Acolyte Background 5e | Acolyte 5e In DnD – 5th Edition D&d (2024)
Being a part of the DnD 5e backgrounds list, the article below gives you a brief about the Acolyte 5E and its personality traits based on different classes to choose your desired character. The acolyte background 5E will also let you know about its ideal, bond, and flaws. Read the article more to learn more about the background of the classes.
Table of Contents
What is 5E Acolyte?
The 5E Acolytes are the subordinate members of the clergy who are answerable to the priests. They perform religious functions in the temples and spend their lives in it’s devotion. They are the mediators between the holy power of God and worshipers who offer sacrifices to conduct religious rites in the temple.
It might seem that they inherited these divine powers, but sorry to disappoint you, that’s not the case. However,D&D Inheritor is the one where the aspect of inheritance plays a major role.
Also, they have certain spellcasting powers, which their holy deities provide them. Moreover, the d&d acolytes also have the ability to channels the divine powers to their worshipers. The Acolyte background 5E gives your class a history to define your character in a better way.
This background gives you an option to choose either a temple or a God to progress in the game. There are three conditions for 5E acolytes to be in and they are:
- Either you are a minor functionary assistant of the priest who was born and raised in the temple to perform religious rites.
- Or you are a high priest who channels the divine power of God to their worshipers and performs religious duties for the deity in a unique approach.
- You might also become a leader of an occult group who used to serve a fiend master but never accepts it.
- Proficiencies: Religion and Insight
- Languages: They can opt for any two languages.
- Pieces of equipment: They need a holy symbol, five stick of incense, a prayer book or a wheel, a set of everyday clothes, a pouch that contains 15 GP, and vestments.
Special Feature of Acolyte 5E Background
In 5E Acolyte background, you get a feature called, “Shelter of the Faithful”, where you provide shelter to your religious supporters. You provide care and shelter to only those who share their faith; in return, you let them stay at the temple. Also, you must supply your supporters with components that are required for spells, provided your companions only endorse you.
You cater to your allies with free healing. Also, you may have ties with a specific shrine, where you have a residence for yourself. Moreover, you can serve at the temple, ask the priest for assistance. However, your work must be for other’s help and not for harming anyone. These conditions are only possible if you are at good terms with the temple.
A common mistake most of the players make is perceive this and the DnD Hermit backdrop interchangeably, but they both have distinct features and traits.
Suggested Characteristics of d&d 5E Acolyte
The d&d 5E acolytes gain experience while performing sacred rites in the temple or any other religious community. Their relationships with the shrines, knowledge about the history, and their supporters affect ideals and mannerisms. They also have flaws that might exist in the form of heretic background, hidden hypocrisy, an ideal, etc. that goes to an extreme way.
Personality traits of Acolyte Dnd
The following table will suggest the personality traits of acolyte dnd:
D8 | Options for the personality trait |
---|---|
1. | They worship their companion, who believes in their faith and looks after that person's requirements and comfort. |
2. | They always look forward to peace and hence make amends with their rivals as well. |
3. | They feel that God is everywhere who tries to communicate with them, but one has to listen to them intently. |
4. | They have a very optimistic attitude. |
5. | They either quote or misquote the sacred texts in every possible situation. |
6. | They might be tolerant or intolerant towards other faiths. Also, they might respect or condemn the worship of other deities. |
7. | They have enjoyed all the great food, drinks, and high society pleasures among their elites of the temple but they choose the rough life for themselves. |
8. | They have an experience of connecting and understanding the outside world as well. They got it from living in the temple for years. |
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Ideal Traits
D6 | Ideal traits |
---|---|
1. | They preserve their ancient traditions and sacrifice. |
2. | They try to help everyone those who are in need, irrespective of the cost they have to pay in return. |
3. | They try to bring changes in the world that God is constantly working for. |
4. | They always try to be the best at their faith’s religious hierarchy. |
5. | They have a lot of faith in God as they believe that their deities will guide them throughout and if they do things the right way they will get results. |
6. | They always try to prove themselves worthy in the favour of their God. |
Bond
D6 | Bond |
---|---|
1. | They can die for their ancient companions who are lost ages ago. |
2. | They can even take revenge from the pseudo temple hierarchy who eventually branded Acolytes as heretic. |
3. | They can die for their priests who took care of them when their parents died. |
4. | Everything they do is served to the common people. |
5. | They will do anything for the temple they have served throughout their lives. |
6. | They seek to preserve their sacred texts that their enemies try to destroy. |
Flaws
D6 | Flaws |
---|---|
1. | They tend to judge people, especially themselves. |
2. | They put all their trust on those who control power in their temple’s hierarchy. |
3. | They blindly trust on those who assert the faith into their God. |
4. | They are inflexible thinkers. |
5. | They don’t trust strangers and always wish worst for them. |
6. | Once they find a goal to complete, everything else in their lives become secondary. |
Attributes of D&d Acolytes
The d&d acolytes are also famous as the priest background 5E. The medium humanoid-like any other race or alignments that include armour class hit points, skills, senses, speed, etc. They are as follows:
- Armour Class: 10
- Senses: Passive perception
- Speed: 30ft
- Languages: Any one common language.
- Challenge: ¼ (50 XP)
- Skills: Religion (+2), Medicine (+4)
- Hit Points: 9 (2d8)
Barbarian Acolyte
A Barbarian acolyte might seem bizarre, but you will notice it is not. Even the Barbarian class has a spiritual side, like in the subclass called the “Path of the Totem Warrior.” The acolytes related to this class aren’t consigned to a temple as they can be a troop’s priest. Also, this will add spiritual value to the class’ character than just being a human shield in the war. Moreover, a Barbarian Acolyte will perform rituals for their dead or ill allies in the battle. They can also communicate with their ancestors for better performance and health.
Further, you can make your Acolyte’s background more related to Barbarian by adding features mentioned below:
- You can make a sacred drum, an Idol, and maybe another crucial tool like a knife or chalice as your holy symbol.
- Your character doesn’t need a prayer book as they have memorized all the prayers, but you can still keep track of the invocations they’ve learnt.
- You can choose your character’s vestments as traditional paint, sacred cowl, etc. that is made up of a distinctive material.
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | They maintain the traditions and rituals anyhow. |
2. | The deities talk to them; they might listen or ignore their advices. |
3. | They never complete what they begin but don’t shy away from this fact. |
4. | They believe that the deities of civilized people useless and don’t stop themselves from letting them know. |
5. | They were saved by a God or a spirit and have served their lives to the deities. |
6. | They have a serious doubt that do Gods exist and even if they do the why people suffer in their lives. |
Bard Acolyte
A Bard acolyte might bring back the roots of the Celtic mythology, where they weren’t only responsible for their knowledge but also their traditional rituals. As music is a massive part of this class, it won’t be surprising for them to sing and write praises for their deities.
Your characters are divinely curious to gain knowledge of their God. Therefore, they might have some doubts which led them to a pilgrimage to get clarity. They become the evangelic pilgrims to know about God’s power.
The following pointers will make your Acolyte resemble more to Bards, and they are:
- You can use Hymnal instead of a prayer book.
- The vestments of your bard acolyte could mark them as a musician or a keeper of sacred texts.
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | Their every syllable must be in the praise of their deities unless they offend their God. |
2. | They feel that they have gone mad in the divinity of the God. |
3. | They find peace and comfort in their ritual songs that they have learnt throughout their childhood. |
4. | They find peace and comfort in their ritual songs that they have learnt throughout their childhood. |
5. | They think that every truth should be questioned in the name of faith. |
6. | Knowledge is everything to them as they believe that it opens the gates for holiness. |
Cleric Acolyte
The clerics are an obvious choice for your acolytes. They’ve grown in a religious community and will help in explaining the rituals and the texts that need to be performed with required skills.
A cleric acolyte may or may not have a provincial mindset, even though they grew up outside the larger society. Their lifestyle brings out questions, which only they can answer. Also, the following pointers may help you, and they are:
- You can adapt or use the pieces of equipment that relates to your God.
- The holy symbol of this character is a blessing they got while entering the priesthood. However, its not only a channel through which your God will manifest their divine powers.
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | These characters are the very first amongst the lot to hear the voices of deities. |
2. | They constantly remain in doubt regarding their faith despite of the training they get. |
3. | They believe everything around is possible because of God and hence has a quote ready, every time. |
4. | They secretly fear the failure they might face due to the powers given to them by the deities. |
5. | They believe that their religion is too connected and can’t be in scriptural form. |
6. | They voluntarily accept that they are beacon and made to serve others. |
Druid Acolyte
A druid acolyte is similar to clerics, but instead of formal regulation, they are trained by archdruids. Also, they live far from the civilization with the other prophets. The druid acolytes may also include the aspect of outlanders, but the druidic culture has become a part of your character’s lives.
The following pointers will help you create your Acolyte in druidic style, and they are:
- Your holy symbol might be the wolf’s teeth or a sprig of Holly.
- Your character’s prayer book will be rewritten in the druidic code.
- The vestments to get for your feelings can be a wolf’s cowl or the antler’s crown.
D6 | Personality traits |
---|---|
1. | They believe that they are there in the world to renew the old faith and spread balance around. |
2. | Their faith is strong but they chose to be quiet as they can’t express themselves even if they tried to. |
3. | They don’t trust those for whom the world is meant to be exploited. |
4. | They love this world’s creation and think what else could bring peace if balance would spread out. |
5. | They are mostly watched and guided by the nature’s spirit. |
6. | They hate hierarchies and stand against them whenever they get a chance. |
Fighter Acolyte
A fighter acolyte is usually a paladin but without divine powers. It resembles a lot to Barbarian acolyte as it gives layers to your character and tells you about their lives off the warzone. There’s a possibility that they may have found their comfort as a Guardian in a temple but also perhaps they left the shrine and joined the military force.
They may also consider war as a service to their God to see their mastery of arms as a special kind of devotion.
D6 | Personality traits |
---|---|
1. | They follow the rules of their deities on and off the warzone. |
2. | They believe that their God resides in their weapons and it would be disrespectful if they will refuse to fight. |
3. | They abandoned their faith because they couldn’t become a paladin. |
4. | They think that their duty is to retrieve a relic that was stolen from their faith. |
5. | They only watched their deities do miracles but never got a chance to talk to them. |
6. | They feel that the temple’s orders and rituals complete them. |
Paladin Acolyte
The paladin acolyte is another better choice for this background because they gain strength only from their faith. The paladins were thrown out from the temple at a very young age since then they found comfort in their faith. This character is very passionate to eradicate darkness from the world, which might be a reason them being thrown out of the shrine or evil might have compelled to live there seclude life.
The following traits would tell you more about the paladin acolyte, and they are:
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | They trust their faith over other things in the world. |
2. | Their deities talk to them and give them advices. |
3. | These characters have selfish reason behind being a paladin, which they won’t tell anybody. |
4. | They lied about the deities talking to them. |
5. | They believe that God always have a plan, which gives them strength. |
6. | They believe that the strength is created through struggles, ignorance is for foolish people, and forgiveness grants wisdom. |
Ranger Acolyte
Ranger acolyte is similar to the ones of Barbarian and druid as their primary role is to protect the sacred and religious grove, or they might have one order to eradicate the enemies of the faith. The following pointers will tell you more about the personality traits of the Ranger acolyte, and they are:
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | They hunt their enemies as they believe it is their expression of faith. |
2. | They think that the world makes you either a hunter or a prey. |
3. | They openly could discuss about their faith if anyone asks them and their major ignorance becomes enlightenment for others. |
4. | They think their lives are an inspiration to others and hence they carefully make decisions. |
5. | They are also watched and guided by nature’s spirit. |
6. | They hate hierarchies and stand against it whenever they get a chance. |
Warlock acolyte
Warlock acolyte is more jealous of their peers as they think that they would surpass all the rituals and other religious activities to get to the point. This character is usually chosen by a Deva to test whether they get tempted by their desires, and if they do, they have to abandon their faith. The following pointers will tell you more about the Warlock acolytes, and they are:
These were some of the acolyte background 5E personality traits and their association with classes. If you like us for the 5E Acolyte then visit us for more related information.
D6 | Personality traits |
---|---|
1. | They can even make pacts with enemies as they believe that their faith is rewarded by it. |
2. | They use their faith as a protection from the power that tries to corrupt their soul. |
3. | They do not trust anyone even if they are their pact siblings. |
4. | They do not believe in anything around but only if their will allows them to. |
5. | They believe that they are chosen for the mission of divine importance and they will do anything to fulfill it. |
6. | They feel they are incomplete without the orders of the temple. |
Monk Acolytes
The monk acolytes are not suitable for this background as these characters were sent to a final pilgrimage before making them join the priesthood or they might have gone far away before the ceremony.
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | They have promised to spend each day as a ritual. |
2. | They try to master control over themselves because they see the great capacity of evil. |
3. | They always regret to leave their monastery but won’t ever admit it. |
4. | These characters’s faith on God is visible through their every action even if it is a doubt on the plan of their deities. |
5. | They always hope that one day their discipline might compensate the sins of their past. |
6. | They secretly believe that God doesn’t exist because if they do why everyone is suffering. |
Rogue Acolyte
The rogue acolytes are the ones for whom it is difficult to jot down the skills. Still, you can either make them a character who is a devote of a shadowy God or play them as a player who was never fit for religious life and leaving it was the best thing they could ever do.
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | They trust the ones who have faith in God rather than the non-believers. |
2. | These characters have contacts in the monastery that provide those marks and get paid in return. |
3. | They would let anybody know that they became a rogue for a selfish purpose. |
4. | They have a doubt on the existence of God but won’t ever admit it. |
5. | They always hope that their faith can compensate their past sins. |
6. | They believe that their religion is too precious to be in scriptures. |
Sorcerer Acolyte
A sorcerer acolyte resembles a cleric as even these characters find out about their magical heritage and are desperate to perform the divine magic, which interrupted their life goals. They leave the monastery to find their place in the world outside.
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | They tend to trust those who have faith in God rather than the non-believers. |
2. | These characters have contacts in the monastery that provide those marks and get paid in return |
3. | They would let anybody know that they became a rogue for a selfish purpose. |
4. | They have a doubt on the existence of God but won’t ever admit it. |
5. | They always hope that their faith can compensate their past sins. |
6. | They believe that their religion is too precious to be in scriptures. |
Wizard Acolyte
The wizard acolyte would work if it would take up the subject of study as divine and not arcane.
D6 | Personality Traits |
---|---|
1. | They see faith differently and that made them a Pariah. |
2. | They often forget the whereabouts of their spell book but the scriptures are thorough by heart. |
3. | They believe that the mind is divine and it should be explored. |
4. | Magic is their only faith and religion. |
5. | They become impatient whenever others take long to understand what they have done five minutes ago. |
6. | They love to share knowledge about their magic and religion but not in excess. |