Hi there.
I've posted the following on the wizards site- however, since I need all the PEACH I can get, I thought I would also post it here.
As a fan of the low-magic campaign, I have always hated the idea of the demihuman race- the idea of these fantastic, semi-magical races wandering around working in shops and bumping into people on the streets seems to me to take away the mystery of a setting. However, I appreciate that the idea of running a campaign where the only racial choice is 'human' limits what is to be an exploration of a new playing system.
The concept of the character background is simple- to give players in a human-centric campaigns some options for character builds that would otherwise not exist. Backgrounds essentially deal with the character's formative years, add are meant to differentiate between, say, a fighter raised from noble stock to fight as a knight and a peasant soldier who trained in the local militia. Wherever possible I have attempted to keep the concepts relatively close to (what we think are) the normal racial bonuses/abilities.
Without further ado:
HEROIC EVERYMAN
The heroic everyman is the default background- they are typically neither very rich or poor, often the lower sons and daughters of minor nobility, landless knights, relatively well-to-do townsfolk or the like. Perhaps they have a history as exotic as any of the other options, but the player wishes to focus more on their class as a background- whatever the reason, they tend to be flexible without conforming to any particular favorite class group or role.
Ability Score: +2 to any 1 ability score
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: none.
Background Traits:
Trained Skills: Gain 1 extra trained skill at first level from your class skill set.
Bonus Feat: You gain an extra feat at first level. You must meet all other requirements for the feat.
Resolute Hero: You gain a +1 bonus to your reflex, will and fortitude defence.
Talent: You gain a bonus at-will power from your class list. The at-will power must be selected from your 1st level selection.
BLOODY CHILD
The Bloody Child is so named for the sights they witness- and the ordeals they are put through- at an early age. They are raised- either deliberately or through the cruel whims of fate- in terrible brutality. Bloody children may be part of a warrior society, trained to fight for their nation at an early age, or they may be desperate survivors in a dark age of suffering. Either way, both warfare and treachery come to them as naturally as breathing.
Ability Scores: +2 to strength and dexterity
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 intimidate, +2 stealth
Background Traits:
Fearless: The Bloody child has grown up seeing brutality from an early age; they do not scare easily. They gain a +5 bonus to all fear effects.
Never safe: Bloody children are ever on alert. They gain a +2 bonus against opportunity attacks.
Brutal survivor: Bloody children gain the Adrenal Burst encounter power, detailed below:
Adrenal Burst Bloody Child Background Power
You are driven into a desperate frenzy, like a wounded animal with its back against the wall.
Encounter * Minor action Personal
Effect: You gain two extra squares of movement and a bonus to your damage equal to your strength until the end of your next turn. You must be bloodied to use this power.
CLOISTERED MIND
A cloistered mind is who’s formative years were spend isolated from society in study, either martial or intellectual. Benefiting from a focused education, they emerge ready to test their theories and lessons in a dangerous, exiting world.
Ability Scores: +2 to intelligence and constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 Insight and Religion
Background Traits:
Knowledge of Ages: History is always a trained skill
Ancient Superstitions: The cloistered mind has resist radiance or necrotic damage 5+ one-half their level. The energy type is decided at first level and cannot be changed.
Broad Skill base: The cloistered mind gains any 1st level at-will power from any other class as an encounter power.
GOLDEN HEART
Men and women of power, the Golden-hearted are the nobility- raised into power and trained in the art of diplomacy and treachery alike. Embroiled in intrigues and ever looking for new inroads to power, Golden Hearts are limited only by their ambition.
Ability Scores: +2 to intelligence and charisma
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Literate: Yes
Skill Bonus: +2 diplomacy, bluff
Background Traits:
The cruelest cut: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls against bloodied opponents.
Dashing figure: You gain a +2 bonus to your reflex saves.
Duelist: You gain the furious parry power:
Furious Parry Golden Heart Background Power
You turn passive offense into a cunning offence with the blink of an eye
Encounter * Minor action personal
Effect: You gain a +1 power bonus to your next attack roll against an enemy that attacked and missed you since your last turn. If your attack hits and deals damage, add your charisma modifier as extra damage.
NOBLE SAVAGE
Brave hunters and braver warriors, the Noble savage is a child of the wild. Raised in tribes and accustomed to the dangers and treasures of the natural world, they are swift, silent and deadly.
Ability Scores: +2 dexterity and wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Normal
Literate: No.
Skill Bonus: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
Background Traits:
Weapon Training: Noble savages are always proficient with the Longbow and Shortbow.
Wildstep: Noble savages ignore difficult terrain when they shift (even if they have a power that allows them to shift multiple squares).
Group Awareness: Noble savages grant all allies within 5 squares a +1 background bonus to perception checks.
Hunter’s Accuracy Noble Savage Background Power
With an instant of focus, you take careful aim at a foe and strike with years of experience as a hunter.
Encounter * Free Action Personal
Effect: Reroll an attack roll. Use the second roll, even if it’s lower.
PEASANT HERO
Rare individuals drawn from the masses, Peasant heroes are the epitome of tough, dependable and straightforward. Capable of bearing the worst life has thrown at them, they often defy problems with simple wisdom where more elaborate schemes fail.
Ability Scores: +2 to constitution and wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 Endurance, +2 Athletics
Background Traits:
Weathered the Worst: Peasant Heroes gain a +5 bonus against poisons and disease.
Resilient: Peasant Heroes can use a second wind as a minor action.
Stand Your Ground: When an effect forces the Peasant Hero to move- through a pull, a push, or a slide- they move 1 square less than the effect specifies. In addition, when an attack would knock them prone, they can make an immediate saving throw to avoid falling prone.
WANDERING SOUL
The wandering soul is one who was raised on the road, learning about life from a hundred different teachers and ever ready to continue down the path to the unknown. Wanderers display a certain talent for getting out of (and into) mischief through a combination of sweet-talking, quick-thinking and luck.
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Cha
Size: Medium
Speed: 7
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Dungeoneering
Background Traits:
Group Diplomacy: The wandering soul grants allies within 10 squares a +1 background bonus to diplomacy checks.
Speedy reaction: The wandering soul gains a +2 bonus to their initiative.
Broad Minded: Wandering souls gain a +5 bonus against illusions.
Luck of the Wanderer: Wandering Souls use Luck of the Wanderer as an encounter power.
Luck of the Wanderer Wandering Soul Background Power
You rely on luck and speed to work in your favor as you dodge your enemies attack.
Encounter
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Effect: When the enemy hits you, force the enemy to roll the attack again. The enemy uses the second roll, even if it’s lower.
It goes without saying that PEACH would be greatly, greatly appreciated.
I've posted the following on the wizards site- however, since I need all the PEACH I can get, I thought I would also post it here.
As a fan of the low-magic campaign, I have always hated the idea of the demihuman race- the idea of these fantastic, semi-magical races wandering around working in shops and bumping into people on the streets seems to me to take away the mystery of a setting. However, I appreciate that the idea of running a campaign where the only racial choice is 'human' limits what is to be an exploration of a new playing system.
The concept of the character background is simple- to give players in a human-centric campaigns some options for character builds that would otherwise not exist. Backgrounds essentially deal with the character's formative years, add are meant to differentiate between, say, a fighter raised from noble stock to fight as a knight and a peasant soldier who trained in the local militia. Wherever possible I have attempted to keep the concepts relatively close to (what we think are) the normal racial bonuses/abilities.
Without further ado:
HEROIC EVERYMAN
The heroic everyman is the default background- they are typically neither very rich or poor, often the lower sons and daughters of minor nobility, landless knights, relatively well-to-do townsfolk or the like. Perhaps they have a history as exotic as any of the other options, but the player wishes to focus more on their class as a background- whatever the reason, they tend to be flexible without conforming to any particular favorite class group or role.
Ability Score: +2 to any 1 ability score
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: none.
Background Traits:
Trained Skills: Gain 1 extra trained skill at first level from your class skill set.
Bonus Feat: You gain an extra feat at first level. You must meet all other requirements for the feat.
Resolute Hero: You gain a +1 bonus to your reflex, will and fortitude defence.
Talent: You gain a bonus at-will power from your class list. The at-will power must be selected from your 1st level selection.
BLOODY CHILD
The Bloody Child is so named for the sights they witness- and the ordeals they are put through- at an early age. They are raised- either deliberately or through the cruel whims of fate- in terrible brutality. Bloody children may be part of a warrior society, trained to fight for their nation at an early age, or they may be desperate survivors in a dark age of suffering. Either way, both warfare and treachery come to them as naturally as breathing.
Ability Scores: +2 to strength and dexterity
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 intimidate, +2 stealth
Background Traits:
Fearless: The Bloody child has grown up seeing brutality from an early age; they do not scare easily. They gain a +5 bonus to all fear effects.
Never safe: Bloody children are ever on alert. They gain a +2 bonus against opportunity attacks.
Brutal survivor: Bloody children gain the Adrenal Burst encounter power, detailed below:
Adrenal Burst Bloody Child Background Power
You are driven into a desperate frenzy, like a wounded animal with its back against the wall.
Encounter * Minor action Personal
Effect: You gain two extra squares of movement and a bonus to your damage equal to your strength until the end of your next turn. You must be bloodied to use this power.
CLOISTERED MIND
A cloistered mind is who’s formative years were spend isolated from society in study, either martial or intellectual. Benefiting from a focused education, they emerge ready to test their theories and lessons in a dangerous, exiting world.
Ability Scores: +2 to intelligence and constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 Insight and Religion
Background Traits:
Knowledge of Ages: History is always a trained skill
Ancient Superstitions: The cloistered mind has resist radiance or necrotic damage 5+ one-half their level. The energy type is decided at first level and cannot be changed.
Broad Skill base: The cloistered mind gains any 1st level at-will power from any other class as an encounter power.
GOLDEN HEART
Men and women of power, the Golden-hearted are the nobility- raised into power and trained in the art of diplomacy and treachery alike. Embroiled in intrigues and ever looking for new inroads to power, Golden Hearts are limited only by their ambition.
Ability Scores: +2 to intelligence and charisma
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Literate: Yes
Skill Bonus: +2 diplomacy, bluff
Background Traits:
The cruelest cut: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls against bloodied opponents.
Dashing figure: You gain a +2 bonus to your reflex saves.
Duelist: You gain the furious parry power:
Furious Parry Golden Heart Background Power
You turn passive offense into a cunning offence with the blink of an eye
Encounter * Minor action personal
Effect: You gain a +1 power bonus to your next attack roll against an enemy that attacked and missed you since your last turn. If your attack hits and deals damage, add your charisma modifier as extra damage.
NOBLE SAVAGE
Brave hunters and braver warriors, the Noble savage is a child of the wild. Raised in tribes and accustomed to the dangers and treasures of the natural world, they are swift, silent and deadly.
Ability Scores: +2 dexterity and wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 7 squares
Vision: Normal
Literate: No.
Skill Bonus: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
Background Traits:
Weapon Training: Noble savages are always proficient with the Longbow and Shortbow.
Wildstep: Noble savages ignore difficult terrain when they shift (even if they have a power that allows them to shift multiple squares).
Group Awareness: Noble savages grant all allies within 5 squares a +1 background bonus to perception checks.
Hunter’s Accuracy Noble Savage Background Power
With an instant of focus, you take careful aim at a foe and strike with years of experience as a hunter.
Encounter * Free Action Personal
Effect: Reroll an attack roll. Use the second roll, even if it’s lower.
PEASANT HERO
Rare individuals drawn from the masses, Peasant heroes are the epitome of tough, dependable and straightforward. Capable of bearing the worst life has thrown at them, they often defy problems with simple wisdom where more elaborate schemes fail.
Ability Scores: +2 to constitution and wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 Endurance, +2 Athletics
Background Traits:
Weathered the Worst: Peasant Heroes gain a +5 bonus against poisons and disease.
Resilient: Peasant Heroes can use a second wind as a minor action.
Stand Your Ground: When an effect forces the Peasant Hero to move- through a pull, a push, or a slide- they move 1 square less than the effect specifies. In addition, when an attack would knock them prone, they can make an immediate saving throw to avoid falling prone.
WANDERING SOUL
The wandering soul is one who was raised on the road, learning about life from a hundred different teachers and ever ready to continue down the path to the unknown. Wanderers display a certain talent for getting out of (and into) mischief through a combination of sweet-talking, quick-thinking and luck.
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Cha
Size: Medium
Speed: 7
Vision: Normal
Skill Bonus: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Dungeoneering
Background Traits:
Group Diplomacy: The wandering soul grants allies within 10 squares a +1 background bonus to diplomacy checks.
Speedy reaction: The wandering soul gains a +2 bonus to their initiative.
Broad Minded: Wandering souls gain a +5 bonus against illusions.
Luck of the Wanderer: Wandering Souls use Luck of the Wanderer as an encounter power.
Luck of the Wanderer Wandering Soul Background Power
You rely on luck and speed to work in your favor as you dodge your enemies attack.
Encounter
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Effect: When the enemy hits you, force the enemy to roll the attack again. The enemy uses the second roll, even if it’s lower.
It goes without saying that PEACH would be greatly, greatly appreciated.
