Strengths and Weaknesses AKA Extra's and Flaws

[Naraca]

NOTE: For every extra you take, YOU MUST take one flaw,
major extra = major flaw. And yes, Bending does count as a major extra, so if
you pick a Bending ability, you automatically get to pick a major flaw.

Extras

Its 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.


Here are a few examples of major extras:

Bending Ability, Massive Stamina, Super Strength, Super Speed, Extra element to
bend(usually benders have only one), Multiple Gifted Abilities (Strength, Stamina,
Constitution), own a Large Creature, Rare technique, Exceptional in a Skill (medical,
tracker, etc.)

If you add something a physical Strength like Super Strength or Super Speed, describe the level of Strength or Speed you have. Can you pick up 1000 pounds or 10,000 pounds? Can you run 100 miles or 1000 miles?


Here are a few examples of minor extras:

Noble 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 ( related to royal bloodlines such
as Kings or rulers) Detect Liars


Also, it wouldnt hurt to take three major extras and no minors, or four minors
and no majors. Thats 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 Americans language
as a term for flaws, hardships, or Achilles heel.


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. limited bending (If
so specify in what way it’s limited). Naive, easily manipulated.

Following the description on describing the level of how power your Strength is. If you choose something like Super Strength, being able to pick up 10,000 pounds, you will have to have a weakness just as powerful. If you were to have gone for 1000 pounds instead, the weakness would not have to be as harsh. So keep this in mind if your thinking of giving yourself a type of God Power.

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




Extra and Flaws follow a list of simple guidelines;

• Not having something is not a flaw, unless its a body
      part of some sort of... unique validation.
  
• Things like, unable to learn martial arts, not a flaw.
      Can't learn another bending element, again not a flaw.
  
• Flaws much be related, two stats go up in this, two
      stats must go down in that.
  
• Being afraid of something must mean it afflicts your
      life and can impair you in battle with utter fear, and it must reasonably
      be something you'd encounter more than once or twice.
  
• Being afraid of death is 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.
  
• Loyalty is not an extra
  
• Being afflicted by something as a flaw must mean it
      happens on a reasonable amount of occasions.
  
• Inability to learn an element is not an extra.
  
• You're SA's cannot bend or break any of the General or Bending Rules of the site.
  
  

Updated on 2014/10/14

It's a lot more simple then you think. The best way I could describe it is like this:

Major Strengths: Huge, powerful stuff that are big game changers, either in combat or out of combat, the difference makers between being a power tank, or a smart, all knowing genius. Basically it the things that make your character unique when you don't want them to just be "Fire Bender #3" when it comes to battle.

Minor Strengths: Little things that don't make much of a difference in battle but are no doubt useful. Photographic memory would be a prime example. Amazing to have out of combat, but in combat, it doesn't do much as that won't stop a punch coming at your face.

Major Weakness: The big weaknesses that's the thing that can be used to literally kill you or cripple you. These are the things that make your otherwise powerful character have a kryptonite so your not just all powerful. It's something that can be used against you in battle, and if so, it can turn the tide in battle. Like if it was a fear, you'd be frozen stiff in fright, either unable to move, or unable to do little more then run away.

Minor Weakness: A small weakness that's just more a personal flaw of your character. This can range from a hot temper or being poor. Basically something that doesn't effect you in battle, or doesn't change anything, or if it does, it's very little, like maybe you hesitate a little if it was around. Like...Say you didn't like to fight around a lot of people. You'd still fight hard, but you'd have those little moments of hesitation to show your full strength.

Why have these? Well lemme ask you this, what would stop me from having the Strength "Hulk Strength" and then to balance, the weakness of "Shy around people"? The answer is majors and minors. You could make the argument that people have to properly balance, but then they'd just making majors and minors anyway wouldn't they? It's really just a matter of balancing, and keeping things in order. If you told people to have balance, but then just had the format be

Strengths:
Weaknesses:

You might have it look something like this

Strengths: Hulks Strength, Acute smell, Bullet Speed, Lazor Eye's, Night vision, Fart Flying powers.

Weaknesses: Crippling fear of bugs, Shy around people, Severe controlling personality, Slow reaction time, Left arm injury, Really smelly farts.

It's like...It's not that this doesn't work, but it's just messy, and kinda all over the place and you have the person making strengths and weakness that balance each other but like I said it's just dumb looking and unorganized. I mean why have it like that, when you could have it like this:

Major Strengths: 1. Hulk Strength 2. Bullet Speed 3. Lazor Eyes 4. Fart Flying powers

Minor Strengths: 1. Acute Smell 2. Night vision

Major Weaknesses: 1. Left arm injury 2. Crippling fear of bugs 3. Slow reaction time 4. Severe controlling personality

Minor Weaknesses: 1. Really smelly farts 2. Shy around people

Looks way better right? Now mind you, a description for each of these abilities and weaknesses would have to be made, but basically, this is very straight forward, and easier to see. The major strengths are indeed strong and game changing, the minors are indeed useful but wouldn't do much in a fight. The major weaknesses are heavy, could all be used against you in a fight and make you lose. The minor weaknesses couldn't be used against you, but you better believe they are inconvenient things to have. You'll also see how I tied the fart flying powers with the smelly farts, making the ability of flying even more acceptable as the flying comes with a cost. I know you wouldn't use farts, but you see what I'm saying eh? As for being royal or poor, well yes those could actually both be in strengths or weaknesses, I mean why not? Being rich don't count for shit if you get stabbed, and being poor doesn't either. They are both minor things, basically you could say it's just an excuse for your character to wear nice, clothes, or live in a nice house. Or being poor just as an excuse to fill up the minor weaknesses you can't think of. It's just minor after all, nothing serious. You can incorporate it them into story even. If your character is poor, them bam, you got your minor right there.

I hope that makes more sense. When its comes down to it. It just more organized, easier to read, easier to distinguish rather then having stats or numbers or the person just saying "Super this" or "super that". S'like you see "Okay, bam, those are the majors, do they look major? Bam, those are minors, do they look minor? Okay, now are they fair, do they balance each other out nicely?"
I know this is a big explination, but it's a simple process really.