New Tactics

## Behaviorism

**Prerequisites:** All: Empathy 3, Intelligence 2. Partial (1): Academics or Science 3, Psychology Specialty in Academics, Medicine, or Science.

**Requires:** 3

**Dice Pool:** Primary: Wits+Empathy. Secondary: Manipulation+Subterfuge vs Composure+Empathy

**Action:** Extended

A hunter benefits from being able to predict how an Enemy will react. But most of the time, the only way to find out is in the field. Hence, the Behavioral Profiling Tactic was invented.

Behavioral Profiling works on a simple principle: a target is kept in an observable environment (which may call for other rolls; anything from Weaponry to Socialize), exposed to various stimuli by the secondary actors, and observed by the primary actor. Using the target's behavior, the Cell gains an idea of how the target will react to those same stimuli in the "wild". It's not a perfect setup; most of the Enemy are smarter than caged animals, but it's good enough to get some idea of how something will behave if encountered. One roll is made each hour.

**Organizations:** An empirical approach to the Vigil is in keeping with Null Mysteris's usual methods. VASCU is limited in what they can (constitutionally) do to captured Slashers, but has an extensive library of recorded interrogations.

**Possible Modifiers:** The target is of animal or lower intelligence (+2). The target is on speaking terms with a secondary actor (+3 to secondary actor). The target suffers a breaking point during the Tactic (+1). The target is aware of the Cell's goal and not cooperating (-3). The target is physically prevented from leaving (-1). The target is psychologically alien (-2).

**Dramatic Failure:** A dramatic failure by the hunters results in the Enemy escaping or injuring one of them. Alternately, the hunters become dangerously misinformed about how the target behaves.

**Failure:** No progress is made. Three consecutive failures is identical to a dramatic failure.

**Success:** Progress is made on determining how this Enemy reacts.

**Exceptional Success:** The Cell accidentally discovers something important about the target. They may gain the Informed Condition or place the Leveraged Condition on the target. Otherwise, the extra successes are their own reward.

Once the Cell has accumulated a number of successes equal to twice the target's Composure+Subterfuge, they have a good idea of how this target will react if they can produce the same effects. Choose one:

* The hunters learn about one kind of compulsion the target suffers, such as a vampire's frenzy or a spirit's Bans.
* The target's player must answer the question of how the target would react in a given situation, and must spend 1 Willpower point to do otherwise for the remainder of the story.

**To Purchase:** 5 Practical Experience. 3 for VASCU. 2 for Null Mysteris.

## Sabotage

**Prerequisites:** All: Science 1, Crafts 1. Partial (2): Strength 2 (secondary). Partial (1): Intelligence 2 Crafts 3 or Crafts 2 with a specialty in Demolitions or the specific type of machine (primary).

**Requires:** 3

**Dice Pool:** Primary: Intelligence+Crafts. Secondary: Strength+Crafts

**Action:** Instant or Extended.

Not all of the opponents a hunter faces are magical, and even some magical opponents rely on technological or super-science tricks. But there's a downside to using tech; rather than being an intrinsic part of you (well, usually...) it's something that can be taken away or broken. Against an Enemy who relies on machinery, a Cell has the option of wrecking it.

Using Sabotage is deceptively simple. The primary actor points out what needs to be broken, and the secondary actors break it. This can be either an Instant or Extended action: Instant if there's only one thing that needs busted, Extended if a room full of computers or a factory floor of automata need smashed. There is, however, a special case: an attempt to break a device that is carried by or is or is part of a creature (such as a gauss-pistol, a killbot, or a cyborg arm). In this case, the primary actor's roll is treated as an attack roll (usually Bashing if unarmed or Lethal if armed; can be Aggravated on an Exceptional Success) subject to Defense, Armor, and the usual penalties for any called shots required.

**Organizations:** Ned Ludd was a hero of the workers, and the Union emulates him when fighting mad scientists and other tech-using monsters. The Nimrod Movement specializes in subverting and destroying pieces of the God-Machine, and often have cause to wreck Infrastructure.

**Possible Modifiers:** The technology is fragile or primitive (+2). The technology is beyond human ken (-2). The "technology" is actually magical in nature, or the Tactic is used against something that is not actually technological (-1). The technology is sturdy, multiply redundant, or otherwise protected against tampering (-3).

**Dramatic Failure:** A fire breaks out, the noise draws attention, or some other disaster occurs.

**Failure:** Nothing important is damaged. Either every swing misses, or only superficial damage is inflicted.

**Success:** On an Instant action, damage is inflicted equal to the successes scored and the device is impaired or disabled until the damage is repaired. On an Extended action, successes are accumulated toward wrecking all devices needed.

**Exceptional Success:** The hunters can apply a bonus effect to the Tactic, such as rigging devices to fail at a particular time, appear functional until used, or fail explosively. Otherwise, the extra successes are their own reward.

**To Purchase:** 3 Practical Experience. 2 for the Union and the Nimrod Movement.

**Note:** A variant of this Tactic exists for dealing with magical effects linked to a specific place or object. The principle is similar, but substitute Occult for Crafts (and Geomancy or Artifacts, as appropriate, for Demolitions) and alter the modifiers appropriately. Its associated organizations are the Brotherhood of All Worlds and the Temple of Silence