Kindred: Fake Gaaru Form.

Here is a devotion that I have been tossing around in my head.  I have brought this up recently to my GM, but I wanted some additional input.  This devotion is based upon a Gangrel who is on Alliance terms with a pack of Chicago werewolves (The Whispers) and is looking to expand his changing abilities beyond just his prefered wolf form:

Ultimate Predator -
       Protean 4 (Wolf Form), Resilience 4, Vigor 2
        3 Vitae (1 Willpower Optional)

This devotion combines the three most physically powerful disciplines to copy what comes naturally to all werewolves; Gaaru form.  This copies all the primary aspects of werewolves war form with a few exceptions; Ultimate Predator does not increase the kindred's size, only its capacity of destruction; kindred do not loose their mental control in this form like Uratha do.  This devotion grants the user the following; lethal damage from claws and teeth with a +1 dice modifier; a 1/1 armor bonus from Resilience 2 creating a stronger body, the other Resilience 2 are used to maintain form; a +2 to strength and full benefit from Vigor.

Kindred must spend 3 vitae to fully accomplish this form and can easily sustain this form for a number of turns equal to the kindred's Blood Potency + Stamina per scene.  However, by spending 1 willpower keeps the kindred in this form for 1 scene or until the kindred releases it.  The needed willpower must be spent with the required vitae, not while the kindred is already in Gaaru form.

Kindred in Ultimate Predator form are still subject to all Dominate and Majesty disciplines.  Kindred are able to use all mental and physical disciplines, except any disciplines requiring the use of speech as Gaaru form cannot speak in human tongue.  Any physical discipline that alters the whole body removes the kindred out of Ultimate Predator form.  Also, any time the kindred enters any frenzy, the Ultimate Predator form is dropped as being in Gaaru form is uncomfortable and inconvenience to the Beast.

Any additional dots in Resilience and Vigor for this devotion used add normal benefit to the kindred, except the following; each dot of both Vigor and Resilience increase the kindred's Gaaru form size by a value of 1.  So a Kindred of Blood Potency of 5 or less may only accomplish size 6, however, Blood Potency of 6 or higher can achieve size 7 a maximum size of 11.  However, this blatant increase in size can result in a breaking of rules for both kindred and Uratha.

Finally, kindred in Gaaru form do not invoke Lunacy in mortals, however is also not looked upon kindly by either kindred, forsaken, or local spirits in or who can view the physical realm.

        This devotion costs 31 experience points to learn.

BatosaiBlade:

So a Kindred of Blood Potency of 5 or less may only accomplish size 6, however, Blood Potency of 6 or higher can achieve size 7 a maximum size of 11.

Kindred below Blood Potency 6 are incapable of paying the 3 vitae activation cost.

BatosaiBlade:

This devotion grants the user the following; lethal damage from claws and teeth with a +1 dice modifier; a 1/1 armor bonus from Resilience 2 creating a stronger body, the other Resilience 2 are used to maintain form; a +2 to strength and full benefit from Vigor.

Why on earth would a Gangrel want this devotion?  They already get a +1 modifier using Claws of the Wild and deal aggravated damage on top of that.  They would be better off simply getting Rhino's Hide or develop their own armor devotion.

Basically this writeup sounds like you're giving the kindred all the advantages of Gaaru form and none of the disadvantages.  Gaaru form doesn't last an entire scene, why should a hack version?

If you want something like this that actually if balanced and usable, take a look at Shadows of Mexico pg 105, and at the bloodline that goes with the devotion, the Dead Wolves, on pg 102 of the same book.

Audrey St. John:

Kindred below Blood Potency 6 are incapable of paying the 3 vitae activation cost.

I recall hearing a developer once say that Kindred can spend vitae over time to get to a power's cost.   Mage is the only game that specifically forbids spending fuel over a couple turns, while some (like Changeling) specifically say that you can spend fuel over multiple turns.

How about:

Ultimate Predator (30xp)
Prereqs: Protean 4, Resilience 3, Vigor 3.
Actions: Instant
Cost: 2 Vitae + 1 Willpower.
Effect:
Neither Resilience nor Vigor nor any Devotion drawing on these Disciplines may be active while under the effect of the Ultimate Predator. If active, these effects deactivate immediately. Gain the following bonuses:
+3 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +2 Stamina, +2 Size and +3 Perception (and thus +4 Health, +1 Initiative, +4 Speed).
1/1 armor, +1L claws, +2L bite (no grapple required). -2 on all Frenzy rolls.

Thank you, this is very clear and concise.  i will be bringing this up to my ST.  Thank you.

Good call, I am glad you brought this up. No reason to re-invent the wheel.

kurasu:

If you want something like this that actually if balanced and usable, take a look at Shadows of Mexico pg 105, and at the bloodline that goes with the devotion, the Dead Wolves, on pg 102 of the same book.

I know a lot of people think there's no need to reinvent the wheel, but what if you didn't know there were a wheel to begin with?  How would you know that you were reinventing it?  I've seen several devotions that do similiar things though derived from different sources, as well as ones where the same devotion can be produced using different disciplines.

I think for a single character with no knowledge that the Dead Wolves exists or way to join the bloodline (i.e. already in a bloodline or below BP 4), this devotion isn't a bad idea.  But there should be more drawbacks, especially something like this devotion being a Gangrel only one.  There's really nothing in my eyes that would stop a pack of pissed off Gangrel from pretending to be Uratha to stir up some trouble for the local werewolves, especially if there's some bad blood between a Forsaken pack and a coterie over territory.

I like the idea though.  It's very Bram Stroker's Dracula-esque, as well as reminding me of something similiar in various other vampire games and movies.  A post-playtesting version would be nice.