DnD level ups explained

When a Dungeons and Dragons character has slayed enough monsters or completed a pivotal quest in their campaign, they’ll be awarded a DnD level up that changes and enhances their core abilities. This guide will walk you through the steps of a Dungeons and Dragons level up. We’ll look at the official rules first, and then we’ll use years of 5e experience to translate this into practical and approachable steps.

This includes examining how the different DnD classes will affect your level up (DnD races occasionally have an impact too, but it’s less common). As this guide is focused on your adventures beyond first level, we’ve kept all our DnD character creator tips in a separate guide – so head there if you want to build a character from the beginning.

Here’s everything you need to complete a DnD level up:

How do you level up in D&D?

Here’s how Wizards of the Coast defines the Dungeons and Dragons level up in its Systems Reference Document:

As your character goes on adventures and overcomes challenges, he or she gains experience, represented by experience points. A character who reaches a specified experience point total advances in capability. This advancement is called gaining a level.

When your character gains a level, their class often grants additional features, as detailed in their class description. Some of these features allow you to increase your ability scores, either increasing two scores by one each or increasing one score by two. You can’t increase an ability score above 20. In addition, every character’s proficiency bonus increases at certain levels.

Each time you gain a level, you gain one additional Hit Die. Roll that Hit Die, add your Constitution modifier to the roll, and add the total to your hit point maximum. Alternatively, you can use the fixed value shown in your class entry, which is the average result of the die roll (rounded up).

When your Constitution modifier increases by one, your hit point maximum increases by one for each level you have attained. For example, if your seventh-level Fighter has a Constitution score of 17, when they reach eighth level, they increase their Constitution score from 17 to 18, thus increasing their Constitution modifier from +3 to +4. Their hit point maximum then increases by eight.

This is a broad summary that describes the step-by-step process of leveling up your character. However, there’s not quite enough detail here to walk you through the process. Let’s examine each stage of the DnD level up in more detail: 

Experience points

“As your character goes on adventures and overcomes challenges, he or she gains experience, represented by experience points.”

Every monster a party encounters has an experience point (XP) value based on its challenge rating, which the characters will receive as a reward for defeating the creature in battle. Combat XP is split equally between the party.

However, there are several instances where this rule may be modified. For example, some DMs may choose not to award XP to absent players. They may also choose to allocate a certain amount of XP to an NPC which made the fight considerably easier. Some DMs may even choose to award uneven amounts of XP depending on which characters contributed the most in combat – though the Dungeon Master’s Guide recommends keeping the playing field even by sharing equal XP.

DMs also decide how much XP their players can earn from certain non-combat activities.

Here’s how much XP a character needs to earn to reach a new level:

Milestone leveling

The Systems Reference Document doesn’t mention it, but there is an alternative way for DMs to calculate level ups. With this method, known as milestone leveling, DMs may award DnD level ups depending on how many sessions players play, or after important plot points in a DnD campaign. This is recommended if the campaign doesn’t have much combat, for example. 

Additional class features

“When your character gains a level, their class often grants additional features, as detailed in their class description.”

Each of the D&D classes will gain unique features as they level up. Here’s a quick overview of the core class features that are affected by DnD level ups:

Barbarian

Full class guide: Barbarian 5e

• Rage – The number of Rages you can perform, plus the bonus damage they deal, increases when you reach certain levels.
• Brutal Critical – This ninth-level feature improves at levels 13 and 17.

Bard

Full class guide: Bard 5e

• Spellcasting – The DnD spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Bardic Inspiration – The die you roll for this feature changes at levels five, ten, and 15.
• Song of Rest – This feature’s die changes at levels nine, 13, and 17.

Cleric

Full class guide: Cleric 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Channel Divinity – At levels six and 18, you can use Channel Divinity more often between DnD long rests.
• Destroy Undead – You can destroy more powerful DnD monsters with this feature as you gain levels.

Druid

Full class guide: Druid 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Wild Shape 5e – At levels two, four, and eight, you can transform into more powerful creatures.

Fighter

Full class guide: Fighter 5e

• Action Surge – Can be used twice per short or long rest once you reach level 17.
• Extra Attack – Improves to give you more attacks at levels 11 and 20.
• Indomitable – You gain more uses of this feature at levels 13 and 17.

Monk

Full class guide: Monk 5e

• Martial arts –Your damage die increases at various levels.
• Ki points – As your power grows, you gain more ki points to spend.
• Unarmored movement – Your speed regularly increases as you level up, and you can move along unusual surfaces once you hit level nine.

Paladin

Full class guide: Paladin 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Aura Improvements – The range of your auras improves at level 18.

Ranger

Full class guide: Ranger 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Favored Enemy – You choose additional favored enemies at levels six and 14.
• Natural Explorer – You’ll pick additional terrain types at levels six and ten.

Rogue

Full class guide: Rogue 5e

• Sneak Attack – The damage this feature deals regularly increases as you level up.

Sorcerer

Full class guide: Sorcerer 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Sorcery Points – You regularly gain more Sorcery Points with level ups.
• Metamagic – You’ll gain more Metamagic options at levels ten and 17.

Warlock

Full class guide: Warlock 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Eldritch Invocations 5e – Several level ups let you gain new Eldritch Invocations, and you can swap your Invocations every time you gain a Warlock level.
• Mystic Arcanum – At various levels, you’ll gain more Warlock spells to cast with this feature.

Wizard

Full class guide: Wizard 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.

Artificer

Full class guide: Artificer 5e

• Spellcasting – The spells you know, how many spell slots you have, and the level of spells you can cast are all affected by level ups.
• Infusions – You learn more infusions and can infuse more items as you gain levels.

Many DnD subclasses will also include features that change as you level up. For example, the Arcane Trickster 5e gives your Rogue character access to spellcasting. 

Ability score increases

“Some of these features allow you to increase your ability scores, either increasing two scores by one each or increasing one score by two.”

As you increase in level, your ability scores will increase. For a more in-depth look at what each ability is used for, we have a DnD stats guide to give you a comprehensive introduction to each ability and the skills that depend on it.

You typically unlock an ability score increase at levels four, eight, 12, 16, and 19. Some classes, like Rogue and Fighter, grant ability score increases at different levels. When improving your ability scores, you can choose to increase one ability by two points or two abilities by one point each – though no ability score can go over 20.

Alternatively, you could choose to take one of the DnD feats instead (check out our guide for more details on what that entails).

As your ability scores increase, the modifiers they apply to ability checks and attacks will also change:

Proficiency bonus

“In addition, every character’s proficiency bonus increases at certain levels.”

Your proficiency bonus is a modifier that you will add to rolls when using a skill, weapon, or item with which your character is proficient. It doesn’t always increase when you level up, but it has a big impact when it does. Your proficiency bonus increases at levels five, nine, 13, and 17.

Here’s a complete table of leveling up proficiency bonuses:

Hit Dice and hit points

“Each time you gain a level, you gain one additional Hit Die. Roll that Hit Die, add your Constitution modifier to the roll, and add the total to your hit point maximum.”

Each time you gain a level, your hit points increase. The amount they increase is determined in one of two ways:

• Gain a fixed, average amount that’s determined by your class
• Roll your Hit Die, add your Constitution modifier, and add that final sum to your hit point maximum

You always gain at least one hit point per level, even if you have a negative Constitution modifier and roll very poorly. If at any point your Constitution modifier increases, your hit point maximum increases too – by one point for each level you’ve gained.

For more character tutorials, here’s a guide to DnD multiclassing. We can also walk you through the process of filling out a DnD character sheet.

This guide directly presents rules text for DnD level ups, published by Wizards of the Coast under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Source: Wargamer