Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition

How to play Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition

A fast, practical overview. Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition is a tabletop RPG where you play as Garou, werewolves fighting against the corruption of the Wyrm. As warriors of Gaia, you balance your human side with your wolf nature, tracking Renown, wielding Gifts, and maintaining your connection to the spirit world.

Beginner checklist

Set your intent and approach (then pick the best dice pool).

Roll Attribute + Skill as a d10 pool; count successes on 6+.

Track Rage and when it pushes you toward losing control.

Track Renown and Gifts as your main progression and spotlight levers.

How rolls work

Werewolf W5 uses d10 dice pools: roll Attribute + Skill, count successes on 6+, with criticals on paired 10s. Rage dice replace part of your pool and can push results brutal, power at the cost of control.

Build your pool (Attribute + Skill), substituting Rage dice for your current Rage.

Roll d10s and count successes (6+).

Interpret Rage results: brutal outcomes and lost wolf control are story-forward consequences, not just failures.

Example

Two 10s make a critical; if Rage dice drove it, the win comes with the wolf off the leash.

Key facts

5 Auspices: Ahroun, Galliard, Philodox, Ragabash, Theurge

Tribe system: Cultural affiliations like Black Furies, Silver Fangs, Hart Wardens, Ghost Council, Galestalkers

Renown system: Glory (combat), Honor (tradition), Wisdom (spirit)

5 Forms: Homid, Glabro, Crinos, Hispo, Lupus

Gift system: Auspice and Tribe-based powers

Rage mechanics: Fuels transformations and combat

Derived stats: Health Superficial, Health Aggravated, Willpower Superficial, Willpower Aggravated, Rage

Play examples

Rage changes the scene

When you push hard in conflict, Rage is part of the cost. Track it like a pressure gauge: it fuels power, but it also pushes you toward losing control.

Renown as spotlight

Renown rewards the kind of deeds the game wants. Use it as a guide for what scenes to seek (Glory/Honor/Wisdom depending on your pack's choices).

Common mistakes

Mistake

Using Rage only as a combat stat.

Fix

Treat Rage as pressure that changes decisions across scenes, not just damage.

Mistake

Ignoring Renown as a play signal.

Fix

Use Renown to guide what 'heroic' looks like for your pack.

Full rules reference for Werewolf

Character creation

Choose Concept (who your character was/is), Auspice (role under the moon), Tribe (Garou lineage/culture).

Set Identity: Name, Deed Name, Pack, Sept, Archetype.

Distribute Attributes: Assign values across all 9 attributes, one at 4, three at 3, four at 2, one at 1. Not divided by category.

Distribute Skills: Choose a distribution, Specialist (one at 4, three at 3, three at 2, three at 1), Balanced (three at 3, five at 2, seven at 1), or Jack of All Trades (one at 3, eight at 2, ten at 1).

Pick Specialties: one free in each of Academics, Craft, Performance and Science that has dots, plus one more in any Skill.

Choose Advantages: 7 dots shared between Backgrounds and Merits, plus 2 dots of Flaws (required).

Assign Renown: 3 dots total, across Glory/Honor/Wisdom (max 2 each). Put 2 dots in your Tribe's Renown, then 1 dot in a different Renown.

Pick Gifts: 3 total (1 Native, 1 from Auspice, 1 from Tribe).

Choose 1 Rite: the one Rite your character knows at creation.

Choose Touchstones (human connections anchoring you).

Calculate Rage, Willpower, Health.

Finish Backstory and Pack connections.