Barbarian help + background choice

[WorldOnFire03]

So the campaign I've been in for a while has been going really well but I almost got disintegrated last session (rolled a dex 19 and 15/under would have killed me instantly) so I've started planning my next character so that its ready for if/when my current one dies.

My rough idea is either a half elf or triton barbarian and I'm using these pictures as inspo but I'm having trouble choosing a background. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ca/ed/e2/caede2d1e87aa433c9fe218e8c49a249.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6c/15/74/6c157485d545c88a56cc5605ce77e0ed.jpg

My DM wants me to stick to backgrounds from the PHB and I was wondering if there was some way for me to be a mercenary or bounty hunter? The closest I could find is the outlander background but since I usually play as an elven ranger I'm trying to do something a little bit different.

[djreynolds]

So the campaign I've been in for a while has been going really well but I almost got disintegrated last session (rolled a dex 19 and 15/under would have killed me instantly) so I've started planning my next character so that its ready for if/when my current one dies.

My rough idea is either a half elf or triton barbarian and I'm using these pictures as inspo but I'm having trouble choosing a background. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ca/ed/e2/caede2d1e87aa433c9fe218e8c49a249.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6c/15/74/6c157485d545c88a56cc5605ce77e0ed.jpg

My DM wants me to stick to backgrounds from the PHB and I was wondering if there was some way for me to be a mercenary or bounty hunter? The closest I could find is the outlander background but since I usually play as an elven ranger I'm trying to do something a little bit different.

What about a noble for a triton barbarian? Feels very aquaman to me

[Keravath]

Mercenary is listed under Soldier. The bounty hunter is also listed as an option under Outlander.

Also, the PHB p125 contains the section:

"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."

The backgrounds in the PHB are just samples. The rules for creating a custom background are integrated into the chapter on background. Even Adventurer's League which can be notoriously restrictive in some areas allows a character to have any background from the published materials.

Anyway, I would suggest starting with Outlander or Soldier and then tweak the skill/language/tool choices to fit your character and the world though I would consult with your DM as part of the process.

[Son of A Lich!]

I would either go with Soldier or Criminal, if you want to be a bounty hunter specifically. If Criminal doesn't quite fit your tastes, Folk hero could work as well. I think Criminal would make sense, as it would give you an 'in' with informants and the ilk, but Folk Hero would make a good deal of sense for the hospitality feature. If you go wandering for outlaws, you are bound to make a name for yourself, and people typically like not living next to criminals.

y'know... Typically..

[GlenSmash!]

It's a shame since Mercenary Veteran and Urban Bounty Hunter are both backgrounds in the SCAG and they are great.

Still Mercenary Veteran is based on the Soldier, and Urban bounty Hunter is based on the Criminal.

For a more rural Bounty Hunter Outlander is great.

Still customized backgrounds are completely supported by the PHB.

[Jcp1195]

If you want to have kind of a Mercenary/Bounty Hunter feel to your character you could always take the Sailor Background with the Pirate Alternate Feature. Your character would obviously be a bit more chaotic by nature with the Pirate background's Feature but being a Sailor/Pirate could lead into some valid reasoning as to why a Triton would've left their underwater home.

As well as that, since you're going Barbarian I would recommend either Zealot, Totem, or Storm Herald:

Zealot could be your devotion to an ancient God of the Sea granting you Divine strength.

You could tie your heritage to Storm Titans and take the Sea paths for your Storm Herald subclass abilities.

Or you could work with your DM to replace the Bear Eagle and Wolf totem with Sea Creatures. Maybe even reflavor some of the abilities like Eagle Totem's Flight.

Obviously any Subclass works (Try to avoid Berserker though) but Flavor-wise I'd say those are your best bets. Good luck!

[WorldOnFire03]

Yeah its sad that a lot of the cool backgrounds are not included in the PHB :/ kind of limits the choices, but I ended up going with a triton barbarian (personality-wise somewhere between yasha and jester from critical role, maybe a little nora from rwby since I rolled for my height and I'm 5'3" :smallannoyed: ) and I think I might go with the sailor background, just need to come up with a good backstory now :) Thanks everyone for the help, I'm still relatively new to D&D so its really great to be able to hear more experienced players opinions <3

[bid]

Mercenary is listed under Soldier. The bounty hunter is also listed as an option under Outlander.

Also, the PHB p125 contains the section:

"CUSTOMIZING A BACKGROUND
Yep, basically you should look at the background feature first, and then tweak it with the right skill/toll/language combination.

[WorldOnFire03]

I'm still tossing up between the totem warrior or the path of the ancestral guardian - backstory-wise they could both work but I'm not sure which one would be more beneficial in the long run. For totem warrior I was going to choose the eagle (but possibly change it to a different bird to work better), I did look at homebrew versions of totem warrior but all of the sea creatures were pretty weak or spent a level giving you waterbreathing and swim speed which I already have as a Triton -_-

[Jcp1195]

I'm still tossing up between the totem warrior or the path of the ancestral guardian - backstory-wise they could both work but I'm not sure which one would be more beneficial in the long run. For totem warrior I was going to choose the eagle (but possibly change it to a different bird to work better), I did look at homebrew versions of totem warrior but all of the sea creatures were pretty weak or spent a level giving you waterbreathing and swim speed which I already have as a Triton -_-

You could just go about it by re-flavoring the totems to be sea creatures. Eagle could become an Albatross, the Bear becomes a Whale, and the Wolf becomes a Shark. That way you can still tie your oceanic heritage to totemic beasts that you would more likely have access to.

Also remember that you can have more than one totem. Every time you pick a subclass ability for Totem Barbarian you can either pick from the same totem or a different one, so don't feel like you need to pick a single totem and stick to it if you like some of the other totem's abilities.

[WorldOnFire03]

You could just go about it by re-flavoring the totems to be sea creatures. Eagle could become an Albatross, the Bear becomes a Whale, and the Wolf becomes a Shark. That way you can still tie your oceanic heritage to totemic beasts that you would more likely have access to.

Also remember that you can have more than one totem. Every time you pick a subclass ability for Totem Barbarian you can either pick from the same totem or a different one, so don't feel like you need to pick a single totem and stick to it if you like some of the other totem's abilities.

Oh sweet, thank you! I thought that once you chose a totem you had to stick with it, thats why I was reluctant to ask my DM about homebrew creatures as a lot of the sea ones gave swim speed equal to walking speed and waterbreathing which I already have as a Triton so it would jsut be a waste of a level. Thanks for your help!!

[Malifice]

Oh sweet, thank you! I thought that once you chose a totem you had to stick with it, thats why I was reluctant to ask my DM about homebrew creatures as a lot of the sea ones gave swim speed equal to walking speed and waterbreathing which I already have as a Triton so it would jsut be a waste of a level. Thanks for your help!!

It's not homebrew. You're just refluffing a core rule.

It's like calling your longsword a katana or a falcatta. Mechanics stay the same.

[WorldOnFire03]

It's not homebrew. You're just refluffing a core rule.

It's like calling your longsword a katana or a falcatta. Mechanics stay the same.

No I found a few posts with homebrew versions of totem warrior here https://dnd-5e-homebrew.tumblr.com/image/149901642787 and here http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/rkbQg28uL and a few others because I wasn't sure if I could fit any of the available options in easily :smallsmile:

[N810]

Triton, Pirate, Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian. (very ocean themed) :elan:
(Xanathar's guide to everything)

[WorldOnFire03]

Triton, Pirate, Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian. (very ocean themed) :elan:
(Xanathar's guide to everything)

I did seriously consider doing this, but I don't like a lot of the sailor traits because they're all about having ties to the ship and crew which is not really what I'm aiming for, and I do like storm herald with the sea option, but at level 6 it gives you swimming speed of 30ft and waterbreathing which I would already have as a Triton

[N810]

Pirate

Player's Handbook:

Bad Reputation
Athletics, Perception
Social, Utility, Exploration

it's a subset of Sailor, but it has pretty different perks.

maybe you can get your DM to increase the swim speed by 10' instead of having the same thing twice.

[WorldOnFire03]

Pirate

Player's Handbook:

Bad Reputation
Athletics, Perception
Social, Utility, Exploration

it's a subset of Sailor, but it has pretty different perks.

maybe you can get your DM to increase the swim speed by 10' instead of having the same thing twice.

I did think of doing the pirate background, but my character is turning into a very naive and sweet character who's just looking for adventure rather then I guess the "typical" barbarian, so I think the outlander background would suit her better :smallsmile:

[N810]

Fair enough. :elan:

[WorldOnFire03]

Fair enough. :elan:

Thank you for your advice though!