Expertise in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (5E) is a powerful mechanic that allows characters to double their proficiency bonus in selected skills or tools. This feature enables players to specialize in areas like Stealth, Persuasion, or Investigation, greatly enhancing their effectiveness in skill-based challenges. In this guide, we’ll explore how Expertise works, which classes gain it, and the best ways to optimize its use.


Understanding the Basics of Expertise

What is Expertise?

Expertise is a game mechanic in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition that allows a character to double their proficiency bonus for certain skill checks. Unlike standard proficiency, which adds a fixed bonus to ability checks, Expertise significantly enhances a character’s ability in chosen skills, making them highly specialized in specific areas.

How Expertise Works

When a character gains Expertise in a skill or tool they are already proficient in, their proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check that involves that skill. This rule applies regardless of the ability score used for the check. The formula for calculating an Expertise-enhanced skill check is:

Ability Modifier + (Proficiency Bonus × 2) + Other Modifiers

For example, if a character with a Dexterity modifier of +3 and a proficiency bonus of +4 has Expertise in Stealth, their total Stealth bonus would be:

3 (Dexterity) + (4 × 2) = +11

This makes Expertise one of the most powerful ways to enhance a character’s effectiveness in specific areas.

Skills and Tools Affected by Expertise

Expertise applies to any skill or tool proficiency a character possesses. Common skills that benefit from Expertise include:

  • Stealth (for sneaky characters)
  • Persuasion (for charismatic negotiators)
  • Perception (for keen-eyed scouts)
  • Sleight of Hand (for pickpockets and tricksters)

In addition to skills, Expertise can also be applied to tool proficiencies, such as Thieves' Tools or an Artisan’s Tools, depending on the character’s features.

Who Gains Expertise?

Expertise is primarily granted through class features, but it can also be acquired through feats and other character options. The main ways to gain Expertise include:

  • Class Features: Rogues and Bards naturally gain Expertise at specific levels, allowing them to select skills or tools to enhance.
  • Feats: Some feats, such as Skill Expert, grant Expertise in a chosen skill.
  • Multiclassing: A character who multiclasses into a class that grants Expertise may gain access to this feature.

Expertise vs. Proficiency Bonus

It’s important to distinguish Expertise from a standard proficiency bonus. While proficiency grants a fixed bonus to certain skills, Expertise amplifies this bonus by doubling it. However, Expertise does not stack beyond doubling the proficiency bonus—it does not triple or increase further regardless of additional sources.

Understanding the basics of Expertise is fundamental for optimizing character builds and making the most of skill-based mechanics in D&D 5E.

Classes with Expertise Features

In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, the Expertise feature is primarily associated with certain classes that emphasize skill mastery. This feature allows characters to double their proficiency bonus for selected skills, significantly enhancing their effectiveness. Below, we explore the classes that gain Expertise as part of their core progression, as well as variations introduced in the 2024 Player’s Handbook update.

Rogue: The Master of Expertise

The Rogue class is the quintessential Expertise user, gaining access to this feature early in their progression.

  • Level 1: Rogues choose two skills in which they have proficiency and apply Expertise, doubling their proficiency bonus.
  • Level 6: They select two additional skills (or thieves’ tools) to gain Expertise.
  • Impact on Gameplay: Expertise allows Rogues to excel in critical skill checks such as Stealth, Sleight of Hand, and Perception, making them unparalleled scouts and infiltrators.

Bard: Versatility in Expertise

Bards gain access to Expertise through their Jack of All Trades approach to skill mastery.

  • Level 3: Bards select two proficient skills for Expertise.
  • Level 10: They choose two more skills for Expertise.
  • College Variations: Some Bard subclasses further enhance skill effectiveness, making Expertise even more potent in social and knowledge-based interactions.

Artificer: The Skilled Inventor

Introduced in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the Artificer also gains Expertise, reflecting their deep technical knowledge.

  • Level 6 (Artificer Feature): Artificers select two proficient skills or tool proficiencies for Expertise.
  • Common Choices: Arcana, Investigation, and tool proficiencies such as Thieves' Tools or Tinker's Tools are popular selections, reinforcing their role as problem solvers and inventors.

New Expertise Options in the 2024 Player’s Handbook

The 2024 PHB update expands Expertise availability beyond traditional classes, offering more flexibility in character builds.

  • Rangers: Some Ranger subclasses now gain Expertise in survival-related skills, reflecting their honed wilderness training.
  • Monks: Certain Monk archetypes may receive Expertise in Acrobatics or Insight, reinforcing their mastery over body and mind.
  • Feat-Based Expertise: Feats like Skilled Expert allow characters from any class to gain Expertise in a chosen skill, broadening access beyond Rogues and Bards.

Multiclassing and Expertise

Players looking to maximize Expertise may consider multiclassing strategically:

  • Rogue 1 / Bard X: A single-level dip into Rogue provides immediate Expertise, complementing a Bard’s skill versatility.
  • Artificer 6 / Rogue X: This combination allows for Expertise in both tool proficiencies and crucial skills, making for an excellent investigator or trap specialist.

Conclusion

Expertise is a powerful feature that enhances skill-focused gameplay, allowing characters to become masters in their chosen areas. With the 2024 PHB update expanding access, more classes and builds can take advantage of this mechanic, broadening the strategic possibilities in Dungeons & Dragons.

Expertise vs. Double Proficiency

One of the common points of confusion in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition is the difference between Expertise and double proficiency. While both mechanics enhance a character’s skill proficiency, they function differently and have distinct applications in gameplay. Understanding these differences is essential for effective character building and optimization.

Understanding Expertise

Definition and Mechanics

Expertise is a feature that allows a character to double their proficiency bonus when making ability checks with selected skills or tools. Unlike standard proficiency, which merely adds the proficiency bonus to a skill check, Expertise significantly enhances a character's effectiveness in specific areas.

Classes That Gain Expertise

The Rogue and Bard are the primary classes that gain Expertise as a class feature:

  • Rogue: Gains Expertise at 1st level and again at 6th level, choosing two skills (or thieves' tools) each time.
  • Bard: Gains Expertise at 3rd level and again at 10th level, selecting two skills each time.

Other classes can also acquire Expertise through certain subclass abilities or by taking specific feats.

Skill Selection Strategy

Since Expertise allows a character to double their proficiency bonus, it is best applied to skills that align with their primary ability scores and playstyle. Common choices include:

  • Rogues: Stealth, Sleight of Hand, and Perception for scouting and infiltration.
  • Bards: Persuasion, Deception, or Performance for social interactions.

What Is Double Proficiency?

Situations Where Double Proficiency Applies

Double proficiency is a separate mechanic from Expertise, typically granted by specific class features, racial traits, or game effects. It allows a character to apply twice their proficiency bonus to a particular skill or tool, but it does not stack with Expertise.

Common Sources of Double Proficiency

Several abilities grant double proficiency in specific contexts:

  • Knowledge Cleric’s Blessings of Knowledge: Grants proficiency and doubles the bonus for two chosen skills.
  • Dwarven Stonecunning: Allows a dwarf to apply double proficiency to Intelligence (History) checks related to stonework.
  • Artificer's Tool Expertise: Doubles proficiency bonus for any tool proficiency the artificer has.

Stacking Rules

Expertise and other sources of double proficiency do not stack. If a character gains double proficiency from multiple sources (e.g., Expertise and a class feature), they still only apply double their proficiency bonus—not quadruple.

Practical Applications

Character Optimization

When deciding between Expertise and other sources of double proficiency, consider the character’s role in the party:

  • Skill-focused characters (Rogues, Bards): Expertise is crucial for excelling in their primary skills.
  • Utility-based characters (Artificers, Knowledge Clerics): Double proficiency can enhance situational skills without requiring class investment in Expertise.

Choosing Between Expertise and Double Proficiency

  • If a character has access to Expertise, prioritize skills that will be used frequently in exploration, combat, or social interactions.
  • Double proficiency from class features or racial traits is useful for boosting skills that may be used less often but have a significant impact when applicable.

Impact on Gameplay

Both Expertise and double proficiency enhance a character’s effectiveness in skill checks, but Expertise offers greater flexibility and broader application across multiple skills. Understanding how to apply these mechanics ensures that characters can maximize their abilities without redundancy.

Optimizing Character Builds with Expertise

Expertise is a powerful tool for enhancing a character’s effectiveness in skill-based challenges, allowing them to excel in specific areas. By strategically selecting skills, feats, and class combinations, players can maximize their character’s potential.

Selecting the Right Skills for Expertise

Choosing which skills to apply Expertise to is crucial for optimization. The best choices depend on a character’s role in the party and the campaign's focus.

  • Social Characters (Bards, Rogues, Face Builds): Prioritizing Persuasion, Deception, or Insight can make a character exceptionally effective in role-playing and negotiation scenarios.
  • Stealth and Infiltration (Rogues, Rangers, Assassins): Expertise in Stealth and Sleight of Hand enhances sneaky approaches and trap disarming.
  • Investigation and Perception (Detective or Scout Builds): Characters who need to gather information or detect hidden threats benefit from Expertise in Investigation and Perception.
  • Athletics and Acrobatics (Grappling, Mobility, Escaping Restraints): Strength-based characters, such as Fighters or Barbarians, may gain significant advantages by applying Expertise to Athletics for grappling and resisting shoves.

Class Combinations for Maximum Expertise

Some classes naturally gain Expertise, but multiclassing and subclass choices can expand its utility.

  • Rogue/Bard Multiclass: Both classes gain Expertise, allowing a character to apply double proficiency to up to four skills by 6th level.
  • Ranger (Gloom Stalker) + Rogue: This combination enhances stealth capabilities and perception, making for an excellent scout or ambush specialist.
  • Artificer (Skill Expert Feat) + Bard: Mixing an Artificer’s intelligence-based skills with Bard’s Expertise can create a highly versatile and knowledgeable character.

Leveraging Feats and Backgrounds

Certain feats and backgrounds provide additional opportunities to refine a character’s skill set.

  • Skill Expert Feat: Grants Expertise in one skill, making it a great option for classes that don’t naturally gain Expertise.
  • Prodigy (Half-Elf, Human, or Half-Orc Only): Provides proficiency in a skill and Expertise, along with a language and tool proficiency.
  • Background Choices: Some backgrounds offer critical skill proficiencies that align well with Expertise choices, such as the Charlatan (Deception, Sleight of Hand) or Sage (Arcana, History).

Synergizing Expertise with Other Abilities

  • Bardic Inspiration & Guidance: Combining Expertise with Bardic Inspiration or the Guidance cantrip further enhances a character’s skill checks.
  • Reliable Talent (Rogue Level 11): Ensures that any skill check using Expertise never rolls below a 10, making a Rogue nearly unstoppable in their chosen skills.
  • Jack of All Trades (Bard Level 2): Even non-Expertise skills benefit from Bardic flexibility, ensuring consistent success across multiple areas.

By carefully selecting skills, combining class features, and utilizing feats strategically, players can optimize their characters to perform exceptionally well in skill-based encounters.

Advanced Applications

Multi-Classing for Expanded Expertise

Multi-classing allows characters to gain Expertise in additional skills by taking levels in classes that offer the feature. For example, a Rogue 1 / Bard 3 gains Expertise from both classes, allowing them to double their proficiency in four different skills by level 3. This approach enables broader skill specialization and can create highly effective skill-based characters.

Optimizing Multi-Class Expertise

  • Rogue/Bard Combination: A Rogue 1 / Bard 3 benefits from two sources of Expertise early on, making them exceptionally skilled in social and stealth-related tasks.
  • Ranger/Rogue Synergy: A Ranger with a Rogue dip can gain Expertise in Survival and Stealth, ideal for tracking and ambush tactics.
  • Artificer/Rogue Combination: Grants Expertise in tools such as Thieves’ Tools or Tinker’s Tools, making for a masterful trap disarmer or inventor.

Feats and Backgrounds Enhancing Expertise

Certain feats and backgrounds can supplement Expertise, allowing for even greater skill specialization.

Feats That Provide Expertise

  • Skill Expert (Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything): Grants proficiency in one skill and Expertise in another, making it a valuable choice for any character wishing to gain additional Expertise.
  • Prodigy (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Half-Elf/Human/Variant Human only): Provides proficiency in one skill, one tool, and Expertise in a chosen skill.
  • Bountiful Luck (Halfling Racial Feat): While not Expertise directly, this feat enhances skill checks by allowing rerolls of natural 1s, effectively improving consistency.

Backgrounds That Enhance Skill Use

  • Urchin: Grants proficiency in Sleight of Hand and Stealth, both of which can benefit from Expertise as a Rogue.
  • Charlatan: Provides Deception and Sleight of Hand, excellent for social manipulation builds.

Expertise in Social Encounters

Expertise is a powerful tool in roleplaying-heavy campaigns where Persuasion, Deception, and Insight checks are frequent.

Persuasion and Deception in Diplomacy

  • Expertise in Persuasion: Essential for characters who serve as the party’s negotiator, enabling them to influence NPCs consistently.
  • Expertise in Deception: Useful for con artists, spies, and infiltrators who rely on lies and trickery to accomplish objectives.

Insight for Detecting Lies

  • Expertise in Insight: Helps to detect deception and uncover hidden motives, making it invaluable in intrigue-focused campaigns.

Expertise in Exploration and Utility

Beyond combat and social situations, Expertise can significantly impact exploration and utility-based gameplay.

Stealth and Perception in Dungeon Crawling

  • Expertise in Stealth: Allows characters to move undetected, useful for scouting and ambush tactics.
  • Expertise in Perception: Crucial for spotting traps, hidden doors, and ambushes before they occur.

Investigation and Arcana for Puzzle Solving

  • Expertise in Investigation: Helps in deciphering clues, uncovering hidden details, and solving complex puzzles.
  • Expertise in Arcana: Useful for understanding magical traps, deciphering runes, and identifying magical effects.

Expertise in Combat Scenarios

Though primarily a non-combat mechanic, Expertise can be leveraged for combat efficiency.

Initiative and Dexterity-Based Builds

  • Expertise in Acrobatics: Helps resist grapples and maintain mobility in combat.
  • Expertise in Stealth: Can make a character nearly undetectable, allowing for surprise attacks.

Grappling and Shoving Strategies

  • Expertise in Athletics: Makes a character highly effective at grappling and shoving enemies, controlling the battlefield.

By mastering the advanced applications of Expertise, players can build characters that excel in specific areas, ensuring their role in the party is both unique and impactful.

Expertise is one of the most valuable mechanics in D&D 5E, allowing characters to become exceptional in specific areas. Whether playing a stealthy Rogue, a charismatic Bard, or a knowledgeable Artificer, mastering Expertise can give you significant advantages in skill checks. Choose skills strategically, combine class features, and leverage feats for the most optimized character build!