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Gargoyle Flight
Gargoyles may have wings, but just glancing at one makes it painfully obvious that they aren't actually supposed to be able to fly. A humanoid form with wings has all the aerodynamics of a rock, and Gargoyles' enormous weight doesn't improve things much - the heaviest Gargoyles have been reported to weigh over 800 pounds. Yet, like the bumblebee, they fly, thanks to their Tremere creators. When the Gargoyles were originally created, the Tremere used a complicated thaumaturgical ritual to make a variant of Movement of the Mind an essential part of all Gargoyles' being. Sadly, the Tremere scholar responsible for this met his end during the Gargoyle Revolt, and it seems that the secret of Gargoyle flight has been lost forever. Only Gargoyles can learn Flight; it's their special ability, and it cannot ever be learned by others. All Gargoyles start out with Level 1 Flight in addition to other clan Disciplines, and can increase it with experience points as they would increase a normal clan Discipline. Note that under no circumstances can Celerity be used to increase flight speed. It should be stressed that Gargoyles don't think of Flight as a Discipline; for them, it's merely something every Gargoyle can do - indeed, flight is as natural to them as walking is for a normal human. This is why different levels of Flight don't have specific names; the levels merely exist as a game mechanic to measure different degrees of skill. If your character is flying, you should hold your arms out straight to the side, as if forming a cross. (Your group may want to agree on a different method of indicating flying characters, such as a sash of a certain color, as some characters may want to stay up in the air for quite a while, and holding your arms like that can become rather tiring.)
basic Flight
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Level 1 |
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You cannot actually fly, but you can glide and soar as if you were hang-gliding. However, you cannot carry anything larger than your clothes and personal effects. Maximum speed equals 15 miles an hour.
You can now attain flight under your own power, though a running takeoff is required. You can carry a maximum payload of 20 pounds. Maximum speed equals 30 miles an hour.
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intermediate flight |
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Level 3
You can now take off from the very spot you're standing on if unencumbered. With a running takeoff, you can carry up to 50 pounds. Maximum speed equals 45 miles an hour.
You can now vertically take off carrying up to 50 pounds of baggage. With a running takeoff, up to 100 pounds can be carried. Maximum speed equals 60 miles an hour.
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advanced Flight |
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Level 5 |
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You can vertically take off with up to 200 pounds. In practice, this means that it's enough to carry most Kindred - or prey. Maximum speed equals 75 miles an hour.
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Flight and Fair Escape |
Obviously, it's a bit hard to knock someone's teeth in if he's a quickly receding dot in the sky. While Gargoyles make fearsome warriors, they are certainly smart enough to leave if things get too hairy - and having a pair of wings is a big help. A Gargoyle with Level 3 Flight can always declare Fair Escape when outdoors or next to an unobstructed window that is large enough to fit through. (The window can be closed; a Gargoyle will have no problems smashing through an ordinary window.) A Gargoyle with at least Basic Celerity can declare Fair Escape with only Level 2 of Flight as he can achieve a speedy running takeoff. If the Gargoyle is well above ground level (in a skyscraper, on top of a high and steep hill, in an apartment three or more floors above the ground) even a single level of Flight is sufficient for Fair Escape, as the Gargoyle can glide to safety. In all cases characters with ranged attacks get to make a single attack while the Gargoyle is flying away. Characters with an equal or higher Flight score may attack the escaping character normally and may continue fighting as long as they continue to pursue the escaping character. Note that Fair Escape may also be applied indoors if the characters are in a room that is clearly large enough for someone to fly in: Large ballrooms, warehouses and similar buildings are certainly acceptable. However, the character will be easy pickings to anyone with a ranged weapon, unless the room is exceptionally large and has enough space to allow maneuvering-or a window or skylight the Gargoyle can escape through.
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flight maneuvers |
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Obviously, the ability to fly comes with a tremendous tactical advantage. To represent this, Gargoyles can perform special aerial maneuvers in combat. All maneuvers have minimum requirements of skills or Disciplines to be performed. If you can't meet those requirements, you are unable to perform the maneuver properly, and you crash if you attempt them. Maneuvers cost one Free Trait at character creation, or two experience points after character creation. If you have not learned the maneuver but do meet the minimum requirements for the maneuver, you can still attempt to perform it, but you must bid three extra Physical Traits. If the challenge fails, you immediately crash into the ground and suffer one health level of damage, unless you have Fortitude or other suitable protection. Moreover, you must spend the next turn getting back to your feet, and cannot attack anyone. (You can defend yourself, but must bid an extra Physical Trait when doing so.) |
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Pounce |
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You leap at an opponent and cover a surprisingly large distance by spreading your wings. This maneuver cannot be performed in cramped places, such as tight corridors - assume that you require at least two feet of unobstructed space on both sides. However, most rooms offer enough space for you to pounce on an opponent, even if this requirement isn't strictly met. This maneuver can also be used to increase the distance you can jump normally - for example, to cross a chasm on the ground, or to leap from the roof of one building to another. In practice, this means that you can attack an opponent who is out of your normal reach. You may also pounce directly upward if need be, but cannot achieve vertical takeoff without Flight 3. When pouncing, you can cover six yards of ground per level of Flight. A normal Physical Challenge is required. |
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Damage: Normal |
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Minimum requirements: Flight 1, Brawl 1 |
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Swoop |
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You swoop down from the sky, attacking an opponent while adding your own momentum to the blow, be it with a fist or with a melee weapon, and then swoop back up. On a successful attack, you reach the safety of the sky again, and cannot be attacked except by long-range weapons. Even if the attack fails, you can get back up to safety. However, Kindred with Intermediate Celerity can attack you once normally when you're swooping down; Kindred with Advanced Celerity get two attacks. Superior Celerity grants one extra attack per Superior level, as characters who move with truly supernatural speed have all the time in the world to punch the attacking Gargoyle once or twice. Targets who are covered, obscured or out of reach (underneath trees, pressed against a doorway, lying in a gutter) cannot be successfully swooped at. For obvious reasons, Swoop cannot be used indoors unless the room is clearly large enough for such a maneuver. Note that unlike normal attacks, you swoop down at such speed that a character with Alacrity or a suitable weapon cannot pre-empt the attack. To Swoop, you bid an extra Physical Trait, or two Traits if your opponent is actively trying to avoid you. You then perform a normal Physical Challenge against the opponent. |
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Damage: One health level of bashing or lethal damage, depending on weapon used. |
Minimum requirements: Flight 2 and Brawl 2 or Melee 2, depending on the attack type.
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Slam |
You swoop down as before, but instead of hitting the opponent and swooping back up, you slam into your opponent at full speed. Considering a Gargoyle's enormous weight, this is an extremely serious attack. This grounds you and thus allows you to be attacked, but is likely to hurt the opponent quite a bit. Your opponent is knocked down but may attack you normally during this turn, as you aren't swooping back up. He must bid two extra Physical Traits for his next action as he struggles back to his feet. If you lose the challenge, you're still grounded, but you manage to land on your feet. Note that as this maneuver depends on your body mass: Melee weapons cannot be used in this attack. As with Swoop, a character with Alacrity or a suitable weapon cannot preempt the attack, and targets who are well in cover (as described under Swoop) cannot be slammed. You bid an extra Physical Trait, or two Traits if the opponent is actively trying to avoid him, then perform a normal Physical Challenge against the opponent. Damage: Three health levels of bashing damage. If you have Flight 5, you can optionally inflict an additional health level of damage; however, if you do not have at least Fortitude 1, you will also suffer one health level of bashing damage. If you have Armor of Terra, you inflict yet another additional health level of bashing damage, cumulative with Flight 5. If you have Armor of Terra, you need no Fortitude: Your skin is so tough that you suffer no damage from the impact.
Minimum requirements: Flight 2, Brawl 1
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