13th Age questions

[pemerton]

a lot of the monster special abilities do stuff on paper, but don't really "show" on the battlefield.

That's disappointing to hear - that "showing" on the battlefield, and the way it then informs player responses (via the play of their PCs), is something I really enjoy about 4e.

 

[waderockett]

For backgrounds, here's some helpful reading:

Is “good at everything” a background in 13th Age?

Why being a Magical Bird Turned Into An Elf is as mechanically robust as being Literally Batman