Werewolf Merits

 

Alcohol Tolerance (1pt.)
With a successful Stamina roll (difficulty 7), you can shake off the effects of intoxication, suffering no coordination penalties that might normally affect a drunken fighter. This Merit works against all natural intoxicants, even if processed (such as cocaine), though not against poisons or entirely man-made chemical drugs (such as meth).

 

Ancestor Ally (1pt.)
One of your ancestor spirits is particularly close to you. You have –2 to your difficulty to contact this ancestor via your Ancestors Background. Flesh out your special ancestor with a name, personality characteristics, significant abilities or powers, details about her life, and her reputation among Garou. To purchase this Merit, you must have Ancestors as a Background.

 

Bad Taste (2pt.)
You are gamey to the palate and revolting to the taste buds; plainly put, you taste nasty. Anyone who bites you (vampires, Garou, fomori, Wyrm monsters) is immediately nauseated. The biter must spend a Willpower point or retch uncontrollably for a scene. There is a drawback, however: lupus Garou and wolves are unlikely to lick or groom you, and even affectionate nibbles are affected by your foul flavor.

 

Berserker (2pt.)
You have uncanny control over your inner anger, and can use your Rage as most Garou cannot. You can enter a berserk frenzy at will, ignoring your wound penalties. You still suffer the consequences of any actions committed in the throes of frenzy. When circumstances might cause you to frenzy, you must make a standard roll to see if you do so or not.

 

Calm Heart (3pt.)
You remain calm and collected even in the most trying of circumstances. You receive two extra dice when attempting a Willpower roll to resist frenzy.

 

Camp Goodwill (1pt.)
You have earned the attention and favor of a particular Garou tribal camp. Perhaps you’ve done them a favor, or maybe they’re trying to recruit you. Regardless, all Social rolls when interacting with that camp are made at –1 difficulty. You may not be a member of this camp when you first take this Merit, although you can become recruited into the camp during play at the Storyteller’s discretion. You may take this Merit multiple times for different camps, and may take it for tribal camps other than your own tribe, each with the Storyteller’s approval.

 

Fair Glabro (2pt.)
You have a Glabro form that can pass for human, though it’s still larger than normal people. You have no penalties to Social Attributes in Glabro form.

 

Favor (1-3pt.)
You have earned the favor of someone more powerful than yourself because of something you did in the past. Work out with your Storyteller who exactly owes you the favor — perhaps an elder of your sept, an influential member of your tribe, or even a powerful pack of Garou. A 1-point Merit indicates that you provided a minor service; a 2-point Merit means that you have done something significant for them; a 3-point Merit probably means that you saved their life (or the life of someone important to them). You can ask for (and expect to receive) a similar level of favor in return. You can only call in this favor once; after that, your previous service holds no particular sway. While it stands, however, other Garou may know that someone important is indebted to you and react to you accordingly.

 

Feral Appearance (1pt.)
Whether you’re more rugged than average or have a lean, hungry look to your features, werewolves like what they see. It isn’t a matter of physical beauty as human society judges it; there’s just something about you that stirs werewolves’ animal natures. You get an extra die on all rolls involving Appearance when dealing with Garou.

 

Fetish (5-7pt.)
You own a fetish. You may have inherited this item, received it as a gift, or found it on your own. You and your Storyteller should work together on constructing the item and establishing how it came into your possession. Five points equals a Level One fetish, six points a Level Two fetish, and seven points a Level Three fetish. If you do not have the Gnosis Merit, you may not be able to attune the Fetish to yourself or use it.

 

Gall (2pt.)
Audacity, guts, pluck — whatever it’s called, you’ve got it. You aren’t afraid to stand up to anyone, from hoodlums to tribal leaders. This isn’t brash, foolhardy behavior, and you’re not necessarily rude or impolite. You simply don’t get the shakes when the Silver Fang Ahroun comes over to speak to you. Many werewolves and Kin respect you for your honesty and forthrightness. Add an extra die to any Social roll involving a display of backbone.

 

Gnosis (5-7pt.)
More than any other blessing, the possession of Gnosis among Kin is a special mark of Gaia’s favor. It’s extremely rare for mortals to be so gifted. Having Gnosis grants many privileges, such as the ability to learn a broader range of Gifts, use fetishes, and — if Embraced by a vampire — the chance to die with dignity and honor, rather than suffer unlife. Kinfolk lucky enough to possess Gnosis recover it in the same manner as Garou. Five points spent on the Merit grants one point of Gnosis; six points, two points of Gnosis; and seven points, three points of Gnosis.

 

Good Old Boy (or Girl) (2pt.)
You’re an intrinsically nice person, and you genuinely care about your fellows. Werewolves and other Kin (both human and wolf) tend to like you and confide in you. Even lupus Garou may approach you in a friendly manner; something about you just seems trustworthy and inviting. Take an extra die on all Social rolls involving interaction with Garou or Kinfolk.

 

Immune to Wyrm Emanations (6pt.)
Gaia has blessed you with a powerful resistance to the poisons of the Wyrm. Although you still take damage from balefire, supernaturally-caused radiation, Wyrm elementals, or other forms of Wyrm toxins, you do not suffer any dice pool penalties from them. Banes cannot possess you.

 

Lack of Scent (2pt.)
You either have no scent at all or only a very faint odor. Any humans, animals, or Garou who attempt to track you by scent have a +2 difficulty to do so. You may find it difficult to deal with lupus Garou or wolves, as they tend to mistrust your lack of a “natural” scent.

 

Metamorph (7pt.)
Shape Changing for you is as easy as breathing. You do not need to roll to change forms, nor is it necessary to spend a Rage point for an instantaneous shift. You make your changes as if you scored five successes on your roll to shift forms. If you lose consciousness from wounds or for some other reason, you may roll Wits + Primal Urge (difficulty 8) to choose which form you assume rather than reverting to breed form.

 

Mixed-morph (1-5pt.)
You find the art of partial transformation relatively easy, and make the required Dexterity + Primal Urge roll at difficulty 6 rather than difficulty 9. The five-point version of this Merit eliminates the need for a Willpower point; you can achieve partial transformation almost at will.

 

Moon-Bound (1pt.)
You are more in tune with your auspice than most Garou. When Luna waxes in your auspice, you receive one extra die to each of your rolls. Correspondingly, when Luna wanes in your auspice, you receive one less die to every roll.

 

Natural Channel (3pt.)
You find crossing the Gauntlet easier than many of your fellow Garou. The difficulty for stepping sideways is one less for you.

 

Natural Weapons (3-4pt.)
You are greatly in tune with your wolf physique. Your balance and physical acuity in Lupus form are greater than in Homid form. Add one to the accuracy of any attack roll with an innate natural weapon (e.g., claw, bite, kick, etc.) when in Lupus form. However, subtract one from the accuracy of any such attacks made while in Homid form. There is no change to your attack rolls in other forms. This Merit costs 3 points for lupus or metis characters, and 4 points for homid Garou.

 

Notable Heritage (2pt.)
Your direct family line is particularly renowned, either in Garou society or in the human world. You must choose (with your Storyteller’s approval) which world your heritage relates to, and detail your family line accordingly. You are at –1 difficulty to all Social rolls when working in the appropriate society (with Garou and Kinfolk who are aware of werewolf society, or when dealing with humans who are aware of your heritage). You are expected to live up to your lineage’s reputation. If you fail to do so, you may find the Merit dwindling over time as stories of your own failings begin to outweigh the high regard your family receives. This Merit may not be taken by Bone Gnawers.

 

Noted Messenger (3pt.)
Legends and Elders have used your services to deliver their important words. You may have even been called upon to carry messages of peace (or war) between the Nation and outside forces. Because of your reputation as a reliable messenger, you can pass through other Garou territories without your presence causing offense, and you may be allowed into any sept (or other locale where your reputation is respected, such as spirit courts or Fera holdings) unchallenged, as long as you carry a message for someone residing there. However, you are expected to behave in accordance with your reputation; if you take offensive actions, act indiscreetly, or speak rudely while in the line of duty, it may affect how you are treated (and may cause the Storyteller to deem that you lose this Merit).

 

Pitiable (1pt.)
Something about you makes others look at you as if you are deserving of their pity. Perhaps they see you as still a cub, despite your age or experience. You gain one die on Social rolls when actively playing up your pitiable nature. Wheedling someone into helping you would be appropriate; intimidating them into submission would not. Final word rests with the Storyteller in regards to when this Merit’s benefit may be used.

 

Recognize Garou (3pt.)
Over the years, you’ve become adept at picking out the werewolves in a crowd. It’s not mystical awareness; you’ve simply learned what physical and personality traits tend to mark Gaia’s warriors once they’ve undergone the Change. All Perception attempts to figure out if someone is a werewolf are made at –2 difficulty.

 

Silver Tolerance (7pt.)
You are blessed with an extremely unusual tolerance toward silver. You may soak silver damage in any form at difficulty 8, although this does not change the type of damage that silver does.

 

Spirit Magnet (1pt.)
You naturally attract the attention of the spirits whenever you cross the Gauntlet into the Umbra. Most of the time, the Umbral inhabitants are simply curious, gathering around you to see who you are and what you’re doing in their “neck of the woods.” Occasionally you attract more than you bargained for — Banes are also likely to come calling. None of the spirits who collect in your vicinity are under your command unless you use a Gift that allows you to command them or influence them in some way.

 

Untamable (5pt.)
You are a wild soul who has never bent to the leash. You are immune to vampiric Domination (but not emotional manipulations via Presence) and these Gifts will not work on you: Roll Over, Obedience, and Mastery.

 

Wolf-sense (1pt.)
This Merit is a blend of folk wisdom, practical sense, and animal instinct. If you have Wolf-sense and make a successful Wits roll, the Storyteller can opt to give you advice on whether you’re about to do something foolish in the eyes of wolf or Garou culture. It doesn’t mean she’ll tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but at least you’ll have some warning.

 

Wolf Sight (1pt.)
In all your forms, you see colors and intensities of light as a wolf does. Your color vision is slightly less distinct than that of humans, though you embrace the full spectrum of colors. Your night vision, however, far surpasses human nocturnal vision. You also notice movement more readily. You gain an extra die to all visually-based Perception rolls that involve movement or take place at night.

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Werewolf ONLY Flaws

 

Ability Deficit (5pt.)
Whether due to poor education, lack of opportunity, or simple laziness, you’ve fallen short of your potential. You have five fewer points to distribute in one of your Ability categories: Talents, Skills, or Knowledges. Therefore, the most you could initially take in that category would be eight points, and the least would be zero. Of course, you can still spend freebie points to take Abilities in the affected category. However, you cannot have any Ability in that category at three dots or higher at the start of the game. This Flaw is particularly appropriate to lupus characters that have yet to learn much about life as Garou.

 

Animal Musk (1pt.)
You have the odor of an animal, even in Homid form. Whenever you are indoors or in a crowd of people, you make all Social rolls at a +2 difficulty. Outdoors or in situations where you can distance yourself from humans, your odor is not noticeable. Wolves (and lupus-born Garou) take little notice of this Flaw.

 

Anosmia (1pt.)
Whether from birth or due to some illness or accident, you’ve lost all sense of taste and smell. You automatically fail any roll involving these two senses, including Primal Urge rolls for tracking or hunting. In Lupus form, it’s even more crippling, since smell is a wolf’s most acute sense; this Flaw cancels out the –2 difficulty to Perception rolls a Garou gets in that form. There’s a slight benefit, however: At the Storyteller’s discretion, you may be immune to the debilitating effects of environmental conditions, Gifts and supernatural abilities that rely on odors.

 

Banned Transformation (1-6pt.)
Some circumstance, event, or situation inhibits your ability to change forms, except to return to your breed form. To overcome the restricting factor requires the expenditure of a Willpower point and a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 8). Some examples of triggers and their relative point costs include:

Relaxing music (1 point)
In the vicinity of wolfsbane (2 points)
Unless you spend a Rage point (3 points)
When around silver (4 points)
During the day or during the night (5 points)
When the moon is not visible (6 points)

 

Barren/Sterile (4 pt.)
For Kinfolk who serve werewolves as perpetuators of the species, inability to reproduce is a serious Flaw indeed. Not only does it carry a social stigma, it may also incur abuse, neglect, or even exile. Kinfolk who can’t reproduce lose a great deal of their value in Garou eyes. For obvious reasons, vampire and wraith who were Kin can’t take this Flaw.

 

Camp Enmity (1pt.)
You have earned the attention and disfavor of a particular Garou tribal camp. Perhaps you’re a former member of the camp, or have refused to join them and they feel slighted. Perhaps they feel you’ve done them wrong, or the camp you are a part of is ideologically opposed to what they stand for. Regardless, all Social rolls when interacting with that camp are made at +1 difficulty. You may not already be a member of this camp when you first take this Merit, although you can become recruited (or re-recruited) into the camp during play at the Storyteller’s discretion. You may take this Merit multiple times for different camps. Storytellers are encouraged to incorporate Storyteller characters of the appropriate camp into their storylines, so as to make this a meaningful Flaw.

 

Docile (1-3pt.)
Your distance from “the wolf” dampens the fires of Rage within you, hampering your ability to access them in Gaia’s service. For every point of Docile you take, your maximum Rage is lowered by 2, and can never be bought above that level. Others may see you as “domesticated” or “more dog than wolf” and react with derision.

 

Double Jeopardy (3pt.)
Gaia has marked you strongly. You were born not with one, but two significant metis deformities. These may be related, but must be two clearly separate disfigurements. A pair of antlers, or two rows of shark teeth would only be one deformity, but antlers and hooves, or a row of shark’s teeth and a set of gills would be acceptably different. The Storyteller has the final judgment on whether the two deformities are significant enough to qualify for this Flaw. This flaw can be taken only by metis Garou.

 

Foe from the Past (1-3pt.)
You have inherited an enemy, not because of anything you’ve done, but because one of your ancestors incurred his wrath. The strength of the enemy determines the point value of the Flaw.

(1 point) A werewolf hunter whose parents were killed by your forebear.
(2 points) A mage whose mentor suffered at the hands of one of your ancestors.
(3 points) A powerful vampire or spirit creature who has sworn a vendetta against your family line. You should work with the Storyteller to come up with a logical backstory surrounding your ancestor’s enemy, since encounters with your foe may provide an ongoing story arc for your chronicle. You must possess the Ancestors Background to take this Flaw.

 

Forced Transformation (1-2pt.)
Certain circumstances force you to undergo an uncontrollable shift in form. You may resist the change by spending a Willpower point, but once you have made the forced change, you may not change back until the triggering situation has passed. You may use the following examples or design your own circumstances and point costs (with Storyteller approval).

The full moon forces you to assume your Crinos form. (2 points)
You automatically change to Crinos when your auspice wanes (2 points)
Sexual arousal stimulates a forced change (1 point to Glabro; 2 points to Crinos; 2 points to Homid if you are a lupus)

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Insane Ancestor (1pt.)
An insane ancestor of yours occasionally takes over when you seek help from the spirits of your forebears. Usually, this ancestor appears only under certain common circumstances, such as when Black Spiral Dancers threaten you or whenever a certain common rite is performed in your presence. When the Storyteller deems this circumstance has come about, roll your Ancestors Background, difficulty 6. Any successes indicate that your ancestor takes control of you for the scene, or until someone recognizes what is happening and manages to convince him to relinquish control once more. You should create your ancestor, name him, and describe his madness. You may spend a Willpower point to stifle the ancestor-spirit for the scene. You must purchase the Background: Ancestors to take this Flaw.

 

Mark of the Predator (2pt.)
You give off emanations of a predatory nature. Herbivores shy away from you, while carnivores see you as a potential threat and may offer challenge. You may not possess the Skill: Animal Ken.

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No Partial Transformation (1pt.)
You have no ability to mix forms; you cannot shift your larynx in Lupus to be capable of human speech, or grow a wolf’s muzzle in Glabro. You can only change into the complete form.

 

Outsider (2 pt.)
Because of rumors (true or not), an ill-done deed, poor decision, or some other character flaw, you have a poor reputation among Kinfolk and Garou. They don’t necessarily hurt you, but they let you know you aren’t welcome in their camps or homes. Make all Social rolls involving interaction with werewolves and Kin at +2 difficulty.

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Persistent Parents (2pt.)
Most werewolves, unless they have Kinfolk parents, sacrifice their family ties after their First Change, in order to protect the Veil. Your parents, however, have not given up on you. They may hire detectives to find you, plaster posters with your picture on it around town, pester radio and television stations to run public service ads, or dedicate websites and utilize social media to recruit the aid of the internet in order to try to find you. They may be ignorant of your new life, suspecting instead that you have run away, joined a cult, or been kidnapped. They may instead have ties to Pentex or other organizations with ulterior motives in locating you. Only homids may take this Flaw.

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Sign of the Wolf (2pt.)
The folklore of werewolves holds true as far as you’re concerned. Like the shapechangers of myth and legend, you possess eyebrows that meet in the middle of your forehead, hair grows on the palms of your hands, and the second and third fingers of your hands are the same length. You may even manifest a pentagram on your palm before and during your auspice’s phase of the moon. While most people may simply wonder at these bizarre physical manifestations, werewolf hunters who notice these signs suspect your true nature.

 

Slip Sideways (1pt.)
You find it difficult to control travel between the physical world and the Umbra, sometimes entering the spirit world when you don’t intend to. When stressed and near a reflective surface, you must roll Wits + Occult (difficulty 7) to avoid shifting into the Umbra unintentionally. In order to overcome the Gauntlet, you must still roll your Gnosis, but the difficulty is 1 less than usual. If you deliberately try to step sideways, you do so at the normal difficulty.

 

Strict Carnivore (1pt.)
“Vegetarian” is just another way of saying “lazy hunter.” Vegetables and grains give you no nutritional benefit; you can only subsist on meat — the closer to raw, the better. You have real problems in areas where meat is scarce.

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Territorial (2pt.)
You have the wolf’s territorial nature. You dislike leaving your home turf or having people you don’t know infringe upon your claimed space. Before play starts, work with your Storyteller to define your territory. You must roll to avoid frenzying whenever strangers enter your territory without your permission, and are reluctant to leave there except under desperate circumstances.

 

Ulterior Motive (2 pt.)
Something other than love and respect for your Garou relatives and Kinfolk guides your actions. This “something” may be as simple as greed or a lust for vengeance; you could also be a traitor working for an outside agency. Whatever the case, this ulterior motive holds your ultimate loyalty. Should someone suspect things aren’t as they seem, you could be in big trouble. This Flaw makes a good complement for the Flaw: Dark Secret

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