D&D (2024) The New Custom Backgrounds Details

[Minigiant]

ok, then make Custom background default and later put in few suggestion. with advice that some if not all suggestions can be tweaked.

Honestly best class description was in 3/3.5e
every class came with one or two feat suggestion and what skills to take at 1st level.

Eh no

It's in the DMG because there is that 10% of players who will customize a background outside the power range of the rest of the party.

Custom background should be a DM allowance.

People are really only complaining because they are only a few 2024 backgrounds.

If there were no art and triple the backgrounds, 75% of people complaining about Custom background not being in the PHB would be gone

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The power difference between someone who that's purposely suboptimal and purposely optional in custom background is noticeable at low levels.

So you should have base options so a newbie doesn't take INT WIS CHA and Caster on their fighter.

Sometimes you have to think about new players.

Also, backgrounds that don’t fit the setting e.g. Hogwarts Graduate, Navy SEAL, Starship Captain…

 

[Horwath]

Custom background should be a DM allowance.

hell no.

People are really only complaining because they are only a few 2024 backgrounds.

If there were no art and triple the backgrounds, 75% of people complaining about Custom background not being in the PHB would be gone

or just make it simple:

1 feat
2 skills
1 tool, language or weapon

then you do no need 43200 backgrounds to cover all skill, feat and ASI combinations.

 

[Minigiant]

Also, backgrounds that don’t fit the setting e.g. Hogwarts Graduate, Navy SEAL, Starship Captain…

What would that be?

Sage
Soldier
Soilder

 

[Paul Farquhar]

then you do no need 43200 backgrounds to cover all skill, feat and ASI combinations

So that’s 43200 products you don’t get to sell people. Remind me not to go into business with you!

And you are viewing it completely mechanically. One of the most important functions of background is to help players get started with their backstories.

 

[Horwath]

So that’s 43200 products you don’t get to sell people. Remind me not to go into business with you!

how did 4E went with it's feature bloat?

And you are viewing it completely mechanically. One of the most important functions of background is to help players get started with their backstories.

No, I am completely trying to remove mechanics from backgrounds as they do not belong there.
Backgrounds should be exclusively flavor and RP ideas, what 2014 tried to do with Flaws, Bonds, Ideals. That needs little more work. At least 2014 was better in that and it was said then and there that you can customize any or all aspect of your backgrounds.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

how did 4E went with it's feature bloat?

The problem with 4e was that people didn’t like it, not that it had feature bloat.

No, I am completely trying to remove mechanics from backgrounds

And WotC are trying to put them in, because they need to remove the mechanics from species for sociological reasons. We are currently at the half way stage. Backgrounds are the new “race”.

 

[GarrettKP]

how did 4E went with it's feature bloat?


No, I am completely trying to remove mechanics from backgrounds as they do not belong there.
Backgrounds should be exclusively flavor and RP ideas, what 2014 tried to do with Flaws, Bonds, Ideals. That needs little more work. At least 2014 was better in that and it was said then and there that you can customize any or all aspect of your backgrounds.

That’s very much the opposite of what you’ve been suggesting. Removing the art and flavor of the backgrounds and just condensing it all to a single page of “feat, skills, tools,” like you’ve suggested is stripping everything but mechanics from backgrounds my dude.

 

[Yaarel]

No, I am completely trying to remove mechanics from backgrounds as they do not belong there.
Backgrounds should be exclusively flavor and RP ideas, what 2014 tried to do with Flaws, Bonds, Ideals. That needs little more work. At least 2014 was better in that and it was said then and there that you can customize any or all aspect of your backgrounds.

Ideals, Flaws, Quirks. That is more part of the personality of the character, in the same section as describing the physical appearance, and clothing style. Alignment description also goes here, relating Ideals, Flaws, and Quirks.

 

[Yaarel]

As a DM, I intend to allow any background that a player wants. But I need to figure out where in the setting the background happened. I am glad it is a DM thing. The direct connection of a background to the setting helps players feel their characters are more part of the setting and what is going on in the setting. This procedure for a novel background encourages a more immersive narrative.