Background

Every story has a beginning. Your character's background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your fighter might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your wizard could have been a sage or an artisan. Your rogue might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester.

Choosing a background provides you with important story cues about your character's identity. The most important question to ask about your background is what changed? Why did you stop doing whatever your background describes and start adventuring? Where did you get the money to purchase your starting gear, or, if you come from a wealthy background, why don't you have more money? How did you learn the skills of your class? What sets you apart from ordinary people who share your background?

Parts of a Background & Custom Background

Your character's background is the collection of characteristics that they picked up during the formative years of their life. These are the experiences and occupations your character engaged in separate from their upbringing and species, and prior to their life as an adventurer.

Each background includes the following elements, which you can either choose from existing options or customize to fit your character's story.

Mechanically, your background contains six plus one aspects detailed as follow, a Custom Background follows the same formula:

Ability Scores

Increase your Ability Score, these increases cannot raise any score above 20, choose (A) or (B)

(A) Increase one Ability Score by +2 and another by +1
(B) Increase three Ability Scores by +1 each.

Feat

Gain an Origin Feat. This feat represents a talent your character developed or had during their background.

Skill Prof.

Gain Proficiency in 2 skills of your choice

Tool Prof.

Gain Proficiency with 1 tool. This can be:

Languages

Your character knows 3 languages: Common plus two additional languages chosen or rolled from the Standard Languages table.

Equipment

Start with either an Equipment Package or 500 SP to spend on equipment of your choice (e.g., weapons, tools, clothing, etc.).

Affiliation ^CM

You have 5 points to distribute between 4 Affiliations: Academe, Bohemia, Establishment, Villainy. Affiliation connects your character's past to their present.

Backstory

Not to be confused with Backgrounds, a Backstory is the actual story that your character experienced before the present. Who are they? Where were they born? What inspires them to take up the adventuring way of life? What is the background reason for your character being in a certain class? The backstory can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, but please keep it grounded under the Three Core Principles.

This article provides a good example of how to construct your backstory.

Common Background

These backgrounds are available as part as the new 2024 PHB, these options act as an example of what kind of past your character might have during their time before their journey, you are of course free to came up with your own twist or an orignal idea of what kinds of past your character might have.

Acolyte

You were a devoted servant in a place of worship. You learned the rituals of your faith and how to channel divine power as part of your service.

Ability Scores: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma
Feat: Magic Initiate
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher's Supplies
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Calligrapher's Supplies, Book (prayers), Holy Symbol, Patchment (10 sheets), Robe, 80 SP
- (B) 500 SP

Artisan

You worked your way up from scrubbing floors to an apprenticeship creating your own crafts. You know how to schmooze a customer and have a keen eye for detail

Ability Scores: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence
Feat: Crafter
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Persuasion
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of Artisan's Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Artisan's Tools (same as above), 2 Pouches, Traveler's Clothes, 320 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Charlatan

You have learned to seek out a mark in taverns and pubs, and find the people most in search of less than honest goods, such as forgeries or sham magic items.

Ability Scores: Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma
Feat: Skilled
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Sleight of Hand
Tool Proficiency: Forgery Kit
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Forgery Kit, Costume, Fine Clothes, 150 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Criminal

Whether you were a member of a criminal crew or a solo thief who only looked out for yourself, you know the best ways to slice some purse strings or how to find alternative means to enter a locked shop.

Ability Scores: Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence
Feat: Alert
Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand, Stealth
Tool Proficiency: Thieves' Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) 2 Daggers, Thieves' Tools, Crowbar, 2 Pouches, Traveler's Clothes, 160 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Entertainer

You've spent your life on either a literal or proverbial stage, performing for willing audiences. You have learned how to channel your talent for creation into a crowd-pleasing art form.

Ability Scores: Strength, Dexterity, Charisma
Feat: Musician
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of Musical Instrument
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Musical Instrument (same as above), 2 Costumes, Mirror, Perfume, Traveler's Clothes, 110 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Farmer

You've tilled the soil or raised animals as livestock or to aid you in cultivating your fields. You've gained a healthy respect for nature, in both its bounty and its wrath.

Ability Scores: Strength, Constitution, Wisdom
Feat: Tough
Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Nature
Tool Proficiency: Carpenter's Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Sickle, Carpenter's Tools, Healer's Kit, Iron Pot, Shovel, 300 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Guard

You've put in your time standing watch over a city or location. You've had your head on a swivel, keeping a watchful eye on raiding enemies on one side of a wall or criminal elements on the other

Ability Scores: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom
Feat: Alert
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Perception
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of Gaming Set
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Spear, Light Crossbow, 20 Bolts, Gaming Set (same as above), Hooded Lantern, Manacles, Quiver, Traveler's Clothes, 120 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Guide

Your life was mostly spent outdoors, exploring the natural wonders around you. In your travels, you learned the basics of how to channel the magic of the wild world around you.

Ability Scores: Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom
Feat: Magic Initiate
Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival
Tool Proficiency: Cartographer's Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Shortbow, 20 Arrows, Cartographer's Tools, Bedroll, Quiver, Tent, Traveler's Clothes, 30 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Hermit

Whether alone in a hut or as part of a monastery, you've spent a considerable amount of time outside the trappings of society. You've grown comfortable pondering the wonders and mysteries of creation

Ability Scores: Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma
Feat: Healer
Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, Religion
Tool Proficiency: Herbalism Kit
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Quarterstaff, Herbalism Kit, Bedroll, Book (philosophy), Lamp, Oil (3 flasks), Traveler's Clothes, 160 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Merchant

As an apprentice to a trader or shopkeeper, you traveled either supplying artisans with the materials they needed or acquiring their goods to sell to your customers. You know how to make a deal and how to handle a long journey.

Ability Scores: Constitution, Intelligence, Charisma
Feat: Lucky
Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Persuasion
Tool Proficiency: Navigator's Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Navigator's Tools, 2 Pouches, Traveler's Clothes, 220 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Noble

You grew up in the opulence and structure of wealth and societal privilege. You may have bristled against the restrictions and expectations of your role, but you learned a lot about courtly intrigue and the skills of leadership.

Ability Scores: Strength, Intelligence, Charisma
Feat: Skilled
Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of Gaming Set
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Gaming Set (same as above), Fine Clothes, Perfume, 290 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Sage

Your thirst for knowledge drew you to some of the greatest libraries and archives in the world. You've got a knack for research and perhaps a rudimentary knowledge of magic gleaned from a book or two

Ability Scores: Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom
Feat: Magic Initiate
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, History
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher's Supplies
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Quarterstaff, Calligrapher's Supplies, Book (history), Parchment (8 sheets), Robe, 80 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Sailor

You called the open water your home, survived some of the sea's harshest storms. You've swapped stories with the best of them, whether that's on the barstool of a random port or the denizens of the world beneath the waves.

Ability Scores: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom
Feat: Tavern Brawler
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Perception
Tool Proficiency: Navigator's Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Dagger, Navigator's Tools, Rope, Traveler's Clothes, 200 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Scribe

The written word has been your domain, either copying tomes, crafting government documents, or producing your own texts. Your eye for detail and ability to catch errors and mistakes is finely honed.

Ability Scores: Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom
Feat: Skilled
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Perception
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher's Supplies
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Calligrapher's Supplies, Fine Clothes, Lamp, Oil (3 flasks), Parchment (12 sheets), 230 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Soldier

You can hardly remember a time when you didn't wield a weapon. You're well-versed in the ways of battle and war to protect the realm, and you have the muscle memory to prove it.

Ability Scores: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Feat: Savage Attacker
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Intimidation
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of Gaming Set
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) Spear, Shortbow, 20 Arrows, Gaming Set (same as above), Healer's Kit, Quiver, Traveler's Clothes, 140 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP

Wayfarer

An urchin or societal castoff, you learned to survive. Forging your own path on the streets and possibly turning to crime when needed, you've managed to keep your pride and hope that destiny has more for you yet

Ability Scores: Dexterity, Wisdom, Charisma
Feat: Lucky
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Stealth
Tool Proficiency: Thieves' Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B:
- (A) 2 Daggers, Thieves' Tools, Gaming Set (any), Bedroll, 2 Pouches, Traveler's Clothes, 160 SP; or
- (B) 500 SP