Details
- Abilities: Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence
- Skills: Arcana, Investigation
- Tool: Tinker's Tools
- Feat: Skilled
Description
You are a keen-minded individual skilled in uncovering hidden truths and understanding complex mechanisms. Often employed to appraise goods or investigate arcane mysteries, you combine sharp intellect with practical dexterity. Your experience grants you a reliable presence in delicate negotiations and problem solving, always prepared to adapt and respond swiftly to unexpected challenges.
Equipment
Choose A or B: (A) Tinker's Tools, a scholar's pack, a set of traveler’s clothes, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, and 8 GP; or (B) 50 GP
At a glance
- Table role: Records and secrets
- Family: Craft & Trade
- Primary pillar: Intrigue
- Secondary pillar: Downtime
- Themes: appraising goods, arcane investigation, delicate negotiations, mechanical tinkering, hidden truths
What this background is good for
Choose Factor if you want a character who turns appraising goods, arcane investigation, delicate negotiations, mechanical tinkering, and hidden truths into usable table momentum. Its skill package points toward Arcana and Investigation, so the background naturally rewards players who ask questions, notice patterns, and act on practical details. As a Craft & Trade background, it gives the character a clear place in the world instead of just a mechanical bonus. The Skilled feat, Tinker's Tools, and Dexterity, Constitution, and Intelligence abilities help define how this character contributes before initiative is rolled.
Play this if...
- You want to play a Cunning Investigator rather than a generic adventurer.
- You want scenes built around appraising goods, arcane investigation, delicate negotiations, mechanical tinkering, and hidden truths.
- You are considering Wizard, Rogue, Fighter, and Bard and want the background to support that identity.
How to play this background
You use sharp intellect and practical skills to uncover secrets and appraise rare items in tense negotiations.
Table cues
- Describe the intricate details of mechanical devices.
- Highlight subtle clues during negotiations.
- Note unusual magical auras or symbols.
- Mention the character’s quick, practiced hands.
- Emphasize moments requiring careful observation.
For Dungeon Masters
Use Factor when the campaign benefits from scenes about appraising goods, arcane investigation, delicate negotiations, mechanical tinkering, and hidden truths. The Craft & Trade angle gives you a quick way to attach NPCs, locations, favors, and complications to the character. Build scenes where Arcana, Investigation, and Tinker's Tools can reveal information, open a route, or change how an NPC reacts. A simple recurring cue: describe the intricate details of mechanical devices.