MYSTICAL (My)/WORLDLY (Wo)
Mystical people look to the spiritual world for guidance; Worldly people concern themselves with the affairs of this world -- many religions measure piety by the Mystical trait, while others measure piety by the Worldly trait, for their religion is of this world.
A mystical character often dwells on spiritual matters, and is aware of them and their implications in the material world. (This is not the same as worship, which is an action rather than a belief.) A mystical person is a spiritual person. An extremely pious person is devout or zealous, perhaps even saintly. Worldly indicates profligacy, taking great pleasure in temporal things such as fine clothes, comfortable furnishings, good music and poetry, and the best company. Do not confuse Worldly with Indulgent; the two often go hand-in-hand, but they are not the same.
Mystical is often used to make Knowledge (arcana, planes, religion), Spellcraft, and Use Magical Device rolls. Worldly, on the other hand, is involved in determining the maximum amount of weight your character can carry and in calculating hit points and is often used to make Knowledge (engineering, geography, history, local, nature, nobility), Profession, and Sense Motive rolls. Sometimes, it’s used to make Climb, Swim, Fly, Ride, Fortitude, Appraise, Craft, Linguistics, Survival, and Handle Animal rolls, as well as rolls to perform feats of strength. Both Mystical and Worldly are often used with Perception rolls.
Paladins use Mystical to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level.
Mystical governs the spellcasting of clerics, while Worldly governs that of druids and rangers.
PRUDENT (Pru)/RECKLESS (Re)
Prudent people look before they leap and think things through before acting. Reckless people believe in deeds, not words and trust in their instincts and skills to preserve them.
The prudent character gives thought to what they do before they act. Such a character is called cautious, and excessively prudent people are called shrewd, circumspect, or discerning — or “slow to act.” The reckless character acts before they think things through, without concern for anything but the immediate consequences. An extremely reckless character is called careless, or a hothead.
Prudent is involved in calculating your character’s Armor Class (AC) and is often used to make Reflex, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Appraise, Craft, Knowledge (engineering), Perception, Profession, Sense Motive, and Survival rolls. One of the common traits used to make attack rolls, Reckless is also used in Climb, Swim, and Acrobatics rolls, as well as rolls to perform feats of strength and Fly or Ride checks to charge or increase your mount’s speed beyond its wont. Both Prudent and Reckless are sometimes used to make Will and Intimidate rolls.
Barbarians use Reckless to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level.
TEMPERATE (Te)/INDULGENT (In)
Temperate people restrain their appetites and eat wisely and drink little. Indulgent people party the night away and eat and drink until they are fuller than full.
Temperance means that a character takes only what he needs of food, drink, and other temporal needs. They are frugal and abstain from excess. Extreme temperance indicates asceticism, perhaps even self-mortification. An indulgent character is a gourmand: they take pleasure in food and drink, both in quality and quantity. Extremes of this indicate gluttony and drunkenness.
Temperate is sometimes used with Fly or Ride rolls to reflect the careful treatment of the mount, as well as Survival rolls. Indulgent, on the other hand, is involved in calculating hit points; it’s also often used to make Appraise rolls and certain kind of Craft (like Craft (food)) and Knowledge (local, nobility) rolls. Temperate is more often used to make Fortitude rolls than Indulgent, but sometimes Indulgent can be used to reflect a body that’s used to handling new and strange excesses. Both Temperate and Indulgent are sometimes used to make Will and Heal rolls.
Monks use Temperate to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level, while sorcerers use Indulgent.
TRUSTING (Tr)/SUSPICIOUS (Su)
Trusting people assume the best of everyone until proven otherwise; Suspicious people fear the worst of everyone until proven otherwise.
One who is trusting tends to believe information without any inclination to suspect its falsity. An excessively trusting person is gullible and credulous, perhaps even a dupe. Suspicious indicates that a person is unlikely to believe what they hear unless proof is offered. An extremely suspicious person is called a skeptic or a doubter. A naturally suspicious person might still be extremely pious, however.
In some cases, jealousy is included under the Suspicious trait. Thus when someone acts jealous, they may start making rolls with Suspicious. Furthermore, Suspicious is one of the common traits used to make attack rolls, as well as being involved in calculating your character’s Armor Class (AC), and is often used to make Reflex, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Appraise, Will, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive, Bluff, and Disguise rolls. Trusting is sometimes used to make Handle Animal rolls. Both Trusting and Suspicious are often used to make Knowledge (local, nobility), Linguistics, and Diplomacy rolls.
VALOROUS (Va)/COWARDLY (Co)
Valorous people do not shrink from honest, fair battle. Extremely valorous people do not shrink from possibly suicidal battle. Cowardly people seize any chance to avoid combat.
To be valorous means to be brave and courageous, willing to place oneself in danger for the sake of victory, friends, or the simple love of battle. Many PCs, by dint of being the protagonists in an action-adventure story, are valorous, and thus might be referred to as doughty, stalwart, or valiant. Extremely heroic individuals are often called fearless or intrepid. Valor may be exhibited not only in combat, but whenever risks to one’s health or wellbeing are involved. Cowardly means to be fearful of pain and of harm to one’s self. Someone who is extremely faint-hearted is labeled as a poltroon, dastard, craven, caitiff, or recreant.
As mentioned before, the types of stories told in fantasy RPGs tend to privilege Valorous characters, though Cowardly heroes can be a helluva lot of fun. Accordingly, these two Virtues are very often used to make a wide variety of rolls in Middens & Morals. To start with, Valorous is one of the common traits used to make attack rolls, and is sometimes used to make Fortitude and Will rolls, too. Battlefield medicine often uses Valorous to make Heal rolls, and Valorous can reveal information about your opponent when used with Perception. Cowardly is involved in calculating your character’s Armor Class (AC) and often used with Stealth rolls and Perception rolls to detect ambushes and surprise attacks. Both Valorous and Cowardly (depending usually on the direction one is moving in relation to the enemy) are often used to make Climb, Swim, and Sense Motive rolls and feinting, ambushing, distracting, and other such tactics often use either Valorous or Cowardly to make Bluff rolls. Though swashbucklers and the like are probably using Proud or Reckless to make Acrobatics rolls, there are times when either Valorous or Cowardly will be more appropriate.
Fighters use Valorous to determine how many skill ranks they receive each level.
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