Advantages & Disadvantages
Define what sets your character apart from others with similar skills. They represent inherited traits, training, connections, flaws and the personal costs that shape your story.
Every character begins with both strengths and weaknesses. Power without consequence does not exist in this system.
Choosing Advantages
“Hide not your talents, they for use were made, What’s a sundial in the shade?” – Benjamin Franklin
At Character Creation:
You begin with (2) Advantages…
Only (1) Birthright Advantage may be chosen, and it must be taken at character creation…
These are marked with an asterisk (*)
No Advantage may be taken more than once, except Maester’s Education…
After Character Creation:
New Advantages may be gained through approved Story Requests by…
Accepting a narratively appropriate Disadvantage
or
Spending (10) Improvement Points with staff approval
Choosing Disadvantages
“We are flawed creatures, all of us. Some of us think that means we should fix our flaws. But get rid of my flaws and there would be no one left.” – Sarah Vowell
At Character Creation:
You must take (1) Disadvantage with no immediate benefit…
You may take additional Disadvantages to gain (1) extra Advantage per additional Disadvantage…
No Disadvantage may be taken more than once, except Weatherbitten…
After Character Creation:
Disadvantages may only be gained through an approved Story Request with narrative justification…
A Disadvantage gained in play may award an Advantage which is subject to staff approval…
Important To Remember…
Not all descriptive traits require Disadvantages. A character for example may be short, large, scarred or unusual without mechanical penalties unless the trait meaningfully hinders them in play.
Birthright Advantages
These reflect ancient bloodlines and inherited legacies.
Blood of the Andals *
+1 Equestrian & +1 Tactics
Blood of the First Men *
Immune to cold environmental damage for (3) rounds
+1 Awareness & +1 Health
Blood of Iron *
Ships ignore Fog of War under your command or orders
Paired with Natural Leader, Ship Units gain +1 combat bonus
+1 Fighting
Blood of Old Valyria *
Resistant to fire and heat. Reduced flame damage
+1 Equestrian
Blood of the Rhoyne *
+1 Fighting & +1 Awareness
General Advantages
Alert
+2 Awareness
Berserker
+1 Fighting & +1 Initiative
-2 to all other rolls, including Defense and Retreat
Born Castellan
+2 Stewardship
Born Rider
+2 Equestrian
Disciplined
+1 Tactics & +1 Equestrian
Empathetic
+1 Awareness & +1 Equestrian
Resourceful
+1 Stewardship & +1 Tactics
Shadowborn
+2 Stealth
Unyielding
+2 Health
Special & Narrative Advantages
These require prerequisites and carry significant narrative weight
Dragon Bond – Requires Blood of Old Valyria
Allows bonding with a dragon. Dragon abilities scale by age and size and may be used in warfare with staff approval. Grants +1 to any task it could narratively assist with, regardless of size. Please see Dragon Bond Rules for Stats.
Dragon Rider – Requires Dragon Bond
You may ride a fully grown dragon. Dragons function as Units in warfare.
Dragon Dreams – Requires Blood of Old Valyria
Once per week, gain prophetic insight or modify a roll with +2 or -1
Enduring Resolve
+2 to resist torture
Greatly reduced chance of gaining torture related disadvantages
Golden Touch
All House Wealth improvements made by you are doubled
Only one member per House may benefit at a time
Green Dreams – Requires Blood of the First Men
Functions identically to Dragon Dreams, rooted in Old Gods magic
Lowborn Sympathies
Once per week, roll Awareness to learn Smallfolk sentiment toward figures of power
Skinchanger – Requires Blood of the First Men
Bond with an animal companion used for scouting and aid
Seven Skins – Requires Skinchanger
Up to seven bound animals. Only one may be possessed at a time
Maester’s Education
Grants expertise in scholarly fields and heraldry
May be taken multiple times
Maester’s Healing – Requires Maester’s Education
Doubles natural healing under your care. Diagnose illnesses and poisons
Natural Leader
Followers ignore Fog of War and are not limited by your Tactics score
Spy Network / Advanced / Master
+1 / +2 / +3 to Awareness for espionage related checks
Underworld Connections
Once per week, learn criminal rumors and major figures
Disadvantages
Arrogant
-1 Awareness & -1 Tactics
Blind
Counts as two Disadvantages
-4 Fighting & Marksmanship, -2 Stewardship
Cannot read
Callous
-1 Fighting & -1 Awareness
Clumsy
-1 Fighting & -1 Marksmanship
Coin Cursed
House Wealth costs doubled
-1 Stewardship
Craven
-2 Fighting, -2 Marksmanship & +2 Awareness
Distracted
-2 Awareness
Hard of Sight / Impaired Sight
-2 Marksmanship
Hot Headed
-1 Awareness & -1 Tactics
Horseshy
-2 Equestrian
Ill Studied
Cannot take education Advantages
Illiterate
-2 Stewardship
Requires others to read / write
Impulsive
-1 Stealth & -1 Tactics
Large
-1 Fighting & -1 Marksmanship
Maimed
-1 Fighting & -1 Marksmanship
May be bought off with narrative justification
Seasick
-2 to all rolls aboard ships
Small
-1 Health
Spiritbound
-1 Awareness & -1 Tactics
Terror
-2 to all rolls near a specific fear
Weatherbitten
-1 Health per instance
Repeatable and lethal
Final Notes
Advantages & Disadvantages are narrative tools, not optimization paths…
Staff may deny combinations that undermine tone or balance…
Unapproved changes may be rolled back…