Standard Backgrounds World of Darkness Classic: Backgrounds Master Index Supernatural acquaintances, which may have their own backgrounds, though the Storyteller may Note: This document is uses 20th Anniversary allow otherwise at their discretion. Editions where available, and does not contain the backgrounds for Wraith: The Oblivion or Mummy, X (none) No allies to help in times of nor does it contain any backgrounds from need Orpheus, as any Orpheus backgrounds that are • One ally of moderate not Orpheus/Wraith- specific are better covered (1) power/two “sidekicks” elsewhere, i.e. Detective Licence vs M20’s •• Two Moderate Allies, Four Certification, or Personal Trainer covered by (2) Sidekicks or one powerful ally ••• Three Moderate allies, or a Mentor. In the case of Mummy and Wraith, my (3) combination of lesser ones group doesn’t play them, so I didn’t include them. •••• Four moderate allies, six Further, some House rulings on eligibility are (4) sidekicks, or a combination of applied within. Further, to reduce confusion with all 3 the Alertness Talent, our group refers to the ••••• Five Moderates or an Awareness talent as Arcane Awareness. (5 – Normal assortment of lesser and Limit) greater ones Special Backgrounds ••••• • Six moderates, a small gang of Certain Backgrounds may have special functions, (6) sidekicks, one or two really and will be denoted by the following: powerful friends ••••• •• Seven moderates, a staff of (+) – These Backgrounds may exceed 5 dots, (7) sidekicks, or a handful of strong whether through pooling or special circumstance. companions Backgrounds beyond 5 dots should only be ••••• ••• Eight moderates, a bunch of granted with special approval from the ST. (8) followers, or a few major badasses. ($) – These Backgrounds cost double the usual ••••• •••• Nine moderates, a private points (2 background points or 2 freebies, 2x the (9) militia, or a pack of major XP cost for backgrounds set by the Storyteller) friends. (P) – These backgrounds may be pooled. ••••• ••••• Ten capable allies, a small army, (10 – max) or a truly deadly gang. Note that Allies are friends, contacts and Standard Backgrounds associates – they are not minions to be dragged These backgrounds can be taken by any mortal or along for every romp into enemy territory. This is supernatural that does not have an explicit better reflected instead by the Retainers restriction stated in their rules (i.e, certain background. Shapechangers may not take Resources or Influence.) Alternate Identity With this background, you have an established Allies (+, P) alternate identity. The number of dots in this Allies represent people who have your back in background represents how well your ID holds up, times of need – Friends, People with connections, and how complete it is. This background may be errand runners, or even minor supernatural taken multiple times to show multiple identities. beings. This background generally refers to mundane human or animal allies – Not • A fake ID that kinda looks like you 1 | P a g e Standard Backgrounds •• A passable fake ID, plus supporting Archive documents Your character has access to a collection of ••• Respectable ID papers and supporting newspapers, books, magazines, or old photos they documents that’ll pass casual can turn to for info about past events. The inspection information could be general, such as newspaper •••• An established alternate identity clippings of important events, or arcane and ••••• A fully supported identity with complete history, support documents, specific, such as zoological journals about witnesses, fake family photos, primates in New Guinea. The exact nature must alternate homes, etc. be agreed upon by the storyteller before play, and the storyteller is final arbiter on what information it might contain. You are sufficiently familiar with Animal Companion this archive that you could sort through it in an This background represents useful pets or work hour, at most. The personal nature of the archive animals, as opposed to run of the mill pets – a makes it specifically tailored to your character’s Rottweiler that can crush soup bones, or a cat needs, but you must constantly add to it to keep it that is sensitive to supernatural presences. current. • A very loud cat that is sensitive to • A small collection of books or clippings unnatural presences (8-dice Arcane covering people and events from the awareness pool) last five years •• A big, mean dog •• A moderate collection of materials ••• A horse, raised from a colt taking up an attic corner, going back 10 •••• A horse and a big dog, several dogs, or years equivalent. ••• Several bookshelves or enough boxes ••••• You own a stable, or you train to cover an entire wall, going back 25 attack/seeing eye dogs professionally years •••• The archive fills a spare room of your house or apartment with a wide Suggested Stats: Animal Companions variety of materials going back 50 Big, Mean Dog years Strength: 4, Dex: 3, Stamina: 3, Perception: 4 ••••• Museums and private dealers make Abilities: Alertness: 3, Athletics: 2, Brawl: 3, periodic offers for your vast collection, Dodge: 3, Empathy: 2, Intimidation: 3, Stealth: 2 which reaches back as far as 100 to Health: OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -5, Dead 150 years. Attack: Bite (5 dice), Claw (4 Dice) Willpower: 5 Well-Trained Horse Armoury Strength: 5, Dex: 2, Stamina: 4 This background represents a large stockpile of Abilities: Alertness: 3, Athletics: 2, Brawl: 3, weapons and associated paraphernalia. Note that Empathy: 2, Intimidation: 2 this background does not represent the necessary Health: OK, OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -5, Incapacitated qualifications and licenses required to allow their Attack: Trample or kick (6 dice), bite (3 dice) Willpower: 3 possession, merely the possession itself, and Aware Cat without other backgrounds (such as Influence, Strength: 1, Dex: 3, Stamina: 3, Perception: 3 Certification and Rank), a character may find Abilities: Alertness: 5, Athletics: 3, Brawl: 2, themselves losing the points invested into this Intimidation: 2, Stealth: 4, Empathy: 2, background very quickly if they aren’t careful, Subterfuge: 2 especially in a chronicle set outside the trigger- happy United States. 2 | P a g e Standard Backgrounds • You have an excellent starter armoury, The number of individuals provided by this including many legal weapons background depends on the kind of individuals copmonly available on the street, and involved – a motley band of drunken gang bangers extra weapons relevant to regional versus paramilitary shock troops. Note that these culture. individuals are not “your” servants – they belong •• You have access to enough legal to a particular organization, of which you must weaponry to outfit a street gang of 10 also be a member. Further, once their job is done, men these individuals return from whence they came ••• You could start your own small militia, and have access to weaponry that (provided their alive… You may have to clean up exists in a legal grey area for the region any casualties yourself.) •••• You have an armoury appropriate to a X (none) You’re on your own SWAT team, including some military • Two typical individuals hardware, and could outfit 10 men (1) with such advanced weaponry •• Four typicals or two elites. ••••• Your armoury could outfit a (2) paramilitary force, can clean and repair ••• Six typicals almost any personal weapon, and have (3) access to significant quantities of illegal •••• Eight typicals or four elites weaponry. (4) Backers ••••• Ten typicals This is similar to the Allies background, but (5 – Normal represents unknown forces with a stake in the Limit) Character’s activities. These Backers are secret ••••• • Twelve typicals or six elites forces that support the character for reasons of (6) their own. (Note: See Patron below) ••••• •• 14 typicals (7) • One backer of moderate influence and ••••• ••• 16 typicals or eight elites power (8) •• Two backers, both of moderate power ••••• •••• 18 typicals ••• Three backers, one of them quite (9) influential ••••• ••••• 20 typicals, 10 elites •••• Four backers, one very influential (10 – max) ••••• Five backers, one of them extremely influential. Backup (+, P) Base of Operations (P) This background represents a large pool of skilled, This background represents a secure location, but mundane, personnel you can call in an controlled and owned by your character. In this emergency. Unlike Allies, these people are largely place, you may rest, train and plan in relative faceless, have limited skills, and are effectively safety. This background has three different expendable “mooks” – Generic, faceless nobodies. categories that points may be split between – They could be gun-wielding grunts that come to effectively, this background has a minimum of 3 cover a characters escape, a group of drunken dots, and a maximum of 15, with 1-5 in each students that serve as a distraction, or a rock category. star’s roadies. With the storyteller’s permission Luxury – Quality and comfort and appropriate justification, this background may • Thrift Store and low cost furniture even cover spirits or animals. •• Modest decoration, basics of first world lifestyle where appropriate 3 | P a g e Standard Backgrounds ••• Relative comfort and a host of - Be connected to a potent supernatural or amenities mythical figure (God, Hero, Fae Noble) that fits •••• Luxurious respite, unique in both the characters concept design and appearance ••••• A degree of ostentation usually - It may not influence combat directly (Knives may reserved for the extremely wealthy or remain sharp, one bullet may be left at a critical celebrities. moment, but no bonus to aim or the like) Size: The approximate size and floorplan • A small apartment or underground - Not be obviously inhuman or impossible, and chamber, 1 or 2 rooms must have a rational explanation •• A large apartment or family home, 3-4 - have a corresponding weird quirk, also story- rooms based, that mirrors the blessing (odd breeze, one ••• A Warehouse, Church or large home, eye and an affinity for ravens, etc.) 5-8 rooms •••• A mansion or network of tunnels, 9-15 - If the character breaks faith with their patron, rooms or chambers the blessing disappears.