Player Handbook

C ontents

P reface 4 Pa r t 2 171

In tr o d u c tio n 5 C h a p t e r 7: U s i n g A b i l i t y S c o r e s ...........173
Ability S c o r e s and M odifiers........................................173
W orlds o f A dven tu re................................................................... 5 Advantage and D isadvan tage...................................... 173
U sing Th is B o o k ......................................................................... 6 P roficien cy B o n u s............................................................173
H ow to P la y ................................................................................... 6 Ability C h e ck s................................................................... 174
A d v en tu res.................................................................................... 7 U sing E ach A bility...........................................................175
Saving T h r o w s ................... ............................................. 179
P art 1 9
C h a p t e r 8 : A d v e n t u r i n g ...... ................ 181
C h a p t e r 1: S t e p - b y - S t e p C h a r a c t e r s ..... 11 T im e ........................................................ .. ................. 181
B eyon d 1st L ev el............................................................... 15 M ovem en t.......................................................................... 181
Th e E nvironm ent.......................... ......................... 183
C h a p t e r 2 : R a c e s ........................................................ 17 S o c ia l In tera ction ........................................................... 185
C h oosin g a R a ce ................................................................ 17 R e s tin g ............................................................................... 186
D w a rf.................................................................................... 18 B etw een A dven tu res......................................................186
E l f...........................................................................................21
H alfling.................................................................................26 C h a p t e r 9 : C o m b a t ................................................ 189
H u m an ..................................................................................29 The O rder o f C om b a t.....................................................189
D ra g o n b o rn ........................................................................ 32 M ovem ent and P o sitio n .................................................190
G n o m e ..................................................................................35 A ctions in C o m b a t.......................................................... 192
H alf-E lf.................................................................................38 M aking an A ttack............................................................ 193
H a lf-O rc.............................................................................. 40 C over................................................................................... 196
T ie flin g .................................................................................42 D am age and H e a lin g .....................................................196
M ounted C om bat............................................................. 198
C h a p t e r 3 : C l a s s e s .................................................. 45 Underwater C om ba t....................................................... 198
B arbarian............................................................................ 46
B a r d ...................................................................................... 51 P art 3 199
C leric.....................................................................................56
D ru id .....................................................................................64 C h a p t e r 10: S p e l l c a s t i n g .................................201
F igh ter..................................................................................70
M o n k ..................................................................................... 76 W hat Is a S p e ll? ...............................................................201
P a la d in .................................................................................82 Casting a S p e ll................................................................ 202
R a n g e r..................................................................................89
R o g u e ....................................................................................94 C h a p t e r 11: S p e l l s ..................................................... 207
S o r c e r e r .............................................................................. 99
W a rlo ck ..............................................................................105 Spell L ists..........................................................................207
W iz a r d ................................................................................112 Spell D e scrip tio n s...........................................................211

C h a pte r 4: P e r so n a l it y a n d A ppen d ix A : C o n d it io n s 290
B a c k g r o u n d .................................................................. 121
A p p e n d i x B: 293
Character D etails............................................................ 121
In spiration ........................................................................ 125 G ods of th e M u ltiv e r se
B a ck g rou n d s.................................................................... 125
A ppen d ix C: 300
C h a p t e r 5 : E q u i p m e n t .........................................143 T h e P l a n e s of E x iste n c e
Starting E quipm ent....................................................... 143
W e a lth ................................................................................143 The Material P lane....... ................. ...............................3 0 0
A rm or and S h ie ld s .........................................................144 B eyond the M aterial.................................. 301
W ea p on s............................................................................ 146
Adventuring G e a r ...........................................................148 A p p e n d i x D: 304
T o o ls....................................................................................154
M ounts and V e h icle s..................................................... 155 C r e a tu r e St a t ist ic s
Trade G o o d s ..................................................................... 157
E x p en ses........................................................................... 157 A p p e n d ix E: 312
T rink ets............................................................................. 159 In sp ir a t io n a l R e a d in g

C h a p t e r 6 : C u s t o m i z a t i o n O p t i o n s .... 163 In d ex 313
M ulticlassing.................................................................... 163
F e a t s ...................................................................................165 C h aracter Sheet 317

Preface are likely to end up friends. It’s a c o o l side effect o f the
game. Your next gam ing group is as close as the nearest
NOCE UPON A TIME, LONG, LONG AGO, IN A game store, online forum, or gaming convention.
realm called the Midwestern United
States—specifically the states o f M inne­ The secon d thing you need is a lively imagination
sota and W isconsin—a group of friends or, m ore importantly, the w illingness to use whatever
gathered together to forever alter the im agination you have. You don’t need to be a master
history o f gaming. storyteller or a brilliant artist. You just need to aspire to
create, to have the courage o f som eon e w ho is w illing to
It w asn ’t their intent to do so. Th ey w ere build som eth in g and share it w ith others.
tired of merely reading tales about worlds of magic,
m onsters, and adventure. They wanted to play in those Luckily, just as D&D can strengthen your friendships,
worlds, rather than observe them. That they went on it can help build in you the con fid en ce to create and
to invent D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s , and thereby ignite a share. D&D is a gam e that teaches you to look for the
revolution in gam ing that continu es to this day, sp eaks clever solution, share the sudden idea that can overcom e
to tw o things. a problem, and push yourself to imagine what could be,
rather than sim ply a ccep t what is.
First, it sp eak s to their ingenuity and genius in fig­
uring out that gam es w ere the perfect way to explore The first characters and adventures you create will
w orlds that could not otherw ise exist. A lm ost every probably be a collection o f cliches. That’s true o f every­
m odern game, whether played on a digital device or one, from the greatest Dungeon M asters in history on
a tabletop, ow es som e debt to D&D. down. A ccept this reality and move on to create the
second character or adventure, which will be better,
S econ d , it is a testam ent to the inherent appeal o f the and then the third, w hich w ill be better still. Repeat that
gam e they created. D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s sparked a over the course o f time, and soon you’ll be able to create
thriving global phenom enon. It is the first roleplaying anything, from a ch a ra cter’s backgrou n d story to an epic
gam e, and it rem ains one o f the best o f its breed. w orld of fantasy adventure.

To play D&D, and to play it w ell, you d on ’t n eed to O nce you have that skill, it’s y ou rs forever. C ou n tless
read all the rules, m em orize every detail o f the game, writers, artists, and other creators can trace their begin­
or master the fine art o f rolling funny looking dice. nings to a few pages o f D&D notes, a handful o f dice,
N one o f those things have any bearing on what’s best and a kitchen table.
about the game.
Above all else, D&D is yours. The friendships you
W hat you need are tw o things, the first being friends make around the table will be unique to you. The adven­
with w hom you can share the game. Playing gam es with tures you em bark on, the characters you create, the
your friends is a lot o f fun, but D&D does som ething m em ories you m ake—these w ill be yours. D&D is your
m ore than entertain. personal corner of the universe, a place where you have
free reign to do as you wish.
Playing D&D is an exercise in collaborative creation.
You and your friends create epic stories filled with ten­ G o forth now. Read the rules o f the game and the
sion and mem orable drama. You create silly in-jokes story of its w orlds, but always rem em ber that you are
that m ake you laugh years later. The dice w ill be cruel the one w ho brings them to life. They are nothing
to you, but you will soldier on. Your collective creativ­ without the spark o f life that you give them.
ity will build stories that you w ill tell again and again,
ranging from the utterly absurd to the stuff o f legend. Mike Mearls
May 2014
If you d on ’t have friends interested in playing, don ’t
w orry. T h ere’s a sp ecia l alchem y that takes place
around a D&D table that nothing else can match. Play
the game with som eone enough, and the tw o o f you

In trod u ction In the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game, each player
creates an adventurer (also called a character) and
The D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s r o l e p l a y in g team s up with other adventurers (played by friends).
gam e is about storytelling in w orlds of W orking together, the group might explore a dark dun­
sw ord s and sorcery. It sh ares elem ents geon, a ruined city, a haunted castle, a lost tem ple deep
with childhood gam es o f make-believe. Like in a jungle, or a lava-filled cavern beneath a m ysterious
those gam es, D & D is driven by im agina­ mountain. The adventurers can solve puzzles, talk with
tion. It’s about picturing the tow ering castle other characters, battle fantastic m onsters, and discover
beneath the stormy night sky and im agining fabulous m agic items and other treasure.
how a fantasy adventurer might react to the challenges
that scene presents. O ne player, however, takes on the role o f the D ungeon
M aster (D M ), the gam e’s lead storyteller and referee.
Dungeon Master (DM): After passing through the The DM creates adventures for the characters, who nav­
craggy peaks, the road takes a sudden turn to the east igate its hazards and decide which paths to explore. The
and Castle Ravenloft towers before you. Crum bling DM might describe the entrance to Castle Ravenloft,
towers of stone keep a silent watch over the approach. and the players decide what they want their adventurers
They look like abandoned guardhouses. Beyond these, to do. W ill they w alk across the dangerously weathered
a wide chasm gapes, disappearing into the deep drawbridge? Tie themselves together with rope to mini­
fog below. A lowered drawbridge spans the chasm , m ize the chance that som eon e w ill fall if the drawbridge
leading to an arched entrance to the castle courtyard. gives way? Or cast a spell to carry them over the chasm ?
The chains o f the drawbridge creak in the wind, their
rust-eaten iron straining with the weight. From atop Then the DM determ ines the results o f the adventur­
the high strong walls, stone gargoyles stare at you ers’ actions and narrates what they experience. Because
from hollow sockets and grin hideously. A rotting the DM can im provise to react to anything the players
wooden portcullis, green with growth, hangs in the attempt, D&D is infinitely flexible, and each adventure
entry tunnel. Beyond this, the main doors of Castle can be exciting and unexpected.
Ravenloft stand open, a rich warm light spilling into
the courtyard. The game has no real end; when one story or quest
w raps up, another one can begin, creating an ongoing
Phillip (playing Gareth): I want to look at the story called a campaign. Many people w ho play the
gargoyles. I have a feeling they’re not just statues. game keep their cam paigns going for months or years,
m eeting with their friends every w eek or so to pick
Amy (playing Riva): The drawbridge looks precarious? up the story w here they left off. The adventurers grow
I want to see how sturdy it is. Do I think we can cross in might as the cam paign continues. Each m onster
it, or is it going to collapse under our weight? defeated, each adventure completed, and each treasure
recovered not only adds to the continuing story, but also
Unlike a game of make-believe, D&D gives structure earns the adventurers new capabilities. This increase
to the stories, a way of determining the consequences in pow er is reflected by an adventurer’s level.
of the adventurers’ action. Players roll dice to resolve
whether their attacks hit or m iss or w hether their adven­ There’s no w inning and losing in the D u n g e o n s &
turers can scale a cliff, roll away from the strike o f a D r a g o n s g am e—at least, not the way those term s are
m agical lightning bolt, or pull off som e other dangerous usually understood. Together, the D M and the players
task. Anything is possible, but the dice make som e out­ create an exciting story o f bold adventurers who confront
com es m ore probable than others. deadly perils. Som etim es an adventurer might com e to
a grisly end, torn apart by ferociou s m onsters or done in
Dungeon Master (DM): O K, one at a time. Phillip, by a nefarious villain. Even so, the other adventurers can
you’re looking at the gargoyles? search for powerful m agic to revive their fallen comrade,
or the player might ch oose to create a new character to
Phillip: Yeah. Is there any hint they m ight be carry on. The group might fail to com plete an adventure
creatures and not decorations? successfully, but if everyone had a good time and created
a m em orable story, they all win.
DM : Make an Intelligence check.
Phillip: Does my Investigation skill apply? W orlds of A dventure
DM: Sure!
Phillip (rolling a d20): Ugh. Seven. The m any w orlds o f the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game
DM : They look like decorations to you. And Amy, are places o f magic and monsters, of brave warriors and
Riva is checking out the drawbridge? spectacular adventures. They begin with a foundation
of medieval fantasy and then add the creatures, places,
and m agic that make these w orlds unique.

The w orlds o f the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e exist
within a vast cosm os called the multiverse, connected
in strange and mysterious ways to one another and to
other planes of existence, such as the Elemental Plane
of Fire and the Infinite Depths o f the Abyss. W ithin

this multiverse are an endless variety o f worlds. Many 2. The players describe what they want to do. S o m e ­
o f them have been published as official settings for the tim es one player speaks for the w hole party, saying,
D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realm s, Drag- “W e’ll take the east door,” for exam ple. Other tim es,
onlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron different adventurers do different things: one adventurer
settings are woven together in the fabric o f the multi- might search a treasure chest while a second exam ines
verse. Alongside these worlds are hundreds of thousands an esoteric sym bol engraved on a wall and a third keeps
more, created by generations o f D&D players for their watch for m onsters. The players don’t need to take
ow n games. And amid all the richness o f the multiverse, turns, but the DM listens to every player and decides
you might create a world of your own. how to resolve those actions.

All these worlds share characteristics, but each world Som etim es, resolving a task is easy. If an adventurer
is set apart by its ow n history and cultures, distinctive wants to walk across a room and open a door, the DM
monsters and races, fantastic geography, ancient dun­ might just say that the door opens and describe what
geons, and schem ing villains. S om e races have unusual lies beyond. But the door might be locked, the floor
traits in different worlds. The halflings o f the Dark Sun might hide a deadly trap, or som e other circum stance
setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, m ight m ake it challen ging for an adventurer to com plete
and the elves are desert nomads. Som e worlds feature a task. In those cases, the DM decides what happens,
races unknow n in other settings, such as E berron’s war- often relying on the roll o f a die to determine the results
forged, sold iers created and im bu ed with life to fight in of an action.
the Last War. S om e w orlds are dom inated by one great
story, like the W ar o f the Lance that plays a central role 3. The DM narrates the results o f the adventurers’
in the D ragon lance setting. But they’re all D & D w orlds, actions. D escribing the results often leads to another
and you can use the rules in this b o o k to create a char­ decision point, which brings the flow o f the gam e right
acter and play in any one o f them. ba ck to step 1.

Your DM might set the cam paign on one of these This pattern holds whether the adventurers are cau­
worlds or on one that he or she created. B ecause there tiously exploring a ruin, talking to a devious prince, or
is so much diversity am ong the worlds o f D&D, you lock ed in m ortal com bat against a m ighty dragon. In
should check with your DM about any h ouse rules that certain situations, particularly combat, the action is
w ill affect your play o f the game. Ultimately, the D un­ m ore structured and the players (and DM) do take turns
geon M aster is the authority on the cam paign and its choosing and resolving actions. But m ost of the time,
setting, even if the setting is a published world. play is fluid and flexible, adapting to the circum stances
o f the adventure.
U sing T his B o o k
Often the action o f an adventure takes place in the
T h e Player’s Handbook is divided into three parts. im agination o f the players and DM, relying on the D M ’s
Part 1 is about creating a character, providing the verbal descriptions to set the scene. S om e DM s like to
use m usic, art, or recorded sound effects to help set the
rules and guidance you need to make the character m ood, and many players and DM s alike adopt different
y ou ’ll play in the gam e. It includes inform ation on the voices for the various adventurers, monsters, and other
various races, classes, backgrounds, equipment, and characters they play in the game. Som etim es, a DM
other custom ization options that you can ch oose from. might lay out a map and use tokens or miniature figures
M any o f the rules in part 1 rely on m aterial in parts 2 to represent each creature involved in a scen e to help
and 3. If you com e across a gam e concept in part 1 that the players k eep track o f w here everyone is.
you don ’t understand, consult the b o o k ’s index.
G a m e D ice
Part 2 details the rules o f how to play the game,
beyond the basics described in this introduction. That The game uses polyhedral dice with different num bers
part covers the kinds of die rolls you make to determine o f sides. You can find dice like these in gam e stores and
s u c ce s s or failure at the tasks your character attempts, in many bookstores.
and describes the three broad categories o f activity in
the game: exploration, interaction, and combat. In these rules, the different dice are referred to by the
letter d follow ed by the num ber o f sides: d4, d6, d8, d 10,
Part 3 is all about m agic. It covers the nature o f m agic d 12, and d20. F or instance, a d6 is a six-sided die (the
in the w orlds o f D&D, the rules for spellcasting, and the typical cube that many gam es use).
huge variety o f spells available to m agic-using charac­
ters (and m onsters) in the game. Percentile dice, or d 100, w ork a little differently. You
generate a number between 1 and 100 by rolling two
How t o Pl a y different ten-sided dice num bered from 0 to 9. One die
(designated before you roll) gives the tens digit, and
The play o f the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e unfolds the other gives the on es digit. If you roll a 7 and a 1, for
according to this basic pattern. exam ple, the num ber rolled is 71. Tw o Os represent 100.
S om e ten-sided dice are num bered in tens (00, 10, 20,
1. The DM describes the environment. T h e DM and s o on), m akin g it easier to distinguish the tens digit
tells the players w here their adventurers are and w hat’s from the on es digit. In this case, a roll o f 70 and 1 is 71,
around them, presenting the basic scop e o f options that and 00 and 0 is 100.
present themselves (how many doors lead out of a room ,
w hat’s on a table, w h o ’s in the tavern, and so on). W hen you need to roll dice, the rules tell you how
many dice to roll o f a certain type, as well as what m od­
ifiers to add. For example, “3d8 + 5 ” m eans you roll

three eight-sided dice, add them together, and add 5 3. Compare the total to a target number. If the total
to the total. equals or exceeds the target number, the ability check,
attack roll, or saving th row is a su ccess. O therw ise, it’s
The sam e d notation appears in the expressions “ 1d 3 ” a failure. The DM is usually the one w ho determ ines
and “ 1d2.” To sim ulate the roll o f 1d3, roll a d6 and target num bers and tells players whether their ability
divide the num ber rolled by 2 (round up). To simulate ch ecks, attack rolls, and saving th row s su cce e d or fail.
the roll o f 1d2, roll any die and assign a 1 or 2 to the roll
depen din g on w hether it w as odd or even. (Alternatively, The target num ber for an ability check or a saving
if the num ber rolled is m ore than half the num ber of th row is called a Difficulty Class (D C). T h e target
sides on the die, it’s a 2.) num ber for an attack roll is called an Armor Class (AC).

T h e D 20 This simple rule governs the resolution of m ost tasks
in D & D play. Chapter 7 provides m ore detailed rules for
D oes an adventurer’s sw ord sw ing hurt a dragon or just using the d20 in the game.
b ou n ce off its iron-hard sca les? W ill the ogre believe an
outrageous bluff? Can a character sw im across a raging A dva n t a ge a n d D isa d v a n t a g e
river? Can a character avoid the main blast o f a fireball,
or d o e s he or she take full dam age from the blaze? In Som etim es an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw
cases w here the outcom e o f an action is uncertain, is m odified by special situations called advantage and
the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e relies on rolls o f a disadvantage. Advantage reflects the positive circum ­
20-sided die, a d20, to determine su ccess or failure. stances surrounding a d20 roll, while disadvantage
reflects the opposite. W hen you have either advantage or
Every character and m onster in the gam e has capa­ disadvantage, you roll a second d20 w hen you m ake the
bilities defined by six ability scores. T h e abilities are roll. Use the higher o f the tw o rolls if you have advan­
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, W isdom , tage, and use the lower roll if you have disadvantage.
and Charism a, and they typically range from 3 to 18 F or exam ple, if you have disadvantage and roll a 17 and
for m ost adventurers. (M onsters might have scores as a 5, you use the 5. If you instead have advantage and roll
low as 1 or as high as 30.) T hese ability scores, and the th ose num bers, you use the 17.
ability modifiers derived from them , are the basis for
alm ost every d20 roll that a player m akes on a charac­ M ore detailed rules for advantage and disadvantage
ter’s or m on ster’s behalf. are presented in chapter 7.

Ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws are the Sp e cific B eats G e n e r a l
three main kinds o f d20 rolls, form ing the core o f the
rules of the game. All three follow these simple steps. T h is b o o k contain s rules, esp ecia lly in parts 2 and 3,
that govern h ow the game plays. That said, many racial
1. Roll the die and add a modifier. R oll a d2 0 and traits, class features, spells, m agic items, m onster abili­
add the relevant modifier. This is typically the m od­ ties, and other gam e elem ents break the general rules in
ifier derived from on e o f the six ability s cores, and it som e way, creating an exception to h ow the rest o f the
som etim es includes a proficiency bonus to reflect a char­ game w orks. Rem em ber this: If a specific rule contra­
acter’s particular skill. (S ee chapter 1 for details on each dicts a general rule, the specific rule wins.
ability and h ow to determ ine an ability’s modifier.)
Exceptions to the rules are often minor. For instance,
2. Apply circumstantial bonuses and penalties. A m any adventurers don’t have proficiency with longbow s,
class feature, a spell, a particular circum stance, or som e but every w o o d elf does becau se o f a racial trait. That
other effect might give a bonus or penalty to the check. trait creates a m inor exception in the game. Other
examples of rule-breaking are m ore conspicuous. For
instance, an adventurer can’t norm ally pass through
walls, but som e spells m ake that possible. M agic
accounts for m ost o f the m ajor exceptions to the rules.

Round D ow n

T h ere’s on e m ore general rule you n eed to k n ow at the
outset. W henever you divide a number in the game,
round dow n if you end up with a fraction, even if the
fraction is one-half or greater.

A dventures

The D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game consists of a group
o f characters em barking on an adventure that the D un­
geon Master presents to them. Each character brings
particular capabilities to the adventure in the form of
ability scores and skills, class features, racial traits,
equipment, and m agic items. Every character is dif­
ferent, with various strengths and w eaknesses, so the
best party o f adventurers is one in w hich the characters
com plem ent each other and cover the w eaknesses of

their com panions. The adventurers must cooperate to that a captured scout reveal the secret entrance to the
successfully com plete the adventure. goblin lair, getting inform ation from a rescu ed prisoner,
pleading for mercy from an orc chieftain, or persuading
The adventure is the heart of the game, a story with a talkative m agic m irror to sh ow a distant location to
a beginning, a middle, and an end. An adventure might the adventurers.
be created by the D ungeon M aster or purchased off the
shelf, tw eaked and m odified to suit the D M ’s n eeds and The rules in chapters 7 and 8 support exploration and
desires. In either case, an adventure features a fantastic social interaction, as do many class features in chapter 3
setting, w hether it’s an u nderground dungeon, a cru m ­ and personality traits in chapter 4.
bling castle, a stretch o f w ildern ess, or a bustling city.
It features a rich cast o f characters: the adventurers Combat, the focu s o f chapter 9, involves characters
created and played by the other players at the table,
as well as nonplayer characters (NPCs). Those char­ and other creatures swinging weapons, casting spells,
acters might be patrons, allies, enemies, hirelings, or m aneuvering for position, and so on —all in an effort
just background extras in an adventure. Often, one of to defeat their opponents, w hether that m eans killing
the N PC s is a villain w hose agenda drives much o f an every enemy, taking captives, or forcing a rout. Combat
adventure’s action. is the most structured element o f a D&D session, with
creatures taking turns to m ake sure that everyone gets
Over the course o f their adventures, the characters a chance to act. Even in the context o f a pitched battle,
are confronted by a variety of creatures, objects, and there’s still plenty o f opportunity for adventurers to
situations that they must deal with in som e way. S o m e ­ attempt w acky stunts like surfing dow n a flight o f stairs
times the adventurers and other creatures do their on a shield, to exam ine the environment (perhaps by
best to kill or capture each other in com bat. At other pulling a m ysterious lever), and to interact with other
tim es, the adventurers talk to another creature (or even creatures, including allies, enem ies, and neutral parties.
a m agical object) with a goal in mind. And often, the
adventurers spend time trying to solve a puzzle, bypass T h e W o n d er s of M a g ic
an obstacle, find som ething hidden, or unravel the cur­
rent situation. M eanwhile, the adventurers explore the Few D&D adventures end without som ething magical
world, m aking decisions about which way to travel and happening. W hether helpful or harmful, m agic appears
w hat they’ll try to do next. frequently in the life o f an adventurer, and it is the focu s
o f chapters 10 and 11.
Adventures vary in length and complexity. A short
adventure might present only a few challenges, and In the w orlds o f D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s , practitioners
it m ight take no m ore than a single gam e session to o f m agic are rare, set apart from the m asses o f people
complete. A long adventure can involve hundreds of by their extraordinary talent. C om m on folk might see
com bats, interactions, and other challenges, and take eviden ce o f m agic on a regular basis, but it’s usually
dozens o f sessions to play through, stretching over m inor—a fantastic monster, a visibly answ ered prayer,
w eeks or m onths o f real time. Usually, the end o f an a w izard walking through the streets with an animated
adventure is marked by the adventurers heading back to shield guardian as a bodyguard.
civilization to rest and enjoy the spoils o f their labors.
For adventurers, though, m agic is key to their sur­
But that’s not the end o f the story. You can think o f vival. W ithout the healing m agic o f clerics and paladins,
an adventure as a single episode of a TV series, made adventurers w ould quickly succum b to their wounds.
up o f multiple exciting scenes. A cam paign is the whole Without the uplifting m agical support o f bards and
series—a string o f adventures join ed together, with a clerics, warriors might be overwhelmed by powerful
consistent group o f adventurers following the narrative foes. Without the sheer m agical pow er and versatility
from start to finish. of w izards and druids, every threat w ould be mag­
nified tenfold.
T h e T h ree P illa r s of A d v e n tu r e
M agic is also a favored tool o f villains. Many adven­
Adventurers can try to do anything their players can tures are driven by the machinations of spellcasters
im agine, but it can b e helpful to talk about their activ­ w ho are hellbent on using m agic for som e ill end. A cult
ities in three broad categories: exploration, social leader seeks to awaken a god w ho slum bers beneath
interaction, and combat. the sea, a hag kidnaps youths to m agically drain them
o f their vigor, a mad w izard labors to invest an army of
Exploration includes both the adventurers’ m ovem ent automatons with a facsim ile o f life, a dragon begins a
m ystical ritual to rise up as a god o f destruction—these
through the w orld and their interaction with objects and are just a few o f the m agical threats that adventurers
situations that require their attention. Exploration is the m ight face. W ith m agic o f their ow n, in the form o f
give-and-take o f the players describing what they want spells and m agic items, the adventurers might prevail!
their characters to do, and the D ungeon M aster telling
the players what happens as a result. On a large scale,
that might involve the characters spending a day cross­
ing a rolling plain or an hour making their way through
caverns underground. On the sm allest scale, it could
m ean one character pulling a lever in a dungeon room to
see what happens.

Social interaction features the adventurers talking to

som eon e (or som eth in g) else. It might m ean dem anding

C h a p t e r 1: St e p - b y - S t e p C h a r a c t e r s

OUR FIRST STEP IN PLAYING AN ADVENTURER IN THE cla sses (see step 2). For exam ple, the racial traits o f

D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e is to im agine lightfoot halflings m ake them exceptional rogues, and

and create a character of your own. Your high elves tend to be powerful wizards. Som etim es

character is a com bination o f game statistics, playing against type can be fun, too. Half-orc paladins

roleplaying hooks, and your imagination. You and mountain dwarf wizards, for example, can be

ch oose a race (such as human or halfling) and unusual but m em orable characters.

a class (such as fighter or wizard). You also Your race also increases one or m ore o f your ability

invent the personality, appearance, and backstory of scores, w hich you determ ine in step 3. Note these

your character. Once completed, your character serves in creases and rem em ber to apply them later.

as your representative in the game, your avatar in the R ecord the traits granted by your race on your

D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s world. character sheet. Be sure to note your starting

Before you dive into step 1 below, think about the languages and your base speed as well.

kind o f adventurer you w ant to play. You m ight be a B u il d in g B r u e n o r , St e p 1
courageous fighter, a skulking rogue, a fervent cleric, or B ob is sitting dow n to create his character. He decides
a flamboyant w izard. Or you might be m ore interested that a gru ff m ountain dw arf fits the character he w ants
in an unconventional character, such as a brawny rogue to play. He notes all the racial traits o f dw arves on his
w ho likes hand-to-hand combat, or a sharpshooter who character sheet, including his speed of 25 feet and the
picks off enem ies from afar. D o you like fantasy fiction languages he knows: Com m on and Dwarvish.
featuring dwarves or elves? Try building a character of

one o f those races. D o you want your character to be the 2. C h o o s e a C lass
toughest adventurer at the table? C on sider a class like

barbarian or paladin. If you don’t know w here else to Every adventurer is a m em ber of a class. Class broadly
begin, take a lo o k at the illustrations in this b o o k to see d escrib es a character’s vocation, w hat sp ecia l talents he

what catches your interest. or she possesses, and the tactics he or she is m ost likely
O nce you have a character in mind, follow these steps to em ploy when exploring a dungeon, fighting monsters,
or engaging in a tense negotiation. The character
in order, m aking decisions that reflect the character you cla sses are d escrib ed in chapter 3.
want. Your conception of your character might evolve

with each c h o ice you m ake. W h a t’s im portant is that you Your character receives a number of benefits from
co m e to the table w ith a character you ’re excited to play. your choice of class. Many of these benefits are class

Throughout this chapter, w e use the term character features—capabilities (including spellcasting) that set
sheet to m ean whatever you use to track your character, your character apart from m em bers of other classes.
w hether it’s a form al character sheet (like the on e at the You also gain a num ber o f proficiencies: armor,
end o f this book), som e form o f digital record, or a piece w eapons, skills, saving throws, and som etim es tools.
of notebook paper. An official D&D character sheet is a Your proficiencies define many o f the things your
fine place to start until you know what inform ation you character can do particularly well, from using certain
need and h ow you u se it during the gam e. w eapons to telling a convincing lie.

Bu il d in g B ru en o r On your character sheet, record all the features that
Each step o f character creation includes an example of your class gives you at 1st level.

that step, with a player nam ed B ob building his dw arf L evel

character, Bruenor. Typically, a character starts at 1st level and advances

1. C h o o s e a R a c e in level by adventuring and gaining experience points
(X P). A 1st-level character is in exp erien ced in the

Every character belongs to a race, one o f the many adventuring world, although he or she might have been
intelligent hum anoid sp ecies in the D&D world. The a soldier or a pirate and done dangerous things before.
m ost com m on player character races are dwarves, elves,
halflings, and humans. S om e races also have subraces, Starting off at 1st level m arks your character’s entry
such as mountain dw arf or w o o d elf. Chapter 2 provides into the adventuring life. If you’re already familiar
m ore inform ation about these races, as well as the less with the game, or if you are joining an existing D&D
w idespread races o f dragonborn, gnom es, half-elves, cam paign, your DM might d ecide to have you begin at a
half-orcs, and tieflings. higher level, on the assum ption that your character has
already survived a few harrowing adventures.

The race you c h o o s e contributes to your character’s

identity in an important way, by establishing a general Q u ick Bu ild
appearance and the natural talents gained from culture Each class description in chapter 3 includes a section
and ancestry. Your character’s race grants particular offering suggestions to quickly build a character o f that

racial traits, such as special senses, proficiency with class, including how to assign your highest ability scores,
certain w eapons or tools, proficiency in one or m ore a background suitable to the class, and starting spells.

skills, or the ability to use m inor spells. T hese traits

som etim es dovetail with the capabilities o f certain

PART 1 STEP-BY-STEP CHARACTERS

R e co rd your level on your character sheet. If you ’re At 1st level, your character has 1 Hit Die, and the
starting at a h igher level, record the additional elem ents die type is determ ined by your class. You start w ith hit
your class gives you for your levels past 1st. A lso record points equal to the h ighest roll o f that die, as indicated in
your exp erien ce points. A 1st-level character has 0 your class description. (You also add your Constitution
X P A higher-level character typically begins with the modifier, w h ich you ’ll determ ine in step 3.) T h is is also
m inim um amount o f X P required to reach that level your hit point maxim um .
(see “Beyond 1st Level” later in this chapter).
R e c o rd y ou r character’s hit points on your character
H it P o in t s a n d H it D ice sheet. A lso record the type o f Hit Die your character
Y our character’s hit points define h ow tough your uses and the num ber o f Hit D ice you have. After you
character is in com bat and other dangerous situations. rest, you can spend Hit D ice to regain hit points (see
Your hit points are determ ined by your Hit D ice (short “R estin g” in chapter 8).
for Hit Point Dice).
P r o f ic ie n c y B on u s
A b il it y S c o r e S u m m a r y The table that appears in your class description show s
your proficiency bonus, w h ich is +2 for a 1st-level
Strength character. Your proficiency bonus applies to many o f the
num bers y ou ’ll be record in g on your character sheet:
M easures: Natural athleticism, bodily power
• A ttack rolls using w ea p on s y ou ’re proficient with
Im p ortant for: Barbarian, fighter, paladin • Attack rolls with spells you cast
• Ability ch eck s using skills y ou ’re proficient in
Racial Increases: • Ability ch eck s using tools y ou ’re proficient with
• Saving th row s y ou ’re proficient in
Mountain dwarf (+2) Half-orc (+2) • Saving throw D C s for spells you cast (explained in

Dragonborn (+2) Human (+1) each spellcasting class)

Dexterity Your class determines your w eapon proficiencies,
your saving throw proficiencies, and som e o f your skill
M easures: Physical agility, reflexes, balance, poise and tool proficiencies. (Skills are d escrib ed in chapter 7,
tools in chapter 5.) Your background gives you additional
Im p ortant for: Monk, ranger, rogue skill and tool proficiencies, and som e races give
you m ore proficiencies. Be sure to note all o f these
Racial Increases: proficiencies, as well as your proficiency bonus, on your
character sheet.
Elf (+2) Forest gnome (+1)
Your proficiency bonus can’t be added to a single die
Halfling (+2) Human (+1) roll or other num ber m ore than once. Occasionally, your
proficiency bonus might be m odified (doubled or halved,
Constitution for exam ple) before you apply it. If a circu m stan ce
suggests that your proficiency bonus applies m ore than
M easures: Health, stamina, vital force on ce to the sa m e roll or that it sh ou ld be m ultiplied
m ore than on ce, you n evertheless add it only on ce,
Im portant for: Everyone multiply it only on ce, and halve it only on ce.

Racial Increases: B u il d in g B r u e n o r , Ste p 2
Bob im agines Bruenor charging into battle with an axe,
Dwarf (+2) Half-orc (+1) one horn on his helmet broken off. He m akes Bruenor a
fighter and notes the fighter’s proficien cies and 1st-level
Stout halfling (+1) Human (+1) class features on his character sheet.

Rock gnome (+1) A s a 1st-level fighter, B ru enor has 1 Hit D ie—a d 10—
and starts with hit poin ts equal to 10 + his Constitution
Intelligence modifier. B ob notes this, and w ill record the final
num ber after he determ ines B ru en or’s Constitution
M easures: Mental acuity, information recall, analytical skill sc o r e (see step 3). B ob a lso notes the proficiency bon u s
for a 1st-level character, w hich is +2.
Im p ortant for: Wizard
3 . D eterm in e A b ility Scores
Racial Increases:
Much o f what your character d oes in the gam e depends
High elf (+1) Tiefling (+1) on his or her six abilities: Strength, Dexterity,
Constitution, Intelligence, W isdom , and Charisma.
Gnome (+2) Human (+1) Each ability has a score, w hich is a num ber you record
on your character sheet.
W isdom
The six abilities and their use in the game are
M easures: A w aren e ss, intuition, insight describ ed in chapter 7. T h e Ability S c o r e S u m m ary
Im p ortan t for: Cleric, druid

Racial Increases: Human (+1)
Hill dwarf (+1)

Wood elf (+1)

Charisma

M easures: Confidence, eloquence, leadership

Im p ortant for: Bard, sorcerer, warlock

Racial Increases:

Half-elf (+2) Dragonborn (+1)

Drow (+1) Human (+1)

Lightfoot halfling (+1) Tiefling (+2)

table provides a quick reference for what qualities A b il it y S c o r e s a n d M o d if ie r s
are m easu red by each ability, w hat races in creases
which abilities, and what classes consider each ability Score Modifier Score Modifier
particularly important. 1 -5 16-17 +3
-4 18-19 +4
You generate your character's six ability scores 2-3 -3 20-21 +5
randomly. Roll four 6-sided dice and record the total of 4-5 -2 22-23 +6
the highest three dice on a piece of scratch paper. D o 6-7 -1 24-25 +7
this five m ore tim es, so that you have six num bers. If 8-9 +0 26-27 +8
you want to save time or don’t like the idea o f random ly 10-11 +1 28-29 +9
determ ining ability scores, you can use the follow ing 12-13 +2
s c o r e s instead: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. 14-15 30 +10

N ow take your six num bers and write each number average and nearly equal (13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 12), or any
b eside on e o f your character’s six abilities to assign set of numbers between those extremes.
scores to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence,
W isdom , and Charisma. Afterward, make any changes 4 . D escrib e Y o u r C h a r a c te r
to your ability scores as a result o f your race choice.
Once you know the basic game aspects of your
After assigning your ability scores, determine character, it’s tim e to flesh him or her out as a person.
your ability modifiers using the Ability S co re s and Your character needs a name. Spend a few minutes
M odifiers table. To determine an ability modifier without thinking about what he or she looks like and how he or
consulting the table, subtract 10 from the ability score she behaves in general terms.
and then divide the result by 2 (round down). Write the
modifier next to each of your scores. Using the inform ation in chapter 4, you can flesh out
your character’s physical appearan ce and personality
B u il d in g B r u e n o r , St e p 3 traits. C h oose your character’s alignment (the m oral
B ob d ecid es to u se the standard set o f s c o r e s (15, 14, com pass that guides his or her decisions) and ideals.
13, 12, 10, 8) for B ru enor’s abilities. S in ce h e’s a fighter, Chapter 4 also helps you identify the things your
he puts his highest score, 15, in Strength. His next- character holds m ost dear, called bonds, and the flaws
highest, 14, g oes in Constitution. B ruenor m ight be a that cou ld one day u nderm ine him or her.
brash fighter, but B ob decides he wants the dw arf to
be older, wiser, and a good leader, so he puts decent Your character’s background d escrib es w here he or
scores in W isdom and Charisma. After applying his she cam e from, his or her original occupation, and the
racial benefits (in creasin g B ru en or’s Constitution by character’s place in the D & D w orld. Your DM might
2 and his Strength by 2), B ru en or’s ability s c o r e s and offer additional backgrounds beyond the ones included
m odifiers look like this: Strength 17 (+3), Dexterity 10
(+0), Constitution 16 (+3), Intelligence 8 (-1), W isd om 13
(+1), C harism a 12 (+1).

B ob fills in B ru enor's final hit points: 10 + his
Constitution m odifier o f +3, for a total o f 13 hit points.

Va r ia n t : C u st o m izin g A b il it y Scores
At your D u n geon M aster’s option, you can use this
variant for determ ining your ability scores. The m ethod
described here allows you to build a character with a set
o f ability scores you ch oose individually.

You have 27 points to spend on your ability scores.
The cost o f each score is show n on the Ability S core
Point Cost table. For example, a score o f 14 costs 7
points. Using this method, 15 is the highest ability score
you can end up with, before applying racial increases.
You can’t have a score low er than 8.

This m ethod o f determ ining ability scores enables
you to create a set o f three high num bers and three low
on es (15, 15, 15, 8, 8, 8), a set o f num bers that are above

A b il it y S c o r e P o in t C o st
Score Cost
Score Cost
8 0 12 4
5
91 13 7
9
10 2 14

11 3 15























































thieves, or crim e lords. Som etim es they live am ong Mutual M istru st
other minority populations in enclaves w here they are People tend to be suspicious of tieflings, assuming that
treated with m ore respect. their infernal heritage has left its mark on their personality
and morality, not just their appearance. Shopkeepers keep
Lacking a homeland, tieflings know that they have a close eye on their goods when tieflings enter their stores,
to m ake their ow n w ay in the w orld and that they have the town watch might follow a tiefling around for a while,
to be strong to survive. They are not quick to trust and demagogues blame tieflings for strange happenings.
anyone w h o claim s to b e a friend, but w hen a tiefling’s The reality, though, is that a tiefling’s bloodline doesn’t affect
com p a n ion s dem onstrate that they trust him or her, his or her personality to any great degree. Years o f dealing
the tiefling learns to extend the sam e trust to them. with mistrust does leave its mark on most tieflings, and they
And on ce a tiefling gives som eon e loyalty, the tiefling respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to the
is a firm friend or ally for life. wicked stereotype, but others are virtuous. Most are simply
very aware of how people respond to them. After dealing with
T ieflin g N am es this mistrust throughout youth, a tiefling often develops the
ability to overcome prejudice through charm or intimidation.
Tiefling nam es fall into three broad categories. Tieflings
born into another culture typically have nam es reflective T ieflin g T raits
o f that culture. S om e have nam es derived from the
Infernal language, passed dow n through generations, Tieflings share certain racial traits as a result o f their
that reflect their fiendish heritage. And som e younger infernal descent.
tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a
nam e that signifies a virtue or other concept and then Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score
try to em body that concept. For som e, the chosen nam e in creases by 1, and your C harism a sc o r e in crea ses by 2.
is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny.
Age. Tieflings m ature at the sam e rate as hum ans but
Male Infernal Names: A km enos, Am non, Barakas, live a few years longer.
Dam akos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon, Leucis, Melech,
Mordai, M orthos, Pelaios, Skam os, Therai Alignment. Tieflings m ight not have an innate
tendency toward evil, but many o f them end up there.
Female Infernal Names: Akta, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella, Evil or not, an independent nature inclines many
Damaia, Ea, Kallista, Lerissa, Makaria, Nemeia, tieflings toward a chaotic alignment.
Orianna, Phelaia, Rieta
Size. Tieflings are about the sam e size and build as
“Virtue” Names: Art, Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, humans. Your size is Medium.
Excellence, Fear, Glory, Hope, Ideal, Music, Nowhere,
Open, Poetry, Quest, Random, Reverence, Sorrow, Speed. Your base w alkin g sp eed is 30 feet.
Temerity, Torment, W eary Darkvision. T hanks to your infernal heritage, you
have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You
can see in dim light w ithin 60 feet o f you as if it w ere
bright light, and in darkn ess as if it w ere dim light. You
c a n ’t discern color in darkness, only sh ades o f gray.
Hellish Resistance. You have resistance
to fire damage.
Infernal Legacy. You kn ow the thaumaturgy cantrip.
O nce you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish
rebuke spell once per day as a 2nd-level spell. O nce you
reach 5th level, you can also cast the darkness spell
o n ce per day. C harism a is your sp ellcastin g ability for
these spells.
Languages. You can speak, read, and w rite C om m on
and Infernal.

C h apter 3: C lasses Your class gives you a variety of special features, such
as a fighter’s m astery o f w ea p on s and armor, and a
DAVENTURERS ARE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, w iza rd ’s spells. At low levels, your class gives you only
driven by a thirst for excitement into a tw o or three features, but as you advance in level you
life that others w ould never dare lead. gain m ore and your existing features often improve.
They are heroes, com pelled to explore the Each class entry in this chapter includes a table
su m m arizin g the benefits you gain at every level, and
dark places o f the w orld and take on the a detailed explanation of each one.
challenges that lesser w om en and men
can’t stand against. Adventurers som etim es advance in m ore than one
Class is the primary definition of what your character class. A rogue might switch direction in life and sw ear
can do. It’s m ore than a profession; it’s your character’s the oath o f a paladin. A barbarian m ight discover latent
calling. Class shapes the way you think about the m agical ability and dabble in the sorcerer class w hile
w orld and interact with it and your relationship with continuing to advance as a barbarian. Elves are known
other p eop le and p ow ers in the m ultiverse. A fighter, to com bine martial mastery with m agical training
for example, might view the w orld in pragmatic terms and advance as fighters and w izards simultaneously.
of strategy and maneuvering, and see herself as just a Optional rules for com bining classes in this way, called
pawn in a much larger game. A cleric, by contrast, might m ulticlassing, appear in chapter 6.
see h im self as a w illing servant in a g o d ’s u nfolding plan
or a conflict brew ing am ong various deities. W hile the Twelve classes—listed in the C lasses table—are found
fighter has contacts in a m ercenary com pany or army, in alm ost every D&D w orld and define the spectrum of
the cleric might know a num ber o f priests, paladins, and typical adventurers.
devotees w ho share his faith.

Classes

Class Description Hit Primary Saving Throw Armor and Weapon
Barbarian A fierce warrior of primitive background Die Ability Proficiencies Proficiencies
who can enter a battle rage d12 Strength Strength & Light and medium armor, shields,
Bard An inspiring magician whose power Constitution simple and martial weapons
echoes the music of creation d8 Charisma Dexterity & Light armor, simple weapons, hand
Charisma crossbows, longswords, rapiers,
Cleric A priestly champion who wields divine d8 Wisdom shortswords
Druid magic in service of a higher power d8 Wisdom Wisdom & Light and medium armor, shields,
A priest o f the Old Faith, wielding the Charisma simple weapons
Fighter powers of nature— moonlight and d10 Strength or Intelligence Light and medium armor (nonmetal),
Monk plant growth, fire and lightning— and d8 Dexterity &Wisdom shields (nonmetal), clubs, daggers,
adopting animal forms d10 Dexterity & darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs,
Paladin A master o f martial combat, skilled with Wisdom Strength & scimitars, sickles, slings, spears
Ranger a variety o f weapons and armor Strength & Constitution All armor, shields, simple and martial
An master of martial arts, harnessing Charisma Strength & weapons
Rogue the power of the body in pursuit of Dexterity & Dexterity Simple weapons, shortswords
physical and spiritual perfection Wisdom
Sorcerer A holy warrior bound to a sacred oath Dexterity Wisdom & All armor, shields, simple and martial
Warlock Charisma weapons
Wizard A warrior who uses martial prowess and d10 Charisma Strength & Light and medium armor, shields,
nature magic to combat threats on the Charisma Dexterity simple and martial weapons
edges of civilization d8 Intelligence
A scoundrel who uses stealth and Dexterity & Light armor, simple weapons, hand
trickery to overcome obstacles and d6 Intelligence crossbows, longswords, rapiers,
enemies d8 shortswords
A spellcaster who draws on inherent d6 Constitution Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs,
magic from a gift or bloodline & Charisma light crossbows
A wielder of magic that is derived from Wisdom & Light armor, simple weapons
a bargain with an extraplanar entity Charisma
A scholarly magic-user capable of Intelligence Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs,
manipulating the structures of reality & Wisdom light crossbows

A tall human tribesm an strides through a blizzard,
draped in fur and hefting his axe. He laughs as he
charges toward the frost giant w ho dared poach his
p eop le’s elk herd.

A half-orc snarls at the latest challen ger to her
authority over their savage tribe, ready to break his neck
with her bare hands as she did to the last six rivals.

Frothing at the mouth, a d w arf slam s his helm et into
the face of his drow foe, then turns to drive his arm ored
elbow into the gut o f another.

T hese barbarians, different as they m ight be, are
defined by their rage: unbridled, unquenchable, and
unthinking fury. M ore than a m ere em otion, their anger
is the ferocity o f a cornered predator, the unrelenting
assault o f a storm, the churning turmoil o f the sea.

For som e, their rage springs from a com m union
with fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling
reservoir o f anger at a w orld full o f pain. For every
barbarian, rage is a pow er that fuels not just a battle
frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, and
feats of strength.

P r im a l In st in c t

People o f tow ns and cities take pride in how their
civilized ways set them apart from animals, as if
denying one’s ow n nature w as a m ark o f superiority. To
a barbarian, though, civilization is no virtue, but a sign
of w eakness. The strong em brace their animal n atu re-
keen instincts, primal physicality, and ferocious rage.
Barbarians are uncom fortable when hedged in by walls
and crow ds. They thrive in the w ilds o f their hom elands:
the tundra, jungle, or grasslands w here their tribes
live and hunt.

Barbarians com e alive in the chaos o f combat.
They can enter a berserk state where rage takes over,
giving them superhuman strength and resilience. A
barbarian can draw on this reservoir o f fury only a few
times without resting, but those few rages are usually
sufficient to defeat whatever threats arise.

A L ife o f D a n g e r

Not every m em ber o f the tribes deem ed “barbarians”
by scions o f civilized society has the barbarian class. A
true barbarian am ong these people is as uncom m on as
a skilled fighter in a town, and he or she plays a similar
role as a protector o f the people and a leader in times
of war. Life in the w ild places o f the w orld is fraught
with peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying

T h e B a r b a r ia n

Level Proficiency Rages Rage W hat led you to take up the adventuring life? W ere you
1st Bonus Features 2 Damage lured to settled lands by the prom ise o f riches? Did you
+2 Rage, Unarmored join forces with soldiers of those lands to face a shared
2nd Defense 2 +2 threat? Did m onsters or an invading horde drive you
+2 Reckless Attack, out of your homeland, making you a rootless refugee?
3rd Danger Sense 3 +2 Perhaps y ou w ere a prison er o f war, brought in chains to
4th +2 Primal Path 3 “civilized” lands and only now able to win your freedom .
+2 Ability Score +2 Or you might have been cast out from your people
5th Improvement 3 +2 because o f a crim e you committed, a taboo you violated,
+3 Extra Attack, or a coup that rem oved you from a position o f authority.
6th Fast Movement 4 +2
7th +3 Path feature 4 Q u ic k Bu il d
8th +3 Feral Instinct 4 +2 You can make a barbarian quickly by following these
+3 Ability Score +2 su ggestion s. First, put your highest ability s c o r e in
9th Improvement 4 +2 Strength, follow ed by Constitution. Secon d, ch oose the
+4 Brutal Critical outlander background.
10th (1 die) 4 +3
11th +4 Path feature 4 C lass Features
12th +4 Relentless Rage 5 +3
+4 Ability Score +3 As a barbarian, you gain the following class features.
13th Improvement 5 +3
+5 Brutal Critical H it P o in t s
14th (2 dice) 5 +3 Hit Dice: 1d 12 per barbarian level
15th +5 Path feature 5 Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution m odifier
16th +5 Persistent Rage 5 +3 Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d 12 (or 7) + your
+5 Ability Score +3
17th Improvement 6 +4 Constitution m odifier per barbarian level after 1st
+6 Brutal Critical
18th (3 dice) 6 +4 P r o f ic ie n c ie s
+6 Indomitable Armor: Light armor, m edium armor, shields
19th Might 6 +4 Weapons: Sim ple weapons, martial w eapons
+6 Ability Score Tools: None
20th Improvement Unlimited +4
+6 Primal Champion Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
+4 Skills: C hoose two from Anim al Handling, Athletics,

m onsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival
s o that their p eople d on ’t have to.

Their courage in the face o f danger m akes barbarians
perfectly suited for adventuring. W andering is often a
way o f life for their native tribes, and the rootless life o f
the adventurer is little hardship for a barbarian. S om e
barbarians m iss the close-knit family structures o f the
tribe, but eventually find them replaced by the bonds
form ed am ong the m em bers of their adventuring parties.

C r eatin g a Ba r b a r ia n

W hen creating a barbarian character, think about where
your character com es from and his or her place in the
world. Talk with your DM about an appropriate origin
for your barbarian. Did you com e from a distant land,
m aking you a stranger in the area of the cam paign?
Or is the cam paign set in a rough-and-tumble frontier
where barbarians are com m on?

Equ ipm en t U n arm ored D efense
Y ou sta rt w ith th e fo llo w in g eq u ip m en t, in a d d itio n to
the equip m en t gran ted by yo u r backgroun d : W hile you are not wearing any armor, your Arm or Class
equals 10 + your Dexterity m odifier + your Constitution
• (a) a greataxe or (b) any m artial m elee w eapon modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.
• (a) tw o handaxes or (b) any sim ple w eapon
• A n exp lorer’s pack and four javelins R eckless A tta ck

R age Starting at 2nd level, you can th row aside all con cern
for defense to attack with fierce desperation. W hen
In battle, you fight with prim al ferocity. O n your turn, you m ake your first attack on your turn, you can decide
you can enter a rage as a bonus action. to attack recklessly. D oing so gives you advantage on
m elee w eapon attack rolls using Strength during this
W hile raging, you gain the follow ing benefits if you turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until
aren’t w earing heavy armor: your next turn.

• You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength D a n g e r Sense
saving throws.
At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sen se o f when things
• W hen you make a melee weapon attack using nearby aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge
Strength, you gain a bonus to the dam age roll that when you dodge away from danger.
increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown
in the R age D am age colu m n o f the Barbarian table. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws
against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells.
• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or
slashing damage. incapacitated.

If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or P r i m a l Pa t h
concentrate on them while raging.
At 3rd level, you ch oose a path that shapes the nature of
Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are your rage. C hoose the Path of the Berserker or the Path
knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you o f the Totem W arrior, both detailed at the end o f the
haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn class description. Your ch oice grants you features at 3rd
or taken dam age since then. You can also end your rage level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
on your turn as a bonus action.

O nce you have raged the num ber o f tim es shown
for your barbarian level in the R ages colum n o f the
Barbarian table, you must finish a long rest before you
can rage again.

A b il it y Sco r e Im pr o v e m e n t barbarians attribute their rage to different sources,
however. F or som e, it is an internal reservoir w here
W h en you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, pain, grief, and anger are forged into a fury hard as
and 19th level, you can increase one ability score o f your steel. O thers se e it as a spiritual blessing, a gift o f
choice by 2, or you can increase tw o ability scores of a totem animal.
your ch oice by 1. A s norm al, you ca n ’t in crease an ability
score above 20 using this feature. Pa t h o f t h e B e r s e r k e r

Extra A ttack For som e barbarians, rage is a m eans to an end-—that
end being violence. The Path o f the Berserker is a path
B egin ning at 5th level, you can attack tw ice, instead of of untram m eled fury, slick with blood. A s you enter
once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. the berserker’s rage, you thrill in the chaos o f battle,
heedless o f your ow n health or well-being.
Fa s t M o v e m e n t
Frenzy
Starting at 5th level, your sp eed in creases by 10 feet Starting w hen you c h o o s e this path at 3rd level, you
while you aren’t w earing heavy armor. can go into a frenzy w hen you rage. If you do so, for
the duration of your rage you can make a single melee
F e r a l In st in c t w eapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns
after this one. W hen your rage ends, you suffer one level
By 7th level, your instincts are so honed that you have o f exhaustion (as described in appendix A).
advantage on initiative rolls.
M indless R age
Additionally, if you are su rprised at the begin ning o f B egin ning at 6th level, you ca n ’t be ch a rm ed or
com bat and aren’t incapacitated, you can act n orm ally frightened while raging. If you are charm ed or
on your first turn, but only if you enter your rage before frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is
doing anything else on that turn. suspended for the duration of the rage.

B r u tal C r it ic a l In tim id a tin g Presence
B egin ning at 10th level, you can use your action to
B egin ning at 9th level, you ca n roll one additional frighten som eone with your m enacing presence.
weapon dam age die when determining the extra W hen you do so, ch oose one creature that you can see
dam age for a critical hit w ith a m elee attack. within 30 feet of you. If the creature can see or hear
you, it m ust su cce e d on a W isd om saving th row (D C
T h is in crea ses to tw o additional dice at 13th level equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma
and three additional dice at 17th level. modifier) or be frightened o f you until the end o f your
next turn. On subsequent turns, you can use your action
R elentless R age to extend the duration o f this effect on the frightened

Starting at 11th level, your rage can keep you fighting
despite grievous w ou n ds. If you drop to 0 hit points
w hile y ou ’re raging and don ’t die outright, you can m ake
a D C 10 Constitution saving throw. If you su cceed, you
drop to 1 hit point instead.

Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC
increases by 5. W hen you finish a short or long rest, the
D C resets to 10.

P e r siste n t R age

B egin ning at 15th level, your rage is s o fierce that
it en ds early only if you fall u n con sciou s or if you
c h o o s e to end it.

In d o m it a b l e M ig h t

B egin ning at 18th level, if your total for a Strength
check is less than your Strength score, you can use that
score in place o f the total.

P r im a l C h a m pio n

At 20th level, you em body the pow er of the w ilds. Your
Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your
m axim um for those scores is now 24.

P r i m a l Pa t h s

R a ge bu rn s in every barbarian’s heart, a furnace
that drives him or her toward greatness. Different

creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends Your totem animal might be an animal related to those
if the creature ends its turn out o f line o f sight or m ore listed here but m ore appropriate to your homeland.
than 60 feet away from you. F or exam ple, you cou ld c h o o s e a hawk or vulture in
place o f an eagle.
If the creature su cceed s on its saving throw, you can't
use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours. Bear. W h ile raging, you have resistan ce to all dam age
except psychic damage. The spirit o f the bear m akes you
R etaliation tough enough to stand up to any punishment.
Starting at 14th level, w hen you take dam age from
a creature that is within 5 feet o f you. you can use Eagle. W hile you're raging and aren’t w earing
your reaction to make a m elee w eapon attack against heavy armor, other creatures have disadvantage on
that creature. opportunity attack rolls against you, and you can use the
Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. The spirit
Pa t h o f t h e T o t e m W a r r io r of the eagle m akes you into a predator w ho can weave
through the fray with ease.
The Path o f the Totem W arrior is a spiritual journey, as
the barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, Wolf, W h ile you're raging, your friends have
and inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature
with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your within 5 feet o f you that is hostile to you. The spirit of
barbarian rage. the w olf m akes you a leader o f hunters.

Most barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be A spect of th e Beast
kin to a particular clan. In such ca ses, it is unusual for At 6th level, you gain a m agical benefit based on the
an individual to have m ore than one totem anim al spirit, totem animal o f your choice. You can ch oose the sam e
though exceptions exist. anim al you selected at 3rd level or a different one.

Spir it Seeker Bear. You gain the m ight o f a bear. Your carryin g
Yours is a path that seeks attunement with the natural capacity (including m axim um load and m axim um lift)
world, giving you a kinship with beasts. At 3rd level when is doubled, and you have advantage on Strength checks
you adopt this path, you gain the ability to cast the beast m ade to push, pull, lift, or break objects.
sense and speak with animals spells, but only as rituals,
as described in chapter 10. Eagle. You gain the eyesight o f an eagle. You can
see up to 1 mile away with no difficulty, able to discern
T o te m Spir it even fine details as though look in g at som eth in g no
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you ch oose a m ore than 100 feet away from you. Additionally, dim
totem spirit and gain its feature. You must m ake or light doesn't im pose disadvantage on your W isdom
acquire a physical totem object- an amulet or similar (Perception) checks.
adornm ent—that incorporates fur or feathers, claws,
teeth, or bones o f the totem animal. At your option, you Wolf, You gain the hunting sensibilities o f a w olf. You
also gain m inor physical attributes that are rem iniscent can track other creatu res w hile traveling at a fast pace,
o f your totem spirit. For example, if you have a bear and you can m ove stealthily w hile traveling at a norm al
totem spirit, you might be unusually hairy and thick- pace (see chapter 8 for rules on travel pace).
skinned, or if your totem is the eagle, your eyes turn
bright yellow. Sp ir it W a l k e r
At 10th level, you can cast the commune with nature
spell, but only as a ritual. W hen you do so, a spiritual
version o f one o f the anim als you chose for Totem Spirit
or Aspect o f the Beast appears to you to convey the
information you seek.

T otem ic A ttu n e m e n t
At 14th level, you gain a m agical benefit based on a
totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same
animal you selected previously or a different one.

Bear, W h ile you ’re raging, any creature within 5 feet
o f you that’s hostile to you has disadvantage on attack
rolls against targets other than you or another character
with this feature. An enem y is im m u ne to this effect if it
ca n ’t see or hear you or if it ca n ’t b e frightened.

Eagle. W h ile raging, you have a flying sp eed equal to
your current w alk in g speed. T h is benefit w ork s only in
short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and
nothing else is holding you aloft.

Wolf. W h ile y ou ’re raging, you can u se a bon u s action
on your turn to knock a Large or sm aller creature prone
w hen you hit it with m elee w eapon attack.

Ba r d

H um m ing as she traces her fingers over an ancient
m onum ent in a long-forgotten ruin, a half-elf in rugged
leathers finds knowledge springing into her mind,
conjured forth by the m agic o f her song—knowledge
o f the people w ho constructed the monument and the
m ythic saga it depicts.

A stern human warrior bangs his sw ord rhythmically
against his scale mail, setting the tem po for his war chant
and exhorting his com panions to bravery and heroism.
The m agic of his song fortifies and em boldens them.

Laughing as she tunes her cittern, a gnom e w eaves
her subtle m agic over the assem bled nobles, ensuring
that her com panions’ w ords w ill be well received.

W hether scholar, skald, or scoundrel, a bard weaves
m agic through w ords and m usic to inspire allies,
dem oralize foes, manipulate minds, create
illusions, and even heal wounds.

M u sic a n d M a g ic

In the w orlds o f D&D, w ords and m usic are
not just vibrations o f air, but v ocalization s with
pow er all their own. The bard is a master o f song,
speech, and the m agic they contain. Bards say
that the multiverse w as spoken into existence, that the
w ord s o f the g od s gave it shape, and that e c h o e s o f these
prim ordial W ords o f Creation still resound throughout
the cosm os. The m usic o f bards is an attempt to snatch
and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their
spells and powers.

The greatest strength of bards is their sheer
versatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the sidelines
in com bat, using their m agic to inspire their allies and
hinder their foes from a distance. But bards are capable
o f defending them selves in m elee if necessary, using
their m agic to bolster their sw ords and armor. Their
spells lean toward charm s and illusions rather than
blatantly destructive spells. They have a wide-ranging
know ledge o f many subjects and a natural aptitude
that lets them do alm ost anything well. Bards becom e
m asters o f the talents they set their m inds to perfecting,
from m usical perform ance to esoteric knowledge.

L e a r n in g fr o m E x pe r ie n ce

True bards are not com m on in the world. Not every
m instrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal
cou rt is a bard. D iscoverin g the m agic hidden in m usic
requires hard study and som e m easure o f natural talent
that m ost troubadours and jon g leu rs lack. It can be hard
to spot the difference between these perform ers and true
bards, though. A bard’s life is spent w andering across
the land gathering lore, telling stories, and living on the
gratitude o f audiences, much like any other entertainer.
But a depth o f knowledge, a level of musical skill, and a
touch of m agic set bards apart from their fellows.

Only rarely do bards settle in one place for long, and
their natural desire to travel—to find n ew tales to tell,
new skills to learn, and new discoveries beyond the
horizon—m akes an adventuring career a natural calling.
Every adventure is an opportunity to learn, practice a
variety of skills, enter long-forgotten tombs, discover lost

w orks o f magic, decipher old tom es, travel to strange Q u ic k Bu ild
places, or encounter exotic creatures. Bards love to You can make a bard quickly by
accom pany heroes to w itness their deeds firsthand. A follow ing these suggestions. First,
bard w ho can tell an awe-inspiring story from personal Charisma should be your highest
experience earns renown am ong other bards. Indeed, ability score, follow ed by Dexterity.
after telling so many stories about heroes accom plishing Second, choose the entertainer
mighty deeds, many bards take these them es to heart background. Third, ch o o s e the dancing lights and
and assume heroic roles themselves. vicious m ockery cantrips, along with the follow ing
1st-level spells: charm person, detect magic, healing
C r e a t in g a B ar d word, and thunderwave.

Bards thrive on stories, whether those stories are true C lass Features
or not. Your character’s back grou n d and m otivations
are not as im portant as the stories that he or she tells As a bard, you gain the following class features.
about them. Perhaps you had a secure and mundane
ch ildh ood . T h ere’s no g o o d story to be told about that, H it Points
so you might paint yourself as an orphan raised by a hag Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard level
in a dism al sw am p. Or your ch ild h ood m ight be w orthy Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution m odifier
of a story. S om e bards acquire their m agical music Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your
through extraordinary means, including the inspiration
of fey or other supernatural creatures. Constitution m odifier per bard level after 1st

Did you serve an apprenticeship, studying under a P roficiencies
master, follow ing the m ore experienced bard until you Armor: Light arm or
w ere ready to strike out on your ow n? Or did you attend Weapons: Simple w eapons, hand crossbow s,
a college w here you studied bardic lore and practiced
your musical magic? Perhaps you were a young runaway longswords, rapiers, shortswords
or orphan, befriended by a wandering bard w ho becam e Tools: Three m usical instruments o f your choice
your mentor. Or you might have been a spoiled noble
child tutored by a master. Perhaps you stum bled into the Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
clutches o f a hag, m akin g a bargain for a m usical gift in Skills: Choose any three
addition to your life and freedom , but at w hat cost?
Equ ipm en t
You start with the follow ing equipment, in addition to
the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a rapier, (b) a lon gsw ord, or (c) any sim ple w eapon
• (a) a diplom at’s pack or (b) an entertainer's pack
• (a) a lute or (b) any other m usical instrum ent
• Leather armor and a dagger

Sp e l l c a st in g

You have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of
reality in harmony with your w ishes and music. Your
spells are part o f your vast repertoire, m agic that you
can tune to different situations. S e e chapter 10 for the
general rules o f spellcasting and chapter 11 for the
bard spell list.

C antrips
You know two cantrips of your choice from the bard
spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips o f your
ch oice at higher levels, as sh ow n in the Cantrips K now n
colum n o f the Bard table.