I am trying to make a new background, specifically for my character, and I'm trying to create is a wizard hero. A wizard who, after going to a wizard school, will use his wizard skills and abilities to fight against evil and corruption. But I'm having a bit of trouble, the first trouble them having is with the equipment. I also gave my character a arcana skill and a stealth skill, because I thought that would be best, is that good?
Now I have never played d&d before, so my character is like level 1 or below, so I don't know what equipment he should have as a starting character. What starting equipment should starting level 1 wizard whose goal is to fight against evil and improve the world, have?
And for the characteristics and flaws, I was going to have a mix of stereotypical hero flaws mixed in with some wizard flaws and other hero and wizard characteristics,. What do you think?
I'm also wondering what should be the backgrounds primary feature, and what should be the background Pacific table, and what you should roll the dice for whatever.if you could help with that, or just give a tip, I'd be more than pleased and more than grateful.
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(Sorce):
Moved to homebrew sub forum
That’s not really how backgrounds work. It sounds like you are confusing “background” with “backstory.”
A backstory is your character’s personal history and can include whatever you want. A Background is a thing that fits into your backstory and complements your class skills in some way.
If you went to school, try the sage background. It’s basically an educated character, and comes with stuff that they would use and need. If you want your character to have a shady past, choose the criminal background. If you want to focus more on the fighter part of fighter of evil, maybe choose Soldier as your background.
As a 1st level Wizard, you will have access to some skills anyway, and your race will likely give you others, so it’s not such a big deal. Your class will also give you equipment that your character could use, so the background skill/language/tool proficiencies are more extra stuff to round you out.
Since you’ve never played before, I suggest not Homebrewing yet. You will already have enough to learn, especially as a spellcaster. My personal recommendation is to use stuff out of the book for a little while just to make your life easier until you understand things a little better, and then homebrew once you know how it all fits together better.
the background is not my backstory, it was going to be for any player who wants to be a heroic wizard, the skills of the one you recommended don't fit, so I wanted to make one that could fit for me and others who want similar style.
Since you’ve never played before, I suggest not Homebrewing yet. You will already have enough to learn, especially as a spellcaster. My personal recommendation is to use stuff out of the book for a little while just to make your life easier until you understand things a little better, and then homebrew once you know how it all fits together better.
Some of the stuff you are putting into that background you will already get from being a Wizard, like Arcana. The other stuff, like stealth, you could probably get from a race or a preexisting background like the Urchin. Just my suggestion.
You also might want to look at the Haunted One background. It might be just what you are looking for.
I took your advise, and am using folk hero background, however I do have a few more questions,
so I wanted to fill out his back story, anything that I can't put in a back story?
and the appearance section on the character sheet, is that where we describe what he wears?, like I could make my character wear goggles and red boots, anything our character can't wear that isn't obvious?
theses two D&D youtubers talked about how they made their spell books look, are we allowed to design our spell books?
and the appearance section on the character sheet, is that where we describe what he wears?, like I could make my character wear goggles and red boots, anything our character can't wear that isn't obvious?
Yes, that is the place for it. You can wear pretty much whatever you want, but ultimately that’s up to your DM.
theses two D&D youtubers talked about how they made their spell books look, are we allowed to design our spell books?
I don’t know what two you tubers you are talking about. But here is an excerpt from the Wizard class Spellcasting section:
YOUR SPELLBOOK
The spells that you add to your spellbook as you gain levels reflect the arcane research you conduct on your own, as well as intellectual breakthroughs you have had about the nature of the multiverse. You might find other spells during your adventures. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard’s chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library.
Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.
Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.
Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book—for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since you understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the copied spell.
If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same procedure to transcribe the spells that you have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the remainder of your spellbook requires you to find new spells to do so, as normal. For this reason, many wizards keep backup spellbooks in a safe place.
The Book’s Appearance. Your spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that you received as a gift from your master, a finely bound gilt-edged tome you found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap.
Much like everything else, it’s all up to your DM. But D&D was designed to let people be as creative as we want.
I would point out that Wizard is one of the more complicated classes to learn, especially for beginners because Spellcasting is so peculiar, and Wizards are kinda unique for a few reasons. it’s totally doable, but you will have a steeper learning curve than you would with something like a Fighter. So, read that Wizard section that I linked you carefully, and I would also recommend familiarizing yourself withChapters 9 and especially 10. Chapter 10 will be one you will use constantly as a Wizard, and the more familiar you are with it the easier it will be to do unless you have other players helping you as the new person.
Some DMs like helping new players, some do not. Some players like it, some don’t. It really all depends on the group in particular. The easiest places to find a group are often at your local game shop. In person groups tend to have a better capacity to help new players because they‘re right there.
My personally preference is to find friends who are interested and join them, or ask them to join you. If everyone is new it’s easier to make mistakes, but if everyone is new then you can all learn together. There are benefits to that as well.
I am trying to make a new background, specifically for my character, and I'm trying to create is a wizard hero. A wizard who, after going to a wizard school, will use his wizard skills and abilities to fight against evil and corruption. But I'm having a bit of trouble, the first trouble them having is with the equipment. I also gave my character a arcana skill and a stealth skill, because I thought that would be best, is that good?
Now I have never played d&d before, so my character is like level 1 or below, so I don't know what equipment he should have as a starting character. What starting equipment should starting level 1 wizard whose goal is to fight against evil and improve the world, have?
And for the characteristics and flaws, I was going to have a mix of stereotypical hero flaws mixed in with some wizard flaws and other hero and wizard characteristics,. What do you think?
I'm also wondering what should be the backgrounds primary feature, and what should be the background Pacific table, and what you should roll the dice for whatever.if you could help with that, or just give a tip, I'd be more than pleased and more than grateful.
That’s not really how backgrounds work. It sounds like you are confusing “background” with “backstory.”
A backstory is your character’s personal history and can include whatever you want. A Background is a thing that fits into your backstory and complements your class skills in some way.
If you went to school, try the sage background. It’s basically an educated character, and comes with stuff that they would use and need. If you want your character to have a shady past, choose the criminal background. If you want to focus more on the fighter part of fighter of evil, maybe choose Soldier as your background.
As a 1st level Wizard, you will have access to some skills anyway, and your race will likely give you others, so it’s not such a big deal. Your class will also give you equipment that your character could use, so the background skill/language/tool proficiencies are more extra stuff to round you out.
Since you’ve never played before, I suggest not Homebrewing yet. You will already have enough to learn, especially as a spellcaster. My personal recommendation is to use stuff out of the book for a little while just to make your life easier until you understand things a little better, and then homebrew once you know how it all fits together better.
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the background is not my backstory, it was going to be for any player who wants to be a heroic wizard, the skills of the one you recommended don't fit, so I wanted to make one that could fit for me and others who want similar style.
Allow me to reiterate my primary point:
I have been playing D&D for almost 30 years, my personal recommendation is:
Some of the stuff you are putting into that background you will already get from being a Wizard, like Arcana. The other stuff, like stealth, you could probably get from a race or a preexisting background like the Urchin. Just my suggestion.
You also might want to look at the Haunted One background. It might be just what you are looking for.
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I took your advise, and am using folk hero background, however I do have a few more questions,
so I wanted to fill out his back story, anything that I can't put in a back story?
and the appearance section on the character sheet, is that where we describe what he wears?, like I could make my character wear goggles and red boots, anything our character can't wear that isn't obvious?
theses two D&D youtubers talked about how they made their spell books look, are we allowed to design our spell books?
Not really, but ultimately that’s up to your DM.
Yes, that is the place for it. You can wear pretty much whatever you want, but ultimately that’s up to your DM.
I don’t know what two you tubers you are talking about. But here is an excerpt from the Wizard class Spellcasting section:
Much like everything else, it’s all up to your DM. But D&D was designed to let people be as creative as we want.
I would point out that Wizard is one of the more complicated classes to learn, especially for beginners because Spellcasting is so peculiar, and Wizards are kinda unique for a few reasons. it’s totally doable, but you will have a steeper learning curve than you would with something like a Fighter. So, read that Wizard section that I linked you carefully, and I would also recommend familiarizing yourself withChapters 9 and especially 10. Chapter 10 will be one you will use constantly as a Wizard, and the more familiar you are with it the easier it will be to do unless you have other players helping you as the new person.
Have fun!!
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I actually do not have a DM yet, I made my account and went straight to create a character, do I join a campaign and a DM helps me?
Some DMs like helping new players, some do not. Some players like it, some don’t. It really all depends on the group in particular. The easiest places to find a group are often at your local game shop. In person groups tend to have a better capacity to help new players because they‘re right there.
You can also find groups online like here:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/looking-for-players-groups
My personally preference is to find friends who are interested and join them, or ask them to join you. If everyone is new it’s easier to make mistakes, but if everyone is new then you can all learn together. There are benefits to that as well.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting