Character Creation

Choose a Character Sheet

You’ll record the main details of your character on a character sheet. Throughout this chapter, we use the term “character sheet” to mean whatever you use to track your character’s details, whether it’s a printed character sheet, a digital character sheet, or plain paper. Choose whichever style of sheet works for you, and then embark on creating a character!

Create Your Character

Here are the steps to make a character; each step is explored in detail:

1: Choose a Class. Every adventurer is a member of a class. A class broadly describes a character’s vocation, special talents, and favored tactics.

2: Determine Origin. A character’s origin includes two elements: background and species. How did the character spend the years leading up to a life of adventure? Who are the character’s ancestors? You can also choose your character’s languages.

3: Determine Ability Scores. Much of what your character does in the game depends on the character’s six abilities.

4: Choose an Alignment. Alignment is a shorthand for your character’s moral compass.

5: Fill in Details. Using the choices you’ve made, fill in the remaining details on your character sheet.

Step I: Choose Class

Choose a class, and write it on your character sheet. The Class Overview table summarizes the classes. See “Classes” for the classes’ details.

Class Overview

Class	Likes ...	Primary Ability	Complexity
Barbarian	Battle	Strength	Average
Bard	Performing	Charisma	High
Cleric	Gods	Wisdom	Average
Druid	Nature	Wisdom	High
Fighter	Weapons	Strength or Dexterity	Low
Monk	Unarmed combat	Dexterity and Wisdom	High
Paladin	Defense	Strength and Charisma	Average
Ranger	Survival	Dexterity and Wisdom	Average
Rogue	Stealth	Dexterity	Low
Sorcerer	Power	Charisma	High
Warlock	Occult lore	Charisma	High
Wizard	Spellbooks	Intelligence	Average

Write Your Level

Write your character’s level on your character sheet. Typically, a character starts at level 1 and advances in level by adventuring and gaining Experience Points (XP).

Write Your XP. Also record your Experience Points. A level 1 character has 0 XP.

Starting at a Higher Level. Your GM might start you at a higher level. If you start at level 3 or higher, write your chosen subclass on your character sheet. See the “Starting at Higher Levels” section later in “Character Creation” for more information.

Note Armor Training

Your class might give you training with certain categories of armor. Note your armor training on your character sheet. Armor training with a kind of armor means you can wear that armor effectively, gaining defensive bonuses from it. The categories of armor are described in “Equipment.”

Step 2: Character Origin

Determining your character’s origin involves choosing a background, a species, and two languages. A character’s background represents the place and occupation that were most formative for the character. The combination of background, species, and languages provides fertile soil for your imaginationas you ponder your character’s earliest days.

Choose a Background

Choose your character’s background, and write it on your character sheet. You can choose any of the backgrounds detailed in “Character Origins,” and your GM might offer additional backgrounds as options.

The background you choose influences step 3, when you determine your character’s ability scores. If you’re having trouble choosing, the Ability Scores and Backgrounds table shows which backgrounds benefit which ability scores. Look for your class’s primary ability there.

Ability Scores and Backgrounds

Ability	Background
Strength	Soldier
Dexterity	Soldier
Constitution	Soldier
Intelligence	Acolyte
Wisdom	Acolyte
Charisma	Acolyte

Record Your Feat. A background gives you a feat, which grants your character particular capabilities. Feats are detailed in “Feats.” Write the feat on your character sheet.

Note Proficiencies. Your background gives proficiency in two skills and with one tool. Record this information on your character sheet. Your class also gives proficiencies. Check your class description in “Classes” and note the proficiencies on your character sheet.

The features table in your class description shows your Proficiency Bonus (described in “Playing the Game”), which is +2 for a level 1 character. Note this number on your character sheet. You’ll fill in other numbers connected to these proficiencies in step 5.

Choose Starting Equipment

Your background and class both provide starting equipment. Any coins that you gain at this step can be immediately spent on equipment from “Equipment.”

Record your chosen equipment on your character sheet. Equipment is described in “Equipment,” butfor now you can just write it all down and look up the specifics in “Equipment” later. Note any coins you have left after purchasing your equipment.

Choose a Species

Choose a species for your character. The following species options are detailed in “Character Origins”: Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Goliath, Halfling, Human, Orc, and Tiefling. Once you’ve chosen a species, write it on your character sheet. Then record your species’ traits.

Your character’s size and Speed are determined by the character’s species; record these in the appropriate places on your character sheet as well (you may write just the first letter of your size).

Imagine Your Past and Present

Let your character’s background and species inspire how you imagine their past. That past fed into the character’s present. With that in mind, consider answers to the following questions as your character:

• Who raised you?
• Who was your dearest childhood friend?
• Did you grow up with a pet?
• Have you fallen in love? If so, with whom?
• Did you join an organization, such as a guild or religion? If so, are you still a member of it?
• What elements of your past inspire you to go on adventures now?

Choose Languages

Your character knows at least three languages: Common plus two languages you roll or choose from the Standard Languages table. Knowledge of a language means your character can communicate in it, read it, and write it. Your class and other features might also give you languages.

The Standard Languages table lists languages that are widespread in the setting. Every player character knows Common. The other standard languages originated with the first members of the most prominent species in the setting and have since spread widely.

Standard Languages

1d12	Language
—	Common
1	Common Sign Language
2	Draconic
3–4	Dwarvish
5–6	Elvish
7	Giant
8	Gnomish
9	Goblin
10–11	Halfling
12	Orc

The Rare Languages table lists languages that are either secret or derived from other planes of existence and thus less widespread in the worlds of the Material Plane. Some features let a character learn a rare language.

Abyssal
Celestial
Deep Speech
Druidic
Infernal
Primordial*
Sylvan
Thieves’ Cant
Undercommon

*Primordial includes the Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran dialects. Creatures that know one of these dialects can communicate with those that know a different one.

Step 3: Ability Scores

To determine your character’s ability scores, you first generate a set of six numbers using the instructions below and then assign them to your six abilities. “Playing the Game” explains what each ability means.