Character growth is a cornerstone of all fiction, and the collaborative fiction of roleplaying games is no exception. Normally, new combat options are the mechanical expression of growth in Fantasy D20 games, but 13th Age gives us another option to describe change in a game mechanism. The character’s backgrounds. I think that a level-up is a great place to allow a character to move around points, maybe adding a new background or re-naming an existing one to reflect a new paradigm. Similar to Fate’s aspects being modified after certain milestones.

Now, this has been bouncing around in my head for a while, and I think it’s best explained through another pop culture property with adventure and a group dynamic. The original Star Wars trilogy. A true space fantasy with dashing rogues and secret wizards in a galaxy far, far away. The main characters (Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewbacca) each have different expressions of character growth. Their one unique thing stays the same, but their skill set changes as they surpass the challenges of the narrative. I’ll take each film as representing a different tier, and talk briefly about the changes therein.

*Disclaimer: I am a bit of a Star Wars nerd, so some of the terminology might be a little esoteric.

First we have Luke Skywalker.

One Unique Thing: Secret Son of the Emperor’s Right Hand

Backgrounds (Episode IV: A New Hope) Beggar’s Canyon Barnstormer +4 Reflecting his piloting skills Backwater Tinkerer +3 His mechanical prowess Force Sensitive +1 An unknown factor of luck and intuition at the start



Even without a class or talents yet, we have a smart man with good reactions and the potential to wield the force. Now let’s take a look at the next narrative phase.

Backgrounds (Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back) Rogue Squadron Commander +3 Reflecting his piloting skills and his role as an officer in the Rebel Alliance But loses a point as he’s devoting less time to flying, and more to learning the force Backwater Tinkerer +2 This loses a bit as his Jedi training intensifies Last of the Jedi +3 Having embraced the Force, he now steps on the road to become a true Jedi.



So now that Luke has learned to harness the Force, that is taking over more of his time and the responsibilities of the rebellion are less important to him. Now for Jedi.

Backgrounds (Episode VI: Return of the Jedi) Rogue Leader (on leave) +2 Having stepped aside from the Rebellion’s military hierarchy to focus on becoming a Jedi and rescuing Han, his skills are still there, but a little rusty. Lightsaber Builder +1 Still good with tools, but tinkering for fun is no longer part of his life. First of the New Jedi Order +5 Fully embraces his training, and prepares to confront his father and the Emperor.



We have a complete character arc of a bored country pilot realizing his destiny as the rebirth of an ancient order expressed solely through backgrounds. Now, they don’t have to change as drastically as this, as we’ll see with Han Solo. I’ll skip most of the commentary this time.

One Unique Thing: Legend of the Kessel Run (12 Parsecs!)

Backgrounds (Episode IV: A New Hope) Silver-tongued Smuggler +5 Smooth-talking and rough around the edges Luck and Hydrospanners +3 Not a catch-all, but a description as how he keeps the Millennium Falcon from falling apart. Hydrospanner being an in-universe kind of tool.



Backgrounds (Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back) Jabba’s Most Wanted +4 Now that bounty hunters are after him, he’s lost some credibility in the underworld, so a point gone there. Luck and Hydrospanners +3 No change here. Reluctant Rebel Hero +1 After saving Luke in the battle over the Death Star, he’s now thrown in with the Alliance, but not fully.



Backgrounds (Episode VI: Return of the Jedi) Former Smuggler +3 Now that his career as a smuggler is toast, his contacts are fewer, but the skills remain. Luck and Hydrospanners +3 No change here. Secret Rebel General +2 Now that the rebellion’s the only place he has left, and the location of the woman he loves, he might as well join up for real.



This is a subtler change, but it shows his movement from Outlaw to Rebel in discrete stages.

Now, Icons can also reflect this sort of character growth, especially with the additional dice granted at 5th and 8th levels. But not as central to the character and mechanics as backgrounds. So Han’s relationship dice with The Hutt Clans would shift from positive to conflicted to negative as time goes on. Luke’s relationship with the Galactic Empire is even more tumultuous. Positive to Negative to Conflicted to Negative to Conflicted to Negative as the story goes on and the Emperor alternately tries to recruit him and kill him, and remember that Luke was applying to the Imperial Academy as the first film starts.

Here’s hoping that this helps you reflect you character’s journey on the character sheet as your game goes along.