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We were missing a member of our D&D group and the rest of us decided to do a one shot. I arrived first at my DM's house and this is how it wen't down. DM: What level are you planning to make this character? Me: Lv 12 Half Elf Knowledge Cleric. DM: Sweet. What's his background/backstory Me: I see my character to be a librarian, someone willing to hunt down books that his city library doesn't have. DM: Cool! Seems like a sage background is perfect for this guy. Me: Sweet! I'm down. DM rolls up some random magic equipment and my character ended up with a helm of teleportation, and we both agreed this is perfect for my character. So if little Susie wanted a pop up book of the creation of the planes and the local library doesn't have it, my character can teleport to a major city, like Waterdeep, buy the book and teleport back. Let's just say that "one shot" started to become an epic adventure where our party had to track down a book of knowledge that was located in the Feywilds.

My best background so far was "Orks killed and ate my sheep. As a shepherd without sheep, I had nothing productive to go, so I try to be a hero. I always dreamed of being someone special. My lord allowed it as he had no use for me."

I swear, l live for the intro cuts to this show.

A background that gives you Athletics and Perfomance? Sounds like the Harlem Globetrotters to me.

I love how the backgrounds both encompass the "I was a priest till I was a cleric" aspect, but also still enable you to mix and match. Wizard-Charlatan that used his magic as a card shark and con artist to pay back the thieves guild that paid for him to learn. Druid-Sailor who's primary job was to ward off and pacify any leviathans or other aquatic beast that would attack the ship, and "speak" to the winds to find the best heading to their destination. ect. It's simple enough that new players can go their Entertainer-Bard, or Criminal-Thief, while still maintaining the flexibility to accommodate just about anything.

I got to talk to Jim on Twitter the other day, and he was super nice.

I love how you mentioned that the aspect of backgrounds that allow for player input on the campaign, because its completely true and there are FAR too many dungeon masters that DONT allow player input on the world. "My monk is a member of a militant, seclusionist, psionic nation that eshues both arcane and divine magic. He acts as a "spy", integrating and observing the other nations and reporting back that information back so that even though his nation has no current intent on expanding, they still remain informed on the goings on in the world. He is trained in stealth, and perception so that he may watch, while remaining unseen." says the player. "Yeah, no. You're not a spy. Theres no psionic nation. Monks can't be spys, try again." says the DM "My sorcerer is a member of a merchants guild, she travels across the land collecting items from ruins and raiders and sells them to townsfolk and smiths and other traders as she goes town to town and-" the player says. "Nope. There's no merchants guild, thatd be stupid, why would merchants need a guild? Why would a magic user be in a merchants guild? Nope. Try sage." Says the DM "My rogue is a folk hero and he-" the player tries to say. "A rogue? A folk HERO? Absolutely not, rogues CANT be good. You're lawful evil, youre a criminal. Stop trying to POWER GAME and RUIN my campaign." cries the DM. These DMs are annoying at best, and destructive at worst. They can quickly kill a person's desire to play they game if a player is new and expecting to be able to play the character that the game says they can play. This is especially heinous in a homebrew campaign, where the world has few things truly set in stone, the setting is as malleable as your imagination and to completely shut down a player's idea because YOU didn't think of it yourself is not only a dick move, but its painfully limiting. I COULD umderstand it if it were say, Ebberon where its basically the D&D version of Shadowrun in that EVERYTHING has a game mechanic associated with it and a building and a person who has likely done that thing because its so focused on its own setting that there's little wiggle room unless you as the DM care to create all the information needed to mesh in with its systems. But even still, I wouldn't like it. The idea that the DM is the god of the campaign and has complete and uncontestable right to tell the player what they can and cannot do is far too prevalent. The DM is an architect, who builds a place for the story of the party to unfold. Not an overbearing parent who tells you what you can and cannot do.

The intro alone deserves a like

I remember when I let a player synthesize the Craft and Diplomacy skills in 3rd edition. He made some pamphlets to incite an angry mob of villagers to attack the orcs in a nearby ruined fort.

The honorable acid thrower is a pretty good character concept. Also its probably one of the best ways for the characters to get challenged to an impromptu dual, a la shindig (a really good firefly episode.) Your PC's expect a dual with a pompus noble to be with swords or pistols and they show up to acid at 20 paces.

I love flaws. Wizard in my campaign has flaw that he hates when simple people are "stupid" or superstitious about magic and weird stuff happening around. He always steps out and suddenly enraged says "It doesn't fucking work that way!". Always hillarious moments started by this :D.

I don't play d&d or anything but I came across these videos and I think they are elaborate enough in just the story telling aspects of characters and monsters that they could surely write a good book. The gaming aspects are almost just a bonus to fans.

I usually create characters with a background in mind. Such as my Elf monk Lomuril, who was an escaped slave. Her former master made her make toys all day. She wears the chains that once bound her around her hands as a weapon. She was also made to be happy and cheerful all the time. So when she speaks, no matter what she says, it's with a smile and cheerfully.

I once had a Lizardfolk who had rolled a 3 for his Intelligence, and had that flaw from the outlander background where his solution to everything was violence. Because he was too dumb to speak or understand laws, this resulted in him biting the face off a random guard because they wouldn't let him enter a room. Most fun I think I've had with a Murder-Hobo.

As a pharmacy tech of 10 years and sometimes feeling like it is a dead end profession, I appreciate the fact that you, Pruit, are a long time pharmacy tech. Keep making great content.

I played a Warforged whose ideal was to solve things peacefully, but his flaw is to solve all his problems with violence

I had a character once who I really enjoyed playing just because of his backstory- he was an elven shipwright Wizard who spent literally decades building these giant freaking ships by hand for like, rich artisans and stuff, which ended up being REALLY useful once we started sailing around everywhere (and I got a couple of useful spells), because he was basically the guy who patched up/kept the ship in working order AND was the party's main source of long range damage on other ships -which, by the way, if you haven't had a wizard turn galleon into a giant flaming wreck with a single fireball to their gunpowder barrels, you have to try it, it's HILARIOUS watching the DM struggle to figure out a way to keep that encounter going.

The backgrounds are honestly something I'm glad are included. Figuring out what I want to make for a character is always hard, and the backgrounds always help - and the tables in Xanathar sound pretty good for coming up with an idea! I can always use more ways to generate character ideas, ahah.

What is best in life? Seeing Jim as Conan in the thumbnail.

Custom Backgrounds being a CORE rule, not something the DM needs to approve, is amazing and people forget that way too often.

This talk of post PAX recovery gives me a fun idea for a campaign. The Hangover style scenario. “We lost Dougrath!”

I've played a musician who made a deal with the Devil at the Crossroads for The Blues (Entertainer Fiend Warlock). Everyone kept assuming I was a bard. A showboat Gladiator who would put his life at risk if there was an audience. An Urchin Paladin who was basically Todd McFarlane's Spawn. My next character I'm planning is an Elven Courtesan(Butler) Monk. Due to a flub on the wording an Elf Life-debt goes generational until the line ends finally after 6 human generations. Basically Kato from The Green Hornet.

I love watching you guys. Whenever I begin to get distracted you draw me in with a funny joke and rarely does a video draw me in for the full 30 or so minutes without having it in the background. You're so passionate I bet I'd even enjoy almost anything you two discuss with such vigor.

I completely forgot backgrounds existed for my first couple 5e campaigns, and only recently realized that they gave mechanical benefits. Thanks for clarifying a few things guys!

I don;t want to bring attention to it but Mr Jims beard is going wizard on us.

Those pink glasses though, fabulous!

Six Minute Post-Episode?! I didn't realize January also had a Christmas!! :D Keep up the great work my fellow nerds, and may one day shall our paths cross.

The revelation at the end of this video is what every DM everywhere has at one point. This is what Matt Colville's DM videos are all about. Showing that, while Chris Perkins, Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, Matt Mercer, and Jim Davis are amazing DMs, they are all just people. That we all can be just as amazing.

Acid in each other's faces at 20 paces, lol!

Jim Davis I would be honored to get you to sign my players hand book

Half-way through and I'm inspired to run a mini-campaign in which the PC's start at "Level 0". That is, they have their racial features, backgrounds, and that's it. All start as teenagers in the same town. Very much an RP-focused mystery solving adventure.

“They didn’t want to fight in the rain” ...you guys are the best

I created my first three characters and all their backgrounds completely on my own and ahead of the game, and I loved them. But I created my latest character by rolling for every aspect of him, and the creative challenge of playing a character I would have never made myself and developing his backstory as we played was SO fun! It ended up being my favorite campaign. Plus, my character ended up becoming a legend within the world by the end, which was cool.

Man, I really dig when Pruitt gets all street! “Along comes Biffy the dude you did a nickel for.” It made me laugh so hard! Keep up the great work guys! That includes you too “Trav”!

No guys, thank you for your videos for your inspiration, and your ideas. You make dming seem easy for new players to no longer be afraid so they jump into that DM's chair and help create beautiful worlds with their players. You guys deserve the success you have gotten.

Loved the discussion on backgrounds. I don't often change the proficiencies gained from backgrounds but one of the characters I recently created replaced the instrument for an alchemist kit from the entertainer background. He grew up with his parents in a traveling troupe/circus and he was taught to use the alchemist kit to create colored smoke and fire (sort of like medieval pyrotechnics).

I'm a new DM with new players, and they did a lot of work for me in world building. Two of them had a city and nobility that they come from, and the other (a halfling) established a level of dislike and distrust of halfbreed races just from their backgrounds. It was infinitely helpful to give me some plot hooks.

So glad y'all had fun. And I want to add my thanks, I've been watching your videos just for fun, but now I'm fully motivated to try my hand at being a DM. Look forward to even more of your videos, keep up the great work!

glad you two talked about Backgrounds & Backstories

My noble, brass dragon bloodline sorcerer who has proficiency with spears approves of this video. He went to school for wizards but only attended the practical classes coz he was the only one that didn't need to study. To assist the DM I created the academy and the nearby township... It was fun.

I personally love using background to add a little nuance to my characters' classes! I have a (currently unplayed) tabaxi trickster domain cleric with an outlander background. I really wanted her to be a wandering force of chaos who sleeps in trees and has no regard for societal norms. If i had given her a charlatan background, the character and what "trickster domain" meant in /her/ case would be completely different! And I just think that's cool.

The beautiful reminder of the fighter who made wooden ducks. A nice example from the past.

Was just thinking of backgrounds for my kensei, looked at haunted one to give him some inner turmoil or make him tiefling to the same effect. Always love when a see a video pop up in my feed.

I let players choose whatever they want for background options, within reason. If your tool of choice is the orb of annihilation, we need to talk. Otherwise, it's all good. Create cool shit like organizations, npcs and whatever, and we'll make it fit and work in fun and interesting ways. I suggest filling out the mechanical aspects asap, but you can develop the fluff naturally over time. Also, thumbs up for Eberron and Fallout!

I loved seeing you guys in the AI signing at PAX South!! I was already enthralled with meeting Chris Perkins, but running into you guys was a wish spell come true. Thanks for all you do, guys! Keep that 'psychic link' going strong!

Backgrounds are one of my favorite parts about character creation. They're so flexible, and they're great for inspiration. I've had some pretty fun characters simply because of backgrounds (and interesting rolls). I love the idea of a MacGyver-esque alchemist background, I may have to play that at some point. Perhaps a kooky old arcane trickster rogue or alchemist/artificer wizard.

Something I've been meaning to comment on this video, the d20 products WotC made during 3e (Modern, Past, etc.) had what was essentiaply backgrounds. It was invented for d20 Modern so they called it Occupations, but it gave free skills, a feat, and/or a wealth bonus. It's nice to see they really developed this idea after 3e (I never played 4e).

I had a character who had Performance and Athletics through his background. He was a Dwarven Bard with the Soldier Background who played his bagpipes to inspire and encourage his fellow dwarves in combat whilst casting spells like Earth Tremor and Thunderwave against his foes

It was really cool seeing you two at PAX SOUTH this year! Thanks again for all you do. It's helped me so much with my campaign.

Congrats on 80 thousand subscribers guys your numbers just keep climbing hell yeah

I love showing these videos to my new players! Thanks for the great content chaps!

I can't believe I missed you guys! You were even in my hometown!

w8, this Alchemist that you created is an Apothecary!

You guys!!! Awesome, seriously! love it! Very very happy that you guys got to experienced that and feel the love!

Wow, may I say, this was a great episode! Lots of neat insights about the role of backgrounds, how to design custom backgrounds, and how to really engage them. I think this episode has helped me answer a lot of questions I had about how to implement certain character types, since I think using the Background is a more potent route than I had previously considered. Since it confers skills, language, tools, and a ribbon feature for use in social and exploration encounters, it can be the step needed to turn the Battlemaster into a wizened scholar, turning one who swears the Oath of Devotion into an Iron Paladin of Gerana. Thanks also for including the segment from PAX - that was cool to see, and a great way to include folks like me who couldn't be there. I love this show and wish y'all the best in 2018!

The highlight of every Wednesday. Love the extended end segment, hope we get more of them in the future!

Glad to see you guys had a good time at PAX South!

It was so surreal to see you guys in person. I was definitely not expecting to see y’all, definitely a highlight of the con.

I'm looking to start DMing my own game, and this whole series has been a huge benefit and a great source of inspiration. Thank you so much and keep up the great content!

I got a tingling feeling and here I saw web dm

You guys are really helpful I’ve not met many people as good as you I wouldn’t be surprised Chris Perkins wants to be on your show.

Yet another excellent episode, gents. Thank you for all you do. WebDM is the life line that keeps me from slipping too far into a cynicism bred by, now, 21 years at the table, an outlook toward ttrpg's that leans further in the AngryGM direction than not, and a natural inclination toward nihilism and pessimism. Every Wednesday and Friday, I get a much needed dose of "Hey, role-playing is fucking awesome" from you guys, and it keeps me, and my games, going. I hope to meet y'all in person soon, though with life happening the way it does, that soon may be two or three years from now. Just know that y'all's work, and your seemingly endless enthusiasm for the hobby, keeps weekly melting the ice around this Grinch's heart. Much love, sirs. Hope PAX was a blast. The AqInc and C-Team games were fucking excellent, from what I saw.

OK two things came to mind. 1. Character creation for me starts before the ability scores are rolled and continue to about 4th level. I leave some blank spots to fill in once I figure out who the character actually is. When I initially think of a character I tend to picture them about 12-14 level and then create the 1st level version I think could end up being that character. Through game play they usually never become that character but some variation of them. 2. When rolling the dice on a random table or to help make a decision, it's not the value on the dice that's important but rather the way you feel when you see the result. If you flip a coin or roll a die and you feel disappointed you know you don't want that outcome pick the other one.

you guys. you guys. Love your work and am so happy for you that it is working out and letting you do things like go to pax south. Hopefully you can make 2018 a great year for Web DM. May the dice ever roll in your favour!

Are you're a DM who has always had a problem with Railroading? You have an epic idea for a campaign with a dramatic ending and unforseen twist, only to have your Murder-Hobo players throw wrenches into your finely tuned machine-of-a-world? Try writing. You get to control everything, no pesky dice that you may have to fudge, no annoying players who have an almost instinctive talent to work against everything you've done. Everything happens exactly how you want it to happen!

So proud of you guys!

About time you guys did a epispde again! Seriously.

I once played a Fighter with the Criminal background, and added in PT/B/I/Fs from Soldier in order to represent the transition from Criminal to Soldier as a form of atonement or restitution for his previous misdeeds. Was quite fun playing this, and the implications that arose from that.

What Dave said about players forgetting their flaws is so true that I have taken an idea from Fate and whenever an opportunity comes up where a character could use their flaw I offer inspiration to have players act as their characters would.

At the beginning of posting a series of videos on being your own DM and your content is invaluable.

Can we get a compilation of the intros? They are just pure gold!

The opening joke gets worse every time and I love it.

Just started DM'ing for the first time this month and the first thing I did was encourage my players (most of whom were new to the game) to create a backstory and I would make the places and people exist in that world. Makes world building much easier and more engaging.

My alchemy skill gets used for cooking! My travel rations are amazeballs.

I've really enjoyed watching you guys grow as a channel! It's awesome you got to meet Chris Perkins and some of the humans that follow you!

The intro alone, haha. 👌

This is awesome newbies need a lot of this Dnd talks

There was a time I couldn't imagine making a character on the fly like that. Just the other day though I had ten minutes to roll a half orc fighter. I had no idea what I wanted him to be, but by the end of the session I settled on a childish Oaf. He was actually convinced to join the villains team after being promised omelletes. I absolutely love role playing him lmao.

Jim naming off the alchemy items from Oblivion at 11:15

I love Jim's DM screen.

Guys, you are the most entertaining and cool D&D channel I've seen! I tip my ushanka to you!

I maid a made background for my character. I took insight and performance as skills. My DM added the feature to easily connect with other servants to get inside info or assistance.

Now I want to make an Elven Ric Flair. He would be a monk, from an ancient order of wrestlers, going around and smashing drunks through tavern tables, banging ladies, and buying shiny things. All while dressing up in capes and feathers, and hyping himself the fuck up before a fight.

Creating backgrounds can be fun, and is best done collaboratively with the DM. I have a player that wanted to be a sort of "inquisitor", and that doesn't exactly work in 5E. So we meshed Acolyte and Soldier. I gave him a unique ribbon ability for it. Done. I also love the Xanathar's approach to the tool proficiencies. The Alchemist tools perplexed me in that, before Xanathar's, they had NO reference to them anywhere else. The creating magic items section gives Warlocks more punch. A Warlock who isn't writing scrolls in his off time is wasting his time. That's certainly a way around "I have 2 spell slots until I get to a double digit level" And Pruit, I LOVE the cussing flaw. There's literally an episode of Trailer Park Boys (I think it's Season 4) called "If I Can't Smoke And Swear, I'm Fucked." The character of Ricky HAS to be smoking and cussing or he can't talk. Great episode, guys. Now, Pruit, give back those pretty pink sunglasses to whatever little girl you bullied at PAX. ;)

Built a background for a Goliath Cavalier, as to why he hates giants in particularly Frost Giants. So far He has not seen little own fought a Giant . He has fought Orcs, Hob Goblins, Vampires, Vecna, an entire war against invaders , and a Dragon but no Giants.

Great video. In one of my games I am playing an Eladrin Baldesinger and asked to combine backgrounds. My DM said sure so I combined Entertainer and Noble getting the Court Dancer background. Split skills and such. For the feature she has a Noble version of By Popular Demand because she only has performed for nobility/royalty as her family are all Bladesingers by trade for the Elven court where she is from. It also allows access to said nobles/royals at the DM's discretion.

Haha lack of sleep is expected! Pax was awesome

And another day passes that I miss web dm

Omg that podcast such hype!!!

I did something similar in a Pathfinder game I play in. I made a human cleric of Erastil who I decided was part of an order called Huntsmen whose job it is to track down and deal with things that hide in the wilds and threaten the communities Erastil protected. Whether it was vampires, demons, lycans, or plain old bandits and goblins, the Huntsmen tracked them down and either took them down, or sounded the alarm if backup was required. As a result, whenever we're in a small, rural town, the group rarely paid for lodging or food, since they were traveling with a Huntsman, and we could either stay at Erastil's temple, or the townsfolk would cover us, since the Huntsmen were protectors of the common folk, and usually we'd pay by using unused spell slots or whatever for the good of the town, healing sick farmers or whatever, or narrating our level 10 characters clearing out some dire rats from a granary. It was kinda neat, even though the actual benefits we're small at best.

Love the bow!

I didn't even start watching the video yet, I just have it paused at the start. But I saw those PAX t shirts to I immediately had to like it.

Pruitt knows how to sit in a chair.

Is it just me, or would anyone else love for these guys to do a Critical Role breakdown video each week. Damn I would just love their insight

Best intro in a long time

I love the personalities, ideals, bonds , and flaws. They're kind of like Fate aspects.

Your artificer/alchemist who can Macguyver whatever equipment they need sounds like a great Rick Sanchez build. Lol

You guys rock! Well done and you are more than welcome :-)