This is the third blog post in a series on getting started playing DnD.
In the previous blog posts we talked about the class and race of your character. Hopefully you already have a good idea of the character you would like to play!
Background and backstory are terms that might be easy to confuse. In Dungeons and Dragons, they are related, but not quite the same. They are both a good way to add interesting aspects to your character!
BACKGROUND
You can think of a character's background as the "job" or function they had before going on an adventure. In addition to giving you a little gear, it also gives you a little skill that you can use during social situations. For example, the brave folk hero who saved a village always gets a place to sleep, or the swindling quack has a false identity that she can use to fool the city guards.
With the background you choose you will also find inspiration for the personality of your character. The folk hero hates authority and he judges people not by their words, but by their deeds. The swindler steals from the rich and gives to the poor, but she can't restrain herself when given the chance to swindle someone.
Tip: A full list of backgrounds can be found in the Player's Handbook. You can also find more specific or outrageous backgrounds in expansion books or setting guides if that's what you're looking for!
BACKSTORY
The backstory is the story your character has experienced before the adventure begins at the table. You can make this up yourself! You can make your backstory as elaborate or simple as you like, dark and tragic or heroic and hopeful. Don't be afraid to use ideas from movies, books, series and games that you like. If you need some inspiration, you can look at the list of ideas that come with your background in the Players handbook.
Here are two examples:
The folk hero (Folk Hero) Ernest van Enbar grew up in a small village that was exploited by a robber baron and her gang. No one dared oppose her, until young Ernest challenged the heavily armored knight to a duel on a hot summer day, which she haughtily accepted. During their fight, he caused her armor to become so hot in the sun that she could no longer fight and gave up. The exhausted knight and her gang were chased out of the village and Ernest became known as a folk hero. Now he travels all over the country to help small villages in need against bandits and monsters.
The swindler (Charlatan) Floria van Dresnost grew up in a merchant family in a distant land, which was immensely wealthy until all their ships crashed in a storm. Young Floria began a series of scams to support her family, which led to a spectacular blunder when she tried to swindle the high priest of the largest temple in the city. Fleeing his revenge, Floria now travels the world as an experienced con artist. She occasionally sends packages and letters to her family filled with gold and other treasures that she finds (and steals) in her adventures.
Tip: Always discuss your character's backstory with your dungeon master, then you'll know for sure that it fits into their world. Sometimes dungeon masters like to use your character's backstory as inspiration for their world. Maybe your dungeon master will come up with completely new adventures for the group, continuing the backstories of your own creation!
You can find a full list of all the technical information (such as bonuses and skills you get) for all standard backgrounds in the Player's Handbook.
Rule extensions like Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, or guides to alternative campaign settings like Eberron: Rising from the Last War and Mythic Odesseys of Theros also have other backgrounds if you're looking for something outrageous. Click here for all Dungeons & Dragons books
In addition to everything you need as a group to start, the essentials kit also contains the rules of the game and a brief explanation of how to make your own character.
Are you looking for a nice dice set that suits your character? You can find it here!