Do you use or allow customizable backgrounds?

[Trandir]

You can give yourr PC millions and millions of different backgrounds and you can't always pick the perfect one.
Do you play in games or master games that allow you to create a background following the rules in the PHB (any 2 skills, 2 tools or languages and the starting gear of another BG) or you play with only the WotC certifiend ones?

This is more of a mechanic vs rp question. Probably you can find one that is almost what you are looking for every time. blBut for exemple the noble usually offers nothing of use. Everyone at least once will or has already thought about a third son of a great house that trys to impress his father by protecting his lands or the head of a fallen family that wants to bring honor to his lineage once more or similar concepts and then you get some questionable boons to support it.


Bonus
I hope that no one says yes but: do you impose/have to use the tables in the background to build your character?

I personally hope no one is forced to "build" his PC personality around the limited choices that the manuals offer

[Bjarkmundur]

This is what I present to my players, but I do in no way enforce it. Often we don't create a Background feature until 2nd level, since it gives us a better feel on how to best represent that specific background in that specific game.

Backgrounds
Instead of a traditional background (https://triumvene.com/blog/dnd-5e-backgrounds-guide-complete-organised-list/), or an alternative background (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/5e_Backgrounds), you can create your own. To create your own background simply choose any two skill proficiencies and create a custom background feature. A background feature is designed to give your character a place within the setting. This could be a job, a profession, or something that affects how the people of the setting react to you, or possibly a custom downtime activity.


Once that is done, you can pick one or two actions that display the characteristics of your character. This could be a flaw, an ideal, a quirk, allegiance to a certain faction, or anything else that defines your character. Whenever you showcase your chosen trait, the DM may give you an Inspiration.

[Expected]

You can give yourr PC millions and millions of different backgrounds and you can't always pick the perfect one.
Do you play in games or master games that allow you to create a background following the rules in the PHB (any 2 skills, 2 tools or languages and the starting gear of another BG) or you play with only the WotC certifiend ones?

This is more of a mechanic vs rp question. Probably you can find one that is almost what you are looking for every time. blBut for exemple the noble usually offers nothing of use. Everyone at least once will or has already thought about a third son of a great house that trys to impress his father by protecting his lands or the head of a fallen family that wants to bring honor to his lineage once more or similar concepts and then you get some questionable boons to support it.


Bonus
I hope that no one says yes but: do you impose/have to use the tables in the background to build your character?

I personally hope no one is forced to "build" his PC personality around the limited choices that the manuals offer

As I mentioned in the other thread, I strongly prefer RAW/RAI. However, if my DM allows me, I always use a custom background. If not to change the actual title and backstory of a background (e.g. using the Soldier starting equipment but titling it Deserter and using the Outlander feature Wanderer), then to choose my own skills/tools/languages and background feature.

I don't roll on the tables, but look at every personality trait/ideal/bond/flaw and choose the ones that match my overall idea for the character. Honestly, I use it more as a foundation to build my characters personality off of.

[Anymage]

The default ones work well for players who are still getting their feet wet. My current group has a few people who have been out of the hobby for a while and one guy who's totally new, so we're playing it mostly by the book.

If someone asked I'd be likely to shift their features slightly. Traits/Bond/Ideal/Flaw are all rp fluff, and tool proficiencies are minor enough to be rule of cooled. But for most games, the archetypes in the phb are universal enough that they provide a good jumping off point for character ideas.

[NNescio]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I strongly prefer RAW/RAI. However, if my DM allows me, I always use a custom background. If not to change the actual title and backstory of a background (e.g. using the Soldier starting equipment but titling it Deserter and using the Outlander feature Wanderer), then to choose my own skills/tools/languages and background feature.

I don't roll on the tables, but look at every personality trait/ideal/bond/flaw and choose the ones that match my overall idea for the character. Honestly, I use it more as a foundation to build my characters personality off of.

Background customization is RAW. Though, it's effectively "pick one background, swap out skills for two of your choice, swap out tool/language for a combination of two tools/languages of your choice, and swap out background feature for another one from another background of your choice" (paraphrased/summarized), so not completely freeform. Oh and "pick whatever traits/ideals/bond/flaw you like". (2, 1, 1, 1 for each). You only need DM's help (explicitly) if you can't find a background feature that fits your character concept.

(Also, by a restrictive reading of RAW, you can only customize PHB backgrounds, unless the other splatbook/module/etc. backgrounds come with their own customization clauses.)

[Waazraath]

I never had a player ask for a customizable background, I think the published ones cover quite a lot of angles. I think I asked once to use different tables (for flaws, bonds, etc.) than the standard ones, because they fitted better, maybe even created one of my own loosely based on the options in the tables). But I don't think its a big deal, wouldn't mind if a DM asked me to stick to the ones in the books, and with good reasons, I'd always allow customization as a DM I think.

[Zhorn]

I get a little silly with mine, but only a little
They pick any one background for that whole package
AND one ribbon from any other background to add on

By having two ribbon features each, the table has been seeing at least one of them getting used every few session

[Sigreid]

Within reason.

[darknite]

I have no problem with them at all. Players can customize their backgrounds per the PH guidelines. Makes for a more personalized character expression.

[Sigreid]

I have no problem with them at all. Players can customize their backgrounds per the PH guidelines. Makes for a more personalized character expression.

The only hesitation is around the feature. Just need to make sure that isn't too much.

[JumboWheat01]

I've only used the built-in backgrounds, I have fun figuring out how they fluff my character and just how much I can fluff them into something I want.

[darknite]

The only hesitation is around the feature. Just need to make sure that isn't too much.

Which feature is 'too much' and why?

[Sigreid]

Which feature is 'too much' and why?

I dont have a problem with the player making a new feature, but I have to give it the quick hairy eyeball. An example would be if someone wanted a feature of Kings Assassin that essentially made their murders legal in the kingdom. It's been tried with a class feature in 3.5.

[KorvinStarmast]

Do you use or allow customizable backgrounds?
Absolutely yes. DM and player get together and make one work. I love the process. I have a player who put together a Smuggler background for our saltmarsh game that IMO was better than the one WoTC put into the book.

Two skills
Tool + language or 2 tools or 2 languages
Items + 10 - 15 gold. usually easy to sort out.
Feature: <= that part takes a little working together to make sure that it fits the same kind of utility/usability as the ones already in the book.

[Chronos]

I, personally, don't use them, because I prefer to have tighter constraints to work around, to rein in my inclination towards min-maxing. For the same reason, I always use standard array instead of point buy.

Others at my table, however, do use them, and I have no problem with that.

And the personality traits in the backgrounds are purely suggestions, not rules. They're good if you have a hard time thinking up a character, but I've never used them (I generally have a backlog of character concepts that I'll never get around to playing). I might not even use the personality aspects implicit to the background itself: For instance, my current ranger loves civilization and has no particular fondness for the wilderness: He's out there because he wants to tame the wilds. But I gave him the Outlander background, because it's a good fit for his capabilities.

[darknite]

I dont have a problem with the player making a new feature, but I have to give it the quick hairy eyeball. An example would be if someone wanted a feature of Kings Assassin that essentially made their murders legal in the kingdom. It's been tried with a class feature in 3.5.

I see. No, I don't allow NEW features. Those are usually a little too self-serving for the PC offering them. Nope, they can choose one out of core or splat book if they want and we can tune it to fit the current campaign if need be.

[prabe]

As a DM I explicitly ask for (shortish) backstories, so I have things I can use as story hooks, and I'm explicitly willing to work with players to customize backgrounds, including working with them to come up with new features. As a player I find many of the features non-applicable and/or useless for the characters I make, but I'm ... reluctant to try to make new ones, because it's hard to do so in a vacuum.

So far, the only player who's taken advantage of my willingness as a DM to revise backgrounds has been my wife.

[GlenSmash!]

Background customization is RAW

This. The only thing I need to review as the DM is the Feature. But usually it's just a twist on an existing background feature anyway.

[Lyracian]

You can give yourr PC millions and millions of different backgrounds and you can't always pick the perfect one.
Do you play in games or master games that allow you to create a background following the rules in the PHB (any 2 skills, 2 tools or languages and the starting gear of another BG) or you play with only the WotC certifiend ones?
We usually pick a printed background which gives you starting equipment and a feature. Then add 2 skills and 2 languages/tools of your choice.


for example the noble usually offers nothing of use. Everyone at least once will or has already thought about a third son of a
Funny Noble is one of the better picks for me. You can be the arrogant noble; poor noble trying to regain the family wealth; half-elf noble for a torrid affair or the loveless child of a political marriage. Many possibilities and "Position of Privilege" is usually easy to get value from in game.

[Jophiel]

I usually use a custom background, at least tweaked a little from the existing ones (sub a skill, etc) and never had anyone complain. My bard has a custom feature which is the existing "Bad Reputation" pirate feature instead fitting minor bureaucratic offenses like being on the street after curfew or selling gems outside the Merchant District. I called it "Scamp" since it came from her days of talking her way out of trouble for skipping school, shirking chores and staying out late.

I just let the DM know what I envisioned and said he could handle it however he liked mechanically. He chose to let me have advantage on social rolls in those circumstances.

[Yunru]

I've always used a PHB background. But only if you're being pedantic. I've never not customised it up to the wazzu.

[Tawmis]

There's some crazy guy on the forum who will write backgrounds for you (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?591882-Need-a-character-background-written-up) too. :smallwink:

[BloodSnake'sCha]

I always use a custom one and everyone in my table are free to use one.

[Sigreid]

We usually pick a printed background which gives you starting equipment and a feature. Then add 2 skills and 2 languages/tools of your choice.


Funny Noble is one of the better picks for me. You can be the arrogant noble; poor noble trying to regain the family wealth; half-elf noble for a torrid affair or the loveless child of a political marriage. Many possibilities and "Position of Privilege" is usually easy to get value from in game.

Or the kobold hatched, adopted and trained by a noble night.

[Christian]

We usually pick a printed background which gives you starting equipment and a feature. Then add 2 skills and 2 languages/tools of your choice.

This. Followed by (regardless of whether the proficiencies chosen are the normal ones for that background), "OK--tell me the story of how and why your character learned those things." Your noble has proficiencies in Deception, Stealth, forgery kit, and thieves' tools? That's fine. I just want to get the explanation.

(That character actually sounds kind of awesome, now that I think about it ...)

[EphTheorem]

Our group have always used custom backgrounds. Since they exist, there shouldn't be limits on what combinations there are of skills, tools, languages, background features from the book or something you work with your DM to create. For us it's pick any two skills, langauges or tools, and any different background feature. It's helped create very original and inspired characters.

[HappyDaze]

I only use the ones in the book and I make players select them before race and class so as to prevent intentional duplication of skills to get unrestricted picks (the result is that not everyone has Perception and Stealth). Yep, I'm that kind of DM.

[Laserlight]

I follow RAW... which is that Backgrounds are customizable and the "roll your origin story" tables are optional.

My campaigns usually have the players out exploring, so the ribbon features usually haven't mattered much.

[Wizard_Lizard]

As a DM I explicitly ask for (shortish) backstories, so I have things I can use as story hooks, and I'm explicitly willing to work with players to customize backgrounds, including working with them to come up with new features. As a player I find many of the features non-applicable and/or useless for the characters I make, but I'm ... reluctant to try to make new ones, because it's hard to do so in a vacuum.

So far, the only player who's taken advantage of my willingness as a DM to revise backgrounds has been my wife.

then there's the group that I am dming.
Four without any backstory, and one with 6 pages....

[Chronos]

HappyDaze, do you not let your players look at the books at all? How do you prevent them from choosing a race and class before they even talk to you about backgrounds?

[BloodSnake'sCha]

HappyDaze, do you not let your players look at the books at all? How do you prevent them from choosing a race and class before they even talk to you about backgrounds?

I think he make the background apply first so the proficiency from the background will be locked.

I can only see it as a problem as people will look at backgrounds as just a proficiency bundles instead of a RP path(I disagree with both, but I am use to write my own background and I don't think the background need to give you stuff as it limit the writing freedom).

I think it is better to give people the option to choose the proficiencies they want so they will be able to take the background they want instead of thaking the background with the features and skills that work better.