i just want to have a little brainstorming about a homebrew flaw-feature, which my Character would fell into after a battle. I am inspired by Caleb from CR Capaigne 2, which need to make a wisdome save after using a big fire spell ( at least in this one episode I just watched). A awesome thing to give a character depth, in my opinion.
So, my idea is to translate this into flaw-feauter, which give my character, after a hefty battle, a "Lady Macbeth-Moment": "Out, damned spot; out, I say." Traumatized by a past event, like Caleb, she falls after a battle in a moment of shock. The adrenaline cool down and the panic grapple her. A great segue to describe the effect from this flaw-feautre aka trauma. Like being in the condition "grappled" she a) can't move (speed to 0) and b) it ends if the Grappler (aka the source of this shock) is "incapacitated". Which would be a brief moment of washing of the blood and breathing controlled.
These are just my randome thoughts and perhaps you have some ideas, or tips, or anything.
I do like the idea of personal flaws also. It’s a little subjective for use in anything other than homebrew games. But yes, when Caleb uses a fire spell against a humanoid, he has to make a wisdom save. Not sure what happens if he fails, but it’s a cool effect.
The brilliance of the flaw is it has a specific trigger tied to his past, and it requires a saving throw to maintain composure. I think both those elements are needed in whatever you create for your own character. Bloody battles are probably too common in a typical game. Maybe limit it to battles where you were outnumbered by at least 2 to 1. That triggers a wisdom or charisma save of some DC set between you and the DM. If you fail, the survivor’s guilt you feel from having survived a massacre in your past returns and you become stunned for 1 minute.
I think I’ll use this tread to workshop some other character flaw features that people might use as ideas. I know I’ve gotten Story Awards from games in the past where my character is Stunned By Greed such that when he’s in the room with gold or gems worth more than 1000gp, he’s stunned for 1 round. That could be turned into a savable flaw for a character.
Fear of Heights: If you can see 100 ft or more straight downward from where you stand, make a CON save or pass out (unconscious) for 1 minute.
Night Terrors: Every long rest roll a d10. On a 1 you have a nightmare. Make an INT save to realize it’s just a dream or take psychic damage equal to your character level upon waking up.
Perfectionism: If you perform a skill check for something you have proficiency, and fail to meet the DC of the check by exactly 1, make a WIS save or take a level of exhaustion, torturing yourself about how you could have done some small thing better.
Claustrophobia: If you are in an area so tight you can’t move into an open space without going through another character’s space, make a WIS save or have a panic attack and become incapacitated until moved into a more open area.
Raging Alcoholic: If you drink enough to be considered drunk, make a CON save, or spend 50% of your gold on hand, or 100gp, whichever is less, carousing the rest of the evening.
History with Dragons: The first time you see a creature of the Dragon Type, make a WIS save or you lose all sound judgement and you attack immediately, regardless of the party’s plan.
Siren bait: Music has always had a strong effect on you. If you are within 120 ft of where music is being played, make a WIS save, or you must move toward the source until the song ends, and you are charmed by the musician for 1 minute afterwards, imposing disadvantage on any checks to resist their influence or requests they might make of you.
thankyou for your answer and I am happy to to read all the flaw features :-) If Liam/Caleb fails his wisdom save he is "paralyzed", this is what happens where I first notice this feature, after the fight in the swamp. Beau go for a walk with him and after some time he got a clear head again.
Outnumbered by at least 2 to 1 is a good measure for what i meant with "hefty battle", ya know, not just a taverne fight. But good point, thankyou.
When I read the title I thought this was going to be one of those things that you occasionally see in other RPGs where you can take a character flaw in order to give yourself a bonus in some other trait. Like taking a flaw to make your character near sighted, but in exchange you're allowed to increase your INT by 1 or something.
A character I'm playing right now, a halfing chef "monk," has a crippling fear of heights. The way the DM and I worked it out is that if he ends up looking down from a height (let's say something like 20ft and up) he has to make a WIS save or suffer effects similar to vertigo. In part inspired by the actual medical condition but also taking the idea of the classic Hitchcock movie of the same name. Hasn't come up too much but when it has it was used to great effect to raise the stakes of the scenario.
For a while now my DM has been requiring that every character we make be afraid of something, that way he can use it as an obstacle for one player to overcome or to have the party help each other and bond through it. Definitely something I'm using in the games I will run in the future.
Hey @mattphilsam that sounds great. I think flaws are like spices for a good roleplay experience. We all play a game of makebelieve and I think everything which gives a character more depth and reality (like flaws, mannerism, personal speech and a strong backstory) helps a lot to make the game so more enjoyable. That is why I love to watch CR. We should not forget that these Characters are played by professional (voice-) actors and that the whole game is a on a different level. But I think we can learn a lot and also get inspired, so that we all having a lot more fun. Just enjoying the characters and the adventures. :-)
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Hey everybody,
i just want to have a little brainstorming about a homebrew flaw-feature, which my Character would fell into after a battle. I am inspired by Caleb from CR Capaigne 2, which need to make a wisdome save after using a big fire spell ( at least in this one episode I just watched). A awesome thing to give a character depth, in my opinion.
So, my idea is to translate this into flaw-feauter, which give my character, after a hefty battle, a "Lady Macbeth-Moment": "Out, damned spot; out, I say." Traumatized by a past event, like Caleb, she falls after a battle in a moment of shock. The adrenaline cool down and the panic grapple her. A great segue to describe the effect from this flaw-feautre aka trauma. Like being in the condition "grappled" she a) can't move (speed to 0) and b) it ends if the Grappler (aka the source of this shock) is "incapacitated". Which would be a brief moment of washing of the blood and breathing controlled.
These are just my randome thoughts and perhaps you have some ideas, or tips, or anything.
Neverless, everybody a nice day :-)
I do like the idea of personal flaws also. It’s a little subjective for use in anything other than homebrew games. But yes, when Caleb uses a fire spell against a humanoid, he has to make a wisdom save. Not sure what happens if he fails, but it’s a cool effect.
The brilliance of the flaw is it has a specific trigger tied to his past, and it requires a saving throw to maintain composure. I think both those elements are needed in whatever you create for your own character. Bloody battles are probably too common in a typical game. Maybe limit it to battles where you were outnumbered by at least 2 to 1. That triggers a wisdom or charisma save of some DC set between you and the DM. If you fail, the survivor’s guilt you feel from having survived a massacre in your past returns and you become stunned for 1 minute.
I think I’ll use this tread to workshop some other character flaw features that people might use as ideas. I know I’ve gotten Story Awards from games in the past where my character is Stunned By Greed such that when he’s in the room with gold or gems worth more than 1000gp, he’s stunned for 1 round. That could be turned into a savable flaw for a character.
Fear of Heights: If you can see 100 ft or more straight downward from where you stand, make a CON save or pass out (unconscious) for 1 minute.
Night Terrors: Every long rest roll a d10. On a 1 you have a nightmare. Make an INT save to realize it’s just a dream or take psychic damage equal to your character level upon waking up.
Perfectionism: If you perform a skill check for something you have proficiency, and fail to meet the DC of the check by exactly 1, make a WIS save or take a level of exhaustion, torturing yourself about how you could have done some small thing better.
Claustrophobia: If you are in an area so tight you can’t move into an open space without going through another character’s space, make a WIS save or have a panic attack and become incapacitated until moved into a more open area.
Raging Alcoholic: If you drink enough to be considered drunk, make a CON save, or spend 50% of your gold on hand, or 100gp, whichever is less, carousing the rest of the evening.
History with Dragons: The first time you see a creature of the Dragon Type, make a WIS save or you lose all sound judgement and you attack immediately, regardless of the party’s plan.
Siren bait: Music has always had a strong effect on you. If you are within 120 ft of where music is being played, make a WIS save, or you must move toward the source until the song ends, and you are charmed by the musician for 1 minute afterwards, imposing disadvantage on any checks to resist their influence or requests they might make of you.
Hey,
thankyou for your answer and I am happy to to read all the flaw features :-) If Liam/Caleb fails his wisdom save he is "paralyzed", this is what happens where I first notice this feature, after the fight in the swamp. Beau go for a walk with him and after some time he got a clear head again.
Outnumbered by at least 2 to 1 is a good measure for what i meant with "hefty battle", ya know, not just a taverne fight. But good point, thankyou.
When I read the title I thought this was going to be one of those things that you occasionally see in other RPGs where you can take a character flaw in order to give yourself a bonus in some other trait. Like taking a flaw to make your character near sighted, but in exchange you're allowed to increase your INT by 1 or something.
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A character I'm playing right now, a halfing chef "monk," has a crippling fear of heights. The way the DM and I worked it out is that if he ends up looking down from a height (let's say something like 20ft and up) he has to make a WIS save or suffer effects similar to vertigo. In part inspired by the actual medical condition but also taking the idea of the classic Hitchcock movie of the same name. Hasn't come up too much but when it has it was used to great effect to raise the stakes of the scenario.
For a while now my DM has been requiring that every character we make be afraid of something, that way he can use it as an obstacle for one player to overcome or to have the party help each other and bond through it. Definitely something I'm using in the games I will run in the future.
Hey @mattphilsam that sounds great. I think flaws are like spices for a good roleplay experience. We all play a game of makebelieve and I think everything which gives a character more depth and reality (like flaws, mannerism, personal speech and a strong backstory) helps a lot to make the game so more enjoyable. That is why I love to watch CR. We should not forget that these Characters are played by professional (voice-) actors and that the whole game is a on a different level. But I think we can learn a lot and also get inspired, so that we all having a lot more fun. Just enjoying the characters and the adventures. :-)