Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lojaan" data-source="post: 8778460" data-attributes="member: 71784">This is my problem with the playtest backgrounds. I 100% think that this background approach will turn into an optimization tool and not a backstory tool. Instead of choosing x background to get y, it’ll be choose y and move on. Why bother with the ‘background’ step at all? I see this very quickly moving to “you can choose a background but don’t worry about it – it doesn’t matter anyway. Just choose the stat increase and a feat that is good for your class and a useful skill (stealth or perception).”For backgrounds to be meaningful they need to be part of a living world, and only the DM really knows that world. So, step one would be a guided discussion you have with the DM, starting with the following questions, so that both of you can find the actual place in the world that you are from;• Did you grow up in the wilds or an urban, or rural area?• What was the place like (dangerous, friendly)?• What do you family do for a living, or what did you do before you started training to be your class (noble, craftsman, laborer, trader, hunter)?• Why did you change (tragic event, heroic moment, divine intervention)?Then group the 1st levels feats by the responses (ie, the feats for growing up in the wilds, the feats for coming from a dangerous environment etc…). The feats would be in more than one category – lots of overlap. Like, you could get ‘arcane initiate’ from where you grew up, what you did for a living, or what made you change. Pick a 1st level feat that reflects one or more of your answers. This represents a particularly significant aspect of, or event in, your background.Then expand languages so that knowing a language means you also know about that society. Speak Orcish? Then you may also know the culture and traditions of this tribe that has just confronted you. Speak elvish? You may know about the courts of the fey etc… And instead of saying ‘choose a language’ ask ‘what other peoples have you spent time with? Was your best friend growing up of a different species? Did your family trade with different tribes? Was a favorite teacher from another species, or even another plane of existence?(I think stat bonus should be moved to class – people choose stat bonus to suit their class anyway so this will remove all the “you have to choose x to play y” problems)If this feels like an involved process, that’s kinda the point. If backgrounds are going to be a backstory tool, then go story. Ironically, the proposed system really suits people who are not interested in story at all, and it under serves those that are by saying “it doesn’t matter, just choose some game abilities and say you are from anywhere.”</blockquote>

Verification