Merits and Flaws are special options that a Storyteller may allow their players to take. They are mainly a device meant to help with backstory and to help flesh out a character, but main of them are very useful. At character creation a player may choose as many merits they can afford with 'bonus points' and may only choose a number of flaws that award additional 'bonus points' totaling seven for a total of 28 'bonus points' at character creation.

Something about you makes others look at you as if you are deserving of their pity. Perhaps they see you as still a child, despite your age or experience. You gain one die on Social rolls when actively playing up your pitiable nature. Wheedling someone into helping you would be appropriate; intimidating them into submission would not. Final word rests with the Storyteller in regards to when this Merit’s benefit may be used.

You have earned the favor of someone more powerful than yourself because of something you did in the past. Work out with your Storyteller who exactly owes you the favor. A 1-point Merit indicates that you provided a minor service; a 2-point Merit means that you have done something significant for them; a 3-point Merit probably means that you saved their life (or the life of someone important to them). You can ask for (and expect to receive) a similar level of favor in return. You can only call in this favor once; after that, your previous service holds no particular sway. While it stands, however, others may know that someone important is indebted to you and react to you accordingly.

Others find you especially attractive. Your rolls to attract, persuade, charm, or seduce those individuals is at +2 dice. This effect does not apply to threatening or intimidating actions.

You were born with a strength of bearing to which others naturally defer. You receive two extra dice when making Command rolls. You must have a Charisma of 3 or greater to purchase this Merit.

Your reputation does you credit. You may have earned this good name independently, or through the actions of your team. When you deal with members of your organization, you gain three extra dice to your Social dice pools. You may not take the Flaw: Notoriety.

You inspire all around you to greater efforts. Whether by speaking, writing, or leading by example, you give anyone who works with you reason to go on and hope of success. You have a +2 dice on Social rolls, and you give any group effort +1 to its total dice pool.

There is no honor among thieves, nor trust among liars. You are known as someone whose word cannot be trusted. Whether earned or not, you have a reputation for deceit and treachery, and you lose one die from all Social rolls involving any extension of trust, truth, or believing your words.

You belong to a group “outside” of the mainstream. You have to deal with prejudice, misconceptions and stereotypes. You may suffer increases to Social rolls at the Storyteller's discretion, this may range from +1 to mere difficulties or someone uncomfortable with you up to +3 for true bigots. On the upside you get one extra dice on social rolls when dealing with “your kind.” It should be noted that everyone is a minority at some point, for this to be a true flaw it must be significant.

You are hopelessly naive about the nature of reality and see everything through “rose-colored glasses.” You may have been brought up in wealth and privilege or be a survivor of abuse and trauma that you have repressed. You are hesitant to suspect evil or foul play in others, which can be a serious problem. The difficulty for any rolls for you to detect another person’s ill intent is raised by 2.

You dislike being the center of attention and feel uncomfortable in crowds. You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try to avoid social situations whenever possible. Difficulties for all rolls involving social interaction with strangers are increased by two. If you are the focus of the situation, even amongst those you know, the difficulty increases by three.

You have a stammer or other speech impediment that hampers verbal communication. The difficulties of all die rolls involving verbal communication are increased by two. This Flaw must be role-played whenever possible.

There is just something not “right” about you, it could be a lack of personal hygiene, a personality quirk or you just give off a “bad vibe.” You suffer a +1 Difficulty to Social interactions for every point you put into this flaw.

You were a young child at the beginning of your adventuring career, and have all the problems that come with this age. People don't take you seriously, you can't get into clubs, and in particularly severe cases, people tend to ask your where his mommy is. The value of this Flaw depends upon exactly how young you are. This Flaw particularly bites if your character hangs out with older people and does all sorts of weird stuff that a child shouldn't or can't do. A young child character should also take the Short Flaw.

You owe someone a favor, for 1 point it is an emotionally or social obligation. For two points it is a significant finical debt and for three points it is a matter of life or death. The debt can be called in at any time and it must be significant enough that a friend will turn into a enemy or your reputation will be ruined.

You possess a hidden past which, if revealed, would cause you great embarrassment at best and make you an outcast or even hunted at worst. Perhaps you had a lover who is a criminal. Maybe you were responsible for the slaughter of your former team or the mysterious death of a leader. This secret preys on your mind at all times, even though your friends are unaware of your shame. Occasionally, hints about your secret may arise in stories and you must take precautions to keep the knowledge from coming out into the open. So long as your secret remains unknown to those who might use it against you, you may keep the Flaw, even if a few individuals discover it. If your Dark Secret ever resolves itself so that it is no longer a factor in your life, you must sacrifice the experience points to buy it off.

Maybe you’re slow on the uptake, or maybe you just never learned to separate truth from fiction. Whatever the cause, you’re particularly susceptible to lies and half-truths. You lose three dice from all dice pools relating to guile and subterfuge (not stealth), whether perpetrating your own feeble lies or attempting to penetrate someone else’s words to find the truth.

You have acquired a bad name either through your own actions or because of something involving your team. You suffer a penalty of two dice on any Social rolls involving members of your organization. You may not take the Merit: Reputation.

You are devoted to protecting someone, perhaps a close friend or relative. This may be a child that relies upon you for care as well as protection. Or it can be an adult who, because of their connection to you, finds themselves exposed to dangers beyond what they can handle themselves. Regardless, your Ward’s path is firmly tied to yours in some way, and they have a knack for finding themselves in the middle of trouble, looking to you to save the day.