8.4 Traits

Back: Personality: Characteristics and Traits

Traits

Traits represent particular specialisations, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and occupations possessed by the PCs. Traits are generated during character creation, and derived from a PC’s rating in each suit. The Traits available to a character are determined by that character’s moniker, and are detailed in their playbook. 

Types of Traits

Traits may be positive or negative, but always impact cardplay in particular circumstances. Traits may impact cardplay in a variety of ways:

• Some Traits allow new trump suits in certain situations. For example: 
  • the Sweet-Talker Trait allows Masks to count as Trumps for any tests to befriend, convince, or impress. Typically Hearts would be trumps for these kinds of tests, so for a character with this trait, both Masks AND Hearts would count as trumps;

• Some traits grant a bonus or penalty to a player's final score when resolving cardplay in particular situations. For example:
  • The City-Slicker Trait applies a -2 penalty to a PC’s final score in any cardplay involving equestrianism, survival, trailblazing or animal handling.
  • The Orator Trait provides a +2 bonus to a PC’s final score in any cardplay involving making a speech, giving testimony, or speaking in a formal or performative setting.

• Some Traits prevent a character from busting when attempting certain actions. For example, a character with the Pickpocket Trait never busts when attempting sleight-of-hand or pickpocketing.

• Some Traits grant characters special actions, which always require burning a card to trigger and provide an immediate, powerful effect. For example, a character with the Rapid Shot Trait may, after making a ranged attack, burn a card which shares a suit or value with the played card to make a second ranged attack.

• Some Traits grant characters access to Invocations, supernatural or psychological effects which always require burning a card to employ, but which are risky and which may come at a cost. For example, a character with the Unnatural Medicine Trait may burn a card to attempt to supernaturally heal the injuries of posse members, at the risk of sickening themselves (see invocations).

• Some traits represent occupations, representing a character’s background and education. These all grant one of the above effects, and also provide the PC with a piece of starting equipment specific to that occupation. As examples:
  • a character with the Physician trait never busts when attempting to diagnose or treat illness or poison. This character begins the campaign with a medicine bag.
  • a character with the Prospector trait gains +2 to their score in any cardplay involving geology or mining. This character begins the campaign with a fossicking pan.

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