Proficiency

Proficiency is a representation of a creature's familiarity with something. When a creature has proficiency in something, they may add their proficiency bonus to dice rolls that involve that proficiency.

A creature can have proficiency in specific categories of weapons, armours and shields, which is required to use them properly.

A creature can also also have proficiency in spellcasting, saving throws and skills, but this is not required to attempt them.

Proficiency bonus

A creature's proficiency bonus is a modifier that increases with their level. It starts at +2 at level 1, and increases by 1 every four levels thereafter, increasing to +3 at level 5, and to a total of +4 at level 9.

A creature's proficiency bonus is applied to the following rolls:

• Ability checks made using skills the creature has proficiency with.
  • Creatures with expertise in a skill add their proficiency bonus twice on ability checks made using that skill.
• Attack rolls made with weapons the creature has proficiency with.
• Attack rolls made when casting spells, as long as the creature has spellcasting proficiency.
• Saving throws (ie. Strength saves, Dexterity saves) that the creature has proficiency in.

A creature with spellcasting proficiency also adds their proficiency bonus to the Difficulty Class (DC) of any spells they cast: 8 + spellcasting ability modifier + proficiency bonus

Weapon proficiency

A creature can be proficient in entire categories of weapons (martial or simple), or it can be proficient in specific weapon types such as Longswords, Longbows, etc. These proficiencies can be granted by the creature's race, class, or feats chosen when leveling up.

When a creature is proficient in a wielded weapon, they add their proficiency bonus to attack rolls with that weapon. When the weapon is equipped in the main hand, it also enables special properties and actions of that weapon type, such as Tenacity, Piercing Strike, Flourish, Lacerate, Pommel Strike, and so on.

Weapon Proficiencies granted by Race and Class

Racial Weapon Proficiencies
Drow	Rapiers,  Shortswords,  Hand Crossbows
Dwarf	Battleaxes,  Handaxes,  Light Hammers,  Warhammers
Elf	Longswords,  Shortswords,  Longbows,  Shortbows
Githyanki	Greatswords,  Longswords,  Shortswords
Half-Elf, Human	Pikes,  Spears,  Halberds,  Glaives
Class Weapon Proficiencies
Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger	Martial weapons, Simple weapons (In effect, all weapons except Improvised.)
Bard, Rogue	Simple weapons,  Hand Crossbows,  Longswords,  Rapiers,  Shortswords
Cleric	Simple weapons,  Flails,  Morningstars
Druid	Clubs,  Daggers,  Javelins,  Maces,  Quarterstaves,  Scimitars,  Sickles,  Spears
Monk	Simple weapons,  Shortswords
Sorcerer, Wizard	Daggers,  Light Crossbows,  Quarterstaves
Warlock	Simple weapons

Armour proficiency

A creature may have proficiency in Light, Medium or Heavy armour. A creature with Heavy armour proficiency always has proficiency in Light and Medium armour, and a creature with Medium armour always has proficiency in Light armour.

Wearing armour without proficiency in that armour type will impose disadvantage on all of the creature's ability checks, saving throws and attack rolls, and prevents the creature from casting spells.

Shield proficiency

Shields are a piece of equipment wielded in the offhand weapon slot. Shield proficiency typically comes paired with Medium armour proficiency.

Wielding a shield without proficiency in Shields will impose disadvantage on all of the creature's ability checks, saving throws and attack rolls, and prevents the creature from casting spells.

Armour and shield proficiency by source

Armour and shield proficiency by race and class

x = Base feature, - = Not available, o = Subclass feature

Race
Shield Dwarf	x	x	-	-
Githyanki	x	x	-	-
Half-Elf	x	-	-	x
Human	x	-	-	x
Class
Barbarian	x	x	-	x
Bard	x	o	-	o
Cleric	x	x	o	x
Druid	x	x	-	x
Fighter	x	x	x	x
Paladin	x	x	x	x
Ranger	x	x	o	x
Rogue	x	-	-	-
Warlock	x	-	-	-

• x = proficient
• - = not proficient
• o = some subclasses are proficient

Spellcasting proficiency

All creatures capable of spellcasting (i.e., without the use of magical items or scrolls) have proficiency in spellcasting. This means that the creature's proficiency bonus will be added to the attack rolls of spells, and to the Difficulty Class of saving throws imposed on others via spells. A creature without spellcasting proficiency cannot add its proficiency bonus to the attack rolls or DCs of any spells they cast via magical items or scrolls.

Saving throw proficiency

Creatures with proficiency in an ability-based saving throw (Strength save, Dexterity save etc) adds its proficiency bonus to the results of respective saving throws. Each class provides proficiency in two types of saving throw.

Saving Throw Proficiencies by Class

Barbarian	Bard	Cleric
Strength  Constitution	Dexterity  Charisma	Wisdom  Charisma
Druid	Fighter	Monk
Intelligence  Wisdom	Strength  Constitution	Strength  Dexterity
Paladin	Ranger	Rogue
Wisdom  Charisma	Strength  Dexterity	Dexterity  Intelligence
Sorcerer	Warlock	Wizard
Constitution  Charisma	Wisdom  Charisma	Intelligence  Wisdom

Skill proficiency

A creature proficient in a skill adds its proficiency bonus to any ability checks that use the respective skill. Backgrounds, races, classes, as well as some class features, can give proficiency in specific skills.

Background skill proficiencies

Skill proficiencies granted by each background

Background	Skills
Acolyte	Insight	Religion
Charlatan	Deception	Sleight of Hand
Criminal	Deception	Stealth
Entertainer	Acrobatics	Performance
Folk Hero	Animal Handling	Survival
Guild Artisan	Insight	Persuasion
Noble	History	Persuasion
Outlander	Athletics	Survival
Sage	Arcana	History
Soldier	Athletics	Intimidation
Urchin	Sleight of Hand	Stealth

Racial skill proficiencies

• Elves and Drow are proficient in Perception
• Wood Elves and Wood Half-Elves are proficient in Stealth
• Half-Orcs are proficient in Intimidation
• Human can select any one free skill proficiency
• Githyanki can gain Proficiency in all Skills corresponding to a chosen Ability (Recharge: Long Rest)

Class skill proficiencies

All classes give proficiency in two to four skills on level 1. While, generally speaking, only the first class taken gives skill proficiencies, some classes also give proficiency in one skill when they are taken via multiclassing.

Skill proficiencies available to each class at Level 1:

• Barbarian: 2 from Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Survival.
• Bard: Any 3 skills.
• Cleric: 2 from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, Religion.
• Druid: 2 Animal Handling, Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, Survival.
• Fighter: 2 from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Survival.
• Monk: 2 from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religon, Stealth.
• Paladin: 2 from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, Religion.
• Ranger: 3 from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, Survival.
• Rogue: 4 from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth.
• Sorcerer: 2 from Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Religion.
• Warlock: 2 from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Religion.
• Wizard: 2 from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Religion.

Ranger

Rangers gain additional proficiencies depending on their Favoured Enemy:

Skill Proficiency granted by each Favoured Enemy

Favoured Enemy	Skill
Bounty Hunter	Investigation
Keeper of the Veil	Arcana
Mage Breaker
Ranger Knight	History
Sanctified Stalker	Religion

In addition, a Ranger who chooses Urban Tracker as their favoured environment gains Sleight of Hand proficiency.

Bard

A Bard of the College of Lore subclass can choose three additional Skills to gain proficiency in.

Warlock

Warlocks can gain proficiency in Deception and Persuasion by selecting the Beguiling Influence Eldritch Invocation when leveling up.

Expertise

Expertise allows a creature to add double its proficiency bonus when making a corresponding ability check. While it is possible to have proficiency and expertise in a skill at the same time, they do not stack.

Sources of expertise that require prior proficiency in the respective skill include:

• Rogues gain expertise in two skills they are proficient in at both level 1 and level 6.
• Bards gain expertise in two skills they are proficient in at both level 3 and level 10.

Sources of expertise that do not require prior proficiency in the respective skill include:

• Knowledge Domain Clerics can select two skills to master amongst Arcana, History, Nature and Religion at level 1.
• The feat Actor gives expertise in Deception and Performance.
• Rock Gnomes have expertise in History.

Instrument proficiency

Instruments can be used to entertain and distract crowds. When a character proficient in an instrument plays one, nearby people might approach and gather to listen. If they perform well on a Performance check, those gathered might toss gold to the performer as well.

Taking one level of  Bard will grant instrument proficiency. Otherwise, a character can take the Feat Performer, or pass one of two Charisma (Performance) checks while helping Alfira with her song in the Druid Grove.

This proficiency is listed as "Musical Instrument" in a character's Detailed View information box.

Unused proficiencies

Some NPCs have two special weapon proficiencies unavailable to the player character and their companions. The weapons for these proficiencies cannot be normally obtained and are only referred to in the game files.

Class weapon proficiencies
Druid	Darts,  Slings
Wizard