Opend20: Action Points Disadvantages
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Disadvantages[edit]
In many gaming systems, Players can 'purchase' disadvantages for their characters. As well as adding flavour to the character, taking disadvantages also serves to give the character additional points to spend.
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to create game balance using this system, because some players might take disadvantes that are more or less disadvantageous within the context of the campaign, thus unbalancing the 'cost' of the character flaw.
And yet, if disadvantages are not a part of the character creation system, there is no game balance for, or incentive to take, disadvatanges. There is no easy way to create an effective blind swordsman in the standard OGL D20 system (a feat-tree or prestige class can easily be designed, but then again a blind swordsman in only example. The creation system needs to be fully transparent and accessible).
In OpenD20, disadvantages are incorporated into the Action Point mechanic. The flavour of the disadvantage is always present in the game - so if you have a blind swordsman who uses his other senses to be able to 'see' most of the time, you simply roleplay as such.
But, when the disadvantage has a tangible, mechanical game effect, the GM grants Action Points based on the severity of the disadvantage. So if the blind swordsman had to trust someone else to read a message for him, that might be a one point disadvantage (the GM would give him one AP), but if the blind swordsman did not notice the sign saying 'warning - this is the gateway to the Abyss', that might be worth considerably more points! A character who is 'really' blind, who does not have any form of super-sense to compensate for their blindness, would have a steady stream of AP throughout the adventure, and might make for an excellent (non-combatitive) character.
Following is a list of disadvantages. This list is by no means exhaustive. Note that a character might suffer almost any of these temporarily - anyone can become blinded if their eyes are wounded, for example. Points are only granted if the disadvantage creates a tangible and mechanical effect on the game. Being 'hunted' is not a major weakness if your character is disguised in some way.
