D&D Companion

All creatures—characters and monsters—have six abilities that measure physical and mental characteristics, as shown on the Ability Descriptions table.

A creature has six ability scores—Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma—each of which has a corresponding modifier. Add the modifier when you make a D20 Test with the corresponding ability or when a rule asks you to do so. See also chapter 1 (“The Six Abilities”).

Each ability has a score from 1 to 20, although some monsters have a score as high as 30. The score represents the magnitude of an ability. The Ability Scores table summarizes what the scores mean.

died within the last hour, you can take a Magic action to touch it and expend a spell slot. The beast returns to life after 1 minute with all its Hit Points restored.
Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can summon a different primal beast, which appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. You choose its stat block and appearance. If you already have a beast from this feature, the old one vanishes when the new one appears.

Anyone can wield a weapon, but you must have proficiency with it to add your Proficiency Bonus to an attack roll you make with it. A player character's features can provide weapon proficiencies. A monster is proficient with any weapon in its stat block.

• Creature Type. A character's species determines the character's creature type, which is described in the rules glossary. Every species in this chapter is Humanoid; playable non-Humanoid species appear in other D&D books.
• Size. Your character's species determines the character's size. Individuals within a species cover a wide range of heights, and some species include such diversity of size that you can choose whether your character is Small or Medium.
• Speed. Your character's species determines the character's Speed.
• Special Traits. Each species gives a character special traits—unique characteristics based on the species’ physiology or magical nature. When you choose a species, your character gets all the special traits listed for it. Some traits involve making a choice from a handful of options.

A creature is your ally if it is a member of your adventuring party, your friend, on your side in combat, or a creature that the rules or the DM designates as your ally.

A creature that has a Burrow Speed can use that speed to move through sand, earth, mud, or ice. The creature can’t burrow through solid rock unless the creature has a trait that allows it to do so. See also “Speed.”

An ability check represents a creature using talent and training to try to overcome a challenge, such as forcing open a stuck door, picking a lock, entertaining a crowd, or deciphering a cipher. The DM and the rules often call for an ability check when a creature attempts something other than an attack that has a chance of meaningful failure. When the outcome is uncertain and narratively interesting, the dice determine the result.

Anyone can don armor or hold a Shield, but only those with training can use them effectively, as explained below. A character's class and other features determine the character's armor training. A monster has training with any armor in its stat block.

• Gain the following traits from the Core Warlock Traits table: Hit Point Die and training with Light armor.
• Gain the Warlock's level 1 features, which are listed in the Warlock Features table. See the multiclassing rules in chapter 2 to determine your available spell slots.

The power of nature allows you to assume the form of an animal. As a Bonus Action, you shapeshift into a Beast form that you have learned for this feature (see “Known Forms” below). You stay in that form for a number of hours equal to half your Druid level or until you use Wild Shape again, have the Incapacitated condition, or die. You can also leave the form early as a Bonus Action. Number of Uses. You can use Wild Shape twice. You regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You gain additional uses when you reach certain Druid levels, as shown in the Wild Shape column of the Druid Features table. Known Forms. You know four Beast forms for this feature, chosen from among Beast stat blocks that have a maximum Challenge Rating of 1/4 and that lack a Fly Speed (see appendix B for stat block options). The Rat, Riding Horse, Spider, and Wolf are recommended. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace one of your known forms with another eligible form. When you reach certain Druid levels, your number of known forms and the maximum Challenge Rating for those forms increases, as shown in the Beast Shapes table. In addition, starting at level 8, you can adopt a form that has a Fly Speed. When choosing known forms, you may look in the Monster Manual or elsewhere for eligible Beasts if the Dungeon Master permits you to do so.
BEAST SHAPES
Rules While Shape-Shifted. While in a form, you retain your personality, memories, and ability to speak, and the following rules apply: Temporary Hit Points. When you assume a Wild Shape form, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to your Druid level. Game Statistics. Your game statistics are replaced by the Beast’s stat block, but you retain your creature type; Hit Points; Hit Point Dice; Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores; class features; languages; and feats. You also retain your skill and saving throw proficiencies and use your Proficiency Bonus for them, in addition to gaining the proficiencies of the creature. If a skill or saving throw modifier in the Beast’s stat block is higher than yours, use the one in the stat block. No Spellcasting. You can't cast spells, but shapeshifting doesn’t break your Concentration or otherwise interfere with a spell you've already cast. Objects. Your ability to handle objects is determined by the form's limbs rather than your own. In addition, you choose whether your equipment falls in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it's practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment based on the creature's size and shape. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with the form. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect while you're in that form.

A creature is Bloodied while it has half its Hit Points or fewer remaining.

As a Bonus Action, you can discern certain strengths and weaknesses of a creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself; you know whether that creature has any Immunities, Resistances, or Vulnerabilities, and if the creature has any, you know what they are.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore a use of the feature by expending one Superiority Die (no action required).