Backgrounds (3.5e Variant Rule)

Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk) Date Created: 7/14/2019 Status: In Progress Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Backgrounds

Backgrounds are character options for giving your character a bit of depth, some flavorful "dip" abilities, and a sense of both who they were before they started adventuring, and how invested into their skills they were before they took up adventuring.

Backgrounds work like Bloodlines in that they come in three variations, and grant benefits outside of class. The levels of Expertise within a Background are:

• Novice (Grants abilities at levels 1, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20; Requires 1 level by level 12)
• Veteran (Grants abilities at levels 1st and every even-numbered level; Requires 2 levels, by levels 6 and 12)
• and Master (Grants abilities at every level; Requires 3 levels, by levels 3, 6 and 12)

If you don't take the Background levels by the required levels, you take a 20% penalty to XP gained until you do; However, unlike Bloodlines, each Background has a list of classes you can take a level in instead, called Class Substitutes; Levels in any of these classes count as Bloodline levels for the purposes of determining whether or not you take an XP penalty.

Backgrounds are designed to be used on every character, PC and NPC alike (Though monsters may easily be exempt; Nobody expects every zombie to be a Scholar or every dragon to be a Doctor), and thus will unbalance a character if only one or two PCs have Backgrounds while nobody else does. Likewise, I intend for all Backgrounds to go up to Master level of expertise, though I did allow room for players to choose to invest only a single level into a Background, and homebrewers to create simple Backgrounds with very low ceilings.

Credit

Special thanks to Madman From Space for sharing their material with me and giving me the kick in the rump I needed to start this project. The dude's a legend, give their other stuff a looksee.

List of Backgrounds

Below is a list of Backgrounds existing under this variant rule. Feel free to add your own; I'm designing mine to be of High balance, so please try to keep yours along the same lines.

Backgrounds based on class abilities:

• Dilettante - The Multi-Background background.
• Arcanist - Arcane spells, mysteries, Warlock or Dragonfire Adept invocations.
• Disciple - Divine spells, turn undead, smite heretic.
• Warrior - Martial maneuvers, fighter feats.
• Primal - Druidic magic, Verdant Channeler invocations, and elemental Bending.
• Vagabond - Sneak Attack, dirty fighting in general.
• Meditant - Monklike abilities, Incarnum magic.
• Psychic - Psionic powers/mantles.
• Trailblazer - Tracking, surviving and travel in general.
• Beastmaster - Animal companion/special mount/familiar; Animal communication.
• Scholar - Knowledge, bardic knowledge, and divination.
• Tinker - Item creation and manipulation, both mundane and magical.
• Performer - Bardic music/battle dancer dances, as well as other distracting tactics.
• Weaponmaster - Mastery of a weapon, eventually several weapons.
• Vanguard - Protecting creatures and location; Tanking.
• Tactician - Tactical abilities like duels, granting your actions to allies, etc.
• Drunkard - Drunk fighting; Poison/alcohol tolerance, unarmed combat.
• Doctor - Healing and medical talents.
• Fury - Rage/frenzy and similar abilities.
• Hunter - Favored enemy and ranged combat.
• Vessel - Binding and possession.
• Noble - Social influence, etiquette and grace.
• Vagrant - Inconspicuous disguise, hardiness and perseverance.
• Bestown - Legacy item and related abilities.

Backgrounds based on cultural teachings:

• Dwarven Culture - You were raised by Dwarves; You can hold your liquor and you know how to swing an axe.
• Elven Culture - You were raised by Elves; You know how to fire a bow and cast a few cantrips.
• Human Culture - You were raised by Humans; You can fit in almost anywhere and copy almost anything.
• Halfling Culture - You were raised by Halflings; You're good at fending for yourself and making crowds like you.
• Gnomish Culture - You were raised by Gnomes; You're good with your hands, and with your wit.
• Orcish Culture - You were raised by Orcs; You're scary when you're angry and you know the wild like no other.
• Goblin Culture - You were raised by Goblins; You're sneaky and merciless, and you like fire a liiittle too much.

Alternate Background Options

Not everyone will want to take Backgrounds as-is; Background levels are tricky and not everyone who possesses a Background is going to want to take levels in the Class Substitutes of their Background, so here are some fixes.

Free Backgrounds

The simplest and most balanced approach is to make Backgrounds free, part of character creation - Everyone gets a Background of Master Expertise, without having to invest levels into it. This gives players flexibility in their builds and doesn't require them to sacrifice levels.

Background Feats

Another option is the option of letting the player pay with feats instead of character levels; While feats are more rare overall, this gives you the opportunity to have a Background without it costing levels, and without it being completely free. Additionally, this can be combined with the default method to allow players to pay with feats or levels as they see fit.

Novice Background [General] Benefit: You gain a Novice Background of your choice; You no longer need to pay a character level for the Background, nor take a level in any of the Background's Class Substitute classes, to avoid the XP gain penalty. Normal: You need to pay a level for the Novice Background before level 12.Special: You may only select one Background. This feat may not be taken if you already possess a Background.

Veteran Background [General] Prerequisites: Novice Background, including from the Novice Background feat.Benefit: Your Background now advances to Veteran Expertise, retroactively granting you the abilities you would've already gained, and granting you the remaining abilities in the future. Additionally, you don't need to pay a character level for the Background, nor take a level in any of the Background's Class Substitute classes, to avoid the XP gain penalty. Normal: You need to pay two levels for the Veteran Background, one before level 6 and the other before level 12.Special: You may only select one Background. This feat may be taken if you already possess a Background, but that Background must be a Novice Background, and this feat must apply to that Background.

Master Background [General] Prerequisites: Veteran Background, including from the Veteran Background feat.Benefit: Your Background now advances to Master Expertise, retroactively granting you the abilities you would've already gained, and granting you the remaining abilities in the future. Additionally, you don't need to pay a character level for the Background, nor take a level in any of the Background's Class Substitute classes, to avoid the XP gain penalty. Normal: You need to pay three levels for the Master Background; One before level 3, one before level 6, and the last before level 12.Special: You may only select one Background. This feat may be taken if you already possess a Background, but that Background must be a Veteran Background, and this feat must apply to that Background.

Making New Backgrounds

Below is a template; Simply add a / to this page's link, followed by the name of your Background, copy and paste the template below, and fill it out.

{{author
|author_name= <!-- User name -->
|date_created= <!-- Day Month Year -->
|status= <!-- Work in Progress, Complete -->
|balance=Monk, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, or Unquantifiable
|isnotuser= I'm not a user<!-- if you have a username for this wiki, delete this parameter-->
}}

<!-- If your page should contain a picture, replace this line with [[File:Picturename.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Insert the caption here.]] -->


=<!--Background Name-->=
*'''{{Anchor|Background Type}}:''' <!-- The type(s) of your background (Combat, Magical, Utility, Cultural). -->
*'''{{Anchor|Maximum Expertise Level}}:''' <!-- The maximum level of expertise attainable in your background (Novice, Veteran or Master).-->


<!--Background description-->.

==<!--Background Name--> Features==

{| class="zebra d20" style="text-align: left;"
|+ {{Anchor|Table: The <!-- Name --> Background}}
|- style="text-align: center;"
! rowspan="2" | Character<br/>Level || colspan="3" | Abilities Gained
|- style="text-align: center;"
! Novice || Veteran || Master
|- 
| class="right" | 1st || Skills and Proficiencies || Skills and Proficiencies || Skills and Proficiencies, [[#<!-- Feature 1 --> |<!-- Feature 1 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 2nd || — || [[#<!-- Feature 1 --> |<!-- Feature 1 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 2 --> |<!-- Feature 2 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 3rd || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 3 --> |<!-- Feature 3 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 4th || [[#<!-- Feature 1 --> |<!-- Feature 1 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 2 --> |<!-- Feature 2 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 4 --> |<!-- Feature 4 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 5th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 5 --> |<!-- Feature 5 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 6th || — || [[#<!-- Feature 3 --> |<!-- Feature 3 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 6 --> |<!-- Feature 6 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 7th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 7 --> |<!-- Feature 7 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 8th || [[#<!-- Feature 2 --> |<!-- Feature 2 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 4 --> |<!-- Feature 4 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 8 --> |<!-- Feature 8 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 9th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 9 --> |<!-- Feature 9 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 10th || — || [[#<!-- Feature 5 --> |<!-- Feature 5 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 10 --> |<!-- Feature 10 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 11th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 11 --> |<!-- Feature 11 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 12th || [[#<!-- Feature 3 --> |<!-- Feature 3 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 6 --> |<!-- Feature 6 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 12 --> |<!-- Feature 12 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 13th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 13 --> |<!-- Feature 13 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 14th || — || [[#<!-- Feature 7 --> |<!-- Feature 7 -->] || [[#<!-- Feature 14 --> |<!-- Feature 14 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 15th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 15 --> |<!-- Feature 15 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 16th || [[#<!-- Feature 4 --> |<!-- Feature 4 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 8 --> |<!-- Feature 8 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 16 --> |<!-- Feature 16 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 17th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 17 --> |<!-- Feature 17 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 18th || — || [[#<!-- Feature 9 --> |<!-- Feature 9 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 18 --> |<!-- Feature 18 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 19th || — || — || [[#<!-- Feature 19 --> |<!-- Feature 19 -->]]
|- 
| class="right" | 20th || [[#<!-- Feature 5 --> |<!-- Feature 5 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 10 --> |<!-- Feature 10 -->]] || [[#<!-- Feature 20 --> |<!-- Feature 20 -->]]
|}

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Name --> Bonus Proficiencies}}:''' At 1st level, you gain bonus proficiency with <!-- Weapons/Armor/Shields/Tools -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Name --> Bonus Class Skills}}:''' The <!--Skill-->, <!--Skill-->, <!--Skill-->, <!--Skill--> and <!--Skill--> skills are always class skills for you.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 1 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 2 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 3 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 4 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 5 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 6 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 7 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 8 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 9 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 10 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 11 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 12 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 13 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 14 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 15 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 16 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 17 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 18 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 19 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

'''{{Anchor|<!-- Feature 20 Name -->}} {{<!--Ex, Su, Sp or Ps, as appropriate-->}}:''' <!-- Feature Description -->.

==<!--Background Name--> Class Substitutes==

Levels in the following classes count as <!--Background Name--> levels for the purposes of avoiding XP penalties: <!--List of valid classes, separated by commas-->.

==Playing a <!--Background Name-->==

===<!--Background Name--> Roleplaying===

<!--Ways to roleplay characters with this background, such as a doctor who's seen it all, or an uptight psychic with a dark past-->.

===<!--Background Name--> Adventures===

<!--Ways to integrate this background into quests, like a scholar questing to find a mythical city, or a beastmaster taking down a cruel zoo-->.

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{{3.5e Breadcrumb}} → [[3.5e Variant Rules|Variant Rules]] → [[Backgrounds (3.5e Variant Rule) | Backgrounds]]

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