D&D 5E Is my half elf evoker's backstory too simple?

[krunchyfrogg]

Of note, I'm specifically going for something that isn't too complex, but can be expanded on down the road.

I was going with the idea of a half elf noble, raised in a family of elves.

He's constantly dealing with feelings of inadequacy and looked at as being less than a full blooded elf. This is what drives him to become an adventurer; his personal quest for more power and being able to prove himself worthy.

If needed, how can I expand on this idea?

 

[BookBarbarian]

If you have a Background, Personality Trait, Ideal, Bond, Flaw and have decided why your character became an adventurer, your backstory is good enough.

 

[Al2O3]

It probably depends a lot on the kind of game and group.

For a dungeon crawl it might be more than enough.

If you happen to have the same preferences as me it might be worth talking to the DM and find some in-world conflict or similar more specific hooks from the beginning.

I guess you plan on adding hooks as you go, and if that works well for you, your DM and the group in general I think you have a good amount of backstory.

Addition after noticing the question at the end:
you can talk to the DM about adding connections to NPCs as you go, or you can be more specific about the parts you already have.

• Is there a rival/bully/nemesis/foil? Either through the family or something else.
• What kind of power is the character looking for? Riches/political/meteor swarm...
• Are there any friends or allies that might help or be in need of saving?

 

[Oofta]

I've had complex backstories and simple ones. Sometimes I'll fill in the blanks as the campaign progresses other times I just have a cool story which may or may not have much impact as the campaign progresses.

I think starting simple like you did and fill in as you need works just fine.

However, a lot of it depends on your DM and group. So ask your DM. There is no one right answer.

 

[aco175]

That is fine. You can give more to his backstory by the types of henchman he has with them. If all the henchman are elves that says something then if they are a dwarf, and 2 humans.

You can also get a good related hook from the DM about the game he is running. For example, if the DM is running the Essentials box, you can come up with a hook to aid that like you are studying dragons and hope to get a close up look at one.

 

[Blue]

To me, a backstory should serve three needs:

1. Why I am adventuring, so the DM knows what motivates my character.
2. Hooks for the DM - ways to involve my backstory in what's going on. this will generate instant buy-in from my character.
3. Connection to the setting - like town I grew up in, organizations like the knightly order I'm part of or the beggars guild, NPCs like family or a friendly rival. This has some overlap with #2.

It can be short if it answers these. It generally shouldn't be too long - say a page an a half at max. You can always flesh out your character more in play.

So yours covers #1, but doesn't give the DM anything to work with to involve your backstory in plots. That's where I would expand it.

 

[iserith]

No backstory can be too short in my view. Most are too long.

 

[Tonguez]

How did he get to be half-human? Did the Elven noble family approve of the union that spawned him, was it an unapproved dalliance or a violent conquest? How did his family treat him? Did he have any rivals or nemeses who treated him as lesser because of his bastard taint?

Why does he think power will prove his worthiness? And who is he trying to impress?

 

[Guest 6801328]

I start with a simple sketch of an idea, and I develop it while adventuring. I find I'm a lot more creative in reaction to events than I am staring at a blank page.

 

[Ogre Mage]

In my experience, 90% of the time what you have so far is enough. The vast majority of Dungeon Masters don't care about an amazingly detailed backstory. They are not Matt Mercer. They just want a few broad brushstrokes to occasionally draw upon for story hooks. You can do all that work if you want. Maybe it will give you a better sense of how to play your character. But the vast majority of DMs will ignore it.