Traits
When creating a character, a player may select up to two positive traits for them, however, they must select a negative trait for every positive one. At any point, your character might earn new traits from the Game Master, Game Masters may tweak traits from the following list or even create his own that are more closely linked to the game they are running and the characters experiences.
Long Traits
Some character traits are designed to work over a number of sessions (or in-game weeks/months) and as such are not suited for short campaigns or campaigns that will take place over a single day or two. These traits are considered Long Traits and are marked with an asterisk*, GMs should consider disallowing some Long Traits for short campaigns depending on how fitting they are.
Positive Traits
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Trained by a spacefaring faction for orbital drops and ground combat.
Perks:
Pick two of the following; Athletics, Strike, Aim, Survival, Mechacraft, Piloting. You gain a +1 modifier on those skills.
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Athletics, Strike, Aim, Survival, Mechacraft, Piloting.
Suggested Drives:
Quote some vehicle specifications (which you can make up!)
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Be it by choice or necessity, you’ve spent much of your life ‘roughing it out’ both in urban and natural environments.
Perks:
Pick two of the following; Fortitude, Sneak, Vitality, Crafting. You gain a +1 modifier on those skills.
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Fortitude, Sneak, Crafting.
Suggested Drives:
Recount an event that occurred on a wilderness trek.
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A higher degree of ability with the use of either hand.
Perks:
Two weapon fighting training counts as one level higher.
+1 Armor Value on your front arc when wieding Two melee weapons without the Bulky quality.
Suggested Drives:
Perform a sleight-of-hand based trick.
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Strong and fit, your body is always toned and full of stamina, something perceptible to anyone.
Perks:
+1 Strength.
Suggested Drives:
Try to resolve a situation through the use of physical strength.
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Gifted with charm, good looks, or force of personality.
Perks:
+1 Charisma
Suggested Drives:
Try to resolve a situation through the use of your natural charm.
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An uncanny knack to convince others, be it through skillful wit or ruthless intimidation.
Perks:
Pick two of the following; Diplomacy, Deception, Presence or Performance. You gain a +1 modifier on those skills.
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Diplomacy, Presence, Deception Performance.
Suggested Drives:
Try to argue a point you know is wrong.
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Most of your crucial organs are still human, but much of the rest of your body has been replaced with cybernetics.
Perks:
Start with 2 Basic Mech legs and 2 Basic Mech Arms.
Doubled Maximum Implant Bulk.
Cannot have the Psionically Sensitive trait.
Cannot have the Genetic Modifications trait.
Count as a Mechanical Unit for the purposes of ECM, Shock damage, the Conductor quality and Psionic abilities.
Can regain HP from Repair HP actions in addition to Heal HP actions.
Can have Injuries and Wounds treated with Mechacraft in addition to Medicine.
Start with an extra 250 credits.
You pick one of the following Operating System abilities - once you pick an ability, you cannot change it;
Astroworks Overclock; You can take a point of intelligence Stress to gain one additional Action Point on your turn, to a maximum of 3 AP.
BioGen Core; After each long rest, you gain additional Tech Points or Energy equal to your Endurance attribute, past your usual maximum.
Blacksun Geneva; You can send and receive messages to devices with a known frequency in net sphere/comms range without having to type or speak.
Siofoundry Augmenta; You may expend Energy as if it were Stamina.
Suggested Drives:
You decide one of your implants briefly malfunctions.
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Well-versed in the arts of making money.
Perks:
Bartering training counts as one level higher.
You gain a Financial or Corporate Contact.
Suggested Drives:
Try to make some credits.
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A special connection to animals, able to speak to them almost as if they were one’s own kin.
Perks:
Start with a Common animal companion
Starting animal companions lose their Wild nature (if any) and gain Loyal instead.
Proficient at Animal Handling.
Suggested Drives:
Protect or advocate for the wellbeing of an animal.
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Coming from a line of heavily genetically modified individuals, these modifications awakened at some point of their life.
Perks:
You gain 4 points to spend while picking Gene mods from the Gene-Mod list.
Cannot have the Cyborg trait.
Suggested Drives:
Try to solve a problem through the use of your genetic modifications.
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A sharpness of mind rarely seen, nearly a genius when it comes to everything related to logic and reason.
Perks:
+1 Intelligence
Suggested Drives:
Flaunt your superior intelligence.
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You’ve learned that pain begets focus, and focus produces results.
Perks:
+1 Modifier on Vitality tests.
You reduce a point of Stress of your choosing whenever you take a Wound.
You ignore the Disadvantages caused by untreated wounds.
Suggested Drives:
Dare an enemy to attack you.
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The universe has great plans for this person, and though it mostly stays out of the unpredictable flow of events, every now and then, maybe… just maybe, it will nudge the balance ever so slightly in their favor.
Perks:
Once per Long Rest you may choose to either succeed on a test you failed or gain up to 4 advantages on a test before rolling.
Suggested Drives:
Take an unnecessary risk.
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Be it through shrewd negotiation or an eye for opportunity, this person knows how to stretch every credit.
Perks:
Discount to purchases equal to 10+Charisma% including those during Character Creation.
Start with an additional 250 credits.
Suggested Drives:
Try to get a discount.
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Dexterous and limber, able to easily keep their balance and move their hands with blinding speed and accuracy.
Perks:
+1 Dexterity
Suggested Drives:
Try to resolve a problem through the use of acrobatic movement, balance or fast reflexes.
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An intrinsic understanding of how the human body works, able to heal others with unnatural skill.
Perks:
+2 modifier on Medicine tests.
Character is Proficient at Healing.
Medicine skill is Specialized.
Suggested Drives:
Try to take care of someone.
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Able to perceive what others miss and react to threats much faster than anyone around them.
Perks:
+1 Insight
Suggested Drives:
Try to resolve a problem through the use of your superior sight or hearing.
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At home only when behind the wheel of a spacecraft, braving The Black.
Perks:
+2 modifier on Piloting tests.
You are proficient at Spaceship Piloting, Interstellar Navigation or Combat Piloting
Piloting skill is specialized.
Suggested Drives:
Recount a crazy spaceship maneuver done by you or another pilot (which you can make up!).
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Killing comes as easily as breathing, from the moment they held their first blade or gun, they felt at home.
Perks:
+1 Modifier on Strike, Aim, Grapple or Evasion tests.
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Strike, Aim, Grapple, Evasion.
A Weapon Training of your choice counts as one level higher.
Suggested Drives:
Try to get into a fight.
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Large and powerfully built, so much so they can hold in one hand what some might have trouble holding in two.
Perks:
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Athletics, Strike, Fortitude or Grapple.
May wield Bulky weapons with one hand.
Bulky weapons take up only one Equipment slot.
Suggested Drives:
Try to resolve a problem through your superior size and bulk.
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At some point, they drew the attention of a powerful, influential or experienced individual.
Perks:
The character is the protégé or apprentice of some important individual:
A Mentor may, at the GMs discretion;
Provide financial or material support within their area of influence.
Provide contacts or information related to their profession or background.
Provide a safe house or sanctuary.
A mentor may ‘disown’ a character if they take actions to directly hurt or betray them.
Suggested Drives:
Mention a fact about your Mentor (which you can make up!).
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You are at home in the dark - enjoying staying up late and requiring little sleep.
Perks:
Major Advantage on skill tests when Pushing into the Night for Downtime Activities.
Major Advantage on tests against Fatigue.
Suggested Drives:
Stay up late into the night working on something.
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An expert at problem-solving and adaptation, able to observe and analyze clues others might miss.
Perks:
Pick two of the following; Perception, Knowledge, Investigation or Empathy. You gain a +1 modifier on those skills.
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Perception, Knowledge, Investigation or Empathy
Suggested Drives:
Prioritize satisfying your curiosity.
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You’re a well trained professional with a narrow yet well developed set of skills.
Perks:
You gain a Technical or Piloting Proficiency of your choosing.
+2Modifier on Profession.
Suggested Drives:
Point out the correct way to do something.
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Feared and misunderstood, Psions themselves often do not understand what is happening to them or why they can change the world around them by the force of their will.
Perks:
You gain Focus.
This character can learn and use Psionic Talents. With the right implants and training, they can also learn and use Psionic Powers & a Mastery ability.
Suggested Drives:
Use your psionic abilities without exposing yourself as a Psion.
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A brick wall, able to take a lot more punishment than most.
Perks:
+1 Endurance
Suggested Drives:
Pretend something that hurts doesn't actually hurt.
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A powerful personality, stubborn and brave, able to stare down at the face of death and remain calm.
Perks:
+2 modifier on Willpower tests.
Willpower is a Specialized skill.
Suggested Drives:
Advocate for doing something dangerous.
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A mind of cogs and lightning, there is no denying their genius.
Perks:
Pick 1 of the following; Crafting, Mechacraft or Datacraft. You gain a +1 modifier on that skill.
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Crafting, Mechacraft or Datacraft.
You are proficient at Smithing,Hacking, Tinkering or Engineering.
Suggested Drives:
Try to disassemble a machine.
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Born with an uncanny resistance to damage, be it through a rough skin, fast healing, or pain tolerance.
Perks:
HP calculation is becomes four times your Endurance Atribute +Vitality rank.
Suggested Drives:
Flaunt your capacity to shrug off pain and harm.
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A naturally flexible demeanor, their capacity to skirt around commitments comes almost preternaturally to them.
Perks:
Pick two of the following; Empathy, Deception, Sneak, or Perception. You gain a +1 modifier on those skills.
Specialized Skill (Pick 1): Empathy, Deception, Sneak, Perception.
Suggested Drives:
Lie when there is no reason to do so.
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Growing up in an environment of power and influence, they have friends in high places.
Perks:
Select a faction in your game, gain advantage in all mental & social skill tests relating to that specific faction.
You gain a Contact within your chosen faction.
You can change the Faction you’re Well Connected to over a half day of downtime.
Suggested Drives:
Ask someone if they know who you are.
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You are an artist for art’s sake and sometimes, your own worst critic.
Perks:
Proficient at Art.
Advantage on tests to craft gear or make art.
You can add your highest stress track as Advantages on tests to craft gear or make art.
Suggested Drives:
Crumple a piece of paper with an unfinished sketch, musical composition, blueprint, poetry and prose and throw it away.
Negative Traits
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Always grips a bit too hard and moves a bit too rough, not knowing when a delicate, measured touch is required.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Grapple, Athletics or Fortitude. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Aim, Mechacraft, Medicine, Datacraft or Crafting. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Break something you weren’t trying to break.
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Convinced of their own superiority, they will make sure everyone around them knows it.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Willpower, Presence or Fortitude. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Empathy, Evasion, Knowledge, Investigation or Perception. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Try to do something you are very bad at- by yourself.
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Overly shy or overly excitable, odd or prone to strange declarations and outbursts
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Investigation, Crafting or Sneak. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Performance, Diplomacy, Deception, Presence or Empathy. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Try to make a non player character uncomfortable.
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Might have an unhealthy attachment to the good life, or might simply be too gullible to perform an advantageous trade.
Perks:
+25 – Insight % cost to all purchases excluding those during Character Creation.
Suggested Drives:
Make a very evident and simple math mistake.
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Some call you cruel and heartless, you are just keenly aware that letting feelings set the path leads to more suffering in the long term.
Perks:
You have a -2 Modifier on Empathy tests.
You have an advantage on tests to recover from Insight stress.
You do not take Insight stress from seeing friendly humans/animals get knocked out of the fight or die.
Suggested Drives:
Advocate for effectiveness over sentimentality.
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Has never been really been in a fight, has no interest in being in one, as if fairly certain that they would not handle themselves very well in them.
Perks:
Vitality is not a Specialized skill.
When they lose HP, they must pass a Willpower (2) test or be affected by Fear.
Suggested Drives:
List all the ways in which something is too dangerous to attempt.
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Attempted to escape the law or their past and was marked for doing so. Now their shame is displayed for all to see.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Presence, Survival or Evasion. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Performance, Deception, Fortitude, Diplomacy or Vitality. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Act against or disparage the faction that branded you.
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Prone to falls, accidents and the sort. Luckily, they always bounce right back.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Fortitude, Vitality or Survival. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
-1 Dexterity.
Suggested Drives:
Choose to fail a dexterity test.
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Not the brightest crayon in the box, or lacking in common sense, they are better with people than academic tests.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Empathy, Diplomacy, Fortitude. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
-1 Intelligence.
Suggested Drives:
Choose to fail an intelligence test.
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An excellent housekeeper, less so a freelancer.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Crafting, Datacraft or Medicine. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Fortitude, Vitality, Evasion, Survival, Piloting. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Do some housekeeping.
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They will become putty in the hands of anyone they deem charming or attractive.
Perks:
Skill tests against characters with 5 or more charisma in social situations have Disadvantage.
Suggested Drives:
Pine after a former crush (which you can make up!)
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Unable to keep their composure when faced with imminent danger.
Perks:
-2 Modifier on Willpower tests.
Suggested Drives:
Panic!
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Fuzzy and detail-oriented, usually finding something to be dissatisfied about.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Investigation, Deception or Knowledge. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Willpower, Presence, Survival, Fortitude or Athletics. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Complain about your current accommodations or conditions.
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Brash and determined, making decisions with little to no consideration.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Grapple, Vitality, Athletics. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Sneak, Perception, Investigation, Piloting, Mechacrafting. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Attempt something risky or foolish.
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A penchant for being charmingly aloof but absent-minded, important facts and dates seem to escape them easily.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Deception, Performance or Diplomacy. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Knowledge, Survival, Crafting, Medicine or Datacraft. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Forget the name of someone you know.
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Afflicted by the flipside of psionic sensitivity, the voices in their head have instead shaken their sense of self.
Perks:
-1 Modifier on Presence tests.
Tests to resist or evade Psionic abilities do so at a Major Disadvantage.
Tests from Psionic Abilities against this character’s passive skill do so at a Major Advantage.
Suggested Drives
Tell a ghost story.
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Some deep-seated fear or phobia gained through some traumatic experience, or sometimes with no apparent reason.
Perks:
You have a -1 Modifier on Willpower tests.
You are affected by the Afraid condition and take a point of Insight stress whenever you encounter your Fear outside of a controlled situation.
You cannot be affected by your Fear again until you rest for an hour or more.
Drives:
Hide from that which you fear (it's ok, it's actually something else- you can come out now).
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Has developed a physical need for a substance, actively harmful or otherwise.
Perks:
You have a -1 Modifier on Vitality tests.
You become addicted to a substance of your choice;
While addicted, you must consume a minimum of 20 credits worth of the substance each day.
If you do not consume enough of the substance, you gain Fatigue(+1) and a point of randomly determined point of stress after a long rest.
At the end of each Long Rest after not consuming the substance, you can make an Insight(Willpower 6) and Endurance(Fortitude 6) - if you succeed on both tests, you lose the addicted permanent condition, but not this trait.
The difficulty of these test decreases by 1 for each consecutive day during which you do not take the substance, to a minimum of 2.
You regain the permanent condition if you ever consume that Substance again.
You can be Addicted to more than one substance.
Suggested Drives:
Try to obtain some of the substance you are hooked on.
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Wanted by a powerful person and organization, there are people on their trail looking to bring them in by force, dead or alive.
Perks:
Pick two of the following; Sneak, Performance, Diplomacy, Presence and Deception. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
You are on the run from a faction or powerful individual in your game and they have a 5000 credit bounty on you. They will try to hunt you down or get in your way.
Suggested Drives:
Disparage those hunting you.
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Patience is one of those things that sounds nice - but who has time for that?
Perks:
You receive 1 fewer Advantage from Taking your Time.
-1 to all Initiative results.
Suggested Drives:
Leave last and arrive first.
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If there are gods in The Black, they don’t like you.
Perks:
Once per session, must re-roll a successful test chosen by the GM
Suggested Drives:
Attempt a good luck ritual.
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What’s the worst that could happen? You ask with a smile and a wink as the worst that could happen happens behind you.
Perks:
Pick two of the following; Fortitude, Piloting, Mechacraft, Datacraft, Medicine. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
When rolling for Mental conditions, roll an additional die for the ‘Tens’ and pick the higher one.
When rolling for Physical conditions, roll an additional die for the ‘Tens’ and pick the lower one.
Suggested Drives:
See the bright side of something bad.
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Tough but slow, or otherwise inclined against physical activity.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Vitality, Crafting or Aim. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Athletics, Evasion, Sneak, Strike or Grapple. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Complain about engaging in physical activity.
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Empathetic and caring, but too easily trusting, which can lead to dangerous situations.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Diplomacy, Performance or Medicine. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Major Disadvantage on tests to detect lies and see through performances.
Suggested Drives:
Express something you believe in which is patently and demonstrably untrue.
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Blissfully unaware of their surroundings when focused on something else.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Vitality, Willpower or Crafting. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
-1 Insight.
Suggested Drives:
Choose to fail an Insight test.
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Of slow and determined step, made for the long walk over the short sprint.
Perks:.
+10lb Carrying Capacity
-5 feet walking speed.
-10 feet running speed.
Suggested Drives:
Be the last one to arrive somewhere.
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Of boiling blood, easy to lead to anger or violence.
Perks:
The first time the character loses HP in a combat encounter they are immediately afflicted by the Berserk condition.
Suggested Drives:
Punch through some drywall (or any equivalent construction/fixture/furniture)
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Rough around the edges, callous, ignorant, or uncaring of social cues and conventions.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Presence, Aim or Strike. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
-1 Charisma
Suggested Drive:
Choose to fail an Charisma test
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Be it because of malnutrition or some other malady, they have a distinct lack of resilience.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Sneak, Evasion or Perception. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
-1 Endurance.
Suggested Drives:
Choose to fail an Endurance test.
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You’ve always been told you like to be on the straight and narrow- which describes every field sobriety test you’ve ever taken.
Perks:
When under the effects of a Substance, you have Disadvantage on any skill tests not enhanced by the Substance. (This stacks with any other disadvantages the substance incurs.)
You have Advantage on tests to prevent or recover from Addiction.
Suggested Drives:
Order a non-alcoholic beverage at a bar.
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Their muscles ache after the smallest physical activity or even the thought of picking up something heavy.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Evasion, Datacraft, Knowledge . You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
-1 Strength
Suggested Drives:
Choose to fail a Strength test
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It’s not that you don’t want to fight, it’s that you’re really bad at it.
Perks:
Pick one of the following; Perception, Performance or Sneak. You gain a +1 modifier with that skill.
Pick three of the following; Aim, Vitality, Grapple, Piloting or Strike. You gain a -1 modifier on those skills.
Suggested Drives:
Get banged up doing something mundane.