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View Full Version : Unisystem Drawbacks - looking for ideas



unglitteringold
2016-01-27, 01:26 AM
Hello! I'm working on a homebrew Unisystem cinematic variant for my low magic, western medieval setting. I'm looking for ideas for cool drawbacks. Below are the one's I've stolen, modified, or created.

Addiction
You’re addicted to something. When you don’t have access to the substance you require for more than the identified period of time, you suffer a -1 die penalty to all rolls per unit of time.
1 Habitual drinking/smoking. 24 hours
2 Heavy drinking/smoking or Light use of addictive herbs. 24 hours
3 Heavy use of addictive herbs. 24 hours
4 Alcoholism, habitual use of opium. 12 hours
5 Heavy use of opium. 8 hours
Adversary
1 A few people don’t like you. If you met up, they would fight you.
2 Quite a few people don’t like you, and one or two are actively seeking you.
3 You pissed off a lot of people, or a few powerful people. They are seeking you.
4 There are hired assassins after you. Right now. Don’t look behind you. Just run. NOW!
Bad Luck
2 You are naturally unlucky. The GM may remove one Success to any roll after it is rolled once per game session.
4 The GM may remove two Successes to any roll once per game session.
Clown
1 Your sense of humor gets you in trouble from time to time. Your response to tense situations is to make a joke, and you'll do just about anything for a laugh.
Dependent
1 You have a relative, ward, etc, who you are considered responsible for. When you’re away you need to make sure you send them money and such, or pay for someone to take care of them.
2 Same as 1, but for more than 1 dependent.
x2 If you choose to have your dependents with you, the value is doubled, 2 points for one dependent, 4 points for more than one, but the GM reserves the right to do with them as they will.
Emotional/Mental Problems
There are a variety of issues that anyone can have. Below are some examples or you can come up with your own (with GM approval). Each problem can be bought up to 3 ranks.Agoraphobic, Apathetic, Chip-on-Your-Shoulder, Cruel, Greedy, Insecure, Narcissistic, Naïve, Needy, Obsessive, Paranoia, Phobia, Reckless, Self-less, Slow, Troubled Past.
1 People don’t really notice unless they hang out with you a lot.
2 It’s pretty obvious that you have issues.
3 The issue impacts your life regularly and terribly.
Honorable
You have a code of honor: this does not necessarily line up with the “honor code” of society.
1 Fairly lax code, more like guidelines. Tend to be general rules (don’t kill people you don’t have to, don’t steal from people you don’t need to, etc.).
2 You have a fairly strict understanding of right and wrong, but you understand that not everyone agrees with you.
3 You know what’s right and what’s wrong, and everyone else can suck it (and by “it” you mean the end of your weapon).
Illiterate This drawback does not impede learning how to speak new languages, but you must spend the normal number of points and can not read any of your languages
2 Functionally Illiterate – able to read numbers, basic words, and write your name.
3 Completely Illiterate – GM approval required.
Impaired Sense
2 Gives a -3 to perception checks made using the selected sense.
Missing/Crippled Arm/Hand
2 The hand in question cannot be used to grab or hold objects.
Missing/Crippled Leg/Foot
3/2 Regular movement costs 2 AP per 10 ft. Melee rolls are at -1 die.
Nightmares
Each night, your sleep is plagued with horrible nightmares. Whether or not you remember them is up to you, but the effects are the same. Some nights you can’t get to sleep – some nights you wish you couldn’t.
2 Each time you sleep, you roll a d10, and on a 10 you have a sleepless night. If you have a sleepless night you are at a –1 penalty to everything to try to do until you get a good night’s rest.
4 Sleepless night on a 9 or 10 and same –1 penalty.
6 Sleepless night on an 8, 9 or 10 and a –2 penalty after a sleepless night.
Obligation
2 The 2 point level means that you are required to do things, cook, clean, kill, etc., but you are able to leave when you want, or when your debt is repaid.
4 The 4 point level means that you are required to live, kill, and die for the individual or organization, and you don’t leave until you are dismissed or dead.
Oddly Shaped
1 You are either abnormally tall, short, thin, thick, strangely proportioned, etc.
Rank
Rank is your social rank (surprise). Obviously, this cannot be taken as a quality if it is selected as a drawback.
6 You have no property; no nothing. Someone owns you.
4 You live on someone else’ land, you work someone else’ land, and in return, they provide protection of sorts. You have limited possessions, mostly just what you can make from what you grow. You at least live in a house, even if it isn’t yours.
2 Well, you may live in a **** box, but at least it is your **** box. You have limited goods, but what you earn is yours to keep.
Secret
You have a secret, and the point value will depend on how cool the GM thinks it is.
Unattractive
Due to some sort of disfigurement you are hideous. This isn’t just plain looking, or a bit ugly, but deformed and grotesque. It is difficult for people to look at you. When you attempt any roll using a social attribute you are at a –4 SL to your roll. When attempting a roll using a mental attribute in a social situation you are at a –2 SL to your roll. When wearing something that covers your head, like a hood and mask, you may reduce these penalties by one.