William Brandes Stoddard
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Improving Backgrounds in D&D 2024, Part Two
🕑 Added 2024-12-31 23:41:18 +0000 UTCI liked the direction things were going in my last post, so today I’m continuing that with as many more Backgrounds as I can get through. Last time I covered Acolytes, Charlatans, and Criminals, so today I’m starting with Criminal (Spy).
I always thought it was cool to have a few Backgrounds that were closely enough related that you could use the same entry for them, with maybe one or two changes. Criminal and Spy, Entertainer and Gladiator, Knight and Noble, Sailor and Pirate. Within my own material, Enforcer and Bounty Hunter.
As a Spy, choose either the Handler feature or the Asset feature. I’m very invested in this Background, as it has been a significant thing in Aurikesh since the earliest sessions.
Handler (Spy). You have a way to contact your handler in your espionage organization, and as long as you’re pursuing the organization’s goals (or things you can convince them are in line with their goals), you can expect some information and material support. When you move to a new region, you can learn the nature of its political power structure quickly.
· You have Renown with the espionage organization you work for and the political entity they serve. This is usually beneficial, but at high levels of Renown, missteps become more dangerous and can result in getting burned (cut loose from the espionage organization, and you may face further reprisals). Your starting Renown equals the higher of your character level or your Charisma modifier. When you gain Renown with this group, increase the Renown gained by 1.
· Create or choose one NPC handler within the organization. The NPC does not accompany you on adventures, but offers advice, material support, or exit strategies when appropriate to the character. You can request one Common or Uncommon consumable magic item at a time, or borrow one non-consumable Common or Uncommon magic item for up to seven days.
· You can spend 1 hour learning about a creature by observing it, while positioned somewhere inconspicuous. Make an Intelligence (Investigation) check against a DC assigned by the DM (usually 15). On a success, the DM gives you three pieces of useful information about strengths, weaknesses, and social connections.
Asset (Spy). You are the handler for a valuable intelligence asset. They occasionally expect material support from you, which can be folded into your Upkeep for 20 gp (Aurikesh: sp) x your Proficiency Bonus. If you don’t pay this Upkeep, you can’t benefit from the asset in this Upkeep period. When you move to a new region, you can learn the nature of its political power structure quickly.
· You have Renown with the espionage organization you work for and the political entity they serve. This is usually beneficial, but at high levels of Renown, missteps become more dangerous and can result in getting cut loose or facing severe reprisals. Your starting Renown equals the higher of your character level or your Charisma modifier. When you gain Renown with this group, increase the Renown gained by 1.
· Create or choose one NPC asset, probably one with a useful placement in a different organization. You can use the Renown benefits of that organization as if you had Renown equal to your character level + your Charisma modifier. Your asset gives you any information they reasonably know about their organization and its members.
· You can end your obligations to your asset and recruit a new asset, in the same organization or a different one, with seven days of work. This costs 50 gp (Aurikesh: sp) x your Proficiency Bonus. The DM can decide that an NPC is not available for recruitment.
By Popular Demand (Entertainer). When you are in a populated area, you can always find an audience and a performance space. Determine your Entertainer Routine (from the 2014 PH).
· You have a Fame rating that starts at 1. When you make a Charisma (Performance) check in front of an audience of NPCs and your check result is 20 or higher, you gain 1 Fame. If you roll a natural 1 on a Charisma (Performance) check in front of an audience of NPCs, you lose 1 Fame.
· You can use your Fame rating as if it were a Renown rating for any organization that isn’t Hostile toward you.
· With seven days of work, you can reduce your Fame rating by 1 to gain 50 gp (Aurikesh: sp) x your current Fame rating. This represents trading on your reputation and soliciting valuable gifts.
· You have a pool of d6s equal to your Fame rating. You can expend a d6 to add the result to any Charisma check you make. You regain all dice expended from this pool the next time your Fame rating changes.
Sword and Sandal (Gladiator/Trick Shooter). When you are in a town or city, you can find an arena, dueling yard, shooting gallery, or other fighting ring that draws an audience. You gain Proficiency with one Martial Weapon of your choice.
· You have a Fame rating that starts at 1. When you defeat an opponent in front of an audience of NPCs and the opponent is more capable than any you have defeated before, you gain 1 Fame. If you are defeated by a lesser or equal opponent in front of an audience of NPCs, you lose 1 Fame.
· You can use your Fame rating as if it were a Renown rating for any organization that isn’t Hostile toward you.
· With seven days of work, you can reduce your Fame rating by 1 to gain 50 gp (Aurikesh: sp) x your current Fame rating. This represents trading on your reputation and soliciting valuable gifts.
· You have a pool of d6s equal to your Fame rating. You can expend a d6 to add the result to any Charisma check or Initiative roll you make. You regain all dice expended from this pool the next time your Fame rating changes.
The Folk Hero Background is one of the ones I miss most in 2024. I don’t know why it was cut, but since it doesn’t work at all without more narrative effort, it seems like it might have been cut for its complexity. I’ve started on it, but it’s going to get pushed off to my next post in this series.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy what I’m doing with the Backgrounds above!
Comments
William Brandes Stoddard
Yeah, Backgrounds are fundamentally doing two things at once: who you were, and who you are when you're not adventuring. I think the Folk Hero *can* be an answer to both of those, but it's not the same kind of answer as other Backgrounds.
mAc Chaos
I think folk hero got cut because it's not a job or a profession like the other backgrounds. You're just a dude people like. It's a good background though.
