5e Standard Array Calculator
Assign the standard array (15/14/13/12/10/8) to your ability scores, apply racial bonuses, and see your final modifiers. Compare the result against a custom point buy build.
Assign Standard Array Values
What Is the Standard Array in D&D 5e?
The standard array is a fixed set of six ability scores — 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8 — that you assign to your six ability scores in any order you choose. It's one of three official stat generation methods in the 2014 Player's Handbook (alongside point buy and rolling).
The standard array gives every character the same total stat power, making it the fairest method for new players and one of the two approved methods for Adventurers League play. You don't need to do any math — you just pick which number goes where.
Standard Array vs Point Buy: Which Is Better?
The standard array and point buy produce equivalent average power — the total of 15+14+13+12+10+8 = 72, which equals a fully optimized 27-point buy allocation. The difference is flexibility.
Point buy lets you customize: you can have two 15s (expensive — 9+9=18 points, leaving 9 for the other four stats), or three 13s, or any configuration within the 27-point budget. The standard array forces you into specific tiers. You get exactly one 15, one 14, one 13, one 12, one 10, and one 8 — not two 15s, not zero 10s.
For most players, the standard array is a completely valid and convenient choice. For players who have a specific build in mind that requires two high stats (like a Paladin needing both STR 16 and CHA 16 after racial bonuses), point buy might produce a more precisely tailored result.
How to Assign the Standard Array
The general principle: put your highest scores in your primary stats, your second-highest in your secondary stats, and the 8 in a stat your class rarely uses. Here are common assignments by class:
- Fighter (STR-based): STR 15, CON 14, DEX 13, WIS 12, INT 10, CHA 8. After a racial +2 STR, you start with STR 17.
- Wizard: INT 15, CON 14, DEX 13, WIS 12, CHA 10, STR 8. After High Elf racial +1 INT, INT 16.
- Cleric (Hill Dwarf): WIS 15, CON 14, STR 13, CHA 12, DEX 10, INT 8. After +2 CON/+1 WIS, WIS 16/CON 16.
- Rogue: DEX 15, CON 14, WIS 13, INT 12, CHA 10, STR 8. Clean DEX-primary setup.
- Paladin: STR 15, CHA 14, CON 13, WIS 12, INT 10, DEX 8. Harder — Paladin's MAD shows even with good array assignments.
Is the Standard Array Legal in Adventurers League?
Yes — the standard array is one of the two approved stat generation methods for Adventurers League (AL). Point buy is the other. Rolling stats is not permitted in AL. If you're building a character for organized play, use standard array or this point buy calculator.