Question on Background Customization

[Kilgore Trout]

Hi -

I know it's AL Legal to customize a background per this FAQ.

So, could one come up with a background that gives the player Perception and Acrobatics as long as they can justify it in the background? I'm new to AL, so I'm curious if this is being abused, as it were? Seems like it has the potential for abuse....

I actually like the backgrounds, but I do want to swap History for Religion in a Sage background for one of my characters....would this be legal?

Thanks as always!

KT

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

Perfectly legal.

Truthfully, most people at my tables don't bother with customizing backgrounds. The few that do do it either for a skill relevant to the background or trading a useless tool proficiency (I'm looking at you, vehicles) for a more useful tool/language.

 

[kalani]

You don't even need to justify the reasons as your DM has no authority to deny your choices. With that being said - skills should still ideally make sense for the character.

As such, I would think less about the specific skills and more about why the character themselves would have chosen to pursue those talents. If you (yourself) can't find a good reason, you might want to choose a different option that better fits the character or give it some more thought.

Yes some skills are more powerful than others and there is a good temptation to take them. But if it doesn't fit the characters personality or modus operandi you might rethink them.

For example: my gnome wizards class/background skills are deception, insight, investigation and persuasion. I also gave him thieves tools. Why? Because he is charming, personable, and an inquisitive trickster who cares less about knowledge and more about the thrill of the discovery.

While one skill/tool/language may seem out of place on a background - it can just as easily represent a side interest, hobby or natural talent of the character.

In summary: pick the options you want but spend some time trying to figure out why the character would pick those options - not so you can justify them to your DM, but so you can add verisimilitude and dimension to your character