Philodox Gifts
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Philodox Gifts
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Level 1
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Level 2
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Level 3
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Level 4
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Level 5
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Level One
Ma’at’s Feather
Source: WW3806 - Player's Guide to the Garou Revised, p. 187
Description: According to Egyptian legend, if the heart of one of the dead was heavier than Ma’at’s feather, she would feed it to the beast Ammit, destroying their soul entirely. If it was lighter, then the dead person was admitted to the afterlife. This Gift was first the province of Silent Strider Philodox (and is still most common amongst that tribe), but has spread throughout all of Garou society. It allows the Philodox to sense the weight of a fallen Garou’s soul and determine if he died as one of Gaia, or had fallen to the Wyrm. It is used to determine what rituals will be undertaken for the deceased, and is taught by a bird- or lion-spirit.
System: If the Garou died in the service of Gaia, the Gift works automatically, revealing this to be so. If however, the Garou had betrayed the Mother, then a roll of the Philodox’s Perception + Occult (difficulty of the deceased’s former Gnosis) is needed to correctly determine their guilt. A simple success is sufficient, and the Storyteller is encouraged to roll secretly for each use of this Gift, to keep the players guessing.
Moon Lore
Source: WW3812 - Book of Auspices p. 79
Description: Using this Gift, the werewolf can learn the phase of the moon that heralded the birth of another. Although it can determine auspice, Moon Lore gives no clue to whether the subject is a werewolf or even if it is supernatural in any way; being born under a waxing gibbous moon means much more to a Garou than it does to a normal human. Any moon-spirit can teach this Gift.
System: A single success on a Perception + Primal-Urge roll (difficulty 6) is required to determine the moon’s phase at the time of the subject’s birth; two successes determine whether tit was waxing or waning.
Resist Pain
Also a Level 1 Children of Gaia Gift / Level 1 Get of Fenris Gift / Level 1 Wendigo Gift
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 139, 145, 147, 154
Description: Through force of will, the Philodox is able to ignore the pain of his wounds and continue acting normally. A bear-spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The player spends one Willpower point; his character may ignore all wound penalties for the rest of the scene.
Scent of the True Form
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 139
Description: This Gift allows the Garou to determine the true nature of a person. This information is conveyed as an olfactory sensation — it is actually a scent of the target’s natural form. Any spirit servant of Gaia can teach this Gift.
System: The Garou can tell automatically when someone is a werewolf; anything else requires a Perception + Primal-Urge roll. It takes two successes to detect vampires, faeries or other shapeshifters as such, and it takes four to detect fomori or mages.
Truth of Gaia
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 139
Description: As judges of the Litany, Philodox have the ability to sense whether others have spoken truth or falsehood. A Gaffling of Falcon teaches this Gift.
System: The player rolls Intelligence + Empathy (difficulty of the subject’s Manipulation + Subterfuge). This Gift reveals only whether the target speaks the truth or lies.
Level Two
Call to Duty
Also a Level 2 Silent Strider (Camp: Wayfarers) Gift '
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140 / WW3859 - Silent Striders Tribebook Revised p. 76
Description: Any spirit the Philodox knows by name is a potential servitor. With this Gift, the werewolf can summon and command any spirit she knows by name. Only one command is possible at a time, and the spirit departs after fulfilling the one request. An Incarna avatar teaches this Gift.
System: Obviously, the Philodox must learn the spirit’s name, which usually requires personal acquaintance or use of the Gift: Name the Spirit. The Player rolls Charisma + Leadership (difficulty of the spirit’s Willpower). If the player spends two Gnosis points, the werewolf can summon all Gaian spirits within one mile to protect or assist her, even if she does not know their names.
King of the Beasts
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140
Description: The Philodox’s authority extends even into the realm of beasts, such that he can command the loyalty of any specific animal. If successful, the animal follows his commands willingly and unconditionally. A lion- or falcon-spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The Philodox must choose one target within 100 feet. The player rolls Charisma + Animal Ken against a difficulty based on the werewolf’s relationship with the animal. This power works on only one animal at a time, and it does not attract animals to the Garou’s vicinity (see the Level Four lupus Gift: Beast Life).
| Relationship | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| A sibling | 3 |
| Feed and care for | 6 |
| Stranger | 8 |
| Hostile | 10 |
Strength of Purpose
Also a Level 2 Get of Fenris Gift (Camp: Fangs of Garm)
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140 / WW3855 - Get of Fenris Tribebook Revised p. 78
Description: Some Garou feel so strongly about their place in the pack, the tribe and the world that they can draw on this resolve in times of need. The Philodox can pull new resolve from his deepest reserves. A wolf-spirit teaches this Gift.
System: Once per scene, the player may roll Stamina + Rituals (difficulty 7). For every two successes, the Philodox recovers one point of Willpower up to her maximum.
Omen of Truth
Source: WW3812 - Book of Auspices p. 79
Description: Half Moons are seldom called upon to make easy decisions or clear-cut judgements — if things were so simple, the Philodox would not be needed. Yet when it comes down to it, even the judge could use a hint now and then. By taking a moment to look around, the wise Garou may see in the fall of a leaf or path of a butterfly an answer he seeks.
System: The player spends a Gnosis point and makes a Perception + Enigmas roll (difficulty varies, from 9 in a featureless, sealed space to 5 for a forest at sunset). The Gift takes a minimum of one full minute to use; the user gains a -1 difficulty if he dwells on the problem for ahlf an hour. Successes add to the nature and certainty of the omen, while a botch brings an equally certain but erroneous conclusion. More than most, the effects of this Gift are up to the Storyteller, and depend on the situation; in general, through, the Storyteller should use it to give a hint as to Gaia’s two cents worth on the matter in question.
Realm Wisdom
Source: WW3111 - Umbra (Revised) p. 134
Description: A wise Garou knows to obey the laws of a realm for maximum results; however, sometimes those laws aren’t immediately obvious. Although experience is the best teacher, sometimes a Philodox needs to take a shortcut. By channeling the wisdom of a realm’s spirits, the Philodox can intuitively guess important facts about the realm. This Gift is taught by an ancestor-spirit.
System: This Gift works in any realm or zone. The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Perception + Law against a variable difficulty; the more obscure or less traveled the realm, the higher the difficulty. For example, trying to glean wisdom about the CyberRealm or Battleground might be difficulty 6, whereas learning the laws of the Null Zone might be a 9. Each success gains a relevant fact about the realm, to a maximum of five successes. The Storyteller determines which facts are most relevant; for example, if the player gains only one success in the Abyss, the Storyteller might feel that the most important fact is “don’t fall in; if you fall into the Abyss, you’re lost forever.” This Gift functions only once per visit to any given realm, and doesn’t prevent redundancy; a Philodox might “learn” the same fact twice in successive visits to a realm.
Level Three
Bonds that Tie Us
Source: WW3806 - Player's Guide to the Garou Revised, p. 187
Description: The Philodox is mediator and judge, but is also investigator. The Gift assists a Philodox with such matters by revealing any emotions and opinions that exist between two people. Many Garou detest this Gift, since it is indiscriminate, revealing any emotion that may exist. It is taught by an ant-spirit.
System: The player spends one Rage as the Philodox taps deep into his own wellspring of emotion, connecting those emotions to those of his target. After this, the Philodox whispers the name of a person with whom the target has a relationship, and the Philodox will immediately feel every emotion toward that person that the target has. These emotions aren’t real (at least to the Philodox), but they certainly feel it, and it is wise to avoid the person to whom those emotions are directed for as long as the effect lasts (one scene). A Garou or other supernatural that does not wish to cooperate with the Gift may roll their Willpower (difficulty of the Philodox’s rage) with a success preventing use of this Gift.
Divided Heart
THIS GIFT IS NOT YET APPROVED FOR USE ON CITY OF HOPE. OPEN A +REQUEST IF YOU WISH TO LEARN IT
Source: WW3812 - Book of Auspices p. 79
Description: The heart of the werewolf is filled with rage, and quite often, this internal fire can overcome a werewolf’s strength of will. With this Gift, taught by any tree spirit, a Philodox can briefly allow another to “hold back” the fury inside, lest a poorly made decision cause irreparable damage.
System: The purpose of this Gift is to help alleviate the difficulties a werewolf encounters when his Rage exceeds his Willpower (Werewolf, p. 126). For every success on a Manipulation + Primal Urge roll by the Philodox player, one penalty die is negated for the target character. The effects last for five minutes per success — a Philodox can temporarily alleviate the Curse, but never negate it.
Sense Balance
Source: WW3108 - Werewolf Players Guide (2nd Edition) p. 37
Description: As the arbitrators of the Garou Nation, the Philodox have developed an attunement with the precarious forces that balance the world and the individual alike. This Gift allows the user to detect an overabundance of any of the prime forces of the universe, whether Wyrm, Wyld or Weaver. It can point out a Bane manifestation at an industrial plant or mental instability in a packmate. A cat-spirit teaches a friendly Garou this Gift in exchange for a warm fire and promise not to chase her kin.
System: The Gift requires the expenditure of one Gnosis point. With a successful Perception + Enigmas roll (difficulty 8) the Garou can feel the balance, or lack thereof, within an area, person or inanimate object. Wyrm manifestation feels dense and oily, Weaver presence feels cold and unyielding and Wyld energies feel warm and trembling. Such manifestations are more subtle than ones detectable through Gifts such as Sense Wyrm.
The Philodox must focus and be at peace for this Gift to work properly. Distractions, such as combat or exhaustion, disrupt any benefits of the Gift — the Garou can find only her own imbalance in such instances.
Weak Arm
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140
Description: Philodox are masters of judgment, and this trait extends even into the field of battle. By watching an opponent’s fighting style, the werewolf can evaluate his strengths and weaknesses. Snake- and wind-spirits teach this Gift.
System: The player rolls Perception + Brawl (difficulty 8). Each success gives her one bonus die to add to her attack or damage rolls against this opponent. For instance, a Philodox who gets four successes on this roll could add two dice to her attack rolls and two to her damage pool. This Gift can be used against a given foe only once per scene, and the benefits are lost at the end of the scene. The Garou must concentrate for a full turn to use this Gift.
Wisdom of the Ancient Ways
Also a Level 3 Wendigo Gift / Level 3 Uktena Gift
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140 / WW3862 - Tribebook: Uktena (revised) p. 68
Description: All werewolves have an innate connection to their ancestors, a form of racial unconscious accessible through intense meditation. The Philodox can tap into these deep memories to remember ancient facts and lore. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The character must meditate for a short time, concentrating on the past. The player then rolls Gnosis (difficulty 9, -1 for each point of Ancestors the Garou possesses). The number of successes determines how detailed and exact the answer he receives will be.
Level Four
Reality’s Path
Source: WW3812 - Book of Auspices p. 79
Description: Perception is subjective, but the Philodox cannot afford that luxury. This Gift allows the user to sense whether what the subject believes to be true is actually false. A Jaggling of Falcon teaches this Gift.
System: The player rolls Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 7). A single success determines if what the subject is telling an unintended untruth. Three successes will discover if the subject was deliberately misled. Five successes or more will reveal the truth of the lie at its simplest level (it might tell who perpetrated a crime, but not why or who the perp was working for). Note that this Gift only works when a subject speaks what he truly believes; packmates can’t go on “fishing expeditions” by throwing out names to determine who really committed a deed, for example.
Reality’s path deals with knowable facts (“She never intended to return”, “despite his boast, your brother didn’t kill the Bane single-handed”), not greater spiritual truths.
Roll Over
Also a Level 4 Shadow Lord (Camp: Lords of the Summit) Gift
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140 / WW3858 - Tribebook: Shadow Lords (revised) p. 74
Description: The Philodox can call on her power to radiate a commanding presence that compels others to submit to her. Should she succeed in a test of wills, she dominates her foe, which causes humans to fall to their knees and wolves to roll on their backs. Either a lion- or a wolf-spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The player must score at least three successes more than her opponent on a resisted Willpower contest. If the Gift takes effect, the victim can take no action other than submission unless he is in direct danger.
Scent of Beyond
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140
Description: The werewolf can bring all his senses to bear on one spot with which he is familiar (even an Umbral site), no matter how far away that spot is. The Philodox senses the site from a point of view as if he were standing in the middle of the area being scanned. A bird-spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The player rolls Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 8). If the spot is in the Umbra, the difficulty is 9 or the Gauntlet rating (whichever is higher).
Take the True Form
Source: WW3108 - Werewolf Players Guide (2nd Edition) p. 37
Description: The Philodox with this power can force a Garou into her breed form. This Gift is especially useful to abate frenzy, prevent damage from silver or take a combative advantage. A wolf-spirit teaches a worthy Philodox the workings of this Gift.
System: The player rolls his Manipulation + Primal-Urge (difficulty 7). If successful, the target automatically shifts to her breed form. The number of successes equals the number of turns the target must remain in her natural form.
Level Five
Geas
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140
Description: This Gift places its target under a geas, a sacred oath to obey the Philodox’s bidding. The geas cannot make the targets act contrary to their basic instincts (such as self-preservation). Therefore, she could send a group on a quest, but she could not make its members attack and try to kill each other — unless they were psychotics or werewolves without pack bonds. An Incarna avatar teaches this Gift.
System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Manipulation + Leadership (difficulty of the target’s Willpower). In the case of a group, the difficulty is the highest Willpower among its members. The geas’ compulsion lasts until the task is completed or until the target is dropped to the Incapacitated health level in pursuit of the quest. No victim can labor under more than one geas at a time; the first one laid always takes precedence.
Soul’s Guilt
THIS GIFT IS NOT YET APPROVED FOR USE ON CITY OF HOPE. OPEN A +REQUEST IF YOU WISH TO LEARN IT
Source: WW3812 - Book of Auspices p. 79
Description: This powerful but very temperamental Gift allows the weight of guilt which rests on the heart to emerge to the surface. The effect varies but usually appears as shadowing across the subject’s features; the shadows deepen as the guilt grows (other effects include “howls of demons,” the sound of winter winds or even ominous background music). Note that, while useful, it has some severe limitations, for it registers only what troubles the individual. To a single old lady, a white lie may give her nightmares and deeply shade her soul, while a vigilante may sleep the sleep of the just and go undetected by this Gift. Soul’s Guilt is taught by one of Falcon’s brood, or any spirit associated with Justice.
System: The Garou must look at (or in some cases, listen to or smell) the target and concentrate for one full turn. The player rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty of 7); number of successes indicate the clarity of the Garou’s impression.
Wall of Granite
Source: WW3801 - Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 140
Description: Philodox have a stronger relationship with the elementals of the earth than do other werewolves, for just as the earth upholds those upon it, the Philodox uphold their people’s ways. While in contact with earth or rock, the Philodox can invoke a wall to protect himself. This wall will move with the Garou, defending him from all angles. Earth elementals teach this gift.
System: The Garou spends on Gnosis point. The wall’s dimensions are three yards high, two yards long and one yard thick. It has a soak pool of 10 dice, and 15 health levels must be inflicted to penetrate it at any point. The wall lasts for one scene or until released into the earth by the Garou.
Wyrmish Philodox Gifts
- Black Spiral Philodoxes can access the usual list of Philodox Gifts located above, but also have access to the following Restricted Gifts:
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Level 1
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Level 2
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Level 1
Smell Fear
Source: WW3109 Book of the Wyrm 2nd Edition, p. 106
Description: A Philodox employing this Gift can tell if anyone nearby is threatened by her, as well as the degree of her victim’s fear.
In any area of the Shattered Labyrinth, and initiate can experience the many subtle flavors and variations of fear. If Spirits serving Hakaken and Sykora also know this Gift intimately… and teach it that way.
System: This requires a Perception + Empathy roll; the difficulty is equal to the target’s Willpower. For every hour this sense is active, the Black Spiral loses one Gnosis, but as a side effect, she can also tell if anyone is using Sense Wyrm on her.
Level 2
A Thousand Voices
Source: WW3109 Book of the Wyrm 2nd Edition, p. 106
Description: The Black Spiral Philodox can distort the sound of his own footsteps, creating a series of illusory noises. Instead of one werewolf, enemies will hear an entire pack. Howls, shadowy apparitions, footfalls and even illusory scents are all possible.
During the Dance of Rage, a dancer may learn this Gift as his anger multiplies many times over. Kirijama’s servants also offer mastery of this talent.
System: For each point of Willpower the user currently possesses, one illusory ally can be created. The Storyteller should secretly roll Perception + Alertness for each witness present; the difficulty depends on the immediate surroundings (difficulty 4 in a dense forest; difficulty 9 on a vast plan). The Black Spiral using this Gift should remain hidden; once he is spotted, the Gift fails.
