Homebrew Background & Feat - Anarchist
In a previous article, I discussed the new role backgrounds and their corresponding origin. Your background dictates your ability scores, origin feat, skill and tool proficiencies, and starting equipment. The most important are the changes to increasing your ability scores now that there are no longer species (racial) bonuses. Adding an origin feat means you don’t have to play a variant human - everyone gets a feat.
The ability scores are three that you can choose to increase during character creation. You can increase one of these scores by 2 and another one by 1 or increase all three by 1. The origin feat provides your character with some additional benefits. Some feats are much better than others. Lucky remains one of the best feats, while Skilled is practically useless.
The issue is there are currently only sixteen backgrounds and eleven origin feats. That is an incredibly low number to choose from. Also, there’s only a paragraph describing the background, which seems woefully insufficient. I know it should be a starting point you can build upon, but come on three lousy sentences? There are so few options creating a unique character becomes much more difficult. I get it. There’s only so much page space, especially when you have an incredible number of spells you need to describe.
With the new importance that comes with your background, you should have more options available. Never fear, dear reader. I am here to provide you with new options today and in the future. Today’s background is for all you chaotic alignment lovers: the Anarchist.
Anarchist
Ability Scores: Charisma, Intelligence, Dexterity
Feat: Agent Provocateur
Skill Proficiencies: Deception and Perception
Tool Proficiencies: Tinker’s Tools
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Caltrops (50), Oil (3 flasks), Thieves’ Tools, Tinderbox, Traveler’s Clothes, 21 GP; or (B) 50 GP
From a young age, you were taught to rally against the powers that be and have a strong commitment to individual freedom and social equality. Your chaotic nature made you unpredictable, but that's ok because you're on the right side. Or at least believe you are. Authority needs to be questioned, and traditional power structures are meant to oppress the lower classes. You know that no one else will, and it's up to you to fight the good fight.
You spent your formative years studying political theory, particularly concepts related to anti-authoritarianism and direct action. Over the years, you used whatever means necessary to end the reign of those who abuse their power. You'll happily throw a burning flask of oil through a window, plant a bomb, or stand on your soapbox to garner the government's attention. You embody a spirit of rebellion and a desire for transformative change, whether through political discourse, dirty tactics, or destructive measures.
Background Story Ideas
Your parents, neighbors, and friends toiled under the rule of a totalitarian ruler. To this day, they still work their fingers to the bone without any recourse or believe their lives will ever get better.
You watched as your childhood neighborhood was demolished to make way for a central square. It serves as a place for public punishment for those the government deems a threat to the current system.
You were arrested as a teenager for stealing food to provide for your family and sentenced to years in jail. There, you joined a group whose central focus was to change the system and give a voice to the people.
Agent Provocateur
Origin Feat
An agent provocateur is someone who commits illegal acts, falsely implicates someone else for an illegal act to ruin the person's reputation, and/or uses bombs to stop the operation of the government. Agent provocateurs typically target groups and structures. The enigmatic Agent Provocateur prides themselves on being invisible and focuses on being the ultimate saboteur.
You gain the following benefits.
Bomb Maker. When you finish a long rest, you can create a number of bombs equal to your Intelligence modifier, so long as you have your Tinker's Tools on hand. When you take the Attack action, you can replace one of your attacks by activating a bomb and throwing it up to 20 feet at a point you can see. Target a space within 20 feet of yourself. At the end of your turn, all creatures within a 5-foot radius must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 plus your Intelligence modifier and Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, the bomb deals force damage equal to a number of d8 equal to half your Proficiency Bonus.
If you don't use a bomb within 24 hours of making it, it becomes unstable and inert.
City Camouflage. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in all urban settings.
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Art Credit - WotC
