Werewolf: the Forsaken Rules

2.0 Werewolf: the Forsaken™ Rules

LAST UPDATED
7-31-08

OVERVIEW

RESTRICTIONS

MAKING A W:tA CHARACTER

BOOKS IN USE

SHIFTER THEMED MEDIA

LINKS TO SHIFTER WEB SITES

Werewolf: the Forsaken

(special thanks to Rob for 2.0 updates)

Death of mother earth, Never a rebirth, Evolution's end, Never will it mend...
...Blistering of earth, Terminate its worth, Deadly nicotine, Kills what might have been...
...Smoldering decay, Take her breath away, Millions of our years, In minutes disappears...
Opposition...Contradiction...Premonition...Compromise
Agitation...Violation...Mutilation...Planet dies
Darkest colour blistered earth
True death of life Termination...Expiration...Cancellation...Human race
Expectation...Liberation...Population...Lay to waste
See our mother put to death, See our mother die

-- "Blackened" by Metallica, from "And Justice For All" (1988)

OVERVIEW:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf:_The_Forsaken

Currently there are two packs in the Washington area. One is a City pack, the other is TBA as of Dec 2007.

EXAMPLE STORIES FROM OUR GAME (oWoD/1.0):

A Tale of the Emerald Isle (Parts 1-3)	Casualties of War (Part 1)
Darren's Departure	Raisa & Gage

(NOTE: This is not normally a Play-By-Email Game, but we do allow players to make moves via email if players' schedules do not allow in-channel live RP)

"Don't look for a happy ending. It's not an American story. It's an Irish one."

- Rory Devaney in "The Devil's Own" (1997)

RESTRICTIONS:

Restrictions are things that are legal by the book but for game balance or other reasons, the STs want more strict control over how much it is in play in this game. The below are not forbidden unless stated clearly otherwise, they just require additional justification to the STs before approval, and approval is NOT guaranteed if the STs feel there is not enough cause to allow it.

FORBIDDEN PC CLASSES: Changing Breeds, Skinchangers

RESTRICTED TRIBES: Ghost Wolves

RESTRICTED MERITS:

All Lodges.
JULY 2008: Wolf-Blooded Merit higher than 3 is Forbidden until further notice.

RESTRICTED CHARACTER TYPES:

Weres with Law Enforcement, Federal Agent or Military Employment (or anything related that might want an IC Background Check).
Any non-City dwelling PCs, because they will not see much RP action.
Pre-shift Weres. RPing out a shift is a large ST burden and then leaves the other characters with the responsibility to babysit your PC who can't pull its own weight. All PCs will be already shifted and somewhat experienced.

Why was I one of the chosen ones? Until the fight I could not see
The magic and the strength of my power; It was beyond my wildest dreams
Dark wings they are descending, See shadows gathering around
One by one they are falling, Every time they try to strike us down

Don't you die on me, You haven't made your peace
Live life, breathe, breathe...

-- from "Dark Wings" by Within Temptation (2000)

MAKING A W:tF CHARACTER:

Using the Template that you can download HERE:

1. Name: Put the name of your character.

2. Player: Put your name (and preferably also your email address).

3. Chronicle: Put "Washington DC By Night." (or DC By Night or 11th Hour)

4. Concept: This is open-ended, but you can see examples on pg. 34 of WW55002.

Concepts are usually a 1-3 word root-level label for who your character is at the core as a person (not in a supernatural sense), usually succinctly matching their personality and their function.

Examples might be: Ambitious Journalist, Angry Young Man, Drifter, Intellectual, Lost Waif, Party Animal, Politician, Misguided Prophet, Radical Politician, Socialite. These are stereotypes, and needn't be literal; details would be covered in your background.

Example Concepts (1.0 version but still helpful):

http://www.virtualsolarsystem.com/venus/ladynightspirit/Concept.htm

5. Virtue: (Loosely based on the Seven Heavenly Virtues) List on Pg. 34; explained on pg. 100-105 of WW55002

Choose one of the following: Charity, Faith, Fortitude, Hope, Justice, Prudence or Temperance.

6. Vice: (Loosely based on the Seven Deadly Sins) List on Pg. 34; explained on pg. 100-105 of WW55002

Choose one of the following: Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride, Sloth or Wrath.

7. Lodge: All Lodges are restricted at this time and membership must be earned IC.

8. Auspice: Rahu (Full Moon), Cahalith (Gibbous Moon), Elodoth (Half-Moon), Ithaeur (Crescent Moon) or Irraka (New Moon).

9. Tribe: Blood Talons, Bone Shadows, Hunters in Darkness, Iron Masters, or Storm Lords. Ghost Wolves are restricted.

10. ATTRIBUTES

**NB: For Attributes, Skills and Merits, there is no longer a 3 pt. max cap for stats in the "initial stage" (since there is no freebies stage in 2.0).

However, if you buy 5 dots of anything in Attributes, Skills or Merits at Creation, the 5th Dot costs 2 points, not 1. (See left side pg. 34, WW55002 for more details.)

Attributes are broken down into Mental, Physical and Social, but also across the other way, into Power, Finesse and Resistance. (See pg. 47, WW55002 for details.)

Starting dots for Attributes are 5/4/3.

	MENTAL	PHYSICAL	SOCIAL
POWER	Intelligence	Strength	Presence
FINESSE	Wits	Dexterity	Manipulation
RESISTANCE	Resolve	Stamina	Composure

11. SKILLS (Mental/Physical/Social): You will have 11/7/4 starting dots (+3 Specialties).

(See pg. 53, WW55002 for more info.) Mental skills you don't have dots in will cost -3 to your dice pool for a roll using that stat. Physical & Social are -1 for unskilled.

Mental Skills: Academics, Computer, Crafts, Investigation, Medicine, Occult, Politics & Science.
Physical Skills: Athletics, Brawl, Drive, Firearms, Larceny, Stealth, Survival & Weaponry.
Social Skills: Animal Ken, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation, Persuasion, Socialize, Streetwise & Subterfuge.

12. MERITS (7 starting points) -- See pg. 34 (list) and pg. 108 (explanations) in WW55002

Werewolf Merits include: ( - Merits exclusive to Werewolf PCs ONLY are listed in Blue - )
Allies (must be explained in BG)	Gunslinger
Ambidextrous	Holistic Awareness
Barfly	Inspiring
Brawling Dodge	Iron Stamina
Common Sense	Iron Stomach
Contacts (must be explained in BG)	Language (must be listed in BG)
Danger Sense	Mentor (must be explained in BG)
Direction Sense	Natural Immunity
Disarm	Quick Draw
Eidetic Memory	Quick Healer
Encyclopedic Knowledge	Resources ($ source must be listed in BG)
Fame (arena must be listed in BG)	Retainer (must be explained in BG)
Fast Reflexes	Rituals (Special Rules regulate this Background. See Core book for more info.)**
Fetish	Striking Looks
Fighting Finesse	Strong Back
Fighting Style: Boxing	Strong Lungs
Fighting Style: Kung Fu	Stunt Driver
Fighting Style: Two Weapons	Totem
Fleet of Foot	Toxic Resistance
Fresh Start	Weaponry Dodge
Giant	Wolf-Blooded (For Non-Werewolf) **

WEREWOLF MERITS THAT MORTALS MAY TAKE:

Wolf Blooded Merit (4) (Non-Weres Only)

*ST Restricted Merit (see Were Rules Page)

Werewolf Core Book WW30000 Pgs. 79-80

13. FLAWS

In WOD 2.0, flaws do not actually cost points, and are included more for optional character balance.

You DO get extra experience (*as the ST subjectively deems earned) for playing your flaws well in RP.

Werewolf Flaws include:
Addiction (explain in BG)	Hard of Hearing
Aloof	Lame
Amnesia	Mute
Behaviour Blind	Notoriety (explain in BG)
Coward	One Arm
Deformity	One Eye
Dwarf	Poor Sight
Embarrassing Secret (explain in BG)	Racist/Sexist
Forgetful	Speech Impediment

14. Select Starting Gifts (3 Total): Werewolves start with a total of three dots in Gifts, the highest of which cannot be greater then their highest Renown. You receive one Auspice Gift, one Tribal Gift, and one Free Gift.

Ghost Wolves do not have a Tribal Gift list and are restricted to either Mother Luna or Father Wolf.

One dot of starting Gifts may be exchanged for the first dot of Rituals, but only your ‘Free Pick’ Gift.

Auspice Gifts:

Rahu - Dominance, Full Moon, Strength

Cahalith - Gibbous Moon, Inspiration, Knowledge

Elodoth - Half Moon, Insight, Warding

Ithaeur - Crescent Moon, Elemental, Shaping

Irraka - Evasion, New Moon, Stealth

Tribal Gifts:

Blood Talons - Inspiration, Rage, Strength

Bone Shadows - Death, Insight, Warding

Hunters in the Darkness - Elemental, Nature, Stealth

Iron Masters - Knowledge, Shaping, Technology

Storm Lords - Dominance, Evasion, Weather

Ghost Wolves - NONE

15. Renown (Starting at 1-2 Dots): All Werewolves receive a dot of Renown based on their Auspice and one based on their Tribal Totem.

Ghost Wolves, lacking a Tribe, only receive their Auspice renown at starting.

Please note that if your Tribal and Auspice Renown are the same, you begin play with a 2 in that renown and may elect to start with a two-dot Gift and a one-dot Gift.

Auspice Renown:

Rahu - Purity

Cahalith - Glory

Elodoth - Honor

Ithaeur- Wisdom

Irraka- Cunning

Tribal Renown:

Blood Talons - Glory

Bone Shadows - Wisdom

Hunters in the Darkness - Purity

Iron Masters - Cunning

Storm Lords - Honor

Ghost Wolves - NONE

16. Auspice Specialty (Note Power): Mother Luna gave the Forsaken much when she gave them Auspice affinity. In addition to Renown, Gifts, and Purpose, she also gave each of her Auspice a special power and affinity for a certain set of skills.

Select your Auspice Specialty and note your power at this time.

Rahu - Brawl, Intimidation, Survival. Power- Warrior’s Eye (once per session you may ‘read’ your opponent by rolling Wits+ Primal Urge. Success tells if your opponent is stronger then you. An exceptional success defines this gap).
Cahalith - Crafts, Expression, Persuasion. Power- Prophetic Dream (Once per STORY you may petition the STs for a dream that will offer some relevance to a current crisis of the character. Also, the character gains +1 dice on Occult checks regarding Riddles, Mysteries or Omens.)
Elodoth - Empathy, Investigation, Politics. Power- Spirit Envoy. (Gain +2 dice on any Empathy, Persuasion, Expression or Politics check involving spirits. These dice only apply if you are not bullying or threatening said spirit).
Ithaeur - Animal Ken, Medicine, Occult. Power- Ritual Master. (Raising your Rituals trait or buying specific Rituals is at a reduced price. X4 and equal to the dots as appropriate)
Irraka - Larceny, Stealth, Subterfuge. Pathfinder’s Sense (Gain +2 dice to look from one world to the next or perceive ephemeral Spirits, or on a roll to determine which direction a locus lies).

17. Harmony (Max. 10): All Harmony begins at 7.

You may not buy down to 5 as this is an optional rule and not in effect.

Increasing or decreasing Harmony must be done fully IC with experience expenditures or failed rolls as appropriate.

(See PG 180-186 in WW30000 for more information)

18. Primal Urge (Max. 10): Primal Urge begins play at one.

You may exchange 3 of your initial Merit points to increase your Primal Urge by one, to a maximum of 3 at starting.

Such exchanges need to be justified in your background.

(See WW30000 PG 75-76 for a full description of the effects of Primal Urge)

19. Equipment: STs are free to allow or disallow extreme starting equipment without excellent justification in your background.

20. Essence: Essence starts equal to your Harmony. In this case, seven.

(See WW30000 PG 76 for more information on Essence)

21. "Derived Stats": You should record common Stats you will use in play -

Willpower (Resolve+ Composure)
Speed (Strength+ Dexterity+ Applicable Merits)
Health (Stamina+ Size + Applicable Merits)
Initiative (Dexterity+ Composure)
Size (5 +/- Applicable Merits/Flaws)
Defense (Lower of Wits and Dexterity)
Armor (If purchased in Equipment or Merits)

BEFORE YOU FINISH YOUR CHAR SHEET, CHECK IT AGAINST THE RESTRICTIONS FOR ALL GENRES:

Restricted & Forbidden Character Types (Creating A Character Sheet)

http://www.digitalgothic.net/Rules/rulesrestrict.htm

Restricted Merits, Flaws, Backgrounds & Powers (Creating A Character Sheet)

http://www.digitalgothic.net/Rules/rulesmfbgds.htm

USEFUL BOOK REFERENCES:

WHO APPROVES YOUR SHEET/WHO IS SHIFTER ST?: Jon or Ice

Last winter, government-sponsored hunters killed 10 wolves in southeastern Norway because sheep farmers complained the predators were attacking their stock.
Conservationists protested against the hunt saying the country's wolf population -- just 28 animals -- could not survive.
Experts now say there are only 13 wolves left in Norway and that the single remaining wolf pack will probably scatter without breeding, because its alpha male was among those killed.

-- CNN. June 17, 2002.

2.0 WEREWOLF BOOKS IN USE:
WHITE WOLF #	TITLE	ISBN	DESCRIPTION
WW30000	*Werewolf: the Forsaken™ (Thursday 10 March, 2005); 320 pgs.*	ISBN: 1-58846-324-9	W:tF Core Book
WW30100	Lore of the Forsaken	ISBN: 1-58846-327-3	Lore: werewolf spirit magic and expanded guidelines for fetish creation.
WW30101	Lodges: The Faithful ( ); 144 pgs.	ISBN: 1-58846-330-3	Lodges: 34 new Lodges, gifts, rites, fetishes, merits for the initiated.
WW30102	Lodges: The Splintered	ISBN: 1-58846-337-0	Lodges: 22 new Lodges, gifts, rites, fetishes, merits for the initiated.
WW30200	*Hunting Ground: The Rockies (Thursday 14 April, 2005): 144 pgs.*	ISBN: 1-58846-325-7	Colorado Rocky Mountains as a setting for Werewolf: The Forsaken™.
WW30300	*Predators (Thursday 23 June, 2005);*	ISBN: 1-58846-326-5	An antagonists supplement, contains a horde of threats to pit against your chronicle.
WW30301	Blood of the Wolf ( ); 144 pgs.	ISBN: 1-58846-329-X	A ‘practical’ guide to being a werewolf, both in the urban jungle and the wilderness.
WW30302	TBA
WW30303	Blasphemies ( ); 144 pgs.	ISBN: 1-58846-332-X	New creation myths, human cults, and Bale Hounds.
WW30304
WW30305
WW30700	*Werewolf: The Forsaken™ Dice (Thursday 10 February, 2005)*	ISBN: 1-58846-595-0	Dice
WW30701	*Werewolf: The Forsaken™ Storyteller Screen (Thursday 14 July, 2005)*	ISBN: 1-58846-593-1	Storyteller's Screen
WW30702	*Werewolf Character Sheet Pad (Thursday 10 March, 2005)*	ISBN: 1-58846-594-2	Paper Character Sheets
WW30703	*W:tF Mousepad (Thursday 12 May, 2005)*	N/A	Computer Mouse Pad
WW55103	*World of Darkness: Changing Breeds (Friday 30 November, 2007); pgs.*	ISBN: 1-58846-493-4	Dozens of playable shapechanger breeds, such Bastet, Corvians and the Oceanborn
WW55602	WOD Rulebook & W:tF Bundle