NWoD Fantasy:merits

General Merits

General merits expand the existing list of merits available in the core rulebook. The merits are listed and described below:

Name	Effect	Cost
Arcane Training	Allows the use of Arcane order merits and powers	●
Armor Proficiency	Lower armor speed penalty by 3 and defense penalty by 1	●●●
Block Recovery	Don't forfeit attack action after blocking	●●
Clever Disarm	Disarm with brawl instead of weaponry	●●
Endurance	You do not tire easily	●
Die Hard	+2 to stamina rolls for going unconscious	●●
Exotic Proficiency	Allows the use of an exotic weapon or shield	●●
Fast Reload	Reduces reload action one step. Full>Instant>Move>Free	●●
Hafting	No penalty for using reach weapons at close range	●●
Scorpion Strike	Free attack on those entering your reach range	●●●●
Improved Shield bash	Retain blocking ability when initiating a shield attack	●●●●
Martial Training	Allows the use of Martial order merits and powers	●
Mounted Combat	Enables additional actions while mounted	●●●
Charge	Automatic 2 damage on a successful charge	●●●●
Ride-by-Attack	Move before and after an attack action	●●
Offhanded block	Use block with offhanded weapon instead of a shield	●●●●
Power attack	+1 dice on all-out attacks	●●
Improved grapple	+2 on all grappling checks	●●
Sunder	+2 dice on weapon and armor attacks	●●
Improved Sunder	9 again on weapon and armor attacks	●●●
Point blank shot	+1 ranged damage when firing at short range	●●●●
Longshot	Range on bows, crossbows, or throwing increased by 1.5x	●●
Precise Shot	Lower target's cover by 1 step	●●
Shot on the Run	Split your move over a ranged attack action	●●
Run	Move at x2 speed as a single action	●●●●
Two Weapon Defense	+1 defense when fighting with two weapons	●●●
Weapon Specialty	Chosen weapon type gains +1 bonus damage	●●●

*- unlike normal merits,“feat” merits have only prerequisite merits, other than that, the costs for each merit is separate, not cumulative, unless otherwise stated.

Arcane Training (●)

Effect: This merit allows the use of Arcane order specific merits and spells. This merit must be gained before any of said merits and spells are gained.

Armor Proficiency (●●●)

Effect: Taking this merit lowers the speed and defense penalty's for all armor, but not shields. The speed penalty of armor is lowered by 3 while the defense penalty is lowered by 1. This merit can lower penalty's to 0 but doesn't give a bonus to speed nor defense.

Block Recovery (●●)

Effect: When initiating a blocking maneuver, you no longer lose your next attack action.

Clever Disarm (●●●)

Effect: The clever disarm merit functions the same as disarm merit (pg. 110) in the nwod core rulebook but brawl is used instead of weaponry for disarming. Additionally, on a successful disarm the attacker can choose to take the weapon into her own hands.

Endurance (●)

Effect: This merit enables your character to withstand tiring feats of stamina. A character with this merit doesn't tire when running or walking extended distances and can outlast most mortals who don't have a similar resolve. Exact use and benefit of this merit falls under the ST's discretion.

Die Hard (●●)

Prerequisite: Endurance

Effect: This merit grants a +2 die bonus for saving against unconsciousness.

Exotic Proficiency (●●)

Effect: This merit provides the necessary training needed to wield an exotic weapon or shield. This merit may be taken multiple times, each time providing proficiency for a different weapon or shield.

Fast Reload (●●)

Effect: This merit allows a faster reload time with crossbows or otherwise. The merit lowers the action time of reloading by one step. The steps are from Full>Instant>Move>Free. For instance, a crossbow requires a move action to reload, and the merit would then lower the action to a free action.

Hafting (●●)

Effect: This merit allows the use of a reach weapon at close range without penalty. However, the defense bonus loss from reach weapons still applies at close range.

Scorpion Strike (●●●●●)

Prerequisite: Hafting

Effect: With this merit, whenever a enemy enters the range of your reach weapon you can score a free attack on them. This attack must be immediately used and cannot perform as an all-out-attack nor as any other combat action (like trip) other than a melee attack.

Improved Shield Bash (●●●●)

Effect: When making an attack with a shield, you retain your ability to block an incoming attack for that round. Additionally, add 1 to your die pool while using a shield to make a melee attack.

Martial Training (●)

Effect: This merit allows the use of Martial order specific Merits or 'Techniques'. This merit must be gained before any of said Merits are gained.

Mounted Combat (●●●)

Effect: Your character can ride a mount and perform an unrelated action (e.g., use a weapon, punch another passenger) in the same turn. Ride rolls may still be necessary for dangerous maneuvers or situations.

Charge (●●●●)

Prerequisite: Mounted Combat

Effect: When using a mount to charge an enemy, add 2 lethal damage to a successful attack while doing so. This damage is added in addition to the normal attack pool.

Ride-by-Attack (●●)

Prerequisite: Mounted Combat

Effect: This merit allows you to move both before and after a mounted melee attack. Total movement for the round can't exceed double your mounted movement.

Offhanded Block (●●●●)

Prerequisite: Fighting style: Two-weapons

Effect: This merit enables the use of block (as if with a shield) with a offhanded weapon. The effective “block” rating is equal to the offhanded weapon's damage bonus.

Power Attack (●●)

Effect: When performing an all out attack, add 3 dice to the attack pool instead of 2.

Improved Grapple (●●)

Prerequisite: Power attack

Effect: This merit adds 2 to the die pool of brawl checks made when initiating, maintaining or trying to perform maneuvers in a grapple.

Sunder (●●)

Prerequisite: Power attack

Effect: This merit awards 2 bonus dice to attack rolls made on weapons and armor.

Improved Sunder (●●●)

Prerequisite: Power attack, Sunder

Effect: Weapon attacks on weapons and armor gain the 9 again trait. Sundering weapons (such as the sword breaker) gain the 8 again trait instead.

Point Blank Shot (●●●●)

Effect: When using a ranged weapon at short range, gain 1 additional bonus dice to damage.

Long Shot (●●)

Prerequisite: Point blank shot

Effect: Range on bows, crossbows and thrown weapons is increased by 1.5x original amount.

Precise Shot (●●)

Prerequisite: Point blank shot

Effect: When firing at a target with cover, lower the cover level by 1 step. Complete> Substantial> Partial> Bare. (See cover pg. 162)

Shot on the Run (●●)

Prerequisite: Point blank shot

Effect: This merit allows you to move both before and after a ranged attack. Total movement cannot exceed your speed.

Run (●●●●)

Effect: This merit allows you to travel up to twice your speed as a single action or three-times your speed as a full action.

Two-weapon Defense (●●●)

Prerequisite: Fighting style: Two-weapons

Effect: This merit grants a +1 to defense when holding a weapon in each hand.

Weapon Specialty (●●●)

Effect: This merit grants +1 bonus damage with a specific weapon selected when this merit is bought.