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- Sidekicks
created: 2026-03-09T12:15:34.440-04:00
modified: 2026-03-09T12:15:34.440-04:00
published: 2026-03-09T12:15:34.440-04:00
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Sidekicks
Source: Essentials Kit p. 63
On your adventures, the DM might reveal that you’ve befriended a special character called a sidekick, who joins your party. This appendix presents the game statistics for sidekicks, of which there are three types:
Expert, an agile and exceedingly helpful jack of all trades
Spellcaster, a magic-user who can cast spells to harm your foes or heal you and your friends
Warrior, a martial companion who specializes in striking your foes or defending you and your allies
The DM will either tell you which type of sidekick to use or let you choose one. It’s up to you and the DM to decide who controls the sidekick in play.
Sidekick Stat Blocks
A sidekick’s game statistics are presented in a box called a stat block, which is essentially a mini character sheet. A stat block contains things like ability scores and hit points, as well as the actions a sidekick is most likely to take in combat. Like any character, a sidekick can use the action options in the combat section of chapter 2.
These stat blocks work with any character race. If you and the DM agree, you may enhance your sidekick with the appropriate racial traits from chapter 1.
For more information on stat blocks, see the “Creatures” section.
Proficiencies
A sidekick is proficient with any armor, weapons, and tools included in its stat block. In addition, experts are proficient with simple weapons, rapiers, shortswords, and light armor; spellcasters are proficient with simple weapons and light armor; and warriors are proficient with simple and martial weapons, shields, and all armor.
Sidekick Level
Your sidekick starts as a 1st-level character. As you and your sidekick adventure together, your sidekick gains experience points and reaches new levels the same way a player character does, using the rules in chapter 1.
When a sidekick gains a level, look at the sidekick’s table below, and consult the new level’s row, which shows the sidekick’s new hit point maximum and features.
The DM may start a sidekick at a level higher than 1st, using the hit point maximum for its level on the appropriate table below. Also, give the sidekick the features for its current level and any earlier levels on that table.
Experts Beyond 1st Level
| Level | Hit Points | New Features |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 16 (3d8 + 3) | Cunning Action. On the expert’s turn in combat, it can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action as a bonus action. |
| 3rd | 22 (4d8 + 4) | Expertise. Choose two of the expert’s skill proficiencies. The proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check the expert makes that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. |
| 4th | 27 (5d8 + 5) | Ability Score Improvement. The expert’s Dex. score increases by 2, raising the modifier by 1, so increase the following numbers by 1: the Dex. saving throw bonus; the Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth bonuses; and the bonuses to hit and damage of the expert’s weapon attacks. |
| 5th | 33 (6d8 + 6) | Proficiency Bonus. The expert’s proficiency bonus increases by 1, so make the following changes in the stat block: increase the bonuses in the Saving Throws and Skills entries by 1, and increase the bonuses to hit of the weapon attacks by 1. |
| 6th | 38 (7d8 + 7) | Extra Attack. The expert can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn. |
| ^experts-beyond-1st-level |
Spellcasters Beyond 1st Level
| Level | Hit Points | New Features |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 13 (3d8) | Spellcasting. The spellcaster learns another 1st-level spell: bless (healer) or burning hands (mage). |
| 3rd | 18 (4d8) | Spellcasting. The spellcaster gains one 1st-level spell slot. The spellcaster also learns another 1st-level spell: shield of faith (healer) or shield (mage). |
| 4th | 22 (5d8) | Ability Score Improvement. The spellcaster’s Int. (mage) or Wis. (healer) score increases by 2, raising the modifier by 1, so increase the following numbers by 1: the spellcaster’s spell save DC and the bonus to hit of spell attacks, the bonuses in the Skills entry of the mage, the Wisdom saving throw bonus of the healer, and the passive Perception of the healer. Spellcasting. The spellcaster learns another cantrip: resistance (healer) or mage hand (mage). |
| 5th | 27 (6d8) | Proficiency Bonus. The spellcaster’s proficiency bonus increases by 1, so make the following changes in the stat block: increase the bonuses in the Saving Throws and Skills entries by 1, and increase the bonuses to hit of its spell and weapon attacks by 1. Spellcasting. The spellcaster gains one 1st-level spell slot and two 2nd-level spell slots. The spellcaster also learns one 2nd-level spell: aid (healer) or invisibility (mage) |
| 6th | 31 (7d8) | Potent Cantrips. The spellcaster can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals with any cantrip. |
| ^spellcasters-beyond-1st-level |
Warriors Beyond 1st Level
| Level | Hit Points | New Features |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 19 (3d8 + 6) | Second Wind. The warrior can use a bonus action on its turn to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + its level. If it does so, it can’t use this feature again until it finishes a short or long rest. |
| 3rd | 26 (4d8 + 8) | Improved Critical. The warrior’s attack rolls now score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20. |
| 4th | 32 (5d8 + 10) | Ability Score Improvement. The warrior’s Str. score increases by 2, raising the modifier by 1, so increase the warrior’s Athletics bonus by 1, and increase the bonuses to hit and damage of the warrior’s melee weapon attack by 1. |
| 5th | 39 (6d8 + 12) | Proficiency Bonus. The warrior’s proficiency bonus increases by 1, so make the following changes in the stat block: increase the bonuses in the Saving Throws and Skills entries by 1, increase the passive Perception by 1, and increase the bonuses to hit of the weapon attacks by 1. |
| 6th | 45 (7d8 + 14) | Extra Attack. The warrior can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn. |
| ^warriors-beyond-1st-level |