Seawolf's Den

03.00 Talents & Drawbacks

Posted on by Ron McClung

Version 2.0 (Updates 6/21/2026)

Introduction

The following is a combination of Advantage/Disadvantage systems from Shatterzone, Masterbook and a little from D6 (plus some psi powers from Star Frontiers). It is all compiled into one comprehensive system that is compatible with the Ron D6 system.  There were so many redeeming qualities about Shatterzone & Masterbook that I have used it as the basis and the framework for this Talent and Drawback system. Collectively we are going to call them Traits – Talents are Positive Traits and Drawback are Negative Traits.

Organization

The Traits are acquired in several different ways and they are organized by Type.

Talents (Positive Traits)

  • Material – Items and the means to pay for them.
  • Perks & Quirks – various other Traits.
  • Professional – These Traits pertain to the professional life of a character.  These include Professions as well as Profession Aptitudes.
  • Social – These Traits involve interaction with other people and groups on a social level, social status and social norms. 
  • Special – These Traits represent non-human abilities, primarily obtained from magical, psionic, biological and evolutionary differences in the species.
  • Setting Based Traits – Some settings have their own setting flavored Traits a character can choose from. See setting for these.

Drawbacks (Negative Traits)

  • General – General Drawbacks represent personal weaknesses, obligations, social complications, or other limitations that shape a character’s life. They create meaningful challenges and roleplaying opportunities without defining the character or preventing them from contributing to the adventure. 
  • Species Flaws -Special Flaws represent unusual, supernatural, or extraordinary afflictions that fall outside the scope of normal personal or biological limitations. They are often tied to magic, psionics, advanced technology, or unique story elements and should be selected only with the Game Master’s approval.

Each Trait type has a description for the category listed before the actual different advantages.

Trait Points

Talents and Drawbacks are listed alphabetically in their respective sections. These Traits cost (Level) a number of points – the higher the value, the more powerful affect on the character. Special Abilities give the initial cost for gaining one Level in that ability, with further levels gained by additional points.

Note: Gamemasters may allow higher ranks of character options than the examples given here. Players and gamemasters should discuss the best way to represent their characters’ unique set of traits.

In general, one tries to balance Talent points with Drawback points.

Ron d6 Talents

Ron d6 Drawbacks

TalentsTypeLevelsPrerequisites
EquipmentMaterial1–5
Money ManagementMaterial1
Vehicle Material1–5
Wealth Material1–5
Collector Perks1–5
Common SensePerks1
Eidetic Memory Perks1–5
Healthy Paranoia Perks1–5
Fortuitous DiscoveryPerks1–3
Light Sleeper Perks1–3
Iron Stomach Perks1–5
Luck Perks1–5
Perfect Timing Perks1–3
Presence Perks1–5
Push ThroughPerks1
Quick DrawPerks1
Quickness Perks1-3
Sense of Direction Perks1–5
Skeptic Perks1–5
Unflappable Perks1–5
Authority Professional1–5
Fame Professional1–5
PatronProfessional1–5
ProfessionProfessional1
Professional AffinityProfessional1
AceProfession Aptitudes: 1Rogue, Warrior 
AcrobatProfession Aptitudes1Rogue 
Acute SensesProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Scout 
AgitatorProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Leader 
Alchemist Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Adept, Scholar-Chemistry 2, Craft2
Animal FriendshipProfession Aptitudes1Scout, Scholar 
Arcane ResearcherProfession Aptitudes1Adapt, Extranormal (Magick), Scholar-Arcane Lore 2 or Magic Casting 2
AssassinProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Warrior 
AthleteProfession Aptitudes1Warrior, Scout 
Blind FightingProfession Aptitudes1Warrior, Rogue 
CharismaticProfession Aptitudes1Leader 
Cryptographer Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Scholar-Cryptography 2 or Investigation 2
Dead ShotProfession Aptitudes1Warrior 
DemoralizeProfession Aptitudes1Leader, Rogue 
EnforcerProfession Aptitudes1Warrior, Leader 
Enhanced StaminaProfession Aptitudes1Scout 
Environmental Res.Profession Aptitudes1Scout 
Esoteric KnowledgeProfession Aptitudes1Scholar, Adept 
ExplorerProfession Aptitudes1Scout 
Fast ReactionsProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Warrior 
Field SurgeonProfession Aptitudes1Scholar, Medicine 2
Forensic Analyst Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Investigation 2, Medicine or Scholar-Biology 2
Gambler’s FeintProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Persuasion 2, Gambling 2
InfiltratorProfession Aptitudes1Rogue 
InspireProfession Aptitudes1Leader 
Inspirational LeaderProfession Aptitudes1Leader, Persuasion 2
IntimidatingProfession Aptitudes1Warrior, Adept 
InvestigatorProfession Aptitudes1Scholar, Adept 
JumperProfession Aptitudes1Warrior, Rogue 
Know What to StealProfession Aptitudes1Rogue 
Know the StreetsProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Scholar-Streetwise 2, Persuasion 2
LinguistProfession Aptitudes1Scholar, Three Languages (Any)  Rank 1
Magic UserProfession Aptitudes1Adept, Extranormal (Magick)
Martial ArtistProfession Aptitudes1Warrior 
Master EngineerProfession Aptitudes1Scholar, Scholar-Engineering 2, Craft 2
Master InterrogatorProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Warrior, Persuasion 2, Investigation 2
MedicProfession Aptitudes1Scholar 
Natural LeaderProfession Aptitudes1Leader 
ObservantProfession Aptitudes1Rogue, Adept 
Pharmacologist Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Medicine 2, Scholar-Chemistry 2
Polyhistor Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Any three Scholar Skills at Rank 2
PsionProfession Aptitudes1Adept , Extranormal (Psionics)
Psionic Researcher Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Extranormal (Psionics), Scholar-Psionic Theory 2 or Psionics 2
RangerProfession Aptitudes1Scout 
ResearcherProfession Aptitudes1Scholar, Investigation 2, any Scholar 2
Ritualist Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Adept, Extranormal (Magick) or Extranormal (Psionics), Magic Casting 2 or Psionics 2
Silver TongueProfession Aptitudes1Leader, Persuasion 2
SoldierProfession Aptitudes1Warrior 
StealthyProfession Aptitudes1Rogue 
SwimmingProfession Aptitudes1Warrior, Scout 
TeacherProfession Aptitudes1Scholar 
TechnicianProfession Aptitudes1Scholar 
Toxicologist Profession Aptitudes1Scholar, Adept, Scholar-Biology 2
Trademark Spec.Profession Aptitudes1Any
Xenobiologist Profession Aptitudes1Scholar 
AllySocial1–5
Contacts Social1–5
Noble Lineage Social1–5
SecretSocial1–5
Accelerated HealingSpecial Talents1–5
Ambidextrous Special Talents1–2
Animal Control Special Talents1–5
Armor-Defeating AttackSpecial Talents1–5
Attack ResistanceSpecial Talents1–5
BurrowingSpecial Talents1–5
Climbing ClawsSpecial Talents1–2
ConcealmentSpecial Talents1–5
Danger SenseSpecial Talents1–5
ElasticitySpecial Talents1–5
Energy AbsorptionSpecial Talents1–5
Enhanced SensesSpecial Talents1–5
Environmental AdaptationSpecial Talents1–5
Extra Body PartSpecial Talents1–5
Extranormal Special Talents1
Flight Special Talents1–5
Harmful TouchSpecial Talents1–5
Hive MindSpecial Talents1–5
ImmunitySpecial Talents1
IntangibilitySpecial Talents1–5
Iron Will Special Talents1–5
LargeSpecial Talents1
Life Drain Special Talents1–5
Longevity Special Talents1–5
Mental Influence Special Talents1–5
Natural Armor Special Talents1–5
Natural Communication Special Talents1
Natural Melee WeaponsSpecial Talents1–5
Natural Ranged Weap.Special Talents1–5
Possession Special Talents1–5
Regrowth Special Talents1–5
ShapeshiftingSpecial Talents1–5
Small Special Talents1
Teleportation Special Talents1–5
TransmutationSpecial Talents1–5
VenomSpecial Talents1–5
Wall WalkerSpecial Talents1–5
DrawbacksTypeLevelNotes
Addiction General Drawback1–5
Age General Drawback1–5
Amnesia General Drawback1–5
BigotryGeneral Drawback1–5
CompulsionGeneral Drawback1–5
ConvictionGeneral Drawback1–5
CurseGeneral Drawback1–5
DebtGeneral Drawback1–5
DependencyGeneral Drawback1–5
EccentricityGeneral Drawback1–5
EnemyGeneral Drawback1–5
GreedyGeneral Drawback1–5
Hindrance General Drawback1–5
Illiterate General Drawback1–5
Low Self-Confidence General Drawback1–5
Mental InstabilityGeneral Drawback1–5
ObligationGeneral Drawback1–5
Personality FlawGeneral Drawback1–5
PhobiaGeneral Drawback1–5
Poor MemoryGeneral Drawback1–5
PrejudiceGeneral Drawback1–5
Simple MindedGeneral Drawback1–5
Tech. IlliteracyGeneral Drawback1–5
WantedGeneral Drawback1–5
AllergySpecies Flaws1–5
Accelerated Meta.Species Flaws1–5
Atmospheric Incom.Species Flaws1–5
Contagious Species Flaws1–5
Dietary DependencySpecies Flaws1–5
Fragile PhysiqueSpecies Flaws1–5
Impaired SenseSpecies Flaws1–5
Instinctive AversionSpecies Flaws1–5
StigmaSpecies Flaws1–5
Physical InstabilitySpecies Flaws1–5
Symbiotic Dep.Species Flaws1–5
Gravity AdaptationSpecies Flaws1–5
VulnerabilitySpecies Flaws1–5