Character Backgrounds

Every story has a beginning. Even before the origin story, your character was somebody. A character background reveals where you came from and who you are when you don't wear the mask. It might also reveal something about who you are as a person and how you got into the world of heroism and your place in the world.

Choosing a background provides story cues about your character's identity. The most important question to ask about your character's backgrouns is what changed? Even with powers, what happened that pushed you from who you were to who you are? Why risk your life to help people who don't even know your name? How do these skills and the traits from your background fit into your identiy, masked or otherwise?

Every background provides proficiency in two skills and either tools or providing extra languages.

Academic
You've spent years studying the more intellectual parts of life. Teachers of every sort, historians, nonfiction writers, librarians, studious high schoolers and others fall into this area.


 * Skills: Academia, History
 * Languages: Two of your choice.
 * Feature: Researcher: When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of information, you often know the best place to go to find that information. Usually, this information comes with access to libraries, universities or similar institutions. Any check made to research a topic in any of these places grants advantage.

Amnesiac
You don't know who you are, or maybe just who you were before your Awakening.


 * Skills: History, Investigation
 * Tools: One of your choice
 * Languages: One of your choice
 * Feature: A Loose End: Despite your amnesia, you can still remember bits and pieces of your old life at times. Once per game, you can choose to "remember" a piece of information that can be relevant to a situation.

Athlete
You're a professional-level athlete. Regardless of the sport, your body is in top physical form.


 * Skills: Athletics, Intimidation
 * Tools: One set of sport's tools
 * Feature: Remarkable Athlete: You can add half of your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to any Strength, Dexterity or Constitution check that doesn't already use your proficiency bonus. In addition, when you make a running long jump, the distance you can cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Strength modifier. 

Businessman
You are a member of a very large corporation, a file clerk, a stock broker or some other white collar job.


 * Skills: Persuasion, Politics
 * Languages: One of your choice
 * Feature: Benefits: You are paid a comfortable salary for your work. If you fail to do your job, you may be fired. Benefits include free Health, Dental and Life insurance. Your business ID can also come in handy.

Con Artist
You've always had a way with people. You know what makes them tick, you can tease out their desires after a few minutes conversation and with a few leading questions, you can read them like a book. You're a silver-tongued thief whose schemes part fools from their money.


 * Skills: Deception, Sleight of Hand
 * Tools: Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit
 * Feature: False Identity: You have created a second identity for yourself that includes documentation, established acquaintances and disguises that allow you to assume that persona. Additionally, you can forge documents, including official seals, papers and personal letters as long as you've seen an example of the kind of document you're trying to copy.

Cook
To you, food is more than just sustenance or pleasure. It's art; something that can bring people together.


 * Skills: Deception, Persuasion
 * Tools: Any food-related set of artisan's tools
 * Feature: Through Their Stomachs: You are able to earn a comfortable living during downtime as a cook. You are also able to feed any guests or companions modest meals for free, so long as you're in a town or city.

Creative
You are a creative type, whether you're a painter, a comic book artist, a graphic designer, a 3D-animator, a novelist, filmmaker or some other creative trade.


 * Skills: Folklore, Perform
 * Tools: Two sets of artisan's tools or Two Musical Instruments or one of each.
 * Feature: The Art Trade: You can work in your chosen field in your downtime to earn a modest lifestyle. You can also gain certain benefits that are close to the Entertainer's thing

Criminal
You're an experienced criminal with a history of breaking the law. You have spent a lot of time among other criminals and still have contacts in that world.


 * Skills: Deception, Stealth
 * Tools: One type of gaming set, Thieves' Tools
 * Feature: Criminal Contacts: You have a reliable and trustworthy contact who acts as your liaison to a network of other criminals. You know how to get messages to and from your contact, even over great distances; specifically, you know local couriers, fences, corrupt store-owners and seedy thugs who can deliver a message for you.

Daredevil
Whether its climbing a tall mountain, swimming in white water rapids, making a sweet jump on a motorcycle or any number of dangerous hobbies, you tend to take a more dangerous, adventurous route than most.


 * Skills: Acrobatics and Athletics.
 * Tools: Rope, One Recreational Vehicle of your choice.
 * Feature: Adrenaline Rush: You have strong urges to climb things or take a more difficult path. You gain advantage on all Fear-based checks.

Dilettante
You understand wealth, privilege and power. You're a wealthy person from a powerful family.


 * Skills: History, Persuasion
 * Tools: One type of gaming set, one exotic land vehicle
 * Feature: Position of Privilege: Thanks to your high position in society, people are inclined to think highly of you. You are welcome in high society and VIP lounges, and people just assume that you have the right to wander about wherever you are. Normal people make every effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure and other people of high birth treat you as a member of the same social sphere. You can secure an audience with local bigwigs if you need to.

Drifter
You've sailed on seagoing vessels, travelled on old Greyhound buses, hitchhiked down forgotten desert roads and back again. Your first love is the life of traveling, and you have little to tie you down.


 * Skills: Athletics, Perception
 * Tools: Vehicles (Land, Water or Air)
 * Feature: Passage: When you need to, you can secure free passage on a ship, a big rig truck or similar vehicle for you and your friends. You might have promised to help work along the way, or maybe it's somebody who owes you a favor. Because you're calling in a favor, you can't be sure of a schedule or a convenient route.

Entertainer
You thrive in front of an audience. You know how to entrance them, entertain them and even inspire them. Your music raises spirits; your poetry awakens grief or joy; your dance steps captivate them; your humor cuts to the quick. Whatever your art, it is your life.


 * Skills: Acrobatics, Perform
 * Tools: Disguise Kit, One type of instrument
 * Feature: By Popular Demand: You can always find a place to perform, usually in a bar but possibly even a theater or somewhere more prestigious. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform. In addition, your performances make you something of a very local figure. When strangers recognize you in a neighborhood where you've performed, they typically take a liking to you.

Entrepreneur
You are a new business owner, skilled in your particular field and a part of a business organization, like a Union.


 * Skills: Insight, Persuasion
 * Tools: One type of artisan's tools.
 * Feature: Union Membership: As an established member of a union or business organization, you can rely on certain benefits that membership provides. Your fellow union members will provide with a place to crash, if necessary and will help support you in times of need. They can also help act as legal counsel if you're in trouble but they believe you to be innocent.

Investigator
An investigative and analytical type, you're the type to pursue a case to the very end. Gathering clues trough hard work and dedication, there's little that slips past your notice.


 * Skills: Investigation, Insight
 * Tools: Thieves Tools
 * Merits: Contacts 1 (Police Department)
 * Feature: Profile: By speaking with witnesses and looking over evidence, you can either make an accurate physical/mental profile of the culprit or otherwise paint a better picture of the crime, providing more clues and leads.

Law Enforcement
You are a servant of the civil good, a police officer, a sheriff's deputy, a Military Police or some other organization.


 * Skills: Intimidate, Politics
 * Tools: Jailer's Tools or Bomb Squad Tools
 * Merits: Firearm Expert or Police Tactics
 * Feature: Cut the Crap: You know how to get things done as far as the justice system works. You can go into police-only locations and people tend to believe that you have a reason to be wherever you are. Your badge goes a long way

Lawyer
You are a recognized representative in the courts of law. In addition to our direct knowledge of the legal process, you are skilled in the art of persuasion and debate.


 * Skills: Diplomacy, Politics
 * Languages: Any one
 * Feature: Legal Representation: As a recognized legal advocate and counsel, you have access to courts of law and clerks offices. You may petition the courts, draft legal documents and provide legal advice. You have a good working knowledge of the court system, including common legal loopholes and methods of getting around legal obstruction.

Medicine
You are a doctor, a surgeon, a psychologist, a nurse, a dentist, an EMT worker, a field medic or some other medical professional.


 * Skills: Insight, Medicine
 * Tools: Med Kits, Stimpacks
 * Feature: The Doctor is In: If you work as a medical professional in your downtime you can afford a well-off lifestyle for yourself. In addition, you have access to hospitals and other medical personnel-only areas, and can take advantage of hospital resources without much suspicion, within reason.

Mercenary
You're a hired gun. A thug. A goon. And you're okay with that.


 * Skills: Intimidation, Perception
 * Tools: Gaming Set, Thieves' Tools
 * Feature: The Highest Bidder: You know what people want and how to deliver on it, but more importantly, you know how to get them to pay for it. When negotiating payment for any service you might perform or already performed, you gain advantage on the persuasion rolls.

Middle Class/Minimum Wage
You're an average guy with an average job.


 * Skills: Any one
 * Tools: Any one
 * Feature: Average Joe: Since you come from the ranks of regular people, you fit in among them with ease. You can find a place to hide, rest or recuperate among people, unless you've shown yourself to be a danger to them. They will shield you from the law or anyone else searching for you, though they will not risk their lives for you.

Religious
You have spent your life in the service of a church or religious organization. You have unshakable faith in your beliefs, even in the face of the paranormal.


 * Skills: Insight, Religion
 * Languages: Any two
 * Feature: Shelter of the Faithful: You can perform religious ceremonies of your religion. You and your friends can expect to receive aid from related religious groups or churches. Those who share your faith will also help support you (and only you) in a modest lifestyle.

Rural
You grew up in a small town far from any big city. The outdoors is in your blood and living a simple life is more than enough for you.


 * Skills: Athletics, Survival
 * Tools: One type of musical instrument or Mechanic's Tools
 * Feature: Outdoorsman: You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements and other features around you. In addition, you can find food and fresh water in the wilderness for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water and so forth.

Slacker
You have spent most of your life chilling out, smoking and partying.


 * Skills: Perform, Insight
 * Tools: Musical Instrument, Video Games or Thieve's Tools
 * Feature: Let's Party!: In an area where you are not disliked, you can easily organize parties, camping trips, outings or the like with complete strangers. You know what the crowd likes and have a knack for mobilizing groups of strangers quickly in an area in the name of a good time. The amount of people you can attract depends on how populated the area is and its general mood, but it takes a successful DC 15 Perform or Diplomacy check to do so.

Soldier
You served or currently serve in a national military of some kind, regardless of the branch.


 * Skills: Athletics, Intimidation
 * Tools: Engineer's Tools, Mechanic's Tools, a set of gaming tools OR a unique vehicle.
 * Merits: Firearms Expert
 * Feature: Military Rank: You have a military rank from your career as a soldier. Other soldiers from your nation's military still recognize that and will often work to accommodate you, sometimes out of a sense of loyalty. In dire circumstances, you can requisition equipment, if needed.

Tech
You are a technology wizard. You grew up with a knack for computers and now work in a technology-based job, like IT or an engineer or even certain kinds of mechanics.


 * Skills: Technology, Folklore
 * Tools: One kind of Tech Tools
 * Feature: It's a Linux System!: You're an expert with computers of nearly any kind. You never take penalties for using even the oldest or most foreign OS. Additionally, you can set up firewalls, hack into databases, retrieve data and erase all evidence you were there with little problem.

Urchin
You grew up on the streets alone, orphaned and poor. You had nobody to look out for you but you.


 * Skills: Sleight of Hand, Stealth
 * Tools: Disguise Kit, Thieve's Tools
 * Feature: City Secrets: You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that other would miss. When not in combat, you and your companions can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would otherwise allow.