Rage

Rage and how it affects others

City of Hope is a multi-sphere game, set in what would be the real life city of San Diego - renamed Prospect. This means that there are millions of NPCs around in public areas. This means that those with Rage are more limited than other supernaturals from doing what you may, in real life, take for granted as simple things like going to a store, a restaurant, coffee shop, nightclub/bar - or holding a job.

If you are not comfortable with having your Shifter not be public facing, hanging out, working 9 to 5 jobs? Then you should not play a Shifter.
This is why we allow alts, and have other spheres open to join in on.

Who should read this?

• If you are playing or plan to play a Shifter PC with Rage, you need to review all of the following first.
• If you are planning to play with any PC that has Rage, you should review this as well before you invite them out to a public location.
• Everyone (just in case)

• +rules In Public: covers how many NPCs are present at any given location, even if no one is OOCly posing them. In many cases, the answer is a lot.

Details

Prospect is a city of millions and all those people have to be somewhere. Everywhere you go, there will be citizens doing their things. What follows are guidelines to determine whether or not there are people at your location: If you're in the Deep Forest, Desert, or Deep Ocean, +dice 1. If you get 1, there's at least one person somewhere nearby. If you get anything else, there's no one around (probably). If you're in a private space behind a locked door, there's no one around (probably). If your location is not in the above list, there are people around. This includes alleys (bums), parks (joggers, dog walkers, muggers), and the beach (more muggers). Furthermore, if you're in a place that would reasonably be crowded such as a club, it is crowded. Crowds make it difficult to hear people, notice people, and find people. If there would reasonably be loud music playing, there is loud music playing. If you're in a PC-owned location, and do something that would reasonably cause a NPC working there to notice and tell that PC about it, then please OOCly contact that PC and let them know. 'ex here' will tell you who owns the location (OOCly and usually also ICly). Non-exhaustive list of causes: Getting into a physical confrontation. Breaking the law (e.g. smoking or naked table-dancing in a family restaurant). Doing something overtly supernatural (e.g. shifting to Crinos). Many NPCs will run away if threatened, and are affected by Delirium etc. as usual, but there are exceptions (e.g. ghoul retainers). Some NPCs / PCs won't care if you smoke / whatever, others will be concerned about being reported (possibly by another PC) and shut down. Run it by the PC just in case. If you're in public, but having a quiet conversation and don't want to be interrupted, and then someone else shows up: Move to a RP room (+help +rproom). It's okay for the RP room to represent 'that same public room, but during a stretch of time when no interruptions occur'. Alternatively, use places code (+help places) if available. Do not tell/ask new arrivals to go somewhere else. It's not okay to bogart a public place. Sometimes a private location behind closed doors is informally called 'semi-public' or 'semi-private', e.g. faction hangout, or personal location where some but not all PCs present are participating in some action. These still count as 'private' for the purpose of the above rules. See also: +help +meet implications (using '+meet' to bring someone into a private place)

• +rules The Curse: for how others react to you. As noted, most PCs are immune, but most NPCs (see above - the public being plain vanilla mortals) are not.

Details

There seems to be some misunderstanding of who/what is exactly immune to various forms of supernatural innate powers. The following is a list of what's what for the races that have such: The Curse - Other animals, especially humans, can sense the predator in a werewolf, and they shy from him. Whenever a Garou's Rage exceeds a human's willpower, the human will avoid contact with the Garou as much as possible. Since the average human's willpower is usually 2 to 4, the Curse is no laughing matter. Wolves are also subject to this dread, and most natural wolves will avoid Garou whenever possible. Garou call this phenomenon the Curse, for it makes normal relationships with humans or wolves all but impossible. (pg. 191-192 WtA Revised) Staff ruling for what is considered 'human' and 'animals' are plain, simple, vanilla, everyday mortals/animals with no supernatural powers at all. Most PCs are not plain vanilla mortals. Most NPCs are, and they greatly outnumber PCs. (+rules in public) Reaction is based on their Willpower compared to your permanent Rage. For NPCs, see +rules npc willpower. Even if their Willpower is greater than or equal to your Rage, that doesn't mean they feel nothing. Rather, they're able to control that primal feeling and ignore its influence. You still make them instinctively think of a serial axe murderer, but they just chalk it up to a bad fashion choice on your part, or you reminding them of someone they don't like. This should be roleplayed as a serious pain in the ass. Going to college is hard. Holding down a 9-to-5 job is hard. You scare people. When you say something like "Don't use my stapler" or "Where's the TPS cover sheet?", they see it as a threat. They may not confront you directly, but they'll complain to the boss, or do little things to hinder you or try to drive you away. ** Exception: When you have kinfolk acting as a buffer between you and normal people. ** Exception: When everything is handled online or over the phone.

• +rules NPC Willpower: for the distribution of Willpower levels across the NPC population.
  • For example: If you have Rage 5, a whopping 63 percent of the general public will nope the hell away from you just for /existing/ too close to them, even if you're not saying or doing anything overtly threatening. You just give off that vibe of 'this guy is gonna flip out and start attacking people at any moment'. The rest will still side-eye you (you give off that vibe to them too, they're just confident enough that they can wait till you actually flip out and then run away).

Details
From WtA page 192 Willpower Rating Percentage of the population that has it 1 10% 2 20% 3 18% 4 15% 5 13% 6 10% 7 7% 8 5% 9 1.5% 10 0.5% See also: +help +npcwillpower

TLDR: Shifters with Rage, at any level, should not be interacting with most of the public. Should not be performing jobs or services THAT ARE MENTALLY STRAINING OR PUBLIC FACING IN ANY SIGNIFICANT CAPACITY, hanging out in public places, any of this where the general public is going to be. Like Restaurants, Beach Parties, Malls, Grocery Stores, etc. Not unless the restaurant has a closed off section specifically designed for Shifters to be within. Or the Beach has been closed off for a private event.

How do we deal with this?

While we understand that OOCly players want to do social RP with a mixed audience, and have brainstormed some alternatives, or even make connections with different spheres, the only really practical one that we've come up with is 'build an alt without Rage and do that type of RP using that alt instead'.

Are there ways to suppress Rage?

There are some Shifter Gifts that can alter Rage for a scene, but most players will not have access to those Gifts.:

• Unicorn's Grace (Rank 4) - This gift does suppress Rage for one scene once activated. A Garou cannot frenzy, and will keep their cool. They can only spend Rage up to how many dots of Empathy they have.
• Übermensch (Rank 5) - This Gift changes the fear that Rage/The Curse causes into the perception of admiration, charismatic, an intimidating figure, like a Mobster/Godfather. It does not make them loveable or come off as human.

Kinfolk

• Dona Nobis Pacem, can help to raise difficulties for Frenzy, but it does not suppress the Rage nor how the Garou is perceived by mortals. It does make it more difficult if a human wishes to perform violence or start/continue an argument. But it will not allow a Garou to hang out in a bar and not get a reaction from a fair amount of the public.

Rage and Roleplay

Rage for Shifters is a good thing when they are doing the work they were created for. They need that burst, that inner anger to get the job done.

Thematically though, Shifters are not supposed to be out hanging in bars, coffee shops, or in general in public. They are created by Gaia (or the Wyrm), to be out handling their own business for their Sept/Caern (Hive/Pit/Pentex possibly). Kinfolk are here to be that buffer, to be the one doing errands, going into public, making the connections, etc.

If you are not comfortable with having your Shifter not be public facing, hanging out, working 9 to 5 jobs? Then you should not play a Shifter.
This is why we allow alts, and have other spheres open to join in on.

When to roll Rage

If you decide to play a Shifter, when should you be rolling your Rage?

• Frenzy Triggers:

Details

Here are some things that may trigger a Frenzy roll, at ST discretion. In the absence of a ST, this depends on player consensus. Embarrassment or humiliation (such as botching an important roll) Any strong emotion (such as lust, rage, envy) Extreme hunger Confinement, helplessness Being taunted by an enemy Large quantities of silver in the area Being wounded or seeing a packmate wounded This can happen multiple times per scene. If you really want to bed this one person, but you smack your shin on something hard and they make fun of you in front of a crowd, that's three rolls. Highly emotional and personal circumstances require rolling more dice. Examples: Black Fury encounters a rapist Silent Strider with claustrophobia is threatened with imprisonment

Open the collapse box above for full details. Trigger will also depend on your particular character’s concept and especially any Flaws that apply. If you have read this, put “I’m a good noodle” in your approval request. In addition, you could also roll for frenzy from:

• Overstimulation (i.e.: loud noises, sudden pain, an argument, bad news, being startled, etc)
• If you have a big crush on someone and they walk into the room with someone else

Remember - Frenzy checks can happen multiple times per scene, as multiple triggers can occur.

• Frenzy Rolls:

Details

Difficulty of the Rage roll depends on the moon phase, see +moon. Rank 3: +1 diff. Rank 4: +2 diff. Rank 5: +2 diff, only 5+ successes results in a Frenzy. (WtA 125) Calm Heart merit: +2 diff. (WPG 2nd 12) Result of the roll: 0 successes - You keep it together. 1 to 3 successes - Angry reaction (e.g. snarl, lunge, glare). 4+ successes - You enter Frenzy, either Berserk (fight) or Fox (flight) as appropriate. ** You can spend a Willpower to end it immediately. ** Otherwise, it lasts until the trigger goes away and you succeed at a Willpower roll (difficulty = your Rage). 6+ successes - You enter Thrall of the Wyrm Frenzy. ** Always a Berserk Frenzy. ** You cannot spend a Willpower to end it immediately. Any Rage roll may trigger Frenzy, including activating a gift. You roll your permanent Rage, not temporary. +roll Rage accounts for this. Fera: Gurahl (PGttCB 87): Diff 8. Frenzy requires 5+ successes. Always a berserk frenzy. Wyrm frenzy requires Rage 6+ and a multiple botch. Rokea (PGttCB 151): Frenzy only requires 2+ successes. Always a berserk frenzy. Wyrm frenzy only requires 4+ successes.

Open the collapse box above for full details. The most important thing to remember here is to always check ‘’’+moon’’’ to see what the standard Rage difficulty is based on the moon phase. Then you can apply modifiers as detailed.

• Frenzy Types:

Details

Berserk Frenzy: Immediately shift to Crinos or Hispo (your choice) and attack anything that moves. ** You won't attack your packmates. ** You will attack allies outside your pack. ** Exception: If you're in the Thrall of the Wyrm, you attack indiscriminately. ** Exception: If your permanent Rage exceeds your permanent Gnosis, you must spend a Willpower to figure out which moving shapes are your packmates. Also, after the frenzy, you forget what happened during it, and often collapse. Fox Frenzy: Immediately shift to Lupus and flee in terror for your life. You attack anything that gets in your way (to get past it, not to kill it). Once you reach a safe hiding place, you stay there until the frenzy ends. In either case: You can't use special maneuvers or pack tactics. You can bite, claw, or run. You can spend Rage for extra actions, but you can't use split actions. You normally can't use Gifts or step sideways. You do not lose dice due to wound penalties. Thrall of the Wyrm (always Berserk): When you kill or incapacitate someone, roll Wits vs 7. On a botch, act according to your breed: Homid - spend a turn eating their flesh Metis - spend a turn performing unspeakable acts of perversion on their bodies Lupus - keep attacking them until their body is torn limb from limb

Open the collapse box above for full details. The most important thing we cannot stress enough is that those with higher rage, especially Ahrouns and Cliaths are at higher risk of Frenzy than anyone else.

It’s nearly impossible to Frenzy if you only have 1 to 3 dice of Rage - except until the most dire of circumstances (see triggers above).

Some people think ”I got freebies/XP to spend and I want more actions! Let’s buy up more Rage!” and then it bites them in the end when they fall to the Thrall of the Wyrm. Yes, it has happened.

More Rage is not going to help anything, in fact, it can and will make your RP life tougher. There are other ways to manage it, and leave higher Rage until you can control and mitigate it better.

If you are not comfortable with having your Shifter not be public facing, hanging out, working 9 to 5 jobs? Then you should not play a Shifter.
This is why we allow alts, and have other spheres open to join in on.