Untitled - Index of - Free

mostly in terms of whole numbers, and often use 1/2
values (like '3.5') when playing the game ourselves, but
feel free to use the entire Range if you like the fine shading
it gives.
TYPES OF TRAITS
Acting is about playing roles. When an Actor plays
a new role, she enters into new possibilities for expression
within the world. This expression should be consistent,
with its own inherent view-point, background, strengths,
and even shortcomings. The world in which this persona
interacts must also be consistent, and allow for the Actors'
suspension of disbelief. It's this suspension, this quality of
Continuity, which gives focus to the Actors' roleplay. The
intent of any system of rules is to provide for this sense of
Continuity.
The basis for this Continuity within our rules will be
the organization of each Actor's persona into Traits. Traits
are all those details which give a role its unique identity
within the tale. They allow you to define exactly the
persona you wish to play, so that both you, the Director,
and the other Actors may each share a strong common
sense ofyour character's potentials and deficits. In Theatrix,
we use four different types of Traits to help define the four
main aspects of any persona's functioning within the
Chronicle. These four classes of Traits are, once again ...
Physical and Mental Attributes- These six
Traits comprise a description of each
character's physical and mental capabilities,
and include Strength, Stamina, Coordination,
Intellect, Intuition, and Presence.
Skills and Abilities - Skills are Traits that
measure the depth and facility of your
persona's knowledge in particular areas, and
expertise at various tasks. Abilities are very
much like Skills, but cover feats of a
paranormal nature that often fall outside the
realm of normal learning.
Personality Traits - These Traits form a
description of your persona's major
psychological motivations.
Descriptors - These Traits help to portray
the effects of a role's background, history,
and social position, as well as some physical
oddities and paranormal features.
Each of the above categories is treated differently
by, and has different uses within, the rules. We'll now take
each in turn and explain them in more detail.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ATTRIBUTES
There are three Physical and three Mental At­
tributes, all Descriptive Traits, representing a role's innate
potential in the physical and mental arenas. They estab­
lish your character's physical and mental capabilities.
These Traits are static in a way that's never true for us in
our 'real' lives. Weak people can pump iron until they
become strong. People with difficult scholastic histories
can try new study habits. Good trainers can help even the
handicapped to become athletes. One of the joys of life is
that we're not really locked into the roles we traditionally
define ourselves with.
However, acting is about roles. We count on the
stereotypes of our favorite characters. That's why we read
particular books, or see certain movies. Your character's
Attributes will embody the basic potentials that define the
role you choose. The differences between each of the
characters' Attributes will also help to define these char­
acters in relation to each other. That doesn't mean your
role can't change or grow. Only that such change will have
to accommodate the story, the other main characters,
and the expectations of your role's original conception.
Physical Attributes
follow ...
The three Physical Attributes and their descriptions
Strength - This is representative of your
pure physical prowess. Your capacity to lift,
push, shove, heave, and move. Strength is
important whenever you intend to use brute,
physical force against either a person, or an
object. In hand to hand combat, Strength will
also reduce the damage you suffer from your
opponents blows.
Stamina - This is your capability to endure
hardship, both physical and psychological.
Stamina's most important component is
simply the will to live. Within the bounds of
your physical ability, this is also your capacity
to ignore fatigue, and to continue long term
tasks. The limits of those tasks may be
decided by Strength, or Intellect, but Stamina
will determine how well you react to the
stress. In combat, when you're hurt, Stamina
will also determine whether you can take
action, and to what extent.
Coordination - This Trait covers your
capacity for grace in movement, agility,
reaction speed, and hand-eye coordination.
Theatrlx - The Core Rules 33