Shiro Games' Wartales is an open-world medieval RPG where players take control of a band of mercenaries as they fulfill contracts and complete missions in a world stricken with plagues, ravaged by civil wars, and filled with mysteries. Since players control the entire party as part of the game's turn-based combat system, each character and their respective traits, as well as their classes and specializations, are very important.
As well as positive traits, there are also some less desirable traits that players can select as part of a trade-off during the starting party creation menu, while others can be applied to characters depending on certain events and circumstances that befall them throughout the game.
10 Lazy
When looking to hire a fighting-fit mercenary to carry out tasks in a plague-stricken, war-torn realm, laziness probably isn't a quality many would want in a new recruit. Fortunately, the trait will predominantly only affect the character's Profession experience, burdening them with a 20% reduction in experience gained.
Although this is not ideal, it is also not too critical either, since larger mercenary bands can have enough members to fill each of the relevant professions. It is certainly best avoided if possible, and even for player-created characters other negative traits will not carry such a substantial penalty.
9 Glutton
One of Wartales' central gameplay mechanics revolves around managing fatigue and food supplies. When the party runs out of energy they will need rest and food (unless staying in a tavern), which will need to be prepared by the party Cook in the party's Camp screen.
Sometimes it can be hard to manage and calculate how much food will be required, so having a character with the Glutton trait is certainly not desirable for this as they will consume +1 Food each mealtime. While this is manageable with one or two characters, it can stack up a lot if there are any more.
8 Unlucky
Another less-than-desirable trait for any character to be burdened with is that of terribly bad luck. The Unlucky trait will reduce a target's chance of striking Critical Hits by 3%. While this may not seem like much, many factors in Wartales can reduce a character's Critical Hit chance.
While this is not too devastating and can be counter-balanced with certain weapons and equipment, it can be frustrating and lead to longer, drawn-out combat exchanges with this particular character.
7 Maniac
While it may sound beneficial to have a slightly maniacal party member for combat effectiveness, this trait actually offers no such benefits and will simply reduce this unit's Willpower by 5 unless their equipment can be repaired - which is not always possible between every battle.
Similarly, the trait Megalomaniac will penalize a character by 5 Willpower if they are not made an officer within the party. These traits are best avoided if possible, but if present, it is always better to be aware of these characters' specific needs.
6 Stupid
Not every mercenary is expected to be a well-educated Scholar, but characters with the Stupid trait are at risk of being left behind and hindering progress, particularly in the mid-to-late game. This trait will cause a 5% penalty to all experience gained.
As a result, this character will be slow to progress through all attributes and Specializations, making them slower to unlock new abilities and maintain the level required to keep up with their teammates. This can be particularly challenging for players who are in Free Exploration mode where enemies level alongside the squad, as well as in Region-Locked mode where enemy levels remain static.
5 Depressed
Another trait that will penalize characters' Willpower is the Depressed trait. This can be induced in various ways such as losing allies in combat, or can also be selected as a negative trait in the Starting Party creation menu.
Unlike Maniac and Megalomaniac, the Depressed trait will cost a character 2 Willpower at all times, regardless of any equipment or party status conditions. This can seriously delay progress to a higher Willpower stat, which will reduce the unit's combat effectiveness as well as their chances of gaining critical hits.
4 Scrawny
While there are certainly many different roles among the game's various classes, none of them will particularly favor characters with the Scrawny trait. This unfortunate weakness will cost that character 5% of their Constitution, making them more likely to be injured or killed in battle.
If necessary, it is certainly better to apply this to support units such as Archers or Rangers, since typically they will receive less damage during combat than other unit types. This trait can be canceled out with either the Brawny or Strong traits.
3 Cowardly
Cowardice and mercenary work don't often go hand-in-hand, and Wartales is no exception. Characters with the Cowardly trait will flee from combat if their morale gets too low, in much the same way that can sometimes happen when fighting Nightmares or Ghost creatures, only applied to all combat.
In many battles, particularly when the party is outnumbered, such as in the case of fighting villagers or rats' nests, this can be a serious hindrance since it is hard to predict when the character might break and flee from combat. Having combatants randomly retreat out of fear can be incredibly disruptive to battlefield tactics as well as the overall result of the battle.
2 Cross-Eyed
Not every attack in Wartales is guaranteed to be a success, particularly for those with the Cross-Eyed trait. While this trait will only apply to characters of the Archer class, it can cause them to misfire and hit their teammates rather than their intended targets.
While this will only affect allies in the vicinity of a targeted enemy, it can be extremely frustrating as it will not only waste a potential attack but also cause damage to an ally, and as a result, negatively impact the relationship between the two characters.
1 Infected
One of the most noticeable afflictions terrorizing the citizens of Wartales is the presence of a plague, the cause of which will be for the player to figure out as they progress through the game's story. Unfortunately, party members can be prone to Infection, which will get progressively worse if left untreated and can cause penalties to food consumption as well as eventual madness.
Infected characters can be cured by using Plague Remedies which are found at most Apothecaries or traveling Plague Doctors. Cures can also be fashioned by party members with the Alchemist profession, provided they have the requisite ingredients for the concoction.
Wartales is available now on PC.