tart with 5 Pathos Traits, Choose Negative Traits or Additional Thorns or a combination of both (cannot exceed total of 5). Additional levels of Thorns can be taken in lieu of Negative Traits, but the total of Negative Traits and additional Thorn Traits cannot exceed the character's maximum of five points.
At this point, you may increase your character’s power by selecting counterbalancing flaws. By taking a Negative Traits, you can:
- Add a new Trait to your Attributes
- Take another Ability (no ability can be higher than 5)
- Take one more Passion or gain another Fetter. (It costs 2 negative points to purchase one Passion or one Fetter)
- Buy a level of Background for your character (1 for 1 ratio, no more than 5 in any one.)
- 2 negative points allow you to purchase 1 innate Ability in an Arcanos. (Innate Ability is the most basic ability of an Arcanos, and any wraith may learn it. You don’t need to take more Negative Traits to gain other Innate Abilities in the Arcanos you Purchase.)
- 3 Negative Traits allow the purchase of a Basic Arcanos (which does include all of the Innate Abilities of that particular Arcanos.
- You can take another Angst Trait in lieu of two Negative Traits, but you can never initially take as many or more Angst Traits than you have Willpower.
- Negative Physical Traits
- Describe the weaknesses of the body, such as clumsy, delicate, and puny.
- Negative Social Traits
- Describe your character's appearance and charisma - or lack thereof. Characteristics such as dull, paranoid, and tactless.
- Negative Mental Traits
- Describe your character's mental capacity and include such things as forgetful, impatient, and violent.
- Thorns
- Describe weaknesses of your character that allows your Shadow to influence you negatively.