Optimizing a Warlock Background

[Tokuhara]

So to be fair, this is a secondary character should my current PC (Goliath Blood Hunter) die in my current campaign. So with the release of Guide to Ravnica, the idea of a Simic Hybrid Old One Warlock seemed way too easy to play. My only question is what Background would be "optimal" for the most tools to make surviving easier? I want to preferrably use a Ravnica background, but if a non-Guild background would be better, feel free to post it here.

Party is a pair of Rogues and a Warforged Paladin in a custom setting akin to a low(ish) magic Ravenloft

[Unoriginal]

You can't optimize backgrounds.

If you want specific proficiencies, you can have them via customization independently of which background you choose.

[Tokuhara]

Well, the Ravnica ones all have spell lists for casters, and any bonus abilities that will increase my odds of survival would be appreciated

[Vogie]

The main thing that is cray about GGtR is that being part of the Golgari Swarm gives you access to Animate Dead.

You could be a Simic experiment that went awry, was presumed dead and dumped... but you survived, and integrated into the underside of Ravnica

Golgari lean more towards Undying, Hexblade or Archfey patrons, but maybe your patron is something like a Nephilim, a Woodwraith (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=83747), Jarad (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=290534), or another Underrealm Lich (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=452961). Of course, all of the potential patrons in your specific campaign would be setting based...

[Tokuhara]

The main thing that is cray about GGtR is that being part of the Golgari Swarm gives you access to Animate Dead.

You could be a Simic experiment that went awry, was presumed dead and dumped... but you survived, and integrated into the underside of Ravnica

Golgari lean more towards Undying, Hexblade or Archfey patrons, but maybe your patron is something like a Nephilim, a Woodwraith (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=83747), Jarad (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=290534), or another Underrealm Lich (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=452961). Of course, all of the potential patrons in your specific campaign would be setting based...

This is what I was intending. The goal was to figure out which background could give Warlock the most benefits (secondary effects, spell lists, skills, etc) rather than shift the whole build to suddenly becoming optimal because broken background.

On Golgari, the list for Golgari seems to be a mishmash of Archfey and Undying (a "best of", if you will) with Animate Dead and a fast(er) travel trick. That being said, I'm trying to expand my tools (see above) available to plug gaping holes in my spells and abilities. Golgari definitely gives a big swathe of clever tricks to have in one's back pocket with a Patron that covers what Golgari doesn't.

[Ganymede]

My only question is what Background would be "optimal" for the most tools to make surviving easier?

Well you can't survive without eating, so I'd say any background with proficiency in cook's utensils is key.

[Tokuhara]

Well you can't survive without eating, so I'd say any background with proficiency in cook's utensils is key.

Funny, but not the intent. More combat survival than ACTUAL survival

[Ganymede]

Funny, but not the intent. More combat survival than ACTUAL survival

Oh. Well in that case, definitely go with Cobbler's Tools proficiency. The last thing you want in combat is to fall over because your boot heel popped off.

[Willie the Duck]

To explain, OP, people are riffing on the statement, "My only question is what Background would be "optimal" for the most tools to make surviving easier?" and suggesting Backgrounds (the D&D game feature) that offer tool proficiencies (since that's theoretically technically what you asked). This is because you seem to be using the term 'Background' colloquially (while at the same time capitalizing it), since you are conflating them with the Ravnica-specific game mechanic called 'Guild.'

As to actual Background advice, Unoriginal has the whole of it-- with any Background, you may select whichever two skills and two language/tool/instrument/game proficiencies you desire, along with the feature that makes the most sense. Of those-usually proficiency in a language or useful kit like forgery or disguise kits or thieves' tools is more survival-friendly than instruments or gambling games. Medicine and Survival are the skills that most directly effect survival, but actually don't come up in some games, depending on situation (you can always buy food, there are always items or spells to do healing instead of the Medicine skill), whereas Perception and either Athletics or Acrobatics have direct combat avoidance/performance mechanics.

[Tokuhara]

To explain, OP, people are riffing on the statement, "My only question is what Background would be "optimal" for the most tools to make surviving easier?" and suggesting Backgrounds (the D&D game feature) that offer tool proficiencies (since that's theoretically technically what you asked). This is because you seem to be using the term 'Background' colloquially (while at the same time capitalizing it), since you are conflating them with the Ravnica-specific game mechanic called 'Guild.'

As to actual Background advice, Unoriginal has the whole of it-- with any Background, you may select whichever two skills and two language/tool/instrument/game proficiencies you desire, along with the feature that makes the most sense. Of those-usually proficiency in a language or useful kit like forgery or disguise kits or thieves' tools is more survival-friendly than instruments or gambling games. Medicine and Survival are the skills that most directly effect survival, but actually don't come up in some games, depending on situation (you can always buy food, there are always items or spells to do healing instead of the Medicine skill), whereas Perception and either Athletics or Acrobatics have direct combat avoidance/performance mechanics.

The Guilds are under Backgrounds, thus my question. My verbage is likely archaic (3.5 was my main game), so forgive me.

As for your rather extensive second post, I figured that the abilities Backgrounds give were valuable. Didn't think skills and tools alone were the only part that actually mattered. By your opinion (from what I gathered), the spell lists and benefits of the guilds are actually sub-par. Am I correct in this assumption?

[Willie the Duck]

The Guilds are under Backgrounds, thus my question. My verbage is likely archaic (3.5 was my main game), so forgive me.

Sort of, but not exactly. Yes, the book includes a background that specifies a specific guild, but unless I missed something you do not have to have that background to be a specific guild (presumably Ravnica still needs sailors, soldiers, nobles, etc., and thus you can still take normal backgrounds as well as guild-specific ones).


As for your rather extensive second post, I figured that the abilities Backgrounds give were valuable. Didn't think skills and tools alone were the only part that actually mattered. By your opinion (from what I gathered), the spell lists and benefits of the guilds are actually sub-par. Am I correct in this assumption?

Well, I think you mean second paragraph, not post, but regardless--no, I don't know how you came to that conclusion. The spell lists and guild benefits are pretty darn special, and any given build, the guild choice can make a huge difference. The point was actually that the Backgrounds are not that important, because each of them can really be individualized (provided the DM agrees, but it is in the standard rules) to give you the skill and item proficiencies you consider appropriate.

So we really need to clarify this-- do you want to discuss Backgrounds (the character element which is very open ended and gives you some skills, tool proficiencies or languages, and a single perk) or Guilds (which give you an increased spell list and defines potential allies and membership benefits)?

[Tokuhara]

Well, I think you mean second paragraph, not post, but regardless--no, I don't know how you came to that conclusion. The spell lists and guild benefits are pretty darn special, and any given build, the guild choice can make a huge difference. The point was actually that the Backgrounds are not that important, because each of them can really be individualized (provided the DM agrees, but it is in the standard rules) to give you the skill and item proficiencies you consider appropriate.

So we really need to clarify this-- do you want to discuss Backgrounds (the character element which is very open ended and gives you some skills, tool proficiencies or languages, and a single perk) or Guilds (which give you an increased spell list and defines potential allies and membership benefits)?

What I was talking about were the Guild Backgrounds (Golgari Agent, Simic Scientist, etc), but if a generic Background was better, that would be an option, if that makes any sense.

[Vogie]

The Guilds are under Backgrounds, thus my question. My verbage is likely archaic (3.5 was my main game), so forgive me.

As for your rather extensive second post, I figured that the abilities Backgrounds give were valuable. Didn't think skills and tools alone were the only part that actually mattered. By your opinion (from what I gathered), the spell lists and benefits of the guilds are actually sub-par. Am I correct in this assumption?

You were accurate with your question in the OP. The others clearly either don't have access to GGtR, or are somehow confused that the GGtR backgrounds are a different mechanic to other backgrounds... but they are not. Backgrounds are backgrounds, but they have not been empowered in previous releases like they were in GGtR, which likely is the main cause of the confusion.

[Tokuhara]

You were accurate with your question in the OP. The others clearly either don't have access to GGtR, or are somehow confused that the GGtR backgrounds are a different mechanic to other backgrounds... but they are not. Backgrounds are backgrounds, but they have not been empowered in previous releases like they were in GGtR, which likely is the main cause of the confusion.

I was trying very hard to be as clear as possible, but coming from 3.5/PF leads me to the juxtaposition that tools and whatnot actually matter. I mean yes, PF Traits gave small boosts, but nothing like 5e Backgrounds.

And I can agree that the wording in GGtR is not the clearest ever, but my DM told us that Ravnica backgrounds (the guild ones) give the benefits (spells and renown) even though our setting is essentially a reskinned Curse of Strahd (he would rename the Guilds to fit if necessary)

[Tokuhara]

So to be perfectly clear: I'm not married to my race or pact, and while any Background would work, I would prefer one of the Guild ones mostly because an expanded spell list sounds like a great boon, even if the ability isn't great. My main goal with this backup PC is to not become eerily similar to the results of a frog in a blender.

Edit: And on a side note: how do the Guild Spells work when it comes to Warlock? Are they like Patron spells and are added to the spell choice options?

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

So to be perfectly clear: I'm not married to my race or pact, and while any Background would work, I would prefer one of the Guild ones mostly because an expanded spell list sounds like a great boon, even if the ability isn't great. My main goal with this backup PC is to not become eerily similar to the results of a frog in a blender.

Edit: And on a side note: how do the Guild Spells work when it comes to Warlock? Are they like Patron spells and are added to the spell choice options?

For you, the spells on the Azorius Guild Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class. (If you are a multiclass character with multiple spell lists, these spells are added to all of them.)

Same basic rule as for the patron spells.

[Tokuhara]

So doing a mock-up build, I want to know if it would work well:

Changeling Warlock (Raven Queen) Dimir Operative