[Character Creation] [VtR] nWoD Vampire Game

[Festy_Dog]

In the new Vampire Malkavian has become a bloodline of the Ventrue. I haven't looked much at the new version of Malkavian myself, but as it's now a bloodline Graf may have some issues with it.

There are some differences in regards to clans from the latest Vampire PC games (as 'Bloodlines' kinda heralded Gehenna). In the new WoD there are now five base clans (and five political factions, although they're another issue); Daeva, Gangrel, Mekhet, Nosferatu, and Ventrue. You can still find many of the old WoD clans or equivalents but they're bloodlines, which are more or less correctly described by Graf as being equivalent to prestige classes.

 

[Graf]

Just to address this.

My experience with Vampire is limited to the PC games, so like Blood, i don't have the books, but i always wanted to try it.

I'm not familiar with the games, but I know that one of them (the most recent one?) was well regarded. So you'll have a generally good idea about the game.

The games were based on Vampire the Masquerade; this game will be Vampire the Requiem. There are some similarities (clans exist and define your weaknesses and strengths; most of the disciplines are the same; same sort of neo-feudal society with a prince and so forth) and a lot of differences . The differences include new things (Covenants) as well as changed stuff (lots of clans are missing*, most discipline powers are the same (i.e. four dots in Auspex is still Telepathy) but the mechanics are different, some new subsystems** have been added).

*= There is no "magic" clan, like the Tremere used to be. Instead you've got two different Covenants that dislike each other strongly and have their own versions magic. So Thaumaturgy is broken up, more widely spread around, each discipline is more limited and it's virtually impossible for someone to get access to both sides of the coin (and if they do and there are some other magic using vampires in the game somewhere, you can't just use their rituals).
**=The big 'new system' that springs to mind is the "predator's taint". Vampires recognize each other on sight and have a reflexive surge of aggression (i.e. they have to check for frenzy). It's not a tough roll but meeting new vampires is usually a tense affair.

There are other's we'll address as the game progresses.

 

[Graf]

In the new Vampire Malkavian has become a bloodline of the Ventrue. I haven't looked much at the new version of Malkavian myself, but as it's now a bloodline Graf may have some issues with it.

There are some differences in regards to clans from the latest Vampire PC games (as 'Bloodlines' kinda heralded Gehenna). In the new WoD there are now five base clans (and five political factions, although they're another issue); Daeva, Gangrel, Mekhet, Nosferatu, and Ventrue. You can still find many of the old WoD clans or equivalents but they're bloodlines, which are more or less correctly described by Graf as being equivalent to prestige classes.

quoted for truth

I should point out that the new Malk bloodline is extremely specific. Like the Brujah (and the Toreador I suppose) they've really tried to winnow the archetype down very tightly.

I don't have a "problem" with someone starting off as a Ventrue with a connection to the Malkavian bloodline (though they almost certainly wouldn't know about it as a "bloodline" per se) but you'd wind up with a very different experience than the we-are-all-members-of-the-transcendent-uber-mind-that-shows-the-true-reality type stuff you'd get from an oWoD Malk.
nWoD Malk is more like Pi . The best chance to "succeed" in the game involves drilling a hole in your head.

 

[Graf]

Judging by the way Skyler dresses and talks, you'd think his role model was the Fonz. A hyperactive Fonz that just won't shut the hell up. As a human, he was a small time drug dealer, good with his fists and trusty brass knuckles, which he used primarily on junkies. Kind of an alpha dog thing going there. He was also an addict. Dealing in dark alleys, he's seen most of the worst humanity has to offer. Being sired didn't change much for him. He was already an addict, so the "drug" shifted from dope to blood, but the need was the same. And so was the rush. Now he's always eager to pop a new "blood bag", wether he feels the thirst comming on or not.

Considering the way he acts and his 'hot and cold running mouth', i'd see him best as sired by a Malkavian, although in those deep shadowy alleyways, he could fall prey to a Gangrel, or a Nosferatu as well.

Gangrel and Nosferatu are basically unchanged. (Nosferatu is slightly different in that you don't have to be horribly deformed. You can be deformed, but you can also just be inexplicably creepy.)

Both would work well.

For setting reasons I'm probably going to ask/recommend any Nosferatu take Clan Status 1 at the beginning of the game. [It won't be a requirement, per se. And you're free to change your mind about this stuff at any point up to when the game begins. -- Just thought I'd mention that up front.]

 

[OnlytheStrong]

I believe (but may be wrong) that Malk is in the Requiem book, but it's towards the back when they talk about cults, clans, and other stuff that can kill us. The way my old GM explained it (which means he probably just didn't want to deal with it) was that they were basically a dying race or had "evolved".

Graf, I was curious as to whether we were starting as mortals, then being embraced in game. If everyone else wants to pick their clan or whatever, that's fine with me. I'd prefer not knowing exactly what was going on (if we are playing very recently embraced mortals). I believe Diego was a Mehket, but whatever you want him to be is fine with me.

 

[Graf]

Graf, I was curious as to whether we were starting as mortals, then being embraced in game. If everyone else wants to pick their clan or whatever, that's fine with me. I'd prefer not knowing exactly what was going on (if we are playing very recently embraced mortals). I believe Diego was a Mehket, but whatever you want him to be is fine with me.

I'm of several minds about it.

On one hand prequels and roleplaying turning into vampires has a lot of appeal to me. It's a big deal for the character and roleplaying that out could lead to the sort of organic character growth is attractive to me.
Also, the big impediments to doing this in a tabletop game (everyone else sitting around and waiting/"secret" stuff coming out) can be easily avoided in an online game.

On the other hand some people don't like it. If you want to play a powerful dynamic character and the character's embrace turns out to involve (either through miscommunication, or just sucky dice rolls) soul-crushing humiliation then that can be detrimental.

My current stance is this:
I want people to create mortals first because 1) you've only been embraced recently; while you've become something else those mortal memories, that mortal life, is still your primary frame of reference 2) it'll be easier for the people without books/experience to follow along.

We can then talk about the embrace. I'll run preludes (before and after the embrace) for those who are interested and the game will start with everyone meeting at one point in time at a specific place.

 

[WarShrike]

Sounds good to me.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Just say when to start lol.

 

[Ashburn]

Hi Graf, Ced here!

I have no experience with WoD. Hope no experience is needed! O.O"

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Blood
[sblock]I was going to PM/email you this but you've got all that turned off. Here's the message[/sblock].

I like that. I think I will take that idea and run with. Just need to know what kind of characters the people are bringing to the table. I was thinking of something like a very successful weapons developer/smuggler for the Nazi’s during the Great World War. So important was he that he was targeted by the Allies’ vampire circle to bitten and then torpor’d. This action no doubt had a significant effect and ultimately changed the outcome of the War. Almost a hundred years later he has been brought back. But by whom and for what is unknown to him. Was he brought back to repent for his old sins or create new ones? Whatever the reason all he knows for now is that he must attempt to understand his new world and his new unlife. Thoughts?

-Blood