Page 88 - World of Darkness

Roll Results parent he’d be a window. No further Subterfuge efforts
Dramatic Failure: Your character makes a serious can work on that subject for the remainder of the scene.
mistake in choice of associate. He may deal with an un- Failure: Your character’s deception fails to convince
dercover cop or federal agent, or the associate plans to his subject. If the Storyteller agrees, he can still try to lie
rob him during the meeting. his way out of the situation through successive attempts
Failure: Your character has no luck finding an asso- (see p. 132).
ciate who can lead him to the goods. Success: Your character pulls off the deception with-
Success: Your character locates a potential seller or out a hitch.
buyer and a meeting is arranged. Exceptional Success: Not only does your character
Exceptional Success: Your character finds someone pull the wool over his subject’s eyes, he wins the victim’s
who will sell him quality materials at a cost below market trust and esteem.
value. It probably means the seller is trying to unload some
very hot merchandise, but the price is excellent. Disguise
Suggested Equipment: Pager (+1), cell phone (+1), Dice Pool: Wits + Subterfuge + equipment (imper-
gang or prison tattoos (+2), valuable barter items (guns, sonator) versus Wits + Subterfuge (subject)
drugs) (+3) Action: Contested
Possible Penalties: Unfamiliar neighborhood (-1 to If your character attempts to pass himself off as some-
-3), foreign country (-4), upscale neighborhood (-1), lack one else, roll Wits + Subterfuge in a contested action
of phone (-1), inappropriate clothes (-2), “You look like a against the individual whom he tries to deceive. The sub-
cop” (-3) ject gets the same roll. If your character has supporting
documents (passport, driver’s license) that help reinforce
Subterfuge the disguise, apply a +1 to +3 modifier depending on the
quality of the documentation (see below). If the subject
Simon stepped into the lobby, a bored look on his face. knows or is familiar with the person being impersonated,
He ignored the cameras and the security guards near the apply a -2 to -5 modifier to your roll (-2 if familiarity is
elevators. Guards expected people to behave like sheep, passing, -5 if it’s intimate).
unknowing and unaware of what was going on around them. If rolls achieve the same number of successes, re-roll.
Overly alert, fidgety sorts were the kind of people who drew Example: Stoe attempts to bluff his way into a
their attention. corporate office posing as a police officer. Stoe’s Wits is 4
The guard at the reception desk glanced at Simon as he and Subterfuge is 2. He has a fake badge and ID that look
stepped up to the sign-in book. “Can I help you, sir?” good enough to pass a cursory inspection, adding a +2
modifier to the roll. The secretary at the front desk has a
“I’m here to see Mr. Moran in suite 702,” Simon said,
scrawling a name in the register. He briefly made eye contact Wits of 3 and a Subterfuge of 1. Stoe wins the roll handily
with the guard. “Busy day,” he said noncommittally. with three successes to her one, and the secretary hurriedly
ushers the “detective” into the vice president’s office.
The guard nodded and reached for a visitor pass. “The
third elevator on the left will take you right up.”
Roll Results
“Thank you,” Simon replied, clipping the badge to his Dramatic Failure: Your character’s disguise is badly
lapel and joining the crowd of other businessmen congregat- flawed. Not only does the deception fail but the disguise
ing at the elevators. The worst was over. must be abandoned altogether before any other attempt
Subterfuge is the art of deception. Characters pos- can be made.
sessing this Skill know how to lie convincingly, and they Failure: Your character does not pass himself off as
recognize when they’re being lied to. Subterfuge is used someone else.
when telling a convincing falsehood, hiding one’s emo- Success: Your character manages to pass himself off
tions or reactions, or trying to pick up on the same in as someone else.
others. The Skill is most often used to trick other people, Exceptional Success: Your character so thoroughly
but characters also learn it to avoid being tricked them- convinces his subject that she actively vouches for his as-
selves. sumed identity.
Possessed by: Actors, con artists, grifters, lawyers, Suggested Equipment: Fake ID (+1), hair dye (+1),
politicians, teenagers professional makeup kit (+2), full set of fake credentials
Specialties: Con Jobs, Hiding Emotions, Lying, Mis- (driver’s license, social security card) (+3)
direction, Spotting Lies Possible Penalties: Lack of tools (-3 to -5), lack of
appropriate clothes (-2 to -4), rushed disguise (-2), no cre-
Roll Results dentials (-1 to -3)
Dramatic Failure: Your character utterly fails to con-
ceal the truth from his subject. If he were any more trans-

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