Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Skills
Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition has 18 skills, and each one belongs to an ability: Strength (Athletics); Dexterity (Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand and Stealth); Intelligence (Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature and Religion); Wisdom (Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception and Survival); Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, Performance and Persuasion). Constitution has no skills. This page is the skill list: what each skill covers and when to roll it. For how a check is rolled (DCs, proficiency bonus, advantage, passive checks), see the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition skill rules.
How do skill checks work? See the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition skill rules.
Skills at a glance
| Skill | Ability | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatics Balance, tumbling, and aerial maneuvers | DEX | Balance, tumbling, and aerial maneuvers |
| Animal Handling Calming, controlling, or reading animals | WIS | Calming, controlling, or reading animals |
| Arcana Knowledge of spells, magic items, and planes | INT | Knowledge of spells, magic items, and planes |
| Athletics Climbing, jumping, swimming, feats of strength | STR | Climbing, jumping, swimming, feats of strength |
| Deception Lying, misleading, and disguising the truth | CHA | Lying, misleading, and disguising the truth |
| History Knowledge of historical events and civilizations | INT | Knowledge of historical events and civilizations |
| Insight Reading body language and detecting lies | WIS | Reading body language and detecting lies |
| Intimidation Influencing others through threats | CHA | Influencing others through threats |
| Investigation Searching for clues and deducing information | INT | Searching for clues and deducing information |
| Medicine Stabilizing the dying, diagnosing illness | WIS | Stabilizing the dying, diagnosing illness |
| Nature Knowledge of terrain, plants, and animals | INT | Knowledge of terrain, plants, and animals |
| Perception Noticing things through senses | WIS | Noticing things through senses |
| Performance Entertaining through music, dance, or acting | CHA | Entertaining through music, dance, or acting |
| Persuasion Influencing through diplomacy and social grace | CHA | Influencing through diplomacy and social grace |
| Religion Knowledge of deities, rites, and holy symbols | INT | Knowledge of deities, rites, and holy symbols |
| Sleight of Hand Pickpocketing, concealing objects, trickery | DEX | Pickpocketing, concealing objects, trickery |
| Stealth Hiding, moving silently, avoiding detection | DEX | Hiding, moving silently, avoiding detection |
| Survival Tracking, foraging, navigating the wilderness | WIS | Tracking, foraging, navigating the wilderness |
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Skills by ability
The ability each skill uses, per the SRD. Proficiency in a skill adds your proficiency bonus to ability checks that use it; the skill rules cover DCs and the rest of the roll.
| Ability | Skills |
|---|---|
| Strength | Athletics |
| Dexterity | Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth |
| Intelligence | Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, Religion |
| Wisdom | Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Survival |
| Charisma | Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion |
Overview
All 18 skills in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, with what each one gives your character. Open any skill for its full rules, tips, and FAQ.
All skills
Acrobatics - Balance, tumbling, and aerial maneuvers
Animal Handling - Calming, controlling, or reading animals
Arcana - Knowledge of spells, magic items, and planes
Athletics - Climbing, jumping, swimming, feats of strength
Deception - Lying, misleading, and disguising the truth
History - Knowledge of historical events and civilizations
Insight - Reading body language and detecting lies
Intimidation - Influencing others through threats
Investigation - Searching for clues and deducing information
Medicine - Stabilizing the dying, diagnosing illness
Nature - Knowledge of terrain, plants, and animals
Perception - Noticing things through senses
Performance - Entertaining through music, dance, or acting
Persuasion - Influencing through diplomacy and social grace
Religion - Knowledge of deities, rites, and holy symbols
Sleight of Hand - Pickpocketing, concealing objects, trickery
Stealth - Hiding, moving silently, avoiding detection
Survival - Tracking, foraging, navigating the wilderness
Frequently asked questions
Which ability does each Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition skill use?
Strength: Athletics. Dexterity: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand and Stealth. Intelligence: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature and Religion. Wisdom: Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception and Survival. Charisma: Deception, Intimidation, Performance and Persuasion. Constitution has no skills.
How does a skill check work?
Roll a d20, add the ability modifier for the skill and, if you are proficient in the skill, your proficiency bonus, then compare the total to the DC the GM sets. Meeting or beating the DC succeeds. The Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition skill rules page covers DCs, advantage, passive checks and contests.
How many skills does Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition have?
Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition has 18 skills in this reference, including Acrobatics, Animal Handling and Arcana. Open any skill on this page for its full rules and traits.