Do You Add Your Proficiency Bonus to Damage in 5E?

There are a lot of situations where your proficiency bonus can come into play. From weapon attacks to carving a wooden trinket, these bonuses are frequently added to skill checks and attack rolls alike? But do you add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls in 5E? The answer is generally no.

Damage Rolls Do Not Include Your Proficiency Bonus

You may not add your proficiency bonus to your damage rolls, even if you are making an attack with a weapon you have proficiency with. The easiest way to remember this is to think of your proficiency with an object as a way to improve your chances of success. It might help you pick a lock or stab a foe, but it will not impact your damage rolls.

Instead, your damage from weapon attacks is based on two things: the damage die associated with a specific weapon and the appropriate modifier. Consider the dagger. It uses dexterity and naturally deals 1d4 damage. If you have a dexterity modifier of +4, each successful attack will deal 1d4+4 damage regardless of your proficiency bonus.

Any Exceptions Must Be Spelled Out Explicitly

Unless the language of a subclass, spell, or magical item say otherwise, you will never include your proficiency bonus in your damage rolls. However, it is worth mentioning that there are some exceptions that let you boost your damage based on your character.

The most common example is the necromancy wizard. The necromancer’s Undead Thralls feature allows the creatures they summon to add the wizard’s proficiency bonus to their damage rolls following a successful attack.

What is proficiency Good For?

If you can’t add this bonus to your damage rolls, what is the point of it? Your proficiency bonus is important when it comes to attack rolls and ability checks. This game mechanic is designed to put you at a disadvantage when you wield a weapon or use a tool you are not familiar with. The addition of this bonus is designed to reflect your mastery of a specific weapon or tool.