Rage is a measure of the lycanthrope's capacity for all-consuming madness as well as determination. A Rage roll is an attempt to "awaken the beast within" without losing control of the beast within. Primal Urge is the relevant skill for controlling rage. A rage roll must be made in any of the following circumstances:
- In sight of the full moon (-50 to roll)
- In sight of the moon, other than full moon (-25 to roll)
- Embarrassment
- Humiliation
- Any strong emotion, even lust or envy
- Taunting of an enemy
- You've been wronged
- Rage is regained (q.v.)
- Change forms
- Blunders a signficant skill roll
- First wound taken in combat (-10 to roll if weapon is silver)
When one of the above situations arise, the werewolf must make a Rage roll using their Primal Urge skill. The result is compared to the Rage Table.
Rage (Frenzy) Table |
| Absolute Success | The werewolf is in full control of their actions. Regain one Rage point (if not at max). |
| Success | The werewolf is in full control of their actions. |
| Near Success | The werewolf avoids Frenzy this round but must make another check each round until he rolls Success or Failure. |
| Partial Success | As Near Success but the roll is at -10. |
| Failure | The werewolf has awakened too much of the beast and succumbs to Frenzy. The player can decide whether it will be a Fox Frenzy or a Berserker Frenzy. If they are not already in Glabro, Crinos or Hispo form, they must change to one of these forms. |
| Absolute Failure | As failure, including choice of frenzy type but, with Berserker Frenzy, he will attack whoever is closest regardless of whether they are friend, foe or bystander (roll randomly). If the player chooses Fox Frenzy, the lycanthrope will flee for 6d6 rounds. |
| Blunder | As failure except that the GM will decide whether it will be Berserker Frenzy or Fox Frenzy. Berserker Frenzy is as Absolute Failure. Fox Frenzy causes the lycanthrope to flee for 5d6 minutes, at a minimum, and possibly much longer, at the GM's discretion. |
Note that only one Rage roll is made even if multiple triggers occur. The rage lasts until the situation resolves (combat is over, moon is obscured from view, etc.). If the werewolf was in a Berserker Frenzy, the GM will require a Control Roll to end the Rage.
Frenzy
Types of Frenzy |
| Berserk Frenzy | With Berserker Frenzy, the werewolf remains and attacks. He attacks enemies in preference to friends or bystanders but, if no more enemies are available, he will attack anyone who is nearby until he succeeds in a Control roll. |
| Fox Frenzy | The werewolf flees at a Run for 3d6 rounds. |
Frenzied werewolves immediately change to Lupus, Hispo or Crinos form and either blindly attack all those around them or flee into the wild. The instincts of "flight or fight" are very strong in a frenzied werewolf; he is completely overcome with one (or even both) of these impules. The player can decide which is prominient, but that decision will last the full duration of the frenzy - he cannot change his mind later. If he leaves, it is known as a "Fox Frenzy" and if he stays and fights, it is known as a "Berserk Frenzy".
When in a Berserk Frenzy, the werewolf may actually attack his allies though he has a preference for enemies. If there are enemies, neutrals and allies within a half move distance (i.e., where he can do a half move and still attack) he will attack an enemy over an ally or neutral, and a neutral over an ally. Attacking a neutral or ally is not automatic. The werewolf is allowed a Primal Urge roll to control himself but he must make the roll each time an attack action comes up and there are no enemies within a half move.
For example, if the werewolf has a TMR of 14 (70 feet per round) then he can move up to TMR 7 (35 feet) and still attack. The GM will look at who is within 35 feet and perceivable by the werewolf. If there are no enemies but there are 3 allies and a neutral child, the werewolf will move up to the neutral child and must then make a Primal Urge control roll to avoid attacking. If the control roll fails, the werewolf attacks the child.
Rage Example: Long Scar has a Frenzy Roll of 40%. He rolls a 55 + 40 = 95% which is Near Success. He avoids Frenzy this round but must make another check next round. Next round, he rolls a 41 + 40 = 81 which is Partial Success. He avoids Frenzy again, but his next check is at -10. Next round, he rolls a 63 + 40 = 103 - 10 = 93, which is Near Success. He avoided Frenzy yet again and, for his next roll, no longer has the -10. Next round, he rolls a 22 + 40 = 62, which is Failure. Long Scar succumbs to Frenzy. As he is badly outnumbered and outmatched by his opponents, he chooses a "Fox Frenzy" and flees.
Rage Points
For Werewolves, Rage Points are a derived characteristic that is based on the werewolf's Auspice and has a value between 1 and 5. Rage points can be spent to achieve various effects. Rage points can only be spent after making a Rage roll (whether the lycanthrope maintains control or goes into Frenzy). The only exception is when the werewolf desires to change forms, which will automatically trigger a Rage roll.
Spending Rage Points |
| Action | Rage Point Cost | Description |
| Change Form | 1 or 2 | See description under Primal Urge skill. |
| Entering the Spirit World | ? | (Needs to be developed) |
| Extra Combat Action | 1 | The werewolf can spend a Rage point to gain an extra action during combat. This could be one extra attack, or the ability to do a half move after an attack. Only one extra action can be gained during a given round. |
| Ignore Wound Penalties | 1 | Spend 1 rage point to ignore wound penalties for 1d6 rounds. |
| Remain Active | 1 | Spend 1 rage point to remain conscious for 1d6 rounds when hit points drop to 0 or less, but the werewolf is not dead. All actions are at -50. |
Rage points can be increased with EXP. The EXP multiple is 2000 points.
Whenever Rage x 4 is greater than WP, the character suffers a -10 to all social interaction rolls. This persists until the werewolf has spent enough Rage points that Rage x 4 does not exceed WP.
Regaining Rage Points
Rage points are regained, up to the lycanthropes normal maximum (as determined by Auspice and Rage points bought with EXP), by the following means:
- The Moon - The werewolf gains 1 point when he first sees the moon at night (3 points for a full moon). If the moon corresponds to his Auspice, he regains all of his Rage.
- Blunder - If the character blunder's a significant skill roll (GM discretion), he regains 1 Rage point.
- Combat - At the beginning of the second round of combat, the werewolf regains 1 Rage point. Only 1 point can be regained for a given combat, even if the werewolf withdraws from combat and then rejoins it.
- Confrontation - In a tense role-playing situation, as judged by the GM, the werewolf regains 1 Rage point.
- Humiliation - When the werewolf has suffered significant humiliated, as determined by the GM, they regain 1 Rage point.
Note that regaining Rage points automatically triggers a Rage roll.
Control Roll
When the lycanthrope is about to take an action that he might later regret (usually attacking an ally or bystander while in a Berserk Frenzy), he is allowed a Control Roll to avoid the action. If successful, the lycanthrope loses their action. A Control Roll is equal to ((WP - 15) x 3) + (Rank x 5) and the result is applied to the following table. Primal Urge is the relevant skill.
- Absolute Success - No further control roll is needed until the situation changes. For example, if the lycanthrope is in a Berserk Frenzy and is targeting a child, the Absolute Success roll means that he does not attack the child on this action and, when his next action comes up, if the situation has not changed and the child is still the potential target, the lycanthrope need not roll. He will automatically succeed and not attack the child.
- Success - The lycanthrope successfully controls his action.
- Near Success - The lycanthrope performs the action at greatly reduced effect in an effort to scare more than damage. If the action is an attack, it is made at -50 to strike chance and half normal damage.
- Partial Succes - As above but the attack is only -25 to strike chance and 75% of normal damage (roll damage normally but then reduce by 25% before applying protection.
- Failure - The control roll fails and the lycanthrope completes the action.
- Absolute Failure - The control roll fails and the lycanthrope suffers a -10 to his next control roll (within 1 hour).
- Blunder - The control roll fails and the lycanthrope suffers a -25 to his next control roll (within 1 hour).
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