Random Tables: Unusual Character Traits

Unusual Character Traits, are peculiarities that a character may possess, that make them standout from others. These quirks are more pronounced than ordinary physical or personality traits, often making the character unique.

Not everyone possesses a trait that stands out. Players may choose whether or not to roll once on the following table at the time of character creation. Even then, there is a 50% chance that no Unusual Character Trait is possessed, a 25% chance of having a negative trait, or a 25% chance of having a beneficial trait. If a player chooses to roll on the table, they ARE bound by the result for that character!

Roll 1d100 to determine if your character possesses an unusual trait. Remember, you must accept the result!

• 01–50: No Unusual Character Trait

• 51–75: Roll 1d25 on the Negative Traits Table below

• 76–100: Roll 1d25 on the Positive Traits Table below

Negative Traits (Roll 1d25)

1. Hard of Hearing

2. Poor Eyesight

3. Color Blind

4. Limp (Slight speed reduction)

5. Always Hungry (Twice normal food intake)

6. Weak Stomach (Easily nauseated)

7. Snorer (Loudly!)

8. Insomnia (Trouble falling asleep)

9. Weak Grip (Drops items easily)

10. Bad Back (Heavy lifting is hazardous)

11. Night Blindness

12. Stammer (Speech impediment)

13. Terrible Sense of Direction

14. Fear of Heights (Poor climber)

15. Poor Swimmer (Water hazards)

16. Allergies (Sneezes easily in nature)

17. Poor Hand-Eye Coordination (Inaccurate thrower)

18. Scarred Face (Intimidating or disfigured)

19. Phobia: Spiders

20. Phobia: Snakes

21. Phobia: Rodents

22. Phobia: Canines

23. Phobia: Felines

24. Phobia: Equines

25. Double Trouble: Roll twice on this table

Positive Traits (Roll 1d25)

1. Keen Hearing

2. Keen Eyesight

3. Perfect Pitch

4. Light on Feet (Silent movement)

5. Fast Metabolism (Half normal food intake)

6. Cast Iron Stomach (Resist ingested poison)

7. Quiet Sleeper

8. Can Sleep On Demand

9. Iron Grip (Hard to disarm)

10. Strong Back (Double carrying capacity)

11. Cat Eyes (Excellent low light vision)

12. Golden Tongue (Eloquent speaker)

13. Internal Compass (Never gets lost)

14. Head for Heights (Excellent climber)

15. Strong Swimmer (Excellent in water)

16. Immune to Common Allergies

17. Bullseye (Excellent accuracy with thrown objects)

18. Striking Features (Memorable or handsome)

19. Animal Kinship: Spiders

20. Animal Kinship: Snakes

21. Animal Kinship: Rodents

22. Animal Kinship: Canines

23. Animal Kinship: Felines

24. Animal Kinship: Equines

25. Blessed: Roll twice on this table

Some Unusual Character Traits may give a character a small bonus or penalty, when performing related actions. Others affect the way the character is perceived by others. And still others are just unusual abilities not common to most people.

Players are encouraged to work with their DM to help define their particular trait, making it distinctive to their character. Not all traits have a direct effect upon game mechanics, but are more for role-playing purposes.

"How do your players handle quirks at the table? Do you let them buy off negative traits with experience points later, or are they stuck with a limp for life? Let me know how you use character quirks in your campaign below!"

Edit (06/16/26): Corrected errors in the table. Deleted duplicate entries.