Abilities
Academics (may specialize, examples below)
This skill pertains to the study of human
culture. It’s used to glean information on the practices and beliefs of
various cultures, as well as to identify the cultural or racial origins of a
particular individual. The anthropologist may make simple predictions of an
individual’s behavior based on what the character knows about the person’s
background and beliefs.
Archaeology
A character uses this skill to identify
the time period and source of ancient and pre-historical artifacts. If the
character has the opportunity to study an archaeological site thoroughly, he may
make deductions about the culture of the former inhabitants. Prerequisites:
History
Astronomy
The character can calculate which stars
and planets are overhead at a particular day or hour of day or night, when
eclipses and meteor showers occur and the orbits of planets in our solar system.
He knows the names of important stars, stellar life cycles, the formation of
galaxies and current perceptions of life on other worlds.
Biology
The study of living things from amoebae to
zebras. The biologist can identify animal species known to mankind, their
behavior, tracks and habitat. He may study an unknown species or individual
creature and make educated guesses about its lineage, diet and habitat.
Chemistry
Given time, a character can analyze and
identify a host of chemical compounds. With the proper chemicals and equipment,
the character can concoct simple explosives, poisons, gases, or acids.
Geology
This skill permits a character to tell the
approximate age of rock stratum, recognize fossils and identify rocks and
minerals. He recognizes potential landside areas, earthquake zones and places
that are likely to contain caves, underground springs and oil deposits.
History
The character is knowledgeable about
important events through recorded history. The character can recall background
information on personalities, cultures, artifacts or events. The characters may
identify one area of personal specialization (American History, Early European
History, Ancient Mediterranean History, etc.) during character creation. While
he still has a broad understanding of world history, the character may provide
additional details if a query falls in his personal area of specialization.
Mathematics
This skill represents knowledge of higher
math and abstract equations. It is a prerequisite to other skills and permits
the character to solve staggeringly complex mathematics and geometric
calculations.
Psychology
An understanding of the workings of the
human mind and emotions, as well as a knowledge of how outside influences affect
a person’s behavior and how to manipulate the emotions. This skill allows the
character to study an individual and tell if he is overtly psychotic or not. It
may be used to detect mannerisms that indicate when someone might be lying.
Given time to conduct observation, the character may try to learn from what
specific ailment a psychotic individual suffers and guess as to his desires and
needs. Not only the realm of the pure academic, Psychology is also used
extensively by such professions as detectives, writers and artists.
Theology
Alertness
Animal
Ken
Archery
Athletics
Awareness
Blindfighting
Brawl
Bureaucracy
Computer
Cosmology
Crafts
(must specialize)
Demolitions
(requires Storyteller approval)
This skill represents knowledge of the manufacture and use of modern
explosives. Like the chemist, a character with the Demolitions skill may attempt
to prepare simple explosives with the proper material and equipment. The
character recognizes and may identify advanced explosive compounds. He
understands how to shape and place explosive charges to achieve their maximum
destructive effect. The character may attempt to disarm bombs and explosive
traps, although disarming high-tech bombs may also require the Technology skill.
Divination
(must be a Mummy)
Dodge
Drive
Empathy
Enigmas
Etiquette
Expression
Fast
Draw (requires Melee or Firearms, and must specialize in weapon)
Finance
Fire
Dancing (must be Sabbat to begin with)
Firearms
Flight
(must have wings or a winged form to possess)
Fortune
Telling
Gremayre
(must be Changeling)
Haven
Scouting (must be a Ghoul to begin with)
Hearth
Wisdom
Herbalism
Intimidation
Investigation
Kenning
(must be a Changeling)
Larceny
Law
Leadership
Linguistics
Lore (outside
Lore require Storyteller approval)
Martial
Arts (must be an Eastern character to begin with)
Masquerade
(must be a Ghoul to begin with)
Medicine
(must specialize)
First Aid
This skill is a basic understanding of how
to treat shock, bind wounds, set broken bones and other simple medical tasks.
Successful use of this skill allows an incapacitated character to regain
consciousness, or to help stabilize a mortally wounded character (they lose a
physical trait every twenty minutes rather then every ten).
General Medicine
The big brother to First Aid. The
character may diagnose disease, treat poisoning, deliver babies and has
knowledge of drugs and their effects on the human body. The doctor usually has a
medical bag in his possession, containing drugs and equipment to diagnose and
treat ailments. The drugs in the medical bag may be used to tranquilize
characters or treat them for disease and poison. Use of the General Medicine
skill may also revive a slain character if the doctor can treat him quickly
enough (a mortally wounded character will no longer lose Traits). Prerequisites:
First Aid and Biology
Surgery
The General Medicine skill is fine for
general practitioners but the surgery skill is required for a doctor who wants
to open up his patients (and put them back together again). The surgeon may
remove cancerous growths, diseased organs and foreign objects deep within the
body. He may even attempt organ transplants or the reattachment of severed
members. Prerequisites: General Medicine
Forensics
The character knows the police science
forensics and can perform autopsies to identify the manner and general time of
time. The longer the body has been deceased, the more difficult the task will
be. He can determine time and details of death, if the body was moved after
death and possibly discover clues to the murderer’s identity on the victim’s
body. Prerequisites: General Medicine and Investigation
Meditation
Melee
Occult
Pan
Handling
Performance
(must specialize)
Poison
(requires Chemistry or Herbalism)
Politics
Primal
Urge (must be a Shapeshifter)
Psychoanalysis
(requires Psychology)
Repair
Riding
Rituals
Science
Scrounge
Seamanship
Security
Snake
Charming (must be Sabbat or Setite to begin with)
Sniping
(must be a Ghoul to begin with)
Soulforging
(must be a Wraith)
Stealth
Steward
Streetwise
Subterfuge
Survival
Technology
Thanatology
Throwing
Torture
Traps
Vamp/Seduction