Something of note, if they kept the Human ability to pick an origin feat with these backgrounds all having specific feats it makes human a little bit more versatile and a very good race to pick again. I am also curious if they will let us do +3 in a stat, I am going to a assume no. Something else I noticed is these ones that we see here all have at least 1 physical stat or one mental stat. I am honestly expecting that to carry over. I am hoping Acolyte isn't going to be int,wis,cha as we have speculated but wis, cha and either strength or constitution and than the feat would be MI (Cleric) with the religion and insight skill and maybe 1 set of artisan tools.
I also suspect that the ones where we had Criminal/spy will get spit into 2 different backgrounds with similar skills but different feats or a different asi.
For example, the Knight will likely have the same ASI and skills as the noble but its Feat may be toughness instead of skilled.
The blurb for the new PHB on Amazon only has 16 backgrounds, while I’ve read 20 in some of the comments here. Do we have an official number? Do we have a list of them? (There were 18 sample backgrounds in UA1.)
I was the one who mentioned 20. That is the number needed to have all combination of stats to pick from, from the information I could find. And with only 16 backgrounds, there will be 4 stat combinations not there. Then add in if you even think the background is fitting for you character
Forgive me if this was noted somewhere else on the forums but ... do we have confirmation that the "custom background" option in 2024 is going to be available in dnd beyond? Because if not ... Wizards has played in sad stereotyping and has limited creativity in ways they never have before with these new backgrounds. Most classes will be stuck with one background. Soooo limiting. Yes we can all use our imaginations in live games, but online, where Wizards wants us/our money to be ... there are almost no options without the custom background being in dnd beyond.
Massive fail by the team but ... hoping for good news about the custom option ...
Forgive me if this was noted somewhere else on the forums but ... do we have confirmation that the "custom background" option in 2024 is going to be available in dnd beyond? Because if not ... Wizards has played in sad stereotyping and has limited creativity in ways they never have before with these new backgrounds. Most classes will be stuck with one background. Soooo limiting. Yes we can all use our imaginations in live games, but online, where Wizards wants us/our money to be ... there are almost no options without the custom background being in dnd beyond.
Rumor, maybe coming from Crawford's quotes on video, is that it'll be in the DMG.
Forgive me if this was noted somewhere else on the forums but ... do we have confirmation that the "custom background" option in 2024 is going to be available in dnd beyond? Because if not ... Wizards has played in sad stereotyping and has limited creativity in ways they never have before with these new backgrounds. Most classes will be stuck with one background. Soooo limiting. Yes we can all use our imaginations in live games, but online, where Wizards wants us/our money to be ... there are almost no options without the custom background being in dnd beyond.
Rumor, maybe coming from Crawford's quotes on video, is that it'll be in the DMG.
And until then, just pick a 2014 background they haven't updated like Folk Hero and customize it as you wish
Or just manually adjust the stats on your sheet, assuming the concern is for a character being set up here. It's not like you're hard locked into stats based on your official picks.
Even if those are removed, just don't select the background and edit the scores, proficiencies etc directly on your sheet.
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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.
Well as a DM I’d probably just tell my players that I prefer diversity over picking for stats so choose whatever background makes sense then choose the +2 +1 or three +1’s for whatever stats they’d like. Could also do the same for the level 1 feat if that’s also tied to a background choice.
I think there is a fair chance some homebrew will be broken when everything on D&D Beyond is updated. I have seen nothing that promises homebrew will still work after all the updates. Common sense tells me it will still work but I have seen nothing promising that written down anywhere.
I have had to use an android cellphone to go to some of my players characters and unequip some homebrew items that the recent changes made them unable to reach thru the normal web interface. (The android app allows access to equip/unequip items without going thru the rules and presentation layers). I can see this perhaps potentially becoming a really big issue when this site is fully switched over...
Looking thru my copy of the 2024 Players Handbook from Gen Con it appears very balanced even if my favorite subclass lost something I liked. Adding custom backgrounds will have to be done very carefully to not make an overpowering character. Backgrounds are very important now. There's a reason why they limit ability score increases to certain abilities and skills. It looks like a good balanced book that can easily be defeated by straying outside the limits it suggests..
I feel like I'm in the minority and enjoy there being background ASI's. But then again I've been happily playing an 8 constitution monk for almost a year now.
If all anyone wants is to just put every point into their main stat with no care about anything else, why even have additional background or species ASI's at all? Why not just have the rolling/point buy/standard array section and leave it at that?
I feel like I'm in the minority and enjoy there being background ASI's. But then again I've been happily playing an 8 constitution monk for almost a year now.
If all anyone wants is to just put every point into their main stat with no care about anything else, why even have additional background or species ASI's at all? Why not just have the rolling/point buy/standard array section and leave it at that?
i'm sure many people would prefer that. But i'm with you. I like the restriction. And it makes humans much better. And as someone else pointed out, having fixed backgrounds, opens the door for homebrewers and 3rd party people, as well as having meaningful backgrounds as a character option in new books. Overall, i think it is better to have them restricted. But i also dislike point buy and prefer rolling for stats, so i'm not that concerned for "optimal ASI", and with ever general feat being a half feat, everyone will get to 20 in their main stat eventually.
I feel like I'm in the minority and enjoy there being background ASI's. But then again I've been happily playing an 8 constitution monk for almost a year now.
If all anyone wants is to just put every point into their main stat with no care about anything else, why even have additional background or species ASI's at all? Why not just have the rolling/point buy/standard array section and leave it at that?
I'd say the problem isn't that fixed ASIs and fixed feats are in backgrounds - it's that there aren't (yet) enough combinations to boost a lot of concepts as a result, and that just creates inequity and friction that didn't need to be there. Examples:
For example, some fit like a glove narratively and mechanically, like Criminal Rogues with Dex/Con/Alert, and Guide Rangers with Dex/Wis/Magic Initiate (Druid), and Entertainer Bards with Dex/Cha/Musician. They're not just synergistic, they'd be a cakewalk to justify to any DM with a pulse. Those builds thus get a leg up on their peers since you're guaranteed to be able to use them at just about any table including AL.
And then you have ones that are either a bad fit in terms of feat (Sage Wizards fit narratively and ASI-wise, but the feat gives them very little), a bad fit in terms of ASIs (Guard Fighters sound great but unless you're planning on Eldritch Knight or Psi Warrior the ASIs are awkward) or a bad fit narratively (Sailor Monks are perfect mechanically but not really known for that historically, unless you go for a nontraditional interpretation like a Samoan Limalama wrestler or something.) There are even ones that are awkward on multiple axes, like Acolyte Clerics (easy narrative, but weak ASIs and unnecessary feat.)
Lastly, there's the fact that there's only a single background choice for some feats. Want to be a Tavern Brawler? ONLY Sailors get to do that apparently, unless they print more one day.
TL;DR if the combinations were awkward for everyone or great for everyone it would be one thing - but having them be great for some and awkward for others just leaves the system feeling incomplete, hence people feeling less than satisfied. I think it'll be viewed more positively as additional background combinations get printed.
I disagree with the notion that there are bad fits. Example Sage Wizard. Makes perfect sense to be the most wizardly Wizard. They have more cantrips then other wizard, and have more spells prepared then other wizards. That fits thematically, narratively and mechanically.
The only "issue" is, people don't get their "optimization" choice. People looks at criminal wizard, because they think Alert is the best feat ever. But i would ask, why is the wizard, alert? why is it they need to be on edge all the time that someone springs a knife at them? And no, being an adventurer doesn't count. If your wizard had a homely life, studied in a school and now becomes an adventurers, it doesn't make thematic, narrative or mechanical sense for them to be combat ready all the time. This choice of a "criminal wizard it the best choice", is a pure optimization meta gaming choice.
Were i will give you right, is , that there are not enough yet. I would have preferred more backgrounds, at least two for each possible ASI combination and each origin feat at least being available twice. But, here i hope the first few books after the core 3 will fill that hole. The Ravnica backgrounds are my most favorite backgrounds every added to the game. So i expect that the new "Sword Coast Adventurers Guide" and any other book coming, will have a few backgrounds each, filling in niches not yet filled, and also introducing new origin feats not yet seen.
Adding custom backgrounds will have to be done very carefully to not make an overpowering character.
A background is a collection of 3 stats, two skills, a tool proficiency, and a origin feat. Please provide an example of an overpowered combo stronger than say, sailor for monk.
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Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards. DM - The Old Keep
I like Feats from a Background. That's neat and the benefit of your background can otherwise become negligible beyond skill proficiencies. I like that they're a little bigger. And it allows for more unique Feats later on (like we saw with Dragonlance).
Ability Scores I'm less keen about. I do wish that was still species. Orcs just feel like they should be stronger than humans. Just like a Wookie or a Vulcan is stronger than a human.
Honestly, if it wasn't so much work I might take a page out of 13th Age and have Ability Scores come from multiuple places. One +1 from your class, one +1 from your species, and one +1 from your background.
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The acolyte will have int, wis and charisma to pick from https://youtu.be/_nUsURlGMyA?si=0d4nirEjlMobTCBI&t=284
I was the one who mentioned 20. That is the number needed to have all combination of stats to pick from, from the information I could find. And with only 16 backgrounds, there will be 4 stat combinations not there. Then add in if you even think the background is fitting for you character
Forgive me if this was noted somewhere else on the forums but ... do we have confirmation that the "custom background" option in 2024 is going to be available in dnd beyond? Because if not ... Wizards has played in sad stereotyping and has limited creativity in ways they never have before with these new backgrounds. Most classes will be stuck with one background. Soooo limiting. Yes we can all use our imaginations in live games, but online, where Wizards wants us/our money to be ... there are almost no options without the custom background being in dnd beyond.
Massive fail by the team but ... hoping for good news about the custom option ...
Rumor, maybe coming from Crawford's quotes on video, is that it'll be in the DMG.
And until then, just pick a 2014 background they haven't updated like Folk Hero and customize it as you wish
Or just manually adjust the stats on your sheet, assuming the concern is for a character being set up here. It's not like you're hard locked into stats based on your official picks.
You can homebrew backgrounds anyway.
You have an in-builder custom background option.
Even if those are removed, just don't select the background and edit the scores, proficiencies etc directly on your sheet.
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.
Well as a DM I’d probably just tell my players that I prefer diversity over picking for stats so choose whatever background makes sense then choose the +2 +1 or three +1’s for whatever stats they’d like. Could also do the same for the level 1 feat if that’s also tied to a background choice.
I think there is a fair chance some homebrew will be broken when everything on D&D Beyond is updated. I have seen nothing that promises homebrew will still work after all the updates. Common sense tells me it will still work but I have seen nothing promising that written down anywhere.
I have had to use an android cellphone to go to some of my players characters and unequip some homebrew items that the recent changes made them unable to reach thru the normal web interface. (The android app allows access to equip/unequip items without going thru the rules and presentation layers). I can see this perhaps potentially becoming a really big issue when this site is fully switched over...
Looking thru my copy of the 2024 Players Handbook from Gen Con it appears very balanced even if my favorite subclass lost something I liked. Adding custom backgrounds will have to be done very carefully to not make an overpowering character. Backgrounds are very important now. There's a reason why they limit ability score increases to certain abilities and skills. It looks like a good balanced book that can easily be defeated by straying outside the limits it suggests..
I feel like I'm in the minority and enjoy there being background ASI's. But then again I've been happily playing an 8 constitution monk for almost a year now.
If all anyone wants is to just put every point into their main stat with no care about anything else, why even have additional background or species ASI's at all? Why not just have the rolling/point buy/standard array section and leave it at that?
i'm sure many people would prefer that. But i'm with you. I like the restriction. And it makes humans much better. And as someone else pointed out, having fixed backgrounds, opens the door for homebrewers and 3rd party people, as well as having meaningful backgrounds as a character option in new books. Overall, i think it is better to have them restricted. But i also dislike point buy and prefer rolling for stats, so i'm not that concerned for "optimal ASI", and with ever general feat being a half feat, everyone will get to 20 in their main stat eventually.
I'd say the problem isn't that fixed ASIs and fixed feats are in backgrounds - it's that there aren't (yet) enough combinations to boost a lot of concepts as a result, and that just creates inequity and friction that didn't need to be there. Examples:
For example, some fit like a glove narratively and mechanically, like Criminal Rogues with Dex/Con/Alert, and Guide Rangers with Dex/Wis/Magic Initiate (Druid), and Entertainer Bards with Dex/Cha/Musician. They're not just synergistic, they'd be a cakewalk to justify to any DM with a pulse. Those builds thus get a leg up on their peers since you're guaranteed to be able to use them at just about any table including AL.
And then you have ones that are either a bad fit in terms of feat (Sage Wizards fit narratively and ASI-wise, but the feat gives them very little), a bad fit in terms of ASIs (Guard Fighters sound great but unless you're planning on Eldritch Knight or Psi Warrior the ASIs are awkward) or a bad fit narratively (Sailor Monks are perfect mechanically but not really known for that historically, unless you go for a nontraditional interpretation like a Samoan Limalama wrestler or something.) There are even ones that are awkward on multiple axes, like Acolyte Clerics (easy narrative, but weak ASIs and unnecessary feat.)
Lastly, there's the fact that there's only a single background choice for some feats. Want to be a Tavern Brawler? ONLY Sailors get to do that apparently, unless they print more one day.
TL;DR if the combinations were awkward for everyone or great for everyone it would be one thing - but having them be great for some and awkward for others just leaves the system feeling incomplete, hence people feeling less than satisfied. I think it'll be viewed more positively as additional background combinations get printed.
I disagree with the notion that there are bad fits. Example Sage Wizard. Makes perfect sense to be the most wizardly Wizard. They have more cantrips then other wizard, and have more spells prepared then other wizards. That fits thematically, narratively and mechanically.
The only "issue" is, people don't get their "optimization" choice. People looks at criminal wizard, because they think Alert is the best feat ever. But i would ask, why is the wizard, alert? why is it they need to be on edge all the time that someone springs a knife at them? And no, being an adventurer doesn't count. If your wizard had a homely life, studied in a school and now becomes an adventurers, it doesn't make thematic, narrative or mechanical sense for them to be combat ready all the time. This choice of a "criminal wizard it the best choice", is a pure optimization meta gaming choice.
Were i will give you right, is , that there are not enough yet. I would have preferred more backgrounds, at least two for each possible ASI combination and each origin feat at least being available twice. But, here i hope the first few books after the core 3 will fill that hole. The Ravnica backgrounds are my most favorite backgrounds every added to the game. So i expect that the new "Sword Coast Adventurers Guide" and any other book coming, will have a few backgrounds each, filling in niches not yet filled, and also introducing new origin feats not yet seen.
A background is a collection of 3 stats, two skills, a tool proficiency, and a origin feat. Please provide an example of an overpowered combo stronger than say, sailor for monk.
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
I like Feats from a Background. That's neat and the benefit of your background can otherwise become negligible beyond skill proficiencies. I like that they're a little bigger. And it allows for more unique Feats later on (like we saw with Dragonlance).
Ability Scores I'm less keen about. I do wish that was still species. Orcs just feel like they should be stronger than humans. Just like a Wookie or a Vulcan is stronger than a human.
Honestly, if it wasn't so much work I might take a page out of 13th Age and have Ability Scores come from multiuple places. One +1 from your class, one +1 from your species, and one +1 from your background.