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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?

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    \$\begingroup\$ What tool were you using to generate this character sheet? Because on paper it would be a simple case of "maybe you marked the wrong row", with the solution "take your eraser and just erase it". But you probably wouldn't ask in such case. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mołot
    May 26, 2020 at 11:13
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    \$\begingroup\$ I'd suggest using an official rules source (such as a physical PHB, the basic rules PDF from WotC, or the basic rules/PHB on D&D Beyond), rather than relying on an unofficial wiki rehosting that content (including non-SRD content). \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    May 26, 2020 at 11:23
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Mołot I was using paper, yes; there probably was a mistake, but it's worth me asking incase there wasn't \$\endgroup\$
    – jonnybolton16
    May 26, 2020 at 11:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ So basically you have a paper sheet with History checked for some reason, and you ask us, what the reason was. \$\endgroup\$
    – enkryptor
    May 26, 2020 at 11:31
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    \$\begingroup\$ I trimmed "What are the possible ways of getting a History proficiency?" out of your list of questions, because while that is a workable question it is different to the problem the rest of the question describes and deserves its own Q&A if you still want/need that information. \$\endgroup\$
    – Someone_Evil ♦
    May 26, 2020 at 13:29

2 Answers 2

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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.

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    \$\begingroup\$ That's great, thanks for going through ways I might have gotten it and ruling them out. I'll chat to my DM! \$\endgroup\$
    – jonnybolton16
    May 26, 2020 at 12:01
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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.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't think this is "worthy" of being an answer on its own since it doesn't really answer the question. You may want to consider expanding your answer, making it into a comment on the referenced answer, or just editing your additional information into the other answer. Also. \$\endgroup\$
    – Greenguh
    Jul 24, 2020 at 18:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ I agree with all the points listed by Carcer, so there is nothing to be gained by my repeating them. He is welcome to incorporate the original aspect of my answer into his, at which point I will delete my answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kirt
    Jul 25, 2020 at 4:09

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