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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mark Chance" data-source="post: 5096731" data-attributes="member: 2795">One thing that irks me about d20 System games is the ongoing rules bloat. Every supplement that comes out has new feats. Every players guide has new traits. After a while, one started as a internally coherent game system morphs into a chimeric beast made up of a bewildering, ever-changing list of parts, not all of which fit well together.Part of what I'm trying to do with my new rules is set things up to avoid future rules bloat. So, for example, rather than releasing one set of traits after another, why not have guidelines that let players custom build traits for their characters?Custom TraitsAt 1st level, a character gets one or more custom traits. The general rules for traits are as follows:A trait can provide a +1 bonus to attack rolls under certain, defined conditions, orA trait can provide a +1 bonus to damage rolls under certain, defined conditions, orA trait can provide a +1 bonus to a specific saving throw under certain, defined conditions, orA trait can provide a +2 bonus to a specific skill check under certain, defined conditions.For every two points of trait bonuses a character has, he must also have one point of trait penalties. Trait penalties follow the same general rules listed above, but provide a corresponding penalty instead of a bonus.No character can have more than four points of trait bonuses and two points of trait penalties. Categories of bonuses and penalties can stack. No single trait can provide more than a +2 bonus (for attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws) or a +4 bonus (for skill checks). Likewise, no single trait can provide than a -2 penalty (for attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws) or a -4 penalty (for skill checks).For ExampleEric doesn't like skill consolidation in Pathfinder. He doesn't think his character should be just as good with seeing, hearing, and searching even though all three tasks are based on his character's Perception skill. Eric decides his character has weak sight due to congenital eye defects. To compensate, his character has developed an especially keen sense of hearing. Eric writes up these two traits for DM approval:Keen EarsMy character enjoys a +4 trait bonus on Perception checks made to hear things.Weak EyesMy character suffers a -2 trait penalty on Perception checks made to see things.FeedbackSo, what do you think? What should be added? What should be changed?</blockquote>

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