Creature Traits

These are the Creature Traits. Use them to create unique NPCs.

Afraid (Target)
The creature gains Fear to the Target. See page 190 for Fear rules.

Amphibious
The creature is at home in water. It can add its Agility Bonus to the SL of all Swim Tests and move at
full Movement through water.

Analgesic Saliva
The creature’s bites cause no pain, which allows it to attach to sleeping victims undetected. This
effect wears off 10 – Toughness Bonus Rounds after the creature detaches.

Anticoagulant Saliva
The victim of the creature’s bite gains one Bleeding Condition.

Aquatic
The creature can breathe underwater and moves at its full Movement rate in water. It cannot move
on land.

Arboreal
The creature is at home in the forests. In the woodlands, it adds its Agility Bonus to the SL of all Climb
and Stealth Tests.

Animosity (Target)
The creature dislikes the Target. See page 190 for Animosity rules.

Armour (Rating)
The creature is protected by armour or thick hide. It has Rating Armour Points on all Hit Locations.

Attach and Feed

If the creature makes a successful Bite attack, it becomes attached to the victim, clamping tight with
surprising force. It then extracts blood, causing the automatic loss of 1 Wound every Round it is
attached. Victims reduced to zero Wounds gain an Unconscious Condition as they pass out from
blood loss. The creature will only free itself when full, which happens after it has extracted its TB in
Wounds; it then retreats to digest the meal.

The creature can be pulled off with an Opposed Strength Test, but doing so inflicts 1 Wound on the
victim. If the creature has the appropriate Trait, anything it fears makes it release its hold
immediately.

Belligerent
The creature loves to win a fight. As long as it has more Advantage than its opponent, it is Immune to
Psychology.
Bestial
The creature has no rational thought or language. It shies away from fire and gains a Broken
Condition if struck by it. In defence, it only uses the Dodge Skill. If it loses more than half its Wounds,
it will attempt to Flee unless protecting its young or cornered, or unless it has the Territorial Trait. If
so, it enters Frenzy (see page 190). Bestial creatures have no Fellowship characteristic.

Big
The creature is a large example of its species. It receives +10 Strength and Toughness, and –5 Agility.

Bite (Rating)
On its turn, the creature may make a Free Attack by spending 1 Advantage. The Damage of the attack
equals Rating and includes the creature’s Strength Bonus already.

Blessed (Various)
The creature is Blessed and can enact Blessings; the relevant deity is indicated in brackets.

Bounce
The creature can bounce high, perhaps with powerful limbs, magic, or stubby wings. When Charging
or Running, it doubles its Movement Characteristic, and can ignore all intervening terrain and
characters as it leap over them.

Breath Rating (Type)

The creature’s breath is a powerful weapon. On its turn, for the cost of 2 Advantage, it can activate
its Breath as a Free Attack. Choose 1 target it can see within 20+Toughness Bonus yards. All
characters within Strength Bonus yards of that target are struck, as are all characters between the
creature and the target. Perform an Opposed Ballistic Skill/Dodge Test against all affected targets
(the creature’s single roll opposed by each individual target). All targets that fail take Damage equal
to the attack’s Rating. Further, if the Trait is marked with any of the following types in brackets, apply
the associated rules.

Cold: Targets gain a Stunned Condition for every full 5 Wounds suffered (minimum of 1).

Corrosion: All Armour and Weapons carried by affected targets suffer 1 Damage.

Fire: Any Wounds caused ignore Armour Points. Targets gain an Ablaze Condition.

Electricity: Any Wounds caused ignore Armour Points. Targets gain a Stunned Condition.

Poison: Any Wounds caused ignore Armour Points. Targets gain a Poisoned Condition.

Smoke: The area fills with smoke, blocking Line of Sight for Toughness Bonus Rounds.

The creature is immune to its own Breath . This attack is Magical .

Brute
The creature is heavy and brutish. It receives –1 Movement, –10 Agility, and +10 Strength and
Toughness.
Capricious
The creature’s temper swings from one extreme to the other. When any creature makes a Fellowship
Test in dealing with the creature, roll on the following table:

1d10 Result

1 Subtract 2 from SL

2-3 Subtract 1 from SL

4-7 Use indicated SL

8-9 Add 1 to SL

10 Add 2 to SL

Chameleon
The creature can change colour to blend into its surroundings, which makes it very hard to see.
Perception Tests to spot the creature suffer a –4 SL penalty, reduced to –2 if the creature is moving.
Shooting at the creature suffers a –2 SL penalty to the Ranged Test.

Champion
The creature is an extraordinarily skilled warrior. If it wins an Opposed Test when defending in melee
combat, it can cause Damage just as if it was the attacker.

Chill Grasp
The creature’s touch chills its enemy’s souls. For the cost of 2 Advantage and its Action, it can
attempt an Opposed Weapon Skill/Melee or Dodge Test. If it wins, its target loses 1d10 + SL Wounds
with no modification for Toughness Bonus or Armour Points. This attack is Magical .

Clever
The creature is particularly sharp-minded. It receives +20 Intelligence and +10 Initiative.

Cold-blooded
The creature is cold-blooded and slow to react. It can reverse all failed Willpower Tests.

Constrictor
The creature can squeeze and crush its prey. Any successful roll to hit gives the target an Entangled
Condition. The creature may then enter a Grapple if it wishes. See page 163.

Construct
The creature is a construct of magic, quite mindless, bound together with magical sinews. It has no
Intelligence, Willpower, or Fellowship Characteristics, and need never Test them. If it has no wizard
controlling it, or does not possess the Territorial Trait, it meanders mindlessly, following flows of
ambient magic. For the purposes of calculating its Wounds, it uses its Strength Bonus whenever
Willpower Bonus is required. All its attacks are Magical .
Corrosive Blood
The creature’s blood is corrosive. Every time its is Wounded, blood splashes free, and all targets
Engaged with it take 1d10 Wounds modified by Toughness Bonus and Armour Points, to a minimum
of 1.

Corruption (Strength)
The creature is tainted by Chaos, or perhaps suffused with Dark Magics. The Strength of the
Corruption is marked in brackets. See page 182.

Cunning
The creature is exceptionally cunning. It receives +10 Fellowship, Intelligence, and Initiative.

Creeping
This creature is relentless, but slow. They cannot take any Run actions.

Dark Vision
The creature can see in the dark as daylight.

Daemonic (Target)
The creature’s essence is raw magic, and unholy ichor pumps through what passes for its veins.
Daemonic creatures do not require the normal prerequisites for life: food, water, air… All its attacks
are Magical . Roll 1d10 after any blow is received, if the creature rolls the Target number or higher,
the blow is ignored, even if it is a critical. Should the creature be reduced to 0 Wounds, its soul
returns to the Realms of Chaos immediately, removing it from play.

Die Hard
No matter how hard the creature is hit, it gets back up. All Critical Wounds not resulting in death can
be healed; just attach the requisite body parts to the correct places, perhaps with staples or large
spikes to hold them in place, and it’s good to go. Even ‘death’ may be ‘healed’ if the appropriate
parts, such as a lost head, are attached to the body. If death occurs and all parts are in place, it may
attempt a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test requiring an SL of 6 at the start of every round for
Toughness Bonus Rounds after death. If a Test is successful, the creature chokes back to life with 1
Wound.

Disease (Type)
The creature carries the disease listed. Others will have to Test as appropriate for Contraction. See
page 186.

Distracting
The creature distracts or confuse foes, possibly exuding a soporific musk or nauseating reek, or
maybe its appearance is bizarrely horrifying. All living targets within a number of yards equal to its
Toughness Bonus suffer a penalty of –20 to all Tests. A target can only suffer this penalty once, no
matter how many Distracting foes there are.
Elite
The creature is a hard-nosed veteran. It receives +20 to Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill, and Willpower.

Engulf
If the creature is of sufficient size, any successful attacks it makes engulfs a victim, even if they cause
no Damage, inflicting one Entangled Condition with a Strength equal to that of the creature. At the
beginning of each Round, engulfed victims gain one more Entangled Condition, and automatically
lose 1 Wound as powerful enzymes begin digestion. If the creature is not of sufficient size to fully
engulf a victim, it may still be large enough to immobilise a struck location. The creature can make no
more attacks against fully engulfed victims, but it can still attack others if they are close enough.

Ethereal
The creature’s form is insubstantial, allowing it to pass through solid objects. It can only be harmed
by Magical attacks.

Fast
The creature moves unexpectedly fast. It receives +1 Movement and +10 Agility.

Fear (Rating)
The creature causes supernatural Fear in other creatures, with a rating equal to its Rating. See page
190.

Flight (Rating)
As the creature’s Move, it can fly up to Rating yards. When flying, it ignores all intervening terrain,
obstacles, or characters. At the end of the move, it decides whether it has landed or is still flying. It
can use this move to Charge. If it starts its turn flying, it must choose to Fly for its Move. If it cannot
do this, the GM decides how far the creature falls (see page 166).

When targeting it, measure horizontal distance as normal, then increase range by 1 step. So, a Long
Range shot would become Extreme Range, and if it was at Extreme Range it could not be shot at all.

When flying, it suffers a penalty of –20 to all ranged combat attempts as it swoops and wheels in the
sky.

Frenzy
The creature can Frenzy . See page 190.

Fury
The creature can work itself into an all-consuming rage. It can spend all of its Advantage (minimum of
1) to become subject to Hatred to close combat opponents. If the creature has at least 3 Advantage,
it may instead expend all of its Advantage to become subject to Frenzy . See page 190.
Ghostly Howl
The creature can emit a chilling howl, capable of killing those who hear it. On its turn the creature
can spend all its Advantage (minimum of 2), to unleash a hideous scream as a Free Attack. All living
targets within a number of yards equal to the creature’s Initiative immediately gain 3 Deafened
Conditions and suffer 1d10 Wounds ignoring Toughness Bonus and Armour Points. Those affected
must also pass a Average (+20) Endurance test or gain a Broken Condition.

Grim
This creature is particularly dangerous, and fighting it means never truly being able to gain the upper
hand. If, at the beginning of its turn, this creature does not have at least Rating Advantage points, its
Advantage pool immediately increases to Rating. If the creature currently has a Surprised,
Unconcious, or Entangled Condition, it does not gain this Advantage.

Hallucinogen
The creature exudes a hallucinogenic musk. Victims within 2 yards (more, at the GM’s discretion, if
the victim is downwind) must pass an Average (+20) Willpower Test or succumb, gaining one Stunned
Condition for each level of failure.

Hardy
The creature can sustain more damage than most. Increase its Wounds by a number equal to its
Toughness Bonus (applied before any Size modifiers).

Hatred (Target)
The creature really hates the Target. See Hatred on page 190.

Horns Rating (Feature)

The creature has horns or some other sharp appendage (if its Horns Trait represents a different
feature it will be noted in brackets). When the creature gains an Advantage for Charging, it may make
a Free Attack with its Horns, performed as normal, using Rating to calculate Damage (its Strength
Bonus is already included).

Hungry
The creature is always hungry for fresh meat. If it kills or incapacitates a living opponent (or
encounters a fresh body), it must pass a Average (+20) Willpower Test or feast, losing its next Action
and Move.

Immunity (Type)
The creature is completely immune to a certain type of Damage, such as poison, magic, or electricity.
All Damage of that type, including from a Critical Wound, is ignored.

Immunity to Psychology
Whether brave, exceedingly stupid, or just caught up in the moment, the creature is utterly fearless.
It ignores the Psychology rules. See page 190.
Infected
The creature, or its weapon, carries a nasty infection. If it causes a living opponent to lose Wounds, it
must pass an Easy (+40) Endurance Test or contract a Festering Wound (see page 187).

Infestation
The creature’s hide is infested with biting fleas or similar. All opponents suffer a penalty of –10 to hit
it in melee combat as the parasites distract and overwhelm them.

Leader
The creature is a practiced leader. It receives a bonus of +10 to Fellowship and Willpower. Note: this
Trait cannot be taken by creatures with the Bestial Trait.

Magical
The creature is wreathed in magic. All its attacks count as Magical, meaning it can harm creatures
only susceptible to magical attacks.

Magic Resistance (Rating)

Magic has a reduced effect on the creature. The SL of any spell affecting it is reduced by the Rating
given. So, Magic Resistance 2 would reduce the SL by 2.

Mental Corruption
The creature has Chaos on the mind. Roll on the Mental Corruption Table found on page 185.

Miracles (various)
The creature can enact Miracles; the relevant deity is indicated in brackets.

Mutation
The creature is ‘blessed’ with a Mutation. Roll on the Physical Corruption Table found on page 184.

Night Vision
The creature has the Night Vision Talent. See page 141.

Painless
The creature feels no pain or can ignore it. All non-amputation penalties suffered from Critical
Wounds are ignored, although Conditions are suffered as normal.

Petrifying Gaze
The creature’s gaze can turn flesh to stone. For its Action, it can spend all its Advantage to unleash its
gaze (minimum of 1). The creature performs an Opposed Ballistic Skill/Initiative test, adding 1 SL per
Advantage spent. Its opponent gains 1 Stunned status per 2 SL by which it wins. If it wins by at least 6
SL, its target is permanently turned to stone.

If the target is a spellcaster, the test can be Opposed with Language (Magick) instead of Initiative as
counter spells are cast.
Prejudice (Target)
The creature just doesn’t like the Target. See page 190 for rules on Prejudice.

Ranged Rating (Range)

The creature has a ranged weapon. The weapon does Damage equal to the Rating and the range in
yards is marked in brackets.

Rear
For its Move, the creature may make a Stomp attack if it is larger than its opponent (see Size ).

Regenerate
The creature is capable of healing at an extraordinary rate, even regrowing severed parts. At the start
of each round, if it has more than 0 Wounds remaining, it will automatically regenerate 1d10
Wounds. If it has 0 Wounds remaining, it will regenerate a single Wound on a 1d10 roll of 8+. If it
ever rolls a 10 for regenerating, it also fully regenerates a Critical Wound, losing all penalties and
Conditions associated with it. Any Critical Wounds or Wounds caused by Fire may not be regenerated
and should be recorded separately.
Size (Various)
This trait represents creatures whose size differ from the game standard (i.e. roughly human sized).
There are seven steps of Size, ranging from Tiny to Monstrous.

Size Examples

 Tiny: Butterfly, Mouse, Pigeon

 Little: Cat, Hawk, Human Baby,
 Small: Giant Rat, Halfling, Human Child
 Average: Dwarf, Elf, Human
 Large: Horse, Ogre, Troll
 Enormous: Griffon, Wyvern, Manticore
 Monstrous: Dragon, Giant, Greater Daemon Size

Combat Modifiers

If larger:

 Its weapons gain the Damaging Quality if the creature is one step larger, and Impact if two
steps or more larger.
 It multiplies any Damage caused by the number of steps larger it is (so, 2 steps=×2, 3 steps
=×3, and so on); this multiplication is calculated after all modifiers are applied.
 All successful strikes against smaller targets activate the Deathblow rule, even if the target
survives(see page 160).

If smaller:

 It gains a bonus of +10 to hit.

Defending Against Big Creatures

 You suffer a penalty of –2 SL for each step larger your opponent is when using Melee to
defend an Opposed Test. It is recommended to dodge a Giant swinging a tree, not parry it!

Fear and Terror

 If the creature is perceived to be aggressive, it causes Fear in any creature smaller than it,
and Terror in any creature two or more steps smaller. The rating of the Fear or Terror equals
the Size step difference. So, if the creature is Large, and its opponent is Small, it will cause
Terror 2. See page 191.

Moving in Combat

 A creature that is larger ignores the need to Disengage if it wishes to leave melee combat;
instead, it brushes smaller combatants out of the way, moving where it wishes.

Opposed Strength

 During Opposed Strength Tests (and similar), if one creature is 2 or more size steps larger, it
wins automatically. If one creature is 1 size step larger, the smaller creature must roll a
Critical to contest the roll. If it does, SL are compared as normal. All other results mean the
larger creature wins.
Stomp

 Creatures that are larger than their opponents may make one Stomp as a Free Attack, by
spending 1 Advantage, as they kick downwards or otherwise bash smaller opponents out of
the way. This attack has a Damage equal to their Strength Bonus +0 , and uses Melee
(Brawling).

Wounds

Larger creatures have more Wounds:

 Tiny 1
 Little Toughness Bonus
 Small (2×Toughness Bonus) + Willpower Bonus
 Average Strength Bonus+(2×Toughness Bonus) + Willpower Bonus
 Large (Strength Bonus+(2×Toughness Bonus) + Willpower Bonus) ×2
 Enormous (Strength Bonus+(2×Toughness Bonus) + Willpower Bonus) ×4
 Monstrous (Strength Bonus+(2×Toughness Bonus) + Willpower Bonus) ×8

Skittish
The creature is easily scared by magic or loud noises. If such occurs, it receives +3 Broken Conditions.

Spellcaster (Various)
The creature can cast spells; the specific Lore of Magic will be indicated in brackets.

Stealthy
The creature is especially stealthy. It adds a number equal to its Agility Bonus to the SL of all Stealth
Tests.

Stride
The creature has a long stride, perhaps because it is a quadruped or has especially long legs. Multiply
Run Movement by 1.5 when Running.

Stupid
While not entirely devoid of self-awareness (and so lacking the Bestial trait), the creature is stupid. If
it is near any allies without the Stupid Trait, they guide it and nothing happens. Otherwise, it must
pass an Easy (+40) Intelligence Test at the start of each round, or become very confused. Should this
occur it will drool, perhaps sitting down or picking its nose, doing little of use, losing both its Move
and Action for that Turn.

Swamp-strider
The creature is at home in a swamp. It suffers no Movement penalties for moving through boggy
ground.
Swarm
Swarms are large numbers of the same creature acting as one. The swarm counts as a single Creature
that ignores the Psychology rules (see page 190), and can ignore the Engaged rules when using its
Move. If the Swarm successfully strikes an opponent it activates the Deathblow rule (even if it has
not killed its opponent — see page 160). All opponents Engaged with a Swarm automatically lose 1
Wound at the end of every Round as the Swarm overwhelms anything close. The Swarm has five
times the Wounds of a normal example of the creature and gains +10 Weapon Skill. Any attempts to
shoot the Swarm gain a bonus of +40 to hit. Swarms ignore all the Size Creature Trait rules.

Tail Attack (Rating)

The creature’s tail is capable of sweeping foes from their feet. On its turn, it may make a Free Attack
by spending 1 Advantage. The Tail does Rating Damage, which includes its Strength Bonus already.
Opponents with a smaller Size than the creature, that suffer any Wounds from the attack, also gain
the Prone Condition.

Telepathy
The creature can communicate without words, using the power of its mind to transmit and read
thoughts. If the subject wants to resist their thoughts being read, they must pass an Average (+20)
Cool Test.

# Tentacles (Rating)
The creature has a number of tentacles equal to #. It gains one Free Attack Action per tentacle. Each
tentacle’s attack does Rating Damage, which includes its Strength Bonus already . If it causes
Damage, it can also give its opponent an Entangled Condition, which will initiate a Grapple between
the target and that tentacle. If a tentacle is Grappling, use the tentacle’s Free Attack Action to resolve
that Grapple, not the creature’s Action (see page 338).

Territorial
This creature is protective of a particular area or location. It will fight to the death to protect it and
will not normally pursue enemies if they flee this area.

Terror (Rating)
The creature supernaturally causes bone-chilling Terror in other creatures, at the Rating given. See
page 191.
Trained (Trained Skills)
This trait represents animals that have been trained through the Animal Training Skill. The skills the
animal knows is marked in the brackets. Feel free to create your own trained skills.

 Broken: The animal is trained to ignore its Bestial trait. It receives 2d10 Fellowship.
 Drive: The animal is trained to pull a coach, cart, plough, buggy, or similar.
 Entertain: The animal is trained to entertain others. It adds a +10 bonus to appropriate
Entertain, Perform, or Play Tests.
 Fetch: The animal is trained to fetch. This is normal reserved for Dogs and similar.
 Guard: The animal is trained to stay in one place or prowl around as a guard, granting it the
Territorial Trait.
 Home: The animal is trained to return home if it is released or lost.
 Magic: The animal is trained to ignore Skittish when it comes to magic, which is required for
most horses used by Wizards.
 Mount: The animal will accept a rider. Some creatures are especially belligerent, and will not
accept a rider without the correct skill. So, to ride a Griffon, you need the Ride (Griffon) skill.
 War: The animal is trained for war, gaining +10 Weapon Skill. It can also ignore Skittish for
loud noises.

Tongue Attack Rating (Range)

The creature’s prehensile tongue can wrap itself around prey, dragging it to a grisly end. On its turn,
it may make a Free Attack by spending 1 Advantage. This is a ranged attack that does Damage equal
to its Rating (the range is in brackets). If the attack hits, the target receives 1 Entangled Condition
and, if a smaller Size , is dragged towards the creature, and is Engaged in melee combat. The creature
can then choose whether to release the target, perform a Free Attack using its Weapon Trait, or to
keep the target wrapped in its tongue, initiating a Grapple (see page 163).

Tough
The creature is more resistant to damage than normal, and unlikely to back down. It receives +10
Toughness and Willpower.

Tracker
Trackers are adept at following their prey, generally through scent or hearing. They add SL equal to
their Initiative Bonus to all Track Tests.

Undead
The Undead are neither living, nor dead, meaning they are not reliant on the usual prerequisites for
life: air, food, water… This Trait most commonly come into use when spells, miracles, or other
abilities affect Undead only.

Unstable
The creature’s corpus is maintained by foul magics that are inherently unstable in the material realm.
Whenever it ends a Round engaged with any opponents with higher Advantage, the creature is
driven back, and the magics holding it together weaken. It loses as many Wounds as the difference
between its Advantage, and the highest Advantage engaged with it. So, if the creature had 1
Advantage, and its opponent had 3, the creature would lose 2 Wounds. If the creature ever reach 0
Wounds, the magics holding it in place collapse, and it ‘dies’.

Vampiric

The creature feeds on blood and draws great physical strength from this act. Whenever it performs a
successful Bite attack against an appropriate opponent, it heals as many Wounds as its opponent
loses. Drinking blood in this way is the only way it can heal.

Venom (Difficulty)

The creature’s attacks are poisoned or envenomed. When it causes Wounds, its opponent gains a
Poisoned Condition. If no Difficulty is marked to resist the Venom, it is assumed to be Challenging.
See page 169.

Vomit

The creature can spew a stream of corrosive corruption, dowsing its opponents in foul, semi-digested
filth. On its turn, by spending 3 Advantage, the creature can activate its Vomit as a Free Attack. The
creature chooses 1 target it can see within Toughness Bonus yards and lets loose; all targets within
two yards are also hit. The creature performs an Opposed Ballistic Skill/Dodge Test against all
affected targets (its single roll opposed by each individual target). The Test is typically Easy (+40) for
the vomiting creature, due to the close range, and Challenging (+0) for opponents. All losing targets
suffer a hit with a Weapon Damage of the creature’s Toughness Bonus +4 and receive a Stunned
condition. All Armour and Weapons carried by affected targets suffer 1 Damage as the acidic vomit
corrodes it away.

Ward (Rating)

Perhaps because they are magical, wear a special talisman, or are just plain lucky, some blows just
seem to miss. Roll 1d10 after any blow is received, if the creature rolls Rating or higher, the blow is
ignored, even if it is a critical.

Wallcrawler

The creature can effortlessly scale vertical surfaces and even traverse ceilings, ready to drop on
unwary prey. It moves at full Movement across any appropriate surface and automatically passes all
Climb tests.

Weapon (Rating)

The creature carries a melee weapon, or uses teeth, claws, or similar in combat. The weapon causes
Damage equal to its Rating which already includes the creature’s Strength Bonus . Typically it will be
4 + its Strength Bonus (representing a Hand Weapon).

Web (Rating)

The creature can create webbing to trap unwary foes. Whenever it successfully hits, opponents gain
1 Entangled status, with a Strength of the Rating given. See page 168.