Your speed determines how far you can move when traveling ( “ Adventuring”) and fighting (“ Combat”). The most important of these rules is that Small characters have trouble wielding heavy weapons, as explained in “ Equipment.” Speed Members of a few races are Small (between 2 and 4 feet tall), which means that certain rules of the game affect them differently. SizeĬharacters of most races are Medium, a size category including creatures that are roughly 4 to 8 feet tall. These are not binding for player characters, but considering why your dwarf is chaotic, for example, in defiance of lawful dwarf society can help you better define your character. Most races have tendencies toward certain alignments, described in this entry. For example, if you play a young or very old character, your age could explain a particularly low Strength or Constitution score, while advanced age could account for a high Intelligence or Wisdom. You can choose any age for your character, which could provide an explanation for some of your ability scores. This information can help you decide how old your character is at the start of the game. The age entry notes the age when a member of the race is considered an adult, as well as the race’s expected lifespan.

Ability Score IncreaseĮvery race increases one or more of a character’s ability scores. The following entries appear among the traits of most races. The description of each race includes racial traits that are common to members of that race.

List of 5e playable races