Player’s Guide

Version 9.1

Avernus Rising
A Campaign Supporting

Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Credits
D&D Staff-Head Dungeon Master: Chris Lindsay
D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Alan Patrick, Amy Lynn Dzura, Travis Woodall,
Lysa Penrose, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks

Effective Date
September 17, 2019

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of
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Part 1. Creating a Character
This document is a guide to creating an advancing a D&D character for play in the Forgotten Realms campaign
featuring BALDUR’S GATE: DESCENT INTO AVERNUS and managed by the D&D Adventurers League. The rules here are
supplemented by the Adventurers League FAQ (also found in the Adventurers League Player’s Pack).

In addition, your character must belong to a season.

What You Need to Play This choice grants your character additional rules that
To participate in D&D Adventurers League games, they wouldn’t otherwise have access to such as racial
you’ll need access to at least the following: or class traits, or other rules unique to the season.
D&D Basic Rules. This .pdf document is free on the
Wizards of the Coast website and contains all the basic Step 2: Determine Ability Scores
rules of the game. For a more complete experience, we Your character’s ability scores are generated using one
recommend you use a fifth edition D&D Player’s of the following methods:
Handbook.
• Standard Array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8)
A Character Sheet and an Adventure Logsheet.
• Variant: Customizing Ability Scores (PHB).
You can use any character sheet meant for fifth edition
D&D, and an adventure logsheet that suits you. You
can find some at D&D Adventurers League Resources. Step 3: Describe Your Character
Describe your character and choose a background.
Background. Choose or create a background using
Character Creation the Player’s Handbook or other campaign resources.
You’ll also need a character made for the D&D Additional resources are permitted in the Adventurers
Adventurers League. All characters begin at 1st level. League Content Catalogue (ALCC).
Alignment. Generally, Forgotten Realms characters
Step 1: Choose a Race and Class can be any alignment but evil. However, members of
Forgotten Realms characters can choose race and class either the Lords’ Alliance or Zhentarim faction (see
options from the Player’s Handbook and one other Step 5, below) can be lawful evil.
resource—a rule called “PHB+1.” Additional resources Deities. Your character can choose any deity listed
include the following products: in Deities of the Forgotten Realms and Nonhuman
Deities tables in the Player’s Handbook or any of those
• Elemental Evil Player’s Companion (EEPC) mentioned in the resources listed in Step 1, above.
• Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide (SCAG) Clerics must worship a single, specific deity but aren’t
• Volo’s Guide to Monsters (VGM) limited to the Domains recommended for their deity.
• Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (XGE)1 Other characters are not required to have a deity.
• Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes (ToF)2
Additionally, when selecting an additional source, Step 4: Choose Equipment
the following variant or optional rules are available Your character’s class and background determine
when you create your character: equipment and gold; you don’t roll for starting wealth.
Trinkets. You start with a trinket from the table in
• Variant Human Traits (PHB) Chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook—choosing one or
• Half-Elf and Tiefling Variants (SCAG/ToF) determining it randomly (your choice).
• Option: Human Languages (SCAG)3 Equipment. Your character can sell or buy spell
• Blessing of Corellon (ToF)3 components and equipment found in the Player’s
NOTE: Races with flight at 1st level, and options from Handbook or any player resources.
any resource other than those listed above aren’t
available without specific campaign documentation Step 5: Select a Faction (Optional)
(i.e., certs, etc.). Some Season 9 characters can develop Your character can be a member of a faction only if
wings at 5th level (see Appendix 2: Season 9 they have the Safe Haven background feature (Faction
Characters). Agent background, Sword Coast Adventurers Guide).
Members of a faction receive an identifying insignia
1
XGE also includes the “Tortle Package” of their faction: a pin, a brassard, or special coin. In
2
Chapters 1 – 5, only addition, they can also identify themselves in other
3
Taking this option can be done, even if its source ways, such as clothing, tattoos, or secret handshakes.
product isn’t your selection for PHB+1 Additional information regarding factions can be
found in Appendix 1: Renown.

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Part 2. Adventurers League Play
To play an adventure, your character must fall within the adventure’s level range. Once you begin a hardcover
adventure you can continue to play it if you advance out of its level range, but if you stop to play a different hardcover
adventure, you can’t return to the first one.

Current Tier Downtime Cost

During Your Adventures 1 20 days
Your character can sell or buy equipment using the 2 80 days
3 200 days
rules found in the Player’s Handbook. Between
sessions, your character can purchase equipment
Downtime: Copying Spells. Characters copying
found in any resource from Step 2, above. Some
spells into a spellbook must use this downtime
adventures, however, impose limitations on what can
activity. You spend up to 8 hours copying spells into
be purchased during a session. Currency and
your spellbook and/or making their spellbook
equipment can’t be given to another character, but:
available for other characters to copy from for each
• Equipment and consumable items can be lent to downtime day you spend. Characters playing the same
other characters at your table but must return it at adventure together can “trade” spells with each other
the end of the session (unless it’s been consumed). using this activity. Each wizard has their own
• Permanent magic items can be traded (see below). “language” used for scribing spells and can’t benefit
• Characters can choose to divide the cost of NPC from the Help action when scribing—even if assisted
spellcasting services obtained during an adventure. by other wizards. You must pursue this downtime
activity in the presence of your table’s DM.
Buying Potions and Scrolls Downtime: Trading Magic Items. Permanent magic
Your character can buy potions and scrolls, as follows: items can be traded on a one-for-one basis for items
of the same rarity. Only tier 4 characters can trade
Potion of… Cost* Potion of… Cost*
legendary items. Unique magic items or magic items
Healing 50 gp Water breathing 100 gp
without remaining magical properties can’t be traded.
Climbing 75 gp Superior healing 500 gp
Animal friendship 100 gp Supreme healing 5,000 gp
Each party to the trade must spend 15 downtime days
Greater healing 100 gp Invisibility 5,000 gp unless they’re playing at the same table. Certificates (if
present) must accompany the trade or be destroyed.
Spell Scroll Level Cost* Spell Scroll Level Cost* In the event of conflict, the Dungeon Master’s Guide
Cantrip 25 gp 3rd 300 gp determines an item’s rarity and properties.
1st 75 gp 4th 500 gp Brewing Potions of Healing (XGE). Brewing potions
2nd 150 gp 5th 1,000 gp of healing requires the use of an herbalism kit.
*The cost of scrolls above is in addition to any component cost. Scribing Scrolls (XGE). You must know or be able to
prepare a spell before you can scribe it to a spell scroll.
Downtime and Lifestyle This cost is in addition to the spell’s component cost.
Your character can participate in downtime activities
before, during, or after a session. You can use the Character Advancement
downtime activities found in the Player’s Handbook or
the following activities. Others can be used if allowed Your character gains a level upon completing an
by other campaign documents (lifestyle costs aren’t adventure. In hardcover adventure sessions, your DM
incurred when spending downtime days): will tell you when you’ve gained a level. Otherwise if,
Downtime: Spellcasting Services. You can spend a after four hours of play (or eight hours at tiers 2 – 4)
downtime day to have an NPC cast a spell for you. in a hardcover adventure, your DM doesn’t tell you
Alternatively, you can use this downtime activity to that you’ve gained a level, you gain a level. In this
cast a spell yourself or benefit from a spell cast by instance your character advances to the next level at
another character that is at the same table as you the end of the session.
without the need for resources such as spell slots, etc. If you’d like to continue playing at your current
The DM alone has ultimate discretion on whether use level, you can decline to gain a level, although it has an
of downtime is feasible during the session (i.e., there impact on other rewards that you receive.
are multiple days of inactivity that make it an option). Advancing Your Character. Your character
Downtime: Catching Up. By spending downtime at advances using the options found in your PHB+1. Use
4th, 10th, or 16th level you gain a level. You gain no the fixed hit point value provided in the class’s entry
gold or other treasure. in the PHB; characters never roll their hit points.
Magic Items. In order to maintain portability in this
shared-world campaign, whenever the group you’re

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playing with finds a magic item, your character can Magic Item. Note magic items that your character
keep it if you wish, though the number of magic items gained and lost during the session.
your character can own at a given time is determined Downtime. Annotate downtime days that were
by their tier (common, consumable, and story items earned and spent during the session and what
don’t count against this limit). Instead of gaining a new downtime activities they were spent towards.
item, your character can instead replace an item in Adventure Notes. Record other important things
their possession with a new one—useful in getting rid that happened during the adventure or information
of obsolete items or those that have been destroyed or you’ll need later, here: deaths, special rewards (story
have no magic remaining. Legendary items can only items/effects, etc.), etc. For hardcover adventure
be kept by tier 4 characters, but others finding one sessions, record the number of hours you’ve played
instead unlock it and can choose to take possession of since gaining your last level.
it when they reach tier 4 (levels 17 through 20). Until
then the item doesn’t count against the character’s Planning for the Future
Magic Item Limit. Only one character a table can
possess a story item at the table at a given time. As you gain levels, your character evolves and grows.
In advancing your character, the following rules apply:
Tier Magic Item Limit Tier Magic Item Limit Stopping Progression. If you decline advancement
1 1 3 6 at the end of an adventure (or when your DM awards
2 3 4 10 you a level), your character still keeps any magic items
and gold they found during the session (though they’re
Monetary Rewards. Your Dungeon Master awards
still subject to the tier-based limitations on both).
your character gold during play. In order to maintain
Character Rebuilding. You can rebuild your
character equality in this shared-world campaign, the character prior to playing their first adventure as a
maximum amount of gold your character can earn is
5th-level character—changing any of your character’s
based on how many hours they’ve played in their
statistics but their name and season. Non-mechanical
current tier. While your DM is strongly encouraged
aspects of your character such as alignment, gender,
to award this amount of gold each hour, you earn an choice of deity, or personality traits can be changed
amount of gold equal to half of the hourly award for
between sessions regardless of level.
each hour you play during the session if they don’t.
Your character keeps any rewards and equipment
Once your character has earned an amount of gold earned to that point. If your character’s class or
equal to their GP Limit, inform your DM; they can’t
background changes, they lose any equipment that it
earn any more until they reach a new level. Once your
granted, along with the proceeds from selling it, or
character reaches 20th level, their GP limit resets each benefits derived from it, such as copied spells or gold
time they complete an adventure. earned by selling it. Similarly, if you change their
Tier Hourly GP Award (Minimum) GP Limit per Level faction, access to renown benefits are suspended (see
1 20 gp (10 gp) 80 gp Appendix 1: Renown). Story awards can’t be rebuilt,
2 30 gp (15 gp) 240 gp not can you rebuild your character if they’re dead or
3 200 gp (100 gp) 1,600 gp otherwise subject to something that removes them
4 750 gp (375 gp) 6,000 gp from play (see Death, Disease, and Curses, below).
Death, Disease, and Curses. Dead characters or
Downtime Days. Your character earns 10 downtime those subject to a condition or story award that
days after gaining a level (20 for tier 2 – 4 characters). removes them from play (vampirism, lycanthropy,
petrification, etc.) can’t begin a new session until they
The Adventure Logsheet purchase spellcasting services with gold or remove a
Though there is no required format, you must use permanent magic item (excluding common magic
some form of Adventure Logsheet to track your items) to return them to life or to remove any
character’s rewards from adventure to adventure. At conditions or story awards that removed them from
the end of each session, you’ll record the following play—including those requiring a wish. This
information in your Adventure Logsheet: temporarily reduces their Magic Item Limit by 1. This
Adventure Name. Write the name of the adventure reduction persists until the character reaches the next
you played (if a hardcover, write the session’s tier of play (or, for 20th-level characters, until they’ve
number). completed two adventures). This option is available
Advancement. Indicate whether your character even if their Magic Item Limit has been reduced to 0 or
gained a level at the end of the session. they have no magic items.
Gold. Indicate how much gold your character earned
and/or spent during the session.

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Appendix 1: Renown
By adventuring, your character establishes themselves among the denizens of Faerûn. As their reputation grows, they
can call in favors from those they have crossed paths with along their journeys.

If this type of behavior persists after this penalty has

Renown Rank Benefits occurred, the DM’s has ultimate discretion to excuse
While members of specific factions enjoy additional you from the game—in which case you forfeit all
benefits, all characters (not just faction members) rewards for the session. If excused in this way, you
accrue renown based on their level: can’t replay the adventure with the same character.
Short-Term Suspensions. Your character’s access to
Tier Title
renown benefits is suspended for one adventure or
1 Novice
chapter. These suspensions can be imposed for:
2 Adept
3 Veteran • Your character is witnessed committing a crime.
4 Heroic • Your character is found guilty of committing a crime.
When your character starts a new adventure or • DM’s discretion (use sparingly). This can include
chapter, they can choose a single renown benefit things such as acting a manner that is not beneficial
associated with their current rank. Items can’t be sold to the faction’s goals; significant disrespect of
or traded and are lost if unused at the end of the persons with legitimate authority, abusing
adventure or chapter (whichever happens first). commoners, intentionally hindering the group, etc.
Rank Level It’s important to note that sometimes these actions
Novice Inspiration and a potion of healing can be allowed or even requested by the other party
Adept An item worth 100 gp or less from a table members (such as everyone involved agreeing that
in Chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook casting fireball amidst the party is the only way to
Veteran A vehicle with noncombatant crew eliminate their foes en masse or if your character is
Hero Potion of superior healing or elixir of health
subject to spells such as dominate person, etc.). In
these cases, no suspension of benefits is applied.
Renown Item
Adept characters can choose to gain a +1 weapon, +1
shield, +1 rod of the pact keeper, or a +1 wand of the Faction Membership
war mage tied to their background (a Folk Hero might Your character can join any faction they meet the
get an old +1 greatsword that belonged to a retired requirements for (for example, members of Bregan
adventurer, a Sage may find a +1 wand of the war mage D’aerthe must be drow). You can only be a member of
hidden in a library, for example). Your character’s one faction at any time and maintaining membership
Magic Item Limit applies to this item, and the item in a faction requires a character to possess the Safe
can’t be sold or traded, but can be replaced with other Haven background feature (Faction Agent background,
items as you wish. Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide). Your character can
leave their faction at any time. To do so, they replace
Renown Suspensions the Safe Haven background feature with a new one or
choose a new faction. In either case, they receive a
Just as your character earns access to renown rewards short-term suspension from renown benefits.
through heroic acts, so too can they lose it through
unheroic ones. If suspended, your character loses
Faction Item
access to renown benefits at the beginning of a Adept faction members can choose to gain a magical
number of adventures as determined by the duration ring bearing their faction’s insignia. Your character’s
of their suspension: Magic Item Limit applies to this item and it can’t be
Long-Term Suspension. Your character’s access to sold or traded but can be replaced with other items as
renown benefits is suspended for a number of you wish. The item gained is determined by their
adventures or chapters equal to half their level faction but is lost if you leave the faction.
(minimum 1). These suspensions are imposed for
egregious in-game and out-of-game actions, such as: Faction Item
All ring of protection
• Attacking another character without the consent of Harpers ring of free action
their player and the Dungeon Master. Order of the Gauntlet ring of fire resistance
• DM’s Discretion (use sparingly). This includes Emerald Enclave ring of animal influence
truly disruptive things; such as hostile behavior Lords’ Alliance ring of the ram
against faction members, overtly evil acts, etc. Zhentarim ring of evasion

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Appendix 2: Season 9 Characters
D&D Adventurers League play is divided into story seasons. Since the beginning of the program there have been eight
story seasons, each one focusing on, and supporting adventure product(s) released by the D&D team at Wizards of the
Coast. As we prepare to begin Season 9, in support of Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus, we’d like to make some new
options available to characters created specifically to start the campaign with.

Character Creation Unlocks Inherited Malevolence

If your character isn’t an aasimar or tiefling, that’s not
All characters created for Season 9 play gain the to say they get left out in the fiery, acidic rain.
Lingering Legacy of Evil trait and your choice of Characters that don’t choose Plane-Touched Wings
either the Plane-Touched Wings or Inherited can choose to start with any common magic item from
Malevolence traits. Characters created prior to Xanathar’s Guide to Everything except magical armor,
Season 9 may NOT take advantage of these traits. weapons, wondrous items that function as weapons, a
clockwork amulet, a dark shard amulet, a hat of
Lingering Legacy of Evil wizardry, or a ruby of the war mage.
When you roll to determine the number of temporary Additionally, the item has one of the following
hit points gained by a soul coin’s Drain Life property, features incorporated into its design.
you can roll twice and choose either result.
Alternatively, they receive a response to two d20 Infernal Legacy
questions when using a soul coin’s Query property. 1 Human hair or skin
This trait is lost at the end of the season. 2 Geometric pieces of green steel
3 Teeth from a large, unknown creature
4 The stench of sulfur
Plane-Touched Wings 5 Wisps of acidic (but harmless) steam
If you wish to create an aasimar or tiefling, that 6 A blinking red eye
character gains the benefit associated with their race, 7 A nimbus of harmless flames
below. Neither benefit is contingent upon selecting the 8 The terms of a now-void infernal contract
referenced resource as their +1. 9 Whispered voices urging the wearer to do evil
Aasimar. You can choose aasimar (Volo’s Guide to 10 An expended soul coin
Monsters) as your character’s race. Additionally, at 5th 11 A tiny vial of demon ichor
level, you can permanently replace the Light Bearer 12 Blood-red crystals
trait and racial trait they gain at 3rd level to sprout 13 A mirror that occasionally reflects a devil’s eye
feathered wings—gaining a fly speed of 30 ft while not 14 Profane prayers written on scraps of flesh
wearing heavy armor. 15 Chitinous spikes
Tiefling. At 5th level, you can permanently replace 16 Black wood that oozes red sap
their Infernal Legacy trait with the Winged tiefling 17 Green glass
variant trait (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide). 18 Pitted silver stamped with Infernal runes
19 Barbed, cold iron chains
20 Flecks of blood that never wash off

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