.


2. Give some alternative penalty for being crouched, like disadvantage on dex saving throws for the reduced mobility. This is similar to the advantage granted to melee attackers against prone targets.


3. Make this a feat that modifies the Prone condition, eliminating the disadvantage for attacks made while prone (similar to the existing Crossbow Expert feat), maybe making standing up easier too (but not free!). All of the other mechanics of the Prone condition stay intact, with all of their associated costs.

Some combination of #1 and #2 would make crouching comparable to, but not exactly like, being prone. #3 makes this a special ability that few characters will have, and is roughly in line with the power level of feats.