Choosing the perfect background is a crucial step in crafting a compelling narrative for your Githyanki adventurer, and in this guide, we’ve curated a list of backgrounds tailored to harness their innate strengths and lore.
Join us on a quest through the realms of D&D as we explore the backgrounds that will shape your Githyanki character into a force to be reckoned with.
Contents
What Are Backgrounds in D&D 5e?
Backgrounds are more than simple stat boosts in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. They reveal where your character came from, why you became an adventurer, and your place in the world.
Before choosing your Background, ask yourself a few questions:
- What was I before I became an adventurer?
- Why did I stop doing what my Background explains and become an adventurer?
- Where did I get the money to buy my starting equipment?
- Where did I learn the skills used in my class?
- What’s different about me compared to others with the same Background?
Best Backgrounds for Githyanki
5. Urban Bounty Hunter
Skill Proficiencies – Choose two among Stealth, Persuasion, Insight, and Deception
Tool Proficiencies – Choose two among one type of gaming set, Thieves’ tools, and one musical instrument
Languages – None
Equipment – A set of clothes appropriate to your bounty hunting duties and a pouch with 20GP
Why the Urban Bounty Hunter?
Urban Bounty Hunters have the Ear to the Ground feature, meaning they have frequent contact with those in their target’s segment of society.
No matter who they are, you have contact with them, and you get this information by visiting a special someone in every city you visit.
Githyanki enjoy violence, and if you want to be a Face or Assassin, Urban Bounty Hunter will make for the perfect background.
4. Knight of the Order
Skill Proficiencies – Persuasion, plus one among Religion, Nature, History, and Arcana, as appropriate for your order
Tool Proficiencies – One type of gaming set or a musical instrument
Languages – Choose one
Equipment – A seal representing your place or rank in the order, a set of traveler’s clothes, a banner, a signet, and a pouch with 10GP.
Why the Knight of the Order?
Knight of the Order gives your Githyanki Knightly Regard, meaning you and your party will receive food, healing, shelter, and, at times, physical aid.
Githyanki, with the Knight of the Order background, will be drawn to orders akin to violence and using physical prowess to govern over others.
Note: This doesn’t necessarily make them Evil, but allows you to also play them as an Evil character if you so wish.
3. Gladiator
Skill Proficiencies – Performance, Acrobatics
Tool Proficiencies – Single type of musical instrument (or an inexpensive, unusual weapon like a net or trident), Disguise kit
Languages – None
Equipment – One musical instrument you choose (or unusual weapon), a costume, the favor of an admirer (trinket, love letter, or lock of hair), and a pouch with 15GP.
Why the Gladiator?
Gladiators can obtain free lodging and food by using their fighting skills to challenge and take on other fighters in taverns, arenas, or pit fighting clubs.
Githyanki are already extremely violent, and by becoming a Gladiator, you can use your violent tendencies to always arrange amenities for you and your party.
2. Mercenary Veteran
Skill Proficiencies – Persuasion, Athletics
Tool Proficiencies – Vehicles (land), One type of gaming set
Languages – None
Equipment – A gaming set of your choice, an insignia of your rank, a uniform of your company (traveler’s clothes in quality), and a pouch with the remainder of your last wages (10GP).
Why the Mercenary Veteran?
Mercenary Veterans have the Mercenary Life feature, letting you identify mercenary companies, find places where mercenaries abide, and get mercenary work between adventures.
As already discussed, Githyanki can use their love for violence to become a Mercenary Veteran, putting their destructiveness to use and making money in the process.
1. Soldier
Skill Proficiencies – Intimidation, Athletics
Tool Proficiencies – Vehicles (land), One type of gaming set
Languages – None
Equipment – A trophy you took from a fallen enemy (a piece of a banner, dagger, or broken blade), a set of common clothes, a deck of cards or a set of bone dice, an insignia of rank, and a pouch with 10GP.
Why the Soldier?
Soldiers receive the Military Rank feature, allowing you to exert your rank and impose authority over soldiers lower than you.
This authority can grant you and your party access to fortresses, encampments, simple equipment, and horses.
Githyanki are rather destructive creatures, garnering an immense hatred for the Githzerai and making excellent soldiers who love the taste of blood.
Final Thoughts
Whether immersing your character in the bloody life of an Urban Bounty Hunter, once serving as a loyal Soldier, or putting your skills to use fighting as a Gladiator, your chosen background is the palette upon which your character’s saga is painted.
Choose thoughtfully, delve into the intricacies of your selected background, and allow it to be the driving force behind your Githyanki’s journey through the expansive realms of D&D.