Physical Merits

Physical merits refer to special skills, abilities, or aptitudes in physical pursuits or contests that characters may possess. These may range from very simple merits, such as those that indicate a character has a good sense of balance or can lift a considerable amount of weight, to very complex and supernatural ones, often possessed by only a few beings in the world at any given time. Merits always represent either an innate quality of a character, a situation they have encountered that has permanently affected them, or a skill they have worked hard to acquire.

Physical merits are broken down into merits belonging in the realm of Dexterity (merits involving speed, skill, and flexibility), Stamina (merits involving resistance to and recovery from injury), and Strength (merits involving feats and raw physical power).

Dexterity Merits

Firearms License: This character is skilled in firearms and possesses the license to prove it.

Natural Runner: This character runs especially quickly and easily.

Perfect Balance: This character has excellent balance and can walk tightropes or dance on a dime.

Specialist Driver's License: This character has an extended license, such as for commercial trucks or buses, and is skilled in using it.

Stamina Merits

Bundle of Energy: This character is naturally energetic and sleeps less than most.

Catnapper: This character can get just as much rest from intermittent napping as most get from a full night of sleep.

High Pain Tolerance: This character feels much less pain than others and can behave as if they were less injured than they actually are.

Hollow Leg: This character is resistant to the effects of alcohol and can drink huge amounts of it before suffering ill effects.

Huge Size: This character is especially huge (more than 6'5" tall) and can survive more phyiscal punishment.

Light Sleeper: This character wakes easily from even small stimuli and is immediately alert when they do.

Robust Health: This character is resistant to poisons and toxins and seldom gets sick.

Sea Legs: This character is at home on boats and is unaffected by rough weather or motion sickness.

Strength Merits

Good Right Hook: This character hits especially hard when fighting hand-to-hand.

Natural Aptitude: This character is especially good at a specialized innate skill, far more than most other people.