108 Chapter 3: CharaCter OptiOns
fe ature: wiCked awareneSS
Your time worshipping in secrecy and shadow at the altar of
malevolent forces has left you with insight and keen aware-
ness to those who still operate in such ways. You can often
spot hidden signs, messages, and signals left in populated
places. If actively seeking signs of a cult or dark following,
you have an easier time locating and decoding the signs or
social interactions that signify cult activity, gaining advan-
tage on any ability checks to discover such details.suggested CharaCteristiCs
Use the tables for the Acolyte background in the PHB
as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying
the entries when appropriate to match your ties to your
intent on fleeing your past and rectifying your future.
Your bond is likely associated with those who gave you
the insight and strength to flee your old ways. Your ideal
probably involves your wishing to take down and destroy
those who promote the dark ways you escaped, and per-
haps finding new faith in a forgiving god.Fate-Touched
Many lives and many souls find their ways through the
patterns of fate and destiny, their threads following the
path meant for them, oblivious and eager to be a part of
the woven essence of history meant for them. Some souls,
however, glide forth with mysterious influence, their
threads bending the weave around them, toward them,
unknowingly guiding history itself wherever they walk.
Events both magnificent and catastrophic tend to follow
such individuals. These souls often become great rulers
and terrible tyrants, powerful mages, religious leaders,
and legendary heroes of lore. These are the fate-touched.Few fate-touched ever become aware of their promi-
nent nature. Outside of powerful divination magics, it’s
extremely difficult to confirm one as fate-touched. There
are many communities that regard the status as a terrible
omen, treating a confirmed fate-touched with mistrust
and fear. Others seek them as a blessing, rallying around
them for guidance. Some of renown and power grow
jealous, wishing to bend a fate-touched beneath their
will, and some stories speak of mages of old attempting to
extract or transfer the essence itself.
Players are not intended to select this background, but
this is instead provided for the dungeon master to consider
for one or more of their players, or perhaps a prominent
NPC, as their campaign unfolds. It provides very minor
mechanical benefit, but instead adds an element of lore,
importance, and fate-bearing responsibility to a character
within your story. Being fate-touched overlaps and co-ex-
ists with the character’s current background, only adding
to their mystique. Consider it for a player character who
would benefit from being put more central to the coming
conflicts of your adventure, or for an NPC who may
require protection as they come into their destiny. Perhaps
consider a powerful villain discovering their fate-twisting
nature and using it to wreak havoc. All of these possi-
bilities and more can be explored should you choose to
include a fate-touched within your campaign.fe ature: fortu ne’S gr aCe
Your fate-touched essence occasionally leads surrounding
events to shift in your favor. You gain 1 Luck point, as per
the Lucky feat outlined within the PHB. This luck point
is used in the same fashion as the feat, and you regain this
expended luck point when you finish a long rest. If you
already have the Lucky feat, you add this luck point to
your total for the feat.New Feats
The following new feats are appropriate for campaigns taking place in Tal’Dorei.Cruel
The challenges and struggles you’ve faced throughout your
life have left you ruthless in combat, relishing in the pain
you inflict.- You have a number of cruelty points equal to your pro-
ficiency modifier. Once per turn, whenever you deal
damage to a creature with an attack, you can spend one
cruelty point to deal an additional 1d6 damage of the
attack damage type to that creature. - You can also spend one cruelty point when you score a
critical hit against a creature to regain 1d6 hit points. - While making a Charisma (Intimidation) check that
involves inflicting pain, you can spend one cruelty
point to gain advantage on the roll. - You regain your expended cruelty points when you fin-
ish a long rest.
dual-fOCused
prerequiSite: The ability to cast at least one spell
Countless hours have been spent training your mind to
maintain focus on concurrent incantations, taxing as the
process may be.- If you attempt to cast a spell that requires concen-
tration while already concentrating on an existing
spell, you can maintain concentration on both spells
simultaneously. You must spend a standard action each
subsequent round on maintaining this concentration,
or lose concentration for both spells. - At the end of each turn where you have two spells you
are concentrating on, you must make a Constitution
saving throw (DC equals 10 + the number of complete
rounds you’ve been concentrating on two spells). On a
failure, you lose concentration for both spells. You can