High-Level Homebrewed Backgrounds For Expert DND Players

With the release of the 2024 Player’s Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons, backgrounds got a huge upgrade in terms of their ability to shape and optimize characters. Unless you’re playing by legacy rules, backgrounds now grant feats, two skill proficiencies, and up to three different ability score improvements. This can make a huge difference in your character’s playstyle.

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So, if you’re an expert Dungeons & Dragons player looking to homebrew your own background, look no further than this list. All of these homebrew ideas can serve as full backgrounds or jumping-off points for your high-level character, depending on what abilities and proficiencies you want.

10

Professor

Have you ever wanted to roleplay Indiana Jones in your tabletop game? You can either choose the archaeologist background in the Tomb of Annihilation module, or this homebrewed background: professor. The professor is an academic who spends their days as a teacher at a storied university, but is called to adventure beyond the halls of their school.

This background is great for lore-heavy campaigns and for high-Intelligence builds like wizards and artificers. Plus, this build can also be useful for exploration thanks to its proficiency in Cartographer’s Tools.

9

Nomad

The nomad is a far wanderer who’s never stayed in one place for very long. They lack a home, family, or sturdy foundation to call their very own. However, they prefer it that way. The nomad is also extremely world-wise, in addition to hearty.

This background is great for survival-based campaigns and melee combatant classes like fighter, monk, or barbarian. Plus, with this homebrewed background, you can gain access to an Herbalism Kit, which is helpful for brewing potions of healing.

8

Fugitive

With this background, your character finds themselves on the run from something, or someone. Whatever that something is, it’s out to get you, and possibly put an end to you. Fugitives are characterized by always remaining on high alert and sleeping with one eye open.

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To help with this flavor of fantasy, select the Alert feat and use proficiencies in Stealth and Survival. Proficiency in a disguise kit only makes sense as well, as your character will likely need one to keep out of harm’s way. This background is great for rogues, monks, and other dexterous characters.

7

Hometown Hero

Similar to the original background known as a folk hero, the hometown hero background puts a spin on an old classic. The idea behind this background is that you have been sent forth as a representative of your small, rural town. It’s your responsibility to represent your town well, and that pressure can sometimes mount in unexpected ways.

With this background, you gain access to the Lucky feat, which is always helpful at lower levels, but continues to be at high levels. Because this feat never really loses its charm, this homebrewed background is great for expert players.

6

Exiled

Ideal for deceptive builds, the exiled background allows you to basically roleplay Prince Zuko from the Avatar: The Last Airbender series. With this background, you find yourself cast out from your home for a specific reason. Whether you want to return home or not is your character, but either way, the sting of that rejection burdens you.

This background is great for expert players thanks to its roleplay potential and early access to Forgery Kits. Forgery Kits can prove highly useful in a campaign that relies on a lot of craft and cunning, or social deception to take out bad guys.

5

Dreamwalker

Ever since you were young, you’ve been burdened by the same repetitive dream or nightmare. Sometimes, multiple times a night, you return to the site of a familiar dreamscape, which you can explore at your leisure. Repeated visits to this mysterious dream have granted you magical prowess and insight into human beings.

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This background is great for high-arcana-based characters like sorcerers and wizards, but can also work for any number of classes. Once again, this background is also great for expert players who love roleplay and complex backstories.

4

Forgotten

The forgotten is a background that lends itself well to roleplay and great flex support/dps class builds. With this background, you have been forgotten about, either due to magical circumstances or some other extraneous means. Whoever knew you in your previous life has forgotten you, unable to recall who you were.

Now, with a blank slate under your belt, you long to forge a new identity for yourself, or perhaps remedy the spell or affliction that has caused those around you to forget who you are. You worry that perhaps someday, you might forget too.

3

Ecologist

Perfect for nature-loving druids or rangers, the ecologist background allows players to step into the role of nature’s greatest advocate. Your character is concerned with the plight of the natural world and will stop at nothing to make sure it thrives.

To get the most out of roleplaying this background, consider whether a specific ecological incident might’ve forced you into a life of adventuring. Was your hometown destroyed by a natural disaster, or perhaps even a man-made one? Whatever the answer, coming up with a specific incident can help high-level players roleplay this background effectively. Plus, you’ll be a great healer with this background.

2

Foolhardy

You are always one to go headfirst into danger, without so much as a second thought about your well-being or anyone else’s. However, somehow, despite your brashness, you’ve always managed to make it out alive, with only a few scrapes to your name. This background is great for players who want to roleplay a chaotic alignment.

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This homebrewed background is great for expert players thanks to the given proficiencies in Thieves’ Tools and Sleight of Hand, which can be great for rogues. However, this build is also great for any physical or melee-based combatants as well who want to optimize their physical stats early.

1

Diviner

The diviner is hallmarked by a prophecy of grim portent, or perhaps a vision of an extraordinary future. Whatever the exact nature, they know something important about their future, and must either fight to prevent it from happening, or to ensure that it does happen. This background is great for high-level roleplay and interesting backstory dynamics.

The proficiencies in this background are great for clerics, wizards, or paladins, in addition to the ability score improvements. Alchemist’s Supplies, however, can also be helpful for artificer builds as well, making it a very versatile background option.

Dungeons and Dragons

Original Release Date

1974

Designer

E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson

Player Count

2+