Can "Emotional Vampire" aid an Empathy roll?

Question

If an NPC or PC with "Emotional Vampire" rolls empathy to try pick up on something that is connected to the emotion they eat, by the rules of the system does Emotional Vampire give any bonus to that roll?

Or if you want it to help, would it have to be an explicit aspect invoke? (by player or GM if npc)

For instance:

• A Lust Eater rolls empathy, to see if someone is hiding having an attraction to someone
• A Fear Eater rolls empathy, to try pick up on if a poker faced individual is nervous/scared inside

And so on so forth with other related examples

I know in the lore of Dresden files they can pick up on these things and it aid them in the equivelant of empathy readings (they're feeling this) and alertness (someone's here/over there feeling that) if related to their diet, but I don't know if that's factored into rpg rules mechanically at all?

Answer 1

Emotional Vampire provides no passive mechanical benefit

Emotional Vampire (Your Story, p189) is an interesting ability intrinsic to the White Court Vampires but available for other creatures it might apply to. However, it's benefits are listed:

• Feeding Touch: Use an appropriate skill to psychological attack (such as Deceit or Intimidation) with contact. Can be used in the same action as Incite Emotion (YS, p173).
• The Taste of Death: Gain a scene of "recovery" period when you kill a creature with Feeding Touch.

And it has a drawback

• Feeding Frenzy: The GM can call for Discipline rolls to resist the urge to feed and can compel your High Concept as well.

---

Emotional Vampire is a fairly iconic ability and probably should (it doesn't require it) be reflected in your Aspects, probably your High Concept, as it is a part of what you are. You can almost definitely Invoke the associated Aspect to determine (appropriate) emotional states, but the ability provides no way to do so itself.

Of course it doesn't hurt to ask your GM. FATE, including (maybe especially) Dresden Files, is a narrative game and not all bonuses need to be tied to something written down. Just look at almost any of the non-human NPC stat-blocks provided. They're littered with comments, bonuses, and even automatic success conditions.