Persona Production Step 3A
Flaws
In Infinite Adventures a flaw is a trait that impairs a person in some manner and to some degree. While in most RPGs flaws are used to balance a character’s advantages, in IA flaws are used more for their roleplaying potential, and to give a persona a bit of a flair. Here now I present a list of flaws the player may select for his Heroic Persona, or determine randomly.
- 01-02: Disowned by family or is an orphan
- 03-04: Allergic to pet dander. -20 to skills during a mild attack, incapable of taking action during a severe attack.
- 05-06: Allergic to dust. -20 to skills during a mild attack, incapable of taking action during a severe attack.
- 07-08: Allergy to pollen: -20 to skills during a mild attack, incapable of taking action during a severe attack.
- 09-10: Allergic to one particular food or drink. -20 to skills during a mild attack, incapable of taking action during a severe attack.
- 11-12: Can’t hear high frequencies. Any perception roll involving hearing high frequency sounds is automatically made at a DR of Extreme.
- 13-14: Can’t hear low frequencies. Any perception roll involving hearing low frequency sounds is automatically made at a DR of Extreme.
- 15-16: Poor immune system. All diseases are at +15 strength versus this Persona
- 17-18: Chintzy. A tightwad, a cheapskate. Has a -20 to all appraisal rolls where personal purchases are concerned. Possessions are an average of 20% lower in value compared to another’s property.
- 19-20: Poor toxin resistance. All poisons at +10 strength versus this persona.
- 21-22: Fascinated by danger.
- 23-24: Hard of hearing. -10 on any Perception roll involving hearing.
- 25-26: Heals Physical damage at half normal rate
- 27-28: Heals Mental damage at half normal rate.
- 29-30: Heals Spiritual damage at half normal rate.
- 31-32: Bad actor, -10 to thespianism if posessesed.
- 33-34: Alcohol susceptibility. -10 to Tolerance if possessed.
- 35-36: Anti-violence. -10 to any action calling upon the persona to harm another.
- 37-38: On occasion an old injury will flare up, reducing movement to half speed
- 39-40: Clumsy. -5 to any skill requiring some degree of coordination.
- 41-42: Nervous, easily startled
- 43-44: No sense of humor
- 45-46: Slow to react. +1 to all reaction and initiative rolls
- 47-48: Scarred or disfigured. -1d3 to Attractiveness
- 49-50: Mildly near or far sighted. -10 to any Perception roll involving vision.
- 51-52: Poor night vision. Under low light conditions vision one step worse.
- 53-54; Forgetful. Roll against Mental-Mnemonic at one DR worse to recall things.
- 55-56: Obsessive/Compulsive. Roll against Spiritual-Psychic at one DR worse to avoid behaving repetitively.
- 57-58: Non-musical. Cannot learn any music related skill.
- 59-60: Disliked by animals. -10 to Animal Handling
- 61-62: Can’t swim
- 63-64: Mildly acrophobic. Must make a roll against Spiritual-Metaphysical at a DR of Difficult when dealing with any height above 10 feet or so.
- 65-66: Fanatic. Intolerant to those of different beliefs.
- 67-68: Color blind. Any skill involving the use and perception of color is impossible
- 69-70: Sickly. Heals all illness and poisoning at half rate.
- 71-72: Bigot. Hates those not of his ethnicity.
- 73-74: Mild Hydrophobia. Must make a Spiritual-Metaphysical-Power roll at DR Hard when forced to deal with water in any circumstance.
- 75-76: Gullible, persona tends to fall for sob stories. Roll against Spiritual Psychic Power at DR hard to resist.
- 77-78: A clod. -10 to Etiquette/Social Graces.
- 79-80: Not appealing to those who might have a sexual interest in the persona. -2 Attractiveness where those people are concerned.
- 81-82: Poor manual dexterity, -10 to Handicrafts/Handiwork.
- 83-84: Arrest warrant, earned or unearned, out on persona.
- 85-86: Sensitive eyes, -20 on all Perception rolls involving vision in bright lights.
- 87-88: Can’t sleep unless in deep darkness, and then sleeps very soundly. Must roll against Spiritual Psychic Power at DR Hard.
- 89-90: Poor linguist. Can’t learn new languages, STEEP in known languages costs twice normal.
- 91-92: Poor earner. Income and disposable wealth at 10% and 25% of normal of persona’s SEC and age.
- 93-94: Enemy in the criminal underworld
- 95-96: Keeps to himself and doesn’t care to meet new people.
- 97-98: The Journey Master will select one for the persona.
- 99-00: Persona has two flaws. Roll again if this result comes up again.
These flaws are meant to give the player some challenge when playing his persona, without making it impossible for the persona to be adventuring in any sensible world. For this reason severe allergies and severe mental illness are not included. I cannot forbid you from adding in such as suicidal depression or schizophrenia to this list, but I will counsel you against it. Played realistically a serious flaw would pretty much preclude a person from going out on adventures. So keep any flaw you may wish to add to ones that are slight in their effects, or which can be reasonably justified in your game’s milieu.
Next, supplemental knacks and flaws.
