In the previous blog posts we've talked about the class and race of your character. Hopefully you already have a good idea of the character you'd like to play!
Background and backstory are terms that might be easy to confuse with each other. In Dungeons and Dragons they're related, but they're not quite the same thing. Still, they're both a great way to add interesting aspects to your character!
Dungeons and Dragons background
The background of a Dungeons and Dragons character can be seen as the "job" or role they had before they set out on an adventure. Besides getting a little bit of equipment from it, it also gives you small skills you can use during social situations. So the brave folk hero who saved a village always gets a place to sleep, or the swindling charlatan has a false identity they can use to trick the city guards.
With the background you choose, you'll also find inspiration for your character's personality. The folk hero hates authority and judges people not by their words, but by their actions. The charlatan steals from the rich and gives to the poor, but she can't help herself when she gets the chance to con someone.
Tip: You can find a complete list of backgrounds in the Player's Handbook. You can also find more specific or outlandish backgrounds in expansion books or setting guides if that's what you're looking for!
Backstory
The backstory is the story your Dungeons and Dragons character has experienced before the adventure at the table begins. You get to make this up yourself! You can make your background story as detailed or simple as you want, dark and tragic or heroic and hopeful. Above all, don't be afraid to use ideas from movies, books, series and games that you think are cool. If you need some inspiration, you can check out the list of ideas you'll find with your background.
Here are two examples:
The folk hero (Folk Hero) Ernest van Enbar grew up in a small village that was exploited by a robber knight and her gang. No one dared to stand up to her, until young Ernest challenged the heavily armored knight to a duel on a hot summer day, which she arrogantly accepted. During their fight, he made sure her armor got so scorching hot in the sun that she couldn't fight anymore and gave up. The exhausted knight and her gang were driven out of the village and Ernest became known as a folk hero. Now he travels the entire country to help small villages in need against bandits and monsters.
The charlatan (Charlatan) Floria van Dresnost grew up in a merchant family in a distant land who were enormously wealthy until all their ships were wrecked in a storm. Young Floria started a series of scams to support her family, which led to a spectacular blunder when she tried to con the high priest of the city's largest temple. Floria fled from his vengeance and now travels the world as an experienced con artist. She occasionally sends packages and letters to her family filled with gold and other treasures she finds (and steals) in her adventures.
You can find a complete list of all technical information (like bonuses and skills you get) for all standard backgrounds in the Player's Handbook.
In expansions to the rules or guides for alternative campaign settings you can also find other backgrounds if you're looking for something outlandish. Click here for all Dungeons and Dragons books
In the essentials kit you'll find everything you need as a group to get started, plus the rules and a short explanation of how to create your own character.
Looking for a nice dice set that matches your character? You'll find it here!
