Merits

Merits are a somewhat nebulous grouping of traits. Some represent innate talent or even supernatural ability, some represent highly specialized training, and still others represent accumulated wealth or social connections. As a rule, they can be rated from 1 to 5, but individual Merits may only have specific ratings available.

It is to note that while the prerequisites and costs of the merits are listed below, your character might, due to position, be entitled to free merits. Please check with staff about these, however your choices will be reviewed by staff before approval. Also please use a +note to explain merits which are not self-explanatory (+help notes in game).

Where ever you see a ‘●’, it is like counting off a number. So ‘●’ would represent ‘1’, while ‘●●●’ would represent ‘3’.

Mental Merits

 * Ability Aptitude: You have some natural talent with a particular skill, a true prodigy. At two dots, you gain use of the 9-again quality on all rolls with that skill, and at four dots, you gain a 8-again (see "+help roll" for more information on how to use these qualities).
 * Cost: ●● or ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -
 * Area of Expertise: This merit allows you to increase the bonus granted by a particular Specialty that you already possess to a +2.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Resolve ●● and appropriate Skill Specialty
 * Common Sense: This merit gives significant cautions or ideas from a Storyteller.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -
 * Crafter's Sense: This merit grants the effects of the Common Sense merit in situations related to a chosen Crafts Specialty
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Crafts ●●● and Specialty
 * Danger Sense: This merit grants a +2 on rolls made to detect ambush, and you always count as actively looking out for suspicious activity.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Eidetic Memory: You have almost perfect memory. To recall something you have seen or heard before, you normally need not roll. Under stress, you get a +2 on Intelligence + Composure or any other roll necessary to recall facts.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -
 * Emotional Detachment: This merit allows you to ignore stress penalties equal to your Resolve.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Resolve ●●
 * Encyclopedic Knowledge: You can make an Intelligence + Wits roll any time your character is confronted with a situation or phenomenon outside his normal realm of experience. If the roll is successful, he may recall a fact that he’s heard at some point that may shed light on matters.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -
 * Good Time Management: This cuts time necessary for non-magical Extended rolls by ¼, allowing you to roll more often.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Academics, Medicine, or Crafts ●●
 * Higher Calling: This merit grants a +1 on Resolve rolls to resist coercion in situations pertaining to your calling.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Resolve ●●●
 * Holistic Awareness: Make an Intelligence + Medicine roll once per day when your character spends an hour treating a patient. If the roll is successful, the patient’s healing times that day are halved. The worst of a patient’s injuries must be treated first.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Informative: This merit allows you to use the specified Mental Skill in place of Expression when addressing that subject.
 * Cost: ●● or ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Wits ●● and Appropriate Skill ●●
 * Interdisciplinary Specialty: This merit allows you to share the benefit of the chosen Specialty between two Skills to which that specialty might apply.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Two Appropriate Skills ●●● and Specialty (multiple)
 * Library: When purchasing this Merit, choose a Mental Skill. The Library covers that purview. On any extended roll involving the Skill in question, add the dots in this Merit.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Meditative Mind: This merit allows you to ignore penalties to rolls made for Meditation.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Multi-Lingual: This merit allows you to speak an additional 2 languages per dot.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Murder Expert: This merit allows you to strike a Killing Blow (No roll made, inflict damage equal to attack dice pool on target) against a single unsuspecting target. May not be combined with Fighting Styles or other Physical merits.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Intelligence ●●, Stealth ●●●
 * Patient: When taking an extended action, you may make two additional rolls above what your Attribute + Skill would allow.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Tolerance for Biology: Most people turn away at the sight of blood, other bodily fluids, or exotic biology. Your character has seen enough that nothing turns her stomach. When other characters must resist shock or physical repulsion from the disgusting and morbid, your character stands her ground. You do not need to make Composure, Stamina, or Resolve rolls to withstand the biologically strange. This doesn’t mean she’s immune to fear; she’s just used to nature in all its nasty forms.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Resolve ●●●
 * Trained Observer: A Trained Observer can spot the smallest anomaly, and always counts as actively looking out for suspicious activity. The one dot version grants 9-again on Perception rolls. The three dot version grants 8-again.
 * Cost: ● or ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Wits ●●● or Composure ●●●
 * Vision: The character’s vision helps him accomplish his goals. Essentially, this Merit gives a skilled character a chance to gain more than the usual +3 dice when he spends Willpower. By spending a Willpower point, your character can reflexively rely on his vision to “assist himself” on any extended action he performs, whether it’s drawing the plans for a building, sculpting a statue or speaking in front of an audience. The character rolls Vision + an appropriate Skill, and each success is added as bonus dice to the next roll.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Intelligence, Wits, Resolve or Composure ●●●●
 * Well-Traveled: This merit grants the benefit of the 9-Again rule on Mental and Social rolls relating to foreign cultures.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: None

Social Merits

 * Allies: This merit represents friends and associates who will take action to help you. The higher your rating in the merit, the more such people you have backing you up.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Angelic Aura: Even among d'Angelines, your beauty and grace stands out. You inflict a penalty equal to the lower of your Presence or Manipulation on attempts to intimidate or lie to you.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: d'Angeline Beauty 4, pure blooded d'Angelines only
 * Animal Affinity: You gain a +1 per dot in this Merit to all Social rolls involving one given kind of animal, selected at the time you take this merit. The bonus also applies to Ride rolls if your chosen animal type is suitable for being a mount.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Anonymity: This merit imposes a -1 penalty per dot on attempts to investigate your character.
 * Cost: ●● to ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Resolve, Larceny or Subterfuge ●●
 * Bureaucratic Navigator: This merit gives a +2 on rolls made to navigate a bureaucratic system.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Canon Specialist: You gain the rote quality on rolls made with one of your house Skills, chosen at the time you take the merit. For more information on how to use the rote quality, see "+help roll".
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Night Court Trained, Member of the Night Court.
 * Contacts: Each dot in this merit represents some segment of society in which you know people who will pass along information to you.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * d'Angeline Beauty: This merit provides a +1 (● version), +2 (●● version), or +3 (●●●● version) bonus on social rolls made in instances where you are trying to use your looks to impress, entertain, or distract. Cannot be combined with Striking Looks.
 * Cost: ●, ●●, or ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Must be of at least one half d'Angeline heritage.
 * Fame: This merit represents general acclaim, and gives +1 per dot to Socialize rolls.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Family Standing: You have standing within your family, which provides benefits as outlined below. Asset Skills can be found on your family's wiki page.  You can only buy Family Standing for the family you officially belong to.  Adoptees must be embraced by the majority of the family, and those who marry in can change the allegiance associated with this merit after 6 IC months of marriage with the approval of the head of the family.  Any member in good standing of a family can take the first dot without resistance, but beyond that a family head can attempt to resist anyone trying to gain points in this merit through a contested Presence+Socialize+Family Standing roll.  Most noble PC's will be in good standing with their families, but whether yours is specifically will depend on your bg.  An exception to this is those nobles who also belong to a house of the Night Court; whether they are in good standing will be up to the family head
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●● (see below for benefits at each level)
 * ● At the first level of Family Standing, your character builds connections with those whom the family is traditionally close. Take two dots of Contacts appropriate to the family, separate from any other Contacts your character might have.
 * ●● Every noble family has skills which it historically emphasizes. When making a roll with her Asset Skills, the character benefits from the 9-again quality.
 * ●●● Due to advancement within her family, she’s picked up a number of particular bits of information and skill unique to her work. Choose a third Asset Skill and take two Specialties in your character’s Asset Skills.
 * ●●●● With the resources at her disposal, your character has access to extensive educational tools and mentorship available. Take a Skill dot in an Asset Skill.
 * ●●●●● With such extensive practice at those skills emphasized by her house, her Asset Skills have been honed to a fine edge and she’s almost guaranteed at least a marginal success. Before rolling, spend a Willpower point to apply the rote action quality to an Asset Skill. This allows you to reroll all the failed dice on the first roll.


 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Must be a member in good standing of a noble family.
 * Inspiring: Once per OOC week, your character can exhort those around him to redouble their efforts in the face of great stress or danger. Make a Presence + Persuasion roll. If the roll succeeds, any individuals who actively assist your character and who are within earshot regain one spent Willpower point (not to exceed their Willpower dots).
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Presence ●●●●
 * Iron Will: When spending Willpower to contest or resist in a Social interaction, you may substitute your character’s Resolve for the usual Willpower bonus (this means you will not want to use the /willpower flag for +roll). If the roll is contested, roll with 8-again.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Resolve ●●●●
 * Loyalty: For this merit, you must choose a group or organization (which you will add a note for on your character) to whom you are loyal, such as your house or province, a guild, or a secret group such as Les Enfants or the Unseen Guild.  If you have questions whether the group you have in mind is appropriate, particularly if it is one you are making up, please contact staff.  When making a roll to avoid betraying them, you get a bonus equal to your rating in the merit.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Resolve ●●● or Composure ●●●
 * Mentor: This represents a teacher, someone who can teach you certain skills. The higher your rating in this merit, the more the teacher has to show you.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Notes: Can take multiple times.
 * Military Forces: This merit represents an army that you are directly in command of. You must have staff approval not only to have the merit, but for the level you want in it, due to both the training and financial requirements of such forces, as well as the space requirements.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Staff Approval Required.
 * Naval Forces:  This merit represents ships (not men to man them, as those must be supplied via the Military Forces merit) that your character can call on to serve his purposes. Each dot in this merit represents 1 hulk and 5 cogs, 2 hulks, or 10 cogs.  If the character with the merit is a titled noble, then they can be outfitted as mercantile or military ships at his choosing.  If not, then they are mercantile unless staff permission is obtained for special exceptions.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Access to coastal land, Staff Approval Required.
 * Night Court Trained: When making any Social roll, you can spend 1 Willpower. Rather than the normal bonus, if you fail the roll, you are treated as if you rolled 1 success.  If you get a success, it is treated as an exceptional success (as if you had rolled 5 successes).
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Members of the Night Court only.
 * Oneiromancy: This merit is used by those who have been trained by Gentian house to enter the dreams of another in order to assist them with analyzing and interpreting the cause. Use of the merit requires specific ritual taught by the Night Court house (see staff for details), during which the subject must be present. It costs 1 Willpower, and requires a Wits+Resolve roll to enter the person’s dream. The dream is then experienced alongside the dreamer, and remembered fully upon waking. The Oneiromancer can then roll Wits+Occult to divine clues as to the meaning/reason for the dream.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Night Court Trained, Member of Gentian House
 * Patron: This merit represents someone rich and/or powerful who favors your character for some skill or talent, and is common among courtesans. Each dot in this merit can be used as a bonus die on Spy Network or social skill rolls other than Animal Ken, Empathy, or Expression, or else traded in for 1 Resource Point to be spent immediately. When you use one of these bonus points, they do not come back until the first day of the month OOCly.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites:
 * Resources: This merit represents your general wealth level as well as how much disposable income you have. Example ratings: ● – Unskilled laborer, apprentice skilled laborer; ●● – Skilled laborer, noble servant, average servant of Naamah, inexperienced merchant; ●●● – Master craftsman, skilled noble servant, talented servant of Naamah, experienced merchant, most nobility; ●●●● – Second of a Night Court house, an average Comte or Marquise, head of a merchant dynasty; ●●●●● – Night Court Dowayne, average Duc or Monarch.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Retainer: One skilled, trustworthy servant per dot, such as a Cassiline bodyguard or an honest and loyal seneschal.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Spy Network: This represents a network of informants willing to pass along information to your character, or misinformation on his or her behalf. For each point, choose one group, foreign nation or segment of society in which you have these informants.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Staff: You have a number of servants at your disposal depending on the rating of this merit. Each dot represents 1 specialist and 5 average servants.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Resources must be equal-to or greater-than the dots in this merit.
 * Striking Looks: This merit provides a +1 (●● version) or a +2 (●●●● version) bonus on social rolls made in instances where you are trying to use your looks to impress, entertain, or distract.
 * Cost: ●● or ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Notes: Cannot be combined with d'Angeline Beauty.
 * Status : This represents pull, official or otherwise, within a certain segment of society. It can be added to certain Social rolls, used to gain access to certain resources, and can influence information placed on the bulletin boards of certain groups.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites:
 * Notes: Available types of Status are: Underworld, Commerce, Academic, Military, Politics, High Society, Unseen Guild, Religion, Les Enfants, Night Court and Occult. The following Status choices may require staff permission to add/raise as the people involved (PC and NPC alike) tend to be rather secretive: Underworld, Occult, Unseen Guild, and Les Enfants. Please contact staff if interested.
 * Stubborn: This merit gives a +1 (●), a +2 (●●●), or a +3 (●●●●●) on rolls to resist mundane coercion.
 * Cost: ●, ●●● or ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Composure ●●●
 * True Faith: A powerful merit representing extreme faith in some religion, bordering on being a zealot. The benefits vary depending on what divinity you worship, ranging from a bonus on rolls strongly related to your beliefs equal to your True Faith rating, to divinely inspired visions. Crises of faith not likely.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Notes: Any particular benefit is subject to staff approval.
 * True Love: This merit represents the blessing of Elua, feelings of intense love for (or between) two people.  When you take it for your character, you either choose another PC toward whom it applies, or an NPC (whom you will add a note for on your character).  If you choose an NPC, then it gives you a single Ally (per the merit) who is more devoted than that merit would normally provide in addition to the benefits below.  True Love is not without its costs at times, though, as it will stir your character to action on behalf of his love even when it might not be in his best interests, even when he might be at odds with them, and we will expect you to roleplay this accordingly.  Further, it is not something easily discarded or regained, so there will be no refunds of XP used to purchase this merit, and you will have to wait four OOC months before you can buy it again for someone else should you decide to drop the merit.
 * Cost: ●●● or ●●●●● (See below for benefits at different levels)
 * ●●● When making a roll to resist betraying your True Love, you get an automatic success added to whatever you roll. You can take this level of the merit without the love being returned.
 * ●●●●● When making a roll to aid or defend your True Love in some way, and spending Willpower on the roll, you get a bonus equal to your Resolve+Composure instead of the normal bonus of 3. At this level, the love must be returned by the person toward whom it applies, meaning that they must buy this level for your character at the same time you buy it for them.

Physical Merits

 * Ambidextrous: This merit removes any off-hand penalties to any sort of roll.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -
 * Anguisette: Ignore wound penalties and gain the benefits of Fast Healer. Further, you do not lose consciousness when all your health levels are filled with Bashing damage.
 * Cost: ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -, No Scion Merits. Requires Staff approval.
 * Armored Fighting: This merit reduces heavy armor penalties by 1 (●●) or 2 (●●●●)
 * Cost: ●● or ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Strength ●●● and Stamina ●●●
 * Athletics Dodge: Whenever your character performs a dodge you can add his Athletics Skill dots to his Defense instead of doubling his Defense.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●● and Athletics ●
 * Brawling Dodge: Whenever your character performs a dodge, you can choose to add his Brawl Skill dots to his Defense instead of doubling his Defense.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Strength ●● and Brawl ●
 * Disarm: If your damage on an attack roll exceed the target’s Dexterity, you can disarm them.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●● and Weaponry ●
 * Direction Sense: You always know which way is North.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Double Jointed: You automatically escape from any mundane bonds without a roll. When grappled, subtract your Dexterity from any rolls to overpower you as long as you're not taking any aggressive actions.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●●
 * Entering Strike: If you inflict damage with a Brawl-based strike, you gain a dice bonus equal to the damage you inflicted to a subsequent grappling hold attempt. This must be your next attack. Your Defense does not apply during the turn in which you attempt an entering strike.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●● and Brawl ●●●
 * Equipped Grappling: This merit allows you to add the Size rating (3 or less) of a blunt weapon to overpowering maneuver dice pool.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●●, Brawl ●●, and Weaponry ●●
 * Fighting Finesse: This merit allows you to substitute Dexterity for Strength when making an attack with a melee weapon.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●● and Weaponry ●●
 * Fast Reflexes: This merit gives a +1 to Initiative per dot.
 * Cost: ● or ●●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●●
 * Fleet of Foot: This merit gives a +1 to Speed per dot.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Strength ●●
 * Fresh Start: Your character dedicates an action to altering his standing in the Initiative order in the following turn and for all subsequent turns, choosing to insert himself at a new point in the roster, even if it means going first when he went last before.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Fast Reflexes ●●
 * Giant: This merit gives a +1 to Size, which also equates to an extra health level. It means you are 7+feet tall and weigh 350 or more pounds.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -
 * Ground and Pound: Your character may use Combination Blows (Fighing Style: Boxing) to perform Takedown/Throw Maneuver followed by an unarmed strike. If she succeeds with the first maneuver, her dice pool doesn’t suffer the usual –1 penalty for the second attack in the Combination Blows series. Instead, the character gains a +2 bonus to strike her prone opponent.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Combination Blows, Grappling ●●, and Boxing ●●● or Aggressive Striking ●●●
 * Heavy Hands: This merit gives a +1 damage to unarmed strike attacks.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Strength ●●● and Brawl ●●
 * Iron Stamina: This merit allows you to ignore fatigue/injury penalties up to a maximum of the number of dots you have in the merit.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Stamina ●●● or Resolve ●●●
 * Iron Stomach: This merit allows you to eat and gain sustenance from even unpalatable cuisine such as spoiled meat.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Stamina ●●
 * Natural Immunity: This merit gives a +2 on Stamina rolls to resist illness.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Stamina ●●
 * Outdoorsman: This merit allows you to negate environmental penalties to Survival.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Survival ●●●
 * Perfect Stillness: Except for breathing softly and silently, your character can stand without moving a muscle for an entire scene, even if the position she is in would be exceedingly uncomfortable for others. In addition to various other uses of this Merit, if your character remains stationary while hiding, all rolls to notice or locate her are made at a –2 penalty.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Stealth ●
 * Quick Draw: With this merit, you can draw and attack in one action.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●●
 * Quick Healer: This merit halves all healing times.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Stamina ●●●●
 * Shield-Bearer: This merit cuts the attack penalty for using a shield from -2 to -1.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: None
 * Sleight of Hand: You can take one Larceny-based instant action reflexively in a given turn. As well, your Larceny actions go unnoticed unless someone is actively looking for such activity.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Larceny ●●●
 * Strong Back: This merit grants a +1 on rolls made to lift or carry anything.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Strength ●●
 * Strong Lungs: This merit gives a +2 on Stamina rolls to hold your breath.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Athletics ●●●
 * Student of the Blade: You may use the Fencing Fighting Style with all size-2 blades.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Fencing ●
 * Stunt Rider: This merit allows you to ride and carry out another action.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●●
 * Toxin Resistance: This merit gives you a +2 on Stamina rolls to resist toxins
 * Cost: ●●
 * Prerequisites: Stamina ●●●
 * Weaponry Dodge: Whenever your character performs a dodge, you can choose to add his Weaponry Skill dots to his Defense instead of doubling his Defense.
 * Cost: ●
 * Prerequisites: Strength ●● and Weaponry ●

See Below for Combat-Style Merits.

Scion Merits
With Scion Merits, each merit costs ●●●●●. You can only take one. Prerequisites: - Chargen Only -, Must have a noble parent from the province where the named Companion settled. Only Descendents of House Courcel are allowed to take any of the Scion Merits of Elua. No Tsingani or Alban/Eirean Merits.
 * Anael's Gift: The Scion's ability with the raising of plants goes beyond a 'green thumb'. Not only do they get a +2 on any rolls involving the raising of plants, but said plants also grow at an accelerated rate.


 * Anael's Tongue: The Scion can communicate with animals of a chosen species. This does not allow the animals additional capabilities of thinking, and thus more complex notions may be beyond their ability to comprehend.


 * Anael's Companion: You gain an animal companion, similar to the embodied Familiar Merit. You have an empathic bond with the animal, but full communication either requires either speech or else a Willpower expenditure.


 * Anael's Gaze: The Scion gets +1 to all Animal Ken, Empathy, and Socialize rolls.


 * Azza's Gift: The Scion gains additional benefits when spending Willpower on a roll. First, the roll will not suffer a dramatic failure. Additionally, if you succeed on the roll, you immediately regain the point of Willpower.


 * Azza's Sense: The Scion never gets lost, nor loses his or her balance due to simple footing (slippery surfaces are a different matter).


 * Azza's Gaze: The Scion gets +1 to all Expression, Intimidation, and Persuasion rolls.


 * Camael's Gift: The Scion can fly into a berserker rage, giving him a +2 and 9-again on all attack rolls as well as ignoring wound penalties. This rage lasts a number of turns equal to the Scion's stamina, after which a Willpower point can be spent to continue it. Afterward the Scion will be exhausted, however, taking 1 bashing damage plus another for every Willpower spent to stay enraged in addition to any other damage taken during the fight.


 * Camael's Aura: The Scion can inspire troops, adding his Presence attribute as a bonus on all Warfare rolls made in the heat of battle.


 * Camael's Gaze: The Scion gets +1 to all Expression, Intimidation, and Persuasion rolls.


 * Eisheth's Touch: The Scion can spend one Willpower, and roll Wits+Medicine. Each success allows for the healing of one lethal or two bashing damage.


 * Eisheth's Voice: The Scion can spend 1 Willpower point prior to a performance, and fascinate her crowd, inspiring a particular emotion in those attending. One success means that the emotion lasts for a scene, two for a day, three for a week, four for a month, and five for half a year. The emotion is felt only toward the performer


 * Eisheth's Gaze: The Scion gets +1 to all Empathy, Expression, and Socialize rolls.


 * Elua's Aura: The Scion can roll Presence+Expression when in the presence of people, and anyone for whom he rolls higher than their Composure, he awes them and draws their attention. Any social rolls made against them for the scene get a bonus equal to the successes rolled when activating this ability.


 * Elua's Grace: The Scion can force an assailant to re-roll an attack roll that would inflict damage on her. To do so costs 1 Willpower, and the second roll stands.


 * Elua's Gaze: The Scion gains +1 to all Empathy, Expression, and Persuasion rolls.


 * Kushiel's Scion: Reveals a target's Virtue, Vice, Morality, and any Derangements.


 * Kushiel's Hand: If someone is guilty of a crime, and you are aware of their guilt, you receive a +3 on attack rolls or any other rolls made to damage the criminal.


 * Kushiel's Gaze: The Scion gets a +1 to all Intimidation, Persuasion, and Subterfuge rolls.


 * Naamah's Gift: The Scion can inspire lust in someone who is attracted to his gender; upon meeting the person's eyes, he can make a reflexive Manipulation+Empathy-Taget's Composure roll. Every success on this roll adds one to Social rolls affecting that person for the scene.


 * Naamah's Touch: The Scion can relax someone. On a successful Presence+Empathy roll, the person touched will relax, up to and including relieving any pain enough to allow sleep, ignoring the effects of toxins that are keeping the person awake, or any other effect causing tension or discomfort. Wounds are not actually healed, though.


 * Naamah's Gaze: The Scion gets +1 to all Empathy, Persuasion, and Socialize rolls.


 * Shemhazai's Gift: You do not suffer untrained penalties for the use of Mental skills. Further, any Mental specialty purchased grants +2 to applicable rolls rather than +1.


 * Shemhazai's Acuity: The Scion gains the benefit of 9-again on all Academics and Investigation rolls.


 * Shemhazai's Gaze: The Scion gets +1 to all Empathy, Expression, and Persuasion rolls.

Tsingani Merits

 * Unseen Sense: Can detect the presence of supernatural phenomena. Including those who have scion or god-touched merits, as well as magic use.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Must have Tsingani Blood, No Scion Merits, or Alban/Eirean Merits. Wits ●●
 * Dromonde: Spend 1 Willpower, and roll Wits+Occult, with modifiers based on how far forward you are looking. Success means that you can look into the future of one person, in whose presence you must be.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Prerequisites: Chargen Only. Must have Tsingani Blood, No Scion Merits, or Alban/Eirean Merits.

Alban & Eirean Merits

 * Dream: Your dreams give you insight into the obstacles you face, hinting at the present or future. Once every OOC week, you can make a Wits+Composure roll to get hints from your dreams about a particular topic.  If successful, you get one clue from Staff about the named topic per dot in this merit.  These clues are likely to be steeped in symbolism and metaphors, and you can only Dream about a particular topic in this manner once, unless the situation surrounding it changes drastically.  If you want this merit, you must buy at least one point at Chargen, though you can increase it later.
 * Cost: ● to ●●●●●
 * Prerequisites: Chargen Only (see above). Must have Alban or Eirean Blood, No Scion Merits or Tsingani Merits.

Combat-Style Merits
With Combat-Style Merits, each '●' has its own merit name

Agressive Striking
Prerequisites: Strength ●●●, Stamina ●●, and  Brawl ●●
 * Body Blow: If successes on a single Brawl attack are greater than the target's size, the target loses his next action.
 * Cost: ●
 * Iron Skin: This merit provides an Armor rating of 1 against Bashing attacks.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Combination Blows: This merit allows you to make two brawl attacks against the same target with a -1 to the second attack. Cannot use defense prior to these attacks, or after them until the next round.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Haymaker: Like Body Blow but opponent makes a Stamina roll. If they fail, they're unconscious. Cannot use defense prior to this attack, or after it until the next round.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Brutal Blow or Lethal Strike: You can spend Willpower to deal Lethal damage with Brawl attacks that turn.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Archery
Prerequisites: Strength ●●, Dexterity ●●, and Athletics ●●
 * Draw and Loose: Effective +1 to Strength for the purpose of a bow’s Strength requirement, and for determining its Damage and Range.
 * Cost: ●
 * Rapid Nock: Once per turn, you may reload a bow as a reflexive action.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Arcing Fire: This level of mastery doubles your range with all bows.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Plunging Fire: This merit allows you to ignore your target’s concealment.
 * Cost: ●●●●

Berserker
Prerequisites: Resolve ●●●, Stamina ●●●, and another Fighting Skill/Style ●
 * Strength in the Fury: The berserker gains an additional die (for a total of three) when taking all-out attacks
 * Cost: ●
 * Adrenaline Rush: The character gains a point of armor against bashing and lethal attacks as she casually shrugs off weak attacks.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Inhuman Alacrity: The character gains an additional 2 dice (for a total of four dice) when using Willpower to avoid suffering an attack.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Ignorant in the Face of Death: In a mad, violently fit, the character can ignore some or all wound penalties for a turn. The character sacrifices part of her Defense in any turn during which she ignores wound penalties on a one-for-one basis
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Bloody-Handed Bastard: Your behavior is so violent that you inflict lasting damage on your foes, regardless of weapon. Your attacks inflict lethal damage. You sacrifice your Defense during a turn in which you use this maneuver.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Boxing
Prerequisites: Strength ●●●, Stamina ●●, and Brawl ●●
 * Body Blow: If your successes on a single Brawl attack are greater than the target's size, the target loses his next action.
 * Cost: ●
 * Duck and Weave: You can make two brawl attacks against the same target with a -1 to the second attack. You cannot use your Defense before or after the attack until the next turn.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Combination Blows: You can make two brawl attacks against the same target with a -1 to the second attack. You cannot use your Defense before or after the attack until the next turn.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Haymaker: Like Body Blow but opponent makes a Stamina roll. If they fail, they're unconscious. You cannot use your Defense before or after the attack until the next turn.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Brutal Blow: You can spend Willpower to deal Lethal damage with Brawl attacks.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Dirty Fighting
Prerequisites: Strength ●●●, and Brawl ●●● opponents.
 * Low Blow: If your Brawl attack has more successes than your target's Composure, the target loses her next action.
 * Cost: ●
 * Shank: You can use Brawl instead of Weaponry for attack rolls made with small improvised weapons.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Suck It Up: You can spend 1 Willpower to ignore wound penalties for a scene.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * One or a Dozen, It Doesn't Matter: You gain a bonus of x-1 to Defense when fighting x opponents. You can also spend y-1 Willpower to make simultaneous brawl attacks on y
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * I Said Stay Down!: Your target must make a Stamina roll when struck by a successful Low Blow; if the Stamina roll fails, victim collapses.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Evasive Striking
Prerequisites: Strength ●●, Dexterity ●●, Stamina ●●, and Brawl ●●
 * Focused Attack: Armor and Called shot penalties are reduced by 1
 * Cost: ●
 * Duck and Weave: You can use the higher of Dexterity or Wits against Brawl attacks made against you.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Defensive Attack: You can take -2 to Attack rolls for a +2 on your Defense.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Whirlwind Strike: You can make extra Brawl attacks equal to Dexterity-2 on a single target. Each additional attack is made at a cumulative -1 penaltyy. You cannot use Defense before or after this maneuver until the next turn.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Destroy Defense: Your successful Brawl attacks on unarmed targets reduces the target’s Defense by 1 for the scene. This is cumulative across successive Brawl attacks to lower of attacker's Wits or Dex.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Fencing
Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●●, and Weaponry ●●●
 * Thrust: When your character makes a thrust attack, plunging the blade toward an opponent, he does so with a +1 bonus.
 * Cost: ●
 * Feint: Make a normal attack roll. If successful, no damage is done, but the next attack made on the target ignores her Defense rating.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Riposte: When Dodging, you can spend Willpower to make an attack at -1 against someone who just attacked you whether they hit or miss. Once you make this attack, you cannot apply any defense against further attacks for the turn.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Moulinet: If your character makes a successful hit on an adversary with his sword, he may then rotate his wrist and perform a quick spiral cut with the tip of the weapon. This additional cut requires no additional roll; the cut does lethal damage to the opponent equal to your character’s Dexterity. To perform this maneuver, the character must spend a Willpower point before he makes her initial attack roll.
 * Cost: ●●●●

Grappling
Prerequisites: Strength ●●, Dexterity ●●●, Stamina ●●●, and Brawl ●●
 * Sprawl: You subtract the higher of your Strength+1 or Dexterity+1 from overpower attempts made against you.
 * Cost: ●
 * Takedown/Throw: In lieu of securing a grappling hold, he can immediately render the opponent prone. Furthermore, if he takes an opponent down this way, he can choose whether or not to go prone with the target.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Chokehold: If he overpowers an opponent in a grapple, he can start the choke. The choke inflicts a cumulative –1 die penalty to the opponent’s actions for each turn it’s maintained. The victim falls unconscious if he endures a choking attack for a number of consecutive turns equal to his Stamina. Your character can continue choking an unconscious victim. This inflicts lethal damage equal to the attacker’s Strength + Brawl successes every turn.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Submission Hold: If your character scores more successes than his opponent’s Size in an immobilization attempt, the victim can’t attempt any physical action – including breaking free – without suffering a point of lethal damage. This penalty lasts from the moment of immobilization to end of the next turn. Furthermore, your character can always choose to inflict one point of lethal damage whenever he damages an opponent with an overpowering roll. The character’s first Strength + Brawl success inflicts a point of lethal damage; subsequent successes inflict bashing damage.
 * Cost: ●●●●

Kung-Fu
Prerequisites: Strength ●●, Dexterity ●●, Stamina ●●, Brawl ●●, and must be from Ch'in or find a teacher
 * Focused Attack: Penalties to hit specific targets (such as a certain limb) are reduced by one. Even when a specific part of an opponent is not targeted, armor penalties to your character’s Brawl attacks are reduced by one.
 * Cost: ●
 * Iron Skin: You have an effective armor trait of 1 against bashing attacks only
 * Cost: ●●
 * Defensive Attack: You can take -2 penalty to attack rolls made for the turn for a +2 bonus on Defense for the turn
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Whirlwind Strike: You can make extra Brawl attacks equal to your Dexterity-2 on a single target. Each additional attack gets cumulative -1 to the roll. You cannot use your Defense before or after this maneuver.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Lethal Strike: You can spend Willpower to deal lethal damage with a brawl attack.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Heavy Sword - Langschwert
Prerequisites: Strength ●●●, and Weaponry ●●●
 * Wards: This merit grants you a +1 to Defense while wielding a Heavy sword.
 * Cost: ●
 * Fool's Guard: Instead of offering a normal Defense, roll Strength + Weaponry + 1 die against the opponent’s attack. This is an instant action. Each success reduces the attack’s damage by 1, and if the characters successes exceed the attacker’s, the difference is inflicted upon the attacker as damage from the character’s weapon.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Half Sword: Your character grabs the midpoint of his weapon to rain more powerful thrusts and blows at a shorter range, almost as if he was using the blade as a small spear. If his attack succeeds, add 2 to the weapon’s damage (do not add this as the weapon’s equipment bonus, but after rolling). The weapon’s reduced range nullifies the Wards maneuver, so the character loses its Defense bonus. It also reduces the character’s Weaponry-based dice pool by one.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Doubling Cut: Your character strikes the enemy with two quick cuts. He can make two Weaponry attacks against an opponent in the same turn. Your character cannot employ his Defense for the turn in which you use this maneuver.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Wrathful Cut: When you make an All-Out Attack, add your Weaponry dots instead of the normal +2 bonus. Your character cannot employ his Defense in the same turn as he uses this maneuver.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Parkour
Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●● and Athletics ●●
 * Flow: When using running or using the Foot Chase rules, your character may negate hazardous terrain penalties equal to his Rating in the Parkour Merit. Additionally, the roll to gauge a jump distance is a reflexive action.'
 * Cost: ●
 * Cat Leap: When using a Dexterity + Athletics roll to mitigate damage from falling, your character gains one automatic success. Additionally, add one per dot in this Merit to the threshold of damage that can be removed through this roll.'
 * Cost: ●●
 * Wall Run: When using Athletics to climb, your character is capable of scaling heights of 10 feet + 5 feet per dot in Athletics as an instant action (rather than the normal 10 feet), though every full 10 feet beyond the first imposes a –1 die penalty.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Expert Traceur: Your character may designate any Athletics roll that involves running, jumping and climbing as being a Rote Action. However, when doing so, he is less able to react to events that don’t have to do with navigating the environment, causing him to lose his Defense for that turn.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Freeflow: The character can perform any Athletics action that involves running, jumping or climbing as a reflexive action, rather than an instant action. Doing so requires that the character has been running for at least a full minute previously; any use of this ability before that minute mark requires the expenditure of one point of Willpower, however.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Spear - Sojutsu/Jukendo
Prerequisites: Strength ●●●, Dexterity ●●, and Weaponry ●●●
 * Warding Stance: This maneuver allows you to attack first against foes with smaller-Size melee weapons so long as they are in front of you while you are wielding a spear.
 * Cost: ●
 * Thrust: This gives you the benefit of 9-again on rolls made using a spear.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Block and Strike: This maneuver allows you to take a -2 on your attack rolls for the turn to have +2 to your Defense rating.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Great Thrust: If you employ an All Out Attack, you add a number of dice equal to the lower of your Strength attribute or Weaponry skill instead of the standard 2 dice. If the attack inflicts at least as much lethal damage as the opponent’s Size, you lodge the weapon deep in your target’s body. Dislodging it requires an additional Strength + Weaponry roll, but automatically inflicts a point of lethal damage on the target.'
 * Cost: ●●●●

Spetsnaz Knife Fighting
Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●● and Weaponry ●●
 * Anticipate Attack: At this level, your character may substitute his Weaponry score for his Composure when determining his Initiative modifier. This is only during combat situations in which your character is using a knife or a dagger
 * Cost: ●
 * Advantageous Angle: The character is aware how to deceive an opponent into mounting a Defense against an attack that isn’t coming — and then stage an attack from a different angle. The foe’s Defense is at –1 during such an attack. This maneuver can only be made every other turn.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Vital Attack: Your knife attacks have Armor Piercing 1 and reduce called shot penalties by 1.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Slash and Stab: You can make two attacks in a turn. The second attack gets -1 penalty to the roll. Your defense is reduced by 1 for the next attack to target you.
 * Cost: ●●●●

Staff Fighting
Prerequisites: Strength ●●●, Dexterity ●●, and Weaponry ●●
 * Trip: You can make a contested roll pitting the character’s normal attack roll against the opponent’s Dexterity + Athletics. The character’s attack is penalized by the foe’s Defense, as usual. If successful, the opponent falls to the ground and takes a point of bashing damage.
 * Cost: ●
 * Temple Strike: If you make a normal called shot against an opponent’s head and deal damage equal to or exceeding their Size, they fall unconscious.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Dangerous Radius: Make a normal attack roll for the character (Strength + Weaponry + weapon bonuses). This roll receives a dice penalty equal to the number of opponents hit with this strike (to a maximum of –5 dice). Successes achieved on this roll are done as damage to all within the three-yard radius. This attack cannot distinguish between friend or foe. Any allies within the three-yard radius are hit along with enemies.
 * Cost: ●●●

Sword and Shield
Prerequisites: Strength ●●●, Dexterity ●●, Stamina ●●, and Weaponry ●●
 * Cloak and Dagger: A character with this maneuver doubles the effective Structure of an improvised shield (usually an improvised shield can only deflect a number of attacks equal to its structure before being destroyed) and suffers a –2 penalty to attack rather than the standard –3.
 * Cost: ●
 * Shield Bash: Attempts to strike another combatant with the character’s shield still suffer a –1 penalty, but gain a Weapon bonus equal to the shield’s Defense rating. A character using a shield to knock an enemy back is not using it for defense. A character does not benefit from a shield’s Defense rating on a turn in which she uses this maneuver.
 * Cost: ●●
 * The Shielded Strike: When the character uses this maneuver to make an attack, she no longer suffers a penalty for using a weapon while benefiting from her shield, and her shield adds +1 to its Defense rating against the target of the attack. The character’s concentration on coordinating her shield and weapon leaves her open to attacks from the flanks and rear. She loses her Defense against attacks made by any opponent save the one she is attacking.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Shield Charge: The character makes a shield bash attack (see above) at a –2. The attack inflicts bashing damage, but if even a single success is scored on the attack, the character may send her enemy flying. An opponent who suffers the effects of this attack makes a reflexive Dexterity + Athletics roll; if he rolls fewer successes than the shield-user, he suffers knockdown. Use of this maneuver necessitates a charge action, which means, among other things, she loses her Defense.
 * Cost: ●●●●
 * Standing Strong: The character benefits from her full Dodge trait and shield defense bonus against attacks made from a single direction (Weaponry Dodge can be applied). Additionally, attacks from that direction do not decrease her Defense against later attacks in the round. Use of this maneuver costs 1 Willpower for the turn.
 * Cost: ●●●●●

Two Weapons
Prerequisites: Dexterity ●●● and Weaponry ●●●
 * Whirling Blades: Your Dodge is not penalized by multiple attacks until the number of attacks exceeds your Weaponry rating.
 * Cost: ●
 * Deflect and Thrust: You can gain a +2 Defense by taking a -2 to your attack roll for the turn
 * Cost: ●●
 * Focused Attack: You may attack one target twice in a turn. If you do, you take a -1 penalty on the second attack, and lose your defense for the turn.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Fluid Attack: You may attack two targets in the same turn. You take a -1 penalty on the second attack, and lose your defense for the turn
 * Cost: ●●●●

Fast-Talking
Prerequisites: Manipulation ●●●, Subterfuge ●● Your character talks circles around listeners. She speaks a mile a minute and often leaves her targets reeling, but nodding in agreement.
 * Always Be Closing: With the right leading phrases, your character can direct a mark to say what she wants, when she wants. This trips the mark into vulnerable positions.  When a mark contests or resists your character’s Social interactions, apply a –1 to their Resolve or Composure.
 * Cost: ●
 * Jargon: Your character confuses her mark using complex terminology. You may apply one relevant Specialty to any Social roll you make, even if the Specialty isn’t tied to the Skill in use.
 * Cost: ●●
 * Devil's Advocacy: Your character often poses arguments she doesn’t agree with in order to challenge a mark’s position and keep him from advancing discussion.  You can reroll one failed Subterfuge roll per scene.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Salting: Your character can position herself so a mark pursues a non-issue or something unimportant to her. When she succeeds at a Social roll against someone in a scene, she can spend 1 Willpower to impose a -1 penalty on Composure or Resolve rolls made by that character for the rest of the scene, cumulative with the penalties from Always Be Closing.  Each option (Composure or Resolve) can be chosen once, allowing this maneuver to be used against a particular target up to twice a scene.
 * Cost: ●●●●

Social Maneuvering
Prerequisites: Presence ●●●, Manipulation ●●●, one Social Skill at ●●●● Effect: Your character is trained in the art of social manipulations and able to twist a victim around his thumb for purposes of getting what he wants. This might be something the character develops naturally, but it can be taught. Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special “social combat” maneuvers. Note that the positive effects of each “maneuver” may end upon one dramatic failure by the character or several consecutive Social failures.
 * Sugar Lips, Honey Tongue: Your character’s first interaction with a target is a mind-blowing yet convincing compliment — the goal being to knock them off balance a bit before going in for the “kill.” Using this “move” necessitates first keeping a close eye on the target for at least 20 minutes, reading body language, determining vulnerabilities: what parts confirm her self-esteem, or what is it about her self-image that needs boosting? Upon delivering the compliment — and it must be the first thing your character says to the target — you roll your character’s Manipulation + Socialize versus the target’s Presence + Composure. Your roll gains a bonus equal to half of your Empathy score, however, rounded up. Success on the roll means the target suffers –3 dice to any further Social Resistance traits or rolls.
 * Cost: ●
 * Stick and Move: Being too aggressive in some social situations can be the deathblow to one’s manipulations; hence, it is often necessary to retreat from the conversation, to feign disinterest or distraction. This forces the victim to be the aggressor (though, admittedly, the false aggressor), thus investing the victim in your character’s well-being. Roll Presence + Subterfuge versus target’s Wits + Empathy. Success indicates that you can use the victim’s own interests and desires against her: for the remainder of the scene, you gain a bonus to all Social rolls equal to half the victim’s Presence score (round up). Drawback: this necessitates the expenditure of a single point of Willpower to engage.
 * Cost: ●●
 * New Approach: Any time it looks like your character has lost a Social contest, you may spend a Willpower point to force that contest to be re-rolled, gaining a “second chance,” of sorts.
 * Cost: ●●●
 * Chip Away: Your character can continue to put the target off balance through denials, assertions, compliments, insults — whatever tools he has in his arsenal. Once per turn, your character may make any Social roll and spend a Willpower point. In doing so, you do not gain +3 to that roll, but instead force a –1 Social penalty upon the target by continuing to unbalance the conversation. This penalty is cumulative, and can build to a maximum of –3 dice. Drawback: if you fail a Social roll after successfully engaging this tactic, the target gains the upper hand again and the Social penalty disappears. You may not try this move again on that target during the same IC day.
 * Cost: ●●●●