Post by Phsycodelic on May 31, 2017 21:34:28 GMT
Myrmidon Faction Gifts
Ananasi
Ananasi
A beginning character may choose one Level One Gift from each of her breed, auspice and tribe Gift lists, thus starting with three. In the process of character creation, the player may use leftover freebie points to buy other Level One Gifts.
As a character gains more experience, she may purchase more Gifts. However, the character must be of a rank equal to or higher than the level of the Gift desired, or she cannot possess it - the blessings of the spirits won't settle on the shoulders of the unworthy.
During play, a werebeast may learn the Gifts of other breeds, auspices or tribes, provided she can find a spirit (or other werebeasts) to teach her. However, these Gifts cost more than those normally associated with her own tribe, auspice, and breed.
Learning Gifts
Most often, a werebeast must either petition a particular spirit to teach her its powers or ask an elder to summon that spirit on her behalf. Traditionally, the werebeast first travels to a caern with a power level equal to or greater than that of the desired Gift to petition the spirit personally - to do otherwise is to defy tradition, which risks incurring the wrath of the spirit. But as more caerns fall to the talons of the Wyrm, many werebeasts are forced to make do with whatever places of power they can find, or even to summon spirits outside of caerns completely. Such slighted spirits often demand recompense or service before consenting to share their blessings.
Other werebeasts, lacking access to a ritemaster capable of summoning spirits at all, must track down potential mentors and petition them directly in the Umbra. The manifold dangers of such ventures include offending the spirit in its home or mistaking a hostile spirit for a friendly one.
Although werebeasts speak of "learning" and "teaching" Gifts, the process is more akin to a blessing than a period of instruction. The spirit infuses some of its nature into the werebeast, imbuing her with a portion of its mystical talents.
Because of the mystic nature of this communion, learning Gifts is normally fast and simple, taking an hour on average, and no more than a night in even the most complex cases.
Werebeasts are also capable of teaching Gifts to one another, but this process is neither fast nor easy. Learning a Gift from another werebeast is a long process of trial and error, of attempting to achieve communion with another werebeast and emulate the shape of his soul. At best, the process takes a full lunar month. Most elders strongly discourage this practice, viewing it as unacceptably risky on a number of levels.
Once learned, Gifts cannot be forgotten; they become as much a part of the werebeast as her ability to speak or walk.
Level Six Gifts are the blessings of the gods and the stuff of legend, even to creatures that walk among the spirits all their lives. Such Gifts are available only to the greatest heroes of a generation, werebeasts whose legends will be retold until the very end of days; and then only if the hero can make her way to an Incarna's court and fulfill a quest or deed for the godlike spirit - such incredible powers are never granted in response to a ritemaster's summons. Because they are so rare, only a few representative examples are provided here; most of these Gifts are known by only one living werebeast at a time, if that.
[ 1 ] Illusion Of Size ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
The Myrmidon appears to grow larger and more imposing, becoming a terrible, shadowy version of herself. This change in aspect can severely intimidate any onlookers. A Stormcrow teaches this Gift.
System: The Ananasi concentrates for a turn; the player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Manipulation + Intimidation, difficulty 7. Anyone who means the Myrmidon harm must make a Willpower check, difficulty 8, and score more successes than the Ananasi does in order to act normally. Failure means that the victims must spend a Willpower point to attack, take action against or even verbally oppose the Myrmidon. This Gift doesn't give the Ananasi actual control over her intimidated victims - they're simply too spooked to actively oppose her.
[ 1 ] Open Seal ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
The Ananasi can open nearly any sort of closed or locked physical device. A raccoon-spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The player rolls Gnosis (difficulty of the local Gauntlet rating). If the object is sealed with magic, the player must spend a Gnosis point before making the attempt.
[ 2 ] Hydraulic Strength (Myrmidon) ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
As the Level Four Hydraulic Strength general Ananasi Gift. Myrmidons alone may buy this Gift at Level Two. The Ananasi can metabolize the blood she drinks to dramatically increase her strength.
System: For each blood point the werespider spends, her Strength increases by 1 for the rest of the scene. She may spend up to (her Rank) blood points in this fashion.
[ 2 ] True Fear ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
The Ananasi displays his full, terrifying might - baring teeth or claws, howling, or simply looming ominously over a foe. Terror strikes one foe into quiescence. Spirits of fear teach this Gift.
System: The player rolls Strength + Intimidation (difficulty equal to the target's Willpower). Each success cows the enemy for one turn; the victim cannot attack during this time, but may defend himself and otherwise act normally (although his actions are likely guided by overwhelming terror).
[ 3 ] Scorpion Tail ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
The Ananasi generates a huge, fully functional scorpion's tail, complete with venom and stinger. This Gift may only be used in Lilian and Pithus.
System: The player spends three blood points to create the tail. It inflicts Strength + 2 aggravated damage on a strike (difficulty 7), and may inject either the Ananasi's native venom or any Gift-based venom the werespider knows how to create.
[ 3 ] Weak Arm ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
By watching an opponent's fighting style, the Myrmidon can quickly evaluate his strengths and weaknesses. Snake and wind spirits teach this Gift.
System: The player rolls Perception + Brawl (difficulty 8). Each success grants one bonus die to add to her attack or damage rolls against that opponent. For instance, a Myrmidon who gets four successes could add two dice to her attack rolls and two to her damage pool, or four to her damage rolls, or three to attack and one to damage - whatever combination suits her. However, the distribution of dice cannot be changed once the Gift has been activated. This Gift can be used against a given foe only once per scene, and its benefits are lost at the end of the scene. A full turn of concentration is necessary to use this Gift.
[ 4 ] Blood Hunt ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
If the Myrmidon knows anything about her prey - even a nickname, initials, or crude description - she can track it as fast as she can travel. This unerring sense of direction works anywhere, and is as useful for tracking spirits through the Deep Umbra as Pentex executives through Baltimore. This Gift is only usable so long as the Ananasi has encountered their mark within the last 24 hours, or fed from them at some point in the past.
System: No roll is required unless the target is actively hiding, in which case the player rolls Perception + Enigmas against a difficulty of the target's Wits + Stealth. If the target is a spirit, the difficulty is the spirit's Gnosis.
[ 4 ] Drying Bite ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
The Myrmidon delivers a devastating curse upon a foe's body, causing it to weaken or palsy. Many consider the use of this Gift upon a foe to constitute a declaration of eternal enmity. Pain- and disease-spirits teach this Gift.
System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Gnosis, resisted by the target's own roll of higher of Gnosis or Stamina. The Garou's difficulty is the opponent's Willpower, while the victim's difficulty is the Ananasi's Gnosis. Each success scored by the Ananasi allows her to remove one point from any of the victim's Physical Attributes. The effect is permanent, although the victim may restore these Attributes via experience. This Gift may be used only once ever against a given opponent.
[ 5 ] Image Of The Great Mother ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 67 )
Prerequisite: Myrmidon Faction
For a short time, the Ananasi assumes the form of a massive creature with four spider-like legs, four human-like arms, eight glowing red eyes, and enormous fangs, covered over in thick, chitinous armor. The Myrmidon must remain in Crawlerling form for one week after donning the Great Mother's aspect.
System: The player spends two Gnosis points and rolls Charisma + Rituals (difficulty 9). If successful, the Great Mother form has the following Attributes: Strength + 5, Stamina + 6, Perception +2 and Appearance 0. Each arm inflicts Strength + 2 aggravated damage with its terrible claws. All that view the Great Mother form - even other shapechangers and werespiders - must roll Willpower (difficulty 7) or suffer the Delirium (reduced Delirium for shapeshifters). The transformation lasts for one scene.
