Good Background for an Undead-hunting cleric

[ArqArturo]

I'm soon starting a D&D campaign on a gothic horror setting, and I'm basically playing a cleric that, well, hunts undead. He has the Light Domain, and is essentially a clerical version of Abraham Van Helsing (not the cheesy monster-hunter movie, but the Stokers' version), would Acolyte or Sage work?.

The idea is for him to have the correct answer at (almost) every time.

[burninatortrog]

Acolyte and sage would certainly work, Sage might be more your speed if "knowing the answer" is your goal.

[Shining Wrath]

You need to ask your DM which skill will provide information about undead - Religion (Acolyte), or Arcana (Sage)? Although Sage can give you either, the flavor might be better with Acolyte for other reasons.

I issued a ruling about which Intelligence check you had to make for each creature type, your DM probably needs to do the same. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say "Nature" is probably not going to be the right one for Undead.

For ancient undead (vampires, liches, mummies) History might help you as well.

[Spacehamster]

Could make a customized background that fits it. :)

[Daishain]

The backgrounds in the PHB are not your only choices, you are by default allowed and even encouraged to create/adjust backgrounds to fit your character. This adjustment is RAW, not homebrew.

If knowing undead related stuff is the goal, pick Arcana and Religion for the skills, whatever you want for the tools/languages, and then either steal the sage's bonus or come up with something similar with your DM's approval.

[Human Paragon 3]

Sage works, or a custom Vampire Hunter background.

Feature could be something like:

"You are accustomed to tacking down and hunting undead. You have advantage on intelligence and wisdom checks made to track, study, or recall information on undead. Additionally, you have a general knowledge of undead allowing you to easily recall any information about major events involving undead or powerful or notable undead creatures."

Proficiencies:

History and Survival

Tools:
Carpenters tools


With that background you could be any class and be a fine undead slayer.

[Ardantis]

I say Sage for Van Helsing. Religion is in-class for Cleric from a mechanics standpoint, and Van Helsing himself was not by background affiliated to a religious group or belief, but was portrayed as more academic and hence Sage. Plus the background feature of Sage is very much in keeping with your stated design.

[recapdrake]

while acolyte/sage would work I personally went for soldier on a similar cleric (like almost exactly what you said only he focused on killing fiends)

[djreynolds]

Folk Hero or noble could work well. The farmer's kid has learned well to keep the horses saddled when the undead walk, and perhaps had to leave his farm and live off the land from them. The noble knows the history of the evil castle well and how to persuade others to tell him more.

[ArqArturo]

Folk Hero or noble could work well. The farmer's kid has learned well to keep the horses saddled when the undead walk, and perhaps had to leave his farm and live off the land from them. The noble knows the history of the evil castle well and how to persuade others to tell him more.

You remember our venerable House... Opulent and Imperial... (https://youtu.be/QlRBzoKN4NY)

[Inevitability]

Sage works, or a custom Vampire Hunter background.

Feature could be something like:

"You are accustomed to tacking down and hunting undead. You have advantage on intelligence and wisdom checks made to track, study, or recall information on undead. Additionally, you have a general knowledge of undead allowing you to easily recall any information about major events involving undead or powerful or notable undead creatures."

Proficiencies:

History and Survival

Tools:
Carpenters tools


With that background you could be any class and be a fine undead slayer.

I'm pretty sure mechanical bonuses in a back ground (especially advantage) are a no-go.