Ability Scores

The Iconic Six Abilities in D&D that describe your characters physical and mental characteristics are:

These traits are integral to how your character can interact with the world. They impact everything from social interactions, to how well you can physically traverse the environment, and how well you perform in combat.

Ability Scores and Modifiers

We go into depth on the Ability Scores for you and also cover the topic of Generating Ability Scores, meaning how to do determine what the scores are.

For this section though let’s look at the modifiers:

Those modifiers get added or subtracted from your rolls when you make a check against that ability.

Let’s say your Dexterity score on your character is 14. Looking at the chart, you see 14 is a +2 modifier. Now when the DM asks you to make a Dexterity saving throw for example, you would roll a d20 and add the +2 modifier for Dexterity that your character has.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second d20 when you make the roll. Use the higher of the two rolls if you have advantage, and use the lower roll if you have disadvantage. For example, if you have disadvantage and roll a 17 and a 5, you use the 5. If you instead have advantage and roll those numbers, you use the 17.
– Players Handbook

So essentially, advantage is really nice to get. There are a lot of different ways to achieve advantage on something, but for now it’s just good to understand what it does.

Disadvantage would be the opposite, you try to avoid it, but you want the enemy to be disadvantaged if possible.

Proficiency Bonus

We have a guide to Proficiency Bonuses that goes into this topic, well worth checking out.

Essentially the proficiency bonus is based on your level. It starts at +2 and scales up from there. Here is a table for you:

Experience Points	Level	Proficiency Bonus
0	1st	+2
300	2nd	+2
900	3rd	+2
2,700	4th	+2
6,500	5th	+3
14,000	6th	+3
23,000	7th	+3
34,000	8th	+3
48,000	9th	+4
64,000	10th	+4
85,000	11th	+4
100,000	12th	+4
120,000	13th	+5
140,000	14th	+5
165,000	15th	+5
195,000	16th	+5
225,000	17th	+6
265,000	18th	+6
305,000	19th	+6
355,000	20th	+6

Proficiency bonuses are applied to actions using something or doing something you are proficient in. For example hitting something with a sword if you are proficient with swords. Picking a lock if you are proficient with thieves tools.

Ability Checks

Ability checks are a test of one of your abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma.

Usually this is a number you have to hit with a d20 roll, plus or minus any modifiers. For example a Dexterity check of 12 to avoid falling down a slippery slope.

If the number is not specified, we have a chart to give you a starting point:

Task Difficulty	DC
Very easy	5
Easy	10
Medium	15
Hard	20
Very hard	25
Nearly impossible	30

Using Each Ability

You may also see checks based on something other than the 6 abilities, but they are just sub-categories as follows:

Strength

• Athletics

Dexterity

• Acrobatics
• Sleight of Hand
• Stealth

Intelligence

• Arcana
• History
• Investigation
• Nature
• Religion

Wisdom

• Animal Handling
• Insight
• Medicine
• Perception
• Survival

Charisma

• Deception
• Intimidation
• Performance
• Persuasion

You can see here that if you’re asked for a Perception Check, it’s essentially your Wisdom and any associated modifiers or proficiencies.

Saving Throws

A saving throw–also called a save–represents an attempt to resist a spell, a trap, a poison, a disease, or a similar threat. You don’t normally decide to make a saving throw; you are forced to make one because your character or monster is at risk of harm. – Players Handbook

So if you need to make a Dex save, you simply roll a d20 and add any modifiers or proficiencies to your roll.

Saving throws can also be affected by Advantage and Disadvantage. Wizards get advantage on Intelligence saves for example. Fighters for Strength, and so on, outlined here:

Barbarian: STRENGTH, CONSTITUTION

Bard: DEXTERITY, CHARISMA

Cleric: WISDOM, CHARISMA

Druid: INTELLIGENCE, WISDOM

Fighter: STRENGTH, CONSTITUTION

Monk: STRENGTH, DEXTERITY

Paladin: WISDOM, CHARISMA

Ranger: STRENGTH, DEXTERITY

Rogue: DEXTERITY, INTELLIGENCE

Sorcerer: CONSTITUTION, CHARISMA

Warlock: WISDOM, CHARISMA

Wizard: INTELLIGENCE, WISDOM