Hello adventurers! Welcome to my spellbook and thank you so much for checking out the 26th episode of our background series. Man we’re flying through the dnd background series. In any case check out the list of all d&d backgrounds from our official page. In any case today we’re talking about the Guild Merchant 5E Background also known as the guild artisan.
This isn’t a ravnica thing it’s found in the good old players handbook and although it’s not the most popular choice i’ve gotten some pretty good use out of it, it’s not bad it’s pretty strong. Now it’s officially titled the guild artisan and guild merchant is the variant.
There are a couple small differences mostly in terms of the equipment you get. But in any case it doesn’t really matter too too much. Let’s go over the description.
Description
You’re one of a members of an artisan’s guild, and you’re skilled in a specific field and closely correlated with the other artisans. You’re a well-established part of a mercantile world, freed by the talent and wealth from the constraints of the feudal social order. You also taught your skills like an apprentice to a master artisan, under the sponsorship of your guild, until you’ve become a master in your own right.
I kind of like this description just because it implies that you’ve already achieved pretty significant goal and milestone in your life and you’re just looking to reach that upper level which very few are able to do.
Very interesting stuff, the guild merchant version of this instead of an artisan’s guild you belong to a guild of traders caravan masters or shopkeepers, you don’t craft the items yourself but you earn a living by buying and selling the works of others. Your guild might be a large merchant consortium with interests across the region.
Perhaps you transport good from one place to another by shipwagon or caravan or bought them by purchasing them from a traveling seller and selling them off as your own goods kind of second hand. And that’s the description for the merchant variant of this. Now let’s move on to its mechanics for the guild artisan/merchant.
Mechanics
Your skill proficiencies are insight and persuasion which are both really nice, your tool proficiency is one type of artisan’s tools so of your choice and the language you get to pick is just anyone. Under equipment you’ll get a set of artisan’s tools, a letter of introduction, a set of traveler’s clothes and a pouch containing 15 gp.
- Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Persuasion
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools, or navigator’s tools, or an additional language
- Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (one of your choice) or a mule and cart, a letter of introduction from your guild, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
Now that letter of introduction you get serves as a way to verify who you are to neighboring guilds which factors into the feature in a little bit here. In terms of where the guild merchant varies rather than proficiency with artisan’s tools you might be proficient with navigators tools or an additional language and instead of artisans tools you can start out with a mule and a cart.
It’s a relatively popular variant maybe even the most popular variant we’ve discussed about so far. But yeah…personally i still prefer the guild artisan i don’t know it kind of comes down to personal taste however. In any case let’s move on to the background feature, this one is called guild membership.
Feature: Guild Membership
As per this feature, as an established and also the respected member of guild, you could easily rely on specific type of benefits which the membership provides. Of course your fellow guild members shall be provide you with the lodging and also the food if it is necessary, and of course pay for your funeral if it is needed so. How nice of them.
In some types of cities and the towns, a guildhall offers a central place in order to meet the other members of your profession, that can be a good place in order to meet the potential patrons, allies, or the hirelings.
The guilds are frequently wield tremendous political power. Suppose, if you’re an accused of the crime, then your guild shall support you if the good case could be made up of for the sake of your innocence or else the crime is justifiable.
Al though, you can even gain its access to the powerful political figures via a guild, suppose if you’re one of the members in good standing. Like the connections may be require a donation of money or the magic items for the guild’s coffers.
Any way, you should pay the dues of 5 gp per month to the guild. Suppose, if you miss the payments, then you should make up back dues for remaining in the guild’s good graces.
Oh my goodness that is a mouthful. Long story short there’s a lot of things going on here. First and foremost the guild will provide you with food and lodging which is really nice. We’ve covered a lot of features that do something quite similar. In addition to that they’ll also front the bill for your funeral which is sweet as heck man.
Really nice of them although, you know a little bit morbid to be thinking about. They will also offer a or they may also offer a meeting room for you to interact with people that are interested in you or people you might be interested in and you can use each other skills to balance out your own.
Really great stuff! and that’s ideal for giving out and accepting quests by the way and then you can also wield the political power of the guild assuming of course you’re in good standing with them and they’ll defend you in court, you can meet political figures all that good stuff and there might be a cost associated with any of those particular events.
Although to gain access to all of this, you must pay 5gp per a month and yeah that’s pretty much all there is to it. A lot going on though, man this is a long one. In any case let’s take a look at some suggested characteristics here.
Suggested Characteristics
Actually, the guild artisan 5e are mostly among the many ordinary people in the specific world until unless they do set down their tools and also take up the adventuring career. They always understand the value of any of the hard work and also the priority of the community, but of course they are always vulnerable to the sins of greed and covetousness.
Personality Traits
For the personality trait i went with ” I like to talk at length about my profession.”
| D8 | Personality Traits |
|---|---|
| 1 | I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing right. I can't help it – I'm a perfectionist. |
| 2 | I'm a snob who looks down on those who can't appreciate fine art. |
| 3 | I always want to know how things work and what makes people tick. |
| 4 | I'm full of witty aphorisms and have a proverb for every occasion. |
| 5 | I'm rude to people who lack my commitment to hard work and fair play. |
| 6 | I like to talk at length about my profession. |
| 7 | I don't part with my money easily and will haggle tirelessly to get the best deal possible. |
| 8 | I'm well known for my work, and I want to make sure everyone appreciates it. I'm always taken aback when people haven't heard of me. |
Ideal
Under ideal i put “Aspiration. I want to work hard and be the best there is in my craft and this really applies to any alignment.” Al though, i might make an argument for more lawful but whatever.
| D6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Community. It is the duty of all civilized people to strengthen the bonds of community and the security of civilization. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Generosity. My talents were given to me so that I could use them to benefit the world. (Good) |
| 3 | Freedom. Everyone should be free to pursue his or her own livelihood. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Greed. I'm only in it for the money. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I'm committed to the people I care about, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Aspiration. I work hard to be the best there is at my craft. |
Bond
Under bond “One day i will return to my guild and prove that i am the greatest artisan of them all.” Kind of circling back to that ideal.
| D6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The workshop where I learned my trade is the most important place in the world to me. |
| 2 | I created a great work for someone, and then found them unworthy to receive it. I'm still looking for someone worthy. |
| 3 | I owe my guild a great debt for forging me into the person I am today. |
| 4 | I pursue wealth to secure someone's love. |
| 5 | One day I will return to my guild and prove that I am the greatest artisan of them all. |
| 6 | I will get revenge on the evil forces that destroyed my place of business and ruined my livelihood. |
Flaw
Then for the flaw “I’m never satisfied with what i have, i always want more.”
In this case it doesn’t so much pertain to material wealth but it does pertain to knowledge skill and experience. So it’s really interesting stuff you are very much a craftsman that is never satisfied with your current limitations.
You always want want to broaden your horizons or maybe you want to dial in to the point where you become such a specialist about one particular thing that you really are the only one that can do what you do.
| D6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'll do anything to get my hands on something rare or priceless. |
| 2 | I'm quick to assume that someone is trying to cheat me. |
| 3 | No one must ever learn that I once stole money from guild coffers. |
| 4 | I'm never satisfied with what I have – I always want more. |
| 5 | I would kill to acquire a noble title. |
| 6 | I'm horribly jealous of anyone who can outshine my handiwork. Everywhere I go, I'm surrounded by rivals. |
It’s very interesting and naturally no matter which one you pursue it is likely wealth is soon to follow as wealth. Usually follows the more skilled at least in a merchandise-based economy which is relatively safe to assume your world has. In any case let’s move on to my personal thoughts here.
Thoughts
I think the guild artisan is really incredible, especially if you are just looking at the PHB backgrounds, it does really seem to distinguish itself away from a lot of the kind of simpler ones. Providing a more advanced level of play and maybe a whole other dimension to the world as a whole.
As now you can get involved in guild wars, spies, things of that nature. Maybe even sabotaging a neighboring guild so from the dungeon masters perspective this really does open a lot of doors into a more organized quest line. Very good stuff.
In addition to that, the player will likely reap rewards, just from having something to do in downtime. I find that something a lot of parties usually struggle with they don’t really have fleshed out characters enough to have hobbies but this one your hobby is your obsession with your craft, so it’s all kind of circled back in so you can focus on that with your downtime.
Specialty
These guilds are usually found in the cities larger enough for supporting various artisans practicing a same trade. Any way, your guild may instead of be a loose network of the artisans those who are each work in a different village within a larger realm. Any how work with your DM in order to determine a nature of your guild. Of course you can select your guild business from the Guild Business table or else you can roll randomly.
| D8 | Guild Business |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alchemists and apothecaries |
| 2 | Armorers, locksmiths, and finesmiths |
| 3 | Brewers, distillers, and vintners |
| 4 | Calligraphers, scribes, and scriveners |
| 5 | Carpenters, roofers, and plasterers |
| 6 | Cartographers, surveyors, and chart-makers |
| 7 | Cobblers and shoemakers |
| 8 | Cooks and bakers |
| 9 | Glassblowers and glaziers |
| 10 | Jewelers and gemcutters |
| 11 | Leatherworkers, skinners, and tanners |
| 12 | Masons and stonecutters |
| 13 | Painters, limners, and sign-makers |
| 14 | Potters and tile-makers |
| 15 | Shipwrights and sailmakers |
| 16 | Smiths and metal-forgers |
| 17 | Tinkers, pewterers, and casters |
| 18 | Wagon-makers and wheelwrights |
| 19 | Weavers and dyers |
| 20 | Woodcarvers, coopers, and bowyers |
Conclusion
Really nice stuff! That being said, let me know what you think of the guild artisan/merchant down beneath in the comment section and while you’re down there let me know if you prefer the guild artisan or the guild merchant…i like the artisan more i just think it’s more interesting however the guild merchant may prove to be quite a bit more lucrative especially if you have a more advanced economy in your game.
That being said, let me know if you have any thoughts, questions, comments or concerns regarding them. As well as any cool stories which i’m sure a couple of you have, also let me know how you think this one compares to a lot of the acquisitions incorporated backgrounds. Really curious to hear what your opinions are. That being said, i hope you all have a great day and as always happy adventuring everyone.