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Character Quirks
Separate from Skills and Feats, Character Quirks are intended
to be selected during the character creation process to add an extra dimension
to a character. Most players should not adopt character Quirks if they are
inexperienced at role playing. Most Quirks I have adopted over the years
have an effect on the character in a very real sense and most of these must be
role played (worked out in game) or they become useless. Dungeon Masters
who use character Quirks must enforce the role playing aspect of Quirks whether
they affect the character in a positive or negative manner.
The following table is intended to be used for random trait
generation. If a DM wishes to include the use of Quirks for his players,
the DM should apply the player's rolls and enforce the results. Players
should be allowed no more than three rolls on the chart. A good system to
decide how many (or even if) Quirks are assigned to a character is to roll one
d4 die and subtract one from the total. DMs can of course assign a number
to a player or even allow just a single roll.
| d12 |
Results |
Description |
| 1 |
Allergies |
Typically this allergy is the "hay
fever" type with sniffles, eye irritation, and general disorientation
when exposed to outdoor pollen in the spring and fall. Players may
select specific allergies if they wish with the DMs approval. Other
allergies ideas are mold, types of food, bee stings, or animal
dander. Characters who are exposed to their allergen must make a
Fortitude save (DC 20) or suffer a -2 to all actions and armor class for
the next 24 hours as well as a temporary -1 reduction to Constitution.
Specific allergies can also incapacitate a
character, requiring a Fortitude save (DC 20) or lose one point of
Constitution per hour. Characters so inflicted are considered dazed
and can take only partial actions. Characters whose constitution
drops to 0 die from anaphylactic shock. Only magical healing or an
"anti-allergen" can halt the allergic reaction once started. |
| 2 |
Ambidexterity |
The character is adept at using either
hand. Characters may wield weapons or shields in either hand, write
using either hand, perform feats of strength with either arm, and practice
manual skills and spell casting without penalty based upon hand used. |
| 3 |
Bad Tempered |
The character generally is not well equipped
to handle social situations. The character tends to anger easily and
will often speak without thought. Although not compelled to physical
violence, the character's actions may still provoke NPCs and other
characters to violent responses. The character suffers a -4 reaction
penalty under normal circumstances and a -8 if already stressed or
angered. |
| 4 |
Climate Sense |
The character has the exceptional ability to
sense weather changes. Normally, the character can tell if the
weather will take a change and in what way within the next two or three
hours. This ability grants a +2 circumstance bonus on the survival
skill when dealing with weather. Characters with this trait can also
detect magical alterations in the local climate. |
| 5 |
Colorblind |
The character sees everything in shades of
black and white. Colorblind characters suffer a -4 penalty to all
perception checks due to their inability to differentiate colors. |
| 6 |
Deep Sleeper |
Once asleep, the character is difficult to
wake. Even a loud commotion or violent shaking of the character will
not immediately wake them from slumber. (Will save DC 20 to wake
under direct stimulation. The DC is reduced by 1 for every round the
stimulation continues.) Even when woken, the character takes a 1d6 rounds
to become fully cognizant of their surroundings and can take no other actions
than defending themselves or shaking their head groggily. |
| 7 |
Double-Jointed |
The character has a unique ability at
manipulating their joints. They can wriggle out of ropes, manacles,
and other bonds. Characters with this trait gain a +2 circumstance
bonus to all escape artist checks. These characters are also very
adept at manipulating their joints for their advantage, gaining a +2
circumstance bonus on most tumble checks. |
| 8 |
Fanaticism |
This trait requires the most role playing
skill for the player. The character is devoutly bound to a
particular cult, religion, god, individual, monarch, military force, or
other group. The character follows all codes of behavior, teachings,
or orders deriving from their overwhelming loyalty to someone/something
even if they conflict with the goals of the party or are not conductive to
a long life in survival situations. Characters are also moved to
expound upon the virtues of their object of obsession and often seek
converts where possible. When confronted with those who seek to
hinder or harm the object of obsession, the character will become violent
and seek to end the threat. |
| 9 |
Internal Compass |
Characters with this trait generally know
where they are in relation to a fixed point. They seldom get lost
and gain a +2 bonus to the survival skill when dealing with travel and
direction. |
| 10 |
Irritating Personality |
The character has an irritating habit that
others dislike. When interacting with others, the character must
roll a Will save (DC 15) to overcome their behavior. Players are
encouraged to come up with ideas for the nature of the behavior.
Ideas are inappropriate comments about an individual, sporadic laughter at
inappropriate times, always claiming you have done or own better, or even
being overly critical. |
| 11 |
Light Sleeper |
The character will awaken at the slightest
noise or movement. Any sudden noise, even that of a comrade moving
in his sleep or a log popping on the fire may wake the character.
(Perception check of 10 + other modifiers against DC of 15 or opposed Move
Silently roll to wake up.) If the character imbibes alcohol to
excess or falls asleep from exhaustion they add +5 to the DC of the check
to wake up. Characters with this trait who wake more than three
times within an eight hour period tend to get fatigued the following
day. Typically, these characters require at least ten hours to gain
the benefits of a full night's rest. Light sleepers do not suffer
disorientation from waking and can take a partial action the same round
they wake. The Endurance feat can negate the negative penalties of this quirk. |
| 12 |
Phobias |
The character has an overwhelming fear of an
object, creature, or situation. When forced to be around the object
of objection, the character must roll a Will save (DC 15) or attempt to
flee the encounter. When placed in violent or unavoidable
confrontation with the object of objection, the character must roll a Will
save (DC 25) or become panicked. Characters who make the save are
still shaken until the encounter is over.
Dungeon Masters may alter the save DC depending on
circumstances. Someone with a Phobia of Enclosed Spaces may gain
bonuses to enter a cavern for safety if a red dragon is bearing down on
them. Also, certain magical spells may grant the character a
temporary bonus to their saves against phobias. Phobias are natural
fear effects and classes or races with an immunity to fear may still
suffer from the effects of a Phobia. See the table below for a list
of possible Phobias. |
| Types of Phobias |
| d12 |
Phobia |
d12 |
Phobia |
| 1 |
Crowds |
7 |
Other |
| 2 |
Darkness |
8 |
Snakes |
| 3 |
Enclosed Spaces |
9 |
Spiders |
| 4 |
Heights |
10 |
Filth and Disease |
| 5 |
Magic |
11 |
Undead |
| 6 |
Monster Type |
12 |
Water |
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