How to Create a Backstory Based on Your DND Background
What happened in the life of your D&D character before the game started?
When you play Dungeons & Dragons, the first thing that you do is make a character that you’ll play as. When creating a character, you get to imagine everything about them. You choose a class, which determines what kind of abilities they have on their adventures, a race, which determines some physical and cultural aspects, and a background, which determines what they were up to before the game starts. Each background gives your character abilities that can come in handy on your adventures. But a background can also give you ideas about your character’s backstory: who they were and what happened to them before the start of a game. Making up a backstory from thin air can feel intimidating, especially to new players, but starting from a background can help you build up some key details and bring your character to life.
Here’s a handy graphic to remember the difference between a D&D background and a character backstory!
The Acolyte Background
Characters with acolyte backgrounds are a faithful bunch.
An acolyte served in a temple to one of the gods in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), kind of like a priest-in-training. Think about what kind of deity your character served:
Is it one of the official D&D gods, or is it one that you invented?
What appeals to your character about that deity?
What made your character decide to leave the safety of their temple and go on adventures?
The Charlatan Background
A charlatan character’s backcstory might include their motivation for earning money, power, or fame.
A charlatan is an experienced trickster who makes their living on lies: a con artist, if you will. Think about what brought your character to a life of deception:
Were they trained by a mentor, or did they teach themself?
What are some of their favorite cons, grifts, or tricks?
When they lie, are they doing it out of greed, a desire to help, or something else entirely?
The Criminal Background
What led your criminal character to pursue their life of crime?
A criminal habitually breaks the law and often has connections within other lawbreakers. Think about the first time your character committed a crime:
Was it out of necessity, or was it planned
Why did your character stay in a life of crime?
Would they leave if they could?
The Entertainer Background
Your entertainer’s backstory might include the origin of their talents.
An entertainer performs in front of audiences with music, dancing, or other arts. Think about how your character discovered their performance abilities:
Were they encouraged to pursue this life, or did they have to fight for recognition?
Do they enjoy being in front of people, and why?
How did they come to use these abilities as an adventurer?
The Folk Hero Background
A folk hero is beloved by their town for some great act of heroism. Think about what your character did to make their people adore them:
When creating a folk hero’s backstory, you can decide what feat of bravery they achieved.
Why did they do it?
Were they afraid?
Do they feel they deserve the recognition?
And what drives them to leave their comfortable town for a world that doesn’t know them?
The Guild Artisan Background
A guild artisan makes their way in the world by pursuing a skill or running a business. They also have the backing of a guild behind them. Think about the guild sponsor who taught you to become a master:
Your artisan’s backstory will include a guild, a group of like-minded creators who support your craft.
Why did that person take you on?
Did you appreciate their help?
What happened to them?
Did you always lead a comfortable life, or did you have to fight to get here?
Why have you left your practice behind?
The Hermit Background
A hermit lives alone, whether in nature or in an isolated space, like a monastery. Think about where your character lived, and why:
How did your hermit end up in isolation? Perhaps their backstory will clue us in.
Were they forced out of a community, or did they choose seclusion for themselves?
What have they learned in their time spent alone?
How do they feel about being shoved back into the hustle and bustle of society as an adventurer?
The Noble Background
Write a backstory for your noble character that explains how or why their family became rich and powerful.
A noble comes from a wealthy and powerful bloodline. Think about what kind of family they grew up in:
What kind of powers do they wield, and how do they wield them?
What does your character’s family expect of them, and does your character want to do it?
Is a life of adventure in line with family expectations, or is it a scandal?
The Outlander Background
An outlander was raised in the wilderness and is deeply familiar with nature. Think about what brought your character to the wild:
Your backstory for an Outlander character can explain why they were called away from civilization.
Were they born into a tribe or clan who lives in the wilderness, or did they escape there?
What elements of the wild are they drawn to - plants, animals, the elements, or something else?
How does your character feel about the members of your party who grew up in an urban environment?
The Sage Background
A sage has pursued academic study, often in the areas of magic or lore. Think about what drew your character to their studies:
Why did your Sage character devote their life to study?
Did they seek knowledge, power, insight, or something else?
What kinds of people did they meet at school and in their research?
Are any of them important to your character?
What drew your character away from the safety of libraries to a life of adventuring?
The Sailor Background
Your sailor’s backstory might include details from their time at sea, as well as what has brought them back to land.
A sailor lives life on the high seas as a member of a ship’s crew. Think about how your character got to a life of sailing:
Was it a desire for adventure, to follow a friend, or pure curiosity?
What kind of ship did they sail on, and how did it influence them?
And what habits or beliefs does your character carry from their time aboard to their new adventures?
The Soldier Background
A soldier serves in the armed forces and was trained from a young age to participate in war. Think about what kind of war your character got involved with:
When writing your soldier backstory, imagine how they felt about being sent to battle.
Was it a longstanding land struggle between two clans, a fight between two nations, or even a local militia or mercenary squabble?
Did your character participate willingly, or were they forced into service?
What lessons did they learn - or reject - during their time in the military?
The Urchin Background
Your urchin character’s story probably includes great misfortune.
An urchin grew up fending for themselves on the streets of the city. Think about what circumstances brought your character to this life:
Were they abandoned by their parents, left orphaned by tragedy, or did they run away from home?
What skills and relationships did they rely on to survive?
What do they dream of if they can one day escape their lifestyle?
Now You’re a Pro at Creating Character Backstories!
Backstories are such a fun part of creating a D&D character. Creating a backstory can help you understand your character better, make roleplaying them easier, give you ideas for their motivations, and give your Dungeon Master potential plot hooks, conflicts, and more to add to the campaign story.
If you’ve got an awesome concept for a D&D character but don’t know where to play or aren’t sure how to bring them fully to life, our games are a perfect place to start. Each of our campaigns are run by professional Dungeon Masters who can help you and your peers develop interesting characters, understand the mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons, and run a game where you get to play as your own original character!
