Nikosandros
Golden Procrastinator
I have very little interest in seeing the "optimization game" for backgrounds, so my current inclination is to go all-in with custom backgrounds.
D&D (2024) Learning to Love the Background System
- Thread starter Kobold Stew
- Start date
DrJawaPhD
Adventurer
According to this moderator post on DnD Beyond, which is not official but is fairly likely to have originally been written by the same people making official decisions, their guidance for if a player selects an older background not published in 2024 basically becomes exactly the same thing as a Customized Background. That seems like a good enough loophole for me, if it stands up as being official
OB1
Jedi Master
I think it makes a lot of sense to not open up backgrounds in the PHB, as a way to make things easier on new DMs. I'm sure most experienced DMs will open up the choices to their players if they ask for it.
And also, the restrictions can lead to some interesting combos, like a Rogue with the Scholar background who prioritizes Int over Dex and uses True Strike to fuel their attacks. Or the Wizard Farmer who's spell DC may be a bit lower, but between a Con bump and Tough can take a hit far better than a wizard who spent all their time in a tower somewhere.
Open up the choices, and all that will ever happen when someone creates a build is Attack Stat + Con/Dex and whatever Feat optimizes them the best. There are other interesting combos out there that can lead to interesting stories.
And also, the restrictions can lead to some interesting combos, like a Rogue with the Scholar background who prioritizes Int over Dex and uses True Strike to fuel their attacks. Or the Wizard Farmer who's spell DC may be a bit lower, but between a Con bump and Tough can take a hit far better than a wizard who spent all their time in a tower somewhere.
Open up the choices, and all that will ever happen when someone creates a build is Attack Stat + Con/Dex and whatever Feat optimizes them the best. There are other interesting combos out there that can lead to interesting stories.
Clint_L
Legend
I like the new backgrounds. A lot. There is enough there for most players, especially new ones, to find a decent fit for any class. And then there is build-your-own for those who have something more particular in mind and don't mind opening up the rules a bit.
But ultimately, I think this is part of the same conversation as the way that D&D has always done classes. It is a central design feature of D&D that class identity is fairly distinct, as compared to systems that allow much more customization. I think this is a strength, as it creates less homogeneity. Ironically, systems that allow greater customization tend to wind up with less variety, since players are pretty good at homing in on the "best" combinations.
If you do allow more customization of backgrounds, I suspect the same will happen. Which is neither good nor bad in itself.
But ultimately, I think this is part of the same conversation as the way that D&D has always done classes. It is a central design feature of D&D that class identity is fairly distinct, as compared to systems that allow much more customization. I think this is a strength, as it creates less homogeneity. Ironically, systems that allow greater customization tend to wind up with less variety, since players are pretty good at homing in on the "best" combinations.
If you do allow more customization of backgrounds, I suspect the same will happen. Which is neither good nor bad in itself.
I mean... Yeah okay. They're still a tertiary character defining trait which is all they need to be.
So far as the limited options: Like there's only so many backgrounds... right now. But that'll change over time as designers and writers invent new backgrounds. It's not going to be a needlessly constrained choice for long.
MAYBE WotC will stick to their guns and shoot down their own designers' work... but that'll just lead to 3rd Party Publishers providing people with lists of backgrounds to use.
So far as the limited options: Like there's only so many backgrounds... right now. But that'll change over time as designers and writers invent new backgrounds. It's not going to be a needlessly constrained choice for long.
MAYBE WotC will stick to their guns and shoot down their own designers' work... but that'll just lead to 3rd Party Publishers providing people with lists of backgrounds to use.
DragonLancer
Adventurer
That is basically what I'm going to do. It just seems to make more sense to me.
Iosue
Legend
My impression is this.
At its core, chargen in D&D will revolve around choosing an origin feat and assigning ASI’s how ever you like (as per Tasha’s).
However, the new presentation is that the PHB is no longer “the rulebook.” The DMG is now the rulebook, and the PHB will only tell new players how to play and act as a character option reference. In order to onboard new players as quickly as possible, backgrounds are merely easily grasped presets that provide role playing hooks and low-level, latent optimization.
People have noted that certain builds are soft-locked into certain backgrounds. I believe this was by design, so that new players don’t unintentionally limit themselves. If they take the most obvious choices, they’ll have a reasonably optimized character.
More advanced players will be able to choose a la carte, or make sub-optimal (but interesting to them) choices. To that end, I expect that custom backgrounds will not be at the DM’s discretion (despite being in the DMG), but presented as a legal alternative, along with DM advice about how do handle them.
At its core, chargen in D&D will revolve around choosing an origin feat and assigning ASI’s how ever you like (as per Tasha’s).
However, the new presentation is that the PHB is no longer “the rulebook.” The DMG is now the rulebook, and the PHB will only tell new players how to play and act as a character option reference. In order to onboard new players as quickly as possible, backgrounds are merely easily grasped presets that provide role playing hooks and low-level, latent optimization.
People have noted that certain builds are soft-locked into certain backgrounds. I believe this was by design, so that new players don’t unintentionally limit themselves. If they take the most obvious choices, they’ll have a reasonably optimized character.
More advanced players will be able to choose a la carte, or make sub-optimal (but interesting to them) choices. To that end, I expect that custom backgrounds will not be at the DM’s discretion (despite being in the DMG), but presented as a legal alternative, along with DM advice about how do handle them.
CreamCloud0
One day, I hope to actually play DnD.
i think they're bad, the backgrounds as they are designed are too weighted to being advantageous to certain classes, and not always the intuitive ones (having seen criminal wizard mentioned in other threads iirc), this kind of boxing in of options was decried in species yet they've just managed to remake it in backgrounds.
personally i'd want backgrounds designed more as where you pick from a list of thematically apropriate options, for example:
Sailor
-increase your stats by +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1, and gain one origin feat.
-pick 2 proficiencies from the following: athletics, acrobatics, nature, perception and performance,
pick three of the following:
-gain proficiency with water vehicles, one of either gaming set or musical instrument and one of either cartographers tools, navigators tools or a language.
-gain a climb and swim speed equal to half your walk speed.
-gain two additional skill proficiencies from the sailor's skill list.
-you are considered proficient in any skill when it's use is directly in association to being a sailor.
-you learn the cantrips Gust and Shape Water.
-you gain proficiency with the Spear, Trident, Scimitar, Net and Light and Hand Crossbow.
-you gain the tavern brawler origin feat.
personally i'd want backgrounds designed more as where you pick from a list of thematically apropriate options, for example:
Sailor
-increase your stats by +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1, and gain one origin feat.
-pick 2 proficiencies from the following: athletics, acrobatics, nature, perception and performance,
pick three of the following:
-gain proficiency with water vehicles, one of either gaming set or musical instrument and one of either cartographers tools, navigators tools or a language.
-gain a climb and swim speed equal to half your walk speed.
-gain two additional skill proficiencies from the sailor's skill list.
-you are considered proficient in any skill when it's use is directly in association to being a sailor.
-you learn the cantrips Gust and Shape Water.
-you gain proficiency with the Spear, Trident, Scimitar, Net and Light and Hand Crossbow.
-you gain the tavern brawler origin feat.
Last edited:
Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
Smart money is on a ton of PDFs in DMs Guild/DriveThruRPG offering new backgrounds and guidelines for making new backgrounds on the first street date for the new PHB.
Price it low enough ($1, probably) and it'll sell like crazy.
Price it low enough ($1, probably) and it'll sell like crazy.
pukunui
Legend
I have no issues with the new backgrounds on paper, because technically I can let players customize them.
The issue for me is how they will be implemented in DDB. Will everything be hard-coded in, or will you be able to customize them, swapping one origin feat for another (for instance)?
The issue for me is how they will be implemented in DDB. Will everything be hard-coded in, or will you be able to customize them, swapping one origin feat for another (for instance)?
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