NUMINA
Mortals cannot purchase Vampiric disciplines, for only Vampires gain those abilities. Instead, a mortal hunter can have Numina. Numina consist of those strange and amazing powers which some few have possessed throughout the ages -powers such as Psychic Abilities, Thaumaturgy and Faith . Psychic Abilities are those strange abilities, such as telepathy and telekinesis, that have been studied haphazardly by parapsychologists. Thaumaturgy is the ability to cast magical spells. Faith is a powerful ability, reflecting one's religious connection to the universe.
During character creation, Numina can only be bought with Freebie points, and cannot be gained later in the Chronicle without the Storyteller's permission (often attached to some fantastic Story or Quest). During the Chronicle they can be increased in the ways described under each particular sort.
Psychic Abilities
The 20th century is full of those people who have claimed to have powers and abilities far beyond those of normal men, such as the ability to read minds (telepathy), move objects with pure thought (psychokinesis) or even cause a camera to take a picture of something you are thinking of (Ted Serios).
Many of these abilities, after study by scientists (parapsychologists), have been shown to be hoaxes. In other cases, such as poltergeists, it has been theorized that disturbed children with mild psychokinetic ability are the cause of flying objects. But in a world where Vampires stalls the streets, mortals can actually, at times, see distant events, or foresee the future, or pick up objects with their minds.
Parapsychologists label most of these powers under the heading of ESP, or Extrasensory Perception. Most psychics usually only possess one such ability.
There are also a host of minor abilities, such as predicting numbers, that, while they may help you win big in Vegas, do not play a role in Vampire hunting. The Storyteller should feel free to come up with the point costs for players who want minor abilities. Psychic abilities, like Merits and Flaws, must be bought at the start of character generation. Characters either have them or they do not. Most psychics first discover their powers early in life, and if you have not exhibited powers by the time you are Vampire hunting, you probably do not have them.
Psychic Abilities cost 7 Freebie Points per level bought. It costs twice as much (14 points) to purchase a second Psychic power. It costs your current ratting x 3 to raise your power through experience.
Telepathy
The ability to read minds. This form of telepathy is only open to mortals; Vampires must have Auspex. The character must roll her Intelligence + Empathy against the target's Willpower to read minds. The person whose mind is read is unaware of the fact, unless a botch is rolled.
1 success Can feel basic emotions and current mood of the target (if you can see the target).
2 successes The character can now read the surface thoughts of people-generally wit they are thinking about at that moment. You must see the person to be able to do this.
3 successes Can read some recent memories, or plans for the near future, from people's minds. You still must be able to see the person.
4 successes You can read deep thoughts and distant future plans. The amount of information you get depends on your successes. You can read the minds of people in adjacent rooms without having to see them, but you may need descriptions of them.
5 successes You can read multiple minds at once or discover the deepest secrets of people, even things unknown to themselves or repressed by them. You can read the mind of someone across the world, if you can see them (for instance, if they are on television). You can even read the mind of a clairvoyant who is observing someone on the other side of the globe, and use that mental image to read the mind of the person observed. Eerie.
Psychokinesis (also known as Telekinesis)
The ability to move things with your mind by thinking about it. Wits + Athletics is rolled against a difficulty of 8. If the roll is botched, your unconscious desires take over and start to throw things around at those you have a grudge against- maybe even yourself. Line of sight must be maintained to first pick up an object, but once you "hold" it, you do not have to see it again.
1 success You can levitate small objects off of a table with great concentration. Physical gestures help (throwing, lifting, etc.). Without them, the difficulty is one higher.
2 successes You can affect small objects, such as bending a spoon. Again, gesturing helps.
3 successes You can pick up an object in the next room and throw it around. Gesturing in the direction you want it moved helps. You can lift things that require half your Intelligence (as if your Intelligence were Strength) to lift.
4 successes You can lift things that require your full Intelligence (again, as if your Intelligence were Strength), and no longer need to gesture. You can pick up anything on the same block as you. You can pick up multiple objects at once with concentration.
5 successes You are a master of mind over matter. Anything in sight can be picked up, as long as it is not heavier than your Intelligence + 2 can handle. You can manipulate as many objects as you have points of Dexterity.
Clairvoyance
The ability to use your senses at range, and see or hear things happening in other places. Usually it requires a focus, such as someone you know being at the place to be observed. Perception + Alertness is rolled against a difficulty of 8. While sending your senses out, you cannot see things happening where your body is. You also cannot affect events you witness in any way. You are but an observer.
1success You can see things, in a dreamlike manner, within any room in the house that you are in. These visions are easy to misinterpret.
2 successes You can see things anywhere in your town, and sometimes hear them as well (3 successes), though the sounds are distorted.
3 successes You can see and hear things anywhere within the state or province. You can touch things also (3 successes), though they feel vague and amorphous.
4 successes You can see, hear and touch anything in the country.
5 successes You can use all five senses on anything in the world.
Other Psychic Abilities are Precognition (ability to see the future), Mediumship (ability to see and talk to spirits), OOBE (Out-Of-Body-Experience, the ability to astrally travel), and many others. Any player or Storyteller interested in psychic powers should do some research on the scientific study in the field of parapsychology. It's fascinating, and sometimes convincing, reading.
Thaumaturgy:
Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.
-Aleister Crowley, Magick In Theory and Practice
Some hunters employ magical spells especially designed for use against Kindred. Many of these spells are unsophisticated compared to the highest levels of the art of magic, as they were mostly created by simple folly who had no need of the vast education of most wizards. Education in olden days led one astray from true, unquestioning faith.
This hedge magic differs greatly from true Thaumaturgy. If the Storyteller wishes, then the hunter can use Thaumaturgy as written in Vampire. However, this use of Thaumaturgy is generally confined to those who have spent their lives in study and contemplation. Few dedicated hunters have this opportunity, and for most, their mystical abilities are limited to the following system.
Using a spell requires knowledge of certain occult abilities. The most important of these is Casting, for without a successful Casting, the other abilities-Duration, Extent and Ritual-would never come into play. These can only be bought with Freebie Points as they are not talents, skills or knowledges, but a combination of all three. They cost as much to buy and increase as do normal abilities (Two per level during character creation, 2 x current level to increase with experience). Learning these skills during play costs three experience points; however, it would require Storyteller permission (and probably a special Story) for someone who has no sorcerous abilities to learn these skills.
Casting a particular spell requires the character roll Casting + her level with the spell against a difficulty of the spell's bevel + 4. All spells have an instant duration (though casting the spell requires one turn) and only affect the area directly around the caster. In order to manipulate the spells for greater potency, the caster must use the other abilities. To extend its range requires a roll of Extend + (spell) while to increase its time requires Duration + (spell). Difficulty remains the spell's level + 4, while success varies based on the following tables.
Successes Duration Extend
One success Two turns 10-footradius from caster
Two successes One scene Line of sight
Three successes 24 hours 100-foot radius from caster
Four successes One week One-mile radius from caster.
Five successes One month Same city
The last ability is Ritual, which allows the character to cast Thaumaturgical rituals. Not only is Ritual the basis for the success role but a character cannot learn a ritual unless he has at least as many kinds of Ritual as the Spell. Thus learning Splinter Servant (Level Four Ritual) requires at East four levels of Ritual . Note that without extensive study, no human can learn any ritual higher than level five.
Learning spells follows a similar pattern, but requires the character have a mental attribute to match the appropriate level of the spell. Thus there are Perception spells, Intelligence spells and Wits spells. Note that without Storyteller permission, this method of spellcasting is not available to Vampires- their minds lack the flexibility necessary to handle it.
Perception Spells:
Scent of the Vampyre (Level One): This spell allows a character to sense when one of the Kindred is near. It will not pinpoint the location of the Vampire, but will let the character know one is around.
Escape the Undead Eyes (Level Two): Ghouls and Vampires trying to find the spellcaster when she hides have their difficulty increased by the number of successes made during the spell casting.
Voices of the Dead (Level Three): Allows the caster to communicate with the recently deceased. The caster must be m the presence of their body, and it must not have decomposed to the point that the vocal cords are useless (generally this takes a week-less in hot weather, more if the body has been preserved).
Cloak of the Shadows (Level Four): When standing unmoving in darkness, the spellcaster remains effectively invisible to anyone looking for him. Note that other senses or Aura Perception can still detect him.
True Sight (Level Five): Allows the character to see through obscuring conditions like fog or dust and even to penetrate the Obfuscation of the Undead, though this requires a Perception + Alertness roll opposed by the Vampire's Wits + Stealth.
Intelligence Spells:
Gift of Psyche (Level One): With this spell, the caster can determine the mental state of the target- frenzied, asleep, in torpor, drugged, medative, etc.
Return of Light (Level Two): For as long as the spell is in effect, the target will not be affected by one of her derangements.
Confess (Level Three): This spell can force whomever it is cast upon to tell the truth and causes its target to tell the truth in answer to any questions put to him. Once cast, the caster rolls his Charisma + Intimidate versus a difficulty of the ensorcelled person's Willpower. A botch means a lie was told, but the caster is unaware, and will take it for the truth.
Grasp of the Mind (Level Four): The character's mind is shut off from the effects of outside Domination. Any attempt to control her mind has its number of successes decreased by the number of successes gained during spellcasting.
Heart of Evil (Level Five): With this spell, the caster can determine who is really behind the actions of the individual being studied. Thus this spell will reveal Domination, bribes, Blood Bonds or blackmail. It will not show simple alliances and friendships, however.
Wits Spells:
Bring to Body (Level One): With but a snap of the fingers, the character can awaken someone in the depths of slumber. Note that this will not work on a Vampire in torpor.
Light of the True Spirit (Level Two): The caster of this spell becomes infused with the purity of his cause, and thus more commanding. Add the number of successes to the total for any roll involving commands or leadership. This spell will not aid fast-talking or deception.
Soul of the Tree (Level Three): This spell is cast on a wooden stake. The number of successes made when casting is added to the number of successes used to hit a Vampire through the heart. Additionally, the ensorcelled stake seeks out the Vampire's heart, no matter where it is.
Shield of the Thinker (Level Four): A character shielded by this spell is less affected by Vampiric Presence than are others. Every success on casting this spell reduces the Vampire' s successes on the Presence roll . Note that this spell can also steep the character from being swayed by demagogues or the Faith of others.
Flash (Level Five): A burst of light fills the area around the caster, blinding those who can see and sending Vampires into frenzy. While it does not cause physical damage to the Kindred, they must make a Courage roll against a difficulty of 6 to not frenzy. Kindred and humans alike will be blinded for a number of turns equal to the number of successes in casting.
Note that these are just some examples of hunter spells. There are certainly many more, and the Storyteller should feel free to come up with her own.