Rules reference
Advancement in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition
How progression works and how to track it. Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition is the world's most popular tabletop roleplaying game, where players create heroic adventurers and explore fantastical worlds filled with magic, monsters, and mystery. Using a d20-based system, players roll a twenty-sided die plus modifiers to determine the outcome of attacks, skill checks, and saving throws.
Key points
Advancement is about tracking change over time and keeping it transparent to the table.
- 12 classes: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- 9 races (SRD): Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Dragonborn, Gnome, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Tiefling
- 6 ability scores: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma
- d20 system: Roll d20 + modifier vs. Difficulty Class (DC) or Armor Class (AC)
- Proficiency bonus: Scales from +2 to +6 across levels 1-20
- Advantage/disadvantage: Roll 2d20 and take higher or lower instead of flat modifiers
D&D 5e leveling: earn XP from encounters and milestones, level up to gain hit points, class features, and new spell slots.
- Earn XP from combat encounters, exploration, and social encounters (or use milestone leveling: the DM says when you level up).
- At each new level: roll hit die + CON mod for new HP (or take the average), gain class features per the class table.
- Proficiency bonus increases at levels 5, 9, 13, and 17 (+3, +4, +5, +6).
- Ability Score Improvement at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, 19 (for most classes): +2 to one score, +1 to two scores, or a feat.
- Requires 13+ in the primary ability of both your current class and the new class.
- HP: use the new class's hit die for that level.
- Proficiencies: limited set from the new class (not all starting proficiencies).
- Spell slots: combined from all caster levels, but spells known/prepared are per-class.
Record XP gains/spends right after sessions and keep a short history so the table can audit decisions later.
Spend to reinforce what you want to do in scenes, not to chase every niche option.
- Mistake: XP drift (nobody remembers what changed). Fix: Record gains/spends right after sessions and keep a short history.
- Mistake: Buying upgrades that don’t show up in play. Fix: Spend toward your concept and the scenes you actually get.