Talents

Alertness | Athletics | Brawl | Dodge | Empathy | Intimidation | Kenning | Persuasion | Streetwise | Subterfuge

Alertness
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 139)

This talent indicates your character's awareness of the world around her. She is practiced in keeping one ear to the wind and one eye to the sky, even when distracted with other things. Alertness is a measure of how well your character picks up on subtle details and changes in her environment.

Possessed by: Detectives, Guards, Hunters, Reporters, Thieves, Warriors
Specialties: Ambushes, Crowds, Danger Sense, Searching, Streets

· Novice: You are more alert to changes than most.
·· Practiced: You are watchful and attentive.
··· Competent: You are highly vigilant.
···· Expert: You are truly cautious, rarely letting your guard down.
····· Master: You are aware of all that goes on around you.
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Athletics
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 139)

Climbing rocky cliffs, leaping chasms or playing brilliant games of badminton are all Athletics-based feats. This ability describes your character's general athletic prowess in both team and individual sports. It assumes a familiarity with the rules and play of the sport in question.

Possessed by: Aerobics instructors, Dancers, Jocks, Marathonists, Most children, Sports enthusiasts.
Specialties: Acrobatics, Dancing, Mountain Climbing, Swimming, Track and Field, Team Sports.

· Novice: You are first pick for teams at neighborhood football games.
·· Practiced: You are a regular on school or community athletic teams.
··· Competent: You are a coach or serious competitor.
···· Expert: You are a vigorous trainer, a professional, or just accomplished.
····· Master: You are a world class or Olympic athlete.
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Brawl
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 139)

Brawling is the ability to fight without a weapon, including basic hand-to-hand maneuvers such as punching, kicking, grappling, throwing, scratching and biting. Brawling can get quite ruthless and sometimes inflicts serious damage if done properly. For purposes of roleplay, a character should gain a specialty when she reaches the expert level in brawl.

Possessed by: Bouncers, Cops, Martial artists, Spies, Thugs, Warriors.
Specialties: Any martial arts style, Boxing, Dirty Fighting, Knights, Wrestling

· Novice: You took a course in basic self defense.
·· Practiced: You could hurt someone.
··· Competent: You could take someone down quickly without doing permanent harm.
···· Expert: You are a black belt or licensed to kill.
····· Master: You are world renowned; your hands are registered as lethal weapons.
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Dodge
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 139)

Whether your character dives for cover, ducks a punch or sidesteps an arrow, he knows the best way to avoid injury is not getting hit. Dodge simply describes your character's ability to get out of the way of any oncoming attacks.

Possessed by: Bouncers, Criminals, Ghetto rats, Street fighters, Warriors.
Specialties: Duck, Dive, Find Cover, Slippery, Sidestep.

· Novice: You know what to do if someone screams "Duck!"
·· Practiced: You know when to stay down and safe.
··· Competent: You are accomplished and experienced at duck and weave.
···· Expert: You are exceedingly difficult to hit.
····· Master: You can sidestep bullets.
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Empathy
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 139)

Empathy is the ability to pinpoint what others are feeling. Through awareness of their facial expressions, body language and tone, your character gains a sense of the other person's general attitude, including her emotional state and her motives. With high levels of this trait, your character can sometimes tell whether someone is lying or not. Successful use of this talent prior to attempting to persuade, intimidate or use subterfuge on the same person reduces the difficulty number on the second action by one; failure increases the difficulty number by one.

Possessed by: Actors, Con artists, Mediums, Parents, Pick-up artists, Psychologists, Teachers.
Specialties: Desires, Emotions, Fears, Falsehoods, Legacies, Love Connections, Motivations.

· Novice: You are sensitive and understanding.
·· Practiced: You are aware of the feelings others are trying to hide.
··· Competent: You are amazingly insightful into others' motivations.
···· Expert: You are especially sensitive to lies and subtle emotions.
····· Master: You read people like they were open books.
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Intimidation
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 139)

The art of intimidation takes many forms from subtle threats to outright physical harm. Choice of method depends on the time, the place and those involved. Characters with this talent know how to get what they want from others when they want it.

Possessed by: Businesspeople, Bouncers, Cops, Detectives, Nobles, Warriors.
Specialties: Political, Social, "The Look", Veiled Threats, Violence.

· Novice: You back wimps into corners.
·· Practiced: You win an occasional stare down.
··· Competent: You have an unsettling gaze.
···· Expert: You are an above-average drill sergeant.
····· Master: You intimidate redcaps.
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Kenning
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 140)

Kenning is the faerie sight, the ability to sense Glamour in whatever form it takes, be it a chimera, a changeling, or a freehold. Among other things, this talent allows a changeling to recognize a changeling who has slipped into the Mists or who has yet to achieve Chrysalis, sense the relative power of a chimera, and locate freeholds and trods.

Possessed by: Certain powerful chimera, Psychics, Small children, Changelings, Some Kinain.
Specialties: Cantrips, Chimera, Changelings, Enchantment, Trods.

· Novice: Glamour tickles you and you can see powerful chimera.
·· Practiced: You can locate freeholds with ease.
··· Competent: You recognize "sleeping" changelings.
···· Expert: You can detect even the slightest traces of Glamour.
····· Master: You are sensitive to Glamour even at great distances.
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Persuasion
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 140)

This trait represents your character's ability to win others over to her way of thinking. The method used may involve subtle mental and emotional seductions or even outright begging, pleading and cajoling. People with high persuasion ratings tend to be natural leaders and advocates.

Possessed by: Businesspeople, Demagogue, Orators, Politicians, Protesters, Visionaries.
Specialties: Emotional Appeal, Fast Talk, Guilt, Logic, Empathy, Wordplay.

· Novice: You can be convincing through concentrated effort.
·· Practiced: You pinpoint the hole in another's position.
··· Competent: A professional debater, you are always on top of any argument.
···· Expert: You make others feel guilty for even disagreeing with you.
····· Master: You say "jump" they say "how high?"
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Streetwise
(Changeling: Second Edition, pp. 140-141)

The streets can be a major source of information, aid and money, but their culture and rules of conduct are as complex as the noble courts. The streetwise talent indicates how versed your character is with the local rumor mill, street slang and street etiquette. It represents her savvy when among the less desirable elements of society, and determines not only how well she can survive but thrive and fit in among them.

Possessed by: Bartenders, Bookies, Criminals, Detectives, Gang members, Homeless people.
Specialties: Fencing Merchandise, Illegal Acquisition, Information, Local Area Knowledge, Gangs.

· Novice: You know who sells what, from drugs to contraband.
·· Practiced: You are accepted as one of the gang.
··· Competent: You are a mover and a shaker, active in street politics.
···· Expert: You are respected, protected, trusted, and feared on the street.
····· Master: You know what happened, who did it, and where they hid their stash.
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Subterfuge
(Changeling: Second Edition, pg. 141)

This trait determines your character's ability to conceal his motives and feelings. Moreover, it allows him to decipher the motives of others and use their own plans against them. Subterfuge is the fine art of lying, deceit and underhanded manipulation. Characters skilled in this talent know how to call upon their best theatrics to influence situations and divert the blame without others realizing they've been manipulated.

Possessed by: Casanovas, Compulsive liars, Con men, Lawyers, Politicians, Spies.
Specialties: Diversions, Intricate Fraud, Little White Lies, Seduction.

· Novice: You rarely get caught in a lie.
·· Practiced: Diversionary tactics are second nature to you.
··· Competent: You can cleverly hide the truth without resorting to lies.
···· Expert: You are capable of complicated plotting and manipulation.
····· Master: You can deceive without impunity.
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