D&D Book

C ontentsP reface 4 Pa r t 2 171In tr o d u c tio n 5 C h a p t e r 7: U s i n g A b i l i t y S c o r e s ...........173 Ability S c o r e s and M odifiers........................................173W orlds o f A dven tu re................................................................... 5 Advantage and D isadvan tage...................................... 173U sing Th is B o o k ......................................................................... 6 P roficien cy B o n u s............................................................173H ow to P la y ................................................................................... 6 Ability C h e ck s................................................................... 174A d v en tu res.................................................................................... 7 U sing E ach A bility...........................................................175 Saving T h r o w s ................... ............................................. 179P art 1 9 C h a p t e r 8 : A d v e n t u r i n g ...... ................ 181C h a p t e r 1: S t e p - b y - S t e p C h a r a c t e r s ..... 11 T im e ........................................................ .. ................. 181 B eyon d 1st L ev el............................................................... 15 M ovem en t.......................................................................... 181 Th e E nvironm ent.......................... ......................... 183C h a p t e r 2 : R a c e s ........................................................ 17 S o c ia l In tera ction ........................................................... 185 C h oosin g a R a ce ................................................................ 17 R e s tin g ............................................................................... 186 D w a rf.................................................................................... 18 B etw een A dven tu res......................................................186 E l f...........................................................................................21 H alfling.................................................................................26 C h a p t e r 9 : C o m b a t ................................................ 189 H u m an ..................................................................................29 The O rder o f C om b a t.....................................................189 D ra g o n b o rn ........................................................................ 32 M ovem ent and P o sitio n .................................................190 G n o m e ..................................................................................35 A ctions in C o m b a t.......................................................... 192 H alf-E lf.................................................................................38 M aking an A ttack............................................................ 193 H a lf-O rc.............................................................................. 40 C over................................................................................... 196 T ie flin g .................................................................................42 D am age and H e a lin g .....................................................196 M ounted C om bat............................................................. 198C h a p t e r 3 : C l a s s e s .................................................. 45 Underwater C om ba t....................................................... 198 B arbarian............................................................................ 46 B a r d ...................................................................................... 51 P art 3 199 C leric.....................................................................................56 D ru id .....................................................................................64 C h a p t e r 10: S p e l l c a s t i n g .................................201 F igh ter..................................................................................70 M o n k ..................................................................................... 76 W hat Is a S p e ll? ...............................................................201 P a la d in .................................................................................82 Casting a S p e ll................................................................ 202 R a n g e r..................................................................................89 R o g u e ....................................................................................94 C h a p t e r 11: S p e l l s ..................................................... 207 S o r c e r e r .............................................................................. 99 W a rlo ck ..............................................................................105 Spell L ists..........................................................................207 W iz a r d ................................................................................112 Spell D e scrip tio n s...........................................................211C h a pte r 4: P e r so n a l it y a n d A ppen d ix A : C o n d it io n s 290B a c k g r o u n d .................................................................. 121 A p p e n d i x B: 293 Character D etails............................................................ 121 In spiration ........................................................................ 125 G ods of th e M u ltiv e r se B a ck g rou n d s.................................................................... 125 A ppen d ix C: 300C h a p t e r 5 : E q u i p m e n t .........................................143 T h e P l a n e s of E x iste n c e Starting E quipm ent....................................................... 143 W e a lth ................................................................................143 The Material P lane....... ................. ...............................3 0 0 A rm or and S h ie ld s .........................................................144 B eyond the M aterial.................................. 301 W ea p on s............................................................................ 146 Adventuring G e a r ...........................................................148 A p p e n d i x D: 304 T o o ls....................................................................................154 M ounts and V e h icle s..................................................... 155 C r e a tu r e St a t ist ic s Trade G o o d s ..................................................................... 157 E x p en ses........................................................................... 157 A p p e n d ix E: 312 T rink ets............................................................................. 159 In sp ir a t io n a l R e a d in gC h a p t e r 6 : C u s t o m i z a t i o n O p t i o n s .... 163 In d ex 313 M ulticlassing.................................................................... 163 F e a t s ...................................................................................165 C h aracter Sheet 317

Preface are likely to end up friends. It’s a c o o l side effect o f the game. Your next gam ing group is as close as the nearest NOCE UPON A TIME, LONG, LONG AGO, IN A game store, online forum, or gaming convention. realm called the Midwestern United States—specifically the states o f M inne­ The secon d thing you need is a lively imagination sota and W isconsin—a group of friends or, m ore importantly, the w illingness to use whatever gathered together to forever alter the im agination you have. You don’t need to be a master history o f gaming. storyteller or a brilliant artist. You just need to aspire to create, to have the courage o f som eon e w ho is w illing to It w asn ’t their intent to do so. Th ey w ere build som eth in g and share it w ith others.tired of merely reading tales about worlds of magic,m onsters, and adventure. They wanted to play in those Luckily, just as D&D can strengthen your friendships,worlds, rather than observe them. That they went on it can help build in you the con fid en ce to create andto invent D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s , and thereby ignite a share. D&D is a gam e that teaches you to look for therevolution in gam ing that continu es to this day, sp eaks clever solution, share the sudden idea that can overcom eto tw o things. a problem, and push yourself to imagine what could be, rather than sim ply a ccep t what is. First, it sp eak s to their ingenuity and genius in fig­uring out that gam es w ere the perfect way to explore The first characters and adventures you create willw orlds that could not otherw ise exist. A lm ost every probably be a collection o f cliches. That’s true o f every­m odern game, whether played on a digital device or one, from the greatest Dungeon M asters in history ona tabletop, ow es som e debt to D&D. down. A ccept this reality and move on to create the second character or adventure, which will be better, S econ d , it is a testam ent to the inherent appeal o f the and then the third, w hich w ill be better still. Repeat thatgam e they created. D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s sparked a over the course o f time, and soon you’ll be able to createthriving global phenom enon. It is the first roleplaying anything, from a ch a ra cter’s backgrou n d story to an epicgam e, and it rem ains one o f the best o f its breed. w orld of fantasy adventure. To play D&D, and to play it w ell, you d on ’t n eed to O nce you have that skill, it’s y ou rs forever. C ou n tlessread all the rules, m em orize every detail o f the game, writers, artists, and other creators can trace their begin­or master the fine art o f rolling funny looking dice. nings to a few pages o f D&D notes, a handful o f dice,N one o f those things have any bearing on what’s best and a kitchen table.about the game. Above all else, D&D is yours. The friendships you W hat you need are tw o things, the first being friends make around the table will be unique to you. The adven­with w hom you can share the game. Playing gam es with tures you em bark on, the characters you create, theyour friends is a lot o f fun, but D&D does som ething m em ories you m ake—these w ill be yours. D&D is yourm ore than entertain. personal corner of the universe, a place where you have free reign to do as you wish. Playing D&D is an exercise in collaborative creation.You and your friends create epic stories filled with ten­ G o forth now. Read the rules o f the game and thesion and mem orable drama. You create silly in-jokes story of its w orlds, but always rem em ber that you arethat m ake you laugh years later. The dice w ill be cruel the one w ho brings them to life. They are nothingto you, but you will soldier on. Your collective creativ­ without the spark o f life that you give them.ity will build stories that you w ill tell again and again,ranging from the utterly absurd to the stuff o f legend. Mike Mearls May 2014 If you d on ’t have friends interested in playing, don ’tw orry. T h ere’s a sp ecia l alchem y that takes placearound a D&D table that nothing else can match. Playthe game with som eone enough, and the tw o o f you

In trod u ction In the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game, each player creates an adventurer (also called a character) and The D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s r o l e p l a y in g team s up with other adventurers (played by friends). gam e is about storytelling in w orlds of W orking together, the group might explore a dark dun­ sw ord s and sorcery. It sh ares elem ents geon, a ruined city, a haunted castle, a lost tem ple deep with childhood gam es o f make-believe. Like in a jungle, or a lava-filled cavern beneath a m ysterious those gam es, D & D is driven by im agina­ mountain. The adventurers can solve puzzles, talk with tion. It’s about picturing the tow ering castle other characters, battle fantastic m onsters, and discover beneath the stormy night sky and im agining fabulous m agic items and other treasure.how a fantasy adventurer might react to the challengesthat scene presents. O ne player, however, takes on the role o f the D ungeon M aster (D M ), the gam e’s lead storyteller and referee. Dungeon Master (DM): After passing through the The DM creates adventures for the characters, who nav­ craggy peaks, the road takes a sudden turn to the east igate its hazards and decide which paths to explore. The and Castle Ravenloft towers before you. Crum bling DM might describe the entrance to Castle Ravenloft, towers of stone keep a silent watch over the approach. and the players decide what they want their adventurers They look like abandoned guardhouses. Beyond these, to do. W ill they w alk across the dangerously weathered a wide chasm gapes, disappearing into the deep drawbridge? Tie themselves together with rope to mini­ fog below. A lowered drawbridge spans the chasm , m ize the chance that som eon e w ill fall if the drawbridge leading to an arched entrance to the castle courtyard. gives way? Or cast a spell to carry them over the chasm ? The chains o f the drawbridge creak in the wind, their rust-eaten iron straining with the weight. From atop Then the DM determ ines the results o f the adventur­ the high strong walls, stone gargoyles stare at you ers’ actions and narrates what they experience. Because from hollow sockets and grin hideously. A rotting the DM can im provise to react to anything the players wooden portcullis, green with growth, hangs in the attempt, D&D is infinitely flexible, and each adventure entry tunnel. Beyond this, the main doors of Castle can be exciting and unexpected. Ravenloft stand open, a rich warm light spilling into the courtyard. The game has no real end; when one story or quest w raps up, another one can begin, creating an ongoing Phillip (playing Gareth): I want to look at the story called a campaign. Many people w ho play the gargoyles. I have a feeling they’re not just statues. game keep their cam paigns going for months or years, m eeting with their friends every w eek or so to pick Amy (playing Riva): The drawbridge looks precarious? up the story w here they left off. The adventurers grow I want to see how sturdy it is. Do I think we can cross in might as the cam paign continues. Each m onster it, or is it going to collapse under our weight? defeated, each adventure completed, and each treasure recovered not only adds to the continuing story, but also Unlike a game of make-believe, D&D gives structure earns the adventurers new capabilities. This increaseto the stories, a way of determining the consequences in pow er is reflected by an adventurer’s level.of the adventurers’ action. Players roll dice to resolvewhether their attacks hit or m iss or w hether their adven­ There’s no w inning and losing in the D u n g e o n s &turers can scale a cliff, roll away from the strike o f a D r a g o n s g am e—at least, not the way those term s arem agical lightning bolt, or pull off som e other dangerous usually understood. Together, the D M and the playerstask. Anything is possible, but the dice make som e out­ create an exciting story o f bold adventurers who confrontcom es m ore probable than others. deadly perils. Som etim es an adventurer might com e to a grisly end, torn apart by ferociou s m onsters or done in Dungeon Master (DM): O K, one at a time. Phillip, by a nefarious villain. Even so, the other adventurers can you’re looking at the gargoyles? search for powerful m agic to revive their fallen comrade, or the player might ch oose to create a new character to Phillip: Yeah. Is there any hint they m ight be carry on. The group might fail to com plete an adventure creatures and not decorations? successfully, but if everyone had a good time and created a m em orable story, they all win. DM : Make an Intelligence check. Phillip: Does my Investigation skill apply? W orlds of A dventure DM: Sure! Phillip (rolling a d20): Ugh. Seven. The m any w orlds o f the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game DM : They look like decorations to you. And Amy, are places o f magic and monsters, of brave warriors and Riva is checking out the drawbridge? spectacular adventures. They begin with a foundation of medieval fantasy and then add the creatures, places, and m agic that make these w orlds unique. The w orlds o f the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e exist within a vast cosm os called the multiverse, connected in strange and mysterious ways to one another and to other planes of existence, such as the Elemental Plane of Fire and the Infinite Depths o f the Abyss. W ithin

this multiverse are an endless variety o f worlds. Many 2. The players describe what they want to do. S o m e ­o f them have been published as official settings for the tim es one player speaks for the w hole party, saying,D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realm s, Drag- “W e’ll take the east door,” for exam ple. Other tim es,onlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron different adventurers do different things: one adventurersettings are woven together in the fabric o f the multi- might search a treasure chest while a second exam inesverse. Alongside these worlds are hundreds of thousands an esoteric sym bol engraved on a wall and a third keepsmore, created by generations o f D&D players for their watch for m onsters. The players don’t need to takeow n games. And amid all the richness o f the multiverse, turns, but the DM listens to every player and decidesyou might create a world of your own. how to resolve those actions. All these worlds share characteristics, but each world Som etim es, resolving a task is easy. If an adventureris set apart by its ow n history and cultures, distinctive wants to walk across a room and open a door, the DMmonsters and races, fantastic geography, ancient dun­ might just say that the door opens and describe whatgeons, and schem ing villains. S om e races have unusual lies beyond. But the door might be locked, the floortraits in different worlds. The halflings o f the Dark Sun might hide a deadly trap, or som e other circum stancesetting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, m ight m ake it challen ging for an adventurer to com pleteand the elves are desert nomads. Som e worlds feature a task. In those cases, the DM decides what happens,races unknow n in other settings, such as E berron’s war- often relying on the roll o f a die to determine the resultsforged, sold iers created and im bu ed with life to fight in of an action.the Last War. S om e w orlds are dom inated by one greatstory, like the W ar o f the Lance that plays a central role 3. The DM narrates the results o f the adventurers’in the D ragon lance setting. But they’re all D & D w orlds, actions. D escribing the results often leads to anotherand you can use the rules in this b o o k to create a char­ decision point, which brings the flow o f the gam e rightacter and play in any one o f them. ba ck to step 1. Your DM might set the cam paign on one of these This pattern holds whether the adventurers are cau­worlds or on one that he or she created. B ecause there tiously exploring a ruin, talking to a devious prince, oris so much diversity am ong the worlds o f D&D, you lock ed in m ortal com bat against a m ighty dragon. Inshould check with your DM about any h ouse rules that certain situations, particularly combat, the action isw ill affect your play o f the game. Ultimately, the D un­ m ore structured and the players (and DM) do take turnsgeon M aster is the authority on the cam paign and its choosing and resolving actions. But m ost of the time,setting, even if the setting is a published world. play is fluid and flexible, adapting to the circum stances o f the adventure.U sing T his B o o k Often the action o f an adventure takes place in theT h e Player’s Handbook is divided into three parts. im agination o f the players and DM, relying on the D M ’s Part 1 is about creating a character, providing the verbal descriptions to set the scene. S om e DM s like to use m usic, art, or recorded sound effects to help set therules and guidance you need to make the character m ood, and many players and DM s alike adopt differenty ou ’ll play in the gam e. It includes inform ation on the voices for the various adventurers, monsters, and othervarious races, classes, backgrounds, equipment, and characters they play in the game. Som etim es, a DMother custom ization options that you can ch oose from. might lay out a map and use tokens or miniature figuresM any o f the rules in part 1 rely on m aterial in parts 2 to represent each creature involved in a scen e to helpand 3. If you com e across a gam e concept in part 1 that the players k eep track o f w here everyone is.you don ’t understand, consult the b o o k ’s index. G a m e D ice Part 2 details the rules o f how to play the game,beyond the basics described in this introduction. That The game uses polyhedral dice with different num berspart covers the kinds of die rolls you make to determine o f sides. You can find dice like these in gam e stores ands u c ce s s or failure at the tasks your character attempts, in many bookstores.and describes the three broad categories o f activity inthe game: exploration, interaction, and combat. In these rules, the different dice are referred to by the letter d follow ed by the num ber o f sides: d4, d6, d8, d 10, Part 3 is all about m agic. It covers the nature o f m agic d 12, and d20. F or instance, a d6 is a six-sided die (thein the w orlds o f D&D, the rules for spellcasting, and the typical cube that many gam es use).huge variety o f spells available to m agic-using charac­ters (and m onsters) in the game. Percentile dice, or d 100, w ork a little differently. You generate a number between 1 and 100 by rolling twoHow t o Pl a y different ten-sided dice num bered from 0 to 9. One die (designated before you roll) gives the tens digit, andThe play o f the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e unfolds the other gives the on es digit. If you roll a 7 and a 1, foraccording to this basic pattern. exam ple, the num ber rolled is 71. Tw o Os represent 100. S om e ten-sided dice are num bered in tens (00, 10, 20, 1. The DM describes the environment. T h e DM and s o on), m akin g it easier to distinguish the tens digittells the players w here their adventurers are and w hat’s from the on es digit. In this case, a roll o f 70 and 1 is 71,around them, presenting the basic scop e o f options that and 00 and 0 is 100.present themselves (how many doors lead out of a room ,w hat’s on a table, w h o ’s in the tavern, and so on). W hen you need to roll dice, the rules tell you how many dice to roll o f a certain type, as well as what m od­ ifiers to add. For example, “3d8 + 5 ” m eans you roll

three eight-sided dice, add them together, and add 5 3. Compare the total to a target number. If the totalto the total. equals or exceeds the target number, the ability check, attack roll, or saving th row is a su ccess. O therw ise, it’s The sam e d notation appears in the expressions “ 1d 3 ” a failure. The DM is usually the one w ho determ inesand “ 1d2.” To sim ulate the roll o f 1d3, roll a d6 and target num bers and tells players whether their abilitydivide the num ber rolled by 2 (round up). To simulate ch ecks, attack rolls, and saving th row s su cce e d or fail.the roll o f 1d2, roll any die and assign a 1 or 2 to the rolldepen din g on w hether it w as odd or even. (Alternatively, The target num ber for an ability check or a savingif the num ber rolled is m ore than half the num ber of th row is called a Difficulty Class (D C). T h e targetsides on the die, it’s a 2.) num ber for an attack roll is called an Armor Class (AC).T h e D 20 This simple rule governs the resolution of m ost tasks in D & D play. Chapter 7 provides m ore detailed rules forD oes an adventurer’s sw ord sw ing hurt a dragon or just using the d20 in the game.b ou n ce off its iron-hard sca les? W ill the ogre believe anoutrageous bluff? Can a character sw im across a raging A dva n t a ge a n d D isa d v a n t a g eriver? Can a character avoid the main blast o f a fireball,or d o e s he or she take full dam age from the blaze? In Som etim es an ability check, attack roll, or saving throwcases w here the outcom e o f an action is uncertain, is m odified by special situations called advantage andthe D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e relies on rolls o f a disadvantage. Advantage reflects the positive circum ­20-sided die, a d20, to determine su ccess or failure. stances surrounding a d20 roll, while disadvantage reflects the opposite. W hen you have either advantage or Every character and m onster in the gam e has capa­ disadvantage, you roll a second d20 w hen you m ake thebilities defined by six ability scores. T h e abilities are roll. Use the higher o f the tw o rolls if you have advan­Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, W isdom , tage, and use the lower roll if you have disadvantage.and Charism a, and they typically range from 3 to 18 F or exam ple, if you have disadvantage and roll a 17 andfor m ost adventurers. (M onsters might have scores as a 5, you use the 5. If you instead have advantage and rolllow as 1 or as high as 30.) T hese ability scores, and the th ose num bers, you use the 17.ability modifiers derived from them , are the basis foralm ost every d20 roll that a player m akes on a charac­ M ore detailed rules for advantage and disadvantageter’s or m on ster’s behalf. are presented in chapter 7. Ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws are the Sp e cific B eats G e n e r a lthree main kinds o f d20 rolls, form ing the core o f therules of the game. All three follow these simple steps. T h is b o o k contain s rules, esp ecia lly in parts 2 and 3, that govern h ow the game plays. That said, many racial 1. Roll the die and add a modifier. R oll a d2 0 and traits, class features, spells, m agic items, m onster abili­add the relevant modifier. This is typically the m od­ ties, and other gam e elem ents break the general rules inifier derived from on e o f the six ability s cores, and it som e way, creating an exception to h ow the rest o f thesom etim es includes a proficiency bonus to reflect a char­ game w orks. Rem em ber this: If a specific rule contra­acter’s particular skill. (S ee chapter 1 for details on each dicts a general rule, the specific rule wins.ability and h ow to determ ine an ability’s modifier.) Exceptions to the rules are often minor. For instance, 2. Apply circumstantial bonuses and penalties. A m any adventurers don’t have proficiency with longbow s,class feature, a spell, a particular circum stance, or som e but every w o o d elf does becau se o f a racial trait. Thatother effect might give a bonus or penalty to the check. trait creates a m inor exception in the game. Other examples of rule-breaking are m ore conspicuous. For instance, an adventurer can’t norm ally pass through walls, but som e spells m ake that possible. M agic accounts for m ost o f the m ajor exceptions to the rules. Round D ow n T h ere’s on e m ore general rule you n eed to k n ow at the outset. W henever you divide a number in the game, round dow n if you end up with a fraction, even if the fraction is one-half or greater. A dventures The D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game consists of a group o f characters em barking on an adventure that the D un­ geon Master presents to them. Each character brings particular capabilities to the adventure in the form of ability scores and skills, class features, racial traits, equipment, and m agic items. Every character is dif­ ferent, with various strengths and w eaknesses, so the best party o f adventurers is one in w hich the characters com plem ent each other and cover the w eaknesses of

their com panions. The adventurers must cooperate to that a captured scout reveal the secret entrance to thesuccessfully com plete the adventure. goblin lair, getting inform ation from a rescu ed prisoner, pleading for mercy from an orc chieftain, or persuading The adventure is the heart of the game, a story with a talkative m agic m irror to sh ow a distant location toa beginning, a middle, and an end. An adventure might the adventurers.be created by the D ungeon M aster or purchased off theshelf, tw eaked and m odified to suit the D M ’s n eeds and The rules in chapters 7 and 8 support exploration anddesires. In either case, an adventure features a fantastic social interaction, as do many class features in chapter 3setting, w hether it’s an u nderground dungeon, a cru m ­ and personality traits in chapter 4.bling castle, a stretch o f w ildern ess, or a bustling city.It features a rich cast o f characters: the adventurers Combat, the focu s o f chapter 9, involves characterscreated and played by the other players at the table,as well as nonplayer characters (NPCs). Those char­ and other creatures swinging weapons, casting spells,acters might be patrons, allies, enemies, hirelings, or m aneuvering for position, and so on —all in an effortjust background extras in an adventure. Often, one of to defeat their opponents, w hether that m eans killingthe N PC s is a villain w hose agenda drives much o f an every enemy, taking captives, or forcing a rout. Combatadventure’s action. is the most structured element o f a D&D session, with creatures taking turns to m ake sure that everyone gets Over the course o f their adventures, the characters a chance to act. Even in the context o f a pitched battle,are confronted by a variety of creatures, objects, and there’s still plenty o f opportunity for adventurers tosituations that they must deal with in som e way. S o m e ­ attempt w acky stunts like surfing dow n a flight o f stairstimes the adventurers and other creatures do their on a shield, to exam ine the environment (perhaps bybest to kill or capture each other in com bat. At other pulling a m ysterious lever), and to interact with othertim es, the adventurers talk to another creature (or even creatures, including allies, enem ies, and neutral parties.a m agical object) with a goal in mind. And often, theadventurers spend time trying to solve a puzzle, bypass T h e W o n d er s of M a g ican obstacle, find som ething hidden, or unravel the cur­rent situation. M eanwhile, the adventurers explore the Few D&D adventures end without som ething magicalworld, m aking decisions about which way to travel and happening. W hether helpful or harmful, m agic appearsw hat they’ll try to do next. frequently in the life o f an adventurer, and it is the focu s o f chapters 10 and 11. Adventures vary in length and complexity. A shortadventure might present only a few challenges, and In the w orlds o f D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s , practitionersit m ight take no m ore than a single gam e session to o f m agic are rare, set apart from the m asses o f peoplecomplete. A long adventure can involve hundreds of by their extraordinary talent. C om m on folk might seecom bats, interactions, and other challenges, and take eviden ce o f m agic on a regular basis, but it’s usuallydozens o f sessions to play through, stretching over m inor—a fantastic monster, a visibly answ ered prayer,w eeks or m onths o f real time. Usually, the end o f an a w izard walking through the streets with an animatedadventure is marked by the adventurers heading back to shield guardian as a bodyguard.civilization to rest and enjoy the spoils o f their labors. For adventurers, though, m agic is key to their sur­ But that’s not the end o f the story. You can think o f vival. W ithout the healing m agic o f clerics and paladins,an adventure as a single episode of a TV series, made adventurers w ould quickly succum b to their wounds.up o f multiple exciting scenes. A cam paign is the whole Without the uplifting m agical support o f bards andseries—a string o f adventures join ed together, with a clerics, warriors might be overwhelmed by powerfulconsistent group o f adventurers following the narrative foes. Without the sheer m agical pow er and versatilityfrom start to finish. of w izards and druids, every threat w ould be mag­ nified tenfold.T h e T h ree P illa r s of A d v e n tu r e M agic is also a favored tool o f villains. Many adven­Adventurers can try to do anything their players can tures are driven by the machinations of spellcastersim agine, but it can b e helpful to talk about their activ­ w ho are hellbent on using m agic for som e ill end. A cultities in three broad categories: exploration, social leader seeks to awaken a god w ho slum bers beneathinteraction, and combat. the sea, a hag kidnaps youths to m agically drain them o f their vigor, a mad w izard labors to invest an army of Exploration includes both the adventurers’ m ovem ent automatons with a facsim ile o f life, a dragon begins a m ystical ritual to rise up as a god o f destruction—thesethrough the w orld and their interaction with objects and are just a few o f the m agical threats that adventurerssituations that require their attention. Exploration is the m ight face. W ith m agic o f their ow n, in the form o fgive-and-take o f the players describing what they want spells and m agic items, the adventurers might prevail!their characters to do, and the D ungeon M aster tellingthe players what happens as a result. On a large scale,that might involve the characters spending a day cross­ing a rolling plain or an hour making their way throughcaverns underground. On the sm allest scale, it couldm ean one character pulling a lever in a dungeon room tosee what happens. Social interaction features the adventurers talking tosom eon e (or som eth in g) else. It might m ean dem anding

C h a p t e r 1: St e p - b y - S t e p C h a r a c t e r sOUR FIRST STEP IN PLAYING AN ADVENTURER IN THE cla sses (see step 2). For exam ple, the racial traits o fD u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s gam e is to im agine lightfoot halflings m ake them exceptional rogues, andand create a character of your own. Your high elves tend to be powerful wizards. Som etim escharacter is a com bination o f game statistics, playing against type can be fun, too. Half-orc paladinsroleplaying hooks, and your imagination. You and mountain dwarf wizards, for example, can bech oose a race (such as human or halfling) and unusual but m em orable characters.a class (such as fighter or wizard). You also Your race also increases one or m ore o f your abilityinvent the personality, appearance, and backstory of scores, w hich you determ ine in step 3. Note theseyour character. Once completed, your character serves in creases and rem em ber to apply them later.as your representative in the game, your avatar in the R ecord the traits granted by your race on yourD u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s world. character sheet. Be sure to note your startingBefore you dive into step 1 below, think about the languages and your base speed as well.kind o f adventurer you w ant to play. You m ight be a B u il d in g B r u e n o r , St e p 1courageous fighter, a skulking rogue, a fervent cleric, or B ob is sitting dow n to create his character. He decidesa flamboyant w izard. Or you might be m ore interested that a gru ff m ountain dw arf fits the character he w antsin an unconventional character, such as a brawny rogue to play. He notes all the racial traits o f dw arves on hisw ho likes hand-to-hand combat, or a sharpshooter who character sheet, including his speed of 25 feet and thepicks off enem ies from afar. D o you like fantasy fiction languages he knows: Com m on and Dwarvish.featuring dwarves or elves? Try building a character ofone o f those races. D o you want your character to be the 2. C h o o s e a C lasstoughest adventurer at the table? C on sider a class likebarbarian or paladin. If you don’t know w here else to Every adventurer is a m em ber of a class. Class broadlybegin, take a lo o k at the illustrations in this b o o k to see d escrib es a character’s vocation, w hat sp ecia l talents hewhat catches your interest. or she possesses, and the tactics he or she is m ost likely O nce you have a character in mind, follow these steps to em ploy when exploring a dungeon, fighting monsters, or engaging in a tense negotiation. The characterin order, m aking decisions that reflect the character you cla sses are d escrib ed in chapter 3.want. Your conception of your character might evolvewith each c h o ice you m ake. W h a t’s im portant is that you Your character receives a number of benefits fromco m e to the table w ith a character you ’re excited to play. your choice of class. Many of these benefits are class Throughout this chapter, w e use the term character features—capabilities (including spellcasting) that setsheet to m ean whatever you use to track your character, your character apart from m em bers of other classes.w hether it’s a form al character sheet (like the on e at the You also gain a num ber o f proficiencies: armor,end o f this book), som e form o f digital record, or a piece w eapons, skills, saving throws, and som etim es tools.of notebook paper. An official D&D character sheet is a Your proficiencies define many o f the things yourfine place to start until you know what inform ation you character can do particularly well, from using certainneed and h ow you u se it during the gam e. w eapons to telling a convincing lie.Bu il d in g B ru en o r On your character sheet, record all the features thatEach step o f character creation includes an example of your class gives you at 1st level.that step, with a player nam ed B ob building his dw arf L evelcharacter, Bruenor. Typically, a character starts at 1st level and advances1. C h o o s e a R a c e in level by adventuring and gaining experience points (X P). A 1st-level character is in exp erien ced in theEvery character belongs to a race, one o f the many adventuring world, although he or she might have beenintelligent hum anoid sp ecies in the D&D world. The a soldier or a pirate and done dangerous things before.m ost com m on player character races are dwarves, elves,halflings, and humans. S om e races also have subraces, Starting off at 1st level m arks your character’s entrysuch as mountain dw arf or w o o d elf. Chapter 2 provides into the adventuring life. If you’re already familiarm ore inform ation about these races, as well as the less with the game, or if you are joining an existing D&Dw idespread races o f dragonborn, gnom es, half-elves, cam paign, your DM might d ecide to have you begin at ahalf-orcs, and tieflings. higher level, on the assum ption that your character has already survived a few harrowing adventures.The race you c h o o s e contributes to your character’sidentity in an important way, by establishing a general Q u ick Bu ildappearance and the natural talents gained from culture Each class description in chapter 3 includes a sectionand ancestry. Your character’s race grants particular offering suggestions to quickly build a character o f thatracial traits, such as special senses, proficiency with class, including how to assign your highest ability scores,certain w eapons or tools, proficiency in one or m ore a background suitable to the class, and starting spells.skills, or the ability to use m inor spells. T hese traitssom etim es dovetail with the capabilities o f certain PART 1 STEP-BY-STEP CHARACTERS

R e co rd your level on your character sheet. If you ’re At 1st level, your character has 1 Hit Die, and thestarting at a h igher level, record the additional elem ents die type is determ ined by your class. You start w ith hityour class gives you for your levels past 1st. A lso record points equal to the h ighest roll o f that die, as indicated inyour exp erien ce points. A 1st-level character has 0 your class description. (You also add your ConstitutionX P A higher-level character typically begins with the modifier, w h ich you ’ll determ ine in step 3.) T h is is alsom inim um amount o f X P required to reach that level your hit point maxim um .(see “Beyond 1st Level” later in this chapter). R e c o rd y ou r character’s hit points on your characterH it P o in t s a n d H it D ice sheet. A lso record the type o f Hit Die your characterY our character’s hit points define h ow tough your uses and the num ber o f Hit D ice you have. After youcharacter is in com bat and other dangerous situations. rest, you can spend Hit D ice to regain hit points (seeYour hit points are determ ined by your Hit D ice (short “R estin g” in chapter 8).for Hit Point Dice). P r o f ic ie n c y B on u sA b il it y S c o r e S u m m a r y The table that appears in your class description show s your proficiency bonus, w h ich is +2 for a 1st-levelStrength character. Your proficiency bonus applies to many o f the num bers y ou ’ll be record in g on your character sheet:M easures: Natural athleticism, bodily power • A ttack rolls using w ea p on s y ou ’re proficient withIm p ortant for: Barbarian, fighter, paladin • Attack rolls with spells you cast • Ability ch eck s using skills y ou ’re proficient inRacial Increases: • Ability ch eck s using tools y ou ’re proficient with • Saving th row s y ou ’re proficient inMountain dwarf (+2) Half-orc (+2) • Saving throw D C s for spells you cast (explained inDragonborn (+2) Human (+1) each spellcasting class)Dexterity Your class determines your w eapon proficiencies, your saving throw proficiencies, and som e o f your skillM easures: Physical agility, reflexes, balance, poise and tool proficiencies. (Skills are d escrib ed in chapter 7, tools in chapter 5.) Your background gives you additionalIm p ortant for: Monk, ranger, rogue skill and tool proficiencies, and som e races give you m ore proficiencies. Be sure to note all o f theseRacial Increases: proficiencies, as well as your proficiency bonus, on your character sheet.Elf (+2) Forest gnome (+1) Your proficiency bonus can’t be added to a single dieHalfling (+2) Human (+1) roll or other num ber m ore than once. Occasionally, your proficiency bonus might be m odified (doubled or halved,Constitution for exam ple) before you apply it. If a circu m stan ce suggests that your proficiency bonus applies m ore thanM easures: Health, stamina, vital force on ce to the sa m e roll or that it sh ou ld be m ultiplied m ore than on ce, you n evertheless add it only on ce,Im portant for: Everyone multiply it only on ce, and halve it only on ce.Racial Increases: B u il d in g B r u e n o r , Ste p 2 Bob im agines Bruenor charging into battle with an axe,Dwarf (+2) Half-orc (+1) one horn on his helmet broken off. He m akes Bruenor a fighter and notes the fighter’s proficien cies and 1st-levelStout halfling (+1) Human (+1) class features on his character sheet.Rock gnome (+1) A s a 1st-level fighter, B ru enor has 1 Hit D ie—a d 10— and starts with hit poin ts equal to 10 + his ConstitutionIntelligence modifier. B ob notes this, and w ill record the final num ber after he determ ines B ru en or’s ConstitutionM easures: Mental acuity, information recall, analytical skill sc o r e (see step 3). B ob a lso notes the proficiency bon u s for a 1st-level character, w hich is +2.Im p ortant for: Wizard 3 . D eterm in e A b ility ScoresRacial Increases: Much o f what your character d oes in the gam e dependsHigh elf (+1) Tiefling (+1) on his or her six abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, W isdom , and Charisma.Gnome (+2) Human (+1) Each ability has a score, w hich is a num ber you record on your character sheet.W isdom The six abilities and their use in the game areM easures: A w aren e ss, intuition, insight describ ed in chapter 7. T h e Ability S c o r e S u m m aryIm p ortan t for: Cleric, druidRacial Increases: Human (+1) Hill dwarf (+1)Wood elf (+1)CharismaM easures: Confidence, eloquence, leadershipIm p ortant for: Bard, sorcerer, warlockRacial Increases:Half-elf (+2) Dragonborn (+1)Drow (+1) Human (+1)Lightfoot halfling (+1) Tiefling (+2)

table provides a quick reference for what qualities A b il it y S c o r e s a n d M o d if ie r sare m easu red by each ability, w hat races in creaseswhich abilities, and what classes consider each ability Score Modifier Score Modifierparticularly important. 1 -5 16-17 +3 -4 18-19 +4 You generate your character's six ability scores 2-3 -3 20-21 +5randomly. Roll four 6-sided dice and record the total of 4-5 -2 22-23 +6the highest three dice on a piece of scratch paper. D o 6-7 -1 24-25 +7this five m ore tim es, so that you have six num bers. If 8-9 +0 26-27 +8you want to save time or don’t like the idea o f random ly 10-11 +1 28-29 +9determ ining ability scores, you can use the follow ing 12-13 +2s c o r e s instead: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. 14-15 30 +10 N ow take your six num bers and write each number average and nearly equal (13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 12), or anyb eside on e o f your character’s six abilities to assign set of numbers between those extremes.scores to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence,W isdom , and Charisma. Afterward, make any changes 4 . D escrib e Y o u r C h a r a c te rto your ability scores as a result o f your race choice. Once you know the basic game aspects of your After assigning your ability scores, determine character, it’s tim e to flesh him or her out as a person.your ability modifiers using the Ability S co re s and Your character needs a name. Spend a few minutesM odifiers table. To determine an ability modifier without thinking about what he or she looks like and how he orconsulting the table, subtract 10 from the ability score she behaves in general terms.and then divide the result by 2 (round down). Write themodifier next to each of your scores. Using the inform ation in chapter 4, you can flesh out your character’s physical appearan ce and personalityB u il d in g B r u e n o r , St e p 3 traits. C h oose your character’s alignment (the m oralB ob d ecid es to u se the standard set o f s c o r e s (15, 14, com pass that guides his or her decisions) and ideals.13, 12, 10, 8) for B ru enor’s abilities. S in ce h e’s a fighter, Chapter 4 also helps you identify the things yourhe puts his highest score, 15, in Strength. His next- character holds m ost dear, called bonds, and the flawshighest, 14, g oes in Constitution. B ruenor m ight be a that cou ld one day u nderm ine him or her.brash fighter, but B ob decides he wants the dw arf tobe older, wiser, and a good leader, so he puts decent Your character’s background d escrib es w here he orscores in W isdom and Charisma. After applying his she cam e from, his or her original occupation, and theracial benefits (in creasin g B ru en or’s Constitution by character’s place in the D & D w orld. Your DM might2 and his Strength by 2), B ru en or’s ability s c o r e s and offer additional backgrounds beyond the ones includedm odifiers look like this: Strength 17 (+3), Dexterity 10(+0), Constitution 16 (+3), Intelligence 8 (-1), W isd om 13(+1), C harism a 12 (+1). B ob fills in B ru enor's final hit points: 10 + hisConstitution m odifier o f +3, for a total o f 13 hit points.Va r ia n t : C u st o m izin g A b il it y ScoresAt your D u n geon M aster’s option, you can use thisvariant for determ ining your ability scores. The m ethoddescribed here allows you to build a character with a seto f ability scores you ch oose individually. You have 27 points to spend on your ability scores.The cost o f each score is show n on the Ability S corePoint Cost table. For example, a score o f 14 costs 7points. Using this method, 15 is the highest ability scoreyou can end up with, before applying racial increases.You can’t have a score low er than 8. This m ethod o f determ ining ability scores enablesyou to create a set o f three high num bers and three lowon es (15, 15, 15, 8, 8, 8), a set o f num bers that are aboveA b il it y S c o r e P o in t C o st Score Cost Score Cost 8 0 12 4 591 13 7 910 2 1411 3 15

in chapter 4, and might b e w illing to w ork with you to His flaw is tied to his caring, sensitive nature—he has acraft a b a ckgrou n d that’s a m ore p recise fit for your soft spot for orphans and wayward souls, leading him tocharacter concept. sh ow m ercy even w hen it m ight not b e w arranted. A background gives your character a background 5. C h o o se E qu ipm entfeature (a general benefit) and proficiency in tw o skills,and it m ight also give you additional languages or Your class and background determine your character'sproficiency with certain kinds o f tools. R ecord this starting equipment, including w eapons, armor, andinformation, along with the personality information other adventuring gear. R ecord this equipment on youryou develop, on your character sheet. character sheet. All such items are detailed in chapter 5.Y o u r C h a r a c t e r ’s A b il it ie s Instead of taking the gear given to you by your classTake your character’s ability s c o r e s and race into and background, you can purchase your startingaccount as you flesh out his or her appearance equipment. You have a num ber o f gold pieces (gp)and personality. A very strong character with low to spend based on your class, as show n in chapter 5.Intelligence might think and behave very differently Extensive lists o f equipm ent, w ith prices, a lso appear infrom a very smart character with low Strength. that chapter. If you w ish, you can also have one trinket at n o cost (see the trinket table at the end o f chapter 5). For example, high Strength usually correspondswith a burly or athletic body, while a character with Your Strength score limits the amount o f gear you canlow Strength might be scraw ny or plump. carry. Try not to purchase equipment with a total weight (in pounds) exceeding your Strength score tim es 15. A character with high Dexterity is probably lithe and Chapter 7 has m ore inform ation on carrying capacity.slim, while a character with low Dexterity might beeither gangly and awkward or heavy and thick-fingered. A rm or C lass Your Armor Class (AC) represents how w ell your A character with high Constitution usually looks character avoids being w ounded in battle. Things thathealthy, with bright eyes and abundant energy. A contribute to your AC include the arm or you wear, thecharacter with low Constitution might b e sickly or frail. shield you carry, and your Dexterity m odifier. Not all characters w ear arm or or carry shields, however. A character with high Intelligence might be highlyinquisitive and studious, while a character with low W ithout arm or or a shield, your character’s AC equalsIntelligence might speak simply or easily forget details. 10 + his or her Dexterity m odifier. If your character w ears armor, carries a shield, or both, calculate your A character with high W isdom has good judgment, AC using the rules in chapter 5. R ecord your AC onempathy, and a general aw aren ess o f w hat’s going on. your character sheet.A character with low W isdom might be absent-minded,foolhardy, or oblivious. Your character needs to be proficient with arm or and shields to w ear and use them effectively, and your arm or A character with high Charisma exudes confidence, and shield proficiencies are determined by your class.w hich is usually m ixed with a graceful or intimidating There are drawbacks to wearing arm or or carrying apresence. A character with a low Charisma might com e shield if you lack the required proficiency, as explainedacross as abrasive, inarticulate, or timid. in chapter 5.B u il d in g B r u e n o r , St e p 4 S om e spells and class features give you a differentB ob fills in som e o f Bruenor’s basic details: his name, way to calculate your AC. If you have multiple featureshis sex (male), his height and weight, and his alignment that give you different w ays to calculate your AC, you(lawful good). His high Strength and Constitution choose which one to use.suggest a healthy, athletic body, and his low Intelligencesuggests a degree of forgetfulness. W eapons For each w eapon your character wields, calculate the B ob decides that Bruenor com es from a noble line, modifier you use w hen you attack with the w eapon andbut his clan w as expelled from its hom eland when the dam age you deal w hen you hit.Bruenor w as very young. He grew up working as a smithin the rem ote villages of Icewind Dale. But Bruenor W hen you make an attack with a weapon, you rollhas a heroic destiny—to reclaim his hom eland—so a d20 and add your proficiency bonus (but only if youB ob ch ooses the folk hero background for his dwarf. are proficient with the w eapon) and the appropriateHe notes the proficiencies and special feature this ability modifier.background gives him. • For attacks with melee weapons, use your Strength B ob has a pretty clear picture o f B ru en or’s personality m odifier for attack and dam age rolls. A w eapon thatin mind, so he skips the person ality traits su ggested in has the finesse property, such as a rapier, can use yourthe folk hero background, noting instead that Bruenor is Dexterity m odifier instead.a caring, sensitive dw arf w ho genuinely loves his friendsand allies, but he hides this soft heart behind a gruff, • For attacks with ranged weapons, use your Dexteritysnarling demeanor. He chooses the ideal of fairness m odifier for attack and dam age rolls. A w eapon thatfrom the list in his background, noting that Bruenor has the thrown property, such as a handaxe, can usebelieves that n o on e is above the law. your Strength m odifier instead. G iven his history, B ru en or’s bon d is obvious: heaspires to som eday reclaim Mithral Hall, his homeland,from the shadow dragon that drove the dw arves out.

B u il d in g B r u e n o r , St e p 5 T iers of P l a yBob writes dow n the starting equipment from thefighter class and the folk hero background. His starting The shading in the Character Advancement table showsequipment includes chain mail and a shield, which the four tiers o f play. The tiers don’t have any rulescom bin e to give B ru enor an A rm or C lass o f 18. associated with them; they are a general description o f how the play experience changes as characters gain levels. For B ru en or’s w eapon s, B ob c h o o s e s a battleaxeand two handaxes. His battleaxe is a melee weapon, In the first tier (levels 1-4 ), characters are effectivelyso Bruenor uses his Strength modifier for his attacks apprentice adventurers. They are learning the featuresand damage. His attack bonus is his Strength modifier that define them as m em bers o f particular classes,(+3) plus his proficiency bonus (+2), for a total o f +5. including the m ajor ch oices that flavor their classT he battleaxe deals 1d8 slashing dam age, and B ruenor features as they advance (such as a w izard’s Arcaneadds his Strength m odifier to the dam age when he Tradition or a fighter’s M artial Archetype). The threatshits, for a total o f 1d8 + 3 slashing dam age. W h en they face are relatively minor, usually posin g a danger tothrowing a handaxe, Bruenor has the same attack bonus local farmsteads or villages.(handaxes, as thrown w eapons, use Strength for attacksand dam age), and the w eap on deals 1d6 + 3 slashing In the second tier (levels 5 -1 0 ), characters com e intodam age w hen it hits. their own. Many spellcasters gain access to 3rd-level spells at the start o f this tier, crossin g a new threshold o f6. C o m e T o g e t h e r m agical p ow er with spells such as fireball and lightning bolt. At this tier, m any w eapon -usin g cla sses gain theM ost D & D characters d o n ’t w ork alone. E ach character ability to make multiple attacks in one round. Theseplays a role w ithin a party, a group o f adventurers characters have b ecom e important, facing dangers thatworking together for a com m on purpose. Teamwork threaten cities and kingdom s.and coop era tion greatly im prove your party’s ch a n cesto survive the m any p erils in the w orld s o f D u n g e o n s In the third tier (levels 11-16), characters have& D r a g o n s . Talk to your fellow players and your DM reached a level o f pow er that sets them high aboveto decide whether your characters know one another, the ordinary populace and makes them special evenhow they met, and what sorts o f quests the group am ong adventurers. At 11th level, many spellcastersmight undertake. gain access to 6th-level spells, som e o f w hich create effects previously im possible for player characters toB e y o n d 1st L e v e l achieve. Other characters gain features that allow them to m ake m ore attacks or do m ore im pressive things withAs your character goes on adventures and overcom es those attacks. These mighty adventurers often confrontchallenges, he or she gains experience, represented by threats to whole regions and continents.experience points. A character w ho reaches a specifiedexperience point total advances in capability. This At the fourth tier (levels 17-20), characters achieveadvancem ent is called gaining a level. the pinnacle o f their class features, becom ing heroic (or villainous) archetypes in their ow n right. The fate o f the W hen your character gains a level, his or her class world or even the fundamental order of the multiverseoften grants additional features, as detailed in the might hang in the balance during their adventures.class description. Som e of these features allow youto increase your ability scores, either increasing two C haracter A dvancem entscores by 1 each or increasing one score by 2. You can ’tincrease an ability score above 20. In addition, every Experience Points Level Proficiencycharacter’s proficiency bon u s in creases at certain levels. 0 1 +2 300 2 +2 Each tim e you gain a level, you gain 1 additional Hit 900 3 +2Die. R oll that Hit Die, add your Constitution m odifier 2,700 4 +2to the roll, and add the total to your hit point m axim um . 6,500 5 +3Alternatively, you can use the fixed value sh ow n in your 14,000 6 +3class entry, w hich is the average result o f the die roll 23,000 7 +3(rounded up). 34,000 8 +3 48,000 9 +4 W h en your Constitution m odifier in creases by 1, your 64,000 10 +4hit point m axim u m in creases by 1 for each level you have 85,000 11 +4attained. For example, when Bruenor reaches 8th level 100,000 12 +4as a fighter, he in creases his Constitution sco re from 17 120,000 13 +5to 18, thus increasing his Constitution m odifier from +3 140,000 14 +5to +4. H is hit point m axim um then in creases by 8. 165,000 15 +5 195,000 16 +5 The Character Advancement table sum m arizes the 225,000 17 +6X P you need to advance in levels from level 1 through 265,000 18 +6level 20, and the proficiency bonus for a character o f that 305,000 19 +6level. C onsult the inform ation in your character’s class 355,000 20 +6description to see what other im provem ents you gainat each level.

C h a p t e r 2: R aces R a cia l T r a i t s VAISIT TO ONE OF THE GREAT CITIES IN THE The description of each race includes racial traits that w orlds o f D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s — are com m on to m em bers o f that race. The follow ing W aterdeep, the Free City o f Greyhawk, or entries appear am ong the traits o f most races. even uncanny Sigil, the City o f D oors— overw helm s the sen ses. V oices chatter in A b il it y Score In crease countless different languages. The sm ells Every race increases one or m ore o f a character’s of cooking in dozens o f different cuisines ability scores.mingle with the odors of crow ded streets and poorsanitation. Buildings in myriad architectural styles A gedisplay the diverse origins of their inhabitants. The age entry notes the age w hen a m em ber o f the race And the people them selves—people of varying size, is con sid ered an adult, as w ell as the race’s expectedshape, and color, dressed in a dazzling spectrum lifespan. This information can help you decide howo f styles and hues—represent m any different races, old your character is at the start o f the gam e. Youfrom diminutive halflings and stout dwarves to can choose any age for your character, which couldmajestically beautiful elves, mingling am ong a variety provide an explanation for som e o f your ability scores.of human ethnicities. For example, if you play a young or very old character, Scattered am ong the m em bers of these more com m on your age could explain a particularly low Strength orraces are the true exotics: a hulking dragonborn here, Constitution score, while advanced age could accountpushing his way through the crow d, and a sly tiefling for a high Intelligence or W isdom .there, lurking in the shadow s w ith m ischief in her eyes.A group o f gnom es laughs as one of them activates a A l ig n m e n tclever w ood en toy that m oves o f its ow n accord. Half- Most races have tendencies toward certain alignments,elves and half-orcs live and w ork alongside humans, described in this entry. T hese are not binding for playerwithout fully belonging to the races o f either o f their characters, but considering why your dw arf is chaotic,parents. And there, w ell out o f the sunlight, is a lone for example, in defiance o f lawful dw arf society can helpdrow —a fugitive from the subterranean expanse of you better define your character.the Underdark, trying to make his way in a worldthat fears his kind. S iz e Characters of m ost races are Medium, a size categoryC h o o sin g a Race including creatures that are roughly 4 to 8 feet tall. M em bers o f a few races are Sm all (betw een 2 and 4 feetHumans are the m ost com m on people in the w orlds of tall), w hich m eans that certain rules o f the gam e affectD&D, but they live and w ork alongside dwarves, elves, them differently. The m ost im portant o f these ruleshalflings, and countless other fantastic species. Your is that Sm all characters have trouble w ielding heavycharacter belongs to one of these peoples. w eapons, as explained in chapter 6. Not every intelligent race o f the multiverse is Speedappropriate for a player-controlled adventurer. Dwarves, Your speed determ ines how far you can m ove whenelves, halflings, and humans are the m ost com m on traveling (chapter 8) and fighting (chapter 9).races to produce the sort o f adventurers w ho make uptypical parties. D ragonborn, gnom es, half-elves, half- L anguagesorcs, and tieflings are less com m on as adventurers. By virtue of your race, your character can speak, read,Drow, a subrace of elves, are also uncom m on. and write certain languages. Chapter 4 lists the most com m on languages of the D&D multiverse. Your choice o f race affects many different aspects ofyour character. It establishes fundam ental qualities that Su b r a c e sexist throughout your character’s adventuring career. Som e races have subraces. M em bers of a subraceW h en m akin g this decision, keep in m ind the kind o f have the traits of the parent race in addition to thecharacter you w ant to play. F or exam ple, a halfling could traits specified for their subrace. Relationships am ongbe a good choice for a sneaky rogue, a dwarf makes a subraces vary significantly from race to race andtough warrior, and an elf can be a master o f arcane magic. w orld to world. In the D ragonlance cam paign setting, for exam ple, m ountain dw arves and hill dw arves live Your character race not only affects your ability scores together as different clans o f the sam e people, but inand traits but also provides the cues for building your the Forgotten Realm s, they live far apart in separatecharacter’s story. E ach race’s description in this chapter kingdom s and call themselves shield dwarves andincludes inform ation to help you roleplay a character of gold dwarves, respectively.that race, including personality, physical appearance,features o f society, and racial alignment tendencies.T hese details are suggestions to help you think aboutyour character; adventurers can deviate w idely from thenorm for their race. It’s w orthw hile to consider why yourcharacter is different, as a helpful way to think abouty ou r character’s backgrou n d and personality.

D warf Sh o r t a n d St o u t“Y e r l a t e , e l f !” c a m e t h e r o u g h e d g e o f a f a m il ia r Bold and hardy, dwarves are know n asvoice. Bruenor Battlehammer walked up the back of his skilled warriors, miners, and workersdeadfoe, disregarding thefact that the heavy monster lay of stone and metal. Though they standon top of his elvenfriend. In spite of the added discomfort, w ell under 5 feet tall, dw arves are sothe dwarf’s long, pointed, often-broken nose and gray- broad and com pact that they can weighstreaked though still-fiery red beard came as a welcome as much as a human standing nearly twosight to Drizzt. “Knew I’d findy e in trouble ifI came out feet taller. Their courage and endurancean' lookedforye!\" are also easily a match for any of the larger folk. —R. A . S alvatore, The Crystal Shard Dwarven skin ranges from deep brow n to a paler hue tinged with red, but the m ost com m on shades areK ingdom s rich in ancient grandeur, halls carved into the light brow n or deep tan, like certain tones o f earth.roots of mountains, the echoing of picks and hamm ers Their hair, w orn long but in sim ple styles, is usuallyin deep m ines and blazing forges, a com m itm en t to black, gray, or brow n, though paler dw arves often haveclan and tradition, and a burning hatred o f goblins and red hair. Male dw arves value their beards highly andorc s —th ese co m m o n threads unite all dw arves. groom them carefully. L ong M em ory, L ong G rudges D w arves can live to be m ore than 4 0 0 years old, so the oldest living dwarves often rem em ber a very different world. For example, som e o f the oldest dw arves living in Citadel Felbarr (in the w orld o f the Forgotten R ealm s) can recall the day, m ore than three centuries ago, w hen orc s conquered the fortress and drove them into an exile that lasted over 250 years. This longevity grants them a perspective on the w orld that shorter-lived races such as hum ans and halflings lack. Dwarves are solid and enduring like the mountains they love, weathering the passage o f centuries with stoic endurance and little change. They respect the traditions of their clans, tracing their ancestry back to the founding o f their m ost ancient strongholds in the youth o f the w orld, and don't abandon th ose traditions lightly. Part o f those traditions is devotion to the gods o f the dwarves, w ho uphold the dwarven ideals of industrious labor, skill in battle, and devotion to the forge. Individual dwarves are determ ined and loyal, true to their w ord and decisive in action, som etim es to the point of stubbornness. Many dwarves have a strong sense

o f justice, and they are slow to forget w rongs they have S low to Tru stsuffered. A w rong done to one dw arf is a w rong done tothe d w a rf’s entire clan, so w hat begin s as on e dw arf’s Dwarves get along passably well with most other races. “Thehunt for vengeance can becom e a full-blown clan feud. difference between an acquaintance and a friend is about a hundred years,” is a dwarf saying that might be hyperbole,C lan s a n d K in gd o m s but certainly points to how difficult it can be for a member o f a short-lived race like humans to earn a dwarf’s trust.Dwarven kingdom s stretch deep beneath the mountainswhere the dwarves mine gems and precious metals Elves. “ It’s not wise to depend on the elves. No telling whatand forge items o f wonder. They love the beauty and an elf will do next; when the hammer meets the orc’s head,artistry o f precious m etals and fine jewelry, and in som e they’re as apt to start singing as to pull out a sword. They’redwarves this love festers into avarice. W hatever wealth flighty and frivolous. Two things to be said for them, though:they can’t find in their mountains, they gain through They don’t have many smiths, but the ones they have do verytrade. They dislike boats, so enterprising humans and fine work. And when orcs or goblins come streaming downhalflings frequently handle trade in dwarven goods out o f the mountains, an elf’s good to have at your back. Notalong water routes. Trustworthy m em bers of other races as good as a dwarf, maybe, but no doubt they hate the orcsare w elcom e in dw arf settlements, though som e areas as much as we do.”are off limits even to them. Halflings. “Sure, they’re pleasant folk. But show me a The chief unit of dwarven society is the clan, and halfling hero. An empire, a triumphant army. Even a treasuredwarves highly value social standing. Even dwarves for the ages made by halfling hands. Nothing. How can youw ho live far from their ow n kingdom s cherish their clan take them seriously?”identities and affiliations, recognize related dwarves,and invoke their ancestors’ nam es in oaths and curses. Humans. “You take the time to get to know a human, andTo be clanless is the w orst fate that can befall a dwarf. by then the human’s on her deathbed. If you’re lucky, she’s got kin— a daughter or granddaughter, maybe— who’s got D w arves in other lands are typically artisans, hands and heart as good as hers. That’s when you can makeespecially weaponsmiths, armorers, and jewelers. Som e a human friend. And watch them go! They set their hearts onbecom e m ercenaries or bodyguards, highly sought after something, they’ ll get it, whether it’s a dragon’s hoard or anfor their cou rag e and loyalty. empire’s throne. You have to admire that kind o f dedication, even if it gets them in trouble more often than not.”G ods, G old, and C lanD w arves w ho take up the adventuring life might bem otivated by a desire for treasure—for its ow n sake, fora specific purpose, or even out o f an altruistic desire tohelp others. Other dwarves are driven by the com m andor inspiration o f a deity, a direct calling or simply adesire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan andancestry are also important motivators. A dw arf mightseek to restore a clan’s lost honor, avenge an ancientw rong the clan suffered, or earn a new place within theclan after having been exiled. Or a dw arf might searchfor the axe w ielded by a mighty ancestor, lost on the fieldo f battle centuries ago.

D warf N am es Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools o f your choice: sm ith’s tools, brew er’sA d w a rf’s nam e is granted by a clan elder, in a ccord a n ce supplies, or m a son ’s tools.with tradition. Every proper dwarven name has beenused and reused down through the generations. A Stonecunning. W henever you m ake an Intelligenced w a rf’s n am e b elon g s to the clan, not to the individual. (History) check related to the origin o f stonework, youA dw arf w ho m isuses or brings sham e to a clan name are considered proficient in the H istory skill and addis stripped o f the name and forbidden by law to use any double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead ofdwarven nam e in its place. your normal proficiency bonus.Male Names: Adrik, Alberich, Baern, Barendd, Brottor, Languages. You can speak, read, and write C om m on Bruenor, Dain, Darrak, Delg, Eberk, Einkil, Fargrim, and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full o f hard consonants and Flint, Gardain, Harbek, Kildrak, M orgran, Orsik, guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into Oskar, Rangrim , Rurik, Taklinn, Thoradin, Thorin, whatever other language a dwarf might speak. Tordek, Traubon, Travok, Ulfgar, Veit, Vondal Subrace. T w o m ain su braces o f dw arves populate theFemale Names: Am ber, Artin, Audhild, Bardryn, w orlds o f D&D: hill dwarves and mountain dwarves. Dagnal, Diesa, Eldeth, Falkrunn, Finellen, Gunnloda, Choose one of these subraces. Gurdis, Helja, Hlin, Kathra, Kristryd, Ilde, Liftrasa, Mardred, Riswynn, Sannl, Torbera, Torgga, Vistra H il l D w arf As a hill dwarf, you have keen senses, deep intuition,Clan Names: Balderk, Battlehammer, Brawnanvil, and remarkable resilience. The gold dwarves of Faerun Dankil, Fireforge, Frostbeard, Gorunn, Holderhek, in their m ighty southern kingdom are hill dw arves, as Ironfist, Loderr, Lutgehr, Rumnaheim , Strakeln, are the exiled Neidar and the d eb a sed K lar o f K rynn in Torunn, Ungart the D ragonlance setting.D w arf T raits Ability Score Increase. Your W isd om score in creases by 1.Your dwarf character has an assortm ent of inbornabilities, part and parcel of dwarven nature. Dwarven Toughness. Your hit point m axim um in creases by 1, and it in creases by 1 every tim e you Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution sco re gain a level.in creases by 2. M o u n t a in D w arf Age. D w a rves m ature at the sa m e rate as hum ans, but A s a mountain dwarf, you're strong and hardy,they’re con sid ered y ou n g until they reach the age o f 50. a ccu stom ed to a difficult life in rugged terrain. You’reOn average, they live about 350 years. probably on the tall side (for a dwarf), and tend toward lighter coloration. The shield dwarves o f northern Alignment. M ost dw arves are lawful, believing firmly Faerun, as w ell as the ruling Hylar clan and the noblein the benefits o f a w ell-ordered society. Th ey tend Daewar clan of Dragonlance, are mountain dwarves.toward good as well, with a strong sense o f fair play anda belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of Ability Score Increase. Your Strength scorea just order. increases by 2. Size. D w a rves stand b etw een 4 and 5 feet tall and Dwarven Armor Training. You have proficiency w ithaverage about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium. light and m edium armor. Speed. Your b a se w alkin g sp eed is 25 feet. Your D uergarspeed is not reduced by w earing heavy armor. In cities deep in the Underdark live the duergar, or gray dwarves. These vicious, stealthy slave traders raid the surface Darkvision. A ccu stom ed to life underground, you world for captives, then sell their prey to the other races ofhave superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You the Underdark. They have innate magical abilities to becomecan see in dim light w ithin 6 0 feet o f you as if it w ere invisible and to temporarily grow to giant size.bright light, and in darkness as if it w ere dim light. Youca n ’t d iscern color in darkness, only shades o f gray. Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on savingthrows against poison, and you have resistance againstp oison dam age (explained in chapter 9). Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiencywith the battleaxe, handaxe, throwing hammer,and warhammer.

E lf fem ales are about the sam e height, and m ales are only marginally heavier than females.“I HAVE NEVER IM AGINED SUCH BEAUTY EXISTED,” Elves’ coloration encom passes the normal humanGoldmoon said softly. The day’s march had been difficult, range and also includes skin in shades of copper,but the reward at the end was beyond their dreams. bronze, and alm ost bluish-white, hair o f green or blue,The companions stood on a high cliff over thefabled and eyes like pools o f liquid gold or silver. Elves have nocity of Qualinost. facial and little b od y hair. Th ey favor elegant cloth in g in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. Four slender spires rosefrom the city’s corners like glisten-ingspindles, their brilliant white stone marbled with shining A T im eless P er spectivesilver. Graceful arches, swoopingfrom spire to spire, soaredthrough the air. Crafted by ancient dwarven metalsmiths, Elves can live w ell over 700 years, giving them a broadthey were strong enough to hold the weight of an army, yet perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-they appeared so delicate that a bird lighting on them might lived races m ore deeply. They are m ore often am usedoverthrow the balance. These glistening arches were the than excited, and m ore likely to be curious thancity’s only boundaries; there was no wall around Qualinost. greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by pettyThe elven city opened its arms lovingly to the wilderness. happenstance. W hen pursuing a goal, however, whether —M a rg a ret W eis & T ra cy H ick m a n , Dragons ofAutumn TwilightElves are a m agical people o f otherworldly grace, livingin the w orld but not entirely part o f it. They live inplaces of ethereal beauty, in the midst o f ancient forestsor in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, w heresoft m usic drifts through the air and gentle fragranceswaft on the breeze. Elves love nature and m agic, artand artistry, m usic and poetry, and the good thingsof the world.Slender an d G racefulWith their unearthly grace and fine features, elvesappear hauntingly beautiful to hum ans and m em berso f many other races. They are slightly shorter thanhum ans on average, ranging from well under 5 feettall to just over 6 feet. They are m ore slender thanhumans, w eighing only 100 to 145 pounds. M ales and

adventuring on a m ission or learning a n ew skill or art, to do so. S om e might join with rebels fighting againstelves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to oppression, and others might becom e champions ofmake friends and enem ies, and even slower to forget moral causes.them. They reply to petty insults w ith disdain and toserious insults with vengeance. E lf N am es Like the branches o f a young tree, elves are flexible Elves are considered children until they declarein the face o f danger. They trust in diplom acy and them selves adults, som e time after the hundredthcom prom ise to resolve differences before they escalate birthday, and before this period they are calledto violence. They have been known to retreat from by child names.intrusions into their w oodland hom es, confidentthat they can simply wait the invaders out. But when On declaring adulthood, an elf selects an adult name,the need arises, elves reveal a stern martial side, although those w ho knew him or her as a youngsterdem onstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy. m ight continue to u se the child nam e. E ach e lf’s adult nam e is a unique creation, though it m ight reflectH id d en W o o d l a n d R ealm s the nam es o f respected individuals or other family m em bers. Little distinction exists betw een maleM ost elves dwell in sm all forest villages hidden am ong nam es and female names; the groupings here reflectthe trees. Elves hunt game, gather food, and grow only general tendencies. In addition, every elf bears avegetables, and their skill and m agic allow them to family name, typically a com bination of other Elvishsupport them selves without the need for clearing and words. Som e elves traveling am ong hum ans translateplow ing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely their family nam es into Com m on, but others retain thew orked clothes and art objects. Their contact with Elvish version.outsiders is usually limited, though a few elves make agood living by trading crafted items for m etals (which Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil.they have no interest in mining). Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Elves encountered outside their ow n lands are Syllin, Thia, Vallcom m only traveling minstrels, artists, or sages. Humannobles com pete for the services o f elf instructors to Male Adult Names: Adran, Aelar, Aram il, Arannis,teach swordplay or m agic to their children. Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric , Enialis, Erdan, Erevan,E x plo ratio n a n d A d ven tu re Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Him o, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon,Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varisthey are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries ofexploration and discovery. They dislike the pace ofhum an society, which is regim ented from day to day butconstantly changing over decades, so they find careersthat let them travel freely and set their ow n pace. Elvesalso enjoy exercising their martial prow ess or gaininggreater m agical power, and adventuring allows them

H a u g h ty but G racio u s Trance. Elves d on ’t n eed to sleep. Instead, they Although they can be haughty, elves are generally gracious meditate deeply, remaining sem iconscious, for 4 even to those who fall short of their high expectations— hours a day. (The C om m on w ord for such meditation which is most non-elves. Still, they can find good in just is “trance.”) W hile meditating, you can dream after a about anyone. fashion; such dream s are actually mental exercises that have becom e reflexive through years of practice. After Dwarves. “ Dwarves are dull, clumsy oafs. But what they resting in this way, you gain the sam e benefit that a lack in humor, sophistication, and manners, they make up in human does from 8 hours of sleep. valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.” Languages. You can speak, read, and w rite C om m on and Elvish. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and Halflings. “ Halflings are people o f simple pleasures, and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, that is not a quality to scorn. They’re good folk, they care and their songs and poem s are fam ous am ong other for each other and tend their gardens, and they have proven races. Many bards learn their language so they can add themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises.\" Elvish ballads to their repertoires. Humans. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to Subrace. Ancient divides am ong the elven people accomplish something before their brief lives pass away— resulted in three main subraces: high elves, w ood elves, human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then and dark elves, w ho are com m only called drow. Choose you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to one of these subraces. In som e worlds, these subraces appreciate their achievements. If only they could slow down are divided still further (such as the sun elves and m oon and learn some refinement.” elves of the Forgotten Realms), so if you wish, you can choose a narrower subrace.Female Adult Names: Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, H ig h Elf Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, As a high elf, you have a keen mind and a m astery of Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, M ialee, Naivara, Quelenna, at least the ba sics o f m agic. In m any o f the w orlds Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, of D&D, there are two kinds of high elves. One type Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia (which includes the gray elves and valley elves of Greyhawk, the Silvanesti of D ragonlance, and theFamily Names (Common Translations): Am akiir sun elves o f the Forgotten Realm s) is haughty and (Gemflower), Am astacia (Starflower), Galanodel reclusive, believing them selves to be superior to (M oonw hisper), H olim ion (D iam onddew), Ilphelkiir non-elves and even other elves. The other type (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (including the high elves o f Greyhawk. the (O akenheel), Nai'lo (Nightbreeze), S ian nodel Qualinesti o f Dragonlance, and the m oon elves (M oonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal) of the Forgotten Realms) are m ore com m on and m ore friendly, and often encounteredE lf T raits among humans and other races.Your elf character has a variety o f natural abilities, the The sun elves of Faerun (also called goldresult o f thousands o f years o f elven refinement. elves or sunrise elves) have bronze skin and hair of copper, black, or golden blond. Their Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score eyes are golden, silver, or black. M oon elves (alsoin creases by 2. called silver elves or gray elves) are m uch paler, with alabaster skin som etim es tinged with blue. Age. A lthough elves reach physical maturity at about They often have hair o f silver-white, black, or blue,the sam e age as humans, the elven understanding of but various shades o f blond, brown, and red areadulthood goes beyond physical growth to encom pass not uncom m on. Their eyes are blue or green andworldly experience. An elf typically claim s adulthood flecked with gold.and an adult nam e around the age o f 100 and can liveto be 750 years old. Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score in creases by 1. Alignment. Elves love freedom , variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler E lf Weapon Training. You have proficiency withaspects o f chaos. They value and protect others' the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.freedom as well as their own, and they are moreoften good than not. The drow are an exception; theirexile into the Underdark has m ade them vicious anddangerous. D row are m ore often evil than not. Size. Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall andhave slender builds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your ba se w alkin g sp eed is 30 feet. Darkvision. A ccu stom ed to twilit forests and the nightsky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions.You can see in dim light w ithin 6 0 feet o f you as if itw ere bright light, and in dark n ess as if it w ere dim light.You ca n ’t discern color in darkness, only shades o f gray. Keen Senses. You have proficiency in thePerception skill. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throw sagainst being charm ed, and m agic can’t put you to sleep.

Cantrip. You k n ow one cantrip o f your ch oice from D a r k Elf (D row )the w izard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcastin gability for it. D escended from an earlier subrace of dark-skinned elves, the drow w ere banished from the surface world Extra Language. You can speak, read, and w rite one for follow ing the god d ess Lolth dow n the path toextra language of your choice. evil and corruption. N ow they have built their own civilization in the depths o f the Underdark, patternedW o o d E lf after the Way o f Lolth. A lso called dark elves, the drowA s a w ood elf, you have keen sen ses and intuition, and have black skin that resem bles polished obsidian andyour fleet feet carry you quickly and stealthily through stark white or pale yellow hair. They com m on ly haveyour native forests. This category includes the wild very pale eyes (so pale as to b e m istaken for white) inelves (grugach) o f Greyhawk and the Kagonesti of shades o f lilac, silver, pink, red, and blue. They tend toD ragon lance, as w ell as the races called w o o d elves in be sm aller and thinner than m ost elves.G reyhaw k and the Forgotten R ealm s. In Faerun, w o o delves (also called wild elves, green elves, or forest elves) D row adventurers are rare, and the race does not existare reclusive and distrusting o f non-elves. in all w orlds. C h eck with your D u n geon M aster to see if you can play a drow character. W ood elves’ skin tends to be copperish in hue,som etim es with traces o f green. Their hair tends toward Ability Score Increase. Your C harism a scoreb row n s and blacks, but it is occa sion ally blond or in creases by 1.copper-colored. Their eyes are green, brown, or hazel. Superior Darkvision. Your darkvision has a Ability Score Increase. Your W isd om score radius o f 120 feet.in creases by 1. Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack E lf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the rolls and on W isdom (Perception) checks that rely onlongsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow. sight when you, the target o f your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight. Fleet o fFoot. Your base w alking speedincreases to 35 feet. Drow Magic. You kn ow the dancing lights cantrip. W h en you reach 3rd level, you can cast the faerie fire Mask o f the Wild. You can attempt to hide even w hen spell on ce p er day. W h en you reach 5th level, you canyou are only lightly obscu red by foliage, heavy rain, also cast the darkness spell on ce per day. C harism a isfalling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. your spellcasting ability for these spells. Drow Weapon Training. You have proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbow s. The Darkn ess of th e D row Were it not for one renowned exception, the race o f drow would be universally reviled. To most, they are a race of demon-worshiping marauders dwelling in the subterranean depths o f the Underdark, emerging only on the blackest nights to pillage and slaughter the surface dwellers they despise. Their society is depraved and preoccupied with the favor of Lolth, their spider-goddess, who sanctions murder and the extermination o f entire families as noble houses vie for position. Yet one drow, at least, broke the mold. In the world o f the Forgotten Realms, Drizzt Do'Urden, ranger o f the North, has proven his quality as a good-hearted defender o f the weak and innocent. Rejecting his heritage and adrift in a world that looks upon him with terror and loathing, Drizzt is a model for those few drow who follow in his footsteps, trying to find a life apart from the evil society o f their Underdark homes. Drow grow up believing that surface-dwelling races are inferior, worthless except as slaves. Drow who develop a conscience or find it necessary to cooperate with members of other races find it hard to overcome that prejudice, especially when they are so often on the receiving end o f hatred.

H alfling liv e s : a p lace to s e ttle in p e a ce and quiet, far from m arauding m onsters and clashing arm ies; a blazing fireR eg is t h e h a l f l in g , th e o n l y o n e o f h is k in d fo r and a generous meal; fine drink and fine conversation. Though som e halflings live out their days in rem otehundreds of miles in any direction, locked hisfingers be- agricultural com m unities, others form nom adic bandshind his head and leaned back against the mossy blanket that travel constantly, lured by the open road and theof the tree trunk. Regis was short, even by the standards wide horizon to discover the w onders of new lands andof his diminutive race, with thefluffo f his curly brown peoples. But even these wanderers love peace, food,locks barely cresting the three-foot mark, but his belly was hearth, and home, though home might be a wagonamply thickened by his love of a good meal, or several, as jostling along an dirt road or a raft floating downriver.the opportunities presented themselves. The crooked stickthat served as hisfishingpole rose up above him, clenched Sm all an d P r a c t i c a lbetween two of his toes, and hung out over the quiet lake,mirrored perfectly in the glassy surface o fMaer Dualdon. The diminutive halflings survive in a w orld full o f larger creatures by avoiding notice or, barring that, avoiding —R.A. S alvatore, The Crystal Shard offense. Standing about 3 feet tall, they appear relatively harm less and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of em pires and on the edges o f wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 40 and 45 pounds. H alflings’ skin ranges from tan to pale with a ruddy cast, and their hair is usually brow n or sandy brown and wavy. They have brown or hazel eyes. Halfling men often sport long sideburns, but beards are rare am ong them and m ustaches even m ore so. They like to w ear simple, com fortable, and practical clothes, favoring bright colors. Halfling practicality extends beyond their clothing. T h ey ’re c on cern ed w ith basic n eed s and sim ple pleasures and have little use for ostentation. Even the w ealthiest o f halflings keep their treasures lock ed in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem , and have little patience for dithering. K ind a n d C u r io u s Halflings are an affable and cheerful people. They cherish the bonds o f family and friendship as well as the com forts of hearth and home, harboring few dream s o f gold or glory. Even adventurers am ong them usually venture into the w orld for reasons of

community, friendship, wanderlust, or curiosity. They A ffable an d Po sitiv elove discovering new things, even simple things, such Halflings try to get along with everyone else and are loath toas an exotic food or an unfamiliar style of clothing. make sweeping generalizations— especially negative ones. Halflings are easily m oved to pity and hate to see any Dwarves. “ Dwarves make loyal friends, and you can countliving thing suffer. They are generous, happily sharing on them to keep their word. But would it hurt them to smilewhat they have even in lean times. once in a while?”B lend in to th e C row d Elves. \"They’re so beautiful! Their faces, their music, their grace and all. It’s like they stepped out o f a wonderful dream.H alflings are adept at fitting into a com m u n ity o f But there’s no telling what’s going on behind their smilinghum ans, dwarves, or elves, making them selves valuable faces— surely more than they ever let on.”and w elcom e. The com bination o f their inherent stealthand their unassum ing nature helps halflings to avoid Humans. “ Humans are a lot like us, really. At least someunwanted attention. o f them are. Step out of the castles and keeps, go talk to the farmers and herders and you’ ll find good, solid folk. Not that Halflings w ork readily with others, and they are loyal there’s anything wrong with the barons and soldiers— youto their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can have to admire their conviction. And by protecting their owndisplay remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, lands, they protect us as well.”or com m unities are threatened. Ex plo r in g O ppo rtu n itiesPa s t o r a l P l e a s a n t r i e s H alflings usually set out on the adventurer’s path toM ost halflings live in small, peaceful com m unities with defend their com m unities, support their friends, orlarge farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build explore a wide and wonder-filled world. For them,kingdom s o f their ow n or even hold much land beyond adventuring is less a career than an opportunity ortheir quiet shires. They typically don’t recognize any som etim es a necessity.sort o f halfling nobility or royalty, instead looking tofamily elders to guide them. Fam ilies preserve their H alflin g N am estraditional ways despite the rise and fall o f empires. A halfling has a given name, a family name, and possibly Many halflings live am ong other races, w here the a nicknam e. Family nam es are often nicknam es thathalflings’ hard w ork and loyal outlook offer them stuck so tenaciously they have been passed downabundant rewards and creature com forts. S om e halfling through the generations.com m unities travel as a way o f life, driving w agons orguiding boats from place to place and maintaining no Male Names: Alton, Ander, Cade, Corrin, Eldon, Errich,permanent home. Finnan, Garret, Lindal, Lyle, M erric, M ilo, Osborn, Perrin, Reed, R oscoe, Wellby Female Names: Andry, Bree, Callie, Cora, Euphemia, Jillian, Kithri, Lavinia, Lidda, Merla, Nedda, Paela, Portia, Seraphina, Shaena, Trym, Vani, Verna Family Names: Brushgather, G oodbarrel, Greenbottle, High-hill, Hilltopple, Leagallow, Tealeaf, Thorngage, Tosscobble, Underbough

H a l f l in g T raits Languages. You can speak, read, and write C om m on and Halfling. The Halfling language isn’t secret, butYour halfling character has a num ber o f traits in h alflings are loath to share it w ith others. Th ey writecom m on with all other halflings. very little, so they don’t have a rich body o f literature. T h eir oral tradition, however, is very strong. A lm ost all Ability Score Increase. Your D exterity score halflings speak Com m on to converse with the peopleincreases by 2. in w hose lands they dwell or through w hich they are traveling. Age. A halfling reach es adulthood at the age of20 and generally lives into the m iddle o f his or her Subrace. The tw o m ain kinds o f halfling, lightfoot andsecond century. stout, are m ore like closely related fam ilies than true subraces. Choose one of these subraces. Alignment. M ost halflings are lawful g ood. A s a rule,they are good-hearted and kind, hate to see others in L ig h t f o o tpain, and have no tolerance for oppression. They are As a lightfoot halfling, you can easily hide from notice,also very orderly and traditional, leaning heavily on even using other p eop le as cover. Y ou’re inclined to bethe support of their com m unity and the com fort of affable and get along w ell with others. In the Forgottentheir old ways. Realms, lightfoot halflings have spread the farthest and thus are the m ost com m on variety. Size. H alflings average about 3 feet tall and w eighabout 40 pounds. Your size is Small. Lightfoots are m ore prone to wanderlust than other halflings, and often dwell alongside other races or take Speed. Your base w alking sp eed is 25 feet. up a nom adic life. In the w orld o f Greyhawk, these Lucky. W h en you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability halflings are called hairfeet or tallfellows.check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and mustuse the new roll. Ability Score Increase. Your Charism a score Brave. You have advantage on saving throw s against in creases by 1.being frightened. Halfling Nimbleness. You can m ove through the Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide evenspace o f any creature that is o f a size larger than yours. w hen you are ob scu red only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you. St o u t A s a stout halfling, you ’re hardier than average and have som e resistance to poison. S om e say that stouts have dw arven blood. In the Forgotten R ealm s, th ese halflings are called stronghearts, and they’re m ost com m on in the south. Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score in creases by 1. Stout Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

Human Va r ie t y in A ll T h i n g sT h ese w e r e th e sto r ie s o f a restless peo ple w h o Humans are the m ost adaptable and ambitious people am ong the com m on races. They have widely varyinglong ago took to the seas and rivers in longboats, first to tastes, m orals, and custom s in the m any different landspillage and terrorize, then to settle. Yet there was an energy, w here they have settled. W hen they settle, though,a love of adventure, that sangfrom every page. Long into they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, andthe night Uriel read, lighting candle after precious candle. great kingdom s that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, She'd never given much thought to humans, but these but a human nation or culture preserves traditionsstoriesfascinated her. In theseyellowed pages were tales of w ith origins far beyon d the reach o f any single hum an’sbold heroes, strange andfierce animals, mighty primitive gods, m em ory. They live fully in the present—m aking themand a magic that was part andfabric of that distant land. w ell suited to the adventuring life—but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and —E laine C u n n in g h a m , Daughter of the Drow as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics.In the reckonings o f m ost w orlds, hum ans are theyoungest o f the com m on races, late to arrive on theworld scene and short-lived in com parison to dwarves,elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is b eca u se o f their shorterlives that they strive to achieve as m uch as they can inthe years they are given. Or m aybe they feel they havesom ething to prove to the elder races, and that’s whythey build their mighty em pires on the foundation ofconquest and trade. W hatever drives them, humansare the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneerso f the worlds.A Broad SpectrumWith their penchant for migration and conquest,hum ans are m ore physically diverse than other com m onraces. There is no typical human. An individual canstand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and w eighfrom 125 to 250 pounds. Human skin shades rangefrom nearly black to very pale, and hair colors fromblack to blond (curly, kinky, or straight); m ales mightsport facial hair that is sparse or thick. A lot o f humanshave a dash o f nonhum an blood, revealing hints o f elf,orc , or other lineages. H um ans reach adulthood in theirlate teens and rarely live even a single century.

Ev e r y o n e ’s S e c o n d - B e s t F r i e n d s parents give their children nam es from other languages, Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle such as Dwarvish or Elvish (pronounced m ore or less with members o f other races. They get along with almost correctly), but m ost parents give nam es that are linked everyone, though they might not be close to many. Humans to their region’s culture or to the nam ing traditions of serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, their ancestors. and functionaries o f all kinds. The material culture and physical characteristics Dwarves. “They’re stout folk, stalwart friends, and true to of humans can change wildly from region to region. their word. Their greed for gold is their downfall, though.” In the Forgotten Realm s, for example, the clothing, architecture, cuisine, music, and literature are different Elves. “ It’s best not to wander into elven woods. They don't in the northw estern lands o f the Silver M arch es than like intruders, and you’ll as likely be bewitched as peppered in distant Turmish or Impiltur to the east—and even with arrows. Still, if an elf can get past that damned racial m ore distinctive in far-off Kara-Tur. H um an physical pride and actually treat you like an equal, you can learn a lot characteristics, though, vary according to the ancient from them.” migrations o f the earliest hum ans, so that the hum ans o f the Silver M arches have every possible variation of Halflings. \"It’s hard to beat a meal in a halfling home, as coloration and features. long as you don’t crack your head on the ceiling— good food and good stories in front o f a nice, warm fire. If halflings had In the Forgotten R ealm s, nine hum an ethnic groups a shred o f ambition, they might really amount to something.” are widely recognized, though over a dozen others are found in m ore localized areas o f Faerun. T h ese groups,L a st in g In stit u t io n s and the typical nam es o f their mem bers, can be used as inspiration no m atter w hich w orld your hum an is in.W here a single elf or dw arf might take on theresponsibility of guarding a special location or a C a l ish it epowerful secret, humans found sacred orders and Shorter and slighter in build than m ost other hum ans,institutions for such purposes. W hile dw arf clans and Calishites have dusky brow n skin, hair, and eyes.halfling elders pass on the ancient traditions to each T h ey’re found prim arily in southw est Faerun.new generation, human temples, governments, libraries,and c o d e s o f law fix their traditions in the b e d ro ck o f Calishite Names: (M ale) Aseir, Bardeid, Haseid,history. Humans dream o f immortality, but (except forthose few w ho seek undeath or divine ascension to Khem ed, M ehmen, Sudeim an, Zasheir; (female)esca p e death’s clutches) they achieve it by en su ring that Atala, Ceidil, Hama, Jasmal, Meilil, Seipora, Yasheira,they will be rem em bered when they are gone. Zasheida; (surnames) Basha, Dumein, Jassan, Khalid, Mostana, Pashar, Rein Although som e hum ans ca n b e xenoph obic, ingeneral their societies are inclusive. Human lands C hondathanw elcom e large num bers o f nonhum ans com pared to the Chondathans are slender, tawny-skinned folk withproportion o f hum ans w ho live in nonhum an lands. brown hair that ranges from alm ost blond to alm ost black. M ost are tall and have green or brow n eyes,Ex em plars of A m bitio n but these traits are hardly universal. Humans of Chondathan descent dominate the central lands ofHumans w ho seek adventure are the m ost daring and Faerun. around the Inner Sea.ambitious m em bers of a daring and ambitious race.They seek to earn glory in the eyes o f their fellow sby am assing power, wealth, and fame. M ore thanother people, humans cham pion causes rather thanterritories or groups.H u m a n N am es an d Eth n icitiesHaving so much m ore variety than other cultures,humans as a w hole have no typical names. S om e human

Chondathan Names: (Male) Darvin, Dorn, Evendur, Sh o u Gorstag, Grim, Helm, Malark, Morn, Randal, The Shou are the m ost num erous and pow erful ethnic Stedd; (female) Arveene, Esvele, Jhessail, Kerri, group in Kara-Tur, far to the east o f Faerun. They are Lureene, Miri, Rowan, Shandri, Tessele; (surnames) yellow ish-bronze in hue, with black hair and dark Am blecrown, Buckman, Dundragon, Evenwood, eyes. Shou surnam es are usually presented before Greycastle, Tallstag the given name.Dam aran Shou Names: (M ale) An, Chen, Chi, Fai, Jiang, Jun,Found primarily in the northw est o f Faerun, D am arans Lian, Long, Meng, On, Shan, Shui, Wen; (female)are o f moderate height and build, with skin hues Bai, Chao, Jia, Lei, Mei, Qiao, Shui, Tai; (surnam es)ranging from tawny to fair. Their hair is usually brow n Chien, Huang, Kao, Kung, Lao, Ling, Mei, Pin, Shin,or black, and their eye color varies widely, though brown Sum, Tan, Wanis m ost com m on. T e t h y r ia nDamaran Names: (Male) Bor, Fodel, Glar, Grigor, W id espread along the entire S w ord C oast at the Igan, Ivor, K osef, Mival, Orel, Pavel, S ergor; (female) w estern edge o f Faerun, Tethyrians are o f m edium build Alethra, Kara, Katernin, Mara, Natali, Olma, Tana, and height, with dusky skin that tends to grow fairer Zora; (surnames) Bersk, Chernin, Dotsk, Kulenov, the farther north they dwell. Their hair and eye color Marsk, Nemetsk, Shemov, Starag varies widely, but brow n hair and blue eyes are the m ost com m on. Tethyrians primarily use Chondathan names.Illu sk anIlluskans are tall, fair-skinned folk with blue or steely Tu ram igray eyes. M ost have raven-black hair, but those w ho Native to the southern shore of the Inner Sea, theinhabit the extreme northwest have blond, red, or Turami people are generally tall and muscular, withlight brow n hair. dark m ahogany skin, curly black hair, and dark eyes.Illuskan Names: (Male) Ander, Blath, Bran, Frath, Turami Names: (Male) Anton, Diero, M arcon, Pieron, Geth, Lander, Luth, Malcer, Stor, Taman, Urth; Rimardo, Rom ero, Salazar, Umbero; (female) Balama, (female) Amafrey, Betha, Cefrey, Kethra, Mara, Olga, Dona, Faila, Jalana, Luisa, Marta, Quara, Selise, Silifrey, W estra; (surnames) Brightwood, Helder, Vonda; (surnames) Agosto, Astorio, Calabra, Dom ine, Hornraven, Lackman, Storm wind, Windrivver Falone, Marivaldi, Pisacar, Ram ondoM u lan H um an T r a it sDom inant in the eastern and southeastern shores ofthe Inner Sea, the Mulan are generally tall, slim , and It’s hard to m ake generalizations about hum ans, butam ber-skinned, with eyes o f hazel or brown. Their hair your human character has these traits.ranges from black to dark brown, but in the lands w herethe Mulan are m ost prominent, nobles and many other Ability Score Increase. Your ability scores eachMulan shave o ff all their hair. in crease by 1.Mulan Names: (Male) Aoth, Bareris, Ehput-Ki, Age. H um ans reach adulthood in their late teens and Kethoth, Mumed, Ram as, So-Kehur, Thazar-De, live less than a century. Urhur; (female) Arizima, Chathi, Nephis, Nulara, Murithi, Sefris, Thola, Umara, Zolis; (surnames) Alignment. Humans tend toward no Ankhalab, Anskuld, Fezim, Hahpet, Nathandem, particular alignment. The best and the worst are Sepret, Uuthrakt found am ong them.Rashem i Size. Humans vary widely in height and build, fromMost often found east of the Inner Sea and often barely 5 feet to w ell over 6 feet tall. R egardless o f yourinterm ingled with the Mulan, R ashem is tend to be short, position in that range, your size is Medium.stout, and muscular. They usually have dusky skin, darkeyes, and thick black hair. Speed. Your base w alking speed is 30 feet. Languages. You can speak, read, and write C om m onRashemi Names: (Male) Borivik, Faurgar, Jandar, and one extra language o f your choice. Humans typically Kanithar, Madislak, Ralmevik, Shaumar, Vladislak; learn the languages o f other peoples they deal with, (female) Fyevarra, Hulmarra, Immith, Imzel, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling Navarra, Shevarra, Tammith. Yuldra; (surnames) their speech with w ords borrow ed from other tongues: Chergoba, Dyernina, Iltazyara, Murnyethara, Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish Stayanoga, Ulmokina military phrases, and so on. Va r ia n t H um an Traits If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from chapter 5, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score Increase trait.

D ragonborn father’sface was a skill she'd been fortunate to learn. A human who couldn’t spot the shift of her eyes or Havilar’sH er f a t h e r s t o o d o n t h e fir st o f t h e t h r e e stairs would certainly see only the indifference of a dragon in Clanless Mehen’sface. But the shift of scales, the arch of athat led down from the portal, unmoving. The scales of his ridge, the set of his eyes, the gape of his teeth—herfather'sface had grown paler around the edges, but Clanless Mehen face spoke volumes.still looked as if he could wrestle down a dire bear him-self. Hisfamiliar well-worn armor was gone, replaced by But every scale of it, this time, seemed completely still—violet-tinted scale armor with bright silvery tracings. There the indifference of a dragon, even to Farideh.was a blazon on his arm as well, the mark of someforeignhouse. The sword at his back was the same, though, the one —E rin M . Evans, The Adversaryhe had carried since even before he hadfound the twins leftin swaddling at the gates o fArush Vayem. Born o f dragons, as their name proclaim s, the dragonborn w alk proudly through a w orld that greets them with fearful incom prehension. Shaped by draconic gods or the dragons themselves, dragonborn originally hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race, com bining the best attributes o f dragons and hum anoids. S om e dragonborn are faithful servants to true dragons, others form the ranks o f soldiers in great wars, and still others find them selves adrift, with no clear calling in life. P ro u d D r a g o n K in Dragonborn look very much like dragons standing erect in hum anoid form, though they lack w ings or a tail. The first dragonborn had scales o f vibrant hues matching the colors o f their dragon kin, but generations of interbreeding have created a m ore uniform appearance. Their small, fine scales are usually brass or bronze in color, som etim es ranging to scarlet, rust, gold, or copper-green. They are tall and strongly built, often standing clo se to 6 1/2 feet tall and w eigh in g 3 0 0 pou nd s or m ore. Their hands and feet are strong, talonlike claws with three fingers and a thumb on each hand. The blood of a particular type of dragon runs very strong through som e dragonborn clans. These dragonborn often boast scales that m ore closely match those o f their dragon ancestor—bright red, green, blue, or white, lustrous black, or gleam ing metallic gold, silver, brass, copper, or bronze.

Self-Su fficien t C lans U ncom m on RacesTo any dragonborn, the clan is m ore important than The dragonborn and the rest o f the races in this chapter arelife itself. D ragonborn ow e their devotion and respect uncommon. They don’t exist in every world of D&D, andto their clan above all else, even the gods. Each even where they are found, they are less widespread thandragon b orn ’s con du ct reflects on the h on or o f his or her dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans.clan, and bringing dishonor to the clan can result inexpulsion and exile. Each dragonborn know s his or her In the cosmopolitan cities o f the D&D multiverse, moststation and duties within the clan, and honor dem ands people hardly look twice at members of even the mostmaintaining the bounds o f that position. exotic races. But the small towns and villages that dot the countryside are different. The common folk aren’t A continual drive for self-improvement reflects the accustomed to seeing members o f these races, and theyself-sufficiency o f the race as a w hole. D ragonborn value react accordingly.skill and excellen ce in all endeavors. T h ey hate to fail,and they push them selves to extreme efforts before they Dragonborn. It’s easy to assume that a dragonborn is agive up on som ething. A dragonborn holds mastery of monster, especially if his or her scales betray a chromatica particular skill as a lifetime goal. M embers of other heritage. Unless the dragonborn starts breathing fire andraces w h o share the sam e com m itm en t find it easy to causing destruction, though, people are likely to respondearn the respect o f a dragonborn. with caution rather than outright fear. Though all dragonborn strive to be self-sufficient, Gnome. Gnomes don’t look like a threat and can quicklythey recog n ize that help is som etim es n eeded in difficult disarm suspicion with good humor. The common folk aresituations. But the best source for such help is the often curious about gnomes, likely never having seen oneclan, and w hen a clan n eeds help, it turns to another before, but they are rarely hostile or fearful.dragonborn clan before seeking aid from other races—or even from the gods. Half-Elf. Although many people have never seen a half-elf, virtually everyone knows they exist. A half-elf stranger’sD ragonborn N ames arrival is followed by gossip behind the half-elf's back and stolen glances across the common room, rather than anyD ra gon born have person al n am es given at birth, confrontation or open curiosity.but they put their clan nam es first as a mark ofhonor. A childhood name or nicknam e is often used Half-O rc. It’s usually safe to assume that a half-orc isam ong clutchmates as a descriptive term or a term belligerent and quick to anger, so people watch themselvesof endearment. The name might recall an event or around an unfamiliar half-orc. Shopkeepers mightcenter on a habit. surreptitiously hide valuable or fragile goods when a half-orc comes in, and people slowly clear out o f a tavern, assuming aMale Names: Arjhan, Balasar, Bharash, Donaar, Ghesh. fight will break out soon. H eskan, Kriv, M edrash, M ehen, Nadarr, Pandjed, Patrin, Rhogar, Shamash, Shedinn, Tarhun, Torinn Tiefling. Half-orcs are greeted with a practical caution, but tieflings are the subject o f supernatural fear. The evil o f theirFemale Names: Akra, Biri, Daar, Farideh, Harann, heritage is plainly visible in their features, and as far as most Flavilar, Jheri, Kava, K orinn, M ishann, Nala, Perra, people are concerned, a tiefling could very well be a devil Raiann, Sora, Surina, Thava, Uadjit straight from the Nine Hells. People might make warding signs as a tiefling approaches, cross the street to avoid passing near, or bar shop doors before a tiefling can enter.

Childhood Names: Climber, Earbender, Leaper, Pious, D ra co n ia n s Shieldbiter, Zealous in the Dragonlance setting, the followers o f the evil goddess Takhisis learned a dark ritual that let them corrupt theClan Names: Clethtinthiallor, Daardendrian, Delmirev, eggs o f metallic dragons, producing evil dragonborn called Drachedandion, Fenkenkabradon, Kepeshkmolik, draconians. Five types o f draconians, corresponding to the Kerrhylon, Kimbatuul, Linxakasendalor, Myastan, five types o f metallic dragons, fought for Takhisis in the War Nem m onis, Norixius, Ophinshtalajiir, Prexijandilin, o f the Lance: auraks (gold), baaz (brass), bozak (bronze), Shestendeliath, Turnuroth, Verthisathurgiesh, Yarjerit kapak (copper), and sivak (silver). In place o f their draconic breath weapons, they have unique magical abilities.D r a g o n b o r n T r a its Draconic Ancestry. You have d racon ic ancestry.Your draconic heritage m anifests in a variety o f traits C hoose one type of dragon from the Draconic Ancestryyou share with other dragonborn. table. Your breath w eapon and dam age resistance are determ ined by the dragon type, as show n in the table. Ability Score Increase. Your Strength scorein creases by 2, and your C harism a sco re in creases by 1. Breath Weapon. You can use your action to exhale destructive energy. Your draconic ancestry determines Age. Y oung dragonborn grow quickly. T h ey w alk the size, shape, and damage type of the exhalation.hours after hatching, attain the size and developmentof a 10-year-old human child by the age of 3, and reach W h en you u se your breath w eapon , each creature inadulthood by 15. They live to be around 80. the area o f the exhalation must make a saving throw, the type o f which is determ ined by your draconic Alignment. D ragonborn tend to extrem es, m aking a ancestry. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 +con sciou s ch oice for one side or the other in the cosm ic your Constitution m odifier + your proficiency bonus. Awar between good and evil (represented by Bahamut creature takes 2d6 damage on a failed save, and halfand Tiamat, respectively). M ost dragonborn are good, as much damage on a successful one. The damagebut those w ho side with Tiamat can be terrible villains. in creases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4 d 6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. Size. D ragon born are taller and heavier than hum ans,standing w ell over 6 feet tall and averaging alm ost 250 A fter you u se your breath w eapon , you c a n ’t u se itpounds. Your size is Medium. again until you com plete a short or long rest. Speed. Your b a se w alkin g sp eed is 30 feet. Damage Resistance. You have resistance to the damage type associated with your draconic ancestry.D r a c o n ic A n c est r y Languages. You can speak, read, and w rite C om m onDragon Damage Type Breath Weapon and D raconic. D raconic is thought to be one o f theBlack Acid 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) oldest languages and is often used in the study o f magic.Blue Lightning 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) The language sounds harsh to m ost other creatures andBrass Fire 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) includes num erous hard consonants and sibilants.Bronze Lightning 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)Copper Acid 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save)Cold Fire 15 ft. cone (Dex. save)Green Poison 15 ft. cone (Con. save)Red Fire 15 ft. cone (Dex. save)Silver Cold 15 ft. cone (Con. save)White Cold 15 ft. cone (Con. save)

G nome fair hair has a tendency to stick out in every direction, as if expressing the gnom e’s insatiable interest inSk in n y a n d f l a x e n - h a ir e d , h is sk in everything around.walnut brown and his eyes a startling A g n om e’s person ality is writ large in his or herturquoise, Burgell stood half as tall asAeron appearance. A m ale g n om e’s beard, in contrast toclimb up on a stool to look out the peephole. Like most hab- his w ild hair, is kept carefully trim m ed but oftenitations in Oeble, that particular tenement had been built styled into cu riou s forks or neat points. A g n om e’sfor humans, and smaller residents coped with the resulting clothing, though usually m ade in m odest earth tones,awkwardness as best they could. is elaborately decorated with embroidery, em bossing, or gleaming jewels. But at least the relative largeness of the apartment gaveBurgell room to pack in all his gnome-sized gear. Thefront D elig h ted D ed icatio nroom was his workshop, and it contained a bewilderingmiscellany of tools: hammers, chisels, saws, lockpicks, As far as gnom es are concerned, being alive is atinted lenses, jeweler's loupes, andjars ofpowdered and wonderful thing, and they squeeze every ounce ofshredded ingredientsfor casting spells. A fat gray cat, the enjoyment out o f their three to five centuries o f life.mage’sfamiliar, lay curled atop a grimoire. It opened its Humans might w onder about getting bored over theeyes, gaveAeron a disdainfulyellow stare, then appeared course o f such a long life, and elves take plenty o f timeto go back to sleep. to savor the beauties o f the w orld in their long years, but gnom es seem to w orry that even with all that time, they —R ich a rd L ee Byers, The Black Bouquet can’t get in enough o f the things they want to do and see.A constant hum o f busy activity pervades the warrens G nom es speak as if they can’t get the thoughtsand neighborhoods where gnom es form their close- out o f their heads fast enough. Even as they offerknit com m unities. Louder sounds punctuate the hum: ideas and opinions on a range o f subjects, they stilla crunch of grinding gears here, a m inor explosion m anage to listen carefully to others, adding thethere, a yelp o f surprise or triumph, and especially appropriate exclamations of surprise and appreciationbursts o f laughter. G nom es take delight in life, enjoying along the way.every m om ent o f invention, exploration, investigation,creation, and play.V ib r a n t E xpressionA gnom e’s energy and enthusiasm for living shinesthrough every inch o f his or her tiny body. G nom esaverage slightly over 3 feet tall and w eigh 40 to 45pounds. Their tan or brow n faces are usually adornedwith broad sm iles (beneath their prodigious noses),and their bright eyes shine with excitement. Their

Though gnom es love jok es o f all kinds, particularly D eep G nom espuns and pranks, th ey’re ju st as dedicated to the m ore A third subrace o f gnomes, the deep gnomes (or svirfneblin),serious tasks they undertake. Many gnom es are skilled live in small communities scattered in the Underdark. Unlikeengineers, alchem ists, tinkers, and inventors. T h ey ’re the duergar and the drow, svirfneblin are as good as theirw illing to m ake m istakes and laugh at them selves in surface cousins. However, their humor and enthusiasmthe process of perfecting what they do, taking bold are dampened by their oppressive environment, and their(som etim es foolhardy) risks and dream ing large. inventive expertise is directed mostly toward stonework.B rig h t B urrow s Male Names: Alston, Alvyn, Boddynock, B rocc, Burgell, Dimble, Eldon, Erky, Fonkin, Frug, Gerbo, Gimble,G n om es m ake their h om es in hilly, w o o d e d lands. They Glim, Jebeddo, Kellen, Nam foodle, Orryn, Roondar,live underground but get m ore fresh air than dwarves Seebo, Sindri, Warryn, Wrenn, Z ookdo, enjoying the natural, living w orld on the surfacewhenever they can. Their hom es are well hidden by Female Names: Bimpnottin, Breena, Caramip, Carlin,both clever construction and simple illusions. W elcom e D onella, Duvamil, Ella, Ellyjobell, Ellywick, Lilli,visitors are quickly ushered into the bright, warm Loopm ottin, Lorilla, Mardnab, Nissa, Nyx, Oda, Orla,burrow s. T h ose w ho are not w elcom e are unlikely to Roywyn, Shamil, Tana, Waywocket, Zannafind the burrow s in the first place. Clan Names: Beren, Daergel, Folkor, G arrick, Nackle, G nom es w ho settle in human lands are com m only Murnig, Ningel, Raulnor, Scheppen, Tim bers, Turengemcutters, engineers, sages, or tinkers. Som e humanfam ilies retain gnom e tutors, ensuring that their pupils Nicknames: Aleslosh, Ashhearth, Badger, Cloak,enjoy a m ix o f serious learning and delighted enjoyment. Doublelock, Filchbatter, Fnipper, Ku, Nim, Oneshoe,A gnom e might tutor several generations o f a single Pock, Sparklegem, Stumbleduckhum an fam ily over the cou rse o f his or her long life. Seein g th e W orldG nome Names Curious and impulsive, gnom es might take upGnom es love names, and most have half a dozen or so. adventuring as a way to see the w orld or for the loveA gnom e's mother, father, clan elder, aunts, and uncles o f exploring. A s lovers o f gem s and other fine items,each give the gnom e a name, and various nicknam es som e gnom es take to adventuring as a quick, iffrom just about everyone else might or might not stick dangerous, path to wealth. Regardless o f what spursover time. Gnom e nam es are typically variants on the them to adventure, gnom es w ho adopt this way of lifenam es of ancestors or distant relatives, though som e eke as m uch enjoym ent out o f it as they d o out o f anyare purely new inventions. W hen dealing with humans other activity they undertake, som etim es to the greatand others w ho are “stuffy” about names, a gnome annoyance o f their adventuring com panions.learns to use no m ore than three names: a personalnam e, a clan nam e, and a nicknam e, ch oosin g the on e in G nom e T raitseach category that’s the m ost fun to say. Y our gnom e character has certain characteristics in com m on with all other gnom es. Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2. A ge. G n om es m ature at the sam e rate hum ans do, and m ost are expected to settle dow n into an adult life by around age 40. They can live 350 to alm ost 500 years. Alignment. G nom es are m ost often good. T hose w ho tend toward law are sages, engineers, researchers, scholars, investigators, or inventors. T h ose w ho tend toward chaos are minstrels, tricksters, wanderers, or fanciful jew elers. G nom es are good-hearted, and

A lways A ppr ec ia tiv e Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution sco re It’s rare for a gnome to be hostile or malicious unless he in creases by 1. or she has suffered a grievous injury. Gnomes know that most races don’t share their sense o f humor, but they enjoy Artificer’s Lore. W henever you m ake an Intelligence anyone's company just as they enjoy everything else they set (History) check related to m agic items, alchemical out to do. objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus youeven the tricksters am ong them are m ore playful n orm ally apply.than vicious. Tinker. You have proficiency with artisan’s tools Size. G n om es are betw een 3 and 4 feet tall and (tinker’s tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1average about 40 pounds. Your size is Small. hour and 10 gp w orth o f m aterials to con stru ct a Tiny clockw ork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device cea ses Speed. Your base w alking sp eed is 25 feet. to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour Darkvision. A ccu stom ed to life underground, you have repairing it to keep the device functioning), or w hensuperior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can you use your action to dism antle it; at that tim e, you cansee in dim light w ithin 60 feet o f you as if it w ere bright reclaim the m aterials u sed to create it. You can have uplight, and in darkn ess as if it w ere dim light. You can't to three such devices active at a time.discern color in darkness, only sh ad es o f gray. Gnome Cunning. You have advantage on all W hen you create a device, ch oose one o f theIntelligence, W isdom , and Charisma saving throws following options:against magic. Languages. You can speak, read, and w rite C om m on Clockwork Toy. T h is toy is a clock w ork anim al, monster,and Gnom ish. The Gnom ish language, which uses the or person, such as a frog, mouse, bird, dragon, orDwarvish script, is renow ned for its technical treatises soldier. W hen placed on the ground, the toy m ovesand its catalogs o f k n ow led ge about the natural world. 5 feet a cro ss the ground on each o f your turns in a Subrace. Tw o su braces o f g nom es are found am ong random direction. It m akes n oises as appropriatethe worlds of D&D: forest gnom es and rock gnom es. to the creature it represents.Choose one of these subraces. Fire Starter. The device p rod u ces a miniatureForest G nom e flame, w hich you can use to light a candle,As a forest gnom e, you have a natural knack for illusion torch, or campfire. Using the deviceand inherent quickness and stealth. In the w orlds of requires your action.D&D, forest gnom es are rare and secretive. They gatherin hidden com m unities in sylvan forests, using illusions Music Box. W h en opened, this m usic boxand trickery to conceal themselves from threats or plays a single son g at a m oderate volum e.to m ask their escape should they be detected. Forest The b ox stops playing w hen itgnom es tend to be friendly with other good-spirited reaches the son g’s end orw oodland folk, and they regard elves and good fey as w hen it is closed.their m ost important allies. These gnom es also befriendsmall forest animals and rely on them for informationabout threats that might prowl their lands. Ability Score Increase. Your D exterity scorein creases by 1. Natural Illusionist. You kn ow the minor illusioncantrip. Intelligence is your spellcastin g ability for it. Speak with Small Beasts. T h rou gh sou n ds andgestures, you can com m unicate simple ideas with Smallor sm aller beasts. Forest gnom es love animals and oftenkeep squirrels, badgers, rabbits, m oles, w oodpeckers,and other creatures as beloved pets.Rock G nomeAs a rock gnom e, you have a natural inventiveness andhardiness beyond that o f other gnom es. M ost gnom esin the w orld s o f D & D are rock gnom es, including thetinker gnom es o f the D ragonlance setting.

H a l f -E lf “Tanis?” said Flint hesitantly as the man neared. “The same.” The newcomer’s beardedface split in a wideFlin t sq u in t e d in t o th e settin g su n . H e t h o u g h t grin. He held open his arms and, before the dwarf could stop him, engulfed Flint in a hug that lifted him off thehe saw thefigure of a man striding up the path. Standing, ground. The dwarf clasped his oldfriend closefor a briefFlint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. instant, then, remembering his dignity, squirmed andfreedThe man's walk was marked by an easy grace—an elvish himselffrom the half-elf’s embrace.grace, Flint would have said;yet the man’s body had thethickness and tight muscles of a human, while thefacial —M a rg a ret W eis a n d T ra cy H ick m a n ,hair was definitely humankind’s. All the dwarf could seeof the man’sface beneath a green hood was tan skin and a Dragons ofAutumn Twilightbrownish-red beard. A longbow was slung over one shoulderand a sword hung at his leftside. He was dressed in soft W alking in tw o w orlds but truly belonging to neither,leather, carefully tooled in the intricate designs the elves half-elves com bine what som e say are the best qualitiesloved. But no elf in the world o f Krynn could grow a beard o f their elf and human parents: human curiosity,. . . no elf, but. . . inventiveness, and ambition tem pered by the refined senses, love o f nature, and artistic tastes o f the elves. S om e half-elves live am ong hum ans, set apart by their em otional and physical differences, watching friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the elves, grow ing restless as they reach adulthood in the tim eless elven realm s, while their peers continue to live as children. Many half-elves, unable to fit into either society, c h o o s e lives o f solitary w andering or join with other misfits and outcasts in the adventuring life. O f Two W orlds To hum ans, half-elves look like elves, and to elves, they lo o k hum an. In height, they’re on par w ith both parents, though they’re neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 100 to 180 pounds, w ith m en only slightly taller and heavier than wom en. Half-elf men do have facial hair, and som etim es grow beards to m ask their elven ancestry. Half-elven coloration and features lie som ewhere between their human and elf parents, and thus sh ow a variety even m ore pronounced than that found am ong either race. They tend to have the eyes o f their elven parents.

D iplo m ats or W and erers Excellen t A m bassadors Many half-elves learn at an early age to get along withHalf-elves have no lands o f their own, though they are everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground.w elcom e in hum an cities and som ew hat less w elcom e As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness andin elven forests. In large cities in regions w here elves human energy without human boorishness. They often makeand hum ans interact often, half-elves are som etim es excellent ambassadors and go-betweens (except betweennum erous enough to form sm all com m unities of their elves and humans, since each side suspects the half-elfown. They enjoy the com pany o f other half-elves, the o f favoring the other).only p eople w h o truly understand w hat it is to livebetween these two worlds. creative expression, dem onstrating neither love o f leaders nor desire for follow ers. They chafe at In m ost parts of the world, though, half-elves are rules, resent others’ demands, and som etim es proveu ncom m on enough that one might live for years unreliable, or at least unpredictable.without m eeting another. S om e half-elves prefer toavoid com pany altogether, wandering the w ilds as Size. H alf-elves are about the sam e size as hum ans,trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is M edium .civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven bythe wanderlust that com es o f their longevity. Others, Speed. Your base w alking sp eed is 30 feet.in contrast, throw themselves into the thick o f society, Darkvision. T h an ks to your elf blood, you haveputting their charisma and social skills to great use superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You canin diplom atic roles or as swindlers. see in dim light within 60 feet o f you as if it w ere bright light, and in darkn ess as if it w ere dim light. You ca n ’tH a l f -E lf N am es discern color in darkness, only sh ades o f gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throw sHalf-elves use either human or elven naming against being charm ed, and m agic can’t put you to sleep.conventions. A s if to em phasize that they d on ’t really fit Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in tw o skillsin to either society, half-elves raised am ong hum ans are of your choice.often given elven nam es, and those raised am ong elves Languages. You can speak, read, and w rite C om m on,often take human names. Elvish, and one extra language of your choice.H a l f -E lf T r a itsYour half-elf character has som e qualities in com m onwith elves and som e that are unique to half-elves. Ability Score Increase. Your C harism a scoreincreases by 2, and two other ability scores o f yourch oice in crease by 1. Age. Half-elves m ature at the sam e rate hum ansdo and reach adulthood around the age o f 20. Theylive much longer than humans, however, oftenexceeding 180 years. Alignment. H alf-elves share the chaotic bent o f theirelven heritage. They value both personal freedom and

T h e w a r c h ie f M h u r r e n r o u se d h im s e l f f r o m h is W hether united under the leadership o f a mighty w arlock or having fought to a standstill after yearssleeping-furs and his women and pulled a short hauberk of conflict, orc and human tribes som etim es formof heavy steel rings over his thick, well-muscled torso. He alliances, joining forces into a larger horde to the terrorusually rose before most of his warriors, since he had a of civilized lands nearby. W hen these alliances arestrong streak of human blood in him, and hefound the sealed by marriages, half-orcs are born. Som e half-orcsdaylight less bothersome than most of his tribe did. Among rise to becom e proud chiefs o f orc tribes, their humanthe Bloody Skulls, a warrior wasjudged by his strength, his blood giving them an edge over their full-blooded orcfierceness, and his wits. Human ancestry was no blemish rivals. S om e venture into the w orld to prove their worthagainst a warrior—provided he was every bit as strong, am ong humans and other m ore civilized races. Many ofenduring, and bloodthirsty as hisfull-blooded kin. Half- these becom e adventurers, achieving greatness for theirorcs who were weaker than their orc comrades didn't last mighty deeds and notoriety for their barbaric custom slong among the Bloody Skulls or any other orc tribefor and savage fury.that matter. But it was often true that a bit of human bloodgave a warriorjust the right mix of cunning, ambition, and S c a r r e d a n d St r o n gself-discipline to gofar indeed, as Mhurren had. He wasmaster of a tribe that could muster two thousand spears, H alf-orcs’ grayish pigmentation, sloping foreheads,and the strongest chief in Thar. jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and towering builds make their orcish heritage plain for all to see. H alf-orcs stand —R ich a rd Baker, Swordmage betw een 6 and 7 feet tall and usually w eigh betw een 180 and 250 pounds. Orc s regard battle scars as tokens o f pride and ornamental scars as things o f beauty. Other scars, though, mark an orc or half-orc as a former slave or a disgraced exile. Any half-orc w ho has lived am ong or near orcs has scars, whether they are marks of humiliation or o f pride, recounting their past exploits and injuries. Such a half-orc living am ong humans might display these scars proudly or hide them in shame. T he M a r k of G ruum sh The one-eyed god Gruumsh created the orc s, and even those orc s w ho turn away from his w orship can’t fully escape his influence. The sam e is true o f half-orcs, though their human blood m oderates the im pact o f their orcish heritage. Som e half-orcs hear the w hispers of Gruum sh in their dream s, calling them to unleash the rage that sim m ers w ithin them . O thers feel G ru u m sh ’s

exultation w hen they join in m elee com bat—and either hate orcs. Some are reserved, trying not to draw attention toexult along with him or shiver with fear and loathing. themselves. A few demonstrate piety and good-heartednessH alf-orcs are not evil by nature, but evil does lurk within as publicly as they can (whether or not such demonstrationsthem , w hether they em brace it or rebel against it. are genuine). And some simply try to be so tough that others just avoid them. Beyond the rage of Gruumsh, half-orcs feel emotionpow erfully. R a ge d oesn ’t ju st quicken their pulse, it Ability Score Increase. Your Strength scoremakes their bodies burn. An insult stings like acid, increases by 2, and your Constitution scoreand sadness saps their strength. But they laugh loudly in creases by 1.and heartily, and sim ple bodily pleasures—feasting,drinking, w restling, drum m ing, and w ild dancing—fill Age. H alf-orcs m ature a little faster than hum ans,their hearts with joy. They tend to be short-tempered reachin g adulthood around age 14. Th ey ageand som etim es sullen, m ore inclined to action than noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 75 years.contemplation and to fighting than arguing. The m ostaccom plished half-orcs are those with enough self- Alignment. H alf-orcs inherit a tendency toward ch a oscontrol to get by in a civilized land. from their orc parents and are not strongly inclined toward good. Half-orcs raised am ong ores and willingT ribes a n d Slu m s to live out their lives am ong them are usually evil.H alf-orcs m ost often live am ong orc s. O f the other races, Size. H alf-orcs are som ew h at larger and bulkier thanhum ans are m ost likely to accept half-orcs, and half- hum ans, and they range from 5 to w ell over 6 feet tall.orcs alm ost always live in hum an lands w hen not living Your size is Medium.am ong orc tribes. W hether proving themselves am ongrough barbarian tribes or scrabbling to survive in the Speed. Your base w alkin g sp eed is 30 feet.slum s of larger cities, half-orcs get by on their physical Darkvision. T hanks to your o rc blood, you havemight, their endurance, and the sheer determination superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You canthey inherit from their human ancestry. see in dim light w ithin 60 feet o f you as if it w ere bright light, and in darkn ess as if it w ere dim light. You can'tH a l f - O rc N am es discern color in darkness, only sh ades o f gray. Menacing. You gain proficiency in theH alf-orcs usually have nam es appropriate to the culture Intimidation skill.in w h ich they w ere raised. A h alf-orc w h o w ants to fit in Relentless Endurance. W h en you are reduced toam ong humans might trade an orc name for a human 0 hit points but n ot k illed outright, you can drop to 1 hitname. S om e half-orcs with hum an nam es decide to point instead. You can’t use this feature again until youadopt a guttural o r c n am e b eca u se they think it m akes finish a long rest.them m ore intimidating. Savage Attacks. W h en you sco re a critical hit with a m elee w eapon attack, you can roll one of the w eapon’sMale Orc Names: Dench, Feng, Gell, Henk, Holg, Imsh, dam age dice on e additional tim e and add it to the extra Keth, Krusk, Mhurren, Ront, Shump, Thokk dam age o f the critical hit. Languages. You can speak, read, andFemale Orc Names: Baggi, Emen, Engong, Kansif, write Com m on and Orc . Orc is a Myev, Neega, Ovak, Ownka, Shautha, Sutha, Vola, harsh, grating language with Volen, Yevelda hard consonants. It has no script o f its ow nH a l f - O rc T r a its but is written in the Dwarvish script.Your half-orc character has certain traits deriving fromyour ore ancestry.

“Bu t y o u d o see th e w a y people l o o k a t y o u , that wicked glint in his eyes. “Youfight it, don’tyou ? Like a little wildcat, I wager. Every littlejab and commentjustdevil’s child.\" sharpensyour claws.” Those black eyes, cold as a winter storm, were staring —E rin M . Evans, Brimstone Angelsright into her heart and the sudden seriousness in hisvoicejolted her. To be greeted with stares and whispers, to suffer violence and insult on the street, to see mistrust and “What is it they say?\" he asked. “One’s a curiosity, two’s fear in every eye: this is the lot o f the tiefling. And toa conspiracy—” twist the knife, tieflings know that this is because a pact struck generations ago infused the essence of “Three's a curse,” shefinished. “You think I haven’t heard A sm odeu s—overlord o f the Nine H ells—into theirthat rubbish before?” bloodline. Their appearance and their nature are not their fault but the result o f an ancient sin, for w hich “I knowy o u have.” When she glared at him, he added, they and their children and their children ’s children“It’s not as ifI ’m plumbing the depths ofyour mind, dear will always be held accountable.girl. That is the burden of every tiefling. Some break underit, some make it the millstone around their neck, some In fer n al B lo o d lin erevel in it.” He tilted his head again, scrutinizing her, with Tieflings are derived from hum an bloodlines, and in the broadest possible sense, they still look human. However, their infernal heritage has left a clear imprint on their appearance. Tieflings have large horns that take any o f a variety o f shapes: som e have curling horns like a ram, others have straight and tall h orn s like a g azelle’s, and som e spiral upward like an antelopes’ horns. They have thick tails, four to five feet long, w hich lash or coil around their legs when they get upset or nervous. Their canine teeth are sharply pointed, and their eyes are solid c o lo r s —black, red, white, silver, or gold—w ith no visible sclera or pupil. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades o f red. Their hair, cascad ing dow n from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red, blue, or purple. Se l f-R e l ia n t a n d Su spicious Tieflings subsist in sm all m inorities found m ostly in hum an cities or towns, often in the roughest quarters of those places, where they grow up to be swindlers,

thieves, or crim e lords. Som etim es they live am ong Mutual M istru stother minority populations in enclaves w here they are People tend to be suspicious of tieflings, assuming thattreated with m ore respect. their infernal heritage has left its mark on their personality and morality, not just their appearance. Shopkeepers keep Lacking a homeland, tieflings know that they have a close eye on their goods when tieflings enter their stores,to m ake their ow n w ay in the w orld and that they have the town watch might follow a tiefling around for a while,to be strong to survive. They are not quick to trust and demagogues blame tieflings for strange happenings.anyone w h o claim s to b e a friend, but w hen a tiefling’s The reality, though, is that a tiefling’s bloodline doesn’t affectcom p a n ion s dem onstrate that they trust him or her, his or her personality to any great degree. Years o f dealingthe tiefling learns to extend the sam e trust to them. with mistrust does leave its mark on most tieflings, and theyAnd on ce a tiefling gives som eon e loyalty, the tiefling respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to theis a firm friend or ally for life. wicked stereotype, but others are virtuous. Most are simply very aware of how people respond to them. After dealing withT ieflin g N am es this mistrust throughout youth, a tiefling often develops the ability to overcome prejudice through charm or intimidation.Tiefling nam es fall into three broad categories. Tieflingsborn into another culture typically have nam es reflective T ieflin g T raitso f that culture. S om e have nam es derived from theInfernal language, passed dow n through generations, Tieflings share certain racial traits as a result o f theirthat reflect their fiendish heritage. And som e younger infernal descent.tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt anam e that signifies a virtue or other concept and then Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence scoretry to em body that concept. For som e, the chosen nam e in creases by 1, and your C harism a sc o r e in crea ses by 2.is a noble quest. For others, it’s a grim destiny. Age. Tieflings m ature at the sam e rate as hum ans butMale Infernal Names: A km enos, Am non, Barakas, live a few years longer. Dam akos, Ekemon, Iados, Kairon, Leucis, Melech, Mordai, M orthos, Pelaios, Skam os, Therai Alignment. Tieflings m ight not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many o f them end up there.Female Infernal Names: Akta, Anakis, Bryseis, Criella, Evil or not, an independent nature inclines many Damaia, Ea, Kallista, Lerissa, Makaria, Nemeia, tieflings toward a chaotic alignment. Orianna, Phelaia, Rieta Size. Tieflings are about the sam e size and build as“Virtue” Names: Art, Carrion, Chant, Creed, Despair, humans. Your size is Medium. Excellence, Fear, Glory, Hope, Ideal, Music, Nowhere, Open, Poetry, Quest, Random, Reverence, Sorrow, Speed. Your base w alkin g sp eed is 30 feet. Temerity, Torment, W eary Darkvision. T hanks to your infernal heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light w ithin 60 feet o f you as if it w ere bright light, and in darkn ess as if it w ere dim light. You c a n ’t discern color in darkness, only sh ades o f gray. Hellish Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage. Infernal Legacy. You kn ow the thaumaturgy cantrip. O nce you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish rebuke spell once per day as a 2nd-level spell. O nce you reach 5th level, you can also cast the darkness spell o n ce per day. C harism a is your sp ellcastin g ability for these spells. Languages. You can speak, read, and w rite C om m on and Infernal.

C h apter 3: C lasses Your class gives you a variety of special features, such as a fighter’s m astery o f w ea p on s and armor, and a DAVENTURERS ARE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, w iza rd ’s spells. At low levels, your class gives you only driven by a thirst for excitement into a tw o or three features, but as you advance in level you life that others w ould never dare lead. gain m ore and your existing features often improve. They are heroes, com pelled to explore the Each class entry in this chapter includes a table su m m arizin g the benefits you gain at every level, and dark places o f the w orld and take on the a detailed explanation of each one. challenges that lesser w om en and men can’t stand against. Adventurers som etim es advance in m ore than one Class is the primary definition of what your character class. A rogue might switch direction in life and sw earcan do. It’s m ore than a profession; it’s your character’s the oath o f a paladin. A barbarian m ight discover latentcalling. Class shapes the way you think about the m agical ability and dabble in the sorcerer class w hilew orld and interact with it and your relationship with continuing to advance as a barbarian. Elves are knownother p eop le and p ow ers in the m ultiverse. A fighter, to com bine martial mastery with m agical trainingfor example, might view the w orld in pragmatic terms and advance as fighters and w izards simultaneously.of strategy and maneuvering, and see herself as just a Optional rules for com bining classes in this way, calledpawn in a much larger game. A cleric, by contrast, might m ulticlassing, appear in chapter 6.see h im self as a w illing servant in a g o d ’s u nfolding planor a conflict brew ing am ong various deities. W hile the Twelve classes—listed in the C lasses table—are foundfighter has contacts in a m ercenary com pany or army, in alm ost every D&D w orld and define the spectrum ofthe cleric might know a num ber o f priests, paladins, and typical adventurers.devotees w ho share his faith.ClassesClass Description Hit Primary Saving Throw Armor and WeaponBarbarian A fierce warrior of primitive background Die Ability Proficiencies Proficiencies who can enter a battle rage d12 Strength Strength & Light and medium armor, shields,Bard An inspiring magician whose power Constitution simple and martial weapons echoes the music of creation d8 Charisma Dexterity & Light armor, simple weapons, hand Charisma crossbows, longswords, rapiers,Cleric A priestly champion who wields divine d8 Wisdom shortswordsDruid magic in service of a higher power d8 Wisdom Wisdom & Light and medium armor, shields, A priest o f the Old Faith, wielding the Charisma simple weaponsFighter powers of nature— moonlight and d10 Strength or Intelligence Light and medium armor (nonmetal),Monk plant growth, fire and lightning— and d8 Dexterity &Wisdom shields (nonmetal), clubs, daggers, adopting animal forms d10 Dexterity & darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs,Paladin A master o f martial combat, skilled with Wisdom Strength & scimitars, sickles, slings, spearsRanger a variety o f weapons and armor Strength & Constitution All armor, shields, simple and martial An master of martial arts, harnessing Charisma Strength & weaponsRogue the power of the body in pursuit of Dexterity & Dexterity Simple weapons, shortswords physical and spiritual perfection WisdomSorcerer A holy warrior bound to a sacred oath Dexterity Wisdom & All armor, shields, simple and martialWarlock Charisma weaponsWizard A warrior who uses martial prowess and d10 Charisma Strength & Light and medium armor, shields, nature magic to combat threats on the Charisma Dexterity simple and martial weapons edges of civilization d8 Intelligence A scoundrel who uses stealth and Dexterity & Light armor, simple weapons, hand trickery to overcome obstacles and d6 Intelligence crossbows, longswords, rapiers, enemies d8 shortswords A spellcaster who draws on inherent d6 Constitution Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, magic from a gift or bloodline & Charisma light crossbows A wielder of magic that is derived from Wisdom & Light armor, simple weapons a bargain with an extraplanar entity Charisma A scholarly magic-user capable of Intelligence Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, manipulating the structures of reality & Wisdom light crossbows

A tall human tribesm an strides through a blizzard,draped in fur and hefting his axe. He laughs as hecharges toward the frost giant w ho dared poach hisp eop le’s elk herd. A half-orc snarls at the latest challen ger to herauthority over their savage tribe, ready to break his neckwith her bare hands as she did to the last six rivals. Frothing at the mouth, a d w arf slam s his helm et intothe face of his drow foe, then turns to drive his arm oredelbow into the gut o f another. T hese barbarians, different as they m ight be, aredefined by their rage: unbridled, unquenchable, andunthinking fury. M ore than a m ere em otion, their angeris the ferocity o f a cornered predator, the unrelentingassault o f a storm, the churning turmoil o f the sea. For som e, their rage springs from a com m unionwith fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roilingreservoir o f anger at a w orld full o f pain. For everybarbarian, rage is a pow er that fuels not just a battlefrenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, andfeats of strength.P r im a l In st in c tPeople o f tow ns and cities take pride in how theircivilized ways set them apart from animals, as ifdenying one’s ow n nature w as a m ark o f superiority. Toa barbarian, though, civilization is no virtue, but a signof w eakness. The strong em brace their animal n atu re-keen instincts, primal physicality, and ferocious rage.Barbarians are uncom fortable when hedged in by wallsand crow ds. They thrive in the w ilds o f their hom elands:the tundra, jungle, or grasslands w here their tribeslive and hunt. Barbarians com e alive in the chaos o f combat.They can enter a berserk state where rage takes over,giving them superhuman strength and resilience. Abarbarian can draw on this reservoir o f fury only a fewtimes without resting, but those few rages are usuallysufficient to defeat whatever threats arise.A L ife o f D a n g e rNot every m em ber o f the tribes deem ed “barbarians”by scions o f civilized society has the barbarian class. Atrue barbarian am ong these people is as uncom m on asa skilled fighter in a town, and he or she plays a similarrole as a protector o f the people and a leader in timesof war. Life in the w ild places o f the w orld is fraughtwith peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying

T h e B a r b a r ia nLevel Proficiency Rages Rage W hat led you to take up the adventuring life? W ere you 1st Bonus Features 2 Damage lured to settled lands by the prom ise o f riches? Did you +2 Rage, Unarmored join forces with soldiers of those lands to face a shared2nd Defense 2 +2 threat? Did m onsters or an invading horde drive you +2 Reckless Attack, out of your homeland, making you a rootless refugee? 3rd Danger Sense 3 +2 Perhaps y ou w ere a prison er o f war, brought in chains to 4th +2 Primal Path 3 “civilized” lands and only now able to win your freedom . +2 Ability Score +2 Or you might have been cast out from your people 5th Improvement 3 +2 because o f a crim e you committed, a taboo you violated, +3 Extra Attack, or a coup that rem oved you from a position o f authority. 6th Fast Movement 4 +2 7th +3 Path feature 4 Q u ic k Bu il d 8th +3 Feral Instinct 4 +2 You can make a barbarian quickly by following these +3 Ability Score +2 su ggestion s. First, put your highest ability s c o r e in 9th Improvement 4 +2 Strength, follow ed by Constitution. Secon d, ch oose the +4 Brutal Critical outlander background.10th (1 die) 4 +311th +4 Path feature 4 C lass Features12th +4 Relentless Rage 5 +3 +4 Ability Score +3 As a barbarian, you gain the following class features.13th Improvement 5 +3 +5 Brutal Critical H it P o in t s14th (2 dice) 5 +3 Hit Dice: 1d 12 per barbarian level15th +5 Path feature 5 Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution m odifier16th +5 Persistent Rage 5 +3 Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d 12 (or 7) + your +5 Ability Score +317th Improvement 6 +4 Constitution m odifier per barbarian level after 1st +6 Brutal Critical18th (3 dice) 6 +4 P r o f ic ie n c ie s +6 Indomitable Armor: Light armor, m edium armor, shields19th Might 6 +4 Weapons: Sim ple weapons, martial w eapons +6 Ability Score Tools: None20th Improvement Unlimited +4 +6 Primal Champion Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution +4 Skills: C hoose two from Anim al Handling, Athletics,m onsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survivals o that their p eople d on ’t have to. Their courage in the face o f danger m akes barbariansperfectly suited for adventuring. W andering is often away o f life for their native tribes, and the rootless life o fthe adventurer is little hardship for a barbarian. S om ebarbarians m iss the close-knit family structures o f thetribe, but eventually find them replaced by the bondsform ed am ong the m em bers of their adventuring parties.C r eatin g a Ba r b a r ia nW hen creating a barbarian character, think about whereyour character com es from and his or her place in theworld. Talk with your DM about an appropriate originfor your barbarian. Did you com e from a distant land,m aking you a stranger in the area of the cam paign?Or is the cam paign set in a rough-and-tumble frontierwhere barbarians are com m on?

Equ ipm en t U n arm ored D efenseY ou sta rt w ith th e fo llo w in g eq u ip m en t, in a d d itio n tothe equip m en t gran ted by yo u r backgroun d : W hile you are not wearing any armor, your Arm or Class equals 10 + your Dexterity m odifier + your Constitution• (a) a greataxe or (b) any m artial m elee w eapon modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.• (a) tw o handaxes or (b) any sim ple w eapon• A n exp lorer’s pack and four javelins R eckless A tta ckR age Starting at 2nd level, you can th row aside all con cern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. W henIn battle, you fight with prim al ferocity. O n your turn, you m ake your first attack on your turn, you can decideyou can enter a rage as a bonus action. to attack recklessly. D oing so gives you advantage on m elee w eapon attack rolls using Strength during this W hile raging, you gain the follow ing benefits if you turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage untilaren’t w earing heavy armor: your next turn.• You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength D a n g e r Sense saving throws. At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sen se o f when things• W hen you make a melee weapon attack using nearby aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge Strength, you gain a bonus to the dam age roll that when you dodge away from danger. increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown in the R age D am age colu m n o f the Barbarian table. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells.• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or slashing damage. incapacitated.If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or P r i m a l Pa t hconcentrate on them while raging. At 3rd level, you ch oose a path that shapes the nature of Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are your rage. C hoose the Path of the Berserker or the Pathknocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you o f the Totem W arrior, both detailed at the end o f thehaven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn class description. Your ch oice grants you features at 3rdor taken dam age since then. You can also end your rage level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.on your turn as a bonus action. O nce you have raged the num ber o f tim es shownfor your barbarian level in the R ages colum n o f theBarbarian table, you must finish a long rest before youcan rage again.

A b il it y Sco r e Im pr o v e m e n t barbarians attribute their rage to different sources, however. F or som e, it is an internal reservoir w hereW h en you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, pain, grief, and anger are forged into a fury hard asand 19th level, you can increase one ability score o f your steel. O thers se e it as a spiritual blessing, a gift o fchoice by 2, or you can increase tw o ability scores of a totem animal.your ch oice by 1. A s norm al, you ca n ’t in crease an abilityscore above 20 using this feature. Pa t h o f t h e B e r s e r k e rExtra A ttack For som e barbarians, rage is a m eans to an end-—that end being violence. The Path o f the Berserker is a pathB egin ning at 5th level, you can attack tw ice, instead of of untram m eled fury, slick with blood. A s you enteronce, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. the berserker’s rage, you thrill in the chaos o f battle, heedless o f your ow n health or well-being.Fa s t M o v e m e n t FrenzyStarting at 5th level, your sp eed in creases by 10 feet Starting w hen you c h o o s e this path at 3rd level, youwhile you aren’t w earing heavy armor. can go into a frenzy w hen you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make a single meleeF e r a l In st in c t w eapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one. W hen your rage ends, you suffer one levelBy 7th level, your instincts are so honed that you have o f exhaustion (as described in appendix A).advantage on initiative rolls. M indless R age Additionally, if you are su rprised at the begin ning o f B egin ning at 6th level, you ca n ’t be ch a rm ed orcom bat and aren’t incapacitated, you can act n orm ally frightened while raging. If you are charm ed oron your first turn, but only if you enter your rage before frightened when you enter your rage, the effect isdoing anything else on that turn. suspended for the duration of the rage.B r u tal C r it ic a l In tim id a tin g Presence B egin ning at 10th level, you can use your action toB egin ning at 9th level, you ca n roll one additional frighten som eone with your m enacing presence.weapon dam age die when determining the extra W hen you do so, ch oose one creature that you can seedam age for a critical hit w ith a m elee attack. within 30 feet of you. If the creature can see or hear you, it m ust su cce e d on a W isd om saving th row (D C T h is in crea ses to tw o additional dice at 13th level equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charismaand three additional dice at 17th level. modifier) or be frightened o f you until the end o f your next turn. On subsequent turns, you can use your actionR elentless R age to extend the duration o f this effect on the frightenedStarting at 11th level, your rage can keep you fightingdespite grievous w ou n ds. If you drop to 0 hit pointsw hile y ou ’re raging and don ’t die outright, you can m akea D C 10 Constitution saving throw. If you su cceed, youdrop to 1 hit point instead. Each time you use this feature after the first, the DCincreases by 5. W hen you finish a short or long rest, theD C resets to 10.P e r siste n t R ageB egin ning at 15th level, your rage is s o fierce thatit en ds early only if you fall u n con sciou s or if youc h o o s e to end it.In d o m it a b l e M ig h tB egin ning at 18th level, if your total for a Strengthcheck is less than your Strength score, you can use thatscore in place o f the total.P r im a l C h a m pio nAt 20th level, you em body the pow er of the w ilds. YourStrength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Yourm axim um for those scores is now 24.P r i m a l Pa t h sR a ge bu rn s in every barbarian’s heart, a furnacethat drives him or her toward greatness. Different

creature until the end of your next turn. This effect ends Your totem animal might be an animal related to thoseif the creature ends its turn out o f line o f sight or m ore listed here but m ore appropriate to your homeland.than 60 feet away from you. F or exam ple, you cou ld c h o o s e a hawk or vulture in place o f an eagle. If the creature su cceed s on its saving throw, you can'tuse this feature on that creature again for 24 hours. Bear. W h ile raging, you have resistan ce to all dam age except psychic damage. The spirit o f the bear m akes youR etaliation tough enough to stand up to any punishment.Starting at 14th level, w hen you take dam age froma creature that is within 5 feet o f you. you can use Eagle. W hile you're raging and aren’t w earingyour reaction to make a m elee w eapon attack against heavy armor, other creatures have disadvantage onthat creature. opportunity attack rolls against you, and you can use the Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. The spiritPa t h o f t h e T o t e m W a r r io r of the eagle m akes you into a predator w ho can weave through the fray with ease.The Path o f the Totem W arrior is a spiritual journey, asthe barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, Wolf, W h ile you're raging, your friends haveand inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you advantage on melee attack rolls against any creaturewith supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your within 5 feet o f you that is hostile to you. The spirit ofbarbarian rage. the w olf m akes you a leader o f hunters. Most barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be A spect of th e Beastkin to a particular clan. In such ca ses, it is unusual for At 6th level, you gain a m agical benefit based on thean individual to have m ore than one totem anim al spirit, totem animal o f your choice. You can ch oose the sam ethough exceptions exist. anim al you selected at 3rd level or a different one.Spir it Seeker Bear. You gain the m ight o f a bear. Your carryin gYours is a path that seeks attunement with the natural capacity (including m axim um load and m axim um lift)world, giving you a kinship with beasts. At 3rd level when is doubled, and you have advantage on Strength checksyou adopt this path, you gain the ability to cast the beast m ade to push, pull, lift, or break objects.sense and speak with animals spells, but only as rituals,as described in chapter 10. Eagle. You gain the eyesight o f an eagle. You can see up to 1 mile away with no difficulty, able to discernT o te m Spir it even fine details as though look in g at som eth in g noAt 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you ch oose a m ore than 100 feet away from you. Additionally, dimtotem spirit and gain its feature. You must m ake or light doesn't im pose disadvantage on your W isdomacquire a physical totem object- an amulet or similar (Perception) checks.adornm ent—that incorporates fur or feathers, claws,teeth, or bones o f the totem animal. At your option, you Wolf, You gain the hunting sensibilities o f a w olf. Youalso gain m inor physical attributes that are rem iniscent can track other creatu res w hile traveling at a fast pace,o f your totem spirit. For example, if you have a bear and you can m ove stealthily w hile traveling at a norm altotem spirit, you might be unusually hairy and thick- pace (see chapter 8 for rules on travel pace).skinned, or if your totem is the eagle, your eyes turnbright yellow. Sp ir it W a l k e r At 10th level, you can cast the commune with nature spell, but only as a ritual. W hen you do so, a spiritual version o f one o f the anim als you chose for Totem Spirit or Aspect o f the Beast appears to you to convey the information you seek. T otem ic A ttu n e m e n t At 14th level, you gain a m agical benefit based on a totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected previously or a different one. Bear, W h ile you ’re raging, any creature within 5 feet o f you that’s hostile to you has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you or another character with this feature. An enem y is im m u ne to this effect if it ca n ’t see or hear you or if it ca n ’t b e frightened. Eagle. W h ile raging, you have a flying sp eed equal to your current w alk in g speed. T h is benefit w ork s only in short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft. Wolf. W h ile y ou ’re raging, you can u se a bon u s action on your turn to knock a Large or sm aller creature prone w hen you hit it with m elee w eapon attack.

Ba r dH um m ing as she traces her fingers over an ancientm onum ent in a long-forgotten ruin, a half-elf in ruggedleathers finds knowledge springing into her mind,conjured forth by the m agic o f her song—knowledgeo f the people w ho constructed the monument and them ythic saga it depicts. A stern human warrior bangs his sw ord rhythmicallyagainst his scale mail, setting the tem po for his war chantand exhorting his com panions to bravery and heroism.The m agic of his song fortifies and em boldens them. Laughing as she tunes her cittern, a gnom e w eavesher subtle m agic over the assem bled nobles, ensuringthat her com panions’ w ords w ill be well received. W hether scholar, skald, or scoundrel, a bard weavesm agic through w ords and m usic to inspire allies,dem oralize foes, manipulate minds, createillusions, and even heal wounds.M u sic a n d M a g icIn the w orlds o f D&D, w ords and m usic arenot just vibrations o f air, but v ocalization s withpow er all their own. The bard is a master o f song,speech, and the m agic they contain. Bards saythat the multiverse w as spoken into existence, that thew ord s o f the g od s gave it shape, and that e c h o e s o f theseprim ordial W ords o f Creation still resound throughoutthe cosm os. The m usic o f bards is an attempt to snatchand harness those echoes, subtly woven into theirspells and powers. The greatest strength of bards is their sheerversatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the sidelinesin com bat, using their m agic to inspire their allies andhinder their foes from a distance. But bards are capableo f defending them selves in m elee if necessary, usingtheir m agic to bolster their sw ords and armor. Theirspells lean toward charm s and illusions rather thanblatantly destructive spells. They have a wide-rangingknow ledge o f many subjects and a natural aptitudethat lets them do alm ost anything well. Bards becom em asters o f the talents they set their m inds to perfecting,from m usical perform ance to esoteric knowledge.L e a r n in g fr o m E x pe r ie n ceTrue bards are not com m on in the world. Not everym instrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royalcou rt is a bard. D iscoverin g the m agic hidden in m usicrequires hard study and som e m easure o f natural talentthat m ost troubadours and jon g leu rs lack. It can be hardto spot the difference between these perform ers and truebards, though. A bard’s life is spent w andering acrossthe land gathering lore, telling stories, and living on thegratitude o f audiences, much like any other entertainer.But a depth o f knowledge, a level of musical skill, and atouch of m agic set bards apart from their fellows. Only rarely do bards settle in one place for long, andtheir natural desire to travel—to find n ew tales to tell,new skills to learn, and new discoveries beyond thehorizon—m akes an adventuring career a natural calling.Every adventure is an opportunity to learn, practice avariety of skills, enter long-forgotten tombs, discover lost

w orks o f magic, decipher old tom es, travel to strange Q u ic k Bu ildplaces, or encounter exotic creatures. Bards love to You can make a bard quickly byaccom pany heroes to w itness their deeds firsthand. A follow ing these suggestions. First,bard w ho can tell an awe-inspiring story from personal Charisma should be your highestexperience earns renown am ong other bards. Indeed, ability score, follow ed by Dexterity.after telling so many stories about heroes accom plishing Second, choose the entertainermighty deeds, many bards take these them es to heart background. Third, ch o o s e the dancing lights andand assume heroic roles themselves. vicious m ockery cantrips, along with the follow ing 1st-level spells: charm person, detect magic, healingC r e a t in g a B ar d word, and thunderwave.Bards thrive on stories, whether those stories are true C lass Featuresor not. Your character’s back grou n d and m otivationsare not as im portant as the stories that he or she tells As a bard, you gain the following class features.about them. Perhaps you had a secure and mundanech ildh ood . T h ere’s no g o o d story to be told about that, H it Pointsso you might paint yourself as an orphan raised by a hag Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard levelin a dism al sw am p. Or your ch ild h ood m ight be w orthy Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution m odifierof a story. S om e bards acquire their m agical music Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + yourthrough extraordinary means, including the inspirationof fey or other supernatural creatures. Constitution m odifier per bard level after 1st Did you serve an apprenticeship, studying under a P roficienciesmaster, follow ing the m ore experienced bard until you Armor: Light arm orw ere ready to strike out on your ow n? Or did you attend Weapons: Simple w eapons, hand crossbow s,a college w here you studied bardic lore and practicedyour musical magic? Perhaps you were a young runaway longswords, rapiers, shortswordsor orphan, befriended by a wandering bard w ho becam e Tools: Three m usical instruments o f your choiceyour mentor. Or you might have been a spoiled noblechild tutored by a master. Perhaps you stum bled into the Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charismaclutches o f a hag, m akin g a bargain for a m usical gift in Skills: Choose any threeaddition to your life and freedom , but at w hat cost? Equ ipm en t You start with the follow ing equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: • (a) a rapier, (b) a lon gsw ord, or (c) any sim ple w eapon • (a) a diplom at’s pack or (b) an entertainer's pack • (a) a lute or (b) any other m usical instrum ent • Leather armor and a dagger Sp e l l c a st in g You have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality in harmony with your w ishes and music. Your spells are part o f your vast repertoire, m agic that you can tune to different situations. S e e chapter 10 for the general rules o f spellcasting and chapter 11 for the bard spell list. C antrips You know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips o f your ch oice at higher levels, as sh ow n in the Cantrips K now n colum n o f the Bard table.

The Bard Proficiency Cantrips Spells — Spell Slots per Spell Level— Bonus Known KnownLevel +2 Features 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st +2 Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration (d6) 2 42nd +2 jack o f All Trades, Song o f Rest (d6) 2 5 2— — — —— — —— 3rd +2 Bard College, Expertise 2 6 4th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 7 3— — — —— — —— 5th Bardic Inspiration (d8), 3 8 +3 Font o f Inspiration 4 2— — —— — — — 6th +3 Countercharm, Bard College feature 7th +3 4 3— — —— — — — 8th +4 — 9th +4 4 3 2 — —— — — —10th Ability Score Improvement +4 Song of Rest (d8) 3 9 4 3 3 — —— — — —11th +4 Bardic Inspiration (d10), Expertise, 3 10 4 3 3 1 — — — — —12th +5 Magical Secrets 3 11 4 3 3 2 — — — — —13th +5 —14th Ability Score Improvement 3 12 4 3 3 3 1 — — — — +5 Song o f Rest (d10) 4 14 4 3 3 3 2 — — — —15th +5 Magical Secrets,16th +6 Bard College feature 4 15 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — —17th +6 Bardic Inspiration (d12) 4 15 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — —18th +6 Ability Score Improvement19th +6 Song of Rest (d12) 4 16 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — —20th Magical Secrets 4 18 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — — Ability Score Improvement Superior Inspiration 4 19 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 — 4 19 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 — 4 20 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 4 22 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 14 22 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 4 22 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1Spell Sl o ts modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bardThe Bard table show s how many spell slots you have to spell you cast and when m aking an attack roll with one.cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one ofth ese spells, you m ust expend a slot o f the sp ell’s level Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you your Charisma modifierfinish a long rest. Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + For exam ple, if you k n ow the 1st-level spell cure your Charisma modifierwounds and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slotavailable, you can cast cure wounds using either slot. R itu al C astin g You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if thatS p e l l s K n o w n o f 1s t L e v e l a n d H i g h e r spell has the ritual tag.You know four 1st-level spells o f your choice from thebard spell list. Spe l l c a st in g Focu s You can use a m u sical instrum ent (found in chapter 5) The Spells Know n colum n of the Bard table show s as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.when you learn m ore bard spells of your choice. Each ofthese spells must be o f a level for which you have spell B a r d ic In spir a tio nslots, as show n on the table. For instance, when youreach 3rd level in this class, you can learn on e n ew spell You can inspire others through stirring w ords or music.o f 1st or 2nd level. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you Additionally, w hen you gain a level in this class, you w ho can hear you. That creature gains one Bardiccan choose one of the bard spells you know and replace Inspiration die, a d6.it w ith another spell from the bard spell list, w hich alsomust be o f a level for which you have spell slots. O nce within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the num ber rolled to one ability check,Sp e l l c a s t in g A b il it y attack roll, or saving th row it m akes. T h e creature canCharisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard wait until after it rolls the d2 0 before decidin g to use thespells. Your m agic com es from the heart and soul you Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DMpour into the perform ance o f your m usic or oration. says whether the roll succeeds or fails. O nce the BardicYou use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can havespellcastin g ability. In addition, you use your Charism a only on e B ardic Inspiration die at a time.

You can use this feature a number of tim es equal M a g ic a l Secretsto your C harism a m odifier (a m inim um o f once). Youregain any expended uses w hen you finish a long rest. By 10th level, you have plundered m agical know ledge from a wide spectrum of disciplines. C hoose two spells Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach from any class, including this one. A spell you choosecertain levels in this class. T h e die b e c o m e s a d8 at 5th must be o f a level you can cast, as shown on the Bardlevel, a d 10 at 10th level, and a d l 2 at 15th level. table, or a cantrip.Ja c k of A ll T rades The chosen spells count as bard spells for you and are included in the num ber in the S p ells K now n colum n ofStarting at 2nd level, you can add h alf your proficiency the Bard table.bonus, rounded dow n, to any ability check you m ake thatd oesn ’t already include your proficiency bonus. You learn tw o additional sp ells from any class at 14th level and again at 18th level.So n g of R est Su pe r io r In sp ir a t io nB egin ning at 2nd level, you can u se sooth in g m usic ororation to help revitalize your wounded allies during At 20th level, w hen you roll initiative and have no usesa short rest. If you or any friendly creatures w ho can o f Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use.hear your perform an ce regain hit points at the end o fthe short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra Bard C olleges1d6 hit points. The way o f a bard is gregarious. Bards seek each T h e extra hit p oints in crease w hen you reach certain other out to swap songs and stories, boast o f theirlevels in this class: to 1d8 at 9th level, to 1d 10 at 13th accom plishm ents, and share their knowledge. Bardslevel, and to 1d 12 at 17th level. form loose associations, which they call colleges, to facilitate their gatherings and preserve their traditions.Bard C ollege C ollege of L oreAt 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques ofa bard college o f your choice: the College o f Lore or the Bards o f the College o f Lore know som ething aboutC ollege o f Valor, both detailed at the end o f the class m ost things, collecting bits of knowledge from sourcesdescription. Your ch oice grants you features at 3rd level as diverse as scholarly tom es and peasant tales.and again at 6th and 14th level. W hether singing folk ballads in taverns or elaborate com positions in royal courts, these bards use their giftsE x p e r tise to hold audiences spellbound. W hen the applause dies down, the audience m em bers might find themselvesAt 3rd level, ch oose two of your skill proficiencies. Your questioning everything they held to be true, from theirproficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you faith in the priesthood o f the local temple to theirmake that uses either o f the chosen proficiencies. loyalty to the king. At 10th level, you can ch oose another tw o skill The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit o f beautyproficiencies to gain this benefit. and truth, not in fealty to a m onarch or follow ing the tenets o f a deity. A n oble w h o keeps such a bard as aA b il it y S co re Im pr o vem en t herald or advisor know s that the bard w ould rather be honest than politic.W h en you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th,and 19th level, you can increase one ability score o f your The co lle g e ’s m em bers gather in libraries andchoice by 2, or you can increase tw o ability scores o f som etim es in actual colleges, com plete with classroom syour ch oice by 1. A s norm al, you ca n ’t in crease an ability and dorm itories, to share their lore with one another.score above 20 using this feature. T h ey also m eet at festivals or affairs o f state, w here they can ex p o se corruption, unravel lies, and poke fun at self-Fo n t o f In spir a tio n im portant figures o f authority.Beginning when you reach 5th level, you regain all of B on u s P roficien ciesyour expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you W h en you jo in the C ollege o f L ore at 3rd level, you gainfinish a short or long rest. proficiency with three skills o f your choice.C ountercharm C u ttin g W ords A lso at 3rd level, you learn h ow to use your wit toAt 6th level, you gain the ability to use m usical notes or distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence andw ords of pow er to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As com petence o f others. W hen a creature that you canan action, you can start a perform ance that lasts until see within 60 feet o f you m akes an attack roll, an abilitythe end o f your next turn. D uring that time, you and any check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction tofriendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage expend one o f your uses o f Bardic Inspiration, rollingon saving throws against being frightened or charm ed. a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the numberA creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. rolled from the creatu re’s roll. You can c h o o s e to useThe perform ance ends early if you are incapacitated or this feature after the creature m akes its roll, but beforesilen ced or if you voluntarily en d it (no action required). the DM determ ines w hether the attack roll or ability

ch eck su cceed s or fails, or before the creature deals its songs, they inspire others to reach the sam e heights ofdam age. The creature is im m une if it can ’t hear you or if accom plishm ent as the heroes o f old.it’s im m une to being charm ed. B o n u s P roficien ciesA d d it io n a l M a g ic a l Secrets W hen you jo in the C ollege o f Valor at 3rd level, youAt 6th level, you learn tw o spells o f your ch oice from any gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, andclass. A spell you ch oose must be o f a level you can cast, martial weapons.as show n on the Bard table, or a cantrip. The chosenspells count as bard spells for you but don’t count C o m bat Inspirationagainst the num ber o f bard spells you know. A lso at 3rd level, you learn to inspire others in battle. A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die from youPeerless Sk ill can roll that die and add the num ber rolled to a w eaponStarting at 14th level, w hen you m ake an ability check, dam age roll it just m ade. Alternatively, w hen an attackyou can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration. Roll a roll is m ade against the creature, it can u se its reactionBardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the numberyour ability check. You can ch oose to do so after you roil rolled to its AC against that attack, after seein g the rollthe die for the ability check, but before the DM tells you but before kn ow in g w hether it hits or m isses.w hether you su cceed or fail. Ex t r a A ttackC ollege of Valor Starting at 6th level, you can attack tw ice, instead o f once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.Bards o f the College o f Valor are daring skalds w hosetales keep alive the m em ory o f the great heroes of the Ba ttle M agicpast, and thereby inspire a new generation o f heroes. At 14th level, you have m astered the art o f w eavingT h ese bards gather in m ead halls or around great spellcasting and weapon use into a single harm oniousbonfires to sing the deeds o f the mighty, both past act. W hen you use your action to cast a bard spell, youand present. They travel the land to w itness great can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.events firsthand and to ensure that the m em ory ofthose events d oesn ’t pass from the world. W ith their

Arm s and eyes upraised toward the sun and a prayeron his lips, an elf begins to glow with an inner light thatspills out to heal his battle-worn com panions. Chanting a song o f glory, a dw arf sw ings his axein wide swaths to cut through the ranks of orcsarrayed against him, shouting praise to the gods withevery fo e ’s fall. Calling dow n a curse upon the forces of undeath, ahum an lifts her holy sym bol as light p ou rs from it todrive back the zom bies crow ding in on her com panions. Clerics are interm ediaries between the mortal worldand the distant planes o f the gods. As varied as the godsthey serve, clerics strive to em body the handiwork oftheir deities. No ordinary priest, a cleric is imbued withdivine magic.H ea ler s a n d W a r r io r sDivine magic, as the name suggests, is the pow er ofthe gods, flowing from them into the world. Clerics areconduits for that pow er, m anifesting it as m iracu lou seffects. The gods don ’t grant this pow er to everyone w hoseek s it, but only to th ose c h osen to fulfill a high calling. H arnessing divine m agic d oesn ’t rely on study ortraining. A cleric might learn form ulaic prayers andancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric spells relies ondevotion and an intuitive sen se o f a deity’s wishes. Clerics com bine the helpful m agic o f healing andinspiring their allies with spells that harm and hinderfoes. They can provoke awe and dread, lay curses ofplague or poison, and even call down flames from heavento consum e their enem ies. For those evildoers w ho willbenefit m ost from a m ace to the head, clerics depend ontheir com bat training to let them w ade into m elee withthe pow er o f the gods on their side.D iv in e A g en tsNot every acolyte or officiant at a tem ple or shrine is acleric. S om e priests are called to a simple life o f templeservice, carrying out their gods’ will through prayer andsacrifice, not by m agic and strength o f arms. In som ecities, priesthood am ounts to a political office, viewedas a stepping stone to higher positions o f authority andinvolving n o com m u n ion with a god at all. True clericsare rare in m ost hierarchies. W h en a cleric takes up an adventuring life, it is usuallyb eca u se his or her g od dem an ds it. P u rsuing the goalso f the gods often involves braving dangers beyond thew alls o f civilization, sm iting evil or seek in g holy relics inancient tombs. Many clerics are also expected to protect