Page 145 - Chronicles of Darkness

form of feeding or compulsion. Then, decide whether it’s the
minion of a greater threat, part of a horde, or a lone terror.
Then refer to the chart at the bottom of the previous page to Horror Creation
calculate its dice pools. Quick Reference
For the Horror’s best dice pool, describe two or three
things that are its particular strengths. Don’t think in terms Here are the basic steps for creating a Horror.
of Attributes or Skills but in terms of actions. Don’t think STEP ONE: CONCEPT
“Brawl” or “Persuasion,” think “rip you apart” or “enthrall
with a glance.” The Horror uses the listed dice pool for Come up with a concept and three Aspirations for
those actions. Similarly, list one or two things the Horror the Horror.
is especially bad at and use the Worst Dice Pool column to STEP TWO: ANCHORS
determine its dice pools. For all other actions, the Horror Choose a Virtue and a Vice for the Horror.
uses the All Other Pools value. Then jot down a few Dread
Powers to fine tune your Horror. If Dread Powers have a dice STEP THREE: POTENCY
pool to activate, use the Horror’s Best Dice Pool. Choose your Horror’s Potency. Note down
Brief Nightmares don’t have a Willpower rating or Attribute, Skill, Merit, and Dread Power dots
Willpower points. Instead, they can spend a number of determined by Potency.
Willpower per scene as indicated by the chart above. If they
earn additional Willpower, as from fulfilling an Aspiration STEP FOUR: ATTRIBUTES
or resolving a Condition, they can spend those extra points, Assign Attributes based on Potency.
but only during the current scene. STEP FIVE: DREAD POWERS
Unless the Horror is going to engage in combat or resisted
actions, that’s all you’ll need. If you find yourself needing Assign Dread Powers based on Potency.
Advantages like Health or Defense, use the following bench- STEP SIX: SKILLS
marks as guidelines. As always, adjust as you see fit; maybe
you want your ghouls to die quickly, or your lumbering troll Assign Skills based on Potency. Choose three to
to have lots of Health but little Defense. five Skill Specialties, if desired.
STEP SEVEN: MERITS
• Health equals 2 + Best Dice Pool
Assign Merits based on Potency.
• Defense equals All Other Pools
STEP EIGHT: ADVANTAGES
• Speed equals 5 + All Other Pools or Best Dice Pool, Willpower is equal to Resolve + Composure +
as appropriate Potency. Integrity is nonexistent or whatever is
appropriate. Size and Speed Factor are as appropri-
• Armor Rating and Damage are determined by Dread ate. Health is Size + Stamina. Speed equals Strength
Powers, if any. + Dexterity + Size. Initiative Modifier is Dexterity
+ Composure. Defense is the lower of Wits or
• For resisted actions, use All Other Pools value as Dexterity, plus Athletics. Ban and/or Bane optional.
resistance Attribute unless Best Dice Pool or Worst
Dice Pool actions would be more relevant.

Dread Powers souls might use Wits + Manipulation vs. Composure for its

The things that stalk the night aren’t just stronger, Soul Thief power, while a desiccated, breath-stealing corpse
smarter, and tougher than you. They have strange, terrible might use Strength + Occult vs. Stamina to pry its victims’
powers you’d count yourself lucky to walk away alive from. jaws apart and suck the breath from her lungs.
The sampling below is by no means exhaustive; feel free to Similarly, there aren’t restrictions on things like range or
devise new Dread Powers as you need, reskin the mechanics other requirements for these powers. Again, look to your vi-
of those presented below into whatever you like, or raid the sion of the creature and establish any restrictions that makes
powers of the monsters in other Chronicles of Darkness sense. That soul-buying demon above might need to engage
games for inspiration. in reasonable conversation to trick mortals into bargaining
These powers are presented without dice pools attached; away their souls (and thus can’t use Soul Thief in any situa-
when you choose a Dread Power for your Horror, think about tion where Social Maneuvering would be impossible), while
how the creature uses that power and define an appropriate the breath-drinking corpse might have to establish a grapple
dice pool. A silver-tongued demon who bargains for mortal before it can steal your soul along with your breath.

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Horrors and wonders-antagonists