Start with a concept
A character concept is the plain-language idea before the rules: a nervous village guard, a curious wizard apprentice, a former sailor, a charming troublemaker, or a devoted healer.
Volume One
Characters
Character concepts, class, ancestry or species, background, traits, abilities, and gear.
Class
A class is the character's main adventuring role. Examples include fighter, rogue, wizard, cleric, ranger, bard, paladin, and barbarian.
Ancestry, species, or race
Different tools use different terms. Older D&D material often says race. Newer language often says species or ancestry. This describes what kind of people your character comes from.
Background and traits
Background describes what your character did before adventuring. Traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws help you roleplay how the character behaves and what matters to them.
Ability scores
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma describe broad strengths and weaknesses. Do not finalize them until the table's method is chosen.
Gear and story
Equipment gives practical tools. A notable item can also become a story hook if the DM approves it.