Unearthed Arcana WOTC still can't get the backgrounds right in the new FR book.

[Kinematics]

That said, why have the background tied to mechanics at all then? If I can play an Acolyte with +1 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity and the Tavern Brawler feat then why even have a sailor with those printed feats and ASIs?

It turns abstract numbers into a concrete idea that people can grasp. It provides a word and description that can be used to help shape an idea for a character. Lacking that, it can be very hard for some (some more than others) to actually build a character of their own (in the story sense, rather than the mechanical sense). The background descriptions and names provide a starting point for those who have difficulty with that.

 

[WanderingMystic]

Considering that I'm typically the DM? Probably not. I think that character customization and choices should be player-facing.

Because I think that character customization should be in the book that has the rules for creating characters.

So to me to see backgrounds as world building more than just character building. The examples of backgrounds in the ohb are generic. After looking at one of those if none really work for your character concept to go to your DM and talk to them about how your soldier was trained in a mixture of magic and combat. The DM goes I have a great idea for a magical militaristic academy your characters could have studied at. At this point the dm says here is what ai think they would grant as a background.

You as the player have had some input into what is being made, the DM had made sure that it fits the concept of their world and game. By doing this you might not get exactly what you wanted but you get something that is very close and that the dm feels comfortable with.

 

[Minigiant]

There's no real problem with prepackaged backgrounds.

The issue is that WOTC only at first offered a limited set of backgrounds based on backwards compatibility and forced the ASI and feats to fit.

 

[Azzy]

So to me to see backgrounds as world building more than just character building. The examples of backgrounds in the ohb are generic. After looking at one of those if none really work for your character concept to go to your DM and talk to them about how your soldier was trained in a mixture of magic and combat. The DM goes I have a great idea for a magical militaristic academy your characters could have studied at. At this point the dm says here is what ai think they would grant as a background.

You as the player have had some input into what is being made, the DM had made sure that it fits the concept of their world and game. By doing this you might not get exactly what you wanted but you get something that is very close and that the dm feels comfortable with.

What breaks if the player can make their own background?

 

[Rainbow Scissors]

The changes to backgrounds are my least liked think about 5e24.

 

[Maxperson]

Well that is an interpretation, although I am not sure many tables will allow it.

That said, why have the background tied to mechanics at all then? If I can play an Acolyte with +1 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity and the Tavern Brawler feat then why even have a sailor with those printed feats and ASIs?

Beeecause your PC is a Sailor and not an Acolyte?