Quote from: jadrax;765776In the play test the Minstrel background had the following trait, which seems o.k.

Noted Performer You can always find a place to perform, usually in an inn or tavern. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food (within reason) as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.

Oh, that's perfect.

Quote from: jadrax;765776In the play test the Minstrel background had the following trait, which seems o.k.

Noted Performer You can always find a place to perform, usually in an inn or tavern. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food (within reason) as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.

Basically, teenage Kvothe.

The one thing I really don't like about Features is that damn near every one (except Dan's) is basically exception based rules for the setting.  This feature means you can get this from NPCs, this feature means these NPCs always support you, bleh.  

I get that they want to have non-combat options, because that's all 4e had, the problem is, they're no good at it.  Even their social aspects read like a fucking magic card.  Because of this flavor text, the GM has to play his NPCs thusly, Christ on a Crutch.

Quote from: CRKrueger;765819The one thing I really don't like about Features is that damn near every one (except Dan's) is basically exception based rules for the setting.  This feature means you can get this from NPCs, this feature means these NPCs always support you, bleh.  

I get that they want to have non-combat options, because that's all 4e had, the problem is, they're no good at it.  Even their social aspects read like a fucking magic card.  Because of this flavor text, the GM has to play his NPCs thusly, Christ on a Crutch.

Yeah, I find the features intrusive. You can always get help from local dwarf miners because your character sheet says so? Uh, no. That shit is always contextual. I don't dislike the concept, but they need to word them in a way that is less specific but more colourful.

Quote from: Maltese Changeling;765767I'm working on a jongleur background.

Skills: Acrobatics, Performance
Tools: one instrument of your choice, disguise kit

Not sure about the feature yet; some sort of social knowledge?

Would a language or two work? And maybe lodging or some perk at a bardic college? Or possibly a single weapon or skill profiencency like History?

Personally I love that Minstrel background because it's spot on.

Quote from: Sacrosanct;7657163...2....1 before someone releases 100 backgrounds for 5e on DTRPG

As my heartbreaker uses an archetype template as a way to fit its 3 classes into any cultural mode I have dozens of things that look like backgrounds from Acrobat to Zealot.

We should get a thread going here to populate a few....

It's fun and easy to make these!

Yeah, if this gets done right, backgrounds could go a long way to pulling D&D classes back to having some sort of connection with interesting, textured settings. The drift in focus about what it means to be in a class and what members of a class can do brought us to a point where it is an uphill fight to figure out what a character is other than a tool for destroying hit points. Also, a big drive for multi-classing (with all its awkward rules and gamesmanship) has been the frustration at how narrow and one-dimensional any class is.

Backgrounds can orient the character into a setting, and create multiple colors of each class that make multi-classing seem pointless to me. They even remove the need for some sub-classes (like Barbarian). If I had a couple spare hours I would quickly draw up...

Rat-catcher
Pilgrim
Hermit
Trapper
Poacher
Savage
Noble
Bailiff
Smuggler

and on and on...

I dig backgrounds. They reminds me of 2e kits but without being class specific.

Quote from: CRKrueger;765819The one thing I really don't like about Features is that damn near every one (except Dan's) is basically exception based rules for the setting.  This feature means you can get this from NPCs, this feature means these NPCs always support you, bleh.  

I get that they want to have non-combat options, because that's all 4e had, the problem is, they're no good at it.  Even their social aspects read like a fucking magic card.  Because of this flavor text, the GM has to play his NPCs thusly, Christ on a Crutch.

Quote from: Haffrung;765865Yeah, I find the features intrusive. You can always get help from local dwarf miners because your character sheet says so? Uh, no. That shit is always contextual. I don't dislike the concept, but they need to word them in a way that is less specific but more colourful.

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I'm not sure what's being angered about here. Are my DM powers nullified if a folk hero can always take refuge with peasant families? Is some dastardly player going to power walk through my game using his undefined criminal contacts? What's the issue?

Quote from: Larsdangly;767377Yeah, if this gets done right, backgrounds could go a long way to pulling D&D classes back to having some sort of connection with interesting, textured settings. The drift in focus about what it means to be in a class and what members of a class can do brought us to a point where it is an uphill fight to figure out what a character is other than a tool for destroying hit points. Also, a big drive for multi-classing (with all its awkward rules and gamesmanship) has been the frustration at how narrow and one-dimensional any class is.

Backgrounds can orient the character into a setting, and create multiple colors of each class that make multi-classing seem pointless to me. They even remove the need for some sub-classes (like Barbarian). If I had a couple spare hours I would quickly draw up...

Rat-catcher
Pilgrim
Hermit
Trapper
Poacher
Savage
Noble
Bailiff
Smuggler

and on and on...

Warhammer with reliable magic.

As it is why aren't people catching on to the fact multiclassing isn't a ticket to powergaming? The backloading of the classes and the differing and staggered stat/feat opportunities should be an obvious clue.

Quote from: Marleycat;768641As it is why aren't people catching on to the fact multiclassing isn't a ticket to powergaming? The backloading of the classes and the differing and staggered stat/feat opportunities should be an obvious clue.

It's a lot like FantasyCraft in that you gain some versatility but miss out on all the big ticket items that come with the later levels.

Quote from: Raven;768643It's a lot like FantasyCraft in that you gain some versatility but miss out on all the big ticket items that come with the later levels.

EXACTLY! FantasyCraft is the system I use to run or play Dnd. Have you figured out why I'm all in for 5e yet? To me it's basically FantasyCraft but supported and accepted by the average Dnd player. Easy to start or find a game.

And go ahead and do this or that because you won't break the game or your character isn't going to ruin other people's fun.

Quote from: Raven;768638I'm not sure what's being angered about here. Are my DM powers nullified if a folk hero can always take refuge with peasant families? Is some dastardly player going to power walk through my game using his undefined criminal contacts? What's the issue?

The issue is the game designer is giving the players tools that tell the GM "Your NPCs will respond this way."  It doesn't matter what the culture of Nobles in Volantis really is, because your minor noble character has this power on his sheet, my NPC is supposed to grant him audience despite what would actually happen in the setting.

Your character is a folk hero so he always gets help from the locals?  You know what folk heros do?  They get peasants to rise up against the nobles, which means nobles who aren't incredibly smart, tend to punish the peasants for the folk hero's doing.  This creates resentment.  95% of the populace might support Robin Hood, but if he shows up on the wrong doorstep, it might be a peasant looking to turn him in.

They are very broad, simplistic binary toggles thrown that affect how the world works.  Again, WotC is trying, trying real hard to include non-combat mechanics, they're just screwing the pooch on every single one, because despite Mearls' saying "Gee there must have been something to this whole dissociation thing after all", he still can't spot the difference, in that, he's not alone I guess.

Jesus Christ are you for real CR? How about grow a set already? Nothing is as black and white as you described unless you say it is. Nobles in any setting can get audience with their contemparies whether that's good or bad is a completely different issue.

Folk Hero's are Robin Hood or any zero to hero on the run or not a hero yet so yeah here's a crust of bread and go sleep in the sheep pen if you can and if the authorities come I have no clue who you are.   etc. Or is your setting not realistic?

Quote from: CRKrueger;768647The issue is the game designer is giving the players tools that tell the GM "Your NPCs will respond this way."  It doesn't matter what the culture of Nobles in Volantis really is, because your minor noble character has this power on his sheet, my NPC is supposed to grant him audience despite what would actually happen in the setting.

Your character is a folk hero so he always gets help from the locals?  You know what folk heros do?  They get peasants to rise up against the nobles, which means nobles who aren't incredibly smart, tend to punish the peasants for the folk hero's doing.  This creates resentment.  95% of the populace might support Robin Hood, but if he shows up on the wrong doorstep, it might be a peasant looking to turn him in.

QuoteFeature: Rustic Hospitality
Since you come from the ranks of the common folk, you fit in among them with ease. You can find a place to hide, rest, or recuperate among other commoners, unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them. They will shield you from the law or anyone else searching for you, though they will not risk their lives for you.

Not sure I am seeing the issue here.