May 26, 2025 1:25 pm
This thread will be for creating our characters.
[Character Creation] The Embrace
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May 26, 2025 7:20 pm
Well, let's start with the obvious: Is anything off the table?
Any limits on Clans, Backgrounds, and so on... or is it open season?
Any limits on Clans, Backgrounds, and so on... or is it open season?
May 26, 2025 9:13 pm
Stalker05 says:
What is everyone planning to play? I have always wanted to play a Ventrue.
May 26, 2025 11:36 pm
Like MaJunior, I'm happy to play anything to keep overlap to a minimum.
That being said, my first thought was a Toreador infiltrator, someone who hob nobs with the Elysium elite, but is mainly focused on a secret long game. Is he a pawn of some mysterious party, or seeking answers to a mystery of his past, or looking for revenge? Who knows!?
That being said, my first thought was a Toreador infiltrator, someone who hob nobs with the Elysium elite, but is mainly focused on a secret long game. Is he a pawn of some mysterious party, or seeking answers to a mystery of his past, or looking for revenge? Who knows!?
May 27, 2025 1:16 am
Open season MaJunior, but do pitch first so that I can say whether it'll work or not with whatever I have in store. Ffor example, I'm not leaning to a Sabbat game, so no need to go there. You're either Camarilla or Anarch.
Note we don't have to start together already knowing each other much, that's what the session zero is for. I'm perfectly comfortable with some individual threads so long as you all are.
Note we don't have to start together already knowing each other much, that's what the session zero is for. I'm perfectly comfortable with some individual threads so long as you all are.
May 27, 2025 1:28 am
Good deal.
So while I had perused some of the lore for 5E I hadn't seriously gotten into character building mechanics before now. Holy hell there are some real changes from 1/2/V20, etc. Feels a lot more like NWoD. Also... surprisingly few merits and flaws (especially compared to the old days).
Not complaining, mind you. It's just a considerable difference.
So while I had perused some of the lore for 5E I hadn't seriously gotten into character building mechanics before now. Holy hell there are some real changes from 1/2/V20, etc. Feels a lot more like NWoD. Also... surprisingly few merits and flaws (especially compared to the old days).
Not complaining, mind you. It's just a considerable difference.
May 27, 2025 1:32 am
Yep some significant changes, and I'll help contextualise them as we brainstorm and start playing.
If you want to move from the corebook to the new sourcebooks you'll be able to find more options, and I'm fine with that too.
If you want to move from the corebook to the new sourcebooks you'll be able to find more options, and I'm fine with that too.
May 27, 2025 2:09 am
I just remember in 2E and V20 Merits were everywhere... like feats in D&D 3/3.5E. Just everywhere. An overwhelming number of options.
The lists today are so tiny by comparison!
Also, I miss Efficient Digestion. Lol
The lists today are so tiny by comparison!
Also, I miss Efficient Digestion. Lol
May 27, 2025 3:28 am
As I said a few days ago in the thread for this game, I was thinking of a haughty high society Dominatrix for may character. She would be a Ventrue Osiris with a bit of fame and status, a haven, and resources, plus a good sized Herd. She'd be a social creature, primarily, with a Discipline focus on Presence.
May 27, 2025 3:28 am
Stalker05 says:
What is everyone planning to play? I have always wanted to play a Ventrue.Last edited May 27, 2025 3:30 am
May 27, 2025 7:08 am
I'm with MaJunior, I have a bunch of different concepts I'd be happy with. Right now I'm just reading through the clan descriptions going "Ohh, Malkavian! Ohh, Duskborn! Oh, post-schrecknet-debacle Noss! Or post-pyramid-collapse Tremere! Options, options..."
So I'll ruminate a little and see what everyone else is interested in playing before settling on an idea.
So I'll ruminate a little and see what everyone else is interested in playing before settling on an idea.
May 27, 2025 9:37 am
@Drgwen I am absolutely fine with you playing Ventrue. As you said, we both can play Ventrue, maybe we can have the same Sire if you want. I am also considering playing a Brujah or a Tremere, if I don't play Ventrue.
My character concept is like I am some kind of informant for the Prince. It's not like I lick their boots; it's just that he keeps enough information for the prince to make him indispensable in the Elysium.
Same case, if we are playing the Anarch.
My character concept is like I am some kind of informant for the Prince. It's not like I lick their boots; it's just that he keeps enough information for the prince to make him indispensable in the Elysium.
Same case, if we are playing the Anarch.
Last edited May 27, 2025 9:38 am
May 27, 2025 10:36 am
MaJunior says:
I just remember in 2E and V20 Merits were everywhere... like feats in D&D 3/3.5E. Just everywhere. An overwhelming number of options. The lists today are so tiny by comparison!
Also, I miss Efficient Digestion. Lol
May 27, 2025 2:06 pm
What's our setting? Time and place?
Sorry if this has been said I just woke up.
Sorry if this has been said I just woke up.
May 27, 2025 2:19 pm
Emberskyes says:
What's our setting? Time and place?Sorry if this has been said I just woke up.
May 27, 2025 3:27 pm
Emberskyes says:
What's our setting? Time and place?Sorry if this has been said I just woke up.
Also, you're 13th gen, classic starting point, not thin-bloods. And I'm thinking we start as Childer (embraced in the last 15 years) rather than Neonate (1940s to 2010s), as a reasonable in-game start point, unless you want to make a compelling case for everyone having been active for the last 70 years or so, which makes for a different starter game.
May 27, 2025 3:58 pm
I mean... we could make a case for being embraced in the early 00s.
(The real case is, "I want 15xp to start with," but umm... I as a player was born in '78, so I was in my mid to late 20s in the 2000s -- totally reasonable time to be embraced. 😁)
(The real case is, "I want 15xp to start with," but umm... I as a player was born in '78, so I was in my mid to late 20s in the 2000s -- totally reasonable time to be embraced. 😁)
May 27, 2025 4:20 pm
God I feel old suddenly. Lol.
I don't mind being out of touch with the times a bit. Young but from an earlier time. Asleep for decades.
I don't mind being out of touch with the times a bit. Young but from an earlier time. Asleep for decades.
May 28, 2025 2:14 am
I'm happy being a Gen Z or Millennial dipwad, I mean, modern and in touch peep with the ris and the glow on.
May 28, 2025 3:11 am
MaJunior says:
I mean... we could make a case for being embraced in the early 00s. (The real case is, "I want 15xp to start with," but umm... I as a player was born in '78, so I was in my mid to late 20s in the 2000s -- totally reasonable time to be embraced. 😁)
Emberskyes don't feel too old I'm born in '69.
More seriously, I haven't thought of this game scenario as being meant for more experienced characters who've been around for a while. That'll be a pitch for a different game really, eg Ancillae running around in a larger metaplot between Camarilla vs Sabbat, or dealing with methuselahs.
So back to contextualising, my frame of mind for starting a V5 game is to see how this system plays out from the start, and how it grows along the way. I'm enjoying all the happy hankerings for the many other things we could play thanks to the richness of Vampire, but V5 dials back a number of things, so we won't be going there for now. Just making sure I've got everyone's expectations aligned. You're gonna have to earn those xps!
May 28, 2025 10:14 am
Qralloq made this one, posted under Custom Character Sheets, and I've taken the liberty to paste it here too.
[ +- ] Vampire: The Masquerade 5th edition
Create character
| Concept: | |
| Ambition: | |
| Clan: | |
| Desire: | |
| Predator: | |
| Generation: | |
| Sire: |
| Humanity: | |
| Willpower, Max: | |
| Blood:, Max: | |
| Health: | |
| Hunger: | |
| Blood Potency: | |
| Experience: | 0 |
| Physical | |||
| STR | d10 | ||
| DEX | d10 | ||
| STA | d10 |
| Social | |||
| CHA | d10 | ||
| MAN | d10 | ||
| COM | d10 |
| Mental | ||
| INT | d10 | |
| WIT | d10 | |
| RES | d10 |
| Talents | |||
| Athletics | d10 | ||
| Brawl | d10 | ||
| Craft | d10 | ||
| Drive | d10 | ||
| Firearms | d10 | ||
| Larceny | d10 | ||
| Melee | d10 | ||
| Stealth | d10 | ||
| Survival | d10 |
| Skills | |||
| Animal Ken | d10 | ||
| Etiquette | d10 | ||
| Insight | d10 | ||
| Intimidation | d10 | ||
| Leadership | d10 | ||
| Performance | d10 | ||
| Persuasion | d10 | ||
| Streetwise | d10 | ||
| Subterfuge | d10 |
| Knowledges | |||
| Academics | d10 | ||
| Awareness | d10 | ||
| Finance | d10 | ||
| Investigation | d10 | ||
| Medicine | d10 | ||
| Occult | d10 | ||
| Politics | d10 | ||
| Science | d10 | ||
| Technology | d10 |
| Chronicle Tenets |
| Touchstones & Convictions |
| Clan Bane |
Backgrounds
Virtues
| Conscience | |
| Self-Control | |
| Courage |
Disciplines
Background
May 28, 2025 4:26 pm
I'll be a bit before I can dig in today. Got to meet some landscapers at my parents property.
May 29, 2025 5:08 am
All good, not rushing anyone at this stage. We agreed in this game that chargen is part of the fun.
Oh and you can still do the sleeping beauty thingy, works well for a HK setting, wake up to find China's taken over everything.
Oh and you can still do the sleeping beauty thingy, works well for a HK setting, wake up to find China's taken over everything.
May 29, 2025 10:37 am
I am creating a character who is more aligned with Camarilla but I am taking consensualist, so I am wondering, how dangerous would be Masquerade breacher flaw? I am planning to keep a haven and mortal retainers; will it still be considered a breach if my character feeds inside a haven or secured location?
May 29, 2025 2:30 pm
I'm thinking the whole idea of a breacher flaw is to suggest that there's always a danger of being found out or snitched upon, even if the character takes precautions to feed discreetly or only amongst trusted partcipants. Perhaps someone blurts it out inadventently, perhaps some evidence is left behind. How much the Camarilla might want to pursue the matter is part of the tension of the flaw: maybe your character isn't a priority, or maybe they've heard enough. One dot in the flaw isn't too big a deal probably, but who knows.
May 29, 2025 3:10 pm
Drunk vampire, "Yeah, remember when Clark did x? God that was funny." Table goes deathly silent. "Oh shit."
May 29, 2025 3:10 pm
I've been noodling on a character I'd like to play. I've settled into a digital artist with a penchant for leading edge VR tech, perhaps South Korean, who was pursued by a Tremere who experienced a transcendent glitch during a session, but was then embraced by a Toreador. She now holds VR parties as a 'digital medium' which given her something of a celebrity status in connected circles.
She has a theory involving the Walled City in Kowloon, and spends a lot of time searching the tunnels and park where the Walled City was searching for digital remnants of 'The Architect', a being she knows not the nature of. She says she's looking for a glitch in reality that will reveal the face of God.
(Okay, maybe she also works as a Malkavian, if anyone else would prefer Toreador.)
She has a theory involving the Walled City in Kowloon, and spends a lot of time searching the tunnels and park where the Walled City was searching for digital remnants of 'The Architect', a being she knows not the nature of. She says she's looking for a glitch in reality that will reveal the face of God.
(Okay, maybe she also works as a Malkavian, if anyone else would prefer Toreador.)
May 29, 2025 7:48 pm
My character concept is a Ventrue audit officer of a well-known corporate firm. He has been slowly climbing through the firm and trying to take it over. He keeps tabs on all the information, politics, and financial records of whatever is happening in Hong Kong. He wants to collect dirt on everyone so that he can indirectly control the economy of the city (ambition).
May 30, 2025 1:42 am
Emberskyes says:
This character generation system is like reading stereo instructions.They took out a lot of the choice.
It used to be, you got a pool of points and could arrange them however you wanted, with some generalized guidelines/caps. It allowed for a lot more customization, but was a lot more complex. Now they let you choose one of three arrangments, and that's that.
May 30, 2025 2:14 am
OK, I think I am mostly finished!
Agatha Chen. Ventrue dominatrix, Siren predator
https://gamersplane.com/characters/custom/33029/
Agatha Chen. Ventrue dominatrix, Siren predator
https://gamersplane.com/characters/custom/33029/
[ +- ] Agatha Chen
May 30, 2025 2:47 am
I'm thinking of going in with either blood magics Tremere or hand to hand Bruja. I was a tourist who died in Hong Kong.
May 31, 2025 2:27 am
Emberskyes says:
This character generation system is like reading stereo instructions.May 31, 2025 3:41 am
Alright, so...
What's that bring our roster up to? Most players have settled on a concept, right?
What's that bring our roster up to? Most players have settled on a concept, right?
May 31, 2025 4:56 am
BedzoneII says:
Thanks Drgwen for talking through the deets while I was sleeping!May 31, 2025 8:57 am
Would a Camarilla Lasombra work for this story @BedzoneII? I'm currently weighing between that and firebrand Brujah. I've got both characters pretty well mapped out, so should be able to finish either one within a day or two.
May 31, 2025 11:12 am
Submitted my character, Allen Holman. Ventrue, Audit officer. I don't know about the backgrounds that much. Do I have to come up with backgrounds? Also, I have taken an enemy as a flaw, which I haven't determined yet.
Last edited May 31, 2025 11:12 am
Jun 1, 2025 11:32 pm
Sorry for the slower weekend reply, yes Synaptic, I think we can make a Camarilla Lasombra work. You're either leaning Camarilla or Anarch, but I won't commit us until the intro plays out.
Stalker05, some backstory details will help me weave your character in. We can talk it out to figure out what works and what doesn't in the overall story.
Stalker05, some backstory details will help me weave your character in. We can talk it out to figure out what works and what doesn't in the overall story.
Jun 2, 2025 1:09 am
Ok... so we have a Ventrue audit officer, a Camarilla affiliated Lasombra, a Ventrue dominatrix, a Tremere focused on blood magic, and a Toreador VR tech?
Alright. Now that I know what the others are playing, gimme a day or so to settle on mine. I have a few ideas. Leaning towards prior service Gangrel, but I'm also considering an AssamiteBanu Haqim.
Alright. Now that I know what the others are playing, gimme a day or so to settle on mine. I have a few ideas. Leaning towards prior service Gangrel, but I'm also considering an AssamiteBanu Haqim.
Jun 2, 2025 9:15 am
@BedzoneII Yes, I have to come up with some background stuff. I have some ideas but discussing it will surely flesh it out.
Jun 2, 2025 10:00 pm
I think I'm going with an investor of some stripe (stock trading maybe, or something else along those lines). It allowed him to work remotely, so he travelled a lot. He was off hiking in the wilderness and roughing it, when he caught the attention of a solitary Gangrel. We know how that turned out. A handful of years later he moved to Hong Kong to take advantage of the time zone differences in relation to his new sleep schedule.
(There is a 12 hour difference between Hong Kong and New York... that means he could handle Wall Street trading just fine.)
(There is a 12 hour difference between Hong Kong and New York... that means he could handle Wall Street trading just fine.)
Jun 3, 2025 4:18 am
Added in some background.
It's a rough sketch thing.
It's a rough sketch thing.
Last edited June 3, 2025 4:22 am
Jun 3, 2025 2:34 pm
Let me know if you've settled on something concrete MaJunior and Synaptic. Chargen takes a while, and we can think of the sheet as a work-in-progress if that helps you firm up some details.
Will be delvin into the PCs' backstories a little. I will definitely be needing a Touchstone or two, it's what keeps your character grounded, and it'll be needed for me to tie you all into each other. Also consider if you know a decent number of other vampires, or are largely ignorant of them, or somewhere in between, for reasons.
You all don't have a coterie yet (so I haven't given you any coterie points to spend), possibly because your sire hasn't presented you, possibly because the current politics aren't so strict at the moment. You may know each other, or may not.
Will be delvin into the PCs' backstories a little. I will definitely be needing a Touchstone or two, it's what keeps your character grounded, and it'll be needed for me to tie you all into each other. Also consider if you know a decent number of other vampires, or are largely ignorant of them, or somewhere in between, for reasons.
You all don't have a coterie yet (so I haven't given you any coterie points to spend), possibly because your sire hasn't presented you, possibly because the current politics aren't so strict at the moment. You may know each other, or may not.
Jun 3, 2025 6:51 pm
I've submitted my character now, still a rough draft but it's enough to get started I hope.
Jun 4, 2025 12:16 pm
Looking good!
For everyone, as I'm stringing together our relationship maps, I'm generally needing to know these details about your character. If you have them in your backstory already then that's fine. Or if you don't know/can't decide/prefer I fill it in/prefer to let it come out during play, that's okay too.
1. When did you come to Hong Kong? (skip if you were born here)
2. How and when were you Embraced? (here or elsewhere both work)
3. Who is your sire? Why did they Embrace you?
4. Who knows you're a vampire? (in particular amongst mortals) What is your primary way of keeping things secret?
5. Would you say know other vampires? A few? Some? (remember my assumption is that you aren't a coterie, yet)
Like I said, if you can't flesh them all out, that's okay. I just need some prompts to make the story happen.
For everyone, as I'm stringing together our relationship maps, I'm generally needing to know these details about your character. If you have them in your backstory already then that's fine. Or if you don't know/can't decide/prefer I fill it in/prefer to let it come out during play, that's okay too.
1. When did you come to Hong Kong? (skip if you were born here)
2. How and when were you Embraced? (here or elsewhere both work)
3. Who is your sire? Why did they Embrace you?
4. Who knows you're a vampire? (in particular amongst mortals) What is your primary way of keeping things secret?
5. Would you say know other vampires? A few? Some? (remember my assumption is that you aren't a coterie, yet)
Like I said, if you can't flesh them all out, that's okay. I just need some prompts to make the story happen.
Jun 4, 2025 3:33 pm
Updated the sheet with the answers in those questions. Still thinking about good touchstones.
Jun 4, 2025 4:01 pm
Hey, quick question... I know that we are required to take 2 dots of flaws (in addition to any levied by our Predator style), but if you take an additional point of flaws does that give you a point to spend in merits?
I don't see anything addressing that, although I could be skimming over it. (It used to work that way, but lots has changed so I figured it was worth asking.)
I don't see anything addressing that, although I could be skimming over it. (It used to work that way, but lots has changed so I figured it was worth asking.)
Jun 4, 2025 6:19 pm
OK, I have my convictions and touchstones, as well as my answers to your questions, @Bedzonell , on my sheet. I guess I can spend my 15 xp now?
Jun 4, 2025 9:28 pm
I've filled out the answers to your questions, haven't gone back and edited my background. I've also added information on some of my flaws.
Jun 5, 2025 1:13 pm
MaJunior, you remember well the earlier editions where we could take more points in flaws (up to a cap) in order to get more merits, lots of fun to be had there. But nope, this edition simplifies the choice-making on this as well, as it does on abilities, skills, etc
Drgwen, we're doing childer, not neonate, so no 15xp starting. (I promise to dole out some soon!). Does this affect your starting build because you were counting on those points?
Qralloq, hmm, fellow artist/'colleague' or senior artist who's an inspiration, ardent admirer/lover (they don't all have to be stalkers lol), or muse, former classmate now working here as well?
Drgwen, we're doing childer, not neonate, so no 15xp starting. (I promise to dole out some soon!). Does this affect your starting build because you were counting on those points?
Qralloq, hmm, fellow artist/'colleague' or senior artist who's an inspiration, ardent admirer/lover (they don't all have to be stalkers lol), or muse, former classmate now working here as well?
Jun 5, 2025 1:16 pm
I might've missed it, but I think no one's tried to delve into Loresheets yet. If you see something you like, we can always rewrite the lore somewhat to make it work for our context. I'm not adverse to creating fresh lore/sheets for a Hong Kong context.
Jun 5, 2025 1:53 pm
BedzoneII says:
Drgwen, we're doing childer, not neonate, so no 15xp starting. (I promise to dole out some soon!). Does this affect your starting build because you were counting on those points? Jun 8, 2025 12:45 am
Is it me, or does the sheet have some things we won't use in this edition?
Virtues (Conscious, Courage, and Self Control) and Blood Pool seem to be superfluous, right?
Virtues (Conscious, Courage, and Self Control) and Blood Pool seem to be superfluous, right?
Jun 8, 2025 4:51 am
There’s a Blood Potency, is that the new Blood Pool? The virtues are not there in the new sheer.
Jun 8, 2025 5:01 am
Emberskyes says:
There’s a Blood Potency, is that the new Blood Pool? The virtues are not there in the new sheer.(And Blood Potency was actually the New WoD version of Generation -- it was essentially how old and strong your blood was in Vampire the Requiem.)
Jun 8, 2025 7:13 am
Oops, thanks for catching out the legacy bits of the character sheet MaJunior. (This is exactly what means when I have too many editions in my head!) Everyone please go ahead and edit them away. We don't have Virtues, nor a Blood Pool.
We do have Resonance though, so you can park that somewhere.
Blood Potency does indeed determine how 'strong' your vampire is, it adds to your dice pools. Higher levels also mean it's harder to slake Hunger.
We do have Resonance though, so you can park that somewhere.
Blood Potency does indeed determine how 'strong' your vampire is, it adds to your dice pools. Higher levels also mean it's harder to slake Hunger.
Jun 8, 2025 1:46 pm
Yeah, definitely need to improve the sheet for the V5 rules. I'll take a look at that later.
Jun 9, 2025 3:31 pm
Ok. Finished typing out the backstory... I believe all the questions are answered in it.
I think my math is correct, but feel free to proofread my character sheet. I'd hate to not spend a dot somewhere! (7 dots split between backgrounds and merits is tight. I'd be happy to find out I have another dot or two somehow. Lol)
Jokes aside, I think I've got everything? Should be ready to go.
I think my math is correct, but feel free to proofread my character sheet. I'd hate to not spend a dot somewhere! (7 dots split between backgrounds and merits is tight. I'd be happy to find out I have another dot or two somehow. Lol)
Jokes aside, I think I've got everything? Should be ready to go.
Last edited June 9, 2025 3:31 pm
Jun 11, 2025 12:43 pm
Well if we spot something off along the way we can fix it. Nothing like a couple of rolls into the game before we discover some maths is off.
Jun 11, 2025 12:53 pm
Emberskyes, I know you were weighing the alternate origin for your vamp, transformed by an artifact, and honestly I was intrigued enough to want to make it happen. Such a possibility though would be fruit for an entire metaplot, ie do vampires become vampires from something other than the Embrace? Rather than relegated to a mundane backstory.
For now I'd suggest sticking to being bitten. But I have some suggestions. If we prefer than Ekaterina doesn't know who sired her, and/or that she arrives amnesiac, then I'd recommend her to be Caitiff rather than Tremere, because there's no reason why she would know which clan she belonged to. The Caitiff archetypes work well for your backstory. And only small tweaks are needed for your chargen.
For now I'd suggest sticking to being bitten. But I have some suggestions. If we prefer than Ekaterina doesn't know who sired her, and/or that she arrives amnesiac, then I'd recommend her to be Caitiff rather than Tremere, because there's no reason why she would know which clan she belonged to. The Caitiff archetypes work well for your backstory. And only small tweaks are needed for your chargen.
Jun 11, 2025 4:05 pm
Let me see how I can rework the sheet. I have stuff to do today but I'll get that done first and then look in on it.
Let me know what you see as needing to be done for an easy change.
Here's what I see so far...
Add / Bane - Suspect *
Remove Bane / Deficient Blood *
Remove / Blood Sorcery ***
Remove / Dominate *
I don't see how I'm supposed to pick powers for Caitiff. I'll keep readin.
Let me know what you see as needing to be done for an easy change.
Here's what I see so far...
Add / Bane - Suspect *
Remove Bane / Deficient Blood *
Remove / Blood Sorcery ***
Remove / Dominate *
I don't see how I'm supposed to pick powers for Caitiff. I'll keep readin.
Last edited June 11, 2025 6:14 pm
Jun 11, 2025 8:00 pm
3 disciplines of my choice but how many *? Three * total.
Thoughts, should I take three disciplines at level one or two disciplines in a two one split?
Thoughts, should I take three disciplines at level one or two disciplines in a two one split?
Jun 11, 2025 10:47 pm
Emberskyes says:
3 disciplines of my choice but how many *? Three * total.Thoughts, should I take three disciplines at level one or two disciplines in a two one split?
Quote:
For Caitiff characters, choose any two Disciplines. Put two dots in one and one dot in the other.Jun 12, 2025 1:06 am
It's a suggestion only, but does tie in strongly with your backstory. No clan, and manifests powers not tied to one clan. The disadvantage is one less choice of discipline, although you still get the same number of dots so you're not less powerful.