Merits and Flaws: The Big List

Merits and Flaws: The Big List Jul 28, 2016 15:53:45 GMT -5

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Post by Bex on Jul 28, 2016 15:53:45 GMT -5

NOTE: ALL MERITS AND FLAWS ARE SUBJECT TO ST APPROVAL REGARDLESS OF HOW COMMON THEY MAY APPEAR. Many merits within this list are specific to Dark Ages.

Physical Merits
Ambidextrous (1pt Merit)

You have a very high degree of off-hand dexterity, and you can therefore perform tasks with your “wrong” hand at no additional penalty. You must still use the rules for taking multiple actions, but you do not suffer a difficulty penalty if, say, you use two weapons simultaneously or are forced to use your off-hand.

Catlike Balance (1pt Merit)

You possess an innate sense of near perfect balance. Characters with this Merit reduce the difficulties of all balance-related rolls (for example, a Dexterity + Athletics roll to walk along a narrow ledge on the cathedral rooftop) by -2.

Early Riser (1pt Merit)

No one can quite explain it, but you can function beautifully on far less sleep than most people ever could. You can subsist perfectly on merely four hours of sleep in a twenty-four hour period without suffering from any fatigue, insuring that even if you stayed awake until the wee hours of the morning, you can still awaken just before dawn with no side effects or grogginess.

Bruiser (1pt Merit)

Your appearance is sufficiently rugged and thug-like that it easily inspires fear or disquiet in those who can see you. While you are not necessarily unattractive, you do radiate a sort of subtle menace that will cause most folks to cross the street to avoid you. You are at a -1 Difficulty on all Intimidation rolls against those you are leveling Physical Intimidation against; the only time this does not work is if the individual in question has already displayed their physical superiority over you.

Unobtrusive (1pt Merit)

You are unbelievably average in both appearance and action. You don’t attract attention to yourself, for better or worse. Others have a +1 difficulty when trying to remember anything specific about you physically, be it your hair color or physical build to the sound of your voice.

Friendly Face (1pt Merit)

You have the kind of face or physical build that reminds everyone of someone, to the point where many strangers are inclined to be well-inclined toward you because of it. The effect doesn’t immediately fade if you explain the ‘honest mistake’, leaving you at -1 Difficulty on all appropriate and positive Social-based rolls (yes for seduction, no for intimidation, for example), when a stranger is involved. This Merit only takes effect when meeting another individual for the first time.

Poison Resistance (1pt Merit)

You have, for some reason or another, become fairly resistant to poisons. It could be that you are somehow naturally resistant due to strong genes or perhaps you spent years building up your resistance to various poisons. Any time you need to make a soak roll against the effects of a poison, conventional or mystical, reduce your difficulty on the roll by -2.

Acute Senses (1-3pt Merit)

One of your natural senses is exceptionally sharp, be it sight, smell, taste, touch, or hearing. The difficulties for all tasks involving the use of this particular sense are reduced by a whopping -2. For 3 points, this Merit infers that all of your senses are honed to almost superhuman sharpness, allowing a -2 difficulty on all sensory-based rolls that would be relevant.

Double-Jointed (1-3pt Merit)

You are gifted with the ability to be unusually supple and flexible, and therefore the difficulty involving the use of the character’s bodily flexibility is reduced by -2. Squeezing through a tiny space or escaping restraints is two examples for the use of this particular Merit. For three points, you can bend most joints backwards, dislocate others at will and perform feats of contortion impossible for the typical human body (such as turning your head to look virtually straight back). You can escape most restraints easily and slither through small spaces automatically.

Hale (2pt Merit)

God has granted you an unusual level of constitution. You are rarely in less than robust health and take ill very infrequently. A character with this Merit may subtract a -2 from the difficulties to resist contracting disease, illness, or even developing an infection in a wound, whether natural or supernatural in nature.

Pain Resistant (2pt Merit)

For reasons unknown, perhaps through the strength of your faith or convictions, perhaps through having experienced unspeakable pain numerous times, you have acquired an unusual resistance to physical pain. All wound penalties are reduced by one (so when at the Wounded Health Level your character loses merely one die, not two).

Enchanting Voice (2pt Merit)

There is something about the sound of your voice that others cannot quite ignore. When you command, they are cowed. When you seduce, they swoon. Whether thunderous, gentle, persuading or simply carrying on casual conversation, your voice commands attention. The difficulties of all die rolls involving the use of one’s voice specifically to persuade, charm, seduce or command are reduced by -2.

Nimble Physique (2pt Merit)

You are exceptionally lithe and athletically toned. As such, you can sprint twice the distance others might with the same Dexterity rating, and all Dexterity rolls are at a -1 Difficulty due to exceptional speed and vigor. This does not benefit fine motor skills, such as pick-pocketing and creating works of art.

Strong Back (2pt Merit)

You are exceptionally well-muscled and conditioned. As such, you can lift a full 100lbs more than your Strength rating permits, and all feats of strength you undertake (save for lifting weight maximum) are rated as though your Strength rating was 2 dots higher than it actually is, allowing you to perform actions that would otherwise be impossible (or at the very least difficult) with greater ease and finesse.

Dare Devil (3pt Merit)

You are good at taking wild risks, and even better at surviving them intact. When attempting an exceptionally risky action (such as leaping from horseback onto a moving cart hurtling along at breakneck speeds) characters with this Merit add an additional three dice to their rolls and negate a single botch die that may result from such a roll. (A particularly risky situation is, of course, at Storyteller discretion, but rest assured, it would need to be pretty damn intense.)

Keen Aim (3pt Merit)

Your aim is truly blessed, like young David's when he let loose his sling stone against the Philistine giant Goliath. Your keen perception of distance and understanding of other relevant factors give you a clear advantage on all ranged attack, be it with throwing knives or crossbows and everything in between. Whenever taking an aiming action prior to loosing the ranged weapon upon a foe, double all the benefits of aiming.

Flawless Poise (3pt Merit)

Your sense of balance and poise is absolutely perfect, and it is unlikely you will ever fall over the course of your entire existence. This Merit functions for such actions as tightrope walking, crossing thin ice, or climbing mountain sides. All Difficulties involving such feats are reduced by -3. Additionally, your character cannot suffer from 'knockdown' or 'knockback', but can still be rendered prone at Storyteller discretion.

Tough As Nails (3pt Merit)

You come from truly hardy, thick-skinned stock, or perhaps God has merely favored you. Because of this unique fortitude of your physical body, you easily shrug off damage that most would find crippling and painful. All soak (Bashing, Lethal and Aggravated) rolls are made at a -1 Difficulty.

Huge Size (4pt Merit)

You are abnormally large in size, at least six-foot-five and 300lbs in weight. Aside from making you extremely noticeable in public, this extra mass bestows an additional TWO Bruised Health Levels. Characters with this Merit may also gain bonuses to push or haul objects, force open barred doors, avoid being knocked down and so on (at Storyteller discretion).

Nine Lives (4pt Merit)

Fate has granted you the opportunity to come as close to death as anyone can get and still manage to survive. When a roll is made (generally a damage roll) that would result in your demise, the roll is made again and any 'automatic' successes (like from Potence) are reflexively negated. If the next roll, thusly adjusted, allows you to live, then one of your nine lives is used up permanently. If that subsequent roll would still result in your demise, then another reroll is made under the same stipulations, and this process will repeat itself until either you survive successfully or all nine of your lives are used up, at which point you obviously perish. The Storyteller will be keeping count of your lives left, and you only receive the nine for the entire time this character is used.

Physical Flaws
Short (1pt Flaw)

You are well below average height—four-foot-five or less. Though not quite a midget or dwarf, you are quite short indeed. You have difficulty reaching or manipulating objects designed for normal adult size, and your running speed is one-half that of a normally proportioned human being.

Twitch (1pt Flaw)

You have some sort of repetitive motion that you make in times of stress, and it is a dead giveaway as to your identity. Examples include a nervous cough, constantly wringing your hands, cracking your knuckles, or perhaps something as simple as an eye twitch or the like. It costs one Willpower point to refrain from engaging in your fidgeting, compulsive twitch.

Defective Senses (1-3pt Flaw)

One of your character’s senses is dulled or abnormally damaged in some fashion, be it sight, hearing, smell, touch or taste. Maybe you are near-sighted or color-blind, maybe your nerves are dulled and you cannot feel sensation too well, has limited taste receptors, or is hard of hearing. In any situation where your chosen defective sense is called into use, you suffer a +2 difficulty to the roll’s difficulty. The three point version insures all of your natural senses have been dulled somehow, and so this penalty is incurred on all sensory rolls. You cannot purchase Acute Senses if you take this Flaw.

Disfigured (2pt Flaw)

A hideous physical disfigurement or horrendous series of noticeable scars makes your character disturbing to look at, and therefore, you cannot have an Appearance rating over 2. These disfigurements are purely cosmetic in nature and do not affect your physical capabilities directly. The difficulties of all die rolls relating to social interaction with those who can see your disfigurement increases by +2.

Weak Lungs (2pt Flaw)

You possess an unfortunate deformity or chronic illness of the lungs, meaning that you become winded easily and often. This could be asthma, a non-lethal form of the consumption, simply pathetically weak cardiovascular constitution, or long-term exposure to the dust and grit of the mines. Regardless of the reason, any difficulties of all sustained physical activity (running, prolonged combat, climbing, swimming, etc.) rolls increases by +1 after the third round of action.

Clumsy (2pt Flaw)

Your character is unusually clumsy and awkward when it come to movement and coordination. Because of this unfortunate fact, all Dexterity rolls suffer a two dice penalty (to a minimum of one dice), and all fine motor skill rolls also incur a +1 Difficulty.

One Ear / One Eye (2pt Flaw)

Your character is missing an ear or an eye, or else has suffered grievous damage or a terrible birth defect that has rendered such an organ utterly useless or nonexistent. The difficulties of all Perception rolls using the appropriate sense (sight or hearing) increases by +2 (like the Defective Senses Flaw, which cannot be taken in conjunction with this flaw unless it is the three point version). Furthermore, a character with only one eye suffers a +1 difficulty to tasks involving the intrinsic use of depth-perception, while a character with only one functioning ear suffers the same +1 difficulty to try and determine the location of a given sound.

Addiction (2pt Flaw)

You suffer from an addiction to some form of substance, which must be present and available as often as possible, hopefully several times a day for your character to abuse. It can be alcohol, an opiate or even subtle doses of a poison. This substance will impair you in some fashion when taken, and when you are going without, you will suffer withdrawal. Also, whenever presented with the opportunity to obtain this substance, you will need to make a Temporary Willpower roll, difficulty 7, to resist doing whatever it takes (within reason) to acquire it.

Low Pain Threshold (2pt Flaw)

You are not particularly blessed when it comes to resisting physical discomfort and pain. What others would consider to be minor pain would debilitate you. Although you soak damage normally, you suffer from an additional -1 die pool penalty whenever you are injured (and therefore even a -1 penalty even at Bruised).

Leper (2-3pt Flaw)

You suffer from leprosy itself or some other equally terrible skin disease that could be confused for leprosy. Your Appearance can be no higher than a rating of 2, and your flesh is marred by unsightly rashes, pale patches, festering sores, unpleasant scars and so on. Your skin disease, whatever it is, is obvious to anyone who looks upon you. Authorities are unlikely to grant you entry into any cities, and you are treated with both fear and revulsion. You may be compelled to dress in a specific manner and even carry castanets or other devices to announce your coming lest you be stoned to death for bringing illness among the healthy. The three point version implies that your condition is still contagious, and can be passed through contact with bodily fluids, be it pus from sores, saliva from the mouth, blood from a wound, or less savory substances.

Deformity (3pt Flaw)

You have some kind of genetic physical deformity—a misshapen limb, hunchback, clubfoot, etc.—which directly effects your physical abilities and interactions with other. A hunchback, for instance, would lower a character’s Dexterity by two full dots (to a minimum rating of one), and increase the difficulty of social rolls by +1. Most folks in the medieval era feared those with deformities, believing it to be the manifestation of an impure and twisted soul, or at the very least, some sort of unfortunate curse levied against the individual or his family. It is the responsibility of the Storyteller to determine the specific effects of a proposed deformity.

One Arm (3pt Flaw)

Either due to an unfortunate birth defect or some terrible injury, your character possesses only one arm. It is assumed you are accustomed to using your only remaining arm and hand, so you suffer no off-hand penalty regardless of which arm is missing. However, you do suffer from a two die penalty to any dice pool wherein two hands would normally be needed to perform a task, and any attempt to maintain finite balance incurs a +1 penalty to the dice roll due to your lack of another arm to off-set your weight distribution. You may not take the Ambidextrous Merit if you take this Flaw.

Lame (3pt Flaw)

One or both of your legs are damaged in some manner, which prevents you from walking or running easily. You are forced to walk with a cane or crutch and have a very pronounced limp to your stride. Your walking speed (with a cane or crutch to aid you) is one-third the normal movement rate of a normal person and running is impossible to manage at all.

Slow Healing (3pt Flaw)

You are not graced with a fine constitution and heal more slowly than most folks do. You are more prone to infection, suffering a +1 difficulty to resist contracting one, and heal at double the normal rates for someone suffering from the same level of damage with proper medical attention (so your character would heal from the Wounded Health Level in two months, not one).

Monstrous (3pt Flaw)

Your physical form was either horrifically warped from birth, or you have received such extensive scarring that you only vaguely resemble a normal human anymore. You appear little better than a monster, twisted and gnarled with grotesquerie, or scarred to a point of being absolutely repulsive to gaze upon at all. Because of this, your Appearance rating is automatically 0, and cannot be raised with Experience Points.

Diseased (3pt Flaw)

During the course of your life, you contracted one or more contagious diseases (excluding Leprosy; see the Flaw called Leper). These diseases will be less than obvious, but will be highly contagious to mortals. Most such diseases are often fatal to mortals as well, given the poor medicinal innovations and wretched hygeine of the era. Dysentery (the Flux), Idropsie (Dropsy), Syphilis, Tuberculosis, Plague, Ergotism and many more would be appropriate illnesses to have contracted. The exact negative effects this has upon your virulent character will be established with the Storyteller after acquiring the Flaw.

Deaf (4pt Flaw)

You are incapable of hearing anything whatsoever. While this may allow you to ignore certain applications of Dominate or the like, you will also not hear warnings, and you will suffer great difficulty in normal communication if you cannot expertly read lips. Subsequently, the difficulty of all Perception rolls that involve hearing increase by +3.

Mute (4pt Flaw)

You cannot speak whatsoever, but can grunt, groan, scream and the like exclusively. You may communicate your actions easily enough, of course, but cannot effectively converse with others unless everyone involved (including yourself!) is fluent in some manner of sign language or you manage to write down whatever you mean to say. In the event that 'charades' prove necessary, rolls will be required that likely involve Intelligence + Performance checks, difficulty varying upon the complexity of the message trying to be conveyed.

Blind (4pt Flaw)

You cannot see whatsoever. You can attempt to compensate for the loss of vision by becoming more sensitive to other forms of sensory input, but visual cues and images are lost to you completely. Actions involving hand-eye coordination are very difficult to perform, especially under stressful conditions. Difficulties of all Dexterity-based rolls save in extremely familiar environments increase by +2. Vampires with Auspex 2 (Soul Sight) are still able to use this ability, though the information gleaned is instead interpreted through other senses.

Elderly (4pt Flaw)

Although your mind and spirit may be strong, your body is frail with age; you are at least sixty years old, if not older. Still, you bring experience to any endeavor in which you undertake. All difficulties on physical rolls increase by +1, and if you ever botch a physical roll, you must immediately roll the appropriate Attribute just botched at difficulty 6. If that roll fails, you lose a dot from that Attribute permanently as the strain crippled you in your age. Dropping to zero in either Strength or Dexterity insures the character is permanently and thoroughly crippled, unable to move on their own, little better than a weak paraplegic. If Stamina drops to a zero, the character’s body gives out, and over the course of the next few hours, their health swiftly deteriorates and they perish tragically of their age-related frailties.

Mental Merits
Celestial Attunement (1pt Merit)

You have an innate link to the passage of time and the movement of the celestial bodies. You can estimate the time until sunrise or sunset within a matter of a couple moments, and you can follow the phases of the moon in your head. Those with some training in astrology and this Merit can foretell astrological conjunctions without access to charts. You can accomplish any of these feats with a minimum of concentration.

Concentration (1pt Merit)

You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out distractions and annoyances. Characters with this Merit are unaffected by any penalties stemming from distracting circumstances (e.g. loud noises, hanging upside down).

Common Sense (1pt Merit)

You possess a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever the character with Common Sense is about to act in a way contrary to common sense itself (or has an ally about to do so), the Storyteller can make suggestions or warnings about the implications of said action. This is a very useful Merit to take if you are not accustomed to the Dark Ages setting or normally do not play Vampire the Masquerade.

Coldly Logical (1pt Merit)

While some might refer to you as ‘detached’ or ‘alien’, you have an innate knack for separating factual reporting from emotional or hysterical coloration. You may or may not be emotional yourself, but you can see clearly when others are trying to cloud the facts from your scrutiny. This ensures a -1 to the difficulty of all rolls meant to discern the truth from deception, as well as to correlate related facts into a concrete hypothesis to draw a hopefully sound conclusion. Non-supernatural individuals also suffer a +1 difficulty when rolling Subterfuge in an attempt to deceive you.

Lightning Calculator (1pt Merit)

Your character has a keen mind for numbers, and can perform complex mathematical equations in her head instantly with little error and at the impressive speed of thought. This could be anything from calculating the cost of a fine feast to figuring out how much lumber would be required to build a noble’s summer cottage. You as a player may therefore use a calculator during play at any time, even when your character is fleeing for his or her life.

Ability Aptitude (1pt Merit)

For every mundane ability that exists there are those rare few who have a natural flair for it. Choose one Ability to become your character’s aptitude, and thereafter, it will function for that Ability and that Ability alone. A natural Linguistics Aptitude helps a character pick up new languages much more easily, speaking without any trace of an accent, while a crack Ride Aptitude insures a horseman can perform phenomenal tricks and feats while astride a trusty mount. Whenever this Ability comes into play, the difficulty is always lowered by -1. This particular Merit can be taken no more than twice for two separate Abilities; nobody is good at everything, after all.

Lion-Hearted (1pt Merit)

In a moment of great crisis, you may call upon your inner reserves of honor and nobility to fortify your resolve and bolster your moral strength. Once per story, you may reflexively spend a point of Willpower to subsitute your Permanent Willpower rating for both your Self-Control/Conviction and Courage for the duration of the scene. Characters who ascribe to roads that do not venerate heroism and valor may not purchase or retain this Merit.

Religious Devotion (1-3pt Merit)

You are piously devoted to service to or reverence of some benevolent higher power, be it Christ, Allah, Odin, or some other positive deity. Once per story, you may pray to your generous deity for aid and guidance, seeking solace in their divine grace. In game terms, your character receives one to three points of Temporary Willpower (depending on the value of the Merit) for the scene, even if this takes her over her usual maximum. If these points are spent in a manner that is frivolous or antithetical to the character’s belief system, this Merit may be rescinded until she can make amends with her own conscience.

Light Sleeper (2pt Merit)

You can awaken instantly at any sign of trouble or danger, and do so without any sleepiness or hesitation. The Storyteller will discern what is a legitimate threat and what is not. You may ignore rules regarding restrictions on the number of dice available when roused from slumber in opposition to your normal sleeping cycle.

Code of Honor (2pt Merit)

You have a personal code of ethics to which you adhere. The specifics of this code must be worked out with the Storyteller prior to play, and the character must believe in and follow these laws of self-conduct and morality strictly. Characters with this rare Merit gain two additional dice to all Willpower or Virtue rolls when acting in accordance with their code (e.g., defending the helpless) or when attempting to avoid circumstances and situations that might force them to violate their code.

Natural Linguist (2pt Merit)

You have an innate flair for languages and accents. You may add three dice to any dice pool involving written or spoken languages. Casual conversation does not gain this particular benefit, but complex conversation in foreign tongues will indeed count. Lastly, by hearing the accent of a foreigner, even if you are not familiar with their language, you can likely estimate their homeland of origin.

Eidetic Memory (2pt Merit)

You remember what you see and hear with perfect detail and clarity. Documents, events and conversations can be committed to memory with only minor concentration. Under stressful conditions, you must make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 6) to summon enough concentration to absorb what your senses detect and commit it properly to memory.

Calm Heart (2pt Merit)

You are naturally calm and poised, slow to anger, and rarely would even consider flying off the handle in rage. You receive two bonus dice to any Self-Control or Courage rolls when attempting to remain calm and collected. You may not take this Merit if you posses the Short Fuse Flaw.

Dual Nature (3pt Merit)

You have two distinct yet compatible Natures, both of which influence your personality simultaneously. You may therefore regain lost Willpower points using both Natures as well. You may still choose a Demeanor that is quite different from your Natures if you so choose, but your Natures need to be significantly compatible with one another in general. This is not the same as having multiple personalities, as that would be a form of madness.

Well-Educated (3pt Merit)

Either through monastic training or determined noble tutors, you are one of the lucky few to have received superlative tutelage in classic academics, natural sciences and divine theologies. Whenever you attempt a task involving a Knowledge you do not possess, your character may still try and make the roll! Instead of automatic failure, the roll is made at a +1 difficulty, identical to the manner in which Skills work if you try to roll it without the trait. Characters must have at least an Academics rating of 3 to be able to purchase this Merit.

Experienced (3pt Merit)

Your character’s mind is very open to the experiences he or she undertakes, and through introspective thought, is able to glean more from these situations than many others could. Due to this insight, your character receives an additional three experience points at the conclusion of every Story.

Precocious (3pt Merit)

Your character can learn very quickly, indeed. Choose an Ability set; Talents, Skills or Knowledges. The time it takes for you to pick up any Ability in that particular Ability set is cut in half, rounding up, as is the Experience Point costs to raise the Ability traits themselves.

Self-Confidence (4pt Merit)

When you spend a point of Willpower for an automatic success on a roll, your Self-Confidence Merit may allow you to gain the benefit of that expenditure without actually having to lose the spent Willpower point. When you declare that you are using a point of Willpower and roll for successes, you do not lose the point of spent Willpower unless the roll fails or botches. This Merit may only be used in play when you need unshakable confidence in your own abilities in order to succeed. You can also only use this if the difficulty of the given roll is 7 or higher.

Unimpressed (4pt Merit)

You have tight control over your own emotional state, are keenly aware of your own motivations and core beliefs, and possess a monstrous awareness of self. All rolls made to affect you with Presence or other emotionally manipulative supernatural powers add +3 to the difficulty due to your supreme self-mastery. Only characters with a Self-Control of 4 or higher and a Permanent Willpower rating of 6 or higher to acquire this Merit.

Iron Will (4pt Merit)

Your mind is a great castle with towers of ego, and your strength of will an impenetrable curtainwall to defend it. Any attempt to affect you with Dominate or otherwise mystically tamper with your mind adds +3 to the usual difficulty. This does not protect as thoroughly from the effects of emotional manipulation such as Presence and the like. Characters must possess a Permanent Willpower of 7 or higher and a Courage of 3 or higher to procure this Merit.

Mental Flaws
Shy (1pt Flaw)

You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people, somewhat timid, and will try to avoid social situations whenever you can. All social rolls are at a +1 difficulty due to your nervousness in the presence of others. If you are the center of attention amidst a crowd for some odd reason, your difficulty will raise to a +2.

Speech Impediment (1pt Flaw)

You stammer, stutter, lisp or slur your words whenever you speak. Others have a somewhat difficult time understanding you, and more mean-spirited individuals will be prone to mocking your inability to speak like everyone else can. All social rolls influenced by speech are made at a +2 difficulty.

Soft-Hearted (1pt Flaw)

You cannot stand to watch others suffer. You avoid any situation that involves causing someone physical or emotional pain, unless you make a Temporary Willpower roll (difficulty 8). You must have a Humanity rating of 7 or above to take this particular Flaw.

Deep Sleeper (1pt Flaw)

Whenever you sleep, it is very difficult for you to awaken, be it on your own, or with someone shaking you awake. If awakened without having had at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, you are -2 dice to all actions for the first three hours of being awake until you can catch your ‘second wind’. Moreover, the sounds that would normally stir someone from slumber are all but lost on you. You could sleep through a sword-fight in the next room.

Impatient (1pt Flaw)

You have no patience for standing around and waiting. You want to take care of business now, and the Devil take the hindmost. Every time you are forced to wait around instead of taking action, a Self-Control roll is required to see if you go haring off on your own instead. Hopefully the others might follow, after all.

Overconfident (1pt Flaw)

You have an exaggerated and unshakable opinion of your own worth and capabilities. You never hesitate to trust your abilities, even in situations where you would risk defeat. Because your actual capabilities may not be enough, such overconfidence can be very dangerous. When you do fail, you will quickly find someone or something else to blame for the failure. If you are convincing enough, you can sometimes infect others with your overconfidence.

Nightmares (1pt Flaw)

You suffer horrendous nightmares whenever you sleep. Perhaps they are memories of a terrible event in your life, or perhaps you are chronically disposed to such terrible dreams. Whenever you sleep, a Temporary Willpower roll must be made at difficulty 8. Success means you get a peaceful night’s sleep, whereas failure means you experience a terrible dream and wake up in a cold sweat. This broken sleep pattern insures you will be +1 difficulty to rolls that require focus the following day. Botching this roll means even though you awaken from the nightmare, you are delusional, trapped in a waking-nightmare.

Curiosity (2pt Flaw)

You are a naturally curious person, and find mysteries and secrets of any sort absolutely irresistable. In many cases, your curiosity can even override your common sense. To resist the temptation to poke and prod, make a Temporary Willpower roll (Difficulty varying depending upon the level of enticement trying to be resisted). To resist picking the lock and peeking into the locked cabinet would be Difficulty 5, whereas trying to resist investigating the shadowy figure dragging a body through a midnight alleyway while hissing and snarling would be Difficulty 8.

Obsession (2pt Flaw)

There is something you like, love or are utterly fascinated by to the point where you often disregard common sense to cater to this impulsive drive. You will instinctively react positively to anything related to your obsession, even if it is not in your best interests to do so. For example, if you are obsessed with local folklore, you will likely go out of your way to chat with wisewomen and talespinners of various cultures and creeds to hear such tales (or variations of known tales). If you are obsessed with weaponry, your home is filled with collected weapons from polearms to crossbows to broadswords and irritate your friends with constant prattle about the differences between a warhammer and a bec de corbin. This must be roleplayed to its fullest extent, and a Willpower point must be spent to supress your obsession for a scene.

Short Fuse (2pt Flaw)

You are easily angered and are prone to flying off the handle when provoked. People who know you are aware of this fact and do their best to walk on eggshells around you (assuming they are considerate types). Difficulties to Self-Control rolls to remain calm and level-headed, as well as to not launch forth in a blood-thirsty rage and attack the source of your anger, suffer a +2 difficulty.

Phobia (2pt Flaw)

You have an overpowering and irrational fear of something, be it snakes, spiders, crowds, heights, the dark, or something else fairly commonplace. You must make a reflexive Courage roll every time you encounter the object of your phobia. The difficulty will be determined by the severity of the situation, and if you fail the roll, you must retreat with panicked cowardice from the object. A botch results in you collapsing on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably in stark terror, unable to take action for a time.

Vengeful (2pt Flaw)

You have a score to settle and a grudge that will not die. You are obsessed with taking your revenge on an individual or group…or both. It is your overriding priority in any situation where you encounter the object of your revenge to satisfy that grudge. You may temporarily resist your need for vengeance by spending a Willpower point.

Sadism / Masochism (2pt Flaw)

You are excited by either causing pain in others or receiving pain inflicted upon your self. Choose which you prefer, or fall prey to both equally. In many situation where such options are viable, you will seek to be hurt of hurt someone for your own twisted enjoyment. For a masochist (someone who takes pleasure in pain), your soak roll for actual damage is increased in Difficulty by +1 because you really want to feel the pain. Additionally, a temporary Willpower point may need to be spent to avoid damage, such as Dodging. Despite this, masochists are not necessarily suicidal. A sadist (someone who takes pleasure in causing others pain) must make a Permanent Willpower roll to stop combat, torture, or the like, though the Difficulty will vary depending on how much enjoyment you are getting out of the experience. Failure ensures you will continue to harm the other individual(s), heedless of their well-being. Despite this, sadists are not necessarily sociopaths.

Faint of Heart (2pt Flaw)

You are easily sickened by the sights of base flesh and all things to do with it. Whenever you witness a gory scene of battle, obvious signs of corrupted flesh (like a leper) or an overt display of carnal lust, you must make a Temporary Willpower roll (difficulty 6). If the roll fails, you are overcome with light-headedness and nausea for the next few moments. If the roll botches, you double over suddenly and vomit uncontrollably. All difficulties while nauseous are increased by +1.

Deranged (2pt Flaw)

Either a pre-existing condition or the trauma of a past experience has sown madness into your brain. Your character possesses a serious derangement that dogs you in your everyday life. Choose one and propose it to me, and we shall insure we can make it work in the chronicle. It is possible for you to get over this madness in play (a long and arduous task, indeed). Spending a Willpower point will help subdue the signs of this Flaw through sheer focus, but it will only last for the scene. At Storyteller discretion, excess pressure may force it to resurface even with the Willpower expenditure.

Malicious Zealot (2pt Flaw)

God-fearing Christians (or Jews, Pagans or Muslims depending on your own religious persuasion) have nothing to fear from you, but you take great delight in causing pain and suffering in those who deliberately do not follow the 'true' faith you espouse. Heretics, individuals of other faiths, witches and the like are all suitable targets for your ire. Whenever you encounter such an individual, you must make a reflexive Permanent Willpower roll at Difficulty 6. Success leaves you irritated with the individual, but otherwise calm and functional. Failure ensures you take the opportunity to torment and provoke the victim as sadistically and callously as possible. A botch results in your being overwhelmed with your hate and contempt, likely attacking the individual(s) in question with the intent of making them suffer.

Absent-Minded (3pt Flaw)

Your character is notoriously forgetful and scatterbrained. You are not necessarily unintelligent, and do not forget such critical things as Knowledges and Skills, but you do forget other people’s names, titles, where you left your breeches and the last thing you ate, not to mention numerous other things, of course. In order to remember anything more than your own name, home address, age and occupation, you will need to make a Temporary Willpower roll at varying difficulty to focus and try and remember. If all else fails, spend a Willpower point to force immediate recollection. You cannot take the Concentration Merit with this Flaw.

Weak-Willed (3pt Flaw)

You are highly susceptible to the effects of Dominate and other mind-controlling abilities, to say nothing of meekly accepting of commands from intimidating and authoritative persons. Dominate and other mind-controlling magic affects you immediately without any resistance opportunities on your part, and your difficulty to resist the use of social rolls like Intimidation or Leadership by others are increased by +2. Your Permanent Willpower trait can never be raised above a rating of four (4).

Callous (4pt Flaw)

You are unusually cold and heartless towards others, even when they are innocent and in the worst kind of trouble. You will be willing to help but only when actually feel like it and if there is some potential reward in it for you. You would even turn your back on your own mother, unless there was some good reason not to. You must spend a Willpower point to come to someone’s aid without a clear benefit in it for you. Needless to say, this attitude does not endear you to many folks. You receive a +2 difficulty to any social rolls with people who know of your harsh reputation. Lastly, all Conscience rolls against degeneration suffer a +2 difficulty due to your callousness.

Flashbacks (4pt Flaw)

You suffered a terrible experience in your life that has left you not wholly intact mentally. Though not necessarily deranged, the most insignificant things can seem to throw you into a different mood or state of mind; therefore, your behavior can be a bit unpredictable. Because of your precarious emotional state, your Willpower often fluctuates wildly. At the beginning of each game session, make a Willpower roll, Difficulty 7. If you succeed, you may participate in the story as normal. If you fail, however, your Willpower will be considered to be a rating of 2 for the duration of the session. You may roll again at the beginning of the next session to see if you can regain your wits. While at a Willpower of 2, you are prone to having flashbacks of the traumatic event at random, fits of depression or mania, sometimes violent ourbursts or timid borderline catatonia. Others still will revert to childlike behavior, while others might simply become self-destructive.

Social Merits
Religious Heritage (1pt Merit)

This Merit indicates that your family has a history of dedicated service in the Church, known for their piety and purity, with some of these relatives likely gaining prominent positions within the local Church as well throughout the years. This connection works to your benefit as well, even if you yourself are not tied directly to the clergy. You receive a -2 difficulty modifier to social rolls when interacting with members of the Church or anyone else who would be appropriately impressed with your family’s exploits.

Master of Protocol (1pt Merit)

Someone has laboriously tutored you in most forms of etiquette, even customs outside of your local culture and region, to say nothing of time period. Your intensive schooling insures you could know the proper greeting for a Roman senator or the appropriate bow for a caliph just as easily as you would know titles of address within your own kingdom. As such, you may now learn as many Etiquette Specialties as your Intelligence + Etiquette, and you receive a -1 difficulty to any Etiquette roll involving those Specialties that can actually stack with other relevant Etiquette Specialties.

Prestigious Lineage (1pt Merit)

One of your parents or grandparents had great status among your social class and locality, and this has accorded you with a certain amount of prestige and respect. Though your parent or grandparent may no longer live or have routine dealings with you, the simple fact of your ancestry has marked you forever. This prestige might aid you greatly in dealings with your fellows, lessers or betters, though it could also engender jealousy or contempt on rare occasions among rivals.

Animal Magnetism (1pt Merit)

There is something mysteriously attractive to members of the opposite sex (or same sex if they happen to have same-sex preferences) about you and the manner in which you carry yourself. You receive a -2 difficulty on seduction rolls of any kind (which may inspire jealousy in others who view you as competition).

Natural Leader (1pt Merit)

You are gifted with a certain undeniable magnetism to which others naturally defer. You receive two extra dice when making a Leadership roll of any kind. You also must have a Charisma rating of 3 or higher to purchase this Merit.

Veteran Crusader (1pt Merit)

You once donned the Crusader's cross and successfully returned from the Holy Land, having done your duty to to God. You have experienced horrors and victories alike, and those around you know it. This accomplishment, even if you are a low-born peasant, gives you a special standing among your peers as well as repute among local knights, lords and ladies who never made the journey to Outremer themselves. Bards and minstrels may request that you share your stories that they might spin them into fanciful tales, nobles and peasants alike might put strong stock in your opinions of future Crusades and the tragic events in Iberia. Lastly, priests and the like might ask that you speak before the multitude at weekly Mass to speak of the virtues of serving God and marching in Heaven's cause.

Harmless (1pt Merit)

Everyone in your district of the city knows you, for better or worse, and knows you are no threat to any designs they may have in the works. While that sort of estimation may seem insulting, it is also what has kept you significantly safer than many others over the years. No one considers you worth their time to deal with, and that low opinion of you keeps you safe and secure. Keep in mind that if you begin to act in a manner contrary to public opinion to you, other’s opinions of you will change as a result, but at least you will have the element of surprise first. This is not a systemic Merit, but instead affects the way others treat you and perceive you.

Owed Boon (1-3pt Merit)

Someone in a position of power and authority owes you a favor because of something either you or a close family member did for him or her. The extent of the boon owed to you depends entirely upon the value of this Merit. One point would indicate a relatively minor favor, where three points would imply the individual who owes you has sworn a life-debt.

Bullyboy (2pt Merit)

You are part of the brute squad the local authorities throw together when they need to show some serious muscle. As a result, you get in on action that others miss entirely, score points with those in power, and occasionally get a chance to act outside of the law for personal reasons. Those who know of your reputation suffer a +1 difficulty in any Courage checks to stand against you, and you receive a -1 difficulty to social interaction with the local law enforcement.

Pious Evangelist (2pt Merit)

Your joy in your faith is a palpable thing that others can simply sense about you. Good faithful folk of your same religion enjoy being in your company and often come away with their own beliefs renewed by conversation with you. You have a knack for remembering apt Bible quotations that help people through their days and nights. You receive a -1 Difficulty all Social Rolls to interacting with other faithful individuals of your same religion, and you always receive two bonus dice to Theology rolls so long as you are not being manipulative with its use.

Artful Visionary (2pt Merit)

You are a consummate artist at heart. You reduce the Difficulty of any roll to create something new and innovative by -1. This can be actual Expression or Crafts rolls, or even the development of a new warfare tactic or gruesome torture method. Conversely, however, you will add a +1 to the Difficulty of any repetitive or menial task. You are ill-suited to such droll labors; surely everyone should see that you are more important than mere drudgery.

Courtly Regular (2pt Merit)

You have spent an unusual amount of time at the various courts of your city. You see and are seen to such an extent that all of the movers and shakers of the courts at least know who you are. Extended time spent at court also grants you extended opportunities to interact with the courtiers, ambassadors, judges and nobles of stature—and they are more likely to know your name should you approach them. Those who know of your reputation suffer a +1 difficulty in any Courage checks to stand against you in open court, and you receive a -1 difficulty to social interaction with the members of the courts.

Good Reputation (2pt Merit)

You have an excellent reputation among those people of your particular neighborhood. You may have earned this reputation, or inherited from your mentor or parents. Add two dice to any dice pools involving social dealings with your local neighbors and businesses. A character with this Merit may not take the Flaw Notoriety.

Sanctity (2pt Merit)

This Merit is sometimes called the halo effect; something about your demeanor convinces others that you are pure and innocent, though not necessarily naïve or helpless. You have a saint-like quality that is hard to pinpoint but cannot be denied. You are trusted by most run-of-the-mill folks, even if you are not actually trustworthy. At the Storyteller’s discretion, under certain circumstances, you may receive lesser punishments for wrongdoings performed. This is not a systemic Merit, but instead affects the way others treat you and perceive you.

Higher Purpose (3pt Merit)

Everyone has a ‘reason to live’, but you have a special commitment to your life and prosperity that transcends most people’s understanding. Your chosen goal guides you and directs you in all things. You do not concern yourself in petty matters and casual concerns because your character’s higher purpose is everything. Though you may find yourself herded along by this aim and find yourself forced to behave in ways contrary to the needs of personal survival, it can also grant you unspeakable inner strength. As such, you may add your Road rating to any Virtue roll for the cost of one Willpower point, and receive two bonus dice to any normal roll (Attribute + Ability) if the action involved will directly reinforce and strengthen your higher purpose immediately.

Surreal Beauty (3pt Merit)

You are blessed with unspeakable beauty that supercedes most people's notions of loveliness and a sense of grace and dignity that makes you undeniable. Because of this, all Appearance-based rolls receive two extra bonus dice, as well as a -1 Difficulty rating to seduction-based Appearance rolls, too. You must have an Appearance rating of 4 or higher to take this Merit.

Winning Disposition (3pt Merit)

You are gifted with a charismatic demeanor that puts people at ease, illicits trust, and earns kindness from others. Because of this, all Charisma-based rolls receive two extra bonus dice, as well as a -1 Difficulty rating to positive Social rolls using Charisma as well. You must have a Charisma rating of 4 or higher to take this Merit.

Silver-Tongued (3pt Merit)

You possess the silver-tipped, forked tongue of the devil. Or so some who have felt its lash have said. You are cunning and clever to an extreme, capable of talking a King into selling you his front teeth for a worthless trinket. As such, all Manipulation-based rolls recieve two extra bonus dice, as well as a -1 Difficulty rating to attempts to coerce others to bestow items or favor upon you in the process using Manipulation. You must have a Manipulation of 4 or higher to take this Merit.

True Love (4pt Merit)

Like a character from a troubadour’s song, you have discovered, perhaps too late, a true love. He or she is mortal, but is the center of your existence and inspires you to keep going in an age of darkness and despair. Whenever you suffer, the thought of your true love gives you the inner strength to persevere. This Merit grants you one automatic success on all Willpower rolls, which can be negated only by a botch die. This can be a great gift but also a hindrance, for your true love may require protection, placation and even possible rescue at some point.

Halo (4pt Merit)

You must be blessed, and it is unmistakable; you radiate a subtle aura of divine serenity and piety that would give even the most jaded and cruel individuals pause. While it is possible to take aggressive action against such characters, those who would actually inflict bodily harm upon you must spend one Willpower point each and every time they endeavor to try (i.e., a soldier who insisted on trying to hack into you with his broadsword three times in a row would need to spend three points of Willpower to even attempt to do so). You must have a Humanity of 7 or higher and have faith in a benevolent higher power to purchase this Merit.

Social Flaws
Noble Arrogance (1pt Flaw)

Whether or not you actually believe you are inherently better than anyone else, those around you consistently feel that you possess a ‘holier than thou’ attitude. You may phrase things sarcastically a bit too often, or you may really believe you are better than most of those you interact with. In any case, you suffer a +1 difficulty modifier to all Social rolls made to sway others of equal or lesser social class.

Criminal History (1pt Flaw)

While you are currently an honest and highly upstanding individual (or at least thoroughly pretend to be), that has not always been the case. At some point in your character’s history, you were a known and violent criminal and may have been a hunted man for your criminal activities. All Social rolls with those who know of your criminal history are made at a +2 difficulty. Certain self-righteous clergy and law enforcement officials, in particular, will be eager to bring you to justice should they learn of your past (or in the event that you are a reformed criminal, when you presumably relapse into your unsavory ways). Those who know you well enough are unlikely to ever give you the benefit of the doubt unless you have truly proven yourself to be reformed several times over.

Foreign Outlander (1pt Flaw)

You are originally from an entirely different country from where the setting is currently situated. These newer surroundings seem odd to you, and you have been having a tricky time understanding the dialects of the native tongues. All of the Social rolls are at a +1 difficulty because of this issue. Be prepared to be met with minor prejudice and skepticism from the locals.

Uncouth (1pt Flaw)

Even for a grubby peasant or a pagan foreigner, you have extremely poor manners and an equally tarnished reputation among your social circles. Depending on your Charisma rating, other lower-class individuals may spit as you pass or laugh at your bawdy humor, but aristocrats and other members of the upper crust society will not be amused in the slightest. When interacting with your betters, you cannot use more dice in your Social die pool than twice your character’s current Status Background. This limit may be waived at Storyteller discretion if crudeness is your actual intent. This Flaw will need to be heavily roleplayed.

Dark Secret (1pt Flaw)

You harbor some sort of secret that, if uncovered and exposed, would be of immense embarrassment to you and would make you a pariah in the local community. This could be anything to having murdered another in cold blood to being a member of an indulgent secret sect to laying with animals in pleasure.

Infamous Lineage (1pt Flaw)

Your parents or grandparents were, or perhaps still are, distrusted and disliked by many of the local people. Whatever did your family do to earn such enmity? As a result, you are inevitably distrusted and disliked as well. The stigma follows you even if you repudiate your parents or grandparents. One cannot escape one’s own blood, after all.

Lineage’s Resentment (1pt Flaw)

Your parents or grandparents dislike you strongly and probably wishes you ill. What did you do to get the patriarchs and matriarchs of your family to turn upon you so viciously? Given the smallest and most petty opportunity, they actively seek to do you harm, either by sullying your reputation or causing you emotional or psychological pain. They most likely do not mean you physical harm, but would likely wish it upon you from afar. Their allies also work against you, and so others might also resent you.

Mistaken Identity (2pt Flaw)

You look remarkably similar to descriptions of another person, which causes cases of mistaken identity. This can prompt numerous and awkward or even dangerous situations, especially since your “twin” has a terrible and black reputation, likely wanted for one or several crimes. The exact nature of your mysterious doppelganger is up to the Storyteller, but you are guaranteed to collect some of the backlash for his or her reckless actions, sometimes repeatedly.

Blasphemous Tongue (1pt Flaw)

Perhaps due to a lack of proper faith or an inability to be well-spoken, you have a terrible habit of speaking casually and (at times) derogatorily of the Church and peoples of faith. Though not necessarily a heretic or faithless upstart, you cannot help but speak of God and His servants in an irreverent manner. You suffer a -2 dice penalty on all Social rolls with members of the Church and other piously faithful individuals.

Notoriety (2pt Flaw)

You have a bad reputation among your peers; perhaps you violated the local laws once too often, flaunt your opinions contrary to societal norms, or you belong to an unpopular social organization. Due to this, you will suffer a two dice penalty to all dice rolls for social dealings with those who know of your notoriety. It is assumed that most of the people in your home district will know of your ill deeds. A character with this Flaw cannot take the Good Reputation Merit.

Gullible (2pt Flaw)

You are not necessarily foolish or naïve, but you are definitely far too trusting of the world you live in. You expect others to live according to the Scriptures, just as you do, and that craving for honesty usually ends up making you into a dupe. Even obvious lies sound somehow plausible to your ears. The difficulty increase for you to detect lies or chicanery of any sort is +2. Additionally, you will tend to be honest to a fault more often than not unless folks or circumstances give you a reason to deceive.

Twisted Upbringing (2pt Flaw)

Your parents were notoriously malevolent and taught you all the wrong things about medieval society as a whole. Your concepts of feudal politics and obligation are all wrong, and your understanding of laws, religious beliefs and societal norms are shaky at best. Perhaps you were raised by lunatics, heretics, or simply malicious folks who wanted to wreck their child's life and mind. Over time, after many hard lessons, you can overcome this bad start at life. However, in the mean time, your faulty beliefs are likely to get you into a great deal of trouble, and you will continue to believe what you were taught, no matter how others try and 'trick' you into believing otherwise.

Reformed Heretic (2pt Flaw)

Many monastic and clerical orders have experimented with variations on Christianity, which are only vaguely tolerated until such a time as a Papal Bull declares them to be heresy. You followed such a wayward path some years ago, perhaps under the tutelage of your parents as a child when you knew no better, or as an adult without realizing the full error of your ways (or even more frighteningly, with deliberate and unrepentant choice). When your heresy was discovered, you were given the generous opportunity to repent and confess your sins, and you accepted, returning to the mainstream fold. While you are redeemed in the eyes of the Church and God, many individuals, if they learn of your sordid history, will regard you with suspicion at best and outright violent hatred at worst. You are at a +2 difficulty to Social rolls with those who know of your heretical history, and on occasion, those who discover it will react to you in very difficult and complicated ways.

Honest to a Fault (3pt Flaw)

Matters of deception, for whatever reason, confuse you mightily. You believe firmly that any situation that would necessitate a lie really stems from ignorance on someone's part, and a good explanation will almost always suffice. As such, you suffer a +3 Difficulty to any roll involving lying or deception, from detecting such dishonesty to trying to lie to others yourself. Additionally, you cannot have more than one dot in Subterfuge so long as you possess this Flaw. Note that this Flaw does not automatically make your character an overly honest blabbermouth, but it does mean that whenever she does speak, it tends to be direct and honest.

Intolerant Bias (3pt Flaw)

You are easily blinded by popular cultural illusions. You see individuals based solely on their economic position, social status and racial or ethnic backgrounds. To you, the beggar or an outlander is a kind of person distinctly different from a usual individual of your persuasion. Therefore, the difficulties of all Perception, Empathy, Leadership, Streetwise, and Investigation rolls are raised by +2 if they regard persons of a social or economic group other than your own. On any roll involving two of the prior listed traits, the difficulty increases to +3 instead. Your behavior, if properly roleplayed, might very well make you seem less charismatic or effectively manipulative among these 'lesser' groups as well.

Village Idiot (3pt Flaw)

You are regarded as a fool and have kept this unfortunate reputation. Whether this is a fair assessment of you or not is irrelevant; most people believe it thoroughly, and something about your personality (or lack of intellect) has only reinforced this view of you. You suffer from a +2 difficulty on Expression, Leadership, Subterfuge and Performance rolls due to your inabilities. It is possible to lose this Flaw through play, but it most certainly will not be easy. Even if you come up with a brilliant plan or fine performance, most people will dismiss it automatically on general principle, or simply assume you stole the idea from someone else.

Outspoken Heathen / Heretic (3pt Flaw)

You are either not a Christian at all, or you are a follower of one of the heresies declared anathema by the Church, such as the Bogomil Heresy. Although Pagans, Jews, and Muslims are certainly no strangers to Europe, they are subject to various forms of oppression, social stigma and racist bigotry in a culture that is unabashedly Christian. Many non-Christians carry on (or even thrive) by doing their very best not to antagonize the Christian communities in any way. They practice their religious rites in secret or private, find economic and social niches where they become hopefully tolerated or appreciated, and they watch for signs of bubbling hate or resentment. Not so with you. Either because of past “offenses” or current behavior, you are permanently branded a heathen—somewhere between unsavory and evil in the eyes of the Christian majority. You regularly face discrimination, accusations, and perhaps even outright persecution.

Known Oathbreaker (4pt Flaw)

You are a known defector from another kingdom or distant locale. You have turned traitor (reasons are irrelevant) to your former liege and you still have much to prove to your newfound peers. As the ancient proverb goes; "Never trust a traitor, even one you have created." As such, you are constantly struggling with individuals who are unwilling to accept you, seeing you as a dishonorable and traitorous fool. Face is of utmost importance even to the lowliest peasant in the medieval world. Many will treat you with distrust and even sometimes hostility, and your negative reputation might even sully the those whom you regularly associate with. This Flaw has no systematic effect, but will affect roleplay extensively.

Child (4pt Flaw)

You are a young child, between the ages of eight and twelve (you cannot play a younger character), leaving your Physical Attributes underdeveloped and making it very difficult for you to completely interact with many aspects of medieval society. People do not take you seriously, you cannot get into many places adults can, and in particularly unpleasant cases, your character will be approached and asked where your mommy or daddy is. You may not have a Strength or Stamina rating over 2, and the difficulties of all die rolls when attempting to direct, coerce or lead adults increases by +3. This Flaw also includes the effects of the Physical Flaw Short.

Scapegoat (4pt Flaw)

Whenever anything goes wrong, you are the first suspect by your fellows. Actual guilt is entirely irrelevant; you are the local whipping boy or girl and everybody knows it. You cannot possess the Status background whatsoever unless you manage to forcibly change your reputation (a Herculean feat, to be sure). Even if you flee your hometown or city to another area, something about your demeanor or ill-luck ensures you will soon be equally blamed and distrusted therein as well as your tainted reputation follows you. Though this does not affect you systematically, the Storyteller will ensure to make your poor character's life miserable more often than not.

Supernatural Merits
Sweet Blood (1pt Merit)

Your vitae tastes like the finest wine, sweet and heady without the slightest trace of salt or a metallic tang. As such, you may easily hide your blood in a chalice or feed ghouls without betraying the true nature of their draught.

Danger Sense (1pt Merit)

You have a sixth sense that warns you of danger to yourself and loved ones. Whenever you are unaware of being in danger, the Storyteller must make a secret roll of your Perception + Alertness; the difficulty depends entirely on the remoteness of the danger. If the roll succeeds, you will experience a sense of foreboding, though multiple successes may refine the feeling and give an indication of the direction, distance or nature of the threat.

Deceptive Aura (1pt Merit)

Your aura is unnaturally bright and colorful for one of the Damned. Perhaps you are of thin blood, or perhaps you are one who is blessed with an unusual amount of vibrance and life compared to the multitude even prior to your Embrace. Because of this, you register as a mere mortal on all attempts to perceive your aura.

Healing Caress (1pt Merit)

Normally, vampires can only seal the wounds they inflict when feeding by licking them closed. Yet, for reasons unknown, a simple touch from you is enough to illict the same effect. A brush of the fingertips, a press of the palm, even the nuzzle of a cheek would be sufficient. All that is required is flesh-to-flesh contact firm enough to be registered as a touch. This does not heal other sorts of wounds whatoever.

Controlled Thirst (1pt Merit)

Regular time spent among mortals has dulled the dark hungers of your palette. You reduce the difficulties of any frenzy roll involving the sight, scent or taste of blood by -1. You cannot frenzy from sensing blood if your blood pool is full; conversely, you lose your normal difficulty reduction if your blood pool is less than a quarter full (rounded down).

Eat Food / Consume Drink (1pt Merit)

You have the rare capacity after your Embrace to eat food, consume drink and even savor its tastes. While you cannot derive any nourishment from eating regular foods and drinks, however, though this ability is remarkably useful for passing yourself off as a mortal. Of course, you cannot properly digest what you consume, and there will be some point during the same evening when you will need to heave it back up again.

Blazing Demise (1pt Merit)

If you suffer the Final Death, your body will instantly erupt into an all-consuming conflagration that blasts outward from your fallen form as it falls to fine, smoldering ashes. This spontaneous combustion instantaneously sets flammable objects alight and inflicts seven-dice of Aggravated damage to anyone within six feet of your body at the instant of your demise. Cainites within fifteen feet of the conflagration's edge must make a Rotschreck check at Difficulty 7, whereas those caught within the blast radius need to make the same Rotschreck check at Difficulty 9. As a result, you leave no evidence for witch-hunters and may enact a petty vengeance on your murderer(s) from beyond the grave. If another Cainite committing the Amaranth upon you was the cause of your Final Death, you will take them with you (they receive no soak or resist roll) as they too combust instantly as the stolen blood within them bursts into all-consuming flames.

Blush of Vitality (2pt Merit)

You appear significantly more hale and healthy in visage than other Cainites, allowing you to easily blend in with human society. You managed to somehow retain the complexion and rosy cheeks of a living mortal, can mimic breathing and blinking much more easily, and your skin feels only slightly cool to the touch. The rolls to masquerade as a mundane mortal are always at a -1 difficulty. Despite this, you still cannot feel and experience touch as a mortal may. Nosferatu and Cappadocians may not take this Merit.

Misplaced Heart (2pt Merit)

During the process of your Embrace, your heart has actually shifted its position within your torso, though no farther than two feet from its original proper position. You cannot be effectively staked unless your attacker knows the precise location of your heart, though if they are aware of its location, staking attempts and rules can take place as usual. For obvious reasons, you might wish to keep this a well-guarded secret.

Faerie Affinity (2pt Merit)

Your presence, unlike most other vampires, does not frighten and discomfort the Fair Folk. Indeed, if anything, you tend to attract them ever since your Embrace, and somehow, you are inexplicably attuned to their alien ways. Perhaps, in life, you shared a small amount of faerie blood through your heritage that you remained ignorant of, and once Embraced, was potentized by the blood of Caine in your veins. All Social rolls to interact with the bizarre Fair Folk are always at a -2 Difficulty, though God only knows what may happen to you should you traffic overmuch with them, let alone feed upon their forbidden vitae.

Psychic Medium (2pt Merit)

During your Embrace, you developed a natural affinity to sense and hear ghosts and shades. Although you cannot actually see them, you can sense their general presence and converse with them at times. With some pleading or cajoling, you may be able to draw them to your presence as well. You may attempt to call upon them for aid or advice, but there will always be a price. The storyteller will design the shades in question, and decide when they are available for aid and how far they are willing to go.

Oracular Ability (2pt Merit)

Ever since your Embrace, you have been able to see and interpret signs and omens. You are able to draw advice from these omens, for they provide hints of the future and warnings of the present from time to time. When the Storyteller feels that you are in a position to perceive an omen, you will be asked to make a Perception + Occult roll, with the difficulty relative to how well the omen is concealed or obscured. If successful, you perceive the omen, and may then roll Intelligence + Occult, difficulty 7, to interpret what you have seen.

Inoffensive to Animals (2pt Merit)

You feel strong bonds of kinship with a particular species of animal. Such creatures are not discomforted by your presence and generally respond well to you (-1 to the difficulty of all pertinent Animal Ken rolls). Also, unlike other vampires, domestic and wild animals do not respond with terror or hostility to your presence, instead reacting to you as though you were a normal mortal, for better or worse. In addition, Gangrel characters with this Merit only gain animalistic features associated with their ‘totemic’ animal. Lastly, creatures renowned for their affinity with the supernatural (black cats, owls and snakes, for example) will still react oddly to your presence.

Efficient Digestion (3pt Merit)

You are able to draw more than the usual amount of nourishment from the blood you consume. When feeding, you can an additional point to your blood pool for every two points of blood you imbibe as your undead body metabolizes it with superior efficiency. This Merit does not allow you to even temporarily exceed your blood point maximums.

Lucky (3pt Merit)

Ever since your Embrace, you have been unnaturally lucky for unknown reasons—perhaps the Devil simply looks out for his own. Regardless, you may repeat any three failed rolls once per story, including botches, but you may try only once per failed roll.

Arcane Resistance (3pt Merit)

You have an inherent resistance to the rituals of one or more forms of magical rites and practices, particularly blood-sorcery. You are granted resistance to the effects of rituals and spells cast through the use of Thaumaturgy, Dark Thaumaturgy, Assamite Sorcery, Setite Sorcery, Mortis, and Koldunic Sorcery. This deals only with vampiric magic aimed specifically at you—a Mortis-born corpse knight can still rise in your presence and assault you with no penalty, for example. The difficulty of all blood-sorcery spells and rituals aimed at you, both malicious and beneficent, are increased by +4. If you take this Merit, you may never learn any form of blood-sorcery.

Hidden Amaranth (3pt Merit)

For mysterious reasons better left unknown, should you ever indulge the grave sin of Diablerie, the tell-tale black veins that mark a Diablerist's aura do not reveal themselves in your's. Any attempts to perceive your aura to discern if you have committed the Amaranth reveals nothing to implicate you, though this Merit does not block the conclusions that can be discerned through blood-sorcery uses.

Unbondable (3pt Merit)

You are utterly immune to the effects of the Blood Oath save by the subjugation of the potent vitae of ancient Methuselahs and the like. Dominate, Presence and other forms of supernatural influence affect you just like any other vampire, however. Tremere may not take this Merit.

Pure Blood (4pt Merit)

The Curse of Caine runs strongly in your veins, indeed. You may spend one more blood point per turn than your Generation should otherwise permit. You will look especially pale and drawn when your aura is viewed, but otherwise appear like a normal Cainite. Certain Thaumaturgical invocations may detect the unusual purity of your blood for what it is.

Discipline Prodigy (4pt Merit)

You are especially skilled and knowledgeable in the use of ONE of your in-Clan Disciplines. Choose the Discipline you wish to become a prodigy of, and the difficulty of any use of that Discipline is always reduced by -1. Characters can only purchase this Merit once and gain no benefit from it when using Discipline techniques. If you choose to be proficient in a form of Blood Sorcery, the -1 difficulty benefit effects only the Primary Path’s use of the Blood Sorcery, but does effect all Rituals of that Blood Sorcery type. Additionally, the experience costs of the chosen Discipline become New Rating x 5, or if a Blood Sorcery, the Primary Path experience cost becomes New Rating x 4.

Supernatural Flaws
Scent of the Grave (1pt Flaw)

Ever since your Embrace, you have exuded an odor of musty dampness and newly turned earth, which no amount of scents or perfumes will quite manage to cover. Mortals in your immediate presence will likely become uncomfortable at the scent, so the difficulty of all Social rolls involving affected mortals increases by +1. At times, certain Cainites may even find the scent distasteful at Storyteller discretion.

Repulsed by Garlic (1pt Flaw)

Since the Embrace, your keen senses cannot abide the potent odor of garlic, the strongest and most commonplace spice used in medieval Europe. Even the smallest whiff of its smell drives you from the room unless you make a successful reflexive Permanent Willpower roll, the difficulty depending entirely upon the potency of the garlic odor.

Touch of Frost (1pt Flaw)

Plants wither at your approach and perish at your casual touch. Your touch leaches heat from living beings, as though your flesh were made of solid ice, literally the temperature of frozen water. As you walk through a forest or across a field, you do not leave a huge swath of death, however, in your wake. Instead, you leave behind small patches of dead leaves, and withered or rotting foliage in small measure. Someone tracking you through such an environment gains a -2 difficulty to their relevant rolls to pursue you because of these marks. Most humans (and even other Cainites) will likely recoil from the discomfort of your chilled touch.

Cold Breeze (1pt Flaw)

A chill wind follows you wherever you go, gently shifting your hair and fluttering your clothing. While it may certainly make for dramatic entrances, this effect also alerts and discomforts mortals in most circumstances. Those mortals poorly effected by the sudden but mild, bone-chilling breeze that accompanies you adds +1 to all Social rolls you make to interact favorably with them.

Repelled By Holy Symbols (1pt Flaw)

Ever since your Embrace, a holy symbol of a particular local faith (a crucifix, the Star of David, etc.), normally representative of the faith you ascribed to in life, fills you with self-loathing and terror whenever it is brandished before you, regardless of whether the symbol-wielder possesses True Faith or not. Whenever confronted thusly with the holy symbol that is your bane, you must roll Courage (Difficulty 6) or else be unable and unwilling to advance on the target or enter the structure that bears it. A botch results in Rotschreck as you flee from the symbol in horror. Success allows you to react normally, unhindered by the religious symbol(s) in your midst.

Ragged Bite (2pt Flaw)

Unlike most other Cainites, you lack the innate ability to lick the wounds of your feeding closed. Instead, you leave raw puncture wounds or bite-like rends in the flesh of your prey. Your bite also ceases to cause Aggravated damage, purely causing Lethal like a normal mortal's bite despite your fangs. These wounds also stand a one-in-five chance of becoming infected or diseased while they slowly heal. It is up to Storyteller discretion to determine the precise nature of the infection, if one develops in a victim.

Cast No Shadow And Reflection (2pt Flaw)

You cast no reflection whatsoever. Not upon the surface of still water, or within a mirror, nor upon any other reflective surfaces you might encounter. This can be a highly detrimental effect when trying to pass as a human being. Additionally, you possess no shadow, even when the brightest of lights shine about you, no shadow can be found whatsoever. Unable to look yourself in the mirror, you gain a +1 Difficulty to all Degeneration rolls. Additionally, people devoid of shadows or reflections were often perceied as soulless in the medieval era. Lasombra can only take this Flaw at a 1pt value, stopping them from casting a shadow; inconvenient to the use of Obtenebration. Possessing this Flaw may get you mistaken for a Lasombra periodically as well.

Beast in the Mirror (2pt Flaw)

Whenever you stare into a reflective surface, you see your Beast leering back at you. Any onlookers who look upon the reflective surface in which you are shown can see your monstrous nature clear as day as well. The Beast appears much as you do, but twisted into a horrific nightmarish parody. Clothes hang ragged from a pallid form, exaggerated fangs protrude from the mouth, eyes glow with unholy hatred and rage, and other such terrifying imagery determined by the Storyteller will be revealed. Any mortals who view this reflection will be able to determine there is something horribly wrong with you, adding +2 to the difficulty of all Social rolls (except ones meant to intimidate or frighten) when dealing with these witnesses of your true nature.

Thirst for Innocence (2pt Flaw)

The sight of innocence of any sort arouses your Beast and threatens to stir you to a terrible bloodlust. Whenever presented with a target of idyllic and genuine innocence (a doe-eyed child, an idealistic young monk, a blushing maiden, etc.), make a reflexive Self-Control roll at Difficulty 6 or else succumb to a hunger frenzy, attacking and attempting to drain the innocent individual(s).

Lord of the Flies (2pt Flaw)

Buzzing harbingers of decay, like carrion flies, tend to be drawn to you, swirling around you in a buzzing nimbus wherever you go. When at rest, such as when seated or slumbering, they tend to land upon your flesh, crawling across your form. Their constant presence makes it difficult to interact with mortals and Cainites alike, adding a +2 to Social rolls regarding mortals and +1 when dealing with Cainites. Additionally, it is nearly impossible to sneak up on someone or hide effectively with such creatures encircling you, the buzzing of the flies giving you away; all Stealth rolls are rolled at a +2 Difficulty.

Beacon of the Infernal (2pt Flaw)

Not only can the effects of True Faith harm you as it does other vampires, but your mere presence alerts those touched by the Divine that unholy evil is within their vicinity. Any individual who possesses True Faith within a square mile of the Cainite who possesses this infernal aura is instantly made aware of his presence and the general direction the Cainite is relative to the position of the Blessed thusly alerted. Though they cannot use the aura to track the Cainite down, it nonetheless can make unlife quite difficult on the Cainite in question if the possessor of True Faith happens to be a zealous witch-hunter.

Glowing Eyes and Permanent Fangs (2pt Flaw)

Ever since your Embrace, your eyes have taken on a predatory glow and a more vibrant coloration (teal, violet, crimson, etc.). The glow is faint and not enough to read by, but enough to clearly notice in a dimly lit room let alone the darkness of a night-time alleyway. As for your fangs, they cannot be retracted save with tremendous effort on your part. Any mortals who perceive your glowing eyes will likely panic in fear, and all Social rolls to interact with them after they have seen them suffer a +1 difficulty unless attempting to intimidate or terrorize. As for your fangs, notice of them will have the same effect, stackable with the witnessing of the glimmering feral eyes. Though with the expenditure of a Willpower point, you can at least force your fangs to retract for a scene.

Death Sight (3pt Flaw)

Everything appears rotted and decayed to you ever since your Embrace. The world appears to you as a corpse; mortals look gaunt, diseased and skeletal, buildings seem decrepit and crumbling, and your fellow Cainites seem to be walking, festering cadavers. The sickly-sweet odor of rot and befoulment assails your nostrils night constantly. You are at -2 difficulty to resist all rolls based on Appearance, but by the same token you are at +2 Difficulty on all Perception-based rolls. In addition, you find mundane social interaction a bit difficult due to distraction from the gruesome sights and foul odors, ensuring you suffer a +1 Difficulty to all Social rolls you make.

Permanent Wound (3pt Flaw)

You suffered injuries prior to (or during) your Embrace that your transformation into one of the Damned failed to repair. At the beginning of each night, you rise from your slumber at the Wounded health level due to Lethal damage. Though blood may be spent normally to heal this nagging wound and negate its penalties, the actual wound visually never heals, leaving you visibly harmed even when in fine health.

Ghostly Haunting (3pt Flaw)

You are haunted by one or more angry and tormented spirits, likely the ghosts of your victims. These wraiths actively seek to hinder you whenever possible, especially when hunting and feeding, and it does its utmost to vent its anguish upon you and any you hold dear. The Storyteller will determine the exact nature of the ghost, its powers, and how (or if) it will eventually need to be laid to rest. For unknown reasons, even potent Mortis sorceries designed to banish or command the restless dead oddly do not work on this spirit, for its hate is too potent to simply be compelled into obedience or banishment.

Cannot Cross Running Water (3pt Flaw)

You cannot cross running water without suffering acute physical pain and provoking discomfort in the Beast. In order to cross any body of water that is six feet wide or more, and one foot deep or more, and not entirely stagnant, you must roll Courage (Difficulty 6-8, depending upon the size and depth of the body of water). Failure means you staunchly refuse to cross, while a botch throws you into a panicked Rotschreck. Success will allow you to cross, but not without pain. You suffer a phantom wound penalty of -2 dice to all rolls until you have safely crossed. If you actually wade into water instead of using a bridge or raft, you will suffer one level of unsoakable Bashing damage per turn you spend crossing the body of water, including the phantom wound penalty of -2 dice to all rolls.

Poor Digestion (3pt Flaw)

Your blood is frail in some manner, having a difficult time metabolizing any vitae consumed and unable to make the most of it. Because of this, you are entirely unable to draw nourishment from the blood of animals, domestic or feral, and when feeding on the non-mystical blood of mortals, you need to consume two blood points for every single blood point added to your blood pool during feeding. Cainite blood and the vitae of other supernatural creatures still affords full nourishment, however, which may in time lead you to the forbidden hunger of the Amaranth.

Unlucky (3pt Flaw)

For reasons unknown (perhaps you have been hexed?), you suffer routine strokes of truly foul luck since your Embrace, and to those that have come to know you, your misfortune is a matter of common knowledge. Every time an opportunity comes along that might let you shine, something comes along to randomly ruin it. Once per story, the Storyteller should increase the difficulty of a critical roll you make by +3. If you fail the roll, it is obviously due to the foul luck you tend to suffer far too often. Botching will result in a spectacular botch that puts normal botches to shame, and rest assured, the Storyteller will become quite creative in such matters if the need should arise.

Grip of the Damned (4pt Flaw)

There is no euphoria and ecstasy in your feeding for your victims; only terror and agony. Mortals upon whom you feed struggle and shriek all the while as you consume their blood, experiencing your bite for what it is; sharpened fangs plunged into their flesh while hungry lips suck draughts of their precious blood away. This therefore requires you to successfully grapple with prey for as long as you wish to feed. Depending on the Cainite's Road and Road Rating, this may very well provoke degeneration rolls at the discretion of the Storyteller.

Weak Blood (4pt Flaw)

Your blood is weak and carries only a fraction of the power that is the unholy legacy of Caine. All blood point costs are doubled (for example; using blood-related Disciplines or healing damage), and you can never learn a Discipline above the Fourth Level regardless of your actual Generation. Placing others under Blood Oaths and the process of making ghouls operate as usual, but you are entirely unable to create progeny of your own (and are likely unaware of this fact).

In the Shadow of the Pyramid

Post by Bex on Jul 28, 2016 15:53:45 GMT -5

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