Zeal
(••)
Effect: Your character believes. He’s experienced something in his unlife that allows him great faith in something — a god, a cause, or a goal. His zeal is obvious to anyone he encounters, and this can work for or against him. This Merit provides two effects, one public and one personal.
The public effect is that your character can influence those around him. The player gains a +1 to Social rolls where the character’s zeal would be helpful. If the character is a fervent Christian, for instance, the player could apply this bonus to whip up church support for the character’s cause.
The personal effect is that your character can substitute his Resolve rating for a lesser Attribute score once per chapter. For instance, in a fight, the character might substitute his Resolve rating for his Strength in order to strike down an unbeliever. In a debate, he might substitute his Resolve for his Manipulation to doggedly cling to his points, even in the face of opposing logic.
The public effect is that your character can influence those around him. The player gains a +1 to Social rolls where the character’s zeal would be helpful. If the character is a fervent Christian, for instance, the player could apply this bonus to whip up church support for the character’s cause.
The personal effect is that your character can substitute his Resolve rating for a lesser Attribute score once per chapter. For instance, in a fight, the character might substitute his Resolve rating for his Strength in order to strike down an unbeliever. In a debate, he might substitute his Resolve for his Manipulation to doggedly cling to his points, even in the face of opposing logic.
Prerequisite: Resolve •••
Drawback: Zeal is often mistaken for (or equated with) fanaticism, which instantly turns off some people. Depending upon the group that your character is attempting to influence, this Merit could lead to either admiration or contempt. The player applies a -1 penalty when dealing with people who do not share the character’s convictions. In addition, if the player fails a Social roll (other than an Intimidation roll) using this Merit, all further attempts to deal with the same targets suffer a -3 modifier, as the vampire appears over zealous.
Drawback: Zeal is often mistaken for (or equated with) fanaticism, which instantly turns off some people. Depending upon the group that your character is attempting to influence, this Merit could lead to either admiration or contempt. The player applies a -1 penalty when dealing with people who do not share the character’s convictions. In addition, if the player fails a Social roll (other than an Intimidation roll) using this Merit, all further attempts to deal with the same targets suffer a -3 modifier, as the vampire appears over zealous.