It's Just A (Moon) Phase: Werewolf the Apocalypse Favourites Part 2

 Werewolf's Auspices correspond to the phase of the moon you were born under, and define the "classes" in the game - in the sense that they determine your role in society. There are five of them:

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  Ragabash: The Questioner of the Ways, born under the new moon who serve as scouts and spies.
• Theurge: The Seeker of the Ways, born under the crescent moon who serve as shamans and ritualists.
• Philodox: The Balancer of the Ways, born under the half moon who serve as mediators and judges.
• Galliard: The Keeper of the Ways, born under the gibbous moon who are bards and lore keepers. 
• Ahroun: The Defender of the Ways, born under the full moon who are the most martial of the werewolves.

Each Auspice has a role in werewolf society which also, conveniently, provides a niche for gaming. Ragabashs are sneaks and spies, Galliards are the bards, lore keepers, and the people who rally the troops. Ahrouns are the best at tearing enemies limb from limb. Theurges are the experts in the Umbra, while Philodoxes are the leaders and mediators when diplomacy is required. Combined with Tribes and Breeds, you can get quite a lot of variation ranging from the proud monsters of the Get of Fenris to precise warriors of the Stargazers, and noble knights in service to the Silver Fangs if you focus on the Ahroun Auspice. If we take a less martial Auspice, a Ragabash might be a corporate spy, a monkey wrencher, a wise trickster, or just a scout, who scans the battlefield and reports back for the other Garou.

Of these five choices my favourites are the Ragabash and Galliard, with Theurges as a close third. I like their roles and the way they're important within the Garou Nation. That their main focus isn't wholly based on violence is also a bonus, though I do realise it's hard for any werewolves to entirely escape their Rage. This taps into the joy of the Garou Nation and the way it's not a monoculture, even within the tribes let alone between them. This adds depth to their cultures and the setting because it makes them more rounded. The added roles means more flexibility in the game's roleplaying potential.

Don't get me wrong, this is still a game about the horrors of extremism and how going to the extremes doesn't solve any problems, it just makes more. It's just that now you can be a nuanced monster who'll tear someone new orifices because they're working security for a fashion company that knowingly pollutes the local rivers with their dyes, or an electronics factory that kills all the fish because of the battery acid discharge from their factory. 

At the same time, the Auspices allow you to really focus on who your character is and provides a niche to develop your character in. It allows groups to have a similar level of niche protection to games like Dungeons and Dragons - at least in the form of Gifts. This is important because Garou are pack animals above all else, so they're meant to work as a team - which is different to the Kindred in Vampire who usually form alliances of convenience. It also allows packs to develop good tactics - allowing Theurges to excel at Umbral reconnaissance while Ragabash deal with the physical world, Galliards to take on challenges of persuading foes or inspiring their comrades, Philodoxes to lead and negotiate, and Ahroun to Hulk out and smash things. As a pack, your PCs can lean into each others' strengths and work together to solve problems, while the players hopefully get their fair share of the spotlight. 

Obviously not all packs will have a full complement of Auspices, so you'll have to navigate what people want to play. Some groups may not have enough players to fill an entire pack, while in others you may find that your players double up on one (I imagine that's quite likely with Ahroun, quite a lot of players seem to relish the destructive power that auspice brings to the table). The Auspices give you a chance as a Storyteller to mix things up, varying what's going on in play. Of course you should always pay attention to that part of the game, and liaise with your players regularly. 

These elements can also add to the game outside combat, with each Auspice allowing more roleplaying options. An Ahroun might be invested in teaching the next set of cubs to fight, while a Galliard may be not only expected to remember her Tribe's lore but to perform it at a Moot. I like this because it elevates the Auspices from being mere battle options to reinforce their roles within Garou society which makes that more believable and well rounded. 

Auspices can also add tension to the game, because they bring different perspectives and approaches to the challenges the PCs will face. For example, a Ragabash and an Ahroun may take wildly different to the same problems just because Ragabash are built to be sneaky, indirect, and to question the Ways. Ahroun, by contrast are combat monsters (literally) and defend the Ways as much as possible. So too will a Theurge and a Galliard, where one will push to explore the spiritual side and the other may seek advice from lore and tradition. Within the context of the game, we do need to consider the culture of the tribes and the breeds here as well, as each component of a character adds new elements for us to consider. 

Gifts and Rituals can be an important part of this because each Auspice will focus on a different set. As you might imagine (or perhaps know), these forms of magic are ways to maximise your character's performance in an area with each Auspice's Gifts being ways to make them successful. For example, the Rank 1 Ragabash Gift Blur of the Milky Eye allows the character using it to become invisible for a short time, essentially camouflaging themselves. It leans into the sneaking, scouting part of the Auspice. In a similar way while Theurges and Philodoxes are the Auspices most likely to perform Rituals and Rites, a Ragabash can certainly benefit from knowing some though, like Ahroun their access is likely to be quite limited. 

To conclude, the Auspices are an exciting part of the game, offering a lot of opportunities to PCs. They form the heart of Garou society and can elevate the gaming experience above simply being about horror and combat. What's your favourite Auspice?