Hey, y’all, I’m confused about something. How far back does your background go into the history of your character?
Example: if my elf sorcerer has been a sailor for a year or two but was previously a noble. Do I take the sailor or noble background?
There are absolutely no rules for this - you can take whatever you feel is appropriate. In fact, you're encouraged to make up a custom background - pick a background feature you think fits the character, then pick 2 skill proficiencies you think fit, then pick 2 tool or language (you can mix and match) proficiencies you think are appropriate, and make up your own name for it. That latter is an optional rule, technically, but WOTC has been repeatedly clear that backgrounds are designed for flavor - there's no intended balance between feature "power" and proficiency "power". Check with your DM before assuming, of course.
Hard to suggest without knowing the full character concept but the simple answer is whichever the character presents themselves to the world as. If they want to be seen as a noble, pick noble. If they want to be seen as a sailor and aren't readily recognized as nobility then pick sailor.
Or mix and match skills and a feature like quindraco mentioned (assuming your dm allows).
I'm clearing up the details still, but he essentially had to leave so his family would stop being harassed by other more paranoid nobility. (there's stuff about a prophecy of storm and stuff but unless you are curious then that's it)
I'm clearing up the details still, but he essentially had to leave so his family would stop being harassed by other more paranoid nobility. (there's stuff about a prophecy of storm and stuff but unless you are curious then that's it)
Here's an example way to just make up a custom background.
Feature: Inheritor, from Van Richten's (modified with specifics I made up). Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Arcana. Language and Tool Proficiencies: Primordial, Navigator's Tools
You are the clear inheritor of a famed legacy: the Prophecy of the Storm. You have a birthmark in the shape of a Lichtenberg figure across your back.
Any time you reveal your birthmark, you swiftly learn the local opinion of your prophecy. If locals have never heard of it, nothing changes. If they have, rumors of your connection spread swiftly, and many locals consider you either a hero or a threat. Heroes are welcomed and might easily gain an audience with local leaders. Threats are encouraged to leave before they invite danger.
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Hey, y’all, I’m confused about something. How far back does your background go into the history of your character?
Example: if my elf sorcerer has been a sailor for a year or two but was previously a noble. Do I take the sailor or noble background?
There are absolutely no rules for this - you can take whatever you feel is appropriate. In fact, you're encouraged to make up a custom background - pick a background feature you think fits the character, then pick 2 skill proficiencies you think fit, then pick 2 tool or language (you can mix and match) proficiencies you think are appropriate, and make up your own name for it. That latter is an optional rule, technically, but WOTC has been repeatedly clear that backgrounds are designed for flavor - there's no intended balance between feature "power" and proficiency "power". Check with your DM before assuming, of course.
Hard to suggest without knowing the full character concept but the simple answer is whichever the character presents themselves to the world as. If they want to be seen as a noble, pick noble. If they want to be seen as a sailor and aren't readily recognized as nobility then pick sailor.
Or mix and match skills and a feature like quindraco mentioned (assuming your dm allows).
It is basically whatever they learned most of their skills from. Backgrounds and backstories overlap, but are not the same thing.
And you can always make a custom background if one doesn't quite fit.
I'm clearing up the details still, but he essentially had to leave so his family would stop being harassed by other more paranoid nobility. (there's stuff about a prophecy of storm and stuff but unless you are curious then that's it)
Here's an example way to just make up a custom background.
Feature: Inheritor, from Van Richten's (modified with specifics I made up). Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Arcana. Language and Tool Proficiencies: Primordial, Navigator's Tools
You are the clear inheritor of a famed legacy: the Prophecy of the Storm. You have a birthmark in the shape of a Lichtenberg figure across your back.
Any time you reveal your birthmark, you swiftly learn the local opinion of your prophecy. If locals have never heard of it, nothing changes. If they have, rumors of your connection spread swiftly, and many locals consider you either a hero or a threat. Heroes are welcomed and might easily gain an audience with local leaders. Threats are encouraged to leave before they invite danger.