Hello all, as the thread title says not all Pathfinder Character Traits are created equal.
The Problem
The designers obviously try to balance each trait and for the most part they are balanced but there are some that stand out above and below the rest. There is only so many times you can watch players choose +1 to a saving throw (Deft Dodger, Resilient or Resilient) or +2 to Caster Level in one spell casting class (Magical Knack) or +2 to Initiative (Reactionary) and pretty much ignoring the others before a review of trait balance is in order.
Edit: It is understood that there are five types of character traits and only one can be chosen from each category (in an awkward attempt to balance them). Moving forward I'd like to investigate removing this limitation.
Solutions
A quick and simple way to balance traits is to assign them a point value. Players start with two traits points to spend and the Additional Traits feat grants two extra points. The more powerful traits such as all those listed above cost 2 points each while the remainder cost 1 point each. This approach involves the least amount of rework but would gamers baulk at it being converted into a point buy system?
Another approach is to slightly boost any lacklustre traits so that they are more desirable and thus more likely to be taken. This involves a lot of editing, assessment and post play-testing review but the results are quite pleasing. The following URL Pathfinder Character Traits - Basic Traits.pdf is the first draft of balancing Pathfinder Character Traits (just the Basic Traits so far). It includes a handy reference table of all basic traits and their benefit. There are new traits (such as Hatred, Lumberjack and Silver Hunter), reworded and renamed traits (such as Armour and Shield Expert, and Prominent Ancestry) and slight modifications to existing but less competitive traits (such as Accelerated Drinker, Anatomist, Bullied, and many others).
Assessment & Feedback
Please compare these trait balance modifications to the compiled list of Character Traits available here Pathfinder Traits SRD.
Which of these modified traits are now too powerful and why? Which would you say are now just right and you'd be keen to use in your own games?
The goal of this mini-project is to review and balance out the power level of character traits, making them equally compelling and each worth half-a-feat.
Anatomist is the most obvious example of a trait in need of review, and it's clear what modification is required to make it worth half-a-feat. Pathfinder's Critical focus feat grants a +4 bonus on attack rolls made to confirm critical hits. Anatomist should grant a +2 trait bonus on attack rolls made to confirm critical hits (exactly half the feat bonus) rather than +1.
Original trait
Anatomist
You have studied the workings of anatomy, either as a student at university or as an apprentice mortician or necromancer. You know where to aim your blows to strike vital organs and you gain a +1 trait bonus on all rolls made to confirm critical hits.Revised version
Anatomist
You have studied the workings of anatomy, either as a student at university or as an apprentice mortician or necromancer. You know where to aim your blows to strike vital organs and you gain a +2 trait bonus on attack rolls made to confirm critical hits.
Here are some more examples of traits upgraded to make them more desirable and competitive when compared to "power traits" such as those that grant a constant +1 trait bonus to Fortitude, Reflex or Will saves.
Original trait
Accelerated Drinker
You know how to drink a potion efficiently, such as by not using your hands, tossing it in the air and catching it in your mouth, or opening it with your teeth. You may drink a potion as a move action instead of a standard as long as you start your turn with the potion in your hand.Revised version
Accelerated Drinker
You know how to drink a potion efficiently, such as by not using your hands, tossing it in the air and catching it in your mouth, or opening it with your teeth. You may drink a potion as a swift action instead of a standard action. Accelerated drinking does not provoke attacks of opportunity however if the potion to be consumed is not already in your hand you must spend a move action to retrieve the stored item (which does provoke an attack of opportunity).
Original trait
Armor Expert
You have worn armor as long as you can remember, either as part of your training to become a knight’s squire or simply because you were seeking to emulate a hero. Your childhood armor wasn’t the real thing as far as protection, but it did encumber you as much as real armor would have, and you’ve grown used to moving in such suits with relative grace. When you wear armor of any sort, reduce that suit’s armor check penalty by 1, to a minimum check penalty of 0.Revised version
Armour and Shield Expert
You have worn armour and carried a shield as long as you can remember, either as part of your training to become a knight’s squire or simply because you were seeking to emulate a hero. Your childhood shield and armour wasn’t the real thing as far as protection, but it did encumber you as much as the real thing would have, and you’ve grown used to moving in such suits with relative grace. When you wear armour or use a shield of any sort, reduce these items armour check penalty by 1 each, to a minimum check penalty of 0.
One of the goals of this review is to eliminate a requirement that you must take a feat before you can (properly) benefit from what are supposed to be background character traits. "Bullied" and "Threatening Defender" are two examples of traits with this problem.
Original trait
Bullied
You were bullied often as a child, and you are now constantly ready to defend yourself with your fists when an enemy comes near. You gain a +1 trait bonus on attacks of opportunity attack rolls made with unarmed strikes. Note that this trait does not grant the ability to make attacks of opportunity with your unarmed strikes—you’ll need to take a level of monk, the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, or some other similar power to gain the use of this character trait. However, that doesn’t prevent you from selecting this trait. You’ll simply not be able to make use of it until a later point if you do.Revised version
Bullied
You were bullied often as a child, and you are now constantly ready to defend yourself with your fists when an enemy comes near. You are considered to be armed even when unarmed - you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes while unarmed. Your unarmed strikes still deal only non-lethal damage - you’ll need to take a level of monk, the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, or some other similar power to deal lethal damage.
Original trait
Diabolical Dabbler
Each fiendish animal you conjure with any Summon spell gains +1 hit point per hit die for the duration of the spell that summoned it.Revised version
Master Summoner
Each creature you conjure with any Conjuration (Summoning) spell gains +1 hit point per hit die for the duration of the spell that summoned it. This benefit only applies to summoning spells with a duration of 1 minute per level or less.
Original trait
Hunter's Blood
You didn’t choose the path of the hunt, the hunt chose you. You were born inside a family of those dedicated to hunting the undead. Since an early age you were taught the tools of the trade, how to hunt and kill your quarry. Be careful when using your family name – it’s better known than you are. You earn a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy when used to gather information, Knowledge (religion), and Survival when used for tracking when related to an undead quarry. Choose one as these as a class skill. The undead have a +1 bonus on any roll to learn about you, as your family’s fame precedes you.Revised version
Hunter's Blood
You didn’t choose the path of the hunt, the hunt chose you. You were born inside a family of those dedicated to hunting a particular creature type (or subtype) - select one from the Ranger Favoured Enemies table (PFRPG pg64). Since an early age you were taught the tools of the trade, how to hunt and kill your quarry. You earn a +2 trait bonus on Diplomacy when used to gather information related to your quarry, on Knowledge checks to identify your quarry (you may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures), and on Survival checks when used to track your quarry. One as these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.
Be careful when using your family name - it’s better known than you are. Your quarry has a +2 bonus on any roll to learn about you, as your family’s fame precedes you.
Original feat
You have more traits than normal.
Benefit: You gain two character traits of your choice. These traits must be chosen from different lists, and cannot be chosen from lists from which you have already selected a character trait. You must meet any additional qualifications for the character traits you choose—this feat cannot enable you to select a dwarf character trait if you are an elf, for example.Revised version
You have more traits than normal.
Benefit: You gain two character traits of your choice. These traits can be chosen from any list, but each trait can only be selected once. You must meet any additional qualifications for the character traits you choose - this feat cannot enable you to select a dwarf character trait if you are an elf, for example.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Trait bonuses do not stack. If two traits grant a similar bonus choose the best bonus that applies.
Here is the updated URL for your most up to date copy of Pathfinder Basic Character Traits. Significant refinements have been made over the first URL posted. This could be a final draft unless people spot a flaw or balance issue with a particular trait.
Quite a few people have downloaded the traits PDF thus an updated version has just been uploaded for your interest. Considerable additions have been made since the last version, including race traits and a basic trait to cover every Pathfinder skill.
Note: The old versions have been removed so links in above posts will no longer be valid.
Download and enjoy.
Quite a few people have downloaded the traits PDF thus an updated version has just been uploaded for your interest. Considerable additions have been made since the last version, including race traits and a basic trait to cover every Pathfinder skill.
Note: The old versions have been removed so links in above posts will no longer be valid.
Download and enjoy.
Thanks for doing this I have been hoping someone would tackle this!