Garou Merits

Acute Sense (1 pt. Merit)
One of your senses is exceptionally sharp (even for a Garou). Choose sight, hearing, smell, touch, or taste. The difficulty for all tasks involving use of this particular sense is reduced by two. This Merit can be bought more than once for different senses, but only one time for each particular sense. The difficulty reduction for a given sensory roll is accumulative with other difficulty reductions (due to Gifts, etc.), but only a single reduction for Acute Sense is applicable in any given roll. Acute Sense cannot be purchased for any sense if it is missing or hampered via a Flaw (i.e., Blind, Bad Sight, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Anosmia, etc.).

Alcohol Tolerance (1 pt. Merit)
With a successful Stamina roll (difficulty 7), you can shake off the effects of intoxication, suffering no coordination penalties that might normally affect a drunken fighter. This Merit works against all natural intoxicants, even if processed (such as cocaine), though not against poisons or entirely man-made chemical drugs (such as meth).

Ambidextrous (1 pt. Merit)
You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with your “wrong” hand at no penalty. The rules for taking multiple actions still apply, but you do not suffer a difficulty penalty if you use two weapons or are forced to use your off hand to complete a task.

Double-Jointed (1 pt. Merit)
You possess uncanny suppleness, making all dice rolls that require flexibility (such as wriggling free from an opponent’s grasp) at –2 difficulty. You can contort yourself into odd positions or squeeze into small spaces.

Mixed-morph (1 pt. or 5 pt. Merit)
You find the art of partial transformation relatively easy, and make the required Dexterity + Primal Urge roll at difficulty 6 rather than difficulty 9. The five-point version of this Merit eliminates the need for a Willpower point; you can achieve partial transformation almost at will.

Perfect Balance (1 pt. Merit)
You have an uncanny knack for staying on your feet (two or four, depending on your form) either from natural talent or from long hours of training. Any rolls you make to attempt balance-related physical activities (e.g., Dexterity + Athletics for tightrope walking, maneuvering across ice, mountain climbing, or rock scaling) are at –2 difficulty.

Wolf Sight (1 pt. Merit)
In all your forms, you see colors and intensities of light as a wolf does. Your color vision is slightly less distinct than that of humans, though you embrace the full spectrum of colors. Your night vision, however, far surpasses human nocturnal vision. You also notice movement more readily. You gain an extra die to all visually-based Perception rolls that involve movement or take place at night.

Bad Taste (2 pt. Merit)
You are gamey to the palate and revolting to the taste buds; plainly put, you taste nasty. Anyone who bites you (vampires, Garou, fomori, Wyrm monsters) is immediately nauseated. The biter must spend a Willpower point or retch uncontrollably for a scene. There is a drawback, however: lupus Garou and wolves are unlikely to lick or groom you, and even affectionate nibbles are affected by your foul flavor.

Fair Glabro (2 pt. Merit)
You have a Glabro form that can pass for human, though it’s still larger than normal people. You have no penalties to Social Attributes in Glabro form.

Lack of Scent (2 pt. Merit)
You either have no scent at all or only a very faint odor. Any humans, animals, or Garou who attempt to track you by scent have a +2 difficulty to do so. You may find it difficult to deal with lupus Garou or wolves, as they tend to mistrust your lack of a “natural” scent.

Physically Impressive (2 pt. Merit)
You appear dangerous both in outward demeanor and in physical bearing, and exude a confidence that impresses opponents. Add one die to all Social rolls that involve intimidation.

Daredevil (3 pt. Merit)
You excel at taking risks and have a talent for surviving them. When attempting exceptionally risky non-combat actions (such as leaping from rooftop to rooftop thirty stories above the ground), you may add three additional dice to your rolls. In addition, you may negate a single botch die on those rolls. Generally, an action must be at least difficulty 8, and with the potential to inflict at least three health levels of damage if failed, to qualify for this bonus.

Long-Distance Runner (3 pt. Merit)
Through practice and/or innate skill, you have developed your ability to run very fast for a very long time. You can run at double your normal running speed for one hour per dot you possess in Stamina. This Merit is very popular with Silent Striders. You must have at least four dots in Stamina to purchase this Merit.

Natural Weapons (3 or 4 pt. Merit)
You are greatly in tune with your wolf physique. Your balance and physical acuity in Lupus form are greater than in Homid form. Subtract one from the difficulty of any attack roll with an innate natural weapon (e.g., claw, bite, kick, etc.) when in Lupus form. However, add one to the difficulty of any such attacks made while in Homid form. There is no change to your attack rolls in other forms. This Merit costs 3 points for lupus or metis characters, and 4 points for homid Garou.

Huge Size (4 pt. Merit)
You stand close to 7’ tall and may weigh as much as 400 pounds in your Homid form; your other forms are also proportionately huge. This Merit gives you an extra health level, which acts as an additional Bruised health level for purposes of calculating damage and wound penalties. Of course, with your immense size comes other problems (blending into a crowd, finding clothes that fit, fitting into an airplane seat, etc.).

Metamorph (7 pt. Merit)
Shapechanging for you is as easy as breathing. You do not need to roll to change forms, nor is it necessary to spend a Rage point for an instantaneous shift. You make your changes as if you scored five successes on your roll to shift forms. If you lose consciousness from wounds or for some other reason, you may roll Wits + Primal Urge (difficulty 8) to choose which form you assume rather than reverting to breed form.



Common Sense (1 pt. Merit)
You have an abundance of plain, everyday common sense (which is often not so common among humans or Garou). Whenever you’re about to do something counter to common sense, the Storyteller may step in and advise you that you’re about to do something that your character would recognize as foolhardy. This Merit is particularly recommended for novice players still coming to grips with the world of Werewolf and its dangers.

Computer Aptitude (1 pt. Merit)
You are familiar with and talented in the uses of computer equipment. All rolls involving computers (hardware, software, or operations) are at –2 difficulty for you.

Concentration (1 pt. Merit)
You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances. Characters with this Merit are unaffected by any circumstantial penalties that otherwise might affect their dice pools or difficulty ratings (e.g., nearby gunfire, overpowering aromas, or hanging upside down).

Expert Driver (1 pt. Merit)
You drive like you were born behind the wheel. All difficulties on driving rolls are reduced by two.

Language (1 pt. Merit) This may be bought after character generation for 2xp
You know a language in addition to your native one. You can take this Merit multiple times, each reflecting a different language. Spirit Speech is a Gift and cannot be learned using this Merit. Garou are not required to use this Merit to purchase Garou Tongue or lupine communication; those are considered to come as naturally to them along with their native homid language.

Lightning Calculator (1 pt. Merit)
You have a natural affinity with numbers and mental calculations, making you a natural when working with finance, estimating at a glance, computing odds, figuring complex variable equations, and the like. All rolls where mental math comes into play are made with a –2 difficulty. Another possible use for this Merit is figuring the odds of success or failure of a particular endeavor, assuming you have sufficient data upon which to base your calculations. In appropriate situations, you may ask the Storyteller for the difficulty of a task you are about to undertake before committing to the effort.

Mechanical Aptitude (1 pt. Merit)
You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices (note that this aptitude does not extend to electronic devices, such as computers, or anything that does not work predominantly through moving parts). The difficulties of all dice rolls to understand, repair, or operate any kind of mechanical device are reduced by 2. However, this Merit does not help you drive any sort of vehicle; once you’re behind the wheel, you’re on your own.

Time Sense (1 pt. Merit)
You have an innate sense of time and are able to estimate the passage of time accurately without using a watch or other mechanical device, even after long periods of unconsciousness. This allows you to know (among other things) what phase the moon is in.

Berserker (2 pt. Merit)
You have uncanny control over your inner anger, and can use your Rage as most Garou cannot. You can enter a berserk frenzy at will, ignoring your wound penalties. You still suffer the consequences of any actions committed in the throes of frenzy. When circumstances might cause you to frenzy, you must make a standard roll to see if you do so or not.

Code of Honor (2 pt. Merit)
You have a rigid personal code of ethics to which you adhere. The specifics of this code must be worked out with the Storyteller prior to play, and the character must follow it strictly. Characters with this Merit gain two additional dice to all Willpower rolls when acting in accordance with their code (e.g., defending the helpless) or when attempting to avoid violating their code. You may choose something already established (the Litany is a common Code of Honor amongst Garou) or create your own list of moral and ethical dos and don’ts with your Storyteller’s approval.

Eidetic Memory (2 pt. Merit)
You remember, with perfect detail, things you see and hear. Documents, photographs, conversations, etc., can be committed to memory with only minor concentration, as can complicated trails, complex scents, or detailed howls. Under stressful conditions involving numerous distractions, you must make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 6) to summon enough concentration to absorb what your senses detect.

Inner Strength (2 pt. Merit)
You have the grit of a true survivor. In a crisis, your deep reserve of determination gets you through. Reduce the difficulty of Willpower rolls by two if struggling against overwhelming odds.

Natural Linguist (2 pt. Merit)
You have a flair for languages. Add three dice to any dice pool involving written or spoken language, and each purchase of the Language Merit gives you two languages instead of just one.

Seldom Sleeps (2 pt. Merit)
Whether due to a strong constitution, a frenetic nature, or even a hint of ancestral magic in your blood, you require significantly less sleep than the average Garou. While rest is still required after exertion, sleep is seldom necessary. One hour a night is fine, and even an hour every three days won’t make you more than a little blearyeyed. You are not immune to sleep-causing supernatural effects, and you must still rest (no combat and no efforts requiring rolls) after using taxing rituals or Gifts. You are not always perky, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed, but you suffer no penalties or ill effects from remaining awake for extended periods.

Calm Heart (3 pt. Merit)
You remain calm and collected even in the most trying of circumstances. You receive two extra dice when attempting to resist frenzy.

Iron Will (3 pt. Merit)
You have a tremendous ability to resist outside attempts to take over your mind. You receive three extra dice to resist attempts to manipulate your mind, and may spend a Willpower point to shake off the direct mental control of a vampire. This Merit works only against direct mental control, not emotional manipulation; Gifts that induce frenzy still have the usual chance to succeed, for instance.

Jack-Of-All-Trades (3 pt. Merit)
You have a little knowledge about a lot of things. If making a roll on a Skill you do not possess, you do not suffer the usual penalty to the roll’s difficulty. You may attempt a roll on a Knowledge that you do not possess, although the difficulty for the roll is raised by 2. Only homid or metis characters may take this Merit.

Self-Confident (5 pt. Merit)
You are so sure of your own abilities that when you expend Willpower to gain an automatic success on an endeavor, you have a chance to gain the benefit of that expenditure without actually losing the Willpower. When you spend Willpower for an automatic success, you do not actually lose it unless the auto-success is the only one garnered in the roll. This Merit may only be used in challenging situations, that is, when the difficulty of your roll is six or higher. You may spend Willpower for an automatic success at other times, but if your difficulty is five or less, the Willpower will be spent regardless of what you roll.

Untamable (5 pt. Merit)
You are a wild soul who has never bent to the leash. You are immune to vampiric Domination (but not emotional manipulations via Presence) and these Gifts will not work on you: Roll Over, Obedience, and Mastery.


Family Support (1 pt. Merit)
Your family knows what you are and accepts your new life wholeheartedly. Perhaps your parents are Kinfolk and have prepared themselves for the potential that you might be a full Garou. However they need not be actual Kin (of the sort purchased through the Kinfolk Background); they may not understand what you’ve become, but still believe you are “special” or “gifted.” While you can’t assume they
will risk themselves for you or your pack, you can rely on their moral support and understanding — and maybe a place to crash on occasion.

Favor (1 to 3 pt. Merit)
You have earned the favor of someone more powerful than yourself because of something you did in the past. Work out with your Storyteller who exactly owes you the favor — perhaps an elder of your sept, an influential member of your tribe, or even a powerful pack of Garou. A 1-point Merit indicates that you provided a minor service; a 2-point Merit means that you have done something significant for them; a 3-point Merit probably means that you saved their life (or the life of someone important to them). You can ask for (and expect to receive) a similar level of favor in return. You can only call in this favor once; after that, your previous service holds no particular sway. While it stands, however, other Garou may know that someone important is indebted to you and react to you accordingly.

Pitiable (1 pt. Merit)
Something about you makes others look at you as if you are deserving of their pity. Perhaps they see you as still a cub, despite your age or experience. You gain one die on Social rolls when actively playing up your pitiable nature. Wheedling someone into helping you would be appropriate; intimidating them into submission would not. Final word rests with the Storyteller in regards to when this Merit’s benefit may be used.

Camp Goodwill (1 pt. Merit)
You have earned the attention and favor of a particular Garou tribal camp (see pg. 491). Perhaps you’ve done them a favor, or maybe they’re trying to recruit you. Regardless, all Social rolls when interacting with that camp are made at –1 difficulty. You may not be a member of this camp when you first take this Merit, although you can become recruited into the camp during play at the Storyteller’s
discretion. You may take this Merit multiple times for different camps, and may take it for tribal camps other than your own tribe, each with the Storyteller’s approval.

Animal Magnetism (2 pt. Merit)
Others of your breed (humans if you’re homid, wolves if you’re lupus; metis should pick either humans or wolves, not Garou) find you especially attractive. Your rolls to attract, persuade, charm, or seduce those individuals is at –2 difficulty. This effect does not apply to threatening or intimidating actions.

Natural Leader (2 pt. Merit)
You were born with a strength of bearing to which others naturally defer. You receive two extra dice when making Leadership rolls. You must have a Charisma of 3 or greater to purchase this Merit.

Notable Heritage (2 pt. Merit)
Your direct family line is particularly renowned, either in Garou society or in the human world. You must choose (with your Storyteller’s approval) which world your heritage relates to, and detail your family line accordingly. You are at –1 difficulty to all Social rolls when working in the appropriate society (with Garou and Kinfolk who are aware of werewolf society, or when dealing with humans
who are aware of your heritage). You are expected to live up to your lineage’s reputation. If you fail to do so, you may find the Merit dwindling over time as stories of your own failings begin to outweigh the high regard your family receives. This Merit may not be taken by Bone Gnawers.

Reputation (2 pt. Merit)
Your reputation among the Garou of your sept does you credit. You may have earned this good name independently, or through the actions of your pack. When you deal with the Garou of your sept, you gain three extra dice to your Social dice pools. Reputation should not be confused with Renown; you may have a good “name” with your sept while possessing relatively little Renown. You may not take the Flaw: Notoriety.

Supporter (2 pt. Merit)
You inspire all around you to greater efforts. Whether by speaking, writing, or leading by example, you give anyone who works with you reason to go on and hope of success. You have a –2 difficulty on Social rolls, and you give any group effort +1 to its total dice pool.

Noted Messenger (3 pt. Merit)
Legends and Elders have used your services to deliver their important words. You may have even been called upon to carry messages of peace (or war) between the Nation and outside forces. Because of your reputation as a reliable messenger, you can pass through other Garou territories without your presence causing offense, and you may be allowed into any sept (or other locale where your reputation is respected, such as spirit courts or Fera holdings) unchallenged, as long as you carry a message for someone residing there. However, you are expected to behave in accordance with your reputation; if you take offensive actions, act indiscreetly, or speak rudely while in the line of duty, it may affect how you are treated (and may cause the Storyteller to deem that you lose this Merit).

Supernatural Companion (3 pt. Merit)
You have a friend or ally who happens to be a vampire, mage, wraith, changeling, or other non-werewolf supernatural creature. Although you may call upon her in time of need, she also has the right to call upon you (after all, you are friends). This relationship, however, does not have the sanction of your kind or hers, and you’ll likely face scandal — or worse — if you are found out. Meeting places and methods of communication are always risky. The Storyteller creates and controls your companion, but does not reveal to you her full powers (or secret motivations).


Ancestor Ally (1 pt. Merit)
One of your ancestor spirits is particularly close to you. You have –2 to your difficulty to contact this ancestor via your Ancestors Background. Flesh out your special ancestor with a name, personality characteristics, significant abilities or powers, details about her life, and her reputation among Garou. To purchase this Merit, you must have Ancestors as a Background.

Moon-Bound (1 pt. Merit)
You are more in tune with your auspice than most Garou. When Luna waxes in your auspice, you receive one extra die to each of your rolls. Correspondingly, when Luna wanes in your auspice, you receive one less die to every roll.

Spirit Magnet (1 pt. Merit)
You naturally attract the attention of the spirits whenever you cross the Gauntlet into the Umbra. Most of the time, the Umbral inhabitants are simply curious, gathering around you to see who you are and what you’re doing in their “neck of the woods.” Occasionally you attract more than you bargained for — Banes are also likely to come calling. None of the spirits who collect in your vicinity are under your command unless you use a Gift that allows you to command them or influence them in some way.

Danger Sense (3 pt. Merit)
You’ve got a knack for knowing when something bad is about to happen. When you are in danger but not aware of it, the Storyteller should make a secret roll against your Perception + Alertness; the difficulty corresponds to the immediacy of the danger. If the roll succeeds, you are given a sense of foreboding. Multiple successes may refine the feeling and give an indication of direction, distance, or
nature of the threat.

Lucky (3 pt. Merit)
You enjoy some special favor from Gaia or some other powerful spirit. You may re-roll any three failed rolls per story, including botches, but you may try only once per failed roll.

Natural Channel (3 pt. Merit)
You find crossing the Gauntlet easier than many of your fellow Garou. The difficulty for stepping sideways is one less for you.

True Love (4 pt. Merit)
You have a true love — a Kinfolk, human, wolf, or perhaps even another Garou. Simply the knowledge that this individual exists provides joy and strength to you even in the darkest hour. The Wyrm may be winning, the battle may be endless, but you know there is something beyond the esoteric to keep fighting for. When you are suffering, the thought of your true love gives you strength. In game terms, this Merit allows you one automatic success on any Willpower roll, but only when you are actively striving to protect or come closer to your true love. Also, the power of your love may be strong enough to protect you from other supernatural forces (at the Storyteller’s discretion). However, having a true love may also be a hindrance, and they may require aid (or even rescue) from time to time. True Love between Garou (even if it is not acted upon) may be seen as near-enough to a breach of the Litany to cause scorn or even scandal if it is suspected by others, making it appropriate justification for a Dark Secret Flaw as well.

Silver Tolerance (7 pt. Merit)
You are blessed with an extremely unusual tolerance toward silver. You may soak silver damage in any form at difficulty 8, although this does not change the type of damage that silver does.