What specifically does the bard's Jack of All Trades feature apply to?

Question

The bard's Jack of All Trades feature says:

Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus.

I was wondering if this meant I added it directly into my abilities (Str:10 + 1) or if I added it to the bonus (Str: 0 + 1)

Or if I had the completely wrong and just added it into the skills themselves (Athletics 0 + 1)?

I was also wondering if later on when I get a proficiency bonus of +4 do I go back and readjust the scores because half the proficiency would then be 2?

Answer 1

Just as it says, Jack of All Trades applies to all ability checks. For the purposes of your character sheet, that means adding it to your skills, so your Athletics 0 + 1 is correct. Remember that it only applies to skills that you weren't already adding your proficiency bonus to.

You should also add it to your initiative modifier, since initiative is a Dexterity ability check. While that should be every ability check listed on your character sheet, you should remember it for anytime your DM asks you for an ability check. (For example, if a monster tries to grapple you.)

Finally, you are correct that the bonus from Jack of All Trades will increase as your proficiency bonus goes up - when your proficiency bonus reaches +4, Jack of All Trades will be +2, and so on.