Confused on acceptable regional backgrounds. - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Confused on acceptable regional backgrounds.

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
AvonRekaes
Mar 27, 2009 12:37:15 Hey all.

Brand new player, first RPGA character ever, and I'm a little confused on which regional background benefits are legal for me to take.

A lot of the documentation makes it sound like the only regions you can take mechanical benefits for are the 12 regions that correspond to the global rpga divisions (Algarond, Cormyr, etc.). But the documentation seems to be dated before the FRPG was released, but references it as a legal player resource.

So... can I get the mechanical benefit from being from, say, Calimshan, or not?
#2
kenobi65
Mar 27, 2009 12:56:35 When LFR first started, only those 12 regions were allowed for character backgrounds. That rule was later loosened, and you now can use any character region / background from the FRPG, regardless of whether it's one of the 12 "RPGA regions."

Do you have the most recent version of the CCG (v1.8)?
#3
AvonRekaes
Mar 27, 2009 13:01:54 Yeah, but I was unclear on what "additional benefits" mean, as it still points out the "main 12" as being special somehow. I wasn't clear on whether I could even take the mechanical benefit from the non-12 regions.

Thanks for clearing that up though!
#4
kenobi65
Mar 27, 2009 14:26:21
Yeah, but I was unclear on what "additional benefits" mean, as it still points out the "main 12" as being special somehow.

What that means is that, if your character is from one of the "main 12" regions, you may see some minor in-gamebenefit (such as a bonus on certain skill checks) when playing an adventure in that region.

If you choose a region other than one of those 12, you might rarely or never play an adventure in your character's home region (depending on whether any Core adventures wind up being set in that region)...and, so, you may never get that same sort of benefit from your character's region.
#5
Keith53
Mar 28, 2009 11:25:34 The Writing Directors are permitted and encouraged to include some specific, adventure dependent bonuses for the native of the region, i.e., a home field advantage. For instance, it is very reasonable that a native would find locations or pick up gossip (what's happening) easier, so maybe a bonus to Streetwise; local history checks, perhaps diplomacy for certain favors. A DM can use his DME to add these if not already in the adventure. Usually it would be a +1 or +2 bonus. So if you figure on playing a given PC in a set of regions a lot, it might make sense both in RP and local advantage to choose a regional background associated with one of those regions.

In contrast, for the regional backgrounds in the FRPG which are not one of the 12 LFR regions, I think you will never see such a bonus. You will always be the outsider. (Unless a DM decides to give you a bump if you are playing a CORE adventure set in that region.)

Keith
#6
tancread
Mar 28, 2009 14:48:11
*snipped*

In contrast, for the regional backgrounds in the FRPG which are not one of the 12 LFR regions, I think you will never see such a bonus. You will always be the outsider. (Unless a DM decides to give you a bump if you are playing a CORE adventure set in that region.)

Keith

I was amused when in my fourth adventure my ex-pirate from the Nelanther Isles not only managed to find himself back in the Isles through no choice of his own, he also found himself back in his hometown of Skaug, the armpit of the islands. I had picked the location as one unlikely to ever come up and included some element of danger if he ever returned into his backstory. He spent the game both amazed at the turn of events and trying to keep as low a profile as as he could. The DM did let me have the background on the isles without rolling as a bonus.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 AvonRekaes Mar 27, 2009 12:37:15	Hey all. Brand new player, first RPGA character ever, and I'm a little confused on which regional background benefits are legal for me to take. A lot of the documentation makes it sound like the only regions you can take mechanical benefits for are the 12 regions that correspond to the global rpga divisions (Algarond, Cormyr, etc.). But the documentation seems to be dated before the FRPG was released, but references it as a legal player resource. So... can I get the mechanical benefit from being from, say, Calimshan, or not?
#2 kenobi65 Mar 27, 2009 12:56:35	When LFR first started, only those 12 regions were allowed for character backgrounds. That rule was later loosened, and you now can use any character region / background from the FRPG, regardless of whether it's one of the 12 "RPGA regions." Do you have the most recent version of the CCG (v1.8)?
#3 AvonRekaes Mar 27, 2009 13:01:54	Yeah, but I was unclear on what "additional benefits" mean, as it still points out the "main 12" as being special somehow. I wasn't clear on whether I could even take the mechanical benefit from the non-12 regions. Thanks for clearing that up though!
#4 kenobi65 Mar 27, 2009 14:26:21	Yeah, but I was unclear on what "additional benefits" mean, as it still points out the "main 12" as being special somehow. What that means is that, if your character is from one of the "main 12" regions, you may see some minor in-gamebenefit (such as a bonus on certain skill checks) when playing an adventure in that region. If you choose a region other than one of those 12, you might rarely or never play an adventure in your character's home region (depending on whether any Core adventures wind up being set in that region)...and, so, you may never get that same sort of benefit from your character's region.
#5 Keith53 Mar 28, 2009 11:25:34	The Writing Directors are permitted and encouraged to include some specific, adventure dependent bonuses for the native of the region, i.e., a home field advantage. For instance, it is very reasonable that a native would find locations or pick up gossip (what's happening) easier, so maybe a bonus to Streetwise; local history checks, perhaps diplomacy for certain favors. A DM can use his DME to add these if not already in the adventure. Usually it would be a +1 or +2 bonus. So if you figure on playing a given PC in a set of regions a lot, it might make sense both in RP and local advantage to choose a regional background associated with one of those regions. In contrast, for the regional backgrounds in the FRPG which are not one of the 12 LFR regions, I think you will never see such a bonus. You will always be the outsider. (Unless a DM decides to give you a bump if you are playing a CORE adventure set in that region.) Keith
#6 tancread Mar 28, 2009 14:48:11	snipped In contrast, for the regional backgrounds in the FRPG which are not one of the 12 LFR regions, I think you will never see such a bonus. You will always be the outsider. (Unless a DM decides to give you a bump if you are playing a CORE adventure set in that region.) Keith I was amused when in my fourth adventure my ex-pirate from the Nelanther Isles not only managed to find himself back in the Isles through no choice of his own, he also found himself back in his hometown of Skaug, the armpit of the islands. I had picked the location as one unlikely to ever come up and included some element of danger if he ever returned into his backstory. He spent the game both amazed at the turn of events and trying to keep as low a profile as as he could. The DM did let me have the background on the isles without rolling as a bonus.