Background List
list: API endpoint for returning a list of backgrounds.
retrieve: API endpoint for returning a particular background.
GET /v2/backgrounds/?format=api&ordering=-name&page=2
{ "count": 58, "next": null, "previous": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/?format=api&ordering=-name", "results": [ { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/tdcs_crime-syndicate-member/?format=api", "key": "tdcs_crime-syndicate-member", "benefits": [ { "name": "A Favor In Turn", "desc": "You have gained enough clout within the syndicate that you can call in a favor from your contacts, should you be close enough to a center of syndicate activity. A request for a favor can be no longer than 20 words, and is passed up the chain to an undisclosed syndicate boss for approval. This favor can take a shape up to the DM’s discretion depending on the request, with varying speeds of fulfillment: If muscle is requested, an NPC syndicate minion can temporarily aid the party. If money is needed, a small loan can be provided. If you’ve been imprisoned, they can look into breaking you free, or paying off the jailer.\r\nThe turn comes when a favor is asked to be repaid. The favor debt can be called in without warning, and many times with intended immediacy. Perhaps the player is called to commit a specific burglary without the option to decline. Maybe they must press a dignitary for a specific secret at an upcoming ball. The syndicate could even request a hit on an NPC, no questions asked or answered. The DM is to provide a debt call proportionate to the favor fulfilled. If a favor is not repaid within a reasonable period of time, membership to the crime syndicate can be revoked, and if the debt is large enough, the player may become the next hit contract to make the rounds.", "type": "feature" }, { "name": "Equipment", "desc": "A set of dark common clothes including a hood, a set of tools to match your choice of tool proficiency, and a belt pouch containing 10g.", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Languages", "desc": "Thieves’ Cant", "type": "language" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "Deception, plus your choice of one between Sleight of Hand or Stealth.", "type": "skill_proficiency" }, { "name": "Suggested Characteristics", "desc": "Use the tables for the Criminal background in the PHB as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a member of a crime syndicate. Your bond is likely associated with your fellow syndicate members or the individual who introduced you to the organization. Your ideal probably involves establishing your importance and indispensability within the syndicate. You joined to improve your livelihood and sense of purpose.", "type": "suggested_characteristics" }, { "name": "Tool Proficiencies", "desc": "Your choice of one from Thieves’ Tools, Forgery Kit, or Disguise Kit.", "type": "tool_proficiency" } ], "document": { "name": "Tal'dorei Campaign Setting", "key": "tdcs", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "Tal'dorei Campaign Setting", "publisher": { "name": "Green Ronin Publishing", "key": "green-ronin", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/green-ronin/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "5th Edition 2014", "key": "5e-2014", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/5e-2014/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_Role%3A_Tal'Dorei_Campaign_Setting" }, "name": "Crime Syndicate Member", "desc": "Whether you grew up in slum-run streets bamboozling foolish gamblers out of their fortune, or spent your youth pilfering loose coin from the pockets of less-attentive travelers, your lifestyle of deceiving-to-survive eventually drew the attention of an organized and dangerous crime syndicate. Offering protection, a modicum of kinship, and a number of useful resources to further develop your craft as a criminal, you agree to receive the syndicate’s brand and join their ranks.\r\nYou might have been working the syndicate’s lower ranks, wandering the alleys as a simple cutpurse to fill the meager coffers with wayward gold until the opportunity arose to climb the professional ladder. Or you may have become a clever actor and liar whose skill in blending in with all facets of society has made you an indispensable agent of information gathering. Perhaps your technique with a blade and swiftness of action led you to become a feared hitman for a syndicate boss, sending you on the occasional contract to snuff the life of some unfortunate soul who crossed them. Regardless, while the threat of the law is ever looming, the advantages to having a foot in such a powerful cartel can greatly outweigh the paranoia." }, { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/toh_court-servant/?format=api", "key": "toh_court-servant", "benefits": [ { "name": "Equipment", "desc": "A set of artisan's tools of your choice, a unique piece of jewelry, a set of fine clothes, a handcrafted pipe, and a belt pouch containing 20 gp", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Languages", "desc": "One of your choice", "type": "language" }, { "name": "Servant's Invisibility", "desc": "The art of excellent service requires a balance struck between being always available and yet unobtrusive, and you've mastered it. If you don't perform a visible action, speak or be spoken to, or otherwise have attention drawn to you for at least 1 minute, creatures nearby have trouble remembering you are even in the room. Until you speak, perform a visible action, or have someone draw attention to you, creatures must succeed on a Wisdom (Perception) check (DC equal to 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus) to notice you. Otherwise, they conduct themselves as though you aren't present until either attention is drawn to you or one of their actions would take them into or within 5 feet of the space you occupy.", "type": "feature" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "History, Insight", "type": "skill_proficiency" }, { "name": "Suggested Characteristics", "desc": "Court servants tend to be outwardly quiet and soft-spoken, but their insight into the nuances of conversation and societal happenings is unparalleled. When in crowds or around strangers, most court servants keep to themselves, quietly observing their surroundings and later sharing such observations with those they trust.\r\n\r\n| d8 | Personality Trait |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 | Unless I must speak, I hold my breath while serving others. |\r\n| 2 | It takes all my effort not to show the effusive emotions I feel when I help others. Best to quietly serve. |\r\n| 3 | It's getting harder to tolerate the prejudices of those I serve daily. |\r\n| 4 | Though the old ways are hard to give up, I want to be my own boss. I'll decide my path. |\r\n| 5 | Serving my family and friends is the only thing I truly care about. |\r\n| 6 | City life is killing my soul. I long for the old courtly ways. |\r\n| 7 | It's time for my fellows to wake up and be taken advantage of no longer. |\r\n| 8 | It's the small things that make it all worthwhile. I try to be present in every moment. |\r\n\r\n| d6 | Ideal |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 | Family. My family, whether the one I come from or the one I make, is the thing in this world most worth protecting. (Any) |\r\n| 2 | Service. I am most rewarded when I know I have performed a valuable service for another. (Good) |\r\n| 3 | Sloth. What's the point of helping anyone now that I've been discarded? (Chaotic) |\r\n| 4 | Compassion. I can't resist helping anyone in need. (Good) |\r\n| 5 | Tradition. Life under my master's rule was best, and things should be kept as close to their ideals as possible. (Lawful) |\r\n| 6 | Joy. The pursuit of happiness is the only thing worth serving anymore. (Neutral) |\r\n\r\n| d6 | Bond |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 | My family needs me to provide for them. They mean everything to me, which means I'll do whatever it takes. |\r\n| 2 | My kin have served this holding and its lords and ladies for generations. I serve them faithfully to make my lineage proud. |\r\n| 3 | I can't read the inscriptions on this odd ring, but it's all I have left of my family and our history of loyal service. |\r\n| 4 | I'm with the best friends a person can ask for, so why do I feel so lonesome and homesick? |\r\n| 5 | I've found a profession where my skills are put to good use, and I won't let anyone bring me down. |\r\n| 6 | I found peace in a special garden filled with beautiful life, but I only have this flower to remind me. Someday I'll remember where to find that garden. |\r\n\r\n| d6 | Flaw |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 |\r\n| 2 | I'm afraid of taking risks that might be good for me. |\r\n| 3 | I believe my master's people are superior to all others, and I'm not afraid to share that truth. |\r\n| 4 | I always do as I'm told, even though sometimes I don't think I should. |\r\n| 5 | I know what's best for everyone, and they'd all be better off if they'd follow my advice. |\r\n| 6 | I can't stand seeing ugly or depressing things. I'd much rather think happy thoughts. |", "type": "suggested_characteristics" }, { "name": "Tool Proficiencies", "desc": "One artisan's tools set of your choice", "type": "tool_proficiency" } ], "document": { "name": "Tome of Heroes", "key": "toh", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "Tome of Heroes", "publisher": { "name": "Kobold Press", "key": "kobold-press", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/kobold-press/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "5th Edition 2014", "key": "5e-2014", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/5e-2014/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://koboldpress.com/kpstore/product/tome-of-heroes-for-5th-edition/" }, "name": "Court Servant", "desc": "Even though you are independent now, you were once a servant to a merchant, noble, regent, or other person of high station. You are an expert in complex social dynamics and knowledgeable in the history and customs of courtly life. Work with your GM to determine whom you served and why you are no longer a servant: did your master or masters retire and no longer require servants, did you resign from the service of a harsh master, did the court you served fall to a neighboring empire, or did something else happen?" }, { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/open5e_con-artist/?format=api", "key": "open5e_con-artist", "benefits": [ { "name": "Cover Story", "desc": "You have created a secondary persona that includes documents, mannerisms, a social presence and acquaintances. This also includes an alternate set of clothing and accessories as well as any elements needed for the disguise such as a wig or false teeth. Additionally, you can duplicate or fake documents-including official documents or personal correspondence-as long as you have seen a similar document and have an appropriate handwriting sample.", "type": "feature" }, { "name": "Equipment", "desc": "A set of fine clothes, a disguise kit, tools for your typical con (such as bottles full of colored water, a set of weighted dice, a deck of marked or filed cards, or a seal from an imaginary-or real-noble), and a pouch containing 15gp", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "Deception, Sleight of Hand", "type": "skill_proficiency" }, { "name": "Suggested Characteristics", "desc": "Coming soon!", "type": "suggested_characteristics" }, { "name": "Tool Proficiencies", "desc": "Two of your choice", "type": "tool_proficiency" } ], "document": { "name": "Open5e Originals", "key": "open5e", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "Open5e Originals", "publisher": { "name": "Open5e", "key": "open5e", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/open5e/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "5th Edition 2014", "key": "5e-2014", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/5e-2014/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://open5e.com/" }, "name": "Con Artist", "desc": "You have always had a knack for getting people to see your point of view, often to their own detriment. You know how people think, what they want, and how to best use that to your advantage.\n\nPeople should know better than to trust you when you offer exactly what they need for exactly as much money as they have, but for the desperate caution is a resource in short supply. Your mysterious bottles, unlikely rumors, and secret maps offer to deliver the salvation they need. When they realize they've been had, you're nowhere to be found." }, { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/a5e-ag_charlatan/?format=api", "key": "a5e-ag_charlatan", "benefits": [ { "name": "Ability Score Increases", "desc": "+1 to Charisma and one other ability score.", "type": "ability_score" }, { "name": "Adventures and Advancement", "desc": "If you pull off a long-standing impersonation or false identity with exceptional success, you may eventually legally become that person. If you’re impersonating a real person, they might be considered the impostor. You gain any property and servants associated with your identity.", "type": "adventures_and_advancement" }, { "name": "Connection and Memento", "desc": "Roll 1d10, choose, or make up your own.\r\n\r\n#### Charlatan Connections\r\n\r\n|d10|Connection|\r\n|---|---|\r\n|1|A relentless pursuer: an inspector who you once made a fool of.|\r\n|2|A relentless pursuer: a mark you once cheated.|\r\n|3|A relentless pursuer: a former partner just out of jail who blames you for everything.|\r\n|4|A former partner now gone straight who couldn't possibly be coaxed out of retirement.|\r\n|5|A respected priest or tavernkeeper who tips you off about rich potential marks.|\r\n|6|The elusive former partner who ratted you out and sent you to jail.|\r\n|7|A famous noble or politician who through sheer luck happens to bear a striking resemblance to you.|\r\n|8|The crook who taught you everything and just can't stay out of trouble.|\r\n|9|A gullible noble who knows you by one of your former aliases, and who always seems to pop up at inconvenient times.|\r\n|10|A prominent noble who knows you only under your assumed name and who trusts you as their spiritual advisor, tutor, long-lost relative, or the like.|\r\n\r\n#### Charlatan Mementos\r\n\r\n|d10|Memento|\r\n|---|---|\r\n|1|A die that always comes up 6.|\r\n|2|A dozen brightly-colored \"potions\".|\r\n|3|A magical staff that emits a harmless shower of sparks when vigorously thumped.|\r\n|4|A set of fine clothes suitable for nobility.|\r\n|5|A genuine document allowing its holder one free release from prison for a non-capital crime.|\r\n|6|A genuine deed to a valuable property that is, unfortunately, quite haunted.|\r\n|7|An ornate harlequin mask.|\r\n|8|Counterfeit gold coins or costume jewelry apparently worth 100 gold (DC 15 Investigation check to notice they're fake).|\r\n|9|A sword that appears more magical than it really is (its blade is enchanted with continual flame and it is a mundane weapon).|\r\n|10|A nonmagical crystal ball.|", "type": "connection_and_memento" }, { "name": "Many Identities", "desc": "You have a bundle of forged papers of all kinds—property deeds, identification papers, love letters, arrest warrants, and letters of recommendation—all requiring only a few signatures and flourishes to meet the current need. When you encounter a new document or letter, you can add a forged and modified copy to your bundle. If your bundle is lost, you can recreate it with a forgery kit and a day’s work.", "type": "feature" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "Deception, and either Culture, Insight, or Sleight of Hand.", "type": "skill_proficiency" }, { "name": "Suggested Equipment", "desc": "Common clothes, disguise kit, forgery kit.", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Tool Proficiencies", "desc": "Disguise kit, forgery kit.", "type": "tool_proficiency" } ], "document": { "name": "Adventurer's Guide", "key": "a5e-ag", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "Adventurer's Guide", "publisher": { "name": "EN Publishing", "key": "en-publishing", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/en-publishing/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "Advanced 5th Edition", "key": "a5e", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/a5e/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://a5esrd.com/a5esrd" }, "name": "Charlatan", "desc": "" }, { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/a5e-ag_artisan/?format=api", "key": "a5e-ag_artisan", "benefits": [ { "name": "Ability Score Increases", "desc": "+1 to Intelligence and one other ability score.", "type": "ability_score" }, { "name": "Adventures And Advancement", "desc": "If you participate in the creation of a magic item (a “master work”), you will gain the services of up to 8 commoner apprentices with the appropriate tool proficiency.", "type": "adventures_and_advancement" }, { "name": "Connection and Memento", "desc": "Roll 1d10, choose, or make up your own.\r\n\r\n#### Artisan Connections\r\n\r\n|d10|Connection|\r\n|---|---|\r\n|1|The cruel master who worked you nearly to death and now does the same to other apprentices.|\r\n|2|The kind master who taught you the trade.|\r\n|3|The powerful figure who refused to pay for your finest work.|\r\n|4|The jealous rival who made a fortune after stealing your secret technique.|\r\n|5|The corrupt rival who framed and imprisoned your mentor.|\r\n|6|The bandit leader who destroyed your mentor's shop and livelihood.|\r\n|7|The crime boss who bankrupted your mentor.|\r\n|8|The shady alchemist who always needs dangerous ingredients to advance the state of your art.|\r\n|9|Your apprentice who went missing.|\r\n|10|The patron who supports your work.|\r\n\r\n### Artisan Mementos\r\n\r\n|d10|Memento|\r\n|---|---|\r\n|1|*Jeweler:* A 10,000 gold commission for a ruby ring (now all you need is a ruby worth 5,000 gold).|\r\n|2|*Smith:* Your blacksmith's hammer (treat as a light hammer).|\r\n|3|*Cook:* A well-seasoned skillet (treat as a mace).|\r\n|4|*Alchemist:* A formula with exotic ingredients that will produce...something.|\r\n|5|*Leatherworker:* An exotic monster hide which could be turned into striking-looking leather armor.|\r\n|6|*Mason:* Your trusty sledgehammer (treat as a warhammer).|\r\n|7|*Potter:* Your secret technique for vivid colors which is sure to disrupt Big Pottery.|\r\n|8|*Weaver:* A set of fine clothes (your own work).|\r\n|9|*Woodcarver:* A longbow, shortbow, or crossbow (your own work).|\r\n|10|*Calligrapher:* Strange notes you copied from a rambling manifesto. Do they mean something?|", "type": "connection_and_memento" }, { "name": "Equipment", "desc": "One set of artisan's tools, traveler's clothes.", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "Persuasion, and either Insight or History.", "type": "skill_proficiency" }, { "name": "Tool Proficiencies", "desc": "One type of artisan’s tools or smith’s tools.", "type": "tool_proficiency" }, { "name": "Trade Mark", "desc": "When in a city or town, you have access to a fully-stocked workshop with everything you need to ply your trade. Furthermore, you can expect to earn full price when you sell items you have crafted (though there is no guarantee of a buyer).", "type": "feature" } ], "document": { "name": "Adventurer's Guide", "key": "a5e-ag", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "Adventurer's Guide", "publisher": { "name": "EN Publishing", "key": "en-publishing", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/en-publishing/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "Advanced 5th Edition", "key": "a5e", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/a5e/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://a5esrd.com/a5esrd" }, "name": "Artisan", "desc": "" }, { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/srd-2024_acolyte/?format=api", "key": "srd-2024_acolyte", "benefits": [ { "name": "Ability Scores", "desc": "Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma", "type": "ability_score" }, { "name": "Equipment", "desc": "*Choose A or B:* (A) Calligrapher's Supplies, Book (prayers), Holy Symbol, Parchment (10 sheets), Robe, 8 GP; or (B) 50 GP", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Feat", "desc": "Magic Initiate (Cleric)", "type": "feat" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "Insight and Religion", "type": "skill_proficiency" }, { "name": "Tool Proficiency", "desc": "Calligrapher's Supplies", "type": "tool_proficiency" } ], "document": { "name": "System Reference Document 5.2", "key": "srd-2024", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "5e 2024 Rules", "publisher": { "name": "Wizards of the Coast", "key": "wizards-of-the-coast", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/wizards-of-the-coast/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "5th Edition 2024", "key": "5e-2024", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/5e-2024/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document" }, "name": "Acolyte", "desc": "" }, { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/srd_acolyte/?format=api", "key": "srd_acolyte", "benefits": [ { "name": "Equipment", "desc": "A holy symbol (a gift to you when you entered the priesthood), a prayer book or prayer wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Languages", "desc": "Two of your choice", "type": "language" }, { "name": "Shelter of the Faithful", "desc": "As an acolyte, you command the respect of those who share your faith, and you can perform the religious ceremonies of your deity. You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free healing and care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any material components needed for spells. Those who share your religion will support you (but only you) at a modest lifestyle.\r\n\r\nYou might also have ties to a specific temple dedicated to your chosen deity or pantheon, and you have a residence there. This could be the temple where you used to serve, if you remain on good terms with it, or a temple where you have found a new home. While near your temple, you can call upon the priests for assistance, provided the assistance you ask for is not hazardous and you remain in good standing with your temple.", "type": "feature" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "Insight, Religion", "type": "skill_proficiency" }, { "name": "Suggested Characteristics", "desc": "Acolytes are shaped by their experience in temples or other religious communities. Their study of the history and tenets of their faith and their relationships to temples, shrines, or hierarchies affect their mannerisms and ideals. Their flaws might be some hidden hypocrisy or heretical idea, or an ideal or bond taken to an extreme.\r\n\r\n| d8 | Personality Trait |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 | I idolize a particular hero of my faith, and constantly refer to that person's deeds and example. |\r\n| 2 | I can find common ground between the fiercest enemies, empathizing with them and always working toward peace. |\r\n| 3 | I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to speak to us, we just need to listen |\r\n| 4 | Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude. |\r\n| 5 | I quote (or misquote) sacred texts and proverbs in almost every situation. |\r\n| 6 | I am tolerant (or intolerant) of other faiths and respect (or condemn) the worship of other gods. |\r\n| 7 | I've enjoyed fine food, drink, and high society among my temple's elite. Rough living grates on me. |\r\n| 8 | I've spent so long in the temple that I have little practical experience dealing with people in the outside world. |\r\n\r\n| d6 | Ideal |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 | Tradition. The ancient traditions of worship and sacrifice must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful) |\r\n| 2 | Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) |\r\n| 3 | Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic) |\r\n| 4 | Power. I hope to one day rise to the top of my faith's religious hierarchy. (Lawful) |\r\n| 5 | Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions. I have faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful) |\r\n| 6 | Aspiration. I seek to prove myself worthy of my god's favor by matching my actions against his or her teachings. (Any) |\r\n\r\n| d6 | Bond |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 | I would die to recover an ancient relic of my faith that was lost long ago. |\r\n| 2 | I will someday get revenge on the corrupt temple hierarchy who branded me a heretic. |\r\n| 3 | I owe my life to the priest who took me in when my parents died. |\r\n| 4 | Everything I do is for the common people. |\r\n| 5 | I will do anything to protect the temple where I served. |\r\n| 6 | I seek to preserve a sacred text that my enemies consider heretical and seek to destroy. |\r\n\r\n| d6 | Flaw |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| 1 | I judge others harshly, and myself even more severely. |\r\n| 2 | I put too much trust in those who wield power within my temple's hierarchy. |\r\n| 3 | My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my god. |\r\n| 4 | I am inflexible in my thinking. |\r\n| 5 | I am suspicious of strangers and expect the worst of them. |\r\n| 6 | Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed with it to the detriment of everything else in my life. |", "type": "suggested_characteristics" } ], "document": { "name": "System Reference Document 5.1", "key": "srd-2014", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "5e 2014 Rules", "publisher": { "name": "Wizards of the Coast", "key": "wizards-of-the-coast", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/wizards-of-the-coast/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "5th Edition 2014", "key": "5e-2014", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/5e-2014/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document" }, "name": "Acolyte", "desc": "You have spent your life in the service of a temple to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power.\r\n\r\nChoose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasi-divine being from among those listed in \"Fantasy-Historical Pantheons\" or those specified by your GM, and work with your GM to detail the nature of your religious service. Were you a lesser functionary in a temple, raised from childhood to assist the priests in the sacred rites? Or were you a high priest who suddenly experienced a call to serve your god in a different way? Perhaps you were the leader of a small cult outside of any established temple structure, or even an occult group that served a fiendish master that you now deny." }, { "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/backgrounds/a5e-ag_acolyte/?format=api", "key": "a5e-ag_acolyte", "benefits": [ { "name": "Ability Score Increases", "desc": "+1 to Wisdom and one other ability score.", "type": "ability_score" }, { "name": "Adventures and Advancement", "desc": "In small settlements without other resources, your authority may extend to such matters as settling disputes and punishing criminals. You might also be expected to deal with local outbreaks of supernatural dangers such as fiendish possessions, cults, and the unquiet dead. \r\nIf you solve several problems brought to you by members of your faith, you may be promoted (or reinstated) within the hierarchy of your order. You gain the free service of up to 4 acolytes, and direct access to your order’s leaders.", "type": "adventures_and_advancement" }, { "name": "Connection and Memento", "desc": "Roll 1d10, choose, or make up your own.\r\n\r\n#### Acolyte Connections\r\n\r\n|d10|Connection|\r\n|---|---|\r\n|1|A beloved high priest or priestess awaiting your return to the temple once you resolve your crisis of faith.|\r\n|2|A former priest—exposed by you as a heretic—who swore revenge before fleeing.|\r\n|3|The wandering herald who rescued you as an orphan and sponsored your entry into your temple.|\r\n|4|The inquisitor who rooted out your heresy (or framed you) and had you banished from your temple.|\r\n|5|The fugitive charlatan or cult leader whom you once revered as a holy person.|\r\n|6|Your scandalous friend, a fellow acolyte who fled the temple in search of worldly pleasures.|\r\n|7|The high priest who discredited your temple and punished the others of your order.|\r\n|8|The wandering adventurer whose tales of glory enticed you from your temple.|\r\n|9|The leader of your order, a former adventurer who sends you on quests to battle your god's enemies.|\r\n|10|The former leader of your order who inexplicably retired to a life of isolation and penance.|\r\n\r\n### Acolyte Memento\r\n\r\n|d10|Memento|\r\n|---|---|\r\n|1|The timeworn holy symbol bequeathed to you by your beloved mentor on their deathbed.|\r\n|2|A precious holy relic secretly passed on to you in a moment of great danger.|\r\n|3|A prayer book which contains strange and sinister deviations from the accepted liturgy.|\r\n|4|A half-complete book of prophecies which seems to hint at danger for your faith—if only the other half could be found!|\r\n|5|A gift from a mentor: a book of complex theology which you don't yet understand.|\r\n|6|Your only possession when you entered the temple as a child: a signet ring bearing a coat of arms.|\r\n|7|A strange candle which never burns down.|\r\n|8|The true name of a devil that you glimpsed while tidying up papers for a sinister visitor.|\r\n|9|A weapon (which seems to exhibit no magical properties) given to you with great solemnity by your mentor.|\r\n|10|A much-thumbed and heavily underlined prayer book given to you by the fellow acolyte you admire most.|", "type": "connection_and_memento" }, { "name": "Equipment", "desc": "Holy symbol (amulet or reliquary), common clothes, robe, and a prayer book, prayer wheel, or prayer beads.", "type": "equipment" }, { "name": "Languages", "desc": "One of your choice.", "type": "language" }, { "name": "Skill Proficiencies", "desc": "Religion, and either Insight or Persuasion.", "type": "skill_proficiency" } ], "document": { "name": "Adventurer's Guide", "key": "a5e-ag", "type": "SOURCE", "display_name": "Adventurer's Guide", "publisher": { "name": "EN Publishing", "key": "en-publishing", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/publishers/en-publishing/?format=api" }, "gamesystem": { "name": "Advanced 5th Edition", "key": "a5e", "url": "https://api.open5e.com/v2/gamesystems/a5e/?format=api" }, "permalink": "https://a5esrd.com/a5esrd" }, "name": "Acolyte", "desc": "" } ] }