The best background for Arcanum characters depends on Arcanum Build and playstyle. Only Child is favored by Magickal builds, Ran Away with the Circus by hulk-smash builds, Charlatan's Protégé by diplomats and Miracle Operation or Raised by Orcs by gunfighters. For Technologists, Sickly or Idiot Savant are the best backgrounds. Throwers? Professional Knife Tosser!
Another good background for warrior builds is Escaped Lunatic since it confers 25% damage resistance, which is 15% more than Half-Ogres. But no, that background is not open to Half-ogres (which would have given us 40% starting DR). That said, DR caps out at 95% anyway and any Arcanum Build can get high DR through items. cf. Best Armor Arcanum.
Be careful when choosing backgrounds as they can limit your playstyle in ways you may not foresee or like. If you have any doubt, and don't want to read through all the backgrounds, simply choose No Significant Background and go with Human Arcanum Race.
I recommend steering clear of short-term gain backgrounds (starting gold or possessions) and +skill backgrounds. What we want are +stat backgrounds that empower the concept of our build (long-term benefit).
Take the example of a fledgling hulk smash or Ogre Destroyer build. For race we chose Half-Ogre (+4 Strength). If we now choose Ran Away with the Circus (+6 Strength), our Half-Ogre has a Strength score of 18 (Base 8 + 4 + 6 = 18). If we now put two more points into Strength, we have a Strength score of 20 and therefore deal double damage or 23.5 damage and 12 fatigue per hit with a 15-speed Rapier -- at the crash site. (Half-Ogres max out at 24 Strength).
Most backgrounds have virtues and flaws, aka upsides and downsides or pros and cons. The trick is to choose a background whose virtue is highly beneficial but whose flaw is not too detrimental (because we don't need that stat for our build or can make up for the inadequacy by other means). For example, +6 on a mental stat overrides the concern of -2 on a few physical stats for characters who don't engage in martial combat.
For newbies: Don't choose a background that penalizes any of your prime stats, or you won't be able to max them (at max, stats can give great perks, such as Strength's "double damage").
No significant background
Nothing of any consequence has ever happened to the character.
Choose Human and you have a clean-slate and versatile character template that can undertake any combat or utility role in Arcanum.
Raised by Snake Handlers
You receive a 20% increase in your resistance to poison, but suffer a penalty to your Beauty (-1) due to the large numbers of bite scars on your arms and legs.
Apprenticed to a Blacksmith
Your master is a hard man. You gain a bonus to Strength (+1) and a bonus to your Repair skill but you suffer a penalty to Dexterity (-2) due to the strenuous and repetitive hard labor.
Raised by Elves
You start with a wonderful suit of magickal elven chain mail, but suffer a slight penalty to all Tech skills.
Raised by Monks
Piety has its advantages and disadvantages. You gain a bonus to Perception (+1) but renouncing the material world leaves you with only one quarter of the normal starting wealth.
Child of a Hero
You start with your father's +1 sword and are known throughout the land as a child of a Hero. Therefore you will incur terrible negative reaction for any evil act.
Inheritance
You were orphaned as a young child and inherited a lot of money. The easy life has cost you a penalty to Willpower (-1). Most of the money has been spent by now, but you begin with twice the normal starting wealth.
Foppish Elf
Raised in the city, you lose the elven bonus to dexterity but gain a bonus to Persuasion.
Clanless Dwarf
Your parents did not belong to a clan, and would not discuss the reasons why. You gain no dwarven bonus to Tech skills, but you do start with an excellent dwarven war hammer.
Disenfranchised Gnome
You are not part of the gnomish capitalist bourgeoisie and instead grew up as a day laborer. You suffer a penalty to Haggle, but gain a bonus to Strength (+1).
Halfling Orphan
Abandoned in a large city as a child, you survived by stealing and never received any education. You gain a bonus to Pick Pocket, but lose a point to Intelligence (-1).
Special Person
You have suffered congenital brain damage. You lack Intelligence (-2), but you receive more praise when you do good deeds (resulting in a better reaction from people).
Professional Knife Tosser
You used to work as a knife thrower in a circus, until losing an eye in a freak accident. Sadly, you lose a point to Perception (-1), but you gain an exceptional bonus to your Throwing skill.
Apprenticed to a Shopkeeper
Spending your whole childhood inside a shop, you gain an exceptional bonus to Haggle, but you suffer a penalty to Dexterity (-1).
Sent To Charm School
Instead of a general education, you were sent to charm school. You gain bonuses to both Beauty (+1) and Charisma (+2), but you lose points in both Intelligence (-1) and Strength (-2).
Born Under a Sign
You were born during an astronomical event. As a result, you experience fewer critical hits and critical misses, but when you do get them, their results tend to be spectacular.
Extreme Personality
You possess an extreme personality. People react more strongly to your presence, and tend to grow to either love or hate you.
Factory Escapee
You were a slave in a factory until a recent escape. You have little money, but you gain a bonus to Strength (+1).
Freed Bodyguard
Your gnomish master recently died, and in his will you were freed from servitude, as well as being left a small monetary gift. However, you are not very bright, and suffer a penalty to your Intelligence (-1).
Bookworm
You have spent most of your life reading. You gain a bonus to Intelligence (+1). Unfortunately, myopia has set in, and you lose a point to Perception (-1).
Bully
You were the class bully, big and dumb. Extortion and intimidation have afforded you a bonus to Strength (+1), but getting people to do your homework for you leaves you with a deficiency in Intelligence (-1).
Wild Half-Ogre
You were born to an ogre mother and lived with an ogre clan until very recently. Compared to your more civilized brethren, you gain a bonus to Willpower (+1) but you suffer a penalty to your Charisma (-1).
Rare Half-Ogre Birth
You were born to a human mother, who miraculously survived your birth. Having been raised in the city, you gain a considerable bonus to Intelligence (+2). City life has also lessened your ferocity, and you lose points in both Strength (-1) and Constitution (-1).
Suppressed Orcish Looks
You do not really look very orcish, but you are exceptionally surly. You have a bonus to Beauty (+2), but suffer a penalty to your Charisma (-2).
Elven Blood
Your father's great-grandmother was an elf. You gain an increase in Magickal Aptitude (5%), but suffer a slight penalty to all Tech skills.
Hyperactive
You are constantly busy. Your Speed is higher than normal (+1), but most people find you annoying, and your Charisma suffers (-1).
Army Training
You received some army training during your youth, but were discharged for having flat feet. You gain bonuses to Strength (+1), as well as slight bonuses to your Bow and Melee skills, but you have a penalty to Dexterity (-1).
Tough Hide
You were born with thick, brutish skin. Although you resist damage more than the average bloke does (10%), you unfortunately take a penalty to Beauty (-1).
Sheltered Childhood
Your were cooed and coddled incessantly as a child. As a result of overprotective parenting, you take a severe penalty to strength (-6), but, being more sensitive, you have bonuses to Intelligence (+2), Willpower (+2), and Perception (+1).
Troll Offspring
The gods frowned upon you when you were born. Cursed with both trollish looks and mannerisms, you receive severe penalties to Beauty (-4) and Charisma (-4). As everyone seems to think that you are spawned from monsters or worse, you often find yourself fending off hunters and holy men, and gain bonuses to Strength (+2), Constitution (+2), and Dexterity (+1).
Ran Away with the Circus
Having run away with a local troupe of circus performers, you have gained considerable physical Strength (+6), but have serious deficiencies in Intelligence (-2), Willpower (-3), and Perception (-1) due to all of the schooling that you missed.
Raised in the Pits
Being a veteran in the local pit fights, you gain a bonus to Strength (+2), Dexterity (+2) and a bonus to all Combat Skills. The vicious combat has also taken a toll. Head trauma gives you a severe penalty to Intelligence (-6). As a result, you're not especially good with money. You're entire life savings amounts to a measly 100 coins.
Feral Child
As an infant, your parents abandoned you in the middle of the forest. Having been raised by a pack of wolves gives you a considerable bonus to Dexterity (+3) as well as slight bonuses in the Thieving Skills of Prowling and Pickpocket. But, oblivious of table manners and the rules of good society, you receive a severe penalty to Intelligence (-6) as well as slight penalties in the Social Skills of Persuasion and Haggle. You begin with half the normal starting wealth.
Sickly
Mother Nature can be a harsh mistress. Having been born with an extremely weak immune system, you have penalties to Strength (-2) Constitution (-4), and Dexterity (-1). But all is not lost. Afternoons spent with a fever and a good book have afforded you unnaturally high Intelligence (+6).
Beat with an Ugly Stick
You are ugly. There is just no other word for it, unless you consider hideous a better word. Children flee from you in terror and even the kindest of souls finds it difficult to stand your presence for long. As a result of your countenance, you take an extreme penalty to Beauty (-6), but, because you have had to defend yourself from frequent attacks, you gain a bonus to Strength (+2), Dexterity (+2) and a slight bonus to all of your Combat Skills.
Lady's Man
Women swoon whenever they are near you. Being unusually good-looking, you gain a large bonus to Beauty (+6). Unfortunately, all that primping and powdering has you lacking in the more manly virtues...you lose points in Constitution (-2), Strength (-2) and Dexterity (-2).
Débutante
Your family is one of the most influential in all of Arcanum. As a young debutante, you have bonuses to Beauty (+3) and Charisma (+3). Of course, the easy life has made you soft in mind and body. You have penalties in Strength (-1), Dexterity (-1), and all of your Combat Skills.
Raised by Orcs
You were a runaway orphan, homeless and starving, when an orcish family in the wilderness took you in and raised you. Their brutish ways have left you with increased Strength (+2) and Perception (+2), as well as given you a slight bonus to all Combat Skills. Unfortunately, your upbringing has also taken its toll on your personality, and you have a severe penalty to Charisma (-6).
Charlatan's Protégé
Having been convinced by a travelling salesman to become his apprentice, you've given up your life in the military academy you were enrolled in. You gain a major bonus to Charisma (+6), but lose some physical Strength (-2), Constitution (-2) as well as taking slight penalties to all of your Combat Skills.
Educator
You are a natural teacher. As you learn skill training, you can teach your followers the previous training step. So as an Expert, you can teach your followers as Apprentices, if they qualify. However, since you spend extra time with each follower, you cannot have as many as usual (-1 to maximum followers).
Super Model
You are a stunningly gorgeous woman, and you have been pampered and coddled all of your life. You gain a tremendous bonus to Beauty (+6) at the cost of Strength (-2) and Intelligence (-4).
Escaped Lunatic
You have escaped from an insane asylum and stowed away aboard the IFS Zephyr. You are extremely resistant to damage (+25% to normal, fire, electrical, and poison resistance) but you have no money, you have stolen some cheap clothing, and most people are frightened or repulsed by you (-25 reaction).
Idiot Savant
You were institutionalized at a young age and believed to be mentally handicapped. After several years, the institute lost funding and you were turned out onto the street with nothing more than the clothes on your back. You are brilliant with a keen grasp of numbers and mathematics, but you are barely able to talk. You gain a significant bonus to Intelligence (+6) and an exceptional bonus to your Gambling skill. However, years of being locked away makes you suffer physically and emotionally. You talk as if you had a much lower Intelligence and you suffer penalties to Strength (-1), Constitution (-1), Dexterity (-2) and Willpower (-2).
Tomboy
As a little girl, you were always playing games with the boys. As a woman, you can hold your own against any man, and you have avoided the stereotypical female role in society. This background negates the gender effect by increasing Strength (+1) while decreasing Constitution (-1).
Barbarian
You were raised among a wild barbarian tribe in a far away land. No one knows how or why you came to be a passenger aboard the IFS Zephyr, but given your ferocious demeanor, no one tried to find out. You gain bonuses to Strength (+2) and Constitution (+1), and a slight bonus to Melee, while suffering penalties to Intelligence (-1) and Charisma (-2), and a penalty to Haggle. You also possess barbarian armor but less money than other characters.
Nietzsche Poster Child
Nietzsche once said "That which does not kill me makes me stronger", and he may have been referring to you. All your life you have been making mistakes, but you always seem to come out better afterwards. In other words, you critically fail more than normal but you have a 10% experience point bonus.
Dark Elf Follower
You believe in the philosophy of the dark elves, that technology must be brought down at any cost. This faith has strengthened your resolve Willpower (+2), but the recent rise of technology has made you bitter Charisma (-2).
Sold Your Soul
You have made a pact with a demon. In exchange for more magickal power, you have dedicated your life to the pursuit of evil. You gain 20% to Magickal Aptitude, but suffer -20 reaction from others and a -20 alignment (and your alignment can NEVER go higher).
Day Mage
You were born with a magickal aptitude that has affinity for the sun. During the day (between the hours of 6 AM and 6 PM), you possess a 20% bonus to your Magickal Aptitude, but at night you suffer a 20% penalty to your Magickal Aptitude.
Night Mage
You were born with a magickal aptitude that has affinity for the night. At night (between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM), you possess a 20% bonus to your Magickal Aptitude, but during the day you suffer a 20% penalty to your Magickal Aptitude.
Sky Mage
You were born with a magickal aptitude that has affinity for the open sky. While outside and in clear view of the sky, you possess a 20% bonus to Magickal Aptitude. But while underground, indoors, or even under a heavy forest canopy, you suffer a 20% penalty to your Magickal Aptitude.
Nature Mage
You were born with a magickal aptitude that has affinity for nature. While standing on a natural surface, you possess a 20% bonus to Magickal Aptitude. But on a man-made surface, you suffer a 20% penalty to your Magickal Aptitude.
Agoraphobic
You are terrified of open spaces. As a child, you rarely went outdoors and spent your time reading and studying, gaining a bonus to Intelligence (+2). You are fine if you are indoors or even in a thickly forested area, but if you go into an outdoor open area, you suffer a panic attack, losing your Intelligence bonus and leading to penalties in Dexterity (-2), Intelligence (-2) and Willpower (-2), but you do gain a bonus to Strength (+2) from the fear.
Hydrophobic
You are deathly afraid of water and of drowning. As a child, you constantly made up reasons to avoid entering even shallow water, gaining a bonus to Persuasion. If you do find yourself in water, you suffer a panic attack, leading to penalties in Dexterity (-2), Intelligence (-2) and Willpower (-2), but you do gain a bonus to Strength (+2) from the fear.
Afraid of the Dark
You cannot stand to be in the dark. You stay constantly aware of your surroundings, peering into dim corners and dark shadows to see if something is there. While this has raised your Perception (+2), you will suffer a panic attack if you are in too dark an area, leading to penalties in Dexterity (-2), Intelligence (-2) and Willpower (-2), but you do gain a bonus to Strength (+2) from the fear.
Magick Allergy
You are severely allergic to magickal items, such that touching them causes you pain. Therefore, you have been devoted to technology since a young age and have developed a knack for it. You gain a +10% bonus to Technological Aptitude, but you cannot wield ANY magickal items.
Arsonist
You like fire. No, you LOVE fire! Fire! Fire! FIRE! You were always picked on as a kid for being scrawny, receiving penalties to Strength (-1) and Constitution (-1), but you showed them! You studied explosives, gaining +20 Expertise, and you burned their homes! Burned them to the ground! Ha ha! Then you ran away from home and snuck aboard the IFS Zephyr, which seemed highly flammable and an excellent target. You probably would have torched the zeppelin if it hadn't been shot down.
Bandit
You are a gun-toting bandit. Your lifestyle has earned you a bonus to your Firearms skill, as well as a penalty to Charisma (-1). You ran afoul of the law and reached the IFS Zephyr just one step ahead of the authorities. You have your gun and some ammo, but you don't have any money.
Technophobia
You were raised on a potato farm in the rustic backwaters of a distant land. You worked hard, gaining a bonus to Strength (+1) and Constitution (+1), but you never experienced any technology of any kind. Subsequently, you are afraid of technological items and cannot bring yourself to even pick one up.
Only Child
You grew up as the only child of very permissive parents, and you basically always got your own way. As an adult, you expect nothing less than total obedience of those around you, gaining a bonus to Willpower (+6), but your temperament leaves much to be desired, resulting in penalties to your Charisma (-4) and your Persuasion and Haggle skills.
Frankenstein Monster
You were reanimated by a mad scientist from various body parts he found at gravesites, but somehow you escaped from the laboratory. You are very well constructed, gaining bonuses to Strength (+4), Constitution (+4), Electrical Resistance (+30%) and Poison Resistance (+20%), but you have very slow Dexterity (-6), a damaged brain-larynx connection (you use dumb dialog options) and a susceptibility to fire, Fire Resistance (-20%). You also start out with no money whatsoever.
Bride of Frankenstein
You were reanimated by a mad scientist to be the bride of his other creation, but somehow you managed to escape before the wedding. You are very well constructed, gaining bonuses to Beauty (+4), Constitution (+4), Electrical Resistance (+20%) and Poison Resistance (+10%), but you have a very slow Dexterity (-4), a damaged brain-larynx connection (you use dumb dialog options) and a susceptibility to fire, Fire Resistance (-10%). You also start out with no money whatsoever.
Mad Doctor
You have performed numerous untested and dangerous medical experiments upon yourself and suffer from the adverse effects. You have bonuses to Intelligence (+2), Perception (+2), Poison Resistance (+20%) and Electrical Resistance (+20%), and a bonus to your Healing skill (+1), but you suffer penalties to Beauty (-1), Charisma (-1), Dexterity (-2) and Constitution (-3).
Miracle Operation
Though born to a wealthy family as a young child, you mysteriously lost your sight. It was discovered that you had contracted a degenerative and always fatal disease. As a blind child, your early development favored indoor activities and development befitting the wealthiest of society. You gained bonuses to Intelligence (+3) and Charisma (+3). Your senses of touch, hearing and smell increased to compensate for your blindness, resulting in a bonus to Perception (+5). However, you suffered physically, leading to penalties in Strength (-3), Dexterity (-3) and Constitution (-5). As a young adult, your parents, out of desperation, paid for the services of a renown, if unorthodox physician, who miraculously restored your sight. The operation cost your family its fortune, so you set out to make your own.
Dark Sight
Your eyes are overly sensitive to light. You are nearly blind in daylight, but you can see perfectly in darkness. Therefore, all skill lighting penalties are reversed for you.
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