Stormbringer:Flaws

Flaws

"Every pact has a price. Every soul bears a crack. Through those cracks…something enters."

In the Young Kingdoms, no one is whole.

Flaws represent weakness, doom, obsession, or the cost of power. They are not inconveniences—they are the hooks by which fate, Law, and Chaos take hold of your life.

Most Flaws impose a Penalty Die in appropriate situations. Others grant the GM narrative leverage or the right to introduce complications.

Combat Flaws

Flaw	Effect
Freezes in Battle	Lose d3 rounds before acting when combat begins
Reach Vulnerability	+1 Penalty Die when closing inside a reach weapon
Tunnel Vision	+1 Penalty Die when attacked from outside your engagement

Enemies & Trouble

Flaw	Effect
Blood Feud	A rival seeks revenge
Enemy of a Power	A powerful figure or organization opposes you
Hunted	Enemies actively pursue you
Sorcerer's Enemy	A sorcerer seeks your destruction
Wanted	Authorities or factions seek your capture

Fate & Doom

Flaw	Effect
Cursed	Begin with −1 Hero Point
Doom-Touched	Once per adventure, the GM may twist a success into a complication
Ill-Starred	Once per adventure, the GM may force a reroll of your success

Mental & Emotional Flaws

Flaw	Effect
Cold-Hearted	+1 Penalty Die when empathy or compassion would help
Craven	+1 Penalty Die resisting fear or supernatural terror
Curious	Must investigate the strange or forbidden
Empty Head	You forget plans, names, and key details
Fearful (Phobia)	+1 Penalty Die when confronting a specific fear
Gold Fever	+1 Penalty Die when treasure clouds your judgment
Greedy	Always want more than your share
Ignorant	+1 Penalty Die on lore or knowledge rolls
Impulsive	+1 Penalty Die when patience or planning is required
Loner	+1 Penalty Die when relying on others or acting as part of a group
Lustful	+1 Penalty Die when resisting temptation
Naïve	+1 Penalty Die when detecting lies or hidden motives
Obsessive	Driven by a fixation that distracts you
Reckless	Rush into danger without thought
Superstitious	+1 Penalty Die when omens or curses unsettle you
Vengeful	+1 Penalty Die when confronting those who wronged you

Moral & Binding Flaws

Flaw	Effect
Code-Bound	Follow a strict code and will not break it
Fanatical	+1 Penalty Die when acting against your beliefs
Soft-Hearted	Cannot ignore suffering or cruelty
Vow-Bound	Bound by an oath that constrains your actions

Physical Flaws

Flaw	Effect
Delicate	−2 Lifeblood
Doomed Flesh	Cannot reduce damage by more than 1 step with Hero Points
Drunkard	+1 Penalty Die when resisting intoxication
Frail	First hit in a fight inflicts +1 step of damage
Glass Jaw	A Great Success against you inflicts +1 step of damage
Missing Limb	Certain physical tasks become difficult or impossible
Old Bones	+1 Penalty Die on sustained physical exertion
Slave to the Pipe	Without your substance, suffer +1 Penalty Die on all rolls

Social & Reputation Flaws

Flaw	Effect
Alien Outlook	+1 Penalty Die when interpreting or relating to human behavior
Arrogant	+1 Penalty Die when dealing respectfully with those beneath you
Big Mouth	Your boasting attracts trouble and attention
Brute	+1 Penalty Die in refined or polite situations
Gullible	+1 Penalty Die resisting deception
Ill-Reputed	Distrusted on first meeting
Infamous	Your reputation precedes you—and it is not kind
Marked Face	Easily recognized; difficult to disguise
Out of Place	+1 Penalty Die navigating unfamiliar cultures
Plain-Spoken	+1 Penalty Die when attempting deception
Shifty	+1 Penalty Die when trying to appear trustworthy
Unsettling Presence	Others react poorly upon meeting you

Survival & Skill Flaws

Flaw	Effect
All Thumbs	+1 Penalty Die on delicate manual tasks
Landlubber	+1 Penalty Die when performing tasks at sea

Supernatural Flaws

Flaw	Effect
Demon-Tainted	+1 Penalty Die in polite society and with priests
Half-Learned Arts	+1 Penalty Die on all sorcery attempts
Rune-Bound	Bound by supernatural obligations or restrictions
Soul-Debt	Owe a supernatural entity a service
Chaos-Tainted	Strange effects surround you; reactions are unpredictable
Wary of Sorcery	+1 Penalty Die when dealing with sorcery or its effects

Tactical Flaws

Flaw	Effect
Clumsy	+1 Penalty Die when moving through obstacles or tight spaces
Cowardly	Must test to move toward danger
Lumbering	Rough ground costs +2 movement per space
Marked Target	Enemies gain +1 Bonus Die when attacking you at range in open terrain
Off-Balance	If you move more than 2 spaces, attackers gain +1 Bonus Die against you
Poor Footing	+1 Penalty Die on Agility tests for difficult footing
Short-Winded	Cannot run more than 4 spaces
Slow	Move 2 spaces normally (4 when running)

On Doom and Weakness

Flaws are not disadvantages. They are the shape of your fate. Through them, the world finds you. Through them, Chaos whispers. Through them, Law judges. Choose them not to weaken your character…but to make their fall inevitable.

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