Traits and Disadvanrages

[Moulin Rogue]

It shouldn't be in the official rules, but I'd still ike to see a good, optional, disadvantages system for d20. Maybe each disadvantage could be tied to a key ability so you couldn't rack up a ton of Charisma-related disadvantages for your half-orc barbarian... say, if you have Cha 10 you may not take more than 5 points worth of disadvantages with the Cha descriptor.

And even if you don't want to give the players any extra points for taking them, a set of disadvantages could still be mined for mechanics for colourful player (or NPC) traits - I'd like to see a mechanic for a bad temper or a procrastinator.

 

[PenguinKing]

There's nothing wrong with using "lazy DM" balancing elements. In fact, I want more of them. As a DM, I have enough work to do as it is; every labour-saving device I can get my hands on is good.

Sometimes, some corners aren't worth cutting, no matter how much time they save. Me, I let my players take disadvantages for bonus points - I like systems that support doing so. That works for me, because I'm willing to put in every ounce of extra effort required to make non-game-mechanical disadvantages work.

Why? Oh, I just take great pleasure messing with my players' minds. They've come to appreciate it - it certainly makes for interesting games. I won't use their disadvantages to cripple or kill their characters on a regular basis - that would be just petty - but I do frequently engineer scenarios where a given disadvantage entirely precludes the "obvious" solution; watching them come up with a workaround is good for hours of entertainment. And to my mind, it's worth bribing them to entertain me - let them have their bonus points.

- Sir Bob.

 

[rounser]

I'd love it if you fleshed that list out more, Bagpuss. Then I can steal it and use it in my group...

I concur, they're quality questions. Please list the other 14 for us, Bagpuss.

 

[Dyme]

My group doesn't use a Disadvantage system a la GURPS, but we do have a rule that all new characters have a Personality Quirk or 2. These are really more for role playing purposes than anything else, and players are rewarded for playing on their Quirks. More often than not, the results are quite humorous (we run a pretty loose game).

There are only a couple rules we follow: The quirk(s) do not interfere with important character traits (for example, a caster would not be given stutter) and the quirk a player gets is usually based on if the player will milk it for all it's worth or if it will be a serious challenge. One of our players pretty much plays the same character every game-loud, arrogant know-it-all. Next time I DM, I'm giving him Introvert.

Some of the Quirks that have been given out:

• Phobias. Snakes, bugs, spiders, etc. are good. Heights, darkness, and water are good if you're feeling particularly mean.
  
• Neat freak/Slob
  
• Pessimist/Optimist
  
• Allergies-dust, pollen, trees, nuts, grass, animals, mushrooms, etc.
  
• Very touchy-feely/Hates being touched
  
• Some kind of OCD-all gear must be packed a certain way, coins separated by denomination, etc.
  
• Nymphomaniac/Not interested in sex
  
• Vain, foppish
  
• Neat/Messy eater
  
• Constantly runny nose/itchy armpits or crotch/farting/biting fingernails etc.
  
• Scatterbrained, ADD
  
• Coarse/Offended easily

You get the idea.

My 2 favorites:

• I once gave someone an imaginary friend
  
• My female cleric was given really bad PMS

IMHO, these are much more fun (and less intrusive) than some kind of rank based advantages/disadvantages.

 

[Bagpuss]

Okay heres 15, for you to play with.

History
Who raised your character from childhood and where are they now?

Why did you character become the class you have chosen for him?

Name one (or more) significant event from your characters childhood that has effected the way he looks at the world, or relates to people.

Relations
Who would miss your character if they died?

Outside the party who are the most important people in your characters life?

Does your character have any enemies or rivals and if so why?

Motivation
Why does your character decide to risk life and limb, when most people are happy to work on a farm?

What does your character have planned for the future?

How would your character like to be remembered once they are gone?

Personality
Pick three words that best describe your characters personality.

Is your character scared of anything?

When faced with a no win situation or impossible odds what is your character most likely to do?

Name one personality flaw (nobody is prefect, not even your paladin).

Endgame
If your character lives to be “too old for this adventuring lark” how would your character spend their retirement?

In what fashion would you least (and/or most) like your character to meet their death?

I tend to make the last few campaign specific, ie: question like.

Which part of Ghelspad does your character call home?

Which God does your character pray to more often than others?

How your character been effected by the expansion of the Calastian Hegemony's expansion?

That leaves you two to think up for yourself. I don't want to stifle your own creativity.

 

[Bagpuss]

Bump

In case those that asked for the examples missed it.

 

[Arkham]

It just doesn't make sense. Why would having a flaw somehow make you better at something else?

You might as well ask, why does shooting goblins
with a crossbow make someone a better wizard,
or why some random joe shows up and wants to help
you kill stuff whenever one of your friends die
and just _happens_ to be fairly close to your
experience.

It is a game, taking flaws should be rewarded
somehow. Suck it up and like it. Or don't.

<edit>Somehow is one word, not two.</edit>

 

[Sayburr]

I was working on a Fatal Flaw System and have about decided that it is not that a negitive equates to a positive but that because the character is working so hard on getting an extra feat, that character?s training is other areas comes up short. This is represented by the anti-feat.

I was thinking that a character could take two anti-feats to gain one additional positive feat. The character can only take an anti feat when the character is not expecting to again a normal feat anyway (i.e. at second level).

What do you think about that?

 

[Voneth]

IA real problem I am having is players are becoming to "statistics based". They are thinking of how powerful their characters ought to be, rather than how thier PCs would realistically act.
--Creepshow

Have you dealt with a 1st level rogue who won't stop looking for ways to get XP until he gets the Weapon Finesse feat that is "his" at third level?

I think Spycraft has a great solution with it's Background concept. WotC has been aware of all the stuff AEG did with Spycraft and a lot of the employees/former employees were excited to see the final product, according to Ryan Dancy. That's about as close to offcial as you can get without paying for it.

 

[Creepshow]

Have you dealt with a 1st level rogue who won't stop looking for ways to get XP until he gets the Weapon Finesse feat that is "his" at third level?

Not specifically, but its pretty damn close to that now. The deeper they get into this type of play the harder it is to bring 'em around...

Any suggestions would be great. It would be nice to not have everyone whine, if the majority of thier ability scores don't reach into the high teens. I think the previous DM was a bit of a pushover.

I think Spycraft has a great solution with it's Background concept. WotC has been aware of all the stuff AEG did with Spycraft and a lot of the employees/former employees were excited to see the final product, according to Ryan Dancy. That's about as close to offcial as you can get without paying for it.

I think I might pick this up, heard a lot of good things (on this thread and elsewhere).

-Creepshow