When making a new background, is there a way to add the relevant ability score increase options to keep them in line with the new 2024-style backgrounds? I can add the general ASI feat easily enough but for obvious reasons that's not exactly equivalent.
Unfortunately not, no. That is handled on the backend and not available to us in the homebrew creator. The best you can do is select a background that has the same ASI selection you want your background to offer and use it as a template. That will make your homebrew background offer the same ASI selection.
Even that doesn't seem to work. I tested it with a brand new copy of Acolyte and changed absolutely nothing but the name, and it gives no ability score increases at all, not even the default ones for the original background.
I have experimented with this extensively recently and this is what seems to be going on:
1. If you have a homebrew background and an official species (from PHB 2024 or an earlier post-Tasha's source), something in the back end correctly picks up the still-present Species Ability Score Increases trait, and gives you the option to pick your ASIs from the Ability score page in the Character Builder. There is no way to enforce the 2024 Background style choice, but it is functional for making characters.
2. If you have a homebrew background and an official species from pre-Tasha's that has fixed ASIs (e.g., something from Eberron or another old book), the hard-coded species ASI overrides and you are stuck with those ability score increases.
3. If you have a homebrew background and a homebrew species, it depends on whether the Ability Score Increases trait is present in the species or not, and it will function approximately like (1) or (2) depending. However, if the species has no ASI trait, and you use a homebrew background, there is no way to select ASIs during character creation except manual edits. Notably, there is a formatting quirk here I cannot understand. For the official species, the ASI trait is hidden in the Species page of the character builder, and only shows up on the Ability page if you select a background that doesn't offer ASIs (e.g., a homebrew background). If you copy an official 2024 species, you can see the ASI trait in the homebrew tools, but with a homebrew species (even if just directly copied from an official species), the ASI trait is shown on either both pages (Species and Abilities) or neither page (if you hide from Builder). And this is true regardless of whether you use a homebrew or official background.
When making a new background, is there a way to add the relevant ability score increase options to keep them in line with the new 2024-style backgrounds? I can add the general ASI feat easily enough but for obvious reasons that's not exactly equivalent.
Unfortunately not, no. That is handled on the backend and not available to us in the homebrew creator. The best you can do is select a background that has the same ASI selection you want your background to offer and use it as a template. That will make your homebrew background offer the same ASI selection.
Even that doesn't seem to work. I tested it with a brand new copy of Acolyte and changed absolutely nothing but the name, and it gives no ability score increases at all, not even the default ones for the original background.
I have experimented with this extensively recently and this is what seems to be going on:
1. If you have a homebrew background and an official species (from PHB 2024 or an earlier post-Tasha's source), something in the back end correctly picks up the still-present Species Ability Score Increases trait, and gives you the option to pick your ASIs from the Ability score page in the Character Builder. There is no way to enforce the 2024 Background style choice, but it is functional for making characters.
2. If you have a homebrew background and an official species from pre-Tasha's that has fixed ASIs (e.g., something from Eberron or another old book), the hard-coded species ASI overrides and you are stuck with those ability score increases.
3. If you have a homebrew background and a homebrew species, it depends on whether the Ability Score Increases trait is present in the species or not, and it will function approximately like (1) or (2) depending. However, if the species has no ASI trait, and you use a homebrew background, there is no way to select ASIs during character creation except manual edits. Notably, there is a formatting quirk here I cannot understand. For the official species, the ASI trait is hidden in the Species page of the character builder, and only shows up on the Ability page if you select a background that doesn't offer ASIs (e.g., a homebrew background). If you copy an official 2024 species, you can see the ASI trait in the homebrew tools, but with a homebrew species (even if just directly copied from an official species), the ASI trait is shown on either both pages (Species and Abilities) or neither page (if you hide from Builder). And this is true regardless of whether you use a homebrew or official background.
Thank you Green_Zebra very much for your in-depth analysis there. I have not had as much time to tinker with everything in the home brewer as I would like, and there’s still a lot to test. (Plus I have hit the word count limit for the FAQ post and am trying to figure out what I’m gonna do about it to boot.) so I genuinely appreciate your insight into this matter.
Thank you so much. i struggled with creating a choice of skills for so long. and you helped me with that so thanks. OH MY GOD I CAN MOVE ON WITH ME LIFE AAAAAAAAAAAAAH
So, I have been testing out the replacing base class features using a subclass as outlined in Subclasses and Species #6. However. For the 2024 versions, this doesn't seem to work. I wanted to use the 2014 version of how smite works so I made a subclass feature with the same name. Instead of replacing, it just shows both options.
So, I have been testing out the replacing base class features using a subclass as outlined in Subclasses and Species #6. However. For the 2024 versions, this doesn't seem to work. I wanted to use the 2014 version of how smite works so I made a subclass feature with the same name. Instead of replacing, it just shows both options.
Are you absolutely sure you gave it the exact same name as the base class feature, “Paladin’s Smite” with absolutely no deviation whatsoever? You used the correct type of apostrophe, ( ‘ ) and not ( ' ), and there’s no accidental extra blank space at the end or anything?
So, I have been testing out the replacing base class features using a subclass as outlined in Subclasses and Species #6. However. For the 2024 versions, this doesn't seem to work. I wanted to use the 2014 version of how smite works so I made a subclass feature with the same name. Instead of replacing, it just shows both options.
Are you absolutely sure you gave it the exact same name as the base class feature, “Paladin’s Smite” with absolutely no deviation whatsoever? You used the correct type of apostrophe, ( ‘ ) and not ( ' ), and there’s no accidental extra blank space at the end or anything?
I copied it directly from the class feature. As far as I can tell there is no hidden whitespace.
I wonder if it is because it's trying to replace a feature that is a lower level then the subclass should grant, given level 3 subclass granting a 2nd level ability. I'll try with a higher level ability and see if it will work
I wonder if it is because it's trying to replace a feature that is a lower level then the subclass should grant, given level 3 subclass granting a 2nd level ability. I'll try with a higher level ability and see if it will work
That shouldn’t be an issue, never was before. This might just be yet another glitch that finally got fixed.
Can someone walk me through making and fixing my homebrew species
Absolutely, I’m sure multiple people would be happy to assist you. What have you done so far, what are you trying to accomplish, and what’s giving you trouble?
Hi, I'm trying to create a homebrew background that allows me to choose to add any tool to my equipment. I have added the following options to the equipment: "Gear Type - Artisan's Tool (1)" or "Gear Type - Gaming Set (1)" or "Gear Type - Musical Instrument (1)". But there is no group option for the following tools: Forgery Kit, Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit, and Navigators Tools. The only solution I can see is to go back to homebrew creation and add each of those tools individually, which feels tedious and messy.
Why isn't there a group option like "Gear Type - Miscellaneous Tool (1)" or "Gear Type - Other Tool (1)"?
Also an option to pick a tool that you are proficient in? eg. "Gear Type - Proficient Tool (1)"? or just make it simple: "Gear Type - Any Tool (1)"
PS: thank you for creating this FAQ, I recognise the massive amout of work it must take so thank you very much ❤️
Will Subclasses from 5e work on the 2024 core classes...as i have a Legacy homebrew made by someone else in my homebrew collection that doesnt seem to be detected by dndbeyond as a subclass for CORE?
are there new hightlight codes for the 2024 rules (idk if this is the right term for this, i mean the thing where you put you mouse on top of a word and it shows a pop up of that thing; ex: []N[/]), cause i used the old one for spells but it returned the 2014 version 😅
Will Subclasses from 5e work on the 2024 core classes...as i have a Legacy homebrew made by someone else in my homebrew collection that doesnt seem to be detected by dndbeyond as a subclass for CORE?
No…alas. They have to be ported to 2024; designed specifically for the new version of the class.
Hey guys, this might be a bit of a long shot, but I was wondering if anyone might know how to get the stat block look for the Beast Master Ranger's Primal Companion's to apply in other homebrew subclasses? From trial and error, it looks like that specific stat block look will only appear visually correct when creating a homebrew subclass based off the 2024 Beast Master. In my attempts to do that in other homebrew subclasses for other 2024 classes, it leads to a broken text block instead.
Here's what I'm hoping to recreate for a Pet subclass I'm working on for the Druid:
Hi, I'm trying to create a homebrew background that allows me to choose to add any tool to my equipment. I have added the following options to the equipment: "Gear Type - Artisan's Tool (1)" or "Gear Type - Gaming Set (1)" or "Gear Type - Musical Instrument (1)". But there is no group option for the following tools: Forgery Kit, Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit, and Navigators Tools. The only solution I can see is to go back to homebrew creation and add each of those tools individually, which feels tedious and messy.
Why isn't there a group option like "Gear Type - Miscellaneous Tool (1)" or "Gear Type - Other Tool (1)"?
Also an option to pick a tool that you are proficient in? eg. "Gear Type - Proficient Tool (1)"? or just make it simple: "Gear Type - Any Tool (1)"
PS: thank you for creating this FAQ, I recognise the massive amout of work it must take so thank you very much ❤️
Hi there. Sorry I didn’t see this sooner or I would have responded before now. The reason is that those “other tools” include stuff that the game designers never offer as choices (disguise kit, forgery kit, herbalism kit, poisoner's kit and thieves' tools]). Those items (and corresponding proficiencies) are never handed out willynilly, but always only as specific intentional items. Since WotC doesn’t offer them as general choices alongside the artisan’s tools, the site was never programmed to include that as a possibility.
I have experimented with this extensively recently and this is what seems to be going on:
1. If you have a homebrew background and an official species (from PHB 2024 or an earlier post-Tasha's source), something in the back end correctly picks up the still-present Species Ability Score Increases trait, and gives you the option to pick your ASIs from the Ability score page in the Character Builder. There is no way to enforce the 2024 Background style choice, but it is functional for making characters.
2. If you have a homebrew background and an official species from pre-Tasha's that has fixed ASIs (e.g., something from Eberron or another old book), the hard-coded species ASI overrides and you are stuck with those ability score increases.
3. If you have a homebrew background and a homebrew species, it depends on whether the Ability Score Increases trait is present in the species or not, and it will function approximately like (1) or (2) depending. However, if the species has no ASI trait, and you use a homebrew background, there is no way to select ASIs during character creation except manual edits. Notably, there is a formatting quirk here I cannot understand. For the official species, the ASI trait is hidden in the Species page of the character builder, and only shows up on the Ability page if you select a background that doesn't offer ASIs (e.g., a homebrew background). If you copy an official 2024 species, you can see the ASI trait in the homebrew tools, but with a homebrew species (even if just directly copied from an official species), the ASI trait is shown on either both pages (Species and Abilities) or neither page (if you hide from Builder). And this is true regardless of whether you use a homebrew or official background.
Thank you Green_Zebra very much for your in-depth analysis there. I have not had as much time to tinker with everything in the home brewer as I would like, and there’s still a lot to test. (Plus I have hit the word count limit for the FAQ post and am trying to figure out what I’m gonna do about it to boot.) so I genuinely appreciate your insight into this matter.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Update:
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Update: General FAQ Ω-1 has been updated.
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Thank you so much. i struggled with creating a choice of skills for so long. and you helped me with that so thanks. OH MY GOD I CAN MOVE ON WITH ME LIFE AAAAAAAAAAAAAH
So, I have been testing out the replacing base class features using a subclass as outlined in Subclasses and Species #6. However. For the 2024 versions, this doesn't seem to work. I wanted to use the 2014 version of how smite works so I made a subclass feature with the same name. Instead of replacing, it just shows both options.
Are you absolutely sure you gave it the exact same name as the base class feature, “Paladin’s Smite” with absolutely no deviation whatsoever? You used the correct type of apostrophe, ( ‘ ) and not ( ' ), and there’s no accidental extra blank space at the end or anything?
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Content Troubleshooting
I copied it directly from the class feature. As far as I can tell there is no hidden whitespace.
I wonder if it is because it's trying to replace a feature that is a lower level then the subclass should grant, given level 3 subclass granting a 2nd level ability. I'll try with a higher level ability and see if it will work
That shouldn’t be an issue, never was before. This might just be yet another glitch that finally got fixed.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Update: Subclasses & Species #6 has been updated.
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Can someone walk me through making and fixing my homebrew species
What are you trying to make and what kind of error is coming up instead?
Check out my homebrew!
Feats | Magic Items | Monsters | Spells
Absolutely, I’m sure multiple people would be happy to assist you. What have you done so far, what are you trying to accomplish, and what’s giving you trouble?
Thank you!
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Hi, I'm trying to create a homebrew background that allows me to choose to add any tool to my equipment. I have added the following options to the equipment: "Gear Type - Artisan's Tool (1)" or "Gear Type - Gaming Set (1)" or "Gear Type - Musical Instrument (1)". But there is no group option for the following tools: Forgery Kit, Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit, and Navigators Tools. The only solution I can see is to go back to homebrew creation and add each of those tools individually, which feels tedious and messy.
Why isn't there a group option like "Gear Type - Miscellaneous Tool (1)" or "Gear Type - Other Tool (1)"?
Also an option to pick a tool that you are proficient in? eg. "Gear Type - Proficient Tool (1)"? or just make it simple: "Gear Type - Any Tool (1)"
PS: thank you for creating this FAQ, I recognise the massive amout of work it must take so thank you very much ❤️
Will Subclasses from 5e work on the 2024 core classes...as i have a Legacy homebrew made by someone else in my homebrew collection that doesnt seem to be detected by dndbeyond as a subclass for CORE?
hi there,
are there new hightlight codes for the 2024 rules (idk if this is the right term for this, i mean the thing where you put you mouse on top of a word and it shows a pop up of that thing; ex: []N[/]), cause i used the old one for spells but it returned the 2014 version 😅
No…alas. They have to be ported to 2024; designed specifically for the new version of the class.
Hey guys, this might be a bit of a long shot, but I was wondering if anyone might know how to get the stat block look for the Beast Master Ranger's Primal Companion's to apply in other homebrew subclasses? From trial and error, it looks like that specific stat block look will only appear visually correct when creating a homebrew subclass based off the 2024 Beast Master. In my attempts to do that in other homebrew subclasses for other 2024 classes, it leads to a broken text block instead.


Here's what I'm hoping to recreate for a Pet subclass I'm working on for the Druid:
Hi there. Sorry I didn’t see this sooner or I would have responded before now. The reason is that those “other tools” include stuff that the game designers never offer as choices (disguise kit, forgery kit, herbalism kit, poisoner's kit and thieves' tools]). Those items (and corresponding proficiencies) are never handed out willynilly, but always only as specific intentional items. Since WotC doesn’t offer them as general choices alongside the artisan’s tools, the site was never programmed to include that as a possibility.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting