D&D (2024) Just drop the backgrounds.

[prabe]

I would rather they get rid of the "fully customizable" aspect. Backgrounds were great; turning them into just a free selection of some stuff is a big retrograde step, IMO.

(That said, I would definitely remove the ASIs from backgrounds before removing customization - by preference I'd just build them into the ability score generation step, but if they must be kept separate then make them genuinely separate. That is, they're not part of race or class or background.)

Backgrounds are fully customizable in 5e, RAW.

Player's Handbook

Everything a player needs to create heroic characters for Dungeons & Dragons the world’s greatest roleplaying game.

www.dndbeyond.com

There isn't anything in there that says this is an optional rule, and the only thing you're advised to work with your DM on is the Feature.

 

[Horwath]

My general feeling is that freeform selection of abilities is not D&D to me. D&D was always the game where you chose a class, not picked from a menu of abilities. Same with the other modular elements. Both approaches are fine, and make for great games, but D&D is characterised by pre-written character options.

I agree that it can be that in "basic" mode or as a guideline for new players, and in most editions later addons in materials added lost of "alternate class features" to every class, some were made for balance sake, some for variety in character concept.

Rogue can be after racial choice:

1st option:
27 point buy,
+2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 ASI
6 skills
4 tools or languages(2 from background, rogues thieves tools, thieves cant language)
choice of feat.
expertise 2×

2nd option: suggested build,
STR 10, DEX 17, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 14, CHA 10
feat: skilled
tools: thieves tools(expertise), disguise kit, forgery kit,
languages: thieves cant
Skills(9): acrobatics, stealth(expertise), sleight of hands, investigation, history, insight, perception, survival, deception,

 

[delericho]

Backgrounds are fully customizable in 5e, RAW.

I didn't say it was a new retrograde step.

(Which, yes, means that Backgrounds were great for all of 300 words before WotC ruined them...)

 

[prabe]

I didn't say it was a new retrograde step.

(Which, yes, means that Backgrounds were great for all of 300 words before WotC ruined them...)

That's fair.

 

[Oofta]

Where are you putting ASI? Back into race?

Why attach them to anything? Just make it part of building your character.

 

[Parmandur]

you can always have examples in PHB, and I'm looking forward to see their ideas.

But as it is customizable, we do not need two steps in character creation.

background, then class.
Just mold it into class at 1st level. Then you have only one step in character creation after race.
Then if needed you can look at some examples.

also if you remove class skill restriction, you can make your background better as you will have minimum of 4 skills and two tools/languages to customize it, plus additional if you class gives more than 2 skills at 1st level currently.

Quick note, Class comes before Race selection in OneD&D now.

They won't get rid of Backgrounds, that has been a hugely successful part of 5E.

 

[Oofta]

Maybe there's people I've never played that get more out of them, but in my experience it's something you put on your character sheet along with traits and whatnot that are pretty much forgotten after the first session or two. I do like backgrounds as optional fluff for those that want them. It's really campaign and DM dependent though, most of the time they don't really matter and people just select them for the associated proficiency bonuses.

So I'd say keep the backgrounds, keep the instructions on customizing them. I wouldn't tie ASIs to anything.

 

[dave2008]

Serious question: how often does the thematic background (which I also like!) come up in play?

Unfortunately, my experience is that most players kind of forget about their backgrounds, or at least don't find ways of making them relevant to what is actually happening in play. With the new changes that remove background features and encourage customisation, I only see this getting worse. In which case, yeah, ditch 'em.

It doesn't come up in play much at all, just character creation. They want a background that fits the theme of their character when they create it and that is about it. But it is important to them when they are making their character.

 

[dave2008]

you can always have examples in PHB, and I'm looking forward to see their ideas.

But as it is customizable, we do not need two steps in character creation.

background, then class.
Just mold it into class at 1st level. Then you have only one step in character creation after race.
Then if needed you can look at some examples.

also if you remove class skill restriction, you can make your background better as you will have minimum of 4 skills and two tools/languages to customize it, plus additional if you class gives more than 2 skills at 1st level currently.

OK, I guess I misunderstood. However, I still disagree. Again, we play level 0 with just our background, no class. So it wouldn't work for us. Also, a background should, IMO, be something separate from your class. I don't see a benefit to making them the same step.

 

[Corinnguard]

The new edition could always come up with a Culture element instead. Background is what you did before you went out to become an Adventurer. Culture is just as important as race and background.