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<blockquote data-quote="James Gasik" data-source="post: 9312830" data-attributes="member: 6877472"><p>Absolutely, if you want to put the PC's in a scenario where their Backgrounds are meaningless, you could do so. But the question is, why?</p><p></p><p>When the players made their characters and selected Backgrounds, the DM has a chance. To use these as tools, to ensure that the player's choices are important to the campaign. To arrange for scenarios where one would be recognized as a noble or a sage or a criminal to make the game more interesting and fun.</p><p></p><p>If you're not planning on doing that, or don't want, you can simply say "hey guys, just make custom Backgrounds to grab proficiencies, features aren't going to come up".</p><p></p><p>The idea that you would let players choose Backgrounds for their characters and then immediately toss them into an alternate universe where they don't work strikes me as odd- why would you do such a thing?</p><p></p><p>And if it's determined that there will be a stretch of the campaign where Backgrounds aren't very useful (like the characters having to be in disguise while on the run), surely there'd be no reason for the players to complain about it- it's either the result of their own actions, or something the DM can communicate in advance.</p><p></p><p>There's this concept that's permeated this thread that there are DM's who allow Backgrounds and are then surprised that players want them to matter. Or that players want to use them to make demands of the DM that they were completely unprepared for. As if a Background is some kind of "DM counterspell" that the DM is forced to accept, and absolutely must allow in their campaign.</p><p></p><p>There are games where that's certainly a thing, but D&D isn't one of them. If you don't like Backgrounds because you don't want to make them important or matter, that's fine. But saying that it's impossible to make them important or matter? Ludicrous.</p><p></p><p>You totally can, if you build your game around them. If you don't want to build your game around them- then don't, but don't go saying that's the fault of Backgrounds!</p><p></p><p>The DMG has a very clear section on how a DM can work with their players and take their choices into account. If someone doesn't want to do that, or run their campaigns in that way, it's no different than deciding encumbrance is being used or we're tracking spell components, or Druids and Dragonborn don't exist in the game!</p><p></p><p>No one is forcing the use of Backgrounds on anyone. Bonds, Alignment, all of this stuff exists to be used or not, whether or not it's strictly labeled as optional- what DM doesn't have at least a page of house rules?</p><p></p><p>And if the players want something in the game, the DM still isn't "forced" to use it- the DM and the players can either come to some agreement or they don't have to play D&D together.</p><p></p><p>Another thing I keep hearing is that the DM shouldn't have to make concessions to their players- well that's true, you don't. And they don't have to play in your game. Surely, you can tell a player where the door is, if they're not a good fit for your group!</p><p></p><p>So where's the problem? Is it that you need a player and aren't happy that they want to use things in the PHB that you don't want to deal with? That they're saying "hey, Backgrounds are a thing, and the book doesn't say they're optional, so you have to make them work"?</p><p></p><p>That's not a problem you can lay on the rulebooks- I mean, seriously, if it was then <em>everything</em> the books tell players they can expect is problematic- from being able to play Drow to purchasing healing potions in shops for 50 gp.</p><p></p><p>And maybe someone here actually thinks that way. I'd like to think not, but maybe so. But in that case, your problem isn't Backgrounds- though it might be the fact that "SUBJECT TO DM APPROVAL" isn't plastered all over the Player's Handbook in large neon letters.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="James Gasik, post: 9312830, member: 6877472"] Absolutely, if you want to put the PC's in a scenario where their Backgrounds are meaningless, you could do so. But the question is, why? When the players made their characters and selected Backgrounds, the DM has a chance. To use these as tools, to ensure that the player's choices are important to the campaign. To arrange for scenarios where one would be recognized as a noble or a sage or a criminal to make the game more interesting and fun. If you're not planning on doing that, or don't want, you can simply say "hey guys, just make custom Backgrounds to grab proficiencies, features aren't going to come up". The idea that you would let players choose Backgrounds for their characters and then immediately toss them into an alternate universe where they don't work strikes me as odd- why would you do such a thing? And if it's determined that there will be a stretch of the campaign where Backgrounds aren't very useful (like the characters having to be in disguise while on the run), surely there'd be no reason for the players to complain about it- it's either the result of their own actions, or something the DM can communicate in advance. There's this concept that's permeated this thread that there are DM's who allow Backgrounds and are then surprised that players want them to matter. Or that players want to use them to make demands of the DM that they were completely unprepared for. As if a Background is some kind of "DM counterspell" that the DM is forced to accept, and absolutely must allow in their campaign. There are games where that's certainly a thing, but D&D isn't one of them. If you don't like Backgrounds because you don't want to make them important or matter, that's fine. But saying that it's impossible to make them important or matter? Ludicrous. You totally can, if you build your game around them. If you don't want to build your game around them- then don't, but don't go saying that's the fault of Backgrounds! The DMG has a very clear section on how a DM can work with their players and take their choices into account. If someone doesn't want to do that, or run their campaigns in that way, it's no different than deciding encumbrance is being used or we're tracking spell components, or Druids and Dragonborn don't exist in the game! No one is forcing the use of Backgrounds on anyone. Bonds, Alignment, all of this stuff exists to be used or not, whether or not it's strictly labeled as optional- what DM doesn't have at least a page of house rules? And if the players want something in the game, the DM still isn't "forced" to use it- the DM and the players can either come to some agreement or they don't have to play D&D together. Another thing I keep hearing is that the DM shouldn't have to make concessions to their players- well that's true, you don't. And they don't have to play in your game. Surely, you can tell a player where the door is, if they're not a good fit for your group! So where's the problem? Is it that you need a player and aren't happy that they want to use things in the PHB that you don't want to deal with? That they're saying "hey, Backgrounds are a thing, and the book doesn't say they're optional, so you have to make them work"? That's not a problem you can lay on the rulebooks- I mean, seriously, if it was then [I]everything[/I] the books tell players they can expect is problematic- from being able to play Drow to purchasing healing potions in shops for 50 gp. And maybe someone here actually thinks that way. I'd like to think not, but maybe so. But in that case, your problem isn't Backgrounds- though it might be the fact that "SUBJECT TO DM APPROVAL" isn't plastered all over the Player's Handbook in large neon letters. [/QUOTE]
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