Backgrounds

Backgrounds are divided into six thematic groups. Each group collects backgrounds that share a similar flavor or focus. These groups are:

Arcane & Mystical

Name Abilities Skills Description
Arcane Archivist Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity Arcana and Investigation You maintained a secure collection of spell scrolls and magical records, dutifully cataloging every enchantment that passed through your hands.
Hedge Witch Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma Nature and Medicine Self-taught in rustic spellcraft, you craft charms far from formal academies.
Spellwright's Scribe Intelligence, Dexterity, Wisdom Arcana and History You were paid to meticulously copy cantrips and rituals into neat tomes, ensuring every rune was flawless -- lest a single misstroke cause magical mayhem.
Spirit Medium Wisdom, Charisma, Intelligence Arcana and Insight Attuned to the echoes of departed souls, you act as a conduit between living and dead.
Village Astrologer Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma Nature and Religion You read the night sky for local farmers and townsfolk, mixing celestial observations with common-sense advice on harvests, marriages, and omens.
Wizard's Apprentice Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity Arcana and History You studied under a mage's watchful eye, assisting with spellcraft and arcane chores while learning the rudiments of wizardry.

Divine & Spiritual

Name Abilities Skills Description
Acolyte Wisdom, Charisma, Intelligence Religion and Insight Raised in service to a deity, you carry the lessons and moral code of your faith.
Cult Breaker Wisdom, Charisma, Intelligence Religion and Deception Specializing in infiltrating and dismantling dangerous cults, you wield faith and cunning against heresy.
Cultist Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma Arcana and Religion Once devoted to a forbidden or dark deity, you wrestle with esoteric knowledge and ominous whispers.
Healer Wisdom, Intelligence, Constitution Medicine and Insight Devoted to easing suffering, you learned remedies and empathic care -- perhaps blessed by a higher power.
Hermit Wisdom, Intelligence, Dexterity Religion and Medicine You withdrew from society for spiritual or moral reasons, emerging with newfound insight -- or lingering doubts.
Pilgrim Wisdom, Constitution, Charisma Religion and Survival Driven by holy or philosophical convictions, you journey to sacred sites in search of enlightenment.
Undertaker Wisdom, Constitution, Charisma Religion and Medicine Caring for the dead and performing final rites shaped your solemn respect for life's fragility.

Martial & Adventurous

Name Abilities Skills Description
Apprentice Inquisitor Intelligence, Charisma, Wisdom Insight and Investigation Trained to root out heresy, forbidden magic, and hidden conspiracies, you serve a higher authority, honing your investigative skills and gaining insights into both divine truths and secretive minds.
Bounty Hunter Dexterity, Wisdom, Strength Survival and Intimidation Tracking criminals or creatures for a price, you thrive on pursuit and capture.
Conscript Strength, Constitution, Wisdom Athletics and Survival Forced into military service, you carry the mixed scars of marching under a banner you never chose.
Gladiator Strength, Charisma, Constitution Athletics and Performance Your prowess entertained roaring crowds in an arena, where showmanship could be as vital as skill.
Guard Constitution, Wisdom, Strength Perception and Athletics A vigilant watchman or protector, used to patrolling streets and responding swiftly to danger.
Knight Retainer Charisma, Strength, Constitution Athletics and History You served a chivalric warrior as a squire or aide, learning the codes (and burdens) of knighthood.
Marauder Strength, Dexterity, Constitution Athletics and Intimidation A raider or pillager who relied on swift violence to survive on the fringes of civilization.
Mercenary Strength, Dexterity, Constitution Athletics and Intimidation Fighting for coin rather than country, you've seen how gold can both start and end wars.
Monster Hunter Wisdom, Dexterity, Strength Survival and Nature Devoted to slaying or studying dangerous beasts, you combine research with ruthless tactics.
Sailor Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom Athletics and Perception The open sea was your training ground -- weathering storms, navigating decks, and surviving pirates or sea monsters.
Soldier Strength, Constitution, Dexterity Athletics and Intimidation Trained in an army or militia, you know discipline, tactics, and the bonds forged in battle.

Professional & Scholarly

Name Abilities Skills Description
Archaeologist Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity History and Investigation Delving into ruins and tombs to unearth lost civilizations, you blend historical research with daring exploration in search of ancient artifacts and hidden lore.
Artisan Intelligence, Dexterity, Wisdom Investigation and Perception A dedicated crafter who takes pride in well-made objects, seeing beauty in skillful handiwork.
Beast Tamer Wisdom, Dexterity, Charisma Animal Handling and Nature Training and caring for animals -- sometimes exotic or dangerous -- gave you a knack for forging bonds.
Courier Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution Animal Handling and Perception You specialized in swiftly and reliably transporting letters or goods across perilous routes, honing your speed, cunning, and discretion to fulfill every delivery.
Diplomat Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom Persuasion and History Trained in statecraft, you negotiate alliances and defuse tense situations with carefully chosen words.
Emissary Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom Persuasion and History You serve (or once served) as an official envoy of a distant land or powerful faction, forging alliances and negotiating treaties with words as sharp as any blade.
Entertainer Charisma, Dexterity, Wisdom Performance and Acrobatics You traveled from stage to stage, enthralling audiences with music, dance, comedy, or storytelling, forever chasing the next standing ovation.
Guildmember Intelligence, Charisma, Dexterity Persuasion and History You belong to an established guild, leveraging professional networks and trade secrets.
House Servant Wisdom, Charisma, Dexterity Perception and Persuasion You served in a wealthy or influential household -- perhaps as a butler, maid, or steward -- learning the subtle politics and private routines of nobility from behind the scenes.
Innkeeper Charisma, Wisdom, Dexterity Persuasion and Insight You managed or helped run a bustling inn, honing hospitality and conflict resolution.
Inventor Intelligence, Constitution, Dexterity Arcana and Investigation Brimming with ideas, you experiment with contraptions -- some brilliant, some dangerously half-baked.
Librarian Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity History and Investigation Keeper of tomes and scrolls, you found solace and hidden secrets among endless stacks of knowledge.
Local Official Charisma, Intelligence, Dexterity Persuasion and History A minor city clerk, or magistrate, you learned to navigate red tape and public complaints.
Noble Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom Persuasion and History You were born or adopted into a privileged family and raised amid wealth, power, and refined etiquette, though your actual fortunes -- and loyalties -- may vary.
Plague Doctor Intelligence, Constitution, Wisdom Medicine and Investigation Wherever pestilence strikes, you are called upon to treat the afflicted -- or study their symptoms -- garbed in distinctive protective attire and armed with dire knowledge of contagion.
Sage Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma Arcana and History Devoted to scholarship and research, you spent your life delving into books and lore, driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
Stablehand Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity Animal Handling and Athletics Tending livestock and stables for a living, you possess a strong work ethic and animal know-how.
Tinker Intelligence, Dexterity, Wisdom Investigation and Sleight of Hand Traveling town to town, you fix pots, sharpen blades, and invent curious gadgets on the go.
Trader Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom Persuasion and Insight Traveling markets and bartering deals define your life, with an eye always on profit.

Roguish & Underworld

Name Abilities Skills Description
Charlatan Charisma, Dexterity, Intelligence Deception and Sleight of Hand A smooth-talking trickster who lives by clever lies, forged documents, and quick hands.
Criminal Dexterity, Charisma, Wisdom Stealth and Intimidation Born of the underworld, you're no stranger to illicit deals, thieves' tools, and back-alley dealings.
Rat Catcher Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom Stealth and Perception Used to grime and dark tunnels, you learned to sniff out pests, diseases, and secrets in the city's underbelly.
Spy Charisma, Dexterity, Intelligence Stealth and Deception Skilled in subterfuge and gathering secrets, you navigate webs of intrigue and hidden loyalties.
Urchin Dexterity, Wisdom, Charisma Stealth and Sleight of Hand Growing up on the streets taught you stealth, cunning, and how to eke out a living from scraps.

Survivors & Drifters

Name Abilities Skills Description
Afflicted Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma Medicine and Survival You survived a supernatural curse or rare disease that left lasting scars -- physical or mental -- shaping your outlook and forging a resilience few can match.
Amnesiac Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution Insight and Investigation You remember almost nothing of your past, driven by a desire to uncover your forgotten identity.
Delver Constitution, Dexterity, Wisdom Athletics and Perception Exploring labyrinthine caves and dungeons, you're used to claustrophobic darkness and hidden horrors.
Desert Nomad Constitution, Wisdom, Dexterity Survival and Perception Surviving in scorching dunes and barren wastes honed your endurance and desert-savvy.
Exile Constitution, Wisdom, Strength Survival and Perception Banished from your homeland, you wander the world carrying the weight of a lost home.
Farmer Strength, Wisdom, Constitution Animal Handling and Athletics You toiled in fields and barns, possessing an honest humility and surprising physical strength.
Folk Hero Strength, Charisma, Wisdom Animal Handling and Survival Hailed by your small community for a great deed, you never saw yourself as a grand champion.
Freed Slave Constitution, Strength, Wisdom Athletics and Insight Once bound in servitude, you reclaimed your liberty and bear scars -- both physical and emotional.
Gambler Charisma, Wisdom, Dexterity Deception and Insight You lived on luck's razor edge, believing the next roll of the dice might bring you fortune.
Miner Constitution, Strength, Wisdom Athletics and Perception Delving deep underground for ore taught you perseverance in cramped tunnels and flickering lanternlight.
Outlander Dexterity, Wisdom, Strength Survival and Athletics Raised in the wilds, far from civilization, you're at home navigating untamed forests and mountains.
Refugee Constitution, Wisdom, Dexterity Survival and Insight You escaped disaster or conflict, traveling far in search of safety and a new beginning.
Scavenger Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity Survival and Perception Picking through battlefields or refuse heaps for valuables, you became adept at finding hidden scraps.
Treasure Diver Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom Athletics and Perception You plunge into sunken ships or underwater ruins, holding your breath for the next big find.
War Orphan Dexterity, Wisdom, Charisma Stealth and Survival Conflict took your family, pushing you to grow up fast in the wake of tragedy.