Houserule Flaws & Merits

Each will be listed with the following format
Name [generic type] (maximum value of flaw/merit) General Description

These are designed in the same sense as the skill system 1-5 (dots) with some exceptions allowing a 1-10 (as in Attribute & Ability). These are not designed as story telling aids, but character aids as in personality & past.

Also if you have an idea for a house rule flaw or merit do suggest one, and if you have any questions about the ones listed here, do ask.

Acquired Credit [Lifestyle Merit] (Charisma + Finance) A line of credit that the character must pay back.
Level; d10 x 37 = Dollars, Franks, Pounds, or other major world dollar amount

Allied Associates [Peer Merit] (one half of; Charisma + Empathy) Contacts or individuals of influence aiding the character.
Level; number of individuals -or- one individual with this merit level in one particular Ability or Advantage

Binding Ties [Peer Flaw/Merit] (10) Close individual or family member that helps or hinders the character.
Level; Equals the Attribute + Ability (or Advantage) the character has to help/hinder the character

Blacklisted [Role playing Flaw] (10) Place or individual that completely rejects character.
Level; Equals the Attribute + Ability (or Advantage) the character has against the character

Combat Wound [Traumatic event Flaw] (Willpower) Psychological trauma focusing on old heled injuries.
Level; Effects of Shell Shock negating equal amount of dice

Compassionate [Role playing Flaw/Merit] (Empathy) Characters desire to help others to various extremes.
Flaw; Negative to dice when character goes against flaw
Merit; Negative to anthers dice to dissuade character

Debts [Past issues Flaw] (Willpower) Funds the character received and spent in the past that have become debts
Level; 10 x 41 = Dollars, Franks, Pounds, or other major world dollar amount in debt

Deformed [Physical Flaw] (Appearance + Empathy) Physical deformity on a character creating negatives.
Level; negative to characters dice upon sight to have others listen

Habitual Dependence [Role playing Flaw] (10) Chemical or hormonal dependence, always external.
Level; Negation to rolling dice during times when substance is absent and situations are intense

Hatred [Role Playing Flaw & Merit] Double edged sword focusing on a single subject. (Prejudice & Racism)
Purchased as a flaw and a merit simultaneously
Minimum 1 in each
Flaw; Negative to dice when character goes against flaw
Merit; Negative to anthers dice to dissuade character

Past Incarceration [Role Playing Flaw] (Willpower) The characters imprisonment duration.
Level; number of years in a prison (not federal)

Regrets [Past Issues Flaw] (Willpower) Influencing the characters next course of action.
Level; negation to dice to resist reminders of flaw

More to come (Next is Psychological)

Anger Issues [Personality Flaw] (Manipulation) Varying levels of anger become the characters Expression Talent
Level; Rolled in contention with Expression during stressful situations (roll that wins is Expression)

Anxieties [Psychological Flaw] (one half of; Willpower) Stress from outside factors are compounded causing the character to panic.
Level; Contenting Willpower roll, if Anxieties wins, character panics

Conviction [Personality Merit] (one half of; Willpower) A final goal for the character that drives and mandates their life path.
Level; Negation to rolls to dissuade character

Depression [Personality Flaw] (Willpower) The common affliction that keeps individuals from being happy.
Level; Contenting Willpower roll, if Depression wins, level = negation to any roll

Greed [Social Flaw] (5) Greed is greed, and the character is greedy.
Level; Amount of needed successes to dissuade character

Headstrong [Social Flaw/Merit] (one half of; Willpower) Variant of Conviction, applied generically.
Level; Negation to rolls to dissuade character

Indurate [Psychological Merit] (one half of; Willpower) Being numb to socially unacceptable or typically unsettling situations.
Level; negation to a negative/success gained from overtly obscene or grotesque situations

Isolationist [Lifestyle Flaw] (one half of; Willpower) Dealing with situations by not being around them and/or others.
Level; Successes needed to bring character into the group

Paranoia [Psychological Flaw] (Perception + Alertness) Are they, or aren't they out to get you?
Level; Addition to the shown rolled amount of a Perception + Alertness roll
As in; if Paranoia is a 4, 4 points can be added to the resulting Percept+Alert roll turning 1's into a 2, a 5 into a 6, a 9 into a 10, and so on

Phobia [Generic Mental Flaw] (Willpower) An irrational fear over rational objects.
Level; Contenting Willpower roll, if Phobia wins, character panics

Shy [Social Flaw] (Charisma) An inability to socialize with others until one feels more comfortable.
Level; negation to the Charisma and Manipulation Social Attribute

Strong Ethics [Social Merit] (5) The ethical solution defining how a character resists temptation.
Level; Negation to rolls that would have the character go against this path

Can we still use some of the ones from the Core rulebooks?

Veirz wrote:Can we still use some of the ones from the Core rulebooks?

Yes, those are in play too.

What is this veteran merit you mentioned? It sounds appropriate to the back-story I was talking to you about.

How do the college merits work? It says 1d10+3 for a bachelors.. so does that mean I have to roll?... kind of silly to have merits with variables which can really make some people have advantages.

Can you explain the "(maximum value of flaw/merit) ' part? I assume this is the part where you are putting in attribute/ability names.

Joseph wrote:What is this veteran merit you mentioned? It sounds appropriate to the back-story I was talking to you about.

Veteran is for people who joined the military, and saw active combat. It grants more freebie points but also means you have to take flaws at the same time. Flaws are the result of the harsh combat experience and how combat changes the person much like you were talking about.

Veirz wrote:How do the college merits work?

Its a d10 roll, I did it for a bit of randomness as not everyone will get the same things out of college. If you purchase the merit there is a minimum benefit and you will always get something out of it.

Admin wrote:Can you explain the "(maximum value of flaw/merit) ' part?

Most of the Flaws & Merits in the system are static, meaning that they give a definitive number of freebie points when you purchase them. The maximum amount means you can purchase the merit with a variable amount of freebie points directly related to how greatly you want it to effect you. Of course the higher the greater, and the lower the less.
The maximum depends on what is listed there. So if you have a certain number of dots in what it is asking, say 4 dots total, than that is the maximum vale of that Flaw or Merit. Other maximum values are listed with a number, that is not how many points you get from it, it is the maximum amount you can put in it. So it too can have a varying degree of effect onto the character.
This means you can have from a 1 in the flaw or merit to the maximum stated value depending on how much of an impact you want it to have in those situations.

These were under the Role Playing section, but best work as Backgrounds;

Business Owner [Background] (Intelligence) Character owns and runs a business with close employees.
Level; Equals the number of paid employees

Educated [Background] (5) Endowing and purchasing a college education for the character
1; Associates - + 1d10+1 in Freebie Points
2; Bachelors - + 1d10+5 in Freebie Points
3; MBA - + 1d10+9 in Freebie Points
4; Masters - + 1d10+13 in Freebie Points
5; Doctorate - + 1d10+17 in Freebie Points
Add to Acquired Credit Merit

Equipment [Background] (9) The character has the equipment needed to do the job as they want it to be done. This can be from homes, cars, to simple weapons of various sorts. Unlike the Line of Credit merit this isn't to be paid back as you have already acquired them. The level is retroactive, you have the current level, and all the preceding levels as equipment. This can be purchased more than once to have more than one of a particular level's item.
1; Important equipment to you such as money belts, simple jewelry, and perhaps a melee weapon.
2; Guns, swords, fine jewelry, and other expensive (quality) bits of equipment that can also be carried on the person.
3; Furniture, large appliances, and other objects that can be moved, but are typically stationary when used.
4; Exquisite tastes to your personal belongings; or a small home/apartment to put everything in, or an expensive object like a car.
5; A home and land enough to live at and on.
6; Large home/Ranch/or Small Mansion with all the trimmings or trade it all for a small business. (Business Owner for the employees)
7; Large Mansion with a small garden and help. Or a medium to large business (multiplying the Business Owner merit by 3)
8; Large Mansion with a large plot of land, and the people to help you take care of it. Or a Large business with the Business Owner merit multiplied by 6.
9; Very expensive ownership of land, buildings, or even islands (Business Owner x 12 in employees). Or If you prefer a gilded, multi-storied mansion with all of the trimmings of royalty.

Military Training [Background] (5) Military training for money and experience (noncom). Ask me about the Veteran merit if you want combative military training.
Level = years, exceptions will be made for 5+ in merit level
1; + 1d10+1 in Freebie Points
2; + 1d10+5 in Freebie Points
3; + 1d10+9 in Freebie Points
4; + 1d10+13 in Freebie Points
5; + 1d10+17 in Freebie Points
Level; d10 x 33 = Dollars, Franks, Pounds, or other major world dollar amount

Veteran [Background] (one half of; Military Training) Every level of this equals at least six months of active combat duty. Once purchased one has to take an equal level of flaws as the level of this Background being the stress active combat places on a character.
1; + 1d10 + Military Training to Freebie Point total
2; + 1d10+5 + Military Training + Veteran to Freebie Point total
3; + 1d10+10 + Military Training + Veteran to Freebie Point total

Now I know we're playing OWoD but I figired i would ask about NWoD fighting styles. While my character is a circus performer he know's his way around a knife very well and I was wondering if we would instate them or not.

mashed potato man wrote:Now I know we're playing OWoD but I figired i would ask about NWoD fighting styles. While my character is a circus performer he know's his way around a knife very well and I was wondering if we would instate them or not.

The knife as a fighting style? I personally don't see any harm in it but in order to do that it would be a Dexterity + Melee roll. I don't have the book out right now but as far as I know you simply need that to sustain the knife for any combative or general use. There is no real 'fighting style' or modification, its just the way you use it.
This makes it part-n-parcel to the reason there are so few skills to choose from. Most of these are rather generic, and you decide how your character uses them. Then when the dice are rolled, the ST interprets the roll and tells the story based on the characters venture through them.

I Will look at the supplements and see if there is a specific oWoD knife throwing event and let you know.

For the Freebie points should we roll the dice ourselves and let you know of the result? Or would you prefer to do it the other way around?

Joseph wrote:For the Freebie points should we roll the dice ourselves and let you know of the result? Or would you prefer to do it the other way around?

Once you do your character sheet up, I will roll, and figure the amount, also I will check the math to make sure you spent all of the points you could have.