Special Abilities and Weaknesses, aka Extras and Flaws

NOTE: For every extra you take, YOU MUST take one flaw, major extra = major flaw. And yes, KKG's do count as a major extra, so if you pick a KKG, you automatically get to pick a major flaw.

Extras

It’s very important that you take the powers of your character into serious consideration. A character with too many powers can be overwhelming and in some cases, hard to keep track of. Here is a good rule of thumb when it comes to extras: choose two major ones and then two minor ones.

For instance, let’s take Tsunade. Her extras are Super Strength, Medical Abilities, Continual Transformation Jutsu and a legendary title/reputation. Her super strength and medical abilities are her two major extras, and her transformation jutsu and title are her two minors.

Here are a few examples of major extras:

Bloodline Ability, Massive Chakra Amount, Super Strength, Super Speed, Extra Chakra Nature Type (usually ninjas have only one), Multiple Gifted Abilities (Strength, Stamina, Constitution), Summon Large Creature, Rare Jutsu, Exceptional in a Skill (medical, tracker, etc.) One handed hand seals,


Here are a few examples of minor extras:

ANBU Rank, Decoder, Companion (dog, cat, etc.), Photographic Memory without Advanced Intelligence, Natural Direction Sense, Requires Little Sleep or Food, Can Speak Multiple Languages, Medic, Family (e.g. Hyuuga, Hokage’s son) Detect Liars


Also, it wouldn’t hurt to take three major extras and no minors, or four minors and no majors. That’s really up to you, just be sure not to go overboard.

Flaws

Ah, the aspects that make us fall in love with your character; the qualities of them that remind us of ourselves. It’s very important that your character has flaws, just as important as how powerful they are. If your character has no weakness, no signs of imperfection, then people will be turned off from your character from the start. This can be seen with the comic book character Superman. Kryptonite was brought first into the radio show to help develop the plot and was later added to the comic book to create a weakness in superman – fearing the invulnerable man would lose fans if he had no flaw for the readers to relate to. And since then, Kryptonite has made its way into American’s language as a term for flaws, hardships, or Achille’s heel.

We’ll steal Tsuande again for this explanation. Her flaws are/were fear of blood; she’s insecure in her appearances because of aging (why else would she use a transformation jutsu to cover it up?); she is filled with regret for the death of her brother and her lover; she has a gambling problem; she likes to drink, but can’t handle it; and she has terrible luck.

So a lot more flaws for the Princess than powers. But we know that Tsunade is a great character as we’ve seen in the manga and anime.

Now that you know what all of the abilities mean, how extras can be balanced and the importance of flaws are.

Major Flaws - Afraid of something, animal, blood, etc etc. can't water walk. Can't use genjutsu, Naive, easily manipulated.

Minor Flaws - hypochondria, has rage issues. Can't see out of one eye. Can't stay awake during the night. Afraid of the dark.



UPDATE

Extra and Flaws now much follow a few simple guidelines.

1. Not having something is not a flaw, unless its a body part of some sort of... unique validation.

Things like, unable to learn taijutsu, not a flaw. Can't learn Suiton, again not a flaw.

2. Flaws much be related, two stats go up in this, two stats must go down in that.

3. Having an extra element as a major, means you must be more susceptible to another element.
I.E
Major - Suiton Element
Flaw Major - Is susceptible to Katon.

4. Afraid of something that isn't a show stopper - Being afraid of bears is awesome... are there bears around... NO.
Being afraid of say... clouds... okay <.<.... but you realize they are so far away that well... they do you no harm... NO.

Being afraid of death is also now banned, being afraid of something MUST MUST MUST be bone chilling, and basically a "I can't go on with that thing here" type deal.

5. Loyalty is no longer an extra

6. Show what we know is not an extra "My char has a 1 in con" not acceptable.

7. Being afflicted by something... is going to be more random, as such, coughing up blood could happen once next week... and then 16 times in a month, random meaning dice rolls, or acts of admin saying "cough up blood"

8. Anything that gives Ryu

9. Covering up extra's, such as "He is deaf, but can hear out of his mouth" is no longer acceptable.

10. Inability to learn element.

xtras -
Anything that gives ryu
Stats over 20 *ANBU* or over current rank *Genin can't have stats over like 14 I believe
Implants are not allowed
Extra's that dismiss flaws *He is deaf, but he developed a way to hear through his mouth, thus he can hear*
Extra's that define flaws *He may have low chakra, but he can suck out chakra from attacks, thus giving him chakra and helping him combat more profoundly*

Bad Extra's
Afraid of animals - Unless you freeze up and hyperventilate... no not a good fear
Super loyal - Not a flaw... because those situations are far from inbetween
Afraid of death - Who isn't
Afraid of x/y - I'm afraid of caves... so ooc wise I never go in a cave
Afraid of water/can't swim - But you can water walk... so wtf issue is there?

Flaws -
Anything that tells what we already know, low stats
Not able to learn a element (No longer acceptable)
Anything that is rendered irrelevant by extras *He is deaf, but an extra allowed him to hear from his mouth*
Flaws that aren't related to extras (Extra that gives someone a weapon, and a flaw that makes them sick every time it rains, not related)