Game System:Basic Drawbacks

Addiction

The value of this Drawback is determined by the severity of the addiction and the relative effects of the drug or substance. Since this isn't the Drug Awareness Week Roleplaying Game, we won't cover all the gory details. Penalties are imposed when a character is 'buzzed', and also when the character is suffering from withdrawal.

When a character is buzzed, he suffers a penalty to all actions equal to his Addiction rating -1. Thus, someone with Addiction (Smoking) (-1) would suffer no penalties; but someone with Addiction (Heroin) (-5) would suffer a -4. This to represent what being under the effects is all about, and how they change the character's interaction with the world. Of course, just because someone takes a low level in the Addiction Drawback doesn't mean they can get off with no ill-effects while pursuing their addiction. Smokers get bad looks and can't indulge inside; drinking under 21 is illegal, and further if pulled over by the cops after you've had but a few glasses of wine can be cause for an overnight stay in a cell and some community service.

When an addicted character hasn't gotten his usual "fix," he starts jones-ing, real bad. Most actions are at a penalty equal to the value of the Drawback (so, a character with a two-point Addiction suffers a -2 penalty to most actions) until the addict can get what he craves. The more severe the drug, the worse the effects. Some addictions appear at more than one level. At lower levels of addition to the same substance it is considered 'habitual usage'; while at higher levels the use is considered 'heavy'.

Generally, the best a character can hope to do is to deny his desire "one day at a time". Getting rid of this Drawback should never be a matter of saving up enough points to "buy it off." Resisting the withdrawal agony requires a series of daily Willpower (doubled) rolls. The first few rolls suffer no penalty. After a number of days equal to the character's Willpower have passed, add a penalty equal to the value of the Drawback. If the character blows any of the rolls, he'll do whatever it takes to get his fix. Regardless, during the process, he'll go through the withdrawal penalties as usual. And so on. Once ten straight days of successful Willpower rolls have passed, the character may lower the Addiction Point Value by one (if he has the experience points necessary to do so, of course). And it starts all over again. Not a fun situation to be in, but if the struggle to overcome the addiction is roleplayed well, it should earn the character some Drama Points.

Value: 1/level

Adversary

Alternatively, you can select the Drawback and the value, and then leave the details vague (say, Adversary: Demons; or Adversary: Criminals). That makes it a bit hard to prepare for though. Big-time surprise foes are big-time bad for the digestion. Killing the Adversary is not usually enough to eliminate the Drawback — it's not like it was anyone in specific! This instance of the adversary Drawback is what is used for Packages such as Supernatural Hunter and Slayer. This type of Adversary is up for grabs. Staff and PGMs can choose to throw them at characters whenever the opportunity arises, so long as the danger levels are in-tune with the Drawback's level.

Value: 1/level

Allergy

Something does your character wrong. This trait isn't meant to represent common and otherwise non-game-affecting allergies such as light allergy to pollen or an allergic reaction to alcohol that gives you a headache (we all get headaches after boozing, it's called a hangover). No, this Drawback is meant to represent both mundane and supernatural allergies to things that affect the character in an obviously detrimental fashion.

Allergies are created (game wise) using a point system. There are three sub-traits that allergies have: Exposure (how easy it is to be exposed to it and how easy it is to avoid it); Range (what kind of contact is needed in order for the allergy to affect the character, if any); and Severity (the effect it has on the character and whether they take damage from it).

Each of these sub-traits are given a value ranging from 0 to 3; then they are summed up, and divided by 3 (rounded down), which gives you the full value of the Drawback.

Value: 1-3

Bad Luck

If your character suffers Bad Luck, Murphy smiles on him more often than on most people. Whenever something can go wrong, it will go wrong, because that's Murphy's Law. Bad Luck points are the inverse of Good Luck points. Each level of Bad Luck counts as a -1 penalty that can be applied to any roll, after the die is cast, once per day. Multiple levels can be added together for a big penalty on one roll, or spread around several different actions, but no more than a -3 penalty can be applied (or added, if the roll already had a penalty) to any one roll. Staff and Narrators should exercise caution and good judgment when applying Bad Luck. If they use Bad Luck for meaningless rolls, the Drawback becomes little more than a minor inconvenience. On the other hand, applying Bad Luck to Survival Tests or other critical rolls is just... unseemly. Make the Bad Luck count, but don't abuse anyone. We're trying to get you all to have fun here, not create angst (well, not out-of-game angst). A character cannot have more than 5 levels of Bad Luck.

Value: 1/level

Clown

Your character must do that thing, make that remark, or be That Guy in every situation. The Clown refuses to take things seriously, or at least he uses humor to cover all types of situations, even during the most inappropriate moments. Perhaps your character is deeply insecure and tries to gain other people's acceptance through humor, or he simply delights in keeping folks off-balance with his comments. The biggest problem these characters have is that they cannot keep their mouths shut even when they know a joke will only work against them.

Clowns are generally accepted and liked during situations where their quirky humor is not out of place (parties and other social gatherings, or among friends). Their sense of humor gets them in trouble during tense and dangerous situations. Another problem the Clown faces is that people often do not take him seriously even when they should, and that they don't usually recognize lines that shouldn't be crossed (and when they do, they cross them anyway).

Value: 1

Dependent

Your character has a relative or someone who is close to him - perfect for the villains to terrorize, hold hostage, or otherwise tag and bag. Certain types of Dependents might become characters later on, if the player can find someone willing to take on the role. In these cases, the Drawback should be bought off. Dependents can't be other player characters. If your character has one Dependent, he gets two points. More than one Dependent is worth three points; sorry, eight family members may be more than enough, but they just don't give you any more points.

Value: 2 or 3

Disability

Your character is the victim of one of life's hideous twists, crippled by accident, disease, or birth defect. He may suffer from limb loss, spinal damage, or any number of tragic impairments. Here's a basic rundown. Each tab mentions either the Disability itself or the body part affected. We have tried to make this list as extensive as possible, but feel free to come up with variables based on these and ask Staff to review them (and if approved, add them).

This being a game of fantasy and super-science, it's entirely possible for someone who's lost a limb or the use of a limb to regain it. Maybe you have access to someone who knows magic and can get you a re-growth serum, or perhaps a super-scientist can build you a new, better, mechanical arm. Almost anything is possible. If the remedy only gives you back what you lost as it was — or at least, performing only the functions it would normally perform — you only have to buy off this Drawback. If the replacement goes above and beyond the norm, however, (gruesome accident turned cyborg, anyone?) you'll have to buy the Drawback off and buy whatever Quality fits the bill as normal. And of course, remember: always through a plot.

Arm/Hand: You're missing one arm or hand. The hand in question cannot be used to grab or hold objects. Any task requiring two hands is at a disadvantage (-3 or worse) or simply impossible. A character with a prosthetic hand can overcome some of these problems. This is a 2 point Drawback.

If both arms are missing or crippled, your character cannot use any tools normally. Some people with this handicap have learned to use their feet with great skill to compensate for their loss, but it's still no picnic. This is a 6 point Drawback.

Value: 2 or 6

Eyes: If the character is missing one eye they have trouble with depth perception and have to take a driving test every year because of it. Oh, and also, they get a -2 penalty to any Perception + Notice rolls involving distance vision or peripheral vision on the blind side, and a to any ranged attacks. This is a 1 point Drawback.

If the character is blind, he cannot see anything. Unless he's a Nanjin Adept or has some other type of radar sense (check the Extended Sense Quality), combat is never going to be his strong suit. Perception + Notice rolls (modified by Acute or Impaired Hearing) are needed to find a target in combat, and even then attack and defense rolls are at a -5 penalty. This is an 8 point Drawback.

Value: 1 or 8

Legs/Feet: Your character is unable to walk or run normally. With the help of crutches or a cane, she can move at up to one-third normal speed. Hand-to-hand combat rolls are at a -2 penalty. Modern prosthetics can reduce the penalties, increasing speed to up to half-normal, and reducing combat penalties to -1. This is a 3 point Drawback.

If both legs or feet are missing, your character is unable to walk. Without the help of a wheelchair, the best he can do is crawl or roll on the ground. This is a 4 point Drawback.

Value: 3 or 4

Quadraplegic: Paralyzed from the neck down, almost all physical activities are impossible for this character. A special wheelchair, operated with the neck or mouth, can help him move around (if the unfortunate has access to such instruments). Someone needs to take care of all his basic needs, from feeding to changing. This highly debilitating trait is an 8 point Drawback.

Value: 8

Emotional Problems

Does your character have difficulty relating to others? Is brooding a lot, wearing dark clothing, and refusing to party, ever, just the jumping off point of his dementia? If the answer is yes, he might have an Emotional Problem or two. Those with Emotional Problems react in unreasonable ways to certain situations and problems. It can be anger, pain, or anguish, and is typically more extreme than the norm. Several specific suggestions are detailed here but feel free to come up with your own inner demons; tortured is what we're all about.

Now, things do change. Characters in games often overcome their limitations (or replace them with new ones). Emotional Problems can be removed during play, but this should always be roleplayed. If you are able to convey the character's inner struggle over the course of time, you may be allowed to buy the Drawback off. You'll probably even get some Drama Points out of the process! You thespian, you! A character can't have more than 3 Emotional Problems simultaneously.

Anxiety: This character is a bit high-strung. When put on the spot or placed in an uncomfortable social situation, he loses control just a bit. For one point, he might trip, knock something over, say stupid things, or his limbs just go all akimbo. This is mostly comic relief, but you get a -2 penalty to certain rolls (Dexterity-based for clumsiness, Intelligence-based for foot-in-mouth disease) until the person takes a deep breath and gets it together (or until someone else takes over).

For two points, he suffers full-on anxiety, along with some (in variants) of its symptoms (heart palpitations, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, pale skin, sweating, trembling, and pupillary dilation). Emotionally, anxiety causes a sense of dread or panic and physically causes nausea, diarrhea, and chills. Behaviorally, both voluntary and involuntary behaviors may arise directed at escaping or avoiding the source of anxiety.

Dependency: This clingy type is overly dependent on others. Once he makes a friend, he wants to hang around all the time. When involved in a relationship, this type is excessively needy. Such behavior tends to bug friends and relations big time, and can cause all sorts of strain in the relationship. This is a fun one to roleplay, but be careful of going overboard. For one point, the character is typically clingy and needy, though they will back off if told to, finding it easy to acquire their needed nurturing from other sources. This level can be fun to roleplay.

For two points, the character is clinical. She can't make decisions without excessive advice and reassurance from others, needs others to assume her major responsibilities, volunteers to do things that are unpleasant to gain support and acceptance, feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone, and can't seem to close one relationships without the urgent need to seek out another immediately after, for fear of being left alone.

Depression: Your character's emotional problems make the very act of living a chore. Common symptoms include sleep problems (either oversleeping or insomnia), severe procrastination (to the point that the sufferer may lose his job), and a lack of interest in anything. For one point, a character with Depression is treated for the Depression and it mostly works. He tends to avoid getting involved in tasks, though. A severe shock may snap someone out of this state for a while (a life-threatening crisis could do it), but the character sinks back into inactivity afterwards. If he goes off his meds, apply a -1 penalty to all extended tasks.

For two points, your character has seriously contemplated or even attempted suicide before, and suffers from severe Depression. Symptoms are more prevalent and medication and therapy only soothes them partially. The character is disinterested in anything and everything, suffers from apathy, and has a -1 to all extended tasks even while on meds. If he goes off the meds, apply a -1 penalty to all tasks, and a -3 to any extended tasks (unless they form part of an Obsession of the character's).

Fear of Committment: Whenever your character starts feeling too close to somebody, he becomes afraid and pulls back. Maybe he is worried that if he lets somebody get too close, he will get hurt, and it's... just... not... worth the pain. Or perhaps he fears that if he reveals too much, the other person will see the "real him" and be appalled or disgusted. (Of course, depending on what the "real him" really is, this may not be such an insubstantial concern).

Fear of Rejection: When this person experiences rejection (or thinks he has been rejected), he feels hurt and angry. A person with this problem may be afraid to make friends or approach those he is attracted to, and if his fears come true, he harbors a great deal or resentment and anger.

Insecurity: Insecurity is a feeling of general unease or nervousness that may be triggered by perceiving oneself to be unloved, inadequate or worthless (whether in a rational or an irrational manner). A person who is insecure lacks confidence in their own value and capability, trust in themselves or others, or has fears that a present positive state is temporary and will let them down and cause them loss or distress by "going wrong" in future. For one point, this person is just not sure of his own worth. This makes it difficult for them to make friends, engage in conversation, ask for favors, or walk up to that cute red-head and ask her out on a date. You get a lot of these people spending time online pretending to be something els-- ahem-- anyway!

For two points, your Insecurity is a lot harder to control. You might be uber-shy, to the point of being an isolationist who can barely socialize with others for more than a few minutes at a time; or you may be the type to overcompensate with arrogance and aggression ("all bullies are cowards"). Though superficially different, both types of severe Insecurity affect the character's social life heavily.
Loner: Your character doesn't need other people. Not only does she not want friends but she doesn't even want help figuring out how to get to Route 2A! At best she is gruff to others. At worst, downright insulting. Please be careful when choosing this Drawback for your character. It's hard to play out, and is incredibly debilitating in an online, text-based gaming system where social scenes are a large part of the game play. In addition, remember that actions have consequences. Playing a loner might seem edgy and cool, but it will probably change the way other characters view yours, and make roleplaying with them a chore, if not impossible. being a Loner is always worth one point.

Value: 1 or 2

False Identity

Your active identity is not legit. For some reason or another, your real identity has some problem (wanted, dead, or maybe you're from the underworld and just don't -have- a legal identity) and you have a false one that gets you through your day to day hassles. This comes in two levels: For one (1) point, your false identity stands up against standard reference checks for jobs, lets you get a driver's license, social security number, bank accounts, etc). You can get low-key jobs, but anything that has to go through law enforcement scrutiny is out (bank jobs, working with children, etc). For two (2) points, your identity doesn't stand up against much of anything. You have no social security number, no driver's license, and no form of legal identification. Most of the jobs you'll be able to acquire are under the table (of the criminal variety, or at least overseen by criminals).

Value: 1 or 2

Honorable

For each level of this Drawback taken, the player must apply 3 Honor Points to different principles and dictates that their code makes them adhere to. As is logical, different principles and dictates are more or less restrictive or severe. A Severity 1 principle will be less restrictive, easier to break, and invoke less of a psychological and/or emotional trauma if broken than a Severity 2 or Severity 3 principle. A character can divide the points in any combination they wish; taking a lot of low-Severity restrictions may seem to circumvent some of this trait's seriousness, but be aware Staff will keep a close eye on such things.

In a life-or-death situation where honor must be ignored, your character might do so, but even then a Willpower (doubled) roll must be made at a penalty equal to twice the Severity level of the principle broken or ignored. Even then, once a character has temporarily bequeathed their honor, it's still very present. After breaking a precept, the character suffers a penalty to all rolls equal to that precepts Severity rating, for a number of days equal to [(Severity Rating) x (Drawback Level)] (though by no means should your character's angst and/or atonement be limited to that time span, especially for more severe honor-breaking). Breaking your sworn oath and personal values is no laughing matter, and it will haunt you for some time.

Value: 1/level

Humorless

Some people just lack the ability to laugh at life and take everything with the utmost seriousness (kind of an anti-Lorne). Other people's attempts at humor are seen as wasteful or annoying. Most people find this facet of this character's personality to be unattractive or bothersome. Clowns and practical jokers are like white on rice with this gent.

Value: 1

Impaired Sense

Blind as a bat? Deaf as a mule? Cat got your tongue? You've got a sense that just don't work right. This isn't the same as being totally deficient in a sense. Instead, you suffer a -3 penalty to use it. You can't take this drawback for a sense you bought Acute Sense for. If your impaired sense is easily correctable, through the use of glasses or a hearing aid for example, the value is 1 point (but you still suffer -3 if the device is disabled or lost). If it is not correctable, it has a value of 2 points. You can apply this drawback to sight, hearing, touch, and taste/smell.

Value: 1 or 2

Love

The character's love life is the stuff songs are made of, whether the pop of Britney Spears or industrial/thrash of Marilyn Manson is up to the storyline, of course. Level 1 means a character with this Drawback at starts the game with a relationship. This love may or may not be reciprocated; your character might be in love with someone who barely knows he exists. Whenever the character has to choose between following his heart or his head, he must make a Willpower (not doubled) roll at a -3 penalty.

The second level (Tragic Love) of love is less about who you love and more about how you love. Your relationships end badly. All of them. Always. Either something bad always happens to your lover or you just always pick the wrong person. Either way, while you have this flaw you cannot have a good relationship for very long. Also, whenever you are in a relationship, you're subject to the first level's rules.

Value: 2 or 4

Mental Problems

Your character has some serious hang-up. Maybe his parents abused him, or he's in dire need of some Prozac. The short circuit could be quirky or downright insane, depending on how severe the problem is. This Drawback can range in value from 1 to 3 points. Some common Mental Problems are suggested here. Like Emotional Problems, feel free to come up with your own or create variations on these themes. Equal opportunity darkness here at Eldritch.

Now, as with Emotional Problems, things do change. Characters in games often overcome their limitations (or replace them with new ones). Mental Problems can be removed during play, but this should always be roleplayed. If you are able to convey the character's inner struggle over the course of time, you may be allowed to buy the Drawback off. You'll probably even get some Drama Points out of the process.

Cowardice: Your character is more afraid of trouble and confrontation than normal people. He may shun danger altogether, or only risk it when he's sure he has the upper hand. Whenever your character gets into a situation which could be violent (verbally or physically) she has to make a Willpower (doubled) check with a penalty equal to the level of her cowardice. Also, the value of this Drawback applies as an additional penalty to other Fear Checks. You cannot take Nerves of Steel or benefit from any other bonuses to Fear Checks from other Qualities. Craven characters tend to have low Willpower.

Cruelty: Oh, how you like the sweet sound of suffering. This is a person who actually likes to inflict pain and suffering. This doesn't just mean physical pain, though that is the most obvious iteration, but also mental and emotional manipulation and cruelty. Using and abusing, even emotionally, can be satisfying to a sadist. At the lower level, he reserves this for people whom he considers enemies, but at the highest level he needs no reservations; walk-ins are welcome! (This is probably not appropriate for most heroes, but is typical among vampires and demons).

Deceit: Some people love intrigue the way others love sex or chocolate-covered cherries. They never miss a chance to plot and manipulate those around them, even their friends and allies. This often happens even when it's not in their best interests. Straightforward plans are never favored; convoluted is definitely the way to go. Where's the glory in simple? Resisting the impulse to lie and manipulate others, or to make a plan less complex than it could be requires a Willpower (doubled) roll with a penalty equal to double the level of the Drawback.

Delusion: Your character believes something that just isn't true — he might be a confirmed misogynist or racist, or consider non-pure-blood demons not fit to live, or certain that demons wander the neighborhood. Ah… scratch that; in this world, the last one is likely not a delusion. Note that a delusion is not the same as a hallucination. A character confronted with the chance to apply or invoke his delusion must roll Willpower (doubled) with a penalty equal to double the value of this Drawback if they desire to curb this impulse.

Hallucination: You see something that isn't there, or as something completely different than what it is. It's not just your eyes that are askew with regards to this; all your senses might be affected. This isn't a one-time thing, either. Taking this Drawback means your character constantly sees and experiences things that she realizes (if sometimes only after the fact) aren't true, but can't help react to them and see them anyway. Depending on the value, this may be an occasional, brief pink elephant; or, at high levels, a constant, ghostly guide that acts as your conscience.

Obsession: A particular person or task dominates your character's life, to the exclusion of most other things. To pursue his Obsession, he will go to almost any length (as limited by his morality). He may neglect other duties, both personal and professional, to pursue that which fascinates him. The "obsessee" may be a person (who may or may not be aware of your character's feelings, but who almost certainly would be upset about their intensity) or a task (like getting revenge on somebody or performing some important or notorious feat).

The Obsession's value depends on how much time is devoted to it. a level 1 Obsession might be something that takes up an hour or two every day, or a few hours every few days; a level 2 Obsession is something the character needs to tend to every day for at least a few hours; while a level 3 Obsession consumes the character, and almost everything they do has to do with that task or goal.

Paranoia: "They" are out to get you. Trust no one. Everything is a conspiracy and everyone is keeping secrets. Your character never knows when somebody is going to turn against him, but he knows they all will, sooner or later. A paranoid character expects treachery at every turn, and rarely trusts even his friends and relatives.

Now in Eldritch, where monsters exist and secret organizations have run centuries-old conspiracies, being paranoid is somewhat healthy. However, a character with this Drawback is seriously bent. This makes him annoying and even frightening to have around, and his testimony less likely to be believed, even when he is speaking the truth. Paranoid characters often suffer from other Emotional and Mental Problems (their point values are determined separately).

Phobia: Something gives your character the heebie-jeebies: snakes, heights, enclosed spaces, public singing, etc. The harder it is to overcome the fear, the more this Drawback costs. Whenever the character faces the subject of the phobia, she has to make a Fear Check with a penalty equal to double the value of the Drawback. If the situation is normally frightening (say, the character is afraid of snakes and now he faces a giant demon snake, which would frighten anybody), add double the value of the Phobia to the regular Fear Check penalty. Yes, some things are just that scary to the phobic.

Even if the character succeeds in surpassing their fears momentarily and confronting them, all actions taken while the subject of the Phobia is present are at a penalty equal to the value of the Drawback. In addition, when facing the object of a Phobia, Nerves of Steel and other bonuses to Fear Checks are considered null and void.

For a comprehensive list of phobias, click HERE

Reckless: This character is supremely overconfident and impulsive, willing to take incredible risks, often without thinking of the consequences. Most of the time, he never looks before he leaps, and gets into all kinds of trouble as a result. A reckless character prefers to act first and think about it later. He says what's on his mind with no consideration for diplomacy or courtesy, rushes into dangerous situations, and rarely wastes time on second thoughts. Reckless does not necessarily mean suicidal though (except maybe at the highest level).

Whenever wanting to curb his reckless tendency, the character must roll Willpower (doubled) with a penalty equal to double their Reckless level. This should only happen when he is being (enthusiastically) warned by others. Acting on impulse no doubt puts the character in jeopardy, but doing something that is clearly lethal is not roleplaying, it's just stupid.

Zealot: A zealot is a person whose beliefs (political, religious, or personal) are so strong that they dominate his life and behavior. He is willing to sacrifice anything, including his life (or the lives of others) in service to the ideals he holds dear. This character is dangerous to himself and others, and shows a total disregard for the law whenever it conflicts with his beliefs. Mad cultists, wild-eyed crusader types, and other mixed wackos qualify for this Drawback. This differs from Obsession in scope (Zealot behavioral dictates are more comprehensive) and severity.

Value: 1-3

Misfit

Nerds, dorks, freaks, and geeks; all names for the outcasts of society. Because of their interests, charisma (lack thereof), habits, or mannerisms, these people seem to have a permanent "Kick Me" sign taped to their backs. They are to the movers and shakers what port-a-potties are to construction workers. Misfits have a rough time in social situations; they have a -3 penalty to any social rolls, and they automatically attract the attention of any cruel or abusive character.

Value: 2

Nightmares

Your character is plagued by terrifying dreams that relive some traumatic experience (or maybe a series of bad past events), or are just frightening and disturbing. Every night, you have a 20% chance (an automated roll that comes up 1 or 2 on 1d10) of having a horrifying dream that plagued your sleep and made you restless. On any night when the character is afflicted by the nightmare, he suffers -1 to all rolls the following day as a result of exhaustion and the general shakes.

Value: 1

Obligation

Value: 1-3

Oblivious

Some people are paranoid, and always know what's going around them. Others... not so much. You're part of the second category. Maybe you had it easy and never took it upon yourself to watch the rest of the world, or maybe you're obsessive to the point of ignoring everyone else, or even still, you might just be that absent-minded. Whatever the reason for this, the character receives a -2 penalty to resisting ambushes and becoming alert of dangerous situations, as well as -1 to determine Initiative.

Value: 2

Poverty

Money. It makes the world go round. And you could really use a buck (or a hundred) right now. This trait is for people really down on their luck; the economically challenged; those that have lost a lot, or owe too much. Maybe your house burned down with everything in it and your insurance didn't cover the fire, or you have so many student loans to pay off that it makes you wonder just what you're going to eat tonight, nevermind tomorrow! Homeless people and college students tend to be the typical people representing this trait. Runaways and anachronistic fighters of evil who've been in enchanted sleep for centuries could also fit the bill.

Perceptive players might notice that the Wealth Quality costs twice as much as the Poverty Drawback gives back. This is not an accident. It's much more common and easier to lose oneself in poverty than it is to acquire a successful and high-paying job. Being rich is extremely rare, when you compare it to being poor, and if we're going to assign values and costs to these things, well... a 1:2 ratio is the least we can manage, don't you think?

Value: 0-5

Secret

There exists a dangerous and hidden fact about your character. This could be a secret identity or a shady past. The more damaging the secret if it became known, the higher the value of the Drawback. For example, damage to your character's reputation and livelihood would be worth one point; a threat to his wellbeing (he might be arrested or deported if the truth were known) two points; life, limb, and lymph nodes three points. You should work with Staff on establishing the breadth of the Secret's effect. It's not the same if it's only bad for you if a small, specific group of people find out, as if it's life-threatening if anyone finds out. No Secret can be worth more than 3 points.

Value: 1/level

Shocking Looks

Shocking Looks does the opposite of the Striking Looks Quality. That is to say, instead of making it easier for you to look or appear better and more agreeable, it makes you look... less agreeable. It could be the scar running down your face, or the fact that you've got a compulsion for being unkempt and stinky. Maybe you're disgustingly overweight or have yellow teeth and warts. It can be anything, and the previous suggestions are, of course, stereotypical, and it should be roleplayed accordingly. You suffer a penalty to rolls where you try to use your looks to entertain, persuade, distract, or deceive others. For 1 point, you get a -2; for 2 points, you get a -4. However, if you're looking to scare people or intimidate them, you get a +1 or +2 bonus (respective to the cost you chose). Gorey, scary demons tend to have this Quality. See Unusual Appearance for details on demonic appearance.

Value: 1 or 2

Sinful

You're no saint, that's for sure. Anyone can fall to temptation; any of the sins can appeal to every person (and being) in the world. But you have a certain one that's your Achilles' Heel. While you remain stoic against all the others, this particular temptation can bring you to your knees and make you do things you'd normally choose not to. Pick one of the Seven Deadly Sins: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy or Pride. Now determine the severity of your sin, based on its value, which can range from -1 to -3.

A character presented with temptation befitting his Sin must roll Willpower (doubled), with a penalty equal to double the Sin's value. Thus, a character with a Willpower of 4 and Sinful (Greed) (-2) will have to roll 8-4+1d10 if confronted with the chance to purloin something valuable, or take a dishonest measure while conducting business (but if he had Sinful (Greed) (-1), he'd roll 8-2+1d10). A character can espouse up to 3 different Sins, but they must each be at different levels.

Value: 1/level

Slow Learner

You're a bit slow on the uptake. Maybe you just don't have the kind of mind that processes things at a decent pace, or just don't put any effort into most of the things that you do. Regardless of the why, you have a hard time picking up new things and making progress in learning what you already know. This comes in three levels: for one (1) point, you double the training times when it comes to raising Skills (so it becomes (New Rating) in months). For two (2) points, you double all training times when it comes to raising Skills and Attributes, (so Attributes become (New Rating x 2) in months). For three (3) points, all training times are doubled for everything, including Qualities (though some supernatural Qualities that require plots to raise them will not find themselves affected by this Drawback).

Value: 1/lvl

Slow Reaction Time

Maybe you never played intense video games, or you're just one of those people that needs to be able to take their time in order to do anything properly; or maybe you're just the hesitant, meek, or absent-minded type. Regardless of why, you always need to take a breather before you act, and things that happen too quickly tend to disorient and unbalance you. You receive a penalty of -3 to determine Initiative.

Value: 2

Talentless

The Talentless individual is totally lacking in creativity and artistic ability. Maybe he is too stolid and practical, or maybe he just doesn't have the imagination to do anything artistic. This Drawback doesn't just affect his ability in the arts, but also in many social skills where flair and creativity are necessary. Your character has a -3 penalty when trying to do anything artistic. This penalty does not affect tasks where other people's art is judged; many expert critics are Talentless. When he does try to create something though, the best he can hope for is a mediocre result. In addition to the penalty, the character can never get more than one Success Level in artistic pursuits, regardless of how high his skill levels or rolls are. People with this Drawback also make poor liars, charmers, or social butterflies. The same penalty applies to such skills as Influence and Perfom; a lack of creativity affects the ability to convincingly lie, charm, flatter, intimidate, or schmooze.

Value: 2

Teenager

Being a teenager means no one listens to you but everyone expects you to act grown up. You can't drink (legally) or smoke (legally) or vote (legally). Worse still, you very likely have guardians who might look askance at you sneaking out in the middle of the night to go fight off a horde of vampires. Being a teenager sucks. You will be required to buy off this flaw when you turn eighteen.

Value: 2