Attibutes & Abilities Notes

Specialities

While every Attribute and Ability automatically gains a speciality at level 4, the following Abilities gain one at the first dot:

Art
Crafts
Performance
Technology
Academics
Law
Science

This does not mean you get a secondary speciality for free at the fourth level.

Primary and Secondary Abilities

As this is a dynamic chronicle, these will change over time. To give an example, the skill 'Ride' is a primary in 1900, but will be replaced with 'Drive' around 1920. This does not mean your character will lose their Ride dots, simply that the skill will now be a secondary one [with the associated lower cost].

I will listen to any reasonable request for Secondary Abilities. If I do reject the secondary, it will be most commonly down to two reasons; I do not see how your character would know it or it is already contained within a primary ability. While I will warn you if I feel a Secondary will see little to no use in the chronicle, I will not stop you getting it if you really want it. You have been duly warned.

However, there is a catch – secondary Abilities are tied to a primary Ability. For example, you wish to have 'Military Tactics'. I will say it is tied to the primary 'Leadership' ability – meaning that Military Tactics cannot be higher than the number of dots in Leadership.

Miscellaneous Ability Notes.

- Ride is tied to Animal Ken.

- If you do not have Academics 1, your character is illiterate!

- Technology represents the current technological level of the chronicle.

- Alertness has been combined with Awareness.

- If the item you are creating is primarily artistic in nature, it comes under Art. If primarily practical, it is Crafts. If primarily technical, it is Technology.

- Spotting things around you automatically is Awareness. Actively 'searching for clues' is Investigation. Hitting secondary sources [books, maps etc] is Research.

- If you are attempting to communicate through any medium [be it speech, writing, art or even body language] this is Expression.

- Subterfuge is not mere lying. Sleight-of-hand, being 'economical with the truth' and hiding your true intentions also fall into this category.

- Etiquette is not simply knowing how to act in a high-class environment - it is the ability to be able to blend in [and avoid social faux pas] in the group in question; from a meeting of Christian evangelicals to street people.

- Larceny is a catch-all term for several shady activities such as lockpicking, pickpocketing, housebreaking and sleight-of-hand tricks.

- Performance is how well your character can entertain others. Dancing, singing, storytelling and even telling dirty jokes falls into this category. It is also critical for Kindred, as it also contains acting - for them, the role of 'being alive' is one they use often.

- Stealth isn't just for those who can literally become invisible. From learning how to hide Gangrel Marks with clothing to not drawing attention in a crowd, it is the art of 'fitting in'. It also comes into play if trying to construct a 'secret sanctum' in your Haven or hiding items.

- Survival is not just for rural areas. That hardened street kid may know nothing about the country, but he's got excellent skills in urban survival. Even an animal might be skilled in surviving in the suburbs.

- If the item in question is scientific in nature, it is Technology. Until the item in question becomes common knowledge [example: computers, 1995] your character will need some Technology knowledge to even understand how to use it.

- Academics is the humanities and soft sciences. Science is the hard sciences and mathematics.

- Enigmas is of more use than cryptic crosswords - it's a representation of your character's ability to 'think outside the box' and work out puzzles in a non-ordinary way.

- Finance is the nitty-gritty of the world of money. From working out what 2.55% compound interest would be over 10 years to correctly valuing that kilo of heroin you just stole, this all comes under Finance. Abstract thought on this subject are called 'Economics' and fall under Academics.

- Law and Politics covers both Kindred and Kine variants.

- If you are studying biological organisms, it's Science [Biology]. If actively treating them, it is Medicine [Veterinary].

If you are unsure of what Skill covers the example you're thinking of or wish to request a Secondary Skill, feel free to ask in your Q&C's.