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Post by Seryna on May 25, 2013 1:11:20 GMT -5
Hello and welcome to the FAQ. This is designed to be a reference as you create a character and as you play the chronicle. You can sign up for the chronicle at the Hunter Sign up TBD FAQ: - 1. Character
- 2. Experience
- a. Experience points
- b. Practical experience
- 3. Tiers
- 4. Game play
- 5. Tactics
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Post by Seryna on May 25, 2013 1:11:57 GMT -5
Character [In progress] I am jumping in here to paste in things that those without a hunter core book won't know about. A Hunter is essentially a wod character with a hunter template added in. Part of this template is choosing a profession and a tier. Here is the Profession information on page 75 of the pdf. Each Profession has two Asset Skills listed. You get a free Skill Specialty in one of those skills. So you get four starting specialties instead of three. You want to choose a profession that matches what your character does well in. If your character is a doctor, a doctor profession makes sense. Choosing a hacker profession for a character with 1 computer dot makes no sense. Check the sheet you've built and how you see your character behaving to decide on your profession. - Academic
Attributes often depend on the Academic’s major. Most will have Mental primary, especially Intelligence or Resolve, though sports-inclined academics might have Physical primary, while lecturers could have Social as predominant. Resolve and Composure are commonly high — dedicated students sacrifice when completing assignments, and that helps with staking out monster lairs. Most Academics have at least one dot in, well, Academics, along with Computer, Science and Streetwise. Depending on subject, an Academic can justify almost any spread of Skills. Likewise, possible Merits run the gamut. Contacts, Encyclopedic Knowledge and Mentor are the most common. Concepts: Community college adjunct professor, detached researcher, frat boy, Ivy League student, lab technician, lecturer on Forteana, musty old professor, overworked research assistant, teaching assistant Asset Skills: Academics and Science Professional Training: • Undergrad •• Postgrad ••• Teaching Assistant •••• Professor ••••• Doctor • Undergrad ••• Teaching Assistant ••••• Doctor
- Artist
Background: Artists have a desire to share feelings, ideas, images and stories. Some come from abusive or broken homes, while others emerge from creatively spirited and “free” households, representing two extremes that stir the creative mind: authoritarian rules and environments where no rules apply. Many grow up and end up having a wide network of contacts and friends, from galley owners to publishers to fel- low creatives, and they know how to play to those networks. Most Artists have Social Attributes as primary, though a sculptor may favor Strength and a musician may require high Dexterity. Writers and painters instead focus on Intelligence and Resolve. Most Artists have dots in Academics, Crafts (for physical forms of art), Empathy, Expression (for writing, music or film), Occult, Socialize and Survival. Common Merits include Barfly, Contacts among other artists, occultists, and her target market, and Fame. Addiction and Derangements such as Depression, Irrationality and Vocalization are common problems. Concepts: artistic savant, blues musician, crime scene photographer, method actor, horror writer, occult-addicted rock star, police sketch artist, tortured painter, web TV director Asset Skills: Crafts and Expression
- Athlete
Athletes generally prioritize Physical Attributes. A wres- tler, javelin thrower or football player benefi ts from high Strength, while martial artists and sprinters alike rely on their Dexterity. Those who have Mental Attributes as their sec- ondary choice fi nd the most benefi t from Wits, while those who prefer Social Attributes have an above-average Presence. Physical Skills are also often primary. Athletes usually have at least two dots in Athletics, though some fi elds are better suited to other Skills, such as Brawl and Weaponry for martial artists. Depending on their chosen sport and background, she will likely also have one dot in Academics, Brawl, Drive, Em- pathy, Intimidation, Medicine, Socialize or Streetwise. Com- mon Merits include Fame, Fleet of Foot and Resources. Some sports also lend themselves to combat Merits.
- Cop
Background: A rookie must pass through a police acad- emy before being assigned to a precinct. There he learns the Skills he will need to uphold the law. Only after he starts cruising the streets does he learn what he needs to protect his community. Most Cops don’t go through college before the academy, though some join the force later in life. Once he’s had his fi rst year on the streets, he picks up the police offi cer’s instincts that are so vital to the role. Cops normally have Physical Attributes primary. Wits and Composure both go a long way, covering Perception rolls and the quick thinking needed to evaluate a situation on the fl y. After their academy training, most Cops possess at least one dot in Athletics, Academics (Law), Firearms, In- vestigation, Intimidation, Medicine, Stealth and Weaponry. Depending on their fi eld, these may be backed up with other Skills — K-9 units require Animal Ken, while SWAT offi cers have higher than average Firearms, and narcs rely on Persua- sion and Subterfuge. Common Merits include Allies (Part- ner), Danger Sense, and combat Merits such as Disarm and Weaponry Dodge. Asset Skills: Streetwise and Firearms
- Criminal
Background: Anyone could end up a Criminal. Some choose to make drugs and sell pirate DVDs rather than get a real job when they get out of college. Some make enough of a profi t fencing stolen goods that a real job looks like a chump’s game. Many just can’t get a break and have to steal purses or starve. Whatever their initial reason for becoming Criminals, they either decide to carry on, or some outside force convinces them that a life on the wrong side of the law is the only way forward they have. In game terms, Physical Attributes are very useful. Strength is useful for violent criminals and Dexterity for those with a lighter touch. Forgery and confidence tricks rely on Wits and Intelligence. Almost all criminals have two dots spread between Larceny and Streetwise, with other skills depending on their precise role: Firearms, Intimidation and Weaponry for a tough; Athletics, Investigation and Stealth for cat burglars; Empathy, Persuasion and Subterfuge for con men; and so on. Most have Contacts, Fast Refl exes and some form of Fighting Style among their Merits. Several Criminals sacrifi ce one or two points of Morality. Concepts: Career low-life, cat burglar, drug dealer, forger, gun runner, high-rolling con artist, hired gun, hustler, reluc- tant leg-breaker, safecracker, worn-out fence Asset Skills: Larceny and Streetwise
Whether working on the police force, as part of a private offi ce or on the staff of a global corporation, the Detective’s job is to get to the truth. Some rely on forensic analysis; others eschew (or can’t afford) scientific backup and instead use their knowledge of people. However he does it, truth is king. And in the World of Darkness, that’s not a healthy ambition. Detectives take up the Vigil for any number of reasons. Some are assigned to investigate strange crimes — bloodless corpses, violent poltergeist activity, a trail of ciphers left by code-talking cultists. Others don’t wait for life to lead them to the supernatural. The mark of a good Detective is that she’s never off duty. Every word, every strange noise, every weird feeling is a clue to something that’s not right. Maybe that something is supernatural in origin. If she goes looking, she’ll soon fi nd others who know of the dark secrets hiding in the shadows. However she discovers the world’s supernatural side, she has a valuable role to play. The last thing a monster wants is a smart human digging into his business, finding where the bodies are buried and perhaps uncovering a weakness. Private dicks are free to go after whatever cases strike their fancy — but unless someone offers to pay him for the time he spends hunting, a PI still has to chase cheating spouses and track down missing kids. Investigating strange creatures may keep humanity safe, but it doesn’t pay the bills (unless it intersects with an existing case). Even small offices cost rent. Plus, a guy’s gotta buy coffee for the morning, booze for the night — or is it the other way around? Even if she has a precinct house supporting her, a detective can fall prey to isolation. The people around her don’t know what she’s seen — and would laugh at her if she told them. Working with other hunters is the only help. She needs someone she can open up to; someone she can trust keeps her grounded in the mundane even as her world’s turned upside down. When watching over the sleeping city, she needs someone to remind her who she’s fighting for.
Everyone needs to see a Doctor at some point. The human body breaks down, and doctors know how to put it back together. Many Doctors go through medical school and take positions in hospitals. Others fi nd their calling working with dead bodies, performing autopsies to explain how people died. Still others eschew formal medicine, either endorsing alternate therapies like acupuncture and herbalism, or cures with no scientifi c basis, like homeopathy. Some doctors run themselves ragged trying to help people, while others care more about the condition than the person (and a few care only for the state of the patient’s wallet). Ultimately, their reasons for taking the job don’t matter. When an herbalist attends a faith-healing seminar and sees the impossible, he perhaps suspects trickery — and may fi nd that the healer used magic to augment his hands. A consulting Doctor discovers that her oldest, richest patient is missing several vital signs, but can’t risk speaking against someone with a wing named after them. The pathologist performing an autopsy fi nds a cluster of spiders eating away at the body’s organs, with their nest in the brain. Doctors also encounter monsters by their results. Reconstructing a body that’s been ripped in two by impossibly powerful jaws gives one Doctor the impetus to take up the Vigil. Another comes to the hunt after she had to identify the victims of a serial killer who were skinned alive by seemingly perfect and impossible means. When she joins a cell, a Doctor rarely fi nds rest. Administering fi rst aid to the hunters, stealing anesthetics from the hospital, dissecting corpses to discover how an attack was made… it’s all part of a night’s work for a Doctor on the Vigil. Her efforts can turn to heal or harm the monsters as well. When a creature is cornered, her knowledge of anatomy and human biology can give her cell the edge when it comes to capturing, poisoning or killing the monster. Some study fi endish anatomy, leaving the realms of human bodies behind. Others aim to rehabilitate humans or creatures through psychotherapy (perhaps coupled with brain surgery). Others still autopsy all the dead things their cell destroys to fi nd out what grisly secrets lie within…and to make sure that the thing isn’t getting back up again. The Cheiron Group employs a number of surgeons both as Thaumatechnological implant technicians and on the front lines. Likewise, the Ascending Ones have Doctors on retainer for isolating the effects of specifi c drugs. Ashwood takes pride in its Doctor members, though such hunters rarely adhere to the oaths they took (imagine, if you will, a neurosurgeon whose role is to keep a demon alive and comfortable while a cadre of Abbey members dine upon its raw sweetbreads). Others have made a profi t conducting “monster autopsies” for Network Zero or performing more scientifically valid studies for the Loyalists of Thule and Null Mysteriis. Background: Traditionally, Doctors go through medical school, then spend time as a resident in their specific field.
Hunter MeritsEndowments(● to ●●●●●)An endowment is a measure of status in a compact or conspiracy. It shows that the character has been trusted with some of the secrets of the group. There are six individual Endowments from which characters may choose. Endowments require at least one dot in the Status (Compact or Conspiracy) merit. (HTV: Core Rulebook, p67) Favored Weapon (●●)This merit represents a bond between a Hunter and a particular weapon that has served him well during his Vigil. Whether it be 'Old Betsy' the characters trusted shotgun, or Kagekatte their beloved katana. (HTV: Core Rulebook, p67) Professional Training (● to ●●●●●) This merit represents a person's experience in their given Profession. (HTV: Core Rulebook, p67) Safehouse (● to ●●●●●)A Safehouse is a place to fall back to for Hunters. It is usually not a Hunter's main residence, but it may be close by, or even beneath their actual home. A Safehouse may be shared between members of a cell. Also, the Safehouse merit is divided into 4 individual groups: Safehouse Size, Safehouse Cache, Safehouse Secrecy, and Safehouse Traps. (HTV: Core Rulebook, p70) For the purposes of this chronicle, you can contribute to a safe house as a cell. You should clearly define who contributes what - if Jane donates two dots, does she donate one to size and one to a cache consisting of a replacement 'scouting' kit? The more detailed you are, the more likely additional dots will be approved. Remember that losing a cell mate will mean that contributed dots are lost. A section of the safe house collapses as you lose a size dot or someone notices utilities being run out to the 'shed' to represent lost secrecy. Status (Compact or Conspiracy) (● to ●●●●●) (HTV: Core Rulebook, p73) Torture Suite (● to ●●●)A torture suite is an isolated place where Hunters may preform activities that are of a questionable nature, from Brainwashing to Physical torture. (HTV: Core Rulebook, p74)
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Post by Seryna on May 25, 2013 1:12:33 GMT -5
Tiers [In progress] Compacts Compacts examples from Core Book:- The Long Night – Christian hunters trying to destroy monster to facilitate the second coming of Christ.
Null Mysteriis – A group that seeks to scientifically study the paranormal.
- Network Zero – A group trying to expose the supernatural world to the public via the use of media sites such as YouTube.
- The Union – Consists of regular folks mostly trying to protect their neighborhood from oppression of any kind (humans or monsters).
- The Ashwood Abbey – Thrill seekers who want to experience everything involving the supernatural from the most benign to the most psychotic (torture, mutilation, and worse).
- The Loyalists of Thule – Guilt-driven knowledge seekers who use what they learn to help the world after their assistance in creating the Nazi Party.
Compacts from Sourcebooks- The Barrett Commission - Groups of business and politically minded individuals in high positions of power dedicated to fighting vampiric influence in America, primarily through politics and economics.
- Maiden's Blood Sisterhood - College sorority created to protect colleges and universities from preying vampires.
- Night Watch - Organized vigilantes who protect slums and other urban areas from vampires.
- The Bear Lodge - American hunter group who pursue werewolves and other creatures for pure sport.
- The Talbot Group - American organization founded as a counseling service that aims to rehabilitate werewolves and other supernatural beings to humanity.
- Division Six - Extra-governmental group devoted to eliminating mages and other magic users.
- The Hunt Club - A group of wealthy socialites who partake in hunting normal, non-supernatural human beings for sport.
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Post by Seryna on May 25, 2013 1:12:48 GMT -5
Game Play
[In progress]
Game play in Hunter is very straightforward.
What will I actually do? 1. Your Hunter finds something odd and decides if its Supernatural. The more that your hunter investigates, the more that they will learn. 2. The cell begins its research. There may be one blogger or librarian that hits the books while someone else tails the suspected monster, looking for signs that it isn't human. The group gets together and decides what this thing is. 3. There will be 'hunts' where a cell gets together and goes after a monster. That may be the most exciting part!
The game is very organic - you decide what your character does and we do that. You are also part of a neighborhood, so you need to socialize and take part in this neighborhood without raising suspicion. You may find some people in the neighborhood are hunters themselves, but they also may be a cancerous monster hiding in the flock. Or it could be someone who will call the police if they see you with a firearm. Cultivating relationships with the neighborhood can only help you.
You should do your best to take part in the threads around your character. Participate with your cell and interact with your cell mates- contribute to the story moving forward. Those who are actively writing in the story get experience points (xp) that are used to build a more powerful character. You may all start somewhat alike on Day 1, but on Day 60 have grown into separate people with different knowledge and skill bases that can be called on as an expert in what you do.
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Post by Seryna on May 25, 2013 1:13:22 GMT -5
Tactics [In progress] Tactics are concerted strategies enacted by hunter cells against monsters. - Tactics are purchased with Practical Experience.
- The cost for Tactics can be spread around a cell.
- A Tactic can be purchased for any number of hunters, regardless of how many hunters are required to actually perform the Tactic.
- That Tactic can then be taught to other cells.
- Tactics make use of the teamwork rules
A hunter cell can acquire a new Tactic in one of two ways: - by learning it from another hunter
- or by creating it.
Cells can also modify Tactics they already know, which is considerably easier than creating or learning new ones. Enabling a Tactic One Character is the Primary Actor for the Tactic. They make the Last action in the Tactic and its up to there roll to decide if the Tactic is successful or if it Fails. All the other characters are Secondary Actors. They Roll before the Primary and there rolls either benefit or hinder the Primary. Any Successes from the Secondary add to the Primary's dice pool. Failures do not subtract but may have additional effects depending on the tactic. A Dramatic Failure gives a -4 to the Primary's dice pool. A player can choose to risk Willpower[9] as either a secondary or primary actor, with all the benefit and risk that entails. A player can also spend Willpower normally. A player with Professional Training ••••• cannot turn a Tactics roll into a rote action, even if it uses one of the character’s Asset Skills. Hunters do not need to meet the prerequisites for a Tactic in order to learn it, but they do need to meet those prerequisites before they can use the Tactic.
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Post by Seryna on Jun 22, 2017 14:05:41 GMT -5
Here is a section from Slashers source book for creating VASCU characters Agents of the Vanguard Serial Crimes Unit augment their investigative abilities with strange powers of the mind — the end result of the mysterious Wintergreen Process. The process doesn’t just awaken the latent abilities in the human mind, it actively alters the brain. Agents go through hallucinations and alien visitations as their powers awaken, all of which allude to the Process modifying them. Most put the experience to the back of their minds. Each new power comes after a supplemental therapy, another dose of bizarre mind-altering chemicals. Only agents who investigate VASCU itself know anything about the truth behind Teleinformatic powers: that they’re an extension of their brains’ ability to process information. VASCU doesn’t categorize Teleinformatic powers in the same way as a psychic investigator might. The unit doesn’t care whether a particular power is telekinetic or telepathic in nature. Being a department of the FBI, the unit cares about how the powers fi t into the general realm of investigation. They divide an agent’s abilities depending on which area of fi eldwork the power enables. Interview abilities may read a subject’s mind or force him to answer questions he doesn’t want to answer. Investigation powers allow the hunter to work a crime scene in seconds. Research abilities give the hunter background information to help build his case. Unlike most Endowment Merits, but similar to the Safehouse Merit, Teleinformatics abilities are broken into three spheres of abilities: Interview, Investigation, and Research. When purchasing a new dot in the Merit, a character gains one power of that rating or below from any sphere. A character purchasing a four-dot power must already have one power from the same sphere. A character purchasing a five-dot power must possess at least two powers from the same sphere. Note that a character can pick any power that augments his investigation style when he gains the new dot, the player doesn’t have to plan his powers in advance.
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