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Make your history unique and significant!
Do you find yourself choosing the same old background over and over, because it never really matters during play?
Is your character disconnected from their past?
Does your character begin play as a blank slate because they have no real history or personality?
If you've never had the experience of playing a new character that hits the table for the first game with a developed identity and a unique past, then this book is designed just for you!
Inside you will find a background system that gives your character a rich history full of meaningful choices that will shape the rest of their life. Each decision and event that happened in your past builds an emergent story that evolves in a unique way each time.
Many other RPG systems use Lifepath-style character generation, the most notable being the Traveller RPG. This book takes the essence of that style of character creation, and re-imagines it specifically for Dungeons & Dragons 5e. The result is a far more detailed background than simply picking one from a list, or having your background just be a set of proficiencies.
Here are a small fraction of the possibilities. Any (or all) of these can happen, and much, much more!
The choices you make and events you experience also have permanent mechanical effects. Maybe spending your childhood on a farm has made you stronger, thus increasing your Strength. Or the time you spent working for a local thieves’ guild taught you the skill of Deception.
If you’ve ever wanted your character’s background to be both unique and significant to your character throughout their entire career, then you need a Lifepath Background!
This 80-page PDF is fully bookmarked, including clickable links within the text. Includes a full-color PDF, a greyscale PDF (including a layer to hide images) for easier printing, and a lightweight mobile PDF.
www.dmsguild.com
Do you find yourself choosing the same old background over and over, because it never really matters during play?
Is your character disconnected from their past?
Does your character begin play as a blank slate because they have no real history or personality?
If you've never had the experience of playing a new character that hits the table for the first game with a developed identity and a unique past, then this book is designed just for you!
Inside you will find a background system that gives your character a rich history full of meaningful choices that will shape the rest of their life. Each decision and event that happened in your past builds an emergent story that evolves in a unique way each time.
Many other RPG systems use Lifepath-style character generation, the most notable being the Traveller RPG. This book takes the essence of that style of character creation, and re-imagines it specifically for Dungeons & Dragons 5e. The result is a far more detailed background than simply picking one from a list, or having your background just be a set of proficiencies.
Here are a small fraction of the possibilities. Any (or all) of these can happen, and much, much more!
- You must make life-defining choices. Do you attend a college? Apply for a career? Just drift across the countryside?
- You might have to make life or death decisions before the game even begins.
- You could make life-long friends or lovers that become important fixtures in your life.
- Perhaps you'll gather loyal allies to stand beside you in your hour of need.
- Or maybe you'll make a bitter enemy who thirsts for revenge.
The choices you make and events you experience also have permanent mechanical effects. Maybe spending your childhood on a farm has made you stronger, thus increasing your Strength. Or the time you spent working for a local thieves’ guild taught you the skill of Deception.
If you’ve ever wanted your character’s background to be both unique and significant to your character throughout their entire career, then you need a Lifepath Background!
This 80-page PDF is fully bookmarked, including clickable links within the text. Includes a full-color PDF, a greyscale PDF (including a layer to hide images) for easier printing, and a lightweight mobile PDF.

Lifepath Backgrounds: Discover your unique and dramatic past! - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild
Lifepath Backgrounds: Discover your unique and dramatic past! - Get More Fun and Adventure with Lifepath Backgrounds! Are you tired of choosing the same old background for your charact
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