Equipment FAQ

How does weapon and armor proficiency work?

Weapon proficiency lets you add your proficiency bonus to attack rolls with that weapon. If you lack weapon proficiency, you can still attempt the attack but normally omit the proficiency bonus. Armor proficiency works differently: wearing armor or a shield without proficiency imposes disadvantage on Strength- or Dexterity-based ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls, and prevents spellcasting. Proficiency usually comes from class, species, subclass, feats, or another explicit feature.

The word **proficiency** appears throughout D&D, but its effect depends on what you are proficient with. Weapon and armor proficiency do not use the same penalty structure.

Weapon proficiency

Weapon proficiency represents training with a weapon.

The 2014 rules use two broad weapon groups:

Simple weapons Martial weapons

A feature can also grant proficiency with a specific weapon rather than an entire category.

When proficient, add your proficiency bonus to attacks with that weapon.

No weapon proficiency

If you attack with a weapon you are not proficient with, you normally:

  • still roll the attack;
  • still add the relevant Strength or Dexterity modifier;
  • do **not** add proficiency bonus.

The rule does not automatically impose disadvantage merely because proficiency is missing.

Other circumstances may still impose disadvantage.

Proficiency does not normally add to damage

This is a common new-player mistake.

For a normal weapon attack:

Attack roll = d20 + ability modifier + proficiency if proficient

Damage = weapon die + ability modifier

Proficiency bonus is not normally added to damage unless a feature specifically says so.

Armor proficiency

Armor proficiency represents knowing how to move, fight, and perform precise tasks in that armor.

Classes commonly grant some combination of:

  • light armor;
  • medium armor;
  • heavy armor;
  • shields.

These categories are separate proficiencies.

Being proficient with light armor does not imply shield proficiency.

Wearing armor without proficiency

A character can physically put the armor on.

The penalties are severe.

Under the 2014 baseline, while wearing armor without proficiency, you have disadvantage on any:

  • ability check involving Strength or Dexterity;
  • saving throw involving Strength or Dexterity;
  • attack roll involving Strength or Dexterity;

and you cannot cast spells.

This makes “I can wear it anyway” a very different proposition from using an unfamiliar weapon.

Shields follow armor-proficiency logic

A shield also requires proficiency to use effectively.

A character with armor proficiency but no shield proficiency does not automatically gain shield training.

Where proficiency comes from

Common sources include:

  • class;
  • subclass;
  • species;
  • feat;
  • multiclass proficiency rules;
  • special training;
  • a specific published feature.

The feature that grants the proficiency determines exactly what it covers.

Multiclassing does not always grant every proficiency the class gives at 1st level.

Use the multiclass proficiency table rather than assuming a new class grants its entire starting package.

Tool proficiency is another system

Tool proficiency can add proficiency bonus to ability checks where the tool proficiency applies.

It does not let the character attack with the tool as though it were a proficient weapon unless another rule says so.

Similar names do not grant proficiency

Having proficiency with:

longsword

does not automatically grant proficiency with every sword-like object from a third-party book.

A new weapon's rules need to state its category or proficiency relationship.

Improvised weapon proficiency is limited

If an improvised weapon closely resembles an actual weapon, the DM can treat it as that weapon.

Otherwise, it follows the improvised-weapon rules.

A Tavern Brawler-style feature or another explicit rule can add proficiency with improvised weapons.

Ordinary martial-weapon proficiency does not automatically make the character proficient with every object they pick up.

Magic weapons still need normal weapon competence unless stated otherwise

A magic longsword is still a longsword.

Its magical bonus does not automatically grant proficiency.

A nonproficient wielder can benefit from the item's magic bonus where applicable while still lacking the proficiency bonus on the attack.

Why proficiency becomes more important at higher level

Proficiency bonus increases with character level.

A trained weapon therefore becomes increasingly more accurate relative to an otherwise identical nonproficient attack.

The same proficiency bonus also powers many:

  • spell attacks;
  • saving throw DCs;
  • class features;
  • skills;
  • saving throws;
  • tool checks.

This shared scaling is one of Fifth Edition's central systems.