The following is an overhaul for backgrounds for the Reborn World campaign setting for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. This work-in-progress playtest content is compatible with current 5e rules. Character creation Ability Score bonuses and Languages have been moved here from Lineages.

Creating your Background.

Every adventurer has a background. Where are they from? What were they doing before their adventure? What unique skills have they acquired from their experiences? Your Background is to help flesh that out.

Ability Scores. Choose one of the following:

• (a) Add +2 to any one Ability Score, then add +1 to a different Ability Score.
• (b) Add +1 to any three different Ability Scores.

Skills. You gain proficiency in any two Skills of your choice.

Language. You gain one known Language. This is meant to represent your character’s origin language, but you may choose this language after factoring in any unique languages you gain from other sources during character creation.

Starting Feat. You gain one Feat that you meet the prerequisites for.

Additional Skills. Choose two of the following. Each option can be selected more than once.

• (a) You gain proficiency in one tool, musical instrument, or gaming set of your choice.
• (b) You gain one known language of your choice.

Starting Equipment. You gain the following items.

• One pouch containing 10gp.
• Two sets of non-magical clothing suitable to your home region and profession.
• One non-magical trinket or keepsake. Consider who gave this to you and why you keep it.

Author’s Notes

I always liked giving my players a level 1 feat, so I just made it part of the Background rules. I feel starting feats give more player versatility and mechanical use than the normal 5e background features, which were all primarily roleplay based anyway. And a lot of builds people want to play rely on feats, so allowing everybody to have one lets them get to the fun without hamstringing them in the early levels. You don’t lose the ability to roleplay, instead you just can have the feats everyone wants anyway.

Plus now there’s more incentive to play things other than Variant Human and Custom Lineage. This is the main reason why I rewrote the human, everyone can have a feat now so they needed something else.

As always, feedback and playtest data is greatly appreciated!