Adventurer’s Guide

Alignment

A typical creature in the game world has an alignment, which broadly describes its moral and personal attitudes. Alignment is… More

Assigning Ability Scores

When crafting a character, the distribution of ability scores is a pivotal decision that shapes your character's identity, capabilities, and… More

Backgrounds

Every story has a beginning. Your character's background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your… More

Classes

Your character's class serves as both their job and their calling. It's more than just a profession; it's a set… More

Feats

A feat represents a talent or an area of expertise that gives a character special capabilities. It embodies training, experience,… More

Inspiration

Inspiration is a rule the game master can use to reward you for playing your character in a way that's… More

Languages

Your race indicates the languages your character can speak by default, and your background might give you access to one… More

Multiclassing

Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in multiple classes. Doing so lets you mix the abilities of those classes to… More

Races

Racial Traits The description of each race includes racial traits that are common to members of that race. The following… More

Adventuring Gear

Standard equipment list from the Basic Rules. For a more detailed, illustrated list please see the Gear & Artifacts page. More

Armor

Fantasy gaming worlds are a vast tapestry made up of many different cultures, each with its own technology level. For… More

Encumbrance

The rules for lifting and carrying are intentionally simple. Encumbrance is a variant to the rules if you are looking… More

Equipment Packs

The starting equipment you get from your class includes a collection of useful adventuring gear, put together in a pack.… More

Expenses

When not descending into the depths of the earth, exploring ruins for lost treasures, or waging war against the encroaching… More

Mounts and Vehicles

A good mount can help you move more quickly through the wilderness, but its primary purpose is to carry the… More

Selling Treasure

Opportunities abound to find treasure, equipment, weapons, armor, and more in the dungeons you explore. Normally, you can sell your… More

Standard Exchange Rates

Coin CP SP EP GP PP Copper (cp) 1 1/10 1/50 1/100 1/1,000 Silver (sp) 10 1 1/5 1/10 1/100… More

Tools

A tool helps you to do something you couldn't otherwise do, such as craft or repair an item, forge a… More

Trade Goods

Most wealth is not in coins. It is measured in livestock, grain, land, rights to collect taxes, or rights to… More

Weapon Properties

In the realm of fantasy and adventure, weapons are not just tools of combat but extensions of the characters wielding… More

Weapons

Your class grants proficiency in certain weapons, reflecting both the class's focus and the tools you are most likely to… More

Bardic Inspiration

A creature that receives Bardic Inspiration can, within the next 10 minutes, roll the specified die and add the number… More

Hit Points

Hit Points (HP) represent the physical durability, stamina, and overall vitality of a creature, be it a character or a… More

Ability Checks

Ability Checks An ability check tests a character's or monster's innate talent and training in an effort to overcome a… More

Ability Scores

Six abilities provide a quick description of every creature's physical and mental characteristics: Is a character muscle-bound and insightful? Brilliant… More

Advantage and Disadvantage

Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving… More

Armor Class

Armor Class (AC) is a key statistic that represents how difficult it is for attackers to land a damaging blow… More

Between Adventures

Between trips to dungeons and battles against ancient evils, adventurers need time to rest, recuperate, and prepare for their next… More

Combat

At its core, combat is about narrating a cinematic and tactical encounter where characters and their adversaries engage in a… More

Hit Dice

Hit Dice (HD) serve two main purposes: determining a character's hit points (HP) and serving as a resource for healing… More

Movement

Swimming across a rushing river, sneaking down a dungeon corridor, scaling a treacherous mountain slope-all sorts of movement play a… More

Passive Checks

A passive check is a special kind of ability check that doesn't involve any die rolls. Such a check can… More

Proficiency Bonus

Characters have a proficiency bonus determined by level. Monsters also have this bonus, which is incorporated in their stat blocks.… More

Resting

Heroic though they might be, adventurers can't spend every hour of the day in the thick of exploration, social interaction,… More

Saving Throws

A saving throw-also called a save-represents an attempt to resist a spell, a trap, a poison, a disease, or a… More

Skills

Each ability covers a broad range of capabilities, including skills that a character or a monster can be proficient in.… More

Speed

Speed represents how far a character or creature can move in a single round. Speed is measured in feet and… More

The Environment

By its nature, adventuring involves delving into places that are dark, dangerous, and full of mysteries to be explored. The… More

Time

In situations where keeping track of the passage of time is important, the GM determines the time a task requires.… More

Using Each Ability

Every task that a character or monster might attempt in the game is covered by one of the six abilities.… More

Cantrips

Cantrips are a special kind of spell that don't consume spell slots. This means you can cast them as often… More

Casting a Spell

When a character casts any spell, the same basic rules are followed, regardless of the character's class or the spell's… More

Spellcasting Ability

Your spellcasting ability refers to the ability score you use to cast spells for a particular class. This ability score… More

What Is a Spell?

A spell is a discrete magical effect, a single shaping of the magical energies that suffuse the multiverse into a… More

Conditions

Conditions alter a creature's capabilities in a variety of ways and can arise as a result of a spell, a… More

Damage Types

This section is dedicated to the various Damage Types that characters might encounter or wield against their foes. From the… More

Diseases

Diseases A plague ravages the kingdom, setting the adventurers on a quest to find a cure. An adventurer emerges from… More

Fantasy-Historical Pantheons

Fantasy-Historical Pantheons The Celtic, Egyptian, Greek, and Norse pantheons are fantasy interpretations of historical religions from our world's ancient times.… More

Madness

Madness In a typical campaign, characters aren't driven mad by the horrors they face and the carnage they inflict day… More

Nonplayer Characters

This appendix contains statistics for various humanoid nonplayer characters (NPCs) that adventurers might encounter during a campaign, including lowly commoners… More

Objects

Objects When characters need to saw through ropes, shatter a window, or smash a vampire's coffin, the only hard and… More

Poisons

Poisons Given their insidious and deadly nature, poisons are illegal in most societies but are a favorite tool among assassins,… More

The Planes of Existence

The Planes of Existence The cosmos teems with a multitude of worlds as well as myriad alternate dimensions of reality,… More

Traps

Traps Traps can be found almost anywhere. One wrong step in an ancient tomb might trigger a series of scything… More

Adventurer’s Guide

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