"Dresden Files" Unisystem Magic Rules

To create a spell-casting system that more closely resembles the kind of wizardry seen in the
Dresden Files, use the basic magic rules from the Buffy/Angel RPG, but apply the modifications
below.
*No Casting Penalty: There is no casting penalty for casting multiple spells within the same scene
as in standard Buffy/Angel. Instead, spell casting costs the caster Essence (see below).
*Revised Quality: Occult Library (1 point): Instead of containing spells as written, this quality
provides a +2 bonus to Occultism when making rolls to research spells, potions, supernatural beings,
relics or events.
*New Qualities: Sorcery (4 points/level): You are a wizard, sorcerer, priest, etc. Whatever you call
yourself, you have unlocked the secret to wielding powerful magic and you fuel this magic with your
very being. Characters with this quality have Essence (see below) and can cast magic spells. You
add your levels in Sorcery to Casting tests and other special rules apply to you. You cannot have
more levels of Sorcery than your Willpower rating. If, for some reason, your Willpower is reduced
during the course of the game, your Sorcery is also temporarily reduced if it would otherwise exceed
your current Willpower.
White Council Member (2 points): Prerequisites: Sorcery quality, Occultism 3. You are a member of
the White Council of wizards and attached to all the benefits and obligations therein. You gain +1
Willpower, +1 Occultism, and a 2-point Contacts (Supernatural) quality. You also have a 2-point
Obligation (Major) to the Council and must heed Council summons and are expected to observe the
Laws of Magic. Membership in the White Council is no trivial matter and little disobedience or
incompetence is tolerated.
*Essence Points: Characters with the Sorcery quality have the ability to channel Essence, the raw
material of life and magic. When using magic, a wizard draws upon an inner store of power. This
store is called their Essence Pool. A character with the Sorcery quality has an Essence Pool equal to
(sum of their Primary Attributes, plus 5 for each level of the Sorcery quality).
Example: A character with 20 attribute points and 3 levels of Sorcery has an Essence Pool of 35 (20
+ [5 x 3]).
*Casting Spells: There are two different kinds of spell casting: Evocation (quick casting) and
Thaumaturgy (ritual casting). Evocations can be cast on the fly but are usually more taxing on the
wizards reserve of power. Thaumaturgy takes more time and preparation, but as a result, the caster
can exert much greater power and control over his spell. It is important to note that sunrise has the
magical significance of acting like a barrier against ongoing spells. As such, any long-lasting spell
effect is ended at sunrise unless it is a spell of significant potency (beyond what most mortal wizards
are capable of).
* Evocation Tests: Casting an Evocation can be performed as a single action during a round and
requires a roll of Willpower + levels of Sorcery. If the spell is defensive in nature (a magical barrier for
example), the spell can be cast as one of the characters defense actions for the round. The caster
must achieve success levels as normal based on the Power Level of the spell. Casting an Evocation
costs Essence equal to 2 x Power Level.
Evocation Test: d10 + Willpower + Sorcery
Essence Cost: 2 x (Power Level)
* Thaumaturgy Tests: Casting Thaumaturgy magic is much more involved than Evocation and is not
something that can be done when the wizard is facing direct opposition (such as during combat).
Preparations must be made, materials must be gathered, symbols and relics properly inscribed or
arranged, etc. Generally, preparing to cast the most general or simple Thaumaturgies should take at
least 30 minutes work, but a desperate (or foolhardy) wizard with some makeshift supplies and a little
creativity might be able to cobble something together in as little as 10 minutes if properly motivated.
More obscure, potent, or unusual Thaumaturgy may take a full day or more and may require equally
obscure or unusual ingredients or conditions to complete.
Once prepared, to cast the spell requires a roll of Willpower + Occultism + Sorcery. As normal, the
caster must accumulate success levels equal to the spells Power Level. A Thaumaturgy spell costs
Essence equal to Power Level.
Thaumaturgy Test: d10 + Willpower + Occultism + Sorcery
Essence Cost: (Power Level)
*Losing Essence: If a characters Essence Pool drops to 0, the character becomes exhausted and
finds it difficult to concentrate. He receives a 2 penalty to all actions until he recovers his pool to at
least 1 point. If a wizard casts a spell that costs more Essence Points than are currently in his pool,
each point beyond his Essence Pool total drains 2 Life Points from the wizard. Wizards with 0
Essence Points may thus continue to cast spells, albeit at great cost. This is a dangerous application
of magic and one a wizard most commonly reserves as a last resort, a la Death Curse.
*Recovering Essence: A wizard regains Essence Points equal to his Willpower for each hour he
spends in rest or meditation.
*Wizard Sight: Through concentration, a wizard can open his third eye and unlock an ability known
as Wizards Sight. This allows a wizard to see things as they truly are and reveals supernatural and
magical presences as well as piercing through glamours or other deception magic. The downside is
that anything that the wizard experiences while his Sight is open will always stay as fresh in his mind
as if he were seeing it for the first time.
Taking a full round of concentration, opening the Sight allows the GM to roll Willpower + Sorcery to
determine if the wizard detects supernatural energies and entities. If attempting to pierce a glamour,
this roll is opposed by the targets Willpower (not doubled). When using the Sight, if the wizard looks
upon something that requires a Fear test (which may be often) he will, thereafter, have to make the
same Fear test again should he encounter the same (or very similar) being in the future, whether his
Sight is active or not.
*Technology Disruption: Magic and modern technology are not good bedfellows. The presence of
magic tends to stop many complex machines dead in their tracks. Because of this, wizards tend to be
fond of candles, staircases, wood burning stoves and Volkswagens. The stronger the magic and
more complex the device, the greater the chance that things will go haywire.
Whenever a wizard interacts with or is in the immediate presence of complex machines (the GMs
discretion prevails here, but usually includes telephones, cameras, radios and anything electronic),
the GM should roll a d10 + levels of Sorcery quality. If the device is particularly delicate or quirky, an
additional +1 to +3 may apply to the roll. If the roll succeeds, the device fails. If the die comes up a
10, the GM may decide (if dramatic or entertaining) that the device fails spectacularly.
Tech Disruption: d10 + Sorcery + (Modifiers)
If roll succeeds: Device Fails
*Foci and Talismans: Wizards can craft special foci to help them direct the energy of their spells.
Staves, wands, amulets, rings and other wizardly objects are most common. Each wizard must attune
his own unique foci. As each wizard has a unique relationship with the magic he casts, attempting to
use another wizards foci is generally useless.
A focus can be bought as a 1-point quality. When a focus is created, the wizard assigns a specific
application to it (for instance: a fire blast, a force field or a gust of wind). While the wizard is in
possession of the focus, it grants a +2 to Casting tests made to cast the associated spell. A wizard
may not have more foci at one time than he has levels of Sorcery.
Heavy, repeated use of a focus may cause it to break or cease functioning. Generally speaking, if a
focus is used more than once in the same scene, the GM should roll a die and add 1 for each
additional time it is used. If the roll succeeds, the focus is exhausted and is unusable until the
wizard has some time (at least a few hours) and materials to repair or replace it.
*Potions: Wizards can also create potions, which can store magical effects provided they have
access to some suitable supplies. To craft a potion requires a base liquid, a method of heating, an
ingredient for each of the five senses, one for the mind and one for the spirit. Potions must brew for at
least two hours before they become effective.
Creating a potion works just like Thaumaturgy casting, except that the effect of the spell is limited to
affecting the imbiber and, once created, can be saved until needed (though potions will lose their
magic at sunrise if unused). Drinking a potion takes an action during a combat round and the effects
begin on the round it is consumed. Each potion is good for only a single use, as the magic is drained
upon consumption, regardless of the actual volume of the liquid.
*Events, Places And Items of Power: Certain places, objects or even natural events (such as
thunderstorms or eclipses) sometimes contain concentrations of Essence and a wizard who knows
how to tap into them (and is willing to take the risk) can draw upon this power to fuel their magic. Any
such well of Essence is assigned a Power Rating, typically from 1 to 5. A Power Rating of 1 might
represent something like a minor magic talisman or newly christened hallowed ground. A rating of 3
to 4 might include a powerful storm, an ancient occult relic or the grotto of a powerful fae. A rating of 5
would account for something of truly awe-inspiring significance such as an Aztec sacrificial altar, the
Hand of Jude, or within the lair of an ancient dragon.
When a wizard wishes to draw upon this power, he must make a roll of Willpower + Sorcery. If the roll
fails, nothing happens. No power is channeled and the wizard is unaffected. If successful, the wizard
temporarily gains Essence equal to (Power Rating x the success levels of the roll). These Essence
points must be spent by the end of the current round. Any unspent points will backlash against the
wizard, so he should take care not to draw more power than he thinks he can handle. This makes
significant sources of Essence very powerful, but also very dangerous. For each point of Essence
absorbed but not used, the wizard loses 3 Life Points as the magical energies surge through his body
in search of release. After that, the Essence dissipates and the unused Essence points are lost. Once
attempted, the wizard cannot draw upon the same source again until at least a full day passes and
any attempt to do so will automatically fail.
Draw Essence: d10 + Willpower + Sorcery
Essence Gained: (Power Rating x Success Levels)
Backlash Damage: 3 x (Unused Essence Points)
*New Drama Point Rule: A character with Essence may spend a Drama Point for the following
effect:
(1 Drama Point) Reduce the Essence Points youve lost by half. The character gains a second wind
or is provoked into drawing upon a previously untapped well of inner power. This is much like I Think
Im Okay but it restores Essence Points instead of Life Points.
"Dresden Files" Unisystem Createing New Spells
Power Level
To create a spell, first figure out its Power Level. To do that, simply go down the checklist below, pick
and choose the appropriate elements, and youre all set. Well, that and a little creativity. Nobody said
this creating- spell stuff was going to be entirely brainless. No matter what the Power Level modifiers
total, a spell has to have a minimum Power Level 1.
Participants Needed
DUAL CASTERS: The spell requires two people to cast properly. -1 Power Level.
MULTIPLE CASTERS: The spell requires three to nine magicians working together. -2 Power Level.
GROUP CASTINGS: The spell demands ten or more casters to complete. -3 Power Level.
CASTER REQUIREMENTS: If the primary or additional casters must have certain requirements, the
Power Level is decreased by one per requirement. Thus, if a spell requires three participants and
each one must have Sorcery and be devoted to Ra, the Power Level decreases by four (to a
minimum of one as usual).
Casting Time
INSTANT: The spell may be quick cast by anyone, even those without Sorcery. +2 Power Levels.
RECITATION: The spell may be cast in a couple minutes or less. +1 Power Level.
RITUAL: The spell requires a ritual lasting more than a few minutes, but less than half an hour. No
modifier.
LENGTHY RITUAL: The spell needs a ritual lasting from half an hour to several hours. -1 Power
Level.
VERY LENGTHY RITUAL: The spell needs a ritual lasting more than several hours. -2 Power Levels.
QUICK CAST: Those with Sorcery can cast the spell quickly. +1 Power Level.
MAGICAL ITEM: The spell creates a one-shot item that stores the effect in some manner until
triggered, used, or exhausted. +1 Power Level.
Scope
MMIINNOORR:: The spell does not directly affect a person or object, and only covers a small area
(room). No modifier.
NOTICEABLE: Affects one being, one small hard object (book or table), one human-sized soft object
(sofa), a target in the same room (or nearby), or an area the size of a small house. +1 Power Level.
SEVERE: Affects two to ten beings, one human-sized hard object (refrigerator), a target in the same
small house (or similar distance), or an area the size of a large building. +2 Power Levels.
MAJOR: Affects up to 100 beings, a huge large object (car), a target in the same large building (or
similar distance), or an area the size of a neighborhood. +3 Power Levels. A large percentage of
people in a town (everyone downtown, for example), a target in the same neighborhood (or similar
distance), or the area the size of ward or district: +4 Power Levels.
AWESOME: An entire town or city. +5 Power Levels.
BIGGER THAN AWESOME. +6 Power Levels.
LIMITED TARGET SELECTION: The spell only affects a specific subset of beingsvampires,
demons of a given subspecies, Slayers, redheads, etc. -1 Power Level.
Duration
For spells that create an on-going effect, like breathing underwater, a glowing light, or disguising a
persons appearance, the following aspects are used.
SHORT: One Turn per Success Level. -1 Power Level.
MEDIUM: One minute per Success Level. No modifier.
LONG: One hour per Success Level. +1 Power Levels.
VERY LONG: One day or longer per Success Level. +2 Power Levels.
PERMANENT (OR UNTIL DISPELLED OR CANCELLED): +3 Power Levels.
For damage-causing or healing spells, the duration is usually instantaneous. It happens and its over.
Such an effect works no modification on the Power Level. If the damage or healing is spread out over
time though, the Power Level decreases.
SSLLOOWW: Effect spread out equally over a minute. -1 Power Level.
SSLLOOWWER: Effect spread out equally over an hour. -2 Power Level.
SSLLOOWWESSTT: Effect spread out equally over a day. -3 Power Level.
So a spell that normally does 15 points of damage instantly would have a -2 Power Level if it inflicted
one point every four minutes for an hour. Imposing the full amount of damage over a longer period of
time requires repeated castings. Thus, a spell doing 15 points of damage each Turn for five
successive Turns is simply an instantaneous 15-point damage spell cast five times in a row. Thats a
bunch of damage but something is bound to go wrong at some point.
Spell Requirements
NO SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Just recite a few magic words, and perhaps use some simple
ingredients (candles, herbs and spices, last weeks copy of TV Guide), and youre all set. No modifier.
UNUSUAL INGREDIENTS/DIFFICULT USE: Atypical materials or specific ongoing actions by
casters. Examples: hair, blood, or other artifact specific to the target; rare herbs; mundane but not
commonly found object; obscure or ancient text; continual chanting. -1 Power Level.
RARE INGREDIENTS: The spell requires some hard-to-find materials. Examples: human sacrifice; a
rare magical artifact; a body part of a specific demon (most demons are really uncooperative about
giving up body parts). -2 Power Levels.
Duration
For spells that create an on-going effect, like breathing underwater, a glowing light, or disguising a
persons appearance, the following aspects are used.
SHORT: One Turn per Success Level. -1 Power Level.
MEDIUM: One minute per Success Level. No modifier.
LONG: One hour per Success Level. +1 Power Levels.
VERY LONG: One day or longer per Success Level. +2 Power Levels.
PERMANENT (OR UNTIL DISPELLED OR CANCELLED): +3 Power Levels.
For damage-causing or healing spells, the duration is usually instantaneous. It happens and its over.
Such an effect works no modification on the Power Level. If the damage or healing is spread out over
time though, the Power Level decreases.
SSLLOOWW: Effect spread out equally over a minute. -1 Power Level.
SSLLOOWWER: Effect spread out equally over an hour. -2 Power Level.
SSLLOOWWESSTT: Effect spread out equally over a day. -3 Power Level.
So a spell that normally does 15 points of damage instantly would have a -2 Power Level if it inflicted
one point every four minutes for an hour. Imposing the full amount of damage over a longer period of
time requires repeated castings. Thus, a spell doing 15 points of damage each Turn for five
successive Turns is simply an instantaneous 15-point damage spell cast five times in a row. Thats a
bunch of damage but something is bound to go wrong at some point.
Spell Requirements
NO SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Just recite a few magic words, and perhaps use some simple
ingredients (candles, herbs and spices, last weeks copy of TV Guide), and youre all set. No modifier.
UNUSUAL INGREDIENTS/DIFFICULT USE: Atypical materials or specific ongoing actions by
casters. Examples: hair, blood, or other artifact specific to the target; rare herbs; mundane but not
commonly found object; obscure or ancient text; continual chanting. -1 Power Level.
RARE INGREDIENTS: The spell requires some hard-to-find materials. Examples: human sacrifice; a
rare magical artifact; a body part of a specific demon (most demons are really uncooperative about
giving up body parts). -2 Power Levels.
WAY-RARE INGREDIENTS: This requirement is not unique, but its close. There wont be many on
any given continent, if not dimension. Examples: the feathers from an endangered species of bird;
ancient relics found only in museums or really good occult collections; a normal, living girl that has
dated Xander. -3 Power Levels.
RESTRICTED USE: The spell can only be cast under very specific conditions. This limit should
prevent the spell from being cast more often than once or twice a year. -4 Power Levels.
WAY-RESTRICTED USE: The spell can only be used once, or once every several years (at least five
years, and it could be centuries or millennia). This effectively allows one chance to cast the spell for
the entire Series. Alternatively, the spell needs a one-of-a-kind ingredient. Once it gets used, the spell
can never be cast again. Use it wisely, cause youll only get to try it once. -5 Power Levels. Only the
highest level requirement applies. If a spell can only be cast once a year (restricted use) and uses
demon blood (rare ingredients), the Power Level modifier is simply -4.
Effects
The following lists cover various forms of spell effects.
Pick the one that most applicable.
Harm
MINOR: Inflicting one point of damage per Success Level; breaking a nearby fragile object; causing
an unsightly skin rash; imposing a Strength 1 poison or disease on a person. No modifier.
NOTICEABLE: Inflicting damage equal to the magicians Willpower for every Success Level on the
roll; shattering all the glass or other fragile objects in an area the size of a room or a small house;
imposing a poison or disease with a Strength level equal to the Success Levels (max three). +1
Power Level.
SEVERE: Inflicting damage in the amount of Willpower doubled per Success Level; striking
somebody blind, deaf, or mute; imposing a poison or disease with a Strength level equal to double
the Success Levels (max five); enfeebling a victim (reduce one Attribute by one per Success Level);
shattering or molding rock or metal. +2 Power Levels.
MAJOR: Inflicting damage at a rate of three times Willpower points of damage per Success Level;
imposing a poison or disease with a Strength level equal to triple the Success Levels (max seven);
seriously enfeebling a victim (reduce one Attribute by two per Success Level, or two Attributes by one
per Success Level). +3 Power Levels.
AWESOME: Inflicting five times Willpower points of damage per Success Level; imposing a poison or
disease with a Strength level equal to five times the Success Levels (max 10); incapacitating a victim
(reduce one Attribute by four per Success Level, or two Attributes by two per Success Level, or four
Attributes by one per Success Level). +5 Power Levels.
With spells causing poison or disease damage, the harm is instantaneous and finished. If its drawn
out, apply the damage over time rules in Duration above.
Mind/Emotions
MINOR: Causing momentary joy, sadness, or anger; creating a flash of light. No modifier.
NOTICEABLE: Calming intense emotions; creating visual illusion. +1 Power Level.
SEVERE: Changing a persons feelings (a love spell, or turning grown people into teenagers);
creating illusions that fool at least three senses. +2 Power Levels.
MAJOR: Turning a person into a willing slave; creating illusion indistinguishable from reality. +3
Power Levels.
AWESOME: Rewriting memories over an entire lifetime. +5 Power Levels.
Conjuring/Summoning
MINOR: Creating a small globe of light; locating a familiar object in the same room. No modifier.
NOTICEABLE: Creating strobing or moving light; starting a large fire; locating a familiar object in the
same small building; bringing a familiar object from the same room to your hand. +1 Power Level.
SEVERE: Summoning beings from other dimensions; raising a zombie; locating a familiar object in
the same large building; bringing a familiar object from the same small building to your hand. +2
Power Levels.
MAJOR: Summoning a dangerous spirit entity or a powerful demon (not quite Big Bad level, but
lieutenant-chief henchman types); locating a familiar object in the same neighborhood; bringing a
familiar object from the same large building to your hand. +3 Power Levels.
AWESOME: Summoning a Big Bad-level creature; locating a familiar object in the same continent;
bringing a familiar object from the same city to your hand. +5 Power Levels.
Spells which summon a force or being which is not under the casters control decrease the spells
Power Level by one. This sort of effect just runs rampant once its invoked, with little or no regard for
the desires of the person who actually did the invoking.
Manipulating/Transforming
MINOR: Unlocking simple locks; marking materials with design or coating. No modifier.
NOTICEABLE: Sliding a deadbolt; bending or denting hard materials (rock or metal); breaking or
molding fragile materials. +1 Power Level.
SEVERE: Opening large or complex locks; shattering or molding rock or metal. +2 Power Levels.
MAJOR: Changing the properties of a materialturning metal as soft as mud, or hardening air into
a barrier. +3 Power Levels.
AWESOME: Creating impenetrable walls of force. +5 Power Levels.
Summary Effect Strength
For those that dont want to work through all those prior lists (face it, sometimes lots of detail is just . .
. too much detail), heres a handy one-stop shopping effect strength summary.
MINOR: Anything that does not significantly alter or damage the subject. The spell may annoy or
amuse, or create momentary effects. No modifier.
NOTICEABLE: The effect is strong enough to injure people, break things, and produce impressive
lightshows. Objects (and living beings) cannot be transformed (either physically, mentally or
spiritually). +1 Power Level.
SEVERE: The effect can alter a persons emotions and senses, inflict severe injuries, and reshape
(but not transform) matter. +2 Power Levels.
MAJOR: The spell can transform living beings and objects, reshaping their very essence, properties,
or soul. +3 Power Levels.
AWESOME: The spell can do incredible things, like restore a vampires soul, return life, reshape
areas or populations, blast objects or people, or cause earthquakes. +5 Power Levels.
"Dresden Files" Unisystem Creatures
Vampires
*White Court: This Court is the most human-like in appearance. They are similar to succubi and
incubi, feeding off the emotions and life force of their prey. They are born to it, rather than being
created, as with Black and Red Courts. They are, for all intents and purposes, human until their
vampirism manifests usually near the age of maturity. As with the Red Court, their first feeding, with
its subsequent and almost inevitable kill, marks their full transformation.
The White Court is not endowed with as much physical strength as the Red or Black courts under
normal circumstances, but they make up for it by having far fewer vulnerabilities. Sunlight and
symbols of faith do not harm them at all. Their power derives from an internal demonic essence they
call the "Hunger". If they refrain from feeding for too long, the "Hunger" drives them into a frenzy
where they must feed, and can drive them permanently insane. When needed, they tap this store of
energy to augment their strength, speed, resilience, and healing ability far beyond normal; while
doing this, they radiate waves of cold, their skin whitens, and their eyes turn an unnatural silver.
White Court vampire blood is pinkish instead of red.
White Court Vampire (14 points): This template includes the following:
Qualities: +1 Strength, Dexterity and Constitution, Regeneration (per hour), Hard to Kill 2, Essence
Drain*, Predatory Form [+1 Strength, Dexterity and Constitution, Improved Regeneration (per
minute); Restricted (Dual Shape), Essence Cost**]
*Essence Drain: White Court vampires feed upon the Essence of humans rather than their blood,
preying upon either lust, fear, or despair as they choose. A White Court Vampire has an Essence
Pool equal to (the sum of their attributes, plus 5 for each level of the Age quality). Humans and most
other beings have Essence equal to just the sum of their attributes.
In order to feed upon a victims Essence, the vampire must provoke the desired emotional reaction.
This is accomplished by rolling Willpower + Influence, opposed by the targets Willpower. If
successful, the victim succumbs to his emotions and the vampire drains Essence equal to the
Success Levels of the roll. The vampire may continue to drain the victim each round, but if the victim
chooses to resist and succeeds, the drain ends and the vampire may not drain the target again for 24
hours. Drained Essence is added to the vampires, but any points exceeding his normal maximum are
lost at sunrise. A victim drained to 10 Essence points or less must make an immediate Survival Test
or else they will die.
Larger groups may be drained in a similar fashion. The vampire still makes only a single Willpower +
Influence roll and it is opposed by the highest Willpower of the group. Groups of up to 10 multiply the
Essence gained by 2, groups up to 50 by 3, and groups over 50 by 4. The vampire can attempt to
instill a chosen individual or group with emotion through sheer presence, but proper atmosphere and
physical contact is usually desirable and may grant a bonus of +1 to +5 to the roll.
**Essence Cost: A White Court Vampire normally loses 1 point of Essence each night at sunset.
However, they can also use their Essence to fuel their predatory form, which makes them tougher,
faster and stronger. Each round (or each minute out of combat for healing) the vampire assumes
predatory form, they lose 3 Essence points from their pool. If their Essence Pool ever reaches 0, the
vampire must succeed at a Willpower (not doubled) roll or succumb to frenzy and attack any viable
nearby targets to acquire Essence until they restore their pool to at least half. A cumulative 1 penalty
applies to this roll each hour beyond the first.
*Red Court: Red Court vampires are less human-like than the White Court. Instead they are slimy
bat-like creatures hidden behind human costumes (made of an outer skin). They use these costumes
to trick their prey into being more comfortable and allow them to hide in plain sight. They are
incredibly strong and fast, and can shake off any injury quickly. The Red Court is vulnerable to
sunlight and by having their bellies cut open, which can spill the blood they have drunk and eventually
kill them. Their saliva contains a potent magical narcotic which induces euphoria and is highly
addictive, allowing the Red Court to control their victims rather easily. The narcotic lowers the victim's
inhibitions while dulling the pain of the vampire's bite. Addicted humans have been known to go to
great lengths to protect their masters, and willingly provide information or other service as needed.
The Red Court is also capable of transforming ordinary humans into vampires in a two-step process.
The human is first infected with the vampiric thirst (gaining supernatural speed, strength and
endurance in the process) and then completes the change into the demonic form upon killing a
human victim in their first feeding. Infected humans strong of willpower have been known to refrain
from feeding for great lengths of time (regular exposure to sunlight and avoiding physical intimacy
help), but no cure has yet been found for the infected state. Their hunger for blood makes controlling
their emotions very difficult, and when in a situation where emotions or adrenaline run high, it is much
easier for them to lose control.
The Red Court is highly organized in a feudalistic system with a King at the top, followed by Dukes
and other, lower ranks.
Red Court Vampire (17 points): This template includes the following:
Qualities: +3 Strength, +2 Dexterity and Constitution, Hard to Kill 2, Regeneration (per minute), +2
bonus to hearing and smell-based Perception rolls (+4 when involving blood), The Kiss*, Demonic
Form [Flight**, Claws (2 x Str), Attractiveness 5, Restricted (Dual Shape)]
*The Kiss: A Red Court vampires saliva can be used to incapacitate victims. Applying the Kiss
requires either that the vampire bite the victim (Dexterity + Kung Fu +2 on a grappled opponent) or
that the victim be pinned beneath the vampire (typically as the result of a Slam-Tackle or Takedown).
Upon contact, the vampire and victim both roll Willpower (doubled). If the vampire succeeds, the
victim is helpless and unable to act for 1 round. At the beginning of each of the victims turns, the roll
is made again with the victim receiving a cumulative +1 bonus.
*Flight: In their bat-like form, the vampire has leathery wings that can allow flight for short distances.
The vampire may fly at twice his normal speed for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution. After
that, the vampire may glide back to the ground if still airborne, but is otherwise too exhausted to fly.
The vampire may not fly again until he has rested for at least 30 minutes.
*Black Court: The Black Court comprises the most classically known form of vampire, the reanimated
bloodthirsty corpses popularized by Bram Stoker's Dracula. In fact, some claim that the publication of
the book was at the behest of the White Court and the primary cause of the Black Court's downfall, as
Stoker supposedly published it as a "how-to" guide to hunt the Black Court. Black Court vampires still
inhabit the human bodies that they occupied before their turning, the only difference being continued
emaciation resulting in their cadaverous appearance.
Black Court vampires possess all the classic strengths and weaknesses of Stoker's Dracula: they
possess fantastic strength and resistance to injury, but must sleep in their native soil and fear garlic,
objects of faith and sunlight. Some Black Court vampires have demonstrated the ability to use magic
in the same way wizards do.
The Black Court is currently the smallest and politically weakest of the Courts, although those few
who survived the purges caused by Stoker's book are among the strongest and most cunning
monsters in the world by virtue of sheer necessity.
Black Court Vampire (20 points): This template includes the following:
Qualities: +6 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, Hard to Kill 4, Natural Armor 2, Regeneration
(per minute), reduced (1/5) damage from bullets, +2 bonus to hearing and smell-based Perception
rolls (+4 when involving blood), Attractiveness 3. Additionally, Black Court vampires may possess
other powers as well, possibly including Hypnosis, Increased Life Points, Telekinesis, Telepathy and
even Sorcery (their Essence Pool is calculated before adjustments from this template).
Werewolves
*Werewolf: The "classic" werewolf is someone who uses magic to transform into a wolf. This is not
necessarily a wizard or well-trained practitioner of magic, since the transformation spell will work for
anyone who learns it. The physical body is transformed, but the mind remains the same. This can be
a disadvantage at first because although the person gains the senses and anatomy of a wolf, they do
not have the experience of using them. The werewolf must learn to use smell and hearing as their
primary sensory input, and learn to move and react to their environment as a four-legged creature.
This takes time, but the werewolf can eventually become very proficient in their new form.
The wolf form has all the natural capabilities of an ordinary wolf; silver has no special effect against
them and they do not heal wounds any more quickly than a normal wolf. This type of werewolf can
reassume its human form at will.
Werewolf (6 points): This template includes the following:
Qualities: Wolf Form [+2 Dexterity, Acute Hearing/Smell, Fangs/Claws (2 x Str), Restricted (Dual
Form)]
*Hexenwulf: A hexenwulf uses a talisman imbued with powerful magic to transform itself into a huge
wolf. The hexenwulf's wolf form is much larger and more powerful than any natural wolf, possessing
enhanced speed, strength, and ferocity. The only part of the hexenwulf that is unaffected by the
transformation are the eyes, which remain the same color as their human form. The talisman itself
may take many forms, including a ring or amulet, but most commonly appears as a belt or girdle
made from wolf pelt.
The talisman engenders the transformation by providing an anchor for a spirit of bestial rage and is
activated with an incantation by the wearer. This spirit protects the human personality while in wolf
form. However, the hexenwulf loses all human inhibitions and is driven more by primal human
desires.
The hexenwulf can be wounded or killed by normal weapons and can be forced to transform back
into human form if someone manages to remove the talisman. A hexenwulf may reassume human
form at will, but the power that the talisman gives the user is addictive; over time, this addiction
begins to affect the user's mind and personality in human form, behaving similarly to drug addiction.
The most seriously afflicted lose all impulse control, becoming violent and sociopathic.
Hexenwulf (7 points): This template includes the following:
Qualities: Addiction 3, Dire Wolf Form [+2 Strength, Dexterity and Constitution, Acute Hearing/Smell,
Fangs/Claws (3 x Str), Natural Toughness, Antisocial Impulses (Violence) 2, Restricted (Dual Form),
Restricted (Talisman)]
*Lycanthrope: A lycanthrope is someone who is a natural channel or medium for a spirit of rage. The
lycanthrope is born with this ability. It does not allow them to physically change into a wolf, but does
grant them a beast-like strength. When this spirit takes over, the lycanthrope becomes stronger, more
aggressive, and more resistant to pain, injury and sickness. They heal wounds rapidly and tend to
congregate in groups much like packs with an Alpha leader. Although harder to hurt or kill than an
ordinary person, lycanthropes can be killed with ordinary weapons.
Lycanthrope (11 points): This template includes the following:
Qualities: +3 Strength and Constitution, Regeneration (per minute), 2 levels of Resistance (Pain)
*Loup-garou: A Loup-garou is closest to the monsters of legend. These werewolves have been
intentionally cursed, usually by a very powerful sorcerer, demon lord, saint, or one of the Faerie
Queens to be possessed by a wolflike demonic entity at every full moon. They become near-mindless
killing machines with supernatural speed, strength and ferocity. They recover from injury almost
instantly, are immune to poisons as well as any kind of sorcery that attacks the mind. They can only
be killed by a weapon made from silver which has been inherited.
The curse of the loup-garou can be hereditary if the one who placed the curse specified it as such.
Usually the person afflicted with the curse is aware of their condition and will have enough sense to
isolate or shield themselves from society to prevent the horrible damage they would inflict on their
surroundings with the next full moon.
Loup-garou (17 points): This template includes the following:
Qualities: Beast Form [+5 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, Fangs/Claws (3 x Str),
Regeneration (per turn), Resistance (Mental Powers) 5, Unique Kill, Limited Use, Uncontrollable,
Antisocial Impulses (Violence) 3]