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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Iosue" data-source="post: 9477572" data-attributes="member: 6680772">So, when I read about ability score increases and feats being attached to Backgrounds in 2024, I was highly skeptical. One of the things I loved about Backgrounds in the 2014 rules was that they weren't mechanically relevant. Even their "ribbon" abilities were not made to interact with other aspects of character generation. What was more, tying ability score increases to Backgrounds seemed needlessly limiting, all but forcing certain Backgrounds to be taken by certain classes.Now, having read the PHB, I see that I need not have worried. In fact, all the Sturm und Drang about custom backgrounds being in the DMG was hardly necessary: custom backgrounds are quite clearly spelled out in the PHB as it is.The chapter on Backgrounds lists the following parts of a Background:Ability Scores: Increase three ability scores by +1, or increase one by +2 and another by +1.Feat: One Origin Feat.Skill Proficiencies: Proficiency in two skills.Tool Proficiency: Proficiency in one tool.Equipment: Package of equipment bought with 50 GP.The sidebar on "Backgrounds and Species from Older Books" notes that you choose your ability score increases as above, ignore the ones provided by species, and choose an Origin Feat.And that's the "real" character generation for the 2024 rules. Choose your ASIs, Feat, Skills, Tool, and Equipment a la carte, or use the provided Backgrounds as handy presets. I see that Backgrounds have now been leveraged to help new players make their characters with a minimum of analysis paralysis or time investment, while still giving them choices and keeping it fun and role-play-y.I think it's a pretty good design choice. They've divested ASIs from Race/Species, like Tasha's, but still provide guidance for how to allocate them. I, personally, will likely never use the new Backgrounds, at least not as written. But I can see them as being very useful with new players, or even just players who want to expedite the chargen process.</blockquote>

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