Character Creation

Step One: Background

-Choose Character Concept

-Choose Nature and Demeanor (Detailed below)

-Choose House: Ventrue, Daeva, Gangrel or Nosferatu

-Note Starting Humanity (Determined by House)

Step Two: Traits

-You begin with a d4 in Strength, Agility, Vigor, Smarts and Spirit

-You have 7 points to distribute among your Traits. At character creation, only one of your Traits may be at d12.

Step Two: Skills

-You begin play with 20 Skill points to create your character. The revised Skill List and their linked abilities are reprinted below for convenience.

Revised Skill List

Aim (Agility) [Combines Shooting and Throwing)

Athletics (Strength or Agility) [Combines Swimming/Riding/Climbing]

Computers (Smarts)

Gambling (Smarts or Spirit)

Healing (Smarts or Spirit)

Intimidation (Smarts or Strength)

Investigation (Smarts)

Knowledge (Smarts)

Navigation (Agility) [Combines Piloting/Boating/Driving]

Notice (Smarts)

Persuasion (Spirit)

Fighting (Strength or Agility)

Lockpicking (Agility)

Repair (Smarts)

Stealth (Agility)

Streetwise (Smarts)

Survival (Smarts or Spirit)

Taunt (Smarts)

Tracking (Smarts or Spirit)

Step Three: Edges & Hindrances

-You begin play with the Arcane Background: Kindred Edge for free.

-You begin play with 3 Free Edges of your choice.

-Hindrances function as per usual.

Step Four: Disciplines

-Choose one Power from the Discipline of your House

-Choose two more Powers of your choice from any of the Universal Disciplines

Step Five: Odds and Ends

-Your Charisma begins at 0 unless modified

-Your Pace begins at 6

-Your Parry is equal to 2 plus half of your Fighting die type

-Your Toughness is equal to 2 plus half of your Vigor die type

-You can read, write and speak 1 language at d4 Smarts, 2 languages at d6 Smarts, 3 languages at d8 Smarts, 4 languages at d10, and 5 languages at d12. All Kindred gain Enochian as a free Bonus language, no matter what their Smarts score is.

Step Six: Gear

-You begin play with $1,000 to purchase starting equipment.

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NATURE AND DEMEANOR

Your Character’s Nature is their true inner being. Their Demeanor is how others perceive them. Some people project a very different persona than their true personality, while others are very much “what you see is what you get”. The following list of personality Archetypes can be chosen as either a Nature or Demeanor. Feel free to make up your own with Storyteller approval if the following list doesn’t accurately describe your character’s personality. Besides being a handy roleplaying tool, you can gain Willpower Points by properly roleplaying your Character’s Nature.  

Architect: You exist to build something of lasting value to those who come after you.

Autocrat: You must have complete control.

Avant-Garde: You must always be the first with a new piece of news, trend, or discovery.

Bon Vivant: Life is for pleasure. Live it up!

Bravo: Might makes right, and only the strong survive. You are a walking NO FEAR shirt.

Caregiver: What can you do to help?

Cavalier: You are bold and fearless, living up to a strict code of personal conduct.

Competitor: You are driven by the need to win at all costs.

Confidant: You understand people and like them. You advise and listen with keen interest.

Conformist: Taking charge just isn’t your style. Go with the flow.

Conniver: Why do it yourself when you can get others to do things for you?

Critic: Nothing in the world is ever perfect, and it’s your job to point that out.

Curmudgeon: Humor is for children. Cynicism is your middle name.

Deviant: You go against the status quo and have bizarre tastes and interests.

Director: You despise chaos and disorder, and take it upon yourself to suppress anarchy.

Fanatic: The cause is all that matters.

Freak Show: You live to shock the masses.

Gallant: You are flamboyant and live life to impress others with your dazzling style and dramatic antics.

Jester: You’re the fool, idiot, quipster, clown or comic.

Jobsworth: You are dedicated to unbreakable routine and established parameters of life.

Judge: You are a moderator, conciliator and peacemaker, always seeking to make things better.

Loner: You are a lone wolf…Awooooooo!

Martyr: You are able to endure long lasting suffering because of your beliefs or ideals.

Masochist: You love to test your physical and emotional limits.

Pedagogue: Like a Guru, you exist to share what you have learned. Ignorance is anathema to you.

Perfectionist: You can’t stand imperfection in others or yourself.

Sadist: You truly enjoy inflicting pain upon others.

Survivor: No matter what, you always make it through.

Sycophant: Like a parasite, you latch onto someone stronger than you for support.

Traditionalist: As it has been, so it shall be.

Thrill-Seeker: You live for the rush of the moment.

Visionary: You are filled with new ideas and perceptions.

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KINDRED EDGES
The following Edges are only able to be chosen by Kindred. Mortals simply do not have access to the following advantages.

Arcane Background: Kindred
All Vampires gain this Edge, and it gives them the Vampire archetype. Vampires are Undead, and as such they gain certain abilities and weaknesses detailed below.

-Kindred gain +2 toughness and +2 to rolls to recover from the Shaken condition

-Kindred can attempt to Soak damage by spending either a point of Blood or Willpower. Vampires automatically make Soak rolls against Bashing damage without spending Blood or Willpower. Firearms deal Bashing damage to the resilient Kindred.

-Kindred can spend Blood Points to heal Wound levels of damage. One Blood Point can heal two Health Levels of Bashing damage, or one level of Lethal Damage. It takes 5 Blood and 24 hours to heal one Health level of Aggravated damage. 

-Kindred do not suffer from wound penalties from Bashing or Lethal damage (They do suffer Wound Penalties from Aggravated Damage, however).

-Kindred gain a Bite attack that deals Strength +d4 aggravated damage (In order to use this bite attack, the victim must first be grappled or otherwise subdued).

-Kindred are immune to most diseases and poisons, but may be affected by supernatural poisons and blood borne diseases that they can spread to their prey.

-Kindred gain a blood Pool of ten that they can spend to fuel special Vampiric abilities and disciplines (More on this later).

-Kindred take an additional +4 aggravated damage from all fire sources.

-If a Kindred’s heart is impaled or pierced with any sort of sharp object, it puts them in a deathlike state known as Torpor.

-As nocturnal predators, all Vampires have the innate ability to see far perfectly clearly as long as there is some form of ambient light (starlight, for example). Some Kindred Disciplines sharpen these senses even further.

-Vampires can sense other Kindred naturally by the way they move and speak, and can even pick out Mortals tainted by Kindred blood known as Ghouls.

-A Kindred can taste someone’s blood and use their innate senses to determine the relative age, gender, and physical health of the donor.

-Kindred can gage the general state of a Mortal’s health by the smell of their prey, among other things.

-By spending a point of Blood, all Kindred can grow a set of claws that deal Strength +d4 Lethal damage for one scene.

Immortal Heart

This Edge may only be taken during character creation. You haven’t let the horrors of undeath dull your higher self, and you gain +2 Humanity. Due to their profane nature, this Edge may not be taken by Nosferatu.

Domain

This Edge must be taken during character creation. You have been granted a business or area of the city that you can claim as your territory and feeding ground. All Domain’s must be approved by the Storyteller. Claiming Domain over a bar, club, or abandoned warehouse is perfectly acceptable, but it would be unreasonable to claim the entire Financial district as your Domain. Your Domain has been granted to you by the Prince of the city. 

Temporal Influence

Kindred often times hold great sway among the Mortal World. Each time this Edge is chosen, choose an area of Influence within your city which you hold some power. You can call upon your area of Influence for small favors once per week, or once per Month for large favors. Example areas of Influence within a city are: City Hall, Financial Sector, Construction, Law Enforcement, Waste Management, Newspapers, Television, Criminal Underworld, Academia, Medical, etc

Disciplined
You gain a new Discipline Power. This must be from the Universal list or a Discipline of your Clan. Keep in mind that you can only have a maximum of 3 Powers in any one Discipline if you are a Neonate, or 4 Power if you are an Ancillae, or 5 Powers if you are an Elder.

Status
You have attained a position in the Kindred hierarchy of your city, and begin play with a Position. Any Position is available, but being the Prince of a city requires permission from the GM. This Edge is only available at Character Creation. Note that a Vampire need not be ancient to attain a position of power, merely capable. This Edge infers ability over pure experience. This Edge must be approved by the Storyteller before it can be chosen. Information on Kindred Political structure its positions are listed in detail in the Kindred 101 section.

Artifact Curator
You possess an item or items of mystical power. Eventually I will put up a list of possible Artifacts. Players and GM’s can get together to create their own Artifacts as well. Note that Artifacts are very special, and do more than simply copy discipline powers. This Edge is only available at Character Creation. When this Edge is taken, you gain 5 points worth of Artifacts to spend on items of power. Some Artifacts cost 1 point and are little more than useful trinkets, and other Artifacts cost more points, but are truly potent. A list of sample Artifacts is presented below.

Herd
You have a willing group of Mortals from which you can feed from without fear. Your Herd is addicted to your kiss but is useful for nothing besides nourishment. Once per adventure (Not once per night, mind you), a Vampire with a herd can take 1 hour to visit and feed from their Herd, gaining 3d10 Blood Points. The Storyteller may deem your herd unavailable under certain circumstances, however (IE if you’re out of town and cannot access your herd, if you’re locked in a dungeon, or some other situation where accessing your blood dolls would be highly unlikely).

Blood Magic
Prerequisites: Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Knowledge: Occult d6
As Supernatural creatures themselves, Vampires can perform rituals and the like using Blood Magic. This is not a discipline because it requires heavy preparation and ritualistic knowledge that is far from instinctual. A Blood Sorcerer requires many mystical ingredients to make their potions and perform their auguries, most of which require things like the horn of a gargoyle or the blood of a Changeling.

Blood Magic is very flexible, but never spontaneous, requiring hours of ritual and chanting, as well as rare focuses. Performing Blood Magic is always a Knowledge: Occult roll. Success or failure indicates that all components in the ritual are consumed.

Blood Magicians come in many types, from exact, scientific students of the arcane to primal, entrail-reading witch doctors. While methodology varies, there are no mechanical differences between either practice.

There are practically no limitations to what may be accomplished with Blood Magic, but the more dramatic the effects, the more intense the ritual and components to perform the task. By and large, Blood Magic is a storytelling tool with limitless potential. Often times, Rituals require several Blood Magicians to concoct, and many of these Sorcerers gather together in places of learning and knowledge called Chantries to exchange ideas and increase their learning.

Age
Player Characters for Vampire: The Darkness are assumed to be the rank of Neonates, but Storytellers may allow this Edge to be purchased to increase the starting age and rank of their players. Purchasing this Edge once makes you an Ancillae, and purchasing this Edge twice makes you an Elder. Rules and information on Ancillae and Elders is located in the Kindred 101 section. As you might expect, this Edge is only available at Storyteller discretion. 

KINDRED HINDRANCES

Warped Regnant (Minor or Major)

Your Thralldom was served under a sick, cruel Regnant. The Kindred who taught you the ways of Vampiric society imparted bizarre and strange teachings to you. This Hindrance is Minor if your Regnant is dead or out of the picture, and major if they are still active. However you were raised, you can expect Kindred in your city to treat you with an air of mistrust or trepidation. 

Thin Blooded (Minor or Major)

Your Blood lacks the supernatural potency of most Kindred. As a Minor Hindrance, your blood does not possess the power to enslave the Mortal mind, and you cannot create Ghouls. As a Major Hindrance, you cannot create Ghouls, and every time you spend a point of Blood for any reason, you must spend an additional point. 

Deranged (Major)

Your journey into Undeath hasn’t been an easy one, and you begin play with a Derangement. A list of Derangements can be found below. You should detail what traumatic event in your Unlife caused the manifestation of this Derangement.

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Artifacts

Those who take the Artifact Curator Edge gain 5 points worth of Artifacts, which are items of power and convenience that the Kindred have access to. The following list are some of the more common artifacts that have been catalogued. The number in parenthesis next to each Artifact name is how many Artifact points that particular item costs. Therefore, someone who purchases the Artifact Curator Edge could buy 5 level 1 Artifacts, or a level 3 and level 2 artifact, or any combination worth 5 points.

Artifacts are rare and unique items, and should be treated as such. No Artifact can be purchased more than once, and multiple copies of the same Artifact cannot be owned by members of the Coterie. For instance, two player characters couldn’t each take Artifact Curator and end up with two Hades Mirrors. It isn’t like they hand this stuff out at Vampire Wal Marts!

Black Handkerchief (1): This useful item appears as a normal, silk black handkerchief that has the extraordinary ability to absorb blood like a magnet. Even gently brushing this silk cloth along a blood soaked item will clean the item completely, making these small tools rather useful for cleaning up gory crime scenes. These can even clean dried blood. No matter how much blood is cleaned by the Handkerchief, it does not ever become wet. This item interacts with all other liquids normally, however.

The Heart of Darkness (1): A still beating black heart that can be fed from to completely heal any and all wounds instantly, aggravated or not. Some rumors abound that these hearts are carved from the chest of captured Diablerists. This Artifact has a rather powerful ability, but is so cheap to purchase because it is destroyed after one use.

Werewolf Fur Charm (1): This bracelet is made of thick Werewolf fur. Kindred wearing this charm do not alarm and frighten animals by their proximity. This Artifact is quite useful for those Vampires unskilled in the arts of Animalism.

Immaculate Signet Ring (1): This finely crafted signet ring was forged in the Underword and confers the wearer with an air of respect and importance. The wearer gains +1 Charisma when dealing with Kindred (and only Kindred).

Skull of Oxros (1): This fanged skull is of an ancient Elder of a House forgotten by time. Oxros was a renowned advisor, and anyone holding the skull can feed it one blood point once per evening. In return, the skull will grant wise advice to the Kindred holding the skull. Oxros may be long winded and a tad unkind, but his wisdom is undoubted, and will truly be useful in some fashion.

Lineage Monocle (2): This eyepiece allows the viewer to immediately know the House of any Vampire they look at, as well as the relative age and power level of the Kindred viewed.

Everlasting Chalice (2): This ornate silver chalice mystically fills with 1 fresh, warm blood point each morning at the stroke of midnight.

Band of Awakening (3): This simple looking brass ring allows a Vampire to rise from Torpor after 1 day no matter what his spirit score currently is.

Collar of the Beast (3): This tight fitting leather necklace is inscribed with strange glyphs, and allows the user to roll all Spirit checks to resist Frenzy twice and use the higher result. Due to their wild hearts and impassioned natures, this Artifact cannot benefit members of House Daeva.

Stranger’s Necklace (4): A useful and simple silver necklace that makes the Vampire wearing it immune from being located via disciplines or magic items or spells. If the wearer has Obfuscate, this counts as an Obfuscate power for the purpose of contested Obfuscate/Auspex tests.

Casket of Rejuvenation (4): This immaculate bone casket allows anyone who rests within it to arise as soon as the sun comes down, no matter their Humanity score. Normally, the lower a Vampire’s Humanity score, the later they arise from their slumber. The advantage a few extra hours of activity over an opponent cannot be underestimated among the often-bickering Kindred.

Manual of Discipline Mastery (5): This massive and ancient tome contains extensive information on a Discipline of your choosing that you possess (For instance, selecting this artifact and choosing Fortitude makes this a Manual of Fortitude Mastery, etc). After reading the Tome, its owner gains priceless insight on how to better make use of their Vampiric powers, and whenever they use an Advance to purchase a new Discipline power, they gain 2 Powers instead of 1. After reading it, the Tome crumples to useless dust.

Hades Mirror (5): This full length mirror reflects everything in it as ancient and decayed. Any Vampire can spend 5 blood to enter the mirror and physically wander the Underworld for one hour per 5 blood points spent. Each time the Mirror is used, roll a d20. A result of 1 means that the mirror cracks and is rendered useless, trapping anyone on the other side of it in the Underworld. Those trapped in the Underworld need to find some other method of returning to the living world, which can be an adventure in itself...

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DERANGEMENTS

Insanity can even affect the immortal minds of the Kindred. Indeed, along with vast age comes the very real chance of mental entropy as the years tick on and the atrocities mount. Kindred who are afflicted with some sort of mental dementia are among the most fearsome being sin the World of Darkness, for certain.

Certain traumatic events can cause a Vampire to roll a Spirit test. Failure on this roll inflicts a Derangement from the list below. The Storyteller has ultimate say on when a Derangement roll is required, but it should be after a monumentally stressful event. Spending decades as Thrall to a sick, twisted Regnant can certainly inflict a Derangement, as can being locked up and tortured for weeks by a religious sect of Vampire Hunters.

Derangements can be cured only by intense, lengthy therapy and mental introspection. Mortals can suffer from Derangements as well, but some of the ones described below are pure products of Kindred mental instability. The vile Nosferatu Discipline of Nightmare can also inflict Derangements upon their victims, much to the delight of the worms, who relish in any chance they get to share their warped existences with others.

Derangements are not constant mental states, but only occur during times of great stress. You may spend a point of Willpower to suppress a Derangement temporarily. The following list is but a sample of possible Derangements one might have.

Multiple Personality Disorder: You have another personality that you slip into during times of great stress. Choose a whole new Nature for your new…friend that you must roleplay while in the grips of dementia. Your extra personality lasts until you rise from slumber the next evening.

Paranoia: This Derangement is more constant than the others, and you always are suspicious of those around you. Everyone wants what you have and the masses are plotting against you. While this paranoia is always there, in particularly stressful situations, it may increase to truly crippling levels, where you lock yourself in your Haven for days on end, cutting off contact with the outside world.

Berserk: You react to frustration and stress with intense bouts of violence, and fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. All Frenzy rolls you make suffer a -2 penalty.

Depression: Whenever you roll a botch, you enter a lengthy Depression. For the remainder of the adventure, you cannot spend Willpower points for any reason.

Megalomania: You consider yourself superior to all other beings around you. You will take any chance you can get to elevate yourself and your grand deeds. Obviously, this can create a wellspring of interesting social interactions.

Power-Object Fixation: You believe that your skills, confidence, and overall self worth is all imparted on some object that you covet above all others. You will do whatever you must to protect this item, and losing it would have truly catastrophic consequences better left up to the Storyteller.

Nymphomania: You are a sexual fiend, and relish any opportunity to bump uglies and indulge in all manner of sexual gratification.

Schizophrenia: During very stressful times, you suffer from breaks from reality, where you hallucinate and enter some strange sort of dream realm of your own design.

Desensitization: This Derangement is always active, and you simply have a deep lack of empathy and emotion. Your Humanity die is d4, nomatter what your Humanity score actually is. Furthermore, your Charisma score may never surpass 0. You have a coldly logical outlook on things that is often disconcerting to others. Due to their passionate natures, Daeva are immune to this Derangement.

Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder: You suffer from a deep and driving need to perform some manner of extraneous ritualistic behavior. You go over and over things again and again, making sure things are in order even if they are already neatly arranged. Many times this can extend the time it takes to perform certain tasks as you make certain you have performed the necessary ritualistic steps.