Traits & Drawbacks

Pathfinder introduced the idea of Traits, which are about half as powerful as feats in the APG, pg. 326. This was followed by more Traits and Drawbacks from UCam, pg. 64. While 3.5 did not have either Traits or Drawbacks as a mechanic, there are plenty of clear sources of inspiration for them in the books. Detailed below is a list of traits and the source material for their inspiration

Trait Recommendations

Traits relating to life in Khorvaire (PGoE, pg. 7-13).

• Chronicler: Consider the Self-Taught Scholar or the Skeptic Traits (UCam, pg. 58).

• Devotee of the Sovereign Host: Consider the Beacon of Faith or Child of the Temple Traits (UCam, pg. 54).

• House Renegade: Consider the Ambitious Trait (UCam, pg. 59) or the Ordinary Trait (UCam, pg. 61).

• House Scion: Consider the Imposing Scion Trait (UCam, pg. 60) or the Rich Parents Trait (UCam, pg. 61).

• Innocent Victim: Consider the Surprise Weapon Trait (UCam, pg. 54) or the Dangerously Curious Trait (UCam, pg. 56).

• Inquisitive: Consider the Suspicious or Truth's Agent Traits (UCam, pg. 61).

• Outlander: Consider the Weathered Emissary Trait (UCam, pg. 61) or any Regional Trait (UCam, pg. 63).

• Restless Wanderer: Consider the Friend in Every Town Trait (UCam, pg. 60).

• Scholar-Adventurer: Consider the Classically Schooled Trait (UCam, pg. 56) or the Self-Taught Scholar Trait (UCam, pg. 58).

• Streetwise Scoundrel: Consider the Child of the Streets Trait (UCam, pg. 59), Criminal Trait (UCam, pg. 60) or the Vagabound Child Trait (UCam, pg. 63).

• War-Torn Hero: Consider the Battlefield Disciple Trait (UCam, pg. 51) or the Knowing the Enemy Trait (UCam, pg. 60).

Traits relating to the Last War (FoW, pg. 103-107).

• Deserter: Consider the Grief-Filled Trait (UCam, pg. 60).

• Enlisted Soldier: Consider the Militia Veteran Trait (UCam, pg. 63).

• Foreign Infiltrator: Consider the Ordinary or Veiled Disciple Traits (UCam, pg. 61).

• Material Supplier: Consider the Merchant Trait (UCam, pg. 60).

• Mercenary: Consider the Mercenary Trait (UCam, pg. 60).

• Ranking Officer: Consider the Oathbound Trait or Principled Trait (UCam, pg. 55).

• Refugee: Consider the Orphaned Trait (UCam, pg. 61).

• Special Operative: Consider the Tactician Trait (UCam, pg. 54) or the Principled Trait (UCam, pg. 55).

• Survivalist: Consider the Courageous Trait (UCam, pg. 52).

Drawback Recommendations

Drawbacks related to the Last War (FoW, pg. 108-111).

• Bigotry / Prejudice: Consider the Provincial or Xenophobic Drawbacks (UCam, pg. 65).

• Depression: Consider the Dependent or Doubt Drawbacks (UCam, pg. 65).

• Obsessive Compulsion: Consider the Headstrong or Meticulous Drawmbacks (UCam, pg. 65).

• Paranoia: Consider the Paranoid Drawback (UCam, pg. 65).

• Weapon Fetishes: Consider the Attached Drawback (UCam, pg. 64), focusing on a weapon.

• Zealotry and Extremism: Consider either the Provincial or Zealous Drawbacks (UCam, pg. 65).

New Drawbacks

A collection of new drawbacks, inspired from the Last War (FoW, pg. 108-111). The Missing Limb option has been removed as that is a lot more than a Drawback.

• Addiction: You start off the game with moderate addiction to a drug of your choice. If you manage to cure yourself of the addiction, you must replace this drawback with another one or remove of your traits to compensate.

  • Battle Scars: You have one or more horrid scars. This is not a cool or impressive scar but something that makes people cringe and it really can't be hidden easily without magic. You are a a -2 to Diplomacy checks for the first encounter that someone sees the scar.

  • Blood-Thirst: You have lost any ability to control yourself in the heat of combat. You have become rage incarnate. You are incapable of using any Intelligence-based skills, Bluff, Diplomacy or Sense Motive during combat, being defined as the time from the first hostile action you witness or initiate to 3 rounds after the last hostile action you witness or initiate.

  • Cold: You have lost all feeling, all compassion. You are a tool, a weapon and nothing more. Any morale bonus you would get is reduced by -1 to a minimum of +0.

  • Cowardice: You are generally afraid of everything. You suffer a -1 to all fear related saving throws.

  • Flashbacks: Anytime that you suffer a traumatic event (loss of half your hit points, going unconscious, powerful emotional trauma, etc), you suffer a flashback to a horrible event in your past. This flashback lasts for 2d4 rounds, during which you are helpless. You cannot suffer a flashback more than once per day.

  • Limp: You have a bad leg or a bum knee. If you take damage during a round (regardless of how much or how often), your natural movement rates are reduced by 5 feet until the beginning of your next turn.

  • Mood Swings: Your emotions rule over your life in ways that are just not healthy for anyone. You suffer a -1 to all emotion related saving throws. Fear is not considered an emotion for this drawback.

  • Mournland Scars: You have a scar that has somehow mutated or is vividly discolored. You are at a -2 to Stealth checks to remain unnoticed in a crowd. Attempts to find you, magically or otherwise, are at a +2 circumstance bonus. This bonus does not apply to Perception rolls if you are not in line of sight.

  • Phobias: You are generally brave, but there is one type of situation that you have no mental defense against. Choose one type of frightening situation (fire, drowning, the rotting dead, ghosts, etc). Any Will save to resist fear in relation to that situation automatically fails, even if you are immune to fear. This phobia can learned by reading your mind or through careful study of your habits.

  • Recklessness: You have lost any fear of death or injury. So much so that you either have a death wish or believe you are invincible. You cannot use the withdrawal action and the Acrobatics DC to avoid provoking an attack of opportunity is the opponent's CMD plus 5, regardless of whether you go through their occupied squares or merely their threatened squares.

  • Tics and Twitches: You have a constant set of nervous twitches and unnerve people. You are at a -2 penalty to Stealth checks and you are not capable of delivering secret messages through the Bluff skill. You can still receive them, however.