Page 174 - Player's Handbook

CHAPTER 7: USINGABILITY SCORES

IX ABILlTIES PROVIDE A QUICK DESCRIPTION To determine an ability modifier without consulting
of every creature's physical and mental the table, subtract 10 from the ability score and then
characteristics: divide the total by 2 (round down).
Strength, measuring physical power Because ability modifiers affect almost every attack
. Dexterity, measuring agility roll, ability check, and saving throw, ability modifiers
• Constitution, measuring endurance come up in play more often than their associated scores .
Intelligence, measuring reasoning
and memory ADVANTAGE AND
Wisdom, measuring perception and insight
Charisma, measuring force of personality DISADVANTAGE
Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you
Is a character muscle-bound and insightful? Brilliant
and charming? Nimble and hardy? Ability scores have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check,
define these qualities-a creature's assets as well a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens,
as weaknesses. you roll a second d20 when you make the roll. Use the
The three main rolls of the game-the ability check, higher of the two rolls if you have advantage, and use
the saving throw, and the attack roll-rely on the six the lower roll if you have disadvantage. For example, if
ability scores. The book's introduction describes the you have disadvantage and roll a 17 and a 5, you use the
basic rule behind these rolls: roll a d20, add an ability 5. ]f you instead have advantage and roll those numbers,
modifier derived from one of the six ability scores, and you use the 17.
compare the total to a target number. ]f multi pie situations affect a roll and each one grants
) This chapter focuses on how to use ability checks advantage or imposes disadvantage on it, you don't roll
and saving throws, covering the fundamental activities more than one additional d20. Jf two favorable situations
that creatures attempt in the game. Rules for attack rolls grant advantage, for example, you still roll only one
appear in chapter 9. additional d20.
If circumstances cause a roll to have both advantage
ABILITY SCORES AND and disadvantage, you are considered to have neither of
them, and you roll one d20. This is true even if multi pie
MODIFIERS circumstances impose disadvantage and only one grants
advantage or vice versa. In such a situation, you have
Each of a creature's abilities has a score. a number that neither advantage nor disadvantage.
defines the magnitude of that ability. An ability score When you have advantage or disadvantage and
is not just a measure of innate capabilities, but also something in the game, such as the halfling's Lucky
encompasses a creature's training and competence in trait, lets you reroll the d20, you can reroll only one
activities related to that ability. of the dice. Vou choose which one. For example, if a
A score of 10 or II is the normal human average, but halfling has advantage on an ability check and rolls
adventurers and many monsters are a cut above average a 1 and a 13, the halfling could use the Lucky trait to
in most abilities. A score of 18 is the highest that a reroll the I.
person usually reaches. Adventurers can have scores Vou usually gain advantage or disadvantage through
as high as 20, and monsters and divine beings can have the use of special abilities, actions, or spells. Inspiration
scores as high as 30. (see chapter 4) can also give a characler advantage on
Each ability also has a modifier, derived from the checks related to the character's personality, ideais,
score and ranging from -5 (for an ability score of I) to or bonds. The DM can also decide that circumstances
+10 (for a score of 30). The Ability Scores and Modifiers influence a roll in one direction or the other and grant
table notes the ability modifiers for the range of possible advantage or impose disadvantage as a result.
ability scores, from 1 to 30.
PROFICIENCY BONUS
ABILITY SCORES ANO MOOIFIERS
Score Modifier Score Modifier Characters have a proficiency bonus determined by
1 -5 16-17 +3 levei, as detailed in chapter I. Monsters also have this
2-3 -4 18-19 +4 bonus, which is incorporated in their stat blocks. The
4-5 -3 20-21 +5 bonus is used in the rules on ability checks, saving
throws, and attack rolls.
6-7 -2 22-23 +6 Your proficiency bonus can't be added to a single die
8-9 -1 24-25 +7 roll or other number more than once. For example, if
10-11 +0 26-27 +8 two different rules say you can add your proficiency
12-13 +1 28-29 +9 bonus to a Wisdom saving throw, you nevertheless add
14-15 +2 30 +10 the bonus only once when you make the savc.
Occasionally, your proficiency bonus might be
multiplied or divided (doubled or halved, for example)

PART 2 USING ABILlTY SCORES