RealAlHazred
Frumious Flumph (Your Grace/Your Eminence)
Oh, God, what have I done?
Anyway, @CleverNickName said they wouldn't do it so it falls to one of us. I don't want to do a whole series, but after the previous run it seems wrong to leave one thing unpolled.
Here's a comprehensive list of all of the backgrounds in 5th Edition D&D. There are a lot of them, almost a hundred. Many of them are minor variations on others -- all but one of the Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus backgrounds, for example, take a PHB background and change the Feature. Nevertheless, some of the new features seem very different, so I guess they can be on the list.
You all know the rules by now, but I'll post them here anyway just in case.
HOW TO PLAY
Three important points that you must read before voting--
Ultimately, the whole point of this thread is to have fun discussing the differences and similarities of the backgrounds in D&D. Some people really want this to be a "Best In Show" contest, and they get really worked up when (not 'if') popular favorites get eliminated. But hopefully we have all figured out how this works by now. For the newly-initiated, remember that this is not an election, nor is it a survey or a job evaluation. Frankly, this is a celebration of the hard work @CleverNickName put into these threads.
LIST OF BACKGROUNDS IN 5E D&D
(as of January 11, 2023)
Acolyte (PHB) 20
Acolyte - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Acolyte (Luxonborn) (EGtW) 20
Anthropologist (ToA) 20
Archaeologist (ToA) 20
Astral Drifter (SJ:AiS) 20
Athlete (MOoT) 20
Azorius Functionary (GGtR) 20
Boros Legionnaire (GGtR) 20
Celebrity Adventurer’s Scion (AI) 20
Charlatan (PHB) 20
Charlatan - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
City Watch / Investigator (SCAG) 20
Clan Crafter (SCAG) 20
Cloistered Scholar (SCAG) 20
Courtier (SCAG) 20
Criminal - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Criminal (Myriad Operative) (EGtW) 20
Criminal / Spy (PHB) 20
Dimir Operative (GGtR) 20
Entertainer (PHB) 20
Entertainer - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Faceless (BG: DiA) 20
Faction Agent (SCAG) 20
Failed Merchant (AI) 20
Far Traveler (SCAG) 20
Feylost (TWBtW) 20
Fisher (GoS) 20
Folk Hero (PHB) 20
Folk Hero - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Gambler (AI) 20
Gladiator (PHB) 20
Golgari Agent (GGtR) 20
Grinner (EGtW) 20
Gruul Anarch (GGtR) 20
Guild Artisan - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant (PHB) 20
Haunted One (CoS:CO) 20
Hermit (PHB) 20
Hermit (PHB) 20
House Agent (E:RftLW) 20
Inheritor (SCAG) 20
Investigator (VRGtR) 20
Izzet Engineer (GGtR) 20
Knight (PHB) 20
Knight of Solamnia (DL:SotDQ) 20
Knight of the Order (SCAG) 20
Lorehold Student (S:CoC) 20
Mage of High Sorcery (DL:SotDQ) 20
Marine (GoS) 20
Mercenary Veteran (SCAG) 20
Noble (PHB) 20
Noble - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Orzhov Representative (GGtR) 20
Outlander (PHB) 20
Outlander - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Pirate (PHB) 20
Plaintiff (AI) 20
Prismari Student (S:CoC) 20
Quandrix Student (S:CoC) 20
Rakdos Cultist (GGtR) 20
Rival Intern (AI) 20
Sage (PHB) 20
Sage - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Sage (Cobalt Scholar) (EGtW) 20
Sailor (PHB) 20
Sailor - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Sailor (Revelry Pirate) (EGtW) 20
Selesnya Initiate (GGtR) 20
Shipwright (GoS) 20
Silverquill Student (S:CoC) 20
Simic Scientist (GGtR) 20
Smuggler (GoS) 20
Soldier (PHB) 20
Soldier - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Spy (Augen Trust) (EGtW) 20
Urban Bounty Hunter (SCAG) 20
Urchin (PHB) 20
Urchin - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Uthgardt Tribe Member (SCAG) 20
Volstrucker Agent (EGtW) 20
Waterdhavian Noble (SCAG) 20
Wildspacer (SJ:AiS) 20
Witchlight Hand (TWBtW) 20
Witherbloom Student (S:CoC) 20
Legend:
AI - Acquisitions, Inc.
BG: DiA - Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
CoS:CO - Curse of Strahd: Character Options
DL:SotDQ - Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
EGtW - Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
E:RftLW - Eberron: Rising from the Last War
GGtR - Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica
GoS - Ghosts of Saltmarsh
MOoT - Mythic Odyssey of Theros
PHB - Player's Handbook
SJ:AiS - Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
S:CoC - Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos
SCAG - Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
ToA - Tomb of Annihilation
TWBtW - The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
VRGtR - Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
Anyway, @CleverNickName said they wouldn't do it so it falls to one of us. I don't want to do a whole series, but after the previous run it seems wrong to leave one thing unpolled.
Here's a comprehensive list of all of the backgrounds in 5th Edition D&D. There are a lot of them, almost a hundred. Many of them are minor variations on others -- all but one of the Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus backgrounds, for example, take a PHB background and change the Feature. Nevertheless, some of the new features seem very different, so I guess they can be on the list.
You all know the rules by now, but I'll post them here anyway just in case.
HOW TO PLAY
- Only the backgrounds that were published in print by Wizards of the Coast are included. Third-party publishers, or materials that were only released electronically, are not included.
- Unlike the species thread, multiple backgrounds are included for some entries, since specific adventures or settings modified them in significant ways.
- Each entry starts with 20 points.
- Every day, you vote for one background that you like, which gains 1 point. And then you vote for a different background, which loses 2 points. It is intentional that a negative vote is worth more than a positive vote, because math.
- Mark your upvotes in green, and downvotes in red. Or just show them in bold text and use "+1" and "-2" to mark them, if colored text is too difficult on your browsing device.
- It's easier if you just copy and paste the previous poster’s vote and change the numbers; the Quote function isn't the best for this.
- You may vote only once per day. This is an honor system, and we are all honorable gamers; please do not abuse it. If this means you vote once at night one day, and once the next morning - that's fine, but don't vote again until the following day. Rule of thumb: if your most recent vote post says "yesterday" in the time stamp, you can vote again.
- This is just another Internet popularity contest and you do not have to explain an upvote or downvote, but feel free to do so...those explanations are where the fun is! And the more outlandish, petty, or nitpicky your reasons for voting, the better!
- When downvotes reach 0 the subclass is removed from the list.
- Finally, if an entry has one point left, then you have to make the choice to use all of your downvotes to eliminate it; there is no vote splitting. In addition, you can't upvote and downvote the same entry (no "see" votes). And you have to use BOTH YOUR UPVOTE AND DOWNVOTE if you vote.
Three important points that you must read before voting--
- This is just a popularity contest, and it's supposed to be fun. You can cast your votes for whatever reason you want; factional loyalty, spite, setting-hatred, and personal preference are all perfectly acceptable. But this is for enjoyment only. If you experience anger, hostility, or other evidence of Not Having Fun, you're doing it wrong.
- This list includes only the most-recent versions of published backgrounds, written and published by Wizards of the Coast. If your favorite is missing, this is probably why.
- As always, the list is the list. If you have a complaint about the list, please direct it to //dev/null.
This list only includes the backgrounds that were released in print by Wizards of the Coast. The Plane Shift series has its moments, and I liked some of the Unearthed Arcana stuff, but I draw the line at material that was dashed off quickly with no playtesting.
Ultimately, the whole point of this thread is to have fun discussing the differences and similarities of the backgrounds in D&D. Some people really want this to be a "Best In Show" contest, and they get really worked up when (not 'if') popular favorites get eliminated. But hopefully we have all figured out how this works by now. For the newly-initiated, remember that this is not an election, nor is it a survey or a job evaluation. Frankly, this is a celebration of the hard work @CleverNickName put into these threads.
LIST OF BACKGROUNDS IN 5E D&D
(as of January 11, 2023)
Acolyte (PHB) 20
Acolyte - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Acolyte (Luxonborn) (EGtW) 20
Anthropologist (ToA) 20
Archaeologist (ToA) 20
Astral Drifter (SJ:AiS) 20
Athlete (MOoT) 20
Azorius Functionary (GGtR) 20
Boros Legionnaire (GGtR) 20
Celebrity Adventurer’s Scion (AI) 20
Charlatan (PHB) 20
Charlatan - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
City Watch / Investigator (SCAG) 20
Clan Crafter (SCAG) 20
Cloistered Scholar (SCAG) 20
Courtier (SCAG) 20
Criminal - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Criminal (Myriad Operative) (EGtW) 20
Criminal / Spy (PHB) 20
Dimir Operative (GGtR) 20
Entertainer (PHB) 20
Entertainer - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Faceless (BG: DiA) 20
Faction Agent (SCAG) 20
Failed Merchant (AI) 20
Far Traveler (SCAG) 20
Feylost (TWBtW) 20
Fisher (GoS) 20
Folk Hero (PHB) 20
Folk Hero - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Gambler (AI) 20
Gladiator (PHB) 20
Golgari Agent (GGtR) 20
Grinner (EGtW) 20
Gruul Anarch (GGtR) 20
Guild Artisan - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant (PHB) 20
Haunted One (CoS:CO) 20
Hermit (PHB) 20
Hermit (PHB) 20
House Agent (E:RftLW) 20
Inheritor (SCAG) 20
Investigator (VRGtR) 20
Izzet Engineer (GGtR) 20
Knight (PHB) 20
Knight of Solamnia (DL:SotDQ) 20
Knight of the Order (SCAG) 20
Lorehold Student (S:CoC) 20
Mage of High Sorcery (DL:SotDQ) 20
Marine (GoS) 20
Mercenary Veteran (SCAG) 20
Noble (PHB) 20
Noble - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Orzhov Representative (GGtR) 20
Outlander (PHB) 20
Outlander - Baldur's Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Pirate (PHB) 20
Plaintiff (AI) 20
Prismari Student (S:CoC) 20
Quandrix Student (S:CoC) 20
Rakdos Cultist (GGtR) 20
Rival Intern (AI) 20
Sage (PHB) 20
Sage - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Sage (Cobalt Scholar) (EGtW) 20
Sailor (PHB) 20
Sailor - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Sailor (Revelry Pirate) (EGtW) 20
Selesnya Initiate (GGtR) 20
Shipwright (GoS) 20
Silverquill Student (S:CoC) 20
Simic Scientist (GGtR) 20
Smuggler (GoS) 20
Soldier (PHB) 20
Soldier - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Spy (Augen Trust) (EGtW) 20
Urban Bounty Hunter (SCAG) 20
Urchin (PHB) 20
Urchin - Baldur’s Gate (BG: DiA) 20
Uthgardt Tribe Member (SCAG) 20
Volstrucker Agent (EGtW) 20
Waterdhavian Noble (SCAG) 20
Wildspacer (SJ:AiS) 20
Witchlight Hand (TWBtW) 20
Witherbloom Student (S:CoC) 20
Legend:
AI - Acquisitions, Inc.
BG: DiA - Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
CoS:CO - Curse of Strahd: Character Options
DL:SotDQ - Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
EGtW - Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
E:RftLW - Eberron: Rising from the Last War
GGtR - Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica
GoS - Ghosts of Saltmarsh
MOoT - Mythic Odyssey of Theros
PHB - Player's Handbook
SJ:AiS - Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
S:CoC - Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos
SCAG - Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
ToA - Tomb of Annihilation
TWBtW - The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
VRGtR - Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
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