Difference between revisions of "SRD5:Background"

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{{ambiguous|Background|from the SRD}}
 
{{ambiguous|Background|from the SRD}}
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{{5esrd}}
 
Every story has a beginning. Your character’s background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your [[SRD5:Fighter|fighter]] might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your [[SD5:Wizard|wizard]] could have been a sage or an artisan. Your [[SRD5:Rogue|rogue]] might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester.  
 
Every story has a beginning. Your character’s background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your [[SRD5:Fighter|fighter]] might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your [[SD5:Wizard|wizard]] could have been a sage or an artisan. Your [[SRD5:Rogue|rogue]] might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester.  
  
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You might want to tweak some of the features of a background so it better fits your character or the campaign setting. To customize a background, you can replace one feature with any other one, choose any two skills, and choose a total of two tool proficiencies or languages from the sample backgrounds. You can either use the equipment package from your background or spend coin on gear as described in the equipment section. (If you spend coin, you can’t also take the equipment package suggested for your class.) Finally, choose two personality traits, one ideal, one bond, and one flaw. If you can’t find a feature that matches your desired background, work with your GM to create one.  
 
You might want to tweak some of the features of a background so it better fits your character or the campaign setting. To customize a background, you can replace one feature with any other one, choose any two skills, and choose a total of two tool proficiencies or languages from the sample backgrounds. You can either use the equipment package from your background or spend coin on gear as described in the equipment section. (If you spend coin, you can’t also take the equipment package suggested for your class.) Finally, choose two personality traits, one ideal, one bond, and one flaw. If you can’t find a feature that matches your desired background, work with your GM to create one.  
  
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==Acolyte==
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==List of Backgrounds==
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{{alsosee-sect|SRD5:Acolyte (disambiguation)}}
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{{nonsrd}}<br clear="right" />
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You have spent your life in the service of a temple to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric — performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power.
 
  
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Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasi-­divine being from among those listed in "[[SRD5:Fantasy-­Historical Pantheons|Fantasy-­Historical Pantheons]]" or those specified by your [[SRD5:GM|GM]], and work with your GM to detail the nature of your religious service. Were you a lesser functionary in a temple, raised from childhood to assist the priests in the sacred rites? Or were you a high priest who suddenly experienced a call to serve your god in a different way? Perhaps you were the leader of a small cult outside of any established temple structure, or even an occult group that served a fiendish master that you now deny.
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({{#ask: [[Category:5e Backgrounds]]|format=count}} official and unofficial backgrounds).
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{{#ask: [[Category:5e Backgrounds]]
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'''Skill Proficiencies:''' [[SRD5:Insight|Insight]], [[SRD5:Religion|Religion]] <br />
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|?Summary
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'''Languages:''' Two of your choice <br />
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|?Features=Feature
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'''Equipment:''' A [[SRD5:Holy Symbol|holy symbol]] (a gift to you when you entered the priesthood), a prayer book or prayer wheel, 5 sticks of [[SRD5:Incense|incense]], vestments, a set of [[SRD5:Common Clothes|common clothes]], and a [[SRD5:Pouch|pouch]] containing 15 [[SRD5:GP|gp]]
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|?Skills
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|?Tools
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===Feature: Shelter of the Faithful===
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|?Languages
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As an acolyte, you command the respect of those who share your faith, and you can perform the religious ceremonies of your deity. You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free [[SRD5:Healing|healing]] and care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any [[SRD5:Material Component|material component]]s needed for [[SRD5:Spells|spell]]s. Those who share your religion will support you (but only you) at a [[SRD5:Modest Lifestyle|modest lifestyle]].
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|?Specialty
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|?Author=Source
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You might also have ties to a specific temple dedicated to your chosen deity or pantheon, and you have a residence there. This could be the temple where you used to serve, if you remain on good terms with it, or a temple where you have found a new home. While near your temple, you can call upon the priests for assistance, provided the assistance you ask for is not hazardous and you remain in good standing with your temple.
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|mainlabel=Divine Domain
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|headers=plain
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===Suggested Characteristics===
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|format=broadtable
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Acolytes are shaped by their experience in temples or other religious communities. Their study of the history and tenets of their faith and their relationships to temples, shrines, or hierarchies affect their mannerisms and ideals. Their flaws might be some hidden hypocrisy or heretical idea, or an ideal or bond taken to an extreme.
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|class=d20 zebra small leftall sortable
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|sep=,&ensp;
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{|class="zebra"
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|limit=500
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!d8
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|default=None created yet! Why don't you add your own?
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!Personality Trait
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}}
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|-
 
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|align="center"|1
 
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|I idolize a particular hero of my faith, and constantly refer to that person’s deeds and example.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|2
 
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|I can find common ground between the fiercest enemies, empathizing with them and always working toward peace.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|3
 
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|I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to speak to us, we just need to listen
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|4
 
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|Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.
 
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|align="center"|5
 
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|I quote (or misquote) sacred texts and proverbs in almost every situation.
 
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|align="center"|6
 
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|I am tolerant (or intolerant) of other faiths and respect (or condemn) the worship of other gods.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|7
 
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|I’ve enjoyed fine food, drink, and high society among my temple’s elite. Rough living grates on me.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|8
 
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|I’ve spent so long in the temple that I have little practical experience dealing with people in the outside world.
 
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|}
 
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&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;
 
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{|class="zebra"
 
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!d6
 
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!Ideal
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|1
 
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|Tradition. The ancient traditions of worship and sacrifice must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful)
 
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|align="center"|2
 
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|Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good)
 
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|align="center"|3
 
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|Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic)
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|4
 
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|Power. I hope to one day rise to the top of my faith’s religious hierarchy. (Lawful)
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|5
 
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|Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions. I have faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful)
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|6
 
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|Aspiration. I seek to prove myself worthy of my god’s favor by matching my actions against his or her teachings. (Any)
 
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|}
 
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&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;
 
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{|class="zebra"
 
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!d6
 
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!Bond
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|1
 
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|I would die to recover an ancient relic of my faith that was lost long ago.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|2
 
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|I will someday get revenge on the corrupt temple hierarchy who branded me a heretic.
 
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|align="center"|3
 
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|I owe my life to the priest who took me in when my parents died.
 
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|align="center"|4
 
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|Everything I do is for the common people.
 
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|align="center"|5
 
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|I will do anything to protect the temple where I served.
 
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|align="center"|6
 
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|I seek to preserve a sacred text that my enemies consider heretical and seek to destroy.
 
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|}
 
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&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;
 
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{|class="zebra"
 
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!d6
 
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!Flaw
 
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|-
 
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!align="center"|1
 
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|I judge others harshly, and myself even more severely.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|2
 
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|I put too much trust in those who wield power within my temple’s hierarchy.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|3
 
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|My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my god.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|4
 
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|I am inflexible in my thinking.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|5
 
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|I am suspicious of strangers and expect the worst of them.
 
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|-
 
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|align="center"|6
 
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|Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed with it to the detriment of everything else in my life.
 
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|}
 
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==

Revision as of 13:22, 11 June 2019

Disambiguation.png Not the article you are looking for?
Background from the SRD
see Background (disambiguation).
This material from the 5th edition (2014) SRD v5.1 is published under the OGL and CC-BY

Every story has a beginning. Your character’s background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your fighter might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your wizard could have been a sage or an artisan. Your rogue might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester.

Choosing a background provides you with important story cues about your character’s identity. The most important question to ask about your background is what changed? Why did you stop doing whatever your background describes and start adventuring? Where did you get the money to purchase your starting gear, or, if you come from a wealthy background, why don’t you have more money? How did you learn the skills of your class? What sets you apart from ordinary people who share your background?

The sample background presented here provides both concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and languages) and roleplaying suggestions.

Proficiencies

Each background gives a character proficiency in two skills (described in “Using Ability Scores”). In addition, most backgrounds give a character proficiency with one or more tools (detailed in “Equipment”). 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.

Languages

Some backgrounds also allow characters to learn additional languages beyond those given by race. See “Languages.”

Equipment

Each background provides a package of starting equipment. If you use the optional rule to spend coin on gear, you do not receive the starting equipment from your background.

Suggested Characteristics

A background contains suggested personal characteristics based on your background. You can pick characteristics, roll dice to determine them randomly, or use the suggestions as inspiration for characteristics of your own creation.

Customizing a Background

You might want to tweak some of the features of a background so it better fits your character or the campaign setting. To customize a background, you can replace one feature with any other one, choose any two skills, and choose a total of two tool proficiencies or languages from the sample backgrounds. You can either use the equipment package from your background or spend coin on gear as described in the equipment section. (If you spend coin, you can’t also take the equipment package suggested for your class.) Finally, choose two personality traits, one ideal, one bond, and one flaw. If you can’t find a feature that matches your desired background, work with your GM to create one.

List of Backgrounds

This section exceeds the text of the SRD

(56 official and unofficial backgrounds).

Divine DomainSummaryFeatureSkillsToolsLanguagesSpecialtySource
Cultist
The Determined
5e Background Simple Preload
5e Background List
AcolytePerson of the clothShelter of the FaithfulTwo of your choiceSRD-CC v5.1, SRD-OGL v5.1
AntiquarianAdventurer-historians who collect forgotten lore and lost relicsIt Belongs in a MuseumCalligrapher's suppliesOne of your choiceDracomortis
ApothecaryIndividuals who make a living diagnosing and treating medical ailments...or causing themMedical ProfessionalHerbalism kit, Poisoner’s KitDracomortis
Athlete BackgroundFamous AthleteEchoes of VictoryVehicles (land)One of your choiceFavored EventMythic Odysseys of Theros
Urban Bounty HunterBounty Hunter of cities and townsEar to the GroundChoose two from among one type of gaming set, musical instrument, and thieves' toolsSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
CharlatanCon man, someone who pretends to be someone else.False IdentityDisguise Kit, Forgery KitFavorite SchemesPlayer's Handbook (5e)
City WatchDuly ordaned keeper of the peaceWatcher's EyeTwo of your choiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Clan CrafterApprentice of a Dwarven Master ArtisanRespect of the Stout FolkOne type of Artisan's ToolsDwarvish or one of your choice if you already know it.Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Cloistered ScholarLibrarianLibrary AccessTwo of your choiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
CourtierCourt of Nobles BureaucratCourt FunctionaryTwo of your choiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
CriminalThief, thug, hired killer, con-manCriminal ContactOne type of Gaming Set, Thieves' ToolsCriminal SpecialtyPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Drow ScarredA fitting sacrificeCooking, Mining or CleaningUndercommon or Drow Sign LanguageDingobabee
EntertainerActor, dancer, musician, poetBy Popular DemandDisguise Kit, one type of musical instrumentEntertainer RoutinesPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Faction AgentYou belong to an ideological organization and sought to advance its goalsSave HavenTwo of your choiceFactions of the Sword CoastSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Far TravelerYou hail from a place far, far awayAll Eyes on YouMusical InstrumentOne of your choiceWhy you are HereSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
FeylostYou have lived in the Feywild.Feywild ConnectionOne type of musical instrument.One of your choice of Elvish, Gnomish, Goblin, or SylvanFeywild VisitorThe Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Folk HeroLocal HeroRustic HospitalityOne type of Artisan's Tools, Vehicles (Land)Defining EventPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Gate WardenYour background includes significant time near a gate to another plane.Planar InfusionTwo of your choice (Abyssal, Celestial, or Infernal recommended)UA 2022 Wonders of the Multiverse
Giant FoundlingYou were adopted by giants.Strike of the GiantsTwo of your choiceOrigin StoriesUA 2022 Wonders of the Multiverse
GladiatorYou fight for an audienceBy Popular DemandDisguise Kit, one type of musical instrumentPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Guild ArtisanMember of an artisan guildGuild MembershipOne type of Artisan's ToolsOne of your ChoiceGuild BusinessPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Guild MerchantSeller of an artisan guild's goodsGuild MembershipOne set of Navigator's ToolsOne of your ChoiceGuild BusinessPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Haunted OneEncountered the supernatural at a young age and survivedHeart of DarknessChoose one exotic language (Abyssal, Celestial, Deep Speech, Draconic, Infernal, Primordial, Sylvan, or Undercommon)Harrowing EventCurse of Strahd
HermitYou have separated yourself from othersDiscoveryHerbalism KitOne of your choiceLife of SeclusionPlayer's Handbook (5e)
InheritorAn item of legacy was entrusted to youInheritanceYour choice of Gaming Set or a Musical InstrumentAny one of your choiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
InvestigatorPolice detectiveWatcher's EyeTwo of your choiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Gothic InvestigatorInvestigator in a Gothic settingOfficial InquiryDisguise Kit, Thieves' ToolsPath to MysteryVan Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
KnightBackground: Knight, lowest of nobilityRetainersOne type of Gaming SetOne of your ChoicePlayer's Handbook (5e)
Knight of SolamniaBackground — Honorable knight of SolaminaSquire of SolamniaTwo of your choiceUA 2022 Heroes of Krynn Revisited
Knight of the OrderBackground: Knight of the OrderKnightly RegardOne type of gaming set or musical instrument.One of your ChoiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Lorehold StudentStudent of the Lorehold CollegeLorehold InitiateTwo of your choiceStrixhaven
Mage of High SorceryBackground - a member of the Mages of High SorceryInitiate of High SorceryTwo of your choiceUA 2022 Heroes of Krynn Revisited
Mercenary VeteranSoldier of FortuneMercenary LifeOne type of gaming set, vehicles (land).Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
NobleBackground: Member of nobilityPosition of PrivilegeOne type of Gaming SetOne of your ChoicePlayer's Handbook (5e)
Waterdhavian NobleYou are the offspring of a noble of WaterdeepKept in StyleOne type of Gaming Set or Musical InstrumentOne of your choiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
OutlanderYou have lived outside civilizationWandererOne type of musical instrument.One of your choiceOriginPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Pirate (5e)/BackgroundYou have served aboard a pirate shipBad ReputationNavigator’s Tools, Vehicles (water)Player's Handbook (5e)
Planar PhilosopherYour philosophy of the nature and working of the planes dominated your pre-adventurer life.ConvictionTwo of your choiceUA 2022 Wonders of the Multiverse
Prismari StudentStudent of the Prismari CollegePrismari InitiateOne type of musical instrument or artisan's toolsOne of your choiceStrixhaven
Quandrix StudentStrixhaven student of the Quandrix CollegeQuandrix InitiateOne type of artisan's toolsOne of your choiceStrixhaven
Rakdos CultistYou are or were a member of the Cult of Rakdos.Fearsome ReputationChoose either Abyssal or GiantA Flair for the DramaticGuildmasters' Guide to Ravnica
Rune CarverYou were a carver of runes.Rune Carver ApprenticeGiant and one other language of your choiceRune StylesUA 2022 Wonders of the Multiverse
SageYou have studied lore.ReseacherTwo of your choiceSpecialtyPlayer's Handbook (5e)
SailorYou have earned a living onboard a shipShip's PassageNavigator’s Tools, Vehicles (water)Player's Handbook (5e)
Silverquill StudentStrixhaven student of the Silverquill college.Silverquill InitiateTwo of your choiceStrixhaven
SoldierEnlisted SoldierMilitary RankOne type of gaming set, vehicles (land).SpecialtyPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Spy BackgroundInfiltrator, private investigator, spyCriminal ContactOne type of Gaming Set, Thieves' ToolsCriminal SpecialtyPlayer's Handbook (5e)
UrchinYou grew up on the streetsCity SecretsDisguise Kit, thieves' toolsPlayer's Handbook (5e)
Uthgardt Tribe MemberYou grew up in a tribe of UthgardtUthgardt HeritageOne type of Musical Instrument or Artisan ToolsOne of your choiceSword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Witchlight HandYou have been a part of the Witchlight CarnivalCarnival FixtureDisguise kit or one type of musical instrumentOne of your choiceCarnival CompanionThe Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Witherbloom StudentStrixhaven student of the Witherbloom college.Witherbloom InitiateHerbalism KitOne of your choiceStrixhaven
WoundedYou've been crippled, but you have worked around your weakness.WoundOne of your choiceEiji-kun

Sources

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Facts about "Background"
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AuthorSRD-CC v5.1 + and SRD-OGL v5.1 +
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PublicationSRD-CC v5.1 + and SRD-OGL v5.1 +
TitleBackground +