Expanding 5E D&D Background Characteristics — Guild Artisan

Salutations, nerds! I’m rolling back in with another expanded set of suggested characteristics for fifth edition character background with a visit to the Guild Artisan. The background options in the 5E D&D Player’s Handbook offer suggested characteristics to help define a character and spark your imagination for roleplaying. Guild Artisans make wonderful characters because you can imagine them casually existing in the world. They have some big layfolk energy in many ways. As a writer this makes the Guild Artisan background feel a lot more relatable to me than most of the others and I know a lot of people who feel the same way. So let’s have some fun creating some additional personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws for this one.

Fluff like 5E D&D background characteristics is the game too

From the 5E D&D Basic Rules: Fleshing out your character’s personality — the array of traits, mannerisms, habits, beliefs, and flaws that give a person a unique identity — will help you bring him or her to life as you play the game. Four categories of characteristics are presented here: personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws. Beyond those categories, think about your character’s favorite words or phrases, tics and habitual gestures, vices and pet peeves, and whatever else you can imagine.

Technically inspiration in 5E D&D is presented as a rule Dungeon Masters can use as a reward for players who remain true to their characteristics. Even though these characteristics don’t include mechanical benefits along the same lines as most class features these components of characters are still a part of the game with implications during play.

“If you’ve got a copy of Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden you’ll find a whole bunch of character hooks and secrets in the introduction to inspire your characters’ motivation. Likewise resources like the Heroic Chronical in Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount and This Is Your Life sections in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything can really help develop fun and intriguing ideas for motivation of your adventurers.“ — 5 Sources of Motivation for 5E D&D Adventurers

d8 — Personality Traits

1. Whenever the subject of my craft is near I take a moment to study and comment on it, even if this isn’t the point of what I’m doing.
2. I’m very confident in what I do even in the face of those who have been doing it for twice as long.
3. I’m very supportive of those who are new to the craft. We all had to start somewhere!
4. My adventures are going to inspire my magnum opus and I can’t stop talking about this.
5. There’s a small aspect of my work I’m always fiddling with to keep my hands busy as a self-stimulatory behavior.
6. I believe the highest form of humor to be puns about the work I do.
7. I have particular tastes in regards to my area of expertise and they don’t always make sense to others.
8. I sing when I work.

d6 — Ideal

1. Craftsmanship. I try to do the best work I can, every time. (Neutral)
2. Originality. The worst thing you can say about my work is it’s a bit derivative. (Chaotic)
3. Precision. If there’s a proper way to do something those instructions are there for a reason. (Lawful)
4. Security. Adventuring is lucrative but having a trade means having an ability to draw income in my old age. (Lawful)
5. Learning. There’s always room for improvement and something to learn to do. I am a work in progress. (Neutral)
6. Dedication. I ply my trade every day. That is how one improves. (Neutral)

d6 — Bond

1. I have an apprentice I try to keep a brave face on for. They are the closest thing I have to a child of my own.
2. I made an advancement in my trade and one of my colleagues stole it for their own. I plan to find a way to expose them for it.
3. I was inspired by a master in my craft when I was young and I wish to follow in their footsteps.
4. I have several younger siblings I’m sending money home to so they don’t go hungry in my absence.
5. I had a long term arrangement with a noble before I left to adventure and they were not happy to see me go.
6. My former lover is also a rival of mine in my field.

d6 — Flaw

1. Whenever I see something made finer than I am capable of myself I get very depressed instead of motivated.
2. I will at least attempt to use my trade to solve every problem in front of me. Even when doing so is absurd.
3. I’m easily discouraged in the face of criticism.
4. I have very strong opinions about art and I feel like they are objectively right.
5. I’ve destroyed more than one work in progress in fits of anger and frustration.
6. I tend to bite off more than I can chew in terms of work.

For me, at least the suggested features in the book are always incredibly inspiring so hopefully you found something in all of this that’s inspired you as well. Let us know in the comments, connecting with us on Facebook or tweeting us @Nerdarchy. Feel free to comment or tweet me @Pyrosynthesis too and of course, stay nerdy!

*Featured image — Blame it on the lack of Folk Hero specific art in the 5E D&D Player’s Handbook. Magic: The Gathering’s Fabled Hero made a much more exciting representation for that post. I don’t think anyone will lament the teeny halfling feet on the rotund Guild Artisan in lieu of the Doomed Artisan from the Commander 2019 expansion. A 5E D&D player could get a lot of mileage from the MTG multiverse. Theros is one of the MTG settings officially represented in 5E D&D, which we’ve explored quite a lot not to mention the free Plane Shift supplements. [Art by Victor Adame Minguez]

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