About Common Abilities
Below is a list of Common Abilities available to all characters. Some of the names of these abilities may differ throughout the core rule books and it may appear at first as if I've left some out due to that fact. I've decided to condense these abilities into one universal group in hopes draw us all together more on the same page and smooth over any crossover confusions for diced / storyline interactions. Animal Kin, for example, is the house Ability name for Animal Kinship, Animal-Ken & Animal Training as depicted in other core books.
Other adjustments that I recall include;
Mage Talent, "Art" has been appropriately absorbed replaced with "Performance".
Mage "Search" has been replaced for the more universal "Investigation".
Mage "Acrobatics" has been deemed unnecessary and "Athletics" will be used instead.
While "Security" has already been replaced with "Larceny" in both V20 and W20 books, neither were incorporated into the M20, so "Larceny" is a new trait available to Mage characters.
"Seduction" will be more often rolled circumstantially as Subterfuge, Charasima or even Etiquette, depending. While "Seduction" isn't listed here, some rare-case characters with concepts more specifically geared towards the Talent may still be allowed a Seduction Ability.
Carousing, Archery, Research, Riding, Torture, Area Knowledge, Demolitions, Enigmas and Media have been made available to everyone compliments of the M20 book. As most of the 20th Anniversary books were incredibly large, I feel that the V20 and W20 were shortchanged of many new ability additions, which is why I felt it necessary to incorporate some of the many now available from M20 more universally.
Some Abilities like the Expert Knowledge's "Alchemy, Blacksmith, Herbalism & Strategy" may still be undergoing some system development and you might consider them an investment for later or loosely free-formed ability at best for a while, but whoever approves your character sheet with you should make you aware of any such cases in case you would rather have something more effective in the "now" than wait until they are more official and complete.
COMMON ABILITIES
TALENTS
Inborn affinities refined by practice, Talents reveal a character’s natural tendencies and life-honed gifts.
Alertness
This is your basic knack for noticing things that go on around you, even when you’re not actively looking for them. Alertness describes the attention you pay to the outside world, whether otherwise occupied or not. This Talent is typically paired with Perception, and is best used when sensing physical stimuli (as opposed to moods or clues).
Possessed by: Hunters, Bodyguards, Security Personnel, Journalists, Burglars
Suggested Specialties: Ambushes, Animals, Combat Zones, Concealed Items, Covert Pursuit, Crowds, Fine Details, Forests, Instincts, Scent, Sight, Sound, Taste, Touch, Hidden Weapons, Speed Reading, Traps, Urban Areas, Warning Signs.
Athletics
This Talent represents your basic athletic ability, as well as any training you might have had in sports or other rigorous activities. Athletics concerns all forms of running, jumping, throwing, swimming, sports, and the like. However, Athletics doesn’t cover basic motor actions such as lifting weights, nor does it govern athletic feats covered by another Ability (such as Melee).
Possessed By: Art Students, Fine Artists, Professional Artists, Talented Kids, Dedicated Hobbyists, Reclusive Geniuses, Meditative Ascetics, Mages Who Focus Magick Through Art.
Suggested Specialties: Acrobatics, Aerial Arts, Bodybuilding, Climbing, Cycling, Dancing, Extreme Endurance, Equestrian, Fast-Draw, Gymnastics, Jumping, Parachuting, Running, Scuba, Skiing, Sports (Specific), Stunts, Survival Training, Swimming, Swinging, Throwing, Trapeze, Tumbling.
Awareness
Awareness is an instinctual reaction to the presence of the supernatural. It differs from Alertness (which measures sensitivity to mundane events) and Occult (which covers actual knowledge about the supernatural). Usually, only supernatural creatures have access to this particular Talent, but some unique mortals have a sense that something is strange in the world. Characters with Awareness sometimes get hunches, chills, or sudden flashes of inspiration when they are near supernatural creatures, objects, or events. This insight is purely subconscious, and knowing that something’s wrong doesn’t mean that the character knows what it is. To get more specific information, the Kindred will need to use Occult or a particular power – Awareness only makes the vampire more receptive to the presence of the unusual. A vampire can use Awareness deliberately if he suspects that something is supernatural, but more often the Storyteller can ask for an Awareness roll to determine whether a vampire notices a strange event that’s not immediately visible.
Possessed by: Psychics, New Agers, Mystics, Paranormal Researchers
Suggested Specialties: Animals, Debunking, Fortune Telling, Ghostly Activity, Hidden Magic, Mystic Instincts, Mystical Objects, Omens, Spiritual Vidare, Supernatural Powers, Undead, Weird Feelings, Auras (Mage Only), Mental Invasion Detection (Mage Only), Resonance (Mage Only).
Brawl
The Brawl Talent represents how well you fight in tooth-and-nail situations. This Talent represents skill in unarmed combat, whether from formal martial arts training or simply from plenty of experience. Effective brawlers are coordinated, resistant to pain, quick, strong, and mean. The willingness to do whatever it takes to hurt your opponent wins plenty of fights.
Possessed by: Military, Police, Roughnecks, Thugs
Suggested Specialties: Biting, Boxing, Claw Slash, Dirty Fighting, Disarming, Head Butts, Holds, Karate, Kicks, Punches, Submission, Throws.
Carousing
You specialize in sharing the good times. This doesn’t have to involve drinking and debauchery… but it usually does anyway. Wherever you happen to be, you can probably spark a party and get the majority of folks to go along with you – possibly over their usual edges and into something new and wild. Typically associated with the Cult of Ecstasy, this Talent can break shackles of propriety and bust inhibitions into little pieces.
Possessed By: Music Stars, Party Animals, Frat Boys, Bon Vivants, Cult Leaders, Ecstatics, Nephandic Seducers, Agents of Subversion, Left-Hand Path Devotees
Suggested Specialties: High Society, Teenage Mayhem, Overcoming Inhibitions, Violating Vows, Classy Debauchery, Wild Parties, Master of Ceremonies, Get This Party Started, Mystic Justifications (Mage Only).
Empathy
You understand the emotions of others, and can sympathize with, feign sympathy for, or play on such emotions as you see fit. You are adept at discerning motive, and might be able to discern when someone’s lying to you. However, you may be so in tune with other people’s feelings that your own emotions are affected.
Possessed by: Social Workers, Parents, Actors, Psychologists, Detectives, Seducers, Mediums, Best Friends
Suggested Specialties: Lip Reading, Motives, Personalities, Psychoanalysis, Seduction, Seeing Past the Mask, Sensing Emotions, Subtle Cues, Trust.
Expression
This is your ability to get your point across clearly, whether through conversation, poetry, or even in 140 characters or fewer. Characters with high Expression can phrase their opinions or beliefs in a manner that cannot be ignored (even if their opinions are misinformed or worthless). They might also be talented actors, skilled at conveying moods or communicating emotion with every gesture. Additionally, this Talent represents your ability for poetry, creative writing, or other literary art forms. For many elders, Expression is the subtle art of crafting a satirical epigram capable of socially crippling one’s longtime rival. For younger Kindred, Expression may well be the key to convincing thirty stake-wielding Anarchs to converge on the Sheriff’s private hunting ground with the right text message. You can choose a specialty in Expression, even at less than 4 dots.
Possessed by: Actors, Writers, Poets, Politicians, Journalists, Web Personalities, Rabble-Rousers
Suggested Specialties: Acting, Command, Conveyed Emotions, Debates, Drama, Fine Arts, Letters, Gaining Trust, Inspiring Others, Journalism, Motivational Speaking, Photography, Poetry, Political Doubletalk, Preaching, Rhetoric, Rocking the Mic, Speeches, Social Media, Tactical Rhetoric.
Intimidation
Intimidation takes many forms, from outright threats and physical violence to mere force of personality. It needn’t be course or callous, and a well-placed intimidating word under the right circumstances might well be called “diplomacy” in certain circles. You know the right method for each occasion, and can be very… persuasive.
Possessed by: Bullies, Anonymous, Military Officers, Bouncers, Gangsters, Sabbat
Suggested Specialties: Air of Authority, BDSM, Blackmail, Brutal Threats, Cold Stare, Good Cop/Bad Cop, Pulling Rank, Pants-Crapping Terror, Torture.
Leadership
You are an example to others and can inspire them to do what you want. Leadership has less to do with manipulating people’s desires than it does with presenting yourself as the sort of person they want to follow. Anyone can lead a group into some sort of conflict; a good leader can get them back out intact. This Talent is usually paired with Charisma rather than Manipulation.
Possessed by: Politicians, Princes, Managers, Executives, Military Officers, Police
Suggested Specialties: Commands, Combat Readiness, Compelling, Friendly, Do-Or-Die, Harsh, Inspiring, Military, Motivation, Noble, Oratory, Planning, Regal, Soft-Voiced.
Streetwise
The streets can provide a lot of information or money to those who know the language. Streetwise allows you to blend in unobtrusively with the local scene, pick up gossip, understand slang, or even dabble in criminal doings.
Possessed by: Criminals, Homeless People, Reporters, Clubgoers, Savvy Detectives, Neonates
Suggested Specialties: A Specific Metropolis, Crash Space, Fencing, Free Wifi, Gangs, Haggling, Hiding Spots, Illegal Drugs, Illegal Weapons, Local Slang, Panhandling, Rumors, Sex Trade, Smuggling, Street Politics, Style, Survival Skills, Urban Tribes.
Subterfuge
You know how to conceal your own motives and project what you wish. Furthermore, if you can root out other people’s motives, you can then use those motives against them. This Talent defines your talent for intrigue, secrets, and double-dealing. Mastery of Subterfuge can make you the ultimate seducer or a brilliant spy.
Possessed by: Politicians, Lawyers, Vampires, Teenagers, Con Men, Pick-up Artists
Suggested Specialties: Cheating, Con Games, Fast-Talk, Feigned Innocence, Law, Politics, Seduction, Sense Deception, Undermining Opposition.
SKILLS
Whereas Talents reflect innate affinities, Skills represent things you’ve learned to do. You’re probably good at such things to start with, but the techniques involved in the following skill sets demand a bit more study and practice than does raw ability.
Animal Kin
You can understand animals’ behavior patterns. This Skill allows you to predict how an animal might react in a given situation, train a domesticated creature, or even try to calm or enrage animals.
Possessed by: Farmers, Animal Trainers, Zookeepers, Veterinarians, Pet Owners, Domitors
Suggested Specialties: Attack Training, Befriending, Bonding, Basic (Specific Animal) Training, Breaking in Mounts, Calming, Communication, Dominance, Herding, Farm Animals, Feral Animals, Guard Training, Reading Signs, Retrieval Training, Tricks, Search & Detection Training, Specific Commands.
Archery
You can shoot humanity’s most venerable long-distance weapon: the bow. Beyond its obvious practical applications, this Skill can become a meditative art as well – and is practiced as such by Zen archers and other enthusiasts. Because bows launch wooden shafts, they make good weapons against vampires… and because they’re almost silent, bows offer efficient gear for assassins and spies as well.
Possessed By: Snipers, Hunters, Commandos, Assassins, Survivalists, Athletes, Outlaws, Recreationists, Folks From Arboreal Cultures, Fans of The Hunger Games, Would-Be Elves
Suggested Specialties: Longbow, Crossbow, Hunting, Horse-Archery, Trick Shots, Killing Shots, Kyudou Techniques, Arched Flight, Primitive Archery.
Crafts
This Skill covers your ability to make or fix things with your hands. Crafts allows you to work in fields such as carpentry, leatherworking, weaving, or even mechanical expertise such as car repair. You can even create lasting works of art with this Skill, depending on the number of successes you achieve. You must always choose a specialization in Crafts, even though you retain some skill in multiple fields.
Possessed by: Mechanics, Artisans, Artists, Designers, Inventors, Back-to-the-Land Types
Suggested Specialties: Appraisal, Armor, Auto Mechanics, Bladesmith, Carpentry, Carving, Design, Drawing/Painting, Gadgets, Gunsmithing, Home Repair, Invention, Jeweler, Leatherwork, Metalworking, Pottery, Sculpture, Tailoring, Traps, Weaving.
Drive
You can drive a car, and maybe other vehicles as well. This Skill does not automatically entail familiarity with complicated vehicles such as tanks or 18-wheelers, and difficulties may vary depending on your experience with individual automobiles. After all, helming a station wagon doesn’t prepare you for double-clutching a Maserati at 100 miles per hour.
Possessed by: Cabbies, Truckers, Race Car Drivers, Automotive Show Hosts, Rebels
Suggested Specialties: Avoiding Traffic Cops, Getaways, Heavy Traffic, Heavy Trucks, High Speed, Ice & Snow, Long-Distance, Off-Road, Motorcycles, Muddy, Pursuit, Racing, Ramming, Reverse, Shadowing/Tailing, Turns, Shaking Tails, Stunts, Vintage Cars.
Etiquette
You understand the nuances of proper behavior, in both mortal society and Kindred culture. In many cases, knowing how to broach a topic is as important as the discussion itself, and a person with poor etiquette will never have an opportunity to make herself heard because she doesn’t know when or how to interject. This Skill is used during meetings, haggling, seduction, dancing, dinner etiquette, and all forms of diplomacy.
Possessed by: Diplomats, Travelers, High Society, Executives, Kindred of Status
Suggested Specialties: Business, (Specific) Culture Customs, Dining, Heraldry, High Society, International Travel, Internet Culture, Networking, Royalty, Seduction, Subcultures, Master Mages (Mage Only), Technocratic Politesse (Mage Only), Moots (Shifter Only), Umbral Courts (Mage & Shifter Only).
Firearms
Executing a mortal with a sword starts investigations. Clawing someone to ribbons tears the edges of the Masquerade. So Cainites adapt, and many have devoted their energies to learning how to kill with guns. This Skill represents familiarity with a range of firearms, from holdout pistols to heavy machine guns. Further, someone skilled in Firearms can clean, repair, recognize, and accurately fire most forms of small arms. This Skill is also used to unjam guns (Wits + Firearms).
Possessed by: Anarchs, Neonates, Policemen, Military Personnel, Survivalists, Hunters
Suggested Specialties: Called Shots, Cybernetic Weaponry, Drive-Bys, Fast-Draw, Gunsmithing, Heavy Weapons, Marksmanship, Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles, Shotguns, Sniper, Sprays, Submachine Guns, Trick Shots, Vintage Firearms, Energy Weapons (Mage Only).
Larceny
This Skill entails familiarity with the tools and techniques for the sorts of physical manipulation typically associated with criminal activity. Picking locks, manual forgery, safecracking, simple hotwiring, various forms of breaking and entering, and even sleight-of-hand all fall under the auspices of Larceny. Larceny is useful not only for theft, but also for setting up “the unbeatable system” or deducing where a thief broke in. This skill does not confer any aptitude with advanced security or anti-crime technologies such as video surveillance or alarm systems — those are covered by the Technology Knowledge.
Possessed by: Burglars, Security Consultants, Policemen, Car Thieves, Street Magicians
Suggested Specialties: Bribery, Combination Locks, Electrical Systems, Escapology, Hot-Wiring, Lockpicking, Misdirection, Pickpocketing, Safecracking, Sleight of Hand.
Melee
As the Kindred maxim runs, “Guns mean nothing to a lifeless heart”. A blade is often worth far more, as is the skill to use it properly. Melee covers your ability to use hand-to-hand weapons of all forms, from swords and clubs to esoteric martial-arts paraphernalia such as sai or nunchaku. And, of course, there is always the utility of the wooden stake.…
Possessed by: Assassins, Gang Members, Martial Artists, Police, Duelists
Suggested Specialties: Aimed Strikes, Axes, Chains, Combat Sports, Disarms, Fencing, Kendo, Knives, Improvised Weaponry, Maces, (Specific) Martial Arts Weapons, Parries, Riposte, Scythes, Sicles, Spears, Stakes, Staves, (Specific) Swords, Warhammers, Whips, Wooden Clubs, Klaives (Shifter Only).
Performance
The Performance Skill governs your ability to perform artistic endeavors such as singing, dancing, acting, or playing a musical instrument. You are almost certainly specialized in one field, although true virtuosos may be talented in many forms of performance. This Skill represents not only technical know-how, but the ability to work an audience and enrapture them with your show. As with Crafts, you must choose a specialty, even though this Skill also imparts a general sense for watching and responding to your audience’s mood regardless of medium.
Possessed by: Musicians, College Students, Actors, Ballerinas, Mimes
Suggested Specialties: Acting, Blues, Comedy, Country Music, Dancing, Drunken Karaoke, Free-Style, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Jive, Mime, Mimicry, (Specific) Musical Instrument, Opera, Puppeteering, Rapping, Rock and Roll, Singing, Stage Presence, Vintriloquist Act, Howling (Shifter Only).
Research
It ain’t glamorous, but if you’re a mage, you need to learn how to track things down. This Skill helps you locate sources of information – public libraries, private archives, Internet searches, occult collections, verbal lore, and so forth – and then skim them for the information you seek. You might not find exactly what you’re looking for; some things can be found only in special places. Still, a successful Research roll can help you get on the right track, even if specific facts remain elusive… at least for now.
Possessed By: Monster Hunters, Research Assistants, Archive Keepers, Librarians, Detectives, Writers, Journalists, Scientists
Suggested Specialties: (Specific) Archive or Library, Crime, Forbidden Lore, Genealogies, Government Archives, Hidden Sources, History, Internet, Medicine, Oral Traditions, Police Documents, Politics, Rare Book Collections, Arcane Collections (Mage Only).
Riding
You know how to saddle, care for, and ride some sort of animal. Through a combination of techniques and bondi ng, you stand a decent chance of getting where you want to go without being thrown off, trampled, or possibly eaten by your ride. Certain beasts, of course, are harder to ride than others. For truly dangerous or exotic mounts (tigers, griffins, giant owls, etc.), you’ll probably need Riding 3 or better in order to stay in the saddle at all. Under challenging circumstances (combat, hard gallops, stunts, flying, and so on), you may need to make a Dexterity + Riding roll. Charisma + Riding helps you bond with your mount, and Intelligence + Riding lets you know how to take care of it, maintain riding gear, and puzzle out someone else’s riding techniques
Possessed By: Cowboys, Medievalists, Athletes, Stable Grooms, Wealthy Folks, Farmers, Pre-Industrial Travelers
Suggested Specialties: Bareback, Stunts, Horse Whispering, Traditional Techniques, Showmanship, Jumping, Combat, Jousting, Racing, Weird Mounts, Rapport.
Stealth
This Skill is the ability to avoid being detected, whether you’re hiding or moving at the time. Stealth is often tested against someone else’s Perception + Alertness. This Ability is, for obvious reasons, highly useful in stalking prey. In many cases, Stealth is also used to conceal items, whether on one’s person or somewhere in the environment.
Possessed by: Burglars, Assassins, Kindred, Spies, Reporters, Commandos
Suggested Specialties: Alleys, Blending Into Shadows, Crowds, Disguise, Hiding, Object Concealment, Silent Movement, Shadowing, Squeaky Floors, Taking Point, Urban Camoflage, Woodlands.
Survival
Although vampires have little to fear from starvation and exposure, the wilderness can still be dangerous to a Cainite. This Skill allows you to find shelter, navigate your way to civilization, track prey, establish a makeshift haven, and possibly even avoid supernatural threats like werewolves that also prowl the World of Darkness. Note that Survival need not be used only in areas considered “wilderness.” There’s plenty of Survival that goes into getting by in various parts of modern cities.
Possessed by: Scouts, Soldiers, Outdoors Enthusiasts, Survivalists, Hunters
Suggested Specialties: Camouflage, Drinkable Water Sources, End-Times Preparedness, Fishing, Foraging (food, firewood, flint rock, etc.), Helmsmanship, Hunting, Jungle, Swimming, Tracking, Trapping, Shelters, Street, Life, Weather Hazards, Specific Environments: (Arctic, Bogs, Country, Desert, Foothills, Highlands, Islands, Jungle, Marshes, Mountains, Ocean, Plains, Rain Forest, Seas, Suburbs, Swamps, Tundra, Urban, Wastelands, Woodlands, etc.)
Torture
Call it “enhanced interrogation” if you like. We all know what you really do: You hurt people. Maybe you’re “just following orders,” or you realize that ticking bombs sometimes require blunt instruments. Perhaps you just plain enjoy it, even if you can’t even admit that to yourself. Whatever means you use to justify this skill, you excel at causing mental, physical, and perhaps spiritual distress. This might be part of a religious duty, military service, mystic practice, or god-given prerogative. Then again, you could simply be a sick fuck. Whether said distress involves brutal trauma, exquisite agony, or “simple” emotional manipulation, your skills bring people – perhaps even yourself – to, and perhaps over, the edge of what was once considered endurance. Even when it’s done for “the right reasons,” torture presents an extremely dicey proposition, especially for an interactive entertainment. Still, it would be dishonest to pretend that certain magicians and operatives don’t practice excruciation as part of their calling. Many mystic practices include ordeals, self-torment, and even mutilation. Meanwhile, the dreaded techniques of object lessons and secured intelligence feature torture as just another part of the gig. In game terms, this Skill might involve a blackout; if not, the scene should not be treated lightly, or with disrespect toward the feelings of other players. Whatever the context, torture scenes certainly count as mature content.
Possessed By: Enforcers, Gangsters, Spies, Counter-Terrorism Agents, Left-Hand Path Ecstatic Mages and Euthanatos, NWO Operatives, Scary Doctors, Sadists (Safe, Sane, and Otherwise)
Suggested Specialties: Mind Games, Exquisite Techniques, Prolonged Agony, Classical Devices, Sexplay, Self-Torment, Information Retrieval, “Works of Art.”
KNOWLEDGES
Certain Abilities demand learning. Taught through a combination of schooling and experience, these Traits reflect things that your character understands on an intellectual and perhaps intuitive level. Although some of them, like Computer or Medicine, involve physical practice too, they exist mostly in the realm of consciousness only.
Academics
This catchall Knowledge covers the character’s erudition in the humanities: literature, history, art, philosophy, and other “liberal” arts and sciences. A character with dots in Academics is generally well rounded in these fields, and at high levels may be considered an expert in one or more areas of study. Not only can this Knowledge impress at salons and other Elysium functions, but it can also offer valuable clues to certain past — and future — movements in the Jyhad. If you like, you can choose a specialty for Academics even at less than 4 dots.
Possessed by: Professors, Literati, Topical Bloggers, Elders
Suggested Specialties: Anthropology, Archeology, Architecture, Catholic Church, Debate, Ethics, Folklore, History, Imperial Rome, Impressionist Painting, Liberal Arts, Linguistics, Literature, Mathematics, Metaphysics, Medieval Europe, Modernist Writers, Southeast Asia, Sumeria, Philosophy, Teaching, Theology, Zen Buddhism.
Area Knowledge
You know a certain area like the back of your hand. In game terms, choose a particular region (no larger than a city) that your character has a reason to know about. Successful Area Knowledge rolls help you get around, spot shortcuts, and grasp customs, clues, and trivia in ways no outsider could understand.
Possessed By: Vigilantes, Cops, Crime Bosses, Journalists, Backwoods Legends, Street Folks, Black Suits, Protectors of the People
Suggested Specialties: History, Geography, Wildlife, Politics, Shortcuts, Getaways, Crime, Rumors, Hideouts, Gangs, Information Sources, Well-Hidden Secrets.
Computer
This Knowledge represents the ability to operate and program computers, including mobile devices. Most Computer use also imparts a degree of Internet awareness (if not savvy).
Possessed by: Hackers, Office Workers, Programmers, Data Processors, Students
Suggested Specialties: Administration, Database HCI, Data Retrieval, Data Systems, Computer Languages, Cracking, Cryptanalysis, Entertainment Tech, Hacking, Internet, Programming, Internet research, IT Culture, Office Tech, Photo Manipulation, Programming, Repair, Security, Social Networking, Software Design, Video Editing, Viruses.
Demolitions
You know how to make things go BOOM, usually without blowing yourself to bits in the process. This perilous specialty becomes especially important in the new millennium, when Improvised Explosive Devices are weapons of choice and opportunity. Such Knowledge confers a working familiarity with explosive chemistry and tech, an understanding of common designs, a knack for figuring blast patterns and effects, and – at its higher levels – the expertise to defuse many explosive devices too. What it does not do is provide foolproof explosive technology. Once things explode, chaos always takes over.
Possessed By: Mythbusters, Terrorists, Counterterrorists, Radicals, Survivalists, Spies, Pyrotechnicians, Military Specialists, YouTube Stars, Kids With More Enthusiasm Than Sense
Suggested Specialties: IEDs, Bomb Disposal, Stage Effects, Fireworks, Car Bombs, Improvised Materials, Building Demolition, Magickal Enhancement (Mage Only).
Enigmas
You can wrap your head around concepts that give other people headaches. Puzzles, riddles, artistic themes, uncanny entities, arcane secrets, bizarre methods of communication – you might not understand the specifics just yet, but you can hash out enough comprehension to get by. Especially in a mage’s world, many things transcend rational explanation…and that realm of strangeness is where the Enigmas Knowledge takes you. Whether you need to make jumps of logic, wade into metaphysical currents, spot clues in apparent chaos, or figure out what’s being said waaaaaaaay between the lines (or totally outside them), this Trait is essential.
Possessed By: Akashics, Ecstatics, Hermetics, Shamans, Mad Scientists, Detectives, Weird-Ass Metaphysicians, Gamers, Sifus, Professors, Crazy Fuckers, Annoying Old Masters
Suggested Specialties: Ancient Mysteries, Classic Mysteries, Codes and Ciphers, Deciphering Madness, Deduction, Intuitive Leaps, Lateral Thinking, Logic Problems, Metaphysics, Puzzles, Riddles, Zen.
Finance
You know the ins and outs of commerce, from evaluating an item’s relative worth to keeping up with currency exchange rates. This Knowledge can be invaluable when brokering items, running numbers, or playing the stock market. Sufficiently high levels in Finance allow you to raise your standards of living to a very comfortable level.
Possessed by: Executives, Upper Class, Stockbrokers, Accountants, Fences, Drug Dealers, Smugglers
Suggested Specialties: Accounting, Appraisal, Black Markets, Business Management, Corporations, Currency, Economic Trends, Federal Bailouts, Fencing, Foreign Currencies, International Trading, Insider Trading, Investment Trends, Law-Breaking, Laundering, Stock Market, Warning Signs.
Investigation
You’ve learned to notice details others might overlook, and might make an admirable detective. This Knowledge represents not only a good eye for detail, but also an ability to do research and follow leads. Such research may include Internet searches or more specific research techniques like hitting the law books and periodicals archives at the library.
Possessed by: Detectives, Mystery Buffs, Policemen, Stalkers
Suggested Specialties: Ballistics, Concealed Doors, Criminology, Criminal Psychology, Crime Scenes, Database Research, Data Sorting, Deduction, Discolorations, Evidence, Fingerprints, Forensics, Hidden Spaces, Internet Research, Interrogation, Law Enforcement, Likely Places, Motives, Outdoor Cues, Paranormal Investigations, Personal Details, Police Procedures, Search, Shadowing, Spotting Clues, Telltale Marks, Terrorism, Tossing.
Law
The Law Knowledge represents a knowledge of both legal statutes and proper procedures for enforcing them. Law can be useful for filing suits, avoiding lawsuits, or getting out of jail. What’s more, the Kindred keep their own laws, and more than one vampire has saved his own unlife by deftly exploiting a loophole in one of the Traditions. The Law Knowledge has any number of specialties, and a player may choose one for her character when she takes this Ability, representing both her field of experience and a general sense for how the legal system (especially in her locality) functions, though this is not mandatory.
Possessed by: Lawyers, Police, Judges, Detectives, Legislators
Suggested Specialties: Bending the Rules, Bribery, Chain of Command, Civil Rights, Contracts, Corporate Law, Courtroom Protocol, Crimes, Criminal Law, Customs, Fitting Punishments, Internal Affairs, International Agencies, Jurisdiction, Lawsuits, Local Beat, Loopholes, Occult Crimes, Police Procedure, Suits, Trials, Mage Tradition Protocal (Mage Only), Garou Litany (Shifter Only).
Media
Mass media is mass reality… and you know how to shape both. The fine art and science of crafting public perception is yours to employ. You know who to call, what to tell them, which strings to pull, and probably how to make a tasty profit off the end result. Although this Trait does not necessarily grant access to high-placed media figures (see the Influence Background for those kinds of connections), you understand the Mass Media Machine and can guide it to your best advantage.
Possessed By: Writers, Editors, Pundits, Media Flacks, Spin Doctors, Watchdog Advocates, Bloggers, Advertisers, Celebrities, Corrupters, Media Agents, Politicians, Activists, Adbusters, NWO Watchers, Media-Indoctrination Specialists
Suggested Specialties: Spin Control, Politics, Leverage, Slander, Media Law, International Media, Propaganda, Panic, Subversion, Local News, Internet Media, Alternative Sources, Movies, TV, Cable News, Media Consolidation, Top-Down Influence, Entertainment, Advertising, Walking The Line Between Truth And Fiction.
Medicine
You have an understanding of how the human body — and to a lesser extent the vampiric body — works. This Ability covers knowledge of medicines, ailments, first-aid procedures, and diagnosis or treatment of disease. Medicine is of great use to those Kindred with an interest in repairing, damaging, or reworking the human body.
Possessed by: Med Students, Doctors, Lifeguards, Parents, Paramedics, Tzimisce
Suggested Specialties: Alternative Medicine, Diseases, Emergency Care, First Aid, Forensic Pathology, Garou Physiology, Improvised Techniques, Neurology, Organ Transplants, Pharmacology, Poison Treatments, Pathology, Pharmaceuticals, Physical Deconstruction, the Kindred Condition
Surgery, Natural Remedies, Nursing, Bare-Bones Facilities, Traditional Remedies, Magickal Healing (Mage Only).
Occult
You are knowledgeable in occult areas such as mysticism, curses, magic, folklore, and particularly vampire lore. Unlike most other Knowledges, Occult does not imply a command of hard facts. Much of what you know may well be rumor, myth, speculation, or hearsay. However, the secrets to be learned in this field are worth centuries of sifting legend from fact. High levels of Occult imply a deep understanding of vampire lore, as well as a good grounding in other aspects of the occult. At the very least, you can discern what is patently false.
Possessed by: Occultists, The Superstitious, New Agers, Tremere
Suggested Specialties: Actual Satanism, Alternative Sciences, Astrology, Conspiracy Theory, Curses, Folklore, Folk Magic, Garou Lore, Ghosts, Hidden Worlds, Infernalism, Kindred Lore, Mystic Lore, Neopaganism, New Age, Noddist Lore, Occult History, Paraphysics, Pop-Culture Satanism, Psychometry, Rituals, Satanic Folklore, Secret Societies, Tarot, Urban Legends, White Magic, Witches, any specific occult discipline or field (Freemasonry, Voodoo, Stage Magic, etc.)
Politics
You are familiar with the politics of the moment, including the people in charge and how they got there. This Knowledge can aid you in dealing with or influencing mortal politicians, or even offer some insight into the local Cainite power structure. The Politics Knowledge includes the ability to practically navigate various bureaucracies, as it assumes that certain organizational structures and relationship currencies are universal.
Possessed by: Activists, Politicians, Lawyers, vampires of all sorts
Suggested Specialties: Blogosphere, Bribery, Bureaucracy, Camarilla, Celebrity Media, City, Corporate Influence, Diplomacy, Dogma, Dog Whistles, Faerie Courts, Federal, International Politics, Law Enforcement, Legal Codes, Gang Culture, Local Government, Loopholes, Media Influence, National Government, Negotiation, Movements, Organized Crime, Power-Brokering, Radical Politics, State, Specific Groups (U.S. Congress, News Corporation, Anonymous, the Mafia, etc.), Specific Cultures (Militia Neo-Communists, Conspiracy-Theorists, Jihadis, Anarchists), Specific Supernatural Groups (Traditions, Technocracy, Vampire Courts, etc.)
Science
You have at least a basic understanding of most of the physical sciences, such as chemistry, biology, physics, and geology. This Knowledge can be put to all forms of practical use. In most cases, a player should select a specialty to reflect a focus for her character’s scientific studies, but this isn’t strictly necessary.
Possessed by: Scientists, Students, Researchers, Teachers, Engineers, Technicians, Pilots
Suggested Specialties: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Experiments, Geology, Genetics, Mathematics, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Psychology, Phylogeny, Physics, Theory.
Technology
The Technology Knowledge represents a broad acumen with electronics, computer hardware, and devices more elaborate than “machines,” which fall under the Crafts Skill. If it has a processor, a transistor, or an integrated circuit — if it’s electronic rather than electrical — manipulating it uses the Technology Knowledge. This is the wide-ranging Ability used to build one’s own computer, install (or subvert) a security system, repair a mobile phone, or kitbash a shortwave radio. You must always choose a specialization in Technology, even though you possess some skill in multiple fields.
Possessed by: Engineers, Scientists, Defense Contractors, the Cable Guy
Suggested Specialties: Communications, Computers, Customizations, Cybernetics, Electronics, Engineering, Improvised Solutions, Industrial Espionage, Invention, Jury-Rigging, Mechanical Repair, Media Tech, Modification, Telecom, Security, Surveillance, Vehicles, Technomagick (Mage Only).