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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 9640062" data-attributes="member: 58172">Both versions of 5e explicitly offer backgrounds beyond the Players Handbook.The only real difference is, 2014 did it without consulting the DM, and 2024 requires the DM to permit it.I agree. The 2024 background is an excellent amount of design space, but the way the 2024 Players Handbook presents it seems too unclear and comes across as too inflexible.At the very least, chapter 4 that lists the backgrounds to choose from must mention that the player can work with the DM to choose a different background. (Mentioning it once in passing in chapter 2 as part of character creation, is insufficient.)Also, I want the two skills and one tool to be more flexible, to include martial weapon, cantrip, vehicle, and mount, for specific backgrounds that require such. Altho the background feat can award these benefits, ... &quot;feats should be nice, not required&quot;.I think the DM does well to keep this 2014 flexibility in mind, but I like how 2024 requires the DM being in the loop. When the player describes a detailed learning experience, the DM needs to have sense of who and where, and hopefully these can be adventure hooks and future ambitions. Experience that relates to a military unit, a mage apprenticeship, a criminal organization, a noble house, etcetera absolutely require the DM to be on board.The 2024 core rules explicitly say the DM can offer other backgrounds. So, whatever formatting these other backgrounds use, is technically rules-as-written. The main point is, the DM okays it. The situation reminds me of a 2014 phrase, &quot;that you and your DM agree on&quot;.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 9640062, member: 58172"] Both versions of 5e explicitly offer backgrounds beyond the Players Handbook. The only real difference is, 2014 did it without consulting the DM, and 2024 requires the DM to permit it. I agree. The 2024 background is an excellent amount of design space, but the way the 2024 Players Handbook presents it seems too unclear and comes across as too inflexible. At the very least, chapter 4 that lists the backgrounds to choose from must mention that the player can work with the DM to choose a different background. (Mentioning it once in passing in chapter 2 as part of character creation, is insufficient.) Also, I want the two skills and one tool to be more flexible, to include martial weapon, cantrip, vehicle, and mount, for specific backgrounds that require such. Altho the background feat can award these benefits, ... "feats should be nice, not required". I think the DM does well to keep this 2014 flexibility in mind, but I like how 2024 requires the DM being in the loop. When the player describes a detailed learning experience, the DM needs to have sense of who and where, and hopefully these can be adventure hooks and future ambitions. Experience that relates to a military unit, a mage apprenticeship, a criminal organization, a noble house, etcetera absolutely require the DM to be on board. The 2024 core rules explicitly say the DM can offer other backgrounds. So, whatever formatting these other backgrounds use, is technically rules-as-written. The main point is, the DM okays it. The situation reminds me of a 2014 phrase, "that you and your DM agree on". [/QUOTE]

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