Backgrounds, Flaws, Merits and Traits

Every hero has quirks, things that set them apart from others. Every hero starts
somewhere, and so, every hero has some kind of background. Their background guides them, be
it based on their heritage, status, or creed. Each hero has one background, which never changes.
Of course, then there are the little things that define a hero; flaws and merits that alter
little nuances of a character. Some are major, and some are minor, and heroes have some of both.
All heroes have at least one minor flaw/merit, and one major flaw/merit. Flaws and merits
always come in pairs, if you have a minor flaw, you gain a minor merit; and in turn if you have a
major merit, you have a major flaw.
Certain flaws or merits may lessen the impact of another flaw or merit, making a major
flaw a minor one. The zeitgeist does not simply grant heroes flaws and merits without
consideration, and some heroes simply cannot take advantage of flaws or merits.
Character traits are neutral, though most people have them. Traits all have benefits and
drawbacks, but they help define a character. Some traits also determine merits and flaws, and act
simply as a guide in choosing which flaws and merits one may wish to choose.

Background
Prerequisite: -
Description
Associated Skills: -
Suggested Language: -

Merit [Minor/Major]
Description
Benefit: -

Flaw [Minor/Major]
Description
Effect: -

Trait
Prerequisite: -
Description
Benefit: -
Drawback: -
Suggested Merits: -
Suggested Flaws: -
Backgrounds

Background
Prerequisite: -
Description
Associated Skills: -
Suggested Language: -

Racial

Outcast [Bladeling]
Prerequisite: You must be a Bladeling
You are an outcast among your kind. Why were you removed from Bane and Gruumsh’s
conflict? Do you still pay homage to Bane? Were you ever truly a part of Bane’s army?
Associated Skills: Athletics
Suggested Language: Astral

Winter Child [Kenku]

Prerequisite: You must be a Kenku
You are a servant of the Raven Queen, as was the intention of your race. Do you act as a spy or
some form of covert agent? Are you an acolyte or priest in her service? Do you show your
affinity for the goddess, or hide it?
Associated Skills: Religion, Stealth
Suggested Language: Thanatossi

Turathic Descendant [Human/Tiefling]

Prerequisite: You must be a Human or Tiefling
Your family hails back to Bael’Turath. If you are human, how might your family have escaped
the curse, or are you part tiefling? How did the curse affect your family? What about the fall of
Bael’Turath?
Associated Skills: Arcana, History
Suggested Language: Turathic

Birth

Background
Prerequisite: -
Description
Associated Skills: -
Suggested Language: -

Geography

Feywild
Prerequisite: Born or Raised in the Feywild
You grew up in the Feywild, which makes life in Rivengard a bit different. Was your family
living in a fey demesne? Did you live in a majestic city, or out in the strange natural portions of
the plane?
Associated Skills: Arcana, Nature
Suggested Language: Fey

Shadowborn
Prerequisite: Born or Raised in the Shadowfell
You grew up in the Shadowfell, and everything in Rivengard is bright and vibrant compared to
your home. How has the Pervasive Melancholy affected your view of the rest of the world? How
did you survive the dangers of your home? What do you think of death, living on its edge for so
long?
Associated Skills: Stealth
Suggested Language: Shadaran

Taronese
Prerequisite: Born or Raised in K’Taron (DM discretion)
You were born in the mysterious land of K’Taron. What made you leave the isolated lands? How
did you get to where the place you are now? How has culture shock affected you since leaving
your homelands?
Suggested Language: Taronese (Special Language)

Turathic
Prerequisite: Born or Raised around Bael’Turath
You are a refugee of Bael’Turath. How has the land’s turmoil affected your life? How have you
survived the dangers of the land? Do you fight, fear, utilize, or stand beside the devils that have
plagued your life?
Associated Skills: Arcana, Dungeoneering, Stealth
Suggested Language: Infernal, Turathic

Underdark
Prerequisite: Born or Raised in the Underdark
You once made your home in the Underdark of the world. How have you survived the many
dangers? Were you raised among a ‘civilized’ race, or hiding from the threats around every
corner? What finally led you to the surface?
Associated Skills: Dungeoneering, Stealth
Suggested Language: Drow, Underspeak

Occupation

Bodyguard
You are or were once a bodyguard. Are you still in the service of someone? Why are you
travelling now? What made you become a bodyguard (money, obligation, desire, love, family)?
Associated Skills: Athletics, Intimidate

Priest or Acolyte
You served as a priest or acolyte to a church and took all the vows involved. What caused you to
travel into the world, were you possibly excommunicated? Do you still follow the vows? Do you
intend to spread the word of your deity?
Associated Skills: Diplomacy, Religion
Suggested Language: Astral (Raven Queen – Thanatossi)

Society

Mercantile
Prerequisite: Raised among Merchants
You are the child or at least an ‘adoptee’ of a merchant. Did you spend most of your life
travelling? Were you taught to follow the trade of your ‘family’? How did you learn your
adventuring skills?
Associated Skills: Diplomacy, Streetwise
Merits

Acute Sense [Minor]

One of your senses is particularly notable.
Benefit: You choose Sight, Scent, or Hearing, and any check predominantly influenced by one
of these senses gains a +3 bonus.

Affiliation [Minor]
You have a strong affiliation with a group.
Benefit: You have a group that is happy to help you and give you information. Every so often
you can call on their aid. This is up to DM discretion.

Allure [Minor]
You are attractive, there’s no doubt about it.
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus to any check made to influence a creature that would be
reasonably attracted to you (based on race and gender).

Astral Comprehension [Minor]

You have some kind of immortal heritage, and sometimes you just understand words.
Benefit: Whenever a creature around you speaks another language, you make a Wisdom check
(DC 10 + the speaker’s level). If the check succeeds, you gain the benefit of having used the
Comprehend Languages (PHB302) ritual, but no check is made to be able to speak the
language and no casting time or component cost is necessary. You may only understand one
language at a time with the use of this ritual.

Athletic [Minor]
You’ve always been able-bodied and agile.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics and Athletics checks.

Awareness [Major]
You are very aware of the world around you, and rarely miss details.
Benefit: You can roll Insight and Perception checks twice and use either result.

Bless Water [Minor]

You have the divine power to bless water.
Benefit: You may use the ritual Bless Water (DP156) without a ritual book. If you spend the
hour to cast the ritual, you may bless as much water as you wish, as long as you can pay the
cost (which is three-fourths of its normal cost for you).

Blindsight [Major]
Paired Flaw: You must have the Blind flaw.
Despite your blindness, your other senses have been honed to supernatural acuity.
Benefit: You gain blindsight 8.

Cat’s Eye [Minor]

Your eyes are especially good at reflecting or catching light.
Benefit: You gain low-light vision.

Complex Mind [Major]

Your thoughts are so complex that it’s hard to break them.
Benefit: You may use your Intelligence instead of Wisdom or Charisma for your Will defense.

Courageous [Minor]
You are extraordinarily courageous, able to withstand the greatest of fears.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to your Will defense and a +2 bonus to saving throws against fear
effects.

Darksight [Minor]
Prerequisite: You must have Low-Light Vision.
Some magic or heritage of yours has allowed you to see without any light.
Benefit: You gain darkvision.

Deific Guidance [Major]

Sometimes your deity is willing to give you a helping hand.
Benefit: Once per day, you can cast Hand of Fate (PHB306) with no casting time and without a
ritual book.

Delay Affliction [Minor]

You are a skilled healer, able to delay any affliction.
Benefit: You are able to use the Delay Affliction ritual, without a ritual book, and you must
spend 1 healing surge in the place of any component costs. You do require a healing kit of
some sort as well.

Diehard [Minor]
Even when you are put down, you don’t stay down easily.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to death saving throws, and it takes four failed death saving
throws to kill you.

Dowser [Minor]
You have a gift for dowsing.
Benefit: You can use the Dowsing Rod (PP157) ritual, without having a ritual book or spending
any component cost. You must have a specially prepared dowsing rod, but otherwise, can use
this ritual whenever you wish. You may only benefit from the effects of Dowsing Rod one at a
time, and any new casting of the ritual in this way discharges the former use.

Dryad’s Blessing [Minor]

You have been blessed by nature to be able to become a part of it.
Benefit: You can use the Tree Shape (PHB2-217) ritual once per day, without a ritual book and
use it without spending any component cost.

Ethereal Strider [Minor]

You are able to move between planes swiftly.
Benefit: You may teleport 1 extra square whenever you teleport.

Eyes of Death [Major]

You have the gift to see through the eyes of the dead.
Benefit: You can use the Last Sight Vision ritual, without a ritual book and with no component
cost. You must have a focus (an idol or totem connected to your power, worth 100gp), and the
body may have died within 1 day of attempting the ritual. If the body has been dead longer,
you may still use this ability, but it still costs its component cost.

Favored Enemy [Minor/Major]

You have studied a certain type of enemy, you are so familiar with them that you have an
intimate knowledge of how to fight them.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to damage to a certain type of damage. You can make it a major
merit if you collaborate with the DM to determine a possible common enemy type and gain a
bonus to attack and possibly a higher bonus to damage.

Feat of Strength [Minor]

With a great deal of effort, you can perform great feats of strength.
Benefit: You are able to use the Feat of Strength (FRPG144) ritual, without a ritual book,
though the target must be the user, and the casting time is reduced to 1 minute. The user spends
a healing surge in place of the component cost, and the user makes an Athletics or Endurance
check (DM discretion) in place of a Nature check.

Fortified Mind [Major]

Your mind is as strong as your body.
Benefit: You may use your Strength or Constitution instead of Wisdom or Charisma for your
Will defense.

Great Build [Major]

You are large and well built for one of your size.
Benefit: You may treat yourself as a size category larger for weapons.

Imposing [Major]
You are an intimidating figure and even the most courageous are unnerved by you.
Benefit: You grant a -2 penalty to saving throws to end fear effects you cause, and any
numerical penalties granted by powers with the fear or rattling keyword are increased by 1.
You can also roll Intimidate checks twice and use either result.

Jack of All Trades [Minor]

You are good at a lot of things, even when you don’t train yourself to do them.
Benefit: You gain Jack of All Trades (PHB198) as a bonus feat.

Knowledgeable [Minor]
You are well versed in knowledge of all types.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all knowledge checks.
Master Alchemist [Minor]
You are a skilled alchemist.
Benefit: You can create alchemical items of up to 2 levels higher than you.

Master Artisan [Major]

You’ve always been a skill crafter.
Benefit: You can use the martial practices Master Artisan (MP2-150), Temporary Fix (MP2-
152), and Forge Armor/Weapon (MP2-149). When you use Master Artisan, you can craft items
at 90% of the cost. When you use Forge Armor or Forge Weapon, it takes you half the time,
and you can craft items up to 2 levels higher with these practices.

Master Enchanter [Minor]

You are very good at enchanting things.
Benefit: You can enchant magic items of up to 2 levels higher than you.

Mind Over Body [Major]

You are able to exert your will over your body better than anyone else.
Benefit: You can use your Wisdom or Charisma instead of Strength or Constitution for your
Fortitude defense.

Natural Rider [Minor]

You have trained with mounts since you were young.
Benefit: You gain Mounted Combat (PHB199) as a bonus feat, and all mounts you ride gain a
+1 bonus to their speed.

Natural Swimmer [Minor]

You are a natural swimmer, able to move through the water with relative ease.
Benefit: You have a swim speed of 3, and can take 10 on Athletics checks to swim. You do not
have any ability to breathe underwater.

Nature’s Friend [Minor]

You are able to make plants bloom and grow.
Benefit: Once per day, you can cast the Bloom (PHB2|213) ritual with no casting time or ritual
book.

Perceptive [Minor]
You are able to sense danger around you, and usually catch details before most people.
Benefit: You gain Alertness (PHB193) as a bonus feat.

Piercing Eyes [Major]

Your eyes literally pierce through illusions.
Benefit: You have truesight 2 and a +4 bonus to skill checks to notice Illusions.

Polyglot [Minor]
You speak several languages, you’ve always been interested in linguistics.
 Benefit: You gain an extra language, and anytime you take the Linguist (PHB198) feat, you
gain an extra language.

Quick Healer [Major]

You recover from wounds and disease faster than most people.
Benefit: You regain additional hit points equal to your Constitution-modifier when you use
healing surges during a short rest, and you have a +5 bonus to Endurance checks against
disease.

Reactive [Minor]
You have quick reflexes.
Benefit: You gain Improved Initiative (PHB198) as a bonus feat.

Silver Tongue [Major]

You rarely have a slip of the tongue, and your words are like honey.
Benefit: You can roll Bluff and Diplomacy checks twice and use either result.

Sixth Sense [Major]

You noticed things ahead of time and can avoid them quickly.
Benefit: You may use your Wisdom instead of your Dexterity or Intelligence for your Reflex
defense.

Skill Focus [Minor]

You are a master of a certain skill.
Benefit: You gain Skill Focus (PHB201) as a bonus feat.

Smooth Talker [Minor]

Your good at talking your way out of things.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks.

Sneaky [Minor]
You are very good at avoiding detection.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Stealth and Thievery checks.

Spirit Servant [Minor]

You can summon a spirit to do tasks for you.
Benefit: Once per day, you can cast the Unseen Servant (AP158) ritual with no casting time
and without a ritual book, using yourself as the focus.

Stealth Master [Major]

You are very good and making sure that it’s nearly impossible to notice you.
Benefit: If you miss with an attack while hiding or invisible, you remain hidden or invisible.
You can also roll Stealth checks twice and use either result.

Strong Will [Minor]

You are strong willed and able to resist charms and enchantments.
 Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to your Will defense and a +2 bonus to saving throws against
charm effects.

Sturdy [Major]
Prerequisite: You must have a starting Strength or Constitution of at least 15.
You can more easily heft weight without being bogged down.
Benefit: You can wear heavy armor with no penalty to speed, and carry heavy loads with less
difficulty.

Sure Footed [Major]

You are agile and athletic, rarely faltering in any movement.
Benefit: You can roll Acrobatics and Athletics checks twice and use either result.

Survival Master [Major]

You are a skilled survivalist, allowing you to predict weather, prepare for harsh climates, and
ward campsites.
Benefit: You can use the Travel Sense (MP2-152), Survivor’s Preparation (MP2-151), and
Warded Campsite (MP2-152) Martial Practices. You can use the Travel Sense practice without
using a healing surge, but it only has an 80% chance of success. You are also capable of using
Survivor’s Preparation on up to 10 creatures.

Survivor [Minor]
You keep yourself alive by whatever means suits you best.
Benefit: You may substitute any ability score for Constitution when determining your starting
hit points.

Swift [Major]
You are quick and agile, able to move with ease.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to your base speed, can shift 1 extra square whenever a power
would allow you to shift.

Swift Charge [Minor]

You are quick to charge your opponents.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to speed when charging.

Tinkerer [Minor]
You enjoy tinkering with objects and can make a quick fix for an object in a pinch.
Benefit: You can use the Temporary Fix (MP2-152) Martial Practice. If you wish, you may use
it within 1 minute, with no healing surge cost, but if you do, the object is only fixed for 10
minutes, and cannot be repaired with this practice again without being completely repaired.

Tolerance [Minor]
You are very tolerant of poisons of any type.
Benefit: You gain a +5 bonus to saving throws against poison effects.

Tough [Minor]
Your thick-skinned and can last longer in combat.
Benefit: You gain Toughness (PHB201) as a bonus feat.

Tracker [Minor]
You are a skilled and capable tracker.
Benefit: You can use the Tracker’s Eye (MP2-152) Martial Practice. If you increase the time to
use the practice to 1 Hour, it does not cost you a healing surge to use.

Water Stride [Minor]

You have the ability to walk across water with some concentration.
Benefit: Once per day, you can cast the ritual Water Walk (PHB315) with no casting time and
without a ritual book.

Weather Sense [Minor]

You are able to predict the weather with relative accuracy.
Benefit: You may use the Portend Weather (PP157) ritual, without a ritual book, once per day
without using components, with 75% accuracy.

Well-Trained [Major]
You have trained vigorously to become the best you can at what you do.
Benefit: You add 1 to your ability score modifier for any class features. You may also choose
any other class feature with a numerical benefit and add an extra +1 or die to that ability. How
exactly this works is up to DM discretion.

Wild Step [Minor]

You can move through undergrowth with little difficulty.
Benefit: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
Flaws

Addiction [Minor or Major]

There is something you cannot live without.
Effect: You are either addicted to something easily attained (alcohol) or something much
harder to come across. If you don’t have any of this substance for a certain period of time, it
begins to give penalties. This is all DM discretion.

Bleeder [Minor]
You’re a bleeder, it’s hard for you to recover from bloody wounds.
Effect: You take a -5 penalty to saving throws against untyped ongoing damage.

Blind [Major]
Paired Merit: You must have the Blindsight merit.
You are blind.
Effect: You are blind.

Clumsy [Minor]
Your reactions and movements are bumbling and dull.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to Acrobatics, Stealth, and Thievery checks.

Coward [Minor]
You are easily frightened.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to defenses against fear effects and have a -3 penalty to saving
throws against fear effects.

Cursed [Minor or Major]

At some point in your life, you were cursed.
Effect: Working with the DM, you decide on a curse that has affected you.

Dim Witted [Minor]

You’ve never been one for study.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to all knowledge checks.

Distracted [Minor]
You are very easily distracted.
Effect: You take a -2 penalty to Passive Perception and Insight and checks (including Arcana
checks made with the Sorcerous Vision feat or other similar effects), as well as Nature and
Dungeoneering checks to forage or notice things.

Dull Senses [Major]

You have very dulled senses.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to Initiative, and a -4 penalty to Insight and Perception checks,
and cannot take the Alertness (PHB193) or Danger Sense (PHB202) feats.
Feeble [Minor]
Prerequisite: Starting Constitution less than 15
You are weak bodied.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to your Fortitude defense.

Frail [Major]
Prerequisite: Starting Constitution less than 15
You do not take hits well and fall in battle easily.
Effect: You have a -1 penalty to your Fortitude defense, lose 5 hit points each tier, and cannot
take the Toughness (PHB201) feat.

Illiterate [Minor]
You are illiterate, and have suffered in your learning because of it.
Effect: You are illiterate, and take a -2 penalty to two of the following skills: Arcana,
Dungeoneering, Heal, History, Nature, or Religion.

Inaction [Major]
You are slow to act, whether it is from fear, hesitation, or a desire to avoid conflict.
Effect: You have a -4 penalty to initiative and when you roll for initiative, you roll twice and
take the lowest result. You cannot take the Danger Sense (PHB202) or Improved Initiative
feats (PHB198).

Introvert [Minor]
You have a hard time speaking to others.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks.

Light Sensitivity [Minor]

You have been raised in an environment where light bothers you.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to defenses and saves against any effect that is light or radiant-
based.

Mania [Major or Minor]

You have a mental compulsion to do things you know you probably should not.
Effect: You are compelled to do certain acts (eg. steal things or set fires), though how this
works is to be determined by the DM.

Mark of Justice [Major]

You have had a Mark of Justice placed on you for some reason.
Effect: You have been affected by a Mark of Justice (DP158), which must be worked out with
the DM.

Merciful [Major]
You refuse to strike an enemy who is at your mercy.
Effect: You cannot make attacks against helpless or unconscious foes, and do not gain combat
advantage against prone enemies. You also cannot allow torture and are compelled to protect
 anyone that is helpless. If you take any actions forbidden (or refuse to act accordingly) by this
flaw, the punishment is up to DM discretion.

Murky-Eyed [Minor]
Prerequisites: Low-Light Vision, Darkvision
You have never been able to see in the dark the way others of your race can.
Effect: You have normal vision. If you have Darkvision, you have Low-Light vision instead.

Mute [Major]
You can’t speak.
Effect: You cannot speak, though you can still read, write, and understand your known
languages. This also comes with an obvious penalty (circumstantially) to Bluff, Diplomacy,
and Intimidation checks.

Nature’s Release [Minor]

Prerequisites: Bullywug
You are an abomination of nature in the eyes of the primal spirits.
Effect: Anytime an enemy scores a critical hit against you, they regain hit points equal to your
level.

Overprotective [Major]
You will defend someone to the end.
Effect: You choose one ally, if that ally is attacked by an enemy, you must make an attack
against that enemy (or at least one enemy that has attacked that ally) or take a -2 penalty to
your attack rolls, ability checks, and skill checks until the start of your next turn. If that ally is
dropped below 0 hit points, but still alive, you take the -2 penalty until the ally is conscious
again.

Phobia [Minor]
You are extremely afraid of something.
Effect: You must make a saving throw (with a -2 penalty) to move adjacent or remain adjacent
to whatever it is you fear. You cannot mark any creature towards which you have a phobia.

Poor Defenses [Major]

You’ve always had weak defenses.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to AC and a -1 penalty to all secondary defenses.

Slight Build [Major]

Prerequisite: You must be Medium sized and race choice is at DMs discretion and starting
Strength of less than 15
You are slight of build.
Effect: You reduce your height and weight and are treated as a small creature.

Slow [Major]
You’ve always been slow, maybe you have a slight limp or maybe you’re just slow.
 Effect: You reduce your base speed by 1, -2 penalty to save against slow and immobilize
effects, and you have a -1 penalty to your Reflex defense; and you cannot take any feats that
increase your speed.

Slow Healer [Minor]

You recover from battle slowly.
Effect: Your healing surge value is reduced by 2. At 15th level, it is reduced by 3. At 25th level,
it is reduced by 4.

Sluggish [Minor]
Prerequisite: Starting Dexterity less than 15
Your reflexes are slow.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to your Reflex defense.

Vulnerability [Major]
You are vulnerable to some kind of damage.
Effect: You gain vulnerability 5 to acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, or psychic damage. This
vulnerability increases to 8 at 11th level, and 10 at 21st level.

Weak-Minded [Minor]
You are weak-willed.
Effect: You have a -2 penalty to your Will defense.
Traits

Brutish
You are gruff looking and most people are stand-offish with you.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks.
Drawback: You take a -2 penalty to Bluff and Diplomacy checks.
Suggested Merits: Diehard, Tough (minor); Great Build, Imposing (major)
Suggested Flaws: Clumsy, Illiterate (minor); Slow (major)

Child
Prerequisite: Age below or within the Puberty range for your race
You are clever and young, skilled but often underestimated.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks and all Dexterity-based checks.
Drawback: You have a -2 penalty to all Strength and Intelligence-based checks.
Suggested Merits: Athletic, Reactive (minor); Silver Tongue, Swift (major)
Suggested Flaws: Coward, Phobia (minor); Slight Build (major)

Elderly
Prerequisite: Age in the Old range for your race
You are aged, but not necessarily beyond your ability to adventure.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to History checks and all Wisdom-based checks (except
Perception).
Drawback: You have a -2 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution-based checks.
Suggested Merits: Knowledgeable, Master Alchemist, Master Enchanter, Skill Focus (minor);
Well-Trained (major)
Suggested Flaws: Bleeder, Clumsy, Feeble, Murky-Eyed, Sluggish (minor); Dull Senses, Frail,
Slow (major)

Eunuch
Prerequisite: Male
You are unfettered by your ‘masculinity’, of course, this is not always unburdening.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom-based skill checks.
Drawback: You have a -2 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution-based checks.
Suggested Merits: Knowledgeable, Strong Will (minor); Complex Mind, Mind Over Body,
Well-Trained (major)
Suggested Flaws: Feeble (minor); Frail, Inaction, Slight Build (major)

Kobold Quirk
Prerequisite: Kobold
You are an excitable kobold.
Effect: You are affected by the kobold victory chart.

Overcautious
You are very cautious, to the point of jumpy, though your judgment is compromised.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Initiative and Perception checks.
 Drawback: You have a -2 penalty to Insight checks. You have a -1 penalty to melee attack rolls
and a -2 penalty to saving throws against fear effects while bloodied.
Suggested Merits: Sneaky (minor); Awareness, Sixth Sense (major)
Suggested Flaws: Coward, Phobia (minor); Inaction, Merciful (major)

Reckless
You are violent and aggressive, often ignoring danger for your own desire to charge ahead.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Initiative checks and damage rolls.
Drawback: You have a -1 penalty to all defenses.
Suggested Merits: Courageous, Diehard (minor); Swift (major)
Suggested Flaws: Clumsy (minor); Mania, Poor Defenses (major)

Stygian or Canian Born

Prerequisite: Tiefling
You are a tiefling of frost.
Effect: Any tiefling ability that relates to fire, now relates to cold.