D&D (2024) Backgrounds

[Oofta]

Player: "Can you offer an additional class based on the 4e warlord? Here are my ideas..."

DM: "Sure"

None of which means the 2024 PHB supports a warlord class.


The fact that we need the DMG to even know how the designers intended custom backgrounds work in the revised rules is one of my problems with the 2024 PHB. Custom backgrounds were an option in the 2014 PHB. Unless we import them from the 2014 PHB, custom backgrounds are no longer an option in the 2024 PHB.

That's neither meaningless nor premature. As soon as I purchased the 2014 PHB, my players could customize their backgrounds without requiring my input as the DM. They had all the rules they needed to customize their backgrounds. If we use the 2024 PHB, that's no longer true. The 2024 PHB is making it harder for me as the DM to offer the options I want to make available at my table.

I don't agree with the way they did backgrounds, but it's not hard to tell people "You get a +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 to ability scores, an origin feat, proficiency in two skills and a tool. You also get an additional 50 GP starting gold."

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I would love to be able to use the life path generator from Xanathars (I think) and have it produce a valid background.

 

[Epic Meepo]

We really don't. We just need to read the background section and see what's there. Then we can make our own. There's no deep mystery to it. It's not a feat or a class or a race. There's no real design to the individual backgrounds. It's literally a pick of skills, tools, stat mods, a feat, and gear. It's literally spelled out in the "Parts of a Background" section at the start of the chapter. Everything you need to know is right there.

If I have to tell my players to extrapolate rules that are implied but not stated, then the 2024 PHB isn't doing a good job introducing players to the sort of game I want to play.

Don't get me wrong, the 2024 PHB looks like it will do a very good job teaching new players how to use the 2024 rules. But I'm not yet convinced that I want to run games using those rules.

I don't agree with the way they did backgrounds, but it's not hard to tell people "You get a +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 to ability scores, an origin feat, proficiency in two skills and a tool. You also get an additional 50 GP starting gold."

I agree it's not hard to explain custom backgrounds. Of course, it's even easier to explain by just handing my players a 2014 PHB and telling them we're using those rules, as written.

 

[MarkB]

If I have to tell my players to extrapolate rules that are implied but not stated, then the 2024 PHB isn't doing a good job introducing players to the sort of game I want to play.

Then wait until the DMG is published. The PHB is not and never has been the complete set of rules for D&D.

 

[Charlaquin]

What if each species, class, and background gave a +1, floating between 2 options? You can put a max of +2 in one.

PF2 does something similar to this. You get several increases, some of which float and some of which don’t, between ancestry, background, and class, and you can’t stack your increases from the same source. This completely replaces point buys, arrays, etc. Before the revision there was still an optional rule to roll for ability scores instead of doing all this, not sure if that carried over post-revision since they got rid of the score/mod divide.

 

[Demetrios1453]

I don't agree with the way they did backgrounds, but it's not hard to tell people "You get a +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 to ability scores, an origin feat, proficiency in two skills and a tool. You also get an additional 50 GP starting gold."

It's also very simple to use the current backgounds to make a custom one, if one is close to what you want, but just want to change a thing or two. Do you like the most of the package but just want a different feat or skill? Just swap 'em out! If you can come up with a RP reason for the swap, all the better! I'm already working on modifying "Farmer" to "Miner" for, say, dwarf STR characters who like the stats and feat, but want to switch out so they aren't some wimpy surface-dweller farmer! Also a CHA version of Sage for bards, sorcerers, or warlocks who would like those extra Wizard spells to start off with.

I'm sure this will be spelled out in the DMG, but honestly, the ones in the PHB will be good for a solid majority of situations. So they seemingly presented these prepackaged ones that would be used a lot, and left the door for customizing open via what was said on page 36, and, presumably but very probably, left the rules on how to do so for the DMG.

 

[mamba]

f I have to tell my players to extrapolate rules that are implied but not stated, then the 2024 PHB isn't doing a good job introducing players to the sort of game I want to play.

sure, but presumably the DMG will do that, until then it really does not take a genius to figure out how to create custom backgrounds

 

[overgeeked]

If I have to tell my players to extrapolate rules that are implied but not stated, then the 2024 PHB isn't doing a good job introducing players to the sort of game I want to play.

There's no extrapolation necessary. There's no implication. The text explicitly states exactly what backgrounds are and the components contained therein. It gives you the recipe. You're complaining it doesn't cook the meal for you.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

I like the idea of restricted backgrounds, but 16 is way too few to do anything but give the impression that you want all Monks to be Sailors, etc. So I find it strange they went this way with it - it's not like they're coming out with The Big Book Of Backgrounds next month to sell you.

 

[mamba]

I like the idea of restricted backgrounds, but 16 is way too few to do anything but give the impression that you want all Monks to be Sailors, etc. So I find it strange they went this way with it - it's not like they're coming out with The Big Book Of Backgrounds next month to sell you.

It's easy enough to create a few of your own, or wait for others to release some

Better Backgrounds - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild

Better Backgrounds - Expanded and Enhanced Background Options Are the new 2024 Player's Handbook backgrounds feeling too limited and restric

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