Revising "Backgrounds" to Make them Better

[Seven Sons of Sin]

Hello,

So as someone who has characteritis for months, and perhaps still suffers it, I've made a lot of characters so I've spent copious amounts of time in the Arelith Entry zone.

One thing that has consistently bothered me is the insignificance of the "backgrounds", or rather, how extremely lackluster they are. I was hoping to start a discussion on how to revamp them.

Here's the current list of them, http://wiki.arelith.com/Background

I'll break them down, in fact, I'll try to "tier them" in terms of mechanical potential. I'll ignore all of the "roleplay" backgrounds for now (Outcast and Gladiator).

High-Tier:
Dauntless - free 5 hp? duck yeah
Natural Leader - +1 CHA? duck yeah, especially for paladin, and BG, builds

Low-Tier:
Most of these impact Will saves for typical roleplaying backgrounds that are low-will save progression classes, making their weaknesses weaker.

Healer, +2 Heal +1 Lore -1 Str
Troublemaker, +1 Reflex +1 Pickpocket +1 Set Traps -2 Will Saves
Soldier, +1 Discipline +1 Forging Craft Skill -1 Will Saves
Wanderer, +1 Appraise +1 Bluff -1 Will Saves

Everything also can kind of be associated into an "inconsequential" or "meh" tier. Like Tattle-tale (+1 Lore, +1 Bluff, -1 Concentration). This doesn't change much one way, or the other.

However, the crux of my issue, is that I'm the sort of player - and I'm sure I'm not that only one - who sees the negatives outweigh the positives. This has very little to do with the idea of "building for power" philosophy, moreso the idea of "there's nothing really here to consider." The only Background I've ever picked was Natural Leader, because it so clearly benefits certain class combinations. So clearly.

So, I'd like to start a discussion. Do you ever pick a Background? Why or why not? How would you like to see them changed?

Before we delve into this debate, I want to point out, that I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with making all characters more fundamentally powerful. I know Mithreas or Artos has stated in the past the purpose of Backgrounds was to provide a "touch of flavour" in constructing your character and not to tip balance scales. I'll strongly disagree with them on two points,

1) there are Backgrounds that are so blatantly "scale tippers" in mechanical prowess
2) there is no touch of flavour here, moreso an atom

So, my original proposed suggestion for what to do with Backgrounds is thus,

1. Abolish all "negative" aspects of Backgrounds
2. Allow each character to select 2 Backgrounds
3. Remove all Backgrounds that affect Stats/HP

What would we see? More variation, more fun mechanical choices, more consideration, and still an equal balance of horizontal/vertical progression for everyone.*

*except old characters. whooo reverse grandfathering ftw

[msterswrdsmn]

I've taken wanderer consistantly with Mifune purely for flavor reasons. It does nothing, NOTHING for his build (it actually makes it worse with little to no return!) Thats about it, though.

Its hard to take something for flavor if it hurts you hard mechanically. Even for "flavor". I'm all for redoing some of them, if not most of them. The only onE i've seen repeatedly suggested for usefulness is natural leader, even though im sure some of the "natural leaders" make no effort to do leadership things.

[The Man of the Moon]

Totally agree.

I avoid backgrounds for the same reason, unless to get Dauntless on dwarves, when making any...

I didn't noticed natural leader because after see the generality of penalties, though there may not be any as interesting... And agree, I may remove all of the penalties and leave small advantages for the flavour, giving bonus to skills/savings in small degree.

I may tell you, go and make your suggestion!

I totally agree with points 1 and 3... Not sure about 2.

[CragOneEye]

I think idea of backgrounds is you're supposed to sacrifice something of equal importance to gain something of importance, that being said I never took any backgrounds as I always felt "meh" about them or that for a lot of them the negative did not make sense for the description of them.

[Mithreas]

Backgrounds were inspired by NWN2, and most are lifted directly from there.

However, they also form the base of the caste system, if I ever decide to release it. That'll be how they have a wider relevance/importance.

[ZogTheStout]

Backgrounds were inspired by NWN2, and most are lifted directly from there.

However, they also form the base of the caste system, if I ever decide to release it. That'll be how they have a wider relevance/importance.

That makes no sense to me? Surely castes should be determined through the citizenship system/in-game roles?

[Lorkas]

Your caste is determined by your birth in many real-world societies. It isn't universal, but it also isn't outrageous.

[ZogTheStout]

Your caste is determined by your birth in many real-world societies. It isn't universal, but it also isn't outrageous.

I guess so. I sort of read 'caste' to mean 'general social group mechanics' rather than 'strict caste system', because I don't imagine the latter would be especially fun.

[Lorkas]

Who knows? Maybe your background will determine where you start, and you have the potential to modify it from there. We don't know any details about the caste system Mith has in mind apart from the fact that backgrounds will be involved.

[Mithreas]

Who knows? Maybe your background will determine where you start, and you have the potential to modify it from there. We don't know any details about the caste system Mith has in mind apart from the fact that backgrounds will be involved.

This - it's possible to change caste in the draft system.

[KregorRanger]

Who knows? Maybe your background will determine where you start, and you have the potential to modify it from there. We don't know any details about the caste system Mith has in mind apart from the fact that backgrounds will be involved.

This - it's possible to change caste in the draft system.

A request.

If and when said system may be put into place, may we still have just pepperoni?

I.e., can we please retain the option to start just your average PC who gets off the boat with no pluses or minuses or expectations, without the necessity of navigating another added on mechanic?

[Mithreas]

That's why I haven't put the system in place yet.

It's cool - but we don't add stuff just because it's cool. We add it because we think that it will improve the overall game experience. And I'm not totally sold that this system would - Arelith is a complex enough place already.

[Ain Vale]

I like Fisherman.