Page 242 - Hunter - The Vigil

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S S SOCIAL EQUIPMENT|ANIMAL TRAINING EQUIPMENT
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processes, he purchases a computer or similar. If a hunter wants animal as small as a ferret to as large as a horse. The hunter
to get on better with others or more effectively get his way, what gains +1 on rolls to train or handle the animal. If the ani-
does he do then? The World of Darkness is composed of all kinds mal wishes to get away from its handler, it must succeed on a
of monsters, and among its legions are purely social beasts that re- contested Strength roll at a -1 penalty. Equivalent examples
quire a different sort of hunting. Below are some suggestions for include tethers for falconing, or bits and reins for horses.
Storytellers and players to expand their arsenal in a less traditional
fashion. The equipment found below is meant to modify and aid Harness
in the application of a hunter’s Social Skills. Durability 2, Size 2, Structure 4, Cost ••
A harness attaches around the animal’s trunk and under-
Animal carriage, giving superior leverage and control to the handler.
Training Equipment An agitation harness, for instance, is designed to retain con-
trol over “working dogs,” such as security and K-9 units. The
The forces of darkness are rumored to hold sway over the harness keeps the airway clear and allows the animal a full
lesser beasts to use as their eyes and ears. The Malleus Ma- range of movement for biting and attacking on command. A
leficarum knows, however, that God granted Man dominion harness grants a +2 on handling rolls (this bonus supersedes

over the creatures of the earth. Whether it’s as a Union man’s the leash bonus listed above and does not stack). If the animal
best friend or a Task Force: VALKYRIE’s K-9 partner, hunters wishes to break away from its controller, it must succeed on a
of all stripes have use for animals. The Long Night has snake contested Strength roll at a -2 penalty. Equivalent examples
handlers in its ranks; some Ascending Ones keep Saluki include yokes for livestock or hoods for falconing.
hunting dogs or believe cats can protect them from the Un- Reinforcement
derworld; the Ashwood Abbey still sends messages via crows
Cost •
and falcons; and it’s even rumored that the Cheiron Group
Reinforcement is just a fancy name for an edible treat
has developed a psychically controlled cockroach. Without

such as jerky, feed or fish. Typically used as a reward for de-
any supernatural powers to subvert their companions, hunters
sired behavior, this method is the most intuitive and com-
are left to do things the old-fashioned way.
monly used by pet owners. Use of reinforcements grants a +1
The following equipment provides bonuses for handling
bonus to training and general animal-handling rolls like gain-
and training animals using Animal Ken. Animal handling refers
ing the trust of a strange animal.
to the physical manipulation or guidance of an animal that may
Alternatively, reinforcement can be used offensively as
not have any training, such as picking up a wild snake or moving
well: the old trick of bringing a steak to distract and dope
a pig from one pen to another. The full system for animal train-
guard dogs is an absolutely valid strategy. Many animals are
ing can be found in the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 179.
only as smart as their last meal, especially if the animal is
Clicker commonly neglected. It takes an extraordinarily well-trained
Durability 1, Size 1, Structure 2, Cost • animal to pass up the opportunity for a free treat even when it
A clicker is the modern face of Pavlov’s bell in a palm-sized is well fed. The hunter pits his Wits + Animal Ken (with +1
device that clicks when squeezed. This device was developed to dice from for the reinforcement) in a contested roll versus the
help with training dolphins, but has quickly caught on with oth- dog’s Wits + Composure. If the animal succeeds, it is not dis-
er domesticated animals. The method is known as “operant con- tracted by the offering and will continue pursuit as normal.
ditioning” and the assertion is that by applying an auditory clue Whip
to a preferred behavior and rewarding the animal accordingly,
Durability 3, Size 2, Structure 1, Cost •
the animal will want to perform that action again. Eventually,
Spare the rod, spoil the dog. Not all animal owners aim to
the hunter won’t need to supply any reward at all, just “click”
coddle a creature for companionship and good behavior. Some
and the animal’s brain assumes its own reward based on the ac-
don’t see the point, and some are just looking for a beast as mean
quired conditioning. The animal learns by intent and not simply
as vinegar and twice as bitter. Meanness is generally acquired: the
by rote. A clicker (or whistle or other preprogrammed aural or vi-
animal does not attack because he is afraid or angry, but rather by
sual signal) grants +1 to training rolls. Once the hunter has suc-
command. Using whips, batons or switches allows the trainer to
cessfully trained a behavior into the animal, the clicker grants +2
apply half his Weaponry pool (rounded down) to training rolls.
on rolls to produce the desired reaction from the animal thereaf-
However, animals mistreated in such a way can become unpre-
ter. Note that the noise is just a signifi er of the desired behavior.
dictable, turning as fast as a swift wind. Two consecutive failures
The reward that follows positively reinforces that behavior and
on contested training rolls (the animal scoring higher than the
is a necessary component to the training. Food isn’t the only sort
trainer) translates to the animal attacking the trainer. Depending
of reinforcement the trainer can provide; depending on the level
on the nature of the animal, however, it may act out in other ways,
of acquired trust, simple affection will suffi ce.
like wrecking property, attacking a third party, or developing worse
Leash behavior than before the training. Some trainers destroy such ani-
Durability 2, Size 1, Structure 3, Cost • mals; others keep beating the training into them. If the animal
Animal training begins with control, and a leash (or lives, future attempts to train the animal can be performed at a -2
lead) is the most common implement to guide and restrain an penalty. Other methods to train animals through purely negative
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