Backgrounds dnd 5e

The process of creating a Dungeons & Dragons character can be rather intensive. Players have to roll stats, decide on a race, figure out what class is most useful for them, and catalog an accurate inventory. They also have to decide which background to give their character, important both for adding skills and creating a textured backstory, which is vital for a full D&D experience.

A character's backstory is typically decided third, after selecting from D&D's races and classes. It's important for players to understand what the many backgrounds provide, as each adds skill proficiencies, tool proficiencies and equipment to a character's repertoire. Backgrounds put a final polish on a character's abilities, further adding to a strong suit or rounding out weaker skills. Backgrounds also determine how much coin players start the campaign with.

Related: Dungeons & Dragons: Tips First-Time DMs

As the name implies, backgrounds are also key for filling out a character's origins. Dungeons & Dragons 5e provides a number of ready-made backgrounds, though players can instead work with their DMs to create backgrounds uniquely tailored to their characters. While some are better suited for certain classes, any background can theoretically be used for any character build. Fifth edition's expansions have added additional backgrounds to choose from, but here are the 15 found in the Player's Handbook.

D&D Backgrounds For Strength-Based Characters

Gladiator

Characters with the Gladiator background may have lived a harder life than other entertainers, but they are performers nonetheless. They fight for the spectacle of it, making the background a good fit for Barbarian and Fighter classes. Because Gladiators gain proficiency in Acrobatics and Performance, this background can help round out the Strength focus of those classes, but it could also be adapted to most other classes in D&D 5e.

Knight

Knights, similar to their real-world counterparts, come from well-established families of authority. This is a great background for warrior classes such as Barbarians and Fighters, though it could be tricky for Paladins, Clerics and Monks, as the religious alliances of those classes could conflict with the nobility of Knights. Knights are are proficient in D&D's History and Persuasion skills and come equipped with fine clothes, a signet ring and a pedigree scroll. Characters with the Knight background also have the option to have retainers - three NPCs who help the player outside of combat.

Noble

Despite that potential for conflict between religion and nobility, Noble is the recommended background for Paladins in the D&D Player's Handbook, likely because it gives them the Position of Privilege feature, which causes NPCs to automatically think well of the character. Beyond that, this background is extremely similar to the Knight, hailing from a noble family and equipped with History and Persuasion proficiencies, as well as fine clothes, a signet ring and a pedigree scroll.

Related: D&D: Why Evil Adventurers Make The Best Villains

Sailor

Dungeons & Dragons' Sailor background is for those who have spent their lives at sea. Most obviously suited for the Fighter class, the Sailor could also work for other athletic classes like the Rogue or Ranger, depending on what kind of sailor the character was (navy, privateer, pirate). Sailors have Athletics and Perception proficiencies and carry a belaying pin, a silk rope and a lucky charm.

Soldier

An ideal background for a Fighter or Barbarian, Soldiers are natural warriors. Characters with this background have studied combat since they were old enough to hold a sword. Proficient in Athletics and Intimidation, Soldiers bear a trophy won in battle, a gaming set of the player's choice and common clothes. For this background, players should decide what kind of soldier and what rank their character is (or was) prior to the start of the campaign.

D&D Backgrounds For Dexterity-Based Characters

Charlatan

Rogues and Bards greatly benefit from the Charlatan background. D&D's Charlatans are highly charismatic, charming people into giving them business while overlooking their more seedy qualities. Players who choose this background gain skills in Deception and Slight of Hand and receive fine clothes, a disguise kit and a forgery kit. Charlatans are an ideal background for those who favor an infiltrative, stealthy playstyle.

Criminal

The Criminal background is best suited for Rogues, though it can work for Fighters as well. Characters with this background follow their own moral compass, choosing to flout authority rather than follow the laws of society. They gain proficiencies in Deception and Stealth and can add a gaming set, thieves tools and common clothing to their inventories. Due to their sneaky nature, Criminals would likely not be a good fit for the Barbarian or Paladin classes.

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Folk Hero

Folk Heroes are characters worthy of becoming legend, their stories passed down for generations to come. The Player's Handbook's description of the Folk Hero is a perfect match for D&D's Ranger class, but this background is versatile and could work for Barbarians, Paladins, Sorcerers, Wizards, Druids and Warlocks. Characters with the Folk Hero background have Animal Handling and Survival proficiencies, and their inventories hold a set of artisan tools, a shovel, an iron pot and a set of common clothes.

Outlander

The Outlander background is well suited to any traveling class, and the D&D handbook specifically recommends it to Rangers. Outlanders have spent their lives roaming the wilds. Characters with this background have proficiency in Athletics and Survival, can learn one additional language of the player's choice, and gain a staff, a hunting trap and travelers clothes.

Urchin

Urchins are those who grew up destitute in the streets. Because of this, they are cunning and have uniquely urban survival skills. Well suited for the Rogue class, Dungeons & Dragons Urchins are proficient in Sleight of Hand and Stealth, and they carry a small knife, a map of their hometown, and a single token of their lost family.

D&D Backgrounds For Intelligence-Based Characters

Sage

Sages are best for intelligent D&D characters. Their entire lives have been devoted to learning and becoming masters of knowledge. This makes the Sage an obvious selection for Wizards, and it can also work for Druids, Rogues and more. Sage characters are proficient in Arcana and History, know two additional languages and have writing materials, a knife and an unanswerable question. Players with this background should work with their DM ahead of time to sort out what knowledge their characters have pertaining to the campaign.

D&D Backgrounds For Wisdom-Based Characters

Acolyte

Acolytes are characters devoted to serving one of Dungeons & Dragons' gods. An ideal background for Paladin and Cleric classes, players who select Acolyte gain proficiencies in Insight and Religion, learn two languages and get a holy symbol. Due to their wisdom, Acolytes could also make a good background for Druids or Wizards.

Related: Dungeons & Dragons' Gold Silver, & Copper: Actual Values Explained

Guild Artisan

The Guild Artisan background is ideal for characters who like to craft and have a specialty within the merchant world. Well suited for intelligent classes such as Wizards and Druids, Guild Artisans have proficiency in Insight and Persuasion, a language of the player's choosing, artisans tools and a set of traveler's clothes. It's worth noting the Tasha's Cauldron of Everything expansion adds the new Armorer Artificer subclass, which seems tailor-made for the Guild Artisan background.

Hermit

The Monk class description specifically calls out the Hermit background as an ideal selection. Hermits grew up in a secluded bubble, be it alone or in a tight-knit community. A Wisdom-centric background, Hermits have proficiency in Medicine and Religion, know an extra language and have notes from a lifetime of studies, an herbalism kit and common clothes.

D&D Backgrounds For Charisma-Based Characters

Entertainer

Entertainers most easily fit D&D's powerful Bard class, as they are unsurprisingly characters who grew up performing for others. Players can choose what type of skill their character has, such as singing or dancing, depending on what they're most comfortable roleplaying. Dungeons & Dragons' Entertainers gain Acrobatics and Performance proficiencies and have a disguise kit, a musical instrument of the player's choice and a costume.

Next: Dungeons & Dragons Cards: Are They Actually Worth Anything?

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Choosing a background is a staple element of character creation in Dungeons and Dragons. After picking a class and assigning ability scores, it’s up to you to decide who your character is, where they’ve come from, and what they’ve done. As important in establishing the roleplaying beats of your character as it is buffing their skills, this isn’t something to overlook.

We’ve picked out the best D&D backgrounds that you should consider when building a character. As with most elements of character creation, it’s best to have a character build in mind when making your pick, so you can choose one that suits your vision of the character. After all, there’s little point in gaining proficiency in Stealth and Deception if you’re playing a blustering Barbarian.

But remember that backgrounds are malleable. The Player’s Handbook even suggests tweaking their features to better suit your character or the campaign setting you’re playing in. Don’t be afraid to use them as a template on which to develop your own creation, and treat them as a foundation to be moulded to your roleplaying needs.

These are the best D&D backgrounds:

• Outlander
• Anthropologist
• Noble
• Soldier
• Criminal
• Entertainer
• Urban Bounty Hunter
• Hermit

Outlander background 5E

Found in: Player’s Handbook

Living in the wilds of nature, away from the prying eyes of civilisation, Outlanders make natural nomads and travelling marauders. They’re used to the brutal demands of the outdoors, and know all too well of the dangers that lurk in its undergrowth. If you’re roleplaying a mysterious stranger or a Druid that’s kept their distance from society, this is a good place to start.

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Outlanders really shine for their Wanderer feature, which lets you automatically find food and water for yourself and up to five others each day – provided you’re surrounded by vegetation. It effectively lets you feed the entire party for no cost, taking that administrative role out of your hands. Add to that proficiency in Athletics and Survival, as well as a hunting trap to keep handy, and you’ve got the makings of a formidable Ranger.

Anthropologist background 5E

Found in: Tomb of Annihilation

A life of academic study is a strange choice for anyone to make – whether in the fantastical roleplaying world of D&D or the job market of real-life – but don’t write off the power of the Anthropologist. Obsessed with the customs, beliefs, and practices of other cultures, they’re sources of great knowledge who not only adapt to the world around them, but take every opportunity to study it.

The real draw of Anthropologists, however, is their utility. Adept Linguist lets you communicate with any humanoid creatures that don’t share your language, after observing them for 24 hours. That will make traversing through foreign lands a little easier, and will help you avoid accidentally offending an entire group of people through a social faux pas. Throw in proficiency with Insight and Religion, and you have the makings of a classic wizened Wizard.

Noble background 5E

Found in: Player’s Handbook

If you have an overbearing sense of entitlement, or covet nothing but privilege and power, the Noble background might be for you. Spanning anything from a wealthy aristocrat whose misplaced sense of adventure has landed them in a hot mess, to an upstart scoundrel who fancies themself a better life, there’s reams of roleplaying material to dig into here.

Special powers: Check out the best D&D 5E feats

Their proficiency in Persuasion suits any Charismatic character, and the ‘noble knight’ option will hand you three retainers – think attendants, messengers, or squires – that are perfect for enacting silly shenanigans. They’re essentially free servants to use as you will. Make sure to work with your DM to decide how your noble family fits in with the wider world of your campaign, though. Consider how its notoriety determines how NPC will treat you, or what plot avenues might spring up as you explore.

Soldier background 5E

Found in: Player’s Handbook

Fighting, scrapping, and battling; the soldier is one of the easier D&D backgrounds to integrate into a character. Handing you a ready-made justification for your superior martial skills, it suits the Fighter of the party who boasts superior combat aptitude than their travelling companions. But there’s still scope for refinement. Think carefully about where you learned your skills, how you trained, and your relationship with those who taught you.

While the Player’s Handbook suggests you build your character as a high-ranking military officer, who can lord their rank over common soldiers and guards, it’s not much of a stretch to switch the military with a fighting guild, or secret martial society. Skill proficiencies in Athletics and Intimidation will naturally suit beefy Barbarians, making Soldier a firm choice for characters focused solely on combat.

Criminal background 5E

Found in: Player’s Handbook

Not every adventurer is good. Sometimes it’s a joy to roleplay as a selfish evildoer, or a chaotic rule breaker that lives for transgression. Placing your character directly in the criminal underbelly of society is a simple way of injecting a dose of moral ambiguity into your adventure. Perhaps your character is a petty thief that was pushed into a life of crime through deprivation, or a reformed master criminal that has a hand in everyone’s pockets.

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As a Criminal, you’ll gain proficiency in Deception and Stealth, a perfect mix for any Rogue. Add to that the background’s Criminal Contact feature, and you’ll have access to a seedy communications network that’s perfect for orchestrating daring raids and illicit odd-jobs. If you’re besotted with illusions of grandeur, use the variant Spy background to make yourself into a master of espionage that knows all the tricks of the trade.

Entertainer background 5E

Found in: Player’s Handbook

Friendly, outgoing, and natural performers, adventurers with the Entertainer background make perfect Bards. Always eager to impress passers-by or stir the hearts of a crowd, their tales of adventure and rollicking music are sure to inject some excitement into the party. If you’re after a less standard roleplaying touchstone, try playing a begrudging entertainer who wants nothing more than to leave the fetid glamour of showbiz behind.

The Entertainer background really shines for its By Popular Demand feature. Letting you acquire free lodgings and food at any inn, circus, noble court or other place of rest that you pass, in return for regular nightly performances, it’s an easy means of ingratiating yourself with the higher echelons of society while securing safety for your vulnerable party. Think of this as a must-have for any bard.

Urban Bounty Hunter background 5E

Found in: Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

The most opportunistic of all the character backgrounds. Where regular folk see conflict, bounty hunters see profit. If there’s enough strife in society that people have taken to physical blows, you can be sure that there’ll be a highfalutin aristocrat or slimy criminal willing to pay you to do their dirty work. Maybe you see yourself as a vigilante protecting the streets? Or perhaps you’re chasing the flash of gold above all else?

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Proficiency in two skills among Deception, Insight, Persuasion, and Stealth offers a solid framework, but it’s the bounty hunter’s Ear to the Ground feature that stands out. You’ll gain a trustworthy contact in every city you visit who can supply essential information about the people and places of the surrounding area. That kind of insight will kickstart your adventuring whenever you enter a new area.

Hermit Background 5E

Found in: Player’s Handbook

Living in tranquil solitude afforded by total seclusion, Hermits lend themselves to secrecy and mystique. Often played as profound individuals who commit their lives to the pursuit of a great truth far from the distractions of typical society, Monks align well with their diligent, devoted personalities. It need not be all roses, however. Perhaps you were forced into a life of solitude as penance, before setting out on a quest for vengeance.

Their proficiency in Medicine and Religion also goes hand-in-hand with the pious healing powers of Clerics, and their Discovery ability follows suit. As a hermit, you’ll have made a unique, powerful discovery about the world – its history, its nature, or the hidden forces that work within it. Not a mechanical feature, it works best when integrated into the campaign, so check with your DM about using it effectively.

Basically, the DnD backgrounds will provide you with an important story cues all about your character’s identity and one character background can reveal like how you have become an adventurer, where you have come from and about your place where ever it might be in the world.

Your rogue might have gotten by the commanded audiences like a jester or by a guild thief, your wizard could have been a sage background 5e or using artisan tools 5e and your fighter might have been an courageous knight or also a grizzled soldier.

Types Of Official DnD 5e Backgrounds

In the below provided dnd5e backgrounds list “AL-Marked Background” created and introduced by the adventurers league, but it refers to content which wasn’t released in any source listed there.

Whenever they’re legal backgrounds then you may want to check before you use any of them with your Dungeon Master (DM).

Sources (5e backgrounds guide’s) Mentioned In The Above List

Actually, we have given some sources or 5e backgrounds guide’s where you can easily find those backgrounds for dungeons and dragons 5th edition. So let us give an abbreviation on what d&d books have backgrounds.

PHB = Player’s Hand Book

ToA = Tomb Of Annihilation

CoS = Curse Of Strahd

EE = Princes Of The Apocalypse

SCAG = Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

RoD = Out Of The Abyss

PS:A = Plane Shift: Amonkhet

WGE = Wayfinder’s Guide To Eberron

PS:In = Plane Shift: Innistrad

Now we have to know the Features and proficiency’s of the dnd background 5e. So from the below lines we can get to know them.

External Homebrew Backgrounds

We are going to mention all the External 5e Homebrew backgrounds in an alphabetical order, so it will be easier to check for your background wherever it is from the below list.

Backgrounds From A To E

Backgrounds From F To L

Backgrounds From M To W

Backgrounds From Homebrew Page

If you are searching for the various types of backgrounds from the homebrew page then you can chose all of them from the below mentioned tables From A to Z.

Backgrounds From A TO F

Backgrounds From G to M

Backgrounds From N to T

Backgrounds From U to Z

D&D 5e Backgrounds Chart

Check out the latest backgrounds chart in dungeons and dragons role playing game.

Languages:

Most of the characters will be allowed by some backgrounds to learn some extra languages beyond those which are given by race.

Proficiency’s:

1. Each and every dnd Backgrounds will give character proficiency in two skills.
2. All the skills are explained in the Player’s Hand Book in Chapter 7
3. With one or more tools most of the backgrounds 5e will give a character proficiency this is in an addition
4. You can get the tools from the chapter 5 of the players handbook
5. He or she have a chance to choose the different proficiency of the same kind (i.e, skill or tool) instead, but it is possible when a character would gain equal proficiency from the two various sources

Suggested Characteristics:

• Based on your d&d backgrounds, every background contains suggested personnel characteristics
• You have full privacy to select characteristics, roll dice for determining them randomly or also use the suggestions as inspiration for your own creation characteristics

Equipment:

• A package of starting equipment is provided by the each background
• If you use the optional rule from the chapter 5 to spend coins on gear then you don’t have a chance to receive the starting equipment from any of your 5e backgrounds.

Recommended article: you may also like to read haunted one , investigator , background.

How To Create Own Background (Customizing A Background)

With the d&d 5e background generator we can create our own 5e background and customize it as like as we want. So read the below steps to know more about the 5e backstory generator.

1. Some times you may want to tweak a background for some of its features then it is better fits your campaign or character setting
2. To do customize your background, You can replace one feature with any other one, you can chose any two skills and from the sample backgrounds 5e also you can chose a total of two tool proficiencies or languages.
3. According to the chapter 5 description you can either spend coins on gear or you can use the equipment package from your 5e backgrounds which you have
4. Finally, you have to select two personality traits, one bond, one ideal and also one flaw. (Note: you can not even take the equipment package suggested for your class, this happens If you spend  coins)
5. But you have to work with your Dungeon Master (DM) to create one whenever you can’t find a feature which will match your aspiring background.

You Should Follow Below Aspects While Selecting DnD Backgrounds

Before you’re going to select any of your favorite backgrounds you need to follow the below three aspects and they will help you so much if you follow them while selecting a background.

So the three aspects are 1) theme, 2) mechanics, 3) background features

1. Theme:

• Most of the backgrounds would have an habit of speaking with a specified environment.
• But for an example, either urchin background d&d or else the criminal background d&d 5e will speak with an urban setting naturally.
• Basically, the background dnd 5e outlander have meant clearly to be out in the wilderness.
• Also, some other backgrounds like Acolytes, sages, and guild artisans speak with those cloistered away in the temples, libraries and even the workshops too.

Some of the themes suitable for some most popular backgrounds, so chose those themes for your favorite background according to the below mentioned points.

Academic:Acolyte, Anthropologist, Archaeologist, Sage

Shady Past:Criminal, Charlatan, Pirate, Spy

Martial/Military:Soldier, City Watch, Knight

Situational:Noble, Outlander, Urchin, Far Traveler, Uthgardt Tribe Member

Vocational:Guild Artisan, Entertainer, Sailor

2. Mechanics:

• As we mentioned in the above table, every background has two skills, tool sets and also the specific languages for your character race or class whichever you chose a different one for replacing it.
• All types of races according to you’ve chosen provides set of benefits or a limited choice.
• Only few players know that, the classes do provide a different way to select and receive skills and the tool proficiencies too.
• Any how, the duplicate background proficiencies are the only time, that all types of skills and the tool proficiencies to open up as the options of characters.

3. Background Features:

• Each and every background which we have selected from the backgrounds chart has its personal features.
• Every background feature offer a small in the game benefit.
• It requires the player to interact with NPC’s.
• For an adventure and for the role playing they add much more opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions Of D&D Backgrounds 5E

1) Q: What Are Backgrounds In DND?

A: There are so many backgrounds in DND. If you would like to know more about them, you need to look at the above tables. They divided into two categories such as dnd backgrounds 5e and dnd backgrounds homebrew.

2) Q: What is the best background in dnd?

A: The Acolyte is one of the best backgrounds in dnd.

Conclusion:

In this article we have tried to mention all types of backgrounds dnd 5e, still if you want to get any other 5e backgrounds you can leave a comment in the below comment section and we will provide that background with out any obstacles to get that.

So keep visiting this website it can help you in providing any kind of backgrounds which are important in dungeons and dragons role playing game. We hope it helps for many D&D 5e Backgrounds aspirants.

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