Page 38 - World of Darkness

extended action: A task that takes time to accom- flexive action does not prevent a character from perform-
plish. Players roll to accumulate successes during phases of ing another action within a turn.
the task, succeeding once they have acquired the needed ranged combat: An attack that sends a projectile of
total. some sort at a target, whether it’s a bullet from a gun or a
failure: A dice roll that yields no successes is a knife from a hand. Such attacks use the Dexterity Attribute
failure — the character does not succeed at his task. for their dice pools. Characters’ Defense cannot normally
Health: An advantage trait, determined by adding be used against firearm attacks, although targets can pe-
Stamina + Size. Health is measured in dots and points. (See nalize an opponent’s accuracy by going prone or taking
also Wound.) cover.
Initiative: An advantage trait representing the Resistance: Characters can resist others’ attempts to
character’s ability to respond to sudden surprise, deter- socially sway them, physically grapple them or even men-
mined by adding Dexterity + Composure. A character’s tally dominate them. Whenever applying such resistance
Initiative helps him get a high standing in the Initiative requires a character’s full attention, it is performed as a
roster. contested action, but more often it is a reflexive action, al-
Initiative roster: The list that determines when each lowing the target to also perform an action that turn.
character can perform an action within a turn. For each scene: A division of time based on drama, such as
character who is not surprised, a player rolls a die and the end of one plot point and the beginning of another.
adds his character’s Initiative to the result. Whoever gets Whenever a character leaves a location where a dramatic
the highest number acts first, followed by the character event has occurred, or when a combat has ended, the cur-
with the next highest, and so on until everyone who can rent scene usually ends and the next one begins.
has acted that turn. Initiative is usually rolled once per Skill: A character trait representing learned ability
encounter, but the Storyteller can decide to re-roll it each or knowledge. Added to an Attribute to determine a
turn. character’s basic dice pool for a task.
instant action: A task that takes place within a single Specialty: An area of Skill expertise in which a char-
turn. A character can perform only one action per turn, acter excels. Whenever a Specialty applies to a character’s
unless he has a Merit or power that lets him do otherwise. task, one die is added to his player’s dice pool. There’s no Glossary
lethal (damage): A damage point that inflicts a sharp, limit to the number of Specialties that you can assign to a
slashing or piercing wound, such as from a sword or bullet. single Skill.
Lethal wounds normally heal at a rate of one point per Storyteller: The “director” or “editor” of the interac-
two days. tive story told by the players. The Storyteller creates the
Merit: A character trait representing enhancements plot and roleplays the characters, both allies and villains,
or elements of a character’s background, such as his allies with which the players’ characters interact.
or influence. Merits are measured in dots, but are not al- Structure: A trait representing an object’s integrity,
ways used to determine dice pools. Instead, they repre- determined by adding Durability and Size. Structure is
sent increasing degrees of quality or quantity concerning measured in dots, which can be lost due to damage. Unlike
their subject. the wounds of a living creature, an object does not heal
modifiers: Dice pools are often modified by a number damaged Structure; it must be repaired.
of factors, from bonuses (adding dice) for equipment or ideal success: Each die that rolls an 8, 9 0r 10 yields one
conditions to penalties (subtracting dice) for poor condi- success. (Exception: A chance roll must produce a 10 to
tions. succeed.) In an instant action, a player must roll at least
Morality: An advantage trait representing a character’s one success for his character to accomplish a task. In an
moral, ethical and even psychological standing and extended action, the number of successes required (accu-
wellbeing. Morality is measured in dots, which can be lost mulated over a series of rolls) depends on the task. In an
to degeneration by performing unethical or criminal acts. attack roll, each success produces one point of damage.
point: A trait expended to gain certain effects, such troupe: Your gaming group of friends.
as a Willpower point or a measurement of damage or Health. turn: A three-second period of time. Instant actions
The amount of points available to spend is equal to the are observed in turns. Combat (a series of instant actions)
parent trait’s dots. Spent points are regained over time or is observed in consecutive turns as each combatant tries
through certain actions. to overcome opponents.
reflexive action: An instinctual task that takes no wound: A marked Health point, denoting an injury
appreciable time, such as reacting to surprise or noticing from damage. Bashing wounds are marked with a “/”, lethal
something out of the corner of your eye. Performing a re- wounds with an “X” and aggravated wounds with a “* ”.
(See Health.)

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GLOSSARY