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The Vampire: The Masquerade character-creation system is designed around five basic precepts. Keep these in mind while generating the persona you will assume in the World of Darkness.

- You may create a character of any age, from any culture and from any nation, subject to the Storyteller's approval. However, all characters begin the game as neonate vampires who have only recently left the safety of their sires' protection. All players' characters are assumed to have no more than 25 years of experience as Kindred. They know relatively little of Kindred society, other than what their sires have told them. This allows characters to experience the World of Darkness as it unfolds before them in all its malignancy and mystery, rather than having the lore of ages already under their belts. A character's apparent age is the age at which she was Embraced and became one of the Kindred.

- The character-creation system is intended more as a persona development device than as a strict system of mechanical codification. Who wants more rules at the expense of an interesting character or a good story? The character cannot exist as mere dots on a page - roleplaying is always more important than numbers.

- Players have a certain number of points to spend on Traits they would like their characters to have. Players also get "freebie points" at the end of character creation; they may spend these to round out their characters, add personality and further differentiate their characters from those of other players.

- A Trait score of 1 is poor, while a score of 5 is excellent. Thus, a character with a single dot in a Trait is either not very good with that Trait or is a beginner. Don't think that your character sucks because she's only got one dot in Manipulation. The experience system we're going to be working with allows characters to grow and improve their Traits. Traits are rated according to a human scale (except vampiric Traits like Advantages and blood pool, which are rated on a Kindred standard).

- It is your responsibility to take on a role not endemically detrimental to the coterie. Vampires are solitary creatures, so there has to be some reason you've joined up with your Kindred companions (the other players' characters). Despite the fact that the hostile World of Darkness forces coteries together, Kindred don't just hang out for the hell of it.

The Storyteller and Character Creation

The Storyteller must guide the players through character generation, not only to ensure their understanding of the process, but also to get a feel for the characters they're creating. Character creation can provide Storytellers with some wonderful plot ideas - ones they would likely never have considered on their own. Likewise, if the players are unfamiliar with the rules, the Storyteller should use character generation as an introduction to the game as a whole, informing the troupe how the rules work and giving them examples based on the personas they're creating.

After the players are familiar with the character sheet, give them a few guidelines as to what types of characters will be appropriate for the chronicle. For example, Storytellers running games in Camarilla-held cities might forbid Sabbat or independent vampires outright. Sometimes a player will attempt to portray a character wholly unacceptable to your plotline, and you should feel free to disallow this in favor of a character who won't disrupt the game.


Character Creation Process

Step One: Character Concept
Choose concept, clan, Nature and Demeanor.

Step Two: Select Attributes
Prioritize the three categories: Physical, Social, Mental (7/5/3). Your character automatically has one dot in each Attribute.
Rate Physical Traits: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina.
Rate Social Traits: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance.
Rate Mental Traits: Perception, Intelligence, Wits.

Step Three: Select Abilities
Prioritize the three categories: Talents, Skills, Knowledges (13/9/5).
Choose Talents, Skills, Knowledges.
No Ability higher than 4 at this stage

Step Four: Select Advantages
Choose Disciplines (3), Backgrounds (5) and rate Virtues (7). Your character automatically has one dot in each Virtue.

Step Five: Finishing Touches
Record Humanity (equal to Conscience + Self-Control), Willpower (equal to Courage) and Blood Pool.

Spend freebie points (25).

Players must now assign numbers. The first step in determining a character's numeric Traits is to prioritize his Attributes.

Attributes are the natural abilities and raw "stuff" a character is made of. How strong is a character? How attractive? How quick? How smart? Attributes take all these questions and more into account. All Vampire characters have nine Attributes, which are divided into three categories: Physical (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina), Social (Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance) and Mental (Perception, Intelligence, Wits).

First, the player must select which group of Attributes is his character's strong suit (primary). The player then selects the group in which the character is average (secondary). Finally, the remaining group is designated as the character's weak point (tertiary). Among those three sections you get to spend dots. In your primary group, you get to put seven dots among the three abilities. In your secondary group you get to spend 5 dots among those three abilities, and in your tertiary group you get to spend 3 dots.

For example, if you choose social as your primary skill, you get to put 7 dots in the three social abilities, Charisma, manipulation and appearance. Then your secondary group might be physical, you get 5 dots to spend among those three abilities. (strength, dexterity, and stamina) and then you get three dots to spend on the mental attributes (perception, intelligence and wits)

Is your character tough but antisocial, or gorgeous but a complete airhead? Character concept and clan may suggest certain ranks for these priorities, but feel free to decide upon any scheme you please. Nothing's worse than playing a boring stereotype. Playing an interesting stereotype, though...

All Vampire characters start with one dot in each Attribute, reflecting the basic capabilities of the mortals from which they're drawn. (The exception is the Nosferatu, who have zero dots in their Appearance Attribute.) A character's priorities determine how many dots the player may allocate to that cluster of Attributes. A player may distribute seven additional dots to his character's primary group, five additional dots to the second- ary group and three dots to the tertiary group. For example, a tough, athletic character will likely allocate seven dots to his Physical category, while a clever, wise character will place seven dots in her Mental category. No stat may go greater than five during character creation. And even 5 is pushing it and will only be accepted if justified in a backstory.



Every Vampire character has Attributes; they represent the basic potential of every person in the world, as well as most other living (and unliving) things. Most people have Attribute scores between 1 (poor) and 3 (good), though exceptionally gifted individuals may have scores of 4 (excellent) or even 5 (peak human capacity). Some vampire elders, those of strong Blood, have scores higher still.



Physical Attributes define the condition of a character's body. They indicate how strong, agile and resilient a character is. Physical Attributes should be taken as the primary category for an action-oriented character. Vampires may use ingested blood to supernaturally augment their Physical (and only their Physical) Attributes.

Strength


Strength is the raw, brute power of a character. It governs how much weight a character can lift, how much he can physically push and how hard he can hit another character or object. The Strength Trait is added to a character's damage dice pool when he hits his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. It is also used when a character wishes to break, lift or carry
something, as well as when a character tries to jump a distance.

X Poor: You can lift 40 lbs.
XX Average: You can lift 100 lbs.
XXX Good: You can lift 250 lbs.
XXXX Exceptional: You can lift 400 lbs.
XXXXX Outstanding: You can lift 650 lbs. and crush skulls like grapes.


Dexterity



The Dexterity Attribute measures a character's general physical prowess. It encompasses the character's speed, agility and overall quickness, as well as indicating the character's ability to manipulate objects with control and precision. Also included under Dexterity's heading are hand-eye coordination, reflexes and bodily grace.

X Poor: You are clumsy and awkward. Put that gun down before you hurt yourself.
XX Average: You're no clod, but you're no ballerina, either.
XXX Good: You possess some degree of athletic potential
XXXX Exceptional: You could be an acrobat if you wished.
XXXXX Outstanding: Your movements are liquid and hypnotic - almost superhuman.


Stamina


The Stamina Trait reflects a character's health, toughness and resilience. It indicates how long a character can exert herself and how much punishment she can withstand before suffering physical trauma. Stamina also includes a bit of psychic fortitude, indicating a character's grit and tenacity not to give up.

X Poor: You bruise in a stiff wind.
XX Average: You are moderately healthy and can take a punch or two.
XXX Good: You are in good shape and rarely fall ill.
XXXX Exceptional: You can run - and perhaps win - any marathon you choose.
XXXXX Outstanding: Your constitution is truly Herculean.




Despite their solitary predilections, vampires use human society like building blocks to advance their schemes. Social Attributes delineate a character's appearance, charm and ability to interact with society. These Traits are paramount in determining a character's first impressions, personal dynamics and relations with other individuals.

Charisma


Charisma is a character's ability to entice and please others through her personality. Charisma comes into question when a character tries to win another character's sympathies or encourage others to trust her. Charisma does not indicate necessarily a silver tongue or a skill with bullying. Rather, it is the simple power of a character's charm and influence. Charisma delineates a character's ability at convincing others to see her point of view.

X Poor: Stop picking your nose.
XX Average: You are generally likable and have several friends.
XXX Good: People trust you implicitly.
XXXX Exceptional: You have significant personal magnetism.
XXXXX Outstanding: Entire cultures could follow your lead.



Manipulation




Manipulation measures a character's ability for self-expression in the interests of getting others to share her outlook or follow her whims. In short, it's getting others to do what she wants. Manipulation comes into play when a character tries to influence or subtly guide another's behavior.

Manipulation is used to trick, bluff, fast-talk and railroad other characters.
Whether or not the characters in question actually like the manipulator is irrelevant (this is why Manipulation differs from Charisma); a skilled motivator can even employ the talents of people who hate her.

Manipulation is a dangerous affair, especially among the Kindred (though it is their coin of the realm). Failed attempts at manipulation often earn the ire of the would-be patsy. Botching a Manipulation roll may add a name to the character's list of enemies.

People are manipulated every day, and typically ignore it. ("Would you run to the store for me?") If the fact is brought to their attention, however, most people get quite defensive. Manipulation can be the most powerful tool in a Kindred's repertoire, but failure can be disastrous. Characters with high Manipulation ratings are often distrusted by those around
them.

X Poor: A person of few (often ineffectual) words.
XX Average: You can fool some of the people some of the time, just like anybody else.
XXX Good: You never pay full price.
XXXX Exceptional: You could be a politician or cult leader.
XXXXXOutstanding: "Of course I'll tell the prince it was I who tried to stake him!"



Appearance



The Appearance Attribute is a measure of a character's attractiveness. More than simple looks, however, Appearance is the sum of a character's visible grace, beauty and the indefinable je ne sais quoi that makes people desirable.

Appearance is both more and less than words - it appeals to the lower levels of the psyche, so it shapes first impressions and the nature of memories thereafter. No matter how open-minded a person is, no matter how vehemently he claims, "Her personality is more important than her looks," a person still thinks of another in relation to the subject's appearance.

This Trait is used for more than getting potential vessels to heed your beckon across a crowded dance floor. In situations in which first impressions are paramount, or that involve people who view Appearance as very important, a character may have no more dice in a Social dice pool than her Appearance score. Thus, it is critically important to either look your best or get to know people before you start trying to convince them to firebomb the justicar's haven.


X Poor: Ugly as a mud fence.
XX Average: You don't stand out in a crowd, for better or for worse.
XXX Good: Strangers offer to buy you drinks at bars.
XXXX Exceptional: You are appealing enough to be a model, and people often go out of their way to tell you so.
XXXXX Outstanding: People react to you with either insane jealousy or beatific awe.




Mental Attributes define a character's cerebral capacities, including such aspects as memory, intelligence, awareness of one's surroundings and the ability to think, learn and react.

Perception


Perception measures a character's ability to observe his environment. This may involve a conscious effort, such as searching an area, but it is more often intuitive, as the character's keen senses notice something out of the ordinary. Perception is a sensitivity to the character's surroundings, and is seldom present in the cynical or jaded (who have seen it all before).

Perception is used to determine whether or not a character understands a given situation or detects an environmental stimulus. It can warn a character of ambushes, help a character identify a metaphor, distinguish a clue from a pile of refuse or uncover any other hidden or overlookable detail, whether physical or otherwise.

X Poor: Perhaps you are absurdly self-absorbed, perhaps merely an airhead; in any event, even the most obvious details elude you.
XX Average: You are oblivious to the very subtle, but aware of the bigger picture.
XXX Good: You perceive moods, textures and minuscule changes in your environment.
XXXX Exceptional: Almost nothing evades your notice.
XXXXX Outstanding: You instantly observe things almost imperceptible to human senses.


Intelligence




The Intelligence Attribute refers to a character's grasp of facts and knowledge. More importantly, however, it governs a character's ability to reason, solve problems and evaluate situations. Intelligence is almost a misnomer, as the Attribute also includes critical thinking and flexibility of thought.

Intelligence does not include savvy, wisdom or common sense, as those are properties of the character's personality, not Traits. Even the smartest character may be too foolish to keep her mouth shut or too daft to assume the thugs who want her car keys are up to no good.

Characters with low Intelligence aren't necessarily stupid (though they might be), they are just uneducated or simple thinkers. Likewise, characters with high Intelligence aren't all Einsteins; they may be better at rote memorization or have particularly keen judgment.

X Poor: Not the sharpest knife in the drawer (IQ 80).
XX Average: Smart enough to realize you're normal (IQ 100).
XXX Good: More enlightened than the masses (IQ 120).
XXXX Exceptional: You're not just bright, you're downright brilliant (IQ 140).
XXXXX Outstanding: Certified genius (IQ 160+).



Wits



The Wits Trait measures the character's ability to think on her feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also reflects a character's general cleverness. Characters with low Wits scores are thick and mentally lethargic, or maybe gullible and unsophisticated. By contrast, characters with high Wits Traits almost always have a plan immediately and adapt to their surroundings with striking expedience. Characters with high Wits also manage to keep their cool in stressful situations.

X Poor: Pull my finger.
XX Average: You know when to bet or fold in poker.
XXX Good: You are seldom surprised or left speechless.
XXXX Exceptional: You're one of the people who make others think, "Ooh, I should have said..." the next day.
XXXXX Outstanding: You think and respond almost more quickly than you can act.

Step Three Continued

Knowledges

Knowledges involve the application of the mind, not the body; consequently, Knowledge Abilities are most often paired with Mental Traits.

(It's possible to roll Charisma + Academics, or even Stamina + Medicine, but such things are pretty rare.) The following descriptions speak of Knowledge levels in collegiate terms, although formal schooling is j ust one way to improve a Knowledge.

If you don't have any dots in a Knowledge, you cannot even attempt a roll involving it unless the Storyteller gives explicit permission (such as where common trivia is concerned). If you don't know Spanish, you can't try holding a conversation in espanol on your wits alone.

Academics



This catchall Knowledge covers the character's erudition in the "humanities": literature, history, art, philosophy and other "liberal" sciences. A character with dots in Academics is generally well-rounded in these fields, and at high levels may be considered an expert in one or more areas of study. Not only can this Knowledge impress at salons and other Elysium functions, but it can also offer valuable clues to certain past - and future movements in the Jyhad.

X Student: You're aware that 1066 is something more than a Beverly Hills area code.
XX College: You can quote from the classics, identify major cultural movements, and expound on the difference between Ming and Moghul.
XXX Masters: You could get a paper published in a scholarly journal.
XXXX Doctorate: Professor emeritus
XXXXX Scholar: Scholars worldwide acknowledge you as one of the foremost experts of your time.
Possessed by: Professors, Literati, Trivia Buffs, Elders
Specialties: Poststructuralism, Impressionist Painting, Imperial Rome, American Realism

Computer



This Knowledge represents the ability to operate and program computers, as well as the savvy to keep up with the latest technology.

X Student: Point and click.
XX College: You can process data with relative ease.
XXX Masters: You can design software.
XXXX Doctorate: You can make a very comfortable living as a consultant.
XXXXX Scholar: You're on the bleeding edge.
Possessed by: Hackers, Office Workers, Programmers, Data Processors, Students

Finance



You know the ins and outs of commerce, from evaluating an item's relative worth to keeping up with currency exchange rates. This Knowledge can be invaluable when brokering items, running numbers or playing the stock market. Sufficiently high levels in Finance allow you to raise your standards of living to a very comfortable level.

X Student: You've taken a few business classes.
XX College: You have some practical experience and can keep your books fairly neat.
XXX Masters: You'd make a fine stockbroker.
XXXX Doctorate: Corporations follow your financial lead.
XXXXX Scholar: You could turn a $20 bill into a fortune.
Possessed by: Executives, Upper Class, Stockbrokers, Accountants, Fences, Drug Dealers, Smugglers


Investigation



You've learned to notice details others might overlook, and might make an admirable detective. This Knowledge represents not only a good eye for detail, but also an ability to do research and follow leads.

X Student: You've read your share of Agatha Christie.
XX College: Police officer
XXX Masters: Private detective
XXXX Doctorate: Federal agent
XXXXX Scholar: Sherlock Holmes
Possessed by: Detectives, Mystery Buffs, Policemen, Stalkers
Specialties: Forensics, Shadowing, Search, Discolorations

Law



With all the lawyers and lawmakers out there, this Knowledge can prove very useful. Law can be useful for filing suit, avoiding lawsuits or getting out of jail. What's more, even the Kindred keep their own laws, and more than one vampire has saved his own unlife by deftly exploiting a loophole in one of the Traditions.

X Student: You've watched your share ofcourtroom dramas.
XX College: You're either studying for or just passed the bar exam.
XXX Masters: Ambulance chaser
XXXX Doctorate: Major public figures have your number just in case.
XXXXX Scholar: You could find the loopholes in the Devil's contract.
Possessed by: Lawyers, Police, Judges, Detectives, Legislators


LinguisticsLinguistics



You begin play with the native language of your choice for free, but if you want to speak any other languages, whether modern or ancient, Linguistics is a must. This Ability allows you to understand additional languages, but at high levels also offers a more general understanding of linguistic structure. Linguistics may allow you to recognize accents or decipher word puzzles.

X Student: One extra language
XX College: Two extra languages
XXX Masters: Four extra languages
XXXX Doctorate: Eight extra languages
XXXXX Scholar: 16 extra languages
Possessed by: Diplomats, Ambassadors, Travelers, Ancient Vampires, Cryptologists, Scholars

Medicine



You have an understanding of how the human body, and to a lesser extent the vampiric body, works. This Ability entails knowledge of medicines, ailments, first-aid procedures, and diagnosis or treatment of disease. Medicine is of great use to those Kindred with an interest in repairing, damaging or reworking the human body.

X Student: You've taken a CPR course.
XX College: Premed or paramedic
XXX Masters: General practitioner
XXXX Doctorate: You can perform transplants.
XXXXX Scholar: You are respected by the world's medical community as a modern-day Aesculapius.
Possessed by: Med Students, Doctors, Lifeguards, Parents, Paramedics, Tzimisce

Occult


You are knowledgeable in occult areas such as mysticism, curses, magic, folklore and particularly vampire lore. Unlike most other Knowledges, Occult does not imply a command of hard, factual information; much of what you know may well be rumor, myth, speculation or hearsay.

However, the secrets to be learned in this field are worth centuries of sifting legend from fact. High levels of Occult imply a deep understanding of vampire lore, as well as a good grounding in other aspects of the occult; at the very least, you can discern what is patently false.

X Student: You've paged through the New Age section of a Waldenbooks.
XX College: There seems to be some unsettling truth to some of the rumors you've heard.
XXX Masters: You've heard a lot and actually seen a little for yourself.
XXXX Doctorate: You can recognize blatantly false sources and make educated guesses about the rest.
XXXXX Scholar: You know most of the basic truths about the hidden world.

Possessed by: Occultists, The Superstitious, New Agers, Tremere



Politics


You are familiar with the politics of the moment, including the people in charge and how they got there. This Knowledge can aid you in dealing with or influencing mortal politicians, or even offer some insight into the local Cainite power structure.

X Student: Activist
XX College: Political science major
XXX Masters: Campaign manager or talk-radio host
XXXX Doctorate: Senator
XXXXX Scholar: You could choose the next President of the United States.


Science


You have at least a basic understanding of most of the physical sciences, such as chemistry, biology, physics and geology. This Knowledge can be put to all forms of practical use.

X Student: You know most of the high-school basics.
XX College: You're familiar with the major theories.
XXX Masters: You could teach high-school science.
XXXX Doctorate: You're fully capable of advancing the knowledge in your field.
XXXXX Scholar: Your Nobel Prize is waiting for you.

Possessed by: Scientists, Students, Researchers, Teachers, Engineers, Technicians, Pilots

Step Five: Last Touches

At this stage, the player may spend 25 freebie points to personalize his character. First, however, a bit of bookkeeping needs to be done.


A character's starting Humanity score equals the sum of Conscience + Self-Control Traits, yielding a score between 5 and 10. Players are also encouraged to increase their Humanity scores with freebie points, as too low a score indicates that the Beast lies in close proximity.


Note: Characters on Paths other than Humanity may use different Virtues to determine their initial Path scores. Consult the Path's post to determine which Paths use which Virtues.

The Trait of Humanity is integral to the underlying theme of Vampire: The Masquerade. It is a moral code that allows Kindred to retain their mortal sensibilities in the face of their transformation into parasitic monsters. In essence, it is what keeps a vampire from becoming a mindless animal, enslaved by her thirst for vitae.

Humanity, unlike most other Traits, is rated on a scale of 1 to 10, as it is more complex than a 1-to-5 quantification allows for. Also, just because a Kindred follows the Path of Humanity doesn't mean she is a friendly, congenial saint. Vampires are predators by nature, and Humanity only gifts them with the ability to pretend they're not. It is an inward charade that protects a vampire from herself, much as the Masquerade protects vampires from the mortals outside.

Unfortunately, the very nature of existence as a vampire is anathema to one's Humanity. As the centuries wear on, the Beast takes hold, and Kindred become less and less concerned with the well-being of mortal "kine" (after all, they'll die eventually, anyway). As such, characters are likely to lose Humanity over the course of the game.

Mortals also typically follow the Path of Humanity, though this is largely out of ignorance: They don't know they can be anything else. As such, this mechanical system for morality rarely comes into play for them. Certainly, some mortals - murderers and the like - have low Humanity scores, but they have no Beasts roiling within them, as do the Kindred.

It is possible for a vampire with a high Humanity score to be more human than some mortals are!

0 Monstrous
X Horrific
XX Bestial
XXX Cold
XXXX Unfeeling
XXXXX Distant
XXXXXX Removed
XXXXXXX Normal
XXXXXXXX Caring
XXXXXXXXX Compassionate
XXXXXXXXXX Saintly

Effects of Humanity
A Kindred's Humanity score reflects how much of a character's mortal nature remains despite the curse of Caine. It influences how well a character may deny her vampiric state, as well as how closely she may pass for mortal.

- Vampires sleep unnaturally deeply and are loath to rise even if presented with danger. Vampires with higher Humanity rise earlier in the evening than vampires with lower Humanity scores. Also, if a Kindred is forced to act during the day, the maximum dice pool he may employ for any action equals his Humanity score.

- Humanity also affects a character's Virtues. Whenever a certain Virtue is called into question, a player may not roll more dice for a Virtue than her character has dots in Humanity. Obviously, as the character sinks ever more deeply into the arms of damnation, questions of morality and self-preservation mean less and less. As Humanity depletes, the character creeps slowly toward the night when she loses all self-control.

- The length of time a Kindred spends in torpor relates directly to his Humanity score. A vampire with low Humanity remains in torpor for a longer time than a vampire with a higher Humanity score.

- Humanity determines how, well, human a character appears and how easily she may pass for human among the populace. Vampires with low Humanity acquire unnatural and disturbing features like sunken eyes, perpetual snarls and bestial countenances.

- If a character's Humanity score ever drops to zero (what kind of game are you playing?), that persona is no longer suitable for use as a player's character. Completely controlled by his Beast, the character is a mindless force of unnature, and falls under the Storyteller's control.

Humanity scores fluctuate based upon the Hierarchy of Sin - if a vampire accidentally or purposefully commits an act rated lower than her Humanity score, she must roll her Conscience Trait to see whether she accepts the act (and thus loses Humanity) or feels remorse and maintains her current level. Humanity may be raised only by spending experience points on it. See the Degeneration section for more information on Humanity loss and the Hierarchy of Sin.

The Downward Spiral

Vampires are monsters, have no doubt, and even a Kindred with the highest of Humanity scores is nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. Nonetheless, as Humanity erodes, vampires not only become capable of, but also actively pursue, ever more depraved acts. It is in a vampire's nature to hunt, and to kill, and eventually every vampire finds himself holding the corpse of a vessel he had not intended to murder.

It is important, then, to know how vampires change as their Humanity scores deteriorate. Vampires' behavior, even under the auspices of Humanity, may become so utterly depraved and alien that the very thought of her causes discomfort in others. After all, a low Humanity score indicates that very little connects the Kindred with her mortal origins.

Humanity 10-8

Kindred with Humanity scores this high are, ironically, more human than human. Many fledgling vampires sometimes adhere to codes more rigorous than they ever held in life, as a reaction against becoming a predator. Older Kindred scoff at this practice, taking great mirth at the thought of newly whelped neonates cowering beneath fire escapes and subsisting on the foul blood of rats, vainly rebelling against their murderous natures. Oh, the humanity!

In truth, vampires who maintain high scores in Humanity are rare, as every Kindred must kill sooner or later. Vampires with high Humanity are almost unbearable by their peers, who find frustration in their perceived naivete and self-righteousness; most Kindred prefer to suffer the slings and arrows of unlife without belaboring themselves. High Humanity scores indicate aversion to killing and even distaste for taking more vitae than is necessary. Though not necessarily passive or preachy, Kindred with high Humanity uphold excruciatingly exacting standards, and often have very clearly defined concepts of moral right and wrong.

Humanity 7
Most human beings have Humanity scores of 7 or so, so vampires at this level of Humanity can easily manage to pass for mortals. Vampires with 7 Humanity typically subscribe to "normal" social mores - it's not acceptable to hurt or kill another person, it's wrong to steal something that another person owns, but sometimes the speed limit is just too damn slow. The vampire is still concerned with the natural rights of others at this stage of morality, though more than a little selfishness shines through. Just like everyone else in the world...

Humanity 6-5
Hey, people die. Stuff breaks. A vampire below the cultural human norm has little difficulty with the fact that she needs blood to survive, and she does what needs to be done to get it. Though she won't necessarily go out of her way to destroy property or end a victim's life, she accepts that sometimes that's what fate has in store for some folks. Not automatically horrid, Kindred at this stage of Humanity are certainly at least mildly unpleasant to be around. Their laissez-faire attitudes toward others' rights offend many more moral individuals, and some minor physical eeriness or malformation may show up at this stage.

Humanity 4
Hey, some people got to die. The vampire begins an inevitable slide into urge indulgence. A Humanity of 4 indicates that killing is acceptable to this Kindred, so long as his victim is deserving (which is, of course, quite subjective). Many vampire elders hover around this level of Humanity, if they haven't adopted some other moral code. Destruction, theft, injury - these are all tools, rather than taboos, for a vampire with Humanity 4.

Also, the vampire's own self and agenda become paramount at this point, and devil take whoever gets in the way. Physical changes become quite evident at this stage; while not hideous in the sense of the Nosferatu or certain Gangrel, the vampire acquires a pallid, corpselike and noticeably unwholesome aspect.

Humanity 3-2
The lives and property of others are irrelevant to a Kindred this far gone. The vampire likely indulges twisted pleasures and aberrant whims, which may include any manner of atrocity. Perversion, callous murder, mutilation of victims and wickedness for its own sake are the hallmarks of a Kindred with very low Humanity. Few vampires maintain scores this low and lower for very long - their damnation is all but certain at this point. Vampires at this stage may be physically mistaken for human, but don't bet on it.

Humanity 1
Only nominally sentient, Kindred with Humanity 1 teeter on the edge of oblivion. Little matters at all to vampires this far gone, even their own desires outside of sustenance and rest. There is literally nothing a vampire with Humanity 1 won't do, and only a few tattered shreds of ego stand between him and complete devolution. Many who attain this stage find themselves no longer capable of coherent speech, and spend their nights gibbering blasphemy among their gore-spattered havens.

Humanity 0
Must sleep. Must feed. Must kill. Players may not run characters with Humanity 0. Vampires at this stage are completely lost to the Beast.



A character's beginning Willpower score equals her Courage rating times Two and thus ranges from 2 to 10. Players are encouraged to raise their starting Willpower scores with freebie points, as the Trait is critical to dealing with a Kindred's dangerous emotional situations. Willpower is also used to resist frenzy, undertake especially daunting tasks and power certain Discipline effects.

Krome's Note: I changed the calculations for determining willpower for my own purposes, do not come bitching to me about it not being right.

Willpower measures a character's inner drive and competence at overcoming unfavorable odds. Unlike other Traits, Willpower has both a permanent "rating" and a temporary "pool." The rating is rolled or tested, while the pool is "spent."

When a player spends a point of a character's Willpower, she should cross off the point from the Willpower pool (the squares), not the Willpower rating (the circles). The rating stays constant - if a character needs to roll Willpower for some reason, she bases the roll on the permanent rating. The pool is used up during the story.

A character's Willpower pool will likely fluctuate a great deal during the course of a story or chronicle. It decreases by one point every time a player uses a Willpower point to enable his character to do something extraordinary, like maintain selfcontrol or gain an automatic success. Eventually, the character will have no Willpower left, and will no longer be able to exert the effort he once could. A character with no Willpower pool is exhausted mentally, physically and spiritually, and will have great difficulty doing anything, as he can no longer muster the mettle to undertake an action or cause. Willpower points can be regained during the course of a story (see below), though players are advised to be careful and frugal with their characters' Willpower pools.

Like Humanity, the Willpower Trait is measured on a 1-10 scale rather than a 1-5 scale.

X Spineless
XX Weak
XXX Unassertive
XXXX Diffident
XXXXX Certain
XXXXXX Confident
XXXXXXX Determined
XXXXXXXX Controlled
XXXXXXXXX Iron-willed
XXXXXXXXXX Unshakable


Other Paths
Not all vampires follow the principles of the Path of Humanity. Many Kindred outside the Camarilla, particularly the vampires of the Sabbat, see no need to continue to subscribe to moral codes akin to Humanity. These vampires do, however, have different ethical systems in place, as complete amorality is an open door for the Beast.

The "default" morality for Vampire characters is Humanity, as control and the Beast are such major themes of the game. It is best that beginning players run characters adhering to this Path. Players may, however, choose different Paths should they so wish (at the Storyteller's discretion). After all, it just doesn't make sense to play a malicious Tzimisce torturer who can't hurt people without suffering crippling pangs of conscience.
If a player chooses a vampire clan that has a different moral outlook from that of Humanity, he should select the Path that makes the most sense for the character. Otherwise, the player should circle Humanity on the
character sheet and continue the character-creation process.

For more information on the following Paths, see the thread on Paths

- Path of Blood - Followed almost exclusively by Assamites, the Path of Blood governs revenge, diablerie and bringing oneself closer to the First Vampire.

- Path of the Bones - This code governs the study of death and its relation to the vampiric state. The Giovanni are its most ardent supporters.

- Path of Metamorphosis - This uniquely Tzimisce Path operates on the principle that, as vampirism lies beyond humanity, something lies beyond vampirism.

- Path of Night - The Path of Night opens the vampire's soul to eternal darkness. It is predominantly practiced by Lasombra.

- Path of Paradox - The Ravnos code of ethics, the Path of Paradox centers upon changing reality for the betterment of oneself.

- Path of Typhon - Corruption and sin pave this Path's way. It is supported by the Followers of Set.

Spending Willpower

Willpower is one of the most active and important Traits in Vampire: The Masquerade. Because there are so many ways to expend, regain and use Willpower, it fluctuates more than any other Trait (besides blood pool) in the game. Willpower is a very versatile Trait, so make sure you understand how to use it.

- A player may spend one of her character's Willpower points to gain an automatic success on a single action. Only one point of Willpower may be used in a single turn in this manner, but the success is guaranteed and may not be canceled, even by botches. By using Willpower in this way, it is possible to succeed at a given action simply by concentrating. For extended rolls, these extra successes may make the critical difference between accomplishment and failure.

Note: You must declare that you are spending a Willpower point before you make an actual roll for a character's action; you can't retroactively cancel a botch by spending a Willpower point at the last minute. Also, the Storyteller may declare that a Willpower point may not be spent on a given action.

- Sometimes, the Storyteller may rule that a character automatically takes some action based on instinct or urge - for example, stepping back from a chasm or leaping away from a patch of sunlight filtering through a window. The Storyteller may allow a player to spend a Willpower point and avoid taking this reactive maneuver. It should be noted that the instinct may return at the Storyteller's discretion; a player may need to spend multiple Willpower points over the course of a few turns to stay on task. Sometimes the urge may be overcome by the force of the character's will; at other times, the character has no choice but to follow his instinct (i.e., the character runs out of Willpower points or no longer wishes to expend them).

- A Willpower point may be spent to prevent a derangement from manifesting, with the Storyteller's permission. Eventually, if enough Willpower points are spent (as determined by the Storyteller), the derangement may be overcome and eliminated, as enough denial of the derangement remedies the aberration. Malkavians may never overcome their initial derangement, though Willpower may be spent to deny it for a short period of time.

- By spending a Willpower point, wound penalties can be ignored for one turn. This allows a character to override pain and injury in order to take one last-ditch heroic (or villainous) action. However, an incapacitated or torpid character may not spend Willpower in this manner.


Regaining Willpower

Willpower may be recovered as well as spent. The following situations earn the character back a point or more of Willpower, though a character's Willpower pool may never exceed her Willpower rating. The only way to increase a character's Willpower rating is through experience-point expenditure. Generally, a character's Willpower pool may be replenished whenever the character fulfills a goal or has an opportunity to restore her self-confidence. Ultimately, specific instances of Willpower restoration are up to the Storyteller. For this reason, Storytellers are advised to be prudent in allowing characters to regain Willpower; it is a powerful and versatile Trait, and permitting players to rely on it too much strips much of the challenge from a story.

- Characters' Willpower pools replenish fully at the end of a given story (and that's story, not session). The Storyteller may restrict this by requiring that the characters achieve (or partially achieve) a goal or otherwise boost their self-esteem. For example, if the story ends in a stalemate for the characters, who didn't destroy a powerful and corrupt elder, but did manage to obstruct his immediate plans, allow them to replenish their Willpower pools.

- (Storyteller's Option) Characters regain one Willpower point each night when they first rise. This is easy on the bookkeeping, and allows a steady stream of Willpower replenishment. By way of example, when the players rise for the evening in a communal haven, they all replenish a Willpower point then and there.

- (Storyteller's Option) If a character attains some extraordinary goal or fulfills an outstanding objective, the Storyteller may reward her with a point of Willpower pool. For example, if a character manages to deter a team of vampire-hunters from her sire's haven, the Storyteller may award a Willpower point to that character.

- (Storyteller's Option) If a character behaves in a manner that fulfills her Nature Archetype, the Storyteller may reward the character with one to three Willpower points (as stated in the Archetype descriptions). For example, if a Rebel character rabidly opposes a powerful elder, and that elder is later revealed to be a Sabbat spy, that character may be given a point of Willpower.

Storytellers are encouraged to create their own systems or modify our systems to suit their troupe's style of play. Indeed, the manner in which a Storyteller allows, or refuses to allow, Willpower replenishment can determine the overall mood of the chronicle. A word of caution: Give Willpower rewards judiciously, as Willpower can destroy a story if the Storyteller lets the Trait fall to abuse.



The crowning touch to character creation is determining the vampire's starting blood pool. This part is simple - roll a 10- sided die. The number is the number of blood points a character has in his system at the beginning of the game. This is the only die roll that is made during character creation.

Krome's Note: Everyone can start with 10 blood points.

A character's blood pool measures how much vitae the vampire has in his system. The blood pool comprises a number of individual blood points. Each blood point corresponds roughly to one-tenth of the blood in an average adult mortal.

The maximum number of blood points a vampire may ingest is dictated by his generation, as is the number of blood points he may spend in a single turn. A vampire with zero blood points in his system is ravenously hungry and likely in the throes of frenzy.

Vampires must subtract one blood point from their blood pools every night, whether they rise for the evening or not, as the unnatural magics animating their dead bodies consume the vitae they have taken from their prey.

Blood points may also be spent in a variety of ways, and may be replenished only by consuming - you guessed it - blood. Blood pool also affects Self-Control (or Instinct) rolls, which come into play when a character's frenzy becomes imminent.

A player may never roll more dice for a Self-Control or Instinct roll than the character has blood pool. For example, if a character has only two blood points left, her player may roll only two dice for a Self-Control roll, even if the character's Self- Control score is 4. Voracious vampires just don't fight the Beast very well...

Spending Blood Pool

As previously mentioned, every vampire expends one blood point each night when she awakens, whether or not she actually goes out and about. Characters may also use blood points in a variety of other ways. A vampire may spend only a certain number of blood points per turn; this number depends on the vampire's generation. See the Generation Chart (Below) to determine this number.

- A vampire may spend one blood point to heal one normal (bashing or lethal) health level of damage. Characters must be resting and relatively inactive for this healing to take place, though this recovery is rapid: One blood point per turn may be spent to heal one health level, though vampires of lower generations may heal as many health levels per turn as they can spend blood points. See the Generation Chart for details on this.

Note that blood expenditure is the only way that vampires can heal wounds. Just as their immortality prevents the Kindred from aging and dying naturally, so it also inhibits the recuperative processes natural to a living body.

- A player may spend one blood point to increase a single Physical Attribute (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina) by one dot for the duration of the scene. The player must announce, at the beginning of the turn, that he is doing this. A player may spend as many blood points on increasing Physical Attributes as the vampire may use in a turn (based upon generation), but may only freely increase these Traits up to one higher than their generational maximum (i.e., a 10th-generation vampire may increase Traits to a maximum of 6). With effort, a character may increase a Physical Attribute to above even this limit, but each dot above the limit lasts for only three turns a brief time, after the character stops spending blood. This enables vampires to perform truly amazing physical feats, such as throwing cars, moving preternaturally quickly and withstanding blows that would fell trees.



Note: No character may increase Physical Attributes above 10.
- A vampire may give a number of blood points to another Kindred, thereby enabling the recipient to use the blood as if it were her own. This is often a grisly prospect, as the "donor" must open his own vein and physically deliver the blood to the needy Kindred. Of course, if a vampire is ever in a situation in which she needs blood, she's likely all out of it herself, and may frenzy and take too much from the donor. Blood gifts should be given with care.

If a vampire (or mortal) partakes of another Kindred's blood three times, she becomes bound to that vampire through the mystical properties of Cainite vitae. This is known as the blood bond.

- A vampire may gift a mortal or animal with a dose of his vitae, allowing the mortal in question to inject or ingest it. For so long as the mortal retains the Kindred vitae in her system, she is considered a ghoul.

- Though most vampires (with the exception of Nosferatu) appear much as they did in life, they still display certain corpselike features; for example, their skin is unnaturally cold and ashen, and they do not breathe. By spending a variable number of blood points, a vampire may will himself to appear more human for a scene: flushing his skin, drawing breath, even becoming capable of engaging in sexual intercourse (this last, while helpful in certain types of feeding, in no way means that the vampire may inseminate a mortal or become pregnant; a corpse is still a corpse, after all).


Krome's Note: there will be no sex in this roleplay on the forums. Period. Implied, and saying that it happened is ok, but not descriptions of it.

Performing these actions for a scene requires an expenditure of blood points equal to (8 minus Humanity); thus, Kindred with Humanity scores of 8 or higher may accomplish these feats automatically, while vampires with low Humanity find the process exceedingly arduous.



Only vampires with Humanity may use blood in this manner; vampires on a Path have forsaken their human sides entirely.

- Blood may be spent to fuel certain vampiric Disciplines. Consult Chapter Four to see which individual powers require blood expenditure.



Blood Pool Chart
This is how much blood most NPC's have though it can differ.
Vessel Blood Pool
Vampire 0 - ???
Werewolf 25
Average Human 10
Child 5
Cow 5
Dog 2
Cat 1
Plasma bag 1
Rat 1/2
Bat/Bird 1/4


Generation Chart
Generation Max. Trait Rating Blood Pool Max. Blood Points/Turn
Third 10 ??? ???
Fourth 9 50 10
Fifth 8 40 8
Sixth 7 30 6
Seventh 6 20 4
Eighth 5 15 3
Ninth 5 14 2
Tenth 5 13 1
Eleventh 5 12 1
Twelfth 5 11 1
Thirteenth + 5 10 1

Max Trait Rating: This indicates the highest permanent Trait rating (excluding Humanity/Path scores and Willpower ratings) a vampire of the given generation can have. This is especially important with regard to Disciplines and Attributes.

Blood Pool Max: The maximum number of blood points a vampire may keep in her system. Remember that elder vampires concentrate their blood - while the volume of blood in their bodies is no greater than any other vampire's, each pint of blood is worth more than one point.

Blood Points/Turn: This indicates how many blood points a vampire can spend in a single turn.

Earning Blood Pool

Vampires replenish blood pool by taking it from others. "Others" need not be human, though a vampire who is too squeamish to take sustenance from the kine is often ridiculed by his peers - the Kindred are predators, after all, no matter how unnatural.

Drinking blood is a risky proposition. As vampires gorge on the vitae of their victims, there is always the chance that they may take too much. Unhygienic vampires may communicate disease by exposing a vessel to bacteria and viruses carried in other blood that still stains their fangs. A vampire may take only 20 percent of a vessel's blood and leave it relatively safe.

Taking half of a vessel's blood necessitates hospitalization for that vessel. Obviously, taking all a vessel's blood will kill it. A vampire may take up to three blood points from a given vessel in a turn. The shorter the turn, the more forcefully the Kindred steals the vitae. It is generally impossible to take more than three blood points from a vessel in three seconds (the shortest a turn gets), though some Nosferatu with hideously distended mouths are able to take more through sheer surface area bled.

Most vampires drink their victim's blood slowly, so a to savor the luscious fluid and draw as much pleasure as possible out of the experience. Once the Kindred breaks her vessel's skin with her fangs that vessel no longer resists the vampire (if he did in the first place...). Indeed, the ecstasy caused by the vampire's bite is called the Kiss, and it engenders as much exquisite, subtly painful pleasure in vampires as it does in mortals.

Exceptionally strong-willed mortals (9+ Willpower) may continue to resist, but ever these vessels eventually succumb to the pleasure. Some Kindred and kine even develop lusts for the Kiss and actively seek out those who will drink their blood.

Note: While Kindred find the Kiss pleasurable, they may resist it more readily than mortals can. Any Kindred, regardless of Willpower, may make a Self-Control roll (difficulty 8 ) to avoid succumbing to the Kiss. This enables vampiric victims of diablerie to have a chance at fighting back.
Wounded characters typically have less blood than healthy characters.

Assume that a normal-sized human has one fewer blood point in his system for each health level of damage he currently suffers. Mortals regain one blood point per day (unless, of course, they are infused with vitae from some other source). Vampires do not lose blood points to wounds in this manner, though they often spend blood to heal wounds they have suffered.

The blood of nonhuman creatures - livestock, wild animals and the like - is not as nourishing as the blood of humankind. Though an animal may physically have a greater volume of blood than a man, vampires draw less sustenance from it.

Hence, animals have fewer blood points, even if they have more blood. Old blood is never as nourishing as fresh blood. In fact, many vampiresrefuse to drink old blood, whether it comes from human corpses, blood banks, or a vampire's private reserve. However, the blood of other vampires, particularly elders, is quite potent. When drinking from elder vampires, each blood point taken may be so concentrated that it is actually worth two - or more! - normal blood points in use. Thus it is possible to obtain a vast amount of blood points by partaking of elder blood, though such prized vitae is rarely available to neonates or even ancillae.

Essentially, elders have greater blood pools not because they are bodily larger than younger vampires, but because the blood they ingest is more concentrated in their ancient veins. Werewolf blood is rumored to be similarly potent.



The player may now spend 25 freebie points to purchase additional dots in Traits. These points may be spent however theplayer chooses - thus the term "freebie." FREEBIE POINTS ARE NOT DOTS! READ THIS NEXT SECTION!


Each dot has a variable freebie-point cost based on which type of Trait it is -
consult the chart below for freebie-point costs of Traits. Remember that Disciplines purchased with freebie points need not come from the character's clan Disciplines (although purchase of some Disciplines may require explanation about how she acquired them!)

Freebie Points
Trait Cost
Attribute 5 points per one dot
Ability 2 points per one dot
Discipline 7 points per one dot
Background 1 points per one dot
Virtue 2 points per one dot
Humanity 1 points per one dot
Willpower 1 points per one dot

There is one exception. To buy a new Discipline (one that ISN'T a clan discipline) it costs 10 freebie points.

Once you're done with this, your character sheet is completed. The storyteller (that's me) will then go over your sheet and your history, and will make edits as she sees fit. For example, if your character is amish, and has computer 5... we have a problem. If your character is a bookworm without much physical experience, but has melee 5. We have a problem. If your character doesn't have the history to back up the dots. The story teller will edit them by simply taking them away.. (Munchkins are not tolerated) You abuse them, you lose them. On the other hand if your character has a great history but the ST thinks you probably deserve extra points. I will award them ^_^

~Mello~



If you go through the motions above, you will have a character - at least in the purely technical sense. All the dots are on the paper; you can interact your piece of paper with the mechanics of the game, and roll all the right combinations of dice at the appropriate times.

Frankly, though, for your trouble, you might as well play checkers, because at this point your character's not much more detailed than a featureless piece on a gameboard. Now's the time to take the skeleton you've mechanically built with the rules and flesh it out into a living, breathing (well, formerly living and breathing) person.

Take a good long look at your Traits and numbers. Why are they there? How will they come across in the story? What parts of the character don't you know yet? Like a novelist building a literary figure, decide on all the physical, psychological and background details that make your character one of a kind, even among the undead.

Sure, your character has an Appearance of 3 - but what does that mean? Does she have a smile that could launch a thousand ships, or does she simply exude a challenging self-confidence? What color are her eyes and hair? If she's skilled in Performance, or Etiquette, or Firearms, how did she acquire her skill? Did she always want to be a movie star? Is her polished veneer a reaction against growing up in a trailer park?

Did she just, for whatever bizarre reason, walk onto a firing range and discover a natural aptitude for plugging holes in targets? Is her Ally actually her ex-lover, who works for the FBI and with whom she maintains an uneasy, tension-laced friendship? Does he suspect what she's become, but help her out for now in an effort to observe her more closely?

This last phase of character creation, while the least "necessary," is the most important. Otherwise, your Brujah with the Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3 will be just like all the other Brujah with Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3 - and believe me, there are a lot of such cardboard "characters" out there. And that's a shame, because characters - especially vampires - should be unique, fascinating, passionate and memorable.