System Reference Document 5.2.1
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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 profi -
ciency 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 proficien -
cies 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 spe -
cies, 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 ap -
propriate 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 an -
swers 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 re-
ligion? 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 charac -
ter 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 exis -
tence 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 instruc -
tions below and then assign them to your six abili -
ties. “Playing the Game” explains what each ability 
means.