Negative Traits

Negative Traits and Flaws

Negative Traits and Flaws give you extra Freebie points to spend later.

They also help you define your character more clearly, after all, no one's perfect.

Negative Traits

negative physical Traits

Clumsy: Lacking physical coordination, balance and grace. You are prone to stumbling and dropping objects.
Cowardly: In threatening situations, saving your own neck is all that is important. You might even flee when you have the

upper hand, just out of habit.

Decrepit: You move and act as if you are old and infirm. You recover from physical damage slowly, you are unable to apply

full muscular strength and you tire easily.

Delicate: Frail and weak in structure; you are damaged easily by physical harm.

Docile: The opposite of the Ferocious and Tenacious Traits. You lack physical persistence, and you tend to submit rather

than fighting long battles.

Flabby: Your muscles are underdeveloped. You cannot apply your strength well against resistance.
Lame: You are disabled in one or more limbs. The handicap can be as obvious as a missing leg or as subtle as a dysfunctional

arm.

Lethargic: Slow and drowsy. You suffer from a serious lack of energy or motivation.

Puny: You are weak and inferior in strength. This Trait could refer to diminutive size.

Sickly: Weak and feeble. Your body responds to physical stress as if it were in the throes of a debilitating illness.

negative social Traits

Bestial: You have started to resemble the Beast of your vampiric nature. Maybe you have clawlike fingernails, heavy body

hair or a feral glint in your eyes; however your Beast manifests, you definitely seem inhuman.

Callous: You are unfeeling, uncaring and insensitive to the suffering of others.

Condescending: You just can't help it; your contempt for others is impossible to hide.
Dull: Those with whom you speak usually find you boring and uninteresting. Conversing with you is a chore. You do not

present yourself well to others.

Feral: The animalistic predator in you is evident in your actions. You scratch yourself, sniff at people or otherwise behave in a

primitive fashion.

Naive: You lack the air of worldliness, sophistication or maturity that most carry.

Obnoxious: You are annoying or unappealing in speech, action or appearance.

Repugnant: Your appearance disgusts everyone around you. Needless to say, you make a terrible first impression with

strangers.

Shy: You are timid, bashful, reserved and socially hesitant.

Tactless: You are unable to do or say things that others find appropriate to the social situation.

Untrustworthy: You are rumored or perceived to be unreliable, whether or not you really are.

negative mental Traits

Forgetful: You have trouble remembering even important things.

Gullible: Easily deceived, duped or fooled.

Ignorant: Uneducated or misinformed, never seeming to know anything.

Impatient: Restless, anxious and generally intolerant of delays. You want everything to go your way - immediately.
Oblivious: Unaware and unmindful. You'd he lucky if you noticed an airplane flying through your living room.
Predictable: Because you lack originality or intelligence, even strangers can figure out what you intend to do next.
Shortsighted: Lacking foresight. You rarely look beyond the superficial; details of perception are usually lost on you.
Submissive: No backbone; you relent and surrender at any cost rather than stand up for yourself.
Violent: An extreme lack of self-control. You fly into rages at the slightest provocation, and frenzy is always close to the

surface. This Trait is a Mental one because if represents mental instability.

Witless: Lacking the ability to process information quickly. Foolish and slow to act when threatened.

The Traits listed below are intended to add to those and define more Sabbat-specific character Traits. Some of the Traits listed in Laws of the Night are recopied here, under different areas {Callous, for example, is considered to be a desirable Trait in the Sabbat, whereas Empathetic is Negative). Only those Traits listed below are considered to have "changed sides," although as always, your Storyteller is the final arbiter of what is appropriate. For the Sabbat chronicle purposes, the character receives a Bestial (not Callous) Trait when he frenzies and acquires a Negative Trait. If you're going to have a mixed chronicle, then you may not wish to expand your system with these optional Traits. It's not fair to make players try to guess at Negative Traits they've never seen before. However, if you're running a strictly Sabbat chronicle, then feel free to encourage your players to use these more "Sabbat-oriented" Traits.

negative physical

Frail: You are fragile and easily broken. You always come out of a fight looking like you got the worst of it - even if you didn't.
Slow: The opposite of the Quick and Nimble Traits. You lack muscular coordination and are always a half-beat behind the rest.
Soft: You lack the physical strength to carry out arduous tasks.

negative social.

Empathetic: Able to identify and commune with the emotions of others. In the Sabbat, the ability to feel strong emotions other

than fear or hatred is disapproved and treated with scorn. Your "soft" ways earn you the ridicule of others.

Kind: You still retain much of your Humanity, and for that, you are treated harshly by the other members of the Sabbat. Your

actions disgust everyone around you.

Meek: It is difficult for you to make your presence known, and you are often overlooked for honors or advancement. Further,

your mild nature makes it difficult for you to enter combats; you often hesitate before acting.

Negative mental
Deceitful: Occasional mistruths, minor adjustments to the facts and misleading others all seem like second nature to you.
Squeamish: You have difficulty grasping the brutality of the world; everything is dirty, foul or uncomfortable.
Unstable: Your mind is constantly teetering on the edge, and anything could upset the careful balancing act.

Flaws

Hard of Hearing Trait 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.


	Short (1 Trait Flaw)

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.

Smell of the Grave (1 Trait Flaw)

You exude the unconcealable stench of wet earth, which puts you one Trait down on social interactions with mortals automatically. Your loamy scent is quite distinctive to those familiar with you.


	Bad Sight (1 to 3 Trait Flaw)

Defective sight causes you no end of trouble. Any rime you are called on to perform a challenge that involves careful eyesight, you suffer a two-Trait penalty. If your vision problem is correctable with glasses or contact lenses, it is only worth one Trait; if it is uncorrectable, it is worth three Traits. Obviously, you cannot have the Merit: Acute Vision: Sight with this Flaw.


	Fourteenth Generation (1 Trait Flaw)

Embraced in the modern age, your blood is thin beyond even that of most Caitiff. You are no more than five years as a vampire, created by one of the 13th generation. You have 10 Blood Traits, but you can only use eight of them; the other two are inert, treated like mortal blood. You must take the Flaw: Thin Blood (although you do get Free Traits for it), and you are most likely Caitiff, for your blood is too weak to pass the distinguishing characteristics of clan. You may not take the Backgrounds of Generation with this Flaw.


	Disfigured (2, Trait Flaw)

A hideous disfigurement afflicts you, twisting your countenance in a memorable fashion. You cannot take any Appearance-related Social Traits. Furthermore, you suffer a two-Trait penalty on all Social Challenges except intimidation.


	One Eye (1 Trait Flaw)

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 eye patch, or you may simply have one blind eye.


	Addiction (3 Trait Flaw)

Some chemical or biological substance hooked you, and now you crave it in the blood. You try to feed from people whose blood will satiate your cravings. This substance generally has negative effects on you - alcohol or depressants may give you the Negative Trait: Lethargic for the rest of the evening after feeding, or amphetamines may cause you to suffer from the Negative Trait Impatient. You can only draw nourishment from blood with your "fix" in it; you vomit up any other blood.


	Child (3 Trait Flaw)

You were embraced as a child, between five and 10 years of age. Your age causes some decided problems: You cannot have more than six Physical Traits normally, and you suffer a two-Trait penalty on tests of authority with adults. Since you never age or grow up, this Flaw will probably be with you forever. You must additionally take the Flaw: Short (though you do get Free Traits for it).


	Deformity (1 Trait Flaw)


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


	Infectious Bite (3 Trait Flaw)

Due to enzymes, a disease or just some unknown mystical factor, you cannot heal your bite simply by licking the wound. In fact, mortals can be infected with a serious disease if you feed on them - if you fail a Simple Test after leaving a mortal alive but bitten, the mortal contracts a serious disease (see Laws of the Hunt for information about mortals and infection).

Lame (3 Trait Flaw)

More than simply suffering from a twitchy limb like the Lame Negative Physical Trait, you have severe damage to your legs. You can only take one step per action, you cannot run and you should take the Negative Trait Lame as well. You should roleplay this Flaw with a cane or a set of leg braces.


	Monstrous (3 Trait Flaw)

Something about you became wholly monstrous when you were Embraced. Your outward form twists to reflect your inner Beast. You cannot initiate Social Challenges, except ones concerning intimidation, when your true form is apparent, and you may not take Appearance-related Traits, such as Alluring or Gorgeous. Nosferatu and Samedi may not take this Flaw.


	Permanent Wound (3 Trait Flaw)

Before your Embrace, you suffered some sort of wound which your transformation failed to repair. As a result, you rise each night with the same affliction. You wake up each evening at your first Wounded health level with lethal damage, although this damage may be healed normally.


	Slow Healing (3 Trait Flaw)

Your blood is not very efficient in healing your wounds, or maybe you just never really learned to direct your vitae for regeneration. Repairing one level of damage costs you two Blood Traits, and you can only restore one aggravated level of damage per week (though you can bank your blood for healing, as described under "Blood Traits", p. 106).


	Deaf (4 Trait Flaw)

You are completely deaf. You must use sign language or some other form of communication. You cannot hear Dominate commands, and so you are usually immune to them (unless they are implanted telepathically or otherwise without voice), but you suffer a three-Trait penalty on tests of perception and alertness. You cannot have Acute Sense: Hearing, and you are surprised automatically by anyone who approaches you from outside your line of sight.


	Disease Carrier (4 Trait Flaw)

You suffer from a fatal disease, and you spread it readily to anyone who drinks your blood. Though it has little effect on Cainites, it does require you to spend an extra Blood Trait when awakening in the evening if you wish to avoid suffering its debilitating symptoms. Furthermore, other vampires who feed on you must make two Simple Tests - if both tests are lost, the vampire contracts your disease as well.


	Mute (4 Trait Flaw)

You cannot speak at all. To communicate, you may need to sign or write out your thoughts. You can explain actions to a Storyteller, but that is the limit of your speaking. Without Linguistics, you may not even be able to sign. This Flaw can he difficult to roleplay, so choose carefully.


	Thin Blood (4 Trait Flaw)

The curse of Caine is weak in your vitae. As a result, your blood sustains you only poorly. All costs for Blood Traits are doubled, and may require you to spend multiple turns when powering Disciplines or healing. You cannot create a blood bond, and you can only Embrace someone if you win (not tie) a Simple Test - otherwise, the victim simply dies.


	Flesh of the Corpse (5 Trait Flaw)

When you suffer injury, your flesh knits with terrible scars and puckering seams. Every time you take a wound, you suffer from the Negative Trait Repugnant, and it persists even after you heal the injury. After a day's sleep, your skin finally restores itself, but the marks are still a difficulty when dealing with the Masquerade before you have slept.

Blind (6 Trait Flaw)

The world of sight is lost to you. You automatically lose all ties where sight would he a factor (tests of manual dexterity, for instance). You fail any challenge requiring sight automatically. You cannot be affected by Dominate because you cannot see the opponent's gaze, but that is about the limit of the benefits. If you have this Flaw, you should wear a special tag or glasses to indicate its nature. Interestingly, you can still use the Auspex Discipline power of Aura Perception, though you perceive the aura through other senses (smell, sound, etc.).


	Deep Sleeper (l Trait Flaw)

You are even more sluggish than the normal vampire during the day. You have great difficulty awakening, even at signs of danger. During the day, waking up is a Static Mental Challenge versus 10 Traits.


	Nightmares (I Trait Flaw)


	Hideous nightmares (daymares?) flit through your mind whenever you slumber. At a Narrator's discretion, you may suffer nightmares so bad that you are unable to sleep restfully, causing you to lose one Trait on all challenges for the evening. A crafty Storyteller is usually quick to take advantage of this Flaw.


	Prey Exclusion (I Trait Flaw)

For some reason, you refuse to hunt a certain class of prey, such as children, clergy or police. If you accidentally feed on your excluded subject, you immediately enter frenzy and must make a four-Trait Conscience / Conviction Challenge or lose a Morality Trait. Furthermore, if you witness someone else feeding on your excluded type, you must make a Self-Control / Instinct Virtue Test as if provoked. Ventrue cannot take this Flaw, due to their more restrictive clan diet.


	Shy (l Trait Flaw)

Unlike the Negative Trait Shy, which indicates difficulty dealing with other individuals, you have a specific problem with large groups of people. You take a two-Trait penalty on all Social Challenges with three or more people, three Traits for groups of 10 or more.


	Soft-Hearted (I Trait Flaw)

You cannot abide suffering, because of the emotional disturbance or pain that it causes you. You must avoid causing pain or suffering to anyone; only by spending a Willpower Trait canyon overcome this limitation for a scene (one hour). You must have at least four Morality Traits of Humanity to take this Flaw.


	Speech lmpediment (l Trait 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.


	Amnesia (2 Trait Flaw)

The past is a blank slate. You know nothing of your history, family, friends or foes. Your Storyteller makes up your character's history, including the reasons for your Amnesia. The Storyteller may even keep your character record partially hidden, only revealing your Abilities, Disciplines, Merits and Flaws when you try to use them. In general, the only things obvious to you are the things you can see in the mirror.


	Lunacy (2 Trait Flaw)

The cycles of the moon shift your moods, making you unpredictable and wild. Under a crescent, half or gibbous moon, you suffer a one-Trait penalty to all Self-Control / Instinct Virtue Tests; under a full moon, this penalty increases to two Traits.

Phobia (2 Trait Flaw) Some object, creature or circumstance fills you with dread. This fear goes far beyond the normal level of phobias: Your vampiric Beast instinctively flees the thing, treating it as a dire threat. When confronted by the object of your fear, you must make a Courage Virtue Test with a difficulty of at least three Traits (more if the Narrator decides that the circumstances are particularly severe). Should you fail, you suffer the usual penalties of failed Courage and Rotschreck.


	Short Fuse (2 Trait Flaw)

Even for a vampire, your temper is ferocious. You suffer a one-Trait penalty on all Virtue Tests of Self-Control / Instinct. Brujah cannot take this Flaw.

Territorial (2 Trait Flaw)
You stake out a particular area and claim it as your hunting grounds. You do not tolerate trespassers, especially other predators (vampires and Lupines). If you catch another vampire entering your turf uninvited, you must make a Self-Control / Instinct Virtue Test as if provoked, or fly into a frenzy and attack. You generally dislike leaving your home for extended periods; roleplay this reticence.


	Vengeful (2 Trait Flaw)

You want to even a score, either from your mortal days or with some group or individual thereafter. You plan ways to get your revenge constantly, and if presented with an opportunity for vengeance, you must spend a Willpower Trait to take some other action for the scene.


	Weak-Willed (3 Trait Flaw)

Mind-altering powers like Dominate or even simple threats can break you easily. You get no test against the Dominate Discipline (although you are still immune to uses of Dominate from Cainites of weaker generation). You also suffer a two-Trait penalty on all Mental and Social Challenges. You cannot exceed a total of three Willpower Traits, regardless of your generation, unless you overcome this Flaw.


	Conspicuous Consumption (4 Trait Flaw)

The organs and blood-hearing tissue of your victims are staples of your diet. You believe that you must consume the liver, kidneys, heart and other pieces in order to sustain yourself. You must purchase the Eat Food Merit so that you can devour the meaty bits. You can only absorb Blood Traits by eating these organs; blood drunk from other sources is vomited back up. This hunger will necessitate the deaths of your victims, and it could lead to interesting problems with the Masquerade and maintaining Morality. Traits indicate a major boon; three Traits indicate a blood boon. Work with your Storyteller to create the circumstances of the debt.


	Enemy (1 to 5 Trait Flaw)

A particular enemy is out to ruin you, or worse, to kill you. You may even have a group of powerful enemies hounding your steps. The value of this Flaw depends on the power of the enemy: A single vampire of power similar to your own is worth one Trait, while a cabal of mages or an entire organization of hunters would he worth five Traits. The Storyteller will ensure that your enemy figures into plots. He may nor appear every game, but his machinations will be there.


	Dark Secret (l Trait Flaw)

You have some sort of secret that, if exposed, would cause you great embarrassment or hardship. The Storyteller will work to make sure that your secret could he exposed in the course of play. If the secret gets out, you may either buy off the Flaw immediately by taking a Negative Trait (Untrustworthy is a good one), or by the loss of a Status Trait, depending on the circumstances.


	Infamous Sire ( I Trait Flaw)

Your sire is well-known and well-hated among vampires of your sect. You are treated as if you have one less Status Trait than you actually possess. This penalty does not affect your true amount of Status; it simply means that others treat you with scorn for your lineage.

Mistaken Identity (1 Trait Flaw)
Another Cainite happens to bear a striking resemblance to you. Worse, others in your area have heard descriptions of this person or even met your lookalike, causing no end of confusion. You should wear a tag that indicates your Mistaken Identity. This Flaw can be especially problematic if your lookalike is particularly powerful or notorious in Cainite society.


	Sire's Resentment (1 Trait Flaw)

For whatever reason, your sire has decided that your Embrace was a mistake, and she wishes you ill. You are unlikely to have a Mentor or any allies of note among Cainites, and your sire will attempt to hinder your plans at any opportunity.


	Hunted (4 Trait Flaw)

A powerful and dangerous mortal hunter has decided you are a danger to the world, and he seeks to snuff out your existence. The mortal has the contacts and skills necessary to make your unlife dangerous and unpleasant (and very short, if you aren't careful). Your friends, allies and other associates may all be at risk if the hunter decides to turn his eye on them.


	Probationary Sect Member (4 Trait Flaw)

You turned your back on your former organization, and now you stand with another. You may be a Camarilla turncoat, a Sabbat refugee or an independent who joined with one of the greater sects. As long as you have this Flaw, you are suspect within your new organization. You can have Status normally, but elders are likely to cast a suspicious eye over you regardless of your actual standing (treating you as if you had only one Status Trait). Even those with whom you associate may he judged tainted.


	Cursed (1 to 5 Trait Flaw)

A powerful curse - other than vampirism - afflicts you. The number of Traits in this Flaw determines the power and tenacity of the curse. A one-Trait curse might cause you to stumble whenever you cross a doorstep; a three-Trait curse could cause any weapon you use to break after one strike; a five-Trait curse may result in all your best efforts being eventually turned against you. The exact particulars of the curse, as well as any way to overcome it, are up to the Storyteller.


	Cast No Reflection (l Trait Flaw)

Like the Lasombra, you cast no reflection in mirrors or silvered surfaces. Obviously, this Flaw constitutes a breach of the Masquerade, and it can draw a great deal of attention in certain circumstances. Lasombra cannot take this Flaw for free Traits.


	Repulsed By Garlic (I Trait Flaw)

Even the smallest whiff of garlic is sufficient to send you from the room. When you are confronted with a bit of garlic, you must expend a Willpower Trait or else be forced at least 10 feet away. If you spend the Willpower, you are able to abide the stench for one scene.


	Touch of Frost (I Trait Flaw)

Your chilling caress pulls away heat and kills plants. This Flaw is mostly an eerie effect, though you should certainly mention your ice-cold touch to anyone who has physical contact with you.


	Eerie Presence (2 Trait Flaw)

You radiate an otherworldly air that causes nervousness and unease in everyone around you. You suffer a two-Trait penalty in all Social Challenges with mortals. Furthermore, your unusual nature is apparent to anyone who interacts with you; you should wear a tag or armband to indicate your Eerie Presence.


	Can't Cross Running Water (3 Trait Flaw)

As per the old folk tales, you believe that you cannot cross running water, and indeed, something prevents you from doing so. You must be at least 50 feet above a body of water to cross it. Running water is considered to be any body of water at least two feet wide in any direction and not completely stagnant and enclosed (thus, sewer lines under the street don't count).


	Haunted (3 Trait Flaw)

A malicious ghost, possibly of one of your victims, has decided to torment you from beyond the grave. Though it usually limits itself to phantasmal moaning, eerie manifestations and the occasional push, it does its best to make your unlife difficult. The Storyteller should make up the spirit, and possibly assign a Narrator to follow you and make sure that you pay for the Flaw. (Use of Oblivion is highly recommended.)


	Repelled By Crosses (3 Trait Flaw)

You may have some residual religious guilt, or perhaps you take vampire legends too seriously. Whatever the reason, the sight of the cross causes you to flee unless you expend a Willpower Trait (in which case you can resist it for the rest of the scene). If you are struck by a cross on your bare skin, you take one level of aggravated damage for each blow, and you cannot reduce this damage with Fortitude. (This Flaw pertains to the actual religious symbol, not two crossed popsicle sticks or whatever else.)


	Grip of the Dammed (4 Trait Flaw)

There is no ecstasy in your Embrace - only terror and pain. When you bite to feed, you do not cause the Kiss, so your victims scream and struggle. This Flaw necessitates some method of restraining your prey. The torture that you inflict on your victims can be considered a form of suffering, and it may be inimical to vampires with high Humanity Traits.


	Dark Fate (5 Trait Flaw)

Some horrible end awaits you, and you cannot avert it. Worse still, you have glimpses or some foreknowledge of your demise or eternal torment. The Storyteller will determine a particular fate, which will invariably strike you, removing your character from play. Furthermore, in any particular session where the Storyteller deems appropriate, you may receive a vision of your impending misery. Spend a Willpower Trait to shake off the experience, or you are a Trait down on all challenges for the rest of the session. This Flaw can he difficult to roleplay, and players are advised to think carefully before choosing it. Some may believe that this Flaw removes free will, but foreknowledge of one's demise can he quite liberating.


	Light- Sensitive (5 Trait Flaw)

You are even more vulnerable to light than most vampires. Sunlight inflicts double damage, and even moonlight hurts - direct moonlight causes one level of lethal damage per turn. You must use sunglasses to shield your eyes, and you tend to stick to dark places out of habit and safety.

SABBAT ORIENTED

Vulnerability to Silver (2 Trait Flaw)

To you, silver is as painful and as deadly as the rays of the sun. You suffer aggravated wounds from any silver weapons (bullets, knives, etc) and the mere touch of silver objects pains you. Further, you are one Trait down when in contact with the metal.

Lazy (3 Trait Flaw)

You avoid anything that requires effort on your part. For any actions that require preparation, there's a good chance you didn't properly prepare. You are down one Trait for any spontaneous actions (including combat, unless it is part of a planned offensive).

Infertile Vitae (5 Trait Flaw)

During your Embrace, something went horribly wrong, causing your blood to mutate under the stress of dying and rising again. All those you try to Embrace die. No matter what you do, you may not create any childer. You can still use your blood in the Vaulderie or for any other vampiric need, including making ghouls. Blood Brothers may not take this Flaw.

Special Responsibility (1 Trait Flaw)

Shortly after your Embrace, you volunteered for some task in order to gain respect and approval from your pack members. Now, you wish you had never opened your damn mouth! While no one gives you any special credit for performing this duty, you would lose much respect from the pack if you were to stop. The Storyteller should work out the nature and details of your duty in advance. Ideas can range from lending money to pack members to acting as pack messenger or possibly a constant responsibility to gather victims for Blood Feasts. You must define your duty before beginning play, and if you refuse to perform your duty at any time, you are stripped of one Status per game session until you resume your duty.

Flashbacks (6 Trait Flaw)

You managed to make it through the Creation Rites, but not wholly intact. The most insignificant thing can throw you into a different mood or state of mind. Your behavior is extremely unpredictable. Because of your precarious emotional state, your Willpower fluctuates. At the beginning of each session, make a Simple Test with your Storyteller (no Traits risked). If you succeed, you may participate in the night's game as normal. If you fail, however, you may only spend a single Willpower during the session. You may still use your total number of Willpower for Tests, but may only spend one Willpower Trait during the session. You may test again at the beginning of the next night to see if you have regained your wits.

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