Chris wrote:so a "unique" might be something like..... saying my Grippli has color changing skin, kind of like a mood-ring chameleon? no real bonus to anything, but he turns a dark red when he gets mad, blue when he is sad, bright yellow\orange when happy.
It would be controllable, so it doesn't affect his social skills, but just for fun.
Is that kind of what you are thinking with "unique"s ?
That's not bad. It would be fun for the social aspect of his skin changing color, but I can see a mechanical benefit (camouflage) too.
OUT works best when it connects with the icons or drips with story hooks. Stuff in which to hang a campaign on.
Some examples from the book:
"I am the bastard son of the Emperor"
"I am the oldest elf in the world"
"I cut off my own arm to show how tough I am"
"I am a dwarf who was born covered in scales from the egg of a dragon"
"I am a former cultist"
"I am the reincarnation of an ancient icon. I don't know which one yet."
"I am the three-time winner of the dwarven drinking championships"
"I am the the incarnation of a hero who lived ages ago, and I'm sure that Destiny has brought me back for a reason"
"I see dead people"
"The stars sing to me. Sometimes they tell me things, and sometimes those things are true"
"I am the only halfling knight of the Dragon Emperor"
"I am the only acrobat who performed their way out of the Diabolist's Circus of Hell"
"I am the only human child of a zombie mother"
"I have a clockwork heart made by the dwarves"