Page 68 - Hunter - The Vigil

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• The player can spend one point of Practical Experience (see character, though, can only call upon a maximum of fi ve Castiga-
p. 210) for a chance to regain Willpower. The player rolls Re- tion rites at a time. Simply knowing the rites creates a strain on
solve + Composure with no modifiers, no matter how wound- the soul and the sanity of the character, and using them requires

ed, fatigued or otherwise downtrodden the character is pres- sacrifice, of blood, will or some other precious commodity. A char-

ently. Every success gives the character one Willpower point acter can “swap” a Castigation rite that he knows for a new one,
back, up the character’s normal maximum rating. This roll provided he learns about the rite from someone who knows it or
cannot fail; in the event of a failure, the character still regains from a Lucifuge text. Switching out rites requires a rededication of
one Willpower point. There is no limit to the number of times the character’s energy, though, and that takes time. The player rolls
the player can attempt this, but spending Practical Experience Resolve + Occult as an extended action. The target number of suc-
this way isn’t terribly effi cient. cesses is 20 minus character’s rating in Endowments (Castigation),
and the player makes one roll per day in which the character spends
Merits at least four hours studying, fasting, flagellating or otherwise prepar-

ing himself for the change. As the total number of successes climbs,
Hunter characters receive seven dots of Merits at
the character suffers nightmares, sweats, spontaneous nosebleeds
character creation, just as other World of Darkness char-
and other ailments, and then finally peace as the change sets in.

acters do. They have a wider pool of Merits from which to
Benedictions, like Castigation, represent the character’s abil-
choose, however, particularly third-tier hunters who can
ity to know rites, but unlike Castigation, the number of dots in
choose Endowments (see below).

the Endowments Merit doesn’t reflect how many rites the character
Endowments (• to •••••) knows. A character with the Merit Endowments (Benedictions)
at one dot can potentially know every Benediction in existence,
Prerequisite: Membership (at least one dot of Status) in
if he’s willing to invest the time (and experience points) to learn
a third-tier conspiracy.

them. The Endowments (Benedictions) Merit reflects how well the
Effect: The hunter has been entrusted with some of the se-
character can access that knowledge. All the Benediction rituals
crets of the conspiracy to which he belongs. The six Endowment
have different dice pools associated with them, but the character’s

categories and the specific Endowments they can grant are dis-
Benedictions rating is always part of these pools.
cussed later in this chapter, beginning on p. 150. A character can
learn these Endowments in play by purchasing the Endowments Favored Weapon (••)
Merit with experience points (and probably by fulfi lling some
Effect: Any given monster may not even notice a hunter’s
story-based prerequisites as well; Task Force: VALKYRIE doesn’t
attempt to stab, slice or club it, but having a weapon to grip when
hand out equipment to just anyone, for instance), or at charac-
stalking the enemy in a dark place does provide a measure of
ter creation by allotting Merit dots to Endowments. What exactly
comfort. You character has a particular handheld melee weapon
those Merit dots buy the character varies depending on which En-
or firearm that’s served him well in the past, and as long as it’s on

dowment is represented.
his person or within reach and easily accessible, he gains a +2 to
Advanced Armory, Relics and Thaumatechnology are all
Resolve + Composure rolls. The bonus only applies to one specifi c
Endowments represented by devices and objects. These objects
weapon, and it must be one he’s used in combat while upholding
have ratings of one to five dots, and so representing them with

the Vigil. If the weapon is lost or destroyed, or you want to switch
the Merit is simply a matter of taking the required number of dots
the effect to a different weapon, you must purchase the Merit again
in the Endowments Merit. For instance, if a Cheiron Group char-
to gain its benefits (and it necessitates carrying the subsequent

acter wants the Devil’s Eyes Thaumatechnology Endowment at
Favored Weapon for at least one story before the Merit kicks in).
character creation, the player needs to invest two dots in the Mer-
A character can only have one Favored Weapon at a time.
it. These Endowments don’t run dry or disappear (though some
of them might need ammunition — these are called Renewable Professional Training (• to •••••)
Endowments, and are described on p. 150), but a character might
Effect: Your character has been on the job for a while,
lose an Endowment in play, or if he chooses to abandon his organi-
and has grown skilled in the areas important to her Profes-
zation (and the organization has enough time and notice to make

sion. This Merit reflects your character’s job experience, natu-
sure it gets its equipment back).
ral prowess at the talents important to her line of work and
Elixirs are the oils, potions and other alchemical prep-
how well she can learn and grow within her fi eld.
arations of the Ascending Ones. Taking dots in this Merit
Each of the Professions listed later in this chapter has two
indicates the character has the necessary “tolerance” to the
Asset Skills associated with it. Players choose a free Specialty
potions to be able to use them without ill effects.
in one of those Skills at character creation, and characters
An Ascending One can use Elixirs with higher ratings
probably have at least a dot in both of the Asset Skills. Char-
than her own ratingsin this Merit, but suffers a penalty on the
acters do not have to begin with a dot in Professional Train-
Stamina + Elixirs roll tosuccessfully use the substance (see p.
ing, though, in order to choose a Profession.
172 for more details).
The Professional Training Merit is progressive; a character
Castigation Endowments represent the knowledge of the rites
can’t have Continuing Education until she has Networking. The
of the Lucifuge. For every dot in this Merit, the character can learn
Professional Training ranks listed in the individual write-ups of the
one more rite. A character with three dots in Endowments (Casti-
Professions beginning on p. 74 allow a good shorthand for how
gation), therefore, can learn a maximum of three rites. Any given
well trained a given character is. A Hacker character with two dots
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