Merits Talk

[West]

• Is this a strict rule?

I Made This Just For This Reply :D

• If a PC teaches you do you still have to pay for mentor?

No

• Are there situations when this is exempt. For example lets say Katrina has been using Expression alot. Is it reasonable to say her dots in expression could go up due to the amount she has used it?

I really don't see it going above 3 without training/dedicated effort

• Does it include in clan disciplines? They are abilitys locked in your blood, would be harsh to say we had to also purchase mentor to go with it.

Have Your Read Me?

• Wouldn't this un-naturally develop characters? I look at what Katrina has used a fair bit. For example none of her disciplines have advanced because she has not used them. If she used protean alot more I could justify that 4th dot. Another example is Brawl, if your character gets in a few fights i.e the brood for example. Is it not reasonable that they could gain the 4th or 5th dot from that? As they could have learnt from that combat experience?

4th and 5th dots represent the pinnacle of achievement possible. Olympic class and beyond. Swimming every day isn't going to turn you into Mark Spitz. Doing aerobics won't turn you into Nadia. So, no, I don't think it's reasonable for a bar brawl or two a week to turn you into Bruce Lee or Muhammed Ali.

[Benji]

if someone wants to buy a 5 dot Mentor, do they have to buy it all at once, or can they buy it one dot at a time, building up what it can teach as they buy it?

[West]

@Benji: you can upgrade

@Steven: yes; you can pick one of the areas and I'll pick the other two which will most likely be complementary to the primary

[MethodofDestruction]

Is this in place for all venues, or as usual V:tR only for now, and to be determined based on each ST?

[West]

VtR, as the title says

[West]

We're going to begin play-testing a revision to the Cacophony Listener Merit. Due to how our game works, it's been a largely unusable ability, but remains a Merit that addresses a core aspect of the Requiem -- social and political networking. These changes are designed to keep the spirit of the idea intact, as well as give said characters a bit of firepower. It's also conceivable that several characters working in synchronicity could bring the 'murder of Harpies' to life.

I'm pretty excited about this, and major props to Benji for coming up with the core concept. I'll also offer Benji the opportunity to change the names of each dot if he chooses to leave his stamp on it I've also changed the name as an homage to the one player, Whisper , who's had this Merit at 5 dots since day one, and been incredibly patient and cool about the revision I promised him years ago.

Characters with the Merit currently may keep the original, or change to this version. Note that as this is a playtest, and further revision may be necessary upon review of in-game usage.


Cacophony Whisperer (●● to ●●●●●)

Effect: People talk, and so do monsters. The tradition and taboo surrounding the Masquerade may obscure communication between Kindred, but they don’t block it completely. A childe of the information age, your character hears everything. Where others might listen to just their own conversations, a Listener hears all. A whisper here, a sly aside there, few words escape her ears. Even as she becomes adept at hearing, then joining private conversations, so too can she begin to sway impressions. After all, who better to offer an opinion than one who is privy to the most private of conversations?

Cacophony abilities are divided into the following levels of accessibility and influence. Each level includes the lower ones.

Prerequisite: A Cacophony Listener must have a total number of Skill dots in Politics and/or Socialize equal to the level being purchased. If she wishes to purchase the third dot, she must have three dots in either of those skills, or both when totaled.

Friends and Family ●●
At this level, the Listener is privy to Private Status given by, or about, anyone in her clan and/or covenant. All Private Status posted automatically includes the Listener if she belongs to the Clan or Covenent which is being polled.

Talk About Town ●●●
At this level, the Listener is privy to Private Status given by, or about, anyone in the Domain in regards to their Domain standing. All Private Status posted automatically includes the Listener in regards to Domain (City) Status.

You Can Tell Me ●●●●
At this level, the Listener is privy to Private Status given by, or about, anyone in any Clan or Covenant. At this level, the Listener has mastered the art of being included, and is automatically included in all Private Status posts, regardless of social circle.

Let Me Tell You What I Heard ●●●●●
At this level, the Listener is a virtuoso of the Cacophony and may exert her own influence on those social circles which she has become a a part of. The Listener may post Status for anyone, regardless of affiliation. She can talk about other Clan and Covenent members, and make her voice heard.
- A number of Statuses may be posted in a month equal to her Presence
- Her Status will be counted as equal to her Domain Status
Drawback: Just because you can talk about someone, doesn't mean that you should. The Listener's Domain Status is used in lieu of Clan or Covenant status when posting in 'foreign' circles. Should she abuse her influence, those same circles may retaliate by bringing her social standing in the Domain down, making her less influential.

[Dark Passenger]

Can I just bring this post up, because the rules have changed right? I may be a bit late to realize this, but better than never. To prevent any confusion for anyone else looking for "Mentor" around the forums, and not the wiki. Also after having read this , I have a question.

Just to be sure that I understand it right, before making any claims. But with the rules as they are now:

mentor

---

An Area of Expertise will be a Skill, Merit, or Power. Powers (Disciplines, Devotions, etc) & Fighting Style will cost twice normal.
Example:
A 1 dot Mentor can teach you: 1 skill (Crafts, Brawl, Socialize, etc.)
A 2 dot Mentor can teach you: 2 skills or 1 Fighting Style (such as Kung-Fu) or Power (Resilience)
A 3 dot Mentor can teach you: 3 Skills or 1 Fighting Style or Power and a Skill
A 4 dot Mentor can teach you: 4 Skills or 2 Fighting Styles or Powers or a combination there of
A 5 dot Mentor can teach you: A combination of the above.

Clan signature Disciplines are not allowed to be learned from Mentors. Clan signature disciplines are Daeva's Majesty, Gangrel's Protean, Mekhet's Auspex, Nosferatu's Nightmare, and Ventrue's Domination.
Covenant secrets are not allowed to be learned from Mentors. This includes Cruac, Theban Sorcery, Coils of the Dragon.
Mentors can be used to teach Fighting Styles or skills above 3 dots.

Can a level 2 mentor teach someone all 5 dots of a Fighting Style?
Because, first I thought these new rules were a combination of the old, so that I needed a 5 dot mentor for a 5th FS dot. But if that's not true...

[Dark Passenger]

Oh I see I missed what might be the most important line:

"Mentors will be able to teach a number of areas of expertise equal to their rating, up to the level of their rating"

but a definite answer would still help me sleep better.

[West]

Dude you left out the important part from the wiki lmao

yeah ok ninja with a trenchcoat