Narrative Hooks, Traits, Merits, Flaws[]
Narrative hooks, traits, merits, and flaws represent the fundamental makeup of your character, some are derived from their species and background, others are earned through training. Each aspect provides a unique bonus or negative to a character. Players may only ever have 1 instance of a Trait, Flaw or non Training Merit (see training).
Buying Merits[]
Merits may be purchased during character creation by taking a flaw. This only refers to taking merits from the Merit Table not the Innate Traits table. You also cannot take an Innate Flaw. You can take as many of these as you wish, however be mindful as certain merits cannot be taken with other merits. The same is true for certain flaws.
Narrative Hooks[]
Narrative Hooks are a special form of Innate trait that is attached to a character, it allows a good jumping point for story telling about a character allowing the DGM to work with the player. Players may take up to 1 Narrative Hook freely at creation, or they may take none. Species and background may add additional hooks. Players who want to take more than one Narrative hook may buy them with flaws. Some Innate Traits and Flaws may also come with a Narrative Hook component. Custom Narrative hooks may be defined at any time. A (i) next to the trait means it can only be gained from species selection or GM fiat not at creation.
| Narrative Hook | Characteristic |
| Custom | The DGM and player may make a custom hook. |
| Dark Past | Some event shaped your character in the past and may come back to haunt you |
| Empathic (i) | DGM may give information on the feelings of NPCS |
| Full Telepathy (i) | Opens full telepathic encounters at DGM discretion |
| Latent Telepathy (i) | Your character may be susceptible to telepathic encounters, DGM Discretion |
| Prodigy | Your character was discovered at a young age to be a Prodigy with some social skill. This may result in you have fame with all that brings |
| Limited Telepathy (i) | Subtle Telepathic Encounters at DGM discretion |
| Silver Spoon | You come from an elevated position in society. |
| Touch Telepathy (i) | When in contact with a character or object, may engage in telepathy, DGM discretion |
| Vulcan Nerve Pinch | Your Vulcanoid Biology has allowed you to learn this! Or is it your mind? Or is it just because the plot needs it? |
Innate Traits[]
Innate traits are determined by species and sometimes background. They are immutable and provide small bonuses or unique narrative abilities.
| Innate Trait | Effect |
| Aquatic (example custom species trait) | Can breath under water, and communicate |
| Clever | Mind +1 |
| Fast | Reflex +1 |
| Hardy | Body +1 |
| Immense Strength | Body +6, Reflex -2, mind -2 |
| Intelligent | Mind +2 |
| Physical Strength | Body +2 |
| Quick Reflexes | Reflex +2 |
| Uncanny Intelligence | Mind +4 |
| Unnatural Endurance | Body +4 |
| Unnatural Reflexes | Reflex +4 |
Innate Flaws[]
Innate Flaws are determined by species and sometimes background, they are immutable and proved small negatives or unique narrative abilities.
| Innate Flaw | Effect |
| Average Intelligence | Mind -2 |
| Below Average Intelligence | Mind -4 |
| Biological Quirk(define) (Custom Example) | Narrative hook, increases the difficulty of medical checks on character by one level |
| Immense | Reflex -4 |
| Indecisive | Mind -1 |
| Large | Reflex -2 |
| Rage (Custom Example) | Temporary boost of +6 to body. Suffering -6 To mind triggers on loss of control narrative hook, gains flaw Illogical until narrative falloff also cannot benefit from any traits/merits that have a mind score requirement above current adjusted mind. |
| Small | Body -4 |
| Slight | Body -2 |
| Slow | Reflex -1 |
| Weak | Body -1 |
Merits[]
Merits represent mutable positive aspects of your character, these may be gained through species, background, or be purchased by taking flaws at character creation. Custom merits may be designed by the DGM and player if they make sense to the narrative. DGM’s may also award merits based on storytelling moments. Some merits have Attribute score requirements others may not be taken in combination with certain flaws or other merits. Unless otherwise specified a character can not have more than one copy of a Merit.
| Merit (Restrictions) | Characteristics |
| Bookworm (Mind 3) | Choose 1 (Science General +5, Medical General +5, Security General +5) |
| Classics Enthusiast | Cultural Literature +5 |
| Creative (Cannot have Lucky) | can substitute their skill check for their highest skill once per session if they fail a roll. |
| Dodge (Reflex 5) | Defense Bonus +5 |
| Eidetic Memory(Mind 9) Example Custom | Can save one critical to apply at a later time in the session, it can be applied to any action that falls under the same general category. Does not carry over. |
| Emotional(Cannot be Taken with Logical) | May reroll a failure. |
| Excellent Student | Choose 1 (Science General +5, Engineering General +5, Medical General +5) |
| Exemplary Schooling(May only have one school trait) | +5 to Any Science discipline(Overcap Possible) or + 5 to Engineering General (Overcap Possible) |
| Gifted Artist (Can be taken multiple times) | Art(specify) +30 |
| Counterattack(Reflex 9) | When attacked, if your opponent misses you automatically apply a critical attack, once per session. You choose if it applies but you cannot bank the critical. |
| Gymrat (body 3) | Melee(unarmed) +5 |
| Hand Eye Coordination( Reflex 3) | Modern Small Arms Marksmanship +5 |
| Logical(Cannot be taken with Emotional) | May once a session reduce the difficulty of an action. |
| Lucky (Cannot have Creative) | May turn an action into a fifty/fifty roll, if it succeeds it crits, if it fails it is a critical failure. Once per session |
| Powerful Attack (Body 9) | Once per session turn a melee attack roll into a critical on any success, apply an extra combat effect. |
| Marksman (Mind 5) | Modern Small Arms Marksmanship +10 (Overcap Possible) |
| Mathematics Genius( Mind 3) | Choose 1 (Engineering General +5, one science Discipline +5) |
| Natural Leader (Cannot have Stubborn) | Once Per session a Teamwork action will take the highest roll of a group. |
| Polyglot (cannot have tongue-tied) | Learn two additional languages without training in linguistics |
| Personal Combat Training (Body 5) | melee (armed)+5 , melee (unarmed)+5 Security General +5 (Overcap Possible) |
| Silver Tongue | Diplomacy +5, Inspiration +5 |
| Team Player (Cannot have Loner) | Once Per Session may lower the difficulty of a Teamwork Action |
| Virtuoso (Can be taken multiple times) | Instrument(Specify) +30, or Singing +30 |
Flaws[]
Flaws represent shortcomings to your character that can be overcome through roleplay or removed through experience buy (see Training). Flaws are not entirely negative, some flaws also have bonuses unique to that flaw. Players use flaws to buy merits. The DGM may also assign or remove flaws if earned through narrative arcs.
| Flaw(Restrictions) | Characteristics |
| Abysmal Schooling(Can only have 1 Schooling) | Science General -10, Engineering general -5 |
| Aggressive | Science General -5, Engineering general -5 |
| Average Schooling(Can only have 1 schooling) | Science General -5 or Engineering General -5 |
| Average Student | Choose 1 (Science General -5, Engineering General -5, Medical General -5) |
| By the Book (Cannot have Rebellious) | Cannot Benefit from Lucky or Creative. |
| Comfortable life | Zero-G Operation -5 |
| Dogmatic | Science general -10 or Diplomacy -10 |
| Punching Bag (Cannot have Dodge) | Defense Bonus -5, Body +2 |
| Forgetful | Mind -1 |
| Indecisive | Critical Failure now occurs on 5 or below, Critical Success occurs on 95 or above, cannot Crit in combat |
| Illogical (cannot have logical) | Science general -5 |
| Lazy | Engineering General -5 |
| Loner (Cannot Have Team Player) | Cannot add skills to a teamwork action, Critical Success on 90, Critical fail on 20 or less. Cannot achieve astounding success |
| Pacifist | Security General -10, Defense +5 |
| Pessimism | Cannot benefit from the Routine Modifier, Critical Failure on a Routine Action is treated like a Critical success |
| Rebellious(cannot have By the Book) | Security General -10, (Ranged attack bonus +5 or Melee Attack bonus +5) |
| Risk Averse (example custom) doesn’t apply to combat | Cannot Critically fail, cannot critically succeed Cannot add skill modifiers to teamwork actions Taking this flaw does not grant a Merit |
| Selfish (Cannot have Natural Leader) | Your roll always counts in a teamwork Action, unless countered by a natural leader. |
| Singular Focus | Any Specific skill +10, -10 to a General skill that that skill is not bonused by, Allows Overcap |
| Slacker | Choose 1 skill to reduce by 5. Can be taken multiple times. Skill must be trained. |
| Stubborn (Cannot Have Natural Leader) | If in a teamwork action, rolls are averaged. But skills may still be added. |
| Tongue Tied | Inspiration -10 |
| Unathletic | Body -1 |
| Uncoordinated | Reflex -1 |
| Unemotional (Cannot have Emotional) | Diplomacy -10 |
| Uninspired | Inspiration -5 |
| Untrusted | Skill additions to Teamwork action are worth -5 less. |