FASA Games, Inc.

A question (hopefully to spur a bit of debate); in an on going game/epic how doe you handle player characters gaining Traits (specifically Benefices & Afflictions, Blessings & Curses) after character creation? For example - a player's Al Malik noble becomes, through a series of events in the story, a knight of the Order of Questing Knights - do you award him/her the Imperial Charter Benefice on his character sheet or just take it as read? Likewise a character is disfigured by an Inquisitor's flamer, do you give him an associated Curse?

I suppose what I'm saying is when, through role-play or plot a character gains something which in character generation is reflected by a Trait (increased rank, a Fiefdom, Outlaw status etc) do you also award them the mechanical trait or handle it outside of that system? Also in the case of Curses and Afflictions (as they often carry a mechanical disadvantage) do you reward the player/character for taking on a long term hindrance like that?

Personally, I award no Extra Point bonus or cost for traits that are bestowed/inflicted upon player characters during play. Similarly, I wouldn't give a player character Extra Points back for loosing that family heirloom the character started the game with. If the player character strive to obtain a Blessing or Benefice however - such as a Fighting Style - I charge the player XP equal to twice the trait's Extra Points cots (i.e. 10 XP for a Fighting Style).