Difference between revisions of "Disadvantages"
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| − | Disadvantages are | + | Disadvantages are similar to Advantages, in that all characters have them. They represent a character's foibles and vulnerabilities, and often get shorthanded to Flaws (or +flaws codewise). All characters are expected to have a minimum of three reasonably strong flaws; you can have more but it's not mandatory. |
| + | Our primary model for what constitutes a valid flaw is drawn heavily from a tabletop system called FATE, in which a character's Flaws are called "Trouble". These are characteristics that can complicate a character's life, and ideally ones that you'd LIKE to see come into play rather than an obligation to be fulfilled and if possible ignored. One example of a good flaw from existing fiction is Marty McFly's (Back to the Future) knee-jerk reaction to being called a coward. Almost invariably, he flips out and lets it go to his head, and allows himself to be manipulated into doing something he'd really otherwise rather not. Weaknesses -- such as vulnerability to kryptonite, or elemental weaknesses common to RPGs -- are also fair flaws. | ||
| − | + | Between character behavioral quirks and superhero-style weaknesses, we'd definitely prefer to see the quirks emphasized. Having said so, please tread carefully when it comes to characters who are just kind of jerks, or who have real-life psychological issues. Unless we're confident you're not just using it as an outlet to be a jerk yourself (it's happened), or that you can portray the issue faithfully / without making a joke of it, we may want you to select something else. | |
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| − | + | Joke Disadvantages do not count towards your minimum disadvantages. Some traits may conceivably be valid disadvantages, but won't count towards your minimum because they're not portrayed that way. If for example your character fights strictly non-lethally but that's never the wrong thing to do, it's not really a disadvantage. | |
| − | Joke Disadvantages do not count towards your minimum disadvantages. Some traits may be valid disadvantages, but | + | |
Revision as of 19:59, 27 July 2016
Disadvantages are similar to Advantages, in that all characters have them. They represent a character's foibles and vulnerabilities, and often get shorthanded to Flaws (or +flaws codewise). All characters are expected to have a minimum of three reasonably strong flaws; you can have more but it's not mandatory.
Our primary model for what constitutes a valid flaw is drawn heavily from a tabletop system called FATE, in which a character's Flaws are called "Trouble". These are characteristics that can complicate a character's life, and ideally ones that you'd LIKE to see come into play rather than an obligation to be fulfilled and if possible ignored. One example of a good flaw from existing fiction is Marty McFly's (Back to the Future) knee-jerk reaction to being called a coward. Almost invariably, he flips out and lets it go to his head, and allows himself to be manipulated into doing something he'd really otherwise rather not. Weaknesses -- such as vulnerability to kryptonite, or elemental weaknesses common to RPGs -- are also fair flaws.
Between character behavioral quirks and superhero-style weaknesses, we'd definitely prefer to see the quirks emphasized. Having said so, please tread carefully when it comes to characters who are just kind of jerks, or who have real-life psychological issues. Unless we're confident you're not just using it as an outlet to be a jerk yourself (it's happened), or that you can portray the issue faithfully / without making a joke of it, we may want you to select something else.
Joke Disadvantages do not count towards your minimum disadvantages. Some traits may conceivably be valid disadvantages, but won't count towards your minimum because they're not portrayed that way. If for example your character fights strictly non-lethally but that's never the wrong thing to do, it's not really a disadvantage.
