involving that sense. Note this extra die does
The amount of
Merits and Flaws
Merits and Flaws are optional Traits used
to further define your characters. Merits are
special advantages, while Flaws are limitations
and disadvantages. They are not rated with
dots like most Traits, although some Merits and
Flaws do have multiple levels.
Merits and Flaws can only be taken during
character creation. Merits are bought with
bonus points and Flaws give you bonus points to
spend. A character can have as many Merits as
the player wishes to purchase. Likewise with
Flaws, but be forewarned, with too many Flaws
the character risks becoming a caricature, and
may also introduce unwanted wrinkles into the
character and the plot.
In general, the Storyteller reserves the
right to veto any single or combination of
Merits and Flaws that seem unlikely, impossible,
or abusive. As a general rule, bonuses on Merits
that mimic the effects of a Knack are reduced
by one -- to a minimum of one -- if you have
both the Merit and the Knack.
Physical
Acute Sense [1 point Merit]
One of your senses is unusually sharp,
giving you an extra die for Perception rolls
You can drink like a fish.
not affect other Perception rolls.
Ambidextrous [1 point Merit]
You’re equally able to use either hand. You
suffer no off-hand penalty and no penalty for
using two weapons at once. In fact, you roll an
extra die when attacking with two weapons.
This Merit does not affect your ability to
perform multiple actions. You must have a
minimum Dexterity and Wits or 3 to have this
Merit.
Catlike Balance [1 point Merit]
You have a high degree of natural agility
and you may add two dice to any roll relating to
maintaining your balance or footing (e.g.
walking a tightrope or a slippery ledge). You
may also add one die to any roll to resist a
deliberate attempt to knock you down. You
must have a minimum Dexterity 3 to purchase
this Merit.
Good Right/Left Hook
[1 point Merit]
The power of your punch belies your
modest frame. Maybe you were a boxer for a
while, or perhaps you’ve just been in a lot of
fights. No matter the reason, people tend to fall
over when you hit them. Add two dice to your
damage roll for any Brawl-based attack.
Hollow Leg [1 point Merit]
alcohol you can put away during a binge is truly
phenomenal. What’s more aggravating to your
buddies is how little you suffer for it. Anyone
who gets into a drinking competition with you
quickly regrets it. Halve any penalties you
suffer for consuming alcohol.
Natural Runner [1 point Merit]
You’ve enjoyed running ever since you
were a kid. Whereas most people wheeze and
complain about exercising, running has always
been an absolute pleasure for you. As a result,
you can run like the wind when the situation
demands it. Your Dexterity counts as one point
higher for the purposes of determining
movement rates.
Cat Napper [2 point Merit]
Although you need six to eight hours’ sleep
per night, you don’t need them it all at once.
You catch your Z’s as and when you can. As
long as your naps total six to eight hours in a 24
hour period -- and they usually do unless you’re
forcibly denied naps -- you can function as
normal.
Sexy [2 point Merit]
You are one sexy mutha. You might not
necessarily be that good looking, but there’s
something about the way you move and act that
exudes sexuality. As a result, you draw
attention from the members of the opposite
sex, or your own sex, with raw animal
magnetism. You gain two extra dice on any
Social rolls when dealing with someone who is
attracted to you. If you actively attempt to
direct your charms at a person, you gain three
instead.
Daredevil [3 point Merit]
You love taking risks, and the adrenaline
rush you get helps you succeed at stunts.
Whether you’re leaping from a moving train or
taking on a cold blooded killer in face to face
combat, you live for danger. When attempting
any dangerous action, you can add three dice to
you roll and ignore one botch die. In general,
the action attempted must require minimum
three successes and have the potential to do
three health levels of lethal damage (or six
levels of bashing) if you fail.
Die! MuthaFucka! Die!
[4 point Merit]
“Why won’t you Die!”
Whether you’re too stubborn or too stupid,
you wonít die when you’re supposed to. Any
time damage would take you past incapacitated
into dead you stop at incapacitated. You need
to get a number of successes equal to the
remaining damage on a willpower roll. If you
succeed the roll you remain at incapacitated;
failure is death.
You may also spend a point of Willpower to
treat incapacitated as a -7 health level for one
round of combat or about 2 minutes of regular
time.
Huge Size [4 point Merit]
You’re a big one, over two meters tall with
a build to match. You have one extra Bruised
health level and +1 Stamina for soaking bashing
damage. The drawback is your size may make it
difficult for you to fit into enclosed places and
to use some equipment designed for normal-
sized people. You must have a minimum
Strength and Stamina of 3 to take this Merit.
This Merit may not be combined with the Flaw
Short.
Tough As Shit [4 point Merit]
Some people can just take a beating. Every
time this merit is purchased, you gain an
additional Bruised health level (-0). This merit
may be purchased a maximum of two times. You
must have a minimum Stamina of 4 to buy this
Merit.
Fucking Tough [5 point Merit]
Other people just don’t know when to quit.
When the going gets tough, you just keep on
going. This Merit may be purchased a maximum
of two times and you must have a Stamina of 5
in order to take this Merit.
The first time you take this Merit you gain
a Mutilated health level (-3). The second time
you pick it up, you gain an Eviscerated health
level (-4).

Hard Boiled Killer
[7 point Merit]
You are the stuff of legend when it comes
to combat. Action movies emulate you rather
than vice-versa. You can fight with pistols two
fisted with no penalty and even gain one
additional attack on top of all other actions
(treat as a full extra action similar to celerity -
the extra action may only be used to fire a
hand-gun).
In addition, you can never be knocked
unconscious. At incapacitated you may take no
actions beyond crawling and firing handguns
and all rolls are made at a -7 penalty.
Allergies [1 point Flaw]
You’re allergic to a rather common
substance, such as cat fur, that causes sneezing,
coughing, watery eyes and other distracting
symptoms. All actions are made at +1 difficulty
when you are exposed to whatever triggers
your allergy.
Distinguishing Characteristics
[1 or 2 point Flaw]
You have a physical appearance that makes
you very easy to pick out in crowds, such as
elaborate tattoos, a scar or an obvious
birthmark. This Flaw is worth one point if the
characteristic is hidden easily under clothes,
two points if it is not.
Heavy Sleeper [1 point Flaw]
You tend to sleep right through most
disturbances, from the loud stereo playing next
door to the bullets ricocheting off the hull of
the ship. You must make a successful Willpower
roll to wake up quickly. Failure means you spend
the equivalent of a combat turn waking up. A
botch means you sleep right through the
disturbance.
Low Alcohol Tolerance
[1 point Flaw]
Alcohol goes straight to your head. While
this can be an advantage when you try to enjoy
a night out on the cheap, it can be deadly on the
job. Double any penalties you suffer for
consuming alcohol.
Short [1 point Flaw]
You’re noticeably smaller than average,
less than 1.5 meters. You’re running speed is
half normal, and you may encounter problems
using certain equipment designed for people
with average builds, as well as jokes and
prejudice regarding your smaller stature. This
Flaw may not be combined with the Merit Huge
Size.
Weak Sense [1 point Flaw]
One of your senses is poor or compromised
in some way, imposing a +2 difficulty penalty to
all Perception rolls involving that sense. When
affecting vision or hearing, this flaw can be
corrected by wearing a suitable prosthesis,
such as glasses or a hearing aid.
Mute [2 point Flaw]
You cannot speak, either due to damage to
your vocal cords or some psychological or
neurological trauma. You automatically fail rolls
dependent upon speaking and cannot use
Knacks based upon it.
One Eye [2 point Flaw]
You have only one functional eye, giving
you no depth perception. You suffer +1
difficulty to all ranged attack and dodge rolls,
and +2 difficulty to Perception rolls. You can
have the Acute Sense Merit, meaning your
remaining eye is exceptionally sharp, but the
penalties here still apply.
Spacesick [2 point Flaw]
You don’t adapt well to microgravity. In
fact, the definite lack of “up” and “down”
makes you violently ill to the point of constant
nausea once you’ve emptied your stomach. In
game terms, whenever you’re in a microgravity
environment, you’re at +3 difficulty on all
actions. Spending a willpower point and a
standard Resistance roll can reduce this penalty
for one action; each success on the roll knocks
off one point of additional difficulty.
It is possible to obtain over the counter
medication to counter act the effects of this
Flaw, reducing the penalty to a flat +1 (which
cannot be negated by the above roll. However
the nature of the medication also effectively
reduces your Wits to 1 and you automatically go
last in a round of combat.
Addiction/Compulsion
[2-4 point Flaw]
You are driven to use some substance
(addiction) or engage in some action
(compulsion). For each 24 hours after the first
24 where you fail to satisfy your craving, you
suffer +1 to all of your difficulties. This
continues until you satisfy your addiction (so
going “cold turkey” for four days imposes a +3
difficulty penalty).
This Flaw is worth 2 points if the addiction
is something that is legal, like cigarettes,
alcohol, sex, or the like. It’s worth 4 points if
the character is addicted to something illegal or
hard to get like RedEye or murder.
Dodging may not even be an option for you
under some circumstances.
Deaf [3 point Flaw]
You cannot hear an automatically fail rolls
requiring hearing. You cannot have any Knacks
that require hearing. On the upside, you’re
immune to the effects of attacks or Knacks
based on hearing. You can use one dot in
Linguistics to learn sign language and two dots
to learn to read lips.
Disability [3 point Flaw]
Some part of your body is defective in a
way that inhibits your abilities, causing you to
suffer a +2 difficulty penalty for certain actions
involving a single Attribute -- for example,
severe arthritis, imposing a +2 difficulty on all
Dexterity rolls. The disability may be the result
of a birth defect, an illness or an injury.
Disfigured [3 point Flaw]
Your Appearance is 0 and cannot be raised
(neither during character creation nor later
using experience). This may be due to a birth
defect, injury, disease or another cause you and
your Storyteller agree on. You automatically fail
Appearance rolls and any Social rolls based on
Appearance (except Intimidation).
Elgee [3 point Flaw]
You were born in low gravity (e.g. a lesser
tera-formed asteroid, a space station) and
spent the first two decades of your life in such
conditions. As a result, your skeleton and
muscles are poorly adapted to higher gravity

Lame [2-4 point Flaw]

You’re legs or lower body don’t function as
well as they should. For two points, your
movement rate is one-quarter normal and you
suffer a +2 difficulty penalty for all actions
involving lower body movement (including
dodging). You walk with a noticeable limp. For
four points, you require a cane, crutches or
braces to move more than a short distance on
your own. Your movement rate is one-quarter
normal, and you suffer a +4 difficulty penalty
for actions involving lower body movement.
fields.
All physical based Attribute roll are made
at +2 difficulty when you are on a planet with
Earth-normal or heavier gravity. Additionally,
your bones are more fragile -- any blunt trauma
inflicted on you increases by one die, whether
it’s bashing or lethal damage. However, you’re
used to low gravity; any dice pool penalties are
negated if you’re in a gravitational field similar
to what you are used to.
Klutz [4 point Flaw]
No matter how you try, you are naturally
inept. You break things; you fall down; drop
stuff; run into walls; etc. Not only are you at
risk to yourself, others, and breakables, you are
also not very coordinated. As a result, all
dexterity-based rolls are made at +1 difficulty.
Additionally, any attempt to finely manipulate
or carry something fragile is made a +2
difficulty.
Blind [6 point Flaw]
You are unable to see at all and
automatically fail rolls requiring sight. Even with
correctional devices, rolls involving sight will
impose a +2 difficulty penalty.
Paraplegic [6 point Flaw]
You are permanently paralyzed from the
waist down. You require a wheelchair (or some
other similar conveyance) to move any real
distance on your own. You cannot perform
actions involving lower body movements
(including dodging) and opponents get +2 dice
to hit you in combat, since you are basically a
non-moving target.
Mental
Common Sense [1 point Merit]
You may not be the best mathematician in
class but you have a high degree of ordinary
good sense. You may ask the Storyteller for
advice in any situation that could reasonably be
solved through uneducated reasoning ability.
This is a particularly good Merit for players
who are new to the system or to role playing in
general.
Concentration [1 point Merit]
Your powers of concentration are greater
than normal, allowing you to ignore difficult
penalties for distractions other than wounds
and giving you an extra die for Meditation rolls.
If you’re involved with an extended task, the
Storyteller may require a Perception roll for
you to even notice certain distractions.
Healthy Skepticism
[1 point Merit]
You’re good at separating truth from
fiction, and someone has to be up pretty damn
early to catch you off guard. You rarely take
what people say at face value until you’re able
to check the details yourself. This Merit allows
you to gain two additional dice on all rolls when
attempting to see through a lie. It should be
roleplayed as much as possible.
Patient [1 point Merit]
You don’t lose your temper easily and you
have an unusual degree of persistence. You gain
one die to all rolls that involve remaining calm
(or at least appearing to do so). Additionally,
you may add one die to every roll after the first
one on extended actions.
Code of Honor [2 point Merit]
You have a particularly strong moral code,
which you must specify during character
creation (“No Women, No Children”). Any
attempt to force or persuade you to take an
action that breaks this code is made against a
+3 difficulty.
Crack Driver/Pilot
[2 point Merit]
You seem to have been born with a joystick
and throttle in your hand. You can force your
vehicle through maneuvers that lesser pilots
would swear are impossible. You gain two dice
for all maneuvers that are +2 or higher
difficulty and any attempts to fire on your
vehicle are +1 difficulty if you are aware of the
enemy and are taking any sort of evasive
action. You must specify vehicle type when you
purchase this Merit, but may purchase it
multiple times for additional vehicle types. This
Merit may not be taken if you have the
Wheelman Knack.
Devotion [2 point Merit]
You have a particular devotion to a cause,
ideal, code of honor, organization or even an
individual. Attempts to sway you from the
object of your devotion are at +3 difficulty.
However, you must remain true to your
devotion in order to retain this benefit. If you
deliberately and knowingly betray the object of
you devotion, you lose the inner strength it
gives you until you make amends.
Lightning Calculator
[2 point Merit]
You have a remarkable ability for doing
complex math in your head. When performing a
task involving any type of mathematics, make
an Intelligence roll. Each success adds one die
to the Ability roll.
Speed Reading [2 point Merit]
You can read text at four times the normal
rate with no loss of comprehension. While
reading, make an Intelligence roll. Each success
increases the speed multiplier by one, so two
successes allow you to read at six times the
normal rate.
High Pain Tolerance
[3 point Merit]
You’re able to shrug off the effects of
injury more easily. Reduce all of your wound
penalties by one, so you function as if you were
unhurt when Hurt or Injured and Injured when
you’re Wounded and so forth. You still suffer
damage like anyone else and still drop when
you’re Incapacitated.
Natural Linguist [3 point Merit]
You’re naturally talented with language and
can put them together and take them apart like
building blocks. This Merit doesn’t actually
allow you to learn more languages per dot of
Linguistics, but it does help you learn or
interpret new ones. Specifically you pay
Current Level x3 experience points to raise
your Linguistics score. You also gain three dice
on any roll to decipher any new language and
one die on all codebreaking attempts.
Natural Technician
[3 point Merit]
Machines like you, sometimes better than
people do, and the sentiment is mutual.
Difficulty modifiers for constructing or
repairing one specific type of device are
reduced by two. The specific device type must
fall under one of the basic Engineering
specialties (Trinity, p. 184). This Merit may be
bought separately for more than one field of
technology. Note that Natural Technician does
not apply to operating the devices in question,
only working on them. You can’t reduce Firearm
difficulties just because you’re a natural
gunsmith.
Photographic Memory
[3 point Merit]
You can perfectly recall anything you’ve
experienced. Should you attempt such a feat
under stressful conditions -- for example,
trying to memorize a long list of names while
ducking behind a desk shielding you from a rain
of bullets -- you must make an Investigation roll
so summon enough concentration to finish the
job (unless you have the Concentration Merit,
which allows you to commit the information to
memory flawlessly).
Effectively, you die pools double when
attempting to recall information.
Unflappable [3 point Merit]
You are a naturally placid person and take
most things in stride. You were almost hit by a
car? That was close. Your wife has left you? Ah,
well. Although you have emotions as others do,
you don’t let them affect you to the same
degree. You gain two extra dice on any
Willpower roll that involves staying calm or not
overreacting to mundane experiences.
Optimistic [4 point Merit]
You retain a basically positive outlook on
life. Even when things go wrong, you face each
day with the hope that things will get better.
Regain two Willpower points when you wake up
each morning rather than the usual one.
True Love [4 point Merit]
You have found the semi-mythical true love
(or at least something you believe to be that
particular emotion). This has reaffirmed your
sense of purpose and gives you reason for
existing above and beyond mundane concerns.
In game terms, any attempt to force you to
betray or harm the object of your affection is
at a minimum of +4 difficulty and you gain two
dice to any rolls where directly helping or
protecting your love is involved. However, such
a strong bond is not without responsibility --
your love may need protection from time to
time and the relationship might not truly be
equal. Be warned, this is a very taxing Merit to
roleplay (for both the player and the group).
Gullible [1 point Flaw]
You have a lot of trouble separating truth
from fiction. You are not stupid, you just tend
to believe what people tell you rather than to
take things with a grain of salt. Any roll to
detect lies is made at +2 difficulty.
Impatient [1 point Flaw]
Instant gratification isn’t always fast
enough for you, and you certainly don’t have
the discipline to wait for results on a long-term
project. You are at +1 difficulty on every roll
after the first one on an extended action and all
attempts to make you lose your cool gain two
dice. Obviously, you may not take this Merit
with the Flaw: Patient.
Intolerance [1 point Flaw]
You’re extremely narrow minded, and
there are just some people you don’t like based
solely on their race, sex, class, sexual
orientation, “nationality” or some other quality.
You suffer a +2 difficulty on all Social rolls
involving this class of people and prefer not to
associate with them unless absolutely necessary
(and you’re not likely to be too popular with
them, either). You can spend a Willpower point
to overcome your prejudice for one scene.
Nightmares [1 point Flaw]
You regularly have screaming, sweat-
drenched nightmares at least two nights a week
(the kind that people normally have two or
three times a year). Roll one die every time you
wake up; on a result of 1-3, you are at +1
difficulty on all your actions for a number of
hours equal to the die result. At the
Storyteller’s discretion you may also mistake
particularly vivid nightmares of reality or vice
versa. This can easily fall by the wayside in
comparison with other events you’re involved
with, the Storyteller is encouraged to maintain
the nightmares’ influence at appropriately
dramatic points in the story.
Overconfidence [1 point Flaw]
You tend to overestimate your abilities. In
any situation where an assessment of your
abilities is a facto, the Storyteller will tend to
exaggerate them (“He doesn’t look so tough to
you.” or “You’ve seen this kind of security
system before, and they’re easy,” for example).
You must also make a Willpower roll at +1
difficulty to back down from a direct challenge
to your abilities. You can spend a Willpower
point to ignore this Flaw for a scene.
Pacifist [1 or 4 point Flaw]
 You are against violence and prefer to
avoid it whenever possible. You must spend a
Willpower point in order to initiate combat,
although you can fight to defend yourself and
others. You must also spend a Willpower point
in order to use a lethal attack, although you can
use bashing attacks freely. For four points, you
must spend a Willpower point to be able to
fight at all, and you cannot use lethal attacks.
Shy [1 point Flaw]
Social situations are the utmost torture for
you, particularly when you are the star
attraction. Whenever you’re the center of
attention, you’re at +3 difficulty on all social
actions and +1 difficulty on everything else (it’s
hard to program a decryption
application on the fly when everyone’s hero
worshiping you!). You may spend a Willpower
point to ignore the effects of this Flaw for one
scene.
Speech Impediment
[1 point Flaw]
You are unable to speak clearly, especially
under stress. You may stutter, stammer or lisp.
Listeners must make a Perception + Willpower
roll to understand what you’re saying under
stressful circumstances. You can spend a
Willpower point to overcome this Flaw and
speak clearly for one scene.
Terrible with Names
[1 point Flaw]
Try as you might, you almost
always forget people’s names,
especially when meeting large
groups for the first time. You
(OOC) may not write down the
names of any people you meet
during the game unless your
character (as opposed to you,
the player) has paper and a
writing utensil handy. You
also have problems
remembering whether
you’ve been someplace
before, and with recognizing
faces. Make an Intelligence roll to recall
such information.
Absent Minded [2 point Flaw]
Details and important facts slip your mind
constantly. Once per game session, when you
attempt to use an item that you normally carry
with you, the Storyteller may require you to
make a Willpower roll to determine if you
remembered to bring it or, if so, whether you
can remember where it is. The item turns up
again after an hour or so of searching.
Curiosity [2 point Flaw]
Secrets were meant to be shared! While
you may have an intellectual understanding of
privacy and security regulations, your morals
are a little...flexible. You must make a Willpower
roll in order to avoid nosing around whenever
you’re presented with a chance to learn a
secret. The difficulty depends on how
tantalizing the secret in question is and how
significant it appears. Avoiding the impulse to
peek at Christmas presents in your boyfriend’s
closet is standard difficulty, while not reading
those classified technical manuals on his desk
would be +1 difficulty. If they were plainly
marked “TOP SECRET -- Burn BEFORE
Reading,” the difficulty might rise to +2, or
even +3 if they pertain directly to an
investigation on which you were currently
working.
Obsession [2 point Flaw]
 You are fascinated with a particular person,
place or behavior and do everything you can to
satisfy your interest. If you’re obsessed with a
person, you spend all your available time with
them and learn all you can about them (you’re
basically a stalker, whether or not you mean
any harm). If you’re obsessed with a place, you
spend all your time there, and you’re very
reluctant to leave. Characters may also be
obsessed with a particular behavior such as
lying, curiosity, crime-fighting and so forth.
You have to make a Willpower roll to resist
the lure of your obsession whenever it beckons,
even if now isn’t the best time for you to
indulge yourself. The Storyteller may adjust the
difficulty if the circumstances are particularly
tempting, such as an obsessive crime-fighter
confronted with a mugging in progress or an
obsessively curious character confronted with a
file marked “TOP SECRET: EYES ONLY.” You
may spend a Willpower point to overcome your
obsession for a scene.
Overwhelmed [2 point Flaw]
You don’t deal well with chaotic or
confusing situations. They tend to overwhelm
you. You suffer a difficulty modifier of +1 to +3
in such conditions, determined by the
Storyteller. This is the opposite of the
Concentration Merit, and you cannot have both.
Phobia [2 point Flaw]
There is something you are morbidly and
irrationally afraid of, from darkness, to spiders,
to circus clowns. Whenever you are confronted
with the object of your fear, you must make a
Willpower roll at +1 difficulty to avoid
retreating from it as quickly as possible. If you
botch the roll, you collapse from fear and
become virtually catatonic for the scene or until
the object of your terror is removed,
whichever comes first.
Vengeful [2 point Flaw]
You don’t forgive or forget. In fact, you
tend to get mad and then get even -- in the
nastiest way possible. You have to make a
Willpower roll at +1 difficulty to avoid repaying
any slight, insult or offence against you in equal,
if not greater, measure. This can range from
getting in the last jibe to killing someone who
tried to kill you (or have you killed). You can
spend a Willpower point to ignore a particular
offence (although you will probably still carry a
grudge about it indefinitely).
Flashbacks [2 point Flaw]
You have some traumatic experience in
your past that you sometimes recall with
terrifying clarity. Whenever you are in a
situation similar to that experience, you must
make a Willpower roll at +1 difficulty to avoid
being overwhelmed by memories of it. You tend
to mistake people, places and things for similar
things in your memory and may act on those
erroneous conclusions. If you botch your
Willpower roll, you become almost catatonic,
entirely lost in your recollections. You can
spend a Willpower point to ignore the effects
of this Flaw for one scene.
Amnesia [3-5 point Flaw]
You’ve lost some or all of your memory,
either due to some sort of trauma, some
deliberate brain-washing drugs or hypnosis. For
three points, you don’t recall anything about
your past, including your own name. You begin
the game as a blank state. The Storyteller gets
to decide who your character really is (with
input from you).
For five points, you not only don’t know
who you are, you don’t even know what you can
do. The Storyteller keeps your character sheet
a secret, and you don’t know the levels of your
various Traits or even what Traits you have.
The Storyteller comes up with your Traits. This
requires some effort on the Storyteller’s part
and considerable trust on yours.
Incompitent [3 point Flaw]
You are spectacularly bad at something.
Unfortunately, you’re the only person around
who doesn’t understand this fact. Pick a single
Ability. You believe you have the proficiency
equal to three dots in that Trait, when in reality
you almost always ruin any effort involving it.
Whenever you try to use the Ability, treat the
outcome as if you rolled a botch.

Low Pain Threshold
[3 point Flaw]
You have very little tolerance for pain. You
suffer wound penalties as if your injuries were
one level more severe than they really are, so
you are at -2 when Hurt or Injured and so forth.
You are at -5 when Crippled and knocked
unconscious at Incapacitated. You are also at +1
difficulty to resist pain, such as torture or the
symptoms of a painful disease.
Mr. Nice Guy [3 point Flaw]
You want to be wanted, you love to be
loved. You have a very hard time crossing
anyone. You tend to apologize
for the littlest things and often
concede to arguments even
when you know you’re right. In
fact, even killing comes hard to
you. You have to be pushed
pretty hard to actually kill
someone (while often
incapacitating them is not as
challenging to you).
You also have a tendency
to tell the truth whether it is
appropriate at the time or not.
Lying does not come easily. A
Willpower point can be spent to ignore this
effect for a scene.
Tragic [3 point Flaw]
You have trouble seeing a future version of
yourself, so therefore there must not be one.
As a result, you are more than willing to throw
yourself straight into the depths of hell blindly
and without thought of the consequence. You
receive a bonus equal to your willpower rating
on the initial die pool of a conflict that will more
than likely kill you.
If the encounter is a standard combat, then
the bonus applies to the first roll after initiative.
If you perform an action prior to actual
initiative (a surprise action) then the bonus
applies to that action. Any other uses of this
Flaw are at the discretion of the Storyteller.
This flaw may not be taken with Daredevil.
Depression [4 point Flaw]
You’re mired in a pit of bleak, mind-
numbing sorrow. Convinced that your eternally
dark mood is completely natural -- or deserved
-- you refuse to seek professional help. You do
not regain Willpower per day as most
characters do. Instead you may only gain
Willpower through actions, and even those
must ardently reaffirm your goals.
Social
Debt [1-3 point Merit or Flaw]
Sometimes it’s not who you know, it’s who
you owe. If you take this as a Merit, somebody
owes you, but as a Flaw, you owe someone a
favor. For one point, the debt is a socially or
emotionally significant one (you offered some
friendly advice or a shoulder to cry on). For two
points, it’s financially significant
(you loaned out money or
provided some professional help
free of charge). For three points,
the debt is a matter of life or
death (you saved someone’s life or
one of her loved ones). You can
call in a debt at any time, at which
point you lose this Merit. Likewise,
the Storyteller can decide to call
in a debt you owe, getting rid of
your Flaw. Refusing to honor a
debt may have serious
consequences, not the least of
which may be ruining your reputation and
turning a friend into an enemy.
Funny [1 point Merit]
You can make people laugh. Your timing
and sense of the absurd is second to none.
You’re always being invited to parties because
you’re so much fun. However, you’re also very
good at judging the appropriateness of your
humor. Sometimes, the right joke can lift the
spirits of people when everything seems to be
going against them. So, you do what you can to
make life more bearable for your fellow
Cowboys, even when the situation seems
darkest. Gain two dice on any social rolls
intended to boost morale.
Good Taste [1 point Merit]
You have a knack for choosing the right
food from the menu, telling the right anecdotes
and giving the right presents. You’ve seen the
right films for discussion on cultured company.
Your taste makes forging social contacts among
similar folk much easier, whatever your origins.
Gain two dice on any Social roll intended to gain
acceptance or to impress in a like minded
gathering.
Gossip [1 point Merit]
You’re an incurable gossip, and other
gossips recognize a kindred spirit in you. You’re
more than happy to spend hours shooting the
breeze with others, all the while discussing the
minutiae of other people’s lives. Surprising how
much information you can pick up that way,
isn’t it? Gain two dice of any Interrogation roll
made in a social situation, without bullying or
intimidation.
Media Junky [1 point Merit]
TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, films --
you love them all and can’t get enough. You’re a
voracious consumer of pop culture and are
always up on the latest movies, music or
current affairs. Gain two dice on any Social or
Investigation roll that involves pop culture.
Natural Leader [1 point Merit]
You have a way of getting people to do
what you tell them. You gain an additional die
for Leadership rolls and two if you are leading
by example in some way that puts you at risk or
otherwise makes people empathize with you.
Smooth [1 point Merit]
You might come from the wrong moon or
even an asteroid. You probably don’t have a
clue which fork to use when eating out. But
none of that matters. You present yourself with
such an easy grace and carefree attitude that
people forgive you most errors. They might not
like you much, but they enjoy your company so
thoroughly that your rougher edges are quickly
forgiven and forgotten. Manipulation rolls are
made with an additional two dice.
Way with Words [1 point Merit]
Language is a finely honed tool for you, not
a blunt instrument. You are able to create
exactly the effect you want by choosing your
words carefully, in both written and verbal
communication. Gain two dice on any Charisma
roll where communication is the key.
Fashion Sense [2 point Merit]
Your character doesn’t just dress well, he
has an innate sense of what sort of clothes suit
a particular occasion. This isn’t a case of
slavishly following the latest trends from the
hottest designers. It’s a matter of knowing
when to dress smart and when to be casual, and
having the know-how to carry it off on a limited
budget. Deduct one from the difficulty of Social
rolls in situations in which dressing
appropriately is important, such as in a business
meeting, chatting at a club or attending an
invitation-only function.
Great Liar [2 point Merit]
Lying comes naturally to you. Even the
most involved deception sounds like God’s own
truth when it comes tripping off your honeyed
tongue. Gain two dice on any Social roll that
involves lying to or deceiving another person.
People Person [2 point Merit]
You’re a social animal. You just like being
around others. Hell, they like being around you.
Your open and gregarious nature makes people
swarm to you quickly. On any Social roll to
create a good impression on another, you gain
two additional dice.

Socially Aware [2 point Merit]
Social interplay is an open book to you.
You’re the first to spot the hidden relationships
between people, after only a few minutes of
observation. Subtle clues like body language and
position, voice and tone and choice of words
speak volumes to you about the underlying
connections between people. Gain two dice on
any Perception roll involving the interaction
between other people.
Total Bastard
[2 point Merit or Flaw]
Your personality is so cold and ruthless that
you really don’t care what other people do or
think, aside from being able to mock them when
they screw up or look bad. As a result either
gain an automatic success to any social rolls
involving the defacing or humiliation of others
(Merit) or all social rolls dealing with strangers
are made at +1 difficulty (Flaw).
Trivia Champ [2 point Merit]
Where do you get this stuff? Whether it’s
through plenty of reading, too much TV or just
an eclectic bunch of friends, you have the
oddest collection of facts stored away in your
skull. Once in a while, at the Storyteller’s
discretion, one of them turns out to be just the
piece of information you and your fellow
Cowboys need. You might not actually be very
bright, but the sheer amount of knowledge
you’ve picked up makes you appear that way. level of Bashing damage and costs a Willpower
Be forewarned, often times trivial is based on point.
cultural misconceptions or long term biases, and
may sometimes be dangerously wrong. Chronic Pessimist [1 point Flaw]
You think the glass if half-empty, that the
Bad Liar [1 point Flaw] water in the glass in contaminated, and that the
You have tremendous trouble lying. The glass will probably fall off the table and shatter
spontaneous excuses that you come up with are at any second. Others practice pessimism out of
usually unbelievably elaborate or easily refuted habit. For you, it’s an artform. Nothing can ever
with the bare modicum of research. While go right, especially plans that others propose.
telling a prefabricated lie, you stutter, stammer, You are the implacable voice of gloom and
blush and generally look guilty. Rolls involving doom, always ready to point out a potential
verbal deception are made at +2 difficulty. problem no matter how remote a chance it has
Bad Vibe [1-3 point Flaw]
There’s just something not right about you.
It may be a lack of personal hygiene, a
personality quirk or just a “strange vibe,” but
something about you makes people
uncomfortable. You suffer a +1 difficulty on all
Social rolls for every point in this Flaw, and
people are increasing uncomfortable around
you.
Big Mouth [1 point Flaw]
You’ve got an opinion on everything and
you’re not at all hesitant about letting people
hear it. You tend to blurt out painful truths at
the worst possible times. At least once per
high-tension social scene, you must come out
with your thoughts. You can avoid this by biting
your tongue -- literally. This inflicts one health
of coming to pass. Impart a +2 difficulty on all
Leadership rolls.
Defensive [1 point Flaw]
You have problems taking responsibility for
your actions. Perhaps you view yourself as a
perfectionist, or maybe you’re simply too
immature to accept the blame for failure. When
things go wrong, you look for ways to blame
others and rarely accept blame or criticism for
your actions without contention.
Gambling Addict [1 point Flaw]
You are addicted to wagering money on
games of chance. A sizeable chunk of your
income goes toward sustaining your habit, and
even when you win, you inevitably gamble your
winnings away. You’re too much of an addict to
walk away with a profit over any extended
period of time. Any Resource rolls you attempt
are made a +2 difficulty.
Impractical Dresser
[1 point Flaw]
You tend to dress with an eye toward
impressing others rather than personal comfort.
Unless you explicitly state that you dress
appropriately for physical activity, you wear
tight jeans, high heels or something else that
hampers physical activity. Athletics rolls
(including dodge) are made at +2 difficulty
when you wear such clothes.
Mistaken Identity
[1 or 2 point Flaw]
“Hey, aren’t you...?” You bear an uncanny
resemblance to someone else who’s know
across the solar system. For one point, they’re
a celebrity -- but the extra attention you get is
distinctly uncomfortable and aggravating.
Alternately (for a high influence character),
you’re famous but no one recognized you in
person. If this is a two-point Flaw, you look like
someone who’s wanted for capital crime and
may be hassled by law enforcement agents until
you manage to present valid identification.
Secret [1/3/5 point Flaw]
You’re hiding something that, if known,
would compromise you in the eyes of others.
For one point, your secret would seriously
change your life if it got out. This might be an
alias, past political affiliations, your sexual
orientation, elements of your background and
so forth. For three points, your secret would
result in your arrest and imprisonment if it
were revealed, such as a crime you committed.
For five points, your secret is so dreadful it
would result in your death if it were revealed,
such as being an undercover agent infiltrating
the Syndicate. Generally, the Storyteller should
threaten your secret at least every three or
four episodes, and it should come up almost
every other episode. If you don’t take adequate
precautions to protect it, the Storyteller should
feel free to expose your secret and let you deal
with the consequences.
Stubborn [1 point Flaw]
Once your mind is made up, there’s no
changing it. You cling to your beliefs the way a
pit bull does a leg, and you’re about as
pleasantly comported when others challenge
you. You hate to be proven wrong and go to
extremes to avoid enduring the shame of it.
Social rolls are made at +2 difficulty when
someone challenges your ways.
Compulsive Liar [2 point Flaw]
You feel the need to put your personal spin
on the truth. You don’t necessarily do so out of
spite or malice, and you may come to genuinely
believe the tall tales that you tell (especially
when you spin them often enough). This Trait is
especially troublesome when other Cowboys
rely on you for information about bounty heads
and their habits. You might have to spend a
Willpower point to force yourself to be honest,
especially if it means revealing a previous lie.
Enemy [2-7 point Flaw]
There’s somebody out there who dislikes
you. A lot. The value of this Flaw is based on
two things: how much that person hates you and
what he is capable of doing about it.
The default is an unfriendly rivalry. For one
point, your enemy would like to see you
seriously humiliated, professionally ruined or
perhaps imprisoned. For two points, he’d like to
see you dead.
For one point, the enemy is less powerful
than you are. For two points, he is roughly as
powerful as you. For three points, he is more
powerful. For four points, your enemy is
roughly twice as powerful as you are, and for
five points, he is truly godlike in comparison.
Needless to say, characters with more than
four points in this flaw are walking targets, just
waiting for their powerful adversary to kill
them off. Players should take high levels of this
Flaw with great caution.
Honest to a Fault [2 point Flaw]
You always try to tell the truth, no matter
what the situation. You won’t stretch it, bend it
or manipulate it to take advantage of others,
unless human lives are in jeopardy. If you do
attempt to lie to someone, the roll is made at +2
difficulty.
Misc.
Bargain Hound [1 point Merit]
You have a knack for getting things
cheaply. Sometimes you get the goods you need
wholesale, sometimes you get them you get
them through less than standard channels,
sometimes you just hunt around until you find a
bargain. However you go about it, the Resource
roll related to the purchase gains an additional
die.
Criminal Record [2 point Flaw]
Having been convicted for several
misdemeanors or perhaps even a minor felony,
you have a bit of a shady past. You are unable
to buy firearms legally, and you receive
exceptionally poor treatment from law-
enforcement officials who know your record.
“Big Shot” [4 point Flaw]
You are the prime suspect in a felony
crime. Not only are the police actively looking
for you, but your face is on “Big Shots”
regularly as an unsolved case file. Your bounty
is minimal, but you are still at risk when
traveling too boldly. If you encounter cops who
know that you’re wanted, they’ll call in backup
and try to bring you in. Cowboys, especially
newer or poorer ones, will try to capture you
on sight.

Dependant [4 point Flaw]

You have someone -- a family member or
loved one -- who depends on you for support.
Your dependant relies completely on you and
often requires your attention and sometimes
your protection. Unlike an ally or contact, a
dependant has nothing to offer you but love and
moral support. Otherwise, they are hooks for
the Storyteller to use.