Ratkin Gifts
Contents
Common Ratkin Gifts
PGttCB 144-145, Ratkin 107-110
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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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Rank 1
Cloak of Shadows - The Ratkin can cloak himself, and anything he is touching, in shadows. This Gift is taught by a Night Spirit, which may demand secrets in exchange for its sacred knowledge.
System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Manipulation + Stealth. If a witness is present, the difficulty of this roll is the Perception + Alertness of that witness; if several are present, use the one who would present the highest difficulty. The area cloaked depends on the number of successes, as listed below. If the Ratkin gets less successes than he thought he did, her reputation for treachery will increase - she might be the only one hidden!
| Successes | Area Cloaked |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Ratkin |
| 2 | ...and one other human sized person or object |
| 3 | ...and three other human sized people, or an object as big as a car |
| 4 | ...and eight or more humans, or an object as big as a van or SUV |
| 5+ | ...and twelve or more human-sized creatures, or an object as big as a tractor-trailer truck |
(PGttCB p144, Ratkin BB p107)
Darksight - All wererats possess a low level "night vision" that allows them to peer into the shadowy corners of the world. This Gift magnifies that ability. Highly perceptive Ratkin may pick up heat signatures, see sound waves, or possibly see through various methods of supernatural obfuscation. This Gift is taught by a Night spirit.
System: Roll Perception + Occult (difficulty 7); each success adds one die to all Perception rolls for the rest of the scene, up to a maximum of three extra dice. With five successes, he can perform amazing feats like seeing sound or sensing heat signatures. As described in Ratkin Breedbook Chapter Two, any Ratkin can spend a point of Gnosis to gain Night Vision for one scene; Ratkin with this Gift can use Night Vision at any time without spending Gnosis.
It's also possible for a highly perceptive wererat to see through supernatural illusions, like the Uktena Gift: Shroud, or the vampire Disciplines: Obtenebration, Obfuscate, or Chimerstry, but the Ratkin's Rank must be equal to or greater than the Rank of the supernatural creature (treat vampires as being Rank Two in general, modified for age and puissance; mages have a Rank roughly eqyuvalent to their Arete -2, minimum of Rank One). If the Ratkin's Rank is greater, success is automatic. If the wererat is the same equivalent Rank, he must make a resisted Perception + Occult roll against the subject's Stealth + Occult. If the wererat scores more successes, he sees through the supernatural obfuscation.
(PGttCB p144, Ratkin BB p107)
Resist Toxin - As the Garou Fianna Gift.
(Ratkin BB p108)
Shadow Throw - While vocally expressing his anger, the Ratkin can form a shadowy field of power around a dagger or other sharp object balanced for throwing. Knife Skulkers, for instance, may choose to call out a victim's crime ("Murderer!") while forming his instrument of revenge. When the Ratkin hurls his dagger at a foe, the blade is propelled by the darkness around it and strikes with supernatural force. This Gift is taught by a Night spirit, which will usually demand a tale of an unpunished criminal's dark secrets.
System: The Ratkin spends a Rage point and targets a single victim within line-of-sight; the player rolls Perception + Athletics to attack (difficulty 6, with the usual Firearms modifiers). The blade strikes with more force than the wererat can muster, inflicting Strength +3 aggravated damage. If the blade is already magical, it inflicts only +2 damage.
(Ratkin BB p108)
Smell Poison - As a survival skill, Ratkin have learned to sniff out poisons. When a Ratkin discovers that someone is trying to poison a member of his deceit, he may decide to return the "blessing" upon the would-be poisoner. This Gift is taught by a Rat spirit.
System: By spending a point of Gnosis, the wererat can sense any poisonous or toxic material nearby. A successful Perception + Medicine roll may give an insight into the nature of the poison involved; with five successes, it even reveals the identity of the would-be murderer. As another application, the Ratkin can seek out chemicals nearby that can be used as poisons.
(Ratkin BB p108)
Stash Cache - Ratkin aren't usually big on personal possessions. Many prefer to keep everything they need in a knapsack, a briefcase, or their pockets. When they need to hide these meager items, some prefer to step sideways for just an instant, finding a little hidey-hole where they can stash their stuff. The hiding place might be a little Umbra tunnel, a hiding place guarded by Rat spirits, or just some space between the spirit world and the physical world. Rat spirits teach this Gift, but only if they can score a portion of the Ratkin's stash from time to time; they may well extract a slight "payment" from your first stash cache.
System: Roll permanent Gnosis; the difficulty is the local Gauntlet. If you succeed, you've found a clever little place to stash an object smaller than a backpack or knapsack. The number of successes suggests the number of days you can probably keep it there safely. Wait too long, and your valuables will likely either be snagged by a Wyld spirit, calcified by a Weaver spirit, or spoiled by Banes.
(Ratkin BB p108)
Rank 2
Crawling Chaos - As the Ragabash Gift: Fly Feet. Rats are remarkable climbers; they can dexterously grasp tiny surfaces using their curled paws and claws. With this Gift, their ability takes on supernatural proportions. Performing this in rat form is unnerving, doing this in human form is similarly nasty, and the sight of a Crinos Ratkin crawling along a sheer vertical surface can be terrifying.
System: Roll Dexterity + Athletics, the user can cling to vertical surfaces or even catch on to them while falling; the difficulty of the roll depends on the surface (5 for wood or stone; 9 for glass or ice). Defying gravity increases the difficulty by 1. Ratkin have been known to scurry up the sides of stone buildings in moonlight just for the sheer joy of it.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p109)
Deep Pockets - Cant carry enough stuff? This Gift allows you to store lots of little goodies in your pockets, far more than normal. This Gift is taught by a Packrat spirit.
System: Roll Wits + Enigmas and spend one Gnosis. Each success lets you hide an extra small item (no larger than your hand) inside a convenient pocket. If you're ever searched, none of these extra items will turn up, but if you lose the pocket or your clothes, you cant't retrieve the items inside. Each time you remove an item, you need to use the Gift to put it back again. If you need to recall an item instantly from your Deep Pockets, spend a point of Rage, and it's there.
(Ratkin BB p109)
Snitch - You've got a talent for gathering secrets. As long as you can see someone's face, you can read his lips. As long as someone is within line-of-sight, you can hear her whispers. This Gift is taught by a Stormcrow, a Gaffling of Grandfather Thunder.
System: Just roll Perception + Alertness (difficulty 4) whenever one of these situations presents itself. The amount of information gathered depends on the number of successes; with five successes, you can even gather empathetic information or unspoken subtexts. If the roll fails, you can still spend a point of Gnosis to have a Rat spirit snatch up a small fragment of the conversation for you.
(Ratkin BB p109)
Rank 3
Backbite - The Ratkin can disappear into the Umbra and instantly reappear behind his opponent up to 50 feet away. The wererat then attacks his victim from behind, gleefully exploiting the benefit of surprise. Knife Skulkers have no qualms against using this Gift to fulfill an assassination contract.
System: No roll is necessary, but the character must spend one Gnosis and one Rage. This Umbral "leap" can be up to 50 feet, as long as the victim is within line-of-sight. If the Ratkin chooses to immediately attack, the strike is rolled at a -2 difficulty; the difficulty cannot be reduced below 4. This attack cannot be dodged unless the victim is using Danger Sense, Evasion, Persecution Complex, or a similar supernatural ability.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p109)
Bolt! - A Ratkin with this Gift can bolt out of any fight. Even if the wererat is totally surrounded, he will find a way to escape from his foes. This works roughly the same way as the Backbite Gift: the wererat "leaps" a short distance through the Umbra to a safe place. A wererat who returns to battle after bolting will lose two points of Cunning Renown; a wererat who chooses the better part of valor will no doubt escape.
System: Spend one Gnosis and one Rage; the Ratkin can appear up to 50 feet away, as long as his destination is within line-of-sight. The Ratkin may spend additional Rage in the turn he uses this Gift to gain extra actions (usually to run away). The Gift: Halt the Coward's Flight doesn't prevent the initial 50-foot leap, but slows the Ratkin's speed by half. Returning to a fight after using this Gift to escape is foolhardy, resulting in a loss of 2 Cunning.
(Ratkin BB p109)
Squeeze - The rat can collapse part of his skeleton to fit through narrow openings. A typical Rattus Norvegicus can fit through an opening as small as a quarter. A Ratkin with this Gift is far more impressive, especially when he uses his spiritual talents to pass through seemingly solid objects. By briefly passing through the Umbra, the Ratkin can squeeze through solid walls, doors, or other obstacles. This Gift is taught by a Rat spirit, who often leads his protege on a chase through an infested building while teaching it.
System: The player spends one Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Enigmas (difficulty 6); "squeezing" through a solid object increases the difficulty to 8. Three or more successes allow the wererat to pull another person through with him.
(Ratkin BB p110)
Rank 4
Attunement - As the Garou Bone Gnawer Gift.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p110)
Gnaw - Similar to the Garou Lupus Gift of the same name.
System: Spend one Willpower and roll Stamina + Survival. If you succeed, your Ratkin can chew through just about anything. The difficulty depends on the material you're chewing (3 for wood, 6 for steel cables, 9 for titanium). Chewing through a live human torso is difficulty 5 and inflicts damage equal to the number of successes on the initial roll.
(Ratkin BB p110)
Mind of the Tunnels - Blood calls to blood. Using this Gift, a Ratkin can establish a mental link with any other wererat she knows. The mind-sharing is complete: emotional, intellectual and spiritual understanding can be exchanged. The Ratkin has to have actually met the subject in the flesh at least once; "remembering" him through Blood Memory isn't good enough.
System: Spend one Willpower and roll Intelligence + Empathy (difficulty 7). One success allows you to commune completely with the chosen Ratkin. For each additional success, you can bring one more wererat into his psychic friends network". You remain the nexus of all information flowing through the network, and you can limit what sensations each Ratkin receives from the others. Wererats in the "tunnel mind" mode cannot contain information from the other Ratkin by force.
(Ratkin BB p110)
Rank 5
Perfect Poison - The wererat's spittle can be converted into an odorless, colorless, fast acting and nearly undetectable poison. She may even decide to lick her blade to coat it with the foul compound. When exposed to air, the toxin can last for up to three hours. This Gift can be taught by a Snake spirit, although it's easier to learn from a Spider spirit. Snake spirits may try to betray, exploit or eat the Ratkin who study under them.
System: The wererat must spend one Gnosis to poison her saliva. If she can introduce the poison to the victim's blood stream or make him ingest it, the toxin instantly takes effect. A victim takes two levels of aggravated damage each turn once infected; she may soak only with Stamina, soaking a health level with each success. Although Resist Toxin works against the saliva, Mother's Touch does not. If the victim can continue to resist damage for 10 turns and live, the poison is exuded from the body (choose the orifice or sweat gland of your choice). Any shapechanger with Rage can spend a Rage to resist - gaining an automatic success for each point burned - but the changer must immediately check for frenzy as a result.
(Ratkin BB p110)
Plague Bite - Long before the Plague Lords returned to Earth, Ratkin elders developed one of the most virulent diseases the world has ever seen. With one joyous bite, a wererat blessed with this disease can infect a victim's central nervous system. The symptoms of the disease are hideous. The victim cannot stop shaking, his mucous membranes ooze, and he drools continuously.
System: Spend one Gnosis, and your high-ranking Ratkin can transmit contagion through his incisors. A successful bite spreads this disease. Once bitten, the victim will take a health level of aggravated damage each hour. Since he will not stop shaking, all difficulties for his roll at at a +3 penalty. The plague can be cured by the Gift: Resist Toxin and similar Gifts; otherwise, the victim takes aggravated damage each hour until he is Incapacitated. When this happens, he's allowed a final Stamina rool - difficulty 8 (the +3 modifier does not apply to this roll). If he fails, he does. If he succeeds, he remains ill for another day or so, but the plague will not be fatal. If the victim is a shapechanger, the supernatural healing will eventually break down the disease, but in the meantime, the "shakes" will still be a pain in the ass... and everywhere else.
Of course, some Garou harbor a grudge over this sort of thing. Using this sacred knowledge too frequently will remind them of how much they hate your kind, and they'll resume killing every Ratkin on sight. This leads to the use of other insidious Gifts.
(Ratkin BB p110)
Riot - As the Garou Bone Gnawer Gift.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p110)
Survivor - Similar to the Garou Bone Gnawer Gift of the same name.
System: The Ratkin spends one point of Gnosis; the effects last for one day. The wererat also gains three points of Stamina (although this cannot be used to soak damage from direct physical attacks), ignores all wound penalties, and gains one Willpower if she is ever about to die.
(Ratkin BB p110)
Homid
PGttCB 145, Ratkin 110-112
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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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Rank 1
Cooking - As the Garou Bone Gnawer Gift.
(Ratkin BB p110)
Eau de Rat - The intoxicating scent of rat is not fully appreciated by all mammals. In fact, most humans find it downright foul, as do the Jagglings of the Gafflings of the Weaver.
System: Spend one Rage point and roll Charisma + Primal Urge, (difficulty 7 if the target is downwind, difficulty 8 to waft the stench in a different direction). Humans and Weaver spirits who loses one die from their dice pools when within 20 feet. Weaver Gafflings who cant make a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 9) flee. The effects last for a scene.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p110)
Persuasion - The other breeds have a low opinion of humanity, but that's just because they don't know how to deal with people. You've got a talent for any social situation involving human beings. Of course, Ratkin also have a reputation for deception, since they have little regard for the human race. Remember, betray others before you betray other wererats!
System: This works a little differently than the Garou version of this Gift. Spend one Gnosis and roll Charisma + Subterfuge; each success lowers the difficulty of Social rolls by one (to a maximum modifier of -3 or a minimum difficulty of 4). The effects of this Gift last for one scene. Brooklyn accents are optional.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p111)
Rank 2
Instinct - Some little rodent beasties are known for their "impulse control problems". Homid Ratkin learn to contain these instincts as best they can. With a little ritual acumen, they can intensify these feelings in creatures around them. A victim overwhelmed by instinct will follow his basest impulse for a brief moment. (if this is a character, the roleplayer should name the first thing that comes to mind; if it isn't, the Story should immediately improvise something foul). Reactions can be petty or brutal, depending on the victim's initial frame of mind.
System: Spend one Rage and roll permanent Rage; the difficulty is the victim's Willpower. If the target is another player-character, the player must name the first petty or brutal act his character would perform; the Storyteller can choose to revise or modify it.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p111)
Sticky Fingers - Humans have too much damn stuff for their own good; you only take what you need, but you don't care who it comes from. This Gift uses misdirection and distraction to boost stuff from humans with just the most casual contact. Bump into them or talk to them, and you can take what you need. Just remember to use everything you take.
System: Any Ratkin with this Gift finds it easier to snatch little objects (items smaller than a human's hand) from the unaware. Roll Dexterity + Subterfuge and spend one Willpower to snag what you need. The difficulty depends on how well guarded the object is. This doesn't apply to the weapons wielded in combat, by the way.
| Difficulty | Object's Accessibility |
|---|---|
| 6 | Sitting in plain sight |
| 7 | Clutched in someone's hand |
| 8 | In a pocket or on a wrist |
| 9 | Around someone's neck or prominently worn |
| 10 | Encased in something else (like a briefcase or wallet) |
If the scam involves talking to someone face-to-face, the difficulty is increased by 1 (to a max of 10). Just bumping into someone or "accidentally" knocking someone over is much easier.
(Ratkin BB p111)
Rank 3
Reshape Object - As the Garou Homid Gift, save that it's taught by a Wyld spirit (interestingly enough).
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p111)
Of Rat and Man - With a bit of practice, Homid breed Ratkin can learn to assume a form between Homid and Crinos, rather like a Garou's Glabro form. Though the critter still appears very human, his "ratlike" features become exaggerated enough that anyone can notice them. Beady eyes, a sharp nose, gnarled hands and a stoop are the most commonly displayed traits. Humans find this unnerving; rats find it charming. While in this form, many of the aspects of misleading and betraying humans become much easier.
System: Spend one Rage and spend one turn shifting. The following Attribute modifiers apply while in "near man" form: Dexterity +2, Charisma +1 (to rats), Charisma -1 (to humans), and Perception +2. Best of all, while in this cunning form, your Subterfuge and Stealth rolls' difficulties are reduced by 2.
(Ratkin BB p112)
Rank 4
Attunement - As the Garou Bone Gnawer Gift.
(Ratkin BB p112)
Body Wrack - As the Garou Black Fury Gift.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p112)
Rank 5
Ugly Truth - Like the Garou Homid Gift: Part the Veil. The Ratkin must bite or claw a human to transmit this Gift. Moreover, his experience is "embellished" by visions similar to those granted by the Birthing Plague - usually torturous reminders of the dangers of human overpopulation. If the wererat wants to finish off the experience by punishing the guilty human, he can make the disease extremely toxic. At the end of the scene, the victim will then be ravaged by the last lingering effects of the infection.
System: The roll to bite or claw is made normally; the player then rolls Charisma + Empathy (difficulty 6) and spends one Gnosis. The wererat has the option of inflicting damage with this Gift; he does not need to declare this until the end of the scene. If the human is worthy of punishment, he takes aggravated damage; the number of health levels he loses is equal to the number of successes on the initial Charisma + Empathy roll.
(Ratkin BB p112)
Metis
PGttCB 145, Ratkin 112-113
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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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Rank 1
Cloak of Shadows - As the common Ratkin Gift.
(Ratkin BB p112)
Rat Mother's Touch - Metis spend a great deal of their formative years in nests where Rat Mothers breed. Almost every day they're growing up, Metis have to patch the wounds their brothers and sisters inflict on each other.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Medicine (difficulty 6). If the Gift is used to heal Garou, the difficulty is 7. Each success heals one health level. There is no limit to the number of times you can use this Gift, but each use requires a point of Gnosis. The talent works on both aggravated and non-aggravated wounds.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p112)
Sense Wyrm - The Ratkin can detect the foul stench of the Wyrm through any of his senses; he can also whisper to nearby Rat spirits to find out what they know. Sense Wyrm always requires active concentration.
System: This works a little differently from the Garou version. Roll Perception + Occult (difficulty 7). The number of successes required is based on the concentration and strength of the Wyrm's influence. (A fomor in an empty room, for instance, would only require one success.) Vampires can be sensed with this ability, but only if their Humanity is below 7.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p112)
Rank 2
Spirit of the Spiny Rat - The South American spiny rat surrounds itself with sharp quills to protect itself against predators. This talent is similar to the Gift of the Porcupine, though not as deadly.
System: Sprouting spines requires a point of Rage; the Ratkin must be in Crinos or Rat Thing form. Anyone who grapples, body slams, or immobilizes the Metis (or is on the receiving end of these moves) takes aggravated damage equal to the wererat's Strength +1. The spines last for one turn for every point of the rat's permanent Rage.
(Ratkin BB p112)
Stink - The Ratkin can emit a horrific odor dense enough to the saturate a ten by ten foot area. (Exactly how he does this is entirely up to you - players are not required to simulate this smell with bodily functions in any way during the game.)
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Occult. Anyone wanting to remain in the area must make a contested Willpower roll (difficulty 7) and exceed the Metis' successes.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p112)
Rank 3
Rat Thing - With a bit of practice, Metis Ratkin can learn to take on a form between Crinos and Rodens, rather like the well known Garou Hispo form. The result is a giant, lumbering Rat Thing: a long, furry quadrapedal rodent about the size of a large dog.
System: Roll Stamina + Primal Urge, difficulty 7. Shifting from Rodens or Crinos requires one success, shifting from Homid form requires three successes. As usual, spending a point of Rage will automatically shift the character into this form. The Rat Thing's Physical Attributes are Strength +4, Dexterity +1, Stamina +1; the brute is far stronger than it is agile, but it can lumber along at three times normal running speed. If the rest of the pack is in Rodens form, they can easily ride on the back of this beast of burden. With absolute obedience, it will carry them through hell and high water on its furry back.
Unfortunately, size is traded off for intelligence. A wererat in Rat Thing form has an effective Intelligence of 1, and can only follow the simplest orders. it cannot speak, save for vague grumbling noises. Its Manipulation score is also effectively 0. Though it is too dense to be affected by any kind of supernatural mind control, it has the attention span of a two year old human child. Pity the stupid, stupid Rat Thing.
(Ratkin BB p112)
Sliver Tooth - The Ratkin's incisors splinter into nasty shards as they pierce flesh, embedding deep and preventing healing.
System: After a successful, damaging bite attack, the Ratkin can spend a point of Rage to activate the Gift. Any damage that the target doesn't soak cannot be healed until the splinters of tooth are removed; Removing the splinters is very tricky work, as they can get pretty small. The victim must score 5 successes on a Dexterity + Medicine roll to remove them, and this takes a number of turns equal to (10 minus the number of successes). As usual, the bite counts as aggravated damage as well.
The Metis receives one automatic non-aggravated heath level of damage; she cannot soak it, but can regenerate as usual. Until she does, she cannot make bite attacks.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p112)
Rank 4
Ratkin Lullaby - Few Wyrm creatures can be as foul or disobedient as Ratkin rugrats. Sometimes hyperactive ratlings would much rather climb the walls than submit to sleep. After years of helping little ones get ready for beddy-bye, Metis learn skills useful for later in life. Through a combination of spiritual calmness, a raspy singing voice, and weird-ass Ratkin lyrics, a Metis can make his enemies drowsy, or even force them into unconsciousness.
System: Spend a point of Gnosis and roll Manipulation + Expression; the difficulty is either the victim's Rage +3 (if he's a shapechanger) or a 6 (if not). Success brings a shapechanger or vampire out of a frenzy, or calms down a human who's reacting violently to the Delirium. If the victim makes a simple Willpower roll; the difficulty is 3 plus the number of successes you scored (maximum of 9). If the roll succeeds, he feels sleepy, gaining a +1 difficulty to all die rolls for the rest of the scene. If it fails, the victim's difficulties are at +3 (to a maximum of 9). On a botch, the victim falls asleep.
(Ratkin BB p112)
Whelp Body - As the Garou Ragabash Gift.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p113)
Rank 5
War of Vengeance - Garou stalking through the deep wilderness use the Gift: Song of the Great Beast to call up the spirits of legendary creatures that stalked the Earth millennia ago. A Rodens Ratkin with the Gift: War of Vengeance can do the same thing... but he can also call up the shades of ancient creatures slain long ago by werewolves and magi.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Perception + Primal Urge (difficulty 7). The number of successes determines the spirits anger. It will remain summoned for one scene, during which it can betray long forgotten secrets or even attack if a werewolf or mage is present. If stats are required, take a number of points equal to the wererat's successes times ten, and divide it among the spirits four traits (Rage, Gnosis, Willpower, and Power); no traits save Power can be raised above 10. The spirit does not have Charms, cannot reform, and will not go into Slumber if destroyed.
(Ratkin BB p113)
Rodens
PGttCB 145, Ratkin 113-114
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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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Rank 1
Absolute Balance - Rats have an amazing sense of balance: they can walk along clotheslines, the moorings of ships, and narrow rooftops with amazing agility. A Rodens using absolute balance can maintain her footing on any solid surface, including ice, the slick bottom of a riverbank, a greased surface, or a snowdrift. The best part: the rat doesn't even leave tracks.
System: Roll Dexterity + Athletics, difficulty 6; extremely treacherous surfaces may raise the difficulty to 7 or 8. If climbing proves necessary, the speed-rate still depends on the Dexterity + Athletics roll, but the Ratkin cannot fall for the duration of the scene. If the feat is something an ordinary rat can normally perform, no roll is necessary; this applies even if the Ratkin is in Homid or Crinos form. The Storyteller, of course, can still proclaim some feats of balance impossible.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p113)
Leap of the Kangaroo Rat - A kangaroo rat can propel itself with leaps of six to eight feet at top speed. When surprised, it can leap up to 24 feet, a rather astounding feat for a beastie about 15 inches long. With the use of its tail, it can even change its direction mid-air. Now picture a none-foot tall Crinos wererat taking advantage of the same skills. Although kangaroo rats aren't members of the family rodentia (they're marsupials), this supernatural gift is still bestowed by Kangaroo Rat spirits.
System: There are two applications of this Gift. The Ratkin can leap once up to three times its normal jumping distance. Alternatively, she can "long run" with a series of smaller jump (up to twice its jumping distance). Using the Gift for one massive leap has no deleterious effects; just roll Stamina + Athletics (difficulty 7) and gain at least one success. Long-running, however, requires a point of Rage for each hour of travel. Each hour, the Ratkin should roll her Stamina; a failed roll inflicts a health level of non-aggravated damage that cant be regenerated until the wererat rests. Long-running allows an average of ten miles an hour.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p113)
Survival - The rat does not need food or water for a fill day. Just as the kangaroo rat can sustain himself with seeds he finds in the desert, the Ratkin can improvise a method of forestalling starvation. This Gift is taught by a Kangaroo Rat spirit.
System: This requires the use of one Gnosis and a successful Wits + Survival roll. The difficulty depends on the mere proximity of food, even inaccessible food (3 for the basement of a supermarket; 6 for an urban area or forest wilderness; 9 for a vast desert).
(Ratkin BB p113)
Rank 2
Devour the Dead - The user can call up a swarm of Rat spirits to devour a dead body and remove all physical evidence in the immediate vicinity. Rodens Knife-Skulkers often use this Gift to dispose of the bodies of their victims.
System: Spend one Gnosis; a swarm of Rat spirits appears from nowhere and consumes the dead body, bones and all, within three turns. Unfortunately, all items currently on the body will be carried off into the Umbra, where they'll be carefully hidden. Remember to loot the body first.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p113)
Scamper - This ability can make a fleeing Rodens Ratkin much harder to hit.
System: On the turn you decide to start Scampering, spend one Rage. To use the Gift, the rat must be using an "all-out dodge" during combat: that is, setting aside her entire dice pool for dodging. If she does, the difficulty for dodging starts out at a 4, regardless of whatever cover is available. The Gift will last as long as you keep dodging, up to the entire length of combat. Spending an extra Rage allows extra actions in a turn, but these must also be dodges. As usual, each additional attacker trying to hit the Ratkin in a turn raises the difficulty for dodging by 1 (unless you spend a point of Rage for each additional dodge). This cannot be used in conjunction with the Gift: Evasion.
(Ratkin BB p113)
Rank 3
Itchy - Years ago, a small pack of Rat spirits accessed the Television Zone in the Umbra. When they came back, the results weren't pretty. Local cartoon mice had taught them things Rats Were Not Meant To Know. The Itchy Gift allows a Ratkin in the Umbra to shapechange into a form that can employ many of the Cat-and-Mouse tactics used in classic cartoons.
System: "Taking Itchy Form" is not subtle; all of the colors of the Ratkin's fur become much brighter than reality can normally manage. The wererat even begins to move like a cartoon mouse, and any creature he decides to stalk will hear a macabre parody of cartoon music. Spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Enigmas, difficulty 6. Itchy form Ratkin have the statistics of Rodens form, but can take ridiculous amounts of damage and live; the number of extra successes on the initial roll become temporary health levels for the duration of one scene. Those extra health levels only apply to non-aggravated damage; the claws and teeth of supernatural creatures remain just as deadly. By spending one Rage, you can also form a cartoon weapon for one scene; the none-aggravated damage it inflicts is equal to your permanent Rage. You can only devise one cartoon weapon or trap at a time, which fizzles out at the end of the scene.
For some reason, cartoon rats have unusually elastic bodies, which can distort into all the shapes you'd expect in animation. An Itchy form Rodens' eyes can literally bug out, a heart pounding in your chest may swell several inches outside of your body, and so on. The Storyteller has control over this; toon out at your own risk. Since this Gift can only be used in the Umbra, no one needs to worry about shredding the Veil.
(Ratkin BB p113)
Sliver Tooth - As the Ratkin Metis Gift.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p114)
Rank 4
Command Metis - Ratkin Metis act as lackeys to the Rodens who dominate colony politics. Should one become disobedient, a high-ranking Ratkin can force him to obey his will.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Charisma + Leadership (the difficulty is the Metis' Willpower); the number of words in your command must equal the number of successes. Your command must be a complete sentence (including imperatives); one success means your command is one verb. By the way, this ability cannot be used on a Ratkin Metis who is of higher rank than you are, or on a Metis in a frenzy! The effects last for one scene; if the action strongly goes against the Metis' character, the Storyteller may allow a Willpower roll (difficulty 9) to modify the command. This cannot, however, override the Metis' survival instinct.
(Ratkin BB p114)
Mind of the Swarm - Once a swarm of rats has been summoned, or if you encounter them in the wild, you can control them through sheer force of will. You cannot motivate them to assault anything in their path (that requires the Rite of the Swarm), but you can direct their movements. This Gift can also be used to summon up a few extra rats or Rat spirits for the duration of one scene; oddly enough, it's taught by a Rat spirit.
System: The size of the swarm you can control depends on a Manipulation + Animal Ken roll. Spending a point of Gnosis and a point of Willpower isn't a big price to ask. The effects last for a number of hours equal to the Rodens Ratkin's Willpower.
| Successes | Swarm Size |
|---|---|
| 1 | up to 13 rats (normal rats) |
| 2 | up to 20 rats |
| 3 | up to 30 rats (large rats) |
| 4 | up to 40 rats |
| 5 | up to 50 rats (big-ass rats) |
If the Rodens can gather all of these rats into one place before the Rite of the Swarm is invoked, the difficulty for the ritualist's final roll is decreased by 2. You cant summon up allies in addition to those summoned by Rite of the Swarm, but if you like, you can attract two extra rats for each success on your initial roll.
(PGttCB p145, Ratkin BB p114)
Rank 5
Furtive Gathering - In Ratkin infestations, high-ranking wererats become master of conspiracies and politics. Through this Gift, a Ratkin calls upon the spirits to surround a secretive meeting of rats and wererats. This must be done in privacy, but once undertaken, no one can communicate with the conspirators... or even know they are there. Oddly enough, this Gift is taught by a Stormcrow spirit, since Grandfather Thunder sympathizes with the Ratkin race's need for revenge.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Occult; the difficulty is the level of the local Gauntlet. The Ratkin are sealed off from all interruptions; anyone who wanders into the area cannot sense any aspect of the furtive gathering. The wererats, one and all, are invisible to all senses.
(Ratkin BB p114)
Tunnel Runner
PGttCB 146, Ratkin 114-116
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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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Rank 1
Danger Sense - No one lives with more danger than a Ratkin Tunnel Runner. When a wererat is prepared for the worst, her senses become hyperattenuated, developing a sixth sense for unseen perils. As the old wives' tale suggests, if a ship is sinking, the rats know of it first. This Gift is generously bestowed by a Rat spirit.
System: Whenever a Tunnel Runner with this Gift is near imminent danger, the Storyteller should roll the character's Wits + Alertness (the difficulty is normally a 6, but unseen supernatural dangers may increase the difficulty o the roll to 7 or 8). If the roll gains at least three successes, the Runner receives the sensory flash warning her of the danger. The warning can be quite cryptic; it need not be crystal clear.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p114)
Scent of the True Form - Similar to the Philodox Gift of the same name.
System: A Ratkin with this Gift can sense other wererats instantly. Detecting the true form of any other supernatural critter requires a Perception + Primal Urge roll, difficulty 6. The number of successes required depends on the supernatural creature he's sniffing.
| Successes | Critter |
|---|---|
| 0 | Ratkin |
| 1 | Garou or Changing Breed |
| 2 | Any kind of Kinfolk |
| 3 | Vampire or Changeling |
| 4 | Mage, Sorcerer or Hedge-Wizard |
| 5+ | Any other freakishly obscure beastie (mummy, etc.) |
(Ratkin BB p114)
Silent Running - Five thousand years of practice has taught the wererats a lot about hiding from unwanted attention. This Gift obscures a Ratkin's path of travel to all methods of detection, supernatural or otherwise. Rat spirits falsify evidence of where the Runner has been, laying false trails and obscuring existing ones. This not only makes the use of the Tracking Ability difficult, but also counteracts methods like Rite of the Questing Stone.
System: Spend one Gnosis, call out to your character's totem for aid, and roll Intelligence + Subterfuge. Each success raises the difficulty of a tracking roll by 1, to a maximum of 10; each additional success beyond that subtracts a success from any tracking roll used to find the character.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p114)
Rank 2
Hotwire - You can circumvent the electrical system of any vehicle and jump-start the engine. With a little more work, you can even bind an Electricity spirit to a spare key, creating a "spirit key" for the car that other Ratkin can use. Some Tunnel Runners like to travel in stule, using and discarding cars along the way.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Repair; Tunnel Runners have a difficulty of 8 on this roll, while Engineers have a difficulty of 6. One success starts the engine. You may then craft a spirit key by holding up a spare key to the car's elevtrical system and coaxing an electricity elemental inside. Make a temporary Gnosis roll against the difficulty of the local Gauntlet; the number of successes reveals how long the key will work. Each success guarantees the key will function for one day before the spirit escapes.
(Ratkin BB p115)
Sigil - With this Gift, a Ratkin can encode a message in a bit of graffiti; only other Tunnel Runners can decipher it. These marks are often found in train yards, outside bus stations, under freeways, and anywhere else that wanderers frequent. Most include warnings about hazards to be found ahead. This Gift is taught by a Wanderlust spirit, one of Rat's many Gafflings.
System: Inscribing the Sigil requires one Gnosis and a successful Intelligence + Primal Urge roll. The player writes down a message up to ten words in length; the Storyteller distills this into an image other wererats will reveive if they study the glyph. Any Tunnel Runner can notice and decipher one of these glyphs with a successful Perception + Survival roll; if the wererat isn't specifically looking for it, the difficulty is an 8 (and the Storyteller rolls secretly), but if a Tunnel Runner is specifically looking for Sigils, the difficulty is 6.
(Ratkin BB p115)
Urban Camouflage - Experienced Tunnel Runners don't look like they're wandering beggars; instead, they blend in wherever they go. A highly talented traveler can wander almost anywhere looking like he's a native. Why be invisible when you can be ignored? Runners carry this to an extreme: even whenever they're barefoot and broke, no one will question their presence if the Ratkin is using this Gift. Other supernatural creatures rely on being invisible or obfuscated; wererats with this talent just remain nondescript. Unlike other abilities, you can activate this Gift as soon as someone approaches you. Dissapearing from plain view tears the Veil apart; being inconspicuous doesn't.
System: Roll Intelligence + Stealth and spend one Gnosis. If the number of successes exceeds a viewer's Perception, you're not invisible, but you will be ignored. For large groups of people, just use the highest Perception rating in the crowd. This Gift cannot be used during the stress of combat, however, and lasts one scene or until the Ratkin decides to end it.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p115)
Rank 3
Bolt! - As the common Ratkin Gift.
(PGttCB p146)
Evasion - Trapping a rat is difficult. Hitting one can be nigh-impossible. Anyone who's chased a feral rat through an apartment late at night has experienced this first hand. Tunnel Runners heighten this instinct to supernatural levels, especially when they travel through realms frequented by supernatural creatures.
System: During combat, spend one Rage and roll Dexterity + Dodge (difficulty 8). Add up the number of successes and remember it; each success can be spent for an automatic success on a Dexterity + Dodge roll that turn. These points can be spent before or after the roll is made; if you miss a Dodge roll by one or two successes, you may save your tail. The Tunnel Runner cannot attack while using Evasion, but he may take other actions. This Gift cannot be used at the same time as the Rodens Gift: Scamper.
(Ratkin BB p115)
Second Sight - High ranking Tunnel Runners tend to settle down to a few select colonies, or decide to spend a lifetime acting as the Scout for one tribe. Staying in one place for too long can be intolerable - unless of course the maverick learns to use this Gift. By staring into the eyes of a young Runner, the wererat can learn to use this second rat as his eyes and ears outside the Nest. This second Ratkin must voluntarily agree to this communion. This explains a commonly used tactic: a Tunnel Runner may agree to be captured by a nest's enemies to help his colony find out more information.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Perception + Empathy; the difficulty is equal to (5 + the second Ratkin's Rank). If you succeed, you can close your eyes and see through the eyes of this temporary ally. This effect lasts one day for each success. Once you advance beyond Rank Three, you can do this with more than one Tunnel Runner; for each level of Rank you have above 3, you can commune with an additional scout.
(Ratkin BB p115)
Rank 4
Speak in Tongues - The Ratkin can understand any one human language for the duration of one scene. Communication is fluent; no Linguistics roll is required.
System: Spend one Willpower, and your mind will be flooded with knowledge of the new language. As for any misunderstandings or Social rolls that result, well, that's up to you.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p115)
Tunnel Echoes - There are some tunnels that even Runners fear to tread. In these places, scouts often communicate across long distances by scraping on walls, rattling bones, chittering to set up echoes, and so on. High ranking rats don't just spread messages this way; they also listen closely to get a rouch idea of the tunnels ahead, just in case they need to bolt through them. Whisper in a ventilation shaft of a big corporate building, or rattle some bones at an open sewer lid, and there's a chance you may sense a passage way you never realized was there.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Perception + Performance. While performing this Gift, your senses will be hyperattenuated for the duration of the scene, especially to the sounds of echoes and rustling down the system of tunnels you're using. If anyone makes a loud noise while you're in this state, you'll take one health level of non-aggravated damage.
Once you take this risk, however, you can communicate to everyone in that tunnel system. Each point of Willpower you spend allows you to relay one sentence (up to ten words in length). Any Ratkin in the tunnel might receive this message. Unfortunately, the harmonics get distorted over distance; another Tunnel Runner using this Gift wont receive the words you sent, but instead, detect a sensory image that relays the same information. This image can be intercepted by other Tunnel Runners who may spend a point of Gnosis and make a successful Blood Memory roll (difficulty 8); other shapechangers, humans, or supernatural creatures just hear unearthly subterranean noises.
Even if you don't spend Willpower, you can also roll temporary Gnosis to get a sense of a section of the tunnel system. With three successes, you might also get a vision of someone stalking down there. With five successes, you may uncover a secret tunnel, an entrance to a room you need to access, or an object that has been lost or abandoned. When other shapechangers go crawling in the sewers, they learn to fear the strange echoes ricocheting around them; they foretell the approach of a skilled Tunnel Runner!
(Ratkin BB p115)
Rank 5
Cheese It! - With this Gift, the Tunnel Runner can help his entire pack bolt from danger, although using it tends to be risky.
System: First, the Tunnel Runner calls out a brief phrase to signify the use of this Gift (e.g., "Everyone out!") Every wererat who wants to take advantage of this opportunity spends one point of Rage; the Tunnel Runner spends three. (The Tunnel Runner can only help a number of wererats equal to the total of her permanent Rage and permanent Gnosis.) All of the players representing the fleeing rats then play a quick hand of Rock, Paper, Scissors. (On the count of three, everyone throws down the hand signal for rock, paper, or scissors.) The Storyteller plays, too.
Everyone who made the same choice as the Storyteller is lucky; their Ratkin bolt to a place of hiding within line of sight, even nearby rooftops. Any Ratkin who chose the most popular choice can bolt to the nearest hiding place, even if they didn't make the same choice as the Storyteller. Every other rat stays right where they are; the Gift does not work for them. If the Tunnel Runner doesn't make the same choice as the Storyteller, he can try this Gift again next round.
(Ratkin BB p116)
Shadow Seer
PGttCB 146, Ratkin 116-117
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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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Rank 1
Rat Mother's Touch - As the Ratkin Metis Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p116)
Sense Weaver - Any good Ratkin knows how to hide in the midst of human civilization. This Gift aids a wererat in finding Weaver spirits of all varieties. The spirit must be within sensory range, and each has its own distinctive sound or smell. This perception can vary from rat to rat, so a Shadow Seer may develop her own personal range of descriptors for spirits. Shadow Seers who sense that an area is overrun (or "calcified") by the Weaver may call on their rat pack to snap a few webs
System: This Gift requires only a Perception + Occult roll. The difficulty varies depending on the strength and concentration of the spirit. Sensing a lone Weaver Gaffling, for instance, is difficulty 6; a Jaggling is difficulty 7. More successes on the roll bestows more information on the spirit, possibly including a measure of its Power and what Charms it might possess. Ratkin Engineers using this Gift show up with a slight degree of calcification.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p116)
Sense Wyrm - As the Ratkin Metis Gift.
(Ratkin BB p116)
Rank 2
Name the Spirit - As the Garou Lupus Gift of the same name.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p116)
Summon Engling - Usually, when shapechangers need to replenish their Gnosis, they summon an Engling and stalk it. In urban areas, this hunt takes on a few unique twists; a Shadow Seer with this Gift knows them intimately. The Engling is always disguised as something mundane. Only the members of the Rat Pack can recognize that it's really a spirit. Humans react to this in unpredictable ways - watching mad street people pursue a fleeing icecream truck, a bou with a baloon, or a cloud of butterflies - each has different results.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll permanent Gnosis against the difficulty of the local Gauntlet. With three successes, an Engling appears, but in a disguise that only the Shadow Seer can see through. (The spirit's stats are: Willpower 5, Rage 1, Gnosis 10, Power 25; Charms: Airt Sense, Materialize.) The Ratkin must chase down and "kill" it; if they do, they gain 10 Gnosis to divide equally between the members of the Rat Pack.
(Ratkin BB p116)
Touch the Spirits - In animist philosiphies, all objects hold some spiritual essence. Through this Gift, a Shadow Seer can speak directly to these inanimate spirits, learning where physical objects have been and what they've been used for. Psychics call this "psychometry". Knife Skulkers don't care what it's called... They just call for the Shadow Seers to do it on command.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Perception + Empathy. Each success allows you to see back one day, sensing the gist of where the object has been and who was using it.
(Ratkin BB p116)
Protect the Swarm - All sorts of supernatural creatures like to call up rats as allies. Ratkin from rival packs, vampires from the Animalism Discipline, mages with the Ratstorm rote and Beast-Speaking Garou are just a few examples. If a Shadow Seer runs into a rat who's been victimized by any of these Gifts, she can determine who is controlling the poor defenseless beastie. If she's powerful enough, she may even attempt to convince the rodent to disobey its master.
System: Once you've learned this Gift, you can sense whether a rat you encounter is possibly being controlled by another supernatural creature. Roll Gnosis; you must score more successes than your rival's initial roll for his supernatural "power", whether that's a Discipline, Sphere, Gift, or what have you. You will even gain a brief glimpse of the rival who's been manipulating the poor critter. If you succeed, you can also overpower his ability, but only if your rank is the same level or higher than the power that's used. Make a second roll of Manipulation + Primal Urge (difficulty 7); you must have more successes than your rival's initial roll.
(Ratkin BB p116)
Rank 3
Command Spirit - As the Garou Theurge Gift of the same name.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p116)
Exorcism - As the Garou Theurge Gift.
(Ratkin BB p116)
Pulse of the Invisible - As the Garou Theurge Gift. The Ratkin can voluntarily enter a state of disconnection, remaining constantly aware of all the spirits around her while she wanders about in the physical world.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p116)
Rank 4
Discarded Dreams - Humans throw their dreams away and never realize what they've lost. This Gift allows a Ratkin to salvage these dreams from any trash pile. By chanting an incantation and offering the refuse to someone as a gift, the recipient will be caught up in an elaborate dream; this is based on a memory someone has lost. The dreamer may even think she has the skills to carry out this aspiration. A stern old woman with a broken doll might think she's a ballerina; a lonely man with a moth-eaten coat might think he's the height of fashion, and so on. This Gift is taught by a Trash Gaffling or any servant of the Great Trash Heap, a powerful Bone Gnawer Totem.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll perception + Enigmas; the difficulty depends on the relative obscurity of the item you're looking for. You may find an item that's only vaguely what you want; if you get at least three successes, you've found exactly what you needed.
Now find a creature who's in need of a lost dream. Roll Manipulation + Expression (difficulty of the recipient's temporary Willpower) to explain what the lost object signifies. If the recipient really wants to live the dream, you need only one success; if he resists, you need at least three. For the duration of one scene, your target will live out the fantasy you give him; if you score at least five successes, he will even gain some of the skills or talents he needs to carry out this delusion. A great singing voice, mastery of the arts of dance, the stealth of a secret agent - all these treatures can eb found in the trash, if only you look hard enough. As one would expect, you cannot perform this Gift during the stress of Combat.
(Ratkin BB p116)
Feast of the Dead - It's said that some primitive tribes devour parts of their enemies to gain their strength. By devouring the heart or brain of a victim, the Ratkin temporarilly gains three of its Gifts randomly.
System: Kill it. Hack it open. Eat it. Randomly roll for three of the victim's Gifts, and they're yours for the rest of the day (although they must be Rank Three Gifts or less). This Gift offers you no protection against redundancy; you can gain a Gift you already know. In addition, this cant be used in conjunction with the Elegy Gift or the Rodens Gift: Devour the Dead; nor can the Gift be used more than once on a given corpse, even if you do eat the brain and save the heart for your girlfriend.
(Ratkin BB p117)
Rank 5
Elegy - By speaking the last rites over a dying Ratkin, you can gurantee his spirit will survive to serve Rat's cause. At the moment of death, he will be reborn as a Rat spirit. Over his dying body, you must recite the greatest accomplishments of his life. All of his Gifts will be gone, but his memories and spirit will remain. Of course, he can be bound or manipulated like any other ephemera, but some wererats are willing to make this ultimate sacrifice in service to the Rat Goddess.
System: If a wererat's health levels go below Incapacitated, and any of his wounds are aggravated, you may immediately perform this Gift. He gets his shot at Final Rage first - rolling Stamina at difficulty 8 and healing one health level per success - so you can only proceed if he fails that roll.
Decide how much Gnosis you want to invest into the Elegy. The dying Ratkin you're trying to help then rolls Gnosis; the difficulty is equal to 10 minus his Rank. Each point of Gnosis you spend before the roll adds one success; if the dying rat gets at least five successes, his flesh withers away. He's reborn as a Rat Jaggling and scampers off into the Umbra.
(Ratkin BB p117)
Knife Skulker
PGttCB 146, Ratkin 117-118
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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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Rank 1
Death Mark - This Gift is not invoked lightly. The Skulker invests a touch of Gnosis in a small piece of black cloth; when this is brushed across the forehead of a criminal, the victim is marked with an invisible spiritual sigil. Any Knife Skulker can see this with some effort; various "spirit sight" disciplines can also detect it. Depending on the severety of the crime, the Skulker may give the criminal a head start, offering him a chance to atone for his crime before the other Knife Skulkers catch up with him. If he doesn't, the Death Mark makes the guilty bastard easier to track down... And cripple or kill, if necessary.
System: The Skulker spends one Gnosis and rolls Intelligence + Enigmas to create the death mark and store it in black cloth. A Skulker can only maintain one Death Mark at a time. If he prefers, he can hand off the ensorcelled shround to an emissary (usually a Tunnel Runner) who will carry it to the criminal. Anyone can brush the cloth over the victim's forehead, who is usually restrained. Once this is done, the Skulker can tell the direction and distance of the guilty party (rather like the Rite of the Questing Stone). The victim may attempt to remve the mark with another Gift, Discipline, Arcanos, or the like. However, this number of successes must exceed the Skulker's initial roll, and such "cures" never last for more than a day.
(Ratkin BB p117)
Sticky Paws - The Skulker can grab a weapon out of his enemies hands (or claws, or paws) and use it against its wielder the same turn.
System: Spend one Rage and roll Dexterity + Melee to grab the weapon; the difficulty is equal to the victim's Dexterity +3. The victim cannot resist; such is the nature of this Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Truth of Gaia - As the Garou Philodox Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Rank 2
Chitter - As the Garou Get of Fenris Gift: Snarl of the Predator. By chittering at an almost subsonic level, the Ratkin can unnerve his foes.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Mother's Truth - The Gift: Truth of Gaia just isn't good enough for some people. A Knife Skulker can tell who's lying with that Gift, but who's to say he isn't lying about the results? When someone's guilt needs to be proven to everyone present, Mother's Truth forces the victim to rat on his accomplices and co-conspirators. For one scene, the victim of Mother's Truth cannot tell a lie.
The victim may even be coerced into telling everything that he's trying to hide. This relies on an elaborate use of interrogation and threats, mixed in with a little supernatural prowess. Never swear on your Mother's grave, especially when she's really an Incarna with goddess-granted powers. The Rat Incarna bestows this Gift through one of her chosen Rat spirits.
System: If the victim does not resist the Gift, the Knife Skulker need only to spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Intimidation (difficulty 6). In this case, the victim will literally bite his tongue if he tries to tell a lie. If he resists, everyone present will know it.
Getting the witness to betray his darkest secrets requires an extended contested test of Willpower, along with a thrilling drama worthy of a courtroom. The inquisitor and his victim trade off questions and answers, alternating Willpower rolls as they go. The victim rolls first at difficulty 6. The inquisitor's difficulty is lower: Take the number of successes the Knife Skulker got on his initial Manipulation + Interrogation roll and subtract it from 6. The Storyteller calls for regular Willpower rolls periodically throughout the interrogation; if the Skulker gets ten successes before his victim, he has browbeaten him into submission, and the victim spills all the details of his crime. If the victim gets ten successes first, the interrogation does not work and cannot be attempted again for a full day.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Stalk - As the Garou Ragabash Gift: Sense of the Prey. Knife Skulkers know lots of tracking secrets.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Rank 3
Doppleganger - As the Rank Four Garou Glass Walker Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Paralyzing Stare - As the Garou Shadow Lord Gift.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Rank 4
Open Wounds - As the Garou Shadow Lord Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Wither Limb - As the Garou Metis Gift.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Rank 5
Geas - Similar to the Philodox Gift of the same name. The Knife Skulker can punish a victim or group of criminals by forcing him to undertake a quest. The victim or victims may even be forced to act against their basic instincts. In addition, Rat spirits will harry and harass every victim who strays from the purpose of the Geas.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Charisma + Leadership (difficulty of the victim's Willpower). With a group of criminals, the difficulty is based on the victim with the highest Willpower. Each victim then makes a final willpower roll (difficulty 9) to determine if their guilt is powerful enough to force a personality change until the Gease is fulfilled. The Gease must be a specific task the victims can perform and survive; they have up to one month to complete it.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Warrior (Blade Slave)
PGttCB 146, Ratkin 118-119
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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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Rank 1
Resist Pain - As the Garou Philodox Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Slicing Teeth - As the Garou Ahroun Gift: Razor Claws, but used with the Ratkin's bite attack.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Sticky Paws - As the Ratkin Knife Skulker Gift.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Rank 2
Curse of Hatred - As the Garou Metis Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Rat's Teeth - Tiny sharp projectiles hurled at high velocity can inflict frevous damage. With this Gift, the wererat produces a seemingly endless supply of sharp objects from hidden places scattered all over her body. She then assaults a chosen victim with a continuous fulsillade. Japanese Neszumi use shuriken and throwing knives; ingenious Ratkin in other parts of the world have been known to use items like needles, kitchen knives, and bits of broken glass.
System: As long as you carry a miscellaneous assortment of sharp objects, you've got a never ending supply of thrown projectiles. To invoke this Gift, spend a turn doing an elaborate martial arts pose and spend one Rage; you can do nothing else during this first turn. For the rest of the scene, you can let off one barrage of thrown objects each turn. Roll your permanent Rage as your attack roll; any successes left over after your victim dodges are added to your damage roll (just like Firearms rolls). Your damage pool is equal to your temporary Rage; don't forget to add your extra damage dice.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Spirit of the Fray - As the Garou Ahroun Gift. If your Storyteller is using the optional Instinct rules (See Chapter Two of the Ratkin Breedbook), this is a sure way to guarantee your Ratkin is a psychotic little monster afterwards.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Rank 3
Bolt! - As the common Ratkin Gift.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p118)
Improvisation - In your hands, anything can become a lethal weapon. All Ratkin are servitors of chaos; in combat, a Warrior with this Gift is a deadly, unpredictable madman.
System: Spend a point of Gnosis and name a type of object that would be near you character in combat. You may then wield one of these objects for the duration of the scene. Each time you use this Gift, however, you must name a different type of object. As always, your Storyteller can veto your choice if it's too implausible. For instance, the first time you fight in a cafe, you may decide to fight with "plates", while the next time you may choose "kitchen knives", "hot coffee", or "trash cans". In addition, you must graphically describe each attack you make and describe a different attack each time. Wielding it requires a roll of Dexterity + Melee; the difficulty starts at 6 at the beginning of combat. Each attack you make must be different than all the attacks before it. If you choose "plates" for instance, you could break a plate over someone's head the first round, roll a plate across the floor and trip someone into a plate-glass window the second round, and break a plate into jagged pieces before stabbing someone on the third round. Each attack must be different.
The Storyteller responds to each attack with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Depending on how ingenious your attack is, the difficulty for your next attack is either -1 or +1. The damage roll starts out equal to your permanent Rage; this also goes up or down by one depending on your ingenuity. If the Storyteller is impressed and gives a thumbs up to your attack, the damage roll of the same subsequent attack gets an extra die and the difficulty goes down by 1. If the Storyteller is not amused and gives a thumbs down, the damage roll of your next attack loses one die and the difficulty goes up by 1.
Optionally, the Storyteller may ask everyone at the table (or watching the game) to give a thumbs up or down and use the crowd's judgement. Believe me, if the player and Storyteller are ingenious, they will draw a crowd.
(Ratkin BB p118)
Rank 4
Persecution Complex - As the Garou Stargazer Gift: Preternatural Awareness.
(PGttCB p146, Ratkin BB p119)
Treppelganger - There safety in numbers, or so you've been told. The Doppelganger Gift helps a Ratkin imitate another person. The Treppelganger Gift splits you into a gang of little Ratkin. They must all stay within the same immediate area, but they can also coordinate their actions based upon your thoughts.
System: Roll Intelligence + Performance; for each success you obtain, this Gift remains active for one turn. Each turn, you can split one little nine inch Crinos off the side of your body. You may form up to three little "gangsters" and you must spend a point of Gnosis for each one. This continues until they are all complete or you stop forming them. When the last one is formed, you shrink down to the same size. All members of the gang act on the same initiative. A gangster may only make one attack each turn. They cannot use any of your Gifts, and they cannot join you in the Gift: Pack Attack; they are all extensions of you.
These tiny ratlings can scurry through a number of yards equal to their Dexterity each turn. They can make amazing vertical leaps, jumping onto tables, chairs, shelves and drawers when necessary. At the end of the combat, all of the little critters reform into one big Crinos rat again. Although they look like little Crinos wererats, they're actually weaker. In Treppleganger form, each one has Strength +1, Dexterity +2, and Stamina -1. These little rugrats are cute though: they get Charisma +2 and Appearance +2. When you shrink down, you have the same traits.
(Ratkin BB p119)
Rank 5
Pack Attack - High ranking Warriors are the master tacticians of the Ratkin race. They don't just lead swarms of rats into battle; they can coordinate entire Rat Packs in ingenious assaults. By drawing upon the "hive mind" deep within a Ratkin's psyche, a Warlord can make it easier for his pack to overwhelm enemies with ruthless efficiency.
System: First, the Warrior lets out a keening cry and rolls Manipulation + Leadership. For each success, a random member of her pack must automatically join in the Pack Attack on the next turn; they cannot abort this action and cannot splot their dice pools. Additional Ratkin in the pack may join in voluntarily. Then, during the next declaration phase, the Warrior declares first, stating the target of the Pack Attack. The Warrior also acts first, as if he had the Gift: Spirit of the Fray. For every two Ratkin in the Pack Attack, decrease the difficulty of all attacks against the target by 1 (to a minimum of 4). The Warrior can continue the pack attack by spending one Rage at the beginning of each subsequent turn.
(Ratkin BB p119)
Engineer
Ratkin 120-121
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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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Rank 1
Control Simple Machine - As the Garou Glass Walker Gift. Using this Gift while in the Umbra increases the difficulty by 1.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Open Seal - Similar to the Garou Ragabash Gift of the same name.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Gnosis against the difficulty of the local Gauntlet. In any laboratory, Engineers are at -2 to the difficulty. This Gift may also open and close doors while an Engineer is in the Umbra.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Scrounge - Ratkin Engineers have a talent for finding all sorts of usable junk. Spend a few minutes searching around, and there's no telling what you might find. This Gift can either help find some mundane item that's hidden nearby, or scrounge up something bizarre that no one would have thought to look for. This Gift is taught by a Trash Gaffling.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Perception + Alertness. You can either name a specific item that would normally be in your current location, or name a general type of item that's rather hard to find. The difficulty of the roll depends on how well the item is hidden or how rare the item is. For instance, finding where the forks are kept in a restaurant after hours is difficulty 4; finding a fork in a subway station could be difficulty 6; finding a magnetized fork with silver plating by the side of the freeway might be difficulty 9.
The Storyteller, of course, has the right to rule out any specific item as "impossible to find". If the restaurant in question really doesn't have any radiactive plutonium forks stashed in the kitchen, the Scrounge Gift wont help you find one.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Rank 2
Hotwire - As the Ratkin Tunnel Runner Gift.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Mousetrap - When cornered and outnumbered, rats have unusual bursts of cunning and ingenuity. This trait is very common among the Engineers, their mechanically inclined supernatural cousins. With this Gift the ratkin can figure out a way to set a trap using almost anything at hand. First, he scrounges for something that can inflict damage. He then McGuyvers it into a deathtrap of amazing ingenuity.
System: The dice roll is easy; it's the creative part of this roll that takes some work. The Engineer must spend a point of Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Repair. You must explain how the device works; the difficulty depends on the plausibility of your explanation. Many gamers claim to have knowledge of "kitchen chemistry" and homemade traps, but this Gift depends on your ability to pitch ideas based on what's at hand.
Only materials that are present near the Ratkin can be incorporated into the Mousetrap; this Gift cannot be used in conjunction with the Scrounge Gift. The difficulty starts at 5, but it can go as high as 10 if it's obvious you're talking out of your ass. For instance, if you can come up with a decent explanation of why a lightbulb should explode under certain conditions in a living room, that's a 6. If you're stuck in a bookstore and start blathering about killing someone with paper cuts, an electruc an, and lemon juice, that's pathetic enough to merit a 9 or a 10. An Engineer can build a Mousetrap during the stress of combat. This takes two turns, but the starting difficulty is then set at 8.
When completed, the trap does damage equal to the Ratkin's Wits plus an additional die for every success. The damage is non-aggravated unless you use something that obviously causes aggravated damage (fire, acid or the like). It's a one-shot item - poof! and the deed is done. The victim should either get a Perception + Alertness roll to avoid the trap, or a Dexterity + Dodge roll to dive for cover, whichever is higher.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Rank 3
Summon Electricity - Far more effective than a general Rite of Binding, this Gift summons an Electricity Elemental and binds it to an electrical device for a short period of time. Even broken devices will be able to operate with a little judicious jurry-rigging.
System: Roll Gnosis versus the difficulty of the local Gauntlet. You must be near a source of electricity, which isn't very hard in any human city. With four successes, you've summoned the spirit. Bonding it into a battery or an electrical device requires a Gnosis roll against the spirit's Gnosis; if you succeed, it is bound and will continue to supply power for one week per success. Five successes binds it for a year; after that, the spiritual warranty will expire.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Control Complex Machine - As the Garou Glass Walker Gift. This Gift allows control of complicated objects, like computers, cars, and ATMs.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Rank 4
Battery - A Ratkin Engineer can use this Gift to energize himself or other wererats. This can temporarily increase physical abilities, though often at the risk of inflicting temporary damage as well. Some dangerous wererats use direct electricity to affect this, while more sedate ones simply mix up noxious concoctions of battery acid and other foul fluids. Convenience stors now sell many odd "energy beverages" that are commonly adapted for this purpose.
System: Spend one or more points of Gnosis and roll Wits + Repair. Every two successes on the roll can increase a Physical Attribute by one for the duration of a scene, as long as the Engineer has spent an equal number of point of Gnosis. No Trait can be raised higher than 6 in this way (not counting non-homid Attribute bonuses).
(Ratkin BB p120)
Rank 5
Death Ray - You can discharge energy through your fingertips. Granted, you'll need to hook yourself up to a car battery or a wall outlet for a few hours each day, but if you've ever had a Garou trying to choke you to death, you know it's worth it.
System: You must spend at least an hour "meditating" while attached to a supply of electricity. Spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Enigmas (difficulty 6); for each success, you gain a temporary dot in a new trait called "Electricity". If you spend another point of Gnosis, you can charge this trait up further; the maximum rating is 10. For the rest of the day, your body will have a constant static electric charge until you discharge it.
To attack with the Death Ray Gift, roll the dice in your Electricity pool. Attacking with a touch is difficulty 6; attacking at range (up to fifty feet) is difficulty 8. If you hit, you inflict one health level of aggravated damage per success; this damage is soaked at difficulty 8. The Electricity trait goes down one dot each time you use the Death Ray. Optionally, you can burn off points of Electricity instead of Gnosis to power Gifts like Battery and Summon Electricity.
(Ratkin BB p120)
Plague Lord
Ratkin 121-122
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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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Rank 1
Poison Food - Health Department officials would cringe at the very thought of this Gift. Common black rats and brown rats are capable of spreading food poisoning under the right circumstances. Add the ordinary rats' capacity for breeding, and that means everal hundred rats can drive a restaurant out of business if unchecked. Now picture a Plague Lord calling up his own assortment of Disease spirits after learning this Gift from his ephemeral ally.
System: Spend one Gnosis and roll Intelligence + Enigmas. Anyone who eats the poisoned food takes a number of health levels of non-aggravated damage equal to the number of successes. This damage can be soaked with a Stamina roll, but the poison remains in the food for one scene. (Incidentally, taking multipul bites in the same scene does not inflict damage multiple times.)
(Ratkin BB p121)
Sniffle - Having trouble seeing an invisible enemy? To use this Gift, the Plague Lord places a pinch of dust on his palm and blows. He may direct the germ-laden cloud around the room, seeking the invisible. The first person it makes contact with must make a nasty Rollpower roll to avoud sneezing, coughing, and wheezing from a temporary bout with a nasty cold.
System: Sacrifice a point of Gnosis to your Disease spirit and procure a handful of powder. Roll Intelligence + Medicne (difficulty 6). You have a number of turns to find your opponent equal to your number of successes on this roll. Each turn, the cloud of germs travels up to five yards. If your opponent is in the area of the cloud, he must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 9) to avoid giving away his position with a loud outburst.
(Ratkin BB p121)
Virulent Curse of Hatred - Epidemic - As the Rank Two Warrior Gift: Curse of Hatred, but with a few distinct differences. The victims Traits are reduced by a simulation of the Plague Lord's favorite disease. Players are encouraged to research their favorite afflictions; the game mechanics, however, remain the same.
System: Spend one Rage and roll Manipulation + Expression; the difficulty is the victim's Willpower. With at least one success, the victim loses two Willpower points and two Rage points. This can be attempted once per scene. This is an Epidemic Gift, and can be spread to more than one person with the Plague Lord Gift: Epidemic Contagion.
(Ratkin BB p121)
Rank 2
Blur of the Weeping Eyes - Epidemic - Got something in your eye? The Ratkin can inflict someone looking at him with a nasty infection, affecting his eyesight. All he's got to di is spit on his victim to transmit this nasty disease. This only lasts for one scene, but the poor fool will fisibly suffer. He might weep pus from his eyes, suffer from a vision defect, have his eyeballs well up with blood, or watch as his eyelids are covered in scales. The Plague Lord gets to graphically describe the illness; the game mechanics remain the same.
System: You must successfully spit at someone to transmit this Gift; this requires a successful Dexterity + Melee roll and one point of Rage. Your victim has the difficulty of all Perception rolls increased by two (and all attack difficulties increased by one) for one scene. This counts as an Epidemic, and can be spread to more than one victim with the Rank Five Gift: Epidemic Contagion.
(Ratkin BB p121)
Dredge the Spirit World - The Plague Lord can summon a few select spirits of misery: those of Pain, Disease, and Night. If the Gift involves an appropriate sacrifice, it may also call up a Wraith... or a Spectre.
System: Roll Gnosis against the difficulty of the local Gauntlet; the difficulty depends on the power of the dark spirit invoked.
| Difficulty | Spirit |
|---|---|
| 6 | Pain |
| 7 | Disease |
| 8 | Night |
| 9 | Wraith/Ghost |
On a botch, the Plague Lord has either called up a Spectre (if you've got a copy of Wraith: The Oblivion) or a minor Bane of the Storyteller's choosing.
| Successes | The spirit... |
|---|---|
| 1 | ...comes eventually and is innitially hostile. |
| 2 | ...manifests quickly, but is still initially hostile. |
| 3 | ...comes immediately and is neutral. |
| 4 | ...comes immediately and remains passive, yet benign. |
| 5+ | ...comes immediately and is friendly. |
(Ratkin BB p121)
Rank 3
Catgut - This is one of the fouler secrets possessed by Plague Lords. By carefully curing the skin or internal organs of other Changing Breeds, the Lord can weave a highly durable skein. With a bit of work, this can be crafted into form-fitting armor. Catgut armor, unfortunately, really pisses off other shapechangers. Bastet have been known to frenzy at the very sight of a Plague Lord wearing a leopard skin coat or cat ears. (And yet, other wererats have been known to fall to the ground laughing.)
System: Preparing catgut armor requires a dead shapechanger, an hour of work, and the expenditure of a point of Gnosis. Roll Intelligence + Repair; if the rolls succeeds, the pelt that's skinned bestows three extra dice for soaking damage. Shapechangers of the same Changing Breed as the victim of this Gift must make frenzy checks the first time they see it, or whenever they enter battle against a Ratkin wearing it. This Gift cannot be used on Ratkin.
(Ratkin BB p121)
Lesions - Epidemic - Like the Garou Gift: Halt the Coward's Flight. If you can bite or claw your victim, lesions and sores will break out on his legs and feet, making rapid movement inpossible. His running speed is effectively halved.
System: Spend one turn focusing your diseases within you, and then bite or claw your victim. You must unleash this illness before the end of the scene. If you succeed, roll Charisma + Intimidationl the difficulty is the victim's Willpower. If this roll succeeds, the victim moves at half normal speed for the remainder of the scene. This is an Epidemic, and can be spread to more than one victim with the Gift: Epidemic Contagion.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Rank 4
Inflict Pain - Epidemic - Your ability to transmit disease has become so impressive that you can adjust the pain your victims feel. This Gift is taught by a Pain spirit.
System: You must successfully bite or claw your victim to transmit this Gift. Spend a point of Rage and roll Intelligence + Medicine; the difficulty is your victim's permanent Gnosis (or four, for those without Gnosis). The number of successes determine the dice pool penalties your victim receives for the duration of the scene; these work just like the penalties for wound levels. One or two successes inflict a -1; three or four successes inflift a -2; five or more successes grant a -3. The effects can be completely nullified with the Gift: Resist Pain. This is an Epidemic Gift, and can be spread to more than one victim with the Gift: Epidemic Contagion.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Rank 5
Epidemic Contagion - The Plague Lords' forte, Epidemic Gifts, are even nastier when in the hands of the highest ranking Lords. By use of this Gift, a wererat can make any Epidemic Gift highly contagious.
System: If the victim of an Epidemic Gift comes within touching distance of another person (one yard or so), there's a chance that the ailment will spread to that poor soul as well. The victim needs to make a Willpower roll, difficulty 7. If the victim fails, he is also affected with the illness... and can in turn pass it on to someone else.
Here's the best part: The Plague Lord can decide whether Ratkin can succumb to this epidemic as well. Do you want wererats to be infected by this plague? If the answer is "yes", the difficulty of a wererat's Willpower roll to resist the infection is 5. If the answer is "no", Plague Lords can unleash infectious Gifts into a herd of shapechangers with impunity. Either way, the Plague Lord is always unaffected by his own plagues.
(Ratkin BB p122)
(Epidemic Notes, Ratkin Breedbook, Page 121): Some Epidemic Gifts increase the difficulty of a victim's die rolls. If one of these Gifts is used on a victim more than once, the modifiers to the victim's die rolls are not cumulative. For instance, the Gift: Fever raises the difficulty of Intelligence and Wits rolls by 2. If it's used on the same victim, the difficulty of those rolls are still only increased by 2; they are not increased by 4. A victim can be hit with several different Epidemic Gifts, but cannot be punished with multiples of the same Gift. The same applies to any Gift that raises or lowers a victim's Traits.
Munchmausen
Ratkin 122-123
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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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Rank 1
Persuasion - As the Garou Homid Gift.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Spirit Speech - As the Garou Theurge Gift.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Tale Spinning - Using this amazing ability, the Ratkin can tell an elaborate story defying all reason and logic, and tell it so convincingly that the listener believes it is true. Telling the story absorbs an entire scene.
System: Burn one Gnosis and roll the Munchmausen's Manipulation + Expression. The most educated or skeptical listener makes an Intelligence roll to resist; for each success, he can stop the Ratkin at any point and ask him one question that should derail the story entirely. ("But sir, there is no air on the moon!" quoth he. To which I replied, "Ah, but you are mistaken! The cheese has holes, does it not?") Regardless, if the "tale-teller" has more successes than the listener, the Gift succeeds and the Moon Mouse makes it to the end of his story. Optionally, the listener may write down his number of successes on a piece of paper and pass it to the Storyteller; the Munchmausen doesn't find out the results until his story is over.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Rank 2
Name the Spirit - As the Garou Shadow Seer Gift.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Rapier Wit - Through a combination of fast-talk and quick reflexes, the Ratkin can parry and riposte against attacks more effectively. This does not always require a weapon, but it does require quick wits (both on the part of the player and the character). The Munchmausen must compose a song or poem while using Rapier Wit, adding a stanza at least every time he attempts to parry or riposte. If the Ratkin is unarmed, the player must also describe what items nearby he is using in combat instead. A chair, a chandelier or mug of ale can be deadly if wielded by a witty Munchmausen.
System: When the Ratkin begins using Rapier Wit, the player improvises the first two lines of an original poem or song. Mark off one Gnosis. Any time the Munchmausen is assaulted with a Brawl or Melee attack, she may attempt to automatically parry and counterattack. This lasts for the rest of the scene, and works in addition to the Munchausen's other actions. Each time the Ratkin is attacked, the player must add another two lines to the poem or song. The composition need not necessarily make sense, but it must at least rhyme.
For a successful parry and counterattack, the Munchmausen rolls Dexterity + Expression. The difficulty of the first roll starts out at 6. Each time the Munchausen parries and adds another two lines to her composition, the Storyteller determines whether the difficulty of the next parry should go up by 1 or down by 1, depending on the ingenuity of the poem or song. (Optionally, players can vite using the "thumbs up/thumbs down" methods like the one used in the Warrior Gift: Improvisation.) The difficulty of the parry/counterattack can never go lower than 4 or higher than 10. To parry, she must score more successes than the attacker did on his attack roll. The damage for the counterattack is equal to Strength, although the Storyteller may add a die or two if the weapon is particularly vicious. If the weapon does aggravated damage, so does the counterattack. Her opponent can attempt to soak damage, but cannot dodge or Parry the counterattack. The Gift lasts for the rest of the scene; hopefully by then, the Munchmausen's masterpiece will be complete.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Rank 3
Adversity - A Munchmausen can survive extreme temperatures for a full day with this Gift. Arcadian Ratkin often tell ridiculous stories about having lived on the moon, the bottom of the ocean, or the caldera of an active colvano. Some of these stories are true.
System: Tava (Rank Three Ratkin) are immune to extreme heat (up to boiling lava) or extreme cold (up to Antarctic conditions). A Rank Four, they gain the ability to live underwater or in a vacuum. A Rrrrr't (Rank Five) Ratkin can reproduce the Ratkin Gift: Survivor; Moon Mice find this ability essential.
No roll is necessary; the Rat just spends Gnosis for each day he wants to survive. Extreme heat or cold requires one Gnosis. Underwater conditions or complete vacuums require two Gnosis; the Survivor Gift requires three. As a side note, this Gift will never grant immunity to silver, though it will reduce the damage from fire from aggravated to non-aggravated.
(Ratkin BB p122)
Taste of Madness - Share my delusion! The Munchmausen can construct a brief variant of reality for his victim to experience. This must be summarized in one sentence of no more than ten words.
System: Spend a point of Gnosis and roll Manipulation + Subterfuge (the difficulty is equal to the subject's Willpower). If the roll succeeds, the victim believes the delusion as truth. The effects last one hour per success.
(Ratkin BB p123)
Rank 4
Whispered Dreams - You can speak an illusion into existence. This apparition can affect all of your victim's senses, can move anywhere within your line of sight, and can exist as long as you concentrate on it. The Gift begins when you whisper a few words about the dweomer you are trying to create. The illusion lasts for one scene.
System: Spend two Willpower points and roll Manipulation + Expression (difficulty 8). Anyone witnessing the illusion can attempt to "see through it" by rolling Perception + Alertness; the difficulty is equal to (5 + the number of successes you obtained, up to a maximum difficulty of 9). Once one person points out this flaw, the illusion is ruined for everyone, and it vanishes.
(Ratkin BB p123)
Rank 5
Hyperattenuation - The Arcadian Ratkin can exaggerate any one sense to ridiculous proportions. The effects last for one scene, and only work if accompanied by outrageous bragging. For instance, the Moon Mouse might hear footsteps through the ground seven leagues away; smell a single peppermint leaf resting on a couple of treacle on the lowest level of a sewer system; see well enough from the top of a building to shoot the apple off a tree outside the city; or feel a mans deepest psychological problems through the bumps on his forehead. Inconceivable! This Gift is chaotic, often throwing in sensory data you never anticipated. it's taught by a Wyldling spirit.
System: Roll Manipulation + Expression (difficulty 9), without spending any Willpower. For each success, you can increase your Perception by one point for as long as you spend an equal amount of Gnosis; this lasts for one scene. The Storyteller takes any Perception roll you make and "hyperattenuates" it to Herculean proportions. Again, your heightened senses are chaotic: You might try to identify the scent of a Glass Walker's cigars, but you may also catch a whiff of the store across town that he brought it from...
(Ratkin BB p123)
Twitcher
Ratkin 123-125
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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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Rank 1
Firebug - By focusing anger and destructive emotions, the Twitcher can ignite flammable materials within ten feet. You cant hurl balls of abysmal flame, but you can torch things without carrying an incriminating lighter or book of matches. This inferno can only engulf wood, paper or cloth; you'll need the Pyrotechnics Gift for anything less flammable. In addition, the Gift does not work on items that are being worn or carried. This Gift is taught by a Wyldling spirit.
System: Spend one Rage and roll temporary Rage to ignite a fire. You just need one success. This may seem trivial, but no human investigator will be able to deduce the cause of your act of arson. This gift is also instantaneous; imagine the efficacy of setting a building on fire right in the middle of an epic fight scene.
(Ratkin BB p123)
Sense Angst - You know anger and bitterness so well that you can smell it in others. Humans become fascinating: you can sense their current greatest pet peeve or annoyance. When you're near shapechangers, you can sense the extent of their Rage; if lucky, you can determine the last event that really pissed them off. You know how close a vampire is to going berserk (and what might set him off), or the pain of a wraith hovering nearby. If you use this on someone tainted by the Wyrm, you can sense part of what drove him to his madness. In all, if anyone is pissed off, you can figure out why... and use it to your advantage.
System: Roll Perception + Occult, difficulty 6. If a human is actually calm, you can tell what would most upset him at that moment; gaining more than one success gives you more insights into what would cheese him off. Three successes on a Perception + Occult roll lets you tell the relative Rage of a werewolf (or other shapechanger), the Humanity of a vampire (or a brief impression of his Path's morality and how "far along" he is on it), the Angst level of a wraith, the Banality of a changeling, or the last thing that really pissed off a human or mage; although this description is never couched in actual game terms, it allows a Ratkin to make a rough guess whether a given target is a werebeast, undead, fae thing, human, or "something else". This Gift can only be used once per subject per scene.
(Ratkin BB p123)
Sense Weaver - As the Ratkin Shadow Seer Gift.
(Ratkin BB p123)
Rank 2
Holdout - By creating a "pocket" in your flesh, you can smuggle a weapon or a small package. Don't be surprised of a cornered Twitcher pulls something amazing out of his... well, you know.
System: Spend one Gnosis and the spirits will aid you in secreting the device. Roll Wits + Subterfuge to make sure it's well hidden. If your holdout item is bigger than a rat, you cannot shift into rat form without immediately dropping it on the ground. The package cant be larger than your chest cavity. Inserting it can be rather embarrassing unless it's done in private. Excreting it from your newly created orifice requires a point of Rage. You may point to the spot where you'd like the new orifice when you activate this Gift, but be specific; Rat spirits don't give a rat's ass where they shove it in.
(Ratkin BB p123)
Self-Destruct - Students of the Weaver can learn to control simple machines, forcing them to stop functioning. Devotees of the Wyld can make them self-destruct in a spectacular fashion, throwing off sparks and lovely jagged pieces.
System: Spend one Rage and roll your remaining temporary Rage. Anyone hit by the fallout loses a number of non-aggravated health levels of damage equal to the number of successes; this can be soaked. This only works on mundane technology, not fetishes, talens, talismans, Devices and the like.
(Ratkin BB p123)
Rank 3
Pyrotechnics - Fire walks with you. While cowards cloak objects in darkness, you're a soldier of the Apocalypse; you'll cloak them in flames. The size of the object in question depends on your anger and your ability. Anyone using this Gift must have some sort of prop to cover up the supernatural activity. Use gasoline, mix chemicals, or just wire something to blow. Even if it shouldn't physically work, your race's undying hatred will give it the kick it needs to jump start the Apocalypse.
System: Start off by focusing your anger. You can spend as much Rage as you like; each point gives you an automatic success on the Intelligence + Occult roll that follows. THe size of the object and its composition both affect the number of successes you need to set it ablaze. Every success allows you to torch a 10-by-10 foot area. Yes, this can be used on living things.
Optionally, mechanically-inclined Storytellers may choose to split the number of successes on the initial roll between these two tables to further define the conflagration. For more details, check out the Fire! section of the main rulebook.
| Successes | Severity of Fire's Heat | Soak Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Candle (1st degree burns) | 3 |
| 2 | Torch (2nd degree burns) | 5 |
| 3 | Bunsen burner (3rd degree burns) | 7 |
| 4 | Chemical fire heat | 9 |
| 5 | Molten metal heat | 10 |
| Successes | Size of Fire | Wounds per Turn |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Torch sized | 1 |
| 3 | Bonfire; half of body burned | 3 |
| 5 | Raging inferno; full flame immersion | 3 |
(Ratkin BB p124)
Sanctify - This Gift is used in conjunction with the Rite of the Pain Dagger; if you know this Gift, you may also learn that rite from a Warrior (without spending the experience for it). Normally, you can bind a spirit into a blade of religious significance to form a Pain Dagger, the Ratkin's equivalent of a Garou klaive. The Sanctify Gift allows you to temporarily bind one of the spirits used in the rite to anything with a jagged or pointed edge: butcher's knives, chain saws, broken bottles, meat hooks, and bone saws are all obvious examples. This Gift is blissfully bestowed by a Pain spirit, but only if you can give it what it wants first. This often involves sacrificing another creature's pain.
System: Find a weapon to dedicate as your new Pain Dagger. Spend one Rage and whisper the greatest crome you intend to commit with it to the blade. You can then perform the Rite of the Pain Dagger upon it to summon a Pain spirit and bind it inside. If the weapon normally inflicts non-aggravated damage (like a broken bottle or a meat hook), the new weapon can mete out Strength + 2 aggravated damage. If the weapon normally inflicts aggravated damage (like a chainsaw), the new weapon metes out Strength + 4 damage. In addition, the Twitcher can spend a point of Gnosis to force the spirit to use the Charm: Agony. When the blade is dedicated, roll Gnosis; for each success, the spirit remains bound for one week. As usual, a Twitcher cannot create more than one Pain Dagger at a time; however, they don't worry about losing Obligation Renown for performing irreverent or obscene acts with them.
Unfortunately, the spirit inside a Sanctified Pain Dagger may whisper to the Twitcher who carries it; only the owner can hear these disturbing messages. Once a day, if the owner fails a Willpower roll (difficulty 9), a drawn spirit blade will force its owner to attack a victim of its choice. Some Ratkin believe it's a small price to pay.
(Ratkin BB p124)
Rank 4
Keening of Swarm Panic - This Gift is essentially the same as the Nezumi Gift from Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East. It is only possible in the midst of a crowd of at least fifty or sixty humans. The Twitcher keens a high, wailing sound just beyond the fringe of human hearing. After a few minutes, the humans become uneasy and soon begin to push and shove each other. The human swarm can become extremely dangerous if it senses the need to bolt.
System: Expend one point of Gnosis and roll Charisma + Rituals (difficulty 7). If the Ratkin obtains at least three successes, the crowd will begin to force its way towards a chosen exit. With four successes, the crowd will panic, surging so violently that any non-humans in their way are swept into the crowd. Each of these victims suffers one level of damage (difficulty 8 to soak).
With five successes, the crowd bolts. Anyone caught in the way of the crowd should roll Dexterity + Athletics or Dexterity + Didge; otherwise that victim is trampled under a wave of human flesh. The victim takes one level of damage each turn until he gets to his feet (until then, he can attempt to soak the damage at difficulty 9). The most insidious part of this Gift is its duration: ten minutes for each success on the initial roll.
(Ratkin BB p125)
Rank 5
All Hell - By summoning a swarm of Wyldling spirits and Rat spirits, you can invoke sheer pandemonium. They'll crawl the walls, manipulate mundane objects randomly, and cause sheer chaos. Any non-Ratkin in the room is hit with the Delirium.
System: Spend one Gnosis; everyone present rolls Willpower (difficulty 8). Anyone who fails this roll gets hit by the Delirium, just as if they were human. Humans are automatically affected, but move one step up the Delirium chart for each two successes they get.
(Ratkin BB p125)
