Page 163 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

APPENDIX: DREAD POWERS & RULES UPDATE

Potency. Look to the Advanced Anathema sidebar on p. 164 some form of function outside its expected place in your story.
for suggestions. For more on the Potency trait, see p. 164. Consider giving a speaking monster a useful, but somewhat dis-
Aspirations: A major monster should have Aspirations. sonant, Skill to add depth to its role. Sure, the sexy vampire club
This is less for the Willpower advantage, and more for points predator has Persuasion, Socialize, Streetwise, and Subterfuge.
of relativity between the monster and the cell. If the cell knows But maybe she has an inordinate amount of Animal Ken? Per-
what the monster wants, it might be able to curb its worst be- haps she happens to be a renowned horse trainer thanks to her
haviors, or use those desires as weapons in the hunt. experience riding horses in the Middle Ages, and now, the cell
Virtue and Vice: Don’t neglect Virtue and Vice selection. needs her expertise to solve an even greater threat.
These traits can elevate your monster from a “monster of the Merits: Merits can help to ground a monster in the world.
week” and give it depth and identity. Vices — and Virtues for This is especially true of Social Merits, however, every Merit
truly sadistic hunters — are excellent points of vulnerability that builds some context around the monster’s identity. Look at
can turn the tables on an otherwise daunting threat. Allies, Contacts, Mentors, Retainers, and Status less as game
Attributes: Attributes are an oft overlooked thematic as- traits, and more as ripples. Every time something important
pect of antagonists. They simply serve to offer some dice that happens to the monster, those other Storyteller characters have
reflect generalities about the monster. Consider focusing on a chance of taking notice. If the monster goes missing, those
making one Attribute exceptional, and one severely inferior. dots immediately become potential consequences and branch-
Then, think on how you’d add both of those things to the basic ing threats.
description you’ll use when revealing the antagonist to the cell. On the other hand, Merits also represent areas of special-
Skills: Skills often fill a similar role to Attributes. You decide ization. This can help hone a monster’s abilities, but may also
what you want the monster to be capable of, and fill in those put her in a completely different league from the cell. Some-
Skills. However, Skills offer an opportunity to give the monster times, you might want this. But, be mindful of the potential

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