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Here's my top three pieces of advice for running a game of Werewolf: the Apocalypse.
Here's my top three pieces of advice for running a game of Werewolf: the Apocalypse.
#1
As a GM, you don't need to include every tribe. There's loads. Werewolves are rare. When you're creating your sept, you'll get more from the dynamics of your NPCs if you have fewer tribes to work with. Decide which ones are and are not present, and why.
As a GM, you don't need to include every tribe. There's loads. Werewolves are rare. When you're creating your sept, you'll get more from the dynamics of your NPCs if you have fewer tribes to work with. Decide which ones are and are not present, and why.
#2
Spirits matter. Include them often. But they're also weird; they don't feel 'right' to most humans. Make them uncomfortable. Make the Umbra vaguely terrifying to the rational mind.
Spirits matter. Include them often. But they're also weird; they don't feel 'right' to most humans. Make them uncomfortable. Make the Umbra vaguely terrifying to the rational mind.
#3
The PCs are part wolves. Even in human form, emphasise how the senses feel. Whenever you can, describe how things smell; even things humans couldn't normally smell. Get used to describing things by scent. Yes, it'll feel strange. This is werewolf; strange is good.
The PCs are part wolves. Even in human form, emphasise how the senses feel. Whenever you can, describe how things smell; even things humans couldn't normally smell. Get used to describing things by scent. Yes, it'll feel strange. This is werewolf; strange is good.
So I didn't really expand each of these points as much as I wanted, so I'd like to go back and give each one more depth.
First, point 1 - the tribes.
This is actually all about creating the backdrop for the story that you want to tel with your players.
First, point 1 - the tribes.
This is actually all about creating the backdrop for the story that you want to tel with your players.
When you start to make a game of Werewolf: the Apocalypse, one of the first things you'll want to do with your players in session zero, after discussing boundaries and safety mechanics, is to decide where you want your game to be set.
This could be an area local to your group, somewhere else in the world, anywhere. This will inform which NPCs you'll be filling your game's world with.
In Werewolf, the 'home base' is typically a cairn, and the NPCs are typically other garou in a sept.
In Werewolf, the 'home base' is typically a cairn, and the NPCs are typically other garou in a sept.
(That's a vast generalisation of course; your NPCs will often also be spirits and kinfolk too, but they will typically follow on from the dominant tribes that you want to feature in your story.)
