Credit where credit it due. Most of the hard work on this was done by Sam Thompson. Used with permission My stuff is just the Star Trek stuff with a little editing to maintain continuity.
Merits and Flaws
Merits and Flaws allow you to describe your character in more detail than that provided by the basic character creation process. Merits and Flaws are entirely optional; a player need not take any if not desired. Furthermore, the Storyteller should feel free to disallow some or all of the Merits and Flaws.
Merits are purchased with Freebie Points. Flaws taken provide more Freebie Points for the character. Characters should be limited to no more than 5 points of Flaws, and may be limited further by the Storyteller.
Note that a Flaw that does not hinder a character in some way should not be worth any points.
PSYCHOLOGICAL | MENTAL | AWARENESS | SUPERNATURAL | TIES | PHYSICAL | RANK
Psychological
Code of Honor (1 pt Merit)
You have a personal code of ethics to which you strictly adhere. You automatically resist normal influences that would cause you to violate this code, and have one free retest when attempting to resist a similar supernatural influence, or to resist a frenzy that would cause you to violate your code.
Higher Purpose (1 pt Merit)
You have purpose in your life, and it directs you in everything you do. This causes you to be one trait up in any challenge relating to furthering this goal. This Merit may not be taking in conjunction with Driving Goal.
Compulsion (1 pt Flaw)
You have a minor psychological compulsion that can cause you problems. You might have a compulsion for cleanliness, perfection, stealing, gambling, etc. You may avoid your compulsion for a short time by spending a Willpower Trait.
Dark Secret (1 pt Flaw)
You have a secret that, if uncovered, would cause you much embarrassment and possibly place your life in danger.
Intolerant (1-3 pt Flaw)
You have an irrational dislike of a certain thing. It may be an animal, a class of people, a situation, or almost anything else. The value of this Flaw is based on the rarity of the intolerable thing; a common object is worth more Freebie Points.
Nightmares (1 pt Flaw)
You experience horrendous nightmares every time you sleep, and are haunted with memories of them when you are awake. On occasion, the nightmares become so bad that you are one trait down in all challenges until you sleep again (Storyteller's discretion).
Overconfident (1 pt Flaw)
You have an exaggerated opinion of your worth and capabilities. You always trust your abilities, even if they are not as perfect as you believe. You will never take the blame for you own failure, and often find yourself in dangerous situations.
Shy (1 pt Flaw)
You are distinctively ill at ease when dealing with people, causing you to be two traits down in all challenges in a social setting. You are three traits down in any challenge in which you are the center of attention for a large group of people (over 10).
Speech Impediment (1 pt Flaw)
Whether physical or psychological, you stammer or have some other difficulty speaking. You should role-play this always, though it is generally worse during times of stress.
Deranged (2 pt Flaw)
You suffer from a neurosis or psychosis that occasionally dictates your behavior. (See Derangements, page XX)
Low Self-Image (2 pt Flaw)
You lack self confidence, causing you to be two traits down in situations involving confrontation or when you think you may fail.
Short Fuse (2 pt Flaw)
You have a temper, causing you to have one retest against you to resist a Rage frenzy for any reason.
Vengeance (2 pt Flaw)
You have a score to settle. You are obsessed with wreaking vengeance on an individual or group, and you make this revenge your first priority in all situations. You may resist the urge to exact revenge for a short time by spending a Willpower Trait.
Driving Goal (3 pt Flaw)
You have a personal goal that compels you always. The goal is probably beyond your reach, and in any case will cause you great difficulty throughout the chronicle. You may resist this urge for a short time by spending a Willpower Trait.
PSYCHOLOGICAL | MENTAL | AWARENESS | SUPERNATURAL | TIES | PHYSICAL | RANK
Mental
Light Sleeper (1 pt Merit)
You can awaken instantly at any sign of trouble, without any lingering lethargy.
Calm Heart (2 pt Merit)
You are natural calm and composed, granting a free retest in any challenge to resist frenzy.
Daredevil (3 pt Merit)
You have a free retest in any challenge in which you try something particularly dangerous. This only applies to combat when you are severely outmatched (i.e. attacked by multiple opponents.)
Iron Will (3 pt Merit)
You have a strong force of determination, automatically granting you a free retest in any challenge to resist a Discipline, Telepathic Control or Conditioning that would directly affect your mind.
Psionic Potential (8 pt Merit)
Your brain contains the necessary wiring for the use of psionics. (note, this only allows you the POTENTIAL to have these powers. It does not mean you have them.)
Confused (2 pt Flaw)
You are often confused, perceiving the world as a distorted and twisted place. This confusion increases whenever you are in an environment with strong or numerous stimuli. You are three traits down in all challenges in such an environment, unless you spend a Willpower Trait. Often this confusion prevents you from understanding anything.
Deep Sleeper (2 pt Flaw)
When you sleep, you have a very hard time waking. You will be two traits down in all challenges for an hour after you wake.
Illiterate (2 pt Flaw)
You are unable to read or write.
Weak-Willed (3 pt Flaw)
You are suffer one retest against you in all challenges to resist Dominate or intimidation, and may only use Willpower Traits when your immediate survival is at stake. Absent-Minded (3 pt Flaw)
Though you do not forget your Abilities or Disciplines, you often forget names, addresses, etc. To remember any specific detail beyond your name and location of your haven, you must either be reminded or spend a Willpower Trait.
Eiditic Memory (4 pt Merit)
You can remember everything you have seen. You are 3 traits up on all challenges to remember something either something that was read, or details about an incident. (note: this does not apply to skills such as Brawl, but only to skills such as Science or how to operate something) Note that this skill does not grant understanding, only the ability to remember things.
PSYCHOLOGICAL | MENTAL | AWARENESS | SUPERNATURAL | TIES | PHYSICAL | RANK
Awareness
Acute Hearing (1 pt Merit)
You have a free retest in all tests relating to hearing.
Acute Sense of Smell (1 pt Merit)
You have a free retest in all tests relating to your sense of smell.
Acute Sense of Taste (1 pt Merit)
You have a free retest in all tests relating to your sense of taste.
Acute Vision (2 pt Merit)
You have a free retest in all tests relating to vision.
Hard of Hearing (1 pt Flaw)
You have one retest against you in all tests relating to hearing.
Bad Sight (1 pt Flaw)
You have some form of incorrectable blindness. You have one retest against you in all tests involving your vision.
One Eye (2 pt Flaw)
You have lost one eye and for some reason are unable to heal it back. You have no peripheral vision on your blind side, making it easy to surprise you. Furthermore, you have lost depth perception, rendering you two traits down in all tests involving distance, like ranged combat.
Deaf (3 pt Flaw)
You have no sense of hearing. You may have learned the Ability to read lips, but for some reason you are unable to regain your hearing.
Blind (4 pt Flaw)
You cannot see, and for some reason cannot heal your eyes.
VISOR (8 pt Merit)
This merit may only be taken in conjunction with the Blind flaw.Your visual sensory capacity is enhanced far beyond that of normal. You can see infrared, ultraviolet, and just about anywhere in the spectrum, even detecting subatomic particles.(treat as Acute Vision & Enhanced Senses:Vision)You can even tell if someone is lying or not. (Treat as Aura Perception) The VISOR does cause physical pain however. After 3 hours of use, the user must remove the VISOR for 15 minutes, or they will be 3 traits down on all tests until they take it off for a period of time equal to (time of use x 1/12).
Ocular Implants (7 pt Merit)
This merit may only be taken in conjunction with the Blind flaw. It gives the user the Enhanced Senses:Vision Discipline and Acute Vision merits
PSYCHOLOGICAL | MENTAL | AWARENESS | SUPERNATURAL | TIES | PHYSICAL | RANK
Supernatural
Danger Sense (2 pt Merit)
You are have a free simple test to avoid being surprised.
Luck (4 pt Merit)
You are somehow lucky, allowing you three free retests per night, in any challenges. Only one such retest may be used in any one challenge.
Guardian Angel (6 pt Merit)
Someone or something supernatural watches over you and protects you. You cannot count on this being, though you know it is there.
True Faith (7 pt Merit)
You have a deep-seated faith in something spiritual. You begin the chronicle with one Faith Trait, which may be used as Willpower to automatically resist frenzy or recover all Traits in a category. Faith Traits may have other uses as well, which are left up to the Storyteller to decide. Additional Traits may be awarded if the character acts in a way to strengthen his faith. Faith Traits are recovered in the same way as Willpower.
PSYCHOLOGICAL | MENTAL | AWARENESS | SUPERNATURAL | TIES | PHYSICAL | RANK
Ties
Boon (1-3 pt Merit)
An person owes you a boon. A trivial boon is worth one point, a minor boon is worth two points, and a major boon is worth three.
Prestigious Parent (1 pt Merit)
Your parent has or had great Status in your sect, empire, organization or clan, and this has accorded you a peculiar honor. This prestige has passed to you to some degree, allowing you to have an easier time when dealing with others that know your parent.
Enemy (1-5 pt Flaw)
You have an enemy or a group of enemies, who seek to harm you in some way. The value of this flaw determines how powerful the enemy is; a one point enemy has about the same level of power as you, while a 5-point enemy could be an entire Empire or a particularly dangerous organization (The Orion Syndicate, The Tal Shiar, The Obsidian Order, etc.
Infamous Parent (1 pt Flaw) (3pt flaw if Klingon)
Your parent was or still is distrusted and disliked by many, and as a result you are distrusted and disliked as well.
Parent's Resentment (1 pt Flaw)
You have somehow earned the resentment of your parent or mentor. He may seek to do you harm or even attack you, and his friends may help him.(this flaw could be worth more (say, if your father is Enabran Tane (ala. Garak)) Additionally, you must remember that a parent or mentor presumably knows your flaws and weaknesses.
PSYCHOLOGICAL | MENTAL | AWARENESS | SUPERNATURAL | TIES | PHYSICAL | RANK
Physical
Many physical Flaws are permanent forms of damage to a character. A character may not heal this damage unless the flaw is somehow bought off.
Allergic (1-3 pt Flaw)
You are allergic to some substance. While you do not sneeze, the reaction does hinder you. If you drink something containing the substance, you will be three traits down in all challenges for a half hour. If you simply touch the substance, you are only one trait down for a half hour. Extended contact with the substance may cause wounds. The commonality of the substance determines the point value of the Flaw.
Disfigured (2 pt Flaw)
You are disfigured in some way. This prevents you from taking any Social Traits relating to appearance, and renders you two traits down in any Social Challenge you initiate (except intimidation) while your true appearance is visible.
Selective Digestion (1 pt Flaw)
You can only digest certain types of food.
Child (2 pt Flaw)
You're young and small. Others might not take you seriously, even if you are experienced and knowledgeable. You also suffer a two trait penalty in Social Challenges when attempting to persuade or debate.
Deformity (3 pt Flaw)
You are somehow physically deformed, whether it be a misshapen limb or a hunchback, rendering you two traits down in all Physical Challenges. You are also two traits down in any challenge relating to physical appearance.
Lame (3 pt Flaw)
Your legs are injured somehow, rendering you three traits down in all tests relating to movement. You have a very difficult time even walking.
One Arm (3 pt Flaw)
You are missing one arm, rendering you three traits down in any test that normally requires two hands.
Permanent Wound (1-3 pt Flaw)
You suffered a wound which modern medicine cannot fully heal. Depending on the nature of the wound, you may have a suceptablity to a particular injury. Depending on the severity of the injury, the flaw is worth a variable number of freebie points.
Mute (4 pt Flaw)
Your vocal cords are damaged, and you cannot utter a sound.
NOTE: If you take any flaw that is corrected by medical means the flaw is only a 1-point flaw (assuming it still relies on technology). If it doesn't even require technology, the you receive no freebie points for it.
PSYCHOLOGICAL | MENTAL | AWARENESS | SUPERNATURAL | TIES | PHYSICAL | RANK
Rank & Position
These are Merits that have to deal with the position and authority that your character holds.
Rank 0 (0 pt Merit)
Ensigns, Trainees, Cadets, Sub-Centurians, etc.
Rank 1 (1pt Merit)
Lieutenant. (j.g) or the Equivilant
Rank 2 (2 pt Merit)
Lieutenant and the Equivilant
Rank 3 (3 pt Merit)
Lt. Commander and the Equivilant
Rank 4 (5 pt Merit)
Commander and the Equivilant
Rank 5 (8 pt Merit)
Captain and the Equivilant
Minor Department Head(1 pt Merit)
Stellar Cartography, Biophysics, Maintanace (must have Rank 1 or higher)
Major Department Head(3 pt Merit)
Science, Security, Medical, Ops, Navigation, Engineering (must have rank 2 or Higher)
Senior Officer(5 pt Merit)
First or Second Officer (Must have rank 3 or Higher)
Commanding Officer(8 pt Merit)
Starship/Starbase Commander (Must have Rank 3 or Higher)
You'll note that many of the costs of these positions are beyond the reach of many starting characters. This is as it should be. With rank comes the lack of ability to act. Your players will have far more freedom to do as they wish if they are of lower rank and station. The only characters that are of higher station that should be allowed are those with Storyteller permission and those the Storyteller had a hand in creating.
