Factions
Players may belong to a variety of factions. The following is a list of various groups and organizations, along with typical classes and backgrounds. Note that organizations may have other classes and backgrounds, but these are the most common. Other organizations not mentioned here exist for the players to discover.
Apostolic See
- Bard (College of Whispers, College of Lore)
- Cleric (Life, Light, War)
- Monk (Open Hand, Shadow)
- Paladin (Devotion, Vengeance)
Common backgrounds: Academic, Acolyte, Occult Scholar, Sage
Guilds
- Artificers (Artificer)
- Carters (Fighter, Gunslinger, Ranger)
- Merchants (Bard, Rogue)
Common backgrounds: Artificer Initiate, Artisan, Merchant, Sailor, Smuggler
Magisterium
- Artificer
- Sorcerer
- Warlock
- (Occasionally Bard—College of Lore only)
A long-standing divide exists between Artificers of the Guilds, who focus on practical craft, infrastructure, and maintenance, and Artificers of the Magisterium, who pursue theoretical study, experimentation, and the classification of ancient Artifacts and the structure of the world itself.
Common backgrounds: Academic, Artificer Initiate, Occult Scholar, Researcher, Sage
Independent Organizations
- Emerald Enclave (Druid, Ranger)
- Harpers (Bard, Rogue)
- Zhentarim (Rogue, Warlock)
- Urban League (Any, especially Gunslinger, Rogue, Artificer)
Common backgrounds: Criminal, Detective, Investigator, Journalist, Smuggler, Urban Bounty Hunter, Veteran
Peerage
- Any except Barbarian, Druid, or Monk