Thought on flaws

[Ineti]

I'm in the middle of creating characters for a one-shot I'm going to run with my group. I love the flaws, but I don't like the idea of giving the characters an extra skill point or other award for taking a flaw. I feel that if the characters want a flaw, they should take it and not be rewarded for it, beyond the non-tangible reward of playing a good character with a flaw.

Does anyone else not award players who take flaws? Other thoughts?

[Capt. Chris]

In character creation I give the reward for taking it.

Once play begins if a flaw is recieved then no they are not rewarded other then exp pts for whatever caused the flaw.

[Sarge]

As I see it, there are two kinds of flaws.

One kind causes penalties on the character's dice rolls. For that kind of flaw, I think it's only fair to let the player have a bonus to keep the character at an equal level with the other characters.

The other kind of flaw gives the narrator hooks to draw the character into the story. I can see how a narrator would find it unfair to give a bonus for something that is likely to place the character in the spotlight of the story. OTOH, the narrator can make the spotlight a very uncomfortable place for the character.

In my campaigns, I allow players to take bonuses to balance their flaws. Most of my players are good ones, and I trust them to not abuse the bonuses.

[Doug Burke]

In my personal game, i handle it like Capt. Chris says. DUring creation, sure. During play, the RP potential of the flaw is reward enough.

[LtNarramore]

Like all things in a story (which a game really is, when all's said and done), it's a matter of balance. It's reasonable to assume that a character who's short sighted might also have keen hearing, for example. Players see the value in getting something cool to role play each time they get something bad. Geordi LaForge can see into unusual spectrums, even though he's legally blind. Data traditionally had no emotions, but a mind like a computer. So balance has its place in storytelling, if teh benefits the characters get for their flaws are believable and fit into the scheme of the crew in general.