Page 37 - Chronicles of Darkness

Sample actions: Assess variables (Intelligence + Science), Sample actions: Acrobatics (Dexterity + Athletics),
Perform experiment (Wits + Science), Recall formula Climbing (Strength + Athletics), Running (Stamina +
(Intelligence + Science) Athletics)
Sample Specialties: Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Optics, Sample Specialties: Acrobatics, Basketball, Marathon
Particle Physics Running, Rock Climbing, Throwing
Sample contacts: Experimental Physicist, Geology Sample contacts: Parkour Enthusiast, Physical Therapist,
Professor, Mad Inventor Running Club Buddy
Levels: Levels:
• Novice: The character is a hobbyist or knowledge- • Novice: A character at this level is fit and takes
able student of the sciences. She has a basic under- good care of himself. He may go for runs regularly,
standing of scientific principles and theories, can constantly play sports with friends, be a regular
perform basic experiments, and can make practical backpacker or hiker, or just make an effort to stay
use of basic physics and chemistry (designing a in shape.
slingshot or making black powder, for example).
•• Professional: At this level of Athletics, the charac-
•• Professional: The character could work as a ter is serious about his fitness and activity. At the
researcher or teacher. At this level, the character very least, he is playing sports and training regu-
has an excellent grasp of science concepts, knows larly, or performing a serious workout regimen.
how to perform experiments and understand the He could probably play minor league or low-level
data, and can apply concepts in novel ways. professional sports.

••• Experienced: A character with this level in Science ••• Experienced: An athlete at this level could cer-
knows about up-to-date theories and concepts, tainly play professionally, and if she does, she has
and is able to explore advanced new concepts and probably made a name for herself. Her general
theories. levels of fitness and ability are noticeably above
average.
•••• Expert: Top of his field. At this level, the character
is researching cutting edge concepts and working •••• Expert: Olympic athletes might have this level of
with some of the best scientists in the world. athletic ability. A character at this level can com-
pete on national teams and contend with the best
••••• Master: The character is an Einstein, Curie, or in the world.
Hawking. She is on the verge of revolutionary
concepts, and is at the apex of her field. ••••• Master: An Athletics Skill at this level represents
gold medal winners, world record holders, and the
Physical Skills absolute best, fittest, and most talented people in
the world.
Physical Skills are those Skills that represent the applica-
tion of force, endurance, or coordination. They are generally Brawl
learned through practice and personal experience, rather
than extensive schooling. The Brawl Skill is the fine art of hurting another person
While these Skills are usually paired with Physical with no weapons other than the character’s own body. It
Attributes, they can be rolled with other Attributes as well. can represent martial arts training, bar fight experience, or
Casing a building, for example, uses Wits + Larceny simply a bad temper and a willingness to hurt others. It covers
throwing punches and kicks, but also things like grappling,
Athletics throws, head butts, and blocking in hand-to-hand combat.
Brawl is generally rolled with Strength in a hand-to-hand fight.
Athletics broadly covers a number of different areas of A character who is well trained in a specific style of combat
physical ability. It represents training in specific sports, from may have that represented with a Fighting Style Merit (see
kayaking or parkour to professional sports like basketball or Merits, later in this chapter).
football. It can be used with any general application of physi- Sample actions: Breaking boards (Strength + Brawl),
cal power and coordination, such as running a marathon, Intimidating display (Presence + Brawl), Identifying a fighting
jumping between buildings, climbing a fence, or dodging style (Intelligence + Brawl)
threats. It also determines a character’s ability with thrown Sample Specialties: Blocking, Boxing, Grappling, Muay
weapons in a fight, and adds to Defense to determine if Thai, Throws
the character is hit in a fight. Just about any Chronicles of Sample contacts: Club Bouncer, Self-defense Teacher,
Darkness character is likely to find some use for the Athletics Sparring Partner
Skill. Sometimes, the only reasonable response is to run away.

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the face in the mirror-Characters