The major house rule change that has been made here is that all Shifters get Bomb (Rank 4+) and Ties (Rank 5+) in Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina related tests when in Crinos-type forms depending upon Shifter type (page 232 laws of the Wyld West). Refer the the chart below to see in what categories you receive this bonus in.

Power vs. Rank

In a crossover game Shifters are the only creatures that have no progression in the powers that they learn. This makes for an interesting system. When looking at clashing powers we will use the Shifter’s Rank in place of the power. Example: A shifter and a vampire enter combat. The vampire spend the blood needed to activate Celerity 4 and the Rank 5 shifter spends the gnosis needed to activate the gift Spirit of the Fray. The shifter, even though using a basic gift, will go first in example due to the Power vs. Rank, Celerity 4 vs Rank 5. Let’s say that the vampire has Celerity 6, it would then come down to physical vs physical, whomever had the higher traits. Also note that Rank 6 can keep up with powers level 6.

Gifts, Challenges, and Expenditures

If a power is NOT self-effecting, you will need a challenge, even if stated otherwise in the book.

• Gifts vs Another Character - Gifts that challenge another character will end up in a trait + ability vs. trait + ability challenge between the characters. The storyteller overseeing the challenge has the final say on what are appropriate traits and abilities from both the attacker and defender.
• Gifts vs an Item
  • Mundane - When using a gift on mundane object it will be your appropriate traits (social, mental, physical, gnosis, rage and/or will) vs the items net bonus traits times 3 (whatever Bonus traits it gives minus the negative traits, then multiply by 3).
    Example: the difficulty of a long sword would be 6 (FnF page 272). The long sword give 3 bonus traits but have 1 negative trait to give it a net bonus of 2, we then multiply this by 3 to come to the difficulty of 6. ( bonus traits 3-1 negative = 2, then take the 2 and multiply it by difficulty modifier of 3 to arrive at the difficulty rating of 6)
  • Magical - When using a gift on a "magical item" (wonders, fetish, artifacts, treasure, etc…) the challenge will be your appropriate traits (social, mental, physical, gnosis, rage and/or will) vs the items background rating times 3.
    Example: the difficulty for a wonder level 3 would be 9. The background wonder times 3 (wonder rating 3x3=9 for the difficulty.) However magical items get 1 free retest.
• Gifts vs a place or area - Gifts cannot and will not work on a group or area, unless otherwise originally stated in the gift. We will default to the Faith and Fire rules (page 232) known as “Alone against the world.” The character must spend 1 trait for every individual in the challenge, up to a max of 5 traits. You can never risk or lose more than 5 traits.
• Gifts and damage - Follow what Laws of the Wild (or printed rules by book) are for the specific gift. If not specified, your damage cap for a gift is based on your rank, unless the base rules for the gift state otherwise. This means that at rank 1 you are capped at 1 aggravated damage, rank 3 you are capped at 3 aggravated damage, rank 5 you are capped at 5 aggravated damage, etc. Please note this is only when using gift to determine damage that does not specify the amount of damage possible.

Stepping Sideways

In the setting that we are using you will find stepping sideways is very easy at times and impossible at others. The gauntlet rating is almost never higher than 3 with a few exceptions. A Storyteller will let you know the difficulty in a given territory or domain. You may also find that the gauntlet rating is 0 so you cannot step sideways for you are already in both planes of existence.