D&D 5E Have we seen a list of backgrounds yet?

[Li Shenron]

Good question. 14

• Artisan
• Bounty Hunter
• Charlatan (retained)
• Commoner (I suspect this has been upgraded to the more heroic sounding 'Folk Hero')
• Guide
• Guild Thief (folded into the broader 'Criminal')
• Jester
• Minstrel (seems obvious this has been folded into the broader 'Entertainer')
• Noble (retained)
• Priest (folded into the broader 'Acolyte')
• Sage (retained)
• Soldier (retained)
• Spy (made an alternate Background to 'Criminal')
• Thug

So that's 5 unaccounted for: Artisan, Bounty Hunter, Guide, Jester and Thug.
I suspect out of those, Jester will be folded onto Entertainer, the others we may well see in some form.

Uhm... now I'm starting to see better

They have slightly broaden many backgrounds, merging or folding the narrow ones.

The new list could look something like this:

• Acolyte (Priest renamed and adjusted)
• Artisan
• Charlatan
• Criminal (folds Guild Thief and Spy)
• Entertainer (folds Minstrel and Jester)
• Folk Hero (Commoner renamed and adjusted)
• Hermit
• Noble
• Outlander (folds Guide and Bounty Hunter)
• Sage
• Soldier
• Urchin (folds Thug)

That's 12, but Charlatan at least looks a bit too narrow now compared to the others.

Looks like hopefully we haven't lost anybody. With so many sub-options, it doesn't bother me at all if they merged some of them. Obviously in some case there might be some conflict with the proficiencies. Probably they had to reduce their numbers a bit due to the added traits/bonds/ideals/flaws which are taking a look of design space.

 

[jadrax]

With so many sub-options, it doesn't bother me at all if they merged some of them. Obviously in some case there might be some conflict with the proficiencies. Probably they had to reduce their numbers a bit due to the added traits/bonds/ideals/flaws which are taking a look of design space.

We may also see some survive as Variant Backgrounds the same way Spy did.

But even then, Criminal has 8 sub-backgrounds in addition to spy. Sage has 8, Soldier has 8.

It is a going to be lot of options; and that's before you take into account you can make your own.

 

[Li Shenron]

We may also see some survive as Variant Backgrounds the same way Spy did.

But even then, Criminal has 8 sub-backgrounds in addition to spy. Sage has 8, Soldier has 8.

It is a going to be lot of options; and that's before you take into account you can make your own.

Now that I checked, all the sub-backgrounds in Basic are merely cosmetic variations. Spy is listed as a variant but nothing changes compared to a regular Criminal.

I was thinking that perhaps sometimes a minor change could be useful, so maybe some of the new backgrounds might leave one skill or tool proficiency open. For example:

Entertainer

Skills: Performance plus one according to your secondary choice:

Acrobat: Acrobatics
Actor: Deception
Jester: Acrobatics
Juggler: Sleight of Hand
Minstrel: Persuasion?
Prestidigitator: Sleight of Hand

But I suppose it's more likely they are just all the same at the end.

 

[jadrax]

But I suppose it's more likely they are just all the same at the end.

Seems likely. Although this does seem to be the edition were they happy to put usability rather than symmetry.

 

[jadrax]

Barbarian preview confirms Outlander.

 

[Remathilis]

• Acolyte - Default Cleric
• Artisan
• Charlatan - Default Warlock
• Criminal - Default Rogue
• Entertainer - Default Bard
• Folk Hero
• Hermit - Default Sorcerer
• Noble - Default Paladin
• Outlander - Default Barbarian
• Sage - Default Wizard
• Soldier - Default Fighter
• Urchin

That looks about right. It covers a pretty good mix of basic archetypes. I wonder: we have monk, druid, and ranger left. I wonder which will go with which (or will they double up like in TWSNBN)?

 

[Trickster Spirit]

I'd expect they'd go the obvious Ranger = Robin Hood route and that we'll see Folk Hero as the Quick Build option for Ranger.

I could see an "Urchin" monk - young Aladdin-style street rat living off his or her wits and quick reflexes, whose potential is observed by a senior member of a monastic order (who maybe bails them out of a sticky situation by taking custody). Fast foward and the loyal 1st Level apprentice monk, grateful for the opportunity bestowed on him or her by the order, must venture out into the world in search of enlightenment and in defense of those who who cannot defend themselves...

Jeez, even if it's not the Quick Build default, I might just have to play an Urchin Monk, now...

That leaves the Artisan to the Druid, which doesn't feel like a natural fit to me; for that matter, Artisan doesn't seem like a natural fit for any of the classes, really. As it's the only non-confirmed item on the list, perhaps that means we'll see something entirely different. Knowing WotC, the next two previews will have Urchin and Folk Hero as backgrounds, so that they can leave us yammering for the answer as long as possible...

 

[gyor]

I'd expect they'd go the obvious Ranger = Robin Hood route and that we'll see Folk Hero as the Quick Build option for Ranger.

I could see an "Urchin" monk - young Aladdin-style street rat living off his or her wits and quick reflexes, whose potential is observed by a senior member of a monastic order (who maybe bails them out of a sticky situation by taking custody). Fast foward and the loyal 1st Level apprentice monk, grateful for the opportunity bestowed on him or her by the order, must venture out into the world in search of enlightenment and in defense of those who who cannot defend themselves...

Jeez, even if it's not the Quick Build default, I might just have to play an Urchin Monk, now...

That leaves the Artisan to the Druid, which doesn't feel like a natural fit to me; for that matter, Artisan doesn't seem like a natural fit for any of the classes, really. As it's the only non-confirmed item on the list, perhaps that means we'll see something entirely different. Knowing WotC, the next two previews will have Urchin and Folk Hero as backgrounds, so that they can leave us yammering for the answer as long as possible...

Artisan for Monk and And Urchin for Druid. Monks make alots of stuff, they can be vedy artistic, and being born an Urchin coulx be a good reason to reject civilization and became Druid. Also its possibly they end up with more backgrounds then classes, after all its earier making backgrounds then classes we'll see I guess.

 

[jadrax]

From the Adventurer's League document...

http://media.wizards.com/downloads/dnd/ADVLeague_PlayerGuide_TODv1_print.pdf

A list of backgrounds in the PHB!

Acolyte
Charlatan
Criminal
Entertainer
Folk Hero
Guild Artisan
Hermit
Noble
Outlander
Sage
Sailor
Soldier
Urchin

Two that we haven't seen mentioned yet -- the Sailor and the Guild Artisan.

edit2: My prediction is 'Acolyte, Charlatan, Criminal(Spy), Entertainer, Folk Hero, Hermit, Noble, Outlander, Sage, Soldier, Urchin'

I was close!