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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 9637891" data-attributes="member: 58172">Looking at the LevelUp "culture" options.Most of the culture options are obviously 2024 backgrounds: Circusfolk, Caravanner, Collegiate (≈ Sage), Cosmopolitan, Forsaken (≈ Urchin), Godbound (≈ Acolyte), Imperial (≈ Soldier), Itinerant, Lone Wanderer (≈ Wayfarer), Nomad, Settler, Stoneworthy, and Villager.Note some culture options are way more powerful than others, but like 2014 feats were all over the place, it takes time to get sense of how to balance these kinds of lists of options.Some of the culture options are also obviously 2024 backgrounds, but more specifically were silos to relocate the nonbiological background aspects of 2014 "races".For the LevelUp "race" "cultures" I will look at the Elf options, since I have a design interest in these. The elven cultures are Eladrin, High, Wood, and Shadow.Eladrin (LevelUp)Creature Type: (magically) gain the Fey creature type.Eladrin Weapon Training: longswords and rapiers.Invocation of the Eladrin Lords: choose cantrip.Knowledge of Faerie Courts: choose skill.Twilight Step: (≈ Feystep spell !!!)Languages: Common, Elvish, SylavnComment.Seriously? Twilight Step? How is this supposed to be balanced with what Cosmopolitan offers? It is almost too powerful for level 4 half feat. In any case, a balanced version is possible as 2024 background feat.Martial weapon proficiency or cantrip. Generally speaking, I feel certain backgrounds should be able to grant a single martial weapon or even a cantrip, instead of a skill or a tool. It makes sense to me, that a Deer Hunter should be proficient with a Longbow, even if otherwise untrained in other martial weapons. A Town Militia background (with a medievalesque tradition of growing up training for the defense of the town) can offer a choice of one martial weapon that the town is known for, or instead proficiency with either a shield or with padded armor. In a magical culture, it might be a utility cantrip, or a combat cantrip, or something cantrip-like like magically gaining the ability to breathe water. Yeah, 2024 can do this by offering a background feat, but I feel the basic design space should normally be flexible enough to accommodate a magical culture or a culture where weapon training is ubiquitous. I prefer each background grant a specific weapon or cantrip, albeit of course a player can ask a DM to modify this for the character concept. The DM just needs to figure out how this training happened. For the prominant elven cultures, I view training in either Longsword as true for the High culture, but not for the Eladrin culture.Creature Type. I still dont understand why 5e doesnt do this. The type has no mechanics in itself but other mechanics might refer to it. I love how 4e distinguishes between creature type (what kind of form the creature is) versus planar origin (what level of being the creature comes from). Deciding on both Type and Origin is an important flavor decision.Here is something like what a 2024 background might look like.Eladrin Traditionalist (proposal for 2024 background)Languages: most members of Eladrin culture speak Sylvan, and many speak Common and Elvish. Consider these when choosing your three languages.Eladrin Skill: choose one skill, either Arcana, Investigation, Nature, Performance, or Persuasion. If you choose Performance here, you can use a verbal component to replace noncostly spell components when spellcasting. If you choose Persuasion here, you gain Insight as well.Eladrin Tool: choose an Artisan toolset.Eladrin Magery: choose a casting ability (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). As a magical feature, you can use it instead to make checks for your Eladrin Skill and Eladrin Tool.Eladrin Background Feat: Feystep. You can cast Misty Step innately (without spell components and choosing the casting ability). You can do this once per Long Rest without a spell slot, and additionally can prepare it for your spell slots if any. Choose one innate (without spell components and choosing the casting ability) cantrip, either Elementalism, Friends, Guidance, or Prestidigitation.High Elf (LevelUp)Cunning Diplomat: you can use Intelligence for checks for Deception, Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion.High Elf Education: gain the Culture skill and an other skill of your choice.High Elf Training: Longsword or Rapier.Magical Versatility: cantrip of choice.High Traditionalist (proposal for 2024 background)Languages: most members of High culture speak Elvish, and many speak Common and Sylvan. Consider these when choosing your three languages.High Skill: choose one skill, either Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, or Perception. If you choose Athletics here, you gain Acrobatics as well. If you choose Insight here, you gain Intimidation as well.High Tool: choose one Artisan toolset.High Magery: Choose a casting ability (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). As a magical feature, you can use it instead to make checks for your High Skill and High Tool.High Background Feat: Elven Chain Fighting Style. You can cast Arcane Armor innately (without spell components) at-will. Traditionally it appears as a silky, extraordinarily fine chain armor mesh, with an elegant fabric tabard over it. It can appear as any armor of your choice. You gain proficiency with the Longsword, and as a magical feature can instead use a spellcasting ability (choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) for its attacks.Wood Elf (LevelUp)Languages: Sign, Common, and Elvish.Fleet of Foot: Your speed increases by 5 feet.Natures Ally: You can cast Animal Friendship per (long or short) rest.Natures Touch: the Animal Handing skill and Land Vehicle, and Nature and Herbalism toolset.Treeborne Scout: Climb speed.Wood Elf Training: Longswords and Shortsword.Wood Traditionalist (proposal for 2024 background)Languages: most members of Wood culture speak Druidic, and many speak Elvish and Common. You know how to sign in this languages. Consider these when choosing your three languages.Wood Skills: choose two skills from the following, Athletics, Nature, Stealth, Survival or Perception. If you choose Athletics here, you also gain Acrobatics. If you choose Nature here you also gain Medicine. If you choose Survival here, you also gain Animal Handling.Wood Toolset: choose either the Herbalism toolset, Land Vehicles, or the Longbow weapon.Wood Background Feat: Forest Walker. You can cast Longstrider and Speak with Animals innately (without spell components and choosing the casting ability) at-will. Your Climb Speed equals your Speed.And so on.All of these kinds of things that a culture might be known for are backgrounds. And a member of a culture might not exhibit any of its backgrounds.</blockquote>

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