Disadvantages
Black Sheep of the Family - The character is an outlaw to his house, and has been disowned by his family. The player and the DM should work out the reasons why this occurred and whether it is possible for the character to earn his way back into the fold (i.e., pay off the disadvantage). As a result, he cannot inherit anything from his family, and he cannot call on them for help or support. Earning forgiveness, if possible, is difficult and could take years of hard work. For 5 points, the character committed relatively minor offenses and should be able to make amends. The character may have lost a minor heirloom, married the wrong person, or failed to follow in the proper profession. If the character wants to increase the severity of this disadvantage, he should select Powerful Enemy (10 points) and indicate the enemy is his former family, who seek to punish the character in full for his misdeeds.
Colorblind - Character sees only in shades of grey.
Greed - The character will either be overcome with want for money or power. In either case, the character will stop at nothing to gain it.
Bad Reputation - The character has a reputation that frightens or angers people. The mere mention of the character's name might inspire fear, hatred, or disgust in others, depending on the specific reputation. The character might have the reputation of being unlucky, petty, cruel, or anything that the player and DM agree on. The reputation may or may not be accurate, but word of the character's reputation always travels faster than the character. In game terms, the character with the bad reputation suffers a +2 penalty to all reaction rolls for first encounters. If the the reaction result is "cautious" or worse (see the DMG), the NPCs react in a way that is appropriate to the character's reputation (e.g., fear, anger, etc.). A bad reputation often includes both the name and a description of the character, which might require the character to assume a false name and a disguise when traveling.
Fool With Money - The character is an adventurer at heart and alternates between being disgustingly wealthy and totally broke. This is a classic disadvantage among adventurers, who seem to alternate between the two states of finance with amazing frequency. When the character comes across money, he spends most of it quickly, fulfilling any whims of the moment. He spends his money on frivolous and extravagant things, and then the money is gone. In game terms, whenever the character acquires any amount of wealth over 100 gp, he must spend it as soon as possible. (If he is adventuring in the ruins of a castle, he must wait until he returns to town for his spending spree.) The character may not put the money in savings, and he may not give the money to his fellow adventwrs or friends (he can, however, buy them gifts). He can give to charity, buy things for himself and friends (not all of his purchases should be utilitarian or useful), gamble, or do anything else that spends money creatively.
For example, Rolf the Mighty has just come back from the ruins with almost a thousand gold pieces of treasure. After paying taxes and fees, he has 900 gold left. He takes the party to their favorite posh tavem where he spends 75 gp buying a round for the house and a bottle of special Aelfain wine for the party. He then orders the seven course dinner for himself (another 5 gp). That night, he sleeps in the best room in the establishment, relishing room service and a soft bed (another 5 gp). The next morning, Rolf goes on a shopping spree: he buys his girlfriend a silver necklace (100 gp). Next, he buys a handsome new pair of leather boots (10 gp) and picks up a fancy walking staff with a carved wolf's head (just because he likes how it looks, a mere 20 gp). He also buys a pouch of his favorite tobacco (an expensive brand, imported, a paltry 15 gp). He decides his old chainmail armor is too worn out and instead of simply repairing it opts for a whole new suit. He has it tailor-made by the best dwarven armorer in Highwall city. By the end of the week, RoIf has only 56 gp to his name. He promptly moves back to his favorite cheap inn (back to sleeping in the common room). He must now drink the watered ale and eat the plain meals served there. After Rolf's next burst of wealth, he will do it all over again!
The character can buy things he needs and can spend some of his wealth on equipment -- but not all of it. It is best if the player adheres to the spirit of the disadvantage, not the letter, to make things entertaining. If the player is not following the spirit of the disadvantage, the DM may intervene to encourage the character to spend like an idiot for a while.
Jealous Lover - This is similar to Powerful Enemy, but with less deadly connotations. The character has left behind a jilted lover or former spouse. The old flame is now seeking the character -- either to win him/her back or gain revenge. The lover is unusually persistent and exceptionally talented at pursuing the character and should have an annoying habit of turning up at the worst times in the worst places.
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