Page 123 - World of Darkness

Emphasis is put on these last words because you your character’s relevant Attribute alone. Say your char-
shouldn’t try to get traits combined simply because your acter seeks to install a computer program. He has Intelli-
character has several dots in them. The Storyteller gence dots, but no Computer dots. Your character’s in-
shouldn’t allow you to roll Dexterity + Athletics to climb nate Attribute, in this case Intelligence, still offers him a
every cliff just because your character has a high Dexterity chance to succeed, albeit a small one. If your character
score. That might only apply when your character needs attempts an action for which he is not trained (he has no
to climb quickly. Each situation should actually call for a Skill dots), he may attempt the feat, but at a penalty. That
specific combination of Attribute and Skill. penalty is -3 for actions based on Mental Skills, and -1 for
actions based on Physical and Social Skills. Thus, if your
Specialties character has no Medicine Skill but he attempts first aid,
Chapter 3 also discusses Specialties that your charac- you still form a dice pool based on his Dexterity and the
ter may possess in Skills. These are areas of expertise that roll is at -3. Likewise, if an effort calls for Strength + Ath-
give your character extra capability in an effort. His Spe- letics and your character doesn’t have that Skill, your dice
cialty in Athletics might be “Climbing.” Possession of that pool is based on Strength alone and you suffer a -1 pen-
Specialty adds one die to your dice pool. Once again, how- alty.
ever, a Specialty must apply according to the action being Some traits such as Willpower have maximum rat-
performed, and the Storyteller must agree. If you roll ings of 10, which is higher than individual Attribute and
Stamina + Athletics for your character to swim across a Skill dots go. Your Storyteller should not usually combine
lake, his Climbing Specialty really doesn’t apply, does it? these special traits with others to produce your dice pools.
For the most part, these high-rated traits stand alone. Of-
Attribute Tasks ten times, they’re not even rolled but provide points that
are spent to influence other rolls.
Sometimes actions performed require no special ex-
pertise to perform. They’re activities that anyone can do,
such as lifting or resisting poison. These efforts don’t nec-
essarily involve any Skills. Indeed, they’re often based on Dice Rolling Steps
your character’s inherent capabilities alone. These efforts Step 1: Start with a core dice pool. It’s usu-
are called Attribute tasks, many of which are detailed in ally Attribute + Skill.*
Chapter 2 under the appropriate traits. When your char-
* For Attribute tasks, roll primary Attribute
acter performs one of these feats, two Attributes — a pri- + secondary Attribute (if any).
mary and secondary — are combined to determine your
Step 2: Apply any dice bonuses or penal-
dice pool. The primary is the one that contributes the ties. That is, add appropriate bonus dice to your
most to the effort, such as Strength in lifting. A second- pool and then subtract dice for penalties. Bo-
ary Attribute plays a support role in the effort, such as nuses include a Specialty that your character
Stamina when your character tries to lift something. In might have in a Skill, or equipment that he might
some cases, there is no secondary Attribute; only a pri- use. All bonuses to your pool should be added
mary determines success, as with Stamina in holding one’s
before any dice are removed for penalties. What
breath. remains are the dice you roll. If no dice remain,
When your character performs an Attribute task, your you’re reduced to a chance roll (p. 125).
dice pool equals his dots in the traits involved. If your Step 3: Roll your total dice pool against a
character lifts something and has 2 Strength and 2
target number of 8. (See p. 125.)
Stamina, you have a dice pool of four. If he holds his breath
and has a Stamina of 3, you make a Stamina roll with
three dice.
As a rule of thumb, if an act can be performed without Dice Modifiers
any expertise — without a Skill — it can be handled as an If we always knew just how an action was going to
Attribute task. turn out, how all factors would apply, and just what events
might contribute, we’d never make mistakes. Everything
Qualifiers we’d ever try would come out perfect every time.
The world’s not like that, though. We don’t always
For simplicity and game balance, your Storyteller
should not usually allow you to combine more than two foresee the factors that will be involved in an event. Nei-
traits in a single roll. It’s probably an Attribute (inherent ther does your character. Sure, he can drive to work with-
talent) and a Skill (learned capability), or an Attribute out undo threat. He might even be an alert driver and
plus an Attribute (raw talent alone). Two Skills are never adept at avoiding accidents, but when you throw uncon-
combined to form a single dice pool. Learned capabilities have trollable elements such as rain, fog, faulty steering and a
to be based on some foundation of talent (on an Attribute). violent, fanged passenger into the mix, emerging safe and
If your character has no dots in an applicable Skill, sound is a challenge.
the Storyteller may allow you to roll a dice pool equal to

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Chapter 6- DRAMATIC SYSTEMS