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One of the first things you do when creating a new D&D character is determine your six ability scores: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. These numbers define what your character is good at and underpin nearly every die roll you'll make during the game. But how exactly do you generate them? D&D 5e offers three official methods — and a few popular unofficial ones — each with different tradeoffs. This guide walks through all of them.
Before rolling anything, it helps to understand what each ability score actually represents:
This is the most popular and exciting method for generating ability scores. It produces heroic characters with generally above-average stats and introduces an element of randomness that many players love.
Example: You roll 4d6 and get 2, 5, 4, 6. You drop the 2 (lowest) and add 5+4+6 = 15. Roll again five more times to get the rest of your scores.
The average total across all six scores with this method is around 73–75 points, compared to 63 for straight 3d6. This means your character will typically have a few strong stats and be meaningfully better than an average person in several areas.
Roll your ability scores right now with our free dice roller. Set it to D6 and roll 4 at a time.
🎲 Roll 4d6 NowThe Standard Array is the simplest method and requires no dice at all. The Player's Handbook gives you a fixed set of six numbers to distribute among your abilities however you choose:
Assign these six numbers to your six ability scores in any order. This guarantees a balanced, reliable set of stats with no chance of rolling poorly.
The Standard Array is ideal for new players who don't want to worry about bad luck on character creation, and for groups that want all characters to start at a similar power level.
Point Buy is the most balanced and customizable method. You start with a budget of 27 points and spend them to increase your ability scores from a base of 8. Higher scores cost more points, and you can't exceed 15 in any score before racial bonuses.
| Score | Cost | Score | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 0 points | 12 | 4 points |
| 9 | 1 point | 13 | 5 points |
| 10 | 2 points | 14 | 7 points |
| 11 | 3 points | 15 | 9 points |
Point Buy is popular in organized play (like D&D Adventurers League) and in groups where balance matters more than randomness. It lets you min-max strategically without relying on luck.
Before 5th Edition, the classic method was to simply roll three six-sided dice in order for each ability score, assigning them as you go without rearranging. This produces more realistic, flawed characters — you might end up with a Wizard with terrible Intelligence or a Fighter with low Strength.
This method isn't recommended for 5e since the game assumes more heroic characters, but some old-school groups still love it for the chaos and storytelling opportunities it creates.
Once you have your six numbers using the rolling method, you can assign them to whichever abilities make sense for your character. Here are some general guidelines by class:
| Class | Primary Stat | Secondary Stat | Important Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter (melee) | Strength | Constitution | Dexterity |
| Fighter (archer) | Dexterity | Constitution | Strength |
| Rogue | Dexterity | Intelligence or Charisma | Constitution |
| Wizard | Intelligence | Constitution | Dexterity |
| Cleric | Wisdom | Constitution | Strength or Dexterity |
| Barbarian | Strength | Constitution | Dexterity |
| Bard | Charisma | Dexterity | Constitution |
| Paladin | Strength | Charisma | Constitution |
Always put your highest score into the ability your class relies on most. Your second highest score should usually go into Constitution, since it affects your hit points at every level — no matter what class you play, being harder to kill is valuable.
Your raw ability score isn't what you add to dice rolls — that's the ability modifier, which you calculate from the score. The formula is: (Score − 10) ÷ 2, rounded down.
| Score | Modifier | Score | Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | −5 | 16–17 | +3 |
| 2–3 | −4 | 18–19 | +4 |
| 4–5 | −3 | 20–21 | +5 |
| 6–7 | −2 | 22–23 | +6 |
| 8–9 | −1 | 24–25 | +7 |
| 10–11 | +0 | 26–27 | +8 |
| 12–13 | +1 | 28–29 | +9 |
| 14–15 | +2 | 30 | +10 |
So a Strength of 16 gives you a +3 modifier, meaning you add 3 to all Strength-based rolls. An Intelligence of 8 gives you a −1 modifier, making Intelligence checks slightly harder.
The Standard Array is the easiest starting point — no math, no dice, just assign the six numbers and move on. Once you're comfortable with the game, the rolling method adds excitement and personality to character creation.
Yes. The Dungeon Master sets the rules for their table, including which ability score generation method to use. Some DMs prefer Point Buy for balance, others love the stories that come from random rolls. Always check with your DM before creating a character.
Many tables have a house rule: if your total of all six scores is below a certain threshold (often 70 or 72), you're allowed to reroll all six scores from scratch. Ask your DM if this applies at their table.
Only if your DM allows it. Generally you should commit to the method your table agreed on before rolling. The unpredictability of rolling is part of the point — it creates unique characters you might not have built intentionally.