Chapter 4: Character Origins - Player's Handbook (2024)

Chapter 4: Character Origins. Not even a white dragon's wrath can chill these heroes of the Forgotten Realms: Laeral Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden, and Vajra Safahr This chapter describes the two components of an adventurer's origin: background and species. Together, these elements suggest your character's early experience and family origin before taking up the adventuring life and learning the capabilities of a class (described in chapter 3). Origin Components Each part of your character's origin reflects facets of your character, their life, and the circumstances that started them on the path to adventure. If you choose a background or a species from an older book, see the sidebar "Backgrounds and Species from Older Books" in chapter 2 for how to use them with the options here. Character Backgrounds Your character's background is a collection of characteristics that represent the place and occupation that were most formative before your character embarked on a life of adventure. Each background includes a brief narrative of what your character's past might have been like. Alter the details of this narrative however you like. Parts of a Background A background includes the following parts. Ability Scores A background lists three of your character's ability scores. Increase one by 2 and another one by 1, or increase all three by 1. None of these increases can raise a score above 20. Feat A background gives your character a specified Origin feat (described in chapter 5). Skill Proficiencies A background gives your character proficiency in two specified skills. Tool Proficiency Each background gives a character proficiency with one tool-either a specific tool or one chosen from the Artisan's Tools category. Tools are detailed in chapter 6. Equipment Each background offers a choice between a package of equipment and 50 GP. Character Species When you choose your character's species, you determine whether your character is a human or a member of a fantastical species, s...