Page 70 - Hunter - The Vigil

R
Y
T
O
T
M
COMBAT BY ROTE
A
B
T
E
E
E
icates
w
an
d
long time (and who dedicates herself to it, rather than just respected, an authority on serial killers and cult-style murders.
er t
d
l
h
ng
erse
f to it, rat
l
time
(
h
o
an
h
o
ju
st
e
d
h
p
oasti
or do

ro
work),
esses effi
cientl
ng
gr
coasting or dodging work), progresses efficiently within her When called upon to make an Empathy roll to detect a lie, even
dgin
g
c
y
within her
eld. She learns not
ju
pa
field. She learns not just facts, but patterns, tricks, shortcuts if that lie comes from a supernatural creature, John can spend
st facts, but
fi
tterns, tricks, shortcuts

h
n
p
at
er
d
e
h
h
d
o
truisms t
l
ll
. In
b
we
and truisms that help her do her job well. In game terms, a Willpower point and make the roll a rote action. If he were
a
me terms,
ga
j
o
er
h
g
pa
c characters at this level of Professional Training pay only called upon to make an Empathy roll to assess whether a child’s
only
y
haracters at this level of Professional T
rainin
(new dots x 2) for Asset Skills, rather than (new dots x 3).
(new dots x 2) for Asset Skills, rather than (new dots x 3). description of an event has been coached or is genuine, he might
be able to make this roll a rote action, if he has worked with chil-
Drawback: The problem is that picking up new Skills is diffi -

cult for those who specialize. Buying the first dot of a new non-Asset dren under such circumstances often enough in the past. This, of
Skill costs one extra point of experience (four points, rather than course, is the Storyteller’s decision to make, based on the events
three). This increase does not affect raising the Skill fur- of the chronicle and the player’s input.
ther; it just represents a steeper learning curve, because
the character has to shake herself out of her routine a
bit more than others in order to learn new talents. COMBAT BY “ROTE”
Characters who
••••• A Da
y
••••• A Day on the Job: Characters who Combat is never really rote. It’s fl uid,
on the Job:
achieve this level of com
etence at their Profes
achieve this level of competence at their Profes- - dangerous and chaotic. The description
p
t after an
d
extreme
h
ly
soug
,
s
d
ions are envie
hly
sions are envied, highly sought after and extremely of rote actions in the World of Darkness World of Darkness
h
ig
k
i
h
e most S
d
rare. The character might not be the most Skilled Rulebook doesn’t really apply to combat
rare. T
ll
e
e t
e c
h
b
h
gh
t not
aracter mi
Rulebook
person on the planet (i.e., might not have an As-
person on the planet (i.e., might not have an As- as written. The game mechanic, however,
set Skill at fi ve dots), but she has learned so much
set Skill at fi ve dots), but she has learned so much works just fi ne, so the Professional
about the application of those Skills that she can
about the application of those Skills that she can
Training Merit allows it, but it behooves
do her job in her sleep. When the player spends a
do her job in her sleep. When the player spends a
us to take a moment and consider what a
Willpower point on a roll involving an Asset Skill,
Willpower point on a roll involving an Asset Skill,
“rote” action in a fi ght means.
and that use of the Skill is something that would
and that use of the Skill is something that would
Much of combat is muscle memory.
fall into the daily purview of the character, the roll
fall into the daily purview of the character, the roll
Soldiers and police offi cers drill for
n
can instead become a rote action (rather than the
can instead become a rote action (rather than the
hours, repeating the same movements
usual +3 dice for spending a Willpower point). De-
usual +3 dice for spending a Willpower point). De-
thousands of times precisely so that
tails on the rote action rule can be found in the
tails on the rote action rule can be found in the
when they do fi nd themselves in life-or-
World of Darkness Rulebook, pp. 134–135.
World of Darkness Rulebook, pp. 134–135.
death situations, their bodies can do
“Daily purview” means that the action is some- what they’re “programmed” to do without
thing the character would encounter on a regular their brains getting in the way. This is
basis in the course of his job. A Soldier could use the why you don’t usually see cops shooting

ability in a fi refight. A Detective could use it while to disarm or wound, or, indeed, taking
searching a crime scene. An Occultist could use it head shots. They drill on the range to
for research, and so on. The exact Skill being used shoot for center mass, and in the heat of
isn’t as important as the way in which it is used. For battle, that’s what they do.
instance, a Laborer who uses the Crafts Skill to fi x In Hunter: The VigilHunter: The Vigil, an attack that
cars and other machines couldn’t use this Merit to uses the Professional Training Merit
turn baking a cake into a rote action, even though to become “rote” draws heavily on that
it’s covered by the same Skill. Note that hunting muscle memory. The character doesn’t so
down and killing monsters isn’t a matter of routine much focus on the attack to the exclusion
for anyone, and so while a hunter can use A Day on of all else as go on autopilot. When the
the Job in a fi ght with a monster, he cannot use it on dust settles, odds are he’ll still be
a Tactics roll (see p. 217). standing and his opponent won’t — but
Drawback: While a character can use this Mer- that assumes his opponent didn’t have
it to make a combat roll into a rote action, doing backup, or that the hunter did.
so forces the character to concentrate on following In game terms, this is simulated by the
through the attack above all else. The character re- character losing Defense when he uses a rote
ceives no Defense during that turn. Also, the char- action. He’s letting his body take over,
acter cannot specify a target (see p. 165 of the World using his hours of training and experience
of Darkness Rulebook). In addition, the Storyteller to do the maximum amount of damage to a
may determine that the scene of combat is simply too target (or, possibly, to immobilize the
out of the ordinary to fall under the “daily purview” target in the fastest way possible), and
rule. See the sidebar entitled “Combat by ‘Rote’” for isn’t paying careful attention to what’s
more information on rote actions in combat. around him. Hopefully, as a hunter, he’s
Example: John’s Detective character has, over got a cell at his back.
the course of the chronicle, become extremely well
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