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Alongside its preset Character Classes, Streets of Rogue 2 lets players create their own character. The developer has stated that the game features dozens of classes with unique traits and playstyles, and that players can pick from many characters or make their own and head into the open world. Traits are the building blocks that define how a character behaves and what advantages or drawbacks they bring to a run.

How Traits Work

Traits are the underlying components that classes are built from. Custom characters select traits to assemble a personal mix of abilities and behaviors, which means a custom character can be very combat-focused, very stealth-focused, very social, or any blend the player chooses. Traits also interact with the rest of the game's systems: certain traits affect how characters move, what they can ride, how they handle damage, and how NPCs react to them.

Example Traits

Specific named traits have appeared in dev posts when illustrating other systems. The Diminutive trait, for example, is what would allow a normally too-large character to ride a smaller animal such as a dog. Conversely, an animal might be granted a strong-back trait that lets it carry larger riders. A character with the Smelly status (often gained from skunks) becomes less appealing to NPCs around them.

Customization Goals

The custom-character system is meant to give players a way to express their own playstyle without forcing them into one of the preset classes. It also doubles as a way to recreate familiar archetypes from the original Streets of Rogue, since many traits are direct evolutions of the older game's trait pool. The developer has framed this as a continuation of the freedom-of-choice pillar that runs through the sequel's design.

Class vs Custom Trade-offs

Preset classes come with curated trait combinations and a clear identity, which makes them easier to pick up. Custom characters give more flexibility but require the player to assemble a coherent kit themselves. Either approach unlocks the full open world; the difference is in how purposeful the resulting character feels in early runs versus how much sandbox creativity the player wants.