What Goes Up with Proficiency Bonus?
Proficiency bonus is a crucial aspect of character development in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th edition. It’s a bonus that applies to various skills, attack rolls, and ability checks, making your character more effective in different situations. In this article, we’ll delve into what goes up with proficiency bonus, exploring its relationship with level, ability scores, and other modifiers.
Proficiency Bonus and Level
The first thing that goes up with proficiency bonus is your character’s level. As your character advances in level, their proficiency bonus increases, providing more opportunities for skill checks, attack rolls, and ability checks. Here’s a breakdown of how proficiency bonus scales with level:
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1 | +2 |
| 5 | +3 |
| 9 | +4 |
| 13 | +5 |
| 17 | +6 |
As you can see, the proficiency bonus increases every four levels, starting from +2 at level 1 and reaching +6 at level 17.
Proficiency Bonus and Ability Scores
Ability scores also play a significant role in determining your proficiency bonus. Each ability score is associated with a specific set of skills, and when you’re proficient in those skills, your ability modifier is added to the proficiency bonus. Here’s an example:
- Dexterity is associated with skills like Acrobatics, Perception, and Stealth.
- Intelligence is associated with skills like Arcana, History, and Investigation.
- Wisdom is associated with skills like Insight, Medicine, and Survival.
When you’re proficient in a skill, you add your ability modifier to the proficiency bonus. For instance, if you have a Dexterity modifier of +3 and are proficient in Acrobatics, your total proficiency bonus for Acrobatics would be +5 (+2 proficiency bonus + +3 ability modifier).
Other Modifiers that Affect Proficiency Bonus
Besides ability scores, there are other modifiers that can affect your proficiency bonus. These include:
- Class bonuses: Some classes, like the rogue, have increased proficiency bonus due to their class features.
- Background bonuses: Your character’s background can also grant additional proficiency bonuses in specific skills.
- Other abilities: Certain abilities, like those granted by feats or spells, can increase your proficiency bonus.
Calculating Skill Modifiers
Now that we’ve covered what goes up with proficiency bonus, let’s explore how to calculate skill modifiers. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Determine the skill: Identify the skill you’re trying to use (e.g., Acrobatics, History, Perception).
- Check proficiency: See if you’re proficient in the skill. If not, proceed to step 3. If yes, add your ability modifier to the proficiency bonus.
- Determine the ability modifier: Identify the ability score associated with the skill (e.g., Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom).
- Add the ability modifier: Add the ability modifier to the proficiency bonus.
- Calculate the total: Add any other modifiers, such as class bonuses or background bonuses, to the total.
Here’s an example calculation:
- Skill: Acrobatics
- Proficiency bonus: +3
- Ability modifier: +2 (Dexterity)
- Class bonus: +1 (rogue class feature)
- Total: +6 (+3 proficiency bonus + +2 ability modifier + +1 class bonus)
Conclusion
In conclusion, what goes up with proficiency bonus is your character’s level, ability scores, and other modifiers. By understanding how proficiency bonus works, you can make informed decisions about your character’s skills and abilities. Remember to calculate skill modifiers carefully, taking into account your ability scores, class bonuses, and background bonuses. With this knowledge, you’ll be well on your way to creating a well-rounded and effective character in your D&D campaign.