Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ability score
Constitution (CON)
Constitution (CON) is an ability score in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition: Health, stamina, and vital force, setting hit points and concentration on spells.
Last reviewed
Key facts
- Abbreviation
- CON
- Derived Stats
- Hit Points, CON saves, Concentration checks
Overview
Constitution has no skills attached to it and it is still the second most valuable ability in the game for nearly every character. Its modifier is added to your hit points at every single level, so a +2 is worth twenty extra hit points by level ten, and that arithmetic never stops compounding. It is also the concentration ability. Losing concentration drops the spell you spent an action and a slot casting, and the save to keep it is a Constitution save with a DC of 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is higher. A caster with a poor Constitution is a caster whose best spells keep falling off after the first hit lands.
How it works
Modifier: floor((score minus 10) divided by 2), added to your hit points once per level, retroactively when the score goes up. Saving Throws: Concentration checks, poison, disease, exhaustion effects, and many endurance situations. Barbarians, Fighters, and Sorcerers are proficient in the SRD class list. Skills: None. Constitution is the only ability with no skill attached, so it is never a skill check. Derived: Hit points at level 1 equal your hit die maximum plus the modifier, and each level after adds a hit die roll or its fixed average plus the modifier.
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Everyone. Frontline classes want it for hit points and concentration casters want it to hold their spells up. Character concepts: The trait is stamina rather than a personality, so it fits the marathon runner, the plague survivor, the deep-sea diver, and the veteran who refuses to fall over. Synergies: Feat and class options that shore up concentration exist, but a 14 Constitution does most of that work for free. Dropping Constitution below 10 to buy a 16 in your casting ability is the most commonly regretted point buy trade.
Frequently asked questions
How much Constitution should a spellcaster have?
At least 14 if you cast concentration spells. The concentration save is a Constitution save at DC 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is higher, and a +2 turns a large share of failures into successes over a campaign.
Do I regain hit points if my Constitution goes up later?
Yes. When the modifier increases, the gain applies to every level you already have, so raising Constitution from 13 to 14 at level 8 adds 8 hit points at once, not just 1 going forward.
Why does Constitution have no skills?
Endurance situations are handled as Constitution saving throws instead of checks, so holding your breath, resisting poison, or marching through the night is a save. That is also why Constitution save proficiency is worth more than it looks.