Rage and Frenzy

Probably the most defining characteristic of the Garou is their Rage. Rage is not simply anger, rather it is an extreme, supernatural fury which can be channeled to achieve incredible feats, among them moving at drastically superhuman speed, completely changing one's physiology and mass, pulling oneself back from the brink of death, and powering supernatural abilities. The drawback to these incredible abilities is that, especially for Garou, containing this fount of restless energy is not always easy.

Possessing even a single dot of Temporary Rage is perceptible to humans. At around 3 or 4 Rage, most humans will be conscious of it. Though they may not precisely know the nature of their perception, humans will be uneasy around a Garou with more than 2 Rage. One human might go to great lengths to avoid the Garou, while another might have the courage to interact, but keep at arm's length. It is the rare human that exhibits complete ease around a Garou with Rage in his/her system. These effects of Rage stem from Rage's supernatural nature, as well as racial memory of the War of Rage. This Curse of Rage has always caused interactions between Garou and humans to be highly strained in the best circumstances.

''ST Note: Rage is the embodiment of sheer fury and Gaian wrath. You can’t shake your leg really fast or punch a wall to burn off rage and ease interactions with humans, that’s not how it works and is amazingly cheesy. Rage may only be used (and thereby decreased) for additional physical combat actions, or in situations relating to the need for physical power (ST discretion).''

Gaining Rage
There are many ways to gain Temporary Rage. Some are automatic, while others require the Player to win a Static Test against the Moon: Players may not relent to the Moon. On a Push, Rage is gained, as it is a Static Test.

Triggers which require this test include:
 * Extreme anger or humiliation
 * Extreme hunger, fear, or threat
 * Death or serious injury of a packmate or family member
 * Suffering damage after the first time a Character is damaged in a Session
 * The effects of Merits, Flaws, Gifts, or other powers
 * Any other highly emotional situation, at player or ST discretion

Automatic triggers include:
 * Entering a combat
 * The first time in a Session a Character takes damage
 * The first time in a Session a Character sees the Moon (refill to full if the Moon is the Character's Auspice)
 * The effects of Merits, Flaws, Gifts, or other powers
 * Instances of the above list so extreme that they warrant an auto-win on the Challenge (ST discretion)

Frenzy
Frenzy is a complete loss of control by a Garou of his or her Rage. The Garou will fixate on the most immediate and threatening target, and attack it physically, with no regard for life or limb, either for himself or herself, or for any others, friend or foe. Once the current target is dispatched, a new target will be acquired, until the Frenzy is ended, either by exhaustion, being talked down, through the use of a power, or death.

Entering Frenzy
There are only 3 ways of entering Frenzy:
 * Failing a Frenzy Test
 * The effects of Merits, Flaws, Gifts, or other powers which specifically cause Frenzy
 * Very specialized situations involving a Merit or Flaw, at ST discretion, may cause Frenzy or a Frenzy Test (a True Love being murdered in front of the Garou, for example)

Other than the effects of Merits, Flaws, Gifts, or other powers, the only time a Frenzy Test is called for is when Rage exceeds (Willpower+Rank) (Temporary of both Tempers is used). More precisely, any time a Garou gains a Rage, after the Rage gain, a comparison is made between the Character's Temporary Rage and the Character's Temporary Willpower + Rank. If the Rage is greater, a Frenzy Test is made. This is a Static Test of the Character's Temporary Will+Rank vs. Temporary Rage, with the Player throwing with the W+Rank traits. On a Win or Push, Frenzy is avoided, while on a loss, the Character enters Frenzy. Players may retest with Willpower, as well as any catch-all retests such as the Luck Merit.

Effects of Frenzy
While in a Frenzy, a Garou is incapable of deliberation, planning, target prioritization, or communication. Therefore, immediately after Frenzy has commenced, the ST running the scene takes control of the Character. The Player is usually permitted to throw chops (but may not relent), and may decide to spend Willpower for a modicum of control (ST discretion). In addition, the following effects take place:


 * The Garou gains the benefits of the Gift: Resist Pain, and so ignores ALL pain and wound penalties (Including "Dead" Status until the end of the round).
 * The Garou must spend rage up to his/her rank maximum each round. At the end of each round, the Garou gains one rage. Any stimulus that would normally require a rage challenge (taking damage, humiliation, etc.) automatically grants a rage.
 * The Garou may not step sideways, spend Gnosis, or activate Fetishes, Talens, or Gifts, but those that are active remain so.
 * The Garou has no access to their combative Ability (brawl, melee, firearms, etc.) retests while in Frenzy and may retest with a temporary Phantom Ability called " Frenzy" which they cannot lose while in the temp state of Frenzy.
 * The Garou is immune to any targeted Mental or Social power, excepting any power that specifically targets frenzy.

Getting out of Frenzy
You can spend one Willpower to get a Challenge in order to come out of Frenzy once the target is no longer there. (Static will plus Rank vs. Rage Every Turn).

If the Trigger is no longer in the scene, then the Garou engages in a static Current Willpower challenge vs. their Permanent Rage. This is repeated every round until they succeed.

Another person may attempt to talk a Garou out of frenzy. They may do this by spending three rounds calming the target down, then winning a static social challenge (retest Primal Urge), difficulty the frenzying Garou's current social traits. Also, for this to occur, there cannot be any other activity ongoing which would provoke frenzy (ie, combat).

The Thrall of the Wyrm
The Thrall terrifies Garou. Normal frenzy serves as a defense mechanism, a survival trait given the hostile world the Garou confront. Wyrm-frenzy corrupts that sanctuary and forces Garou to examine the Wyrm within themselves, something very few want to do. Some Garou go so far as to commit suicide after Wyrm-frenzy rather than deal with its horrific consequences:


 * Homid Garou become infected by the Eater-of-Souls, which drives them to acts of cannibalism on humans, wolves and other Garou. Whenever a homid Garou in Thrall kills or incapacitates a target they are compelled to spend the next turn feeding on the body.
 * Metis Garou come under the attention of the Defiler Wyrm, which drives them to attacks of psychosexual perversion. A Metis that kills or incapacitates a target while in Thrall must spend the next turn defiling the helpless body.
 * Lupus Garou are sought out by the Beast-of-War, which amplifies their natural predatory instincts to insane heights. A Lupus Garou who kills or incapacitates a foe while in Thrall must keep attacking until the target is dismembered and strewn around.

When a character enters Frenzy, the Player throws 2 simple tests to check for Thrall of the Wyrm as per pg 186 (Player must lose both to go into Thrall). This may only be retested with catch-all Retests such as that granted by the Luck Merit.