Reaching Level 5

Level 5 is a milestone for every AL character. It marks the start of Tier 2, it unlocks your Bastion, and it comes with a free magic item.

Getting to Level 5

Characters gain levels at the end of a session. From the ALPG v2026.4:

If this session completed a one-shot, 2+ hours of an official D&D adventure, or the official D&D adventure instructs leveling, you may gain or decline to level, earning rewards for either option.

You can also gain a level between sessions by spending 10 Downtime Days on the “Catching Up” downtime activity.

Sometimes a DM will ask you to decline the level, to keep the party at the right level or tier for the adventures ahead. That’s fine - you keep your other rewards either way.

Please see 🚏End of Session and ⬆️Levelling-Up and Downtime for more about levelling, and 🏒Downtime Activities for Catching Up.

Your Free Magic Item

From the ALPG v2026.4:

At Level 5. You may choose one starting magic item for your character from “Starting Play at Level 5.”

So whenever your character gains the level that brings them to level 5, you may choose one magic item from the same list that characters created at level 5 use. The full list (and the rules for characters who start at level 5) is here: ⚔️Starting Play at Level 5.

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Don’t forget to record your new magic item in your character’s log. Please see 📝Logging Your Adventures for more information.

Welcome to Tier 2

Levels 5-10 are Tier 2. The limits on what your character can carry into a session change with the tier:

Permanent magic items of Uncommon rarity or better: 3
Common magic items: 5
Consumable items: 10
Boons: 0, Blessings: 1, Charms: 5

The exact tables are in the ALPG’s “MAGIC ITEMS” and “BLESSINGS, BOONS, & CHARMS” sections. Items your party earns during a session don’t count against these limits until after that session.

Your Bastion

At level 5 (or any level after), your character can build a Bastion. On its first build, you have 20 times your level in days to add basic facilities, and you begin with one Cramped and one Roomy facility.

Bastion turns are taken between sessions and cost Downtime Days. Please see 🏰Bastions in AL for the full details.