12 XP
This Devotion fuses the emotional punch of Nightmare with the finesse and precision of Dominate, allowing its user to create a specific temporary phobia without needing time or privacy.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Expression + Nightmare versus subject’s Resolve + Blood Potency. (The Nosferatu clan weakness does not penalize the Devotion user’s roll.)
Action: Contested; resistance is reflexive.
If the Devotion succeeds, the target becomes terrified by a person, place, object, symbol, concept or action of the user’s choice. Mechanically, it’s just like the Phobia derangement described on p. 97 of the World of Darkness Rulebook, though writing this Devotion on the character sheet as “Aversion Curse” can make it easier to remember it’s temporary.
The curse eventually wears off, but not until the victim has failed a number of Resolve + Composure rolls equal to the successes the user rolled in excess of the victim’s Resolve + Blood Potency. In other words, the curse never goes away until it has scared the victim.
Example: Ione puts an Aversion Curse on Scratch, making him afraid of cars. She rolls five successes to activate it, while he rolls three to resist it. He is now afraid of cars. Since it’s very hard to get away from automobiles in an urban environment, Scratch has to make a lot of Resolve + Composure rolls. It does not matter how many times he succeeds. He is plagued by the fear until he loses control of himself two times. The user needs to be in the presence of the target and looking at him to apply the curse, but does not need to speak or make eye contact. A firm mental image or definition of the fear stimulus is needed, however. A vague curse can have unanticipated effects. Making the religious Solomon Birch averse to God might force a roll every time he sees a crucifix. The same aversion, inflicted on an atheist, might only trigger when he’s confronted with what he considers the indisputable presence of the Almighty.
It should be noted that while the curse can be triggered by common things (“dogs”), specific things (“Duce Carter”) or exacting things (“Duce Carter when he’s wearing blue jeans and a white shirt with a mandarin collar”), choosing a ubiquitous trigger such as “air” or “the letter E” is not possible. Vampires cannot be made frightened of blood or feeding.
Suggested Modifiers
Modifier — Situation
+2 — The stimulus is extremely specific. (“You are afraid of a red Honda Accord with the Louisiana license plate XMM 211.”)
+1 — The stimulus is precise. (“You are afraid to use your power of Aura Sight.”)
— The stimulus is uncommon, but not rare. (“You are afraid to use your Auspex Discipline.”)
–1 — The stimulus is broad. (“You are afraid of blonde women.”)
–2 — The stimulus is expansive. (“You are afraid to leave your haven.”)
–3 — The stimulus is something that the character would consider harmless, attractive, cute or otherwise inoffensive. (“You are afraid of kittens.”)