Disadvantages
Disadvantages give you extra points to spend during character generation and help bring your character to life. No one is perfect.
Each rank in a disadvantage gives you 5 points for character customization. The amount of points you can get is limited to 20. You can take more disadvantages, but you can get a max of 20 points.
Disadvantages must actually be a hindrance to count. Some will require additional work for your GM, so if you have any doubts, ask first.
Standard Ranks
Anything that is listed as having Standard Ranks uses the following chart for determining the game effect. These advantages are not cumulative (in other words, rank 2 replaces rank 1, and rank 3 replaces rank 2 effects).
| Rank | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Negative Flip Shift (shift-1) |
| 2 | Negative Flip Mod (flip-1) |
| 3 | Both Shift and Mod (shift-1)(flip-1) |
List of Disadvantages
The following is a list of the available disadvantages. The GM and players are free to come up with others and base the cost on a similar disadvantage.
Addiction (Ranked)
Addictions are bad things that can dominate otherwise good people. The nature and type of addiction determine how many points you get from taking this disadvantage.
At rank one, you have a minor addiction is something more than just a craving, but something less than a full-blown major addiction. Your character can function without it, but he certainly won’t be happy about it. If a character goes without his addiction for more than a day or so, he must take an Average Discipline check. Failure means that he will take a negative (shift-1) to anything involving Intellect and Character. As more time goes by without access to the addiction, the GM should change this Discipline check to harder levels of difficulty.
At rank two, you have a major addiction bad enough that the character’s life can seem to revolve around the subject of his addiction. If he must go without his addiction for more than a day or so, he must take a Hard Discipline check. Failure means that he will take a negative (flip-1) to all skill checks. Continued removal from his addiction will involve more difficult Discipline checks and possibly (shift-1) or additional (flip-1) penalties.
Annoying Personal Habit
This can be any number of things. From biting your nails in public to calling everyone “friend”, this can represent a variety of things that will impact how others see your character. If you are in a social situation where this personal habit might come up, the GM can (and will) give you a (shift-1) to skill checks.
Bad Reputation (Ranked)
You’ve got something in your past that bothers some people. If they know who you are and what you’ve done, they will negatively react to you. The nature of your reputation and the number of people it affects will determine the number of ranks you get from this disadvantage.
Choose a number of people and an Impact and add the ranks together.
| Number of People | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Very small | 0 |
| Small, like a town or area, or a subset of the population in a large area | 1 |
| Large, like the Frontier or the Midwest | 2 |
| Vast majority of people | 3 |
| Impact to Social Checks | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Standard Rank 1 | 0 |
| Standard Rank 2 | 1 |
| Standard Rank 3 | 2 |
If the actual chance of being recognized by a member of the group is very low, halve the number of ranks that you need from this disadvantage.
Example: “Wrongway” Tony has a bad reputation from a checkered past. The reputation is limited to a small area of the Frontier (1 rank) and he only wants it to cause a Standard Rank 1 (shift-1) penalty (0 ranks), for a total of 1 rank in this Disadvantage.
Bad Sense (Ranked)
You have one of your senses that is lacking. All skill checks involving Substantial Perception and that involve that sense are at a penalty. You can choose from sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Because vision is usually more important to people, you gain an additional rank to this Disadvantage, regardless of the magnitude of the impact.
| Magnitude | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Minor. You have a mild problem with your sense. This will be a (shift-1). | 1 |
| Major. The problem is much worse. You have a (flip-1) on the sense. | 2 |
| Total. You have no use of the sense. You are either blind, deaf, lost your sense of smell, touch, or taste. Any Substantial Perception checks that involve that skill automatically fail. | 3 |
|
The sense affected is Vision |
+1 |
Berserker (Ranked)
You tend to go into wild, violent moods that you can’t control. You must specify the circumstances that cause you to go into your frenzy and how difficult it is to control yourself when those circumstances occur. If you do go into your rage, you will engage in some hyper-aggressive action against the target(s) that caused your reaction. You will attack with no regard for your own safety or that of your friends.
You must also choose a difficulty to come out of your rage. The test to come out of a berserker rage is Discipline at a DTN set by the number of ranks.
| Chance of Occurring | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Rare | 0 |
| Moderate | 1 |
| Common | 2 |
| Very Common | 3 |
| Difficulty to Control | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Very Easy (7+) | 0 |
| Easy (9+) | 1 |
| Hard (15+) | 2 |
| Very Hard (18+) | 3 |
| Near Impossible (21+) | 4 |
Big Mouth (Ranked)
Sometimes you just run your mouth and you just don’t realize what you’re saying. You can’t keep secrets and tend to blurt out information that you shouldn’t, even in normal conversations that don’t involve what you’re trying to keep private. You love gossip and the sound of your own voice.
This disadvantage is worth 1 rank if your big mouth is just an annoyance and you have some control over it. It’s worth 2 ranks if you have no control and easily let go of critical information.
Can’t Be Helped
Some people are just so full of themselves that they can’t accept help from others. Others want help, but they just comprehend what they’re being told. This disadvantage has two possible impacts on the game. Firstly, the character in-game refuses help from others. If someone has advice, he doesn’t want to hear it. If something is a two-man job, that just means he must try twice as hard to do it himself. It doesn’t mean he can’t operate in a team, but it does mean that he won’t ask someone to do something he can do himself.
Secondly, out of the game, this means that the player isn’t allowed to get help from other players. If the character is in combat, he needs to plan out his combat moves without advice from the others. If the character is in a social situation, he’s not allowed to get any helpful reminders or prompts. If it’s something that his character would know, it’s probably ok to tell him… but that’s about it.
Cowardly (Standard Ranks)
Unlike the pacifist who doesn’t fight because of his principles, you don’t fight because you’re scared. You are naturally more afraid than others and are quick to run if the opportunity presents itself. Depending on the situation, you will get a modifier on any situation involving Discipline for fear checks.
Curious
Most people have some sense of curiosity, but yours extends just far enough that it leads you into trouble. You have to know things and understand what’s going on. If there’s a door, you want to know what’s behind it. If there’s a chest, you want to know what’s in it. Mysteries are there to be solved and you’re just the man to do it.
Cursed by Fate
Your character has been cursed by Fate. He decreases his hand of fate from three to two cards. This cannot be taken with Blessed by Fate.
This disadvantage is worth 2 ranks (10 points) and should be taken only after careful consideration.
Death Wish
Your character has given up on life, but he wants to make sure that he goes out with a bang. You aren’t going to commit suicide or throw your life away, but if the situation is bleak and your character must throw himself into a no-win situation for others to survive, he’ll do it in a heartbeat.
Distinctive Feature (Ranked)
This could be the character’s squeaky voice, a very noticeable scar, a peculiar walk, or even an accent that’s out of place. Regardless of the cause, this distinctive feature makes the character easier to remember and makes him easier to pick out. Certain Distinctive Features, such as a squeaky voice, may make Skill checks (like Perform checks involving the character speaking) more difficult.
| Magnitude | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Minor. This is something easily concealed or overlooked. | 1 |
| Moderate. This is something that is not easily concealed or would be very easily recognizable if it is seen. | 2 |
| Major. Something that cannot be concealed, would be easily recognizable and would cause a major reaction if seen. | 3 |
Duty-Bound (Ranked)
Your character feels he is obligated to follow some tenet or principle even at his own expense. Bushido and the Hippocratic Oath would be real-life examples. Certain jobs could also count under this category. How strictly you follow this code and how much it impacts your character’s life determines how many points you can get from this disadvantage.
| Magnitude | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Minor. This can signify a small duty or obligation the character feels he must adhere to. The effect of this isn’t something that happens daily or it’s something that isn’t out of the ordinary. This is worth zero ranks but can grow as the character progresses. | 0 |
| Moderate. This can signify a larger duty or a more substantial investment of the character’s time and energy. This should impact the character on a more intimate level and should play a role in how the character interacts with the rest of society. | 1 |
| Major. This signifies something so profound that the character’s entire existence revolves around it in some way. It affects everything he does in some manner and deviation from this duty should have wide-ranging consequences for the character. | 2 |
Elderly
Your character is old, probably old enough to know better than to become an adventurer. This disadvantage doesn’t have any direct impact on your character’s abilities or Aspects, but you can manually consider it when you buy up those things. The only direct effect that this disadvantage has is in social situations.
Enemy (Ranked)
Someone or something is out to get you. It could be someone you’ve angered in the past, a misunderstanding, something with your family, and so on. The danger posed by your enemy determines how many points this disadvantage is worth. If the enemy is nothing more than a minor nuisance to you, you’re only going to receive a small benefit. If the enemy is a major nemesis with the power to kill you and your friends, then the benefit will be larger. It is up to you and your GM to determine what is appropriate.
A character may have multiple enemies if he has been around a while. It is up to the GM and the player to decide whether to take each enemy individually or to lump them into a “rogues gallery” collection.
Choose an option from Enemy Power and Frequency of Appearance. You may also choose from Other Factors if you wish.
| Enemy Power | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Less than the character | 0 |
| As powerful as the character | 1 |
| More powerful than the character | 2 |
| Frequency of Appearance | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Rare | 0 |
| Moderate | 1 |
| Common | 2 |
| Other Factors | Ranks |
|---|---|
| The enemy has major influence on the game | 1 |
| The enemy knows the character’s weaknesses | 1 |
Faint of Heart
The sight of blood and guts makes you ill. It’s bad enough when it’s someone else injured, but it’s much much worse when it’s your blood and guts. Anytime you’re in a situation where there’s bloodshed around you, you will take a (shift-1) on Internal Endurance checks. If it’s your blood that’s been shed, it will be a (flip-1) instead.
GM’s Choice (Ranked)
Sometimes you might want a mystery disadvantage. If your GM approves, you can choose a certain amount of ranks and the GM can come up with something and not tell you.
Greedy
You don’t like to share. If there’s a chance for you to acquire more wealth and power, you’re going to take it. If someone gets hurt along the way, that’s too bad. If it’s not you, you can manage to live with yourself.
Hero Complex
The entire point of this role-playing game is for the characters to become heroes. With this disadvantage though, the character goes out of his way to look for opportunities to play the part. If there’s a damsel in distress, he’s your man. If there’s crime afoot, he’s ready to track down the perpetrator. If there’s a giant monster to fight, just give him long enough to put on his cape and he’s ready to go.
Illiterate
You can’t read or write.
Insanity (Ranked)
You are unsound of mind. The exact nature of your insanity is up to you. It can be something relatively minor like being slightly paranoid or delusional to something more impactful like being a compulsive liar, having schizophrenia, or being a complete sociopath. Your insanity is always there and if you want to try to overcome it temporarily, you’re going to need to make a Discipline check. The difficulty of the check will be determined by the situation and the type of insanity you have chosen.
| Magnitude | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Minor. Usually, something that people will find odd or a bit frightening, but not something that would cause society to reject you outright. To overcome this, you usually would have to take an Average Discipline check. | 1 |
| Moderate. This is more than just a quirk or odd behavior. You have something wrong in your head and people notice. A Hard Discipline check may allow you to temporarily function normally but it is only temporary. | 2 |
| Major. This is something that dominates your life. You may be unable to determine right from wrong or you have a serious derangement that makes basic functionality in society next to impossible. A Hard or Very Hard check will need to be made to hide this from others. | 3 |
Lingering Illness (Ranked)
You have some type of illness or disease that just can’t be cured. It might be something minor that makes your life slightly more difficult at times, or it may be something that will eventually lead to your death. The severity of the illness determines the value of the disadvantage.
| Magnitude | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Minor. This minor illness will be an annoyance right when you don’t want it to show up. When you choose the illness, pick an Aspect. When the GM chooses, he can give you a (shift-1) to represent it. | 1 |
| Moderate. This is an illness that constantly causes the character severe pain or mental anguish. He suffers the same penalties as for a Minor Illness (and must choose an affected Aspect), but in addition at the beginning of each game session, he must make an Average Discipline check. Failing the check will mean that all checks that involve that Aspect will be at a (shift-1) for that session. You may not use the Hand of Fate on this check. | 2 |
| Major. This is an illness that will eventually kill you and there’s not a lot you can do about it. Eventually, fate will work against you and that will be it. You suffer the same effects as a Minor Illness (and choose an affected Aspect). At the beginning of each game session, you must make a Hard Discipline check. Failing the check will mean that all checks that involve that Aspect will be at (flip-1). | 3 |
Memory Gaps
You have holes in your memory. These may have been placed there deliberately or some things have just been lost accidentally. What you do not remember should be important and the GM should use this as a tool to interact with the player when he deems it appropriate.
If the impact of these gaps is minor, this is worth 1 rank. If it is major and interferes with a character on a routine basis, it is worth 2 ranks.
Obsession
Similar to Addiction, this single force drives you in whatever you do in life. You will forget friends and family if it puts you closer to the object of your desire. This can be whatever you and the GM work out.
Overly Cautious (Ranked)
Whoever said that no plan survives contact with the enemy didn’t sit around and plan hard enough. You know better. You know that rushing into a situation is only going to cause problems.
At rank one, you will delay and discuss things until you are truly satisfied that your group has a plan going into a situation.
At rank two, it’s worse. You refuse to take any action unless you are certain of the outcome. If there’s any doubt as to exactly what is going to go down, you don’t want to take part. Things need to be organized and all preparations must be done before you’re willing to take part and if your friends can’t handle that, maybe they’re just a bit too headstrong to remain your friends.
Over-Confident (Ranked)
You have an overinflated sense of your own self. At the first rank of this, it’s enough to get you in trouble and prevent you from backing down when most reasonable men would choose discretion over valor.
At the second rank of this, it’s much worse. It’s enough to get everyone around you in trouble and there’s no convincing you of your weaknesses or the dangers in a desperate situation.
Overweight (Ranked)
You’re just a large individual. Some might say too large, but others might think that there’s just more of you to love. The exact magnitude of your disadvantage is based on how overweight you are.
At rank one, you are overweight. You have too much body weight for your height. You will take penalties for things like disguising or trying to stay unnoticed. You may take penalties to your Physical Character skills depending on the situation.
At rank two, you are dangerously obese. You have far too much body weight for your height. You will take severe penalties to disguise yourself or try to stay unnoticed. You will get a bonus to resist knockback. You may take penalties to your Physical Character skills depending on the situation.
Overly Sophisticated
Some just do not get along well with the “lower classes”. Some might call these types snobs. Others might call them elitist. Most importantly though, the game might give them penalties in a social situation where their attitude can get them into trouble.
Pacifist (Ranked)
You think that there are always alternatives to violence. Sometimes you’re right, even in a game system that emphasizes combat.
At rank one, you can fight but you do everything you can to avoid it. You won’t kill anyone unless you have no other option.
At rank two, you will not fight. You would rather let someone hit you in the face than give in to violence. Please note that because of the nature of most 99 Towers games, this may not be allowed by your GM. It’s really hard to fit a true ultimate pacifist into a group.
Phobia (Standard Ranks)
This is a persistent and often-times irrational fear of an object, activity, or situation. Your character will go to great lengths to avoid the cause of this phobia. Choose something to be afraid of and a rank after discussing it with your GM.
Poverty
You lack funds. You have little to your name and aren’t good at holding onto it when you get it anyway. Halve your starting money. You will start with less money than other players and should try to spend what you get in the game as soon as possible.
Secret Identity
You have a secret second life. If anyone was to find out about your alternate non-heroic identity, your family and friends would be in great danger. You must protect that Aspect of your life at all costs.
Stubborn
You are unreasonably obstinate. You always try to get your way because you’re always right. Once you are set on a course of action, it is extremely difficult to get you to change your mind. Logic and reason don’t hold much sway when you’ve got an idea in your head.
Timid (Standard Ranks)
Your character really does not like situations where he is scared. He takes a penalty to all Fear-based or Intimidation checks.
Too Skinny
You have too little body weight for your height. This gives you Hard Strength penalties to resist things like Knockback or to take part in activities such as trying to stay unnoticed or disguising yourself as someone who is normal-sized. You may take penalties to your Physical Character depending on your situation.
Too Tall
This disadvantage makes you stand out from the crowd. While it’s nice to be able to see over the top of people, you are hard to miss and will take penalties when trying to be unnoticed. It’s going to be harder to disguise yourself and people are more likely to remember you.
Uncouth
Maybe it was your upbringing. Maybe the educational system failed you. Maybe you just don’t give a rat’s ass. Regardless, you are socially awkward and lack manners. People are uncomfortable with how you act sometimes and regard you as an embarrassment. Your language is crass, and you lack refinement. Society penalties will be forthcoming when you interact with others.
Violent
Some people are just a little bit too bloodthirsty and don’t know the meaning of restraint. Your character will go out of his way to start confrontations and there’s little chance of you taking a prisoner unless you’ve got a very good reason.
Young
Your character is young, probably too young to really know what he’s doing and certainly young enough that others are going to feel that way about you. This disadvantage doesn’t have any direct impact on your character’s abilities or Aspects, but you can take it into consideration when you buy up those things. The only direct effect that this disadvantage has is possible negative Flip Shifts in social situations.