It falls upon the Philodox to levy not only judgment but also punishment against those who have fallen from their proper stations. This Gift, taught by an ancestor-spirit, causes the werewolf’s claws and fangs to burn with the righteous power of law.
According to Egyptian legend, if the heart of one of the dead was heavier than Ma'at's feather, she would feed it to the beast Ammit, destroying their soul entirely. If it was lighter, then the dead person was admitted to the afterlife. This Gift was first the province of Silent Strider Philodox (and is still most common amongst that tribe), but has spread throughout all of Garou society. It allows the Philodox to sense the weight of a fallen Garou's soul and determine if he died as one of Gaia, or had fallen to the Wyrm. It is used to determine what rituals will be undertaken for the deceased, and is taught by a bird- or lion-spirit.
Using this Gift, the werewolf can learn the phase of the moon that heralded the birth of another. Although it can determine auspice, Moon Lore gives no clue to whether the subject is a werewolf or even if it is supernatural in any way; being born under a waxing gibbous moon means much more to a Garou than it does to a normal human. Any moon-spirit can teach this Gift.
Through force of will, the Philodox is able to ignore the pain of his wounds and continue acting normally. A bear-spirit teaches this Gift.
The Philodox is able to scent the truth of those she meets, literally sniffing out an individual's true form. A vulture-spirit teaches this Gift.
As the counselors of the Garou Nation, the Philodox have a keen nose for those whose minds have been shattered by trauma or supernatural forces. A Lune teaches this Gift.
As judges of the Litany, Philodox have the ability to sense whether others have spoken truth or falsehood. A Gaffling of Falcon teaches this Gift.
The Philodox are the natural leaders of the Garou in times of peace, bolstered by the faith and trust given to them by their charges. Each time the werewolf is accorded Renown by his fellows, he experiences a surge of confidence. A lion-spirit teaches this Gift.
(Camp: Wayfarers)
The White Howler Version is called Spectral Authority
The Philodox draws all eyes to herself with a great exclamation, a clap of her hands, the striking of klaive to shield, or some other such gesture. Until she has had her say, none may depart or interrupt her. A lion-spirit teaches this Gift.
With the affirmation of his fellow Garou behind him, the Philodox has no ear for paltry attempts to sway him from his path. His Honor acts as a shield against the subversive words of the Wyrm's minions and the misguided arguments of less righteous werewolves. A falcon-spirit teaches this Gift.
The Philodox's authority extends even into the realm of beasts, such that he can command the loyalty of any specific animal. If successful, the animal follows his commands willingly and unconditionally. A lion- or falcon-spirit teaches this Gift.
Half Moons are seldom called upon to make easy decisions or clear-cut judgements -- if things were so simple, the Philodox would not be needed. Yet when it comes down to it, even the judge could use a hint now and then. By taking a moment to look around, the wise Garou may see in the fall of a leaf or path of a butterfly an answer he seeks.
A wise Garou knows to obey the laws of a realm for maximum results; however, sometimes those laws aren't immediately obvious. Although experience is the best teacher, sometimes a Philodox needs to take a shortcut. By channeling the wisdom of a realm's spirits, the Philodox can intuitively guess important facts about the realm. This Gift is taught by an ancestor-spirit.
(Camp: Fangs of Garm)
Some Garou feel so strongly about their place in the pack, the tribe and the world that they can draw on this resolve in times of need. The Philodox can pull new resolve from his deepest reserves. A wolf-spirit teaches this Gift.
The Philodox is mediator and judge, but is also investigator. The Gift assists a Philodox with such matters by revealing any emotions and opinions that exist between two people. Many Garou detest this Gift, since it is indiscriminate, revealing any emotion that may exist. It is taught by an ant-spirit.
The heart of the werewolf is filled with rage, and quite often, this internal fire can overcome a werewolf's strength of will. With this Gift, taught by any tree spirit, a Philodox can briefly allow another to "hold back" the fury inside, lest a poorly made decision cause irreparable damage.
As the river changes course to flow past the rock, so does the Philodox flow past his foe's attack to bring the pain. He learns to balance his offense and defense in perfect harmony. A water elemental teaches this Gift.
This Gift grants metnal communication, even over vast distances. The user must either knownthe target personally (although he does not have to be friends with tat person) or have something that belongs to that person, such as a lock of his hair. Bird spirits and spirits of intellect teach this Gift. Owl is a particularly sought-after teacher, and those who learn from him claim to have enhanced abilities at night.
Oaths sanctified before a Philodox are a serious matter indeed, so this Gift grants the judges of the Garou nation the ability to know when an oath has been broken and to track down the oathbreaker to correct him personally. A dog-spirit teaches this Gift.
As the arbitrators of the Garou Nation, the Philodox have developed an attunement with the precarious forces that balance the world and the individual alike. This Gift allows the user to detect an overabundance of any of the prime forces of the universe, whether Wyrm, Wyld or Weaver. It can point out a Bane manifestation at an industrial plant or mental instability in a packmate. A cat-spirit teaches a friendly Garou this Gift in exchange for a warm fire and promise not to chase her kin.
Philodox are masters of judgment, and this trait extends even into the field of battle. By watching an opponent's fighting style, the werewolf can evaluate his strengths and weaknesses. Snake- and wind-spirits teach this Gift.
All werewolves have an innate connection to their ancestors, a form of racial unconscious accessible through intense meditation. The Philodox can tap into these deep memories to remember ancient facts and lore. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.
Perception is subjective, but the Philodox cannot afford that luxury. This Gift allows the user to sense whether what the subject believes to be true is actually false. A Jaggling of Falcon teaches this Gift.
From death can come hope. From the ashes of ruin can come renewed fighting spirit. The Philodox sheds his blood over the bones of the fallen to briefly return a creature to life, as it's said that the great feathered serpent Incarna Quetzalcoatl once did. An Avatar of Quetzalcoatl teaches this Gift.
(Lords of the Summit)
The Philodox can call on her power to radiate a commanding presence that compels others to submit to her. Should she succeed in a test of wills, she dominates her foe, which causes humans to fall to their knees and wolves to roll on their backs. Either a lion- or a wolf-spirit teaches this Gift.
The werewolf can bring all his senses to bear on one spot with which he is familiar (even an Umbral site), no matter how far away that spot is. The Philodox senses the site from a point of view as if he were standing in the middle of the area being scanned. A bird-spirit teaches this Gift.
The Philodox with this power can force a Garou into her breed form. This Gift is especially useful to abate frenzy, prevent damage from silver or take a combative advantage. A wolf-spirit teaches a worthy Philodox the workings of this Gift.
This Gift places its target under a geas, a sacred oath to obey the Philodox's bidding. The geas cannot make the targets act contrary to their basic instincts (such as self-preservation). Therefore, she could send a group on a quest, but she could not make its members attack and try to kill each other -- unless they were psychotics or werewolves without pack bonds. An Incarna avatar teaches this Gift.
This powerful but very temperamental Gift allows the weight of guilt which rests on the heart to emerge to the surface. The effect varies but usually appears as shadowing across the subject's features; the shadows deepen as the guilt grows (other effects include "howls of demons," the sound of winter winds or even ominous background music). Note that, while useful, it has some severe limitations, for it registers only what troubles the individual. To a single old lady, a white lie may give her nightmares and deeply shade her soul, while a vigilante may sleep the sleep of the just and go undetected by this Gift. Soul's Guilt is taught by one of Falcon's brood, or any spirit associated with Justice.
Philodox have a stronger relationship with the elementals of the earth than do other werewolves, for just as the earth upholds those upon it, the Philodox uphold their people's ways. While in contact with earth or rock, the Philodox can invoke a wall to protect himself. This wall will move with the Garou, defending him from all angles. Earth elementals teach this gift.
Called Break the Bonds in the 20th Anniversary Edition