House Advantages

Some of these traits adapt previous TSR publications; others are original.

Allure: This trait allows a character to attract romantic attention from NPCs, at the player's option. The character can conceal the trait any time, but when it is in effect it can modify the reaction rolls of NPCs who might be affected—perhaps by as much as +3. The trait is only effective if there is a reasonable chance of the PC drawing romantic attention from the NPC—at the very least the NPC must be of the opposite sex and of at least young adult age.
A character with the allure trait can receive one henchman above the normal maximum—if at least one of the henchmen has a romantic interest, however unrequited and hopeless, with the player character. Muls can purchase this trait for only two charps.

Alertness: These characters are blessed with a combination of peripheral vision, good hearing, and mental stamina that makes them very resistant to surprise. Such characters are considered as if their intuition score was two points higher when the DM determines if the alert characters and their party must roll for surprise. Halfings can purchase this trait for only four charps.

Ambidexterity: This character is equally skilled with the use of either hand. This trait carries over into training, so that the PC can use weapons, bear a shield, and perform acts of strength equally well with the right or left hand. The character is especially good at the two-handed fighting style, suffering only a -2 for both hands. If the character learns the two-weapon fighting proficiency, he suffers no penalty for either hand. Half-elves can purchase this trait for two points less than the ordinary amount.

Animal Empathy: The character possesses an inherent ability to relate to animals. The character will generally receive a positive reaction from domesticated animals, and can soothe the fears of captive wild animals with remarkable consistency. For example, with a successful Wisdom/Will check, the character can encourage a domesticated animal to approach, or silence a barking watchdog. The character, as a rule, cannot persuade wild animals to lose their fear of humans. Also, the trait is useless if the character attempts to deceive an animal into approaching for the cause of harming it—i.e. the cow won't be persuaded to walk over to the fence so that the character can butcher it. Half-elves can purchase this trait for two points less than the ordinary amount. Pterrans can purchase this trait for one point less than the listed amount.

Artistic Ability: The character has talent with the use of brushes and paint, charcoal sketching, and the sculptor's knife. Even without any related proficiency the character can render realistic maps and mold simple objects from clay. When this trait is coupled with training, the character can create works of real artistic merit Whether these have worth in monetary terms or as relating to the character's status in the campaign world are circumstances that must be adjudicated by the DM. As a general rule, the character's work as a potter, tailor, weaver, painter, blacksmith, leather worker, or sculptor will fetch l–50% more than the typical cost for such products.

Benevolent Mutation: Athasian humans and half-elves sometimes are different, and these differences do not always make the character a "New Race." Most of these "mutations" have little effect, but some confer minor benefits: inner eyelids (3 charps), acidic spittle (6 charps), pointed or sharp teeth (4 charps). If a mutation is similar to other advantages or disadvantages, then those should be used.

Climate Sense: This trait provides a character with an innate sense of impending changes in the weather. The DM might require a successful roll or a Wisdom/intuition check before the character can make the determination. Other circumstances may be obvious enough that the character will know with certainty that the temperature will fall drastically, or that a tremendous rainstorm is about to begin.

Double-jointed: The character has a unique ability to wriggle out of ropes, manacles, brackets, chains! and other bonds. The bound character can make a Dexterity/Agility check when attempting to twist free of the bonds. Such an escape requires 1 d6 rounds for each limb that is bound. If the character is secured by metal brackets or chains, the check is made at ~ (rounded up).of the Agility score. Halflings add a +l bonus to their modified Agility score when using this proficiency.

Empathy: The character with this trait has an innate ability to sense the motivations, emotions, and possibly the intentions, of others. If the character can observe a group of NPCs for 1 d6 rounds, the DM can allow a Wisdom/intuition Check. Success means that the character has understood something significant about the discussion or plans of those NPCs. The empathetic character does not have to speak the language of the NPCs (though the DM can allow a +2 modifier if the tongue is known).
If the NPCs are of a very different race (such as monsters), the check can be modified to 1/2 the character's Wisdom/intuition score. However, the DM can also add positive or negative modifiers if the character has an extra long or short time to observe, or watches from an especially advantageous or disadvantageous position. Half-giants purchase this trait for one charp less than normal, and a half-giant with the empathy trait suffers no penalty for foreign races if she has had time to observe and somehow participate with the monsters.

Endurance: This trait allows a character to perform strenuous physical activity twice as long as a normal character before fatigue and exhaustion set in. If the fatigue rules are in play, the character effectively increases his fatigue point total by 50%. Muls are considered to already posess a variant of this trait, and may not take this trait to increase their endurance further.
Family/friend/favor: PCs may not start out members of powerful covert organizations, but membership in slave tribes, noble families, thri-kreen clutches, or minor trade houses is within the reach of starting PCs, and will prove a valuable commodity. Even less charp-expensive options, such as having a commoner big brother that will take you in, or a weaver that owed your late father a favor, can be useful. Details must of course be ironed out with the DM ahead of time. Kinship is usually a reciprocal arrangement, so this trait costs one charp less if combined with the Family Duties disadvantage.

Fast Healer: This highly useful trait allows a character to recover 1 hit point of damage within 2-12 turns of receiving a wound. Also, the character naturally heals at a rate of 2 hit points, not 1, per day.

Fine Balance: Characters with this talent are blessed with an innate sense of balance and have an uncanny knack for keeping their feet under them. The character recieves a bonus +2 or +10% on any climbing checks, saving throws, or ability checks to avoid slipping or falling. In addition, the character reduces any penalties for fighting in off-balance or awkward situations by 2 points.

Free: Unlike most sentient creatures in the City-states of the Tablelands, the character begins play with legal freedom (i.e. is not legally a slave).

Glibness: The character has the knack of dissuading the suspicions of NPCs. The PC must speak the same language as those he is trying to impress, and players are encouraged to role-play the glibness attempt.
Situations where this might arise include characters trying to talk their way past the guards at a city gate, turning aside the hostility of a bullying thug, or disarming the suspicions of a merchant who suspects the PCs of thievery. Characters can make Wisdom/intuition checks to see if their glibness is successful. Rogues with the Bard "fast-talking" benefit recieve a +3 (+15) to their roll.
Of course, if the guards are looking for a smuggler that fits one of the characters' descriptions, or the bully really wants to beat up, say, a blond eleven rogue, or the merchant saw the fellow steal a bracelet, no glibness attempt is possible.

Green Thumb: This character has a natural propensity towards gardening, and plants flourish better under his close supervision and care. DM will adjudicate the exact effects of this trait.
Impersonation: This trait represents the acting talent in the modern world—the character has a natural ability to fall into a role, and to project that role believably to others. A character with the impersonation trait gains a +2 bonus to all rolls made using the disguise proficiency.
Additionally, the character can assume a disguise immediately—i.e., without benefit of costume or makeup. Such an impromptu disguise cannot alter the character to assume a specific identity, nor can it alter the appearance of his race or, except under unusual circumstances, sex. Half-elves can purchase this trait for two points less than the ordinary amount.

Internal Compass: Characters with this trait have a general idea of where they are, and in which direction they are facing when out of doors. In the wilderness, this means that their chance of becoming lost is reduced by 15%. When using the navigation or orienteering proficiencies, characters with this trait receive a +3 bonus to their proficiency score.

Iron Will: Some people are posessed of an amazing ability to drive themselves on despite injuries or exhaustion that would stop another person in their tracks. A character with the iron will trait gains a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. mind-affecting spells or effects, including charms, holds, hypnotism, fascination, suggestion, and other such spells.
In addition, characters with iron will have the unique ability to keep fighting even after being reduced to negative hit points. Each round that the character wishes to remain conscious, he must roll a saving throw vs death (bonus for will applies) with his negative hp total as a modifier to the roll. For example, a character reduced to –5 hp can try to stay on his feet and keep moving and fighting by succeeding on a saving throw roll with a –5 penalty. As long as the character remains conscious, his condition does not worsen—in other words, he doesn’t begin to lose 1 additional hp per round until he actually passes out.

Keen Eyesight: These characters have eagle eyes That is, they can perceive details at about twice the range of characters with normal vision. Keen eyesight does not improve a character's ability to see in the dark, nor does it convey unique peripheral vision. However, if a group of companions make out a party in the distance, the keen-eyed character might be able to tell the whether the party consists of humans or goblins. When the others can discern the race of the distant party, this character can tell how they're armed and how they're dressed.
A character with the keen eyesight trait receives a + 1 bonus on all rolls to hit with a missile weapon at long range. Elves can purchase this trait for 1 less character point than the listed amount. Aarakokran can purchase this trait for 2 less character points than the listed amount.
Keen Hearing: This trait means that the character possesses excellent aural acuity—able to hear the proverbial pin drop. In cases where hearing can be a factor in avoiding surprise, this character receives a +l bonus. This applies whenever the PC approaches an ambush, unless background noise (a waterfall, bustling marketplace, windstorm, etc.) could be expected to drown out the inadvertent sounds of the ambushers.
If the character is a thief, this trait adds +10% to every attempt to detect noise. Halflings can purchase this trait for 1 less character point than the listed amount.

Keen Olfactory Sense: This valuable trait elevates the character's sense of smell to an uncanny level. In any case where the character might detect an approaching encounter by smelling the other party, this character gets a –1 bonus on chances of being surprised. In addition, this trait gives the character a +2 bonus when using the hunting proficiency. At the DM's discretion, the character can make a Wisdom/intuition check to determine whether food or drink has been poisoned or otherwise tainted. Thri-kreen can purchase this trait for 1 charp less than the listed amount.

Keen Taste Sense: This trait allows characters to detect foreign substances and unnatural alterations in anything they taste. Characters can make Wisdom/intuition checks with a +3 modifier. Success means they realize some sort of alteration has been done to the food or drink. Halflings can purchase this trait for 1 less character point than the listed amount.

Keen Touch Sense: A character with this trait has unusually sensitive tactile senses, able to feel the difference between a silver and gold piece, for example. If the character with this trait is a thief, this inherent advantage gives a +5% bonus to pick pockets and open locks attempts.

Light Sleeper: This character will awaken at the slightest disturbance—a significant advantage to a small party on the trail where companions would quickly fatigue from alternating watch duty through the night. The character will awaken if he hears any unusual noise, such as the unmuffled footsteps of someone approaching the camp. This includes the approach of anyone wearing metal armor, or creatures carrying weapons or conversing.
If the sleeping character is approached by someone who is working very hard at being stealthy, the DM can allow the light sleepers to make Wisdom/intuition checks; success means they become aware of the intruder, while failure means they continue to sleep. This latter category includes NPCs in leather armor, and monsters with natural stealth and which are not encumbered by weapons and armor.
If a light sleeper is approached by a thief who is successful at a move silently attempt, then the sleeping character is not allowed the Intuition check, since there is no sound to alert the sleeper.

Lucky: The luck that seems to bless this character is not a matter of improving the odds of various die rolls, nor of gaining increased benefits to other game situations. Rather, it is that this character seems to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. The DM may require a wisdom/intuition check to determine if the character will be lucky.
If the party is searching for a way to cross a deep, placid river, and the lucky character can make an intuition check, the party will stumble upon a boat hidden in the reeds by the shore. Halflings can purchase this trait for one point less than the listed amount.

Music/Singing: This trait provides the character with a finely-pitched, well-modulated voice—the kind of singing voice that everyone likes to hear. If this talent is combined with the singing proficiency, the character can impress nobles and commoners alike with musical performances, perhaps becoming a bard or minstrel of some repute. This talent also adds +2 bonus to the character's singing Proficiency score.

Music/instrument: The character with this trait has the manual dexterity and musical sensibility to skillfully operate an instrument such as a harp, flute, Lyre, drum, etc. While the trait does not convey the knowledge of how to play any instrument—that must come from a proficiency—this inherent talent assures that the character may quite possibly rise to a significant level of fame for his musical performances. The character can more readily learn to play musical instruments as note in the musical instrument proficiency description.

Natural Runner 4

Natural Orator:

Noble Background. If a noble-born PC has favorable relationship with any member of his family, then the Family/Friend/Favor trait must also be purchased. The noble background trait costs one charp less if combined with the Family Duties disadvantage. Nobles can begin with the etiquette NWP with only one additional charp. Only humans, dwarves, and half-elves can take this trait. Half-elves must spend an extra two charps to purchase Noble Background.

Obscure Knowledge: The character with this trait is the fantasy version of the trivia buff. The character has a mind that grasps, permanently, like bits of information from here and there—items that, at first blush, might not have any useful application. The typical procedure for the character using this trait would require an Intelligence/Learning check. If the check is successful, the character has stored away some trivial bit of information about a topic at hand.
The use of this trait is up to the DM, though the player can make requests when an opportunity arises. For example, as the character approaches Castle Dunleven, the player might ask the DM if his character remembers anything about the castle or its occupants. If the Intelligence/Learning check is successful, the DM can inform the character that Lord Dunleven is an elderly widower, who has a beautiful daughter whom he jealously guards against any potential suitors. Or, just as likely, the character might remember that Dunleven is known for its fine wines or cheeses, and that the vintage of five years back is particularly prized.

Psionic Sense 5

Precise Memory: This trait indicates a character who has a "photographic memory'' For example, once seeing a piece of heraldry, the character will remember what house or noble that symbol represents. If this character looks at a map, and has the time to study it in detail, he can be expected to remember that map with a great deal of accuracy. In most circumstances this memory is fairly automatic. But in cases of intricate detail, or if a long time lapses since the character first observed something, the DM can require an Intelligence/Learning check before providing the player with the information.
This trait refers primarily to the recollection of things that the character has seen written down or rendered in artwork. If the character has the reading/writing proficiency, it applies also to things that he has read. Pterrans can purchase this trait for one point less than the listed amount.

Psychic Defense Almost every creature on Athas posesses the subconscious ability to defend their own mind with the psychic defense Mental Barrier. Those few freaks that for some reason cannot close their own minds usually find themselves the servants of more powerful minds—but to each his own!  Characters who lack this ability will never be able to learn a psychic mental defense.

Psionic Potential: This trait indicates that a character has the potential to develop a wild talent or to become a psionicist. Most Athasian creatures posess this trait, even though most sentients never take the time and effort to unlock their psionic potential.

Psionic Sink: This trait indicates that a character has the potential to develop an extraordinarilly unusal wild talent: the ability to snuff psionic power out! Such characters do not need to take the Psionic Potential or Defense traits.  Such characters would be exceedingly rare -- about one appears every few king's ages.

Quick Learning. The character learns quickly, and can take an extra charp once per level if she is single-classed. This trait has no effect on multi-, dual-, or secondary- classed characters.

Quickness. Not the C&T. version—make one up.

Resistance to Cold: This character is able to remain comfortable in temperatures that most find chilling and he can sometimes avoid the worst effects of cold based attacks such as white dragon breath. In game terms, the character gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold attacks (but only physical cold; not, for example, against the chilling touch of a wight).
Additionally, the character can reduce his level of encumbrance caused by winter garments. In those cases where the DM might require some penalty for a party that must bundle up in furs, parkas, mittens, and boots, the character with this trait can dress one level of encumbrance lighter and still avoid the effects of the weather.
Elves can purchase this trait for two points less than the listed amount.

Resistance to Heat: Like the resistance to cold, this trait confers an advantage on the character in certain types of climates, and improves saving throw chances against fire- and heat-based attack forms. The saving throw bonus is a + 1, and applies to saving throws against such magical infernos as red dragon breath and against the effects of lava or normal fire.
The DM can determine the benefits conferred by this trait against environmental heat, such as deserts and tropical weather. In general, under these types of conditions, a character with this type of immunity can travel twice as far as his companions without suffering fatigue.
Elves can purchase this trait for two points less than the listed amount.

Resistance to Poison: This trait enhances the character's natural resistance to poisons—inhaled, ingested, and injected. The character receives a + 1 bonus to all saving throws versus any kind of toxin. Additionally, the damage done by virulent poisons is reduced by -1 point per die (to a minimum of 1), and the duration of paralytic and other temporary poisons is reduced by 1 round (or turn) per die rolled. Dwarves can purchase this trait for 1 less character point than the listed amount.
Resistance to Disease: The character with this trait has a strong resistance to diseases of all types. When a saving throw is allowed against a possible infection, the character gains a +3 bonus. If there is an infection, the duration of the disease is reduced—by one day, week, etc., for each die rolled to determine this time period. This resistance does not apply to magical enchantments and curses, such as lycanthropy.

Second Wild Talent. The DM rolls two wild talents for the character rather than one.

Starting Money. A character that fails to take this trait begins play destitute. Characters receive d12 x 10 ceramic peices starting money per charp that they invest in starting money.

Totem 5 (see Gulg description in Veilled Alliance Supplement).

Trouble Sense. This talent gives the character a chance to detect otherwise undetectable threats by instinct. The player’s trouble sense improves the character’s effective intuition score by two for the sake of suprise attacks. Furthermore, when not suprised, the character treats attacks from the rear as flank attacks.