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Combat Traits

HomeBasic RulesCombat Traits
Combat Traits are the main source of combat-related advantages and combat abilities. Anyone can learn to use a weapon without hurting themselves. Anyone can learn to block an attack to learn to duck an arrow. Learning to deal devastating damage, break weapons, or knock someone to their knees takes not only training but a certain degree of sheer physical or mental conditioning that exceeds what most people can do. Each Trait represents the instinctive way that each individual approaches combat and how those basic tendencies are represented in the game world.
  • Each Trait Tier has a Passive Advantage that is gained when the Trait Tier is purchased.
  • Each Trait Tier has a Per Combat ability that can be purchased up to three times each. These abilities refresh after 15 minutes of rest, during which time no Trait-based abilities can be used, nor can the character participate in combat in any fashion.
  • Finally, each Trait Tier has a Per Reset Ability Set that is purchased one time. These sets offer three uses of an ability at Tiers 1, 2, and 3, two uses of an ability at Tier 4, and one use of an ability at Tier 5. These uses refresh at Sunrise, and Sunset.

Any Combat Trait ability that does not deal damage such as Natural Torment, Natural Betrayal, Natural Snare Arms, etc bypass all Shells, worn armor and Vigor. As a general rule of thumb if the Protective wouldn’t be taken down by the ability they don’t interact. They are still negated by missing the delivery swing/packet, being physically blocked by a hand-held shield or weapon, Dodge, Parry (if melee), Side Step (if ranged), Wyrding, Resist and other appropriate defenses.

Combat Trait Costs

Tier12345
Tier Cost8XP8XP8XP8XP8XP
Tier Cost, Difficult*10XP10XP10XP10XP10XP
Per Combat Ability Cost5/5/5XP6/6/6XP7/7/7XP8/8/8XP10/10/10XP
Per Reset Ability Set Cost**3XP4XP5XP6XP8XP

* Characters who possess any supernatural racial heritage may experience Difficulty learning one or more Traits and must pay increased XP costs to learn Tiers. Players must pay the increased difference in cost for any Difficult Traits that were purchased before manifesting a supernatural racial heritage.

** This is a one time cost, regardless of the number of uses granted by the Per Reset Ability Set.

Each Trait has 5 Tiers and these Tiers must be bought in progression. Humans can buy any Trait at base cost at any point and at any time. Altera intentionally does not have any “Character Creation Only” abilities. Once a human embraces any of the mythological legacies they will begin to gain access to unique Passive advantages, Per Combat abilities, and Per Day abilities however, the trade-off is that the newly awakened races make two Traits Difficult to learn. The first tier of any Trait is 8 XP. If a Trait is considered Difficult this cost is 10 XP instead.

To advance from one Tier to the next a character must have all three Per Combat abilities and the Per Reset Ability Set before the next Tier can be purchased. When advancing to Tier 5, an additional in-game requirement is necessary before the character may purchase this Tier. This requirement is something that must be discovered in-play.