Traits

A character in Falling Sky has a number of Traits. These Traits make up the abilities that your character has, and define your combat effectiveness and what other skills your character has.

A characters should have all of the Free Traits, one free Income Trait, one free Lore Trait, and up to five other traits. You may choose less Traits than this if you wish to choose your Traits later.

Some Traits have prerequisites; if they do, you must have the prerequisite trait first before you can take that Trait.

Retraining

In between events, you may unlearn one Trait that you know per event. You can't unlearn a trait that is a prerequisite for another Trait you have. Once you have done so, you can learn another Trait in its place, either now or later.

You can also retrain any amount of Traits after your first Falling Sky event, so you don't need to worry about getting your character exactly right the first time.

Exhausting Traits

Some Traits are exhausting: they cost a Stamina Point to use them. These traits are marked with the ¤ symbol.

Many exhausting Traits allow you to use them once an encounter without spending a Stamina point.

Wits

Some Traits expend your Wits. You can't use another trait that expends Wits until you have recharged; this takes ten seconds from the moment you spent it. These traits are marked with the † symbol.

For example, a character with the Swashbuckler Trait can call TRIPLE every ten seconds.

Stackable Traits

Some traits can be taken multiple times and stack. These traits are marked with the * symbol.

List of Traits

Free Traits

• Health: You have 3 HP.
• Stamina: You have 3 SP. This restores at the start of an event.
• Walk it Off: You can regain all your HP by resting when not under pressure.
• Staunch Wounds: With 5 seconds of appropriate roleplaying, you can call HEAL at touch range on someone who is incapacitated.
• Field Medicine: With 30 seconds of appropriate roleplaying, or 5 seconds and spending 1 SP, you can call HEAL on a ruined limb.
• Basic Armour Use: You can wear light armour for +1 HP, or heavy armour for +2 HP.
• Basic Weapon Training: You can use a one-handed weapon, and a buckler or a light weapon in your off-hand. You can repair a buckler or shield that has been broken by spending 30 seconds.
• Dedicate: You may choose a God. You are dedicated to that God.

Toughness

• *Hardy: You gain +2 HP.
• Energetic: You gain +3 SP.
• Hyper-Energetic: (prerequisite: Energetic) You gain another +2 SP.
• Hard to Finish: When wearing armour, if you are hit with an IMPALE or CLEAVE, you may take it as a DOUBLE instead.
• Shield Use: You can use a full-sized shield.
• ¤Shield Mastery: (prerequisite: Shield Use) You can call RESIST against SMASH once an encounter. You can spend 1 SP to do it again.
• ¤Defiance: You can call RESIST against PARALYSE or WOULD YOU KINDLY once an encounter. You can spend 1 SP to do it again.
• ¤Self-Reliance: You can call CURE on yourself once an encounter. You can spend 1 SP to do it again.

Ranged Weapons

• Bow Training: After you have been certified by a ref or designated CLS safety officer, you can use a two-handed bow or crossbow. Arrows deal DOUBLE CLEAVE on hit.
• Stopping Power: (prerequisite: Bow Training) When you shoot someone with a bow or crossbow, you can call REPEL when your shot lands. This is in addition to the normal effects of shooting them.

Warrior

• ¤ Warrior: You have 2 Grit and recover it when not under pressure. You can spend your Grit to call REPEL with a one-handed weapon or SMASH with a two-handed weapon. You can spend 1 SP to recover your Grit.
• Scrappy: (prerequisite: Warrior) You have 1 more Grit.
• Scrappier: (prerequisite: Scrappy) You have another 2 more Grit.
• ¤ Expertise: (prerequisite: Warrior) You can spend 1 Grit to call TRIPLE with a melee weapon.
• Armour Mastery: You can wear light armour for +3 HP or heavy armour for +4 HP. This does stack with the free Basic Armour Use Trait, for a total of +4/+6 HP respectively.
• Berserk: (prerequisite: Warrior) Once per event, you can give a dramatic roar or similar. When you do, you regain all your HP and Grit.
• Advanced Weapon Training: (prerequisite: Warrior) You can use a single two-handed weapon up to 7' or two one-handed weapons up to 42".
• Great Weapon Specialist: (prerequisite: Advanced Weapon Training) If you're using a great weapon (two-handed sword or similar, or a pole weapon of 5' or shorter), you can call CLEAVE once an encounter.

Swashbuckler

• † Swashbuckler: With a 1-handed weapon and a buckler, light weapon or nothing in your off-hand, you can expend your Wits to call TRIPLE.
• † Vital Slice: (prerequisite: Swashbuckler) You can call WEAKNESS with Swashbuckler instead of TRIPLE.
• ¤ Dodge Missiles: If you're not wearing heavy armour, you can call RESIST any call that doesn't make contact once per encounter. You can spend 1 SP to do it again.
• ¤ Dodge Blows: If you're not wearing heavy armour, you can call RESIST any call that does make contact once per encounter. You can spend 1 SP to do it again.
• Riposte: (prerequisite: Swashbuckler) When you RESIST a call, your Wits immediately refreshes.
• Swagger: If you're not wearing heavy armour and approach an encounter with swagger, banter, or intimidation, you gain +3 temporary HP. These hit points are lost first, and expire at the end of the encounter.

Mage

• First Circle Mage: You have a mana pool of 2 MP. You may learn and cast First Circle Spells, and have one spell slot. You can restore mana when not under pressure, or by spending 1 SP.
• Second Circle Mage: (prerequisite: First Circle Mage) You may learn and cast Second Circle Spells, which cost 2 MP, and gain an additional spell slot.
• Third Circle Mage: It is known that Third Circle Magic exists, but nobody aboard Flotilla knows how to access it. If it is discovered, this Trait will become available.
• Combat Mage Training: (prerequisite: First Circle Mage) You can spend 3 seconds of spellcasting roleplaying to call SINGLE at a target up to close range.
• * Expanded Mana Pool: You have +2 MP.
• * Additional Spells: You have 2 more spell slots.
• Mage Shield: You can call RESIST to one strike or call per encounter if you're casting a spell. You gain one additional spell slot which always contains the Mage Skin spell. If you are incapacitated while casting a spell, you can finish the spell.

Healer

• Chirurgeon: You can treat serious wounds when you have an appropriate environment - e.g. an interactive event. You can spend at least 2 minutes of appropriate roleplaying to treat a physical trauma. In addition, you may call CURE on yourself once an event with no extra verbal or roleplay required.
• Esoteric Healer: You can treat stranger wounds when you have an appropriate environment - e.g. an interactive event. You can spend at least 2 minutes of appropriate roleplaying to treat a magical trauma. In addition, you may call MASS CURE once per event.
• ¤ Battlefield Healer: (prerequisite: Chirurgeon) Once per encounter, you can call CURE at touch range with no extra verbal or roleplay required. You can spend 1 SP to do it again.
• † Improvised Remedies: (prerequisite: Chirurgeon) You can expend your Wits to call CURE at touch range with no extra verbal or roleplay required. You must have a free hand or a knife/dagger to use this.
• Anatomist: (prerequisite: Chirurgeon) You can call CLEAVE with an 18" or shorter weapon once per encounter. You can call IMPALE from behind on an unaware target with an 18" or shorter weapon.

Cleric

• Ordainment: You are ordained as a priest of your god. Once per encounter, you can spend bless someone as long as they answer 3 questions you ask in the affirmative. This allows you to call CURE on them until they are restored to full health. When not under pressure, you can pray to gain 2 temporary SP for use on Cleric traits. You can also pray to beseech your God for aid or advice. The outcome of this depends on the situation and your God's attitude. Repeated requests for divine intervention will worsen your God's attitude.
• ¤ Lay On Hands: (prerequisite: Ordainment) You can spend 1 SP to call CURE at touch range.
• ¤ Consecrate: (prerequisite: Ordainment) You can spend 1 SP to bless the ground. Until you move, you may call MASS DEMON REPEL at will.
• ¤ Purge Demon: (prerequisite: Ordainment) Once per encounter, you may call DEMON QUAD; this only affects demons. You can spend 1 SP to do it again.
• * Great-Souled: (prerequisite: Ordainment) When you pray, you gain an additional +3 SP for use on Cleric traits.

Cleric of Korr

• ¤ Korr's Rite of Strength: (prerequisite: Ordainment, must be dedicated to Korr) You can spend 1 SP and make a 3-second prayer. Your next weapon strike deals TRIPLE or SMASH, your choice.
• Korr's Rite of the Martyr: (prerequisite: Ordainment, must be dedicated to Korr) You can spend 30 seconds of appropriate roleplaying to transfer another character's trauma to yourself. For each trauma you have taken on in this fashion, you have +2 HP and +1 SP.

Cleric of Enso

• Enso's Rite of Mysteries: (prerequisite: Ordainment, must be dedicated to Enso) You ask Enso to tell you whether something is true or false, to the best of their vast knowledge. Some questions may require Enso to consult their archives and you will receive a vision later with the answer. Can be used once an event.
• ¤ Enso's Rite of Shadows:(prerequisite: Ordainment, must be dedicated to Enso) You can spend 1 SP to call "Would you kindly ignore me."

Cleric of Psima

• Psima's Rite of Soothing: (prerequisite: Ordainment, must be dedicated to Psima) You can conduct a rite that heals and strengthens the soul. When in an appropriate environment, you can treat a soul trauma, or grant a character +1 stamina point beyond their usual maximum for the next event.
• Psima's Rite of Binding: (prerequisite: Ordainment, must be dedicated to Psima) You can spend 1 SP to bless two people. When one of them is incapacitated, the other may call CURE at up to close range. This lasts until you use it or have it used on you, or at the end of the event.

Tinkering

• Basic Tinkering: You may build Technology from material reagents. See Tinkering for more information.
• Field Maintenance: (prerequisite: Basic Tinkering) You can repair exhausted pieces of Technology you're using when not under pressure. You can also repair one other piece of Technology for someone else this way. In combat, you can take 10 seconds and spend a Stamina point to repair an exhausted piece of Technology.
• Geared Up: (prerequisite: Basic Tinkering) You can use an additional piece of Technology at a time.
• Maximum Gear: (prerequisite: Geared Up) You can use another additional piece of Technology at a time.
• Jury Rig: (prerequisite: Basic Tinkering) You can attempt to make Technology with one fewer Reagent. Only you can use the resulting Technology.
• Advanced Tinkering: (prerequisite: Basic Tinkering) You can build Technology with four reagents rather than three. This may have better results.

Runecaster

• Runecaster: You may use Runecasting. Your maximum runic capacity is 2. You can identify the name of a rune by inspecting it. See Runecasting for more information.
• Runic Capacity: Your runic capacity is increased by 2 for invoking runic inscriptions, and you can have an additional Runecast Aura.
• Infusion Protocols: You can invoke an additional inscription per event. You may take a magical trauma to cancel a runic invocation, after the ref tells you the effect and cost.
• Careful Inscriber: You can spend downtime inspecting up to three theoretical runic inscriptions to determine information about them. This lets you know if it's valid, and answers "does this do what I think it does?" if you supply an intended effect. Your runic capacity is increased by 1 when performing an inscription you have analysed.

Alchemy

• Alchemist: You can identify alchemical items. You receive an income of standard alchemical items. See Alchemy for more information.
• Master Alchemist: (prerequisite: Alchemist) You receive an additional income of advanced or experimental alchemical items. You may choose one of the alchemical items you receive.
• Unnatural Power: (prerequisite: Alchemist) As long as you're under the effect of at least one Alchemical Elixir, you have +1 HP and +1 SP.
• Iron Stomach: (prerequisite: Alchemist) You can use two Alchemical Elixirs at a time.

Income

• Income: You receive an income of random mana crystals or material reagents.
• Scrap Merchant: You receive an income of mixed material reagents. You may choose one of the reagents you receive.
• Crystal Harvester: You receive an income of mana crystals.
• Gossip: You receive an income of random gossip and opportunities.
• Slightly Dodgy Income: You receive an entirely randomised income from criminal contacts.

Lore

• Loremaster: You gain the two other Lore traits that you don't already have.
• Historical Lore: You know about the World-That-Was and its history.
• Sky Lore: You know about the ins and outs of life aboard the Flotilla and its factions, and the ways of the Great Storm.
• Monstrous Lore: You know about demons, undead and elementals, and the ways to combat them.