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View Full Version : There's Never Enough [3.5 Traits]



Temotei
2010-10-22, 06:14 AM
Bladegifted
Your understanding of a single weapon type is great, but you have neglected other weapons in your pursuit of specialized expertise.

Benefit
You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with a single weapon group (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/weaponGroupFeats.htm). In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to AC against these weapons.

Drawback
You take a -1 penalty to attack rolls with all other weapon groups, as well as a -1 penalty to AC against all other weapon groups.

Roleplaying Ideas
Characters with this trait might be excited when they find a new weapon of the same type they're skilled with, or they might be afraid when they encounter weapons of other types.


Colorblind
You are colorblind.

Benefit
You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects that are color-based.

Drawback
In addition to the obvious effects, you take a -1 penalty on Spot checks.

Roleplaying Ideas
Colorblind characters might be touchy about their colorblindness, or they may not even know the concept of colors, thinking everyone sees as they do.


Light Sensitive
Your eyes register light particularly well. Unfortunately, they register it so well that it's sometimes a vulnerability.

Benefit
You gain low-light vision. If you already possess low-light vision, you gain superior low-light vision (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/owlGiant.htm).

Drawback
You gain light sensitivity. If you already possess light sensitivity, you gain light blindness.

Roleplaying Ideas
Characters with this trait are probably prone to sleeping during the day, waking at dusk and staying up until dawn. They might brag about their great eyes, or they might curse them for being so vulnerable.


Short
You are short.

Benefit
You are considered small.

Drawback
You take the penalties from being small, and you take a -1 penalty on Intimidate checks.

Special
You must be medium-sized to take this trait.

Roleplaying Ideas
Short characters could be really sensitive about their size, or they could be satisfied that they're the only ones in their group that can fit in small spaces.


Speedy Reader
You read quickly.

Benefit
You can prepare spells from your spellbook in half the time it would normally take.

Drawback
Your quick reading often causes you to comprehend less than you would if you spent more time doing the reading. You have a 50% chance of losing a single spell slot of your highest available spell level.

Special
You must be able to prepare spells from a spellbook to take this trait.

Characters with this trait need not always speed read; however, when they don't, they take 1.5x the time it would take any other. To combat their habit of reading quickly, the character needs to read extremely slowly.

Roleplaying Ideas
Characters with this trait might flaunt their ability to read quickly by reading everything, or they might be afraid of ever being responsible for reading a text, for fear that their speedy reading habits will let others down.


Strong-Backed
You can carry more than usual, but in learning how to do so, you have neglected speed.

Benefit
You multiply your carrying capacity by 1.5. This applies to all load types (light, medium, heavy, max, etc.).

Drawback
You take a 5-foot penalty to your land speed.

Roleplaying Ideas
Characters with this trait may act as pack mules for the party, carrying spare weapons and gear.


Sweaty
You are always excessively sweaty.

Benefit
You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against extreme heat conditions.

Drawback
You take a -1 penalty to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks.

Roleplaying Ideas
Characters with this trait might be sensitive about their sweatiness, or they might not care. Some might even embrace their sweat, claiming it's a gift, not a curse.

PersonMan
2010-10-22, 06:47 AM
For Colorblind, I'd add a bonus against hiding creatures. I'm not sure, but I do remember hearing that colorblind people see through camouflage better.

For Sweaty, wouldn't they gain ab bonus on Escape Artist checks for being slippery?

I think Wargifted would work better with a different name. Wargifted makes me think of someone good at fighting, not someone good with a certain weapon group. Maybe Specialized or something?

Morph Bark
2010-10-22, 07:16 AM
Would Colorblind also apply to stuff like prismatic spray? :smalltongue:

Can a character choose to ignore their Speed Reading and prepare spells during a full hour as normal?

Temotei
2010-10-22, 02:04 PM
For Colorblind, I'd add a bonus against hiding creatures. I'm not sure, but I do remember hearing that colorblind people see through camouflage better.

For Sweaty, wouldn't they gain ab bonus on Escape Artist checks for being slippery?

I think Wargifted would work better with a different name. Wargifted makes me think of someone good at fighting, not someone good with a certain weapon group. Maybe Specialized or something?

Specialized is taken. Try again. :smalltongue:


Would Colorblind also apply to stuff like prismatic spray? :smalltongue:

Can a character choose to ignore their Speed Reading and prepare spells during a full hour as normal?

Originally, I had it so they just plain didn't see the color-based spells and effects, but I figured immunity to a whole set of spells was too much. But, yeah, it should.

I'll put in a sentence or two specifying that you don't have to speed read. Done, and it's flavorful, too. :smallcool:

PersonMan
2010-10-22, 02:48 PM
Specialized is taken. Try again. :smalltongue:

Maybe Weaponmaster? Or...hmmm. Specialist? Narrow Focus?

Temotei
2010-10-22, 04:14 PM
Maybe Weaponmaster? Or...hmmm. Specialist? Narrow Focus?

I dunno. Wargifted seems to work, seeing as spellgifted (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterTraits.htm#spellgifted) does something similar.

Narrow focus would have to be called "narrowly focused" or something. Weapon master was one of my first ideas, but that's basically saying the same thing as wargifted. :smallsigh:

arguskos
2010-10-22, 04:58 PM
Narrow focus would have to be called "narrowly focused" or something. Weapon master was one of my first ideas, but that's basically saying the same thing as wargifted. :smallsigh:
Actually, speaking as an English major, no it's not. Wargifted carries the connotation that the subject is gifted in the matter of warfare, so everything that goes along with it, and since war is a much larger category than weapon use, that something called Wargifted means exclusively weapon skill seems unwieldly.

A wiser name would be Bladegifted or something similar, as this connotes that the subject is skilled with blades, which are weapons and nothing else. :smallwink:

Temotei
2010-10-22, 06:29 PM
Actually, speaking as an English major, no it's not. Wargifted carries the connotation that the subject is gifted in the matter of warfare, so everything that goes along with it, and since war is a much larger category than weapon use, that something called Wargifted means exclusively weapon skill seems unwieldly.

A wiser name would be Bladegifted or something similar, as this connotes that the subject is skilled with blades, which are weapons and nothing else. :smallwink:

Hmm...indeed.

I'll make it bladegifted, staying in the spirit of the spellgifted-turned-martial idea.