Trait

Traits are special qualities possessed by some heroes that can provide meaningful advantages or disadvantages in either the strategy or tactical portion of the game. They are similar to personalities in that regard, but traits are usually acquired at birth via a genetic system, whereas personalities are typically acquired later and through more varied means.

Singularity and duality traits
"Singularity" traits are not paired with any opposite trait. "Duality" traits, however, have an opposite trait. It isn't possible for heroes to have both traits in a duality pair, or to be more accurate, they cancel each other out and are hidden if a hero has both. Most of the game's traits are duality traits..

Common and unique traits
Common traits have no special requirements to appear on heroes, and as such, they can randomly appear on heroes not born in keeps. Unique traits, on the other hand, must be acquired through special means before they can be passed on to children. Currently, the available unique traits are acquired through certain outcomes of some random events.

Minimum and maximum age
Some traits do not activate until the hero reaches a certain age. Note that an inactive trait is hidden and will not be revealed until the hero reaches the minimum age. The hero still carries the trait, however, and can thus pass it on to offspring. Thus far, there are no traits with a maximum age, though such functionality is supported and may be seen in the future.

Acquiring desired traits and eliminating undesired traits
A hero's traits are generally permanent, but as the game is generational and uses a genetics system, a player can manipulate the odds of various traits appearing in new heroes. Pairing heroes together as regent and partner with the same trait can guarantee passing on that trait, though there is a limit of three traits per hero that will sometimes invalidate that guarantee. Having even one hero in a pair with a given trait will often result in that trait being passed on to their children. To avoiding passing on traits, the most effective way is to simply avoiding making any heroes with that trait a regent or partner.

These methods are not foolproof. Just because a hero doesn't have a particular trait does not mean he or she doesn't carry genes for that trait. In fact, for duality traits, a hero could be secretly carrying two genes for both traits in a duality since they cancel each other out. And some traits aren't revealed until the character reaches a certain age, though they do carry both positive genes for the trait. Conversely, a hero without a given trait may carry no genes for it at all and would prevent his or her children from acquiring it except via the very small chance of genetic mutation.

It can sometimes help to bring in new blood through recruiting new heroes or adopting children, as these heroes get a completely random set of genes independent of a player's current heroes. This can result in potential partners with desirable traits not found among current heroes, or more heroes that do not possess undesirable traits, though this is a naturally a gamble and can result in the reverse.