DND 5E Backgrounds

5e Backgrounds for Dungeons & Dragons

All PHB DND 5e Backgrounds Official List & Chart

DND aka Dungeons and Dragons is a role-playing game that allows users to bring visions and imagination into real-life characters that have the potential to survive in such a challenging and competitive environment. It is quite evident by the name, that the game is based in a dragon world filled with challenges, secrets, and treasures. We list all the dnd 5e backgrounds, making it easier to locate your background from the list below.

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Name	Source	Languages	Page	Tools	Skills
Acolyte	PHB	Any two	119	None	Insight, Religion
Criminal	PHB	None	121	Gaming set, Thieves	Deception, Stealth
Charlatan	PHB	None	120	Disguise kit, Forgery kit	Deception, Sleight of Hand
Entertainer	PHB	None	122	Musical instrument, Disguise kit	Acrobatics, Performance
Folk Hero	PHB	None	123	Artisan’s tool, vehicles (land)	Animal handling survival
Guild Artisan	PHB	Any One	124	Artisan’s tool	Insight, persuasion
Hermit	PHB	Any One	126	Herbalism Kit	Religion, Medicine
Noble	PHB	Any One	127	Gaming set	History, Persuasion
Outlander	PHB	Any One	128	Musical Instrument	Athletics, Survival
Sage	PHB	Any Two	129	Navigator’s tools, vehicles	Arcana, History
Sailor	PHB	None	131	Navigator’s tools, vehicles (water)	Athletics, Perception
Soldier	PHB	None	132	Gaming set, vehicles (land)	Athletics, Intimidation
Urchin	PHB	None	133	Disguise kit, Thieves’ tools	Sleight of Hand, Stealth
City Watch	SCAG	Any Two	145	None	Athletics, Insight
Clan Crafter	SCAG	Any One	145	Artisan’s Tools	History, Insight
Cloistered Scholar	SCAG	Any Two	146	None	History, Choose 1: Arcana, Nature, Religion
Faction Agent	SCAG	Any Two	147	None	Insight, Special (Choice)
Far Traveler	SCAG	Any One	148	Musical Instrument x10, Gaming Set x1	Insight, Perception
Inheritor	SCAG	None	150	Musical Instrument x1, Gaming Set x1	Survival, Choose 1: Arcana, History, Religion
Investigator	SCAG	Any Two	145	None	Insight, Investigation
Knight of the order	SCAG	Any One	151	Gaming set x1, Musical Instrument x1	Persuasion, Special (choice)
Mercenary Veteran	SCAG	Any One	152	Gaming Set x1, Ground Vehicle	Athletics, Persuasion
Urban Bounty Hunter	SCAG	None	153	Choose 1: Gaming Set x1, Musical Instrument x1, Thieves Tools	Choose 2: Deception, Insight, Persuasion, Stealth
Uthgardt Tribe Member	SCAG	Any One	153	Choose 1: Artisan’s Tools, Musical Instrument x1	Athletics, Survival
Waterdhavian Noble	SCAG	Any One	154	Choose 1: Gaming Set x1, Musical Instrument x1	History, Persuasion

Showing 1 to 25 of 43 entries

External Homebrew Backgrounds

We list all the external 5e homebrew backgrounds in alphabetical order, making it easier to locate your background from the list below.

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	Urban Vigilante
Mercenary	Psychic		Scavenger	Writer
Metal Worker			Seeker Of A Lost Life
Monster			Shadow Thieves Guild Member
Monster Hunter			Slave
Mystic			Slayer
			Spy
			Squire
			Student Of Magic

What are 5E Backgrounds in DND?

In simple words, the DND 5e background is your character’s history and experiences. Later in the article, we discussed certain elements that are required in character-making and one of the important ones being race, class, and equipment.

D&D Backgrounds are a set of skills and expertise that come with the character’s top 3’s (race, class, equipment). It helps evaluate what a character is professional at. For example, a character with a background of a criminal is most likely to be a spy with confidential information about popular profiles, have a secretive personality, and be an expert in carrying heists with tools used for theft. Your background provides you with language/tools, proficiencies, and features.

Sample DND 5e Backgrounds

In the below provided d&d 5e backgrounds list, which is officially mentioned in the player’s handbook. There are thirteen backgrounds. If you want more backgrounds than you can check above list.

All thirteen sample dnd 5th edition backgrounds, which are also mention in player hand book (phb). — 13 Sample DnD Backgrounds

Who is the Dungeon Master?

There’s always a master of the game or a judge and thus, DM aka Dungeon Master fulfills the responsibility of being one. The dungeon master is in charge of managing the characters and making sure that players are following the rules of the game. They narrate the story and assign levels to the players based on their difficulty. Players are obliged to follow their instructions without a second thought.

Character-Making in DND

Creating characters is an integral part of this game on which the whole game stands. Players are supposed to create characters according to their likings and preferences. There are so many customization options available to produce a strong character with reliable abilities and strengths. Character-making sounds fun but yet the players have to be very smart with it since your whole game depends on your character.

How to create a Character?

To answer the question of “how to create a character” is quite simple. Visualize a character that reflects your characteristics or whatever you imagine when you hear the word “hero”. Once you’re done with the difficult part, now moving on to the creative part. Choose the race, class, and background of your character. Next, select weapons, personality traits, and abilities. At last, write a short description and give a name to your character.

Customizing your own Background

This might sound fake, but it’s true. Players can create a background of their own. Creating your own background from scratch can be a fun experience and can help players explore the unseen side of DND which requires creativity and innovation.

Here are a few steps to creating your own background:

Come up with a concept: This is an important step and probably the time-consuming one. Brainstorm which kind of character you want to create. If you have a keen interest in fantasy or action-based characters, then this might be the easiest step for you. Have a visualized idea of your character and follow the next options wisely that reflect their background and personality traits.

Choose tools/skills: Ask yourself what kind of tools would suit your character on the basis of their background and upbringing. It would be completely pointless to give your character a gaming set if they grew up in a forest. Having know-how of herbalism and survival hacks would go perfectly with their background.

Select any 2 languages: Think of 2 languages that your character must have learned growing up or their training, this can depend on their race and culture.

Give them a feature: Give your character a unique feature. The feature should reflect their past experiences and how they helped shaped their personality since a feature symbolizes expertise in a specific area.

Backstory: At last, give your character a nice backstory. Talk about what really inspired you to create a character like them. Highlight their skills, background, talents, and other expertise. Keep it short but effective and engaging.

a red color of dragon flying in Dungeons & Dragons. — Dungeons and Dragons 5e backgrounds

Final Words

At last, we would highly encourage everyone to explore the 5e backgrounds in DND to get a clearer picture of the game. You will understand more clearly once you experience it with your own hands. We’ve tried to incorporate all the backgrounds so you guys don’t miss out on anything.

Frequently Asked Questions Of D&D 5E Backgrounds

Can I customize my characters?

Players can create characters with different backgrounds, skills, and tools. Check out the steps required for creating new characters.

Is there the best background in DND?

Although each and every background is unique in its own way, if we compare all of them, then Acolyte and the entertainer have to be the star of the show.

Can I change the character’s background that I customized?

It depends on the DM, but you must have a solid reason for bringing out such a massive change since it’s the core part of your character.

Is it possible to have a character with multiple backgrounds?

No, but with DM’s permission it is possible. Convincing him is like winning at life.