House Rules: OWBN: Sabbat: Bartow Badlands Network Game: Lake Alfred Wyrm: Blood Moon Risen Network Game: Lakeland 4D Cam/Anarch revised July2020 Fair Play Doctrine: You must be checked into game in order to interact. IC, during the normal game-time(s). For example, if you are calling someone on the phone, you must let them know of this rule, and they must consent before any exchange of information or interaction is allowed. You must sign-in to game to be eligible to play, and to earn XP. Signing in acknowledges that your character has physically entered the game-area, and signing-out will indicate that your character has safely exited the game-area. At check-in, you will receive blood and willpower beads equal to your level. The back of this card will specify which rituals you have cast. In-character emails must be CC’d to a Storyteller so that the flow of information can be verified at a later time. Emails to an OWbN Coordinator or Sub-Coordinator should be CC’d to the HST. Disciplinary Policy: 1. Strike Policy: By playing in this game, you agree to abide by all rules posted and all decisions made by the staff. This game is a privilege, not a right. We wield the ban hammer. 2. Too Bad, So Sad: The Staff’s job is NOT to remind you how to play your sheet, or how powers are used. If you fail to call something, or forget about a power, ability, etc; that’s too bad. Know your capabilities… for everything else, write it down or use a smart-phone/tablet. 3. Arguing with staff is strictly forbidden. The Storyteller reserves the right to change a rule or make a rule call on the spot, that may be contradictory to the house rules, as well as deny anything any PC wishes to do that the staff feels may be too damaging to the overall structure or atmosphere of the game. Any item may be denied, however most likely it will just be temporary weakened and still be allowed in play. We do not destroy the item cards our players have that are not from our game. Lastly, Storytellers reserve the right to deny entrance into the game by any character for whatever reason. 4. This is the world of darkness. The themes may be dark at times, but if any player is uncomfortable with any scene they are involved in or witness to, they have the full right to leave the scene and/or ask the Storytellers to review it, to decide whether to red-line the scene or take further actions in regards to bylaw violations. Feeding & Check-In: The only time allowed for feeding while in this game is right before and at the start of game-play, for the first hour. This rule is in support of the Territory-Based, Influence-Dependent feeding system. If you arrive by normal feeding time, you may be allowed to cast rituals without a test, up to your Occult ability level.(Max 5) Starting Blood is equal to 3+ Survival with added possible bonuses from Presence, and Dominate, or Animalism. (Serpentis 1 is also helpful however everything is subject to ST discretion.) Combat: No willpower refreshes in the middle of an action or discipline activation. No Celerity in the Surprise round. Only one “Carrier Attack” per challenge. “Carrier Attacks” only happen on normals. Combat healing is allowed. No more than 5 characters may attack individual during the same action at once (including Arms of the Abyss) Order of operations: If a PC of slower Initiative is targeted they may choose to bring their action up and contest the challenge. Contested actions must be of the same type. This may only be done if the player has an action available. If you don’t have an action you must bid a stamina related trait. Initiative is determined by adding the total physical trait count(without weapons bonuses), and 1 for each level of celerity they have. Normal Actions (blood expenditures, discipline or ritual powering, etc). Swiftness Follow ups Legerity Follow ups End of round actions(Black Metamorphosis action, continuing to transform, etc) Player may defend themselves from end of round actions as if they too, had an available action. Two Weapon combat (Melee, Firearms, brawl) Is run out of Dark Epics. To get the extra traits you must bid an extra trait unless you have the Ambidextrous Merit. Effects of Frenzy and Rotschreck: When in frenzy, a Cainite has the following advantages and disadvantages: They ignore all wound penalties until they reach torpor or Final Death. They cannot initiate Social Challenges unless it is related to intimidation. They do not need to risk any Social Traits if a Social Challenge is called against them. They are immune to further checks for frenzy or Rotschreck. Abilities(cool bonuses) Academics Characters with this ability gain Latin as a free language At 3 dots Italian At 5 dots Greek. Awareness if a power is used against your character unsuccessfully, then you can request an "Awareness check" to determine if your character noticed. The level of the ability had, will be proportionate to the level of power used. (Someone uses Presence of 4 to summon your character, they fail their test and you request an Awareness check. You would need Awareness 4 or higher to be able to determine if such a power was used. If successful, you are aware of the fact that a power was used against your character, although the character doesn't know from where or whom unless its blatantly obvious.) Linguistics (Grants extra languages. Languages are hard to learn and some take lifetimes to get right. 1 (3 total), 2 (4 total), 3 (5 total), 4 (6 total), 5 (7 total). Natural Linguist merit doubles these totals. Crafts: The required time for crafting an object of art will be 1 week per level of the Crafts skill employed in its creation. More than one craft may be used per work of art It is possible for a character to create an artistic masterpiece, an expression of their chosen form that exemplifies their devotion to their craft, and is beyond their normal ability. For further rules on this subject, see the OWbN Toreador Clan Genre Packet. Weapons & Armor Crafting: A system of Crafting Points shall be employed in the creation of an item, determined by the number of crafts that the character has, and how many they are investing in an item. 1) Crafts 1 – 1 Crafting Point 2) Crafts 2 – 2 Crafting Points 3) Crafts 3 – 4 Crafting Points 4) Crafts 4 – 6 Crafting Points 5) Crafts 5 – 8 Crafting Points 6) Crafts 6 – 12 Crafting Points 7) Crafts 7 – 16 Crafting Points 8) Crafts 8 – 20 Crafting Points 9) Crafts 9 – 25 Crafting Points 10) Crafts 10 – 30 Crafting Points Listed below are the special abilities that may be applied to custom made or modified Firearms, Melee Weapons, and Armor. No special ability may be selected more than once for a given item. (a) Armor 1) 1 Crafting Point: Remove Negative Trait. 2) 2 Crafting Points: Remove Second Negative Trait. 3) 3 Crafting Points: Increase Concealability. 4) 4 Crafting Points: Cancel Armor Piercing special ability. 5) 5 Crafting Points: Add one Health level to armor. May be taken more than once An Armors health levels can’t exceed it's craft level (b) Melee 1) 1-10 Crafting Points: Potence Resistance equal to the number of Crafting Points invested. 2) 2 Crafting Points: Remove a Negative Trait 3) 3 Crafting Points: Remove a second Negative Trait 4) 4 Crafting Points: Increase Concealability 5) 5 Crafting Points: Customize a melee weapon for a single user add one bonus trait for that user 6) 6 Crafting Points: Increase damage one level 7) 6 Crafting Points: Remove a third Negative trait 8) 6 Crafting Points: Increase Bonus Traits by one 9) 8 Crafting Points: Add a Special Ability 10) 9 Crafting Points: Increase damage a Second level 11) 9 Crafting Points: Increase Bonus Traits by one more 12) 12 Crafting Points: Add a Special Ability (c) Firearms (these are in addition to the melee modifications) 1) 1 Crafting Point: Increase the firearms Ammo Capacity by 2. Maybe taken more than once at ST Discretion 2) 2 Crafting Points: Modify a semi-automatic weapon to fire Bursts and/or Full Auto (ST approval) 3) 3 Crafting Points: Custom sights, giving the user 1 additional Trait on aimed shots. 4) 4 Crafting Points: Increase the firearms Rate of Fire by 1 Maybe taken more than once Rate of fire can’t be increased above 5 5) Remove the loud negative trait by adding a silencer Loud may only be removed this way and only at St discretion Crafts: Potence Resistant Weapons A Potence resistant melee weapon is resistant to breakage, even when the wielder possesses supernatural strength. Any such weapon will have a Potence Resistance rating (1-10). This number is the level of Potence (1-10) that may be employed in combat against normal foes by the weapon's wielder without any chance of breaking the weapon. If the weapon strikes an unyielding target, such as a concrete wall, normal chances for breakage will apply, at the ST's discretion. In addition, if Potence is employed to use the weapon to strike a target possessing Fortitude, and the target's Fortitude level (1-10) is higher than the Potence Resistance rating of the weapon, normal breakage rules apply If 10 Crafting points are spent on Potence resistance an additional 10 may be spent to make a melee weapon indestructible Disciplines Animalism: Feral Whispers Kindred cannot communicate with each other using Feral Whispers, even if they are in Subsume. Levels 1, 2, and 4 only work on natural creatures (no supernatural ones). Subsume Aura Perceiving an Animal under the effect of Subsume (4) reveals only the animal’s aura. Auspex: Aura Perception Takes a full round to use, without a pause it makes it hard to detect lies when conversing with the individual you intend to Aura Perceive. Therefore, AP may not be used inside of casual conversation to detect lies. Someone outside of the conversation, however, may use it for this purpose. On that same note, AP may be used to detect lies in an interrogation situation, as the obviousness of the power being used will be undeniable. When attempting to “read” other types of beings, the character must have at least one level of the appropriate lore to recognize the creature. Astral Projection While a character is in Astral Projection, that character may not spend blood. You do not need to manifest to use another levels of Auspex Celerity: Rapidity You may use the bomb in most challenges with the exception of attacking with firearms and/or archery weapons. Fleetness Ties gained with Fleetness may not be used when attacking with firearms, thrown, or archery weapons. Dominate: Forgetful Mind & Conditioning All uses of Forgetful Mind and Conditioning on a PC require a signed card. Mesmerism requires a card only when the effects are not immediate. Possession If another kindred tries to possess a body already in use it comes down to a mental challenge, Generation checks still apply. Reading the aura of someone in Possession reveals the aura of the one using Possession, not the one being possessed. Fortitude: Sources of Damage For the purposes of testing down damage with Fortitude, if you make one physical challenge and hit it is considered one source of damage Aegis First use ever of this power is free and it has the following advantages: If a character has Aegis, the damage test downs of level 3 and 4 automatic and require no test but must still be declared. Obfuscate: Mask of 1000 Faces Only affects you, not clothes or personal effects. Movement in Obfuscate With levels 2 and 3 you can move at the rate of two steps per combat round (one if taking an action). Level 4: four steps (two if taking an action). Level 5: six steps, as per full movement (three if taking an action). Celerity may not be used without breaking Obfuscate. Obtenebration: Arms of the Abyss Can only be summoned from inanimate shadows. Your arms may use your abilities. Black Metamorphosis While in this form gain the effects of Shadow Play. Presence: Awe You must be in an individual’s presence to use Dread Gaze & Entrancement Do not have to be directly looking at the user’s face, but must be aware of the user’s presence for those powers to take effect. Summoning The target will know who they are being summoned by should they be defeated in the challenge.The target will then try to evade anyone who would stop them from reaching their target, as per the write up. Majesty Everyone who is aware of your presence will be affected no matter the distance. Everyone in close proximity a small room will automatically become aware of your presence The attacker must defeat the wielder each round they wish to attack them. All powers of presence maybe used without breaking the Masquerade/Silence of Blood. Protean: Feral Claws Will not stack when using weapons. Shape of the Beast Does not stack with any out-of-body or possession powers (Auspex 5, Animalism 4, Dominate 5, etc…) for bonus traits. For Non-Gangrel bonus traits are as follows; Bat 5 mentals 1 physical Wolf 5 physicals 1 mental Mist Form When used, causes you to lose access to all blood-fueled powers. Quietus: Levels 2 & 4 Allow a maximum number of coated “charges” equal to the bonus traits of the weapon. These coatings lost their potency when the sun rises. Blood Magic: Takes the whole turn, meaning no other actions in the round, unless otherwise stated. Some types of Thaumaturgy are different though, and in some cases one may need to stand still, while in others one may be able to be ambulant(moving) while casting. These will be handled on a case by case basis. Thaumaturgy rituals may not be cast while in Astral Projection. Rituals with material component requirements also do not operate while the user is in Astral Projection. Rituals cast on you must be cast on the current body of the caster; they do not transfer (and will not work if you go into Possession for example). Thaumaturgy: Neptune’s Might Blood to Water No more than 5 blood traits may be transformed per use and only as many as the caster has of the occult ability. Path of the Levin bolt Stuns the target for an action not the round. Transmutation Gaol Requires the individual to spend their traits, and then initiate a mental versus physical challenge if it is used on a person. Tremere Rituals: Pavis of the Foul Presence Only works against basic and intermediate presence powers. Rend the Mind Has a maximum damage of 3. Koldunic Sorcery: Way of Spirit Is ran like Astral Projection although you can use Koldunic Sorcery through it. you may spend a willpower to get to focus on which realm you are looking at to avoid penalties. You may only look into realms that you have the lore to know about. Necromancy: Soul Stealing As per the Giovanni Clanbook 3rd Ed. (Victim is up one trait). While out of your body, you may still use Disciplines that do not require blood. Should your body take damage you soul will return back to your body immediately. Daemonic Possession May only be used on a willing target as per LotN:R. Vicissitude: Fleshcraft May be used in combat to give opponent the negative trait Repugnant with a maximum of 3 such traits. This is the only way Vicissitude may be used in combat. Bonecraft May spend a blood to grow bone spurs increasing brawl damage by 1 this is instead of the usual way it is used in combat. Horrid Form + 1 step in combat. Blood Form May be used to turn heart to blood(at will)making you immune to staking. Notes: We do not allow any power, combo-discipline, or ritual that causes instant death for a PC without a challenge. We have no fear propping in your favor to the organization for something rare or unusual, if you can explain how it came to be. (We like it weird) Character Creation: All Characters require a minimum one paragraph character concept. Character builds will use the corresponding sect MES book, although they may have backgrounds and abilities, merits and flaws from any of the OWBN approved books.(unless otherwise noted as rare and unusual, hence requireing approvals.)We here at Bartow, love to utilize characters backgrounds to create an environment where the player feels their character has interactivity with the world as well as character to character interactions. The Retainers Background 1. 4% unspent xp, Influence Cap+1 Starting blood -1 2. 8% unspent xp, Influence Cap+2 Starting blood -1 3. 12% unspent xp, Influence Cap+3 Starting blood -2 4. 16% unspent xp, Influence Cap+4 Starting blood -2 5. 20% unspent xp, Influence Cap+5 Starting blood -3 The max number of retainers is 1 per dot you have in the background. The xp is divided among them however the player decides. All retainers require sheets approved by the ST in order to affect game in anyway. When your retainer dies you will have the option to grow it back like influence. This background can never be combined with Animal Retainers for more xp. High Clans starting blood penalty is one less. Retainers can have one flaw, and one merit. A flaw adds to their overall unspent XP. The Animal Retainers Background 1. 4% unspent xp, Starting blood -1 2. 8% unspent xp, Starting blood -1 3. 12% unspent xp, Starting blood -2 4. 16% unspent xp, Starting blood -2 5. 20% unspent xp, Starting blood -3 The max number of retainers is 1 per dot you have in the background. The xp is divided among them however the player decides. All Animal retainers require sheets approved by the ST. When your retainer dies you will have to option to grow it back like influence. This background can never be combined with Retainers for more xp. Low Clans starting blood penalty is one less. Animal Retainers can have one flaw and one merit(within reason). A flaw will add to the overall unspent XP. Animal Retainers Health Levels • Small Healthy, Bruised, Wounded, Incapacitated • Medium Same as Kindred • Large healthy +1 bruised +1 • Huge Healthy + 2 bruised +2 Animal Retainer Damage Animal retainers do lethal or bashing Claws will generally do 1 Bites will generally do 2 Generation Background Starting background for Vampires can be no lower than 11th gen.(Unless PC sire) We do not use the Influence Background. Age background(This is the only background that Animal Retainers may have!!!) • Human Ghouls/Revenants 1. 100 years of age 2. 200 years of age(this level and higher, will require approval from staff for PCs) 3. 300 years of age 4. 400 years of age 5. 500 years of age • Animals 1. 1 year of age increase one size category. 2. 5 years of age +1 physical trait cap. 3. 10 years of age + 2 physical trait cap. 4. 20 years of age + 3 physical trait cap, - 1 Social trait cap, - 1 Mental trait cap. 5. 40 years of age + 4 physical trait cap, - 2 Social trait cap, - 2 Mental trait cap. Blood Pool • Retainers Base 5, +1 per dot in age. You can also increase this by five by feeding them every night it takes one month to achieve this and they must feed every 3 nights to maintain this state. (Blood penalties will be multiplied by 4) • Revenants Base 10, +1 per dot in age. You can also increase this by five by feeding them every night it takes one month to achieve this and they must feed every 3 nights to maintain this state. (Blood penalties will be multiplied by 4) • Animal Retainers Small(mouse/cat) base 3. Medium (dog/ pig/Hellhounds) base 5. Large (Horse/Bear) base 7. Huge (Elephant/Whale)base 9. All get + 1 Per dot in age. You can also Double this by feeding them every night it takes one month to achieve this and they must feed every 3 nights to maintain this state. (Blood penalties will be doubled) Disciplines • Human Retainers Can learn up to second basics + 1 for every dot in generation their Domitor possesses divided by 2. (Rounded up) They may learn the physical disciplines at out of clan cost.(Potence,Celerity,Fortitude) They may learn their Domitor's in-clans at out of clan cost. Any other disciplines are double in-clan cost and require drinking blood from kindred that possesses the discipline as an in-clan. (changing your Domitor takes 1 year) • Revenants Can learn up to first basics + 1 for every dot in Age they possesses. They may learn their in-clan disciplines at out of clan cost. Any other disciplines are double in-clan cost. They may gain the advantages of human retainers by being ghouled • Animal Retainers They may learn the physical disciplines at out of clan cost. Trait Caps • Willpower Humans Starting 2 Max 8 Revenants Starting 2 Max 10 Animals Starting 2 Max 6 • Physical Humans/Revenants 10 Animals Small 5 Medium 8 Large 11 Huge 14 • Mental/Social Humans/Revenants 10 Animals 8 Characters(PCs) Traits 6/4/3 Willpower 2 Abilities 5 (plus clan-bonuses.) ANY clan bonuses Freebies---- PC Ghouls get 15xp starting, plus 10xp with a PC domitor, and 5 more with a background written up. Revenants get 30 starting XP, and 5 more with a background written up. Vampires start with 60xp and REQUIRE a background written up. Disciplines---- PC Ghouls 1 in Potence or in a physical discipline their Domitor possesses. Vampire 1 in each category. Virtues---- 1 in each category, then 7 distributed among them (5 for Revenants/PCGhouls) Hellhounds Traits Physical 10 Mental N/A -May not engage or be engaged in Mental challenge. Social N/A- May not engage or be engaged in Social challenges. Willpower 6 Heath Levels Same as Vampires Disciplines Starting Swiftness, Might, Mettle. Max Advanced Potence, Celerity, Fortitude. Abilities, Alertness 4, Athletics 2, Brawl 4. Dodge 4, Intimidation 4, Stealth 2, Survival 4. Damage Bite Ag : 2 Claw Ag : 1 Size Medium Spirit/Wraith Slaves, Wraith Retainers... These Retainers will mostly only be usable as spies!!! In the case of ones that have physical forms on this plain their power level will be similar to that of animal retainers or human retainers. Wraith/Spirit/other retainers require a sheet to be approved by the storyteller. Max of 1 per dot in background. Influence System: As per bylaws in regards to actions, growth, concealing, attacking, etc. However; Each Influence is wrapped within a dense web of control by rivaling factions. In order for one to grow and or utilize their influences without penalty, one must work with the factions that have sway in said influence. The vast amount of resources are constantly shifting hands as holders tug and pull on those they have influence over. This not only creates roleplay and grants new players instantaneous plot, but also gives them a sense of "place" within the darkness of our chronicle. Example: John wants to grow his influence from street 1 to street 2, so he spends his monthly actions into growth. When he has achieved the level of growth required to earn the next dot, He is visited by a man, who claims to be connected to the streets. He requires a favor, in order for him to 'allow' you the next dot of your influence growth. Or say Jenny wishes to use her Transportation influence of 3, to get herself a safe ride out of town. She may have more than option to get her way, ie perhaps there is more than one faction(there is) always vying for control over the resources of the county. She can go with the local cab company, or perhaps even get herself smuggled into a moving truck. In return, she may be called on to help purchase new cars or to help drive a truck across a border dangerously close to sunrise. Areas will be controlled by the influence factions, and therefor the feeding is affected. Only those who work with the factions for control of those areas will have an easy time staying sustained.