Page 253 - Hunter - The Vigil

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C CHAPTER FOUR: SPECIAL RULES AND SYSTEMS
large cans. A few go so far as to modify the valve, hoping to
Systems
make their weapons more reliable, but it doesn’t work. The
Some improvised weapons can be likened to existing
only thing that makes the weapon more reliable is a strip of
weapons — a cricket bat is like a wooden club; a kitchen
duct tape to hold the lighter in position.
knife is a knife — in which case, use the weapon’s statistics
Attacking with a hairspray flamethrower uses Dexterity

with a -1 modifier (see World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 136,

+ Athletics. The flame is of Torch size (base 1 damage) and
for rules on improvised weapons, and p. 170 for weapon sta-
gasoline intensity (+2 bonus) for ranges up to a yard; hence,
tistics). Other items, from a swung chair to a thrown micro-
a hunter can only do a maximum of three points of lethal
wave oven, use the lower of the item’s Durability or Size as
damage. On an exceptional success, however, combustible
the weapon’s damage, with a further -1 modifi er.

items catch fire and the victim takes one point of damage un-
Characters who can keep their wits about them when a
til extinguished. On a dramatic failure, the can explodes with

monster corners them stand a better chance of finding some-
Blast Area 2 and Damage 1 (World of Darkness Rulebook,
thing that can help them live. By taking a full turn action, a
p. 178). A full can of hairspray contains fuel for 10 attacks.
player can roll Wits + Weaponry to identify possible imple-
The Storyteller should roll a die for cans that are just lying
ments of violence. An exceptional success even allows her to
around to fi nd out how many attacks are left.
ignore the -1 penalty for improvised weapons.
Bad Odor Bomb (or “BOB”)
Monster-Hunting Tools This weapon deprives a monster of its supernatural senses,
making it a lot easier for a hunter to get away. She must mix
Some items seem designed to kill monsters. While a hair-
a specific combination of strong-scented oils and perfumes —

spray flamethrower is all well and good against people, its burns

working in a well-ventilated area with breathing protection

are far more dangerous to vampires, to whom fire deals aggra-
— and seal them in easy-to-break ampoules. When fleeing

vated damage. Likewise, a Taser that can disrupt a werewolf’s
from a werewolf, or some other creature with an enhanced
neuroelectric impulses and keep it from shifting is very valuable.
sense of smell, she throws a couple at a nearby wall, trashcan
Costs for the following weapons indicate the price and rarity of
or even the werewolf following her. The sudden burst over-
the component materials; most of them still need construction.
loads the monster’s sense of smell. When any creature with an
Statistics for these weapons are on page the following page.
enhanced sense of smell encounters an exploded sense bomb,
Concentration Trap further tracking rolls suffer a penalty equal to the device’s
Hunters who maintain a safehouse need a little insurance Damage rating, and lose the ability to re-roll 10s. If the hunter
against uninvited guests. While surveillance technology is all hits her pursuer with the bomb, the creature subtracts one
well and good, most jurisdictions frown on using explosives to success for every 1 rolled. The Scent Bomb counts as an aero-
stop monsters finding a cache of quasi-legal (at best) weapons. dynamic object for purposes of throwing (World of Darkness

The concentration trap is a fixed installation using motion sen- Rulebook, p. 67), but doesn’t confer any bonus to hit.

sors taken from a burglar alarm and as many big speakers as the Taser Glove
group can get their hands on, hooked up to a powerful stereo.
The charging circuits used in camera flashguns can
The stereo pumps out a wide range of high-volume audio, from
make functional stun guns. The advent of cheap dispos-
ultra-low frequency (known to produce hallucinations, and the
able cameras gives enterprising inventors access to a lot
domain of the infamous “brown note”) up through concentra-
of flashguns. This weapon combines two, strapping the
tion-destroying high-pitched normal noise, into ultrasound to
pared-down circuit boards into an arm holster. The con-

inflict more pain on creatures with sensitive hearing.
tacts that would normally connect to the bulb are left
When someone triggers the trap, everyone within 25
bare, one poking through each knuckle of a motorcycle

yards must make a reflexive Resolve + Composure roll, sub-
glove. While it takes a while to charge (five turns), hit-
tracting the trap’s Damage rating. On a success, the intruder
ting someone with the glove readied adds the bonus of a
suffers only a -1 penalty to rolls regarding hearing for the
Taser to a normal punch — the target suffers one penalty

scene but is otherwise fine, and an exceptional success ne-
die per point of bashing damage caused to all Physical
gates this penalty. Failing the roll means that the character
rolls, to a maximum of -3 dice. This penalty is reduced by
loses her next turn in addition to the Perception penalty, and
one every subsequent turn until the penalty has been nul-
a dramatic failure means she loses three turns. Creatures with
lified. Once discharged, the glove recharges in five turns.
enhanced hearing subtract their Perception bonus dice, as
It takes a reflexive action to activate or deactivate the
their sharp senses work against them.
four circuits. A fresh pair of batteries gives enough juice
Hairspray Flamethrower for five hits.

Combining a can of hairspray and a lighter is a swift A relatively common modification used by many hunters
ticket to instant fire. Normally, it’s a dangerous thing to try ups the number of circuits to four, and swaps out the capaci-

(blowback could easily blow up the can), but when faced with tors for beefier models. The four switches are wired togeth-

a blood-crazed monster, fire is often the best weapon. While er, and the whole thing runs off a larger power pack. These

some hunters grab any aerosol, those with a few seconds to gloves increase the maximum penalty to -5. They also dis-
think tend to grab hairspray as it’s flammable and comes in charge enough power to disrupt the electrical impulses that

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