••• Fair Warning, Fairly Given
There are times when it is essential to attack someone at his most vulnerable, and most practitioners of Courtoisie recognize this sad fact. However, it is most certainly boorish to do so and falls short of the highest standards of polite combat celebrated by the Spina. It is far better if the Knight can magnanimously hand your opponent the chance to prepare. This power allows a Kindred to gain some benefit from his magnanimity, as he draws mystical insight from studying his opponent’s preparations.
The character may cut the preparations short at any time by announcing his intention to fight now. This can be very brief: “Enough delay, Dragon. Defend yourself,” is ample. The character may not, however, attack completely by surprise and retain the bonuses gained from this power.
The character may cut the preparations short at any time by announcing his intention to fight now. This can be very brief: “Enough delay, Dragon. Defend yourself,” is ample. The character may not, however, attack completely by surprise and retain the bonuses gained from this power.
Effect
Dramatic Failure: The character gains no benefit from allowing the preparations, and loses the ability to use any other Courtoisie powers for the duration of this combat.
Failure: The vampire gains no benefits from his opponent’s preparations. Attacking quickly would be in his best interests.
Success: For every success the Spina achieves on the activation roll, he gains the benefit of insight into the way his opponent moves and thinks. This benefit takes the form of a +1 bonus to the Spina’s Defense for each success. This bonus lasts for the remainder of the scene, but applies only to an opponent who was the subject of this power’s activation. If time allows, however, a Spina can activate this power more than once in a scene to subject multiple opponents to his increased Defense.
The Spina must be able to see the subject when this power is activated, but he does not have to maintain sight of her throughout the preparation process.
Exceptional Success: An exceptional success yields no benefit beyond a remarkable bonus to Defense.
Failure: The vampire gains no benefits from his opponent’s preparations. Attacking quickly would be in his best interests.
Success: For every success the Spina achieves on the activation roll, he gains the benefit of insight into the way his opponent moves and thinks. This benefit takes the form of a +1 bonus to the Spina’s Defense for each success. This bonus lasts for the remainder of the scene, but applies only to an opponent who was the subject of this power’s activation. If time allows, however, a Spina can activate this power more than once in a scene to subject multiple opponents to his increased Defense.
The Spina must be able to see the subject when this power is activated, but he does not have to maintain sight of her throughout the preparation process.
Exceptional Success: An exceptional success yields no benefit beyond a remarkable bonus to Defense.
Material Components
Cost: 1 Willpower per scene
Gestures & Ritual
Dice Pool: Wits + Weaponry + Courtoisie – subject’s Composure + Blood Potency
Related Discipline
Effect Casting Time
Instant and reflexive.
Level
3
Applied Restriction
Though the character must take an action to activate this power, he may devote several turns to the study of his opponent between the time of the activation action and the time when the actual activation roll is made. This facilitates advantageous modifiers, as described in effects.
Modifier | Situation
+1 to +5 | Each turn the subject spends preparing after the user initiates this power.
–2 The subject declines to make use of the offered preparation time.
Modifier | Situation
+1 to +5 | Each turn the subject spends preparing after the user initiates this power.
–2 The subject declines to make use of the offered preparation time.