10.4 Trait Bonuses

If you want traits to be a little more relevant for play, and you’d like to link that into a reward structure, you can expand the way traits work in the following way. It’s a bit more involved than the basic mechanic, which is why I’m not suggesting to use it from the start, but after you’re used to the way Anima Prime works you might be ready for the following added complexity.

When you play a character scene and mark a trait, there are two different ways to do so. First, if you didn’t really bring out the trait in the scene, mark it with a check. This is the regular mark, used for a reroll. But if you brought out the trait in the scene and used it to make the story in the scene more interesting, mark it with a star instead. When you unmark a starred trait, you get a bonus die to add to your reroll.

In addition, if you can tie the trait into your description of whatever action you’re taking when you unmark the trait, whether it’s a checked or a starred trait, you also earn a bonus die to the reroll.

This more involved mechanic allows traits to become more important, both in the story and in their mechanical impact. Make sure your group agrees on whether you’re using this added mechanic before you start a session.