D&D (2024) Is anyone going to use the new 2024 backgrounds?

[EzekielRaiden]

Run it yourself.

As I have told so, so, so, so, so many people

that doesn't help if what I want to do is play.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I expect the vast, vast, vast majority of players to use the pre-canned options (as well as other options they provide in the future).

Why?

Well, in 2014 they had backgrounds. But in the PHB, it also allowed you to customize your background. That wasn't as powerful as what is proposed here, but it existed. And yet almost no one used it, to the extent that every now and then, someone would "discover" the feature.

I've seen players tie themselves in knots trying to choose an optimal background instead of just customizing. And, of course, a lot of people choose things for flavor, not pure DPS/optimization.

I mean, it didn't help that the custom backgrounds got zero ribbon features unless your DM deigned to create one, so most people chose not to pick one. Better to get something rather than nothing.

Now, the custom backgrounds do actually offer something beneficial. Or...you can stick with the pre-canned options from 5.0 and get all the benefits of canned goods AND all the benefits of New Coke at the same time.

(That said, I did in fact actually ask for more than one DM to customize a homebrew background I quite liked, so it's not like this feature was never ever ever used.)

 

[Corinnguard]

Backgrounds by their nature restrict story elements before you attach mechanics to them. When you attach mechanics you then create further restrictions and force a choice between mechanics and the restricted story options you have available.

Backgrounds, for the most part, provide you with additional proficiencies in skills and tools that your character may or may not have under a particular character class. They define who your character was before they decide to go out and adventure in a much wider world.

As for restricted story options, I take it that you are referring to the DM's narration at a particular point within the adventure. A good DM is going to find a way to incorporate the character backgrounds into that story. Most likely as a potential side plot that leads to even more character development.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

As I have told so, so, so, so, so many people

that doesn't help if what I want to do is play.

You start as DM and than you give the hat to another one. Sometimes it just needs a mini adventure to convince a different player to DM.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I mean, it didn't help that the custom backgrounds got zero ribbon features unless your DM deigned to create one, so most people chose not to pick one. Better to get something rather than nothing.

Now, the custom backgrounds do actually offer something beneficial. Or...you can stick with the pre-canned options from 5.0 and get all the benefits of canned goods AND all the benefits of New Coke at the same time.

(That said, I did in fact actually ask for more than one DM to customize a homebrew background I quite liked, so it's not like this feature was never ever ever used.)

Well, kinda.

But you could use any ribbon feature that already existed for a background that was already made. So sure, you could create a new feature (subject to DM approval), but this lets you mix-n-match the feature with the skills with the tool proficiencies (or languages) of your choice.


And you start by choosing the background with the equipment you want, and then everything else you customize.

It's not game-breaking, but given how flexible it is, I think it shows you how people just don't go off the beaten path that often.

 

[Vince Snetterton]

No, because I will neither play nor DM 6e. If DM'ing, I will not allow players to introduce anything that is 6e related, and that goes as far back as tasha's, into a game I run.

 

[SoulDoubt]

I'm pretty sure I have customized the background for nearly every character I have ever made for 5e. I did this by taking an existing background and tweaking it, usually swapping out a skill or a tool for a different one. (Important to note that no DM has ever objected to me doing this, nor would I object to a player doing this if I was DMing.) I expect I will continue to do the same thing with the 2024 backgrounds.

On the other hand, I don't think I have ever seen any other players I've played with do this. They always use published backgrounds unmodified and played as-is. So I suspect that will be the way the vast majority of players continue to play, using the published backgrounds as-is, and I (like many here) will remain an outlier.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The more I see these I less I want to play 5e, the backgrounds are uninspiring but not at bad as species

Both are better in Level Up IMO, plus it adds the Culture axis for setting granularity and additional customization.

 

[Micah Sweet]

If only one could actually find any people running them...

Depends on the game, obviously.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I'm nearly certain we'll throw out the old rules and use dndbeyond for character management. I don't play with min max types, just people that want to play DND.

Are there only two types of players in your estimation: people who "just want to play D&D", and "min max types"?