Rumble Street

Common Sense (1 pt. Merit)
You have an abundance of plain, everyday common sense (which is often not so common among humans or Garou). Whenever you’re about to do something counter to common sense, the Storyteller may step in and advise you that you’re about to do something that your character would recognize as foolhardy. This Merit is particularly recommended for novice players still coming to grips with the world of Werewolf and its dangers.

Computer Aptitude (1 pt. Merit)
You are familiar with and talented in the uses of computer equipment. All rolls involving computers (hardware, software, or operations) are at –2 difficulty for you.

Concentration (1 pt. Merit)
You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances. Characters with this Merit are unaffected by any circumstantial penalties that otherwise might affect their dice pools or difficulty ratings (e.g., nearby gunfire, overpowering aromas, or hanging upside down).

Expert Driver (1 pt. Merit)
You drive like you were born behind the wheel. All difficulties on driving rolls are reduced by two.

Lightning Calculator (1 pt. Merit)
You have a natural affinity with numbers and mental calculations, making you a natural when working with finance, estimating at a glance, computing odds, figuring complex variable equations, and the like. All rolls where mental math comes into play are made with a –2 difficulty. Another possible use for this Merit is figuring the odds of success or failure of a particular endeavor, assuming you have sufficient data upon which to base your calculations. In appropriate situations, you may ask the Storyteller for the difficulty of a task you are about to undertake before committing to the effort.

Mechanical Aptitude (1 pt. Merit)
You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices (note that this aptitude does not extend to electronic devices, such as computers, or anything that does not work predominantly through moving parts). The difficulties of all dice rolls to understand, repair, or operate any kind of mechanical device are reduced by 2. However, this Merit does not help you drive any sort of vehicle; once you’re behind the wheel, you’re on your own.

Time Sense (1 pt. Merit)
You have an innate sense of time and are able to estimate the passage of time accurately without using a watch or other mechanical device, even after long periods of unconsciousness. This allows you to know (among other things) what phase the moon is in.

Wolf-sense (1 pt. Merit)
This Merit is a blend of folk wisdom, practical sense, and animal instinct. If you have Wolf-sense and make a successful Wits roll, the Storyteller can opt to give you advice on whether you’re about to do something foolish in the eyes of wolf or Garou culture. It doesn’t mean she’ll tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but at least you’ll have some warning

Berserker (2 pt. Merit)
You have uncanny control over your inner anger, and can use your Rage as most Garou cannot. You can enter a berserk frenzy at will, ignoring your wound penalties. You still suffer the consequences of any actions commit-ted in the throes of frenzy. When circumstances might cause you to frenzy, you must make a standard roll to see if you do so or not.

Code of Honor (2 pt. Merit)
You have a rigid personal code of ethics to which you adhere. The specifics of this code must be worked out with the Storyteller prior to play, and the character must follow it strictly. Characters with this Merit gain two additional dice to all Willpower rolls when acting in accordance with their code (e.g., defending the helpless) or when attempting to avoid violating their code. You may choose something already established (the Litany is a common Code of Honor amongst Garou) or create your own list of moral and ethical dos and don’ts with your Storyteller’s approval.

Eidetic Memory (2 pt. Merit)
You remember, with perfect detail, things you see and hear. Documents, photographs, conversations, etc., can be committed to memory with only minor concentration, as can complicated trails, complex scents, or detailed howls. Under stressful conditions involving numerous distractions, you must make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 6) to summon enough concentration to absorb what your senses detect.

Inner Strength (2 pt. Merit)
You have the grit of a true survivor. In a crisis, your deep reserve of determination gets you through. Reduce the difficulty of Willpower rolls by two if struggling against overwhelming odds.

Natural Linguist (2 pt. Merit)
You have a flair for languages. Add three dice to any dice pool involving written or spoken language, and each purchase of the Language Merit gives you two languages instead of just one.

Gall (2 pt. Merit)
Audacity, guts, pluck — whatever it’s called, you’ve got it. You aren’t afraid to stand up to anyone, from hoodlums to tribal leaders. This isn’t brash, foolhardy behavior, and you’re not necessarily rude or impolite. You simply don’t get the shakes when the Silver Fang Ahroun comes over to speak to you. Many werewolves and Kin respect you for your honesty and forthrightness. Add an extra die to any Social roll involving a display of backbone.

Seldom Sleeps (2 pt. Merit)
Whether due to a strong constitution, a frenetic nature, or even a hint of ancestral magic in your blood, you require significantly less sleep than the average Garou. While rest is still required after exertion, sleep is seldom necessary. One hour a night is fine, and even an hour every three days won’t make you more than a little bleary-eyed. You are not immune to sleep-causing supernatural effects, and you must still rest (no combat and no efforts requiring rolls) after using taxing rituals or Gifts. You are not always perky, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed, but you suffer no penalties or ill effects from remaining awake for extended periods.

Calm Heart (3 pt. Merit)
You remain calm and collected even in the most trying of circumstances. You receive two extra dice when attempting to resist frenzy.

Iron Will (3 pt. Merit)
You have a tremendous ability to resist outside attempts to take over your mind. You receive three extra dice to resist attempts to manipulate your mind, and may spend a Willpower point to shake off the direct mental control of a vampire. This Merit works only against direct mental control, not emotional manipulation; Gifts that induce frenzy still have the usual chance to succeed, for instance.

Jack-Of-All-Trades (3 pt. Merit)
You have a little knowledge about a lot of things. If making a roll on a Skill you do not possess, you do not suffer the usual penalty to the roll’s difficulty. You may attempt a roll on a Knowledge that you do not possess, although the difficulty for the roll is raised by 2. Only homid or metis characters may take this Merit.

Recognize Garou (3 pt. Merit)
Over the years, you’ve become adept at picking out the werewolves in a crowd. It’s not mystical awareness; you’ve simply learned what physical and personality traits tend to mark Gaia’s warriors once they’ve undergone the Change. All Perception attempts to figure out if someone is a werewolf are made at –2 difficulty.

Self-Confident (5 pt. Merit)
You are so sure of your own abilities that when you expend Willpower to gain an automatic success on an endeavor, you have a chance to gain the benefit of that expenditure without actually losing the Willpower. When you spend Willpower for an automatic success, you do not actually lose it unless the auto-success is the only one garnered in the roll. This Merit may only be used in challenging situations, that is, when the difficulty of your roll is six or higher. You may spend Willpower for an automatic success at other times, but if your difficulty is five or less, the Willpower will be spent regardless of what you roll.

Untamable (5 pt. Merit)
You are a wild soul who has never bent to the leash. You are immune to vampiric Domination (but not emotional manipulations via Presence) and these Gifts will not work on you: Roll Over, Obedience, and Mastery.

Compulsion (1 pt. Flaw)
You feel compelled to take certain actions at certain times or under specific circumstances. This psychological quirk sometimes takes a highly ritualized form (constant hand-washing or grooming) or else manifests in trigger situations (compulsive gambling, swearing, talking, stealing). This Flaw not only causes problems for you, but for your packmates as well. You may spend a Willpower point to avoid your compulsion temporarily. Check with your Storyteller to find out how long you can resist before you must spend another Willpower point or succumb to your compulsion.

Impatient (1 pt. Flaw)
You have no patience for standing around and wait-ing. Now is the time for action. Make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) any time you try to wait rather than act immediately. Failure means you’re off to tackle what’s got to be done, on your own if necessary.

Inferiority Complex (1 pt. Flaw)
Nope, you’re not worthy. Never have been, never will be. In situations requiring you to take charge or be personally responsible, all your difficulties are raised by one.

Intolerance (1 pt. Flaw)
You have an irrational dislike of a certain thing: an animal, class of person, situation, or object. You gain a +2 difficulty on all dice rolls involving the focus of your intolerance. The Storyteller is the final arbiter of what you can choose to have an Intolerance of: some dislikes may be too trivial to count (doughnuts or mechanical pencils) while disliking “the Wyrm” is already a common mindset for Garou and hardly counts as a Flaw.

Nightmares (1 pt. Flaw)
You experience horrendous nightmares every time you sleep, and memories of them haunt you during your waking hours. Upon awakening, you must succeed on a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) or lose a die on all actions for that day.

Overconfident (1 pt. Flaw)
You can do anything — or so you think. No challenge is too big for you to tackle, regardless of whether you actually have the skill to succeed. Never refuse to attempt something due to being outgunned, outclassed, or outnumbered. If you fail, you will find someone or something else to blame; it couldn’t have been any lack on your part, of course.

Shy (1 pt. Flaw)
You dislike being the center of attention and feel uncomfortable in crowds. Difficulties for all rolls involv-ing social interaction with strangers are increased by two. If you are the focus of the situation, even amongst those you know, the difficulty increases by three.

Soft-Hearted (1 pt. Flaw)
Whether because of an abundance of empathy and compassion, or simply a weak stomach, you cannot stand to watch others suffer. You must avoid or leave any situation that involves someone in physical or emotional pain, unless you succeed on a Willpower roll (difficulty 8).

Speech Impediment (1 pt. Flaw)
You have a stammer, lisp, or other speech impediment that interferes with verbal communication. This impediment affects not only your human voice but also carries over into the Garou tongue, marring your howls and snarls so that they are difficult to understand. The difficulties of all die rolls involving verbal communication are increased by two. This Flaw must be roleplayed whenever possible.

Amnesia (2 pt. Flaw)
You have no memory of your past before your First Change. You don’t know if you still have a family, or if someone is out to get you, much less where you were born or anything about your education (although you do remember what you’ve learned). Your past, however, may catch up with you, revealing many surprising facts about your former life. You may take up to five more points in Flaws that remain unknown to you. Your Storyteller picks them for you and brings them into play (to your surprise) during the course of your chronicle.

Curiosity (2 pt. Flaw)
You find mysteries of any sort irresistible. Whether it’s a closed drawer, a whispered conversation, or a mysterious light just beyond the trees, you have to know what is going on at all times. Anytime you are presented with the unknown, make a Wits roll or else you must go investigate. The difficulty varies with the roll involved: 5 for simple things (“What is in that storage unit?”) and up to 9 for intense circumstances (“I wonder what those fomori are planning. I’d better go listen in. What could possibly go wrong?”)

Pack Mentality (2 pt. Flaw)
You are lost without your pack. Their presence not only supports you, it helps define you. When you are with at least one member of your pack, you have –1 difficulty on all rolls involving group activities or strategies; when you are not, your difficulty increases by 2 on any task. You sometimes have trouble making decision without your pack to help you, even if you are the pack leader. In stressful situations, you may need to make a Willpower roll to act on your own.

Phobia (2 pt. or 3 pt. Flaw)
You have an overwhelming fear of something. Spiders, snakes, crowds, and heights are examples of common phobias. If you have a mild phobia (2 points), you must make a Willpower roll every time you encounter the object of your fear. The difficulty of the roll is determined by the Storyteller and based on the circumstances of the encounter. You must make at last three successes in order to approach the object of your fear or deal with the fearful situation. If you fail the roll, you must run away. The three-point version of this Flaw requires that you make a frenzy check to resist fox frenzy when you are faced with what you fear. Your Storyteller must approve your choice of phobia.

Short Fuse (2 pt. Flaw)
You are closer to the Wyrm than most Garou; your Rage burns hotter within you than most. Your difficulty for Rage rolls is decreased by two, and you fall more readily into the “thrall of the Wyrm.” Be careful when choosing this Flaw; it can bring worlds of trouble down upon you and your pack.

Territorial (2 pt. Flaw)
You have the wolf’s territorial nature. You dislike leaving your home turf or having people you don’t know infringe upon your claimed space. Before play starts, work with your Storyteller to define your territory. You must roll to avoid frenzying whenever strangers enter your territory without your permission, and are reluctant to leave there except under desperate circumstances.

Vengeful (2 pt. Flaw)
You have a score to settle; perhaps Black Spiral Dancers murdered your family or a Pentex First Team destroyed your original pack. Taking revenge on the individual or group responsible is your overriding priority in any situation where you encounter them, or have the opportunity to come closer to your revenge. You may temporarily resist your need for vengeance by spending a Willpower point.

Ulterior Motive (2 pt. Flaw)
Something other than love and respect for your Garou relatives and Kinfolk guides your actions. This “something” may be as simple as greed or a lust for vengeance; you could also be a traitor working for an outside agency. Whatever the case, this ulterior motive holds your ultimate loyalty. Should someone suspect things aren’t as they seem, you could be in big trouble. This Flaw makes a good complement for the Flaw: Dark Secret

Absent-Minded (3 pt. Flaw)
You forget things: important things like names, phone numbers, and which route to take to the caern. You often forget tasks you’ve been assigned, what day or time certain happenings are taking place, or even when you last ate. Although you don’t forget Skills, Talents, or Knowledges, in order to remember specific details about anything more significant than your own name, you need to make an Intelligence roll (difficulty is set by the Storyteller).

Deranged (3 pt. Flaw)
You suffer from a permanent form of insanity, either due to a congenital defect or some past trauma. Pick a derangement from those available on page 485. Willpower may allow you to overcome your insanity temporarily, but it always returns.

Driving Goal (3 pt. Flaw)
You are driven by a personal goal that compels you in sometimes startling ways. The goal is always unachievable: reform the Black Spiral Dancers, balance the Triat, make amends for your ancestors’ crimes in the War of Rage. But while many Garou may empathize with your objectives, few are as consumed by the singular nature of your focus. You must work toward your goal throughout the chronicle (though you can avoid it for short periods by spending Willpower), and your one-track mind continually gets you into trouble with those who do not share the intensity of your vision. Choose your goal carefully, as it will be the focus of everything your character does.

Hatred (3 pt. Flaw)
Certain types of people or situations arouse an uncontrollable and irrational hatred in you, causing you to make a frenzy roll whenever you confront the object or objects of your hatred. Furthermore, you actively look for opportunities to wreak destruction on your chosen targets. You should choose your nemesis carefully, since the Flaw can affect your relationship with your pack or sept, and can get in the way of your duties as a Garou. Hatred of the Wyrm is assumed and doesn’t count as a suitable object for this Flaw.

Weak-Willed (3 pt. Flaw)
You have little resistance to attempts to dominate or intimidate you. Domination-focused Gifts such as Stare-down, Roll Over, etc. automatically succeed against you. Your difficulties to resist Social Talents such as Intimidation or Leadership, as well as mind-altering spells or magic, are increased by two. Your Willpower may never rise above 4.

Ability Deficit (5 pt. Flaw)
Whether due to poor education, lack of opportunity, or simple laziness, you’ve fallen short of your potential. You have five fewer points to distribute in one of your Ability categories: Talents, Skills, or Knowledges. Therefore, the most you could initially take in that category would be eight points, and the least would be zero. Of course, you can still spend freebie points to take Abilities in the affected category. However, you cannot have any Ability in that category at three dots or higher at the start of the game. This Flaw is particularly appropriate to lupus characters that have yet to learn much about life as Garou.

Flashbacks (6 pt. Flaw)
You managed to make it through your First Change, but not wholly intact. The most insignificant thing can throw you into a different mood or state of mind, and as such your behavior is extremely unpredictable. Because of your precarious emotional state, your Willpower fluctuates. At the beginning of each story, make a Willpower roll (you may not spend Willpower for an automatic success). If you succeed, you may participate in the story as normal. If you fail, however, your Willpower score is considered to be 1 for the duration of that session, and you have only one Willpower point to spend. You may roll again at the beginning of the next session to see if your Willpower for that session works as normal.