Page 143 - Chronicles of Darkness

Potency

Potency Trait Limits** Attribute Dots Skill Dots Dread Powers Merit Dots
1 5 dots 15–18 10 3 3
2 6 dots 19–22 15 3 5
3 7 dots 23–26 20 3 7
4 8 dots 27–30 25 4 9
5 9 dots 31–34 30 4 11
6 10 dots 35–38 35 4 13
7 10 dots 39–42 40 5 15
8 10 dots 43–46 45 6 17
9 10 dots 47–50 50 7 19
10 10 dots 51+ 55 8 21

** These maximums represent permanent Trait dots, not Traits boosted by Dread Powers or other effects.

Step Four: Attributes dots, you can certainly use fewer than provided. However,
you might also consider using the rules for Brief Nightmares,
Unlike characters, Horrors do not prioritize Attribute below; they’re specifically designed to quickly create Horrors
categories. They simply receive a lump sum of points, which with a more limited shtick.
you may spend as you see fit. Horrors generally work best
and are most interesting when they have very clear, obvious Step Seven: Merits
strengths and weaknesses; jack-of-all-trades monsters with an
even spread in all nine Attributes are boring and don’t pro- Assign Merits here, if your Horror needs them. Even if
vide any signposts for how characters might deal with them. you’re creating a Horror that will be used in a fight, keep in
Strongly consider identifying one or two Attributes as mind that piling combat-based Merits on top of Dread Powers
the Horror’s greatest strength and putting the maximum can make for an especially vicious fight. Unless your Horror
number of dots in those Traits. Likewise, consider one or is a complete loner, strongly consider favoring Social Merits
two Attributes the Horror is lacking and leaving them at like Allies, Contacts, and Staff. These Merits provide more
one or two dots. hooks to draw players into the monster’s orbit, and players
may well have their own Merits they can turn against the
Step Five: Dread Powers Horror’s. Remember also that these Merits can easily repre-
sent people enthralled, enslaved, or intimidated into serving
Choose a number of Dread Powers as indicated by the the Horror: your monstrosity need not be a corporate hotshot
Horror’s Potency. This step comes earlier in the process or an old-money aristocrat to have Retainers.
than you might expect because the inhuman powers of a On the flip side, don’t bother with Merits that simply give
Horror are as core to its being as how strong or fast it is. flat, numerical bonuses to Traits, like Fleet of Foot or Giant.
Some Dread Powers (e.g. Natural Weaponry) have multiple Since you’ll be deciding the Horror’s Speed, Size, and so on
levels, like Style Merits. Each dot of such powers counts as directly, just make them a little bigger. Likewise, it’s a safe
an additional Dread Power. assumption that most Horrors don’t need to buy Merits like
Step Six: Skills Tolerance for Biology.

Once again, don’t bother prioritizing Skill categories. Step Eight: Advantages
Assign the Skill Points derived from the Horror’s Potency as Finally, calculate your Horror’s Advantages. If any of the
you see fit. Horrors don’t generally bother with Specialties; numbers derived here don’t feel right, by all means change
just give them additional Skill dots. If you feel a Horror really them. The formulae for calculating Advantage are there to
needs Skill Specialties, assign between three and five here as give you a ballpark range and are based on the values for
well. If the Horror you’re creating is mindless or animalistic normal people. Horrors are anything but normal, though, so
and you’re having trouble filling in the full allotment of Skill feel free to ignore the formulae and go with what feels right.

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Horrors and wonders-antagonists