Backgrounds
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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?
The sample backgrounds in this chapter provide both concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and languages) and roleplaying suggestions.
Proficiencies¶
Each background gives a character proficiency in two skills.
In addition, most backgrounds give a character proficiency with one or more tools.
If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead.
Languages¶
Some backgrounds also allow characters to learn additional languages beyond those given by race.
Equipment¶
Each background provides a package of starting equipment. If you use the optional rule to spend coin on gear, you do not receive the starting equipment from your background.
Suggested Characteristics¶
A background contains suggested personal characteristics based on your background. You can pick characteristics, roll dice to determine them randomly, or use the suggestions as inspiration for characteristics of your own creation.
Customizing a Background¶
You might want to tweak some of the features of a background so it better fits your character or the campaign setting. To customize a background, you can replace one feature with any other one, choose any two skills, and choose a total of two tool proficiencies or languages from the sample backgrounds. You can either use the equipment package from your background or spend coin on gear. (If you spend coin, you can't also take the equipment package suggested for your class.) Finally, choose two personality traits, one ideal, one bond, and one flaw. If you can't find a feature that matches your desired background, work with your DM to create one.
Published Backgrounds¶
Items in parentheses are variants. See the background description for more info.
Player's Handbook¶
| Background | Proficiencies | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Acolyte | Insight, Religion, Two languages | Shelter of the Faithful |
| Charlatan | Deception, Sleight of Hand, Disguise kit, Forgery kit | False Identity |
| Criminal (Spy) | Deception, Stealth, One type of gaming set, Thieves' tools | Criminal Contact |
| Entertainer (Gladiator) | Acrobatics, Performance, Disguise kit, One type of musical instrument | By Popular Demand |
| Folk Hero | Animal Handling, Survival, One type of artisan's tools, Vehicles (land) | Rustic Hospitality |
| Guild Artisan (Guild Merchant) | Insight, Persuasion, One type of artisan's tools, One language | Guild Membership |
| Hermit | Medicine, Religion, Herbalism kit. One language | Discovery |
| Noble (Knight) | History, Persuasion, One type of gaming set, One language | Position of Privilege (Retainers) |
| Outlander | Athletics, Survival, One type of musical instrument, One language | Wanderer |
| Sage | Arcana, History, Two languages | Researcher |
| Sailor (Pirate) | Athletics, Perception, Navigator's tools, Vehicles (water) | Ship's Passage (Bad Reputation) |
| Soldier | Athletics, Intimidation, One type of gaming set, Vehicles (land) | Military Rank |
| Urchin | Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Disguise kit, Thieves' tools | City Streets |
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide¶
| Background | Proficiencies | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| City Watch (Investigator) | Athletics, Insight, Two languages | Watcher's Eye |
| Clan Crafter | History, Insight, One type of artisan's tools, Dwarvish or one other language of your choice if you already speak Dwarvish | Respect of the Stout Folk |
| Cloistered Scholar | History, Arcana Nature or Religion, Two languages | Library Access |
| Courtier | Insight, Persuasion, Two languages | Court Functionary |
| Faction Agent | Insight, one Intelligence Wisdom or Charisma skill, Two languages | Safe Haven |
| Far Traveler | Insight, Perception, One gaming set or musical instrument, One language | All Eyes On You |
| Inheritor | Survival, Arcana History or Religion, One gaming set or musical instrument, One language | Inheritance |
| Knight of the Order | Persuasion, Arcana History Nature or Religion, One gaming set or musical instrument, One language | Knightly Regard |
| Mercenary Veteran | Athletics, Persuasion, One type of gaming set, Vehicles (land) | Mercenary Life |
| Urban Bounty Hunter | Two from among Deception, Insight, Persuasion, or Stealth; Two from among gaming set, musical instrument, or thieves' tools | Ear to the Ground |
| Uthgardt Tribe Member | Athletics, Survival, One type of musical instrument or artisan's tools, One language | Uthgardt Heritage |
| Waterdhavian Noble | History, Persuasion, One type of gaming set or musical instrument, One language | Kept in Style |
Source: Player's Handbook, p. 125