Guard

Your feet ache when you remember the countless hours you spent at your post in the tower. You were trained to keep one eye looking outside the wall. watching for marauders sweeping from the nearby forest, and your other eye looking inside the wall. searching for cutpurses and troublemakers.

A background lists three of your character's ability scores. Increase one by 2 and another one by 1, or increase all three by 1. None of these increases can raise a score above 20.

You gain the following benefits. you roll Initiative, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to the roll. after you roll Initiative, you can swap your Initiative with the Initiative of one willing ally in the same combat. You can't make this swap if you or the ally has the Incapacitated condition.

Each background gives a character proficiency with one tool—either a specific tool or one chosen from the Artisan's Tools category.

Gaming sets:

Choose A or B: (A) Spear, Light Crossbow, 20 Bolts, Gaming Set (same as above), Hooded Lantern, Manacles, Quiver, Traveler's Clothes, 12 GP: or (B) 50 GP