House Rules

These rules are either universal mechanics, or limited to single character types.

Difficulty Threshold
There's variation in the different games on what the minimum difficulty is. In WP, it's 3, for all of them.

Restricted character types and what that means.
On the various character creation pages some character types are listed as restricted what this means is that characters of these types should be brought up with and talked over with the ST for that venue before that character type is apped. It could mean that very few of that type of character is going to be allowed, or that some special creation rules are involved. If you want a restricted type character please make sure you talk the appropriate ST.

Regarding Long term NPC characters.
NPC characters that are going to be around for more then a couple of scenes, are going to be part of plot, either room wide or personal, and have a chance of coming into conflict with PC characters needs to have sheets, these sheets need to be approved by the room staff. This does not include one time baddies that are there for a combat scenes and then dead, but applies to long term villains.

Experience
Each approved character receives 2xp per week automatically. In addition, 4xp is awarded for up to 2 RP logs posted to the message board. If the logs are part of a continuing plot run by a player, that player's PC gets an additional 1xp for that log.

Merits and flaws
As a General rule character are allowed only 10 points in merits. In certain cases, some characters may be allowed to go higher than this if they have merits that are necessary for the character concept. Or want to take two high cost Merits, such as Silver Tolerance and Immune to Wyrm Emanations. These are judged on a case by case basis. Some merits do not count against the total number of merits allowed. These merits are :  Languages, Supernatural kinfolk/ kinain, Ghoul.

Trying it Again
As it appears in the W20 books this is an optional rule, for White Pines this is a rule that is considered to always be in effect:

When characters fails a roll they are allowed to roll again but at a +1 difficulty for each roll after the first in a scene. Therefore if a character fails a roll with a difficulty of the standard 6 the next rolls would be a diff 7 and the one after that a diff 8, ect. IF a player chooses to reroll they MUST roleplay out that they failed IC at the first try and are trying again.

In addition, Combat rolls, Lore rolls, and any rolls that are reflexive or passive cannot be rolled again in this way.

Well-Skilled Craftsman/Additional Specialties
As the various x20 books explain, some abilities need to be purchased with a specialty chosen as soon as it's bought, even if at less than 4 dots. These abilities are: Art, Athletics, Crafts, Performance, Martial Arts, Esoterica, and Science. However, you do not need to purchase the same ability again to be able to use it for other specialties. Instead, even without a specialty, if it makes sense for the character's background, the ability can be rolled as normal.

With all abilities, you may also purchase additional specialties for 4xp each once you have at least 4 dots in it. Note that for the abilities listed above, you do not gain an additional specialty at 4 dots, but you may purchase new ones as normal at that point.

Lore, as a Knowledge, requires a specialty, and must be purchase as a separate Knowledge Ability for each specialty.

Combat Scenes
Combat scenes involving one or more PC characters against one shot NPC bad guys (fomori, etc.) Do not need to have an ST present.

Combat with a PC character facing a long term Player controlled NPC should have an ST present to monitor dice rolls.

Combat with two PC character fighting one another MUST have an ST present, especially if the scene has a possibility of being lethal. If both parties agree that the scene is non-lethal, and inform an ST, the ST may decide their presence is not needed.

Extra Actions
For taking multiple actions or splitting dice pools in combat we are using the following rule. The character loses one dice per extra action takes. This means that they are -2 dice for the first action -3 dice for the second action and so on.

2: While werewolves may spend rage to gain extra actions in combat they are limited to the lower of their Dexterity or Wits scores in the number of rage they can spend before accruing dice penalties. Werewolves are allowed to spend rage and split their actions in the same turn however Rage actions themselves cannot be split. This works similarly for any character type that has some way of granted themselves extra actions.

Kinain
At creation the number of fae gifts a character can have is determined by the fae Blood background. Characters can take a number of Fae gifts whose points are equal to or less than their dots in fae Blood. As an example a character with 3 in Fae blood could take the honored Birthright Fae Gifts but only if they also paid an additional 2 freebies. Characters who are Kinain as well as some other sort of supernatural cannot take Fae Gifts that use Glamour, as they do not have glamour, and cannot have it because of other supernatural powers.

Ghouls
Ghouls will be using the rules in Ghouls and Revenants with regards to template abilities. That is, until a ghoul (other than a Revenant) has had 3 drinks of Vitae (from any source), they do not gain Potence, other disciplines, the ability to soak lethal damage, susceptibility to Frenzy, or other typical benefits/drawbacks of the template itself, though they may still heal with what little Vitae they do have. The blood bond forms as normal, getting stronger with each drink, and a single drink is still enough to cause an addiction to Vitae, and withdrawal if not followed up on. While technically ghouls during this time, such Vassals generally count as mortals for most purposes.

In addition, as mentioned in character creation, Ghouls use the modified Discipline maximums in Ghouls and Revenants, based on their Domitor's generation: 1 dot for 11th gen and higher, 2 dots for 10th-9th gen, and 3 dots for 8th-7th.

Ronin
For those werewolves who exist outside the structure of the tribes and their pacts, prospects are bleak.

Without the support of a tribal totem, spirits regard dealing with a Ronin Garou as a shameful thing, and will be loath to honor even those ancient pacts touching on his Auspice and breed. Unless he is able to locate a spirit willing to serve as a personal or pack totem, a Ronin must buy all Gifts at the Gift’s level rating x 7, cannot learn Gifts above level one, and must bargain for each Gift on an individual basis. Even with a totem’s support, the Ronin only regains discounted costs for breed and Auspice Gifts.

//--Sourced, Werewolf 20th Anniversary Core Book, page 199 (side panel)//

Going by this logic, it means the cost of all Gifts **without** a personal or pack totem, will be the level rating of the Gift x 7: 7xp for Rank One Gifts, 14xp for Rank Two Gifts, etc. Only Breed and Auspice Gifts are bought at normal XP costs when the Ronin has a Totem. It also implies that a Ronin cannot learn Gifts above Level One without a Patron Spirit, as Ronin Garou have lost their connection to their tribal Totems, they also forfeit gaining Renown, thus the ranks above Cliath no longer hold their status. Spirits will not want any dealings with them. Playable Ronin Characters can still learn Gifts from other NPC / PC Shifters, if they are capable of making bargains or finding a Mentor, at the higher cost price with experience, if they do not have a Totem.

Given this difficult nature to advance, it will make it harder for a Playble Ronin Charcter to progress and strenghten their skill set. Through in-character role play, a Ronin will be allowed to learn Gifts, and a log of this, via a solo scene or an ST’d scene, should be provided before buying the Gifts. This is to reflect the difficult nature of learning Gifts for this restricted Character type.

Ronin are allowed to join packs with other Garou or Fera (if they will take them, and know the proper rites to create a Fera pack), and serve under a Pack Totem. They can learn from potential pack mates or the Totem Spirit itself; or if willing to take the risk -- Ronin can be taught from a far more nefarious source, (Just remember Banes are far to eager to make corrupt deals). Please keep in mind through role play that a Ronin packed with other Garou that are not themselves ronin or are a standing member of a Sept will eventually feel the pressure to rejoin the Nation and a new tribe, or else put their new allies at risk of severe punishment.

Kinfolk
All Kinfolk with Pure Breed will be allowed to add their Pure Breed background rating to social dice rolls the same way a garou is able to. Certain Fera breeds do not possess it, ie. Ananasi, Corax and Ratkin, do not benefit from this rule.

Cat Magic Merit
The Cat/Fox Magic Merit from the W20 Changing breed book will only allow Sorcery Numina paths from the Sorcerer Revised edition book; it will not allow for the Bastet ability to "Gift Swipe" at this time. Uktena characters wishing to be Path Dancers, must buy this merit at creation. All Shifters with this Merit and sorcery paths are required to take a 1 dot trait of Resonance to reflect the "feel" of the mystical nature of hedge magick that the Shifter wields.

The cost of this merit does apply towards the limit of ten merits at creation.

Bastet
To rise in the rank the following rite from the breed book must be used:

Rite of Recognition Level Two To be accepted into a new Rank, a Bastet must perform this rite before the spirits, his peers, or both. Like many werecat rituals, this ceremony can be done by a solitary cat, and it often is. A Balam in the wilderness doesn't have to travel to the nearest taghairm to be recognized--the spirits will carry tales of his deeds to other cats.

To petition for a new Rank, the cat stands in a circle prepared for the rite with herbs and, if possible, trophies of his achievements. Speaking the ritual phrases, he recites his deeds, relates his accomplishments since attaining the last Rank, and demands to be recognized for what he has done. If he succeeds, the others agree and declare his new standing; if not, they tell him why they're dissatisfied and deny his petition. These reasons can range anywhere from a lack of progress to bad politics. The Bastet may only perform this rite once per season.

System: In addition to the usual rite roll, the cat must make a good impression (either Charisma or Manipulation + either Enigmas, Etiquette, Leadership, Occult, or Politics, depending on the cat, his audience, and the case he's trying to make). The difficulty for this roll often depends on what the cat has done in the past, and how he stands in the eyes of his jury. Unless the werecat does something truly striking between attempts, this rite rises in difficulty each time it's failed, then repeated. Neither the cats nor the spirits respect a loser.

Werewolf
For the sake of cross system play and the concept of immediate frenzy by werewolves will be negated. Instead the following rule shall apply.

All Demon’s possess some manner of taint, but being as they are not simply beings of destruction, but beings of creation and salvation as well, their taint shall be identified as follows 1-3 Torment: Weaver or Wyld based on House 4-10 Torment: Wyrm Tainted Wyld Taint: Defiler, Devourer, Scourge, Slayer Weaver Taint: Devil, Fiend, Malefactor.

Changeling

Demon banality is based upon their Legacy, effectively take eight minus your legacy to determine banality when interacting with Fae.

General

Any kin/kinain/sorcerer that is possessed lose any access to cantrips/paths/or gifts, in addition any kin/kinain/sorcerer’s cannot be possessed should they possess gnosis or glamour.

Demon are capable of countering magic just as werewolves or vampires utilizing faith, with a max pool no greater than wits+occult.

Demons can be enchanted, and thus affected by chimerical damage, but are not affected by the mists from enchantment.

Demons do not generate a presence within the umbra as this realm did not exist prior to their incarceration.

Sphere specializations
Magi who studied, trained, and come to understand themselves and the tellurian enough to reach the Adept level are capable of attaching a specialization to a sphere that has reached level four. This specialization works just as attribute and ability specializations, but must be set to a specific type of magic the mage uses regularly. (Examples: Mind: Telepathy Spirit: Wards Matter: passing through matter)

These specializations represents a magi's exceptional understanding of this particular type of magic, going above and beyond Rotes.