new background: refugee

[goatmeal]

I've been a big fan of the Moonsea, and Mulmaster in particular, long before 5e came along. There always seem to be refugees hanging out there, and I thought it would make sense to have that as a background type. This is what I've come up with so far. Any feedback would be welcome.

Refugee:
Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival
Tool Proficiencies: any artisan
Languages: Pick 2
Equipment: a threadbare blanket, worn out common clothes, a trinket from your homeland, a pouch containing 5 sp, additionally the DM may ask you to either forfeit an item from your starting equipment or begin play with damaged items (-1 to damage for weapons, or -1 to AC for armor, for example).
Life on the Run: Describe what conditions led you to become a refugee. (Though many of those in the refugee camp are from Phlan, you could choose to be fleeing another region if you like.)
Feature: You have faced difficult conditions while fleeing your homeland that have hardened you to the wildlands. Pick two of the following environmental hazards: extreme cold, extreme heat, forced march, frigid water, lack of food, lack of water, swimming. You may only select frigid water if you also select either swimming or extreme cold. You receive advantage on saving throws to avoid exhaustion in the chosen type of environmental hazard.
Bonds, Flaws, Traits: T.B.D.

[Naanomi]

Backgrounds with mechanical effects are rare; but not impossible

You also one too many 'lesser skills' (2 languages and artisan tool) than any existing background

[Honest Tiefling]

A problem for me is the fluff. I think if you had a life on the run and you are poor enough to have broken equipment, you probably haven't had the time, inclination or ability to pick up not one, but two languages. Refugees aren't always skilled laborers, so the proficiency with the tools seems off as well. Perhaps refining the idea and losing additional benefits to make up for the mechanical benefits? While environments don't always come up, that could be quite useful in a pinch.

Or separating it into a 'survivor' type thing and a 'well-travelled' background?

[goatmeal]

Thanks for the feedback.

I figured that with the travelling to a distant land, they would likely be more easy to pick up languages. What if I dropped the artisan’s tools (as who knows, maybe they were a lawyer in their previous life) so they have only one “lesser” proficiency.

It seems like most backgrounds have some sort of feature that lets them have a bonus in certain situations, ie-ranking soldiers giving orders, urchins moving through a city. The environmental conditions seemed similar in scope to that. Though those others do not require a roll, it seemed like auto success on something like that was a bit too much. The DM option on the poor equipment was intended to offset this advantage if it was too much. If environment didn’t even come up, the poor equipment option might not be that important.

[Addaran]

It's a nice background. =)

I'd probably choose one language and one tool. Language so they can have their original language as well as the one from where they are now (if you go with regional languages like FR). The tool to represent what they were doing in their old country, before **** hits the fan.

The feature is the kind of little thing i'd love to have. Not sure that it's too strong, if you compare it to outlander. Outlander is pretty much auto-success to not be lost and finding food for multiple people. Yours is just advantage on that one character.