View source for Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Character Flaws

== Character Flaws ==

[[Summary::Flaws are like the flip side of [[feats]]. Whereas a [[feats|feat]] enables a character to be better than normal at performing a task (or even to do something that normal characters can't), a flaw restricts a character's capabilities or imposes a penalty of some sort.]]

A player may select up to two flaws when creating a character. After 1st level, a character cannot take on additional flaws unless the Dungeon Master specifically allows it (for examples of times when doing this might be appropriate, see [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Character Traits|Character Traits]]). Each flaw a player selects entitles his character to a bonus [[feats|feat]]. In other words, when you create a character, if you select two flaws, you can also take two bonus [[feats]] beyond those your character would be normally entitled to.

Unlike [[Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Character Traits|traits]], flaws are entirely negative in their impact on a character's capabilities.
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=== Metagame Analysis: Creating Flaws ===
|You can create new flaws, but be careful: Flaws can unbalance your game. When creating flaws, keep a few issues in mind:

#A flaw must have a numeric effect on a character's specific capabilities. Flaws with primarily roleplaying or story effects have unpredictable effects on game balance.
#Flaws are generally bigger in magnitude than [[feats]]. That's because players always choose flaws that have the least impact on their characters, while taking [[feats]] that have the most. For example, while a [[feat]] affecting skills grants a +2 bonus on two skills, its counterpart flaw might impose a -4 penalty on two skills.
#A flaw must have a meaningful effect regardless of character class or role. That way, a player can't reduce the flaw's importance through multiclassing. For instance, a flaw that only affects spellcasters might seem reasonable - but for nonspellcaster characters, the flaw likely proves meaningless. Even if you restrict the selection of such feats to characters of specific classes, a player can easily select a spellcasting class at 1st level, choose two flaws that apply to spellcasters, gain the bonus feats, multiclass into a nonspellcasting class at 2nd level and thereafter proceed as a primarily nonspellcasting character. The player has sacrificed a level to gain two bonus feats, a tradeoff that appeals to some players.
#Similarly, a flaw that penalizes a character's [[Charisma]] based skill checks only has a significant impact on the party spokesperson - the quiet [[fighter]] or [[barbarian]] likely won't feel any impact from the penalties.}}

=== Flaw Descriptions ===

Each of the flaws described here has a specific game effect. Some flaws can only be taken by a character who meets a special requirement.

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{{UA Building Characters Footer}}
[[Category:Variant Rule]]
Summary	Flaws are like the flip side of feats. … Flaws are like the flip side of feats. Whereas a feat enables a character to be better than normal at performing a task (or even to do something that normal characters can't), a flaw restricts a character's capabilities or imposes a penalty of some sort. ilities or imposes a penalty of some sort. +
Title	Character Flaws +