D&D (2024) The New Custom Backgrounds Details

[Minigiant]

examples were with fixed +2/+1 with option to change them, they were not with 2 out of 3 option or +1/+1/+1 option in suggested backgrounds.

but, since CME got into the final print, one must ask; Did they actually read any feedback at all?
and OFC, next to CME, Hunter's mark without CONC was too much and was breaking the game

They read the comments.

Fans don't want to admit this is the 5e they voted for.

 

[Remathilis]

Custom Background: Awesome.
ASI: +2 primary ability score, +1 Con or Dex.
Skills: Perception, Athletics
Tools: Thieves tools
Feat: Lucky, Magic Initiate or Musician (whichever is meta at the moment)
Gear: 50 gp. Probably just buy a potion of healing.

You sprung out of the ground from the charops board, fully optimized and ready to go. Friends, family, ties to the community aren't important to killing things, so it doesn't matter. Now, go be awesome!

 

[Minigiant]

Custom Background: Awesome.
ASI: +2 primary ability score, +1 Con or Dex.
Skills: Perception, Athletics
Tools: Thieves tools
Feat: Lucky, Magic Initiate or Musician (whichever is meta at the moment)
Gear: 50 gp. Probably just buy a potion of healing.

You sprung out of the ground from the charops board, fully optimized and ready to go. Friends, family, ties to the community aren't important to killing things, so it doesn't matter. Now, go be awesome!

That's the earthling background for kids that got kidnapped by Dungeon Master and dropped into a D&D setting.

 

[Parmandur]

Why play an Entertainer Bard or Acolyte Cleric? To be the Bard-iest Bard and Clerical-ist Xleric. More options in their core function.

And then it provides the opportunity for light multiclassing vibes, for an Entertainer Paladon or Acolyte Ranger.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

PHB2024 are worse part of the book and honestly a waste of printing space, we could have gotten artificer for that page count.

and people will take backgrounds for mechanics they give and not what backgrounds should be, RP ideas and flavor.

The PHB needs to fulfill the function of providing inspiration for new players, and the backgrounds section use art and themes to offer baselines for those inspirations. Backgrounds need to be more than a quarter page of crunchy bits without inspiration, and the Core Player's Handbook is where these baselines belong. Having just the quarter page of Background rules removes any RP ideas and flavor, which abandons new players who are already intimidated by having to make blind choices.

Veteran players already know if their DM's campaign allows them to modify aspects of their origin, so it doesn't have to be written with them in mind. Also, backgrounds can vary based on the DM's chosen campaign setting (which I think we'll see more of in the future), and because the DM is the chooser of the campaign setting and knows what new or variant options make sense for their campaign, customizable rules are fine in the DMG.

When the DMG is out, I anticipate that the customizable backgrounds will be introduced in DDB, and this temporary lull between the PHB and DMG will be a memory. People will be able to use DDB to customize their backgrounds using 2024-only rules just fine.

Also, backgrounds are pretty cool to use as Level 0 NPC builders. An NPC criminal doesn't have to have rogue levels with weapon mastery and sneak attack, but they can have some skills and tool proficiencies that make sense for their background.

 

[Nefermandias]

It makes zero sense to me that they are going out of their way to remove powerful character creation game mechanics from races/species (e.g. ability scores and feats) but then put them right back in to backgrounds. Custom backgrounds should absolutely not be under DM control anymore than every game mechanic can always be tailored by the DM. The default should be that backgrounds are 100% controlled by the player (unless a DM homebrews otherwise obviously)

Nonsense.
The only thing 100% under player control is action declaration.

 

[Minigiant]

The PHB needs to fulfill the function of providing inspiration for new players, and the backgrounds section use art and themes to offer baselines for those inspirations. Backgrounds need to be more than a quarter page of crunchy bits without inspiration, and the Core Player's Handbook is where these baselines belong. Having just the quarter page of Background rules removes any RP ideas and flavor, which abandons new players who are already intimidated by having to make blind choices.

Veteran players already know if their DM's campaign allows them to modify aspects of their origin, so it doesn't have to be written with them in mind. Also, backgrounds can vary based on the DM's chosen campaign setting (which I think we'll see more of in the future), and because the DM is the chooser of the campaign setting and knows what new or variant options make sense for their campaign, customizable rules are fine in the DMG.

When the DMG is out, I anticipate that the customizable backgrounds will be introduced in DDB, and this temporary lull between the PHB and DMG will be a memory. People will be able to use DDB to customize their backgrounds using 2024-only rules just fine.

Also, backgrounds are pretty cool to use as Level 0 NPC builders. An NPC criminal doesn't have to have rogue levels with weapon mastery and sneak attack, but they can have some skills and tool proficiencies that make sense for their background.

Exactly.

People forget most of the problems and complaints people had about the 2014 books were because the designers heavily focused on veteran players.

So that's your choice

Wonky rules and guidelines because you focus on veteran players and DMs
Or
Simplistic rules and guidelines because he focus on new players.and DMs.

 

[Horwath]

Exactly.

People forget most of the problems and complaints people had about the 2014 books were because the designers heavily focused on veteran players.

So that's your choice

Wonky rules and guidelines because you focus on veteran players and DMs
Or
Simplistic rules and guidelines because he focus on new players.and DMs.

I think more complaints were about lack or rules and DCs for certain task and "everything be left to the DM" part.

also rogue sucked,
monk completely sucked,
ranger sucked until Tasha and gloomstalker, then almost not sucked.
feats were out of balance with each other completely, they did a good job now.
casters and paladins completely dominated(now they did went a little overboard with Smite nerf)
pact of the blade warlock sucked until it got hotfixed with Hexblade.

 

[Minigiant]

I think more complaints were about lack or rules and DCs for certain task and "everything be left to the DM" part.

also rogue sucked,
monk completely sucked,
ranger sucked until Tasha and gloomstalker, then almost not sucked.
feats were out of balance with each other completely, they did a good job now.
casters and paladins completely dominated(now they did went a little overboard with Smite nerf)
pact of the blade warlock sucked until it got hotfixed with Hexblade.

Why do you think 2014 was "everything be left to the DM" and heavy wargaming, strict exploration, light social, 6-8 encounter simple martials combat play?

 

[Epic Meepo]

Then they voted custom backgrount out.

I must have missed the custom background question in the UA surveys. I seem to recall being asked to rate the overall background rules in the playtest on a sliding scale, but that's about it.