Why I Have Absolutely NO USE for Character Flaw Tables

I was reading an RPG book, yesterday, which features some tables for Character Flaws, Quirks, Bogies, whatever the hell you want to call them. Some DMs like using this sort of thing. I’m not one of them.

Ok, there’s two main reasons I don’t use bogey tables. First, because I allow my players to create the kind of character concept they want. That intent can easily be nullified, by rolling a flaw, or trait, which doesn’t fit in well, or, is directly opposed to, the concept they have in mind.

But, an even stronger consideration, is the fact that role-players will create and develop their own traits, flaws and quirks. Role-players Want to develop their characters and the more imaginative and experienced ones, will almost always throw some weirdness into the mix. At times, they will be quite deliberate in going about this. Sometimes, it’s more spontaneous.

Some player’s like to adhere to tradition. A fighter who explodes into a rage, at the drop of a hat. An evil Sorceress, who’s a psychotic vamp. The Cavalier, whose hubris leads him to mistreat “peasants,” and behave recklessly. The Ranger, who never baths, likes to taste the spoor of what he’s tracking and dislikes being around people.

Others, take a different tack, inspired by who knows what. Maybe the Wizard starts drinking, quite a bit, even taking a flask into the dungeon. Or, the Cleric will become obsessive about book collecting, going to absurd, larcenous, or even insane, lengths, to secure a rare volume.

Often, a character trait will start off as a joke, then, be adopted and played to the hilt! Halfling hatred, comes to mind, here. Or, fear of some animal or monster, like bats, or oozes. Sometimes, the other players will humorously embellish upon the actions of one of the characters, inspiring said player to adopt a new habit, or mannerism.

Occasionally, players will just start acting kind of weird, about something. Irrationally distrusting a certain type of NPC, perhaps, or becoming suspicious of another characters’ new powers.

A lot of players dig acting wacky and will often seek to exacerbate a “problem”. I once had a player whose Dwarven Warrior, suffered a decrease in intelligence, due to a draw from a Deck of Many Things. He later asked me if I could arrange a decrease of another point, or two.

Of course, most characters begin exhibiting signs of paranoia, almost immediately.

Don’t get me wrong, I LIKE Random Tables. For some things. Furthermore, if a player wanted to roll on a bogey table, I wouldn’t have a problem with her doing so. I just wouldn’t make her do it, or even suggest such a thing. Seeing character development, under the control of the player, whether deliberate and planned or spontaneously arising out of game-play, is far more satisfying. I’ll take the weird and wonderful role-playing creations of my players, over an idea taken from a bogey table, any day. Players do just fine, developing their persona, without any railroading, on my part.