The spirits that teach Tribal Gifts do so based upon ancient pacts made between certain spirits and the Tribes. Spirits only teach Tribal Gifts to outsiders when a high-Ranked Tribe member intercedes with the spirit on the student’s behalf. An Athro’s word is required in such cases for Basic or Intermediate Gifts, while only the word of an Elder can sanction passing an Advanced Gift to an outsider. (This supersedes the rule on page 76 of Dark Epics.)
Garou require protracted periods of time to learn a Gift from another Garou, during which the two Garou must have ready access to each other for training sessions. The period is generally one month for Basic Gifts, two months for Intermediate Gifts, and three months for Advanced Gifts. In addition to the Notoriety penalty mentioned in Dark Epics, further Notoriety (and even Renown loss) will be in order if the student later uses the Gift to harm members of the teacher’s Tribe.
Many Gifts allow the Garou to expend additional Traits to increase the effectiveness of the Gift. A Garou may only spend three Traits to enhance the effect of such Gifts. This does not apply to Gifts that have a specific chart showing the number of Traits spent versus effect or duration gained.
Each clarification below includes a reference to the part of Laws of the Wild’s Gift section where the original text can be found.
Aura of Confidence [Basic Shadow Lord]
This Gift also works against supernatural powers.
Balor’s Gaze [Intermediate Fianna]
Ignore the tabletop reference to “Crippled” health penalties, substituting penalties for the Wounded health level instead. Willpower spent to ignore would penalties will also allow this gift to be ignored for one round.
Bloody Feast [Intermediate Wendigo]
Gain one Ferocious or Tough Trait per level of damage inflicted, instead of one per two levels.
Coupe de Grace [Intermediate Black Fury]
This Gift will not add more then two levels of damage to an attack.
Create Element [Basic Metis]
Flames created as weapons inflict one aggravated wound per Gnosis Trait expended (maximum of three), and requires the Garou to win a Mental Challenge against his opponent’s Physical Traits.
Exorcism [Intermediate Theurge]
Spirits bound into objects cannot be the target of Exorcism if the object is in the possession of someone else. Spirits bound into people or animals cannot be targeted by Exorcism unless the subject is restrained or trapped during the current and prior turn. Fetishes in the hands of an opponents or unrestrained Fomori are not viable targets of this Gift. Ignore the stated requirement to gain more successes then the binder gained. Fomori who have their Banes successfully removed with this Gift will die.
Feral Lobotomy [Advanced Theurge]
Ignore the reference to successes. Only one Mental Trait can be destroyed per use of this Gift. Mental Traits can be repurchased with Experience Traits as normal.
Fetish Doll [Advanced Uktena]
The Garou can only have one Fetish Doll created at a time. The challenge to injure the target is a Willpower Challenge (not a Static Mental Challenge against the target's Willpower). Additionally, this Gift allows ten challenges, not ten levels of damage, before the doll is automatically destroyed.
Geas [Advanced Philodox]
Use of this Gift requires a Willpower Challenge (not a Social Challenge against the Target's Willpower).
Gift of the Porcupine [Intermediate Metis]
Anyone striking you with bare flesh (i.e. without using a weapon] suffers one level of aggravated damage [not the same damage they inflict on you). Note that you cannot bite or claw in the same action where you tackle, grapple, or immobilize an opponent (to inflicting the level of aggravated damage).
Gift of the Spriggan [Advanced Fianna]
You can gain no more than six Physical Traits from the use of this Gift.
Gorge [Intermediate Red Talon]
The Garou does not need to designate only one Trait type when he purchases the Gift. Instead, he can only store one type of Trait with this Gift at a time. This Gift can only be taken once.
Halo of the Sun [Advanced Child of Gaia]
This Gift causes attacks to inflict one additional level of aggravated damage, not two.
Howl of the Banshee [Basic Fianna]
To clarify, the user makes a Static Social Challenge against seven Traits. If successful, everyone within ten feet must win a Static Social Challenge against the Gift user’s Social Traits or flee as noted.
Inspiration [Basic Ahroun]
Comrades gain either a Willpower Trait that must be expended that scene, or a free retest (not an automatic success) on one Willpower Challenge in that scene. A character cannot benefit from Inspiration more then once in a scene.
Invoke the Spirits of the Storm [Advanced Wendigo]
Lightning bolts cause three levels of aggravated damage, not ten.
Jam Technology [Basic Homid]
Successful use of this Gift prevents the use of items of the target complexity or lower. Therefore if you test against six Traits, you block use of all electronic devices but no mechanical devices.
Kiss of Helios [Advanced Ahroun]
This Gift causes attacks to inflict one additional level of aggravated damage, not two.
Luna’s Armor [Basic Child of Gaia]
This Gift may only be used once per scene, and its effects do not last longer than a scene. The Garou activating Luna’s Armor is not bound by the standard limitation of expending no more than three Traits to power a Gift (but is limited to no more than her Rank).
Might of Thor [Intermediate Get of Fenris]
The Garou activating Might of Thor is not bound by the standard limitation of expending no more than three Traits to power a Gift.
Name the Spirit [Intermediate Lupus]
When learned by Garou other than Theurges, this is an Intermediate Gift.
Open Wounds [Intermediate Shadow Lord]
The “Physical Challenge” is a Static Challenge against the target's Physical Traits. No bonus Traits are counted for forms or powers during this challenge. A character can only be affected by this Gift once per scene.
Reshape Object [Intermediate Homid]
Weapons created by this Gift will only inflict aggravated damage for five minutes after creation, regardless of how long they stay reshaped.
Resist Pain [Basic Philodox]
This Gift allows you to ignore the wound penalties for the Bruised, Wounded, and Incapacitated wound levels.
Roll Over [Intermediate Philodox]
This Gift costs one Gnosis Trait and requires a Social Challenge to use, (not a Willpower Challenge). The submission effect of the Gift ends if the subject is attacked. Against supernatural creatures, Roll Over will not force submission, but will keep the subject respectful of the Gift user, and prevent her from attacking the Gift user for the remainder of the scene. The defensive effect ends if the Gift user attacks (anyone) or takes a directly threatening action.
Scream of Gaia [Intermediate Get of Fenris]
Each level of damage may be avoided with a successful Simple Test. If a victim does not take any damage from the Gift, she does not fall down.
Shadows by the Firelight [Intermediate Galliard]
This Gift causes the participants to act out the story as described, much like actors on a stage. The participants do not cause real harm to one another, nor do they actually employ Gifts or use Traits of any type. While affected by this Gift, the participants can do nothing except act out their parts and resist the effect of actions taken against them by non-participants.
Seizing the Edge [Basic Shadow Lord]
The Traits are divided among the character's Attribute categories (as evenly possible), and last for the remainder of the scene.
Spirit of the Fray [Basic Ahroun]
Traits granted by this Gift count for determining Initiative only. If Trait based initiative is not being used, characters with Spirit of the Fray perform their first action of the turn before other characters can act. This includes the resolution of the effects of that challenge. Characters with Spirit of the Fray resolve who goes first amongst themselves in the same manner as other characters would.
Strength of the Dominator [Intermediate Shadow Lord]
To use this Gift, you must defeat your opponent in a Social Challenge instead of winning a Static Social Challenge.
Strength of Purpose [Basic Philodox]
You only regain one Willpower Trait with this Gift, and it may only be attempted once per session.
Thousand Forms [Advanced Ragabash]
The form assumed grants no supernatural powers or capabilities.
True Fear [Basic Ahroun]
Use of this Gift requires a Willpower Challenge (not a Physical Challenge against your opponent’s Willpower).
Visceral Agony [Intermediate Black Fury]
Ignore the wound penalty examples given. Refer to actual MET wound penalties instead.
Wall of Granite [Advanced Philodox]
The wall can absorb ten levels of damage per scene (not per turn).
Whelp Body [Intermediate Ragabash]
There is no limit to the number of times a specific individual can be affected by this Gift, but he may not lose more then a total of six Physical Traits to this Gift. Traits lost and later repurchased with Experience Traits still count towards the maximum number of Traits that can be lost, so once six Traits have been repurchased, the character is immune to this Gift.
Wither Limb [Intermediate Metis]
To use this Gift, you must defeat your opponent in a Willpower Challenge (instead of winning a Static Willpower Challenge versus the target's Physical Traits).
Punishment Rites can only be performed in the presence of the target.
Rite of Accomplishment
This rite is not used to gain Rank, but rather to turn temporary Renown Traits into permanent Renown Traits (as noted on page 179 of Laws of the Wild). Otherwise, use the rules on page 160-161 for performing the rite.
Rite of Passage
The first successful Rite of Passage gives the new character three Basic Gifts, one from each of the starting lists for their auspice, breed, and Tribe. With a successful Rite of Passage, the character is officially accepted into their Tribe. This is an important moment for Garou who previously were without a Tribe.
Rite of Summoning
While this rite can be used to summon totem, Incarna, and Celestine avatars, Social Traits cannot be spent to speed up or control their reaction to being summoned. The speed and reaction of such spirits are up to the Storyteller or Spirit Guide.