Chapter Six: Systems and Drama

Character Development

  This section discusses how a character can increase (or decrease) in power, ability or status in Garou society.

Experience Points

  If we live, we learn, and by learning, we grow. Whether through overt or subconscious means, humans pick up facts, ideas and new ways of looking at old concepts constantly. It is through applying knowledge that we move toward what we want to accomplish and grow into what we want to be. As it is with humans, so it is for werewolves.
  During a story, characters learn many lessons. Some are general, such as, "Keep downwind of prey," or, "Always lock your car doors." Others are more story-oriented, such as, "The Warder killed his sister during his First Change," or, "The sept upstate thinks we're brash interlopers." While such lessons are valuable learning experiences for the character, they generally don't need to be written down on character sheets. The player just has to keep them in mind as he plays. Sometimes, however, players learn things that can be recorded. This form of learning is shown through the use of experience points.
  At the end of game session, the Storyteller awards experience points to each character. The players keep a tally of how many experience points they've gained. They can then spend those experience points to increase Traits on their character sheets.

Awarding Experience Points

  A Storyteller must strike a fine balance when doling out experience points. If he gives too few, the players will be frustrated by their character's stunted learning curve. If he gives too many, the characters become more powerful than anything a Storyteller can reasonably throw at them. This balance will vary depending on whether you run a semi-weekly, weekly or monthly chronicle. Follow the guidelines given here, but don't be afraid to experiment until you find the right balance for your game.

End of Each Chapter

  Give characters points at the end of each chapter (game session), and give between one and five experience per character. Whether the pack succeeds or fails, everybody who shows up gets a point.
  • One point — Automatic: Each character gets one point after every session.
  • One point — Learning Curve: Ask each player to describe what his character learned during the session. If he learned anything, award the point.
  • One point — Acting: This award goes to the player who demonstrated exceptional roleplaying. If the player acted appropriately and his character entertained, award a point. Usually this award only goes to the troupe member who roleplayed the best during that session, but feel free to reward multiple sterling performances at once.
  • One point — Concept: Award this point if the player did a very good job acting out her character's concept. Doing so could have been good or bad for the pack, but you are the final arbiter as to whether the player earns the point.
  • One Point — Heroism: When a character risks life and limb for others, such as using her body to shield fallen packmates from a hail of silver bullets or taking aggravated wounds for fighting a Bane so that her packmates can escape, award the character a point (assuming she survived). Taking part in a fistfight or rending a pistol-packing thug asunder won't cut it, though. Werewolf focuses on heroism, so only actions "above and beyond the call" merit this award. Likewise, diving into a Hive or standing in front of an oncoming locomotive isn't heroic — it's stupid. Stupidity's rewards are many and unpleasant.

End of Each Story

  At the end of a story, you can assign each character one to three points in addition to those given for completing the chapter.
  • One point — Success: If the pack succeeded in its mission or goal, everyone gets a point. You can award this point if the mission wasn't completely successful, as well, at long as the pack achieved a marginal victory.
  • One point — Danger: If the character experienced great danger during the story — threats to life, limb or soul — and survived, he earns one point.
  • One point — Wisdom: If the player exhibited great resourcefulness or wits, or came up the cunning plan that enabled the pack to succeed, award him a point.
  Sometimes you'll want to give out even more points. Perhaps you want the characters to develop more quickly, for example. If such is the case, simply create new categories for experience awards.

Spending Experience Points

  As stated earlier, experience points are used to increase Traits. Costs vary by Trait, as shown on the accompanying chart. Most Trait costs (except those of Gifts) are based on the current rating multiplied by a certain number. So if a player wants to increase his character's Melee rating from 2 to 3, it costs four experience points to do so. If she wants to learn a Level Four Gift (of her own auspice), doing so costs 12 points. If the character wants to acquire an Ability that she doesn't have currently (no dots), the cost is listed as a "new" Ability (three points). A Trait can be raised only one dot per story — never more.

Backgrounds

  With the exception of Totem, players cannot change Background Traits with experience points. Only through the course of events in the game can Backgrounds increase or decrease. Perhaps a character makes some serious connections in the city, raising his Contacts rating. Likewise, he may alienate some of his sources or otherwise lose them to accidents or foul play. In such a case, his Contacts rating decreases. The Storyteller should note the changes. Should the player wish to raise a Background actively, the Storyteller may set a list of tasks for the character to accomplish in order to succeed. (The player may or may not know what he needs to do, though!) To gain Resources, for example, the character may have to make some tricky investments. Generally, changes in Resources occur gradually over the course of a story (or even a chronicle), but spectacular success or failure can lead to the subsequent gain or loss of more than one point at a time.
  The Totem Background is the only Background that can be raised with experience points. Any and all pack members can spend experience to strengthen their totem. (It's worth noting that many totems notice who among the pack is more "giving" and devout....) Each Totem point costs three experience points, although it still takes roleplaying to explain exactly how the characters are fortifying their pack totem.

Gaining Rage

  Characters can use experience points to buy permanent Rage. Rage, however, is both as beneficial and as dangerous as a fire. A larger blaze warms and cooks better, but it is much easier to lose control of it and get burned. While raising a character's Rage .rating gives that character more Rage to spend, doing so also increases the chances for frenzy. Storywise, one can gain Rage in a number of ways. Losing pack members, conducting rites at a caern of Rage or watching land be developed or poisoned are just a few of the circumstances under which an increase in Rage would be appropriate.

Gaining Gnosis

  As with Rage, a player may increase his character's permanent Gnosis rating with experience. By becoming more spiritually attuned, the character has more (potential) Gnosis to use, and she finds it easier to step sideways. Characters wishing to increase their permanent Gnosis could go on Umbral quests, seek a vision at a caern or study under a Theurge.

Gaining Willpower

  While it's relatively cheap to buy, permanent Willpower is a little more difficult to gain in the course of a game. The Storyteller may give specific opportunities to raise Willpower. An obvious example is at the end of demanding quest or when the Garou faces her worst fear and is not found lacking. As always, however, both players and Storytellers are encouraged to use their imagination.
  Unfortunately, permanent Willpower can be lost as well as gained. Just as victory bolsters a man's confidence, defeat shakes his faith in himself. Should a player botch a Willpower roll, the character loses a point from his permanent Willpower rating. This loss does not apply to Gifts, though, so a character cannot lose Willpower when a Gift requires a Willpower roll to activate.

Roleplay It

  Storytellers shouldn't dictate where every experience point goes. (After all, the character is the player's.) However, Storytellers should be judicious about what can be improved. A player should increase only those Traits the character used or learned about during the story. Traits don't have to have been used successfully, though. We often learn more from failure than from success.
  Trait increase must be woven into the story. Should Erik the Ahroun get a dot in Subterfuge just because his player wants it? Not unless the Storyteller is satisfied with the justification. If Erik engaged in some form on intrigue on his last adventure, or if his Shadow Lord septmate were to give him some instruction, then sure. Perhaps the character even had an opportunity to train with his mentor between stories. Otherwise, putting the points in an Ability such as Survival or Intimidation might reflect his typical lifestyle more appropriately.
  The game is usually enhanced when actions match point expenditures. Why just say, "My Ahroun gets a spirit to teach him the Gift: Sense Silver," when finding and dealing with a Lune could make an excellent subplot or even a full-blown story? Likewise, using experience to strengthen a totem should involve deeds or rituals rather than a simple expenditure of points.
  Feel free to make the experience system as realistic as you want. By forcing players to make sense of their experiences, you help them develop their characters more fully.

Awarding Renown

  Werewolves are social creatures. This statement may seem ironic, given their touchy tempers and capacity for extreme brutality, but even the flintiest werewolf has an instinctive need to be with others of his kind. Many Garou would happily die rather than face dishonor before their comrades, and most seek to raise themselves in the eyes of their peers. This rise to fame is measured in Renown. Without it, one cannot advance in Garou society.
  During the course of a story, the character accumulates temporary and (eventually) permanent Renown. Renown cannot be bought with experience points; it must be earned through roleplaying. It represents fame (or infamy) based on notable actions or deeds.
  The Storyteller awards Renown in one of three categories: Glory, Honor, or Wisdom. Awards can't be substituted, so players cannot convert a Wisdom award to an Honor award, regardless of what the character needs to achieve a higher rank. Characters can also lose Renown for acting inappropriately. If a character violates the Litany, for example, he will lose face and perhaps even rank.
  During a game session, the Storyteller (and/ or the players) keep track of deeds worthy of Renown, both good and ill. Renown for these actions is tallied at the end of the session, to be recorded in the appropriate squares on the character sheet. Another option is to save up the Renown until the end of the story, when the character's noble deeds can be recognized at a moot. If the Storyteller is very familiar with the Renown system, she can hand out temporary Renown awards and punishments during play. Doing so saves on bookkeeping, but it may slow the pace of the game.
  The requirements for advancing in rank differ for each auspices, and for good reason. A Garou who exemplifies his auspice is held in greater esteem than one who seems to go against her nature. An Ahroun may be a brilliant scholar and lore-keeper, but if she doesn't wear Battle Scars she'll be met with disapproval ("Yeah, sure she's memorized the tales of Flinteye, but can she fight?"), and she won't advance her standing with the tribe.
  All Renown awards are given as temporary Renown; they have no real effect on the game until the player amasses 10 points in any one category. At that point, he becomes eligible to increase the character's permanent Renown. Most Renown awards will vary between 1 and 7, with rewards of 8 to 10 points of temporary Renown being reserved for the greatest deeds (such as saving a caern single-handedly). At the Storyteller's discretion, some deeds merit an increase (or decrease) in multiple categories of Renown. Crimes that merit the loss of more than seven points of Renown in any category are generally punished much more severely than a simple loss of face.
  The Sample Renown Awards chart offers a few guidelines for awarding Renown by category. Storytellers shouldn't feel obligated to award exactly the suggested amounts or award every time a character performs a listed activity, though. The Storyteller is the best judge of what constitutes minor or major feats of significance. Killing three well-armed fomori is a mighty deed for a Rank 1 Garou, but the same is practically routine for an elder. A more extensive chart of suggested (but by no means ironclad) Renown awards appears in the Werewolf Storytellers Companion.

Permanent Renown

  Once the character has accumulated 10 points of temporary Renown in one category, he must convince another Garou (of equal or higher Rank to the character, and not of the character's pack) to perform a Rite of Accomplishment for her. If successful, the character has gone up slightly in standing among Garou, and he adds a point of permanent Renown in that category; his temporary Renown in that category returns to zero.
  If a character can't or won't find someone to perform the rite, he has an alternative. He can challenge an elder when he has the requisite number of temporary Renown. Should he succeed, he gains a point of permanent Renown; if he fails he doesn't. Either way, though, he loses all temporary Renown in that category. This method is a more risky way to gain permanent Renown, but it may be the best option for characters who don't get on well with their fellow Garou.
  Some circumstances arise under which no one would question a deed's worthiness for renown. Because werewolves are naturally a heroic race, the standards for such a thing are high. One must show exceptional wisdom, courage or honor beyond what anyone might reasonably expect. In such cases, the Storyteller may simply decide to award an extra dot of permanent Renown without the rite.

Losing Renown

  Just as noble acts and valiant deeds can raise a Garou in others' esteem, lapses of judgment or moments of weakness can bring shame from her peers.
  Say, for instance, that a Garou defeats a rival in a duel, but he ignores his opponents' cry for surrender and kills him. This action is an unquestionable breach of the Litany, but the Master of the Challenge might forgive it because the victor was in the grip of frenzy and he seemed regretful afterward. The offending Garou will lose temporary Renown, but he faces no other consequences. Should the Garou make a habit of killing other Garou in real or provoked "challenges," however — especially when the opponent tries to surrender — he will surely face the loss of permanent Renown. The only way to maintain renown in the face of such intense societal disapproval is to prove to the elders that the loss efface was undeserved. Tests, ordeals or quests are common remedies in this circumstance. The Storyteller may develop a story around the recovery of the renown. He then decides whether the character has "learned his lesson" and passed the test in the eyes of the elders. The Storyteller's decision is final.
  If a character doesn't have sufficient temporary Renown to make up for the deficit, a point of permanent Renown is converted into 10 temporary Renown in order to make up the difference. For instance, Caldwell Fire-Licker succumbed to temptation and mated with another Garou. The Storyteller deems that he loses five temporary Honor and three temporary Wisdom for his transgression. Caldwell has 3 permanent Honor, but only 2 temporary Honor; he drops to 0 temporary Honor, converts a point of permanent Honor into 10 temporary Honor, and subtracts the remaining three points. Caldwell winds up with 2 permanent Honor and 7 temporary Honor. He may even lose a rank for his night of ill-advised passion.
  If a character suffers a loss of permanent Renown that drops the rating below the requirements other current rank, she loses all benefits and privileges of that rank. She may retain knowledge and Gifts learned at that rank, however.

Advancing in Rank

  To be eligible to advance in rank, a character needs to have attained the number of permanent Renown points listed next to that rank on the Renown chart. The amount in each Renown category varies by auspice. For example, in order to attain the next rank, a Philodox of Rank 2 needs 2 Glory, 6 Honor and 2 Wisdom.
  Gaining the required points is only half of the process. A character must also challenge a werewolf of equal or higher rank to the one he wishes to attain. The character may choose whom to challenge, but the elder chooses die nature of the contest, and she may make it as easy or as hard as she wishes. If the character wins, the elder is honor-bound to accept the character's new rank. There are several standard contests, but the Elder can devise her own or even have a simple dominance challenge (which includes facedown, gamecraft or combat).

Renunciation

  Occasionaly, a Garou rejects the auspice under which he was born. Many Garou see this action as a grave insult to Gaia, but nonetheless a way exists to switch auspices: the Rite of Renunciation. The Garou renounces position and auspice and claims another auspice. It represents a new birth and the death of the old life, so it is a step never taken lightly. He must adopt a new name and lose all but three permanent Renown points (thus starting out at Rank 1), At the end of the rite, he may ask a spirit to teach him one new Gift from his new auspice. He doesn't lose the Gifts he learned previously, but he may not learn new Gifts from his old auspice.
  Once the rite has been completed, the werewolf essentially has a new life. It is considered bad form for old acquaintances or loved ones (except for packmates) to speak to him with any familiarity. Only when a Garou again attains her previous rank may she reestablish old friendships.

Physical States

Injury

  Whether inflicted by a bullet, a speeding car or the claws of a werewolf, injuries are represented in the same way in Werewolf: the Health Trait. Every character has seven health levels. As a character receives wounds, the player indicates them by marking off the health levels on the character sheet. The last level marked indicates the character's current health. As the character becomes more injured, she travels down the spectrum toward Incapacitated. Likewise, as she heals, the player erases the marks until none remain.
  A character can suffer the following three types of damage:
  • Bashing damage is inflicted by blunt attacks of relatively low velocity (clubs, punches, kicks, etc.).
  • Lethal damage is inflicted by more deadly attacks that rupture the body and spill blood (bullets, knives, speeding vehicles, etc.).
  • Aggravated damage represents the most grievous tissue damage, and it is often supernatural in origin. A werewolf's claws and teeth inflict aggravated damage, as do fire, acid and other sources of extreme trauma — such as chainsaw wounds.
  (All three damage types are discussed in detail in the Combat section.)
  For each success on an opponent's damage roll, the character is dealt one health level of damage. However, the character's natural toughness gives her a chance to absorb some of this damage. Therefore, the actual amount of damage taken depends not only on the force of the attack, but on the Stamina of the target. (Using Stamina to absorb damage is called soak, which is discussed fully in the Drama section of this chapter.) Werewolves, unlike mortals, can attempt to soak all three types of damage. The distinction between bashing and lethal damage (which poses little problem to Garou) and aggravated damage must still be made. The way one does so is by marking bashing damage on the character sheet with a slash mark ("/") and marking lethal damage with an "X"; aggravated damage is best marked with an asterisk ("*"). Less serious damage should be moved "down" on the spectrum, since it heals first.
  Example: Corina, known to her fellow Glass Walkers as Fangs-on-the-Cutting-Edge, is assaulted by three Magadan guards who've been taught to recognize "warning signs of the possible terrorist." Deciding to be safe rather than eviscerated, they open fire.
  Corina dodges most of the attacks, but one shot gets through and she takes two levels of damage. This damage is lethal, since it came from a gun, and Corina's player marks off the first two health levels (Bruised and Hurt) with "X" marks. Corina leaps toward the guards, hoping to disarm or slay them before they can fire another volley .She isn't so lucky, however. One of the guards slashes at her with a silver-edged knife.
  The attack is weak, and it inflicts only one health level. Since it comes from a silver weapon, however, the damage is aggravated. Corina's player marks off the Injured health level with an "X" and changes the Bruised from a slash to an "*" (effectively "moving" a level of lethal damage to the Injured level, since she will heal this damage first). Any further aggravated damage Corina receives will be marked beginning with the Hurt level.
  If a werewolf suffers damage that takes her beyond Incapacitated, she is critically wounded and near death. If the damage that took her past Incapacitated is bashing damage, she falls unconscious but stays in whatever form she was in when she took the damage. She heals at her normal rate as well (see Healing). She stays unconscious for at least one turn. During each turn thereafter, her player may choose to have her stay unconscious and heal, or attempt to wake up. Waking up requires a successful Stamina + Primal-Urge roll (difficulty 4 + 1 for each health level the character currently has marked off). Upon waking up, the character can take action normally, within the limits other remaining injury.
  If the damage that takes the character past Incapacitated is lethal damage, the character reverts to her breed form and collapses. Another health level of any kind will kill her unless she channels her Rage to remain active. If she is not injured further, but not tended to, she will regenerate very slowly, regaining a health level every eight hours until she regains consciousness enough to change to a form that regenerates fully (except metis; see Healing). This system is the only form of regeneration available to non-metis werewolves in their breed forms, and it is the source of the myth that werewolves can't be killed with guns. (They obviously can, but it takes some doing.)
  If the damage that takes the character past Incapacitated is aggravated, she will die unless she channels her Rage to remain active.

Remaining Active

  A critically injured werewolf may attempt to channel her Rage to save her. Doing so is risky, however, for even if it succeeds, it throws the character into the depths of frenzy. It is sometimes the only way to save a character's life, though.
  If the player wishes a character to remain active, she must roll the character's permanent Rage (difficulty 8). For each success, the character heals one health level. However, no matter how many health levels are healed, the character begins the next turn in a berserk frenzy.
  Example: The fight has gone badly for Corina. While she managed to disarm the guard armed with the silver knife, the others have eluded her grasp and continued their assault. The worst comes when one of them lobs a grenade at her and she fails to jump clear. The blast takes her below Incapacitated, and the damage is aggravated. Corina must channel her Rage or die.
  Her player rolls Corina's Rage rating (five dice) at a difficulty of 8 and manages three successes. Corina heals three health levels (taking her to Wounded), and she enters the next turn in a brutal rage. The guards, who have been standing around congratulating each other, hear only a low growl and see a gray blur...
  The roll to remain active can be attempted only once per scene. If a character is Incapacitated more than once in one fight, she takes the worst effects of the damage.
  It should be noted, however, that although checks on the character sheet erase easily, injury does not. Werewolves heal supernaturally quickly, but even they can receive lasting injury in the form of Battle Scars.

Healing

  Werewolves heal at a frightening pace. They regenerate one bashing or lethal health level every turn. Homid- and lupus-breed Garou can regenerate roughly a health level a day while in their natural forms if they are in critical condition, but doing so requires their bodies to work in overdrive. If they are conscious and moving around in their breed form, they heal as humans do. Metis are blessed with full regeneration in all forms. No Garou, regardless of breed, can regenerate aggravated damage. Aggravated damage is healed at one level per day, during which the Garou must rest in a form other than his natural one (if homid or lupus).
  Remember that to regenerate damage while engaged in stressful activity (like combat), the player must roll the Garou's Stamina (difficulty 8) each turn. This roll is reflexive, so the player does not have to split a dice pool or use a Rage action. Success means that the Garou heals as normal. Failure means that he heals no damage, and a botch indicates that the werewolf cannot regenerate until he has had a chance to rest.

Sources of Injury

  There are many ways to injure a character. Some of the more common ways are listed here.

Combat

  Arguably the Garou's favorite pastime, combat is the source of most injuries in the game. Combat is detailed fully later on in this chapter.

Falling

  Gravity doesn't play favorites. Falling causes damage, even to creatures as hardy as werewolves. Falling damage is usually considered bashing, and may be soaked. A character takes one health level for every 10 feet he falls before hitting something solid (rounded down).
  A character who falls more than 100 feet reaches terminal velocity. At that point, the character takes 10 health levels upon impact. This damage is considered lethal, so humans cannot soak it.

Fire

  Fire is analogous to werewolves in many ways. It's primal, beautiful and dangerous when it's out of control. Damage from fire is always aggravated, so it can kill werewolves almost as easily as it can kill humans.
  Werewolves can soak fire damage as usual. The difficulty varies, however, on the intensity of the fire, as does the number of health levels the blaze inflicts. The player rolls the character's Stamina (see the chart for difficulty comparisons). The Storyteller must decide how many health levels the blaze can potentially inflict (one to three). That number determines how many successes the player needs for her character to avoid injury.

Difficulty	Heat of Fire
3	Heat of a candle (first-degree burns)
5	Heat of a torch (second-degree burns)
7	Heat of a Bunsen burner (third-degree burns)
9	Heat of a chemical fire
10	Molten metal
Wounds	Size of Fire
One	Torch; only part of body exposed
Two	Bonfire; half of body exposed
Three	Inferno; all of body exposed

  Extreme heat (200+ degrees) causes damage in much the same way as fire. Use the system for fire damage, modified for the situation.

Disease

  Werewolves are not immune to disease, but they recuperate much faster than humans do. A disease inflicts a number of health levels on the patient. With proper rest and care, the disease runs its course and the health levels heal slowly.
  A Garou's healing abilities protect her from ever catching minor ailments such as the common cold or the flu. Even truly debilitating diseases can't do permanent harm (although the werewolf can still serve as a carrier). For a disease to have a pronounced effect on a werewolf, it would have to be supernatural in origin.

Poison

  Like disease, most poisons have little effect on the Garou. The same is true of most human drugs. Garou who wish to become intoxicated or to use drugs for recreational purposes have two choices: either do so in Homid form, where their regenerative systems aren't quite so effective, or awaken the spirit of the drug (see the Rite of Spirit Awakening), which increases its potency.
  Supernatural, particularly Wyrm-tainted, toxins have their full effect on Garou, and many are even considered to do aggravated damage.

Suffocation and Drowning

  Werewolves, for all their supernatural might, do need to breathe. When immersed in water (or any other non-breathable medium) use the accompanying chart to determine how long a Garou can hold her breath. When the character has reached her limit, she may spend Willpower to continue holding her breath. Each point spent allows 30 seconds more (if the character's Stamina score is 3 or lower) or a minute more (if her Stamina score is 4 or more).
  Note that the given times assume a full breath. It is therefore impossible to gain extra time by shifting to a form with a higher Stamina rating, as lung capacity changes but the amount of air in the lungs does not. Note, also, that these, times refer to Garou only. Humans often have difficulty holding their breath for even a full minute, let alone four.
  Holding one's breath during a stressful activity like combat, by the way, uses up oxygen much more quickly. Assume that a character can hold her breath for a number of turns equal to twice her Stamina score during combat. For more detailed rules concerning underwater combat and its complications, see the Werewolf Storytellers Companion.

Stamina	Time
1	30 seconds
2	One minute
3	Two minutes
4	Four minutes
5	Eight minutes
6	15 minutes
7	20 minutes
8	30 minutes

  When a character can no longer hold her breath, she begins to drown. She takes one health level of lethal damage each turn. She cannot regenerate this damage, regardless of form, until she can breathe again. When she reaches Incapacitated, she reverts to her breed form, and she will die in a number of turns equal to her Stamina.

Radiation and Toxic Waste

  Many of the Wyrm's "holy sites" on Earth are located on or near irradiated landscapes. Also, some Wyrm servitors use radiation-based attacks. In general, such damage is resolved in the same way as fire and extreme heat, but it takes twice as long to heal.

Silver

  Silver, the lunar metal, is a werewolf's great weakness. What's worse, it is common knowledge, even among most humans, that a silver weapon will kill a werewolf. Of course, fashioning weapons — especially bullets — out of silver requires a skilled blacksmith or gunsmith, but it can be done.
  Silver causes werewolves one level of aggravated damage per turn of contact, unless the werewolf is a homid or lupus who is in her breed form. For a homid in Homid form or lupus in Lupus form, silver causes no damage through casual contact, although a weapon made of silver will cause normal damage for that weapon. A successful attack on a Garou in any other form will always cause at least one level of damage, no matter how many successes one rolls. Garou cannot soak damage from silver weapons, except in their breed form. Metis Garou cannot soak silver damage at all, regardless of their form.
  Some Garou carry silver, usually in the form of weaponry such as klaives. Doing so, however, comes with a price. The Garou's natural allergy to silver causes a reduction in his effective Gnosis. This loss remains in effect in all forms, including Homid. If the Garou discards the silver object(s), the effect fades after a day.
  For every five silver objects a pack carries, all its members suffer this reduction. In addition, carrying too many silver objects, especially bullets, may cause a loss of Honor or Wisdom for the pack (not to mention being rather difficult to obtain).

Object	Gnosis Loss
Silver bullets	1 point/5 bullets
Klaive	1 point
Grand Klaive	2 points

Battle Scars

  Garou can heal most forms of damage without ill effect. While a human whose leg is savaged by a wolf will probably lose some muscular function in that leg (if not the entire leg itself), a werewolf can grow her muscle tissue back and walk again in mere days.
  However, some injuries — particularly those caused by other Garou — are severe enough to cause lasting damage. Such wounds occur whenever a character must channel her Rage to remain active, and they may also occur if the werewolf suffers a particularly brutal and/ or localized attack.
  Example: Sings-with-the-Wind, a Child of Gaia Theurge, is captured by Black Spiral Dancers and tortured. Specifically, they slice open his arms with silver knives and sever the connecting tendons. Sings later escapes, and, although he was technically never taken below Wounded, the Storyteller rules that his arm has been maimed beyond use, granting him a Battle Scar.
  Battle Scars can range in game effect from cosmetic damage to brain damage. Any Battle Scar grants a Renown award in the form of temporary Glory. Healing a Battle Scar causes a loss of one temporary Glory (although some tribes, especially the Children of Gaia and the Glass Walkers, sometimes recognize the Wisdom in doing so).
  A list of sample Battle Scars follows, along with the Glory bonus for each one. When assigning Battle Scars, the Storyteller should choose the one that makes the most sense. A character who suffers repeated blows to the head is not going to end up gelded, although he may suffer brain damage.
  This list is by no means exhaustive, and the Storyteller should feel free to come up with her own interpretations of massive trauma. When assigning Glory awards for such injuries, remember that more visible scars tend to carry larger awards.
  • Superficial Scars: Large, ugly masses of scar tissue mar your character's body and remain hairless in all forms. These scars have no game effect, other than possibly reducing Appearance in some situations. (Some people find scars sexy, though.) 1 temporary Glory.   • Deep Scar: Much the same as a superficial scar, except that muscles are affected as well, and the scar aches when the humidity changes. 1 temporary Glory.
  • Improper Bone Setting: One of your bones snapped and did not heal properly. This wound might result in a slight loss of muscle function, but the real problem occurs if that area of your body receives two or more health levels of damage at once in the future. If this occurs, the bone snaps again, causing an additional lethal wound. 1 temporary Glory.
  • Cosmetic Damage: A catchall term for readily visible injuries, such as a missing ear, a hare lip or an exposed part of the skull. None if it has any really debilitating effect, but it looks grotesque to humans and impressive to Garou. Reduce Appearance by one dot when dealing with humans, unless you cover or conceal the damage. 2 temporary Glory.
  • Broken Jaw: Similar to Improper Bone Setting, your jaw was shattered, and it is now out of alignment with your tongue. Add two to any verbal communication difficulties when using human speech, and add one to bite-attack difficulties. Also, your speech is slurred (roleplay accordingly). 1 temporary Glory.
  • Missing Eye: Simply put, one of your eyes was gouged out. The difficulties on all rolls involving depth perception or to fire a missile weapon (including thrown weapons) increase by three. Any Perception roll based on sight take a +2 difficulty penalty. 2 temporary Glory.
  • Gelded: Your reproductive system has been damaged. You are incapable of siring or bearing children, and you cannot ever hope to see your own pups breed true. Males with this wound are not necessarily impotent, and may still be capable of seduction and using Animal Attraction, but the difficulties for both increase by two. 1 temporary Glory.
  • Collapsed Lung: One of your lungs was punctured during battle. You find it difficult to breathe and to exert yourself. You lose one die on any Stamina roll involving exertion and an additional die after five turns of exertion. In addition, you may hold your breath for only half the time listed on the previous chart. 1 temporary Glory.
  • Missing Fingers: You have lost at least three fingers on one hand. Dexterity rolls involving that hand suffer a +3 difficulty penalty, and claw damage from that hand is halved (rounded down). 2 temporary Glory.
  • Maimed Limb: One of your limbs has been mauled and is now useless. You move at half speed in all forms (if a leg is damaged) or three-quarters speed in Hispo and Lupus (if your character lost an arm). You are not able to use the limb for any purpose. 3 temporary Glory.
  • Spinal Damage: Your spine was fractured, and you have trouble keeping your balance. Your Dexterity is reduced by one, you lose two points from your initiative rating, and you must spend Willpower on any roll involving balance, precision or remaining still. 2 temporary Glory.
  • Brain Damage: Severe damage to the head, or perhaps lack of oxygen for a long period of time, has reduced your mental faculties. You lose one dot from one Mental Attribute (Storyteller's choice). Additionally, you must roll one die and subtract the result from Gnosis, Willpower or Knowledges (player's choice of where these points are lost). You are probably partially amnesiac as well. 2 temporary Glory.

Aging

  Natural death is not terribly common among werewolves. A werewolf's regenerative powers can grant him some measure of added longevity — a werewolf could conceivably live to 120 or so before his body finally gives out entirely — but there are precious few examples of such elders. Most werewolves die in battle, and those that don't usually choose to die in accordance with the Litany rather than face the shame of old age and uselessness.
  "Old age," of course, is relative. Some Garou continue to be useful members of their septs as advisors and ritemasters, even if they can no longer be warriors. Aging carries with it certain infirmities, though. Among them are senility (decrease in Mental Attributes), frailty (decrease in Physical Attributes) and loss of Rage — many old Garou lose the wolf permanently. The specifics are up to the Storyteller to devise, should it ever become necessary. But let's face it, it probably won't.
  Some Garou choose to retire and live out their remaining years among humans or wolves. Some disappear into the Umbra to find their tribal homeland. Some simply wander off into the woods to die at peace with themselves and Gaia.

Mental States

Frenzy

  The popular image of the werewolf is that of a snarling, uncontrollable beast, and that isn't entirely untrue. No matter how centered or citified he is, every werewolf carries Rage in his heart. Any werewolf can lose control and run amok if that Rage is not curtailed.
  Any Rage roll can ignite a frenzy, even-chose made to activate specific Gifts. Any Rage rolls should be interpreted as an attempt — willing or otherwise — to awaken the primal Beast that drives the Garou. If a player rolls four or more successes on a Rage roll, her character frenzies. The player may spend a Willpower point right then to halt the frenzy, but her character loses any further actions that turn.
  Garou with permanent Rage ratings lower than four can frenzy, but only under extreme circumstances. Highly emotional and personal circumstances (such as the threat of rape in a Black Fury's case, or the threat of imprisonment for a claustrophobic Silent Strider) can boost a werewolf's Rage above the permanent rating. It is this higher rating that the player uses for Rage rolls.
  The two types of frenzy follow:
  • Berserk Frenzy. Garou see only red and moving shapes. They wish only to reduce these shapes to mangled carcasses. A berserk Garou shifts immediately to Crinos or Hispo (player's choice) and attacks.
  Exactly whom she attacks depends on the circumstances. A Garou whose permanent Gnosis exceeds her permanent Rage will not attack her packmates (unless she is in the Thrall of the Wyrm). She will attack anything else that moves, however, including allied Garou who are not members of her pack.
  If, however, her permanent Rage exceeds her permanent Gnosis, she attacks anything that moves, and she can make no distinction between targets unless her player spends a Willpower point. If such is the case, the Storyteller can direct her as to which target to attack. In addition, such Garou do not remember what happens to them during frenzy. Often, they collapse when the frenzy ends.
  • Fox Frenzy. Entering a fox frenzy means that the character flees in terror for her life. She shifts to Lupus form and runs, attacking anything that gets in her way (although more with the intention of getting past than of killing). Once the character reaches a safe hiding place, she will remain there until the frenzy passes.
  In either frenzy, special maneuvers and pack tactics are impossible. The extent of the werewolf's attack capability is to bite, claw or run. The character may spend Rage for extra actions, but he may not split dice pools. Using Gifts in frenzy is normally impossible, as is stepping sideways. A werewolf does not suffer from pain in frenzy, though, so he ignores all wound penalties.
  Coming out of frenzy requires that the situation that triggered it be over. When the trigger event is over, the player may roll Willpower (difficulty of the Garou's own Rage) to escape the frenzy. Even if this roll fails, she may try again each turn.

Rage Rolls

  The following conditions might call for a Rage roll, at the Storyteller's discretion.
  • Embarrassment or humiliation (botching an important roll)
  • Any strong emotion (lust, rage, envy)
  • Extreme hunger
  • Confinement, helplessness
  • Being taunted by an enemy
  • Large quantities of silver in the area
  • Being wounded or seeing a packmate wounded

Difficulty for Rage Rolls

  While the old stories of werewolves changing during the full moon aren't really true, they have some basis in fact.

Moon Phase	Difficulty
New	8
Crescent	7
Half	6
Gibbous	5
Full	4

  The difficulty drops by one if the moon happens to be the character's auspice moon. A Garou in Crinos form also subtracts one from her difficulty. These modifiers are not cumulative.

The Thrall of the Wyrm

  A werewolf's Rage is fearful enough, but sometimes a frenzy is abnormal. If a werewolf descends too far into frenzy, his Rage is no longer pure. Instead, he has opened himself up to be used by the Wyrm.
  If a player rolls six or more successes on a Rage roll, the character enters a berserk frenzy, and spending Willpower will not bring her out of it. The character is said to be "in the Thrall of the Wyrm." The frenzy follows normal tendencies with regards to attacks and duration, but it includes some even more horrific aspects.
  Each of the breeds of Garou carries a piece of the Triatic Wyrm, and during such a frenzy, that Wyrm can demand its due.
  • Homid: Eater-of-Souls has long held humans as its special children, and this attention includes Homid Garou. The Wyrm can drive such Garou to acts of cannibalism upon humans, wolves or even other Garou. When a homid-breed Garou in the Thrall kills or incapacitates an opponent (friend or foe), her player must roll Wits (difficulty 7). If the roll botches, the Garou must stop for a turn and feast.
  • Metis: Barred as they are from breeding, metis are special targets of the Defiler Wyrm. Metis Garou in the Thrall sometimes practice unspeakable acts of perversion on fallen opponents, regardless of their respective genders. If a metis kills or incapacitates a foe while in the Thrall, her player must roll Wits (difficulty 7). If the roll botches, the Garou stops fighting for a turn and slakes her unholy lust on her helpless opponent.
  • Lupus: The savage, feral lupus feel the pull of Beast-of-War. A lupus Garou in the thrall will savage a fallen opponent, friend or foe, and not pull away until the body lies in pieces around her. The Garou loses all sense of mercy, regardless of her comparative Gnosis and Rage scores. When a lupus Garou kills or incapacitates a foe while in the Thrall, her player must roll Wits (difficulty 7). If the roll botches, the lupus must continue to attack until her opponent is torn limb from limb.
  Succumbing to the Thrall of the Wyrm is terrifying to the Garou. A normal frenzy is considered a defense mechanism against pain, a pure if brutal method of survival. A Wyrm-frenzy is nothing of the kind. It brings to light the inner struggle with the Wyrm, which is something few Garou are prepared to face. Unable to live with their deed, some werewolves even end their lives after such a frenzy.

The Curse

  Frenzy is hardly the only effect that Rage has on Garou, and it is not at all the worst. Other animals, especially humans, can sense the predator in a werewolf, and they shy from him. Whenever a Garou's Rage exceeds a human's Willpower, the human will avoid contact with the Garou as much as possible. This avoidance may consist of crossing the street to avoid "that weirdo" or even running in fear. Since the average human's Willpower is usually from 2 to 4, the Curse is no laughing matter. Wolves are also subject to this dread, and most natural wolves will avoid Garou whenever possible.
  Garou call this phenomenon the Curse, for it makes normal relationships with humans or wolves all but impossible. Garou cannot usually maintain families among humans or wolves, as the Beast makes even their own Kin uncomfortable, albeit to a lesser degree. Only among other werewolves can the Garou find true, honest companionship — and the logical result of such relationships is prohibited by the Litany.

The Delirium

  Werewolves preyed on humans for over 3000 years, and while most humans have no idea that werewolves truly exist, a part of them remembers. The horrible wolf-man, the Crinos form, incites a kind of madness in humans that Garou call the Delirium.
  The stronger a human's will, the more clearly she can deal with seeing a werewolf. Most humans, however, either panic and run, or they just collapse. Even stronger-willed people tend to forget the encounter later, either by rationalizing what they saw ("A bear! I'm not kidding!") or by omitting the entire incident from their minds. The Garou refer to this subconscious denial as the Veil, and they look at it as one of their greatest assets.
  The following chart shows what a human will do when he sees a Crinos as per his Willpower score. The chart also shows whether and to what degree the human will forget the encounter, as well as what percentage of the populace will react in that way. Students of the occult might gain some bonus on this chart. Storytellers may choose to allow such humans a Wits + Occult roll (difficulty 9), with each success moving the human up one level on the chart. In addition, members of cultures that didn't suffer the Impergium to a great degree (such as Native Americans and Australian Aborigines) might also be granted a bonus. Photographs or such evidence don't trigger any fear reaction, although human witnesses will probably rationalize the photos away as publicity stunts or some such unless they have a Willpower of 8 or higher. Kinfolk are immune to the Delirium.

Drama

  There are a nigh-infinite number of actions that players will want their characters to take. This section shows the Storyteller how to set up the scene to accommodate those actions, and how they fit into the game system.
  The systems included in this chapter do not even approach the number and variety of actions the players will concoct. After all, a character can try to do anything — and more — a real person could, and no rule system can cover all the variables to simulate real life completely. Consider these systems to be guidelines for your games. They are meant to make Werewolf play more smoothly, not to bog things down. If you can't remember a particular system during play or if a player describes an action that floors you, don't waste time and energy looking it up. Improvise, follow your instincts, and keep the action moving.
  With that in mind, you should call for a roll only if one is truly necessary. Any normal human can crush a beer can, so don't make the player roll Strength. If you know that the characters have to chase down a fleeing human to move the plot along, don't waste time with a lot of die rolls simulating the chase — describe the action instead. A vivid, sensual depiction of the scene will enthrall the players much more than a series of rolls, no matter how many successes they achieve.
  As a general rule of thumb, ask for a roll only when there is doubt in your mind as to the character's chances for success. A city-born Glass Walker who was never even a Boy Scout will certainly need to make an effort to sneak up on an intruder, whereas her lupus packmate who has been stalking rabbits since he was a pup wouldn't find it a much of a challenge. In this case, the Glass Walker's player should be required to make a Stealth roll, whereas the lupus' player would be assumed to stay quiet. Of course, if the intruder in question has some means of detecting even someone of the lupus' skill, then a roll would be required of both players. The automatic success rule provides a good system for when to require a roll.

Scenes

  A scene is a moment in the story when the troupe focuses on the task at hand. A scene has no set length of time attached to it; it generally lasts until the troupe leaves the area or changes focus. For example, a pack might be in a caern having a meeting about a challenge issued from a neighboring sept. The scene would then begin with the pack coming together at the meeting place (perhaps preceded by an ear-splitting howl to summon them all). The bulk of the scene would be spent deciding what to do — whether to ignore, meet or argue the challenge. The scene would end when the troupe decides on a course of action and goes to follow it (the venue has changed) or when a representative from the challenging sept arrives suddenly to ask how they'll answer (the focus of the scene has changed).
  You, as Storyteller, should do everything possible to make the scene interesting and exciting and to keep the players in the moment. A scene is not static. Even in the darkest wilderness, there are animal sounds around, other Garou nearby and spirits looking in on the pack curiously. Keep a scene going with a life of its own, and sweep the players up in it. Don't let the players skulk about the sidelines before a moot. Have a friendly (or seemingly friendly) Ragabash come over to swap jokes. Have a burly Get of Fenris rise as if in challenge, just to encourage a reaction. Use minor elements of the scene to help the players see how their characters fit in. If the sept as a whole has high hopes for them, they'll get a much different reception when speaking at a moot than if the elders feel they are a disgrace to the Garou. This descriptive element is especially important when the characters deal with creatures other than werewolves. Normal humans tend to react to these predators with fear. If the pack walks into a convenience store, describe how the clerk glances nervously at the alarm every few moments.
  A scene should be open-ended and dynamic. Don't make the characters watch what's happening, unless that's truly what they decide they should do. Werewolves, however, are not often the sorts of creatures who wait to act. The more vivid and enticing the scene is, the more the players will want their characters to be a part of it.

Downtime

  Downtime is time in a story spent away from a scene, in which time is assumed to pass without roleplaying it out. Downtime normally occurs in one of two instances. At the end of a story, the Storyteller may decide that some game time will elapse before the next story begins, to allow the characters to heal or learn rites. The other instance in which downtime is applicable is when the characters are involved in an ongoing activity that does not lend itself to roleplaying (such as sleep). Likewise, if the characters are traveling by bus, doing extended research or waiting for someone's arrival, you may declare that those things happen during downtime. When the person for whom the characters are waiting arrives, the action changes from downtime to a scene.

Turns

  A scene is divided up into units of time called turns. Like the scene, a turn is a very loose unit of time. During non-stressful activities, a turn might be long enough to draw a map or even cook a meal. During stressful activities (e.g., combat) a turn is much shorter, ranging from three to six seconds.
  In general, a turn is long enough for each character to take one action. That being the case, one character would take the same amount of time to fire a gun as another would take to run down the block, even though technically firing a gun is almost instantaneous. That's all right, though. Keeping to the one-turn/ one-action rule ensures that each character gets a chance to do something, and it preserves the loose and dynamic flow of the game.

Multiple Actions

  Characters may take more than one action in a turn in one of two ways. A player may choose to spend Rage, which is discussed later. The other, more common way to take multiple actions is available to any character. The player simply subtracts one die from her pool for every action beyond the first that she wishes her character to take. This reduction is cumulative.
  Example: Running low on Rage, Elasia decides to dodge her opponent's attack, and then counterattack with her spear. She has five dice in her Dexterity + Dodge pool, while her Dexterity + Melee pool is six dice. Since she is performing two actions this turn, Elasia's player removes two dice from each action. Because Elasia is dodging first, her player rolls her adjusted Dexterity + Dodge pool for that action (three dice). She then adjusts her Dexterity + Melee pool the same way (removing two dice) and subtracts one additional die because the attack is her second action (giving her a total of three dice).
  Werewolves may spend Rage to take multiple actions. For every point of Rage the player spends, her character receives one additional action that turn. These extra actions take place after everyone else has taken an action that turn. If more than one character has multiple actions, the extra actions take place after everyone has taken their first action and proceed in order of initiative.
  A player using Rage actions may not split her dice pools to multiply those actions further.

Action Scenes

  An action scene is one in which many or all of the characters are taking actions to which sequence is important. These scenes require special rules to run smoothly. As stated previously, turns during action scenes take only a few seconds.
  All scenes need to be described well, but a good picture of the surrounding is crucial in action scenes. Players are creative, and they will use everything at their disposal, so give them a lot to work with. Describe their general surroundings, any possible escape routes, how far they are from a highway, whether anything is poking out of a dumpster and how wide an alley is. Any of these details may become important during an action scene. The Storyteller needn't explain every detail of the surroundings at once, but the players should know enough to improvise. Environmental conditions are certainly worth mentioning, as well. A fight in a blinding hailstorm will produce different complications than one that occurs in clear weather!
  Players will come up with actions that are not covered in this chapter (or likely in this book). As Storyteller, you need to be prepared for any eventuality. Let the players have their characters attempt whatever they'd like. If it's too outlandish, raise the difficulty. A difficulty of 10 usually conveys to a player that he should find a simpler way to do what she wants.

Organizing an Action Turn

  Dividing turns into stages is usually necessary only during an action scene, commonly combat. While you need not follow these stages rigidly, they allow for a well-organized, smooth action scene, and they provide a good framework for the story.
  • Describing the Scene
  You should begin each turn by describing the scene from the characters' point of view. Try to give some hint of what opponents or Storyteller-controlled characters in the scene might be about to do, but don't give away any information to which the characters would not be privy. This stage is also the one in which you should recap what happened in the last turn, if applicable. Remind the players what they and their characters' opponents attempted, whether they were successful and who is still standing. Don't be afraid to repeat something several times over the course of a scene. Constant updates will prevent you and the players from becoming confused.
  Once you have described the scene, allow the players to ask questions. Use common sense, though. A player might well ask for a clarification in someone's description ("He's carrying a falchion? What is that, anyway?"), because the player has a right to know and understand what her character perceives. A player cannot legitimately ask for information her character doesn't have, however. "Is the guy with the falchion a vampire?" is not a legitimate question unless the character has some way of finding out.
  When you and the players feel satisfied with the scene's description, each player must roll for initiative. Roll one die and add it to the character's initiative rating (Dexterity + Wits). The Storyteller must determine initiative for each of the characters she controls as well. The character with the highest initiative acts first. In case of a tie, the character with the higher initiative rating goes first. If the ratings are equal, the characters act simultaneously.
  To make things go more smoothly, especially during large-scale combats, the Storyteller may choose to make each character keep the first initiative roll for the entire combat. If the fight involves multiple Storyteller characters, the Storyteller may choose to use one initiative result for all of them.
  If opponents take the characters by surprise, the Storyteller may deduct from the characters' initiative ratings to give their opponents an edge (and vice versa as necessary). Alternately, she can choose to forego initiative altogether and decide arbitrarily who goes first. Using this last tactic often is not recommended, however, as it tends to frustrate players when their characters' actions are always being trampled.
  • Decision Stage
  Each player declares what her character will do, going in descending order of initiative. The characters with the highest initiative rolls act first, but declare last, giving them the chance to base their actions on those of the slower characters. This phase is also the one in which Rage expenditures are declared. During this stage, the Storyteller should decide what kind of roll is required for the action in question.
  During situations in which initiative is less important, the Storyteller may call for declaration of actions in order of Wits scores or around the table from the left. Use whatever method suits your troupe.
  • Resolution Stage
  Beginning with the highest initiative, each player makes whatever rolls are necessary to take her character's action. After determining how successful each action is, the Storyteller must translate the dice rolls into description and plot. For example, if a player manages a miraculous damage roll and kills her opponent in one swipe, don't simply say, "That was seven health levels, huh? Nope, he couldn't soak it. That's his ass, I guess." Get descriptive. Make the player feel as though his character has really won a brutal fight. "Your massive paw slams into the side of his head, tearing away most of his face. You hear a muddied, wet snap from his neck, and his corpse crashes to the ground in front of you." The more detail you give the players, the more they look forward to your games.

Taking Actions

  A character can take two types of actions without the player making a roll: reflexive actions and automatic actions. Actions that require rolls are called fixed actions.
  Reflexive actions may be performed without losing any dice from a character's pool. Reflexive actions include:
  • Yielding: The character delays his action until later in the turn, allowing other characters to act first. He can choose to act at any time during the turn, even to interrupt another character with a lower initiative. If everyone chooses to yield, the turn ends without any actions being taken at all.
  • Spending Rage: A player can spend Rage for her character at any time during the turn, with some restrictions. See the sidebar entitled Spending Rage in Combat for a full description of what effects doing so can have.
  • Healing: One of the most frightening things about werewolves is their hellishly fast healing power. A Garou heals one health level of bashing or lethal damage each turn, subject to three restrictions. First, a Garou cannot heal in this manner while in her natural form, unless she is metis. Most Garou are not able to access their full healing power while in their natural forms. The natural form a metis Garou is Crinos, however, so metis have no difficulty doing so. Second, only bashing and lethal damage may be healed in this manner. Aggravated damage (see Injury) may be healed only with time and rest or with Gifts. Third, healing lethal damage while doing anything other than resting requires a Stamina roll (difficulty 8). This roll is a reflexive action.
  • Reversion to Breed Form: This action requires no roll, and it happens instantly. Homid Garou revert to Homid form, lupus Garou revert to Lupus, and metis Garou revert to Crinos.
  Automatic actions are actions that do not normally require a roll, but that do take an action to perform. A player must split a dice pool to have his character take another action simultaneously. Some of the more common automatic actions include:
  • Moving: A character moves by walking, jogging or running. As a general rule, a character may walk seven yards, jog 12 + Dexterity yards or run 20 + (3 x Dexterity) yards in a turn.
  Garou in forms other than Homid are capable of faster movement, however. In Crinos form, a character may move an additional two yards per turn by dropping to all fours. Garou in Hispo form move at one and one-half times their human speed, and characters in Lupus form move at twice their human speed.
  Example: Emma Sharptongue's Dexterity is 3 is Homid form. She jogs 15 yards per turn, and she runs 29 yards per turn. In Lupus form, she runs 58 yards per turn.
  No roll is required to move, but movement takes a full action. In some situations, such as crossing treacherous ground or running amid a hail of bullets, the Storyteller may call for an Athletics roll to move or simply rule that movement at full distance is impossible.
  • Get to Feet: A bipedal character (including Garou in Homid, Glabro or Crinos forms) may get to her feet in one action without making a roll. Quadrupeds may do so as a reflexive action, springing to their paws at the beginning of the turn after they are knocked down without using an action at all.
  If a bipedal character wishes to get to her feet and still take an action, or if a quadruped wishes to get up before the next turn, she must split her dice pool or use a Rage action to do so. To perform this action by splitting a dice pool, the player must take dice from her intended action and score at least one success on a Dexterity + Athletics roll (difficulty 4).
  • Speech: A character can speak during her turn; some Gifts require it. Speaking precludes most other actions, since it is not possible to carry on a detailed conversation and fight at the same time (despite what is portrayed in movies and comic books). If a player wishes her character to speak during an action turn, the Storyteller should time her at about six seconds, and then cut her off, in mid-sentence if necessary. It is possible, however, to shout out quick sentences ("Run! I'll hold them off!" and so forth) as a reflexive action. A character who takes an entire turn to speak cannot also spend Rage for extra actions.
  • Readying a Weapon: This action usually involves drawing a melee weapon or loading (or reloading) a gun. An automatic gun can be loaded and fired in the same turn by splitting a dice pool, while a revolver cannot unless the character has a speedloader (see Firearms).
  • Start a Car: Under most circumstances, this action does not require a roll, unless the character is hot-wiring the car.

Dramatic Systems

  The actions that do require rolls are too numerous to list fully. What follows is number of game systems for physical, social and mental feats that the players may wish to have their characters perform. Two of the most common — shapeshifting and combat — are described separately.

Physical Feats

  Differentiated by the use of Physical Attributes, these systems involve hands-on actions and confrontations.

Climbing

  When a character attempts to climb a surface, be it a tree, a cliff or the side of a building, ask the player to roll Dexterity + Athletics. The difficulty varies based on factors such as how steep the surface is and environmental conditions. Each success allows the character to climb five feet. For example, if Isis Valor attempts to climb a 30-foot cliff, she will need six successes to reach the top. If she fails a roll, she is unable to make any progress that turn. If she botches, she falls, probably taking some damage, and she cannot attempt the climb again unless the player spends a Willpower point.

Sample Climb	Difficulty
Easy climb; a large tree with many stout branches	2
Simple climb; a cliff with many handholds	4
Straightforward; a tree with thin branches	6
Treacherous; a cliff with very few handholds	8
Nearly Impossible; a slick or sheer surface	10

  Note that climbing under duress (rocks being thrown from above, etc.) will raise the difficulty by two or more.

Feats of Strength

  Strength is the only Attribute commonly used without an accompanying Ability. When a character is attempting a feat of strength that falls within her range on the following chart, the player needs not make a roll. If, however, she is attempting to push herself to lift, throw or crush something that she normally couldn't, the player must roll Willpower (not Strength) to do so. The difficulty is usually 9, although the Storyteller may vary it due to extraneous factors such as environmental conditions or whether the character is in frenzy. Each success on the roll increases the character's Strength one step on the chart, to a maximum of five steps. For example, if a character with a Strength rating of 6 (in Crinos, that is) wishes to punch through a cement wall, the player will need three successes on the Willpower roll.
  Botching this roll may lead to interesting and painful problems as the character overtaxes his muscles.

Dice Pool	Feats	Lift
1	Crush a beer can	40 lbs.
2	Break a chair	100 lbs.
3	Break down a wooden door	250 lbs.
4	Break a two-by-four	400 lbs.
5	Break open a metal fire door	650 lbs.
6	Throw a motorcycle	800 lbs.
7	Flip over a small car	900 lbs.
8	Break a three-inch lead pipe	1000 lbs.
9	Punch through a cement wall	1200 lbs.
10	Rip open a steel drum	1500 lbs.
11	Punch through 1" of sheet metal	2000 lbs.
12	Break a metal lamp post	3000 lbs.
13	Throw a car	4000 lbs.
14	Throw a van	5000 lbs.
15	Throw a truck	6000 lbs.

Jumping

  Vertical jumping requires a Strength roll. Horizontal jumping allows the player to add the Athletics ability if the character can get a good running start. The difficulty on a jumping roll is usually 3, but weather conditions or narrow jumping space can modify it. One cannot gain partial successes on a jump roll. If the player does not roll the required number of successes, the character falls short of the jump.
  The following chart shows how many feet per success a character achieves in each of the five forms. Remember that the Gift: Hare's Leap doubles jumping distances after the jump roll.
  Example: Lysistrata attempts to leap to a second-floor balcony in Lupus form. She needs to jump roughly 20 feet to clear the railing and land safely. The jump is vertical, so the player rolls her Strength (6 in Lupus form). She jumps four feet up per success, but if she uses her Hare's Leap Gift, she doubles her distance. Therefore, if her player rolls three successes on the roll, she jumps 24 feet — landing easily on the balcony.

Type of Jump	Feet per Success
	Homid	Glabro	Crinos	Hispo	Lupus
Vertical	2	3	4	5	4
Horizontal	4	4	5	6	7

Long Running

  Wolves and werewolves alike are remarkable in their ability to run for long distances without rest. When long running, Garou can cover incredible distances.
  Long running is possible only in Lupus form. A Garou can jog at about 16 miles per hour for a number of hours equal to her Stamina rating. After that, the player must roll Stamina + Athletics (difficulty 4) each hour. If the roll fails, the character suffers one level of lethal damage from strained muscles and exhaustion, and the difficulty on the roll increases by one. This damage cannot be healed until the Garou stops to rest.
  If the player fails two consecutive rolls, she must spend a Rage or Willpower point to keep going. The difficulty increases by two on the next roll, however.
  Example: A pack of Garou is traveling from one caern to another. Because of the sept's isolationist policies on moon bridges, they are forced to long-run. Corina, a Glass Walker, has a Stamina rating of 5 in Lupus form. She may therefore run at 16 miles per hour for five hours, after which her player rolls Stamina + Athletics. She succeeds on the first roll and keeps going for another hour, but she fails the second. Her difficulty increases from 4 to 5. Certain she can succeed an this roll, Carina's player does not spend Willpower — and she fails. Corina takes one unsoakable health level of lethal damage. Now her player must spend Rage or Willpower in order for her to keep running, and the difficulty on the next roll will be 7.
  Wolves will not usually stop if one of their members falls on the Long Run. This abandonment weeds out weaklings. Werewolves are often inclined to follow suit, although the desperate nature of these times compels many packs to make what sacrifices they can to ensure that as many Garou survive as possible.

Pursuit

  Pursuit is, simply enough, the act of one character attempting to catch another. If one character is markedly faster than the other (one has a much higher Dexterity, an Athletics specialty in "sprinting," or using a Gift such as Speed of Thought), no system need be used. If the characters are similar in land speeds or if the terrain favors one character enough to even the odds, use this system.
  The pursued character begins with a predetermined number of successes, either assigned by the Storyteller (the preferred method) or by a Dexterity + Athletics roll. The pursuer must then accumulate the same number of successes by rolling Stamina + Athletics before he can catch up. The pursued character can continue to run, making the same roll as the pursuer. If the player of the pursued manages to roll more successes than her pursuer for two consecutive rolls (not turns, since a werewolf can spend Rage to run faster, effectively taking her movement action twice) she escapes.
  Example: Discovered for what he is, Slig — a Black Spiral Dancer spy — bolts for safety. Howling in rage, the Get Ahroun Dane Praised-of-Fenris gives chase. The Storyteller rules that Slig has three initial successes; Dane must overtake Slig and match these successes to catch him.
  On the first turn of pursuit, Dane's player rolls four successes, and the Storyteller rolls two for Slig. Dane is catching up and has two successes toward the three he needs to catch the little sneak (four minus the two that Slig achieved to keep ahead is two net successes). Dane needs to beat Slig by only one successes next turn to catch him. The Storyteller, however, knowing how much Slig wants to avoid being torn apart, spends a Rage point for him. The Storyteller is therefore allowed a second Stamina + Athletics roll to put more distance between Slig and Dane. The Storyteller achieves three successes; Dane must now achieve four successes to catch Slig.

Repair

  When a mechanical device breaks down, the best choice is to take it to a garage or machine shop and let a trained professional work on it. If doing so isn't an option, or if a character happens to be a trained professional, use this system to simulate Repair.
  The player rolls Intelligence + Crafts to identify the problem, and then Dexterity + Crafts to fix it. The difficulty of this second roll depends on the complexity of the problem. The number of successes required depends on how long the job takes. Some repair jobs are fairly straightforward, but they still take hours. The following chart gives a relative idea of how many successes and what difficulties to require.
  This system is permissible in combat. One character trying desperately to start the car while the rest fend off the oncoming hordes makes for a very exciting scene.

Job	Difficulty	# of Successes
Simple Mechanical Repair	4	3
Soldering Job	5	2
Electronic Malfunction	5	5
Fitting in new part	6	10
Repair stalled car	6	5
Tough auto repair	7	10+
System overhaul	8	20
Technical glitch	9	2

Shadowing

  As tempting as simply grabbing an enemy and tearing him apart can be for a werewolf, more subtle methods are sometimes necessary. Shadowing — following a subject without the subject noticing — is occasionally necessary. Fortunately, werewolves (like most predators) have a knack for stalking prey quietly.
  The two elements of shadowing are keeping the subject in sight and avoiding the subject's notice. Shadowing is easier to do on foot, but it can be performed in vehicles, even if the shadowing character is not driving. ("Okay, now make a left at this corner! No, damn it, your other left!")
  When the character begins tailing a subject, her player must roll Perception + Investigation or Streetwise. In a more rural setting, the roll would involve Survival or Primal-Urge instead. The difficulty varies. Following someone down a crowded block during lunch hour might be difficulty 8, whereas following a large, clumsy person through the woods on a dark night would be only difficulty 4. Every success allows the character to keep her subject in view for one turn. The Storyteller must determine how many turns it will take for the subject to reach his destination — the longer the trip, the more total successes the character will need. If the player fails a roll, the character has lost her subject, but she may try to find him again next turn. If the player fails two consecutive rolls, the subject is irrevocably lost (unless the player can think of a new approach). If the player botches, the character not only loses the subject, but is also delayed or hindered in some way (such as by being attacked by a gang, falling down an open manhole or being hit by a bus).
  Keeping track of the subject is only half of the problem, however. It's just as important to make sure that the subject doesn't see his tail. Each time the player rolls Perception to keep the subject in view, she must also roll Dexterity + Stealth (or Drive if the character is in a vehicle). The difficulty depends on how much cover the character has — a thick crowd might make a subject hard to shadow, but it does make staying out of sight easier.
  If the subject is unaware that he is being followed, a single success is enough. If, however, the subject is looking actively for a tail (perhaps due to a slip-up on the tail's part, or perhaps due to innate paranoia), the roll is opposed. The subject's player (or the Storyteller if the subject is not player-controlled) rolls Perception + Alertness or Streetwise (or Survival or Primal-Urge for wilderness, once again) at the same difficulty as the tail. If the subject accumulates five successes before reaching his destination, he spots the shadowing character. Note that a sufficiently suspicious target may change his intended destination whether or not he has actually seen anyone.
  Two or more characters may work in tandem to shadow a single target. Doing so is beneficial only if the characters have worked out a system of signals ahead of time; otherwise the difficulties of all shadowing rolls increase by one. If the system is in place, however, the characters may trade off at any time. Using this sort of teamwork is a good idea when tailing someone who suspects that he is being followed. The subject isn't given time to accumulate many successes before he has to start over against a different shadow.

Sneaking

  Sneaking is fairly straightforward — a character attempts to get past (or close to) a guard or sentry. The player rolls Dexterity + Stealth (difficulty of the guard's Perception + Alertness and modified by any mitigating factors such as light or weather), and she must accumulate a certain number of successes to get her character to go there. Any kind of failure on this roll results in immediate detection unless the guard is particularly lax.
  A character may also try to guess how difficult it will be to avoid detection (i.e., how many successes the player must roll). The player should roll Perception + Stealth (difficulty 7) to size up the task, and only one success is usually necessary.

Stunt Driving

  Some folks are crack drivers — that is, they drive as though they're on crack. Jokes aside, this system is useful during car chase scenes, in which characters must be careful not only to keep their targets in sight but to keep their own cars on the road.
  The following chart gives Maneuverability ratings for several different kinds of vehicles. When a character attempts a stunt with a vehicle, be it taking a sharp curve at a high speed, doing a 180° turn or sideswiping another vehicle, the player must roll Dexterity or Wits (Storyteller's choice) + Drive. The player cannot roll more dice than the vehicle's Maneuverability rating, however. The Storyteller determines the difficulty, depending on the complexity of the maneuver and the speed of the vehicle. If the vehicle is exceeding its safe speed, increase the difficulty by one for each 10 mph over the safe speed. The character can try the maneuver at any speed, but he might not be able to decelerate fast enough to stop afterward.

Vehicle	Safe Speed	Max Speed	Maneuverability
Six-wheel truck	60	90	3
Bus	70	100	3
18 wheeler	70	120	4
Sedan	70	120	5
Mini-van	70	130	6
Compact	70	130	6
Sport Compact	100	140	7
Motorcycle	100	140	8
Sport Coupe	110	150	8
Sports Car	130	170	9
Formula One Race Car	140	240	10

Social Feats

  These systems involve interactions between people. With that in mind, you usually don't need to use dice at all. If the player gives a stirring rendition of a story that leaves the other players slack-jawed in amazement, assume that her character has done the same thing and don't involve chance.
  If, however, a shy player controls a character who is very verbose, you might consider using one of the systems given here, perhaps modifying the difficulty based on how well the player conveys the character's intent. It's a bit unfair to penalize a character's social skills if the player isn't quite as suave, particularly if the player's roleplaying as best he can.

Animal Attraction

  Werewolves are dangerous. Even the most passive Child of Gaia Theurge carries around a great deal of Rage inside her. Such is the curse and blessing that all Garou share. And yet, while humans usually shy away from that Rage, it can also make werewolves appear very sexy.
  Animal attraction, it should be noted, is not a "love-at-first-sight" power. It causes the target to want sex, in a very basic, primal, animalistic sort of way, so werewolves without much in the way of people skills commonly use it to breed with humans. It does not normally work as a manipulative tactic. The target will be inclined to go to bed with the character immediately, not open a filing cabinet full of corporate secrets for him. Not everyone is comfortable with reaching these inner passions, however, so the character's attempt may backfire. Animal attraction will not work on a target upon whom the character has induced the Delirium in the past.
  Animal attraction is an extended roll. The player rolls Charisma + Primal-Urge (difficulty of the target's Willpower) each turn. The player must accumulate a number of successes equal to the target's Willpower, after which the target will be strongly sexually attracted to the character. To initiate animal attraction, the Garou must first look his target in the eye, although eye contact is not required throughout. If the player fails the roll, the target becomes uncomfortable and seeks to avoid the character. If the player botches, the target gets a glimpse of the Beast within the Garou, and she succumbs to the Delirium immediately.
  Note that this ability does not work at all on unliving targets such as vampires or the walking dead (not that any right-thinking Garou would mate with such a beast anyway). Also, if a character uses the ability on other supernatural beings (such as mages or other shapeshifters) the difficulty increases by two. Finally, this power cannot overcome true love. A man who truly loves and is devoted to his wife will be able to reject the werewolf's advances, no matter how well her player rolls.

Credibility

  When a character tries to convince someone that she is telling the truth — regardless of whether she actually is — have the player roll Manipulation + Subterfuge. The difficulty is usually the listener's Intelligence + Subterfuge, but it should be modified as necessary. In particular, if the character is telling the truth, drop the difficulty by one to three. The more successes the player rolls, the more believable the character sounds. If the player fails or botches the roll, the listener(s) does not believe the characters and may become angry enough to storm away (or arrest the character).

Facedown

  The facedown is a common way that Garou resolve disputes. Basically, it involves psyching one's opponent out without losing one's cool and attacking. The system is fairly simple: Each participant rolls Charisma + Intimidation or rolls Rage (whichever is higher). The difficulty is the opponent's Willpower. The one who accumulates a number of successes equal to her opponent's Wits +5 is the winner, forcing the other to look away. The player of the other character can spend a Willpower point each turn to keep glaring, but he will run out of Willpower eventually.
  A character whose Charisma + Intimidation total is greater than or equal to her Rage may use either dice pool; a character whose Rage is higher, however, must use Rage. This system makes facedowns very dangerous, because a character using Rage who achieves more than three successes in one roll enters frenzy and attacks! For this reason, facedown challenges usually occur at moots so that others can supervise the challenge. The loser of a facedown challenge loses a point of temporary Glory Renown.
  If two Garou of differing rank enter a facedown challenge, the difficulty for the Garou of lesser rank increases by one for every two ranks his challenger is above him.
  Example: Pigeon, a Rank 1 Bone Gnawer, challenges Cloud-of-Night, the albino Black Fury Ahroun. Because she has no desire to tear the pup apart, Cloud-of-Night chooses a facedown challenge.
  Pigeon's Charisma + Intimidation dice pool is six, his Rage score is 5, his Wits rating is 3, and his Willpower is 4. Cloud-of-Night's Charisma + Intimidation is also six dice, her Rage rating is 7, her Wits score is 4, and her Willpower is 6. Pigeon chooses to roll Charisma + Intimidation. He must accumulate 9 successes (Cloud-of-Night's Wits + 5) at difficulty 7 (her Wiupower +1 because her rank exceeds his by two). Cloud-of-Night must accumulate eight successes at difficulty 4, but because her Rage is higher than her Charisma + Intimidation, she must use her Rage rating in the challenge. Therefore, if her player rolls four or more successes in one turn, Cloud-of-Night frenzies and attacks the younger Garou, the onlookers must pull her off of him, and Pigeon wins the challenge by default. Glowering, the two Garou square off.

Fast-Talk

  Fast-talk is the art of confusing one's target with quick jabber and browbeating. Normally, the player rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge, although Charisma or Appearance might also work, depending on the character style of fast-talk. The difficulty is the target's Wits + Streetwise. On a successful roll, the target becomes confused, and he will comply with the character, until the target has time to figure out what is really happening.
  The target can spend Willpower to resist fast-talk. If he does so, treat the result as though the player failed die roll. On a failed roll, the target is not confused and attempts to interject something, perhaps telling the character to slow down (which can be crippling to fast-talk, obviously). A botch on the roll means that the target sees through the fast-talk and is angry, not confused.
  The Storyteller might require repeated rolls to keep a target compliant. The tone of fast-talk can be comical or deadly serious, depending on what the game's tone demands.

Interrogation

  Interrogation, by itself, does not include torture. It does, however, include the threat of torture. After all, being tied to a chair while watching someone prepare a syringe or ignite a blowtorch might well loosen the tongue (among other things). An actual system for torture is not included here.
  The player rolls Manipulation + Intimidation at a difficulty of the target's Willpower. The more successes she rolls, the more the target talks. One success might indicate that the target mumbles a few facts, while five would mean that he spills his guts, confessing everything of value he knows. If the roll fails, the interrogation technique is not effective and the character must try a different tactic (with a +1 difficulty penalty). A botch means the target either refuses to talk or, worse yet, lies. To conceal the reliability of the results of the interrogation, the Storyteller should make this roll for the player.

Intimidation

  It bears noting here that although Garou lose dice from their Manipulation scores in various forms, this loss does not apply to intimidation. In fact, if a Garou is in a position to look menacing in a non-human form (the Glabro-form werewolf holding a man off the ground by his throat, for instance), she may actually gain dice on an Intimidation roll. If, however, the Garou has made herself look silly (running into a telephone pole while charging toward a foe, for example), her player should probably lose dice on the roll.
  Humans who see a Garou in Crinos form fall under the Delirium, of course, and this effect will color their reactions. Generally speaking, Garou in Crinos form intimidate humans automatically.

Oration

  This system applies when a character makes a speech that the player does not wish to actually recite. The player should at least describe the speech and perhaps come up with a good beginning (which may even inspire the player to finish it). You should encourage, but never force, players to perform their oratory.
  The player rolls Charisma + Leadership or Performance. The difficulty depends on whether the crowd is predisposed to listen or hurl tomatoes. If the listeners are Garou, you should adjust the difficulty based on the character's rank. A Rank 4 Theurge will probably command more hushed reverence than a Rank 1 Ragabash, after all. The number of successes indicates how impressed the crowd is. One success gets polite applause, while five or more draws resounding howls of appreciation and demands for an encore.
  For especially long or important speeches, you might want to make this roll an extended action. In this instance, more than five successes might be required to win the crowd over completely, and this difficulty increases by one for every roll after the third.
  If the roll fails, the crowd is unimpressed and ignores the character. If the roll botches, the crowd begins looking for tar and feathers, or at least boos the character off the stage. In Garou circles, this reaction will also result in a loss of temporary Wisdom Renown.

Performance

  Used when a character gives some sort of entertaining performance, be it comedy, drama, musical or storytelling, this system is identical to oration in most ways. The roll varies, depending on the exact type of performance, but it is normally a Social Attribute + Performance or Expression. The difficulty and results of success or failure are the same as for oration.

Seduction

  A werewolf seeking to gain someone's affections can use animal attraction and be almost completely sure of success. But sometimes, somewhat subtler means are necessary, often to cajole a partner into revealing sensitive data (pillow talk can be more revealing than interrogation, after all). In this case, the age-old practice of clever remarks, white lies and general class comes into play. Note, however, that seduction does not tend to work well for Garou. The Curse drives people away all too frequently.
  The system given assumes that one person (the seducer) is dominant and the other (the target) is submissive. If the characters are on equal footing, or they truly feel for each other, ignore the system and simply roleplay it out (dialogue only, please). If the character tries seducing someone who would not be interested (e.g., a woman tries seducing a gay man) it doesn't matter how many successes her player rolls. The best she can hope for is some sparkling conversation. Seduction progresses in stages. A would-be seducer must pass through each stage in order to progress to the next.
  Opening Line: The player rolls Appearance + Subterfuge. The difficulty is the target's Wits + 3, but it can be modified based on her desire to be seduced. If the player comes up with a clever pick-up line, the Storyteller should lower the difficulty accordingly. Likewise, a stupid line should raise the difficulty or get the seducer shot down automatically. Every success after the first adds an extra die to the roll on the next stage.
  Witty Exchange: The characters engage in some flirtatious banter. The roll is Wits + Subterfuge at a difficulty of the target's Intelligence + 3. Again, roleplaying should confer bonuses or penalties as appropriate. Each success on the roll after the first grants an extra die on the roll for the next stage.
  Conversation: This stage represents the intricate dance of making sure one seems to have enough in common with one's intended to get what he wants. The player rolls Charisma + Empathy, at a difficulty of the target's Perception + 3. Again, roleplaying should help or hinder as necessary.
  Intimacies: At this point, if all goes well, the couple moves to a suitable locale and becomes physically intimate (at which point the scene fades to black...) In any event, no further rolls are necessary, unless the Storyteller wishes to be cruel and demand a Rage roll from an overly passionate Garou.

Mental Feats

  These feats include the use of the Perception, Intelligence or Wits Attributes. Again, it's frequently more enjoyable to use roleplaying in lieu of rolling dice.

Dream Interpretation

  Dreams are an accepted means of receiving wisdom from Gaia among the Garou. The wisdom, however, is often shrouded in mysterious symbols that only the dreamer can interpret.
  The player of a character who attempts to glean knowledge from a dream must roll Intelligence + Enigmas. The difficulty varies based on the length and complexity of the dream. The more important and detailed the information is, the more deeply it will be hidden within dream, and the more successes the roll will require.
  If a dream becomes recurrent, dream interpretation may become an extended action. Once the player has accumulated a requisite number of successes, the character progresses in the dream.
  Dream interpretation is most common among homid Garou. While lupus do indeed dream, they are commonly unused to remembering and interpreting these images. Theurges of all breeds, however, cultivate this art.

Forgery

  Falsification of documents requires two steps. One must know what documents to forge and how they should look, then he must actually assemble them. It is very difficult to forge documents well, and it may require special equipment or extra time depending on exactly what needs to be done.
  The player must make two rolls. The first roll is Intelligence + Streetwise. (The player may have to roll Law or Investigation, depending on the document in question. Some knowledge of Linguistics might also be required.) The difficulty varies if the documents are not from a legal system with which the character is familiar, or if only partial information is available. If the roll fails, some research must be done before the documents can be completed. (The character can try again in hours, or perhaps days.) A botch indicates that the documents are too difficult to copy with the information and equipment at hand, and a great deal more time and money must be invested.
  The second roll is Dexterity + Streetwise, but the player may roll only as many dice as she achieved successes on the first roll. Each success indicates a higher degree of quality in the final product. A single success produces a document that would pass only a casual inspection. Three yield a document that would fool most people, but not a lawyer or a detective. Five successes produce a near-perfect copy. A failure means that the document is obviously not passable, while a botch means that the forger missed an error that will be detected as soon as the character shows the papers.

Gamecraft

  Another common challenge among Garou who don't wish to actually fight is a riddle contest or some other mental challenge. The rules of the contest vary: a riddle contest consists of each participant asking the other a riddle until one cannot answer or cannot think of a riddle to ask. This is best if roleplayed out, but can be simulated by each player rolling Wits + Enigmas to ask a riddle and Intelligence + Enigmas to solve a riddle. The player whose character is solving the riddle must achieve at least as many successes as the player whose character asked for the game to continue. If a Garou challenges someone of higher rank, add one to her difficulties for every two ranks between them. Otherwise, the difficulty on both players' rolls is 6.

Hunting

  Werewolves do not always have the desire, much less the cash, to purchase food. Many of them would rather just hunt down and kill their prey. Doing so is an extended action. The player rolls Perception + Primal-Urge (if the character is hunting in Lupus form) or Survival (in Homid form). The difficulty varies by the availability of game in the area. A desert will command a much higher difficulty than a game preserve in spring, of course. Remember that Garou subtract two from their Perception difficulties in Lupus form, so most werewolves prefer to hunt this way.
  Each roll simulates an hour of hunting. If a character hunts unsuccessfully in a given locale for four hours without success, he must move on in order to find food. For every two successes scored, the hunter finds enough food for one meal.
  If members of a pack of Garou pool their hunting skills, they can find and catch bigger prey. The player of the Garou leading the hunt (ideally the one with the biggest dice pool) makes the roll, and the pack can all assist in chasing down and killing the prey.

Research

  You can't kill an enemy that you can't find. Sometimes, careful, slow research is needed to progress to the next point in a story. This system allows characters with high Intelligence scores to show off (as well as giving the more martial characters time to rest).
  The player rolls Intelligence + an appropriate Ability, usually Investigation or Computer. The difficulty is based on how obscure or well-hidden the information is. Easily obtainable, general information might only require a difficulty of 3. Anything so easy to find, however, is so readily available for a reason — it usually isn't altogether true. Find the complete, uncut story might require a roll at difficulty 8 or even 10, depending on what the character is researching.
  The number of successes determines how much information the characters find and how useful it is. One success will answer the character's question, but not completely. Three successes will tell the characters what they need to know to continue. Five successes will give the characters the complete story plus some useful hints or hidden knowledge that could save their lives later (assuming they remember it).
  Research takes time. The character has no way to know how much time will be required to find what she really needs to know, nor should the Storyteller tell her. Instead, the Storyteller should determine how long the character plans to study, and then allow a certain number of rolls based on that declaration. If the player intends to study "as long as it takes," the Storyteller must determine how much information the character can glean with the available materials. After all, all the books in the Library of Congress won't help the character learn about the courts of Malfeas; the information simply isn't there (one would hope). The character can study until she has learned all she can (Storyteller's discretion), until her player botches a roll (she believes she has learned all she can and comes away with some very false conclusions) or until she burns out. A character can study for a number of hours equal to her Stamina score. (And no, it doesn't help to shift to Crinos form while studying, because it tends to frighten the librarians.) After that time has elapsed, she must spend a Willpower point for each successive hour. The difficulty goes up by one at this point, as well, so research can continue only until the character runs out of Willpower or the difficulty exceeds 10. Remember that libraries are open only during certain hours, so extended research can take days, weeks or even years.

Search

  Searching a confined area for a certain object or clue requires a Perception + Investigation roll. The difficulty varies based on how well concealed the object or clue is and whether the character is looking in the right place. If the player succeeds, you might allow her character to find what she is looking for, or you might just give her a hint on where to look next.
  Have the player describe exactly where her character is looking, and allow her to succeed automatically if her description is detailed enough. Likewise, if the character is looking in the wrong place, she isn't going to find what she's looking for, no matter how well her player rolls.

Track

  Use this system when a character tries to track someone by the physical trail he leaves. The player rolls Perception + Primal-Urge (base difficulty of 7 modified by weather, terrain, age of the trail, Gifts and so on). Each roll allows the character to follow the trail for five minutes or so. The Storyteller must determine how long the tracker must follow the trail before catching up with the quarry. If the player fails the roll, she must try again with a +1 difficulty penalty. If the difficulty goes over 10, the character has lost the trail irrevocably. The same occurs if the player botches the roll.
  Remember that Garou in Lupus form subtract two from Perception difficulties. Garou in Crinos or Hispo should subtract one from the difficulty on this roll.

The Many Forms

  Many legends speak of werewolves assuming only two forms, human and wolf. In truth, the Garou wear five different forms, each suited to different tasks and situations.
  Changing form requires a Stamina + Primal-Urge roll. The difficulty varies based on the character's starting form. However, the number of successes needed also varies based on which form the character is attempting to reach. She must cross over all intermediate forms before reaching the one she desires. Therefore, the player must roll one success to begin the change and then one for each form the character must "pass through" to get to the desired form.
  Example: As the quiet duster of men in the corner suddenly begin to foam at the mouth, Stone Beast decides that Homid form might be a bit weak for what lies ahead. Stone Beast wishes to assume Crinos form. His player must therefore roll Stamina + Primal-Urge at difficulty 6 (for starting in Homid) and score at least three successes (one to start the change, one for Glabro and one for Crinos). If the player scores only two successes, Stone Beast reaches only Glabro form, and he must wait until next turn to try again (unless his player wishes to spend a Rage point for him).
  If a character is shifting to her breed form, the change is automatic and instantaneous, no matter how many forms must be passed through. The same is true if the player spends a Rage point to enact the change. Any clothes the character is wearing when she shifts will probably be shredded unless they are dedicated (see the Rite of Talisman Dedication) in which case, they meld with the character's body and reappear when she takes Homid form again.

Homid: The Human

  Statistic Adjustments: None
  Shift Difficulty: 6
  Form Description: The natural form for homid breed Garou and the form in which they feel most comfortable, Homid form is in all ways identical to a normal human being (save for lupus and metis werewolves, who are allergic to silver and possess regenerative powers in this form). Homid-form werewolves still trigger the Curse in normal humans, however.
  Example: In Homid form, the Silver Fang Theurge Longing-Glance is just shy of six feet tall and is strongly built — close to 185 pounds. His hair is dusky blond and cut short.

Glabro: The Near-Man

  Statistic Adjustments: Strength +2, Stamina +2, Manipulation -2, Appearance -1
  Shift Difficulty: 7
  Form Description: The Glabro form is bipedal, and it doesn't possess obvious fangs or claws, but the resemblance to a human being ends there. A Garou shifting from Homid to Glabro gains from 100% to 200% in body weight (all muscle) and six inches in height. Body hair becomes much more profuse, the teeth and nails elongate (although not enough to inflict any special damage), the brow slopes, and the character looks huge and menacing.
  Werewolves in Glabro can speak the Garou tongue and manage human language without too much trouble. Human speech, however, has a guttural rasp to it. While Garou can use this form to interact with human society, they typically don't. The Glabro form is too crude and too easy to remember.
  Example: Longing-Glance stands nearly six-and-one-half feet tall in Glabro form. He weighs in at approximately 350 pounds, and his normally sparse facial hair springs out around the jaw and neckline. His eyebrows grow together, and he walks with a slight lope in this form.

Crinos: The Wolf-Man

  Statistic Adjustments: Strength +4, Dexterity +1, Stamina +3, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0
  Shift Difficulty: 6
  Form Description: Affectionately known as the "nine-foot snarling death-beast" form, a werewolf in Crinos wants to do only one thing — kill. The natural form of all metis-breed Garou, the Crinos is not a form for deliberation, even with other werewolves.
  Shifting from Glabro to Crinos, the Garou grows in height by half and gains another 100% to 200% in weight. The head changes to a wolf's maw, and the fangs and claws are now fully grown. The arms become long and apelike, and the werewolf can move either on two legs or all fours. The Garou also grows a tail, which helps with balance.
  A werewolf in the war form may speak the Garou tongue perfectly well, and he may converse with wolves crudely. Human speech is reduced to one or two words at a time (favorite phrases include "Wyrm!" and "Kill them!"). Expressing anything more complex requires the expenditure of a Willpower point.
  Note that the Manipulation and Appearance penalties may not apply to other Garou, who speak the language and are used to the war form.
  Example: Longing-Glance shifts to Crinos form. He now stands over nine feet tall and weighs just under 800 pounds. His body is covered with fur, which takes on a silvery sheen in this form.

Hispo: The Near-Wolf

  Statistic Adjustments: Strength +3, Dexterity +2, Stamina +3, Manipulation 0
  Shift Difficulty: 7
  Form Description: The Hispo resembles a normal wolf in the same way that the Glabro resembles a common human. A werewolf in Hispo form looks like a prehistoric dire wolf. The head and jaws are massive, even more so than the Crinos, and the bite of a Hispo inflicts an extra die of damage. The Hispo can stand on its hind legs, if necessary, but it is much more comfortable on all fours.
  The Hispo form weighs nearly as much as the Crinos form, but its four-legged stance allows it to run faster. Perception difficulties decrease by one in this form. The senses are sharp, although not so keen as the Lupus. A werewolf in Hispo has no hands, so he cannot grasp objects, except in his mouth.
  A Garou in Hispo form can speak with Garou and wolves with little difficulty, but any human speech requires a Willpower point and even that is limited to one or two syllables.
  Example: In Hispo form, Longing-Glance still weighs close to 800 pounds, but he stands 5 feet high at the shoulder.

Lupus: The Wolf

  Statistic Adjustments: Strength +1, Dexterity +2, Stamina +2, Manipulation 0
  Shift Difficulty: 6
  Form Description: The natural state of lupus Garou, the pure wolf form is feral and driven by instinct. Used primarily for tracking and travel, the change from Hispo to Lupus causes the Garou to shed a great deal of muscle and body size. The jaws and claws shrink considerably — a homid or metis in Lupus can cause aggravated wounds with only a bite, and lupus in their breed form cause lethal damage. The Lupus form runs at twice human speed (see Movement) and it is far more perceptive. All Perception difficulties for Garou in Lupus form drop by two.
  The Lupus resembles a normal wolf for all intents and purposes. The exact appearance of a Garou's Lupus form will vary depending on her tribe.
  Example: Longing-Glance completes the shift to Lupus form. He appears, to all scrutiny, to be a large, silver-white wolf.

Combat

  The combat system in Werewolf is meant to capture the grim and vicious reality of combat while keeping the focus on the characters and story. With that purpose in mind, the Storyteller needs to be flexible when running combat scenes, since no combat system can portray a real fight accurately (especially one between beings such as the Garou).
  Both of the following basic types of combat involve different systems and permutations:
  • Ranged Combat involves any weapon that works at a distance, including guns and bows. A character using a ranged weapon needs to have a line of sight on his target.
  • Close Combat is any fight in which the combatants use their bare hands (or claws or teeth) or a hand-held weapon (knives, broken bottles, silver axes, etc.). The combatants must be within touching distance to use their own bodies as weapons (obviously). Some melee weapons, like polearms, improve a character's reach.
  Players resolve combat turns just as they would any other action turn. First, all players determine initiative, then they declare their actions, then those actions are resolved using the dice systems. This last phase is broken down into Attack and Damage phases, however. Combat turns are usually only three in-game seconds long, but when the Garou are involved, a lot can take place in those three seconds.
  After determining initiative, each player declares her character's action. When all players have declared their characters' first actions, move on to the Attack stage.

Attack

  What dice pool the player uses depends on the nature of the attack.
  • For any attack with a firearm, roll Dexterity + Firearms.
  • For any attack with a thrown weapon, be it a rock or a shuriken, roll Dexterity + Athletics.
  • For any attack with a hand-held weapon, roll Dexterity + Melee.
  • For most hand-to-hand attacks, roll Dexterity + Brawl. Some maneuvers require Athletics instead, but most use Brawl.
  The difficulties of these attacks and even the number of dice rolled can vary greatly, depending on a gun's rate of fire or the complexity of a brawling maneuver. These complications are discussed later.
  A character can choose to take one of three defensive actions as well. She may also choose to abort a previously declared action in order to do so. These actions are dodging, blocking and parrying.
  Dodging is simply the act of getting out of the way before an attack lands, and the roll is Dexterity + Dodge. The difficulty depends on how much cover is available and how much space the character has to cross to get to it, as well as the nature of the attack being dodged. A character in Lupus form dodging a kick needs only to jump back a few feet, so the difficulty is only 5. However, a Garou in Crinos form trying to dodge a shotgun blast from 15 feet away with no cover should probably just grit her teeth and get ready to get shot — her difficulty should be 9 or even 10. Successes on the dodge roll subtract successes from the attacker's roll to hit the character. So, in order to avoid being hit entirely, the dodging character needs more successes than the attacking character.
  Blocking involves using one's own body to stop an incoming attack. A character cannot block a firearms attack (well, he can, but it isn't very smart), but a character may attempt to block any hand-to-hand or melee attack. The roll is Dexterity + Brawl and the difficulty is determined by the nature of the attack being blocked. (A fist is easier to block than a sword.) Otherwise, the system is identical to dodging.
  Parrying is the use of a weapon to block an incoming attack. The system is the same as blocking, except that the roll is Dexterity + Melee.

Resolution

  In this stage, players determine how much damage their characters inflicted and received during the turn.
  When inflicting damage, the player rolls a number of dice appropriate to the attack at difficulty 6. Every success inflicts one health level of damage. More successful attacks inflict more damage, however. For each success above the first that the player achieves on the attack roll, she adds one die to the damage dice pool. This system makes for fast-paced and lethal combat, although Garou can shake off many forms of damage.
  Damage rolls cannot be botched, nor can specialties allow players to reroll 10s on them.
  Attacks cause one of three following types of damage:
  • Bashing damage includes any damage inflicted by sources of blunt, non-lethal trauma such as fists and most non-edged weapons. Bashing damage heals the fastest of all damage types (for humans, anyway), and it is very unlikely to do more than inconvenience werewolves. Bashing damage is applied to the character sheet by putting a slash ("/") through the appropriate Health chart boxes.
  • Lethal damage is exactly that — damage that will kill most living things quickly. Knives, bullets and even some blunt weapons attacks (a club swung by a Garou in Crinos form, for example) inflict lethal damage. Lethal damage is difficult for mortals to heal, although Garou regenerate such wounds quickly. Lethal damage should be marked with an "X" in the appropriate box.
  • Aggravated damage usually comes from a supematural source — the teeth and claws of werewolves, the fangs of vampires, most fetish weapons and any silver weapon inflicts aggravated damage to werewolves. Aggravated damage takes quite a while for even Garou to heal, and it cannot be regenerated. It can be soaked, however, in any form except Homid. Aggravated damage is best marked with an "*" on the character sheet.
  When receiving damage, the player rolls her character's Stamina. This roll, the soak roll, allows the character to avoid damage through her natural toughness.
  Normal human beings can soak only bashing damage. They are very frail in comparison to werewolves. (Storytellers who prefer more resilient humans, such as for representing soldiers or other rugged types, may allow humans to soak lethal damage at difficulty 8). Garou can soak bashing damage at difficulty 6 in any form, and they soak lethal and aggravated damage at the same difficulty in any form but their breed form.
  Damage from silver weapons is handled a bit differently. Garou may soak silver damage only in their breed form (save metis, who cannot soak it at all), at difficulty 6. Garou may not soak silver damage in any other form without using a Gift or fetish. Such is the price they pay for the gifts of Luna. Damage from silver is considered aggravated in all forms except a homid or lupus' breed form.

Complications

General Complications

  • Armor: Some foes possess a protective covering, be it a flak jacket or a slimy carapace. Armor adds dice to a character's soak roll. Some artificial armor also restricts body movement, as is reflected in an increase to Dexterity difficulties. Some armor types are given on the Armor chart. Armor dice (and only the armor dice) can be used to soak lethal damage. Those dice might also be usable to soak damage that might otherwise be unsoakable, at the Storyteller's discretion. It would make sense that a kevlar vest could be used to soak a silver weapon, but a flak jacket is no protection from radiation.

Ranged Combat Complications

  Garou seldom use guns, but they are often on the wrong end of them. This section gives maneuvers and complications for running a firefight. Information on specific weapons appears on the Ranged Weapons chart.
  • Aiming: A character who spends time aiming can shoot much more accurately than one who simply snaps off a shot. However, aiming properly requires that the character is not moving faster than a slow walk and that the target stays in the character's field of vision the whole time.
  For every turn spent aiming, the player adds one to her Dexterity + Firearms pool, up to a maximum of the character's Perception rating. A scope will add two additional dice to the pool. This bonus applies to only one shot at a time, though. A character with a scope and a Perception rating of 3 could spend three turns aiming and get an additional five dice to the roll (two for the scope and three for aiming). To get the bonus again, he must spend another three turns aiming.
  A character must have Firearms 1 to receive this benefit.
  • Automatic Fire: Some firearms allow the user to empty an entire clip in a matter of seconds. Firing a gun on full-auto adds 10 dice to the attack roll, but doing so raises the difficulty by two as the recoil throws the character's aim off. This attack is permissible only if the clip is at least half full to begin with. After this attack, of course, the clip is completely empty.
  A character may also choose to spray an area instead of emptying a clip at one target. The system is the same as for fully automatic fire, except that successes are distributed evenly among all targets. If the character fires at are more targets than the player rolls successes, the Storyteller chooses which targets are hit.
  • Bows: While werewolves tend to see guns as jerky, graceless, Weaver-tools, many tribes use bows in combat and make them into fetishes. Using a bow requires the character to purchase the Archery Skill (a secondary Skill). The player rolls Dexterity + Archery to fire a bow; difficulties for various types of bows are listed on the Ranged Weapons chart. A player whose character does not have the Archery Skill may roll Dexterity + Athletics, but every such roll has a +1 difficulty penalty.
  At close range, an arrow from a short bow hits as hard as a small-caliber bullet, and bows are silent, so their combat potential is obvious. Another common use for bows is driving a sharp wooden shaft into a vampire's heart. To do so, the player must roll five successes to hit the heart, and at least three health levels of damage must be inflicted after soak.
  Bows, however, have two main problems. One is that it takes an action (automatic) to nock and draw an arrow, whereas it takes two automatic actions to reload a crossbow. The other problem is that if the player botches the attack roll, the bowstring snaps. If the character happens to have a spare bowstring, he can repair the bow with a Wits + Archery roll (or a Wits + Crafts roll with a +1 difficulty penalty). If not, the bow is just a stick until the character replaces the string.
  • Cover: When you're the only one with a gun, it is acceptable to stand in plain sight and fire. When engaged in a true firefight, however, finding cover is an intelligent idea. Cover impedes an opponent's attempts to shoot at a character, but it also impedes that character's ability to return fire. Basic cover types and the modifiers they impose on an attacker's difficulty follow. These modifiers are also imposed on return fire, albeit to a lesser degree. A character returning fire subtracts one from these modifiers. Therefore, a character returning fire from behind a wall adds one to his difficulty, while a character lying prone suffers no impediment.

Cover	Difficulty
Lying Flat	+1
Behind Wall	+2
Only Head exposed	+3

  • Movement: Shooting at a target that is moving faster than a walk, or while moving faster than a walk oneself, raises the difficulty by one.
  • Multiple Shots: A player must take a multiple action or spend Rage to fire multiple shots in a turn. Three-round bursts and automatic fire each count as one "shot" for this purpose. The maximum number of shots that may be fired per turn is equal to the gun's rate of fire (listed on the chart).
  • Range: Each weapon on the Ranged Weapons chart has a range listed for it. This distance is the weapon's medium range; the difficulty is considered 6 within this range. A weapon may be fired at a target twice as far away, but doing so raises the difficulty to 8. If the target is within two yards, however, the range is considered point-blank, and the difficulty drops to 4.
  • Reloading: A gun that takes a clip can be reloaded quickly in combat, assuming that the character has a spare clip ready. The gun can be reloaded and fire in the same turn. The player simply loses two dice from her attack pool to make up for the time spent reloading.
  A revolver can be reloaded thus only with a speedloader. If the character must reload a revolver manually, doing so takes the full turn and her complete concentration, but it may be performed without a roll if the character has at least one dot in Firearms. Reloading a clip, (actually putting bullets into the clip) however, requires a Dexterity + Firearms roll (difficulty 6). Only one success is necessary, but doing so takes the entire turn.
  • Targeting: Aiming for a specific area (the head, the hand, the chest) raises the difficulty by two. Any special effects such a shot has are up to the Storyteller.
  • Three-Round Burst: Some weapons are capable of firing three bullets every time the character pulls the trigger. Doing so in combat adds three dice to the attack roll, but it raises the difficulty by one. Obviously, firing at this rate also empties three bullets from the clip. See the Ranged Weapons chart for which guns are capable of firing a three-round burst.
  • Thrown Weapon: While the Garou Nation frowns upon the use of guns, thrown weapons are a part of almost every culture. From the Asian shuriken to the Indian chakram to the Australian boomerang — and even including found objects such as rocks and small vehicles — some Garou prefer to soften up their opposition with such attacks before charging into the fray. The roll to use a thrown weapon is Dexterity + Athletics, not Melee. The difficulty is usually 6, depending on the size and distance of the target. If the weapon being used is not meant to be thrown (most knives meant for use in close combat are not balanced for throwing, and vice versa) the Storyteller should increase the difficulty by at least one. Damage ratings for such weapons can be found on the Thrown Weapons chart.
  The range at which a weapon can be thrown accurately and with enough force to do any damage depends on the weight of the weapon and the strength of the thrower. The Storyteller may choose to modify both difficulty and damage dice if she feels that character is outside of the weapon's effective range.

Close Combat

  This section breaks down into three parts. Complications details some basic maneuvers that any Garou can perform, as well as factors that may come into play in a brawl or melee combat. Special Maneuvers details some fighting tactics available only to Garou with the proper know-how. Pack Tactics reveals some maneuvers that only a pack can perform.
  Maneuvers in all three sections include notations detailing in which forms Garou may use them, as well as the difficulties of the maneuvers, the damage they cause and how many actions they require. If a maneuver requires more than one action, the attacker must either split her dice pool or spend a Rage point to complete the maneuver. Either way, the entire maneuver takes place during the character's first action for the turn.

Complications

  • Bite: Probably the most basic attack form of all, the Garou simply sinks his fangs into his victim. Extra damage due to bite placement (jugular, sensitive tissue, etc.) is up to the Storyteller. A bite usually causes aggravated wounds.
  Usable by: Crinos-Lupus (optionally, a werewolf in Glabro might bite at difficulty 8 and Strength -1 damage)

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 5
Damage: Strength +1	Actions: 1

  • Body Tackle: This dangerous maneuver may potentially damage the attacker more than his opponent. The attacker runs at full speed toward his opponent, hopefully building enough momentum to knock said opponent to the ground. Both combatants must succeed in Dexterity + Athletics rolls (difficulty 6 for the attacker, 6 + attacker's successes for the target) or be knocked to the ground.
  If the attack roll botches, one of two things happens. The attacker either trips and falls, or he runs headlong into his target and bounces off, leaving his target unharmed but receiving his target's Stamina in damage dice.
  All damage caused by this attack is considered bashing. If the attack is used by a Garou in Crinos or Hispo against an unprotected human being, the damage might be considered lethal instead (Storyteller's discretion).
  Usable By: Any form

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 7
Damage: Strength	Actions: 1

  • Claw: Another simple, commonly used attack, a claw strike simply consists of the Garou rending an opponent with her talons. This attack inflicts aggravated wounds in Crinos and Hispo form. While a werewolf's fingernails are somewhat long and sharp in Glabro and Lupus form, they are still too weak to inflict any true damage.
  Usable By: Crinos-Hispo

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 6
Damage: Strength +1	Actions: 1

  • Disarm: Similar to a parry, the character attempts to use a weapon to remove his opponent's weapon. The attacker rolls to attack as usual, but with a +1 difficulty penalty. If the attacker's successes equal or exceed his opponent's Strength score, his opponent drops his weapon. If the attacker does not score enough successes, he still inflicts damage as usual. A botch on this roll usually means that the attacker has dropped his weapon.
  It is possible, though much more difficult, to perform this maneuver without a weapon. In that case, the roll is Dexterity + Brawl, the difficulty is 8, and the character must remove a die from her attack pool as though moving within range of an opponent with a longer weapon.
  Usable By: Homid-Crinos

Roll: Dexterity + Melee	Difficulty: +1
Damage: Special	Actions: 1

  • Flank and Rear Attacks: Attacking an opponent's flank reduces the difficulty by one. Attacking from the rear reduces the attacker's difficulty by two.

  • Grapple: Grappling is the act of seizing and holding an opponent with the intent to immobilize or harm him. A grappling attack intended to damage an opponent is called a clinch; an attack meant to immobilize is called a hold.
  Either attack begins with the attacker succeeding in a Strength + Brawl roll. Success indicates that the attacker has grappled his opponent. If the attack is a clinch, the attacker may inflict damage equal to his Strength beginning the turn after he begins the grapple. If the attack is a hold, the target is held until his next action.
  When a character is on the receiving end of a grapple, she has two options. The first is to escape, which requires a resisted Strength + Brawl roll. At the Storyteller's option, defenders may roll Dexterity instead of Strength to escape a clinch or hold. If the attacker wins, the grapple continues. If the defender wins, she pulls free. The other option is to reverse the hold. Doing so requires the same roll as escaping, but to reverse the hold successfully, the defender must beat her attacker by at least two successes.
  Example: Two Garou packmates, Fangs-Bite-Like-Winter and Walks-the-Balanced-Blade, are wrestling play fully. Fangs succeeds in grappling Walks and growls for him to submit. Walks has other ideas, and he attempts to reverse the hold.
  Both players roll their characters' Strength + Brawl dice pools. Fangs' player scores three successes; Walks' player scores four. Although Walks' player got more successes, he needed at least five (two more than Fangs' total) to reverse the hold successfully. The match continues with Fangs still in control.
  Usable By: Homid-Crinos

Roll: Strength + Brawl	Difficulty: 6
Damage: Strength or none	Actions: 1

  • Kick: Kick attacks vary in style from a swift boot to the groin to elaborate aerial spins. The Storyteller should feel free to adjust damage and difficulty to compensate for the complexity of the maneuver. The system presented here assumes a straightforward kick attack.
  Damage from a kick is usually considered bashing, although a Garou in Crinos form kicking a normal human being might do lethal damage.
  Usable By: Homid-Crinos

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 7
Damage: Strength +1	Actions: 1

  • Punch: Like kicks, punches can be as simple as a jab to the face or as impressive as a double-fisted blow that knocks an opponent to ground. The Storyteller may decide to add extra damage dice and/ or modify the attacker's difficulty for special punch attacks such as haymakers, jabs or hooks.
  Punch damage is normally bashing, but again, a Crinos-form Garou punching a human might do lethal damage. Werewolves are just that strong!
  Usable By: Homid-Crinos

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl/td>	Difficulty: 6
Damage: Strength	Actions: 1

  • Sweep: A character uses her legs or a weapon to sweep an opponent's legs out from under her. Only certain weapons can be used this way, of course. Because their arms are disproportionately long, werewolves in Crinos form may sweep a smaller opponent using their arms instead of their legs. Likewise, a Garou can try to trip up a foe while in Hispo or Lupus form, although doing so raises the difficulty by one.
  A sweep does no damage, but it does leave an opponent prone if successful.
  Usable By: All forms

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 8
Damage: None	Actions: 1

  • Weapon Length: A character armed with a knife facing one armed with a sword is at a distinct disadvantage, simply because she must dart inside her opponent's reach in order to damage her. When facing an opponent armed with an appreciably long weapon, the character with the shorter weapon loses one die from her attack pool to reflect getting close enough to hit her opponent.

  • Weapon Strike: The character attacks with a weapon, be it a klaive, a club, a sword, a length of chain or a rock. Damage, damage type and difficulties for various weapons are listed on the Melee Weapons chart. The roll for such attacks is Dexterity + Melee.

Special Maneuvers

  The following maneuvers are not innate to the Garou; they must be learned. Each character may begin the game knowing one of these special maneuvers; picking up others requires finding teachers, undergoing training and so on in the course of the game.
  Players may wish to create new special maneuvers for their characters. The systems for any new maneuvers are up to the Storyteller.
  • Evasive Action: Similar to a dodge, evading an opponent involving leaping, twirling and generally staying one step ahead of him. This maneuver inflicts no damage, but each success scored subtracts one success from an opponent's attack roll. If the evading character's player scores more successes than the attacker, not only does the attack miss, but the evading character has moved into a good position to counterattack. The evading character receives a -1 difficulty bonus to attack on his next turn, assuming he acts first.
  Unlike a dodge, a character cannot abort to an evasive action. It must be her declared action.
  Usable By: All forms

Roll: Wits + Dodge	Difficulty: 6
Damage: None	Actions: 1

  • Hamstring: With this vicious attack, the werewolf sinks his fangs into his target's lower leg and rips apart the tendons. If successful, the attack will hamper quadrupedal foes severely and cripple bipedal ones (halve the movement rates of quadrupedal foes). This attack is also possible to perform with claws, although doing so feels less natural.
  Damage caused by this attack is aggravated. Typically, a lone werewolf uses this maneuver to slow an opponent down until her pack can join the fray.
  Usable By: Crinos-Lupus

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 8
Damage: Strength + Cripple	Actions: 1

  • Jaw Lock: The Garou clenches his jaws onto a target's neck, not to kill, but to immobilize. This attack can be performed only from behind or atop an opponent, so that the attacker can use his full body weight to best advantage. The attacker must first succeed in a bite maneuver with a +1 difficulty penalty. Instead of rolling for damage, however, the attacker and defender must both make a resisted Strength + Athletics roll. If the attacker wins, he forces his target to the ground and holds him there. If the attacker loses, he fails to immobilize his target, but he may inflict bite damage as usual.
  The immobilized character may attempt to escape on his next action. His player must roll Strength + Brawl (difficulty of his opponent's Brawl +4) in a resisted roll against the attacker's Strength + Brawl (difficulty of the defender's Brawl +2). If the defender fails, he remains immobilized. He escapes if he matches the attacker's successes, but he takes damage equal to the attacker's successes (which he may soak). If he scores more successes than the attacker, he escapes without further harm.
  Example: The "playful" wrestling match between Fangs-Bite-Like-Winter and Walks-the-Balanced-Blade has gotten much less playful. Tired of his opponent's struggles (and worried that he might soon be beaten), Fangs seizes Walks in a jaw lock. Walks dislikes this turn of events and attempts to escape.
  Both players roll their characters' Strength + Brawl. Both characters have Brawl ratings of four, so Fangs has a difficulty of 6 (Walks' Brawl + 2) and Walks has a difficulty of 8 (Fangs' Brawl +4). Both players roll three successes. Walks escapes, but he must soak three health levels of aggravated damage. He does so easily and decides to end the sparring match before it gets any worse.
  Usable By: Crinos-Lupus

Roll: Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 6
Damage: None	Actions: 1

  • Leaping Rake: A fighting maneuver for somewhat more graceful and lithe Garou, the leaping rake involves jumping past an opponent and slashing him on the way by. If successful, the maneuver lands the Garou out of range of his opponent.
  The Storyteller must first check how many successes the player needs on a Dexterity + Athletics roll (difficulty 3; distances are listed on the Jumping chart). If the player fails to score enough successes to carry his character past or to his opponent, he lands wherever the chart indicates, and he may still use his Rage action, at a +1 difficulty penalty. If she succeeds, she must then roll the character's Dexterity + Brawl for the claw attack. If the claw attack fails, the character still lands where she planned.
  This attack causes aggravated wounds. It can also be attempted using a punch (doing bashing damage) or with a weapon (doing damage according to the weapon, and making the roll Dexterity + Melee).
  Characters must normally be in Crinos form to perform this maneuver, but Glabro also works if the character is punching or using a weapon. A character using the Gift: Hare's Leap could conceivably even use it in Homid form.
  Usable By: Glabro-Crinos

Roll: Dexterity + Athletics/ Dexterity + Brawl	Difficulty: 8
Damage: Strength +1	Actions: 2

  • Taunt: The Garou cavorts about her opponent, growling, snarling and hurling insults. This tactic may alarm or distract the target to the point that she hesitates, giving the Garou an edge. For every two successes the player rolls on a Manipulation + Intimidation (for non-Garou opponents) or Expression (for other Garou), the opponent loses one die from his next action.
  This maneuver may be used by a pack (see Pack Tactics). If so, the effects are cumulative, which means that an opponent's dice pool can be reduced to nothing. If so, he can take no action except dodging.
  A Garou subjected to this maneuver, especially by a pack, may frenzy. A Rage roll must be made, and the difficulty decreases by one if a pack is performing the taunt).
  Usable By: All forms

Roll: Manipulation + Expression/Intimidation	Difficulty: Opponent's Wits + 4
Damage: None	Actions: 1

Pack Tactics

  The following maneuvers can be performed only by a pack of werewolves or by members of the same pack. A spiritual bond must exist between the participants (provided by the pack's totem) in order for the Garou to coordinate their actions enough to make these attacks work properly.
  A pack can know only a number of pack maneuvers equal to the lowest Gnosis score in the pack. For example, if a pack includes two members with Gnosis ratings of 5, one with a rating of 7, one with a rating of 4 and one with a rating of 1, the pack knows only one pack tactic. This restriction applies even if the whole pack is not necessary to perform the maneuver. The greater the Gnosis of the pack, the more "in tune" they are with their totem and each other.
  The descriptions of these maneuvers contain notations as to how many Garou are necessary to perform the maneuver and whether it is possible to do so alone.
  The maneuvers presented here only scratch the surface of what a creative pack (not to mention a creative group of players) will dream up. A really original and effective pack tactic should be worth a point of Glory and/ or Wisdom.

  • Fur Gnarl: Usually performed by two Garou in rapid succession, this attack consists of the first packmate stripping away the natural protection (or even artificial armor) of an opponent, leaving a vulnerable spot for the next packmate to attack.
  The first attacker rolls Dexterity + Brawl for a claw attack, shredding the opponent's fur or armor and hopefully taking a good chunk of it along (the difficulty on the roll is 7). For every two damage successes rolled (before soak), the target loses a die from soak rolls for that area. The next packmate may then attack as usual, although his difficulty increases by two because he must target the same area that the first attacker hit. This penalty lasts until the target can heal the damage or get new armor.
  Example: Not long after Fangs and Walks' little wrestling match, they find themselves besieged by a much more deadly threat — a chitinous, clawed beast from some Wyrmish spawning pit. Fangs shoots a look at Walks, who nods and launches himself at the beast to execute a fur gnarl. (Granted, the beast doesn't exactly have fur, but the same principle applies.)
  Walks' attack strikes true, and his player rolls six successes for damage! Although the creature soaks most of this damage, the shell is now stripped from a portion of its left flank. When Fangs attacks, he will target this area (at a +1 difficulty penalty). If he succeeds, the creature will soak at a three-die penalty.
  Packmates Required: 2
  Performable Alone?: Yes

  • Harrying: Wolves do not attack prey outright, even in packs. Instead, they chase and harass their intended meal until it collapses from exhaustion. Werewolves use a similar method to attack and confuse enemies.
  Harrying requires at least four Garou: one in front of the victim, one in back and one to each side. The rearmost Garou chases the prey either to one of the Garou on the side or to the lead Garou. The rearmost stalker then reassumes his position and the new stalker surprises the prey, growling and snapping, and chases him toward one of the other Garou, and so on until the victim is exhausted. A human victim will lose a Willpower point each time he is "handed off" to another werewolf.
  The system for harrying is as follows: Make a Dexterity + Athletics roll (difficulty 5) for both the chasing Garou and the prey. If the Garou scores more successes, he is chases the victim successfully to another Garou. Generally, the Garou must win five such tests to force the victim close enough to pass him off.
  If, however, the prey scores more successes, he has outdistanced his attacker, and he may attempt to escape. Make the same rolls again, but this time the Garou's player adds the prey's excess successes to her difficulty. For example, if the Garou's player rolled one success on the first harrying roll and the Storyteller rolled five for the prey, the Garou's player adds four to her difficulty, making it 9. The Garou must exceed the prey's successes — at the adjusted difficulty — in order to catch up with the prey and begin steering him toward the waiting hunters. If the prey escapes, the Garou must resort to tracking to find the prey.
  If the prey chooses to stand and fight, normal combat begins. Unlike normal wolves, werewolves will not back down from their prey. It's their nature to fight, not flee.
  Harrying can be performed in any quadrupedal form. Some tribes, notably the Get of Fenris and the Shadow Lords, use this method to kidnap cubs from their human or wolf families. They wear the pup down to exhaustion, which makes her much easier to capture and transport to her new home.
  Packmates Required: 4
  Performable Alone: No

  • Savage: Also called a "dogpile" by the Bone Gnawers, this brutal attack requires at least three packmates, although it can involve five or more for larger opponents. This tactic involves one werewolf hurling herself at an opponent to knock him to the ground, whereupon the rest of the pack rushes him in Lupus or Hispo form to bite him while he's down.
  The system is simple; the first Garou executes a body tackle or sweep attack as usual. Then, his packmates surround the fallen foe and bite whatever part of him they can reach. This attack can slay most enemies in seconds, but even opponents who are not killed outright must roll Strength + Athletics (difficulty 4 + 1 for each Garou involved, maximum 10) to stand up.
  Packmates Required: 3
  Performable Alone: No

  • Wishbone: This maneuver consists of one or more Garou grabbing an opponent's extremities and pulling him apart. It's not very subtle, true, but it's a superb way to get an uncooperative foe to talk or to scare the hell out of any remaining enemies.
  Each player must roll his character's Dexterity + Brawl to grab an extremity. The difficulty begins at 6 and drops by one for each Garou thereafter (as the opponent's ability to dodge is gradually reduced). After all possible extremities are restrained, each player rolls Strength for damage. This damage is considered lethal. The Garou involved may choose to either pull slowly as a torture method (in which case the damage is considered bashing) or to simply give a quick jerk, maximizing damage. If any one Garou inflicts more than three health levels of damage after soak, the extremity is broken or severed (Storyteller's discretion).
  This maneuver is possible to perform in Lupus or Hispo; it just requires knocking the victim down first.
  Packmates Required: 2+
  Performable Alone?: No

Example of Play

  [The players have gathered for another session of Werewolf. Matt is the Storyteller. Halle plays Vevila Sings-of-Magic, Fianna Galliard and pack alpha, who is still trying to cope with this strange country and the odd traditions of its Garou. Brian plays Dane Praised-of-Fenris, the metis Get of Fenris Ahroun who sees recurring visions about his tribe's role in the War of Rage and wishes to atone. Ryan plays Stone-Beast, a Silent Strider Ragabash on the run from his past in Cairo. Julie plays Red Shadow, a very young Red Talon who is still getting used to the role of Philodox.]
  [During the last session, the pack's Theurge disappeared mysteriously after a moot. (In real life, the player is out of town for the week, but Matt sees no reason not to use that as a story hook). As the youngest members of the sept, the pack decides to try and track him down. The elders are harsh, and losing a packmate probably carries a serious loss of Wisdom!]

  [Matt lets the players discuss the matter on their own for a while. They entertain possibilities and run through what happened during the moot to see if they can remember where the Theurge might have gone. Finally, they decide to contact the pack's totem, Raccoon (a totem of Cunning) to ask if he's seen the wayward Theurge.]
  [Halle reminds Matt that since the gibbous moon is out, Vevila regains her Rage. Matt nods, and Halle makes sure that Vevila's Rage pool is full.]

  [Halle asks Matt if it is possible to use the Gift: Mindspeak to contact the pack's totem spirit, since no one there knows the Rite of Summoning. "Why not?" Matt says. Halle spends one Willpower point for Vevila.]

  [During the conversation with Raccoon, Matt takes Halle quietly aside, but within view of the other players. As they speak, Matt notices Brian growing impatient, so he asks him to give Dane a temporary Rage point.]

  [Brian, playing Dane, decides that he has had enough waiting. Matt reasons that his little outburst might disrupt the Gift, asks Halle to roll Wits (four dice) + Alertness (two dice) to remain connected. He sets the difficulty at 6, Halle rolls a 2,3,3,4, 8 and 1. Her 1 cancels her only success. She fails the roll and loses the connection to Raccoon.]

  [The players engage in a bit of aggressive roleplaying. Halle and Brian both decide that Red Shadow's admonition cools their characters down enough to focus on matter at hand. The characters go trudging off to find Blood Rain.]
  [Finding the Red Talon takes a bit of doing, however, since he and his pack are often scouring the surrounding forests for human infestation. Matt asks Julie to roll Intelligence + Alertness to recall where he said they'd be tonight. Julie rolls four dice (two in each Trait) against a difficulty of 6. She rolls a 6, 6, 7 and 10 — four successes! Red Shadow trots off into the forest, and the pack follows her.]

  [Matt tells Julie what her character can perceive easily. Julie, figuring there must be more to this, states that she will spend a Gnosis point and activate Red Shadow's Heightened Senses Gift. Matt nods and informs Julie that Red Shadow senses a time discrepancy between when the humans were killed and when they were torn to pieces.]

  [Ryan's and Julie's characters start sniffing around for other Garou. Matt asks them both roll Perception + Primal-Urge. The difficulty would normally be 10 (the Garou that were here used Gifts to mask their scents) but because the Garou are in Lupus form, their difficulty drops to 8. Also, Red Shadow's Gift is still active, so Julie's difficulty is 7, and she gains an extra die of Primal-Urge for the roll. Julie rolls, but she scores no successes; Ryan manages one. Matt informs him that a Garou was here, but who it was or how long ago remains a mystery.]
  [Meanwhile, Vevila unwisely licks the blood on a body. Halle, of course, does not know that the blood is poisoned, and she looks rather worried when Matt smiles and asks her to roll Stamina against a difficulty of 8. No fool, Halle states that Vevila will activate her Resist Toxin Gift. Halle rolls Stamina (2+2 more for being in Lupus form) + Survival (1 die) against difficulty 6 and succeeds. Therefore, she adds three dice to her Stamina roll to resist the poison, for a total of seven dice. This roll comes up 3, 3, 2, 7, 8, 9 and 1 — only one success. Matt describes the effects to the players.]

  [Tired of waiting, Brian says that Dane will step sideways, using the moonlight's reflection in the spilled blood. Brian rolls Dane's Gnosis (four dice) against a difficulty of 6 (Matt rules the Gauntlet to be slightly thicker than usual here, because of the Wyrmish toxins used to kill these people), minus one for using a reflective surface, for a total of 5. Brian rolls a 6, 6, 7 and 4 — three successes, just enough to reach the Umbra instantly.]

  [Brian says that Dane will use his Ancestors Background to learn more about this strange scene. Matt agrees, and Brian rolls Dane's Ancestors rating (three dice) against difficulty 8 and manages two successes. This result is enough to recognize what has happened, so Matt informs Brian.]

  [Matt allows Julie to roll Perception + Alertness to feel the tremors that precede the ambush. She rolls only one success, so Matt gives her the warning that the ground is trembling slightly. Julie states that Red Shadow growls a warning, and the other Garou glance over to see the Dancers make their appearance.]
  [Matt asks for initiative rolls for all present. Since two pack members are absent, and since the attack is a surprise, Matt disallows group initiative for the pack. Everyone totals their Dexterity and Wits and adds the result of a one- die roll. Halle rolls an 8 and adds it to (Dexterity 4 + Wits 4). Ryan rolls a 5 and adds it to (Dexterity 5 + Wits 4). Julie rolls a 1 and adds it to (Dexterity 6 + Wits 3). Matt rolls a 6 for the Dancers, and he decides that they both have Dexterity + Wits totals of 6. So, the order of combat is Vevila (16), Stone-Beast (14), the Dancers (12) and then Red Shadow (10). Brian states that Dane will step sideways, and he rolls Gnosis again, this time achieving only two successes. Matt feels forgiving, however, and he rules that Dane will appear at the end of this turn and act last on the next turn. Matt also decides that all characters will keep their initiative rolls for the entire combat.]
  [The players declare their characters' actions. Julie decides she will change to Crinos form, but she does not want to spend Rage to do so. Red Shadow's action, then, will be shapeshifting. The Dancers both leap forward. One moves to claw Vevila; the other tries to bite Stone-Beast.]
  [Ryan declares that he will spend a Rage point to change Stone-Beast to Crinos form, and that he will claw the face of the Dancer attacking him. Halle decides that she will spend two Rage points: one to change Vevila to Crinos, and one to take an extra action this turn. She decides to dodge the Dancer's attack and counterattack with her claws.]

  [Halle acts first, so she rolls Vevila's Dexterity (3 in Crinos form) + Dodge (3). Matt, meanwhile, rolls five dice for the Dancer's attack. Matt's difficulty is 6 for a claw attack, while he rules that Halle's is 7 to dodge (no cover, plus she just shifted to a much larger form). Matt rolls only one success, while Halle rolls three. She dodges the attack!]
  [Ryan rolls Stone-Beast's Dexterity + Brawl (six dice) against a difficulty of 6. He rolls no successes, and his paw goes harmlessly over the Dancer's head. The Dancer bites his midsection. Matt rolls 5 dice for the Dancer's attack. They come up 5, 6, 6, 7 and 8 — five successes! Matt adds four dice to the damage roll (one for each success above the first). Matt decides that the Dancer's Strength is 6 in Crinos form, plus one (bite attack) plus four (for the attack successes, which is 11 dice). Matt rolls six successes for damage, while Ryan rolls Stone-Beast's Stamina (6 in Crinos) to soak. He manages only two successes, so he takes four health levels of aggravated damage. On the Health chart, he is Wounded.]
  [Meanwhile, Julie, her character unmolested, rolls Red Shadow's Stamina + Primal-Urge (eight dice) to change shape. She needs three successes at difficulty 6, and she rolls them easily. Red Shadow will begin the next turn in Crinos form.]
  [Finally, Halle gets Vevila's Rage action. She rolls Vevila's Dexterity (3) plus Brawl (3) at difficulty 6. The Dancer has no more dice in his pool, so he can't dodge this attack. Halle scores only one success, but that's enough to damage it! Her Strength is 7 in Crinos form, so she inflicts eight dice of aggravated damage (7+1 for the claw attack). Halle rolls five successes, and Matt rolls two for the Dancer's soak. The Dancer is Injured on the Health chart, but he is by no means down.]
  [Dane arrives at the end of the turn. He will act last during the next turn.]

  [Initiative is recalculated for the wounded characters, and the players declare actions again. Matt makes a note that these twisted Garou will flee this turn. They're only bait, after all, and the real fun lies down the path a ways...]