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House Rules
by Admin Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:43 pm
(*Etiquette and Expression*)
HOUSE RULES
Rivers Run Red: A OWbN Sabbat Game Set in Pittsburgh, PA
This is a living document, at anytime these rules are subject to change at the discretion of the Storyteller staff of Rivers Run Red. They will be made public on theriversrunred.forumotion.com forum site under the “House Rules” section no less than one week prior to them taking effect.
Normal Mind’s Eye Theatre Rules of conduct apply.
No one under the age 18 is allowed at game without HST permission and a note of parental consent.
If at any given time a player becomes emotionally uncomfortable with a scene they may leave the scene without any repercussions IC or OOC. This is NOT a “Fair Escape.” If you declare this during your characters death scene or combat an ST or Narrator will play your character for the remainder of the scene and you will be excused. The STs would also like to note that there are religious themes to the Vampire genre. This is a game of make believe and any player that has a problem seeing the difference may be excused from game.
At any given time, the odds are good that there are aspects to a plot that you don't know. If a Storyteller rules that a particular plan or attempt fails, take a moment to consider if the problem is not what you think it is. If it still appears that a Storyteller made an unusual call, feel free to ask him privately, but do not expect to have plots revealed.
If you remember that your character has something that would have altered a Scene or a challenge after it has been resolved, tough cookies. STs cannot be expected to remember what is on your sheet for you.
In order to avoid the appearance of impropriety, it may be requested that Storytellers not make any calls for certain people or scenes.
After a player checks into game they are considered in character. If a player is out of character they should be in an out of character area, or leaving the game site.
If your character is not present for a scene, then you should not be present for the scene.
If you are consistently out of character you will receive no XP for the night.
While being out of character please be quiet and respectful of those in character or you will be asked to leave the game site.
Powers derived from sources other than those used by the Storytellers must be approved for play by a Storyteller and a hardcopy version of the rules in question must be made available to the Storytellers by the player in question before it may be approved for use. Out of Print MET books can be found at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com.
Storytellers have access to all 3rd Ed MET books as well as all 3rd Ed Clan books. The storyteller’s collections include many more books, which won’t be listed here but if you are using a power or ability that is not listed in the sources mentioned, then please have a write up of the power and know where it is from.
Players may resolve scenes without throwing challenges if all parties agree to the outcome, as long as the actions taken are within each character’s power level. This can include death scenes. However if any disagreement occurs of the resolution of the scene, it must be resolved with challenges.
The Character Sheet and XP
If you do not have a current character sheet, and the Storytellers cannot give you a copy you relent to all challenges.
When you create a new character, you must give the STs a copy of your character sheet, or you relent to all challenges until you do.
All character sheets must be approved. Receiving signatures from a majority of Storytellers present at the game or the HST represents this.
The maximum XP that can be earned per month is 8.
If a player does not max his XP for the month at the conclusion of the game session, bonus monthly XP can be earned by making posts to the riversrunred.forumotion.com website under the IC Flavor Scenes or IC Boards sections at the rate of 1 XP per post.
2 XP can also be “earned” for diablerie per month but not to exceed the 8 monthly maximum.
All experience expenditures must be registered with the Storytellers immediately, or your character does not have the things you have purchased on their sheet. The method of spending XP is at game during check in, or over email between games.
Cards or emails must be given to the Storytellers for experience points for travel to other games.
Character Limitations (Travelers take note!!!!)
PCs may not use disciplines above advanced.
PCs may not have merits, flaws, or combination disciplines outside of Laws of the Night, Dark Epics, Sabbat Guide, Camarilla Guide, Storytellers guide, Anarch guide, and any Revised Clan Book without ST permission.
PCs may not have six dots in abilities or backgrounds (Ventrue: Paragon Merit is the only exception to this).
The STs will attempt to make every effort to allow easy transition into our game.
The STs are more likely to work with a player on the approval of your sheet if your character’s STs email us with your character sheet before you show up to game. Traveling PCs may have Skills, Lores, Merits, Flaws, and Disciplines removed from their sheets before they enter game. If you have out of clan rare disciplines (Mytherceria, Melpominee, Temporis, Obeah, Thanatosis, Deimos, Bardo, and Visceratika to name a few) do not expect to have them on your sheet after check in unless previously discussed and allowed by the ST staff. Please role-play that your character never had them if we remove them from your sheet.
Traits
A Player can never bid more than double his natural generational maximum in any trait category for any challenge unless specifically noted in these house rules.
You must have more positive traits than negative traits in a category at character creation. Negative traits gained from clan disadvantages do not count towards your total number of negative traits for this purpose. (Example: A Nosferatu with only 3 positive social traits can still be Callous and Condescending in addition to the repunant x3 he is from clan)
You must have the temporary trait to spend the permanent. (This includes Willpower traits.)
Spending blood for physical traits can allow you to reach your maximum for the scene, or go one trait over maximum for the round in which the blood was spent. When spending blood for physicals, the specific trait must be given a category of either strength, dexterity or stamina for the purposes of bidding them for challenges in the future.
Bonus Traits gained from powers may not be bid and lost as normal unless they are specifically named traits (Ex: “Sharp from Feral Claws but not any power that puts you “two traits up” for a challenge).
Trait Stacking - On any one challenge you may not stack trait bonuses of the same category.
The categories are as follows:
Disciplines
Merits
Items
Rituals (Including Fetishes)
Ability Specializations
Abilities
Blind fighting- you are practiced at fighting with out the aid of your eyes. You’ve learned to use your instincts, hearing and innate hunter nature instead of sight. You may use this Ability to retest in any physical combat challenge that occurs in the dark or while blindfolded that is within melee range of you. You may also use this to retest the forced retest for total darkness (Ex. As from Shroud of Night) but uses your ability retest for the challenge.
Fortune Telling- Without some other method to genuinely divine the future, fortune telling is simply a performance art.
Torture- Torture is not an applicable combat retest.
Blood / Blood Bonds / Vinculum
PCs do not know when Blood bonds break.
Blood bonds / Vinculum cannot be used as a homing beacon unless a power declares so.
Feeding
All PCs come into game at one blood down from generational maximum unless they have a feeding restriction, at which point they come into game at 2 more down. These amounts may change as the game progresses based upon the availability of blood in the city due to things including but not limited to quarantines, curfews, mortal knowledge and law, etc.
If you want to hunt, see a Storyteller for a feeding scene.
The Kiss affects a mortals and “Semisupernaturals” (Ghouls, Dhampyr, Mortal Hedge Magicians, etc) always at the ST’s Discretion.
Licking a wound closes it only for feeding or the kiss.
The “What time is it” Rule is in effect. Given that we play in a very public place, you can ask a “normal” walking through game site what the time is, and if you get an accurate response you successfully drink 3 blood traits from them. This is NOT usable in combat.
Healing
One blood heals two bashing, or one lethal (LotN: R p.199 is the correct interpretation).
It takes three blood, a willpower, and a full nights rest to heal each aggravated wound (LoTN: R p.200).
Healing does not take an action during combat. (LotN: R p.199) Healing takes place at any point in the turn provided you are not in the process of resolving a challenge.
Day Time actions
To wake up each evening you must spend one blood trait (already factored into blood totals at the start of game). If you cannot you enter torpor.
During the day a vampire can only bid two times their morality rating in any challenge (Unless they have the Light Sleeper merit). Staying awake during the day requires willpower use at a rate of one per scene or hour.
Torpor
Vampires sent into Torpor involuntarily (including getting assaulted after you enter a voluntary torpor) spend the following amounts of time in torpor:
Morality/Path Rating Length of Torpor
5 1 week
4 2 weeks
3 4 weeks
2 2 months
1 4 months
To come out of torpor earlier than the chart states, blood is needed. If the blood is vitae and of three generations lower than the torpor vampire they awaken automatically without a test. To end a voluntary torpor, the vampire must spend a blood and win a simple test. If he fails, he must spend the entire time in Torpor, after which he will wake up. If a vampire wants to stay in torpor longer then the chart requires, he will wake up when he chooses with no test.
While in torpor you relent to all challenges. You do not need to spend daily blood while in torpor.
Paths of Enlightenment
If one wishes to abandon his Humanity, he should inform a Storyteller of his quest. Changing your world-view is not done overnight. It will require IC behavior and knowledge tests at various points, not RPS tests. Players should ask a Storyteller for permission before taking a Path. Note that Paths are rather difficult to play.
Virtue Checks
You can always choose to not make the test, and automatically fail.
If you fail a Virtue check, use a Virtue trait to retest and lose this challenge as well then the risked trait is lost permanently along with the regular consequences of the lost challenge.
Virtue Checks work by LotN:R other than frenzy.
Frenzy/ Rotschreck
Frenzy does not give negative “Frenzy” traits in this chronicle. Any Clan disadvantage or special flaw relating to frenzy still applies. The Gangrel clan flaw is an example.
You may use any physical powers you have to defend yourself and facilitate your escape while under the effects of Rotschreck.
Otherwise frenzy works as LotN:R.
Instinct Frenzy
If on an Instinct path, you may expend a temporary Willpower trait to enter a “Controlled Frenzy” for one round. When you are under a controlled instinct frenzy different rules apply.
You may use any appropriate powers you have that don’t require sustained concentration or talking during Instinct Frenzy.
During frenzy you do not lose traits from any failed challenges until the frenzy subsides at which point the traits are lost. While in Frenzy, you bid the free “Frenzy” trait in all defensive social and mental challenges. Also you suffer no damage penalties.
Diablerie
You will never gain a Generation from insignificant NPCs diablerized. In other words NPCs specifically created to be Diablerized would not give any rewards to a PC. A character sheet from another game cannot be mailed to your character to be Diablerize unless they can convince the player of the character to show up to game (ST discretion). The STs of the PC Diablerized will always be consulted.
Diablerie gives 2 XP; this will not take you above the 8 a month limit.
You will gain any unspent willpower traits that the victim had that does not take you over your permanent willpower.
When you Diablerize you will gain all the regular rewards and perils and the following happens. You are allowed to use the diablerized character’s sheet as a “Teacher” for any single dot of a Discipline they currently possess, or a merit they had at the time of diablerie pending ST approval. This must be purchased before the beginning of the next game session and cannot be purchased with any XP earned after the session of the diablerie.
Willpower
Temporary willpower is regained at the rate of one trait per week. Meditation can be used as normal to speed up this process.
Willpower can only be spent for a retest defensively in social and mental challenges. Unless stated otherwise by an MET rule or these House Rules.
Willpower can be spent at any point in time. Powers that require Willpower expenditures to activate do not require the user to expend the Willpower during expenditures phase. The Willpower is spent when you go to activate the power. Willpower can be used as many times in a turn as you are willing to spend it.
Storytellers may restore willpower if characters perform actions that hold particularly true to their nature.
If for some reason you are unable to spend temporary willpower, you are unable to spend permanent willpower.
Merits, Flaws & Derangements
Players are permitted to play a flaw without taking the points.
If you manage to somehow manipulate your Flaws that they become Merits, Storytellers will make efforts to remind you why they are Flaws.
No merits or flaws outside of Laws of the Night, Dark Epics, Sabbat Guide, Camarilla Guide, Storytellers guide, Anarch guide, any Revised Clan Book, and Liber des Ghouls are permitted without ST permission.
Merits and Flaws based on your physical body such as Enchanting Voice, Bruiser, and Monstrous have no effect when possessing another body, out of body, or when your opponent is not in your presence or aware of your presence.
True Faith - Requires ST permission
Unbondable – Requires ST permission
Luck – The Luck retest may be used once per game.
Ability Aptitude – Is not allowed to be used in conjunction with disciplines or other supernatural powers or combat based abilities.
Iron Will – You gain an additional free retest against Dominate and other mind effecting powers.
Backgrounds
Backgrounds work as per Dark Epics.
The background of mentor can be bought at character creation but not without substantial reason in a character’s backstory. The Mentor background allows access to buy things off of the Mentor’s sheet at the following levels.
1 – Abilities, Specializations, Backgrounds and Influences
2 – Basic Disciplines the mentor has in clan
3 – Intemediate Disciplines the Mentor has in clan
4 – Advanced Disciplines the Mentor has in clan
5 – Combination Disciplines and Elder Disciplines assuming your generation is potent enough.
The character sheet of the mentor is determined by the STs, not the player.
A Mentor can also loan you influence at a rate of one for one. A Mentor mentoring ability allows you the use of your points in mentor per month from you Mentor for all above listed mentor benefits.
A Mentor can require your assistance at ST Discretion.
Influence
Influence ACTIONS will be taken out of Dark Epics, allowing 2 actions per month for each level of influence. Players buy influence at a rate of 1 Xp per Level of Influence. Influence cannot to be given to any other PC or “Willed.” A PC may only ever have one level 6 influence if they have the Venture only merit Paragon. PCs may not have more levels of Influence then their combined total of Physical, Social, and Mental Traits plus one extra dot per levels of the Retainers background.
Characters on paths of enlightenment must have some way to interact with mortals to use influence. Retainers and Contacts are a good method of doing this.
Influences refresh fully at the beginning of each month.
Total Darkness
Total darkness is defined as any condition where there is no light source of any kind, natural or supernatural.
While in total darkness, players lose an additional trait upon losing any challenge requiring sight (All combat minus being “tough enough to take it”, visual perception, and challenges that require eye contact for example). In addition, any successful contested challenge taking place in total darkness is immediately subject to a “Darkness” retest barring the elimination of such by certain means of supernatural perception. The environment gains the automatic “Darkness” retest against any player engaging in static challenges where visual perception is a factor.
Heightened Senses (Auspex first basic) and Tongue of the Asp (Serpentis Second Basic) eliminate one of the two effects of total darkness each, in the order of the extra trait loss first, then the retest.
Eyes of the Beast (Protean first basic) and Black Metamorphosis (Obtenebration second intermediate) remove all of the above effects of total darkness, both the extra trait loss and the automatic darkness retest. All of the above listed ways of cancelling the effects of total darkness apply to naturally occurring total darkness.
Disciplines
No Discipline will be a “One shot kill.” No combinations of Disciplines will be a “One shot kill.”
There will be times when certain powers clash. The STs will usually compare the levels of the Disciplines. Example: Pavis of the Foul Presence is an Intermediate Ritual that could technically reflect elder presence powers. But since it is an Intermediate we have house ruled that it will only reflect on Intermediate and Basic Presence.
Two powers/merits of the same nature cannot add traits to the same challenge (Merits, Disciplines, Rituals, Abilities, and Items). Example you cannot use the sharp trait from Wolf Claws and the extra traits from Horrid Form. Effects will still stack, but not the traits. If you have questions about this please see an ST.
No mind altering Discipline will prevent a character from defending themselves in combat or a dangerous situation. Example a character affected by One Track Mind will stop doing whatever they are doing and defend themselves if attacked. Clever uses of mind altering Disciplines however may limit a character’s capacity in combat at ST discretion.
Combination disciplines require at least one of the prerequisite disciplines to be in clan to be learned.
Combination disciplines and clan specific disciplines are learned at the ST’s discretion.
If a specific power is not listed here, its function is taken directly from the appropriate book it can be found in. Final rules call in a scene for non-standard uses of the power are solely up to the judgment of the Storyteller running the scene.
Animalism
Feral Whispers – Just because you can talk to animals, doesn’t mean they have the answers you want, or even the same interests. No, The chipmunk in Schenley Park did not watch American Idol last night.
Quell the Beast – Only lasts for a scene or an hour.
Drawing Out the Beast – The beast returns at the end of the scene or after 1 hour whatever is longer. Also if the victim of Drawing out is destroyed then the beast will return immediately still in a frenzied state.
Auspex
General – When trying to pierce Obfuscate, levels of Auspex automatically succeed in penetrating their stealth when they are of a higher level (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) than the Obfuscate being used. If there are equal levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) in both disciplines being used, a mental challenge is used to determine who stays hidden, or who sees through.
Aura Perception – Viewing an aura can give you an honest answer to ONE of the following questions per use of the power. What type of creature does your aura reflect you being? What does your aura say about your current emotional state? Do I detect any deception in your aura? If your character has diablerized within the last 3 months, black, pulsating veins will be prevalent in your aura no matter what question is asked. Aura Perception can be used on inanimate objects for story purposes at the discretion of the ST running the scene.
Spirit’s Touch – By expending the minimum amount of traits necessary, you gain insight into the last major emotions surrounding the object as well as a “feel” for the last person to have an emotional connection to the item. Furthermore, if you are around that person at some point later in the evening, the feeling of that person is “recalled” from your memory to potentially help identify who it is. Spending more traits may allow you access to more emotions and or people strongly tied to the object. This power is NOT an “expend traits, view home video” power. If the “object” is and/or was a physical part of someone, you know immediately who it is/was and what his/her last major emotional state was.
Telepathy – You may “knock” on someone’s mind for them to allow you access to their thoughts, but at the time you do, they DO NOT know the source of the attempt and there is no way to tell them “Hey, it’s me! Open up!”
You may not use telepathy to “implant” memories into someone’s mind, only show them images you want them to see or dig around in their memory to find what you’re looking for.
Upon gaining eye contact, you can use Telepathy on someone who has been staked, but not someone in Torpor. Normally Telepathy only requires line of sight to initiate and maintain.
Astral Projection – If your “silver cord” is severed, there is a possibility your character’s psyche will be lost in the astral plane forever.
Celerity
Alacrity – The ONLY uses of alacrity are to respond to any surprise challenge issued against you, and it allows you to add your level of celerity to your trait bid for initiative purposes ONLY up to twice your generational maximum as usual. Combination powers that have celerity as a prerequisite do NOT count as a level of celerity for the purposes of adding to initiative.
Rapidity – If you intend to bid the “bomb” you must first declare that you have the ability to do so prior to the challenge.
Chimerstry
Both basic levels of Chimerstry will only require the expenditures to make the illusion manifest with no challenge provided that no one is around to see it done. The social challenge typically required will be counted as the challenge made by onlookers who choose to disbelieve.
Horrid Reality – The use of Horrid Reality requires the expenditure of a Willpower, and if successful, requires no further expenditure of Willpower for THAT SUBJECT for the rest of the scene. Once you have a subject under the effects of Horrid Reality, the first major change to their perceived reality requires no further test. Any Major changes to their reality require furthering social challenges as they attempt to disbelieve (Example: If you place the subject “Tied down to the train tracks and the train is coming” with the first challenge, to have the train continue down the tracks and hit them requires no further tests. However, if they are tied to train tracks in their reality and the train turns into a giant snake and devours them, that would allow a Social test to disbelieve. The use of Horrid Reality always requires the presence of an ST.
Dominate
Command – The target may know that he has been controlled if the action to be taken is not something he would normally do.
Mesmerism – The target may know that he has been controlled if the action to be taken is not something he would normally do.
Forgetful Mind – The identity of the user of this power is not necessarily immediately known when the true memories are discovered (Example: If the user of dominate was using Mask of 1000 faces, you do not “Pierce” the Obfuscate).
Conditioning – To condition a target, see a storyteller.
Fortitude
If you successfully test down all damage done by a stake, you are not subject to the staking challenges. Aegis will stop you from becoming staked ONLY if used before staking challenges are thrown.
Aegis – On top of the other effects of this power, you also win on ties when trying to test down damage with other levels of Fortitude. In stopping damage that would kill you, Aegis must be declared after the resolution of the challenge, but before damage is applied. The User of Aegis is allowed to know the amount of damage and any carrier effects prior to damage being applied.
Necromancy
While at our game you are limited to a number of paths of Necromancy equal to your rating in the Wraith Lore ability. If travelling, please roleplay as if you never had access to the ones you choose not to keep. Blood Magic cannot be sped up with Celerity and Celerity cannot give you extra Blood Magic actions.
Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires your entire turn. Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires hand movements and speech. Silence of Death does not affect Blood Magic casting (The casters is still speaking, even if they cannot be heard) unless of course the power requires your subject to hear you.
Soul Steal – You cannot soul steal a person that does not have a body. You must be in the person’s immediate presence (You cannot Soul Steal across the shroud). If the body is damaged, in any way, with hostile intent, while the soul is removed it returns to the body and the victim can then defend themself as normal. If the body is already occupied with another spirit, there is no place for the spirit to go to and it cannot return to its body until the body is empty.
Obfuscate
General – When trying to go undetected by Auspex, levels of Obfuscate automatically succeed in passing by observation when they are of a higher level (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) than the Auspex being used. If there are equal levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) in both disciplines being used, a mental challenge is used to determine who stays hidden, or who sees through.
Vanish from the mind’s eye – You may declare that you are using Vanish at any point during the round, but the effect of such goes off at the end of the round (after all other portions of the round have been resolved, immediately prior to the beginning of the next round) and as such, is also when the challenge is thrown for Vanish.
Obtenebration
Shroud of Night – As this is listed as the same effect as Shadowplay (first basic), just projected as a globe instead of manipulating natural shadows, the clumsy trait from Shadowplay does not stack with the clumsy trait from Shroud of Night.
While in a Shroud of Night, all characters who are not the one controlling the shroud suffer the penalties for acting in Total Darkness (see above). The shroud, however, is not natural darkness, therefore it is not immediately defeated by Eyes of the Beast (Protean first basic) or Black Metamorphosis (Obtenebration Second Intermediate). Eyes of Beast, Heightened Senses, Black Metamorphosis and Tongue of the Asp (or other perception based powers) will each negate one of the negative effects of Total Darkness while in the shroud in the following order:
1. Additional trait on challenge loss
2. Darkness Retest
3. Clumsy Negative trait
Arms of the Abyss – There is no limit to the number of Arms of the Abyss you can summon at one time, up to the maximum of your biddable social traits, but the summoner can only control a number of arms equal to his/her levels of Obtenebration at one time. Arms must be summoned from stationary, natural shadow, and not from “Under my super-hip Black Leather Trenchcoat).
When attacking multiple targets, these arms all act independently of each other and use their own trait totals. If multiple arms attack a single target they follow the Mob Combat Champion system, acting as one, bidding the full traits of the arm “throwing the challenge,” gaining one additional trait from each additional arm aiding it, and any single arm’s effect can be named as the “Victory Condition” of the challenge.
Black Metamorphosis – The negative trait clumsy given to an effected defender against an attack from a user of Black Metamorphosis can only be applied to an opponent once. Subsequent attacks do not “stack” their clumsy traits.
The extra attack given to you by black metamorphosis must be taken with the Arms of the Abyss protruding from your body and happens at the same time “Off hand” actions happen, after all turns including ones from celerity.
Potence
Might – Might is used as the final retest of the player using the might retest for that challenge. The opponent can still call for all other types of retests in the challenge assuming they have not already been used. These retests cannot be cancelled by a player who has already used his might retest. Might can be used to cancel Might as a retest IN CONTESTED CHALLENGES OF STRENGTH ONLY (IE – when both members of the challenge are bidding strength based physical traits).
Vigor - If you intend to bid the “bomb” you must first declare that you have the ability to do so prior to the challenge.
Puissance – Using Puissance negates the negative trait “Heavy” on weapons. Using Puissance with a weapon of under Crafts x3 (IE – Improvised weapons and weapons of poor quality or “Show pieces”) will break the weapon.
Presence
Awe – Awe can cancel awe in all social challenges where the characters involved in the challenge can see each other. Awe is a representation of your “Yolo-Swag” and not a directed power, hence not effected by Pavis of the Foul Presence.
Summon – When summoning someone, retests that rely on your physical self to be seen (read: Awe) do NOT work in conjunction with this power. When summoning someone, you give your trait total and all applicable retests you are willing to use to the ST who will throw the challenge for you. Once the ST has begun the challenge, the trait total and retests cannot be altered in any way. You will have no knowledge of the power’s success, and the defender has no way of knowing who is summoning him.
On the matters of “Not being summoned into dangerous situations,” Please refer to the “burning building” example in LotNR page 168. An abandoned, out of the way warehouse with only one entrance/exit is NOT (at least not yet) a life-threatening situation unless said warehouse is on fire. Being summoned to an area of the city your character knows is regularly attended by an enemy of his is NOT (at least not yet) a life-threatening situation. Got it yet? Put down the meta-game stick, people, and play through the consequences of your actions!
Majesty – The range of effect on Majesty will be Line of Sight. This is both more easily determined in the game setting and more in line with the power of an advanced level discipline. Once in the effects of Majesty, you in no way want to harm the individual using the power. A willpower may be used as a retest by the person attempting to break through someone’s majesty. Only obvious, deliberate attacks upon those in your range of effect break your majesty.
Protean
Feral Claws – Flavorful visuals for feral claws (wolf vs. bear vs. etc.) are allowed for characters who have Protean as an in-clan discipline because, let’s face it, being just like every other Gangrel out there is SUPER lame.
Shape of the Beast – Rivers Run Red uses the optional rules for Beast forms out of the Gangrel Clanbook: Revised for Gangrel only.
Mist Form – On the note of flying into a target’s lungs and then reforming to rip them apart… Stop it, really, just stop it… You’re an idiot…
Quietus
Taste of Death – The maximum range of this ability is 18 steps.
Thanatosis
Withering – When used successfully on the head of a target, this power prevents all use of disciplines EXCEPT physical ones (Potence, Fortitude and Celerity). In using Withering when targeting the Head only, the challenges to successfully wither are “Win two our of three,” As opposed to “Win or tie two.”
Thaumaturgy
While at our game you are limited to a number of paths of Thaumaturgy equal to your rating in the occult ability. If travelling, please roleplay as if you never had access to the ones you choose not to keep. Blood Magic cannot be sped up with Celerity and Celerity cannot give you extra Blood Magic actions.
Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires your entire turn. Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires hand movements and speech. Silence of Death does not affect Blood Magic casting (The casters is still speaking, even if they cannot be heard) unless of course the power requires your subject to hear you.
All uses of Blood Magic require a challenge when attempting to effect another being, even if the power does not describe a challenge being needed unless specifically stated otherwise by the power in question. Any such challenges will be of the appropriate type at ST discretion. If the power requires you to defeat your opponent in a physical challenge to obtain contact (Example: Cauldron of Blood) then this is considered the challenge for the power.
Unless otherwise stated in the ritual, basic rituals take 10 minutes to cast, Intermediate rituals take 20 minutes to cast, and advanced rituals take 30 minutes to cast.
Unless otherwise stated in the Power/Ritual the victim/target must be present when the ritual is cast. Example: Blood Allergy does not state if the target has to be present or not when the ritual is cast, only that the target must be younger then the caster, therefore it is ruled that the target must be present for the ritual.
If a Ritual requires you to have a costume on your person then you must follow the ritual within reason. Example Pavis of the Foul Presence requires you to tie a blue ribbon around your neck. This can also be represented by a card pinned to your shirt.
DO NOT DO ANYTHING HARMFUL TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS LIKE CUTTING OFF YOUR HAND!!!!! But you could keep your attached hand hidden in your sleeve.
Spirit Manipulation
Entrap Ephemera – “With this power, you may bind a spirit into an object.” Cam guide PG 90. You may only bind a single spirit into an object. Spirits only augment the item by making it do something it already does but better. When the user of this power dies all spirits are released from the fetishes the vampire creates. Basically, See the ST…
Pavis of the Foul Presence – Pavis simply cancels Summon, it does not work on Majesty, and it causes Dread Gaze and Entrancement to backfire. Pavis has no effect on Presence based Combination Disciplines. The power must succeed against the user of this ritual before it can reflect.
Stone of the True Form – Requires the maker of the stone to touch the target with the stone. This means that the pebble cannot be thrown/shot and that only the caster of this ritual can use the stone. Upon the stone touching ANYONE besides the caster, the ritual magic in the stone is expended.
Valeren
Vengeance of Samiel – When adding up traits while using Vengeance of Samiel, this is the ONLY time your trait bid may exceed double your generational maximum, and instead now caps your trait bid a double the generational maximum of your Physical Traits plus your Mental Traits.
Vicissitude
Permanent Vicissitude Modifications – A Vicissitude user can use Fleshcraft and Bonecraft to modify themselves for the purposes of permanent benefits to their physical form. These modifications are referred to as system effecting modifications. A character can have a number of system effecting modifications equal to one half of their permanent physical traits rounded down. These modifications take time, should not be able to be completed at a single game session, and cost one permanent physical trait from the character’s current total, which does effect the total amount of system effecting modifications a character can have. These expended physical traits can be bought back normally with experience points. If the challenge is failed at the time of making these modifications, the physical trait is still expended with no benefit and an appropriate negative physical trait is gained. For your benefit, a pre approved list of modifications follows here:
+1 Physical trait over generational maximum
+1 Social trait over generational maximum (appearance based only)
+1 Mental trait over generational maximum (perception based only)
Spider-climb (the ability to walk up walls)
+1 Fleshcraft armor level (made by hardening the skin, stackable with mundane armor)
+1 Bonecraft armor level (made by making bone more dense, stackable with mundane armor)
+1 Level of unarmed damage (made by weighting the hands with dense bone)
Others are available, but start with these and ask an ST about specific ones you have a question on.
Inherently cosmetic only changes can be made, and are made permanently, but do not count against the maximum number of system effecting modifications you can have.
Items Cards
The Golden rule of item cards – You may not use an item card unless that item card is in your possession at the time.
We use the weapons and armor from Dark Epics. Any weapons other than those listed in dark epics will be converted to their closest Dark Epics counterpart (ST discretion).
Custom items will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Newbie Rule! If you are a player still under your “Free Common Sense Merit” 6 month period, You automatically call weapon negative traits against your aggressor.
Combat
The Order of Things:
Blood expenditures
Initiative – Your initiative traits are the maximum biddable traits in the category of the action type that you’re declaring.
Everyman actions
Swiftness actions
Legerity actions
Black Metamorphosis/Dual Thought/Off Hand Actions/Any other Discipline actions other than Celerity
Vanish
Shroud Drop
End of Turn
At the ST’s discretion, environmental effects may happen at any time and effect combat directly.
Five on One
At any given time, a single character can only be the target of 5 different physical challenges, 1 Mental challenge, and 1 Social challenge.
Mob Combat
Use Rules under “The Mob Scene” in LotNR 196-197. It’s too long to type out verbatim. Read that section, that is what we are using for mob combat.
In situations where things are a bit more complicated than what the section in the book describes, the Narrator or ST on scene has final say as to how Mob Combat will be run.
Off-Hand Actions
Performing an action with your character’s non-dominant hand incurs a penalty of two traits. This penalty can be reduced to one by the Merit: Ambidextrous.
If attempting to fight with both hands at the same time, there is still a one trait penalty to each hand, even if Ambidextrous. You must bid two traits per hand.(LotNR 208)
If using your off-hand to gain an extra-action, all actions must be split between both hands. (LotNR 208). Example: If you have four actions – Everyman, Swiftness, Legerity, Off-Hand – they must be split equally between the dominant hand and non-dominant hand. 2 for your main hand, 2 for your off hand.
If you do not start the round bidding two traits for your actions, and go to use your off hand action, tough titties…
Retests
Only one retest of the following types can be used per challenge.
Environmental
Ability
Merit
Discipline
Overbid
Willpower (defensively, except for Auspex Piercing Obfuscate)
Retests of any specific type can cancel called retests of that type normally unless otherwise noted either in Laws of the Night: Revised or these House Rules.
Retest exceptions:
1. The Blind-fighting ability can cancel the Environmental “total darkness” retest, but counts as your use of an ability retest for that challenge.
2. Might DOES cancel Might in CONTESTED challenges of Strength.
Form Stacking
The following forms CANNOT be stacked (used in conjunction) with any other form on this list. You can however, upon spending the appropriate cost for the form, shift directly from one to the other.
1. Beast Form (Protean second intermediate)
2. Black Metamorphosis (Obtenebration second intermediate)
3. Horrid Form (Vicissitude second intermediate)
4. Mist Form (Protean advanced)
5. Tenebrous Form (Obtenebration advanced)
6. Blood Form (Vicissitude advanced)
7. Form of the Cobra (Serpentis second intermediate)
8. Skin of the Adder (Serperntis first intermediate)
Specific Combat Rulings:
Movement – We use the movement rules from Dark Epics. You may take an action and move three steps, or you can forfeit your action and take six steps at any time you can take a physical action. If you use a mental or social power then you may still take your three steps at that time. During an action you may move then act, or act then move. On normal actions you still are allowed to move when taking mental or social actions.
Damage - Whether it is a punch, stab, kick, choke, slash, shoot, push, head butt, bite, impale, or throwing a grenade. It does damage and only damage unless an ST declares differently. Example two PCs fighting on the edge of a building may knock each other off by pushing each other if an ST declares so. Also attacks of incredible strength may knock a victim back if the ST declares so.
Attacking for effect - You may declare an effect other than damage in any action. This may be a grapple, a trip, or anything else you could think of. These will mostly be handled on a case-by-case basis. A few of these have predetermined rules.
Grapples - if you use an action to declare that you are grappling/holding another character and the action is successful then the character is considered grappled. While grappled the character cannot move unless moved by the grappler. The victim cannot attack anyone that is not within his reach and within reason. His arm movement is restricted so actions that require specific arm movements will fail. The victim may take an action to initiate a physical challenge to break free of the grapple upon any of his physical actions. Maintaining or breaking free of a grapple is considered an action.
Touch Attacks – An action that requires you touch your target can be initiated as soon as the touch is established in a round. Example Cauldron could be activated as soon as you acquire the physical contact (which requires a physical challenge), also Quell can be initiated as soon as you gain physical contact.
You may gain physical contact for free in an appropriate surprise action (From obfuscate etc). If you gain physical contact in this way and the action requires that you need to touch a certain part of the body (Example: Withering) you still must test as normal to touch that part of the body.
Surprise Actions – A Surprise Action is any action that is taken that the defender cannot perceive. The victim of a surprise action may only bid passive defensive traits. You may not dodge a surprise action. If the aggressor fails the challenge he may gain an additional “Surprise” retest. If someone who can perceive the surprise wishes to try and stop the action he may attempt to do so.
Once all Surprise Actions are worked out then normal combat rounds begin if further actions are to be taken.
A Character can only be surprised once per combat by the same character.
Throwing and jumping - You may throw a character 3 steps or 3 feet vertical. Every level of Potence adds 3 steps to this. So with 5 levels of Potence you can throw a person 18 steps or 18 feet up into the air.
A thrown character must make a test vs. traits equal to the number steps jumped or thrown or takes one level of Lethal damage, retested with athletics. If a character is knocked to the ground it takes “3 steps” to stand up. If a player gets knocked to the ground, please politely help them up.
Holding actions - You may declare any action you take as held. This action will be held until used or until your next action at which time you must take the held action or it is lost.
The Kiss - This is not a bite. Bite does aggravated damage. Mortals have no defense against the Kiss. Semi-supernatural creatures (See above) may defend by a willpower test vs. three traits and may spend willpower to retest. This test is done at the beginning of every round until the PC breaks the effect of the kiss, is out of willpower, or drained of blood traits. If a PC under the effect of the Kiss takes any other damage the effects of the Kiss are broken. A PC may be under the Kiss by more than 1 Vampire.
Staking
If staking is done at a distance, greater then three steps, it requires winning or tying three simple tests.
Weapons and Armor
We will be using Weapons rules from the book “Dark Epics.”
Armor only gives you extra health levels. Armor does not stack. If wearing Armor that is obvious you must have an item card visible on your person or actually be wearing costume Armor. Armor is used before any damage reduction due to fortitude or any other powers.
Item cards are required for all equipment.
Crafting:
In crafting weapons, Crafts x3 makes a weapon able to used with Puissance. Crafts x4 can remove one Negative Trait from a Weapon or Armor. Crafts x5 Can add one additional bonus trait to a weapon or one health level to armor.
A Weapon or item made of Bone can be modified with Vicissitude. The maximum Vicissitude modifications it can have is half of its Unmodified (Before crafting system is applied) bonus traits rounded up. (Example: A 3 trait Katana can be given 2 Vicissitude modifications.)
In Game Embraces
Embracing a mortal is a magical action. It requires an act of will from the vampire. Because of this, stored blood is not sufficient for an Embrace.
Being Embraced In-Game gives a character a free Generation of one higher than the Sire if the PC was in play as a non Vampire for 6 game sessions or longer. However, no other new Backgrounds can be purchased. The Embrace may take a full day to take effect, as the character's body dies and is reanimated by the Curse. Interrupted Embraces will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Characters add 2 Attribute Traits. (Revenants, See ST)
Characters receive 2 freebie points; however these may only be spent on Disciplines, Attributes, Merits & Flaws, and possibly abilities.
Ghoul only merit and flaw points will be balanced out by Storytellers.
Disciplines will transfer smoothly. A newly embraced ghoul receives an additional two disciplines at basic level in his new In Clans. The Embrace does not break Blood Bonds.
All Numina, Hedge Magic or other mortal powers cease to function after the Embrace. In addition, Kinfolk or Kithain may not embrace correctly, and a Storyteller should be reminded if you have these types of merits.
When embracing as a character of 12th generation or higher, the sire makes a simple test. If he loses, the Curse does not transfer correctly, and the new vampire is clanless. The sire gets one retest for every generation trait. A vampire who is Caitiff has no Clan Advantage or Disadvantage, and may talk to a ST about In-Clan Disciplines upon the Embrace. At ST discretion it may be more likely that someone may end up clanless.
Character Creation Guidelines:
In 2013, OWbN Passed a bylaw stating that a character may start with up to 60 bonus XP awarded. Rivers Run Red plays in and supports OWbN, therefore our chronicle allows ONE PC of any given player (referred to as their “Primary”) alive at a time to be awarded up to 60 XP at character creation through Written and turned in history, and/or Banked XP previously earned. The maximum amount of XP any other character of a player’s can start with is 30.
If you have any questions regarding the above listed house rules, please contact an ST for clarifications.
HOUSE RULES
Rivers Run Red: A OWbN Sabbat Game Set in Pittsburgh, PA
This is a living document, at anytime these rules are subject to change at the discretion of the Storyteller staff of Rivers Run Red. They will be made public on theriversrunred.forumotion.com forum site under the “House Rules” section no less than one week prior to them taking effect.
Normal Mind’s Eye Theatre Rules of conduct apply.
No one under the age 18 is allowed at game without HST permission and a note of parental consent.
If at any given time a player becomes emotionally uncomfortable with a scene they may leave the scene without any repercussions IC or OOC. This is NOT a “Fair Escape.” If you declare this during your characters death scene or combat an ST or Narrator will play your character for the remainder of the scene and you will be excused. The STs would also like to note that there are religious themes to the Vampire genre. This is a game of make believe and any player that has a problem seeing the difference may be excused from game.
At any given time, the odds are good that there are aspects to a plot that you don't know. If a Storyteller rules that a particular plan or attempt fails, take a moment to consider if the problem is not what you think it is. If it still appears that a Storyteller made an unusual call, feel free to ask him privately, but do not expect to have plots revealed.
If you remember that your character has something that would have altered a Scene or a challenge after it has been resolved, tough cookies. STs cannot be expected to remember what is on your sheet for you.
In order to avoid the appearance of impropriety, it may be requested that Storytellers not make any calls for certain people or scenes.
After a player checks into game they are considered in character. If a player is out of character they should be in an out of character area, or leaving the game site.
If your character is not present for a scene, then you should not be present for the scene.
If you are consistently out of character you will receive no XP for the night.
While being out of character please be quiet and respectful of those in character or you will be asked to leave the game site.
Powers derived from sources other than those used by the Storytellers must be approved for play by a Storyteller and a hardcopy version of the rules in question must be made available to the Storytellers by the player in question before it may be approved for use. Out of Print MET books can be found at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com.
Storytellers have access to all 3rd Ed MET books as well as all 3rd Ed Clan books. The storyteller’s collections include many more books, which won’t be listed here but if you are using a power or ability that is not listed in the sources mentioned, then please have a write up of the power and know where it is from.
Players may resolve scenes without throwing challenges if all parties agree to the outcome, as long as the actions taken are within each character’s power level. This can include death scenes. However if any disagreement occurs of the resolution of the scene, it must be resolved with challenges.
The Character Sheet and XP
If you do not have a current character sheet, and the Storytellers cannot give you a copy you relent to all challenges.
When you create a new character, you must give the STs a copy of your character sheet, or you relent to all challenges until you do.
All character sheets must be approved. Receiving signatures from a majority of Storytellers present at the game or the HST represents this.
The maximum XP that can be earned per month is 8.
If a player does not max his XP for the month at the conclusion of the game session, bonus monthly XP can be earned by making posts to the riversrunred.forumotion.com website under the IC Flavor Scenes or IC Boards sections at the rate of 1 XP per post.
2 XP can also be “earned” for diablerie per month but not to exceed the 8 monthly maximum.
All experience expenditures must be registered with the Storytellers immediately, or your character does not have the things you have purchased on their sheet. The method of spending XP is at game during check in, or over email between games.
Cards or emails must be given to the Storytellers for experience points for travel to other games.
Character Limitations (Travelers take note!!!!)
PCs may not use disciplines above advanced.
PCs may not have merits, flaws, or combination disciplines outside of Laws of the Night, Dark Epics, Sabbat Guide, Camarilla Guide, Storytellers guide, Anarch guide, and any Revised Clan Book without ST permission.
PCs may not have six dots in abilities or backgrounds (Ventrue: Paragon Merit is the only exception to this).
The STs will attempt to make every effort to allow easy transition into our game.
The STs are more likely to work with a player on the approval of your sheet if your character’s STs email us with your character sheet before you show up to game. Traveling PCs may have Skills, Lores, Merits, Flaws, and Disciplines removed from their sheets before they enter game. If you have out of clan rare disciplines (Mytherceria, Melpominee, Temporis, Obeah, Thanatosis, Deimos, Bardo, and Visceratika to name a few) do not expect to have them on your sheet after check in unless previously discussed and allowed by the ST staff. Please role-play that your character never had them if we remove them from your sheet.
Traits
A Player can never bid more than double his natural generational maximum in any trait category for any challenge unless specifically noted in these house rules.
You must have more positive traits than negative traits in a category at character creation. Negative traits gained from clan disadvantages do not count towards your total number of negative traits for this purpose. (Example: A Nosferatu with only 3 positive social traits can still be Callous and Condescending in addition to the repunant x3 he is from clan)
You must have the temporary trait to spend the permanent. (This includes Willpower traits.)
Spending blood for physical traits can allow you to reach your maximum for the scene, or go one trait over maximum for the round in which the blood was spent. When spending blood for physicals, the specific trait must be given a category of either strength, dexterity or stamina for the purposes of bidding them for challenges in the future.
Bonus Traits gained from powers may not be bid and lost as normal unless they are specifically named traits (Ex: “Sharp from Feral Claws but not any power that puts you “two traits up” for a challenge).
Trait Stacking - On any one challenge you may not stack trait bonuses of the same category.
The categories are as follows:
Disciplines
Merits
Items
Rituals (Including Fetishes)
Ability Specializations
Abilities
Blind fighting- you are practiced at fighting with out the aid of your eyes. You’ve learned to use your instincts, hearing and innate hunter nature instead of sight. You may use this Ability to retest in any physical combat challenge that occurs in the dark or while blindfolded that is within melee range of you. You may also use this to retest the forced retest for total darkness (Ex. As from Shroud of Night) but uses your ability retest for the challenge.
Fortune Telling- Without some other method to genuinely divine the future, fortune telling is simply a performance art.
Torture- Torture is not an applicable combat retest.
Blood / Blood Bonds / Vinculum
PCs do not know when Blood bonds break.
Blood bonds / Vinculum cannot be used as a homing beacon unless a power declares so.
Feeding
All PCs come into game at one blood down from generational maximum unless they have a feeding restriction, at which point they come into game at 2 more down. These amounts may change as the game progresses based upon the availability of blood in the city due to things including but not limited to quarantines, curfews, mortal knowledge and law, etc.
If you want to hunt, see a Storyteller for a feeding scene.
The Kiss affects a mortals and “Semisupernaturals” (Ghouls, Dhampyr, Mortal Hedge Magicians, etc) always at the ST’s Discretion.
Licking a wound closes it only for feeding or the kiss.
The “What time is it” Rule is in effect. Given that we play in a very public place, you can ask a “normal” walking through game site what the time is, and if you get an accurate response you successfully drink 3 blood traits from them. This is NOT usable in combat.
Healing
One blood heals two bashing, or one lethal (LotN: R p.199 is the correct interpretation).
It takes three blood, a willpower, and a full nights rest to heal each aggravated wound (LoTN: R p.200).
Healing does not take an action during combat. (LotN: R p.199) Healing takes place at any point in the turn provided you are not in the process of resolving a challenge.
Day Time actions
To wake up each evening you must spend one blood trait (already factored into blood totals at the start of game). If you cannot you enter torpor.
During the day a vampire can only bid two times their morality rating in any challenge (Unless they have the Light Sleeper merit). Staying awake during the day requires willpower use at a rate of one per scene or hour.
Torpor
Vampires sent into Torpor involuntarily (including getting assaulted after you enter a voluntary torpor) spend the following amounts of time in torpor:
Morality/Path Rating Length of Torpor
5 1 week
4 2 weeks
3 4 weeks
2 2 months
1 4 months
To come out of torpor earlier than the chart states, blood is needed. If the blood is vitae and of three generations lower than the torpor vampire they awaken automatically without a test. To end a voluntary torpor, the vampire must spend a blood and win a simple test. If he fails, he must spend the entire time in Torpor, after which he will wake up. If a vampire wants to stay in torpor longer then the chart requires, he will wake up when he chooses with no test.
While in torpor you relent to all challenges. You do not need to spend daily blood while in torpor.
Paths of Enlightenment
If one wishes to abandon his Humanity, he should inform a Storyteller of his quest. Changing your world-view is not done overnight. It will require IC behavior and knowledge tests at various points, not RPS tests. Players should ask a Storyteller for permission before taking a Path. Note that Paths are rather difficult to play.
Virtue Checks
You can always choose to not make the test, and automatically fail.
If you fail a Virtue check, use a Virtue trait to retest and lose this challenge as well then the risked trait is lost permanently along with the regular consequences of the lost challenge.
Virtue Checks work by LotN:R other than frenzy.
Frenzy/ Rotschreck
Frenzy does not give negative “Frenzy” traits in this chronicle. Any Clan disadvantage or special flaw relating to frenzy still applies. The Gangrel clan flaw is an example.
You may use any physical powers you have to defend yourself and facilitate your escape while under the effects of Rotschreck.
Otherwise frenzy works as LotN:R.
Instinct Frenzy
If on an Instinct path, you may expend a temporary Willpower trait to enter a “Controlled Frenzy” for one round. When you are under a controlled instinct frenzy different rules apply.
You may use any appropriate powers you have that don’t require sustained concentration or talking during Instinct Frenzy.
During frenzy you do not lose traits from any failed challenges until the frenzy subsides at which point the traits are lost. While in Frenzy, you bid the free “Frenzy” trait in all defensive social and mental challenges. Also you suffer no damage penalties.
Diablerie
You will never gain a Generation from insignificant NPCs diablerized. In other words NPCs specifically created to be Diablerized would not give any rewards to a PC. A character sheet from another game cannot be mailed to your character to be Diablerize unless they can convince the player of the character to show up to game (ST discretion). The STs of the PC Diablerized will always be consulted.
Diablerie gives 2 XP; this will not take you above the 8 a month limit.
You will gain any unspent willpower traits that the victim had that does not take you over your permanent willpower.
When you Diablerize you will gain all the regular rewards and perils and the following happens. You are allowed to use the diablerized character’s sheet as a “Teacher” for any single dot of a Discipline they currently possess, or a merit they had at the time of diablerie pending ST approval. This must be purchased before the beginning of the next game session and cannot be purchased with any XP earned after the session of the diablerie.
Willpower
Temporary willpower is regained at the rate of one trait per week. Meditation can be used as normal to speed up this process.
Willpower can only be spent for a retest defensively in social and mental challenges. Unless stated otherwise by an MET rule or these House Rules.
Willpower can be spent at any point in time. Powers that require Willpower expenditures to activate do not require the user to expend the Willpower during expenditures phase. The Willpower is spent when you go to activate the power. Willpower can be used as many times in a turn as you are willing to spend it.
Storytellers may restore willpower if characters perform actions that hold particularly true to their nature.
If for some reason you are unable to spend temporary willpower, you are unable to spend permanent willpower.
Merits, Flaws & Derangements
Players are permitted to play a flaw without taking the points.
If you manage to somehow manipulate your Flaws that they become Merits, Storytellers will make efforts to remind you why they are Flaws.
No merits or flaws outside of Laws of the Night, Dark Epics, Sabbat Guide, Camarilla Guide, Storytellers guide, Anarch guide, any Revised Clan Book, and Liber des Ghouls are permitted without ST permission.
Merits and Flaws based on your physical body such as Enchanting Voice, Bruiser, and Monstrous have no effect when possessing another body, out of body, or when your opponent is not in your presence or aware of your presence.
True Faith - Requires ST permission
Unbondable – Requires ST permission
Luck – The Luck retest may be used once per game.
Ability Aptitude – Is not allowed to be used in conjunction with disciplines or other supernatural powers or combat based abilities.
Iron Will – You gain an additional free retest against Dominate and other mind effecting powers.
Backgrounds
Backgrounds work as per Dark Epics.
The background of mentor can be bought at character creation but not without substantial reason in a character’s backstory. The Mentor background allows access to buy things off of the Mentor’s sheet at the following levels.
1 – Abilities, Specializations, Backgrounds and Influences
2 – Basic Disciplines the mentor has in clan
3 – Intemediate Disciplines the Mentor has in clan
4 – Advanced Disciplines the Mentor has in clan
5 – Combination Disciplines and Elder Disciplines assuming your generation is potent enough.
The character sheet of the mentor is determined by the STs, not the player.
A Mentor can also loan you influence at a rate of one for one. A Mentor mentoring ability allows you the use of your points in mentor per month from you Mentor for all above listed mentor benefits.
A Mentor can require your assistance at ST Discretion.
Influence
Influence ACTIONS will be taken out of Dark Epics, allowing 2 actions per month for each level of influence. Players buy influence at a rate of 1 Xp per Level of Influence. Influence cannot to be given to any other PC or “Willed.” A PC may only ever have one level 6 influence if they have the Venture only merit Paragon. PCs may not have more levels of Influence then their combined total of Physical, Social, and Mental Traits plus one extra dot per levels of the Retainers background.
Characters on paths of enlightenment must have some way to interact with mortals to use influence. Retainers and Contacts are a good method of doing this.
Influences refresh fully at the beginning of each month.
Total Darkness
Total darkness is defined as any condition where there is no light source of any kind, natural or supernatural.
While in total darkness, players lose an additional trait upon losing any challenge requiring sight (All combat minus being “tough enough to take it”, visual perception, and challenges that require eye contact for example). In addition, any successful contested challenge taking place in total darkness is immediately subject to a “Darkness” retest barring the elimination of such by certain means of supernatural perception. The environment gains the automatic “Darkness” retest against any player engaging in static challenges where visual perception is a factor.
Heightened Senses (Auspex first basic) and Tongue of the Asp (Serpentis Second Basic) eliminate one of the two effects of total darkness each, in the order of the extra trait loss first, then the retest.
Eyes of the Beast (Protean first basic) and Black Metamorphosis (Obtenebration second intermediate) remove all of the above effects of total darkness, both the extra trait loss and the automatic darkness retest. All of the above listed ways of cancelling the effects of total darkness apply to naturally occurring total darkness.
Disciplines
No Discipline will be a “One shot kill.” No combinations of Disciplines will be a “One shot kill.”
There will be times when certain powers clash. The STs will usually compare the levels of the Disciplines. Example: Pavis of the Foul Presence is an Intermediate Ritual that could technically reflect elder presence powers. But since it is an Intermediate we have house ruled that it will only reflect on Intermediate and Basic Presence.
Two powers/merits of the same nature cannot add traits to the same challenge (Merits, Disciplines, Rituals, Abilities, and Items). Example you cannot use the sharp trait from Wolf Claws and the extra traits from Horrid Form. Effects will still stack, but not the traits. If you have questions about this please see an ST.
No mind altering Discipline will prevent a character from defending themselves in combat or a dangerous situation. Example a character affected by One Track Mind will stop doing whatever they are doing and defend themselves if attacked. Clever uses of mind altering Disciplines however may limit a character’s capacity in combat at ST discretion.
Combination disciplines require at least one of the prerequisite disciplines to be in clan to be learned.
Combination disciplines and clan specific disciplines are learned at the ST’s discretion.
If a specific power is not listed here, its function is taken directly from the appropriate book it can be found in. Final rules call in a scene for non-standard uses of the power are solely up to the judgment of the Storyteller running the scene.
Animalism
Feral Whispers – Just because you can talk to animals, doesn’t mean they have the answers you want, or even the same interests. No, The chipmunk in Schenley Park did not watch American Idol last night.
Quell the Beast – Only lasts for a scene or an hour.
Drawing Out the Beast – The beast returns at the end of the scene or after 1 hour whatever is longer. Also if the victim of Drawing out is destroyed then the beast will return immediately still in a frenzied state.
Auspex
General – When trying to pierce Obfuscate, levels of Auspex automatically succeed in penetrating their stealth when they are of a higher level (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) than the Obfuscate being used. If there are equal levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) in both disciplines being used, a mental challenge is used to determine who stays hidden, or who sees through.
Aura Perception – Viewing an aura can give you an honest answer to ONE of the following questions per use of the power. What type of creature does your aura reflect you being? What does your aura say about your current emotional state? Do I detect any deception in your aura? If your character has diablerized within the last 3 months, black, pulsating veins will be prevalent in your aura no matter what question is asked. Aura Perception can be used on inanimate objects for story purposes at the discretion of the ST running the scene.
Spirit’s Touch – By expending the minimum amount of traits necessary, you gain insight into the last major emotions surrounding the object as well as a “feel” for the last person to have an emotional connection to the item. Furthermore, if you are around that person at some point later in the evening, the feeling of that person is “recalled” from your memory to potentially help identify who it is. Spending more traits may allow you access to more emotions and or people strongly tied to the object. This power is NOT an “expend traits, view home video” power. If the “object” is and/or was a physical part of someone, you know immediately who it is/was and what his/her last major emotional state was.
Telepathy – You may “knock” on someone’s mind for them to allow you access to their thoughts, but at the time you do, they DO NOT know the source of the attempt and there is no way to tell them “Hey, it’s me! Open up!”
You may not use telepathy to “implant” memories into someone’s mind, only show them images you want them to see or dig around in their memory to find what you’re looking for.
Upon gaining eye contact, you can use Telepathy on someone who has been staked, but not someone in Torpor. Normally Telepathy only requires line of sight to initiate and maintain.
Astral Projection – If your “silver cord” is severed, there is a possibility your character’s psyche will be lost in the astral plane forever.
Celerity
Alacrity – The ONLY uses of alacrity are to respond to any surprise challenge issued against you, and it allows you to add your level of celerity to your trait bid for initiative purposes ONLY up to twice your generational maximum as usual. Combination powers that have celerity as a prerequisite do NOT count as a level of celerity for the purposes of adding to initiative.
Rapidity – If you intend to bid the “bomb” you must first declare that you have the ability to do so prior to the challenge.
Chimerstry
Both basic levels of Chimerstry will only require the expenditures to make the illusion manifest with no challenge provided that no one is around to see it done. The social challenge typically required will be counted as the challenge made by onlookers who choose to disbelieve.
Horrid Reality – The use of Horrid Reality requires the expenditure of a Willpower, and if successful, requires no further expenditure of Willpower for THAT SUBJECT for the rest of the scene. Once you have a subject under the effects of Horrid Reality, the first major change to their perceived reality requires no further test. Any Major changes to their reality require furthering social challenges as they attempt to disbelieve (Example: If you place the subject “Tied down to the train tracks and the train is coming” with the first challenge, to have the train continue down the tracks and hit them requires no further tests. However, if they are tied to train tracks in their reality and the train turns into a giant snake and devours them, that would allow a Social test to disbelieve. The use of Horrid Reality always requires the presence of an ST.
Dominate
Command – The target may know that he has been controlled if the action to be taken is not something he would normally do.
Mesmerism – The target may know that he has been controlled if the action to be taken is not something he would normally do.
Forgetful Mind – The identity of the user of this power is not necessarily immediately known when the true memories are discovered (Example: If the user of dominate was using Mask of 1000 faces, you do not “Pierce” the Obfuscate).
Conditioning – To condition a target, see a storyteller.
Fortitude
If you successfully test down all damage done by a stake, you are not subject to the staking challenges. Aegis will stop you from becoming staked ONLY if used before staking challenges are thrown.
Aegis – On top of the other effects of this power, you also win on ties when trying to test down damage with other levels of Fortitude. In stopping damage that would kill you, Aegis must be declared after the resolution of the challenge, but before damage is applied. The User of Aegis is allowed to know the amount of damage and any carrier effects prior to damage being applied.
Necromancy
While at our game you are limited to a number of paths of Necromancy equal to your rating in the Wraith Lore ability. If travelling, please roleplay as if you never had access to the ones you choose not to keep. Blood Magic cannot be sped up with Celerity and Celerity cannot give you extra Blood Magic actions.
Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires your entire turn. Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires hand movements and speech. Silence of Death does not affect Blood Magic casting (The casters is still speaking, even if they cannot be heard) unless of course the power requires your subject to hear you.
Soul Steal – You cannot soul steal a person that does not have a body. You must be in the person’s immediate presence (You cannot Soul Steal across the shroud). If the body is damaged, in any way, with hostile intent, while the soul is removed it returns to the body and the victim can then defend themself as normal. If the body is already occupied with another spirit, there is no place for the spirit to go to and it cannot return to its body until the body is empty.
Obfuscate
General – When trying to go undetected by Auspex, levels of Obfuscate automatically succeed in passing by observation when they are of a higher level (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) than the Auspex being used. If there are equal levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) in both disciplines being used, a mental challenge is used to determine who stays hidden, or who sees through.
Vanish from the mind’s eye – You may declare that you are using Vanish at any point during the round, but the effect of such goes off at the end of the round (after all other portions of the round have been resolved, immediately prior to the beginning of the next round) and as such, is also when the challenge is thrown for Vanish.
Obtenebration
Shroud of Night – As this is listed as the same effect as Shadowplay (first basic), just projected as a globe instead of manipulating natural shadows, the clumsy trait from Shadowplay does not stack with the clumsy trait from Shroud of Night.
While in a Shroud of Night, all characters who are not the one controlling the shroud suffer the penalties for acting in Total Darkness (see above). The shroud, however, is not natural darkness, therefore it is not immediately defeated by Eyes of the Beast (Protean first basic) or Black Metamorphosis (Obtenebration Second Intermediate). Eyes of Beast, Heightened Senses, Black Metamorphosis and Tongue of the Asp (or other perception based powers) will each negate one of the negative effects of Total Darkness while in the shroud in the following order:
1. Additional trait on challenge loss
2. Darkness Retest
3. Clumsy Negative trait
Arms of the Abyss – There is no limit to the number of Arms of the Abyss you can summon at one time, up to the maximum of your biddable social traits, but the summoner can only control a number of arms equal to his/her levels of Obtenebration at one time. Arms must be summoned from stationary, natural shadow, and not from “Under my super-hip Black Leather Trenchcoat).
When attacking multiple targets, these arms all act independently of each other and use their own trait totals. If multiple arms attack a single target they follow the Mob Combat Champion system, acting as one, bidding the full traits of the arm “throwing the challenge,” gaining one additional trait from each additional arm aiding it, and any single arm’s effect can be named as the “Victory Condition” of the challenge.
Black Metamorphosis – The negative trait clumsy given to an effected defender against an attack from a user of Black Metamorphosis can only be applied to an opponent once. Subsequent attacks do not “stack” their clumsy traits.
The extra attack given to you by black metamorphosis must be taken with the Arms of the Abyss protruding from your body and happens at the same time “Off hand” actions happen, after all turns including ones from celerity.
Potence
Might – Might is used as the final retest of the player using the might retest for that challenge. The opponent can still call for all other types of retests in the challenge assuming they have not already been used. These retests cannot be cancelled by a player who has already used his might retest. Might can be used to cancel Might as a retest IN CONTESTED CHALLENGES OF STRENGTH ONLY (IE – when both members of the challenge are bidding strength based physical traits).
Vigor - If you intend to bid the “bomb” you must first declare that you have the ability to do so prior to the challenge.
Puissance – Using Puissance negates the negative trait “Heavy” on weapons. Using Puissance with a weapon of under Crafts x3 (IE – Improvised weapons and weapons of poor quality or “Show pieces”) will break the weapon.
Presence
Awe – Awe can cancel awe in all social challenges where the characters involved in the challenge can see each other. Awe is a representation of your “Yolo-Swag” and not a directed power, hence not effected by Pavis of the Foul Presence.
Summon – When summoning someone, retests that rely on your physical self to be seen (read: Awe) do NOT work in conjunction with this power. When summoning someone, you give your trait total and all applicable retests you are willing to use to the ST who will throw the challenge for you. Once the ST has begun the challenge, the trait total and retests cannot be altered in any way. You will have no knowledge of the power’s success, and the defender has no way of knowing who is summoning him.
On the matters of “Not being summoned into dangerous situations,” Please refer to the “burning building” example in LotNR page 168. An abandoned, out of the way warehouse with only one entrance/exit is NOT (at least not yet) a life-threatening situation unless said warehouse is on fire. Being summoned to an area of the city your character knows is regularly attended by an enemy of his is NOT (at least not yet) a life-threatening situation. Got it yet? Put down the meta-game stick, people, and play through the consequences of your actions!
Majesty – The range of effect on Majesty will be Line of Sight. This is both more easily determined in the game setting and more in line with the power of an advanced level discipline. Once in the effects of Majesty, you in no way want to harm the individual using the power. A willpower may be used as a retest by the person attempting to break through someone’s majesty. Only obvious, deliberate attacks upon those in your range of effect break your majesty.
Protean
Feral Claws – Flavorful visuals for feral claws (wolf vs. bear vs. etc.) are allowed for characters who have Protean as an in-clan discipline because, let’s face it, being just like every other Gangrel out there is SUPER lame.
Shape of the Beast – Rivers Run Red uses the optional rules for Beast forms out of the Gangrel Clanbook: Revised for Gangrel only.
Mist Form – On the note of flying into a target’s lungs and then reforming to rip them apart… Stop it, really, just stop it… You’re an idiot…
Quietus
Taste of Death – The maximum range of this ability is 18 steps.
Thanatosis
Withering – When used successfully on the head of a target, this power prevents all use of disciplines EXCEPT physical ones (Potence, Fortitude and Celerity). In using Withering when targeting the Head only, the challenges to successfully wither are “Win two our of three,” As opposed to “Win or tie two.”
Thaumaturgy
While at our game you are limited to a number of paths of Thaumaturgy equal to your rating in the occult ability. If travelling, please roleplay as if you never had access to the ones you choose not to keep. Blood Magic cannot be sped up with Celerity and Celerity cannot give you extra Blood Magic actions.
Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires your entire turn. Unless otherwise stated in the power, Blood Magic requires hand movements and speech. Silence of Death does not affect Blood Magic casting (The casters is still speaking, even if they cannot be heard) unless of course the power requires your subject to hear you.
All uses of Blood Magic require a challenge when attempting to effect another being, even if the power does not describe a challenge being needed unless specifically stated otherwise by the power in question. Any such challenges will be of the appropriate type at ST discretion. If the power requires you to defeat your opponent in a physical challenge to obtain contact (Example: Cauldron of Blood) then this is considered the challenge for the power.
Unless otherwise stated in the ritual, basic rituals take 10 minutes to cast, Intermediate rituals take 20 minutes to cast, and advanced rituals take 30 minutes to cast.
Unless otherwise stated in the Power/Ritual the victim/target must be present when the ritual is cast. Example: Blood Allergy does not state if the target has to be present or not when the ritual is cast, only that the target must be younger then the caster, therefore it is ruled that the target must be present for the ritual.
If a Ritual requires you to have a costume on your person then you must follow the ritual within reason. Example Pavis of the Foul Presence requires you to tie a blue ribbon around your neck. This can also be represented by a card pinned to your shirt.
DO NOT DO ANYTHING HARMFUL TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS LIKE CUTTING OFF YOUR HAND!!!!! But you could keep your attached hand hidden in your sleeve.
Spirit Manipulation
Entrap Ephemera – “With this power, you may bind a spirit into an object.” Cam guide PG 90. You may only bind a single spirit into an object. Spirits only augment the item by making it do something it already does but better. When the user of this power dies all spirits are released from the fetishes the vampire creates. Basically, See the ST…
Pavis of the Foul Presence – Pavis simply cancels Summon, it does not work on Majesty, and it causes Dread Gaze and Entrancement to backfire. Pavis has no effect on Presence based Combination Disciplines. The power must succeed against the user of this ritual before it can reflect.
Stone of the True Form – Requires the maker of the stone to touch the target with the stone. This means that the pebble cannot be thrown/shot and that only the caster of this ritual can use the stone. Upon the stone touching ANYONE besides the caster, the ritual magic in the stone is expended.
Valeren
Vengeance of Samiel – When adding up traits while using Vengeance of Samiel, this is the ONLY time your trait bid may exceed double your generational maximum, and instead now caps your trait bid a double the generational maximum of your Physical Traits plus your Mental Traits.
Vicissitude
Permanent Vicissitude Modifications – A Vicissitude user can use Fleshcraft and Bonecraft to modify themselves for the purposes of permanent benefits to their physical form. These modifications are referred to as system effecting modifications. A character can have a number of system effecting modifications equal to one half of their permanent physical traits rounded down. These modifications take time, should not be able to be completed at a single game session, and cost one permanent physical trait from the character’s current total, which does effect the total amount of system effecting modifications a character can have. These expended physical traits can be bought back normally with experience points. If the challenge is failed at the time of making these modifications, the physical trait is still expended with no benefit and an appropriate negative physical trait is gained. For your benefit, a pre approved list of modifications follows here:
+1 Physical trait over generational maximum
+1 Social trait over generational maximum (appearance based only)
+1 Mental trait over generational maximum (perception based only)
Spider-climb (the ability to walk up walls)
+1 Fleshcraft armor level (made by hardening the skin, stackable with mundane armor)
+1 Bonecraft armor level (made by making bone more dense, stackable with mundane armor)
+1 Level of unarmed damage (made by weighting the hands with dense bone)
Others are available, but start with these and ask an ST about specific ones you have a question on.
Inherently cosmetic only changes can be made, and are made permanently, but do not count against the maximum number of system effecting modifications you can have.
Items Cards
The Golden rule of item cards – You may not use an item card unless that item card is in your possession at the time.
We use the weapons and armor from Dark Epics. Any weapons other than those listed in dark epics will be converted to their closest Dark Epics counterpart (ST discretion).
Custom items will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Newbie Rule! If you are a player still under your “Free Common Sense Merit” 6 month period, You automatically call weapon negative traits against your aggressor.
Combat
The Order of Things:
Blood expenditures
Initiative – Your initiative traits are the maximum biddable traits in the category of the action type that you’re declaring.
Everyman actions
Swiftness actions
Legerity actions
Black Metamorphosis/Dual Thought/Off Hand Actions/Any other Discipline actions other than Celerity
Vanish
Shroud Drop
End of Turn
At the ST’s discretion, environmental effects may happen at any time and effect combat directly.
Five on One
At any given time, a single character can only be the target of 5 different physical challenges, 1 Mental challenge, and 1 Social challenge.
Mob Combat
Use Rules under “The Mob Scene” in LotNR 196-197. It’s too long to type out verbatim. Read that section, that is what we are using for mob combat.
In situations where things are a bit more complicated than what the section in the book describes, the Narrator or ST on scene has final say as to how Mob Combat will be run.
Off-Hand Actions
Performing an action with your character’s non-dominant hand incurs a penalty of two traits. This penalty can be reduced to one by the Merit: Ambidextrous.
If attempting to fight with both hands at the same time, there is still a one trait penalty to each hand, even if Ambidextrous. You must bid two traits per hand.(LotNR 208)
If using your off-hand to gain an extra-action, all actions must be split between both hands. (LotNR 208). Example: If you have four actions – Everyman, Swiftness, Legerity, Off-Hand – they must be split equally between the dominant hand and non-dominant hand. 2 for your main hand, 2 for your off hand.
If you do not start the round bidding two traits for your actions, and go to use your off hand action, tough titties…
Retests
Only one retest of the following types can be used per challenge.
Environmental
Ability
Merit
Discipline
Overbid
Willpower (defensively, except for Auspex Piercing Obfuscate)
Retests of any specific type can cancel called retests of that type normally unless otherwise noted either in Laws of the Night: Revised or these House Rules.
Retest exceptions:
1. The Blind-fighting ability can cancel the Environmental “total darkness” retest, but counts as your use of an ability retest for that challenge.
2. Might DOES cancel Might in CONTESTED challenges of Strength.
Form Stacking
The following forms CANNOT be stacked (used in conjunction) with any other form on this list. You can however, upon spending the appropriate cost for the form, shift directly from one to the other.
1. Beast Form (Protean second intermediate)
2. Black Metamorphosis (Obtenebration second intermediate)
3. Horrid Form (Vicissitude second intermediate)
4. Mist Form (Protean advanced)
5. Tenebrous Form (Obtenebration advanced)
6. Blood Form (Vicissitude advanced)
7. Form of the Cobra (Serpentis second intermediate)
8. Skin of the Adder (Serperntis first intermediate)
Specific Combat Rulings:
Movement – We use the movement rules from Dark Epics. You may take an action and move three steps, or you can forfeit your action and take six steps at any time you can take a physical action. If you use a mental or social power then you may still take your three steps at that time. During an action you may move then act, or act then move. On normal actions you still are allowed to move when taking mental or social actions.
Damage - Whether it is a punch, stab, kick, choke, slash, shoot, push, head butt, bite, impale, or throwing a grenade. It does damage and only damage unless an ST declares differently. Example two PCs fighting on the edge of a building may knock each other off by pushing each other if an ST declares so. Also attacks of incredible strength may knock a victim back if the ST declares so.
Attacking for effect - You may declare an effect other than damage in any action. This may be a grapple, a trip, or anything else you could think of. These will mostly be handled on a case-by-case basis. A few of these have predetermined rules.
Grapples - if you use an action to declare that you are grappling/holding another character and the action is successful then the character is considered grappled. While grappled the character cannot move unless moved by the grappler. The victim cannot attack anyone that is not within his reach and within reason. His arm movement is restricted so actions that require specific arm movements will fail. The victim may take an action to initiate a physical challenge to break free of the grapple upon any of his physical actions. Maintaining or breaking free of a grapple is considered an action.
Touch Attacks – An action that requires you touch your target can be initiated as soon as the touch is established in a round. Example Cauldron could be activated as soon as you acquire the physical contact (which requires a physical challenge), also Quell can be initiated as soon as you gain physical contact.
You may gain physical contact for free in an appropriate surprise action (From obfuscate etc). If you gain physical contact in this way and the action requires that you need to touch a certain part of the body (Example: Withering) you still must test as normal to touch that part of the body.
Surprise Actions – A Surprise Action is any action that is taken that the defender cannot perceive. The victim of a surprise action may only bid passive defensive traits. You may not dodge a surprise action. If the aggressor fails the challenge he may gain an additional “Surprise” retest. If someone who can perceive the surprise wishes to try and stop the action he may attempt to do so.
Once all Surprise Actions are worked out then normal combat rounds begin if further actions are to be taken.
A Character can only be surprised once per combat by the same character.
Throwing and jumping - You may throw a character 3 steps or 3 feet vertical. Every level of Potence adds 3 steps to this. So with 5 levels of Potence you can throw a person 18 steps or 18 feet up into the air.
A thrown character must make a test vs. traits equal to the number steps jumped or thrown or takes one level of Lethal damage, retested with athletics. If a character is knocked to the ground it takes “3 steps” to stand up. If a player gets knocked to the ground, please politely help them up.
Holding actions - You may declare any action you take as held. This action will be held until used or until your next action at which time you must take the held action or it is lost.
The Kiss - This is not a bite. Bite does aggravated damage. Mortals have no defense against the Kiss. Semi-supernatural creatures (See above) may defend by a willpower test vs. three traits and may spend willpower to retest. This test is done at the beginning of every round until the PC breaks the effect of the kiss, is out of willpower, or drained of blood traits. If a PC under the effect of the Kiss takes any other damage the effects of the Kiss are broken. A PC may be under the Kiss by more than 1 Vampire.
Staking
If staking is done at a distance, greater then three steps, it requires winning or tying three simple tests.
Weapons and Armor
We will be using Weapons rules from the book “Dark Epics.”
Armor only gives you extra health levels. Armor does not stack. If wearing Armor that is obvious you must have an item card visible on your person or actually be wearing costume Armor. Armor is used before any damage reduction due to fortitude or any other powers.
Item cards are required for all equipment.
Crafting:
In crafting weapons, Crafts x3 makes a weapon able to used with Puissance. Crafts x4 can remove one Negative Trait from a Weapon or Armor. Crafts x5 Can add one additional bonus trait to a weapon or one health level to armor.
A Weapon or item made of Bone can be modified with Vicissitude. The maximum Vicissitude modifications it can have is half of its Unmodified (Before crafting system is applied) bonus traits rounded up. (Example: A 3 trait Katana can be given 2 Vicissitude modifications.)
In Game Embraces
Embracing a mortal is a magical action. It requires an act of will from the vampire. Because of this, stored blood is not sufficient for an Embrace.
Being Embraced In-Game gives a character a free Generation of one higher than the Sire if the PC was in play as a non Vampire for 6 game sessions or longer. However, no other new Backgrounds can be purchased. The Embrace may take a full day to take effect, as the character's body dies and is reanimated by the Curse. Interrupted Embraces will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Characters add 2 Attribute Traits. (Revenants, See ST)
Characters receive 2 freebie points; however these may only be spent on Disciplines, Attributes, Merits & Flaws, and possibly abilities.
Ghoul only merit and flaw points will be balanced out by Storytellers.
Disciplines will transfer smoothly. A newly embraced ghoul receives an additional two disciplines at basic level in his new In Clans. The Embrace does not break Blood Bonds.
All Numina, Hedge Magic or other mortal powers cease to function after the Embrace. In addition, Kinfolk or Kithain may not embrace correctly, and a Storyteller should be reminded if you have these types of merits.
When embracing as a character of 12th generation or higher, the sire makes a simple test. If he loses, the Curse does not transfer correctly, and the new vampire is clanless. The sire gets one retest for every generation trait. A vampire who is Caitiff has no Clan Advantage or Disadvantage, and may talk to a ST about In-Clan Disciplines upon the Embrace. At ST discretion it may be more likely that someone may end up clanless.
Character Creation Guidelines:
In 2013, OWbN Passed a bylaw stating that a character may start with up to 60 bonus XP awarded. Rivers Run Red plays in and supports OWbN, therefore our chronicle allows ONE PC of any given player (referred to as their “Primary”) alive at a time to be awarded up to 60 XP at character creation through Written and turned in history, and/or Banked XP previously earned. The maximum amount of XP any other character of a player’s can start with is 30.
If you have any questions regarding the above listed house rules, please contact an ST for clarifications.
Last edited by Admin on Tue Aug 12, 2014 1:46 am; edited 5 times in total
Admin- Admin
- Posts : 81
Join date : 2013-06-23 -
Re: House Rules
by Admin Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:06 pm
Ladies and Gentlemen...
The House Rules above (while they will seem VERY familiar) are very close to what we are going for in our Game. You'll notice that (95% in fact) most of what is above is unchanged with a few major addenda...
Please take note of how the following things work:
Obtenebration
Alacrity
Mob Combat
Form Stacking
Vicissitude (current system in place for permanent mods are a work in progress)
Character Creation (Not a house rule, look again, you really can't use freebies for Intermediate disciplines)
Auspex Vs. Obfuscate (Higher level auto-succeeds based on Bas, Int, Adv)
Spirit's Touch (Primarily flavor changes to help with immersion)
AND WE ACTUALLY DEFINED TOTAL DARKNESS!!!
Like the first section says, this is a living document, and may be subject to change in the future, but like I said, this is a good cross section of where we're trying to go...
Fish
The House Rules above (while they will seem VERY familiar) are very close to what we are going for in our Game. You'll notice that (95% in fact) most of what is above is unchanged with a few major addenda...
Please take note of how the following things work:
Obtenebration
Alacrity
Mob Combat
Form Stacking
Vicissitude (current system in place for permanent mods are a work in progress)
Character Creation (Not a house rule, look again, you really can't use freebies for Intermediate disciplines)
Auspex Vs. Obfuscate (Higher level auto-succeeds based on Bas, Int, Adv)
Spirit's Touch (Primarily flavor changes to help with immersion)
AND WE ACTUALLY DEFINED TOTAL DARKNESS!!!
Like the first section says, this is a living document, and may be subject to change in the future, but like I said, this is a good cross section of where we're trying to go...
Fish
Admin- Admin
- Posts : 81
Join date : 2013-06-23 -
Re: House Rules
by Admin Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:59 pm
House Rules have been recently edited! They will be in force by next game... Mostly some clarifications and very minor changes...
Shroud of Night
Other Stuff that I don't remember...
oh, and now they're BLUE!!!
-F-
Shroud of Night
Other Stuff that I don't remember...
oh, and now they're BLUE!!!
-F-
Admin- Admin
- Posts : 81
Join date : 2013-06-23 -
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