Defects are disadvantages through which your character must suffer in order to overcome the hardships of day-to-day life. Defects serve as an excellent and often comical role-playing opportunity. Defects are meant only to impede your character to a limited extent and are not intended to negate his or her many abilities.
Each character may select one defect. Sometimes the GM may have preset beginning traits to choose from, such as a race or species. If so, you should still choose a defect even if a defect is already part of your starting package, unless your GM says otherwise. A defect should always give a noticeable disadvantage. That means that a defect such as a weakness to bullets made from the earth of planet Neptune is not a valid defect (unless of course your campaign is set on Neptune).
LOSING DEFECTS
A character may lose a through RP. If you lose a Defect through RP, because your character did not follow the restrictions or other rules set out for it, or because they outgrew the defect in the course of RP, the Defect is lost, and your character takes a -1 penalty to all rolls until either a new Defect is selected (at the end of the session) or you spend a CP to buy off the Defect. Buying off a defect should only be done with the GM's approval, since defects are a major part of your character.
ACHILLES HEEL
The character loses twice as many Hit Points as normal from a particular attack form, which must fit with the character concept. It might be something with appropriate mystic resonance, such as wooden stakes for vampires or silver for werewolves. It could also reflect the character's nature such as a robot taking extra damage from water (as it causes short circuits), or an alien's weakness to weapons from his or her home planet. The GM must approve any Achilles Heel Defects. Attacks that are very rare should not be considered for a Defect.
ATTACK RESTRICTION
A character with this Defect has a limitation on who she can attack due to a reduction of free will (such as “hard coded” commands). The attack restriction can only be overcome during exceptional circumstances and may result in harsh consequences, including unbearable guilt or punishment by superiors. This Defect does not apply to heroic characters that cannot “attack innocent people.” If the character knowingly acts against the Attack Restriction, the Defect is lost.
BANE
A character with the Bane Defect is vulnerable to an otherwise non-damaging substance such as water, sunlight, or a specific element, material, or object, and takes 2d6 damage per round. The Bane should relate to the character's background or powers in some way. For example, a fire demon's bane might be water, while myths indicate that a vampire suffers damage when touched by a crucifix. The character suffers damage if his or her skin is physically touched by the Bane. If the Bane does not require direct physical contact (such as sunlight, seeing one's reflection, hearing the noise of a church or temple bell, or having the Bane in close proximity), the damage 1d6 per round. Alternatively, if the Bane only affects the character when ingested, the damage 3d6 per round. Finally, the damage rating assumes that the Bane is common, such as water, sunlight, steel, or wood. If it is less common such as a holy symbol, Buddhist scripture, or rare element, the damage is also doubled. If it is even rarer, such as one particular artefact, the damage may be tripled or quadrupled.
BLIND FURY
Under specific conditions selected by the player (and approved by the GM), the character will enter a state of unbridled anger. While enraged, the character will furiously attack the closest person, whether that individual is a friend or foe. Once that person is defeated or flees, the berserk character will attack the next closest “threat.” Examples of conditions that might initiate Blind Fury include receiving a certain amount of damage, sight of blood, a specific sound, or smell, being outnumbered in combat, seeing a friend in mortal danger, confrontation with a specific opponent, etc. Examples of return conditions include no opponents in the vicinity, a specific calming technique performed by an ally, solitude, injection of a particular drug, being knocked unconscious, etc.
CONDITIONAL OWNERSHIP
Linked to Ability. Only a character who possesses the Item of Power, Own a Big Mecha, or Personal Gear Abilities can acquire this Defect. The character's possessions granted by those Abilities actually belong to another person or organisation. They are issued to the character, but the agency imposes “mild,” “strict,” or “severe” conditions on their use. “Mild conditions” indicate that the character can use the objects for some personal business (such as travelling), but if he or she is released from the organisation or disobeys direct orders, the objects can be taken away. The character can also be assigned different objects at any time. For example, a police detective might have conditional use of an unmarked police car. “Strict conditions” indicate that the character is only permitted to use the objects for activities as ordered by the organisation. This is the way most military and police equipment is issued. If the character is caught using the objects for personal activities, he or she will receive a severe reprimand. “Severe conditions” indicate that the character can only use the objects under specific orders. A government owned time travel device would probably fall under these conditions. Using the objects at any other time results in incarceration, physical punishment, or even death. The restrictions in question must be approved by the GM, since some rules may not be restrictive enough to warrant a Defect. If the character knowingly acts against the Restrictions, the Defect is lost.
CONFINED MOVEMENT
This Defect prevents the character from leaving a narrowly defined area. This may represent, for example, an undead villain that is cursed to haunt a particular place, an android that is programmed to follow a specific guard route, or a government-licensed magical girl that is only registered for travel in a specific region. The area in question must be approved by the GM, since very large areas may not be restrictive enough to warrant a Defect. If the character knowingly acts against the Restrictions, the Defect is lost.
CURSED
A Cursed character has likely offended a great being of power in his or her past, or is the direct descendent of someone who did (Curses often pass through bloodlines). The Curse can take a near limitless number of forms, but should not provide a character with an obvious advantage (remember, it's a curse!). The exact nature, background, and limitations of the Curse should be discussed with the GM.
EASILY DISTRACTED
Some characters are Easily Distracted by events, objects, people, or ideas, which are collectively known as triggers. Notable examples of triggers include attractive members of the opposite (or same) sex, wealth, food, movie stars, hobbies, gossip, hot cars, music, one's own looks, books or scrolls of ancient lore, and magical items. A character with this Defect will become enthralled with the trigger until it can no longer influence him or her, or until the character passes a Concentration check with a TR of 10 + half the total number of Character Points (CP) that the character possesses. Many characters have interests in a variety of triggers but do not possess this Defect because their interest is moderated by their sense of judgement. The nature of the distraction must be approved by the GM, since very rare distractions may not affect the character enough to warrant a Defect.
FAMOUS
The character is recognisable by many people, and thus it is difficult for him or her to keep secrets or maintain a private life. Journalists and photographers may hound the character regularly, and report his or her actions on television, in newspapers, and on websites. While being Famous may have some privileges (preferred seating at restaurants, daily special treatment, etc.), it is a significant disadvantage for a character that maintains a secret identity (such as a magical girl). This defect requires GM approval, since the level of fame must be enough to have a noticeable effect on the character, or it may not warrant a Defect.
GIRL/GUY MAGNET
The character attracts susceptible girls (or guys, or even both sexes) like bees to nectar. For some reason they are just drawn to the character, fall helplessly in love (or lust), and will not let go nor give the character a minute's peace. Even worse, they will fight each other over the character to keep one another from consummating the relationship. The Girl/Guy Magnet does not represent some unusual charisma on the part of the character but rather his or her fate to meet obsessed people.
Each session roll a standard check. If the Character's Ego is 15 or less, subtract the character's Ego from the result. If the Character's Ego is greater than 15, subtract the result of the check from the character's Ego. The resulting number is equal to the number of individuals chasing after the character for that session. (This may not always be applicable; GM's, use your best judgement.) The individuals may appear as a group or any mix of numbers; they need not appear one at a time.
MARKED
A character is considered Marked if his or her body hosts a permanent and distinguishing design that is difficult to conceal. The design may be a family symbol, an identifying birthmark, a permanent scar, or a unique tattoo. If the mark is not considered out of the ordinary, this Defect does not apply. Characters who are obviously non-human (robotic, demonic, alien, etc.) in a setting where most people are human (or vice versa) would also have the Marked Defect. In a standard high-fantasy setting, none of the typical races (dwarves, elves, halflings, etc.) have this Defect. Any mark that a Defect is taken for should be obvious enough and unique enough to be able to be used to identify the character.
NEMESIS
The character has someone in his or her life that actively interferes with goal achievement on a regular basis. This Nemesis can take several forms. He or she could be a professional rival such as someone competing for the favour of the character’s boss. The Nemesis could also be personal; for example, a thief may be pursued by a cop who devotes his or her existence to putting the character behind bars. The Nemesis may even be a romantic rival such as someone chasing the same person the character is pursuing. The Nemesis should be someone who makes the character’s life difficult frequently (and cannot easily be removed), but the Nemesis does not need to be a mortal enemy. It might be someone the character loves very much, but one whom they cannot avoid. An overbearing parent who lives at home is an example of this. If for any reason the Nemesis is defeated or goes away, the GM should create another Nemesis, unless the player also wishes to lose the Defect.
Each session roll a standard check, with a +1 bonus for each previous session that the Nemesis has not appeared in. If the resulting number is greater than the character's Ego, the Nemesis will appear.
OWNED
Free will has little meaning for a character that is Owned by a corporation, government, crime ring, or other organisation or individual. Control over the character can be exerted through a variety of methods including blackmail, brainwashing, legal contract, technology, or just highly effective propaganda. Dire consequences await a character whose actions conflict with the mandate of the owning body.
If the character knowingly acts against the Attack Restriction, the Defect is lost, in addition to whatever other consequences there may be.
PERMANENT
A specific feat is always functioning, and the character cannot turn it off. This Defect only applies to feats that would inconvenience the character if the feat were always active. The player and GM should discuss the problems and limitations associated with a perpetually active Power.
PHOBIA
A Phobia is a fear (often irrational) of an event, object, or person that can limit a character’s choice of actions. Avoiding situations that could trigger the phobia may take a high priority in the character’s life. Note that a Phobia that effectively cripples the character with fear does not add constructively to the role-playing experience. This defect requires GM approval, since the phobia should be common enough to have a noticeable effect on the character, or it may not warrant a Defect.
PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
The character has a physical impairment that makes aspects of daily life more challenging. Possible impairments include one or more missing (or unusable) limbs, loss of speech, constant sickness, nagging injury, severe headaches, an android that requires frequent repairs, etc. The player and GM should discuss the problems and limitations associated with the impairment. This defect requires GM approval, since the impairment should be common enough to have a noticeable effect on the character, or it may not warrant a Defect.
RECURRING NIGHTMARES
When the Recurring Nightmare Defect haunts a character, he or she has trouble sleeping at nights and functions at less-than-optimum performance during the day. The nightmare can be a memory of a tragic event or traumatic experience, or it might be something else such as a prophetic vision or warning. The nightmare may not occur every night but it will haunt the character on a regular basis. Additionally, the nightmares do not need to portray the exact same events repeatedly, but the visions should be related in some way. The details concerning the subject matter of the nightmares and why they occur are the responsibility of the GM and the player to create. This defect requires GM approval, since the nightmares should be common enough to have a noticeable effect on the character, or it may not warrant a Defect.
RED TAPE
The character must negotiate his or her way through a complicated bureaucracy in order to accomplish tasks. This Defect is often associated with characters who are members of law-enforcement organisations or similar government agencies that require paperwork. A large criminal organisation, however, may also require a character to receive permission from several levels of bosses before undertaking certain high-profile jobs. Red Tape also includes whatever
measures the character must take “after the fact” to appease the organisation to which he or she belongs. For example, a cop may need to fill out a report every time his or her weapon is fired or may have to follow a complicated series of steps to obtain a search warrant. A criminal may be required to pay a percentage of his or her take to the local crime boss or face some very strict penalties. This defect requires GM approval, since the red tape should be common enough to have a noticeable effect on the character, or it may not warrant a Defect.
RESTRICTIONS
Restrictions are a good way to establish the nature of a particular form or school of magic. This Defect cannot be taken if its BP value would be equal to or greater than the Points the character spent in Control, Special Attack, Morph, or Psionics (whichever is least). The character should select a minimum of 2 Minor Restrictions, or 1 Major Restriction in order to qualify for the Defect.
MINOR RESTRICTIONS
- The character must always dress in a peculiar set of ritual clothing (or body paint, or whatever) to use magic.
- The character must transform into a special costume in order to use his or magic. This is very common for “magical girl” type characters.
- The character’s magic works at the pleasure of a patron spirit, god, goddess, or demon and may cease to function if the character disobeys the patron’s commands or violates particular religious or other strictures.
- The character’s magic is limited if the character violates certain minor taboos.
- About half of the character’s magic powers are dependent on possession of a particular item, which may or may not also be an Item of Power. Should the character ever lose or misplace the item, he or she cannot access these powers.
MAJOR RESTRICTIONS
- The character’s magic ceases to function if he or she is in contact with metal, carrying it, or wearing it on his or her body.
- The character must perform blood sacrifices for his or her magic to work.
- The character’s magic only functions half or less of the time; for example, it may not work during daylight or only work when the moon is visible.
- Nearly all the character’s magic (except possibly a minor power or two) is dependent on possession of a particular item, which may or may not also be an Item of Power. Should the character ever lose or misplace the item, he or she cannot access the item-dependent powers.
SENSORY IMPAIRMENT
One or more of the character’s senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell) are either diminished or lost. An example of a diminished sense is being near-sighted or hard of hearing; the GM should take the impairment into consideration when deciding what the character is able to perceive, and may apply a -4 penalty on checks to notice things with that sense. An example of a lost sense is blindness or deafness. Any diminishment or loss is based on the character’s status after benefiting from any technological aids such as eyeglasses or hearing aids in the setting. For example, if a character has a hearing aid but is still hard of hearing, he or she has Sensory Impairment. If the hearing aid allows the character to function without difficulty he or she would not have Sensory Impairment. This defect requires GM approval, since the phobia should be common enough to have a noticeable effect on the character, or it may not warrant a Defect.
SIGNIFICANT OTHER
A character with this Defect has someone for whom he or she must go to any lengths to keep safe from harm, even at the risk of his or her own life. The Significant Other (S.O.) should be a regular fixture in the campaign. A one-night stand or a cousin visiting for two weeks is a plot complication and not an appropriate S.O. The character’s sense of obligation towards the S.O. is enough that the character will take great pains to ensure his or her safety and well-being. Examples include spouses and steady boy or girl friends, immediate relatives (parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, perhaps very close cousins), and close co-workers (such as a cop’s partner). It is acceptable for a character to take another character as an S.O., provided the players role-play this relationship appropriately. In this case, the S.O. relationship is always worth just 1 BP but is treated as a 3 BP Defect by the GM in terms of the frequency with which it affects the game. S.O. is inappropriate for most Flunkies and Servant characters.
Each session roll a standard check, with a +1 bonus for each previous session that the S.O. has not appeared in. If the resulting number is greater than the character's Ego, the S.O. will appear.
SKELETON IN THE CLOSET
The character has a dark secret. Exposure of this secret could cause harm to the character in the form of public humiliation, loss of a job, arrest, injury, or even death. The number of BP gained from this Defect is based on the severity the consequences if the secret is revealed. The secret must be important enough that the character will actively take steps to keep others from learning of it. If the Skeleton is ever revealed, the character will suffer the associated consequences, and the GM should replace it with an appropriate Defect or Defects worth at least as many BP as Skeleton in the Closet. Skeleton in the Closet is inappropriate for most Flunkies and Servant characters.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT
This Defect forces the character to meet a Special Requirement before an action or task can be completed. The Special Requirement may involve a physical object, an event, an action, an environmental condition, or even a state of mind. Everyday activities, such as eating and sleeping, are not considered to be Special Requirements unless they must be carried out under unusual conditions or more frequently for some reason. This Defect covers a wide range of possibilities, and thus the details should be discussed with the GM. This defect requires GM approval, since the requirement should be common enough to have a noticeable effect on the character, or it may not warrant a Defect.
STIGMA
The character stands out, and not in a good way. People look down on the character for some reason, and aren't as likely to be helpful (-10 penalty to diplomacy checks) and can't become friendly without a major effort. Stigma is a valid defect only if the vast majority would shun them.
VULNERABILITY
The character has a critical weakness to a specific object, environment, thought, activity, or condition. When in close proximity to the Vulnerability, it can temporarily strip the character of some of his or her Abilities. The character’s Attributes all drop by 2 Ranks when affected by the Vulnerability.The Vulnerability should only affect the character rarely, however, since it impacts him or her so severely. This defect requires GM approval, since the Vulnerability should be common enough for the character to have a reasonable chance of encountering it, or it may not warrant a Defect.
WANTED
The character is wanted by the law, a powerful criminal, or a private organisation that has placed a price on his or her head. Being Wanted is different from having a Nemesis; there is no single person devoting his or her life to annoying or hunting down the character. The character will need to conceal his or her identity or move around regularly to avoid having complete strangers calling the police or pursuing the character (depending on the circumstances). Police, or other people searching for him, get a +2 to checks against and Disguises the character may have.
Each session roll a standard check, with a +1 bonus for each previous session that the character was not hunted. If the resulting number is greater than the character's Sneak skill, the character will be hunted by 1d6 + the difference between the character's Sneak skill and the check's result.
WEAK POINT
The character's body possesses an abnormal weak point (in addition to the normal human weak points, like the heart and head). If the weak point is ever hit during combat with a Called Shot, the result is an automatic critical hit. If the attacker rolls a natural critical hit, the target is immediately reduced to 0 Hit Points and falls unconscious. The opponent, or even the character, may not be aware the weak point exists, however, until its presence is discovered by accident or through careful study.
