Revised Backgrounds

Art Credit: Steve Prescott - Wizards of the Coast - Gyome, Master Chef

Backgrounds have always been something you'd add to your character for flavor, but let's admit it. In most cases, it was quickly forgotten about. Gaining a Skill Proficiency or two was helpful, but nothing to write home about. The backgrounds have been tweaked throughout the 5th edition, and some adjustments have been made. Tasha Cauldron of Everything now allows you to customize your ability score increases. This was (obviously) done because racial bonuses are being dropped.

An additional Tool Proficiency was relatively useless since there needed to be more you could do with your tools and supplies. (shameless plug - if you want to actually have a use for your character's tools, please check out our Kickstarter Toolcraft ) Don't even get me started on Languages. If you struggled with writing a background, Traits, Ideals, and Bonds were nice…I guess. But D&D is all about imagination, so why limit yourself to 8 predetermined choices?

One D&D has made backgrounds much more useful, and there is nothing to say the new format cannot be incorporated in 5e. In fact, if you're getting ready to start a 5e campaign, consider using the updated background system. The new feats correspond to the backgrounds below and are a mix of existing feats and homebrew feats. Below are new features included in the new background system.

Background Features

Ability Scores. When you determine your character's ability scores, choose two of them, and increase one by 2 and the other one by 1. Alternatively, choose three ability scores, and increase each of them by 1.
Skill Proficiencies. Choose two Skills. Your character gains Proficiency in them.
Tool Proficiency. Choose one tool. Your character gains Tool Proficiency* with it.
Language. Choose one language from the Standard Languages and Rare Languages tables (these appear later in the document). Your character knows that language.
Feat. Choose one 1st-level Feat. Your character gains that Feat.
Equipment. Your character gains 50 GP to spend on starting equipment. The character keeps any unspent GP as a spare coin.

We discussed the change to add Ability Score Increases above. I'm a fan of allowing the player to add +2 to a predetermined ability and +1 to the other. I'm not big on allowing players to adjust three of their choice by +1, but I understand why this option exists. Many people think 5e needs to be more flexible and allow you to customize your character, ala Pathfinder 2. But I'm old school, and you should work with what fits the background. Just a personal opinion.

Skill & Tool Proficiencies remain the same, as does language. Background Features were ok, but be honest. How many times did you use them in a campaign? That said, I wouldn't be surprised if this part of the background returned. They were a nice little part of any background, but they were a ribbon feature, something the new background system lacks.

The most significant addition is the inclusion of a feat. I love this. The variant human was the only race that could get a feat at 1st level, and it screwed up early character balance, not to mention it was racially biased. It looks like some of the new feats will be tailored to specific backgrounds, allowing players to take any of them later in the game. The equipment addition is nice, adding to the equipment you get via your class. Now you can save your starting gold to buy yourself something pretty.

Below is the revised Chef background, along with the new Chef feat. You can also find the link to this Feat and three additional ones - the Blacksmith, Grifter, and Pirate - in PDF format.

Chef

• Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +1 Wisdom

• Skill Proficiencies: History, Nature

• Tool Proficiencies: Cook's Tools

• Language: Elvish

• Feat: Chef

You can create a delicious meal or a quick bite to satiate your hunger. Whether working under pressure during a dinner rush or standing on your feet for 15 hours a day, you know that food is the one thing that can bring people together, no matter their differences.

Equipment
Cook's Utensils
Metal Pots (4, various sizes)
Recipe Book
Small Knife
Tinderbox
Waterskin(full)
10 GP

Revised Chef Feat

• Prerequisite: None

• Repeatable: No

Your years of working in kitchens and with other culinary individuals have provided you with a book full of recipes that can delight, heal and bolster everyone who eats them.

Food for the Soul. As part of a short rest, you can cook special food, provided you have ingredients and cook’s utensils on hand. You can prepare enough of this food for a number of creatures equal to 4 + your proficiency bonus. At the end of the short rest, any creature who eats the food and spends one or more Hit Dice to regain hit points regains an extra 1d8 hit points.

Hunter/Gatherer. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks when searching for local wild game and herbs.

Snack Time. With one hour of work or when you finish a long rest, you can cook a number of small, quick treats equal to your proficiency bonus. These special treats last 24 hours after being made. A creature can use a bonus action to eat one of those treats to gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.

As we progress through the One D&D playtest releases, we’ll hopefully see additional backgrounds and feats. Backgrounds now of are great importance to character creation, and with any luck, they will remain this way when One D&D is officially released. In the meantime, I encourage you to see how you can add the new background rules to your upcoming campaign.

As always, comments and constructive criticism are encouraged and appreciated.