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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest 7037866" data-source="post: 9294714">Very true. I've played in groups on both sides: more role-play vs. more action.Personally, much of the stuff you mention is only "useful" when it leads to adventure hooks typically: the bolded sections:But I recognize, for myself and some others I play with, it is because we value the "adventure" more than the individual characters.I've never played in a group that did it "all the time" because often those intereaction are what hooks the PCs into a potential adventure. In general, you skip over it when it probably won't provide the hook you're looking for.In a way it is a lot like random encounters while traveling. Some groups do them constantly, others skip them.The list I provided above trivialize things as follows:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Criminal Contact (Criminal) - these PCs have the convience of providing a "contact" when otherwise the PCs might have to role-play the social part of the game finding one, meeting them, and such.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rustic Hospitality (Folk Hero) - as in your example, food and lodging. You can role-play it out, but until the people you are staying with or their community provides a hook, not much comes from. Ocassionally it is fun to play out, sure, but otherwise...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Position of Privilege (Noble) - same as folk hero, but also as leverage to get non-nobles to do your bidding. An interesting side-effect I enjoy is when the rulers in a region are in threat of rebellion, so PCs playing the card might find themselves in trouble. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ship's Passage (Sailor) - removes the need to role-play getting that ship to that port you needed.  Again, yes you can play it out anyway, but unless you believe that'll provide interests/ hooks, a bit of a time sink.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">City Streets (Urchin) - this one isn't too bad, but in time crunch situations in towns can be a blessing indeed. Luckily, being able to move twice as quickly doesn't mean you also know where you need to go, although I have often seen this feature play out that way.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wanderer (Outlander) - my bane for exploration challenges! you can always find your way back, easy food/water, etc. I know with magic much of this is moot anyway, but still.</li> </ul>At any rate, I doubt most groups gloss over things all the time, even if some background features offer significant edges or automatic successes, but such is the nature of 5E. Personally, I've just house-ruled most such things offer advantages on related checks, not making them automatic.</blockquote>

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