Traits

Traits represent special features, flaws or abilities possessed by a character. Among other things, these include contacts and weaknesses.

Trait Format

For ease of use, traits are listed in a standard format. This format is shown below. It consists of the trait’s name, experience cost, requirements, special options and a description.

Trait Name

• Cost: The experience cost.

• Requirement: Any requirement necessary to purchase the trait is listed here.

• Special: Additional options, if any, are listed here.

Finally, the trait’s description is written below.

Purchasing Traits

Traits are purchased using experiences. The cost varies and is listed under each entry. Some traits also have requirements that must be met before they can be purchased. Unless specified otherwise, a trait may only be purchased once.

General Traits

A list of general traits follows. Weaknesses are listed in their own section beginning on page XXX.

Contact

• Cost: 3 experiences

• Requirement: An existing NPC may only be taken as a contact with the GM’s permission.

• Special: Each contact must be purchased separately.

You have made an important contact whom you may call upon for information, skill use or small favors. Contacts are generally helpful, but won't go too far out of their way or put themselves in jeopardy. For rules on bonds, see page XXX.

If this trait is gained during character creation, come up with a brief description of the contact. If gained during character advancement, specify someone you encountered during the session with whom you interacted in a friendly manner and who would be inclined to continue to think well of you.

A table used to help generate ideas for likely contacts can be found on page xxx.

Favor

• Cost: 1 experience

• Special: Each favor must be purchased separately.

Someone owes you a significant favor that can be called in at a later time. This grants you a single-use Contact that may be called in for one defined task, lasting no more than a day. For rules on bonds, see page XXX.

Membership

• Cost: 3 experiences

• Requirement: An existing subculture, corp or other influential group may only be taken as a membership with the GM’s permission.

• Special: Each membership must be purchased separately.

You are a full member, in good standing, of a major subculture, powerful corp or influential organization that you may call upon for information, skill use or small favors. The group may be generally helpful, but won't go too far out of its way or put itself in jeopardy. For rules on bonds, see page XXX.

If this trait is gained during character creation, the player should work with the GM to select an appropriate group. If gained during character advancement, specify a group the character was invited to join during the session.

A table describing the major subcultures can be found on page xxx. A table listing the Big 5 megacorps can be found on page xxx.

Patron

• Cost: 6 experiences

• Requirement: You must already have the patron as a Contact or Membership. An existing NPC or group may only be taken as a patron with the GM’s permission.

• Special: Each patron must be purchased separately.

There is a powerful individual, subculture, corp or organization who acts as your patron, providing you with support or limited assistance, but expecting favors and your loyalty in return. Patrons may go out of their way, expending resources or putting assets in danger, to help you. For rules on bonds, see page XXX.

If this trait is gained during character creation, come up with a brief description of the patron. If gained during character advancement, specify a Contact or Membership you have whom you encountered during the session with whom you interacted in a friendly manner and who would be inclined to improve their opinion of you.

Status

• Cost: 6 experiences

• Special: May be purchased once by player characters, or up to five times by influential NPCs; each time it represents an incrementally higher status.

You possess a high social status, perhaps as a wealthy dilettante, subcultural celebrity or corporate executive. Increase your Lifestyle by a rank per rank of this trait. You gain a ⊕ per rank of this trait on social tests in situations where you can leverage your status to your advantage. In similar situations, you may also impose a ⊖ per rank on social tests targeting you.

A table of example statuses is shown below.

Status	Examples
0	Worker, Scientist, Scrapper, Thug
1	Captain, Corp Middle Management
2	Station Administrator, Subcultural Celebrity
3	Corp CEO, Subcultural Demagogue
4	Megacorp Executive Board, Nation-State Leader
5	Megacorp CEO

Chang is a naval captain, serving in a corp navy (Status 1). However, he has been kidnapped, brought to Miskan Station and stripped of his gear. While helpless and on a hostile station, he is unable to leverage his status to his advantage and thus does not benefit from the ⊕ on social tests. To rectify this, he aims to escape, acquire a pistol and radio his corp for aid.

Weaknesses

Weaknesses are a special category of trait that each represent a flaw, defect or quirk that makes your character’s life more difficult. They have no associated cost, and can be freely chosen at character creation—or afterward, with the GM's permission.

Whenever a weakness trait would significantly hinder your character during play, it provides a benefit by allowing you to immediately gain an Edge. This can be done up to once per hour per Weakness.

The list of available Weaknesses is below.

Absent-Minded

Always absent-minded and spacey, most of the time you are in a world of your own. This imposes ⊖ on tests that require remaining alert or recalling past details.

Allergy

You have an allergy to a specific common substance. If you suffer a critical failure while in a location that may contain the substance, you have been exposed and have an allergic reaction. This imposes ⊖ on all tests until you can get away from the source of the allergy and recover for a few minutes.

Amnesia

There is some period of your life which you simply cannot remember. You automatically fail all attempts to remember this part of your life. What were you doing? Why can you not remember? Work with the GM to figure out the details.

Bad Back

You find yourself unable to lift as much gear as might otherwise be expected. Perhaps you have a condition that restricts the mobility of your arms or a delicate spinal condition. Regardless of the cause, this applies a -2 penalty to your Encumbrance score.

Bad Eyesight

You have poor vision. You suffer ⊖ on tests that rely primarily on sight. This might be correctable with glasses, in which case the bane does not apply, but neither do you gain an Edge for the weakness hindering you.

Bothersome Habits

Many people have some odious personal habits, and you are one of them. This might be bad hygiene, a consistent and awful sense of humor or an aura of pure arrogance. Whatever its nature, your habits impose ⊖ on all social tests where you might offend others.

Compulsive Behavior

You have a strong urge to indulge in some specific behavior. This could be compulsive gambling, drinking, sex, etc. When you suffer a critical failure in the presence of this temptation, you gain the Desire (Indulge) consequence.

Cowardice

You are not very brave, and are likely to run or freeze up when faced with danger. This imposes ⊖ on all aggressive tests when faced with a spooky or dangerous situation. This is also applied to tests made to resist fear.

Crippled

While you are able to walk, your legs do not function anywhere near a jog, let alone a run. You take a -2 penalty to your Move score (min 1) and automatically fail all attempts to run, jump, jog or otherwise move quickly by foot.

Doomed

You are dying, and it is only a matter of time until you expire. This could be due to a chronic illness, slow poisoning or other medical condition. Whenever you suffer a critical failure on an Endurance-based test, make a tally mark next to this Weakness. Once the number of tally marks exceeds your Endurance, you finally die (although the GM may allow you to finish out the scene for dramatic effect).

Enemy

Many people have enemies, but one of yours is unusually persistent. The first time in a session in which you suffer a critical failure, your enemy may make an appearance and try to foil you in some way. This could be anything from indirect interference with your plans, to direct physical confrontation. For rules on bonds, see page XXX.

Fat

Carrying around a lot of extra weight can be disadvantageous in many situations. This imposes ⊖ on tests made to run, walk lightly or squeeze yourself into small spaces.

Flashbacks

Flashbacks can be caused by traumatic experiences, mental illness or drug use. Whenever you suffer a critical failure during a stressful event, you experience flashbacks. This can confuse and disorient you, imposing the Dazed consequence.

Hard of Hearing

You have a poor sense of hearing. You suffer ⊖ on all tests that rely primarily on listening. This might be correctable with a hearing aid, in which case the penalty does not apply, but neither do you gain an Edge from the weakness hindering you.

Honesty

Some people just aren’t able to lie very well. Maybe something in your face gives you away, or maybe deep down inside you simply feel guilty. You suffer ⊖ on all attempts to deceive, lie or cover up the truth.

Impulsive

You have the tendency to act on impulse, giving in easily to provocations or enticement. This applies a -2 penalty to your Willpower score.​

Insomniac

Insomnia plagues you during the night, causing you to not sleep well. Anytime you suffer a critical failure, you do not sleep well later that night. This causes you to not count that night’s sleep for the purpose of natural healing or ridding yourself of the Fatigue consequence.

Lecherous

Distractions of a sexual nature are many and varied, and you are particularly lured by them. You suffer ⊖ on all tests made to resist seduction or where your lecherous nature may serve as a significant distraction.

Obligation

You have a significant obligation that you owe to an outside party—perhaps a large debt, dependent or corporate indenture. For rules on bonds, see page XXX.

Phobia

Irrational fear can be paralyzing. You have something of which you are uncontrollably and irrationally afraid. You suffer ⊖ to all tests made in the presence of the subject of your phobia.

Poor

Unfortunate economic circumstances have brought you to a point where you are notably poorer than the average member of your society. This reduces your Lifestyle by two ranks. In addition, if this weakness is gained during character creation, halve any starting money.

Rival

You have a rival who wishes to upstage, inconvenience or play cruel jokes on you. The first time in a session in which you suffer a critical failure, your rival may make an appearance. This differs from an Enemy in that a Rival does not necessarily seek to do you harm, and may even be friendly most of the time. For rules on bonds, see page XXX.

Scrawny

Your physique is stick-thin and lacking significant bulk or muscle. You suffer ⊖ on any test made to resist being knocked around, such as actions to avoid being knocked down, grappled or blown over.

Secret

People will often go to great lengths to protect their most personal and hidden secrets. You have one such secret. If you suffer a critical failure while events related to the secret are under review, you accidentally let something slip, or evidence otherwise surfaces that hints at it. If the secret gets outed, this Weakness is usually replaced with Enemy, Wanted or another fitting weakness.

Stutter

You possess a serious stutter, which gets in the way of speeches and other verbal communication. You suffer ⊖ on tests that require significant amounts of speaking.

Suspicious

You are suspicious of everyone’s motives—even those of your own allies, fearing that you will suffer misfortune at the hands of another. You suffer ⊖ on all Group Effort tests, regardless of whether you are acting as primary or secondary.

Ugly

Some people are beautiful to gaze upon. You are quite the opposite. This could be a natural unattractiveness or the result of some disfiguring injury. Regardless, you suffer ⊖ on tests where a standard of beauty would apply.

Wanted

You are wanted for crimes by a major corp or other sizable group. If you suffer a critical failure while going through a region controlled or policed by this group, the local security or other agents will try to arrest you.