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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ashrym" data-source="post: 9431976" data-attributes="member: 6750235">I like having backgrounds becoming a more mechanical and meaningful component of the overall character. It would however, be easier for everyone if the ability score bonuses and feats were dissociated from the backgrounds or species or classes if that is a point of contention. What I suspect will happen isn't that players will gravitate towards custom backgrounds.  Optimizers will for the mechanical benefits while most players (IMO and myself included) will just pick a background they want because it's quick and easy.Custom backgrounds should be in the PHB.I think this is a bit off.  No, I don't see the need for more instruments on the bard usually outside of what might be available at the time but when it comes to skills a bard picks any 3 skills so whatever skill the background gives are irrelevant.  If it's something you think a bard would normally pick then the bard just picks something else that you think might be better off from a background.  It doesn't matter if the bard takes it from the background or from their own "any skill" list.I also almost never take perform because my bards already have high CHA and add JoaT to it .  For the small added bonus and how often I use it there doesn't seem to be much point.  ;-)I do like the musician feat on the bard, though.  Added inspiration like abilities in early levels when bardic inspiration is more limited is a plus, IMO.Well, no, because a person can also be a human or use a warlock invocation or take the feat at a higher level.  Toughness isn't locked out or necessarily better than another feat.Not having a bonus isn't the same thing as being unintelligent or unlikeable.  Those can be a 12 and a 13 on that farmer still.  Not having a bonus isn't the same thing as somehow having a penalty.  ;-)I'm different.  I don't mind a slightly lower starting ability score when I know the score will end up the same regardless.  I'd rather go for what's more interesting than worry about a 15 vs 16 when it's going to end up being 20 anyway.  <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=":)" />I don't think it was undesirable design based on the mechanics so much as race overtones.  Species and backgrounds aren't comparable in that way because of those issues regardless of how similar the mechanics are.Of course, that doesn't mean the mechanics are desirable either.  That's still up for discussion.  <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=":)" />NGL, I would say let them.  Their table, their prerogative.  I might not agree with them but I still wouldn't argue that it's their choice at their table.  It doesn't really affect my choices at my table.</blockquote>

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