Page 13 - Player's Handbook

Record your levei on your character sheet.lfyou're At 1st levei, your character has 1 Hit Die, and the
starting at a higher levei, record the additional elements die type is determined by your c1ass. Vou start with hit
your c1ass gives you for your leveis past 1sI. Also record points equal to the highest roll of that die, as indicated in
your experience points. A 1st-levei character has O your c1ass description. (You also add your Constitution
XP. A higher-Ievel character typically begins with the modifier, which you'lI determine in step 3.) This is also
minimum amount of XP required to reach that levei your hit poiot maximum.
(see "Beyond 1st Levei" later in this chapter). Record your character's hit points on your character
sheet. AIso record the type of Hit Die your character
HIT POINTS AND HIT DICE uses and the number of Hit Dice you have. After you
Your character's hit points define how tough your rest, you can spend Hit Dice to regain hit points (see
character is in combat and other dangerous situations. "Resting" in chapter 8).
Your hit points are determined by your Hit Dice (short
for Hit Point Dice). PROFICIENCY BONUS
The table that appears in your c1ass description shows
ABILITY SCORE SUMMARY your proficiency bonus, which is +2 for a 1st-Ievel
Strength character. Your proficiency bonus applies to many of the
Measures: Natural athletieism, bodily power numbers you'lI be recording on your character sheet:
Important for: Barbarian, fighter, paladin Attack rolls using weapons you're proficient with
Raciallncreases: Attack rolls with spells you cast
Mounta;n dwarf (+2) HaJf-ore (+2) Ability checks using skills you're proficient in
Dragonborn (+2) Human (+1) Ability checks using tools you're proficient with
Saving throws you're proficient in
Dexterity Saving throw DCs for spells you cast (explained in
each spellcasting c1ass)
Measures: Physieal agility, reflexes, balance, poise
Important for: Monk, ranger, rogue Your c1ass determines your weapon proficiencies,
Raciallncreases: your saving throw proficiencies, and some of your skill
Elf (+2) Forest gnome (+1) and tool proficiencies. (Skills are described in chapter 7,
Halfling (+2) Human (+1) tools in chapter 5.) Your background gives you additional
skill and toa I proficiencies, and some races give
you more proficiencies. Be sure to note ali of these
Constitution proficiencies, as well as your proficiency bonus, on your
Measures: HeaJth, stamina, vital force character sheet.
Important for: Everyone Your proficiency bonus can't be added to a single die
RaGÍallncreases: roll ar other number more than once. Occasionally, your
Dwarf (+2) Half-ore (+1) proficiency bonus might be modified (doubled ar halved,
Stout halfling (+1) Human (+1) for example) before you apply it. If a circumstance
Roek gnome (+1) suggests that your proficiency bonus applies more than
once to the same roll ar that it should be multiplied
Intelligenee more than once, you nevertheless add it only once,
Measures: Mental aeuity, information reeall, analytieal skill multiply it only once, and halve it only once.
Important for: Wizard STEP 2
BUILDING BRUENOR,
Raciallncreases: Bob imagines Bruenor charging into battIe with an axe,
High elf (+1) Tiefling (+1) one horo on his helmet broken ofr. He makes Bruenor a
Gnome (+2) Human (+1) fighter and notes the fighter's proficiencies and 1st-leveI
c1ass features on his character sheet.
Wisdom As a 1st-leveI fighter, Bruenor has 1 Hit Die-a d10-
Measures: Awareness, intuition, insight and starts with hit points equal to la + his Constitution
Important for: Clerie, druid modifier. Bob notes this, and will record the final
Racial Jncreases: number after he determines Bruenor's Constitution
Hill dwarf (+1) Human (+1) score (see step 3). Bob also notes the proficiency bonus
for a 1st-levei character, which is +2.
Wood elf (+1)
3. DETERMINE ABILITY SCORES
Charisma
Much of what your character does in the game depends
Measures: Confidenee, eloquenee, leadership on his ar her six abilities: Strength, Dexterity,
Importantfor: Bard, soreerer, warloek Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
Raciallncreases: Each ability has a score, which is a number you record
Half.elf (+2) Dragonborn (+1) on your character sheet.
Drow (+1) Human (+1) The six abilities and their use in the game are
Lightfoot halfling (+1) Tiefling (+2) described in chapter 7. The Ability Score Summary

PART 1 I STEP-BY-STEP CHARACTERS
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