Jinx

It's not just superstition or a run of bad luck; literally everything seems to just be more complicated and harder for you. But in spite of all of the constant hum of minor irritations, nothing really majorly bad ever happens to you. Near you, maybe, to people or things when you just happen to be around, but somehow when push comes to shove, you always manage to escape serious harm in spite of the fact that you probably shouldn't have.

After long experience and thinking back on past events, you realize that the one consistent element in all of these events -- it's YOU. On further observations, you also recognize that in small, subtle ways, your own state of mind and expectations consistently seemed to play a part in how events unfolded.

With practice, you realized that you can put a thumb - lightly - on the scales of the universe, to change how things play out. Most of the time, the universe is pushing down on you just a little bit harder, but the result of that is that when you really do need it, you can push back yourself, just a bit harder, and use that leverage to create a safe space for yourself, and the people and things you care about. You've even brushed up a bit on magic and religion, to see who or what might be at the root of your overall bad luck but occasionally amazingly good luck.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Investigation, Arcana, Religion. You also have a shrewd eye for assessing the overall quality of tools. However, whenever exercising any of these skills under non-life-threatening duress, they are rolled at disadvantage. When the stakes are high - your life, your party's (at least, those of the party you like), and similar - your rolls on these skills are made at advantage.

Tool Proficiencies: Any tools, but due to your jinx, they have a propensity to break. Rolling a 2 on a tool proficiency 1d20 check indicates that the tool malfunctions in an irritating but typically easily remedied way. A natural 1 tool proficiency roll on 1d20 indicates that the tool has broken and can't be repaired - hope you have a spare!

Equipment: A journal (in which you record your after-event observations, in search for similarities and triggers), a second journal of tips and tricks how to make do with broken or non-standard equipment, and a wide variety of effective field repairs for common gear, using inexpensive locally-available raw materials (GM's discretion).

Suggested Characteristics

Jinxes tend to come across as absent-minded, or clumsy, or some other easily-understood explanation that waves away the fundamental nature of their skewed relationship with luck. In reality, they are some of the most insightful, wise, and intelligent people around, because they are constantly on the lookout for the real explanation and reasons behind why they seem to experience far more than their share of misfortune.

d6	Personality Trait
1	I tend to view the universe as antagonistic and hostile, "out to get me". Consequently, I don't notice as much animosity directed towards me by individuals; it's all part of the bigger picture.
2	I tend to view the universe as a wonderous place and myself as one of its lesser admirers. I often feel blessed and fortunate I'm still around to enjoy it, in all its wonder.
3	I tend to believe that people are almost always out to get you, and that you can only do so much to protect yourself, and if you don't, then... they'll get you. That's how it's always been, and how it "just is".
4	I tend to believe that people are always willing to lend a hand when you need it most, and have often been fortunate to receive much-needed help, right when I needed it most.
5	As a logical, methodical, and observant person, I can't help but wonder sometimes what I did to deserve the low-level animosity the Gods are displaying against me. No amount of prayer or offering ever seems to be enough; I've given up.
6	I don't deserve it, but whenever I need it most, the Gods seem to take an active role in helping me out, preserving me from the worst of my own well-deserved misfortune. They must really like me!

d6	Ideal
1	Always be prepared. Have the right equipment, and replacements for them, and tools and materials to fix them. For anything. For everything. Be prepared, and you just might survive.
2	Cultivate strong interpersonal relationships; goodness knows, you're going to need each other's help often, and often a lot of it. Best make sure your needs are viewed kindly, by being kind first.
3	Nobody's going to help you if you don't help yourself. Don't be a lightweight, and quit complaining. Everyone has it bad, in their own way. You can do this, all by yourself, so get to it.
4	Have a backup plan. Have a backup plan for your backup plan. Have a "worst case" plan, for your backup plan's backup plan. Never be without a plan.
5	Just wing it. Stuff's going to break, things are going to go wrong, plans are going to unravel almost immediately. It doesn't pay to prepare too much, because you're going to have to improvise no matter what else happens.
6	Nothing matters other than you survive. Relationships, equipment, ideals, it doesn't matter. Don't get overly attached to anything, and then when your life is on the line, you won't hesitate and lose it all, and your life besides.

d6	Bond
1	My family always thought I was the clumsy, awkward one. In spite of that, they're proud of me, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep them that way.
2	There's nothing better than really high-quality gear that doesn't break on you unexpectedly. I have stronger relationships with my favorite tools than most people do with their closest friends.
3	There's nothing quite like a really well-stocked town market or bazaar. They can literally be a life-saver, at times.
4	My guild-mates would have ranked me "least likely to succeed." I'll prove them wrong! Eventually they'll recognize my struggles, and acknowledge my successes.
5	My friends view me as a sort of underdog, and are always rooting for me to succeed, even though I often face more than my fair share of challenges. We are there for each other, supportive through everything that comes our way.
6	Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Not even the gods. And when they finally admit they were wrong about me, everything will be better. I just have to keep at it.

d6	Flaw
1	I tend to underestimate the complexity of common tasks, because even though usually something goes wrong, I don't want to admit that it's probably me that's causing it.
2	I take forever to decide on a course of action, because I'm paralyzed by the thought that something bad might happen, because it so often does.
3	I'm quick to pick a course of action and run with it, because no matter what I choose, it's going to initially go haywire. Might as well get it out of the way up front!
4	People often view me as absent-minded or lost in my own little world, but what I'm really doing is replaying prior events in my head, looking for clues why things happened the way they did.
5	I'm often sad, or depressed, because in spite of my best efforts, I always seem to screw things up.
6	I'm just a tad too optimistic to be believable; I over-compensate for the disappointment I know is lurking right around the corner.