Vampire the Masquerade

[Umbran]

Correct, but what I said is correct too. You can make any character. But then, you cannot do what doesn't suit him, no matter your ranks in the spheres. That is a roleplaying-based restriction on a mechanical part of the game. Mage mechanics alone - the rules - are not balanced at all.

Well, whether the game rules are "balanced" depends on what you mean by "balance". In the sense that any particular character choice is roughly as powerful as any other, then the rules are pretty well balanced.

If by, "you cannot do what does not suit him" you mean, "you cannot do what is not in his paradigm", I'd have to say "yes and no". The whole paradigm concept does not seem to me to be intended to alter game balance in any way. It seems intended to enhance character flavor. Paradigm doesn't change what you can do, it merely influences how you go about it.

 

[Evilboy]

Well, humans vs. vampires (as far as running a hunter/ hunted type of game) is usually up to the DM's interpretation of the world and the rules.

Almost any scenario you could come up with is going to depend on how the DM wants the game run. How strong is the average vampire? How paranoid? How likely is it that a friend will come to aid them?

Likewise, how easy would it be for the hunters to kill the vampire without being outlaws themsevles? Are they going to be using pistols, assault rifles, or flamethrowers? Do they need to keep their "hobby" a secret from friends and family, or are they a clandestine church-funded secret group of vampire killers? How much fact and how much fiction are they privvy to?

Unlike a game like D&D, Vampire is almost entirely dependent on how the DM wants to run and how the players want to play. There aren't any "you should have this many items at this level" charts, or any challenge ratings.

As far as rules are concerned, I don't see many things that will prevent a group of humans from killing a vampire. More intelligent, combat-oriented vampires will obviously be much, much harder to kill, but the game even comes right out and states that vampires are no match against the combined forces of humanity.

Particularly if those combined forces happen to be using Light Anti-Tank weaponry

- Evilboy

 

[Tsyr]

Particularly if those combined forces happen to be using Light Anti-Tank weaponry

- Evilboy

The group I ran was using modified .50 cal assult rifles firing explosive bullets... Even if not always lethal, a vampire minus his arm... or maybe his legs... has somewhat reduced combat potential

 

[Ulrick]

No, Dragonball Z is the most munchkin game out there. Where else can you blow up a moon?

Star Wars....


That is if the Rebels quit defending their moons and destroying Death Stars.



Ulrick

 

[jester47]

Vampire is a valid choice, as are all world of darkness games. I have a big problem with the dice mechanic. It operates at too many levels to be sure you are simulating a cross section of abilities and statistics correctly.

Also, has anyone noticed the similarity between white wolf games and high school? In high school you have the different social/style groups: Roper/cowboys, preps, metalheads/freaks, nerds, social outcasts, vatos, homeboys, etc. etc. (alter for your region of the country, milage may vary, some restrictions apply). In white wolf each game has a bunch of differnt factions that beheve and dress a certain way, and conform to some sort of style. I have always thought it would have been better without the factions. Also WOD had a population/public awareness problem. Most RPGs that deal with the fantastic do. But WW stuff seems more apparant to me.

Aaron.

 

[Lothaire]

Vampire is a valid choice, as are all world of darkness games. I have a big problem with the dice mechanic. It operates at too many levels to be sure you are simulating a cross section of abilities and statistics correctly.

Also, has anyone noticed the similarity between white wolf games and high school? In high school you have the different social/style groups: Roper/cowboys, preps, metalheads/freaks, nerds, social outcasts, vatos, homeboys, etc. etc. (alter for your region of the country, milage may vary, some restrictions apply). In white wolf each game has a bunch of differnt factions that beheve and dress a certain way, and conform to some sort of style. I have always thought it would have been better without the factions. Also WOD had a population/public awareness problem. Most RPGs that deal with the fantastic do. But WW stuff seems more apparant to me.

Aaron.

Those are stereotypes. And they are presented as stereotypes in the books.

Secondly what do you mean by the population / public awarness problem. One of the most important parts of Vampire in not revealing your nature to mortals, if you do, you'll be hunted and killed for threatening the survival of all mortals. The given ratio in Vampire is one kindred per 100,000 mortals. That means in a city of 8 million, like New York City you'd have about 80 vampires. However given that all the feeding opportunities are in cities and that Werewolves rule the rural areas, you might have closer to 100 or 120, given the power struggle for the city maybe closer to 200. Even so, thats 200 vampires in a city with over 8 million people in it. A city with 45,000 police officers. With roughly 40 million in the metropolitan area. I think that any vampire would be incredibly careful to hide his true nature, or else his paranoid buddies would kill him without a second though to ensure that they remain safe.