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Where has my History proficiency come from?

Role-playing Games Asked on December 24, 2021

I’m new to DnD. I was typing up my character sheet (I’ve decided to do this every now and then as my annotations become more messy), and in the process I didn’t spot any reason for me to have the History proficiency I have.

It’s likely that I just made a mistake when making the sheet, but maybe I didn’t…

I’m a Dragonborn Paladin with an Outlander background and my subclass (Oath) is Redemption. According to this wiki, the race or subclass doesn’t give me any skill proficiency, while the background gives me Athletics & Survival and the class gives me a choice of two from Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion & Religion; I chose Medicine & Persuasion. So the 4 skills I have from my background and class are Athletics, Survival, Medicine & Persuasion… none of those are History (which I have in addition).

I also noticed an “origin” feature for my background, from which there are 10 origins: Forester, Trapper, Homesteader, Guide, Exile or outcast, Bounty hunter, Pilgrim, Tribal nomad, Hunter-gatherer, and Tribal marauder. The wiki doesn’t give any information on those, and I haven’t got one written on my sheet.

I’m currently Level 4; I don’t believe a level feature has given me an extra skill proficiency so far.

Where might I be getting this proficiency from?
Does my “origin” have anything to do with it?
Have I/my DM simply make a mistake when creating my character?

2 Answers

The list of Proficiencies you have, aside from History, seem correctly accounted for by by your race, class, and background. Assuming you have listed all relevant information, there isn't any clear way you would have received this, so it is very likely a mistake.

Note that your "origin" is just a variant form of your background to provide roleplaying flavor, and in this case is not of mechanistic interest.

I do note that the "quick build" rules for a Paladin in the PHB suggest Noble for the background, and that a Noble receives History and Persuasion as Proficiencies. So if you, or your DM, or an automated website, had an early draft of the Paladin as a Noble before it was changed to Outlander, that might be one place where History was acquired and then mistakenly not removed.

Answered by Kirt on December 24, 2021

It's probably a mistake

The details in your question rule out most ways of acquiring an extra skill proficiency according to the rules, in that:

  • All your class/background skill choices are accounted for, so you didn't get it as a free choice due to overlapping class/background skill proficiency
  • You don't get any skill proficiencies from your race
  • You don't get any extra skill proficiencies from the class features you have so far
  • You haven't multiclassed to anything that would grant new skill proficiencies (and would specifically have had to multiclass to Bard to be able to get a History proficiency out of it)
  • You probably haven't taken the Skilled feat, which would give you 3 new skill/tool proficiences, or you'd remember that
  • You probably haven't been granted training in an extra proficiency as a special reward (as described by the Dungeon Master's Guide) or you'd remember that

The background "origins" you mention are just a selection of possible occupations more specific than "outlander" to describe your character's background - they're purely a fluff choice, and have no mechanical ramifications.

It's possible that your DM simply decided to give you an extra proficiency for whatever reason, if they helped you make your character. You should bring it up with them and ask if you're meant to have this proficiency. In the worst case, you discover that you had an extra proficiency by accident (you're a new D&D player, and these mistakes happen) and the erroneous proficiency is taken away.

Answered by Carcer on December 24, 2021

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