Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Decide how many traits you want your players to have. Having two traits is considered the equivalent of a bonus feat, however, you may want your players to have more or less depending upon the game. If you have a game with very difficult challenges, you may want to give your players more traits to make their characters more powerful. In addition, you may want to allow more traits in a game with a lot of role-playing to give players more choices when creating a character's background and personality.
Decide when the players will receive their traits. Typically, players decide on their characters' traits at the beginning of the game. Traits represent qualities and skills that a character acquired before the storyline of the game. There are ways to vary this. For example, you may have the characters encounter a situation that radically alters their lives, and may want to allow more traits following the situation to represent this encounter. Characters should acquire traits in a way that is suitable to the game.
Look over lists of traits to decide if there are any you should not allow. Paizo Publishing, the company that produces "Pathfinder," has many official traits. However, this game has a history of high fan contribution, so there are many fan-created traits online, as well. Decide whether or not you will allow any fan-created traits or if there are any official traits that are incompatible with your game. You can also make up traits that are compatible with your game. Compile a list of traits that your players can choose or a list of traits that your players may not choose, depending on which is easier for you.
Create instructions regarding how to find information about traits, how many traits players may choose, when they will choose them and which traits they may choose.