Traits

Traits are character advantages or flaws which go beyond what skills and attributes can easily define. They allow you to choose quirks, talents, and conditions to further expand and define your character. You can choose as many or as few traits as you want, but they all have a point value; traits which provide an advantage cost points, while those which put your character at a disadvantage refund points.

Choose your traits carefully; while they provide bonuses or penalties to your character rolls, they are intended more to add more dimension to your character, and your roleplay. Don't take a trait you don't intend to play.

Absent Minded

You are the type that forgets things easily; you don't tend to forget big important things, but relatively small matters often fail to find purchase in your memory for whatever reason. No matter how much you might remind yourself of something ahead of time, some little thing is going to be forgotten, only to be remembered later. Now where did you put your keys?

The GM may randomly decide that you've forgotten some small but important detail of an event, campaign, or operation; this could be a fact, a part of a plan, or an item of importance, at the GM's discretion.

Cost: -3

Absolute Direction

You have an innate navigational sense, and practically never get lost. You can find your way out of mazes and tunnels better than most, and you always seem to have an accurate sense of where you are, provided you can see the stars, or find some kind of landmark to orient yourself by. You gain a +3 bonus to Survival and Tracking when finding your way in unknown territory. This sense of direction also lends itself to astrological navigation, to which you gain a +2 bonus.

Cost: 3

Ambidextrous

You are as comfortable using your right hand as your left, and are therefore more adept at multitasking. In any given round, the multi-action penalty begins to apply on the third action instead of the second.

Cost: 4

Animal Affinity

You have a natural affinity for animals. Generally speaking, they like you and you like them. Maybe you even prefer the company of animals over that of your own species. Who are we to judge? Whatever the case, you tend to put animals at ease, and at times even have a natural sense for their emotions and needs. You can't quite 'talk with the animals' but you can read them better than most members of your species.

All difficulty levels when training, taming, or calming animals are reduced by one level. Additionally, if commanding a trained animal, the difficulty to do so is reduced by one level.

Cost: 3

Artistry

You have that touch of genius, creative edge and skill that sets a person apart from others in the same field. It is the difference between competence and a quality that sets the artist’s work above all others in their field.

Cost: 0

Attractive

As a specimen of your species you are generally considered to be above-average in the looks department. Those who are attracted to your species and gender (if applicable) will be more attracted to you than the average specimen. Having natural good looks comes with a lot of benefits; you tend to give a better first impression, be more trusted by others, less likely to be assumed a villain, and more.

You gain a +2 bonus to social rolls such as Con or Persuade where your appearance can be a factor in how others perceive your intentions, when dealing with a being who finds your species and gender attractive.

This trait is primarily intended to be used to gain advantage over non-player characters; any effect your appearance might have on a player character is entirely at their discretion regardless of any rolls.

Cost: 3

Blind

You can't see. Period. You either don't have eyes, or they don't work. Maybe you were born with sight, but lost it, or maybe you were born blind. Whatever the case, the visual world is beyond your ability to perceive in all respects.

You take a -9 penalty when performing any action which requires sight under normal circumstances. This condition may be overcome by use of the Force Sight power. The player may roll this power without taking a penalty when performing the action. If you wish to regain your sight (or gain it for the first time) by means of cybernetic implants, optic nerve transplant, or other means, you must spend a minimum of 15 Character Points per eye.

Cost: -6

Bloodlust

You have a hard time 'cooling off' when you're in a combat situation. When you start fighting, you will keep fighting until all perceived enemies are eliminated with extreme prejudice. To stop fighting before all enemies are eliminated, you must pass a Willpower roll of 11. If this roll fails, you must wait one full round before making another attempt. This trait also allows you ignore one successful blow against you that is not a critical (natural 20) every five rounds of combat.

Cost: 2

Brawl Star

You're a natural hand-to-hand fighter, with speed, reflexes, and intuition that put most other members of your species to shame. You gain a +3 bonus to all Brawl rolls.

Cost: 2

Callous

Whether it's intentional or not, you come across as cold and uncaring. Because of your callous presentation, others are less inclined to trust or confide in you, and tend not to believe that you care about their problems whatsoever. You suffer a -3 penalty to any Con, Lead or Persuade rolls where this might be a factor.

Cost: -1

Clumsy

You're not graceful, and despite all your attempts to be careful, you're prone to bumping into things, dropping things, tripping on yourself or objects. Not to put too fine a point on it, you're a klutz. You suffer a -6 penalty to any action where care must be taken to avoid breaking something, tripping an alarm, or making excessive noise.

Cost: -3

Code of Honor

You live by a very rigid code. It defines not only how you fight, but also how you live. The specifics of this code are individual to you, but these rules inform every action and decision you make. For example, the Jedi live by a code of honor, as do the Mandalorians; very different codes, but the effect is ultimately the same. You are subject to penalties at the GM's discretion for breaking your code; these penalties might be for a single scene, or reach beyond it at which point staff will become involved.

Cost: -1

Colorblind

You can't see color. Everything is in black and white, which makes discerning meaning in certain signals problematic. You suffer a -3 penalty to Awareness skill rolls where color is a factor in how you are able to perceive meaning or activity.

Cost: -1

Commanding Presence

You have a naturally authoritative presence which makes others more willing to listen to your instructions and obey your orders. You receive a +2 to all Lead rolls.

Cost: 3

Cowardice

When faced with a dangerous situation, your fight or flight response veers overwhelmingly toward flight; if you're in danger of being hurt, you run away. It takes some pretty hefty self-control to overcome your cowardly nature, and you must pass a Willpower roll of 10 to act in a combat situation, unless that action is to high-tail it out of there.

Cost: -3

Deaf

Deafness is total or significant hearing loss. It could be the result of a congenital illness or defect, injury, disease, exposure to loud noise or from age-related wear and tear. Some types of deafness can be compensated for by auditory devices. Many hearing impaired people utilize sign language to communicate, and may read the lips of those speaking languages they know.

Cost: -4

Directionally Challenged

Someone says left and you go right. The moment you look up from a map you are probably lost. Often the directionally challenged won’t ask for directions and even when they do succumb to the need, can’t follow them.

Cost: -1

Eidetic Memory

Also known as total recall, an image, the written word or something heard once is engraved on the your mind, never to be forgotten. You remember pretty much everything you see, read, or experience, which is a handy party trick but also makes it easy for you to learn new things. You get a +2 bonus to any Knowledge skill which you have trained (but not skills you haven't trained). Unfortunately, you also remember every unpleasant thing you have ever experienced, as if it were completely fresh in your mind. +3 to any knowledge based skill roll.

Cost: 3

Financial Wizard

Rich and poor want you guiding their personal or company fortune. You understand the market and have a flair for picking out the stock, commodity or company that is going to rise. With a nose for upcoming disaster you keep yourself and those you work for solvent even in the worst crisis.

You gain a +3 bonus to Value, Bargain, and Persuade when rolled for business or money-related skills; in the event of a disagreement of what this bonus may relate to, defer to your GM.

Cost: 3

Gadgeteer

The ultimate tinkerer you delight in inventing gadgets out of materials at hand. Endless curiosity leads you up blind avenues but you into innovations that might deserve a patent. You are who people want on hand if lost on a trash dump planet or marooned in a desert with no means of escape except your ingenuity.

At the time of Character Generation or upgrade, pick one of: Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing, Starship Engineering, Vehicle Engineering, or Tech Operation, and gain a permanent +2 bonus to it.

Cost: 2

Glutton

With an appetite that knows no bounds (a gourmet appreciates the fine side of dining) a glutton is hard to satisfy, needing quantity over quality. You never have enough food.

A glutton receives a -3 penalty to Willpower rolls for the purposes of resisting the temptation or urge to eat, plus an additional -1 penalty for every three hours that pass since he was last able to eat, up to -10. This penalty is also applied when the glutton is being questioned or interrogated, and the threat of withholding food is being held over him.

Cost: -1

Gullible

Ready to believe the most unlikely story or ‘fact’, you are every con man’s and crooked politician’s dream. Often associated with the young and innocent, you could be cut off from the mainstream of galactic life in a desert or be brought up away from the latest technology making you more susceptible to believing anything.

A character with this trait receives an automatic -3 penalty to any roll to oppose a Persuade, Con, Bargain, or Intimidate roll.

Cost: -3

Gunslinger

You are known for being quicker and more ruthless than the average citizen who can use a blaster. A Gunslinger receives a +3 bonus to any Shoot roll, or a +2 bonus to a specialization of the Shoot skill. They also receive a +1 bonus to their Dodge rolls when evading blaster fire.

Cost: 4

Habitual Liar

Why live with the plain truth when you can embellish it? You lie about anything - your origins, education, abilities and intents and are more convincing about it than the average person. +2 to bluff rolls or convincing people that you are something that you aren't. A very good trait for a Con Man or Woman.

You must pass a Willpower roll of 10 in order to resist the urge to lie when asked a question. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus to Persuade or Con when lying. However, when a character doesn't believe your lie, or catches you in one, you suffer a -2 penalty to Persuade or Con against that character for the duration of the scene.

Cost: 2

High Pain Threshold

When other people are bent over in agony, you can push through the pain. This is real asset for a spy or shock fighter because you might not break under torture or stay longer in the ring than your adversary.

You gain a +2 bonus to Toughness rolls against physical attacks, a +2 bonus to Stamina when exerting yourself past your physical comfort levels, and a +2 bonus to Willpower for the purposes of persevering through pain and over-exertion. These bonuses cannot be applied if the character loses consciousness.

Cost: 3

Honest To A Fault

You are the person that tells their spouse that their clothes make their backside look fat when they ask how they look in new clothes. Definitely not someone suited to diplomacy or politics, telling the truth is a burning necessity for you, making you simultaneously very trustworthy and a liability. Furthermore, in order to resist the urge tell someone the truth of a situation, regardless of its social implications, you must pass a Willpower roll of 11, at the GM's discretion.

You automatically suffer a penalty against any attempt to lie or deceive, regardless of which skill is being used. A penalty of -1 to Con, Persuade, Lead and Intimidate and even Bargain, depending on the situation.

Cost: -1

Illiterate

Being illiterate puts you at a disadvantage in many situations in modern life from operating a space craft to voting in a local election. Tasks requiring reading and writing in one’s language will necessitate help from people are literate. Many illiterate people find work arounds such as memorizing the positions on a control panel or relying on someone to tell them which switch to turn on. Not being able to read caution signs and instructions will put you and others in serious danger at times.

Penalties for this trait will be applied as deemed appropriate by the GM on a case by case basis.

Cost: -1

Impulsive

Spur of the moment decisions can either land you in trouble or help you take advantage of opportunities. You might try to plan your next move but you feel more alive swimming in the moment and acting on your feelings. Some people would call that uninhibited others might call it rash. You prefer to rely on luck than on the well-laid plan.

You gain a +2 bonus to initiative rolls, however you also take a -2 penalty for the first action taken in combat or other spontaneous situations which would otherwise require forethought, planning, and tactical consideration, at the GM's discretion. After the first round of combat, you roll normally. For example, a fight breaks out in a bar. You roll initiative with a +2 bonus, but you take a -2 penalty to Brawl when you throw your first punch, because you didn't take any time to plan your attack.

Cost: 0

Indecisive

Making up your mind is agonizing. At your worst, you'd rather stay in bed than decide what to do when you get up. You start things and don't finish them. Committing yourself to a course of action takes you much longer than the average person, causing you to miss opportunities. You suffer a -2 penalty to Initiative rolls, and a -1 penalty for all Presence skills where the ability to make a decision may be a factor, at the GM's discretion.

Cost: -1

Iron Will

You are an indomitable spirit. Nothing will deter you from following a decision or accomplishing a goal. Implacable in the face of all obstacles, you stick to the course, sometimes to the harm of others if they get in your way. You are difficult to scare at the best of times, and do not crack easily under intimidation, threat, or pressure.

You gain a +2 bonus to all Willpower rolls.

Cost: 3

Keen Eyesight

Whether through natural or artificial means, your powers of sight are considerably better than others of your species. Though you do not necessarily see in ways they cannot, you possess overall better visual acuity, range, depth perception, and ability to see detail. A handy trait for pilots, hunters, trackers, and investigators.

You gain a +2 bonus to Search, and a +1 bonus to any Awareness or Coordination skill roll where sight may be a determining factor, at the discretion of the GM.

Cost: 3

Keen Hearing

Whether through natural or artificial means, your powers of hearing are considerably better than others of your species. Though you do not necessarily hear in a range outside of what is normal for your species, you are able to hear sounds which are quieter or further away than the average. You are also able to better differentiate individual sounds among a cacophony, and identify beings more easily by their voice.

You gain a +2 bonus to Search when listening for clues, and a +1 bonus to any Awareness or Coordination skill roll where hearing may be a determining factor, at the discretion of the GM.

Cost: 3

Keen Smell

Whether through natural or artificial means, your sense of smell is considerably more acute than others of your species. You are able to detect faint odors more easily, and identify individual components of a smell among a bouquet. You may even be able to identify others by their unique odor.

Your keen sense of smell grants you a +1 bonus to any Awareness roll in which smell may be a relevant factor, at the discretion of the GM.

Cost: 3

Kleptomaniac

You are a compulsive thief, and it's kind of a problem. When you are presented with the opportunity to steal something, you must succeed in a Willpower roll of at least 10 to resist the urge to take it (if you even want to resist). The difficulty level of the roll is determined by the apparent ease of the theft, at the discretion of the GM. If you fail to resist, you must take the item, but you gain a +1 bonus to Steal to do so. If you're caught, well, that's the problem.

Cost: 0

Learning Disability

You suffer from some mental or physiological condition which makes learning new skills difficult; this could be either some kind of dyslexia, dysnumia.

You may have difficulties learning to read or using math. Your experience in school may have been unpleasant because of a stutter that made you the object of derision.

Cost: -1

Lightfooted

You are lighter on your feet than other members of your species, which makes you quicker and more nimble than average. You can move more quietly, and with greater finesse than others. You gain a +2 bonus to Sneak in situations where moving silently is a relevant factor. You may choose one of Acrobatics, Dodge, or Leap to increase by +1 in CharGen at no additional cost.

Cost: 2

Linguist

Languages seem to come easily to you. You know that unless you have an eidetic memory it takes an investment in time and energy to master a new language especially if it comes from a group of languages that has no relationship to your own. You also know that learning to learn a language is the real secret. +2 advantage to Alien Cultures rolls if you speak the language.

Cost: 2

Low Pain Threshold

You are more sensitive to pain than other members of your species, and what might seem to others to be a minor bump or bruise can be a painful injury for you. When you take a hit of any kind, you must pass a Willpower roll that is greater than or equal to the attacker's successful roll against you, or else suffer a -1 penalty to all actions for the next 3 turns. If the successful attack was a critical (natural 20), suffer a -2 penalty to all actions for the next 3 turns.

Cost: -3

Major Addiction

You are afflicted with a crippling addiction, whether it is psychological or physical, and can't seem to break free of it. It may have started as a minor vice which didn't significantly interfere with your life, but by now it's a problem. You might not even realize that you have this addiction, but if you don't feed it regularly you will suffer the ill-effects of withdrawal.

For every day you go without feeding your addiction, you suffer a -1 penalty to all attributes, up to a maximum of -6.

Cost: -3

Major Phobia

You have an irrational and lasting fear of certain situations, activities, or objects which can send you into paroxysms of fear. When exposed to the source of your phobia, you must pass a Willpower roll of 18 or suffer a kind of mental and physical paralysis, which prevents you from acting in the current round. If your roll is successful, you may act as normal, but every round following you must pass a Willpower roll of 10 to avoid being frozen for one round.

You must specify the source of your phobia when selecting this trait. Common phobias include insects, serpents, wild animals, domestic animals, heights, storms, loneliness, aliens, heights, water, and fire.

Cost: -2

Minor Addiction

Minor implies that your addiction(s) don’t control your life, if you have to give them up then you are able to do it. Sweets might be hard to forego but if you have to do it, you can - so you don’t have that Corellian pastry everyday. That occasional sniff of spice or extra drink seems to keep you on keel. You are just being social, right?

Cost: 0

Minor Phobia

You have an irrational and lasting fear of certain situations, activities, or objects which can send you into paroxysms of fear. When exposed to the source of your phobia, you must pass a Willpower roll of at least 10 or suffer a kind of mental and physical paralysis, which prevents you from acting in the current round. If your roll is successful, you may act as normal for the rest of the scene.

You must specify the source of your phobia when selecting this trait. Common phobias include insects, serpents, wild animals, domestic animals, heights, storms, loneliness, aliens, heights, water, and fire.

Cost: -1

Missing Arm

You have one less arm than other members of your species. This makes it more difficult, or even impossible, to do things that require the regular number of arms or hands for someone of your species. You suffer a -2 penalty to any action which is normally performed with the full complement of arms or hands, and at the GM's discretion certain activities may be impossible for you to attempt.

Cost: -2

Missing Eye

You have one less eye than other members of your species. You can see, but your depth perception is significantly impaired, making it difficult to drive, fly, or shoot. You suffer a -2 penalty to any action in which depth perception plays a key role, such as those mentioned. On the upside, eye-patches are in fashion in the Outer Rim.

Cost: -1

Missing Leg

You have one less leg than other members of your species, whether through accident, injury, or birth. For a bipedal species, missing a leg puts you at a pretty serious disadvantage, as you will need to rely on a crutch or cane to support your weight, or use a hoverchair to get around. Your other leg works fine, but they're best in pairs.

You suffer a -3 penalty to all Run, Dodge, Brawl, and Melee rolls.

Cost: -3

Motion Sickness

Any time you get into a moving vehicle, you suffer from extreme nausea. This makes most forms of travel unpleasant, but space travel even moreso; stasis pods are your friend. This is a terrible thing to suffer from if you're a pilot or a driver, as you suffer a -2 penalty to any Pilot or Drive checks. Additionally, the feeling of weightlessness sets off your motion sickness, and you suffer a -1 penalty to any action made in zero-gravity.

Cost: -2

Mute

You can't speak. This may be psychological or physical, but it's persistent and not something you'll just get over. You can communicate using sign language, writing, or Telepathy, but not your own natural voice. There's something to be said for body language, but a lot of meaning can be lost without vocalization. Penalties are at the discretion of the GM for interpersonal skills where spoken communication is important. You also can't shout warnings to your comrades in battle.

Cost: -3

Natural Charisma

You have a natural way of speaking and acting which puts other beings at ease around you. Others gravitate to you because of your charm and personal magnetism, which allows you to easily garner trust and goodwill. Your natural charisma offers many benefits; you find it easy to persuade others to your cause, to influence their thinking, and inspire action. Whether it's intimate personal interaction, or addressing a crowd, your charismatic nature cannot being denied. You gain a +2 bonus to all interpersonal Presence skill rolls.

Cost: 3

Night Blindness

Due to a congenital or acquired defect, you cannot see in dim light where others of your species may be able to. You suffer twice the penalty for actions made in darkness or dim lighting as others of your species for the same action.

Cost: -1

Night Vision

Your visual range and acuity in dim lighting or darkness is considerably above that of the average member of your species. You suffer half (rounded down) the normal penalty for actions taken in dim lighting or darkness as others of your species for the same action.

Cost: 3

Open Book

You are a con artist's dream come true; a being who is unable to effectively hide their emotions, motives, and reactions. Others find you easy to read, either through your body language, facial expressions, or way of speaking. This makes you an exceptionally bad liar. You suffer a -2 penalty to Con (and to Persuade when attempting to lie), as well as any attempt to conceal your true feelings from others who may probe, such as through Intimidate.

Cost: -1

Pacifist

You do not condone or believe in, and refuse to participate in activities which involve violence of any kind. When faced with a violent situation, you must pass a Willpower roll of 18 to be able to disregard your beliefs in order to act, if you feel that you should; for example if intervention might save a life. If you physically harm another being during any action, you suffer a -2 penalty to all Willpower skill rolls until you are able to atone for the transgression.

Cost: -1

Social Chameleon

You are easily able to adapt your behavior, mannerisms, even your way of speaking to seamlessly fit into any social situation. You are as at home at a diplomatic reception among high society as you are throwing dice in a dive bar on a backwater rim world. You gain a +2 bonus to Disguise, Con, Persuade, and Perform.

Cost: 3

Socially Awkward

You find social situations difficult, to put it mildly. Interacting with others, particularly in groups, is a trial; you might suffer any number of social afflictions such as stuttering, sweating, nausea, or inability to speak, but the end result is that you don't do well in any kind of a crowd. You suffer a -2 penalty to any non-Force Presence skill roll when interacting in groups of more than two.

Cost: -1

Stick Jockey

You've always been at home in the cockpit, behind the controls of a starship or aerospace fighter, and you have an uncanny natural talent for piloting and gunnery. Your ship is an extension of yourself; maybe even more than that. You gain a +3 bonus to all Pilot and Gunnery rolls, as well as +2 for Tech Operation when operating shipboard devices or systems.

Supreme Confidence

You have confidence and assurance coming out of your pores, and everyone can see it. You are absolutely sure of your own abilities, and you aren't afraid to show it. On the one hand, your natural confidence and strength can inspire that in others, but on the other you have a tendency to bite off more than you can chew.

You gain a +2 bonus to Persuade, Lead, Intimidate, and Willpower. However, you also believe that you can handle almost anything on your own, so at the GM's discretion you must pass a Willpower check (without bonus) to resist the urge to charge in on your own without forming a coherent plan.

Cost: 3

Unattractive

When it comes to beauty, every species has its own definitions, and what one species finds attractive may be the complete opposite of another. So someone, somewhere, might think you're okay-looking, but no-one from your own species would agree with that assessment. You better hope to have a winning personality to make up for what you lack in the looks department.

Your unattractiveness affects how others react to you in a negative way; you suffer a -2 penalty to Persuade, Lead, Con, and Perform when interacting with a species who does not find your repulsiveness conventionally attractive. On the upside, you gain a +1 bonus to Intimidate, because you're a hideous creature a mother might use to scare her children into going to bed on time.

Cost: -1

Unpleasant Odor

You smell. Not in the way that Rodians smell bad to non-Rodians. It's not pheremones, it's just gross. Whether it's body odour, constant gas, or some other noxious substance which emanates from you, other beings who possess olfactory senses find you disgusting to inhale around. You suffer a -1 penalty to any interpersonal rolls made in close proximity to the target, unless the target lacks the ability to smell.

Cost: -1

Weak Willed

You're a bit of a coward, and generally lack confidence. You suffer a -2 penalty to Willpower when opposing or resisting others, as well as a -2 penalty to Lead.

Cost: -1

Weapon Master

It's entirely possible that you were born with a sword in one hand and a knife in the other. You have an uncanny natural ability in the arts of melee combat, and any weapon you choose to wield becomes even deadlier in your expert hands. You gain a +2 bonus to all Melee rolls and specializations.

Cost: 4

Well Balanced

You have a natural equilibrium which puts other members of your species to shame. You can walk a tight rope, or across a narrow ledge without fear of falling. Your natural equilibrium makes you difficult to put off balance, and allows you to perform otherwise difficult acrobatic feats with relative ease. You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, and Ride.

Cost: 3

Xenophobic

Hate is a strong word, but you are possessed of an irrational aversion to sentients of a species not your own. Whether you can admit it or not, you only really like your own kind. You find it difficult to relate to, work with, or otherwise interact with other species, and suffer a -2 penalty to any Presence skill roll when directed toward a member of another species.

Cost: -1