Totem Generation

By J.D. Pilling (apilling@lcc.net)

Introduction

I was alarmed when a player I Storytell for came to me with a Totem that he was interested in purchasing. For four Background points, he would be able to fly, shoot laser beams from his eyes and be impervious to bullets (well, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much). Regardless, I sat the player down and showed him how, although it would be amusing, it would also unbalance any type of serious game play. When asked for my recommendation of how to develop a Totem he was interested in, I began consulting the various Totems presented in the Werewolf: The Apocalypse source books. From the Totems listed (almost 100 in all), I created my own system.

In my own campaign, Totems are also characters, not some mindless animal that wanders on stage, farts, then grants the player-characters' pack mystic powers to take over the world. As characters, Totems have personalities and a profile (described below). However, it is important to note that a Totem is only a single aspect of a greater being or Incarna which can have numerous aspects. Thus, the death of a Totem (yes, it can happen, to the chagrin of many players) does not represent the death of the thing it represents (although this could lead to numerous philosophic discussions). The more in tune (the greater the number of Background and experience points invested) the pack becomes with a Totem, the stronger it becomes. However, the Totem is also bound to the strength of the pack so that the death of pack mates and the breaking of other connections weaken the Totem. In my campaign, the Totem loses the number of points the deceased member had invested in the Totem. What the starting strength of a Totem should be is a major concern for many Storytellers. The cost is a single indicator, but without a system to generate a cost it is difficult to determine how good an indicator cost is. The system below allows for the generating of Totems along the same lines that other characters are produced. Some of the material is taken directly from Werewolf: The Apocalypse (2nd Edition) "Totem" on pg. 113 which I highly recommend reading.

The Totem

Totem Name: What animal, concept, incarnation, etc. does the Totem represent?

Concept: Is the Totem a Totem of Cunning, Renown, Respect, War or Wisdom?

Background Cost: Determined by the strength of the Totem itself and the Traits it gives to the players.

Points Spent: Determined by the number of experience points spent by players to increase the strength of the Totem.

Rage, Gnosis and Willpower: All Totems have seven points to divide among the following three stats.

Power: All Totems begin with a base Power of 20.

Charms: All Totems begin with the Charms of Airt Sense and Reform.

At this point, you have developed a Totem that virtually any player can have for free. It does not do much, does not say a whole lot, will not show up very often (if ever) and could easily represent the Totem spirit of each tribe that shows up to welcome the player to the tribe and is rarely seen again.

However, players tend to be a little more demanding and want gifts and attention from the Totems their characters choose so they spend Background and experience points on them. These points can represent a stronger aspect of the spirit (one with more Rage, Gnosis, Willpower, Power or Charms, such as Materialize) or they can represent gifts from the Totem to the characters. To reward them for their efforts in gaining its attention, Totems award characters a wide range of Traits. Costs for these Traits are included as part of the Background Cost for the Totem. It is up to the Storyteller to determine if later experience points can be used to buy more Traits and at what cost. In my campaign, later experience can only be used to increase the strength of the Totem or to increase its influence with other spirits as per pg. 113 in the rule book.

For existing Totems, that do not seem to match up with the Background cost outlined below, simply augment their profiles or award them some of the advantages listed in the rule book. For example, being able to communicate with characters without forcing them to purchase the Gift: Spirit Speech will help players interact with their characters' Totem and will make life easier on the Storyteller. It is also important to realize that this should not be a system for players to abuse. If a character develops a Totem that threatens to unbalance the game, simply do not allow it.

Traits

Traits are Charms given by the Totem to the pack they have adopted or chosen to favor These Charms take the forms listed here:

Attributes: +3 per dot in Physical and +2 per dot in Social or Mental (+1 to cost if Attribute can exceed Homid maximums)

Abilities: +2 per 3 points worth of Abilities

Gifts: + (2 x the Gift's level)

Backgrounds: +1 per +1 Background point (The Totem Background is obviously off-limits), Rage, Gnosis or Willpower: +2 per 3 points of Rage, Gnosis or Willpower available per story. (This can only be taken once, and the type must be selected). +3 per 5 point of Rage, Gnosis or Willpower available per story (with the same restrictions as above). +3 per 3 points of Rage, Gnosis or Willpower that may be taken in any combination.

Renown: +1 per additional point of temporary Glory, Honor, or Wisdom the pack receives when Renown is awarded.

Miscellaneous: +3 per +1 Dice Pool(s) for wide categories of actions (such as combat). +1 per group that favors the pack. +1 per - 1 Difficulty modifier for given actions. +2+ Miscellaneous (Storytellers can incorporate other Traits, such as hibernation, at their own discretion, although such traits should be examined first to see if they correspond with existing Gifts).

Limitations

Note: These cannot reduce the cost of any Trait below 1).

Exclusions: -1. Restrictions on who can be chosen (Exclusion of certain tribes, auspices, or breed types). This can only be taken once per Totem.

Mantle: -1. Traits under the mantle may only be used by a single pack member at a time. The member must pass the mantle on before another can make use of the Traits incorporated in it. The limitation can be applied for each Trait under the mantle. There can only be one mantle for the Totem unless the pack buys the ability for more than one pack member to make use of the Traits.

Geographic: -2. Traits limited by geography will not work in certain locations. These locations should be fairly large and frequently encountered. As a rule, Malfeas and outer space do not make suitable geographic locations, although the Umbra, the Northern Hemisphere, and cities do. (This can only be taken once per Totem and affects all Traits granted.)

Time: Traits limited by time can only be used once in a given time frame. -1 for daily, -2 for weekly, -3 for once per moon cycle and -4 for yearly. (This can be applied to each Trait, but cannot be used in conjunction with Traits usable only once per story.)

Bans

Most Totems have at least one Ban to represent the price of their patronage. The more dangerous the Ban, the less characters will have to pay to follow the Totem.

Minor Bans: -0. The pack must never hunt, harm or eat totem animal or must provide minor gifts for such animals.

Average Bans: -1. The pack must provide aid to certain groups or Pack suffers Social or Renown penalties (-1 per + 1 Difficulty or -1 temporary Renown (Glory, Honor, or Wisdom) loss).

Major Bans: -2. The pack is forced to perform potentially dangerous actions (battling other Garou, preventing the actions of large human organizations, etc.).

Suicidal Bans: -3. The pack is forced to make sacrifices of self and possibly life (seeking out and doing battle with Nexus Crawlers, Wyrm Incarnas, or other nasties; the permanent sacrifice of a point of Willpower, Gnosis, Physical Attribute, or two Social or Mental Attributes).