Dnd 5e Backgrounds

3 min read 03-12-2024

Choosing a background in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition is more than just selecting a few skill proficiencies and some starting equipment. It's about crafting the foundation of your character's identity, shaping their motivations, and influencing their interactions within the game world. A well-chosen background can significantly enrich your roleplaying experience and provide a compelling narrative hook for your adventures.

Understanding the Importance of Backgrounds

Your background isn't merely a list of bonuses; it's a narrative tool. It provides answers to crucial questions about your character:

Where did they come from? Their upbringing, family, and societal position are all shaped by their background.
What skills do they possess? Backgrounds grant proficiency in specific skills, reflecting their training and experiences.
What do they know? Certain backgrounds offer unique knowledge and insights, providing valuable information during gameplay.
What are their connections? Some backgrounds establish important contacts and affiliations that can prove invaluable throughout the campaign.
What motivates them? The inherent story within a background often provides compelling reasons for character actions and decisions.

Exploring Key Background Options

The Player's Handbook offers a variety of compelling backgrounds, each offering a distinct flavor:

Acolyte:

Skills: Insight, Religion
Features: Acolytes possess a deep understanding of religious dogma and often have ties to a specific deity or religious order. This provides opportunities for interaction with religious figures and potentially, conflict with opposing faiths.

Charlatan:

Skills: Deception, Sleight of Hand
Features: Charlatans are masters of deception, skilled in trickery and subterfuge. Their background lends itself well to intrigue, mystery, and potentially, morally gray situations.

Criminal:

Skills: Deception, Stealth
Features: Criminals might have a past connected to organized crime, a specific guild, or a life on the run. This often results in valuable contacts within the underworld and perhaps, a lingering target on their back.

Entertainer:

Skills: Acrobatics, Performance
Features: Entertainers are skilled performers, capable of captivating audiences with music, dance, or other displays of talent. Their charisma and connections can be invaluable in a variety of social situations.

Folk Hero:

Skills: Athletics, Survival
Features: Folk heroes often possess a strong moral compass, driven by a sense of justice and a desire to help others. Their past often involves acts of bravery and heroism.

Guild Artisan:

Skills: Insight, Persuasion
Features: Guild artisans possess specialized skills within a specific craft and may have close ties to their guild or trade organization. This provides opportunities for interaction with merchants, specialists, and other guild members.

Hermit:

Skills: Medicine, Survival
Features: Hermits often live a solitary life, developing deep knowledge of nature and potentially, unique magical or spiritual abilities. Their secluded past often allows for an intriguing mystery to unravel.

Noble:

Skills: History, Persuasion
Features: Nobles are typically members of high society, possessing connections, influence, and perhaps, a significant family legacy. This provides access to powerful individuals and potentially, complicated social and political ties.

Outlander:

Skills: Athletics, Survival
Features: Outlanders are adept at surviving in the wilderness, often possessing strong survival skills and a deep knowledge of nature. Their familiarity with the wild provides a unique perspective and potentially, useful skills in harsh environments.

Sage:

Skills: Arcana, History
Features: Sages possess a vast knowledge of lore, history, and arcane subjects, making them valuable sources of information and potentially, keys to unlocking ancient secrets.

Sailor:

Skills: Athletics, Perception
Features: Sailors are experienced seafarers, skilled in navigation and capable of surviving the harsh realities of the open ocean. This background allows for interactions with seafaring communities and potential access to unique resources.

Soldier:

Skills: Athletics, Intimidation
Features: Soldiers often possess military training and experience, making them adept at combat and potentially, skilled in strategy and organization.

Urchin:

Skills: Sleight of Hand, Stealth
Features: Urchins typically grew up on the streets, developing exceptional survival skills and a keen awareness of their surroundings. Their street smarts can be invaluable in navigating dangerous situations.

Beyond the Handbook: Customizing Your Background

While the pre-made backgrounds provide excellent starting points, feel free to customize or create your own. Consider your character's specific experiences, motivations, and goals when tailoring a unique background. Discuss any custom backgrounds with your Dungeon Master to ensure they fit within the campaign's setting and rules.

By carefully selecting and potentially adapting a background, you can significantly enrich your character's narrative, adding depth, complexity, and a compelling story to your D&D 5e adventures.