Traits

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all of the defining traits anyway, so some might be off-limits if another is chosen, even if it's not its 'opposite' (Withdrawn if Brave, for instance).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.

Additional Limbs

This gives the character extra actions and bonuses for any actions involving those limbs.

Bounded

This character is bound to the existence of something else, by placing part of their spirit into it. The character may not be killed until that other thing is destroyed. If the object they're bound to is destroyed (or the binding is broken), the character generally gets weaker and weaker without the object, usually resulting in death.

Flight

Natural

The character is able to move throughout air without external aid. Doing so costs the highest of mana or chakra, 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.

Mana Organ

The character has created a vessel for additional mana, making the casting of certain spells easier. There are two types:

• External. The character is linked to the vessel, but it is not physically connected to their body. These are relatively easy to create, and just as easy to destroy. As they are not attached to the body, they can be created at any level, although usually a character can only have one.
  • Halos for angels are an example.
• Internal. The vessel becomes a part of the character's body. These are excessively expensive to create, but are difficult to destroy due to being part of a living thing. Due to becoming part of the body, certain mana requirements must be met to add them, but it is a process one is able to undergo multiple times at different levels.
  • The additional tails for kitsune are an example.

Natural Emotional State

The character is naturally in this emotional state, and has difficulty in situations that require a different response.

• Happiness -
• Rage -
• Sorrow -

Phase

The character is able to move through a certain substance as if it were water.

• Natural - The character has no trouble moving through the object themselves.
• Limited - The character is able to move through the object, but only with aid. Their movement is limited in some way, and if the aid is prevented, the character is unable to 'unphase' without external help.

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.

Prehensile Tail

The character has a tail that they are able to finely control. Note that not all races that have tails have this trait, as well not all of them are prehensile. So far, the types are:

• Large - Used to partially bind or root oneself to an object. Merfolk start with this.
• Small - Used to trip and manipulate environment. Naga start with this.
• Spiked - Used for a sneak attack once per encounter, may not work on familiar characters. Cubus start with this.

Combat Traits

Requirement: Tier 2

Magic

Elemental

The largest and most diverse school.

• Earth
• Light
• Plantlife
• Water

Resilience

The character is extremely resilient to an effect, both positive and negative. Right now it's for posions and/or magic, but I might think of other schools to add/have in time.

This might be done by something like combining/using Passive Chakra and/in place of whatever the Magic Defense one is for defending Magic attacks, and requiring any helpful skills to act as 'attacks.'

Sense Magic

The character is able to detect magical use and objects. This is sorta the magical equivalent of alertness, as in many cases an alert character wouldn't be able to detect this. A character whose skill is higher might be able to follow trails to their source or I don't know do some kind of handstand. I wonder how many people are reading this. I hope I don't forget to edit this eventually.

Senses

• Sight
• Hearing
• Touch - This might be cut into heat and pain. Body location is difficult to measure, but those two are. At the same time, it might just be simplest to combine them. Because I always do something simple.

Smell and taste aren't really explored here so WHATEVS MAN.

Talents

Techniques that make use of a character's cunning.

• Manipulate

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.