Merits and Flaws

Although the standard character creation rules presented in Exalted allow for considerable diversity, players and Storytellers desiring greater customization and detail may incorporate the optional system of Merits and Flaws into their games. Merits represent specific advantages purchased with bonus points. Characters may theoretically have as many Merits as they can afford to purchase, limited only by the relative scarcity of bonus points. Flaws work in reverse, imposing disadvantages in exchange for additional bonus points to spend on other Traits.

Characters may only receive up to 10 extra bonus points from Flaws, regardless of the number taken. This cap limits abuse of Traits solely obtained for points and cuts down on patently ridiculous combinations of high-value Flaws. The dying, insane, blind, one-legged, one-armed sterile man cursed with terrible fate and bad luck is a pathetic wretch that doesn't really belong as a heroic protagonist, even if he has five dots in almost every Ability and Willpower 10 to show for it.

Most importantly, Storytellers may veto any selection of Merits and Flaws for any character for any reason, period. This decision should take into account the ways that Merits and Flaws affect the character who takes them as well as the other protagonists in the game. A character with Known Anathema is going to bring down reprisal on a Circle of Solar Exalted, and the other players didn't ask for that trouble. On the one hand, this creates drama and story seeds. On the other, players may not appreciate being part of this particular drama just because somebody felt he just had to take another dot of Essence. In a similar vein, Storytellers should consider whether a Merit or Flaw will be played as intended or lie forgotten in the margin of a character sheet. While ostensibly the duty of the player who selected the Trait, it is the Storyteller's job to ensure that Flaws are not conveniently overlooked.

Gaining and Losing Merits and Flaws

If something happens during the course of play that removes, modifies or imposes a new Trait, the Storyteller has three choices. The first is to treat Merits and Flaws like Backgrounds. They can change with the plot and events but do not cost or reward players after character creation. This system is simple, but it can create a sense of unfairness if a player takes extra points with Amputee and then finds a Solar healer to regenerate the missing limb, while a character who suffers an Abyssal's Artful Maiming Onslaught receives no compensation for the loss of a hand.

The second option requires more work from the Storyteller, but it offers more fairness. If the character loses a Trait, it will eventually be replaced with another Trait of equal value. If a character gains a Trait, then it comes with the erosion of another Trait. This method is easy on the bookkeeping, but it may feel contrived, especially if the Storyteller cannot find a good story explanation for the change. Also, this method does not address circumstances of great point discrepancy, where a character stands to gain a Trait whose value greatly exceeds the existing number of Merits or Flaws.

The final method is the most complicated but, also, the most thorough. If a character loses a Merit or gains a Flaw, she receives a number of experience points equal to twice its bonus point value. If a character gains a Merit or loses a Flaw, she must pay a like number of experience. If the character cannot pay this full cost, she pays whatever she has available and must allocate all further experience to the remaining balance until it is paid in full. Characters with more than 10 points of Flaws receive no experience for the excess. The Storyteller may use any of these three methods or a combination, as appropriate, to the specific Trait and situation.

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Only sensible Merits and Flaws were listed. Rest can be found in the book.

Merits

Physical

Acute Sense (1- or 3-pt. Merit per sense)

The character has one or more senses heightened to superhuman sensitivity, for a cost of one bonus point each. The character adds two dice to any Perception and/or Awareness dice pool involving a heightened sense, but his player must make a reflexive Wits + Awareness roll at standard difficulty whenever that sense experiences extremely intense stimuli. Failure inflicts a one-die penalty to all actions requiring concentration until the stimulus abates or the acclimation roll succeeds on a successive turn. If a character instead pays three bonus points per sense, the sense is heightened to preternatural acuity. For example, a character with preternatural hearing could navigate entirely by the reflection and pitch of echoes, compensating entirely for pitch darkness or blindness except for an inability to discern colors and purely visual data. This sensitivity also adds four dice to relevant rolls involving the sense. Unfortunately, such extreme acuity increases the difficulty of sensory-overload rolls and the dice penalty for failure to two. The enhancement provided by this Merit is not cumulative with Charms and other magic. Only the highest bonus applies. Bonus dice awarded by a heightened sense do not aid in resisting overstimulation.

Pain Tolerance (3-, 5- or 7-pt. Merit)

Characters with this Merit can shrug off injuries that would leave most individuals unconscious or writhing in agony. For a cost of three points, the character can ignore one die of wound penalties, but this numbness increases the difficulty of all Awareness rolls based on touch by one. Five points allow the character to ignore two dice of wound penalties but also increases the difficulty of touch-based Awareness by a like amount. At seven points, the character feels nothing. Even if mortally wounded, he may continue to act without any penalties for injuries that do not involve actual maiming. If maimed, the character can briefly jog on broken legs, swing his shattered stump of an arm like a club and perform other acts of relentless fortitude. The downside to seven-point resilience is that the character automatically fails rolls that require a sense of touch and must visually inspect his body for injuries that require treatment to prevent infection or bleeding to death. The effects of this Merit are not cumulative with Charms and other magic that negate wound penalties. Only the most powerful effect applies. Pain Tolerance is particularly common among ghosts, Lunar Exalted and deathknights with corpse-like flesh.

Social

Enchanting Feature (2-pt. Merit)

Something about the character is striking and attractive or at least conveys a strong presence. He may have deep eyes that seem to hold the secrets of the universe or a voice that resonates like the basso rumble of a lion. Whenever the character can exploit this feature, he adds one die to all pertinent Social rolls, as decided by the Storyteller.

Innocuous (2- or 4-pt. Merit)

Characters with the two-point version of this Merit have an eerily unremarkable visage. Height, weight and build are all average, all plain. No one is apt to pick them from a crowd unless their skin and hair is dramatically different in hue than all the locals — and, possibly, not even then. People are less likely to remember them at all if they do nothing to draw attention to themselves. Such everyman anonymity adds one die to pertinent Larceny and Stealth rolls and adds one to the difficulty of any casual pursuit or investigation of the character. This will not foil any serious inquiry, nor does it grant any bonus if the character is alone or does something memorable (such as showing any level of an anima banner). Characters must have Appearance 2 in order to purchase this version of Innocuous.

The four-point version of Innocuous is a Supernatural Merit rather than Social. The character is not simply ordinary, but cloaked in an aura of subtle obscurity. Those who witness and even interact with her find their memories blurred. They may recall the conversation, but not the person with whom they spoke. More astute characters might remember "that girl" or maybe even "that redhaired girl" if they are especially insightful, but that’s about the best most can hope for.

Mechanically, this more powerful version doubles the bonuses afforded by the lesser version of this Merit. Additionally, onlookers do not remember more than superficial details from interactions with the character without a Wits + Essence roll. The base difficulty of this roll is 6, reduced by 1 for every significant interaction the observer had with the character in the previous week. Roll at the conclusion of each encounter. Once a witness pierces the anonymity, the difficulty of subsequent memory checks is the number of full weeks she has gone without interacting with the obscured character. This roll is made once a week, starting with the first full week of no contact. On a failure, existing memories of previous encounters with the obscured character blur and fade regardless of their significance. Magical beings (those with Essence 2+) indefinitely ignore the aura of anonymity after they pierce it once, but only if the hidden character has a lower permanent Essence. Unfortunately, magically cloaked characters have obvious difficulties forming lasting relationships and may not have more than two dots each of Allies, Contacts, Mentor or any other socially dependent Backgrounds unless their associates are powerful magical beings assumed to have pierced the veil. Veiled characters may not have Followers, Henchmans, a Cult, any form of Command or other Backgrounds contingent on being widely known without extremely unusual circumstances approved by the Storyteller.

Sidereals may not purchase Innocuous in either version, as their innate Arcane Fate surpasses and supersedes the Merit's effects. The effects of Innocuous do not stack with Charms and other magic that conceal identity. Only the most powerful effect applies.

Supernatural

Destiny and Exaltation

Terrestrial Exaltation flows through the twin vagaries of bloodline and luck. This is not so for Celestial Exalted, for which their selection is a matter of destiny and suitability. This is not to say that the Celestial Exalted are predestined, save perhaps a handful of Sidereals for whom the Maidens dangerously and deliberately bend the rules. Rather, Celestial Essences can only affix themselves to destinies worthy of their glory.

Most mortals are utterly insignificant to the Tapestry as a whole, with an effective Destiny rating of 0. Far less have Destiny 1 and considerably fewer Destiny 2 and so on, until only the rarest and most precious souls alive in Creation have the kind of world-shaping fate of Destiny 5. Mortals below Destiny 3 simply cannot contain a Celestial Essence. It isn't that anything terrible would happen to them. It just isn’t possible. Of course, not all those with sufficient Destiny receive Exaltation. There aren’t nearly enough Essences to go around. That is where luck comes in. For Solars and Lunars, a mortal of sufficient destiny draws attention to herself at the exact moment an Essence is available, and a dramatic Exaltation occurs. For Sidereals, the Essence finds them according to its arcane design before they are even born, drawn by preordained greatness of Destiny 4 or better. Abyssal and Infernal Exalted are like their Solar cousins and only require Destiny 3, but the Deathlords can only thrust the terrible bargain of the Black Exaltation upon mortals at the very cusp of death, and the Yozis must follow their own alien precepts.

When Celestial Exaltation takes place, the Essence overrides most or all of the mortal's extant Destiny. In place of a heroic certainty, the new Exalt is imbued with the power to make her own way and write her own fate. This reduces the character’s Destiny rating by four in the case of Sidereals and three for the rest. Any remaining points of Destiny fold in on themselves like frayed threads, accommodating a new minor fate appropriate to the Exalt. Those heroic mortals not blessed with Exaltation go on with their lives toward their destined and certain end, a bright strand of color in the Loom of Fate against the drab of their brethren. A good life or a good end is their lot, and no more, and still, it is considerably better than most.

So what does this mean, from a rules perspective? Very little, actually. Every heroic mortal has at least a point of Destiny by their very nature and usually two or three points. It makes them what they are: special, set apart. It isn’t necessary to assign or require purchase of the Destiny Merit unless differentiation of greatness or a specific fate is desired — or unless there is the possibility of Exaltation. As stated above, mortals who lack the appropriate Destiny do not Exalt unless they bear the blood of the Dragons. Period. That is how it works. Either the Storyteller needs to award sufficient Destiny for free or assume all the characters have it without bothering to write anything down or stipulate that players must buy the Merit if they wish to be eligible. No matter what, Storytellers should be open and upfront about the role Destiny will play in their games, both as a Trait and a force in the plot.

Destiny (1- to 5-pt. Merit)

A character with Destiny shall live most auspiciously, her fate written large in the stars above. Providence comes in many forms and degrees of fortune, as represented by the number of points invested in this Merit. A one-point destiny may be a long and uneventful life of good health without serious hunger. Two points promise a lifetime of financial prosperity or many offspring to carry the family name — or perhaps the greater prosperity of a famed tradesman, local hero or honored elder. In three points lie the destinies of merchant princes, kings of small nations and those of similar ilk. The favored scion of a Dynastic house might bear such a fate, as might the conscript who survives and rises through the ranks to become a general in his own right. Four points promise the life of a hero whose deeds shall live on in songs and stories for many generations to come or perhaps the founder of a lasting noble dynasty. Five-point destinies only surround the mightiest sorcerers and emperors whose exploits transform their era and world. The combined fate of entire nations bends before such epochal figures.

While ultimately positive in its way, destiny need not be kind to those who bear it or those who stand in its path. A foreordained king may claim his crown through assassination and treachery, his greatness rooted in tyranny. Conversely, a selfless hero may deliver her people from that same tyrant through her martyrdom, her greatness culminating in personal tragedy even as her name becomes legend. Such juxtapositions of greatness and doom may best be represented by a combination of this Merit and the Dark Fate Flaw. Characters bearing the twin marks of fortune and misfortune will fulfill both in their time, usually through the same events. Any astrologer can sense the weight of fortune upon the horoscope of those bearing Destiny with a single success, though discerning the specifics of such a destiny requires far more effort and research. It is worth noting the difference between capacity for greatness and certainty of greatness. All Exalted bear the capacity to become mighty heroes or despots by virtue of their power, yet not all do so by virtue of the very free will granted by that potential. Those with Destiny must fulfill their fate unless that destiny is rewoven by the power of the Maidens, and even the Celestines cannot alter the fate of the dead and Abyssal Exalted. It is incumbent upon Storytellers to ensure that coincidence protects those with a powerful fate until that fate finds fruition, though such protection may seem cruel or callous. Such characters are not wholly defended from misfortune and injury, but only such misfortune as directly interferes with their appointed role. There is no system for such protection, as it is more of a storytelling matter.

Players who invest points in this Merit may request a particular destiny for their characters or leave the specifics in the hands of the Storyteller. As always, Storytellers should feel free to veto any fate they find inappropriate for their story. Celestial, Abyssal and Infernal Exalted can only have the smallest of destinies, as their Exaltation overrides rigid fate with the freedom of true self-determination. As such, they may not have more than one or two points of Destiny (see sidebar). Terrestrial and Alchemical Exalted do not base their Exaltations on destiny and, therefore, suffer no such limitations.

Lucky (1- to 5-pt. Merit, 1- to 3-pt. for Sidereals)

A character with this Merit lives in interesting times, blessed with an unlikely preponderance of fortune that follows his every enterprise. He may or may not also have Destiny, as luck is quite a different force than fate. Those with Destiny find their luck invisibly guiding them toward that ordained end, while those without particular fate drift aimlessly and gracefully as a windblown leaf through the challenges of life.

Lucky characters receive a luck pool equal to the number of points invested in the Merit. Players may spend a point of luck to repeat any roll at the same difficulty and target number. Even botches may be rerolled with luck, provided the botches are not the result of broken oaths enforced by the anima of an Eclipse Caste Solar or a Moonshadow Caste Abyssal or similarly potent curses. Multiple rerolls may be applied to a single task until the desired result is obtained or until the luck runs out.

Players may also spend points of luck to affect a game of chance or other completely random event involving the character. Each point spent in this manner increases the character's chance of success by 10 percent. In such situations, the Storyteller should roll one die, adding one to the result per luck point spent. If the modified result comes up 6 or higher, the event favors the character. Characters with this Merit regain one luck point after every full week they do not call upon their luck and refresh their luck pool fully at the end of each story. Sidereal characters receive two more luck points than the number of points invested in the Merit, though they may not have a luck pool greater than five. Consequently, Sidereals with this Merit pay a maximum of three points for a luck pool of five and may not have a luck pool smaller than three.

Flaws

Physical

Small (3-pt. Flaw)

A character with this Flaw stands only four and a half feet tall or less. She has difficulty reaching and manipulating objects designed for normal adult size, reducing her effective Strength by one dot for the sole purpose of meeting the minimum requirements of weapons and large tools. Her reduced size also costs her one -1 health level. Lunar Exalted with this Flaw appear proportionally smaller in all forms unless assuming a specific guise as with Prey's Skin Disguise. In addition to representing children or short adults or pygmy races such as the Djala, this Flaw can aid in portraying extremely gaunt and frail characters of normal height (especially in conjunction with low Stamina).

Unusual Appearance (1- or 2-pt. Flaw)

For one point, the character has hair and/or eyes of a striking color, such as vivid scarlet, sea green, ashen white or some stranger hue. For two points, the character's skin also exhibits remarkable pigmentation or the colorless white of an albino. It is also possible that the character has no hair on his body at all. Regardless of the specifics, the character's appearance must deviate notably from the expected norm to warrant an actual Flaw. For example, there is nothing unusual about green-haired Haltans, though such a character might take this Flaw for a story set among the blonde and gray hues of a village in the Far North. As always, the Storyteller retains final say on whether a character's appearance deviates sufficiently. Those marked by striking colors have a harder time hiding or impersonating others and may suffer discrimination and suspicious stares from xenophobes (losing one die from pertinent Stealth, Larceny and Social rolls). True albinos often have the Sun-Seared Flaw.

Social

Child (3-pt. Flaw)

The character has not yet reached full maturity, and therefore, most adults treat him with patronizing amusement or disdain. His opinions are generally ignored in favor of those older and wiser, especially in matters for his own good. And that assumes anyone even bothers to hear what he has to say in the first place. The character's player loses one to three dice from all Social rolls involving interactions with adults, depending on the tolerance of the adult in question. Most children also have the Small Flaw and a measure of Unskilled.