D&D General Playstyle vs Mechanics

[mamba]

But it's background not "most recent odd job". 5o years of commoner just recently turned to crime is either not an experienced criminal because they are drawing on their commoner roots or it's double dipping by taking two backgrounds to draw on both.

I’d argue their background is not criminal when they turn to crime in their 50s.

 

[TwoSix]

yes, the ‘you know the …’ part, when argued that the ‘local’ does not refer to the region you grew up in (or something similar) but the ones local to the region you happen to be in, which is how the ‘you know people everywhere’ is using it

Considering "local" directly follows "even over great distances", it would certainly imply that local means "your current region", not "your region of origin".

That's seriously the issue that has people posting for hundreds of posts? What a nothingburger of an issue. That is so trivial to arbitrate in game.

 

[soviet]

I don't think they do, as many of them just autowork, so I think by RAW they would just skip this sort of "do me a favour" thing. I think it is cool gameplay opportunity, but not something I need the feature for, nor something that is aided rather than hindered by their existence.

Again, it's a skill issue in identifying these opportunities for cool interactions.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Because they're a good player who recognizes that our playstyle is to tell a story through mutual cooperation, and will invoke the specific mechanics needed to support out shared playstyle.

Look at that, I tied the whole thread together. I should tell Dave.

You have a special group then, if they're happy to ignore a benefit the rules allow to them. I have maybe one player like that.

 

[Bae'zel]

I’d argue their background is not criminal when they turn to crime in their 50s.

To defend my previous example, the PC was a criminal their entire life up to that point, but only became a "level 1 Rogue" in their 50s.

I don't consider commoners as having a Class at all, but that's just me.

 

[Mort]

it says nothing about how they acquired the contact list, but yes, they know messengers that in turn know how to reach their actual contact everywhere

For a level 1 Rogue or Fighter or… anything, I find that hard to believe. It’s something else if your character is a Prince, Ironman or James Bond, those probably have an extensive contact list (that still falls short of ‘everywhere’ however)

It doesn't even say that. ALL it says is they know how to get a message to their 1 contact. That's it. Assuming the world the PCs are in has some kind of long range communication method, methods or networks (including fast horses or other animals even) how hard is it to believe that there are people who are proficient in using them well or can figure out who can?

I'm astounded by the pushback this is getting, when, again, it's for the most part obviated by magic quickly anyway (which gets no pushback at all, because magic...)

An before we fall back on not liking the "automatic nature..." The DM controls pretty much every aspect of the feature and it will work as well as poorly as they deem it too, remember the DM still frames the fiction. It doesn't step on their toes at all.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Again, it's a skill issue in identifying these opportunities for cool interactions.

Sure. I can do so without a background feature prompting me to, but I understand if some people need training wheels.

 

[TwoSix]

You have a special group then, if they're happy to ignore a benefit the rules allow to them. I have maybe one player like that.

I have 20 players across my various groups. Only 3 of them I can think of would ever give me a problem by suggesting non-plausible narratives for a background feature.

 

[soviet]

You have a special group then, if they're happy to ignore a benefit the rules allow to them. I have maybe one player like that.

The rules can't protect you from bad players

 

[mamba]

I acknowledge the benefit of this approach.

The "Criminal Background" could be seen as more of a "foot in the door" that enables a PC to even ATTEMPT to make a new criminal contact. Other characters could try, but the Criminal, even at level 1, would know where to start, what to look for.

which is how I handle it, they know messengers in their ‘home’ region but outside of that they need new contacts, because chances are no one ever heard of their contact or how to reach them.

Being a criminal makes you fit in better and pick up on signs others would miss however. That still means you need to earn the trust, but you have an in and you get there faster than one without the background