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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mengu" data-source="post: 5659924" data-attributes="member: 65726">I find them to be useful. It is whatever the player wants it to be. Take 3 players with 3 different approaches to the game.One of them doesn't care what "game element" it's coming from but wants to play a fighter fashioned after Minsc and yell "go for the eyes Boo!" Animal master is a perfectly fine solution for Boo.One of them is all about the flavor of the campaign world, and wants to play a Spellscarred Paladin of Torm as member of the Shield of Kilgrave. Spellscarred Harbinger might be the perfect background for this player, giving him a tangible effect to his spellscar.One of them wants to play an executioner assassin, and is looking for every game element that will boost his once per encounter big bang. He's ecstatic to find Mercenary background, which even has the added benefit of leaving his enemy prone at his feet, a respectable bonus to skills he cares about, and he figures what could be more appropriate than an assassin for hire. It's a win for this player as well.I'd certainly say Themes fulfill *a* role. Whether it's their intended role or not, is debatable, but either way, I'd say they are a welcome game element.</blockquote>