Create a Dungeons and Dragons 5e Character has a guide on how to create a character for the 2014 fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Many online resources can be found for various versions of D&D. Find the core rulebooks of versions by doing an online keyword search for them, as in, “D&D 3. 5e core rulebook. ”[1] X Research source
Free character sheets can be found online. Do a keyword search for “dungeons and dragons 3. 5e character sheets” to find and print one of your own. [2] X Research source Example character sheets can be found on the D&D Wizards of the Coast website. Use these for inspiration or to check your work. [3] X Research source Digital character sheets can help you keep track of your characters on digital devices, like phones and tablets.
Dwarves. Short, stocky, stern, and strong. They have a connection to the earth and often live in mountains or underground lands. Stat modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma Elves. Tall, long-lived, aloof, and connected to nature. Elves live in harmony with the natural world around them. Stat modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution Gnomes. Mysterious, adventure-seeking, and strange. Gnomes are the smallest common race. Stat modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Strength Half-elves. Solitary, long-lived, graceful, and hearty. Half-elves are few in number, and tend to be wanderers due to their lack of homeland. No stat modifiers. Half-orcs. Independent, strong, and distrusted. Half-orcs are considered monstrosities by common folk. They are tall and powerfully built. Stat modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma Halflings. Optimistic, cheerful, curious, and small in stature. On average, only 3 ft (. 9 m) tall, they are agile but physically weak. Stat modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength. Humans. Adaptive, ambitious, and well-balanced. Humans are the dominant race, and are diverse in appearance and culture. No stat modifiers.
Barbarian. Uncivilized and strong. Considered brutal berserkers. Bard. Charismatic and crafty. Bards use skills and spells to help and harm. Cleric. A firm believer in a deity. Clerics heal, raise the dead, and direct the wrath of god. Druid. At one with nature. Druids cast spells, interact with animals, and shapeshift into animals and plants. Fighter. Firm and brave. Fighters are capable with weapons and comfortable in armor. Monk. Martial masters. Monks train their minds and bodies for offense and defense. Paladin. Followers of what is good and just. Paladins are devoted knights. Ranger. Masters of woodcraft and wildlife. Rangers track and hunt foes. Rogue. Stealthy assassins. Rogues are cunning thieves and able scouts. Sorcerer. Natural born spellcasters. Sorcerers command strange, ancient energies. Wizard. Lifelong magic students. Years of study allow wizards to use awesome magic power. [5] X Research source
Use name generators to get a feel for the kinds of names in your character’s race and come up with your own. Cycle through many names with the generator until you find one that suits your character. Borrow names from your favorite video game, book, and comic characters. Use the name of your favorite historical figure.
Strength (Str). A measure of physical power. Important for combat characters, like fighters, monks, and paladins. Strength also dictates how much weight you can carry. Dexterity (Dex). A measure of agility. This includes balance and reflexes. Important for rogues, light- to medium-armor wearing characters, and ranged attackers (like bow and sling users). Constitution (Cons). A measure of health and fortitude. Constitution increases your character’s hit points, which if depleted, can result in fainting or death. Intelligence (Int). A measure of knowledge. Important for wizards and classes requiring reason or learning, like paladins. Wisdom (Wis). A measure of correct judgement. Wisdom contributes to common sense, awareness, and willpower. Important for clerics, druids, and rangers. Charisma (Cha). A measure of magnetism. High charisma improves likability, appearance, and leadership ability. Important for bards, paladins, and sorcerers. [7] X Research source
To provide an example of a racial stat bonus: after rolling your ability scores, if you were a human, you’d get +2 points for any one attribute. Use less dice when rolling ability scores to increase the difficulty of your D&D experience. 3d6 is often called “classic,” and only using 2d6 is termed “heroic. ”
Modifier bonuses or penalties are added or subtracted to any activity requiring one of these main attributes. Modifiers can also grant additional spells per day in an ability, if applicable. The following list provides some ability scores followed by their modifiers: Score / Modifier 2 – 3 / -4 4 – 5 / -3 6 – 7 / -2 8 – 9 / -1 10 – 11 / +0 12 – 13 / +1 14 – 15 / +2 16 – 17 / +3 18 – 19 / +4 20 – 21 / +5[9] X Research source
With each new level, your character gets skill ranks which are invested into specific skills, like Bluff, Sleight of Hand, or Swim. The amount of skill points for investing in skill ranks is higher for characters with higher intelligence. Characters receive an automatic +3 bonus to class skills with at least one skill rank. These favored skills should be listed along with your character’s class description. Your rank in a skill cannot be higher than the combined total of your character level and three. [10] X Research source
Barbarian, 3d6 x 10 GP Bard, 3d6 x 10 GP Cleric, 4d6 x 10 GP Druid, 2d6 x 10 GP Fighter, 5d6 x 10 GP Monk, 1d6 x 10 GP Paladin, 5d6 x 10 GP Ranger, 5d6 x 10 GP Rogue, 4d6 x 10 GP Sorcerer, 2d6 x 10 GP Wizard, 2d6 x 10 GP[11] X Research source
Characters that are suited for the center of the action, like fighters and paladins, will likely need heavy armor, like plate mail and a shield, along with a weapon, like a broadsword or mace. Characters that are agility based, like gnomes, rogues, and rangers, are better suited to light armor, like chainmail or boiled leather, and distance or sneak attack weapons, like a bow, sling, or a Kukri knife. Frail characters, like many wizards and bards, may only be able to equip very light armor or robes. Weapons, too, are usually limited to light varieties, like rods, staves, bows, and whips. [12] X Research source
Characters that are suited for the center of the action, like fighters and paladins, will likely need heavy armor, like plate mail and a shield, along with a weapon, like a broadsword or mace. Characters that are agility based, like gnomes, rogues, and rangers, are better suited to light armor, like chainmail or boiled leather, and distance or sneak attack weapons, like a bow, sling, or a Kukri knife. Frail characters, like many wizards and bards, may only be able to equip very light armor or robes. Weapons, too, are usually limited to light varieties, like rods, staves, bows, and whips. [12] X Research source
Use the following calculations to determine your AC and attack bonuses: AC = 10 + armor bonus + shield bonus + Dexterity Modifier + other modifiers (like racial or class) Melee attack bonus = base attack bonus + Strength Modifier + size modifier Ranged attack bonus = base attack bonus + Dexterity Modifier + size modifier + range penalty (if any) Size modifiers are determined according to the following scale: Colossal (-8), Gargantuan (-4), Huge (-2), Large (-1), Medium (+0), Small (+1), Tiny (+2), Diminutive (+4), Fine (+8). Small characters are generally more agile, whereas large ones are generally strong. Larger characters can also carry larger and heavier objects. [13] X Research source
Write a backstory for your character. What was their young life like? This will give you a better sense of the character as separate from yourself, which will help with role-playing later. Goals, fears, and desires can add depth to your character. Keep these in mind as you play your character and interact with other players and non-player characters (NPCs).
Good characters are driven to protect innocence and life. Good sacrifices for others and cares for the dignity of sentient creatures. Evil characters undermine or harm life. Evil hurts, harms, and oppresses, usually for fun or personal gain. Morally neutral characters avoid killing, but usually lack a sense of obligation to sacrifice for or protect others. Lawful characters respect order, truth, authority, and tradition. They are often closed-minded, overly rigid, and self-righteous. Chaotic characters make decisions according to their conscience. They resent authority and love freedom, though they can be reckless and irresponsible. Order neutral characters are generally honest, but susceptible to temptation. They feel neither a need to obey orders or rebel. [14] X Research source
For those who are brand new to D&D, dungeon masters are the coordinators of the game. They describe setting, control non-player characters, and design dungeons for characters to overcome.
