I'm working on a backstory for a character; I've picked the character's backstory. The subclass is integral to the character's identity, and therefore their backstory.
Would it be weird or in bad form to have part of the character's identify tied to a subclass, before reaching the level at which they obtain a subclass? A lot of the inspiration for the backstory is related subclass ( think that might be the way that I will get inspiration for a lot of my backstories, going forward).
My thought is that it isn't werid or in bad form because it could just be flavor for the character and their backstory, until they gain the level at which they gain the powers associated with subclass.
Do you agree or disagree (and why)? I want to make sure that there isn't an important reason for not doing things this way, that I may have missed.
Unless there's an in-world reason (up to your GM) that you wouldn't be able to take/know about that subclass, you can play yourself as working toward a subclass even before you get the mechanical aspects. indeed, for some classes (Paladins), I'd expect it.
I’ve made a few characters like that, such as a Reborn Circle of Spores Druid, animated by the symbiotic spores that later give her her subclass abilities. It works: you can flavour some of the non-subclass-linked features to fit your theme and some features that you manifest when you gain your subclass might have been lying dormant.
The only mechanical issues you might encounter are in some of the subclasses that grant tool or language proficiencies that you feel they should have gained as part of their background. Mostly, those just feel a bit messy rather than a big problem.
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I'm working on a backstory for a character; I've picked the character's backstory. The subclass is integral to the character's identity, and therefore their backstory.
Would it be weird or in bad form to have part of the character's identify tied to a subclass, before reaching the level at which they obtain a subclass? A lot of the inspiration for the backstory is related subclass ( think that might be the way that I will get inspiration for a lot of my backstories, going forward).
My thought is that it isn't werid or in bad form because it could just be flavor for the character and their backstory, until they gain the level at which they gain the powers associated with subclass.
Do you agree or disagree (and why)? I want to make sure that there isn't an important reason for not doing things this way, that I may have missed.
You're totally overthinking it.
Unless there's an in-world reason (up to your GM) that you wouldn't be able to take/know about that subclass, you can play yourself as working toward a subclass even before you get the mechanical aspects. indeed, for some classes (Paladins), I'd expect it.
I’ve made a few characters like that, such as a Reborn Circle of Spores Druid, animated by the symbiotic spores that later give her her subclass abilities. It works: you can flavour some of the non-subclass-linked features to fit your theme and some features that you manifest when you gain your subclass might have been lying dormant.
The only mechanical issues you might encounter are in some of the subclasses that grant tool or language proficiencies that you feel they should have gained as part of their background. Mostly, those just feel a bit messy rather than a big problem.