d20 Cryptosnark Games the Book of Distinctions and Drawbacks

Table of Contents Introduction

Foreword 3

Selecting, Using, and Compensating

This is the revised version of the Book of Distinctions & Drawbacks Modern, originally released in July, 2003. This version contains numerous additions, clarifications, and point-cost adjustments, some of which you may recognize as having originated in the fantasy Book of Distinctions & Drawbacks Revised if you own a copy. Any comments or questions about this PDF are, as always, cheerfully welcomed at either e-mail address below.

For Flaws

4

Master List of Flaws

5

Primary Flaws

9

Cheers and best,

GM Option: Flaw Synergy

13

GM Option: Buying Off Flaws

18

SL St. Paul, Minnesota November 10, 2003

Medical Conditions

22

Psychological Conditions

26

Secondary Flaws

31

Weird Flaws

49

Seasoning With Age

52

Advantages: Selection and Use

55

Master List of Advantages

55

Advantage Descriptions

56

Advanced Occupation Packages

67

Open Game License Text

72

[email protected] [email protected] http://www.minasithil.com/cryptosnarkgames

Written and Designed by: Scott Lynch 'd20 System' and the 'd20 System' logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used according to the terms of the d20 System License version 1.0. A copy of this License can be found at www.wizards.com. Dungeons & Dragons(R) and Wizards of the Coast(R) are Registered Trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, and are used with Permission. This product is not published or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

The section on medical conditions could not have been prepared without the assistance of Jennifer Hermey, so I once again dedicate this cross-referenced collection of pixels to her, with love.

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Introduction: Your Characters Need More Problems The Book of Distinctions & Drawbacks Modern is a “character embellishment” sourcebook– that is, a set of character flaws and advantages for the d20 Modern system that is designed to allow the customization of characters beyond the degree allowed by the combinations of race, class, and occupation alone. GMs thinking of using this book in planning their next campaign should be advised of two things:

1. If you use this book, things might get even more complex than usual. The Book of Distinctions & Drawbacks Modern is chock full of items just begging to be weighed, contrasted, compared, and cross-referenced with other items. Letting experienced gamers loose in an advantage/disadvantage system can lead to many long hours of planning and “window shopping.” Therefore, be advised– while this system can greatly increase player satisfaction with the d20 Modern system, it will never speed up character creation or play.

1. If you use this book, you’re going to have to stay on your toes. One of the rules of thumb of the d20 system is that a character can eventually have just about anything (trait, item, weapon, exotic class level, spell, etc.) the player wishes, though there will be a trade-off or a price for it. Many powers and abilities aren’t available until higher levels of experience; every feat or special ability selected carries a “lost opportunity” cost (as other feats or special abilities must be skipped); every racial bonus is countered by some sort of racial limitation or cost. In short, “there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” The use of any flaw/compensation system, even the one presented in this book, will be viewed by some players (for reasons innocent or otherwise) as an excuse to strive for that nonexistent free lunch, by wringing maximum benefit from the least damaging or hindering set of flaw choices possible. I have tried to make this as difficult as I could without turning the system utterly dreary and draconian. GMs, please remember that the only defense against that sort of system abuse is your own vigilance.

Types of Embellishments This book is all about embellishments, good or bad– elements that help or hinder a character in a way not already addressed by existing charac-

ter creation rules. There are several major types of embellishments:

Primary Flaws This set of character flaws is meant to be as clearly and explicitly defined as possible. Their drawbacks are predominantly mechanical in nature. As a result, most of them require very little roleplaying “maintenance” or obtrusive attention from the GM. Thus, they may generally be used the most freely and with the least amount of GM oversight.

Medical/Psychological Conditions Somewhere between Primary and Secondary flaws are the real-world medical and psychological conditions presented on pages 22-31. Generally speaking, medical conditions may be treated as Primary and psychological conditions should be treated as Secondary Flaws. A great deal of abstraction has gone into the design of these conditions in order to render them playable. Individuals actually dealing with these conditions in real life (as I myself deal with asthma, page 22) should not take it amiss if some of the subtleties and variations of their conditions have been left out of each flaw’s description. Many medical conditions that would make excellent character flaws have also probably been left out of this edition of the BODD Modern–I make as little pretense of inclusiveness as I do of absolute accuracy, and for that I offer my apologies.

Secondary and Weird Flaws These are flaws of personal inclination or flaws representing background difficulties. Although they can be just as debilitating as primary flaws, they tend to require continual roleplaying attention and/or a great deal of thought on the part of the GM. Without such attention, many secondary flaws will become nothing more than words on paper and will cease to penalize a character. GMs are cautioned to study them thoroughly before allowing their use. Weird Flaws are occult in nature.

Advantages Advantages are background benefits, material goods, and other awards or inheritances that can be of great use to a character. Unlike feats, which represent intrinsic qualities or trained abilities, advantages have nothing at all to do with the character himself and can be lost, stolen, or removed by a variety of means. Advantages are loosely divided into social, material, and special categories.

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Selecting, Using, and Compensating For Flaws Each flaw presented in this book is worth a certain number of Flaw Points, with which players can do the following: • 1 Flaw Point may be traded for two (2) skill ranks • 1 Flaw Point may be traded for one-eighth (1/8) of the XP required for the character to advance to his next level • 2 Flaw Points may be traded for one (1) feat • 3 Flaw Points may be traded for two (2) ability points, to be distributed at the player’s will • 8 Flaw Points may be traded for one (1) character level • Flaw Points may also be traded for any of the Advantages listed from pages 56-66 Flaws should generally be chosen and applied before actual play begins. Just as characters do not need to spend anything in exchange for equipment, money, friends, allies, and other benefits acquired during actual adventuring, neither should they expect bonus points for enemies and other complications acquired once a campaign has actually begun. The flaws presented in this volume are worth compensation because they’re trouble above and beyond that which the characters are naturally expected to face. Any Flaw Points left over after play begins are lost, so there’s no reason not to spend them. If nothing else, stray Flaw Points can be used to gain a small boost to skill points or to the character’s earned XP.

Flaws and ECL/Challenge Rating Flaws (and any compensations received because of them) cause no adjustment in effective character levels or challenge ratings provided that the Flaw Points received for them are actually spent. A 1st level character with 8 Flaw Points (spent on, say, four new feats) does have some capabilities not possessed by unmodified 1st level character, but he has an equivalent set of handicaps. The two balance each other out. A GM wishing to create exceptionally powerful and well-off characters above and beyond the bounds allowed by commensurate flaws may simply assign free Flaw Points at a rate of 1 ECL per 8 free Flaw Points.

Permissible Numbers of Flaw Points The default recommended limit is 20 Flaw Points per character– the fewer flaws a character possesses, the more contained will be any potential disruption to the balance of a d20 campaign.

As flaws are heaped upon a character, not only does he gain compensatory feats, skill points, or advantages– the amount of attention that must be paid to those flaws by the GM and the player alike increases. A character with one or two flaws is interesting; a character with ten or eleven is a disaster waiting to happen. However, if the GM sees fit, a campaign may allow a higher maximum number of flaws per character: Campaign Style Conservative Controlled (Default) Generous Very Generous Goofy

Flaw Points Permitted 10 20 25 30 35

It is strongly recommended that characters be allowed to take a “goofy” number of Flaw Points only in games of an experimental or “one-shot” nature. Too many flaws, no matter how finely-balanced and delicately played, can turn an ongoing d20 campaign silly in a variety of ways. When creating characters higher than 1st level, this system may still be used in a rewarding fashion, but the GM should watch out for attempts to render flaws totally meaningless by the calculated selection of magic items, FX equipment, and special powers. Characters are quite free to seek out magical or FX compensations for their handicaps as a campaign goes on, of course, but starting play with such compensations already in their hands is contrary to the spirit of this system.

Sharing Flaws and Advantages A group of character may, with explicit GM approval, split the cost of certain large secondary flaws. For example, four characters could split an 8 point Nemesis (a villain, for example– page 44), accepting the burden of that Nemesis as a group in exchange for 2 Flaw Points apiece. This will ensure that the Nemesis will devote his attention to the group as a whole, rather than spending most of his time harassing one individual. A group of character may also, quite logically, split the cost of any advantage that could be deemed to be communally divisible. There’s no way for three characters to split the cost of, say, the rank of Admiral in the United States Navy– but it would be relatively easy for three characters to share an apartment and a car.

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Master List of Flaws Primary Flaws Flaw

Brief Description of Impairment

Age Albinism Animal Antipathy Bad Driver Bad Shot Bodily Marked Butterfingers Climate Aversion Clumsy Disfigurement Dull Reflexes Dwarfism Easily Winded Easily Slain Flinching Foresworn From Firearms Fragile Glass Jaw Guileless Gullible Illiterate Impaired Hand(s) Impaired Hearing Impaired Movement Impaired Sense of Smell Impaired Sense of Taste Impaired Vision Impaired Voice Impatient Inattentive Inflexible Light-Headed Lummox Magic Vulnerability Motion Sickness Nervous Oafish Obese Old Injury Old Injury (II) Pacifism

Character enters the game at middle age or older Character suffers from a rare lack of skin and hair pigmentation Animals dislike the character rather intensely Even when sober, character makes drunk drivers look skillful Character is more or less incapable of using ranged weapons effectively Character has a permanent identifying marker, such as a brand or tattoo Character is seriously lacking in manual dexterity Character is extremely uncomfortable in either cold or hot climates Dex modifier is not added to character’s base Defense Something is obviously wrong with the character’s shape or appearance Character’s Reflex Saving Throws are unusually poor Character’s adult growth is significantly shorter and smaller than the norm Character lacks the endurance for long-duration physical activities Character doesn’t cling tenaciously to life when badly injured Character suffers a limit upon his attacks of opportunity Character refuses to carry or use firearms Character’s Fortitude Saving Throws are unusually poor Character may be knocked silly by unarmed or bludgeoning attacks Character lacks a substantial amount of wit and social perception Character is far too credulous for his own good. Character cannot read Character’s fingers or hands suffer from injury Character has hearing trouble, and may even be deaf Character moves more slowly and clumsily than normal Character has no olfactory capabilities whatsoever Character’s sense of taste is utterly missing or destroyed Character is not blind, but his vision troubles him Character has suffered permanent damage to his palate or vocal chords Character may never take 10 or 20 on a skill check Character suffers a penalty to to Listen, Search, and Spot checks Character isn’t very good at Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble checks Character suffers increased effects from stun and sleep attacks Str modifier is not added to character’s Melee Attack Bonus Character suffers a penalty to all saving throws vs. spells and spell-like effects Character gets nauseous when aboard moving vehicles Character suffers a penalty to Will Saves vs. fear, horror, and demoralization Character suffers a penalty to all Hide, Jump, and Move Silently checks Character could stand to shed a few dozen pounds. Character suffers ability damage from critical hits Character suffers increased damage from critical hits Character has chosen to foreswear the path of violence

5

Poor Fighter Poorly Educated Predictable Fighter Psionic Vulnerability* Slow Healing Slow-Witted Unathletic Uncoordinated Underweight Unexceptional Unhealthy Unlucky Weak Constitution Weak-Willed

Character’s fighting ability is obviously sub-par. Character receives fewer skill points at 1st level Character cannot charge, fight defensively, or aid another Character suffers a penalty to all saving throws vs. psionic abilities and effects Character’s rate of hit point recovery is diminished Character’s Initiative checks aren’t what they should be Character’s Climb, Jump, and Swim checks suffer a variable penalty Character is seriously lacking in agility Character is slender and scrawny Character’s maximum number of skill ranks is decreased Doubled fatigue penalties and diminished carrying capacity Bad things happen when character rolls a natural 1 Character is unusually vulnerable to poisons and diseases Character’s Will Saves suffer a variable penalty

Medical Conditions Medical Condition

Brief Description of Impairment

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Asthma Clubfoot Diabetes (Type I) Diabetes (Type II) Epilepsy Hemophilia Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Character has AIDS or its precursor, HIV Character has chronic breathing trouble One of the character’s feet is malformed Character’s body does not produce insulin Character’s body does not properly use what insulin it has Character suffers from seizures Character lacks essential blood clotting factors Character is allergic to many common modern-day chemicals

Psychological Conditions Psychological Condition

Brief Description of Impairment

Anxiety Disorder Bipolar Disorder Chronic Confusion Delusional Dissociative Identity Dyslexia Narcissism Narcolepsy Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Paranoia Phobia Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Quirk/Mannerism Tourette’s Syndrome

Character suffers from a general state of intense worry Character veers from states of manic enthusiasm to morbid lethargy Character is befuddled about life, the universe, and everything Character experiences hallucinations at regular intervals Character has a “secondary personality” born of past trauma Character has difficulty interpreting visual symbology, such as writing Character is poisonously fixated on his own aggrandizement Character suffers random bouts of irresistible sleepiness Character is obsessed with order, details, and procedures Character is always watching his back, as someone is ”out to get him” Some common situation or encounter gives the character quite a fright Character suffers nervous episodes when reminded of a past trauma Character has a minor behavioral or social quirk Character continually erupts in involuntary movements and vocalizations

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Secondary Flaws Secondary Flaw

Brief Description of Impairment

Aggressive Airy/Flaky Amnesia Billy the Kid Syndrome Boastful Cold Fish Compulsive Liar Cowardly Criminal Honor Code Criminal Record Cruelty Dark Desire Debt of Honor Dependency Dependent Divisive Destiny Double Life Driving Obsession Duty/Responsibility Estranged Explosive Temper Greed Heroic Code: Fair Play Heroic Code: Honesty Heroic Code: Law and Order Heroic Code: Loyalty Heroic Code: Mercy Humorless Impulsive Inferiority Complex Insatiable Curiosity Intolerant Kleptomania Lazy Lecherous Lone Wolf Macho/Spartan Melancholy Miser Mistaken Identity Monetary Debt Nemesis: Government Nemesis: Legal

Character trusts his weapons too much and his wits too little Character acts, dresses, and/or talks like an irreconcilable loon The character’s entire life before now is a blank slate Character is regarded as the “one to beat” by a horde of eager wannabes Character is a compulsive exaggerator and often an outright liar Character is markedly stiff, emotionless, and aloof Character simply cannot stop spinning webs of lies and exaggerations Character values his skin much more than he values his dignity Character is sworn to live by a rather “Sicilian” code of conduct Character was convicted of one or more crimes and served time for them Character takes pleasure in dealing out pain and punishment to his foes Character secretly years for vast cosmic power at any price Character owes favors to a powerful NPC and must repay them Character is addicted to a chemical substance Character has one or more relatively helpless NPCs to guard and care for Character is fated to cause a major schism in his family, culture, or nation Character adventures under a secret identity that must remain secret Character’s life is consumed by his hunger for a single goal Character is sworn and legally bound into the service of a nation or group Character is emotionally alienated from his family and society Character blows his top with a frightening lack of control Character covets material possessions with an unhealthy lack of caution Character refuses to fight in an unsporting fashion According to the character, two wrongs never make a right Character deeply respects and defers to the law and its uniformed defenders Character refuses to abandon his friends and allies even in suicidal situations Character has vowed never to take the life of another thinking being Character is utterly without the slightest comprehension of humor Character is rash and headstrong, disdaining calculation, caution, and planning Character is a show-off, overly sensitive about any perceived mistreatment Character is probably going to go the way of the proverbial cat Character has an extremely regrettable streak of racial prejudice Character lives for the thrill of stealing things from other people Character is a slacker and a shirker; he is apparently allergic to hard work Character chases his compatible sex with single-minded zeal Character dislikes working in a group and is a grating, divisive presence Character laughs at displays of weakness and shuns all creature comforts Character is brooding, introspective, and morbid Character is obsessed with hoarding the money he has accumulated Someone with power frequently mistakes your character for someone else Character owes a small fortune to a powerful NPC Your character has an enemy within a local, regional, or national government Your character is pursued by lawyers

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Nemesis: Media Nemesis: Organization Nemesis: Villain Nightmares Obnoxious Ostracism Overcautious Overconfident Pompous Poor Reputation Primitive Risk-Addicted Stubborn Tongue-Tied Unsophisticated Vain/Dandy Vindictive

Your character is constantly harassed by one or more media figures Your character has made an enemy of a non-governmental organization Your character has made an enemy of a powerful and determined NPC Character suffers from recurring bouts of sleep-destroying visions Character is an obstreperous, opinionated loudmouth Character suffers formal or informal prejudice from the society he lives in Character drags his heels and proceeds too slowly when taking decisive action Character doesn’t seem to realize that he’s not invincible Character is overly formal, domineering, and melodramatic Character is reviled and disparaged by quite a few people Character is a product of a less technologically advanced civilization Character loves to consign his fate to the hands of Lady Luck Character is obstreperous, headstrong, and used to having his way. Character is shy and socially unpolished Character is presumed to be a hick or a rube. Character is image-obsessed, and possibly foppish or a clotheshorse Character has a revenge complex and cannot forgive any slight or injury

Weird Flaws Weird Flaw

Brief Description of Impairment

Bane Cursed Dark Taint Haunted Photophobia Strange Attractor

Character has an unusual vulnerability Character suffers from the varying effects of a supernatural curse Character has been touched by some form of evil Character suffers the attentions of a poltergeist Character hates bright light, and takes damage from sunlight Character attracts bizarre occurrences and weird disruptions

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PRIMARY FLAWS AGE [ Primary Flaw ] As your character can readily attest, it’s not necessarily the years, it’s the mileage. [2 Pts.] Middle Age: Your character begins the game just past the cusp of “middle age.” His starting age will be 1d4 years past the minimum “middle age” prescribed for his race. Your character suffers a -1 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution and gains a +1 bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. [4 Pts.] Old Age: Your character begins the game just past the cusp of “old age.” His starting age will be 1d4 years past the minimum “old age” prescribed for his race. He suffers an additional -2 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution and gains an additional +1 bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. [8 Pts.] Venerable Age: Your character begins the game just past the cusp of “venerable age.” His starting age will be 1 year past the minimum “venerable age” prescribed for his race. He suffers an additional -3 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution and gains an additional +1 bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. He also suffers an inherent -5 foot penalty to his base Speed and an inherent -1 penalty to his Defense score. Special Handicap [Frailty, +2 Pts.]: Your character suffers an additional inherent -1 penalty to his Fortitude Save and his Reflex Save. Limitation: The GM may determine that this flaw is incompatible with certain unusual races or FX powers in use in specific campaigns.

ALBINISM [ Primary Flaw ] Oculocutaneous albinism is a congenital condition that causes your character to have little or no pigmentation in his eyes, skin, and hair. In addition to affecting his physical appearance, this condition may impair vision or, rarely, cause more serious problems. [2 Pts.] Mild Albinism: Your character is unusually pale, and suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to Disguise checks due to the difficulty of concealing his condition. He also suffers an inherent -1 penalty to Search and Spot checks.

If your character suffers lengthy exposure (4 hours or more) to powerful sunlight with little or no protection, he must make a Fort Save (DC 18) or suffer painful burns across the exposed areas of his body. These burns will cause the temporary loss of 1d4 points of Dexterity, which will return at the usual rate with rest and care. [4 Pts.] Serious Albinism: Your character’s hair and skin are not merely pale, but somewhere between snowy white and transparent. He suffers a -8 circumstance penalty to Disguise checks and a -2 penalty to Search and Spot checks. Even modest exposure (2 or more hours) to powerful sunlight will force your character to make a Fort Save (DC 20) or suffer painful burns across the exposed areas of his body. These burns will cause the temporary loss of 1d6 points of Dexterity, which will return at the usual rate with rest and care. Special Handicap [Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome, +2 Pts.]: This is an extremely rare form of albinism found almost exclusively (but not universally) in people of Puerto Rican descent. Its symptoms are mild lung fibrosis (an inability of the lungs to expand or contract fully) and occasional bouts of bleeding, which are abstracted for game purposes to an inherent -2 penalty to Fortitude saving throws.

ANIMAL ANTIPATHY [ Primary Flaw ] Although your character can make limited use of pack and riding animals, neither they nor their wild counterparts have any affection for him. [2 Pts.] Moderate Antipathy: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all Animal Empathy, Handle Animal, and Ride checks, and must always treat those skills as cross-class skills if he wishes to improve them Dogs will bark at him, cats will hiss, and horses will buck and shy away. Any wild animals encountered will have their reactions toward your character shifted one column into the negative. [4 Pts.] Severe Antipathy: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all Animal Empathy, Handle Animal, and Ride checks, and must always treat those skills as cross-class skills if he wishes to improve them. Dogs will howl at him, cats will hiss and scratch, and horses may attempt to kick him. Any wild animals encountered will have their reactions toward your character shifted one column into the negative, and animals that are already hostile will attack your character in preference to anyone else nearby.

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[6 Pts.] Violent Antipathy: Your character suffers an inherent -6 penalty to all Animal Empathy, Handle Animal, and Ride checks, and must always treat those skills as cross-class skills if he wishes to improve them. Any wild animals encountered will have their reactions toward your character shifted one column into the negative, and animals that are already hostile will gleefully ignore anyone else nearby in their haste to hurl themselves upon your character. Lastly, any animal attacking your character gains a +1 morale bonus to its attack and damage rolls. Limitation: A character with this flaw may not possess the feat Animal Affinity, nor any other feat that offers a benefit or a bonus when dealing with animals.

BAD DRIVER [ Primary Flaw ] Putting your character at the controls of any ground vehicle with more get-up-and-go than the average bicycle is an invitation to disaster. [2 Pts.] Simple Ineptitude: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all Drive checks. [4 Pts.] Total Ineptitude: Your character suffers an inherent -8 penalty to all Drive checks. [6 Pts.] Gruesome Incompetence: Your character automatically fails any Drive check he is called upon to make. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the Drive-By Attack, Force Stop, Vehicle Dodge, and Vehicle Expert feats. A character suffering from total ineptitude or gruesome incompetence may not take the Surface Vehicle Operation feat.

BAD SHOT [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is either woefully unpracticed or naturally handicapped when it comes to the use of ranged weapons. [1 Pt.] Slight Impairment: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all ranged attacks. [2 Pts.] Routine Ineptitude: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all ranged attacks. [3 Pts.] Woeful Ineptitude: Your character is lucky he understands which end of the barrel the bullet comes out of. He suffers an inherent -

4 penalty to all ranged attacks. [4 Pts.] Perpetual Embarrassment: Opponents would rather be shot at by your character than by anyone else they know. He suffers an inherent -6 penalty to all ranged attacks. Special Handicap [Uncoordinated, +1 or 2 Pts.]: Your character’s positive Dexterity modifier does not improve his ranged attack rolls. This special handicap may only be selected if your character has a Dexterity score of 12 or higher. If at any time your character’s Dexterity score permanently drops below 12, simply add another -2 penalty to his ranged attacks. This handicap is worth 1 point for a Dexterity score of 12-15 and 2 points for a Dexterity score of 16 or higher. Special Handicap [Luckless Shooter, +1 Pt.]: Your character may never spend Action Points to improve ranged attack rolls. Special Handicap [Ineffectual Shooter, +1 Pt.]: Your character may never score a critical hit with a firearm. All critical hits rolled with a firearm will be treated as ordinary hits. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the following feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire, Dead Aim, Double Tap, Far Shot, PointBlank Shot, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Skip Shot, or Strafe. It is also incompatible with the Foresworn From Firearms flaw (page 12).

BODILY MARKED [ Primary Flaw ] Your character ‘s body has been permanently marked with a brand, a tattoo, a birthmark, or some similar marking, of a nature that is very difficult to remove even with procedures such as laser surgery. This flaw is especially appropriate for members of secret orders and societies. Be warned– not only does it make disguise more difficult, it may be a dead giveaway of your character’s identity or nature if his enemies learn the meaning of the mark. [1 Pt.] Easily Concealed: Your character’s permanent mark is quite indelible, but it is positioned so as to be very easily concealed– beneath a watchband, behind a necklace, under a breast or an armpit, on the inside of a thigh, etc. Your character suffers a -1 circumstance penalty to disguise checks. [2 Pts.] Difficult to Conceal: Your character’s permanent mark is positioned so that it may be hidden beneath relatively long clothing (fulllength shirts and trousers), but will be revealed by anything less. Your character suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to disguise checks.

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[3 Pts.] Glaringly Obvious: Your character’s permanent mark is either so large or so located as to be impossible to hide– the middle of his forehead, for example. Your character suffers a -4 penalty to disguise checks. Special Handicap [Invites Trouble, +1 Pt.]: Your character’s mark sends a signal to certain people that your character may be openly harmed or even killed. For example, some police states brand their criminals and enemies, and those markings would invite police and other authorities to arrest or attack your character if the markings were uncovered.

BUTTERFINGERS [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is seriously lacking in manual dexterity, and tends to fumble and slip when he grasps at objects in moments of stress. [2 Pts.]: Withdrawing or stowing a carried item or weapon (in a holster or pack) are both treated as full-round actions for your character. Reloading a firearm with a box magazine or a speed-loader also requires a full round, and reloading a firearm with an internal magazine or belt requires two full-round actions. Your character suffers a -1 circumstance penalty to all Sleight-of-Hand checks. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the Quick Draw and Quick Reload feats.

CLIMATE AVERSION [ Primary Flaw ] Your character’s body has a hard time adjusting to the rigors of either very hot or very cold climates. [2 Pts.] Cold Aversion: If your character is averse to cold climates, he suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to all saving throws and skill checks in temperatures at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. He also suffers an inherent -2 penalty to saving throws made against cold-based FX powers or area effects. Cold-weather clothing will not remove this penalty. [2 Pts.] Heat Aversion: If your character is averse to hot climates, he suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to all saving throws and skill checks in tropical or desert conditions (or in artificial conditions of extreme heat, such as steam baths). He also suffers an inherent -2 penalty to saving throws made against heat-based FX powers or area effects. Special Handicap [Intense Aversion, +1 Pt.]: Your character’s aversion to the climate is so intense that he also suffers a -2 circumstance

penalty to Defense and attack rolls while in it. Special: A character may possess both types of climate aversion, meaning that he will be comfortable only in relatively temperate climates. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken by a character with any sort of intrinsic resistance to the range of temperatures he is supposed to be averse to.

CLUMSY [ Primary Flaw ] Your character’s defensive footwork needs a great deal of polish. His opponents find him somehow quite hittable. [2 Pts.] Slightly Clumsy: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Defense rating. [4 Pts.] Fairly Clumsy: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to his Defense rating. [6 Pts.] Very Clumsy: Your character suffers an inherent -3 penalty to his Defense rating. Cover is your character’s friend. [8 Pts.] Professional Victim: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to his Defense rating. May we suggest a comprehensive life insurance policy? Special Handicap [Uncomfortable With Armor, +1 Pt.]: If your character wears armor of any sort, his Armor Check Penalty is worsened by -1. Special: This flaw is incompatible with the Dodge feat.

DISFIGUREMENT [ Primary Flaw ] Your character suffers from a permanent , painless, but very obvious physical deformity. This could be anything from bestial features (a mane, a tail, etc.) to a misshapen body (hunchback, extensive scars) to unusual skin color (moon-white, dark blue, etc.). [1 Pt.] Slight Disfigurement: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Charisma score. Only his very close friends, family, and associates will disregard this penalty (GM’s discretion). Furthermore, your character will suffer an additional -1 penalty to all Disguise checks, due to the difficulty of concealing his unusual feature(s).

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[2 Pts.] Moderate Disfigurement: Your character suffers an inherent 2 penalty to his Charisma score. Only his very close friends, family, and associates will disregard this penalty (GM’s discretion). Furthermore, your character will suffer an additional -2 penalty to all Disguise checks, due to the difficulty of concealing his unusual feature(s).

EASILY SLAIN [ Primary Flaw] Your character’s will to live is weaker than usual, and when seriously injured his natural inclination is to give up the ghost rather than fight to stay alive.

[4 Pts.] Obvious Disfigurement: Your character suffers an inherent 4 penalty to his Charisma score. Only his very close friends, family, and associates will disregard this penalty (GM’s discretion). Furthermore, your character will suffer an additional -4 penalty to all Disguise checks, due to the difficulty of concealing his unusual feature(s).

[2 Pts.]: Your character dies at -5 hit points rather than at -10 hit points. Furthermore, he suffers a -2 penalty to any Fort Save made to avoid instant death (as from massive damage, for example).

Special Handicap [Unusual Body Shape, +1 Pt.]: Your character must have all of his personal clothing and armor tailored to fit his disfigured form. Increase the base price of any armor or clothing so customized by 50%, or add 2 to the DC of the Wealth check.

EASILY WINDED

Special Handicap [Uniqueness, +1 Pt.]: Your character suffers an additional -4 circumstance penalty to Disguise checks.

DULL REFLEXES [ Primary Flaw] Your character isn’t as fast as he could or should be when attempting to dodge incoming disaster. [1 Pt.]: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Reflex saving throw. This flaw may be taken multiple times, up to a maximum Reflex Save penalty of -8. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the Lightning Reflexes feat.

DWARFISM [ Primary Flaw] Your character, due to a genetic condition, has reached an adult level of physical development that is significantly shorter in stature than his species norm. [2 Pts.]: Your character is one size class smaller than the adult norm for his race. In the case of humans, this will make him a small creature. Apply all the appropriate modifiers. Your character suffers an intrinsic -4 penalty to all Intimidate and Disguise checks. He may occasionally suffer taunts and pranks from insensitive NPCs.

Limitation: This flaw may not be applied to characters with regeneration or unusually fast healing as natural powers.

[ Primary Flaw] Your character’s ability to engage in lengthy bouts of physical activity is somewhat limited. [2 Pts.] Slightly Out of Shape: Your character suffers a -4 penalty to all skill checks or saves made to reflect exertion over an extended length of time. Furthermore, when holding his breath, he is treated as though his Constitution score were 4 points lower than it really is. [4 Pts.] Obviously Out of Shape: Your character suffers a -8 penalty to all skill checks or saves made to reflect exertion over an extended length of time. Furthermore, when holding his breath, he is treated as though his Constitution score were 8 points lower than it really is. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the Endurance feat.

FLINCHING [ Primary Flaw] Your character tends to flinch and hesitate when opponents press close in combat, meaning that his attacks of opportunity are poorly directed. [2 Pts.]: When an opponent triggers an attack of opportunity within your character’s threatened area, your character suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to his attack roll.

FORESWORN FROM FIREARMS [ Primary Flaw ] Your character shuns the use of guns of any sort, regarding them as crude, clumsy, noisy, dishonorable, or all of the above.

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[2 Pts.] Moderate Revulsion: Your character steadfastly refuses to carry or use firearms, and usually regards those who do as being beneath contempt. In extreme circumstances, your character may attempt to pick up a firearm and use it for a purpose other than shooting someone else (cutting a rope, detonating an explosive barrel, etc.). The GM may call for a Will Save (DC 15+) before allowing him to do so.

GM Option: Flaw Synergy

[4 Pts.] Irrational Abhorrence: Your character refuses to even touch a firearm, even when his life or the lives of others might be on the line. In utterly extreme circumstances (fate of the world hangs in the balance, for example) the character may attempt a very difficult Will Save (DC 25+) in order to pick up a firearm and use it on an inanimate object.

Flaw synergy grants a player some extra bit of compensation for having the guts needed to take a set of flaws that compound one another in a potentially gruesome fashion. Note that flaw synergy does not occur merely because a character has a set of flaws that are thematically related– for example, while it makes sense that an Inflexible character might also be Unathletic, those two flaws don’t complicate one another in a direct and particular fashion.

Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with any feat that improves the character’s ability to use or maintain firearms. Feats that improve general ranged attacks may be taken (with the GM’s permission), but never applied to the use of firearms.

FRAGILE [ Primary Flaw] Your character suffers from a certain exceptional lack of vitality. [1 Pt.]: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Fortitude saving throw. This flaw may be taken multiple times, up to a maximum Fortitude Save penalty of -8. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the Great Fortitude feat.

By now it’s probably occurred to you that certain flaws, in combination, have a debilitating effect greater than the sum of their parts– just as alcohol and some drugs multiply their effects when mingled. This leads into the concept of flaw synergy.

On the other hand, Glass Jaw and Light-Headed are potentially deadly in combination. The latter flaw all but ensures that your character will fall unconscious whenever the former flaw takes effect. Old Injury and Old Injury (II) are an equally dangerous match, greatly enhancing the effect of every critical hit the character suffers. Primary and secondary flaws may be combined to create synergy. For example, an Overconfident character with a Glass Jaw and an Old Injury is simply asking for trouble. If the GM determines that a player’s selection of flaws is appropriately synergistic, he may award him one of the following benefits: • 1 Flaw Point for mild synergy • 2 Flaw Points for dangerous synergy • 3 Flaw Points for suicidal synergy

GLASS JAW [ Primary Flaw ] Your character tends to wobble and swoon when an opponent lands a solid blow to his head or chin. [2 Pts.] Wobbly: When an opponent scores a successful critical hit against your character with an unarmed attack or a bludgeoning weapon, your character must make a Fort Save, [DC 10 + points of damage taken], or become stunned for 1d2+1 rounds. [4 Pts.] Downright Delicate: When an opponent scores a successful critical hit against your character with an unarmed attack or a bludgeoning weapon, your character must make a Fort Save, [DC 15 + points of damage taken], or become stunned for 1d4+1 rounds.

Limitation: This flaw may not be taken by a character naturally immune to critical hits.

GUILELESS [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is somewhat deficient in shrewdness and social awareness. [2 Pts.] Socially Unpolished: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks. [4 Pts.] Fantastically Clueless: Your character suffers an inherent -4

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penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with any feat that would enhance or improve any of the skills it penalizes.

GULLIBLE [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is far too credulous– not only does he tend to swallow lies, exaggerations, and tall tales put forth by others, he does so with enthusiasm. [2 Pts.]: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all Bluff checks and Sense Motive checks. It’s against his nature to challenge the word of others except when he has direct proof that they’re wrong, and his friends and allies will have many occasions to swat their foreheads in embarrassment at his gullibility.

ILLITERATE [ Primary Flaw ] Your character cannot read. [2 Pts.]: Your character cannot read, and therefore cannot place skill ranks in Knowledges, Professions, or Craft/Repair skills that could reasonably be determined to require any element of book-learning (GM’s discretion). Your character also begins the game knowing only the spoken form of his native language.

IMPAIRED HAND(S) [ Primary Flaw ] Your character has suffered some form of damage to one or both of his hands. [2 Pts.] Injured/Missing Fingers: Due to stiff or missing fingers, your character suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to all Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Repair, and Sleight-of-Hand checks; [5 Pts.] One-Handed: Your character’s off hand was completely severed from his wrist, leaving him with nothing but a rounded and useless stump. This flaw has a variety of effects: •Your character cannot wield a weapon in his off-hand, nor use any shield with that hand, save a buckler which can be strapped to his forearm;

•Your character may not wear rings or bracelets on his off hand. Magical items in the form of gloves or gauntlets may not be used if both must be worn to achieve the magical effect; •Reloading a firearm with a box magazine or a speed-loader also requires a full round; •Your character suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to all Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Repair, and Sleight-of-Hand checks; and •Your character may not use ordinary bows, although he may load and fire crossbows as per normal. •Your character suffers a -1 penalty to all grapple checks. Limitation: Your character may not possess the following feats: Ambidexterity, Quick Reload, Two-Weapon Fighting, or Improved TwoWeapon Fighting. Special: Injured/Missing Fingers is worth 1 bonus Flaw Point to arcane spellcasters, as it causes a 10% chance of failure to any spell with a somatic (gesture) component. One-Handed is worth 2 bonus Flaw Points to an arcane spellcaster, as it causes a 20% chance of failure to any spell with a somatic component. These percentile chances of failure are rolled by the GM. Special: The GM may see fit to assign penalties to actions not described here if the lack of an off-hand could be reasonably determined to hinder those actions.

IMPAIRED HEARING [ Primary Flaw ] Your character has suffered some sort of damage (congenital, perhaps, or caused by an accident or a combat injury) to his auditory nerves. [2 Pts.] Hearing Damage: Your character retains some auditory ability, but not much. He suffers an inherent -6 penalty to Listen checks, and may not spend Action Points to enhance them. The Listen skill will be forever considered cross-class for your character. [5 Pts.] Deafness: Your character automatically fails any Listen check, suffers a -4 penalty to Initiative, and has a 20% chance to miscast any spell with a verbal (V) component. Nothing less than a full Wish spell or the equivalent ultra-powerful FX effect can restore your character’s hearing.

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Limitation: This flaw may not be applied to characters with a natural power or ability that effectively replaces the sense of hearing.

IMPAIRED SENSE OF TASTE

IMPAIRED MOVEMENT

Your character ‘s taste buds are permanently damaged or missing, leaving him sadly unable to taste anything, no matter how delicious or vile it may be.

[ Primary Flaw ] Your character suffers from a physical condition that restricts his ability to move. The nature of this condition is such that no magical, technological, or other power can reverse or remove it, unless you wish to buy this flaw off (page 18) at 2nd level or higher.

[ Primary Flaw ]

[1 Pt.]: Everything your character eats or drinks is as flat and flavorless as distilled water would be to an ordinary person. This leaves your character unable to detect the subtle hint of drugs, poison, or putrefaction in anything he eats.

[2 Pts.] Limp: Your character’s base Speed is reduced by 10 feet. [4 Pts.] Serious Limp: Your character’s base Speed is reduced by 10 feet. He suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks. [8 Pts.] Hobbled: Your character cannot run or charge. His base Speed is reduced by 10 feet. He suffers an inherent -1 penalty to Defense and a -4 penalty to Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks. [12 Pts.] Paraplegic: Your character is paraplegic. He has lost all use of his legs and must rely upon a wheelchair or other conveyance. If removed from such a device, he may move only by crawling while prone, at a rate of 10 feet per round. At all times, he loses his Dex bonus to Defense, suffers an intrinsic -2 penalty to Defense, grants attackers a +2 bonus to attack rolls, and automatically fails Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks. Limitation: This flaw, in its Paraplegic form, is incompatible with any feat or FX power that the GM determines to require bipedal movement. Paraplegism is also incompatible with the Inflexible flaw.

IMPAIRED SENSE OF SMELL [ Primary Flaw ] Your character ‘s olfactory nerves have been damaged, leaving him unable to smell anything. While this may be a blessing in certain disgusting situations, it also leaves him without early warning of many possible hazards, including fires, poison gas, or large nearby animals. [1 Pt.]: In addition to the obvious effects of this flaw, your character suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to any roll made to ascertain information by the sense of taste.

IMPAIRED VISION [ Primary Flaw ] Your character isn’t completely blind, but his vision is a constant source of trouble to him. Magical healing will not suffice to alleviate this condition. [2 Pts.] Poor Vision: Your character suffers an inherent -3 penalty to Search and Spot checks, and may not spend Action Points to enhance them. The Search and Spot skills will be forever considered cross-class for your character. [4 Pts.] Terrible Vision: Your character isn’t yet absolutely blind, but in practical terms he’s pretty close. Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Search and Spot checks, and may not spend Action Points to enhance them. The Search and Spot skills will be forever considered cross-class for your character. Furthermore, he suffers a -1 inherent penalty to all attack rolls due to his inability to judge the true position of opponents in combat. [6 Pts.] Truly Awful Vision: It isn’t quite safe to let your character out on his own– he’s always mistaking hostile ninjas for harmless pieces of lawn furniture, and vice versa. Your character suffers an inherent -5 penalty to Search and Spot checks, and may not spend Action Points to enhance them. The Search and Spot skills will be forever considered cross-class for your character. Furthermore, he suffers a -1 inherent penalty to all attack rolls, as well as an inherent -1 penalty to Defense. [8 Pts.] Blindness: In addition to the obvious effects of blindness (automatically failing Search and Spot checks, for example), your character suffers a 50% miss chance in combat, loses any Dexterity bonus to Defense, grants a +2 bonus to opponents’ attack rolls, moves at half speed, and suffers a -4 penalty on most Dexterity and Strength-based skill checks, at the GM’s discretion.

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IMPAIRED VOICE [ Primary Flaw ] Your character has suffered extensive damage to his vocal cords, via injury or disease. Magical healing and FX powers cannot correct this condition. [1 Pt.] Slight Impediment: Your character suffers from a slight speech impediment, such as an occasional stutter. This impediment should be role-played continually, but need only become severe when your character is under intense stress. The GM may call for a Will Save in times of crisis if your character wishes to try and maintain control over his voice.

[4 Pts.] Clueless: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Listen, Search, and Spot checks. [6 Pts.] Thick as Concrete: Your character suffers an inherent -6 penalty to Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the “Blindness” version of Impaired Vision or with the “Deafness” version of “Impaired Hearing.

INFLEXIBLE [ Primary Flaw ]

[2 Pts.] Damaged Voice: Your character is unable to talk above a harsh whisper and cannot shout or sing. This should be role-played at all times. Your character suffers a 25% chance of spell failure when casting any arcane spell with a verbal (V) component. Any Perform check involving a verbal element (save for singing, which is already totally precluded) suffers a -4 circumstance penalty. This level of Impaired Voice is worth 2 bonus Flaw Points to arcane spellcasters, as virtually all spells have verbal components. [4 Pts.] Mute: Your character’s vocal cords are missing or irreparably damaged. He may speak only in weak abstract noises, such as hisses and grunts. Otherwise, his communication must be limited to gestures and writing (if he is capable of such). It is expected that this flaw will be roleplayed at all appropriate times. An arcane spellcaster may not be mute.

IMPATIENT [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is notoriously incapable of focusing his attention long and hard enough to accomplish tasks requiring great dedication. [2 Pts.]: Your character may never ‘take 10’ or ‘take 20’ on any skill check.

INATTENTIVE [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is frequently oblivious to the fine details of what’s happening all around him. [2 Pts.] Distracted: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Listen, Search, and Spot checks.

Whether it’s due to age, an old injury, or simple lack of exercise, your character isn’t as lithe and nimble as he really should be. [2 Pts.] Creaky: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble checks. [4 Pts.] Stiff: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble checks. [6 Pts.] Very Stiff: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble checks, as well as an inherent -1 penalty to Defense. Special Handicap [Arthritis, +2 Pts.]: Your character’s fingers are stiff and sore. As a result, he suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Craft, Disable Device, and Sleight-of-Hand checks.

LIGHT-HEADED [ Primary Flaw ] Your character has serious trouble remaining steady on his feet when subjected to a stunning attack or a knockout effect. [2 Pts.]: When your character would normally become staggered due to the accrual of nonlethal damage, he instead falls unconscious. When he suffers a successful stun attack, he must make a Fort Save (DC 15) or instead fall unconscious for the appropriate number of rounds. Your character suffers a -2 penalty to all saving throws vs. sleep-inducing spells, FX powers, and drugs. Special: This flaw may not be taken by a character with an unusual or racial resistance to sleep-inducing spells and FX powers, or to nonlethal damage.

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LUMMOX [ Primary Flaw ]

moving vehicle.

Your character’s firm muscles are a testament to his physical strength, but he’s never really learned how to control that strength when swinging a weapon.

[4 Pts.] Nauseous: What’s more, before your character may take any action while in or upon a moving vehicle, he must make a Fortitude Save (DC 15). Failure means that he will become nauseated until the beginning of his action in the next round.

[2 Pts.]: Your character’s positive Strength modifier is not applied to his Base Attack Bonus whenever he uses a melee weapon or makes an unarmed attack.

Special Handicap [Total Vulnerability, +1 Pt.]: Your character even suffers from motion sickness when he is the one controlling the vehicle.

Limitation: This flaw may only be applied to characters with a Strength score of 12 or higher. If at any time the character’s Strength falls permanently beneath 12, apply an inherent -2 penalty to all melee attack rolls instead.

MAGIC VULNERABILITY [ Primary Flaw ]

NERVOUS [ Primary Flaw ] Your character has some difficulty dealing with the horrors of battle, dark magic, and supernatural manifestations. [2 Pts.] Trepidatious: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Will Saves made to resist fear, horror, shock, or demoralization.

Your character is unusually vulnerable to the deleterious effects of hostile magic.

[4 Pts.] Traumatized: Your character suffers an inherent -8 penalty to Will Saves made to resist fear, horror, shock, or demoralization.

[2 Pts.] Slight Vulnerability: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.

Limitation: This flaw may not be taken by characters that are inherently immune to fear effects.

[4 Pts.] Moderate Vulnerability: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.

OAFISH [ Primary Flaw ]

[6 Pts.] Extreme Vulnerability: Your character suffers an inherent -6 penalty to all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. [8 Pts.] Dying of Mojo: Your character suffers an inherent -8 penalty to all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. Special: This flaw may only be taken in campaigns where magic is present.

MOTION SICKNESS [ Primary Flaw ]

Your character is about as light on his feet as a sleepy grizzly bear. [2 Pts.] Fumblefeet: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all Hide, Jump, and Move Silently checks. [4 Pts.] Omni-Bumbling: Your character is the anti-ninja. He suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all Hide, Jump, and Move Silently checks. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the “Paraplegic” version of Impaired Movement.

OBESE

Your character suffers intense discomfort and disorientation if he attempts to concentrate on anything but the scenery while in a moving vehicle. This flaw does not usually apply if the character is controlling the vehicle in question.

Your character is substantially overweight. Although his mother might insist that he’s just stocky, she’s wrong.

[2 Pts.] Woozy: Your character suffers a -2 circumstance penalty any time he attempts to take any sort of action while riding within or upon a

[3 Pts.] Overweight: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Defense rating, as he has difficulty moving nimbly when he needs to.

[ Primary Flaw ]

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Your character must also have all of his personal clothing and armor tailored to fit his oversized form. Increase the base price of any armor or clothing so customized by 25% (if using a precise cash measure), or add 1 to the DC of the Wealth check. Lastly, he suffers a -4 penalty to Disguise checks because his corpulence is a rather memorable trait. On the positive side, he does gain a +1 circumstance bonus to all Swim checks. [5 Pts.] Very Overweight: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Defense rating, as well as a -2 penalty to all Climb and Jump checks, as he has difficulty moving nimbly when he needs to. Your character must also have all of his personal clothing and armor tailored to fit his oversized form. Increase the base price of any armor or clothing so customized by 50% (if using a precise cash measure), or add 2 to the DC of the Wealth check. Lastly, he suffers a -6 penalty to Disguise checks because his corpulence is a rather memorable trait. On the positive side, he does gain a +1 circumstance bonus to all Swim checks. Limitation: An Obese character may not also be Underweight.

OLD INJURY [ Primary Flaw ] Your character suffers from an old wound, long healed on the surface but ready to flare up again when aggravated by new injuries. [2 Pts.] Aggravating: Whenever your character sustains a successful critical hit, he suffers a -2 penalty to both Strength and Dexterity. These lost ability points must be recovered at the ordinary rate, with rest and care. [4 Pts.] Debilitating: Whenever your character sustains a successful critical hit, he suffers a -4 penalty to both Strength and Dexterity. These lost ability points must be recovered at the ordinary rate, with rest and care. [6 Pts.] Crippling: Whenever your character sustains a successful critical hit, he suffers a -6 penalty to both Strength and Dexterity. These lost ability points must be recovered at the ordinary rate, with rest and care. He also suffers a -10 penalty to his Speed score and a -2 penalty to attack rolls and Defense until he has rested for at least eight hours. Special: This flaw may be taken in conjunction with Old Injury (II). Limitation: This flaw may not be taken by a character naturally immune to critical hits.

GM Option: Buying Off Flaws Sooner or later, one of your players is probably going to express a desire to have his character overcome one or more of his flaws. Provided that a proper in-game rationale can be provided for this, it isn’t a problem. Medical science can correct neurological damage, repair broken limbs, and offer new drug treatments for previously unbeatable problems. Psychological counseling can help overcome many nervous disorders. Time, discipline, and increasing self-confidence can help bury many old handicaps, such as clumsiness or obesity. When a player wishes to “buy off” a character flaw, he must spend something in exchange, at the time his character gains a level: •1 Flaw Point may be bought off for 2 skill points; •2 Flaw Points may be bought off for 1 feat (whether received for character level or as a class bonus); •2 Flaw Points may be bought off in place of one ability score increase (at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, or 20th level); Note that the character doesn’t spend any feats or skill points he already has– he loses only new ones he would ordinarily get for a level increase. Alternately (and with your explicit permission), a character may buy off 1 Flaw Point by setting aside an “XP Tithe.” For each Flaw Point bought off, calculate 1/8 of the number of XP the character will require to reach his next level. This “Tithe” must be paid off by earned XP before any earned XP can be used for any other purpose– in effect, the character is being forced to earn a certain percentage of his next character level twice to pay off his former flaw. Once the Tithe is paid off, the character resumes using earned XP in the usual fashion (to advance his level, to craft FX items, etc.) Some background flaws cannot be bought off– for example, an enemy cannot simply be wished away, and a criminal record cannot be made to vanish into thin air (at least not without the expenditure of large amounts of time and money, an expenditure that should make the character pay about as much as if he’d bought off the flaw in the fashion described above). However, an enemy can be defeated, preferably after many, many encounters as the campaign nears its culmination. Characters that wipe out an enemy after many long months or years of effort do not need to pay anything extra to be rid of their foe– they have earned their peace with blood, sweat, and tears.

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Limitation: This flaw may not be taken by a character with the natural ability to rapidly regenerate lost ability points, nor by a character naturally immune to ability point loss or critical hits.

OLD INJURY (II) [ Primary Flaw ] This is another form of old injury. [2 Pts.] Bad: Whenever your character sustains a successful critical hit, the damage multiplier of that critical hit increases by 1 (x2 becomes x3, x3 becomes x4, and so forth).

Limitation: This flaw, in its “Total Nonviolence” version, is incompatible with the Bad Shot, Foresworn From Firearms, Lummox, Poor Fighter, Predictable Fighter, Cruel, and Vindictive flaws. It is incompatible in any fashion with the Aggressive flaw. Special: The GM may decide to disallow this flaw in combination with any other flaw he determines to be as inappropriate as the ones listed above.

POOR FIGHTER [ Primary Flaw ]

[4 Pts.] Worse: Whenever your character sustains a successful critical hit, the damage multiplier of that critical hit increases by 2 (x2 becomes x4, x3 becomes x5, and so forth). [6 Pts.] Pray For Deliverance: Whenever your character sustains a successful critical hit, the damage multiplier of that critical hit increases by 2 (x2 becomes x4, x3 becomes x5, and so forth). Furthermore, your character suffers an additional 2d6 points of damage (added, not multiplied). Special: This flaw may be taken in conjunction with Old Injury.

Your character, whether because of a lack of training, natural ability, or simple enthusiasm, does not fight as skillfully as he should. [2 Pts.] Ungifted: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all attack rolls. [4 Pts.] Ungainly: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all attack rolls. [6 Pts.] Embarrassing: Your character suffers an inherent -3 penalty to all attack rolls.

Limitation: This flaw may not be taken by a character naturally immune to critical hits.

[8 Pts.] Disgraceful: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all attack rolls.

PACIFISM

[10 Pts.] What’s Combat?: Your character suffers an inherent -5 penalty to all attack rolls.

[ Primary Flaw ] Your character renounces (to a lesser or greater extent) the use of violence as a solution to his problems. This includes not only physical violence but magical violence, psionic violence, and any other form of violence allowed by FX powers or other unusual abilities. [3 Pts.] Self-Defense Only: Your character may only engage in acts of violence as a direct response to violent acts taken against himself or his close allies. In the event he witnesses a violent action that affronts his moral code or allegiance (for example, if he witnesses innocent bystanders placed in danger by a criminal), he may attempt to intervene in a non-violent fashion. [6 Pts.] Total Nonviolence: Your character may take no violent action against anyone, under any circumstances. His role in a time of crisis will be limited to rendering aid, healing, scouting, and other non-confrontational forms of assistance.

Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the “Total Nonviolence” version of Pacifism.

POORLY EDUCATED [ Primary Flaw ] Your character might be bright, enthusiastic, and talented, but his formal training is sadly lacking. [2 Pts.]: At 1st level, your character suffers the loss of 4 skill points. All Knowledge skills are thereafter treated as cross-class skills should he wish to place ranks in any of them.

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PREDICTABLE FIGHTER [ Primary Flaw ] Your character fights in a woefully limited and straightforward fashion. [2 Pts.]: Your character is incapable of using the full defense, aid another, trip, or disarm actions in combat. Limitation: Your character cannot possess the Expertise feat or any feat requiring it as a prerequisite.

PSIONIC VULNERABILITY [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is unusually vulnerable to the deleterious effects of hostile psychic abilities. [2 Pts.] Slight Vulnerability: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all saving throws against psionic powers and psionic FX abilities. [4 Pts.] Moderate Vulnerability: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all saving throws against psionic powers and psionic FX abilities. [6 Pts.] Extreme Vulnerability: Your character suffers an inherent -6 penalty to all saving throws against psionic powers and psionic FX abilities. [8 Pts.] Ding! Your Brain is Done: Your character suffers an inherent -8 penalty to all saving throws against psionic powers and psionic FX abilities. Limitation: This flaw may only be taken by characters in campaigns where psionic abilities will be encountered relatively frequently.

SLOW HEALING [ Primary Flaw ] Your character finds that recovery from serious injury is a slow and aggravating process. [2 Pts.] Slow Healing: Your character recovers 1 hit point per evening of rest per two character levels (or fraction thereof). If he receives complete bed rest (24 hours per day, with no other activity), he may recover lost hit points at his regular rate.

[3 Pts.] Slower Healing: Even full-day bed rest cannot improve your character’s rate of healing. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken by any character for whom fast healing is a natural condition.

SLOW-WITTED [ Primary Flaw ] When danger looms, your character is slower to react than those around him. [1 Pt.] Somewhat Slow: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to his Initiative checks. [2 Pts.] Rather Slow: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to his Initiative checks. [3 Pts.] Nerves of Molasses: Your character suffers an inherent -6 penalty to his Initiative checks. [4 Pts.] Molasses in January: Your character suffers an inherent -8 penalty to his Initiative checks. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the Improved Initiative feat.

UNATHLETIC [ Primary Flaw ] Whether your character is out of shape, aging, or just disinclined to throw himself around, he’s not as good at full-body movement exercises as he might be. [2 Pts.] Slacker: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. [4 Pts.] Sluggard: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Climb, Jump, and Swim checks.

UNCOORDINATED [ Primary Flaw ] “Right foot in front of left foot, then repeat” is about the most complicated action your poor, clumsy character can undertake without trouble. [2 Pts.] Inept: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Balance,

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Ride, and Tumble checks. Any Perform check involving dexterous movement (dancing or juggling, for example) suffers a -4 circumstance penalty. [4 Pts.] Hopeless: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Balance, Ride, and Tumble checks. Any Perform check involving dexterous movement (dancing or juggling, for example) suffers a -8 circumstance penalty.

UNDERWEIGHT [ Primary Flaw ] Your character is unusually skinny for his height.

they are acquired during the normal course of play.

UNHEALTHY [ Primary Flaw ] Your character suffers from a variety of physical ailments that could be the result of age, injury, disease, or even plain old hypochondria. [2 Pts.]: All numerical fatigue penalties (to Strength and Dexterity) are doubled for your character. His allowed light load is decreased by 10 pounds, his medium load is decreased by 20 pounds, and his maximum load is decreased by 30 pounds. He suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all saving throws against poison and disease.

[2 Pts.] Slender: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to grapple checks and to melee damage rolls. His lift/carry capacity is 75% of that normally allowed for his Strength score.

Note: If your character is also Underweight (see above), apply the percentile decrease in his lift/carry capacity before subtracting the totals listed here.

[4 Pts.] Emaciated: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to grapple checks and to melee damage rolls. His lift/carry capacity is 75% of that normally allowed for his Strength score. He also suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all Strength ability checks and Strength-related skill checks.

UNLUCKY

Limitation: This flaw may not be combined with the Obese flaw.

UNEXCEPTIONAL [ Primary Flaw ] Your character displays no particular brilliance or excellence in any of his abilities. [2 Pts.]: Lackluster: Your character may never have any natural ability score higher than 13. He may place a maximum number of ranks in any class skill equal to his current level +2. [4 Pts.]: Extreme Mediocrity: Your character may never have any natural ability score higher than 11. He may place a maximum number of ranks in any class skill equal to his current level +1. He may never possess the Skill Focus feat. Special: Any permanent ability increase that would improve one of the character’s ability scores above the allowed maximum is lost without compensation. Special: The character may still increase his abilities above the listed maximum via the use of magical items or other FX artifacts, provided

[ Primary Flaw ] Your character might not be fortune’s fool, but he’s almost certainly fortune’s rubber chew toy. [3 Pts.] Cursed: Any time your character rolls a natural 1 on a skill check, that skill check fails in the most picturesque and potentially complicating fashion possible, at the GM’s fiendish discretion. Whenever your character rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll, he drops the weapon he used to make that attack roll. If he is incapable of dropping the weapon (for example, if it is clenched inside a locked gauntlet), he will instead injure himself for 1d4 hit points. [6 Pts.] Cosmic Tragicomedy: Furthermore, your character cannot gain or spend Action Points.

WEAK CONSTITUTION [ Primary Flaw ] Your character lacks resistance to pathogens and harmful substances. [2 Pts.] Moderately Weak: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all saving throws made to resist poisons, drugs, and diseases. [4 Pts.] Weak: Your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to all saving throws made to resist poisons, drugs, and diseases. [6 Pts.] Very Weak: Your character suffers an inherent -6 penalty to all

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saving throws made to resist poisons, drugs, and diseases.

appropriate in some areas of the world.

[8 Pts.] Extremely Weak: Your character suffers an inherent -8 penalty to all saving throws made to resist poisons, drugs, and diseases.

Progression of Disease: For every two game weeks in which the character does not receive his drug treatment, there is a cumulative 5% chance that the disease will progress to the point of genuine AIDS. If this happens in play, no additional Flaw Points are awarded for the worsening of the character’s condition.

Limitation: This flaw may not be possessed by characters with any natural or unusual immunity to poisons, drugs, or diseases.

WEAK-WILLED [ Primary Flaw] Your character lacks the mental fortitude one might wish to have before venturing out into a world full of bizarre mysteries and deadly combat. [1 Pt.]: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Will saving throw. This flaw may be taken multiple times, up to a maximum Will Save penalty of -8. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the Iron Will feat.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)

[7 Pts.] AIDS: Your character’s immune system has become damaged to the point where he is considered to have a full-blown case of AIDS. Your character suffers a -2 penalty to his general Fort Save and a -6 penalty (cumulative with the -2) to all Fort Saves made to resist diseases. AIDS patients frequently suffer serious illness or death from what are called “opportunistic infections,” that is, diseases that are normally easily held in check by a healthy immune system. Your character must also maintain his drug treatment on a continual basis, or the -6 penalty to Fort Saves against disease will become a -8 penalty (after one week without drugs, lasting until they are next taken). Special: This flaw may be combined with the Weak Immune System flaw, if you don’t like your character very much. Limitation: This flaw may not be combined with any feat or FX power that grants heightened resistance to diseases. The character may still acquire or create a magic item or FX artifact that confers resistance against disease, provided he does so during actual play rather than at or before 1st level.

[ Medical Condition] AIDS is a chronic condition that causes degeneration of the human body’s immune system. It is thought to be a result of infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Although there are an increasingly effective number of treatments for AIDS, there is no known cure, and the condition can be extremely serious in its advanced stages. [3 Pts.] HIV Positive: Your character has been infected by the HIV virus. This does not necessarily mean that he has developed AIDS yet– with a careful lifestyle and the assistance of complicated drug treatments, the development of full-blown AIDS can be staved off for an increasingly impressive length of time. An HIV-positive character suffers an inherent 2 penalty to Fort Saves due to the side-effects of his anti-retroviral drug regime. Furthermore, the character must make a Wealth check (DC 15) each month in order to pay for this drug regime. Failure to maintain drug treatment will invite the progression of the disease into AIDS. Furthermore, your character may occasionally suffer medical and social hassles due to his infection. The Ostracism flaw (page 45) would be

ASTHMA [ Medical Condition] This is a chronic lung condition that causes frequent bouts of labored breathing, as well as occasional attacks of brutal coughing, wheezing, and chest constriction. Asthma is often (but not always) linked to allergies. [1 Pt.] Nuisance Asthma: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all skill checks or saves made to reflect exertion over an extended length of time. [2 Pts.] Mild Asthma: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all Fort Saves and an inherent -2 penalty to all skill checks or saves made to reflect exertion over an extended length of time. Furthermore, when holding his breath, he is treated as though his Constitution score were 2 points lower than it really is. [4 Pts.] Serious Asthma: Your character suffers an inherent -2 penal-

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ty to all Fort Saves and an inherent -4 penalty to all skill checks or saves made to reflect exertion over an extended length of time. Furthermore, when holding his breath, he is treated as though his Constitution score were 4 points lower than it really is. [6 Pts.] Severe Asthma: As per Serious Asthma. Furthermore, whenever your character makes a skill check or save to reflect exertion over an extended length of time (carrying weights, running, holding his breath, etc.), he must make a Fort Save (DC 17) or suffer an asthma attack. An attack will last for 2d10 minutes, and for that duration will confer a -2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, and Defense due to wheezing, coughing, and anxiety. [8 Pts.] Crippling Asthma: As per Serious Asthma. Furthermore, whenever your character makes a skill check or save to reflect exertion over an extended length of time (carrying weights, running, holding his breath, etc.), he must make a Fort Save (DC 20) or suffer an asthma attack. An attack will last for 4d10 minutes, and for the duration will confer a -4 circumstance penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, and Defense due to wheezing, coughing, and anxiety. During this time, the character must refrain from taking further violent or energetic action (running, charging, or taking an attack action in two or more rounds in a row), or an additional 1d10 minutes will be added to the duration of the attack for each such action. Special Handicap [Allergy Trigger, +2 Pts.]: Any time your character is exposed to large amounts of dust, smoke, or any other nose/throat irritant (GM’s discretion), he must make a Fort Save (DC 15). If your character has mild or serious asthma, he will suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls and skill checks for 2d6 rounds (this penalty is cumulative in the event of subsequent bouts of allergic irritation). If your character has severe or crippling asthma, he will suffer one of his usual attacks. The GM may increase the DC of the Fort Save if the intensity or quantity of the irritant is deemed to be unusually high.

CLUBFOOT

DIABETES (TYPE I) [ Medical Condition] The body of a diabetic does not produce (or does not make proper use of) insulin, a hormone required for the conversion of sugar and starch into useful energy. Type I is the less common form of diabetes, in which the body simply does not produce insulin on its own. This form of diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood. [5 Pts.]: Your character is capable of living a full and exciting life, but must do so at the expense of a number of inconveniences: • Your character suffers an effective -1 penalty to his Wealth score due to his need to carefully pursue a specialized diet and lifestyle regimen. • Your character suffers one of the following three health problems; either select one at 1st level or roll randomly on a d6: 1-2: Diabetic Skin Condition: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Charisma score. 3-4: Eye Trouble: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all Search and Spot checks. 5-6: General Health Trouble: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all Fort Saves. • Your character must make a Wealth check (DC 13) each month in order to pay for his insulin regime. Failure to maintain insulin treatment will invite problems, as discussed below: • Your character is dependent upon artificial insulin, and generally must inject himself with it twice every twenty-four hours for maximum effectiveness. Each 24-hour period that passes without an insulin infusion will bestow a -2 circumstance penalty to Constitution upon the character; this penalty will last until the character again receives an insulin injection and rests for at lest eight hours. This Constitution penalty is cumulative; a character that reaches a Con score of 0 will enter a diabetic coma and die.

[ Medical Condition] This is a congenital deformation of one foot, more common in (but not entirely limited to) boys rather than girls. Surgical correction for clubfoot is fairly routine in developed nations– this flaw presumes that some correction has been made, but that it hasn’t been entirely successful. [2 Pts.]: Your character suffers an inherent -3 penalty to all Balance checks and Jump checks.

DIABETES (TYPE II) [ Medical Condition] Type II diabetes (sometimes referred to as “adult onset” diabetes) is both more common and less severe than Type I. The body of a Type II diabetic still produces insulin, but either doesn’t produce enough or doesn’t use what it produces properly. A relatively mild drug regimen may be

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used to help contain Type I diabetes– in many cases, combined with proper exercise and diet habits, this regimen can nearly eradicate the symptoms of the disease. [2 Pts.]: Your character is capable of living a full and exciting life, but must do so at the expense of a number of minor inconveniences, not as bad as those faced by Type I diabetics: • Your character suffers an effective -1 penalty to his Wealth score due to his need to carefully pursue a specialized diet and lifestyle regimen. • Your character suffers one of the following three health problems; either select one at 1st level or roll randomly on a d6: 1-2: Diabetic Skin Condition: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to his Charisma score. 3-4: Eye Trouble: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all Search and Spot checks. 5-6: General Health Trouble: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all Fort Saves. • Your character is somewhat dependent upon his medications to assist in controlling his condition. Each week that passes without a dose of the character’s usual medication will confer a -1 circumstance penalty to the character’s Con score. This penalty is cumulative. A Type II diabetic negligent enough to reach a Con score of 0 in this fashion will enter a diabetic coma and die.

EPILEPSY [ Medical Condition] Epilepsy is a complex neurological condition that affects about 5% of the adult population at some point in their lives. The primary outward effect of epilepsy is a variety of seizures. For game purposes, the myriad forms of epilepsy have been greatly simplified into the hierarchy presented below. Emotional stress is often a trigger for epileptic complications, therefore, Will Saves have been used as the default triggers for possible epileptic seizures. [2 Pts.] Mild Epilepsy: Whenever your character is forced to make a Will Save, there is a 25% chance (non-cumulative) that he will have what is called a “simple partial seizure.” During such a seizure one part of the character’s body (typically an arm or a leg) will begin to twitch and spasm uncontrollably. This seizure will last 3d6 rounds, imposing a -1 circum-

stance penalty to attack rolls and skill checks for the duration. [4 Pts.] Moderate Epilepsy: Whenever your character is forced to make a Will Save, there is a 30% chance (non-cumulative) that he will have what is called a “complex partial seizure.” In addition to the usual physical seizure effects, your character’s consciousness and memory may be briefly impaired. During such a seizure one part of the character’s body (typically an arm or a leg) will begin to twitch and spasm uncontrollably. This seizure will last 3d6 rounds, imposing a -1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls and skill checks for the duration. Furthermore, there is only a 50% chance (non-cumulative, and rolled for each allowed action) that the character will be able to take any action he desires. In place of any lost action, the character will mumble unintelligibly and fiddle with his clothes or equipment for a few seconds. This does not render him helpless. [6 Pts.] Severe Epilepsy: Whenever your character is forced to make a Will Save, there is a 35% chance (non-cumulative) that he will have what is called a “tonic-clonic convulsive seizure,” also known as a “grand mal.” Your character will fall to the ground for 1d8+2 rounds, during which time he will be unable to take any conscious actions. Though he is not helpless, he is considered prone for all defensive purposes, and opponents entering or leaving his threatened areas do not trigger attacks of opportunity from him. He may not sustain spells or other FX powers through such a seizure. Special Handicap [Photosensitive Epilepsy, +2 Pts.]: Although widely popularized, this is an extremely rare form of epilepsy (approximately 3-5% of epileptics are affected by it). A photosensitive epileptic may suffer seizures through exposure to flickering patterns of lights, including but not limited to strobe lights, video games, and certain dance or party lighting effects, as well as flashy magical spells and other visual FX abilities. Whenever your character is exposed (GM’s discretion) to flickering lights, there is a 40% chance (non-cumulative) that he will have a seizure appropriate to his level of epilepsy. This percentile chance must be re-rolled for every five rounds (thirty seconds) of continual exposure to flickering lights. Note: After an epileptic character has experienced (and recovered from) a seizure, he will not be susceptible to another one for a minimum of ten minutes. Photosensitive epilepsy is the sole exception. Limitation: Photosensitive epilepsy may not be combined with blindness (page 15).

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HEMOPHILIA [ Medical Condition] Hemophilia is a hereditary condition (sex-linked, occurring far more frequently in men than in women) that compromises blood clotting. A hemophiliac, when injured, will bleed for an unusually long period of time, both internally and externally. A cut that would be an inconvenience to an ordinary person may prove lethal to a hemophiliac if proper medical attention isn’t sought. [4 Pts.] Hemophilia: Whenever your character is injured by a piercing, cutting, or slashing weapon (basically, anything with a sharp or penetrating edge), he will continue to lose 1 hit point per round thereafter due to blood loss. This blood loss will continue for 2d8 rounds, and may only be halted by a successful Treat Injury check (DC 15) or the use of a magical healing spell or a similar FX power. [8 Pts.] Severe Hemophilia: Whenever your character is injured by a piercing, cutting, or slashing weapon (basically, anything with a sharp or penetrating edge), he will continue to lose 2 hit points per round thereafter due to blood loss. This blood loss will continue for 2d8 rounds, and may only be halted by a successful Treat Injury check (DC 17) or the use of a magical healing spell or a similar FX power. Note: Subsequent injuries will not cause a cumulative loss of hit points due to bleeding, however, each subsequent injury will extend the duration of the bleeding by an additional 1d6 rounds.

MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY [ Medical Condition] Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is an “environmental illness,” a set of chronic allergic reactions generally triggered by exposure to scented chemical products (typically cleaning chemicals, detergents, perfumes, fabric softeners, and the like). MCS can make life in the contemporary world a continual aggravation for its unfortunate sufferers, as the majority of ordinary people are totally oblivious to the scented chemicals they are constantly using in public and private places alike. [2 Pts.] Mild Sensitivity: Whenever your character enters a crowded area or a space that would be filled with scented chemicals (restaurants, public restrooms, etc.), there is a base 40% chance (rolled once every ten minutes or so) that your character will be exposed to a substance that will set him off. If he is exposed, he will suffer a fairly standard allergic reaction– watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and tightness in his throat and chest. This episode will last for 1d6 minutes and will inflict a -1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, and Defense upon the

character for the duration. [5 Pts.] Severe Sensitivity: Whenever your character enters a crowded area or a space that would be filled with scented chemicals (restaurants, public restrooms, etc.), there is a base 70% chance (rolled once every ten minutes or so) that your character will be exposed to a substance that will set him off. If he is exposed, he will suffer an unusually debilitating allergic reaction– swollen eyes, runny nose, painful sneezing, and tightness in his throat and chest. This episode will last for 2d6 minutes and will inflict a -2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, and Defense upon the character for the duration. Furthermore, he will suffer a total circumstance penalty of -4 to all Spot and Concentration checks. Note: If your character encounters a large concentration of any triggering chemical (particularly in an enclosed area), the GM may increase the percentile chance of an allergic episode at his own discretion. Friends and allies of your character may prevent allergic episodes by avoiding the use of strong perfumes, deodorants, aftershaves, and similar substances. Of course, even a single person wearing a powerful scent can trigger a full-on allergic attack if they get close enough to your character (GMs take heed), so caveat emptor. Special: Characters that possess the “scent” ability may only possess this flaw with the GM’s explicit permission; although it might be appropriate for some character concepts, it might also be unduly crippling for a character with a hypersensitive nose to spend pretty much the entire campaign in paroxysms of sneezing and gagging. Special (Designated Flaw Synergy): If your character also possesses severe or crippling asthma (page 22), each instance of a MCS allergic attack will require a Fort Save (DC 17). Failure will double the duration and numerical penalties of the MCS allergy attack. Either of the above degrees of asthma taken in conjunction with MCS is worth +1 Flaw Point. If your unfortunate character possesses the Allergy Trigger special handicap for asthma, it is “set off” each time the character encounters a MCS trigger. All resulting penalties are cumulative! This special handicap, taken in conjunction with MCS, is worth +2 Flaw Points. Limitation: Characters that do not breathe or need not fear airborne contaminants for racial reasons may not select this flaw.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS ANXIETY DISORDER

If a game session covers the events of more than one day, the GM may re-roll to determine the character’s phase at the beginning of each game day.

[ Psychological Condition ]

CHRONIC CONFUSION

Your character suffers from a very general condition of high anxiety– he is a chronic worrier and fretter, often spending weeks or months agonizing (often in private) over everything from his financial future to his social acceptability. This disorder interferes with his sleeping habits and his general state of health.

[ Psychological Condition ]

[2 Pts.]: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to both Fort Saves and Will Saves, as a result of the degradation of his physical and mental states due to a gnawing sense of worry. Roleplaying acute outbursts of anxiety from time to time would not be inappropriate, however, bear in mind that this does not mean a constant stream of moaning and wailing.

Your character suffers from lapses in memory and attention that seem to leave him a bit befuddled. This is quite above and beyond ordinary absent-mindedness, and is often associated with advanced age (page 9). From time to time, your character should have trouble remembering names and faces, as well as remembering where he is and what he’s doing. He may suffer bouts of irritability, and will even wander away from friends and allies during critical situations. [3 Pts.]: In addition to the role-played effects of this flaw, your character suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Initiative checks, Concentration checks, Search checks, and Spot checks.

BIPOLAR DISORDER

DELUSIONAL

[ Psychological Condition ]

[ Psychological Condition ]

“Manic depression” is a more common term used to describe bipolar affective disorder. Although there are at least six clinically diagnosed varieties of this disorder, for game purposes it is defined as a condition that causes pendulum-like swings between periods of high energy and elation (“manic phase”) and morbidity, agitation, and feelings of worthlessness (“depressive phase”). [3 Pts.]: Prior to each game session, the GM should roll 1d10 to determine which “phase” your character is currently in. On a roll of 1-4, he is completely normal. On a roll of 5-7, he is in a “depressive” phase, and on a roll of 8-10 he is in a “manic” phase. During a manic phase, the character should behave in an energized and enthusiastic manner– he is gung-ho for just about any challenge, ready to seize the day and live life to the fullest. He receives a +1 morale bonus to Will Saves. During a depressive phase, the character will be plagued by feelings of intense worthlessness and bleakness; the pleasures of life hold no interest for him, and he may skip essentials such as eating or sleeping. He may entertain morbid or suicidal thoughts, and he will be bitter, morose company at best. A depressive character suffers a -2 morale penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. At the GM’s discretion, he may also suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to Charisma.

Your character suffers from occasional audiovisual hallucinations, sometimes imagining events or situations that aren’t actually real. [2 Pts.]: From time to time the GM will feed you a description (without telling you that it’s delusional, of course) of an event or encounter that your character will believe to be utterly real. Most of these delusions will fall apart when examined and refuted by other party members, but there should always be some tension about each incident. Is your character merely hallucinating again, or is there really a shadowy figure following the group from nightclub to nightclub? Special: No form of magical/FX healing or protection against illusions will suffice to remove these delusions. They originate deep within your character’s mind for reasons appropriate to his background.

DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY [ Psychological Condition ] Formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder is generally recognized as a result of severe childhood trauma. Temporary dissociation is a part of everyone’s life– daydreams, reveries, and intense absorption in a fictional medium such as a book are all routine examples. An individual with DID has a particularly severe dissociative disorder that has caused the formation of one or more secondary personality states within his mind; from time to time, one of these sec-

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ondary personalities “takes over” conscious operation of the body while the character’s primary personality dissociates. The “multiple personality” label was set aside because while a character with this disorder may feel that he has one or more “entities” within him, each of these entities is really a manifestation of his own identity, no matter how extreme its behavior or opinions might be. These entities do not have random traits– their mannerisms and behavior patterns stem from the character’s primary personality and past experiences. Regardless of the nature of the dissociative secondary personality, there are several set conditions which, for ease of game abstraction, may cause the secondary personality to “steal” conscious control of the character’s body away from his primary personality. To wit: • Each time your character awakes from sleep, there is a 20% chance, non-cumulative, that his secondary personality will take over for 1d6+2 game hours (total rolled secretly by the GM). • Each time your character is knocked or rendered unconscious, there is a 40% chance, non-cumulative, that his secondary personality will take over for 1d6+2 game hours once he regains consciousness. • Each time your character suffers a state of panic, there is a 40% chance, non-cumulative, that his secondary personality will take over for 1d6+2 game hours. For the purposes of simplicity, your character’s secondary and primary personalities share the same set of skills and abilities, and share the same body of background information. However, when a secondary personality takes control, “he” will “arrive” knowing nothing of the past eight hours of the primary personality’s life. This information will not be assimilated into the shared memory of the two personalities until later. Conversely, the primary will return to control not knowing what has transpired while he was dissociated. The value of this flaw is based on the fundamental attitude of the secondary personality: [3 Pts.]: Amiable Dissociation: Your character’s dissociative personality is fundamentally amiable to the main personality’s goals, lifestyle, and friends. Although he may have different preferred methods of action and will still have to cope with the confusion of any new situation he enters, the secondary personality will generally cooperate with whatever happens to be the plan when he assumes control.

[5 Pts.]: Neutral Dissociation: Your character’s dissociative personality is unconcerned with or indifferent to the main personality’s goals, lifestyle, and friends. The secondary personality may miss appointments, throw previous plans out the window, and otherwise disrupt the main personality’s life; not out of malice but rather out of guilt-free disinterest. From time to time, the secondary personality may be coerced or persuaded into pursuing one of the primary personality’s goals, especially in times of danger or crisis– though he will almost certainly insist that some plans made by the primary personality need to be changed. [7 Pts.]: Difficult Dissociation: Your character’s secondary personality is disdainful of or somewhat opposed to the primary personality’s goals, lifestyle, and friends. He will actively work to interfere with any of the primary personality’s plans if he can– though he won’t behave in a violent fashion toward any of the primary personality’s friends and allies, he won’t respect anything about them, including their personal possessions. The secondary may attempt to sabotage major areas of the primary personality’s life out of sheer spite.

DYSLEXIA [ Psychological Condition ] Although your character is literate, he has difficulty with reading, writing, and spelling. Dyslexia is a congenital and developmental condition that “scrambles” some information between the brain and the page; although it does not make comprehension impossible, it can be very frustrating, particularly in times of stress. [2 Pts.]: Your character suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to any process or skill check requiring him to refer to written material (GM’s discretion), and a -8 circumstance penalty to any process or skill check dealing solely with written material (writing a novel or decoding an ancient scroll, for example). Generally speaking, comprehension of written material will take your character about twice as long as it ordinarily should. Taking ‘10’ or ‘20’ on a skill check involving reading or writing will probably require a successful Concentration check (DC 12-18, depending on the complexity of the task). Limitation: A character may not be both illiterate (page 14) and dyslexic. Blind (page 15) characters may not be dyslexic, either. Note: This condition is assumed to be “as bad as” illiteracy because while an illiterate individual won’t be able to receive the information a dyslexic does, he also won’t waste his time trying.

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NARCISSISM [ Psychological Condition ] Although every healthy individual has some narcissistic tendencies, “narcissistic personality disorder” occurs when narcissism overpowers an individual’s other character traits and becomes the major driving force of his existence. While a vain/dandy (page 48) character is obsessive about his personal appearance, a narcissistic character is obsessed with his own importance on a much deeper level– while a vain individual simply relishes looking good, a narcissist cannot stand to turn over the spotlight to anyone else. A narcissist is a glory-hound of the worst sort, fixated upon credit and recognition for achievement regardless of actual achievement. It is of paramount importance (often quite transparently obvious to others) for a narcissist to attempt to “hog the credit” for any positive action and likewise shrug off the blame for any defeat, even if it falls squarely on him. [2 Pts.]: Your character’s unbridled conceit, unrealistic self-estimation, and glaring thirst for recognition all combine to make him somewhat difficult to get along with. His behavior may be somewhat amusing in small doses, but over a long enough period of time it will probably become tremendously aggravating to his friends and allies. At the GM’s discretion, your character may suffer a variable circumstance penalty (-1 to -4) to Charisma-based skill and ability checks in situations where his narcissism may be expected to grate on the nerves of NPCs.

NARCOLEPSY [ Psychological Condition ] Narcolepsy is a highly troublesome condition that often goes undiagnosed; many of the individuals afflicted with it continue to believe that they’re just not getting enough sleep. In reality, they suffer from a neurological condition in which the REM state of sleep intrudes quite precipitously into conscious activity. Although there are a variety of conditions that fall under the general category of “narcolepsy,” for game purposes this condition will focus on episodes of sudden unconsciousness. [4 Pts.] Relatively Mild Narcolepsy: Your character experiences frequent (but short) bouts of irresistible sleep. The GM should select an arbitrary point very early in any session of play; there is a 40% non-cumulative chance at that point (rolled secretly by the GM) that the character will

fall asleep (wherever he is and whatever he happens to be doing) for 1d6+1 rounds. The character will fall prone and be unable to defend himself; he will most likely be considered helpless. Every hour on the hour (in real time, not game time) from that selected point, there is another 40% chance that the character will experience a narcoleptic bout, no matter what he happens to be doing (unless he is already unconscious). If this point occurs during a break in play, check for narcolepsy immediately after play is resumed. [8 Pts.] Severe Narcolepsy: Your character experiences more certain and sustained bouts of irresistible sleep. The GM should select an arbitrary point very early in any session of play; there is a 60% non-cumulative chance at that point that the character will fall asleep (wherever he is and whatever he happens to be doing) for 2d6+2 rounds. The character will fall prone and be unable to defend himself; he will most likely be considered helpless. Every hour on the hour (in real time, not game time) from that selected point, there is another 60% chance that the character will experience a narcoleptic bout, no matter what he happens to be doing (unless he is already unconscious). If this point occurs during a break in play, check for narcolepsy immediately after play is resumed. Special Handicap [Cataplexy, +2 Pts.]: Cataplexy is a neurological symptom frequently associated with narcolepsy. Whenever your character experiences an intense emotional reaction (gets angry, sad, violent, exuberant, tense, frightened, etc., at GM’s discretion), there is a noncumulative 40% chance that he will suffer a temporary bout of muscle weakness or paralysis. This bout lasts 1d10 rounds and inflicts a -2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and Defense for its duration. Limitation: This flaw may not be possessed by characters that do not (for racial or FX reasons) sleep.

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER [ Psychological Condition ] Your character is preoccupied with orderliness, perfectionism, and control over virtually everything in his life and environment. This obsession comes at the cost of flexibility, spontaneity, openness, and efficiency, and can drive others crazy. [2 Pts.] Mild OCD: As your character sees it, following his established procedures is even more important than the success of those procedures; all of the details, lists, and protocols he has established must be

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respected or he will get testy. While his anally-retentive personal habits make him difficult to get along with, no real damage is actually done when his procedures are disrupted; he gets irritated and even more unpleasant, but certainly not violent. Your character may even attempt a Will Save (DC 20) in moments of crisis to bite back his instincts and cast off his compulsions for a short period of time.

apparent reason, double back on his route three or four times when driving anywhere, hail one taxi and then sprint through traffic for another– the possibilities are endless. Work with the GM to define 3-4 solid and debilitating rules of superstitious behavior (“Sprinkle salt over any threshold before you enter a room; this will negate the supernatural power of the Banzai Gnomes”), as well as a bevy of lesser quirks and habits.

[4 Pts.] Severe OCD: As above, but your character is even more stubborn and prickly when his quirks and procedures are not respected, to the point where he will start heated arguments or childishly refuse to participate in an ongoing plan or mission if he can’t have enough time to do things his own way. Your character is not allowed a Will Save to override his habits; his mind simply won’t let him try. Your character expects the world to bend over backward to meet his needs, and does not consider the possibility of the reverse.

Special Handicap [Schizophrenia, +1 Pt.]: Your character is not only paranoid, but his paranoia is defined by the unshakable belief that there is One Root Cause for all of his fears and conspiracy theories, one “big bad” that makes everything happen. This is a subject of frequent research and pontification on your character’s part.

PARANOIA

Your character has an unreasoning fear of a certain thing or situation. This phobia must center on an object or situation that is reasonably common, yet not entirely disruptive to the ongoing game. Possibilities include (but are not limited to):

[ Psychological Condition ] Your character is obsessed with the idea that nebulous parties or forces are up to no good, beyond the understanding of most people (and well beyond their ability to interfere). Paranoia may be generalized (“They’re everywhere, but they don’t know about me yet”) or personalized (“They’re after ME specifically!”). Please note that paranoia isn’t worth any Flaw Points if “they” really are out to get your character– after all, in such circumstances paranoia is a healthy survival trait. It may, however, still be used in a campaign in which shadowy conspiracies do exist, simply by extending its ridiculousness well past the boundaries of even the real threat. [1 Pt.] Nervous Quirk: Your character’s paranoid tendencies are somewhat restrained, but still an obvious part of his life. Work with the GM to define 3-6 very minor paranoid habits or superstitions that will frequently spice up the manner in which you portray your character. [2 Pts.] Full-Blown Paranoia: Your character’s paranoia is one of the defining features of his life. His constant paranoid quirks are clearly obvious to others. Though not dangerous, they range from amusing to irritating. In concert with the GM, select 3-6 major paranoid habits that your character will continually engage in; a few superstitious rules of behavior (“Never, ever arrive at an appointment right on time”) would also be quite appropriate. [3 Pts.] Disruptive Paranoia: Your character’s paranoia is so pronounced that it visibly interferes in his attempts to lead a normal life and interact with others. He will enact bizarre (and sometimes dangerous) security measures in his home or apartment, cancel appointments for no

PHOBIA [ Psychological Condition ]

• Snakes • Spiders • Darkness • Heights • Water • Disease • Open Spaces

• Enclosed Spaces • Fire • Guns and Ammunition • Bridges • Automobiles • Dirt/Uncleanliness • Sharp Objects

[2 Pts.] Phobia: When your character is in the presence of the object of his phobia, he suffers a -2 morale penalty to all of his skill checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. Generally speaking, he may remain in moderate proximity to the object of his fear (while enduring the penalties described above) but will be forced to attempt a Will Save (DC 14-18) if forced to closely approach a phobia trigger or touch it directly. [4 Pts.] Severe Phobia: When your character is in the presence of the object of his phobia, he suffers a -2 morale penalty to all of his skill checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. He will attempt to remove himself from proximity to the object of the phobia as fast as possible; each round in which he wishes to even remain in sight of the object (or venture back toward it) will require a Will Save, minimum DC 16). Failure of any such Will Save means the character will be unable to attempt another one for at least five rounds. If the need to get away from the phobia trigger interferes with other actions he might wish to take during this time, so be it– he flees first and thinks later.

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[6 Pts.] Extreme Aversive Shock: As per Severe Phobia, with two additions. First, the -2 morale penalty inflicted by the presence of a phobia trigger is bestowed upon the character’s Defense score as well. Second, the first time the character enters the proximity of a phobia trigger (close enough for the GM to award the above penalties), the character must make a Will Save (DC 18). Failure means that the GM should roll a d6 and consult the table below: 1-2: Nausea Attack: The character becomes nauseated; he will remain nauseated as long as he remains in the presence of the phobia trigger, and for 1d6 rounds after leaving its presence. 3-4: Panic Attack: The character will become panicked until out of sight of the phobia trigger; for 1 hour thereafter he will suffer a -1 morale penalty to skill checks and attack rolls, cumulative with any other such penalties. 5-6: Nervous Collapse: The character will immediately fall unconscious for 1d6 rounds; this means he will fall prone and be considered helpless. Upon recovering consciousness, he must make another Will Save if he awakes in the presence of the phobia trigger. Failure means that the GM gets to roll that d6 again. With the exception of the situation described above under “nervous collapse,” a character need make this Will Save only the first time he encounters any given phobia trigger. Afterward, he will be subject to the standard conditions of Severe Phobia. If he flees the situation and returns, it counts as a new encounter, and he must make the Will Save again. Special Handicap [Common Trigger, +1-2 Pts.]: If the GM determines that your character’s phobia trigger is unusually common or widespread in his foreseen campaign, he may award an additional 1 or 2 Flaw Points for that phobia, as appropriate. Special: With the GM’s explicit permission, a character may possess two or more phobias.

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER [ Psychological Condition ] Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a recurring nervous condition that occurs in individuals subjected to some form of violent or disturbing experience in the past (a mugging, a wild animal attack, the death of a loved one, combat, etc.). The precise nature of the traumatic experience should be determined by discussion between the player and the GM.

When a character with PTSD encounters a situation that is reminiscent of his “trigger,” he will experience a nervous reaction, of a severity dictated below: [2 Pts.] Nervous Jitters: Whenever your character encounters a situation similar to his “trigger,” he must make a Will Save (DC 16) or suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls and Defense for the duration of his proximity to the trigger. [4 Pts.] Disabling Flashback: Whenever your character encounters a situation similar to his “trigger,” he must make a Will Save (DC 18) or suffer a -4 morale penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, and Defense for the duration of his proximity to the trigger. [6 Pts.] Panic Attack: Whenever your character encounters a situation similar to his “trigger,” he must make a Will Save (DC 20) or immediately become panicked. Even after removing himself from proximity to his trigger, he will suffer a -1 morale penalty to attack rolls and skill checks for 1d3 hours. Special Handicap [Common Trigger, +1-2 Pts.]: If the GM determines that your character’s stress trigger is unusually common or widespread in his foreseen campaign, he may award an additional 1 or 2 Flaw Points for that trigger, as appropriate. Special: With the GM’s explicit permission, a character may possess two or more stress triggers. Limitations: The situations that trigger stress should be more general than those associated with a phobia.

QUIRK/MANNERISM [ Psychological Condition ] Your character has a recurring, involuntary nervous habit, mannerism, or general style of personal interaction that is quite unusual. This quirk should be roleplayed whenever appropriate; at the GM’s discretion, it may cause questions or comments from NPCs. [1 Pt.]: This flaw is for the delineation of any sort of nonviolent, nondisruptive quirk not covered by other available flaws. Possibilities include but are not limited to: • Character affects a speech pattern or accent clearly not natural to him; • Character bobs and weaves drunkenly even when sober; • Character speaks to animals without apparent irony or humor; • Character frequently slurs his speech for no apparent reason;

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• Character habitually wears coats or shirts inside out for “good luck;” • Character always speaks in the third person or narrates his own actions At the GM’s discretion, a quirk or mannerism may inflict a -1 circumstance penalty to Charisma-based skill and ability checks in certain situations; at all times, it inflicts a -1 penalty to Disguise checks due to the difficulty of consciously hiding it. Limitation: A character may possess only one Quirk/Mannerism for which he receives a Flaw Point.

TOURETTE’S SYNDROME [ Psychological Condition ]

Special Handicap [Stress Trigger, +2 Pts.]: Whenever your character is subjected to emotional stress (anger, fear, hatred, injury to a friend or loved one, etc.), there is a flat 50% chance that he will experience a sudden and relatively long Tourette’s outburst (2d6+2 rounds if precision is required). During such an outburst, he will suffer motor and vocal tics of the appropriate complexity level; the motor tics will inflict a -1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls and Defense, and the vocal tics ruin any attempt to hide or move silently. If the character can cast arcane spells, this special handicap is worth an additional 2 Flaw Points; an outburst of Tourette’s will greatly interfere with the vocalizations needed for spellcasting. There is a 20% chance that any spell with a vocal (V) component will be lost when cast due to a Tourette’s tic.

Tourette’s is a “spectrum” nervous disorder, meaning that it has a variety of symptoms, some of which can be confused with those of other psychological disorders. Although it is widely known as the “Cursing Disease,” there’s a bit more to it than that, even when abstracted for game purposes:

Special Handicap [Violent Outburst, +1 Pt.]: Your character suffers from Tourette’s tics of an unusually vehement or violent nature– though he won’t feel at all violent, his hysterical, aggressive, and threatening outbursts will often scare the bejeezus out of NPCs and strangers. The possibilities for plot complication are endless.

[1 Pt.] Simple Tics: Your character suffers from occasional “simple tics,” which are completely involuntary physical actions or vocal outbursts. Motor tics include pulling at clothes, jumping, skipping, imitating others, furious scratching, and obscene gestures. Vocal tics include random grunts, snorts, laughs, whistles, coughs, or even short nonsense words. These tics should be roleplayed from time to time at the player’s discretion. The character also suffers an inherent -1 penalty to Charisma due to the off-putting social effect these tics have on strangers.

SECONDARY FLAWS

[2 Pts.] Complex Tics: Your character suffers from occasional “complex tics,” which last longer and are more involved than simple tics. Complex motor tics include sudden jerks, nods, waves, blinking, or facial grimacing. Complex vocal tics include strings of obscenities, imitations of speeches made by other characters, socially taboo phrases, or even strings of nonsense words and phrases. These tics should be roleplayed from time to time at the player’s discretion. The character also suffers an inherent -2 penalty to Charisma due to the off-putting social effect these tics have on strangers. Note: Outbursts of obscenity are referred to as “coprolalia,” and may be disruptive in some gaming groups. When roleplaying this disorder, players may feel free to substitute milder epithets and terms in order to avoid offending or disturbing fellow players. Also, please note that a Tourette’s sufferer need not be callous about his outbursts– in fact, many of them are mortified and apologetic about the things that come out of their mouths during an outburst.

AGGRESSIVE [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is impulsive and belligerent, favoring threats and combat over all other means of problem-solving. [2 Pts.]: Your character tends to strike first and think later; he assumes hostility on the part of strangers and unknown beings, and he believes that they are logically expecting hostility in return. Threats and demands are the only forms of negotiation he understands, and the only forms he is likely to respect. Cracking a few skulls, in his opinion, is usually the only way to get people to listen to reason. Your character is not necessarily murderous, and his friends and allies can talk him out of foolish courses of action, but they had best do so quickly! Special: Your character suffers a -4 penalty to any Diplomacy check made against any character used to more civilized methods of persuasion than totally overt threats. Limitation: This flaw may not be combined with the Cowardly flaw or

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with the Pacifism flaw.

AIRY/FLAKY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character acts and dresses in a manner that convinces others (accurately or otherwise) that he isn’t “all there,” mentally speaking. [2 Pts.]: Perhaps your character has a particularly spaced-out personality, and speaks in flowery language full of references to nebulous mysticism. Perhaps he dresses like an aggressive gypsy version of Elton John. Possibly he writes a series of self-help books discussing his encounters with anal-probing aliens from another galaxy. Whatever his problem is, his friends can endure it, but strangers find it off-putting. In addition to the obvious roleplaying consequences of this flaw, your character suffers an inherent -4 penalty to Intimidate checks, and may suffer a variable penalty to Charisma in other circumstances when interacting with strangers.

AMNESIA [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ]

as “the one to beat” within a certain field of skill or specialization. Cocky hotshots, ignorant wannabes, and consummate professionals alike are constantly on the lookout for your character, seeking to test themselves against him. They’re not enemies– they just want to see what he’s made of, and how they stack up against him. [2 Pts.]: At fairly regular intervals, complete strangers show up in your character’s life and challenge him to some sort of contest relevant to his abilities (for example, if your character has a reputation as an inhumanly fast video game player, opponents will be looking for a showdown with his game of choice). They don’t take “no” for an answer and they’re not always sporting or accommodating when your character is busy.

BOASTFUL [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is full of hot air concerning everything about himself– his military record, his car, his drinking capacity, his skills at fishing and basketball, the important people he knows, his personal weapons, his romantic conquests, his close friends, and his aspirations in life.

Your character’s life before now is a blank slate. He is unable to remember where he came from, what his real name is, and what he was doing for large portions of his life. Although he has not forgotten his skills and personal talents, the process by which he acquired them is a total mystery. Evidence pointing him in any specific direction is also frustratingly thin.

[2 Pts.] Loudmouth: Your character cannot discuss himself or his friends without embellishing the facts and exaggerating the details. Unlike most veteran soldiers and bar regulars, he doesn’t regard this behavior as a playful sort of game– he’s a compulsive braggart with some personal deficiency or thirst for attention. He cannot bear to be upstaged, and will exaggerate his stories to the point that demands will usually be made for him to prove his claims– which he usually can’t.

[2 Pts.]: In addition to the obvious difficulties this can cause, the character is also quite obsessed with discovering what his mind is concealing. Any time the chance presents itself to explore the mystery of his past, the character will have to exert an incredible force of will (The GM may even call for a Will Save against a high DC) to resist it.

[4 Pts.]: Violent Loudmouth: What’s worse, your character will inevitably start a confrontation or threaten violence to defend his obviously outrageous and exaggerated stories. The more he lies, the more incredulous the reaction of those around him– and thus the angrier her gets.

Special: Psionic or magical examination of the character’s mind will be unable to reveal any of the secrets behind his amnesia, beyond general flickers and glimpses of vague clues.

Special: If your character must bite his tongue when discretion is obviously called for, he may attempt a Will Save (DC set by the GM, moderate difficulty) to do so. If he must bite his tongue as a matter of life or death, he can swallow his pride for a short while without a Will Save.

Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with any advantages that would (in the GM’s opinion) require the character to have a fully working memory of his past.

COLD FISH [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ]

BILLY THE KID SYNDROME [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] For some lamentable reason, your character has acquired a reputation

Your character is an unusually taciturn and emotionless person. He has no interest in sports, wagers or amusements (save those of the quietest and most cerebral sort). He has little flair for personal interaction and seems decidedly uncomfortable around celebrants, drunkards, children,

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attractive members of the opposite sex, and open displays of emotion. [2 Pts]: Your character isn’t necessarily condescending or disdainful about the habits of other people. He’s just far removed from any ability to appreciate those habits. Imagine him as an alien presence, forever trying to comprehend what’s going on around him and forever failing. Frequently, it’s more comfortable for him to withdraw from contact with others than to tolerate exuberance, rashness, relaxation, and camaraderie. Although he may value others, he has few ways of expressing this value. He gives praise only rarely and matter-of-factly, because he does not grasp that others might enjoy it. His emotional displays are generally limited to anger and its near-cousins. Special: At the GM’s discretion, your character may suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to certain Charisma-based skill checks made against strangers or new acquaintances.

COMPULSIVE LIAR [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character suffers from the psychological compulsion to exaggerate, obfuscate, and even tell outright lies about virtually everything in his life. Unlike a narcissist (page 28) or a boastful individual (page 32), your character’s lies don’t even have to be self-aggrandizing. For unknown reasons, your character simply cannot stop weaving webs of lies– harmless or otherwise– around himself. Each lie he tells will inevitably require another lie at some point in the future when it comes under scrutiny. A liar, as a wise man once said, had best have an excellent memory. [2 Pts.] You will be expected to roleplay this behavior an acceptable percentage of the time; failure to lie often enough may result in the GM ruling certain lies on your character’s behalf. Your character may attempt to force down his compulsion in moments of great need, with a Will Save (DC typically 15 or higher).

COWARDLY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character has an excessive fear of personal injury, death, failure and abandonment. He is not inclined to take risks, hates to enter a dangerous situation before others, and will often engage in pitiful displays of cowardice that would shame a character made of sterner stuff. [3 Pts.]: Your character will frequently attempt to maneuver himself physically to place others between himself and danger. He has very little shame about cringing displays of cowardice. While he won’t completely abandon close friends in need, he certainly won’t step boldly forward to

risk his neck on their behalf. He’ll do the minimum necessary (fleeing with an unconscious friend over his shoulder, for example, as opposed to fighting the gang member that knocked the friend unconscious). Whenever possible, he will fight in the least honorable and risky way imaginable, taking cover or using high-powered weapons even if such actions aren’t strictly necessary. Special Handicap [Yellow, +1 Pt.]: Your character suffers a -2 morale penalty to all saves against fear, horror, and demoralization effects. Special: This flaw exerts a powerful pull on your character’s actions. It may be combined with other personality conflict flaws, provided that when one cancels out the other the character will still suffer some penalty. For example, a cowardly character would never imagine leaping into a freezing river to save a drowning pack animal. However, a cowardly miser would do so in an instant if that pack animal carried his bags of treasure, exposing himself to extreme risk without thought of his usual cowardice. While the character’s cowardice is temporarily subsumed, his behavior could by no means be termed healthy. Limitation: This flaw may not be combined with the Aggressive flaw, nor may a cowardly character be Overconfident or Risk-Addicted.

CRIMINAL HONOR CODE [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character adheres to a code of outlaw “honor.” The actual purpose of such a code is to make him a more effective criminal, more secure from the authorities, than to make him more “honorable” for any practical reason. [2 Pts.]: Your character is expected to adhere to the following rules. Breach of a criminal “code” will generally result in violent reprisals from other criminals if the breach is discovered. • Never go to the authorities when you have been wronged by another; never inform the authorities of wrongdoing by another. Personal insults and affronts must be settled personally– to ask someone in power to protect or compensate you is unworthy and cowardly. Courts of law are for chumps and weaklings; • Justice must be of an equal measure to the crime; injury for injury, theft for theft, death for death. A direct personal insult (to one’s manhood, womanhood, or sense of honor) must be met with a duel or with murder if a duel is not accepted; • Never, under any circumstances, forgive any insult or injury on any-

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one’s terms but your own, after full satisfaction has been achieved. The sole exception is when you are forced to extend forgiveness by a criminal figure in authority over you; and • Never betray a close friend; Never reveal information to anyone that would be harmful to a friend; In turn, never forgive a betrayal by a former friend. Note: Adherence to a criminal code of conduct may require ritualized gestures of loyalty to other, more powerful criminals, as well as other minor lifestyle details that can be settled between player and GM before a campaign begins.

CRIMINAL RECORD [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character has been convicted of one or more crimes, and has served time for them. They remain on his record, and interfere with his life to this day. Your character’s actual guilt, for purposes of this flaw, is immaterial. In addition to the effects listed below, a criminal record will interfere with a character’s attempts to gain legitimate employment, secure loans or credit, and rent living space. [2 Pts.]: Lesser Crime: Your character never hurt anyone, but he did do something stupid and illegal– possession or transportation of mild drugs, perhaps, or a bit of check fraud or similar con artistry, or a prank that soured into accidental vandalism or theft. [3 Pts.]: Multiple Lesser Crimes: Your character has an established history of misdemeanors and minor crimes– perhaps he is a habitual trespasser or vandal, or likes to pick fights and make empty threats. Your character may be considered somewhat infamous in a small area (his native city), and will gain a +1 bonus (whether he likes it or not) to Reputation checks made by law-enforcement personnel in that area. [4 Pts.]: Serious Crime: Your character committed a felony in which no one was injured– computer hacking, perhaps, or automobile theft, or a major con scheme. Your character may be considered somewhat infamous in a small area (his native city), and will gain a +2 bonus (whether he likes it or not) to Reputation checks made by law-enforcement personnel in that area. [5 Pts.]: Violent Crime: Your character didn’t necessarily hurt anyone, but at the very least he put others in danger. Assault and battery, arson, armed robbery, and kidnapping are all possibilities, as is manslaughter or

murder. Your character may be considered infamous in a sizable area (his native city and surrounding regions), and will gain a +4 bonus (whether he likes it or not) to Reputation checks made by law-enforcement and media personnel in that area. Your character will almost certainly face restrictions on his ability to purchase weapons and his ability to vote or hold a job (GM’s discretion, dependent upon local laws and customs). [6 Pts.]: Multiple Violent or Serious Crimes: Your character has a record involving several violent or unusually audacious felonies. Your character will definitely be considered infamous in a sizable area (his native city and surrounding regions), and will gain a +6 bonus (whether he likes it or not) to Reputation checks made by law-enforcement and media personnel in that area. Your character will almost certainly face restrictions on his ability to purchase weapons and his ability to vote or hold a job (GM’s discretion, dependent upon local laws and customs). Special Handicap [On Parole, +3 Pts.]: Your character remains on parole for his last conviction. Although he has some freedom of movement and activity, he is required to report to his parole officer on a daily basis, avoid contact with known criminals, and prove that he is seeking or holding down a legal job. Violation of any of these strictures may be treated very harshly– your character could even be returned to prison. This may put quite a damper on a life of adventure and excitement. Your character will remain on parole for at least two years of game time. Limitations: The “On Parole” handicap may only be selected if your character is attempting to live (or present the illusion of living) an open and legal existence. It may not be selected in conjunction with the Poor Reputation (Wanted) special handicap on page 46. Furthermore, any character with a Criminal Record worth 3 or more Flaw Points will almost certainly be disbarred from the possibility of future service in a military or law enforcement capacity (though exceptions are always made, especially in the fictional worlds of adventure games). GMs, please take note.

CRUELTY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character takes genuine pleasure in inflicting pain upon others,

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and often in watching pain be inflicted. It is rarely satisfying to him to merely defeat his enemies when he can humiliate them or prolong their suffering as well. [2 Pts.]: Your character is not necessarily murderous, nor does he even necessarily like his cruel streak. Nonetheless, he feels a definite thirst for cruel, punishing solutions to his life’s problems– he desires those who interfere with him to suffer a commensurate degree of aggravation, pain, and loss before he overcomes them. A straightforward and sporting victory is an empty one, according to his heart. Clever cruelties fill him with joy– after all, he is not a mindless brute, but rather a shaper of punishments to fit the nature of each crime. This is differentiated from the Vindictive flaw (page 48); a vindictive character is relentless in his pursuit of revenge or redress, but he isn’t necessarily savage and uncouth in gaining it. A cruel character doesn’t need to dash off and seek vengeance for every little wrong done to him, but when he does overcome an opponent, only a Will Save (DC fairly high) will allow him to overcome his cruel impulses.

DARK DESIRE [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character’s innermost desire can only be described as vile or evil– to possess some unimaginably powerful thing, to seize power for cruel purposes, or perhaps even to bend the laws of reality and invite a supernatural force into our world. [2 Pts.]: This is not an idle fascination for your character– it is the core of his very existence, a black secret that he shares with no one. At all times, your character is pondering, scheming, seeking information, and carefully moving himself in what he believes to be the proper direction for his goal. It’s not so much that he’s working in opposition to the plans of his “friends and allies,” it’s that he considers them ultimately superfluous– tools to be used and discarded when necessary. Although your character is infinitely patient, at the very end of his quest, when the goal is in sight, there is no betrayal he will not make and no bond he will not forsake to grasp what he has always desired. Special: If your character attains his dark desire, it won’t happen after a month or two of adventuring. It will happen after years, or, more likely, decades. The attainment of a dark desire will almost certainly turn your character into an antagonistic NPC under the GM’s control, so it is essential for full dramatic impact that this flaw be kept as utterly secret as possible. Limitation: This flaw is perhaps best utilized in campaigns involving supernatural elements. It may only be selected with explicit GM approval,

due to the fact that it plants a long-term antagonist in the middle of the player-characters, who are usually presumed to be heroes.

DEBT OF HONOR [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character owes a debt to a powerful NPC, and that debt is to be repaid with service rather than with goods or money. [2 Pts.]: Moderate Debt: Over the course of the unfolding campaign, your character will be called upon to perform three substantial services for an NPC. These services will test the character’s abilities and will contain assorted challenges and dangers. If your character fails to heed the call when his services are requested, something unfortunate will happen to him– he and his friends will very likely be targeted for violence by the character he has spurned. [4 Pts.]: Substantial Debt: As above, save that your character will be expected to carry out six substantial services for the NPC over the course of the campaign. The nature of the NPC (crime boss, occult researcher, reclusive megalomaniac, etc.) should be such that he feels no real emotional connection to your character. Your character will therefore have no idea how much of a risk he is facing when he undertakes each service. The nature of each service will also probably be contrived to minimize potential reward for your character, especially when the NPC wants something of value retrieved or an enemy wiped out. These missions are duties to be discharged, not opportunities to acquire loot and glory. Special Handicap [Certain Weirdness, +2 Pts.]: Oh, no. The nature of the NPC is such that the errands assigned to your character are certain to involve unusually bizarre inconveniences, particularly strange requirements, and especially weird or occult obstacles. The GM may disallow the use of this handicap in campaigns that do not feature occult/weird elements. Special: The NPC won’t mind at all if other characters accompany yours out of friendship or duty, but he won’t offer them a single penny in compensation for their time and effort.

DEPENDENCY [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character suffers an addiction to a chemical substance (for whatever reason appropriate to his background). Unless the character merely has an “ugly habit” (see below), his substance can be one of three

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things: • An illegal drug • A legal but expensive drug • A unique substance that the character must make or distill on his own. If the character must spend money to secure a dose of the substance, each dose should require a Wealth Check, DC 11-14. If the character must create it himself, the raw materials should require a DC 10 Wealth Check per dose and the DC of the skill check made to create the chemical must be at least 15. [1 Pt.]: Ugly Habit: The character suffers a need for a socially acceptable vice– he is a chain-smoker or a “boozer” (never quite reaching the level of a drunkard). Four waking hours without a smoke or a swig (as appropriate) will make your character grumpy and impose a -1 penalty to skill checks and attack rolls until he gets what he needs. This penalty is cumulative every two hours after that. There are other problems associated with long-term smoking and excessive drinking, but other flaws should be used to simulate them. Reduce your character’s Wealth score by 1 to reflect the money spent on this habit. [2 Pts.]: Mild Addiction: Your character must receive at least one dose of this substance every twenty-four hours or he will suffer a -1 penalty to all rolls, including attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. An additional cumulative -1 penalty will be applied for every twenty-four hours thereafter in which the character is deprived of the substance to which he is addicted, until craving and withdrawal render the character effectively helpless. [4 Pts.]: Serious Addiction: Rather than a -1 penalty, your character will suffer a -2 penalty after each listed interval of time passes. When this penalty reaches -10, your character must make a Fort Save (DC 18) or go into a comatose state from withdrawal shock. This save must be made every six hours thereafter. If the character is not given his substance or hospitalized within twenty-four hours of going comatose, he must begin making Fort Saves (DC 18) every six hours or die. [6 Pts.]: Deadly Addiction: As above, and worse. The DC of each Fort Save starts at 20 and rises by 2 with every subsequent save. If a save is failed, your character immediately dies of withdrawal shock. Special Handicap [Controlled Supply, +2 Pts.]: The substance is rare and proprietary, and someone else has a monopoly on it. Your character is entirely dependent upon an NPC for his supply of the drug.

Special Handicap [Reprehensible Habit, +2 Pts.]: The substance is a notorious illegal drug, subject to societal controls and law-enforcement crackdowns. Acquiring it is hazardous to the character’s pocketbook, his reputation, and possibly his life. Special Handicap [Side Effects, +1 Pt.]: The substance has an intoxicating or debilitating side effect. For one hour following the intake of each dose, your character suffers a -4 penalty to both Dex and Wis. Limitation: No racial ability, FX power, or feat granting resistance against poisons or chemicals will have any effect on this addiction.

DEPENDENT [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character takes care (emotionally and financially) of someone extremely close to him (aunt, uncle, parent, grandparent, daughter, ward, etc.). This individual is relatively helpless compared to your character and his adventuring friends. [2 Pts.]: Your character must work to protect his own identity and the identity of his dependent(s). If the dependent(s) were ever to be revealed to your character’s enemies, they would make the perfect hostages. The dependent has a great deal of emotional loyalty to your character but cannot offer any practical assistance Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the Lone Wolf flaw. Special: This flaw may be taken multiple times, provided that each new Dependent is geographically separated from the others (for example, two grandparents would qualify as one Dependent if they lived together and two Dependents if they lived in different cities).

DIVISIVE DESTINY [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character is bound by fate (and/or his own choices) to bring a great deal of pain and anguish to his own family, community, or nation (or perhaps all of the above), and that destiny cannot be consciously averted. This division will most likely occur over religious, political, or cultural matters, and should be discussed and described with the GM’s cooperation before the campaign begins. [2 Pts.]: This is a flaw that will almost certainly have a greater impact as the character gains levels and experience. The further along he progresses toward his desired goals, the more he will splinter his family and culture, and the more painful (or bloody) the greater conflict will become.

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Note: This flaw can have a great deal of bearing on the nature and outcome of any given campaign, and may be more appropriate to campaigns with supernatural elements. Even for a secondary flaw, this one requires the explicit permission and cooperation of the GM. Limitation: A character cannot be Estranged (see below) if he has a Divisive Destiny.

DOUBLE LIFE [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] While most characters adventure under their own names or have no difficulty concealing their adventuring habits from others, your character faces a particularly delicate balancing act and must keep up his masquerade or face drastic and lasting consequences. This flaw is particularly appropriate for spies, costumed vigilantes, and the like. [2 Pts.]: Your character’s “civilian” identity is respectable and wellknown enough (or his job is sensitive and prestigous enough) that connection to your character’s adventuring identity could irreparably damage it. At regular intervals, your character may have to take part in social or work functions to “keep up appearances” when he would rather be adventuring. Special Handicap [Wanted Double, +2 Pts.]: Your character’s adventuring identity operates outside the law and is sought by legal or governmental authorities on a number of charges. Use this special handicap rather than the Poor Reputation (Wanted) (page 46) or Criminal Record (page 34) flaws when dealing with a secondary identity. After all, while Bob Johnson can be arrested or subpoenaed, his alter-ego, the Caped Avenger, keeps no mailing address.

DRIVING OBSESSION [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is totally consumed by a fixation with a single far-reaching (and probably unattainable) goal. This obsession has become the cornerstone of his life’s work– although he may occasionally be diverted from it by necessity, he always returns to it. Obsessions of this sort are often vengeful. A young man who saw his parents murdered and vowed to hunt criminals for the rest of his life would be a prime candidate, for example. [2 Pts.]: Your character can feign temporary disinterest in his driving obsession, but it really is his reason for living. He will not long tolerate any distraction from it, and he will tolerate no sarcasm or teasing as a result of it. If your character attempts to set aside his driving goal, he will find

himself tormented by everything from nightmares to waking hallucinations– at the GM’s discretion, this psychological punishment will make life increasingly unlivable until the character resumes the duties dictated by his obsession. This obsession will definitely come between your character and the long-term relationships most of us take for granted– especially love and family. Special Handicap [Specific Sense of Duty, +2 Pts.]: Your character’s driving obsession has led him to adopt a very specific “duty” that he drives himself to carry out as though it were mandated by a higher authority. Compare and contrast with the actual Duty/Responsibility flaw (below)– your character keeps at his task because he is whipped by his personal mental demons, not because he owes anyone else a service. This duty should take a very clear form (such as “patrol this area regularly for crime/supernatural events” or “guard the members of a specific family at all times, without their knowledge”), and the character should be willing to sacrifice himself for it without hesitation. This handicap may not be taken in conjunction with an actual Duty/Responsibility.

DUTY/RESPONSIBILITY [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character is bound by a regular and formal duty to an NPC or an organization. This is not simply a personal feeling of loyalty– it is an official capacity, a commitment that must be met, or there will be consequences– personal, social, and perhaps even criminal. [2 Pts.] Unchallenging/Occasional Duty: Your character either carries out his duties only part of the time or has an extremely unchallenging duty, requiring him only to carry out orders and assignments. A reserve military officer might qualify for the former; a rookie beat cop would qualify for the latter. [4 Pts.] Substantial/Challenging Duty: Your character spends most of his waking hours every week in the pursuit of his duty, and must occasionally make important decisions on his own authority– a homicide detective or any other professional law-enforcement officer would qualify for this level of Duty/Responsibility. [6 Pts.] Important/Challenging Duty: Your character’s duty is the focus of his life, and he spends a bare handful of hours every week doing anything not related to it. A staff officer in a sensitive military position (nuclear missile silo duty, for example) would qualify for this level of Duty/Responsibility. Special Handicap [Hazardous Duty, +2 Pts.]: Although danger is a part of the life of any d20 adventure game character, your character

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doesn’t even have the option of choosing when and how he will face many of the dangers in his life. He has volunteered for a position of enhanced risk, and his superiors will frequently order him into risky situations– perhaps even suicidal ones– regardless of his opinion on any given mission. Special Handicap [Restricted Movement, +2 Pts.]: Your character, by the nature of his duty, is confined to certain areas and facilities even when he is technically “off-duty.” This handicap is particularly appropriate to military personnel, who are not usually free to enter or leave military bases as they please and must formally request extended leaves well in advance of their desired date. Special Handicap [Restricted Contact, +1 Pt.]: Your character is not allowed to freely communicate with those outside of the establishment he serves. Any letters or phone calls he sends will be monitored. He may expect to be completely out of touch with friends and relatives at regular intervals, and he may also expect to have his contact with certain individuals barred for security reasons. Note: This flaw may be quite harmful to group cohesion in certain campaigns. For example, a U.S. Army Special Forces officer may have some difficulty adventuring with a party of three biker-gang members. The bikers have freedom of movement nearly everywhere save on the soldier’s base, and he can hardly be expected to leave it any time he likes to hang out with them. Special: This flaw can and should be used to routinely offset at least some of the cost of the Civil Rank, Clerical Rank, Law Enforcement Rank, and Military Rank advantages.

Special: While reconciliation is not impossible, it will only come at the end of a long effort by both sides-- an effort that the other side may not be willing to make even if your character is. Limitation: A character cannot be Estranged (see above) if he has a Divisive Destiny.

EXPLOSIVE TEMPER [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] When your character gets angry, he erupts– losing control over his words and actions, and often making impulsive, heated decisions that he will later have cause to regret. [2 Pts.]: When something happens to make your character angry, he must succeed at a Will Save (DC set by the GM based on circumstances, ranging from moderate to near-impossible) to avoid flying completely off the handle. While he’s bad enough when he makes that save, he’s a terror when he fails it. He will kick objects, throw things, threaten his friends and allies, disorder everything around him, start fights, and throw himself heedlessly into potentially foolish combat. After a temper tantrum has spent itself, your character will generally sulk, making himself miserable company for an hour or two. Special: This differs from the Aggressive flaw in that your character might not even want to be a terribly violent person. His bouts of rage might be accurately described as incidents of possession– his temper consumes him, and he doesn’t particularly enjoy it, but it happens nonetheless.

GREED

ESTRANGED

[ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ]

[ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ]

While most heroic adventurers enjoy the rewards of their missions, your character covets the acquisition of new material possessions to an extremely unhealthy degree.

Your character is cut off from both his family and the society that reared him, not by formal outcasting or rule of law, but by emotional conflicts that are too painful for either side to even confront, much less set aside. [2 Pts.]: Your character carries a great weight of mixed frustration and regret about this situation, and will spend much of his time contemplating it, often at the expense of good humor or good fellowship. He will get no aid from his family or his society; indeed, he will be reluctant to go near them, even when circumstances seem to require it. A good GM will weave this estrangement throughout an ongoing campaign, ensuring that it rears its head from time to time to turn some satisfaction or new happiness into ashes in your character’s mouth.

[2 Pts.]: The lure of wealth seems to draw a curtain down over your character’s better judgment. Any chance for easy money (heck, any chance for not-so-easy money, too) has your character wetting his lips, rubbing his hands together, and trying to think up some scheme (often quite ludicrous) whereby he can get away with said money. Curiously enough, once he’s got his hands on a new pile of cash, he tends to do with it as he pleases and thinks no more of it. It’s the acquisition of riches that sets his blood on fire, not the hoarding of them.

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At the GM’s discretion, your character may be forced to make a Will Save against a moderate DC (12-16) to successfully turn down a moneymaking opportunity unless pressing, life-or-death business is keeping him occupied. Special: This flaw does not make the character a kleptomaniac. He suffers no compulsion to take things that are clearly owned by people he likes, fears, or respects.

HEROIC CODE: FAIR PLAY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character has made it part of his “work ethic” to never take undue advantage of an opponent, and to always fight in a forthright and sporting manner. [2 Pts.]: Your character refuses to flank others, shoot anyone in the back, take opponents unaware, or attack anyone lying prone upon the ground. In moments of drastic need, your character may attempt a Will Save (DC dictated by the GM, no doubt a very high number) to override this habit.

HEROIC CODE: LAW AND ORDER [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Even if your character is a costumed vigilante or an extralegal interloper, he has the utmost respect for the letter of the law and balks at pushing its boundaries too far. He views himself as a “forward element” of uniformed law enforcement and prefers to turn matters over to the legitimate authorities as soon as possible. [2 Pts.]: Your character refuses to pick locks, break and enter, interrogate suspects without turning them over to the police first, commandeer vehicles or property from ordinary citizens, etc. Basically, if it involves anything more than patrolling and confronting criminals or villains engaged in obvious acts of mischief and mayhem, your character tut-tuts at it. In moments of drastic need, your character may attempt a Will Save (DC dictated by the GM, no doubt a very high number) to override this habit. Limitation: This flaw is probably not entirely compatible with any advanced character class predicated on sneaking and thieving. It is incompatible with the Kleptomaniac flaw and with the Cruelty flaw.

Limitation: This flaw probably isn’t suitable for character classes with the ability to make sneak attacks. It is incompatible with the Cruelty flaw.

HEROIC CODE: LOYALTY

HEROIC CODE: HONESTY

Your character views the bonds of his friendships as sacred and inviolate.

[ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ]

[ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is scrupulously truthful, even when dealing with villains and criminals. Two wrongs don’t make a right, after all. [2 Pts.]: Your character may not place any ranks in the Bluff skill or the Gambling skill. Furthermore, he absolutely refuses to tell lies except in the most dire circumstances, even to “bad guys,” and refuses to exaggerate, gamble, or even lie on behalf of others. In moments of drastic need, your character may attempt a Will Save (DC dictated by the GM, usually a rather high number) to override this habit. Special: Your character may still conceal his non-adventuring secret identities, and assume false names and faces. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with any feat that improves the Bluff skill or the Gambling skill, and it is incompatible with the Boastful and Compulsive Liar flaws.

[2 Pts.]: Your character is incapable of abandoning a friend or ally, even if it would make sense to do so, even in foolish or suicidal conditions. Come hell or high water, your character prefers to fight side by side with his friends and will die doing so if that’s what fate decrees. Your character is rarely the one that gets sent running for help. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the Lone Wolf complication (page 41).

HEROIC CODE: MERCY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character has sworn an oath to never take the life of another sentient being, even in the pursuit of the greater good. [2 Pts.] Merciful: Your character cannot intentionally kill another person, nor allow another person to die when action on the hero’s part could save them. Your character will consider even an accidental death to be his complete responsibility, and will therefore exercise extreme caution

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with his powers and abilities. [4 Pts.] Remorseful: Furthermore, your character has extreme difficulty dealing with the guilt caused by a death that he could have prevented. If he accidentally causes or fails to prevent (provided such prevention was in his power at all) a death, he will lose all of his current Action Points as a reflection of his anguish, as well as 50 XP per character level.

HUMORLESS [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is absolutely (possibly even genetically, if nonhuman) without a sense of humor. He doesn’t understand the concept of humor, and attempts to explain it to him will only baffle him further. [2 Pts.]: Your character might even be friendly, sociable, and capable of enjoying himself– he simply does not laugh or grasp why anyone else laughs. His earnest sincerity and genuine lack of comprehension are alien and often disquieting to those who don’t know your character. Occasionally, his failure to understand the nuances of humor will cause him to miss the subtext of an important social interaction, or give someone the false impression that he is making fun of them. Special: In addition to the roleplaying consequences of this flaw, your character will suffer a -8 circumstance penalty to any Perform check where an element of humor is involved in the performance.

IMPULSIVE [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character lacks patience– in moments of crisis, he demands action immediately, even if it may be the wrong action, for in his opinion there’s absolutely nothing worse than inaction. [2 Pts.]: Your character hates to wait for advice, confer on a plan or procedure, or put off any decision that can (in his opinion) be made immediately. When his under-utilized common sense does take hold, he will still be forcefully opposed to what he thinks of as “dithering and dickering,” and will tend to quickly aggravate others with his insistence upon rapid, decisive action. Note: This flaw is differentiated from Aggressive (page 31); an impulsive character isn’t after violence per se, merely decisive action. An aggressive character, provided he can keep a watchful eye on his target(s) of choice, has no trouble making careful preparations for violence provided that violence is imminent.

INFERIORITY COMPLEX [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character has a permanent chip on his shoulder. All his life, as he sees it, nobody has ever appreciated the true depth of his talents and abilities. [2 Pts.]: Your character is extremely sensitive about small things that he imagines reflect the contempt others feel for him. If asked to take the lead on the trail, he’ll assume it’s because he’s thought unimportant enough to be risked. If asked to take the rear, he’ll assume it’s because they think him boring If asked to take the middle, he’ll assume it’s because they don’t think he’s skilled enough to handle himself in the front or the rear. While your character is usually able to subsume his festering resentment beneath a layer of jagged humor or false conviviality, it occasionally boils over and causes extreme discomfort for everyone around him. Sometimes, your character also takes foolish and unnecessary risks in an effort to demonstrate his skills.

INSATIABLE CURIOSITY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is compelled at every step of his life by an incurable need to peek behind every closed door (metaphorically speaking) and unearth every secret he possibly can. This includes everything from the intricacies of a villain’s plans to the hidden contents of abandoned buildings. Your character must be exceedingly cautious, lest he go the way of the proverbial cat. [2 Pts.]: Whenever your character is confronted with a chance to learn something new and interesting, especially if relevant to his current adventure or investigation, he must make a Will Save against a DC set by the GM in order to keep his mind on whatever else he needs to be doing. Special: No character with this flaw is ever compelled to pry into the private lives and secrets of those he trusts, respects, and adventures with. Though surely a few questions every now and again can’t hurt a bit...

INTOLERANT [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is vehemently prejudiced against a certain race or large social group other than his own. Whether this intolerance springs from simple ignorance or a legitimate grievance is up to you.

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[2 Pts.]: Your character’s overt hostility (which goes as far as namecalling, fight-picking, and boorish public behavior, but not as far as malicious mayhem such as arson or murder) will generally be an embarrassment to his friends and allies. It might also get him and the rest of the adventuring party into regular trouble with NPCs (especially politicians, police officers, bartenders, business owners, soldiers, etc.) of the appropriate race. Special: At the GM’s discretion, your character may suffer a -4 circumstance penalty to certain Charisma-based skill checks made against characters of the appropriate race or social group, as well as against other, more enlightened NPCs who find your character’s prejudice contemptible. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken if the prejudice it grants is commonly held by a large percentage of the campaign world’s population and is generally regarded in a positive fashion. Furthermore, it may not apply to “monstrous” races such as trolls or goblins (if used in the campaign) which are generally assumed to be inimical to the civilizations from which player-characters come. Remember, this isn’t a flaw unless it’s socially reprehensible.

KLEPTOMANIA [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character lives for the thrill of stealing things from other people. This flaw is differentiated from Greed (page 38) in that a kleptomaniac cares more about the act of theft (not just acquisition) itself than the value of anything being stolen. While a kleptomaniac has no problem with seeking a nice payoff from a crime, he’s often just as thrilled to snatch something small and unobtrusive from a purse or a wallet. [3 Pts.]: Your character feels constant urges to steal things, and loves nothing more than the secret thrill of getting away with his thefts. At restaurants, he will steal silverware; when left with unattended purses or coats he will lift small valuables from them. If your character is a professional criminal, so much the better– but big thefts are how he makes his living, not how he gets through the day. If your character isn’t trying to steal from others (even his close friends, alas) often enough, the GM may begin enforcing theft attempts upon him (possible Will Save allowed to resist the kleptomaniac impulses in moments of danger or crisis). This can be a very tricky flaw for a character to live with, so caveat emptor.

LAZY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is a slacker, a layabout, and a wastrel. he has no inter-

est in honest work, or even in dishonest work. He prefers to let others bear the brunt of any effort– he might not even care whether or not he gets any of the credit as long as he doesn’t have to waste any time or effort pulling his own weight. [2 Pts.]: Your character suffers an inherent -1 penalty to Will Saves and to all Profession skills due to his lack of drive and discipline. He will constantly attempt to shirk or avoid work and his attention to detail is somewhat lacking; this can be either amusing or irritating to his friends, depending upon the circumstances. Limitation: A lazy character may not have a Driving Obsession (page 37).

LECHEROUS [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is frequently and severely distracted by his weakness for his compatible sex. [2 Pts.]: Your character finds it difficult to resist the lure of any chance to be near potential romantic entanglements. Just as a drunkard dreams of wine bottles, beer cans, and shotglasses, your character dreams of healthy young flesh, flirtations, and brief but passionate romantic affairs. Your character is continually hopping in and out of beds (or trying to, if his lechery exceeds his personal charm) and wasting many long hours at bars, clubs, and restaurants cruising for a new conquest. Special: Your character must make a Will Save (DC generally rather high) to avoid the urge to make a pass at a potential partner whenever the opportunity presents itself (save in dire moments of emergency). This can cause no end of complications for the character and his allies when time or discretion is of the essence

LONE WOLF [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is anything but a team player. Whether he regards the presence of others as a hindrance to his abilities and style or just prefers to keep his own company is up to you. [2 Pts.]: Your character has an extremely difficult time working with others in groups and getting along in such arrangements for any length of time. If forced to tolerate the continual presence of others, he will be a grating, sarcastic, and generally divisive influence when he’s not ditching the others to do things his own way. He will frequently find excuses to “scout ahead” or “take care of some personal business,” ensuring that he

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won’t often be close at hand when he’s needed in an emergency. Limitation: This flaw can go a long way toward splintering a group in the most inconvenient fashion possible. GMs, be certain that players wishing to take this flaw for their characters can be trusted not to take it so far that it ruins the game for everyone.

MACHO/SPARTAN [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character makes a point to project himself as tough, bullish, and ready for anything. He’ll have nothing but scorn for anyone with a lesser tolerance for adversity and he certainly won’t back down from a challenge to his fortitude. [2 Pts.]: The central function of this flaw is that your character will get on others’ nerves with amazing regularity. Furthermore, your character will routinely refuse to do things the easy and comfortable way. Beds? Beds are for sissies. Heavy clothing in freezing weather? Hey, freezing weather’s good for you. Grin and bear it! Your character’s macho assumptions may sometimes leave your adventuring party without vital tools or clothing when entering a hazardous situation. Even when freely offered creature comforts, your character will utterly disdain their use. The GM may call for a Will Save if your character attempts to back down from a direct challenge to his machismo. If acceptance of creature comforts is a matter of diplomatic importance, your character will make every effort to appear content with them, while making every private effort to shun them that he can. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with Vain/Dandy (page 48), nor with Lazy (page 41).

MELANCHOLY

extreme peril, your character is quite lackadaisical, and will be more of a detriment than a benefit to anyone struggling to survive nearby. If your character does find the will to carry on, it’s only because he’s found something new to amuse him for a little while.

MISER [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is obsessed not so much with the joy of making new fortunes as he is with hoarding and contemplating what he’s already gained. He’s also a notorious skinflint. [2 Pts.]: Your character balks at spending a single nickel more than absolutely necessary for anything, from the food he eats to the places he sleeps in and the weapons and equipment he trusts to save his life. Your character has very little dignity where his wallet is concerned, and will gladly sleep in the back seat of a car and wear the same clothes for six months straight, no matter how much better he could do for himself. Furthermore, your character will suffer a continual -2 penalty to all Wealth checks, due to the fact that he will inevitably hold some of his resources back no matter how dire the situation.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Someone with power (or powerful friends) has mistaken your character for someone else (someone they despise, naturally) and is out to get your character. Alternately, your character might find himself continually confused with a criminal or villain. [2 Pts.] Limited Recognition Your character has the equivalent of a 2 Pt. Nemesis: Villain (see page 44), a dangerous NPC (and that NPC’s circle of friends and allies) who thinks your character is someone else– someone he needs to hunt, hinder, or punish

[ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is uninvolved in the excitement and pageantry of life– his world is introspective, bleak, and morbid. While not actively out to kill himself, he has no complaints about dying, and seems somewhat bemused by the lengths everyone around him goes to to avoid it. [2 Pts.]: This is not merely a pose– something has happened to your character to rob him of joy and exuberance. Although he keeps a sense of humor, it’s wry and cynical, frequently exercised at the expense of others. Your character often speculates on the nature of death and on the manner of the death that awaits him, regardless of whether or not such talk discomforts those around him. When injured or left in a state of

[4 Pts.] Widespread Recognition Your character is widely mistaken for another individual who has offended or alarmed a great many people. His life will be more constantly and deeply disrupted by this problem. Special Handicap [Perfect Double, +1 Pt.]: Your character really is an exact physical double of the NPC he’s being confused with– although very small details (birthmarks, scars, etc.) may be different, only the closest friends and associates would be able to reliably tell the two apart, and then only with time and observation.

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MONETARY DEBT [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character owes a relatively huge sum of money to a powerful NPC that expects repayment. Although it’s understood that your character will pay in installments as his adventuring career proceeds, those installments had better be generous and steady. [2 Pts.] Significant Debt: If the NPC is a vicious and dangerous character (crime boss, loan shark, terrorist warlord) the debt owed is set at $75,000. This is the equivalent of 15 + 1d6 wealth checks against a DC of 13 + 1d4, at least one of which must be made about every two game weeks. If the NPC is merely firm and unfriendly (disapproving relative, large bank) the debt owed is $100,000. This is the equivalent of 20 + 1d8 wealth checks against a DC of 25+1d4, at least one of which must be made about every game month. [4 Pts.] Massive Debt: If the NPC is a vicious and dangerous character (crime boss, loan shark, terrorist warlord) the debt owed is set at $150,000. This is the equivalent of 30 + 2d6 wealth checks against a DC of 15 + 1d4, at least one of which must be made about every two game weeks. If the NPC is merely firm and unfriendly (disapproving relative, large bank) the debt owed is $200,000. This is the equivalent of 40 + 2d8 wealth checks against a DC of 17 +1d4, at least one of which must be made about every game month. Special: A vicious NPC denied payment on the amount owed will resort to intimidation and violence. A firm and unfriendly NPC denied payment will resort to repossession of goods, lawsuits, and slashing your character’s credit rating. If your character fails to make one or more of his regular payments, or somehow displeases his creditor without entirely defaulting on the repayment, compound interest may begin to accrue on what he still owes (necessitating one or more extra payments) and a new repayment schedule may be forced upon him. It is possible that the NPC creditor may be willing to occasionally negotiate the substitution of a service for one or more payments.

NEMESIS: GOVERNMENT [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ]

A powerful figure in a major government (or an entire agency, or a multinational coalition) is out to get your character for reasons justifiable or otherwise. This nemesis will make recurring appearances in your character’s life. Your character might experience everything from tax troubles to arrest warrants to expulsion from an entire country. The precise nature of their argument with your character is up to you. [2 Pts.] Minor Nemesis: The nemesis is a local power figure (city bureaucrat, small-town mayor) or a relatively weak or distant agency. [4 Pts.] Moderate Nemesis: The nemesis is both popular and powerful (mayor of a huge city) or an agency with a respectable reach. [6 Pts.] Major Nemesis: The nemesis is a dangerously powerful national figure (senator, vice-president) or a formidable agency such as MI-5 or the CIA. [8 Pts.] Daunting Nemesis: The nemesis is either a pivotal world figure (President of the United States, perhaps) or a major coalition (NATO) with worldwide striking power.

NEMESIS: LEGAL [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] A powerful lawyer (or an agency full of lawyers) is out to get your character for some real or imagined slight. They might be seeking a civil suit relating to one of your character’s earlier adventures (Property damage? Wrongful assault?) or they might be set upon your character by his enemies. The annoying possibilities of this complication are endless. Your character would be well advised to retain skilled legal counsel and to avoid accepting manilla envelopes from strangers in public places. [2 Pts.] Hassle: The nemesis is a local ambulance-chaser, persistent if not overly menacing. [4 Pts.] Major Hassle: The nemesis is a cunning and experienced partner in a decently-sized firm with branches in several cities. [6 Pts.] Big-League Trouble: The nemesis is a legal juggernaut, one of the ten most powerful firms in North America or Europe, with offices all over the place and a team of lawyers assigned full-time to your character’s case. [8 Pts.] The Stuff of Nightmares: The nemesis in question has a branch office dedicated entirely to pursuing your character’s case, twenty-four hours a day. Private detectives are after your character, a dozen summons await him at any given time, and civil suits are pending in a

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dozen jurisdictions. Pray for death.

willing to make your character’s life rather miserable.

NEMESIS: MEDIA

Special Handicap [Unusual Powers, +1 Pt.]: If the organization has access to powers (psionics, magic, supernatural abilities, high-tech alien FX abilities, etc.) that your character and his allies do not, the GM may consent to allow an extra Flaw Point for this special handicap.

[ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] An influential figure (or group of figures) in the local or national media holds a grudge against your character and they love nothing better than to pursue it in print, on tape, and on the internet. Your character will find himself routinely criticized, lambasted, ridiculed, and dissected (metaphorically speaking) in a wide variety of journalistic tableaus, as appropriate to the nemesis’ sphere of influence. [2 Pts.] Fleabiter: The nemesis is a small-town reporter or editor, or a tabloid nutcase. [4 Pts.] Muckraker: The nemesis has some clout, as an editor or award-winning reporter for a major city newspaper or TV station. [6 Pts.] Big Name: The nemesis is a national media figure – an established syndicated columnist read by millions or a major network TV journalist seen by tens of millions. [8 Pts.] Angling For A Pulitzer: The nemesis is an entire publishing chain or a major national network, full of celebrities and researchers clamoring for your character’s head on a pike.

NEMESIS: ORGANIZATION [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character has made an enemy of a powerful non-governmental organization. This could be anything from a private “think tank” to a a secret society, a religious cult, or a body of organized criminals. [2 Pts.] Local Trouble: The organization is either very weak and overextended, or its power is confined to a relatively small area.

NEMESIS: VILLAIN [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] A villain or criminal has taken a decided interest in pursuing and defeating your character. Your character’s nemesis regards his fight with your character as one of the driving interests of his life. Whether or not your character agrees is irrelevant. [2 Pts.] Minor Antagonist: The nemesis is directly comparable in power and ability to your character, though he doesn’t show up very often. [4 Pts.] Competent Antagonist: The nemesis is directly comparable in power and ability to your character, and he takes a much more frequent interest in bothering your character. [6 Pts.] Major Antagonist: The nemesis is more powerful and able than your character, with significant resources at his command, and he takes everything very, very personally. [8 Pts.] Grounds For Suicide: How could it be worse? The villain is a total nightmare– he’s your character’s superior in every human sphere, he dresses better, he has more friends and more money, he has a seemingly endless supply of ninja assassins, and he spends a great deal of money to ensure that the local TV stations only play late-night movies that your character can’t stand.

[4 Pts.] Cause For Concern: The organization is fairly large and competent. Your character will have to watch his back wherever he goes.

Special Handicap [Lieutenant, +1 Pt.]: If the villain has a noteworthy lieutenant (not as powerful as the chief villain, but still competent enough to enhance the villain’s capabilities significantly) the GM may consent to allow one or more (in the case of multiple lieutenants) extra Flaw Points.

[6 Pts.] Lurking Danger: The organization has quite a reach and the resources to back a major power play. Your character had best have all of his cards up his sleeve when he takes them on– they’re certifiable bad news.

Special Handicap [Unusual Powers, +1 Pt.]: If the villain has access to powers (psionics, magic, supernatural abilities, high-tech alien FX abilities, etc.) that your character and his allies do not, the GM may consent to allow an extra Flaw Point for this special handicap.

[8 Pts.] Big, Big Trouble: The organization is perhaps one of the shadowy masters of the world, capable of striking anywhere on earth at any time, with agents and resources in hundreds of places, ready and

NIGHTMARES [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ]

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Your character suffers from recurring and nearly incurable nightmares, stemming from an extremely stressful event or encounter in his past (or perhaps from some mysterious cause not yet explained). [2 Pts.] Occasional Nightmares: There is a 40% chance per period of sleep that your character will experience extremely vivid and lengthy nightmares. The character must make a Will Save against a DC of 15; failure means that the character will be mentally fatigued the next day. While he can still run and charge, he will suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to all Spot, Search, Knowledge, and Concentration checks, and he will suffer a -1 circumstance penalty to all of his attack rolls. These penalties last until he is next able to sleep undisturbed. [4 Pts.] Frequent Nightmares: There is a 65% chance per period of sleep that your character will experience extremely vivid and lengthy nightmares. The character must make a Will Save against a DC of 17; failure means that the character will be mentally fatigued the next day. While he can still run and charge, he will suffer a -2 penalty to all Spot, Search, Knowledge, and Concentration checks, and he will suffer a -1 penalty to all of his attack rolls. These penalties last until he is next able to sleep undisturbed. Special: If the character is an arcane spellcaster, this flaw is worth an additional two (2) Flaw Points. A bout of nightmares will rob the character of a single prepared spell slot of each level he can cast for the next day. For example, if a character that can prepare two 1st level spells suffers a bout of nightmares, he will only be able to prepare one 1st level spell the next day. Limitation: This flaw may not be possessed by characters that do not sleep (for racial, supernatural, or technological reasons) as humans do.

OBNOXIOUS [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Plainly speaking, your character is a jerk. He has little or no grasp of social niceties, and his personal behavior is guaranteed to offend and aggravate just about everyone around him. Whether this is a calculated posture or an innocent (if unfortunate) set of habits is up to you. [2 Pts.]: Your character is one or more of the following things– loud, rude, impatient, arrogant, intrusive, insensitive, bombastic, crude, strident, and/or narrow-minded. In addition to the roleplaying burden of these traits, your character suffers a -4 penalty to all Diplomacy checks. Limitation: A character may not be both Obnoxious and Tongue-Tied (page 48).

OSTRACISM [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character is feared, hated, and discriminated against for something in his nature that he cannot change, be it his skin color, his social background, or any unusual racial abilities and powers. [2 Pts.] Limited Ostracism: Your character experiences occasional taunts from strangers, and often finds himself subjected to epithets or unpleasant scrutiny. Sometimes, shops or restaurants won’t admit him, but he’s relatively free from actual violence. [4 Pts.] Severe Ostracism: Your character faces a society with a deeply-entrenched suspicion of his kind, and as a result experiences constant discrimination, embarrassment, disdain, and occasionally even threats or physical assaults. [6 Pts.] Sanctioned Ostracism: The prejudice your character faces is officially sanctioned by the government of the society in which he lives. He is formally treated as a second-class citizen, if he enjoys any rights at all, and must often submit himself to “security registration” and restricted movement patterns. Legal and police authorities will be no help at all if he is persecuted, threatened, or injured. Special: This flaw may only be taken with explicit GM permission, as it is obviously highly dependent upon the nature of the campaign world.

OVERCAUTIOUS [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is no coward– he is quite willing to face danger and carry out his responsibilities. However, he is too dependent upon planning, information gathering, caution, and second opinions. He will attempt to delay any decisive action as long as possible, until “all options have been considered,” and he will proceed with unseemly slowness even when he becomes set on a course of action. [2 Pts.]: Your character will drag his heels on virtually everything– he doesn’t see himself as indecisive, but in essence that’s his problem. While there’s much to be said for caution, it cannot serve in every situation, and your character’s friends and allies are bound to get aggravated with him at regular intervals for his love of “thorough consideration.”

OVERCONFIDENT [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is absolutely certain that he can take any challenge

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set before him, even if the odds against him are ridiculous. Unfortunately, your character is also pretty much wrong. [2 Pts.]: Your character scoffs at the idea that “discretion is the better part of valor.” He won’t back down from a fight, he dislikes calling for reinforcements, and he has a habit of constantly underestimating any danger or opponent placed in his way. Your character might be forced to make a Will Save (difficulty relatively high) any time he attempts to withdraw from danger or back down from a challenge. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the Cowardly flaw or the Overcautious flaw.

POMPOUS [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is a staggeringly snooty, affected, and formal individual. [2 Pts.]: Your character always acts as though he owns the place he’s standing in and everyone nearby happens to work for him. While your character might mean well and be a perfectly lovely person, he speaks and acts in a fashion that, while perfectly natural to him, is either ludicrous or grating to almost everyone else. He never uses a ten-cent word when a five-dollar word is available, takes too long to say just about everything, and relaxes only when inebriated or somehow mind-controlled. Special Handicap [Condescending, +1 Pt.]: What’s worse, your character continually acts as though nobody around him truly understands anything as well as he does (or, indeed, is capable of doing so even under optimum circumstances). He makes a constant show of explaining things to people that don’t necessarily need them explained. Special Handicap [Snob, +1 Pt.]: Perhaps most aggravating of all, your character is simply incapable of enjoying anything unless he is simultaneously denigrating the taste or accomplishments of someone else. His continual disdain for the opinions, habits, and possessions of others is bound to get on someone’s nerves sooner or later. His lack of tact inflicts an inherent -2 penalty to all of his Diplomacy checks.

POOR REPUTATION [ Secondary Flaw: External Trouble ] Your character has an extremely unflattering reputation in a certain area or within a certain group of people. Regardless of whether or not the reputation is deserved, it’s firmly entrenched and all but impossible to counter. This is not the same as a formal record of alleged wrongdoing (like a

criminal record), but it can be just as troublesome. [2 Pts.] Suspicious/Untrustworthy: The precise nature of the reputation should be left to the GM, as appropriate to your character’s background. If your character is law-abiding, he might have a reputation as a suspicious and unsavory person. If your character is already an unsavory person, he might have a reputation among other unsavory people as an oath-breaker, or potential informer. While this reputation won’t make anyone attack your character on sight, it will make virtually everything he tries to do more difficult. Contacts won’t take him seriously, police officers or criminals (or both) will hassle him on the streets, and so forth. This flaw will provide a +3 bonus to all Reputation checks made by appropriate NPCs when attempting to identify your character. If your character is successfully identified, he will suffer –4 circumstance penalty on checks involving the following skills for the duration of the encounter: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform. [4 Pts.] Presumed Corrupt/Malicious/Awful: As above, but worse and/or more widespread. If your character is law-abiding, he might find himself slandered as anything from a murderer to a crooked businessman. If your character is already an unsavory person, he might have a reputation among other unsavory people as a definite otah-breaker or informer. This flaw will provide a +6 bonus to all Reputation checks made by appropriate NPCs when attempting to identify your character. If your character is successfully identified, he will suffer –6 circumstance penalty on checks involving the following skills for the duration of the encounter: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Perform. Special Handicap [Wanted, +1-4 Pts.]: Your character is sought by legal or governmental authorities for crimes he may or may not have committed. Compare and contrast with Criminal Record (page 34); a character with this handicap has not yet been caught. The more serious the charges, and the wider the area of the hunt for him, the more this handicap is worth (GM’s discretion). This handicap is incompatible with the Criminal Record (On Parole) handicap, page 34. Special Handicap [Bounty, +1-3 Pts.]: One or more governments (or wealthy private citizens, or criminal organizations) in the region where your character has a poor reputation have put up a reward for his capture or death. The more this bounty is worth (GM’s discretion), the more points it provides, as the more interest it will arouse. This is not entirely the same as a Nemesis flaw (pages 43-44), as the threat comes from random and unknown bounty hunters, skip tracers, and assassins rather

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than a consistent enemy.

PRIMITIVE [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character comes from a culture and society that are significantly behind the level of technological development common in the campaign. Not only does your character lack the casual familiarity with technology that most of us take for granted, he has no appreciation of the customs and safety precautions that technology may require. [4 Pts.] Backwards: Your character comes from a society several generations removed from current technology and social developments. While not familiar with many of the specifics of modern life, the character will not be at a total loss when it comes to simple things like operating doorknobs. An average man or woman from 1910 would suffer from this flaw if dropped into the early 21st century– they would be familiar with the general concept of airplanes, electricity, and automobiles, but quite unused to the speed, size, noise, and automation of modern society. In addition to the obvious roleplaying consequences of this flaw, your character suffers the following: • At 1st level, he may not select the following feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Aircraft Operation, Burst Fire, Drive-By Attack, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Gearhead, Surface Vehicle Operation, or Vehicle Expert. Nor may he select any other feat deemed by the GM to enhance or depend upon skills or techniques beyond his level of training. • At 1st level, he may not place any ranks in the following skills: Computer Use, Craft (Electronic), Drive, or Pilot. These skills will be forever considered cross-class if he learns them at a later time. • He suffers an inherent -1 penalty to all of the following skills: Craft (Chemical),Craft (Mechanical), Craft (Pharmaceutical), Craft (Structural), Demolitions, Disable Device, Investigate, Knowledge (all), and Treat Injury. [6 Pts.] Truly Primitive: Your character comes from a society that is many centuries behind current technological and social developments. He has no conception of the power sources, weapons, transportation, and entertainment devices used by modern people; his reaction to modern society may veer from amusement to terror, depending on the situation. • At 1st level, he may not select the following feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Aircraft Operation, Burst Fire, Drive-By Attack, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Gearhead, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Surface

Vehicle Operation, Surgery, or Vehicle Expert. Nor may he select any other feat deemed by the GM to enhance or depend upon skills or techniques beyond his level of training. • At 1st level, he may not place any ranks in the following skills: Computer Use, Craft (Chemical),Craft (Mechanical), Craft (Pharmaceutical), Craft (Structural), Craft (Electronic), Demolitions, Disable Device, Drive, or Pilot. These skills will be forever considered cross-class if he learns them at a later time. • He suffers an inherent -2 penalty to all of the following skills: Investigate, Knowledge (all), and Treat Injury. Special Handicap [Superstition, +1 Pt.]: Your character’s worldview is too supernaturalist to accept the true nature of technology. Your character is constantly making offerings of goods or prayer to the “spirit forces” around him; he may evolve a number of rituals that he performs before doing anything from entering an automobile to turning on a television. Note: If you wish your character to suffer additional social consequences for his culture of origin, select the Unsophisticated flaw (page 47) as well.

RISK-ADDICTED [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is held in thrall by the surge of adrenaline he feels whenever he stares into the gaping jaws of death or misfortune. [2 Pts.]: This flaw is quite similar to Overconfident (page 45)– in fact, in terms of effects, the two are nearly identical. The difference is that a Risk-Addicted character is totally cognizant of the extreme danger of any given situation, and well aware that he might not be skilled enough to take on the entire world and live, and he simply does not care. Your character never feels more alive than when his fate and fortune are hanging by a slender thread, and he seeks to put himself in such situations as often as possible. In short, he will rarely retreat, surrender, or back down from games of chance and risk. A Will Save against a fairly high DC may be required if he ever wishes to exercise discretion rather than valor. Limitation: This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the Overconfident flaw (page 45), as their effects are too close to one another.

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STUBBORN [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is obstreperous, thick-skulled, and incorrigible– whatever decision he makes and however he makes it, he expects to have his way. No appeal to duty, rationality, or friendship can penetrate this stubborn veneer without a fight. [2 Pts.]: Your character is aggravatingly certain that he knows best about everything. He will fight to have his own way just about all the time, asserts his authority over others even when he doesn’t have any, and disregards the good advice of those who know better even when it’s for his own clear good. In certain circumstances, your character may be allowed a Will Save (moderate difficulty) to swallow his pride and accept someone else’s leadership without protest for some length of time. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the Tongue-Tied flaw (see below).

TONGUE-TIED [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Although your character frequently wishes to express himself, he is shy, hesitant, uncertain, and woefully unpolished in the social graces. [2 Pts.]: Your character is extremely socially handicapped, in a manner determined by agreement between yourself and the GM. In addition to suffering a -1 penalty to your character’s initial Charisma score, you must roleplay one or more of the following– shyness, hesitance, lack of assertiveness, and general submissiveness to virtually everyone around you. Your character may be required to make a Will Save if he wishes to assert his presence or authority in anything but a life-or-death situation. Special: If your character has the Leadership feat, he does not add his positive Charisma modifier (if any) to the Leadership check total. Special: This is a secondary flaw largely as a result of the roleplaying burden it places upon you. Playing a milquetoast is not for everyone, so think carefully before applying this to your character. Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with the Stubborn flaw (see above) and the Obnoxious flaw (page 45).

UNSOPHISTICATED [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character might not be lacking in genuine brainpower, but he

comes from an ethnic group or area that is considered by most ordinary folks in the campaign world or nation to be amusingly backwards. [2 Pts.]: Your character displays the accents and personal habits customary to his place of origin; as a result of these traits, he is regarded as a hick, a rube, a redneck, or a provincial. Their presumption may be that he is anything from quaint and superstitious to downright stupid. Con artists and tricksters will single your character out for attention, and strangers in bars or restaurants will have plenty of choice witticisms and taunts to throw at him. At the GM’s discretion, your character will suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to most Charisma-based skill checks in situations where his origin could be considered a hindrance in the eyes of onlookers. Note: Compare this flaw with Primitive (page 47). This flaw means that your character isn’t actually backwards, but is treated like he is. A Primitive character actually is backwards, but receives no social trouble for it unless he takes this flaw as well. The two flaws may be combined. Special: This flaw is incompatible with Vain/Dandy.

VAIN/DANDY [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character is excessively obsessed with his clothes and appearance, in one of two ways: [2 Pts.]: A character that is principally vain doesn’t necessarily care about the quality of the clothes he wears, but he is absolutely fastidious about his image and his presentability. He bathes at every opportunity, dotes on his hair, flexes and poses, and generally seizes any opportunity to make himself look dashing. He’s the sort of person who polishes his boots twice a day even when on trail in the wilderness. He cannot abide the feeling of uncleanliness, even when dirt on his face or clothes would help hide him from a nearby danger. He must make a Will Save (GM’s discretion) to tolerate a state of uncleanliness for any length of time. A dandy, in contrast, is a foppish clotheshorse with a preference for the comforts of civilization over the hard pleasures of the street or the wilderness. While a dandy can bear a bit of grime or sweat, he can do so primarily because he likes to keep a change of clothes (or several) on hand. When setting out on an adventure, he will inevitably try to haul along as many improbable and unnecessary fine things as he can get away with, and while his friends might occasionally appreciate that rare bottle of cognac while on the mountain trail, they won’t be pleased to discover that he tossed out the GPS locator device to make room for it.

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Limitation: This flaw is incompatible with Macho/Spartan, Primitive, and Unsophisticated.

VINDICTIVE [ Secondary Flaw: Personality Conflict ] Your character cannot bear to let others have the last word or the last blow. If wronged, he must revenge, no matter how inconvenient or foolish that may prove. [2 Pts.]: Your character has a vicious revenge complex, and is incapable of bearing up with dignity under insults or injury. Likewise, he is all but incapable of forgiving a slight or an injury, and will go to elaborate (and frequently dangerous) lengths to secure his revenge. Although he does not ask that his friends and allies help him achieve his vengeance, he grows highly irate when they attempt to interfere. “Letting it go” is not in his vocabulary; strung together in that order, those three words are meaningless to him. Special (Dedicated Flaw Synergy): If your character has a Criminal Honor Code (page 33), this flaw will exacerbate that beyond any rational limit. Your character, when wronged, will be a demon incarnate, thirsting for blood. This flaw, taken in combination with Criminal Honor Code, is worth one (1) additional Flaw Point.

WEIRD FLAWS BANE [ Weird Flaw ] Your character is extraordinarily vulnerable to injuries from a single material substance. A bane might be a specific metal (gold, silver, cold iron, etc.), a special wood (Rowan, Ash, Yew, etc.) or a completely fictional substance, as appropriate to your character’s background. Your character had best try to keep his vulnerability a closely-guarded secret. [2 Pts.] Moderate Bane: Whenever your character is struck by a weapon shaped from or incorporating his bane, the following must be noted: • All attacks with a bane weapon or substance have their critical threat ranges doubled against a vulnerable target; • All attacks with a bane weapon deal +1d4 damage against a vulnerable target. This damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit. Damage from a bane weapon can never be non-lethal; and

• Even simple contact with the bane substance will result in 1d3 points of irresistible damage to a vulnerable target. [4 Pts.] Severe Bane: Whenever your character is struck by a weapon shaped from or incorporating his bane, the following must be noted: • All attacks with a bane weapon or substance have their critical threat ranges tripled against a vulnerable target; • All attacks with a bane weapon deal +2d4 damage against a vulnerable target. This damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit. Damage from a bane weapon can never be non-lethal; and • Even simple contact with the bane substance will result in 1d6 points of irresistible damage to a vulnerable target. [6 Pts.] Deadly Bane: Whenever your character is struck by a weapon shaped from or incorporating his bane, the following must be noted: • All attacks with a bane weapon or substance have their critical threat ranges tripled against a vulnerable target; • All attacks with a bane weapon deal +2d8 damage against a vulnerable target. This damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit. Damage from a bane weapon can never be non-lethal; • A character struck by a bane weapon must make a Fort Save (DC 17) or suffer the temporary loss of 1 point of Con, which must be healed in the usual fashion. This Con loss is cumulative, if the character is struck several times and fails more than one Fort Save. • Even simple contact with the bane substance will result in 2d6 points of irresistible damage to a vulnerable target. Special Handicap [Common Bane, +2 Pts.]: Your character’s bane substance is fairly cheap and widely available. Iron, for example, is a great deal more common than silver. Note: Damage from a bane substance will negate natural Damage Reduction and fast healing alike.

CURSED [ Weird Flaw ] Your character suffers from some sort of supernatural curse; this curse is both subtle and shrewdly applied, so that it is very difficult to

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detect, let alone remove. The curse causes a rotating variety of colorful misfortunes– your character can never be sure what’s going to go wrong on any given day until something actually does. [3 Pts.] Mild Curse: The GM should secretly roll 1d10 at the beginning of each game session. This will determine the misfortune suffered by the character for that entire session, not to be revealed to him until necessary: Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Misfortune -2 to Ref Saves -2 to Fort Saves -2 to Will Saves -1 to all saving throws -2 to all skill checks -1 to Defense -1 to attack rolls -4 to Initiative checks -4 to all Intelligence-based skill checks -4 to all Dexterity-based skill checks

[5 Pts.] Serious Curse: The GM should secretly roll 1d10 at the beginning of each game session. This will determine the misfortune suffered by the character for that entire session, not to be revealed to him until necessary: Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Misfortune -4 to Ref Saves -4 to Fort Saves -4 to Will Saves -2 to all saving throws -3 to all skill checks -2 to Defense -2 to attack rolls -8 to Initiative checks -6 to all Intelligence-based skill checks -6 to all Dexterity-based skill checks

DARK TAINT [ Weird Flaw ] Your character’s body or spirit (or perhaps even both) has become “contaminated” by some form of evil supernormal power; whether or not your character wishes to fight back against this power, this will cause complications for him. [3 Pts.]: This flaw causes several problems:

•Your character will register as vaguely “evil” to any spell or FX power capable of detecting such a quality. Although the impression will be mingled with that of his true nature, it will still be quite suspicious. •Your character only has a 50% chance of responding to any magic spell (or FX power) capable of healing him, cleansing a poison or disease from his body, or otherwise restoring his health. Any such spell cast upon him that does not take effect will be lost. •Your character will be unable to wield or activate FX items that are defined by the GM to be intrinsically “good;” such items will be totally dead in his hands and may even cause some pain when handled. •From time to time, strange events may take place around your character that will cause even his friends and allies to worry about him. Plants might wither at his touch, computers might shut off spontaneously, books might burst into flame. These events will not be continual, but may occur once or twice a month, and their exact nature is left to the GM’s fiendish discretion.

HAUNTED [ Weird Flaw ] Your character suffers from the subtle but persistent attention of an invisible poltergeist or some other minor supernatural force. This presence might have been picked up as a result of looting a tomb or archaeological dig, or it might be related to an ancestral legacy. [2 Pts.] Weak Poltergeist: Your character is the subject of continual mischief as a result of this haunting– small objects will be moved or stolen, animals will be spooked, food and beverages will be spoiled, and so forth. Strange noises might wake him in the night, and vulgar or threatening notes might be typed on computer screens. While the haunting spirit doesn’t have the power to harm your character directly, his life will be a bit messy and aggravating as long as the spirit lingers. [4 Pts.] Strong Poltergeist: The poltergeist’s actions are more persistent and harmful. While still incapable of directly attacking your character, the spirit will misplace important objects (personal weapons, vital documents, car keys, etc.) and perform substantial acts of environmental sabotage (slashed tires, exploded home appliances, etc.) roughly 1d3 times per session (roll kept secret by the GM, of course). Special: This supernatural presence is extremely canny and difficult to get rid of. Religious blessings and genuine magic can drive it away for a while, but only an extremely involving and costly divine or magic ritual

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(well beyond the reach of any 1st level character) will ever drive the spirit away (GM’s discretion). The spirit may have difficulty following the character into other planes, at the GM’s discretion. Then again, it might be close at hand when he travels to another plane, and take the opportunity to slip through with him.

PHOTOPHOBIA [ Weird Flaw ] Your character has a marked aversion to bright light in general and direct sunlight in particular. If he has a severe enough version of this flaw, he may develop the unseemly habit of exploding when sunlight hits him. [2 Pts.] Mild Photophobia: Whenever your character is exposed to bright light without the benefit of protection (such as sunglasses), he will suffer a -1 penalty to all of his skill checks and attack rolls. Whenever he is exposed to direct natural sunlight, he suffers that penalty automatically and loses 1 hit point per round of exposure. This damage is irresistible. [4 Pts.] Moderate Photophobia: The effects of the flaw are doubled. In bright light, the character suffers a -2 penalty to all skill checks and attack. When exposed to natural sunlight, he suffers that penalty automatically and loses 2 hit points per round of exposure. This damage is irresistible.

Limitations: This flaw is incompatible with any resistance or immunity to light-based attacks and with any FX power that allows the creation of light.

STRANGE ATTRACTOR [ Weird Flaw ] Your character is a “weirdness magnet,” a focal point for bizarre occurrences and strange disruptions. This flaw is not necessarily harmful– it just means that an orderly life is out of the question. [2 Pts.]: While the precise effects of this flaw are up to the GM, you should expect your character to suffer visitations of weirdness above and beyond that which is par for the campaign. Mobsters might decide to bury the bodies of a few of their victims in his backyard. He might start receiving all the incoming mail for two dozen Churches of Scientology. The cockroaches in his apartment might begin to display alarming hints of sentience, including the construction of small altars to him. All the money in his wallet might spontaneously transmute to Confederate States of America currency, circa 1862. These effects should never be directly harmful, but will often be somewhat irritating.

[6 Pts.] Severe Photophobia The effects of the flaw are tripled. In bright light, the character suffers a -3 penalty to all skill checks and attack. When exposed to natural sunlight, he suffers that penalty automatically and loses 3 hit points per round of exposure. This damage is irresistible. [8 Pts.] Extreme Photophobia: In bright light, the character suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to all skill checks and attack rolls. When exposed to natural sunlight, he must make a Fortitude Save against a DC of 20 or suffer 4d6 points of irresistible damage per round of exposure, as he bursts into actinic flame. If he makes his save, he will suffer only 2d6 points of irresistible damage. Special Handicap [Explosive, +1 Pt.]: If your character is reduced to 0 hit points by exposure to sunlight, he must make a Fort Save (DC 25) or immediately explode. This explosion will kill your character instantly and deal fire damage in a ten-foot radius, 1d4 per level or hit die possessed by your character (whichever allows for a more powerful explosion). A Ref Save (DC 15) is allowed for half damage in the event anyone else is caught in the radius of this explosion. The danger of explosion remains each round your character is exposed to sunlight.

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Seasoning With Age: Something Extra at 1st Level The concept of “seasoning with age” allows players to quickly and easily build a sort of back story for their characters. While most adventurers start out at 1st level fresh out of youth or school with little worldly experience, a character given a few rolls on the table below can spend several years working in one or more careers, acquiring a little money and perhaps a few skills or useful goods along the way. To season a character with age before 1st level, assume that the character enters a career at the age of 18, as listed below. For every roll on the table below, Seasoning With Age, the character is aged one year. There are three types of trade into which your character can enter. A Mundane Occupation means steady if somewhat boring work in a thoroughly civilized area– clerical work, work-study at a university, or a boring retail job, for example. While there are no opportunities to acquire riches or glory, a mundane occupation is relatively safe work. In addition to whatever he picks up from rolling on the chart, a character receives a +1 temporary Wealth Bonus for every two full years he spends in a mundane occupation.

A Risky Occupation is a bit more adventurous. On a regular basis, the character will be expected to travel or expose himself to some chance for injury or misfortune. Work aboard a commercial fishing boat, cutting timber, and working in a busy factory near hot furnaces and molten metal would all qualify as risky occupations. In addition to whatever he picks up from rolling on the chart, a character receives a +1 temporary Wealth Bonus for each year he spends in a risky occupation. A Dangerous Occupation pays well and offers as much seasoning as the character can handle. Working as a soldier, a bodyguard, a safari guide, or a race-car driver would qualify as a dangerous occupation. In addition to whatever he picks up from rolling on the chart, a character receives a +1 temporary Wealth Bonus for each year he spends in a risky occupation or a +3 temporary wealth bonus for every two full years. Your character may hop from job to job as each increment passes, or he may spend his years comfortably ensconced in the same occupation.

Table: Seasoning With Age Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Mundane Occupation

Risky Occupation

Dangerous Occupation

Misfortune 1d2 Craft ranks 1d2 Knowledge ranks +1 Temp Wealth Equipment 1d2 Profession ranks +1 Temp Wealth 1d2 Craft ranks +1 Wealth +1 Temp Wealth +1 Wealth Equipment 1d2 Class Skill ranks +1 Temp Wealth 50 XP +1 Temp Wealth Equipment 1d2 Craft ranks 1d2 Knowledge ranks Misfortune

Misfortune 2 Craft ranks 2 Knowledge ranks +1 Temp Wealth +1 Wealth 2 Profession ranks +1 Wealth Misfortune Equipment Equipment +1 Wealth Misfortune +2 Temp Wealth +100 XP 2 Class Skill ranks +100 XP +2 Temp Wealth 2 Craft ranks 2 Knowledge ranks Misfortune

Misfortune 1d4 Craft ranks 1d4 Knowledge ranks Misfortune +1 Wealth 1d4 Profession ranks +2 Wealth Misfortune Equipment +1d4 Temp Wealth +200 XP Misfortune Equipment +1d2 Wealth +1d4 Class Skill ranks Misfortune +1d4 Temp Wealth 1d4 Craft ranks 1d4 Knowledge ranks Misfortune

Note that while money accrues steadily and other rewards are still fairly frequent, there is a chance with each roll that the character will suffer some sort of setback... an injury, an illness, or even the acquisition of an enemy. A player may roll as many times as he is willing to on the table at left. When a player ceases rolling, his character enters his adventuring career at 1st level, with any extra cash, goods, and problems he has picked up from the table.

Misfortunes of Seasoning Seasoning a character with age can be a rocky process. Occasionally, a roll on the table will result in the acquisition of a misfortune. While your character gets to keep his temporary Wealth bonus (if any) for that year, in place of bonus skill

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ranks or other rewards, he suffers some sort of permanent handicap as a result of misadventure, injury, illness, or dumb luck.

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pensation. Severe Injury. -1 Hit Point, -1 Strength, -1 Dexterity, -1 to Fort Saves Make an Enemy. Select a 4 pt. Nemesis (page 43) of your choice. No compensation. GM’s Choice! Select any 3 Pts. worth of flaw(s) appropriate to character. No compensation!

The GM should roll 1d20 on the table below. If your character is in a mundane occupation, subtract 2 from the roll (the minimum possible result is still 1). If your character is in a risky occupation, add 4. If your character is in a dangerous occupation, add 8.

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Misfortune Table

Benefits of Seasoning

Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19

20 21 22 23

Problem Slight Injury. -1 Hit Point Slight Injury. -1 to Fort Saves Failed Love Affair. -1 to Wealth Lingering Illness. -1 to Constitution Lingering Illness. -1 to Strength Repetitive Stress Injury. -1 to Dexterity Broken Arm, Slow Healing. Your choice of -2 to Sleight-ofHand or -2 to Repair checks. Broken Leg, Slow Healing. Your choice of -2 to Climb checks or -2 to Jump checks. Serious Financial Setback. -2 to Wealth Slight Injury. -1 Hit Point Lingering Neurosis. Acquire a Quirk/Manner ism (page 30) for no compensation. If you already have one, lose 1 point of Charisma Skin Disease. -2 to Charisma Chronic Fatigue. -1 to Climb, -1 to Jump, and -1 to all Fort Saves. Serious injury. -1 Constitution, -1 Strength Major Financial Setback. -3 to Wealth Pick up the “Ugly Habit” version of the Dependency flaw (page 35) with no compensation. If you already have it, proceed to MildDependency for no compensation. Suicide Attempt. -1 to Constitution, -1 to all Will Saves Major Illness. -1 to Wealth, -1 to Constitution Family Crisis. End up with a 2 pt. Dependent (page 36) or become Estranged (page 38). Your choice– no compensation for either. Make an enemy. Select a 2 pt. Nemesis (page 43) of your choice. No compensation. Nervous Episode. Acquire 2 Pt. version of Nervous (page 17) or 2 pt. version of Bad Shot (page 10). Devastating Financial Crisis. -4 to Wealth. Legal Trouble. Acquire 2 pt. Nemesis (Legal) on page 43 or 2 pt. Poor Reputation (page 46). No com-

27+

On the other hand, the majority of the results rolled on the table above are going to benefit your character in some fashion. • Skill Ranks: Gain the indicated number of ranks to apply in one or more skills of the listed type. • Temporary Wealth: A temporary wealth bonus may be used only once, to enhance any Wealth check. A character with a temporary wealth bonus higher than +1 may blow it all at once or divide it between multiple Wealth checks, or even pass it on to others. • Wealth: A permanent Wealth Bonus. • XP: Gain the indicated amount of XP. • Equipment: Roll 1d20 on the table below. If your character is in a mundane occupation, subtract 2 from the roll (the minimum possible result is still 1). If your character is in a risky occupation, add 4. If your character is in a dangerous occupation, add 8. Any equipment not desired may be disposed of for cash before play begins.

Equipment Table Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Result Briefcase, Field Bag, or Range Pack (Standard) Casual Outfit, Fatigues, or Tool Belt Aluminum Case (10 lb.) or Business Outfit Cell Phone, Multipurpose Tool, or Briefcase Backpack, Climbing Gear, or Sleeping Bag Cell Phone, Business Outfit, or 2-Person Tent 2-Person tent, Climbing Gear, or First Aid kit Digital Camera, Gas Mask, or Formal Outfit Aluminum Case (75 lb.) or Business Outfit Digital Camera or 2 Cell Phones 2 Business Outfits or Formal Outfit

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12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Player’s Choice, Wealth Check DC 13 or less Walkie-Talkie (Professional) or 35mm Camera Kit: Disguise, Demolitions, or Chemical Basic Tool Kit or Formal Outfit Kit: Disguise, Chemical, or Surgery Desktop Computer or Notebook Computer Player’s Choice, Wealth Check DC 18 or less Desktop Computer or Notebook Computer Desktop Computer with Printer, Scanner Notebook Computer with Digital Camera Deluxe Tool Kit or GPS Receiver Player’s Choice, 2 items of Wealth Check DC 18 or less Yamaha YZ250F or Chevrolet Cavalier Player’s Choice, one item, Wealth Check DC 23 or less Yamaha YZ250F or Chevrolet Cavalier Chevrolet Corvette or Harley Davidson FLSTF or player’s choice, one item, Wealth Check DC 26 or less Player’s Choice, one item, Wealth Check DC 30 or less

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

The GM may also wish to allow players to acquire certain low-cost advantages by using the Seasoning With Age system (after all, if flaws can be acquired, it may seem only fair). If so, use the alternate table below– in addition to equipment, several advantages are offered as possibilities for certain rolls.

Alternate Table: Equipment and Advantages Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Result Briefcase, Field Bag, or Range Pack (Standard) Casual Outfit, Fatigues, or Tool Belt Aluminum Case (10 lb.) or Business Outfit Cell Phone, Multipurpose Tool, or Briefcase Backpack, Climbing Gear, or Sleeping Bag or 1 average connection (page 60) of the player’s choice) Cell Phone, Business Outfit, or 2-Person Tent 2-Person tent, Climbing Gear, or First Aid kit Digital Camera, Gas Mask, or Formal Outfit Aluminum Case (75 lb.) or Business Outfit Digital Camera or 2 Cell Phones, or 2 average connections (page 60) of the player’s choice 2 Business Outfits or Formal Outfit Player’s Choice, Wealth Check DC 13 or less, or a 1 pt. Academic Degree (page 56) of the player’s choice Walkie-Talkie (Professional) or 35mm Camera Disguise Kit, Demolitions Kit, or Chemical Kit; or a 1 pt. Alternate Identity (page 57)

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Basic Tool Kit or Formal Outfit Chemical Kit, Disguise Kit, or Surgery Kit; or a major connection (page 60) of the player’s choice Desktop Computer or Notebook Computer Player’s Choice, Wealth Check DC 18 or less; or a 1 pt. Property (Living Space or Land, player’s choice) Desktop Computer or Notebook Computer Desktop Computer with Printer, Scanner, or a 2 pt. Database/ Library Notebook Computer with Digital Camera Deluxe Tool Kit or GPS Receiver, or a 2 pt. Property (Land or Living Space, player’s choice) Player’s Choice, 2 items of Wealth Check DC 18 or less Yamaha YZ250F or Chevrolet Cavalier, or a 2 pt. Ally (page 57) of the player’s choice Player’s Choice, one item, Wealth Check DC 23 or less Yamaha YZ250F or Chevrolet Cavalier, or a 2 pt. Alternate Identity (page 57) or Ally (page 56) of the player’s choice Chevrolet Corvette or Harley Davidson FLSTF or player’s choice, one item, Wealth Check DC 26 or less Player’s Choice, one item, Wealth Check DC 30 or less

GM Option: Weird and Arcane Equipment With the GM’s explicit permission, a character in a risky or dangerous profession may stand a chance of picking up an FX item over the course of his pre-game adventures. If this option is used, whenever a natural 20 is rolled on the equipment table, give the player the option of rolling 1d12 on the table below rather than taking the “mundane” benefit. Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12

Result Potion of cure light wounds Tattoo of spider climb Scroll with 1 1st-level arcane spell. Roll 1d6. 1: Feather Fall, 2: Hold Portal, 3: Jump, 4: Mage Armor, 5: Shield, 6: Sleep Potion of darkvision Potion of invisibility Scroll with 2 1st-level arcane spell. Roll 1d8, twice. 1: Feather Fall, 2: Hold Portal, 3: Jump, 4: Mage Armor, 5: Shield, 6: Sleep, 7: Power Device, 8: True Strike Potion of Charisma Potion of Constitution Potion of Dexterity Potion of Intelligence Potion of Strength Potion of Wisdom

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Advantages: Selection and Use As mentioned earlier, the difference between advantages and feats is that feats gnerally represent some intrinsic quality of a character (granted by nature, training, or experience) while advantages generally represent qualities or material goods that can, in one way or another, be lost or destroyed. They exist primarily outside the character. Advantages are best used with strict GM permission and supervision, to ensure that all of the player-characters will fit into the campaign envisioned by the GM.

The Price of Advantages Advantages must be purchased with Flaw Points. The price of each version of an advantage is listed beside its description.

Taking Shares in Advantages Ordinarily, one character will have absolute control over an advantage. However, in the case of certain material advantages (businesses, properties, etc.)it is possible for characters to take a “share” by each placing one or more Flaw Points into a common pool. For example, one character could buy a large house for 4 Flaw Points. Four characters could also

Master List of Advantages

pitch in to communally purchase the same house for 1 Flaw Point apiece.

Advantages and Realism Players and GMs alike should remember that the systems provided for the use of most of these advantages are meant for use only on a microlevel within a campaign world. That is, they function very well when examined from the limited perspective of the characters but perhaps not so well when extrapolated to the macro-level economics of an entire city or nation.

Adding and Subtracting Advantages Sooner or later, someone or something is probably going to do something lamentable to one or more of your character’s advantages. While it might be hard to deal with the burning of a favorite building or the murder of a valued ally, you should remember that one of the primary functions of most advantages is to start your character off with a bang. By the time your alter-ego has reached a moderately high character level, his resource intake should have become substantial enough to replace or improve upon any advantage knocked briefly out of play by enemy action. Don’t forget that it’s perfectly acceptable to take those resources and pump them into improving the fruits of your old advantages, too, even before anyone messes with them. The point cost of an advantage dictates its starting point, not its ultimate potential!

Advantage

Brief Description

Academic Degree Allies Alternate Identity Assistant Black Market Ties Business Civil Rank Clerical Rank Connections Database/Library Ghosted Law Enforcement Rank Military Rank Patron Property: Land Property : Living Space Special Reputation

The character has earned a formal degree of some sort from an accredited institution Character has one or more NPC associates willing to risk something on his behalf Character has one or more specially-prepared false identities Character has a close NPC supporter to help him in times of need Character has insider knowledge of the black market Character owns or controls a profitable business Character has a position within a government agency Character has political clout within a religious hierarchy Character has an information network of NPCs Character owns a number of books or a useful computer database Evidence of the character’s existence has been deliberately covered up Character is empowered to arrest suspects and uphold the law Character holds a position of command authority in an army or navy Character has a “sugar daddy,” not quite an ally and not quite a boss Character owns one or more tracts of land Character owns one or more buildings or areas within buildings Character enjoys the benefits of a positive or helpful reputation

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ACADEMIC DEGREE [ Social Advantage ] Your character has received a degree of some sort from an accredited institution of higher learning. His placement of skill ranks should reflect the nature of his degree(s); these aren’t handed out for free (honorary degrees, while flattering, carry none of the same advantages). [1 Pt.] Four-Year Degree: Your character has a four-year (“bachelor’s degree”) degree in a subject of his choice. This will improve his employment prospects as well as his credibility in his chosen field. He receives a +1 circumstance bonus to one selected Profession skill whenever he uses that skill to make money. [2 Pts.] Master’s Degree: Your character has a master’s degree in a subject of his choice, which generally requires two years of work beyond a bachelor’s degree. This will significantly improve his employment prospects as well as his credibility in his chosen field. He receives a +2 circumstance bonus to one selected Profession skill whenever he uses that skill to make money. He also receives a +1 bonus to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made in academic circles. [3 Pts.] Doctorate: Your character has a PhD (from the Latin Philosophiae Doctor) in a subject of his choice, which generally requires three years of graduate work culminating in a dissertation. This will greatly improve his employment prospects as well as his credibility in his chosen field. He receives a +3 circumstance bonus to one selected Profession skill whenever he uses that skill to make money. He also receives a +1 bonus to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made in academic circles. He also has the legal right to refer to himself as “Doctor,” and NPCs in academic circles will gain a +2 circumstance bonus to any check (including Reputation checks) they make to recognize or identify him.

ALLIES [ Social Advantage ] An ally is an NPC, well-known to your character, who feels some sort of emotional attachment and loyalty to him(contrast this with a connection, page 60, an NPC that will provide your character with information but feels no particular loyalty toward him). While an ally might not necessarily be a friend, he is willing to risk something to help your character when necessary, and he’s also willing to offer financial or material assistance on relaxed or deferred terms. An ally in the right place can aid your character and his friends in a wide variety of ways– by providing information without prompting, by providing

safe haven after a hard day, or even by fighting alongside your character if circumstances force him to do so. As the GM sees fit, an ally might even serve as an adventure hook for the entire party, by summoning your character to his aid in a time of need. An ally’s practical bond to your character must sometimes be reaffirmed by action on your character’s part, but you should rest assured that wellmaintained alliances are the most effective alliances of all. [2 Pts.] Standard Ally: A standard NPC ally costs 2 Flaw Points; the character will be a capable individual about as formidable as a playercharacter of 1st or 2nd level. [4 Pts.] Powerful Ally: An unusually well-placed or capable ally costs 4 Flaw Points; such an ally will be a relatively well-placed or skilled individual at least as formidable as a player-character of 3rd or 4th level. [6 Pts.] Very Powerful Ally: A very powerful ally costs 6 Flaw Points; such an ally will be a highly-placed, influential, or outstandingly skilled individual; at least as formidable as a player-character of 5th or 6th level. Special Benefit [Unusual Powers, +2 Pts.]: Your ally has access to powers (psionics, magic, supernatural abilities, high-tech alien FX abilities, etc.) above and beyond the pale of normality. This will make him more dangerous, more knowledgeable, and harder to destroy. This special benefit is not appropriate to campaigns without supernormal elements. Special: The NPC ally will usually be a character of comparable (or at least closely compatible) temperament and allegiance to your own character. NPC allies may also be “ordinaries;” if so, the GM should add 1-2 class levels to them. Allies and Adventuring: Allies are not cohorts! If they join your character on a mission or an adventure, it will be because they’re heeding the call of friendship or obligation rather than the siren song of a share in anything captured or taken. Allies will not leave their business to run off with your character at the drop of a hat– most frequently, they’ll only do so when their interests (or interests shared with your character) are thought to be endangered. The following tables can be used to generate allies in a hurry, or to provide ideas for the creation of more detailed NPCs. Roll 1d20 on the appropriate table.

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Table: Standard NPC Allies* Roll 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18 19-20

Ally Beat Cop, Detective University Professor City Council Member/Alderman Shop Owner Writer, Reasearcher, or Journalist Military Officer (Noncom) Computer Programmer Thief or Con Artist Forest Service Ranger Smuggler or Black Marketeer

*Such a character will typically be able to call upon the services of 1d4+1 1st level Ordinaries at any time. Table: Powerful NPC Allies** Roll 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18 19-20

Ally Police Precinct Captain Major University Administrator City Mayor Powerful Business Owner Influential Major Journalist Military Officer (Commisioned) Renowned Computer Expert Freelance Cat Burglar U.S. Marshal, Senior FBI Agent Major Underworld Figure

**Such a character will typically be able to call upon the services of 1d6+1 2nd level Ordinaries at any time. Table: Very Powerful NPC Allies*** Roll 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18

Ally Police Chief World-Renowned Scholar Senator or Parliamentarian National Tycoon Globe-trotting Aristocrat Military Officer (Senior) National Religious Figure National Underworld Chief FBI Divisional Supervisor

19-20

Veteran Secret Agent

***Such a character will typically be able to call upon the services of 1d8+2 3rd level Ordinaries at any time, and anywhere between 40-100 1st level Ordinaries.

ALTERNATE IDENTITY [ Special Advantage ] Your character has constructed at least one false persona (complete with documents and paperwork) in addition to his “default” identity. The usefulness and depth of this alternate identity both depend on how many Flaw Points are invested in it. [1 Pt.] Superficial ID: Your character’s identity will withstand any normal perusal– he has a fake mailing address, a well-forged picture ID, a false employment record, and even a small bank account. [2 Pts.] Thorough ID: Your character’s alternate identity is far better developed. It includes a driver's license, passport, work permits, bank accounts, rent and property records, criminal records, and school records, all expertly forged or arranged from legitimate sources. Only the most paranoid investigation or the most solid evidence of wrongoing by your character could crack this fictional facade. [3 Pts.] Excellent ID: Your character’s alternate identity has a great deal of substantiating background evidence– photos, mementos, letters from fictional relatives, awards and plaques, school papers, and mentions in newspapers and other media dating back at least several years. Any private investigator or routine police inquiry would be absolutely fooled, and even a suspicious and thorough investigation would turn up almost nothing to reveal your character’s fraud. Your character may have multiple alternate identities if he desires.

ASSISTANT [ Social Advantage ] Your character is aided in his adventuring life, work, or research by a close NPC associate who helps the character organize his affairs and protect his secrets. Although called an “assistant,” this person is really more of a best friend, and might be a servant (butler, chauffeur, pilot, executive secretary, etc.), a relative (uncle, aunt, parent, etc.), or just about anything your character concept can accommodate. Please note that it isn’t an assistant’s purpose to fight alongside your character as a bodyguard or “yes-man.” Your character’s assistant exists

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to pick up the burden of certain supporting tasks such as investigation, research, shadowing of other NPCs, equipment acquisition, and occasional helpful errands such as the purchase of groceries.

Your character will receive income from the business on a monthly basis. This income takes the form of a monthly Wealth bonus that may be applied to 1d2+1 Wealth Checks per game month.

[3 Pts.] Competent Assistant: Treat the Assistant as a 2nd Level Smart or Dedicated Hero NPC, with skills and feats selected by you and approved by the GM.

Each month, the GM should roll 1d6 to determine how well the business is currently doing:

[6 Pts.] Skilled Assistant: Treat the Assistant as a 4th Level Smart or Dedicated Hero NPC, with skills and feats selected by you and approved by the GM. Special: Should you wish to assign flaws to the assistant NPC in order to grant the NPC more skills or useful abilities, you may do so, but only with the GM’s explicit permission.

1-2: 3-4: 5-6:

Poor month Average month Excellent month

Each of the four types of business available for player-character ownership has those three income levels listed after its description below. The initial cost of business ownership is as follows: Prices:

BLACK MARKET TIES [ Social Advantage ] Your character has insider knowledge of the black market; this will allow him to gain access to black market goods (and speed the acquisition of those goods). General Black Market Ties: For each Flaw Point invested in this advantage, your character gains a +3 competence bonus to Knowledge (streetwise) checks made to locate any black market merchant. Specific Black Market Ties: For each Flaw Point invested in this advantage, your character gains a +6 competence bonus to Knowledge (streetwise) checks made to locate a black market merchant within a specified urban area (and its outlying suburbs). This area is selected at 1st level and cannot be changed. The bonus from specific ties is cumulative with that provided by general ties.

BUSINESS [ Material Advantage ] Your character owns (or has a controlling interest in) a stable business in a town or city. Your character doesn’t actually run the business (counting inventory is rarely an activity appropriate to a life of heroic adventurer), but he oversees its operations at the highest level and receives regular reports from the NPC employees that run it for him. These employees are considered loyal and friendly, insofar as they are paid to do their job. They won’t risk their lives for your character, nor, under any circumstances, will they serve as cohorts or collaborators on an adventure.

Small Business: 1 Flaw Point Average Business: 2 Flaw Points Large Business: 3 Flaw Points Huge Business: 4 Flaw Points Chain Business: 6 Flaw Points

Small Business: Most small businesses are administered from a home or apartment. If they have a storefront, it will be relatively tiny. In some crowded urban areas, a small business may be nothing more than a mobile food cart or a fixed stall at a farmer’s market. Income– Poor Month: +1 Wealth Average month: +2 Wealth Excellent Month: +3 Wealth Average Business: An average business deals in a more expensive or specialized set of goods, or has an established storefront with decent foot traffic. Most family restaurants and competitive franchises are average businesses. Income– Poor Month: +2 Wealth Average month: +3 Wealth Excellent Month: +4 Wealth Large Business: A large business is situated in a busy district, possibly near harbor facilities or a major airport to pick up on the business of travelers. A large and successful bar or hotel would qualify. Income– Poor Month: +3 Wealth Average month: +4 Wealth Excellent Month: +5 Wealth

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Huge Business: A huge business is a rare and well-tended affair, with dozens of employees, a steady clientele, and an established market presence. Income– Poor Month: +4 Wealth Average month: +5 Wealth Excellent Month: +6 Wealth Chain Business: Your character controls 1d4+1 average businesses scattered over a certain area. Their combined income is rather nice. Income– Poor Month: +6 Wealth Average month: +7 Wealth Excellent Month: +8 Wealth Special Benefit [Enhanced Profit, +2 Pts.]: Your character’s business is unusually profitable, thanks to positioning, lack of competition, quality, or sheer dumb luck. The business’ Wealth bonus may be applied to 1d4+1 Wealth Checks per game month. Special: While your character needn’t spend any of his time overseeing the day-to-day details of mundane commerce, there are a number of reasons why a business will occasionally demand some attention. Your character will be expected to deal with extortion and protection schemes, buyout offers honest or otherwise, potentially violent competitors, and other extraordinary distractions. Generally speaking, the better your business does, the more attention it will attract from government authorities and unscrupulous interlopers alike. Should your character neglect his duties as the owner and overseer of a lucrative business (or fail to take adequate steps for good management when he’s away for long periods of time), he can expect to enjoy the adventure of dealing with arsonists, extortionists, hostile creditors, penniless debtors, callous tax-men, police officers, annoyed bankers, and other colorful characters.

CIVIL RANK [ Social Advantage ] Your character holds a position of authority in a government (either as a policy-maker or a figure within an agency that carries out policy).

[2 Pts.] Minor Rank: Your character is a personal advisor or aide to a powerful regional decision-maker, such as a mayor or state senator. Your character has some influence of that NPC’s opinions, and may juggle that character’s appointment schedule and make certain promises on that NPC’s behalf. Your character may gain (at the GM’s discretion) a +1 circumstance bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made when he is speaking on behalf of his employer. [4 Pts.] Substantial Rank: Your character is a powerful local decisionmaker or a minor national decision-maker; the chief inspector of a city bureau, perhaps, or a city council member (or even the mayor of a small city). If your character has national influence, he might be an administrator for an agency such as the EPA or the IRS. He may serve in an advisory capacity to a law-enforcement agency, however, Law Enforcement Rank (page 62) is required to have any real powers in that respect. Your character gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made when dealing with his constituents or underlings. [6 Pts.] Significant Rank: Your character is the mayor of a large city, a powerful division head for a state agency, a trusted advisor to a governor (or possibly even a head of state), an appointed official with state- or region-wide powers, or perhaps even some sort of “troubleshooter” for the highest powers of the land. Your character gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made when dealing with his constituents or underlings. Civil rank beyond the types described above is not offered, due to the general difficulty of integrating such responsibilities with a career of heroic adventuring. Governors, Senators, Presidents, MPs and the like give the orders that send adventurers out to do business– they tend not to go out and do it themselves. Limitation: There are almost certainly stringent codes of professional conduct and public behavior that will constrain a character with this advantage, and there will be established procedures for tossing your character out on his behind if he violates them. If your character has a fixed set of time-consuming duties, use the Duty/Responsibility flaw (page 37) to offset some or all of the cost of this advantage.

CLERICAL RANK [ Social Advantage ]

[1 Pt.] Superficial Rank: Your character is a “gopher” on a senate floor or something similar. His title grants him access to certain areas that are off-limits to the public and puts him in contact with movers and shakers; possibly there’s some sort of holiday party every year, but not much else.

Your character has been invested and confirmed as a formal leader within a church hierarchy, responsible for the spiritual guidance of the church’s worshippers, the oversight of mundane church affairs, and the social welfare of the church’s community.

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Characters with this advantage have a formal investment in the evershifting decision-making hierarchy of a priesthood, and while they may still adventure (especially on missions for the priesthood or against opposed supernormal powers), they will from time to time be summoned back to a church to engage in relatively mundane work. Price: There are three ranks attainable through the use of this advantage, each of which has a title meant only to convey an approximation of the character’s duties. Religion-specific titles may be quite different. Priest: 2 Flaw Points Senior Priest: 4 Flaw Points Regional Senior Priest: 6 Flaw Points Along with the responsibilities of a position, your character will have some discretion over the use of church funds and may call for aid from church followers. Either form of aid will be available once per month– a variable Wealth bonus and a variable number of 1st level Ordinary NPCs (for a day of non-hazardous service). Funds and followers may only be used in the clear pursuit of church goals or worthy causes (or causes that can be safely disguised as such). Priest: Your character assists in the running of a large church, or is solely responsible for the running of a small or rural church. Wealth Bonus: 10+1d2 Followers: 1d4 1st level Ordinary NPCs Your character gains a +2 circumstance bonus to any check made to gather information relating to his church, its history, or its hierarchy. He maintains some physical control over church facilities and property. Senior Priest: Your character would be given control over a large church in a medium-sized city, or over several smaller churches in an outlying region. Wealth Bonus: 10+1d10 Followers: 1d8+1 1st level Ordinary NPCs Your character gains a +4 circumstance bonus to any check made to gather information relating to his church, its history, or its hierarchy. He maintains significant physical control over church facilities and property. Regional Senior Priest: Your character would be responsible for the largest church in a given city, or for several medium-sized churches in a similar area. He will almost certainly be a public figure and commentator

of some sort. Wealth Bonus: 15+4d6 Followers: 3d8+3 1st level Ordinary NPCs Your character gains a +8 circumstance bonus to any check made to gather information relating to his church, its history, or its hierarchy. He maintains total physical control over church facilities and property within his assigned area. Special Benefit [Well-Liked, +1 Pt.]: Your character is unusually liked by many of his church’s worshippers and community members. He can therefore call upon his allowed number of Ordinaries twice per game month rather than once. Special: If the addition of clerical ranks to a game seems almost certain to bog it down, consider making one or more characters a roving “troubleshooter” for his priesthood, traveling from church to church, dealing with unusual problems and using his formal clout to expedite matters. In campaigns with supernatural elements, “special” clerics can also be dispatched by church hierarchies to hunt the forces of darkness. See the special benefit below: Special Benefit [Privy to Secrets, +1 Pt.]: Your character is part of an initiated elite within the church hierarchy (or perhaps even a secret society), with access to forbidden information. Your character will probably be charged with extraordinary responsibilities– in supernatural campaigns, this benefit takes on special meaning. Your character gains a +2 circumstance bonus to all Gather Information checks made to find anything out about his church. Note: All characters possessing this advantage will receive monthly room and board courtesy of their religious order– nothing fancy, but always available in a time of need.

CONNECTIONS [ Social Advantage ] A connection is an NPC contact, known to your character, willing to supply occasional information and perhaps certain services involving little or no personal risk (smuggling, fencing of goods, passage of messages, etc.) Compare and contrast a connection with an ally– the latter is tied to your character by a bond of friendship or loyalty, while the former won’t stretch out his neck for your character except when paid well and paid in advance. A connection is a valuable resource, but he should never be

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mistaken for a dependable comrade. Price: One Flaw Point will buy two average contacts– NPCs described in cooperation with the GM. Average contacts ore people “in the know” that are nonetheless not really in command of their situations. An average contact might be: • A street-level gangster or thief • A beat cop • A minor bureaucrat • A rookie journalist • A low-ranking military officer One Flaw Point can also be used to buy a major contact, along the lines of an average contact but much more powerful and well-connected. For example: • A crime boss or smuggler chief • A police captain or veteran detective • An influential politician • A popular and established journalist • A high-ranking military officer Generally speaking, a connection can be contacted about once per game week (by pre-arranged message service, if not in person) and a single conversation (or the equivalent) can be held. If your character wishes to press a connection for more information in a short time period, he will be intruding upon that connection’s regular routine and will have to pay (in goods, cash, or information of his own) for the privilege. A connection, if abused or mistreated, will generally slink back into the character’s employ in exchange for an unusually large payment by way of an apology. It is , however,quite possible for a connection to vanish and swear off all contact with your character if he severely mistreats that connection! If your character treats a connection well, especially by dropping occasional gifts of cash or information in the connection’s lap, that connection may (at the GM’s discretion) proactively approach your character with important information rather than waiting for your character to come to him. A canny GM can use connections to put out information leading toward adventure, or tying into the ongoing plot of the campaign. Special: When in serious doubt as to what a connection can do for a

character, the GM may use the following rule of thumb. By getting in touch with an average connection, your character can make a Gather Information check with a +2 circumstance bonus to the roll. By contacting a major connection, your character can gain a +4 circumstance bonus to his roll. Double these bonuses if the questions lie within the very narrow field of the connection’s specialty– there is a difference, for example, between asking a Navy SEAL about aircraft carrier logistics (not his specialty) and underwater demolition techniques (right up his alley).

DATABASE/LIBRARY [ Material Advantage ] Your character own a massive computer database or physical library, which he frequently consults. [2 Pts.] Useful Library/Database: This is a database or library offering a +2 circumstance bonus to each of three (3) Knowledge, Profession, or Craft skills, selected when the library or database is acquired. At least an hour of study must be spent in the library to gain one of these bonuses for the next roll made with the skill in question. A library or database bonus for any given skill may be used only once per day per character. [4 Pts.] Huge Library/Database: As above, save that the database or library offers a +2 circumstance bonus to all Knowledge, Profession, and Craft checks made following at least an hour of study. A library or database bonus for any given skill may still be used only once per day per character. Special: A player may negotiate with the GM for a special capability or focus for his database or library. For example, a crimefighting adventurer might wish to own a library of criminal files or a database that constantly updates the known locations and rap sheets of perpetrators. Such special functions are available only with the GM’s explicit permission. Special Benefit [Arcane/Forbidden Materials, +1-3 Pts.]: Your character’s library or database contains material of an occult or highly secret nature (depending upon the supernormal content of the GM’s campaign). The nature of this material must be settled by the GM prior to the start of the campaign; whether or not your character knows the full extent of this material is up to him. Special Benefit [Focus, +1 Pt.]: Your character may select a single Knowledge, Profession, or Craft skill; the library will offer a +4 circumstance bonus rather than a +2 bonus to checks involving that subject.

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GHOSTED [ Social Advantage ] According to all official records and histories, your character does not exist. There is no record of his birth. He has no criminal record or school history, no licenses for anything, no credit records, no purchase records, no fingerprints or DNA samples in storage. He is a ghost, a nonentity, a high-tech rat that has been allowed to slip between the cracks of civilization. [2 Pts.]: This tactic is often used by secret agencies to make their operatives anonymous. This renders them immune to blackmail or tracking via background habits– it also makes them more easily expendable, and leaves no paper trail to tie them to their employers. Nobody knows your character, or will recognize him on the street until he’s done something to establish himself. Perhaps cosmetic surgery has been used to alter his natural features. Whatever the case, your character is protected by a blanket of total obscurity. Anyone attempting to pry into his background will find nothing but dead ends or those false leads your character wishes them to find. Note: This advantage is incompatible with the following flaws: Criminal Record, Dependent, and Poor Reputation. It may not be taken in conjunction with a glaringly obvious Bodily Mark, nor with the Special Reputation advantage, nor with the Renown feat. It is often taken in conjunction with the Alternate Identity advantage.

LAW ENFORCEMENT RANK [ Social Advantage ] Your character has been deputized or employed by a legitimate law enforcement agency, and as a result has both the legal authority and the legal responsibilities of a sworn officer of the law. Your character has arrest and detention powers, search powers, and the power to use reasonable force (modified by the specifics of where and when your character was granted this authority, at the GM’s discretion) within his jurisdiction. On the other hand, you character must respect the authority and operations of uniformed law enforcement officials, or his legal powers are history. [2 Pts.] Minor Rank: Your character is a beat cop, a rookie, or a parttime assistant, such as a rural deputy sheriff. Your character is essentially a “spear carrier,” fulfilling the orders of his higher-ups without doing too much thinking on his own. His jurisdiction will generally be limited to a single urban area or county. He gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Bluff,

Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made against criminals or members of the general public (when he is acting in his official capacity). [4 Pts.] Substantial Rank: Your character holds a rank commensurate with some ability and experience. He might be a beat sergeant, responsible for several other beat cops and their reports. He might be a detective, responsible for high-pressure investigations and challenging assignments. His jurisdiction will generally be limited to a single urban area or county. He gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made against criminals, subordinates, or members of the general public (when he is acting in his official capacity). He also gains a +2 bonus to Gather Information checks made to discover anything about his department, its history, or its personnel. [6 Pts.] High Rank: Your character is a fairly big fish in the law enforcement food chain. He might be a precinct captain, responsible for commanding and controlling dozens of officers. He might be a senior detective, responsible for an entire investigation team or department. His jurisdiction will generally be limited to a single urban area or county. He gains a +3 circumstance bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made against criminals, subordinates, or members of the general public (when he is acting in his official capacity). He also gains a +4 bonus to Gather Information checks made to discover anything about his department, its history, or its personnel. Special Benefit [Wider Jurisdiction, +1-2 Pts.]: Your character’s powers are granted by an agency with more area to cover than one city or county. For 1 point, he can have regional jurisdiction (for example, in an entire U.S. state), and for 2 points he can have national jurisdiction (anywhere within a single sovereign country). Your character will generally outrank (or at least have some advantages over) local law enforcement when specifically assigned to a local case. Special Benefit [Lessened Scrutiny, +2 Pts.]: Your character is on a very long leash, as far as his behavior is concerned. For whatever reason is appropriate to his story (perhaps he is undercover, perhaps he has friends in high places), many routine disciplinary and procedural violations on his part will be overlooked. While he should be careful not to push things too far, he can get away with quite a bit if he’s careful. Limitation: There are almost certainly stringent codes of professional conduct and public behavior that will constrain a character with this advantage, and there will be established procedures for tossing your character out on his behind if he violates them (unless he benefits from Lessened Scrutiny, detailed above). If your character has a fixed set of time-consuming duties, use the Duty/Responsibility flaw (page 37) to off-

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Table: Military Ranks: Flaw Point Costs, Grade, and Service Equivalents* Cost/Grade 1 (E-2) 2 (E-3) 3 (E-4) 4 (E-5) 5 (E-6) 6 (E-7) 7 (E-8) 8 (E-9) 7 (O-1) 8 (O-2) 9 (O-3) 10 (O-4) 11 (O-5) 12 (O-6) 13 (O-7) 14 (O-8) 15 (O-9)

Army Private Private 1st Class Corporal/Specialist Sergeant Staff Sergeant Sergeant 1st Class Master Sergeant Sergeant Major 2nd Lieutenant 1st Lieutenant Captain Major Lt.Colonel Colonel Brigadier General Major General Lt. General

Air Force Airman Airman 1st Class Senior Airman Staff Sergeant Technical Sergeant Master Sergeant Sr. Master Sergeant Chief Master Sgt. 2nd Lieutenant 1st Lieutenant Captain Major Lt. Colonel Colonel Brigadier General MajorGeneral Lt. General

Navy Seaman Apprentice Seaman Petty Officer 3rd Class Petty Officer 2nd Class Petty Officer 1st Class Chief Petty Officer Sr. Chief Petty Officer Master Chief Ensign Lieutenant (j.g.) Lieutenant Lt. Commander Commander Captain Rear Admiral (Lower) Rear Admiral (Upper) Vice Admiral

Marines Private 1st Class Lance Corporal Corporal Sergeant Staff Sergeant Gunnery Sgt. Master/First Sgt. Master Gunnery Sgt. 2nd Lieutenant 1st Lieutenant Captain Major Lt. Colonel Colonel Brig. General Maj. General Lt. General

•This chart refers only to the grades and ranks of the United States armed services. set some or all of the cost of this advantage.

MILITARY RANK [ Social Advantage ] Your character holds an enlisted or commissioned rank in the armed forces of a single country. Military rank, precedence, and service distinctions can be a terribly complicated body of knowledge, even for those with many years of active service under their belts. The following very loose abstraction is designed to render the general concept playable to gamers with little or nor practical military knowledge, rather than to capture all the nuances of a system in a manner that will be thoroughly pleasing to those that might have lived with them– my apologies! Also, for direct demonstration purposes, the system provided discusses only the rank and grade structure of the United States armed forces. Special: All characters selecting this advantage should also select the “military” occupation at 1st level. Players may wish to examine the Advanced Occupation Packages offered on pages 67-71 for ideas.

Rank/Grade: The United States armed forces use a system of equivalent “grades” to define the order of rank precedence while preserving the individual titles and idiosyncrasies of each service. There are two grade tracks, (E)nlisted) and (O)fficer, as may be seen on the table above. Characters of equivalent grade are considered equal in precedence even across service boundaries; a navy O-6 (Captain) is fundamentally evenly matched by an army O-6 (Colonel); he would be outranked by an army O-7 (Brigadier General) and would himself outrank an army O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel). This of course assumes a neutral setting for any meeting– an army General would not presume to tell a navy Captain what to do aboard the bridge of his own ship. Duties: Players and GMs should define a character’s military duties and aspirations before a campaign begins, using reference material whenever required. Loosely speaking, enlisted personnel are the “doers” and officers are the “planners;” grunt work is no more assigned to Colonels and Admirals than strategic planning is assigned to buck Privates. There are, of course, too many exceptions to this general rule to cover– combat pilots in most services are officers, and many lowerranking officers take to the field with their enlisted personnel and endure the same conditions as well as their command responsibilities. Prerequisites: Enlisted personnel must meet certain minimum physi-

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cal standards. Anyone with a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score of less than 10 will not be eligible for service. Enlisted personnel must also have relatively clean criminal records; felony convictions will almost certainly preclude service. Officers must meet the same physical standards and even more stringent educational and background standards. Anyone with an Intelligence score of less than 10 will not be eligible for officer rank in any service; the GM may deny officer rank to any character he deems to have an obviously deficient technical or educational background. The criminal records of a potential officer will be scrutinized even more closely than those of an enlisted individual. Command Responsibilities: This advantage must be used very carefully and judiciously– the higher a character’s rank, the more he will be responsible for within the military hierarchy, the more competition and scrutiny he will face, and the more paperwork he will have to endure. There is a point at which a career of heroic adventuring becomes out of the question for an individual serving in the military. Cost: The cost in Flaw Points of any given rank is provided on the table on the previous page. Definitely use the Duty/Responsibility flaw (page 37) to offset some or all of the cost of this advantage. Although Duty/Responsibility is a secondary flaw, it should be considered mandatory for characters taking military rank. Special Benefits: Enlisted characters of grade E-5 or higher receive an additional +1 Wealth bonus. Characters of grade E-7 or higher receive an additional +2 Wealth bonus. Officer characters of grade O-2 or higher receive an additional +1 Wealth bonus. Characters of grade O-4 or higher receive an additional +2 Wealth bonus, characters of grade O-6 or higher receive an additional +3 Wealth bonus, and characters of grade O-8 or higher receive an additional +4 Wealth bonus. Military rank-holders gain a variable circumstance bonus to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made against military personnel of lesser rank. This bonus increases as the gap between the characters widens (based on the difference in the number of Flaw Points spent on their respective ranks), as indicated on the chart below: Point Difference 1 2

Effect +1 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate +2 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate

3 4+

+3 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate +4 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate

Furthermore, an officer gains an additional +1 bonus against enlisted personnel, in addition to those listed above. Please note that these bonuses may only be used in situations where the personnel involved are acting in a military capacity. Special Benefit [Lessened Scrutiny, +2 Pts.]: Your character is on a very long leash, as far as his behavior is concerned. For whatever reason is appropriate to his story (perhaps he is a Special Operations soldier, perhaps he is detached on a special mission), many routine disciplinary and procedural violations on his part will be overlooked. While he should be careful not to push things too far, he can get away with quite a bit if he’s careful. If your character is an officer, he may even have an independent command on a special project, away from continuous scrutiny and oversight. This may be an ideal situation from which to launch a d20 Modern campaign involving military characters. This special benefit is incompatible with the “Restricted Movement” handicap of the Duty/Responsibility flaw (page 37).

PATRON [ Special Advantage ] Not wholly an ally, not wholly an employer, a patron is an NPC or an organization that supports your character with money and information in exchange for his services or consultation. Your character must be careful not to offend or upset his patron, lest his funds be reduced or cut off. He should also keep in mind the fact that a patron can be a great target for an enemy if the patron’s involvement in his affairs is made too obvious. [2 Pts.] Weak Patron: Your character may call upon his patron 1d3+1 times per month for any one of the following: • A +1 bonus to any Wealth check; • A 1st level Ordinary NPC to perform a support or research task (for up to twelve hours); • A +2 bonus to any Gather Information check; or • A weapon or piece of equipment, Wealth check DC not to exceed 10, generally to be loaned for about a week, though lengthier arrangements are certainly possible. [4 Pts.] Useful Patron: Your character may call upon his patron 1d3+1

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times per month for any one of the following: • A +2 bonus to any Wealth check; • 1-3 1st level Ordinary NPCs to perform a support or research task (for up to twenty-four hours); • A +4 bonus to any Gather Information check; • A weapon or piece of equipment, Wealth check DC not to exceed 15, generally to be loaned for about a week, though lengthier arrangements are certainly possible; • Travel arrangements or hotel reservations in any major city on twelve hours’ notice; or • A rental vehicle (in the patron’s name) on eight hours’ notice, generally rented for 1 day [6 Pts.] Powerful Patron: Your character may call upon his patron 1d3+1 times per month for any one of the following: • A +3 bonus to any Wealth check; • 1-5 1st level Ordinary NPCs to perform a support or research task (for up to forty-eight hours); • A +8 bonus to any Gather Information check; • A weapon or piece of equipment, Wealth check DC not to exceed 21, generally to be loaned for about two weeks, though lengthier arrange ments are certainly possible; • Travel arrangements or hotel reservations in any major city on three hours’ notice; or • A rental vehicle (in the patron’s name) on one hours’ notice, generally rented for 1-3 days Special Benefit [Generous Patron, +1 Pt.]: Your character may select this benefit multiple times; each time he selects it the number of aid requests he may make per month is increased by 1.

PROPERTY: LAND [ Material Advantage ] Your character maintains or owns one or more tracts of undeveloped (or estate) land, in the location of his choice (with GM approval). The size of this acreage is based on the number of Flaw Points spent; what your character does on his land is his own business. Flaw Points 1 2 3 4 5

Total Acreage 10 25 50 100 250

6 7 8 9 10

500 1,000 2,500 5,000 10,000

PROPERTY: LIVING SPACE [ Material Advantage ] Your character maintains one or more rental properties, hidden boltholes, houses, or secure hideouts to which he can retire (or send others) in a time of need. It may be assumed that the character does not need to pay anything for the upkeep of each property (having taken care of that when he set each property up), and that their locations are not publicized unless the character allows himself to be traced or followed to one during the course of a campaign. Cost 1 2 3 4 5

Nature of Property Studio apartment or run-down house Large apartment or average house Luxury suite or large house Multi-unit housing or manorial house Apartment building, warehouse, mansion, or linked network of luxury suites

Special Benefit [Secure Space, +1 Pt.]: Your character has taken the trouble to beef up security in the chosen space or building. The windows are barred and reinforced, the doors are steel with multiple heavy locks, and a thorough check has been performed to ensure that there are no overseen means of entrance. The walls are thick and sturdy, offering substantial cover from incoming fire and other sources of damage. All in all, the property is a good place to weather a siege or hide from enemies. Special Benefit [Protected Space, +1 Pt.]: Your character has taken the trouble to have the chosen space wired with a variety of alarms and security devices. Each window and door has a breakage alarm, each ventilation unit has an intrusion sensor, and there are pressure plates in the floor in front of each door. Video cameras cover most of the interior and the immediate exterior, and thermal or motion sensors cover the door approaches. This security network can be set to flash loud or silent intrusion warnings to anyone inside the space, via a single control area. Special Benefit [Secret Space, +1 Pt.]: The space in question is secret! If it’s a building, the useful space within is disguised. If it’s underground or similarly concealed, it’s about the size of the listed property (a studio apartment is a studio apartment whether 300 feet underground or

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300 feet above it). Entrance and egress are provided for by one or more hidden doors, some of which may have tunnels that open a fair distance away from the secret base itself. Special Benefit [Hermetically Sealed, +1 Pt.]: The space in question is airtight, and has an atmosphere-processing system. This renders anyone inside it immune to radiation, smoke, and toxic atmospheres existing outside the structure. All entrances are equipped with airlocks.

Special Benefit [Wider Reputation, +1-2 Pts.]: The wider your character’s reputation stretches (i.e. the more sectors of society in which he can play it to his advantage), the more it will cost. A 2-point version of this benefit would suggest a national or even international reputation, as might be possessed by a major media star. Limitation: This advantage is incompatible with the Ghosted advantage (page 62) and the Poor Reputation flaw (page 46).

Special Benefit [Special Room, +1 Pt.]: The space in question (if larger than one room) contains a room specially equipped to serve a certain function. A special room offers a circumstance bonus to one or more types of skill check performed within: • Emergency Room: +3 to Treat Injury checks • Forensics Lab: +3 to Investigate checks • Garage: +3 to Repair checks made on vehicles • Laboratory: +1 to Knowledge checks , +2 to Research checks • Machine Shop: +1 to Craft (electronic) checks, Craft (mechanical) checks, and Repair checks A character may select more than one special room for his living space, provided the GM rules that the space is big enough to contain it. The bonuses granted are in addition to those usually granted by equipment such as surgical kits or tool kits.

SPECIAL REPUTATION [ Social Advantage ] Your character enjoys a great deal of positive word-of-mouth concerning himself or his actions. His reputation precedes him and often makes life easier for him within a selected geographic area or sector of society. Cost: Select two of the following skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform. For every Flaw Point invested in this advantage, the character gains an additional +2 bonus to those two skills for the duration of an encounter where an NPC has recognized him (in a friendly fashion). This is cumulative with the usual +4 modifier to all of the above skills that is awarded for such recognition. Up to 4 Flaw Points may be invested in this advantage (not counting any points spent on special benefits). Special Benefit [Very Good Reputation, +1 Pt.]: Any bonus points are awarded to all five listed skills, not just the two your character would ordinarily select.

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Advanced Occupation Packages The following Advanced Occupation Packages are meant to be used as templates to facilitate the rapid creation of certain character archetypes, and to serve as an introduction to the character customization possible with the system presented in this book.

Adventuring Archaeologist Your character is a fairly non-traditional scholar of human history, beliefs, settlements, and civilizations. Cocky, physically fit, and assured of his own immortality, your character is much more likely to be found clandestinely breaking into forbidden tombs or wrestling priceless artifacts from smugglers than he is grading term papers. True, his methods can leave something to be desired– a number of journalists have spread insinuations that he is a callous violator of cultural traditions, and his entry into a Pharaoh’s tomb a few years ago may have placed a small curse upon him. However, when a field study has to be conducted in a dangerous corner of the world, there’s no one more qualified for the task. Starting Occupation: Academic or Adventurer Preferred Starting Class: Smart Flaw Package: Old Injury (II) (2 pts.), Debt of Honor (2 pts.), Insatiable Curiosity (2 pts.), Nemesis (Media, 4 pts.), Nemesis (Villain (Evil archaeologist) 4 pts.), Strange Attractor (2 pts.), Overconfident (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 18 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: +1 class level (Tough or Strong), Great Fortitude, Brawl, Educated, Patron (Small University, 2 pts.), Academic Degree Discretionary Flaw Points: 1

Army Ranger Your character is a Ranger, one of the U.S. Army’s fast-moving, hardhitting scouts, pathfinders, and shock troopers. Your character has not been tested in combat, and, truth to be told, he’s worried about how well his nerves will hold up. Starting Occupation: Military Preferred Starting Class: Tough or Strong Flaw Package: Nervous (2 pts.), Duty/Responsibility (Challenging, Hazardous, Restricted Movement, Restricted Communication, 11 pts.), Macho/Spartan (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 15 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Endurance, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Military Rank (E-4, Army Specialist, 3 pts.), Toughness,

Weapon Focus (M16 Rifle), Far Shot Discretionary Flaw Points: 2

Aspiring Rock Star Your character is an inexperienced, lippy, aggressive, and impatient little cuss just beginning to find acclaim on the local club scene. Although he’s not quite as good as he thinks he is (heck, nobody could possibly be as good as your character thinks he is), there’s no denying that he does put on a show worth paying to see. Starting Occupation: Creative or Celebrity Preferred Starting Class: Charismatic Flaw Package: Bodily Marked (Tattoos, 1 pt.), Impatient (2 pts.), Inattentive (2 pts.), Boastful (2 pts.), Impulsive (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 9 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Skill Focus (Perform skill of your choice), Renown, Creative, Special Reputation (1 pt.), Connections (2 average connections in the local club scene) Discretionary Flaw Points: 1

Blind Assassin Your character is a harmless-looking elderly man whose obvious blindness is the perfect disguise for his profession. He is a deadly close-quarters assassin, specializing in knife attacks and relying upon his ultrasharp ears to replace the sensory input once provided by his eyes. Starting Occupation: Criminal or Athlete Preferred Starting Class: Fast Flaw Package: Impaired Vision (Blindness, 8 pts.), Slow Healing (2 pts.), Age (4 pts.), Quirk (Always apologizes to bystanders for things he did not do, 1 pt.) [Total Package Value: 15 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Blind-Fight, +2 Dex (3 pts.), Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Heroic Surge, Mobility Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Cat Burglar Your character is no common window-smasher or carjacker– he’s a committed cat burglar, light on his feet and deft with his hands, the sort of debonair and coldly professional criminal you don’t see very often outside of caper movies. He’s at his best dressed all in black, padding silently across a rooftop or rappelling down an unclimbable stone wall, on his way to a heist that nobody but the best could possibly pull off. Despite his

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eagerness to help himself to the valuables of his victims, he’ll never allow himself to truly harm another person and goes so far as to eschew carrying a gun so he’ll never be tempted to use it. Starting Occupation: Criminal Preferred Starting Class: Fast Flaw Package: Foresworn From Firearms (2 pts.), Predictable Fighter (2 pts.), Criminal Record (4 pts., Felony conviction and time served), Heroic Code (Mercy, 2 pts.), Risk-Addicted (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 12 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: +2 Dex, Black Market Ties (1 pt., specific urban area of your choice), Acrobatic, Skill Focus (Climb), Skill Focus (Disable Device), Stealthy Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Con Artist Your character is a slick and charming young confidence trickster, forever running from city to city, just one step ahead of the law– and his aggravated victims. Starting Occupation: Criminal Preferred Starting Class: Charismatic Flaw Package: Greed (2 pts.), Kleptomania (2 pts.), Risk-Addicted (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 6 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Confident, Deceptive, Trustworthy Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Lore, Current Events, History, Philosophy; Skill Focus (Research), Business (1 pt., Conspiracy newsletter), Connections (2 average contacts; fellow conspiracy buffs around town) Discretionary Flaw Points: 1 Alternate Flaw Package: If “They” are real, add a 4-8 point Nemesis (Organization) and beef your character up with a few feats that will aid his practical survival (Dodge, Alertness, etc.).

Daredevil Stuntperson Your character was small-statured and unpopular in high school, so he became a physical prankster, using his own body as the focal point of attention-getting stunts. Although the tactic was only modestly successful in school, it led to a later career as a stuntperson for film and stage. Your character has been shot from a cannon, dropped from great heights, submerged underwater, and covered in flames too many times to count. He isn’t indestructible, but try telling him that! Starting Occupation: Athlete or Adventurer Preferred Starting Class: Tough Flaw Package: Old Injury (2 pts.), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (2 pts., relates to stunt that went wrong and killed mentor), Impulsive (2 pts.), Inferiority Complex (2 pts.), Risk-Addicted (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 10 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Acrobatic, Athletic, Great Fortitude, Toughness (twice) Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Conspiracy Theorist

Famous Writer

Your character never thought he’d end up dedicating his life to sifting through the great mass of disinformation that is human history and journalism, looking for the keys that will reveal the clandestine machinations behind everything. Unassuming, meek, and a little afraid to leave the comfortable confines of his home city, your character ekes out a meager living from his conspiracy-related newsletter and website, all the while looking over his shoulder for any sign that They might be on to him.

Your character was working the graveyard shift at an industrial laundry when he sold his first novel for a truly ludicrous sum. Since then, he’s piled on success after success, and has reached middle age with a huge body of work and an even larger body of fans. He uses his ample spare time for amateur investigation of crimes and Fortean occurrences.

Starting Occupation: Investigative or Blue-Collar Preferred Starting Class: Smart or Dedicated Flaw Package: Butterfingers (2 pts.), Impatient (2 pts.), Nervous (2 pts.), Paranoia (Disruptive, 3 pts.), Phobia (Agoraphobia, 2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 11 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Skill Focus (Investigate), Educated, +1 skill rank in each of the following Knowledges: Arcane

Starting Occupation: Creative Preferred Starting Class: Smart Flaw Package: Age (2 pts.), Butterfingers (2 pts.), Clumsy (4 pts.), Easily Winded (2 pts.), Poor Fighter (3 pts.), Dependents (Family, 2 pts.), Insatiable Curiosity (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 17 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Windfall (twice), Renown, Property: Living Space (Large House, 3 pts.), Studious, Trustworthy, Connection (1 major contact in the New York publishing biz), Library (2

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pts.) Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

perfection has been interrupted by the murder of his former master– now he quests for vengeance against the evil martial arts instructor who carried out that murder!

High-Rolling Gambler Your character is an attractive young jet-setter, a fixture at the tables in Vegas and Atlantic City, and an occasional sit-in at illicit games of poker, blackjack, or roulette played for high stakes against very dangerous people. Your character cultivates a devil-may-care demeanor and shrugs off the loss of thousands of dollars at a time to conceal one unfortunate fact– he’s a physical coward. Gambling is his means of building and maintaining self-confidence in the face of of the terrible secret that he’s no good in any genuinely dangerous confrontation. Starting Occupation: Dilettante Preferred Starting Class: Charismatic Flaw Package: Climate Aversion (2 pts., cold climates), Glass Jaw (2 pts.), Cowardly (2 pts.), Explosive Temper (2 pts.), Vain (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 10 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Windfall (twice), Confident, Skill Focus (Gamble), Renown Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Investigative Journalist Your character is an idealistic and well-educated freelance journalist, dedicated to a personal struggle for truth in the public interest. Your character pits his sleuthing abilities against everything from corrupt politicians to abusive corporations. Although he is perhaps a bit too much in love with his own romanticized image of himself, he is well-nigh incorruptible. Starting Occupation: Investigative Preferred Starting Class: Dedicated or Smart Flaw Package: Clumsy (2 pts.), Dull Reflexes (2 pts.), Flinching (2 pts.), Heroic Code: Honesty (2 pts.), Insatiable Curiosity (2 pts.), Vain (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 12 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Skill Focus (Gather Information), Skill Focus (Investigate), Attentive, Trustworthy, Academic Degree (Journalism, 1 pt.), Contacts (2 average contacts of your choice) Discretionary Flaw Points: 2

Martial Artist Your character is a dedicated student of the martial arts, seeking perfection of body and spirit through rigorous fighting discipline. His quest for

Starting Occupation: Athlete Preferred Starting Class: Fast or Strong Flaw Package: Foresworn From Firearms (2 pts.), Dependent (Aged grandmother, 2 pts.), Macho/Spartan (2 pts.), Nemesis: Villain (7 pts., includes 1 major lieutenant) [Total Package Value: 13 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Connections (2 minor connections in the Chinese underworld), +1 character level or Blind-Fight, Brawl, Combat Martial Arts, and Combat Reflexes Discretionary Flaw Points: 2

Monster Hunter Your character is a private eliminator of supernatural horrors, obsessed with a one-person war against the power of the shadows. Supported only by his mysterious benefactor, his trusty shotgun collection, and his fourpack-a-day habit, he’s out to kick monster ass. Starting Occupation: Adventurer or Investigative Preferred Starting Class: Tough or Dedicated Flaw Package: Old Injury (2 pts.), Dependency (Ugly Habit, Smoking, 1 pt.), Driving Obsession (Destroy powers of darkness on earth, 2 pts.), Overconfident (2 pts.) [Total Value: 7 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Iron Will, Patron (Weak), Personal Firearms Proficiency Discretionary Flaw Points: 1 Alternate Flaw Package: If you’d like your character to have more of a history with the forces of darkness, add a 4-8 point Nemesis (Villain) and spend the extra Flaw points to increase his knowledge or his fighting abilities. Weird Flaws (pages 49-51) might also be appropriate.

Navy SEAL Your character is a newly-forged Sea-Air-Land specialist, one of the U.S. Navy’s elite go-anywhere, do-anything special operations personnel. Your character has endured a hellish training regimen and acquired a deadly set of skills. The only flaw he really faces is a peculiar (and secret) trait for a man in his position– he’s frightened of sharks! Starting Occupation: Military Preferred Starting Class: Tough or Strong

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Flaw Package: Bodily Marked (SEAL Tattoo, 1 pt.), Duty/Responsibility (Challenging, Hazardous, Restricted Movement, Restricted Communication, 11 pts.), Macho/Spartan (2 pts.), Overconfident (2 pts.), Phobia (Sharks, 2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 18 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Endurance, Great Fortitude, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Military Rank (E-5, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, 4 pts.), Stealthy, Surface Vehicle Operation (Powerboat) Discretionary Flaw Points: 4

Flaw Package: Obese (3 pts.), Duty/Responsibility (Challenging, 6 pts.; guard clients’ lives with his own), Heroic Code: Loyalty (2 pts.), Monetary Debt (2 pts.), Stubborn (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 15 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Alertness, Skill Focus (Spot), Improved Initiative, Combat Martial Arts, Defensive Martial Arts, Toughness Discretionary Flaw Points: 3

Professional Athlete Occult Knight Your character is a sworn initiate of a secret order of chivalry, which may or may not be connected to any major world religion. Your character’s knightly order, which dates back to medieval times, opposes another secret society or clandestine cabal. Once, they did this openly on the field of battle. In modern times, they live, fight, and die completely in the shadows. There are only a few dozen of your character’s brothers and sisters active at any given time, all serving willingly in an unforgiving and often-fatal occupation. Starting Occupation: Religious or Military Preferred Starting Class: Fast, Strong, or Tough Flaw Package: Bodily Marked (Symbols of his Order; 2 pts.), Duty/ Responsibility (Challenging, Hazardous; Serve his Order to the death, 8 pts.), Heroic Code: Loyalty (2 pts.), Macho/Spartan (2 pts.), Nemesis (Organization, 6 pts.), Melancholy (2 pts.), Nightmares (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 24 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: +1 class level, Weapon Focus (of your choice), Brawl, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Toughness, Alternate Identity (Thorough), Patron (Useful; His Order) Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Your character is a young player of a professional sport (baseball, basketball, soccer, football, rugby, tennis) or a competitive athlete training for Olympic-caliber events (swimming, gymnastics, track and field, etc.). His physical abilities are top-notch, though his combat experience is extremely limited. Perhaps the occasional heroic adventure on the side adds spice to his life– his relative fame makes it harder for the shadowy evils of the world to dispose of him as they might a more obscure adventurer. Starting Occupation: Athlete or Celebrity Preferred Starting Class: Fast, Strong, or Tough Flaw Package: Dependent (2 pts., close family member), Select one of the following for 2 pts.: Boastful, Overconfident, or Risk-Addicted; Duty/Responsibility (2 pts., currently optioned to pro sports team), Heroic Code: Loyalty (2 pts.), Heroic Code: Fair Play (2 pts.), Quirk (Talks trash and uses sports lingo at odd and inappropriate times, 1 pt.) [Total Package Value: 11 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: +2 in one of the following abilities: Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution; Skill Focus (Choose one: Jump, Tumble, Climb, Swim, or Ride), Athletic, Renown, Run Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Professional Bodyguard

Rich Vigilante

Your character thought he was out of the bodyguard game for good, but his independent business venture failed, leaving him with a substantial debt and only one way to pay it off– the “monkey suit” business. Now he chauffeurs VIPs and watches their every move, ready to throw himself in front of a bullet or a knife in the blink of an eye. Although not currently licensed to carry a firearm, your character flatters himself that he doesn’t need to do so in order to get the drop on any potential assailant.

Your character is the young heir to an extensive industrial empire, but his wealth is nothing but a means to an end. A decade ago, your character’s parents were murdered in cold blood, and your character swore eternal vengeance on the entire criminal fraternity. Having intensely honed his body and his mind, your character now prowls his city by night in a lightweight black armored costume, hunting wrongdoers of any sort. Although he has sworn a solemn oath never to take a human life, he has absolutely no compunctions about administering severe beatings to the criminals he faces.

Starting Occupation: Adventurer, Athlete, Law Enforcement or Military Preferred Starting Class: Strong or Tough

Starting Occupation: Dilettante

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Preferred Starting Class: Strong Flaw Package: Foresworn From Firearms (4 pts.), Driving Obsession (2 pts.), Heroic Code: Mercy (2 pts.), Double Life (2 pts.), Lone Wolf (2 pts.), Macho/Spartan (2 pts.), Nemesis: Organization (6 pts., local branch of the mafia), Nemesis: Media (4 pts.; crusading anti-vigilante TV reporter), Risk-Addicted (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 26 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Acrobatic, Armor Proficiency (Light), Athletic, Blind-Fight, Combat Martial Arts, Combat Throw, Defensive Martial Arts, Windfall (three times), Ally (Sympathetic police sergeant, 2 pts.), Assistant (2nd level Dedicated Hero, 3 pts.; sardonic aged butler who has grudgingly agreed to aid your character’s vigilantism.) Discretionary Flaw Points: 1

Secret Agent Your character was a career naval officer before he was selected for secret service training. Cunning, ruthless, debonair, and often “wolfishly immature,” he is nonetheless the agent his superiors turn to time and time again when things get desperate. Starting Occupation: Dilettante or Military Preferred Starting Class: Charismatic or Dedicated Flaw Package: Double Life (2 pts.), Duty/Responsibility (Challenging, Hazardous, Restricted Movement, Restricted Communication, 11 pts.), Glass Jaw (2 pts.), Vain (2 pts.), Lone Wolf (2 pts.), Nemesis (Villain, global menace bent on revenge, 1 major lieutenant, 9 pts.), RiskAddicted (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 30 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: +1 character level, Connections (4 connections in various countries, 2 pts.), Military Rank (Navy O-4, Lt. Cmdr., 10 pts.), Attentive, Deceptive, Confident, Quick Draw, Alternate Identity (1 pt.) Discretionary Flaw Points: 2

Surveillance Geek Your character is a black-box genius and an old-school tech whiz; though not much to look at, he has a razor-keen mind and the infinite patience required for surveillance operations. He also has a serious handicap for his line of work– scrupulous honesty. Starting Occupation: Technician Preferred Starting Class: Smart Flaw Package: Asthma (Allergy Trigger, 8 pts.), Underweight (2 pts.), Tongue-Tied (2 pts.), Paranoia (2 pts.), Diabetes (Type II) (2 pts.), Heroic Code: Honesty (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 18 Flaw Points]

Bonus Feats and Advantages: Alertness, Attentive, Cautious, Gearhead, +2 Intelligence (3 pts.), Meticulous, Ally (Fellow Surveillance Geek, 2 pts.) Discretionary Flaw Points: 3

SWAT Officer Your character is a highly-trained and motivated Special Weapons and Tactics officer for a major metropolitan police department. Your character and his peers are called out to deal with the most dangerous and unstable disturbers of the peace, and despite the risks of his position your character thrives on the challenge and the sense of camaraderie within his elite unit. Starting Occupation: Law Enforcement Preferred Starting Class: Fast, Tough or Strong Flaw Package: Duty/Responsibility (Challenging, Hazardous, 8 pts.), Dependent (Child or aging parent, 2 pts.), Heroic Code: Law and Order (2 pts.), Aggressive (2 pts.) [Total Package Value: 14 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Burst-Fire, Weapon Focus (H&K MP5 Submachinegun),Law-Enforcement Rank (2 pts.), Improved Initiative, Armor Proficiency (Light) Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

Veteran Homicide Detective Your character has been around the block, as they say, and is nearing fifteen years of active duty. Truth to be told, those years have really piled on the problems, and your character just isn’t as spry as he used to be. His resolve to put wrongdoers behind bars remains undiminished– for now, at least. Another bullet in the ribs might mean an early retirement. Starting Occupation: Law Enforcement Preferred Starting Class: Tough or Smart Flaw Package: Age (2 pts.), Inflexible (2 pts.), Old Injury (II) (2 pts.), Unathletic (2 pts.), Asthma (2 pts.), Duty/Responsibility (4 pts., homicide detective), Quirk (Persistent, vocal distrust of new technology) (1 pt.) [Total Package Value: 15 Flaw Points] Bonus Feats and Advantages: +1 character level, Law Enforcement Rank (4 pts.), Attentive, Quick Draw, Connections (2 average connections on the street) Discretionary Flaw Points: 0

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