Psychological Merits and Flaws

These Merits and Flaws deal with the psychological makeup of your character. More than simple personality
quirks, they detail overpowering motivations, ideals or pathologies. Some Psychological Flaws can be
temporarily ignored by spending a Willpower point and are noted as such. If you take such a Flaw and don't
roleplay it when the Storyteller thinks you should, then he may tell you that you have spent a point of
Willpower for the effort. Flaws cannot be conveniently ignored.

Merit Cost Location Page

Berserker 2 Werewolf Players Guide 17
Berserker 2 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 10
Code of Honor 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 10
Fearlessness 1/3 World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 107
Gall 2 Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 52
Higher Purpose 1 The Book of Shadows 31
Inner Strength 2 Black Furies Tribebook 44
Unpossessed 5 Freak Legion: A Players Guide to Fomori 23

Flaw Bonus Location Page

Addiction 1-3 The Book of Shadows 30
Bitter 2 Wendigo Tribebook 48
Burned Out 1 Children of Gaia Tribebook 54
Compulsion 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 10
Compulsion 2-4 World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 108
Compulsion 1 Werewolf Players Guide 17
Curiosity 2 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Dark Secret 1 Werewolf Players Guide 17
Dark Secret 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 10
Deranged 3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Driving Goal 3 Werewolf Players Guide 17
Driving Goal 3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Flashbacks 3 The Book of Shadows 31
Geas 1-7 Fianna Tribebook 48
Harano 5 Silver Fangs Tribebook 48
Hatred 3 Werewolf Players Guide 17
Hatred 3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 12
Hubris 3 Silver Fangs Tribebook 48
Inferiority Complex 1 Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 52
Intolerance 1 Werewolf Players Guide 17
Intolerance 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 10
Lifesaver 3 The Book of Shadows 32
Low Self Image 2 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Low Self-Image 2 Werewolf Players Guide 17
Masochist 1 Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 52
Naïve 1 Children of Gaia Tribebook 54
Nightmares 1 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Nightmares 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 10
Obsession 2 The Book of Shadows 31
 Overconfident 1 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Overconfident 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 10
Pack Mentality 2 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Pack Mentality 2 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Pain of the Past 4 Fianna Tribebook 48
Phobia 1/3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Phobia (mild) 1 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Phobia (severe) 3 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Proselytizer 1 Children of Gaia Tribebook 54
Sadism/Masochism 2 The Book of Shadows 31
Short Fuse 2 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Short Fuse 2 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Shy 1 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Shy 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Shy 1 World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 108
Soft-hearted 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Speech Impediment 1 Werewolf Players Guide 18
Speech Impediment 1 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11
Territorial 3 Werewolf Players Guide 19
Territorial 3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 12
Ulterior Motive 2 Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 52
Vengeance 2 Werewolf Players Guide 19
Vengeance 2 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 11

Addiction: (1-3 pt Flaw) You are addicted to any one of a variety of things. A one point Flaw would be a mild
addiction to a easily attained substance, such as caffeine, nicotine or alcohol. A two point Flaw would be either
a severe addiction to any easily-obtained substance or any "mild" drug, such as pain killers, sleeping pills or
marijuana. A three point Addiction involves the heavy street drugs or hard-to-find drugs. The need for these
drugs varies from once a day for some drugs to two to three times a day for others, depending on the strength of
the drug and the addiction.
If, for whatever reason, you are denied access to the drug, you lose the number of dice equal to the level of
your addiction (one, two or three) until you receive your "fix." If you are deprived of the drugs for an extended
length of time, you will be forced to make a Willpower check (difficulty of 4 for the first day, + 1 for each
additional day). If you fail, you will forgo everything and forcibly go seeking the drug. This would be an easy
way for you to be either controlled or forced to do favors for your supplier, especially if the drug is hard to
obtain due to its rarity or price,

Berserker: (2 pt Merit) You feel the rage burning inside you, and you know how to use and direct it against
your enemies. You have the ability to frenzy at will and, thus, are able to ignore your wound penalties.
However, any acts you commit during frenzy have consequences, just as they would otherwise. Also, you have
the same chance of going into frenzy even when you don't wish to do so.

Bitter: (2 pt Flaw) You exceed even your fellow Wendigo in bitterness, anger over the state of the tribe, the
world or your Kin. Perhaps you were raised on a native reservation in extreme poverty, or your spent the first
years of your life in a wolf pack evading hunters. Whatever the reason — and there may be no direct reason —
you get angry easily at individuals whom you perceive to be the cause of your problems: wasichu, hunters,
Horned Serpent People, etc. You are at a -1 difficulty to frenzy when in their presence.
Burned Out: (1 pt Flaw) You’ve fought the good fight for too long and lost one battle too many. It has taken its
toll on your soul, and you’re ready to give up. Too many times has evil won over your crusades. If anyone starts
shoving that peace and love crap down your throat one more time, you just might snap. This Flaw doesn’t mean
you’ve given up entirely, just that you’re more cynical than you used to be, and more prone to frenzy when
things don’t go your way.

Code of Honor: (1 pt Merit) You have a strict personal code of ethics that you cannot ignore. You can
automatically resist most temptations that would bring you in conflict with your code. When battling
supernatural persuasion (mind magick, vampiric Domination, etc.) that would make you violate your code,
either you gain three extra dice to resist or your opponent's difficulties are increased by 2 (Storyteller's choice).
You must construct your own personal code of honor in as much detail as you can, outlining the general rules of
conduct by which you abide. An obvious choice might be adherence to the Litany, but personal codes and
commitment can vary widely.

Compulsion: (1 pt Flaw) You have some sort of psychological compulsion that can cause you a number of
different problems. Your compulsion may be for cleanliness, perfection, bragging, stealing, gambling,
exaggeration or just talking. The only way to avoid your compulsion temporarily is to spend a Willpower point
(Storyteller's discretion as to how long you resist the urge), but it is in effect at all other times.

Curiosity: (2 pt Flaw) You're a naturally curious person and you find mysteries of any sort irresistible. In most
circumstances, alas, your curiosity easily overrides your common sense. To resist the temptation, make a Wits
roll. The difficulty is 5 for simple things ("I wonder what's in that cabinet?") but can rise as high as 9 in intense
circumstances ("I wonder where this Moon Bridge leads to. I'd better check it out. What could possibly go
wrong?

Dark Secret: (1 pt Flaw) You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment
to you and would make you a pariah in the Garou community. It can be anything from having murdered an
elder to having been seduced into an affair with a Black Spiral Dancer. While this secret is on your mind at all
times, it will come up in stories only once in a while, but when it does, watch out.

Deranged: (3 pt Flaw) Due to circumstances beyond your control, you are permanently insane. You may have a
congenital brain disorder, or perhaps you saw things you weren't meant to see, and the experience drove you
mad. Choose a Derangement for your character; although you can temporarily overcome this insanity with
Willpower, you can never permanently rid yourself of its grip. Metis can take this Flaw as their deformity.

Driving Goal: (3 pt Flaw) You have a personal goal that compels and directs you in sometimes startling ways.
The goal is always limitless in depth and can never truly be achieved. It could be to reform the Black Spiral
Dancers or to make amends for your the War of Rage. Because you must work toward your goal throughout the
chronicle (though you can avoid it for short periods by spending Willpower) it continually gets you into trouble
and may jeopardize other goals; other Garou probably don't share your vision, and they may look down on you
as being distracted from the true war. Choose your goal carefully, as it's sure to direct and focus everything your
character does.

Fearlessness: (1-3 pt Merit) Like the eagle, which stares into the blinding sun rather than back down, you fear
nothing and nobody. Yours is the heart of the lion who fights the dragon to a standstill despite his hatred of fire.
In game terms, you easily resist all attempts to frighten and intimidate you and yours. Facing supernatural
threats or fear-based magick, your effective Willpower is increased by two. For one point, you have one fear
that negates this Merit (an elephant's fear of the mouse, for example); for three points, you fear nothing.

Flashbacks: (3 pt Flaw) You are prone to flashbacks if you are in either high pressure situations or
circumstances that are similar to the event that caused the flashback itself. The flashback does not have to be
combat-oriented. Either positive or negative stimulation could result in a flashback episode. The repeated use of
drugs has been proven to cause a wide range of hallucinations, and in the right circumstances, the mind could
flashback to any one of them. Emotional anxiety and stress are the usual catalysts for the flashbacks to begin.
Flashing back to a good and happy vision can be just as dangerous or distracting as suddenly flashing to
being surrounded by demons. The flashbacks can be caused by almost any trauma — torture, extended combat
or repeated drug experimentation. During the flashback, you are not aware of what is really around you. Even
people speaking to you will be viewed as people or objects from the vision. You can mistake men for women,
people for animals and even inanimate objects for people. To you, reality has shifted, and you are back there
again.

Gall: (2 pt Merit) Audacity, guts, pluck — whatever it's called, you've got it. You aren't afraid to stand up to
anyone, from naughty children to tribal leaders. This isn't brash, foolhardy behaviour; you're still polite, after
all. You simply don't get the shakes when the Silver Fang Ahroun comes over to speak to you. Many
werewolves and Kin respect you for your honesty and forthrightness. Add an extra die to any Social roll
involving a display of backbone.

Geas: (1-7 pt Flaw) A Fianna may take a Geas, or prohibition, as a Flaw. If she violates this prohibition, she
loses the ability to shift forms or suffers some other penalty, such as -1 to all combat Dice Pools for a story. The
level of the Flaw depends on how common the Geas is and the nature of the penalty. The players and Storyteller
should feel free to create their own Geases.
• May not enter a city (2 to 3 pts, depending on the Chronicle).
• May not slay a fellow Garou, save for Black Spirals (2 pt).
• May not harm a fellow Garou, save for Black Spirals (3 to 4 pt).

Hatred: (3 pt Flaw) You have an unreasoning, total and virtually uncontrollable hatred of a certain thing. You
may hate an animal, a class of person, a situation — almost anything. You must make a frenzy roll whenever
faced with the object of your hatred. You constantly pursue opportunities to injure, destroy or control your
nemesis, so much so that your reason is clouded.

Higher Purpose: (1 pt Merit) All those who serve Gaea have some vision or idea of their path in life, but you
have a special commitment to it. Your chosen goal drives and directs you in everything. You do not concern
yourself with petty matters and casual concerns, because your higher purpose is everything. Though you may
sometimes be driven by this purpose and find yourself forced to behave in ways contrary to the needs of
personal survival, it can also grant you great personal strength. You gain two extra dice on any roll that has
something to do with this higher purpose. You need to decide what your higher purpose is. Make sure you talk
it over with the Storyteller first. (If you have the Flaw: Driving Goal, listed below, you cannot take this Merit.)

Harano: (5 pt Flaw) Garou of any tribe may suffer from the dread associated with Harano, but Silver Fangs are
particularly noted for carrying this great weight. Harano is an inexplicable gloom and inexpressible longing for
unnamable things; some say it is caused by the contemplation of Gaea's suffering. Garou who suffer from
Harano are prone to depression, lassitude and sudden mood swings. They may not act at all or may explode into
intense but ill-advised activity.
A player whose character suffers from Harano must make a Willpower roll each scene; if the roll fails, the
Garou plunges into Harano. While a Silver Fang suffers from Harano, his perceptions are distorted, and all Dice
Pools are reduced by one. If the Willpower roll botches, the character acquires a temporary Derangement
(Check the Silver Fang Tribebook for details).
Those who suffer from Harano may also have moments of lucidity with the expenditure of a Willpower point.
This lifts the gloom for as many hours as the character has permanent Willpower. Harano may also be dispelled
with some Gifts (Check the Silver Fang Tribebook for details). Harano is not necessarily permanent —
extraordinary Silver Fangs may free themselves from its grip after exceptional travails.
 Some Garou believe that the Silver Fangs' burden of Harano is greater than others' because the Fangs in some
way did more to cause Gaea's suffering than did the other tribes. Proposing such a theory is enough to provoke a
violent response from some Fangs; most are wise enough to keep silent on this matter.

Hubris: (3 pt Flaw) Hubris is not just overconfidence, but overweening pride and arrogance. You view the
'lesser tribes' with a haughty and judgmental stare. They, in return, are 'jealous and petty' when dealing with
you. You believe that you have a great destiny, that the Celestines blessed you upon birth. This may be true, but
you are still a snob. Most Garou consider you an egotistical, self-centered elitist; even other Silver Fangs
chastise you for your presumption. You suffer all the penalties of the Over-Confident Flaw (see The Werewolf
Players Guide), but receive no points for this flaw. What's more, your arrogance makes you unpopular and you
suffer +2 difficulty on all Social rolls when dealing with 'social inferiors'.

Inferiority Complex: (1 pt Flaw) Nope, you're not worthy. Never have been, never will be. You'll keep trying,
and tackle whatever task the Garou set you to, but even if you succeed and make a good job of it, it still won't
be good enough for you. In situations requiring you to take charge and strut your stuff, all your difficulties are
raised by one.

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 impossible odds.

Intolerance: (1 pt Flaw) You have an irrational dislike of a certain thing. It may be an animal, a class of person,
a situation or just about anything at all. You have a +2 difficulty on all dice rolls in which the object of dislike is
involved. Note that some dislikes may be too trivial or ridiculous to count — a dislike of Bavarian cream-filled
donuts or mechanical pencils, for instance, has no real dramatic value and shouldn't be allowed. The Storyteller
is the final arbiter of what you can pick to dislike. Garou cannot take an intolerance of the Wyrm; it's already a
common mindset and hardly a Flaw.

Lifesaver: (3 pt Flaw) You believe that human life is a sacred gift and will not take a person's life except in the
most extreme of circumstances. You may not ever willingly endanger the lives of innocents or in any way
participate in a killing. You have no problems with killing animals (for the right reasons), and will kill evil and
inhuman creatures to protect others if necessary. (Be very careful, however, with your definition of "evil"....)
Senseless death in all forms repulses you, and you feel that those who perform murder should be punished and
stopped.

Low Self Image: (2 pt Flaw) You just don't believe in yourself. You have two fewer dice in situations where
you don't expect to succeed (at the Storyteller's discretion, although he might limit this penalty to one die if you
do the brave thing and point out times when this Flaw could affect you). At the Storyteller's option, you may
have to make Willpower rolls to do things that require self-confidence, or even to use a Willpower point when
other players would not be obliged to do so.

Masochist: (1 pt Flaw) You like to suffer for the Garou! Pain, torture and ridicule are your meat and drink, so
you gladly volunteer for any venture that guarantees physical and mental agony;. Masochism goes beyond a
desire to prove worth and loyalty; your mind finds pleasure in it. Less caring werewolves take advantage of this
Flaw; wiser ones think you're sick in the head.

Naïve: (1 pt Flaw) You look at the world through the rose-coloured glasses of peace and love. Your privileged
upbringing (or massive psychological repression of abuse) makes you all too ready to accept others as kind and
caring. You are always the last to suspect foul play or bad intent on the part of another, and
this can get you in real trouble. On the other hand, this flaw often leads people of the Caregiver archetype to
take you under their wings with more fervor than usual.
Nightmares: (1 pt Flaw) You experience horrendous nightmares every time you sleep, and memories of them
haunt you during your waking hours. Sometimes, the nightmares are so horrific they cause you to lose one die
on all your actions during the following day (Storyteller's discretion). Some of the nightmares may be so intense
that you mistake them for reality; a crafty Storyteller is quick to take advantage of this Flaw.

Obsession: (2 pt Flaw) There is something you like, love or are fascinated by to the point where you often
disregard common sense to cater to this drive. You react positively to anything related to your obsession, even if
it's not in your best interests. For example, if you are obsessed with supernatural creatures, you will go out of
your way to talk to and befriend vampires, werewolves and stranger things, and find out as much as you can
about them, disregarding all warnings. If you are obsessed with Elvis, you have your house decorated with
velvet paintings and annoy your friends with your constant talk about the King. You don't necessarily believe
that Elvis is still alive, but you buy every supermarket tabloid that carries an article about him anyway. There
are many other obsessions, including British Royalty, guns, knives, football, roleplaying games... you know the
type.

Overconfident: (1 pt Flaw) You have an exaggerated and unshakable opinion of your own worth and capacities
— and you display no hesitation in trusting your abilities, even when you may be risking defeat. Because your
abilities may be inadequate , this Flaw can be very dangerous. When you fail, you're quick to find someone or
something to blame other than yourself. If you are convincing enough, you can infect others with your
overconfidence.

Pack Mentality: (2 pt Flaw) The pack is your life; without it, you are nothing. Your identity is so tied to that of
your pack that you always think in terms of "us" rather than "me." When in the presence of at least one
packmate, you receive a -1 on all pack tactics difficulties; when alone, you receive a +1 to all difficulties. You
are so dependent on your pack that sometimes you can't make decisions without them — even if you are the
alpha! The Storyteller may decide that you have to make a Willpower roll or even spend a Willpower point to
act on your own in a stressful situation.

Pain of The Past: (4 pt Flaw) You suffered terribly in a Past Life. Flashbacks haunt you continually, especially
when you are in pain. Whenever a Fianna with this Flaw takes damage, he must make a Willpower roll
(difficulty 6) to avoid collapsing from Past Life flashbacks of starvation or torture. This collapse only lasts for a
turn, but on a botch, it may last much longer. The Fianna must have the Past Life Background to purchase this
Flaw.

Phobia: (1 or 3 pt Flaw) You have an overpowering fear of something. You instinctively and illogically retreat
from the object of your fear, and you strain to avoid it. Common objects of phobias include certain animals,
insects, crowds, open spaces, confined spaces and heights. If you suffer from a mild phobia (1 point), you must
roll Willpower when you encounter the object of your fear. The Storyteller determines the difficulty of this roll;
if you get fewer than three successes, you refuse to approach the object or situation in question, and if you fail
this roll, you flee. If your phobia is severe (3 points), you must make a frenzy roll to avoid entering a fox frenzy
when you confront the object of your fear. The Storyteller has final say over which phobias are allowed in a
chronicle.

Phobia (Mild): (1 pt Flaw) You have an overpowering fear of something. You instinctively and illogically
retreat from and avoid the object of your fear. Common objects of phobias include certain animals, insects,
crowds, open spaces, confined spaces and heights. You must make a Willpower roll whenever you encounter
the object of your fear. The difficulty of this roll is determined by the Storyteller. If you fail the roll, you must
retreat from the object. The Storyteller has final say over which phobias are allowed in a chronicle.

Phobia (Severe): (3 pt Flaw) You have an overpowering fear of something. You instinctively and illogically
retreat from and avoid the object of your fear. Common objects of fear include certain animals, insects, crowds,
open spaces, confined spaces, heights and so on. If your phobia is severe (3 points), you must make a frenzy roll
to avoid entering a fox frenzy when you confront the object of your fear. The difficulty depends on the
circumstances. The Storyteller has final say over which phobias are allowed in a chronicle.

Proselytizer: (1 pt Flaw) You believe heavy in your cause and won’t rest until everybody else does too. This
can really help you at first, as the fire of your passion impresses others, but you just don’t let up, and this leads
others to grow annoyed fast. It can lead to fights if you go too far. If the Storyteller feels the player isn’t playing
this well, he can impose a Willpower point cost per scene the character does not try to win others to his side.

Sadism/Masochism: (2 pt Flaw) You are excited either by causing pain or receiving it. In many situations, you
will seek either to be hurt or hurt someone for your pleasure. For a masochist (someone who enjoys pain), your
soak roll for actual physical damage is increased by one because you really want to feel the pain. A sadist
(someone who likes to hurt others) must make a Willpower roll verses a 5 to stop combat (modified depending
on how much you are into the attack and how much you are enjoying hurting the other person). If you fail, you
are so caught up in the event that you are unaware of anything else happening around you,

Short Fuse: (2 pt Flaw) The difficulty of your frenzy rolls is always 2 lower, no matter how you might be
provoked. The Wyrm's touch on you is stronger than normal, and you naturally fall more easily into the "Thrall
of the Wyrm." This Flaw is a dangerous one; don't choose it lightly.

Shy: (1 pt Flaw) You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people, and you try to avoid social situations
whenever possible. All rolls concerned with social dealings are at +1 difficulty, and any roll you make while
your character is the center of attention is at +2 difficulty. Don't expect to make a public speech.

Soft-Hearted: (1 pt Flaw) You cannot stand to see others suffer; maybe you're truly compassionate, or maybe
you just dislike the intensity of their emotion. If you directly cause someone's suffering while that person is with
you, you experience days of nausea and sleepless grief. You avoid situations in which you might have to
observe suffering, and you will do anything possible to protect others from it as well. Whenever you must
witness true suffering, difficulties for all your rolls are at +2 for the next hour.

Speech Impediment: (1 pt Flaw) have a stammer or some other impediment that hampers spoken
communication (even in the Garou tongue of howls and growls). All relevant rolls are made at a +2 difficulty.
You aren't obliged to roleplay this impediment constantly, but you should attempt to simulate it in times of
stress or when dealing with strangers.

Territorial: (3 pt Flaw) don't like to leave your territory, nor do you like to have strangers enter it. In fact, you
get so nervous and disoriented while outside your territory that you are + 1 on all difficulties. In addition, you
must make a frenzy roll to keep yourself from attacking intruders who enter your territory, unless they obtain
your permission to do so.

Unpossessed: (5 pt Merit) A part of your soul still remains. The Bane has not fully possessed you, giving you
hope of one day shaking off its hold. However, if this were discovered by your masters, you would either be
killed, or sent back for full possession. Where can you get help? Who can you turn to? You must tread very
carefully — one wrong move and you will be destroyed.

Vengeance: (2 pt Flaw) You are out for revenge — perhaps the caern you belonged to was destroyed, Pentex
made your best friend into a fomori or someone brutally murdered one of your parents. This may be something
from your days before the Change, or its origins could be in some event from your life as a werewolf. Either
way, your obsession is wreaking vengeance on an individual (or perhaps an entire group), and you make it your
first priority in all situations. Your need for vengeance can be overcome only by spending Willpower points,
and even then, it subsides only temporarily. Someday, you may have your revenge, but the Storyteller won't
make it easy.