Which Traits Are Must-Haves

[LlamaMama]

With the new expansion, we have a new batch of traits to choose from, so I thought it pertinent to revisit this topic.

• Which trait gives the best all-around happiness point increase?
  Carl says Over-emotional, Metro says Ambitious.
  I wonder whether Easily Impressed beats Over-emotional, because it's all positive moodlets.
  What are your thoughts?
• Which trait do you try to give all your sims?
  I like Artistic because painting and guitar for tips offer a good income, regardless of career path. I always garden for money trees, but haven't felt the need to make all my sims Green Thumbs. Maybe I should.

What are your must-have traits?

[Amanda23a]

My must have traits are to give 1 sim natural cook and the other sim neat( so the house is clean! I tried having maids but after a while I didn't like using them)

[Metropolis Man]

Ambitious crushes OE for happiness points because of the 25% point boost for all wishes fulfilled. I still like OE if I can't fill a trait slot with anything else, but in terms of getting a Sim to the Elated stage where happiness point accrual is at maximum rate, I typically have no problems achieving this for non-OE Sims as long as they have a comfy bed, some good food, and a quick/close source of Woo Hoo.

[jmz95]

...and a quick/close source of Woo Hoo.

Oh Metro,  do we need to get your sims a woohoo therapist?

[Naga]

What we need is to get rid of his Woohooium, haha.

Back to topic, I think my must-haves are uh... Well I never realized, but most of the time I pick Family-Oriented (someone say it's a waste, please) and Brave. I dislike expansion traits... Wonder why.

[LlamaMama]

Has anyone noticed this bug? When viewing a sim's family tree, new traits from Ambitions do not show up. For instance, 4 original traits will show, but the 5th trait, an Ambitions one, does not appear in the family tree. Example: artistic, loves the outdoors, neat, athletic, born salesman. The last trait doesn't appear in the family tree.

[Maritah]

Has anyone noticed this bug? When viewing a sim's family tree, new traits from Ambitions do not show up. For instance, 4 original traits will show, but the 5th trait, an Ambitions one, does not appear in the family tree. Example: artistic, loves the outdoors, neat, athletic, born salesman. The last trait doesn't appear in the family tree.

Yes, I noticed that.  If you look in the friends panel you'll notice that sims don't even have the question marks to indicate that the traits exist, but are unknown.  You can still talk to affected sims about trait-relevant topics, you just have to remember what those traits are.  For example my non-ecofriendly simbot could talk to her "grandmother" about ecofriendly topics, as she'd learned that trait about her, but the trait didn't show on the friends panel or in the family tree.

Back on topic, my must-have is neurotic with the freak-out interaction.  Banish stress for 8 hours (so they can work hard all day without fun going too low)?  Yes please.  Recover from a stressful day at work in seconds, so that they're in the mood to do some skilling?  Love it!  Additionally, they get a moodlet for checking a stove or sink.

[LlamaMama]

Yes, I noticed that.  If you look in the friends panel you'll notice that sims don't even have the question marks to indicate that the traits exist, but are unknown.  You can still talk to affected sims about trait-relevant topics, you just have to remember what those traits are.  For example my non-ecofriendly simbot could talk to her "grandmother" about ecofriendly topics, as she'd learned that trait about her, but the trait didn't show on the friends panel or in the family tree.

Back on topic, my must-have is neurotic with the freak-out interaction.  Banish stress for 8 hours (so they can work hard all day without fun going too low)?  Yes please.  Recover from a stressful day at work in seconds, so that they're in the mood to do some skilling?  Love it!  Additionally, they get a moodlet for checking a stove or sink.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with the bug, thanks. I love your use of Neurotic! I hadn't heard about that before!

[Jonna]

I usually go with Ambitious and Neurotic.  Also Lucky if I have the space.  Klepto is fun but I won't bump something else off for it.  I never bother with OE because my sims are always (except maybe at the very beginning) already as happy as possible.

[Pam]

Back to topic, I think my must-haves are uh... Well I never realized, but most of the time I pick Family-Oriented (someone say it's a waste, please) and Brave. I dislike expansion traits... Wonder why.

Welcome to our Forum, Naga!

Family Oriented most definitely is not a waste.  If I'm playing a family, especially a multi-generational one, all of the Sims get that trait.  You can get huge amounts of happiness points by teaching toddlers to walk, talk, and potty.  Plus they learn it in about half the time.  You get more huge points when your Sim wishes for a child and then has one.  And having the happiness traits makes them more enclined to read to the toddlers and take good care of them.  I love the Family-Oriented trait! 

[Esther1981]

Family Oriented is not a waste, for all the reasons Pam said. But my must-haves are OE, Ambitious and sometimes Workaholic so they can work at home and get closer to the top. Klepto is a good one too if I have an extra slot.

[Sarah]

Out of interest (and because I haven't toyed with it myself yet) has anyone had much experience with the Dramatic trait? I was wondering whether it would have any mood benefits similar to the Over Emotional trait?

When I initially got TS3 I always gave my Sims the Natural Cook trait because I hated having fires, but now there's a LTR that sorts that out So I've dumped that trait as a must have now. I like having the Artistic trait because I like seeing what my Sims will paint, and I also like the Lucky trait, although I'm not entirely convinced it adds much to my game, I just like having Lucky Sims.

[Swede1992]

I think that most people here now what I usually put my poor sims through (or more accurately; their neighbours ), but with always having unhappy people around my sim, the evil trait is the only trait that I give to all my sims. Sure, in the long run you maybe are more happy with OE, but evil always gives that easy moodlet. If you're caught without it for some reason, all you need is a toddler (always has easy-stolen candy!) around and then you're happy again!

[Pam]

Out of interest (and because I haven't toyed with it myself yet) has anyone had much experience with the Dramatic trait? I was wondering whether it would have any mood benefits similar to the Over Emotional trait?

I've tried the Dramatic trait and there's not much to it.  They can pretend to faint, which is mildly amusing.  They also get a positive moodlet from something (I don't remember what), but it doesn't have much impact on anything.

If you're caught without it for some reason, all you need is a toddler (always has easy-stolen candy!) around and then you're happy again!

Any time I see someone steal candy from a toddler, especially one of my toddlers, I have one of my Sims go fight with the evil Sim.  Hehe.

[Esther1981]

I think that most people here now what I usually put my poor sims through (or more accurately; their neighbours ), but with always having unhappy people around my sim, the evil trait is the only trait that I give to all my sims. Sure, in the long run you maybe are more happy with OE, but evil always gives that easy moodlet. If you're caught without it for some reason, all you need is a toddler (always has easy-stolen candy!) around and then you're happy again!

LOL I have only played with two or three evil sims, and I mean truly evil. Normally, I'm a good little girl, unless I'm mad for some reason. Then the Evil Esther comes out to play! I only have 2 or 3 save files that I'm evil in, the rest of them I'm good, well I still break people up and stuff, just not anything evil evil if that makes sense.