How would Frenzy work for this character?

[PunkManiak]

I’m working on an idea for a Brujah Elder from the Dark Ages who is still around and active as either an Alastor or Justicar in the Modern Nights.

The question I’m pondering is how would his moral views and resistance to Frenzy differ from your typical Brujah Neonate. The reason I’m wondering this, is because I’m designing him as an adherent to the Rosd of Kings, specifically on the Road of Chivalry. With 5s in Courage and Self-Control, 10 in Willpower, but a 3 in Conscience.

He’s basically an executioner and hitman for the Camarilla, hunting down those on the Red List, So his morals are a bit flexible.

Personality-Wise I envision him as being controlled and measured, compared to the typical Brujah, but when he gets pissed off enough to Frenzy, he goes nuclear. (We’re talking about a 550 year old 7th or 8th Generation Warrior Poet.)

How would such a character roll for Frenzy, would it be much different than your typical Brujah, or pretty much the same?

[Kalendeer]

Pretty much the same.

Every Brujah should have his personnal trigger. Mine was a Humanity 8 neonate with self control 4 who liked to keep a low profile, so he frienzied a bit less than other when faced with humiliation, but a bit more when humans were threatened. He still frenzied though because that's what Brujah are about. The only Brujah NPC we ever had that seemed oddly resistant to frenzy has been retconned as having been in Golconda at this point (spoiler alert: he's not in Golconda anymore so the first one who will piss him off will have to soak a one hundred years of rage from an 1200 years old Elder Brujah who is really, really annoyed that some ventrue punk broke his chill).

Members of the Brujah clan (Elders AND neonates) also have traditions in the clan to try to lessen their curse. They use "fight clubs" to let some steam out, but while these clubs lowered for a few nights the difficulty for frenzy roll, in V20 the rules are gone and it's just the fluff. Still, the fact these rules existed at some point show that Brujahs can frenzy less often if they find way to lessen them, but that they need to devote time and energy toward that (just like I believe a Toreador who makes a point of never seeing anything beautiful shouldn't get willpower when they rest).

Keep in mind that your character's virtue rolls cannot be higher than their Humanity/Path Rating, so if your Path is less than 5, you don't get to roll 5 dices. I don't know you character but from what you said I cannot imagine him being above 5 (and be warned: breaking your word is forbidden or you character will degenerate fast). If you want a path that actually emphasis the refusal to frenzy such as the Brujah Path of Entelechy.

One question I really want to ask is why you can't this character to be a Brujah instead of a Toreador. You don't sound like you like Clan Brujah that much, you don't sound like you like their flaw or want to play with it... so why a Brujah?

[PunkManiak]

@Kalendeer

Mmm, if you’ve read up on the Rosd of Chivalry, almost all of his transgressions within the modern nights fall within it’s code of conduct. So his path would likely be at 8. As for Brujah, I actually love the clan, but I also really enjoy the Toreador. As a point of fact, in every game I’ve ever played, I’ve been either clan.

As for Frenzy, it’s not a matter of being opposed to it, but this character is meant to be an Elder. Meant to be more in control, and having worked hard and fought even harder to rein himself in. I figure in the Modern Nights, his Triggers for Frenzying would be the Sabbat and cruelty towards Kine. He’s meant to be more of a classical knight, not just a simple meathead.

(I’ve actually been taking your advice into account and am working on tweaking the character away from his hatred and loathing of the Anarchs. The Sabbat would more likely get his hatred and disdain.)

[Kalendeer]

I have troubles believing your character would be above 5 since the level 6 sin is "failing to come to the aid of another", as in "protect the weak"... your character is an executionner for the Camarilla. He's not protecting the weak or helping anyone, he is protecting an estasblishment of Elders who found a statu quo with younger vampires.

Also, keep in mind that any path at a level of 8 is going to be a pain in the ass to roleplay (and, for an Elder, not really believable without a very high rating for either Conscience or Convinction). A rating of 5 can be nice to play with, you still get the morality, full virtue rolls, and it will give you more leeway to move.

Elder Brujah do frenzy, just like neonate do. They have the same rules and nothing forbids neonates to have 5 dots in self control. I believe, though, that the Brujah who don't have high self control or don't learn it in their first century will probably not make it to Elder and are more quickly to die, so Elder Brujah may all have Self Control 5 while Brujah Neonates are all over the spectrum. Also, keep in mind that Elders are probably not walking the street; when you stay in your haven and just give orders to underling, many triggers will be less frequents. The best way not to Frenzy is to avoid the triggers, go to the fight clubs or drink from people who like opium and stuffs like that (this kind of drugs can lower the difficulty for frenzy rolls).

Perhaps your character can have a herd of junkies and consumme their blood? That may be an habit he started at the end of the 19th, when opium was very popular in some circles of society where artists were very welcomed. If he is clever and can have both his herd and a fight club that meets every two weeks or so, he may be able to lower his difficulties for most nights and avoid some frenzies.

Another mean would be to own a trusted ghoul with the "calm the beast" merit (it's... somewhere in one of the Dark Age books). It allows the servant to calm the vampire out of frenzy, or to help the vampire avoid frenzy. Perhaps it's the guy that brings all the bad news to your character because apparently, when he's the one doing it James doesn't frenzy? It also brings more plot hooks for you ST because this ghoul will be trusted, important to protect and can become a great NPC to support your character!

[Sophylax]

in V20 the rules are gone and it's just the fluff.

AFAIK Lore of the Clans should have a system for it.

[Kalendeer]

Unfortunatly Lore of the Clans has the fluff but not the rules, and I lost the older clan book in pdf that had the rules :/

[Illithid]

Kalendeer
Lore of the Clans p51 (Box on the right)

The Benefits of Bashing: To gain the desired benefits, the Brujah must engage in a hand-to-hand brawl with another combatant in front of a cheering audience during an organized bash. The benefits arise from the psychological effects of fighting in front of a crowd.

Rules afterwards, that I won't reprint

- Focused Rage (1pt. Merit) - I can't remember which old book this was in, it's not V20 core, companion or Lore of the clans.
You have partially transcended the blood fury of your clan by focusing your Beast's anger. Select one frenzy condition from the chart on page 265 of Dark Ages: Vampire… When faced with that provocation, you automatically frenzy. You do not suffer the usual difficulty increase to other frenzy conditions, however. The Storyteller must approve the selected condition. Only Brujah and other vampires who suffer a similar frenzy difficulty increase may purchase this Merit.

- Having even a neonate as an Ally with Animalism 3 (song of serenity) can bring you out of Frenzy and prevent Frenzy for the rest of the Scene

* Warning GM unlikely to approve *
Thaumaturgy Path of the Focused Mind can provide immunity to frenzy at level 5 (requiring a successful activation and blood point for the scene BUT DOES NOT TAKE AN ACTION, doesn't even count as thaumaturgy activation for the round) Double warning - Multiple powers that provide extra actions (such as Celerity and one of the powers within this path) do not work.