The Razor

An earthbender girl is featured as an example for the Razor playbook.

The Razor (叛徒) is one of the playbooks for Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game, an outline of a character archetype that can be customized in the game. The Razor is one of the four playbooks featured in Wan Shi Tong's Adventure Guide. They were raised to be a weapon, a tool for their masters to use against enemies. But they have seen a better way forward, and now they seek to make up for the terrible things they did and what they were taught to do. Their balance principles are Control vs. Connection.

Description

The Razor was cruelly hardened into the perfect implement of their masters' goals; until they broke free. Play the Razor if you want to fight for a path to redemption.

Hardened, sharp, guilty, regretful. The Razor was forged into a dangerous weapon by their masters. Those masters might have been the rulers of a nation, the commanders of a military group, bandit chiefs, even the Razor's own family. They taught the Razor to be tough, to act harshly, to do terrible things. But now, the Razor has moved away from that path and seeks redemption, finding forgiveness both externally and internally for the things they have done.

Crucially, the Razor is dangerous and powerful, but not always in an overt fashion like the Prodigy. Where the Prodigy is just plain exceptional at their training in all its forms, the Razor might only be good at destructive or harmful aspects of their training, or they might be defined by an indomitable will more than skill. Regardless, however, the Razor's restraint and disinterest in continuing to be a weapon both temper how they act more than anything—the Razor might be able to dispatch entire roomfuls of guards if they cut loose, but they try to hold themselves back to avoid harming anyone.

• Starting stats: Creativity 0, Focus +2, Harmony -1, Passion 0
• Demeanor options: Childish, Fierce, Imperious, Overbearing, Proper, Strange

Principles

The Razor's principles of Control and Connection represent their two ways of approaching the world, one an aspect of the harsh past that defined them, and the other an aspect of the hopeful future they seek.

The Razor's Control principle represents their desire to be in control, to never be weak or at someone else's mercy. The Razor who values Control might be a dangerous opponent, but they also have a hard time forming meaningful relationships with other people.

The Razor's Connection principle represents their desire for meaningful bonds with other people…and it represents the Razor's fears of making themselves vulnerable to others. The Connection the Razor hopes for is a true and positive relationship. But the more the Razor connects to others, the more out of control they feel — a Razor with a high Connection may be happier, but they are always on edge, aware that they might be hurt in a way they cannot prevent.

The Razor's Moment of Balance represents them coming to see, in this one moment, that forming Connections is a kind of Control, not over the other person but over the self — that the Razor can choose who they care about, protect, help, and partner with. In that moment, the Razor can use all of their self-control and all of their devotion to others to save the people they care about from astonishing dangers.

Characteristics

Moment of Balance

You were taught to control yourself, and that to give of yourself, to connect, is to lose control. But now, you see that connection isn't weakness; it is a choice, a true way of controlling your self. You seize that now, choosing to embrace connection to others and spring yourself to impossible heights.

Moves

• Air-Cutting Edge
• Mind of Steel
• I'm a People Person
• Come and Get It
• Winning Is Everything

Growth question

Did you try to make amends for past mistakes, or prove you're a different person now?

The Razor's growth question is two questions in one, but both questions are also oriented around the same core idea — trying to be better. "Making amends for past mistakes" is all about some attempt to make up for past misdeeds, repairing damage, or apologizing. "Proving you are a different person now" is about showing how they consistently make different, better choices than they once might have.