Ever since the 2024 update, i've messed with & created homebrew backgrounds, typically small tweaks from existing backgrounds. However, they always had an annoying issue of you couldn't control the ability score increase of +2 & +1 or three +1s, instead that option/box would disappear from the Background tab of the Character Builder, and a new box/option would appear in the Abilities tab, letting you pick the +2/1 or three +1 options. This was all on the backend, coming with every homebrew/duplicated background, and we don't have any control of where it appears, what it says, etc.
However, we noticed this week that any new characters no longer have this option. If they pick any homebrew background, the ability score increase box is gone from both the Abilities and Background tab of the Character Builder. My backgrounds have not changed, and in fact, I compared 1 character that uses a homebrew background, and a test character that I set to the same background. The ability score increase box is there for the existing character that has chosen said scores & background for weeks now, but the test character doesn't see the ability score increase box despite using the same background. Unsure of how I can show any picture examples or list characters as example since no one can see the character builder.
I've played around with it, compared character options, there's no reason i've seen to cause this change, and like I said, my homebrew backgrounds haven't changed. And the editor in the homebrew backgrounds still don't list any option where you can affect this. I've compared this on several of my characters & backgrounds, the issue is definitely there and suddenly appeared for any new character or even existing character that tries to switch to these backgrounds. For now, me and my players are going to have to manually add the ability score improvements, does anyone have a fix or recommendation or this?
SOLVED: You can read the specifics below, but this bug or issue occurs if you use a homebrew background and a homebrew race, we updated the 2014 half-orc and half-elf. Not sure if you can specify the option within those races, or if this issue occurs with 2014 races, but we discovered the cause at the very least.
Just tested now, I made a blank background (just title and intro) and selected it while making a 2024 human and 2024 barbarian. The option to have +2/+1 or +1x3 appeared under Abilities tab as expected.
I then tested with blank species and other 2024 species and various 2024 and 2014 classes, with 2014 and homebrew backgrounds.
No matter the combination: the ASI always appeared under Abilities.
If I selected a 2014 species that had an ASI, it had the species ASI as normal. If I chose a 2024 background, it used that for ASI.
I cannot replicate this bug no matter what I do.
Can you walk through the steps to create your homebrew BG and character, so we can retrace your steps and see if we can encounter this bug?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I figured it out, thanks to your description I double checked their race. Both characters that we were seeing this on use homebrew species/race, updated versions of the 2014 half-orc and half-elf. The system doesn't know what to do with that, or the options are in the homebrew details somewhere. Once I swapped one of them to a 2024 race, the ability score increase popped up right where I expected. You inadvertently helped me realize it, thanks!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Ever since the 2024 update, i've messed with & created homebrew backgrounds, typically small tweaks from existing backgrounds. However, they always had an annoying issue of you couldn't control the ability score increase of +2 & +1 or three +1s, instead that option/box would disappear from the Background tab of the Character Builder, and a new box/option would appear in the Abilities tab, letting you pick the +2/1 or three +1 options. This was all on the backend, coming with every homebrew/duplicated background, and we don't have any control of where it appears, what it says, etc.
However, we noticed this week that any new characters no longer have this option. If they pick any homebrew background, the ability score increase box is gone from both the Abilities and Background tab of the Character Builder. My backgrounds have not changed, and in fact, I compared 1 character that uses a homebrew background, and a test character that I set to the same background. The ability score increase box is there for the existing character that has chosen said scores & background for weeks now, but the test character doesn't see the ability score increase box despite using the same background. Unsure of how I can show any picture examples or list characters as example since no one can see the character builder.
I've played around with it, compared character options, there's no reason i've seen to cause this change, and like I said, my homebrew backgrounds haven't changed. And the editor in the homebrew backgrounds still don't list any option where you can affect this. I've compared this on several of my characters & backgrounds, the issue is definitely there and suddenly appeared for any new character or even existing character that tries to switch to these backgrounds. For now, me and my players are going to have to manually add the ability score improvements, does anyone have a fix or recommendation or this?
SOLVED: You can read the specifics below, but this bug or issue occurs if you use a homebrew background and a homebrew race, we updated the 2014 half-orc and half-elf. Not sure if you can specify the option within those races, or if this issue occurs with 2014 races, but we discovered the cause at the very least.
Just tested now, I made a blank background (just title and intro) and selected it while making a 2024 human and 2024 barbarian. The option to have +2/+1 or +1x3 appeared under Abilities tab as expected.
I then tested with blank species and other 2024 species and various 2024 and 2014 classes, with 2014 and homebrew backgrounds.
No matter the combination: the ASI always appeared under Abilities.
If I selected a 2014 species that had an ASI, it had the species ASI as normal. If I chose a 2024 background, it used that for ASI.
I cannot replicate this bug no matter what I do.
Can you walk through the steps to create your homebrew BG and character, so we can retrace your steps and see if we can encounter this bug?
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I figured it out, thanks to your description I double checked their race. Both characters that we were seeing this on use homebrew species/race, updated versions of the 2014 half-orc and half-elf. The system doesn't know what to do with that, or the options are in the homebrew details somewhere. Once I swapped one of them to a 2024 race, the ability score increase popped up right where I expected. You inadvertently helped me realize it, thanks!