CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS Your descriptor denes your character—it avors everything you do. The differences between a Charming ghter and a Graceful ghter are considerable. The descriptor changes the way those characters go about every action. Your descriptor helps dene your character and provide motivation. It is the adjective of the sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.” Descriptors offer a one-time package of extra abilities, skills, or modications to your ability scores. Not all of a descriptor’s offerings are positive character modications. For example, some descriptors have inabilities—tasks that a character isn’t good at. You can think of inabilities as “negative skills”—instead of being one rank better at that kind of task, You are one rank worse. If you become skilled at a task that you have an inability with, they cancel out. Remember that characters are dened as much by what they’re not good at as what they are good at. Choose one of them for your character. You can pick any descriptor you wish regardless of your class
CHARMING You are a smooth talker and a charmer. Whether through seemingly supernatural means or just a way with words, you can convince others to do as you wish. Most likely, You are physically attractive or at least highly charismatic, and others enjoy listening to your voice. You probably pay attention to your appearance, keeping yourself well groomed. You make friends easily. You play up the personality facet of your charisma; intelligence is not your strong suit. You are personable, not necessarily studious or strong-willed. You gain the following benets: Personable: You start with a +1 to your Charisma. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving positive and pleasant social interactions. You gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy and Perform checks. Feat: You are trained when using spells, esoteries or special abilities that inuence the minds of others. You start play with the Spell Focus (enchantment) feat. Contact: You have an important contact who is in an inuential position, such as a minor noble, the captain of the town guard, an Aeon Priest, or the head of a large gang of thieves. You and the GM should work out the details together. Inability: Willpower is not one of your strong points. You start with a -1 to your Wisdom. Inability: You were never good at studying or retaining facts. You suffer a -2 penalty to all
DESCRIPTORS Charming Clever Clumsy Craven Cruel Dishonorable Doomed Driven Empathic Exiled Foolish Graceful Guarded Hardy Hideous Honorable Impulsive Inquisitive
Intelligent Learned Mad Mystical/ Mechanical Naive Perceptive Resilient Rugged Stealthy Strong Strong-willed Swift Tongue-tied Tough Vengeful Weird
Knowledge checks.
CLEVER You are quick-witted, thinking well on your feet. You understand people, so you can fool them but are rarely fooled. Because you easily see things for what they are, you get the lay of the land swiftly, size up threats and allies, and assess situations with accuracy. Perhaps You are physically attractive, or maybe you use your wit to overcome any physical or mental imperfections. You gain the following benets: Smart: You start with a +1 to your Intelligence. Feat: You are trained in all interactions involving lies and trickery. You start play with the Deceitful feat. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving, identifying or assessing danger, lies, quality, importance, function, or power. You gain a +2 bonus to all Appraise, Perception, and Sense Motive checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Wisdom. Inability: You were never good at studying or retaining trivial knowledge. You have difculty with any task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Knowledge checks.
CLUMSY Graceless and awkward, you were told that you’d grow 1
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS out of it, but you never did. You often drop things, trip over your own feet, or knock things (or people) over. Some people get frustrated by this quality, but most nd it funny and even a little charming. You gain the following characteristics: Thick-Muscled: You start with a +1 to your Strength. Inelegant: You have a certain lovable charm, when you express a lighthearted, self-deprecating manner in pleasant social interactions. You gain a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy and Perform checks. Dumb Luck: Once per game session you or the GM can choose to interrupt an encounter or situation with an act of clumsiness on your part, or whenever your character rolls a 1 in a situation. 50% of the time, your clumsiness works to your advantage, 50% of the time your clumsiness works to your disadvantage. Rather than hurting you (much), it helps, or it hurts your enemies. You slip, but it’s just in time to duck an attack. You fall down, but you trip your enemies as you crash into their legs. You turn around too quickly, but you end up knocking the weapon from your foe’s hand. You and the GM should work together to determine the details. Skill: You have a certain bull-like quality. You are trained in tasks involving breaking things. You gain a +1 bonus on Sunder attempts. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Dexterity. Butterfngers: You have difculty with tasks involving acrobatics, balance, grace, and hand-to-eye coordination. You suffer a -2 penalty to all skill checks involving Acrobatics, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Fly, and Sleight of Hand checks.
CRAVEN Courage fails you at every turn. You lack the willpower and resolve to stand fast in the face of danger. Fear gnaws at your heart, chewing away at your mind, driving you to distraction until you cannot bear it. Most times, you back down from confrontations. You ee from threats and vacillate when faced with difcult decisions. Yet for all that fear dogs you and possibly shames you, your cowardly nature proves to be a useful ally from time to time. Listening to your fears has helped you escape danger and avoid taking unnecessary risks. Others may have suffered in your place, and you might be the rst to admit this fact, but secretly you feel intense relief from having avoided an unthinkable and terrible fate. You gain the following characteristics:
Furtive: You start with a +1 to your Dexterity. Skill: You are trained in eeing. You gain +10 feet of movement per round when performing a withdraw action from a combat encounter or dangerous situation. Feat: You are trained to escape danger, ee from a dangerous situation, or wheedle your way out trouble. You start play with the Stealthy feat Inability: You do not willingly enter dangerous situations. You suffer a -2 penalty to all combat initiative rolls. Inability: You fall to pieces when you have to undertake a dangerous task alone. You suffer a -2 penalty to all rolls when in potential dangerous solo situations. Unbelievable Luck: Once per day in game you can reroll any d20 roll you choose. However your second roll stands as your die result.
CRUEL Misfortune and suffering do not move you. When another endures hardship, you nd it hard to care, and you may even enjoy the pain and difculty the person experiences. Your cruel streak may derive from bitterness brought about by your own struggles and disappointments. You might be a hard pragmatist, doing what you feel you must even if others are worse for it. Or you could be a sadist, delighting in the pain you inict. Being cruel does not necessarily make you a villain. Your cruelty may be reserved for those who cross you or other people useful to you. You might have become cruel as the result of an intensely awful experience. Abuse and torture, for example, can strip away compassion for other living beings. As well, you need not be cruel in every situation. In fact, others might see you as personable, friendly, and even helpful. But when angered or frustrated, your true nature reveals itself, and those who have earned your scorn are likely to suffer for it. You gain the following characteristics: Cunning: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom. Cruelty: When you use melee force, you can choose to maim or deliver painful injuries to draw out your foe’s suffering. Whenever you score a critical hit, you can choose to inict a -2 penalty against that foe on their next attack. Skill: You are trained in tasks related to deception, intimidation, and persuasion when you interact with characters experiencing physical or emotional pain. You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks in these situations. 2
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma. Inability: You have a hard time connecting with others, understanding their motives, or sharing their feelings. You have difculty with any task made to ascertain another character’s motives, feelings, or disposition. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.
DISHONORABLE There is no honor among thieves—or betrayers, backstabbers, liars, or cheats. You are all of these things, and either you don’t lose any sleep over it, or you deny the truth to others or to yourself. Regardless, you are willing to do whatever it takes to get your own way. Honor, ethics, and principles are merely words. In your estimation, they have no place in the real world. You gain the following characteristics: Sneaky: You start with a +1 to your Dexterity. Feat: You are trained in deception. You start play with the Deceitful feat Skill: You are trained in intimidation. You have a +2 bonus on all Intimidation checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma Inability: People don’t like or trust you. You have difculty with all pleasant social interactions. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Diplomacy and Perform checks.
DOOMED You are quite certain that your fate is leading you, inextricably, toward a terrible end. This fate might be yours alone, or you might be dragging along the others closest to you. You gain the following characteristics: Jumpy: You start with a +1 to your Dexterity Feat: Always on the lookout for danger, you are trained in perception-related tasks. You start play with the Alertness feat. Skill: You are cynical and expect the worst. Thus, you are resistant to mental shocks. You receive a +1 Will save bonus against spells and spell-like abilities that can cause you to lose your sanity. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Constitution. Doom: Once per game session the GM can declare a successful d20 roll by your character a failure. This is because you are doomed. The universe is a cold, uncaring place, and your efforts are futile at best.
DRIVEN You have set your sights on a goal, and everything you
do is in pursuit of that objective. The thing you seek denes you—it shapes your decisions, colors your outlook, and impels you to take action even when your body and mind scream for you to give up and set the task aside, at least for a while. No matter the hardships you face along the way, you believe in your purpose and will let nothing stop you from achieving it. When you choose this descriptor, choose a goal that is possible to attain. You might set a goal of nding a lost parent, making a sacrice at a rumored temple, learning how to perform a particular task, or gaining the funds to pay for a healer to treat a loved one. Once you achieve this goal, you may choose a new one. You probably talk about your mission all the time, bringing it up even when it’s only tangentially connected to the conversation. You usually consider other pursuits in the context of whether or not it advances your own agenda. You gain the following characteristics: Determined: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom. Skill: Once per day you can choose to add +4 to one skill check. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma Inability: Your commitment to your goals makes it hard to relate to others who don’t share your objectives or to notice things that don’t pertain to your present mission. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Perception checks.
EMPATHIC Other people are open books to you. You may have a knack for reading a person’s tells, those subtle movements that convey an individual’s mood and disposition. Or you may receive information in a more direct way, feeling a person’s emotions as if they were tangible things, sensations that lightly brush against your mind. Your gift for empathy helps you navigate social situations and control them to avoid misunderstandings and prevent useless conicts from erupting. The constant bombardment of emotions from those around you likely takes a toll. You might move with the prevailing mood, swinging from giddy happiness to bitter sorrow with little warning. Or you might close yourself off and remain inscrutable to others out of a sense of self-preservation or an unconscious fear that everyone else might learn how you truly feel. You gain the following characteristics: Open Mind: You start with a +1 to your Intelligence. Feat: You are trained in tasks involving sensing 3
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS other emotions, discerning dispositions, and getting a hunch about people around you. You start play with the Alertness feat. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving social interaction, pleasant or otherwise. You gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy, Perform, and Sense Motive checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Wisdom. Inability: Being so receptive to others’ thoughts and moods makes you vulnerable to anything that attacks your mind. You suffer a -2 penalty to Will saves versus mind-effecting spells and spell-like abilities..
EXILED You have walked a long and lonely road, leaving your home and your life behind. You might have committed a heinous crime, something so awful that your people forced you out, and if you dare return, you face death. You might have been accused of a crime you didn’t commit and now must pay the price for someone else’s wicked deed. Your exile might be the result of a social gaffe—perhaps you shamed your family or a friend, or you embarrassed yourself in front of your peers, an authority, or someone you respect. Whatever the reason, you have left your old life behind and now strive to make a new one. You probably have a memento from your past—an old picture, a locket with a few strands of hair inside, or a lighter given to you by someone important. You keep the object close at hand and pull it out to help you remember better times. You gain the following characteristics: Self-Reliant: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving being sneaking. You gain a +2 bonus on all Stealth checks. Feat: You are trained in all tasks involving foraging, hunting, and nding safe places to rest or hide. You start play with the Self-Sufcient feat. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma. Loner: You gain no anking bonus in combat encounters, and you gain no benet from Aid Another on skill checks. Inability: Living on your own for as long as you have makes you slow to trust others and awkward in social situations. You suffer a -2 penalty on all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks.
FOOLISH Not everyone can be brilliant. Oh, you don’t think of yourself as stupid, and you’re not. It’s just that others might have a bit more wisdom and insight. You prefer to barrel along headrst through life and let other
people worry about things. Worrying has never helped you, so why bother? You take things at face value and don’t fret about what tomorrow might bring. People call you “idiot” or “numbskull,” but it doesn’t faze you much. You gain the following characteristics: Foolhardy Smile: You start with a +1 to your Charisma. Carefree: You succeed more on luck than anything. Three times per day when you roll a d20 ,you can roll twice and take the higher result. Intellectual Weakness: You suffer a -2 penalty on all Knowledge skill checks. Unwise: You start with a -1 to your Wisdom. Inability: You have difculty with tasks involving illusions. You suffer a -2 penalty on Will saves involving illusion spells and spell-like effects. Inability: You have difculty with tasks involving seeing through a deception or a trap. You suffer a -2 penalty on all Bluff and Sense Motive checks.
GRACEFUL You have a perfect sense of balance, moving and speaking with grace and beauty. You are quick, lithe, exible, and dexterous. Your body is perfectly suited to dance, and you use that advantage in combat to dodge blows. You might wear garments that enhance your agile movement and sense of style. You gain the following benets: Agile: You start with a +1 to your Dexterity. Feat: You are trained in all tasks involving balance and careful movement. You start play with the Acrobatics feat. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving physical performing arts. You gain a +2 bonus to Perform checks. Inability: Willpower is not one of your strong points. You start with a -2 penalty to your Wisdom
GUARDED You conceal your true nature behind a mask and are loath to let anyone see who you really are. Protecting yourself, physically and emotionally, is what you care about most, and you prefer to keep everyone else at a safe distance. You may be suspicious of everyone you meet, expecting the worst from people so you won’t be surprised when they prove you right. Or you might just be a bit reserved, careful about letting people through your gruff exterior to the person you really are. No one can be as reserved as you are and make many friends. Most likely, you have an abrasive 4
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS personality and tend to be pessimistic in your outlook. You probably nurse an old hurt and nd that the only way you can cope is to keep it and your personality locked down. You gain the following characteristics: Suspicious: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom. Feat: You are trained in all tasks involving discerning the truth, piercing disguises, and recognizing falsehoods and other deceptions. You start play with the Alertness feat. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma. Inability: Your suspicious nature makes you unlikable. You have difculty with tasks involving deception and persuasion. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Bluff, Disguise, and Sleight of Hand checks.
HARDY Your body was built to take abuse. Whether You are pounding down stiff drinks at your favorite watering hole or trading blows with a thug in a back alley, you just keep going, shrugging off wounds and injuries that might slow or incapacitate a lesser person. Neither hunger nor thirst, cut esh nor broken bone can stop you. You just press on through the pain and continue. As t and healthy as you are, the signs of wear show in the myriad scars crisscrossing your body, your thrice-broken nose, your cauliower ears, and any number of other disgurements you wear with pride. You gain the following characteristics: Mighty: You start with a +1 to your Constitution. Fast Healer: You heal twice your normal hit points after 8 hours of uninterrupted rest. Feat: You keep on ghting until your last breath. You start play with the Diehard feat even if you don’t meet the prerequisites for it. Skill: Because of your hardy physical nature you gain a +2 bonus on all Strength based skill checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Dexterity. Inability: Your big, strong body is slow to react. You suffer a -2 penalty on all Initiative checks. Ponderous: Whenever you attempt to charge you must move at least 30 feet (6 squares) to be able to charge.
HIDEOUS You are physically repugnant by almost any human standard. You might have had a serious accident, a harmful mutation, or just poor genetic luck, but you are incontrovertibly ugly. You have more than made up for your appearance in other ways, however. Because you had to hide your
appearance, you excel at sneaking about unnoticed or disguising yourself. But perhaps most important, being ostracized while others socialized, you took the time growing up to develop yourself as you saw t—you grew strong or quick, or you honed your mind. You gain the following characteristics: Strong Willed: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom. Feat: You start play with the Skill Focus feat. Skill: You are trained in intimidation and any other fear-based interactions. You gain a +2 bonus on all Intimidation checks. Feat: You are trained in bluff and disguise. You start play with the Deceitful feat. Inability: You start with a -6 to your Charisma. Inability: You have difculty with tasks relating to pleasant social interactions. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Diplomacy and Perform checks..
HONORABLE You are trustworthy, fair, and forthright. You try to do what is right, to help others, and to treat them well. Lying and cheating are no way to get ahead—these things are for the weak, the lazy, or the despicable. You probably spend a lot of time thinking about your personal honor, how best to maintain it, and how to defend it if challenged. In combat, you are straightforward and offer quarter to any foe. You were likely instilled with this sense of honor by a parent or a mentor. Sometimes the distinction between what is and isn’t honorable varies with different schools of thought, but in broad strokes, honorable people can agree on most aspects of what honor means. You gain the following characteristics: Stalwart: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom. Feat: You are trained in pleasant social interactions. You start play with the Persuasive feat. Feat: You are trained in discerning people’s true motives or seeing through lies. You start play with the Alertness feat. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Strength. Inability: Your strong sense of right and wrong makes it hard for you to be deceitful. You have difculty with tasks involving lies and deception. You suffer a -4 penalty to all Bluff, Disguise, and Sleight of Hand checks.
IMPULSIVE You have a hard time tamping down your enthusiasm. Why wait when you can just do it (whatever it is) and get it done? You deal with problems when they arise rather than plan ahead. Putting out the small res now 5
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS prevents them from becoming one big re later. You are the rst to take risks, to jump in and lend a hand, to step into dark passages, and to nd danger. Your impulsiveness likely gets you into trouble. While others might take time to study the numenera they discover, you use such items without hesitation. After all, the best way to learn what something can do is to use it. When a cautious explorer might look around and check for danger nearby, you have to physically stop yourself from bowling on ahead. Why fuss around when the exciting thing is just ahead? You gain the following characteristics: Reckless: You start with a +1 to your Dexterity. Feat: You are trained in initiative actions. You start play with the Improved Initiative feat. Feat: Because of your impulsive nature you have no fear in the face of danger. You start play with the Step Up feat. Inability: You start with a -4 to your Wisdom. Inability: You’ll try anything once or twice. You have difculty any task that involves patience, willpower, or discipline. You suffer a -2 penalty on all Wisdom based skill checks.
INQUISITIVE The world is vast and mysterious, with wonders and secrets to keep you amazed for several lifetimes. You feel the tugging on your heart, the call to explore the wreckage of past civilizations, to discover new peoples, new places, and whatever bizarre wonders you might nd along the way. However, as strongly as you feel the pull to roam the world, you know there is danger aplenty, and you take precautions to ensure that you are prepared for any eventuality. Research, preparation, and readiness will help you live long enough to see everything you want to see and do everything you want to do. You probably have a dozen books and travelogues about the world on you at any time. When not hitting the road and looking around, you spend your time with your nose in a book, learning everything you can about the place You are going so you know what to expect when you get there. You gain the following characteristics: Smart: You start with a +1 to your Intelligence. Feat: You are eager to learn. You are trained in any task that involves learning something new, whether you are talking to a local to get information or digging through old books to nd lore. You start play with the Skill Focus feat, but it must be applied to a Knowledge skill.
Skill: You have made a study of the world. You are trained in any task involving geography or history. You have a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (geography) and Knowledge (history) checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Dexterity. Inability: You tend to xate on the details, making you somewhat oblivious to what’s going on around you. You suffer a -4 penalty on all Perception checks. Inability: When you see something interesting, you hesitate as you take in all the details. You suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative checks.
INTELLIGENT You are quite smart. Your memory is sharp, and you easily grasp concepts that others might struggle with. This aptitude doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve had years of formal education, but you have learned a great deal in your life, primarily because you pick things up quickly and retain so much. You gain the following benets: Smart: You start with a +1 to your Intelligence. Feat: You are trained in an area of knowledge of your choice. You start play with the Skill Focus feat, but it must be applied to a Knowledge skill. Feat: You have a knack for guring out how magic items and numenera work. You start play with the Magical Aptitude feat, which can be applied to Use Magic Device and Use Numenera checks. Skill: You are trained in all actions that involve remembering or memorizing things you experience directly. For example, instead of being good at recalling details of geography that you read about in a book, you can remember a path through a set of tunnels that you’ve explored before. You gain a +2 bonus to Survival checks. Inability: Stamina and fortitude is not one of your strong points. You start with a -2 to your Constitution.
LEARNED You have studied, either on your own or with an instructor. You know many things and are an expert on a few topics, such as history, biology, geography, the numenera, nature, or any other area of study. Learned characters typically carry a few books around with them and spend their spare time reading. You gain the following benets: Smart: You start with a +1 to your Intelligence. Skill: You are trained in three areas of knowledge of your choice. You gain a +2 bonus to these three Knowledge skills. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Dexterity 6
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS Inability: You have few social graces. You have difculty with any task involving charm, persuasion, or etiquette. You suffer a -2 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform checks.
MAD You have delved too deeply into subjects humans of the Ninth Age were not meant to know. You are knowledgeable in things beyond the scope of most, but this knowledge has come at a terrible price. You are likely in questionable physical shape and occasionally shake with nervous ticks. You sometimes mutter to yourself without realizing it. You gain the following characteristics: Knowledgeable: You start with a +1 to your Intelligence. Fits of Insight: Whenever such knowledge is appropriate, the GM feeds you information although there is no clear explanation as to how you could know such a thing. This is up to the GM’s discretion, but it should happen as often as once each session. Erratic Behavior: You are prone to acting erratically or irrationally. When you are in the presence of a major numenera discovery or subjected to great stress (For example, if a foe suddenly leaps out of the darkness), the GM should have roll on the Confusion spell effect table (p. 258 Core Rule Book) to see how you react. Feat: You are trained in numenera knowledge. You start play with the Skill Focus feat which must be used for Knowledge (numenera) or Use Numenera Device. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Wisdom Inability: Your mind is quite fragile. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Will saves against mind-effecting spells and spell-like abilities.
MYSTICAL/MECHANICAL You have a special talent that can be viewed in two ways. You might think of yourself as “mystical,” and thus attuned with the mysterious and the paranormal, or you might think of yourself as “mechanical,” and thus adept with devices and machines. In either case, your true talents lie with the numenera. You likely have experience with ancient lore, and you can sense and wield the numenera—though whether that means “magic” or “technology” is up to you. Mystical characters often wear jewelry, such as a ring or an amulet, or have tattoos or other marks that show their interests. Mechanical characters tend to carry a lot of tools and treat them almost like talismans. You gain the following benets:
Smart: +1 to your Intelligence Feat: You are trained in all actions involving identifying or understanding the numenera. You start play with the Skill Focus feat which must be applied to the Knowledge (numenera) skill. Sense “magic”: You can cast Detect Magic (Numenera) whether the numenera is active in situations where its presence is not obvious. You must study an object or location closely for a minute to get a feel for whether the touch of the ancients is at work. You can use the spell/esotery Detect Magic (Numenera) once per day regardless of your class. Esotery: You can select and cast either Mending or Prestidigitation as a Swift Action once per day regardless of your class. • Mending: This spell repairs damaged objects, restoring 1d4 hit points to the object. If the object has the broken condition, this condition is removed if the object is restored to at least half its original hit points. All of the pieces of an object must be present for this spell to function. Magic items can be repaired by this spell, but you must have a caster level equal to or higher than that of the object. Magic items that are destroyed (at 0 hit points or less) can be repaired with this spell, but this spell does not restore their magic abilities. This spell does not affect creatures (including constructs). This spell has no effect on objects that have been warped or otherwise transmuted, but it can still repair damage done to such items. • Prestidigitation: Prestidigitations are minor tricks that novice spellcasters use for practice. Once cast, a prestidigitation spell enables you to perform simple magical effects for 1 hour. The effects are minor and have severe limitations. A prestidigitation can slowly lift 1 pound of material. It can color, clean, or soil items in a 1-foot cube each round. It can chill, warm, or avor 1 pound of nonliving material. It cannot deal damage or affect the concentration of spellcasters. Prestidigitation can create small objects, but they look crude and articial. The materials created by a prestidigitation spell are extremely fragile, and they cannot be used as tools, weapons, or spell components. Finally, prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects. Any actual change to an object (beyond just moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists only 1 hour. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma. Inability: You have a manner or an aura that others nd a bit unnerving. The difculty of any task involving charm, persuasion, or deception. You suffer 7
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS a -2 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform checks.
NAIVE You’ve lived a sheltered life. Your childhood was safe and secure, so you didn’t get a chance to learn much about the world—and even less chance to experience it. Whether you were training for something, had your nose in a book, or just were sequestered in a secluded place, you haven’t done much, met many people, or seen many interesting things so far. That’s probably going to change soon, but as you go forward into a larger world, you do so without some of the understanding that others possess about how it all works. You gain the following characteristics: Fresh: You start with a +1 to your Constitution. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Wisdom. Inability: You have difculty with any task that involves seeing through deceptions or determining someone’s secret motive. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Bluff and Sense Motive checks.
PERCEPTIVE You miss little. You pick out the small details in the world around you and are skilled at making deductions from the information you nd. Your talents make you an exceptional sleuth, a formidable scientist, or a talented scout. As adept as you are at nding clues, you have no skill at picking up on social cues. You overlook an offense that your deductions give or how uncomfortable your scrutiny can make the people around you. You tend to dismiss others as being intellectual dwarfs compared to you, which avails you little when you need a favor. You gain the following characteristics: Smart: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom. Feat: You have an eye for detail. You are trained in any task that involves nding or noticing small details. You start play with the Alertness feat. Skill: Your skill at making deductions can be imposing. You are trained in intimidating other people and creatures. You gain a +2 bonus on Intimidation checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma Inability: Your condence comes off as arrogance to people who don’t know you. You have difculty with tasks involving positive social interactions. You suffer a -2 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform checks.
RESILIENT You can take a lot of punishment, both physically and mentally, and still come back for more. It takes a lot to put you down. Neither physical nor mental shocks or damage have a lasting effect. You are tough to faze. Unappable. Unstoppable. You gain the following characteristics: Resistant: You start with a +1 to your Constitution. Feat: You trained in gutting out tough situations. You start play with the Great Fortitude feat. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Strength Inability: You are hardy but not necessarily strong. You have difculty with any task involving climbing and swimming. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Climb and Swim checks.. Inability: You have a lot of willpower and mental fortitude, but you are not necessarily smart. You have difculty with any task involving knowledge or guring out problems or puzzles. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Knowledge checks.
RUGGED You are a nature lover accustomed to living rough, pitting your wits against the elements. Most likely, You are a skilled hunter, gatherer, or naturalist. Years of living in the wild have left their mark with a worn countenance, wild hair, or scars. Your clothing is probably much less rened than the garments worn by city dwellers. You gain the following benets: Feat: You are trained in all tasks involving climbing and swimming. You start play with the Athletic feat. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving jumping and tumbling. You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving training, riding, and placating animals. You gain a +2 bonus to Handle Animal and Ride checks. Skill: You are trained in all tasks involving identifying or using natural plants. You gain a +2 bonus to Heal and Knowledge (nature) checks. Inability: You start with a -4 to your Charisma Inability: You have no social graces and prefer animals to people. You have difculty with tasks involving charm, persuasion, etiquette, or deception. You suffer a -2 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy and Perform checks.
STEALTHY You are sneaky, slippery, and fast. These talents help you hide, move quietly, and pull off tricks that require 8
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS sleight of hand. Most likely, You are wiry and small. However, You are not much of a sprinter—You are more dexterous than eet of foot. You gain the following benets: Quick: You start with a +1 to your Dexterity. Feat: You are trained in all stealthy tasks. You start play with the Stealthy feat. Skill: You are trained in all interactions involving lies or trickery. You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks. Skill: You are trained in disguises. You gain a +2 bonus to Disguise checks. Inability: You start with a -2 to your Strength. Inability: Because of your stealthy nature or wiry build you suffer a -2 penalty to all Strength based skill checks. Inability: You are sneaky but not fast. When you run, you can only move up to twice your speed in a straight line. You lose any Dexterity bonus to AC unless you have the Run feat. You can only run for a number of rounds equal to half your Constitution score, but after that you must make a DC 15 Constitution check to continue running.
STRONG You are extremely strong and physically powerful, and you use these qualities well, whether through violence or feats of prowess. You likely have a brawny build and impressive muscles. You gain the following benets: Very Powerful: You start with a +1 to your Strength. Feat: You are trained in all actions involving breaking inanimate objects. You start play with the Improved Sunder feat even if you do not meet the prerequisites. Skill: You are trained in all jumping actions. You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatic (Jump) checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Wisdom Inability: Willpower is not one of your strong points. You suffer a -1 penalty to all Will saves.
STRONG-WILLED You are tough-minded, willful, and independent. No one can talk you into anything or change your mind when you don’t want it changed. This quality doesn’t necessarily make you smart, but it does make you a bastion of willpower and resolve. You likely dress and act with unique style and air, not caring what others think. You gain the following benets: Willful: You start with a +1 to your Wisdom.
Feat: You are trained in resisting mental effects. You start play with the Iron Will feat. Skill: You are trained in tasks requiring incredible focus or concentration. You gain a +2 bonus to Craft and Concentration checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Intelligence. Inability: Willful doesn’t mean brilliant. You difculty with tasks that involve guring out puzzles or problems, memorizing things. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Knowledge checks.
SWIFT You move quickly, able to sprint in short bursts. You are great at crossing distances quickly but not always smoothly. You are likely slim and muscular. You gain the following benets: Fast: +10 ft. to movement Feat: You are trained to react faster than others. You start play with the Improved Initiative feat. Feat: You are trained in running. You start play with the Run feat. Inability: You start with a -2 to your Dexterity Inability: You are fast but not necessarily graceful. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Acrobatic, CMB and CMD checks.
TONGUE-TIED You’ve never been much of a talker. When forced to interact with others, you never think of the right thing to say—words fail you entirely, or they come out all wrong. You often end up saying precisely the wrong thing and insult someone unintentionally. Most of the time, you just keep mum. This makes you a listener instead—a careful observer. It also means that You are better at doing things than talking about them. You are quick to take action. You gain the following characteristics: Actions, Not Words: You start with a +1 to either your Strength or Dexterity. Feat: You are trained in perception. You start play with the Alertness feat. Inability: You start with a -2 to your Charisma Inability: You have difculty with all tasks involving social interaction, verbal communication and relaying information. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Linguistics, and Perform checks
TOUGH You are strong and can take a lot of physical punishment. You might have a large frame and a 9
CHARACTER DESCRIPTORS square jaw. Tough characters frequently have visible scars. You gain the following benets: Resilient: +1 to Constitution. Healthy: Add 2 additional hit points whenever you receive magical healing. Feat: You are trained in taking physical punishment. You start play with the Toughness Feat. Inability: You start with a -2 to your Intelligence Inability: Knowledge is not one of your strong points. You suffer a -2 penalty to all Knowledge checks.
VENGEFUL One moment changed everything for you. One dreadful encounter, one betrayal, or one horric tragedy altered your course and made you who you are today. Looking back at that time, you often wonder how your life would have unfolded if not for the event that ruined everything. The life you imagine you should have had haunts you and feeds your appetite for revenge until vengeance is the only thing you have left. To be vengeful, you must have someone or something you want revenge against and someone or something to avenge. Work with your GM to determine what happened that affected you so strongly. Maybe a group of bandits wiped out your family. A corrupt ofcial stole your family’s savings or otherwise brought ruin to you and your loved ones. Perhaps a rival destroyed your romance by sullying your name. Death, nances, love: any of these can support your motivation. In addition, consider to what extent your character will go to gain vengeance. Will you compromise your values to destroy the ones who wronged you? Will you sacrice your companions to get what you want? Can you imagine a life after you get revenge, or will you throw yours away to punish the people who wronged you? You gain the following characteristics: Skill: The res of your hatred make you an imposing gure. You are trained in tasks that involve intimidation, threats, or inicting pain through torture. You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidation checks. Skill: You will follow your enemies to the ends of the earth. You are trained in any task that involves nding and following tracks. You gain a +2 bonus to Survival checks. Feat: You are trained to strike swiftly at your enemies to gain vengeance. You start play with the
Quick Draw feat. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma
WEIRD You aren’t like anyone else, and that’s ne with you. People don’t seem to understand you—they even seem put off by you—but who cares? You understand the Ninth Age of the Realms better than they do because You are weird, and so is the world you live in. The concept of “the weird” is well known to you. Strange devices, ancient locales, bizarre creatures, storms that can transform you, living energy elds, and things most people can’t even name populate the world, and you thrive on it. You have a special attachment to it all, and the more you discover about the weirdness in the world, the more you might discover about yourself. Weird characters might be mutants or born with strange qualities, but sometimes they started out “normal” and adopt the weird by choice. You gain the following abilities: Inner Light: You start with a +1 to your Intelligence. Distinctive Physical Quirk: You have a unique physical aspect that is, well, bizarre. For example, perhaps instead of hair, you have metal spikes on your head. Perhaps your hands don’t connect to your arms, although they move as if they do. Maybe a third eye stares out from the side of your head, superuous tendrils grow from your back, or you have no nose. Whatever it is, your quirk might be a mutation, a biomechanical transformation, or a feature with no explanation. You start play with either one cosmetic mutation, or one minor mutation and one drawback. See the GM for the list of mutations and drawbacks. Push the Numenera: You have the ability to will a depleted numenera artifact to function one extra time by temporarily expending 1 point of Wisdom. Once an artifact has been pushed it can not be used again. A Sense for the Weird: Sometimes—at the GM’s discretion—weird things relating to the numenera or its effects on the world seem to call out to you. You can sense them from afar, and if you get within long range of such a thing, you can sense whether it is overtly dangerous or not. Skill: You are trained in numenera knowledge. You gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (numenera) and Use Numenera checks. Inability: You start with a -1 to your Charisma. Inability: People nd you unnerving. You suffer a -2 penalty all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform checks.
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