D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal: Feats/Backgrounds/Species

[Kobold Stew]

New video just dropped.

• After choosing class, you go to the Character Origins chapter.
• Species and Background combine to give game capabilities.
• There is a sidebar on how to use backgrounds/species from previous books.

Background gives much more than in 2014.

• Backgrounds "determine ability score bonuses"
• each background has 3 ability options, and player chooses +2/+1, or +1/+1/+1 (e.g. Acolyte gives Int, Wis, Cha; Guide is Dex, Con, Wis).
• Backgrounds "interlock" with "appropriate" classes, but greater freedom from the advantageous species/class combos from 2014.
• 16 backgrounds provided.
• DMG will provide guidance for creating additinal backgrounds. (This is a BIG CHANGE from 2014, where customization was a built-in, player-controlled option; now it is "under DM supervision".)

Origin (first-level) feats: still available at later levels.

• Alert and Skilled offered by more than one background

Species (much of this as in playtest docs):

• orc, goliath, and aasimar are new.
• Goliath have the giant-themed flavor from the playtest. They also have the option to become large.
• Tremorsense for dwarves
• dwarves and orcs have 120' darkvision.
• humans get extra origin feat, and start with Heroic Inspiration
• some species have choice-points, but halfling, dwarf, orc do not have choice points (and so a lower complexity level).
• dragonborn can include breath weapon as one of their attacks.
• aasimar can change option for celestial revelation each time it gets used.

EDIT: Here's a list of confirmed backgrounds that I've seen:
Acolyte (mentioned in video)
Guard
Guide

Spoiler: Hermit

Spoiler: Merchant

Feat not clear; ends in a Y and so probably Lucky.

Spoiler: Noble

Wayfarer

A fuller list here.

 

[Sir Brennen]

Thanks for posting these videos to separate threads, keeping discussion more focused.

One item mentioned is that dwarves and orcs both darkvision increased to 120' now. Makes sense for dwarves, but not sure on the orc, as the video says it was for "species or their ancestors who spent a lot of time underground". Orcs were underground dwellers in the past?

 

[Zaukrie]

Thanks for posting these videos to separate threads, keeping discussion more focused.

One item mentioned is that dwarves and orcs both darkvision increased to 120' now. Makes sense for dwarves, but not sure on the orc, as the video says it was for "species or their ancestors who spent a lot of time underground". Orcs were underground dwellers in the past?

I also found that odd.....

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Thanks for posting these videos to separate threads, keeping discussion more focused.

One item mentioned is that dwarves and orcs both darkvision increased to 120' now. Makes sense for dwarves, but not sure on the orc, as the video says it was for "species or their ancestors who spent a lot of time underground". Orcs were underground dwellers in the past?

Originally, yes. Orcs (and some other species) used to be creatures with light sensitivity (Orcs and Goblins being inspired by LoTR). Orcs were later reframed to be wild barbaric tribes, leaving the light sensitivity to Drow, which has now also been removed.

 

[DEFCON 1]

No mention of a Mixed Species option, but Jeremy does say there's a sidebar about how to bring backgrounds and species from previous books forward. So half-elves and half-orcs are still playable, you'll just need to do whatever the tweaking is that the sidebar states.

 

[Horwath]

So much energy wasted on Backgrounds that could have been used better elsewhere,

Just do:

1. increase abilities by +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1
2. Pick two skills
3. Pick one feat

 

[Sir Brennen]

Another video that details (some? I didn't count) backgrounds and their feats a bit more:

 

[Sir Brennen]

So much energy wasted on Backgrounds that could have been used better elsewhere,

Just do:

1. increase abilities by +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1
2. Pick two skills
3. Pick one feat

Boring. Contextualizing those mechanics is as important as the mechanics themselves to a lot of players.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Boring. Contextualizing those mechanics is as important as the mechanics themselves to a lot of players.

Damn straight. Even board games layer story and flavor text on top of their mechanics.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Another video that details (some? I didn't count) backgrounds and their feats a bit more:

Awesome: thanks.
Only two (partial) examples.

Wayfarer:

• feat: lucky
• proficiencies: insight, stealth, thieves' tools.

Guard:

• feat: alert
• proficiencies: intimidation...