Dungeon Settlers Backgrounds and Traits
Every background
| Background | Races | Perk | Drawback | Proficient in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Guard | Unique (starting cast) | +10% Guard Chance | -20% Gathering Capability | Sword, Shield, and Blunt weapons |
| Poacher | Unique (starting cast) | +10% Dodge Chance | -20% Max Weight | Bow, Sword, and Fire Magic |
| Exiled Warrior | Unique (starting cast) | +10% Max Health | -10% Critical Chance | Blunt, Shield, and Greatsword |
| Beggar | Human, Elf | +2 Vision Range | -0.02 Hunger Regeneration | Bow, Shield, and Blunt weapons |
| Wanderer | Human, Lizardman, Elf | +2 Vision Range | -0.02 Energy Regeneration | Sword, Bow, and Water Magic |
| Philosopher | Human | +20% Research Capability | -10% Physical Attack Power | Water Magic, Bow, and Blunt weapons |
| Thief | Human, Lizardman, Elf | +10% Dodge Chance | -1 Greatsword Aptitude | Bow, Sword, and Water Magic |
| Peddler | Human | +10 Movement Speed | -10% Guard Reduction | Shield, Blunt, and Fire Magic |
| Butcher | Human | +10% Critical Damage | -10% Dodge Chance | Blunt, Sword, and Greatsword |
| Porter | Human | +20% Max Weight | -10% Cooldown Reduction | Sword, Shield, and Greatsword |
| Gambler | Human, Elf | +10% Critical Chance | -10% Hit Chance | Sword, Shield, and Fire Magic |
| Slave | Human | +10 Physical Resistance | -25% Max Energy | Blunt, Shield, and Greatsword |
| Squire | Human | +1 Sword Aptitude | -10% Critical Chance | Sword, Shield, and Fire Magic |
| Mercenary | Human | +10% Critical Chance; +20% Stress Accrual | Not documented | Sword, Shield, and Greatsword |
| Conscript | Human | +1 Blunt Aptitude | -10% Magical Attack Power | Shield, Sword, and Blunt |
| Hunter | Human, Elf | +1 Bow Aptitude | -10% Physical Resistance | Bow, Sword, and Nature Magic |
| Forest Keeper | Human, Elf | +10% Logging Capability; +1 Nature Magic Aptitude | -15 Magic Resistance | Bow, Nature Magic, and Sword |
| Hooligan | Human | +10% Physical Attack Power | -10% Dodge Chance | Blunt, Shield, and Greatsword |
| Chief Bodyguard | Lizardman | +10% Max Health | -10% Dodge Chance | Shield, Blunt, and Greatsword |
| Scale Craftsman | Lizardman | +20% Crafting Capability | -1 Blunt Aptitude | Bow, Sword, Shield |
| Snake Catcher | Lizardman | +10% Attack Speed | -10% Guard Chance | Blunt, Bow, and Sword |
| Swamp Keeper | Lizardman | +10% Max Energy | -10% Magical Attack Power | Bow, Sword, Blunt |
Background list checked:
Starting equipment and flavour
- City Guard : "He now responds to orders from above with silence." Starts with a Wooden Sword and Cloth Armor.
- Poacher : "The idea that the forest is owned by someone doesn't mean much to them." Starts with Wooden Bow, Wooden Arrows, and Cloth Armor.
- Exiled Warrior : "His blade is still heavy and sharp." Starts with a Wooden Club.
- Beggar : "Kneeling to beg for coin, there is still a faint glimmer of hope in their eyes." Starts with a Wooden Club.
- Wanderer : "They belong nowhere in this world; their path always leads to the unknown." Starts with a Wooden Sword, Cloth Coif, and Cloth Armor.
- Philosopher : "He only gained true wisdom when he realized he could never know all the answers." Starts with a Wooden Bow, Wooden Arrows, Cloth Coif, and Cloth Armor.
- Thief : "Holding their breath in the shadows, their hands move faster than light." Starts with Wooden Bow, Wooden Arrows, Cloth Coif, and Cloth Armor.
- Peddler : "Traveling between cities and towns, they are the first to hear all the rumors and tales." Starts with Wooden Sword, Cloth Coif, and Cloth Armor.
- Butcher : "Blood and flesh." Starts with Wooden Sword, Cloth Coif, and Cloth Armor.
- Gambler : "The moment the dice are cast, his heart races the fastest." Starts with Wooden Sword, Cloth Coif, and Cloth Armor.
- Squire : "A shield in his hand, loyalty in his heart." Starts with Wooden Sword, Wooden Shield, and Cloth Coif, Cloth Armor.
- Hunter : "Entering the forest at dawn's first light, the hunter emerges quietly at dusk."
- Forest Keeper : "They remember each tree by name, embracing the forest as their true home."
- Swamp Keeper : "Even in the swamp, his steps leave no trace." Starts with Wooden Club.
Personality traits
Traits sit on top of race and background. Any trait can appear on any settler, a settler can have more than one, and stat changes from traits apply after hiring, so the recruit screen shows stats before them.
| Trait | What it means | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Optimist | Remains positive no matter the situation. | +2 Ambient Mood; -15% Intelligence; -15% Perception |
| Pessimist | Always expects the worst in every situation. | -2 Ambient Mood; +15% Intelligence; +15% Perception |
| Light Eater | Satisfied with only a small amount of food. | -3 Constitution; +0.02 Hunger Regeneration |
| Belly Beggar | Always tormented by hunger, endlessly searching for food. | -0.02 Hunger Regeneration; +10% Max Health |
| Curious | Driven by unending curiosity, constantly exploring new things. | -0.02 Energy Regeneration; +20% Experience Gain |
| Happy Fool | A carefree soul, always smiling, unbothered by the world's complexities. | -3 Ambient Mood; -80% Experience Gain |
These six are the ones documented so far. The recruit screen shows more, graded by rarity; players on the Steam forum report that the higher-grade ("blue") traits and inscriptions are rare.
Reading a recruit
- Check the background's three proficiencies against the role you need.
- Check talents (Poor, Moderate, Outstanding, Exceptional, Genius) in the attributes that role uses. Talent sets how many points each level-up adds, and it does not change later except through the Perfection inscription.
- Check traits for mood costs. Pessimists start at -2 ambient mood; Happy Fools learn 80% slower.
- Check race for diet and job fit (see races).
Background questions
What does a background do?
A background (the game now calls the tree-defining one a Major Trait) gives a small perk and a drawback and decides which weapon skill trees a settler is proficient in. It is the foundation of a build, so check it before you recruit.
Can I reroll or lock a background?
In the Expedition Founding scenario you can reroll your starting members and, since patch v0.4.19, lock individual portraits, ability stats, Major Traits and Sub Traits while you do. Normal recruits cannot be edited; CanOpener has said a full character creator is not planned, but a sandbox scenario with starting rerolls is.
Can a settler use a weapon outside their proficiencies?
Yes. Proficiency and aptitude change skill point costs, not whether the weapon works. Rare inscriptions can also open a tree outside the background, such as the Uncommon Sword inscription that grants the Sword tree and 5 main skill points.