Artistic Expression
You have the talent to produce works of art in various media. You are able to sketch a reasonably accurate rendition of a place or person.
• Novice: Your work is simple, seen as charmingly naive by some and as amateurish by others.
•• Practiced: Your work could win prizes at local art society shows.
••• Competent: You could get a showing in a minor gallery.
•••• Expert: Your work is widely admired, and galleries contact you about mounting exhibitions. You are invited to teach at local art colleges.
••••• Master: You are acknowledged as a driving force in contemporary art. Your work commands enormous prices, and is found in art museums as well as commercial galleries and private collections.
Carousing
This is the ability to have a good time at a party or other social occasion, and to make sure others around you also have a good time. Normally, it involves a mixture of eating, drinking and good cheer; For vampires, however, things are a little different. Carousing also includes the ability to appear to eat and drink, normally, without actually doing so.
• Novice: You can plead a small appetite or recent illness.
•• Practiced: Perhaps you’re watching your diet.
••• Competent: A charming dinner companion.
•••• Expert: You obviously enjoyed the food.
••••• Master: You even called for seconds.
Diplomacy
You have the ability to deal with people of all types and creeds. Even when handling touchy subjects, you are able to get results without ruffling too many feathers.
• Novice: You can iron out schoolyard disputes.
•• Practiced: Friends ask you to deal with things for them.
••• Competent: You could shine in management or personnel.
•••• Expert: You could be a professional union negotiator or ombudsman.
••••• Master: You can defuse nearly any situation, from an industrial dispute to a religious war.
Fortune Telling
You may or may not have the gift to tell accurate fortunes, but you can make people believe you do.
• Novice: You are able to use one method of divination adequately, and treat this Ability as a pastime.
•• Practiced: You can use one method of fortune telling well, and can tell someone general information that will apply to her.
••• Competent: You know a lot about certain methods of fortune telling and can tell anyone detailed information that will apply to him.
•••• Expert: You are able to use multiple methods well, and have a keen understanding of what people want to hear.
••••• Master: Gypsies take lessons from you.
Haggling
You are skilled at bargaining and can reduce another’s price, or get some other concession, under most circumstances.
• Novice: Bargain hunter
•• Practiced: Market trader
••• Competent: Horse trader
•••• Expert: Con artist
••••• Master: Marco Polo
Instruction
You have a knack for imparting information and skills to others. You can explain things and demonstrate techniques in such a way that anyone who listens to you can easily learn. You can teach any of your Skills or Knowledges to another character, but you can never raise a student’s score above your own.
• Novice: You can take simple concepts (e.g. basic arithmetic) and teach them.
•• Practiced: You can teach moderately complex things (e.g. algebra) and make them straightforward and interesting.
••• Competent: You can make differential calculus sound like the simplest thing in the world.
•••• Expert: Learning from you is scarcely an effort. You could teach irrational-number theory or Sumerian cuneiform to almost anyone.
••••• Master: You are an inspiring teacher, and bestow a touch of greatness on anyone who studies with you.
Interrogation
You are able to extract information from people by fair means or foul.
• Novice: Nosy neighbor
•• Practiced: Movie cop
••• Competent: Talk-show host
•••• Expert: Investigative journalist
••••• Master: Spymaster
Intrigue
You know the finer points of plotting and deal-making in the halls of power. You understand the practical use of power (in sometimes threatening but always nonconfrontational ways) to achieve your own ends.
• Novice: Neonate
•• Practiced: Ancilla
••• Competent: Elder
•••• Expert: Primogen
••••• Master: Prince
Mimicry
You have a very versatile voice, and can imitate accents, people and sometimes other sounds.
• Novice: You can passably duplicate a few accents, and can perform impressions of a couple of well-known personalities.
•• Practiced: You can duplicate a range of accents well enough to fool anyone but a native speaker, and can convincingly imitate a range of celebrities and others.
••• Competent: You could do this on stage. You can pick up someone's vocal mannerisms by studying them for a couple of hours, and subsequently imitate them well enough to fool someone who doesn’t know the person well.
•••• Expert: You can imitate a specific person well enough to fool someone on the phone, and pass as a native speaker in an accent similar to your own. You can duplicate a range of animal and technological noises.
••••• Master: There is almost no accent, person or noise you can’t imitate.
Panhandling
You are a skilled beggar. You are able to get people to give you money just by asking for it.
• Novice: You can tell a good hard-luck story.
•• Practiced: You can gain sympathy from most people.
••• Competent: Real smooth. You can hit even the hardhearted for a few bucks.
•••• Expert: People want to take you home and feed and clothe you.
••••• Master: You can get whatever you want (within reason) for free.
Poetic Expression
You are able to craft words in ways that evoke thoughts, emotions and reactions from those who read them. It is rare for one person to be skilled at more than one specialty at one time, so choose carefully.
• Novice: You can write a short poem or a short story is not out of your reach.
•• Practiced: You could publish your poetry or fiction in a local journal, or write basic hit- parade lyrics.
••• Competent: You could get your novel or anthologies of your work published and make a profit.
•••• Expert: You are asked to do readings of your work for local societies nationwide, and aficionados snap up your works as soon as they are published.
••••• Master: Your work is already being taught in English classes, and you are recognized as one of the foremost writers of your day.
Public Speaking
You are able to mold the emotions of a crowd by making a speech. This might be at a political rally, in a courtroom, at a lecture or even at the barricades once the revolution is underway.
• Novice: Entertaining speaker
•• Practiced: Compelling speaker
••• Competent: Inspiring speaker
•••• Expert: Popular champion
••••• Master: Churchill or Hitler
Scan
You are practiced at noticing small details and changes in the environment when you purposely look at or listen to what is going on around you. This
ability can only be used when you specifically say you are attempting to notice if anything is amiss—if you aren’t concentrating, this ability will do you no good.
• Novice: If anyone notices police sirens, it’s you.
•• Practiced: Police could use your detective abilities.
••• Competent: The slightest motion draws your attention.
•••• Expert: Nothing escapes your glance.
••••• Master: You can count the grains of salt on a pretzel by taste.
Scrounging
You have a knack for finding almost anything, under almost any circumstances. The masters of your craft can find a hot spring at the North Pole, or a mainframe computer in the heart of the Amazon Jungle, if necessary.
• Novice: You can find basic equipment and services, such as drugs, illegal weapons and hired thugs.
•• Practiced: You can get hold of a vehicle, a forged passport or a skilled wiretapper.
••• Competent: You can find an aircraft and pilot or a hitman at an hour’s notice.
•••• Expert: You can find state-of-the-art military hardware, any vehicle you desire, and services better imagined than described.
*••••• Master: You could probably find a rent- controlled apartment overlooking Central Park for $100 a month.
Search
You know how best to go about looking for someone or something in a small area, where you can concentrate your perceptions. You can search for anything from a lost ring in your bedroom to the assassin who is hiding in the garden.
• Novice: You are good at finding lost items.
•• Practiced: Tell-tale signs (e.g. broken plants) are apparent to you.
••• Competent: You know where to look.
•••• Expert: Nothing escapes your glance.
••••• Master: You can spot the Purloined Letter in two seconds flat.
Seduction
You know how to lure, attract and command the attention of others in a sexual manner. By the way you hold yourself, how you look at someone and even by the tone of your voice, you are able to arouse and excite those upon whom you practice your wiles. Once you have fully seduced someone, he will be willing to do nearly anything for you.
• Novice: Teenager
•• Practiced: The “older woman”
••• Competent: Heartthrob
•••• Expert: Movie star
••••• Master: Vampire
Sense Deception
Over the years, you have developed the ability to know instinctively when people are not telling you the truth or not telling you the whole truth. There is a way they look, a tone of voice, a movement of the eyes.
• Novice: Sometimes you can tell, but you still get suckered though more rarely than the average person does.
•• Practiced: It takes a silver tongue to pull the wool over your eyes.
••• Competent: Anyone who can slip one past you is a highly skilled con artist.
•••• Expert: You could make a living screening people for security.
••••• Master: People whisper behind your back, and many are nervous talking to you. Your ability is almost supernatural.
Style
You may not have been born good-looking, or possessed of a natural charm, but you know how to dress and make the most of your appearance. Note that this Talent only applies to people’s reactions to your appearance; once you get closer, it’s up to you.
• Novice: Good taste
•• Practiced: Socialite
••• Competent: Celebrity
•••• Expert: Celebrity advisor
••••• Master: International model
Swimming
You are able to swim at least enough to keep yourself afloat, and maybe a little more. Note that vampires, unlike mortals, do not float naturally; if they do not swim, they sink.
• Novice: You can swim.
•• Practiced: You can swim fast, or for extended periods.
••• Competent: Instructor/lifeguard
•••• Expert: Swim team
••••• Master: Olympic gold
Throwing
You know how to throw things in general, and how to use various types of thrown weapons — anything from spears to hatchets to knives to baseballs (yes, if thrown hard enough, they make fine weapons).
• Novice: You sometimes get the ball over home plate.
•• Practiced: High school baseball pitcher.
••• Competent: You are deadly even in a food fight.
•••• Expert: Bruce Jenner with a javelin
••••• Master: Tom Glavine (Greg Maddux!)
Ventriloquism
You have the ability to throw your voice, making to appear to come from somewhere else. This Talent can be used for entertainment — or deception.
• Novice: You could do a ventriloquist act at a children’s party.
•• Practiced: You could get a spot with a local amateur vaudeville club.
••• Competent: You could almost make a living from your talent. You can make someone (or something) within five yards of you appear to speak.
•••• Expert: You could take your act to Vegas. You can make your voice appear to come from any spot within 30 feet of you.
••••• Master: Young hopefuls bombard you with questions, and Variety calls you the savior of a lost vaudeville art. You can make your voice appear to come from anywhere within earshot.
Acrobatics
You are a trained tumbler and acrobat, able to perform feats of agility far beyond the capabilities of an untrained character. For each success with this Skill, a character can ignore one Health Level of falling damage, so a character with two dots in Acrobatics can fall up to 10 feet without injury, and takes only one Health Level of damage from a 15-foot fall.
• Novice: Grade school gym class
•• Practiced: High school jock
••• Competent: College team
•••• Expert: State champion
••••• Master: Olympic gold medallist
Animal Training
You are able to train animals to obey commands and possibly perform tricks or other feats. Each species is a different specialty.
• Novice: Heel, Fetch, Sit, Stay
•• Practiced: Local show standard
••• Competent: Champion sheep dog standard
•••• Expert: Elite police dog standard
••••• Master: Circus/stunt standard
Archery
You know how to fire a bow, and may be able to do so with great proficiency.
• Novice: High school gym practice
•• Practiced: Forest bowhunter
••• Competent: Medieval ranger
•••• Expert: Will hit a bull’s-eye, usually
••••• Master: Robin Hood
Artillery
You may operate and shoot artillery of all varieties anything from a mortar to a howitzer. Additionally, your knowledge of the weapons includes the ability to repair them.
• Novice: Young recruit
•• Practiced: Operator
••• Competent: Forward observer
•••• Expert: Gun captain
••••• Master: Can fire the thing by yourself if need be
Blacksmith
You are skilled in the working of iron, and can make objects from iron and steel.
• Novice: You can make a horseshoe from a cut-iron bar.
•• Practiced: You can make wrought-iron and mild-steel objects.
••• Competent: You can make different grades of steel and cast iron to industrial standards.
•••• Expert: You can pattern-weld different grades of iron and steel to make a complex object such as a sword blade.
••••• Master: You can make a blade equal to any Japanese sword, or any other iron or steel object you please.
Blind Fighting
Even when unable to see your foes, you can use your Brawl or Melee Abilities. This Skill may also be of great use out of combat. It should be noted that this Skill does not grant any actual ability to see better in darkness.
• Novice: You don’t stub your toe in the dark.
••• Competent: You can fight and predict your enemies’ locations at the same time.
•••• Expert: You can almost “feel” where your opponents are.
••••• Master: You possess an almost mystical sense Zen and the Art of Spatial Awareness.
Boat Handling
You know your way around a boat, and can operate effectively in any crew position.
• Novice: Weekend sailor
•• Practiced: Serious enthusiast
••• Competent: Competitor or semi-skilled professional
•••• Expert: Professional or Olympic standard
••••• Master: Instructor orOlympic gold medallist
Brewing/Distilling
You are skilled in the manufacture of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. You are familiar with the equipment used in brewing and distilling, and can maintain, operate and repair such equipment.
• Novice: Brew-kit user
•• Practiced: Home winemaker
••• Competent: Moonshiner
•••• Expert: Commercial winemaker
••••• Master: Chateau of repute
Bribery
You know how, when and where to grease palms. However, you still need to decide whom to approach and whom to leave alone remember, not everyone turns a blind eye.
• Novice: Get a bouncer to overlook the dress code.
•• Practiced: Get the building inspector off your back.
••• Competent: A policeman won’t write you tickets.
•••• Expert: The inspector from the EPA leaves you alone.
••••• Master: State politicians and local CEOs scratch your back.
Camouflage
You can change your appearance through a mixture of clothing, makeup and movement, rendering you difficult to spot in a variety of different surroundings. This is not the ability to look like someone else, but simply to hide.
• Novice: Boy Scout
•• Practiced: Infantry trooper
••• Competent: Marine
•••• Expert: Special Forces
••••• Master: Ninja
Carpentry
You are a competent woodworker, able to craft a variety of objects from wood.
• Novice: Amateur handyman
•• Practiced: Professional handyman
••• Competent: Professional carpenter
•••• Expert: Joiner and cabinetmaker or night school teacher
••••• Master: You have your own TV show; rich clients seek you out.
Climbing
You can climb mountains and/or walls, and seldom have any fear of falling. The technical skills of chimneying, spike-setting and rappelling are all well known to you though, depending on your skill, you may be good or indifferent at them. Remember, mountain climbing at night is far more difficult than a daylight climb unless you can see in the dark.
• Novice: You can scale easy mountains or walls with handholds.
•• Practiced: You go on mountaineering vacations. You can climb heavily weathered stone or brick walls.
••• Competent: A mountaineering instructor. You can climb moderately rough stone or brick walls.
•••• Expert: You’ve done at least a couple of famous peaks. You can free-climb a fairly smooth stone or brick wall.
••••• Master: Everest and K2 are mild hikes. You could free-climb the World Trade Center.
Cooking
You know how to prepare a variety of meals, and present them in an appealing manner. Although vampires no longer eat, this can be a very useful social Ability, especially if you like to lure potential vessels to your haven with the promise of a candlelit tête-a-tete.
• Novice: You give a reasonable dinner party.
•• Practiced: You give an excellent dinner party.
••• Competent: You could make a business of this.
•••• Expert: You could publish recipe books.
••••• Master: You could have your own TV show or become a chef in the finest restaurants.
Dancing
You are a proficient dancer, and may perform socially or for the entertainment of others. You are familiar with most varieties of dance, but specialize in one particular style.
• Novice: You can manage a waltz at a wedding.
•• Practiced: You draw envious glances at weddings. You could perform on the local amateur stage.
••• Competent: You are the talk of the ball. You could perform on the local professional stage.
•••• Expert: People ask you to teach them. You could perform on TV.
••••• Master: Nijinsky, Fonteyn, Nureyev, Barishnikov, Astaire, Rogers, Kelley — and you.
Debate
You are skilled at reasoned debate, and can present a convincing case through reason and logic.
• Novice: Student
•• Practiced: Debate team member
••• Competent: Union negotiator
•••• Expert: Politician
••••• Master: You could make fundamentalists understand evolution.
Demolitions
You have a knowledge of explosives and demolitions that allows you to set off and create (at higher levels) all types of bombs. Additionally, you know the techniques for disarming explosives.
• Novice: Guy Fawkes
•• Practiced: The Mad Bomber.
••• Competent: Underground chemist.
•••• Expert: You blow up buildings for a living.
••••• Master: Bye-bye, World Trade Center.
Disguise
You can conceal your appearance and even make yourself look like another specific person through the use of clothes and makeup.
• Novice: Good enough to fool someone who knows neither you nor the person you're impersonating.
•• Practiced: Good enough to fool some of the people some of the time.
••• Competent: Good enough to fool some of the people most of the time.
•••• Expert: Good enough to fool most of the people most of the time.
••••• Master: Good enough to fool those nearest and dearest most of the time.
Escapology
You are skilled in various techniques that enable you to escape from bonds and restraints. This skill is primarily used for entertainment purposes, but can also be very useful in real life.
• Novice: Children’s party entertainer; you can escape from loose or poorly tied bonds.
•• Practiced: Amateur entertainer; you can escape from fairly well-tied bonds.
••• Competent: Professional entertainer; you can escape from handcuffs and chains.
•••• Expert: Star; you can escape from a straitjacket.
••••• Master: Houdini who?
Falconry
Once the sport of nobles, falconry is now practiced only by a few enthusiasts.
• Novice: The bird comes back sometimes.
•• Practiced: You can do small displays.
••• Competent: You work most of the local medieval fairs and outdoor exhibitions.
•••• Expert: In a different time, you would have been a noble admired for your skill, or you could have worked for a noble.
••••• Master: In a different time, you would have been with the king’s entourage.
Fast-Draw
This skill allows you to ready a weapon almost instantly. You can draw a weapon and have it ready for use just as if it had been in your hand all along.
• Novice: You have good reflexes.
•• Practiced: You’re good, but not great.
••• Competent: You would have lasted a little while in the Old West. You could work Wild West shows.
•••• Expert: Pretty fast. You could headline your own act.
••••• Master: Greased lightning. You might have been able to take Billy the Kid.
Fast-Talk
This Skill allows you to convince someone of something using a sincere expression and an avalanche of words rather than reasoned debate and logic.
• Novice: Vacuum-cleaner salesman
•• Practiced: Used-car salesman
••• Competent: Professional con artist
•••• Expert: Teflon-coated politician
••••• Master: You could sell sand to the Saudis.
First Aid
This Skill allows a character to give basic medical attention to another. It is not as comprehensive an Ability as the Medicine Knowledge, but does allow for a basic grasp of all the practices of first aid, and at higher levels, techniques known to paramedics.
• Novice: Mother of small children
•• Practiced: Boy Scout
••• Competent: Office safety representative
•••• Expert: School nurse
••••• Master: Paramedic
Fishing
You can judge a body of water, and have a fair chance of catching fish if there are any to be caught.
• Novice: Weekend angler
•• Practiced: Serious amateur
••• Competent: Competition winner
•••• Expert: Professional fisherman
••••• Master: Fish leap onto the shore as you walk by.
Forgery
You can copy a document or two-dimensional artwork well enough to enable it to appear as the real thing under casual inspection, and perhaps more detailed inspection as well.
• Novice: Interoffice memos
•• Practiced: Signatures
••• Competent: Commercial papers; passports
•••• Expert: Checks; bonds; bank drafts; some artworks
••••• Master: Banknotes; old master paintings
Gambling
You are adept at one or more games of chance, and can play without too much risk of losing heavily. You can also increase your chances of winning without actually cheating.
• Novice: Saturday night poker with the boys
•• Practiced: A couple of weeks in Vegas each year
••• Competent: You are known in Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City.
•••• Expert: You make a living from this. Your mother despairs.
••••• Master: You have to be careful not to tell people your name.
Game Playing
This Skill covers games of strategy and skill, such as chess, go, shogi, xiang qui, hnefatafl and so on. It does not cover card games (see Gambling),or simple games like tic tac toe and gomoku, which rely largely on luck.
• Novice: You can beat your older brother.
•• Practiced: You could get on a school team.
••• Competent: You could get on a college team.
•••• Expert: You could get on a national team.
••••• Master: You could beat Karpov.
Gunsmithing
You can repair firearms and produce ammunition for a variety of different guns. At high levels of skill, you can construct specialty ammunition such as caseless, hollow-point, mercury-tipped, and silver bullets. Given the time and the tools (and enough skill) you can build a gun from scratch perhaps even one of your own design.
• Novice: Black powder and paper cartridges
•• Practiced: Cased standard ammunition
••• Competent: Magnum rounds
•••• Expert: Caseless and hollow-point rounds
••••• Master: You name it
Heavy Weapons
You have the ability to operate and shoot heavy weapons of all varieties anything from an M60 heavy machine gun to a Dragon antitank weapon. Additionally, your knowledge of the weapons includes an ability to repair them.
• Novice: Basic training
•• Practiced: Operator
••• Competent: Warrior
•••• Expert: Killer
••••• Master: Rambo
Herbalism
You have a working knowledge of herbs and their properties, medicinal and otherwise. You can find and prepare herbs, and know which herb or blend of herbs to use in any situation.
• Novice: Your read a book on it once.
•• Practiced: You are a serious student of herb lore.
••• Competent: You are a local supplier.
•••• Expert: You’ve written books on herbalism.
••••• Master: You could easily function as an apothecary.
Hunting
You are skilled at finding and killing animals for food or sport. In familiar terrain, you are able to predict the type, number and likely location of food animals, and know the best ways to find and kill them.
• Novice: Weekender
•• Practiced: Enthusiast or trooper
••• Competent: Survivalist or Marine
•••• Expert: Special Forces
••••• Master: Lupine
Hypnotism
You can place a willing subject into a trance, and use hypnotism to gather information or treat psychiatric problems. An unwilling subject must be immobilized or Dominated to comply.
• Novice: You do it occasionally, primarily to entertain.
•• Practiced: You are a skilled amateur.
••• Competent: You could open a practice or go on the stage.
•••• Expert: You could write books on the subject.
••••• Master: Who needs Dominate?
Jeweler
You are able to produce saleable pieces of jewelry. You can determine the approximate worth of most jewelry by quick appraisal, but it is easy to make a mistake without in-depth examination.
• Novice: You took a night school course once.
•• Practiced: You treat it as a fairly serious hobby.
••• Competent: You could run a small business.
•••• Expert: This is your chosen career.
••••• Master: You are up there with Cartier.
Journalism
You not only know how to write news stories, but also how to research and discover them in the first place. This Skill also gives you knowledge about the inner workings of a newsroom and a newspaper as a whole. Furthermore, Journalism often provides a familiarity with television news reporting.
• Novice: Hack (TV reporter)
•• Practiced: Features reporter
••• Competent: Investigative reporter
•••• Expert: Editor
••••• Master: Pulitzer Prize winner
Leatherworking
You are able to produce serviceable items of leather, either for sale or for your own use.
• Novice: You got a craft kit for your birthday.
•• Practiced: You make birthday presents for friends and family.
••• Competent: You sell to local stores.
•••• Expert: People ask for your work by name.
••••• Master: Your picture appears in magazine ads.
Lip Reading
You are able to understand speech without hearing it, just by watching mouth movement. Though you will not pick up on every word, you can usually figure out the gist of a sentence without too much trouble.
• Novice: If someone talks slowly and clearly, with exaggerated mouth movement.
•• Practiced: If someone talks fairly slowly and you concentrate.
••• Competent: Under most circumstances.
•••• Expert: Even under bad conditions, including foreign languages, bad light and distance.
••••• Master: Under just about any conditions.
Lockpicking
You are able to open locks without the correct key or the right combination.
• Novice: Simple mortise locks
•• Practiced: Cylinder locks and basic security locks
••• Competent: Advanced security locks
•••• Expert: Safes
••••• Master: Fort Knox
Mechanic
You are a jack-of-all-trades with a particular affinity for mechanical devices, and can jerry-rig or repair just about anything mechanical, given the right tools and materials.
• Novice: You can fix a broken doorbell.
•• Practiced: You can fix a lawnmower or scratch-build a doorbell.
••• Competent: You can fix a car or build an automatic garage door.
•••• Expert: You can fix a high-performance car or rebuild an engine.
••••• Master: You can fix, build or improve almost anything.
Meditation
You are able to enter a trance-like state at will, focusing your mind inward and dealing with a range of mental and physical problems.
• Novice: You read a book on it once.
•• Practiced: You are a serious student.
••• Competent: You have studied under a master.
•••• Expert: You are qualified to teach.
••••• Master: Just that.
Parachuting
You know how to use a parachute, both for sport and for other purposes.
• Novice: Weekend jumper
•• Practiced: Reservist
••• Competent: Airborne regular
•••• Expert: Special Forces or sport instructor
••••• Master: Special Forces instructor or sport champion
Photography
You know how to use a camera to produce quality and artistic pictures. You also know how to process photographic materials.
• Novice: Local club member
•• Practiced: Local club prizewinner
••• Competent: Semi-pro; you sell some pictures.
•••• Expert: Professional photographer
••••• Master: One of the best
Pickpocket
You are able to remove objects from someone else’s clothing and body without the person’s knowledge. You generally bump into the person to distract her as you remove the object.
• Novice: You can take wallets in a dense crowd.
•• Practiced: You can take a wallet from an inside pocket.
••• Competent: You can take a keychain from a trouser pocket.
•••• Expert: You can take a watch while shaking hands.
••••• Master: You can take anything from anywhere.
Pilot
You can operate a flying machine. Note that your skill limits the types of aircraft you can fly. A glider pilot (one dot) cannot fly a helicopter (requiring four dots).
• Novice: Club member; hang gliders only
•• Practiced: Club champion; gliders and small aircraft only
••• Competent: Professional or club instructor; commercial airplane license
•••• Expert: Military or display pilot; helicopter pilot; any type of commercial aircraft
••••• Master: Top Gun
Police Procedure
You know the general techniques and procedures employed by law enforcement authorities, and may utilize them yourself (especially if you were once a police officer).
• Novice: Recruit
•• Practiced: Patrol officer
••• Competent: Detective
•••• Expert: Police lieutenant
••••• Master: Only a master criminal would need to know this much.
Pottery
You are able to make and fire ceramic items, either for artistic or practical purposes.
• Novice: Hobbyist
•• Practiced: Enthusiastic hobbyist; night school student
••• Competent: Professional; night school Instructor
•••• Expert: Craftsperson; growing business
••••• Master: Household name
Psychoanalysis
You are skilled in diagnosing and treating mental ailments (such as Derangements) without resorting to the use of behavior-altering drugs. Even Freud couldn’t cure people in a single session, so be patient! No amount of Psychoanalysis can cure a Malkavian’s initial derangement.
• Novice: A shoulder to cry on
•• Practiced: Volunteer counselor
••• Competent: Professional counselor
•••• Expert: Qualified psychoanalyst
••••• Master: Freud
Research
You are highly skilled at finding information from conventional sources. Given time and a good library, you can assemble the sum of human knowledge on almost any topic.
• Novice: Undergrad
•• Practiced: Grad student or research assistant
••• Competent: Professor
•••• Expert: Research fellow
••••• Master: Human database
Ride
You can climb onto a riding animal and stand a good chance of getting where you want to go without falling off, being thrown or having anything else unpleasant happen to you. This Skill can also be combined with Mental Attributes to reflect your working knowledge of the relevant trappings and equipment.
• Novice: Pony club member; dude ranch vacations
•• Practiced: Pony club champion; weekend cowboy
••• Competent: Pony club instructor; professional cowboy
•••• Expert: Showjumping champion; rodeo star
••••• Master: Stunt rider
Scuba
You are proficient in the use of an aqualung (unnecessary for the Kindred), and are familiar with the many dangers of diving (such as sharks and the bends).
• Novice: Once a year, on vacation
•• Practiced: Local club member
••• Competent: Instructor
•••• Expert: Pro diver
••••• Master: Navy SEAL
Singing
You can sing over a wide range, with a variety of styles and techniques.
• Novice: You stand out when the family gathers around the piano.
•• Practiced: You could get lead roles with local amateur societies, or become a lead singer with a garage band.
••• Competent: You could get a choral part on the professional stage, or get a recording contract.
•••• Expert: You could get a lead on Broadway or a record on the charts.
••••• Master: They’ll be playing your CDs 20 years from now.
Skiing
You can travel on skis for sport or transportation with little chance of a mishap. You can read snow, and know where it is safe and where it is not — under most circumstances.
• Novice: Vacation skier
•• Practiced: Enthusiast
••• Competent: Ski bum
•••• Expert: Hotdogger, ski champ, Arctic forces
••••• Master: Olympic medallist, elite forces
Sleight of Hand
The quickness of your hands can deceive the eyes of others. You can perform magic tricks and other feats of legerdemain.
• Novice: Card tricks at Christmas
•• Practiced: Children’s parties
••• Competent: Stage magician
•••• Expert: TV magician
••••• Master: A legend in your own time
Speed Reading
Through practice, you have developed the ability to read and absorb large quantities of written material in a short time.
• Novice: The New York Times in an hour
•• Practiced: A novel in two to three hours
••• Competent: A textbook in two to three hours
•••• Expert: A fat textbook in two to three hours
••••• Master: War & Peace in two to three hours
Torture
You know how to inflict pain. Your ability is so precise as to be a science. You are capable of interrogating prisoners through torture and prolonging their suffering, keeping them barely alive — or undead.
• Novice: You know how to hurt people in different ways.
•• Practiced: You are good at causing extreme pain and can keep someone alive for interrogation purposes.
••• Competent: You are equal to a military torturer. You can create pain never experienced by most.
•••• Expert: You are equal to a professional torturer. You are able to get almost any information you want out of your subject.
••••• Master: You are an artist and a scientist of pain and suffering.
Tracking
You can identify the trail of an animal or person, and follow it under most conditions. The difficulty of such a feat varies according to the conditions following fresh tracks in deep snow is easier than following week-old tracks across a concrete sidewalk!
• Novice: Boy Scout
•• Practiced: Eagle Scout
••• Competent: Hunter
•••• Expert: Indian tracker
••••• Master: Grizzly Adams; Tonto
Traps
You know how to set various types of traps according to the type of game you want to catch.
• Novice: Boy Scout
•• Practiced: Weekend survivalist
••• Competent: Outdoorsman
•••• Expert: Mountain man
••••• Master: Grizzly Adams
Accounting
You can set up and keep account in the commercially approved, conventional manner. You can also interpret accoutn and find errors, tricks and embezzlement.
• Novice: Night School
•• Practiced: Junior Clerk
••• Competent: Senior Clerk Or Junior Partner.
•••• Expert: Senior Partner
••••• Master: Nothing Escapes you.
Alchemy
You are familiar with the writings of the classical and medieval alchemists, and you also have some practical experience. This Ability is indirectly related to the Knowledge of Chemistry, in a manner similar to the relationship between Astronomy and Astrology.
• Novice: A mere dabbler
•• Practiced: Apprentice, probably still dependent on a master for instruction
••• Competent: Journeyman, capable of making your own way, but with a long road still to travel
•••• Expert: Experienced alchemist, within reach of the greatest secrets
••••• Master: Maybe that lead into gold thing can really work.
Anthropology
You have studied the human phenomenon of society in many of its forms, and understand its basic rules and structures on a theoretical level, You also have some specific knowledge about one or more contemporary preindustrial societies.
• Novice: Student
•• Practiced: Grad student or research assistant
••• Competent: Professor or veteran fieldworker
•••• Expert: Head of department in major university
••••• Master: Leading light of the field; your work shapes the future of the subject
Archaeology
You have studied the remains of the past and the processes by which they are preserved and discovered. You can interpret archaeological remains and identify the likely origin of ancient artifacts; you also know a fair amount about one or more ancient cultures.
• Novice: Undergrad or amateur
•• Practiced: Graduate student or research assistant
••• Competent: Professor
•••• Expert: Research fellow
••••• Master: Doyen
Architecture
You are trained in the design of buildings, from both functional and aesthetic points of view. You can judge where the load-bearing elements of a building are and interpret architectural plans. You instinctively know where the safest places are in the event of an explosion or earthquake.
• Novice: Student
•• Practiced: Office junior
••• Competent: Junior partner
•••• Expert: Senior partner
••••• Master: Frank Lloyd Wright
Area Knowledge
You are familiar with an area usually a city — and know a fair amount about its structure, history, geography and mortal politics. This Knowledge does not include Kindred affairs, which are covered by the Knowledges of Kindred Lore and City Secrets.
• Novice: You know a fair amount for an outsider.
•• Practiced: You may have lived there for a year or two.
••• Competent: You may have lived there for 5-10 years.
•••• Expert: You’re native born, and never left.
••••• Master: You could write the definitive book on the area.
Art History
You have studied art as an academic rather than practical subject, and know a great deal about its history. By looking at a piece of art, you have a good chance of identifying its place and period of origin, and in most cases you can name the artist without looking for a signature. You also have a fair idea of a piece’s current market price.
• Novice: Student or amateur
•• Practiced: Grad student or enthusiastic amateur
••• Competent: Professor or auction house bigwig
•••• Expert: Research fellow or auction house chief
••••• Master: Head of a museum
Astrology
You know how to compile and interpret a horoscope. Whether you actually believe these revelations is a matter of personal taste, but you can present them in a convincing and pleasing manner to those who do believe.
• Novice: You merely dabble.
•• Practiced: Friends ask you to make horoscopes for them.
••• Competent: You could run a small astrology business.
•••• Expert: You could have a syndicated newspaper column.
••••• Master: You could work for celebrities and politicians.
Astronomy
You study the heavens and their movements from a scientific rather than a mystical standpoint. You can identify most constellations, operate an astronomical telescope, predict sunspots, eclipses and comets, and identify most heavenly phenomena.
• Novice: Student or amateur
•• Practiced: Grad student or enthusiastic amateur
••• Competent: Professor or Doyen of local society
•••• Expert: Research fellow, TV host or NASA hotshot
•••• Master: Renowned scholar or NASA team leader
Biology
You know about the nature of life, the forms it takes, and the way living organisms work. You have a reasonable chance of identifying a plant or creature, even from a fragment. You must have at least one dot in Science before you can acquire this Knowledge.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student
••• Competent: Grad student
•••• Expert: Professor
••••• Master: Research fellow
Camarilla Lore
You know information about the Camarilla. You know who many of the princes are, who many of the real rulers are, details about the Masquerade, Camarilla history, legend and propaganda.
• Novice: What just about all Camarilla Kindred know
•• Practiced: What most Ventrue know
••• Competent: What most Nosferatu or Tremere know
•••• Expert: What most princes know
••••• Master: What most Methuselahs know
Chemistry
You have studied the nature of substances and their interactions, and know how to prepare various chemical compounds. You also know how to deal with various hazardous substances. You must have at least one dot in Science before you can acquire this Knowledge.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student
••• Competent: Grad student
•••• Expert: Professor
••••• Master: Research fellow
City Secrets
This Knowledge describes a character’s knowledge of a particular city (you choose which); who is who, who has power, how its vampires relate to one another and what is going on. This Knowledge cannot be taken during character generation; it can only be obtained through direct experience. Knowing about the Kindred of Chicago gives character no information about the Kindred of Los Angeles.
• Novice: Whelp
•• Practiced: Naive or inexperienced
••• Competent: You have an ear to the ground
•••• Expert: Well-informed
••••• Master: Seasoned intriguer
Clan Knowledge
You know information pertaining to a clan (generally, but not always, your own). This information is not privy to most and it may have taken years for you to discover any useful information.
• Novice: What some clan members know
•• Practiced: What most ancillae know
••• Competent: What most elders know
•••• Expert: What most Methuselahs know
••••• Master: What only the clan leader knows
Computer Hacking
Hacking allows the computer user to break the rules.
• Novice: You are a computer geek who knows a few tricks, such as changing your grades in the university computer network.
•• Practiced: You have great “luck” in guessing computer passwords.
••• Competent: You thought your electric bill was too high last month, but you can fix that with a few keystrokes.
•••• Expert: Now that you have cracked the bank codes, which is it: Rio or Bermuda?
••••• Master: The European Community was pretty annoyed about that thermonuclear incident, but you know they can never trace it back to you.
Criminology
You have studied the nature of crime when, where, how and why it is committed, the nature of the criminal mind and the history of famous cases. You are an expert on crime and law enforcement.
• Novice: Amateur
•• Practiced: Enthusiast
••• Competent: Scholar or detective
•••• Expert: Criminal historian or senior detective
••••• Master: The Shadow
Cryptography
You may skillfully compose and interpret codes and ciphers
•Novice: Grade-school spy fan
•• Practiced: Word puzzle buff, military signals officer
••• Competent: Intelligence officer
•••• Expert: Intelligence cipher specialist
••••• Master: James Bond
Economics
You know what an economy is and how one works. Coupled with Area Knowledge, this Ability enables you to determine the origin and destination of every penny in the city. You can study a city or country and gain a fair understanding of its economic condition and the reasons for such.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student
••• Competent: Grad student or business journalist
•••• Expert: Professor or economic consultant
••••• Master: Research fellow or presidential advisor
Electronics
You are familiar with the construction and operation of electronic devices. You can identify the function of an unknown electronic device, and diagnose and repair a malfunctioning or broken device given time and equip ment. Note that electronic devices are not the same as electrically powered mechanical devices a hair dryer is mechanical, a radio is electronic.
• Novice: Tinkerer
•• Practiced: Ham radio operator
••• Competent: TV repairman
•••• Expert: Computer engineer
••••• Master: Computer hardware designer
Engineering
You can understand, design and diagnose faults in mechanical systems of all kinds. You can design a set of plans from which a skilled mechanic can build almost anything from a toaster to an airplane.
• Novice: Amateur
•• Practiced: Student
••• Competent: Junior engineer
•••• Expert: Chief engineer
••••• Master: Ace inventor
Faerie Lore
You possess information pertaining to the Seelie and Unseelie faeries, and know something of their great kingdom: Arcadia. Because Kindred ate unable to travel to this realm, most of your knowledge is hearsay, and thus difficult to verify.
• Novice: Your knowledge is largely speculation and hearsay.
•• Practiced: You know some relevant facts.
••• Competent: You possess a general knowledge of their ways.
•••• Expert: You possess expansive knowledge.
••••• Master: You think you know the secrets of these creatures.
Forensics
You are trained in the recognition and interpretation of physical clues. You can examine the scene of a crime, for instance, and find out the race, sex, build, hair color, clothing type and probable social class of everyone who was there in the last three to four days.
• Novice: Amateur sleuth
•• Practiced: Detective, FBI agent
••• Competent: Police specialist
•••• Expert: FBI specialist
•••••Master: Sherlock who?
Geology
You have studied the physical composition of the earth. You know something about the physics and chemistry of rock, the formation of landscape features, and other related topics. One dot Science is necessary to take this Knowledge.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student
••• Competent: Grad student or oilman
•••• Expert: Professor or prospecting consultant
••••• Master: Research fellow
Heraldry
You have studied the art and language of heraldry, and can interpret a heraldic device such as a coat of arms or a Japanese mon. You can also design a new one that the ruling authorities of heraldry would find acceptable.
• Novice: Amateur
•• Practiced: Enthusiast or historian
••• Competent: Grad student or genealogist
•••• Expert: Professor or junior herald
••••• Master: Research fellow or king of arms
History
You have studied the history of the world or of a specific area or period, and understand what happened, when, why, and who was involved. Note that in the case of vampires, this Knowledge relates only to times and places that are outside their direct experience. For instance, a vampire born in ancient Rome would rely on memory for knowledge of Roman history and culture, but would use History to uncover information about classical Greece, which was before his time, or about Tokugawa Japan, which was outside his experience.
• Novice: Amateur or high school
•• Practiced: Enthusiast or college student
••• Competent: Grad student or author
•••• Expert: Professor
••••• Master: Research fellow
Kindred Lore
This Knowledge cannot be taken during character generation; it can only be obtained through direct experience. Kindred Lore reflects a character’s knowledge of the great secrets of the Kindred: the Jyhad, Gehenna, the Antediluvians, Methuselahs, Inconnu and the Book of Nod.
• Novice: But a whelp
•• Practiced: Still mostly unfamiliar
••• Competent: Broad familiarity with the legends
•••• Expert: Knows a few of the great secrets
••••• Master: Possessor of some of the great secrets
Literature
You are familiar with the literature of one or more nations or historical periods, and know something of the general style and structure of literature the things that set literature apart from mere fiction or entertainment.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student or struggling author
••• Competent: Grad student or critic
•••• Expert: Professor or recognized author
••••• Master: Research fellow or celebrated author
Lupine Lore
You possess information pertaining to werewolves — what they eat, when they gather, their strengths and their weaknesses.
• Novice: Your knowledge is largely speculation and hearsay.
•• Practiced: You know some relevant facts.
••• Competent: You possess a general understanding of your subject.
•••• Expert: You possess expansive knowledge.
••••• Master: You know as much about them as they do themselves.
Mage Lore
You are familiar with the lore of magic and witchcraft. You know of the ancient orders of wizards: their cabals, covenants, and secret rituals. More importantly, you also know about their modern counterparts.
• Novice: Your knowledge is largely speculation and hearsay.
•• Practiced: You know some relevant facts.
••• Competent: You possess basic knowledge of the mystic ways.
•••• Expert: You possess expansive knowledge.
••••• Master: You understand the theory of magic.
Mathematics
You have studied the science of numbers; you are able to perform complex calculations and understand mathematical concepts beyond basic arithmetic.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student
••• Competent: Grad student or scientist
•••• Expert: Professor
••••• Master: Research fellow
Metallurgy
You know about the properties and behavior of metals and alloys. You know the melting points, stress limits and other characteristics of most common metals and alloys. You must have at least one dot in Science to take this Knowledge.
• Novice: Student
•• Practiced: Grad student or apprentice
••• Competent: Professor or engineer
•••• Expert: Engineer
•••••Master: Chief engineer
Meteorology
Either through study or experience, you know a thing or two about weather.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College, weekend camper or TV weatherman
••• Competent: Grad student or outdoor enthusiast
•••• Expert: Professor or farmer
••••• Master: God calls you up and tells you.
Military Science
Though intensive study or actual battle experience, you are familiar with the techniques needed to conduct a military campaign.
• Novice: Citadel graduate
•• Practiced: NCO
••• Competent: Brigadier general
•••• Expert: Julius Caesar
••••• Master: Sun Tzu
Naturalist
You are a student of animal behavior. Through study or experience, you know when and where to find certain animals, how to watch them without provoking them to run away or attack you, and how they react to certain things.
• Novice: Boy Scout
•• Practiced: Outdoors type
••• Competent: TV nature show host
•••• Expert: Seasoned fieldworker
••••• Master: David Attenborough
Physics
You have studied the science of matter, its composition and its behavior. You can calculate masses and velocities without even thinking about so doing, you know a little about why the universe is the way it is, and you might even understand the Theory of Relativity. You must have at least one dot in Science to take this Knowledge.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student
••• Competent: Grad student
•••• Expert: Professor
••••• Master: Research fellow
Psychology
You have a formal education in the science of human nature. You know the modern theories of emotion, cognitive development, personality, perception and learning. Though this is largely a scholarly understanding of the human psyche, it can be used practically, to understand those around you.
• Novice: High school
•• Practiced: College student
••• Competent: Grad student
•••• Expert: Professor
••••• Master: Theorist
Sabbat Lore
You know information available only to members of the Sabbat. If you are not Sabbat and you possess this Knowledge, you had better keep it a secret. If the Sabbat were to find out, your unlife expectancy would plummet.
• Novice: What almost all Sabbat know
•• Practiced: What most Sabbat priests know
••• Competent: What most Sabbat bishops know
•••• Expert: What most Sabbat archbishops know
••••• Master: What the prisci, cardinals and Regent know
Sewer Lore
You know much about sewers in general and a great deal about the sewer system in your own city. You know where the havens of the Nosferatu are, and you know where the city’s Giovanni meet. You also have enough general knowledge to navigate through unfamiliar sewers and emerge close to your destination.
•Novice: You are a real tunnel rat.
•• Practiced: What a city worker might know.
••• Competent: What a Nosferatu or Giovanni would know.
•••• Expert: What older Nosferatu would know.
••••• Master: What a Nosferatu elder might know.
Spirit Lore
You know of the spirit world, and its structure and forms. Though you may not necessarily have the ability to travel astrally, you understand how the process works. The world of ghosts is also known to you.
• Novice: Watched one of those bad TV shows.
•• Practiced: Got scared in a haunted house.
••• Competent: You know where they are.
•••• Expert: You know what they are.
••••• Master: You know why they are.
Theology
Religion is a familiar aspect of human endeavor for you, and you fully understand its place in the world. Possession of this Knowledge in no way requires personal belief in the tenets of any specific religion.
• Novice: Participant
•• Practiced: Altar boy
••• Competent: Priest
•••• Expert: Professor
••••• Master: Theologian
Toxicology
You have a working knowledge of poisons, their effects and antidotes. You must have at least one dot in either Chemistry or Biology to acquire this Knowledge.
• Novice: Dabbler
•• Practiced: Detective; mystery reader
••• Competent: Pharmacist; mystery writer
•••• Expert: Forensic scientist; emergency room doctor
••••• Master: Assassin
Wyrm Lore
Some vampires delve into the lore of the Lupines’ enemy the Wyrm. This is dangerous; for every bit of information they gain, they risk destruction or corruption.
• Novice: You are aware of and can name many Wyrm creatures.
•• Practiced: You know there are many Wyrm manifestations. You may know some of the Black Spiral Dancers’ pictograms.
••• Competent: You know something of the geography and people of Malfeas.
•••• Expert: You know of the Black Spiral Labyrinth and some of its secrets.
••••• Master: You are a danger to the Wyrm and yourself.
