House Rules/Changeling

House Rules - Changeling "If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun." -Katharine Hepburn

Arts Art Attribute Spring Stamina Summer Charisma Autumn Manipulation Winter Strength Art Attribute Contract Charisma Dragon's Ire Strength "Oneiromancy (art)" Intelligence C20 arts are available. Dice pool may include either the art level (as in C20) or the attribute listed below. Existing arts remain unchanged (there is some overlap). General game mechanics for casting cantrips remain unchanged. Unleashing (C20 196-197) is allowed. Banality See Banality Birthrights Birthrights only apply in the Dreaming or when you call upon the Wyrd. Exception: If you have the Seeming's Blessing merit (CtD 164, retained because C20 has no equivalent), then they apply all the time. For birthrights giving attribute bonuses, ask staff to set +effects. Exception: Sidhe bonus to Appearance applies to anyone with fae sight. The Redcap birthright Dark Appetite, in combat: Requires spending a Glamour, as usual. Requires calling upon the Wyrd to do non-chimerical damage, as usual. Dexterity + Brawl + 1 vs normal difficulty. Damage is aggravated. Severing a limb: No additional penalty/bonus for targeting. Head/neck counts as a limb, but still only takes +3 damage. If that isn't enough to kill them, it's only severely traumatized. Damage, soaking Because Changeling does not have a revised edition, staff has made a house ruling for soaking chimerical and normal damage. This puts Fae at parity with other races. Normal Soaking: Changelings can soak Bashing and Lethal damage. They can not soak Aggravated damage. Chimerical Soaking: Changelings can soak Bashing and Lethal chimerical damage. They can not soak Aggravated chimerical damage. Dross Staff has implemented a new background for Changelings called: Dross. This background is a measure of a PC's chimerical wealth. This stat will be equivalent to the same level of: Resources, but for buying minor chimerical goods. A player can spend xp to buy Dross as per +rules XP Cost. This Dross can be destroyed to release its Glamour, provided that the Glamour is immediately used in a cantrip (CtD 216). Up to 1 point of Glamour per dot per month can be released this way. Mages can use Dross as Tass with a heavy dynamic / anti-restrictive resonance. This does not cover chimerical weapons, armor, or items with magic effects: You can use the Chimera background instead (CtD 146, 288) You can create them, or have another PC do (+rules chimerical items, +rules magical items) Glamour See Glamour Holdings / Trod Holdings background: Holdings corresponds to a freehold, either on or off grid. Holdings may be bought in chargen or with XP. Holdings includes one link from normalspace to the Dreaming (equivalent to Trod 2), regardless of level. A freehold within a PC-run territory require approval from its PC leaders, per 'news changeling counties'. Increasing Holdings is time-limited per '+rules minimum time', representing the need to infuse the balefire with Glamour (C20 page 52). For a freehold that previously belonged to another PC, you can buy Holdings from 0 up to its previous level as quickly or slowly as you want. Until then, the rest is assumed to be used by NPCs (if needed to explain why PCs aren't using it). Increasing Holdings above 3 is at staff discretion. Holdings Minimum time 0 to 1 None 1 to 2 1 month 2 to 3 3 months 3 to 4 6 months (if approved by staff) 4 to 5 8 months (if approved by staff) Trod background: A trod within a PC-run territory requires approval from its PC leaders. Increasing Trod is not time-limited. Increasing Trod above 3 to reach the Far Dreaming or Deep Dreaming is at staff discretion. See Also: Title Kinain Please disregard what is on the game for +rules kinain - it is in the process of being updated to C20* We do not use the rules from Changeling: the Enchanted. Subrace:Kinain has the effects of the Kinain merit (see below) in addition to their arts and realms. This includes the equivalent of An-da-shealladh (fae sight) and Parted Mists. Characters that wish to be kinain in addition to something else must take this merit: Kinain (4 pt. Merit) Although your character is not a changeling, they've got their heritage running through their veins - literally. This merit allows the character to walk in the Dreaming as if they were Fae themselves. While doing so exposes the character to chimerical attack, it also opens them to a new and wondrous world. Their Banality is also quite low (typically two to five) and their presence is often 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. This merit also allows the character immunity to the effects of the mists. (pg. 296 MtA Revised) Note: This merit has been altered some so as to ensure game balance. PCs with this merit may buy arts/realms, in which case they start with Glamour 2. This must fit within the limits from '+rules multiclass'. Kinain may have faedescs, but only to state that Kithain can notice that they are Kinain. Exception: If you have specific relevant birthright for certain kiths. Kith This applies to both kithain and kinain. Autumn Sidhe are allowed. Apps for Sidhe are at staff discretion. Miscellaneous Retinue background may include kithain NPCs at staff discretion. Retinue members may have arts and realms, but may only use them on behalf of PCs with explicit staff authorization (approved +note or on a per-scene basis). House Leanhaun flaw uses the rules from C20 133. Echoes 5 (C20 page 188) gives -2 difficulty on cantrips cast on any person not immune to the Mists (+rules The Mists). Art Affinity: Round down, not up. (Compare Sphere Natural, MtA 297) A vampire who drinks a changeling's blood becomes enchanted. (CtD 210, CtE 80) In the Dreaming, mage powers operate weirdly unless their paradigm is compatible (think "Grimm's Fairy Tales"), and Paradox may still occur (Dreams and Nightmares 31), though they count as coincidental due to the lack of a large sleeper population. The Mists 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 Mists - The Mists separate the Fae from the mundane, clouding the minds of mortals so that they do not remember the encounters with things faerie. A side effect of Banality, the Mists exemplify the force of human rationality. Most mortals (and unenchanted supernatural beings) do not remember their encounters with the Fae accurately. The Mists are likely to erase much of these memories or at least relegate them to a dream-like quality. The amount of Banality an individual possesses determines exactly what she remembers. (C20 page 269) PCs are not 'most people', they're about 0.01% of the population. PCs affected by the Mists may believe that something supernatural happened, even though they're fuzzy on the details. PCs with lower Banality and/or knowledge of other supernatural things are less likely to be skeptical. PCs may ignore the 'Duration of Coma' column of the chart. The following are immune to the Mists: All Changelings (Obviously) All Kinain All bygones All Enchanted PCs (for the duration of the enchantment) This is changeling enchantment, not the Enchantment numina A PC touching a Treasure is enchanted as a side effect (C20 page 171) PCs with fae sight by other means (e.g. Spirit Sight merit) have limited immunity: They can remember chimera in normalspace. They cannot remember changeling PCs or NPCs as looking like or otherwise being changelings, nor changeling-centric details of their interactions, outside of scenes with those PCs or NPCs. If they're Enchanted and brought into the Dreaming, then the Mists apply to all of that after it wears off. The Deep and Far Dreaming bypass all of this immunity. (Dreams and Nightmares 13) See Also: Banality Banality Duration of coma (NPCs) Memory Description 0 1 minute Total Recall Everything is remembered with crystal clarity. 1 1 hour Startling Clarity The entirety of the encounter is remembered as if it were yesterday. 2 6 hours Hazy Memory Nearly everything is remembered, though some of the details may be hazy. 3 12 hours Disoriented The individual is slightly confused and possibly shaken, but is able to recall most of his experiences, though many of the details are vague. 4 1 day Uncertainty The person has a vague memory of what occurred, but is plagued by doubts as to the validity of the experience, 5 3 days Haze A hazy recollection of the experience is possible, but the individual doubts her own memories. She dismisses the experience as a momentary delusion, unless she has physical proof. 6 1 week Flashbacks The person may experience occasional vivid flashbacks of his experiences, but they otherwise seem like a distant dream. 7 2 weeks Dreamlike Quality The individual recalls only vague, dreamlike images, and doubts that the experience ever occurred. 8 1 month Distant Dream Something must provoke the memory and even then the experiences are recalled as nothing more than a faded dream. 9 4 months Complete Denial The character has only faint scraps of dreamlike recollection and completely denies the experience ever occurred. 10 1 year Complete Blank The person remembers absolutely nothing of his experiences with the fae. "Mortals" "Mortals" - when a Changeling Merit/Flaw/Birthright/Fraility/etc refers to it affecting a Mortal, Staff has ruled that this means anyone that would be affected by The Mists. See +rules the Mists to see if it applies to your PC. Nightmare Dice See Banality#Nightmare Dice Oaths These rules are in draft status and not yet official. Changes to Willpower/Glamour/Banality due to oaths are interpreted as affecting the permanent stat, unless specified as temporary or recurring. Custom oaths may be approved at staff discretion. Oath Summary Cost to make Bonus Penalty if violated Clasped Hands Friendship as strong as love Mix blood +1 Willpower each -2 Willpower each Fealty By vassal to ruler 1 Willpower, 15 minutes -2 diff to resist mental domination -3 Willpower, extreme = blind for a year and a day Escheat By ruler to vassal 1 Glamour +1 temp Willpower per week (doesn't stack due to multiple vassals) +1 Banality Accepted Burden Promise to perform some action none +1 Willpower each (house rule: until action is performed) -2 Willpower each Guardianship Protect a thing/place/person for a length of time None Honor Never spend two nights in the same bed for a century Truehearts Lovers 1 Glamour each +1 temp Glamour each from Rapture (CtD 214) +1 Banality each Long Road Accept a quest Blood of quester and witnesses +1 Willpower, +1 Glamour Failure: -3 Willpower, -3 Glamour Abandonment: lose all temp Glamour/Willpower, -1 Willpower, +2 Banality Crossed Blades Against an enemy 1 Willpower +1 Glamour, -1 diff on any roll involving the enemy -1 Willpower, dual facial scars Reference: CtD 211-212 Realms The canon rules for Realms are kithain-centric, and do not explicitly account for kinain (part-fae), nor for cases like a Nunnehi casting a cantrip on a regular kithain. Here's how we've chosen to clarify these issues. Targeting a changeling: If their subrace is different from yours, you need Fae 4. Regular kithain are equivalent to Subrace = None. Other subraces (e.g. Nunnehi, Inanimae, Hsien) are listed on +sheet. Kinain caster is equivalent to changeling with same kith, e.g. Nunnehi kinain is equivalent to Nunnehi changeling. Otherwise, if they have Title background, you need Fae 2. Title background, not Sidhe kith. Otherwise, you need Fae 1. Targeting a kinain: You can use either Actor or Fae. If using Fae, then they're equivalent to changeling with same kith/Title. Inanimae casters use Spirit instead of Fae, as usual. Cantrips with multiple realms: Pick one as primary and include it in your dice pool. If each realm only covers some of your targets, then the other(s) are modifier realms (+1 Glamour and +1 diff per realm). Example: Sovereign 4 (Weaver Ward) vs both mortals (Actor) and Dauntain (Fae). Scene and Time are modifiers, as they expand the primary realm's range to a larger number of targets or a different activation time. If each realm covers all of your targets, then the other(s) are secondary realms (-1 diff per realm). Example: Legerdemain 4 (Mooch) to steal a sidhe noble's dagger when you have both Fae and Prop. Title Title background: Chargen limit is Title 1. Must set a +note. Approved at staff discretion. Good idea to run your concept by staff prior to submitting for approval. This background is limited to Changelings only. Those such as Kinain, Bygones, Enchanted mortals or the like may not take this background moving forward, in compliance with our changeover to C20. (WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#460) Increasing is at staff discretion. Subject to +policy PC leadership. - PCs not actively leading (staff discretion) will be reduced to Title 1 (with XP refund) until that changes. Title 4 and 5 is reserved for NPCs. See Also: Holdings Title Unlanded Knight: Not sworn to any one noble in particular. Basically a knight errant. Honorific: Sir/Dame. Available in chargen on a case by case basis. Landed Knight: Sworn to service under someone of Title 3 or higher. Honorific: Lord/Lady. Available in chargen on a case by case basis, but extremely scrutinized. Baron/Baroness: A leader of one of the Baronies, sworn in service to someone of Title 4 or higher. Not available in chargen, may be gained IC, but this is highly unlikely, and it is not advised to make a PC for this purpose. Count/Countess (NPC only): Leader of the entire county, sworn in service to someone of Title 5 or the reigning monarch. This is an NPC-only position, and unavailable to the PC population at this time. Duke/Duchess (NPC only): Leader of the entire Duchy, all counts and countesses serve under this person and they, in turn, are sworn in service to the monarch. NPC-only position, unavailable in chargen or later in play, and never will be anything but. See Also: Holdings Treasures For use of Treasures, the dice roll for the Art within it is the same as a normal Art roll. An Art's normal dice roll is (Art level) + (relevant realm level), full details in Arts page on wiki. Drafted HRs for treasures under staff review currently (September 2024): If the user doesn't have the Art, or has it at a lower level, then use the Treasure's Art level. If the user doesn't have the relevant Realm, then they can still use the treasure, but add 0 dice for the Realm level.