Social traits focus on your character’s social class or upbringing as well as on their skill or training related to interacting with others.
The Social Traits
Abrasive
You are difficult and demanding in conversation, which tends to oppress those around you.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Intimidate checks. You take a -1 trait penalty on Persuasion checks.
Absent Minded
You are fascinated by knowledge and learning and are capable of pursuing complex trains of thought quite quickly. However, your preoccupation with such thoughts makes you a little less aware of your surroundings.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on skill checks to recall knowledge. You take a -1 trait penalty on Perception checks.
Affable
You have a genial personality and make it a point to befriend and help people wherever you go. In your travels, you stop to aid others, tell interesting stories, and often buy rounds of drinks for patrons at the local taverns. You bring good cheer to those you encounter, and for this reason, you often find yourself attending important events or fruitful gatherings, and have even become an honorary member of many families. People find you trustworthy, and they are willing to share information with you.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Persuasion checks to gather information, and can do so in half the normal time. In addition, Persuasion is always class skills for you.
Aggressive
You are quick to initiate combat, and you tend to press the attack once battle is joined. Your enthusiasm makes you a dangerous foe, but you sometimes leave yourself open to blows that a more cautious warrior would avoid.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on initiative checks and a +10-ft trait bonus to your base land speed when you make a charge attack during the first round of combat. You take a -1 trait penalty to Armor Class.
Agile Dancer
With every graceful movement, you flow through battle like a choreographed dance, evading strikes and weaving between enemies as if the world itself bends to your rhythm.
Benefit: You can make Perform (dance) checks in place of Acrobatics checks, and can use the higher of your Dexterity or Charisma modifiers when making Perform (dance) checks.
Ambitious
You exude confidence in the presence of those more powerful than you—sometimes unreasonably so.
Benefit: You gain a +4 trait bonus on Persuasion checks made to influence creatures with at least 5 Hit Dice more than you possess.
Armiger
Although you were not born a noble, you have been granted the right to bear heraldry with your own personal coat of arms.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Arms Lore checks and a +1 trait bonus on Persuasion checks against those who recognize your heraldry.
Athlete
Having trained from a young age, you’re capable of amazing feats of daring.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Athletics checks, and you take only a –2 penalty instead of the normal –5 penalty when using the skill to attempt an accelerated climb.
Bastard
You were born out of wedlock. You have always been an outsider in society, and in your own family. This perspective has sharpened your insight.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Insight checks, and Insight is always a class skill for you.
Beast Bond
You share a close bond with animals.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on Handle Animal checks, and and Ride checks is always a class skill for you.
Bruising Intellect
Your sharp intellect and rapier-like wit bruise egos.
Benefit: Intimidate is always a class skill for you, and you may use your Intelligence modifier when making Intimidate checks instead of your Charisma modifier.
Canter
You grew up among thieves and scoundrels, and their unusual speech patterns and turns of phrase don’t faze you in the slightest.
Benefit: Anyone who attempts to use Deception to deliver a secret message to you gains a +5 trait bonus on her Deception check. When you attempt to intercept a secret message using Insight you gain a +5 trait bonus on the attempt.
Charming
Blessed with good looks, you’ve come to depend on the fact that others find you attractive.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus when you use Deception or Persuasion on a character that is (or could be) sexually attracted to you, and a +1 trait bonus to the save DC of any language-dependent spell you cast on such characters or creatures.
Child of the Streets
You grew up on the streets of a large city, and as a result you have developed a knack for picking pockets and hiding small objects on your person.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Streetwise checks, and Streetwise is always a class skill for you. In addition, you gain a +1 trait bonus on Deception checks made to pick pockets.
Criminal
You spent your early life robbing and stealing to get by.
Benefit: Select one of the following skills: Deception, Intimidate, or Streetwise. You gain a +1 trait bonus on that skill, and it is always a class skill for you.
Detect Disobedience
You have an uncanny ability to spot a mutiny brewing.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Insight checks to detect when an underling is trying to hide something from you, and can attempt such checks instead of Perception checks to notice and react to a subordinate’s surprise attack against you.
Dishonest
You are naturally deceitful and insincere with others. You have a talent for lying, but have difficulty convincing others when you do speak truthfully.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Deception checks. You take a -1 trait penalty on Persuasion checks.
Easygoing
You are naturally friendly. Others feel comfortable around you, but this trait also makes it more difficult for you to be pushy or suspicious.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Insight checks to gather information. You take a -1 trait penalty on all other Insight checks.
Fast-Talker
You had a knack for getting yourself into trouble as a child, and as a result developed a silver tongue at an early age.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Deception checks when attempting to bluff or tell a lie, and Deception is always a class skill for you.
Focused
You can keep your attention on a task despite many distractions; however, events in the background pass you by.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on concentration checks. You take a -1 trait penalty on Perception checks.
Friend in Every Town
You have no problem making friends and learning information from them wherever you go.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on all Streetwise and Persuasion checks. One of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.
Grief-Filled
You are no stranger to loss and intense emotions.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on all saving throws against emotion spells and effects.
Honest
You are naturally straightforward and sincere. This quality helps you persuade people to your viewpoint, but you have difficulty telling lies and seeing deception in others.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Persuasion checks. You take a -1 trait penalty on Deception and Insight checks.
Inexorable Authority
When you speak with the full weight of law, your conviction lends you a terrible presence.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Intimidate checks when enforcing or pronouncing a lawful judgment that you’re legitimately deputed to enforce or pronounce.
Influential
Your position in society grants you special insight into others, and special consideration or outright awe from others.
Benefit: Choose one of the following skills: Insight, Intimidate, or Persuasion. You gain a +1 trait bonus on that skill, and it is always a class skill for you.
Life of Toil
You have lived a physically taxing life, working long hours for a master or to support a trade. Hard physical labor has toughened your body and mind.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Fortitude saves.
Mentored
A tutor or private instructor guided you in learning your art, profession, or trade, and through your education, you became capable of teaching and guiding others.
Benefit: Choose a single Perform or Profession skill. You gain a +1 trait bonus on checks with that skill. You also gain a +1 trait bonus when you aid another‘s skill check with any skill.
Mercenary
For everything there is a price, and you are a negotiator at heart.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Insight, Intimidate, and Persuasion checks made while negotiating payment for a quest or a service that you provide.
Merchant
You lived your life as a merchant, buying and selling goods.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on any Insight, Persuasion, and Profession checks you attempt while bargaining for the price of goods. Profession is always a class skill for you.
Minor Noble
You hail from an aristocratic house barely recognized as a member of the nobility, such as a hereditary knighthood or baronet.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on all skill checks to recall knowledge related to the nobility, but you suffer a -1 trait penalty to Persuasion checks when attempting to influence nobles of a higher rank.
Natural Linguist
You are gifted at learning other languages.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Linguistics checks, and you learn one additional language of your choice (except secret languages).
Ordinary
The only thing extraordinary about your appearance is its ordinariness. You carry yourself in an understated way, and many people who see your face soon forget it.
Benefit: You gain a +4 trait bonus on Stealth checks whenever you attempt to hide in a crowd.
Orphaned
You grew up separated from your birth parents, and had to learn to watch out for yourself.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Natural Lore and Streetwise checks for the purposes of survival, and Streetwise is always a class skill for you.
Outcast’s Intuition
You are able to sense the motives of others and use that sense to bolster your magic against dispelling.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Insight checks, and Insight is always a class skill for you.
Polite
You are courteous and well spoken.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Persuasion checks. You take a -1 trait penalty on Intimidate checks.
Poverty-Stricken
Your childhood was tough, and your parents always had to make every copper piece count. Hunger was your constant companion, and you often had to live off the land or sleep in the wild.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Natural Lore and Streetwise checks for the purposes of survival, and Streetwise is always a class skill for you.
Quick Improvisation
Your quick hands can salvage even the most botched performance.
Benefit: Once per day after you attempt a Perform check and before the results of the roll are revealed, you can attempt a Deception check and use the result of that check in place of your Perform check. You must use the result of that Deception check, even if it is lower.
Regal Bearing
You carry yourself with the mien of a king or queen, and people of note take notice.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Intimidate and Persuasion checks made to influence nobles, courtiers, or their servants. One of these skills (of your choice) is always a class skill for you.
Rich Parents
You were born into a rich family, perhaps even the nobility, and even though you turned to a life of adventure, you enjoy a one-time benefit to your initial finances.
Benefit: Your starting wealth increases to 900 gp.
Savage
You were born and raised in untamed lands far from civilization. You learned to survive in the elements among brutal humanoids and beasts.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Natural Lore checks, and Natural Lore is always a class skill for you.
Seeker
You are always on the lookout for reward and danger.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks, and Perception is always a class skill for you.
Smuggler
You have learned how to dodge the tax collectors and inspectors.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Deception checks.
Suspicious
You discovered at an early age that someone you trusted, perhaps an older sibling or a parent, had lied to you, and lied often, about something you had taken for granted, leaving you quick to question the claims of others.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Insight checks, and Insight is always a class skill for you.
Talented
You are a virtuoso musician, actor, or storyteller.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on checks with a single Perform skill of your choice, and all Perform skills are always class skills for you.
Trustworthy
People find it easy to put their faith in you.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Deception checks made to lie or fool someone. You also gain a +1 trait bonus on Persuasion checks, and Persuasion is always a class skill for you.
Truth’s Agent
You are skilled at weeding out information.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on all Insight checks made to gather information and all Streetwise checks for recalling information and urban tracking. In addition, Streetwise is always a class skill for you.
Uncivilized
You relate better to animals than you do to people.
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Handle Animal checks and wild empathy checks. You take a -1 trait penalty on Deception checks and Persuasion checks.
Unpredictable
Your actions often seem random and chaotic to others, but there is a method to your madness.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Deception checks, and Deception is always a class skill for you.
Veiled Disciple
Trained in espionage, you’re skilled at passing messages and staying on task.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Deception checks made to pass secret messages and a +1 trait bonus on saving throws against charm and compulsion effects.
Wary
You survived an assassination or murder attempt.
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on opposed Perception and Insight checks. One of these skills is always a class skill for you.
Worldly
You have acquired an unusual breadth of life experience—more than others of your age, race, or culture.
Benefit: Once per day when attempting a skill check for a skill you’re untrained in, you can roll twice and take the better result.