MERITS

Psychological
Berserker: (2 point Merit)
You feel the rage burning inside you, and you know how to use and direct it against your enemies.
You have the ability to frenzy at will and,thus, are able to ignore your wound penalties. However,
any acts you commit during frenzy have consequences, just as they would otherwise.
Also, you have the same chance of going into frenzy even when you don't wish to do so.

Code of Honor: (1 point Merit)

You have a strict personal code of ethics that you cannot ignore. You can automatically resist most
temptations that would bring you in conflict with your code. When battling supernatural persuasion
(mind magick, vampiric Domination, etc.) that would make you violate your code, either you gain
three extra dice to resist or your opponent's difficulties are increased by 2 (Storyteller's choice). You
must construct your own personal code of honor in as much detail as you can, outlining the general
rules of conduct bywhich youabide. An obvious choice might be adherence to the Litany,
butpersonal codes and commitment can vary widely.

Mental
Calm Heart: (3 point Merit)
You are naturally calm and well composed, and you rarely fly off the handle. Raise the difficulty on
all your frenzy rolls by 2, no matter how any incident is provoked.

Common Sense: (1 point Merit)

You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. If you're about to do something
counter to common sense, the Storyteller may alert you to what you are trying to do and how it
might violate practicality. This Merit is an ideal one for a novice player, for it allows you to receive
advice from the Storyteller concerning what you can and can't do and (even more importantly)what
you should and shouldn't do.

Concentration: (1 point Merit)

You have learned to focus your mind, shutting out any distractions and annoyances. Any negative
modifier to a Dice Pool or any difficulty that arises from a distraction or other inauspicious
circumstance is limited to 2.

Eidetic Memory: (2 point Merit

You have a "photographic" memory and can remember in perfect detail things seen and heard. By
gaining at least one success on an Intelligence + Alertness roll, you can recall any sight or sound
accurately, even if you heard it or glanced at it only once (although the difficulty of such a feat
would be high). Five successes enable you to recall an event perfectly: The Storyteller relates to you
exactly what was seen or heard.

Lightning Calculator: (1 point Merit)

Your natural affinity for numbers and your talent for mental arithmetic make you a natural for
working with computers or betting at race tracks. All relevant rolls are made at -2 difficulty.
Another possible use for this Merit, assuming you have numbers on which to base your conclusions,
is the ability to calculate the difficulty of certain tasks.
In appropriate situations, you may ask the Storyteller for the difficulty of some action you are about
to perform.

Iron Will (5 point Merit)

When youare determined and your mind isset, nothing can divert you from [Link] cannot be
Dominated by vampires, and wraiths and mages using mental attacks against you gain +3 to their
difficulties if you are aware of them and resisting. However, the additional mental defense costs you
one Willpower point per turn. Even if you are unaware of an attack, anyone attempting to influence
you magically must add +1 to her difficulty.

Self-Confident: (5 point Merit)

When you spend a point of Willpower to gain an automatic success, your self-confidence may allow
you to gain the benefit of that expenditure without actually losing the Willpower point. When you
declare that you are using a point of Willpower for an extra success, you do not lose the Willpower
unless you fail the roll. You may use this Merit only when you need confidence in your abilities in
order to succeed; thus, only when the difficulty of a roll is 6 or higher can it come into play. You
may spend Willpower at other times; however, if the difficulty is 5 or less, this Merit won't
help you.

Aptitudes
Ambidextrous: (2 point Merit)
You have a high degree of secondary-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with the "wrong"hand at
no penalty.
The normal penalty forusing both hands at once to perform different tasks (such asfighting with a
weapon in each hand) is +1 difficulty for the "right" hand and +3 difficulty for the other hand; with
this Merit, the penalty is at +1 for each hand.

Animal Magnetism: (1 point Merit)

You are especially attractive to others of your breed.
You receive a -2 difficulty on seduction or animal attraction rolls (which may inspire some jealousy
in others who view you as "competition").

Computer Aptitude: (1 point Merit)

You have a natural affinity for computers; the difficulties of all rolls to repair, construct or operate
them are reduced by 2.

Daredevil (3 point Merit)

You are good at taking risks and even better at surviving them. All difficulties are at -2 whenever
you try something exceptionally dangerous, and you can ignore a single "one" on such rolls (as if
you had an extra success).

Expert Driver: 1 point Merit)

You have a knack for driving wheeled motor vehicles, such as cars, 18-wheelers and even tractors.
The difficulties of all rolls requiring risky or especially difficult driving maneuvers are reduced by
2.

Mechanical Aptitude: (1 point Merit)

You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices (note that this aptitude does not extend
to electronic devices, such as computers). The difficulties of all dice rolls to understand, repair or
operate any kind of mechanical device are reduced by 2. However, this Merit doesn't help you drive
any sort of vehicle.

Natural Linguist: (2 point Merit)

You have a flair for languages. This Merit does not allow you to learn more languages than are
permitted by your Linguistics score, but you may add three dice to any roll involving languages
(both written and spoken).
Perfect balance: (3 point Merit)
Your sense of balance is acute thanks to constant training or inherited traits. It's very unlikely that
you'll ever fall during your life. You may trip, but you always catch yourself before you fully lose
your footing or handhold.
This Merit aids such actions as tightrope walking, crossing ice and climbing mountains; all such
feats are at -3 difficulty.

Jack-Of-All-trades: (5 point Merit)

You can draw upon a large pool of skills and knowledge, obtained through your extensive travels,
the jobs you've held or just all-around know-how. You automatically have one dot in all Skill and
Knowledge Dice Pools. This is an illusory level, used only to simulate a wide range of abilities.
If you train or spend experience in the Skill or Knowledge, you must pay the point cost for the first
level a "second time" before raising the Skill or Knowledge to 2 dots. Lupus characters cannot take
this Merit.

Supernatural
Ancestor Ally: (1 point Merit)
You are strongly linked to one particular Past Life; the difficulty to channel him is 2 less. Create the
ancestor; give him a name, abilities for which he was known (and which you can easily channel)
and decide how renowned he was among other Garou. You must have the Background: Past
Life to purchase this Merit.

Charmed Existence: (5 point Merit)

Your life is somehow protected, and you do not face the perils that others must. It could be that you
are simply lucky.
Because of this Merit, you may ignore a single one on every roll you make, as though you had an
extra success. This Merit makes it far more unlikely that you will ever botch and grants you more
successes than others might obtain.

Danger Sense: (3 point Merit)

You have a sixth sense that warns you of danger. When you are in danger, the Storyteller should
make a secret roll against your Perception + Alertness; the difficulty corresponds to the remoteness
of the danger. If the roll succeeds, the Storyteller tells you that you have a sense of foreboding.
Multiple successes may refine the feeling and give an indication of direction, distance or nature.
Guardian Angel: (6 point Merit)
Some supernatural force watches over you and protects you from harm. You have no idea who or
what it is, but you suspect that someone is there looking out for [Link] timesof great need, you may
be supernaturally protected from harm by peculiar coincidences. However, you can't count on your
protector's intervention. The Storyteller must decide why you are being watched over and by what
(not necessarily an angel, despite the name).

Immune to "Wurm Emanations: (6 point Merit)

You have a special boon from Gaia: You are immune to the toxins of the Wyrm. You receive no
penalty from supernatural radiation, balefire, Wyrm elementals and the like (although you still
suffer damage from such attacks).
Likewise, you are immune to Bane possession. Your sept recognizes this invulnerability and thrusts
you into many dangerous perils with the expectation that you will use your immunity for the good
of others.

Luck: (3 point Merit)

Maybe you were born lucky; maybe Gaia has sent someone to look after you. Either way, you can
repeat three failed rolls per story. Only one repeat attempt may be made on any single roll, and the
second roll always stands.

Moon-Bound: (2 point Merit)

You are especially tied to your auspice, and when Luna is in the waxing phase of your auspice, you
receive an extra die on all rolls. However, when your moon phase is waning, you lose one die on all
rolls.

Natural Channel (3 point Merit)

You find the Gauntlet between worlds thinner than most Garou do. Your difficulty to step sideways
is one less, and spirits react a bit more favorably to you. Even if you aren't a Theurge, you won't
find it difficult to obtain training from the Garou shamans.

Supernatural Companion: (3 point merit)

You have a friend and ally who happens to be avampire, mage, wraith or changeling. Although you
may call upon her in time of need, she also has the right to call upon you (after all, you are friends).
However, neither your fellows nor hers are likely to appreciate such a relationship, and they'll
punish both of you if you are found out (especially if you're slumming with a Leech). Meeting
places and methods of communication are always risky. The Storyteller creates your companion, but
doesn't reveal to you her full powers and potencies.

Silver Tolerance: (7 point Merit)

You have an immunity of sorts to silver. You are able to soak silver, although it still causes you
aggravated damage.
Also, any Gnosis loss from carrying silver items is halved for Garou with this Merit. Instead of
losing one Gnosis for every silver item you possess, you lose one Gnosis for every pair of silver
items you carry (always round up to the nearest number).

True Faith: (7 point Merit)

You have a deep-seated faith in (and love for) Gaia, God or whatever it is you consider the
Almighty. You begin the game with one point of Faith (a Trait that ranges from 1-10).
This Faith provides you with an inner strength and comfort that continues to support you when all
else betrays you.
Your Faith adds to Willpower rolls as an extra die to that Dice Pool for each point in Faith. The
exact supernatural effects of Faith, if any, are completely up to the Storyteller, although it typically
repels vampires. (The werewolf must make a Faith roll against a difficulty of the vampire's
Willpower to repel him. For more rules, see Vampire Players Guide, p.30, orThe Hunters Hunted,
pp.64-66.) The effects of Faith certainly vary from Garou to Garou, and some are almost never
obvious—some of the most saintly people never perform miracles greater than managing to ease an
injured soul's suffering. The nature of any miracles you might perform is usually tied to your own
auspice or Nature, and you may never realize that you receive aid from a force beyond yourself.
True Faith is a rare attribute in this day and age. No one may start the game with more than one
Faith point. Additional points are only awarded at the Storyteller's discretion, based on appropriate
behavior and deeds.

True Love: (1 point merit)

You have discovered, and possibly lost (at least temporarily) a true love — not just a romance, but a
source of joy in an increasingly darkening world. The Wyrm may be winning, but you know there is
something to keep fighting for. Whenever you are suffering, in danger or dejected, the thought of
your true love is enough to give you the strength to persevere. In game terms, this love allows you
to succeed automatically on any Willpower roll, but only when you are actively striving to protect
or come closer to your true love. Also, the power of your love may be enough to protect you from
other supernatural forces (Storyteller's discretion).
However, your true love may also be a hindrance and require aid (or even rescue) from time to time.
Be forewarned: This Merit is a most exacting one to play over the course of a chronicle. Be
prepared to roleplay it well.

Garou ties
Favor: 1-3 point
An elder owes you a favor because of something either you or your pack once did for him. The
extent of the favor depends on this Merit's value: 1 point would indicate a relatively minor favor,
while 3 points would indicate the elder owes youhis life. This favor can be called in only once.

Reputation: (2 point Merit)

You have a good reputation among the Garou of your sept. The reputation maybe your own, or it
may derive from your pack. Add +3 to all Dice Pools for social dealings with your sept's Garou.
This Merit is not the same thing as Renown; a Garou can have little Renown, yet be well known and
liked. A character with this Merit maynot take the Flaw: Notoriety.

Human Society
Local ties (1-3 point Merit)
You have both influence over and contacts in local circles of some sort, whether a government
system or a loose collection of like businesses. Your influence is far from total, and it may be
threatened by changes in personnel or regulations. The more you use your ties, the weaker they
grow unless you do something to bolster them. This Merit cannot purchase ties on a national or
even statewide scale.
• Park department (1 point): Your ties are with local park rangers (if your sept and caern are near
woodlands or other wild areas). You can cause certain people to be ejected from the area and you
can prevent others from entering.
• Judicial (2 points): You know most of the local judges as well as the attorneys in the D.A.'s
department, and you can affect the progress of various cases and trials with limited difficulty.
Although it is difficult to intervene in a case, you can influence it in one direction or another. These
ties can also make it easy to acquire search warrants.
• Media (2 points): You can suppress or create news stories (though not always with 100 percent
efficiency; journalists are a unruly bunch). You also have access to the files and gossip of
newspaper and TV station staffs.
• Church (3points): You have influence and contacts in some local churches, and youhave the means
to organize protest rallies, help the needy and raise money.
• Corporate (3 points): You understand the dynamics of money in the city and have links with all the
major players. In times of need, you can cause all sorts of financial mayhem, and youcan raise
considerable amounts of money (in the form of loans) in a very short period of time. Youcan also
discover which companies Pentex owns or which ones the conglomerate plans to buy.
• Police (3 points): You can, with asingle phone call, arrange for an APB to be issued. However, the
more often you useyour ties with the police department the weaker they become — and the more
attention you attract toward yourself. Your influence is not solid (that can be achieved only through
gameplay) and can let you down at times.
• Political (3 points): You're a factor in the local bureaucracy. In times of need, you can shut off the
power and water to a building or neighborhood, and you can unleash many different means of
harassment against your enemies.
• Underworld (3 points):You have both influence over and contacts in the local organized crime
scene — possibly with the Mafia, Yakuza, street gangs or [Link] Merit provides you with
limited access to large numbers of "soldiers," as well as extensive links to the underworld of crime.

Corporate CEO: (5 point Merit)

Whether you literally are a corporation's chief executive officer or not, you have a particular
influence and sway over a major corporation and its associated companies.
Indeed, you may have owned this company before your Change, and retained your control even
afterwards. Through this corporation, you know much of what is going on in the corporate
community and have the means to wage economic warfare. This Merit provides you with some
informal contacts and resources, the exact extent of which the Storyteller determines.
With the Storyteller's approval, you can head a Pentex-owned company and have greater access to
monkeywrenching that megacorporation. But beware: Pentex does give close scrutiny to its
acquisitions.

Physical
Bad taste: (2 point Merit)
You're just plain nasty. Your flesh exudes oils tasting so bad that anyone whose mouth parts touch
you (Garou, fomori, Wyrm monsters) becomes nauseated. The would-be biter must make a
successful Willpower roll each turn for the remainder of the scene or be unable to act while he is
retching. Lupus and wolves may react poorly to you; they obviously won't lick you. These oils
aren't odorous in any way, but you must constantly wipe oily sweat from yourself.

Double-jointed: (1 point Merit)

You are unusually supple. The difficulty of any Dexterity roll involving body flexibility is reduced
by 2. Squeezing through a tiny space is one example of a use for this Merit.

Fair Glabro: (2 point Merit)

Your Glabro form can pass for Homid, albeit a large and bulky one. You lose no Social Attributes
when in Glabro.

Huge Size: (4 point Merit)

You are abnormally large in size, possibly over seven feet tall and 400 pounds in weight in Homid
form. You therefore have one additional Health Level, and you can thus suffer more harm before
you are incapacitated. Treat this Merit as an extra Bruised Health Level, with no penalties to rolls.

Lack of Scent: (2 point Merit)

You produce no scent, or your scent is extremely faint.
You are hard to track by Garou or other hunters who use scent. Any attempts to track you are at +2
difficulty.

Longevity: (2 point merit)

Gaia has blessed you with long life. You do not suffer aging effects until you are 90 years old or
more (rather than 70 and up). You can expect to reach 120 to 130 years of age, barring death in
combat.

Metamorph (6 point Merit)

You find it extremely easy to change forms and can do it even in your sleep. You do not need to roll
to shift forms (you are considered to have an automatic five successes); nor do you need to spend a
Rage point to instantly assume a desired form. In addition, if you are ever knocked unconscious
(due to wounds, etc.), you can make a roll of Wits + Primal-Urge, difficulty 8, to assume whatever
form you wish instead of reverting to your breed form.

Mixed-Morph: (1 point Merit)

It is easy for you to transform certain body parts only, such as a hand to a claw while you remain in
Homid form or changing your Lupus vocal cords into a human voice box.
Your difficulty for such changes is only a 6.