Advantages & Disadvantages Additions

Many of the Disadvantages have nothing written in the effect column. Some affect players' role-playing decisions (say, Vengeful), while others affect the difficulty number I assign to an action (a Lecherous PC trying to seduce someone). Don't force the Disads down PC's throats. Avoid this situation: GM: "Oops, I'm sorry, Bob, your character has a Phobia of heights; you can't go out on the ledge." Bob: "But Roark will die if I don't!" GM: "...sorry." Roark: "Aaaaaaahhhh!" Also don't let players think that a disad precludes certain actions either. Facing one's fears can be appropriately heroic.

Here's a somewhat extreme example from my campaign. Outlaw/biologist Beowulf Thrustspeare always leaves a single lobster claw (Ego Signature) behind at the scene of his attacks on Imperial bases. One adventure his player just plain forgot to do this. We talked about it and decided that because of this omission, the Traumatic Flashbacks of the death of family would worsen and he would have to drive himself even harder next adventure to make up for his failure. This single minded drive led to some rash decisions and the rather senseless death of his character.

During character creation, players may choose up to four points of advantages which MUST be balanced by an equal number disadvantages. If a player wishes she may choose to take more disadvantages than advantages without exceeding the maximum of four points of disadvantages. For every extra point of disadvantages a player has, she may take an extra 1D of skill dice in addition to the standard 7D. Standard limitations for the use of this die still apply (i.e. no more than 2D in any single skill).

Many advantages and disadvantages affect certain skill or attribute rolls. Many have a 1D bonus or penalty. For others, the bonus/penalty is determined by the number of points taken in the ad/disad. Generally, one point equals one pip of the die. For a few others, subtract 1 from the number of points before determining the bonus. The bonus/penalty for each ad/disad is noted in the effect column.

The cost in skill (or character) points to increase a skill which is affected by an advantage or a disadvantage is determined according to the net total of the dice. For example, Wedge has MEC 4D, Spatial Awareness 3 (+1D bonus to MEC skills), and 2D of skill adds in Piloting for grand total of 7D; in order to increase the skill to 7D+1, he must pay 7 skill points. Likewise, Han with the Bad Liar disad and PER 3D has Con 2D. He must spend only 2 skill points to increase that skill. However, when an ad or disad affects an attribute it does NOT raise all the skills derived from the attribute. For example, Logan has the Acute Smell advantage; PER rolls involving smell have a +1D bonus, but this bonus does not extend to other PER skills or the PER attribute in general.

Disadvantages may be bought off at the cost of 15 skill points per point of disadvantage. Without GM approval, Advantages are not for sale." -Mark Hudson