Nethergate (Original) Character Traits

When generating your characters, you are provided with the option of selecting a number of character traits. However, the game makes rather vague descriptions of exactly what each trait does, and the quantity by it modifies that particular statistic. After extensive testing, I have managed to elucidate how each trait affects your character.
POSITIVE TRAITS:

Faerie Blood:
25% bonus to protection against curse and slow (note that magical resistance does not protect against these effects)
25% bonus to protection against paralyse
33% bonus to protection against charm foe
85% bonus to protection against disease
NO protection against sleep
NO protection against poison
NO protection against drain (note that no statistic protects against drain)
NO protection against stoning
NO protection against any form of magical damage
NO bonus to faerie lore
As far as I know, it does NOT affect encounters with faeries

Nimble Fingers:
15% bonus to disarm traps and unlock doors.


Highly Alert:
+30% to protection against
sleep
+30% to protection against paralyse


Recuperation:
Triples healing rate due to long wait/camping

Does NOT affect resistance to disease, duration of disease, or chance of being affected by a disease effect

Toughness:
Does NOT alter chance to resist poison
Reduces every 4th hit of poison damage by 3
+2 to physical damage resistance

Fast on Feet:
+1 Action Point 33% of the time

Grants initiative

Mighty Warrior:
+15% chance to hit
+2 to physical damage


Beastmaster:

Summons a giant rat for approximately eight combat rounds

Faerie Familiar:

Summons a sprite for approximately eight combat rounds

Nature Lore:

Occasionally gain a small amount of food while wandering outdoors.

NEGATIVE (?) TRAITS

Frail:
+3 poison damage for every four rounds of poison
No affect on resist disease

Sluggish:
-1 Action Point every round

Rational Mind:
Cannot use wands, scrolls, and potions, including Potions of Knowledge (Curing potions and Strength Elixirs an exception)
NO change to spell power

Berserk rage:
+20% chance to be hit, reduces by 25% every few rounds
+20% chance to hit, reduces by 25% every few rounds
Grants initiative
+3.5 to damage for melee and missiles, reduces by 25% every few rounds
+5.5 damage taken from melee and missiles, reduces by 25% every few rounds

Cursed at Birth:

Grants 100% sleep resistance, and will sometimes increase alertness
Grants 100% charm resistance
NO change to spell power
NO change to chance to be hit
NO change to resist slow/curse
NO Change to resist disease
NO change to resist paralyse
No change to resist poisoned
NO change to resist stoning
-10% chance to hit
No change to be damage input
No change to damage output
No change to magic damage input
No change to poison damage


Reflection on selection of character traits

Negative traits:

Cursed at Birth: Is arguably the best trait *overall*, granting immunity to sleep and charm, while its only evident negative effect is a minor -10% decrease to chance to hit. Given that Cursed at Birth also provides a huge XP bonus, I would select it as a trait for *all* characters, and never worry about sleep and charm again.

Frail: The negative effects are trivial. I would select it for all characters.

Rational Mind: A tricky one. If you utilise the exploit of stacking a hundred potions, and then turn them to knowledge potions in a blessing pool, then you should steer clear of this. While it does not decrease spell power, this trait is probably not worth it for spell casters, as they require energy potions to really dish out the hurt. Pure warriors rarely, if ever, use potions. Most magical items in this game are underpowered, with the exception of hero of old scrolls. However, these scrolls can be used by another character, and then bestowed on the PC with rational mind.

Berserk: Another tricky one, as the Berserk state comes and goes spontaneously. Furthermore, the extra damage is provides to the PC is outweighed by the extra damage inflicted upon the PC. However, this trait may be ideal on spellcasters, as they should rarely (if ever) be struck by an enemy. Furthermore, the damage bonus would be useful if the spellcaster decides to resort to slings.

Sluggish: Steer clear of this one, as you want every action point you can get.

Summary:

All characters should select Cursed at Birth and Frail
Rational mind may be appropriate for warriors, if they rarely use potions/magical items
Berserk may be appropriate for spellcasters
Sluggish is not appropriate for anyone