Backgrounds

Background	Abilities	Feat	Skills	What it is
Acolyte	INT, WIS, CHA	Magic Initiate	Insight, Religion	You served a temple and its priests, studied religion and learned to channel a little divine power.
Agent of the Ninth Quill	DEX, INT, CHA	Arcane Infiltrator	Arcana, Sleight of Hand	Arcane theft and sabotage with the Ninth Quill sharpened your magical tradecraft.
Artisan	STR, DEX, INT	Crafter	Investigation, Persuasion	You learned a craft in a master's workshop, along with the patience and salesmanship to sell your work.
Bejeweled Conclave Spy	DEX, WIS, CHA	Arcane Eloquence	Deception, Perception	You learned to uncover secrets beneath a polished social facade among the Bejeweled Conclave.
Charlatan	DEX, CON, CHA	Skilled	Deception, Sleight of Hand	You worked cons in taverns and markets, selling forged papers, fake cures and false hopes.
Chondathan Freebooter	STR, DEX, WIS	Skilled	Athletics, Sleight of Hand	You left compulsory service in Chondath for a life aboard ships of the Vilhon Reach.
Cosmic Dawn Experiment	STR, DEX, CON	Transmuted Anatomy	Athletics, Survival	Transmutation experiments altered your body and taught you to make use of its unfamiliar strengths.
Covenant of the Grave Recruit	STR, INT, WIS	Arcane Undertaker	History, Medicine	The Covenant of the Grave trained you to study death through history, medicine, and necromancy.
Criminal	DEX, CON, INT	Alert	Sleight of Hand, Stealth	You scraped by in back alleys picking pockets and burgling shops, alone or with a small gang.
Crucible Storm Chaser	STR, CON, INT	Arcane Overload	Athletics, Nature	You pursued dangerous natural and magical phenomena with the Crucible Keepers.
Dead Magic Dweller	STR, CON, WIS	Healer	Medicine, Survival	Life in the magicless reaches of Anauroch taught you practical medicine and desert survival.
Dragon Cultist	DEX, CON, INT	Cult of the Dragon Initiate	Deception, Stealth	A secretive cell of dragon worshipers trained you to conceal your work and advance the cult.
Emerald Enclave Caretaker	CON, INT, WIS	Emerald Enclave Fledgling	Nature, Survival	You learned to tend the wilderness and support the people who defend its balance.
Entertainer	STR, DEX, CHA	Musician	Acrobatics, Performance	You grew up on the road with performers, earning coin through music, tumbling and showmanship.
Familiar Trainer	CON, INT, WIS	Familiar Friend	Animal Handling, Arcana	A bond with a magical familiar taught you to approach adventures together.
Farmer	STR, CON, WIS	Tough	Animal Handling, Nature	You grew up working fields and tending animals, which left you hardy, patient and close to nature.
Flaming Fist Mercenary	STR, CON, CHA	Tough	Intimidation, Perception	Service with the Flaming Fist hardened you for dangerous streets and mercenary work.
Genie Touched	DEX, WIS, CHA	Magic Initiate	Perception, Persuasion	An encounter with a genie left you with a talent for magic and persuasion.
Guard	STR, INT, WIS	Alert	Athletics, Perception	You kept watch on a wall or gate, trained to spot trouble and to stay alert through long nights.
Guide	DEX, CON, WIS	Magic Initiate	Stealth, Survival	You led travelers through the wilds, moving quietly, living off the land and picking up some druid magic.
Harper	DEX, INT, CHA	Harper Agent	Performance, Sleight of Hand	The Harpers taught you to gather information, work undercover, and oppose tyranny.
Haunted One	CON, WIS, CHA	Survivor	Arcana, Survival	Something terrible happened to you, once or many times over, and no blade or spell has ever lifted its weight. You carry on anyway.
Hermit	CON, WIS, CHA	Healer	Medicine, Religion	You lived in seclusion, tending to the sick and pondering the mysteries of existence.
Horizon Weaver Initiate	DEX, CON, WIS	Portal Jumper	Acrobatics, Survival	Your travels led to the Horizon Weavers and lessons in crossing magical distances.
Ice Fisher	STR, DEX, CON	Alert	Animal Handling, Athletics	Fishing the frozen lakes of Icewind Dale honed your patience, strength, and alertness.
Investigator	INT, WIS, CHA	Sharp Eye	Insight, Investigation	You can't leave a mystery alone. Petty crime or eldritch plot, you dig until what others hide comes to light.
Knight of the Gauntlet	STR, INT, WIS	Tyro of the Gauntlet	Athletics, Medicine	You joined the Order of the Gauntlet to protect others through courage, fellowship, and force of arms.
Lords’ Alliance Vassal	STR, INT, CHA	Lords’ Alliance Agent	Insight, Persuasion	You serve a lord of the Alliance, trained to defend their interests through negotiation and battle.
Merchant	CON, INT, CHA	Lucky	Animal Handling, Persuasion	You apprenticed with a trader or caravan master, learning to haggle, handle pack animals and read charts.
Mist Wanderer	DEX, CON, WIS	Mist Walker	Survival, Stealth	The Mists took you from home and have carried you between the Domains of Dread ever since; you look for the way back among fellow wanderers.
Moonwell Pilgrim	CON, WIS, CHA	Magic Initiate	Nature, Performance	Journeys among the Moonshae moonwells taught you songs, painting, and a little primal magic.
Mulhorandi Tomb Raider	DEX, CON, INT	Lucky	Investigation, Religion	You search the tombs and lost cities of Mulhorand for relics of its ancient peoples.
Mythalkeeper	INT, WIS, CHA	Crafter	Arcana, History	You study damaged mythals and search ruined places for ways to understand and restore them.
Noble	STR, INT, CHA	Skilled	History, Persuasion	You were raised in wealth and privilege, schooled in history, etiquette and how to command others.
Phantasmic Circus Trouper	DEX, CON, CHA	Arcane Artist	Deception, Performance	Circus life honed your showmanship, misdirection, and illusion magic.
Purple Dragon Squire	STR, WIS, CHA	Purple Dragon Rook	Animal Handling, Insight	You serve a Purple Dragon Knight while learning the discipline and duties of Cormyr’s protectors.
Rashemi Wanderer	STR, CON, CHA	Tough	Intimidation, Perception	Years in the dangerous highlands of Rashemen taught you endurance and caution around strangers.
Sage	CON, INT, WIS	Magic Initiate	Arcana, History	You traded odd jobs for time in libraries, studying the lore of the multiverse and the basics of magic.
Sailor	STR, DEX, WIS	Tavern Brawler	Acrobatics, Perception	You crewed ships at sea, braving storms, hauling rigging and brawling in rough harbor taverns.
Scribe	DEX, INT, WIS	Skilled	Investigation, Perception	You copied texts and kept records in a scriptorium or office, training a careful eye for detail.
Seer Apprentice	INT, WIS, CHA	Arcane Omens	History, Insight	The Seers of Sea and Sky taught you to read omens and offer practical guidance.
Shadowmasters Exile	DEX, INT, CHA	Savage Attacker	Acrobatics, Stealth	Expelled from Thesk’s Shadowmasters, you now put their training in stealth and violence to your own uses.
Soldier	STR, DEX, CON	Savage Attacker	Athletics, Intimidation	You trained for war from adulthood, and battle drills are still second nature to you.
Spellfire Initiate	CON, INT, CHA	Spellfire Spark	Arcana, Perception	You have trained to endure and direct the rare spellfire power awakening within you.
Spirit Medium	CON, INT, WIS	Gathered Whispers	Insight, Religion	Rituals and strange meetings taught you that the dead speak through you; their insight is real, and so is the price.
Ward of the Sheltering Hands	CON, WIS, CHA	Arcane Safeguard	Insight, Medicine	The Sheltering Hands helped you recover from hardship and taught you to protect others.
Wayfarer	DEX, WIS, CHA	Lucky	Insight, Stealth	You grew up poor on the streets, surviving on your wits, your luck and a few stolen tools.
Zhentarim Mercenary	STR, DEX, CHA	Zhentarim Ruffian	Intimidation, Perception	You learned cunning and mercenary discipline in the ambitious, treacherous ranks of the Zhentarim.