Path of War

By David "Ogre" Zaslavsky (ogre@inx.net) (18 April 1996)

This path was created by Rudolpho Laspari, an Italian Tremere who was once one of the greatest soldiers of his time.

* Thousand Yard Stare

At this level the Kindered becomes hardened to violence and death just as a soldier in battle would. He automatically becomes hardened to the violence around him and becomes uncaring about the fact that he may be destroyed. His expression becomes neutral almost haunted, unaffected by his surroundings.

System: When affected by this power the recipient gets two extra dice to Courage and one extra to Self Control for the duration of the spell. He is less affected by violence and as a trained soldier will be less likely to go crazy and potentially blow the mission. However, he loses one die on all Conscience rolls as it is easier to justify inhuman actions in battle. The Thamaturgist rolls Willpower (diff. 7). The number of success determines the duration of the effect:

1 Success	One turn
2 Successes	One scene
3 Successes	One night
4 Successes	One lunar cycle
5+ Successes	One month

A botch will result in the character immediately going into Rotschreck.

** Sword Arm

With this power the Thamaturgist needs never be without a weapon. He can mystically turn his arm into a weapon.

System: The mage rolls Intelligence + Melee. The number of successes determines what how much damage his arm does in a strike:

1 Success	Strength + 2
2 Successes	Strength + 3
3 Successes	Strength + 4
4 Successes	Strength + 5
5+ Successes	Strength + 6

On a botch the character loses all his Melee and Brawl skills for one night. Attacks difficulty 6, but use the Melee skill to hit. Damage is non-aggravated. You cannot use this power in conjunction with Wolf Claws or a similar discipline to cause aggravated damage. The effect lasts for one scene.

*** Terror of the Battlefield

With this power the Thaumaturgist can induce the fear of battle and death in his opponents. The victim witnesses the death and destruction of battle. He will witness his own death at the hands of the Thaumaturgist.

System: In any being without a beast, all but Vampires and Werewolves and most Fomori, this power will cause him to simply not engage the opponent in battle. If there are other opponents, he will engage them instead, if there are no other opponents he will beat a hasty but organized retreat. He must roll willpower with the difficulty based on the results of the Thaumaturgist's Manipulation + Intimidation roll, diff. 6:

1 Success	Diff. 6
2 Successes	Diff. 7
3 Successes	Diff. 8
4 Successes	Diff. 9
5+ Successes	Diff. 10

With three successes on the willpower roll the victim has completely resisted. With one or two successes he will have to continue to roll willpower at the same difficulty every round he tries to engage the Thaumaturgist. With no successes he will retreat from the battle. With Vampires and Werewolves he must roll their Courage or Rage, respectively, difficulties based on the table above. If he fails the roll he has gone into Rotschreck or Fox Frenzy. If the Thaumaturgist fails the roll he will not be able to use Terror of the Battle for the rest of the night and he will never be able to effect his opponent with that power ever again.

**** Battle Cry

With this power the Thaumaturgist can affect all those around him with Terror of the Battlefield. Screaming as he attacks, all those within earshot, friend and foe, become affected by visions of death and destruction.

System: All those within the sound of the Thaumaturgist's cry are effected in the same way as if they were effected by Terror of the Battlefield. For every point of the Thaumaturgist's Strength + Potence, the scream will effect a 10 foot radius around the Thaumaturgist. All in the radius of the scream will be affected but the Thaumaturgist's friends get a +2 bonus on their difficulties to resist the effect.

***** Army of One

With this power the Thaumaturgist will be able to attack groups as though he were fighting with only one opponent. He can strike several individuals with one blow.

System: The Thaumaturgist rolls his Dexterity + Occult vs. difficulty 8. The number of successes determine how many additional opponents he can strike:

1-2 Success	1 Opponent
3-4Successes	2 Opponents
5 Successes	3 Opponents
6+ Successes	4 Opponents

The Thaumaturgist must expend one blood every time this power is used with an attack. Although the Thaumaturgist can split his die pool to attack more than once in one turn without expending blood to do so, he must spend additional blood to use this power if he gets additional attacks with celerity or similar powers. Once the opponents to be hit with the additional attacks are declared they cannot be changed if die pool is split for further attacks. Once the attack is declared, only punches, kicks, claws or attacks with melee weapons may used in conjunction with this power; the Thaumaturgist must roll separately to hit each, but with the same attack. If opponents, other than the primary opponent, have rolled a dodge they are at a two die penalty as they cannot see from where the attack is coming from or that there is even an attack in the first place, and must reroll the dodge less two dice. Damage is dealt with separately for every opponent hit. Once the Thaumaturgist has declared that he is using this power he may not split his die pool in any way other than splitting his attacks. He may not try to dodge or commit any other action for that attack.