All Backgrounds grant the following benefits, in addition to their individual features.

Ability Score Improvement. You gain 3 points to add to your Ability Scores. You cannot add more than 2 points to a single Ability Score.

Culture. You gain a Culture of your choice.

Origin Feat. You gain an Origin Feat of your choice.

Optional Flaw. You gain a Flaw of your choice (optional). A Flaw allows you to gain another General feat, or an Ability Score Improvement feat.

Top Up. You gain an additional choice of a skill or tool proficiency, or a language of your choice.

Backgrounds

Acolyte

You dedicated your youth to religious study in a shrine, monastery, or cloister. There, you copied scriptures, tended holy spaces, and learned sacred rites. Your days were measured in prayer and service, and your nights filled with meditation. From those years, you carry with you both quiet discipline and enduring faith.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Religion, and your choice between Arcana and History.

Equipment. A holy symbol, a prayer book, a set of common robes, and 8 sp.

Advantage. Your faith and service lend weight to your words. You have advantage when making Insight or Persuasion checks to interact with clergy or devout followers.

Adventurer

You could never abide staying in one place for long. With a blade in your hand or a map in your pack, you set out seeking wonder and danger. You learned to survive on the road, to bargain for supplies, and to trust your instincts in the face of peril. For you, the world’s greatest teacher was the journey itself.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice from the options: Insight, Nature, Perception, Survival.

Equipment. A Bedroll, a Map, Clothes (Common), and 15 sp.

Advantage. You’ve seen danger from every direction. You have advantage on checks to recall tales of distant places or to gauge the risks of travel and exploration.

Artisan

You grew up amid sawdust, forge smoke, or the scent of clay. From the moment you could hold a tool, you practised your craft. You learned patience from shaping raw materials and pride from finishing what you began. No matter where you travel, your hands still itch to create.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Artisan's Tool of your choice, and proficiency in either Investigation, Persuasion, or Sleight of Hand.

Equipment. A set of artisan’s tools of your choice, a token of your craft, Clothes (Common), and 25 sp.

Advantage. Your practised hands notice flaws and craftwork others miss. You have advantage on Investigation checks involving crafted items or tools.

Charlatan

You survived by finding marks who wanted to be fooled. Whether forging signatures, selling snake oil, or spinning tall tales, you learned how to flash a smile that makes others believe. Lies became your trade, and with them you purchased both coin and freedom—at least until the truth caught up.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Deception, Sleight of Hand, and Forgery Kits.

Equipment. A forgery kit, a set of fine clothes, a lucky charm, and 10 sp.

Advantage. You can read people as easily as cards. You have advantage on Deception checks when fabricating a convincing lie on the spot, or selling an item for an overpriced amount.

Courtier

You spent your life in the gilded halls of power, where whispers carried more weight than steel. You learned when to bow, when to flatter, and when to listen. Whether as a noble’s servant or a scholar of protocol, you know the language of influence, and how easily words can shape a kingdom.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Persuasion, and in one of the following skills: Deception, Insight, Perception.

Equipment. Clothes (Fine), a fine ring, and 100 sp.

Advantage. You know the currents of power. You have advantage on Persuasion checks when dealing with nobility or officials in matters of etiquette or politics.

Criminal

You chose, or were forced, to make a living on the wrong side of the law. Burglary, smuggling, extortion, or worse, your skills kept you alive in a world that punishes failure. You learned to watch your back, to spot danger in every shadow, and to take your chances when fortune came calling.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Deception and Stealth, and with Thieves' Tools.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), a Crowbar, a set of Thieves' Tools and 10sp.

Advantage. Your instincts are sharpened by a life in the shadows. You have advantage on Charisma skill checks when interacting with criminals.

Dreamer

Your mind was always half in another world, visiting the Aether during lucid dreams. You spoke of visions and wonders others could not see, and you wandered chasing possibilities that seemed impossible. Some called you idle, others cursed you mad, but your dreams sharpened your imagination and gave you glimpses of the magical world.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Arcana. If you were already proficient, you gain expertise instead.

Languages. You can speak Aetherian, and another magical language of your choice.

Equipment. Clothes, Common and 5 sp.

Advantage. Your imagination and dreams allow you to understand the occult. You have advantage on checks to interact with spirits, including Celestial, Fey, Fiend or Shadowkind spirits and magical creatures

Entertainer

You lived for applause and the thrill of performance. Whether you played, danced, or juggled, you honed your craft before a crowd. You learned to read an audience’s mood and to turn every jeer into a laugh. The stage became your home, and the spotlight your companion.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Disguise Kits, one musical instrument, Performance, and in one of the following skills: Athletics, Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand.

Equipment. Clothes (Costume), Disguise Kit, a musical instrument of your choice.

Advantage. You thrive in the spotlight. You have advantage on Performance checks when playing before a crowd or trying to draw attention to yourself.

Farmer

Your hands were calloused from the plow, your skin weathered by sun and rain. You measured life by seasons, harvests, and livestock. Through hardship you learned endurance, and through plenty you learned gratitude. Even far from home, you carry the smell of tilled earth in your memory.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Animal Handling, and in one of the following skills: Athletics, Nature, Perception, Survival.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), a sickle, and 20 sp.

Advantage. You have advantage on Athletics checks involving endurance, and all saving throws to resist harsh weather.

Gambler

You learned the art of chance in smoky taverns and backroom dens. Cards, dice, and wagers were your teachers, and you trusted luck as much as skill. Sometimes you walked away rich, and other times you fled in debt. Yet you always returned to the table, chasing fortune once more.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in one Gaming Set of your choice, and in a skill of your choice: Deception, Insight, Sleight of Hand.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), a gaming set of your choice, and 4d10 sp.

Gambler Tendencies. Once per long rest, you may gain advantage on a single ability check or saving throw. When you do this, you have disadvantage on the next check or saving throw you make.

Guard

You kept the peace in crowded streets or silent halls. Whether you watched the gates, escorted nobles, or patrolled the alleys, your task was vigilance. You learned to judge intent from a glance, to hold steady under pressure, and to endure long hours of waiting for trouble that always came.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Intimidation, and one skills of your choice from the options: Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Survival.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), a Spear, a Hooded Lantern and 5 sp.

Advantage. You have advantage on Perception or Survival checks to spot dangers while keeping watch.

Guide

You spent your life leading others through lands unknown to them but familiar to you. You read the stars, tracked beasts, and found fresh water where none seemed near. Travellers entrusted their safety to you, and you learned how to keep both your charges and yourself alive when nature turned cruel.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Survival, and in one of the following skills: Athletics, Animal Handling, Nature.

Equipment. Quarterstaff, Clothes (Common), a Map, and 15 sp.

Advantage. You have advantage on checks to recall safe routes between locations, terrain features, or natural hazards.

Haunted One

You witnessed horrors that others could scarcely imagine. You are haunted by something so terrible that you dare not speak of it. You’ve tried to bury it and run away from it, to no avail. Whatever this thing is that haunts you can’t be slain with a sword or banished with a spell. It might come to you as a shadow on the wall, a bloodcurdling nightmare, a memory that refuses to die, or a devil's whisper in the dark. The burden has taken its toll, isolating you from most people and making you question your sanity. You must find a way to overcome it before it destroys you.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Intimidation, and another skill of your choice from: Arcana, Investigation, Religion, or Survival.

Equipment. Dagger, Clothes (Common), and 25 sp.

Advantage. You have advantage on checks to recognise signs of supernatural influence or when trying to unsettle others by your presence.

Hermit

You withdrew from society to live in seclusion, whether in a forest hut, a mountain cave, or a forgotten ruin. Solitude taught you patience, and silence gave you clarity. You learned to depend on yourself, and in your isolation, you uncovered truths that few others know.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following options: Animal Handling, Arcana, Investigation, Religion, Survival.

Equipment. Quarterstaff, Dagger, Clothes (Common), and 5 sp.

Advantage. You have advantage on checks to recall any information about the biome you lived as a hermit in.

Hunter

You learned to track prey across wild places, bow or spear in hand. You studied the habits of beasts and the silence of the woods. Whether for food, trade, or survival, you became skilled at striking unseen and claiming what the land provided. The hunt became both your craft and your creed.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with Spears and Shortbows, and in one skill from the following options: Investigation, Nature, Perception, Survival.

Equipment. A Shortbow, 20 arrows, a Spear, Clothes (Common), and 5 sp.

Advantage. You have advantage on checks to recall tales of distant places or to resist perils of travel events.

Investigator

You trained yourself to notice what others missed. Whether following footsteps in the mud, piecing together a crime, or questioning suspects, you learned how to draw meaning from scattered clues. You became as comfortable in shadowed alleys as in cluttered libraries, always in search of truth.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Investigation. If you were already proficient, you gain expertise instead.

Equipment. Magnifying Glass, Clothes (Common), and 15 sp.

Advantage. You see what others overlook. You have advantage on Investigation checks when searching a scene for hidden details or clues.

Labourer

Your youth was spent on hard work for little pay, though you saved as much as you could. You hauled, dug, built, or carried until your body knew toil better than rest. Though your masters may have been cruel or kind, sweat was your constant companion. Strength and endurance, are the legacy of your years.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Athletics, and in one of the following skills: Animal Handling, Nature.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), 50 sp.

Advantage. Your body remembers toil. You have advantage on Athletics checks to perform raw physical labor, such as breaking, hauling, or digging.

Mage

You studied the arcane arts wherever you could find them: an academy, a master’s tutelage, or stolen tomes. You practised until your hands trembled with energy and your thoughts burned with symbols and words of power. Magic marked you forever, its secrets at the edge of your mind.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency with Arcana and History. If you were already proficient in Arcana, you gain expertise.

Equipment. Clothes (Robes), a book, and 15 sp.

Advantage. Your studies make the arcane familiar. You have advantage on Arcana checks to identify magical symbols, rituals, or effects.

Mage Hunter

You were trained to fight those who wield the arcane. Through bitter experience or harsh tutelage, you learned to spot spellcasters and disrupt their tricks. You hardened yourself against magic’s sway, and you carry scars—physical or otherwise—from the battles you survived against those who conjure fire from nothing.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Arcana and Insight.

Equipment. Clothes (Robes), Longsword, 35 sp.

Advantage. You are attuned to magical foes. You have advantage on all skill checks to recognise the presence or behaviour of spellcasters.

Mercenary

You sold your sword to whoever could afford it. You fought in petty skirmishes, guarded caravans, and stood in ranks under banners that meant little to you. The pay was never steady, but the work was constant. In time, you learned to fight with discipline, but also to look after yourself first.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Athletics, and in either Intimidation or Persuasion.

Equipment. Clothes, Common, Longsword, Hide Armor, 15 sp.

Advantage. You’ve fought for coin in every circumstance. You have advantage on Intimidation checks when intimidating less experienced individuals.

Merchant

You grew up among wares and coin, haggling in markets or counting ledgers by candlelight. You learned the value of goods, the tricks of barter, and the importance of trust—real or feigned. Though your stock might change, your trade has always been in persuasion and profit.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in either Persuasion or Investigation, and in an Artisan tool of your choice.

Languages. You learn an additional imperial or foreign language.

Equipment. Clothes (Fine), 80 sp.

Advantage. You speak the language of trade. You have advantage on Persuasion checks during haggling or financial negotiations.

Outcast

You lived on the edge of society, unwanted or unwelcome. Cast out for who you were or what you had done, you survived through wit, stubbornness, or sheer will. You learned to live without comfort, and in solitude you found your own kind of strength.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following: Athletics, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Survival.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), Dagger, 10 sp.

Advantage. You know what it is to live outside society. You have advantage on Ability checks when foraging or to travel hidden.

Prostitute

You sold companionship for coin, learning quickly how to charm, soothe, or deceive. Some sought your touch, others your ear, and still others your secrets. Behind every smile lay calculation, and behind every night’s work, survival. In your trade, you became a master of masks.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Persuasion, one musical instrument, and in either Insight or Performance.

Equipment. Clothes (Costume), a musical instrument, 15 sp.

Advantage. You read desire with ease. You have advantage on Insight checks to sense another’s intentions in intimate or social settings.

Sailor

You lived by the tides, calling the deck of a ship your home. You learned to knot ropes, climb rigging, and read the weather’s moods. The sea made you hardy, and storms taught you respect. To this day, your heart stirs when you smell salt on the wind.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Athletics, Perception, and Navigator's Tools.

Equipment. Clothes, Common, Navigator's Tools, 10sp.

Advantage. You’ve mastered the sea’s moods. You have advantage on skill checks made for not getting lost at sea, or swimming in rough water.

Scholar

You spent years in study, buried in parchment and ink. Whether history, philosophy, or the sciences, you devoted yourself to the pursuit of knowledge. You learned patience, precision, and the thrill of discovery. Books became both your tools and your refuge.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice from the following: Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine or Nature.

Languages. You learn two languages of your choice.

Equipment. Clothes, Common, Book, Ink, Ink Pen.

Advantage. You retain what others forget. You have advantage on checks when recalling ancient lore or recorded events.

Scion

You were born into privilege, your family’s name opening doors others could only dream of. You learned how to carry yourself with poise, how to command attention, and how to navigate expectation. Wealth and reputation may have shielded you, but they also set the stage for your destiny.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in History and Persuasion.

Languages. You learn one non-magical language of your choice.

Equipment. Clothes (Fine), Silver Ring, Shortsword, 100sp.

Advantage. Your bearing commands respect. You have advantage on checks to gain entrance to upper class establishments.

Scribe

You worked with pen and parchment, copying contracts, letters, or holy texts. Long hours at the desk sharpened your focus and steadied your hand. You became trusted with words, both recording and interpreting them, and learned how to preserve knowledge against the wear of time.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Investigation, History, and with either Calligrapher's Supplies or Forgery Kits.

Equipment. Clothes, Common, Ink Pen, Ink, and 40 sp.

Advantage. You know the weight of words. You have advantage on Investigation checks to analyse documents, contracts, or handwriting.

Soldier

You drilled, marched, and fought under orders not your own. Your life was forged in discipline, forged in the heat of battle, and scarred by comrades lost. You learned to fight as part of a unit, to obey commands, and to face death without flinching.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), one weapon of your choice, and 20 sp.

Advantage. You understand discipline in chaos. You have advantage on Charisma checks when dealing with soldiers or military folk.

Squire

You served beneath a knight, cleaning armor, tending horses, and watching battles from behind a shield. In time, you learned the blade’s weight and the code of honor. You lived in your master’s shadow, hoping one day to step into your own.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in two skills from the options: Athletics, Animal Handling, History, Persuasion.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), Book, and 25 sp.

Advantage. You learned from watching knights at war. You have advantage on checks to identify heraldry, noble lineages, or knightly customs.

Urchin

You grew up on the streets, begging, stealing, or fighting to survive. With no family but those who shared your hunger, you learned to read danger at a glance and to vanish when trouble came. Every coin was precious, every scrap of food a prize.

Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in Stealth and Sleight of Hand.

Equipment. Clothes (Common), and 30 sp.

Advantage. The streets taught you to vanish. You have advantage on Stealth checks when moving through crowded urban areas.