Self Control is a universal role-play trait that defines a character's discipline and mastery over subconscious impulses (and the Beast). Characters with high Self Control rarely succumb to emotional urges, and are thus able to restrain their darker sides more readily than character with low Self Control. Self Control is similar to Willpower in purpose, as it not only factors into the challenge of compelling someone to do something, but also allows characters to resist temptation. However, whereas Willpower is a passive trait - a baseline steadiness - Self Control is an active effort. GMs may call for Self Control rolls to see if a character must spend Willpower (and thus call on their inner reserve) to resist a particular compulsion.
Role-play Downside: People with high Self Control tend to be a stick in the mud, stiff, and generally unfun. It is by no means true that someone with high Self Control is incapable of having a good time or good sense of humor, but the process of maintaining high Self Control is often an ascetic one, and demands a certain amount of avoiding hedonistic and excessive tendencies.
- Note: For Vampires, Self Control comes into play when a character faces her Beast in the form of frenzy. Self Control allows the character to resist the frenzy. A character may never roll more dice to resist or control a frenzy than she has blood pool - it's hard to deny the Beast when one's mind clouds with hunger.
- Unstable
- Normal
- Temperate
- Hardened
- Total self-mastery