But I really *don't* eat maggots!

[rafial]

So yesterday I was burning up an NPC for my Tarshish game (a city watch commander), and they guy turns out to be a conscript from bunch of herding nomads who found out he had a talent for the military life and rose through the ranks.

Now when I wrote down his mandatory lifepath traits at the end, there was one that really stuck in my craw as not fitting in with the character concept, which was "Running Away" from the the conscript lifepath. Now initially, I'm sure as a poor scared kid, he had that trait, but as he matured into a professional soldier, he changed.

Now, given this is an NPC, as GM I could have just crossed the the trait off by fiat, but it occured to me that trait points could be used to "buy off" lifepath traits that really don't work with a players concept. So as a variant, I proposed allowing "free" lifepath traits to be bought off during character creation for a flat fee of 2 trait points. That amount struck me as enough to make your think, but still within reason.

What do other think?

[Kublai]

Well, I see it this way. Traits are not Instincts. If you have Running Away as a Trait, you are not compelled to run away. Running Away would just be the first thing that you think to do in that situation. However, you still have that choice, unlike an Instinct. The most important thing to remember is if you don't play your traits, you lose them. Thus, this NPC would eventually lose this trait after some playing.

[luke]

This has been suggested before, and while it is reasonable and mechanically feasible, I personally don't endorse it.

Those lifepaths have effected you in SOME way. I challenge you to, rather than just buy it off, incorporate it in an interesting way.

It states pretty clearly in the CB that the exact application of lp traits is up to a dialogue between player and gm.

Maybe he doesn't run away from every little fight, but perhaps the captain has a thing against cavalry (or the king's guard, or venetian crossbowmen), and in a blow out he'd rather run than stay.

Consider the Running Away trait (or Eating Maggots or Tasting the Lash) to be a dirty little secret. Let the other traits you've bought or earned mitigate it, but let it linger as a dirty little secret.

If he keeps it perhaps in game, the captain could overcome said trait at a very dramatic moment? And therefore have it voted off his sheet. Which just might create some very dramatic, very satisfying play.

[rafial]

Thus, this NPC would eventually lose this trait after some playing.

I guess I see this as assigning some "prior play" to an character before he/she/it even enters the game. It would of course require justification as to how the characters life experience has caused them to loose that trait.