Flaws

Some players will naturally look at this extensive list and see right past the sea of roleplaying opportunities before them, focusing instead on the fact that it’s often possible to load up on related Merits and develop a character who gets an absurd amount of bonus Traits or difficulty breaks in some fairly common and/or potentially unbalancing circumstance. (“I have Acute Sense: Vision, Ability Aptitude: Fiream, Good Night Vision, Lucky and Daredevil - that basically means I’m up 10 Traits on all shots I take at night and have at least one free retest

for each one, right?”)

For sake of retaining some semblance of fairness, then, assume that bonus Traits or difficulty reductions from multiple Merits do not stack unless noted in their description, or if the Storyteller specifically allows such combinations to occur. As a rule, only the largest benefit applies, and in the case of a tie the hunter may decide which benefit he receives.

This should restrain the urge some players have to build invincible super-characters, while still permitting players to take related Merits if they desire.  Naturally, this limitation does not apply to the penalties earned from having multiple Flaws that come into play simultaneously; the poor bastard must just suffer through his abominable luck somehow, and pray that his weaknesses don’t line up like that ever again.

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Physical -

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Allergies (1 Pnt)

A common substance that’s harmless to most people - dog fur, pollen etc., - presents a particular problem for you, causing sneezing, watery eyes and other irritating symptoms. You are at a one-Trait penalty on all actions when exposed to this substance, and the symptoms take another scene to go away, even after you’ve left its presence.

Animal Musk (1 Pnt) - Garou Only

No matter how often you bathe, you can never seem to get rid of the animal funk that wafts off your body. You are two Traits down in social situations where your smell is obvious (at parties, indoors, etc.). Wolves aren’t bothered by the smell.

Arthritic (1 Pnt)

You suffer chronic pain in your joints, especially your hands, which makes it difficult to perform actions that require delicacy or fine motor control. Any time you must attempt such a feat - typing, sewing, working with small parts - you are one Trait down due to added difficulty presented by your condition.

Bad Sight (1 or 3 Pnt)

You don’t see very well for some reason. Large objects are still visible, albeit fuzzy, and smaller things are too out of focus for you to clearly identify. You are two Traits down on all challenges where careful eyesight is needed. This Flaw is worth one Trait if your vision is correctable with glasses or contacts and three Traits if your vision is uncorrectable.

Blind (6 Pnt)

The world of sight is lost to you. You cannot see at all, so you automatically lose all ties where sight would be a factor (tests of manual dexterity, for instance). What’s more, you automatically fail any challenge that rely solely on sight, and the hunter code is obviously of no use to you at all. The Discern edge allows you to see again normally, if only for a time; at the Storyteller’s discretion, you may still be able to use your Conviction perceptions or even vision-related edges like Witness or Illuminate by developing your other senses to a higher degree instead. If you have this Flaw, you should wear a special tag or glasses to indicate its nature.

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Chronic Illness (4 Pnt) - Kinfolk Only

Whether acquired since the hunt began or a holdover from your life before, you suffer under a debilitating illness of some kind, from chronic fatigue syndrome to cancer, and as a result you tend to tire and injure more easily than most. You are two Traits down on all Athletics tests, as well as any tests involving absorbing punishment of any kind. You cannot have more than five Physical Traits if you wish to take this Merit, and may even lose them slowly as the chronicle - and your illness -progresses.

Color Blind (1-2 Pnt)

Colors tend to blend together into an indistinguishable blur to your eyes, making it hard to give accurate descriptions or identify items by sight. You are one Trait down on all Perception-related Mental Challenges involving distinguishing or identifying objects. For two Traits, this Flaw indicates a complete inability to perceive any color at all, though color density is still visible as degrees of shading. While this monochromatic condition makes you a natural noir film director, it also puts you at a one-Trait penalty on the sort of tests described above, as you lack even the proper frame of reference to describe colors at all.

Crippled Limb (3 Pnt)

More severe than simply suffering from a twitchy limb like the Lame Negative Physical Trait, you have extensive damage to one of your arms or legs. If one of your arms is injured, you suffer a two-Trait penalty on any actions that normally require two hands (firing a rifle, climbing a wall, etc.). You should also adopt a posture or prop that indicates your limb’s useless nature. If one of your legs is crippled, you can only take one step per action, you cannot run at all and you should probably take the Negative Trait Lame as well. Additionally, you should roleplay this impairment with a cane or a set of leg braces.

Deaf (4 Pnt)

You are completely deaf, and must use sign language or some other form of communication. On the plus side, this renders you immune to certain supernatural powers that rely on hearing to function, but you also suffer a three-Trait penalty on tests of perception and alertness. In addition, you are automatically Surprised by anyone who approaches you fromoutside your line of sight. Needless to say, you cannot possess any Merits or other Traits related to good hearing.

Deformity (3 Pnt)

A physical deformity of some sort not only mars your appearance, but makes physical activity difficult for you. You have one penalty Trait on challenge resolution for Physical Challenges, and two for Social Challenges. You should work with the Storyteller to define the nature of your Deformity (hunchback, club foot, etc.).

Disfigured (2 Pnt)

A hideous disfigurement mars your face, and your revolting countenance is hard to forget (try though others might). You cannot take any Appearance-related Social Traits, and you suffer a two-Trait penalty on all Social Challenges except intimidation when your face is visible. Makeup or a mask of some kind is recommended to ensure this Flaw has maximum effect, though a description tag will also do in a pinch.

Distinguishing Characteristic (1-2 Pnt)

You have a permanent physical mark that’s easy to remember - a prominent tattoo, scars or a birthmark. Not only does this make it easy to identify you, but all attempts to track you down based on witness interviews are up a number ofTraits equal to the value of this Flaw. This Flaw is worth one Trait if your characteristic is easily covered by clothing, two Traits if it is not, and should be represented by appropriate makeup or description cards.

Elderly (3 Pnt) - Restricted

Most people are closer to the prime of their life when the imbuing strikes, but you’re the exception to that rule -while this means you can often offer advice on a wide range of topics, it has put a few limitations on your physical performance. While you might be just as strong or fast as your younger counterparts, you don’t have the stamina you once did; after any period of exertion (combat certainly included), you must make a Physical Challenge against seven Traits. Failure means that you must stop and catch your breath for at least 10 minutes, and suffer a one-Trait penalty to all actions until you do so. Likewise, your wound penalties are increased by one. This Flaw should be indicated by appropriate makeup or description cards.

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Hard of Hearing (1pt Flaw)

You have some difficulty hearing. You suffer a two-Trait penalty on all tests of hearing. Obviously, you cannot have this Flaw and the Merit: Acute Sense: Hearing.

Heavy Sleeper (1 Pnt)

On the plus side, when you want to sleep in, all the lawnmowers in the world won’t disturb a lazy Saturday morning in progress. On the negative side, however, chances are that a horde of rots beating down your door won’t stir you, either. Only striking or shaking you forcefully has any chance of waking you up, and even then you must win or tie a Simple Test to act the same turn as you awaken - on a loss, you cannot act at all that turn and count as Surprised on the one after that, reflecting how long it takes to shake the sleep from your eyes.

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Infertile (3 Trait Flaw)

You cannot bear or sire children. Metis cannot take this Flaw, as it's innate to their breed. This condition is irreversible by any means. The only way this can be worked around is with spirit chiminerge.

Insomniac (2 Pnt)

Sleep is a precious commodity for the imbued, but you have trouble getting even a few hours of sleep, and your daytime performance frequently suffers because of it. A Willpower test against a difficulty of five Traits is required before each session begins - if it fails, you are assumed to have gotten inadequate sleep the night before. Aside from the hours of frustrated tossing and turning or mindless infomercial watching this entails, you also suffer a one-Trait penalty on all Alertness-, Awareness- and Intuition related tests due to your dull senses and groggy thinking. This Flaw cannot be selected if you have either the Endurance Ability or the Vigilance edge, and if you acquire those Traits later, the Traits from this Flaw must be reassigned to another as soon as possible.

Lame (3 Pnt)

For some reason, your legs don’t work effectively. This may have been from a disease, an injury before your Change or a battle scar. You suffer a two-Trait penalty on all movement, no matter what your form. Metis characters may take this Flaw as their metis disfigurement.

Lazy (1 Pnt)

Why put off until tomorrow what can safely wait until next week? You despise physical labor of any kind, and even faced with arather pressing need you would rather debate what needs to be done for hours than actually get up off your posterior to get it going. Any time you are faced with doing work not directly relating to the hunt or to keeping your job (if you have one), you must make a Willpower test against four Traits-failure means that youcannot be bothered toperformsuch routine tasksuntil some time later.

Low Alcohol Tolerance (1 Pnt)

If someone opens a beer in the next room, you head starts getting fuzzy, and in general you tend to feel the effects ofalcohol long before others would. You suffer twice the normal penalties related for intoxication, as well as suffer a one-Trait penalty on all actions the next day due to the nasty hangovers you’re prone to getting.

Low Pain Tolerance (2 Pnt)

While you’re not necessarily any weaker than others, you have a much lower tolerance for pain than other people your size, and tend to cave in when confronted by the slightest period of discomfort. You suffer an additional one-Trait penalty whenever you are reduced below your last Bruised level, and have a similar penalty on all attempts to resist physical torture or intimidation as well.

Missing Eye (3 Pnt)

Whether by injury or defect, you are missing an eye or one of your eyes does not function. You are two Traits down on tests of depth perception, including ranged combat. Depending on the nature of your eye damage, you may choose to wear an eyepatch, or you may simply have one blind eye. Oddly enough, theDiscern edge allows you to see as though you still possessed both of your eyes.

Monstrous (3 Pnt)

You’re regularly mistaken for a horror movie extra as you are hideous and physically displeasing. As a result, you may not initiate any Social Challenges other than those concerning Intimidation, and you may not take any Appearance-related Social Traits, such as Alluring or Gorgeous.

Motion Sickness (1 Pnt) 

Try as you might, you’ve never developed a stomach for things like sea voyages or carnival rides, and even a long trip by car soon becomes an adventure in nausea for you. Any time you spend more than 15 minutes on a boat or plane, or more than 30 minutes in a car, you are at a one-Trait penalty on all actions for the rest of the trip as well as a full half-hour afterward, due to the sickness such journeys cause.

Mute (4 Pnt) - Restricted

You cannot speak at all. You should use sign language or write down your communications. You can explain your actions to a Storyteller or Narrator, but that is the limit of your speaking. Without Linguistics, you may not even be able to sign. You also cannot use any edges which rely on the spoken word to function, such as Bluster or Insinuate, unless your Storyteller allows you to come up with an equally compelling alternative for your condition. This can be a difficult Flaw to roleplay, so choose carefully.

No Sense of Smell/Taste (1 Pnt) - Garou Only

Your sense of smell or taste is completely gone, whether due to a genetic defect or some sort offreak accident. You are at a one-Trait penalty on all Perception-related tests involving your deficient sense, but on the other hand you suffer half the normal penalty (round down) when it comes to dealing with unpleasant odors or tastes, as appropriate.

Non-swimmer (1 Pnt) 

Maybe you were raised somewhere in the Midwest, or perhaps you watched too many shark movies as a child, but either way you never learned how to swim and have no natural aptitude for it now. If thrust into an aquatic situation the best you can manage is a pitiful doggie paddle. You are two Traits down on all Athletics tests involving swimming, and might even panic if dropped into water.

Old Injury (2 Pnt)

At one point in the past you sustained a serious injury, and it continues to pain you to this day - you are at a one-Trait penalty on all Athletics tests due to discomfort, and should roleplay dealing with this old war wound accordingly.

One Arm (3 Pnt)

You lost an arm to an accident, a battle scar or even a birth defect. You have become used to using your remaining hand for most tasks, so you suffer no penalty for an “off” hand. However, you suffer a two-Trait penalty to tasks when two hands would be needed. Metis characters may take this Flaw as their metis deformity.

One Eye (2 Pnt) - Restricted

Whether you were born with the defect or injured somehow, you have only one functional eye, the other being either missing entirely or adead-white orb. You are two Traits down on all challenges involving depth perception, including ranged combat. Depending on the nature of your handicap, you may choose to wear an eye patch, or you may simply have one blind eye.

Permanent Wound (3 Pnt) - Garou Only

Perhaps you suffered a deep battle scar, or were severely injured in your homid or lupus form and have never quite healed the damage. As a result, you are permanently down one Healthy and Bruised health level.

Poor Eyesight (1 or 3 Pnt)

Your natural eyesight is extremely poor, and you have a two+Trait penalty on all tests involving vision (including ranged combat tests). Obviously, you cannot have this Flaw and any Merits related to acute vision. This Flaw is worth one Trait if this difficulty can be corrected witheyeglasses or contact lenses, or three Traits if it cannot.

Poor Hearing ( 1 or 3 Pnt)

You have substantial difficulty hearing, and suffer a two-Trait penalty on all tests of hearing. Obviously, you cannot have this Flaw and any Merits related to acute hearing. This Flaw is worth one Trait if this difficulty can be corrected wirh a hearing aid, or three Traits if it cannot.

Poor Night Vision (2 Pnt)

Maybe your parents forbade you to go out at night, or perhaps you lacked the right vitamins in your diet, but regardless of the cause you have a terrible time getting around in low-light conditions. You are down two Traits on all tests made in dim light (such as those attempted by mere starlight or a simple flashlight beam), and suffer an additional one-Trait penalty on all combat conditions while fighting in low- or nolight conditions. Needless to say, this can be a devastating handicap when trying to adapt to your new life. The Discern edge eliminates this Flaw while active, although other vision-related edges such as Witness or Illuminate offer no such relief.

Shaky Hands (3 Pnt)

When you’re under pressure, your hands have a bad tendency to shake uncontrollably, making it difficult to perform actions that require any kind of manual dexterity (such as reloading a revolver or picking a lock). You may be as brave as the next hunter, but all the same you still suffer from this dangerous quirk, and are at aone-Trait penalty on all tests involving fine coordination. You must make a Physical Challenge against a difficulty of five Traits (retest with Firearms) to reload a revolver or shotgun during combat; failure means your turn is wasted and you must attempt to reload again another round.

Short (2 Pnt) - Restricted

You have trouble seeing over things, interacting with tall people and escaping notice due to your proportions. You can only take two steps in an action instead of three, due to your small size. You also have trouble reaching countertops and manipulating objects designed for normal people (like cars). You should wear a tag to note your condition if you are not actually that short.

Sickly (1 Pnt)

It seems you’re always coming down with some sickness or another, and no matter how often you get them, your immune system doesn’t seem to be getting any better at fighting them off. Indeed, you are two Traits down on all tests to resist diseases and other infections, and should roleplay your constant low-level sickness when possible. This is distinct from the Sickly Negative Trait in that it reflects a weakened immune system, as opposed to simply a frail body, though they can be combined if the player desires.

Strict Carnivore (1 Pnt) - Garou Only

“Vegetarian” is a just a foreign term for “lazy hunter”; if it’s not meat, it’s not in your diet. You gain no nourishment from vegetables of any kind and subsist solely on meat.

Vice (1-3 Pnt)

Somewhere along the line you got trapped in an addiction, and like it or not you still haven’t kicked the habit. The value of this Flaw depends on how common (and legal) the substance is, and to a lesser extent how addicted the character is to it. One Trait would indicate an addiction to a legal and easily obtainable substance, such as cigarettes or a $10-a-day coffee fixation. Two Traits indicates a legal or mildly illegal substance that impairs the hunter’s ability to carry on the hunt, such as marijuana or ecstasy. Three Traits indicates an addiction to a highly illegal and/or extremely dangerous drug such as heroin or crack. You are considered to always be under the effect of this substance (Storyteller discretion, but should be far more negative than positive overall), and should you be denied it you may begin losing Willpower or suffering Trait penalties temporarily as you go through withdrawal.

Wolf years (1 Pnt) - Garou Only

You have the lifespan of a wolf, rather than a Garou- 12 to 20 years at most. The aging effects begin at eight years (for a lupus) or within five years after First Change (for a homid).

Youthful Appearance (1 Pnt)

No matter how old you might be, you appear to be underage for many adult activities, and can count on being carded, looked down and otherwise harassed by those who believe you’re nothing more than a minor. You are one Trait down on all attempts to persuade others that you are in fact of legal age, as well as on all Social Challenges with those inclined to distrust young people (concert security guards, cynical police officers, etc.). If you do not already have an appearance that simulates up this Flaw, a description tag is recommended to alert other players to your apparent youth.

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Social -

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Abusive Partner (2 Pnt) Kinfolk Only - Restricted

Monsters don’t just roam abroad - you live with a perfectly human beast at home, who abuses you physically whenever you’re home. Any time you spend the night at home, you must make a Simple Test - success means that you take no damage, while a tie means that you come into play next time with a level of bashing damage from the abuse. Aside from obvious social and psychological problems, this Flaw can also significantly impair a character’s healing times, and the Storyteller should make sure the character feels its weight appropriately.

Bad Liar (1 Pnt)

It’s said that children develop the capacity for deception as early as two years old, but your talent for fabrication hasn’t progressed much since that tender age. You might have obvious behavioral tell tales when you try to lie, such as stammering or blushing, or maybe you just tend to invent situations that are just too fantastic for anyone to give them credence. Regardless you should roleplay this difficulty whenever possible, and you are two Traits down on all Social Challenges involving deception in a social situation.

Bully (1 Pnt)

You like to throw your weight around and don’t see anything wrong with getting your way through social pressure or physical force when you feel like it. In addition to these charming traits, you don’t tend to deal well when compelled to follow a more forceful mentality, and tend to be a trouble maker when you’re not in charge. You’re one Trait down on all Social Challenges when you’re not the figure in charge, due to your irritation.

Compulsive Liar (2 Pnt)

Whether or not you’re good at it, you tend to inject your own special blend of the truth into what you say, ranging from little white lies to untruths that might potentially hurt others (especially when it comes to fellow hunters). At this point you might even believe the lies you invent, since you tell them so often. Regardless, you should roleplay this constant level of fabrication as best you can; additionally, in order to tell the complete truth for a scene, you must spend a Willpower Trait or win a Willpower Challenge against four Traits. This is also the case when you must tell a truth that openly exposes a previous lie.

Conspicuous Consumer (2 Pnt)

Saving money is difficult when there are so many cool things out there to buy, and you tend to tax your finances buying brand names and a host of products you don’t really need. Add two Traits to the difficulty of all tests related to using your Resources, and cut the amount of monthly allowance it usually affords you by a third to reflect the amount of money you spend.

Children (1 Pnt)

You have children who depend on you for the necessities of life, not to mention love and support. Fortunately for them, you treasure your role as a provider and take pride in being there for your kids; unfortunately, the demands of the hunt can quickly place a strain on your relationship with them, and no matter how they feel about it, the guilt of neglecting your responsibilities takes a terrible toll on you. This Flaw requires a lot of downtime attention to be significant enough to count, and should only be chosen if you and the Storyteller are willing to mind it often enough for it to have a real presence in the character’s life. (A good idea to start with is to have the player draw up a weekly schedule of his character’s obligations as well as the kids’ activities, which not only gives him an idea of the ways they might overlap, but also a framework for the kinds of actions he can perform in downtime without threatening his responsibilities.) If you go more than three days without seeing your kids, either due to the hunt or other obligations, you cannot regain Willpower until you have a chance to be with them again for a like amount of time. At the Storyteller’s discretion, this penalty may also apply for a time if you miss a particularly important event - championship game, class play, graduation, etc. - especially if you promised to attend or it would naturally be expected for a parent to be there.

Chronic Pessimist (1 Pnt)

Determined to make Eeyore look like Shirley Temple, you learned long ago that everything sucks, and what’s more, you’re happy to share this knowledge with others. Nothing ever looks like it’ll turn out right, and even if it does you’re sure it’s only because that success is a prelude to an even greater failure down the road. Even for one someone who knows that horrifying monsters kill people and poison the planet every day. Naturally, take delight in roleplaying this doomsaying at every opportunity, but remember that such fun does have a price: you’re down two Traits on all Social Challenges involving motivating people (such as Leadership challenges) or cheering them up in any way (such as Empathy tests) - it’s just not.. . you.

Chronically Late (1 Pnt)

Delays, delays, delays - something always seems to come up whenever you’re trying to get somewhere on time. This is as much a reflection of natural procrastination or inattentiveness on your part as it is external factors. Anytime you have an appointment to make, formal or informal, you must make a successful Willpower test against three Traits to be there on time-failure means you’re at least 10 minutes late. This can include entering the game later than other characters, if the time of your arrival is important. Alternately, the Narrator may choose to increase your effective travel times by as much as a third, to represent your inability to start a trip on time.

Chronically Shy (1 Pnt) Restricted

People? Eep! Above and beyond the Negative Trait of the same name (though you likely possess that as well), you’re incredibly wary of strange people, and even worse with crowds. You’re one Trait down on all Social Challenges with people you don’t know, and two Traits down on all Social Chalelnges that address a crowd of any kind. And yes, these penalties are cumulative for crowds that are composed of more strangers than familiar faces.

Clannish Family (1 Pnt) 

Sure, your family loves and supports you, it’s just that, well, they don’t like outsiders much. It’s not that they’re necessarily mean, it’s just that they prefer to keep matters (and favors) within the family. This might not even have been much of a problem before, but since the imbuing they’ve noticed that you’ve been hanging around a lot with people they don’t know, or worse still, bringing these strangers home before the family felt comfortable with them. If your family constitutes or accounts for your Allies, Contacts, Resources or Roots, they flat-out refuse to do anything that requires them to directly or indirectly aid others outside the family, and will do their best to make outsiders feel uncomfortable whenever they interact with them.

Collaborator (1 Pnt) 

Whether it was a devil’s deal to remove a larger threat to both sides, or just an innocent exchange of information, sometime in the recent past you’ve worked with one or more monsters to achieve your goals. Or maybe you haven’t, but word-of-mouth in the hunter community says you have, and for one reason or another it’s been impossible to prove otherwise so far. Either way, this reputation can put a serious strain on your relations with more conservative imbued, and the Storyteller should take care to inform other player characters of your supposed collaboration, so that they might roleplay their reaction accordingly.

Crude (1 Pnt)

You may be a trusted friend in private and valued ally on the hunt, but when it comes to situations that require a certain amount of manners or refinement, even your best friends try to pretend they don’t know you. You seem to break all the rules of etiquette, deliberately or otherwise, and thus are two Traits down on all Social Challenges in situations where tact or social grace are required. This Flaw can be taken in addition to Negative Traits such as Tactless or Obnoxious, because it reflects a general ignorance of social mores as opposed to a more specific difficulty with particular behaviors.

Cultural Snob (1 Pnt)

Yes, yes, we’ve all heard how much you appreciate fine art, classical music, the best wines and the sublime ambiance of a good French restaurant - the problem is, we’ve also heard how much abuse you heap on those who demonstrate the least bit of knowledge or enjoyment of pop culture. In short, it’s obvious to everyone that you’re a cultural snob of the worst sort, and you should do your best to roleplay this grating distaste for all things “popular” as well as possible. What’s more, when it comes to dealing with people who aren’t equally snobby about such things (read: just about everyone), you’re two Traits down on all Social Challenges.

Dark Secret (1 Pnt)

Some incident in your past haunts you and you strive to cover it up - maybe you murdered an elder, or you had extensive dealings with a vampire. Whatever it is, knowledge of this could get you branded as a pariah in the Garou Nation. You can cover it for now, but someday, the piper will need paying.

Defensive (1 Pnt)

Whether from a lingering amount of immaturity or an endless drive for perfection (in your mind, at least), you have trouble taking responsibility for your actions. Any time anything goes wrong, you always find a way to blame someone or something else, and become downright hostile to anyone who tries to point out this tendency as well. You are one Trait down on all tests that would involve accepting responsibility for one of your failures, and one Trait down on all Social Challenges with someone who tries to point out this lovely habit of yours.

Eccentric Appearance (1 Pnt)

Perhaps you run with a particular clique -Goth, punk, raver, etc. - or maybe you’ve just got a truly unique sense of style, but either way your appearance immediately makes you stand out in a crowd (at least among more ordinary folks). Aside from occasionally drawing negative attention from others who disapprove of your clique or style, you’re also easily remembered by other people. Any attempts to track you down through witnesses are two Traits up, and you cannot take the Everyman Background or the Forgettable Merit. Obviously, this Flaw also requires that you wear suitable costuming and makeup to mark your unique appearance, and repeated failure to do so will force you to buy off this Flaw.

Enemy (1 to 5 Pnt) Restricted

There is someone or something out to get you. The value of this Flaw depends on the power of your enemy. An enemy with an equal level of power to yours is worth one Trait, where a pack of Black Spiral Dancers or a coterie of vampires would be worth five Traits. Work with your Storyteller to determine who your enemy is and how you became enemies in the first place.

Foreigner (2 Pnt) 

While you might very well be fluent in the language and generally familiar with the customs, you are still not native to the area where you currently live (and hunt). You tend to be ignorant of small cultural details, and might have additional legal restrictions on you as well. Whenever you attempt Streetwise or Etiquette tests, you are two Traits down dealing with this strange foreign culture, and should adopt a distinctive accent or other mannerism that clearly marks you as a foreigner (without resorting to cultural stereotype).

Gambling Addict (1 Pnt)

You can’t help it - whenever there’s a possible wager on the table, you just have to take it. This is bad news because while you probably have extensive experience with gambling, you’re addicted to it as well, which means that you tend to lose a lot more than you win because you can’t pull yourself away from the table when you’re ahead. Aside from the obvious impact this might have on your Resources, you must also make a Willpower test against four Traits to pass up a chance to gamble. Once you’ve started, you must spend a Willpower Trait or make another test to stop gambling for any reason less than a direct threat, regardless of whether you’re winning (“I’m ahead now, so why stop?”) or losing (“I have to at least break even!”).

Ghoulish Sense of Humor (1 Pnt)

You have an highly active sense of humor, but not exactly a healthy one-in fact, you tend to find amusing what other people consider disturbing or outright disgusting, and thus have a bad tendency to crack inappropriate jokes at the worst possible times. Any time you’re faced with a gory scene or otherwise uncomfortable moment (such as someone consoling a crying victim), you are two Traits down on all Social Challenges due to your habit of belittling the situation or those involved in it. Needless to say, you should roleplay this behavior as well as possible, so long as you remember to keep all the jokes in character.

Honest to a Fault (2 Pnt)

Telling lies or even just bending the truth is contrary to your nature, so much so that you will not do it unless it’s necessary to save human lives. Naturally, this lack of practice tends to make you a pretty poor deceiver when you do attempt to twist the truth, and you are two Traits down on any Social Challenge involving deception.

Hunted (3 Pnt) Restricted

A very powerful hunter is tracking you, believing you’re a rabid animal who’s a threat to all humanity. He has the skills and resources enough to make your life “interesting” (and to snuff it out, if you aren’tcareful), and will keep you watching over your shoulder. Your friends, family, allies and associates are also in peril should this hunter decide to turn an eye their way. Worse, your hunter is immune to the Delirium. Keep one eye on the exits ....

Icy Demeanor (1 Pnt)

Whatever that intangible quality is that makes people open up to others, you just don’t have it. No matter what you’re like on the inside, you habitually project a cool and hostile demeanor to those around you, and most don’t bother trying to get to know you any better than that. You are two Traits down on all Social tests with someone during the first scene that you meet them, due to your innate difficulty with presenting a likable face to others. This is distinct from the Callow Negative Trait in that it represents an ineptness at presenting yourself well rather than actual emotional isolation, though the two may be combined in to create a truly heartless and distant S.O.B.

Infamy (2 Pnt)

You’re well known in the area that you live, but for all the wrong reasons. You might be a well-known criminal associate, or perhaps you were involved in a prominent local scandal that has never quite lifted from your reputation. While you won’t necessarily be attacked on the street, people do tend to look down on you or treat you with some hostility, and so you are two Traits down on all Social Challenges with those who know about your past. The Storyteller may also require you to wear a tag denoting your infamous status, to ensure that you get the kind of reactions that you deserve.

Inept (5 Pnt)

You are incompetent and unskilled. Until you buy off this Flaw, you may not buy your Abilities or Influences above one Trait.

Insensitive (1 Pnt)

Relating to people in an emotional context is an awkward and uncomfortable experience for you, and your typical method of avoiding such unpleasantness (being very blunt about everything) doesn’t usually do much to smooth things over either. Most of the time you wind up apologizing without knowing exactly what you did to offend someone, since you have a difficult time figuring out how other people are feeling. You are one Trait down on all Social Challenges with someone in the grip of a strong emotion of any kind, and two Traits down on all uses of the Empathy Ability (these penalties are cumulative).

Lustful (2 Pnt)

There are plenty of words for people like you, but regardless of how you want to look at it, even you admit that you seldom put up much of a fight when it comes to resisting the sensual charms of the gender you fancy. All attempts to seduce you are two Traits up, and in general you make very poor decisions when it comes to people that you find physically attractive, which should be roleplayed accordingly within the rules of Mind’s Eye Theatre.

Misinformed (1 Pnt) Kinfolk Only

Some time ago you latched onto a theory or idea that’s far from mainstream and/or flies in the face of accepted science, and for better or worse you’ve incorporated it into your worldview, so much so that you tend to interpret events through the lens of this belief. You need not be pushy about it, but you do truly believe in it, and will stand steadfast by it if it is ever called into question whenever you make an ability test that involves your skewed worldview (such as Science or Awareness), the difficulty is increased by two as you try to fit the events or information you’re seeing into your own perspective instead of vice versa. Note: You cannot take simply “the existence of monsters” as your skewed belief, though you might be able to persuade your Storyteller to allow it if your character passionately (read: blindly) believes that all monsters are actually space aliens from the planet Zorg or some similarly outlandish belief.

Mistaken Identity (1 Pnt)

They say everyone has a twin out there somewhere; problem is, yours is up to no good, and everyone knows it. You bear a striking resemblance to a notorious figure of some kind, whether a prominent criminal, infamous celebrity or even a feared monster or radical imbued. You must wear a description tag indicating this unfortunate resemblance. It doesn’t usually take much effort for others to figure out that you’re not your “evil twin,” but some hotheads or glory hounds might not stop to make the distinction before confronting you, and even then your presence is easily remembered by those who recognize you.

Moneygrubbing (3 Pnt)

Money makes the world go round, and you intend to ride the merry-go-round for all it’s worth. Everything is secondary to the pursuit of wealth, and you’re capable of performing some extreme things so long as there’s enough money in it for you. Any time you’re offered a bribe, even by a monster or other loathsome figure, you must either spend a Willpower Trait or make a Willpower test against six Traits to avoid accepting the bribe. This difficulty increases by one if you’re pretty sure the task required won’t hurt anyone (that you know of). In addition, you must make a similar test to avoid searching the bodies or dwellings of fallen opponents for valuables.. . Or looting fallen allies for the same.

Monstrous Connections (2 Pnt) Kinfolk Only

Most hunters spend nights out monster hunting, but you needn’t look far to find at least one of the creatures - you have to deal with one in your daily life, whether it’s your boss, a key family figure or another regular fixture of your existence. The creature doesn’t necessarily know what you are (yet), but it’s in a prime position to cause trouble for you should it choose to do so. This Flaw assumes that the monster is in some position where you cannot easily avoid it, if not actually in a role that your hunter would have a great deal of trouble justifying taking action against (such as a parent or child).

Non-confrontational (1 Pnt)

Bringing up subjects you know others would prefer to avoid is acutely uncomfortable for you, and you often find yourself giving in and accepting compromises you regret later on down the road. It’s not that you’re weak, it’s just that you hate being thought of as causing unhappiness to those you care about, so much so that you will go to great lengths to avoid it if at all possible. Any time you find yourself the bearer of bad news or in need of telling a friend or love one some unpleasant things, you are two Traits down on all Social Challenges for the rest of the scene as a result of your hesitation and unhappiness.

Persistent Parents (2 Pnt) Garou Only

When you became a Garou, you likely disappeared from your old life. Your parents refuse to let your memory lie and started searching for you. Perhaps they’ve even hired private detectives to hunt for you. For some reason, you simply can’t come clean with your parents - perhaps your mother is employed by Pentex, or they have strange religious beliefs that would mandate killing you to “save” you.

Poor Judge of Character (2 Pnt)

No matter how hard you try, you always seem to fall in with the wrong crowd. Aside from (or perhaps including?) your fellow imbued, your “friends” tend to be moochers, petty criminals and other undesirables, and suffice it to say that your romantic history is probably long, tragic and highly repetitive. You are two Traits down on all Awareness-, Empathy- or Intuition-related Challenges in social situations, due to your difficulty in judging people correctly, and at the Storyteller’s discretion you may face occasional difficulties with Backgrounds such as Allies or Contacts if they involve your questionable associates.

Poor Online Demeanor (1 Pnt)

Sure, you’ve discovered hunter-net or a similar online community of the imbued, but now they almost wish you hadn’t- whether you intend it to be or not, your online persona is exceedingly grating and obnoxious to others, and they will aid you only grudgingly because of it. Add two to the difficulty of all attempts togather information or ask for aid from the online hunter community; what’s more, you are one Trait down on all face-to-face Social Challenges with other hunters who recognize you from your online postings.

Shy (1 Pnt)

You suffer a social stigma, and you just dislike the limelight. You do whatever you can do not be the focus of attention. When you are at the center of attention, you must bid an extra Trait to initiate challenges.

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Speech Impediment (1pt Flaw):

A stammer, Tourette‟s Syndrome or other speech deficiency makes communication difficult for you. Roleplay your deficiency, and suffer a two-Trait penalty on all verbal communication. You cannot have this Flaw with the Merit: Enchanting Voice.

Stubborn (1 Pnt)

There are pit bulls, there’s ngmmmtis, and then there’s you- all three unwilling to let anything go once they’ve got a hold of it. All of your beliefs enjoy your full, unwavering support, and anyone who attempts to challenge them finds herself the recipient of as much grief as you can muster. Any time someone questions one of your beliefs, you are two Traits down on all Social Challenges with that character for the rest of the scene as you naturally close yourself off to her (not to mention the embarrassment if she’s actually right).

Superstitious (1 Pnt) Kinfolk Only

Whether a cautious trait you acquired since learning that monsters existed, or a habit you’ve had all your life, you adhere rigidly to a number of superstitions, to the point where you frequently attribute the success or failure of your plans to how well you adhered to “the rules.” You need not risk your life or the lives ofothers on these foibles, however. Not only should this tendency be reflected on a constant level in your roleplaying, but you are such a stickler for your superstitions that you are two Traits down on all Social Challenges with anyone who disapproves of them due to your conflict of belief. (As a rule of thumb, if you could imagine the person in question reacting incredulously or unfavorably to you performing one of your regular superstitions, this Flaw applies.)

Technophobe (2 Pnt) Kinfolk Only

You hate modem technology, especially computers, and you’re pretty damn sure it hates you right back. While you’re at home with tried-and-true things like cars and telephones, making any sense of cell phones, pagers, laptops or other newfangled gizmos is quite beyond you. You must make a Mental Challenge against five Traits to perform even simple tasks on a computer, ATM machine or other technological device you’re not comfortable with (which is most of them), and the Storyteller will probably restrict some of the Abilities you can take at character creation to reflect this deficiency as well.

Trusting (1 Pnt)

You can’t help it - you just naturally take people at face value, whether due to an optimistic view of people or just a limited amount of contact with people whose motivations aren’t as noble as yours. Not only do you take them at their word, but you also do such incautious things as accept rides home from recent acquaintances or walk through bad areas at night, simply because you truly don’t believe something bad will happen. You are two Traits down on all attempts to detect a lie or judge the character of someone you’ve met for the first time that session.

Ward (3 Pnt) 

You are devoted to the protection of a human. Perhaps she’s Kinfolk, or one of the few friends you’ve hung onto since your Change. You may describe your Ward, but the Storyteller will actually create her. Such people are often targeted by your enemies, or just get caught up in the action too well. If she is Kinfolk, you must have a particularly special relationship with her (spouse, lover, child, longtime friend, sibling, etc.).

Wavering Faith (3 Pnt)

There was a time when you thought your faith could get you through just about anything, but that was before.. . .The horrors you’ve experienced since your imbuing have shaken your faith to the core, and you have trouble mustering courage of conviction when everything you once believed is so obviously wrong. After all, how could a loving deity allow monsters to roam free causing suffering and anguish? And it only takes one encounter with a ghost or a rot to see that the afterlife is obviously not how you always thought it was. Aside from the wonderful roleplaying opportunities this Flaw offers, all difficulties on Willpower tests of any kind are increased by one, due to your shattered sense of confidence.

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