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A new background as a feat
- Thread starter peterka99
- Start date
the Jester
Legend
First, backgrounds are nothing like a feat.
Second, how do you justify suddenly having gained social status via taking a feat (noble)? Or suddenly having the local peasants know and love you (folk hero)? Moreover, what exactly does it mean if you have both the Noble and Beggar backgrounds? That doesn't make sense. (I know, there's no Beggar in the PH, but let's take it for granted that there are tons of custom backgrounds already out there, as well as tons more waiting for some gamer to quickly write up.)
Beyond that, if you compare it to the Skilled feat, a background is significantly better. You get two skills, two languages or tools and a feature. No, I wouldn't allow it. The training rules provide for learning new proficiencies in tools and the like, and the DMG lays out that some groups will allow it for learning new skill proficiencies too. That's the route I'd take.
Second, how do you justify suddenly having gained social status via taking a feat (noble)? Or suddenly having the local peasants know and love you (folk hero)? Moreover, what exactly does it mean if you have both the Noble and Beggar backgrounds? That doesn't make sense. (I know, there's no Beggar in the PH, but let's take it for granted that there are tons of custom backgrounds already out there, as well as tons more waiting for some gamer to quickly write up.)
Beyond that, if you compare it to the Skilled feat, a background is significantly better. You get two skills, two languages or tools and a feature. No, I wouldn't allow it. The training rules provide for learning new proficiencies in tools and the like, and the DMG lays out that some groups will allow it for learning new skill proficiencies too. That's the route I'd take.
Dozen of examples, like:
-The prince and the pauper, from Charles Dickens- noble and street urchin.
-Conan the Barbarian: That way he can be a barbarian class all the way, with backgrounds of blacksmith, criminal (thief in Zamora), sailor (Amra the pirate), etc then noble as king of Aquilonia. Unless you prefer to give him several (multi)classes ?
And "skilled" is a lame feat I would never take as combat is still the prime of this game...
-The prince and the pauper, from Charles Dickens- noble and street urchin.
-Conan the Barbarian: That way he can be a barbarian class all the way, with backgrounds of blacksmith, criminal (thief in Zamora), sailor (Amra the pirate), etc then noble as king of Aquilonia. Unless you prefer to give him several (multi)classes ?
And "skilled" is a lame feat I would never take as combat is still the prime of this game...
jodyjohnson
Adventurer
The already customizable Background rules cover most of this ground.
Plus everyone already knows all the skills, and can learn all the tools given time. Backgrounds and class just give which things they are really good at.
Background is narratively back-story and doesn't need to reflect the skills and proficiencies achieved through play -- which for non-humans are feats, downtime, and class abilities.
Plus everyone already knows all the skills, and can learn all the tools given time. Backgrounds and class just give which things they are really good at.
Background is narratively back-story and doesn't need to reflect the skills and proficiencies achieved through play -- which for non-humans are feats, downtime, and class abilities.
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