raith characters can take up to seven points of Merits and seven points of Flaws. Given here is a list of Flaws specific to the Wraith venue. With Storyteller approval Wraith characters can take Merits and Flaws form other Mind's Eye Theatre source books, as many of these are appropriate to the venue. The Merits from Prime 5.1 have been included for convenience.
Addiction (1-2 Trait Flaw): The Restless Dead can develop a psychological addiction to a thing or even a person. If denied access to the subject of the character's addiction, she will be down one or two Traits (depending on the level of the Flaw) in all challenges until access is acquired.This Merit is not allowed for Sanctioned play.Destiny:
Echoes of the Past (One Trait Flaw): The Wraith manifests in the Skinlands in ways she can't consciously control. Often her Haunt offers some clue as to her presence, which alert mortals may notice. For 1 point, the Haunt retains a faint but distinctive scent, sound or image of something that was important to the character: her favorite lilac perfume, gentle sobbing, or images of Fetters in the corner of an observer's eye. Those in the Haunt may make a Static Mental Challenge (difficulty equal to the local Shroud rating) to notice the effect. This Flaw manifests only when the Wraith is present, though she is not embodied or otherwise present in the Skinlands, and cannot gain Memoriam from the emotions of observers.
Iron Will (3 Trait Merit): This Merit gives the character a free retest when attempting to resist Dominate and Dementation (unless the vampire has Superior level), or when fending off other mind-altering magics, etc.
Luck/Lucky (3 Trait Merit): The character gets one free retest per session on any non-combat challenge.
Natural Linguist (2 Trait Merit): You have a remarkable grasp of any languages that you speak or write (as per your Linguistics Ability). You gain three bonus Traits on all challenges related to language. You may also know twice the number of languages your Linguistics Ability allows.
Quiet Heart (4 Trait Merit): This Merit gives the character a free retest when attempting to resist Presence and Fascination (unless the user has Superior level), or when fending off other emotion-altering magics, etc.
Supernatural Ally (3 Trait Merit): One or more of your Retainers that is a supernatural being (Vampire, Werewolf, Wraith, Changeling, or Mortal with Numina) perhaps even from a different venue. You must purchase your retainer separately from this Merit, but the first trait gets you a basic creature of the appropriate type. Supernatural Allies are always of the same level as those created by Member Class one characters and they never have Advanced powers. Storytellers may limit the use of your supernatural ally at any time.
True Faith (7 Trait Merit): This Merit requires High Approval. Traits of True Faith beyond the first cost 3 Experience Points each and must receive High Approval before purchase.
Physical:
Ambidextrous (1 Trait Merit): You are equally skilled at using either hand. You do not suffer the normal two Trait penalty for performing actions with your off hand. In addition, you do not need to have the prerequisite number of Ability levels appropriate to a weapon in order to get the advantage of using two weapons (or a shield) in combat.Mental:Unbondable: This Merit is not allowed in Sanctioned Play.
Ability Aptitude (1 Trait Merit): You have a natural affinity for a particular (but not combat related) Ability. You are up two Traits on all tests directly related to that Ability only (but not with powers that would use the Ability for a retest). This bonus only applies to one specific ability for those that require a specific form or specialization (such as Crafts or Performance).Concentration (1 Trait Merit): The character can focus her mind and shut out distractions and annoyances. She cannot take more than 2 Traits in penalties based on distractions and disorientation for a challenge.
Full of Life (2 Trait Merit): These Wraiths were vibrant, energetic, and full of life when alive, and this continues to serve them in death. The character has one extra Corpus level, but when her Corpus is above 10, she looks more real and alive to other Wraiths; taking a 1 Trait penalty to all efforts at concealment and disguise.
Malleable (2 Trait Merit): The Corpus of Malleable Wraiths bends and flows easier than normal. Such characters have a 2 Trait bonus on all efforts to use Moliate on themselves. Unfortunately, the same bonus applies to others' attempts to use Rend/Moliate on the character.
Botched Moliation (1-3 Trait Flaw): Something went wrong in a past effort at Moliation: perhaps the character goofed, or someone else really flubbed it. Take a 1 Trait penalty to Social Challenges for each level of this flaw.
Distinctive Appearance (1 Trait Flaw): Something about the Wraith stands out and stays in others' minds, like a strange hairstyle, a prominent tattoo, or differently colored eyes. This can be concealed with Moliate, but it always comes back each evening.
Rotting (2 Trait Flaw): In life, the character thought of the dead as rotting, festering things from horrible nightmares. That image now marks her own Corpus. Muscle and tissue show through ragged holes in her flesh, giving a 3 Trait penalty to Social Challenges where appearance might play a part. If Embodied, the character actually gets some benefit from it; mortals who see her are affected by the Fog as if they had 2 less Willpower than they actually do.
Fragile Corpus (3 Trait Flaw): The character just doesn't hang together very well. She loses 2 Corpus rather than the usual 1 when dis-corporating. If she loses more than four Corpus levels in any single blow, she must make a Static Willpower Challenge, difficulty 5, to avoid being dragged into a Harrowing.
Heretic Boon (1-3 Trait Merit): The members of a Heretic cult owe the character a favor for aid rendered. The higher the level, the more significant and lasting the favor. For 1 point she can enter a meeting of the group, while for 3 points she could get access to some of the group's resources. Arrange the details with your Storyteller, and make sure you agree on the limits of the boon.
Hierarchy Boon (1-4 Trait Merit): The members of one of the Legions or Hierarchy administration owe the character a favor for aid rendered. The higher the level, the more significant and lasting the favor. For 1 point she can enter a meeting of the group, while for 3 points she could get access to some of the group's resources. Arrange the details with your Storyteller, and make sure you agree on the limits of the boon.
Renegade Boon (1-3 Trait Merit): The members of a Renegade faction owe the character a favor for aid rendered. The higher the level, the more significant and lasting the favor. For 1 point she can enter a meeting of the group, while for 3 points she could get access to some of the group's resources. Arrange the details with your Storyteller, and make sure you agree on the limits of the boon.
Reputation (2 Trait Merit): Some Wraiths enjoy a good reputation among the Hierarchy, Heretics or Renegades. This might come from the character's own actions or as a result of a mentor. She is able to interact with Wraiths of the appropriate group as though she had an additional Status Trait with that group. This doesn't actually give an additional Status Trait to bid or spend. This Merit may not be taken multiple times unless each Reputation applies to a different group (Hierarchy, Heretics or Renegades).
Mortal Companion (2 Trait Merit): The Wraith maintains close ties with a particular mortal, either one of her Fetters or just a chance friendship. The mortal must have some way of interacting with the character; perhaps he's a medium, or a parapsychologist. In most cases the Wraith will want to be attuned to him, though this must be done in play. Enemies who find out about this companion can use him against the character, of course.
Twisted Apprenticeship (1 Trait Flaw): The character's Reaper taught her all the wrong things about Wraith society. Her misconceptions will often get her into trouble.
Notoriety (3 Trait Flaw): The character has a bad reputation among her peers, whichever faction that is. She takes a 2 Trait penalty to all Social Challenges involving those wraiths that've heard of her.
Tomb (1-2 Trait Merit): The character was buried with a relic or memorabilia. For 1 point, she has a variety of small personal items as relics; for 2 points she has a substantial array of furnishings and goods.
Unknown Fetter (2 Trait Merit): The Wraith has an additional Fetter, but doesn't know where or what it is. The Storyteller decides the nature of this Fetter, based on the Wraith's history. The character must identify the nature of the connection before she can locate the specific person, place or thing. Lifeweb can locate it, but Fatalism will not reveal the connection.
Cold (2 Trait Merit): The Corpus of Wraiths with this Merit is very cold. Mortals who pass near feel a distinct chill. This is one of the class Para-psychological manifestations of Haunting, and makes it easy for the character to get mortals' attention...whether she wants to or not.
Bright (4 Trait Merit): Emotions of the character have a particular quality that makes it easy to cross the Shroud. She gets a 1 Trait bonus to all challenges involving piercing the Shroud. Unfortunately, mortals seeking Wraiths tend to find her first.
Weak Shadow (4 Trait Merit): The Psyche gets a 2 Trait bonus to efforts at resisting the Shadow.
Damned (1 Trait Flaw): The Wraith believes that she missed her chance at salvation. Every minute she spends in a site dedicated to her old religion drains a point of Willpower; if she touches a religious artifact of her old religion, she immediately loses a point of Corpus from the burning agony.
Improperly Buried (1 Trait Flaw): Whatever the Wraith's beliefs say shouldn't be done for the dead, she got. Perhaps she was turned facedown in her coffin, or buried on unconsecrated ground, or died without last rites. In any case, you must choose the character's corpse as a Fetter, but she cannot regain Pathos or get other bonuses from it. All actions involving the corpse incur a 1 Trait penalty. What's wrong can be fixed over time, but it's the Storyteller's discretion how difficult this should be.
Time Cycle (1-5 Trait Flaw): At certain times it's much harder for the Wraith to act across the Shroud. The time might be some hours of the day, some days of the week, or some phases of the Moon; work out the details with your Storyteller, along with a reason for the obstruction to exist. The character takes a 1 Trait penalty during the affected times per level of this Flaw. Add 1 point to the value of the flaw if the obstruction applies to days of the week. Add 2 if it applies to hours of the day.
Echoes (2-5 Trait Flaw): The character is vulnerable to old wives' tales about handling ghosts. Salt keeps her from crossing a threshold, animals detect her presence, she cannot cross running water, skeptical disbelief repels her, and so on. Wherever the character goes, she leaves an ectoplasmic residue, and her sounds can be taped with mundane recording devices. Review ghost stories and para-psychological accounts for details of the effects of this Flaw. The cost depends on how severe the limitations are; for the purposes of challenges, take a 1 Trait penalty to affected tests per point of Flaw.
Bound (3 Trait Flaw): The Wraith is bound, and cannot move more than a hundred feet from a particular spot. She must take the location as a Fetter, and can leave it once the Fetter is resolved. This imposes a very severe limitation on the character, and your Storyteller may simply rule that it doesn't fit the chronicle.
Disembodied Shadow (3 Trait Flaw): The character's Shadow manifests in a form only she can see, generally that of a small animal. She can talk with it, but she must speak out loud to do so. The Shadow has 1 Physical Trait with which it can move small objects.