How to Use Backgrounds in Your D&D Games

By Luke Hart

Today we’re diving into a topic that surprisingly isn’t talked about much: how DMs can use character backgrounds—not backstories, but backgrounds—in their games. Backgrounds are found in Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook and include things like acolyte, criminal, soldier, sailor, and urchin. We always hear about using backstories, but backgrounds? Not so much. So today, we’re fixing that.

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1. Use Backgrounds to Award Inspiration

This is the most standard—and underutilized—way backgrounds come into play.

When players roleplay their character’s personality trait, ideal, bond, or flaw, that’s your cue to award inspiration.

Examples:
• A folk hero misuses long words to sound smarter, and the player leans into it? Inspiration.
• A noble whose bond says “I will face any challenge to win the approval of my family” stares down three thugs they’ll likely lose to? Inspiration.

The challenge, of course, is remembering every trait, ideal, bond, and flaw at the table. I don’t even try. Instead, I tell my players, “Let me know when you’re roleplaying one of your features.” Then I award inspiration accordingly.

2. Create Situations Based on the Character’s Background

This has nothing to do with deep backstories. You’re simply drawing from the high-level details baked into the background itself. These encounters might be good, bad, or neutral.

Here are some examples:

Entertainer

• A jealous rival bard decides you’re competition that needs eliminating.
• A wealthy patron complains about your performance, and suddenly you’re blacklisted from every inn in town.

Folk Hero

• Someone from your hometown who always resented you rallies supporters and comes to “settle things.”
• Townsfolk recognize you and insist on buying your character drinks.

Guild Artisan

• Local merchants hike prices 10% because they're afraid the PC is new competition.
• The PC spots one of their own creations being sold at a market booth.
• A local guild actively recruits them based on word from their last guild.

You can literally go through every background in the PHB and brainstorm moments like these—no backstory required. It’s perfect for players who write no backstory at all or for whom the backstory offers little to work with.

3. Create Situations Based on Background Characteristics

Each background provides ideals, bonds, and flaws—these are gold mines for DMs.

Challenge Their Ideals

An outlander with the ideal “the strongest are meant to rule” might witness:
• A street tough bullying a weaker person.
• A hobgoblin warband ruling peaceful farmers.

Do they defend the weak, or do they side with the “strongest”?

Use Their Bonds

• A sailor whose bond says “I’m loyal to my captain first” might have their old captain reappear asking for help.
• An urchin wanted for robbing someone important might suddenly find that person back in the story—and looking for justice.

Play Into Their Flaws

• A soldier who disrespects anyone who isn’t a proven warrior might butt heads with local aristocrats—or bond with battle-scarred veterans in a tavern, leading to an adventure hook.

And whenever a flaw creates conflict, use that conflict later to bring consequences. If the soldier mouths off to the aristocrat, that nobleman isn’t going to forget it. In fact, he might start making the soldier’s life very, very difficult.

4. Put a Twist on Background Features

Background features can be fun, but they’re often overly convenient. Add variety and complications.

Examples:

• An urchin uses City Secrets to navigate alleys quickly—roll on a complication table to see if they stumble into a criminal gang also using the alleys.
• A sailor uses Ship’s Passage for free travel, but mid-voyage the captain detours to a hidden cove and asks the PCs to help retrieve “stored supplies.” Unfortunately, someone else already found that stash.

These twists don’t take away player abilities—they make them more interesting.

5. Use Backgrounds to Create Drama and Interesting Situations

At the end of the day, one of the DM’s biggest jobs is creating drama: dilemmas, conflicts, and compelling situations the players need to navigate. Backgrounds provide built-in tools for doing exactly that.

Not every situation needs to be negative. Some should just acknowledge the PC’s background. Others should be beneficial. But many should involve problems, because without problems… there’s no adventure.

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