Proficiency

The Proficiency system is how the game determines whether to add a creature's Proficiency Bonus to a Die Roll. One can have Proficiency in Weapons, Armour, Shields, Spellcasting, Saving Throws, and Skills.

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

Main page: Armour

A creature may have Proficiency in Light armour, Medium armour, and/or Heavy armour. Some Helmets, Gloves, and Boots also require Proficiency in a certain type of armour.

Wearing armour without Proficiency in that armour type will impose Disadvantage on all of your Ability Checks, Saving Throws, and Attack Rolls, and prevent you from casting Spells.

Shield Proficiency

Main page: Shields

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 your Ability Checks, Saving Throws, and Attack Rolls, and prevent you from casting Spells.

Spellcasting Proficiency

All creatures capable of spellcasting on the regular (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. Although all spellcasters have it, the lack of spellcasting proficiency can nevertheless become apparent, when a creature not regularly capable of casting spells does so through the use of a magical item or scroll.

Saving Throw Proficiency

Having proficiency in a type of Saving Throw such as Strength Save, Dexterity Save, and so on, means that the creature making the save can add its Proficiency Bonus to the result. 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

Being proficient in a Skill means that a creature adds its Proficiency Bonus when making a corresponding Skill Check. Skill proficiency can be granted by a creature's Background, Race, Class, or certain class features gained when leveling up.

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, Wood Half-Elves, and Lightfoot Halflings 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

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 is a deeper form of Skill Proficiency, allowing a creature to add double its Proficiency Bonus when making a corresponding Skill Check.

• Rogues gain Expertise in two skills they are proficient in at level 1, and Expertise in two skills again at level 6.
• Bards gain Expertise in two skills they are proficient in at level 3, and Expertise in two skills again at level 10.
• 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. It also gives Proficiency in these two skills.

Note: bonuses provided by the feat Actor and the Knowledge subclass of the Cleric are more valuable than any Expertise bonus provided by Bard or Rogue class progression, due to virtually providing proficiencies at the same time if the character is not proficient in the concerned skill.

Instrument Proficiency

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