Arcana Unleashed’s backgrounds are a solid addition, built on a bunch of strong new origin feats.
Arcana Unleashed is the latest rules expansion for D&D 5.5e and comes packed with new magical options to use at your table. One of those is 10 new backgrounds, almost all inspired by the magical factions included in the book.
They come with brand new origin feats as well as the usual combinations of skills, ability score increases and tool proficiencies. I’ve already analysed all the origin feats from Arcana Unleashed, but backgrounds are more than just origin feats. So below I’ve analysed and given recommendations around each background so you know which are worth taking and which builds benefit most.
Backgrounds overview
To start with, here’s all the backgrounds from Arcana Unleashed and the important details about each one like the different origin feats, ability scores and skills they grant. I’ve also suggested some classes that work well with each background.
| Name | Recommended classes | Ability scores | Origin feat | Skill proficiencies | Tool proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agent of the Ninth Quill | Artificer, fighter, sorcerer, warlock, wizard | Dexterity, intelligence, charisma | Arcane infiltrator | Arcana, sleight of hand | Thieves’ tools |
| Bejeweled Conclave spy | Bard, warlock, sorcerer | Dexterity, wisdom, charisma | Arcane eloquence | Deception, perception | Disguise kit |
| Cosmic Dawn experiment | Paladin, ranger | Strength, dexterity, constitution | Transmuted anatomy | Athletics, survival | One kind of artisan’s tools |
| Covenant of the Grave recruit | Maybe a ranger, but not a great mix for anyone | Strength, intelligence, wisdom | Arcane undertaker | History, medicine | Herbalism kit |
| Crucible storm chaser | Artificer, wizard | Strength, constitution, intelligence | Arcane overload | Athletics, nature | Glassblower’s tools |
| Familiar trainer | Artificer, cleric, druid, monk, ranger, wizard and some intelligence-based rogues like the arcane trickster | Constitution, intelligence, wisdom | Familiar friend | Animal handling, arcana | One kind of gaming set |
| Horizon Weaver initiate | Cleric, druid, monk, ranger, rogue | Dexterity, constitution, wisdom | Portal jumper | Acrobatics, survival | Weaver’s tools |
| Phantasmic Circus trouper | Bard, paladin, rogue, sorcerer, warlock | Dexterity, constitution, charisma | Arcane artist | Deception, performance | Disguise kit |
| Seer apprentice | Not a great ability score spread for any class, but a great feat. | Intelligence, wisdom, charisma | Arcane omens | History, insight | Navigator’s tools |
| Ward of the Sheltering Hands | Paladin, warlock | Constitution, wisdom, charisma | Arcane safeguard | Insight, medicine | Cook’s utensils |
Background analysis
Agent of the Ninth Quill – 5/5
Ability score: Dexterity, intelligence, charisma
Origin feat: Arcane infiltrator
Skills: Arcana, sleight of hand
Tool proficiency: Thieves’ tools
Recommended classes: Artificer, fighter, sorcerer, warlock, wizard
Analysis: This is a great background if you have a spellcaster needing to fill in as a rogue. Dexterity is great for almost any spellcaster and the intelligence or charisma ability score means that most spellcasters are covered (besides rangers, clerics and druids).
The origin feat is most important for its bonus action dodge. I think this makes it best for classes with little use for their bonus action, that also draw a fair few attacks. I think this makes it best on a warlock, but a dexterity fighter build might also work as a few also need intelligence (like eldritch knights and psi warriors).
There’s plenty of great synergy here with lots of great options.
Bejeweled Conclave Spy – 5/5
Ability score: Dexterity, wisdom, charisma
Origin feat: Arcane eloquence
Skills: Deception, perception
Tool proficiency: Disguise kit
Recommended classes: Bard, warlock, sorcerer
Analysis: Don’t be deceived by the wisdom ability score increase here, this is a background that’s all about charisma builds. Fortunately, the dexterity increase is great for most charisma builds (other than most paladins). Add to that deception and disguise kit proficiency which are both charisma focused. Perception is a wisdom skill, but it’s still great for any character.
You’ve also got the arcane eloquence origin feat which is excellent on a party face. You add 1d4 to all deception, intimidation and persuasion checks, which should happen a lot and is a fairly substantial buff. An all round excellent background for charisma builds.
Cosmic Dawn Experiment – 4/5
Ability score: Strength, dexterity, constitution
Origin feat: Transmuted anatomy
Skills: Athletics, survival
Tool proficiency: One kind of artisan’s tools
Recommended classes: Paladin, ranger
Analysis: This one gears the ability scores around martial classes with no spellcasting abilities represented, but the origin feat, while good on a martial, is actually best on a spellcaster. This is because it will boost constitution saving throws which includes concentration saving throws.
The extra movement is pretty nice too. But all of this probably leans most into your martial spellcasters like paladins or rangers who will both appreciate a constitution boost as well as one of strength or dexterity and enjoy the enhanced concentration. There is a case to be made for giving this to some other gish builds like some artificers, warlocks, valor bards, eldritch knights and the like, but there’s a compromise here between physical abilities and spellcasting abilities.
For this reason, it’s not quite a top tier background just because it lacks a spellcasting ability score which likely leads to compromise somewhere, but it’s still a great option.
Covenant of the Grave Recruit – 2/5
Ability score: Strength, intelligence, wisdom
Origin feat: Arcane undertaker
Skills: History, medicine
Tool proficiency: Herbalism kit
Recommended classes: Maybe a ranger, but not a great mix for anyone
Analysis: I’m not really a fan of this one. You have a poor mix of ability score increases. Strength and intelligence almost never combined well (maybe an eldritch knight or a psi warrior), wisdom and intelligence never work well together and strength and wisdom only sometimes work well together (maybe for a cleric or a strength ranger, though dexterity is better for a ranger). The skills also split between wisdom and intelligence.
The origin feat enhances medicine checks, but this is almost obsolete if you’re playing a ranger or cleric who are both better off just using something like healing word or cure wounds. This is especially the case if you take a necromancy cantrip like spare the dying.
It’s all a bit of a mismatch with an origin feat that isn’t that great, that only maybe gets you toll the dead. But if you want that, I’d grab magic initiate instead.
Crucible Storm Chaser – 4/5
Ability score: Strength, constitution, intelligence
Origin feat: Arcane overload
Skills: Athletics, nature
Tool proficiency: Glassblower’s tools
Recommended classes: Artificer, wizard
Analysis: With the origin feat granting firebolt and an enhanced damage spell once per long rest, this really only works for spellcasters. The only spellcasting ability score available is intelligence which means taking this on an artificer or wizard. Eldritch knight or arcane trickster could be an option, but arcane overload is best on AoE spells which they’ll get later and have less potential options for their level, but they remain decent options here.
Because the damage boost isn’t loads or frequent, you really want to be applying it to AoE spells where the damage is magnified by the number of targets hit. All of this works quite well, but only for a couple of classes.
Familiar trainer – 5/5
Ability score: Constitution, intelligence, wisdom
Origin feat: Familiar friend
Skills: Animal handling, arcana
Tool proficiency: One kind of gaming set
Recommended classes: Artificer, cleric, druid, monk, ranger, wizard and some intelligence-based rogues like the arcane trickster
Analysis: Any class can benefit from find familiar, and this version is enhanced with extra hit points and the help action making it a bit of a support summon in combat that can last more than one attack. On top of this, it combines with other familiar enhancements like those from necromancers, conjurers, pact of the chain warlocks and the battle familiar spell.
The ability scores though are going to limit you to spellcasters because you’ve got 2 spellcasting ability scores in there. It also excludes charisma casters, but works for pretty much any other casters as constitution is universally useful.
Horizon Weaver Initiate – 4/5
Ability score: Dexterity, constitution, wisdom
Origin feat: Portal jumper
Skills: Acrobatics, survival
Tool proficiency: Weaver’s tools
Recommended classes: Cleric, druid, monk, ranger, rogue
Analysis: This one is best on hit and run builds, especially those that use their bonus action for other things. This preserves your bonus action moving in and out of danger as you no longer need your bonus action for things like misty step or the disengage action (for classes like rogues and monks) as portal jumper just expends movement.
It’s not just great for hit and run builds though. Wizards and sorcerers caught in melee can escape without using a levelled spell like misty step. This preserves their action economy and allows them to use a different levelled spell in the same turn. It’s also great for escaping grapples.
You’re mostly limited to wisdom casters and dexterity build non-casters due to he ability score increases, but that’s still a pretty broad range of classes.
Phantasmic Circus Trouper – 3/5
Ability score: Dexterity, constitution, charisma
Origin feat: Arcane artist
Skills: Deception, performance
Tool proficiency: Disguise kit
Recommended classes: Bard, paladin, rogue, sorcerer, warlock
Analysis: You really need to be wanting to cast illusion spells to make the most of this. Minor illusion is solid for stealth and some utility and other classes can use other illusion spells too.
This is primarily for charisma builds, especially with those skills, but dexterity classes like rogues can do well with distractions too and may want some charisma capabilities.
Seer Apprentice – 3/5
Ability score: Intelligence, wisdom, charisma
Origin feat: Arcane omens
Skills: History, insight
Tool proficiency: Navigator’s tools
Recommended classes: Not a great ability score spread for any class, but a great feat.
Analysis: This is a great origin feat with a poor spread of ability scores. Almost no class mixes the 3 spellcasting ability scores unfortunately. This means taking a suboptimal ability score. You’re also spread between wisdom and intelligence on your skills too. Fortunately, this background is rescued by an excellent origin feat that buffs both ability checks and saving throws.
Ward of the Sheltering Hands – 3/5
Ability score: Constitution, wisdom, charisma
Origin feat: Arcane safeguard
Skills: Insight, medicine
Tool proficiency: Cook’s utensils
Recommended classes: Paladin, warlock
Analysis: This is a tricky one. Resistance becomes decent when you can cast it as a bonus action (through arcane safeguard), but only as long as you don’t need your concentration for anything else. The problem is, most spellcasters will want to concentrate on other things. This makes this best for non-spellcasters or low concentration casters (like paladins) as well as those on the frontlines for the extra resilience.
The problem is, this leaves you with a limited number of options. When you factor in the ability score increases, this factors out something like a fighter (other than the banneret) because most fighters have little use for wisdom or charisma.
This is potentially alright on the right build, but I think it’s really tricky and niche to fit into a build.
Are the backgrounds in Arcana Unleashed any good?
They are. There are loads of great options to pick from, with plenty of useful and interesting origin feats. Many of the backgrounds do have some good combinations of abilities too.
There are a couple of tricky or lacklustre options, especially the Covenant of the Grave Recruit. But I think we’ve genuinely got a bunch of great options with the only concern being a little bit of power creep coming in when compared to some other options available.
What did you think of the backgrounds in Arcana Unleashed? Let me know in the comments below.
