Proficiency

Proficiency represents a character's training and expertise in certain skills, tools, weapons, and saving throws.

Examples of Proficiencies:

• Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth, Persuasion, etc.
• Tools: Thieves' tools, artisan's tools, musical instruments.
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons.
• Armor: Heavy armor, Medium armor, Shields, etc.
• Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity, etc.

Proficiency Bonus

When a character is proficient in something, they add their proficiency bonus to ability checks, attack rolls, or saving throws that involve it.

• The proficiency bonus is determined by a character's level.
• It starts at +2 and increases as the character gains levels.

Your proficiency bonus is added to ability checks (included), skill checks (included), saving throws, weapon attacks and spell attacks.

Calculating Proficiency Bonus

A character's proficiency bonus is determined by the character's level (same for all classes):

A monster's proficiency bonus is determined by the monster's challenge rating (CR):

A monster's proficiency bonus is included in their stat blocks.

Using Proficiency Bonus

The bonus is used in the rules on ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls.

Your proficiency bonus can't be added to a single die roll or other number more than once.

For example, if two different rules say you can add your proficiency bonus to a Wisdom saving throw, you nevertheless add the bonus only once when you make the save.

Occasionally, your proficiency bonus might be multiplied or divided (doubled or halved, for example) before you apply it.

For example, the rogue's Expertise feature doubles the proficiency bonus for certain ability checks.

If a circumstance suggests that your proficiency bonus applies more than once to the same roll, you still add it only once and multiply or divide it only once.

By the same token, if a feature or effect allows you to multiply your proficiency bonus when making an ability check that wouldn't normally benefit from your proficiency bonus, you still don't add the bonus to the check.

For that check your proficiency bonus is 0, given the fact that multiplying 0 by any number is still 0.

For instance, if you lack proficiency in the History skill, you gain no benefit from a feature that lets you double your proficiency bonus when you make Intelligence (History) checks.

In general, you don't multiply your proficiency bonus for attack rolls or saving throws. If a feature or effect allows you to do so, these same rules apply.