Descriptor

Descriptors are packages of skills and small bonuses that help set your character apart from others of the same Type. Your Descriptor is a short statement that defines a character’s personality, such as “Wrathful” or “Intelligent”. There are a large number to choose from, and they reflect what kind of person you will be.

In gameplay terms, Descriptors provide a number of benefits to statistics, Skills, and in some cases, special Abilities as well, but they also often come with penalties. Once selected, a character’s Descriptor cannot be changed.

List of descriptors available in Torment

The following descriptors are available during character generation

Name	Bonus	Malus	Descriptors
Cautious	+1 Perception and Stealth	-1 Initiative	You are careful and meticulous, always aware of your surroundings.
Charming	+1 Persuasion and Deception	-15% Willpower -1 Intellect	You are a smooth-talker and a charmer, able to convince others to see things your way.
Clever	+2 Intellect +1 Deception +15% Willpower	-1 Lore: Mystical and Lore: Machinery	You are quick-witted and a good judge of others. You can fool people but are rarely fooled yourself. You're not great at retaining trivial knowledge, however.
Graceful	+2 Speed +1 Quick Fingers	-1 Smashing	You are quick, lithe, and dexterous, able to move with grace and beauty.
Intelligent	+2 Intellect +1 Anamnesis	-1 Concentration	You have a sharp memory and can grasp concepts that others struggle with... though you have a tendency toward distraction.
Learned	+1 Intellect +1 Lore: Natural, Lore: Machinery, and Healing	-1 Persuasion and Deception	You are studious and know a great deal of information about many things. You have few social graces, however.
Mechanical	+1 Lore: Machinery and Concentration	-1 Deception	You have a gift with machines and the technology of the ancients. You're not as good with people, though.
Mystical	+1 Lore: Mystical and Cypher Use	-1 Intimidation	You have a gift with the numenera, especially the stranger powers of the ancients. You're not as good with people, though.
Observant	+1 Perception and Concentration	-1 Running	You pay attention to the smallest details, noticing clues that others often miss.
Rugged	+2 Resistance +1 Endurance and Lore: Natural	-1 Lore: Machinery and Deception	You love nature and pitting your wits against the elements. You are tough, as befits a life in the wild. People and machines are something of a mystery, though.
Slick	+1 Persuasion and Quick Fingers	-1 Endurance	You're a fast talker and a fast thinker. You're not the toughest around, but you can usually manipulate situations such that you don't need to be.
Stealthy	+1 Light Weapons, Stealth, Deception	-1 Initiative and Running	You're sneaky and slippery, both in actions and words. You gain advantage through stealth, rather than speed.
Strong	+3 Might +1 Intimidation and Endurance	-2 Intellect -1 Quick Fingers	You are physically powerful and have a presence to match. You aren't extremely deft or clever though.
Strong-willed	+15% Willpower +1 Concentration and Intimidation	-1 Lore: Machinery and Perception	You are willful, headstrong, and independent. You know that self-confidence is more important than facts.
Swift	+2 Speed +1 Running	-1 Stealth	Your top speed is unmatched. You may not be the most dexterous, but you're *fast*.
Tough	+1 Armor +1 Resistance +1 Endurance	-15% Evasion	You can take a lot of punishment, shrugging off blows that would down most people.
Wrathful	+1 Heavy Weapons, Intimidation, and Smashing	-1 Concentration and Stealth	You are quick to anger and have the power to back that anger up.