New background: Gambler

[Inevitability]

Gambler

You are a skillful gamester who has spend many time in casinos, bar rooms, and gambling dens, or still does. You have thrown dice with rugged sailors, played cards with deceptive con artists, and betted on races. Were your activities legal, or did you break the law? Have you ever cheated in a game, or do you play by the rules? No matter what, your life has been one of excitement, chance, and occasional danger.

Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Insight
Tool Proficiencies: Two types of gaming sets.
Equipment: A set of common clothes, two gaming sets of your choice, a lucky charm, and a belt pouch containing 15 GP

Feature: Gambler's Den

You can always find a place to gamble when visiting a city, town, or other settlement that allows for the existence of one (GM's judgement), be it a crowded tavern in a port city, a luxurious casino in the realm's capital, or a dimly lit room in a goblin warren. These places are not known to most, and many are ran illegally by crime lords. In addition, other gamblers typically take a liking to you when they first meet you, and they may be willing to grant you small favors.

d8	Personality Trait
1	The higher the odds, the more I am inclined to take them.
2	I constantly make side bets on all that happens around me.
3	No matter how high the stakes, I always remain calm.
4	I absentmindedly roll dice, shuffle card decks, or observe game pieces when I am not doing anything important
5	I will never, ever, back down from a challenge.
6	I can't get satisfaction out of something if the stakes were low.
7	If I am in the same place for too long, I get restless.
8	I prefer one game far above all others.

d6	Ideal
1	Fair Play: No matter what happens, I always play by the rules. (Lawful)
2	Greed: Money is all that matters. All else is a means to that end. (Evil)
3	Charity: I donate my won money to those who need it most. (Good)
4	Cheater: If I see an opportunity, I cheat. If someone fell for it he didn't deserve the money anyway. (Chaotic)
5	Gamer: Gambling comes first. Everything else comes second. (Any)
6	Piety: We throw the dice, but the gods decide how they land. (Lawful)

d6	Bond
1	I used to own my own gambling den, but lost it. I'd do everything to regain it.
2	When I incurred a large debt, a generous benefactor paid it all off. I still owe him.
3	I am determined to become famous.
4	I possess a special item that is of great value to me, be it a die, card game, or game piece.
5	I lost a large sum of money to a con artist. I seek to take it back.
6	I was imprisoned for illegal gambling once. I now want revenge on the one who captured me.

d6	Flaw
1	In difficult situations, I let chance decide my actions.
2	I value money more than people.
3	Once I start gaming, I can't stop.
4	I spend money like there's no tomorrow. When I run out, I'll borrow that of others.
5	My family hates my gaming ways, and I feel bad for it. Even so, I do not stop.
6	I have a lot of trouble showing my true feelings.

So? How is it?

[Mr.Moron]

Nothing wrong it, as it seems to conform to the usual standards. However, doubling-down on tool gambling tool sets doesn't have a whole bunch of utility compared to other backgrounds.

As a GM Gambler's Den Irks me a little. The ability makes strong declartive statements about the game world that won't always fit.

• In ancient isolated city of emotionally repressed vessels for a long-dead god? I find their gambling den!
• In the monastery-castle of the world's strictest monastic/paladin orders? I find their gambling den!
• Visiting the semi-nomadic tribe of grasspeople created by the god of community that have no sense of ownership or competition? I find their gambling den!

As written, it leaves no room for interpretation. No matter where you go or the social context there are always shady mobster-run gambling dens, and you're always let in first time every time.

This is rather different than the other "always"-type background abilities like the researcher benefit. These typically either are pointing you to something somewhere in the broader game world or are contingent on it meshing with your specific relationships and those connections actually existing.


This gives the player the ability to will houses of vice into existence anywhere, at any time, for any reason.

[Logosloki]

You should add trinket to the equipment list, gambler's gotta have their lucky token. I don't think you need to clean up the feature too much, as the entertainer background has a similar feature fluff. That being said, as a DM I would relish the challenge of trying to shoehorn in a gambling den where applicable. It helps to develop the NPCs a little if some of them are doing something on the sly.

[Inevitability]

Nothing wrong it, as it seems to conform to the usual standards. However, doubling-down on tool gambling tool sets doesn't have a whole bunch of utility compared to other backgrounds.

As a GM Gambler's Den Irks me a little. The ability makes strong declartive statements about the game world that won't always fit.

• In ancient isolated city of emotionally repressed vessels for a long-dead god? I find their gambling den!
• In the monastery-castle of the world's strictest monastic/paladin orders? I find their gambling den!
• Visiting the semi-nomadic tribe of grasspeople created by the god of community that have no sense of ownership or competition? I find their gambling den!

As written, it leaves no room for interpenetration. No matter where you go or the social context there are always shady mobster-run gambling dens, and you're always let in first time every time.

This is rather different than the other "always"-type background abilities like the researcher benefit. These typically either are pointing you to something somewhere in the broader game world or are contingent on it meshing with your specific relationships and those connections actually existing.


This gives the player the ability to will houses of vice into existence anywhere, at any time, for any reason.

I added a line that should allow for the DM to have the final say here.

You should add trinket to the equipment list, gambler's gotta have their lucky token. I don't think you need to clean up the feature too much, as the entertainer background has a similar feature fluff. That being said, as a DM I would relish the challenge of trying to shoehorn in a gambling den where applicable. It helps to develop the NPCs a little if some of them are doing something on the sly.

Added the lucky token to the list. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Flashy]

This gives the player the ability to will houses of vice into existence anywhere, at any time, for any reason.

Mordenkainen's Questionable Burlesque.

[Jurai]

Mordenkainen's Questionable Burlesque.

Leomund's Lucky Coin Casino