Character Traits

Separate from Skills and Feats, Character Traits are intended to be selected during the character creation process to add an extra dimension to a character. Most players should not adopt character traits if they are inexperienced at role playing. Most traits I have adopted over the years have an effect on the character in a very real sense and most of these must be role played (worked out in game) or they become useless. Dungeon Masters who use character traits must enforce the role playing aspect of traits whether they affect the character in a positive or negative manner.

The following table is intended to be used for random trait generation. If a DM wishes to include the use of traits for his players, the DM should apply the player's rolls and enforce the results. Players should be allowed no more than three rolls on the chart. A good system to decide how many (or even if) traits are assigned to a character is to roll one d4 die and subtract one from the total. DMs can of course assign a number to a player or even allow just a single roll.

d12

Results

Description

Allergies

Typically this allergy is the "hay fever" type with sniffles, eye irritation, and general disorientation when exposed to outdoor pollen in the spring and fall. Players may select specific allergies if they wish with the DMs approval. Other allergies ideas are mold, types of food, bee stings, or animal dander. Characters who are exposed to their allergen must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or suffer a -2 to all actions and armor class for the next 24 hours as well as a temporary -1 reduction to Constitution.

Specific allergies can also incapacitate a character, requiring a Fortitude save (DC 20) or lose one point of Constitution per hour. Characters so inflicted are considered dazed and can take only partial actions. Characters whose constitution drops to 0 die from anaphylactic shock. Only magical healing or an "anti-allergen" can halt the allergic reaction once started.

Ambidexterity

The character is adept at using either hand. Characters may wield weapons or shields in either hand, write using either hand, perform feats of strength with either arm, and practice manual skills and spell casting without penalty based upon hand used.

Bad Tempered

The character generally is not well equipped to handle social situations. The character tends to anger easily and will often speak without thought. Although not compelled to physical violence, the character's actions may still provoke NPCs and other characters to violent responses. The character suffers a -4 reaction penalty under normal circumstances and a -8 if already stressed or angered.

Climate Sense

The character has the exceptional ability to sense weather changes. Normally, the character can tell if the weather will take a change and in what way within the next two or three hours. This ability grants a +2 circumstance bonus on the survival skill when dealing with weather. Characters with this trait can also detect magical alterations in the local climate.

Colorblind

The character sees everything in shades of black and white. Colorblind characters suffer a -4 penalty to all spot checks due to their inability to differentiate colors.

Deep Sleeper

Once asleep, the character is difficult to wake. Even a loud commotion or violent shaking of the character will not immediately wake them from slumber. (Will save DC 20 to wake under direct stimulation. The DC is reduced by 1 for every round the stimulation continues.) Even when woken, the character takes a turn to be fully cognizant of their surroundings and can take no other actions than defending themselves or shaking their head groggily.

Double-Jointed

The character has a unique ability at manipulating their joints. They can wriggle out of ropes, manacles, and other bonds. Characters with this trait gain a +2 circumstance bonus to all escape artist checks. These characters are also very adept at manipulating their joints for their advantage, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus on most sleight of hand and tumble checks.

Fanaticism

This trait requires the most role playing skill for the player. The character is devoutly bound to a particular cult, religion, god, individual, monarch, military force, or other group. The character follows all codes of behavior, teachings, or orders deriving from their overwhelming loyalty to someone/something even if they conflict with the goals of the party or are not conductive to a long life in survival situations. Characters are also moved to expound upon the virtues of their object of obsession and often seek converts where possible. When confronted with those who seek to hinder or harm the object of obsession, the character will become violent and seek to end the threat.

Internal Compass

Characters with this trait generally know where they are in relation to a fixed point. They seldom get lost and gain a +2 bonus to the survival skill when dealing with travel and direction.

Irritating Personality

The character has an irritating habit that others dislike. When interacting with others, the character must roll a Will save (DC 15) to overcome their behavior. Players are encouraged to come up with ideas for the nature of the behavior. Ideas are inappropriate comments about an individual, sporadic laughter at inappropriate times, always claiming you have done or own better, or even being overly critical.

Light Sleeper

The character will awaken at the slightest noise or movement. Any sudden noise, even that of a comrade moving in his sleep or a log popping on the fire may wake the character. (Listen check of 10 + other modifiers against DC of 15 or opposed Move Silently roll to wake up.) If the character imbibes alcohol to excess or falls asleep from exhaustion they add +5 to the DC of the check to wake up. Characters with this trait who wake more than three times within an eight hour period tend to get fatigued the following day. Typically, these characters require at least ten hours to gain the benefits of a full night's rest. Light sleepers do not suffer disorientation from waking and can take a partial action the same round they wake.

Phobias

The character has an overwhelming fear of an object, creature, or situation. When forced to be around the object of objection, the character must roll a Will save (DC 15) or attempt to flee the encounter. When placed in violent or unavoidable confrontation with the object of objection, the character must roll a Will save (DC 25) or become panicked. Characters who make the save are still shaken until the encounter is over.

Dungeon Masters may alter the save DC depending on circumstances. Someone with a Phobia of Enclosed Spaces may gain bonuses to enter a cavern for safety if a red dragon is bearing down on them. Also, certain magical spells may grant the character a temporary bonus to their saves against phobias. Phobias are natural fear effects and classes or races with an immunity to fear may still suffer from the effects of a Phobia. See the table below for a list of possible Phobias.

Types of Phobias
d12	Phobia	d12	Phobia
1	Crowds	7	Other
2	Darkness	8	Snakes
3	Enclosed Spaces	9	Spiders
4	Heights	10	Filth and Disease
5	Magic	11	Undead
6	Monster Type	12	Water