backgrounds

D&D 5e 2024 Background Creator Skill

Purpose

Generate complete, publication-ready backgrounds for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (2024 rules), formatted to match the 2024 Player's Handbook style. This skill produces mechanically balanced backgrounds with full narrative context, supplementary content, and compatibility checks against official materials.

When to Use This Skill

• User requests a new D&D 5e background
• User wants to convert a concept/archetype into a playable background
• User needs a background for a specific character concept or setting
• User wants to expand their homebrew content library

Core Principles

1. Mechanical Balance: All backgrounds must be balanced against official 2024 PHB backgrounds
2. Narrative Depth: Rich thematic content that inspires roleplay
3. Setting Agnostic: Usable in any D&D campaign world unless specifically requested otherwise
4. Professional Quality: Publication-ready formatting and prose
5. 2024 Rules Compliance: Strictly follows the updated background structure

Input Parameters

Required

• Background Concept: The core idea, profession, or archetype (e.g., "Monster Hunter", "Exiled Noble", "Street Oracle")

Optional

• Tone & Style: gritty, heroic, dark fantasy, comedic, gothic, high fantasy, urban, cosmic horror, etc. (default: balanced heroic fantasy)
• Custom Feat: Whether to create a new origin feat (true) or reference existing feat (false/specify feat name)
• Setting Notes: Any specific world details to incorporate (otherwise setting-agnostic)
• Mechanical Focus: Combat, exploration, social interaction, or balanced

2024 Background Structure

Every background must include these elements in this exact order:

1. Background Name & Flavor Text

• Evocative 2-3 sentence introduction
• Sets tone and theme

2. Ability Scores

• Choose one: +2 to one ability score and +1 to another, OR +1 to three different ability scores
• Thematically appropriate to the background

3. Feat

• Name one 1st-level Origin feat
• Either reference existing feat or create custom feat
• Custom feats must follow 2024 origin feat design principles

4. Skill Proficiencies

• Choose two skills from a list of 3-4 options
• Skills should reflect background expertise

5. Tool Proficiency

• One tool proficiency appropriate to the background

6. Equipment

• 50 gp value worth of thematic starting equipment
• Include adventuring gear, tools, and possibly a trinket

7. Background Feature

• Unique non-combat benefit or narrative advantage
• Should enable specific roleplay opportunities
• Must not provide mechanical combat bonuses

8. Suggested Characteristics

• 2-3 personality traits options
• 2-3 ideal options
• 2-3 bond options
• 2-3 flaw options

Process

Phase 1: Concept Development (Internal)

1. Analyze the background concept for thematic core
2. Identify key professions, activities, or life experiences
3. Determine appropriate tone (use specified or default to balanced heroic)
4. Research any similar official backgrounds for compatibility
5. Outline narrative hooks and unique angles

Phase 2: Mechanical Design

1. Ability Scores: Determine which abilities best support the background concept
2. Feat Selection/Creation:
   • If using existing feat: Choose most thematically appropriate
   • If creating custom feat: Design balanced 1st-level origin feat following these guidelines:
     • Provides minor mechanical benefit
     • Grants 1-2 skill proficiencies OR tool proficiencies
     • May provide situational advantage or small bonus
     • Should be comparable in power to Lucky, Magic Initiate, Skilled, etc.
3. Skills: Select 3-4 skills that characters with this background would develop, players choose 2
4. Tool: Choose one tool that makes sense for the background's activities
5. Equipment: Assemble thematic 50 gp package

Phase 3: Feature Design

1. Create unique background feature that:
   • Provides narrative/social benefit
   • Does NOT give combat bonuses
   • Enables specific interactions or access
   • Feels rewarding and usable
   • Avoids overlap with existing features

Phase 4: Characteristics Development

1. Write 2-3 options each for personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws
2. Ensure variety (heroic, morally gray, and flawed options)
3. Make them specific and evocative

Phase 5: Compatibility Check

1. Compare against official 2024 backgrounds:
   • Is the power level similar?
   • Does the feature overlap significantly with existing features?
   • Are the skill options balanced?
   • Is the feat appropriately powered?
2. Note any concerns and adjust if needed

Phase 6: Supplementary Content Creation

1. Example NPCs: Create 2-3 brief NPC concepts (1-2 sentences each) who have this background
2. Adventure Hooks: Generate 3-4 adventure seeds tied to this background
3. Midjourney Prompt: Craft a detailed prompt for background-related character art

Output Format

# [Background Name]

[2-3 sentence evocative introduction that captures the essence of the background]

## Ability Scores

Choose one of the following:
- Increase one ability score by 2 and another by 1
- Increase three different ability scores by 1

Suggested increases: [List 2-3 thematically appropriate ability score combinations]

## Feat

You gain the [Feat Name] feat.

[If custom feat, include full feat description in a subsection]:

### [Feat Name] (Origin)

[Feat description following 2024 format with prerequisites if any, benefits, and mechanics]

## Skill Proficiencies

Choose two from: [List 3-4 skills]

## Tool Proficiency

[One specific tool]

## Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your class:
- [Item 1]
- [Item 2]
- [Item 3]
- [Item 4 or trinket]
- [X] gp

## Feature: [Feature Name]

[Full description of the background feature, including mechanical effects and narrative applications. 2-4 sentences.]

## Suggested Characteristics

[Brief paragraph introducing how characters with this background might behave]

**Personality Traits**
1. [Option 1]
2. [Option 2]
3. [Option 3]

**Ideals**
1. [Option 1]
2. [Option 2]
3. [Option 3]

**Bonds**
1. [Option 1]
2. [Option 2]
3. [Option 3]

**Flaws**
1. [Option 1]
2. [Option 2]
3. [Option 3]

---

## Supplementary Content

### Example NPCs
1. **[NPC Name]**: [1-2 sentence description]
2. **[NPC Name]**: [1-2 sentence description]
3. **[NPC Name]**: [1-2 sentence description]

### Adventure Hooks
1. **[Hook Title]**: [2-3 sentence adventure seed]
2. **[Hook Title]**: [2-3 sentence adventure seed]
3. **[Hook Title]**: [2-3 sentence adventure seed]
4. **[Hook Title]**: [2-3 sentence adventure seed]

### Midjourney Prompt

[Detailed Midjourney prompt for character art featuring this background, including composition, mood, visual details, and style references]

---

## Design Notes

**Balance Assessment**: [Brief analysis of power level vs. official backgrounds]

**Similar Backgrounds**: [List any official backgrounds with similar themes and note key differences]

**Recommended Settings**: [Types of campaigns where this background shines]

Quality Control Checklist

Before finalizing output, verify:

• Background follows 2024 structure exactly
• Ability score options are present and thematic
• Feat is appropriate power level for 1st-level origin feat
• Skills list offers 3-4 choices, all thematically relevant
• Tool proficiency makes sense for the background
• Equipment totals approximately 50 gp
• Feature provides narrative benefit without combat bonus
• Feature is unique and doesn't significantly overlap with official features
• Suggested characteristics include variety (heroic, neutral, flawed)
• Each characteristic is specific and evocative
• 3 example NPCs are included
• 4 adventure hooks are included
• Midjourney prompt is detailed and actionable
• Design notes address balance and compatibility
• Prose is clear, professional, and free of errors
• Tone matches specified style

Custom Feat Design Guidelines

When creating a custom origin feat:

Power Level Benchmarks

Compare against these official origin feats:

• Lucky: Reroll 3 times per long rest
• Magic Initiate: 2 cantrips + 1 1st-level spell
• Skilled: 3 skill proficiencies
• Alert: +Initiative and can't be surprised

Design Principles

1. Origin feats should be broadly useful but not overpowered
2. Avoid feats that grant static +X bonuses to all attacks or AC
3. Can grant proficiencies, limited-use abilities, or situational advantages
4. Should enhance a specific playstyle without being mandatory
5. Avoid duplicating existing feat mechanics

Template Structure

### [Feat Name] (Origin)

[1-2 sentence flavor text]

You gain the following benefits:
- [Benefit 1: typically a proficiency or minor passive ability]
- [Benefit 2: typically a limited-use active ability or situational bonus]

Tone & Style Guidelines

Gritty

• Focus on hardship, survival, moral compromise
• Skills: Survival, Insight, Deception
• Features: emphasize scars, debts, or necessities

Heroic

• Focus on noble purpose, service, inspiration
• Skills: Persuasion, History, Religion
• Features: emphasize reputation, honor, or duty

Dark Fantasy

• Focus on corruption, forbidden knowledge, curses
• Skills: Arcana, Religion, Intimidation
• Features: emphasize dangerous powers or dark pacts

Comedic

• Focus on absurdity, mishaps, unexpected advantages
• Skills: Performance, Deception, Sleight of Hand
• Features: emphasize lucky accidents or ridiculous skills

Gothic

• Focus on tragedy, mystery, atmosphere
• Skills: Investigation, Medicine, History
• Features: emphasize connections to the supernatural or tragic past

Urban

• Focus on city life, politics, crime
• Skills: Persuasion, Insight, Stealth
• Features: emphasize connections, information, or street knowledge

Cosmic Horror

• Focus on incomprehensible truths, sanity, dread
• Skills: Arcana, Investigation, Perception
• Features: emphasize forbidden knowledge or disturbing insights

Example Interaction

User: "Create a background for a plague doctor who survived the outbreak they were treating"

Assistant Process:

1. Identify concept: Medical professional, survivor, trauma survivor
2. Determine tone: default to balanced heroic (gritty elements but not grimdark)
3. Choose feat: Create custom "Plague Ward" feat or use "Healer"
4. Skills: Medicine, Insight, Nature, Investigation (choose 2)
5. Tool: Herbalism kit
6. Feature: Recognition by medical communities, access to quarantine areas
7. Equipment: Healer's kit, herbalism kit, plague doctor mask, leather-bound journal
8. Write characteristics emphasizing professional dedication, survivor's guilt, compassion
9. Create NPCs: grizzled veteran doctor, idealistic young healer, charlatan claiming cure
10. Generate hooks: New outbreak, search for patient zero, corrupt official covering up plague
11. Craft Midjourney prompt for character in iconic plague doctor attire
12. Check balance: Similar power to Sage but medical focus instead of scholarly

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Overpowered Features: Features that grant combat bonuses, extra attacks, or better than class features
2. Too Narrow: Backgrounds so specific they only work in one campaign
3. Too Broad: Backgrounds that are just "adventurer" with no distinct identity
4. Overlapping Features: Features that duplicate existing backgrounds
5. Forgotten Equipment: Not including the standard 50 gp equipment package
6. Weak Characteristics: Vague personality traits like "I am brave" instead of specific ones
7. Missing Proficiency Choices: Not giving players choice between 3-4 skills
8. Feat Mismatch: Choosing/creating a feat that doesn't match the background theme

Revision Protocol

If user requests revisions:

1. Identify specific element to change
2. Maintain consistency across all elements
3. Re-run compatibility check if mechanics change
4. Ensure revised version still meets quality standards

Additional Resources

When uncertain about:

• Skill appropriateness: Reference official backgrounds for precedent
• Feat power level: Compare to Lucky, Magic Initiate, Alert, and Skilled
• Feature design: Review all official background features for scope
• Equipment value: Use PHB equipment tables to calculate gp value

Final Notes

• Always maintain professional, publication-ready prose
• Setting-agnostic means avoiding specific deity names, locations, or organizations unless requested
• When in doubt, err on the side of slightly underpowered rather than overpowered
• The Midjourney prompt should capture the visual essence of the background for character portraits
• Adventure hooks should be immediately usable by a DM with minimal prep