Hriston
Dungeon Master of Middle-earth
I didn’t say you said backgrounds were a bad idea. I said you said background features were a bad idea. Here, I found the quote for you from your post where you said this :I never said backgrounds were a bad idea.
The "bad idea" you're talking about being replaced here are background features.The new background feats do away with a bad idea that was still always at the discretion of the DM and replaces them with concrete benefits.
A couple things about this: One, who decided there are no libraries in Barovia? I mean, is that like a feature of the setting? Do the setting books call out that Barovia is a "land with no libraries of any kind"? Did the devil Strahd ban all books or something? Or is it just that there isn't one detailed in the published materials you're using, and you don't want to add one?I said groups should discuss backgrounds and talk about how much the background feature will be useful. I think the Background Features as presented in the earlier backgrounds were potentially limited because it's based too much on being recognized or who you know. I don't like how they were done, newer backgrounds are better. I still like the concept and the flexibility they give to character design (e.g. a dex based PC with criminal background being a reasonable replacement for a rogue).
But yeah, there are no libraries in Barovia so being a researcher is of no benefit.
And two, do you realize the Researcher feature in no way depends on the existence of libraries? All it says is if there's information you want, you usually know where to find it. It doesn't have to be in a library. It doesn't even have to be on the same plane of existence. Personally, I would let the player tell the table where their character knows the information can be found. If it's been established there are no libraries in Barovia, then the player's not going to say it's at the local library.
And this makes no sense. Sailing ships require bodies of water to function. If it's established the party's in a desert with no water in sight, why on earth would a player say they've secured passage for the party on a ship unless they were playing a character who was delirious with thirst? Just like the rest of the game, background features require the table to be on the same page with regard to fictional positioning.Same as being a sailor in the desert or any number of scenarios.