Page 16 - Player's Handbook

BUILDING BRUENOR, STEP 5 TIERS OF PLAY
Bob writes down the starting equipment from the The shading in the Character Advancement (able shows
fighter c1ass and the folk hero background. His starting
equipment includes chain mail and a shield, which lhe four tiers of play. The tiers don't have any rules
combine to give Bruenor an Armor Class of 18. associated wilh them; they are a general descriplion of how
For Bruenor's weapons, Bob chooses a battleaxe the play experience changes as characters gain leveIs.
and two handaxes. His battleaxe is a melee weapon, In lhe first lier (leveIs 1-4), characters are effeclively
so Bruenor uses his Strength modifier for his attacks apprentice adventurers. They are learning lhe features
and damage. His attack bonus is his Strength modifier that define lhem as members of parlicular classes,
(+3) plus his proficiency bonus (+2), for a total of +5. including lhe major choices that flavor their c1ass
The battleaxe deals ld8 slashing damage, and Bruenor features as lhey advance (such as a wizard's Arcane
adds his Strength modifier to the damage when he Tradition or a fighter's Marlial Archetype). The threats
hits, for a total of ld8 + 3 slashing damage. When they face are re!ative!y minor, usually posing a nanger lo
local farmsleads or villages.
throwing a handaxe, Bruenor has the same attack bonus
(handaxes, as thrown weapons, use Strength for attacks In the second tier (leveIs 5-10), characlers come into
and damage), and the weapon deals ld6 + 3 slashing lheir own. Many spellcaslers gain access to 3rd-Ievel
damage when it hits. spells aI lhe start of this tier, crossing a new threshold of
magical power with spells such as fireball and lightning
6. COME TOGETHER bolt. At lhis lier, many weapon-using classes gain the
abilily lOmake mulliple attacks in one round. These
Most 0&0 characters don't work alone. Each character charac(ers have become imporlanl, facing dangers thal
plays a role within a party, a group of adventurers lhrealen cities and kingdoms.
working together for a common purpose. Teamwork In the third lier (leveIs 11-16), characlers have
and cooperation greatly improve your party's chances reached a leveI of power that seIs lhem high ahove
to survive the many perils in lhe worlds of OUNGEONS the ordinary populace and makes them special even
& ORAGONS.TaIk to your fellow players and your OM among advenlurers. At 11th leveI, many spellcasters
lo decide whether your characlers know one another, gain access lo 6th-leveI spells, some of which create
how they mel, and what sorls of quesls lhe group effects previously impossible for player characters to
might undertake. achieve. Olher characters gain fealures (hat allow (hem
lo make more attacks or do more impressive things with
BEYOND 1ST LEVEL those attacks. These mighty adventurers oflen confront

As your characler goes on adventures and overcomes threals to whole regions and conlinents.
challenges, he or she gains experience, represenled by AI lhe fourth tier (leveIs 17-20), characters achieve
experience poinls. A character who reaches a specified the pinnacle of lheir c1ass features, becoming heroic (or
experience poinl tolal advances in capabilily. This villainous) archetypes in lheir own right. The fate of the
advancemenl is called gaining a leveI. world or even lhe fundamental order of lhe multiverse
When your characler gains a leveI, his or her c1ass might hang in the balance during their adventures.
often granls addilional features, as delailed in the
c1ass description. Some of these fealures allow you CHARACTER AOVANCEMENT
lo increase your abilily scores, eilher increasing lwo Experience Po;nts Levei Proficiency Bonus
scores by I each or increasing one score by 2. You can't O 1 +2
increase an ability score above 20. In addilion, every 300 2 +2
characler's proficiency bonus increases at certain leveIs. 900 3 +2
Each time you gain a leveI, you gain I additional Hit
Oie. Roll lhal Hit Oie, add your Conslitulion modifier 2,700 4 +2
to lhe roll, and add the total to your hit point maximum. 6,500 5 +3
Alternatively, you can use lhe fixed value shown in your 14,000 6 +3
c1ass enlry, which is the average resull of lhe die roll 23,000 7 +3
(rounded up). 34.000 8 +3
When your Conslilution modifier increases by I, your 48,000 9 +4
hit poinl maximum increases by I for each leve! you have 64,000 10 +4
allained. For exampIe, when Bruenor reaches 81h leveI 85,000 11 +4
as a fighter, he increases his Conslilution score from 17 100,000 12 +4
to 18, lhus increasing his Conslilulion modifier from +3 120,000 13 +5
to +4. His hil point maximum lhen increases by 8. 140,000 14 +5
The Character Advancement lable summarizes the 165,000 15 +5
XP you need to advance in leveIs from leveI 1 lhrough 195,000
leveI 20, and lhe proficiency bonus for a characler of thal 16 +5
leveI. Consull the informalion in your character's c1ass 225,000 17 +6
description to see what olher improvements you gain 265,000 18 +6
at each leveI. 305,000 19 +6
355,000 20 +6

PART 1 STEP-BY-STEP {;HARA(TERS
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