Mental Attributes

Mental Attributes
People have the inherent capacity to act, behave and think. We can perform actions and have intuitive talents such as running, theorizing and persuading others. So does your character. His basic, fundamental capabilities are represented with Attributes, which are the foundation of all the acts that he performs. These traits are classified into three categories - Mental, Physical and Social - and are rolled to determine how well your character accomplishes efforts in the game.


 * Mental Attributes suggest how insightful, clever and determined your character is. They are Intelligence, Wits and Resolve.


 * Physical Attributes indicate how strong, graceful and enduring your character is. They are Strength, Dexterity and Stamina.


 * Social Attributes determine how imposing, magnetic and dignified your character is. They are Presence, Manipulation and Composure.

The Attributes of ordinary people are rated from 1 to 5. It's possible for someone to have more dots, but these individuals are typically beyond the human ken, partially or fully a part of the mysterious supernatural world. Perhaps they're touched by spirits or born to a legacy of service to unseen beings.

Your character, even as a mortal human, automatically starts with one dot in each Attribute. These dots are already filled in on your character sheet.

When your character performs an action, the Attribute most appropriate to the effort is referenced. If he tries to remember what he read during library research last week, you look to his Intelligence dots. If he tries to jump a chasm, you check his Strength. If he tries to make a good first impression on a group of people, you apply his Presence score.

Your character's dots are usually rolled as part of a dice pool. Attributes are sometimes combined and rolled to see if an action can be accomplished, but they are more often combined with Skills. The Storyteller will tell you what Attributes are applicable to your character's actions, and what rolls you can make. In general, the three classes of Attributes are used based on the circumstances. One of each of the Mental, Physical and Social traits has bearing on a different kind of action, as outlined in the boxed text.

Power is the degree of effect that your character has on others and his surroundings. The higher his score, the smarter, more potent or more imposing he is. Intelligence, Strength and Presence therefore apply when your character seeks to force himself on his environment.

Finesse is a measure of your character's capacity to interact with the world and influence others. The higher his score, the craftier, more delicate and more influential he is. Wits, Dexterity and Manipulation have bearing when your character tries to anticipate and react to his environment, and to coordinate others.

Resistance indicates how well your character copes with influences from both without and within that might affect him adversely. The higher his score the more staunch, sturdy or dignified he is. Resolve, Stamina and Composure apply when your character responds to coercion, injury and influence. Resolve tests his ability to resist efforts to direct his mind, Stamina helps him shrug off physical trauma, and Composure helps him recover from horrifying experiences or social tension and still maintain control.

Thus, you don't usually check Strength when your character is challenged in a social situation, because brute force doesn't apply where Composure (social recovery) is concerned. Similarly, Dexterity doesn't typically have bearing when interpreting a foreign language. That act calls upon the power of the mind and is the purview of Intelligence.

Attribute Dots
Attributes are rated 01 to 5 for ordinary people, and each score suggests the degree of your character's raw capability in that area.

Dots - Talent
 * • - Poor. Unexercised, unpracticed or inept.
 * •• - Average. The result of occasional effort or application.
 * ••• - Good. Regular practice or effort, or naturally talented.
 * •••• - Exceptional. Frequently applied, tested and honed, or naturally gifted.
 * ••••• - Outstanding. The peak of normal human capability. Continuously exercised or naturally blessed.

When creating your character, you must prioritize his capability with the Attribute categories. His Mental, Physical and Social traits must be given primary, secondary and tertiary emphasis. If you want your character to be active and hardy, Physical traits might be primary. If his ability to react to and deal with people is nearly but not quite as important, Social Attributes could be secondary. That leaves Mental traits as tertiary. He's not the sharpest tack in the box, or life just hasn't demanded that he exercise his cognitive potential.

You get to allocate five dots among your character's primary Attributes. You assign four dots among his secondary Attributes. And you get three dots to divvy up among his tertiary traits. The dots available to each category can be distributed among its three Attributes as evenly or unevenly as you like. So, you might decide to apply three dots to your character's Strength, one to his Dexterity and one to his Stamina. That's all five of his primary class allocated. Two of your four Social dots might go to each of Manipulation and Composure. And, you might assign one of each of your three Mental dots to Intelligence, Wits and Resolve.

Remember that the fifth dot in any Attribute costs two of the dots you have to spend at character creation. Each Attribute also gets one free dot automatically before you start assigning anything.

Intelligence (Character Creation only)
The raw power of the mind. Cognitive capacity. The inherent capability to digest, comprehend and remember information - and to learn more. Intelligence is a direct measure of how smart your character is. She may be dull-minded or have narrow-vision. She may be book-smart, or she may simply be able to grasp concepts, interpret situations and solve problems quickly. Intelligence is valued by planners, theorists, scholars, white-collar employees and leaders.

Comprehension:

 * • - 99 or less IQ. Comprehend a maximum ever of 18 words or still images per second. Perform 0.5 single-digit, 01 operation math equation per second.
 * •• - 100 - 111 IQ. Comprehend a maximum ever of 18 words or still images per second. Perform 01 single-digit, 01 operation math equation per second.
 * ••• - 112 - 122 IQ. Comprehend a maximum ever of 20 words or still images per second. Perform 01 single-digit, 01 operation math equation per second.
 * •••• - 123 - 134 IQ. Comprehend a maximum ever of 22 words or still images per second. Perform 2 single-digit, 01 operation math equation per second.
 * ••••• - 135+ IQ. Comprehend a maximum ever of 24 words or still images per second. Perform 2 single-digit, 02 operation math equation per second.

The phonological loop, where we remember sounds.

 * • - You may remember 1.8 seconds of sound information for up to 108 seconds, if being interfered with by outside noises at the same time; You may remember 108 seconds of sound information for up to 1080 seconds, if NOT being interfered with by outside noises at the same time.
 * •• - You may remember 02 seconds of sound information for up to 120 seconds, if being interfered with by outside noises at the same time; You may remember 120 seconds of sound information for up to 1200 seconds, if NOT being interfered with by outside noises at the same time.
 * ••• - You may remember 2.24 seconds of sound information for up to 120 seconds, if being interfered with by outside noises at the same time; You may remember 120 seconds of sound information for up to 1200 seconds, if NOT being interfered with by outside noises at the same time.
 * •••• - You may remember 2.46 seconds of sound information for up to 120 seconds, if being interfered with by outside noises at the same time; You may remember 120 seconds of sound information for up to 1200 seconds, if NOT being interfered with by outside noises at the same time.
 * ••••• - You may remember 2.7 seconds of sound information for up to 120 seconds, if being interfered with by outside noises at the same time; You may remember 120 seconds of sound information for up to 1200 seconds, if NOT being interfered with by outside noises at the same time.

The visuospacial sketch pad, where we are able to keep something visualized for a quick remembrance.

 * • - You may remember 03 still images for up to 30 seconds.
 * •• - You may remember 04 still images for up to 42 seconds.
 * ••• - You may remember 05 still images for up to 55 seconds.
 * •••• - You may remember 06 still images for up to 69 seconds.
 * ••••• - You may remember 07 still images for up to 84 seconds.

Long Term Memory
Long term memory is a tricky thing because the size of the brain and the speed at which those cells are created is the same for everyone. The only difference in our setting is the compression rate. The higher the intelligence rating, the more efficient your brain is at storing information.
 * • - Your brain can store up to 10^16 bits of information at any one time.
 * •• - Your brain can store up to 10^17 bits of information at any one time.
 * ••• - Your brain can store up to 10^18 bits of information at any one time.
 * •••• - Your brain can store up to 10^19 bits of information at any one time.
 * ••••• - Your brain can store up to 10^20 bits of information at any one time.

Memory Recall

 * • - Your brain can recall 01 relevant pieces of information per second.
 * •• - Your brain can recall 02 relevant pieces of information per second.
 * ••• - Your brain can recall 03 relevant pieces of information per second.
 * •••• - Your brain can recall 04 relevant pieces of information per second.
 * ••••• - Your brain can recall 05 relevant pieces of information per second.

Wits
The ability to think on one's feet, under pressure or duress, without letting them see you sweat. W its also encompasses an eye for detail, the ability to absorb what's going on in the environment, and to react to events. It might mean recognizing that the temperature in a room slowly drops, that a landscape painting incorporates a disguised human face, or that a trap is about to be sprung. Wits involves the powers of perception and response. Your character may be oblivious, dumbfounded, quick-eyed or wary. The trait is useful for entrepreneurs, charlatans, athletes, tacticians, lawyers and criminals.

Perception

 * Dice Pool: Wits + Composure or a relevant Skill in place of Composure.
 * Action: Reflexive

Sometimes subtle or instantaneous actions occur around your character, testing his powers of observation. A shape races by. Someone hides behind nearby bushes. Maybe your character recognizes these events. Maybe he goes oblivious to them. Alternatively, a single unusual phenomenon is in his presence, and he may (or may not) recognize it without trying. Maybe a piece of furniture is out of place in a room or a door is unlocked when it should be locked.

The Storyteller typically knows when something unusual or out of place occurs in your character's vicinity, and may call for a reflexive Wits + Composure roll for your character to recognize it. Such observation almost always occurs without your character intentionally searching or looking. Perception rolls simply check to see if your character instinctually notices what's going on. In many cases, the Storyteller may make perception rolls for you, so that you remain as aware or unaware of what's going on as your character.

Roll Results

 * Dramatic Failure: Your character notices something strange or out of place, but it's not what has actually occurred, or he makes a dangerous assumption about the event. A picture hanging at an odd angle indicates that someone has moved it, but your character assumes that a door has been slammed, shifting the piece of art.
 * Failure: Your character notices nothing amiss or out of place.
 * Success: Your character recognizes that something has happened. If he wants to learn more, Investigation rolls are called for.
 * Exceptional Success: Your character not only recognizes when something unusual or quick happens nearby, he sees it all happen and gets a good look. Or he notices a variety of things that are amiss in his surroundings, just by entering the room.

Suggested Equipment

 * Hopped-up on caffeine (+1)
 * or amphetamines (+2)

Possible Penalties

 * Dark (-3)
 * obscuring weather (-1 to -3)
 * subtle detail (-1)
 * obscure detail (-3)
 * distracting
 * circumstances (-1 to -3)

Reaction To Surprise
An ambush is about to be launched, a trap is about to be sprung or your character is about to run into her enemy. She may recognize the threat in time or walk right into it. Roll Wits + Composure for your character to determine if she's prepared for the worst. Even one success indicates that she is and you can roll Initiative (see p. 151) for a fight as usual. If your Wits + Composure roll fails, your character is caught off guard and can do nothing for the first turn of combat except stand and gape or get hurt. Her Defense is not applied against incoming attacks in that first turn.
 * Dice Pool: Wits + Composure
 * Action: Reflexive

Roll Results

 * Dramatic Failure: Your character is completely blindsided. The Storyteller may decree that she cannot act and loses her Defense for the first two turns of any fight that ensues.
 * Failure: Your character notices nothing amiss and is caught off guard.
 * Success: Initiative may be rolled normally and your character can attack or defend herself without hindrance.
 * Exceptional Success: Your character spots trouble or simply senses imminent danger - and can announce it to any companions. None of her companions is caught off guard (all of their Wits + Composure rolls are considered successful).

Suggested Equipment:

 * Hopped-up on caffeine (+1),
 * amphetamines (+2)
 * or methamphetamines (+3)

Possible Penalties:

 * Dark (-3)
 * obscuring weather (-1 to -3)
 * distracting circumstances (-1 to -3)
 * attacker at long range (-3)
 * presumed safe environment (-1 to -2)

Resolve
The focus and determination to see your character's will done. The capacity to stay on target, ignore distractions and to resist coercion or browbeating. Resolve is your character's mental fortitude. His personal conviction. His clarity of vision or spirit. Your character may be easily distracted, unable to concentrate, resolute or single-minded. The trait is pivotal to resisting supernatural forms of mental control; it acts as a veritable defense of the mind. Resolve is valuable to leaders, motivators, soldiers, athletes, police and organizers.

(Note: Resolve is not to be confused with Willpower. Resolve is your character's ongoing focus. Think of it as his long-term purpose, like a career plan. Willpower reflects your character's short-term highs and lows, his ability to dedicate himself in brief efforts to overcome challenges. Resolve does contribute to your character's Willpower dots, though.)

Resisting Coercion
Another person seeks to turn your character's mind to her way of thinking, or tries to get him do something for her, possibly through debate, intimidation or threats. The action is probably a contested effort against someone else's Wits-, Intelligence-, Presence- or Manipulation based roll. Whoever gets the most successes wins. Convincing evidence might impose a -1 to -3 penalty to your character's determination. Especially pointed or compelling threats or applications of torture impose a similar penalty, at the Storyteller's discretion.
 * Dice Pool: Resolve + Wits or Resolve + Stamina
 * Action: Reflexive

A prolonged interrogation or torture session may require extended rolls between parties, made every few minutes, hours or days, as appropriate.

If successes rolled in a contested coercion attempt tie, the subject maintains his own will and does not break down.

Suggested Equipment:

 * "What Would Jesus Do?" keychain (+1)
 * Marine Corp ring or other elite clique token (+2)

Possible Penalties:

 * Questioned or smooth-talked by a friend (-1)
 * or family member (-2)
 * bribed (-1 to -3)