How to Get your stats

Identify the main attributes of your character.

Every character is made up of 6 essential attributes. These are given scores, with high scores reflecting positive bonuses from that attribute and low scores penalties. A score of 10 in any attribute is considered average. 

The 6 attributes are:

• 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 judgment. 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

Roll for ability scores and assign them to the 6 main attributes.

Use 4 six-sided dice (4d6) or an online dice roller. Roll all 4 dice, then add the 3 highest dice together and record the number. Repeat this until you have 6 recorded numbers, then assign them to your attributes, remembering to add your stat modifiers to your total scores.

• Use fewer 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.”

• 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.

• If you don’t want to roll for your abilities, find and use an online generator by doing a keyword search for “ability score generator.”

Record the modifier for each ability.

The ability modifier is the bonus or penalty each ability score gives your character. For example, an ability score of 10 or 11 is average, so it has no bonuses or penalties (+0).

• 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 

  • 1 / -5

  • 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

  • 22 – 23 / +6

  • 24 – 25 / +7

  • 26 – 27 / +8

  • 28 – 29 / +9

  • 30 / +10

  • 
    

Roll for your starting gold.

Gold (GP), which is the currency of D&D, is usually awarded for completing quests and defeating enemies. However, each character starts with a pre-determined amount. This amount depends on your character’s class. Determine your starting GP by rolling 4-sided dice and calculating:

• Barbarian: 2d4 x 10 GP

• Bard: 5d4 x 10 GP

• Cleric: 5d4 x 10 GP

• Druid: 2d4 x 10 GP

• Fighter: 5d4 x 10 GP

• Monk: 5d4 (no x 10 GP) 

• Paladin: 5d4 x 10 GP

• Ranger: 5d4 x 10 GP

• Rogue: 4d4 x 10 GP

• Sorcerer: 3d4 x 10 GP

• Warlock: 4d4 x 10 GP

• Wizard: 4d4 x 10 GP

Calculate hit points to determine how much damage you take.

Use your hit point dice to determine your hit points. When starting out, your hit points equal the highest roll of your hit point dice + your Constitution modifier. As you level up, so do your hit points. 

Here are the hit point dice for each class:

• Barbarian: d12

• Bard: d8

• Cleric: d8

• Druid: d8

• Fighter: d10

• Monk: d8

• Ranger: d10

• Rogue: d8

• Paladin: d10

• Sorcerer: d6

• Warlock: d8

• Wizard: d6

• Record your hit points and the type and amount of hit point dice you have. When your character rests in-game, you can spend hit point dice to regain hit points.

• Dropping to 0 HP either kills you or knocks you unconscious. If damage remains after you hit 0 HP, you die if the remaining number is equal to or higher than your max HP.

Determine the alignment of your character.

Alignment is a measure of moral attitude. There are nine basic alignments that encompass a range of personalities, philosophies, and beliefs. Alignment consists of one order characteristic (Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic) and one moral characteristic (Good, Neutral, Evil), as in lawful-neutral, lawful-evil, neutral-good, and chaotic-good.

• 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 nor rebel.