A Clash of Wills is the result of two or more individuals attempting to use supernatural powers against one another. Resolving the Clash of Wills requires a contested roll.
System[]
For a Clash of Wills roll to apply, two supernatural powers must have conflicting or opposite effects, with no other means of resolving the conflict. This occurs slightly more often in crossover storylines, as powers from within the same game line can be written to avoid such direct conflicts. The dice pools vary depending on the exact power used, but all start with the character's supernatural tolerance trait.
If the power is one rated in dots (such as a vampire's Disciplines), add the dot rating of the power. If the power is not rated in dots (such as the Embeds and Exploits of the Unchained), add the dot rating of the Attribute or Trait needed to activate it.[1] If there is no activation roll, as in the case of a Beast's Atavisms, add the character's highest resistance Attribute. [2]
Additional dice may be added depending on the duration of the intended effect. A power that would affect the target for the entire day adds one additional die; week-long effects adds two; month-long adds three; a year or longer adds four.
Finally, if the character is present and aware of the Clash of Wills in progress, they may spend Willpower to add three dice to their pool. Since some powers have long durations, a Clash of Wills can take place well after one of the powers involved has been initially used. Also, the characters may not realize they are being opposed by supernatural means even if they are face-to-face. [2]
Characters roll their dice pools, and the one with more successes is victorious. In case of ties, continue re-rolling until one player comes out on top.
Example[]
A demon uses the Never Here Embed to erase the target's memories of his presence. Later, a vampire using Auspex 
attempts to read the target's mind, to determine if she has seen the demon. Since Never Here relies on Manipulation and is meant to be permanent, the demon rolls his Primum + Manipulation + 4, while the vampire rolls their Blood Potency + 3. If the vampires suspects the target's memories were tampered with, they can spend a point of Willpower to boost their dice pool, but the demon (who is long gone) cannot.
If the demon wins this Clash of Wills, the vampire is unable to recover the target's memories. If the vampire wins, they are able to see past the effect of the Embed and recover the memory.[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 DTD: Demon: The Descent Rulebook, p. 122
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 BTP: Beast: The Primordial Rulebook, p. 222