Backgrounds

Every story has a beginning. Your character’s background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your fighter might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your wizard could have been a sage or an artisan. Your rogue might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester. Choosing a background provides you with important story cues about your character’s identity. The most important question to ask about your background is what changed? Why did you stop doing whatever your background describes and start adventuring? Where did you get the money to purchase your starting gear, or, if you come from a wealthy background, why don’t you have more money? How did you learn the skills of your class? What sets you apart from ordinary people who share your background? The sample backgrounds in this chapter provide both concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and languages) and roleplaying suggestions. Proficiencies Each background gives a character proficiency in two skills (described in “Using Ability Scores”). In addition, most backgrounds give a character proficiency with one or more tools (detailed in “Equipment”). If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead. Languages Some backgrounds also allow characters to learn additional languages beyond those given by race. See “Languages.” Equipment Each background provides a package of starting equipment. If you use the optional rule to spend coin on gear, you do not receive the starting equipment from your background. Suggested Characteristics A background contains suggested personal characteristics based on your background. You can pick characteristics, roll dice to determine them randomly, or use...

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Inspiration

Inspiration is a rule the game master can use to reward you for playing your character in a way that’s true to his or her personality traits, ideal, bond, and flaw. By using inspiration, you can draw on your personality trait of compassion for the downtrodden to give you an edge in negotiating with the Beggar Prince. Or inspiration can let you call on your bond to the defense of your home village to push past the effect of a spell that has been laid on you. Gaining Inspiration Your GM can choose to give you inspiration for a variety of reasons. Typically, GMs award it when you play out your personality traits, give in to the drawbacks presented by a flaw or bond, and otherwise portray your character in a compelling way. Your GM will tell you how you can earn inspiration in the game. You either have inspiration or you don’t - you can’t stockpile multiple “inspirations” for later use. Using Inspiration If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll. Additionally, if you have inspiration, you can reward another player for good roleplaying, clever thinking, or simply doing something exciting in the game. When another player character does something that really contributes to the story in a fun and interesting way, you can give up your inspiration to give that character inspiration.

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Languages

Your race indicates the languages your character can speak by default, and your background might give you access to one or more additional languages of your choice. Note these languages on your character sheet. Choose your languages from the Standard Languages table, or choose one that is common in your campaign. With your GM’s permission, you can instead choose a language from the Exotic Languages table or a secret language, such as thieves’ cant or the tongue of druids. Some of these languages are actually families of languages with many dialects. For example, the Primordial language includes the Auran, Aquan, Ignan, and Terran dialects, one for each of the four elemental planes. Creatures that speak different dialects of the same language can communicate with one another. Standard Languages Language Typical Speakers Script Common Humans Common Dwarvish Dwarves Dwarvish Elvish Elves Elvish Giant Ogres, giants Dwarvish Gnomish Gnomes Dwarvish Goblin Goblinoids Dwarvish Halfling Halflings Common Orc Orcs Dwarvish Exotic Languages Language Typical Speakers Script Abyssal Demons Infernal Celestial Celestials Celestial Draconic Dragons, dragonborn Draconic Deep Speech Aboleths, cloakers - Infernal Devils Infernal Primordial Elementals Dwarvish Sylvan Fey creatures Elvish Undercommon Underworld traders Elvish

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Alignment

A typical creature in the game world has an alignment, which broadly describes its moral and personal attitudes. Alignment is a combination of two factors: one identifies morality (good, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward society and order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). Thus, nine distinct alignments define the possible combinations. These brief summaries of the nine alignments describe the typical behavior of a creature with that alignment. Individuals might vary significantly from that typical behavior, and few people are perfectly and consistently faithful to the precepts of their alignment. Lawful good Lawful good (LG) creatures can be counted on to do the right thing as expected by society. Gold dragons, paladins, and most dwarves are lawful good. Neutral Good Neutral good (NG) folk do the best they can to help others according to their needs. Many celestials, some cloud giants, and most gnomes are neutral good. Chaotic Good Chaotic good (CG) creatures act as their conscience directs, with little regard for what others expect. Copper dragons, many elves, and unicorns are chaotic good. Lawful Neutral Lawful neutral (LN) individuals act in accordance with law, tradition, or personal codes. Many monks and some wizards are lawful neutral. Neutral Neutral (N) is the alignment of those who prefer to steer clear of moral questions and don’t take sides, doing what seems best at the time. Lizardfolk, most druids, and many humans are neutral. Chaotic Neutral Chaotic neutral (CN) creatures follow their whims, holding their personal freedom above all else. Many barbarians and rogues, and some bards, are chaotic neutral. Lawful Evil Lawful evil (LE) creatures methodically take what they want, within the limits of a code of tradition, loyalty, or order. Devils, blue dragons, and hobgoblins are lawful evil. Neutral Evil Neutral evil (NE) is...

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Feats

A feat represents a talent or an area of expertise that gives a character special capabilities. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides. At certain levels, your class gives you the Ability Score Improvement feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking that feature to take a feat of your choice instead. You can take each feat only once, unless the feat’s description says otherwise. You must meet any prerequisite specified in a feat to take that feat. If you ever lose a feat’s prerequisite, you can’t use that feat until you regain the prerequisite. For example, the Grappler feat requires you to have a Strength of 13 or higher. If your Strength is reduced below 13 somehow-perhaps by a withering curse-you can’t benefit from the Grappler feat until your Strength is restored. Grappler Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher You’ve developed the skills necessary to hold your own in close-quarters grappling. You gain the following benefits: You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling. You can use your action to try to pin a creature grappled by you. To do so, make another grapple check. If you succeed, you and the creature are both restrained until the grapple ends.

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Class Features

Class Features When you gain a new level in a class, you get its features for that level. You don’t, however, receive the class’s starting equipment, and a few features have additional rules when you’re multiclassing: Channel Divinity, Extra Attack, Unarmored Defense, and Spellcasting. Channel Divinity If you already have the Channel Divinity feature and gain a level in a class that also grants the feature, you gain the Channel Divinity effects granted by that class, but getting the feature again doesn’t give you an additional use of it. You gain additional uses only when you reach a class level that explicitly grants them to you. For example, if you are a cleric 6/paladin 4, you can use Channel Divinity twice between rests because you are high enough level in the cleric class to have more uses. Whenever you use the feature, you can choose any of the Channel Divinity effects available to you from your two classes. Extra Attack If you gain the Extra Attack class feature from more than one class, the features don’t add together. You can’t make more than two attacks with this feature unless it says you do (as the fighter’s version of Extra Attack does). Similarly, the warlock’s eldritch invocation Thirsting Blade doesn’t give you additional attacks if you also have Extra Attack. Unarmored Defense If you already have the Unarmored Defense feature, you can’t gain it again from another class. Spellcasting Your capacity for spellcasting depends partly on your combined levels in all your spellcasting classes and partly on your individual levels in those classes. Once you have the Spellcasting feature from more than one class, use the rules below. If you multiclass but have the Spellcasting feature from...

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Multiclassing

Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in multiple classes. Doing so lets you mix the abilities of those classes to realize a character concept that might not be reflected in one of the standard class options. With this rule, you have the option of gaining a level in a new class whenever you advance in level, instead of gaining a level in your current class. Your levels in all your classes are added together to determine your character level. For example, if you have three levels in wizard and two in fighter, you’re a 5th-level character. As you advance in levels, you might primarily remain a member of your original class with just a few levels in another class, or you might change course entirely, never looking back at the class you left behind. You might even start progressing in a third or fourth class. Compared to a single-class character of the same level, you’ll sacrifice some focus in exchange for versatility. Prerequisites To qualify for a new class, you must meet the ability score prerequisites for both your current class and your new one, as shown in the Multiclassing Prerequisites table. For example, a barbarian who decides to multiclass into the druid class must have both Strength and Wisdom scores of 13 or higher. Without the full training that a beginning character receives, you must be a quick study in your new class, having a natural aptitude that is reflected by higher- than-average ability scores. Table- Multiclassing Prerequisites Class Ability Score Minimum Barbarian Strength 13 Bard Charisma 13 Cleric Wisdom 13 Druid Wisdom 13 Fighter Strength 13 or Dexterity 13 Monk Dexterity 13 and Wisdom 13 Paladin Strength 13 and Charisma 13 Ranger Dexterity 13 and Wisdom 13 Rogue Dexterity 13 Sorcerer Charisma 13 Warlock Charisma 13 Wizard Intelligence 13 Experience Points The experience point cost to...

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Wizard

Class Features As a wizard, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d6 per wizard level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per wizard level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: None Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows Tools: None Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack A spellbook Wizard Table Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known 1st +2 Spellcasting, Arcane Recovery 3 2nd +2 Arcane Tradition 3 3rd +2 - 3 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 4 5th +3 - 4 6th +3 Arcane Tradition Feature 4 7th +3 - 4 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 9th +4 - 4 10th +4 Arcane Tradition Feature 5 11th +4 - 5 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 5 13th +5 - 5 14th +5 Arcane Tradition Feature 5 15th +5 - 5 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 17th +6 - 5 18th +6 Spell Mastery 5 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 5 20th +6 Signature Spell 5 Spell Table Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st 2 - - - - - - - - 2nd 3 - - - - - - - - 3rd 4 2 - - - - - - - 4th 4 3 - - - - - - - 5th 4 3 2 - - - - - - 6th 4 3 3 - - - - - - 7th 4 3 3 1 - - - - - 8th 4 3 3 2 - - - - - 9th 4 3 3 3 1 - - - - 10th 4 3 3 3 2 - - - - 11th 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - - 12th 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - - 13th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - - 14th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - - 15th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 - 16th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 - 17th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 18th 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 19th 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 20th 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 Spellcasting As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power. Cantrips At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Wizard table. Spellbook At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st- level wizard spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the wizard spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind. Preparing and Casting Spells The Wizard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your wizard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of wizard spells...

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Warlock

Class Features As a warlock, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per warlock level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per warlock level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light armor Weapons: Simple weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma Skills: Choose two skills from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers Table- The Warlock Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known Spell Slots Slot Level Invocations Known 1st +2 Otherworldly Patron, Pact Magic 2 2 1 1st - 2nd +2 Eldritch Invocations 2 3 2 1st 2 3rd +2 Pact Boon 2 4 2 2nd 2 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 5 2 2nd 2 5th +3 - 3 6 2 3rd 3 6th +3 Otherworldly Patron feature 3 7 2 3rd 3 7th +3 - 3 8 2 4th 4 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 9 2 4th 4 9th +4 - 3 10 2 5th 5 10th +4 Otherworldly Patron feature 4 10 2 5th 5 11th +4 Mystic Arcanum (6th level) 4 11 3 5th 5 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 11 3 5th 6 13th +5 Mystic Arcanum (7th level) 4 12 3 5th 6 14th +5 Otherworldly Patron feature 4 12 3 5th 6 15th +5 Mystic Arcanum (8th level) 4 13 3 5th 7 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 13 3 5th 7 17th +6 Mystic Arcanum (9th level) 4 14 4 5th 7 18th +6 - 4 14 4 5th 8 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 15 4 5th 8 20th +6 Eldritch Master 4 15 4 5th 8 Otherworldly Patron At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice: the Archfey, the Fiend, or the Great Old One, each of which is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level. Pact Magic Your arcane research and the magic bestowed on you by your patron have given you facility with spells. Cantrips You know two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. You learn additional warlock cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Warlock table. Spell Slots The Warlock table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your warlock spells...

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Sorcerer

Class Features As a sorcerer, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d6 per sorcerer level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per sorcerer level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: None Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows Tools: None Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Religion Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack Two daggers Sorcerer Table Level Proficiency Bonus Sorcery Points Features Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st +2 - Spellcasting, Sorcerous Origin 4 2 2nd +2 2 Font of Magic 4 3 3rd +2 3 Metamagic 4 4 4th +2 4 Ability Score Improvement 5 5 5th +3 5 - 5 6 6th +3 6 Sorcerous Origin Feature 5 7 7th +3 7 - 5 8 8th +3 8 Ability Score Improvement 5 9 9th +4 9 - 5 10 10th +4 10 Metamagic 6 11 11th +4 11 - 6 12 12th +4 12 Ability Score Improvement 6 12 13th +5 13 - 6 13 14th +5 14 Sorcerous Origin Feature 6 13 15th +5 15 - 6 14 16th +5 16 Ability Score Improvement 6 14 17th +6 17 Metamagic 6 15 18th +6 18 Sorcerous Origin Feature 6 15 19th +6 19 Ability Score Improvement 6 15 20th +6 20 Sorcerous Restoration 6 15 Spell Table Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st 2 - - - - - - - - 2nd 3 - - - - - - - - 3rd 4 2 - - - - - - - 4th 4 3 - - - - - - - 5th 4 3 2 - - - - - - 6th 4 3 3 - - - - - - 7th 4 3 3 1 - - - - - 8th 4 3 3 2 - - - - - 9th 4 3 3 3 1 - - - - 10th 4 3 3 3 2 - - - - 11th 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - - 12th 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - - 13th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - - 14th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - - 15th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 - 16th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 - 17th 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 18th 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 19th 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 20th 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 Spellcasting An event in your past, or in the life of a parent or ancestor, left an indelible mark on you, infusing you with arcane magic. This font of magic, whatever its origin, fuels your spells. Cantrips At 1st level, you know four cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn additional sorcerer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Sorcerer table. Spell Slots The Sorcerer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your sorcerer spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these sorcerer spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell burning hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can...

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