Werewolf: the Apocalypse: Gifts of the Night

 Gifts are an important part of Werewolf: the Apocalypse, and are basically the way that the Garou get their powers. They represent the spiritual strength the werewolves bring to bear in their endless war against the Wyrm. As such they're part of the Garou's link with Gaia and nature and to the spirits of the Umbra. This embeds the link to the spirit world deeply into the game, because without it the werewolves would be shorn of their magic. The themes of the game would also be seriously affected, but let's not get into that. 

Today I want to look at the best Gifts and Rites for starting Rank 1 characters (or Cliaths if you want to use the nomenclature in the game), even though that's highly subjective. I always think part of a Storyteller's job is to make sure his players feel useful and can affect the course of the game. If you want to write a novel, go do that. Nonetheless, there are always a few options that can help the game get off on the right paw and these Gifts and Rites can be really helpful for that. Of course, there are probably hundreds, if not more, Gifts in the core book, so I'm barely scratching the surface of what's possible. Still, I hope this will prove useful for you. I'll be drawing the information from Werewolf 20th Edition and will leave page references for your convenience. 

1) Hulk No More: One of the problems with being a shape changer is that you can go through an awful lot of clothes. It's a little like the Hulk in the comics, all ripped topped and jeans. The Rite of Talisman Dedication (page 211) allow you you escape this problem, by Dedicating or binding clothes and mundane items to you instead them being torn asunder when you transform. The other advantage of the Dedication rite is that it allows characters to keep their non-magical gear with them when they enter the Umbra. 

2) Stinky!: Sense Wyrm (page 156), which I mentioned in last week's Werewolf blog is a hugely useful Gift. It allows the Garou to sense the Wyrm's taint in the area. This involves a mystical sense rather than anything physical, though the werewolves refer to the Wyrm's presence as "stench". The Gift is a general one, and shouldn't be taken as a substitute for solid detective work, but it's a powerful tool to have in your kit. 

3) Healing Hands: Mother's Touch (page164) is a Theurge Gift taught by a bear or unicorn spirit and allows the character to heal the wounds of any living creature, including aggravated damage. This, obviously, is very useful for any group of shape changing murder mutts who can tear their way through their enemies, but may also receive deadly wounds from other sources (such as silver bullets). 

4) Rip Rip Rend Tear: The Ahroun Gift Razor Claws (page 171) is a must for someone who wants to deal a lot of damage. The in game fiction aspect of  the Gift says that your character hones their claws to razor sharpness by raking them over rocks, steel, or some other hard surface. Whatever you choose to do, the effect is to grant two extra damage dice on claw attacks and reduce the difficulty by one for the rest of the scene (though you do have to spend a turn sharpening your claws). 

5) A Nose For Trouble: Being able to work out what other supernatural beings are in the area is always useful. Scent of True Form (page 166) is a Philodox Gift that allows the werewolf to scent the truth about those they meet. They can always sniff out Kinfolk and werewolves automatically, including those who haven't made the First Change. To sense other beings, the player will have to roll dice and it's at 2 successes and higher that things become interesting because this allows the Garou to start detecting other supernatural beings.

6) Appraisal: Come back, I don't mean a work appraisal! It's okay, nobody's going to tell you off for talking too much. No, I'm talking about the Red Talon Gift, Eye of the Hunter (page 185) which allows the character to assess a group of antagonists and determine the weakest, just like a wolf appraising a pack. How cool is that? Combined with Razor Claws, it would definitely allow you to create an effective strategy for battle. 

7) Quietly Does It: The Silent Striders are an amazing Tribe, easily one of my favourites. Their Gift Silence (page 191) allows them to sneak up on, or escape, enemies by muffling any sound they make. That allows them to be even more like ninjas, which seems to fit their ethos of being the Tribe that operates more independently than the others. 

8) Squeaky Clean: Moving the focus back to Rites, I think the Rite of Cleansing (page 203/204) is a really important one, and should be in most Rite Master's arsenals. It allows the characters to purify a place, person, or object so that it can be used without fear of Wyrm-taint. This allows players to access a non-violent way of solving problems - albeit on a very small scale.  

I like it because Werewolf can be so overshadowed by the promise of violence, and having peaceful methods to resolve things is a tonic to the ability to destroy so much with those razor sharp claws. I realise that 's a bit contradictory with my raving about the Razor Claws Gift, but I like characters being able to do their thing effectively and to see alternative solutions on the table. 

These are just a few examples of how starting Gifts and Rites can shape your gameplay. What are your favourites? Do you lean toward battle-ready Gifts or the more investigative and spiritual ones? Let me know in the comments!