I've never had a single player, not in almost 15 years of VtM, that wanted to learn Dominate 4. A very few were interested in Dominate 5, but no one wanted to dump the XP to learn 4 just so they could get 5. At best, someone would burn through Freebies or Maturation Points to get past the speed-bump of Conditioning.
To resolve this, I eventually wrote a replacement Dominate 4 power.
So far, players have been interested in this ability and actually used it in game. It hasn't caused any problems.
What powers have you replaced, or would like to replace in your games? Are there any other abilities that your players never want to take, or that you avoid yourself? What about ones that you buy anyone, but never end up using?
To resolve this, I eventually wrote a replacement Dominate 4 power.
Level 4 - Hypnotic Trance Put your target into a trance so they can't remember your commands or their Dominated actions.
System: Spend a WP and roll Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty of the target's Willpower). If successful, the target falls into a trance that lasts for 1 minute per success. While they are in this trance, Dominate or other powers can be used on them. They wake from the trance after it ends with no memory of what happened while they were in it. If they are commanded to take an action by Dominate while in the trance, they will do so. If the action ends before the trance does, they have no memory of their actions.
In a high-pressure situation such as combat, the trance lasts for 1 turn per success instead. Under any circumstances, the trance ends if the subject is physically harmed.
System: Spend a WP and roll Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty of the target's Willpower). If successful, the target falls into a trance that lasts for 1 minute per success. While they are in this trance, Dominate or other powers can be used on them. They wake from the trance after it ends with no memory of what happened while they were in it. If they are commanded to take an action by Dominate while in the trance, they will do so. If the action ends before the trance does, they have no memory of their actions.
In a high-pressure situation such as combat, the trance lasts for 1 turn per success instead. Under any circumstances, the trance ends if the subject is physically harmed.
So far, players have been interested in this ability and actually used it in game. It hasn't caused any problems.
What powers have you replaced, or would like to replace in your games? Are there any other abilities that your players never want to take, or that you avoid yourself? What about ones that you buy anyone, but never end up using?
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