Alcoholic (5e Background)
Alcoholic[edit]
The vice of alcohol holds a tight grip on your heart, as well as your liver, for some reason or another. Maybe some past trauma has caused you to turn to fermented fruits and grains as a solace and way to cope, no matter how poor it may be. Maybe you enjoy the flavor to the point that you would do anything for a single drop of the bitter tasting substance. You will do anything to continue living your life through beer goggles, and it has lead to desperate measures, be it a life of crime, or brewing your own alcohol in the privacy of your home. Its plain to see that your life has spiraled out of your control and many people have suggested you get help. Maybe that's why you turned to adventuring, to turn over a new leaf and get a fresh start, or maybe you seek more gold to feed your alcoholism.
Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand and Medicine
Tool Proficiencies: Brewer's Tools or Thieves' Tools
Equipment: A flask filled with your favorite alcohol, a memento of your life before alcohol, common clothes, a heavy blanket, and a pouch with 5 sp
Drink of Choice[edit]
While you will drink any alcohol if need be, you of course have your own preferences for drinks. Maybe it was the first alcohol you tried, or maybe you just like the flavor, either way, you are utterly obsessed with this beverage and are even more susceptible to its siren song.
| d6 | Drink of Choice |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beer |
| 2 | Wine |
| 3 | Rum |
| 4 | Mead |
| 5 | Brandy |
| 6 | Scotch |
Feature: Temperance[edit]
Having already struggled through addiction in the past you know how to identify the signs of addiction, and are better equipped to quit other addictions or help others through their addictions. Your demeanor after giving up alcohol may also affect the way different people interact with you.
Alternate Feature: Pitiful[edit]
You love alcohol far too much, and find yourself forgoing inns for the tavern. As such, you have garnered a form of condescending pity from people and can typically find a place to stay on the condition that you do not drink for the duration of your stay. Whether you hold up your end of the bargain or not is up to you.
Alternate Feature: Strong-headed[edit]
You are extremely tolerant of alcohol and have advantage on Constitution checks related to alcohol. You also can consume 3 times that of most people before feeling even a little tipsy.
Suggested Characteristics[edit]
Alcoholics are not meant to be envied, they are sad individuals who feel they need alcohol, and their personalities should reflect that.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have mastered the art of crocodile tears and use them to get whatever I want from whoever I want. |
| 2 | I live for any distraction from my monotonous life. |
| 3 | I have found that everyone's a lot more attractive after a few drinks. |
| 4 | I find a wooden table to be an easier surface to fall asleep on than a bed. |
| 5 | I find the scent of alcohol to be revolting, but still find myself drawn to it. |
| 6 | I have found that praying to gods has been ineffective, and have decided to give up on religion all together. |
| 7 | I hate confrontation about my problematic behaviors. |
| 8 | I have a very fragile ego and sense of self. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Self-Serving. Nobody helped me, so why should I do the same for them? (Evil) |
| 2 | Idealistic. If there's still hope for me, there's hope for anyone. (Good) |
| 3 | Drinking. I don't care about much else other than alcohol. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Tempered. I find that drinking within reason keeps me sane, but I still need alcohol everyday. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Hedonism. If something's good why shouldn't I pursue it? (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Change. I want to change my ways and be a better person. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The local barkeep is my only real friend. |
| 2 | I have abandoned my family for alcohol, I want to fix that. |
| 3 | There is at least one night stand who is a bit bitter towards me. |
| 4 | Turning away from alcohol has lost me a lot of my drinking buddies. |
| 5 | I have sequestered myself away to avoid alcohol. |
| 6 | I have at least one illegitimate child from a drinking bender. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I drink to run from my problems. |
| 2 | I owe people a lot of money from when I was drunk. |
| 3 | Loyalty to anyone but alcohol is something I don't get. |
| 4 | I use my drinking as an excuse to be a terrible person. |
| 5 | I think that anyone who chooses not to drink is a sanctimonious jerk. |
| 6 | I blame everyone other than me for my problems. |
Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Backgrounds