Abbreviations: In the following I am referring to Wizards of the Coast as WotC, Dungeons and Dragons as D&D, the Players Handbook as the PHB, the 2014 version as 5E and to the 2024 version as 5.5.

The D&D 5.5 PHB: Review of “Chapter 2, Creating a Character”

I am assuming that the reader is familiar with the 5E PHB, so I am only commenting on things that are new or different from the 5E version.

Chapter 2, Creating a Character

Note: This chapter includes a sample Character Sheet with a big numbered dot in each of the spaces that corresponds to the step where you get that information. This can be useful, but there is NO blank Character Sheet in the book that you can photocopy like there is in the 5E PHB.
You can download a blank PDF of the Character Sheet that it has in the book on D&D Beyond, but it doesn’t mention that in this book. It does say you can use a “printed character sheet (like the one shown on the following pages), a digital character sheet like the one on D&D Beyond, or plain paper.”
For those of you who don’t know, D&D Beyond didn’t exist when D&D 5E was published in 2014. It was founded in 2018 and, in partnership with WotC, developed a character generator for D&D 5E. It later added an encounter builder and a combat tracker. WotC bought D&D Beyond in 2022 so it should be of no surprise that it is mentioned several times in this book.

Step 1: Choose a Class

In 5E you selected your race (now called species) first. In 5.5 you select your class first.

CLASSES: D&D 5.5 has the same 12 classes that are in the D&D 5E PHB. It refers you to Chapter 3 for the class details.
A BALANCED PARTY: It recommends the party contain a Cleric (can substitute a Bard or Druid), Fighter (can substitute a Barbarian, Monk, Paladin, or Ranger), Rogue (can substitute a Bard or Ranger) and Wizard (can substitute a Bard, Sorcerer, or Warlock).
WRITE YOUR LEVEL: Level 1, 0 XP.

Step 2: Determine Origin

BACKGROUND: It refers you to Chapter 4 for the backgrounds.
STARTING EQUIPMENT: You get some starting equipment from your background and some from your class.
SPECIES: The word “race” has been replaced with the word “species”.  It refers you to Chapter 4 for the species.
IMAGINE YOUR PAST: It has some questions to help you come up with a backstory. There are no Ideals, Bonds, or Flaws.
LANGUAGES: You get Common and two other languages. You don’t get any languages from your Species or your Background. The list of standard languages has expanded to include Common Sign Language and Draconic. Thieves’ Cant has been added to the rare languages list.  A note regarding Primordial reads “Primordial includes the Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran dialects. Creatures that know one of these dialects can communicate with those that know a different one.”
The language tables no longer list Typical Speakers or Script, instead it has a column listing the languages origin.

Step 3: Ability Scores

GENERATE YOUR SCORES: The methods are the same. The Point Cost system (often referred to as the Point Buy system) is just one of the standard ways to determine your scores, it is no longer called a variant.
ASSIGN ABILITY SCORES: There is a “Standard Array by Class” table that recommends which score to assign to which ability, based on your class.
ADJUST ABILITY SCORES: Your background lists three abilities; add one point to each of these or add 2 to one and 1 to another one.
DESCRIBE APPEARANCE AND PERSONALITY: For each ability there is a table with 4 potential descriptions of your character depending on whether he has a high or low score in that ability. Write it on your sheet.

Step 4: Alignment

The NINE ALIGNMENTS: Same as always. There has been speculation as to whether or not alignments would be dropped from D&D altogether. I’m glad they kept them. Of note is that there are no alignment tendencies for Species (previously Races).
It says “D&D assumes that player characters aren’t of an evil alignment. Check with your DM before making an evil character.” This agrees with what I have always done. I have never allowed evil player characters in my games.

Step 5: Fill in the Details

CLASS FEATURES: From class’s feature table in chapter 3.
FILL IN NUMBERS: Enter onto your Character sheet; Saving Throws, Skills, Passive Perception, Hit Points, Hit Point Dice, Initiative (your Dexterity modifier), Armor Class, Attacks, Spellcasting, Spell Slots, Cantrips, and Prepared Spells.
NAME YOUR CHARACTER: Same as always.

Starting at Higher Levels

This is a much needed section that includes a table of Starting Equipment at Higher Levels.

Multiclassing

Multiclassing was an optional set of rules in D&D 5E. It is no longer an option, it is a part of the core rules.
None of the rules for multiclassing change, but in the new book, in several places you will have to look up specific information in other places in the book.

For example; PREREQUISITS: These rules don’t change, but you have to have a minimum score of 13 in the primary ability of your current class and your new class. The difference here is that in 5E there is a table that makes it clear that for classes with more than one prime ability you must have a 13 in all of them. The primary ability for each class is the first thing listed on the Core Traits table for that character in its section in Chapter 3, Character Classes; and in the Class Overview table in Chapter 2, Creating a Character, Step 1: Choose a Class.
Another minor change in wording is that, for all classes except for the wizard, it uses “spells you have prepared” in place of “spells you know.”

I’ll be making a separate post for each class. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.