D&D 5E Skill from race and background: double Prof?

[Clancey]

I'm building an Elf Swashbuckler (from SCAG) and want a background that also includes the Perception skill. Would they stack, giving me what is basically a 3rd Expertise choice at 1st Level, or if I want that background do I just lose a skill spot?

 

[Mouseferatu]

They don't stack, but you can pretty much just pick a different skill instead, since backgrounds are made to be customizable.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

It's actually in the books that if you would gain the same proficiency in a skill or tool from two different sources that you can select a different proficiency of the same type instead (right at the beginning of the Backgrounds section under the "Proficiency" sub-heading).

 

[JackOfAllTirades]

I briefly considered allowing characters who "doubled up" on a skill from race, background, or class to take expertise in that skill instead of choosing another skill. But after thinking it over, I decided that would be a bad idea. Expertise is a class feature particular to Bards and Rogues; it wouldn't be fair to make it available to everyone else. And I also wouldn't want a part full of 1st level characters with min-maxed skill lists designed to double up for expertise. They'd have one or two really high skills, but they'd also be short a skill (or two) as a result. Terrible idea.