Expanded Rules for Chimeras

In the World of Darkness, Chimera are not the things of legend, they are the result of science gone wrong. By combining the traits of two or more animals together geneticists in the World of Darkness hope to create the perfect soldiers, test subjects, and servants. The rules that follow are a expansion of the material presented in Skinchangers, for more information on Chimera see Skinchangers Pg. 90. Saturnine Nights also discusses hybrid clones in brief, and these rules may be used to enhance that material. These rules were made with NPCs in mind; however Chimera PCs should be fully playable with the rules as presented.

By BlU_sKrEEm

a cost of five times new level and adding Hindrances of equivalent or greater level. This represents the Chimera's genetics starting to express themselves as the Chimera matures.

Hybrid Clones
Some Clones, as presented in Promethean: the Created, may be created with animal traits. Clones may treat Chimera Aspects as Transmutations for the purposes of character creation; however they must take an equivalent number of Chimera Hindrances.

Chimera Creation
Step One: Concept
As with all characters a Chimera should start with a concept. Is your character a loyal servant, or a renegade beast stalking the sewers? What is her relation with mankind or others of her kind? Has any signs of the madness common to her kind?

Aspects
Additional Limbs ( to )
Each dot grants the Chimera the equivalent of an additional pair of prehensile limbs

Ageless ( to )
Some animals are blessed with horribly long life spans. Chimera with this Aspect age much slower then members of their natural species. Each dot halves the aging rate of the character.

Step Two: Choose Base Creature

The chimera will retain all the base skills and attributes of the base creature. Chimera with a human base are created as per standard creation for mortals, adding the Chimera Template in step five. No supernatural creature may be chosen as a base.

Amazing Potential [Type] ()

The maximum level for the specified attribute is eight rather than five.

Animera ()
Prerequisite: Enhancement [Intelligence] Animals with Human enhancements are called Animera, these chimera have all the potential of the human brain locked way with in their bestial bodies. The player of a Chimera with this aspect may rearrange the skill points of their base creature at creation to reflect a larger intellect. Although no skill is technically banned not all skills will be useful for all body forms (Drive doesn't do a parakeet much good.) Chimera with this aspect may spend experience like a normal character.

Step Three: Add Chimera Template

Select three dots worth of aspects. Additional dots may be purchased by adding dots of hindrances. If using a Human as a base then add Chimera Aspects and Aspects at stage five of character creation. Note the Special Rules for Chimera that Follows.

Special Rules
Shattered Psyche
After a failed Morality test Chimera must make an additional derangement roll, potentially gaining up to two derangements.

Amphibious ()
Chimera with this aspect are blessed equally on land as they are in the water. They do not suffer the effects of suffocation from being submerged, or from being out of the sea.

Hideous
All Chimera receive a penalty to non-intimidation social rolls with non-chimera characters equal to the dots of Aspects they possess (with a maximum penalty of five.) At Storyteller's discretion this penalty may be lessened as others become more acclimated to the character's unusual appearance.

Armor ( to )
This aspect grants a General Armor rating equal to its dots, and a Ballistic Armor rating equal to its rating minus one. However it lowers the defense and speed rating by half its rating as well.

Gaining Aspects: (Optional)

These rules do not allow for the addition or aspects after creation by default, however with storyteller approval new aspects may be purchased with experience at

Bioluminescence ( to )
This Aspect allows the character to produce a chemical within their body which emits a bright light, reduc-

ing any penalty for poor lighting within its vicinity.. For an additional dot the character may eject this chemical, as a means of distraction, or a trick, the spray has a range equal to the character's stamina.

Should this aspect manifests as tentacles, or a spiders feet, this aspect acts the same; This Aspect adds bonus dice to grapple and climbing rolls equal to its dots.

Blending ( to )
Like a Chameleon the character may change the color of their skin to blend into the background. When mostly naked the player may spend one willpower, and for the remainder of the scene subtract one dice to all attempts to spot the character for each dot in this aspect, and one dice from attempts to target the character in ranged combat for every two dots.

Hive Mind ()
A Select group of individuals that have this aspect may act as one. Mechanically speaking that means they may act on the same initiative and each add a bonus dice to a leader in a group action

Inhuman Reflexes ()
Instinct can go a long way to help assure survival. Chimera with this aspect have a Defense equals the higher of their Dexterity or Wits score, rather than the lower, this aspect does not add to the defense of Chimera with a non-human base.

Enhanced Metabolism ( to )
Each dot of this aspect adds an additional day to the amount of time a character can go without food or water before taking damage

Irritant ()
This aspect allows a Chimera to emit a noxious chemical, spray spines, or emit an ink screen that will irritate, disgust, or otherwise distract opponents. By spending a willpower a character with the Aspect may make Dexterity + Strength roll to attempt to spray a target(this attack is affected by all modifiers that would normally affect ranged combat) The target of this attack suffers a two dice penalty to all dice pools for a number of turns equal to the successes rolled, if an exceptional success is scored the opponent is stunned for a round as well. This aspect has a range equal to twice the character's Stamina for short range, medium range is twice that number and long range is twice that number.

Enhanced Senses (+)

A series of aspects, each one may be purchased separately. Basic: Each dot adds a one dice Equipment Modifier to rolls involving a particular sense Blood Hound: Each dot adds to Survival Rolls involving Tracking Night Sight: Each dot removes one point of penalties for poor visibility or darkness Sonar: Each dot remove one penalty to defense for fighting multiple opponents

Enhancement [TYPE] (+)

Adds a dot to a specified attribute, remember to keep in mind the attribute maximums of the character.

Mimic ()
As Per the Kitsune Aspect

Dexterous ()
Animal base only This aspect gives Animera prehensile limbs allowing them some control in a human world. Without this Aspect chimera with an animal base suffer a -2 or greater penalty to all rolls involving manual dexterity.

Natural Weapons ( to )
Each dot of this Aspect either acts as a equipment modifier to Brawl roll or upgrades the damage type done by Brawl. May not be used with Martial Arts

Passing ()
Some Chimera are less hideous then most. Characters with this aspect receive penalty to social rolls for every two dots in Aspects (Rounded down) rather than every Dot.

Flight ( to )
Prerequisite: Glide The Character gains a Natural Flight speed equal to the dots in this aspect plus dexterity and Strength

Glide ()
Prerequisite: Hollow Bones When making a running jump, a character with this Aspect may travel twice as far as a normal character would (Running Jump is a Strength Plus Athletic roll. Normally each success allows the character to travel size + four feet per success rolled, however double that number with this aspect.) In addition this aspect reduces the damage from falling by half.

Perfect Balance ( to )
This aspect is common to Chimera with DNA from arboreal or feline species. Each dot in this aspect removes penalties for poor or narrow footing equal to its rating.

Pheromones [Type] ( to )
Chemical attractants can be a strong force in the animal kingdom. This Aspect allows a Chimera to extrude chemicals that attract and calm members of a particular species. Each dot acts an equipment modifier to social rolls which involving attraction, or calming members of the specified species..

Grip ( to )

Quills ( to )
Chimera with this aspect are protected by spines, sharp skin, or some other damaging deterrent. Whenever a character with this aspect takes damage from an unarmed attack they may make a Quills roll. The Character that damaged this character receives a point of lethal damage, for each success made on that roll.

Some Chimera lack the lungs of terrestrial life. A Chimera with this aspect suffers the effects of Drowning in open air, but not in water.

Deficiency ( to )
Not every modification done to a chimera is favorable. Chimera with this hindrance loose one dot in any attribute per dot taken in this aspect.

Regeneration ( to )
There are species of reptile that can regenerate lost limbs. Chimera with this aspect are similarly blessed with amazing healing. For each dot in this aspect the time it takes to heal a wound is cut in half.

Dietary needs ()
Often imbued into a Chimera as a means of control, this hindrance limits what food sources give sustenance to the Chimera. Only a specific substance, specified when this aspect is purchased, is counted as food for starvation.

Size ( to )
This Aspect alters the size of the character. Each dot either adds to or subtracts from the character's size trait (specified when taken.)

Grotesque ()
Although all Chimera are disturbing, some are more so then others. Character with this hindrance receive an additional penalty to their social rolls equal to the number of hindrance dots rounded up when interacting with non-Chimera characters.

Speed (Special)
Whether they are imbued with the speed of a rabbit or the crawl of a sloth, not all Chimera live life at the same speed. This aspect may either add its dots to the character's Species Factor when calculating speed, or be taken as a hindrance and subtract from it.

Intolerance ()
Perhaps the Chimera is cold blooded, or over heats easily, either way a Chimera with this hindrance suffers double the normal penalties from extreme temperatures.

Toxic ( to )
Your flesh is toxic. When consumed the eater is affected by a Poison with a toxicity rating of two times the dots in this aspect, the damage is lethal and compiles every day.

High metabolism (+)

Genetically enhance metabolisms can sometimes be taxing on the body. Chimera with this hindrance suffer damage from starvation and dehydration a day earlier then most per dot taken.

Venom ( to )
One or more of the Character's natural attacks delivers a deadly poison, this attack receives a one dice penalty, however any character that is damaged by this attack must resists a poison with a toxicity rating equal to the dots purchased with this aspect. The Poison compiles every hour.

Hollow Bones ()
Like the Bird a Chimer with this aspect has lighter bones then most creatures. Whenever any amount of bashing damage is done to the character with this aspect one point is upgraded to lethal damage

Webs ()
With a successful Stamina roll a Chimera with this aspect can creates strands of webbing. This webbing has a Durability of three, Structure of five, and may have a Size equal to the number of successes rolled.

Impaired Sense ( to )
Chimera with this hindrance suffer from poor senses. Each dot in this hindrance incurs a penalty to Perception rolls.

Rage: ()
Frenzy as per Kindred or Feral (will write full rules later)

Hindrances
Aging ( to )
A Chimera with this hindrance is cursed with the life of a Mayfly. Each dot of this hindrance doubles the rate at which the character ages.

Toxic Intolerance ()
This hindrance makes it difficult for the Chimera to deal with the effects of toxins in the body; they suffer a two dice penalty to resist the effects of drugs, poisons, and toxins.

Alien Mind ()
While all Chimera bear some mental scars from their birth and life, some are more unbalanced then others, those with this hindrance suffer a -1 penalty to all degradation rolls.

Unskilled ( to )
Not all of the instincts or mental capabilities are persevered in a Chimera with this hindrance. At creation remove three dots of skills per dot taken in this hindrance.

Aquatic ()