New WOD: ROMAN VAMPIRESZ!

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Physical Merits Fighting Style: Formation Tactics (• to •••••)

Prerequisites: Strength ••, Stamina •••, Weaponry ••

Effect: Your character has completed extensive drill training, either in life or undeath, learning to work in efficient, deadly harmony with compatriot soldiers. He may be a career soldier, a member of the Legio Mortuum or a mercenary veteran.

The Legio Mortuum makes frequent use of Formation Tactics, applying its benefits to devastating effect. There is little in Necropolis more intimidating than the sight of four or five Kindred legionnaires moving quickly into a coordinated and powerful display of arms. Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special combat maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for the next. So, your character can’t have Ciringite Frontem until she has Testudinem Formate. The maneuvers and their effects are described below. Only one maneuver can be performed in a given turn. All of the maneuvers are
effective only with a shield and melee weapon.

Testudinem Formate (•): Your character is trained in assuming the legendary “tortoise” formation. All soldiers in the formation raise and overlap their shields, creating a nearly impenetrable wall. She gains +1 Defense against ranged weapons above and beyond her armor bonus, for each soldier in the formation, to a maximum of +5. Drawback: Characters taking part in the Testudinem Formate cannot attack while they benefit from (or contribute to)
this Defense bonus, and they can only move at half their Speed rating.

Ciringite Frontem (••): Your character knows how to work together with other soldiers to hold a position and better withstand an oncoming attack. If you succeed on a Strength + Weaponry roll, your character holds her ground and forces a knockback check (see the World of Darkness Rulebook) on any opponent who attacks her that turn. You may add +1 for each soldier in the formation, to a maximum of +5, to this Strength + Weaponry roll. Drawback: You may not add the character’s Defense to any incoming attack this turn. If she applies her Defense, she breaks formation and cannot benefit from its bonus or contribute to the bonus of any other soldier in the formation.

Cuneum Formate (•••): Your character can participate in a fast-moving wedge formation designed to break and scatter enemy lines. The quick assault knocks enemies off balance and forces aggressive attackers to go on the defensive. This attack is made at a –2 penalty. If successful, the attack does full damage to one opponent and that opponent’s melee attacks against the soldiers in this formation are made at a –1 penalty for each soldier in the formation, to a maximum of –5 for the remainder of the turn.

Orbem Formate (••••): Your character is trained in assuming a circular, defensive formation that protects any object or individual in the center. Whoever (or whatever) is in the center of this formation gains a +1 Defense bonus for each soldier in the formation, to a maximum of +5, applied against ranged and melee attacks. For every three soldiers in this formation, one adult (or adult-sized object) may benefit from the bonus applied. Drawback: The individual protected may not participate in combat. If he attempts to attack the opponent, the benefit of the Orbem Formate is lost.

Contendite Vestra Sponte (•••••): Your character can take part in a shockingly powerful assault, unleashing a wave of attacks in concert with her well-trained compatriots. If a character in this formation scores a successful hit with her melee weapon on an adversary, she may benefit from the position of her fellow soldiers, pushing them directly into another’s blade (or otherwise maximizing the benefit of her attack). This capitalization requires no additional roll; the adversary takes one additional level of lethal damage for each soldier in the formation, to a maximum of 5. Drawback: To participate in this formation, each soldier involved must spend a Willpower point before she makes her initial attack roll. The Willpower does not grant her the additional +3 to the attack. If the attack roll fails, the Willpower is wasted, and the Contendite Vestra Sponte bonus does not apply to her attack (although her participation may still be counted toward the bonus of another soldier’s attack in the formation).  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Fighting Style: Gladiatorial (• to ••••)

Prerequisites: Strength •••, Presence ••, Weaponry •••

Effect: Your character is a hardened warrior, seasoned by years of experience in street-level combat or battle in the gladiatorial arena. She knows how to use crude weaponry, cruel tricks and flashy, crowd-pleasing tactics to maximum effect.

Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special combat maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for the next. So, your character can’t have Weapon Slap until she has Stunning Attack. The maneuvers and their effects are described below. Only one maneuver can be performed in a given turn. All of the maneuvers are based on the Weaponry Skill.

Stunning Attack (•): Your character can make a sudden, howling attack of such viciousness that her opponent is knocked off balance. You must declare a Stunning Attack as your action before the attack roll is made. If the number of successes inflicted in the single Weaponry attack roll exceed the victim’s Composure rating, the victim loses his next action. Note that your character must scream or howl while making this attack — it cannot be performed silently.

Weapon Slap (••): Your character unleashes a powerful blow designed not to injure the opponent but to push his weapon or shield out of the way and create an opening that can be exploited. If the attack roll is successful, no damage is inflicted on the victim, but he does not apply his Defense (including the benefit added by a shield) to the next incoming attack (which may be from your character in the following turn, or from some other source beforehand).

Lethal Accuracy (•••): Your character has an innate understanding of the various types of armor and their weak spots. Attacks made with any lethal weapon have Armor Piercing 1 and penalties to hit specific targets or body parts (see “Specified Targets,” p. 165 of the World of Darkness Rulebook) are reduced by two.

Brutal Sacrifice (••••): Your character can intensify a lethal attack by staging it so that her weapon is embedded in the victim’s body and ensuring that the weapon’s removal will inflict more damage. You must declare a Brutal Sacrifice as your action before the attack roll is made. If the roll is a success, your character leaves her weapon in the victim’s body. If the weapon is not removed, the victim suffers a –2 penalty on all actions due to pain and physical interference. If the weapon is removed, it inflicts additional lethal damage equal to the weapon’s damage rating. This additional damage requires no roll. If the victim does not remove the weapon himself, your
character may attempt a Dexterity + Brawl attack to do so on a subsequent turn. Drawbacks: To perform this maneuver, your character must expend a point of Willpower before the attack roll is made. The Willpower does not grant an additional +3 on the roll. If the initial attack roll fails, the Willpower point is wasted and the Brutal Sacrifice may not be added. In addition, your character loses the use of the weapon until it is removed from the victim and returned to her.  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Stunt Rider (•••)

Prerequisites: Dexterity •••

Effects: Your character can ride a horse and perform an unrelated action (e.g., fire a bow, grab a running victim) in the same turn. Ride rolls may still be necessary for dangerous maneuvers or situations.  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Mental Merits Debate Style: Reason (• to •••••)

Prerequisites: Intelligence •••, Academics •

Effect: Your character has extensive practice and training in formal logical thought, either in life or undeath. She may be a philosopher, military tactician or scholar. Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special debate maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for the next. So, your character can’t have Dilemma until she has Reference. The maneuvers and their effects are described below. Only one maneuver can be performed in a given turn.

Reference (•): Your character is so skilled at carefully tying his statements to known or assumed truths that everything he says is just that much more difficult to attack. His wording is precisely chosen to remind the audience of accepted truths, even if the statement itself is not necessarily accurate. At the beginning of any turn, you may declare that the character is using Reference, and add a +1 to his Integrity for the turn. Your character can only use Reference if his argument that turn is based on Intelligence or Wits.

Dilemma (••): Your character knows how to word an argument so that the opponent is forced to make a choice between two statements, both of which actually damage her side of the debate. You must declare that the attack is a Dilemma, and make an Intelligence- or Wits-based roll as normal. If the roll is a success, the roll does not contribute progress toward the target number for victory, but the opponent is momentarily occupied in attempting to unravel the dilemma and may not apply her Integrity to the next argument leveled against her (which may be from your character in the following turn or from some other source beforehand).

Kairos (•••): Your character has an advanced sense of “Kairos,” or the “opportune moment.” He knows exactly how debate flows, and is well experienced in taking advantage of that flow to keep the audience on side, even when making use of unconventional tactics. Any time he makes a successful Intelligence- or Wits-based argument, he may declare it is a “Kairos” statement and follow it up by switching tactics without suffering the normal +5 penalty to his target numbers. Once Kairos is used, the debater’s tactics are considered switched from then on. If he wants to change tactic again without penalty, the debater will have to use Kairos again.

Hyperbaton (••••): Your character is capable of laying carefully constructed verbal traps designed to make an opponent look foolish, and even to open herself to an unexpected, weakening reply. When the opponent makes an attacking argument, your character may make a Defensive Argument in response (doubling his Integrity), and then suddenly answering with a quick, Wits-based reply that comprises a surprise attack. This reply is made at a –1 penalty. However, it does not subtract the opponent’s Integrity as normal.

Drawback: If your character is the target of any further arguments this turn, he cannot apply his Integrity against them. In addition, if the character was not already making use of the Deft Argument tactic, then Hyperbaton is a change of tactic and will invoke the +5 modifier on his target numbers.

Elocutio (•••••): The character is so well trained and so familiar with the rules of reason and logic that he is able to make arguments that attack multiple opponents’ positions with a single statement. Make a normal Intelligence- or Wits-based attack roll for the character. This roll receives a dice penalty equal to the number of opponents attacked with this argument (to a maximum of –5 dice). Successes achieved on this roll are applied to the cumulative totals for defeating all of the targeted opponents.

Drawback: To perform an Elocutio attack, you must expend a point of your character’s Willpower before you make the initial attack roll. The Willpower does not grant an additional +3 bonus to the roll. If the attack fails, the Willpower is wasted.  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Debate Style: Rhetoric (• to •••••)

Prerequisites: Presence •••, Expression •

Effect:Your character has extensive practice and training in formal techniques of public speaking and debate, either in life or undeath. He may be a politician, philosopher, diplomat or someone who just takes pleasure in arguing politics at the local tavern. Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special debate maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for the next. So, your character can’t have Ambiguous Statement until he has Ad Captandum. The maneuvers and their effects are described below. Only one maneuver can be performed in a given turn.

Ad Captandum (•): Your character is skilled at creating simple, short statements with surprisingly effective emotional impact. This “sound bite” delivery makes it that much easier to influence any audience. When your character makes use of Ad Captandum training, she gains a +1 bonus to any Presence- or Manipulation-based argument.

Ambiguous Statement (••): Your character knows how to craft loaded statements that make it difficult for an opponent to deny while maintaining an appealing stance. The opponent is essentially tricked into associating his position with something indefensible: arguing against the audience’s virtues, for instance, or attacking an unassailable subject (such as the gods). When making an Ambiguous Statement, your character may substitute either Manipulation for her Integrity until her next turn.

Synonymia (•••): Your character knows how to strengthen a statement with a formal trick that involves stringing a series of synonyms together in rhythmic speech, underscoring the point and making sure that everyone in the audience understands it clearly. Some of the terms inserted into the Synonymia may not actually be exactly identical in meaning to the original statement, broadening its meaning and making it more difficult to attack. The argument (which must be based on Presence or Manipulation) is made at a –2 penalty. If the argument is successful, the next argument leveled against the speaker is made at a –3 penalty.

Apologue (••••): Your character is a skilled and clever raconteur. She can enthrall an audience with her entertaining delivery (so long as the argument is based on Presence or Manipulation), getting the point across and impressing them all at the same time. No matter how many opponents level arguments against her, you may apply her full Integrity to all arguments in a single turn.

Innuendo (•••••): Your character has achieved unparalleled skill in rhetoric, placing her among legendary speakers and politicians. Her subtlety is such that she can conceal a direct personal attack in an apparently innocent statement, swaying the opinion of the audience without damaging her own position. She may perform a Humiliating Attack (gaining the +3 bonus) on a Presence or Manipulation argument roll without sacrificing her Integrity for the turn or losing Integrity for the rest of the debate.

Drawback: To perform an Innuendo attack, you must expend a point of your character’s Willpower before you make the initial attack roll. The Willpower does not grant an additional +3 bonus to the roll. If the attack fails, the Willpower is wasted.  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Noble Heritage (•• or ••••)

Effect: Your character is a legal descendant of an influential Roman family. Citizens of the Roman Empire and the Camarilla will be star-struck by the association with his lineage, and may be more easily influenced or
cowed because of it. For two dots, your character is part of a well-known
and respected line. He gets a +1 modifier to all Presence or Manipulation rolls when dealing with a legal citizen of the Roman Empire or a member of the Camarilla in good standing — so long as that individual knows the
vampire’s heritage. For four dots, your character is part of one of the most
revered or powerful lines in Roman history. He gets a +2 modifier on the relevant rolls.

Drawback: Your character is expected to behave with nobility and grace, embodying the qualities of his line. If he is caught participating in criminal or
otherwise disgraceful activity, he is likely to be judged more harshly than others; in those cases, the bonus he would normally enjoy becomes a penalty until he is cleared of suspicion.  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Patron (• to •••••)

Prerequisites: Status: Camarilla or Status: Wing •••

Your character is engaged in the practice of Kindred clientela, and one or more less powerful vampires are beholden to him. Because of the favors he has done for them in the past (generous material gifts, official endorsement allowing entry to a Wing of the Camarilla or other direct, beneficial expressions of political support), the lesser Kindred are considered the character’s dependent, and are forced to do your character’s bidding in an attempt to work off the debt. So long as your character provides the dependent with much-needed gifts, that dependent will never be able to escape the obligation. Each acquisition of this Merit grants your character one dependent, who can be called upon to perform duties or provide information at any time. This dependent must be younger and less powerful than your character — she should almost always be a single-Status neonate. You or the Storyteller should detail your dependent with an identity, background and character sheet of her own. The Storyteller usually plays your dependent. Dots spent in this Merit indicate the severity of the debt owed by the dependent to your character. One dot suggests a series of small favors that must be repaid in kind. Two dots indicates a foundation of assistance and gifts that have accumulated into a serious debt. Three dots represents a history of favors that would justify time consuming or difficult requests. Four dots represents favors that change the course of a vampire’s Requiem for the better, necessitating great effort to repay, and five dots represents gifts or favors that arguably saved the dependent from Final Death, allowing your character to demand massive repayment. Since the dependent is working to pay off a debt of favor, the Storyteller determines how much your character can expect of her dependent. If there’s any doubt, the Storyteller could call for a Manipulation + Persuasion roll, with a bonus equal to your character’s rating in the Patron Merit. Penalties might be applied based on the importance or danger of the request. Asking a vampire to do something already within the bounds of her role imposes no modifier, while asking her to do something that could cause her to lose Status imposes a –3 penalty, and asking forsomething that could result in exile or Final Death is –5. Frequent favors asked of the same dependent also imposes a penalty as the dependent grows tired of being called upon.

Drawback: Dependents are not automatons, waiting for your character to call for help. Dependents have their own Requiems and desires. relationship. A patronage is a two way street. Calling for aid without dispensing more favors allows a dependent to pay off her debt, and she may abandon your character if the Storyteller feels that the dependent’s duty is done. To prevent this eventuality, your character will have to continue to do the occasional favor for the dependent as well.  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Status: Camarilla (• to •••••)

In the society of Roman Kindred, the single governing organization of the Camarilla reigns over all affiliations and sects: to be a vampire citizen of Rome, one must pay tribute and service to its leadership. Mechanically, Camarilla Status works as a border-less version of City Status in Vampire: The Requiem. Camarilla Status represents a character’s reputation throughout the Camarilla as a whole, without distinction for the particulars of political affiliation, and may be added to dice pools for social interactions between Kindred of the Camarilla.

• citizen, new Embrace
•• accomplished citizen or minor noble
••• feared/greatly respected citizen or accomplished noble
•••• cornerstone of Camarilla society
••••• True embodiments of the ideas and accomplishments of Kindred Rome  

[Suicidesoldier#1]

Status: Wing (• to •••••)

The whole of the Camarilla is gathered together in four “Wings,” each of which plays an important role in the operation of Roman Kindred society, as well as providing a system of classification for its citizens. Mechanically, Wing Status works exactly as Covenant Status in Vampire: The Requiem. Wing Status represents a character’s reputation with respect to accomplishments on behalf of the members of a Wing of the Camarilla, or embodiment of that Wing’s ideals. Wing Status may be added to dice pools for social interactions between members of the Wing in question. Every Camarilla vampire is assigned a Primary Wing: usually, the one she is inducted into after Embrace — although, in some cases a second or third choice can surpass the first. In general, whichever Wing a vampire holds highest Status in determines which special abilities she can benefit from. A vampire with Wing Status: Cult of Augurs 3 and Wing Status: Senex 1 may learn and perform the rituals of the Veneficia, for example, but not gain the experience cost break for Merits that experience cost break for Merits that the Senex provides.

‘• The character is officially considered but is known to only a few members.
•• The majority of the Wing in the city recognizes the character’s face and can recall his exploits.
••• The character’s deeds are known to all in the local Wing. Some members elsewhere in the Roman lands may recognize his name or face and may have heard of him.
•••• Word of the character’s exploits has traveled far, and his name is known to Kindred throughout the Roman territories.
••••• The character’s name and face are synonymous with his Wing of the Camarilla; his exploits are taught to new members of the Wing.