D&D General Backstory Bonuses

[cbwjm]

I was just looking through some notes on my current campaign setting and, when looking through the Guilds and Groups section, noticed that I'd added something to one of the magical academies. Ironstone Academy (stolen from a 4e dragon magazine I think) is a dwarven wizard's guild which exclusively teaches the war magic arcane tradition. Those wizards who study there gain a small bonus: proficiency in light armour and two weapons. They'd gain these bonuses at level 1 and effectively lock in war magic as their tradition. Ideally, the wizard training at Ironstone should also take Dwarvish as one of their languages through race or background as this is the language used in training the war wizards.

This is just in my notes, I haven't implemented it in game yet but I could see granting similar small bonuses to other centres of training like a warrior academy which studies history to inform the present granting proficiency in the skill of the same name or temple inquisitors granting the ability to cast detect evil 1/day. I think I'd also take a page from the Ravnica book and allow additional spells to be added to class lists if studying at specific institutes of magic such as the elven treekeepers adding additional animal and plant based spells to the class list.

Anyone else do this? Either through an organisation or perhaps a low-level boon granted during game-play?

 

[payn]

Im a Pathfinder guy but been doing this in PF1 APs for awhile. The AP players guides added some flavor and buy in to players for the adventure. It works great. PF2 even went into background which does it minus any organization.

 

[cbwjm]

Im a Pathfinder guy but been doing this in PF1 APs for awhile. The AP players guides added some flavor and buy in to players for the adventure. It works great. PF2 even went into background which does it minus any organization.

That's pretty cool, I'll have to have another look at some of my PF1 and PF2 pdfs to see what they've done. I think things like this can add a nice touch of flavour to a setting. Unfortunately, I thought of it well after our campaign started but might still use these ideas as boons during the campaign or at least have things better set up for next campaign.

 

[TheAlkaizer]

That's how I allow my players to customize their characters beyond what's in the book.

I generally tell them "you can change any of the skills, proficiency, equipment and can add a spell or two to your list (with approval) if you engage with the setting and give me a reason why, include it in your background".

My latest example, was a new player that I am introducing to TTRPGs. She created a Half-elf Bard and wanted the Find Familiar spell. But it's not on the Bard's list of spells. I said she could have the spell if she wrote why in her backstory, and linked it to at least one person, event or place of the setting.

What's great about this, is that it becomes and intrinsic motivation. She read through a few pages of my stuff to find something that would tickle her imagination. She ended up writing that her character's mother was a wizard, and was chased off from the elves for being so, and ended up in a very cosmopolitan city in a place called the Salt Coast. She adjusted her backstory so her character spent some years with her at some point.

It's something I've tried a few campaigns ago, and I've been reusing it.

 

[cbwjm]

That's how I allow my players to customize their characters beyond what's in the book.

I generally tell them "you can change any of the skills, proficiency, equipment and can add a spell or two to your list (with approval) if you engage with the setting and give me a reason why, include it in your background".

My latest example, was a new player that I am introducing to TTRPGs. She created a Half-elf Bard and wanted the Find Familiar spell. But it's not on the Bard's list of spells. I said she could have the spell if she wrote why in her backstory, and linked it to at least one person, event or place of the setting.

What's great about this, is that it becomes and intrinsic motivation. She read through a few pages of my stuff to find something that would tickle her imagination. She ended up writing that her character's mother was a wizard, and was chased off from the elves for being so, and ended up in a very cosmopolitan city in a place called the Salt Coast. She adjusted her backstory so her character spent some years with her at some point.

It's something I've tried a few campaigns ago, and I've been reusing it.

Oh nice, this is a great way to get players to engage with the setting and you end up with a PC who has a nice little bonus and has tied themselves better into the setting.

 

[payn]

That's pretty cool, I'll have to have another look at some of my PF1 and PF2 pdfs to see what they've done. I think things like this can add a nice touch of flavour to a setting. Unfortunately, I thought of it well after our campaign started but might still use these ideas as boons during the campaign or at least have things better set up for next campaign.

All the players guides are free downloads at Paizo site so thats a bonus. I find them inspirational as a player and love the influence on my players as GM.

 

[cbwjm]

All the players guides are free downloads at Paizo site so thats a bonus. I find them inspirational as a player and love the influence on my players as GM.

Oh cool, I'll go check them out.