Hunter: The Reckoning – Antagonists

Antagonist Basics

Antagonists in Hunter: The Reckoning are threats around whom the stories can be told. They can be based on familiar archetypes (like vampires, werewolves or ghosts), but may also not fit any easily pinpointed category.

Storytellers may base their chronicle’s monsters on local urban legends and folklore, or adapt those presented in the book into their chosen regions.

The simplest foe will usually only need a description and a difficulty level – for example “Ghost 3”. This makes the tests against this creature to be of Difficulty 3, required to be beaten in order to defeat the monster.

Most antagonists will only need pools for key action categories and specific actions, as opposed to an entire sheet with detailed Attribute or Skill values.

For example, it’s usually not important to know the dots of Drive skill for a vampire, but if they were exceptionally skilled in it, they may have a pool Driving (Evasive Manouevers) listed – which will in return raise the difficulty against this particular pool.

General Difficulties

This value allows the Storyteller to have more nuance while maintaining a streamlined experience. Often displayed at “4/2” with the first number representing the Difficult to defeat their strongest ability and the second to beat in other tests.

Antagonist Options

The Storyteller can roll twice the Difficulty value as a pool for the antagonist. Another option is to roll one die when the Difficulty comes into play; should the die result in a 0, consider the roll critical and add +2 to their Difficulty for the test.

Supernatural

The supernatural exists in this world, threatening those unaware of their existence. These creatures are what the Hunters seek to find and Hunt.

From blood-sucking vampires and furious werewolves to the ghostly apparitions that haunt old homes, the supernatural comes in an endless variety – and often a desire to destabilize or control humanity.

Rival Organizations

Orgs differ from Hunter cells, most notably in that most members of an org do not have Drives and hunters within an org are usually only following an order or the directive of an org.

Creeds, cells, and orgs often clash as cells and Creeds strive to destroy supernatural threats, whereas many orgs work towards using the monster’s existence to their own benefit. If all vampires were wiped out, an org that exists to wipe them out would be defunded and close.

This does not mean that orgs are unwilling to utilize Hunters for their benefit; it’s not uncommon to see an org use a cell as bait or otherwise for tasks that they themselves are unwilling to risk their assets for. Hunter cells generally understand that orgs are in it for themselves, but these jobs do serve a purpose. Primarily for information gathering and resources, which can be highly valuable to some creeds.

Others

Not only rival organizations and supernatural creatures stand in the way of a cell, but despite them working for the good of humanity overall, Hunters can find themselves pitted against regular people who are unaware of the supernatural.

Hunters can find themselves facing a cop who doesn’t understand the dire situation that has them breaking into a house. Or they can find themselves up against a gang that may be under the influence of a supernatural creature.