How to make a DnD character

To start playing Dungeons and Dragons, you’ll need to learn how to make a DnD character. Don’t panic, it’s much simper than it looks; it’s just a little basic math and a touch of nerdy creativity – and our no-nonsense guide (based on decades of experience and troubleshooting) will take you through it from start to finish in half an hour.

We’ll help you choose the right DnD classes and DnD races for your character concept. We’ll also explain the important calculations and jargon you’ll come across during the character creation process. After you’ve made the important decisions and rolls, you simply need to jot these details down on a DnD character sheet, and you’re ready to play!

As you may know, there’s a new set of Dungeons and Dragons rules rolling out in 2024, but don’t worry. The basics are the same as ever, but where the new rules make changes, we’ll explain them in full – so this guide will work fine, whether you’re using the 2014 Player’s Handbook or the new 2024 version.

Here’s how to make a DnD character:

1. Establish a concept
2. Choose your class
3. Choose a background
4. Choose a species
5. Assign your ability scores
6. Fill in the gaps
7. What level is your character?
8. Choose your spells
9. Choose your equipment

1. Establish a concept

Depending on what kind of player you are, you might start or end character creation with this step. Personally, we like to begin with a character idea before we work out all the mechanics. But if you like to sort your class and stats before you decide on a backstory, that’s fine too – come back to this part later.

Ask yourself, ‘who is this character that I want to play?’ The answer can be as deep or shallow as you like. Perhaps you want to play ‘Batman, but in a high fantasy world’. Or maybe you want to write a short essay describing how your new persona fits into the DnD setting your Dungeon Master has already described.

However you prefer to explore the character concept, you should establish a few general facts:

• What does my character do best?
• Does my character have a particular career or life calling?
• How does my character solve problems? Magic, words, fighting, or some combination of the three?
• When someone meets my character, what personality trait do they notice first?
• Where is my character from? In what kind of place did they grow up?
• If my character knew the rest of the player-characters before the campaign, what is our relationship?

If you want to get really in-depth at this stage, you could use fifth edition’s traditional ‘ideals, bonds, flaws’ model. This encourages you to flesh out your character’s personal values, most important relationships, and major issues. All will be useful for roleplay, but again, don’t worry if you haven’t got all the details figured out yet. You can come back and iron these out at the end of the character creation process, if you prefer. 

2. Pick a Dungeons and Dragons class

Every adventurer has special skills and abilities, which they usually gain from a unique profession, ancestry, or event in their lives. These are known as ‘classes’ in Dungeons and Dragons, and the one you pick will influence everything from your hit point value to your combat strategy.

There are currently 13 classes to choose from, though only 12 of them feature in both versions of the Player’s Handbook. The table below summarizes each of the D&D classes, and it links to some Wargamer guides that can explain them in a bit more detail.

Once you’ve decided on a class, this will establish a few key things about your character:

Hit points and Hit Dice

The way you calculate your hit points will change depending on which class you choose. This is because different classes use different ‘Hit Dice’ to calculate and restore their HP:

When you first create your character, you’ll calculate your hit point maximum by adding the highest possible roll on your Hit Dice to your Constitution modifier (we’ll figure out what this is in step five – I’ll remind you when we get there).

Proficiencies

Your class will decide some of the following proficiencies:

If you’re proficient in something, you add your proficiency bonus to any roll made using that item or feature. Your proficiency bonus is decided by your level (more on how this changes later). For a level one character, your proficiency bonus will be +2.

Most character sheets have a space where you can note down your total bonus for skill and saving throw rolls. You won’t be able to calculate your character’s skill and saving throw proficiencies until you’ve rolled your stats (see step five, where I’ll cover this in detail). 

3. Choose a background

In 2024, there are two versions of the fifth edition Player’s Handbook, and they both handle backgrounds in totally different ways.

2014 backgrounds

When using the 2014 rules, backgrounds aren’t very important to your overall character build. They help flesh out your backstory and give you a few additional proficiencies. Plus, you get a unique (though very situational) ability that might be useful during your adventures.

In this case, I’d suggest picking a background based on which extra skills you’d like to be good at. Alternatively, go with the one that best suits your character concept. If a rich, privileged upbringing is an important part of who your character is, then the Noble background is the perfect choice, regardless of what minor benefits it offers.

You can find a list of the best 5e backgrounds in our dedicated guide.

2024 backgrounds

In the 2024 rules, your background decides the following:

• Ability score increases – you can give the three listed ability scores a +1 or, instead, give a +2 and a +1 to two of your choice
• Origin feat – a feat is an additional ability (and sometimes ability score increase), and backgrounds give you access to specific options at level one
• Additional skill and tool proficiencies
• Additional starting equipment or starting gold

We explain each of the options in our DnD 2024 backgrounds guide. You can still use 5e backgrounds, but you’ll need to choose an Origin feat and some ability score increases to go along with them.

4. Choose a species

Your character’s species (formerly race) decides your creature type, size, speed, and what additional species abilities you get. In the 2014 rules, this will decide what ability score increases you gain when it comes to rolling your stats (see step five). However, in the 2024 rules, there are no stat increases associated with species.

There are a huge number of species you could play as in Dungeons and Dragons. To keep things simple, here are the core options found in both versions of the Player’s Handbook:

The races from 2014 are still compatible with the new 2024 rules. For example, let’s say you want to use one of the 2024 classes, but you really want to play an Aarakocra, which can only be found in a DnD book based on the 2014 rules. In this case, you’ll ignore any ability score increases the species gives and only use the ones from your background. Everything else works as normal.

5. Assign your ability scores

Now you know what ability score your class favors and which DnD stats are boosted by your background or species, you can start calculating your ability scores and proficiencies. The success of almost everything you do in Dungeons and Dragons will be decided by your ability scores:

• Strength
• Dexterity
• Constitution
• Intelligence
• Wisdom
• Charisma

There are three ways to determine your ability scores – be sure to talk to your DM about which method they prefer you to use.

Rolling ability scores

The most common way to figure out your ability scores is to roll for them. Roll four d6 and ignore the die with the lowest result. Then, add the three remaining dice together. Repeat this process five more times, and you should end up with six numbers. These are your ability scores, and you can assign these to stats in any way you like.

Standard Array

If you’re not a fan of random rolling, you can also use the Standard Array for your ability scores. These give you some average and consistent stats. With this method, you assign one of these six numbers to each of your ability scores:

• 8
• 10
• 12
• 13
• 14
• 15

Points Buy

If you want to get even more crunchy, the Points Buy method gives you even more control over your ability scores. You start with 27 points, and you use them to ‘buy’ different ability scores.

Ability score modifiers

Once you’ve finalized your ability scores, you’ll need to calculate your ability score modifiers. This is the number you’ll add to a dice roll that relates to a particular ability score.

Next, note down your proficiency modifiers. Any skill or saving throw you aren’t proficient in has the same modifier as the modifier for its relevant ability. For example, if you’re not proficient in Perception but have a +3 ability modifier for Wisdom, you’d write +3 next to Perception. If you were proficient in Perception, you’d add your proficiency bonus on top. So, at level one, your modifier for Perception rolls would be +5 rather than +3.

6. Fill in the gaps

If you’ve been filling in your character sheet as you follow these steps, you’ll have a few small boxes left to complete:

Alignment

Choose one of the nine DnD alignments to represent your character’s moral compass.

Armor class

Your character’s armor class is 10 + your Dexterity modifier + bonuses from any armor or shields you’ve equipped. This number decides how easily enemies can hit you in combat. Some classes, like the Barbarian, may calculate this differently, so be sure to check.

Initiative

Your Initiative bonus is typically the same as your Dexterity modifier, and it helps decide how soon you can take your turn in the order of combat. Some character options can alter this number.

Passive Perception

Your Passive Percetion equals 10 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus (if you’re proficient in the Perception skill). A high Passive Perception means you’re harder to sneak up on or hide from. 

7. What level is your character?

If you were building a level-one character, congratulations! The character creation process is over for you. However, if you’re starting at a higher level, there’s still work to do. A DnD level up changes a lot about your character:

Hit points and hit dice

Every time your character levels up, you must roll your Hit Die. Add your Constitution modifier to the result, and then add the sum to your hit point maximum. If you start a campaign at level four, you’ll need to do this three times to ensure you start with the right amount of hit points.

You also gain an extra Hit Dice for every level increase. This allows you to spend more Hit Dice during DnD short rests.

Proficiency bonus

Your proficiency bonus changes depending on your character level:

Experience points

If your DM uses experience points to figure out when your character levels up, you’ll need to adjust your starting XP to reflect your level. Level-one characters begin with zero XP. After that, your starting XP will be:

Class features

Your chosen class will add new abilities as you reach certain level up milestones. You may also find your ability scores and spellcasting abilities increase as you progress. Each class operates very differently, so refer to your rulebook when getting a new character up to speed.

Subclasses

One guarantee is that, at some point, a higher-level character will need to choose a subclass. This drastically alters the flavor and play style of your character class, so choose wisely.

Our DnD subclasses guide has an overview of all the options from fifth edition. Many of these have been reworked for the 2024 Player’s Handbook, so see the individual class guides for an update on what’s changed. 2024 also introduced several new subclasses, which you can learn more about here:

Multiclassing

You might decide to use the DnD multiclassing rules to add a new class to your character build. You must have a score of at least 13 in a class’ primary ability to multiclass into it.

Your hit points for that level up are based on the class you chose, and you gain one of their hit dice instead of one for your original class. You also gain proficiencies based on your new class, which is detailed in their section of the Player’s Handbook.

You also gain any features the class offers at that level, though some higher-level abilities don’t stack (for example, extra attack). Your armor class is calculated based on one class’ rules, and your spellcasting is modified if both your classes allow you to use magic.

8. Choose your spells

If you’re playing a magical class, you’ll need to decide which DnD spells to start out with. The number of spells (and spell slots) you have will depend on your class, and each class has its own spell list to choose from. If you’re building a level-one character, you’ll likely begin your game with a handful of DnD cantrips and level-one spells.

This is the most fiddly part of character creation, so we can’t advise too much on which spells to pick. However, the 2024 Player’s Handbook recommends starting spells for each class that’s able to use magic.

Anyone who can cast spells needs to know a few key calculations. First is your spell save DC, the number enemies will need to roll against to avoid the effects of your spells. Your spell save DC equals eight plus your proficiency bonus and spellcasting modifier (the ability modifier for Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma, depending on your class).

Next is your spell attack bonus. When rolling to make an attack with a spell, this modifier is added to your roll. Spell attack bonuses equal your proficiency bonus plus your spellcasting modifier.

9. Choose your equipment

Last of all, it’s time to pick your gear! Your character always starts the game with a selection of equipment, and the options you have depend on your class.

For each class, you’ll get two options to choose from:

1. A pre-set list of starting equipment selected to compliment your class and role (usually some combo of armor, weapons adventuring packs, and/or a spellcasting focus).
2. A budget of starting gold (decided by your class and, in part, your background) to buy whatever equipment you want.

If this is your first time playing DnD, we’d strongly recommend picking one of the pre-made starting equipment packages ‘off the shelf’. This makes sure you’re not missing anything core to your class – and you can always pick up new stuff you fancy later in the adventure.

It also ensures you’ll start with weapons you’re proficient in – to learn more about how the different weapons work in the 2024 rules, read our full guide to the DnD weapon mastery rules.

Some classes also start with special items such as Thieves’ Tools or Artisan’s Tools – these can come in very handy on your adventures, and they’re much more useful in DnD’s new 2024 ruleset. For full details on how they work, read our complete DnD tools guide.

To check out all the equipment options for your chosen class, head to our detailed 2014 and 2024 class guides – they’re all linked in the ‘Choose your class’ section above.

Starting equipment at higher levels

If you’re starting your DnD campaign at a level higher than one, your Dungeon Master may choose to grant you some extra starting equipment so you’re properly tooled up to fight higher level enemies.

If they do, the 2024 Player’s Handbook recommends the following higher level starting equipment:

And, with that, you now have a complete Dungeons and Dragons character ready to go! For more pointers, read our guide on how to play Dungeons and Dragons, and check out the best DnD books to pick up as you get deeper into the hobby.

Source: Wargamer