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<blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 9331126" data-attributes="member: 22779"><p>They are entirely arbitrary. You are looking for "justifications" because it's arbitrary. The only reason to not allow the background bonus to function is because you want to preserve some sense for YOUR believability. Has nothing to do with anything else. YOU don't think it's believable, therefore, it's not possible. What the player or players or the game thinks is immaterial.</p><p></p><p>But, if the players use a spell? Poof, it works. Need to climb a wall? Make checks. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof you're over the wall. Need to rest for the night? Make checks. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof it works. Want to gather information from an NPC? Make a bunch of checks. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof it works. Need to get a message to an NPC. Sorry, that's not possible where you are. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof it works. On and on and on. </p><p></p><p>This is why players will almost always try spells and ignore backgrounds. This is what they are taught over and over again. Backgrounds don't work. The DM will always be on the lookout for some way to make the background not work because the player is "only looking for an advantage" (actual quote from this thread - [USER=29398]@Lanefan[/USER] I believe). But a spell? They just work. Far, far more often than they don't. So, players default to spells. Of course they do. Why wouldn't they?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Hussar, post: 9331126, member: 22779"] They are entirely arbitrary. You are looking for "justifications" because it's arbitrary. The only reason to not allow the background bonus to function is because you want to preserve some sense for YOUR believability. Has nothing to do with anything else. YOU don't think it's believable, therefore, it's not possible. What the player or players or the game thinks is immaterial. But, if the players use a spell? Poof, it works. Need to climb a wall? Make checks. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof you're over the wall. Need to rest for the night? Make checks. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof it works. Want to gather information from an NPC? Make a bunch of checks. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof it works. Need to get a message to an NPC. Sorry, that's not possible where you are. Oh, you cast a spell? Poof it works. On and on and on. This is why players will almost always try spells and ignore backgrounds. This is what they are taught over and over again. Backgrounds don't work. The DM will always be on the lookout for some way to make the background not work because the player is "only looking for an advantage" (actual quote from this thread - [USER=29398]@Lanefan[/USER] I believe). But a spell? They just work. Far, far more often than they don't. So, players default to spells. Of course they do. Why wouldn't they? [/QUOTE]
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Do you plan to adopt D&D5.5One2024Redux?
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