The following are house rules which apply to disciplines in the vampire sphere.
Approved Disciplines
The following is the approved list of disciplines for the game and how difficult they are to learn. See the Learning Disciplines and Combination Disciplines section below for more details on learning.
System:Each point of Celerity adds one die to every Dexterity-related dice roll, including initiative during a combat round. In addition, the player can reflexively spend one blood point to gain a number of additional full actions equal to her Celerity rating at the beginning of the relevant turn; this blood spend counts against a vampire's generational maximum per turn. A number of these actions equal to half their Celerity (round up) may be attack actions. These additional actions must be physical (e.g., the vampire cannot use a mental Discipline like Dominate multiple times in one turn). All non-dodge actions occur on he vampire's turn in the initiative order. A vampire may reserve their dodge actions for any incoming attacks throughout the turn or choose to take the hit. A vampire may not use their standard (non-Celerity) action during a turn to spend the entire turn defending. Characters can also add their celerity rating to number of yards or meters they can move in a turn. Lastly, by spending one blood, the vampire may multiply their movement speed by 1 + their celerity dots. In combat, this accelerated speed lasts one turn. Otherwise, it lasts the entire scene.
Normally, a character without Celerity must divide their dice if they want to take multiple actions in a single turn, as per p. 248. A character using Celerity performs his extra actions (including full movement) without penalty, gaining a full dice pool for each separate action. The extra actions gained through Celerity may not in turn be split further.
Thaumaturgy
Donning the Mask of Shadows
XXXX
Warding
Thaumaturgists can apply their wards to other locations and objects and the purpose of this post is to outline how exactly that works.
Havens
We won't outline how Chantries (and other such locations) work in terms of defenses as those are already well established, but if a Thaumaturge want to ward a location other than a Chantry, they can do so, but it requires a Level 5 Ritual: Dedicate the Haven (DA V20 p 310). Once that ritual is performed on a location, the following defenses can be applied to that location:
Ward versus Ghouls
Ward versus Lupines
Ward versus Kindred
Ward versus Spirits
Ward versus Demons
Ward versus Ghosts
Defense of the Sacred Haven
Animated Assistants
Scry the Hearthstone
The dedicated haven access to the wards can then be keyed in one of two methods:
The vampires who wish to bypass the wards can volunteer 1 blood point of their vitae and be present at the time that Dedicate the Haven is cast. This will exempt any vampire who donated blood from the haven defenses (including the caster).
At the time of the dedication of the haven, the caster may set a password that can be spoken and it will drop the warding defenses until the password is spoken again. This method is less secure as if the password is found out by an enemy, they can drop those defenses. The caster can change the password as they wish.
Dedicate the Haven is considered to be permanent, though the caster can disrupt the magic anytime they choose and end the magic. Similarly, if the caster of the ritual meets the final death, the dedication of the haven will also drop as the mystic ties to the magic will be severed.
Warded Items
Thaumaturgists can ward other items for characters. This can include weapons or other items but mostly applies to weapons. The terms for warding a weapon or item is as follows:
The item that you want to ward must be acquired through the +equipreq process. Use that process for acquiring your desired item first.
The character the item is for must donate 1 blood point of their vitae and be present for the ritual casting. The item is then exempt from them and the caster being harmed by it. All other characters will be harmed by holding/wielding the item.
The warding on items lasts for a year and a day. The character with the warded weapon will need to find a Thaumaturgist to rework the item at that time but they will have already been considered to have 'paid for' the item they own.
Costs
The above services can be very powerful and it is rare that a Thaumaturgist does not charge a boon (or some equivalent) to do such things on behalf of another Kindred. Haven defenses can cost a Major Boon, while a weapon is at least a Minor Boon per casting of the ritual. A weapon with multiple minor wards can cost multiple boons.
Also, in cases where vampires have to donate their blood to the sorcerer, it is well-known among vampire circles that more than a few thaumaturgists (Tremere especially) are blood sorcerers and giving your blood to any thaumaturge can be a risky proposition, due to the fact that it inherently has a powerful connection to you and could allow them to do terrible things to a character if they so chose. So, while these magics seem a boon, among some vampiric circles, these kinds of magics are widely distrusted as a double edge sword when it comes to help. This does not even account for the fact that the caster themselves is immune to these defenses and could, in theory, drop those defenses when they chose to do so, without your character even being aware of now being exposed to the world.
Finally, the warding costs Equipment dots in accordance with the following:
The character who will claim the warded item will have to purchase 1 of the Equipment background to account for the cost of 1 ward on the item. These costs must be paid at the time the ritual is cast. Note that this is in addition to any other costs paid to acquire the item.
There is technically no limit on the number of wards that can be placed on one item. However, each ward placed on the item beyond the first will cost an additional dot of Equipment. So a sword with 3 wards would cost Equipment 3 (plus any costs incurred for acquiring the item).
Combat Rules
Combat Conditions
Certain combat maneuvers require and can impose special conditions on PCs. The following rules apply:
Size
Size
Creature
1
Human infant (up to 1 year old)
3
Human child (5 to 7 years old)
4
Wolf
5
Human
6
Gorilla / Glabro Garou
7
Grizzly Bear / Crinos Garou
Stun
Some weapons pack such a wallop that if damage successes inflicted in a single attack equal or exceed the target’s Size, he loses his next action.
Knockout
A single blow delivered to the head (+2 penalty to hit) that equals or exceeds the target’s Size in damage might knock him unconscious. A Stamina roll is made for the victim. If it succeeds, he behaves normally. If it fails, he is unconscious for a number of turns equal to
the damage done.
Knockdown
A power, weapon or effect forces a target off his feet. A successful Dexterity + Athletics roll allows him to maintain his footing as a reflexive action. If the roll succeeds, the character behaves normally. If the roll fails, the character is forced to go prone. If he has not performed an action in the turn, he loses his action that turn. He cannot perform any tasks and cannot move that turn; he just hits the ground. He can rise again as an action in a subsequent turn. Or once he lands, he always has the option of remaining prone.
In case of a dramatic failure on the Dexterity + Athletics roll, a character falls hard or at an odd angle and suffers one Health point of bashing damage (which may be absorbed automatically if armor is worn).
Immobilization
When a character is held in a grapple by someone else, they are considered immobilized. Anyone who attacks that PC, can do so at -2 difficulty and the character who is immobilized cannot avoid the attack with a dodge.
Flank / Rear Attacks
Flank and Rear Attacks: Characters attacking targets from the flank gain an additional attack die. Characters attacking from the rear gain two additional attack dice.
Point Blank Ranged Attacks
Point blank ranged attacks can be performed at -2 difficulty.
Targeting
Aiming for a specific location incurs an added difficulty, but can bypass armor or cover, or can result in an increased damage effect. The Storyteller should consider special results beyond a simple increase in damage, depending on the attack and the target.
Target
Difficulty
Damage
Medium (limb, briefcase)
1
No modifier
Small (hand, head, cellphone)
2
1
Precise (eye, heart, lock)
3
2
Prone
Ranged attacks suffer a -2 penalty when the target is prone. A standing attacker who uses a Brawl or Weaponry attack gets a +2 dice bonus to hit a prone target in close combat. If an attacker approaches a prone target such that he is about a yard away (within range to be considered in close combat), and conducts a ranged attack at the target, the attack receives the +2 bonus.
Blind Fighting
Combat Points
Characters who are sufficiently high level in a Brawl, Melee, Firearms, and Martial Arts skill can acquire Combat points that will enable them to purchase combat maneuvers within different combat styles. These skill points can be then used to purchase maneuvers from the chart below. Note that Martial Arts Maneuvers are separate and only Martial Arts skill points can be used to purchase them. There may also be additional requirements to acquire certain maneuvers and those will also be listed with it as well. Combat points can be used to purchase maneuvers in any style that the character qualifies for. The only limitation is that Combat Styles that require specific skills such as Firearms, Melee, or Brawl can only be purchased with Combat Points earned in that skill. For example a character cannot purchase a style that requires Firearms with Brawl Combat points. If a Style does not list a specific combat ability as a requirement then any Combat Points can be used to purchase it.
Skill points are acquired starting at Level 3 of a skill in line with the following chart:
Level 1 Ability - No Points
Level 2 Ability - No Points
Level 3 Ability- +1 Free Combat Point
Level 4 Ability- +1 Free Combat Point
Level 5 Ability: +1 Free Combat Point
Additional Combat Points can be purchased for 5 XP per point.
Note that purchasing a maneuver at a certain level unlocks all the maneuvers beneath it. So, purchasing a 3-point maneuver grants you the level 1 and level 2 maneuvers of that style as well. To acquire the next level of a style, players only have to spend the difference between their current level and the level they wish to purchase. For example, if a player has level 1 of a style and gets 2 more Combat Points, they can spend both of that points to raise their style level to 3 and acquire both the level 2 and 3 maneuvers of that style.
Also, note that combat styles and maneuvers are only available to PCs and cannot be purchased by NPCs.
Combat Maneuvers
These maneuvers can be purchased with any Combat Points points acquired through Brawl, Melee, or Firearms. A character must still meet the requirements to use the maneuver.
General Combat Styles
Style
Prequisite
Effect
Manuevers
Armored Combat
Strength ••• Stamina ••• Athletics ••
Armor is heavy, cumbersome, and most of the time not worth it. Who wears riot gear to get a quart of milk from the local convenience store on the corner? There are times when armor will save your life. Armor used to be very common for warriors on ancient battlefields, however with the rise of ranged weapons, armor became more of a hindrance than a help until modern times. Tactics were developed long ago to help one use armor more effectively, and most of the precepts hold true to today's heavy Kevlar gear. Getting used to operate in armor can provide several benefits in addition to increased defense.
Second Skin (1 Point) - As you grow accustomed to wearing armor it becomes like a second skin. You move more naturally in it, are not as tired, and do not feel as restricted. It is almost like breaking in a new pair of shoes. For a piece of armor that you have trained in or used for longer than a Chapter, reduce all Dexterity penalties 1. If you lose the armor with which you have become familiar, you must wear your new set of armor for a Chapter before this bonus can be applied again.
Impenetrable Fortress (2 Points) – While in your armor, your character can feel the flow of combat and interpret where the next blow will land. You have trained yourself to shift your weight and your armor to better defend against incoming blows. As such, increase the difficulty of all called shots against you by 1 so long as you are wearing armor.
Throw Your Weight Around (3 Points) – At this level of mastery the armored individual can use the weight of her armor to throw the full force of her added mass behind her melee blows. By shifting your armored weight in such a way, you may take a penalty of up to -2 dice to your general armor rating for the rest of the turn. For each -1 dice you take, add 1 Lethal damage to Melee or Brawl attack rolls.
Avoidance
Manipulation ••• Athletics •• Stealth ••
Your character's only goal in a fight is not to get hurt. She tries to create situations where opponents hurt themselves or target her big mean friends instead. There is no formal training for this Style, it's a mixture of ingenuity and a person's innate desire to avoid pain.
Insignificance (1 Point): When a fight starts you ease out of sight and try to become a part of the scenery. Make a roll of Manipulation + Stealth vs the highest Perception + Alertness in the room. If successful, your character comes across as very nonthreatening. Unless an opponent is looking for her specifically, she cannot be the direct target of his attacks. This effect ends if she attacks or takes any threatening actions during the scene.
Coattails (2 Points): Your character's reaction to being attacked is to dive behind her bigger friend and let them take care of it. When taking a Dodge action, she can designate an ally in close range whose hasn't attacked yet that turn. If hit by an opponent's attack her ally can take the damage instead and she goes prone.
Whack-a-Mole (3 Points): Your character makes herself into a tempting target and unsuspecting opponents end up doing more damage to themselves or a nearby ally. She makes a contested role of Manipulation + Empathy against an opponent's Wits + Alertness. If she gets the most successes the opponent instead rolls his damage against themselves or a nearby ally and must soak it if able.
Play Dead (4 Points): When your character wants to bow out of combat, she makes even the most superficial wounds look fatal. After any attack your character sustained lethal damage roll Manipulation + subterfuge. An opponent must score more successes than hers on a roll of Wits + Alertness to notice that she's still alive.
Berserker
Strength ••• Stamina •••
Your character enters a controlled madness in combat. Whether a believer in the throes of ecstatic fervor or a warrior emulating the Norse berserks, this Style is not about technique but about achieving the right state of mind.
The Red Mist (1 Point): Your character focuses inward, seeking out their source of rage within. By spending a point of Willpower she is able to resist all mind attacks and gains +1 dice to attack for the duration of the power may only attack and not dodge.
War Cry (2 Points): Your character chills an opponent's blood with her mad howl. Instead of attacking, roll a contested Strength + Intimidation versus opponent’s Willpower. Each success negates one dice penalty to any action other than dodging that turn.
Manic Brutality (3 Points): Your character lashes out with a single-minded determination to destroy. Her unarmed or melee attacks have a +2 dice bonus to hit specified targets.
Falconry
Wits ••• Animal Ken •••
Your bird performs incredible feats at your command. You purchase this Merit for your character, who may apply it to any bird she shares the Bonded Condition with after a reasonable amount of time training together. Used for both hunting and sport, this practice has roots going back into antiquity and among numerous cultures. While not as widespread now as in the past, finding a trainer for this style is still relatively easy.
Predator's Vigil (1 Point): The presence of your bird instinctively wards off prey animals. Even a flock of pigeons or swarm of rats won't come too close when their natural predator circles the skies. Any smaller creature in your bird's immediate vicinity has -2 dice applied to them for any action other than hiding or fleeing the area.
Flyby (2 Points): Your character commands her bird to dive past an enemy at high speed, creating a distraction. As an attack your bird rolls a contested Dexterity + Athletics or Intimidation vs 6. If successful, an opponent is at -1 dice for each success to their next action.
Retrieve Item (3 Points): Your bird knows how to grab small items and bring them back to you, even snatching them from someone's hand. On your character's turn she can designate any item small enough to fit in the bird’s mouth or grasp within her and her bird's field of vision that the bird will retrieve. An opponent actively holding onto an item treats this as a Disarm maneuver.
Rake the Eyes (4 Points): Your character commands her bird to claw at an opponent's eyes. If your bird has succeeded in a Flyby maneuver against the same opponent previously, bird receives +2 to hit. A successful attack applies the Blinded and puts opponent at +2 difficulty for not being able to see.
K-9
Wits ••• Animal Ken •••
Under your supervision a dog may perform exceptional actions. You purchase this Merit for your character, who may apply it to any dog she shares the Bonded Condition with after a reasonable amount of training time together. Police and military forces are the place to go to learn to work with an animal in combat, but independent trainers might know this style as well. Note that each maneuver includes the special ability to never require an Animal Ken roll to order its use. Your character’s dog obeys without a second’s pause.
Detection (1 Point): Your character’s dog has been trained to detect a certain class of substances by smell and indicate their locations. Choose from one of the following: Drugs, Explosives, Tracks, People and Corpses. When your character works with his dog you may add the K9’s perception to your dice pools for checks on its specialty category. You may purchase this Merit multiple times for different categories.
Targeted Bite (2 Points): Your character may command his dog to target specific body parts. Reduce difficulty to attack specific targets by 1 for your K9.
Tactical Positioning (3 Points): The character’s dog knows how to position itself to make it difficult for opponents to fight you both. When acting side by side against a single opponent, one of the pair gains +1 dice to defend against that opponent, and the other benefits from +2 dice to attack rolls targeting the opponent. Your character decides which participant gets the offensive or defensive bonus at the beginning of each turn. Finally, you never take a penalty to ranged combat rolls to avoid shooting the dog, because he avoids your line of fire.
Takedown Bite (4 Points): At your character’s command, his dog may inflict a Prone or Hold grappling maneuvers on a target if it hits with a successful bite attack. The target may be no more the double the dog’s Size, however this immediately initiates a grapple. Dogs may employ the above maneuvers along with Break Free, Disarm and Damage.
Parkour
Dexterity ••• Athletics ••
Your character is a trained and proficient free runner. Free running is the art of moving fluidly through urban environments with complex leaps, bounds, running tricks, and vaults. This is the type of sport popularized in modern action films, where characters are unhindered by fences, walls, construction equipment, cars, or anything else the city puts in their way.
Flow (1 Point): When in a foot chase, subtract your Parkour rating from the successes needed to pursue or evade. Also, ignore environmental penalties to Athletics rolls equal to your Parkour rating.
Cat Leap (2 Points): Your character can roll Dexterity + Athletics roll to mitigate damage from falling, your character mitigates one die of damage per success. Parkour will not mitigate damage from a terminal velocity fall.
Wall Run (3 Points): When climbing, your character can run upward for some distance before having to traditionally climb. Without rolling, your character scales 10 feet + five feet per dot of Athletics as an instant action before they have to roll for any traditional climbing.
Expert Traceur (4 Points): Parkour has become second nature for your character. By spending a Willpower point, you may reroll all failed dice on one Athletics roll to run, jump, or climb. On any turn during which you use this ability, you may not make attempts to dodge attacks.
Freeflow (5 Points): Your character’s Parkour is now muscle memory. She can move without thinking, in a Zenlike state. Your character is capable of taking Athletics actions reflexively once per turn. By spending a point of Willpower on an Athletics roll in a foot chase, gain three successes instead of one.
Mounted Combat
Dexterity ••• Athletics •• Animal Ken ••
Your character fights from horseback using the animal’s size and maneuverability to make her attacks more effective. While trained cavalry regiments are largely a thing of the past, many police departments around the world still have officers who use techniques like these in the modern day.
Steady Saddle (1 Point): Your character knows how to position herself in the saddle to attack an opponent without risking
being dismounted or hurting her horse. Your character gains a +3 bonus to any rolls for staying mounted during combat.
Fixed Charge (2 Points): Your character and her horse charge headlong at her opponent. She gains the benefits from both charging (moving up to twice your horse’s Speed rather than your character’s) and an all-out attack. Both she and her horse cannot dodge the turn this is performed.
Skirmishing (3 Points): Your character’s attacks are designed to harass her opponents, moving in range to strike and then out again before the counterattack. Her horse can travel half its Speed before her attack and the rest after as one move. The character suffers a +2 difficulty to her attack for the turn but both her and her mount gain +2 to Defense.
Rearing Beast (4 Points): Your character has trained her horse to be an intimidating and dangerous opponent in the thick of combat. Instead of attacking, roll Wits + Animal Ken and add successes to attack rolls made by her horse.
Melee Combat Styles
Style
Prequisite
Effect
Manuevers
Two Weapon Fighting
Wits ••• Melee •••
Your character fights with a weapon in each hand. She can amplify her attacks by using them together or balance between attack and defense by using one weapon for each. Different martial arts focus on different sets of weapons. Some employ a rapier and dagger, or a katana and wakizashi, while others use sticks or two light swords. This Style can be used to replicate any of them. Unless your character possesses the Ambidextrous Merit she takes the usual -2 penalty for using a weapon in her off-hand. Neither weapon can be a two handed weapon for performing these maneuvers.
Balanced Grip (1 Point): Your character knows how to use her weapons so they're not awkward to hold. Your character gains +2 to initiative rating.
Protective Striking (2 Points): Your character uses her off-hand weapon to deflect attacks. She adds her off-hand weapon's bonus to her parries for the first attack made against her in a turn. If her off-hand weapon has no bonus, then add +1 instead. Take a penalty equal to the off-hand weapon's damage bonus to contested Disarm rolls during any turn this maneuver was used.
Dual Swipe (3 Points): Your character attacks with both of her weapons simultaneously against one target. Add her offhand weapon's damage to her damage roll. If her off-hand weapon has no bonus, then add +1 instead.
Double Strike (4 Points): Your character attacks two different targets simultaneously. Spend a point of Willpower and designate two targets in close range to your character for each of her weapons. Instead of splitting her total pool to attack between targets
she instead negates 2 dice from each attack. This maneuver cannot be used with Dual Swipe.
Weapon and Shield
Strength ••• Stamina ••• Melee ••
Your character knows how to fight from behind a shield with a one-handed weapon. These maneuvers strike a balance between protection and offense and are used in tandem with others, such as in a Viking shield wall or riot police formation.
Shield Bash (1 Point): Your character slams her shield into an oncoming opponent, disrupting their attack. When Dodging adds her shield's weapon armor bonus to her pool. If she reduces an opponent's attack successes to 0 then any additional successes inflict bashing damage.
Boar's Snout (2 Points): Your character throws everything into a forward charge trusting in her shield to protect her. Using a weapon and shield your character attacks and retains her shield's armor bonus. If this maneuver is used the same turn by other allies with shields then add an additional +1 armor for each.
Pin Weapon (3 Points): Your character uses her shield to trap an opponent's weapon. If an opponent misses a melee attack against your character make a reflexive Strength + Melee roll. If successful, her opponent can't use his weapon again until he's succeeded on a roll of Strength + Athletics – shield's armor bonus. Note that you can only pin one weapon at a time this way and an opponent can choose to simply let go of the weapon at any time instead of fighting to regain it.
Tortoise Shell (4 Points): Your character knows how to position herself so that she's completely protected by her shield. When using a large shield she is considered behind Cover any turn that she does not attack. When used in conjunction with other shield wielding allies add a +2 for each to her shield's Durability.
Chain Weapons
Strength •• Dexterity ••• Athletics ••• Melee •••
Chain weapons are notoriously hard to use properly. They require an understanding of timing and distance that is much harder to achieve than most other weapons. The rewards for learning to use this weapon are vast, as the weapon is very versatile. Practitioners start by learning how to cast the chain out to attack targets. Eventually they master the ability of how to entangle their opponents and then close in for the kill.
Protective Reach (1 Point): The first thing you learn when wielding a chain weapon is to keep it swinging. As long as it is swinging, you have the momentum necessary to cast the chain out and attack. It is also a really good defense. If your opponent is stupid enough to close on you while the chain is whirling around you, she is in for a nasty surprise. If your character has not yet attacked in a turn, she may swing the chain of the weapon and enjoy a +2 bonus dice to block or parry both melee and brawl attacks. Furthermore, if no block or parry needed this will charge the weapon adding +1 bonus damage on the next round.
Time to Aim (2 Points): Chain weapons are an interesting cross between something that is thrown and something that is swung. Because of this, when a practitioner is seeking to cast the chain out at an opponent, she can gauge her attack in a manner like a ranged attack. While you are swinging the chain with protective reach, if uninterrupted, you may spend turns aiming with the chain weapon. Each turn that you aim gives you a +1 dice bonus. This may stack up to 3 turns spent aiming for a +3 dice bonus.
Attack from Anywhere (3 Points): After learning how to swing the chain to build up momentum, the practitioner next learns how to cast the chain out and rapidly whip it back before the opponent can respond, throwing the opponent off balance. Because of the way you make the chain fly, you can easily confuse an opponent and attack from multiple different angles. After landing a successful attack opponent receives -1 cumulative dice to dodge until an attack is missed or dodged.
Aiming for Articulation (4 Points): The next progression past attacking from different angles is targeting precisely where the chain will snap back to hurt the opponent. Mastery of this level of the technique allows the practitioner to whip the chain around and specifically target weak points. Your character receives -1 difficulty for aimed shots only.
Entangle (5 Points): The ultimate expression of mastery of a chain weapon allows you to use the weapon to entangle your opponent, binding her weapons or just her body so that you can move in and attack. With this level of mastery, the player makes a Strength + Melee roll to grapple your opponent with the chain. On the next turn the player may close distance and attack the bound target, or continue the grapple with dexterity + Melee vs. Strength + Brawl, you may attempt any of the grappling maneuvers.
Iaijutsu
Dexterity ••• Athletics •• Melee ••
Your character is trained in the Alpha-Striking sword art of ancient Japan. The Style teaches how to deploy a Japanese blade quickly and attack your opponent or defend yourself without thought. This is far more than just fighting with a sword. For a master of the art, the fight is won before the sword is even drawn.
Zanshin (1 Point): Trained to be almost preternaturally aware of her surroundings, other individuals, and potential threats, an Iaijutsu practitioner adds her dots in Melee to Perception tests to notice surprise attacks. This can stack with the Danger Sense Merit.
Batto (2 Points): An Iaijutsu practitioner is trained to draw her sword and strike quickly, relying on muscle memory. If done properly, combat should never last longer than 30 seconds. The Student of Iai can draw her sword without any penalty and act with it in the same turn. If sword is already drawn, she gains +3 to initiative.
Shihogiri (3 Points): At this level, an Iaijutsu practitioner learns how to create distance and deal with multiple targets. Forcing opponents to move and give you space creates targets of opportunity. By spending 1 Willpower, the Student can make a single attack against a number of different targets equal to her Dexterity score. This maneuver can only be used while under the effects of Batto.
Uke Nagashi (4 Points): It is easy to draw a blade and cut an opponent. It is much harder to draw a blade in response to an already moving opponent and block the attack. By this level of mastery, the Iaijutsu practitioner has learned how to deploy her blade, using it to parry and seamlessly flow into a counterattack. Spend 1 Willpower to increase your defense by a number equal to the damage rating of your weapon. You may now attempt to Parry the opponent. If parry attempt is successful you may launch a counter attack as reflexive action.
Semei (5 Points): A true Iai master knows that the ultimate expression of Iai is ending the fight without having to draw the sword. With Semei, an Iai master may make a Charisma + Melee roll, resisted by the target's Willpower. The attacker must get more success’s than the practioner in order to attack them.
Staff Fighting
Strength ••• Dexterity •• Melee ••
Your character is trained with long weapons that end in a point. This could be anything from a traditional spear to a fixed bayonet on a modern rifle. This Style has countless variations around the world but is historically incorporated as part of military training.
Firm Footing (1 Point): Your character must already be bracing herself with her weapon to skewer a charging opponent. Any opponent attempting to attack your character for the first time, you get a reflexive attack against them before their attack.
Keep at Bay (2 Points): Your character can menace an opponent with her weapon to prevent them from maneuvering. Choose an opponent with a shorter weapon, if that opponent advances towards you from their current spot or takes any movement-based actions other than Dodging you gain +2 dice on your next attack against them.
Strike and Develop (3 Points): Your character stabs an opponent with her weapon then turns the blade before removing it, leaving a more grisly wound. Add +1 automatic lethal damage that can be soaked normally.
Spear and Bayonet
Strength ••• Dexterity •• Melee ••
Your character is trained with long weapons that end in a point. This could be anything from a traditional spear to a fixed bayonet on a modern rifle. This Style has countless variations around the world but is historically incorporated as part of military training.
Firm Footing (1 Point): Your character must already be bracing herself with her weapon to skewer a charging opponent. Any opponent attempting to attack your character for the first time, you get a reflexive attack against them before their attack.
Keep at Bay (2 Points): Your character can menace an opponent with her weapon to prevent them from maneuvering. Choose an opponent with a shorter weapon, if that opponent advances towards you from their current spot or takes any movement-based actions other than Dodging you gain +2 dice on your next attack against them.
Strike and Develop (3 Points): Your character stabs an opponent with her weapon then turns the blade before removing it, leaving a more grisly wound. Add +1 automatic lethal damage that can be soaked normally.
Kendo
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend
with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
X
Firearms Combat Styles
Style
Prequisite
Effect
Manuevers
Bowmanship
Dexterity ••• Firearms ••
Your character is a patient hunter with a bow. She fires precision shots across long distances to take out targets that had no idea she was even there. This Style focuses on a character's ability to aim by judging distance and trajectory. It uses a dice pool of Dexterity + Firearms for its attacks.
Arcing Fire (1 Point): Your character knows how to tilt her aim to make a shot hit true even from afar. Bow range is doubled.
Bullseye (2 Points): Your character places her shots to hit deep into an opponent's weak spots. When attacking a specified target you may lower your character's difficulty by -1.
Out of Nowhere (3 Points): Your character fires her arrows and then ducks out of sight, leaving her enemies bleeding and confused. She rolls Dexterity + Stealth as a reflexive action after attacking a target that is unaware of her presence. Her target must roll Perception +
Alertness. If attackers success’s are more than the victims than attacker dives back into cover and is hidden.
Death from Above (4 Points): Your character looses vertical shots that reach opponents even behind cover. For the purpose of this merit reduce difficulty to hit a target behind cover by -1. IE: If Target is behind a wall, instead of the typical +2 difficulty to hit it is reduced to only +1.
Combat Archery
Strength ••• Archery ••
Your character uses a bow for rapid draws that riddle opponents with arrows. She knows how to move across the battlefield while firing from any angle. This Style is about trick shots and using archery in the thick of a fight. It uses a dice pool of Dexterity + Firearms for its attacks.
Rapid Nock (1 Point): Your character has trained herself to have another arrow set and her bow drawn within a heartbeat of her last shot. As long as there is a supply of arrows in reach she can make an attack every turn without taking an action to position them on the string.
Reflex Aiming (2 Points): Your character knows how to time her shots to hit her opponents and not her allies. She halves any penalties to shoot into a crowd. By spending a point of Willpower, she negates them entirely for a turn.
Parthian Shot (3 Points): Your character feints retreat to lure an opponent in for a close-range shot. The first time in a turn an opponent attempts to make a close up attack on her she can make a reflexive Dexterity + Athletics vs opponent's Attack attributes. If victim overcomes attackers’ success’s she may then make a dexterity + archery attack and is out of range of the opponent.
Rain of Arrows (4 Points): Your character fires a group of shots at multiple opponents in the blink of an eye. She can attack with a bow as an Autofire Medium Burst with three arrows hitting up to three different targets. Drawback: This maneuver sacrifices distance for speed. Triple all range penalties for medium and long distance shots.
Trick Shot (5 Points): Your character rolls, leaps and runs along walls while firing arrows in any direction. Your character can fire her bow simultaneously while taking an Athletics action, like running, jumping or parkour. This attack takes her opponent by surprise, giving +2 dice to hit and +1 difficulty to attacker to hit.
Thrown Weapons
Strength ••• Dexterity •• Melee ••
Your character is trained with long weapons that end in a point. This could be anything from a traditional spear to a fixed bayonet on a modern rifle. This Style has countless variations around the world but is historically incorporated as part of military training.
Firm Footing (1 Point): Your character must already be bracing herself with her weapon to skewer a charging opponent. Any opponent attempting to attack your character for the first time, you get a reflexive attack against them before their attack.
Keep at Bay (2 Points): Your character can menace an opponent with her weapon to prevent them from maneuvering. Choose an opponent with a shorter weapon, if that opponent advances towards you from their current spot or takes any movement-based actions other than Dodging you gain +2 dice on your next attack against them.
Strike and Develop (3 Points): Your character stabs an opponent with her weapon then turns the blade before removing it, leaving a more grisly wound. Add +1 automatic lethal damage that can be soaked normally.
Powered Projectile
Dexterity ••• Athletics •• Firearms ••
Your character is comfortable using premodern ranged weapons like crossbows, slingshots, and blowguns. Though long ago replaced by firearms, these weapons remain popular for hunting and are widely available in some countries.
Quick Reload (1 Point): Your character has trained herself on the steps to reload her weapon to the point they're ingrained in her muscle memory. She reloads one turn faster than normal and can reduce the number of turns further at the cost of one weapon damage to her next attack for each.
Intercept Shot (2 Points): Your character can shoot a projectile out of the air with her own. This maneuver is not capable of stopping bullets, though it could be used to deflect a grenade if you're feeling lucky. Any turn your character spends aiming she can make an attack against a thrown object with a -2 penalty. A successful hit deflects it a number of yards equal to damage in a random direction. Penetration (3 Points): Your character knows how to best exploit the weaknesses in a target's armor. She can negate 2 to her opponents armor for her next attack. This shot requires intense concentration. Your character cannot dodge any incoming attacks.
Skewer (4 Points): Your character uses her projectiles to impale parts of an opponent's anatomy. When attacking a specified target, reduce the penalty by 2 and any inflicted effects require the victim to roll Stamina + Strength – weapon's damage rating to remove a projectile before they're resolved.
Firefight
Wits ••• Dexterity ••• Athletics •• Firearms ••
Your character is comfortable with a gun. She’s been trained in stressful situations, and knows how to keep herself from being shot, while still shooting at her opponents. This Style is about moving, strafing, and taking shots when you get them. It’s not a series of precision techniques; it’s for using a gun practically in a real-world situation.
Shoot First (1 Point): Drawing a gun is a reflexive action and adds Firearms as an Initiative bonus.
Suppressive Fire (2 Points): You can lay Covering Fire with a semi-automatic weapon. When you lay Covering Fire roll Dexterity + Firearms and each success negates 1 dice from any ranged attack pool and denies aim bonuses. To perform covering fire, the player states the general area at which he is firing, and rolls Dexterity + Firearms. If the roll succeeds, each character in the affected area must make a choice on his next action. He can avoid the attack, either running to cover within range of his Speed, or dropping prone. Or he can take an action as normal but suffer damage based on the Covering Fire successes + weapon damage. Covering fire uses 1/2 of a gun's ammunition.
Secondary Target (3 Points): You can attack a target with objects. A bullet can knock objects off balance, or cause ricochets. By using
Secondary Target, your character opts not to hit her target directly but instead strike them with any collateral objects that might be nearby. This attach deals bashing damage rather than lethal and the damage is solely based off successes from the Dexterity + Firearms roll but ignores cover. The weapon's damage is not added to the roll.
Gunslinger
Wits ••• Dexterity ••• Athletics •• Firearms ••
Your character squeezes the trigger with incredible speed or uses fanning techniques popular among trick shooters to put lead in the air quickly and with minimal loss of accuracy.
Quickdraw (1 Point): Drawing Revolver becomes a reflexive action add +1 to Initiative and +1 to firearms dice on the turn the pistol is drawn.
Fanning the Hammer (2 Points): The gunslinger strikes the revolver with his hand multiple times in rapid succession. The character may perform a strafing shot as per the strafing shot with automatic weapons with all the same conditions. This will consume all the revolver's ammunition in one shot.
Dual Wield (3 Points): You can now shoot two revolvers at the same time. Two shots can be made by spending one willpower and instead of splitting dice pool each shot is at -2 dice to firearms pool.
Marksmanship
Wits ••• Perception ••• Firearms ••
When prepared and aimed, a gun is an ideal killing machine. Your character has trained to take advantage of the greatest features of a gun, usually a rifle, but this Style can be used with any gun. Because of the discipline and patience required for Marksmanship, your character cannot use her Defense during any turn in which she uses one of these maneuvers. These maneuvers may only be used after aiming for at least one turn.
Through the Crosshairs (1 Points): Raise your maximum Aim bonus to Perception + Firearms.
Precision Shot (2 Points): Exchange points of weapon damage for points of penalty reduction for a called shot.
A Shot Rings Out (3 Points): Ignore penalties to strike a surrounded target. Missed shots never hit unintended targets.
Ghost (4 Points): Penalize rolls to notice your vantage point or investigate. Her Firearms score acts as a penalty on any roll to notice her vantage point, or any Investigation or Perception roll to investigate the area from where she was shooting.
Trading blows with the hands dates back to Classical times, and probably earlier— some biologists believe our hands have been optimized to deliver blows. There are hundreds of folk styles of boxing, from West Africa’s Dambe to the Filipino method known as Suntukan or Panantukan. This style concentrates on the modern combat sport, which combines European methods with innovations developed by trainers or borrowed from other cultures. Your character is trained in modern boxing, or a similar traditional style.
Head Protection (1 Point): The head is the primary target for most boxers, so your character has learned to protect it by bobbing, weaving and angling away from blows. Your character gains +1 dice to defend against unarmed strikes or weapons that use the Brawl Skill, and attackers suffer an additional +1 difficulty to target her head.
Defensive Jab (2 Points): Your character interrupts attacks with well-timed punches from the lead hand. Any time an opponent miss with a Brawl or Melee attack, your character reflexively makes an immediate dexterity + brawl punch attack.
Knockout Artist (3 Points): Your character knows how to knock someone out. She now treats the target’s Stamina as 2 less at all times for the purpose of inflicting the Stun, reflecting her ability to casually hit someone in the head. If you suffer a penalty to target the head as a true specified target, treat the difficulty as 1 lower for the purpose of inflicting the hit.
Combination (4 Points): Your character learns to fire off several blows in rapid succession, so that if one hits, the others often follow. While splitting pools for multiple hits, each successful hit results in a cumulative +1 dice. If at any time he fails to hit the cumulative dice pool ends. IE: Hurricane Joe has a Dexterity + Brawl pool of 9. He decides to throw a double jab followed by a straight and splits his pool equally to have 3 dice per hit. His first roll of 3 dice succeeds. His follow up jab will now have +1 dice bring him 4. If that succeeds he the final straight will have 5 dice total. The 3 original and the +2 from a successful combination.
Out for the Count (5 Points): When your character knocks someone out they don’t get back up any time soon. When she inflicts the Stun it not only lasts for a number of turns equal to the damage she inflicted, but it produces true unconsciousness for that period unless the victim spends a point of Willpower.
Advanced Grappling
Stamina ••• Strength •• Athletics •• Brawl ••
Grappling is covered in the World of Darkness core rules. This section presents additional Grappling options.
Standing Throw (1 Point): Your character knows how to toss someone over his hip, trip or sweep them while keeping his footing. He may inflict the Knock Down as a grappling maneuver but if he remains standing his opponent automatically breaks free.
Sprawl (1 Point): Your character can adjust his weight to defend himself in a grapple. Add 2 to his Strength for the purposes of resisting maneuvers such as grapple.
Small Joint Manipulation (2 Points): After a successful grapple and accepting a -2 dice penalty to the attack roll, your character may immediately dislocate or otherwise bend the opponent’s fingers in one hand (or toes in one foot, in some circumstances) the wrong way. If damage is taken the hand or foot is rendered useless until damage is healed. For example, if the hand has been targeted opponent can no longer hold a weapon or properly throw a punch. If a foot was targeted movement speed would be halved.
Joint Lock (3 Points): Once in a grapple, your character can administer joint locks and other immobilizing tactics. Any attempt to overpower your character causes the other character a point of bashing damage. Additionally, any successful overpowering maneuvers your character uses cause one lethal damage in addition to their normal effects.
Lock Flow (4 Points): When your character’s opponent slips out of one lock you know how to go with the motion and trap her in another. You gain +2 dice to grapple attack rolls when you attempt to grapple an opponent who has previously broken free of your hold.
Positional Dominance (5 Points): Your character knows how to hurt and tire an opponent from any position. No matter which maneuvers you choose on a successful grapple, your character inflicts one point of bashing damage per two successes scored, rounding down, but
always inflicting at least one point. If your character chooses a damaging maneuver, add this to the damage inflicted. You may choose not to inflict this damage.
Aikido
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
Ukemi "Receiving" (1 Point): Your character may stand up from a prone position once per turn as a reflexive action, and is considered to have one point of armor against bashing damage caused by falls – but not other sources.
Aiki "“Harmonious Energy" (2 Points): Your character is skilled enough to defend with a throw by avoiding the attack and seizing his opponent’s balance. If he forgoes a dodge, roll Dexterity + Brawl; if the result exceeds the opponent’s attack roll the character suffers no damage and immediately applies a grapple or (once he attains the third maneuver) shihonage. He may employ this maneuver against Brawl, Weaponry or close-range Firearms attacks. This maneuver constitutes your character’s action for the turn.
Shihonage "Four Directions Throw" (3 Points): The character can throw an opponent quickly and forcefully, without getting tangled up in a clinch. Treat a shihonage throw like a standard Brawl strike attack, except that it also knocks the opponent prone up to as many feet
away as your Size + Brawl successes in any direction the character prefers.
Renzoku-waza "Combination Techniques" (4 Points): The character can attempt multiple shihonage throws per turn, or he can defend with multiple throws using the Aiki maneuver. He may a total additional number of aiki or shihonage throws equal to 1/2 their number of dots in Aikido (rounded up). Each extra action is rolled at a cumulative –2 modifier. Thus, he can attempt one additional aiki or shihonage at Aikido 1 & 2 with a –2 dice modifier, 2 additional aiki or shihonage at Aikido 3 & 4 at –2 then –4 modifier to dice rolls and 3 additional aiki or shihonage at Aikido 5, at –2, –4 and –6 to the dice rolls. The character cannot take any other actions other than Renzoku-waza on their main action and this maneuver cannot be used as part of an extra action granted by Celerity, Rage, etc.
Kokyu-ho “Breath Power” (5 Points): Your character’s throws are so strong that he can either throw someone double the usual distance with his shihonage, or inflict lethal damage with it. Spend one Willpower point per attack. Note that this Willpower expenditure does not add successes to the attack.
Muy Thai
Strength ••• Stamina ••• Brawl ••
In the West, Muay Thai has only recently grown from a little-known combat sport into a near-mandatory study for serious strikers. In Asia, the style has been famous for longer. Kung fu and karate styles have both tested fighters by sending them against Thai boxers, or nak muay. In some cases, even amateur Muay Thai stylists beat them within an inch of their lives. The art earned a reputation for training powerful, tough fighters.
Cut Kick (1 Point): Your character knows how to deliver powerful round kicks to her opponent’s legs. When you choose this option, your character inflicts one less point of damage than usual, counted after rolling to see if the attack succeeds. However, each kick reduces the opponent’s Speed by 1/4, down to a minimum of 1/4 speed. If you roll as many successes as the opponent’s Size, he falls prone because he’s been swept by her kick. Her opponent can get back up whenever she has the chance, but character movement only recovers at the end of the combat scene.
Iron Skin (2 Points): Your character has hardened his body to physical blows, allowing him to withstand repeated hits with minimal effect. He has an effective armor trait of 1 against bashing attacks only.
Combination Blows (3 Points): Your character can devastate opponents with a flurry of rapid blows. He can make two Brawl attacks against the same target in a single action. The second attack suffers a -2 dice penalty. Your character cannot dodge any attack in the same turn in which he intends to use this maneuver.
Thai Clinch (4 Points): Your character grabs an enemy around the head and pulls him into a vicious elbow or knee strike. If you establishing a grappling hold as the first part of using the Combination Blows maneuver and inflict damage as the second move, add your Dexterity to your dice pool to attack. The usual –2 dice penalty for Combination Blows applies to the first grappling attempt, not the following attack. This benefit does not apply if your character has already established a hold or in future attempts to damage an opponent from the same hold, but she can always abandon her current hold and try a new grapple to use the Thai Clinch.
Brutal Blow (5 Points): Your character’s accuracy and power are such that his fists are lethal weapons, able to injure or kill opponents. A brutal blow inflicts Strength + 2 Lethal damage instead of bashing damage. The character must spend 1 Willpower per attack. The character can spend multiple Willpower on attacks but cannot spend it on anything else. Note that this Willpower expenditure does not add successes to the attack.
MAC (Modern Army Combatives)
Strength •• Dexterity •• Stamina •• Brawl ••
The character is trained in Modern Army Combatives, the modern military style of hand-to-hand combat that blends a number of fi ghting styles such as Muay Thai to provide a soldier with an all-round means of unarmed self-defense and defense with short weapons (Brawl and Weaponry Skills)
Tactician’s Sense (1 Point): The character gauges the body language of combatants in his proximity. In game terms, he can make a Reflexive Wits + Perception roll and gauge the base Initiative scores (before a 1d10 is rolled) of all combatants before a fight starts.
Atemi Attack (2 Points): The human body has a variety of pressure points, any of which can cause an opponent great pain. The trained fighter knows where to strike for maximum effect. When striking with a Brawl or Melee attack, the character may ignore up to 1/2 (rounded up) points of the enemy’s Armor protection per dot in this Fighting Style.
Forearm Choke (3 Points): The character applies pressure to an enemy’s carotid artery in an attempt to knock him out. The character must successfully achieve a Grapple attack. The character may apply the choke hold from the following turn. The hostile may attempt to free himself
on his next action with Strength + Brawl. The foe may resist each turn at a cumulative –1 dice pool penalty. When your character has sustained the choke hold for a number of turns equal to the hostile’s Stamina, the hostile is rendered unconscious, and sustains a single point of bashing damage. The Forearm Choke is useless against creatures that do not need to breathe.
Bullring (4 Points): The character is trained in fighting off multiple opponents simultaneously. When the character uses full defense action, they do not subtract -1 die for the first three dodge actions. In addition, if the character splits their dice to dodge, they gain dice to each dodge roll equal to their dots in this Fighting Style. For example, if a character splits their 8 dice pool into a 3 dice attack, a 3 dice dodge, and a 2 dice dodge, if they had 4 dots in MAC, they would add +4 dice to both those dodges and roll 3 dice to attack, 7 dice to dodge, and 6 dice to dodge.
Lethal Strike (5 Points): The character's hands become deadly weapons when the character spends a Willpower point. A successful Brawl strike delivered in a turn in which he spends Willpower delivers lethal, rather than bashing, damage. The character cannot spend Willpower for anything else if they use it to make their blows lethal.
Kung Fu
Strength ••, Dexterity ••, Stamina •• and Brawl ••
Your character is trained in one of the many forms of Kung Fu, conditioning his mind and body for the purposes of focus and self-defense. He
may have begun his training at an early age, following in the footsteps of family or friends, or he may have joined a school as an adult for the purposes of exercise or protection.
Focused Attack (1 Point): Physical conditioning and accuracy allow your character to deliver blows at vulnerable spots on targets. Penalties to hit specific targets with your Brawl attacks are reduced by one. Even when a specific part of an opponent is not targeted, armor against your character’s Brawl attacks is reduced by one.
Iron Skin (2 Points): Your character has hardened his body to physical blows, allowing him to withstand repeated hits
with minimal effect. He has an effective armor trait of 1 against bashing attacks only.
Defensive Attack (3 Points): Your character has mastered the ability to fight defensively. When using this maneuver, your character gains +2 to his dodges, but any attack he makes suffers a -2 dice penalty. He can move no more than his 1/4 his speed when performing a Defensive Attack.
Rapid Strikes (4 Points): Your character can unleash a storm of blows against an opponent. He may a total additional number of extra brawl attacks equal to 1/2 their number of dots in Kung Fu (rounded up). Each extra action is rolled at a cumulative –2 modifier. Thus, he can attempt one additional brawl attack at Kung Fu 1 & 2 with a –2 dice modifier, 2 additional brawl attacks at Kung Fu 3 & 4 at –2 then –4 modifier to dice rolls and 3 additional brawl attacks at Kung Fu 5, at –2, –4 and –6 to the dice rolls. All attacks must be on the same target. The character cannot take any other actions other than Whirlwind Strike on their main action and this maneuver cannot be used as part of an extra action granted by Celerity, Rage, etc.
Lethal Strike (5 Points): The character's hands become deadly weapons when the character spends a Willpower point. A successful Brawl strike delivered in a turn in which he spends Willpower delivers lethal, rather than bashing, damage. The character cannot spend Willpower for anything else if they use it to make their blows lethal.
Krav Maga
Strength •• Dexterity ••• Wits ••• Brawl •••
Your character practices Krav Maga, and has become competent in an unarmed variant of Defensive Striking.
Immediate Defense (1 Point): The character has learned to act quickly to neutralize a threat and make a fast escape. She gains a bonus equal to her Initiative equal to her Brawl Skill when fighting armed opponents.
Disarming Defense (2 Points): The character twists her torso out of danger while grabbing her opponent’s wrist and pulling him forward, using her own torso for leverage as she tears his weapon from his hand. The character can now use a Disarm that utilizes the Brawl Skill instead of Melee. If this maneuver is executed in conjunction with a dodge, reduce the opponent's strength rating by 2 for the purposes of determining if they are disarmed. Rather than knocking the weapon away, the character takes the weapon from her opponent and may use it the following turn.
Impenetrable Defense (3 Points): The character knows that offense and defense are one in the same. The character may add his rating in his Brawl Skill to his Dodge against a single incoming attack. The character must expend a Willpower point to perform this maneuver. The character can spend multiple Willpower on didges but cannot spend it on anything else.
The First Moment (4 Points): The character has trained her reaction time to a tenth of a second, acting more by instinct than thought. If the character’s initiative roll results in a tie with another character involved in combat, the character automatically acts before his opponents and allies. Initiative Modifiers are not compared, and initiative is never determined by a roll-off. If two characters possess this maneuver, they act at the same time, each resolving their action as if the other had not yet acted.
Finishing the Fight (5 Points): The character moves defensively but knows when to lash out at an enemy to bring him crashing to the ground. To use this maneuver the character declares one (and only one) dodge in a turn. If the dodge results in their attacker missing them, the character can make an immediate, reflexive counterattack against the opponent. The character can benefit from no other dodges that turn. This maneuver costs the character one Willpower point to enact.
Judo
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend
with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
X
Filipino Martial Arts
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend
with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
X
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend
with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
X
Brazilian Ju-Jitsu / Ju-Jitsu
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend
with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
X
Karate / Tae Kwon Do
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend
with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
X
Kickboxing
Dexterity •• Wits •• Brawl ••
Your character is a skilled practitioner of aikido, or another martial art that emphasizes throwing the opponent. She knows how to blend
with the force of an attack and amplify it to send her enemy sprawling.
X
Backgrounds
Approved Backgrounds
XXXX
Group Backgrounds
XXXX
Base of Operations
XXXX
Domain
Claimed domain is represented on this map. When you claim domain be sure to reach out to staff and let them know so it can be added to this map.
Current Domains Held By Kindred
Kindred/Position
Clan
Domain in City
Ha-Joon/Prince
Toreador
Theater District Montrose Midtown Fourth Ward River Oaks
Sonja Ashton/Seneschal
Ventrue
Second Ward Magnolia Park
Estrella Camden-Pierce/Primogen
Ventrue
Central Business District
Eddie Dubois
Brujah
Port Houston Clinton Park/Pleasantville
Jason Asano/Primogen
Gangrel
Memorial Park
Abraham Creed/Sheriff
Brujah
Harrisburg
Domain Grants
Domain is granted in the game by powerful vampires -- either the Prince or Primogen. A player cannot purchase the a domain background either in chargen or in character without it being granted or approved by either the Prince or a Primogen in advance.
The Primogen will receive a pool of Domain points that they can grant, which may vary depending on the whims of the Prince. Some Primogen may get more domain points than others. Once they are given these points, the Primogen can distribute them as they see fit, to themselves, other vampires, or even coteries. The Prince remains the ultimate arbiter if a domain will be granted and while it will not happen often, they can override and deny a domain grant by a Primogen.
For example, if the Primogen of Toreador has been given 9 points of domain. They can reserve 4 domain points for themselves to claim the Museum District. That leaves them 5 points to distribute as they wish. They decide to grant 1 Domain to a Toreador Neonate who wants to open a club. They grant 2 domain to a small, up and coming coterie, and 2 more domain to their Clan Whip.
These same Primogen or Prince can revoke those domain grants to any Kindred who displeases them or does not do a good job holding domain. Remember that it is the Kindred who owns the domain's responsibility to defend that turf and uphold the Traditions within it. Failure to do so can have consequences. No Primogen is required to spend all of their domain grants and they can certainly hold some in reserve to offer as incentives for later. For example, if a Primogen grants a coterie 2 points for domain, if the coterie performs well for them, they could be granted another point of domain as a gift for good service.
Last note, all Domain Grants must be purchased with XP, as Domain Territory background, at the regular cost. So, if a Primogen gives your character 4 domain points, you must spend the XP to purchase Domain Territory 4 to claim that and have a practical mechanical effect in the game.
Current Domain Grants
Kindred
Grant
Assigned
Clan Toreador
16
6
Clan Ventrue
9
3
Clan Brujah
9
7
Clan Gangrel
7
4
Clan Tremere
0
0
Clan Malkavian
7
0
Clan Nosferatu
8
0
Domain Territory
The Domain background is being split into two backgrounds. One is called: Domain Territory and the other is called Domain Influence. Each represents a different portion of turf or territory that your vampire controls.
Domain Territory represents how much territory your character actually controls. The size of your domain. This has no mechanical benefit but represents the extent you can hold someone responsible for the Second Tradition. This stat follows the regular purchasing rules for backgrounds and generational maximums. The only exception is Domain 6. This can only be purchased by someone with the title of Prince who is recognized by the Inner Council of the Camarilla.
Domain ****** A large swath of the cityscape, such as a downtown. You claim domain over 5 grid spaces.
Domain ***** Several neighborhoods in a city. You claim domain over 2 grid spaces.
Domain ***** A single neighborhood in a city. You claim domain over 1 grid space.
Domain *** Half of a neighborhood in a city. You have domain over 1/2 of a grid space.
Domain ** A subdivision within a neighborhood. You have domain over 3-5 blocks of a grid space.
Domain * A single building or structure, like a bar or warehouse. You have domain over a single structure.
A vampire can control any number of Domains up to their 5 dots. So, if a vampire had Domain 5, they could control a single Domain 5 in two grid spaces or they could elect to have Domain 4 and only control a single grid space but have Domain 1 in a nightclub in another part of the city. They also could claim two subdivisions in two different parts of the city with two Domain 2s, and then a 3rd domain in a warehouse in still another section of the city.
Within this domain, your vampire is lord/lady and master. All must respect and obey the laws that the vampire who owns it sets. Depending on the Prince, vampires may even have the Sixth Tradition within it to those who trespass and disrespect them. Vampires who have extensive territory are generally more respected and held in higher esteem, especially if the territory is particularly valuable.
Domain Influence
TBD
Coterie Domain
Exactly how this works will be covered under Anchors, but coteries will be able to pool both Domain backgrounds to create a single, cohesive domain. Remember though that they are limited in their purchase by their total amount of Domain Territory granted by the Primogen or Prince. For example, a coterie of three Kindred has a total of 4 Domain Territory and 3 Domain Influence between the three of them. If they are granted 2 domain by a Primogen, they can allocate 2 of their Domain Territory to that grant (but no more). They can allocate all of their Domain Influence points as they like to help or hurt allies or intruders to that size 2 domain.
Retainers
See rules on Retainers located within the Influence System.
Information Exchange
We are adopting a the Anarch background Information Exchange (page 98 of Anarchs Unbound) for a more general use.
Your PC can qualify for it in two cases:
1. You can justify to staff that you have enough connection to Anarchs (or generate it) to get access to their information exchange network.
2. You are a Nosferatu and this represents your connection to SchreckNet.
We will be scrutinizing level 3+ in the skill and it would require a significant connection to the Anarchs or a Nosferatu of some experience and connections.
The background itself remains largely unchanged in how it works:
INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Characters with this Background may use their network to contact other Kindred in order to learn information about specific vampires, local secrets, domain politics, or general rumors about the movements of other sects. The advantage of the Exchange is that it allows those with it to tap into information sources from a global reach.
Each dot of this Background allows you to ask a single question once every two weeks. The Storyteller determines what amount and quality of information the Exchange can offer at a given time. In some cases, the Kindred who make up the Information Exchange may not possess a given bit of information, or may not know it immediately. For example, the Exchange might know about the Prince of a domain, a number of rumors about her past, and even how to contact her, but it’s unlikely to have a detailed schematic of her haven.
Extremely rare tidbits of lore or information might be known by a member of the Exchange, but could be considered to be too valuable to simply share. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and brotherhood and reputation can take you only so far. Under such circumstances, Anarchs may attempt a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll to mediate a deal for desired information. Alternatively, the Storyteller may allow you to spend two of your usages of this Background for such rare or sensitive information.
Types of information that can be found via the Information Exchange include:
• General information or rumors about a Kindred, such as contact information, general age, known clan and notable lineage, how long said Kindred has dwelled in a city, political affiliations, general reputation, and generation (or a general estimate, such as neonate, ancilla, or elder).
• Information about specific topics, such as basic and brief overviews on a subject relating to Kindred (What is Thaumaturgy? Who are the Setites? What happens when you diablerize? What does a black crescent moon mean?) or personal characteristics of certain Kindred (Why does Prince Vaclav hate the color yellow?).
• Significant status or events in sect politics (What’s happening with the Movement in a Naples? What is the Sabbat interest in Sao Paolo? Who has the Prince of Chicago placed under blood hunt?).
Spending XP
All XP growth should be submitted via the +xpreq command: +xpreq <stat>/<level>=<cost>.
Please do not use the +xpspend commands on the game to do instant purchases.
XP Chart
Trait
Cost
Attribute
current rating x 4
New Ability
3
Ability
current rating x 2
New Background
3
Background
current rating x 3
Willpower
current rating x 1
New Merit
3 X Merit Value (Chargen only)
Vampire
Cost
New Discipline
10
New Path (Necromancy or Thaumaturgy)
7
Clan Discipline
current rating x 5
Other Discipline
current rating x 7
Caitiff Discipline
current rating x 6
Secondary Path (Necromancy or Thaumaturgy)
current rating x 4
Thaumaturgy Ritual
Current rating x 0
Virtue
current rating x 2
Humanity or Path of Enlightenment
current rating x 2
Learning Times
Disciplines
Path levels and Rituals are considered 'Disciplines' for the purpose of these Wait Times.
Thaumaturgy rituals count toward your XP 'spend' for learning disciplines even though they cost 0 XP to learn. You can learn either a ritual or a discipline, but not both at the same time
Combination disciplines also count against your learning a discipline. You can learn a discipline, a ritual, or a combination discipline but only one of those.
1-8 XP = 1 Week
9-12 XP = 2 Weeks
13-18 XP = 3 weeks
19-24 XP = 4 Weeks
25-32 XP = 5 Weeks
32+ XP = 6 Weeks
Attributes & Abilities
You should include a write-up in your xqreq for all level 4 and 5 requests that explain roughly what your character is doing or has done to learn that attribute or skill at that level.
All backgrounds levels take 1 Week to learn but must be purchased one level at a time.
For example, a player with Allies 0 can buy Allies 1, waiting 1 week. They can buy Allies 2, waiting another week. They cannot buy Allies 0 - 5 in 1 week. It would take 5 weeks of total wait time (and submissions) to get to Allies 5, from Allies 0.
The only exception to this rule is Retainers and Mentor, who can purchase all their levels at the time they are acquired if the player has sufficient experience to do so. The wait time is a number of weeks equal to the highest level purchased.
For example, if a player wanted to purchase a Level 4 Retainer or Mentor, they would spend 15 XP and have to wait 4 weeks, but they would have a Level 4 background at the end of that time.
Virtues, Path, and Willpower
Submit an +xpreq, but these submissions will require good RP and potentially log justification to get approved. These are fundamental changes to a character's outlook, psyche, morals, and ethics.
Multiple XP Spends
Characters can only submit 1 +xpreq in a specific area at a time.
Those areas are:
Disciplines (which includes Rituals, Paths, and Combination Disciplines)
Attributes
Abilities
Backgrounds
For example, you can have an xpreq in for a Discipline, a Background, and an Ability, but not 2 Disciplines at the same time. All other stats (Virtues, Willpower, Paths) will be decided upon at the time of submission depending on the stat and justification for the raise.
Learning Disciplines and Combination Disciplines
Discipline learning is determined by the rarity of the discipline. Some disciplines are very easy to learn, and others are so unique that only certain bloodlines can manifest them. Note that PCs can teach these skills, but a PC cannot be taught any non-Clan disciplines by an NPC, even a Mentor.
Common Disciplines
Anyone can learn these disciplines with no additional training.
Uncommon Disciplines
If it's not in-Clan for a character, they can learn if someone with it teaches to them and they drink 1 blood point of their blood once. The character can advance the discipline normally on their own after without instruction or further vitae.
Rare Disciplines
If this is not in-Clan for a character, they can be taught by someone who possesses the discipline and then teaches them. They must also drink 1 blood point of their vitae. Due to the difficulty of learning these disciplines, each additional level a character wishes to purchase they must be instructed and drink an additional blood point. The characters can wait out the blood bond (which takes quite a long time) or they can risk being two or even three-step bound to another vampire.
Unique Disciplines
It is not possible for anyone who is not of a Clan for whom this is an in-Clan discipline to learn these. The powers are proprietary to their blood. Note that anyone who becomes Baali with the Rite of Rite of Apostasy can purchase Daimonion.
Combination Disciplines
We are not allowing Combination Disciplines that are clan-specific to be taught to non-Clan vampires, even with a teacher.
Also, in order to learn a combination, discipline you will either need a PC teacher who owns that discipline, or you can work with staff to purchase the Mentor background, and that NPC can instruct you in Clan secrets and other lore. Combination disciplines are something that is a taught skill more than it is simply being able to manifest it via your blood. NPCs from within the game or in your background are not valid for teaching combination disciplines.
The Price of Power
Learning disciplines and combination disciplines are rarely free. The cost for being taught an Uncommon discipline is often a Minor Boon or similar debt. The cost for a Rare discipline could be as much as a Major Boon for a single level and more boons required for additional advancement. A vampire could even demand a Blood Boon or a Life Boon for learning multiple levels of a Rare discipline. So rare and wonderous are Unique disciplines, that vampires with them might even charge boons to learn what powers they have and to utilize them on the behalf of other Kindred.
Combination Disciplines 15 XP cost and under could go for a Minor Boon but those over 15 XP in cost are sufficiently powerful that a PC could demand a Major Boon to be taught those powers.
Torpor Durations
The following are times for being in torpor based on your humanity or path:
Humanity/Path 10: Twelve hours Humanity/Path 9: One day Humanity/Path 8: Three days Humanity/Path 7: One week Humanity/Path 6: Two weeks Humanity/Path 5: Three weeks Humanity/Path 4: One Month Humanity/Path 3: One year Humanity/Path 2: Ten years Humanity/Path 1: One century Humanity/Path 0: Five centuries
These weeks are all based on in-game time, which translates to 1 RL week = 1 IC week.
Banality
We have made a decision regarding the banality stat and vampires. Our goal in making this choice was to adjust banality to an appropriate level and the biggest driving factor behind the adjustment was that it appears like age is the major determiner in a vampire's final banality, this representing how their unchanging and immortal natures increasingly make them quite rigid, grounded and banal in thought and action.
Starting banality is fixed by age at the following numbers:
Childe = 4
Neonate = 5
Ancilla = 7
Elder = 9
Characters can request to have their banality lowered or raised by up to 2 points, but 4 is the lowest that a vampire can ever go and 10 is the highest.
A general guide for clans and banality:
Less Banal Clans: Toreador, Kiasyd, Ravnos, Tzimisce (Dark glamour), Malkavian
Average Banality Clans: Gangrel, Brujah, Tremere (static, but magical), Setite
Banality is not generally dynamic and won't change radically in the course of play, but if you feel there is a reason, submit a request to staff along with reason.
The Hunt system is managed by players and as vitae is lost, it can be replaced by using the +hunt command in certain room locations throughout the MUSH.
The system works as follows:
1. Vampires lose 1 vitae per day automatically from the system. Vampires can also lose vitae by spending it with the +lose command.
2. Vampires can go to a to a valid grid space and use the +hunt <style> command to regain their blood.
3. Players can see where is valid to hunt by using the +hunt/where command.
4. Players can see what hunting styles are available in a grid space by typing +hunt/here.
5. All of the hunting styles are: Ambush: Strength + Stealth Carousing: Charisma + Etiquette Coercion: Manipulation + Subterfuge Seduction: Appearance + Performance Stalking: Wits + Streetwise Voluntary: Charisma + Leadership
6. The system will roll your dice and output the result.
7. The difficulty of the roll will vary depending on grid space. The hunting difficulties are not listed in the +hunt/where command.
8. Vampires will gain +1 blood pool per success on the roll. Failures yield no blood. A botch will be reported to the system and require a scene with staff.
9. The Herd background will add +1 die to your hunting pool regardless of the hunting style.
10. Vampires can hunt once every 24 hours.
Notes:
• Potence adds to the Strength + Stealth role for Ambush.