Garou Creating Magical Items

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PRIMER FOR GAROU CREATING MAGICAL ITEMS

This document is intended to help show the player how to make talens and fetishes, giving hints and tricks, and notes on how to customize not only what you make, but how you make them.

All Fetishes and Talens must emulate a gift/rite/power that you have the Lore for, or be out of an approved book. If you are unsure about what to use to make what you want, just ask someone that has experience.

I know that some people have a hard time wrapping their head around the mechanics of making fetishes and talens. Hopefully the following will help to explain it for you and can be a reference guide.

Note: I have included code to colorize your +requests here. This is something I do especially to differentiate different sections. It is a personal choice, and something you can feel free to remove. You do not need to repeat your requests exactly like I have laid out here, but I find that it helps not only for your own records, but for staff to see what you are trying to achieve.

UPDATE: If you have Specializations, Totem Benefits, Merits/Flaws, other Fetishes to activate that can help, please be sure to note that at the start of your +request, preferably before the Order of Operations. Some of those can and will affect the rolls within.

Example: CLEAR WATER TALENS

STEP 1: WRITE UP THE PLANS

The following is an example for making Clear Water Talens. They are especially useful when you need to cleanse something faster than taking time for the Rite of Cleansing.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you actually have the gifts/rites that you're claiming to use. Bare minimum is Rite of Summoning + Rite of Binding. Also, either specify what type of spirit you're summoning (including book name and page number), or just err on the side of caution and assume it has Gnosis 10. Spirits lists a lot of choices that may be helpful.

(Insert Your Name) wants to make the (Name of what it is) for (Insert who it is for):%r
%r
%t%xh%xcClear Water Talens %xn%r
%tLevel 1 (Level is the level/rank of the gift you are emulating), Gnosis 4 (Gnosis is the level +3)%xn%r
%r
%xw(This is where you decide what it looks like for you. It can be a vial of spring water. It could be a hollowed out dried gourd filled with water. It could be a flask or whatever fits your character’s style.) %r
%r
Effect: If poured into a stream or river, the water elemental will cleanse it of any pollution. If drunk, the talen will emulate the gift Resist Toxin (WtA 144).%r
%r
%r
%tEmulating: %xh%xyResist Toxin - %xw(Fianna Tribebook, p. 78)%xn%r
%t%xyRank 1 Bone Gnawers Gift / Rank 1 Fianna Gift %xn%r
%r
Many Bone Gnawers learn a preternatural resistance to poisons and toxins of all kinds, doubtless due to their diet of refuse and American beer. A trash-spirit teaches this Gift.%r
%r
System: The player rolls Stamina + Survival. Success nullifies the effects of most conventional poisons, and adds three dice to the Garou’s Stamina for purposes of resisting Wyrm-enhanced poisons. The effects last for the scene.%r
%r
%r
%r
%xh%xcOrder of crafting operations:%r
%xy*Persuasion (gift): Rolling Charisma + Subterfuge vs 6%r
%t(-1 diff to all social rolls)%r
%t(If successful, then adjust all the rest of the social rolls diffs by -1)%r
%xg* Rite of Cleansing: %xwRolling Charisma+Rituals vs 6, performing at Dawn (Spending 1 WP for 1 success) %r
%t(Each success over talen's level = -1 Binding rite diff)%r
%xg*Pierce the Gauntlet: %xwHandwaved%r
%r
%xg*Rite of Summoning: %xwRolling Gnosis vs 3 (Spending 1 WP for 1 success)%r
%t%xmWater Elemental (WtA 300): WP 6, Gnosis 10%r

- OPTIONAL TO ADD THIS PART -
%xg*-1 Binding diff: %xwClever Persuasion - Rolling Charisma+Leadership vs 6 (elemental's WP) %r
%t(Requires at least 1 success) NOTE: the '1' is because of the level of the fetish. CHANGE that # to whatever level your fetish is when you are creating something else.%r
%xg*-1 Binding diff: %xw5 PC assistants (Adam, Betty, Candy, Donnie, Egon) %r

STEP 2: MAKE THE +REQUEST

Take what is above and remove the extra line breaks and condense to make the +request:

+request Clear Water Talens=

STEP 3: ROLL IT OUT!

Then do the rolls one at a time to see what you get - keep careful track in case of botches and with cleansing it can SERIOUSLY lower your diff.

What you're doing	Roll command	How to interpret it
Persuasion gift	+roll/job ####=charisma + subterfuge vs 6	Does it work? If so - adjust any roll with charisma by -1 diff.
Rite of Cleansing at dawn	+roll/job ####=charisma + rituals vs 6	Check to see how many successes OVER your talen's level you scored when rolling for the Rite of Cleansing. Each one adjusts your Rite of Binding roll by -1 diff.
Rite of Summoning for a couple hours	+roll/job ####=gnosis vs 3	Did you get at least three successes? (If you spent Willpower here, then that counts as one.) If not, then things are harder because the spirit is initially hostile; adjust your Rite of Binding roll by 1 diff.
Clever Persuasion	+roll/job ####=charisma + leadership vs 6	Did you get at least as many successes as your talen's level? If so, then adjust your Rite of Binding roll by -1 diff.

Count it up:
"#" - successes for rite of cleansing over talen level
"#" - # will be a 1 if you rolled at least a 1 or more successes for clever persuasion
1 - if you have 5 PC assistants
"#" total

Take that total and subtract it from the Gnosis of the Spirit/Elemental you are using for the talen. In the above example, it would be 10 - # total.

Example:
+roll charisma + subterfuge vs 6 - 2 successes - it works!
+roll charisma + rituals vs 5 - 4 successes
+roll gnosis vs 3 - 2 successes
+roll charisma + leadership vs 5 - 3 successes

3 - successes for rite of cleansing over talen level
1 - 1 if you rolled at least a 1 or more successes for clever persuasion
1 - if you have 5 PC assistants
5 total

STEP 4: DECIDE ON GNOSIS SPEND

To make a talen, you must spend AT LEAST 1 Gnosis. You can spend more gnosis to lower the difficulty on the Rite of Binding, if you wish.

First, check your results from above. The lowest you can make the roll for Rite of Binding is 3. The more successes you have, then the more talens you will get in your batch. Take into account how high your willpower is as well, as that is your dice pool.

The roll for Rite of Binding is: willpower vs 10(water elementals Gnosis) - (1) gnosis - (#) anything you did to lower the diff above. Remember again - you cannot roll less than vs 3.

Then decide, do you need to spend the gnosis to bring the difficulty lower than it already is at?

STEP 5: BIND IT!

Decisions are made! So first you need to add to your +request what you are spending, and make then make the roll. It is up to you if you wish to spend a Willpower or not - but I highly recommend it to get the for sure 1 success.

+myjob/add ####=
Spending # (1+?) Gnosis for Rite of Binding. Making the following roll based from previous rolls:%r
%r
Rite of Binding: Rolling Willpower vs 10 - # (1+#) = ## (Spending 1 WP for 1 success)%r

Then roll it!

+roll/job ####=willpower vs #

Now - whatever successes you got is how many talens you have in your batch! HOORAY!

Example: PIPES OF THE OTHERWORLD FETISH

The following is a write up for a fetish found in a tribebook, but can be adapted to make more sense for your tribe (if you are not Fianna, or do not want to use bagpipes). If you plan to use rites frequently enough, this is a great item to have. While you do have a high difficulty in activation, the benefits certainly make it worth your time.

STEP 1: WRITE UP THE PLANS

(Insert Your Name) wants to make the (Name of what it is) for (Insert who it is for):%r
%r
%t%xh%xyPipes of the Otherworld - %xw(Fianna Tribebook, p. 78)%r
%t%xgLevel Two, Gnosis 5%r
%r
%xw(This is where you decide what it looks like for you. Fianna originally made it as bagpipes you can read that in the book reference. I left my example in for you) (This fetish appears as a beautiful Egyptian Blue Ocarina Flute Pendant. A working small ceramic flute, it doubles as a pendant necklace, with a silky cord attached so it can be worn. It is etched on the back with a Glyph of the Stargazers tribe, and a constellation that is meaningful to Johanna of her Great Grandmother, the Philodox Stardancer.) Its lilting melodies that plays from it can bring a host of emotions, and pulls at the spirit - literally.%r
%r
When successfully activated, every 2 successes to a Charisma+Performance vs 7 roll subtracts 1 from the difficulty of Mystic rituals; the difficulty rating for (name your type you want - I did Punishment for Johanna) Rites is decreased by 1 for every 1 success.%r
%r
An Air elemental is bound within the pipes, giving the pipes their eerie, mystic sound quality.%r
%r
%r
%xcOrder of crafting operations:%r
%xy*Persuasion (gift): Rolling Charisma + Subterfuge vs 6%r
%t(-1 diff to all social rolls)%r
%t(If successful, then adjust all the rest of the social rolls diffs by -1)%r
%xg* Rite of Cleansing: %xwRolling Charisma+Rituals vs 6, performing at Dawn (Spending 1 WP for 1 success) %r
%t(Each success over fetish's level = -1 Fetish rite diff)%r
%xg*Pierce the Gauntlet: %xwHandwaved%r
%r
%xg*Rite of Summoning: %xwRolling Gnosis vs 3 (Spending 1 WP for 1 success)%r
%t%xmAir Elemental: WP 3%r
- OPTIONAL TO ADD THIS PART -
%xg*-1 Fetish diff: %xwClever Persuasion - Rolling Charisma+Leadership vs 3 (elemental's WP) %r
%t(Spending 1 WP for 1 success) %r
%t(Requires at least 2 successes) NOTE: the '2' is because of the level of the fetish. CHANGE that # to whatever level your fetish is when you are creating something else.%r
%xg*-1 Fetish diff: %xw5 PC assistants (Fred, George, Harry, Indigo, John) %r

STEP 2: MAKE THE +REQUEST

Take what is above and remove the extra line breaks and condense to make the +request:

+request Pipes of the Otherworld=

STEP 3: ROLL IT OUT!

Then do the rolls one at a time to see what you get - keep careful track in case of botches and with cleansing it can SERIOUSLY lower your diff.

+roll charisma + subterfuge vs 6 - Does it work? If so - adjust any roll with charisma by -1 diff
+roll charisma + rituals vs 6 - Check to see how many successes OVER your talen's level you scored when rolling for the Rite of Cleansing.
+roll gnosis vs 3
+roll charisma + leadership vs 3 - If you use Clever Persuasion

Count it up:
"#" - successes for rite of cleansing over talen level
"#" - # will be a 1 if you rolled at least a 1 or more successes for clever persuasion
1 - if you have 5 PC assistants
"#" total

Take that total and subtracted it from 10 to find the diff for the Rite of the Fetish.

Example:
+roll charisma + subterfuge vs 6 - 2 successes - it works!
+roll charisma + rituals vs 5 - 4 successes
+roll gnosis vs 3 - 2 successes
+roll charisma + leadership vs 3 - 3 successes

3 - successes for rite of cleansing over talen level
1 - 1 if you rolled at least a 1 or more successes for clever persuasion
1 - if you have 5 PC assistants
5 total

Rite of the Fetish Roll:
+roll Wits + Rituals vs (10-5=5)

STEP 4: BIND IT!

Rolls are done! So first you need to add to your +request if you are spending a willpower, and then make the roll. It is up to you if you wish to spend a Willpower or not - but I highly recommend it to be sure that you succeed.

Remember - the difficulty cannot be less than 3. Even if you had enough successes on the other rolls to bring it lower - it will still be 3.

+myjob/add ####=
Spending 1 willpower for Rite of the Fetish. Making the following roll based from previous rolls:%r
%r
Rite of the Fetish: Rolling Wits + Rituals vs 10 - # = ## %r

Then roll it!

+roll/job ####=Wits + Rituals vs #

AND YOU ARE DONE!! HOORAY!

Alternate Activation

WAIT! WHAT IF I NEED TO GIVE THIS TO A KINFOLK!?!?

Aaah! Yes! That is something that could be an issue. Not all Kinfolk have Gnosis. Maybe sometimes you want something yourself that will not require Gnosis to activate. THERE IS A WAY!

In your order of operations, take account of having the fetish or talen activated with willpower instead of gnosis. It will require you to increase the difficulty of your final roll by +2, but if you plan it out well enough with other modifiers, it can be less of a detriment.

FINAL NOTES

There are additional ways to lower the difficulty for the Rite of the Fetish or Rite of Binding. Some are listed on the Creating Magical Items page on the wiki. My favorite, once you are Fostern, is to use the gift: Call to Duty. Another is to use the Pipes of the Otherworld to help as well. You could add a taboo, like how you need to sing the Brady Bunch Theme before it will activate, as an example.

Similarly, there are riskier ways to also lower the difficulty, as in making direct threats. This is a negotiation to bind the spirit, and if your bullying does not work on the spirit, then the whole thing fails.

What you need to do is to figure out - what would my character do? How would he/she approach crafting this item and negotiate with the spirit? You have a lot of options to use. You can read more about this directly in Hammer & Klaive, pgs.#41-59.

If you have any further questions, comments, additions, etc for this document or creating magical items for Garou, please let me know via @mail on game. You can reach me at Brooke or Johanna. Thanks for reading!

HELPFUL LINKS

Creating Magical Items

Spirits Lists details about each spirit including their Willpower, Rage and Gnosis

Spirits by type This is a table that gives you book references for each spirit listed