Page 249 - Hunter - The Vigil

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C CHAPTER FOUR: SPECIAL RULES AND SYSTEMS
Rifl es & Shotguns
THE SCOOP ON SCOPES Long-barreled firearms not only allow the

shooter to attack from a distance, but the hunting
Shooters who need a closer look at
distant targets may choose to mount a and recreational shooting models are also generally
sold with fewer restrictions or regulations than other
telescopic scope to their rifl e or shotgun. gun types. For simplicity's sake, hunter and sniper
Use of the scope allows the shooter to rifles can operate under similar principles, with the

ignore range penalties for medium-range
targets, and halves the penalty for long- primary advantage of the latter being an increased
range targets (Durability 1, Size 2, range and ammo capacity. More specifi c rifl e types
include low-powered backyard or “plinking” rifl es,
Structure 3, Cost •). A night vision scope the big game rifle Weatherby Mk. V, the old-school

not only magnifi es the target, but also service rifle M1 Garand and the covert-op favorite

amplifi es near-infrared light (see “Beyond KAC SR-25 (sale to civilians highly regulated).
the Visible, p. 234) to allow shooting Assault rifles are used by soldiers, tactical police

in darkness. The user ignores Fighting units, militias and anyone else with a need to spray
Blind penalties; long-range penalties an assload of bullets in the space of a few seconds.
are reduced to -3 (Durability 1, Size 2, Depending on where a hunter operates, he may fi nd
Structure 3, Cost •••). An option favored that acquiring and carrying one attracts unwanted
by Special Forces and other pro shooters attention. Shotguns are devastating at close range,
is the thermal scope, which visualizes the their wide barrels capable of throwing heavy, low-
body heat of the target. The scope reduces velocity ammunition that shreds whatever’s in the
long-range penalties to -1 and eliminates way. Pump-action shotguns offer larger ammunition
penalties for medium range. If used in capacities, greater reliability and lower cost than
darkness, range penalties are normal, other models. Sawing off the barrels or replacing the
but the Fighting Blind penalties do not stock with a pistol grip will make a shotgun easier to
apply (Durability 2, Size 2, Structure 4, conceal; the former decreases the gun’s range and the
Cost •••••). Of course, this assumes the latter raises the Strength requirement to 3.
target has body heat; against a vampire
or zombie, the scope functions as a non- Alternative Shooters
thermal telescopic scope.
Name any handheld object with a trigger or a
payload, and chances are some hunter somewhere
to conceal, simple to use, and light in both weight and recoil. has tried to use it against the enemy. Here are some
Among hunters wanting more force, the .357 Magnum is favored less conventional weapons that might be for a creative — or
for its balance between size, power and recoil. And hunters who desperate — hunter.
want a revolver that offers even more stopping power and an even Dart gun: used primarily for animal control and zoological
bigger intimidation factor might choose .44 Magnum, provided research. Does no damage but delivers a dose of tranquilizer upon
they have the strength to wield it and can handle its recoil. a successful hit. Modifying a dart to contain a different substance
requires a successful Dexterity + Crafts roll with a -2 penalty;
Pistols failure results in destruction of the dart and loss of its intended
These handguns feed ammunition into the chamber from a contents. A character or creature hit with a tranquilizer dart

magazine in the handle, and allow the user to fire one shot each must succeed on a Stamina + Resolve roll to stay conscious,
time the trigger is pulled. They’re more prone to mechanical with a bonus of (Size -3) to the roll and a -1 penalty per each
failure than revolvers, but many shooters favor them for their additional dart. Unconsciousness lasts for 10 minutes per dart.
greater ammunition capacity, faster reload time and easier Flare gun: designed to alert would-be rescuers; when used

concealment. The Glock family of semi-automatic pistols is offensively, it inflicts a flat four points of damage (Damage 1,

made with a polymer frame that makes them extremely durable. with + 3 damage bonus for its flame.). On an exceptional success,
The Glock 22 is arguably the world’s most common police combustible items on the victim will catch fi re, infl icting one
sidearm. The Glock 26, built to a smaller scale, is a favorite point of lethal damage per turn until extinguished (see p. 180,
choice for a concealed or backup weapon. Variations on the the World of Darkness Rulebook).

9mm Luger are available at just about any gun store in the world, Ranged Taser or stun gun: fires dart-tipped wires that carry
since the model takes the most common caliber of handgun an electrical charge from the gun to the target on a successful

ammunition worldwide. The various .45 autoloaders offer more hit. The initial shock inflicts one level of bashing damage; every
stopping power, but hold less ammo. The very defi nition of subsequent turn until the probes are removed allows the character
“hand cannon,” the Desert Eagle is a large, powerful, heavy, to make an additional attack that automatically succeeds with a

high-maintenance handgun. It’s an uncommon choice, but not fixed three successes. Once the cumulative successes exceed the
unheard of for a hunter who has money to spend and a liking target’s Size, the target falls unconscious, remaining so for a
for a high-profi le weaponry. number of turns equal to the successes rolled.
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