[b]1. FLAWS[/b]
General guidelines about flaw creation from From Unearthed Arcana:
You can create new flaws, but be careful: Flaws can unbalance your game. When creating flaws, keep a few issue in mind:
1. A flaw must have numeric effect on a character's specific capabilities. Flaws with primarily roleplaying or story effects have unpredictable effects on game balance.
2. Flaws are generally bigger in magnitude than feats. That's because players always choose flaws that have the least impact on their characters, while taking feats that have the most. For example, while a feat affecting skills grants +2 bonus on two skills, its counterpart flaw might impose a -4 penalty on two skills.
3. A flaw must have a meaningful effect regardless of character class or role. That way, a player can't reduce the flaw's importance through multiclasssing. For instance, a flaw that only affects spellcasters might seem reasonable - but for nonspellcaster characters, the flaw likely proves meaningless. Even if you restrict the selection of such feats to characters of specific classes, a player can easily select a spellcasting class at 1st level, choose to flaws that apply to spellcasters, gain the bonus feats, multiclass into a nonspellcasting class at 2nd level and thereafter proceed as a primarily nonspellcasting character. The player has sacrificed a level to gain two bonus feats, a tradeoff that appeals to some players.
4. Similarily, a flaw that penalizes a character's Charisma-based skill checks only has a significant impact on the party spokesperson - the quiet fighter or barbarian likely won't feel any impact from the penalties.
4a.It's preveiling problem, so I'll put the advice here:
Do not use charisma-related penalties as trait or flaw's effects (unless its a trait and the benefits are also socially oriented).Its related to point 4, but there seems to be quite a number of people that skip it
5. This one is mine: Whatever you do, try to keep it simple. This is a game first and foremost, not reality simulator, and if you make a flaw that takes 15 lines and is hard to read no one will use it. And the point of posting new flaws here is for people to use them. So, in conclusion, KISS (keep it simple stupid).
GENERAL FLAWS
Docile to Magic
You are very vulnerable to magic.
[b]Effect:[/b] You take a -2 penalty on all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
Poster: Szatany
Bad Wounds
Due to strange twist of fate, your body became immune to magic. Healing magic.
[b]Effect:[/b]You are unaffected by spells that remove hit point damage.
Poster: Szatany
Breaker
You break equipment more often than would seem to be normal.
Effect: All weapons and items in your hands has their hardness and hitpoints halved for purposes of determining if they break when you are using them.
Poster: Cruhand
Coward
Combat scares the s**t out of you!
[b]Effect: [/b]At the beginning of your each round in combat, roll d%. If you roll below 1-25, you are shaken for that round. At the first round of the combat you are always shaken, and if you roll 1-25 during that round, you are frightened instead.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you are resistant or immune to fear. If you gain resistance or immunity to fear, this flaw still affects you (it overrides immunity to fear).
Poster: Szatany
Dull mind
In your early lifetime you hadn’t learned much. Not anything of importance, at least.
[i]Effect:[/i] You don’t get the normal 4 times skill points at first level. Instead you gain only your class skill points + Int. modifier just as if you had gained if you had leveled up a non 1st level in your class.
Poster: Bronzebeard
Easily Charmed
You succumb easily to mind control.
Effect: You gain -6 penalty on saving throws against mind-affecting spells and effects.
Poster: Cruhand
Enhancement Allergy
Your body and mind does not attune well to magic.
Effect: Whenever your ability score is increased by enhancement bonus, the bonus is halved.
Poster: Szatany
Epileptic
From time to time, under great stress, you suffer from epileptic seizures.
Effect: If you are in a stressful situation (such as combat) you must make a Will Save at DC 10 or have an epileptic seizure (you are unable to do anything, and are helpless). The seizure lasts for 2d10 minutes and when it is over you become fatigued.
Poster: Cruhand
Fear the Reaper
The gods want your soul for some (may be unknown) reason. Once they get you, there will be no return.
Effect: You cannot be brought back to life by any means short of divine intervention.
Poster: Szatany
Fragile
Your body is more vulnerable to damage and has many weak spots.
Effect: When creature attacking you rolls natural 20 on attack roll, it scores critical threat without a need of confirming it.
Poster: Szatany
Friendslayer
When in combat, you don't really care if you hit your foes, or friends.
Effect: When attacking into a melee (either by ranged weapon or spell, or in some cases a melee weapon (when you are able to threaten the square of your friend(s)) containing one or more of your friends there is a 15% chance you hit your friends instead (+5% for each friend in addition to the first)
Special: A miss would be a miss, but a natural 1 (a fumble-threat) should be rerolled, if the second result is also a miss, then you instead deal a critical hit to a friend you are able to threat in any way.
Poster: Cruhand
Hampered
You move slowly, due to limping or any other reason.
Effect: You get a -4 penalty to all Climb, Jump and Tumble checks and your base movement speed is reduced as if you were wearing heavy armor. If a character is already wearing heavy armor or load, he cannot move.
Poster: Cruhand
Hemophilia
You suffer from bleeding disorder, which means you blood does not clot easily.
Effect: You do not stabilize automatically. Healing spells remove damage normally, but you only have 50% to stabilize when under effect of such spell.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have fast healing or regeneration. If you gain fast healing or regenration ability, those and hemophilia cancel eachother as long as they are both in effect.
Poster: Szatany
Loud and Rough
Effect: You get a -4 penalty to Hide and Move Siltenly checks and a -2 penalty to Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.
Special: At the DM's discretion, a character with this flaw may attract attention of inhabitants of area the character currently travels through (the character talks loudly, steps on almost any twig on the path etc). This may cause increase chance of encounter (both hostile and not).
Poster: Cruhand
Magic Drain
Most magic items wont work on you.
Effect: There is a chance that any magic items you use are rendered useless and powerless. (The magic item should be allowed a saving throw to avoid this. The item uses the same saving throw bonuses for all types (2+one half caster level)) The DC for the magic item saving throw should be 10+Character Level+Charisma modifier.
As for potions and scrolls, there should be a 50% chance (at least) that the effect of the potion/scroll will not work.
Special: A character needs at least 10 in Charisma to take this flaw. Also, at the DM's discretion this flaw can be extended to contain spells as well (both beneficial and harmful), but then it might be helpful in some situations.
Poster: Cruhand
Misfortunate
You lack natural resistances to outside effects.
Effect: You take a -1 penalty on all saving throws.
Poster: Szatany
One-Eyed
Where one of your eyes should be, there is only empty dark eyesocket.
Effect: Halve all range increments of ranged weapons you use. Also halve any "within 30 feet" effects, such as range of Point Blank Shot feat.
Special: At the DM's discretion, this flaw might grant bonuses or penalties to some Charisma-based skills. Since you have empty eyesocket from birth, spells like regeneration don't recover your missing eye (spells don't remove birth defects).
Poster: Cruhand
Pain Intolerant
You have a low pain threshold.
Effect: Whenever you take damage you must undergo a Fortitude Save with DC one half the damage taken or fall unconscious.
Poster: Cruhand
Rabid
You are a half-crazed, feral killing machine.
Effect: Whenever in combat, you must always attack opponents with melee weapons (even bare hands) if possible.
Poster: Szatany
Reflexes against Magic
Your body is innately resistant to magic, even beneficial one.
Effect: You cannot voluntarily lower your saving throw when affected by spells.
Poster: Szatany
Selective Digestion
You don't benefit from potion magic.
Prerequisite: Ability to drink magic potions.
Effect: Potions (but not oils) and other eadible magic items have no effect on you. This flaw does not protect you from digestable poisons in any form.
Poster: abraham
Sickly
You are very vulnerable to illnesses.
Effect: You gain a -6 penalty on saving throws against disease and poison.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you are immune or resistant to disease or poison. If you have this flaw, you do not gain any feats, class abilities, spells or effects that grant disease or poison immunity (but not resistance).
Poster: Szatany
Sleepyhead
You need more sleep that a normal person to function normally.
Effect: You must sleep full 12 hours without interruption, or you are fatigued for the next day. If such fatigue is removed magically, its only supressed for 1d10 minutes.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you don't have to sleep or are immune to sleep spells and effects. If you become immune, you fall in permanent coma.
Poster: Szatany
Slow Healer
Effect: Hit points and wounds heal at a slower rate. (Halve the hit points gained from any kind of rest. If wounds are used in your campaign, healing rate of these will also halve.)
Poster: Cruhand
Slow Learner
You have problem with learning new things.
Effect: You gain half the number of skill points at each level except 1st.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you gain 2 or less skill points per level (which includes human bonus points and bonus points from Int score).
Poster: Szatany
Small Frame
You are small and slender for your race.
Effect: You are treated as one size smaller for the purposes of carrying capacity, grappling, bull rushing, tripping, and overrunning.
Poster: Szatany
Stiff Fingers
You have clumsy hands and your fingers stiff easily.
[i]Effect:[/i] You suffer –2 penalty to all craft, disable device, escape artist, forgery, open lock, sleight of hand, and use rope checks. In addition, you suffer 10% arcane spell failure when casting spells with somatic component, -2 penalty on attack rolls with thrown weapons and bows, and whenever an opponent attempts to disarm you, he gains +2 bonus on that attempt.
Poster: Szatany
Unaccustomed to Combat
You have hard time coordinating your moves and actions in combat.
Effect: You cannot take 5-foot steps when performing any other action in the same round.
Poster: Szatany
Undecided
You cannot make up your mind when it comes to alignment.
[i]Effect:[/i] Whatever your alignment is, when you are under effect of spell or ability which effects depend on your alignment, your alignment changes in regard to this spell or ability in such way that it is least advantageous to you.
For example, if you are lawful good and a paladin uses detect evil ability on you, your alignment registers as lawful evil for that ability. If, at the same time, a cleric affects you with dictum spell, you are treated as chaotic good for the purpose of that spell.
Poster: Szatany
Vulnerable to Cold
You are particularly vulnerable to cold and frost.
Effect: You take half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from cold attacks, regardless or whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure. If you are already vulnerable to cold, damage increases to +100%.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have cold immunity or cold resistance. If you have this flaw, you are immune to any feats, class abilities, spells or effects that grant cold resistance or immunity.
Poster: Szatany
Vulnerable to Electricity
You are particularly vulnerable to electricity and lightnings.
Effect: You take half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from electricity attacks, regardless or whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure. If you are already vulnerable to electricity , damage increases to +100%.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have electricity immunity or electricity resistance. If you have this flaw, you are immune to any feats, class abilities, spells or effects that grant electricity resistance or immunity.
Poster: Szatany
Vulnerable to Fire
You are particularly vulnerable to fire and heat.
Effect: You take half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from fire attacks, regardless or whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure. If you are already vulnerable to fire, damage increases to +100%.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have fire immunity or fire resistance. If you have this flaw, you are immune to any feats, class abilities, spells or effects that grant fire resistance or immunity.
Poster: Szatany
RACIAL FLAWS
Dwarf without Heritage [Racial]
You weren't raised by dwarves and lack their cultural knowledge.
[i]Prerequisite:[/i] Dwarf (PHB dwarf).
Effect: You do not have stonecunning, +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids, +4 dodge bonus against giants, +2 on appraise and craft checks. You do not automatically know dwarven language.
Poster: Szatany
Elf without Heritage [Racial]
You weren't raised by elves and lack their cultural knowledge.
[i]Prerequisite:[/i] Elf (PHB elf).
Effect: You are not gain elven weapon proficiencies, you don't automatically know elven language, and you have no favored class.
Poster: Szatany
Narrow [Racial]
You are less adaptable that most humans.
Prerequisite: Human.
Effect: You do not gain bonus human skill points per level.
Poster: Szatany
---------------------
PROBLEMATIC
Addiction
You are addicted to some substance.
Effect: This will vary according to the substance addicted to, but mostly if the character does not get his daily satisfaction of substance abuse, he will get penalties to most actions, and will also be fretful and irritable. The penalties should be cumulative. (one day without substance -2 to all actions, two days without substance -4, three days without -8 etc. where at one point the character would be rendered useless)
The addiction/substance should be either uncommon, illegal or severe, and the use of it might in itself impose some penalties to the character - i.e. dulled senses from smoking weeds, or consuming alcohols.
Poster: Cruhand
Allergy
You are allergic to a common substance. If exposed to what you are allergic to, your eyes start to water and your nose runs (or you get the effects of a nettle rash whichever is appropriate)
Effect: If exposed to the substance you are allergic to, you get a -2 penalty to all actions (including attacks), and an additional -2 to any action requiring heavy concentration.
Special: The type of allergy should be at the player's choice, with the DM allowing/disallowing the player's choice. The substance should be common, and it MUST be something that the character is likely to bump into once in a while. (An allergy to metal might for instance cause severe problems for any fighter)
Poster: Cruhand
Mute
You cannot speak, or shout or make verbal noises of any kind.
Effect: Any communication must be non-verbal. You cannot cast spells with a verbal component.
Poster: Cruhand
Pyromaniac
You have an irrational attraction to fire. You like to watch it burn, smell the smoke, feel the heat.
Effect: You will set fires whenever possible, and occasionally feel the urge to set a fire without reason. If you want to resist the urge for setting a fire you must make a Will save DC 10+1 for each time you have resisted setting a fire since the last time.
Special: This might also paralyze the character, since he is so fascinated and obsessed by the fire that he can do nothing but watch and enjoy as it spreads. DM's discretion or a WILL save DC 15 for this.
Poster: Cruhand
Split Personality
You have from one to three additional personalities. Your physical attributes does not change, but your non-physical abilities might all be different.
Effect: You choose from one to three additional personalities. Each personality gain experience separately. Alignment and level may vary among the personalities. You must decide alongside the DM what triggers the switch.
Special: The mental abilities (Wis, Int and Cha) might vary from each personality (thus altering skills/saves etc). The class and behaviour might vary etc. This should be worked out between the player and DM in unison.
Poster: Cruhand
Wrath of God
You have earned the disfavour of a particular god, demi-god or equally powerful entity.
Effect: Will naturally vary according to what god this is. It might involve constantly being bothered by followers of the god, or having strange luck when using skills/spells involving in any way the gods portfolio etc.
Special: Unless the player has some really good ideas, this should be left entirely up to the DM. What god is it, why, and what happens.
Poster: Cruhand
-------------------------------
under construction
Posted by flyingmoose
Annoying
You really get on people's nerves.
Effect: Any time an NPC or animal's attitude towards you worsens due to a failed Diplomacy or wild empathy check, it worsens by two steps (going from indifferent to hostile, for example).
Posted by Greyseed
Mad
You are a tad mentally unbalanced.
Effect: You suffer a -2 to all wisdom and charisma based skill and ability checks.
Missing Eye
You only have one functional eye. The other is disfigured, missing or otherwise nonfunctional.
Effect: You take a -2 on spot and search and disguise checks. You also take a -4 for each range increment a target is away.
Special: You may take this flaw up to two times (which means you are blind). Since you have one eye from birth, spells like regeneration don't recover your eye (spells don't remove birth defects).
Posted by Grundax
Slow Reflexes
You are slow to respond to sudden changes.
Effect: You suffer -4 to initiative and –2 to reflex saves.
Posted by Hammerhead
Shallow Veins
Your veins are shallow and visible through the skin.
Effect: Whenever a creature with a slashing or piercing weapon attacks you, it has its threat range doubled (20 becomes 19-20, 19-20 becomes 17-20 etc.). This effect stacks with the keen ability and any similar effect.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you are immune to critical hits. If you become immune to critical hits, you loose benefit of the feat granted by this flaw.
Posted by Harliquinn
Bleeder
You continue to bleed after taking wounds until you stabilize.
Effect: After taking damage from any source, at the end of each round (starting with the round in which the character took damage), roll d% to see whether you become stable. You have a 10% chance to become stable. If you do not, you lose 1 hit point.
Special: You may not take this flaw if you have Fast Healing or Regeneration, nor are you affected by Fast Healing or Regeneration from any source.
Easily Distracted
You are easily distracted when performing long tasks.
Effect: You may never take 10 on any skill check.
Special: You may not take this flaw if you do not gain at least 4 skill points per level from your highest class.
Easily Winded
You become staggered easily in stressful situations.
Effect: You become staggered when your nonlethal damage equals one-half your current hit points. When your nonlethal damage is less than one-half your current hit points you are no longer staggered.
No Will to Live
You die more easily than others.
Effect: You are disabled and dying from -1 to -4 hit points and die if you reach -5 hit points.
Special: Any special abilities you have that normally remain in effect until -9 hit points remain until -5 hit points instead.
Panicky
You are easily frightened.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects. When fear causes you to be Shaken, you are instead Frightened. When fear causes you to be Frightened, you are instead Panicked.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you are immune to the effects of fear.
Shallow Magic
Your spells lack the power to penetrate most spell resistance.
Effect: You get a -3 penalty on caster level checks (1d20 + caster level) made to overcome a creature’s spell resistance
Special: You must be a spellcaster to take this flaw. You cannot take this flaw if you already have Spell Penetration or Greater Spell Penetration. You cannot take the Weak Magic flaw.
Slow to React
You have trouble reacting quickly to combat situations.
Effect: You are considered flat-footed until you have taken two turns in a combat. You always lose your Dexterity bonus to AC when flat-footed even if another ability would prevent the loss.
Unfit
You have trouble performing extended tasks.
Effect: You incur a -8 penalty on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. Also, you cannot sleep in any armor without becoming fatigued.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have the Endurance feat. You gain no benefit from the Endurance feat if you have this flaw.
Weak Magic
Your spells are easier to resist than normal.
Effect: Subtract 1 from the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells or spell-like abilities you cast.
Special: You must be a spellcaster to take this flaw. You cannot take the Shallow Magic flaw.
Posted by hiryuu
Amnesia
You don't know jack.
Effect:Get out two blank character sheets, pass one to your DM and name a race and class. Your DM will create the character for you from the whole cloth. You are free to pick your alignment and physical appearance (in addition to the aforementioned race and class). Your DM should tell you what your mental scores are (Intelligence and Wisdom), but you'll have to figure the rest out during game play. "Your past will come back to haunt you one day."
Posted by Keebler
Bad Back
You have a lingering back problem and can't carry much.
Effect: A character with this flaw is treated as he had Strength score 4 points lesser for the purpose of determining encumbrance and unless the character sleeps on a masterwork bedroll and in no armor, he must succeed at a Fort save (DC 10) when waking up or be fatigued for the following day and he does not count rested for preparing spells.
Chronic Illness
You are always sick.
Effect: A character with this flaw must make a fort save DC 15 at the end of each week or catch a minor disease. This disease is similar to the cold (sneezing, coughing, trouble sleeping) and causes 2 Wisdom and Strength damage a day. The character also suffers a -2 penalty to saving thwors against diseases. If the character becomes immune to disease, he is still affected by this flaw.
Magically Inept
The control of magic eludes you.
Effect: A character with this flaw cannot use any magic item that requires consious use. This includes all command word items and all items that require an action to use (even the various tomes). This does not include magic items that are used automatically like rings of protection or magic weapons. A character cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities.
Posted by Levism84
Credulous
You have an unshakable belief that there is goodness in every person.
Effect: You take a -6 on all sense motive checks and take a -4 penalty on saves versus Enchantment (charm) spells and effects.
Special: You must have a wisdom score of at least 8 in order to take this flaw.
Weary Warrior
You have seen too much senseless violence in your life, and combat only disheartens you further.
Effect: You suffer a -4 penalty on initiative checks and after any combat you are fatigued for 1d6 hours. (This fatigue is a self-produced mind-effect that cannot be remedied by use of magic or items.)
Scarred Memory
You have had a very tragic or traumatic event occur in your life that has left you scarred emotionally (possibly even physically). This leaves you distanced from others and ever fearful that you will have to relive the nightmares you survived.
Effect: You take a -2 penalty on all diplomacy and intimidate checks and take a -4 penalty on will saves versus fear effects related to your tragic incident.
Special: You should work with your DM on detailing your tragic episode and defining what would be considered a fear related to your incident. This has the potential to be a great role-playing tool, but only adds as much as the player puts into it.
Posted by Magus Gar Kan
Scar of Truth [Racial]
You have a scar or deformity caused by powerful magic (possibly a curse) that doesn't disappear when you change shape.
[i]Prerequisite:[/i] Shapechanger Subtype
[i]Effect:[/i] You do not recieve the +10 bonus on disguise checks when using a racial ability to alter form or polymorph.
You also recieve a -2 penalty to Bluff and Diplomacy checks.
Posted by MattMart
Afraid of the Dark
You fear the darkness.
Effect: You are shaken in normal moonlight (includes torch or lamplight), frightened in near darkness (moonless night or very dark room), and panicked in total darkness (magic darkness or dungeon depths).
Claustrophobic
You can't stand enclosed spaces.
Effect: You gain a -4 to all graple checks. When you are pinned you become paniced. When indoors you have a -2 to all charisma based skill checks. When indoors and you cannot see the exit, the penalty increases to -4. When you do not know where the exit is you gain a -2 to all dex based skills and ability checks. When you know that the exit is blocked(in a cell or trapped by a cave in) you become paniced. When underground or in a windowless area, you are considered shaken. These effects are cumulative.
Slow to Draw
You always fumble for your weapons.
Effect: it is a full round action to draw a weapon. In addition, when using a bow, it may only be fired once per round.
Small Hands
You must wield smaller sized weapons.
Effect: You are concidered to be one size catagory smaller than you really are when determining weapon encumbrance. For Example: a medium creature with small hands must wield small weapons. A small creature must wield tiny weapons.
Posted by Morloth
Criticalless Adventurer
You have a very hard time finding a critical spot.
Effect: You only make a critical hit at a natural 20, and must make 2 confirm rolls instead of 1.
Murky Look
You have some strange look in your eyes, and people don't trust you.
Effect: When buying an item, you'll have to pay 50% more than the actual costs. You get an -4 penalty on the following skills: Gather information, Diplomacy, Intimidate and bluff.
One Handed
You only have one hand, the other was lost due an accident.
Effect: You only have 1 hand to carry either a Shield or a Single-handed weapon.
Special: Creatures with more than 2 hands (or other limbs they can use to hold either a shield or a weapon) cannot take this flaw. Since you have one hand from birth, spells like regeneration don't recover your hand (spells don't remove birth defects).
Soft Brains
Your brains are very soft, every time you take a hard blow you black out!
Effect: Whenever you take damage from a bludgeoning weapon or take subdual damage, you have 50% chance of being stunned for 1 round per 5 damage taken.
Special: You can't avoid being stunned in any way, no spell nor special ability can supress stunning effect. Your brains need to reconfigure itself, without any help.
Posted by RaspK FOG
Overweight [Flaw]
No matter the reason or what you try to do, your character cannot maintain a balanced weight.
Penalty: On any and all checks you make covered by the Endurance feat, the increase applied to the DC for each time interval is +2, not +1; your character's heavier by 40 lbs. (50 lbs. for half-orcs, 25 lbs. for halflings), and you always apply this weight against your load.
Roleplaying Hints: Your character either does not care, is apathetic, or, more probably, has a sore spot about his extra weight.
Posted by Raxor
Therianthropic Fear
Due to a fear of any therianthropic creatures, you rely too heavily on silvered weapons.
Effect: When you use a weapon that isn't made from silver, you suffer a -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls.
Posted by SaddestPleasure
Blind Devotion
Prerequisite: Ability to cast divine spells.
You are so sure in the rightness of your god (or other source of divine power) that you refuse to use any magic item from other faiths.
Effect: You cannot use magic items crafted by magical artisans who do not share your faith. This extends to any type of magic item, including armor, weapons, and potions. You also cannot use magic items crafted by your companions unless they worship the same god as you. The Use Magic Device skill is prohibited for you, and you cannot put ranks into it. If at any time you use a magic item crafted by a person of a different faith, whether willingly or under duress, or if you put ranks into the Use Magic Device skill, you lose access to your spells and all other spell-like and supernatural features of your class. You must seek out a capable member of your faith for atonement.
Special: The oaths this feat represents may vary from faith to faith. Some may allow the use of items of arcane origin, or they may disallow only items from rival faiths. Some more stringent oaths may also forbid accepting spells cast on you by members of other faiths.
Cloistered
Prerequisite: Member of a religious or monastic order.
You've lived in a monastery all your life and have little experience in the ways of the outside world.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on all Profession, Sense Motive, and Survival checks.
Fear of Water
You have an abiding fear of deep water and drowning.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on Swim checks. In addition, when on a boat, bridge, a ledge over deep water, or when otherwise in a position to fall into deep water, or when you voluntarily enter water greater than hip-deep, you become shaken until you leave the water's proximity. If you are involuntarily immersed in water greater than hip-deep (such as if you were bull-rushed off a ledge into water), you immediately become panicked. Spells and effects that remove fear do not affect either the shaken condition or the panicked condition.
Impatient
You have a short attention span and tend to rush things.
Effect: You take a -3 penalty on all Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Forgery, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Search checks.
Inept
You are terrible at using any skill untrained.
Effect: Your total bonus to skills in which you have no ranks is treated as zero. Ability bonuses, racial bonuses, class bonuses, synergy bonuses, competence bonuses, and other bonuses do not apply to skills you use untrained. The only bonus you may apply to untrained skills is a luck bonus. Penalties work as normal.
For example, a level 1 druid with 16 Wisdom would normally have a +5 modifier to Survival when untrained (+3 from high Wisdom and +2 from class). The same druid with the inept flaw would be treated as having a bonus of +0. If her Wisdom dropped to 8, she would have a total modifier to Survival checks equal to -1. If she took at least 1 rank in Survival, she would receive the a +6 bonus to her Survival skill checks as normal (1 rank +3 Wis +2 class).
Yearning for Death
You are living on borrowed time, and know it.
Effect: You take a -3 penalty to saves versus death effects and a -3 penalty to Fortitude saves versus death by massive damage. If using the standard stabilization rules, you have only a 5% chance to stabilize on your own. If using Fortitude-based stabilization rules, you take a -3 penalty on Fortitude saves to stabilize or avoid death.
Posted by simen_88
Insane
You are ravaged by mental illness.
Effect: You suffer from one indefinite insanity (chosen from table 6-11 in unearthed arcana, page 201.
[i]Special: [/i]This insanity cannot be removed by any means.
Snappy
You can break quite easily when under pressure.
Effect: When in a stressful situation (heated argument, close to battle, surrounded be foes in battle, et.c, handled by the DM) you must make a DC 10 will save or act as if effected by lesser confusion. The DC is 12 if you are fatigued.
Posted by the Horc
Accelerated Aging
You suffer from a disease that causes you to age faster than normal (think Progeria as a real world example, but not so bad).
Effect: You start off with the penalties associated with being middle aged, but none of the benefits. Also, cut your lifespan in half and halve the time it takes to reach your next level of aging (A middle aged human with AA has their middle age at 17.5, old at 26.5, venerable at 35, and death at +1d20 years).
Posted by The Law
Hot Tempered
You find it hard to resist the urge to fight when you are wronged or insulted.
Effect: You get -4 to Diplomacy checks. Whenever you are gravely insulted, you must roll a Will check. Failure means you attack the last person to insult you, by any and best useful means possible (casting spells if you're a wizard, using weapons if you're a fighter, etc.)
Posted by Vanigo
Jinxed
For one reason or another, the normally impartial forces of fate hate you.
Effects: Once a day, the DM may force you to reroll one die roll, after it is rolled, but before the results are announced. Use the new value, even if it's better than the original roll. The DM should be as vindictive about this as possible.
Posted by Agent Rasp
Ghost Among the Living
Your exposure to negative energy has left you vulnerable to certain positive energy effects.
Prerequisites: Ability to channel negative energy OR must have lost one or more levels to energy drain; cannot be undead.
Effects: You are treated as undead when targeted by smite evil and the spells detect evil, detect undead, and consecrate, and you can be turned as if you were undead, but not rebuked, commanded, or destroyed. You take 1 point of damage whenever you come into contact with holy water, or 1d4 damage if splashed with a vial of holy water. Other positive energy effects (such as cure spells) affect you normally, and you are still harmed by negative energy effects (such as inflict spells).
Special: If you take this flaw and later become undead, you lose the flaw and the bonus feat it grants you. If you are subsequently restored to life, you regain both the flaw and the bonus feat.
Lost Soul
You are no longer properly anchored to your home plane.
Prerequisite: Must have been subjected to at least one spell or effect involving dimensional storage, planar travel, or returning from the dead.
Effect: You gain the extraplanar subtype even when on your home plane. If affected by a spell that would normally send you to your home plane, such as banishment or dismissal, you are instead sent to the nearest transitive plane (Astral, Ethereal, or Shadow).
Low Hurl Factor
You are easily grossed out.
Effect: Whenever you would normally be sickened, you are nauseated instead. Whenever you would normally be nauseated, you must make a successful Will save against DC 15, or become unconsious.
The sickly feat is going to be able to be exploited by monks and paladins, who gain abilities to make themselves immune to poison and disease. I would also put a provision in the ability that no class or racial ability can confer immunity to poison or disease.
Slow learner is probably not a great idea for a flaw, as most fighters could care less about their skills.
The rest of them look okay for the most part, though I'm not certain if the elemental vulnerabilities or small frame are bad enough in effect, though it's not an obvious call.
Vuln to Why make something no-one will ever take? Plus I dislike the idea of even a flaw preventing spells/effects from working as intended... (If you are aware of a weakness, you should be able to compensate for it, a glass jaw like this is eventually going to kill any character) (I Suggest -2 [luck] to saves instead of +50% damage)
Fragile: You can crit threat without hitting. This flaw sounds like it makes any threat hit (and confirm) automatically...
Docile to magic: Too powerful IMO, no-one would ever take it. )Again, suggest 1 school of magic (barring conjuration), or element type)
IMO They should be about equal to the feat they grant.
Originally posted by Hot Rod
IMO They should be about equal to the feat they grant.
No, they really shouldn't. The flaw has to be more harmful than the feat it grants. The player is always going to take a flaw that is as small of a detriment to his character as possible, and a feat that helps him as much as possible. If you make the flaw theoretically equal to the feat, then you're just screaming for someone to come in and min/max.
General guidelines about trait creation from From Unearthed Arcana:
1. The trait is only effective if the benefits and the drawbacks of the trait are related. If the drawback and benefit of a trait apply to disparate or unrelated aspects of the game, it becomes too easy for a player to choose a trait for her character that provides a bonus on a commonly attempted ability check or skill check while the corresponding penalty applies to a rarely used or never-used aspect of play.
2. In addition to game effects, a trait should suggest characteristics about the character's personality that might lead to interesting roleplaying opportunities. Trait should offer a way for game mechanics to encourage deeper character backgrounds and consistent roleplaying.
Posted by Me
Balanced Resistances
Your resistances are rather equal.
[i]Benefit:[/i] You gain +2 bonus on all checks with your lowest saving throw (if you have 2 lowest saving throws at the equal bonus, you gain only +1 bonus to each.
[i]Drawback:[/i] You gain -2 penalty on all checks with your highest saving throw (if you have 2 highest saving throws at the equal bonus, you suffer only -1 penalty to each.
Fast Learner
You learn things very fast, outclassing all other when it comes to skills.
[i]Benefit:[/i] You gain +1 competence bonus on all skill checks. Maximum number of ranks in your cross-class skills is equal to your character level +3.
[i]Drawback:[/i] You gain Level Adjustment +1.
Neuter
You are genderless and lack sexual organs.
[i]Benefit:[/i] You gain +2 racial bonus to disguise yourself as a member of either gender. You gain +1 racial bonus on saves against enchantment (Charm) spells and effets.
[i]Drawback:[/i] You cannot have children. Depending on society you live in, you may be treated as freak, mutant, abomination or demon-child (unless you are able to hide your condition - talk this through with your DM).
Example: Zwitter, dwarven sorcerer neuter was unable to hide his state and was considered doppelganger and exiled from his hold. Now he wanders nearby human villages and performs magical shows to gather some money to leave the area and become adventurer.
Lesser Paragon
You are powerful member of your race.
[i]Benefit:[/i] Add +2 to two chosen ability scores, none of which can be the score already modified with highest racial bonus. For example, half-orc gains +2 racial bonus to his Strength score, so he cannot choose Strength to be increased with this trait.
[i]Drawback:[/i] You gain Level Adjustment +1.
Talented
You are very talented and possess few uncanny abilities.
[i]Benefit:[/i] You gain 4 feats. None of those feats can have other feats as a prerequisite.
[i]Drawback:[/i] You gain Level Adjustment +1.
[i]Special:[/i] If you take this trait, you cannot take any flaws.
Wild Caster Spells
You spells have fluctuating potency.
Benefit and Drawback: When you cast spell that has effects based on caster level, roll 1d6 and consult table below.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fragile: You can crit threat without hitting. This flaw sounds like it makes any threat hit (and confirm) automatically...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure what are you trying to say. How can one critically threat without hitting? If one doesn't hit, nothing happens.
I think what he meant is this. IF you take a goblin wielding a +1 keen scimitar, he has a threat range of 15-20. Now, lets say this goblin is only +2 to hit and your AC is 23. Normally it is impossible for this goblin to hit you without a natural 20. Your saying that this goblin now hits AND crits on 15-20 without having to reroll his threat to verify a crit. Normally under the rules if you threat, and the second roll still misses you still miss, unless its a natural 20. And to crit he would still need to roll another natural 20, otherwise its just a hit.
Critical Hits: When you make an attack roll and get a natural 20 (the d20 shows 20), you hit regardless of your target’s Armor Class, and you have scored a threat. The hit might be a critical hit (or “crit”). To find out if it’s a critical hit, you immediately make a critical roll—another attack roll with all the same modifiers as the attack roll you just made . If the critical roll also results in a hit against the target’s AC, your original hit is a critical hit. (The critical roll just needs to hit to give you a crit. It doesn’t need to come up 20 again.) If the critical roll is a miss, then your hit is just a regular hit.
A critical hit means that you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses, and add the rolls together. Unless otherwise specified, the threat range for a critical hit on an attack roll is 20, and the multiplier is x2.
I think that these are great ideas for flaws. You're right, a flaw should penalize more than a feat would give. A wizard who takes noncombative then turns around and takes a metamagic feat is really simply improving himself, since he's gonna be weak in fights anyways.
I think there will be a lot more flaws and traits in the future. Just as there are hundreds if not thousands of feats already, I think people will make new traits and flaws, which is good.
I think unsafe should give a -2 penalty to all saving throws, since Luck of Heroes grants +1 to all saving throws.
Also, I think instead of making Slow Learner -1 sp/lvl and no more than 4 sp/lvl, it should be -2 sp/lvl and no restriction on how many sp/lvl (a human rogue with Int 12 should get 8 sp with this flaw instead of his normal 10, as opposed to simply 4 with your version). This still hits pretty hard, I think.
Normally it is impossible for this goblin to hit you without a natural 20.
Since this flaw does not affect hit change, nothing changes.
Your saying that this goblin now hits AND crits on 15-20 without having to reroll his threat to verify a crit.
No, im not. Im saying that this goblin hits on natural 20 and crits automatically if hits (if rolls 20), instead of having to roll 20 and then 20.
Normally under the rules if you threat, and the second roll still misses you still miss,
No. under normal rules, if you threat, and the second roll still misses, you hit opponent without scoring critical hit, meaning you deal normal, not multiplied damage.
No. under normal rules, if you threat, and the second roll still misses, you hit opponent without scoring critical hit, meaning you deal normal, not multiplied damage.
Per the SRD.
Increased Threat Range: Sometimes your threat range is greater than 20. That is, you can score a threat on a lower number. In such cases, a roll of lower than 20 is not an automatic hit. Any attack roll that doesn’t result in a hit is not a threat.
So in a way we are both correct. A goblin wielding a keen scimitar +1 would be still limited to a threat range of 20. And would benefit neither from the increased range of the scimitar nor the keen ability when trying to crit you. But the feat would automatically confirm that crit against you without requiring the goblin to roll a second 20.
No one has new flaws in mind? No one ever used such thing in his game?You have a very hard time finding a critical spot.
Effect: You only make a critical hit at a natural 20, and must make 2 confirm rolls instead of 1.
One handed warrior
You only have one hand, the other was lost due an accident.
Effect: You only have 1 hand to carry either a Shield or a Single-handed weapon.
Special: Creatures with more than 2 hands (or other limbs they can use to hold either a shield or a weapon) cannot take this flaw.
Murk look
You have some strange look in your eyes, and people don't trust you.
Effect: When buying an item, you'll have to pay 50% more than the actual costs. You get an -4 penalty on the following skills: Gather information, Diplomacy, Intimidate and bluff.
That's about it for now, let me know what you thing =)
Originally posted by Szatany
Hmm, but since fighter is already underpowered and already has many feats, he can have this bonus feat instead of skills and nothing wrong will happen.
Oh, One of those... (Why not just give him the feat in your campaign if you think they're so underpowered?) The edit corrects my concern though. Looks good to me.
Why no-one will take it? Because its too powerful? Archtyrant Terevoth thinks it might be too weak, those 2 opinions give me hint its just fine.
Example:
5th level fighter (avg hp=5.5x5=28), 5th level mage (13hp), 1 fireball (avg dmg 3.5x5=18) With this feat, (as written) the fighter takes 9hp damage before rolling his save, and either 9/18 more on a made/failed save.
A common hazard became rather deadly... A mage would be suicidal to take any of them (in the example he dies even on a sucessful save)...
UA clearly shows that flaw should be 50%-100% more potent than corresponding feat.
Actually I agree, though I tend to fall on the side of caution and (my) players interest rather than against them.
Oh, One of those... (Why not just give him the feat in your campaign if you think they're so underpowered?) The edit corrects my concern though. Looks good to me.
I already did here ;)
5th level fighter (avg hp=5.5x5=28), 5th level mage (13hp), 1 fireball (avg dmg 3.5x5=18) With this feat, (as written)
NPC fighter has 42 hp at 5th level and wizard 22. Its Unlikely that PC will have less. That still puts wizard down on failed save (on -5 hp), and cannot possibly kill fighter.
the fighter takes 9hp damage before rolling his save, and either 9/18 more on a made/failed save.
You cannot take damage before making save
. And damage on successful save is not 18+9, its 18/2*1,5 = 13Criticalless adventurer
This sounds ok. Maybe change it that he has -10 penalty to confrim critical hit ?
One handed warrior
VERY strong flaw, both fighting and spellcasting severly hampered, some thing even impossible to do. But i see big problem - regenerative magic.
Murk look
This is also very strong, unless other party members do shopping for him. A -4 penalty to 4 popular skills seems to much, especially since flaw in UA gives -4 to 2 skills, but maybe its balanced, I don't honestly know. Anyway, i'm adding them to 1st post.
A friend and I made flaws for the varied pho
Well, severe phobias as flaws could probably work, but that would have to be something common, like undead, aberrations, spellcasters etc.
VERY strong flaw, both fighting and spellcasting severly hampered, some thing even impossible to do. But i see big problem - regenerative magic.
Good point, I was thinking about putting a special collum to make sure that doesn't happen. You could state that since you only have 1 arm, you get 1.5 * strength bonus on both attack and damage rolls ?
This is also very strong, unless other party members do shopping for him. A -4 penalty to 4 popular skills seems to much, especially since flaw in UA gives -4 to 2 skills, but maybe its balanced, I don't honestly know. Anyway, i'm adding them to 1st post.
Well if you're a barbarian and all you want to do is just hack & slash. You don't realy bother Diplomacy nor Gather Information. You could just let your other party members take care of that. If I would only take those, than it is a simple choise for a barbarian, since they usualy don't bather both skills.
But thx
Soft brains
Your brains are very soft, every time you take a hard blow you black out!
Effect: Whenever you take damage from a Bludgeoning weapon or take subdual damage, you have 50% chance of being stunnend for 1d4 + weapon enchantment bonus rounds.
Special: You can't avoid being stunnend in any way, no spell nor other special ability can supress you being stunned. Your brains need to reconfigure itself, without any help.
Originally posted by Szatany
NPC fighter has 42 hp at 5th level and wizard 22. Its Unlikely that PC will have less. That still puts wizard down on failed save (on -5 hp), and cannot possibly kill fighter.
Fair enough, your assuming high con though which is not automatic (only strongly recommended) It would be more accurate to say 10+4x5.5=32 for the fighter and 4+4*2.5=14 for the mage.
You cannot take damage before making save
Vulnerable to Fire
You are particularly vulnerable to fire and heat.
Effect: You take half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from fire attacks, regardless or whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure. If you are already vulnerable to fire, damage increases to +100%.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have fire immunity or fire resistance. If you have this flaw, you are immune to any feats, class abilities, spells or effects that grant fire resistance or immunity.
Its your feat if you want to read it that way, the "regardless" clause looks like automatic damage to me. These are also subject to metagaming choices such as choosing acid which the player expects to be rare (as it will be in most campaigns).
(Regardless means the event has no bearing on the result, if the save affects the extra damage, the save IS regarded... [Apologies if english is not your primary language])
You really get on people's nerves.
Effect: Any time an NPC or animal's attitude towards you worsens due to a failed Diplomacy or wild empathy check, it worsens by two steps (going from indifferent to hostile, for example).
You could also make this a trait where this is the penalty and the benefit is a +5 to Bluff checks because people will go along with anything to make you shut up or go away.
Its your feat
Acutally, its fire subtype description, word by word. See MM page 309.
are also subject to metagaming choices such as choosing acid
What acid, see acid anywhere?
Apologies if english is not your primary language
Whatever.
Well if you're a barbarian and all you want to do is just hack & slash.
Thats my points, unless skill is usefull to everybody, it shouldn't be subject of a flaw.
Soft brains
Your brains are very soft, every time you take a hard blow you black out!
Effect: Whenever you take damage from a Bludgeoning weapon or take subdual damage, you have 50% chance of being stunnend for 1d4 + weapon enchantment bonus rounds.
Special: You can't avoid being stunnend in any way, no spell nor other special ability can supress you being stunned. Your brains need to reconfigure itself, without any help.
What about subdual damage from sources other than weapons? Maybe change it to: if you take more bludgeoning or subdual damage than your Fortitude bonus, you become stunned for 1d6-3 rounds.
Annoying
You really get on people's nerves.
Effect: Any time an NPC or animal's attitude towards you worsens due to a failed Diplomacy or wild empathy check, it worsens by two steps (going from indifferent to hostile, for example).
Its too weak, everyone not caring about diplomacy would take it: barbarians, fighthers, rangers, monks, perhaps others. I dont think there is a way to tweak it, its just bad material for flaw.
Bleeder
You continue to bleed after taking wounds until you stabilize.
Effect: After taking damage from any source, at the end of each round (starting with the round in which the character took damage), roll d% to see whether you become stable. You have a 10% chance to become stable. If you do not, you lose 1 hit point.
Special: You may not take this flaw if you have Fast Healing or Regeneration, nor are you affected by Fast Healing or Regeneration from any source.
Easily Distracted
You are easily distracted when performing long tasks.
Effect: You may never take 10 on any skill check.
Special: You may not take this flaw if you do not gain at least 4 skill points per level from your highest class.
Easily Winded
You become staggered easily in stressful situations.
Effect: You become staggered when your nonlethal damage equals one-half your current hit points. When your nonlethal damage is less than one-half your current hit points you are no longer staggered.
No Will to Live
You die more easily than others.
Effect: You are disabled and dying from -1 to -4 hit points and die if you reach -5 hit points.
Special: Any special abilities you have that normally remain in effect until -9 hit points remain until -5 hit points instead.
Panicky
You are easily frightened.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects. When fear causes you to be Shaken, you are instead Frightened. When fear causes you to be Frightened, you are instead Panicked.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you are immune to the effects of fear.
Shallow Magic
Your spells lack the power to penetrate most spell resistance.
Effect: You get a -3 penalty on caster level checks (1d20 + caster level) made to overcome a creature’s spell resistance
Special: You must be a spellcaster to take this flaw. You cannot take this flaw if you already have Spell Penetration or Greater Spell Penetration. You cannot take the Weak Magic flaw.
Slow to React
You have trouble reacting quickly to combat situations.
Effect: You are considered flat-footed until you have taken two turns in a combat. You always lose your Dexterity bonus to AC when flat-footed even if another ability would prevent the loss.
Unfit
You have trouble performing extended tasks.
Effect: You incur a -8 penalty on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. Also, you cannot sleep in any armor without becoming fatigued.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have the Endurance feat. You gain no benefit from the Endurance feat if you have this flaw.
Weak Magic
Your spells are easier to resist than normal.
Effect: Subtract 1 from the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells or spell-like abilities you cast.
Special: You must be a spellcaster to take this flaw. You cannot take the Shallow Magic flaw.
I would start playing a 1ste level sorcerer, take those flaws and then multiclass in some other class (non-spellcaster). So i'm afraid these flaws are to specific the other flaws look ok to me. And I love slow to react ! :D
Weak Magic
Your spells are easier to resist than normal.
Effect: Subtract 1 from the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells or spell-like abilities you cast. All your saving throws versus magic also gets a -1 penalty.
Special: You must be a spellcaster to take this flaw. If you're not a spellcaster, or you've multiclass with an non-spellcaster class, the penalty versus magic will be increased to -2.
In that case you can multiclass into a non-spell caster but still suffer from the flaw (maybe only a little, but still...)...
Originally posted by Szatany
Criticalless adventurer
You have a very hard time finding a critical spot.
Effect: You only make a critical hit at a natural 20, and must make 2 confirm rolls instead of 1.
This one might need changed a bit. I imagine you want to say "You only score a critical threat on a natural 20"? Or do you mean you only confirm on a 20 as well? It's a little unclear.
Murk look
You have some strange look in your eyes, and people don't trust you.
Effect: When buying an item, you'll have to pay 50% more than the actual costs. You get an -4 penalty on the following skills: Gather information, Diplomacy, Intimidate and bluff. [/b]
This one seems a little too specialized. It's easy enough to get someone else to buy your stuff. Usually in most groups the person with the best CHA will do the buying anyways. I could see every fighter, barbarian, dwarf, or anyone with an already low CHA taking this, which means it's probably unbalanced.
Originally posted by Morloth
You could make a flaw that effects both your spelcasting abilities and your spell resistance, and save v.s. magic bonus. So you could state that :
Weak Magic
Your spells are easier to resist than normal.
Effect: Subtract 1 from the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells or spell-like abilities you cast. All your saving throws versus magic also gets a -1 penalty.
Special: You must be a spellcaster to take this flaw. If you're not a spellcaster, or you've multiclass with an non-spellcaster class, the penalty versus magic will be increased to -2.
In that case you can multiclass into a non-spell caster but still suffer from the flaw (maybe only a little, but still...)...
The only problem I have with this is it is really almost a double flaw for spellcasters. Not only are your spells easier to resist you get the saving throw penalty. I think I'd rather try to come up with a different flaw or a way to keep it restricted to primary casters or something. I'll have to give it some thought.
The situation of a Sorcerer 1/Fighter X is important to consider, but some of the flaws in UA are already 'lopsided' For instance, a wizard who takes the -2 Melee attacks. I mean who cares?
He's going to be making touch attacks against low AC's anyways. It's hard to make a flaw that's equally harmful to every build.What You could do is specify that you cannot take Weak Magic and other 'similar' flaws so that the fighter wouldn't get 2 free feats with it.
Originally posted by Szatany
Fragile
Your body is more vulnerable to damage and has many weak spots.
Effect: When creature attacking you scores critical threat, it is automatically critical hit without a need of confirming it.
This seems a little too much. Considering some of the threat ranges. Perhaps instead of autoconfirm, they get a +4 or +8 to confirm. THat way it's a big penalty but not instant.
Slow Learner
You have problem with learning new things.
Effect: You gain one skill point less at each level (4 less at 1st level) and cannot gain more than 4 skill points at each level. Special: You cannot take this flaw if you gain less than 2 skill points per level (which includes human bonus points).
For a Rogue with High INT this is a given flaw I think. A human rogue with INT of 14 is getting 11 skill points, giving up 1 of them isn't too bad for a feat
Perhaps have it scale? You gain only 1/2 or 3/4 of your normal skill points each level (4 pts = 3(2), 6 pts = 4(3), 8 pts = 6(4). That would make it a considering.Small Frame
You are small and slender for your race.
Effect: You are treated as one size smaller for the purposes of carrying capacity, grappling, bull rushing and overrunning.
Might want to include trip in here as well? Or is that too much?
Unsafe
You lack natural resistances to outside effects.
Effect: You take a -1 penalty on all saving throws.
Was thinking of the name "Unlucky" instead?
Vulnerable to Cold
You are particularly vulnerable to cold and frost.
This might be way too specific for a flaw. There aren't a 'ton' of cold based damaging spells usually. Perhaps something that combines this with fire. Something like "You are more susceptible to changes in temperature." and take +50% against fire and cold attacks?
Vulnerable to Electricity
You are particularly vulnerable to electricity and lightnings.
I think Electricity is way too uncommong of an energy effects to make a good flaw. It'd probably be one that I took all the time as any type of character. Especially one with SR.
This one might need changed a bit. I imagine you want to say "You only score a critical threat on a natural 20"? Or do you mean you only confirm on a 20 as well? It's a little unclear.
Only your first roll has to be a 20, a confirm roll doesn't has to be a 20, nor does it has to be a crit, als long as you would had hit the target
This seems a little too much. Considering some of the threat ranges. Perhaps instead of autoconfirm, they get a +4 or +8 to confirm. THat way it's a big penalty but not instant.
How would that sound: Whenever an opponent rolls 20 on his attack roll against you, he automatically scores critical hit without need of confirm roll. ??
For a Rogue with High INT this is a given flaw I think. A human rogue with INT of 14 is getting 11 skill points, giving up 1 of them isn't too bad for a feat
Edited, now should be real pain in neck :>
Might want to include trip in here as well? Or is that too much?
Yes, forgot about trip.
Was thinking of the name "Unlucky" instead?
Changed to misfortunate, how that sounds ?
The other changes I think make them good as well. Flaws are always going to be a little difficult to balance (I'm still trying to figure out a way to balance some of mine)Your initiative is -4.
-EE
- bad wounds
- coward
- enhancement allergy
- fear the ripper
- hemophilia
- rabid
- reflexes against magic
- sleepyhead
- unaccustomed to combat
Also, i'm introducing the very first flaw subtype: racial flaws!
3 for the beginning: one human, one dwarven and one elven.
Nonarcanum
Your character is completely lacking that special spark that allows you to wield arcane magick.
Effect. PC may not take any arcane spellcasting clases, nor use the skill use magick device to use arcane magick items. A pc also connat use magick items created by arcane magick. A pc gains a +1 will bonus agianst spells. Against Illusion spells this bonus is doubled.
Persecuted:
Your ties to some form of Taboo have set you aside from society.
Effect. You receive a -6 to all charisma based checks that consider you behavior taboo.
Special.PC must come up with what the character does that is taboo.
Zealot:
Your devotion and faith makes you blind to opinons of others
Effect
I think this would be a great idea but i dont know how to refine it. Suggestions ?Quithion
Originally posted by Quithion
While I dont like flaws in general heres a few for low magick campaigns
Anyway.....it has no statistical effect, but it's fun:
Amnesia
You don't know jack.
Get out two blank character sheets, pass one to your DM and name a race and class. Your DM will create the character for you from the whole cloth. You are free to pick your alignment and physical appearance (in addition to the aforementioned rae and class), and you DM should tell you what your mental scores are (Intelligence and Wisdom), but you'll have to figure the rest out during game play. Also, your past may come to haunt you one day.....
Would I get a Special U for colour ?
Originally posted by Quithion
ehhe
Would I get a Special U for colour ?
No, because that' s a European spelling - the spelling of the word "magick" was created in 1950 by Aleister Crowley. The archaic spelling would be "majik," or better yet, "majikos," the Greek spelling.
Nonarcanum
Your character is completely lacking that special spark that allows you to wield arcane magick.
Effect. PC may not take any arcane spellcasting clases, nor use the skill use magick device to use arcane magick items. A pc also connat use magick items created by arcane magick. A pc gains a +1 will bonus agianst spells. Against Illusion spells this bonus is doubled.
This gives both penalties and benefits. It should be trait not flaw. For flaw, i think being unable to use arcane magic items should be just fine.
Persecuted:
Your ties to some form of Taboo have set you aside from society.
Effect. You receive a -6 to all charisma based checks that consider you behavior taboo.
Special.PC must come up with what the character does that is taboo.
This one's too vague and too weak. What can and cannot be taboo? Can i have taboo "i dont eat oranges"? Is it worth a feat? And even if i take something restrictive, like "i dont lie", the -6 penalty is something combat-oriented barbarian or fighter laughts at. And paladin could take taboo that is covered by his code of conduct already, so he won't break it anyway.
Zealot:
Your devotion and faith makes you blind to opinons of others
Effect I think this would be a great idea but i dont know how to refine it. Suggestions ?:
Generally, unless you play diplomatic campaign, where everybody needs diplomacy skill etc to have effective character, that kind of social flaws are nothing restricting for few classes and thus underpowered.
Someone with a flaw representing vulnerability to disease/poison would be ineligable from taking feats representing resistance to disease/poison or from taking class levels that grant such resistances or immunities. Paladins for instance are "called" by the Powers that Be. They simply will not select someone who does not have the fortitude to handle the job.
You can also allow a person to use a feat to "buy off" a flaw, assuming there has been an appropriate in-game justification for it. The character who starts out with a weakness to disease could buy it off with their level 3 feat with a game explanation of being visisted by a powerful good outsider who cured them and then called them to serve as a paladin. Thus, the flaw is bought off when the new class (paladin) is begun that would make it meaningless.
A flaw is not a flaw if it does not inconvenience the character. Being susceptible to magic in a hard sci-fi setting is not a flaw, since there is no magic, and therefore no inconvenience to the character.
Sure, but wouldn't you assume that all material from UA is for standard fantasy campaign (greyhawk for example)?
For whatever reasons, any magic you cast or activate takes on a wild property, typically acting weaker than you would normally wish.
Effect: The DC for all spells you cast, wands/staves activated, and magical items used is 1d10 + The Spell Level + Spellcasting Ability Score. Any means used to increase the DC on a spell through a feat, spell, or magical item is reduced by half.
Rule nr 3. A flaw must have a meaningful effect regardless of character class or role. That way, a player can't reduce the flaw's importance through multiclasssing. For instance, a flaw that only affects spellcasters might seem reasonable - but for nonspellcaster characters, the flaw likely proves meaningless. Even if you restrict the selection of such feats to characters of specific classes, a player can easily select a spellcasting class at 1st level, choose to flaws that apply to spellcasters, gain the bonus feats, multiclass into a nonspellcasting class at 2nd level and thereafter proceed as a primarily nonspellcasting character. The player has sacrificed a level to gain two bonus feats, a tradeoff that appeals to some players.
Wild magic breaks that rule so its bad design, unless of course you can somehow force character with that flaw to stick with spellcasting. Assuming that you can, this flaw is too strong, it effectively reduces spells' DC by 4 or 5. I would never take it if i were spellcaster. On the top of that bonuses are halved, which isn't really necessary. Maybe make the flaw have 50% of reducing DC by 2 and forget that half bonus thing.
I'm a very fair guy, but I tend to clamp down hard on what I see as people exploiting a system. If someone takes flaws and then classes away from them to the point where they aren't useful, or if I see them using their extra feats in ways that pretty clearly indicate a plan to move in a non-spellcaster direction, I'm going to ask some pretty pointed questions and look for a good explanation.
A flaw can be occasionally useful, but not more often (IMHO) than about 10-20% of the time at best. For example, a flaw "Heroic" that requires the character to try and help those in trouble, behave in an honest and law abiding fashion, and otherwise act like someone a paladin would say "Um, maybe you should rethink that" to, could also provide a reputation bonus as a minor side effect of their heroic behavior. They are recognized and appreciated for their good deeds, but tend to find people a bit wary of their disregard for personal safety in "doing the right thing."
The wild magic flaw would work better I think if it were based on a roll of the dice, say a d6:
1: Save DC -3
2: Save DC -2
3: Save DC -1
4-5: Save DC normal
6: Save DC +1, but roll (if campaign appropriate) for a chance to "oversurge" (or have a wild magic effect added)
Lose the penalty to metamagic feats and you have a character who is inconveniended at least half the time, and even when things go good, there is a chance that it might be so good its bad...
Enhancement Allergy
Your body and mind does not attune well to magic.
Effect: Your abilities cannot be increased by enhancement bonuses.
I think this flaw might be a bit too overpowered, but I'm not entirely sure. Comparing it to some other flaws that impose restrictions or penalties (-2 to all attacks, -1 to all saves), it might be more reasonable to say you are limited to +2 enhancement bonuses only? Something like that? Any thoughts?
I had been toying with making it 1d20, but that gives an actual bonus to spellcasting half the time. Flaws shouldn't do that.
Or it could become a 2d4+2 roll.
Or a 3d4.
But both of those have a bonus to them at some point.
1d10+5 with a max of 10, but then we're just being obvious about balance with the dice, arn't we.
You could restrict it to being a single school (that the player did not choose as a restricted school), that isn't also Divination or Abjuration.
.. or make it 1d20. (Notice how I havn't mentioned Psionics yet?)
[edit]The only reason I havn't bothered to make it into true Wild Magic is because I'm going to use this flaw for an NPC in my Campaign. He's named Floyd. Paragon Human Wiz5/Wild Mage10. He's a gigantic plot device, and I have a 1d0000 Wild Magic Table from 2nd Ed to use for his effects.[/edit]
Trusting: -4 to Sense Motive and Forgery
(you believe what you see and hear)
Honest: -4 to Bluff and Disguise
(you find it difficult to be something you are not)
Originally posted by Harliquinn
I think this flaw might be a bit too overpowered, but I'm not entirely sure. Comparing it to some other flaws that impose restrictions or penalties (-2 to all attacks, -1 to all saves), it might be more reasonable to say you are limited to +2 enhancement bonuses only? Something like that? Any thoughts?
Maybe change it to: all enhancement bonuses are halved (round down)?
Originally posted by Daffydd ap Hywell
How about these:
Trusting: -4 to Sense Motive and Forgery
(you believe what you see and hear)
Honest: -4 to Bluff and Disguise
(you find it difficult to be something you are not)
Penalties to specific skills doesn't work as a flaw. A character who doesn't care about these or who has no ranks in them isn't going to think twice about taking another -4 penalty. I mean what Barbarian wouldn't take both of those flaws for 2 more feats?
Unfortunately my spellcasting flaws are suffering from the same thing, if you aren't primarily a spellcaster they don't limit you much.
These would work better as Traits (With some massaging). Such as:
Trusting: +2 to Diplomacy Checks, -3 to Sense Motive checks
Honest: +2 to Diplomacy and Sense Motive, -3 to Bluff and Disguise
Or something along those lines.
Originally posted by Harliquinn
Shallow Magic
Your spells lack the power to penetrate innate magical resistance of some creatures.
Effect: You get a -4 penalty on caster level checks (1d20 + caster level) made to overcome a creature’s spell resistance
Special: You do not gain bonus feat from this flaw until you have 5 caster levels.
Normal: You gain bonus feat from flaw as soon as you take the flaw.
Weak Magic
Your spells are easier to resist than normal.
Effect: Subtract 1 from the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells you cast.
Special: You do not gain bonus feat from this flaw until you have 5 caster levels.
Normal: You gain bonus feat from flaw as soon as you take the flaw.
The number of required caster levels is not playtested or anything like this, and may require adjusting.
For one reason or another, the normally impartial forces of fate hate you.
Effects: Once a day, the DM may force you to reroll one die roll, after it is rolled, but before the results are announced. Use the new value, even if it's better than the original roll. The DM should be as vindictive about this as possible.
COLD-BLOODED [Racial]
Your slower metabolism requires less energy, but doesn't produce as much body heat as a warm-blooded creature.
Benefit: You can go for twice as long as normal without eating before suffering the effects of starvation (6 days instead of 3), after which time you must begin making Constitution checks as normal.
Drawback: You suffer double damage from cold temperatures (below 40 degrees F). This only applies to damage from cold weather or environments, not cold energy damage from spells and effects.
Roleplaying Ideas: While cold-blooded creatures can move with the same speed and vigor as warm-blooded creatures when they need to, they are sluggish and lazy at most other times.
-- 77IM
it should effect more than that in order to be worth a feat, after all it says spicifically that charisma based or social based flaws dont work....
you're better off just taking the -2 to charisma....
and the one that gives -1 to all saves should be -2 to all saves....
as for new flaws:
Small Hands
You must wield smaller sized weapons
Effect: You are concidered to be one size catagory smaller than you really are when determining weapon encumbrance. For Example: a medium creature with small hands must wield small weapons. A small creature must wield tiny weapons.
Slow to Draw
You allways fumble for your weapons
Effect: it is a full round action to draw a weapon. In addition, when using a bow, it may only be fired once per round.
Clausterphobic
You cant stand enclosed spaces
Effect: You gain a -4 to all graple checks. When you are pinned you become paniced. When indoors you have a -2 to all charisma based skill checks. When indoors and you cannot see the exit, the penalty increases to -4. When you do not know where the exit is you gain a -2 to all dex based skills and ability checks. When you know that the exit is blocked(in a cell or trapped by a cave in) you become paniced. When underground or in a windowless area, you are considered shaken. These effects are cumulative.
Afraid of the dark
You dont like the dark
Effect: You are shaken in normal moonlight(includes torch or lamplight), frightened in near darkness(moonless night or very dark room), and panicked in total darkness(magic darkness or dungeon depths).
Insane.
You take a -6 penaly on wisdom, and gets a +6 bonus on charisma, just like a derro does. You also have a 10% chance during each round of combat to act as if affected by a lesser confusion, but you can't remember anything of it.
Deaf.
You have been unable to hear for a very long time, and has replaced this with an ability to read lips perfectly. You also get +4 on search and spot checks.
Outlawry:
This is both a blessing and a boon. With this you are now considered an outlaw in your homeland and any allied states (countrys, cities however it is). There will be wanted signs posted up of you with the occasional kingmens that comes after you every time you commit a crime. Regardless if your loved or freared you have a -4 to all diplomacy checks dealing with strangers beacuse they are either affraid of you or affraid of someone that might hurt them beacuse of you. However in the wilderness you have learned how to survive. You get a +4 on your survival checks and +4 on an "Outlaws" craft check. You can also take ranks in this new skill, its really a collection of woodworking, herbalism and others craft things. It is a broad area but limited...an outlaw would know how to build the strongest and most perfect staff but would not know how to build a house ect.
-Frosty
Amnesia
You don't know jack.
Get out two blank character sheets, pass one to your DM and name a race and class. Your DM will create the character for you from the whole cloth. You are free to pick your alignment and physical appearance (in addition to the aforementioned race and class). Your DM should tell you what your mental scores are (Intelligence and Wisdom), but you'll have to figure the rest out during game play. Also, your past may come to haunt you one day.....
Errata - replace the last line with the following:
"Your past will come back to haunt you one day."
Insane.
Suddenly all sorcerers are mad and rule the world
To avoid this campaign shift, i suggest spliting this trait into two:
Insane: You suffer from one indefinite insanity (chosen from table 6-11 in unearthed arcana, page 201. (this is flaw, not trait)
Confused: Each round in combat, you have 10% of acting as if under the effects of lesser confusion spell.
Deaf
This one's cool, added.
Outlawry
Added.
Amnesia
Added.
To most of the added i done some editing. Opinions wanted.
How many flaws/traits per level would be appropriate?
You get a bonus feat.
And as the DM, I have a tendency to munch out the Amnesia characters just as much as I do the NPCs.
Originally posted by YellowKing
So I could take a paladin with the Coward flaw? Neat! How many Traits and or Flaws would you suggest I limit my group to? I am a veteran DM but new the the flaw/trait system in D&D, used to it in Hero and in Vampire though. I would like to add it to my game but I have some hesistations. If you could help me on this it would go a long way towards my players getting the use of these special rules.
How many flaws/traits per level would be appropriate?
I've realized that the more flaws you get the more broken the character becomes...I have limited it to one flaw...possibly two...but if they choose two they both have to follow a set character concept...
for example...a drunken fighter (on his way to be a drunken master) is both innatentive (-4 spot and listen) and shakey (-2 ranged attacks)....there is the possibility of also having the character be murkey eyed....though this would be too much of a boon on the character...
also...there are specific ones....like murkey eyed....that cannot be taken with another flaw....because it has such little constant effect, it usually ends up as a little extra one people throw on while they are at it in order to gain something big....
I also require that bonus feats not have a prerequisite feat...
no maxing out feat chains at first level...
It's not a trait....it's a flaw.
Corrected.
Originally posted by Szatany
[b]Suddenly all sorcerers are mad and rule the world
To avoid this campaign shift, i suggest spliting this trait into two:
Insane: You suffer from one indefinite insanity (chosen from table 6-11 in unearthed arcana, page 201. (this is flaw, not trait)
Confused: Each round in combat, you have 10% of acting as if under the effects of lesser confusion spell.
B]
Ok then. Two flaws it is.
Chronic Illness
Your always sick.
A character with this flaw must make a fort save DC 15 at the end of each week or catch a minor disease. This disease is similar to the cold (sneezing, coughing, trouble sleeping) and causes 1d2 wis damage and 1d2 str damage a day. The save to resist it is 15. The flawed character also suffers a -2 penalty to disease. If the character gains immunity to disease or has immunity to disease, this flaw overrides it.
Bad Back
You have a lingering back problem and can't carry much.
A character with this flaw has each encumbrance level's limit reduced by 30 less (up to half of their carrying capacity) and unless the character sleeps on a good matress they must make a fort save DC 10 when they sleep or be considered fatigued the next day and they can't regain spells.
Magically Inept
You have never gotten this "magic" thing.
A character with this flaw cannot ever use any magic item that requires consious use. This includes all command word items and all items that require an action to use (even the various tomes). This does not include magic items that are used automatically like rings of protection or magic weapons. They can never cast spells of any kind or use spell-like abilities.
Chronic Illness, Bad Back, Magically Inept
Added, with some minor editing.
Ok then. Two flaws it is.
Added insane as flaw and crazy as trait (it gives cha bonus, check it out
).I've realized that the more flaws you get the more broken the character becomes...I have limited it to one flaw...possibly two...but if they choose two they both have to follow a set character concept...
Thats why i made a little change in my campaign. You can take up to 2 flaws and for each you gain a feat, BUT you cannot, this way, take a feat that has other feat as a prerequisite and any feat you take does not count as feat for the purpose of prerequisites (of other feats, prclasses and so on). It works very well.
EDIT: Some minor fixes and editing, changed one handed warrior to one handed, added the "Since you have xxx from birth, spells like regeneration don't recover your xxx (spells don't remove birth defects)." to one handed and deaf.
Originally posted by Szatany
Corrected.
Cool. Thanks.
As an aside, when a character takes this flaw, I reserve the right to take two more and grant feats for those, as well. So, you end up with a minimum of four feats at first level - it may be sweet, but note that you still have no control over what they are.
here is one:
Stigmatism
You have poor eyesight and suffer a -3 penalty on all spot and search checks.
Special: you may not take this flaw if you posess the farsighted or nearsighted traits.
*edit* Changed -2 to -3
Brain Damaged: Illiterate
You never learned to read or write, nor will you ever.
Special: You cannot read or write languages you speak. You cannot prepare spells from spellbooks, and spells that affect your ability to understand written language do not allow you to.
Special: Because this the result of damage to a specific part of your brain you cannot learn to read or write (unlike the barbarian.)
Creatures that normally could not read (have no eyes) cannot take this Flaw
Brain Damage: Gibberish
You can't speak, well you can, but no one understands you.
Special: You cannot speak properly. When you try it emerges in a jumble of syllabuls. Spells with Verbal components automatically fail. The same happens for Telepathy, but not empathy. To communicate with someone (sans methods such as writing) you must make a Cha check DC 20 which takes 1 minute.
Special: Because this is the result of damage to a specific part of your brain you cannot learn to speak.
Creatures that normally cannot speak cannot take this flaw.
Hungry
You eat, alot.
Special: You require 1.5 times more food and water than normal creatures of your race. Magical items, spells, or abilites that quell your need to eat have only 1/2 effect.
Creatures that do not eat cannot take this flaw.
Itchy
Your skin is dry, flakey, and usually irritated.
Special: You have the semi-constant urge to itch. Once per hour or upon the introduction of extreme circumstances (combat, sudden heat, wearing heavy armor) you must make a Concentration check DC 20+ number of rounds resisted or spend a partial action to itch yourself. After this action reduce the number of rounds resisted by 1/2.
Creatures without skin cannot take this flaw.
Odor
You smell, really you do.
Special: You have a distinct and unpleasant odor. You have a -2 penalty to Social Interactions, Hide, and Move Silently in the presence of any creature that can smell you. Additionally creatures tracking you by scent may take have a +4
Uneducated:
You never quite learned like everyone else.
Special: 1/2 your skill list is considered cross class (roll randomly).
I think those are alright. Course I never did it before. Illiterate and Gibberish may be too harsh as well.
Stigmatism
What stigmata have to do with eyesight condition
You have poor eyesight and suffer a -2 penalty on all spot and search checks.
There is already a flaw that gives -4 on Spot and Listen checks. This one should too.
Special: you may not take this flaw if you posess the farsighted or nearsighted traits.
Or if you are blind. Or if you have no eyes.
Brain Damaged: Illiterate
There are two "Special" entries. Otherwise than that, cool flaw.
Brain Damage: Gibberish
Same as above. I tried something like that few years ago. A player approached me and said he wanted to play son of a demon (it was in Warhammer game). He wanted to have substantially better ability scores, but as a drawback he would not be able to speak at all. After few sessions it became painfully obvious that such character was simply unplayable.
Special: You require 1.5 times more food and water than normal creatures of your race. Magical items, spells, or abilites that quell your need to eat have only 1/2 effect.
Thats not much, some people each more than other and still are "normal". I'd change it to x3.
Itchy
Creatures without skin cannot take this flaw.
First of all, you need to have arms ;). This flaw I also really like.
You have a -2 penalty to Social Interactions, Hide, and Move Silently in the presence of any creature that can smell you.
I'd change that to: -2 penalty to all charisma-based skill checks and hide checks. You must make hide check when in presence of creature that can smell you even if it's not looking in your direction (thats instead of -2 to move silently, MS really affects only your audible qualities). In addition, you should state what creature types can smell you. I don't know, for example, if oozes of vermin can smell, and if so, would your smell "repel" them.
After consideration, maybe this flaw is better as a trait. From one point, you repel people in social interaction, from the second point, you repel creatures with good sense of smell in combat.
Uneducated:
Cool flaw. No problems here.
You are slow to respond to sudden changes.
Effect: You suffer -4 to initiative and –2 to reflex saves.
Originally posted by Szatany
What stigmata have to do with eyesight condition
I was wondering about that myself. So I looked it up. I believe he meant Astigmatism.
n 1: (ophthalmology) impaired eyesight resulting usually from irregular conformation of the cornea [syn: astigmia] 2: (optics) defect in an optical system in which light rays from a single point fail to converge in a single focal point [syn: astigmia] [ant: stigmatism]
Misfortune can be directly cancelled by Luck of the Heros so it probably needs to be dropped to -2.
I don't even see Rabid as a Flaw since that's how most of my party's fighters are anyway.
Maybe this'll be too specific to my game because we're evenly mixed with guys and girls, but I'd like to try flaws that do things like
You could call it Too Cute or something.
All members of the same sex (and probably the same general type like humanoid) have an initial attitude of Unfriendly if they would have been Friendly. Anything less = Hostile.
or
Members of the opposite sex find you irresistable.
I'm thinking 1d10 1st Level Commoners per level are always trying to steal your clothes and gear to keep as trophies. They flee from anything even closely resembling combat, but they always manage to find you later showing up in the next town you enter to the annoyance of everyone who is forced to interact with your groupies.
Misfortune can be directly cancelled by Luck of the Heros so it probably needs to be dropped to -2.
And what if i don't play forgotten realms? IMO flaws should not be compared to regionals feats, which are 50%-100% better than regular feats. Or you could simply rule that if you take any flaws, you cannot take regional feats. Or you could rule that misfortunate does not allow a character to take luck of heroes feat.
I don't even see Rabid as a Flaw since that's how most of my party's fighters are anyway.
It doesn't allow to use ranged weapons, and everybody has some use of ranged weapon from time to time. But maybe it is indeed to weak. Wouldn't it be too strong if it forced to attack nearest enemy ?
Members of the opposite sex find you irresistable.
I made it a trait, tell me whadda think.
, added.Frenzied Rage
Prereq: Ability to Rage
Benefit: Your rage counts as Battle Fury (see Deities and Demigods). Your Strength and Constitution are 2 higher than normal, and your will saves increase by 1. Everything else, except as noted in the drawbacks section, is as listed in the Barabarian rage section.
Drawback: You cannot easily distinguish friend from foe, and you need to succeed at a Will save of 15 + the number of rounds spent in the Frenzied Rage to do so. You also singlemindedly attack a target until it is dead, you are dead, or the rage ends. If the target breaks off, you must go after it, even if there are enemies interposing between (though you can bullrush your way through). After the target dies, or escapes beyond your vision, you immediately attack the next nearest moving thing (allowing for the Will save to distinguish friend from foe).
Special: if there is some ability that allows you to remain clear while raging, the benefit of this trait is negated (example: Book of Exalted Deeds prestige class: Champion of Gwynharwyf)
Note: Though it is possible to use the Ride skill while Frenzying, it is typically not a good idea. You will attack the nearest creature to you that you are aware of when beginning the rage, and that means your mount, usually. If you are riding an opponent (for example, a fiendish horse you are fighting), then this is not as much a problem.
Accelerated Aging:
You suffer from a disease that causes you to age faster than normal (think Progeria as a real world example, but not so bad).
Effect: You start off with the penalties associated with being middle aged, but none of the benefits. Also, cut your lifespan in half and halve the time it takes to reach your next level of aging (A middle aged human with AA has their middle age at 17.5, old at 26.5, venerable at 35, and death at +1d20 years)
You get stability, like a dwarf (+4 to saves against trip and bull rush while on ground), but your base speed is reduced by 10ft.
Blind
Benefit: You recieve a bonus feat and 1 extra action point per level.
Drawback: You're blind, all creatures have total concealment relative to you, and you automatically fail any spot check. (Along with a host of other problems)
You find it hard to resist the urge to fight when you are wronged or insulted.
Drawback: You get -4 to Diplomacy checks. Whenever you are gravely insulted, you must roll a Will check. Failure means you attack the last person to insult you, by any means necessary (casting spells if you're a wizard, using weapons if you're a fighter, etc.)
2 new flaws:
Stiff Fingers
You have clumsy hands and your fingers stiff easily.
[i]Effect:[/i] You suffer –2 penalty to all craft, disable device, escape artist, forgery, open lock, sleight of hand, and use rope checks. In addition, you suffer 10% arcane spell failure when casting spells with somatic component, -2 penalty on attack rolls with thrown weapons and bows, and whenever an opponent attempts to disarm you, he gains +2 bonus on that attempt.
Undecided
You cannot make up your mind when it comes to alignment.
[i]Effect:[/i] Whatever your alignment is, when you are under effect of spell or ability which effects depend on your alignment, your alignment changes in regard to this spell or ability in such way that it is least advantageous to you.
For example, if you are lawful good and a paladin uses detect evil ability on you, your alignment registers as lawful evil for that ability. If, at the same time, a cleric affects you with dictum spell, you are treated as chaotic good for the purpose of that spell.
2 new traits:
Talented
You are very talented and possess few uncanny abilities.
[i]Benefit:[/i] You gain 4 feats. None of those feats can have other feats as a prerequisite.
[i]Drawback:[/i] You gain Level Adjustment +1.
Fast Learner
You learn things very fast, outclassing all other when it comes to skills.
[i]Benefit:[/i] You gain +1 competence bonus on all skill checks. Maximum number of ranks in your cross-class skills is equal to your character level +3.
[i]Drawback:[/i] You gain Level Adjustment +1.
Effect: Halves range increments for range weapons. (Also halves any "within 30 feet" effects, such as Point Blank Shot)
Special: This might have side-effects when using Charisma-based skills (both positive and negative) but this should be at the DM's discretion. Regenerating will not affect the broken eye, because the character was born with one eye broken/gone.
Weak Strike
Effect: Subtract two from any melee-damage rolls. This can lower the damage dealt to 0, but not below. The character is denied the benefits of the Power Attack (and improved-versions) feat. (but can select it to gain the cleave-chain)
Impaired Critical
Effect: Subtract 1 from the critical multiplier, or weapon threat range (whichever is appropriate for the weapon you use). A weapon with 20x2 deals no criticals in your hands.
Examples: a weapon with an x3 critical multiplier gets x2 instead, while a weapon with 19-20x2 becomes 20x2.
Combat Paralyzis
Effect: You are denied any attacks of opportunity.
Special: If you have the Combat Reflexes feat, or at a later stage would select this, it has no effect on you. Any feat with Combat Reflexes as a prereq might work (DM's discretion), but not if the feat in questions has anything to do with AoOs.
Loud and Rough
Effect: You get a -4 penalty to Hide, Move Siltenly and any Charisma-based skills except Intimidate.
Special: This will (at the DM's discretion) attract attention if for instance walking in the forest (Character talks loudly, steps on almost any twig on the path etc).
Hampered
Effect: You get a -4 penalty to any movement-based skills (Climb, Jump, Tumble etc), and your movment base-speed is lessened by one degree (i.e. 30' becomes 20, 20 becomes 15)
Special: You must have a base movement of at least 20 feet to select this flaw.
Thats it for now, maybe something "useful"?
I'll prolly add more later, as I have just started using flaws in my D&D-campaigns. (I might check out my Rolemaster-books for flaws - tons of neat ones there )- C;
One-Eyed
Added.
Weak Strike
This is too weak for wizards. If i were wizard i'd take it without hestitating. If this flaw affected ALL damage rolls (including crossbows), then it would be just fine.
Impaired Critical
As above but even more. Characters such as sor/wiz will not care about criticals at all, so they gonna take this flaw next to always.
Combat Paralyzis
As above, this flaw does not hamper shooters in any way.
Loud and Rough
Quite fun, added with some minor changes.
Hampered
Also added with minor tweaks.
If you don't like what i did to your flaws, i'm open for suggestions.
I'll try to think about how to incorporate casters more in the combat-feats. (DM's are however free to use them anyhow, just decree that only combat-oriented characters may select them =p)
Hmm, some more then perhaps?
Albino
You have pale-white hair and skin, and your eyes are pink. You can never blend into a crowd without a disguise, you are too conspicious. Also you have no resistance to sunburn and thus must take precautions against the sun.
Effect: -6 to Disguise and -4 to other Charisma-based skills. If you are in the sun without protection you take 1 hit point damage per hour until you find shelter or cover for your skin.
Comments: This might be too weak. It could possibly be altered to incorporate other very distinctive (and possibly harmful) physical traits.
Breaker/Clumsy
You break equipment more often than would seem to be normal.
Effect: All weapons and items in your hands has their hardness and hitpoints halved for purposes of determining if they break when you are using them.
Comments: This should only be allowed if you as DM use item breakage activly.
Allergy
You are allergic to a common substance. If exposed to what you are allergic to, your eyes start to water and your nose runs (or you get the effects of a nettle rash whichever is appropriate)
Effect: If exposed to the substance you are allergic to, you get a -2 penalty to all actions (including attacks), and an additional -2 to any action requiring heavy concentration.
Special: The type of allergy should be at the player's choice, with the DM allowing/disallowing the player's choice. The substance should be common, and it MUST be something that the character is likely to bump into once in a while. (An allergy to metal might for instance cause severe problems for any fighter)
Epileptic
From time to time, under great stress, you suffer from epileptic seizures.
Effect: If you are in a stressful situation (such as an intense combat) you must make a Will Save at DC 10 or have an epileptic seizure (you are unable to do anything, and are helpless). The seizure lasts for 2d10 minutes and when it is over you become fatigued.
Comments: The DC might be adjusted a bit, but it shouldn't be too hard because the effects of a failure is very severe.
Mute (or Mute and Deaf)
You cannot speak, or shout or make verbal noises of any kind.
Effect: Any communication must be non-verbal. You cannot cast spells with a verbal component.
Comments: This might seem a weak flaw (for none-casters), but it is indeed worse than it seems. The character can f.i. never shout for help, and is dependent on visual contact with whomever he wants to speak to. If the DM feels it is too weak, he can adjust it to hold both Mute and Deafness for none-casters.
Special: The DM might allow for a feat that enables the character to use spells with other components replacing the verbal - increasing the material costs, making casting time longer (somatic) etc.
Pain Intolerant
You have a low pain threshold.
Effect: Whenever you take damage you must undergo a Fortitude Save with DC one half the damage taken or fall unconscious.
Comments: might need some tweaking on the DC. Maybe 1/3 or 1/4th is more appropriate. Might also change this to rely on your max hit points.
Slow Healer
Effect: Hit points and wounds heal at a slower rate. (Halve the hit points gained from any kind of rest. If wounds are used in your campaign, healing rate of these will also halve.)
Comments: might be too weak this one...
(seven more coming up shortly)
- Cru
Addiction
Effect: This will vary according to the substance addicted to, but mostly if the character does not get his daily satisfaction of substance abuse, he will get penalties to most actions, and will also be fretful and irritable. The penalties should be cumulative. (one day without substance -2 to all actions, two days without substance -4, three days without -8 etc. where at one point the character would be rendered useless)
The addiction/substance should be either uncommon, illegal or severe, and the use of it might in itself impose some penalties to the character - i.e. dulled senses from smoking weeds, or consuming alcohols.
Easily Charmed
Effect: You are denied a saving throw against mind-affecting spells.
Comments: for a weaker version of the flaw, just double the DC against any mind-affecting spells.
Pyromaniac
You have an irrational attraction to fire. You like to watch it burn, smell the smoke, feel the heat.
Effect: You will set fires whenever possible, and occasionally feel the urge to set a fire without reason. If you want to resist the urge for setting a fire you must make a Will save DC 10+1 for each time you have resisted setting a fire since the last time.
Special: This might also paralyze the character, since he is so fascinated and obsessed by the fire that he can do nothing but watch and enjoy as it spreads. DM's discretion or a WILL save DC 15 for this.
Comments: Very fun for fire-using sorcerers! =)
Split Personality
You have from one to three additional personalities. Your physical attributes does not change, but your non-physical abilities might all be different.
Effect: You choose from one to three additional personalities. Each personality gain experience separately. Alignment and level may vary among the personalities. You must decide alongside the DM what triggers the switch.
Special: The mental abilities (Wis, Int and Cha) might vary from each personality (thus altering skills/saves etc). The class and behaviour might vary etc. This should be worked out between the player and DM in unison.
Comments: As the Amnesia flaw, this is perhaps a really fun flaw to have, but it might also be dangerous as the party raises in level, and your character has two (or more) personalities each with half as much experience as the other partymembers
Friendslayer
Effect: When attacking into a melee (either by ranged weapon or spell, or in some cases a melee weapon (when you are able to threaten the square of your friend(s)) containing one or more of your friends there is a 15% chance you hit your friends instead (+5% for each friend in addition to the first)
Special: A miss would be a miss, but a natural 1 (a fumble-threat) should be rerolled, if the second result is also a miss, then you instead deal a critical hit to a friend you are able to threat in any way.
Wrath of *God
You have earned the disfavour of a particular god, demi-god or equally powerful entity.
Effects: Will naturally vary according to what god this is. It might involve constantly being bothered by followers of the god, or having strange luck when using skills/spells involving in any way the gods portfolio etc.
Special: Unless the player has some really good ideas, this should be left entirely up to the DM. What god is it, why, and what happens.
Comments: Makes tons of interesting side-plots and events when game is halting!
Magic Drain
Most magic items wont work on you.
Effects: There is a chance that any magic items you use are rendered useless and powerless. (The magic item should be allowed a saving throw to avoid this. The item uses the same saving throw bonuses for all types (2+one half caster level)) The DC for the magic item saving throw should be 10+Character Level+Charisma modifier.
As for potions and scrolls, there should be a 50% chance (at least) that the effect of the potion/scroll will not work.
Special: A character needs at least 10 in Charisma to take this flaw. Also, at the DM's discretion this flaw can be extended to contain spells as well (both beneficial and harmful), but then it might be helpful in some situations.
Thats it for now, maybe something useful? =)
- Cru
Your character is blind, but has learned to rely on his other senses.
Drawback: You're blind! All attacks you make have 50% miss chance, plus you must guess where your opponents are. Spells cannot give you/bring back your sight, or else you lose all benefits of this trait.
Benefit: You gain the Blind-Fight feat for free, and you gain access to two new feats: Blindsense and Blindsight. You also gain a +5 bonus on all listen checks.
Feats: Blindsense: Prerequisites: Blind Trait. Benefit: You gain Blindsense in a radius of one foot per rank in Listen (round up for 5-foot squares). You lose benefits of this feat if something causes you to go deaf.
Blindsight: Prerequisites: Blindsense. Benefit: You gain blindsight with half the radius of your Blindsense (round up).
Trustworthy but Untrusted
Your character is honorable in his deeds, but has a poor reputation (he comes from a bad familiy or something).
Penalty: You take a -2 penalty to Diplomacy and Bluff checks.
Benefit: You take a +2 bonus to Honor.
Trusted but Untrustworthy
Your character is dishonorable in his deeds, but has a good reputation (he sets up his good deeds or something).
Penalty: You take a -2 penalty to Honor.
Bonus: You take a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Bluff checks.
I'd post more, but I gotta go...
Originally posted by DaTedinator
Blind (Yeah, I know it's been done before but I'm not doing AP and I wanted it...)
Your character is blind, but has learned to rely on his other senses.
Drawback: You're blind! All attacks you make have 50% miss chance, plus you must guess where your opponents are. Spells cannot give you/bring back your sight, or else you lose all benefits of this trait.
Benefit: You gain the Blind-Fight feat for free, and you gain access to two new feats: Blindsense and Blindsight. You also gain a +5 bonus on all listen checks.
Feats: Blindsense: Prerequisites: Blind Trait. Benefit: You gain Blindsense in a radius of one foot per rank in Listen (round up for 5-foot squares). You lose benefits of this feat if something causes you to go deaf.
Blindsight: Prerequisites: Blindsense. Benefit: You gain blindsight with half the radius of your Blindsense (round up).
I would put a cap on the range that the Blindsense has, otherwise at higher levels this will be something everyone would want.
Trustworthy but Untrusted
Your character is honorable in his deeds, but has a poor reputation (he comes from a bad familiy or something).
Penalty: You take a -2 penalty to Diplomacy and Bluff checks.
Benefit: You take a +2 bonus to Honor.
Trusted but Untrustworthy
Your character is dishonorable in his deeds, but has a good reputation (he sets up his good deeds or something).
Penalty: You take a -2 penalty to Honor.
Bonus: You take a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Bluff checks.
First, you probably want to put "This trait is only available if you use the Honor varient.
Second, the penalty should be bigger then the bonus. So the first one should give you +1 Honor, -2 Diplomacy and Bluff, and the second +1 to both Diplomacy and Bluff, and -2 to Honor.
Albino: This IS too weak. And I don't understand -4 on Cha-based checks. Orcs don't get it, mind flayers don't get it, but guys with white skin do? I didn't add this one.
Addiction: You should give some example substances. You also said: penalty to most actions: what actions exaclty?
Allergy: Also should have some examples.
Breaker/Clumsy: What about sundering?
Easily Charmed: Denied save is too severe, I changed it to -6 penatly, ok? And I think Weak Willed would be better name for this flaw.
Epileptic: What is intense combat, and how does it differ from normal combat?
Mute:is unplayable. Some of my players tried this, and it is VERY exhausting to play mute character. Sooner or later anyone just begs to take this flaw away from him.
Pain Intolerant: Falls unconscious for how long?
Pyromaniac: "You will set fires whenever possible, and occasionally feel the urge to set a fire without reason." And what reason is in first sentence? And exactly how often is occasionally?
"DM's discretion or a WILL save DC 15 for this." I suggest will save DC 15, failure means flat-footed and -4 on all spot and listen checks, effect ends if subject is attacked or in danger.
Split Personality: This requires much more description. Not everybody (me included) knows who SP works (in generals, and, for example, in dangerous situations).
Friendslayer: How exactly does it work with area spells like fireball?
Wrath of *God: Flaw should have mechanical effects, not story effects. Either include what exaclty it does to a character or scrap it.
Magic Drain: Wouldn't it be simpler if use-activated items has 50% chance of failure? (and items that work constantly, like magic weapons, were unaffected)
Slow healer: is too weak in normal campaign, where natural healing is next to nonexistant thanks to cleric and wands.
You have a hard time sleeping.
Benifit: You get a +4 bonus to saves against sleep effects.
Drawback: Require 12 hours of "sleep" before you are fully rested.
I think I actually MADE something!!! Originally posted by Rarus
Trait:Insomniac
You have a hard time sleeping.
Benifit: You get a +4 bonus to saves against sleep effects.
Drawback: Require 12 hours of "sleep" before you are fully rested.
This one looks good. Added.
- C
Trained under Pretense
Benefit: Choose one skill. This skill is always considered a class skill for you.
Drawback: Choose a second skill. This skill is always considered cross-class for you. In addition, you must invest max ranks in this skill.
Trusting
You are convinced that there is goodness in all people.
Effect: You take a –6 to all sense motive checks and you take a –4 to all charm spells and effects.
Special: You must have a wisdom score of at least 8 in order to take this feat.
Tired Soul
You have seen too much senseless violence in your life, and battle only disheartened you further.
Effect: You take a –4 penalty on initiative checks and after any combat you are always fatigued. (This fatigue is a self-produced mind effect, not actual physical fatigue.)
How do those look?
Trusting
Looks fine. How about changing name to Credulous ?
Tired Soul
ALso looks ok, and i'd also like to propose another name. Weared veteran ?
EDIT: Or even better: weared warrior. After all there shouldn't be 1st level veterans
Trained under Pretense
Quite interesting, but i think the drawback is too restrictive. How about instead forcing to buy 1 rank each other level? After all 1 bonus class skill isn't THAT powerful, and giving 2 less skill points each level would be bad.
Credulous
You have an unshakable belief that there is goodness in every person.
Effect: You take a -6 on all sense motive checks and take a -4 penalty on saves verse charm person spells and effects.
Special: You must have a wisdom score of at least 8 in order to take this feat.
Weary Warrior
You have seen too much senseless violence in your life, and combat only disheartens you further.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on initiative checks and after any combat you are fatigued for 2d4 hours. (This fatigue is a self-produced mind-effect that cannot be remedied by use of magic or items.)
Scarred Memory
You have had a very tragic or traumatic event occur in your life that has left you scarred emotionally (possibly even physically). This leaves you distanced from others and ever fearful that you will have to relive the nightmares you survived.
Effect: You take a -2 penalty on all diplomacy and intimidate checks and take a -4 penalty on will saves verse fear effects related to your tragic incident.
Special: You should work with your DM on detailing your tragic episode and defining what would be considered a fear related to your incident. This has the potential to be a great role-playing tool, but only adds as much as the player puts into it.
What do you think?
Originally posted by Szatany
Quite interesting, but i think the drawback is too restrictive. How about instead forcing to buy 1 rank each other level? After all 1 bonus class skill isn't THAT powerful, and giving 2 less skill points each level would be bad.
You only spend 1 skill a level. Remember, nothing will ever make it a class skill so you can't actually breach the 1/2 of a max Class skill, so you'll buy a 1/2 rank every level.
You only spend 1 skill a level. Remember, nothing will ever make it a class skill so you can't actually breach the 1/2 of a max Class skill, so you'll buy a 1/2 rank every level.
Forgot about that, trait added.
How do these look than? I made the changes plus changed some stuff for the "tired soul"/"weary warrior" and added a new one i wanted to get some feed back on:
Added all 3, althought i think that scarred memory need more information/clarification on what the "tragic incident" is. If, for example, character's parents fell of bridge and died, does he fear bridges? If so, i think this flaw is rather underpowered (other effects of this flaw are rather diminutive for someone who does not use those two skills anyway).
flaw effect-you can't use potions or other eadible magic items/fruit or other high-sugar foods!
Originally posted by abraham
heres a potential flaw-diabeties
flaw effect-you can't use potions or other eadible magic items/fruit or other high-sugar foods!
I like this flaw, and i don't think its overpowered, a cleric for example could have it and still heal himself with wand. It might be overpowered for some classes, but for most spellcasters it won't be, so its a good flaw IMO. I added it but couldn't figure out interesting name.
Perfectionist
You pay close attention to detail, but it takes you longer to get stuff done.
Benefit: You get +1 on all Craft, Profession, Alchemy, Open Lock, Disable Device, and Forgery Checks.
Penalty: All Craft, Profession, Alchemy, Open Lock, Disable Device, and Forgery related actions take twice as long.
Impatient
You hurry through things, getting them done fast but often missing things.
Benefit: All Craft, Profession, Alchemy, Forgery, Search, Disable Device, Decipher Script, and Open Lock related actions take 2/3 of the time.
Penalty: You get -1 on all these checks.
Civilized
You are well accustomed to the manners of city life.
Benefit: You get +1 on all knowledge and diplomacy checks.
Penalty: You get -2 on all wilderness lore and handle animal checks.
Special: You may not be chaotic in alignment to take this feat.
Energetic
You are full of life, and jump into things quickly.
Benefit: You get +5 to initiative and +5 to base land speed.
Penalty: You get -2 on Will and all wisdom related checks.
Special: You must have a constitution score of at least 8 to take this trait.
Spontaneous
You have a chaotic personality that is difficult for others to predict, but you have a hard time keeping focused on things.
Benefit: You get +2 on Bluff checks and perform checks, and others get -2 on sense motive checks against you.
Drawback: You get -2 on all diplomacy, knowledge, and concentrate checks.
Special: You must be chaotic in alignment to take this trait.
Caring
You have a close bond with other peoples feelings.
Benefit: You get +2 on sense motive and diplomacy checks.
Penalty: You get -3 on bluff and intimidate checks.
Special: You may not be evil to take this feat.
Optimist
You lock positively at things, which makes you pleasant to be around.
Benefit: You get +1 on diplomacy checks and +1 on saving throws to resist fear effects.
Penalty: You get -2 to sense motive checks.
Pessimist
You look at what can go wrong. This gives you a good sense of error, but you are unpleasant to be around.
Benefit: You get +1 on sense motive checks and +1 to initiative.
Penalty: You get -2 to diplomacy.
Level Headed
You don’t jump to conclusions, and have a good perspective on reality.
Benefit: You get +1 on sense motive checks and will saves.
Penalty: You get -3 to initiative.
Conditioned (Cold)
You are acclimatized to cold weather.
Benefit: You get +2 on saves against cold effects and cold weather (Such as hypothermia).
Penalty: You get -2 on saves against warmth effects and hot weather (Such as heat exhaustion).
Conditioned (Hot)
You are acclimatized to warm weather.
Benefit: You get +2 on saves against warmth effects and hot weather (Such as heat exhaustion).
Penalty: You get -2 on saves against cold effects and cold weather (Such as hypothermia).
Skittish
You are quick to react, but often do so in the wrong way.
Benefit: You get +2 to reflex saves.
Penalty: You get -2 on Dexterity checks.
Talented
Too powerful, in my opinion. Maybe let it grant two feats (possibly three, since they can't have feat prerequisites).
The problem is that a character could take these feats as prerequisites for his or her normal feats. Or is that the exception? That the feats exist in a bubble at first level?
It just doesn't seem balanced at LA +1.
Originally posted by ardalor
Too powerful, in my opinion. Maybe let it grant two feats (possibly three, since they can't have feat prerequisites).
The problem is that a character could take these feats as prerequisites for his or her normal feats. Or is that the exception? That the feats exist in a bubble at first level?
It just doesn't seem balanced at LA +1.
As a DM, I would stipulate that any secondary feats taken have to bought and paid for with only your original feats. For instance, if you wanted to purchase Dodge and Mobility or Endurance and Diehard at 1st level, you would have to do it with your normal feats, not those recieved from Talented. I would also limit Talented feats not only to those with out prerequisites, but to those that do not lead to another feat as well. I think that would balance it. That would leave feats like those that advance two skills for example.
Not that it is mine to edit, but let's give it a look...
Talented
You are very talented and possess few uncanny abilities.
Benefit: You gain 4 feats. None of those feats can have other feats as a prerequisite, nor can they lead to other feats.
Drawback: You gain Level Adjustment +1.
Even with it like this my players are jumping at the opportunity to use this in game. They do not care about a +1 LA. After wiping all that drool off of my gaming table, I am not sure quite how I feel about it. I will allow it during the next campaign and see what happens.
Originally posted by Szatany
I like that fix elannon, thx.
No sweat.
Glad to be of service. I do not like the fact that you added the Prestige class note to Talented. That would also eliminate any feat used to get to a prestige class. Toughness, great fortitude, iron will, are just a few that I can think of that would not be allowed because they are require for many PrC's.Maybe I am misunderstanding your intent.
Specifically, I'm looking to play an exalted goblin barbarian that uses tripping attacks...but the -4 penalty on trip attempts and the -4 penalty on intimidate checks (considering I'll have a feat and a class feature running off of Intimidate) is a big pain.
Anyway, was looking to create traits that would simulate a Small character being rather big for their size, with possibly different degrees of severity.
Not sure on name; something like Bulky or Rather Big for A ____
Lesser variation:
You are rather large for your race, and are seen as no less intimidating than the average human.
Benefit: You calculate Intimidate checks as if you were Medium. This eliminates the effective -4 penalty on Intimidation checks for each size catagory you are smaller then your target.
Drawback: You do not have the +4 size bonus on Hide checks for being Small.
Special: You must be Small to select this trait.
This seems balanced, even though it's a +4/-4, because it's not actually giving a bonus and a penalty, it's eliminating a penalty and a bonus.
Greater variation:
You are very large for a member of your race.
Benefit: Powerful Build: Your physical stature lets you function in many ways as if you were one size category larger.
Whenever you are subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), you are treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to you.
You are also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect you. You can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, your space and reach remain those of a creature of your actual size. The benefits of this trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
Your base speed is increased by 10 feet.
Additionally, your carrying capacity is not calculated as 3/4.
Drawback: You do not receive the +1 size bonus to Armor Class, the +1 size bonus to attack rolls, or the +4 size bonus for being Small.
Additionally, you must use gear sized for Medium characters.
Special: You must be Small to select this trait. When selecting height and weight at character creation, select towards (or slightly beyond) the maximums of the race.
Here, this eliminates (as far as I can tell) all the bonuses and penalties for being Small.
I'm wondering if I should just make it as this instead:
Benefit: You are Medium, not Small. All bonuses, effects, and size modifiers are calculated as for Medium. Your base speed increases by 10 feet.
Drawback: You are Medium, not small. All penalties, effects, and size modifiers are calculated as for Medium.
Look at it this way-are halflings and gnomes balanced as LA+0 as Medium with a speed of 30? Are kobolds and goblins balanced as LA +0 as Medium with a speed of 40? (I considered having the trait only increase speed to a max of 30, but felt it unfair to give some small creatures a bonus but not others-and besides, increasing speed from 20 to 30 is the same percentage as increasing from 30 to 45, so going from 30 to 40 seemed fair.)
So, please give feedback on the balanced-ness of these traits, as well as possible names that don't suck...or suck less then what I could think of. ;)
No sweat.
Maybe I am misunderstanding your intent.
I did it so noone can take a prestige class sooner than intended by designers, primarily. Other than that, i just thought that it would make sense. Since you cannot use feats to take better feats, why should you be able to use feats to take prestige classes (which are usually an order of magnitude better than feats) ?
Aah! All the flaws and traits are gone! Did you save the thread, Szatany?
What are you talking about? They are in place. And on the side note, i don't have any backup of this thread.
I did it so noone can take a prestige class sooner than intended by designers, primarily. Other than that, i just thought that it would make sense. Since you cannot use feats to take better feats, why should you be able to use feats to take prestige classes (which are usually an order of magnitude better than feats) ?
"None of those feats can be used as a prerequisite for another feat or a prestige class."
That eliminates EVERY feat.
Name a feat that could not help you qualify for a prestige class, and I think you will see my problem with this.
Toughness, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, and Lightning Reflexes, for example, do not lead to another feat, but are the prerequisites for many PrC's.
Unfortunately, I don't have a solution aside from hoping the DM is paying attention.
I would love to hear an opinion on this. I have several people locally that argue 4 feats (without restriction) are very much worth the +1 LA. They counter that you do not receive any BAB, Saves, etc.
What do you all think?
When you are in a fight, your intelligence and wisdom drop by 1d10 each, and you have the same restrictions on skills as a raging barbarian.
Damn forum upgrade.
EDIT: This flaw was actually made when I misread the back cover of Complete Warrior. Forge Your Name In Battle, and the capitalized y looked a bit like a t.
Forget your name in battle.
When you are in a fight, your intelligence and wisdom drop by 1d10 each, and you have the same restrictions on skills as a raging barbarian.
Damn forum upgrade.
EDIT: This flaw was actually made when I misread the back cover of Complete Warrior. Forge Your Name In Battle, and the capitalized y looked a bit like a t.
I have a few suggestions to add to this...
Forget Your Name In Battle [General]
Great stories tell of mighty heroes finding fame and fortune in the heat of combat. Whether fighting with steel, spells, savagery, or stealth, their exceptional prowess enables them to emerge victorious from even the most harrowing conflicts. If only they could remember who they were...
Effect: When involved in a fight, you lose 1d10 Intelligence and Wisdom. This flaw cannot lower your Intelligence and Wisdom below 1. During combat, you have the same penalty to skills and abilities as if you were raging.
How does that work for you Simen?
For instance, in my games we handle alcohol as listed in the Quinessential Dwarf (Mongoose). Here is a link to my website, where I have posted the alcohol rules.
If you don't want to click on the link, basically the Mongoose alcohol rules state that you lose Int/Wis and a little Dex if you fail poison saves.
Using those rules, this flaw could kill you if you are drunk when the fight starts.
An alternate on your flaw could be something like this...
Forget Your Name In Battle [General]
Great stories tell of mighty heroes finding fame and fortune in the heat of combat. Whether fighting with steel, spells, savagery, or stealth, their exceptional prowess enables them to emerge victorious from even the most harrowing conflicts. If only they could remember who they were...
Effect: During combat, you have all the negative effects of raging, without any of the positive effects.
I still think this could warrant a feat. What do you think?
Wow. A dimwit could kill himself on two glasses of beer. Not quite sure, I like it as it is. It would, as you said, still warrant a feat.
It highly depends on how you handle alcohol. I also use much more deadly falling rules and environment rules, so my players are used to that kind of thing. I almost killed an NPC of mine trying to out-drink one of the players.
Fate has cursed you with a poisonous reputation. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal, and Perform checks. You suffer a -1 penalty to your leadership score, and you cannot use the "Aid Another" action to assist an ally on any Charisma related check.
Special Anyone allied with your for more than one week suffers a -1 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Handle Animal as your accursed nature rubs off on them. This penalty persists for up until one week after your association ends.
Flaw: Aura of Disrepute
Fate has cursed you with a poisonous reputation. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal, and Perform checks. You suffer a -1 penalty to your leadership score, and you cannot use the "Aid Another" action to assist an ally on any Charisma related check.
Special Anyone allied with your for more than one week suffers a -1 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Handle Animal as your accursed nature rubs off on them. This penalty persists for up until one week after your association ends.
A bit harsh on the associates there, what about a -1 while you are in their precence?
An alternate on your flaw could be something like this...
Forget Your Name In Battle [General]
Great stories tell of mighty heroes finding fame and fortune in the heat of combat. Whether fighting with steel, spells, savagery, or stealth, their exceptional prowess enables them to emerge victorious from even the most harrowing conflicts. If only they could remember who they were...
Effect: During combat, you have all the negative effects of raging, without any of the positive effects.
I still think this could warrant a feat. What do you think?
It looks good, until you look into UA. What this flaw does is -2 to AC and problems with some tasks. UA flaw gives -1 AC. Unfortunatelly, i don't have handy solution.
Flaw: Aura of Disrepute
I have to ask: What does bad reputation have to do with teaching animals tricks or ? (handle animal penalty)
It looks good, until you look into UA. What this flaw does is -2 to AC and problems with some tasks. UA flaw gives -1 AC. Unfortunatelly, i don't have handy solution.
Well, it gives it only during combat. Should it be a trait that gives 2 feats?
"None of those feats can be used as a prerequisite for another feat or a prestige class."
That eliminates EVERY feat.
Name a feat that could not help you qualify for a prestige class, and I think you will see my problem with this.
Toughness, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, and Lightning Reflexes, for example, do not lead to another feat, but are the prerequisites for many PrC's.
Unfortunately, I don't have a solution aside from hoping the DM is paying attention.
The "no feat will help you to get other feats or PrC" is there so players will for 100% take feats for their effects alone, and not to min-max or possibly break character by being able to pull some great combinations earlier than they should. Thats my reasoning behind this trait.
Well, it gives it only during combat. Should it be a trait that gives 2 feats?
And how often do you need AC outside combat? There are some traps that make attacks, but not much more. I don't know if it should give two feats, I honestly don't like this flaw, it just feels wrong. Also i have a question: what happens when a barbarian takes this flaw? If it works for him just like that, its broken (too weak).
Then perhaps we should go with the version I posted before the update, that being the original. If you use it, and come into this sort of situation, make some nifty clause. But, wait a sec. If your int or wis can't drop below 1 as a result of this, how could it kill you? Unless, of course, you decide to have a drink mid-combat.
Well, if it could drop your stats below 1, you would have the potential of dying EVERY combat, as soon as you roll initiative. Kinda scary if you ask me. Also, what if you are ALREADY drunk, say at the bar, and get into a bar brawl?
And how often do you need AC outside combat? There are some traps that make attacks, but not much more. I don't know if it should give two feats, I honestly don't like this flaw, it just feels wrong. Also i have a question: what happens when a barbarian takes this flaw? If it works for him just like that, its broken (too weak).
Ah, good call. Simen, it's your flaw, what do you think?
Every time you're raised, short of divine intervention, wish, or miracle, you must roll on the reincarnation chart, but only lose a level if the spell would normally cause you to do so. If something divine raises you, it is his decision as what you become and if you lose a level.
Dramatic Luck
[b]Benefit:[/b] You gain the luck domain's reroll ability once per day which stacks with the luck domain and similar effects.
[b]Drawback:[/b] Your DM may, once per day, force a reroll which you must take regardless of the result. There is a limit of one reroll- for good or ill- per roll.
-EE
Divine Sense of Humor
Every time you're raised, short of divine intervention, wish, or miracle, you must roll on the reincarnation chart, but only lose a level if the spell would normally cause you to do so. If something divine raises you, it is his decision as what you become and if you lose a level.
-EE
I don't understand the benefit, but even if it granted me immunity to resurection-caused level loss, i'd never take it, random body is just too severe.
1: Your int and wis may not drop below 1 as a result of the feat. If you plan on fighting dead drunk all the time, that would be worth a feat in itself, if it only were possible.
2: Why should a barbarian be affected by it in any special way? They've got the same scores as everyone else. If you're using the ac loss version, I guess they stack.
3: Two feats seems extreme. I say, as I've said before, that it can't drop your score below 1. Now, you also say it seems a bit weak... What if we changed it to a trait, and gave you +1 to all attack or damage rolls? Attack seems most balancy.
DISCLAIMER: I am very tired, and anything I write or say may be very unbalanced without me realizing.
'k... I'll try to answer all the questions. Tell me if I forget any.
1: Your int and wis may not drop below 1 as a result of the feat. If you plan on fighting dead drunk all the time, that would be worth a feat in itself, if it only were possible.
2: Why should a barbarian be affected by it in any special way? They've got the same scores as everyone else. If you're using the ac loss version, I guess they stack.
3: Two feats seems extreme. I say, as I've said before, that it can't drop your score below 1. Now, you also say it seems a bit weak... What if we changed it to a trait, and gave you +1 to all attack or damage rolls? Attack seems most balancy.
DISCLAIMER: I am very tired, and anything I write or say may be very unbalanced without me realizing.
I think it would be a better trait, but look at the ability (should I say flaw?) of the War Hulk.
No Time to Think (Ex): A character with levels in the War Hulk prestige class is considered to have 0 ranks in all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skills (whether nor not he has bought ranks in them previously). The only exception is the Intimidate skill, which works normally.
Would that kind of effect work better?
I don't understand the benefit, but even if it granted me immunity to resurection-caused level loss, i'd never take it, random body is just too severe.
It's a flaw, but doesn't grant level loss immunity to Raise Dead, nor Resurrection.
-EE
Flaw: Aura of Disrepute
I have to ask: What does bad reputation have to do with teaching animals tricks or ? (handle animal penalty)
The "bad reputation" stems from some a cursed fate. Like in a bad country song, you're so disreputable even animals don't want to trust you.
If it's too much, one could take it out.
Posted by Riznar
Blind but Deadly
Your eyes are dead but your other abilities are enhanced.
Benefit: You recieve a bonus feat and 1 extra action point per level.
Drawback: You're blind, all creatures have total concealment relative to you, and you automatically fail any spot check. (Along with a host of other problems). Since you are blind from birth, spells like regeneration don't recover your sight (spells don't remove birth defects).
Blindness has many drawbacks (can't see colors, can't really use ranged attacks [ unless you are VERY good ], and more [ just look at the spell Blindness / Deafness ]). Then again, there are a few benefits, such as immunity to visual illusions, gaze attacks, and a natural bonus to listen checks. Giving them a bonus feat and 1 extra action point per level seems ok, but not enough to me to make it balanced (especially if you are in a campaign where there are no action points, like 3rd Edition or 3.5 before Eberron).
This also got me to think of double-flaws, or x2 flaws. These Flaws would include so many minuses (and perhaps a few plusses) but are treated as two flaws instead of one.
Example: in most campaign settings (and how it's reccommended in Unearthed Arcana), you can have a maximum of two flaws, and two traits (and getting a bonus feat for each flaw) - but also you can have a minimum of 0 flaws and 0 traits (unless the DM says that you can't).
So, you have the option of taking one, two, or one x2 flaw (the x2 flaw taking up the space of two flaws, and thus giving the PC two bonus feats).
Here are a few "x2 flaws" that I came up with:
One-Handed [Flaw] x2
You only have one hand, the other was lost due an accident.
Effect: You only have one hand to carry a Single-handed weapon (can't use double weapons or weapons requiring two hands), and you also suffer a –2 penalty to all climb, craft, disguise, open lock, pickpocket, profession, ride, and use rope checks, and in addition, you can only use one magic ring (instead of two).
>>Despite your one-handed-ness, you can use a shield in either hand (strapping the shield to your arm). If you use a shield in such a way, it costs +2gp to customize it, but you can't use it as effectively as you would with your hand, giving you a –1 to AC and a –1 armor check penalty.
Special: Your remaining hand is always considered your dominant hand, and the non-existent one is always considered your off-hand.
>>Creatures with more than 2 hands (or other limbs they can use to hold either a shield or a weapon) cannot take this flaw. Since you have one hand from birth, spells like regeneration don't recover your hand (spells don't remove birth defects).
>>>One Handed is treated as two Flaws, and so you gain two bonus feats for taking this Flaw.
Blindness: [Flaw] x2
You were born blind.
Penalties:
>You suffer a –8 on all ranged attacks,
> a 50% miss chance to all attacks,
> loose any Dex bonus to AC when attacked by ranged weapons,
> automatically grant a +2 to attacker's ranged attack rolls,
> -4 to search checks, as well as to all Str and Dex based skill checks.
> you can't tell the difference between colors, and you can't detect noncorperal beings.
> You always fail on all spot checks, and you can't have ranks in it (it's never a class skill for you).
> must move at a slower speed than normal (or must make a balance check DC 20, and fall prone if fail). use the table below for determining your speed:
Base speed --- New speed (no balance needed)
30ft. --- 20ft.
20ft. --- 15ft.
Benefits:
> You gain a +8 racial bonus to all listen checks, and can always take a 10 under any circumstance (bonus is lost if deafened)
> Immunity to visual illusions, and gaze attacks, not affected by darkness, and can't tell if a person is invisible or not (but you can tell where they are due to listening)
> You gain the benefits of the Blind-fight feat** (re-roll an attack if missed due to concealment)(all other aspects of the feat have been adjusted to the Blindness Flaw already), (bonus is lost if deafened).
> You gain the benefits of the Blindsight, 5-foot radius feat** (You can tell were opponents are, but no further than 5ft. away at all times)(all other aspects of the feat have been adjusted to the Blindness Flaw already), (bonus is lost if deafened)
Special: >>Blindness is treated as two Flaws, but since you automatically gain two feats in the process, you don't 'gain' any bonus feats.
**: You automatically get these feats, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Listen checks: If you are blind, you need to use the listen skill to "see" your surroundings. The following tables comes in handy:
DC Modifier --- Condition
-5 --- Armor and / or equipment making noise (when person is not using the Move Silently Skill)
+5 ---Through a door
+15 ---Through a stonewall
+1 --- Per 10 feet of distance
+5 ---Listener is distracted
+20 --- Things that hardly make any noise, such as an owl gliding or a heart beating.
DC ---Sound
-10 --- during a battle
0 ---People talking (If you beat the DC by 10 or more, you can make out what’s being said, assuming that you understand the language.)
7 --- get a general idea of where the party is (location) if all are members are making some sort of noise
5 --- A person in medium armor walking at a slow pace (10 ft./round) trying not to make any noise
10 ---An unarmored person walking at a slow pace (15 ft./round) trying not to make any noise
15 --- People whispering (If you beat the DC by 10 or more, you can make out what’s being said, assuming that you understand the language.)
19 --- A cat stalking
27 --- Know exactly where the party is (location) and what they are doing, even if they are making noise or not (if choosing to use the move silently, then an opposed roll is necessary).
30 --- An owl gliding in for a kill
125*--- Notice that a person is 100ft. to your right (on the other side of the stone wall, heading towards you) while you are standing with the party who are arguing over how the treasure will be divided (and listening to what they are saying), and you also notice that the approaching person is undead (heart isn't beating) along with hearing the slight breeze travel through it's body (making it a skeleton, male in fact, due to the shape of the hip bones) and noticing that it's equipped with a helmet, bracers, and two swords (one broken, kept in the scabbard on it's back) and that it's walking with a slight limp on it's left leg).
…oh, and by the way – this is just paying attention to what is to the character's right side.
(How I did it: 100ft. away [+10], through a stone wall [+15], Distracted [+5], three things that hardly make any noise [+20 heart, +20 wind / bones, +20 broken sword in scabbard +20 walks with a limp, +20 noticing what the noisy equipment is = +100], noisy equipment [-5], [10+15+5+100-5= 125])
*: I actually played a blind bard who did things like this. I ended up "seeing" things better than anyone else in the party. It was so much fun! :D
And for one more Flaw (not a x2 flaw), but it has it's own special properties:
Blind in one eye: [Flaw] [Trait]
You can't see with one eye.
Penalty: -2 to all spot and search checks, and –4 to all ranged attack rolls, and a 25% miss chance on all attacks.
Benefit: +2 to all listen checks
Special: If you wear an eye patch over an eye that is not blind (if neither eye is blind, but you wear the eye patch anyway*), then you automatically receive Blind in one eye as a bonus temporary trait (you would still be able to take the eye patch off).
>>Blind in one eye is treated as a Flaw (granting you a bonus feat). If you are wearing an eye patch (see above), it is instead treated as a Trait.
*Inspired by a PC in a campaign that I was in. A rogue / fighter who wore the eye patch because, in his own words, "Because it looks cool." (it was about the 3rd or 4th gaming session when our characters discovered his secret).
The "bad reputation" stems from some a cursed fate. Like in a bad country song, you're so disreputable even animals don't want to trust you.
If it's too much, one could take it out.
You cannot be so disreputed that even animals don't like you. Animals don't gossip and i doubt very much they could grasp the concept of reputation. If that flaw means you are cursed, perhaps it should have another name. Just my oppinion.
Veinous
Your veins show visibly through your skin
Effect: any slashing or piercing weapons hitting you have their threat range increased by 1 step (20 becomes 19-20, 19-20 becomes 17-20 etc.
Prudish
You have trouble dealing with the opposite sex and sexuality
effect: you suffer a -4 penalty on charisma based checks when dealing with the opposite sex
Special: you cannot take this if you are an abberation, construct, ooze or undead
Desensitized
The horrors of war and violence have deadend your emotions
Benefit: you recieve a +4 bonus on saves verses fear or emotion affecting effects, as well as pain causing effects
Drawback: you suffer a -4 penaltiy on all diplomacy checks
Desensitized
The horrors of war and violence have deadend your emotions
Benefit: you recieve a +4 bonus on saves verses fear or emotion affecting effects, as well as pain causing effects
Drawback: you suffer a -4 penaltiy on all diplomacy checks
Special: you can't take this flaw if you are good
Why can't you be good? Have you ever talked to someone that has fought in a war? I have two friends that were in Iraq, and a family member that was in Vietnam. They are good people, but fear and pain mean little to them.
Desensitized
The horrors of war and violence have deadend your emotions
Benefit: you recieve a +4 bonus on saves verses fear or emotion affecting effects, as well as pain causing effects
Drawback: you suffer a -4 penaltiy on all diplomacy checks
Hm. I think it would also effect bluff, as bluff relies upon facial expressions, vocal pitch, etc all designed to deceive. Having no emotion would make this very difficult. Then again, most characters who'd take this trait wouldn't care about diplomacy or bluff anyway, so it would be all gain and no loss for them.
Actually, I'd suggest making the emotional scarring give a -4 Charisma penalty, as they're gaining a +4 Will save vs. fear, pain inducing, & emotionally affecting effects.
Then again, I'm really tired right now, so maybe my suggestions are totally off the wall. Heh.
Heres a few I thought of
Veinous
Your veins show visibly through your skin
Effect: any slashing or piercing weapons hitting you have their threat range increased by 1 step (20 becomes 19-20, 19-20 becomes 17-20 etc.
Prudish
You have trouble dealing with the opposite sex and sexuality
effect: you suffer a -4 penalty on charisma based checks when dealing with the opposite sex
Special: you cannot take this if you are an abberation, construct, ooze or undead
Desensitized
The horrors of war and violence have deadend your emotions
Benefit: you recieve a +4 bonus on saves verses fear or emotion affecting effects, as well as pain causing effects
Drawback: you suffer a -4 penaltiy on all diplomacy checks
Added 1st and 3rd with some little tweaks. 2nd is no good, its basically a free feat for a character not caring about interaction much.
Either from birth or circumstances, your eyes have been or have become very sensitive to bright light.
Effect: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as the direct glare of the sun or a daylight spell) blinds this individual for 1 round. In addition, she takes a -1 circumstance penalty on all attack rolls, saves, & checks in bright light.
(and the reverse)
Night Blindness (or) Nyctalopia:
Either from birth or circumstances, your eyes have been or have become visually deficient in darkness.
Effect: Abrupt exposure to darkness (such as the immediate effect of entering a darkened building or a darkness spell) blinds this individual for 1 round. In addition, she takes a -1 circumstance penalty on all attack rolls, saves, & checks in darkness.
Special: Only those that are naturally able to see in darkness may take this flaw.
Also, the flaw that hasn't been named yet that doesn't allow the character to be effected by magic potions, etc by eating 'em, I would name it "Unpalatable Magic" or "Indigestible Magic", something like that.
- Phil
I don't believe it would be balanced gamewise to allow there to be certain flaws that allow for 2 feats, even if the flaws are so debilitating they warrent them. Flaws should be meant more for flavor than as a way to pick up some extra feats. Just like traits are meant to add a little and take away a little, but they do so little you have to rely mostly on your role-playing ability in order for people to even notice you have them.
Some of the stuff that is being put together here (like the whole blindness/listen chart/new ways of using skills) should either be their own template (the blind template) or be their own general rules for dealing with blind characters. And than you get into that "talanted trait" with automatically getting four bonus feats. That just seems wrong to me because it basically tells characters you can buy all the feats you want with an LA and the feats you do EARN aren't as important.
I am just waiting for the blind, deaf, one armed, one eyes (doesn't really matter because he cant see anyway), narcaleptic fighter with 14 feats at level 5. (The above was an over-dramatization... i hope...)
In conclusion, Traits and Flaws are fine, so long as we remember what they are really meant for, enhancing the role-playing experience; not as a cheap way to pick up some extra feats.
~Rain~
I am just waiting for the blind, deaf, one armed, one eyes (doesn't really matter because he cant see anyway), narcaleptic fighter with 14 feats at level 5. (The above was an over-dramatization... i hope...)
Too Late. =) Seriously though, consider that with the requirements that have been set in place by UA, you are limited to taking them at first level. So, if you take a human fighter with two flaws and the talented trait, you will have 9 feats. Even with those 9 feats, you STILL have to work within the prerequisites of the feats. Even without the Talented Trait, you still have to deal with 5 feats at first level. You know what that nets me? Not much. I basically get past all the garbage feats. I STILL have to wait for a BAB +4 get Spring Attack.
In conclusion, Traits and Flaws are fine, so long as we remember what they are really meant for, enhancing the role-playing experience; not as a cheap way to pick up some extra feats.
But, that is exactly what they are. I take a few flaws, some traits, and get more feats, which are definitely "enhancing the role-playing experience" for me.
Remember, no matter how many feats you earn from these things, the flaws involved should be far more devestating. If they are not, your DM should not be allowing them. I don't know about you, but in our game, a +1 LA makes a difference.
In our game, we have a rotating DM scheme. Every time we level, we change DM's. We currently have 3 DM's and it takes a majority vote for feats, flaws, traits, abilities, etc to be allowed. As a group, we allow Talented. Even with the extra feats you get, many of them can only be used one at a time. I basically only get added versatility. As a group, we do not think it is devastating at all.
At the same time, if you take a flaw/trait, it's like having a wound; the DM is going to poke at it. =)
Arrogant
You think yourself to be superior to others, and that everyone is beneath you.
Effect: You suffer -6 penalty to all charisma abilities and related skills, (except for Disguise checks).
Arrogant
You think yourself to be superior to others, and that everyone is beneath you.
Effect: You suffer -6 penalty to all charisma abilities and related skills, (except for Disguise checks).
-EE
For Example: Dortrog the Burninating Wizard/Fighter has the Talented trait, and decided on getting Silent and Still Spell, Power Attack and Toughness. He adventures for a while, and when he gains his second fighter level, he wants Cleave. Now the Power Attack he gained from talented does not serve as the prereq for cleave, so he would have to get power attack seperatly first. The next feat he wants is Energy Substitution (fire). Prereq: any other metamagic. In order to get this feat, he must either get silent or still as a normal feat or gain another metamagic feat. Later on, he wants to get the Ultratough (does not really exist, used for example purposes only). Prereqs include toughness. Dortrog would have to gain Toughness again (gaining another 3 HP) in order to qualify.
*pant, pant* Sound good?
Just my 2cp,
Master Keebs
Consider, you can only take the trait once and only at 1st level. Well, you CAN take it twice, but then you would have a +2 LA. Ouch!
As I noted earlier, you only broaden your character, you cannot progress any higher with this trait. Spring Attack still requires a +4 BAB.
In regards to Prestige Classes, you still need a +6 BAB to be an Arcane Archer.
Archmage? Must be able to cast 7th level Arcane spells.
Assassin? Disguise: 4 ranks. Hide: 8 ranks. Move Silently: 8 ranks.
I think you get the idea. If not, ask your self this: How many PrC's do NOT have skills or BAB or Saves as part of the requirements? So what if I have all the feats I need for the prestige class; I can't take it until I get the other requirements!
The Forsaker is the only one I can think of that only requires feats, but we do not allow it in our 3.5 game.
Only The Finest:
The character will except nothing less then the finest good and serveces around. EG: When asked, "What room would you like sir?" The character woudl respond, "You're finest most expensive room, my good sir. Spare no expense, for I the great *insert bozo's name here* will accept nothing else."
Effect: The character must pay an incresed cost, (shown on the table below) for all good and services to reflect his or her finely honned tastest. If the character is unable to obtain an item or service that meets these standereds that character will simply not purchace or use that item or service. If for some reason the character is forced into or has no other but to accept the item or service s/he will recieve a -4 to all interaction checks and all NPCs will beconsidered as hostile for perperpouses of these interaction checks, while the item or service is being used by or in the possession of said character.
Goods and Services under 100 GP = x5 times base cost
Goods and Services under 500 GP = x3 times base cost
Goods and Services under 25,000 GP = x2 times base cost
Goods and services under 100,000 GP = x1.5 times base cost
Goods and services over 100,000 GP = No Change
Mr Vice
Please pardon my spelling
I originaly made this up for a unreward system I called stupid points.
Only The Finest:
The character will except nothing less then the finest good and serveces around. EG: When asked, "What room would you like sir?" The character woudl respond, "You're finest most expensive room, my good sir. Spare no expense, for I the great *insert bozo's name here* will accept nothing else."
Effect: The character must pay an incresed cost, (shown on the table below) for all good and services to reflect his or her finely honned tastest. If the character is unable to obtain an item or service that meets these standereds that character will simply not purchace or use that item or service. If for some reason the character is forced into or has no other but to accept the item or service s/he will recieve a -4 to all interaction checks and all NPCs will beconsidered as hostile for perperpouses of these interaction checks, while the item or service is being used by or in the possession of said character.
Goods and Services under 100 GP = x5 times base cost
Goods and Services under 500 GP = x3 times base cost
Goods and Services under 25,000 GP = x2 times base cost
Goods and services under 100,000 GP = x1.5 times base cost
Goods and services over 100,000 GP = No Change
Mr Vice
Please pardon my spelling
What if someone else pays his expenses? Also, does increased cost affect itmes bought with starting gold at 1st level?
What if someone else pays his expenses? Also, does increased cost affect itmes bought with starting gold at 1st level?
As to your first question, this character simply wouldn't allow it. He will only accecpt the finest, even if someone buys his stuff for him, that character would need to make a successful bluff check to convince, said charcter that the item invovled is of the highest quallity possible. If at anytime that character find out or begins to distrust the character buying his goods, he simply won't allow him to do so in the future.
Basicly, if you're the DM, it's your job to make sure the plaers aren't abusing these rules. Such an obvious cop out would deserve the removal of that Flaw and the removal of said characters favorite feat. (If possible)
As to you're second question: No, starting goods for a first level character don't change, but thats the only time this rule doesn't apply. Thanks for pointing that out, I forgot to mention it in the orignal post.
As to your first question, this character simply wouldn't allow it. He will only accecpt the finest, even if someone buys his stuff for him, that character would need to make a successful bluff check to convince, said charcter that the item invovled is of the highest quallity possible. If at anytime that character find out or begins to distrust the character buying his goods, he simply won't allow him to do so in the future.
Basicly, if you're the DM, it's your job to make sure the plaers aren't abusing these rules. Such an obvious cop out would deserve the removal of that Flaw and the removal of said characters favorite feat. (If possible)
As to you're second question: No, starting goods for a first level character don't change, but thats the only time this rule doesn't apply. Thanks for pointing that out, I forgot to mention it in the orignal post.
I see that makes sense. Also i have one more question about thing that should be clarified. You said that character tries to buy items with highest quality possible. What happens when he is buying a weapon (longsword for example): does he have to pay x5 gold for his longsword or buy masterwork longsword instead? If masterwork, should he pay x5 cost for that sword as well? Does such high-end quality sword have any additional properties beyond masterwork? If not, that would mean that MW longsword is more expensive because its ornate or maybe belonged to someone famous. However (
), what if merchant simply does not have such longsword, only one plain simple MW longsword without anything extra about it, what then?Effect: Your initiative decreases by 2 and all rage-like effects, including rage and frenzy, are halved in potency and duration with the possibility of no effect.
Special: You only gain the bonus feat from this flaw if you have rage, frenzy, or/and a similar ability from any of your classes.
It needs work.
-EE
Split Personality
You have from one to three additional personalities. Your physical attributes does not change, but your non-physical abilities might all be different.
Effect: You choose from one to three additional personalities. Each personality gain experience separately. Alignment and level may vary among the personalities. You must decide alongside the DM what triggers the switch.
Special: The mental abilities (Wis, Int and Cha) might vary from each personality (thus altering skills/saves etc). The class and behaviour might vary etc. This should be worked out between the player and DM in unison.
I would change this slightly.
Split Personality
You have from one to three additional personalities. Each personality has the same physical attributes and different mental attributes. One of your personalities is the dominant personality, all others are recessive personalities. Your alternate personalities "believe" themselves to be members of a specific class "randomly determined by rolling 1d12 rerolling all 12s". Each recessive personality believes itself to have 1d10 levels in their chosen class. After character creation, your alternate personalities "multi-class" according to their natures.
Their alignment is randomly determined by rolling 1d3 twice (the first representing their lawful/chaotic alignment, the second their good/evil alignment). If they believe themselves to be a member of a class with an alignment restriction, only determine the non-restricted portion of their alignment randomly. A personality which believes itself to be a "monk" will only roll their good/evil portion as they will have a lawful alignment while a personality who believes itself to be a "barbarian" willl roll 1d2 for their lawful/chaotic portion (1 being neutral, 2 being chaotic).
Each recessive personality has their own character sheet reflecting their mental attributes and their percieved physical attributes, class levels, skills, special abilities, race, gender, age, feats, spells etc. If the recessive personality uses an ability the character actually possesses, it uses up one use of that ability. If the recessive personality uses an ability the character does not possess, nothing happens. It also details any spells or powers the personality believes itself to have memorized (or know in the case of a spontaneous character). In the case of memorized spells, the character is always considered to have memorized the same spells continuously.
Whenever you gain a level, each of your recessive personalities has a 50% chance of gaining a "level".
Each round, the personality in control must make a Will Save (DC 10+1 per round they have been in control +damage dealt) or another personality randomly manifests itself. Your dominant personality can make a Will save or a Concentration check (players choice) to remain in control. Only your dominant personality is aware of your other personalities, and only your dominant personality can voluntarily relinquish control. Each personality (including your dominant one) is considered a separate person for the purposes of determining how mind-influencing effects affect them. If the active personality is "charmed" for example and then fails their will save to remain in control, the personality that surfaces is not charmed. The duration of the charm continues to elapse on the now non-active personality however and the duration can expire before the personality resurfaces.
For example, a 5th level wizard has 2 personalities, a 7th "level" necromancer and a 3rd "level" barbarian. If the necromancer casts a 3rd level or lower spell from his "prepared" spells and that spell is actually a spell the character can prepare (or cast), the necromancer actually casts the spell. If the necromancer casts a "spell" that the character does not have memorized (or is not one of the characters known spells) the spell fails. The necromancer will have an excuse as to why "interrupted spell, spell resistance of the target etc) the spell did not work.
Especially Calm
Effect: Your initiative decreases by 2 and all rage-like effects, including rage and frenzy, are halved in potency and duration with the possibility of no effect.
Special: You only gain the bonus feat from this flaw if you have rage, frenzy, or/and a similar ability from any of your classes.
It needs work.
-EE
This flaw gave me some ideas (those include your reworked Especially Clam and might need access to splat books). First lets see how does it look for barbarians and clerics:
Gentle
Effect: The duration of all your rage is reduced by 3 rounds. You can never take a feat or ability that increases duration of your rage.
Special: When you choose a feat you gain from this flaw, you can only choose a feat that improved or alters rage ability (but you cannot choose a feat that allows you to spend a daily use of rage to do something unrelated to rage).
Unconvincing Turning
Effect: When you turn or rebuke undead, treat all undead as if they had +2 turn resistance (which stacks with any other turn resistance). You can never take a feat or ability that lets you ignore or reduce undead turn resistance.
Special: When you choose a feat you gain from this flaw, you can only choose a feat that improved or alters turn undead ability (but you cannot choose a feat that allows you to spend a daily use of turn undead to do something unrelated to turning undead).
Hermaphrodite
You are genderless and lack sexual organs.
Benefit: You gain +2 racial bonus to disguise yourself as a member of either gender. You gain +1 racial bonus on saves against enchantment (Charm) spells and effets.
Drawback: You cannot have children. Depending on society you live in, you may be treated as freak, mutant, abomination or demon-child (unless you are able to hide your condition - talk this thought with your DM).
Example: Zwitter, dwarven sorcerer hermaphrodite was unable to hide his state and was considered doppelganger and exiled from his hold. Now he wanders nearby human villages and performs magical shows to gather some money.
Hermaphrodites actually have BOTH sets of sexual organs. What you are thinking of is a neuter.
Hermaphrodites actually have BOTH sets of sexual organs. What you are thinking of is a neuter.
Thanks, didn't know that. Corrected.
In your early lifetime you hadn’t learned much. Not anything of importance, at least.
Effect: You don’t get the normal 4 times skill points at first level. Instead you gain only your class skill points + Int. modifier just as if you had gained if you had leveled up a non 1st level in your class.
I also have a Trait:
Educated
You spent more time learning than the average guy did.
Effect: You forsake two points from your hit points, to a minimum of one hit point, at your starting level (e.g. a rogue will start with 1-4 hit points rather than 1-6 hit points) and treat your character Int. modifier as two points higher for skill points distributing at first level.
Where to put it?
Dull mind
In your early lifetime you hadn’t learned much. Not anything of importance, at least.
Effect: You don’t get the normal 4 times skill points at first level. Instead you gain only your class skill points + Int. modifier just as if you had gained if you had leveled up a non 1st level in your class.
I also have a Trait:
Educated
You spent more time learning than the average guy did.
Effect: You forsake two points from your hit points, to a minimum of one hit point, at your starting level (e.g. a rogue will start with 1-4 hit points rather than 1-6 hit points) and treat your character Int. modifier as two points higher for skill points distributing at first level.
Where to put it?
I think dull mind is ok and i added it, but i have a question about educated. Does this trail simply mean: "You loose 2 hit points, you gain 4 skill points." ??
Snappy:
When in a stressful situation (heated argument, close to battle, surrounded be foes in battle, et.c, handled by the DM) you must make a DC 10 will save or act as if effected by lesser confusion. The DC is 12 if you are fatigued.
Flaw from me
Snappy:
When in a stressful situation (heated argument, close to battle, surrounded be foes in battle, et.c, handled by the DM) you must make a DC 10 will save or act as if effected by lesser confusion. The DC is 12 if you are fatigued.
Not bad, added.
Woah, dude, my hands are huuuge!
You tend to hallucinate when your blood sugar is low.
When fatigued, you must make a Fortitude save DC 10 or take a -2 penalty to all wisdom or dexterity based checks and attack rolls.
Another one:
Woah, dude, my hands are huuuge!
You tend to hallucinate when your blood sugar is low.
When fatigued, you take a -4 penalty to all wisdom or dexterity based checks and attack rolls.
Thats a massive flaw, easily worth 3 or 4 bonus feats by itself (if not more if you are also including wisdom and dexterity based skill checks).
Suffering a -2 attack penalty is one flaw by itself (as WF grants a +1 attack bonus).
Suffering a -4 penalty on TWO named skill checks is another flaw by itself (since Alertness, Animal affinity and the like grant a +2 bonus to 2 skill checks).
Suffering a -6 penalty on ONE named skill check is also considered an appropriate flaw (as Skill focus grants a +3 bonus).
Your flaw is TOOOO powerful.
Hmm, good point. I usually write these from the top of my head. What about -1?
What about this.
As soon as you become fatigued you immediately become confused until the end of your next turn as a result of dizziness, vertigo and brief hallucinations that you suffer. In addition, you must make an immediate fortitude save with a DC of 15+1 for every 10% lethal or nonlethal damage that you have suffered or be confused for an additional 1d4 rounds.
If you become exhausted, you become confused for one whole round (as above) and your saving throw is equal to 20+1 for every 5% of lethal or nonlethal damage that youhave suffered and a failed save leaves you confused for an additional 1d4 rounds.
The effects of both conditions are cumulative. If for example you are exhausted by a waves of exhaustion spell, you are immediately confused for 2 rounds and must make 2 fortitude saves in order to stave off confusion for another 2d4 rounds.
I think dull mind is ok and i added it, but i have a question about educated. Does this trail simply mean: "You loose 2 hit points, you gain 4 skill points." ??
8 points...
I added your compendium to my list at the cavern - I hope you don't mind.
Thats a massive flaw, easily worth 3 or 4 bonus feats by itself (if not more if you are also including wisdom and dexterity based skill checks).
Suffering a -2 attack penalty is one flaw by itself (as WF grants a +1 attack bonus).
Suffering a -4 penalty on TWO named skill checks is another flaw by itself (since Alertness, Animal affinity and the like grant a +2 bonus to 2 skill checks).
Suffering a -6 penalty on ONE named skill check is also considered an appropriate flaw (as Skill focus grants a +3 bonus).
Your flaw is TOOOO powerful.
I just looked this over again and remembered, "Hey, this only comes into effect when you are fatigued.". But you are still right. It is powerful. I'm changing it to -2, and you get a fortitude DC 10 to avoid.
I just looked this over again and remembered, "Hey, this only comes into effect when you are fatigued.". But you are still right. It is powerful. I'm changing it to -2, and you get a fortitude DC 10 to avoid.
And how often do you get fatigued (if you are not barbarian)? I'm actually worried this flaw might be too weak?
Could someone please explain to me that flaw's name
?Are there any rules for kinds of phobias?
There are in UA, also in CoC d20. And I'm pretty sure there is something about them in Ravenloft.
I know, the name sucks. A lot.
Of course, it's your list. Edit it as you see fit. Fatigue varies from game to game, games with much travellig tend to suffer it a lot.
I know, the name sucks. A lot.
Its my list but those are your creations. If you insist, I'll put it exactly the way you want.
I don't mind if it sucks. I just have no idea what it means/how it realtes to the flaw's effects.
It reflects the fact that while hallucinating, objects may appear different than they are. For example, as in the title, hands may appear huge.
I understand now. Anyways, the name needs to be changed
and description text as well, to scientific. Perhaps it would be best if you came up with different cause for severe fatigue? (For example, "Uaccustomed to hardships" ?)A favorite is overconfident. Another player or the DM can activate it once/day to dispel any doubts or worries you have about being able to handle a given situation.
Very fun.
-Drachasor
Prerequisite: Shapechanger Subtype
Effect: A deformity or scar does not dissapear when you change from. You do not recieve the +10 bonus on disguise checks when using a racial ability to alter form or polymorph.
You also recieve a -2 penalty to Bluff and diplomacy.
Note: Illusion spells with the Glamer descriptor affect you normally in this reguard, but transmutation spells do not.
benifit-you go for 2-3 more hours/night longer on journeys than the adverage person(only applies to long term journeys)
flaw-you go 10 feet slower (min speed 5 feet) than others of your race.
tell me what you think of this trait please!
new trait-slow but steady
benifit-you go for 2-3 more hours/night longer on journeys than the adverage person(only applies to long term journeys)
flaw-you go 10 feet slower (min speed 5 feet) than others of your race.
tell me what you think of this trait please!
I'm affraid its very underpowered. I can't imagine anyone taking it. You gain small, uninteresting, and probably useless (since if you travel with a party you will stop when they do) ability, in exchange for -10 to speed? C'mon.
I could see it working something like this: You gain +10 bonus on your Speed. As soon as you loose more than 1/3 of your hit points, you instead suffer -10 to your speed.
Just a thought
Magus, your flaw seems balanced and is interesting. Added.
benifit-you can make a intelegence roll(dc varies)to figure out how to use ANY device you havent seen before(use magic device ranks stack if you are trying to use a magic device you havent seen before)
flaw-you must make a will roll to NOT try any device you haven't seen before(dc varies never any higher than the int. roll)
tell me what you think of this trait,please!
You are deathly afraid of something.
Whenever you are confronted with the object of your fear (decided upon by both you and the DM), you must make a will save DC 15 or become panicked for 1 minute. If you pass the save, you are still shaken. Whenever you are in a stressful situation (i.e. combat), there is a 1% chance that you suffer from a minor hallucination that what you fear is coming to get you. You must make a will save DC 15 or be shaken for a full minute. You have -2 to saves against spells that rely on your fears or utilize your fears in some way (i.e. phantasmal killer, a minor image of the object of your fears). If you are immune to fear from any source, this flaw bypasses it, as this is adeeply ingrained fear that can never be removed. Even the bravest paladin can be petrified of spiders.
benifit-you can make a int roll to find any item you might need(must be believable item that you could resinoubly expect to carry)
flaw-weight limit is halved(you the items you constantly carry)
tell me what you think of this item!
Phobia
You are deathly afraid of something.
Whenever you are confronted with the object of your fear (decided upon by both you and the DM), you must make a will save DC 15 or become panicked for 1 minute. If you pass the save, you are still shaken. Whenever you are in a stressful situation (i.e. combat), there is a 1% chance that you suffer from a minor hallucination that what you fear is coming to get you. You must make a will save DC 15 or be shaken for a full minute. You have -2 to saves against spells that rely on your fears or utilize your fears in some way (i.e. phantasmal killer, a minor image of the object of your fears).
Well, phobias are already described in the same book the flaws are, so I don't see a reason to reinvent the wheel, but for those that don't have UA I guess its fine. Anyway, what about paladins taking this flaw? That's free feat for them.
new trait-packrat
benifit-you can make a int roll to find any item you might need(must be believable item that you could resinoubly expect to carry)
flaw-weight limit is halved(you the items you constantly carry)
tell me what you think of this item!
Interesting trait, how about making it work once/day?
new trait-packrat
benifit-you can make a int roll to find any item you might need(must be believable item that you could resinoubly expect to carry)
flaw-weight limit is halved(you the items you constantly carry)
tell me what you think of this item!
Interesting trait, how about making it work once/day?
I think this trait is worth while just as it is, especially given that they are already carrying half their weight limits for each weight category in miscellaneous and usually useless things... Limiting it to once/day would be making it a flaw not a trait.
Spiders
Water
Snakes
DArk
Hight
Sight of Blood(ouch!)
I think this trait is worth while just as it is, especially given that they are already carrying half their weight limits for each weight category in miscellaneous and usually useless things... Limiting it to once/day would be making it a flaw not a trait.
The trait doesn't say anything about useless things. Problems start when 20 level cleric with pack rat claims to have wand of cure light wounds (after all he needs it and can be suspected to carry one isn't it?).
"I'm a level 40 blackguard/cleric, for Pete's sake! Of course I have the BoVD with me at all times!"
this rule applies to the packrat trait only!
the items CAN'T be magical in nature!
this rule applies to the packrat trait only!
Then maybe you should put that into trait's description to avoid any confusion. And while we are at it, maybe also add value limit of the items?
Inept
You are terrible at using any skill untrained.
Effect: Your total bonus to skills in which you have no ranks is treated as zero. Ability bonuses, racial bonuses, class bonuses, synergy bonuses, competence bonuses, and other bonuses do not apply to skills you use untrained. The only bonus you may apply to untrained skills is a luck bonus. Penalties work as normal.
For example, a level 1 druid with 16 Wisdom would normally have a +5 modifier to Survival when untrained (+3 from high Wisdom and +2 from class). The same druid with the inept flaw would be treated as having a bonus of +0. If her Wisdom dropped to 8, she would have a total modifier to Survival checks equal to -1. If she took at least 1 rank in Survival, she would receive the a +6 bonus to her Survival skill checks as normal (1 rank +3 Wis +2 class).
Yearning for Death
You are living on borrowed time, and know it.
Effect: You take a -3 penalty to saves versus death effects and a -3 penalty to Fortitude saves versus death by massive damage. If using the standard stabilization rules, you have only a 5% chance to stabilize on your own. If using Fortitude-based stabilization rules, you take a -3 penalty on Fortitude saves to stabilize or avoid death.
Impatient
You have a short attention span and tend to rush things.
Effect: You take a -3 penalty on all Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Forgery, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Search checks.
Fear of Water
You have an abiding fear of deep water and drowning.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on Swim checks. In addition, when on a boat, bridge, a ledge over deep water, or when otherwise in a position to fall into deep water, or when you voluntarily enter water greater than hip-deep, you become shaken until you leave the water's proximity. If you are involuntarily immersed in water greater than hip-deep (such as if you were bull-rushed off a ledge into water), you immediately become panicked. Spells and effects that remove fear do not affect either the shaken condition or the panicked condition.
Cloistered
Prerequisite: Member of a religious or monastic order.
You've lived in a monastery all your life and have little experience in the ways of the outside world.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on all Profession, Sense Motive, and Survival checks.
Blind Devotion
Prerequisite: Ability to cast divine spells.
You are so sure in the rightness of your god (or other source of divine power) that you refuse to use any magic item from other faiths.
Effect: You cannot use magic items crafted by magical artisans who do not share your faith. This extends to any type of magic item, including armor, weapons, and potions. You also cannot use magic items crafted by your companions unless they worship the same god as you. The Use Magic Device skill is prohibited for you, and you cannot put ranks into it. If at any time you use a magic item crafted by a person of a different faith, whether willingly or under duress, or if you put ranks into the Use Magic Device skill, you lose access to your spells and all other spell-like and supernatural features of your class. You must seek out a capable member of your faith for atonement.
Special: The oaths this feat represents may vary from faith to faith. Some may allow the use of items of arcane origin, or they may disallow only items from rival faiths. Some more stringent oaths may also forbid accepting spells cast on you by members of other faiths.
For fear of water, I chose a -4 penalty to Swim checks instead of -6 because the character receives an additional -2 penalty from being shaken or panicked.
I'm most unsure about the impatient flaw, as it may be not enough of a penalty spread across too many skills. It's a fairly arbitrary selection of skills, anyway.
The cloistered flaw has its prerequisite because it make the most sense for my campaign, but it could easily work without it.
The blind devotion flaw would probably need individual adjustment for your campaign. In mine, there are just a few large religions, so it isn't too restricting, as items crafted by worshippers of a particular god are more common.
Just my 2cp,
Master Keebs
Mad (Flaw)
You are a tad mentally unbalanced
Effect: You suffer a -2 to all wisdom and charisma based skill and ability checks.
Missing Arm (Flaw)
You are missing an arm
Effect: You do not have an off-hand, this means you may only equip a shield if you do not have a weapon. You may not use Two-handed weapons, nor may you hold anything while casting a spell. You may still equip two rings, although bracers, gloves and other magic items may not function for you.
You also take a -4 on all disguise checks.
Special: You may take this flaw up to two times. But doing so means you have no arms. Also this may not be magically repaired.
I know that this one was done before, but I don't know if it was done in this style.
Missing Eye (Flaw)
You only have one functional eye. The other is Disfigured, missing or otherwise nonfunctional
Effect: You take a -2 on spot and search and disguise checks. You also take a -4 for each range increment a target is away. Special: You may take this flaw up to two times. But doing so means you are blind. Also this may not be magically repaired
unusual racial specialization
flaw-you best class is an unusual one(I.E. expert,arictrocate or commoner)
tell me what you think of it!
heres an unusual flaw
unusual racial specialization
flaw-you best class is an unusual one(I.E. expert,arictrocate or commoner)
tell me what you think of it!
I don't think anything because i have no idea what it does. Sorry
Unusual Favored Class
You have a different favored class than other members of your race.
You may choose any one of the following classes as your favored class instead of your race's normal one. Aristocrat, Commoner, Warrior, Expert, Adept.
I don't think this is a very balanced flaw, personally, assuming that I got his intention right.
I interpreted it that you had to take most of your levels in a non-adventurer class.
Now THAT would be crippling
My take on mad was closer to "Feeble" in the book.
Mad (Flaw)
You are a tad mentally unbalanced
Effect: You suffer a -2 to all wisdom and charisma based skill and ability checks.
I like that one, added.
Missing Arm (Flaw)
You are missing an arm
Effect: You do not have an off-hand, this means you may only equip a shield if you do not have a weapon. You may not use Two-handed weapons, nor may you hold anything while casting a spell. You may still equip two rings, although bracers, gloves and other magic items may not function for you.
You also take a -4 on all disguise checks.
Special: You may take this flaw up to two times. But doing so means you have no arms. Also this may not be magically repaired.
I don't see anyone taking that flaw, its too crippling. There are far more many disadvantages than mechanical ones you posted (like inability to wear armor in any sensible time, problem with keeping balance, riding, swimmnig, climbing, opening locks, and so on and so on. I really think this flaw should simply be droped.
Missing Eye (Flaw)
You only have one functional eye. The other is Disfigured, missing or otherwise nonfunctional
Effect: You take a -2 on spot and search and disguise checks. You also take a -4 for each range increment a target is away. Special: You may take this flaw up to two times. But doing so means you are blind. Also this may not be magically repaired
This one is okay I think.
I haven't tested any of these yet, but I'm happy with them on paper.
Inept
You are terrible at using any skill untrained.
Effect: Your total bonus to skills in which you have no ranks is treated as zero. Ability bonuses, racial bonuses, class bonuses, synergy bonuses, competence bonuses, and other bonuses do not apply to skills you use untrained. The only bonus you may apply to untrained skills is a luck bonus. Penalties work as normal.
For example, a level 1 druid with 16 Wisdom would normally have a +5 modifier to Survival when untrained (+3 from high Wisdom and +2 from class). The same druid with the inept flaw would be treated as having a bonus of +0. If her Wisdom dropped to 8, she would have a total modifier to Survival checks equal to -1. If she took at least 1 rank in Survival, she would receive the a +6 bonus to her Survival skill checks as normal (1 rank +3 Wis +2 class).
Yearning for Death
You are living on borrowed time, and know it.
Effect: You take a -3 penalty to saves versus death effects and a -3 penalty to Fortitude saves versus death by massive damage. If using the standard stabilization rules, you have only a 5% chance to stabilize on your own. If using Fortitude-based stabilization rules, you take a -3 penalty on Fortitude saves to stabilize or avoid death.
Impatient
You have a short attention span and tend to rush things.
Effect: You take a -3 penalty on all Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Forgery, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Search checks.
Fear of Water
You have an abiding fear of deep water and drowning.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on Swim checks. In addition, when on a boat, bridge, a ledge over deep water, or when otherwise in a position to fall into deep water, or when you voluntarily enter water greater than hip-deep, you become shaken until you leave the water's proximity. If you are involuntarily immersed in water greater than hip-deep (such as if you were bull-rushed off a ledge into water), you immediately become panicked. Spells and effects that remove fear do not affect either the shaken condition or the panicked condition.
Cloistered
Prerequisite: Member of a religious or monastic order.
You've lived in a monastery all your life and have little experience in the ways of the outside world.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on all Profession, Sense Motive, and Survival checks.
Blind Devotion
Prerequisite: Ability to cast divine spells.
You are so sure in the rightness of your god (or other source of divine power) that you refuse to use any magic item from other faiths.
Effect: You cannot use magic items crafted by magical artisans who do not share your faith. This extends to any type of magic item, including armor, weapons, and potions. You also cannot use magic items crafted by your companions unless they worship the same god as you. The Use Magic Device skill is prohibited for you, and you cannot put ranks into it. If at any time you use a magic item crafted by a person of a different faith, whether willingly or under duress, or if you put ranks into the Use Magic Device skill, you lose access to your spells and all other spell-like and supernatural features of your class. You must seek out a capable member of your faith for atonement.
Special: The oaths this feat represents may vary from faith to faith. Some may allow the use of items of arcane origin, or they may disallow only items from rival faiths. Some more stringent oaths may also forbid accepting spells cast on you by members of other faiths.
For fear of water, I chose a -4 penalty to Swim checks instead of -6 because the character receives an additional -2 penalty from being shaken or panicked.
I'm most unsure about the impatient flaw, as it may be not enough of a penalty spread across too many skills. It's a fairly arbitrary selection of skills, anyway.
The cloistered flaw has its prerequisite because it make the most sense for my campaign, but it could easily work without it.
The blind devotion flaw would probably need individual adjustment for your campaign. In mine, there are just a few large religions, so it isn't too restricting, as items crafted by worshippers of a particular god are more common.
I like all the flaws. I'm not sure how effective is blind devotion in actual game, but i'm adding it anyway.
Common Training
You don't have any of that fancy-schmancy training.
Your first character level must be an npc class.
Taking most of your levels in an npc class is far more crippling than any number of feats can make up for. Maybe make your first level an npc class and get the bonus feat, like so:
Common Training
You don't have any of that fancy-schmancy training.
Your first character level must be an npc class.
That version is the best proposed so far. Even it might be too strong, but definitely a step in right direction.
That version is the best proposed so far. Even it might be too strong, but definitely a step in right direction.
I think it's a tad weak if you're going to play a fighter. Lose a feat to get a feat. Seeing as you may choose from all feats, not just the fighter ones. However, you lose the one at level 20.
I think it's a tad weak if you're going to play a fighter. Lose a feat to get a feat. Seeing as you may choose from all feats, not just the fighter ones. However, you lose the one at level 20.
You also have 2 less hit points.
I can see simen's point, even though you lose a bit (skills, a few hp, a feat) you don't lose nearly enough for it to be balanced with a fighter. With other classes, it looks like it would be okay once you hit 2, but you would be far underpowered. Maybe we could say you lose some of your class features, depending upon your class. For example, fighter doesnt get a bab or a feat, get d8 hit die for 1st level, barbarian doesnt get rage till second, casters get half as many spells per day, which increase at the normal rate, ranger gets 2 less skill points, loses track, and loses animal empathy. What do you think so far?
We would get to the point where the flaw is simply too big and convulted to make sense. Your idea should be broken down to a flaw per class IMO.
Some are variations on flaws already presented here or are merely renamed.
Some are a little bit more penalizing than normal, because I’m willing to let characters take two flaws at level one and additional flaws at later levels if the story makes it work. I limit these later flaws to 1 every 4 or 5 levels.
As an example one character took a level of Cleric at level 4 only to discover that he was really bad at turning undead.
Bad w/ Animals: No wild empathy, No animal
companions, -3 on Handle Animal checks.
Slow Healer: Hp gained from rest are halved.
Hp gains from magical healing are reduced by
1 point / die rolled.
Bum Leg (2): -4 on Jump and Tumble, -2
penalty on Climb and Move Silent. You take
a -1 penalty when making an attack after
taking a 5' step. Speed reduced by 5’
This flaw counts as two flaws
Disturbing: Failed diplomacy or wild
empathy checks result in worsening attitude
changes of 2 steps. –2 on Diplomacy Checks.
This flaw is also called Gruff depending on the character
Light Sensitivity: Vulnerability to light is
doubled in terms of penalties and duration.
Lack of Magical Aptitude: Must use one spell
slot of highest level to memorize a spell of a
lower level.
Odd Metabolism: Cannot benefit from
Potion magic.
Unlucky Combatant: Generates criticals w/
weapons only on a roll of 20 and must
confirm the critical twice.
Pariah: Cannot use items only useable by
your race. -3 on Diplomacy checks w/ your race.
You are not proficient with weapons that your
race is automatically proficient with.
Inept Wizard
Req:Wizard 1st
Penalty: You are considered one level lower than other wizards for purposes of spells per day (with the exception of first), and you halve the number of bonus spells from intelligence you gain from each spell level that you have. For example, Mialee, the inept wizard is 6th level. He has a base of 4 level 0, 3 level 1, 2 level 2 and 1 level 3 spell. In order to multiclass, you must first take a feat to counteract this flaw.
Inept Fighter
Req: Fighter 1st
Penalty: You take a -1 penalty to your BAB, and you don't get your fighter bonus feat at first level.
Inept Sorcerer
Req: Sorcerer 1st
Penalty: You are considered one level lower than other sorcerers for purposes of spells per day (with the exception of first), and you halve the number of bonus spells from charisma you gain from each spell level that you have. For example, Hennet, the inept sorcerer is 6th level. He has a base of 6 level 0, 6 level 1, 4 level 2 and 0 level 3 spells. In order to multiclass, you must first take a feat to counteract this flaw.
I'll try and do the rest another day. Must sleep now.
Master Keebs
effect-you have killer halatosis(-4 to cha. & others must make a fort. save or faint/die from you killer breath)
[rimg]Cloistered
Prerequisite: Member of a religious or monastic order.
You've lived in a monastery all your life and have little experience in the ways of the outside world.
Effect: You take a -4 penalty on all Profession, Sense Motive, and Survival checks.
Drop religious/monastic prereq? This could also be viable for a human raised by paranoid parents, a dwarf who stayed underground and avoided contact with others, similar things. I just think it should be open to more classes.
it effects other people silly(the save or die part)!
Exactly. So does a vorpal sword. The difference being that this works without rolling a natural 20, and requires a saving throw.
Dragon's Breath
You have the breath of your draconic ancestor.
PreReq: Draconic Heritage (CA)
Whenever you cast a spell without preparation, you gain a cloud of horrible sufuric stench from your breath for a number of rounds equal to the spell's level. This cloud causes all within it (excluding yourself) to make a fort save DC 10+spell level+con or be sickened for the duration of it's stay in the cloud+1d4 rounds after. This is a supernatural ability.
Draconic heritage is a sorcerer-only feat from complete arcane that opens up otehr feats, called draconic feats to further play into the stereotype that sorcerers have craconic ancestors. Heritage gives you resistance to your draconic ancestor's energy type 5 (I think).
Master Keebs
Balance is probably way off, but I was thinking about a flaw that gives a penalty to Move Silently and Listen to the rest of the party (or those within 10 ft, or similar). The idea is that your character is loud, clumsy, stupid, etc. - basically always making noises (mostly talking, but stepping on things would be included) and drawing attention. I described it to a friend as: even when you (the player) aren't talking, the character probably still is.
Great idea. Balance might be hard, but not impossible.
Improviser
Your have been forced most of your life to come up it improvised tools rather, and you’ve gotten quite good it at. However, you never really learned how to use the “right tool.”
Benefit: You no longer suffer a penalty when using improvised tools
Draw Back: You don’t receive the benefit of masterwork tools.
Special: If you have the Tool Freak trait, you can not gain this trait
Tool Freak
You always must have the right tool for the job, and you get discouraged when you don’t.
Benefit: When ever you have the right tool for a job, you get a +1 bonus to the necessary check. If the tool is master work, you gain a +2 bonus that stacks with the master work tools.
Draw Back: When ever you improvise a tool, you receive an additional -2 penalty when using it.
Special: If you have the Improviser trait, you can not gain this trait.
Improviser
Your have been forced most of your life to come up it improvised tools rather, and you’ve gotten quite good it at. However, you never really learned how to use the “right tool.”
Benefit: You no longer suffer a penalty when using improvised tools
Draw Back: You don’t receive the benefit of masterwork tools.
Special: If you have the Tool Freak trait, you can not gain this trait
Tool Freak
You always must have the right tool for the job, and you get discouraged when you don’t.
Benefit: When ever you have the right tool for a job, you get a +1 bonus to the necessary check. If the tool is master work, you gain a +2 bonus that stacks with the master work tools.
Draw Back: When ever you improvise a tool, you receive an additional -2 penalty when using it.
Special: If you have the Improviser trait, you can not gain this trait.
The problem with these traits is that people very rarely need to use improvised tools. Even past that, you never specify what skills that use tools can be affected by these flaws. You could say that a book is a 'tool' for a knowledge check, do you get the bonus when using them? make it a bit more specific.
Balance is probably way off, but I was thinking about a flaw that gives a penalty to Move Silently and Listen to the rest of the party (or those within 10 ft, or similar). The idea is that your character is loud, clumsy, stupid, etc. - basically always making noises (mostly talking, but stepping on things would be included) and drawing attention. I described it to a friend as: even when you (the player) aren't talking, the character probably still is.
How about -3 to Move Silently/Listen to all allies w/in 10 ft. Can be ignored 2x per day via a Concentration check (if you REALLY try, you can shut the **** up and not fiddle around with things). Futhermore, all allies gain a +1 to damage - kind of a taking out their frustrations on the other guy complex.
When you are hurt, your adrenaline kicks in-but in a bad way
Prequistives: The rage or frenzy ability
Effect: Any time you take damage, you must make a will save (DC 12+half of damage taken) or enter your rage. This drains one of the times you may use your rage or frenzy. Also, you take double the AC penalties, and gain only half of the other bonuses.
Armor Lover
You need armor to feel safe
Effect: When you are not wearing armor, your AC goes down by 4
I Hate Talking
You rather fight than talk
Effect: Whenever you are forced to talk or wait while others are talking for 2 minutes, roll a percentile dice. If you get 25 or under, you attack the nearest character
Till Death Do Us Part
You are attached to a friend-enough that if their not witth you, you get scared
Effect: Choose a friend or party member. If you are not within 40 feet of them, you become shakened.
Special: You can take this flaw multiple times. Each time you take it, it applies to a new friend
A few changes I would make: I would boost the range to 100 feet, but the friend would have to be in sight at all times. Also, each subsequent time you take the flaw, you could add another person or cut the distance you can stray from a previously designated friend by half. For some character concepts, the person might be changed under different circumstances. (The chieftain's bodyguard might need to be near the chieftain, regardless of who the chieftain actually is!)
Skittish [General]
You’re extremely high-strung, making you quicker to react than most others.
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus to Initiative and a +1 bonus to Reflexes saves.
Pessimist (Trait)
“For picking my pocket, I hereby place my curse upon you. Whatever can go wrong in your life, will go wrong with your life.”
You always keep an eye out for things can go wrong. On the other hand, your pessimism makes you rather unpleasant to be around.
Benefit: You get a +1 bonus to Spot and Listen checks, and a +1 bonus to Reflexes saves.
Penalty: You take a -2 penalty to Charisma checks for social interaction.
“For picking my pocket, I hereby place my curse upon you. Whatever can go wrong in your life, will go wrong with your life.”
-Murphy the Magician to a local Rogue (now affectionately called ‘Stumpy’ in his new home at the leper colony outside town).
Great flaw, too.
Shoddy Construction
They must have been cutting corners the day you came out of the creation forge.
Prerequisite: Warforged
Effect: Although you still cannot wear armor, you receive no armor bonus from your innate composite plating. You can still have it enchanted if you wish for the normal price. If you take a feat to boost your armor, halve the bonus it provides (as always, round down).
Glass Jaw
Though it isn't necessarily an actual glass jaw (though it certainly could be), your delicate components are far more vulnerable than most warforged.
Prerequisite: Warforged
Effect: You do not receive the standard fortification of a warforged. If you would ever receive moderate fortification (50%), you receive light (25%). If you would ever receive immunity to critical hits, you instead gain moderate fortification (50%).
Fickle Fate
When things don't go your way, they really don't go your way.
Prerequisite: Action points
Effect: Whenever you expend an action point to improve a roll and still fail to meet the DC, you are treated as if you rolled a natural 1. If it's any consolation, you still get the bonus from the action point.
Hapless
You're far less heroic than your peers.
Prerequisite: Action points
Effect: At each level-up, you gain a base of 1/2 your level in action points.
Normal: You gain 5+1/2 your level.
Alchemical Caster
Your magic requires complicated reagents to function.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast arcane spells or infusions.
Effect: All spells and infusions you use require material components. Spells that do not have material components already are of negligable cost, but those that already have components of negligable cost require additional components costing 10 GP per spell level. Spells that already have expensive components require no additional components. You also cannot take the Eschew Materials feat. You should work with your DM to come up with what these extra components are.
Flawed Crafter
Whether because you cut corners, you were improperly trained, or you just plain can't get it right, nothing you produce ever comes out the way you expect.
Prerequisite: Craft reserve
Effect: Most items you create are cursed in some way. Whenever you create an item, roll on the table on page 272 of the DMG to determine how. Instead of a specific cursed item, a roll of 91-100 results in the item actually coming out right.
Flawed Crafter
Whether because you cut corners, you were improperly trained, or you just plain can't get it right, nothing you produce ever comes out the way you expect.
Prerequisite: Craft reserve
Effect: Most items you create are cursed in some way. Whenever you create an item, roll on the table on page 272 of the DMG to determine how. Instead of a specific cursed item, a roll of 91-100 results in the item actually coming out right.
Ouch.
Dead Eye
You are the most acurate shot in your town. Unfortunatly, you suck at hand to hand fighting
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on attacks with ranged weapons
Penalty: Whenever you're using a melee weapon you take a -2 penalty on attack rolls
Roleplaying: Your character may be arrogant and try to hide his weakness, or he might simply be ashamed of his cheap shotness
Dead Eye
You are the most acurate shot in your town. Unfortunatly, you suck at hand to hand fighting
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus on attacks with ranged weapons
Penalty: Whenever you're using a melee weapon(besides your fist) you take a -3 penalty on attack rolls
Roleplaying: Your character may be arrogant and try to hide his weakness, or he might simply be ashamed of his cheap shotness
A few points. 1: More unbalanced than the Buster Sword. Why wouldn't every monk in the world take this? +3 with their sling in exchange for a -3 on nothing? It should be -3 to all melee attacks, even fists. 2: There is already a flaw that gives -2 to melee attacks. 3: A +3 to ranged attacks is far to large. For example, Weapon Focus provides a +1 bonus to one weapon. 4: If I remember correctly, there is already a trait that gives +1 to ranged and -1 to melee (and vice versa).
Just my 2cp,
Master Keebs
Bad w/ Animals: No wild empathy, No animal
companions, -3 on Handle Animal checks.
I'm assuming this is only available to druids ? If not, a fighter or rogue would take it Always. If yes, please add it in the description.
Slow Healer: Hp gained from rest are halved.
Hp gains from magical healing are reduced by 1 point / die rolled.
What if a spell heals damage without dice rolls? Otherwise I think its ok, maybe little too weak.
Bum Leg (2): -4 on Jump and Tumble, -2 penalty on Climb and Move Silent. You take a -1 penalty when making an attack after taking a 5' step. Speed reduced by 5’ This flaw counts as two flaws
Nice
. Perhaps instead saying that it counts as two flaws it would be simpler to say that it grants 2 feats ? (unless you refer to flaw limit per character that is)Disturbing: Failed diplomacy or wild empathy checks result in worsening attitude changes of 2 steps. –2 on Diplomacy Checks. This flaw is also called Gruff depending on the character
Well, this flaw is a must-have for anyone who doesn't care about diplomacy anyway.
Light Sensitivity: Vulnerability to light is doubled in terms of penalties and duration.
Do you need to have vul. in the first place?
Lack of Magical Aptitude: Must use one spell slot of highest level to memorize a spell of a lower level.
Is it only for spellcasters? Still, I think it gets too weak at higher levels, when you have 30+ spells you can afford to use one 9th level slot to cast 8th level spell.
Odd Metabolism: Cannot benefit from Potion magic.
We already have such flaw (selective digestion).
Unlucky Combatant: Generates criticals w/ weapons only on a roll of 20 and must confirm the critical twice.
We already have such flaw (Criticalless Adventurer)
Pariah: Cannot use items only useable by your race. -3 on Diplomacy checks w/ your race. You are not proficient with weapons that your race is automatically proficient with.
Ok, a human barbarian will love this flaw: he doesn't care about diplomacy, has no human-specific items (unless DM makes some) and doesn't loose any weapon proficiency.
Inept Fighter
Req: Fighter 1st
Penalty: You take a -1 penalty to your BAB, and you don't get your fighter bonus feat at first level.
I think that BAB-1 is punishing enought. And it doesn't need to be fighter-specific. No one says there has to be flaw for each class ;)
Inept sorcerer/wizard
It might work as you suggest it, but perhaps simpler way would be to say that a character simply loses one highest-level slot (and when he advances in levels, always highest slot is lost). Or you could go with some sort of caster level penalty.
Drop religious/monastic prereq? This could also be viable for a human raised by paranoid parents, a dwarf who stayed underground and avoided contact with others, similar things. I just think it should be open to more classes.
Good idea, but its not mine flaw but SaddestPleasure's. If he agrees, I'll change the flaw.
flaw-dragonsbreath
effect-you have killer halatosis(-4 to cha. & others must make a fort. save or faint/die from you killer breath)
Besides the fact that this is clearly overpowered, its a trait, not flaw, because it gives you ability and penalty.
Balance is probably way off, but I was thinking about a flaw that gives a penalty to Move Silently and Listen to the rest of the party (or those within 10 ft, or similar). The idea is that your character is loud, clumsy, stupid, etc. - basically always making noises (mostly talking, but stepping on things would be included) and drawing attention. I described it to a friend as: even when you (the player) aren't talking, the character probably still is.
I don't like it. Remember that D&D is a team game. You want to get a feat and in exchange others have penalties? How selfish is that? IMO it cannot be balanced unless all players take flaw like this one (at which point they might be eager to kill eachother so they keep feat and get rid of penalty).
Terrified Rage
When you are hurt, your adrenaline kicks in-but in a bad way
Prequistives: The rage or frenzy ability
Effect: Any time you take damage, you must make a will save (DC 12+half of damage taken) or enter your rage. This drains one of the times you may use your rage or frenzy. Also, you take double the AC penalties, and gain only half of the other bonuses.
It looks ok, but I wonder why base DC 12 ?
Armor Lover
You need armor to feel safe
Effect: When you are not wearing armor, your AC goes down by 4
It seems like an interesting idea, but most warriors fight with their armors on. Perhaps change it to shields? They are easier to destroy. Also lover doesn't sound right to me, maybe reliant on armor?
I Hate Talking
You rather fight than talk
Effect: Whenever you are forced to talk or wait while others are talking for 2 minutes, roll a percentile dice. If you get 25 or under, you attack the nearest character
What does forced exactly mean? From what I know the only way (except spells) to force someone to talk is to torture him. Also, can I take this flaw, and then, when anyone is talking for 11 rounds, just wander away so I don't attack anyone ?
Till Death Do Us Part
What if you are immune to fear? If immunity works, this is perfect flaw for paladins. Also, does familiar or animal companion count as friend?
Skittish [General]
You’re extremely high-strung, making you quicker to react than most others.
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus to Initiative and a +1 bonus to Reflexes saves.
This is feat, wrong thread
Pessimist (Trait)
“For picking my pocket, I hereby place my curse upon you. Whatever can go wrong in your life, will go wrong with your life.”
-Murphy the Magician to a local Rogue (now affectionately called ‘Stumpy’ in his new home at the leper colony outside town).
You always keep an eye out for things can go wrong. On the other hand, your pessimism makes you rather unpleasant to be around.
Benefit: You get a +1 bonus to Spot and Listen checks, and a +1 bonus to Reflexes saves.
Penalty: You take a -2 penalty to Charisma checks for social interaction.
Waaaay too good. For someone who doesn't care about social interaction (there are quite a few character concepts that don't) this is a nobrainer.
This has been said a million times: Do not use charisma-related penalties as trait or flaw's effects (unless its a trait and the benefits are also socially oriented).
Some I made for Eberron:
Its been a while since I peeked at eberron, so I'll leave judgement about those flaws to someone who sits deeper in it.
Dead Eye
You are the most acurate shot in your town. Unfortunatly, you suck at hand to hand fighting
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus on attacks with ranged weapons
Penalty: Whenever you're using a melee weapon(besides your fist) you take a -3 penalty on attack rolls
Roleplaying: Your character may be arrogant and try to hide his weakness, or he might simply be ashamed of his cheap shotness
Its far too good. I'd change it to something like: you gain +1 bonus on all ranged attack rolls. You suffer -2 penalty on all other attack rolls (OR you suffer -2 penalty on AC against ranged attacks).
Due to your...odor, it is easy to track you. In addition, Those with keen scents of smell find you extremely irritating
Penalty: All creaturs that can track you by scent recieve a +8 to Survival checks made to track you. Those that can track, but not by smell, recieve a +4 instead. In addition, creatures with a highly developed sense of smell always start one attitude category worse when 30 ft or closer to you.
True Name
All Fey and some Fey companions have a true name. No two beings have the same true name. Fey automatically know his or her true name. They become aware of it during maturity. Fey are not considered to have reached maturity until they have learned there true name. A true name is learned on a quest or during similar circumstances when one is pushed to their limits. Most fey keep their name secret, but a few share it with those closest to them.
Fey cannot be called back from the dead, without the caller knowing their true name. Fey companions cannot receive a true resurrection spell without the caster knowing there true name. This is only the case if there is no body or remains. True Fey cannot be the subject of speak with dead or similar spells, without the caster knowing their true name. This is not the case with Fey companions.
Knowing a Fey’s True name gives you certain powers over them. Fey Receive a -4 to all saves against mind effecting spells or compulsions from a caster that knows there true name. Fey companions only take a -2. Both fey and Fey companions can be the subject of spells that normally require the subject to be willing (whether or not they actually are willing) if the caster knows their true name. Unwilling fey and fey companions receive a will saving throw to avoid this effect.
The Impact of hearing ones true name spoken harshly deals a physical blow to the fey or fey companioning. This damage is effectively X points of non lethal damage to fey, X to fey companions. This can only be used once. If the person misusing the name was up to that point trusted by the fey, the speaking deals X extra points of damage. If the name had been told to that person by the fey in question, it deals X points of extra damage (for a total of X points in the most extreme circumstance). This bypasses all forms of damage reduction and spell resistance.
A fey or fey companion can swear by their true name, an act that grants them a +4 on diplomacy and other similar checks when dealing with someone who knows the value of a true name. An oath sworn to by a true name is binding to that fey. Failure to comply with a True Name Sworn oath causes a mark to appear on the forehead of the fey or companion marking that being as an Oath Breaker. Oath Breakers are treated as outcasts from the fey. They take a -10 penalty on all social checks involving fey or others who understand the nature of the mark. Few fey will socialize with them and it is highly unlikely the word of that fey will ever be trusted again. A atonement spells is needed to remove the penalties and the mark associated with being an Oath Breaker.
All fey know of true names as do some others, primarily druids. Non-fey may make a knowledge nature check, or bardic knowledge check (dc 20) to determine knowledge or lack of knowledge regarding true names. A successful check shows that the being understands a true name and its significance. A check that fails by less than 2 (that is if the dc is 18 or 19) shows that the being knows of true names and their lore but does not fully understand their meaning. Failure beyond this means the being knows nothing of true names, a new check can not be made until the being gains a new rank in knowledge nature.
Druids have a closer relationship to the fey than most, they get a unnamed bonus of +4 on this check. Elves are also closer to fey than most, by merit of their bloodline. Full elves get a +3 on this check, half elves a +1. Bards get a +2 check. Those having lived around fey or in fey inhabited regions get a +1 on this check. Non druid classes (most commonly ranger) may get a +1 or better on this check if they have devoted time or interest to the fey, this bonus is purely at the dm’s discretion. All bonuses stack.
_______________________________________________________________
This would also allow A caster to summon the given player with summon spells. A sumon natures ally spell would summon the charicter for that ammount of time. This could only be done with the true name.
This could also perminitly summon the player with a spell that perminintly summons creatures. not sure what that spell is or what its called or how it works. The flaw isent done yet, but we are playing with it so far.
True Name
You have a true name that only you know.
You have a true name that is bestowed on you when you reach maturity (ie. the base age given in the PHB for the race in question). This name is different than your given name. You may tell this name to other people, and they gain several powers over you. Any healing spells cast on you are cast at +1 effective caster level if the caster knows your true name. All other spells that help you in some way (from your point of view) are also cast at +1 caster level if the caster knows your true name. On the other hand, all spells cast at you that harm you (from your point of view) are cast at +1 caster level and you suffer a -2 to saves against said spells if the caster knows your true name. Any divination spell of level 6 or above targeted at the character automatically reveal their true name if they fail their saves. This includes heightened spells.
Just my 2cp,
Master Keebs
Surface Eyes
You are from a subteranean race and your eyes have become adapted to surface living over a period of time.
Prerequisite: Must have Darkvision and have Light Sensitivity penalties.
Benefit: You no longer suffer from your Light Sensetivity penalties.
Drawback: Your Darkvision range has been cut in half
You are particularly avaricious, valuing money and material wealth over everything else- even your own safety.
Benefit: You gain +4 to Search checks when searching for valuables
Drawback: You take a -4 penalty to Diplomacy checks when dealing with merchants or with matters concerning your own money or belongings.
Roleplaying ideas: Greedy characters may just be particularly motivated by the gain of wealth, or may be- in extreme cases- incredibly selfish and may horde their items and money, being unwilling to share a much needed potion with a wounded ally, or be unwilling to spend money to pay for the resurrection of a fallen friend, etc.
Here is a trait for ya guys...
One of the best so far! ;)
An idea:
Overweight [Flaw]
No matter the reason or what you try to do, your character cannot maintain a balanced weight.
Penalty: Determine how higher and how heavier your character is from the shortest and lightest normal using the random generation tables for your race; calculate your character's weight as if your roll had come up maxed out and add to that your initial weight. Your character's thus generated additional weight always counts against encumbrance.
Roleplaying Hints: Your character either does not care, is apathetic, or, more probably, has a sore spot about his extra weight.
For example, your male human character is 5' 8" heigh and weighs 170 lb... or so he would if he was not overweight! He surpasses the lowest margin by 10" and 50 lb. respectively; now, for 10", he should have had a maximum of 80 lb. above the minimum (2d4
Due to a fear of any therianthropic creatures, you rely too heavily on silvered weapons.
Drawback: When a person uses a weapon that isn't made from silver, that person suffers a -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls.
I thought of making a similar cold iron dependent flaw, but cold iron is (from what I understand) relatively inexpensive to make.
True name is too complex IMO and it requires its own mechanics. If you can fit it into, say, 6 lines of text, that would be great.
Overweight and flatulant are not balanced. Overweight is basically bonus feat while flatulant is either very weak flaw, or makes character unplayable - depending on the campaign.
Overweight and flatulant are not balanced. Overweight is basically bonus feat while flatulant is either very weak flaw, or makes character unplayable - depending on the campaign.
So, you basically mean that, for a human, it is of no consequence to effectively carry around additional weight that you will never use... What, do you think, would make it balanced? Mind you, the above example easily encumbers a low-Strength character; in case you haven't noticed it, going beyond your light load encumbers you, and you must have a Strength score of at least 17 (!) to have a light load that surpasses 80 lbs...
EDIT: this might work better, and also make a more interesting character - you roll your character's weight once more, as if your height modifier roll came up maximum (or half that; please comment on this); for example, a human would always add 2d4
So, you basically mean that, for a human, it is of no consequence to effectively carry around additional weight that you will never use...
I wouldn't say it is of no conseqence, but for strong character this flaw is of little consequence. And even if it would be at low levels, later you can easily get bags of holding. ;)
What, do you think, would make it balanced? Mind you, the above example easily encumbers a low-Strength character;
So a player with low Str will not take the flaw. Instead a player with high Str score will take it. Always assume players min-max and choose best possible combination.
in case you haven't noticed it, going beyond your light load encumbers you, and you must have a Strength score of at least 17 (!) to have a light load that surpasses 80 lbs...
I didn't have to notice this because I still remember that encumbrance doesn't stack with armor penalties. So a Str 18 fighter picks this flaw and for few points off his carry limit he gains a free feat.
One of the things I could do would be to add a the mean height modifier times the maximum weight modifier to your weight; this way, all humans with the Flaw would weigh an additional 88 lbs., and so on.
Just don't make rules too complex. Easy solution (not necessarily the best one) might be limiting this flaw to only characters with Str 10 or less.
OK, so, how's this: I could make a figure with the additional weight added to a character's load and weight(a constant number based on his or her race), then say that the DC for Constitution checks (weather, running, etc.) increases by +2 on every interval, not +1.
Just remeber about KISS rule.
I'm waiting for full updated flaw to judge.
Overweight [Flaw]
No matter the reason or what you try to do, your character cannot maintain a balanced weight.
Penalty: On any and all checks you make covered by the Endurance feat, the increase applied to the DC for each time interval is +2, not +1; your character's heavier by 40 lbs. (50 lbs. for half-orcs, 25 lbs. for halflings), and you always apply this weight against your load.
Roleplaying Hints: Your character either does not care, is apathetic, or, more probably, has a sore spot about his extra weight.
OK, how's this, then?
Overweight [Flaw]
No matter the reason or what you try to do, your character cannot maintain a balanced weight.
Penalty: On any and all checks you make covered by the Endurance feat, the increase applied to the DC for each time interval is +2, not +1; your character's heavier by 40 lbs. (50 lbs. for half-orcs, 25 lbs. for halflings), and you always apply this weight against your load.
Roleplaying Hints: Your character either does not care, is apathetic, or, more probably, has a sore spot about his extra weight.
Definitely better, added.
Definitely better, added.
Cool; glad you liked it now! ;)
And how do you like these?
Bad Back
Your back has always been keeping you down when it comes to hard work.
Penalty: Your carrying capacity is half what it would normally be; you take a -2 penalty on all Strength-based ability and skill checks.
Hexed Before Birth
You could easily stumble on your own shoelaces even if they are tied up.
Penalty: You take a -1 luck penalty on your AC and saving throws; these replace any luck bonus you might have as a racial trait.
Klutz
You cannot coordinate your actions.
Penalty:You take a -2 penalty on all Dexterity-based skill checks and a -1 penalty on attack rolls; you purchase feats with a minimum Dexterity score requirement as if your Dexterity score was lower by 4.
(NOTE: that's a German word, kloz, meaning: block, lump)
Cool; glad you liked it now! ;)
And how do you like these?
Bad Back
Your back has always been keeping you down when it comes to hard work.
Penalty: Your carrying capacity is half what it would normally be; you take a -2 penalty on all Strength-based ability and skill checks.
Hexed Before Birth
You could easily stumble on your own shoelaces even if they are tied up.
Penalty: You take a -1 luck penalty on your AC and saving throws; these replace any luck bonus you might have as a racial trait.
Klutz
You cannot coordinate your actions.
Penalty:You take a -2 penalty on all Dexterity-based skill checks and a -1 penalty on attack rolls; you purchase feats with a minimum Dexterity score requirement as if your Dexterity score was lower by 4.
(NOTE: that's a German word, kloz, meaning: block, lump)
All those flaws are either in 1st post or in UA in one form or another.
Barbaric
You are deeply uncomfortable in what most people consider civilization.
Effect: You gain a –2 penalty to all actions (including attacks) while in any settlement larger than a village or private estate.
Chronic Nightmares
You are periodically afflicted by intense night terrors.
Effect: Each night, there is a 25% chance that you suffer a nightmare, as per the spell. You receive a DC 20 Will save to resist the effect.
Special: At the DM's discretion, the odds of having a nightmare may be increased if a particularly horrific event took place that day.
Equiphobe
You possess an irrational fear of and revulsion towards horses and horse-like creatures.
Effect: You are shaken by the sight of any individual equine that is Small or Medium, frightened by any equine that is Large or Huge, and panicked by any equine that is Gargantuan or Colossal. If touched by any equine, you must make a Will save vs DC 15 + 1/2 the creature's HD + the creature's Charisma modifier or become nauseous. If you fail this save while already nauseous, you pass out.
For the purposes of this flaw, groups of equines that take up as much space as a single creature of a greater size category affect you as if they were a single creature of that size.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have immunity to fear. If you take this flaw and later acquire immunity to fear, the sight of any equine (or a group of equines) affects you as if the creature was one size category smaller than it actually is.
Your phobia is a deep-seated condition that cannot be removed by magic.
Impressionable
You place too much value on appearances, first impressions, and public opinion.
Effect: You take a –4 penalty to Sense Motive checks, and a –2 penalty to all Knowledge checks.
Outcast
Choose a nation, faith, or similarly large and influential organization. This group has marked you as a pariah, and its members, adherents, and followers shun you.
Effect: You cannot legally obtain goods or services from NPCs who are affiliated with the chosen group and aware of your status, nor can you find employment, except perhaps in the performance of certain highly unpleasant and potentially hazardous tasks.
You can attempt a Disguise check to avoid recognition, but observers gain a +5 bonus on opposed Spot checks (your Reputation bonus replaces this modifier, if that optional rule is in use). If your disguise is penetrated, the entire community will usually be informed of your identity within 24 hours.
Special: This flaw may be taken multiple times. Each time you take it, another powerful organization declares you an outcast.
People who are not affiliated with the chosen group(s) may still deal with you.
Painfully Honest
You have a strong aversion to lying.
Effect: Whenever you knowingly tell a lie, you take a –1 penalty to all your ability scores, or a –2 penalty if the person you deceived was important to you; multiple lies have a cumulative effect, and the penalties remain until you confess to the one(s) you deceived, or atone (as per the atonement spell).
You are still able to conceal or exaggerate the truth to some degree.
Special: The skills Bluff, Diguise, and Forgery are inherently deceptive. If you have this flaw, you may not be able to employ some uses of these skills (discussion with the DM is advised).
Thin Skinned*
You are more susceptible to harm.
Effect: You take one additional point of damage each time you are wounded.
Vermiphobe**
You possess an irrational fear of and revulsion towards vermin.
Effect: You are shaken by the sight of any individual vermin that is Fine or Diminutive, frightened by any vermin that is Tiny or Small, and panicked by any vermin that is Medium-sized or larger. If touched by any vermin, you must make a Will save vs DC 15 +1/2 the creature's HD + the creature's Charisma modifier or become nauseous. If you fail this save while already nauseous, you pass out.
For the purposes of this flaw, groups of equines that take up as much space as a single creature of a greater size category affect you as if they were a single creature of that size.
Special: You cannot take this flaw if you have immunity to fear. If you take this flaw and later acquire immunity to fear, the sight of any vermin (or a group of vermin) affects you as if the creature was one size category smaller than it actually is.
Your phobia is a deep-seated condition that cannot be removed by magic.
*: Same name and effect as the d20 Future mutation.
**: UA defines vermiphobia as the fear of worms, but this flaw is intended to address the Vermin type. It has the same effects as Equiphobe (above), adjusted for the smaller relative size of most Vermin.
Insane
Benefit: Add 6 to your charisma score, and use charisma for will saves.d
Drawback: Your wisdom decreases by 6, to a minimum of 3
Special: Though you might think otherwise, the derro have members of their race that even they consider nutjobs. If a derro takes this trait., it stacks with their existing racial insanity.
Flaw:
Demonic Heritage
Effect: Everyone can tell you a very distantly related to a demon. this doesn't really do anything for you, but you recieve a -6 penalty on all charisma based skill checks except intimidate against mortals.
Scapegoat
Effect: It's all your fault, perhaps you are cursed by a deity, or maybe you simply attract attention. Whenever something bad happens, roll D%, on a roll of 01-50, you have hordes of townsfolk, and possibly your own party, chasing you down blaming you for it. You may be arrested for murders you didn't commit, or anything similar. Merchants in a bad mood swear your stealing something from them and double or triple their price. Basically everyone is dead sure you've done something wrong.
Insane
Benefit: Add 6 to your charisma score, and use charisma for will saves.d
Drawback: Your wisdom decreases by 6, to a minimum of 3
Special: Though you might think otherwise, the derro have members of their race that even they consider nutjobs. If a derro takes this trait., it stacks with their existing racial insanity.
This actually gives you a benefit, as it raises your will save by at least 3 (who in their right minds would take this with a high wisdom?) and limits the loss of wisdom. Seeing as most characters would have at least one score of 8 or lower, it is very easy to abuse this. If point buy is used, it gets even worse. I like the idea, though, but it needs some reviewing. I would start by making the charisma increase by 4, and only make it allowable by characters with wisdom of 9 or more.
Demonic Heritage
Effect: Everyone can tell you a very distantly related to a demon. this doesn't really do anything for you, but you recieve a -6 penalty on all charisma based skill checks except intimidate against mortals.
I like it. Maybe a little harsh, seeing as existing feats lower rolls by less than this IIRC.
Scapegoat
Effect: It's all your fault, perhaps you are cursed by a deity, or maybe you simply attract attention. Whenever something bad happens, roll D%, on a roll of 01-50, you have hordes of townsfolk, and possibly your own party, chasing you down blaming you for it. You may be arrested for murders you didn't commit, or anything similar. Merchants in a bad mood swear your stealing something from them and double or triple their price. Basically everyone is dead sure you've done something wrong.
This sounds like my old DM, except for the fact that you get to roll. Playing with this is pure hell, and you should get two feats and a vorpal army for taking it. Consider all the actions you do during a regular session. Replace all those acts with fights, perhaps with your own party or with a thousand innocents. Scary.
benifit-you have the powerful build trait
flaw-you have +1 to chalenge rating
tell me what you thinkg of it,please!
Insomniac
You have a hard time sleeping.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to saving throws against sleep spells and effects.
Drawback: You require 12 hours of sleep before you are fully rested.
And if someone equips a ring of sustenance, reducing sleep requirements to 2? I suppose would could make it 6 with ring.
@Sleepyhead flaw
Same thing about ring of sustenance, also, a -4 penalty to all sleep spells and effects.
Also, what of elves who need no sleep, just 4 hours meditation? I suppose they wouldn't qualify for either.
Also, might be obvious but not mentioned.. Anyone deaf should be resistant/immune to sonic attacks (I suppose if the sonic attack was severe enough it could shake your body doing damage) But also a reduction in effectiveness of any sonic attack cast by them as well.
Anyone blind should be resistant or immune to blinding spells like sunbeam etc.
Blind people could have blind sense. (go figure) But require listen checks to determine where anything is relative to them, and a 75% miss chance on any range or ranged touch attacks, including spells that normally always hit. But not including area effect spells.
Also, reduction in speed in unfamiliar territories and a need to use some kind of tool to feel out to prevent collisions with solid objects. This can be partially negated with the right trained pet.
A flaw, arm missing from birth.
You have one less arm for equipping, fighting etc. Carrying capacity is reduced 25%. -2 penalty on balance checks. -8 penalty on climb checks.(plus any other skills that really could use two arms)
Casting a spell with somatic components takes twice as long and/or has a 50% failure chance (rolled after armor arcane failure roles)
Can't be regenerated. Yeah, its harsh. *shrugs*
No, they really shouldn't. The flaw has to be more harmful than the feat it grants. The player is always going to take a flaw that is as small of a detriment to his character as possible, and a feat that helps him as much as possible. If you make the flaw theoretically equal to the feat, then you're just screaming for someone to come in and min/max.
This is D and D not Freak legion. Oh wait, we have flaws now heh never mind. Everything begs to have some one come in and min a max, Min in maxers and tuff dms exist not because of the material but because that's the way they are. Don’t let the fact some one is going to attempt to do something to offset your game, begin to make policy for you. Your a dm, simply learn a few words, first "no", second "no, but can we work something out?" Third if your feeling really generous "We'll give it a try, but I'm counting on you to realize this has gotten out of hand and we may have to fix this problem at a later date."
If your D and D troup puts you in constant fear that you need to be 23 steps ahead of them at all times (for fear they might slip something by on you) perhaps you should either find a new pack of friends, or your not cut out to dm.
goliath blood
benifit-you have the powerful build trait
flaw-you have +1 to chalenge rating
tell me what you thinkg of it,please!
Depending on your game and players it may or may not unbalance things. It sounds like a template not a feet. Not a terrible idea or anything (Simple can equal good in alot of cases, it saves huge arguments). I like it. But for players don't you mean level adjustment and not cr?
Annoying
You really get on people's nerves.
Effect: Any time an NPC or animal's attitude towards you worsens due to a failed Diplomacy or wild empathy check, it worsens by two steps (going from indifferent to hostile, for example).
How about amending it as follows:
Annoying
You really get on people's nerves.
Effect: Any time an NPC or animal's attitude towards you worsens due to a failed Diplomacy or wild empathy check, it worsens by two steps (going from indifferent to hostile, for example). This applies to any ally in your presense and anyone you are known to associate with as well. Special: Can only be taken if the DM included encounters that can't be handled through direct combat.
Flavor text needs to be changed to make this a more passive flaw somehow and not an implication of an active trait, probably. I would already apply similiar to martial types who dump CHA anyways through circumstance penalties against allies diplomacy roles in their presense, but I seem to have fixed that CHA dumping effect already.
Culinary Inadequacy
You can't cook.
Effect: You take a –4 penalty on any Profession skill check involving the preparation of food; in addition, whenever you attempt any culinary task, you must make a successful Profession check against DC 10 for the food to be edible. If you fail the check by 5 or less, the food you prepare is lacking in nutritional value; if it is the only food available, you must eat twice as much as you normally would each day in order to avoid starvation. If you fail the check by 6 or more, the food you prepare is completely inedible, wasting the ingredients.
Culinary Menace
You not only can't cook, you're a danger to yourself and others whenever you try.
Prerequisite: Culinary Inadequacy flaw.
Effect: Double all DCs for Profession skill checks involving the preparation of food. If you fail such a Profession check by 10 or more, treat it as a successful Craft (chemical) check against the unmodified DC, producing a random acid, explosive, or poison of appropriate intensity. You cannot deliberately fail a "cooking check" as an attempt to produce one of these substances.
These effects are cumulative with those of the Culinary Inadequacy flaw.
Ghost Among the Living
Your exposure to negative energy has left you vulnerable to certain positive energy effects.
Prerequisites: Ability to channel negative energy OR must have lost one or more levels to energy drain; cannot be undead.
Effects: You are treated as undead when targeted by smite evil and the spells detect evil, detect undead, and consecrate, and you can be turned as if you were undead, but not rebuked, commanded, or destroyed. You take 1 point of damage whenever you come into contact with holy water, or 1d4 damage if splashed with a vial of holy water. Other positive energy effects (such as cure spells) affect you normally, and you are still harmed by negative energy effects (such as inflict spells).
Special: If you take this flaw and later become undead, you lose the flaw and the bonus feat it grants you. If you are subsequently restored to life, you regain both the flaw and the bonus feat.
Lost Soul
You are no longer properly anchored to your home plane.
Prerequisite: Must have been subjected to at least one spell or effect involving dimensional storage, planar travel, or returning from the dead.
Effect: You gain the extraplanar subtype even when on your home plane. If affected by a spell that would normally send you to your home plane, such as banishment or dismissal, you are instead sent to the nearest transitive plane (Astral, Ethereal, or Shadow).
Low Hurl Factor
You are easily grossed out.
Effect: Whenever you would normally be sickened, you are nauseated instead. Whenever you would normally be nauseated, you must make a successful Will save against DC 15, or pass out.
Anyway,
/bump
And pls /sticky
Plus, Ever gonna trim some up? (no will DC in Hot Tempered, for example)
Thanks again!
Instead of increasing one of your ability scores by one point every 4 levels, you do it every 8 levels.
(If the PC starts with high ability scores, the DM should feel free to either forbid the flaw or to make it so an ability score will increase by one point every 10 levels. While by level 20 the PC will have increased his ability scores by the same amount as with every 8 levels, he will wait more for it. In the case of someone with particularly low ability scores, the flaw can be lowered so the PC gets an ability increase every 6 levels).
Your blood is composed of a strong acid or base.
Prerequisite: Tiefling, Half-Fiend, or Demon or Devil bloodline.
Benefit: You can use your blood as an splash weapon. By inflicting an open wound upon yourself as a free action, you can make melee touch attacks that deal 1d6 points of acid damage. Your blood eats through flesh, metal, stone and wood alike; even magic items touched by your blood suffers from the corrosion. Thus, while your self-inflicted open wound remains unhealed, anything within your grasp dissolves at the rate of 1 inch per round.
Drawback: You do not heal naturally with rest. Open wounds (such as those caused by a Wounding weapon) deal an addition 1 point acid damage per wound; this damage cannot be resisted by any mundane forms of acid resistance. Moreover, only a spells with the [Healing] descriptor can close your wounds. Unless "healed", your death is within 1d10 years of reaching adulthood.
Roleplaying Notes: A character with corrosive blood is always in pain, as his own blood eats away at him constantly from within. Those with this trait often adventure to seek a way to "heal" this "malady".
Flammable Blood [Trait]
The composition of your blood makes it easily combustible.
Prerequisite: Tiefling, Half-Fiend or Demon or Devil Bloodline
Benefit: Your blood burns at the same rate as oil and can be used to substitute for oil when it is unavailable.
Drawback: Whenever you have open wounds (such as those caused by a Wounding weapon), any spell or effect that allows a Reflex save against catching on fire causes you to take an additional 1d6 fire damage per wound; if you catch on fire and have open wounds, you suffer an additional 1d6 fire damage per wound every round you are on fire. Any effects with the [Fire] descriptor which target your blood force you to make an additional Fortitude saving throw (against the same DC) or die.
Roleplaying Notes: A character with flammable blood is generally cautious around fire; when injured and bleeding, most will do everything possible to avoid fires. Some have adapted to using their blood as a make-shift fuel for fires, but these individuals are few.
Voracious Reader [Trait]
You hunger for knowledge and read incessantly.
Benefit: You treat all Knowledge skills as class skills, regardless of the class you adopt. As long as you can consult your books, you may take 10 or take 20 (with the appropriate time adjustments) on any Knowledge check for which you have the appropriate books.
Drawback: You must spend at least 25% (rounded up) of your income on books, which you must always carry with you. You cannot participate in the destruction of books without a good reason (such as a paladin attempting to destroy the Book of Vile Darkness).
Roleplaying Notes: Voracious readers tend to be bookworms. Many hoard books, keeping them as treasures, while other seek knowledge for its own sake.
And, some Fallout traits.
Drug Dependant [Trait]
You like drugs, but you recover from addiction very easily.
Benefit: If you make two successful saving throws (not necessarily in a row), you recover from addiction and do not take additional damage due to addiction.
Drawback: You suffer a -4 penalty against saving throws to resist addiction to drugs.
Drug Resistant [Trait]
You don't like drugs, and your body reflects this.
Benefit: You gain a +4 to saving throws to resist addiction to drugs.
Drawback: Any bonuses granted by a drug lasts only half as long, although all penalties caused by the drug last their full duration.
You have been skilled with poison from an early age.
Prerequisite: Non-Lawful alignment
Benefit: You gain the poison use ability, and so never risk accidently poisoning yourself when applying poison to a blade.
Drawback: You have had this ability from an early age, and as such it is well known. When ever you are in a city that you have been to before, and are not diguised, there is a 50% chance that any guards you meet search you, with detect poison if possible.
Place Prepared For You.
Some really unpleasant power has first dibs on your soul when you die, should you die and be resurrected, the torments you suffer in the meantime will have lasting consequences.
You lose 1 extra level or CON point than normal when brought back to life (raise dead costs 2, true resurrection costs 1).
Jaded.
You have seen it all. So much so, that doubt and denial don't come naturally to you.
You suffer a -6 penalty to Will saves vs illusions.
Mute
Either from birth or by accident you cannot speak. You may still know and use written languages or sign languages, however you cannot speak. No magical powers can make you speak either.
companions, -3 on Handle Animal checks. You must be either a Druid or a Ranger to take this flaw.
Slow Healer: Hp gained from rest are halved.
Hp gains from magical healing are reduced by 1 point / die rolled or by 20% which ever is more.
Bum Leg: -4 on Jump and Tumble, -2 penalty on Climb and Move Silent. You take a -1 penalty when making an attack after taking a 5' step. Speed reduced by 5’. This flaw is not subject to healing. This flaw grants two feats.
Disturbing: You take –2 on Diplomacy checks or on Charisma checks when attempting to influence NPC's. A failed diplomacy or wild empathy checks result in worsening attitude changes of 2 steps. This flaw is also called Gruff depending on the character
Light Sensitivity: Your vulnerability to light is doubled in terms of penalties and duration. You must have a vulnerability to light to take this flaw.
Lack of Magical Aptitude: You must use one spell slot of highest of your highest level to memorize a spell of a lower level. You take a -1 penalty on Spellcraft and Knowledege: Arcana checks.
Pariah: You cannot use items only useable by your race. You take -3 on Diplomacy checks w/ your race and you are not proficient with weapons that your race is automatically proficient with. You must be nonhuman to take this flaw.
You managed to miss most of the ability to handle weapons most people like you have, but you did get a little
Effect: You are only considered to be proficient with one type of weapon (Selected as the Weapon Group Proficiencies feats). You are proficient in all varieties of the weapon that you would normally be proficient with (If you don't possess Martial Weapon proficiencies you only gain the Simple version). This does not effect racially granted weapon proficiencies. If you recieve Divine spells from a specific diety, this weapon type must be that Dieties favored weapon.
Limited Combat Training (Trait)
You managed to miss most of the ability to handle weapons most people like you have, but you did get a little
Penalty: You are only considered to be proficient with one type of weapon (Selected as the Weapon Group Proficiencies feats). You are proficient in all varieties of the weapon that you would normally be proficient with (If you don't possess Martial Weapon proficiencies you only gain the Simple version). This does not effect racially granted weapon proficiencies. If you recieve Divine spells from a specific diety, this weapon type must be that Dieties favored weapon.
Benefit: You gain the Weapon Focus feat for 1 weapon within the chosen group, further you may take any Fighter specific feat as if you were a fighter of 1/2 your level, but they only apply when dealing with a weapon of this Weapon Group. If you are a Fighter, your Fighter Level and BAB are treated as 5 higher for the purpose of selecting feats.
Elusive Fighter (Trait)
You are quick and agile, but you lack a lot of the accuracy most have.
Effect: You suffer a -2 penalty to BAB, but you gain Tumble and Escape Artist as class skills.
Effect: You take a -2 penalty to all Balance, Tumble, Climb, Jump, and Perform: Dance skill checks.
All Thumbs: You lack manual dexterity. (Flaw)
Effect: You take a -2 penalty to all Craft, Disable Device, Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, and Use Rope skill checks.
benifit-you gain +5 to knowlege(plays & playwrights)
flaw-you gain -5 to all other knowlege rolls that can't be related somehow to plays/playwrights(this applies to all knowledge rolls that arnt DIRECTLY related to a roll based upon plays/playwrights)
Heliophobia
Bright light is not only uncomfortable, but terrifying or even painful to you.
Effect: You are Blinded in the first round of exposure to sunlight, a daylight spell or similar, and Shaken for every round thereafter that you spend in that illuminated area.
Special: Taking the Daylight Adaptation feat will reduce this flaw to normal Light Blindness.
Magical Ineptitude
You have none of the magical talent your people normally possess.
Effect: You do not have any spell-like abilities.
Spell Susceptibility
For whatever reason (be it overuse of magic, exposure to an odd faerzress , or other incident, your spell resistance compared to that of other members of your race, is somewhat weaker.
Effect: Your natural spell resistance is reduced by -5.
Superiority Complex
Your arrogance knows no bounds, and you see no reason to use honey in your words when acid will suffice.
Effect: You are unable to use the Diplomacy skill at all, instead forced to alter the attitude of NPCs with Bluff or Intimidate only. All charisma-based checks are at a -2.
Illythiri Pride of Arms:
No other weapon but the ones your culture trains with will suffice.
Effect: You suffer a -4 penalty to all attack rolls with weapons other than the rapier, shortsword, hand crossbow, and shortbow, even with natural weapons or unarmed strikes.
Good Drow (With apologies to 'Ted Ragonstaff')
You're a good drow, aren't you boy? Yes, yesss you are! C'mere drow! Roll over! Atta boy!
Effect: You are of Good alignment, and barred from any Neutral or Evil alignment choices.
Special: Upon selecting this flaw, you are immediately found out and sacrificed to Lolth as a traitor to your race's goddess. Create a new character.
Good Drow (With apologies to 'Ted Ragonstaff')
You're a good drow, aren't you boy? Yes, yesss you are! C'mere drow! Roll over! Atta boy!
Effect: You are of Good alignment, and barred from any Neutral or Evil alignment choices.
Special: Upon selecting this flaw, you are immediately found out and sacrificed to Lolth as a traitor to your race's goddess. Create a new character.
Not all drow come from Lolth controled cities.
You pick feats to flesh out your character as well as to give them more power, and as above, so below; flaws can define some especially vulnerable aspect of your character. You pick feats to make the best of your character, and are likely to pick flaws that impact your character the least (unless you're a real masochist of course), hence why flaws are usually very not-good for your character.
Manic-depressive(also known as Bipolar Disorder)
You suffer from a mental disorder that causes a succession of highs and lows. Each state lasts 1d4 days, but certain events can trigger a sudden shift, such as the death of a comrade or the completion of a difficult goal, but it can also be small things, like constant bickering or somesuch.
Benefit
When you're in the Manic stage of the disorder, your character is in a perpetually euphoric state and gains +2 on every roll, and an extra +2 on Will saves.
Drawback
When in the Depressive stage of the disorder, your character is constantly depressed and pessimistic, suffering from -2 on every roll and an extra -2 on Will saves and Charisma-based checks.
How 'bout, for a trait:
Manic-depressive(also known as Bipolar Disorder)
You suffer from a mental disorder that causes a succession of highs and lows. Each state lasts 1d4 days, but certain events can trigger a sudden shift, such as the death of a comrade or the completion of a difficult goal, but it can also be small things, like constant bickering or somesuch.
Benefit
When you're in the Manic stage of the disorder, your character is in a perpetually euphoric state and gains +2 on every roll, and an extra +2 on Will saves.
Drawback
When in the Depressive stage of the disorder, your character is constantly depressed and pessimistic, suffering from -2 on every roll and an extra -2 on Will saves and Charisma-based checks.
Actually, being manic doesn't improve your willpower, as it often makes it impossible to concentrate on anything. I would suggest making it a -2 on Will saves regardless of state, and rather making Manic give you a +2 to charisma, as you would be much more outgoing.
I also suggest increasing the lenght of the episode to 1d8 and having a break of 1d8 days in between each episode.
You like fire and explosions, your not sure why but everyone, including your party, tends to keep anything remotely flamable out of your reach.
Penalty: You suffer a -5 on all saves to avoid fire damage. You also suffer a -4 to all skill checks to reduce the price of any item, weapon, or armor that can cause fire damage
Benefit: When you do something that causes fire damage the save for it or the attack roll gains a +2 bonus. You also gain a +8 bonus to all checks to craft anything that deals fire damage.
Heh...I may have to pull out my Hackmaster books for this...but
here is one:
Stigmatism
You have poor eyesight and suffer a -3 penalty on all spot and search checks.
Special: you may not take this flaw if you posess the farsighted or nearsighted traits.
*edit* Changed -2 to -3
This was one of mine you missed.
And here's an new one
Holier than Thou
Prerequisite: Aura of courage class feature
Your prescence in combat does not inspire your allies to bravery, instead your arrogance distracts and hinders their their own actions.
Instead of conferring a bonus against saves vs fear, your aura confers a -2 morale penalty on all attack rolls and saving throws made by all non-hostile creatures in range.
The penalty is only -2 because it affects a wider range of rolls.
This was one of mine you missed.
And here's an new one
Holier than Thou
Prerequisite: Aura of courage class feature
Your prescence in combat does not inspire your allies to bravery, instead your arrogance distracts and hinders their their own actions.
Instead of conferring a bonus against saves vs fear, your aura confers a -2 morale penalty on all attack rolls and saving throws made by all non-hostile creatures in range.
The penalty is only -2 because it affects a wider range of rolls.
How is this flaw penalizing the character that takes it? (unless it also affects him, but if so that should be clarified)
flaw-you drink up to 25-50% more alcohol then most people.
A flaw doesn't necessarily have to directly hamper the player; if a character with a leadership ability takes that flaw, it adversely affects his comrades, which is one of his main benefits in the first place.
And if the paladin isn't leader-type? Bamf! free feat (and ****** co-players).
Then he has to deal with his party members staying fifty fee away from him to avoid the negatives. A lone Paladin doesn't make for a smashing party, eh?
He has? He loses nothing if they come closer. THEY have to deal with it, being constantly reminded by the DM that they suffer -2 penalty on rolls. As for smashing party, a flaw should penalize the character, not the party.
Chauvenist Pig (Flaw)
When attacking a creature you can tell is of opposite gender you suffer a penalty to the attack roll equal to twice it's charisma modifier (if positive).
Also, perhaps this may be a "better" version of Holier than Thou:
Holier than Thou
Prerequisite: Aura of courage class feature
Your prescence in combat does not inspire your allies to bravery, and your arrogance limits your ability to function socially.
You lose your aura of courage class feature. You also suffer a -3 penalty on Diplomacy checks.
Androgynous
You can easily pass as either a male or female, depending upon your dress.
Benefit: You take no penalty to disguise checks for disguising yourself as a member of the opposite gender.
Penalty: You take a -2 penalty to Bluff checks, Diplomacy checks, and Gather Information checks when seducing, flirting, or otherwise relying on your physical attractiveness to perform social skills with members of the opposite or same sex.
Normal: You take a -2 penalty to disguise checks when attempting to disguise yourself as a member of the opposite gender.
FYI, none of the stuff above takes into account NPC orientation, attitude, or the player's ability to successfully role-play social interaction skills.
~Rain~
When you reach zero hit points you die. You can not be brought back to life what so ever.
Trophy Collecter
You must take a benifial body part from every monstrous creature you kill and graft it on to your body, every part grafted lowers your charisma by 2 (can enter negatives)
Benifit: You can graft any thing on to your body
Hari-kiri is a verb and ritual suicide, so it makes no sense as a Flaw or Trait. I believe there's already a "No Will to Live" Flaw that causes you to die at -5, though.
Incidentally, I like the Hari-Kari flaw, although it needs some significant flavor text for the name to make sense.
Wise Man
Your destiny is not in adventuring but perfecting your trade.
Benefits: You gain skill ranks in skill simply by practicing. Raising a skill by 1 rank takes 1 month per number of ranks you have +1. For example, raising Swim from 5 to 6 ranks takes 6 months.
You can raise a number of skills at one time equal to your Int bonus (minimum 1).
When you have 23 or more ranks in a skill, improving it further takes 10 times more time than it normally would.
Penalty: You are not of adventuring sort. You're just not. You do not gain experience points.
Designer's Note: It is very bad idea to take this trait as a player, unless the player strives for roleplaying experience and little more.
You are the hero of a old prophecy
Effects:
The DC for a bardic knowledge or similar check concerning you is always 10.
Legend Lore always delivers informations about you even at level 1.
Improviser
Your have been forced most of your life to come up it improvised tools rather, and you’ve gotten quite good it at. However, you never really learned how to use the “right tool.”
Benefit: You no longer suffer a penalty when using improvised tools
Draw Back: You don’t receive the benefit of masterwork tools.
Special: If you have the Tool Freak trait, you can not gain this trait
Tool Freak
You always must have the right tool for the job, and you get discouraged when you don’t.
Benefit: When ever you have the right tool for a job, you get a +1 bonus to the necessary check. If the tool is master work, you gain a +2 bonus that stacks with the master work tools.
Draw Back: When ever you improvise a tool, you receive an additional -2 penalty when using it.
Special:Something counts as a "tool" for purposes of this feat if by not having said "tool," you would receive a penalty to the relevant check. If you have the Improviser trait, you can not gain this trait.
[u]INCOMPETENT[/u]
You can't do a bloody thing right. Bumbling hands, slow mind, etc etc--you suffer a -2 on any Skill check. This does not apply to attacks.
I think that the all the bad guys could easily gather lots of facts about you is a flaw.
But there is an equal and opposite side to this; Similarly aligned individuals can also easily identify you. This would greatly ease interaction with similarly aligned authority figures one would encounter in towns, such as judges and magistrates.
My friend and I were sitting around, doing nothing, when we came up with an idea for a Flaw. Don't know if something like it has already been made, but here goes:
[u]INCOMPETENT[/u]
You can't do a bloody thing right. Bumbling hands, slow mind, etc etc--you suffer a -2 on any Skill check. This does not apply to attacks.
Last sentence is not necessary, as skill checks are not attacks anyway.
We came up with a Trait, too.
[u]Jolly Big Fellow[/u]
You're overweight, but in a Santa Claus sort of way. Penalties are the same as the Overweight flaw, but you gain +2 to your Charisma score.
Whenever another party member dies, so do you
Maybe that flaw should be worth 2 feats tho......
[u]Jolly Big Fellow[/u]
You're overweight, but in a Santa Claus sort of way. Penalties are the same as the Overweight flaw, but you gain +2 to your Charisma score.
Personally I would make it a bonus on charisma checks or just diplomacy, I see a lot of Jolly sorcerors and warmages taking this one. As is it is a bit overpowered for a trait
People find you weird and disturbing. They react poorly not just to you, but also anyone who associates with you.
Effect: You suffer a -3 penalty on all Charisma-based checks. Additionally, NPC reactions are worsened by one step for anyone in your party including you.
Special: The group reaction penalty continues apply for as many as 1d4 days after your friends leave your presence.
yes, this flaw breaks the standard rule of flaws for using a charisma skill penalties, but its not one that a player can a player can take without consequences by choosing not to be the party spokesman because it has affects everyone in the party (but not as severly as the character who possesses the flaw). Even the most charismatic bard won't be able get better than a "friendly" result as long as he hangs around with the creepy guy.
yes, this flaw breaks the standard rule of flaws for using a charisma skill penalties, but its not one that a player can a player can take without consequences by choosing not to be the party spokesman because it has affects everyone in the party (but not as severly as the character who possesses the flaw). Even the most charismatic bard won't be able get better than a "friendly" result as long as he hangs around with the creepy guy.
Make sure you discuss it with the other players in your group before you choose it though. I'd be very upset if I were playing a CHA character and had to deal with another player screwing it up for me.
It like having that Vow of Peace thing where your friends get affected if they kill something within range of you. It's an interesting ability, but I would be upset having that happen to me without a save...
My suggestion would be for the rest of the party to make some sort of CHA check, or a Bluff check, to avoid the affects. "Him? I don't know him. You know as much about him as I do; nothing."
- FLAWS -
Lost Wings [Racial]
By accident or birth, you lack the wings a member of your race would normally have.
Prerequisite: Member of a naturally winged race with a fly speed.
Effect: You lose your innate fly speed and any other effects or abilities your wings bestowed.
Special: If your wings are somehow restored you lose the benefit of the feat granted by this flaw.
Aichmophobic
You are unsettled if not downright terrified by sharp objects.
Effect: You always wield any melee weapon that does piercing or slashing damage as if nonproficient. You take a -4 morale penalty to resist Intimidate checks made by anyone wielding a melee weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage. Whenever you are dealt piercing or slashing damage, you must make a Will save against DC damage dealt or become shaken, and remain shaken until your wounds are treated (DC 15 Heal check or any magic healing). If you yourself deal piercing or slashing damage with a melee weapon to any creature you must make the same save against the same DC or be shaken until you can perform an appropriate cleansing ritual (such as washing your hands).
Special: Immunity to fear does not confer immunity to any of the effects of this flaw, including the intimidation - you remain vulnerable to intimidation so long as the intimidator is wielding a piercing or slashing weapon. Under any other circumstances immunity to fear functions as normal.
- TRAITS -
Psychotic
You have a unique but often distorted perception of reality.
Benefit: The following skills become Charisma-based: Appraise, Decipher Script, Knowledge (all), Listen, Spot, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
Drawback: Whenever you make a check with one of these skills or the Gather Information skill, the DM rolls a d20 out of player view to determine whether your check result is replaced with some kind of delusion or hallucination.
Lightning Rod
You suffer a -2 to all saving throws against all evocation and conjuration spells and effects.
Gullible
You suffer a -2 to all saving throws against all illusion and enchantment spells and effects.
Perfect Specimen
You suffer a -2 to all saving throws against all necromancy and transmutation spells and effects.
Sphere Exclusion
Prerequisite: Ability to cast spells.
Choose four descriptors of spells from the following list acid, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, earth, electricity, evil, fear, fire, force, good, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic; you can't cast spells with that subtype and suffer a -2 on all saves against spells of that subtype. You cannot choose a descriptor that you can't cast due to some other feature.
Self-Doubting
You possess a wellspring of self-doubt and insecurity that motivates you to seek great accomplishments.
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus to Initiative and +2 bonus to Spot and Listen checks as you are always looking out for ways to prove yourself, and a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves and +2 on saves against fear as you refuse to give up and admit you might be as worthless as you think you are.
Drawback: Though you keep them buried, your doubts still constantly eat away at you, and you take a -2 penalty to all skill checks, ability checks, feat effects, class features, saving throws, and spell/ability DCs based on Wisdom or Charisma.
Special: This trait has no effect on the highest level of spells you can cast based on Wisdom or Charisma.
Like to know what people think, not sure about the balance. I think the benefit might be stronger than the drawback for fighter types, and especially wizards, unless they both rely on Wisdom and Charisma-based skills more than I thought.
But if I may digress, it does fulfill its primary purpose at least, which is to allow me to make Anomen from Baldur's Gate II in 3.5 without ignoring the strong affect his knighthood should have on him (permanent +4 Wisdom in said game) or having to create a 3.x cleric with only 12 starting Wisdom. Now he can start with 16 Wis and have corresponding access to spells, while in every other regard his Wisdom acts as if 4 lower. Then upon knighthood the trait goes away.
No, they really shouldn't. The flaw has to be more harmful than the feat it grants. The player is always going to take a flaw that is as small of a detriment to his character as possible, and a feat that helps him as much as possible. If you make the flaw theoretically equal to the feat, then you're just screaming for someone to come in and min/max.
Agreed. One of the flaws in Unearthed Arcana (can't remember the name) imposes a -4 penalty on Spot and Listen checks. That's -8 points. In the Player's Handbook, there are many feats along the lines of "+2 bonus on Bluff and Forgery." That's +4 points. Therefore, a flaw should be approximately twice as detrimental as a feat is beneficial.
Whether from birth, due to disease/infection, or as a result of an unfavorable combat encounter, you only have one complete arm where the other ends somewhere between the elbow and the wrist.
Effect: You take a -8 penalty on Climb checks, as well as a -4 penalty on Disguise checks and a -2 penalty on Use Rope checks. Furthermore, donning armor takes twice as long. You can only lift half as much as weight over your head as normal. Your one remaining hand is the one required for somatic components; for spells with both material and/or focus components and somatic components, the player must, without using one of his hands (his elbow is still perfectly usable), show how his character would hold such components (now you have a reason to look at the material component descriptions). You can wield one-handed weapons as normal, but you may never apply 1.5 x Str to a damage roll. You may wear a shield, but it must be custom-made (i.e., masterwork) to fit onto your residual arm; also, donning and removing said shield is a standard action (such shields come with buckle-on straps that are slightly harder to fasten and unfasten). Disable Device and Open Lock times are all doubled.
Special: Because this flaw is twice as detrimental as a normal flaw (see my above post), you gain two feats instead of one. You may not take another flaw at first level if you take this one, as its worth two and grants two feats. Furthermore, one feat must be Exotic Weapon Proficiency (stump knife); the other may be anything you meet the prerequisites for. Regaining the lost appendage forces you to lose the benefits of whatever feats you gained for this flaw.
Tell me if you can think of anything else for this. Please assume I do not own Torn Asunder nor have any means of obtaining a copy of said book.
I also have an idea for a trait.
Top-Heavy (Trait)
You are overly busty for a female of your race.
Prerequisites: Female mammarian race. (A mammarian race is any nonanimal creature whose females develop mammay glands. This includes humans, centaurs, merfolk, sylph-birdfolk [see New Races Balanced or Not? by me under Races], aasimars, succubi, and so forth.)
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Bluff checks made against mammarian males (those members of mammarian races of the male gender ).
Drawback: You suffer a -2 penalty on Intimidate checks made agains mammarian males.
To that end, I am going to copy the entire Flaws/Trait post to my Wiki - http://www.liquidmateria.info/wiki/index.php?title=Flaws and http://www.liquidmateria.info/wiki/index.php?title=Traits
Let's keep this great resource running!
Top-Heavy (Trait)
You are overly busty for a female of your race.
Prerequisites: Female mammarian race. (A mammarian race is any nonanimal creature whose females develop mammary glands. This includes humans, centaurs, merfolk, sylph-birdfolk [see New Races Balanced or Not? by me under Races], aasimars, succubi, and so forth.)
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Bluff checks made against mammarian males (those members of mammarian races of the male gender ).
Drawback: You suffer a -2 penalty on Intimidate checks made agains mammarian males.
:D Brilliant! Though allowing for variation in sexuality would be good. Gay men won't be particularly moved by a large chest, after all. The drawback could still apply, though; the kind of assumptions that cause one to discount the threat of a large-breasted woman don't necessarily require actually finding breasts pleasing to look at. Also, a penalty to Balance checks would be nice just for flavor ;)
I can't help thinking it should be affected by aging, as well; large breasts don't age well after all. It's definitely not a necessary addition, but worth considering for that extra bit of realism if it can be simply done. Perhaps a Fortitude save to keep the trait through middle age, and at old you always lose it.
Well, anyway, here's my new trait:
HATE
You have a burning hatred for a particular creature or group that can both help and hinder in combat.
Benefit: Choose a creature type (from the Ranger favored enemy list), nationality, organization (ex: Harpers, Mercykillers), spellcaster type (arcane, divine, infusion, invocation, psionic), subrace, or any other qualification your DM approves of. Against creatures fulfilling the chosen qualification you get +2 to Intimidate checks, +2 to Will saves, +2 to damage, and +2 to DCs. These bonuses refer to a sheer excess of emotion rather than any real competence against the chosen enemy; as such, you need only perceive (at DM discretion) that a creature is of a hated category to gain these bonuses against it, even if your perception is wrong. Additionally, if a creature is in fact part of a hated category but you aren't aware of it you don't get bonuses against it.
Drawback: Whenever you are in battle with what you perceive to be one or more hated enemies present, you will be focused on them to the detriment of all else. Against anything other than the hated enemy you take -2 to Concentration checks, -2 to Reflex saves, -2 to attack rolls, and -2 to AC. These penalties last until the end of the current encounter, even after all the hated enemies are killed or you discover some or all aren't actually hated enemies.
Special: The benefits of this trait stack with favored enemy and similar class features. You can take this trait twice, with each Hate focused on a different qualification. In the event a single creature falls in both Hate categories, the bonuses overlap (do not stack). The DM may want to increase the bonuses for characters with especially specific and/or rare hatreds. For instance, +3 for choosing Hate Vampires instead of just Hate Undead, and perhaps +4 for Hate Liches.
Roleplaying Ideas: Characters with this trait might be openly bitter and hateful, actively pursuing vengeance for whatever event caused their hatred. Many, however, could seem perfectly normal and even cheerful until their hated foe crosses their path, at which point their sudden fury may prove frightening to companions who haven't seen it before. A few characters might be able to make exceptions to their hatred, a fighter with Hate Mages possibly even falling in love with and marrying a sorcerer, though this would be quite rare.
Well, anyway, here's my new trait:
HATE
You have a burning hatred for a particular creature or group that can both help and hinder in combat.
Benefit: Choose a creature type (from the Ranger favored enemy list), nationality, organization (ex: Harpers, Mercykillers), spellcaster type (arcane, divine, infusion, invocation, psionic), subrace, or any other qualification your DM approves of. Against creatures fulfilling the chosen qualification you get +2 to Intimidate checks, +2 to Will saves, +2 to damage, and +2 to DCs. These bonuses refer to a sheer excess of emotion rather than any real competence against the chosen enemy; as such, you need only perceive (at DM discretion) that a creature is of a hated category to gain these bonuses against it, even if your perception is wrong. Additionally, if a creature is in fact part of a hated category but you aren't aware of it you don't get bonuses against it.
Drawback: Whenever you are in battle with what you perceive to be one or more hated enemies present, you will be focused on them to the detriment of all else. Against anything other than the hated enemy you take -2 to Concentration checks, -2 to Reflex saves, -2 to attack rolls, and -2 to AC. These penalties last until the end of the current encounter, even after all the hated enemies are killed or you discover some or all aren't actually hated enemies.
Special: The benefits of this trait stack with favored enemy and similar class features. You can take this trait twice, with each Hate focused on a different qualification. In the event a single creature falls in both Hate categories, the bonuses overlap (do not stack). The DM may want to increase the bonuses for characters with especially specific and/or rare hatreds. For instance, +3 for choosing Hate Vampires instead of just Hate Undead, and perhaps +4 for Hate Liches.
Roleplaying Ideas: Characters with this trait might be openly bitter and hateful, actively pursuing vengeance for whatever event caused their hatred. Many, however, could seem perfectly normal and even cheerful until their hated foe crosses their path, at which point their sudden fury may prove frightening to companions who haven't seen it before. A few characters might be able to make exceptions to their hatred, a fighter with Hate Mages possibly even falling in love with and marrying a sorcerer, though this would be quite rare.
May I add this to my Wiki? I'm trying to keep the Flaws/Traits alive and since Szatany left, your Trait will never make the first page. Besides, on the Wiki you and everyone else will be able to evaluate and collaborate much more easily.
Sure :D
Thank you!
Effect: A trigger happy person loves to shoot stuff. Whenever insulted, maligned, or anything else, they must make a DC 20 will save or shoot their target. This also applies whenever they are resting and make a listen check. In addition they gain +2 attack bonus with a ranged attack and -2 attack penalty. for a melee attack
Trigger happy
Effect: A trigger happy person loves to shoot stuff. Whenever insulted, maligned, or anything else, they must make a DC 20 will save or shoot their target. In addition they gain +2 to BAB with a ranged attack and -2 to BAB for a melee attack
A bit odd, but I think the +2 BAB is a bit much. This'll let a level four get double the attacks. Maybe just a +2 bonus to raned attack rolls.
Trigger happy
Effect: A trigger happy person loves to shoot stuff. Whenever insulted, maligned, or anything else, they must make a DC 20 will save or shoot their target. In addition they gain +2 to BAB with a ranged attack and -2 to BAB for a melee attack
Never write any ability that alters the BAB, Base Saves, or Max Ranks. Those three are the cornerstones of the D20 system. If you are going to alter the chance to hit, either ranged or melee, you give a bonus. Never alter the BAB or you allow anyone that takes this the potential to enter a prestige class earlier than likely intended.
Effect: A trigger happy person must make a DC20 Will Save or shoot their target. In addition, they gain a +2 circumstance bonus to ranged attacks and a -2 circumstance penalty to melee attacks.
Try something like that. Interesting ability, by the way. =)
Okay, my bad. I meant bonus to hit. It is now being fixed and added to.
Excellent. Don't forget to head over the my Wiki and add it to the list!
Once per day, at DM's choice, your character must make a fortitude save DC16, or take -2 to dex, -2 to str, and -2 to all checks requiring hard concentration for 1D6 minutes due to recurring stomach acid based pain. If your character has eaten, such as with heroes feast, you must make a fortitude save, even if you've already made one that day.
Too much?
Numb Hand:
Due to an old injury in your hand (character's choice), you have permenant nerve damage. You don't alway notice that you're bleeding (if applicable) and take a -2 to to all skills and checks involving that hand. These include hand gestures for spells.
And just how do I do that?
The same way you'd do it at any Wiki, just edit the page.
Obvious Feelings
Effect: The character takes a -4 penalty whenever he would act in a dishonest manner; such cases include but are not limited to making a Bluff check, making a Diplomacy check to sway someone when its against his better judgement, and making a Disguise check while in the guise of another person or trying to pass unnoticed.
Single Hitpoint: Your maximum HP is always 1 (this overrides HP gained from class levels and Constitution modifier, but other bonuses and penalties might still apply)
Vulnerable to Damage: Take double damage from any attack or spell doing lethal or non-lethal damage to you.
Bad at Dice: Whenever you make a attack roll or check or save, the numbers on d20 are changed from 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 to 1,1,1,2,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9.
Very Pathetic: Each ability score is reduced by 2 points.
And also a new spell:
Temporary Flaws
Level: Sor/Wiz 1, Clr 1, Brd 1
Target: You
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Effect: Choose one flaw that you don't have and you gain that flaw for the duration of this spell.
Whether it's a curse that infallibly haunts you or you simply have such bad luck that this sort of thing could only happen to you, you will eventually see all your beloved or their beloved in turn suffer in their lives.
Effect: Once per adventure, your DM can adjudicate that a single NPC that has an intimate (either familial, romantic, friendly, association, or otherwise) relation to your character has rolled a natural 1 on an attack roll or saving throw (in Saga edition rules for Star Wars, the GM can adjudicate that an attack made against them came up a natural 20).
Alternatively, the DM can forgo the above allowance in order to adjudicate a PC roll instead (according to the above rules, as long as that PC has a similar relation to your character) once per story.
Finally, a DM can likewise choose to apply a -2 penalty on all rolls, except for damage rolls made by that NPC or PC instead; this effect can be produced with the same frequency (NPC - 1/adventure; PC - 1/story), but the effect lasts longer (NPC - session; PC - encounter).
Special: DMs are advised to use this flaw sparcely; giving it the appropriate dramatic flare means you don't go overboard in its use, and using it at the right moment can provide a lot to a campaign.
DMs are also highly advised to highly regulate players taking this flaw.
You cannot move any part of your body below your neck, therefore cannot cast spells with sematic components. You get a -5 to Charisma but get a +10 to Constutution because you have become use to being like this. You cannot use a material or focus component in a spell unless someone else puts the object in your hand. You also cannot attack using a weapon or your fists (you can still bite someone or headbutt them if you like, but only if they are very close to your head.) You also get a +2 to any damage done by a Psionic power, and get +1 power point per level per day.
Whenever you take lethal damage you take an additional 1d4 non-lethal damage as well.
Poor recovery
Whenever you receive the benefit of non-natural healing (spell, potion, etc) you only gain half the hit points indicated (rounded down), the remaining damage that would be healed is converted to non-lethal damage instead.
(i.e. A hero with 20 lethal and 20 non-lethal damage on him that is healed for 9 damage instead heals 4 damage (to both lethal and non-lethal damage) and gains 5 non-lethal damage; leaving him with 16 lethal damage and 21 non-lethal damage.)
Poor follow-through
Any critical threat you do not confirm is treated as a miss (this includes rolls of natural 20s).
Poor fate (counts as two flaws)
Any d20 roll you make that rolls above 10 is treated as a 10 instead. A natural 20 still auto-succeeds on attacks and saves.
Special: You can limit this flaw to only attacks, or saves, or skill checks - in that case the flaw counts as a single flaw instead of two.
Roll a d20 at the begining of every day and add your constitution bonus, if the result is under 10 you are drunk that day, and take a -1 penalty to all actions. In addition, all fire damage lights you on fire, and you take that damage every turn until you roll on the ground(a full round action) this is only if you are drunk. In addition, you spend 100gp per month on alcohol. On the plus side, broken beer(or any drink) bottles no longer count as improvised weapons.
You love to learn new things but lack the patience to really apply yourself to any specific line of business for too long a period of time.
You can never put skill points into a Profession of any type. Additionally, any Craft skills taken can not be used to start a business as you lack the dedication to create things on a regular basis
Parilyzed
You cannot move any part of your body below your neck, therefore cannot cast spells with sematic components. You get a -5 to Charisma but get a +10 to Constutution because you have become use to being like this. You cannot use a material or focus component in a spell unless someone else puts the object in your hand. You also cannot attack using a weapon or your fists (you can still bite someone or headbutt them if you like, but only if they are very close to your head.) You also get a +2 to any damage done by a Psionic power, and get +1 power point per level per day.
What? +10 to Constitution? Because "you have become used to being like this"? Let me guess... You want to play a psion, and you're hoping your DM lets you take this trait.
What? +10 to Constitution? Because "you have become used to being like this"? Let me guess... You want to play a psion, and you're hoping your DM lets you take this trait.
Actually my brother wrote that one. It doesn't make perfect sense to me, but I let him write it anyways.
based on the Cycloptean race presented in Dragon #323
You were born either missing an eye or with a single eye (perhaps denoting a throw back to some distant cyclops ancestor).
Ranged attacks suffer a -2 penalty denoting a lack of depth perception. Search and Spot checks also suffer the same -2 penalty.
Missing Eye - Permanent Injury
You have suffered the permanent loss of one eye during a battle. For whatever reason (curse, deitic unfavor, personal choice, etc) you can not have the damage healed.
Ranged Attacks, Search, and Spot checks all suffer a -6 penalty due to trauma and loss of depth perception. This penalty lessens by 1 every 2 levels to a minimum penalty of -2 after 4 levels.
You suffer from a condition that causes you to replace random words with nonsensical alternatives, usually without even noticing.
Diplomacy, Bluff, and Intimidate suffer a -2 penalty.
Special : Spellcasting classes must make a Will save with a DC of 12 when casting any spell that requires a verbal component to prevent spell failure. In this case, the flaw qualifies for 2 feats as opposed to one.
You suffer from a lack of arch in your foot causing walking or running to be very unconfortable and sometimes painful.
Your movement is reduced by 10. Also, if you take a full round action to run, you can move at only twice your speed, not quadruple.
Eye of the Beholder
You have a very good eye for value, atleast your think you do.
You suffer a -2 penalty on any Appraise checks you make. You suffer this same penalty to Diplomacy and Bluff checks when attempting to buy or sell items.
You have difficulty working on one task for an extended period of time. You do not necessarily abondon your task, but your mind wanders, and you tend to repeat yourself.
Effect: You cannot Take 20 on any action.
Focused Combatant:
You were trained in single combat and have difficulty dealing with mob tactics. You receive a -2 to armor class in combat against all enemies besides the one you are currently targeting. If you do not choose a single enemy to target then you receive a -2 against all attacks.
Epileptic
From time to time, under great stress, you suffer from epileptic seizures.
Effect: If you are in a stressful situation (such as combat) you must make a Will Save at DC 10 or have an epileptic seizure (you are unable to do anything, and are helpless). The seizure lasts for 2d10 minutes and when it is over you become fatigued.
Poster: Cruhand
Well, that's just wrong. Not that I think that the epileptic flaw is a bad idea-in fact, I think it's great!- but epilepsia doesn't work like that (I'm an EMT). First off, 2d10 minutes is a VERY long seizure (the worst type of three seizures) and when you get out of such seizure, you will be much more that fatigued. Second, not only stress causes an epileptic seizure. There are many other reasons such as drugs or dancing lights (yeah, like the spell), so these should be added. Also, the DM should choose which type of seizure the character gets. Petit mal (stare at blank air un-reactive for a couple of seconds), grand mal (the standrad seizure: spasm, twitching and the likes. Lasts for about 2 minutes) and Status Epilepticus (like grand mal only continuous, sometimes for a very long time and sometimes in short bursts (2 min, stop, two min, stop.....)).
Great flaws generally (some I will definitly use myself).