Page 180 - World of Darkness

receives automatic protection. The rating of their con- erally speaking, no protective clothing helps once some-
cealment (1 to 3) is subtracted from the damage that the one reaches terminal velocity.
explosive inflicts. So, someone who is substantially con- The Storyteller may allow your character to try to
cealed when a bomb goes off suffers three less damage than break his fall by some means, perhaps by grabbing for aw-
normal. Full cover needs to be penetrated by an explo- nings or twisting to strike soil rather than concrete. A
sion to affect anyone behind it. See “Cover,” p. 162. single Dexterity + Athletics roll may be called for, with
The Explosives Chart details a few weapons. Many each success gained diminishing damage taken. There may
variables play into the effects of an explosive, so the chart be a limit to how much damage can be shaved, though —
offers only broad suggestions regarding these devices. say, three. There’s only so much that desperate flailing
and grabbing can do when someone falls from a signifi-
Falling cant height. Efforts to slow one’s fall are usually useless at
terminal velocity.
Your character tries to jump between buildings, but Falling into deep water, snow or a pile of pillows might
doesn’t make it. He tries to scale a ladder but someone diminish damage taken automatically, if the Storyteller
above pushes it away from the wall. Or your character is allows it. No such “soft” landing is possible once terminal
simply thrown from a height by a powerful opponent. velocity is achieved. At that speed, hitting water is like
Regardless of the reason, your character plummets and hitting concrete.
may be hurt on impact. Falling damage is bashing, unless
your character lands on a fence spike or broken glass, or Fatigue
hits the ground at terminal velocity. A person suffers one
bashing wound for every three yards fallen. Terminal ve- Sometimes the demands of dealing with the world
locity is achieved in a fall of 30 yards or more; damage is and the threats it poses do not allow for such luxuries as
lethal at that point. So, if your character falls 30 yards, he sleep. Your character may need to remain vigilant or on
loses 10 Health points to lethal damage. guard over a person or item. He may need to get across
Once your character reaches terminal velocity, the country as soon as possible, but an airplane ticket is out of
damage he suffers remains 10 Health no matter how far the question. So, just how long can he remain awake, and
he actually falls. Thus, falls from 30 yards and 100 yards to what effect?
both inflict 10 lethal damage. Your character can push himself beyond normal lim-
The Storyteller may allow armor to be subtracted its, but exhaustion soon impairs his abilities. Almost any-
automatically from damage taken, assuming it can absorb one can go without rest for 24 hours, but to continue on is
the kind of damage incurred, and if it makes sense. Gen- challenging. For every six-hour period that your charac-

Explosives Chart

Type Throwing Blast Damage Size Cost Example
Modifier Area

Incendiary* -1 2 2 1 n/a Molotov Cocktail
Concussion** +2 3 4 1 ••• Concussion Grenade†
Shredding +2 3 4 1 ••• Shrapnel Grenade†
Single Destructive +1 4 4+ 1 ••• Stick of Dynamite
High Explosive*** n/a 20+ 6+ 1-3 •••• Plastique

Blast Area: The diameter in yards in which an explosion occurs.
Throwing Modifier: The attack-roll bonus to throw an explosive at a chosen target. Explosives marked
“n/a” cannot normally be thrown.
Cost: The minimum dots in the Resources Merit usually required to purchase the explosive. The “n/a”
entry indicates that the item can be created rather than purchased.

* Incendiary devices ignite the target (see “Fire”). Damage delivered by the explosion is bashing, while damage
caused by the fire is lethal.
** Concussion explosives deliver bashing damage and knock the target down (see “Knockdown,” p. 168).
*** Timed or triggered bombs that hold a variable amount of dynamite, plastique or other explosive cause damage
to surrounding structures and ignite flammable materials, which complicates damage. The figures listed are suggestions
only.
† Explosives that are aerodynamic when thrown.

179
STATES OF BEING-ELECTROCUTION-EXPLOSIVES-FALLING