Locked Traits

We each have our own demons. They are ours and ours alone...

This article is about The Dark Pictures Anthology's second installment, Little Hope .

“	It is better to conquer yourself, than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot taken from you... not by angels or by demons... Heaven or Hell.	”
– The Curator hinting at the key to saving the protagonists

Locked Traits are a game mechanic exclusive to The Dark Pictures Anthology's second installment, Little Hope.

Overview

They are ordinary traits except that they are obtained through single decisions and cannot go away naturally by increasing other traits to replace them. All protagonists start with one locked trait and can gain five more of them in a single playthrough. Each locked trait a character has decreases the amount of time they have to complete QTEs and increases the speed of Keep Calm segments on Challenging or Lethal difficulty.

The Hanged Demon displaying one of Taylor's locked traits before killing her

Each protagonist (except Andrew) will have a single chance to break their locked traits toward the end of the game. If any protagonist has any locked traits at the end of Full Circle or if Mary was executed, they will be killed by their respective demon. Before death, all the locked traits of the character are shown in the demon's eye.

Normally when a character gains a locked trait they have some sort of negative reaction, which is associated with injuries to their counterparts from past timelines:

• Andrew - Burning sensation and fever.
• Angela - Coughing and burning sensation in the legs.
• John - Chest pain and coughing up blood.
• Taylor - Choking (only if Tanya was burned).
• Daniel - Tinnitus, nose bleed, and piercing chest pain.

In singleplayer or Movie Night, protagonists who aren't under the player's control will automatically make decisions that don't give them a locked trait. For example, Taylor will always cross the bridge first in Theatrical Cut of Lost and John will always refuse a drink in Curator's Cut of Vince. Bearings always update for locked trait decisions unless they weren't made by the player and didn't occur on-screen. It is possible for a protagonist to have multiple of the same locked trait.

Andrew

Andrew's decisions determine his opinion whether Mary is responsible for witch trials or she is not to blame.

Locked Traits

• Fearful - Andrew's default locked trait.
• Anxious - can be gained in Playing Tricks if Andrew says Mary could be malicious or says nothing when asked.
• Uncertain - can be gained in Off Track if Andrew says nothing regarding whether he believes Mary knew what she was doing during Amy's trial.
  • Choosing either speaking option will not result in a locked trait.
• Resolute - can be gained in Low Point if Andrew agrees with John about stopping Mary.
• Detached - can be gained in Reflections if Andrew says nothing to Abraham about what to say to the court.
• Detached - can be gained in Full Circle if Andrew says nothing about who is to blame during Mary's trial or blames the poppet.

Unlocking
Andrew has no chance to break his locked traits but cannot die due to them.

Angela

Angela's decisions determine whether she is selfish and derisive or understanding and compassionate.

Locked Traits

• Derisive - Angela's default locked trait.
• Abrasive - can be gained in Reunion if Angela says Taylor takes herself too seriously.
  • Saying nothing will not result in a locked trait.
• Aggressive - can be gained in Confrontation if Angela follows John across the bridge and demands to know from her double who she is.
• Abrasive - can be gained in Confrontation if Angela doesn't follow John across the bridge and says that now is not the time for heroics.
• Dismissive - can be gained in The Crossing if Angela says that she'll get herself up, whether Andrew tries to help her or not (the latter case can only happen in Shared Story).
• Irritable - can be gained in Lost if Angela accuses Andrew of thinking she should be thankful for it (if he helped her in the previous chapter) or says Andrew left her hanging (if he helped John in the previous chapter).
  • Saying nothing will not result in a locked trait.

Unlocking
Angela can break her locked traits in Heavy Burden if she reassures John to hurry when he fights his demon. Otherwise, she gains the locked trait Resentful.

Daniel

Daniel's decisions determine whether he doesn't interfere in the problems of others and escapes or tries to help the others and fights.

Locked Traits

• Arrogant - Daniels's default locked trait.
• Derisive - can be gained in Darkest Dreaming if, when Angela insults Taylor, Daniel says he doesn't want to know.
• Baffled - can be gained in Another Way if Daniel he asks "What is this?" instead of intervening when Carver grabs Mary.
  • Saying nothing will result in the locked trait Indecisive.
• Aggressive - can be obtained in Surrounded if Daniel tells David to back off from Taylor.
  • Saying nothing will result in the locked trait Indecisive.
• Fearful - can be obtained in Surrounded if Daniel chooses to hide rather than confront his demon.

Unlocking
Daniel can break his locked traits in Ruined if he tells Andrew to go without him. Otherwise, he gains the locked trait Reckless.

John

John's decisions determine whether he is helpless and asks for help from others or is responsible and ready to help others.

Locked Traits

• Dismissive - John's default locked trait.
• Reckless - can be gained in Vince if John accepts the drink from Vince.
  • Saying nothing will not result in a locked trait.
• Nervous - can be gained in Confrontation if John is reluctant to confront the girl on the bridge.
  • Saying nothing will result in the locked trait Panicked.
• Uncertain - can be gained in The Crossing if John suggests checking other options before crossing the bridge.
• Indignant - can be gained in Low Point if no one died in the previous chapter and John criticizes the group for not sticking together.
• Dismissive - can be gained in Low Point if Daniel died in the previous chapter and John tells Taylor there was nothing he could do.
• Angry - can be gained in Low Point if Taylor died in the previous chapter and John yells at Daniel that she is dead.
• Aggressive - can be gained in Low Point if Taylor died in the previous chapter and John tells Daniel to let go of Andrew.
  • Only saying nothing in the last two case will not result in a locked trait.

Unlocking
John can break his locked traits in Heavy Burden if he tells the others to leave him while his demon bangs on the door. Otherwise, he gains the locked trait Fearful.

Taylor

Taylor's decisions determine whether she acts on her own and neglects others, or acts as a team with others and empathizes with them.

Locked Traits

• Deceitful - Taylor's default locked trait.
• Aggressive - can be gained in Darkest Dreaming if Taylor says John doesn't know where the bus driver went and they have a bad relationship.
  • Saying nothing results in the locked trait Uncertain.
• Irritable - can be gained in Vince if Taylor tells Daniel the others are no help.
• Dismissive - can be gained in Lost if Taylor refuses to cross the bridge first and says she and Daniel should look out for themselves.
  • Saying nothing results in the locked trait Resentful.
• Derisive - can be gained in Surrounded if Taylor is flippant about Daniel seeing his double killed and continues joking when he expresses his distaste.

Unlocking
Taylor can break her locked traits in Reflections if she tells Daniel/John to leave her. Otherwise, she gains the locked trait Fearful.

Trivia

• If Mary was executed, while the locked traits are shown, her death is shown in the background.
  • If the protagonists broke their locked traits, their default locked traits will be shown in the demons' eyes.
• Angela and Andrew are the only protagonists with their traits can't be displayed before their death as the two can be are killed by the gun.
• Taylor is the only protagonist who does not have any kind of reaction when gaining traits, though a ringing sound can still be heard.
• While locked trait decisions have only one speaking option that results in a locked trait, there are three exceptions:
  • If Taylor is dead, John's decision in Low Point is where both speaking options result in a locked trait, but saying nothing doesn't.
  • Andrew's decision in Off Track and Reflections are where both speaking options don't result in a locked trait, but saying nothing does.