I know this is nothing new, I just felt like tossing in my two cents regarding 'handicap feats'. As we all know, the base concept of Flaws/Drawbacks/Disadvantages/etc is one of the main tools of min/maxers, but in my tables I don't have much of a problem with them, as I tend to go out of my way in not only giving every Flaw an active, in-game disadvantage, but also in showing my players how every flaw can be a glaring weakness that isn't as easy to ignore as they'd like to think.
These "Handicaps" work pretty simple, 1 handicap for 1 feat. However, they weren't exactly engineered for players to get greedy, as I made each one specifically to cripple one (large) aspect of a character beyond repair, and while I myself don't limit the number of Handicaps my players can acquire, selecting more than one is technically signing a death sentence that's due to come sooner or later.
Having said this, anyone feels like striking a deal with the devil? I might give my players a test with these and see how things work.
Bad Luck
Everything happens to you, really.
Drawbacks: You suffer a -3 penalty on all saving throws.
Crapshot
You couldn’t hit the world with a planetoid.
Drawbacks: You suffer a -5 on all attack rolls.
Dense
You’re not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Drawbacks: You suffer a -3 penalty on all Intelligence and Wisdom-related skills.
Gimp
You’re a lesser among your “equals”.
Drawbacks: Choose one of your Class Features, you lose all access to it. By Class Featured be understood the feature and all related sub-abilties (ex: "Spells", "Bardic Performance", "Lay on Hands", etc). This feat can be taken multiple times, each time applying to a different Class Feature (but seriously, would you really?).
Glass Jaw
You’re easily sucker-punched.
Drawbacks: Whenever you suffer a Critical Hit, you have a 50% chance of being knocked out unconscious regardless of remaining Hit Points. After the fight is over, you can wake back up from unconsciousness by succeeding a Fort save DC 15 or at GM’s discretion (whichever comes first), but exceptions are granted in cases in which a K.O would mean inminent death like fighting carnivore predators and such.
Ponderous
You’d rather call your attacks “carefully aimed”.
Drawbacks: You can’t make AoO under no circumstances.
Slow-Footed
Drawbacks: Your base speed is 10ft slower for your race.
The Wizard’s Apprentice
You sleeped over at one too many lessons, and even today you’re still too lazy to work on your flaws. Basically, you're a quack.
Drawbacks: All spells you cast have a base 25% chance of fizzling, regardless of whether you’re an arcane or divine caster.
Ugly Duckling
You tend to inspire hostility in strangers, and in acquaintances too.
Drawbacks: You have a -5 on all Charisma-related checks. NPC reactions towards you will always start in Unfriendly, which may also imply problems to the rest of your group unless you learn the fine art of keeping your mouth shut and let the adults do the talking.
Wimp
You could use some excersice, really.
Drawbacks: You have a -3 penalty on all Strength and Dexterity-related skills.