D&D (2024) Learning to Love the Background System

[GarrettKP]

I remember the discussion or feedback being "more significant backgrounds are fine" or "backgrounds with actual feats are fine." I don't remember them having ASIs tied to backgrounds at any point in the playtest. (But I admit I don't recall anything after 6.)

I just don't understand why they don't just associate ASI with the character class. Like what upsidedown thought process are they going through where they imagine that the most important character choices are made at level 1, and background has a significant effect on your attributes, but your class doesn't do anything at all? Like surely a Fighter or Wizard must have done something to have acquired those proficiencies and abilities. Why would background affect ASIs and not class?

Do they think making a Soldier-Wizard have to choose Dex and Con and get stuck with Savage Attacker (I think?) is some deeply interesting choice? Why? The narrative is cool, but the mechanics are entirely awful. People just aren't going to do that because they don't want to be a level 1 Wizard with 15 Int. No, every Wizard is going to take whichever background has Int, and probably whichever background has Int and Con or Dex. The only way that doesn't happen is if War Caster is somehow an origin feat.

Like even if it was, "pick one attribute from your Class and one different attribute from your background. One of those attributes gets +2, the other gets +1."

I would rather they eliminate level 1 ASIs entirely than continue to have them tied to species or background. Like if it's "too powerful" to always make the best choice, then isn't it just... allowing several too powerful choices?

Backgrounds in the playtest (that weren’t custom) had set ASIs and were more restrictive. They got a +2 and +1 to specific stats and no choice of a third or anything. Yea, Custom existed so most people ignored it, but they were in the playtest and they were more restrictive than the official version.

 

[ECMO3]

I remember the discussion or feedback being "more significant backgrounds are fine" or "backgrounds with actual feats are fine." I don't remember them having ASIs tied to backgrounds at any point in the playtest. (But I admit I don't recall anything after 6.)

I just don't understand why they don't just associate ASI with the character class. Like what upsidedown thought process are they going through where they imagine that the most important character choices are made at level 1, and background has a significant effect on your attributes, but your class doesn't do anything at all? Like surely a Fighter or Wizard must have done something to have acquired those proficiencies and abilities. Why would background affect ASIs and not class?

Do they think making a Soldier-Wizard have to choose Dex and Con and get stuck with Savage Attacker (I think?) is some deeply interesting choice? Why? The narrative is cool, but the mechanics are entirely awful. People just aren't going to do that because they don't want to be a level 1 Wizard with 15 Int. No, every Wizard is going to take whichever background has Int, and probably whichever background has Int and Con or Dex. The only way that doesn't happen is if War Caster is somehow an origin feat.

Like even if it was, "pick one attribute from your Class and one different attribute from your background. One of those attributes gets +2, the other gets +1."

I would rather they eliminate level 1 ASIs entirely than continue to have them tied to species or background. Like if it's "too powerful" to always make the best choice, then isn't it just... allowing several too powerful choices?

I don't understand why they even need to have bonuses at all. Give everyone 32 points on point buy and cap at 17, roll your first two ability scores with 5 dice-drop 2 and make Standard Array 8,10,12,14,15,16

 

[ECMO3]

You can do some of that, yes. But some things are hard-coded into the system and can’t be manually adjusted. I’m worried that the 2024 backgrounds will be like that.

I find DNDBeyond rather unwieldy because of the inability to customize.

I get why they do it, they want you buying the content not making their content, however it really restricts the game unlike anything else I've used in my 40+ years of playing. As far as online character sheets I much prefer roll 20, where you can pretty much easily put anything you want in there.

 

[WanderingMystic]

I find DNDBeyond rather unwieldy because of the inability to customize.

I get why they do it, they want you buying the content not making their content, however it really restricts the game unlike anything else I've used in my 40+ years of playing. As far as online character sheets I much prefer roll 20, where you can pretty much easily put anything you want in there.

So I am curious what inability to customize are you talking about? I make custom backgrounds, custom subclasses, custom feats, custom magic items and custom monsters regularly.

There are a few hiccups like certain things only being able to be added to a feat but not a magical item or sub class. Also I can't create completely new weapons which is something I wish you could do. Those are the biggest ones I remember getting frustrated with.

 

[lall]

Background, Take 1

Dad: It’s too dangerous.
Me: You adventured.
Dad: Yes, but I always felt Lucky.
Me: I’m going to be Lucky too!
Dad: It’s not the same. You have to call it in advance for Titania’s sake.
Me: I’ll be fine dad. As soon as I meet my party? Everyone gets a lock of my hair.
Dad: And you call yourself a Wayfarer. Never mind that silver spoon in your mouth.
Me: “One who travels” dad.
Dad: By foot! You’re a bleeping fairy last time I checked.
Me: Okay, alternative definition: “One who goes on a journey.” We’ve been on several trips to the Material Plane. Look. I know why you’re really upset.
Dad: You’re giving up your dream.
Me: It’s your dream dad. I’ve only heard about your 6th place finish at the Sylvan Poetry Fest every day for 18 years.
Dad: You won’t even be able to enter. You know they don’t allow magic.
Me: I’ll Wish for Sylvan.
Dad: And risk the monkeypaw?
Me: Everything will be fine dad. I already feel proficient in thieves’ tools and I have no idea what those are.
Dad: Go on and save the world a few times like I did son. I’ll always love you. I just hope the world appreciates the sacrifice you’re making.
Me: I’ll choose Elvish dad.
Dad: Elvish is crap!
Me: Bye dad. I’ll Sending you.

 

[MoonSong]

I don't understand why they even need to have bonuses at all. Give everyone 32 points on point buy and cap at 17, roll your first two ability scores with 5 dice-drop 2 and make Standard Array 8,10,12,14,15,16

Bingo! I dunno why they are so obsessed with avoiding the obvious. Just factor this stuff into point buy/rolling and be done with it.

 

[Remathilis]

Bingo! I dunno why they are so obsessed with avoiding the obvious. Just factor this stuff into point buy/rolling and be done with it.

Because they stubbornly cling to 4d6 as a method of stat gen.

 

[Parmandur]

Because they stubbornly cling to 4d6 as a method of stat gen.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It is the math around which the other two generation methods and the whole balance of the game are based, so it isn't going anywhere .

 

[Crimson Longinus]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It is the math around which the other two generation methods and the whole balance of the game are based, so it isn't going anywhere .

But it obviously is broken, as you need to add silly extra modifiers on top of it.

 

[Parmandur]

But it obviously is broken, as you need to add silly extra modifiers on top of it.

No, it really isn't.