13 Licks -- The Curses of Caine in Blood &Smoke

[Yossarian]

Update (23/07/2015): Bloodlines are now included in the OP (below). Any changes to them will be here, and I'll try to make a PDF for them eventually. I also got rid of all the old updates I had saved here, because they're not terribly relevant anymore.

Original Post:

For a game I ran a while ago, I wanted to do a Masquerade/Requiem crossover. I also wanted to use the new rules, which meant I'd have to redo all the Clan weaknesses! So I did!

These were posted long ago and far away on the old forums, and since those are retiring, I thought I'd post them again, especially since I've revised them a great deal. This is my attempt to Strixize the VTM Clan Weaknesses. Not all of them are exact analogues to the originals, but I try to keep with the original intent in the context of tying them to Humanity (except the Tzimisce, whose core weakness is a bit different, but not without precedent).

I've included Discipline spreads and Favored Attributes, which is mostly what's presented in the Vampire Translation Guide --with the exception of the Tremere--just in case anyone has any desire to use this model as a quick guide. You'll need the VTG for Discipline conversions. One or two of these Banes are based on the ones presented in the updated Humanity rules (Ventrue and Tzimisce, I think). The Brujah Bane I came up with is basically the new Gangrel weakness, too.

Some of these have been playtested, some have not. The Toreador weakness is actually brand new, as of today.

I've tried to give each Bane a thematic (read: what I perceive to be cool) name, but I'm not attached to any of them in the least, if there are any suggestions.

13 Licks: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_E...DSSFh5FqVUYxpQ

See GoogleDocs for the most current revision.

Bloodlines:

Anda

Nicknames: Tartars, Wanderers
Disciplines: Animalism, Protean, Resilience
Clan Bane (The Exile Curse): The Anda Beast craves community with its people as much as it does blood. All Tartars must have at least one Touchstone who is also a blood relative (though this can be a fairly distant relation, within reason). If the Anda spends a number of nights equal to Humanity away from a blood-related Touchstone, she gains the Lethargic Condition, and cannot resolve it until she has a significant interaction with him again, even after taking a full day of rest.
Favored Attributes: Composure or Stamina

Assamite Sorcerers

Nicknames: Magi, Witches
Disciplines: Auspex, Obfuscate, Quietus
Clan Bane (The Mystic Curse): Assamite sorcerers are beings bred of magic. The Predatory Aura of a Magus is exceptionally obvious and occult. So blatant is her nature that whenever she engages in a Predatory Aura contest with a mortal, her dice pool is limited by her Humanity, as the opposition is able to subconsciously size her up. If the mortal succeeds in contesting her, the Sorcerer gains the Condition she was attempting to impose.
Favored Attributes: Intelligence or Resolve

Assamite Viziers

Nicknames: Scholars, Artisans
Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Quietus
Clan Bane (The Pedagogic Curse): The Beasts of Viziers demand thoroughness in all things. Note the Scholar's highest Mental Skill. Whenever she gains an exceptional success using that Skill, including with disciplines, roll her Humanity. On failure, the Assamite gains the Obsession Condition in association with that Skill. Usually this is temporary, but a dramatic failure might make the Condition persistent. If the character ever gains more dots in a different Mental Skill, the Obsession trigger shifts.
Favored Attributes: Composure or Intelligence

Baali

Nicknames: Demons, Devils
Disciplines: Daimonion, Majesty, Obfuscate
Clan Bane (The Infernal Curse): The Baali fear true faith. When faced with a religious symbol (a cross, a Star of David, the Takbir, etc.) wielded by a true believer, all of the Baali's dice pools are limited by her Humanity. A symbol held by a vampire has no effect. In addition, upon reaching Humanity 6, all Demons suffer the Plague of Purity bane (Vampire: The Requiem, p. 108), which counts against the three banes a vampire is allowed.
Favored Attributes: Composure or Manipulation

Cappadocian

Nicknames: Graverobbers, Viziers
Disciplines: Auspex, Obfuscate, Resilience
Clan Bane (The Sepulcher Curse): Cappadocians cannot maintain the Masquerade of mortality, and appear more corpse-like than their fellow Kindred. Each time a Cappadocian tries to invoke the Blush of Life, roll her Humanity. On failure, she fails to channel her Vitae, and loses the point. In addition, Graverobbers are considered one Humanity dot lower than usual for the purposes of interacting with humans.
Favored Attributes: Intelligence or Composure
Special: Members of Clan Cappadocian have access to Necromancy as an out-of-clan Discipline.


Daughters of Cacophony

Nicknames: Sirens, Maenads
Disciplines: Majesty, Melpominee, Resilience
Clan Bane (The Discordant Curse): Daughters of Cacophony constantly, maddeningly, hear music running through their heads. Driven to distraction, a Siren's dice pools are limited by her Humanity when making Perception rolls, or when trying to recall or memorize information (World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 44). Treat any failures as dramatic failures.
Favored Attributes: Manipulation or Presence

Kiasyd

Nicknames: Weirdlings, Moths
Disciplines: Mytherceria, plus two disciplines from the sire's clan
Clan Bane (The Changeling Curse): Kiasyd are burdened with the mercurial blood of the fae. When a Kiasyd reaches Humanity 6, she gains a single Bane not tied to Humanity, a ban or anathema reflecting the compulsive behaviors of the fair folk (see p. 108 of Vampire: The Requiem for examples). This bane counts against the three banes a vampire is allowed, so Kiasyd are less able to mitigate detachment: coming from two supernatural worlds, their connection to humanity is flimsy. In addition, weapons forged from iron always do lethal damage to Weirdlings, even blunt weapons.
Favored Attributes: Intelligence or Wits

Lamiae

Nicknames: Gorgons, Lilins
Disciplines: Auspex, Resilience, Vigor
Clan Bane (The Infectious Curse): The Lamiae bite is excruciating and virulent. Gorgons have no Kiss effect, and can only inflict the Scarred Condition on their vessels. In addition, Lamiae carry the Seed of Lilith, a horrible, leprous disease that victims sometimes contract. Each time a Lamiae feeds, the vessel must roll Stamina + Resolve to avoid contracting it. On failure, the victim is infected by a poison with a Toxicity rating equal to 10 minus the Lamia's Humanity. The victim takes damage once a night until he fully resists it, or dies. Lamiae may feed from other Kindred normally.
Favored Attributes: Strength or Resolve
Special: Members of Clan Lamia have access to Necromancy as an out-of-clan discipline.

Nagaraja

Nicknames: Serpent Kings, Flesh-Eaters
Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Protean
Clan Bane (The Cannibal Curse): The Beasts of Nagaraja are depraved and debased. In order to feed, the Serpent King must consume flesh along with blood. When feeding, she gains no nourishment from the first few Vitae taken, equal to 10 – Humanity, unless she first eats a piece of her victim's flesh, inflicting at least two points of lethal damage. The Kiss of a Nagaraja always causes the Scarred Condition in mortals. This bane does not apply to feeding from other Kindred until Blood Potency 6.
Favored Attributes: Resolve or Stamina
Special: Members of Clan Nagaraja have access to Necromancy as an out-of-clan discipline.

Samedi

Nicknames: Stiffs, Zombies
Disciplines: Obfuscate, Resilience, Thanatosis
Clan Bane (The Putrid Curse): Samedi rot as they fall to the Beast. All Physical dice pools are limited by the Stiff's Humanity, though this does not apply to the passive bonuses gained from Vigor or Resilience. In addition, Samedi are considered one Humanity dot lower than usual for the purposes of socializing with humans, as the smell of the grave follows them wherever they go.
Favored Attributes: Resolve or Composure

True Brujah

Nicknames: Elois, Sages
Disciplines: Majesty, Praestantia, Vigor
Clan Bane (The Clinical Curse): Where the Brujah run hot, the True Brujah run cold. When interacting with mortals, treat the True Brujah's Humanity one dot lower than usual for determining Social penalties, and treat any failures on rolls using Empathy as dramatic failures. This bane applies to all mortals, including Touchstones.
Favored Attributes: Presence or Strength

[shkspr1048]

Very well done.

[Caelene]

Good stuff!

[Yossarian]

Thanks, ya'll. I've edited some stuff. Currently, I'm looking to fix up the Nosferatu bane. I'm almost tempted to just say "use the Blood & Smoke" one, but that's not really in keeping with the Classic feel.

[Ben Linus]

Very good job Yossarian.

I would also see his adaptation of Capadocians.

[Yossarian]

I'd have to give some thought about the Cappadocians. I'd like to know what the new rules for Blush of Life are, but off the top of my head...?

Cappadocian

Nicknames: Graverobbers, Viziers
Disciplines: Auspex, Obfuscate, Resilience
Special: Members of Clan Cappadocian have access to Necromancy as an out-of-Clan Discipline.
Bane – The Desiccation Curse: Cappadocians have difficulty maintaining the Masquerade of mortality. They appear more corpse-like than their fellow Kindred. Each time a Cappadocian tries to invoke the Blush of Life, roll her Humanity. On failure, she fails to channel her Vitae, and loses the point. In addition, Graverobbers are considered one Humanity lower than their actual rating for the purposes of interacting with humans.
Favored Attributes: Intelligence or Composure

[Thorbes]

I made a Bane for Requiem based on that idea of being corpse-like and difficult to "enliven" the flesh as other vampires: Activating the Blush of Life cost (10-Humanity) Vitae (min.1) instead of just 1.

Alternatively: "Blush of Life" only lasts for (Humanity) turns every time, instead than for a full Scene. If the character gets the Mystery of the Ascendant that lets Blush of Life last a whole day, it only last a number of Hours equal to Humanity instead.

[Yossarian]

Another idea might be that they suffer the Humanity penalty when they aren't using the Blush of Health, AND they have to roll to see if it succeeds.

That Coil potentially negates this idea a bit too much, but if you're running Cappadocians, the Ordo might not even exist yet.

[Bent Twig]

Great work Yossarian.

[Yossarian]

Thanks! Also, added the Caitiff, if anyone's interested.

[Charlaquin]

Do you mind if I borrow some of these for my own conversion project? I assume you wouldn't post these here if you did, but it would feel right to use them without asking.

[Yossarian]

Do you mind if I borrow some of these for my own conversion project? I assume you wouldn't post these here if you did, but it would feel right to use them without asking.

Please do! I only ask that you let me know if they jive well in play!

[Charlaquin]

Of course! Though my conversion is still very much in the theoretical stages, so it will be some time before it hits the table.

[Yossarian]

Sounds good! I'm always interested in seeing more of things like these. I've been trying to build a pretty comprehensive rule set.

[Kerensky]

Excellent translation of the curses to the new system! I'd really like to use these in a conversion I plan on doing for my next game (after my current WoD game is over). I think your tying the curse to the individual Kindred's humanity is awesome. As the Man weakens, the Curse becomes stronger and more restrictive.

Question about the Giovanni curse though: As written, you have their victims having to succeed on a roll that is limited by their attacker's Humanity. Wouldn't this become harder to succeed at (for the victim) the more inhumane the Kindred becomes? Maybe it should be

Vessels must succeed on a reflexive Resolve + Composure roll, limited by 10 minus the Necromancer’s Humanity, not to scream or struggle.

I think that would bring it in line with the other curses that get more restrictive as their humanity wanes.

The Giovanni are known to feast on the dead and the dying in classic WoD, due to the extra damage that their Kiss inflicted on their victims. Perhaps another curse option for them would be that along with the usual one point of lethal damage inflicted for every Vitae taken, the Necromancer inflicts another 8 - Humanity points of bashing damage as well. This way, some of the old flavor is retained and it also keeps in line with the linking of all the curses to Humanity. Just my two cents.

This really is great work.