Q: How do you deal with surprise attacks in WitchCraft?

A: If an attacker achieves complete surprise (i.e., sneaking up on someone without being spotted, or a sniper firing from a concealed position), the target has no chance to defend against the attack. In cinematic games, the Chronicler may allow characters with Situational Awareness or Fast Reaction Time to defend even against a surprise attack, albeit with a -4 penalty (reduced to -2 if the character has both Qualities).

Q: The Essence Channeling Quality seems to be priced incorrectly in the Archetypes. Am I missing something here?

A: As you noted, the points were a bit off. The numbers will be corrected in second printing. In the meantime, here is the rundown.

Q: Can Necromancers use Essence defensively as described on p. 199? Or is that simply for Magicians?

A: Anyone with Essence Channeling canuse Essence defensively as detailed on p. 199.

Q: Regarding ghosts and other spirits, can the Gifted in general see them? Or is it simply that the Gifted have various methods of detecting them (Necromancy and Death Speech, the Tao Chi skill, Divine Sight, the Insight Invocation, and so on). Which is the case, and if it's the latter, is there any way for a Seer to perceive a spirit?

A. Generally, Gifted characters have a chance of detecting the presence of a spirit in the area. To locate them precisely, or see them, they need the special abilities you mention above. A psychic with Mindsight should be able to see a spirit more precisely.

Q. In the close combat rules, the book mentions that you can take one offensive action and defensive action in a round with no penalty, and that additional ones cause a cumulative penalty of 2 for each extra action over the first (p. 134). I assume that this is true in ranged combat too, but the rapid-fire rule looks like it works a bit differently. If Dodging semi-automatic fire, is it multiple rolls or one, and does it count against the penaltly? If the latter, it seems be disproportionately hard to Dodge early on, especially when you consider the firer isn't re-aiming much.

A. It can be done in two ways: either one Dodge counts against the entire group (i.e., the roll result is compared against the different shots) or the Dodging character has to roll multiple times. The first method works best when the character is ducking for cover -- one roll makes sense since the character will be out of danger once he makes it to cover (in theory, at least), so subsequent shots, with the recoil penalty, have a lower chance of hitting. The second case applies when the dodging character is in the open -- the attacker can shift his aiming point (although he still has a recoil penalty to contend with) more easily than the person can roll or jump around. When the character is performing multiple dodges the normal multiple action penalties apply.

Q. Can you move while building up Essence with channeling? We had a character running toward the scene and trying to build up a good solid firebolt when he got there. I got the impression this probably wouldn't work, but I couldn't find much authoritative discussion or movement combined with other actions.

A. There were no official rules, but generally doing anything while running is more difficult, and Channeling requires some degree of concentration. The Chronicler could either forbid it altogether, or give the running character a -2 or -3 penalty to the Invocation because of the split concentration.

Q. What happens when someone tries to use Essence from a consecrated object with Shields? I decided they could do it, but that the only effect would be once the Shields were dropped, the Essence would come up immediately in someone's normal matrix. Reading the description, I'm not sure this makes any sense.

A. Shields can only use the character's personal Essence. They cannot be fed from ambient Essence, or that contained in consecrated objects, or any other source.

Q: In the section on ambient essence, the book states how much essence is available during the Times and Days of Power and for Places of Power. How much ambient essence is available on a regular day and not during a Time of Power?

A: Most of the time, there isn't enough ambient Essence to tap directly -- just enough to replenish your personal reserve via Essence Channeling or normal Essence recovery. The extra Essence appears only at special times/places.

Q: Can a character with Channeling use defensive essence vs. psionics? What if a physical Shield were present? Would the telekinetic pick up both, or be denied? Is there a "save" vs. psionics like pyrokinesis, telekinesis, etc?

A: Essence Channeling can be used defensively against any supernatural power that can be resisted. It should also give a resisted roll (Willpower + Essence spent in one Turn vs. Willpower + Mindhands Art) when somebody tries to pick up the channeler. A non-physical Shield should use its Strength versus the attempt to pick up/blast the character. On the other hand, there would be no roll against a telekinetic that just throws something at the target, except a Dodge.

Q: Most characters wishing to have the Divine Inspiration abilities purchase both the Gift (5 points) and the Divine Inspiration (5 points) Qualities.

A: Yes, the Gift is a prerequisite to any metaphysical powers (Invocations, the Sight, Necromancy or Divine Inspiration).

Q. The introductory material to the Supernatural Qualities and Drawbacks section of Chapter Three: Roles states that they are generally limited to Gifted, Lesser Gifted and Bast Types. The Old Soul Quality does not expressly allow Mundanes to chose it, but it seems to me that they should be eligible. What do you think?

A. Well, Old Soul means more than reincarnation, it means many reincarnations, and a measure of lucid remembrances about them. Most Mundanes have not reincarnated that often, and they remember little, if anything, about their past lives. Having said that, there really isn't any reason to absolutely forbid Old Soul to Mundanes. As with every rule, play with what works for you.

Q: Holy Fire as used by divinely inspired requires no roll to activate -- if the Essence exists it goes off. You may dodge holy fire at a penalty of -4. It automatically homes in on it's target requiring no targeting roll. So the question is, what is the Test or Task (which gets a -4 penalty) used when dodging the Holy Fire?

A: For most, there is no Test or Task. The Holy Fire just hits and hurts. If, and only if, the target knows the attack is coming, he can attempt a Dodge Task (or Difficult Dexterity Test) roll. This is particularly applicable if the target or someone in the area already got blasted, and he makes the connection between the Inspired looking or shouting or brandishing his copy of the Gideon Bible at the target and the blast arriving. If the target does attempt a Dodge Task, that is the only action he is allowed that Turn.

Q. Under Divine Inspiration/Using Miracles, it says that the Inspired regain their Essence at 1 point per level of Willpower per 5 minutes (WitchCraft, p. 242). Under the Inspired and Prayers, it says that an inspired character who spends at least an hour in deep prayer and meditation may find himself replenishing Essence at double rate (WitchCraft, p. 247). Does that mean that after an hour, a character begins regaining 2 Essence Points per level of Willpower per 5 minutes, or does it mean that during the hour she spends in meditation she regains at the double rate?

A. The former -- the character gains the replenishment benefit only after one hour of meditation. For these purposes, meditation will most likely only benefit characters with a lot of Essence who have used up all or most of it.

Q. Can any Gifted use Essence defensively, or only magi? The placement of the rule (p. 199) and phrasing would seem to imply the latter, but it's not clear.

A. Any channeler can use Essence defensively. Magic and Essence have a closer tie than any other "main" powers in WitchCraft, hence the placement of the defensive Essence use section in the magic section. That was perhaps ill-advised, and will be clarified or moved in subsequent printings.

Q. How much Mindheal Strength do you need to effect Serious and Terminal diseases? It mentions the Essence cost, and lists the level for Minor and Moderate diseases, but not the upper levels (p. 232).

A. Opps. Strength 6 is required for Serious and 10+ for Terminal.