Difference between revisions of "Traits"

Revision as of 11:52, 15 July 2010

Defining Traits

Note: Everything in Moderation!

In small amounts, none of these are 'bad' traits to have. They all are common traits in the real world, and all provide a small bonus in creation and some definition to personality. However, if a higher level is taken, they become something that is clearly distinct about the character, and have difficulty acting in a manner contrary to that. At the highest level, they have great trouble even understanding the opposite view.

Note: The Cautious Loudmouth

Some traits seem redundant, and the current definitions don't help because they're so vague to allow multiple interpretations themselves. It's entirely possible traits will come and go, but there's some archetypes that fit each if asked.

Ultimately the idea is for one NOT to be able to pick all of the defining traits anyway, so some might be off-limits if another is chosen, even if it's not its 'opposite' (Withdrawn if Brave, for instance). It's all in progress.

Brave/Cautious

Brave characters are willing to face any challenge they meet.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a thrill-seeker of the highest order. They suffer heavy penalties when they have to take a less direct method, and are easily manipulated by their desire to face challenges.

Cautious characters try to understand a situation before rushing in.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is overly cautious. They suffer heavy penalties in situations where they don't understand everything, and are easily manipulated by their desire to do so.

Emotional/Rational

Emotional characters let their gut guide them. They do and believe what feels right to them.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a slave to their desires. They suffer heavy penalties doing something they don't feel like, and are easily manipulated by their emotions.

Rational characters let logic be their guide. They favor pragmatic decisions, despite how it might make them feel.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a slave to logic. They suffer heavy penalties doing something that makes no sense to them, and are easily manipulated by logical arguments.

Empathetic/Adrift

Empathetic characters are able to connect with others well.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a bleeding heart. They suffer heavy penalties around suffering or acts that will harm others, and are easily manipulated by their need to connect with others.

Adrift characters are able to function on their own well.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a thoroughbred loner. They suffer heavy penalties when they have to work cooperatively with or for others, and are manipulated by their desire to be alone.

Goal-Oriented/Self-Oriented

Goal-Oriented individuals prioritize their goals before their selves, choosing personal sacrifice to further than long term goals.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is unhealthily focused on their goals. They suffer heavy penalties in any situation which sets their goals back, and easily manipulated by the promise of furthering them.

Self-Oriented individuals prioritize their selves before their goals, as short self-term improvement can help solve long term goals.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is unhealthily focused on their self. They suffer heavy penalties in any situation which might set their self back, and are easily manipulated by the promise of furthering their self.

Seasoned/Pure

Seasoned characters often try to use their knowledge to cut corners.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a type of snob. They suffer heavy penalties in situations where they don't have to exercise their knowledge, and are easily manipulated by their desire to do so.

Pure characters tend to try to do things the proper way.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a devout purist. They suffer heavy penalties in situations where they have to exercise techniques they're less familiar with, and are easily manipulated by a promise of the familiar.

Note: With Five Different Types of Seasoning

Seasoning is a filler word right now and may very well be changed in the final draft, but, as with any of these, it ultimately has various interpretations. A character could be a seasoned sycophant or charmer, for instance, preferring to use their words.

Pure can be taken just as well, as someone who frowns upon using words to end a battle rather than action could be qualified as a purist.

Outspoken/Withdrawn

Outspoken characters always attempt to communicate their own ideas.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a loudmouth. They suffer heavy penalties when they are incapable of communicating or exercising their ideas, and are easily manipulated by the desire to do so.

Withdrawn characters allow others to communicate their ideas first.

Very Low
Low
Mid
High
Very High - The character is a social hermit. They suffer heavy penalties when put on the spot, and are easily manipulated by situations where they have no need for input.

Flight

Natural

The character is able to move throughout air without external aid. Doing so costs mana, and the action is forcibly stopped when it runs out.

There tend to be two types of flight:

Speed. Bonuses to speed and dodge, hits cause heavy loss of momentum and elevation.
Power. Penalties to speed and dodge, hits have minor effect.

Limited

The character uses an external aid to fly. Although this rarely involves a mana investment, the means usually has a limitation that makes it a less appealing option than natural flight.

There tend to be two types of restrictions, although both together are common:

Time. The flight can only be invoked for a certain number of turns, and must be recharged before the possibility of reuse.
Use. The flight can only reach certain a certain altitude, be used in certain environmental conditions, or some other restriction preventing it from mimicking natural flight.

Kinship

Loyalty

Hatred

Natural Emotional State

Happiness
Rage
Sorrow

Psychic

Play Category: Limited

Requirement: Tier 3

Psychics have access to powers most others never have. This power makes them more powerful than other characters from the start, but also has made them more of magnet for weirdness and suffering in the past.

There's two major schools of psychic abilities:

Telepathy - The ability to read the thoughts of others.
Telekinesis - The ability to use psychic energy to manipulate the environment. The two most common uses of this are:
- Lifting and manipulating objects from a distance. At higher levels, limited flight.
- Using psychic energy as physical projectiles and objects.

Most other abilities associated with psychics are tied more to fields if anything and probably not readily available to solely psychics.

I like math, so I'm tempted to make psychics have to invest in the skills separately (also, that's how the other psychics work). However, I feel like that may be too many numbers. Still, it's just like skill levels, I don't think it's that much of a demand.

In general, DMs should discourage more than one or two psychics, especially considering how many play options there'll be. Seriously you guys, you don't even know. You'll be able to work as a haberdasher. No you won't.

Pacifism

Play Category: General, Restricted

Pacifists hate violence. They try to avoid combat situations if possible.

There's two flavors:

Technical - A technical pacifist will always favor a peaceful solution, and will never deliver the first blow. Unless an antagonist has done something to really outrage them, they cannot ever draw the first strike.
True - A true pacifist will not fight, plain and simple. They will avoid any combat situation, and become resentful if tricked to play a part in a battle.

In general, you can have as many technical pacifists as you want, although it might get a bit boring. True pacifists, however, is usually not allowed for PCs unless good reason is given.

Combat Traits

Requirement: Tier 2

Weapon Mastery

Magic

Support

Miscellaneous

Weakness

Weaknesses are something that affect your character in a negative manner. It can be a specific body part that takes extra damage, or a certain kind of attack that deals extra damage. Types and number allowed vary by DM fiat.

Very Low - The character takes small extra damage when weakened.
Low - Same as Very Low, but higher damage.
Mid - Same as Low, but higher damage. In addition, the character takes penalties to actions one turn after being weakened.
High - Same as Mid, but higher damage and three turns afterwards. Furthermore, the character must roll a dice to see if they are stunned next turn.
Very High - The character takes major damage when weakened, and is automatically stunned their next turn. They take massive penalties in any activity until they recover the amount of health lost from the hit.

Note: A shotgun to the chest...One of my several weaknesses...

Really, physical weaknesses should be maxed at one, maybe two as they're the most easily exploitable. Weaknesses to various things can easily be justified to about three, but in general weaknesses total shouldn't pass two anyway. This is both to prevent over exploiting the trait and making a character too useless.

In general, the max levels for Weakness is:

Very Low/Low - Rare/Unique
Mid/High - Common
High/Very High - Uncommon

The levels are chosen to prevent a character from being too useless. Rare/Unique could refer to something such as the attacks of a certain person. Common in general is low level magic, general attack types, and things like that. Uncommon refers to higher level magic or something else I can't think of while typing this.

Note: The Uncommon Cold

It might seem weird that Uncommon weaknesses are allowed to be the highest, and one might that's a free bonus there. However, as the story progresses, antagonists will be looking for ways to affect your character specifically, and a Very High makes one functionally useless in those situations at best. If one chooses weaknesses, one must think fully ahead with the character and be ready to accept any handicaps their choices bring.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-==Tier==
-===Tier 0===
-This is where we as normal humans sit. However, the only characters in the storyverse that fit into this tier are the inhabitants created by Metro City.
-Tier 0 characters get 125% of experience, but they have such heavy penalties there is no reason for this to be used for any character. Additionally, they can only have one defining trait.
-====Traits Available at Tier 0====
-Physical
-* Size
-* Weight
-Mental
-* NONE
-Combat
-* NONE
-===Tier 1===
-This is where the average person sits within the storyverse. This is used largely for noncombat NPCs. In some games where the PC start as simple villagers, the game might start at this level, but due to the restrictions it is a poor idea to be used beyond a 'prologue' idea.
-Tier 1 characters get 115% of experience, but they cap very early and have none of the advantages Tier 2 characters have. In addition, Tier 1 characters are restricted to a max of three Defining Traits, only one of which can reach Mid.
-====Traits Available at Tier 1====
-Physical
-*
-Mental
-*
-Combat
-* NONE
-===Tier 2===
-This is where the average adventurer sits within the storyverse. In most games PCs will start here, and most of the NPCs that are involved are here or higher.
-Tier 2 characters get 100% of experience, but have an experience cap. Tier 2 characters can have anywhere between two to five Defining Traits. Depending on the DM, Very High might be banned and/or a High might be required at this Tier.
-====Traits Available at Tier 2====
-Physical
-*
-Mental
-*
-Combat
-*
-===Tier 3===
-This is where an experienced adventurer sits within the storyverse. Some traits, such as Psychic, require a character to start in this tier, and as such might be banned from games.
-Tier 3 characters get 80% of experience, but have an experience cap. Tier 3 characters work the same as Tier 2 characters in Defining Traits, but have experienced an event which has made one trait particularly high for them, requiring one Very High.
-====Traits Available at Tier 3====
-Physical
-*
-Mental
-* Psychic (Starting Only)
-Combat
-* Telekinesis (Starting Only)
-===Tier 4===
-This is where the average veteran adventurer sits with the storyverse. Most longer games will have the party end in this. Unless explicitly permitted, characters are generally banned from starting here and any traits that require the tier are offlimits during creation.
-Tier 4 characters get 55% of experience, and have such a high experience cap that they should never reach it in the campaign. Additionally, the events they've been through have made them very resolute, requiring three Very High in Defining Traits.
-====Traits Available at Tier 4====
-Physical
-*
-Mental
-*
-Combat
-*
-===Tier 5===
-This is where only the most powerful characters sit in the storyverse. In general this is only achieved through special means, and it is discouraged to have multiple characters in this Tier in the story. One Tier 5 antagonist can be threatening, more loses the effect. One Tier 5 ally or PC can be compelling, more tends to be boring. As always, there are exceptions, of course.
-Tier 5 characters get 20% of experience, but have no experience cap. Though they have great power, it has come from either years of dedication to something and/or tampering with more questionable forces, and these experiences have made they excessively resolute, requiring five Very Highs in Defining Traits.
-====Traits Available at Tier 5====
-Physical
-*
-Mental
-*
-Combat
-*
-====Note: Role and Playing Favorites====
-If a DM does decide to let a character (especially PC) make this transition, make sure the transition objectively it makes sense. Tier 5 characters are usually there because they want ultimate power; a character who just wants to settle down and live on a farm when this is over rarely would have any justification for doing it (although let's face it, it would be interesting in the cases it does). In general, if a PC is going to make this transition, it will probably be obvious from their personality in the beginning, even if the character (or even the player) isn't aware of it.
-====Note: Great Power Standard, Great Responsibility Optional====
-This should be super-obvious, but Tier has nothing to do with importance to the story. Any character who is Tier 5 is not automatically the focus no matter what side they're on; in fact, they usually become less important.
-For a comparison, think of the role Dr. Manhattan ultimately played in Watchmen, when compared to Rorschach (as a protagonist) or Ozymandias (as an antagonist). Also, spoiler alert.
-===Note: Tiering Up===
-In general, going up a tier is more than just a change in stats, it's a dramatic event that touches and changes the character's very being. DMs are encouraged to work with their PCs to figure out when they want to move up a tier, and setting up a small arc revolving around the character for the transition.
-* '''Tier 1 to Tier 2''' is not that big of an affair, as Tier 2 is largely 'knows how to fight.' DMs can set up a battle or small dramatic scene for this transition, but anything long term is discouraged due to the disadvantages of Tier 1 in a party and how unimportant the step is, if it is even incorporated.
-* '''Tier 2 to Tier 3''', however, is generally a defining moment in a character's growth. A character who starts in Tier 3 generally has more backstory than a standard character, and a character who is leveling up usually gets a small event planned largely around them. The event should probably be heavier than anything the characters have faced before, and specifically taxing on the transitioning character, in general on both a physical and emotional level.
-* '''Tier 3 to Tier 4''' is usually equally defining. However, an important thing to note is Tier 3 has the highest mortality rate. This transition should be legitimately life-threatening if taken, and in general is only the result of a deeply traumatizing event, such as witnessing a massacre firsthand. Ultimately, these events are usually part of the planned plot rather than specifically character driven, because let's face it, DMs are asses.
-* '''Tier 4 to Tier 5''' is defining in a different way. In most cases, the jump only comes from hundreds of years of dedication to bettering themselves. They've sacrificed and experienced much during this time, and are in general detached from humanity. In some cases, this transition is done via dabbling in various fields to gain power quickly, and these characters are generally equally detached from the experience. As noted above, it's not really recommended for characters to go through this, especially multiple ones.
 ==Defining Traits==