19 System Reference Document 5.2.1
Character
Creation
Choose a Character Sheet
You’ll record the main details of your character on
a character sheet. Throughout this chapter, we use
the term “character sheet” to mean whatever you
use to track your character’s details, whether it’s a
printed character sheet, a digital character sheet, or
plain paper. Choose whichever style of sheet works
for you, and then embark on creating a character!
Create Your Character
Here are the steps to make a character; each step is
explored in detail:
1: Choose a Class. Every adventurer is a member
of a class. A class broadly describes a character’s
vocation, special talents, and favored tactics.
2: Determine Origin. A character’s origin includes
two elements: background and species. How did
the character spend the years leading up to a life
of adventure? Who are the character’s ancestors?
You can also choose your character’s languages.
3: Determine Ability Scores. Much of what your
character does in the game depends on the character’s six abilities.
4: Choose an Alignment. Alignment is a shorthand
for your character’s moral compass.
5: Fill in Details. Using the choices you’ve made, fill
in the remaining details on your character sheet.
Step 1: Choose Class
Choose a class, and write it on your character sheet.
The Class Overview table summarizes the classes.
See “Classes” for the classes’ details.
Class Overview
Class Likes … Primary
Ability
Complexity
Barbarian Battle Strength Average
| Bard | Performing |
| Cleric | Gods |
| Druid | Nature |
| Fighter | Weapons |
Charisma High
Wisdom Average
Wisdom High
Strength
or Dexterity
Low
Monk Unarmed
combat
Dexterity
and Wisdom
High
Paladin Defense Strength
and Charisma
Average
Ranger Survival Dexterity
and Wisdom
Average
Class Likes … Primary
Ability
Complexity
| Rogue | Stealth | Dexterity | Low |
| Sorcerer | Power | Charisma | High |
| Warlock | Occult lore | Charisma | High |
| Wizard | Spellbooks | Intelligence | Average |
Write Your Level
Write your character’s level on your character
sheet. Typically, a character starts at level 1 and
advances in level by adventuring and gaining Experience Points (XP).
Write Your XP. Also record your Experience
Points. A level 1 character has 0 XP.
Starting at a Higher Level. Your GM might start
you at a higher level. If you start at level 3 or higher,
write your chosen subclass on your character sheet.
See the “Starting at Higher Levels” section later in
“Character Creation” for more information.
Note Armor Training
Your class might give you training with certain
categories of armor. Note your armor training on
your character sheet. Armor training with a kind of
armor means you can wear that armor effectively,
gaining defensive bonuses from it. The categories of
armor are described in “Equipment.”
Step 2: Character Origin
Determining your character’s origin involves choosing a background, a species, and two languages.
A character’s background represents the place
and occupation that were most formative for the
character. The combination of background, species,
and languages provides fertile soil for your imagination as you ponder your character’s earliest days.
Choose a Background
Choose your character’s background, and write it on
your character sheet. You can choose any of the backgrounds detailed in “Character Origins,” and your GM
might offer additional backgrounds as options.
The background you choose influences step 3,
when you determine your character’s ability scores.
If you’re having trouble choosing, the Ability Scores
and Backgrounds table shows which backgrounds
benefit which ability scores. Look for your class’s
primary ability there.
Ability Scores and Backgrounds
| Ability | Background |
| Strength | Soldier |
| Dexterity | Soldier |
| Constitution Soldier | |
| Intelligence | Acolyte |
20 System Reference Document 5.2.1
| Ability | Background |
| Wisdom | Acolyte |
| Charisma | Acolyte |
Record Your Feat. A background gives you a feat,
which grants your character particular capabilities.
Feats are detailed in “Feats.” Write the feat on your
character sheet.
Note Proficiencies. Your background gives proficiency in two skills and with one tool. Record this
information on your character sheet.
Your class also gives proficiencies. Check your
class description in “Classes” and note the proficiencies on your character sheet.
The features table in your class description shows
your Proficiency Bonus (described in “Playing the
Game”), which is +2 for a level 1 character. Note this
number on your character sheet. You’ll fill in other
numbers connected to these proficiencies in step 5.
Choose Starting Equipment
Your background and class both provide starting
equipment. Any coins that you gain at this step
can be immediately spent on equipment from
“Equipment.”
Record your chosen equipment on your character
sheet. Equipment is described in “Equipment,” but
for now you can just write it all down and look up
the specifics in “Equipment” later. Note any coins
you have left after purchasing your equipment.
Choose a Species
Choose a species for your character. The following
species options are detailed in “Character Origins”:
Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Goliath, Halfling,
Human, Orc, and Tiefling. Once you’ve chosen a species, write it on your character sheet. Then record
your species’ traits.
Your character’s size and Speed are determined
by the character’s species; record these in the appropriate places on your character sheet as well
(you may write just the first letter of your size).
Imagine Your Past and Present
Let your character’s background and species inspire
how you imagine their past. That past fed into the
character’s present. With that in mind, consider answers to the following questions as your character:
• Who raised you?
• Who was your dearest childhood friend?
• Did you grow up with a pet?
• Have you fallen in love? If so, with whom?
• Did you join an organization, such as a guild or religion? If so, are you still a member of it?
• What elements of your past inspire you to go on
adventures now?
Choose Languages
Your character knows at least three languages:
Common plus two languages you roll or choose
from the Standard Languages table. Knowledge of a
language means your character can communicate in
it, read it, and write it. Your class and other features
might also give you languages.
The Standard Languages table lists languages that
are widespread in the setting. Every player character knows Common. The other standard languages
originated with the first members of the most
prominent species in the setting and have since
spread widely.
Standard Languages
| 1d12 | Language |
| — | Common |
| 1 | Common Sign Language |
| 2 | Draconic |
| 3–4 | Dwarvish |
| 5–6 | Elvish |
7 Giant
8 Gnomish
9 Goblin
10–11 Halfling
12 Orc
The Rare Languages table lists languages that are
either secret or derived from other planes of existence and thus less widespread in the worlds of the
Material Plane. Some features let a character learn a
rare language.
Rare Languages
| Language | Language |
| Abyssal | Primordial* |
| Celestial | Sylvan |
| Deep Speech | Thieves’ Cant |
| Druidic | Undercommon |
| Infernal |
*Primordial includes the Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran dialects.
Creatures that know one of these dialects can communicate with
those that know a different one.
Step 3: Ability Scores
To determine your character’s ability scores, you
first generate a set of six numbers using the instructions below and then assign them to your six abilities. “Playing the Game” explains what each ability
means.
21 System Reference Document 5.2.1
Generate Your Scores
Determine your ability scores by using one of the
following three methods. Your GM might prefer you
to use a particular one.
Standard Array. Use the following six scores for
your abilities: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
Random Generation. Roll four d6s and record
the total of the highest three dice. Do this five more
times, so you have six numbers.
Point Cost. You have 27 points to spend on your
ability scores. The cost of each score is shown on
the Ability Score Point Costs table. For example, a
score of 14 costs 7 of your 27 points.
Ability Score Point Costs
Score Cost
8 0
9 1
10 2
11 3
Score Cost
12 4
13 5
14 7
15 9
Assign Ability Scores
Once you’ve generated six scores, assign them to
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, keeping in mind your class’s
primary ability. Fill in the ability modifiers as well.
If you’re using the Standard Array option, consult
the Standard Array by Class table for suggestions
on where to assign scores for your character’s class.
The table puts the highest scores in a class’s main
abilities. If you used a different method to generate the scores, you may still use this table to guide
where you place your highest and lowest scores.
Standard Array by Class
| Class | Str. 15 8 14 8 15 12 15 12 12 10 8 8 | Dex. Con. Int. | Wis. Cha. |
| Barbarian Bard Cleric Druid Fighter Monk Paladin Ranger Rogue Sorcerer Warlock Wizard | 13 14 8 12 14 15 10 15 15 13 14 12 | 14 12 13 14 13 13 13 13 13 14 13 13 | 10 13 10 13 8 10 8 8 14 8 12 15 |
Adjust Ability Scores
After assigning your ability scores, adjust them according to your background. Your background lists
three abilities; increase one of those scores by 2 and
a different one by 1, or increase all three by 1. None
of these increases can raise a score above 20.
Some players like to increase their class’s primary
ability, while others prefer to increase a low score.
Determine Ability Modifiers
Finally, determine your ability modifiers using the
Ability Scores and Modifiers table. Write the modifier next to each of your scores.
Ability Scores and Modifiers
| Score | Modifier |
| 3 4–5 6–7 8–9 10–11 | -4 -3 -2 -1 +0 |
| Score 12–13 14–15 16–17 18–19 20 | Modifier +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 |
Step 4: Alignment
Choose your character’s alignment from the options
below, and note it on your character sheet.
The game assumes that player characters aren’t of
an evil alignment. Check with your GM before making an evil character.
The Nine Alignments
A creature’s alignment broadly describes its ethical
attitudes and ideals. Alignment is a combination of
two factors: one identifies morality (good, evil, or
neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward
order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral).
The summaries of the alignments below describe
the typical behavior of a creature with that alignment; individuals can vary from that behavior.
Lawful Good (LG). Lawful Good creatures endeavor to do the right thing as expected by society.
Someone who fights injustice and protects the innocent without hesitation is probably Lawful Good.
Neutral Good (NG). Neutral Good creatures do the
best they can, working within rules but not feeling
bound by them. A kindly person who helps others
according to their needs is probably Neutral Good.
Chaotic Good (CG). Chaotic Good creatures act as
their conscience directs with little regard for what
others expect. A rebel who waylays a cruel baron’s
tax collectors and uses the stolen money to help the
poor is probably Chaotic Good.
Lawful Neutral (LN). Lawful Neutral individuals
act in accordance with law, tradition, or personal
codes. Someone who follows a disciplined rule of
life—and isn’t swayed either by the demands of
those in need or by the temptations of evil—is probably Lawful Neutral.
Neutral (N). Neutral is the alignment of those who
prefer to avoid moral questions and don’t take sides,
22 System Reference Document 5.2.1
unaliGnEd crEaturEs
Most creatures that lack the capacity for rational
thought don’t have alignments; they are unaligned.
Sharks are savage predators, for example, but they
aren’t evil; they are unaligned.
doing what seems best at the time. Someone who’s
bored by moral debate is probably Neutral.
Chaotic Neutral (CN). Chaotic Neutral creatures
follow their whims, valuing their personal freedom
above all else. A scoundrel who wanders the land
living by their wits is probably Chaotic Neutral.
Lawful Evil (LE). Lawful Evil creatures methodically take what they want within the limits of a code
of tradition, loyalty, or order. An aristocrat exploiting citizens while scheming for power is probably
Lawful Evil.
Neutral Evil (NE). Neutral Evil is the alignment of
those who are untroubled by the harm they cause as
they pursue their desires. A criminal who robs and
murders as they please is probably Neutral Evil.
Chaotic Evil (CE). Chaotic Evil creatures act
with arbitrary violence, spurred by their hatred or
bloodlust. A villain pursuing schemes of vengeance
and havoc is probably Chaotic Evil.
Step 5: Character Creation Details
Now fill in the rest of your character sheet.
Record Class Features
Look at your class’s feature table in “Classes,” and
write down the level 1 features. The class features
are detailed there too.
Some class features offer choices. Make sure to
read all your features and make any offered choices.
Fill In Numbers
Note these numbers on your character sheet.
Saving Throws. For the saving throws you have
proficiency in, add your Proficiency Bonus to the appropriate ability modifier and note the total. Some
players also like to note the modifier for saving
throws they’re not proficient in, which is just the
relevant ability modifier.
Skills. For skills you have proficiency in, add your
Proficiency Bonus to the ability modifier associated
with that skill, and note the total. You might also
wish to note the modifier for skills you’re not proficient in, which is just the relevant ability modifier.
Passive Perception. Sometimes your GM will determine whether your character notices something
without asking you to make a Wisdom (Perception)
check; the GM uses your Passive Perception instead.
Passive Perception is a score that reflects a general
awareness of your surroundings when you’re not
actively looking for something. Use this formula to
determine your Passive Perception score:
Passive Perception = 10 + Wisdom (Perception)
check modifier
Include all modifiers that apply to your Wisdom
(Perception) checks. For example, if your character
has a Wisdom of 15 and proficiency in the Perception skill, you have a Passive Perception of 14 (10 +
2 for your Wisdom modifier + 2 for proficiency).
Hit Points. Your class and Constitution modifier
determine your Hit Point maximum at level 1, as
shown on the Level 1 Hit Points by Class table.
Level 1 Hit Points by Class
| Class | Hit Point Maximum |
| Barbarian Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger | 12 + Con. modifier 10 + Con. modifier |
Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk,
Rogue, or Warlock
8 + Con. modifier
Sorcerer or Wizard 6 + Con. modifier
The character sheet includes room to note your
current Hit Points when you take damage, as well as
any Temporary Hit Points you might gain. There’s
also space to track Death Saving Throws.
Hit Point Dice. Your class’s description tells you
the die type of your character’s Hit Point Dice (or
Hit Dice for short); write this on your character
sheet. At level 1, your character has 1 Hit Die. You
can spend Hit Dice during a Short Rest to recover
Hit Points. Your character sheet also includes space
to note how many Hit Dice you’ve spent.
Initiative. Write your Dexterity modifier in the
space for Initiative on your character sheet.
Armor Class. Without armor or a shield, your
base Armor Class is 10 plus your Dexterity modifier. If your starting equipment includes armor or a
Shield (or both), calculate your AC using the rules in
“Equipment.” A class feature might give you a different way to calculate your AC.
Attacks. In the Weapons & Damage Cantrips
section of the character sheet, write your starting
weapons. The attack roll bonus for a weapon with
which you have proficiency is one of the following
unless a weapon’s property says otherwise:
Melee attack bonus = Strength modifier
- Proficiency Bonus
Ranged attack bonus = Dexterity modifier - Proficiency Bonus
Look up the damage and properties of your
weapons in “Equipment.” You add the same ability
modifier you use for attacks with a weapon to your
damage rolls with that weapon.
Spellcasting. Note both the saving throw DC for
your spells and the attack bonus for attacks you
make with them, using these formulas:
23 System Reference Document 5.2.1
Spell save DC = 8 + spellcasting ability modifier - Proficiency Bonus
Spell attack bonus = spellcasting ability modifier - Proficiency Bonus
Your spellcasting ability modifier for a spell is determined by whatever feature gives you the ability
to cast the spell.
Spell Slots, Cantrips, and Prepared Spells. If
your class gives you the Spellcasting or Pact Magic
feature, your class features table shows the number
of spell slots you have available, how many cantrips
you know, and how many spells you can prepare.
Choose your cantrips and prepared spells, and note
them—along with your number of spell slots—on
your character sheet.
Level Advancement
While going on adventures, your character gains experience, represented by Experience Points (XP). A
character who reaches a specified Experience Point
total advances in capability. This advancement is
called gaining a level.
The Character Advancement table lists the XP
you need to advance to a level and the Proficiency
Bonus for a character of that level. When your XP
total equals or exceeds a number in the Experience
Points column, you reach the corresponding level.
Character Advancement
Level Experience Points Proficiency Bonus
1 0 +2
2 300 +2
3 900 +2
4 2,700 +2
5 6,500 +3
6 14,000 +3
7 23,000 +3
8 34,000 +3
9 48,000 +4
10 64,000 +4
11 85,000 +4
12 100,000 +4
13 120,000 +5
14 140,000 +5
15 165,000 +5
16 195,000 +5
17 225,000 +6
18 265,000 +6
19 305,000 +6
20 355,000 +6
Gaining a Level
When you gain a level, follow these steps:
1: Choose a Class. Most characters advance in the
same class. However, you might decide to gain a
level in another class using the rules in the “Multiclassing” section.
2: Adjust Hit Points and Hit Point Dice. Each time
you gain a level, you gain an additional Hit Die.
Roll that die, add your Constitution modifier to
the roll, and add the total (minimum of 1) to your
Hit Point maximum. Instead of rolling, you can
use the fixed value shown in the Fixed Hit Points
by Class table.
Fixed Hit Points by Class
| Class | Hit Points per Level |
| Barbarian Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger | 7 + Con. modifier 6 + Con. modifier |
Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk,
Rogue, or Warlock
5 + Con. modifier
Sorcerer or Wizard 4 + Con. modifier
3: Record New Class Features. Look at your class
features table in “Classes,” and note the features
you gain at your new level in that class. Make any
choices offered by a new feature.
4: Adjust Proficiency Bonus. A character’s Proficiency Bonus increases at certain levels, as
shown in the Character Advancement table and
your class features table in “Classes.” When your
Proficiency Bonus increases, increase all the
numbers on your character sheet that include
your Proficiency Bonus.
5: Adjust Ability Modifiers. If you choose a feat
that increases one or more of your ability scores,
your ability modifier also changes if the new
score is an even number. When that happens, adjust all the numbers on your character sheet that
use that ability modifier. When your Constitution
modifier increases by 1, your Hit Point maximum
increases by 1 for each level you have attained.
For example, if a character reaches level 8 and
increases their Constitution score from 17 to 18,
the Constitution modifier increases to +4. The
character’s Hit Point maximum then increases by
8, in addition to the Hit Points gained for reaching level 8.
Tiers of Play
With each new level, characters acquire new capabilities that equip them to handle greater challenges. As characters advance in level, the tone of
the game also changes, and the stakes of the campaign get higher. It’s helpful to think of a character’s
(and a campaign’s) arc in terms of four tiers of play,
24 System Reference Document 5.2.1
Bonus FEats at lEvEl 20
A GM can use feats as a form of advancement after
characters reach level 20 to provide greater power
to characters who have no more levels to gain. With
this approach, each character gains one feat of their
choice for every 30,000 XP the character earns
above 355,000 XP. Epic Boon feats are especially
appropriate for these bonus feats, but a player can
choose any feat for which their level 20 character
qualifies.
describing the journey from a level 1 character just
beginning an adventuring career to the epic heights
of level 20. These tiers don’t have any rules associated with them; they point to the fact that the play
experience evolves as characters gain levels.
Tier 1 (Levels 1–4)
In tier 1, characters are apprentice adventurers,
though they are already set apart from the broader
populace by virtue of their extraordinary abilities.
They learn their starting class features and choose
a subclass. The threats they face usually pose a danger to local farmsteads or villages.
Tier 2 (Levels 5–10)
In tier 2, characters are full-fledged adventurers.
Spellcasters gain iconic spells such as Fireball, Lightning Bolt, and Raise Dead. Most weapon-focused
classes gain the ability to make multiple attacks
in a round. The characters now face dangers that
threaten cities and kingdoms.
Tier 3 (Levels 11–16)
In tier 3, characters have reached a level of power
that makes them special among adventurers. At
level 11, many spellcasters learn reality-altering
spells. Other characters gain features that allow
them to make more attacks or to do more impressive things with those attacks. These adventurers
often confront threats to whole regions.
Tier 4 (Levels 17–20)
At tier 4, characters achieve the pinnacle of their
class features, becoming heroic archetypes. The
fate of the world or even the order of the multiverse
might hang in the balance during their adventures.
Starting at Higher Levels
Your GM might start your group’s characters at a
level higher than 1. It is particularly recommended
to start at level 3 if your group is composed of seasoned D&D players.
Creating Your Character
Creating a higher-level character uses the same
character-creation steps outlined in this chapter
and the rules for advancing beyond level 1 provided
in the “Level Advancement” section. You begin with
the minimum amount of XP required to reach your
starting level. For example, if the GM starts you at
level 10, you have 64,000 XP.
Starting Equipment
The GM decides whether your character starts with
more than the standard equipment for a level 1
character, possibly even one or more magic items.
The Starting Equipment at Higher Levels table is a
guide for the GM.
Also, check with your GM about what equipment
is available for you to buy with your starting money.
For example, the firearms described in “Equipment”
are too expensive for level 1 characters, but they
might be available for purchase if your GM allows
them.
Multiclassing
Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in multiple
classes. With this rule, you have the option of gaining a level in a new class whenever you advance in
level instead of gaining a level in your current class.
Doing so lets you mix the abilities of those classes
to realize a character concept that might not be reflected in a single class.
Prerequisites
To qualify for a new class, you must have a score of
at least 13 in the primary ability of the new class
and your current classes. For example, a Barbarian
who decides to multiclass into the Druid class must
have Strength and Wisdom scores of 13 or higher,
Starting Equipment at Higher Levels
| Starting Level 2–4 5–10 | Equipment and Money Normal starting equipment 500 GP plus 1d10 × 25 GP plus normal starting equipment |
Magic Items
1 Common
1 Common, 1 Uncommon
11–16 5,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 GP plus
normal starting equipment
2 Common, 3 Uncommon, 1 Rare
17–20 20,000 GP plus 1d10 × 250 GP plus
normal starting equipment
2 Common, 4 Uncommon, 3 Rare, 1 Very Rare
25 System Reference Document 5.2.1
since Strength is the primary ability for Barbarians
and Wisdom is the primary ability for Druids.
Experience Points
The Experience Point cost to gain a level is based on
your total character level, not your level in a particular class, as shown in the Character Advancement
table in “Character Creation.” For example, if you
are a level 6 Cleric / level 1 Fighter, you must gain
enough XP to reach level 8 before you can take your
second level as a Fighter or your seventh level as a
Cleric.
Hit Points and Hit Point Dice
You gain the Hit Points from your new class as described for levels after 1. You gain the level 1 Hit
Points for a class only when your total character
level is 1.
Add together the Hit Dice granted by all your
classes to form your pool of Hit Dice. If these dice
are the same die type, you can pool them together.
For example, both the Fighter and the Paladin have
a d10 Hit Die, so if you are a level 5 Fighter / level 5
Paladin, you have ten d10 Hit Dice. If your classes
give you Hit Dice of different types, track them separately. If you are a level 5 Cleric / level 5 Paladin,
for example, you have five d8 Hit Dice and five d10
Hit Dice.
Proficiency Bonus
Your Proficiency Bonus is based on your total character level, not your level in a particular class, as
shown in the Character Advancement table. For
example, if you are a level 3 Fighter / level 2 Rogue,
you have the Proficiency Bonus of a level 5 character, which is +3.
Proficiencies
When you gain your first level in a class other than
your initial class, you gain only some of the new
class’s starting proficiencies, as detailed in each
class’s description in “Classes.”
Class Features
When you gain a new level in a class, you get its features for that level. A few features have additional
rules when you’re multiclassing. Check the information about multiclassing included in each of your
classes’ descriptions.
Special rules apply to Extra Attack, Spellcasting,
and features (such as Unarmored Defense) that give
you alternative ways to calculate your Armor Class.
Armor Class
If you have multiple ways to calculate your Armor
Class, you can benefit from only one at a time.
For example, a Monk/Sorcerer with a Monk’s
Unarmored Defense feature and a Sorcerer’s Draconic Resilience feature must choose only one of
those features as a way to calculate Armor Class.
Extra Attack
If you gain the Extra Attack feature from more than
one class, the features don’t stack. You can’t make
more than two attacks with this feature unless you
have a feature that says you can (such as the Fighter’s Two Extra Attacks feature).
Similarly, the Warlock’s Thirsting Blade invocation, which grants you the Extra Attack feature
with your pact weapon, doesn’t give you additional
attacks if you also have Extra Attack.
Spellcasting
Your capacity for spellcasting depends partly on
your combined levels in all your spellcasting classes
and partly on your individual levels in those classes.
Once you have the Spellcasting feature from more
than one class, use the rules below. If you multiclass
but have the Spellcasting feature from only one
class, follow the rules for that class.
Spells Prepared. You determine what spells you
can prepare for each class individually, as if you
were a single-classed member of that class. If you
are a level 4 Ranger / level 3 Sorcerer, for example,
you can prepare five level 1 Ranger spells, and you
can prepare six Sorcerer spells of level 1 or 2 (as
well as four Sorcerer cantrips).
Each spell you prepare is associated with one of
your classes, and you use the spellcasting ability of
that class when you cast the spell.
Cantrips. If a cantrip of yours increases in power
at higher levels, the increase is based on your total
character level, not your level in a particular class,
unless the spell says otherwise.
Spell Slots. You determine your available spell
slots by adding together the following:
• All your levels in the Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer,
and Wizard classes
• Half your levels (round up) in the Paladin and
Ranger classes
Then look up this total level in the Level column of
the Multiclass Spellcaster table. You use the slots for
that level to cast spells of an appropriate level from
any class whose Spellcasting feature you have.
This table might give you spell slots of a higher
level than the spells you prepare. You can use those
slots but only to cast your lower-level spells. If a
lower-level spell that you cast, like Burning Hands,
has an enhanced effect when cast at a higher level,
you can use the enhanced effect as normal.
For example, if you are a level 4 Ranger / level 3
Sorcerer, you count as a level 5 character when determining your spell slots, counting all your levels
as a Sorcerer and half your Ranger levels. As shown
26 System Reference Document 5.2.1
in the Multiclass Spellcaster table, you have four
level 1 spell slots, three level 2 slots, and two level 3
slots. However, you can’t prepare any level 3 spells,
nor can you prepare any level 2 Ranger spells. You
can use the spell slots of those levels to cast the
spells you do prepare—and potentially enhance
their effects.
Pact Magic. If you have the Pact Magic feature
from the Warlock class and the Spellcasting feature,
you can use the spell slots you gain from Pact Magic
to cast spells you have prepared from classes with
the Spellcasting feature, and you can use the spell
slots you gain from the Spellcasting feature to cast
Warlock spells you have prepared.
Multiclass Spellcaster:
Spell Slots per Spell Level
Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 — — — — — — — —
2 3 — — — — — — — —
3 4 2 — — — — — — —
4 4 3 — — — — — — —
5 4 3 2 — — — — — —
6 4 3 3 — — — — — —
7 4 3 3 1 — — — — —
8 4 3 3 2 — — — — —
9 4 3 3 3 1 — — — —
10 4 3 3 3 2 — — — —
11 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — —
12 4 3 3 3 2 1 — — —
13 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — —
14 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 — —
15 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 —
16 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 —
17 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1
18 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
19 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1
20 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1
Trinkets
When you make your character, you can roll once
on the Trinkets table to gain a Tiny trinket, a simple
item lightly touched by mystery. The GM might also
use this table. It can help stock a room in a dungeon
or fill a creature’s pockets.
Trinkets
1d100 Trinket
01 A mummified goblin hand
02 A crystal that faintly glows in moonlight
03 A gold coin minted in an unknown land
04 A diary written in a language you don’t know
05 A brass ring that never tarnishes
06 An old chess piece made from glass
07 A pair of knucklebone dice, each with a skull
symbol on the side that would normally show
six pips
08 A small idol depicting a nightmarish creature
that gives you unsettling dreams when you
sleep near it
09 A lock of someone’s hair
10 The deed for a parcel of land in a realm unknown to you
11 A 1-ounce block made from an unknown
material
12 A small cloth doll skewered with needles
13 A tooth from an unknown beast
14 An enormous scale, perhaps from a dragon
15 A bright-green feather
16 An old divination card bearing your likeness
17 A glass orb filled with moving smoke
18 A 1-pound egg with a bright-red shell
19 A pipe that blows bubbles
20 A glass jar containing a bit of flesh floating in
pickling fluid
21 A gnome-crafted music box that plays a song
you dimly remember from your childhood
22 A wooden statuette of a smug halfling
23 A brass orb etched with strange runes
24 A multicolored stone disk
25 A silver icon of a raven
26 A bag containing forty-seven teeth, one of
which is rotten
27 A shard of obsidian that always feels warm to
the touch
28 A dragon’s talon strung on a leather necklace
29 A pair of old socks
30 A blank book whose pages refuse to hold ink,
chalk, graphite, or any other marking
31 A silver badge that is a five-pointed star
32 A knife that belonged to a relative
33 A glass vial filled with nail clippings
34 A rectangular metal device with two tiny metal
cups on one end that throws sparks when wet
27 System Reference Document 5.2.1
1d100 Trinket
35 A white, sequined glove sized for a human
36 A vest with one hundred tiny pockets
37 A weightless stone
38 A sketch of a goblin
39 An empty glass vial that smells of perfume
40 A gemstone that looks like a lump of coal when
examined by anyone but you
41 A scrap of cloth from an old banner
42 A rank insignia from a lost legionnaire
43 A silver bell without a clapper
44 A mechanical canary inside a lamp
45 A miniature chest carved to look like it has numerous feet on the bottom
46 A dead sprite inside a clear glass bottle
47 A metal can that has no opening but sounds as
if it is filled with liquid, sand, spiders, or broken
glass (your choice)
48 A glass orb filled with water, in which swims a
clockwork goldfish
49 A silver spoon with an M engraved on the handle
50 A whistle made from gold-colored wood
51 A dead scarab beetle the size of your hand
52 Two toy soldiers, one missing a head
53 A small box filled with different-sized buttons
54 A candle that can’t be lit
55 A miniature cage with no door
56 An old key
57 An indecipherable treasure map
58 A hilt from a broken sword
59 A rabbit’s foot
60 A glass eye
61 A cameo of a hideous person
62 A silver skull the size of a coin
63 An alabaster mask
64 A cone of sticky black incense that stinks
65 A nightcap that gives you pleasant dreams
when you wear it
66 A single caltrop made from bone
67 A gold monocle frame without the lens
68 A 1-inch cube, each side a different color
69 A crystal doorknob
70 A packet filled with pink dust
71 A fragment of a beautiful song, written as musical notes on two pieces of parchment
72 A silver teardrop earring containing a real
teardrop
1d100 Trinket
73 An eggshell painted with scenes of misery in
disturbing detail
74 A fan that, when unfolded, shows a sleepy cat
75 A set of bone pipes
76 A four-leaf clover pressed inside a book discussing manners and etiquette
77 A sheet of parchment upon which is drawn a
mechanical contraption
78 An ornate scabbard that fits no blade you have
found
79 An invitation to a party where a murder
happened
80 A bronze pentacle with an etching of a rat’s
head in its center
81 A purple handkerchief embroidered with the
name of an archmage
82 Half a floor plan for a temple, a castle, or another structure
83 A bit of folded cloth that, when unfolded, turns
into a stylish cap
84 A receipt of deposit at a bank in a far-off city
85 A diary with seven missing pages
86 An empty silver snuffbox bearing the inscription “dreams” on its lid
87 An iron holy symbol devoted to an unknown
god
88 A book about a legendary hero’s rise and fall,
with the last chapter missing
89 A vial of dragon blood
90 An ancient arrow of elven design
91 A needle that never bends
92 An ornate brooch of dwarven design
93 An empty wine bottle bearing a pretty label
that says, “The Wizard of Wines Winery, Red
Dragon Crush, 331422-W”
94 A mosaic tile with a multicolored, glazed
surface
95 A petrified mouse
96 A black pirate flag adorned with a dragon’s
skull and crossbones
97 A tiny mechanical crab or spider that moves
about when it’s not being observed
98 A glass jar containing lard with a label that
reads, “Griffon Grease”
99 A wooden box with a ceramic bottom that
holds a living worm with a head on each end of
its body
00 A metal urn containing the ashes of a hero