combining troika backgrounds

how to combine backgrounds

2025-03-05

CONTENTS

1. BACKGROUND
2. MULTIBACKGROUND
3. METHODS
   • 1. SMOOSH THEM TOGETHER
   • 2. PICKLIST
   • 3. MINI BACKGROUNDS
4. APPLICATION

BACKGROUND

Imagine an investigate mystery game like Call of Cthulhu by way of Troika called Cryptid Capers!

There should be at least one standard “professional” background available as a base. Detective / investigator by default.

But also I want each player to have an additional supplemental background. For flavor.

In a game of Cryptid Capers! that supplemental background is a cryptid. Bigfoot, Nessie, Chupacabra, etc.

MULTIBACKGROUND

So the question is, how do you create a single background in troika out of two base backgrounds?

I was sure I’d be able to find some prior work on merging backgrounds, but after looking on reddit and itch and the discord the only thing I found was the “From Another Dimension” on the technical grimoire generator.

https://www.technicalgrimoire.com/troikagenerator

METHODS

Here are a couple ways off the top of my head I can think of to combine backgrounds.

1. SMOOSH THEM TOGETHER

Create full backgrounds and then simply combine them.

Here, by the way, is what the SRD says about Creating Your Own Backgrounds

When creating your own Backgrounds, as a general rule, stick to 10 or so total points distributed in a range of 1 to 3 with 3 being someone who has already mastered their trade. […] The Backgrounds need not be balanced or equal to one another but should instead be fun and flavourful. After making a new Background take a moment to consider the reaction of someone receiving it instead of some other entry in your particular and ever changing list. Balance the enjoyment rather than the numbers.

Troika SRD

CONSIDERATIONS:

• Creating full backgrounds is more work than creating partial backgrounds.
• Overpowered? Twice as many skill points as normal = harder to GM for?
• Overwhelming? Twice as many skills as normal = complicated to play?

EXAMPLE:

66 Zoanthrop + 31 Gremlin Catcher:

• 4 Tunnel Fighting
• 4 Trapping
• 3 Run
• 3 Climb
• 2 Wrestling
• 2 Tracking
• 2 Strength
• 2 Sneak
• 2 Fist Fighting
• 2 Club Fighting
• 2 Club Fighting
• 2 Awareness
• 1 Swim

That’s 31 points! Whoo wee! That’s just really kind of a lot. Too much? Probably!

Also note the double Club Fighting. Should we just add them up and make that 4 Club Fighting?

2. PICKLIST

Create full backgrounds and then figure out a way to choose a couple skills / features from each list.

CONSIDERATIONS:

• Still creating full backgrounds
• Gotta come up with a way of picking. Most backgrounds in the numenous edition seem to have 6 - 8 advanced skills / spells and 10 - 12 skill points spread amongst them. Choose d4 per background? Or a flat 3 - 4 per background?
• Replay value: randomness makes it possible to combine different skills from the same combination of backgrounds.
• More limited / balanced skills list with more player agency: players get to CHOOSE d4 skills from the existing skill list.

EXAMPLE:

d4 66 zoanthrop + d4 31 gremlin catcher:

• 2 Awareness
• 2 Club Fighting
• 2 Sneak
• 2 Strength
• 2 Tracking
• 3 Climb
• 3 Run

16 total skill points! That’s kind of normal ish. But that’s with a high roll of 4 and 3.

Let’s try one more time, for science.

• 4 Tunnel Fighting
• 3 Climb
• 2 Club Fighting
• 1 Swim

10 skill points, with a roll of 1 and 3. Still reasonable!

3. MINI BACKGROUNDS

Create mini backgrounds with only a few skills and fewer total skill points, maybe 5 - 7, and then just smoosh them together.

CONSIDERATIONS:

• Faster and more simple than Picklist Method
• Consistent: Not as swingy or random as the Picklist method.
• Less player choice than Picklist Method.
• Mini backgrounds are not troika compatible as-is.

EXAMPLE:

Mini 66 zoanthrop:

• 4 Tunnel Fighting
• 3 Climb
• 2 Strength

Mini 31 gremlin catcher:

• 2 Sneak
• 2 Club Fighting
• 2 Tracking

Combined:

• 4 Tunnel Fighting
• 3 Climb
• 2 Strength
• 2 Sneak
• 2 Club Fighting
• 2 Tracking

APPLICATION

Okay let’s try this out for reals. I think I’m leaning toward the Picklist Method because of how it offers randomness and choice.

Here are a couple of starter backgrounds.

Detective Talents:

• 4 Observant
• 3 Friends in High Places
• 1 Locks
• 1 Sneak
• 1 Etiquette

Detective Situations:

• 3 Powered by illicit substances
• 2 Friends in Low Places
• 2 Plagued by a guilty secret
• 2 Mob Debt
• 2 Disgraced

Bigfoot:

• 4 Gigantic hairy man-ape
• 2 Elusive
• 2 Blurry
• 2 Celebrity
• 1 Night Vision
• 1 Morse Code

So d4 from each list gives me a new combined background:

Detective Bigfoot

• 4 Observant
• 4 Gigantic hairy man-ape
• 2 Friends in Low Places
• 2 Plagued by a guilty secret
• 2 Mob Debt

I rolled 1, 3, 1. Not the best rolls. But not a terrible background either! I’d play this.