This is my take on Vampire, mashing together a great bit
of stuff that I like about Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: the Requiem, and
pretty much anything I’ve ever watched or read about lore regarding all of
fangkind, mixed in with a bunch of stuff that I figured would just be neat to
include. This game uses the (just a wee bit modified) Savage Worlds rules
system.
MAJOR SETTING
DIFFERENCES
Vampires and the Underworld
The Underworld is an actual physical place that Vampires
can journey to. They can cross between the realm of the Dead and the lands of
the living through supernatural gateways where the veil between worlds is
frayed. Some dark magics they possess allow them the ability to even venture
there at will.
The Underworld is ruled by Charon, the lord
of the Dead. All Vampires, regardless of House, are welcome in his Domain,
though some go their entire unlives without venturing there for their own
reasons. Other Vampires are born and meet final death in the Underworld without
once ever venturing to the world of the living. These are frightening beings,
indeed…
Creating Vampires
There is no Embrace. There is no ritual a Vampire can
perform to create a new Vampire. Each of the Great Houses of Vampire become so
in completely different and extraordinary ways, as detailed in each House’s
description. This gives each House of Vampire a completely unique origin.
Vampires can create Ghouls, however, which are mortal
servitors that they control through their highly addictive blood.
Sects and Covenants
Gone and gone. The city structure of Vampire is basically
the same (Each Domain is ruled by a Prince, who is advised by a council of
Primogen, etc), but there is no Camarilla, no Sabbat, and no Covenants. There
may be groups of like minded Vampires who meet and exchange ideas or have a
unifying goal, but they are not codified in any massive capacity. The Prince is
the end all be all authority within his borders.
The Masquerade
For their own self-interest, no Vampire advertises their
presence. All Vampires radiate a supernatural aura that aids in the masking of
their activity. A Vampires Haven is often strangely disregarded by police or
curious mortals, and places like Elysium are often times vastly ignored or
discarded as being “Haunted”. Whatever the reason, Vampires who take pains to
conceal their motivations and activities rarely need fear discovery, as most
Mortals subconsciously avoid the supernatural, turning blind eyes to the
horrors that walk among them.
However, many supernatural Mortals, like Mages, Werewolves,
Monster Hunters or the truly devout, often can penetrate this haze. Simply put,
most Mortals will subconsciously turn a blind eye towards overt supernatural
activity around them, much to the glee of the Undead predators and other
supernatural denizens of the world that haunt Humankind.
MAJOR RULES DIFFERENCES
This game uses the base Savage Worlds rules, with some
changes that incorporate more of a Vampire: The Masquerade/Requiem/White Wolf
flavor to it. Also, some changes were made purely for ease of play. Some of the
more major changes are presented below.
Nature and
Demeanor
All characters have a Nature and Demeanor. Your Nature is
your true self, and your Demeanor is the mask you wear for the public.
Bennies
These are now called Willpower
Points. They are used exactly like Bennies, but also can be used before a
test is even rolled to add +2 to the test’s result. You regain Willpower Points
by roleplaying your character’s Nature.
Wound Levels
These are now called Health
Levels. Wild Cards now have 7 Health levels instead of 3, with the last
three health levels conferring a -1, -2 and -3 Wound penalty. Vampires do not
suffer Wound Penalties unless the damage they take is aggravated. Brutes
(Extras and non-important folks) are killed or dispatched after suffering 1
Health level of damage. Sidekicks (Ghouls and the like) can suffer 3 health
Health levels of damage. On a fourth health level of Damage, a Sidekick is
knocked out.
Damage Types
There are now 3 distinct types of damage: Bashing, Lethal
and Aggravated. Bashing damage is blunt trauma that is rarely life threatening,
coming from fists, baseball bats, and the like. Kindred bodies are remarkably
resilient to Bashing damage. Lethal damage comes from bladed weapons and
serious attacks like firearms (though firearms deal bashing damage to the
resilient Kindred). Aggravated damage comes from supernatural forces such as
magical energy, fire, or the bites of supernatural creatures like Vampires and
Werewolves. Aggravated damage has no effect on mortals, but is a serious threat
to the Kindred.
Skill Changes
I
have mashed together a few skills into one broader skill, because nobody in
their right mind should have to waste valuable Skill Points on Boating and
Driving, when they should both be covered under one Skill (Navigation).
Also,
several Skills now have a choice of two Traits that they are linked to. For
instance, Fighting is now linked to the better of your Agility OR Strength
Traits. I did this for a number of Skills to reflect different Traits aiding in
the use of a Skill. For instance, someone with the Heal skill who is a Doctor
in a technologically advanced setting would use Smarts as their Trait for the
Heal Skill, but a savage Witch Doctor in a more primitive setting could easily
use Spirit to accomplish the same (basic!) results. The new Skill list is
presented below for ease of use.
Revised
Skill List
Aim
(Agility) [Combines Shooting and Throwing)
Athletics
(Strength or Agility) [Combines Swimming/Riding/Climbing]
[NEW SKILL] Computer (Smarts)
Fighting
(Strength or Agility)
Gambling
(Smarts or Spirit)
Healing
(Smarts or Spirit)
Intimidation
(Smarts or Strength)
Investigation
(Smarts)
Knowledge
(Smarts)
Lockpicking
(Agility)
Navigation
(Agility) [Combines Piloting/Boating/Driving]
Notice
(Smarts)
[NEW SKILL] Performance (Spirit)
Persuasion
(Spirit)
Repair
(Smarts)
Stealth
(Agility)
Streetwise
(Smarts)
Survival
(Smarts or Spirit)
Taunt
(Smarts)
Tracking
(Smarts or Spirit)
Revised
Skill: Knowledge
No
one should have to waste valuable Skill Points purchasing the Knowledge Skill
again and again just to have a learned character. You may choose one Area of
Knowledge equal to half your Knowledge Skill die. For instance, someone with a
Knowledge skill at d6 could pick 3 Areas of Knowledge. Examples of Areas of
Knowledge are Science, Tactics, Archaeology, Occult, History, Mathematics,
Chemistry, Botany, Law, Art History, or any other subject that an egghead might
want to study up on.
New
Skill: Computer (Smarts)
This
skill covers all manner of Computer related tasks, such as setting up networks,
researching difficult to find information, as well as hacking and subverting
computerized defense systems. Note that this Skill is not required for basic
Computer use. Someone without this skill can browse the Internet, work email
and Google filthy pictures of famous people. Knowledge of this skill is a
deeper understanding of more complex aspects of the technology. Obviously, this
skill is only available in settings where such technology exists.
New Skill: Performance (Spirit)
If
you want to entertain, delight or amaze with any sort of performance, this is
the skill for you. This Skill is a catch-all for several different mediums of
performance, and someone with this skill may choose a number of mediums that
they are proficient with equal to half their Performance Skill die. Therefore,
someone with Performance d8 may select 4 Mediums in which they are proficient. Example
Mediums include: Singing, Dancing, Acting, Stand-Up Comedy, Mime, or Instrument
of Choice.
Languages
You begin play knowing how to read and write a number of
languages equal to half your Smarts Die type. One of these languages must be
your native tongue, and your second language must be the Universal common
tongue of your setting (if there is one).
