Player Backgrounds in 5e Dungeons & Dragons - Web DM

Backgrounds are one of the best features of 5e Dungeons and Dragons because they give you gameplay benefits and help shape who your character is as a person. Make your PC backgrounds even more vital and relevant with Web DM!
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5e Dungeons & Dragons is here to stay, and Web DM is here to help!!! Jim Davis & Jonathan Pruitt have been playing Dungeons & Dragons for a combined 30+ years, and on Web DM they demystify, dethrone, and defrock this Dungeon we call Dragons! Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on 5e Classes, Monsters, DM Tips, and more! Join Pruitt & Jim as we kick down the door and talk some serious Dungeons & Dragons!

[@WebDM]

Thanks for watching! Do you want TONS more Web DM? Check out our weekly podcast! Patreon.com/webdm

[@sambro6657]

Web DM love the green screen and thank you for these series would you be willing to do a video on some of the other player races outside the phb? I don’t know if ya have somewhere where you guys have people submit video requests so in the comments it goes.

[@WebDM]

Sam- got a fair few more race vids coming up! And tell us topic ideas anywhere! Here, twitter, fb, or Instagram. Heck, send us an email [e-mail]

[@sambro6657]

@@WebDM ok cool

[@dragonmaster613]

4e had Themes. They had associated skills and a base power(at-will or encounter), and an optional power at certain levels(this or class, you choose).

[@stormbreaker3027]

Lil off topic but I'm close to finishing up a campaign I'm in right now an now that I've warmed up to 5e after years from not playing since 3.5 I wanted to kinda branch out a bit. So I'm playing an EK as of now an not quite as happy with it as I'd though I was, but was trying something new other than pally since it's all I've ever done before it. However in my next campaign was thinking of making a Aasimar scourge barbarian zealot than has a slight glow, but as he begins to rage his eyes blaze an he forms a blazing halo. So with that said would that work well together?

[@paulcoy9060]

One of my players picked Soldier, so I asked him what battalion did you serve in, who was your commanding officer, do you have many friends still in the service or did they all become adventurers, why did you leave, do you have any tattoos from the group you stayed with or any battles you survived, etc. After several sessions of back-and-forth, he has a hell of a history written up. He is the 4th son of the local Duke, and wanted to prove himself by fighting instead of becoming a Lord, joined the fight against the Frost Giants in the North (loosely stolen from GoT) and barely survived the war. When he yells, "Remember The Bridge!" in the middle of combat, he activates a special power that allows him to re-roll his Initiative once per day, to honor his fallen brothers and sisters who died at that far away bridge in the North. The player loves it, and it gives me lots of hooks to set up adventures.

[@Jane_8319]

Remember the bridge!

[@paulcoy9060]

@@Jane_8319 I thank you for remembering the lives we lost that day, defending the realm from those bastard Frost Giants!

[@fredslipknot9]

That’s fucking cool dude very well done

[@paulcoy9060]

@@fredslipknot9 thanks, it's me and my player working together to fashion a viable background. He's a treasure trove of ideas.

[@ohmy1670]

So you're a pain in the ass nitpicking bitch. Sounds like a real fun campaign dude. 👌

[@Narmoriel42]

My favorite thing to keep in mind with new characters is ask, 'what does my character want, and what do I want? I always ask my players to try and flesh out one thing their character wants, and if that's different from what they the players want to see happen. Something like, "my character wants to prove himself to his organization, and I want him to break that loyalty" or "my character wants to be worshiped and I want her to learn humility". It's really helpful to have an idea of what kind of character development the players want, in addition to their backstories!

[@johnr7279]

Great show guys! We used to make up backgrounds for ourselves back in the heady days of AD&D in the 80s but what's been done with it in 5e is great. It really encourages both players to create them to flesh out their characters and it encourages DMs to tie it into the story now and again.

[@claudepainter-wain1788]

The point of it could be the first thing NPCs notice about the character is really good. Currently playing a Kensai Monk but in 6 levels he's never been referred to as a Monk and probably never will, he's a pirate first and foremost. The bad reputation feature is a good one that seems like something you have to upkeep or maintain, always remind NPCs why you shouldn't be messed with or reported on with murderhoboing or you could lose it and people would no longer fear you.

[@thenoremac2685]

Often when I create new characters, I randomly generate the race and background first. Then I pick the class based on what stats got rolled. I find this reflects how the progression would look like in real life.

[@lukeblundell5610]

My character background, Folk Hero, was the reason for starting my adventure. The whole family stood up against a local lord who has heavily taxing the people; she had to flee... Hence the adventure began. It then led to a few sessions later on with the whole party going back to deal with the lord - which has lead to further sessions needed to resolve those events for that region of the world. All from a two word background.

[@kevinchristiansen4348]

Another concept I like is to have a home base on a castle on the elemental plane of air in tier 3. Then you go out and raid all 3 of the other elemental planes in the elemental chaos. Then in tier 4 you launch a crusade and you launch an invasion against the forces of hell. I like this concept with urza from mtg

[@Talarue]

Always good to remind people that the backgrounds in the PHB are templates. They are not law. They will not flesh out your character for you. They are a starting point. With convenient mechanics attached to them. Also I recommend working with your DM to make your character fit as well as possible. Assuming your DM has the time.

[@misledflyer68]

Backstories are a lot like the secret government. Some people believe in it and make it as big a thing as possible, but others just ignore it entirely and live near-exactly the same.

[@johnathanera5863]

Ignorance is bliss i guess

[@nickwilliams8302]

Except this video isn't about "backstories", it's about Backgrounds.

[@Elphaba4Change]

Love the Urchin background, but I’m mostly keeping it secret in an intrigue-heavy campaign. Let them figure out later that the nice Druid doctor is actually Littlefinger.

[@nickwilliams8302]

So, how does that Background actually come into play? Basically, the Urchin is someone who has an almost instinctual knowledge of cityscapes allowing them to travel withing urban environments faster than normal. Not every PC who grew up on the streets has to be an Urchin.

[@Elphaba4Change]

Nick Williams Oh no, definitely not! This is a post-post-apocalyptic setting where we’re in the first big city after the Killing Event. My character was part of a disdained group that was taken in as refugees, and basically lived on the street as one of many outcasts. So even though she’s a doctor who does the dirty work of the elite now, she doesn’t forget where she came from and may be wanting to bleed some fools for the people.

[@nickwilliams8302]

@@Elphaba4Change Cool concept. But how does the Background (not the background, the Background) come into play?

[@Elphaba4Change]

Nick Williams I hope I’m answering you properly! Basically, for rushing around and murdering people stealthily. Carrying secrets. Possibly disposing of aborted fetuses, the way this campaign may go.

[@nickwilliams8302]

@@Elphaba4Change Ah, I get it. So he's always going to be one step ahead ...

[@AlbarionRed007]

Looking good Jim!

[@MadManMattt]

Make your players world build for you! Charge them with not ok nly creating their character, but their family, and their home. Make them fit their background into the world for you. Then edit what you must to maintain world cohesion.

[@kedamafoe2240]

Wizards of the coast: here is some pre made backgrounds yo can use me an unreasonable player: has a six page background story on top of an adventure's resume for each of my characters

[@nickwilliams8302]

The Backgrounds in 5e are not "pre made backgrounds."

[@luisitobardajibenitez8013]

is there a slight bit of echo?

[@absolutepanda6118]

Funny thing is, I actually came here for the green screen backgrounds.

[@SerifSansSerif]

if your character takes a background with a free access, expect to have obligations to come with those free accesses. (side quests to earn your room and board).

[@jeramiejoseph6745]

So I’m struggling with the background for my scout goblin. He’s a pc that I use for a few different campaigns or as a ready made character dm allowing for any game that I might come across and need a character for. So he’s a planewalking rogue goblin Whomst May or may not be cursed by a god or wizard or Whomst knows. So he’s been in three campaigns but is teleported to a “new world” once he completes a campaign or it dies.. how would you make a background for such s character?

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

Probably start with the Far Traveler background from Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Switch out the musical instrument proficiency for some other tool proficiency that fits your character's theme. If the All Eyes on You feature doesn't do it for your goblin then maybe adapt the City Watch Class feature, Watcher's Eye. Planeswalker's Eye: After spending a day in a new City/Plane you can use your Planeswalking experience to piece together what your current environment has in common with all the worlds you've been to, and more importantly what sets it apart from all your previous travels. You know where to go to find trouble, answers, set up an ambush, or even find a quite place to spend the night. Or modify the Outlander feature the same way they changed it for the Phlan Insurgent background feature. New in Town: You are more than used to showing up unexpectedly in new places and acting like you were there all along. If you are in a city or other populated area you can easily scavenge simple supplies (improvised torches, rope, patches of fabric, etc...) and enough articles of clothing to disguise yourself as one of the locals.

[@johnlowkey359]

The Green Room-D&D analogy... It works as a premise, but man I don't want to play it

[@whereissandwich]

Has anyone seen my sandwich?

[@WebDM]

Is it on the counter?

[@hasturnz1445]

Backgrounds are great, but they are like the dreaded back-story some players love to write up - they are only useful if they provide ongoing Plot Hooks that can be used in future play; completely useless if they only justify the existence of the PC.

[@AllenLinnenJr]

That was a groaner of an intro...

[@Aleph-Noll]

i looooove backgrounds in 5e, i kinda wish they made a whole book full of them ahha

[@WebDM]

Honestly same

[@Aleph-Noll]

@@WebDM maybe you can bring it up while youre at the event next week! haha hope you guys have fun there ill be watching the stream!

[@valasafantastic1055]

Make your own it's fun!

[@benjaminstout941]

I love creating my own by combining to of the existing ones.

[@JPruinc]

I concur!

[@kingdrax]

Piggybacking on the background idea, can you guys do an episode on the fantastic "This is Your Life" section in Xanathar's Guide? That section goes a long way into really fleshing out a beginning character. I LOVE it, personally. Also, an episode on the Adventurer's League would be nice. :)

[@WebDM]

Great suggestions! Thanks!

[@brycenerdstrom567]

If you want to see a setting specific version of that, along with a ton of great lore that is still perfectly usable in 5e, check out Heroes of The Feywild. It's one of the best specific supplements for DnD ever.

[@JPruinc]

Maybe we can have Lysa Chen on as a guest. Neither Jim nor I have really played in Adventurer's League. Or I could join an Adventurer's League night at my FLGS. GET TRIBE ON THE PHONE!

[@weshverified]

Great suggestion! I’ve personally never gotten the chance to use that section, but I love the idea of it and it looks really cool!

[@TheKyleMark]

Has Jim lost a good chunk of weight? He looks great!

[@iX1NS0MN14CXi]

I just noticed that as well, he looks like he's lost a lot of weight

[@heathenpride7931]

TheKyleMark Nice rhyme

[@benjaminstout941]

I think they acknowledge in a recent video. Maybe even last weeks video.

[@Beard4Charity]

He's been working on it for a while now. I love my handsome bruv

[@sambro6657]

Beard4Charity nice happy to hear it

[@bigfatopinions1338]

Fabulous opener as always y’all!! Most of my players definitely skimmed the background section initially. I had my table all re read it and suddenly all my players wanted to modify and customize their backgrounds. Now they all have custom backgrounds that fit our home brew world in particular!

[@bigfatopinions1338]

Also always love to see a podcast topic make it into a video topic!!

[@WebDM]

Thanks for being a patron Alexander!! Glad to see your players getting into it!!

[@nickwilliams8302]

For me, the defining aspect of a background is the Background Feature. My players can mix and match any two skills and any two language/tool proficiencies they can plausibly justify. For example, the defining feature of the Noble background is the Position of Privilege feature. Not so much a "get out of jail free" card as a "people will listen to the reasons you think you shouldn't be thrown in jail" card. The character can - due to their social status - get a hearing from those in power. That's what it means to be a Noble. But aside from that, everything is flexible. Perhaps the PC's parents disapproved of gambling but valued musical accomplishment. The character has proficiency with a musical instrument instead of a gaming set. Maybe the PC's family are harsh and tyrannical. The PC has proficiency with Intimidation instead of Persuasion. Maybe the character is the child of the chieftain of a savage tribe: Survival or Nature instead of History. Same with the rest of the backgrounds. The Criminal background just means that the character has a reliable organised crime contact. If the character just broke the law (or was falsely accused) and is on the run, but doesn't actually have such contacts, don't take this background. The Charlatan background just means that the character has a _really good_ cover identity. If your character is never going to use this cover identity and just walks around telling everyone who they really are, don't take this background. As a counter-example, look at the Acolyte background. The character concept of a person raised in an evil cult who rebelled and escaped is not an uncommon one (because it's awesome). And many players look at the Acolyte background and think it a good fit. But when you look at the Background Feature for Acolyte, it';s pretty obvious that it applies to a person who is _in good standing_ with the cult or sect that they spent time in. It's completely inappropriate to a runaway or rebel who simply _clearly doesn't have_ access to the benefits of the Shelter of the Faithful feature. They'll never use it at the table, so they should instead pick a Background Feature that they can actually use. One that _they can actually roleplay._ TL:DR Choose a background based on the options its Feature opens to your PC. Tailor the other aspects to represent your specific character concept.

[@CrashSable]

"Sleep deprived" is a background that needs developing.

[@JoeAuerbach]

Grants a save versus exhaustion

[@JPruinc]

"That's my secret, Cap! I'm always exhausted..."

[@cavareenvius7886]

So basically “ hunted one“?

[@Leivve]

Player was doing an outlander, so tried using his foraging to collect food. I asked him to explain what he was doing. "I'm going to find an obvious game trail, and put a bear trap down to catch something." The session was all about the party dealing with what beasty the outlander caught.

[@JPruinc]

The Wanderer ability says you find food for up to 5 others....it doesn't cover subduing/killing said food. Well done!

[@nickwilliams8302]

I don't get it. Player gives PC ability that lets them feed the party. DM uses ability as an excuse to screw party over. Do you also sometimes rule that the food created by _create food and water_ is poisonous or explosive? At the very least, tell me that the "beastie" the party fought was not only edible, but delicious. "This tastes _incredible._ Why don't people eat Basilisks all the time?" "Bitch, it _turned one of us to stone,_ that's why!"

[@DrinkyMcBeer]

@@nickwilliams8302 I don't do things like this every time a player uses their character's ribbon abilities, but doing it every once in a while can be fun. Usually they're saving random people from crazy stuff that just happened throughout their otherwise normal life. The PCs shouldn't be exempt from that crazy stuff, though.

[@nickwilliams8302]

@@DrinkyMcBeer Hey, if it's just an excuse for a random encounter, cool. There are DMs out there who are _terrified_ of the Outlander's Background Feature though, as if foraging for food were some incredible central and fun part of D&D.

[@TheCinderfang]

@@nickwilliams8302 if they do it where it's more just you describe what you do to explain what food you get it works. IE catching bunnies, foraging for plants etc.

[@thesupermikey]

WebDM is at its best when Jim just does not by into the cold open's premise.

[@JPruinc]

We call those intros... "Pruitt misunderstands the Show Premise".

[@dio52]

Interesting that people see the background ribbons as shortcuts. They seemed to me from the start to be RP hooks. If you didn't have a feature that gave you a connection with the local guild or college, you'd just go to the same old generic inn that doesn't care who you are as long as you've got coin for the night. It's not like the local guild is going to know you personally, so you're gonna have to RP that interaction of seeking and connecting with those characters. They proffer the free night's stay as an enticement to seek out something different.

[@douglasphillips5870]

In a similar way, I had a noble who would get special treatment, but it came with a lot of strings. Someone wants an alience with the kingdom you are from and they expect you to speak well of them. Another noble wants to marry off his daughter. Not to mention, once you are succesful, other nobles will mooch off of you as well.

[@Vespuchian]

Reading up on late-medieval economics has shown me that Guild Merchant (a variant on Guild Artisan in the PHB) is ideal for at least one person in the party. Membership to a merchant guild gives you access to the perfect one-stop-shop for downtime activities: your local guild hall combines inn, stable, warehouse, and store where your party can rest, pick up info and jobs from other guild merchants, buy and sell stuff they need/find, even banking services (yes, they had proper banks back then, even bills of sale and credit accounts). It's one of the reasons I pre-ordered the Acquisitions Incorporated book as soon as it was announced, it's a glorified guild with crazy magic occupational bonuses.

[@nickwilliams8302]

@@douglasphillips5870 I always say that the Position of Privilege feature is not a "get out of jail free" card, it's a "listen to my reason why you shouldn't throw us in jail" card. It's an entree to the halls of power, _not_ a guarantee of results.

[@bz7672]

Please tell me you guys bought a green screen solely for that joke.

[@WebDM]

We use them for streaming on twitch.tv/webdm but we totally hauled it across town for a joke

[@JPruinc]

Web DM has the right of it!

[@Vespuchian]

13:00 Thanks for covering room and board in this video, it's chronically overlooked in most games I've seen/played in. One of the things that drove me up the wall in the early arcs of Critical Role Season 2 was the crew were travelling through the heart of the Empire and still had to set watch for random encounters at night. Small towns and farming villages should be EVERYWHERE in 'civilized' regions of any world, most a day's travel (or less) apart, so unless your party is travelling off the beaten path, they should never have to camp under the stars. My game's setting has the "White Post Rule": every time the crew travel, they keep an eye out for a farm or house with a white fence post by the roadside; this is a place that accepts travelers for a nominal fee (like a silver for the group or such) and they have a bit of field, a barn, or a couple of rooms reserved for people to sleep in and a meal or some produce or basic supplies they can buy or barter for, something like a modern campground or B&B.

[@NachoBran_CandyCabbage]

Best way to make a charlatan in my opinion: pretend to be another background.

[@almostirrelevant9181]

I almost always work out a backstory with my players, and then have them choose skills based on that. It’s more time consuming, but it pays off because then the characters almost always have friends, enemies, and usually a goal that they’re hunting after. Then they actually feel like a part of the world I’ve made instead of just a conduit for the players to interact with it.

[@nessesaryschoolthing]

31:38 A Hind D? Colonel, what's a Russian gunship doing here?

[@Hitman7846]

...I have no idea....but it looks like our little diversion got their attention.

[@samdunggawaxy7314]

!

[@WizardJim]

There's a really good fan supplement for playing Planescape in 5e (from scruffygrognard.com) that presents the Factions as backgrounds. The really super cool thing about them is that every background gives you a new way to gain Inspiration AND a new way to *spend* it. For example, an Athar can gain Inspiration for refusing divine healing, speaking blasphemy in a place of worship or the like, and can spend it to become immune to divinations.

[@j.m.2245]

It’s worth mentioning that 4e actually invented backgrounds as we now know them. But every 4e innovation gets retroactively claimed by 5e.

[@brycenerdstrom567]

Exactly this. 5e expanded how much of your character is determined by your background, but they came into dnd via 4e.

[@lukerabon7925]

I mean, there's also occupations from D20 Modern, back in the 3e days (which was just 3e as Urban Fantasy). Not to mention the Profession skill. But as Jim points out, it really has been building since the fairly early days of D&D.

[@zeevdrifter2707]

because 4E never happened, woooooooooo!

[@craigtucker1290]

@@lukerabon7925 Backgrounds as they are presented in 5th edition are the equivalent of kits from 2nd edition AD&D.

[@lord6617]

I love custom backgrounds, and am so happy the players handbook has rules for letting you make custom ones RAW. It really lets you ground your RP background in some mechanics which let you reinforce what you are trying to get across.

[@TheCinderfang]

Agreed, the ability to modify backgrounds has given my "professor" the ability to really be closer to my idea.

[@williamfawkes8379]

Want to see character backgrounds and how they work in a fantasy setting? Read David Eddings "Belgariad," one of the richest and most excellent ways to prepare yourself to play D&D.

[@mandisaw]

As much as I truly *loved* Big Dave, and will always have a special place in my heart for the Belgariad, it's some pretty by-the-numbers fantasy work. He got much better as he aged, with the Elenium (the first trilogy with Sparhawk, et al) being a superior work IMO. Eddings' one-off Redemption of Althalus is still one of my benchmarks for tightly-written, grown-up heroic fantasy without losing that fundamental sense of wonder, or going grimdark.

[@Oldkingcole1125]

I stopped reading after the boring nothingness of Pawn of Prophecy. I wanted it to be great. It wanted to be great. Instead it was nothing.

[@dragonmaster613]

Background is important for making a good RP and to distinction from more generic builds. Example 1: Warforged Druid(Land:Forest) with the Soldier BG, a Veteran of the Last War turned peacekeeper. Example 2: a Duelist with the Sailor BG vs a Duelist with the Entertainer BG.

[@coleriedel751]

Bastion?

[@StevetheWizard2591]

My two current characters embody what are, in my mind, the best ways to decide which of the pre-generated backgrounds to go with. For the first, I chose my background based around a theme. With that character, I effectively decided to crib as much from Berserk as possible, by mashing together as much as possible from both Guts and Griffith as I could fit into one character. I made an ambitious, thoroughly "ends justify the means" style evil Oathbreaker Paladin whose backstory was a tale of him betraying his former group for power, resulting in the deaths of all but two of them (excluding the one that wasn't there when it happened). When it came to stats, I chose to roll with heavy armor and a greatsword, and make a show of being absolutely terrifying in and out of combat. I obviously had to pick the Mercenary background from the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, because it's the only one that fits the character I was going for. For the second, I picked my background based around what I wanted to do with the character. For this guy, I had two goals: he had to have at least one language aside from common in common with every party member, and he had to actually be able to justify knowing these languages. Quickest way to both those goals? Sage background. He's a learned man. From there, that led me to figure out his character even more. What class should I run? Wizard seems too obvious, and the party's already got one. I like Bards for Sage, too, but we'd have a tough time working in a Bard just spontaneously showing up. How about Rogue? They live off of forgotten lore as much as Wizards and Bards do, and they could show up anywhere. So, he learned his skills through reading and practice, but how about how he fights? He probably had some fancy training for self-defense, but I'd say his fighting style is mostly improvised, based on techniques from fencing manuals. What about his armor? A man that learned from books probably isn't going to have much of an idea about what sort of armor's the best fit for him... what if he's got levels in Barbarian? That would work mechanically with him not wearing armor and having an improvised fighting style that's focused around exploiting any opening he can find or make. His Rage would be a quiet focus, opposite the party's designated Barbarian's more typical Rage, and he'd take reduced damage due to his reactions being quicker as opposed to just shrugging it off. Now, what kind of Rogue would focus on knowing as much as possible? Mastermind, obviously, and that implies some sort of leadership role among criminals. Maybe he's running some sort of illegal operation and using his position as a learned man as a cover. So, what cover would let a learned man run something illegal without anything looking too suspicious? A library would work for a building, but what could be run in said library? It was at that point I got stumped and figured that the library was built overtop of an illegal gambling hall. So, tl;dr: When it comes to backgrounds, you can either let your background decide your character, or you can let your character decide their background. Both are equally valid.

[@Sage2d6]

Love these intro jokes

[@JPruinc]

Us too!

[@davecam4863]

Backgrounds and how they are used in 5e is one of my favorite things about this edition.

[@FaeFemboi]

"GREEN SCREEN?!!?" God I love you guys. Never stop. Never change

[@JPruinc]

There are soooo many people who think we shoot on a Green Screen anyway. This one was for them!

[@mandisaw]

Like a lot of cool 5e elements, game-affecting PC backgrounds are an unsung holdover from 4e. They were introduced in PH2, but proliferated wildly, with backgrounds showing up in all the "Power" and Campaign Setting books, as well as a fair number of Dragon articles online. Pathfinder also jumped into the fray, and you can find Adventure Path-specific PC character traits in the Player's Guides for every AP from about Legacy of Fire onward. If you dig around in old forum archives, I recall at the time there were a lot of fans writing up backgrounds/traits for various other D&D/non-D&D settings. A lot of them tended to fall into the "+2 to Knowledge: Local" category, but the writeups could be quite interesting & serve as a good jumping-off point.

[@LittleNemoGaming]

Yes. It's frustrating just *how many* times people say they love something that was actually introduced in 4e, but they attribute it to being a "5e invention". Especially if those people (not WebDM) hate on 4e.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Son of gun. I have a video about this coming out next Wednesday!!!

[@JPruinc]

We walked the halls of the Idea Space together! Well met!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

@@JPruinc Totally! You guys have been a real inspiration! ...just not in this specific case :)

[@TheThomasBerry]

Keep up the hard work, Jim! You’re looking great!

[@Draugrandil]

I see a Star wars Episode II poster in the background. I love to think that it's there since 2002.

[@JPruinc]

Makes sense

[@isg2015]

No video yesterday and i literally panicked...

[@WebDM]

We had a big shoot over the weekend and we were running behind! But we got you fam!

[@davidotoole2853]

Same

[@MrAnpu42]

I have started to have people describe there character with out using their Class(s). For me I have a Paladin that when they ask what I am I say a Diplomat.

[@JPruinc]

There ya go!

[@nickwilliams8302]

It's a great idea. Your character can't read their own character sheet. I first saw Chris Perkins use this in Dice Camera Action. Imagine a camera panning around the campfire the PCs are gathered at. What does the camera see when it comes to your character?

[@stantron5000]

DUDES. Coincidentally I am running a Green Room film reroll one-off TONIGHT. Like in one hour. I also wanted to hear your views on "film-rerolls" in general. As always I love the videos.

[@JPruinc]

I was recently in a Highlander game, using the Cypher System. Going to do a Big Trouble in Little China game soon. I love them. Make it yours. It's just an alternate reality.

[@stantron5000]

@@JPruinc well it went great. Zero casualties. Everyone seemed to have fun. Sam got shot with that big revolver and got knocked down to two hit points. I feel like the DND rules didn't translate well. Its hard for me to challenge my players. Even at low levels.

[@madcountofdumont7742]

I had my session prep last night without Web DM. :0

[@JPruinc]

Hopefully, we have prepared you for days like these. I'm sure you prepped the hell out of that session!

[@madcountofdumont7742]

@@JPruinc Oh definitely. It's just part of my ritual these days. For over a year I watch the show just before I play. I don't think I'd have felt confident or knowledgable enough to have run my own game without you guys. Keep up the good work!

[@Smeagolthevile]

As far as inspiration goes. My groups tend to all use a similar mechanic for awarding it. After a session we do a round table and everyone says something that each player did that they enjoyed, roleplay wise, encounter wise, etc. Everyone says a few things and then that person gives inspiration. Its a wholy enjoyable experience.

[@JPruinc]

Yeah, it should be a group effort!

[@jand.4737]

Without Backgrounds some people think they have to play cleric to have a religious character, but any character can be religious and you can easily be a priest without being a cleric by taking the Accolyte background. Just sad that accolyte is the only background in the SRD

[@wanderinggstars]

My DM is currently planning a campaign we will be doing this summer and is taking the time to talk to the players about building their character as a way to collaboratively create their backstories and let that influence his world building decisions

[@transpadme]

my favourite background use I've had so far is my warlock with street urchin, it gave her a reason to have become a warlock and helped me build out what she's like as a person -- along with the fact that she's a drow and that street urchin childhood was in menzoberranzan -- and it gave me the ability to have this cool character who's a warlock with a dash of rogue at level one

[@gopro_audio]

I fixed this in the 80s guys. Ask your player to provide song lyrics as a background. No reading & no writing required.

[@AmigoRoberto]

Pruitt take a nap

[@kredonystus7768]

My favourite rule is the find an npc rule. You have proficiency in a skill to find an npc that shares your background. You roll against DC based on how likely they are to be doing the job you want them for and how soon you need them. It's less likely a soldier used to work with someone who can translate eldritch texts than a guard to the jail they're stuck in. If you fail they might still exist its just they hate you.

[@stephenclements6158]

About The Haunted, boy you're not kidding! Reading that threw me for a loop, because as hard-core of horror I thought I wrote and was into, THAT background was even more grim and bleak! It was amazing, I dread ever playing one!

[@JPruinc]

I love it!

[@BarokaiRein]

I never understood why people say that 5e is a ''combat game'' because it has rules for combat. Who the hell would ever need rules for roleplaying? Also 5e has very simple rules when it comes to combat,so if it's just meant to be a combat game then I personally don't think it's doing it all that well. When I look at 5e I always think of it a *roleplaying* game since the game aspects of it are very,very simple when compared to something like pathfinder. And from what I've seen and played 5e is typically played in very roleplay heavy way and basically everyone on r/lfg is looking for roleplay focused or heavy groups over anything else. That could always be because of critical role though,but the fact that the game is mechanically simple seems to suggest roleplay focus,at least that's the way I see it.

[@senormuertos4351]

Barokai Rein it is contrasted by something like world of darkness, especially VTM which has combat but makes social encounters and abilities the forefront of the game

[@valasafantastic1055]

Love Backgrounds! Hands down one of the best things about 5e! Here are two backgrounds I made that are player options and I use for powerful NPCs. Adventurer Guild Adopted and Prostitute. If anyone wants details for these two backgrounds ask in a reply to this comment! I also use extended equipment lists and add in stuff like lavender scented soap, folding hunting knife, grappling hook, weaponblack, specific food like nuts, fruit, meat different alcohol, waterproofing oil, dice, insect repellent, artist paintbrush, shaving razor, hairbrush, map, map making kit, deck of cards, different grades and sizes of things like tents, wheel barrow, tattooing gear, etc. Also YES I have tons of random creation and generation charts get the many free ones from the r/dnd reddit! I also have d% charts for weaknesses and flaws, and many charts including for physical appearance and for specific races, etc! I keep adding more as they are always useful! Very fun video thanks!

[@AmigoRoberto]

I have a homebrew hero guild in my campaign. Whatcha got? I'm am le intrigue

[@valasafantastic1055]

@@AmigoRoberto Adventurer guild adopted: A person who was adopted into one of the adventuring guilds (from a world That has a bunch of them) for various reasons. this is also the official background for children of adventurer guild members. they are expected to help out around the guild once old enough with chores often guilds are also shops such as bar/restaurant etc. they are also given training as well. Skill proficiencies, two of the following: Insight, Persuasion, History, Performance, Investigation or Stealth. Tool profiecencies: Any one type of artisan tool, or two martial weapons plus appropriate based on that guild such as brewers tools if the guildhall is a brewery, sailors skills/ navigators tools if they are on a huge ship, or cooking tools if it has a restaurant/kitchen. (must fit the logic of how that particular guild functions and who would be around to teach them.) Languages: any secret codes or cypher or languages the guild has if they have one or one bonus useful language. this may be swapped out for two martial weapon proficinces if more logical or preferred. Starting equipment: always must be based upon the logic of the current wealth of the guild and availability of such goods. But usually... A set of artisan tools, adventurers pack, travelers clothes, guildmark, guildmembership and a belt pouch. With 10-20 gp (more if guild is prosperous). Often also referred to buy the term " Guild child" as a social term for such an adopted. Feature: Guild pride: Guild membership is most often a semi religious high loyalty venture where members are highly duty and honour bound for the pride of and care for the guild and it's members (think the anime/ manga Fairy Tail) Often guild first and to compete to enter the Grand games periodically. (or world equivalent) The guilds friends and allies are yours and their enemies are expected to be yours as well. Guild members pay a yearly fee based on rank and this fee includes lodgings and some food. this is both good and bad and allows them to all on guild members for aid but also to be called on in turn (SUPER useful for any DM and adventure creation/motivation). This was a summery I have more details but this novel of a comment is already long! let me know if you want to know even more!

[@AmigoRoberto]

Much thanks. :) I'm going to utilize this if you dont mind

[@valasafantastic1055]

AmigoRoberto no problem! I shared with the intent of it’s re use!

[@nickwilliams8302]

Prostitute? Oh, Jesus...

[@brycenerdstrom567]

Wait...what? Why would your background change? The Urchin Background doesn't mean that you ARE an Urchin, it means that your background is that of an Urchin. You grew up that way, and those skills don't go away just because now you're a level 20 Paladin.

[@nickwilliams8302]

The skills don't, but your Background Feature might. And it's that feature that defines the Background of the character (as opposed to their background). To take your Paladin example (great character concept BTW), the character grew up on the streets until they were taken in by an order of holy warriors or adopted by a knight as a squire or whatever. So they're a Paladin with the Urchin background. As an Urchin, they can move faster within an urban environment. That's just what Urchins _do,_ in game terms. A character that doesn't have the City Secrets feature isn't an Urchin, no matter where they grew up*. But later in their career, they get a title and stuff. Meanwhile, they just haven't been running around back alleys and shit like they used to. They've been doing ... well, Paladin shit. They're out of practice (that alley they used to use as a shortcut has a locked gate across it now, etc). So you replace the City Secrets feature with the Position of Privilege feature. The _proficiencies_ don't change. The character still knows the sneaky little tricks that used to keep them alive (and probably still do from time to time), they are just more used to walking in the front door and saying, "I'm Sir Wavesabigdick. Fetch your master immediately." than they are at running away from the guards because they stole someone's turnip. * You do realise that a character with the Soldier background might have grown up on the streets before joining the military, right? Or a character with the Criminal background might have grown up on the streets before falling in with a Thieves Guild? Or a character who is a Guild Artisan might have grown up on the streets before being taken in by a kindly ... cobbler or something.

[@Kopenich]

I've had a character I always play when I want to play a paladin. He's a noble that came from a once legendary line of warriors that now just marry to stay in nobility. I play into that by having his drive be to earn the position of nobility while bringing glory back to his lineage, and I love to play into the dark side of noble.

[@nickwilliams8302]

Really iconic, strong concept.

[@infinitewanderer4187]

Are you guys ever gonna play another season of Save or Dice?

[@WebDM]

Right now we're super busy and couldn't fit anything else in at all! You'll see what we mean here later this year...

[@infinitewanderer4187]

@@WebDM Cool, looking forward to it.

[@overryans]

I told my DM my noble was a sneaky scheming noble from the swamps and he gave me advantage checks on poisoning and proficiency with deception but my house was not considered of high renown

[@heathenpride7931]

Have y’all though about copying what you did for races and classes and do discusses on each of the phb backgrounds?

[@Bluecho4]

I would love that. Especially as a way of thinking about "All [Background]" games. What sort of adventuring parties might arise from an entire group of Soldiers? Or Sages? Or Urchins? Or Nobles?

[@heathenpride7931]

Bluecho4 Not just that but all the different kinds of variants you can go. For instance, Acolyte. You could be a cultist instead of a sanctioned religion, or even reskin it to something like you’re apart of an organization that’s not religious, such as a international group of wayfinders who make sure the roads are clear.

[@TheNerdySimulation]

Most people are here for the GM Advice, but the true fans are here to watch the A+ Character Development that is Bringer Pruitt.

[@JPruinc]

Dawww...thank ye!

[@TheNerdySimulation]

@@JPruinc Thanks for being so lovely

[@mydknightcloud]

My rogue I played went from a street urchin to the owner of the orphanage he grew up in. He would sent gold to a trusted npc so the orphanage could continue helping the kids. My character turned to crime because of a lack of opportunities, but he'd be damned if one more kid had to grow up like he had to.

[@Dracore]

My dragon born's egg was stolen by bandits and raised nearly as a slave. As he grew he became skilled in intimidation to defend what little he has and insight to see the bandits moods and prevent himself from getting beatings. Proficient in thieves tools to steal the necessities to survive while trapped in their base. After being able to get out in the world he is good aligned and seeks to save those who suffered as he had, but is also prone to being easily angered(intimidation) in social occasions out of self defense or following his alignment. While out in the world he has advantage on checks looking for bandits in an area.

[@JKM395]

My personal favorite combination is a half-elf with a noble background. That character can be VASTLY different depending on the setting, but I've always had fun with it.

[@nickwilliams8302]

Noble goes with everything. My last character was a half-elf noble, BTW.

[@inkblotCrisis]

My fiend Warlock had the Entertainer BG, playing off the "Deal with the devil at the crossroads"

[@jakegoodrich6520]

He plays the fiddle doesn't he?

[@dragonmaster613]

@@jakegoodrich6520 did they use a Acoustic Guitar? (Robert Johnson)

[@JPruinc]

That's a great bit of inspiration to work from! I wanna make a Psychedelic Bard based off of Jimi Hendrix. His spell components would be the best part, yeaahhh.

[@inkblotCrisis]

@@jakegoodrich6520 Ayup, in later levels he pays off his debt through a duel and with a high enough performance roll managed to win that particular devil's violin.

[@jakegoodrich6520]

@@inkblotCrisisMaybe invite him back if he ever wants to try again i'm sure you told him once, thst you're the best that's ever been.

[@dwarfzerker9686]

The weight loss is noticeable Jim, keep it up bud!👍👍👍👍

[@tannerharmon2325]

Yeah, jim looks great lately

[@overryans]

Player wanted to be a noble so he could have status but never told me about his family. So I just made his family a house of necromancers that use the dead as cheap labor for there silk farms.

[@kortanvescalor3941]

Something to really add in here, and to give credit where credit is due, the Baldur's Gate adventure on the dmsguild created by James Ohlen and Jesse Sky have a few custom backgrounds that I hope WotC do a bit now that Ohlen is now working for them. So they call them Epic Backgrounds which have a very niche little feature and have optional content that's written into the adventure with reasons and weight for their character to want to be invested in the story. What I love most about it is the "Goals" and "Epic Goals" written in. In the adventure alone the goals are something short term and are that personal "side quest" achievement that the character is trying to accomplish while the party is trying to thwart the evil, kill the bad guys etc etc. But also is that character's like first major step towards their epic goal, which is clearly explained to me (as dm), that it's not suppose to be completed in the adventure. Instead it's the driving force and foundation for me to build into other stories, whether this adventure gets follow (which I SO hope it does), if I choose another adventure or homebrew. It's incredibly leaning on the idea of chosen heroes compared to anything from any official content, but it's such a nice added layer that adventures need that isn't intrusive and certainly not the focal point of the adventure. Plus I am a sucker to give my players a personal story for some time in the limelight and this just feeds into it so much!

[@JPruinc]

Just had Jesse Sky on the podcast, should be out tomorrow on Patreon.

[@dragonmaster613]

Rogue with sage BG (any with Herb Kit + Medicine Skill) equals Plague Doctor! thanks to Drow Bard's Unconventional Rogues video.

[@nickwilliams8302]

One of the greatest things about 5e Backgrounds is how they open up the system to unconventional character concepts. I don't know whether Sage would be appropriate though. The Sage Background feature is more that of a scholar or an academic (a Sage is basically an expert researcher). Look at what roleplay options the Background Feature gives you during play. Guild Artisan? They're part of a guild of surgeons and apothecaries? Just swap out one of the skill proficiencies for Medicine and take Herbalist Kit for the tool proficiency. And Rogue actually makes a _lot_ of sense: they're a smart character who isn't interested in "fighting for glory". They use their medical training to strike at arteries, nerves and tendons (there's your Sneak Attack) so they can end fights fast and get on with the job at hand. And it gives you the opportunity to use the immortal line: "Remember, you're talking to a surgeon. I know five points on the front of your body where a quarter-inch incision would leave you dead before you hit the floor. How many can you name?" Don't waste that one by the way.

[@dragonmaster613]

@@nickwilliams8302 like I said, I got it from a video on Unconventional Rogues. Plus... That Expertise is great!

[@overryans]

Please look at dumb fun spells like fabricate. We outfitted our entire group with mithril armor and shields

[@Mystakaphoros]

"the forgotten triumvir" so like... Lepidus?

[@whitleypedia]

They should have background specific feats you could get at higher levels

[@tomswanson6624]

I love this show! Must watch, every week. Comments about equipment list is so spot on. My druid/outlander has proficiency with the herbalism kit. I spend a lot of my downtime finding plants/animal parts to make potions. The official literature seems a bit light on potion-making, though we have adapted some other home-brew material to make this a big part of our game. My fellow PCs cheer when I succeed on making awesome potions. Wonder if WebDM watchers have advice/comments on how/who makes potions in your games? Potions would make a great WebDM episode. Just saying.

[@douglasphillips5870]

Background is one of my favorite features in 5e. It's a lot like the aspect feature from Fate.

[@TheSneakyVikingJarl]

Urchin is my favorite background

[@JPruinc]

GET THAT PARKOUR!

[@sirlaggzzalot]

I stand corrected, no greenscreen scenes here

[@MackDaddyHart]

Them: Talking about interesting things that I am interested in Me: CAN'T STOP STARING AT RED DRAGON THUNDERZORD I had all the other thunderzords as a kid, but never got the red dragon

[@DougVehovec]

I feel like I typically use the background as a lens for the character's class. For example, I'm playing a duergar barbarian with the archaeologist background. She has a vigorous desire to explore dangerous places to unlock the secrets of blue magic. (It's a homebrew primal path.)

[@dreddbolt]

Archaeologist background is my favorite so far. I used it for my black dragonborn pact of the great old one tome warlock.

[@WebDM]

Yes, that one is fantastic! Anthropologist is also another great one

[@quaz_zee]

Great video guys! Always a pleasure to watch.

[@JacksonOwex]

You could almost say that backgrounds have been... left in the background!!! I'll see myself out!

[@WebDM]

Oh geeze

[@supercalifragic1551]

I played a 2-Fighter, 5+ (ended at 15 total, so 13) warlock who was called a Paladin. Had the smite to back up the claim.

[@TerrariaGolem]

My Background is for Firbolg... It's called Beast Tamer! You get Persuasion and Animal Handling Proficiency.

[@pragmat1k]

Jim is looking mighty slim!

[@racekitty]

I often leave things open ended in my character backgrounds for my DM to fill in later for one example I had a half Orc samurai that had a background similar to samurai jack that he fought a evil sorcerer and when was about to win the sorcerer used a spell to transport him to a unfamiliar land but I left that vague for the DM to decide whether he was transported to another continent or to the future/past or even he's from a different material plane I would suggest for players don't give a background without hooks that the DM can explore later.

[@philippebreault560]

For backgrounds i find that a great source of inspiration are the starting profession in Warhammer.

[@JPruinc]

Damn fine bit of inspiration!

[@liammay6102]

Jim is looking good!

[@RoGueAnTiDoTe]

Just came back after a while and damn Jim you look great!

[@finnmchugh99]

Is there a WebDM vid for A Gothic (/Horror) Setting?

[@dmperri]

I want that shirt

[@JPruinc]

Jim got his from a Con. Mine is from voidmerch.net

[@ralanbek95]

*It is time*

[@dracoargentum9783]

Complete side note: in my game we have added Thieve's Cant to both Urchin and Criminal backgrounds; just to give more common folk that are intractable with Thieve's Cant.

[@TheCinderfang]

Cool thing is, it is listed that a dm can allow secret languages like thieves cant and druidic as a language choice. So, it could work to give an urchin theives cant as written.