CharacterTraits

There has been a lot of inkspilled to offer advice for creating characterswithpersonalityand backstory. These rules expand on that advice, providing players with a way to get a tangible mechanical benefit when their characters traits come into play or possibly some degree of influenceoverthestorynormallyreservedfortheStoryteller.ThesearecalledCharacterTraits. Character Traits provide a mechanical or narrative effect when character details come into play. Perhapsthe ghost ofa bartender killed by gangsterscancalluponaCharacterTraittoget a bonus when attacking the gangster leader, or the Mage of the Adamantine Arrow can gain a bonusonintimidationwhenhemakesitclearwhichOrderhebelongsto. These rules promote character growth and depth, and reward the player fortakingthetimeto thinkabouthischaracterspersonality,goalsandmotivations.

CharacterTraits
A Character Trait is a phrase or sentence that describes some quirk, urge, belief or background event with meaning to your character. When you use a Character Trait to benefit you, it is called Asserting a Character Trait. And unlike merits or most supernatural powers, Character Traits can represent both positive and negative things about your character. It represents their strengths, but also their flaws. So while a Character Trait can be Assertedto benefit you, it can also be used to your detriment. When a Character Trait is used to your detriment,thisiscalledaComplication. The most important thing about any Character Trait is that it should be interesting.Whenever you choose a Character Trait, take a minute to ask yourself what kinds of situations you can imagine using it for,andalso whatkindoftroubleitmightgetyouinto.ThebestCharacterTraits suggest situations where thecharacter can shine, but also situations wheretheCharacterTrait makes things more difficult forthe character.IfyouareiffyaboutaCharacterTrait,trytothinkof two or three different ways that Character Trait could come up in the game.HowdoyouAssert it?WhatkindsofComplicationscanitleadto? So you might be thinking Ill take Urban Warrior as a Character Trait. That could always be Asserted to help me. And youd often be correct. Its powerful. But is it cool? Is it fun? Is it interesting? Doesit tell us anything about your character? Character Traits shouldbeevocative andinformativeandshouldgenerallybeatleastthreewordslong. Lets take it a step back and changeittoPredatoroftheOutskirts.Notonlyisthatalittlemore evocative, but it suggests that it could beutilizedinsometrulyinterestingways.Itmightalsoset you to wonderingwhythischaracterdwellsintheOutskirts,who hispreyis,andhowhehunts. The answers to these questions will inform you when you can Assert thatCharacter Trait,and whenitcanresultinComplications. Why do you want Complications? First, Complications are a way for your character to get some personal spotlight time.Heroes without flaws are boring,asareCharacterTraitsthatonly address the positive things about your character. But World of Darkness games are about drama, personal conflict and adversity. So you want your character to have goals and be challenged to meet them. And perhaps most importantly, the more Complications your CharacterTraitscreate,themoreoftentheycanbeAsserted.

CharacterTraitsinCharacterCreation
Your character starts witha total of fourCharacter Traits that help define certain thingsabout your character. YourCharacter Traits arearranged into something called the TraitAlphabetto helpyourememberthem,andthedifferenttypesareexplainedbelow: AisforAssociation

What people,places orthingsdefineyou?Orwhatisyourpositioninsociety?Thesemight be friends, allies, enemies, family heirlooms, hidden havens, etc. Some good AssociationTraitsinclude:
ChildeofPrinceMaxwell WestCentralParkisMYdomain!Anddontyouforgetit! BoltHoleHideoutunder5thandMain BisforBelief Why do you have the Virtue that you do? What do you believe in? What philosophies guide youractionsandmakeyouthepersonyouare?Examplesinclude: TheGoddesswillguidemyhand! CannotStandBytoLettheDarknessReign Order.Withoutthosetoenforceorder,theworlddescendsintochaos. DisforDesire What are your character's goals and ambitions? What does he want out of (un)life? What driveshimtogetoutofbedandconfronthehorrorsoftheworld?Examplesinclude: WantstoAvengehisSiresDeath Oneday,youwillalllooktomeasAlpha!" United,weshallpurgethiscityoftheSeersinfluence. EisforExperience This could cover where you grew up, who your parents were, your previousprofessions, or howyoucametobewhatyouaretoday.Examplesinclude: IwasasimplejanitorbeforeIwasexposedtothedarkness. GrewupintheBackAlleysofNewOrleans BastardChildeofPrinceMaxwell FisforFlaw Why haventyoualreadyachievedallyourgoals?WhydoyouhavetheVicethatyoudo?What areyourweaknesses?Whatareyourflaws?Examplesinclude: SoftSpotforthePoor RelicofaBygoneAge Icannotharmaninnocent. If it makes sense in the context of your chronicle (and your Storyteller agrees), you may replace an existing Character Trait with another of the same type at then end of the game session. This isnt something the Storyteller should allow all the time, but in somecases it just makessense. For example, if the character has a Trait called All I am, I am for Sherry, and Sherryislater killed, the player should change his Character Trait to something like All I am, I am for vengeance.

AssertingaCharacterTrait
Any time a Character Traitcouldbenefityourcharacter,youmayAssertit.Indoingso,youare declaring that this part of your characters personality or past will play a role in current events, andthatitwillbeofsomehelptoyou. When a Character Trait is Asserted,you getto add three dice to your dice pool,orrerollyour dice pool,onasingleactionrelatedtoyourCharacterTrait.Notethatyouneednotchoosewhich benefittotakeuntilaftertheinitialroll. Firstly, the Storyteller must agree that the Character Trait in question could grant your character the benefithedesires.Forexample,aCharacterTraitofPrimogenoftheVentruemay indeed be used to help you persuade a groupof ghouls to let you pass. However, justbecause you have a Character Trait of Grew up in the Mines of West Virginia doesnt mean that you swung a pick a lot in your youth, and therefore have strongarms, and therefore can swing an baseball bat hard, and therefore should be able toAssertyourCharacterTraitforabonusonan attack roll with an bat. Character Traits can be broad and pretty flexible, but any morethanone thereforeanditprobablyshouldntbeallowed. When your characterisfinishedyouwillhavealistofCharacterTraits toputonyourcharacter sheet. Each time a Character Trait is Asserted, cross it off your sheet. You cant use that Character Trait again this game session unless it is cleared by a Complication (more on that later). Regaining the use of a Character Trait that has been Asserted is called Refreshing a CharacterTrait. For example, you could Assert your Big Dumb Ox Character Trait, granting you a bonusor reroll on a Strength check orattackrollwithmeleeweapon.Likewise, youcouldAssertSoonall of Chicago willbemine!andgainabonusorrerollonjustaboutanyactionthatdirectlyrelatesto yourattempttotakeoverChicago. NarrativeDeclaration(Optional) In addition to granting bonus dice on a roll, you may also Assert Character Traits to gain some measure of narrative control over the story and game world. This is an optional rule some Storytellers may choose not to allow, but before dismissing it, consider what this optioncanbringtothegame. Allowingplayerstofillindetailsabouttheworldhasseveralbenefits.Themostobviousare that the player takes a little of the world creation load off of the Storytellers hands. The second is that it often generatesmoreemotionalinvestment inthesettingiftheplayerhasa handincreatingit. In essence, you may be allowed to sit in the Storytellers seat foramomentanddescribe events that are affected by your Character Trait. For example, you may Assert Trainedby Corporal Davick Shellock upon meeting a fellow soldier to declare that this soldier also served under Corporal Shellock, and that you two know each other. However, any such effectmustbeapprovedbytheStorytellerwhoalwayshasvetorights.

CharacterTraitComplications
Character Traits arent always used to grant you benefits, bonuses, and special privileges. Sometimes they can get you into trouble or make an otherwise easy task much moredifficult. But this is a good thing! Inexchange for your troubles, you are allowedto Refresh one of your previouslyAssertedCharacterTraits. When the Storyteller sees an opportunity to offer a Complication, he should describe the effects of the Complication to the player and offer him a chance to accept or deny it. If the Complicationis denied,nothinghappens.Ifit isaccepted,theeffectsoftheComplicationhappen andthecharacterisallowedtoRefreshanyCharacterTraitthatwaspreviouslyAsserted. The exact effects of a Complication are up to the Storyteller. You may automaticallyfailonan attempt to perform an action, or the plot may twist in a way that makes things more difficultor complicatedforyourcharacterortheparty. Regardlessofthepreciseeffects,Complicationstendtocomeaboutinoneoftwoways: Active Complications During the game, a situation might arise that makes having a Character Trait detrimental to your character. This is an Active Complication and is the most commontype. For example, it may be very difficult to filch an item off the shelf at a supply store if youhave the Little Black Boy from the Streets Trait and the register jockey is a racist who watches your every move. This Complication may result in the character automatically getting caught if he attemptstostealsomethingduetothewatchfulnessofthedistrustfulemployee. Alternatively, you as the player may suggest a Character Trait and Complication to the Storyteller. If the Storyteller agrees (and he may refuse), the Complication takeseffect as ifthe Storytellerhadofferedit. A bit of advice for the Storyteller: Dont badger the player. If you offer a Complication to the player,andhesaysno,letitgo. Passive Complications Occasionally the Storyteller may plot the story ahead, taking the PCsCharacterTraitsintoconsiderationashedoes. In these cases,its not uncommon for a Character Trait to be result in a Complication simply bywayofhowthestoryisnaturallyplayingout. For example, your character may have a Character Trait of I Just Want to Make aBetterLife for my Family.Now,overthecourseofthestorythebadguygoes backtothecharactershouse andtakeshisfamilyhostage. This is effectively a Complication since the characters Character Trait has had a negative effectonhim,andtheStorytellerallowhimtoRefreshaCharacterTraitforhistroubles. NoPain,NoGain
As the Storyteller, you always want to avoid allowing an Asserted Character Trait to be Refreshed prematurely. In general, you dont want to offer the Refresh for a Complication until the CharacterTrait actually impacts the player. Something can always happen between the time the Complication is agreed upon and the point that the effects of the Complication actually impactthecharacter.So always make sure the character has earned the Refresh, dont just award it because aplayer is playingto his CharacterTraits.Thatsjustgoodroleplaying.

SampleCharacterTrait:PrimogenofClanVentrue
Here are a few samples of how the Character Trait Primogen of Clan Ventrue might be Asserted. [Bonus]Gaina+3bonus(orreroll)onrollstointimidateotherVentrue. [Bonus] Gain a +3 bonus (or reroll) on rolls to keep up with, or spread rumors through, thecitysvampiricupperclass. [NarrativeDeclaration]Declarethatthesecurityguardyoujustmetisamemberofoneof manysecurityteamsemployedbyClanVentrue. [Narrative Declaration] Declare that your most recent breach of the Masquerade is cleaned up and swept under the rugforyoubysome otheryoungVentruelookingtogain favor. Here are a few samples of Complications the Character Trait Scion of House Deneith might leadto: The informant youare scheduled to meet has hard feelings toward Clan Ventrue due to an unfortunate misunderstand in the past. You suffer a 3 penalty on most social rolls whendealingwithhim,andyouralliessuffera2duetotheirassociationwithyou. The PCs are at odds withClan ToreadorandintendstoconfronttheirPrimogenpublicly. You cannot take part because their actions could be seen as sanctioned by Clan Ventrue,andyoudonotwanttostartconflictbetweentheClans. When an assassin strikes at the PCs, he primarily targets you because you are a Primogenandareassumedtolikelyhavethemostpotentbloodinthegroup. OptionalRule:CutthroatComplications Sometimes a Storyteller may feel that a Complication relates so strongly to a characters Character Trait that instead of just letting the player choose to accept the Complication or not, he actuallycharges the player the use of a Character Trait to decline.For example, if character has a Character Trait like Sucker for Hot Blonds, a Complication involving seductionfromayoungblondmodelmightbeextremelydifficultforthecharactertoresist. In such a case, the Character Trait inquestioniseffectivelyAsserted,thoughnobenefitis gained. This is a good way to influence a player to stay true to hischaracter.Butbecareful. Thereisafinelinebetweeninfluencingandbullying.