Hello! I’m currently in the midst of preparing for my Pathfinder Savage Tide Campaign and was thinking of introducing a flaw system from the old Unearthed Arcana supplement but found many of the flaws in that book weren’t exactly what I was looking for. I kinda miss the old disadvantages from the D&D Player’s Option: Skills & Power booklet, where the flaws were more roleplaying aids and also gave the GM more fuel to make the game more interesting.
I would really appreciate some feedback on some of the flaws I plan on introducing, that way I can tinker with them before the Campaign starts or perhaps change my mind and drop the entire system entirely if it doesn't look too promising. The following is what I plan to give my players: (Many of these flaws are adapted from D&D Player's Option and Green Ronin's Mystic Vistas Skull & Bones).
Character Flaws
When a character is created, the ability scores of that PC include inherent advantages and disadvantages. A character will be strong or weak, fast or slow, brilliant or stupid, handsome or ugly. These categories are general, and players have a great deal of freedom in interpreting the numbers for their characters. Some disadvantages are more specific than these character abilities, and they provide backgrounds for players who like to role-play. A player whose character passionately fears spiders, or becomes tongue-tied in social situations, has specific suggestions about role-playing.
At the time of character creation, a player can select one or two character flaws. The choice is purely optional – no character must have a flaw. Each flaw a player selects entitles his character to a bonus feat. In other words, when you create a character, if you select two flaws, you can also take two bonus feats beyond those your character would be normally entitled to. A player can remove a character flaw by expending his next available feat slot. Players can suppress a flaw by expending a hero point unless the player is an antihero (in which case, he/she has no hero points to expend).
Special Animal companions, eidolons, familiars, and mounts do not gain bonus feats from flaws.
Flaw Descriptions
Each of the flaws described here has a specific game effect. Some flaws may require an ability check. The DC for these checks range from 10 to 25.
Allergies
This disadvantage is typically a hay fever problem, where you are subject to sneezing outdoors.
Effect The game effects of allergies can come up in several ways. The GM can call for a Wisdom check to stifle a sneeze when the character’s party is setting up an ambush along a forest trail.
When exposed to a specific type of allergy (PC’s choice), the GM can call for a Constitution check or you gain the sickened condition for as long as you are exposed to the allergy and 1 hour thereafter.
Special Other allergies can be created. A character who is allergic to mold, for example, might suffer these same effects when in a damp, underground location.
Antihero
You rely more on your skills and abilities.
Effect You do not receive hero points, regardless of the source, and can never benefit from their use.
Bad Temper
You have difficulties with the niceties of social interaction, and are quick to take insult at any number of slights – real or imagined.
Effect The game effects of bad temper can come up in several ways. The GM can require you to make a Wisdom check when you are given some cause to be insulted. If the check fails, you are likely to shoot off your mouth in a rude fashion. This disadvantage is to primarily enhance role-playing, though if you fail a Diplomacy check to change a creature’s attitude, the creature’s attitude toward you is increased by one step towards hostile.
Clumsy
You have a habit of dropping things, tripping, or knocking things over at inopportune times.
Effect The game effects of clumsy can come up in several ways. The GM can require you to make a Dexterity check at an inopportune time. Failure means you drop whatever you are holding, stumble, or trip and fall prone. This disadvantage is to primarily enhance role-playing, though the check can be required as often as the GM desires (but as a general rule, two or three times a gaming session probably will be adequate.)
Colorblind
This relatively innocuous disadvantage means you cannot distinguish colors.
Effect For game purposes, you see things in black, white, and shades of gray.
Coward
You are very, very susceptible to fear. You might want to be brave and to fight heroically, but an inner voice of caution constantly suggests the merits of flight or concealment.
Effect When a violent encounter begins, the GM can call for a Wisdom check to overcome his cowardice. If the check is successful, the character can behave in any fashion for the duration of the encounter. If the check fails, however, the character gains the shaken condition for the duration of the encounter. The character is allowed to make another Wisdom check each subsequent round during the encounter to remove the condition. The character gains no benefits from effects that grant bonuses against fear effects or abilities that grant immunity to fear.
Curse
You suffer from a curse.
Effect The character suffers all the hindrances and none of the benefits of an oracle’s curse class feature.
Special A variant of this flaw is the character isn’t cursed but suffers from a physical impaired sense (cloudy vision or deaf), physical limitation (lame) due from a battle injury or birth defect or bodily suffers from the ill effects of debauchery (wasting).
Note A player character cannot select the same curse as their class feature’s curse.
Deep Sleeper
You are only awaken when disturbed by a very loud noise, or by physical prodding, shaking, etc.
Effect When you wake up, you gain the staggered condition for 1d3+1 rounds as you groggily try to figure out what’s going on.
Frail
You are thin and weak of frame.
Effect Every time you suffer damage from a blunt weapon, or a mishap such as a fall, you suffer 1 extra point of nonlethal damage for each die of damaged rolled.
Illiteracy
You never had a decent education.
Effect You cannot read or write. You have difficulties learning or may have superstitions about such things leading you to never learning how to read or write, even if you multiclass into other classes. Spell casters with formulae books, spell books, or scribe scrolls must use a different method to record their spells.
Irritating Personality
This flaw can make it difficult for you to obtain cooperation and aid from others.
Effect During encounters with NPCs, the GM can require you to make a Wisdom check to resist the effects of this flaw. A failed check means the irritating aspect of the PCs’ personality rises to the surface. It is best to role-play the specifics of the character’s behavior. The player is free to devise the irritating element of the character’s persona, and if encounters are role-played, the flaw will take care of itself. Examples of an irritating personality could be conceited, contrary, curious, easily fall in love, greedy, blatant liar, soft hearted, stubborn, etc.
Special Another variant of this flaw is the character suffers from a derangement such as mania, paranoia, psychosis, schizophrenia, etc.
Kin to Whales
Your girth is measured in tonnage.
Effect You suffer a -2 penalty on all Dexterity-based skill checks, and an additional -2 penalty on Escape Artist checks made to slip through tight spaces or out of manacles. When calculating your weight, you increase your multiplier by 5.
Lazy
You will never do more work than is absolutely necessary. You will rely on your companions to do things such as build campfires, cook, and keep watch through the night.
Effect You will generally neglect details of preparedness in favor of catching a few minutes more of sleep. However, if you really want to do something that does not have a clear and urgent need (digging a trench around a camp in case an attack is made against them; for example), you can roll a Wisdom check. Failure means that you decide the time could be better used by catching a little shut-eye or at least by lying in the shade somewhere.
Loose Lips
Loose lips sink ships. Whether you are outgoing, talkative, or simply absentminded, you cannot keep your mouth shut. While this is nothing more than an annoying trait in polite company, it is dangerous indeed when one travels with rough characters.
Effect Whenever a situation arises when you are privy to a secret and happen to be in the company of those who should not be hearing it, the GM can call for a Wisdom check to keep your trap shut. Failure means that you let something slip that you shouldn’t have. The exact nature of what was said, and the consequence, is up to the GM. You suffer a -2 penalty to your check when you are “in yer’ cups”, exhausted, or fatigued.
Oath
You follow a code of conduct.
Effect The character is sworn to uphold a code of conduct. If the character ever violates this code of conduct intentionally or unintentionally, he/she suffers the sickened condition for 24 hours.
Special A variant of this flaw is that the character must uphold superstitious taboos.
Note A player character cannot select the same code of conduct as their class feature’s code of conduct.
Phobia
You are consistently afraid of one particular thing (or category of things).
Effect If you encounter your phobia (examples include type of animal, insect, or monster, crowds, darkness, enclosed spaces, heights, magic, undead, or water) you suffer the shaken condition for the duration of the encounter. The character gains no benefits from effects that grant bonuses against fear effects or abilities that grant immunity to fear when facing his/her phobia.
Powerful Enemy
A powerful and resourceful NPC wants you dead or to suffer.
Effect This enemy might be a pirate hunter, naval captain, government agent, magistrate, plantation owner, rival adventurer, or whoever else seems appropriate. Do not take this flaw lightly; you will never be rid of it. Every time you remove your enemy, a new one will take their place.
Special A variant of this flaw is that you owe a great debt to someone powerful. Control over you can be exerted through a variety of methods including blackmail, coercion, magic, royal decree, or even threat of violence. Should you act against the wishes of the person or organization to whom you owe a debt, dire consequences await.
Tongue-Tied
This flaw crops up when you try to discuss important topics with companions or NPCs.
Effect You have a tendency to incorrectly state facts, forget names, and just generally say the wrong thing. This disadvantage is to primarily enhance role-playing, though you suffer a -2 penalty on all Charisma ability and skill checks.
Unlucky
You seem to always have the worst possible luck.
Effect You have a knack for being at the worse place at the right time. You can be in a city of 10,000 people – and if there’s one person you don’t want to see, chances are good that individual is approaching around the next corner. If you make a pass at a young woman, she turns out to be the Captain of the Guard’s daughter. And if one member of the party loses his bedroll in a downpour, you naturally are the one to sleep on the cold, muddy ground.
Vice
You have a weakness for a specific vice, usually gambling or women, but some characters might be hooked on snuff, gourmet food, drinking liquor, or an exotic sexual deviancy.
Effect When the object of your vice is available, the GM can call for a Wisdom check or you take part in an orgy of indulgence, ignoring larger goals in your pursuit of pleasure. This disadvantage is to primarily enhance role-playing, though you suffer a -2 penalty to Sense Motive skill checks.
Special A variant of this flaw is an obsession for a single goal that he/she will sacrifice anything to achieve. The character will turn on his/her friends and family, even sacrificing his scruples to gain his/her goal.
Vow
You have made a vow.
Effect The character is sworn to uphold a vow.
If the character ever violates this vow intentionally or unintentionally, he/she suffers the sickened condition for 24 hours.
Special Another variant on this flaw could be the character possesses a psychological quirk. Examples include he never tells a lie, shall remain celibate until marriage (and even then have problems with sex), etc.
Note A player character cannot select the same vow as their class feature’s vow.
I think the flaws are very different in their severeness and some can easiely be ignored by some classes.
Frail
You are thin and weak of frame.
Effect Every time you suffer damage from a blunt weapon, or a mishap such as a fall, you suffer 1 extra point of nonlethal damage for each die of damaged rolled.
Some classes gain a DR vs nonlethal. The invulnerable rager for example or the unarmed fighter I think. Or the spell ablative armor gives you a DR 5/- vs nonlethal damage. All those options can be used to overcome this flaw.
You will never do more work than is absolutely necessary. You will rely on your companions to do things such as build campfires, cook, and keep watch through the night.
Effect You will generally neglect details of preparedness in favor of catching a few minutes more of sleep. However, if you really want to do something that does not have a clear and urgent need (digging a trench around a camp in case an attack is made against them; for example), you can roll a Wisdom check. Failure means that you decide the time could be better used by catching a little shut-eye or at least by lying in the shade somewhere.
This flaw is more a flaw for the party and not for the PC who takes it. So I'd not give someone a bonus feat for taking it.
Whith this you'd be rewarding someone for being an a~%~$~~.Vow
You have made a vow.
Effect The character is sworn to uphold a vow.
If the character ever violates this vow intentionally or unintentionally, he/she suffers the sickened condition for 24 hours.
Special Another variant on this flaw could be the character possesses a psychological quirk. Examples include he never tells a lie, shall remain celibate until marriage (and even then have problems with sex), etc.
Note A player character cannot select the same vow as their class feature’s vow.
Some of the example vows are not really drawbacks. That's the reason why the monk vows prohibit much more that what the title says. If you make those vows similar to the monk vows it is ok.
But just making it impossible to have sex... too cheasy.
I would make the harder ones a little less severe and just give out traits for it instead of feats.
But in my opinion every flaw system, where you get goodies for taking flaws just leads to munchkinism and minmaxing.
Back with AD&D skills and powers we had a party where most of the PCs had no sense of smell because you could get goodies for it and it often was more of a boon than a flaw. For example my pc was a evil cleric and often had controlled undead around. Sometimes even ones with a stinking aura (wights?) because most of us didn't even notice it.
How many feats do you get for trading in your ability to rhyme on purpose? :P