D&D (2024) Learning to Love the Background System

[ECMO3]

I think the fact that WotC gave a ¯\(ツ)/¯ when it came to converting old backgrounds says WotC isn't concerned about the balance of backgrounds but wants PCs to think of them as part of their story rather than "free goodstuff"

Then they should not include the "free goodstuff" in the background.

Pick a background, pick 2 or 3 abilities to increase, pick an origin feat, pick a race, pick a class.

Why have 3 of those things lumped together?

. A good reason why customizing them is in the DMG where the DM can kinda monitor them and so that every character doesn't view them as "take the things best for my character" and more "what does my PC's background say about them?"

This makes sense with the proficiencies and arguably the feat, but it does not make sense with ability increases because an ability increase and an ability score are not the same thing. If soldiers are naturally strong due to their profession they should have a floor to their actual score, not a +1 to the 5 they rolled. Making their strength a 6 means they are very weak and if being weak is not consistent with the background then it makes no sense, even though they got a +1.

To me it seems the opposite - WOTC considered making the backgrounds more about the "free goodstuff" than about the story.

 

[ECMO3]

It's not ‘restrictions breed creativity’

The issue is

1) D&D attracts new RPG players who need their hands held.

2) D&D is not allowed to fix its imbalances as quickly as they are noticed.

So Backgrounds are built more restrictive than experts and veterans desire.

Then put that handholding in the classes.

For example - Put it in the fighter quick build: +2 strength, +1 Constitution, Tough Feat

No go choose any background you want.

It is far more difficult and requires a higher degree of mastery of the game to balance what a new player might want on a class by hiding it in a background.

 

[Remathilis]

Then they should not include the "free goodstuff" in the background.

Pick a background, pick 2 or 3 abilities to increase, pick an origin feat, pick a race, pick a class.

Why have 3 of those things lumped together?

This makes sense with the proficiencies and arguably the feat, but it does not make sense with ability increases because an ability increase and an ability score are not the same thing. If soldiers are naturally strong due to their profession they should have a floor to their actual score, not a +1 to the 5 they rolled. Making their strength a 6 means they are very weak and if being weak is not consistent with the background then it makes no sense, even though they got a +1.

To me it seems the opposite - WOTC considered making the backgrounds more about the "free goodstuff" than about the story.

I don't, I think WotC wanted a.) Backgrounds to be more than four proficiencies and a feature that doesn't matter and b.) wanted some mechanical structure to them beyond "pick the best in each category". Did they accomplish that? Probably not as well as they'd have liked, but given they wanted ASI off species, background seemed the place to stick it.

(Personally, I would have preferred a +1 from species, +1 from Background, and +1 from class ala PF2e. I might end up writing up what that looks like.)

 

[Vael]

Crafter does have the minor perk of impacting spell components. 240gp Revivify, 800gp Hero's Feast, etc.

Or does it?

(Pretty sure it does work as you intended, but couldn't resist referencing an old comic)

 

[Kinematics]

I put together a few custom background ideas. These are built mostly on a theme of "apprentice".

Spoiler: Apprentice (Trade)

Apprentice (Trade)

Str, Con, Cha​

Savage Attacker​

Athletics, Insight​

Any artisan tool​

An apprentice based on the Artisan.

This apprentice does all the grunt work — chop that wood, hammer that iron bar, carry these supplies to the build site, etc — so gets quite a workout (Str, Con, Athletics), but is also learning how to interact with customers better (Cha, Insight). The artisan tool is whatever trade they're involved in. Savage Attacker is from learning to focus all their effort when demanded. Not Alert (ready and watching for something to happen), but reactive ("When I say jump, jump!")

This would be reasonable for a barbarian, paladin, and maybe a fighter. Others seem iffy.

Spoiler: Recruit

Recruit

Str, Dex, Con​

Lucky​

Athletics, Stealth​

Cook's Utensils​

An apprentice based on the Soldier.

Always stressed from the life of a conscript, the recruit is forced to get into shape, but has to rely on luck more than skill. (Str, Dex, Con, Athletics, Lucky) It's been pounded into the recruit to not stick his head up where the enemy can see it. (Stealth) And finally, as the lowest rung on the ladder, he's on kitchen duty more often than not (often as punishment when his luck ran out).

Broadly useful for any martial type.

Spoiler: Shepherd

Shepherd

Con, Wis, Cha​

Alert​

Animal Handling, Perception​

Herbalism Kit​

An apprentice based on the Farmer.

The shepherd has been tasked with keeping the herd safe and cared-for. (Animal Handling, Herbalism Kit) It requires long nights in the fields, and constant wariness for predators, including being aware of the beasts' own sensitivity to danger. (Con, Wis, Alert, Perception) But when you get back to town, it's nice to relax with people. (Cha)

Works for any Wis or Cha casters.

Spoiler: Waiter/Waitress

Waiter/Waitress

Dex, Int, Cha​

Tavern Brawler​

Insight, Persuasion​

Cook's Utensils​

An apprentice based on the Merchant. Originally intended as a generic clerk, I liked the image of the waiter/waitress tossing the drunks out, so tweaked it a bit.

Smart, friendly, and quick to sell you on today's special. (Int, Cha, Insight, Persuasion) Has to be able to dodge or subdue unruly patrons. (Dex, Tavern Brawler) Knows her way around the kitchen when extra hands are needed. (Cook's Utensils)

Stats work for a rogue, but can support a number of not-directly-martial character types. Tavern Brawler seems odd for a non-martial, but actually works as a way to not need to carry weapons around.

Lack of synergy with the Str you'd want for Tavern Brawler, though. Str,Int,Cha also fits the theme. Waffling on this.

We don't have info on if or how custom backgrounds might be put together, but the basics seem pretty easy. I don't see any reason the DMG wouldn't allow it. Just need to focus on the background idea first, and not back-calculate from the stats and feats you want.

 

[MarkB]

Maybe if everyone is a human living in a human land on the prime. Many of them would be pretty difficult if you were coming from for example the City of Brass or the Shadowfell.

How so? Which of these packages of abilities, stripped of narrative fluff, would be inappropriate in such settings?

 

[ECMO3]

I don't, I think WotC wanted a.) Backgrounds to be more than four proficiencies and a feature that doesn't matter and b.) wanted some mechanical structure to them beyond "pick the best in each category". Did they accomplish that? Probably not as well as they'd have liked, but given they wanted ASI off species, background seemed the place to stick it.

The best place to stick it is where it was after Tasha's - entirely up to the player. I see no benefit at all to moving it elsewhere.

(Personally, I would have preferred a +1 from species, +1 from Background, and +1 from class ala PF2e. I might end up writing up what that looks like.)

That makes no sense at all to me. This reminds me of a Rogue DM who purposely tries to make their players have a bad time. It is more complicated and offers no story or thematic reason beyond "we want to limit players to this" .... for some unknown reason.

 

[Horwath]

This makes sense with the proficiencies and arguably the feat, but it does not make sense with ability increases because an ability increase and an ability score are not the same thing. If soldiers are naturally strong due to their profession they should have a floor to their actual score, not a +1 to the 5 they rolled. Making their strength a 6 means they are very weak and if being weak is not consistent with the background then it makes no sense, even though they got a +1.

Floor for abilities should be linked to races/species.

We moved away from +X tied to species because it prevents species/class combos for everyone to be at max effectiveness, but some of that flavor can be kept in mechanic as still leave option to have any ability at "17" at start for any combination.

give floor to one or two abilities for every species.

I.E:
Elves are never clumsy.
So every Elf needs atleast "12" to be asigned to Dex

Orcs need minumum of 12 in Str

Dwarves need minimum of 12 in Con


Simple fix is this:
any +2 fixed ASI for a race is turned into "min 12"
any +1 fixed ASI for a race is turned into "min 10"

and you still keep your floating +2/+1 to put anywhere you need them.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I guess my only problems with this approach are

(1) As Charlaquin said on the first page, it feels like this...is no longer actually about the character's background, which makes it hard to feel like I'm "learning to love the background system," and more like I'm treating it as an alternative "first choice" for what mechanics to build a character around.

(2) This feels like the bad kind of constraint, rather than the good kind. That is, people love to say "limitations breed creativity," but what they actually mean is the right kind of limitations will breed creativity. If all limitations always breed creativity equally, then clearly we should always play blindfolded, after all, that's a significant limitation so it will surely breed significant creativity! Except it doesn't work that way. Yes, hardship can produce truly ingenious solutions. But it can also just suck and not having to deal with that suck would be way better than any creativity benefits gained. Hence, you need the right kinds of limitations--those that only prohibit obvious-best-choice approaches, but still grant substantial freedom otherwise. I don't feel that these backgrounds do that. Instead, it's like ordering your food from a fixed chef's menu. You...really can't exert any meaningful creative force over that. Either you eat the food, or you don't.

Actually forcing creativity would have been something like...forcing trade-offs between great skills (e.g. Perception) and powerful bonuses (e.g. Alert's bonus to initiative checks) when customizing your background. Have it be a build-your-background process, with the existing backgrounds as various pre-worked applications of that process. That way, choice is actually involved.

As it stands, it just doesn't feel like I can exert any creativity over the background. Either I use it as a seed to start from, or I start from something else and begrudgingly accept whatever I'm forced to take to not suck, or (as I suspect most DMs will do) I ask my DM to pretty pretty please let me just pick what stuff I want so long as it's semi-reasonable.

 

[Valetudo]

I'm gonna let my players make custom. This is one of a couple things in 5.5 that I don't like.they are used to Tasha rules anyway