Personal Traits
These are thirteen opposing values that represent a character's personality. The Traits are: Chaste / Lustful, Energetic / Lazy, Forgiving / Vengeful, Generous / Selfish, Honest / Deceitful, Just / Arbitrary, Merciful / Cruel, Modest / Proud, Pious / Worldly, Prudent / Reckless, Temperate / Indulgent, Trusting / Suspicious, and Valorous / Cowardly. The values on the left side are Virtues and the values on the right are Vices. The Traits are 1-20 points split between the opposing values (e.g., 10/10, 14/6, 5/15). For every point above 10 on a Virtue, a point must be placed below 10 on another Virtue.
A d20 roll is made to use a Virtue (Merciful to show mercy towards a captive mortal enemy) or resist a Vice (Deceive a friend). If the roll is at or below the value, it Succeeds and the desired result occurs. If the roll exceeds the value, it is a Failure and the opposite result occurs. If a Virtue or Vice is rated at 20, the opposite is rated at 0; any roll on this trait is automatically successful (e.g., an Energetic character's attempt to persist in a difficult or arduous task) or automatically unsuccessful (e.g., an Indulgent character who must use Temperate to resist gluttony or intoxication). This is congruent with Arthurian legend, in which a hero's weaknesses are his downfall (like Lancelot's lust for Guenevere) or a villain has a moment of nobility (like King Uriens of Gore showing mercy to Prince Arthur rather than striking him down).
The Chivalric Virtues are: Energetic, Forgiving, Generous, Just, Modest, and Valorous. Characters possessing point values in these six Virtues totaling above 80 are granted a bonus to Chivalry rolls. Christian Characters possessing one or more of these traits at a value of 16+ gain a Religious bonus.
The Vices are: Vengeful, Selfish, Deceitful, Cruel, and Suspicious. Characters possessing point values in these five Vices totaling above 80 are granted a penalty to Chivalry rolls.
The Romantic Virtues are: Forgiving, Generous, Sincere, Just, Merciful, and Trusting. Characters possessing point values in these six Virtues totaling above 65 are granted a bonus to Romance rolls.
Read more about this topic: Pendragon (role-playing Game), System
Famous quotes containing the words personal and/or traits:
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—Mary Kay Blakely (20th century)
“... the first reason for psychology’s failure to understand what people are and how they act, is that clinicians and psychiatrists, who are generally the theoreticians on these matters, have essentially made up myths without any evidence to support them; the second reason for psychology’s failure is that personality theory has looked for inner traits when it should have been looking for social context.”
—Naomi Weisstein (b. 1939)