Sidekicks
This section provides a straightforward way to add a special NPC—called a sidekick—to the group of adventurers. These rules take a creature with a low challenge rating and give it levels in one of three simple classes: Expert, Spellcaster, or Warrior.
A sidekick can be incorporated into a group at the party’s inception, or a sidekick might join them during the campaign. For example, the characters might meet a villager, an animal, or another creature, forge a friendship, and invite the creature to join them on their adventures.
You can also use these rules to customize a monster for your own use as DM.
To join the adventurers, the sidekick must be the friend of at least one of them. This friendship might be connected to a character’s backstory or to events that have transpired in play. For example, a sidekick could be a childhood friend or pet, or it might be a creature the adventurers saved. As DM, you determine whether there is sufficient trust established for the creature to join the group.
You decide who plays the sidekick. Here are some options:Gaining a Sidekick Class
When you create a sidekick, you choose the class it will have for the rest of its career: Expert, Spellcaster, or Warrior, each of which is detailed below. If a sidekick class contains a choice, you may make the choice or let the players make it.
If the sidekick drops to 0 hit points and isn’t killed outright, it falls unconscious and subsequently makes death saving throws, just like a player character.
Whenever the sidekick’s proficiency bonus increases by 1, add 1 to the to-hit modifier of all the attacks in its stat block, and increase the DCs in its stat block by 1.
If it’s unclear whether a melee attack in the stat block uses Strength or Dexterity, the attack can use either.
The sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in five skills of your choice, and it gains proficiency with light armor. If it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it also gains proficiency with all simple weapons and with two tools of your choice.
The sidekick is adept at giving well-timed assistance; the sidekick can take the Help action as a bonus action.
The sidekick’s agility or quick thinking allows it to act speedily. On its turn in combat, it can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action as a bonus action.
Choose two of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies. The sidekick’s proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check it makes that uses any of the chosen proficiencies. At 15th level, choose two more of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.
At 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
The sidekick is adept at fighting in concert with a companion. When the sidekick uses its Helpful feature to aid an ally in attacking a creature, that target can be up to 30 feet away from the sidekick, and the sidekick can deal an extra 2d6 damage to it the next time the sidekick hits it with an attack roll before the end of the current turn. The extra damage is the same type of damage dealt by the attack.
Because of extraordinary good luck, the sidekick is skilled at avoiding danger. When the sidekick is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it failed. The sidekick doesn’t benefit from this feature while incapacitated.
When the sidekick takes the Help action, the creature who receives the help also gains a 1d6 bonus to the d20 roll. If that roll is an attack roll, the creature can forgo adding the bonus to it, and then if the attack hits, the creature can add the bonus to the attack’s damage roll against one target. At 20th level, the bonus increases to 2d6.
The sidekick has refined its skills to an exceptional degree. Whenever the sidekick makes an ability check that includes its whole proficiency bonus, it can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
The sidekick gains proficiency in one of the following saving throws of your choice: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
To gain the Spellcaster class, a creature must have at least one language in its stat block that it can speak.
A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels in this class, as summarized on the Spellcaster table.
The sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following list: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion. The sidekick gains proficiency with light armor, and if it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it also gains proficiency with all simple weapons.
The sidekick gains the ability to cast spells. (If the creature already has the Spellcasting trait, this feature replaces that trait.) Choose the Spellcaster’s role: Mage, Healer, or Prodigy. This choice determines the spell list and spellcasting ability used by the sidekick, as shown on the Spellcasting table.
Spell Slots. The Spellcaster table shows how many spell slots the sidekick has to cast its Spellcaster spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, the sidekick must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. The sidekick regains all expended spell slots when it finishes a long rest.
Spells Known. The sidekick knows two cantrips and one 1st-level spell of your choice from its spell list. Here are recommendations for a 1st-level spellcaster of each role:
Mage: mage hand, ray of frost, thunderwave
Healer: cure wounds, guidance, sacred flame
Prodigy: eldritch blast, healing word, light
The Cantrips Known and Spells Known columns of the Spellcaster table shows when the sidekick learns more spells of your choice. Each of the spells in the Spells Known column must be of a level for which the sidekick has spell slots, as shown on the table. For instance, when the sidekick reaches 5th level in this class, it can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when the sidekick gains a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells it knows from this class and replace it with another spell from its spell list. The new spell must be a cantrip or of a level for which the sidekick has spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. The sidekick’s spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the choice you made on the Spellcasting table.
The sidekick uses its spellcasting ability whenever a spell refers to that ability. In addition, it uses its spellcasting ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell it casts and when making an attack roll with one.
At 4th level and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 18th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
The sidekick can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals with any cantrip.
Empowered Spells
14th-level Spellcaster feature
Choose one school of magic. Whenever the sidekick casts a spell of that school by expending a spell slot, the sidekick can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the spell’s damage roll or healing roll, if any.
Taking damage can’t break the sidekick’s concentration on a spell.
A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels in this class, as summarized on the Warrior table.
The sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.
In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following list: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival.
The sidekick gains proficiency with all armor, and if it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it gains proficiency with shields and all simple and martial weapons.
Each warrior focuses on offense or defense in their training. Choose one of the following options: Attacker. The sidekick gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls. Defender. The sidekick can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll of a creature within 5 feet of it whose target isn’t the sidekick, provided the sidekick can see the attacker.
The sidekick can use a bonus action on its turn to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + its level in this class. Once it uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.
The sidekick can use this feature twice between rests starting at 20th level.
The sidekick’s attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
At 4th level and again at 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
The sidekick can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when the sidekick reaches 15th level.
If the sidekick has the Multiattack action, it can use Extra Attack or Multiattack on a turn, not both.
The sidekick has advantage on initiative rolls.
The sidekick’s Armor Class increases by 1.
The sidekick can reroll a saving throw that it fails, but it must use the new roll. When it uses this feature, it can’t use the feature again until it finishes a long rest.
The sidekick can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 18th level.
A sidekick can be incorporated into a group at the party’s inception, or a sidekick might join them during the campaign. For example, the characters might meet a villager, an animal, or another creature, forge a friendship, and invite the creature to join them on their adventures.
You can also use these rules to customize a monster for your own use as DM.
Creating a Sidekick
A sidekick can be any type of creature with a stat block in the Monster Manual or another D&D book, but the challenge rating in its stat block must be 1/2 or lower. You take that stat block and add to it, as explained in the “Gaining a Sidekick Class” section.To join the adventurers, the sidekick must be the friend of at least one of them. This friendship might be connected to a character’s backstory or to events that have transpired in play. For example, a sidekick could be a childhood friend or pet, or it might be a creature the adventurers saved. As DM, you determine whether there is sufficient trust established for the creature to join the group.
You decide who plays the sidekick. Here are some options:
- A player plays the sidekick as their second character—ideal when you have only one or two players.
- A player plays the sidekick as their only character—ideal for a player who wants a character who’s simpler than a typical player character.
- The players jointly play the sidekick.
- You play the sidekick.
Gaining a Sidekick Class
When you create a sidekick, you choose the class it will have for the rest of its career: Expert, Spellcaster, or Warrior, each of which is detailed below. If a sidekick class contains a choice, you may make the choice or let the players make it.
Starting Level
The starting level of a sidekick is the same as the average level of the group. For example, if a 1st-level group starts out with a sidekick, that sidekick is also 1st level, but if a 10th-level group invites a sidekick to join them, that sidekick starts at 10th level.Leveling Up a Sidekick
Whenever a group’s average level goes up, the sidekick gains a level. It doesn’t matter how much of the group’s recent adventures the sidekick experienced; the sidekick levels up because of a combination of the adventures it shared with the group and its own training.Hit Points
Whenever the sidekick gains a level, it gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll the Hit Die (the type of die appears in the sidekick’s stat block), and add its Constitution modifier. It gains a minimum of 1 hit point per level.If the sidekick drops to 0 hit points and isn’t killed outright, it falls unconscious and subsequently makes death saving throws, just like a player character.
Proficiency Bonus
The sidekick’s proficiency bonus is determined by its level in its class, as shown in the class’s table.Whenever the sidekick’s proficiency bonus increases by 1, add 1 to the to-hit modifier of all the attacks in its stat block, and increase the DCs in its stat block by 1.
Ability Score Increases
Whenever the sidekick gains the Ability Score Improvement feature, adjust anything in its stat block that relies on an ability modifier that you increase. For example, if the sidekick has an attack that uses its Strength modifier, increase the attack’s modifiers to hit and damage if the Strength modifier increases.If it’s unclear whether a melee attack in the stat block uses Strength or Dexterity, the attack can use either.
Expert
The Expert is a master of certain tasks or knowledge, favoring cunning over brawn. It might be a scout, a musician, a librarian, a clever street kid, a wily merchant, or a burglar. To gain the Expert class, a creature must have at least one language in its stat block that it can speak. A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels, as summarized on the Expert table.The Expert
| Level | Proficiency | Bonus Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Bonus Proficiencies, Helpful |
| 2nd | +2 | Cunning Action |
| 3rd | +2 | Expertise |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | — |
| 6th | +3 | Coordinated Strike |
| 7th | +3 | Evasion |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | — |
| 10th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 11th | +4 | Inspiring Help (1d6) |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Reliable Talent |
| 15th | +5 | Expertise |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | — |
| 18th | +6 | Sharp Mind |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Inspiring Help (2d6) |
Bonus Proficiencies
1st-level Expert featureThe sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in five skills of your choice, and it gains proficiency with light armor. If it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it also gains proficiency with all simple weapons and with two tools of your choice.
Helpful
1st-level Expert featureThe sidekick is adept at giving well-timed assistance; the sidekick can take the Help action as a bonus action.
Cunning Action
2nd-level Expert featureThe sidekick’s agility or quick thinking allows it to act speedily. On its turn in combat, it can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action as a bonus action.
Expertise
3rd-level Expert featureChoose two of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies. The sidekick’s proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check it makes that uses any of the chosen proficiencies. At 15th level, choose two more of the sidekick’s skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level Expert featureAt 4th level and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Coordinated Strike
6th-level Expert featureThe sidekick is adept at fighting in concert with a companion. When the sidekick uses its Helpful feature to aid an ally in attacking a creature, that target can be up to 30 feet away from the sidekick, and the sidekick can deal an extra 2d6 damage to it the next time the sidekick hits it with an attack roll before the end of the current turn. The extra damage is the same type of damage dealt by the attack.
Evasion
7th-level Expert featureBecause of extraordinary good luck, the sidekick is skilled at avoiding danger. When the sidekick is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it failed. The sidekick doesn’t benefit from this feature while incapacitated.
Inspiring Help
11th-level Expert featureWhen the sidekick takes the Help action, the creature who receives the help also gains a 1d6 bonus to the d20 roll. If that roll is an attack roll, the creature can forgo adding the bonus to it, and then if the attack hits, the creature can add the bonus to the attack’s damage roll against one target. At 20th level, the bonus increases to 2d6.
Reliable Talent
14th-level Expert featureThe sidekick has refined its skills to an exceptional degree. Whenever the sidekick makes an ability check that includes its whole proficiency bonus, it can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Sharp Mind
18th-level Expert featureThe sidekick gains proficiency in one of the following saving throws of your choice: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
Spellcaster
A sidekick who becomes a Spellcaster walks the paths of magic. The sidekick might be a hedge wizard, a priest, a soothsayer, a magical performer, or a person with magic in their veins.To gain the Spellcaster class, a creature must have at least one language in its stat block that it can speak.
A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels in this class, as summarized on the Spellcaster table.
The Spellcaster
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Bonus Proficiencies | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | — | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Potent Cantrips | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | — | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | — | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | — | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Empowered Spells | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | — | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +7 | — | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +7 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +7 | — | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +7 | Focused Casting | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Bonus Proficiencies
1st-level Spellcaster featureThe sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma. In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following list: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion. The sidekick gains proficiency with light armor, and if it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it also gains proficiency with all simple weapons.
Spellcasting
1st-level Spellcaster featureThe sidekick gains the ability to cast spells. (If the creature already has the Spellcasting trait, this feature replaces that trait.) Choose the Spellcaster’s role: Mage, Healer, or Prodigy. This choice determines the spell list and spellcasting ability used by the sidekick, as shown on the Spellcasting table.
Spellcasting
| Role | Spell List | Ability |
|---|---|---|
| Mage | Wizard | Intelligence |
| Healer | Cleric and Druid | Wisdom |
| Prodigy | Bard and Warlock | Charisma |
Spells Known. The sidekick knows two cantrips and one 1st-level spell of your choice from its spell list. Here are recommendations for a 1st-level spellcaster of each role:
Mage: mage hand, ray of frost, thunderwave
Healer: cure wounds, guidance, sacred flame
Prodigy: eldritch blast, healing word, light
The Cantrips Known and Spells Known columns of the Spellcaster table shows when the sidekick learns more spells of your choice. Each of the spells in the Spells Known column must be of a level for which the sidekick has spell slots, as shown on the table. For instance, when the sidekick reaches 5th level in this class, it can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when the sidekick gains a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells it knows from this class and replace it with another spell from its spell list. The new spell must be a cantrip or of a level for which the sidekick has spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. The sidekick’s spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the choice you made on the Spellcasting table.
The sidekick uses its spellcasting ability whenever a spell refers to that ability. In addition, it uses its spellcasting ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell it casts and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + sidekick’s proficiency bonus + spellcasting ability modifier
Spell attack modifier = sidekick’s proficiency bonus + spellcasting ability modifier
Spellcasting Focus. The sidekick can use a focus for its spells depending on the choice you made on the Spellcasting table. A Mage can use an arcane focus, a Healer can use a holy symbol, and a Prodigy can use an arcane focus or a musical instrument.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level Spellcaster featureAt 4th level and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 18th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Potent Cantrips
6th-level Spellcaster featureThe sidekick can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals with any cantrip.
Empowered Spells
14th-level Spellcaster feature
Choose one school of magic. Whenever the sidekick casts a spell of that school by expending a spell slot, the sidekick can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the spell’s damage roll or healing roll, if any.
Focused Casting
20th-level Spellcaster featureTaking damage can’t break the sidekick’s concentration on a spell.
Warrior
A Warrior sidekick grows in martial prowess as it fights by your side. It might be a soldier, a town guard, a battle-trained beast, or any other creature honed for combat.A sidekick gains the following class features as it gains levels in this class, as summarized on the Warrior table.
The Warrior
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Bonus Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Bonus Proficiencies, Martial Role |
| 2nd | +2 | Second Wind (1 use) |
| 3rd | +2 | Improved Critical |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | — |
| 6th | +3 | Extra Attack (1 extra) |
| 7th | +3 | Battle Readiness |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | — |
| 10th | +4 | Improved Defense |
| 11th | +4 | Indomitable (1 use) |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 15th | +5 | Extra Attack (2 extra) |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | — |
| 18th | +6 | Indomitable (2 uses) |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Second Wind (2 uses) |
Bonus Proficiencies
1st-level Warrior featureThe sidekick gains proficiency in one saving throw of your choice: Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.
In addition, the sidekick gains proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following list: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival.
The sidekick gains proficiency with all armor, and if it is a humanoid or has a simple or martial weapon in its stat block, it gains proficiency with shields and all simple and martial weapons.
Martial Role
1st-level Warrior featureEach warrior focuses on offense or defense in their training. Choose one of the following options: Attacker. The sidekick gains a +2 bonus to all attack rolls. Defender. The sidekick can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll of a creature within 5 feet of it whose target isn’t the sidekick, provided the sidekick can see the attacker.
Second Wind
2nd-level Warrior featureThe sidekick can use a bonus action on its turn to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + its level in this class. Once it uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.
The sidekick can use this feature twice between rests starting at 20th level.
Improved Critical
3rd-level Warrior featureThe sidekick’s attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level Warrior featureAt 4th level and again at 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, the sidekick increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the sidekick increases two ability scores of your choice by 1. The sidekick can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Extra Attack
6th-level Warrior featureThe sidekick can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when the sidekick reaches 15th level.
If the sidekick has the Multiattack action, it can use Extra Attack or Multiattack on a turn, not both.
Battle Readiness
7th-level Warrior featureThe sidekick has advantage on initiative rolls.
Improved Defense
10th-level Warrior featureThe sidekick’s Armor Class increases by 1.
Indomitable
11th-level Warrior featureThe sidekick can reroll a saving throw that it fails, but it must use the new roll. When it uses this feature, it can’t use the feature again until it finishes a long rest.
The sidekick can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 18th level.
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