Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.gurps
From: [soulie 1] at [uwindsor.ca] (Soulier Michael Patrick)
Subject: GURPS Vampire Optional Changes
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 1996 17:19:48 GMT
I casually mentioned this a while back, and there was some
interest, so here it is. I hated the way vampires were hamstrung in the
GURPS Vampire book, so I changed it.
Gurps Vampire: Optional Rule Changes
Karla turned to William, whispering into his ear with the silken
voice that always made him want her, "This one's mine darling." Karla's
eyes never left the doomed young woman leaving the restaurant alone,
pulling her coat close around her to protect her from the cool night
air.
William nodded as his desire for Karla welled up inside him.
"Soon", he thought as he watched his lover so expertly glide through the
crowded street, closing ever so slowly on her prey. Karla's patience
never ceased to amaze William. As hungry as he knows she must be right
now, he would never be able to take his time like Karla is right now.
It's like it's a game to her, and it probably is, more than he would
ever understand.
The doomed girl looked about her, perhaps realizing the folly of
travelling these streets alone, perhaps following some hidden or
unrealized instinct telling her that she was now in the greatest danger
of her young life. Whatever the reason, her instincts were not enough to
protect her from the formidable hunting skills of the shadow trailing
her through the crowd.
William followed behind, trying to match the infinite patience of
his lover as she closed the distance with her chosen prey. William
scanned the crowd, wondering if one of these night travellers would be
suitable for him, to keep his wait for his lover to a minimum. As
wonderful as the feeding can be, nothing compared to how Karla made him
feel.
Karla closed within an arms reach of the girl, admiring her
beautiful red hair, like fire, and her slender body. She could smell the
girl now, and her hunger began to build to an intolerable level. Karla
decided to wait for a time, purposely torturing herself to enhance the
inevitable moment later, until she could wait no longer. She crossed the
girl's left shoulder, far too close to go unnoticed, and the girl,
already on edge from her screaming instincts, gasped and jumped to her
right. She looked at Karla, and the vampire locked eyes with her,
startled to see such a stunningly beautiful woman smiling so sweetly at
her on a crowded street.
"Perfect", thought Karla as she focussed her concentration on the
doomed girl's eyes. She felt that familiar frame of mind, just as her
sire taught her to do so many years ago. The girl's eyes went blank as
Karla felt a surge of victory. She let the words glide from her mouth,
"follow me", then turned away and walked on, confident that the girl
would follow.
William watched intently as Karla led the poor girl into an
alleyway. "Wait, what's this...?", William thought as he considered a
dark man in a long trenchcoat that seemed to be watching a little too
closely as the woman and the girl disappeared down the alleyway. The man
scanned around carefully, as William tried to remember what Karla had
taught him about blending in with a crowd and hoped that the man
wouldn't notice his attention. The man turned down the alleyway,
apparently satisfied. William picked up his pace and headed for the
alleyway. This man was probably a common rapist, chasing after two
beautiful young women in search of tonight's thrill. William allowed a
slight smile to crease his face. He had found his prey.
For those GURPS Vampire players who wish to more closely model
the original WW material, I created this set of rules as optional
modifications to the original work by Jeff Koke. The point values were
modeled after Supers, except for the increased strength offered by blood
expenditures and by potence, because it wouldn't have worked if I had
used the Supers increased Strength chart.
Basically, just replace the existing vampire template with the one
offered below, and change the discipline costs as described below. For
those of you who have played the original game by White Wolf, you should
notice how closely these rules model the original material.
Karla turned down another alleyway leading behind the buildings
on the street. She turned, locking eyes with the poor girl who had no
idea why she was following this lovely stranger. Her gaze holding the
girl immobile, Karla opened the girl's jacket.
"What is she doing??", screamed the girl in her mind, unable to
speak as she stared into those eyes which seemed to go on forever. "Why
can't I move?? What's happening to me??" She couldn't even shiver as the
woman's hands touched her throat, ice cold, like death itself, and moved
down to her blouse where she began to unbutton it slowly. The woman
pulled the girls collar down, exposing her neck fully, and leaned
forward to brush her lips against the girl's lips, a delicate kiss that
sent a thrilling sensation through the girl's body. The girl saw the
slight protrusion of fangs from the woman's mouth just before the beauty
lowered her head to the girl's throat, and only as those fangs pierced
her flesh did she understand. All the fables and erotic stories of the
past, mercifully dismissed as such, came into sharp clarity as reality
came crashing down in a wave of ecstacy unlike she had ever dreamt of in
mortal love.
In the original material, disciplines did not cost the vampire
anything to use, except for the protean powers of level 2 and up, and
one blood point per turn for celerity. Celerity also offered extra
actions, not just improved speed, as Rage does for Werewolves, and
accelerated time does for Magi. The changes below model that.
Also, more importantly, the vampire could spend her blood points
for a raise in physical attributes that lasted the entire scene. The
expenditure was not a one-shot deal that ended after use. It lasted to
protect the vampire for the duration of the battle. So, I have also
modeled that below, with some very hefty costs to the template for being
able to use such a power. Fortunately, this was balanced by the
increased danger of sunlight, which I altered to affect the vampire
every two seconds, as opposed to every minute, considering that in the
original material, vampires took damage from sunlight every three second
game turn.
William closed with the dark newcomer from behind, as he headed
for the corner where his lover and her prey headed a minute before.
William concentrated on the blood coursing through him, burning some of
what he had left and increasing his strength in preparation for
grappling with the man. William reached forward, wrapping his right hand
around the man's chin, and his left be buried in the man's hair,
preparing to break his neck. Seemingly out of nowhere, an elbow impacted
William's chest, sending him roughly to the ground. The wind would have
been knocked out of him from the force of the blow had he
needed to breathe like a mortal.
When a vampire spends blood to improve her physical attributes,
the blood may be spent on ST, DX, or HT, at a rate of +2 to attributes
per blood point spent. All skills based on these attributes rise
temporarily as well, at the same rate. The increase lasts for the scene,
but for a more GURPS feel, the GM may wish to have it last a fixed
amount of time, like 1d minutes, for example. There is no limit to the
amount that attributes may be raised by this method, besides of course,
the vampire's available blood pool. Of course, the vampire may still
only spend blood at a rate determined by their generation (see the
optional generation table below). So if the vampire is 13th generation,
and wishes to use Celerity, which requires 1 BP per turn of use, she can
not spend blood on anything else, since she may only spend 1 BP per turn
due to her generation. Blood points may not be used to raise skills
alone, and since you may not raise IQ with these rules, mental skills
may never be raised by this method. Healing is done as described in
GURPS Vampire, but the blood point expenditures must still obey the
generation limit. These rules will only help you if you are of low
generation, or have time to prepare before a battle. Catching a vampire
by surprise is still the best way to fight them.
Note that blood may still be used to replenish a vampire's fatigue
pool, or supplement a normal fatigue use, at a rate of 2 fatigue per
blood point spent.
The young kindred immediately got to his feet and bared his fangs
at the enemy that he had just underestimated, and tried to paralize him
with fear as he had been taught. But as a smile appeared on the man's
face, and his trenchcoat tore from his increasing bulk, any thought of
intimidation left the young vampire's mind. The man's face sprouted hair
and elongated into a snout, with huge rows of teeth accenting the man's
smile. His claws gleamed in the half-light of the alleyway, and the
creature stared down at William with the look that he had seen himself
when he was first embraced, only angrier, full of hate.
Karla rounded the corner behind the creature and stopped cold,
fear appearing in her eyes for the first time since William had met her.
She instantly went for her jacket and the gun she kept there. The lupine
turned, seemingly forgetting William and charging Karla with astounding
speed. William's view of Karla disappeared as the lupine came down on
her, the sound of Karla's gun resounding in the alley. William shook
himself free of his fear-induced paralysis and charged forwards, burning
his blood to power his inhuman speed that still was slower than the
raging lupine.
The lupine's claws flashed down and Karla's screams puncuated the
night. William put more of his still dwindling blood supply into
building himself up for the fight, augmenting his already increased
strength even more, and he came down with linked fists on the lupine's
back like a jackhammer. In a blinding flash of speed the creature
turned, sending its claws across William's face faster than he could
move to stop it. Searing pain gripped William's face where the claws had
touched, unlike anything William had ever experienced. He faltered,
stumbling back in agony, as the lupine advanced slowly, taking its time
as the bullet wounds caused by Karla's gun slowly closed. Behind the
creature William could see Karla's body in final death, torn open and
ghastly to behold. Blood tears stained his face, joining the blood of
his wounds. He clenched his fists, pain turning to rage, and set his
blood afire and he charged his lover's killer, resolving to make him pay
for his pain. The lupine smiled.
Revised Template:
Super Advantages:
Blood Pool
10 blood pool = 20 point fatigue pool on top of normal fatigue
pool = 60 points. (Limitation, only recharged through blood -50%, max
of 2 fatigue used per turn -25%)
Cost = 15 points.
Blood Pool Usage
Temporary increase of ST, DX and HT by 2 per 2 fatigue, up to
max of blood pool of 10.
ST + 20 = 213pts. (-50% limitation of no fatigue gained)
DX + 20 = 425pts.
HT + 20 = 425pts.
(Limitation on all, costs 1 fatigue per use and temporary, max
limitation -75%)
Cost = 266 points.
Note: Each additional BP in pool costs 27 points by above
advantages. Use this to determine generation advantages.
Unaging = 15 pts.
Blood Healing = 25 pts.
Doesn't Breathe = 30 pts.
Vampiric Invulnerability = 100 pts.
Total Advantage Cost = 451 points.
Super Disadvantages
The Draining = -10 pts.
Unhealing = -20 pts.
Berserk = -15 pts.
Deadly Secret = -30 pts.
Rotschrek = Two Severe Phobias; Sunlight and Fire = -30 pts.
and -20 pts. respectively = -50 pts.
Sundeath = 1d damage per two turns (Sunlight: Very common
(80pts), extrapolation of weakness table in Supers to every two turns
(x3)) = -240 pts.
Weakness to Fire (Common, one level) = -15 pts.
Total Disadvantage Cost = -380 points.
Total Template Cost = 71 points.
Generation Advantage:
Note that this table was modeled directly from the original
material, as opposed to basing the blood pool off of HT. While this HT
basing idea was a good one, it introduced new problems if used with
this system, as the cost of HT would have to increase to account for
the higher blood pool.
Also note that the attribute maximums don't quite mesh with the
strength bonuses granted from potence like in WW. This was unavoidable,
as the systems are not entirely compatible.
Generation BP BP/turn CP cost Attribute
Max
13 10 1 0 20
12 11 1 27 20
11 12 1 54 20
10 13 1 81 20
9 14 2 108 20
8 15 3 135 20
7 20 5 270 21
6 30 6 540 22
5 40 8 810 24
4 50 10 1080 25
3 ?(60) ?(12) ?(1350) ?(28)
Non-Augmenting Disciplines:
All non-augmenting disciplines are now a cost of 10pts/level,
but require no fatigue or blood to activate, unless it specifically
says so under the discipline. The corresponding skill is used to
activate the power, and for certain checks during its use (GM's
discretion). Note that if blood is required, but the skill roll is
failed, the blood is not spent. Also note that under these rules,
Celerity costs 1 BP/turn of use, and Protean powers 2-5 cost 1 BP to
activate, as in the original Storyteller game. For disciplines above
level 5 using the GURPS Vampire Companion, only use the blood point
expenditures listed under each discipline description.
Augmenting Disciplines:
Celerity:
This can be accomplished with Altered Time Rate, with the -75%
limitation of one blood point per turn of use (or two fatigue), for a
cost of 25pts/level. Hence:
Power 1: 1 extra maneuver per turn. 25pts
Power 2: 2 extra maneuvers per turn. 50pts
Power 3: 3 extra maneuvers per turn. 75pts
Power 4: 4 extra maneuvers per turn. 100pts
Power 5: 5 extra maneuvers per turn. 125pts
Power 6: 6 extra maneuvers per turn. 150pts
Power 7: 7 extra maneuvers per turn. 175pts
Power 8: 8 extra maneuvers per turn. 200pts
Power 9: 9 extra maneuvers per turn. 225pts
Power10: 10 extra maneuvers per turn. 250pts
Fortitude:
This is simply extra DR, at 3pts per point. Note that the scale is
different, for reasons explained below. Note that this is always on, it
need not be turned on and off at a cost.
Power 1: 3 DR 9pts
Power 2: 5 DR 15pts
Power 3: 7 DR 21pts
Power 4: 9 DR 27pts
Power 5: 12 DR 36pts
Power 6: 15 DR 45pts
Power 7: 19 DR 57pts
Power 8: 23 DR 69pts
Power 9: 28 DR 84pts
Power 10: 33 DR 99pts
Potence:
This is simply increased strength, but the scale was
inappropriate. I have designed my own. Originally, if you bought potence
as a non-clan discipline, it would cost 8 points for the first level,
which was only an increase of +1 to strength. For two more points, a
permanent increase could have been gained if your ST was near average or
just above. I have strived to make buying the discipline worth the cost,
and then balanced Fortitude accordingly. Note that this is always on. It
need not be turned on and off at a cost. Simply note the normal ST and
the enhanced ST separated by a slash. When you with to raise the ST
score, you raise the base ST, not the addition of the two, and no
fatigue is gained by the addition of the two.
Power 1: +4 ST 23pts
Power 2: +8 ST 63pts
Power 3: +12 ST 113pts
Power 4: +16 ST 163pts
Power 5: +24 ST 263pts
Power 6: +30 ST 338pts
Power 7: +40 ST 463pts
Power 8: +50 ST 588pts
Power 9: +60 ST 713pts
Power 10: +70 ST 838pts
Note that the above point values all have the -50% limitation,
no fatigue bonus (rounded down).
When a vampire uses blood to increase a physical attribute, all
skills defaulting off of that attribute go up as well. The increase
lasts for the scene, just like in the ST system (or the GM could roll a
random number, like 1d minutes, etc.). When HT is raised, and the
character is damaged, any points of damage that did not drop the raised
HT below the original HT are lost. Otherwise, treat the damage normally.
For the duration of the HT increase, the character uses the increased HT
for all HT rolls, as well as accounting for how much of a HT pool that
the character has below 0 HT. When the HT drops back to normal, the
character takes the consequences of her current HT level.
Potence was designed so that there was a visible increase in
damage done in HTH combat with each increase. I simply began at 10 ST
and increased swing by 1d damage per level. Fortitude was designed such
that it equalled the average damage done by the same level of Potence.
Most characters will start with a ST above 10, so on the average, it
should soak all but a little damage that gets through, which is the
spirit of the WW rules with their automatic successes on damage for
Potence. Note that the increased ST cost was kept down by granting no
bonuses to the fatigue pool.
Basing the blood pool off of HT was thrown out to more closely
model the original material, and for ease of calculation of generation
advantages.
Here is a sample character for reference.
Name: Corey Blaine Cost: 300pts
Clan: Brujah
ST: 11/15 (10pts) (the 15 is with potence 1 added)
DX: 12 (20pts)
IQ: 11 (10pts)
HT: 12 (20pts)
Advantages:
Vampire template 71pts
Willpower +3 3pts
Courage +2 2pts
Conscience +2 2pts
Combat Reflexes 15pts
Disadvantages:
Self-Control -4 -8pts
Skills:
Area Knowledge (Local City) 13 (4pts)
Area Knowledge (Local State) 12 (2pts)
Brawling 14 (4pts)
Carousing 13 (4pts)
Detect Lies 10 (2pts)
Driving (Car) 10 (0.5pt)
Motorcycle 12 (1pt)
Fast-Draw (Knife) 15 (8pts)
Fast-Draw (Pistol) 12 (1pt)
Fast-Talk 12 (4pts)
Guns TL7 (Pistol) 15 (8pts)
Guns TL7 (Lt. Auto) 13 (2pts)
Knife 14 (4pts)
Knife Throwing 14 (4pts)
Sex Appeal 14 (8pts)
Shadowing 14 (8pts)
Stealth 14 (8pts)
Streetwise 14 (8pts)
Holdout 9 (0.5pt)
Disciplines:
Potence 1 23pts
Celerity 1 25pts
Presence 1 10pts
Awe 13 (16pts)
All in all, there were some advantages that weren't taken into
account, as well as some equally obscure disadvantages. Hopefully, they
will cancel each other out in the long run. The point of these rules
was to model the original material as closely as possible. Enjoy.
Michael Soulier <[soulie 1] at [server.uwindsor.ca]>
<[af 897] at [freenet.hamilton.on.ca]>
"Villians, I say to you now, knock off all that evil!" -The Tick