Character Traits and Flaws

[Rali]

I'm working on a house rule system of traits and flaws to add a little extra to character creation in my After the Bomb setting. I've seen these systems in other games I've played in past, and really wanted to bring it into other systems and settings I've played in. I've only gotten as far as putting together a preliminary list of traits and flaws, but thought I'd post it here to get some feedback. Let me know if you notice any redundancies or something that may be missing.

The next step will be building a point system to purchase traits and flaws, and how they affect the character's stats, skills, etc. Text in italic is subject to change.

Addiction - The character has an addiction to a benign or harmful substance, which will cause the character distress if they are unable to acquire it and may cause "issues" while they are using it.

Adverse Reaction - Whenever the character is exposed to a trigger (object, food, pollen, sound, etc), the character experiences an adverse reaction of some sort.

Age - Character either got an early or late start on the road to adventure. Either way, people (their teammate are no exception) rarely take them seriously due to their age.

Amputated - One or more of the character’s limbs has been amputated for some reason. This may be compensated for with a prosthetic limb, but it is always an issue. NOTE: Bionic or Biotech limb replacements negate this flaw unless they are also flawed in some way.

Awkward, Physically - The character has a tendency to trip over their own feet, other people's feet, roots, rocks, power cords, etc. This can also note that the character has a difficult time due to their physical size (large or small).

Awkward, Socially - Try as they might, the character just doesn't mingle well in social settings.

Conditional - The character has an ability or power that can only be used/activated when certain conditions are met.

Cursed - A darkness follows the character wherever they go. Whenever something good happens to the character, it is always offset by something equally bad or much worse.

Easily Distracted - The character is easily...SQUIRREL!

Distinctive - The character has a something that sets them apart for the crowd: a booming voice, a birthmark, fur markings, etc. Regardless, the character does not have the ability to blend in. (Prowl penalty?)

Hair Trigger - It doesn't take much to set this character off. Anger management is not in their vocabulary.

Halfbreed - The character is a genetically engineered cross of two species that is prominently displayed in their appearance, and causes the character to be shunned and/or discriminated against.

Hidden Past - The character’s past has been deliberately hidden or obscured from them by agencies unknown, and they may feel compelled to uncover the truth. This may easily be tied with the Cursed, Nemesis and/or Obsessed/Seeker traits.

Hunted - There is a price on the character’s head. Wanted Dead or Alive. This differs from Nemesis in that it is normally impersonal, and the hunter is only interested in the reward.

Impaired Sense(s) - One of the character’s senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell) is impaired somehow, requiring some sort of aid (glasses or hearing aid) to compensate for. Alternatively, the character’s sense(s) may be so heightened, that their use impairs the the character.

Indebted - The character owes someone something that is difficult to impossible to repay, and they are constantly reminded of this fact. This may lead to or be tied to Hunted.

Infested (rename?) - The character’s body is home to one or more colonies to nanites allowing them to purchase a number of Embedded Nanotech Systems. (I’m planning on this as a future project)

Mute - The character does not talk. This doesn't mean that the character cannot talk, it’s just that they do not talk, or have lost the ability to talk. Character must be able to talk (speach partial or full) to take this flaw.

Nemesis - Someone for some reason has a rivalry with the character and is constantly interfering in the character’s affairs. This may result in numerous confrontations, but will always lead to one ultimate showdown. This flaw differs from Hunted in that this is based on a personal vendetta.

Obsessed/Seeker - The character is obsessed with the acquisition of a difficult to impossible to acquire object, person, location, or knowledge.

OCD - Not to be confused with the Obsessed/Seeker flaw, this character is obsessed with, or compelled to perform an act as to deal with anxiety, or to keep their perpetual anxiety in check. If the character is unable to perform their rituals, things can get very unpleasant. This flaw can be placed in check with the proper pharmaceuticals and/or therapy.

Phobia - The character’s has an irrational fear or dislike for a specific thing or group of things: dogs, dolls, heights, water, etc.

Prodigy - Amazingly, this character is a prodigy when it comes to a particular skill. That skill is automatically set to 80% and increases at +5%/level past the first, and may exceed 98%. Weapon Proficiencies are treated as starting at level 5.

Shadowy Past - The character has a secret from their past that haunts them, and -- if it were to ever come to light -- would most likely destroy them or cause them no end of anguish. This flaw cannot be tied to the Hidden Past trait as this flaw requires the character to know what is haunting them.

Significant Other - The character has an attachment to someone that they hold over all other considerations. This could lead to severe complications if anything were to happen to their significant other. May rename to Attachment and include objects as well as persons.

Stalked - Not to be confused with Hunted or Nemesis. The character has one or more people who hang on everything the character does and says. These fans will track the character’s exploits to the point of following them wherever they go, and even “taking souvenirs” when they get a chance.

Talented - This character just “gets it” when it comes to a certain subject. Choose one skill group and those skills progress at 1.5 times as fast.

Trigger - There is something specific that will enrage this character. Once this trigger has been tripped, the character will last out at the offender.

Unskilled - Try as they might, the character has a hard time getting the hang of things. Skills progress at half the usual advancement rate. This may be taken in conjunction with Prodigy. Rename Inept?

Vulnerability - The character has an Achilles Heel, a weakness that can be either physical or psychological that can be exploited in combat.

[Shark_Force]

dintinctive - should make it easier to tail you, i don't see why it would hurt prowling. just give a bonus to skill checks related to noticing the character in a crowd (could include tailing the person, watching for them in a security camera, gathering information about the person - ie "hey, have you seen this guy?" <hold up picture> "oh yeah, that guy, i remember him. the one with the crazy hair. i saw him two blocks west just a couple minutes ago", and so forth.

i feel like you could use a few more positive ones, though.

another possibility would be to make mostly options that combine a positive and a negative together. kinda like the big and dumb or big and slow options.

[Rali]

i feel like you could use a few more positive ones, though.

I agree.

another possibility would be to make mostly options that combine a positive and a negative together. kinda like the big and dumb or big and slow options.

I'm not sure if I'm going to include anything that will affect Bio-E.

[Shark_Force]

i don't mean changing bio-e, i mean where it's a trade-off. think fallout traits (can't put any mechanics to these obviously, that would be a conversion); you shoot faster, but not as accurately. you are agile, but not as strong. and so on.

[Rali]

I see what you meant now. No, I'd rather allow the Player and GM decide what combinations they want to build/allow, but will throw in some restrictions and suggestions for certain combinations.