I was making a halfling fighter and chose Intimidation and Acrobatics for skills and chose the Soldier Background. With the soldier background it gave me Athletics, but let me choose any skill in the game for my second skill. This was because I already had intimidation. This does not seem right, I would assume I would have to choose a skill that was already on the fighter skill list. Anybody have any insights into this? Am I forgetting a rule?
It seems to be a bug. I found the same when I was creating a character the other day. I had a background that gave me multiple options for skill proficiency and had to pick the one I wanted, but I already had 2 of the ones on the list so it kept giving me the full list of skills in the drop down. I tried logging out and back in but it made no difference.
That is correct; if a background or feature gives you a skill that you already have from another source (which can't be changed), you have the option to pick any other skill.
I always assumed it to be intentional because, what good would it do you to have the same skill twice?
Proficiencies
Each background gives a character proficiency in two skills. Skills are described in the Using Ability Scores section.
In addition, most backgrounds give a character proficiency with one or more tools. Tools and tool proficiencies are detailed in the Equipment section.
If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead.
This is actually RAW (Rules as Written). From Chapter 4 of the PHB, under Backgrounds and then Proficiencies:
“If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead.”
So you aren’t limited to class proficiency options when there is an overlap.
I was making a halfling fighter and chose Intimidation and Acrobatics for skills and chose the Soldier Background. With the soldier background it gave me Athletics, but let me choose any skill in the game for my second skill. This was because I already had intimidation. This does not seem right, I would assume I would have to choose a skill that was already on the fighter skill list. Anybody have any insights into this? Am I forgetting a rule?
It seems to be a bug. I found the same when I was creating a character the other day. I had a background that gave me multiple options for skill proficiency and had to pick the one I wanted, but I already had 2 of the ones on the list so it kept giving me the full list of skills in the drop down. I tried logging out and back in but it made no difference.
That is correct; if a background or feature gives you a skill that you already have from another source (which can't be changed), you have the option to pick any other skill.
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I always assumed it to be intentional because, what good would it do you to have the same skill twice?
Proficiencies
Each background gives a character proficiency in two skills. Skills are described in the Using Ability Scores section.
In addition, most backgrounds give a character proficiency with one or more tools. Tools and tool proficiencies are detailed in the Equipment section.
If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead.
This is actually RAW (Rules as Written). From Chapter 4 of the PHB, under Backgrounds and then Proficiencies:
“If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead.”
So you aren’t limited to class proficiency options when there is an overlap.
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Okay! I did not know that. Thanks for the information!