Profiency Bonus, increases with character or class level

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I assumed previously proficiency bonus increased with class level. The Chart on page 15 of the handbook makes me think it increases with character level though.

Which one is it?

[nickl_2000]

I assumed previously proficiency bonus increased with class level. The Chart on page 15 of the handbook makes me think it increases with character level though.

Which one is it?

Proficiency bonus increases with overall Character level.

[Balyano]

This is a common mistake. It's actually neither. Proficiency bonus actually increases with the number of sapient creatures you sacrifice to the nine hells. To increase from +2 to a +3 you must offer up the immortal essence of 10 creatures with an intelligence score of 3 or more. +4 requires 100 souls, +5 1000 souls, and +6 10,000 souls. I know it looks daunting, but just remember you don't need to offer them all at once. You can do a few here and a few there.

[Willie the Duck]

What others have said.

It is odd. The presentation in the PHB seems directly designed to confuse. I have no idea why they chose to do it that way.

[Doug Lampert]

What others have said.

It is odd. The presentation in the PHB seems directly designed to confuse. I have no idea why they chose to do it that way.

Multiclassing is an optional rule. If you don't use it then the question is meaningless. If you do use it, then you need to read up on the interactions and pay attention.

[DMThac0]

I'm Fragnor the barbarian, I am proficient in using a really big stick to make a sticky paste out of my foes! I met this man in p jammers who showed me how to make sticky paste out of my foes using only my feet and hands! Now I am gooder at what I does and can make sticky paste whenever I get a chance!

Fragnor the barbarian is proficient in combat with a giant club. When he becomes proficient in unarmed combat he doesn't forget how to use the club, he learns a new skill. He also doesn't stop learning how to use the club better just because he can now use his hands and feet. Being able to fight using both giant club and unarmed combat increases his proficiency in combat. So in this instance, you equate proficiency as the character's combat proficiency rather than the class's.

[Willie the Duck]

Multiclassing is an optional rule. If you don't use it then the question is meaningless. If you do use it, then you need to read up on the interactions and pay attention.

It still required the printing of the proficiency bonus column 13 times (once in each class chart, plus in the Multiclass rules) when they could have printed it once. I'm also not convinced that the old 'your confusion is because of your own poor reading comprehension, and not our poor communication' logic really flies in the post-TSR era. But since this is the first time I've run into anyone who was confused, I guess I don't know.

[PhoenixPhyre]

It still required the printing of the proficiency bonus column 13 times (once in each class chart, plus in the Multiclass rules) when they could have printed it once. I'm also not convinced that the old 'your confusion is because of your own poor reading comprehension, and not our poor communication' logic really flies in the post-TSR era. But since this is the first time I've run into anyone who was confused, I guess I don't know.

Classes are designed to be atomic--the class rules each stand alone. The ASI wording is repeated. Darkvision is repeated. All of this is to limit how much a player has to know to play. It's all right there. It also lets them change things if they want to while only affecting one instance.

[Unoriginal]

Pretty sure they HAVE peintes the proficiency bonus per level on its own too.

[Theodoxus]

Man, tying PB to class level would pretty much nuke multiclassing as a concept. At least from a "I'm new to D&D and 5E is my first game" viewpoint.

3rd and PF players would probably shrug their shoulders. Its reminiscent of BAB and stacking differing BABs... math was fun. (Though this would be detrimental to casters, which weren't affected by BAB, but are by PB.)

[Zalabim]

3rd and PF players would probably shrug their shoulders. Its reminiscent of BAB and stacking differing BABs... math was fun. (Though this would be detrimental to casters, which weren't affected by BAB, but are by PB.)
I have a feeling such players would assume that your Proficiency Bonus added together, so multiclassing would make it go up by 2 right away, and thus multiclassed characters are always better. Like Base Saving Throw Bonuses did.

[Willie the Duck]

That would certainly parallel the 3e/PF Save mechanics--where your classes' strong saves get a huge boost at level 1, and (for instance) choosing something like a Monk1-Cleric1 is a great way to get really strong saves by level 2.

It's certainly not foolish in a 'they would never do this' kind of way (because they did, once). If (mind you, strong if) everyone played from level 1-20, and level 20 capstones were just far and away the most powerful thing ever, it would be possible that they decided that getting that initial +4 proficiency modifier at level 2 by MC dipping early would be a 'get an early lead but suffer for it at the end' kind of benefit that some theoretical game might include.


Classes are designed to be atomic--the class rules each stand alone. The ASI wording is repeated. Darkvision is repeated. All of this is to limit how much a player has to know to play. It's all right there. It also lets them change things if they want to while only affecting one instance.

Oh, I get the logic of printing the rules of a class right with the class, rather than at the front or back of the class section. I just think it does open the possibility for confusion (but again, how much, I don't know, as this is the first time I've heard of someone being confused). If this was their logic, however, I do find it odd then that they don't do the same for the xp to level portion.