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| #1TheDraconicSpellcrafterDec 18, 2014 20:34:52 | Hello, fellow 5e enthusiasts. I had the idea of a background specifically made for arcane spellcasters and I'm looking for input about it's aplicability.
I had the idea to create this when I was deciding the background for a warlock character I was making. After examining guides for the class and looking at the avaiable backgrounds, I got the impression that the PHB has a shortage of good background options for warlocks and wizards. So in order to mitigate this problem, I decided to make a background of my own for those classes. Here's what I came up with:
Magic AssociateYou have spent much of your life surrounded by magic practitioners. For better or worse, you've lived daily with wizards, warlocks and other adepts of arcane magic, and probably related a lot with them and watched them very closely. If you didn’t follow in their footsteps, you might not have much knowledge of arcana, much less how to cast spells. Even so, you are still familiar to some practices related to spellcrafting, you have a position of respect, albeit small, among spellcasters, and also the skills needed to deal with them on a daily basis.
Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, stealth
Tool Proficiencies: Choose two from alchemist’s supplies, calligrapher's supplies and glassblower's tools
Equipment: The signature symbol of a mage or magic cult you’re associated with (medallion, necklace or trinket), a set of artisan's tools of your choice, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a scroll case full of notes you wrote about spellcasters you know, a padded box containing six glass vials, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch with 10 gp. Arcane Relation People are introduced to the world of the occult arts in various ways. You may have been born in a family of sorcerers and instructed from an early age to make potions and spell scrolls. Maybe you just worked as an assistant for powerful wizards, and learned a thing or two by watching them work. Or maybe you have proven your usefulness to a secret magic cult, either by showing your spellcasting abilities or otherwise. Choose or randomly decide how you came to know the world of magic practitioners.
d4 Arcane Relation 1 Assistant for hire for spellcasters 2 Apprentice of a renowed spellcaster 3 Member of a magic cult (official or honorary) 4 Member of a family of spellcasters Feature: Arcane Society You might even be a nobody among common people, but among those who practice spells, you're a member worthy of recognition and fame, or perhaps infamy. Many wizards and other arcane spellcasters, especially the more sociable, often recognize you, your position in the world of magic and some of your achievements of relevance. Those people may want to ask you favors and will usually have no problem sharing certain kinds of information with you. And with the right amount of flattery, bribery and/or threats, they can even make you favors or provide information that they certainly wouldn't give to people outside your social sphere.
I tried making this background reminescent of the classical literature concepts of witches, while also making it a useful for wizards, warlocks, and maybe other arcane classes too, such as sorcerers and arcane tricksters. Instead of putting near useless and redundant proficiencies (I'm looking at you, Sage), I tried to make a background that contained proficiencies that those classes normally don't get and may find useful.
So, what do you think? Is it good? Are the proficiencies useful enough? Is the feature too generic? Is the equipment too overpowered? It probably is. Anyway, this is the first time I tried making my own background, so I'm looking for as much feedback as possible to improve it and maybe make better backgrounds in the future. I thank you all in advance for your help. |
| #2transcendantviewerDec 18, 2014 21:11:20 |
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| (Reply to #2)TheDraconicSpellcrafter |
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| (Reply to #3)transcendantviewer |
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| #5EzechielDantanDec 18, 2014 23:13:40 | I dont see how the skills persuasion and stealth fit into this background at all.
The tool proficiencies make a little more sense, lachemist supplies in particular, herbalism quite a bt less so.
I'd replace the material components by an Arcane focus or spellcomponent pouch.
A witch pet seems a bit edundant for casters that can conjure a real familiar, if they do they have two pets, I'd skip this one.
Altogether though the background might be useful it doesnt make much sense to me, it also seems too broad you can split this up into multiple backgrounds. I'd skip things with family of magi, or a renowned wizard. that just adds fringe benefits or possible complications.
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| (Reply to #5)TheDraconicSpellcrafter |
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| #7cowleymenDec 19, 2014 9:04:38 | being from a family of magi or related to a renowned wizard is no worse then being a Noble. I let my people that want to be of noble birth know that they are lesser nobility, with a minor amount of wealth. No first or second sons are going to be adventuring, a 3rd ect might be. SO you have status, but no gaurent of lasting wealth outside of living for free in your family homes.
I'd treat it similar to that. People might know of your lineage, espically those in the magical community, but it doesnt do much then helps you get your start. |
| #8PSusacDec 25, 2014 10:33:01 | Another good tool proficiency would be glass blowing (so you could make all the alchemical alambics, test-tubes etc.) My dad was a chemistry teacher at one point, and he developed that skill as a sort of hobby.
I like the idea - now we need some of the other charts to build it up. |
| #9PSusacDec 26, 2014 10:36:31 | I really like this idea, and I strongly agree that there is a need for a background that reflects the fact that the world has magic and magic users in it. I like the idea of a background that reflects the court wizard/bard/sorcerer and/or the wizard/bard from a formal school. That said, I think you are making this background too powerful by adding both persuasion and stealth as background skills. These are both very powerful and useful skills, I think diplomacy alone is enough. Maybe add History instead of stealth with the idea that you either were called upon by the noble classes to help them to understand the consequences of their decisions. Also, none of the other background features allow advantage on any ability checks. They just give you things straight out.
Another concern that I have is that it’s too wizard-specific. Most backgrounds can be applied to any class (although clearly some backgrounds don’t make much sense for some classes). Broadening out the concept, it may also work to consider orders of clerics as well. Ecumenical counsels etc, may also fit this concept. So here is my tweak on the idea:
Scholar You have spent much of your youth being formally educated in academic and magical arts. Perhaps, you've lived with wizards, warlocks and other adepts of arcane magic in a bardic college or school of wizardry. Perhaps you learned under the tutelage of a court advisor or cleric. While not of noble birth, your education and role in society has made you useful to the noble classes, and as such you have operated as an academician, or a specialist in the employ of high society. You have learned practices related to the needs of your station and you have a position of respect among the gentry, even if you are not accepted as one of their own.
Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, History
Tool Proficiencies: Choose two from: Alchemist’s supplies, calligrapher's supplies, glassblower’s tools, cartographer’s tools, navigator’s tools
Equipment: The signature symbol of an academic, arcane, or theological order/cult you’re associated with (medallion, necklace or a trinket), an abacus, a padded box containing five glass vials. a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a scroll case full of notes you wrote about scholars you know, a map of a region and time-period determined by the DM, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch with 10 gp.
Scholarly Relation People are introduced to the world of the scholarship in various ways. You may have been born in a family of sorcerers and instructed from an early age to make potions and spell scrolls. Or maybe you were sponsored by a noble family who expected you to serve to educate their children. Perhaps, your family sacrificed to alow you to obtain a formal education under a mentor in a magical society. Choose or randomly decide how you came to know the world of magic practitioners.
d6 Scholarly Relation 1 I am a member of an arcane or religious society 2 I was sponsored by a noble house’s court advisor 3 I belong to an order of witch hunters/inquisitors 4 I am an apprentice of a renowned spell-caster 5 I am a member of a magic cult 6 I come from a family of spell-casters
Feature: Society of scholarship While not well known by the common people, you have traveled in circles that have exposed you to the learned of society. Among the learned you are a member worthy of recognition and notoriety if not fame or infamy. You have read scholarly works, and perhaps even been published yourself. Your notoriety allows you knowledge of and access to the community of court wizards, religious orders and counsel members who advise the leadership in the campaign world. These people may want to ask you favors and will usually have no problem sharing certain kinds of information with you. With the right amount of flattery, bribery and/or threats, they may provide information or resources that they certainly wouldn't give to people outside your social sphere.
d8 Personality Traits: 1) I enjoy talking about intellectual pursuits. 2) I always want to know how things work and what makes people tick. 3) I am convinced that people are always trying to steal my secrets. 4) I enjoy teaching others what I know. 5) I feel that manual labor is beneath me and will use magic and/or other people to do it for me. 6) I dress outlandishly or in a manner that shows my rank in my order. 7) I court the favor of the powerful for my own ends. 8) I use magic to show off whenever possible.
d6 Ideal: 1) Respect: My knowledge entitles me to authority and status (lawfull) 2) Responsibility: I should use my knowledge for the betterment of society (good) 3) Power: Knowledge is the path to power and dominion (evil) 4) Truth: The truth should be known no matter what the consequences (chaotic) 5) Enlightenment: The exchange of knowledge enriches all (neutral) 6) Aspiration: I work hard to be the best in my field (any)
d6 Bond: 1) I owe my order a great debt for forging me into the person who I am. 2) I will destroy the evil forces who slew my mentor. 3) I want to prove myself superior to a hated rival. 4) I serve the elites of society and plan to be among them some day. 5) I have an ancient text that holds terrible secrets and I must not let it fall into the wrong hands. 6) My mentor betrayed me and I cannot forget.
d6 Flaw: 1) I trust my own judgment more than I should and I ignore the risks of my actions. 2) I would do anything to get my hands of valuable knowledge. 3) I have little respect for anyone who is not as learned as I am. 4) I sometimes use my knowledge/magic to exploit people. 5) I trust my order blindly. 6) I am clueless about people’s feelings. |
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| #11PSusacDec 27, 2014 23:39:54 | Well, I'm glad you liked my feedback. I definately see that your concept is different from my "scholar" concept. I agree that the scholar and the sage are shades of difference, but I think they are conceptually different, in that a sage focuses on obtaining knowledge, and a scholar focuses on applying knowledge
Like the difference between a medical researcher and a doctor for example. Or the difference between a research psychologist and a clinical psychologist. One is a researcher the other is a practitioner.
The reason I think diplomacy is powerful is that it is the most use social skill in the game. If I were to name the 3 most powerful skills, I would pick: Perception Stealth Diplomacy
in that order - the reason being that perception and diplomacy are the most used, and stealth is the most combat-relevant.
I do like the whole “magic associate” idea too, and encourage you to develop it further. It seems to me that sorcerers, bards and wizards would be the main focus of this concept, where my scholar idea would apply to all primary caster classes (except maybe druids). So your idea has a narrower focus (which is fine IMO)
I think we should start a thread just on homebrew background options. This is a great role-playing aid, and it is fun to think about. Here are some other ideas I have been kicking around:
1) Courtesan – basically a prostitute who has access to high society. Feature = knowing people who know the secret ways into and out of noble houses either through secret doors or through social contacts. 2) Guardsman – a city or town guard who has turned adventurer. Feature = professional courtesy – can get away with minor offenses and use the local cops as a source of info. 3) Collector – belongs to a society that seeks out lost antiquities. Feature = Society contacts – knows people who are experts on lost arts/magic. 4) Feytouched – you were kidnapped by fey as a child. Feature = able to call upon fey to demand favors – for a price… 5) Tainted Seed – You come from a lineage that was tainted by mixing with aberrations. Feature = Ability to communicate with aquatic monsters. 6) Bastard – You are the bastard child of a noble house. Feature = You are deferred to by the peasants, but have no responsibilities as a noble would, and are shunned by nobles. 7) River Runner – you were raised by the people who run cargo up and down the river. Feature you are a member of the brotherhood of river runners, and their people will give your shelter and help you smuggle people and cargo up and down the rivers of the kingdom. 8) Freedman – You are a former slave, and you bear the scars of your servitude. Feature = You have contacts among the servants of the noble class and the underground railroad. You can use these contacts to obtain aid and information. 9) Churgeon – You have been educated in non-magical healing arts. Feature = you can make a healing skill check to end the poisoned, blinded, paralyzed or deafened conditions using the DC equal to the original saving throw or 15 if there was no save. Doing so takes 10 minutes and inflicts 1d6 damage to the subject. If the subject has had the feign death spell cast on them, you get advantage on this roll, and no damage is inflicted.
And so on
Each of these should have: A statement of concept An optional description of different variants on the theme A feature that does NOT include any modifiers to die rolls or add any combat-relevant abilities, but that does allow for plot hooks or strategic and role-playing advantages. A list of 8 traits A list of 6 ideals (one each of lawful, chaotic, good, evil, neutral and any alignments) A list of 6 bonds A list of 6 flaws
The lists should be patterned after existing lists, but they should not duplicate existing concepts more than once or twice per background. Also, I think that it's important to make sure that while they may be class-focused, they should NOT be class specific. Backgrounds should be portable across classes and to some degree across cultures and social classes as well. Some backgrounds could be campaign specific (An Eberron arcane-technologist for example), but most should be generalizable.
Anyway, I think this idea has legs. I want to kick these ideas around a bit. |
| #12TheDraconicSpellcrafterDec 28, 2014 12:33:00 | Well, the way you put it, I can see that there really is a difference in concept between those backgrounds. I like that. The pair of skills I chose does seem overpowered, but I can't find a combination of skills that fits the background better, while still being useful for the classes I'm focusing this background on. I'm going to research a little more on the usefulness of those skills, so I can see if I can pick up something a little more balanced.
I really, really like the idea of making a thread exclusively for homebrew backgrounds. There's already a thread for homebrew content in general, but I think that backgrounds should have some special treatment, because they're so much more easy to create than other character features. Unlike classes, subclasses and the like, the PHB and the DMG have a very solid set of rules for background creation and customization that makes balancing the features and proficiencies a very simple issue. I really liked your concepts for backgrounds. I my favorite ones are the Courtesan, Collector, River Runner and Freedman. This idea has a lot of potential. |