Character Origins
Backgrounds
Parts of a Background
A background includes the following parts.
Ability Scores
A background lists three of your character’s ability scores. Increase one by 2 and another one by 1, or increase all three by 1. None of these increases can raise a score above 20.
Feat
A background gives your character a specified Origin feat (described in “Feats”).
Skill Proficiencies
A background gives your character proficiency in two specified skills.
Tool Proficiency
Each background gives a character proficiency with one tool—either a specific tool or one chosen from the Artisan’s Tools category. Tools are detailed in “Equipment.”
Equipment
Each background offers a choice between a package of equipment and 50 GP.
Acolyte
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Criminal
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Sage
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Soldier
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Character Species
When you choose your character’s species, you determine whether your character is a human or a member of a fantastical species, such as dragonborn or gnome.
The peoples of the multiverse hail from different worlds and include many kinds of sapient life forms. A player character’s species is the set of game traits that an adventurer gains from being one of those life forms.
Some species can trace their origin to a single world, plane of existence, or god, while other species first appeared in multiple realms at once. Whatever a species’ genesis, its members have spread across the multiverse and contribute to many different cultures.
Members of most species live for about 80 years, with exceptions noted in the text about the species in “Character Origins.” Regardless of life span, members of all species reach physical maturity at about the same age. Your character can be any age that isn’t beyond their species’ normal life span.
Parts of A Species
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Species Descriptions
Dragonborn
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 5–7 feet tall)
Speed: 30 feet
As a Dragonborn, you have these special traits.
Draconic Ancestry. Your lineage stems from a dragon progenitor. Choose the kind of dragon from the Draconic Ancestors table. Your choice affects your Breath Weapon and Damage Resistance traits as well as your appearance.
| Dragon | Damage Type |
|---|---|
| Black | Acid |
| Blue | Lightning |
| Brass | Fire |
| Bronze | Lightning |
| Copper | Acid |
| Gold | Fire |
| Green | Poison |
| Red | Fire |
| Silver | Cold |
| White | Cold |
Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with an exhalation of magical energy in either a 15-foot Cone or a 30-foot Line that is 5 feet wide (choose the shape each time). Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 plus your Constitution modifier and Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, a creature takes 1d10 damage of the type determined by your Draconic Ancestry trait. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach character levels 5 (2d10), 11 (3d10), and 17 (4d10).
You can use this Breath Weapon a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Damage Resistance. You have Resistance to the damage type determined by your Draconic Ancestry trait.
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Draconic Flight. When you reach character level 5, you can channel draconic magic to give yourself temporary flight. As a Bonus Action, you sprout spectral wings on your back that last for 10 minutes or until you retract the wings (no action required) or have the Incapacitated condition. During that time, you have a Fly Speed equal to your Speed. Your wings appear to be made of the same energy as your Breath Weapon. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Dwarf
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 4–5 feet tall)
Speed: 30 feet
As a Dwarf, you have these special traits.
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 120 feet.
Dwarven Resilience. You have Resistance to Poison damage. You also have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Poisoned condition.
Dwarven Toughness. Your Hit Point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level.
Stonecunning. As a Bonus Action, you gain Tremorsense with a range of 60 feet for 10 minutes. You must be on a stone surface or touching a stone surface to use this Tremorsense. The stone can be natural or worked.
You can use this Bonus Action a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Elf
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 5–6 feet tall)
Speed: 30 feet
As a Elf, you have these special traits.
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Elven Lineage. You are part of a lineage that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a lineage from the Elven Lineages table. You gain the level 1 benefit of that lineage.
When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn a higher-level spell, as shown on the table. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the legacy).
| Lineages | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drow | The range of your Darkvision increases to 120 feet. You also know the Poison Spray cantrip. |
Faerie Fire | Darkness |
| High Elf | You know the Prestidigitation cantrip. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace that cantrip with a different cantrip from the Wizard spell list. |
Detect Magic | Misty Step |
| Wood Elf | Your Speed increases to 35 feet. You also know the Druidcraft cantrip. |
Longstrider | Pass without Trace |
Fey Ancestry. You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed condition.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Insight, Perception, or Survival skill.
Trance. You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You can finish a Long Rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.
Gnome
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Goliath
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Halfling
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Human
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Orc
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Tiefling
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Medium (about 4–7 feet tall) or Small (about 3–4 feet tall), chosen when you select this species
Speed: 30 feet
As a Tiefling, you have the following special traits.
Darkvision. You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Fiendish Legacy. You are the recipient of a legacy that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a legacy from the Fiendish Legacies table. You gain the level 1 benefit of the chosen legacy.
When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn a higher-level spell, as shown on the table. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the legacy).
Otherworldly Presence. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. When you cast it with this trait, the spell uses the same spellcasting ability you use for your Fiendish Legacy trait.
| Legacy | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssal | You have Resistance to Poison damage. You also know the Poison Spray cantrip. |
Ray of Sickness | Hold Person |
| Chthonic | You have Resistance to Necrotic damage. You also know the Chill Touch cantrip. |
False Life | Ray of Enfeeblement |
| Infernal | You have Resistance to Fire damage. You also know the Fire Bolt cantrip. |
Hellish Rebuke | Darkness |