D&D 5E Customizing Backgrounds Core Rule - Public Service Announcement

[Prakriti]

And, if you come to the table with a customization that you haven't reviewed and gotten an ok from the GM for... well, that's a pretty crummy way to start your game.

No more so than a spellcaster coming to the table with a list of prepared spells that hasn't been reviewed and okayed by the GM first. A player who swaps out their Background proficiencies is playing by the default rules just as much as a spellcaster who chooses spells other than the ones suggested in the "Quick Build" section of their class.

 

[Bacon Bits]

And, if you come to the table with a customization that you haven't reviewed and gotten an ok from the GM for... well, that's a pretty crummy way to start your game.

I guess I don't really see how a custom background is any different than buying your equipment a la carte instead of as a starting package. Custom backgrounds are not an optional rule or a variant rule. Custom backgrounds are just the rule the book presents.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

And, if you come to the table with a customization that you haven't reviewed and gotten an ok from the GM for... well, that's a pretty crummy way to start your game.

I would agree with that only inasmuch as I think all character concepts need to be discussed with the DM and other players before being created. For my preferences, just showing up with a PC expecting to play them is a bad way to start a game in general.

But choosing to customize a background according to the way the core rules specifically tell you, as the player, to do it, is conceptually no different than choosing to play a hill dwarf fighter.

That’s a huge part of my point—because people aren’t as familiar with the background customization rule they want to treat it like a variant option a DM can opt-in to, like feats or gnomes, rather than a default option that DMs can opt-out of, which is what it officially is.

 

[Rikka66]

I guess I don't really see how a custom background is any different than buying your equipment a la carte instead of as a starting package. Custom backgrounds are not an optional rule or a variant rule. Custom backgrounds are just the rule the book presents.

Probably because backgrounds are something many DMs expect to have a lot more buy-in of. My personal policy is that I'd like if you could look over the published backgrounds for something initially, and if we needed we can modify it. I've never said no to a custom background, but I do expect to at least get to review so I can know where everything on your character sheet is derived from.

 

[prabe]

I guess I don't really see how a custom background is any different than buying your equipment a la carte instead of as a starting package. Custom backgrounds are not an optional rule or a variant rule. Custom backgrounds are just the rule the book presents.

A custom background isn't really any different from custom starting equipment, but neither is the DM completely out of line asking you to roll for starting money at the table (or taking the average, which is my own approach).

 

[Salthorae]

This "brewer" has, not only a complete inability to brew anything, but influence within high society as a result of their noble birth.

They look like they are pretty good at brewing up troubles with those skills and features though!

I agree with the OP though. Some DM's seem very put out by the very concept of NOT selecting one of the pre-written Backgrounds and resistant to customized backgrounds despite this very core rule.

I'm not saying "make it up and try to force a DM to let you do it because RULE", I'm saying, you can by the rules easily do it. It's right there in the rules, so I don't understand why some DM's I've seen/played with are SO resistant to the idea.

Same with duplicative features. If you get the same skill/tool from race/class/background you can choose ANY to get at that point. Some DM's are very resistant to that as well. Seem odd to me.

 

[prabe]

I agree with the OP though. Some DM's seem very put out by the very concept of NOT selecting one of the pre-written Backgrounds and resistant to customized backgrounds despite this very core rule.

I'm not saying "make it up and try to force a DM to let you do it because RULE", I'm saying, you can by the rules easily do it. It's right there in the rules, so I don't understand why some DM's I've seen/played with are SO resistant to the idea.

Same with duplicative features. If you get the same skill/tool from race/class/background you can choose ANY to get at that point. Some DM's are very resistant to that as well. Seem odd to me.

I can't speak for DMs who are starting from "no," but I want to know the backgrounds because I want to tie the characters to the setting and the campaign. If you pick "sailor" for your background and I'm looking at starting in a landlocked city, we need to work out how your character came to be there. If you're using a custom background, I want to know what it is, because I want to know what exists in my world. I'm always willing to work with a player if they want a background other than what's in the PHB; I just want it to be a discussion.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[The Crimson Binome]

So? There's nothing wrong with house rules. What difference does that make?

It doesn't matter in the slightest, except to the sort of person who would use the concept of RAW to pressure someone into acting a certain way.

 

[Salthorae]

I just want it to be a discussion.

Absolutely. When I DM I'm totally open to it. I've played with more than one DM both IRL and online who when asked were just a straight "nope" on the custom background. It boggles the mind that they'd not even be open to the idea or discussion of a core rule

I think they must be coming from a "what are you trying to sneak by me?" mindset, though I don't know for sure.