Skill Dots
Skills are rated from 1 to 5, with each score suggesting your character’s relative level of proficiency and knowledge in that area.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
Mental
Academics
General understanding of higher education, Arts and Humanities.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field |
- Possessed by: College Graduates, Executives, Lawyers, Librarians, Scholars, Students
- Specialties: Athropology, Archeology, Art, English, History, Law, Religion, Research, Philosophy, Mathematics, Sociology, Library Science, Business, Economics, Psychology, Cartography, Geography, Demographics, Stock Market, Cryptology, Symbology, Astronomy
Computers
Training and knowledge of using computers
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: You can begin to write your own programs. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Businesspeople, Professors, Programmers, Students, Sysadmins
- Specialties: Artificial intelligence, Data Retrieval, Graphics, Hacking, Internet, Gaming, Web Design, Databases, Search, Presentations, Networks, Security
Crafts
This Skill covers your ability to make or fix things with your hands. Crafts allows you to work in fields such as carpentry, leather working, 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.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: High school wood shop |
| •• | Practiced: You’re starting to develop your own style. |
| ••• | Competent: You could start your own shop. |
| •••• | Expert: You wrote instruction manuals on your field of specialization. |
| ••••• | Master: Your craftsmanship and insight is virtually without peer. |
- Possessed by: Mechanics, Artisans, Artists, Designers, Inventors, Back-to-the-Land Types
- Specialties: Pottery, Sewing, Home Repair, Carpentry, Appraisal, Carburetors
Investigation
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Criminals, Doctors, Forensic Examiners, Police Officers, Scientists, Scholars, Soldiers
- Specialties: Artifacts, Body Language, Crime Scenes, Cryptography, Dreams, Autopsy, Puzzles, Riddles, Scientific Experiments, News Archives, Research, Fingerprints, DNA Analysis, Traffic Accidents, Missing Persons
Medicine
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Medical Students, Paramedics, Physicians, Psychologists, Surgeons
- Specialties: Emergency Care, Pathology, Pharmaceuticals, Physical Therapy, Surgery, Psychiatry, Oncology, Anesthesiology, Neurology, Hematology, Chiropracty, Dentistry, Dermatology, Dietetics, Epidemiology, Genetics, Hospital Administration, Optometry, Orthopedics, Phlebotomy (blood), X Ray Technician, Toxicology, Veterinary Medicine, Healing Wounds
Occult
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Anthropologists, Authors, Crazies, Neo-pagans, Occult Scholars, Parapsychologists
- Specialties: Cultural Beliefs, Ghosts, Magic, Monsters, Superstitions, Witchcraft, Herbalism, Vampires, Cthulhu Mythos, Crop Circles, Aliens, Parapsychology, Extra Sensory Perception, Geomancy, Tarot, Astrology
Politics
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Bureaucrats, Civil Servants, Journalists, Lawyers, Lobbyists, Politicians
- Specialties: Bribery, Elections, Federal, Local, State, Scandals, Campaigning, Beauracracy, Licensing, Laws, Cutting deals, Judicial
Science
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Engineers, Scientists, Students, Teachers, Technicians
- Specialties: Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Metallurgy, Physics, Agriculture, Botany, Marine Biology, Ecology, Meteorology, Biochemistry, Evolution
Physical
Athletics
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Professional Athletes, Police Officers, Soldiers, Survivalists, Physical Trainers
- Specialties: Acrobatics, Climbing, Kayaking, Long Distance Running, Sprinting, Swimming, Throwing, Dancing, Skateboarding, Contortion, Aerobics, Ice Skating, Bicycling, Jumping
Brawl
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Bikers, Boers, Gangsters, Police Officers, Soldiers
- Specialties: Blocking, Boxing, Dirty Tricks, Grappling, Kung Fu, Throws, Sweeps, Holds, Kicks
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.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: You know how to work an automatic transmission. |
| •• | Practiced: You can drive a stick shift. |
| ••• | Competent: Professional trucker |
| •••• | Expert: NASCAR daredevil or tank pilot |
| ••••• | Master: Whether it’s a Fiat or a Ferrari, you can make it sing. |
- Possessed by: Cabbies, Truckers, Race Car Drivers, Automotive Show Hosts, Rebels
- Specialties: Off-Road, Motorcycles, High Speed, Heavy Traffic, Avoiding Traffic Cops
Firearms
Executing a mortal with a sword starts investigations. So characters 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).
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: You had a BB gun as a kid. |
| •• | Practiced: You while away the occasional hour at the gun club. |
| ••• | Competent: You’ve survived a firefight or two. |
| •••• | Expert: You could pick off people for a living. |
| ••••• | Master: You’ve been practicing since the debut of the Winchester. |
- Possessed by: Policemen, Military Personnel, Survivalists, Hunters
- Specialties: Fast-Draw, Gunsmithing, Pistols, Marksmanship, Revolvers, Shotguns
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.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: You can pick a simple lock. |
| •• | Practiced: You could run a shell game hustle on the corner. |
| ••• | Competent: You can open a standard locked window from the outside. |
| •••• | Expert: You can “retool” a passport or ID card. |
| ••••• | Master: You could get into (or out of…) a multinational bank’s central vault. |
- Possessed by: Burglars, Security Consultants, Policemen, Car Thieves, Street Magicians
- Specialties: Safecracking, Misdirection, Lockpicking, Hotwiring, Pickpocketing
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.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: You can hide in a darkened room. |
| •• | Practiced: You can shadow someone from streetlight to streetlight. |
| ••• | Competent: You have little difficulty finding prey from evening to evening. |
| •••• | Expert: You can move quietly over dry leaves. |
| ••••• | Master: Nosferatu elder |
- Possessed by: Burglars, Assassins, Kindred, Spies, Reporters, Commandos
- Specialties: Hiding, Silent Movement, Shadowing, Crowds
Survival
This Skill allows you to find shelter, navigate your way to civilization, track prey, establish a makeshift haven, and possibly even avoid supernatural threats 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.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: You can survive a night spent outside. |
| •• | Practiced: You’ve “roughed it” on a regular basis. |
| ••• | Competent: You can separate poison or spoilage from edible forage. |
| •••• | Expert: You could live for months in the challenging environment of your choice. |
| ••••• | Master: You could get dropped naked into the Andes and do all right for yourself. |
- Possessed by: Scouts, Soldiers, Outdoors Enthusiasts, Survivalists, Hunters
- Specialties: Tracking, Woodlands, Jungle, Street Life, Hunting, Urban Exploration
Weaponry
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…
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: You know the right way to hold a knife. |
| •• | Practiced: You may have been in the occasional street fight. |
| ••• | Competent: You could make a college fencing team. |
| •••• | Expert: You could keep order in the Prince’s court. |
| ••••• | Master: Your enemies would rather face a SWAT team than your blade. |
- Possessed by: Assassins, Gang Members, Martial Artists, Police, Duelists
- Specialties: Knives, Swords, Improvised Weaponry Riposte, Disarms
Social
Animal Ken
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.
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: You can get a domesticated horse to let you pet it. |
| •• | Practiced: You can housebreak a puppy. |
| ••• | Competent: You could train a seeing eye dog. |
| •••• | Expert: Circus trainer |
| ••••• | Master: You can tame wild beasts without benefit of supernatural powers. |
- Possessed by: Farmers, Animal Trainers, Zookeepers, Veterinarians, Pet Owners
- Specialties: Dogs, Attack Training, Big Cats, Horses, Farm Animals, Falconry
Empathy
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Counsellors, Diplomats, Entertainers, Profilers, Psychiatrics, Police Officers
- Specialties: Emotions, Lies, Motives, Personalties, Body Language, Psychosis
Expression
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Actors, Ballet Dancers, Journalists, Musicians, Poets, Rock stars, Writers
- Specialties: Classical Dance, Drama, Journalism, Novels, Speeches, Musical Instrument, Short Stories, Editorials, Poetry, Songwriting
Intimidation
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Bodyguards, Bouncers, Gangsters, Executives, Police Officers, Soldiers
- Specialties: Bluster, Physical Threats, Stare-downs, Torture, Veiled Threats, Interrogation, Insults
Persuasion
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Con Artists, Executives, Generals, Lawyers, Politicians, Salesmen, Sexual Predators
- Specialties: Fast-talking, Inspiring troops, Motivational Speeches, Sales Pitches, Seduction, Cutting Deals, Negotiation
Socialize
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Diplomats, Entertainers, Executives, Politicians, Salesmen
- Specialties: Bar Hopping, Dress Balls, Formal Events, Frat Paries, Dinner Parties, First Impressions, Etiquette, Business Meetings, Carousing, Flattery
Streetwise
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Criminals, Gangsters, Homeless People, Private Investigators, Police Offficers
- Specialties: Black Market, Gangs, Rumors, Undercover Operations, Shelter, Laws, Shortcuts, Area Knowledge, Territories
Subterfuge
| Dots | Proficiency Level |
|---|---|
| • | Novice: Basic knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •• | Practiced: Solid working knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••• | Competent: Broad, detailed knowledge and/or techniques. |
| •••• | Expert: Exceptional depth of knowledge and/or techniques. |
| ••••• | Master: Unsurpassed depth of knowledge and/or techniques. A leader in the field. |
- Possessed by: Actors, Con Artists, Grifters, Lawyer, Politicians, Teenagers
- Specialties: Con Jobs, Hiding Emotions, Lies, Detecting Lies, Misdirection, Disguises, Cheating