D&D 5E Legends & Lore 8/4/14: Here Comes the Player's Handbook

[tuxgeo]

I think the "outlander" is like the "person from a foreign culture in the pseudo-medieval melieu." So it might cover folks like stereotypical nordic-barbarian-culture folks, people like pseudo-Arabic nomads from the desert, or even possibly "Merchant from Kara-Tur." . . .

I think outlander means "doesn't live in civilization, but not necessarily shuns people.” Tribal, nomadic, bandits, wardens, or people living on the edges of civilization (but still in contact with it) would be outlanders.

Any and/or all of the above! I think it means "not from around here," which covers an immense amount of territory.
Planars? Check. Barbarians? Check. Sorcerers of an unknown power source? Check. Miracle-workers who worship a pantheon nobody "around here" has ever heard of? Check.

It's too broad, in one sense: what skills would be possessed by everybody who is "not from around here?" But it's too narrow, in another sense: what single feature would convey enough foreign-ness to cover such a wide variety of different types?

One way, which I don't think WotC will have decided to use, would be this:
• Every PC with the "Outlander" background gets Perception -- because everyone willl want to take it anyway.
• Roll 1d12 on the Table for your second skill proficiency. Guides get Survival, but Horse-Traders get Animal Handling, and so on.

That might work. (But, again, I doubt they did it that way.)

 

[Plaguescarred]

Interesting info. I took off on a background-a-palooza for Planescape, and I think I nailed the features pretty well

Me too i think you did and also like the bariaur race

IDK if you saw Mike gave you props on twitter:

@mikemearls The Planescape factions worked up as backgrounds - cool stuff. http://daedaluswing.wikidot.com/faction-backgrounds …

 

[Jer]

Thanks for the link. It's interesting that their website has changed so much, and the old links aren't working anymore. Not really a good way to access the archives that I've noticed yet.

Just FYI - they've kept an archive of the old site here http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/ (which you can also access via the URL www.dndinsider.com).

Dunno how long they'll keep it active - they've said that the 4e tools will remain active as long as they have a sufficient subscriber base for them. But for now the old articles are there if you want to find them.

 

[Remathilis]

Interesting info. I took off on a background-a-palooza for Planescape, and I think I nailed the features pretty well, and I grokked that you can switch skills or tools (but not skills for tools!) pretty well. Specifically, the PS faction backgrounds give you affiliation with your faction and all the rights and responsibilities that might suggest.

All of which points to backgrounds being easy to customize to a particular DM's setting. Assuming I'm not a rocket surgeon, it shouldn't be a big deal for most folks to do it!

Shouldn't be the Fraternity of Order, not Unity of Order?

 

[Steely Dan]

Shouldn't be the Fraternity of Order, not Unity of Order?

Yes, The Guvnors.

THe only problem with Sigil lingo is that my mum talks like that.

 

[jadrax]

Any and/or all of the above! I think it means "not from around here," which covers an immense amount of territory.

I suspect it may be more, 'not from in a town/city', but I could be wrong.

 

[evilbob]

Just FYI - they've kept an archive of the old site here http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/ (which you can also access via the URL www.dndinsider.com).

Dunno how long they'll keep it active - they've said that the 4e tools will remain active as long as they have a sufficient subscriber base for them. But for now the old articles are there if you want to find them.

Thanks for that as well! Wow - so it really looks like they are dropping 4.0 support, full-stop, and just continuing to support what's there until they also decide to quit.

One of the inherent dangers of online-only tools, of course.

 

[Kinak]

Thanks for that as well! Wow - so it really looks like they are dropping 4.0 support, full-stop, and just continuing to support what's there until they also decide to quit.

One of the inherent dangers of online-only tools, of course.

DDI is also available here: http://dnd.wizards.com/digital_tools

Nobody knows how long it'll last, but they haven't officially stopped support (just stopped adding new content).

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[sgtscott658]

Hi-

what races will be in the PHB, I know Elf, Human, Dwarf and Hobbit will be in there, will the 1/2 orc be in there too?

Scott

 

[evilbob]

Nobody knows how long it'll last, but they haven't officially stopped support (just stopped adding new content).

Sorry, I used the word support to mean content, but the way you worded it is better.