Abilities - Skills

Abilities illustrate the knacks and proficiencies the character has developed through hard training or from natural giftedness. In the course of a game, you'll match the Abilities up with appropriateAttributes to determine a die pool that will be rolled to indicate the character's success or failure. Abilities are divided into the following three groups of 10: Talents, Skills and Knowledges. In some cases, you should go ahead and note an area of expertise when you first choose the Ability, although you won't get the specialty bonus until the Ability reaches four dots. For example, Science is Knowledge, but it makes little sense not to clarify the branch of science in which the character excels. Your Storyteller will tell you if such areas of expertise are appropriate for an Ability. Unlike Talents, Skills develop as a direct result of training and instruction. No one really just knows how to drive a car, for example; you have to at least get in a little practice before hitting the interstate. Attempting feats when the character doesn't have the Skill in question is a bit trickier. The player rolls the dice at a +1 difficulty penalty. It's a lot harder to shoot a gun than it seems on TV The following Abilities are examples of how to expand the Abilities list given in the Werewolf rulebook. They describe some of the limitless Abilities your character can take and that can help define your character more completely. Some of these Abilities may seem less useful than the more general ones described in Werewolf. Some of them are subcategories of the more general Abilities. Your Storyteller is at liberty to decide exactly how these new Abilities come into play — for instance, whether she wants to introduce the Archery Skill or default to Dexterity + Athletics for firing a bow. Do whatever works best for your group.

Ability Location PageAcrobatics Book of Shadows, The 18

Animal Ken Werewolf: The Apocalypse 127Animal Ken Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 107Animal Ken Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 114

Animal Training Book of Shadows, The 18Archery Book of Shadows, The 18Archery Werewolf Players Guide 32Archery Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 29

Blind Fighting Book of Shadows, The 19Boating Croatan Song 111

Camouflage Book of Shadows, The 19Climbing Book of Shadows, The 19

Crafts Book of Shadows, The 20Crafts Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 29Crafts Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 114

Dancing Book of Shadows, The 21Demolitions Book of Shadows, The 20Demolitions Werewolf Players Guide 33Demolitions Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 29

Disguise Book of Shadows, The 20Disguise Werewolf Players Guide 33Disguise Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 30Drinking World of Darkness: Gypsies 49

Drive Werewolf: The Apocalypse 126Drive Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 107Drive Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 114

Elusion World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 103

Escape Artistry Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 30Escapology Book of Shadows, The 21Escapology Werewolf Players Guide 33

Etiquette Werewolf: The Apocalypse 127Etiquette Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 107Etiquette Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 115

Fast-Draw Book of Shadows, The 21Fast-Draw Werewolf Players Guide 33Fast-Draw Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 30Fast-Talk Book of Shadows, The 22Firearms Werewolf: The Apocalypse 126Firearms Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 107Firearms Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 115First Aid Book of Shadows, The 22Foraging World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 103

Fortune-Telling World of Darkness: Gypsies 49Gambling Book of Shadows, The 22Gambling Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 30

Gunsmithing Book of Shadows, The 22Heavy Weapons Book of Shadows, The 22

Hiding World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 103Hunting Book of Shadows, The 23

Hypnotism Book of Shadows, The 23Hypnotism Sorcerer, Revised Ed. 50Hypnotism Werewolf Players Guide 33Hypnotism Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 30

Indoctrination Freak Legion: A Players Guide to Fomori 21Iskakku - The Way of the Staff Tribebook: Children of Gaia, Revised Ed. 81

Kailindo Werewolf Players Guide 34Kailindo Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 31

Klaive Dueling Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 31Leadership Werewolf: The Apocalypse 128Leadership Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 107Leadership Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 115

Lockpicking Book of Shadows, The 23Mediation Tribebook: Children of Gaia, Revised Ed. 81Meditation Werewolf Players Guide 34Meditation Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 31

Melee Werewolf: The Apocalypse 126Melee Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 107Melee Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 115

Misdirection Book of Shadows, The 23Performance Werewolf: The Apocalypse 127Performance Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 107Performance Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 116

Pilot Book of Shadows, The 24Pilot Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 32

Psychoanalysis Book of Shadows, The 24Repair Werewolf: The Apocalypse 126Repair Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 108Ride Book of Shadows, The 24Ride Werewolf: The Dark Ages 98Ride Werewolf: The Wild West 132

Singing Book of Shadows, The 24Speed Reading Book of Shadows, The 24

Stealth Werewolf: The Apocalypse 127Stealth Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 108Stealth Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 116

Survival Werewolf: The Apocalypse 128Survival Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 108Survival Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 117

Swimming Book of Shadows, The 24Swimming Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 32

Torture Book of Shadows, The 25Tracking Book of Shadows, The 25

Traps Book of Shadows, The 25Traps Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 32

Wild Hunting World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 104

Acrobatics You are a trained tumbler and acrobat able to perform feats of agility far beyond the capabilities of an untrained character. For each success with this Skill, a character can ignore one Health Level of falling damage. For example, a character with two dots in Acrobatics can fall up to 10 feet without injury or would take only one Health Level of damage from a 15-foot fall. This skill may be paired with Dexterity to roll for leaps and other acrobatic feats.• Novice: Grade school gym class• • Practiced: High school jock• • • Competent: College team• • • • Expert: State champion• • • • • Master: Olympic gold medalistPossessed by: Professional Athletes, Jocks, Martial Artists, Dancers

Animal Ken Although they too are animals, humans think and behave far differently than most creatures do. It takes a special touch to deal with critters, particularly if they are hurt or frightened. Animal Ken represents this knack. With it, a person (or werewolf) knows how to speak and move in such a way as to gain an animal's trust. Without Animal Ken, even homid werewolves find that other creatures tend to be skittish and jumpy around them. Animal Ken is also necessary for training animals (such as working dogs) and for any specific activities that involve animals (such as leading a mule train).• Novice: You know how to behave around typical pets.• • Practiced: Basic obedience and puppy training is easy for you.• • • Competent: You could train animals for highly specialized work, like herding.• • • • Expert: Under your guidance, most animals can learn complex tricks and routines.• • • • • Master: Even the wildest animals seem attracted to your presence.Possessed by: Veterinarians, Animal Trainers, Farmers, Pet Owners

Animal Training You are able to train animals to obey commands and possibly perform tricks or other feats. Each species is a different specialty.• Novice: Heel, Fetch, Sit, Stay• • Practiced: Local shows• • • Competent: Champion sheep dogs• • • • Expert: Elite police dogs• • • • • Master: Circus/stunt animalsPossessed by: Dog Handlers, Movie Animal Wranglers, Circus Animal Trainers, Marauders

Archery You know how to launch arrows from a bow, and you may be able to do so with great proficiency. A primitive — but powerful — Garou bow is needed for firing Bane Arrows, and wooden arrows make excellent weapons against vampires.• Novice: High School Gym Champ• • Practiced: Forest Bow Hunter• • • Competent: Medieval Ranger• • • • Expert: You usually hit the bulls-eye.• • • • • Master: Robin HoodPossessed by: Hunters, War Bands, Hobby Enthusiasts, CompetitorsDefault Roll: Firearms

Type of Bow Damage Range Rate ConcealCompound Bow* 4 30 1 Unable to concealCrossbow 5 20 1 Large CoatGarou Bow* 5 30 1 Unable to concealDamage: Indicates the damage dice pool. Bows and crossbows do lethal damage.Range: The maximum range in yards. Bows and crossbows can be used at twice this range, but the difficulty of long-range attacks is +2.Rate: The number of arrows or bolts the archer can use in a single round.*: This weapon requires a minimum Strength of 3 to use.

Blind Fighting Even when unable to see your foes, you can use your Brawl or Melee Abilities with a reduced penalty or no penalty. This Skill may also be of great use out of combat. It should be noted that this Skill does not grant any actual ability to see better in darkness. For each dot the character has in this Skill, reduce the difficulty for performing actions while blind by one. (Naturally, the difficulty can never be reduced below its unhindered equivalent.) This Skill does not add to Correspondence sensory effects.• Novice: You don't stub your toe in the dark.• • Practiced: You can pinpoint the direction from which sounds come.• • • Competent: You can fight and predict your enemies' locutions at the same time.• • • • Expert: You can almost "feel" where your opponents are,• • • • • Master: You possess an almost mystical sense— Zen and the Art of Spatial Awareness.Possessed by: Ninja, Assassins, Do Masters, Spelunkers, Masters of Zen Archery

Boating This Skill is obviously prevalent only in areas with sufficient bodies of water. It can cover river craft or oceancraft; any given boater would probably have the opportunity to learn only one specific type of watercraft, but high enough levels in this Skill convey and understanding of boats that transcends specific forms.• Novice: You can paddle a canoe without going in circles.• • Practiced: You can safely make a living at fishing.• • • Competent: The river doesn't behave like the sea, but you can navigate either in reasonable conditions.

• • • • Expert: Rough waters aren't anything new to you.• • • • • Master: You're practically the child of Beaver himself.

Camouflage You can change your appearance through a mixture of clothing, makeup and movement, rendering you difficult to spot in a variety of different surroundings. This is not the ability to look like someone else, but simply to hide.• Novice: Boy Scout• • Practiced: Infantry trooper• • • Competent: Marine• • • • Expert: Special Forces• • • • • Master: NinjaPossessed by: Hunters, Military Personnel, Spies, Assassins, Poachers

Climbing You can climb mountains and/or walls and seldom, have any fear of falling. The technical skills of chimneying, spike-setting and rappelling are all well-known to you, although, depending on your skill, you may be good or indifferent at them. Remember, mountain climbing at night is far more difficult than a daylight climb unless you can see in the dark.• Novice: You can scale easy mountains or walls with handholds.• • Practiced: You go on mountaineering vacations. You can climb heavily weathered stone or brick walls.• • • Competent: You work in an "outdoor pursuits center" as a mountaineering instructor. You can climb moderately rough stone or brick walls.• • • • Expert: You've done at least a couple of famous peaks. You can free-climb a fairly smooth stone or brick wall.• • • • • Master: Everest and K2 are mild hikes. You could free-climb the World Trade Center.Possessed by: Mountaineers, Burglars, Enthusiasts

Crafts You can make all sorts of things with your hands, from tanning leather to building wooden benches. As long as you have the proper tools, you can do all right for yourself wherever there's raw material to be found.• Novice: You can whittle a crude whistle.• • Practiced: You can build a stool.• • • Competent: You can build an intricate set of cabinets.• • • • Expert: You should write a book or get your own TV show, you're so good.• • • • • Master: Spirits are falling over themselves to empower your fetishes.Possessed by: Artisans, Carpenters, Potters, Keepers of the Land, Theurges

Dancing You are a proficient dancer, and may perform socially or for the entertainment of others. You are familiar with most varieties of dance, but specialize in one particular style.• Novice: You can manage a waltz at a wedding.• • Practiced: You draw envious glances at weddings. You could perform on the local amateur stage,• • • Competent: You are the talk of the ball. You could perform on the local professional stage.• • • • Expert: People ask you to teach them. You could perform on TV.• • • • • Master: Nijinsky, Fonteyn, Nureyev, Barishnikov, Astaire, Rogers, Kelley — and you.Possessed by: Socialites, Pop Stars, Music Video Dancers, Ballet Dancers, Enthusiasts

Demolitions You have a knowledge of explosives and demolitions that allows you to build and set off all types of bombs. You know how to handle nearly anything: dynamite, plastic explosives, nitroglycerin, black powder, blasting cord, nitro cellulose, even napalm. Additionally, you know techniques for disarming explosives.

• Novice: Guy Fawkes• • Practiced: Leroy Moody• • • Competent: Underground Chemist• • • • Expert: You blow up Pentex facilities for a living.• • • • • Master: Bye-bye, Pentex Corporate Headquarters.Possessed by: Monkeywrenchers, Glass Walkers, Terrorists, Police Bomb Squads, Armed Forces PersonnelDefault Roll: Firearms

Disguise You can change your appearance — and even make yourself look like another specific person—through the use of clothes and makeup. This skill is useful in Homid form only, as makeup cannot disguise a Crinos or Lupus. At the Storyteller's discretion, Glabro form can be disguised, especially if the character is impersonating a thug. A disguised character in Glabro form can receive bonuses against persons who do not realize she is a Garou — they would not suspect she can grow two to three feet taller.• Novice: Good enough to fool someone who knows neither you nor the person you're impersonating.• • Practiced: Good enough to fool some of the people some of the time.• • • Competent: Good enough to fool some of the {people most of the time.• • • • Expert: Good enough to fool most of the people most of the time.• • • • • Master: Good enough to fool nearest and dearest most of the time.Possessed by: Actors, Spies, Undercover Cops, Criminals, Con Artists, Nuwisha

Drinking You have learned, through hard experience, how to hold your liquor. You are now able to drink a large amount of alcohol without having it impair your abilities much at all. This comes in handy in all sorts of situations, from getting information out of the local biker gang to drinking your latest 'friend' (and benefactor) under the table and then helping yourself to the money you're sure he was about to lend you.Characters with this Skill are able to drink large quantities of alcohol without becoming impaired. The character's Drinking rating should be added to all Stamina rolls involving alcohol consumption.• Novice: You can make it through a bottle of wine.• • Practiced: Bar regular.• • • Competent: Frat house champ.• • • • Expert: Norm!!!• • • • • Master: Can out-drink a fish.

Drive The Drive Skill is pretty self-explanatory. Having it means that you can operate a car and possibly similar conveyances such as light trucks or vans. The greater your skill, the large the variety of vehicles you can use. Your difficulty might increase or decrease depending on the vehicle, terrain and weather conditions. Note that riding a motorcycle is quite different than driving a sedan, and heading down a country two-lane road is nothing compared to a metropolitan beltway.• Novice: You're not just a Sunday driver, as long as you've got an automatic.• • Practiced: A sporty manual transmission is lots of fun for you.• • • Competent: You're capable of driving large trucks on long hauls.• • • • Expert: Maybe you've even raced with professionals.• • • • • Master: A daredevil driver, skilled with many different vehicles and terrain.Possessed by: Truckers, Modern folks in Western nations, Cabbies

Elusion A smart beast can use her surroundings to confound her enemies. You are such a beast, naturally — anyone who dares to hunt you will have a hard time of it! On your home turf, you're nearly unbeatable. In strange surroundings, you can get your bearings quickly enough to elude pursuit — or to lead your foes into a trap while you race away, laughing. This Trait may be rolled with Intelligence (to puzzle out new surroundings),

Manipulation (to confuse pursuers), Perception (to notice prospective traps and hazards) or Wits (to trick your foes into falling for said traps and hazards). Alternatively, it may be used as part of a resisted roll, pitting your Elusion against your hunter's Hunting or Survival Traits.• Novice: Given a good head start, you can elude casual pursuit.• • Practiced: You can trick most hunters into going the wrong way, or lure neophytes into tight situations.• • • Competent: You're clever enough to lead a hunting party into briar patches or deep creeks.• • • • Master: A wily beast, you can give most pursuers the slip with little difficulty.• • • • • Legend: The greatest hunters alive wish they could catch you!Possessed by: Foxes, Coyotes, Wolves, Rabbits, Unicorns

Escape Artistry You are skilled in various techniques that enable you to escape from bonds and restraints. This Skill is often used for entertainment, but it can also be useful in real life, particularly when Crinos form is not an option.• Novice: Children's party entertainer; you can escape from loose or poorly tied bonds.• • Practiced: Amateur entertainer; you can escape from fairly well tied bonds.• • • Competent: Professional entertainer; you can escape from handcuffs and chains.• • • • Expert: Star; you can escape from a straitjacket.• • • • • Master: Houdini, baby. How do you do it?Possessed by: Entertainers, Spies, Special Forces, Amateurs, Pulp Detectives, Ragabash

Escapology You are skilled in various techniques that enable you to escape from bonds and restraints. This Skill is often used for entertainment, but it can also be useful in real life, particularly when Crinos form is not an option.• Novice: Children's party entertainer; you can escape from loose or poorly tied bonds.• • Practiced: Amateur entertainer; you can escape from fairly well tied bonds.• • • Competent: Professional entertainer; you can escape from handcuffs and chains.• • • • Expert: Star; you can escape from a straitjacket.• • • • • Master: Houdini, baby. How do you do it?Possessed by: Entertainers, Spies, Special Forces, Amateurs, Pulp Detectives, Ragabash

Etiquette Good manners and social niceties are but a small part of Etiquette. This Skill is also used for general diplomacy, haggling and seduction. Knowing the intricacies of which wines to serve with certain foods and what to do when faced with six different forks is likewise part of Etiquette. The character using this Trait will be familiar with the culture in which he was raised, but the Storyteller may raise or lower the difficulty should the werewolf be faced with traditions and mores that are not his own.• Novice: You know when to speak and when to be silent.• • Practiced: The difference between a black-tie and a white-tie affair is crystal clear.• • • Competent: A multi-course dinner with complex utensils doesn't pose a problem.• • • • Expert: Your manners and grace mark you as the ideal guest for any occasion.• • • • • Master: Not only are you suave and debonair, others follow your perfect example, whether at the theater or the negotiating table.Possessed by: Socialites, Diplomats, Silver Fangs, Business Executives

Fast-Draw You can get your weapon ready almost instantly. By rolling Dexterity + Fast-Draw and getting three successes, you can draw a weapon and have it poised for use, just as if it had been in your hand all along. The difficulty depends on how securely stowed the weapon is — a gun hidden in your underwear is harder to reach than one in a belt holster! A Klaive in a sheath is difficulty 6, for instance. This Skill can be used with any weapon. When appropriate, the Fast- Draw score can be added to your Initiative roll.• Novice: You have good reflexes.• • Practiced: You're good, but not great.

• • • Competent: You could work Wild West Shows. You are known among those Garou who follow duels.• • • • Expert: Pretty fast. Your enemies are wary of your speed in drawing your Klaive.• • • • • Master: Greased lightning. You might have been able to take Billy the Kid. A Shadow Lord elder would be wary of you.Possessed by: Shadow Lords, Klaive Duelists, Gunfighters, Martial Artists, Cops, Special Forces, Vigilantes

Fast-Talk This Skill allows you to convince someone of something using a sincere expression and an avalanche of words rather than reasoned debate and logic. It's a surprisingly effective technique, provided that the mark has no time to think and does not have a Wits rating of four or more. The Storyteller should carefully judge whether this Skill is appropriate in a given situation, or whether it would be better to use some other Ability.• Novice: Vacuum-cleaner salesman• • Practiced: Used-car salesman• • • Competent: Professional con artist• • • • Expert: Teflon-coated politician• • • • • Master: You could sell sand to the Saudis.Possessed by: Salesmen, Con Artists, Politicians, Televangelists

Firearms A character with Firearms has a broad knowledge of many different kinds of guns — from a kid's BB pistol to a submachine gun — and he has the ability to use them as well. This Skill also allows the character to repair all kinds of firearms and make decisions about the best ammunition for the occasion and the weapon. However, it doesn't cover the use of heavy artillery or tank guns.• Novice: You passed a hunter safety course.• • Practiced: Most of the time, you leave the firing range happy.• • • Competent: You're accomplished with several different kinds of guns.• • • • Expert: Chances are, you've fired shots (and been fired upon) in several gun battles.• • • • • Master: You leave smiley faces blown through all your targets.Possessed by: Police, Criminals, Soldiers, Hunters

First Aid This Skill allows a character to give basic medical attention to another character. It is not as comprehensive an Ability as the Medicine Knowledge, but it does allow for a basic grasp of all the practices of first aid, and, at higher levels, techniques known to paramedics. With sufficient skill, this can make vulgar healing appear coincidental.• Novice: Mother of small children• • Practiced: Boy Scout• • • Competent: Office safety representative• • • • Expert: School nurse• • • • • Master: ParamedicPossessed by: Mothers, Boy Scouts, Paramedics, Explorers, Outdoors Types

Foraging When food is scarce, you can still find something to eat -- perhaps not the greatest delicacies, but enough to stay alive. This Trait may be purchased by human characters who have some experience trying to stay alive under bad conditions; even the greatest foragers, how ever, can only find food in places where there's food to be found. A totally barren landscape will confound anyone.• Novice: You can scrounge up a few scraps in average surroundings.• • Practiced: You know all the right places to look for chow.• • • Competent: Under harsh conditions, you can still survive.• • • • Master: If it's edible, you can find it.• • • • • Legend: You can find sustenance, even when other creatures are starving.

Possessed by: Raccoons, Rats, Vultures, Hyenas

Fortune-Telling When it comes to gazing into crystal balls, making tables rise and rolling your eyes back into your head, you know your stuff. They eat this junk up, even though it doesn't have a thing to do with real magic or the Sight. But it's a good way to get information and money out of the gullible, and anyone who falls for these tricks needs to be taught a lesson! This Skill is simply the ability to convince others that your character knows how to tell fortunes, read palms, etc. Characters with this Skill can set up a fortune-telling business and make some money at it. Additionally, characters can add their Fortune-Telling dice to their Manipulation rating when attempting to gain information from one of their clients.• Novice: You can make your way around a tarot deck.• • Practiced: You look convincing muttering into a crystal ball and have the 'tall, dark stranger' bit down pat.• • • Competent: You are very familiar with all the major fortune-telling devices and how to employ them.• • • • Expert: You are able to use many different fortune-telling devices, and are practiced at telling people what they want to hear.• • • • • Master: You could convince the Uncanny Danny that you're the real thing.

Gambling You're an expert at games of chance, particularly ones where skill can make a difference. You can play most games without worrying about losing too much money and can increase your odds of winning without cheating.• Novice: Can't miss your weekly poker game with the gang.• • Practiced: You go to Atlantic City every year.• • • Competent: You've been around, whether in Las Vegas or Monaco.• • • • Expert: You could make a living this way.• • • • • Master: You've been banned from most of the world's major casinos.Possessed by: Glass Walkers, Bone Gnawers, Professional Gamblers, HopefulsDefault Roll: Performance

Gunsmithing You can repair firearms and produce ammunition for a variety of different guns. At high levels of skill, you can construct specialty ammunition, such as caseless, hollowpoint, mercury-tipped or silver bullets. Given the time and the tools (and enough skill) you can build a gun from scratch— perhaps even one of your own design.• Novice: Black powder and paper cartridges• • Practiced: Cased standard ammunition• • • Competent: Magnum rounds• • • • Expert: Caseless and hollow-point rounds• • • • • Master: You name it.Possessed by: Gun Nuts, Survivalists, Cops, Serial Killers

Heavy Weapons You have the ability to operate heavy weapons of all varieties — anything from an M60 heavy machine gun to a Dragon anti-tank weapon. Additionally, your knowledge of the weapons includes an ability to repair them.• Novice: Basic training• • Practiced: Operator• • • Competent: Warrior• • • • Expert: Killer• • • • • Master: RamboPossessed by: Mercenaries, Armed Forces Personnel, HIT Marks, SWAT Officers

Hiding You excel at disappearing. Although you haven't been blessed with a changing pelt or natural camouflage, you know where to find cover, how to keep quiet, and when the time has come to move again — all without being spotted. Naturally, you need cover before you can lose yourself in it, but in the wild, a skillful eye can find many hiding places. This Trait may be rolled with Perception (to notice hiding places, including those of your prey) or Wits (to find cover quickly), or as part of a resisted roll (against a tracker's Perception or Hunting roll).• Novice: You can hide in the forest.• • Practiced: You can hide quickly in woods, city or underbrush.• • • Competent: You can hide in most surroundings.• • • • Master: You can hide just about anywhere.• • • • • Legend: Where'd you go?Possessed by: Rats, Possums, Hares

Hunting You are skilled at finding and killing animals for food or sport. In familiar terrain, you are able to predict the type, number and likely location of food animals and know the best ways to find and kill them.• Novice: Weekender• • Practiced: Enthusiast or Trooper• • • Competent: Survivalist or Marine• • • • Expert: Special Forces• • • • • Master: You give pointers to werewolves.Possessed by: Survivalists, Military Personnel, Pre-Industrial Societies, Outdoor Types

Hypnotism You can place a subject into a trance and use hypnotism to gather information or treat psychiatric problems. To place a willing subject into a trance, make an opposed roll of your Charisma + Hypnotism versus the subject's Intelligence (for an unwilling subject who is immobilized or Dominated to comply, use Intelligence + Willpower). The number of successes indicates the depth of the trance and can be added to your Hypnotism roll for the success of tasks. For example, a hypnotist with Charisma 4 and Hypnotism 4 hypnotizes a willing subject with Intelligence 5. The hypnotist rolls 5 successes and the subject 2 — a total of 3 successes in the hypnotist's favor, indicating a fairly deep trance. The hypnotist can now roll seven dice (3 successes plus Hypnotism 4) to probe the subject's mind.• Novice: You do it occasionally to entertain.• • Practiced: You are a skilled amateur.• • • Competent: You can find some interesting secrets.• • • • Expert: You can dig very deeply.• • • • • Master: You can discover secrets from a subject's Past Lives.Possessed by: Theurges, Uktena, Entertainers, Holistic Healers, New Agers, Police Specialists, Psychiatrists

Indoctrination You are skilled in the methods of indoctrination. This can include the brainwashing of a First Team into believing they aren't on a suicide mission, or convincing a new executive recruit that Pentex has the best interests of the planet in mind. Indoctrinating someone takes a long time of feeding them the information you want and leading them to mistrust contrary information. Indoctrination is a subtle skill, best used in a controlled-information environment. Its chances of success in a free market of ideas are little, but as the modern media machine has proven, it can still be quite effective. This skill can also come in handy in the field. It can be used to reinforce existing doctrinary beliefs in First Teams, bolstering them for coming combat. The subtle, friendly form of this skill (nightly newscasts) is paired with Charisma, but the forceful use (prisoner 're-education') is paired with Manipulation. This skill's uses are up to the Storyteller.• Novice: You can sometimes get others to follow the party line.• • Practiced: You usually have no trouble convincing others that your version of the status quo is correct.

• • • Competent: You can turn friend against friend by raising doctrinal disputes.• • • • Expert: You can easily mold others' emotions and ideas into whatever form you desire.• • • • • Master: Big Brother has nothing on you.

Iskakku - The Way of the Staff The quarter staff (or bo, if you prefer) is one of the most simple yet profound weapons known. It is nothing more than a pole with no sharp edges or points, yet its use relies on all the fundamental techniques for all major weapons. Additionally, although the staff incorporates these techniques, it does not inherit their deadly force. In this sense, it is the perfect weapon the Children of Gaea as it allows for a widely varied range of fighting options but focuses on the immobilization and disabling of opponents. While the word Iskakku is Sumerian in origin, it by no means should be thought that this style of fighting is a Sumerian martial arts form. Rather, it is the accumulation of generations of Children fighting lore, a mishmash of various fighting styles and techniques that all utilize either the staff or some other similar pole weapon. The names used for this style are meant to reflect upon the Sumerian hero, Harsag Zalazalag -- 'Peak Which Emits the Brilliance'. A Garou who was conscripted into the army of Kish, he refused the war axes assigned to him by his commander. Instead, he broke the blade off a long hafted axe and chose the simple pole as his weapon. The commander, as punishment, forced him to defend himself with his makeshift staff as five other axe-wielding soldiers were set upon him. He defeated them all, taking no lives, and as allowed to keep his staff. Many consider him the forbearer of this style in spirit only, since most of the maneuvers cannot be traced back as far as Sumeria. The art has practitioners among both Garou and Kinfolk, and masters are not jealous of their art, unlike Kailindorani. With the departure of the Stargazers, the adepts of Iskakku have attracted more attention, as tutelage in Kailindo, never easy to find, has become nearly unobtainable. Anyone can find a staff easily, although many masters have a favourite bamboo grove where they cut them. (Bamboo is light, strong, costs nothing, and does not harm the bamboo plant when it's cut, as bamboo is a form of grass, not a tree). Some bamboo groves near caerns have awakened spirits and allow a +1 to dice pools for the user of the staff and their canes. Garou must propitiate the spirit by tending the grove carefully and preventing harm to the plants. Many masters of Iskakku dedicate or adapt the staff so that it grows to fit the huge paws of the Crinos shape and disappears in Hispo and Lupus. The style itself has no official path, but certain maneuvers are only possible once a certain amount of skill is attainted. In game terms, each maneuver has a requirement in dots of Iskakku that must be attained before the maneuver may be attempted. Alternatively, a Child of Gaea who has four or more dots in Melee and specializes in the staff may use the maneuvers as if she had her Melee skill minus two in Iskakku.• Novice: You can use a staff to attack or defend.• • Practiced: You know the basics of disabling your opponents.• • • Competent: You are a flurry of blows and blocks.• • • • Expert: Shaolin monks stand up and take notice.• • • • • Master: You're almost more dangerous in Homid with a staff than in Crinos with your teeth and claws.

Kailindo Kailindo is the Garou-exclusive martial art, developed by the Stargazers to take advantage of the shapeshifter skills. You must have this Skill (Brawl is not enough) to practice Kailindo maneuvers. See the Systems Chapter for more details on Kailindo in gameplay.• Early Wind "Breeze": a novice on the Airy Path.• • Second Wind "Gust": an accomplished practitioner on the Buffeting Road.• • • Perfect Spiral "Tornado": a guardian at the Tumultuous Gate.• • • • Impenetrable Sky "Tempest": a initiate into the Aerial Mysteries.• • • • • Enfolding Coil "Maelstrom": a Grand Master of the Ethereal Way.Possessed by: Stargazers, Introspective CombatantsDefault Roll: None

Klaive Dueling You've been trained in the art of klaivaskar, the Garou art of fighting with klaives. You may choose maneuvers from the Klaive Dueling list, one for each dot in this Skill.• Novice: You held a Klaive once.• • Practiced: You've used a Klaive in some real fights.• • • Competent: You know the ins and outs of dueling.• • • • Expert: Your techniques are excellent; cubs beg you to teach them the way of klaivaskar.• • • • • Master: Silver Fangs get nervous when they hear your name.Possessed by: Silver Fangs, Shadow Lords, Caern Warders, Leaders, HeroesDefault Roll: Melee

Leadership Often paired with Charisma, Leadership makes one the kind of person (or wolf) that others support and serve. It deals with knowing what to say and how to say it so that the troops stay loyal in the heat of battle. Good leaders know when to give hard orders, as well as how to lead by example. Leadership isn't about tricking people into following. It's about making yourself into someone worthy to guide them.• Novice: Little kids would do anything for you.• • Practiced: When you talk, others listen.• • • Competent: In tough times, others follow your lead eagerly.• • • • Expert: You're a natural alpha who attracts followers with little effort.• • • • • Master: Potentially, you could be one of the greatest leaders of the Garou Nation... or one of the most infamous.Possessed by: Military Officers, Pack Leaders, Philodox, Executives

Lockpicking You are able to open locks without the correct key or the right combination. Though this Skill is certainly becoming more and more obsolete with all the new security devices in use, there are enough locks still around to make it worthwhile.• Novice: Simple mortise locks• • Practiced: Cylinder locks and basic security locks• • • Competent: Advanced security locks• • • • Expert: Safes• • • • • Master: Fort KnoxPossessed by: Burglars, Safecrackers, Spies, Locksmiths

Mediation You are skilled in conflict resolution and 'talking things out'. Whether or not you have renounced violence, you are able to practice alternatives to it. This is a difficult skill for Garou to learn, and some Kinfolk learn it as a matter of course.• Novice: You kept your siblings from fighting over the prize from the Grain Flakes box.• • Practiced: You manage to talk you and your palls out of bar fights on a regular basis.• • • Competent: Your pack works together well because you keep the peace.• • • • Expert: Diplomat behind the scenes at moots.• • • • • Master: You could reconcile a Get to a Black Spiral -- not that you'd want to.

Meditation You can enter a trancelike state at will to focus your mind inward and deal with a range of mental and physical problems. A successful Willpower roll is necessary to enter meditation; the difficulty depends on your surroundings but is generally 8. After each full hour in a trance, the character rolls Meditation skill alone against difficulty 9. Subtract dice from the character's Dice Pool if there are any distractions during that time. Each success on the second roll restores one point of Willpower or subtracts one point of Rage; each net botch

indicates a Willpower point lost or a Rage point gained, depending on your goal. If the meditation is interrupted and concentration is lost before the hour is up, no benefit occurs.• Novice: Looked through a book on it once.• • Practiced: Studied seriously.• • • Competent: Studied under a master.• • • • Expert: Qualified to teach.• • • • • •Master: Just that.Possessed by: Stargazers, Yogis, Mystics, Holistic Healers, New Agers, Theurges, Old HippiesDefault Roll: Rituals

Melee Melee involves fighting with a weapon, such as a spear, sword, staff or even a wooden stake (which is quite useful against Leeches). Similarly, Melee paired with Dexterity is used for Klaive duels. Likewise, this Skill covers weapons such as tonfa, sai and naginata. Some might think that Melee is a bit old-fashioned and outdated when matched against firearms, but it's always good to have a backup when the gun jams or the ammo runs out.• Novice: You've got the basics of fencing under your belt.• • Practiced: Trophies from local competitions gather dust on your shelves.• • • Competent: You've attained skill with several different kinds of weapons.• • • • Expert: If you can grab it, you can use it as a deadly weapon.• • • • • Master: You have a widespread reputation as an extremely dangerous opponent with a myriad of weapons.Possessed by: Police, Thugs, Gang Members, Duelists, Ahroun

Misdirection Misdirection deals with distracting people from what you are trying to do. By making your subject focus his concentration elsewhere, you can steer him away from a subject of interest. The subject of interest could be anything from what you are doing to an object sitting in plain sight. Masters of Do are able to utilize successes on Misdirection rolls to lower the difficulty on their next Do roll to strike the distracted target. The Do practitioner throws a feint or false blow. While the opponent is trying to Dodge or block that blow, the practitioner delivers the attack that he originally intended to utilize.• Novice: "Hey, your shoe lace is untied!"• • Practiced: You're real good at card tricks.• • • Competent: You can make a living at misdirecting people.• • • • Expert: People give you things and then forger that they did.• • • • • Master: Strangers forget that they ever met you.Possessed by: Stage Magicians, Pickpockets, Con Men

Performance In her chosen area of expertise, such as music, dance or acting, the character has attained a notable level of success. She knows about the history of the art and probably has a broad repertoire of pieces to perform from a variety of time periods. Some of these areas may overlap, with Storyteller approval. For example, a character who plays musical instruments may have rudimentary knowledge of singing or composing music.• Novice: You hold regular jam sessions, or you have been a success in a college play.• • Practiced: You're a regular in community theatres or the club circuit.• • • Competent: Producers have approached you for a movie or record contract.• • • • Expert: You're a regional, if not national, celebrity.• • • • • Master: Your genius will be remembered long after your death.Possessed by: Galliards, Actors, Musicians, Dancers

Pilot You know how to take off and land airplanes, plus how to read instrumentation and do some basic navigation. You could even try some tricky stuff, if you're feeling cocky.

• Novice: Hang gliders; you could take the controls and be talked down.• • Practiced: Small aircraft and gliders• • • Competent: Commercial planes• • • • Expert: Military aircraft; helicopters• • • • • Master: Baron von RichthoffenPossessed by: Glass Walkers, Enthusiasts, Pilots, Military, PoliceDefault Roll: Drive

Psychoanalysis You are skilled in diagnosing and treating mental ailments without resorting to the use of behavior-altering drugs. During a session of analysis, you may roll Intelligence + Psychoanalysis (difficulty of the subject's Intelligence + 3). Keep track of your net successes; the Storyteller will decide how many successes are necessary to remove the illness. Even Freud couldn't cure people in a single session, so be patient! Note that it is possible to treat an unwilling patient this way, although the difficulty of so doing is equal to the subject's Willpower + 3,• Novice: A shoulder to cry on• • Practiced: Volunteer counselor• • • Competent: Professional counselor• • • • Expert: Qualified psychoanalyst• • • • • Master: FreudPossessed by: Psychoanalysts, Holistic Healers, Good Listeners, Counselors, Parents, Teachers, Priests

Repair You are able to repair simple or complex devices of all sorts. Such devices include doors, cars, and even computers. Master of this skill means that you are a jack-of-all-trades. This Skill covers everything from simple carpentry to mechanics. Of course, proper tools are always needed.• Novice: You can assemble ready-made kits.• • Practiced: You can wire a house.• • • Competent: You save quite a few dollars in mechanic's fees.• • • • Expert: You are able to repair personal computers within minutes.• • • • • Master: If it's broke, you can fix it.Possessed by: Handymen, Carpenters, Electricians, Mechanics, Husbands

Ride You can climb onto a riding animal and stand a good chance of getting where you want to go without falling off, being thrown or having anything else unpleasant happen to you. When attempting something difficult, or when danger threatens, the Storyteller may require a Dexterity + Ride roll to avoid trouble. This Skill can also be combined with Mental Attributes to reflect your working knowledge of the relevant trappings and equipment.• Novice: Pony club member; dude ranch vacations• • Practiced: Pony club champion; weekend• • • Competent: Pony club instructor; professional cowboy• • • • Expert: Show jumping champion; rodeo star• • • • • Master: Stunt riderPossessed by: Enthusiasts, Cowboys, Stunt Riders, members of pre-industrial societies

Singing You can sing over a wide range and use a variety of styles and techniques. Singing is an extremely lucrative and popular Skill in the modern age. Though most singers are amateurs, some make enormous amounts of money.• Novice: You stand out when the family gathers around the piano.• • Practiced: You could get lead roles with local amateur societies or become a lead singer with a garage band.

• • • Competent: You could get a choral part on the professional stage or get a recording contract.• • • • Expert: You could get a lead on Broadway or a record on the charts.• • • • • Master: They'll be playing your CDs 20 years from now.Possessed by: Rock Musicians, Pop Stars, Opera Singers, Drunks

Speed Reading Through practice, you have developed the ability to read and absorb large quantities of written material in a short time. This is especially useful when the character is doing research or checking for an obscure reference. It does not, however, reduce time needed to acquire the benefits of study points.• Novice: The New York Times in an hour• • Practiced: A novel in two to three hours• • • Competent: A textbook in two to three hours• • • • Expert; A fat textbook in two to three hours• • • • • Master: War & Peace in two to three hoursPossessed by: Academics, Literary Critics, Journalists, Researchers

Stealth Stealth is the knack of moving so that you can't be seen or heard. This Skill also measures how good the werewolf is at making use of cover and shadow. When a character uses Stealth, Storytellers will probably have him match rolls against someone else's Perception; whoever has the most successes thwarts the other. Note that Stealth can be a bit different when used in the woods and in an urban alleyway.• Novice: In full darkness with clear terrain, hiding isn't a problem.• • Practiced: You know how to stick to the shadows.• • • Competent: Stalking and hiding is child's play.• • • • Expert: Dry leaves and twigs are silent under your feet.• • • • • Master: If you don't want to be seen, you're as good as invisible.Possessed by: Cat Burglars, Ragabash, Hunters, Snipers, Assassins

Survival Living off the land is more than eating fruits and berries or drinking from a creek. It also involves finding shelter, tracking and even navigating through dangerous territory. Characters skilled in Survival know basics for finding food, starting fires and staying safe in harsh conditions. Storytellers should note that characters using Stealth in the wilderness can't roll more dice than they have in Survival.• Novice: You made it through scout camp.• • Practiced: The edible berries and mushrooms are familiar to you.• • • Competent: You can read animal signs and brew natural remedies.• • • • Expert: The wild is your home; you feel at ease among all its wonders and dangers.• • • • • Master: You can survive even in the harshest climates and poorest conditions.Possessed by: Hunters, Lupus, Scouts, Explorers, Outdoor Enthusiasts, Rangers

Swimming You can keep yourself afloat at the very least. Normal swimming speed is 8 yards (plus Dexterity). A swimmer can increase his speed to 12 yards (plus Dexterity) if he is doing nothing else that turn. With the Swimming Skill, a character can try to swim faster than normal; roll Stamina + Swimming, difficulty 7 ; add three yards to your swimming speed per success (one roll per turn). For more information, see Chapter Six.• Novice: You can swim.• • Practiced: You can swim quickly or for extended periods.• • • Competent: Instructor/Lifeguard.• • • • Expert: Swim team.• • • • • Master: Olympic gold.Possessed by: Athletes, Almost Anyone

Torture You know how to inflict pain. Your ability is so precise as to be a science. You are capable of interrogating prisoners through torture and prolonging their suffering, keeping them barely alive— or undead.• Novice: You know how to hurt people in different ways.• • Practiced: You are good at causing extreme pain and can keep someone alive for interrogation purposes.• • • Competent: You are equal to a military torturer. You can create extremes of pain most people have never experienced.• • • • Expert: You are equal to a professional torturer. You are able to get almost any information you want out of your subject.• • • • • Master: You are an artist, a virtuoso of pain and suffering.Possessed by: Military Interrogators, Prison Guards

Tracking You can identify the trail of an animal or person and follow it under most conditions. The difficulty of such a feat varies according to the conditions—following fresh tracks in deep snow is easier than following week-old tracks across a concrete sidewalk!• Novice: Boy Scout• • Practiced: Eagle Scout• • • Competent: Hunter• • • • Expert: Native American guide• • • • • Master. You thought Samuel Haight was slow.Possessed by: Hunters, Survivalists, Special Forces, Detectives

Traps You know how to set various traps to catch the game of your choosing.• Novice: Boy Scout• • Practiced: Eagle Scout• • • Competent: Fur Trapper• • • • Expert: Mantraps are no problem.• • • • • Master: They'll never even know what hit them.Possessed by: Hunters, Survivalists, Special Forces, Caern Warders, WendigoDefault Roll: Survival

Wild Hunting Some beasts live by the hunt. For you, hunting is not an optional skill but the very necessity of life. Tracking, stalking, harrying and bringing down prey are steps in your endless pavan with death, and you perform them with ruthless efficiency. Hunting is what you were designed to do.• Novice: You know the usual places your traditional prey gathers, like water holes or caravan sites.• • Practiced: You easily make yourself one with any environment, as if it is your normal hunting ground. Animals and men not native to these areas will not notice you until you make your move.• • • Competent: You can take any normal game of your acquaintance. Only exceptional animals will notice your presence on your hunting grounds.• • • • Master: Sleek and confident, you move through your lands with utter self-assurance. You have no problem bringing down prey.• • • • • Legend: Even in lands unknown, you make your mastery felt. You can hunt intelligent game with the ease of normal prey.Possessed by: Hunting Beasts, Hunting Birds, Natural Predators