The character Backgrounds in Dungeons & Dragons have changed over time, thanks to a power creep that’s happened with each new book. The One D&D digital rules update has already proven that Backgrounds will be improved when the new Player’s Handbook launches in 2024, but what about the Backgrounds that are currently available in 2022? There are some Backgrounds in the recent D&D books that are far better than the ones that came before.
In D&D 5e, the choice of Background is part of character creation, but it’s one that has little effect in terms of mechanics. A character Background provides two skill proficiencies, bonus gear, a unique feature, and possibly a bonus tool proficiency or language. The unique features tend to be underwhelming or situational, so few people get excited about selecting them. This is why some players pick a Background for the skill proficiencies alone, rather than anything else they will add to the character.
The first Unearthed Arcana for One D&D has outlined new rules for Backgrounds that will appear in the upcoming D&D 5e revision for the game’s 50th anniversary in 2024. These new Backgrounds provide stat bonuses, a Feat, and players can customize them. These new Backgrounds are still considered to be playtest material and could change a great deal by the time they’re printed. There are Backgrounds in the current D&D books and Unearthed Arcana articles that will give current players a boost, without having to wait until 2024.
The Strixhaven D&D Backgrounds Provide Mini Spell Lists
Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos is a strong contender for having the best Backgrounds in D&D 5e. Strixhaven is a magical university that originates from Magic: The Gathering, and it has five different colleges that players can belong to: Lorehold, Prismari, Quandrix, Silverquill, and Witherbloom. The original intention was for these five colleges to be represented with their own subclasses, which could be taken by multiple different classes. This turned out to be an unpopular design choice, so D&D cut the Mages of Strixhaven subclasses and replaced them with Backgrounds.
Each of the five Backgrounds provides a mini spell list that expands as the character achieves new spell levels. Lorehold Students gain access to comprehend languages and identify at spell level 1, borrowed knowledge and locate object at spell level 2, speak with dead and spirit guardians at spell level 3, arcane eye and stone shape at spell level 4, and flame strike and legend lore at spell level 5. Prismari Students gain access to chromatic orb and thunderwave at spell level 1, flaming sphere and kinetic jaunt at spell level 2, haste and water walk at spell level 3, freedom of movement and water walk at spell level 4, and cone of cold and conjure elementals at spell level 5. Silverquill students gain access to dissonant whispers and D&D‘s overpowered silvery barb at spell level 1, calm emotions and darkness at spell level 2, beacon of hope and daylight at spell level 3, compulsion and confusion at spell level 4, and dominate person and rary’s telepathic bond at spell level 5.
Quandrix Students gain access to entangle and guiding bolt at spell level 1, enlarge/reduce and vortex warp at spell level 2, aura of vitality and haste at spell level 3, control water and freedom of movement at spell level 4, and circle of power and passwall at spell level 5. Witherbloom Students gain access to cure wounds and inflict wounds at spell level 1, lesser restoration and wither and bloom at spell level 2, revivify and vampiric touch at spell level 3, blight and death ward at spell level 4, and antilife shell and greater restoration at spell level 5.
D&D‘s Strixhaven character Backgrounds are possibly the best in the game, since all of these spells are joined by skill proficiencies, bonus languages or tool proficienes, equipment, as well as the Strixhaven Initiate Feat, providing them with two extra cantrips and an additional level 1 spell. This is a ridiculous amount of benefits for a single choice made during character creation, and a DM might be wary of allowing a player to select a Strixhaven Background, especially if all of the other players are selecting Backgrounds from the Player’s Handbook.
The Spelljammer Backgrounds Give Great Wildspace Benefits
The most recent to be printed in a book are the two Backgrounds from the Astral Adventurer’s Guide in D&D‘s rereleased Spelljammer campaign setting. These are both powerful, but part of that is due to how useful they are in the Spelljammer campaign setting. The first Background is Astral Drifter and it provides the Magic Initiate Feat for free, gives two bonus languages, allows the character to be 20d6 years older without showing signs of aging, and gives the player previous friendly contact with a god, who provided them with secret knowledge. It’s up to the DM to work out how to integrate the relationship with the deity into the campaign, but having hung out with a god is a wee bit better than the benefits provided by the Criminal or Urchin Backgrounds.
The other D&D Background in the Astral Adventurer’s Guide is the Wildspacer, which gets tool proficiencies with Navigator’s Tools and vehicles (space), the Tough Feat, and the ability to ignore disadvantage when fighting while weightless. This is alongside two skill proficiencies and some bonus gear. The weightless feature is going to come up more in Spelljammer than the other settings, but even receiving the Tough Feat and its bonus hit points puts the Wildspacer ahead of many of the older Backgrounds in the game.
The Dragonlance Unearthed Arcana Feats Become Stronger Over Time
The Dragonlance campaign setting is returning to D&D in the upcoming Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen adventure book and accompanying board game, Dragonlance: Warriors of Krynn. Wizards of the Coast is already playtesting the material that will appear in the book, which includes Backgrounds for the Knight of Solamnia and for the Mage of High Sorcery. These Backgrounds are unusual, in that they provide class abiltiies and spell slots. All Dragonlance characters receive a bonus Feat, unless they pick the Knight of Solamnia or Mage of High Sorcery Backgrounds, which provide specific Feats.
The Knight of Solamnia Background provides the Squire of Solamnia Feat, while the Mage of High Sorcery Background provides the Initiate of High Sorcery Feat, with both Backgrounds giving two languages, two skill proficiencies, and bonus gear. Squire of Solamnia provides three abilities that are similar to the ones used by the Battle Master subclass for fighters in the Player’s Handbook, while Initiate of High Sorcery gives the player three choices of magical moon and each one gives them two bonus first level spells the character can cast per day. With the Initiate of High Sorcery D&D Dragonlance character Background, Nuitaria lets the player choose two from dissonant whispers, false life, hex, and ray of sickness, Lunitari lets the player choose two from color spray, disguise self, feather fall, and longstrider, and Solinari lets the player choose two from comprehend languages, detect evil and good, protection from evil and good, and shield. The caster can use their two spells once per long rest and they’re added permantently to their spell list. The Dragonlance character Backgrounds have a leg up over the other Dungeons & Dragons Backgrounds, as the characters are involved in the War of the Lance, and have faced more dangers than other parties.
