Traits

Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. (James the Just 4:17, Letter of James)

It is a natural right to satisfy one’ **s soul with revenge. (Attila)

Est Sularus Oth Mithas. (“My honor is my life”, Oath of the Knights of Solamnia)

In OBSS there is no clear distinction between good and evil, law and chaos, between what is right and what is wrong.

In OBSS there are Traits, aspects, and character nuances that contribute to the character’ **s background, help the player roleplay better, and provide guidelines for interpreting the character they chose to create.

A Trait is a detail that helps frame the character, outlines their main characteristics, and gives them different nuances.

Each player chooses 5 Traits for their character at character creation. These will guide the character’ **s actions and choices. The player chooses the Traits, not the Patron: the Patron associated with the dominant Trait will claim the character.

Choosing Traits: Traits are not the character; they do not lock them in or fix them permanently in time. A character is constantly evolving, as are their character, morals, behavior, and desires. Do not be rigid, but use Traits as suggestions from which to draw inspiration. If you want a more defined thematic and psychological framework to orient your initial choice of 5 Traits, you can consult the optional section \hyperlinkarchetipiCharacter Archetypes (p. \pagerefarchetipi).

Traits have no positive or negative connotation; they only serve to frame the character and show which Patron is most interested in them. They are not meant to define whether you are good or bad; everyone has their own morals regardless of the Traits they possess.

At first level, choose the most characteristic Trait for your character; it has a value of 1, while the other 4 Traits have a value of 0.

As time passes and adventures unfold, Traits increase in value or may be replaced by other Traits, agreed upon by the Game Master and player based on how the character is played. The higher a Trait’ **s value, the more present and pervasive it is in the character’ **s choices.

During adventures, following significant scenes and roleplaying, the Game Master may increase a character’ **s Trait by one point, or a fraction of a point.

For example, after a particular situation or at the climax of an adventure, the Game Master might grant everyone, or specific characters, the Courageous Trait, or award a +1 to Courageous for those who already have it. For unselected Traits, the base point value is considered -1: the first point serves to acquire the Trait, and subsequent points to emphasize it.

While it is relatively easy to acquire new Traits, it is difficult to change those already present. Speak with the Game Master; they will prepare situations and adventures to help you understand how to evolve the character and potentially change chosen Traits.

On the character sheet you will find checks next to Traits, marked following actions suitable for increasing a Trait’ **s value; upon reaching 10 checks, the Trait increases by 1 point and a new set of ten begins.

The Game Master will tell you during the adventure when to mark, or erase, partial points. As a rule of thumb, it is assumed that a character acquires at least one Trait point per level.

Every particularly important action where the character acts in accordance with a Trait brings them closer to the Patrons who share that Trait. A shared Trait indicates the channel through which a Patron recognizes the character, not necessarily the moral end or manner in which that Trait is expressed: the same Trait can carry different meanings for different Patrons.

The dominant Trait is the chosen Trait with the highest score. To identify the claiming Patron, consult the first Trait in the Patron - Trait Connection Table (p. ) corresponding to the dominant Trait. If multiple Traits share the same highest score, the player chooses which of the corresponding Patrons prevails. If multiple Patrons share the same guide Trait, compare common complementary Traits; if this affinity is also tied, the player decides.

Rule of the Genesis Patrons: The Genesis Patrons (Ljust and Calicante) are primordial entities so vast and transcendent that they do not claim a mortal based on a single affinity: they only claim characters who have at least 4 distinct Traits in common with them. If a character’ **s dominant Trait coincides with the guide Trait of a Genesis Patron (Compassionate for Ljust or Ambitious for Calicante), but the character does not possess at least 4 distinct Traits in common with them, the Genesis Patron does not claim them; the character is instead claimed by the Patron corresponding to their second-highest Trait (or, in case of a tie, the one with whom they share the most complementary Traits; if still tied, the player chooses).

If the second Trait also belongs to a Genesis Patron that does not reach 4 common Traits, proceed to the next Trait following the same tie-breaking criteria. Continue until an eligible Patron is found; if no Patron is eligible, the character is not claimed and receives no Patron powers until they satisfy the requirements. This check is repeated whenever the dominant Trait changes.

The Patron identified in this way claims the character: the Patron is not freely chosen by the player.

Checking the claiming Patron must be repeated whenever the dominant Trait changes. A change can become a major narrative event: the former Patron withdraws and the new Patron steps in, claiming the character.

The sum of points of common Traits with the claiming Patron establishes closeness and granted powers:

At 5 points, one has the closeness of a Patron.
At 10 points, one has a bond with a Patron.
At 15 points, one becomes a champion of a Patron.
At 20 points, one becomes an absolute champion of the Patron.

To calculate the sum, consider only the Traits chosen by the character that appear among those of the claiming Patron (listed both in its description and in the Patron - Trait Connection Table). Powers granted by Traits are received solely from the claiming Patron, even if the character has formalized no adherence.

Formal adherence, on the other hand, is a choice of the player. A Follower is a claimed character who chooses to embrace the Patron’ **s influence: they gain access to favored energy forms, a domain spell linked to their affinity, and a base benefit. A Devotee is a Follower who shares at least 4 distinct Traits in common with the Patron and has forged a deeper bond with them: they receive greater benefits, but are subject to stricter taboos and dissonances. Those who do not formally adhere still receive powers derived from the sum of common Traits with the claiming Patron, but do not access the specific benefits of Follower and Devotee. Follower and Devotee are mutually exclusive choices: one cannot be both, nor adhere to two different Patrons.

Patrons seek to make their Traits dominant over others; having powerful, akin mortals is precious in view of the Judgment of the Hundred Years. Use the Traits and the bond with the Patron to your advantage.

Then check in the chapter Cosmology (p. ) the powers granted by the claiming Patron; it is advisable to do so with each increase in Trait values.

The Game Master is free to introduce new Traits upon player request; it is recommended to assign new Traits to Patron profiles as well.

Traits List

Each Trait is briefly described in its general meaning. The character is free to interpret the Trait as they feel it.

Altruistic: Puts the well-being of others first, placing others’ ** needs ahead of their own.
Ambitious: Driven by the desire to rise, excel, or accumulate power, influence, or success, placing their own goals at the center.
Arrogant: Shows presumption and superiority, devaluing or treating those around them with condescension.
Greedy: Withholds resources, goods, or knowledge for themselves, reluctant to share or give up what they possess.
Cynical: Views the world and others’ ** motives with disenchantment, distrust, or cutting irony.
Cowardly: Yields to fear in the face of danger, seeking flight or personal safety at any cost.
Compassionate: Feels deep empathy for the suffering of others and senses a moral need to bring relief.
Courageous: Faces dangers, fears, and challenges head-on, sustained by determination.
Cruel: Inflicts physical or psychological suffering without remorse, sometimes deriving gratification from it.
Curious: Driven by the need to explore, discover secrets, and understand what they do not know.
Dishonest: Believes truth is negotiable; deceives, omits, or manipulates to achieve their ends.
Dissolute: Pursues excess and immediate pleasure, heedless of moral or social boundaries.
Enthusiastic: Acts with fervor, contagious passion, and energy in whatever they undertake.
Extroverted: Seeks company, gains energy from interaction, and expresses themselves with ease in a group.
Kind: Interacts with others with grace, attentiveness, respect, and gentleness.
Impulsive: Acts on the spur of emotion or immediate instinct, without weighing risks or consequences.
Indecisive: Hesitates at length before choices, immobilized by doubt or fear of making a mistake.
Uncompromising: Inflexible in their principles, rejecting compromises or nuances.
Envious: Experiences the success, qualities, or possessions of others with bitterness and resentment.
Loyal: Honors their word, bonds, and trust received, remaining faithful even through adversity.
Patient: Knows how to await the opportune moment with steadfastness and composure, without being ruled by haste.
Cautious: Evaluates risks and consequences before acting, avoiding reckless moves.
Suspicious: Tends to doubt others’ ** intentions, fearing deception or hidden threats.
Stubborn: Pursues their goals with unshakeable obstinacy, even in the face of obstacles or setbacks.
Vain: Confident in their exceptional qualities, worth, or appearance, taking pleasure in others’ ** admiration.
Vindictive: Does not forget wrongs suffered and pursues payback, often far beyond the measure of the offense.

Characters and Traits: If a character’ **s actions temporarily deviate from or openly contradict their chosen Traits without narrative motivation (e.g., out of pure opportunism or to circumvent rules), the Game Master may intervene by reducing the affected Traits or suspending the award of roleplaying-related experience points.

If, on the other hand, this contrast arises from an authentic ethical dilemma, trauma, or profound personal maturation, we are facing a Character Crisis: a cathartic moment of transformation. In such a case, Game Master and player can agree on the gradual replacement of one or more Traits, an eventual change of the dominant Trait (beginning a new relationship with a different claiming Patron), or a transition toward a new reference archetype.