Basically, the DnD backgrounds will provide you with an important story cues all about your character’s identity and one character background can reveal like how you have become an adventurer, where you have come from and about your place where ever it might be in the world and even does background matter in d&d?
Your rogue might have gotten by the commanded audiences like a jester or by a guild thief, your wizard could have been a sage background 5e or using artisan tools 5e and your fighter might have been an courageous knight or also a grizzled soldier.
Types Of Official DnD 5e Backgrounds
In the below provided dnd 5e 2024 backgrounds list “AL-Marked Background” created and introduced by the adventurers league, but it refers to content which wasn’t released in any source listed there.
Whenever they’re legal backgrounds then you may want to check before you use any of them with your Dungeon Master (DM).
| Name | Languages | Source | Page | Tools | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acolyte | Any x2 | PHB | 127 | None | Insight (WIS), Religion (INT) |
| Anthropologist | Any x2 | ToA | 191 | None | Insight (WIS), Religion (INT) |
| Archaeologist | Any x1 | ToA | 192 | Choose 1: cartographer's tools, navigator's tools | History (INT), Survival (WIS) |
| Adopted | Anyx2 | None | Persuasion, Deception and Stealth | ||
| Black Fist Double Agent | None | CoS (AL) | 2 | Disguise kit, and choose 1: artisan's tools x1 , gaming set x1 | Deception (CHA), insight (WIS) |
| Caravan Specialist | Any x1 | EE (AL) | 2 | Vehicles (land) | Animal handling (WIS), survival (WIS) |
| Charlatan | None | PHB | 128 | Disguise kit, forgery kit | Deception (CHA), sleight of hand (DEX) |
| City Watch | Any x2 | SCAG | 145 | None | Athletics (STR), insight (WIS) |
| Clan Crafter | Any x1 | SCAG | 145 | Artisan's tools x1 | History (INT), insight (WIS) |
| Cloistered Scholar | Any x2 | SCAG | 146 | None | History (INT), and choose 1: arcana (INT), nature (INT), religion (INT) |
| Cormanthor Refugee | Elvish | RoD (AL) | 5 | Artisan's tools x1 | Nature (INT), survival (WIS) |
| Courtier | Any x2 | SCAG | 146 | None | Insight (WIS), persuasion (CHA) |
| Criminal | None | PHB | 129 | Gaming set x1, thieves' tools | Deception (CHA), stealth (DEX) |
| Dimir Operative | |||||
| Dissenter | Special (See page) | PS:A | 11 | Special (See page) | Special (See page) |
| Dragon Casualty | Draconic | CoS (AL) | 3 | Special (See page) | Intimidation (CHA), survival (WIS) |
| Earthspur Miner | Dwarvish, Undercommon | EE (AL) | 3 | None | Athletics (STR), survival (WIS) |
| Entertainer | None | PHB | 130 | Disguise kit, musical instrument x1 | Acrobatics (DEX), performance (CHA) |
| Faction Agent | Any x2 | SCAG | 147 | None | Insight (WIS), and choose 1: special (See page) |
| Far Traveler | Any x1 | SCAG | 148 | Choose 1: musical instrument x1, gaming set x1 | Insight (WIS), perception (WIS) |
| Folk Hero | None | PHB | 131 | Artisan's tools x1, vehicles (land) | Animal handling (WIS), survival (WIS) |
| Gate Urchin | None | RoD (AL) | 6 | Musical instrument x1, thieves' tools | Deception (CHA), sleight of hand (DEX) |
| Gladiator | None | PHB | 130 | Disguise kit, unusual weapon x1 | Acrobatics (DEX), performance (CHA) |
| Golgari Agent | |||||
| Gruul Anarch | |||||
| Guild Artisan | Any x1 | PHB | 132 | Artisan's tools x1 | Insight (WIS), persuasion (CHA) |
| Guild Merchant | Any x1 | PHB | 132 | Navigator's tools | Insight (WIS), persuasion (CHA) |
| Harborfolk | None | EE (AL) | 4 | Gaming set x1, vehicles (water) | Athletics (STR), sleight of hand (DEX) |
| Haunted One | Exotic x1 | CoS | 209 | None | Choose 2: Arcana (INT), investigation (INT), religion (INT), survival (WIS) |
| Hermit | Any x1 | PHB | 134 | Herbalism kit | Medicine (WIS), religion (INT) |
| Hillsfar Merchant | None | RoD (AL) | 7 | Vehicles (land), vehicles (water) | Insight (WIS), persuasion (CHA) |
| Hillsfar Smuggler | Any x1 | RoD (AL) | 8 | Forgery kit | Perception (WIS), stealth (DEX) |
| House Agent | None | WGE | Special (See page) | Investigation (INT), persuasion (CHA) | |
| Izzet Engineer | Choose one of Draconic, Goblin, or Vedalken. | guildmaster's guide to ravnica | 66 | One type of artisan's tools | Arcana, Investigation |
| Inheritor | None | SCAG | 150 | Gaming set x1, musical instrument x1 | Survival (WIS), and choose 1: arcana (INT), history (INT), religion (INT) |
| Initiate | None | PS:A | 8 | Gaming set x1, vehicles (land) | Athletics (STR), intimidation (CHA) |
| Inquisitor | None | PS:In | 12 | Artisan's tools x1, thieves' tools | Investigation (INT), religion (INT) |
| Investigator | Any x2 | SCAG | 145 | None | Insight (WIS), investigation (INT) |
| Iron Route Bandit | None | CoS (AL) | 5 | Gaming set x1, vehicles (land) | Animal handling (WIS), stealth (DEX) |
| Knight | Any x1 | PHB | 135 | Gaming set x1 | History (INT), persuasion (CHA) |
| Knight of the Order | Any x1 | SCAG | 151 | Choose 1: gaming set x1, musical instrument x1 | Persuasion (CHA), and choose 1: special (See page) |
| Mercenary Veteran | None | SCAG | 152 | Gaming set x1, vehicles (land) | Athletics (STR), persuasion (CHA) |
| Mulmaster Aristocrat | None | EE (AL) | 5 | Artisan's tools x1, musical instrument x1 | Deception (CHA), performance (CHA) |
| Noble | Any x1 | PHB | 135 | Gaming set x1 | History (INT), persuasion (CHA) |
| Outlander | Any x1 | PHB | 136 | Musical instrument x1 | Athletics (STR), survival (WIS) |
| Phlan Insurgent | None | CoS (AL) | 6 | Artisan's tools x1, vehicles (land) | Stealth (DEX), survival (WIS) |
| Phlan Refugee | Any x1 | EE (AL) | 6 | Artisan's tools x1 | Athletics (STR), insight (WIS) |
| Pirate | None | PHB | 139 | Navigator's tools, vehicles (water) | Athletics (STR), perception (WIS) |
| Rakdos Cultist | |||||
| Sage | Any x2 | PHB | 137 | None | Arcana (INT), history (INT) |
| Sailor | None | PHB | 139 | Navigator's tools, vehicles (water) | Athletics (STR), perception (WIS) |
| Secret Identity | None | RoD (AL) | 9 | Disguise kit, forgery kit | Deception (CHA), stealth (DEX) |
| Selesnya Initiate | |||||
| Shade Fanatic | Netherese | RoD (AL) | 10 | Forgery kit | Deception (CHA), intimidation (CHA) |
| Soldier | None | PHB | 140 | Gaming set x1, vehicles (land) | Athletics (STR), intimidation (CHA) |
| Spy | None | PHB | 129 | Gaming set x1, thieves' tools | Deception (CHA), stealth (DEX) |
| Student Of Magic | |||||
| Stojanow Prisoner | None | CoS (AL) | 8 | Gaming set x1, thieves' tools | Deception (CHA), perception (WIS) |
| Ticklebelly Nomad | Giant | CoS (AL) | 9 | Herbalism kit | Animal handling (WIS), nature (INT) |
| Trade Sheriff | Elvish | RoD (AL) | 11 | Thieves' tools | Investigation (INT), persuasion (CHA) |
| Urban Bounty Hunter | None | SCAG | 153 | Choose 2: gaming set x1,musical instrument x1 , thieves' tools | Choose 2: deception (CHA), insight (WIS), persuasion (CHA), stealth (DEX) |
| Urchin | None | PHB | 141 | Disguise kit, thieves' tools | Sleight of hand (DEX), stealth (DEX) |
| Uthgardt Tribe Member | Any x1 | SCAG | 153 | Choose 1: artisan's tools x1, musical instrument x1 | Athletics (STR), survival (WIS) |
| Vizier | None | PS:A | 10 | Artisan's tools x1, musical instrument x1 | History (INT), religion (INT) |
| Waterdhavian Noble | Any x1 | SCAG | 154 | Choose 1: gaming set x1, musical instrument x1 | History (INT), persuasion (CHA) |
| D&D Gladiator Arena | Any x1 | ||||
| Boros Legionnaire | Choose one of Celestial, Draconic, Goblin, or Minotaur | Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica | 230 | One type of gaming set | Athletics, Intimidation |
Sources (5e backgrounds guide’s) Mentioned In The Above List
Actually, we have given some sources or 5e backgrounds guide’s where you can easily find those backgrounds for dungeons and dragons 5th edition. So let us give an abbreviation on what d&d books have backgrounds.
PHB = Player’s Hand Book
ToA = Tomb Of Annihilation
CoS = Curse Of Strahd
EE = Princes Of The Apocalypse
SCAG = Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
RoD = Out Of The Abyss
PS:A = Plane Shift: Amonkhet
WGE = Wayfinder’s Guide To Eberron
PS:In = Plane Shift: Innistrad
Now we have to know the Features and proficiency’s of the dnd background 5e. So from the below lines we can get to know them.
External Homebrew Backgrounds
We are going to mention all the External 5e Homebrew backgrounds in an alphabetical order, so it will be easier to check for your background wherever it is from the below list.
Backgrounds From A To E
| A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssdweller | Balloon Mage | Cattle Rustler | Dandy | Earthling |
| Adept | Banker | Changeling | Dark Lord | Elysium Knight |
| Adopted | Barmaid | Child of Ares | Demonologist | Employee of Royalty |
| Adventurer | Battlesmith | Chronicler | Denizen | Endless Soul |
| Adventuring Royalty | Beggar | City Guard | Detective | Engineer |
| Afflicted | Bereaved | City Worker | Diplomat | Envoy |
| Air Acrobat | Bodyguard | Clone | Disciple of the Obscure | Eternal One |
| Alchemic Construct | Bounty Hunter | Combat Medic | Disgrace | Evil Cultist |
| Alchemist | Butler | Confederacy of Feuding Houses | Disowned Noble | Ex-Blood Doll |
| Alcoholic | Conscript | Divine | Executioner | |
| Alcoholic Scientist | Construct | Doctor | Exile | |
| Amnesiac | Cook | Dog of the Military | Exiled Ruler | |
| Ancient Cultist | Courtesan | Dragon Trained | Experiment | |
| Ancient One | Crazed Hermit | Drow Breeding Slave | Explorer | |
| Antiquarian | Crusader Nation | Drunken Bum | ||
| Apothecary | Cursed | Duelist | ||
| Arcana Spy | ||||
| Arcane Augmented | ||||
| Arcane Dominion | ||||
| Archaeologist | ||||
| Armed Escort | ||||
| Arranged Marriage | ||||
| Artist | ||||
| Arvoreen Keeper | ||||
| Aspirant | ||||
| Astronaut |
Backgrounds From F To L
| F | G | H | I | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmer | Gladiator | Hellborn | Idol Follower | Librarian |
| Feral Child | Gypsy | Inquirer | Lone Survivor | |
| Firefighter | ||||
| Fourth Wall Breaker |
Backgrounds From M To W
| M | P | R | S | U & W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master Inquisitor | Prospector | Reaver | Salesman | Unknown |
| Mercenary | Psychic | Scavenger | Urban Vigilante | |
| Metal Worker | Seeker Of A Lost Life | Writer | ||
| Monster | Shadow Thieves Guild Member | |||
| Monster Hunter | Slave | |||
| Mystic | Slayer | |||
| Spy | ||||
| Squire | ||||
| Student Of Magic |
Backgrounds From Homebrew Page
If you are searching for the various types of backgrounds from the homebrew page then you can chose all of them from the below mentioned tables From A to Z.
Backgrounds From A TO F
| A | B | C | D | E | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssdweller | Balloon Mage | Cattle Rustler | Dandy | Earthling | Falconer |
| Adept | Banker | Changeling | Dark Lord | Elysium Knight | Fallen Hero |
| Adopted | Barmaid | Child of Ares | Demonologist | Employee of Royalty | Farmer |
| Adventurer | Battlesmith | Chronicler | Denizen | Endless Soul | Feared |
| Adventuring Royalty | Beggar | City Guard | Detective | Engineer | Fearful |
| Afflicted | Bereaved | City Worker | Diplomat | Envoy | Feral Child |
| Air Acrobat | Bodyguard | Clone | Disciple of the Obscure | Eternal One | Fey Child |
| Alchemic Construct | Bounty Hunter | Combat Medic | Disgrace | Evil Cultist | Firefighter |
| Alchemist | Butler | Confederacy of Feuding Houses | Disowned Noble | Ex-Blood Doll | Forgotten |
| Alcoholic | Conscript | Divine | Executioner | Fully Customizable Backgrounds Variant Rule) | |
| Alcoholic Scientist | Construct | Doctor | Exile | ||
| Amnesiac | Cook | Dog of the Military | Exiled Ruler | ||
| Ancient Cultist | Courtesan | Dragon Trained | Experiment | ||
| Ancient One | Crazed Hermit | Drow Breeding Slave | Explorer | ||
| Antiquarian | Crusader Nation | Drunken Bum | |||
| Apothecary | Cursed | Duelist | |||
| Arcana Spy | |||||
| Arcane Augmented | |||||
| Arcane Dominion | |||||
| Archaeologist | |||||
| Armed Escort | |||||
| Arranged Marriage | |||||
| Artist | |||||
| Arvoreen Keeper | |||||
| Aspirant | |||||
| Astronaut |
Backgrounds From G to M
| G | H | I | J | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gambler | Heir of a Fallen Kingdom | Immortal | Janitor | Law Bringer | Mage Hunter |
| Gladiator, Variant | Hellborn | Infected | Jester | Librarian | Maid |
| God Touched | Herald of the Gods | Innkeeper | Lone Survivor | Mailman | |
| Governess | Heretic | Inquirer | Lost Civilization | Marshal | |
| Gravetender | Hitman | Isekai | Lover | Master Inquisitor | |
| Hooded Figure | Islander | Lumberjack | Mercenary | ||
| House Worker | Messenger | ||||
| Hunter | Metal Worker | ||||
| Hunter Stalker | Militant assassin | ||||
| Military Asset | |||||
| Military Pilot | |||||
| Miner | |||||
| Monastic | |||||
| Monastic Traveller | |||||
| Monster | |||||
| Monster Hunter | |||||
| Mute | |||||
| Mystic |
Backgrounds From N to T
| N | O | P | R | S | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Dragon Tamer | Oathbreaker | Planar Traveler | Redeemed Cultist | Salesman | Tailor |
| Noble Guard | Occult Investigator | Plane Walker | Regime of the Dark Overlord | Savage Land | Temple Guardian |
| Nomad | Of the Void | Politician | Revenant | Scavenger | Test Subject |
| Otherworlder, Variant | Princess/Prince | Revolutionist | Scout | The Chosen One | |
| Otherworlder | Prisoner | Rider | Secret | Transformed Monster | |
| Professional Assassin | Rival | Seeker | |||
| Prospector | Roamer | Sentinel | |||
| Psychic | Royal Cavalryman | Serial Killer | |||
| Psycho | Royalty | Sex Worker | |||
| Puppeteer | Runaway | Shadow Bringer | |||
| Shadow Thieves' Guild Member | |||||
| Shipwright | |||||
| Simpleton | |||||
| Slayer | |||||
| Smuggler, Variant | |||||
| Smuggler | |||||
| Soulless | |||||
| Spirit Medium | |||||
| Spy | |||||
| Squire | |||||
| Storyteller | |||||
| Student of Magic | |||||
| Survivor |
Backgrounds From U to Z
| U | V | W | Z |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Vigilante | Vagrant Trouper | Wandering Mercenary | Zealot |
| Vaquero | War Criminal | ||
| Venator | Well Travelled | ||
| Witch Doctor | |||
| Witch Hunter | |||
| Wolf Knight | |||
| Woodcutter | |||
| Wooddweller | |||
| Worshipped One | |||
| Writer |
D&D 5e Backgrounds Chart
Check out the latest backgrounds chart in dungeons and dragons role playing game.
Languages:
Most of the characters will be allowed by some backgrounds to learn some extra languages beyond those which are given by race.
Proficiency’s:
- Each and every dnd Backgrounds will give character proficiency in two skills.
- All the skills are explained in the Player’s Hand Book in Chapter 7
- With one or more tools most of the backgrounds 5e will give a character proficiency this is in an addition
- You can get the tools from the chapter 5 of the players handbook
- He or she have a chance to choose the different proficiency of the same kind (i.e, skill or tool) instead, but it is possible when a character would gain equal proficiency from the two various sources
Suggested Characteristics:
- So what are background characteristics in dnd? Based on your d&d backgrounds, every background contains suggested personnel characteristics
- You have full privacy to select characteristics, roll dice for determining them randomly or also use the suggestions as inspiration for your own creation characteristics
Equipment:
- A package of starting equipment is provided by the each background
- If you use the optional rule from the chapter 5 to spend coins on gear then you don’t have a chance to receive the starting equipment from any of your 5e backgrounds.
Recommended article: you may also like to read haunted one , investigator , background.
How To Create Own Background (Customizing A Background)
With the d&d 5e background generator we can create our own 5e background and customize it as like as we want. So read the below steps to know more about the 5e backstory generator.
- Some times you may want to tweak a background for some of its features then it is better fits your campaign or character setting
- To do customize your background, You can replace one feature with any other one, you can chose any two skills and from the sample backgrounds 5e also you can chose a total of two tool proficiencies or languages.
- According to the chapter 5 description you can either spend coins on gear or you can use the equipment package from your 5e backgrounds which you have
- Finally, you have to select two personality traits, one bond, one ideal and also one flaw. (Note: you can not even take the equipment package suggested for your class, this happens If you spend coins)
- But you have to work with your Dungeon Master (DM) to create one whenever you can’t find a feature which will match your aspiring background. We hope you’ve found a way to how do you create a background in 5e?
You Should Follow Below Aspects While Selecting DnD Backgrounds
Before you’re going to select any of your favorite backgrounds you need to follow the below three aspects and they will help you so much if you follow them while selecting a background.
So the three aspects are 1) theme, 2) mechanics, 3) background features
1. Theme:
- Most of the backgrounds would have an habit of speaking with a specified environment.
- But for an example, either urchin background d&d or else the criminal background d&d 5e will speak with an urban setting naturally.
- Basically, the background dnd 5e outlander have meant clearly to be out in the wilderness.
- Also, some other backgrounds like Acolytes, sages, and guild artisans speak with those cloistered away in the temples, libraries and even the workshops too.
Some of the themes suitable for some most popular backgrounds, so chose those themes for your favorite background according to the below mentioned points.
Academic: Acolyte, Anthropologist, Archaeologist, Sage
Shady Past: Criminal, Charlatan, Pirate, Spy
Martial/Military: Soldier, City Watch, Knight
Situational: Noble, Outlander, Urchin, Far Traveler, Uthgardt Tribe Member
Vocational: Guild Artisan, Entertainer, Sailor
2. Mechanics:
- As we mentioned in the above table, every background has two skills, tool sets and also the specific languages for your character race or class whichever you chose a different one for replacing it.
- All types of races according to you’ve chosen provides set of benefits or a limited choice.
- Only few players know that, the classes do provide a different way to select and receive skills and the tool proficiencies too.
- Any how, the duplicate background proficiencies are the only time, that all types of skills and the tool proficiencies to open up as the options of characters.
3. Background Features:
- Each and every background which we have selected from the backgrounds chart has its personal features.
- Every background feature offer a small in the game benefit.
- It requires the player to interact with NPC’s.
- For an adventure and for the role playing they add much more opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions Of D&D Backgrounds 5E
1) Q: What Are Backgrounds In DND?
A: There are so many backgrounds in DND. If you would like to know more about them, you need to look at the above tables. They divided into two categories such as dnd backgrounds 5e and dnd backgrounds homebrew.
2) Q: What is the best background in dnd?
A: The Acolyte is one of the best backgrounds in dnd.
Conclusion:
In this article we have tried to mention all types of backgrounds dnd 5e, still if you want to get any other 5e backgrounds you can leave a comment in the below comment section and we will provide that background with out any obstacles to get that.
So keep visiting this website it can help you in providing any kind of backgrounds which are important in dungeons and dragons role playing game. We hope it helps for many D&D 5e Backgrounds aspirants.