Characters

 
No story would be able to go anywhere without characters, and an RPG is no different. Under player control, characters serve as a tool for interacting with the story and the game-world. Under GM control, they offer a powerful tool for manipulating the players, motivating the plot, and enriching the game-world.

Characters in [100%] are dominated by their Traits, which determine who they are and what they can do. Characters also have a Special and Stress rating, which measure their current control over the story, and the damage to their continued cool, respectively, but more on that later.

Traits 

Traits are the single most important aspect of any given character. Rated from 0% to 100%, they describe the character to the GM, the game, and the players, and determine that character’s personality, proficiency, and place in the world. A character’s Traits may change over time, as they develop, but each character will only ever have five Traits total, so it is important to be clear and concise when selecting them. As only one Trait can come into play when applicable, this can be somewhat nebulous and open to interpretation, so it is important that the GM and the player work together to ensure that they both have a clear idea as to the Trait’s meaning and use.

Trait Ratings: Traits are rated from 0% to 100%. At the beginning of the game, players have 100% to divide amongst their [Talent], [Personality], [Occupation], [Background] and [Flaw].

Traits, Superpowers, and Unrated Benefits: Some Traits may imply benefits that are not specifically, mechanically represented – a [Megacorp Heir]’s vast monetary resources, a [Government Agent]’s rank and security clearance, or a [Rock Star]’s fame. These benefits simply are – they exist as part of the Trait, regardless of that Trait’s Class or Rating. Trait’s, simply by nature of possessing them, alter what your character can conceivably do, and inform the GM and the other players as to the character’s position in the world.

Similarly, some Traits, especially [Talent] Traits, might suggest preternatural or superhuman abilities – teleportation, shape-shifting, mind-reading, etc. A character with such a Trait has the implied power simply by possessing the Trait, regardless of its Class. Provided, of course, that the GM allows such abilities.

Each character has five Traits, as follows: 

[Talent] A character’s Talent show where their true gifts lay – while their Occupation hints at their training, a character’s Talent notes what sets them apart from others in their field. It could be a result of years of dedicated study at the hand of a master, a born knack, or some mixture of the two, but a character’s Talent puts them head and shoulders over those without their gifts.
Sample Talents: Quick-Witted, Excessive Dexterity, Super-Strength, Expert Marksman, Iron Hand Master, Drop-Dead Gorgeous, Electrokinetic, Invulnerability
Common Classes: Ace, Block, Charge, Defect. [Talent]s can be of almost any Class, depending on the nature of the [Talent] and the preferences of the player.

[Personality] A character’s Personality is their general bearing and demeanor. It may not be the first thing someone notices about a character, but it’s likely the second, and almost always the thing they remember. Whether the character is a stone-faced stalwart type, a bubbly ditz, or an insufferably witty trickster, their Personality is likely to have a strong impact on how others treat them.
Sample Personalities: Cheery, Charming, Femme Fatal, Grizzled, Innocent, Fiery
Common Classes: Ace, Block, Charge, Defect. [Personality] Traits can be of almost any Class, depending on the nature of the [Personality] and the preferences of the player.

[Occupation] A character’s Occupation notes what they spend the vast majority of their time doing – whether it be an actual profession, or simply a life-long calling. A character who spends their nights tracking down and slaying ancient evils would take Monster Hunter as their Occupation, regardless of his part-time job at the 7-11, just as a wandering, penitent and penniless monk would list his Occupation as Pilgrim. Whether or not the character receives payment for their Occupation, its selection is important as, even more than Talent, Occupation determines the sort of skills and training a character will possess.
Sample Occupations: Ace Detective, Wizard, Professor of Archeology, Masked Vigilante, Soldier, Two-Bit Thug, Rock Star
Common Classes: Ace. [Occupation]s almost always begin as Ace Traits, and gain other Classes as the game progresses. With Specific GM permission, however, you may begin the game with an [Occupation] of a different Trait Class.

[Background] A character’s background encompasses the most formative portion of their life prior to their current profession, or the current adventure. It could note their childhood, whether they grew up on the streets or in a magical academy. It could focus on their teenage years, spent in a secluded farming village or aboard a colony ship. It could document their time in the army, or the millennia they spent in the Dreamscape while their bodies were regrown in a vat. Nonhuman characters - such as elves, dwarves, robots, Martians, vampires, wolves, and the like – should note their species as their Background.
Sample Backgrounds: Ex-Marine, Street Urchin, Pilgrim, Raised by Wolves, Crown Prince, Mega-Corp Heir, Spoiled Suburbanite, Neptunian Royal
Common Classes: Ace. [Background]s almost always begin as Ace Traits, and gain other Classes as the game progresses. With Specific GM permission, however, you may begin the game with an [Background] of a different Trait Class.

[Flaw] A character’s Flaw is the one thing that, despite what else might happen, nags at them. It’s that little bit of turmoil that follows them no matter where they go, that issue that just keeps haunting them, be it a taste for strong drink, womanizing, maninizing, or just a string of tragedies that seem to follow the character. Note that most Flaws are of a psychological or social nature – they are an important part of the character’s, well, character. Physical Flaws should be reserved for truly crippling or thematically important disabilities – paraplegia, blindness, muteness, or the like. Similarly, phobias, delusions, and the like should only be used as a Flaw if they are massive, part of the character’s personality.
Sample Flaws: Alcoholism, Compulsive Carousing, Hard Knock Life, Overconfidence, Anger Issues, Bloodlust
Common Classes: Defect. A [Flaw]’s Class must start with the Defect Class. Other Classes may be applied when spending Progress.

Trait Classes: A Trait’s Class determines its functionality and the type of benefit it provides. At the beginning of the game, players must select a Class for each of their Traits. As the game progresses they may purchase new, secondary Trait Classes for their Traits. Traits may have any number of Classes attached to them, though, obviously, some Classes would be ill-suited or illogical to place on some Traits.

[Ace (A)] An Ace Trait provides heightened proficiency and increases your likelihood of success on actions relating to the Trait. When attempting an action relating to the Trait, the Trait grants a bonus to Chance equal to its Rating. So [Government Agent (A)] could help with firing pistols, filing paper-work, and the like, while [Rock Star] would provide its benefits on musical performances, schmoozing attempts, and so on. 

[Block (D)] A Block Trait provides you with some amount of resistance to damage, whether physical or psychological. Stress Gains related to the Trait are lowered by the Trait’s rating. Note that this works only for Stress Gains that could logically be lessened by the Trait – Bullet wounds for a [Soldier (B)], verbal threats against a [Grizzled (B)] detective, or eldritch madness against a [Monster Hunter (B)]. 

[Charge (C)] A Charge Trait provides you with a sudden burst of motivation. When you achieve a Critical Success with an action relating to the Trait, you receive the Trait’s Rating in Special.

 
[Defect (D)] A Defect Trait reveals some flaw in your character, not only causing stress but also contributing to their advancement. Whenever a Defect Trait is used, you gain stress equal to the Trait's rating. Additionally, at the end of each 'Chapter' you receive extra progress equal to the Trait's rating.