"Must have" backgrounds in party?

[jpinard]

I'm curious what you'd consider "must have" background characters for your party and why you choose them?

[Acer Spacer]

caravan hand for cart upgrades,
monk for many good events,
historian is good if you get the rare map event,
Bowyer is good for the masterwork bow,
cultist FOR THE GLORY,

[Scathe]

I used to have lots of backgrounds that were must haves, but since the beast and exploration dlc and they made save scumming for recruits harder, now I just take anyone from any background I can find that is good, probably the only background that I consider a "must have" anymore is hunter. nothing substitutes a good hunter for ranged attacks, but there are plenty of good melee backgrounds that can substitute for each other.

caravan hand event is less important since there is more inventory space available, bowyer event is still nice, I would want a bowyer, but since there is no guarantee of finding a good bowyer I wont necessarily have one. cultists just don't fit my roleplay, but I can admit they got better if the rumor I heard that they cut wages way down when they convert brothers is true..

[Stal Hamarr]

I stopped caring about the background-related events. Way too rare to count on them.
I usually hire a couple caravan hands in the early game because it's a cheap background with decent potential. But if they are bad, they are replaced like everyone else sooner or later, event or not. But if you find a good one, definitely keep him around to get a chance to expand the cart.

Same goes for the monk. Monks have the potential to be good sergeants, so I hire them anyway. If bad, they are considered cannon fodder.

Historian is a terrible background. If I need a warm body in the first few days and a historian is on my way, I may hire him. But I'm not dedicating any particular effort to keep a bad bro alive, even if his events are good.

Bowyer: never got a single masterwork bow in over 700 hours.

In short, I don't consider any background a "must have". Combat performance comes first. The events are just a bonus.
I'm not dragging useless brothers around just for the events.

[Lepuroid]

In all my games I'm trying to get good ranged juggler. Once I've had 45 ranged skill 3 stars one with iron lungs. It was soooooooooooooo good. Yes, 5% isn't a big deal, but it was so satisfying :)
After some time in game 100-300 crowns for a historian, monk, or caravan hand isn't a problem, so I'm trying them if they have good stats or Disloyal trait.

[Chat Is Muted, Sorry]

Monk only

Monks have bad stats, but I still prioritize recruiting monks until I get a usable one, for the events

Caravan hands I will pay slightly more than I would for a comparable background, but I don't go out of my way to hunt down a usable one

Otherwise I recruit based on their stats and cost.

[Realm]

Must have: Monk, Historian, Witchhunter, occasionally cultists but I sometimes avoid them if I have a monk.
Maybe: Bowyers, Beast Slayers, Caravan Hand, Houndmaster, Apprentice/Squire plus Swordmaster/Retired Soldier/etc.

Monks, Historians and occasional Cultists just for their special uses in events and possibility to guarantee me good outcomes. Of course others like bowyers and houndmasters have events too, but they're a bit less required to me (unless I have a lot of dogs, then HM is absolutely needed).

The genuinely good backgrounds with useful events like WH and SM. Witch Hunters often make up my banner carriers. Swordmasters and the like I love for the teaching events, them being Godly duelists even as old men is just a plus.

[Caledor]

Monk and witchhunter for events. Witchhunter more for story.

[jpinard]

Originally posted by Realm Code:

Must have: Monk, Historian, Witchhunter, occasionally cultists but I sometimes avoid them if I have a monk.
Maybe: Bowyers, Beast Slayers, Caravan Hand, Houndmaster, Apprentice/Squire plus Swordmaster/Retired Soldier/etc.

Monks, Historians and occasional Cultists just for their special uses in events and possibility to guarantee me good outcomes. Of course others like bowyers and houndmasters have events too, but they're a bit less required to me (unless I have a lot of dogs, then HM is absolutely needed).

The genuinely good backgrounds with useful events like WH and SM. Witch Hunters often make up my banner carriers. Swordmasters and the like I love for the teaching events, them being Godly duelists even as old men is just a plus.

What does the perk tree look like when you do a Swordmaster Duelist?

[Saint Thomas d'Aquin]

Houndmaster if you play with dogs
Witch hunter have nice events
Cultists for reduce wages but maybe devs will fix it in the new dlc (with the cultist start they will probably rework it)
Wildmen, for taking back their wages

[jpinard]

Originally posted by Caledor:

Monk and witchhunter for events. Witchhunter more for story.

Is there a particular place WItchhunters can be found?

[Xam Huad]

Originally posted by jpinard:

Originally posted by Caledor:

Monk and witchhunter for events. Witchhunter more for story.

Is there a particular place WItchhunters can be found?

Witch burnings can happen in settlements, which may attract witchhunters (iirc).

[McGrits]

Monks can give holy water multiple times. Although the sunken temple gives plenty for the monolith, having a couple extras to give to more bros helps with application on the conqueror. Plus monks have all kinds of events. I will carry a monk even if he is not the sergeant, just for the events.

I never get boyers anymore. Not worth the poor stats and not worth the anger over not getting the bow.

[jpinard]

Originally posted by McGrits:

Monks can give holy water multiple times. Although the sunken temple gives plenty for the monolith, having a couple extras to give to more bros helps with application on the conqueror. Plus monks have all kinds of events. I will carry a monk even if he is not the sergeant, just for the events.

I never get boyers anymore. Not worth the poor stats and not worth the anger over not getting the bow.

I hear you.

[Caledor]

Originally posted by McGrits:

I never get boyers anymore. Not worth the poor stats and not worth the anger over not getting the bow.

Anyone think bowyers are still worth it? Before the dlc i had always a bowyer. Sometimes i waited over 300 days, but i always got my master bow. In my current campain after maybe 500 days when he died in combat i didn't hire a new one.

[WastedTrojan]

Originally posted by Caledor:

Originally posted by McGrits:

I never get boyers anymore. Not worth the poor stats and not worth the anger over not getting the bow.

Anyone think bowyers are still worth it? Before the dlc i had always a bowyer. Sometimes i waited over 300 days, but i always got my master bow. In my current campain after maybe 500 days when he died in combat i didn't hire a new one.

My last 2 companies have picked up a bowyer day 1 and had the masterwork bow before the first crisis. The stats suck, but you can always just drop a crossbow on him and he will do alright. You also have to have a stack of lumber in your inventory for the event to proc, maybe that's why it didn't happen for you.

For the thread topic, my only absolute must have backgrounds are hunters. They are by far the best ranged recruits in the game, nothing else comes close. I can live without any other background or event, but hunter are essential.