Player Handbook

O verchannel choice. The cantrip doesn’t count against your number
Starting at 14th level, you can in crease the pow er o f of cantrips known.
your simpler spells. W hen you cast a wizard spell of
5th level or lower that deals damage, you can deal W h en you cast minor illusion, you can create both a
m axim um dam age with that spell. sound and an im age with a single casting o f the spell.

The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. M a l l e a b l e I llu sio n s
If you use this feature again before you finish a long Starting at 6th level, w hen you cast an illusion spell that
rest, you take 2 d 12 necrotic dam age for each level of has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can use your
the spell, im m ediately after you cast it. E ach tim e you action to change the nature o f that illusion (using the
use this feature again before finishing a long rest, the sp ell’s n orm al param eters for the illusion), provided that
n ecrotic dam age per spell level in creases by 1d 12. This you can see the illusion.
dam age ignores resistance and immunity.
Illu so ry Self
S c h o o l of Illu sio n B egin ning at 10th level, you can create an illusory
duplicate o f yourself as an instant, almost instinctual
You focus your studies on m agic that dazzles the reaction to danger. W hen a creature m akes an attack
senses, befuddles the mind, and tricks even the w isest roll against you, you can use your reaction to interpose
folk. Your m agic is subtle, but the illusions crafted by the illusory duplicate betw een the attacker and
your keen m ind make the im possible seem real. Som e yourself. The attack automatically m isses you, then the
illusionists—including m any gnom e w izards—are illusion dissipates.
benign tricksters w ho use their spells to entertain.
Others are m ore sinister masters of deception, using O nce you u se this feature, you ca n ’t u se it again until
their illusions to frighten and fool others for their you finish a short or long rest.
personal gain.
Illu so ry R e a l it y
Il l u sio n Sa v a n t By 14th level, you have learned the secret o f w eaving
B egin ning w hen you select this sch o o l at 2nd level, the shadow m agic into your illusions to give them a sem i-
gold and time you must spend to copy an illusion spell reality. W h en you cast an illusion spell o f 1st level or
into your spellbook is halved. higher, you can ch oose one inanimate, nonm agical
object that is part o f the illusion and m ake that object
I m pr o v e d M in o r Illu sio n real. You can do this on your turn as a bonus action
W h en you c h o o s e this sch ool at 2nd level, you learn while the spell is ongoing. The object rem ains real for
the minor illusion cantrip. If you already k n ow this 1 minute. For example, you can create an illusion o f a
cantrip, you learn a different w izard cantrip o f your bridge over a chasm and then m ake it real long en ough
for your allies to cross.

The object can’t deal dam age or otherwise
directly harm anyone.

Sch ool of N ecrom an cy

The School of N ecrom ancy explores the cosm ic forces
o f life, death, and undeath. A s you focus your studies in
this tradition, you learn to manipulate the energy that
anim ates all living things. As you progress, you learn to
sap the life force from a creature as your m agic destroys
its body, transform ing that vital energy into m agical
pow er you can manipulate.

Most people see necrom ancers as menacing, or even
villainous, due to the close association with death.
Not all necrom ancers are evil, but the forces they
manipulate are considered taboo by many societies.

N e c r o m a n c y Sa va n t
B egin ning w hen you select this sch o o l at 2nd level, the
gold and time you must spend to copy a necrom ancy
spell into your spellbook is halved.

G r im H a r v e st
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to reap life energy from
creatures you kill with your spells. O nce per turn when
you kill one or m ore creatures w ith a spell of 1st level
or higher, you regain hit poin ts equal to tw ice the sp ell’s
level, or three tim es its level if the spell b elon gs to the
S ch ool o f N ecrom ancy. You don ’t gain this benefit for
killing constructs or undead.

U ndead T hralls you spend perform ing the procedure, you can transform
At 6th level, you add the animate dead spell to your up to 1 cubic foot o f material. After 1 hour, or until you
sp ellb ook if it is not there already. W h en you cast lose your concentration (as if you w ere concentrating on
animate dead, you can target one additional corp se a spell), the material reverts to its original substance.
or pile of bones, creating another zom bie or skeleton,
as appropriate. T r a n s m u t e r ’s St o n e
Starting at 6th level, you can spend 8 hours creating a
W henever you create an undead using a necrom ancy transm uter’s stone that stores transmutation m agic. You
spell, it has additional benefits: can benefit from the stone y ou rself or give it to another
creature. A creature gains a benefit of your choice
• T h e creatu re’s hit point m axim u m is in creased by an as long as the stone is in the creature’s possession.
am ount equal to your w izard level. W hen you create the stone, ch oose the benefit from the
following options:
• T h e creature adds your proficiency bon u s to its
w eapon dam age rolls. • Darkvision out to a range o f 60 feet, as described in
chapter 8
Inured to U ndeath
B egin n in g at 10th level, you have resistan ce to n ecrotic • An increase to speed o f 10 feet w hile the creature is
dam age, and your hit point m axim u m can't be reduced. u nencum bered
You have spent so much time dealing with undead and
the forces that anim ate them that you have b ecom e • Proficiency in Constitution saving throws
inured to som e of their w orst effects. • R esistan ce to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder

C om m and Undead damage (your choice whenever you ch oose this
Starting at 14th level, you can use m a gic to bring benefit)
undead under your control, even those created by other
w izards. A s an action, you can ch oose one undead that Each time you cast a transmutation spell o f 1st level
you can see within 60 feet of you. That creature must or higher, you can change the effect o f your stone if the
make a Charisma saving throw against your wizard stone is on your person.
spell save DC. If it su cceed s, you ca n ’t u se this feature
on it again. If it fails, it b e c o m e s friendly to you and If you create a n ew transm uter’s stone, the previous
obeys your com m ands until you use this feature again. one ceases to function.

Intelligent undead are harder to control in this way. Sh a p e c h a n g e r
If the target has an Intelligence o f 8 or higher, it has At 10th level, you add the polymorph spell to your
advantage on the saving throw. If it fails the saving sp ellbook , if it is not there already. You can cast
th row and h as an Intelligence o f 12 or higher, it can polymorph without expending a spell slot. W h en you
repeat the saving th row at the end o f every h our until it do so, you can target only yourself and transform into a
succeeds and breaks free. beast w hose challenge rating is 1 or lower.

Sch o o l of T ran sm u tatio n O nce you cast polymorph in this way, you ca n ’t do so
again until you finish a short or long rest, though you
You are a student of spells that m odify energy and matter. can still cast it n orm ally using an available spell slot.
To you, the w orld is not a fixed thing, but eminently
mutable, and you delight in being an agent o f change. M aster T ransm uter
You wield the raw stuff o f creation and learn to alter both Starting at 14th level, you can u se your action to
physical form s and mental qualities. Your m agic gives consum e the reserve of transmutation m agic stored
you the tools to b e co m e a smith on reality’s forge. w ithin your transm uter’s stone in a single burst. W hen
you do so, choose one of the following effects. Your
Som e transmuters are tinkerers and pranksters, transm uter’s stone is destroyed and ca n ’t be rem ade
turning people into toads and transform ing copper into until you finish a long rest.
silver for fun and occasional profit. Others pursue their
m agical studies with deadly seriousness, seeking the Major Transformation. You can transm ute one
pow er o f the gods to m ake and destroy worlds. n on m agica l ob ject—no larger than a 5-foot cu b e —into
another nonm agical object of similar size and m ass and
T r a n s m u t a t io n Sa v a n t o f equal or lesser value. You must spend 10 minutes
B egin ning w hen you select this sc h o o l at 2nd level, the h andling the ob ject to transform it.
gold and time you must spend to copy a transmutation
spell into your spellbook is halved. Panacea. You rem ove all curses, diseases, and poisons
affecting a creature that you touch with the transm uter’s
M in o r A lc h e m y stone. The creature also regains all its hit points.
Starting at 2nd level w hen you select this sch ool, you
can tem porarily alter the physical properties o f one Restore Life. You cast the raise dead spell on a
n onm agical object, changin g it from on e su bstance into creature you touch with the transm uter’s stone, without
another. You perform a special alchem ical procedure expending a spell slot or needing to have the spell in
on one object com posed entirely o f w ood, stone (but not your spellbook.
a gem stone), iron, copper, or silver, transform ing it into
a different one o f those materials. For each 10 minutes Restore Youth. You touch the transm uter’s stone to
a w illing creature, and that creatu re’s apparent age is
red u ced by 3 d 10 years, to a m inim um o f 13 years. This
effect d oesn ’t extend the creatu re’s lifespan.

C hapter 4: Per so n a lity a n d Back g r o u n d

CHARACTERS ARE DEFINED BY MUCH MORE THAN You don’t need to be confined to binary notions of
their race and class. They’re individuals with sex and gender. The elf god Corellon Larethian is often
their ow n stories, interests, connections, and seen as androgynous or hermaphroditic, for example,
capabilities beyond those that class and race and som e elves in the m ultiverse are m ade in C orellon ’s
define. This chapter expounds on the details image. You could also play a female character w ho
that distinguish characters from on e another, presents h erself as a man, a m an w ho feels trapped in a
including the basics o f name and physical description, female body, or a bearded female dwarf w ho hates being
the rules of backgrounds and languages, and the finer m istaken for a male. Likew ise, your character’s sexual
points of personality and alignment. orientation is for you to decide.

C h ar acter D etails H eig h t a n d W eig h t

Your character’s nam e and physical description might You can d ecide your character’s height and weight,
be the first things that the other players at the table using the information provided in your race description
learn about you. It’s w orth thinking about h ow these or on the Random Height and W eight table. Think about
characteristics reflect the character you have in mind. w hat your character’s ability s c o r e s m ight say about his
or her height and weight. A w eak but agile character
Nam e might be thin. A strong and tough character might be
tall or just heavy.
Your character’s race description includes sam ple
nam es for m em bers o f that race. Put som e thought into If you want to, you can roll random ly for your
your nam e even if y ou ’re ju st pickin g on e from a list. character’s height and w eight using the R andom Height
and W eight table. The dice roll given in the Height
Sex M odifier colum n determ ines the character’s extra
height (in inches) beyond the base height. That sam e
You can play a male or fem ale character without gaining n um ber m ultiplied by the d ice roll or quantity given in
any special benefits or hindrances. Think about how the W eight M odifier colum n determ ines the character’s
your character does or does not conform to the broader extra weight (in pounds) beyond the base weight.
culture’s expectations o f sex, gender, and sexual
behavior. For example, a male drow cleric defies the Ra n d o m H e ig h t a n d W e ig h t
traditional gender divisions o f drow society, which could
be a reason for your character to leave that society and Race Base Height Base Weight
com e to the surface. Human Height Modifier Weight Modifier
Dwarf, hill 4'8" + 2 d 10 110 lb. x (2d4) lb.
T ika a n d A r tem is: C o n t r a s t in g C h ara c ters Dwarf, mountain 3'8” +2d4 115 lb. x (2d6) lb.
The details in this chapter make a big difference in setting Elf, high 4' +2d4 130 lb. x (2d6) lb.
your character apart from every other character. Consider the Elf, wood 4’6" + 2 d 10 90 lb. x (1d4) lb.
following two human fighters. Elf, drow 4'6" + 2 d 10 100 lb. x (1d4) lb.
Halfling 4 '5 " +2d6 75 lb. x (1d6) lb.
Hailing from the Dragonlance setting, Tika Waylan was a Dragonborn 2'7" +2d4 35 lb. x 1 lb.
brash teenager who had a rough childhood. The daughter of Gnome 5'6" +2d8 175 lb. x (2d6) lb.
a thief, she ran away from home and practiced her father’s Half-elf 2' 11" +2d4 35 lb. x 1 lb.
trade on the streets o f Solace. When she tried to rob the Half-orc 4'9" +2d8 110 lb. x (2d4) lb.
proprietor o f the Inn o f the Last Home, he caught her and Tiefling 4 '1 0 " +2d10 140 lb. x (2d6) lb.
took her under his wing, giving her a job as a barmaid. But 4 '9 " +2d8 110 lb. x (2d4) lb.
when the dragonarmies laid waste to the town o f Solace
and destroyed the inn, necessity forced Tika into adventure For example, as a human, Tika has a height o f 4 feet 8
alongside the friends she’d known from her childhood. Her in ch es plus 2 d 10 inches. H er player rolls 2 d 10 and gets
skill as a fighter (a frying pan remains one o f her favorite a total o f 12, s o Tika stands 5 feet 8 in ch es tall. Then
weapons) combined with her history on the streets gave her the player u ses that sam e roll o f 12 and m ultiplies it by
skills invaluable in her adventuring career. 2d4 pounds. Her 2d4 roll is 3, so Tika w eighs an extra
36 pounds ( 1 2 x 3) on top o f her base 110 pounds, for a
Artemis Entreri grew up on the streets of Calimport in the total o f 146 pounds.
Forgotten Realms. He used his wits, strength, and agility
to carve out his own territory in one o f the city's hundreds O th er P h ysica l C h aracteristics
o f poor shanty towns. After several years, he attracted the
notice o f one o f the most powerful thieves’ guilds in the city, You ch oose your character’s age and the color of
and he ascended the ranks o f the guild quickly despite his his or her hair, eyes, and skin. To add a touch of
youth. Artemis became the favored assassin of one of the distinctiveness, you might want to give your character
city’s pashas, who sent him to far-off Icewind Dale to recover an unusual or memorable physical characteristic, such
some stolen gems. He’s a professional killer, constantly as a scar, a limp, or a tattoo.
challenging himself to improve his skills.

Tika and Artemis are both human and both fighters (with
some experience as rogues), possessing similarly high
Strength and Dexterity scores, but there the similarity ends.

Tika a n d A r tem is: C h a ra cter D etails doin g w hat seem s best at the tim e. Lizardfolk, m ost
Consider how the names Tika Waylan and Artemis Entreri druids, and many hum ans are neutral.
set these characters apart from each other and reflect their
personalities. Tika is a young woman determined to prove Chaotic neutral (CN) creatures follow their w him s,
that she's not just a kid any more, and her name makes her holding their personal freedom above all else.
sound young and ordinary. Artemis Entreri comes from an Many barbarians and rogues, and som e bards, are
exotic land and carries a more mysterious name. chaotic neutral.

Tika is nineteen years old at the start of her adventuring Lawful evil (LE) creatures m ethodically take what they
career and has auburn hair, green eyes, fair skin with freckles, want, within the limits o f a cod e o f tradition, loyalty, or
and a mole on her right hip. Artemis is a small man, compact order. Devils, blue dragons, and hobgoblins are lawful evil.
and all wiry muscle. He has angular features and high
cheekbones, and he always seems in need o f a shave. His Neutral evil (N E ) is the alignm ent o f th ose w ho do
raven-black hair is thick and full, but his eyes are gray and whatever they can get away with, without com passion or
lifeless— betraying the emptiness of his life and soul. qualms. Many drow, som e cloud giants, and yugoloths
are neutral evil.
A lig n m en t
Chaotic evil (CE) creatu res act w ith arbitrary
A typical creature in the w orlds o f D u n g e o n s & violence, spurred by their greed, hatred, or bloodlust.
D r a g o n s has an alignment, which broadly describes D em on s, red dragons, and orc s are chaotic evil.
its m oral and personal attitudes. Alignm ent is a
combination of two factors: one identifies morality A lig n m e n t in th e M ultiverse
(good, evil, or neutral), and the other describes For many thinking creatures, alignment is a moral
attitudes toward society and order (lawful, chaotic, choice. Humans, dwarves, elves, and other humanoid
or neutral). Thus, nine distinct alignments define the races can choose whether to follow the paths o f good or
possible combinations. evil, law or chaos. A ccordin g to myth, the good-aligned
gods w ho created these races gave them free will to
T hese brief sum m aries of the nine alignments ch oose their moral paths, know ing that good without
describe the typical behavior o f a creature with that free will is slavery.
alignment. Individuals might vary significantly from
that typical behavior, and few people are perfectly and The evil deities w ho created other races, though, made
consistently faithful to the precepts o f their alignment. those races to serve them. T hose races have strong
inborn tendencies that match the nature o f their gods.
Lawful good (LG) creatures can be counted on to do M ost orcs share the violent, savage nature o f the orc
the right thing as expected by society. G old dragons, god, Gruumsh, and are thus inclined toward evil. Even if
paladins, and m ost dwarves are lawful good. an orc c h o o s e s a g o o d alignm ent, it stru ggles against its
innate ten den cies for its entire life. (Even h alf-orcs feel
Neutral good (NG) folk do the best they can to help the lingering pull o f the orc g o d ’s influence.)
others according to their needs. Many celestials, som e
cloud giants, and m ost gnom es are neutral good. Alignment is an essential part o f the nature of
celestials and fiends. A devil does not ch oose to be
Chaotic good (CG) creatures act as their conscien ce lawful evil, and it d oesn ’t tend tow ard lawful evil, but
directs, with little regard for what others expect. Copper rather it is lawful evil in its essen ce. If it som eh ow
dragons, many elves, and unicorns are chaotic good. cea sed to b e law ful evil, it w ou ld ce a se to be a devil.

Lawful neutral (LN ) individuals act in a ccord a n ce M ost creatures that lack the capacity for rational
w ith law, tradition, or p erson al cod es. M any m on k s and thought do not have alignm ents—they are unaligned.
som e w izards are lawful neutral. Such a creature is incapable o f m aking a moral or
ethical choice and acts according to its bestial nature.
Neutral (N) is the alignment o f those w ho prefer to Sharks are savage predators, for example, but they are
steer clear of m oral questions and don’t take sides, not evil; they have no alignment.

D w a r v is h S c r ip t : S a m p l e A l p h a b e t

L anguages Tika and A rtemis: A lignm ent
Tika Waylan is neutral good, fundamentally good-hearted
Your race indicates the languages your character can and striving to help others where she can. Artemis is lawful
speak by default, and your background might give you evil, unconcerned with the value o f sentient life but at least
access to one or m ore additional languages o f your professional in his approach to murder.
choice. Note these languages on your character sheet.
As an evil character, Artemis is not an ideal adventurer. He
C hoose your languages from the Standard Languages began his career as a villain, and only cooperates with heroes
table, or ch oose one that is com m on in your cam paign. when he must— and when it’s in his own best interests. In
W ith your D M ’s perm ission , you can instead c h o o s e a most games, evil adventurers cause problems in groups
language from the Exotic Languages table or a secret alongside others who don’t share their interests and objectives.
language, such as thieves’ cant or the tongue of druids. Generally, evil alignments are for villains and monsters.

Som e of these languages are actually families P erson al C h aracteristics
o f languages with many dialects. For example, the
Prim ordial language includes the Auran, Aquan, Ignan, F lesh in g out your character’s personality—the array o f
and Terran dialects, one for each of the four elemental traits, m annerism s, habits, beliefs, and flaws that give
planes. Creatures that speak different dialects o f the a p erson a unique identity—w ill help you brin g him
sam e language can com m unicate with one another. or her to life as you play the game. Four categories o f
characteristics are presented here: personality traits,
St a n d a r d La n g u a g e s ideals, bonds, and flaws. Beyond those categories,
think about your character’s favorite w ord s or phrases,
Language Typical Speakers Script tics and habitual gestures, vices and pet peeves, and
Common Humans Common whatever else you can imagine.
Dwarvish Dwarves Dwarvish
Elvish Elves Elvish Each background presented later in this chapter
Giant Ogres, giants Dwarvish includes suggested characteristics that you can use
Gnomish Gnomes Dwarvish to spark your im agination. Y ou’re not bou n d to th ose
Goblin Goblinoids Dwarvish options, but they’re a g ood starting point.
Halfling Halflings Common
Orc Orcs Dwarvish P e r s o n a l it y T r a it s
Give your character tw o personality traits. Personality
Ex o t ic La n g u a g e s traits are small, simple ways to help you set your
character apart from every other character. Your
Language Typical Speakers Script personality traits should tell you som ething interesting
Abyssal Demons Infernal and fun about your character. They should be self-
Celestial Celestials Celestial descriptions that are specific about what m akes your
Draconic Dragons, Draconic character stand out. “I’m sm art” is not a g o o d trait,
dragonborn b eca u se it d escrib es a lot o f characters. “I’ve read every
Deep Speech Mind flayers, --- book in Candlekeep” tells you som ething specific about
beholders your character’s interests and disposition.
Infernal Devils Infernal
Primordial Elementals Dwarvish Personality traits might describe the things your
Sylvan Fey creatures Elvish character likes, his or her past accom plishm ents, things
Undercommon Underdark traders Elvish your character dislikes or fears, your character’s self-
attitude or m annerism s, or the influence o f his or her
ability scores.

E l v ish S c r ip t : S a m p l e A l p h a b e t

T ika an d A rtem is: Perso n al C h aracteristics Ideals
Tika and Artemis have distinct personality traits. Tika Waylan D escribe one ideal that drives your character. Your ideals
dislikes boastfulness and has a fear of heights resulting are the things that you believe in m ost strongly, the
from a bad fall during her career as a thief. Artemis Entreri fundamental moral and ethical principles that com pel you
is always prepared for the worst and moves with a quick, to act as you do. Ideals encom pass everything from your
precise confidence. life goals to your core belief system.

Consider their ideals. Tika Waylan is innocent, almost Ideals might answer any of these questions: W hat are
childlike, believing in the value o f life and the importance of the principles that you will never betray? W hat w ould
appreciating everyone. Neutral good in alignment, she cleaves prom pt you to m ake sacrifices? W hat drives you to act
to ideals o f life and respect. Artemis Entreri never allows and guides your goals and ambitions? W hat is the single
his emotions to master him, and he constantly challenges m ost important thing you strive for?
himself to improve his skills. His lawful evil alignment gives
him ideals o f impartiality and a lust for power. You can ch oose any ideals you like, but your
character’s alignm ent is a g o o d place to start defining
Tika Waylan’s bond is to the Inn o f the Last Home. The them. Each background in this chapter includes six
inn’s proprietor gave her a new chance at life, and her suggested ideals. Five of them are linked to aspects of
friendship with her adventuring companions was forged alignment: law, chaos, good, evil, and neutrality. The last
during her time working there. Its destruction by the one has m ore to do with the particular background than
marauding dragonarmies gives Tika a very personal reason to with moral or ethical perspectives.
hate them with a fiery passion. Her bond might be phrased
as “ I will do whatever it takes to punish the dragonarmies for B onds
the destruction o f the Inn o f the Last Home.” Create one bond for your character. Bonds represent a
character’s con n ection s to people, places, and events in
Artemis Entreri’s bond is a strange, almost paradoxical the world. They tie you to things from your background.
relationship with Drizzt Do’ Urden, his equal in swordplay They might inspire you to heights o f heroism, or lead
and grim determination. In his first battle with Drizzt, you to act against your ow n best interests if they are
Artemis recognized something o f himself in his opponent, threatened. They can w ork very much like ideals,
some indication that if his life had gone differently, he driving a character’s m otivations and goals.
might have led a life more like the heroic drow’s. From that
moment, Artemis is more than a criminal assassin— he is an Bonds might answer any of these questions: W hom do
antihero, driven by his rivalry with Drizzt. His bond might be you care m ost about? To what place do you feel a special
phrased as “ I will not rest until I have proved myself better connection? What is your most treasured possession?
than Drizzt Do’ Urden.”
Your bonds might be tied to your class, your
Each o f these characters also has an important flaw. background, your race, or som e other aspect of your
Tika Waylan is naive and emotionally vulnerable, younger character’s history or personality. You might also gain
than her companions and annoyed that they still think new bonds over the course of your adventures.
o f her as the kid they knew years ago. She might even be
tempted to act against her principles if she's convinced that F law s
a particular achievement would demonstrate her maturity. Finally, ch oose a flaw for your character. Your
Artemis Entreri is completely walled off from any personal character’s flaw represents som e vice, com pu lsion, fear,
relationship and just wants to be left alone. or w eakn ess—in particular, anything that som eone
else could exploit to bring you to ruin or cause you to
A useful place to start thinking about personality act against your best interests. M ore significant than
traits is to look at your highest and low est ability s co re s negative personality traits, a flaw might answer any
and define one trait related to each. Either one could be o f these questions: W hat en rages you? W h a t’s the one
positive or negative: you might w ork hard to overcom e a person, concept, or event that you are terrified of? W hat
low score, for example, or be cocky about your high score. are your vices?

D r a c o n ic S c rip t : S am ple A lphabet

Inspiration The sample backgrounds in this chapter provide
both concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and
Inspiration is a rule the D ungeon M aster can use to languages) and roleplaying suggestions.
reward you for playing your character in a w ay that’s
true to his or her person ality traits, ideal, bond, and flaw. P roficiencies
By using inspiration, you can draw on your personality Each background gives a character proficiency in two
trait o f com passion for the dow ntrodden to give you skills. Skills are d escrib ed in chapter 7.
an edge in negotiating with the Beggar P rince. Or
inspiration can let you call on your bond to the defense In addition, m ost backgrounds give a character
of your hom e village to push past the effect of a spell proficiency with one or m ore tools. Tools and tool
that has been laid on you. proficien cies are detailed in chapter 5.

G a in in g In spiratio n If a character would gain the sam e proficiency from
two different sources, he or she can ch oose a different
Your DM can choose to give you inspiration for a variety proficiency o f the sam e kind (skill or tool) instead.
o f reason s. Typically, D M s award it w hen you play
out your personality traits, give in to the drawbacks Languages
presented by a flaw or bond, and otherwise portray your Som e backgrounds also allow characters to learn
character in a com pelling way. Your DM w ill tell you additional languages beyond those given by race.
how you can earn inspiration in the game. S ee “Languages” earlier in this chapter.

You either have inspiration or you don ’t—you ca n ’t E qu ipm en t
stockpile multiple “inspirations” for later use. Each background provides a package of starting
equipment. If you use the optional rule from chapter 5
U sing In spir a tio n to spend coin on gear, you do not receive the starting
equipment from your background.
If you have inspiration, you can expend it w hen you m ake
an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending Su ggested C h a r a c t e r ist ic s
your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll. A background contains suggested personal
characteristics based on your background. You can
Additionally, if you have inspiration, you can reward pick characteristics, roll dice to determine
another player for good roleplaying, clever thinking, them randomly, or use the suggestions
or simply doing som ething exciting in the game. as inspiration for characteristics of
W hen another player character d oes som ething that your ow n creation.
really contributes to the story in a fun and interesting
way, you can give up your inspiration to give that C u sto m izin g a
character inspiration. Background
You might want to tweak
Backgroun ds som e of the features of a
ba ckgrou n d s o it better
Every story has a beginning. Your character’s fits your character
background reveals w here you cam e from, how you or the campaign
becam e an adventurer, and your place in the world. setting. To custom ize
Your fighter might have been a courageous knight or a a background, you can
grizzled soldier. Your w izard could have been a sage or replace one feature
an artisan. Your rogue might have gotten by as a guild with any other one,
thief or com m anded audiences as a jester. choose any two
skills, and choose
Choosing a background provides you with important a total of two tool
story c u e s about your character’s identity. T h e m ost proficiencies or
im portant question to ask about your back grou n d is languages from the
what changed? W h y did you stop doin g w hatever your sample backgrounds.
background describes and start adventuring? W here You can either use
did you get the m on ey to pu rch ase your starting gear, or, the equipment
if you com e from a w ealthy background, why don't you package from your
have more money? H ow did you learn the skills o f your background or spend
class? W hat sets you apart from ordinary people who coin on gear as
share your background? described in chapter
5. (If you spend
T ik a a n d A r t e m is: Ba c k g r o u n d s coin, you can’t also
Tika Waylan and Artemis Entreri both lived their earliest years take the equipment
as street urchins. Tika’s later career as a barmaid didn’t really package suggested
change her, so she might choose the urchin background, for your class.)
gaining proficiency in the Sleight of Hand and Stealth skills, Finally, ch oose
and learning the tools of the thieving trade. Artemis is more two personality
defined by his criminal background, giving him skills in
Deception and Stealth, as well as proficiency with the tools of
thievery and poison.

traits, on e ideal, on e bond, and on e flaw. If you ca n ’t find d8 Personality Trait
a feature that m atches your desired background, w ork 1 I idolize a particular hero o f my faith, and constantly
with your DM to create one.
refer to that person’s deeds and example.
A colyte
3 I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to
You have spent your life in the serv ice o f a tem ple speak to us, we just need to listen
to a specific god or pantheon o f gods. You act as an
intermediary betw een the realm o f the holy and the 4 Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.
mortal world, perform ing sacred rites and offering 5 I quote (or misquote) sacred texts and proverbs in
sacrifices in order to conduct w orshipers into the
presence o f the divine. You are not necessarily a almost every situation.
cleric-p erform in g sacred rites is not the sam e thing as 6 I am tolerant (or intolerant) o f other faiths and respect
channeling divine power.
(or condemn) the worship o f other gods.
Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or som e other 7 I've enjoyed fine food, drink, and high society among
quasi-divine being from am ong those listed in appendix
B or those specified by your DM, and work with your my temple’s elite. Rough living grates on me.
DM to detail the nature of your religious service. 8 I’ve spent so long in the temple that I have little
W ere you a lesser functionary in a temple, raised from
childhood to assist the priests in the sacred rites? Or practical experience dealing with people in the outside
were you a high priest w ho suddenly experienced a call world.
to serve your god in a different way? Perhaps you w ere
the leader o f a sm all cult outside of any established d6 Ideal
temple structure, or even an occult group that served a 1 Tradition. The ancient traditions o f worship and
fiendish master that you now deny.
sacrifice must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful)
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion 2 Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter
Languages: Two o f your choice
Equipment: A holy sym bol (a gift to you w hen you what the personal cost. (Good)
3 Change. We must help bring about the changes the
entered the priesthood), a prayer book or prayer
wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of com m on gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic)
clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp 4 Power. I hope to one day rise to the top of my faith’s

F e a t u r e : S h e l t e r o f t h e Fa i t h f u l religious hierarchy. (Lawful)
As an acolyte, you com m and the respect of those who 5 Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions, I have
share your faith, and you can perform the religious
cerem on ies o f your deity. You and your adventuring faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful)
com panions can expect to receive free healing and 6 Aspiration. I seek to prove myself worthy o f my god’s
care at a temple, shrine, or other established presen ce
o f your faith, though you must provide any material favor by matching my actions against his or her
com ponents needed for spells. Those w ho share teachings. (Any)
your religion w ill support you (but only you) at a
m odest lifestyle. d6 Bond
1 I would die to recover an ancient relic o f my faith that
You might also have ties to a specific temple dedicated
to your chosen deity or pantheon, and you have a was lost long ago.
residence there. This could be the temple w here you 2 Iwill someday get revenge on the corrupt temple
u sed to serve, if you rem ain on g ood term s w ith it, or a
temple where you have found a new hom e. W hile near hierarchy who branded me a heretic.
your temple, you can call upon the priests for assistance, 3 I owe my life to the priest who took me in when my
provided the assistance you ask for is not hazardous and
you remain in good standing with your temple. parents died.
4 Everything I do is for the common people.
Su gg ested C h a r a c t e r ist ic s 5 I will do anything to protect the temple where I served.
A colytes are shaped by their experien ce in tem ples 6 I seek to preserve a sacred text that my enemies
or other religious com m unities. Their study of the
history and tenets o f their faith and their relationships consider heretical and seek to destroy.
to temples, shrines, or hierarchies affect their
m annerism s and ideals. Their flaws might be som e d6 Flaw
hidden hypocrisy or heretical idea, or an ideal or bond 1 Ijudge others harshly, and myself even more severely.
taken to an extreme. 2 I put too much trust in those who wield power within

my temple’s hierarchy.
3 My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those

that profess faith in my god.
4 I am inflexible in my thinking.
5 I am suspicious o f strangers and expect the worst of

them.
6 Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed with it to the

detriment of everything else in my life.

C harlatan d8 Personality Trait
1 I fall in and out o f love easily, and am always pursuing
You have always had a way with people. You know
what m akes them tick, you can tease out their hearts' someone.
desires after a few minutes of conversation, and with a 2 I have a joke for every occasion, especially occasions
few leading questions you can read them like they w ere
children 's book s. It’s a useful talent, and on e that you ’re where humor is inappropriate.
perfectly willing to use for your advantage. 3 Flattery is my preferred trick for getting what I want.
4 I’m a born gambler who can't resist taking a risk for a
You know what people want and you deliver, or rather,
you prom ise to deliver. C om m on sense should steer potential payoff.
people away from things that sound too good to be true, 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no
but com m on sen se seem s to be in short supply w hen
you’re around. The bottle o f pink-colored liquid will good reason to.
surely cure that unseem ly rash, this ointment—nothing 6 Sarcasm and insults are my weapons o f choice.
m ore than a bit o f fat with a sprinkle o f silver dust—can 7 I keep multiple holy symbols on me and invoke
restore youth and vigor, and there’s a bridge in the city
that just happens to be for sale. T h ese marvels sound whatever deity might come in useful at any given
implausible, but you make them sound like the real deal. moment.
8 I pocket anything I see that might have some value.
Skill Proficiencies: D eception, Sleight o f Hand
Tool Proficiencies: D isgu ise kit, forgery kit d6 Ideal
Equipment: A set o f fine clothes, a disgu ise kit, tools 1 Independence. I am a free spirit— no one tells me what

o f the con o f your ch oice (ten stoppered bottles filled to do. (Chaotic)
with colored liquid, a set o f weighted dice, a deck of 2 Fairness. I never target people who can’t afford to lose
m arked cards, or a signet ring o f an im aginary duke),
and a belt pou ch containing 15 gp a few coins. (Lawful)
3 Charity. I distribute the money I acquire to the people
Fa v o r i t e S c h e m e s
Every charlatan has an angle he or she u ses in who really need it. (Good)
preference to other schem es. C hoose a favorite scam or 4 Creativity. I never run the same con twice. (Chaotic)
roll on the table below. 5 Friendship. Material goods come and go. Bonds of

d6 Scam friendship last forever. (Good)
1 I cheat at games o f chance. 6 Aspiration. I’m determined to make something
2 I shave coins or forge documents.
3 I insinuate myself into people’s lives to prey on their o f myself. (Any)

weakness and secure their fortunes. d6 Bond
4 I put on new identities like clothes.
5 I run sleight-of-hand cons on street corners. 1 Ifleeced the wrong person and must work to ensure
6 I convince people that worthless junk is worth their
that this individual never crosses paths with me or
hard-earned money. those I care about.
2 I owe everything to my mentor— a horrible person
F e a t u r e : Fa l s e I d e n t i t y who’s probably rotting in jail somewhere.
You have created a second identity that includes 3 Somewhere out there, I have a child who doesn’t
documentation, established acquaintances, and know me. I’m making the world better for him or her.
disguises that allow you to assum e that persona. 4 I come from a noble family, and one day I’ll reclaim my
Additionally, you can forge docum ents including official lands and title from those who stole them from me.
papers and personal letters, as long as you have seen an 5 A powerful person killed someone I love. Some day
example of the kind of docum ent or the handwriting you soon, I’ll have my revenge.
are trying to copy. 6 I swindled and ruined a person who didn’t deserve it. I
seek to atone for my misdeeds but might never be able
Su g g ested C h a r a c t e r ist ic s to forgive myself.
Charlatans are colorful characters w ho conceal their
true selves behind the m asks they construct. They d6 Flaw
reflect what people want to see, what they want to 1 I can’t resist a pretty face.
believe, and how they see the world. But their true 2 I'm always in debt. I spend my ill-gotten gains on
selves are som etim es plagued by an uneasy conscience,
an old enemy, or deep-seated trust issues. decadent luxuries faster than I bring them in..
3 I’m convinced that no one could ever fool me the way

I fool others.
4 I’m too greedy for my own good. I can’t resist taking a

risk if there’s money involved.
5 I can’t resist swindling people who are more powerful

than me.
6 I hate to admit it and will hate myself for it, but I'll run

and preserve my own hide if the going gets tough.

C r im in al d6 Ideal

You are an experienced crim inal with a history of 1 Honor. I don’t steal from others in the trade. (Lawful)
breaking the law. You have spent a lot o f time am ong
other crim inals and still have contacts within the 2 Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those
crim inal underw orld. You’re far closer than m ost people who would forge them. (Chaotic)
to the w orld o f murder, theft, and violence that pervades
the underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to 3 Charity. I steal from the wealthy so that I can help
this point by flouting the rules and regulations o f society. people in need. (Good)

Skill Proficiencies: D eception, Stealth 4 Greed. I will do whatever it takes to become
Tool Proficiencies: One type o f gam ing set, wealthy. (Evil)

thieves’ tools 5 People. I’m loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and
Equipment: A crowbar, a set o f dark com m on clothes everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I
care. (Neutral)
including a hood, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp
6 Redemption. There’s a spark o f good in everyone.
C r im in a l Sp e c ia l t y (Good)

There are many kinds of criminals, and within a thieves’ d6 Bond
guild or sim ilar crim inal organization, individual
m em bers have particular specialties. Even criminals 1 I’m trying to pay off an old debt I owe to a generous
who operate outside of such organizations have strong
preferences for certain kinds of crim es over others. benefactor.
C h oose the role you played in your crim inal life, or roll 2 My ill-gotten gains go to support my family.
on the table below. 3 Something important was taken from me, and I aim to

d8 Specialty d8 Specialty steal it back.
1 Blackmailer 5 Highway robber 4 I will become the greatest thief that ever lived.
2 Burglar 6 Hired killer 5 I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem
3 Enforcer 7 Pickpocket
4 Fence 8 Smuggler myself for it.
6 Someone I loved died because o f amistake I made.

That will never happen again.

Featu re: C rim in al C on tact
You have a reliable and trustworthy contact w ho acts as
your liaison to a network o f other crim inals. You know
how to get m essages to and from your contact, even
over great distances; specifically, you know the local
m essengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors
w ho can deliver m essages for you.

Su g g e st e d C h a r a c t e r is t ic s
Crim inals might seem like villains on the surface,
and many of them are villainous to the core. But som e
have an abundance o f endearing, if not redeeming,
characteristics. There might be honor am ong thieves, but
crim inals rarely sh ow any respect for law or authority.

d8 Personality Trait

4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy.
8 I blow up at the slightest insult.

d6 Flaw E n ter tain er
1 When I see something valuable, I can’t think about
You thrive in front o f an audience. You know h ow to
anything but how to steal it. entrance them, entertain them, and even inspire them.
2 When faced with a choice between money and my Your poetics can stir the hearts o f those w ho hear you,
awakening grief or joy, laughter or anger. Your music
friends, I usually choose the money. raises their spirits or captures their sorrow. Your dance
3 If there’s a plan, I’ll forget it. If I don’t forget it, I’ll steps captivate, your hum or cuts to the quick. Whatever
techniques you use, your art is your life.
ignore it.
4 I have a “tell” that reveals when I'm lying. Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Perform ance
5 Iturn tail and run when things look bad. Tool Proficiencies: D isgu ise kit, on e type o f
6 An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I
musical instrument
committed. I’m okay with that. Equipment: A m usical instrument (one o f your choice),

Va r ia n t C r im in a l : Spy the favor o f an adm irer (love letter, lock o f hair, or
Although your capabilities are not m uch different trinket), a costum e, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp
from those of a burglar or smuggler, you learned
and practiced them in a very different context: as an En tertain er R o u tin es
espionage agent. You might have been an officially A good entertainer is versatile, spicing up every
sanctioned agent o f the crow n, or perhaps you sold the perform ance with a variety of different routines. Choose
secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder. one to three routines or roll on the table below to define
your expertise as an entertainer.

d10 Entertainer Routine d10 Entertainer Routine
1 Actor 6 Instrumentalist
2 Dancer 7 Poet
3 Fire-eater 8 Singer
4 jester 9 Storyteller
5 juggler 10 Tumbler

Featu re: By Po pu lar D em and
You can always find a place to perform , usually in an
inn or tavern but p ossib ly with a circu s, at a theater, or
even in a n oble’s court. At such a place, you receive free
lodging and food of a m odest or com fortable standard
(depending on the quality o f the establishment), as
long as you perform each night. In addition, your
perform ance m akes you som ething o f a local figure.
W hen strangers recognize you in a town where you have
perform ed, they typically take a liking to you.

Su g g e s t e d C h a r a c t e r is t ic s
S u ccessfu l entertainers have to be able to capture
and hold an audience’s attention, so they tend to
have flam boyant or forcefu l personalities. T h ey’re
inclined toward the rom antic and often cling to
high-minded ideals about the practice o f art and the
appreciation of beauty.

d8 Personality Trait
1 I know a story relevant to almost every situation.
2 Whenever I come to a new place, I collect local rumors

and spread gossip.
3 I’m a hopeless romantic, always searching for that

“ special someone.”
4 Nobody stays angry at me or around me for long, since

I can defuse any amount of tension.
5 I love a good insult, even one directed at me.
6 I get bitter if I’m not the center of attention.
7 I’ll settle for nothing less than perfection.
8 I change my mood or my mind as quickly as I change

key in a song.





















































S elf-Su f f ic ien cy

The expenses and lifestyles described in this chapter assume
that you are spending your time between adventures in town,
availing yourself o f whatever services you can afford— paying
for food and shelter, paying townspeople to sharpen your
sword and repair your armor, and so on. Some characters,
though, might prefer to spend their time away from
civilization, sustaining themselves in the wild by hunting,
foraging, and repairing their own gear.

Maintaining this kind o f lifestyle doesn’t require you to
spend any coin, but it is time-consuming. If you spend
your time between adventures practicing a profession, as
described in chapter 8, you can eke out the equivalent o f a
poor lifestyle. Proficiency in the Survival skill lets you live at
the equivalent o f a comfortable lifestyle.

S e r v ic e s Skilled hirelings include anyone hired to perform a
service that involves a proficiency (including w eapon,
Adventurers can pay nonplayer characters to assist them tool, or skill): a mercenary, artisan, scribe, and so on.
or act on their behalf in a variety o f circum stances. M ost The pay show n is a minimum; som e expert hirelings
such hirelings have fairly ordinary skills, w hile others require m ore pay. Untrained hirelings are hired for
are m asters o f a craft or art, and a few are experts with menial work that requires no particular skill and can
specialized adventuring skills. include laborers, porters, maids, and similar workers.

S om e of the most basic types of hirelings appear on Sp e l l c a st in g Services
the Services table. Other com m on hirelings include
any o f the w ide variety o f people w ho inhabit a typical P eople w h o are able to cast spells don’t fall into the
tow n or city, w hen the adventurers pay them to category o f ordinary hirelings. It m ight be p ossib le to
perform a specific task. For example, a wizard might find som eone w illing to cast a spell in exchange for coin
pay a carpenter to construct an elaborate chest (and or favors, but it is rarely easy and no established pay
its m iniature replica) for u se in the Leomund’s secret rates exist. A s a rule, the higher the level o f the desired
chest spell. A fighter m ight com m ission a blacksm ith to spell, the h arder it is to find som eon e w h o can cast it
forge a special sword. A bard might pay a tailor to make and the m ore it costs.
exquisite cloth in g for an u p com in g p erform a n ce in
front of the duke. Hiring som eone to cast a relatively com m on spell
o f 1st or 2nd level, such as cure wounds or identify, is
Other hirelings provide m ore expert or dangerous easy enough in a city or town, and might cost 10 to 50
services. M ercenary soldiers paid to help the gold pieces (plus the cost o f any expensive material
adventurers take on a hobgoblin army are hirelings, as com ponents). Finding som eon e able and w illing to
are sages hired to research ancient or esoteric lore. If a cast a higher-level spell might involve traveling to a
high-level adventurer establishes a stronghold o f som e large city, perhaps one w ith a university or prom inent
kind, he or she might hire a w hole staff of servants and temple. O nce found, the spellcaster might ask for a
agents to run the place, from a castellan or steward service instead o f payment—the kind o f service that
to menial laborers to keep the stables clean. These only adventurers can provide, such as retrieving a rare
hirelings often enjoy a long-term contract that includes item from a dangerous locale or traversing a monster-
a place to live within the stronghold as part o f the infested w ilderness to deliver som ething important to
offered compensation. a distant settlement.

S e r v ic e s Pay T rinkets

Service 3 cp per mile W hen you make your character, you can roll once on
Coach cab 1 cp the Trinkets table to gain a trinket, a simple item lightly
touched by mystery. The DM might also use this table.
Between towns 2 gp per day It can help stock a room in a du ngeon or fill a creatu re’s
Within a city 2 sp per day pockets.
Hireling 2 cp per mile
Skilled 1 cp
Untrained 1 sp per mile
Messenger
Road or gate toll
Ship’s passage

Tr in k e t s d 100 Trinket
27 A shard o f obsidian that always feels warm to the
d100 Trinket touch
01 A mummified goblin hand 28 A dragon's bony talon hanging from a plain leather
02 A piece o f crystal that faintly glows in the moonlight necklace
03 A gold coin minted in an unknown land 29 A pair o f old socks
04 A diary written in a language you don’t know 30 A blank book whose pages refuse to hold ink, chalk,
05 A brass ring that never tarnishes graphite, or any other substance or marking
06 An old chess piece made from glass 31 A silver badge in the shape o f a five-pointed star
07 A pair of knucklebone dice, each with a skull symbol 32 A knife that belonged to a relative
on the side that would normally show six pips 33 A glass vial filled with nail clippings
08 A small idol depicting a nightmarish creature that 34 A rectangular metal device with two tiny metal cups
gives you unsettling dreams when you sleep near it on one end that throws sparks when wet
09 A rope necklace from which dangles four mummified 35 A white, sequined glove sized for a human
elf fingers 36 A vest with one hundred tiny pockets
10 The deed for a parcel o f land in a realm unknown 37 A small, weightless stone block
to you 38 A tiny sketch portrait of a goblin
11 A 1-ounce block made from an unknown material 39 An empty glass vial that smells o f perfume when
12 A small cloth doll skewered with needles opened
13 A tooth from an unknown beast 40 A gemstone that looks like a lump o f coal when
14 An enormous scale, perhaps from a dragon examined by anyone but you
15 A bright green feather 41 A scrap of cloth from an old banner
16 An old divination card bearing your likeness 42 A rank insignia from a lost legionnaire
17 A glass orb filled with moving smoke 43 A tiny silver bell without a clapper
18 A 1-pound egg with a bright red shell 44 A mechanical canary inside a gnomish lamp
19 A pipe that blows bubbles 45 A tiny chest carved to look like it has numerous feet
20 A glass jar containing a weird bit o f flesh floating in on the bottom
pickling fluid 46 A dead sprite inside a clear glass bottle
21 A tiny gnome-crafted music box that plays a song 47 A metal can that has no opening but sounds as if it
you dimly remember from your childhood is filled with liquid, sand, spiders, or broken glass
22 A small wooden statuette o f a smug halfling 48 (your choice)
23 A brass orb etched with strange runes A glass orb filled with water, in which swims a
24 A multicolored stone disk 49 clockwork goldfish
25 A tiny silver icon of a raven 50 A silver spoon with an M engraved on the handle
26 A bag containing forty-seven humanoid teeth, one A whistle made from gold-colored wood
of which is rotten