Traits play an important role in the journey of a Chaos Seed, as they allow both heroes and denizens of The Land to ease an aspect of their lives or do the impossible. Traits, unlike Subskills, are unique to a person and cannot be learned. Traits are developed at birth or gifted to a person by the Universe as a reward for a remarkable achievement, and can be passed down through bloodlines. Traits have a rarity (quality/power) ranking system, much like other magics, skills, and items. As a Chaos Seed, you will have a limit as to how many traits you can have at one time. In addition to rarity, Character Traits have two major distinctions: Major and Minor.
Character Trait Limitation
As a third generation Chaos Seed, you may only ever have one Major Character Trait. These are huge, game changing abilities, such as the ability to use a higher level magic, or a natural affinity with an attack type that just makes you unequal in your skill. Major Character Traits will generally change the rules of your character, as they will grant you abilities that you will have to create custom entries for. Minor Character Traits are small bonuses that will help your character in small ways, such as a bonus to hit or damage, or with a skill. You may have as many Minor Traits as your Proficiency Bonus, which is two at first level.
Acquiring Character Traits
As a general rule, your Chaos Seed will not start with a Character Trait. They are given out as rewards for great service to the campaign; or at special events; or for being very involved member of our campaign. Certain adventures will also allow a random Character Trait to be awarded to players, which will be determined by campaign staff. Most of these will be awarded in the form of a “Trait Shard”, which is an item you can trade for either a random or specific trait, depending on the Shard.
Trait Shards are generally tradable, and if you don’t want one that you have acquired, you can give it to another player. However, once someone has decided to bond it to their character (which requires a short rest), the shard is destroyed and the Character Trait forever belongs to that Chaos Seed, unless they decide to destroy it for a better trait.
Changing Character Traits
Once a trait has been bonded to a character during a short rest, it cannot be traded. As there is a limit on how many traits a Chaos Seed can have active at one time, they will sometimes need to permanently dismiss one Character Trait to add a new one. Dismissing a Character Trait can only be done during a short rest, and can be done in conjunction with bonding a new Character Trait (both actions in the same short rest). Once a Character Trait has been dismissed, it is gone forever – you can never recall it, except under very specific circumstances.
Most Character Traits do not have a significant impact on your character; they are generally small bonuses or minor abilities. Some however, notably Major Character Traits, may change a huge aspect of your character if dismissed. If, for example, a Character Trait gives you the ability to learn Fire Magic spells as a non-caster, and you dismiss it, you lose access to casting those spells, even if you know them from another source.
Trait Types
Common Traits are the simplest of traits, and often give a minor bonus to a d20 roll.
Uncommon Traits are generally upgraded versions of common traits, but begin to include some defenses and resistances.
Rare Traits start to change the adventuring styles of a Chaos Seed. These will give a Chaos Seed new abilities, or significantly enhance their current ones.
Epic Traits are generally life changing, as they may completely altar the build of your character. Some of them are just super helpful, while some of them have advanced statistical bonuses.
Racial Traits are traits that are excluded to a specific Race or Species of character, depending on which term you use.
Event Traits are generally special traits given out at major events, either online or at a convention. They are almost always Minor Character Traits, and generally have a non-specific bonus.
Other Traits is a category for “meta” traits, such as when a character is converted from another campaign into this one, or as a service award for DMs.