Page 50 - World of Darkness

Stamina, along with Size, is a factor in determining by the condition become more severe, intensifying by one.
your character’s Health dots. (See p. 90.) All accumulated successes are lost and the Storyteller de-
cides when — or if — your character ever recovers.
Holding Breath Failure: The intruding effect takes or continues to

Dice Pool: Stamina take its course.
Action: Reflexive Success: In a simple reflexive roll, the condition is
A character can hold her breath for a number of turns resisted. In an extended roll, some progress is made in re-
based on her Stamina dots, as follows: sisting the condition, but symptoms persist until the ill-
ness is defeated completely (when required successes are
accumulated).
Stamina Time*
Exceptional Success: “Rumors of my death are exag-
• 30 seconds gerated.” Your character goes immune or makes rapid
•• One minute progress toward recovery.
••• Two minutes Suggested Equipment: Healthy diet (+1), antibiot-
•••• Four minutes ics (+2), cutting-edge wonder drugs (+3)
••••• Eight minutes Possible Penalties: Injuries (-1 to -3), bad diet (-1),
••••• • 15 minutes lack of medication (-1 to -3), lack of sleep (-1 to -2)
••••• •• 30 minutes
* If your character is in combat, she can hold her breath Social
for one turn per Stamina dot.
When she has reached her normal limit, a Stamina roll Presence
is made to continue. Each success grants 30 extra
Martin was stunned. He wasn’t sure how long he stared
seconds (or one extra turn per success in combat). at the blood on his hand, bewildered by what it might mean.
When she can no longer hold her breath, she begins Was the guy who owned the place some kind of psycho,
suffocating/drowning. She suffers one lethal Health killing people and pouring their blood down the drain? He
wound per turn. (Werewolves and other living super- wasn’t sure, but he finally decided that he didn’t want to find
natural creatures cannot regenerate this damage until out. It was weird, though. It was like he couldn’t think
they can breathe again. Since vampires and the walking straight. This should have scared the shit out of him, and
dead don’t breathe, they cannot suffocate or drown.)
here he was kind of out of it, like he’d had a few.
Resisting Poison or Disease When he got upstairs, he realized the lights were on. It
was already dusk outside, given the last light coming in
Dice Pool: Stamina + Resolve
Action: Reflexive (potentially extended) through the windows. “When did that happen,” he won-
dered. “I meant to—”
Toxins or ailments affect people only in so far as these
afflictions can overcome bodily resistance, and often the His thought went unfinished. Standing before him at the
personal imperative to remain healthy. The human body foot of the stairs was the most beautiful woman he’d ever
can fight back against foreign substances and illness, but seen. Normally, he didn’t go for brunettes. They reminded
determination to resist goes a long way toward recovery, too. him of his ex-, but somehow this one made it work. Did she
Mere exposure to an illness or poison might call for a ever.
reflexive Stamina + Resolve roll to determine if your char- “What was I doing?” Martin muttered, but no answer
acter falls victim. If the roll is successful, he remains came.
healthy or immune. If the roll fails, the symptoms kick in.
If an affliction has long-term effects, efforts to fight The woman’s dark eyes contrasted her pale skin, and
back might call for extended and reflexive Stamina + focused intently on the blood on Martin’s hand, on the blood
Resolve rolls. They might be made every turn or hour for that he’d absently smeared across his shirt.
a poison, or every hour, day or week for a disease. The “Did you hurt yourself?” the woman asked. “Here, let
total number of successes needed to overcome might be me make it better.”
10 for a weak poison or 30 for a virulent disease. The vic- Bearing. Stature. Assertiveness. Presence suggests the
tim suffers from any effects of the illness while it is being power of your character’s very identity. Attractiveness is
fought. The Storyteller might impose a limit on the num- only part of the trait. Your character may be jaw-dropping
ber of rolls that can be made before a severe condition gorgeous, plain-Jane or downright ugly, but her Presence
proves fatal. If required successes aren’t accumulated by means much more. It reflects her sheer command over
then, your character dies. the attention of others. It’s her capacity to impose her
Roll Results will on others by being socially aggressive or powerful —
Dramatic Failure: The toxin wins over all; your a veritable bull in a china shop or someone who simply
character’s will is shattered. Penalties or damage imposed doesn’t accept no for an answer. This trait is essential to

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ATTRIBUTE DESCRIPTIONS- SOCIAL