How to Create a Dungeons and Dragons Character

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Updated: April 18, 2020

Dungeons and Dragons, also known as D&D, is a table top role-playing game. You and your friends create unique, fantastical characters to play this game. But before you play, you'll need to establish the basics for your character, like gender, race, and class. Then you can calculate ability scores to determine your character's basic stats, like Strength and Wisdom. After that, you'll equip your character with skills, feats, weapons, and armor. Finish your character up by developing their personality and choosing their alignment, then you're ready to play.

Part 1 of 4:
Establishing the Basics

  1. 1
    Settle on a version of D&D. As time has passed, some rules have changed in D&D for various reasons, like balancing gameplay, adding content, and refining mechanics. This has resulted in many different versions of D&D being in circulation, with some versions considered superior to others.
    • You and those you’re playing with should all use a single version when making characters or playing a campaign.
    • The calculations in provided in the following examples are based off Pathfinder, an extensive online available version of D&D that is compatible with D&D Version 3.5. Some versions may use different calculations.
    • D&D 5th Edition’s basic rules were released in 2014 and shortly followed by the Starter Set, an adventure module, the Player’s Handbook, and more.[1]
    • Many online resources can be found for various versions of D&D. Find the core rulebooks of versions by doing an online keyword search for them, as in, “Pathfinder core rulebook.”[2]
  2. 2
    Print a character sheet, if desired. A character sheet will lay out all the information you’ll need to create a character in an orderly fashion. However, you could always write out your character information by hand on a blank sheet of paper, or type it up on a computer.
    • Free character sheets can be found online. Do a keyword search for “dungeons and dragons character sheets” to find and print one of your own.[3]
    • Example character sheets can be found on the D&D Wizards of the Coast website. Use these for inspiration or to check your work.[4]
    • Digital character sheets can help you keep track of your characters on digital devices, like phones and tablets.
  3. 3
    Select a gender and race. Your character will be either male or female. Once you’ve determined gender, you’ll need to choose a race. There are seven basic races, though some players may allow other races to be used. Each race has certain unique characteristics, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. The seven basic races are:[5]
    • Dwarves. Short, stocky, stern, and strong. They have a connection to the earth and often live in mountains or underground lands. Stat modifiers: +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma.
    • Elves. Tall, long-lived, aloof, and connected to nature. Elves live in harmony with the natural world around them. Stat modifiers: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Constitution
    • Gnomes. Mysterious, adventure-seeking, and strange. Gnomes are the smallest common race. Stat modifiers: +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength.
    • Half-elves. Solitary, long-lived, graceful, and hearty. Half-elves are few in number, and tend to be wanderers due to their lack of homeland. Stat modifiers: +2 to one ability score
    • Half-orcs. Independent, strong, and distrusted. Half-orcs considered monstrosities by common folk. They are tall and powerfully built. Stat modifiers: +2 to one ability score
    • halflings. Optimistic, cheerful, curious, and small in stature. On average, only 3 ft (.9 m) tall, they are agile but physically weak. Stat modifiers: +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength
    • Humans. Adaptive, ambitious, and well-balanced. Humans are the dominant race, and are diverse in appearance and culture. Stat modifiers: +2 to one ability score[6]
  4. 4
    Choose a class. A character’s class is like their profession. If your character is starting from scratch at level one, you’ll also be level one in your class. As your character completes adventures, they’ll gain experience points (XP), which are used to raise your level and earn abilities and powers. There are 11 basic classes:
    • Barbarian. Uncivilized and strong. Considered brutal berserkers.
    • Bard. Charismatic and crafty. Bards use skills and spells to help and harm.
    • Cleric. A firm believer in a deity. Clerics heal, raise the dead, and direct the wrath of god.
    • Druid. At one with nature. Druids cast spells, interact with animals, and change shapes.
    • Fighter. Firm and brave. Fighters are capable with weapons and comfortable in armor.
    • Monk. Martial masters. Monks train their minds and bodies for offense and defense.
    • Paladin. Followers of what is good and just. Paladins are devoted knights.
    • Ranger. Masters of woodcraft and wildlife. Rangers track and hunt foes.
    • Rogue. Stealthy assassins. Rogues are cunning thieves and able scouts.
    • Sorcerer. Natural born spellcasters. Sorcerers command strange, ancient energies.
    • Wizard. Lifelong magic students. Years of study allow wizards to use awesome magic power.[7]
  5. 5
    Name your character. You might want a name that represents your class, like Jafar might for an evil wizard. In classic D&D, different races have names that reflect their culture and native language. Free name pools and generators can be found online with a search for the race, as in “gnome name generator” or “dwarf name pool.”[8]
    • Use name generators to get a feel for the kinds of names in your character’s race and come up with your own. Cycle through many names with the generator until you find one that suits your character.
    • Borrow names from your favorite video game, book, and comic characters. Use the name of your favorite historical figure.
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Part 1 Quiz

If you want to be able to shape shift and cast spells, what D&D class should you choose?

Exactly! Druids are a nature-based spell casters. In addition to their spells, they get an animal companion and a special ability called Wild Shape, which lets them turn into various kinds of animals. Read on for another quiz question.

Nope! Monks are essentially supernatural martial artists. They get various ki-powered abilities like stunning foes they hit and falling without hurting themselves, but they can't shape shift or cast spells. Guess again!

Try again! Paladins are holy knights whose attacks do more damage against evil foes as long as they uphold their sacred oaths. They also gain minor healing and spell casting abilities, but aren't able to shape shift. Guess again!

Almost! Rangers are a nature-based class, and they even get a little bit of spell casting, but they can't transform into animals. Instead, rangers can choose types of monsters that they're particularly good at hunting. There’s a better option out there!

Close! Sorcerers are a strong spell casting class, but they lack the native ability to shape shift. Sorcerers cast spells from their own innate magic, rather than having to study or get their magic from an outside source. Try another answer...

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Part 2 of 4:
Calculating Ability Scores

  1. 1
    Identify the main attributes of your character. Every character is made up of six essential attributes. These are given scores, with high scores reflecting positive bonuses from that attribute and low scores penalties. A score of 10 in any attribute is considered to be average. The six attributes are:
    • Strength (Str). A measure of physical power. Important for combat characters, like fighters, monks, and paladins. Strength also dictates how much weight you can carry.
    • Dexterity (Dex). A measure of agility. This includes balance and reflexes. Important for rogues, light- to medium-armor wearing characters, and ranged attackers (like bow and sling users).
    • Constitution (Cons). A measure of health and fortitude. Constitution increases your character’s hit points, which if depleted, can result in fainting or death.
    • Intelligence (Int). A measure of knowledge. Important for wizards and classes requiring reason or learning, like paladins.
    • Wisdom (Wis). A measure of correct judgement. Wisdom contributes to common sense, awareness, and willpower. Important for clerics, druids, and rangers.
    • Charisma (Cha). A measure of magnetism. High charisma improves likability, appearance, and leadership ability. Important for bards, paladins, and sorcerers.[9]
  2. 2
    Roll for ability scores. You’ll need either four six-sided dice (4d6) or an online dice roller to do this. Online dice rollers can be found with a keyword search for “dice roller.” Roll all four dice. Add the three highest dice together and record this number. Repeat this until you have six recorded numbers.[10]
  3. 3
    Assign the six recorded numbers to the six main attributes. You can assign your recorded numbers any way you choose, but you’ll likely want to assign strong scores to attributes that are valuable to your class. Remember to add your racial stat modifiers to your total attribute scores.
    • To provide an example of a racial stat bonus: after rolling your ability scores, if you were a human, you’d get +2 points for any one attribute.
    • Use less dice when rolling ability scores to increase the difficulty of your D&D experience. 3d6 is often called “classic,” and only using 2d6 is termed “heroic.”[11]
  4. 4
    Use the “Point Buy” system, alternatively. The Point Buy system allows you to buy attribute points for your character as you see fit. All attributes start out at an average score of 10. Each your ability score raises, the more the next ability point costs.
    • A low fantasy buying pool has 10 buy points, standard pool is 15, high is 20, and epic is 25.[12]
    • A snapshot of the ability point costs follows, with negative values counting as bonus buy points, but dropping that attribute to below average:
    • Ability Score / Point Cost
    • 6 - 7 / -2
    • 8 - 9 / -1
    • 10 - 11 / +0
    • 12 - 13 / +1
    • 14 - 15 / +2
    • 16 - 17 / +3
    • 18 - 19 / +4
    • And so on…[13]
  5. 5
    Generate random ability scores online. There are ability score generators you can find and use online with a keyword search for “ability score generator.” There are also point buy calculators that can help you keep track of your point pool when buying ability points.
    • Many online ability score calculators and generators also factor in racial bonuses your character might have.[14]
  6. 6
    Record the modifier for each ability. The ability modifier is the bonus or penalty each ability score gives your character. For example, an ability score of 10 is average, so it has no bonuses or penalties (+0).
    • Modifier bonuses or penalties are added or subtracted to any activity requiring one of these main attributes.
    • Modifiers can also grant additional spells per day in an ability, if applicable. The following list provides some ability scores followed by their modifiers:
    • Score / Modifier
    • 6 – 7 / -2
    • 8 – 9 / -1
    • 10 – 11 / +0
    • 12 – 13 / +1
    • 14 – 15 / +2
    • 16 – 17 / +3[15]
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Part 2 Quiz

If you're playing a rogue, you should probably put your highest score in what ability?

Not exactly! Rogues usually value quickness and stealth over brute force. Since they use small weapons like daggers and rapiers (or ranged ones like bows and crossbows), they don't gain as much benefit from a high strength as barbarians and fighters do. Try another answer...

Not quite! Honestly, constitution is an important ability for every character, because it helps determine your hit points. That said, it should rarely be any character's highest ability, and rogues in particular need a different ability to boost their offense. There’s a better option out there!

Correct! Dexterity measures how quick and stealthy a character is, and how well they can attack with light and ranged weapons. It also increases their defense when they're not wearing heavy armor. Those are all things that are important to you if you're playing a rogue. Read on for another quiz question.

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Part 3 of 4:
Equipping Skills, Feats, Weapons, and Armor

  1. 1
    Select skills for your character. Skills are important basic abilities. You’ll find an extensive list of these on character sheets, including things like Acrobatics, Climb, Knowledge (history), Linguistics, Stealth, and more. Skills are earned by gaining levels by accumulating XP.
    • With each new level, your character gets skill ranks which are invested into specific skills, like Bluff, Sleight of Hand, or Swim.
    • Characters receive an automatic +3 bonus to class skills with at least one skill rank. These favored skills should be listed along with your character’s class description.
    • Your rank in a skill cannot be higher than your character’s number of hit dice (the number of dice used to determine your hit points).[16]
  2. 2
    List your character’s feats. Your character’s feats refer to abilities that aren’t linked their race, class, or skills. These include things like dodging reflex, a knack for fighting with bladed weapons, and natural skill with crafting items. Some feats have restrictions, like a minimum ability score or level. Many feats are oriented at improving class abilities or lessening class penalties. The main classes of feats are:[17]
    • Combat Feats. These allow your character to perform martial feats like All-consuming Swing, Ancestral Weapon Mastery, Bullseye Shot, Cleave, Dueling Mastery, and Improved Parry.[18]
    • Critical Feats. These feats can only be used when your character has a critical hit, which is generally indicated by a naturally rolled 20 with a 20-sided die.[19]
    • Item Creation Feats. These allow your character to create a certain kind of magic item, like scrolls, potions, and wands. These feats also generally require materials.[20]
    • Metamagic Feats. These influence either the effects of spells or the way in which they are cast. Some examples include Bouncing Spell, Concussive Spell, Lingering Spell, and Toxic Spell.[21]
  3. 3
    Roll for your starting gold. Gold (GP), which is the currency of D&D, is usually awarded for completing quests and defeating enemies. However, each character starts with a pre-determined amount. This amount depends on your character’s class. Calculate your starting GP by calculating:
    • Barbarian, 3d6 x 10 GP
    • Bard, 3d6 x 10 GP
    • Cleric, 4d6 x 10 GP
    • Druid, 2d6 x 10 GP
    • Fighter, 5d6 x 10 GP
    • Monk, 1d6 x 10 GP
    • Paladin, 5d6 x 10 GP
    • Ranger, 5d6 x 10 GP
    • Rogue, 4d6 x 10 GP
    • Sorcerer, 2d6 x 10 GP
    • Wizard, 2d6 x 10 GP[22]
  4. 4
    Equip your character with items. Use gold to buy the starting weapons, armor, items (potions, torches), and equipment (tents, rope) for your character. Lists of items, weapons, and armor can be found online. In some games, you may only have simple weapons or armor available until you find a suitable shop where you can buy better ones.
    • Characters that are suited for the center of the action, like fighters and paladins, will likely need heavy armor, like plate mail and a shield, along with a weapon, like a broadsword or mace.
    • Characters that are agility based, like gnomes, rogues, and rangers, are better suited to light armor, like chainmail or boiled leather, and distance or sneak attack weapons, like a bow, sling, or a Kukri knife.
    • Frail characters, like many wizards and bards, may only be able to equip very light armor or robes. Weapons, too, are usually limited to light varieties, like rods, staves, bows, and whips.[23]
  5. 5
    Fill in armor class and combat bonuses. Weapon and armor bonuses will be listed along with the weapon and armor information. In some cases, like with very heavy weapons/armor, there may also be penalties. A high armor class (AC) will make your character more resistant to damage. Attack bonuses help you land damaging hits.
    • Use the following calculations to determine your AC and attack bonuses:
      • AC = 10 + armor bonus + shield bonus + Dexterity Modifier + other modifiers (like racial or class)
      • Melee attack bonus = base attack bonus + Strength Modifier + size modifier
      • Ranged attack bonus = base attack bonus + Dexterity Modifier + size modifier + range penalty (if any)
    • Size modifiers are determined according to the following scale: Colossal (-8), Gargantuan (-4), Huge (-2), Large (-1), Medium (+0), Small (+1), Tiny (+2), Diminutive (+4), Fine (+8). Small characters are generally more agile, whereas large ones are generally strong.[24]
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Part 3 Quiz

When following Pathfinder rules, why is it a good idea to put ranks into your character's class skills?

Not necessarily! Each skill your character can learn is tied to one of the six ability scores. But just because a skill is on a particular class list doesn't mean it's tied to that class's most important ability, so it's a good idea to pick skills that play to your character's strengths. Guess again!

Yup! In Pathfinder, the difference between class and non-class skills is that as soon as you put a rank in a class skill, you get a +3 bonus to that skill. That means that you get more bang for your buck when you invest at least a little bit in your character's class skills. Read on for another quiz question.

Close! In some versions of D&D, you need to invest more skill ranks to improve non-class skills, but that's not how skills work in Pathfinder. Instead, Pathfinder characters get a benefit for putting ranks into their class skills. Click on another answer to find the right one...

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Part 4 of 4:
Finishing Your Character

  1. 1
    Paint a picture of your character. Feel free to do this in a drawing or with words. Include basic physical features like age, weight, height, skin color, and more. Think of your character’s personality, which will influence the decisions they make in the game.
    • Write a backstory for your character. What was their young life like? This will give you a better sense of the character as separate from yourself, which will help with role-playing later.
    • Goals, fears, and desires can add depth to your character. Keep these in mind as you play your character and interact with other players and non-player characters (NPCs).[25]
  2. 2
    Determine the alignment of your character. Alignment is a measure of moral attitude. There are nine basic alignments which encompass a range of personalities, philosophies, and beliefs. Alignment consists of one order characteristic (Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic) and one moral characteristic (Good, Neutral, Evil), as in lawful-neutral, lawful-evil, neutral-good, and chaotic-good.
    • Good characters are driven to protect innocence and life. Good sacrifices for others and cares for the dignity of sentient creatures.
    • Evil characters undermine or harm life. Evil hurts, harms, and oppresses, usually for fun or personal gain.
    • Morally neutral characters avoid killing, but usually lack a sense of obligation to sacrifice for or protect others.
    • Lawful characters respect order, truth, authority, and tradition. They are often closed-minded, overly rigid, and self-righteous.
    • Chaotic characters make decisions according to their conscience. They resent authority and love freedom, though they can be reckless and irresponsible.
    • Order neutral characters are generally honest, but susceptible to temptation. They feel neither a need to obey orders or rebel.[26]
  3. 3
    Play your character in a campaign. Join other players so you can play your character in a campaign decided or created by your dungeon master. Sample campaigns and resources can be found online, but so long as you have access to a core rulebook, you can create your own D&D world.
    • For those who are brand new to D&D, dungeon masters are the coordinators of the game. They describe setting, control non-player characters, and design dungeons for characters to overcome.[27]
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Part 4 Quiz

True or False: In Dungeons & Dragons, the Dungeon Master designs and controls the world around your character.

Right! In a D&D game, most of the players build and control one character. However, one player, the Dungeon Master, has to run the rest of the world, including monsters and non-player characters. It's the Dungeon Master's job to give the rest of the players fun things to do in the game. Read on for another quiz question.

Nope! If Dungeons & Dragons were a computer game, the Dungeon Master would be the computer. It's their job to create engaging monsters, non-player characters, and scenarios for the rest of the players (through their player characters) to interact with. Try another answer...

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Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Question
    How do you roll for your starting Hit Points? Every time I create a character I can never find a straight answer. Is it rolling my hit dice (1d6 in this case) plus my CON modifier?
    Community Answer
    For your first level, you don't roll a hit die. If your hit die is a d6, your starting hit points are equal to the highest possible roll (in this case 6) + your con modifier. At level two and beyond, you roll your hit die, add your con modifier, then add that to your total hit points.
  • Question
    Why do we need such complicated dice?
    Community Answer
    All of the dice play different roles. Different weapon types do different damage, percentages and statistic rolls need to be made at different points in the game, and different dice are rolled for hit points upon level gain, depending on character type.
  • Question
    Can a character that has already died be reused in another Dungeons and Dragons game?
    Community Answer
    Sure! A character that has died could be used in a different campaign. The character could even be resurrected within the same campaign.
  • Question
    How do I get the hit points?
    Community Answer
    Depending on which class you are playing, you will be given a specific type of hit die (d6,d8,d10,...). For level 1, you take your hit die and plus your Constitution modifier (e.g. d6 hit die with +2 Constitution will give you 8 HP). For each additional level, you roll your hit die and add your Constitution modifier for your extra HP.
  • Question
    How do I choose my skills?
    jack 3G
    Community Answer
    You will have to research you class race and background to discover which skills you can choose from.
  • Question
    Do I need to follow the Dungeons and Dragons handbook?
    Community Answer
    If you want to create more complex character, yes. If you want, you can create more basic characters from the official rules online.
  • Question
    Can my character be a obot or alien?
    Community Answer
    Yes, your character can be a robot, an alien, or anything that you want, depending on the story.
  • Question
    Can a D and D character be nonbinary? Or do I have to choose between male and female?
    Community Answer
    Your character can be nonbinary if that's what you choose. For example, your character could come from a genderless race.
  • Question
    If my character gets better weapons and higher stats, can they keep them for other games?
    Community Answer
  • Question
    How many skills can I select?
    Lily Wolfe
    Top Answerer
    If you are playing with loose rules, I would say up to seven. With more rules, go with three or four.
Show more answers
Unanswered Questions
  • If I'm a wizard that is a cat master, can I shapeshift into a cat?
  • How could I use an existing character from another source, in this case an anthropomorphic fox, for DnD?
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      About This Article

      Co-Authored By:
      wikiHow Staff Editor
      171 votes - 60%
      Co-authors: 54
      Updated: April 18, 2020
      Views: 781,499
      Categories: Dungeons and Dragons
      Article SummaryX

      To create a Dungeons and Dragons character, start by deciding on a gender and race for your character, like a female dwarf or a male halfling. You should also choose a class for your character, like bard, druid, or wizard. Next, come up with a name for your character, or use an online name generator to find one you like. Once you've established the basics, identify your character's main attributes and roll for their ability scores. Finally, equip your character with skills, feats, weapons, and armor. To learn how to start playing with your Dungeons and Dragons character in a campaign, scroll down!

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      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 781,499 times.

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