Hunter Preparation Tactics

Territorial Recon

Cost: 3 Practical Experiences

Whether or not the cell wants to try to take a territory for its own, it’s important to know the details of a given area that goes beyond what a travel guide might say. This Tactic assumes that the hunters want to do a little recon to learn the “facts on the ground” regarding a given domain.

The secondary actors work the area from a Social approach. It’s a lot about asking questions but keeping those questions from raising suspicions. Ultimately, they’re not interrogating the people, just poking around, seeing if any hooks and seeds are exposed. Anything weird going on? Where go the local teens hang out? Any problems recently? Maybe they pretend to be local reporters, or just start up some small talk at a bus stop.

Whatever they learn, they feed back to the primary actor, who is in a central location (usually in front of a computer, maybe even at the local library), doing research. He’s specifically going beyond the normal avenues of information and trying to dig deep through archives, newspapers, diaries and the like, trying to hone in on certain things that the second- ary actors were told out in the domain itself.

Prerequisites

• All: Wits 2
  • Research Lead: Academics 3 or Academics 2 (Research) or Investigation 3
  • Research Assistants: Academics 2 or Investigation 2
  • Information Gatherers: Socialize 2 or Streetwise 2

Requires

• At least two actors: one to gather information as a Secondary actor, and another to collate and research information as the Primary actor. There is no limit to the number of Secondary actors who may contribute.

Dice Pool & Action Type

• All: Extended Action (one roll per day) • Intelligence + Academics
• Secondary Actors: Extended Action (one roll per day) • Manipulation + Socialize or Manipulation + Streetwise

Modifiers

• Library: An Academics-focused Library Merit adds its rating to this Tactic, and is required. Typical municipality records access is usually simply a 0 or even up to a -3 penalty.
• Locality: Secondary actors are locals or fit in with population (+1 – +3); Secondary actors obviously stick out or are unwelcome (-1 – -3)

Results (Information Gatherers)

• Dramatic Failure: You unfortunately tip your hand with a significant gaffe. If there are monsters in the area, they learn about you snooping around, and you gain the Hunted Condition
• Failure: Nothing turns up. If this is the second Failure you've achieved during this extended test, take the Frustrated Condition.
• Success: Some useful information is uncovered. Add one die per success to the Primary actor's check.
• Exceptional Success: You find some very sympathetic locals who take a strong liking to you. In addition to adding your successes to the Primary actor's roll as normal, gain the Connected Condition for the local population.

Results (Research Assistants)

• Dramatic Failure: You are at an impasse! You cannot seem to make heads or tails of the information. You can no longer assist in this use of the Tactic.
• Failure: You don't manage to piece together the information in a useful or meaningful way. Accrue no successes in your investigation.
• Success: Add your successes as dice to the Research Lead's next check.
• Exceptional Success: A breakthrough! Not only do you add your successes as dice to the Research Lead's next check, but you also take the Informed Condition relating to the neighborhood being investigated.

Results (Research Lead)

• Dramatic Failure: You are at an impasse! You cannot seem to make heads or tails of the information. You must end the investigation here, unless you take the Fixated Condition
• Failure: You don't manage to piece together the information in a useful or meaningful way. Accrue no successes in your investigation.
• Success: You accrue successes toward your investigation into the local area. For each success, chose one detail in one of the following categories:
  • First Success: This pinpoints the General Modifiers and Important Locations for that neighborhood.
  • Control: Who controls the neighborhood?
  • Influential People: Who are the important people in the neighborhood?
  • Control Conditions: What must be done for the cell to take control of the neighborhood?
  • Assets: What does the cell get out of controlling the neighborhood?
  • Liabilities: What are the downsides to running the neighborhood?
• Exceptional Success: A breakthrough! Not only do you add your successes to the current investigation, but you also take the Informed Condition relating to the neighborhood being investigated.

Warding

Cost: 3 Practical Experiences; 2 Practical Experiences with completed research into Atropopaic Warding

Warding involves the use of one of any number of cultural techniques. It is atropopaic in nature, invoking the power of a supernatural entity's banes to effectively burn the location in question into a ban for the spirit: in essence, the place becomes forbidden to that type of spirit, by virtue of its nature. In order to perform a Warding, a cell must know at least one bane of the entity in question. It is possible for a single hunter to perform a Warding, but many often employ assistants to focus concentration and faith to solidify the Warding as it is laid.

Prerequisites

• Bane: The cell must use a sample of an appropriate type of bane for the entity involved. Discovering this is usually a set of Research rolls.
• All: Composure 2, Resolve 2.
• Primary Actor: Occult 2

Requires

• At least one actor.
• May include up to four secondary actors.
• More than four secondary actors inflict a -3 penalty to primary actor.

Dice Pool & Action Type

• Secondary Actors: Instant Action (Time based on size of area) • Resolve + Composure • Must spend 1 Willpower.
• Primary Actor: Instant Action (Time based on size of area) • Presence + Occult

Modifiers

• Low Integrity (All): Integrity 1 (-5), Integrity 2 (-4), Integrity 3 (-3), Integrity 4 (-2), Integrity 5 (-1)
• High Integrity (All): Integrity 10 (+3), Integrity 9 (+2), Integrity 8 (+1)
• Supernatural Resistance (All): Penalty equal to Rank or Supernatural Potency of entity
• Area Warded (Primary Actor): Small area, max 6' across (+1, 1 Turn) • Small apartment or a few rooms (+0, 10 minutes) • Two story building or many rooms (-1, 1 hour)
• Esoteric Gear: Protective amulets & charms (••, +1, All), Warding supplies (•• - •••, +1 - +2, primary actor)

Results (Secondary Actors)

• Dramatic Failure: Lose another Willpower point, and gain the Disquieted Condition.
• Failure: Add no successes to the primary actor's dice pool.
• Success: Add a number of dice equal to successes rolled to the primary actor's dice pool.
• Exceptional Success: Add a number of dice equal to successes rolled, and gain the Steadfast Condition.

Results (Primary Actor)

• Dramatic Failure: You not only fail to lay the warding, but your attempts come to the awareness of the entity you are attempting to ward against, infuriating it. If it is a general warding, it informs and infuriates the nearest such entity. Gain the Hunted Condition. If there are secondary actors, they also gain this condition.
• Failure: You fail to erect the warding. You gain the Frustrated Condition for the purpose of trying again.
• Success: The ward is successfully cast after the allotted time. It lasts for a number of days equal to the successes rolled.
• Exceptional Success: Regain Willpower as though you'd fulfilled the conditions for your Virtue. In addition, the ward lasts for a number of weeks equal to the successes rolled.