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Manipulation (Hunter: The Reckoning 5th Edition)

Attributes

Definition

Manipulation gets a specific result out of someone by controlling what they believe. It covers a cover identity that survives questioning, a threat that is never quite stated aloud, an argument built to be agreed with, and a lie told to the officer standing between you and a crime scene. Hunters need it because the truth is unusable. You cannot tell a hospital administrator that you want the file because the deceased was drained by something, so you become an insurance investigator instead. Manipulation is opposed when the target is suspicious, and repeated attempts on the same person get harder as trust erodes, which makes it a scalpel rather than a hammer.

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How it works

**Dice Pool Uses**: - Manipulation + Subterfuge: Lying, misdirection, holding a cover identity - Manipulation + Persuasion: Building an argument designed to be accepted - Manipulation + Intimidation: Implied threats and leverage - Manipulation + Politics: Maneuvering inside an institution **Special Rules**: Manipulation is opposed by Wits plus Insight when the target suspects deception, and Storytellers commonly raise the difficulty for repeated attempts on the same person. Attributes cap at 4 at creation and cost new rating × 5 XP afterward, so a hunter whose concept rests on cover identities should set this high from the start.

Tips

**Build Advice**: Prioritize Manipulation if your hunter works through deception and indirect influence. It is what sustains a cover identity across several sessions, extracts information from people who should not give it, and defuses situations where honesty would be catastrophic. **Creed Synergies**: Underground creed hunters depend on it for shadow work and it pairs directly with their Subterfuge and Streetwise skills. Entrepreneurial hunters use it to negotiate and to pull strings without ever appearing in the room. **Character Concepts**: Undercover officer, retired confidence artist, corporate fixer, defense investigator, therapist who learned to read people a little too well.

Frequently asked questions

What is the practical difference between Manipulation and Charisma?

Charisma asks and Manipulation engineers. If your character is telling the truth and hoping to be liked, roll Charisma. If there is a cover story, a hidden goal, or a pressure point, roll Manipulation.

What happens when a lie fails?

The target is opposing with Wits plus Insight, so a failure usually means they know something is wrong rather than nothing happening at all. Plan an exit before you try, because a burned cover identity in a small town is very hard to rebuild.

Which skills should back Manipulation?

Subterfuge for lying, Persuasion for structured argument, Intimidation for leverage, and Politics for institutions. Buy Subterfuge first, since it carries the cover identity through the moment somebody asks a second question.

Further Reading

Underground CreedEntrepreneurial CreedAll Hunter5e Attributes
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