Backgrounds are the storytelling delivery catalyst that signifies who your character is and where they come from. A stalwart soldier might have a grim past as a charlatan or a haunted one. Soulforged Adventures uses advanced backgrounds to provide an additional depth our characters, seeking where a character originates and highlighting the progress and process they experience within the game world.
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Academic
Academics apply rigorous study to work and fulfill aspirations, often revered for expertise. They’re skilled researchers and problem-solvers, with proficiency in specialized knowledge areas and essential scholarly equipment.
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Clan Member
The major kingdoms of Faerun are not the sole bastions of culture resisting the encroaching darkness. From the frigid north to the shores of the Wraith Coast, numerous tribes have opted…
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Clergy
Clergy serve in religious institutions and are respected where their faith is predominant, often excelling as eloquent and devoted representatives of their beliefs, with specific skills and equipment.
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Common Folk
The Common Folk represent the populace’s majority, working in various jobs without noble or wealthy backgrounds, often relying on community support and possessing basic skills and tools.
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Criminal
Criminals thrive in society’s underbelly through illegal means, expert in skills like Stealth or Deception and proficient in Thieves’ Cant and tools, equipped to maintain their secretive lifestyle.
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Law Keepers
A Law Protector works for an institution or on their own to enforce the laws of a city. From Judges to Lawyers to Investigators, these individuals seek out, judge, and punish…
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Militarist
Militarists range from respected high-ranking advisors in warfare to feared lower-level mercenaries with combat skills honed through adventuring and quests, offering diverse proficiencies and profession-specific equipment.
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Outlander
Outlanders live apart from society, choosing or forced into self-reliant lifestyles; they are often skilled in survival but distrusted by civilization. They possess basic survival equipment and skills.
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Pauper
Any structured society has those who fall through the cracks. Misfortune is no stranger to Faerun, and those who suffer under its hand have to make do any way they can.…
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Seafarer
Seafarers, starting as marginalized, can amass wealth through maritime professions, with varied skill and tool proficiencies, and modest initial equipment including navigational tools and common attire.
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Socialite
Socialites use their status to influence and further their agendas, possessing negotiation and strategic skills. They have specific skill proficiencies and carry status-symbol equipment.
Professions
Professions are a reflection of what your character engages in between adventures, encompassing both means of earning a living and duties they hold. Each background offers a range of professions, detailing their significance in society. Consider a Seafarer, for instance. What tasks do they undertake while at sea? They could be akin to a pauper, combing the ocean shores for anything valuable. In such a scenario, opting for the Seagather profession would be fitting. Remember, there are no incorrect choices here.
Profession Abilities
Upon selecting your profession, you gain access to its corresponding Profession Ability. This represents a skill you have honed through repeated practice, making you an expert in that field. Each profession ability entails dedicating an hour to the task and succeeding in a skill check with a Medium Difficulty Class (DC). Once attempted, you must rest for a long period before trying again.
Profession Dice: Profession Dice are the in-game benefits bestowed upon characters based on their background profession. These dice allow characters to enhance skill or ability checks in accordance with any Talents they possess. Moreover, characters always incorporate their Profession Die when executing Profession Abilities.
The size of a character’s Profession Die is determined by their rank, as indicated in the table below:
| Profession Rank | Profession Dice |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1D4 |
| 2 | 1D6 |
| 3 | 1D8 |
| 4 | 1D10 |
Proficiencies & Equipment
When creating a character, Advanced Backgrounds add skill proficiencies and starting equipment similar to backgrounds. After selecting your background and profession, you can choose a skill proficiency from your background’s selection list. Once chosen, apply your starting equipment and proficiency from your background and profession.
Rankings, Holdings, and Progressions
Rankings denote a character’s standing within their profession, with four ranks available. Characters start at the first rank and progress to the next rank upon meeting the specified milestones and attaining the necessary Tier.
| Profession Rank | Character Tier |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 4 |
Holdings represent assets, resources, or advantages gained through a character’s profession. These boons vary and are retained as characters advance in rank.
Progressions outline the requirements for advancing in rank within a profession. These requirements can vary widely based on the profession and rank and may include achievements like medical breakthroughs or royal appointments.
Skill Check Difficulties
| Difficulty | DC |
|---|---|
| Easy | 10 |
| Medium | 15 |
| Hard | 20 |
| Very Hard | 25 |
| Impossible | 30 |
Talents
Talents are unique dispositions or characteristics acquired through a character’s profession. Characters can add their Profession Die in specific situations reflecting their acquired skills. They select a Talent from their profession’s Talent list upon selecting their profession and choose an additional Talent with each rank advancement.
Changing Profession
Characters may change professions by meeting the progression requirements of the desired rank in the new profession. Upon meeting these requirements, they rank up into the new profession, retaining all equipment, talents, proficiencies, and abilities from their original profession.
For instance, Aylea, a Militarist Field Marshal, desires to become an Inquisitor after encountering a dark sorcerer. After discussing with the NM, Aylea achieves the milestones required to become an Initiate Inquisitor, retaining her previous military experience as she embarks on her new path.