What is your weakness?

[SemperJase]

My wife and I are joining a new group were the (experienced) DM has a requirement that each character choose a weakness such as a phobia or character flaw like being miserly to enhance the roleplaying aspect of the game.

Any suggestions? Or does anyone know of any lists out there that might help.

So far, I'm thinking of stuttering as my weakness.

 

[Draxus the Tainted]

If you have a detailed character background, have his weakness compliment something that happened to him when he was younger.

 

[SemperJase]

I would definitely work it into the character. I'm just trying to get some ideas of what would be a good roleplaying weakness.

 

[Deedlit]

Fear of Melee combat is always a good one for a spellcaster or archery specalist.(Must make will save or run away whenever in melee combat, DC 10 when entered, DC 10+damage dealt after melee attack hits)

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

oh, I thought you meant *my* weakness, which is obviously spending too much on roleplaying games

As far as phobias go, I'm afraid of bats.

Other common ones that I can think of:

-Public speaking
-Deep water
-Darkness
-Heights
-Caves
-Dogs
-Bugs
-Mice
-Graves
-Crowds

 

[Kugar]

I like to play out compulsions rather than phobias. I guess I always find phobias really un-heroic.
Curses on the other hand are always fun too.

Kia Lord started a thread on curses:
Right here

compusion:
Must always stop at the local inn or tavern. (That would be so annoying)
Must listen to every person who claims to be a "prophet" or "oracle" and write down exactly what he says.
Must accept "jobs" or "missions" from whoever happens by.
Has a habit of telling some strangers his life story as soon as he meets them, yet mysteriously ignores almost everyone else.


Compulsions:
Is always eating sunflower seeds.
NEVER believes the result of divination magic.
Seeks to imitate the tribal customs of a local barbarian tribe without being a barbarian.
Must always try non-violent negotiations, even with very hostile dargons.
Believes that bows and arrows will bring about the end of the world. Writes letters to local monarchs and asks them to enter into strategic arms reduction talks.
Doesn't trust paladins, thinks they are EVIL.
Addicted to <insert drug>, or chocolate.
Gets indignant when taverns do not have his "type" of beverage.
Is afraid of the dark and/or caves.
Is allergic to bat guano. Won't use it and disposes of it from other's spell component poutches.
Is allergic to mithral or diamonds.

Delusions:
Believes he/she is the key to reconciling Orc/Human differences and activly debates the issue.
Believes he is a troll and regenerates.
Is out to prove that no matter how outrageous a stunt is, it never has less than a 5% chance to work.
Believes that all Kobolds are powerful Sorcerers.

That's what I came up with off the top of my head.
Kugar
edit: spelling

 

[Conaill]

Check out GURPS Lite for some inspiration (under Disadvantages, pg 11-13). Impulsiveness is always a favorite among Chaotic characters (GURPS doesn't have an alignment system per se, just disads like Impulsiveness, Honesty, Sense of Duty, etc.)

My favorite GURPS character had a Delusion: she thought the sould of her three dead brothers rested in the three throwing knives she carried. She would introduce them to people once she go to know them well.

Edit: in the GURPS games I've played in, almost everyone used to take the disadvantage "Sense of Duty: Friends & Companions" (also knows affectionately as "SoD Friends & Companions" ). Yes this is a disadvantage, because it makes you put your own life in danger to to save the rest of the party. It also made for very good party dynamics!

 

[trimeulose]

Paranoia -2 on charisma based checks +2 on wisdom based checks.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

they could be a compulsive gambler

 

[Buttercup]

I wouldn't choose stuttering unless you modified it a bit. Stuttering when you were nervous, or afraid or something. But having to play a character who stutters all the time would be terribly hard, and would be difficult for the other players to listen to as well. Of course, if you really do stutter, you probably can't turn it off, so maybe playing a stuttering character would be the way to go.

Here, off the top of my head, are some other weaknesses:

always hungry
craves a specific, possibly expensive food
has one or more compulsive habits, like counting pavement stones
refuses to sleep indoors
refuses to sleep outdoors
will not touch a particular material, such as wood, stone, copper, etc.
breaks into song frequently, but can't carry a tune in a bucket (I know someone like this )
makes bad jokes abd laughs uproariously
allergic to a particular race, like say, orcs. When in their presence you have hay-fever like symptoms.
afraid of bugs, birds, snakes or somesuch
always carries a particular coin, stone, jewel or somesuch, and talks to it, or rubs it constantly
nervous cough
nervous itching
paralyzed with shyness around the opposite sex
afraid of people with red hair

I could go on, but maybe this will give you some fodder for your own imagination. Good luck!