Merits

Game Mechanics

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Abilities Archetypes Armor Attributes Backgrounds Bestiary Derangements Explosives Flaws Freebies Chart Merits Poisons and Drugs Vehicles Weapons XP Costs

A

Ability Aptitude (2pt Merit)
You have exceptional talent with one specific non-combat ability. You have a -2 difficulty to the rolls in any situation relating to that ability.

Acute Sense (1pt Merit)
You have exceptionally sharp hearing, smell, vision or taste. The difficulties of all dice rolls that relate to the sense in question (e.g. Perception +Alertness to hear a faint noise, taste poison in food or see an oncoming attacker) are decreased by two. Combined with Auspex, this Merit can grant truly superhuman sense. This Merit can be purchased multiple times (a Cainite could have Acute Vision and Acute Taste for instance).

Adaptable Nature (2pt Merit)
You accept change easily and adapt quickly to unfamiliar situations or alien circumstance. The most bizarre things do not phase you, nor does it bother you to make sudden changes in plans or tactics. You can avoid any penalties associated with exposure to alien environments or drastic changes.

Alternate Identity (3pt Merit)
In addition to your normal identity, you’ve taken up an alternate role that allows you to run with another group or sect of vampires. This other self has a believable history and backstory that can stand up to at least cursory checks, and he is accepted at face value (more or less)** by his associates. However, you sire, Allies, Contacts, etc. don’t know you maintain this second identity, and treat this "stranger" accordingly.

Ambidextrous (1 pt Merit)
You have a high degree of off hand dexterity, and can perform tasks with the "wrong" hand at no penalty. The normal penalty for using both hands at once to perform different tasks (such as fighting with a weapon in each hand) is a +1 difficulty for the "right" hand and a +3 difficulty for the other hand.

Animal Affinity (1pt Merit)
You've an innate understanding of and rapport with a certain type of animal, such as dogs, bats, rats, cats or wolves. Animal Ken rolls with these animals have their difficulty reduced by 2.

Approachable (1pt merit)
There's something very inviting and non-threatening about you. People find you very easy to start a conversation with. Even distrustful creatures tend to put aside their instinctive wariness of mortals in regard to you. Reduce the difficulty of any Empathy rolls involving other people by two, and by one when human-seeming monsters are concerned.

B

Bardic Gift (2pt Merit)
Gifted by the Muses, you sing sweetly, plan an instrument divinely and speak with passion and eloquence. In all cases, your skill is not as impressive as your delivery. Somehow, everything you say or perform rings with power and conviction. In game terms, subtract two from the difficulty of any Social-based roll that involves speaking, poetry, music or song. Naturally, you'll make an impression wherever you go. People are bound to talk about such a distinctive individual, and such talk may not always be in a character's best interests…

Bruiser (1pt Merit)
Your appearance is sufficiently thug-like to inspire dear or at least disquiet in those who see you. While you’re not necessarily ugly per se, you do radiate a sort of quiet menace, to the point where people cross the street to avoid passing near you. You are at -1 difficulty on all Intimidation rolls against those who have not demonstrated their physical superiority to you.

Burning Aura (2pt Merit)
Your aura, no matter what its color, is unusually brilliant. To those who can see this inner light you stand out like a beacon burning with a mystical fire. Even people who can't see auras feel drawn to your side. Some supernatural entities find people like you intriguing other consider you a threat. Likewise, sensitive mortals might consider you appealing or repulsive, depending on your personality and their inclinations.

C

Catlike Balance (1-pt Merit)
You possess an innately perfect sense of balance. Characters with this Merit reduce difficulties of all balance related rolls (e.g. Dexterity + Athletic to walk along a narrow ledge)** by two.

Changeling - Iron Resistance: (4 point Merit)
Cold iron has no physical effect on you. You may touch cold iron and feel no excruciating pain, not even a tingle. However, constant exposure to the metal will still cause you to suffer Banality. This is a double-edged sword, as you may not realize when you are sitting on a cold iron bench or leaning against a fence made of the foul metal. A Perception + Intelligence roll (difficulty 7) is required to avoid exposing yourself to the dangerous element in any new setting where it is present.

Changeling - Regeneration: (7 point Merit)
Your faerie nature is very strong, and as a result you heal much faster than other Kithain. For every turn spent resting, you recover one Health Level of chimerical damage. Physical wounds can be regenerated at a rate of one Health Level per hour. While in a freehold, your wounds heal at twice this speed. Wounds inflicted by cold iron are not affected by this Merit.

Changeling - Past Life: (1-5 point Merit)
You can remember one or more of your previous incarnations. This can be as simple as constant deja vu in places known to your past lives, or as complex as conscious, waking memories of being another person. In practical terms, this means that your character (and therefore you the player) knows slightly more about whatever situations the dead memories contain. You might know your way around the past life's hometown, or back away from your murderer without knowing why. This is a good Background for beginning players; the Storyteller can tell them that something they are about to do is stupid, dangerous or both, because even if the character wouldn't logically know that, one of her past lives might. However, this Background cannot be used to "remember" Abilities. The Storyteller can, and likely should, take the opportunity to flesh out one or more of these past selves with you. Unless the memory is very detailed, your character isn't likely to know everything about that past.

• • One point — Deja vu memories of one life
• • Two points — Dreamy, vague memories of one life, with deja vu from several lives
• • Three points — Vague memories of several lives and one or two well-remembered impressions from one life
• • Four points — Several well-remembered impressions from many lives
• • Five points — A clear but broken thread of memories back to the Mythic Age and beyond…

Changeling - True Love: (l point Merit)
You have discovered, and possibly lost (at least temporarily) a true love. Nonetheless, this love provides joy in an arid existence usually devoid of such enlightened emotions. When- ever you are suffering, in danger or dej ected, the thought of your true love is enough to give you the strength to persevere. In game terms, this love allows you to succeed automatically on any Willpower roll, but only when you are actively striving to protect or come closer to your true love. Also, the power of your love may be powerful enough to protect you from other super- natural forces (Storyteller's discretion). However, your true love may also be a hindrance and require aid (or even rescue) from time to time. Be forewarned: this is a most exacting Merit to play over the course of a chronicle.

Changeling - Art Affinity: (5 point Merit)
You are able to utilize one of the Arts with a greater degree of ease than other changelings. In a previous incarnation, you were extremely proficient in one of the Arts — so much so thatyou have managed to draw a small portion of that knowledge through into this lifetime. Select an Art; when spending experience points to gain levels in that Art, you pay three-quarters the normal cost. This Art must be declared during character conception. Of course, this Merit may only be purchased once.

Changeling - Faerie Eternity: (5 point Merit)
After you went through your Chrysalis, you had a birthday, and then another, and then another. Something was strange, however — you didn't seem to be growing or getting older. You are touched with a vestige of the immortality that used to be the birthright of all fae. As long as your fae seeming is active, you will age at one-tenth that of a normal human or changeling. Should your fae seeming be permanently destroyed, or should you retreat into Banality, you will begin to age normally.

Changeling - Poetic Heart: (3 point Merit)
You have a truly inspired soul within you. You are destined to be a great hero or artist, and therefore Glamour shields you from the ravages of Banality. At times you may even be able to stave off the tide of Banality. You may make a Willpower roll (difficulty equal to the character's permanent Banality to avoid gaining a point of temporary Banality once per story.)

Changeling - Winged (2 point Flaw or 2 point Merit)
You have beautiful wings, be they feathered bird's wings or batwings or colored butterfly wings. They are chimerical, but they need to be free, or they will subtract one die from Dexterity rolls. You may have to explain why you have cut slits in all of your coats. If you have taken this as a Flaw, you are not able to fly, but you do get an extra die if you are the recipient of the cantrip Wind Runner (Wayfare 3). If you have taken this as a Merit, you may indeed fly for short periods of time. This power works as any other use of Glamour when only Kithain are present, but will not work in the presence of mortals.

Changeling - Seeming's Blessing: (5 point Merit)

Not in use - Birthrights affect mortal seeming without the merit

All of your Birthrights affect your mortal seeming as well as your fae mien. They even function normally in the presence of mortals. A sidhe would have her extra dots in Appearance, a satyr would get his extra stamina and speed, trolls would get their extra strength, etc.

Changeling - Surreal Beauty: (l point Merit)
You possess a beauty far beyond that of normal mortals. People stand in awe of your perfect form. If you are sidhe then perhaps your fae mien shines over into your mortal seeming. Characters who take this Merit must first purchase at least an Appearance 5 though their appearance is considered to surpass even that.

Changeling - Animal Magnetism: (l point Merit)
You are especially attractive to others. You receive a - 2 to your difficulty on Seduction or Subterfuge rolls. However, this will aggravate others of your gender.

Changeling - Poison Resistance (l point Merit)
You have, for some reason or another, become resistant to poisons. It could be that you are somehow naturally resistant, or that you have spent years building up your resistance against all known types of poisons. Any time you need to make a soak roll against the effects of a poison or toxin, reduce your difficulty by three.

Changeling - Perfect Balance: (3 point Merit)
Your sense of balance has achieved great heights by constant training or inherited traits. It is very unlikely that you will ever fall during your life. You may trip, but you will always catch footing or handhold. This Merit functions for such actions as tightrope walking, crossing ice and climbing mountains. All difficulties involving such feats are reduced by three. It would take a lot to push or shove a character off his feet if he has this Merit.

Changeling - Satyr- Voice of a Songbird (1pt Merit)
All Saytrs sing, but not all of them have a voice that charms the apples from the trees. You do. The Gift of Pan (Birthright) carries through your voice and inspires passion without the use of a musical instrument. You have perfect pitch and can sign acappella without missing a single note or going off-key. Even when only speaking, your voice has a seductive guality that attracts people to you. This trait can be especially useful when trying to persuade others or when attempting to win over a potential lover. Whenever you make a Social roll that involves speaking or singing, add 1 to the dice pool.

Changeling - Satyr- Flexible Heart (2pt Merit)
Saturs are the most tender-hearted of the Kithain. they bruise easily and bounce from one extreme of emotion to another. In such a dark world, people work hard to hurt one another, and goats feel the blows most acutely. They do not benefit from the solid lack of emotion that bolsters the Trolls, nor do they have the haughty self-confidence that allows Sidhe to believe it couldn't have been their fault. Satyrs bleed.

You, on the other hand, have leaned to let these things roll off your back. You indeed feel the blows, but they don't knock you down. Supersonic emotional healing lets you avoid the moodiness that cripples other Satyrs. You love just as deeply as they do, but when your love leaves you, you can tell yourself that there are plenty of other opportunities for devotion, and you believe it. If you have a Flexible Heart, you gain the use of extra Willpower to control yourself in a situation, where another goat might over-react emotionally. Of course, even you realize that you may not be able to control your being forever if the situation continues, so you do all you can to extract yourself.

Changeling - Satyr- Passion (2pt Merit)
Over the centuries, Satyrs have lost some of their original passion. The goat with the Passion Merit has retained it in full. You pursue your interests with the utmost intensity and usually succeed at them. Life holds many fascinating chances for you and you don't want miss out on them. You grab then up greedily. Mundanities, such as money, mean nothing to you except when they result from the pursuit of your Passion. And because you focus your attention so completely on experience and self-improvement, you do achieve greatness. The Living Time does not affect you because you have the innate ability to handle your Passion. Concentration in is this one area permits you to advance more quickly. (The difficulty for all rolls related to your Passion are reduced by 2.)

Changeling - Satyr- Intimidating Stance (3pt Merit)
You talk a mean talk and walk a mean walk. And there is bite to match your bark. Whenever you enter a room, everyone turns around to look at you. For Satyrs, this presence isn't so unusual, but when others look at you, they appear concerned. Those who know you understand that you're just a sheep in wolves' clothing, but even they don't want to irritate or anger you. Sothing about you screams, Dangerous!

You can exaggerate this effect whenever you want and, thus, actively increase your changes of intimidating someone. With a look or a gesture, you intimidate what you wish to do with their bodies once you get hold of them, and they actually believe that you would. (The player must make a Charisma + Intimidation roll, the the difficulty is reduced by 2.)

Note: This ability only works on other changelings, since mortals cannot see all the subtle signals in the Satyrs demeanor. Humans naturally avoid this goat, but they won't be intimidated by him any more than they normally would be.

Changeling - Satyr- Sex Appeal (3pt Merit)
The sway of your hips and the pout of your lips give you a natural sexiness and sensuality that attract lovers to you like flies to honey. Perhaps it's your pheromones. Whatever the cause, you are sex incarnate. You are irresistible. When you flirt, you find willing minions. This characteristic makes you the center of attention sometimes, you almost always manage to extricate yourself from unwanted situations. (The player makes all rolls related to either Charisma or Appearance at -2 difficulty.)

Changeling - Satyr- Inspiration (4pt Merit)
The Gift of Pan lets all Satyrs inspire lust in those who hear their music, which lowers inhibitions and strengthens resolve. When you play your instrument, however, you can inspire whatever emotion the song relays. A tender lullaby, when you play it, causes those listening to fall asleep. More rousing tunes get people's bodies moving and they feel the uncontrollable urge to dance. When you play a soulful dirge, your audience weeps. As with the Gift of Pan, only those who fail a Willpower (Diff 7) feel the effects of your music.

Changeling - Satyr- Sexual Reverie (4pt Merit)
As a rule, Reverie requires the slow and careful cultivation of a Dreamer. The changeling inspires a mortal to achieve greatness by tapping into the Dreaming and creating a Glamour-filled work. Some Satyrs, however, have the abillity to bring mortals to such incredible heights of pleasure that the actual act of having sex produces Glamour that the goat can then harvest. This process takes more than on session usually, though in certain cases, the intensity of a one-night stand is enough.

For those epiphanies to work, it must be more than just a literal bumping in the night: The Satyr must establish a special connection between herself and the mortal, which could be a smoldering desire that has built up over time and finally come to fruition, or a fulfillment of the mortal's fantasies, or some similarly magical circumstance. Finding the right time and place generally makes a huge difference, and the Satyr may prepare for months, trying to set up the perfect situation. For a Satyr to achieve epiphany through sex, the play must roll Manipulation + Empathy (Diff 4). The successes rolled equates to the number of Glamour points gained by the changeling.

Changeling - Satyr- Gut Instincts (5pt Merit)
When you've got a direct line into the more primal of your instincts, you benefit from the ability to act without thinking first. In certain situations, this instinctiveness can be a very good thing. You may not always know why you are doing what you are , but once the dust has cleared, you realize it was the correct move. This Merit nullifies the effects of surprise and permits you to act normally, though you may not attack, only defend. In cases where you are not surprised, you may pre-empt your opponent's action. (The difficulty for all Wits + Alertness rolls are reduced by 1.)

Charmed Existence (5pt Merit)
Your unlife is somehow protected, and you do not face the perils that others must. It could be that you are simply lucky. Whatever the reason, you may ignore a single "one" on every roll you make. This makes it far less likely that you will ever botch, and grants you more successes than others obtain.

Church Ties (3pt Merit)
You have influence and contacts in some local churches, and have them means to create protest rallies and raise money. The more you use your ties of course, the greater your risk of being found out.

Code of Honor (1pt Merit)
You have a personal code of ethics to which you strictly adhere. Even when you are in frenzy, you will attempt to obey it (an thus get three extra dice to your Self-Control rolls when in danger of violating your code). You can automatically resist most temptations that would bring you in conflict with your code. When battling supernatural persuasion that would make you violate your code, you either gain three extra dice to resist supernatural persuasions, or the opponent’s difficulties are increase by two (Storyteller’s choice). You must construct you own personal code of honor in as much detail as you can, outlining the general rules of conduct by which by abide.

Coldly Logical (1pt Merit)
While some might refer to you as a "cold fish" you have a knack for separating factual reporting from emotional or hysterical coloration. You may or may not be emotional yourself, but you can see clearly when others are clouding the facts with their feelings (-1 difficulty on all Sense Deception and related rolls)

Compensatory Senses (3pt Merit)
If you have weakened senses, such as being hard of hearing or lacking a sense of smell, another sense group has gotten a bit stronger in order to compensate. Choose another sense group and lower the diff by 2 for any rolls that involve that sense.

Common Sense (1pt Merit)
You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever you are about to do something contrary to common sense., the Storyteller should alert you to how your potential action might violate practicality. This is an ideal Merit if you are a novice player because it allows you to receive advice from the Storyteller concerning what you can and cannot do, and (even more importantly) what you should and should not do.

Communicate with Animals (3pt Merit)
With your deep and profound understanding of spirits within all life, you can communicate with any normal animal. This communication is not as detailed or exact as ordinary speech, nor does it necessary involve you actually speaking. Instead the animal you are communicating with understands you through a combination of posture, facial expressions smell and speech while you can understand it on an equally primal level. Even if the animal noticed such things you cannot use this ability to ask an animal the license plate number of a car or the cut of someones suit. However most mammals and birds can tell you basic information like how many people passed by as well as possibly odd details like what these people had eaten recently or it they smelled afraid. To determine the actual degree of communication, roll charisma + Intuition. Finding out extremely simply information has a diff of 4 or 5. However anything more complex than vague information about recent events or questions about the animals own activities will have a higher diff. Since so few people bother to really attempt to communicate with animals, even wild animals that are not normally interested in humans will usually wish to responds to a person with this ability.

Computer Aptitude (2pt Merit)
You are familiar with and talents in the uses of computer equipment. Other Kindred may not understand computers, but to you they are intuitive. All rolls involving computers at -2 difficulty for you.

Concentration (1pt Merit)
You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances. Any penalty to a difficulty or Dice Pool arising from a distraction or other inauspicious circumstance is limited to two, though no extra benefits are gained if only one penalty die is imposed.

Copperfield (2pt Merit)
You have an uncanny knack for making coincidental effects hold together. You can solicit advice from other players, bystanders, or even the Storyteller for possible coincidental effects. The Storyteller should also give you some extra time to come up with them as long as it doesn't slow play too much. Also, when the Storyteller informs you that a coincidence you propose is too wild to fit in static reality, you can spend a point of willpower to keep it from being vulgar. You cannot take the Flaw: Stodgy.

Corporate Ties (3pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts in the local corporate community. You understand the dynamics of money in the city and have links with all the major players. In times of need, you can cause all sorts of financial mayhem, and can raise considerable amounts of money (in the form of loans) in a very short period of time.

Corporation CEO (5pt Merit)
You have a particular influence and sway over a major corporation and associated companies, just as if you were its chief executive officer. Indeed, you may have owned this company before your Embrace, and retained your control. Through this corporation, you know much that takes place in the corporate community, and have the means to wage economic warfare. This Merit provides you with some informal Contacts and Resources, the exact extent of which are determined by the Storyteller.

Crack Driver (1pt Merit)
You have a natural affinity with driving motorized wheeled vehicles, such as cars, 18 wheelers and other tractors. The difficulty of all rolls requiring risky or especially difficult driving maneuvers are two less.

Culture Knack (3pt Merit)
Wherever you go, there you are. While some people may get hung up on social niceties when they travel, you're not one of them. This talent grants you an innate insight into social graces in unfamiliar settings. With very little effort, you could go from a Soho pub to dinner with the Queen. Wherever you are, whoever you're with, you make a good impression. This merit doesn't grant you an immediate background in the society you encounter; instead, it allows you to pick up customs quickly, if superficially, and keeps you from embarrassing yourself. In game terms, this merit offsets any penalties your character would normally have in social situations or culture clashes. Under some circumstances, it can reduce the difficulties in encounters where 'doing the right thing' makes an unusually good impression. It cannot be used to offset bad reactions based on magical interferences or purchased Flaws, but it can help your character recover from a botched Social roll by rolling again at normal difficulty. Knowing just what to say or do can help you save face, and in some cultures, that's vitally important.

Cupid's Gift (1pt Merit)
You're unusually seductive. It isn't so much that you're fair or quick of wit (though you may be) - you simply possess a certain animal charm that few can resist. In any roll based on Seduction or Subterfuge, subtract two from the difficulty… and get ready to suffer the displeasure of your rivals! Folk who are not swayed by your charms often hate you for possessing them.

D

Danger Sense (2pt Merit)
You have a sixth sense that warns you of danger. When you are in danger, the Storyteller should make a secret roll against your Perception + Alertness; the difficulty depends on the remoteness of the danger. IF the roll succeeds, the Storyteller tells you that you have a sense of foreboding. Multiple successes may refine the feeling and give and indication of direction, distance or nature. This Merit is more reliable and specific than Level One Auspex power, the two can be combined to create and even more potent warning system.

Daredevil (3pt Merit)
You are good at taking risks, and even better at surviving them, When attempting exceptionally risky actions (such as leaping form one moving car to another), characters with this Merit add an additional three dice to their rolls, and negate a single botch die that may result from such a roll. Generally, such action must be at least difficulty 8 and have the potential to inflict at least three health levels of damage if failed.

David's Arm (3pt Merit)
Your aim is blessed, like David's when he let loose his sling stone against Goliath. Your perception of distance and understanding of other relevant factors give you a clear advantage on all ranged attacks. Double all benefits gained from aiming.

Demonic Heritage: Laham (7pt Merit)
Some folk are said to be the offspring of demons. Considering the carnal traffic at Sabbats, orgies and midnight visitations, this isn't surprising. Uncannily long-lived, impervious to harm, and often possessed of inhuman powers, a demon-spawn (or laham) is said to be a special servant of Hell. Although warped by strange deformities, she is granted a special place at the tables of Nephandi and other primal diabolists, who can sense her demonic heritage.

Despite tales of "demon's blood" and "devil seed," demons are spirit entities, and cannot reproduce with mortals. When evil spirits possess a human being (or an animal), however, the host can be tainted by Infernal essence; if a child results, she'll probably have a little bit of Hell inside her. Many sorcerers, of both good and evil intent, are reputed to be demon-spawn: Merlin, Morganna le Fay, Circe, and Kullervo (among others) supposedly sprang from such unholy unions. Such people are not known for their generous temperaments, but they are not doomed to be evil - a heroic effort can overcome the worst ancestry. Few lahama aspire to virtue, though. Most consider their Infernal heritage a blessing, and pursue the Dark Arts with unnerving enthusiasm.
In game terms, a laham is a normal person "gifted by Infernal essence. Like a vampire's ghoul, she has a few extraordinary abilities but does not belong to a new "race" of occult creatures. This Merit grants a few special talents and drawbacks that reflect the character's demonic lineage:

Weaknesses: All lahama are cursed by deformities of body, mind, and soul. A laham character must select three points of Flaws, plus four points in the Echoes Flaw. (These Flaws do not count against the seven-point limit.) Every laham is temperamental, too; although this doesn't come out in game systems, it should make life difficult for the character in question. Finally, people with True Faith or some strong affinity for goodness can sense the demonic inheritance, too; any Social roll aside from an Intimidation-based one adds 3 to its difficulty. Even under the best of circumstances, sacred symbols and holy places are hard for a laham to endure.
Not all lahama are human; disturbing folktales speak of women who gave birth to giany flies or were torn inside-out by feral creatures for which no names exist. Some women have been impregnated while possessed, or raped by marauding demon-hosts; thus, a handful of lahama have been raised by the Church (or other religious authorities) to be potential weapons against the Darkness. Such weapons have two edges, however, and no laham can ever be sure where her true loyalties lie…

Destiny (4pt Merit)
You have a great destiny, though you may well not realize it. Your destiny will become more and more apparent as the chronicle continues. Prophesies and dreams guide your way, and grant you clues to your ultimate goal. The sense of direction and security helps you overcome fear, depression and discouragement caused by anything nor relevant to your destiny. Until your destiny is fulfilled, you may suffer setbacks, but nothing will thwart you permanently. How this played is up to the Storyteller.

Devotion (1-3pt Merit)
You are devoted to service to or reverence of a higher power, be it Christ, Allah, Odin, or some other deity. Once per game session, you may pray to your divine patron for aid and guidance. In game terms, your character receives one to three points of temporary Willpower (depending on the value of the Merit) for the scene, even if this takes her over her usual maximum. If these points are spent in a way that is frivolous or antithetical to the character's belief, this Merit may be rescinded until she can make amends.

Double-Jointed (1pt Merit)
You are unusually supple, Reduce the difficulty of any Dexterity roll involving body flexibility by two. Squeezing through a tiny space is one example of a use for this Merit.

Downey (2pts)
"Downey" is Victorian slang for a practiced liar and deciever. Each level of this merit, up to a maximum of three levels, adds one die to social tests involving deciet and manipulation.

Drug Dealer (1pt Merit or Flaw)
You are a drug dealer (your choice of drug), and have criminal connections in the greater metro area. As a Merit, being a Drug Dealer allows you to act as if you have one additional point of Network at any time you are still within the greater Metro area of where you call home. As a Flaw, you are a known Drug Dealer and the police harass you, sometimes blackmailing you for information or other resources. As a Merit or a Flaw, you must always tow the line as a Drug Dealer, to avoid getting caught.

Dual Nature (2pt Merit)
You have two distinct Nature, both of which have an influence on your personality and behavior. When you pick these Natures, be careful to choose Archetypes that are somewhat compatible. Dual Nature does not mean schizophrenia (that is a Derangement). This Merit allows you to regain Willpower using both Natures. You may still choose a Demeanor, and it can be as different from the character’s Natures as the player desires.

Dual Perception (3 point Merit)
Using your status as an intermediary between the spirit world and the mortal world you can easily switch your awareness back and forth between these two realms. When using any spirit magic that involves perceiving the spirit world you can cease using this ability and observe the mortal world at any time. This if the duration of the magic is not yet up you can continue using it without additional rolls. Also when you are in the umbra you can choose to observe the moral world instead of the spirit world without needing to make additional rolls. Since this ability is innate you suffer no disorientation or other penalty associated with switching you perceptions. If you take this merit in addition to the medium or spirit sight merit you can effectively turn the appropriate merit on or off at will.

E

Eidetic Memory (2pt Merit)
You can remember things seen and heard with perfect detail. By gaining at least one success on an Intelligence + Alertness roll (you can recall any desired sight or sound accurately, even if you hear it or glanced at it only once (though the difficulty of such a feat would be high). Five successes enable you to recall an event perfectly: the Storyteller relates to you exactly what was seen or heard.

Enchanting Gaze (2pt Merit)
You've got the most fascinating eyes. People find it hard to avoid them. Even if your gaze is sort of… unearthly… it's most seductive. There isn't anything actually magickal about your gaze, but others cannot help finding it intriguing, whether you want them to or not. Perhaps your eyes are unusually vivid, or uncannily colored, or incredibly trusting and inviting… they're distinct, regardless, so you might as well make use of'em. In game terms, this Merit subtracts two from the difficulty of any Social roll that involves sustained eye contact, or from an influence spell that includes eye contact as a focus. It also makes you stand out in a crowd; long after you're gone, people will still talk about those marvelous eyes.

Enchanting Voice (2pt Merit)
There is something about your voice cannot ignore. When you command, they are cowed. When you seduce they swoon. Whether thunderous, gentle, pausing or simply talking, your voice commands attention. The difficulties of all die rolls involving the use of the voice to pursued, charm or command are reduced by two.

Entrepreneur (1pt Merit)
Making money comes easy to you and you know what it takes to succeed in business. All rolls that involve acquiring money through business reduce their difficulty by 2.

Exceptional Transport (2-4pt Merit)
You own a vehicle of supreme craftsmanship, one with more powerful or responsive mechanics than the norm. You have grown to know this particular vehicle inside out, creating a sort of bond between you and it, and you receive a -1 difficulty bonus on all Drive rolls when using your vehicle. The 2 point version of this Merit indicates an exceptional vehicle within normal perimeters for the street, such as sedan or chopper with NOS, a souped up engine or bullet proofing; the 4 point version of the Merit indicates a truly superior vehicle such as an Army HumVee with all the extras, a marvel of a Hog with reinforcements and/ or speed modifications, or an ex-racing car tinkered with by an expert mechanic. Note that you must have Drive 1 to purchase the 2 point version. You should develop a somewhat detailed portion of your background for this vehicle. How did you come across it? Who tweaked it? Is it dangerous in certain circumstances and better in others?

Extremist Group (4pt Merit)
You have both Influence over & Contacts within an extremists group of some sort. This could be a group of insane survivalist’s w/ a cause. some hate groups or a terrorist group. This group provides you w/ assistance & possibly even agents to handle your dirty work. It may also provide you with ties to similar groups. The more often you use your ties, the weaker they grow.

F

Faeblood (4pt Merit)
Though not a changeling you've got their heritage running through your veins literally. This doesn't necessarily make you Irish, though a little touch of Eriu never hurts. Faerie blood allows you to walk in the dreaming as if you were fae yourself, while this exposes you to chimerical attack it also opens you to a new and wondrous world.

Fast learner (5 pt Merit)
You learn very quickly, and pick up on new things faster than most. You gain one extra experience point at the conclusion of each story (not each a game session)

Firearms License (2pt merit)
The effect of this merit depends on the country in which your game is set. In places such as the UK, it indicates that you are allowed to carry weapons. Without this merit, possession of a firearm is illegal. In countries where you have the right to bear arms, it indicates that you have a license to carry unusual or powerful firearms such as automatic weapons.

Fire Within (2pt Merit)
You are extra resilient against cold weather or damage caused by the cold. You gain two extra dice to Survival or other rolls involving cold weather hazards, such as swimming to shore in an icy river or digging your way out of an avalanche. You also take one less die damage from frostbite or other cold-related hazards.

Fist of God (7pt Merit)
With this Merit, sometimes called the "Witch-Hammer" you can cause aggravated damage to a Kindred or other supernatural creatures by simply striking him/her. Work with your Storyteller to create a good reason fort his effect, and how it developed. The damage done is standard Brawling damage, only its considered aggravated against supernaturals. Only mortals with a Humanity of seven or higher may purchase (or keep) this Merit.

Flirt (2pt Merit)
You claim you're a terrible flirt, but that quite manifestly isn't true. You're great at it. You're an absolute master of all the subtle signals that give off the particular combination of promise and denial that makes teasing so much fun. At your best, you can make members of the opposite sex, or members of the same sex, putty in your hands. Add two dice to all social rolls in such circumstances.

Forgettable (2pt merit)
It's not that you're ugly. It's just that, well, people's eyes tend to slide over you. You're of average height and build, unremarkable looks and run-of-the-mill dress. People have problems remembering your appearance after they meet you, unless you have talked with them for a long time. Certainly, people won't be able to give a useful description of you if they only see you briefly. You must have an appearance of 2 or 3 and a Charisma no higher than 3 to take this merit. If either of those Attributes moves outside it's assigned range during play, you lose this Merit. You might have a dreadful credit rating, a police file as thick as the phone book and a sexual history that would make a porn star blush, but people on the street just don't remember you.

Friend of the Underground (3pt Merit)
You know your way around the sewers, tunnels, ducts, subway tubes and other subterranean passages of your home town. The local creatures dwelling down in the muck may not actually like you, but they’re not inclined to kill you on sight when they see you in their territory. You are at -1 difficulty on all Sewer Lore rolls, and rolls involving the subterranean world (sneaking from place to place underground routes, finding routes into sub-basements and so on).

Friendly Face (1pt Merit)
You have a face that remained everyone of someone, to the point where strangers are inclined to be well-inclined toward you because of it. The effect doesn’t fade if you explain the "mistake" leaving you at -1 difficulty on all appropriate Social-based rolls (yes for Seduction, no for Intimidation, for example) when a stranger is involved. This Merit only functions on a first meeting.

G

Gifted Exorcist (5pt Merit) (True Faith only)
You have a talent for forcing demons and other possessing spirits out of physical bodies that do not belong to them. You are probably well known and highly sought after for your abilities in this context. The diff on all exorcism rolls decreases by 3.

Good Instincts (3pt Merit)
You have an uncanny ability to intuit the best course of action in situations involving instinctive responses rather than logic or rational thought. This Merit makes you an ideal companion in the wilderness, where action takes precedence over thought. You make all rolls involving Primal Urge or Survival at -2 to your difficulty.

Good Judge of Character (2pt merit)
You have an instinct for reading people. You can make an appraisal of what kind of person someone is after meeting her for a few seconds, based on little more than gut instinct. You're rarely wrong. Decrease the difficulty of any Perception roll based on assessing a person or human-seeming monster by two.

Good Night Vision (2pt merit)
Maybe you spent a lot of time camping. Maybe you're just a fisherman who's used to getting up before dawn. For whatever reason, your night vision is excellent. The difficulty of Perception rolls at night is decreased by two.

Good Right Hook (4pt Merit)
The power of your character’s punch belies her actual strength. Maybe she took up boxing at the gym, or perhaps she’s just been in a lot of fights. Regardless, people tend to fall over when your character hits them. Add two dice to your damage roll for any Brawl-based attack (this does not apply to brawl attacks that feature lethal-damage causing elements, like claws or spiked knuckles).

Gossip (1pt Merit)
You're an incurable gossip, and other gossips recognize a kindred spirit in you. You're more than happy to spend hours shooting the breeze with others, all the while discussing the minutiae of other people's lives. Surprising how much information you can pick up that way, isn't it? Lower the difficulty of any Interrogation rolls made in a social situation, without bullying or intimidation, by two.

Graceful (2pt Merit)
You've got a natural flair. Your movements hypnotize and your words charm, harsh though they may be. It?s almost impossible for you to look awkward, even when you screw up royally. Most people respect this talent, and even jealous folks have to at least admit you've got style. Reduce the difficulties of all Social rolls by two whenever there's a chance to make a really good impression. This doesn?t apply to threats of brute force, although grace may be intimidating in its own way.

Great Liar (2pt merit)
Lying comes naturally to you. Even the most involved deception sounds like God's own truth when it comes tripping off your own honeyed tongue. Gain two dice on any Social roll that involves lying to or deceiving another person or monster.

Guardian Angel (6pt Merit)
Someone or something watches over you and protects you from harm. You have no idea who or what it is, but you have an idea that someone is looking out for you. IN times of great need you may be supernaturally protected. However, one can never count upon a guardian angel. The Storyteller must decide why you are being watched over, and by what (not necessarily an angel, despite the name).

H

Hale (2pt Merit)
You have been granted a strong constitution, therefore you are rarely less than robust health and take ill infrequently. Subtract 2 from all difficulties to resist disease, whether natural or supernatural in nature.

Hands of Daedalus (3pt Merit)
Glorious is the inventor, the craftsman, the genius, whose hands shape God's Creation into man's creations! You are one such person, and like Daedalus himself, your talents surpass most of your peers'. Things seem to come to life in your hands; from simple constructions to esoteric Devices, you have a knack for shaping and an eye for quality. In game terms, this Merit makes it easier to build, brew or shape things. Any roll that involves designing, making or shaping something has its difficulty reduced by one. Magickal castings that involve building or shaping things reduce their difficulty the same way, up to a maximum -3 reduction. This Merit does not in any way grant a character knowledge or magick she does not have, nor does it allow her any bonus with Life-based spells, combat rolls or long-range work. The "Hands of Daedalus" are well-named, too; an artisan must physically work with an object or material before she can use this Merit to help reshape it.

Healthy Skepticism (1pt merit)
You are good at separating truth from fiction, and someone has to be up pretty damn early to catch you off guard. You rarely take what people say at face value, until you're able to check the details yourself. This Merit also allows you to reduce the difficulty of any roll to perceive a lie by two. It should be roleplayed as much as possible.

Hidden Talent (3pt Merit)
You have a knack for keeping secrets and for concealing objects so that others have a difficult time locating them. This makes you a natural recipient for sensitive information. Others have a +2 to their difficulty for attempting to overhear your private conversations. If you hide an object, others suffer a +2 to their difficulty to locate it.

Hideaway (2pt Merit)
You have a special hiding place that no one knows about a house, a cottage, a nicely furnished cave, etc. you never registered this place in your name, so anyone trying to trace you there is going to have a very hard time. This hideaway is modestly furnished and stocked with enough goods for a two-week stay. Such places are good for practicing secret magics or hiding from enemies. If someone goes on an active search to find your hideaway your storyteller may roll two dice against diff 6. Success at least one means that no one has found the place. Gailure indicates that you didn't cover your tracks very well, now they know where you live more or less. Four cumulative failures leads them right to you, a botch immediately renders your secret worthless.

Higher Purpose (1pt Merit)
You have a goal that drives and directs you in everything. You do not concern yourself with petty matters and casual concerns, because your higher purpose is everything. Though you may sometimes be driven by this purpose and find yourself force to behave in ways contrary to the needs of personal survival, it can also grant you great personal strength. You gain two extra dice on all rolls that have anything to do with this higher purpose. You need to decide what your higher purpose is. Make sure you talk it over with the Storyteller first. (If you have the Flaw Driving Goal, you cannot take this Merit).

Holdings (1-5pt Merit)
You own a number of properties that have been in your possession for years. These have all been modified to provide you with protection, numerous places to rest and emergency escape routes. Although such holdings are often ancient castles, museums and the like, they can also be specifically prepared apartment complexes, mountain lodges, old churches, etc. For every point taken in this Merit you have two such holdings, which can almost anywhere in the world. While the rights to this territory are yours, there are responsibilities that come along with it. If those responsibilities are not met, the prince may well strip you of your holdings.

Holy Aura (2pt Merit)
Your aura, no matter what color it takes, is unusually brilliant to those who can see it; you're practically a beacon among other mortals, burning w/ a religious devotion. Even those who cannot see auras are immediately drawn to your presence.

Honey Tongued (4pt Merit)
Lies pass your lips like the Gospel truth. People tend to believe what you say, no matter how inane your conversation or how incredible your stories. This liberty enables you to spread falsehoods with impunity, deceive friends and enemies alike, or explain your way out of grave situations. Ruleswise, all of your attempts at Subterfuge gain 1 automatic success, and Social-based rolls have their difficulties reduced by 1.

Hotel (5pt Merit)
You own a hotel or an inn with at least fifty rooms, maybe as many as five hundred. You control the grounds of the hotel either personally or through a proxy. The hotel can be open or closed, and may be in good or bad condition. Remember that an abandoned hotel with visible activity may draw attention to itself.

Huge Size (4pt Merit)
You are abnormally large in size, possibly over seven feet tall and 400 pounds in weight. You therefore have one additional Health Level, and are able to suffer more harm before you are incapacitated. Treat this extra Level as an extra Hurt Level, with no penalties to rolls.

I

Innocent (2pt Merit)
You convey an aura of childlike innocence. Surely you cannot be guilty of any wrongdoing! Even if people catch you in the act, your impression of innocence leads them to suspect someone or something else to be behind your deeds. In story terms, this Merit makes like a lot easier for you. You usually suffer mild punishments (even if someone catches you in the act), and your accusers tend to give you the benefit of doubt. In game terms, this Merit lowers the difficulties of rolls involving Subterfuge or Manipulation by two. Still, be wary of how far you press this advantage. There may come a time when a saintly face is not enough to save you.

Institutional Control (2-5pt Merit)
You begin play with absolute control over one mortal institution of your choice. Either you are the head of this institution, or you have mastered its leader. In the first case, think about how you will retain control without being able to appear to your followers during the day (it may be impossible to remain in command for long). If you control the mortal leader, then think about how you keep him loyal. (Blackmail? The Blood Oath? Dominate? Presence?) The cost of the Merit depends upon the size and power of the institution. Control of a small hermitage with six monks is a 2 point Merit. To control and opulent monastery with 200 brothers is a 5 point Merit. Plausible institutions include: monasteries, friaries (3-5 points) cathedral chapters (monks attached to a cathedral; 5 points), hermitages (2 points), hospitals (hostels for the poor and sick; 3 points), city guilds (2 to 5 points, depending on size and power), city law courts (3 points), etc.

Introspective (1pt Merit)
You have keen insight into the ulterior motives of all your actions. Through this nightly exercise, you also have incredible insight into the underlying motives of others’ actions. Add two dice to your Perception dice pool when you must take an action against someone with the same Nature or Demeanor as you.

Iron Will (5pt Merit)
Your mind is as a castle, daring intruders with towers of ego and walls of raw will. Any attempt to affect you with Dominate or otherwise magically tamper with your mind adds 2 to the usual difficulty. Characters must have a Willpower of 8+ to purchase or retain the benefits of this Merit.

J

Jack-of-all-Trades (5pt Merit)
You have a large pool of miscellaneous skills and knowledge obtained through your extensive travels, the jobs you’ve held or just all-around know-how. You automatically have one dot in all Skill and Knowledge Dice Pools. This is an illusory level, used only to simulate a wide range of abilities. If the character trains or spends experience in the Skill or Knowledge, he must pay the point cost for the first level a "second time" before raising the Skill or Knowledge to 2.

Judicial Ties (2pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts in the justice system. You know most of the judges as well as the attorneys in the prosecutor’s department , and can affect the progress of various cases and trials with limited difficulty to intervene in a case, you can influence it in one direction or another. These ties can also make it easy to acquire search warrants.

K

Kinfolk - Feral Appearance (1pt Merit)
Whether you’re more hirsute than the average person or have a lean, hungry look to your features, the werewolves like what they see. It isn’t a matter of physical beauty; there’s just something about you that stirs their animal natures. You get an extra die on all rolls involving Appearance when dealing with homid Garou, and you are considered to have an extra dot of Charisma among lupus Garou (although you can’t exceed 5).

Kinfolk - Fetish (5-7pt Merit)
You own a fetish, one you can actually use. You may have inherited this item, received it as a gift or found it on your own. In any case, the fetish is highly valuable. Fetishes aren’t common among Garou, much less Kin. You and your Storyteller should work together on constructing the item and establish how it came into your possession. 5 points equals a Level One Fetish, 6 points a Level Two and 7 points a Level Three Fetish.

Kinfolk - Gall (2pt Merit)
Audacity, guts, luck - whatever it’s called, you’ve got it. You aren’t afraid to stand up to anyone, from naughty children to tribal leaders. This isn’t brash, foolhardy behavior, you’re still polite, after all. 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.

Kinfolk - Gnosis (5-7pt Merit)
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 Gifts, use fetishes and in case of a vampire’s Embrace, the chance to die with dignity and honor rather than suffer unlife. Five points spent on the Merit grants one point of Gnosis, 6pt merit gains 2 points of Gnosis and the 7pt merit equals 3 points of Gnosis.

Kinfolk - Good Old Boy (2pt Merit)
For either gender, this Merit means the same thing: You’re an intrinsically nice person and you genuinely care about your fellows. Depending upon the setting, werewolves and other Kin 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 other Kinfolk.

Kinfolk - Recognize Garou (3pt Merit)
Over the years, you’ve become adept at picking out the werewolves in a crowd. Rather than having any kind of mystical awareness, you’ve simply learned what physical and personality traits tend to mark Gaia’s warriors. They just stand out to you once they’ve undergone the Change. This merit does not allow you to find those who have not had their First Change. All Perception attempts to notice which people in the room seem to have that special touch of rage or wilderness that could indicate they are werewolves are at -2 diff.

Kinfolk - Supernatural Kin (5pt Merit)
This merit is not for mortals. Supernatural Kinfolk is for vampires who are also kinfolk.

Kinfolk - Wolf-sense (1pt Merit)
This Merit is a blend of folk wisdom, practical sense and animal instincts. If you have Wolf-sense and make a successful Int roll, the ST can opt to give you advice on whether you’re about to do something stupid. It doesn’t mean she’ll tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but at least you’ll have some warning.

L

Library of Heresies (2pt Merit)
You have access to one or more of the core texts of the Cainite Heresy in some form. Whether those texts are complete or not, accurate or not, or even legible or not is up to the Storyteller. What matters is that you know what you possess and you know what it is worth, both to yourself and to others.

Lightning Calculator (1pt Merit)
You have a natural affinity with numbers and a talent for mental arithmetic, making you a natural when working with computers or betting at the racetracks. The difficulties of all relevant rolls are decreased by two. Another possible use for this ability, assuming you have numbers on which to base you conclusions, is the ability to calculate the difficulty of certain tasks. In appropriate situations, you may ask the Storyteller the difficulty rating of a task you are about to perform.

Likeness of a Saint (1pt Merit)
Through some quirk of fate, your visage is identical to that of one of the saints whose image is commonly enshrined in the region where you dwell. How you trade on this coincidence is up to you, but you are at -1 difficulty in all Social situations with persons who have especial veneration for the saint in question.

Lion-Hearted (1pt Merit)
In a moment of great crisis, you may call upon your honor and nobility to fortify your resolve. Once per story, you may spend a point of Willpower to substitute your Road rating for both your Self-Control/Conviction and Courage for the scene. Characters who ascribe to roads that do not venerate heroism and valor may not purchase or retain this Merit, particularly those on the Road of Sin (although followers of the Via Adversarius may possess this Merit; see Road of Sin for more information).

Local Ties (1-3pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts in local circles of some sort. This can be from government to business, the level of the Merit will determine what it is. Please speak with your Storyteller about taking this merit.

Loyalty (1pt. merit)
You’re sworn, loyal and devoted to some person, group or cause. This bond allows you to resist any form of temptation or coercion that could leady you to betray your trust or oath. Especially nasty forms of ‘persuasion’ (torture, mind magic, vampiric dominate, etc.) are harder to shake, but you do get a bonus to your willpower (either two additional dice to roll, or two added to the inquisitor’s difficulty, whichever is appropriate) if the offending party tries to make you break your promise.

Lucky (3pt Merit)
You were born lucky - or else the Devil looks after his own. Either way, you may repeat any three failed rolls per story including botches, but may try only once per failed roll.

Lunar Influence (1pt Merit)
The moon has an unusually strong effect on you. During periods of the new moon, your Strength, Dexterity & Stamina are cut in half. During periods of the full moon your Strength, Dexterity & Stamina are increased by half again. During the waxing & waning phases, the Attributes stay the same.

M

Mage Companion (3pt Merit)
You have a friend & ally who just happens to be a mage. Though you have the right to call upon her in times of need, she can call on you as well. Most likely this mage is of the Euthanatos or verbena, but she can be of any Tradition or Convention.

Mage - Arcane Heritage (1pt Merit or Flaw)
Your family has a history of magic, and that reputation colors you as well. If taken as a Merit, Arcane Heritage reflects that your family has traditionally been adept at their craft - perhaps you come from a long line of healers or shamans. If taken as a Flaw, however, your family might have a habit of selling their souls in order to gain power. In any case, you receive a -2 to Social difficulties when interacting with other members of your Tradition or anyone else who would be impressed by your lineage (if Arcane Heritage is taken as a Merit) or a +2 difficulty on such rolls (if a Flaw).

Mage - Avatar Companion (7pt Merit)
Your mage is in a cycle of reincarnation. However, the strange thing about your mage's passages through the life-death-rebirth cycle comes from the fact that his Avatar has another lesser Avatar connected to it. This fragment also enters the reincarnation cycle, follows your mage's Avatar through each incarnation, and often retains memories of its previous incarnation. In game terms, you have a living companion who has an Avatar linked to your own. You may have little memory of your past lives and your companion may not be Awakened, but she retains much of the knowledge and experience from your previous incarnations. Thus, your mage's companion can remind him of things or teach him about lessons that he's already learned previously. Think Corum and Jhary-a-Conel. The Storyteller creates this companion. Unless you also take the Allies Background, your companion has no special capabilities besides being tied to your character's cycle and remembering the past.

Mage - Celestial Affinity (3pt Merit)
Your mage has an exceptional instinct when it comes to dealing with High Umbrood. While certain shamans excel at interactions with their totemic spirits, and necromancers find truck with the dead a simple matter, your mage's talents make converse with the noblest and most refined of ephemeral entities easier. You receive a difficulty bonus of two to all rolls to summon, compel, coax, bargain with or otherwise influence such beings. This bonus applies as much to Social rolls as it does to Spheres, since trafficking with High Umbrood is often as much a matter of finesse and force of personality as it is one of sorcerous might.

Mage - Circumspect Avatar (2pt Merit)
What Avatar? Your mage has never seen her Avatar. In fact, no one's ever seen her Avatar, unless it was her reflection in the mirror, or her shadow, or something that everyone and their dog has. Your mage does have an Avatar, but it isn't inclined to put on a show. At most, her Avatar is simply her subconscious, and it's just nudged and pushed her into finding her own Awakening. Having a circumspect Avatar doesn't mean that your mage doesn't have Seekings and Epiphanies. Such events just tend to be rooted in reality. The mage may well find that a series of unusual events in the physical world leads her to greater enlightenment, without ever entering a dreamscape. Who needs to go rooting around in dreams and bizarre mindscapes to find out who they are?

Mage - Conditional Magic (1 to 6pt Merit or Flaw)
There is one thing in the world that is a great boon, or bane, to your character's magic. Perhaps her spells work particularly well against men, or on Tuesdays, or just after a storm, or on people dressed all in black. Maybe she's powerless to affect those who are or who bear that certain thing, such as her magic being unable to affect Christians or those who carry a piece of rowan and red thread. It may be that a certain individual gave her
power over them, or perhaps it is utterly proof against her magic due to an oath she swore or spells that were placed on her.
The conditions that affect your magic may be common, uncommon or rare, and the value of this Merit or Flaw depends on the rarity of the condition. The base costs listed here assume that you have a difficulty modifier of three on all Arete rolls under the given conditions. You may adjust the difficulty by one for every point more or less you devote to the Trait.

Points - Condition 
1 point - Unique: The Sword of Roland, the Matriarch of the MECHA construct, Leap Year 
2 points - Scarce as hen's teeth: Current or former members of the Council of Nine, your former Mentors, once in a blue moon 
3 points - Rare, but not unheard of: loadstones, Swedish royalty, werewolves, rowan and red thread, the holy days of the archangels 
4 points - Special order: virgins, middle eastern eye-bead charms, any member of Iteration X, during a thunderstorm 
5 points - Available without much trouble: cold iron, silver, Christians, any member of the Traditions, a windy day, holy ground 
6 points - Common as dirt: men, anyone who's ever been baptized, the color purple, under cloud cover, Tuesdays

Mage - Cyclic Magic (3pt Merit)
Your character's magic is tied to some regular and repeating cycle - night and day, the moon, the sun, the tides, the wheel of the year, or even such things as the stock market or the price of tea in China (very important for a Syndicate commodities broker). As such, your difficulties with magic fluctuate from the standard by a maximum of three, depending on what part of the cycle you set as your personal high point. You may be tied to the dark of the moon, the full moon, the Bull cycle or the Bear cycle. Regardless, while the cyclic nature of your magic is problematic, it is quite useful in some circumstances, allowing your character to schedule rituals for their times of greatest power.

Mage - Driven (2pt Merit)
The world is falling to Hell, and the Order is crumbling. Few mages have the spiritual resilience to endure the punishment being heaped on the Traditions in these End Times and keep on going. Your mage is one of them. Once per game session, when the survival of your character's Tradition is at stake, you gain an additional free point of temporary Willpower to spend on any one roll in defense of your mage's Tradition.

Mage - Dual Traditions (7pt Merit)
Your mage has been educated by two traditions. Most likely, he was a Hollow One who studied a bit of this and that, and found a couple things that made sense to him. Or, perhaps, he was Awakened by a teacher of one Tradition, but then studied under a different Master and experienced a second Epiphany through this new knowledge. For purposes of spending experience, the specialty Spheres of both Traditions come with the bonus (cheap) multiplier. Your character is more open-minded about foci as well, and he may use those of either Tradition. (The penalties for unique foci still apply.) If your mage loses his Hermetic showstone, for example, he has to go either about getting another one or rely solely on the props of his other Tradition.

Mage - Fae Blood (4pt Merit)
Although your character is not a changeling, she's got their heritage running through her veins - literally. Faerie blood allows her to walk in the Dreaming as if she were fae herself. While doing so exposes her to chimerical attack, it also opens her to a new and wondrous world. In fae terms, your mage is kinain, a human with some innate Glamour who can learn limited cantrips fueled by her own power. (See Changeling: The Dreaming and The Enchanted for details. Note that a full mage cannot have a Glamour pool.) If your character is a hedge magician, these cantrips are a wondrous adjunct to your Paths; if she's an Awakened mage, they are inherent tricks that are Paradox-free! Her Banality is also quite low (typically two to five) and her presence is oft en welcome in the courts of the fae. Naturally, this sort of gift carries an obligation to play faerie politics. Nevertheless, it can be a wondrous game.

Mage - Ghoul (5pt Merit)
At some point in time, a vampire fed your character some of her potent blood, possibly bonding her into service. Somehow, she broke free, but the blood's force has granted her some of her mistress's power. In addition to a vague knowledge of vampiric society, your character ages slowly, has an extra automatic success on any Strength roll you make, and she inflicts an extra die of damage with all hand-to-hand attacks as a corollary to that additional strength. If your game integrates Vampire: The Masquerade rules, your character has a blood pool, a dot in Potence and the potential to buy and use some Disciplines, specifically Potence, Fortitude and his Domitor's choice powers. This power does not come without cost, however. Your mage must continue to feed on vampire blood occasionally. Otherwise, she regains her mortality and craves forever the sweet rush of her former mistress's essence. Should she revert (after going a month or more without the sacred vitae), she loses her supernatural might (and Disciplines) forever. (Unless she is Embraced as a vampire, in which case she gets them back at the cost of her life and Avatar.)
Note also that imbibing the cursed blood of the brood of Caine has all sorts of detrimental effects! A mage gains a dot each in Static and Entropic Resonance immediately the first time she becomes a ghoul. The unaging curse causes the mage to have difficulty with Seekings. This penalty comes on at the Storyteller's discretion, but in general, the mage has a tendency to fail in Seekings due to her own static nature and the foibles of the Curse.

Mage - Green Thumb (1pt Merit)
Flowers spring up in your footsteps and trees burst into bloom at your touch. Your hands are as warm as sunlight or stones from a cheery hearth. A common Merit among Verbena.

Mage - Legendary Attribute (5pt Merit)
Your mage has a superhuman Attribute, something in which he has the potential to be greater than human. Although this Attribute is not necessarily automatically better, t he mage could potentially exceed the bounds of human ability. Such a gift is rare and precious, and many people with this capacity never even manage to fulfill their true potential. In your character's legendary Attribute, your character has the potential for a rating of six dots. Thus, your mage might have the Strength of Hercules or the Intelligence of Occam. This Merit does not confer such a rating automatically; it must still be purchased with Attribute points, freebie points or experience. In addition to the potential for inhuman power, your character has some miraculous capability tied to that Attribute. A mage with legendary Stamina might have the ability to roll a soak against any form of damage, for instance, while a mage with legendary Wits might be able to shift his initiative category by one place in any given turn automatically. This power is generally automatic, and it is subject to the Storyteller's approval. Its potency varies with the character's actual Attribute rating, so a character with a legendary Stamina of 1 has a weak legendary power that might grow with time and experience. This Merit obviously has the potential for abuse, and it is not appropriate for all chronicles or characters.

Mage - Living Fount (2pt Merit)
The Quintessence that wells up within you seems to stem from a living source. Perhaps you have a direction connect to God, or perhaps the spirits speak to you. In any case, once per story you may roll your Arete rating (difficulty 6). If successful, you receive cryptic hints on a matter at hand (the Storyteller may elect literally to give you a hint, or may simply reduce the difficulty of an appropriate roll, such as Enigmas or Occult).

Mage - Manifest Avatar (3pt Merit)
Most people see their Avatars only during Seekings, if at all. Your mage's drops by every day for tea, if it doesn't hang out 'round the clock. This Avatar is completely invisible to everyone but your character (and those who can read her mind), unless you take this Merit in combination with the Allies Background, creating the body of a person or familiar for your Avatar. In this case, your Avatar becomes your bamfing buddy, popping in and out of existence when it feels like it. If it's killed, only the mortal shell dies, not your Avatar - unless you also have the Phylactery Flaw, in which case your Avatar's form is immune to all physical harm, but it is manifested permanently. If such is the case, it is able to be kidnapped, transformed and so on. Storytellers should note that an Avatar doesn't have to say it's an Avatar, and just because an Avatar is invested into a phylactery doesn't mean that everything that phylactery tells you is a pronouncement from your Avatar. A V-A may have his laptop as a phylactery, but unless he's also taken Manifest Avatar as a Merit, his laptop's warnings to update his virus software are nothing more significant than that. Likewise you may have invested your Avatar into your best friend, but that doesn't mean that everything (or anything) he says are pronouncements from your personal spirit guide. Such only happens to be the case if you take Manifest Avatar. Even then, why should your Avatar tell you he's anyone except your best friend? A manifest Avatar can chat with you and other people like the intelligences that show up on the Web to guide Virtual Adepts and converse with their contemporaries. With the right tricks, it can even materialize to harangue you, to fight, to push you around or just make for a hot date.

Mage - Nephilim (7pt Merit)
This Merit is exactly what it sounds like. Your mage is the direct progeny of a native of the High Umbra and a human being. Perhaps your character's conception secured a pact, or possibly the reasons were somewhat less pragmatic. In any case, the mage is the intersection of Heaven (or Hell, or the Vulgate, etc.) and Earth. Like the Biblical Nephilim, your character's body cannot fully contain the massive spiritual energies coursing through it, so she has one or a small handful of deformities (at least 3 points worth of Physical Flaws, for which you receive no additional points). Also, she tends to embody certain characteristics of her High Umbral parent (almost certainly her father). An angelic parent whose domain is Fury will result in a short temper and a desire to solve problems with one's fists, wherease an incubus' child will have… darker appetites. Reflect this tendency by starting with three dots of Resonance instead of just one. This heritage does, however, bestow certain advantages upon your character. Mind and Spirit Sphere difficulties pertaining directly to the High Umbra decrease by one, and she is capable of entering the High Umbra physically with a conjunctional Spirit 3, Mind 4 Effect. Also, the entities of the High Umbra fear their bastard half-breeds, and so you receive two bonus dice in all rolls to intimidate, command or make demands of such creatures. (Unless you are very powerful, however, or the creature you are dealing with is very weak, doing so is nigh suicidal.) This Merit cannot be taken with Celestial Affinity; the Nephilim are neither well-loved nor well-received by the Angelic Hierarchies and their like.

Mage - Parlor Trick (1pt Merit)
Your character has a natural ability to perform some small, pretty or useful bit of magic at will. This trick is nothing that can cause much damage, or even serious annoyance; it's just enough to perform some small basic task or give your mage a little flair. Your mage might be adept at the old wizard's trick of conjuring an orb of witchlight to hand or a flame to her finger. She might be a cyborg who had the bright idea of installing a light bulb or pilot light in her head for the same purpose. If your mage uses a magical sense like night-vision often, you might have the added perk that he can make his eyes glow like a vampire's, allowing him to see even in total darkness. If your character is of the scientific bent, he may be able to emit enough x-rays to use with his x-ray vision, or he could have a laser pointer installed in his index finger just for fun. You don't have to roll or spend anything to make this parlor trick work. Storytellers should note that this Merit is provided to add color and reason to the game, not to give min-maxers a loophole to create engines of death. With this Merit, mages can light pipes without a lighter, conjure roses or martinis, have mood music play in the background or pop a penknife or a single claw out of a fingertip. Yes, you could put an eye out with one of those things, but the combat difference between a penknife, a single tiger claw, and a press-on fingernail is inconsequential.

Mage - Shapechanger (4pt Merit)
By some quirk of fate, your mage is related to a werewolf, -cat, -raven, -bear or perhaps even one of the more mysterious breeds. The changing blood has not stirred in him - at least not in the traditional way - but it has left its mark. He's immune to the Delirium (the madness that claims those who see a werebeast's half-human form), and he has friends among whichever Breed he's related to. Having this Merit doesn't meant that he knows their secrets or that he can wander around their sacred sites without retribution, but he has a certain edge that no normal mortal can match. If your character is a sorcerer, you might be able to learn a few spirit Gifts, and an Awakened mage can use these inherent magical powers as well without threat of Paradox. However, he can never have Gnosis, the innate connection to the spirit world that all shifters share. You've got a good chance to know some shapechanger lore, and you may share some common contacts and allies. You will probably claim some degree of affection from your relatives' tribe and some animosity from their enemies.

Mage - Shattered Avatar (5pt Merit)
Although not necessarily weak, your character's Avatar has been broken to pieces. Your mage has one splinter - your Avatar rating, if you have one, purchased at the normal cost for that Background - and the other pieces are scattered elsewhere. However, what has been broken can be put back together, at least in this case. If you can find the other pieces of your mage's Avatar through questing and roleplaying, you may increase your Avatar rating after character creation. The other pieces of your character's Avatar may be scattered about the cosmos, secreted in extra-dimensional hidey-holes with sphinxes and other creatures guarding them, or they may be part of a phylactery, of which you have one or more pieces. For instance, perhaps your mage's Avatar is invested in 10 mighty rings, three of which she has (and a corresponding Avatar rating of 3), but she must go and retrieve the others from those who have them. Or perhaps there are other mages who share your character's Avatar, and whenever your mage kills one, her Avatar rating grows by their Avatar rating. Unfortunately, the other mages who have this Avatar are out to kill her as well…. Design the nature of your shattering with your Storyteller and decide beforehand what your character must do to regain a piece of his broken spirit.

Mage - Sphere Natural (5pt Merit)
Your character is able to use one of the Spheres of magic with a greater degree of ease than other mages. For whatever reason (inborn talent, powerful heritage, past life, supernatural bargain, etc.), she's got an affinity for a certain kind of magic. She picked it up quickly, and she now progresses through it at an unusual rate. During character creation, select one Sphere. From this point on, you only pay three-quarters of the normal cost (rounded down) when buying levels, rituals and similar improvements for magic of that Sphere alone. The favored Sphere must be declared at character creation, and it may be purchased only once.

Mage - Twin Souls (4pt Merit)
Your mage's Avatar has been fragmented, and he has a "soulmate" - equal in power to his own Avatar, and similar in Essence, Nature and Demeanor. A physical twin, a look-alike, another mage or a complete stranger (possibly a Sleeper) might posses this fragment. When in physical contact with this soulmate (or spiritual mate, for actions in the Umbra), the two may share Quintessence and cast spells as one, taking the highest ratings in Arete and Spheres, also gaining an additional measure of Quintessence equal to the strength of either individual. The parts are greater than the whole. However, this joint pool must be replenished through meditation in a Node, the same as a regular pool of Quintessence. Paradox points gained from joint spells are not split, however, and each twin gains the same amount of Paradox. With only one dot in Correspondence, your character will always know where her soulmate is. With one dot in Life, she'll know his state of health, and with one in Mind, she may share his thoughts. If one soulmate dies, the player of the other must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) to avoid psychic shock. She must wait also until her soulmate's reincarnation before the power may again be shared. Soulmates are not just walking Merits; they must be presented and run as characters, preferably by different players in a group. Also note that a mage does not have to get along with her soulmate…. Twin souls are distinct and separate individuals, not just tag-team powerhouses.

Mage - Unaging (2pt Merit)
Your mage does not age, ever. Perhaps she drank an elixir in the Mythic Ages, or she tasted the Peach of Immortality, or she ate the Apples of the Hesperides, or she dined on the forbidden savor of mermaid's flesh. Perhaps she was injected with the perfect Iterator nanotech or Progenitor symbiote. Perhaps her body is composed of timeless stone or metal. Perhaps the cause is a complete mystery. Regardless, she remains unchanged as the years pass by, save for scars and accumulated knowledge.

Magic Resistance (3pt Merit)
You have an inherent resistance to the spells of mages of other creeds and orders. The difficulty of such magic, both malicious and beneficent, is two higher when directed at you.

Magic Sensitivity (1pt Merit)
You have a supernatural gift that allows you to know if any magic is in use or had been used recently within a 10-ft radius of yourself.

Manse or Mansion (2pt Merit)
You own a large manor - a home with 25 or more rooms - as well as the surrounding estate. The servants, if you have any, are provided for if you choose this Merit, although they cannot be used as Herd or Retainers unless you purchase the appropriate Background. The mansion is assumed to be fences or walled in, and makes an excellent haven. While the mansion can be in as poor or good repair as you wish, the more inhabited it appears to be, the more attention (from tax men and the like) will it garner. Similarly, superstitious mortals will go out of their way to avoid a "haunted" manor…

Mark of Favor (3pt Merit)
Your God or gods have marked you as one of their own. Although you don't look inhuman per se, this Mark is easy to notice: Perhaps you glow with a faint inner light, possess curly "horned" hair, or radiate the aura of a prophet. Maybe you have stigmata, animalistic features or slitted "dragon's eyes." Those who follow your god will recognize the Mark, and those who oppose it (or who fear anything that seems… different) will consider you a mortal enemy. From time to time, you can turn this favor to your advantage. Any Social roll that involves worshipers of your god subtracts two from its difficulty. Other things, small affinities and talents, advertise your favor, too; a follower of Christ might soothe pain just by standing in a sick person's presence; a Freyja-blessed pagan could have a special affinity for cats and seduction, although a good Jew might speak in powerful, musical tones. These phenomena are subtle mysteries, not magickal Effects, and they depend on the story's circumstances and the Storyteller's whims. You have no real control over such manifestations, but you can be sure they'll appear occasionally.

Mechanical Aptitude (1 or 2pt Merit)
You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices (note that this aptitude does not extend to electronics devices such as computers). The difficulties of all dice rolls to understand, repair or operate any kind of mechanical device are two less. However, this merit doesn’t help you drive any sort of vehicle.

Media Ties (2pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts in the local media. You can suppress and create news stories (though not always with 100 percent efficiency; journalists are an unruly bunch and you have access to the files and gossip of the staffs of newspapers and TV stations.

Medium (2 or 4pt Merit)
You possess the natural affinity to sense and hear spirits, ghosts, and shades. Though you cannot see them, you can sense them, speak to them and, through pleading or cajoling, draw them to your presence. You may call upon them for aid or advice, but there will always be a price.

Mercantile Ties (3pt Merit)
You have influence & contacts in the local merchant community. You understand the dynamics of money in the city & have links w/ all the major players. In times of need, you can cause all sorts of financial mayhem & can raise considerable amounts of money.

Miracles of the Faith (5pt Merit)
Somehow, in some way even you don’t understand, you are able to conjure miracles. You cannot do so on command, or even very often, but when the power comes upon you, the results are impressive. Fountains turn from water to blood, bread turns to flesh and other such impossibilities occur in your presence, usually when you need them to manifest to convince unbelievers or inspire the faithful. The source of your powers is unknown, though you most probably see it as a mark of divine favor. Whether or not that is actually the case, or if there are darker powers involved, is a question you prefer not to examine.

Mother’s Insight (4pt Merit)
You have an uncanny ability to see into the heart of a situation. You make all Wits-related rolls (with the exception of initiative rolls) at -1 to your difficulty. Additionally, in situations where three or more successes are required, you need one less success to accomplish your task. You cannot botch Wits-related rolls (again, excluding initiative rolls), although you can fail them.

Mystic Ability (2pt Merit)
For some reasons you have visions. the visions are not necessarily precognitive, but like precognition, the visions occur outside your control. You may make yourself more sensitive to them through ascetic practices, but you can never consciously induce a vision. The again you may have a vision as you're walking down the street minding your own business.

N

Natural Cypher (2pts)
You have a natural flair for mathematical aptitude. You may have little to no formal schooling that involves numbers or logic, but when presented with a problem that involves numbers or logic, you are able to tackle it with great facility. Add three dice to your dice pool when employing this Merit against logic problems, mathematical problems, and games that require mathematical aptitude.

Natural Leader (1pt Merit)
You are gifted with a certain magnetism to which others naturally defer. You receive two extra dice when making Leadership rolls. You must have a Charisma rating of 3 or greater to purchase this Merit.

Natural Linguist (2 pt Merit)
You have a flair for languages. This Merit does not allow you to learn more languages than the number permitted by your Linguistics score, but you may add three dice to any Dice Pool involving languages (both written and spoken)

Natural Swimmer (2pt Merit)
The character takes to the water as if she were born in it (perhaps she was). Her swimming speed is calculated as if her Athletics score were one dot higher, and all rolls for maneuvering underwater are made at -2 difficulty. This merit only costs 1 point for aquatic characters such as rokea.

Nightclub (2pt Merit)
You own a moderate-sized nightclub, perhaps one of the hottest nightspots in the city. This club brings in enough money to support you in moderate luxury ($1000 a month, but it can grow) , but more important than the money is the prestige. You may use the nightclub as your haven, or you may simply hang out there. The name of the nightclub, its style, design, and its regular patrons are all up to you. Variations on this there could include a restaurant, theater, comedy club, sports arena or retail store.

Nightsight (3pt Merit)
You can see in near total darkness. This odd gift may come from an arcane power, an affinity to darkness, or some faint relation to the catfolk. So long as some light source exisits, your vision remains acute. Really bad conditions might demand a Perc + Alert roll, but under most circumstances, you can see as well by night as you can by cloudy daylight. Bright lights, especially sudden ones, dazzle you for a turn or so, perhaps longer if the light is really blinding, otherwise, your sight is fairly normal, not enhanced.

Nine Lives (6pt Merit)
Fate has granted you the opportunity to come as close to Final Death as anyone can get and still survive. When a roll occurs that would result in your death, the roll is made again. If the next roll succeeds, then you live - and one of your nine lives is used up. If that subsequent roll fails, then another re-roll is made until either a successful roll occurs or your nine lives are used up. The Storyteller should keep careful count of how many lives the character has remaining.

No Aura (3pt Merit)
By some fluke of fate, you have absolutely no aura of any kind. While this is extremely useful for preventing others from reading your emotions or recognizing you for what you are (if you are a Mage or Garou, for example), it also tends to make others around you uncomfortable, as if they can unconsciously sense that there is something wrong about you. This also makes those capable of seeing auras very suspicious - not having any aura at all is unnatural (All attempts to read your aura automatically fail because you don't have one).

Noble Bearing (1pt Merit)
Some people were born to lead. You are one of them. Were you born of noble blood? Perhaps not, but you still act as if you were, and often you impress others as a result. Your true heritage doesn't matter; people respect you on sight. In game terms, this Merit lowers Social roll difficulties in conciliatory situations by two. In story terms, it gives you an air of respectability no matter where you are or what you do. It also makes you a target for jealousy, gossip and assassination attempts, but that's the cost of charisma…

Numinist - Detached (4pt Merit)
Your psychic has the rare ability to view his psychic abilities as separate from his physical existence and an maintain this distance even under adverse conditions. Wound penalties don't affect your use of psychic powers until your character reaches Incapacitated. If he's Incapacitated, then you may spend a willpower point to use a psychic power at half the normal dice pool (rounded down). This action may be performed only once per scene, after which the character falls unconscious, so choose last-ditch efforts carefully.

Numinist - Wild Talent (4pt Merit to 4pt Flaw)
Though many psychics lack formal training of their gifts, some lack even the most basic control of their powers. These “wild” psychics tend to have powerful gifts, though the lack of control makes up for the extra power they might have. To determine the level of the Flaw, use the following table. The total Merit or Flaw cannot exceed 4 pts.
+1 = For every extra die the character has when using the power.
-1 = The character must make a willpower roll (diff 7) to use the power.
-2 = The character can only consciously use the power defensively. (i.e. A precognitive character can activate her Danger Sense, or a telekinetic can use the power to deflect attacks.)
-3 = The character has no conscious control of the power, but it works more often to the character’s benefit than not. (A clairvoyant who has useful clairvoyant dreams.)
-4 = The character’s power activates randomly (at least once per game session) and often at inopportune or embarrassing moments.

O

Occult Library (2pt Merit)
You possess a library of occult material which may include at least one version of the Book of Nod. You are not necessarily familiar with the contents of these volumes of knowledge (that is a function of your Abilities), but in time of need your library can be an invaluable source for research.

One of the Guys/Girls (2pt Merit)
Whether you’re a woman who loves to drink beer while watching the game, or a man who appreciates the finer points of a good book and a bubble bath, there’s something about you that automatically puts the opposite sex at ease. The difficulty of all appropriate social rolls involving the opposite gender is -1.

Oracular Ability (3pt Merit)
You can see and interpret signs and omens. You are able to draw from these omens, for they provide hints of the future and warnings of the present. When the Storyteller feels that you are in a position to see and omen, you will be required to make a Perception + Occult roll, with the difficulty relative to how well the omen is concealed. If successful, you may then roll Intelligence + Occult to interpret what you have seen, the difficulty again relative to the complexity of the omen.

P

Pale Aura (2pt Merit)
Any color your aura takes has a pallor to it like a Vampire’s. In fact, if a Vampire makes less than 5 successes on an Aura Perception roll, she believes you to be one of them.

Patience (3pt Merit)
You have learned the wisdom of patience in all things. Passions may burn brightly; but as they say revenge is served best cold. Often, with enough patience, new avenues of endeavor open, enemies grow careless and favors shift. Those who wait and watch are in a position to take full advantage of the vagaries of time. Due too your mastery of patience all Frenzy rolls are made with a -1 difficulty modifier.

Pelagic Harmony (3pt Merit)
A rare state of mind that runs counter to this disorder, seems to grant the reverse effect, giving added mental equilibrium (-1 difficulty to all willpower rolls) if the character is on or within sight of the sea.

Pillar of the Community (2 pt Merit)
You’re a fine, upstanding person, respected by people around you. Through participation in local events, helping out with community groups or helping others, you’ve become well-liked and trusted by those who live around you. When you bring them a warning of potential danger or offer an explanation of strange events, they’re likely to believe you. You may even be able to call upon their aid in a pinch. You may not get it, however.

Pitiable (1pt Merit)
There is something about you that others pity. This causes them to care for you as if you were a child (see the Archetypes section). Some Natures will not be affected by this Merit )Autocrat, Deviant, Fanatic, Sycophant), and some Demeanor may pretend they are not. You need to decide what it is about you that attracts such pity, and how much (or how littler) you like it.

Poisonous Blood (3pt Merit)
Your blood is poisonous to kindred, though they will not know until they drink it. Every blood point drunk causes 1 health level of damage (lethal) to them.

Police Ties (3pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts in the local police department. You can, with a single phone call, cause a APB to be issued. However, the more often you use your ties with the police department, the weaker they become, and the more attention you attract towards yourself. Your influence is not solid (that can be achieved only through game play), and can let you down at times.

Political Ties (3pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts among the politicians and bureaucrats of the city. In times of need, you can shut off the power and water to a building or neighborhood, and can unleash many different means of harassment against your enemies. The more you use your political ties, the weaker they become. Total control can only be achieved through game play.

Precocious (3pt Merit)
You learn quickly. The time for you to pick up a particular Ability (or Abilities, at Storyteller discretion) is cut in half, as is the experience cost.

Precognition (4pt Merit)
You have the ability to perceive events before they happen. this ability is not under your control. The premonitions come to you when you least expect them to. The focus of the premonition is not under your control either.

Prescience (6pt Merit)
Some people bear the strange gift of foresight, though their revelations are brief and dim, Prescience gives little insight of immediate or tactical value, but it does prepare the character somewhat for the future. This insight may be anything form knowing whether or not an individual may be trusted, recognizing an object of value, or any other effect that the Storyteller will allow for the sake of the story. The exact nature of the character’s premonitions are handled by the Storyteller. It is worthwhile to note that the these visions are not "possible futures". Rather, they are murky and vague fragments of a definite time to come.

Prophetic (3pts)
You see the future and detect pivotal moments in time. You may have some ritual or routine to perform when you try to glimpse future nights, but most often, your ability is sporadic and involuntary. You might be harassed by distant sounds echoing backward through time, or you might recieve terrifically vivid mental images of a single future moment. The Storyteller may require a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty based on your proximity to a person or place that will be instrumental to history) to make sense of your prophetic signal. Prophecies may be important or insignificant and may relate to the future of the world or your future alone.

Prophetic Ability (4pt Merit)
God speaks to you in signs and portents, visions and images. Some visions may be precognitive, while others might be warning or advice. You can not request or induce others a prophetic vision; they come in on their own. These visions will range from the obvious to the symbolic; the exact nature and effect of the visions is up to the Storyteller. This Merit should provide dramatic moments, and players should not come to rely upon them for plot resolution.

R

Regurgitate (1pt Merit)
You have the ability to bring things you've eaten back up at will. This messy and disgusting ability is useful if you're in the habit of using your digestive tract as a storage device. Anything brought back from the pit of your stomach is mixed with partially digested food and other bile. As vampires cannot keep anything but blood down (and those with the Eat Food Merit must bring what they eat back up), they cannot purchase this Merit.

Resemble Kindred (2pt Merit)
You look like a Vampire - usually pale and thin like them. You can move among them as one of them, but they may force the new strange before the Prince for recognition, and he may ask for a Blood Bond. This Merit does not automatically make you aware of vampires or anything associated with them.

S

Sanctity (2pt Merit)
This Merit is sometimes called the halo effect; everyone consid4ers you pure and innocent, though not necessarily not naive. You have a saint-like quality that is hard to pinpoint but cannot be denied. You are trusted, even if you are not trustworthy. At Storyteller's discretion, you tend to receive lesser punishments for wrongdoing, and you are liked by most.

Sea Legs (1pt merit)
No landlubber, you're a salty sea dog at heart. You're at home on a boat, even when traveling through rough seas. You suffer no penalty due to rough seas or unpredictable sea motion on any actions performed while on board.

Seasoned Traveler (2-4pt merit)
You've visited different places on your own, and you know how to fit in. You don't hit town expecting everyone to think and behave the way you do. With the 2-point version, you're adept at finding accommodations, supplies, and local help wherever you go in your home country. With the 4-point version, the same applies to foreign countries. You might not speak the language of the place well, or at all, but you know how to go about obtaining things and learning about the local culture without offending the natives, through a combination of prior research and general street smarts.

Scholar of Enemies (2pt Merit)
You have taken the time to learn about and specialize in one particular enemy of the Technocracy. You are aware of at least some of the group's customs, strategies, abilities and long-term goals, and can put that knowledge to good use. This Merit is worth a -2 difficulty for all rolls pertaining specifically to the subject of your specialization. On the other hand, you are at a +1 difficulty when it comes to dealing with other enemies simply because you're so thoroughly focused on your field.

Selective Distraction (1pt Merit)
The character has trained, or lost, his mind to not betray his inner most secrets when pried by others. Rather than remaining focused on one thing at a time, he focuses on many to prevent those that would seek to read his thoughts from discerning their true nature, layering his own thoughts with surface ones relating to something completely different. The character may appear erratic, distracted and sometimes confused and in reality he is, forcing himself not to focus too much on the issue at hand and keep his mind on other things.

System: The first two layers of thoughts linger on something completely irrelevant to the situation at hand, perhaps focusing on what the character had for lunch or what the intend to do that night. Any attempt to read a characters thoughts (for example, through Auspex) will pick up these two surface layers before anything else. The penalty of keeping the characters mind on tasks other than the one at hand is that he is unable to concentrate or focus on the here and now. The character suffers a +1 difficulty penalty for perception based rolls when his mind wanders and a +1 difficulty penalty to extended actions. The merit may be turned off at will, the character letting down his mental guard to allow him to focus more easily, though it is default is that it is active.

Self-Confident (5pt Merit)
You spend a point of Willpower to gain an automatic success, your self-confidence may allow you to gain the benefit of that expenditure without actually losing the Willpower point. You do not lose the point when you spend it, unless you end the roll with only one success (i.e. you do not gain any additional successes from the dice you roll. This Merit may only be used when you need confidence in your abilities in order to succeed. This means you can use it only when the difficulty of your roll is six or higher. You may spend Willpower at other times; however, if the difficulty is five or less, the Willpower will be spent no matter what you roll.

Silence (1pt Merit)
You have an unusual ability to move quietly that goes far beyond the norm. Reduce the difficulty on any Stealth roll involving moving quietly by two. you are even able to move quietly over dry leaves. Should the wind blow while you're moving, there's no way to hear you.

Smooth (5pt Merit)
Your character might come from the wrong side of the tracks. She might not have known the proper etiquette in every situation. She probably don’t have a clue which fork to use when eating out. Yet none of that matters. She presents herself with such an easy grace and carefree attitude that people forgive her most errors. They might not like her much, but they enjoy her company so much that her rougher edges are quickly forgiven and forgotten. Reduce the difficulty of any Manipulation rolls by two (This does not apply to rolls using Supernatural elements, such as the Vampiric Discipline Dominate).

Soothing Voice (3pt Merit)
Your voice is calm and soothing, almost entrancing. You may add two dice to all rolls that directly involve use of your voice - singing, debating, leading etc.

Sorcerous Awareness (4pt Merit)
For some reason, you have been gifted with the ability to detect when any of the Devils arts (i.e.,magic) is in use or has been used recently within a 10ft radius of yourself. This also includes all supernatural Disciplines and Gifts. How much you may know about this magic depends upon the number of successes you roll using Perception + Occult (difficulty)

Spark of Life (5pt Merit)
Life thrives in your presence. Something about your vibrant soul stirs the life-force in plants, animals and your fellow human beings. In your hands, flowers bloom, children laugh and sickly beings revive. Animals favor you, and any crop you plant will prosper. You're a natural healer, a friend to farmers, and a lover of all things sensual and alive. Cruelty and waste are abhorrent to you - you might occasionally heal even enemies if they seem to have some chance of redemption. In game terms, this Merit allows you to heal both yourself and others. If you suffer aggravated wounds, they may be "repaired" as if they were normal wounds. Your own injuries heal as if they were one health level less severe than they are; if you are Injured, you recover in three days what others need a week to restore. Your touch comforts ailing people or animals, too, easing their pain and allowing them to heal at your accelerated rate. Even so, this benefit requires constant care; a bruised friend can recover in minutes, but a badly hurt or sickly person requires days or even weeks of hands-on healing. This mystic Spark flows from the essence of Life itself; this, any Life Sphere working that heals, creates or encourages growth subtracts two from its casting difficulty, up to a maximum -3 difficulty limit. (Note that Life spells which harm or torment a living thing do not receive this bonus.) Naturally, this wonder has a price: vampires and demons find your blood extraordinarily tasty, and they love to corrupt persons such as you. Ghosts often become melancholy in your presence, and evil spirits seek to annihilate that loathsome Spark. You are everything the Devil hates, although your kindness and carnal appetites may be turned to his advantage. Tread your path with care!

Special Gift (1-3pt Merit)
Your sire gave you a valuable gift after the Embrace. The Storyteller should create something suitable or choose one item from the Mystical Items lists to gave to you (though you can suggest something). The Storyteller will decide how much a particular item is worth.

Spirit Mentor (3pt Merit)
You have a ghostly companion and guide. The identity and exact powers of this spirit are up to the Storyteller, but it can be called upon in difficult situations for help and guidance.

Spirit Sight (4 point Merit)
You can see and hear all varieties of spirits, changelings, wraiths and similar entities. This merit provides all the advantages granted by the Merit Medium. This merit is a mixed blessing. Seeing these beings is not a choice, it is a normal part of you vision. You cannot help but see them. Being yelled at by an irate wraith who is shaking her fist in your face can be extremely distracting if you are attempting to hold a conversation with someone, and it's even worse if you are driving a car in bad weather.

Spy Network (2pt Merit)
You begin play with access to a group of mortals who frequently bring you information on the daylight world or on faraway places. Their information is both up-to-date and fairly reliable, and they are not likely to lie to you. However, these cannot be used as Allies or Retainers(unless you have that Background too); they have their own aims. Why do they keep you informed? Do you pay them? Perform occasional "favors" for them? Dominate their leader? Or are they mortal friends and family? Also, how much do they know about you? (The more they know, the better they can search out relevant information and pursue useful rumors - but the more damage they could do if they betray you.) A spy network might be anything from a peasant family to a coven of witches, a merchant family's underlings to a network of wandering lepers. What they can discover will depend upon who they are; different people move in different circles, after all.

Street Rep (1-2pt Merit)
People know you. Maybe you creamed a roomful of enforcers, maybe you have a way of surviving tough situations, or perhaps you just have a really good PR person running scam talks about you. In any case, people know your name. Whether this Trait becomes a Merit or a Flaw depends on what you're known for. Characters known for good things - helping needy people, contributing time to help teach city kids, etc. - will buy this as a Merit. Those known for darker deeds - killing hitmen or cops, getting all your charges dropped, trashing folks who get in your way, etc. - must buy it as a Flaw. Either variation will make you a hero in someone's eyes and a target in others'.

Street Ties (2pt Merit)
You've spent a lot of time on the street, and usually have a pretty good idea who to talk to, to locate someone or get some information. This Merit doesn't guarantee success - or survival - on the street, but it makes it easier. Characters with Street Ties may reduce their Streetwise difficulty rolls by 2 in appropriate situations. Storytellers and players are encouraged to elaborate on this Merit by creating networks of informants and contacts that the character interacts with regularly.

Supporter (2pt Merit)
You inspire all around you to greater efforts. Whether by speaking, writing or leading by example, you give anyone who works with you reason to go on and hope of success. You have a -2 diff to Social rolls and you give any group effort +1 to its total dice pool.

T

Talented Liar (2pt merit)
Others may give themselves away when they lie. A stammer, a glance at the ground, a quaver in the voice, they all suggest deceit to the would be duped. Not you. You can tell even brazen lies and make them sound entirely truthful. Even old priests have a hard time discerning when you're lying. If you're crafty, you may even be able to figure out ways around the supernatural techniques some use. All rolls to discern whether or not you're lying are at a +2 diff. In the case of something really obvious, it is still a +1 diff.

Technocratic Ties (3pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contact with some local agents of the Technocracy. You have some glimmer of understanding of their goals and occasional access to unusual technologies. This relationship(s) must be kept secret, lest your contacts - or possibly you - come to an unexpected end. The more you use your ties, the weaker they become.

Time Sense (1pt Merit)
You have an innate sense of time and are able to estimate the passage of time accurately without using a watch or other mechanical device. You can accomplish this whether you are concentrating or not. You can estimate the time of day within a minute or two, and the passage of time with the same accuracy.

Top Secret Access (2pt Merit)
Anyone in a clandestine intelligence agency is allowed access to information not available to the general public, but you are privy to secrets known only to a select few. The Storyteller should decide what the nature of this information is, as well as its source. Perhaps a mysterious ‘Deep throat’ type character contacts you occasionally, or maybe your Aunt Gertrude works at the Pentagon. The information is useful, and usually accurate, but not necessarily complete or always available. The information you receive is no doubt dangerous to possess but your source is confidential, and leaks are unlikely.

Tough as Nails (3pt Merit)
You come from hardy, thick-skinned stock, or perhaps the gods have favored you. You shrug off damage easier than most. All soak rolls are made at -1 diff.

Traveler's Intuition (1pt Merit)
No matter where you might be headed, a certain "navigator's reckoning" keeps you going in more or less the right direction. This sense is in no way exact, but it can keep you from getting hopelessly lost, even in a maze. It might take time - lots of time - but you will find your way to your destination. Ruleswise, this Merit functions as a plot device. In any nonmackigal maze, wilderness or city, you can find your way to your goal without becoming hopelessly lost. Navigation-based rolls (usually Perception + Science: Navigation) have their difficulties reduced by two. Note that this is not an "internal map"; under most circumstances, you simply have a feeling about which direction to take. Unless someone uses magick to puzzle you, you'll never really get lost. If someone does try to foul your senses with a spell, this Merit gives you an extra die of countermagick to resist the enchantment's effects. When combined with magickal navigation, this Merit reduces the casting difficulty by two, but does not confer any other benefit for Correspondence-based spells (and the usual maximum reduction of -3 still applies).

True Faith (7pt Merit)
You have a deep-seated faith in and love for God, or whatever name you choose to call the Almighty. You being the game with one point of True Faith; this Trait adds one die per point to all Willpower and Virtue rolls. You must have a Humanity of 9 or higher to choose this Merit, and if you lose even a single point, all your Faith points are lost and may be regained only when the lost Humanity is recovered. Individuals with True Faith are capable of performing magical acts akin to miracles, but the exact nature of those acts is up to the Storyteller.

U

Unbondable (3pt Merit)
You are immune to being blood bound by Kindred.

Uncanny Logic (2pt Merit)
You have an uncanny reasoning ability that allows you to take apparently innocuous facts and ruthlessly deduce their true meaning. There is nothing supernatural in this: you have just been blessed with an ordered and uncluttered mind that can work through trains of thought more fully than others can manage. All difficulties on rolls involving deduction decrease by 2.

Underworld Ties (3pt Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts in the local Mafia and organized street gangs. This provides you with limited access to a large number of "soldiers", as well as extensive links to the underworld of crime. The more often you use your ties with the criminal element, the weaker they grow.

Unimpressed (5pt Merit)
You have tight control over your emotions and a monstrous awareness of self. All rolls to affect you with Presence or otherwise magically tamper with your emotions add 2 to the difficulty. Only characters with Self-Control 4+ and Willpower 6+ may purchase or retain the benefits of this Merit.

University (4pt Merit)
You have control over a University. The trustees & important officials serve your interests. You have full access to the school & you can hunt the campus freely. The libraries & professors are useful in providing you w/ research information.

University Ties (3pt Merit)
You have close associations with the faculty and staff of a university in the local area. You may or may not be a student, but you are well aware of the ins and outs of the academic lifestyle on the campus, perhaps even having friends among those who live and work there. Because of your close familiarity, Knowledges may be increased at half-cost.

Unmarred Face (2-6pt Merit)
Even if your body is a leprous husk of pustules or a monstrous chimera of fused animals, your face is eerily pristine. So long as your face is the only part of you that is visible, your effective Appearance rating is one dot for every two points invested in this Merit. Obviously, this Merit is useless (and not permissible) to characters without a serious full-body deformity of some kind.

Unshockable (3pt Merit)
The service of the Pit demands many unconscionable acts: cannibalism, torture, shit-eating, demon-fucking… Somewhere down the road, the Unshockable character has lost all sense of shame or revulsion. Without a flicker of emotion, he can perform atrocities that would make a Jacquerie blanch. He has a cast-iron stomach, too - no substance is too revolting for him to consume. Fellow diabolists look upon such steadfastness with wonder and a touch of fear. After all, if this person can skin a baby so effortlessly, how hard would he find it to do the same to his friends?

Useful Knowledge (1pt Merit)
You have expertise in a specific field that makes your conversation intriguing to an older Kindred. So long as your knowledge holds the other vampire's attention, he has a vested interest in keeping you around. Then again, once he's pumped you for every iota of information you possess, that patronage may suddenly vanish. (Note: This Merit should be played like a 1 - dot Mentor with a specific interest. However, unlike a Mentor, Useful Knowledge does not imply a permanent relationship.)

V

Valuable Secret (2pt Merit)
Others would kill or die to know ths secret you guard. The Valuable Secret should be created & given by the Storyteller. Whatever the case, only those involved in the secret and the character know about the Valuable Secret.

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Way With Words (1pt merit)
Language is a finely honed tool for you. Not a blunt instrument. You are able to create exactly the effect you want by choosing your words carefully, in both written and verbal communication. Gain two dice on any Expression roll that involves words.

Weather Sense (1pt Merit)
This merit grants occasional warnings (with a Perception + Survival roll, difficulty 7) of impending inclement weather, even that which stems from unnatural causes.

Well-Placed Confessor (1-3pt Merit)
Either you or someone you control has obtained the position of personal confessor to a figure of some importance. It could be a local lord, an abbot or even a king. As confessor, or patron to the confessor, you have access to the content of the individual's confession, which may well include tidbits of extreme political importance, blackmail material or salable intelligence. Whether you honor the sanctity of the confessional is up to you; the information is in your hands to do with as you will.

Well-Traveled (2pt Merit)
You've traveled all over the globe, seen many different cities & meet a great number of Kindred. There's a chance you'll know of a vampire from another city when you hear his name. This is an Intelligence roll.

Werewolf Companion (3pt Merit)
You have a friend and ally who just happens to be a werewolf. Though you may call upon this being in time of need, it also has the right to call upon you (after all, you are friends). However, neither your kind nor its appreciates such a relationship, and your respective societies will punish both of you if your friendship is discovered. Arranging for meeting places and methods of communication will be difficulty. The Storyteller will create the werewolf character but will not reveal to you its full powers and potencies.

Wunderkind (4 point Merit)
At an early age (younger than 13 years old), you performed at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding field of endeavor. As a child prodigy you had a degree of fame and recognition that persists through adulthood. Public interest in you and your ability have endured, ensuring for the most part job security and funding to support growth of your talent. Prodigies will find doors opened to them that others would not under normal circumstances - the chance to join a top government agency in their twenties, perhaps, or the ability to apply for vast amounts of financial backing from private and governmental organizations to fund one's important research decades earlier than your everyday Joe.

Characters with the Wunderkind Merit must have one Ability at 4 or higher, taken with a predeclared Expertise. The character is assumed to possess the equivalent of Fame 2, and to have a web of 2 Contact points available to him through hopeful connections forged as a child, associated with his field of expertise.

Z