From publisher blurb:
The frontier is a land of opportunity, danger, and untamed wilderness. It is a place where civilization pushes against the unknown, where fortunes are won and lost with the pull of a trigger, and where justice is often delivered by the fastest hand. This booklet presents 30 backgrounds designed for fantasy frontier adventures, where elves ride alongside orcish cowboys, dwarves stake claims in the hills for precious metals, and halfling prospectors search for their fortune in the badlands.
These backgrounds serve as foundations for your character’s past, providing them with skills, equipment, and a unique feature that reflects their experiences. They are designed to integrate seamlessly into the 5e ruleset, offering new and immersive options for players and game masters alike.
Unlike many character backgrounds that tie into noble courts, scholarly institutions, or distant mystical orders, these are rooted in the everyday lives of frontier folk. They represent the ranchers, lawmen, drifters, merchants, and outlaws who carve out an existence on the edge of civilization. Each one comes with a short description, a set of skill and tool proficiencies, starting equipment, and a unique feature that grants useful abilities tied to the character’s past experiences.
Who These Backgrounds Are For
Players looking to bring depth and personality to their characters, choosing backgrounds that fit seamlessly into a western-inspired fantasy setting.
Game Masters seeking additional tools to flesh out their world, providing non-player characters with rich histories and motivations.
Groups playing in campaigns that feature frontier expansion, lawless towns, and the clash of cultures, magic, and technology.
These backgrounds are designed for gritty, down-to-earth characters—people who work with their hands, rely on their wits, and struggle to survive in a world of hard choices and harsh landscapes. None of these backgrounds deal with the occult, eldritch forces, or planar mysteries. Instead, they focus on practical skills and experiences found in the world of settlers, outlaws, and lawmen.
Whether your character is a bounty hunter tracking down criminals, a railroad worker forging new paths across the land, or a former prisoner looking for redemption, these backgrounds will help shape their story.
The frontier is calling. Will you answer?
This booklet contains 30 backgrounds to replace the ones from the core rulebook, but for a fantasy wild west setting.