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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dorian_Grey" data-source="post: 6857445" data-attributes="member: 6801878">Yes, NWP were optional. You could drop all of them and just mention them in the background based on "what you know" per the rules. And yes, I was using them - in that I was using an existing tool that was in the PHB to build out my character without having to use 100 different splat books so I wouldn't have a boring fighter. As a DM, I also probably would have given the criminal background some thief skills (maybe handle it like a bard) ESPECIALLY if he or she roleplayed well. Cause rewards don't just have to be GP and XP <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />. I would have given the religious character some spells as well, such as Bless or Light. If the player continued to roleplay well, I'd keep handing out these kind of rewards (probably tied to their holy symbol).In terms of what rules are bad or good, that's up to you - I'm just saying it is possible to do something without needing specific rules - "2e doesn't have backgrounds - ooh noez!" Says Random Player Playerface. "But you don't NEED backgrounds to have a background!" Says 2e Enthusiast. That's all. It was a thought experiment not a hard and fast rule. Heck, with weapons, just make them all 1d6 damage (which one version of D&D did do) and leave that up to the player to describe ("My weapon is a rusty and old two handed sword, the blade pitted and scratched but still serviceable. The hilt is wrapped in rags, as the leather rotted away long ago." Player. "Okay, it does 1d6 damage!" DM). The key takeaway isn't some rules are better than others, the key takeaway I was trying to express was "Do not be confined by the rules or feel you need a rule for everything." YMMV.But while we're on the topic, one of my favorite campaigns was role playing in the BattleTech universe using nothing more than the original green box set. It had, I think, a 60 page rule book, 12 plastic miniatures, and two simple maps. The rule book? Most of that was focused on managing battles between Mechs. Your "character" was a two score pilot (Gunnery/Piloting). Around those two numbers my friends and I were able to build a three year campaign focusing on our own version of a war between the Federated Suns and the Draconis Combine. We weren't even using the 3025 or 3026 Technical Manual. Two numbers. That was it. Best campaign I've ever been in too.Edit: Here was the edition of BattleTech we used. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/111714446374" target="_blank">http://www.ebay.com/itm/111714446374</a> - Apparently it was the 3rd edition.</blockquote>

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