House Rules

Boosting Attributes

Physical Attributes may be increased up to your character's generational maximum by spending blood points.

Diablerie

Vampires may gain extra points in Disciplines through diablerie, in addition to any gain in generation. Points gained may last until the end of the chapter (the day's playing session), last until the end of the story, or be permanent. The duration will depend on the generation of the diablerised vampire, and the relative ratings in each discipline between predator and victim. Disciplines taken from a later-generation vampire will never be permanent. For ancient victims (7th generation and earlier), the increase may exceed one point.

Some Merits and Flaws may also be passed on in the blood.

Disciplines Cancel Ones

Activities that are not a direct application of disciplines, may still be made easier by the fact that the character possesses the relevant power. On some rolls, I may tell you to ignore a number of ones equal to your rating in a discipline, eg. to perform sleight of hand, "roll Dexterity plus Subterfuge, Obfuscate cancels ones", or "Celerity cancels ones".
This is an experimental rule. I will modify it as we go, and may discard it altogether later in the chronicle.

Ignoblis Ritus: Baby on a Stick

In this ritual, a higher generation Loyalist embraces some helpless mortal, has them staked, then allows a lower-generation individual to diablerise the sacrifice. Although actual babies are seldom used (homeless people, especially teenage runaways, are easier to obtain and less likely to be missed), the term has stuck, due to widespread rumours about the contents of the Bishop of Mexico's wine cellar. Babies on a Stick are generally not stored for any length of time, except by those who are really confident of their security arrangements. Babies on a Stick are common gifts from senior Sabbat to their underlings, although some see them as thoughtless and gauche, the vampiric equivalent of giving gift certificates as presents.
System: At character generation, two or more PCs may pool points spent on Generation, eg. if five participating PCs each spend one point, each PC is eighth generation. All participating PCs must roll d10+2 to determine their Vinculum rating to one another.
The ritual may also be performed in play, if the PC(s) can persuade a higher generation character to participate. The limiting factor is the generation of the vampire embracing the "babies"; recipients can only increase their generation to one less than their benefactor.

New Discipline: Fly

The ability to defy gravity and move in three dimensions. At level one, the character is merely weightless, and their ability to move depends on gaining traction on solid surfaces. At higher levels, they can move autonomously by the force of their willpower.
System: The character's top speed in metres per second is equal to their Fly rating cubed; for net km per hour, triple this number. The GM should apply appropriate difficulty levels to any aerobatic manoeuvre; the player rolls Dexterity+Athletics.
In air-to-air combat, or any airborne firearm combat, the character cannot roll more dice on any attack than they have points of flight. In air-to-ground melee combat, they reduce all their difficulties by an amount equal to the number of points of flight they have.

Legacy Character

I recommend naming a legacy character, as per the Werewolf rules. This is a mortal NPC who will become your PC if your main PC dies, retires, or is otherwise permanently removed from play. They are drawn from among your Herd, Retainers, Contacts, or Allies. They should be vaguely familiar with your true nature and most of your activities, but not adventure with you directly. The idea is that the new character is someone who knew the old, and learned from their example/experiences/mistakes.

When a PC dies, their player's new character starts with extra freebie points, depending on how many stories the original character had been in.

Stories Told 1 2 3-5 6-7 8-10 11-15 16+
Total Freebie Points 18 20 24 28 30 35 40

Paths

Path ratings are not increased through XP expenditure. I will tell you when your character has increased their path rating.

Prestation

The swapping of favours replaces currency among kindred. Although vampires themselves do not conveniently rank-order favours, the following equivalencies may help players handle the transactions.

  1. Trivial Boon: delivery, helping with a plan, unsolicited information.
  2. Helping carry out a plan, important advice, solicited information.
  3. Aiding in battle, helping the other out of trouble.
  4. Direct intervention in a very dangerous situtation, saving the live of the vampire's immediate kin.
  5. Life Boon: saving the life of the other kindred.

Willpower

Willpower expenditure need not be declared until after the dice roll. All willpower rolls use full, not current, willpower. Willpower is regained by playing your character's nature, and at the end of a story.