Expertise vs Proficiency in 5e: What’s the Difference?

Do you know the difference between expertise and proficiency in 5e? These terms are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at each term and explore how they affect gameplay.

Introduction

In Dungeons and Dragons, character abilities are broken down into a range of skills, each with its level of proficiency. Proficiency represents how skilled or trained a character is in a particular area, while expertise reflects specialized training or innate ability. Proficiency comes from character class or background, while expertise is a feature that some classes have access to.

What is Proficiency?

Proficiency refers to a character’s level of training or expertise in a particular skill. Players can be proficient in skills such as Athletics, Insight, or Deception. The level of proficiency is determined by a character’s class or background and is usually reflected in the player’s character sheet. When making ability checks for a proficient skill, the character adds their proficiency bonus to the roll, making them more likely to succeed.

What is Expertise?

Expertise is a feature available to certain classes that allows the character to double their proficiency bonus for a chosen skill. This means that they are exceptionally skilled in that area, and their ability is above and beyond what a normal proficient character could achieve. Expertise is usually available to rogue characters, but some subclasses or multiclass options could also allow access to this feature.

How Do Proficiency and Expertise Affect Gameplay?

Proficiency and expertise can significantly affect gameplay as they determine a character’s skills and ability to complete tasks. A character with a high proficiency level in a particular skill is more likely to succeed in that area, while a character with expertise in that skill is exceptionally good at it.

For example, a character proficient in Persuasion might be good at convincing NPCs, while a character with expertise in Persuasion could convince them more easily and potentially get better deals and information.

Examples of Proficiency vs Expertise

Let’s take a look at a few examples to understand the difference between proficiency and expertise better.

Example 1: A rogue character with expertise in Stealth could move more quietly and avoid detection more easily than a rogue without expertise.

Example 2: A wizard with proficiency in Arcana and a wizard without proficiency could both identify magical items, but the wizard with proficiency would have a better chance of success.

Example 3: A bard with expertise in Performance could put on an excellent show and entertain NPCs better than a bard without expertise.

Conclusion

In summary, proficiency and expertise are essential terms in Dungeons and Dragons and can significantly affect gameplay. While proficiency represents a character’s level of training or expertise in a particular skill, expertise reflects specialized training or innate ability. Expertise allows a character to double their proficiency bonus for a chosen skill, making them exceptionally good in that area. Understanding the difference between proficiency and expertise can help players build more effective characters and improve their gameplay experience.

Speech tips:

Please note that any statements involving politics will not be approved.