Hunted (3.5e Trait)

Someone is always hunting you and one day they will find you.

Benefit: Due to the fact that you have been hunted your entire life you gain +5 to Sense Motive and +3 to Spot any and all traps or things that can hurt you.

Drawback: You've upset someone earlier in your life and they are now after blood: your blood. Maybe, if you're lucky, they will spare your companions of your fate... maybe. Regardless, you will be hunted until killed.

A character of your ECL -1 is hunting you to your death. Maybe he is a childhood rival who was annoyed he could never beat you, maybe he is a madman who thinks you stole something of his, or maybe he is a wizard who can look into the future and knows for his sake he wants you dead. No matter their background — they want you dead. And that is all that matters.

Each day that passes the DM rolls a d%. On a 1-5 your hunter will find you that day and confront you. Where and when they confront you is entirely up to the DM. If your hunter seems to have the losing hand he will retreat to fight again another day. If you stay in the same area for two days it increases to a 1-10. Three days a 1-15. Four days 1-20, etc.

Note: If the hunter dies the DM must use his imagination. Maybe he gets resurrected. Maybe someone else starts hunting you because you killed their friend, in any case someone is still hunting you and you better run.

For the remainder of the campaign, your character will be hunted for and (eventually) found. How this effects the party is up to the DM.

Roleplaying Ideas: We have been wronged before, but not like this. Not in the likes of what this person has done. I say upon you, my faithful minions that this insult will not go unpunished. I want to know all about this person. I want to know where he eats. I want to know where he sleeps. I want to know who he knows. Rest assured that he will be found and he will be dealt with most accordingly.

This trait requires some time and effort from the player using it. The player will have to come up with a back story of what his/her PC has done to this group and why they want him/her. Specific details as to what this group is and what they are about can be worked out with the DM. Everything else (i.e. when, where, and how they strike) will be left up to the DM.

This trait also allows the DM to have fun making the player paranoid. Perhaps that Fort save he made when he drank that mead was a truly a Fort. save against a deadly poison. Maybe a random spot check here and there to put him on edge. The more effort put in by the DM, the more you ensure that the player got what he paid for.

This trait also doesn't limit the PC's fate to death. After all, there are so many worse things out there.

As stated before, this trait requires time and effort from both the player and the DM. If neither are willing to put the effort required for it, just don't take the trait.