House Rules
Download the House rules in PDF Format!
Revised: June 25, 2008
All House Rules are subject to Storyteller discretion and are subject to change without notice.
We are a Kindred game and whenever possible all rules will be applied as they would in a Kindred game. If you are playing a different kind of character (Changing Breed, Changeling, Mage, etc.), you require Storyteller approval, and some rules may be changed to account for the differences in genre.
Game play
If there is a question not covered in these rules, please default to the appropriate Mind's Eye Theater book. Appropriate books include but are not limited to:Laws of the Night, Revised Laws of the Night: Camarilla Guide Laws of the Night: Sabbat Guide Laws of the Night: Anarch Guide Laws of the Night: Storyteller Guide Dark Epics White Wolf's Vampire: the Masquerade Clanbooks
Please remember, once you have signed into Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture, you under the control of our Storyteller (ST) staff for the night.
At check in, a feeding challenge may be required, subject to ST discretion. Retests for this challenge are the Hunting Ability, or any level of Animalism, Dominate, or Presence. The Hunting Ability is expended if used for this challenge. Please let the ST staff know if your character has any special feeding requirements or peculiarities. (Ex. - Conspicuous Consumption, Allergies, Feeding Grounds, you are a Ventrue, etc.)
If your character has a Humanity rating of 2 or lower, or is on a Morality Path other than Humanity, you must wear a tag that reads "Inhumane." This can be covered up with Rituals, Obfuscate: Mask of 1000 Faces AND appropriate Abilities (Ex. - Acting or Subterfuge).
RULE OF THREE
Any game mechanic with a variable effect based on trait expenditures is limited to an expenditure of three, subject to ST discretion, unless otherwise specified in a Mind's Eye Theater book.
Carrier Attacks: Carrier attacks are limited to one per action, and require expenditure of any traits as the attack hits, unless specified. All of the following are considered carrier attacks:
Animalism: Quell the Beast Necromancy: Mortus Path: Mercy for Seth Quietus: Scorpion's Touch (if not expended previously) Thanatosis: Putrefaction, Withering, Necrosis Thaumaturgy: The Path of Blood: Blood Rage, Cauldron of Blood Mastery of the Mortal Shell: Vertigo, Contortion, Seizure, Body Failure Vine of Dionysus: Methyskein, Hamaratia Neptune's Might: Blood to Water The Path of Corruption: Addiction Hands of Destruction: Atrophy Any Ritual requiring touch Vicissitude: Fleshcraft, Bonecraft
In unarmed combat, fighting with both hands is assumed so there are no two-weapon combat rules for unarmed combat.
Melee and Ranged combat follow the rules as outlined in Dark Epics.
While in combat, you may spend 2 Temporary Willpower before the challenge is thrown to negate the effects of the following powers:Chimestry: Horrid Reality Necromancy: Bone Path: Soul Stealing Thaumaturgy: Gift of Morpheus: Enchanted Slumber
Character Creation
Clan Always speak to an ST for available Clans. In general, all Clans not classified as "Rare and/or Unique" (R&U) by One World by Night (OWBN) are available, but some may be limited. R&U Clans may be available depending on ST and OWBN approval.
Morality Paths: Expect to start on Humanity, even Sabbat characters. Speak to an ST if you feel your concept requires some other path. Humanity is a broad path, and can be easily applied to most character concepts.
Abilities: In addition to starting Abilities for character creation and Clan, all characters, excluding Ghouls, receive 4 free Lore Abilities to reflect knowledge of their basic natures. These Abilities are typically: 1 for creature type, 1 for sect, and 2 for Clan. Ghoul players should discuss their available Lore Abilities with an ST. Transfer characters may or may not be given these Abilities depending on their concept and ST approval. Additionally, these Lore Abilities may be changed or dropped for character concept reasons, but check with an ST first.
Backgrounds: The following Backgrounds are available in Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture:Allies Contacts Domitor (Ghouls only) Fame Generation Haven Herd Influence Information Network (Nosferatu only) Mentor Occult Library Resources Retainers Status
All Backgrounds for starting characters, with the exception of Generation (see below), are capped at 3 unless you receive ST approval. In some cases, multiples of the same Background may be purchased. (Ex. - A level 3 Retainer and a level 1 Retainer)
Domitor: This determines the generation of an NPC domitor. You do not need to purchase this Background if you have an in-character domitor.
Generation: For character generation, throw 5 simple tests. For every win, and for every 2 ties, you may purchase 1 point of the Generation Background with your starting Background points, rounding half points up. If you have an in-game PC sire, you may either spend six months as an active PC Ghoul and get your Generation without spending Background points, or pay for Generation as per Laws of the Night.
Haven: You must have a haven write-up and character background turned into the ST staff by your third game session. Without a haven write-up, you are at ST mercy. Players may receive additional experience points (XP) to be applied to the Haven Background for their haven write-ups. You may also receive additional XP for character background write-ups.
Influence: See the Influence packet.
Mentor: For a Tremere to have a "Mentor that will always offer assistance" per the Clan advantage, that Mentor must be Tremere. Other Clans with Thaumaturgy do not gain this advantage. You should determine your Mentor's Clan subject to ST approval, but the ST staff will determine your Mentor's capabilities and character sheet.
Occult Library: If you wish to learn a ritual from your Occult Library, decide what ritual you would like to learn, then see your ST and perform a simple test to see if the Ritual is in your Library.
Level of Occult Library Rarity of Ritual 1 2 3 4 5 Common Win or Tie Win or Tie All All All Uncommon Win Win Win or Tie Win or Tie All Rare None Win x2 Win Win Win or Tie Very Rare None None None Win x2 Win
No lore may be learned from your Library above the level of the Library itself. ST discretion applies in all cases. Some lore and/or rituals may just not be in your library.
Resources: If you like, the check-in ST can track your Resources in a "bank account," but it is your responsibility to remind the check-in ST to add your Resources to your account at each game.
Retainers NPC Ghoul character creationAttributes: 6/4/3 Abilities: 5 Backgrounds: 0 Virtues: 7 Disciplines: 1 Chosen from domitor's in-Clan Physical Disciplines, or Potence if the domitor has no in-Clan Physical Disciplines Willpower: 2 (Max 6) Freebie Points: 5
Retainers gain experience based on your active game play, gaining 1 XP per month that your PC is active, and can also be "gifted" from your personal XP.
For each level of Retainers you purchase, you may have 1 Ghoul retainer. Alternatively, you may allocate some of the points of the Background to improve 1 of the retainers, with 1 level of Retainer gaining 5 additional freebie points for that retainer. However, you do not gain a Ghoul retainer for that level of the Retainer Background. (Ex. - If you have Retainers 2, you may have either 2 Ghoul retainers using the standard NPC Ghoul creation rules or 1 Ghoul retainer with 5 additional freebie points. You may only gain these additional freebie points at character creation. You cannot use later purchases of the Retainer Background to improve existing retainers in this way.
MERITS AND FLAWS
See an ST for restricted Merits and Flaws as well as any concept Merits or Flaws you think may be appropriate for your character. In any case, no more than seven points may be gained through Flaws, though you are encouraged to take more for role-playing effect. All Merits and Flaws with a Physically obvious component need to be clearly displayed, either in costuming or on an obvious tag.
Negative Traits: You may earn 5 points in Negative traits, 2 points in Derangements, 7 points in Flaws, and sacrifice a path trait for 2 points. The total possible negative points earned at character creation is 14 as the 2 points earned in Derangements count towards the 7 possible points in Flaws. You may take more Negative traits, Derangements, and Flaws than listed above for role-playing effect, but you will not earn any additional points for them. Any negative traits with an obvious Physical component must be clearly displayed.
PC Ghoul Character CreationStandard Ghoul Attributes: 7/5/3 Abilities: 5 Backgrounds: 5 Virtues: 7 Disciplines: 1 Chosen from domitor's in-Clan Physical Disciplines, or Potence if the domitor has no in-Clan Physical Disciplines Willpower: 2 (Max 6) Blood: at least 1 with a max of 9, determined by how many the domitor gifts Freebie Points: 7
Standard Ghouls can only learn Celerity, Fortitude, and Potence without the 3-point Merit Learn Other Disciplines and can only learn up to 1 level lower than their domitor.
Revenants Revenants use the same point system as above, with the following exceptions:Backgrounds: 0 Virtues: 5 Disciplines: Revenants may also learn their family's disciplines up to the Advanced level without the 3-point Merit Learn Other Disciplines. Blood: 10
ABILITIES
Abilities other than those listed in the various Mind's Eye Theater books may exist. If you think of an Ability you would like to have and it isn't covered in one of the books, bring it to an ST.
Ability Specializations In order for an Ability specialization to have an effect, you must have the Ability at 4 or higher, though you may spend an XP to purchase a specialization prior to having the Ability at 4 for role-playing purposes.
Ability specializations may be purchased for Disciplines, but only for specific powers of Disciplines. (Ex. - You may specialize in Summon for Leadership, but not in Presence.)
Awareness: If you are the target of a failed Discipline or Supernatural power, you may initiate a Static challenge against the person who initiated the failed power (difficulty at ST's discretion, but defaulting to the Mental traits of the power's initiator) to determine if your character realizes that someone tried to use a power against them. If successful, your character will be aware that someone tried to do something to them, but not who or what. In that challenge, the person who initiated the failed power may use the Ability Subterfuge to retest or cancel.
Blind Fighting: This Ability may be used to cancel the free retest granted by darkness, including Obtenebration: Shroud of Night.
Drive: Not having this Ability means that you may only perform simple maneuvers with a vehicle, such as driving at a moderate speed (no more than 5-10 mph over the speed limit) and parking.
Linguistics: Use the following scale to determine how many languages are known for the appropriate level of Linguistics. Linguistics Level Number of Languages 1 1 + 1 (Native Language) 2 2 +1 3 4 +1 4 8 +1 5 16 +1
Lore: Lore may be learned up to the teacher's level. Additionally, if you learn enough about something in character, you may ask an ST if you may purchase 1 or more levels of the appropriate Lore. Lores may not be learned from item cards. If you have Lores on item cards, consult with the ST staff to see how they would be converted into an appropriate Lore Library.
Rituals (Sabbat only): This follows the same graduated progression as languages applied to auctoritas ritae, and double that for ignoblis ritae (Level 1 - 2 auctocritas and 4 ignoblis, Level 2 - 3 auctocritas and 6 ignoblis, etc.) You may exchange auctoritas ritae for ignoblis ritae, but not the other way around.
MERITS AND FLAWS
Blasé: This Merit costs 2 points at character creation and is restricted to Toreador. If you spend a Willpower trait at any time during an appropriate Social challenge, you win the challenge. Additionally you gain 2 bonus traits and a free additional retest when defending against Presence, Dementation, Social Thaumaturgy, and other Social powers.
Bruiser: This Merit does not stack with Enchanting Voice, Friendly Face, and Natural Leader but different Merits may apply to different situations.
Code of Honor: You must have your code written up and approved before you begin play.
Common Sense: This Merit is given for free to new players for their first character and will be removed from their sheet after six months, or when the player demonstrates that they no longer require it. This Merit must be worn on a tag.
Disfigured: You may initiate any type of Social challenges when your true form is not apparent. If your true form is apparent, you may only initiate intimidation-type Social challenges.
Enchanting Voice: This Merit does not stack with Bruiser, Friendly Face, and Natural Leader but different Merits may apply to different situations.
Friendly Face: This Merit does not stack with Bruiser, Enchanting Voice, and Natural Leader but different Merits may apply to different situations.
Quiet Heart: This Merit costs 2 points at character creation. If you spend a Willpower trait at any time during an appropriate Social challenge, you win the challenge. Additionally you gain 2 bonus traits and a free additional retest when defending against Presence, Dementation, Social Thaumaturgy, and other Social powers.
Iron Will: This Merit costs 3 points at character creation. If you spend a Willpower trait at any time during an appropriate Mental challenge, you win the challenge. Additionally you gain 3 bonus traits and a free additional retest when defending against Dominate, mind-affecting Thaumaturgy, and other mind-affecting powers.
Lucky: You are allowed on free retest per game session, usable on any challenge, subject to ST discretion.
Magic Resistance: All attempts that do not normally require a test to use magic against or for you require a Static challenge versus your appropriate traits for the magic to have an effect. Attempts that normally have a test are treated as per Magic Resistance in Laws of the Night, Revised. Additionally you gain 2 Bonus traits and additional free retest when defending against Magic or Sorcery.
Natural Leader: This Merit does not stack with Bruiser, Enchanting Voice, and Friendly Face but different Merits may apply to different situations.
DISCIPLINES
Animalism
Beckoning - May be used to get 1 Blood trait per Social trait spent during play.
Quell the Beast - If performed on a Garou, they cannot spend Rage instead of Willpower. All other effects apply normally. The effects of this power last for 1 hour or until the end of the scene, whichever comes first.
Subsume the Spirit - If you have spent 3 traits to use Disciplines while subsuming the animal, you may use Obfuscate as well.
Drawing Out the Beast - The Beast always comes home at dawn, if not sooner.
Auspex
Auspex adds its number of levels to Mental traits when determining ties versus Obfuscate and Chimestry. A user of Auspex may make challenges against any level of Obfuscate or Chimestry.
Aura Perception - You must have an appropriate Lore to determine creature type other than Kindred or Mortal, or have seen a similar aura on a prior occasion and possess the Merit Eidetic Memory. Ghouls without the Merit Pale Aura show up as Mortal. If looking specifically for Possession, Aura Perception reveals dual souls in the aura of the target. Aura Perception is not a lie detector in Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture. Telepathy - You must have line of sight to establish and to maintain Telepathy. You must identify yourself outside of Telepathy for the subject to willingly lower their defenses. There is no Mental knock in Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture. It always requires a Mental trait to establish Telepathy with a supernatural creature (excluding ghouls), even if they willingly lower their defenses.
Celerity
You may use the effects of Celerity on ranged attacks if an appropriate trait is bid.
Chimestry
The ST may allow disbelief of out-of-place illusions.
Dominate
Forgetful Mind - Please write the following information on an index card stamped by the ST staff to be carried by the targeted person: person performing the Forgetful Mind, number of temporary Mental traits of that person at the time of the Forgetful Mind, a summary of the scene being covered, and a summary of the scene that replaces it. Conditioning - May also be used to implant relatively permanent Mesmerism effects using the same system as the standard rules for Conditioning. You may implant up to 1 Mesmerism per level you have of Dominate. These may be overcome similar to a permanent Derangement. Possession - You must have a card on file at the check-in desk detailing where your real body is and the number of Mental traits you spent on the Possession or you are not Possessing. If you are killed and undercut yourself by not bidding your traits correctly, it is your own fault and the scene will not be redlined. Your body must be in a location adjudicatable by the Milwauke: Nocturnal Rapture ST staff. Mental and Supernatural Flaws will follow you into your Possession body, and some Social Flaws may follow at ST discretion. If you Possess a ghoul, that ghoul must have a character sheet stamped by Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture. If you have a Humanity rating of 4 or higher, you must make a Simple challenge (win or tie Humanity 4, win at Humanity 5) to Possess the body as you are intentionally using that Mortal as a body shield in one way or another. If you have spent 3 traits to use Disciplines while Possessing, you may use Obfuscate as well. Dementation
Total Insanity - The effects of this power last for 1 hour or until the end of the scene, whichever comes first.
Fortitude
Aegis - You may spend a temporary Willpower trait to ignore damage from a single source for one attack. Also, you win on ties for Resilience and Resistance challenges without expending a Physical trait. Aegis only stops Static effects if used before the challenge begins. The exception to this rule is any test that requires puncturing of the skin. Staking, for example. However, if Aegis is being used after the attack but before the staking Simple challenges are thrown, it protects you from staking, but cannot be used after the Simple challenges are thrown.
Necromancy
Ash Path: Ex Nihilio - The difficulty of the test is the rating of the Shroud. The doorway to use this power must be drawn as the power is activated. No pre-drawn doorways are allowed. Bone Path: Soul Stealing - If the body is damaged after pulling the soul, the soul returns to the body instantly, regardless of constraints, unless it has also been Compelled. Voudoun Path: Baleful Doll - The doll may only be stabbed 4 times before it is rendered useless.
Obfuscate
Obfuscate adds its number of levels to Mental traits when determining ties versus Auspex. A user of Obfuscate can hide from any level of Auspex.
Unseen Presence - Attacking from this power reduces the Surprise count by 1. Mask of 1000 Faces - The user can change clothes and cover small weapons (up the concealability of "Jacket") without expending a Mental trait. For specific clothes, or to cover large weapons, the user must expend a Mental trait. Vanish from the Mind's Eye - Attacking from this power reduces the Surprise count by 1.
Obtenebration
Creating Obtenebration effects require concentration and an action, but maintenance and control do not.
Shadow Play - Multiple effects do not stack. Shroud of Night - This power does not cross dimensions.
Presence
Awe - You must be in the presence of the person you are trying to use Awe against. You cannot use Awe in Summon challenges. Summon - A person who has been Summoned does not know that a Discipline has been used on them. To answer a Summons, you must make your Presence known to the Summoner. You must go to that person, not as an Astral Projection sending or a telephone call. You will use abilities within reason, as you would to get to a very important meeting. You may be Summoned to be killed, but you may not be Summoned into obvious danger or through dangerous terrain. Either will break the Summons. (Ex.: You may be Summoned into a combat situation by someone you do not know means you harm, but once you see the rest of the squad with that person, the Summons will break. You may be summoned to a meeting, but you would not go across a wide, sunlit room without protection. This will also break the Summons.) Additionally, if a person you know is actively trying to do you harm Summons you successfully, this is considered obvious danger. The Summons fails and the person initiating the challenge loses the trait bid and the target does not know a Discipline has been used against them. Majesty - This power has a range of 30 feet, stopped by solid floor and ceiling, wall to wall. Majesty affects its victims for the entirety of the scene, or one hour, whichever comes first. When Majesty is activated you must declare a Social trait for the "flavor" of the Majesty, but this trait is not expended. If you are within the range someone's Majesty and leave the range of that Majesty, you must attempt to break their Majesty before you are able to act against them. This includes ranged weapon attacks.
Quietus
A weapon may only hold a number of Blood traits equal to its Bonus traits, and only 2 kinds of Blood may be applied to a given weapon at a given time. Quietus applications dissipate at dawn.Scorpion's Touch - This power cannot be used defensively vs. a grapple. Dagon's Call - An ST must be informed of the activation touch for this power's usage. If you are or have been within the range of your target's active Majesty, you must break their Majesty before activating Dagon's Call. Taste of Death - This power does 2 levels of Aggravated damage
Serpentis
Form of the Cobra - This power gives you the benefits of venom and bite damage of Skin of the Adder.
Setite Sorcery
Can be cast in Dual Thought. All Rituals that previously required physical contact or a sympathetic link to the target still require physical contact or a sympathetic link to the target, respectively.
Thanatosis
Withering - If the head is Withered, the victim may not initiate Mental or Social challenges, nor may they expend Mental or Social traits, except in defense. They may still use Mental or Social powers that do not require the initiating of challenges as well as Celerity, Potence, and Fortitude. Necrosis - This power cost 1 Blood trait and does 2 levels of Lethal damage in addition to inflicting the Negative traits Decrepit and Repugnant.
Thaumaturgy
In most cases, refer to the OWBN Thaumaturgy and Sorcery packets.
The Path of Blood (Rego Vitae): Taste of Blood - You may also determine a Kindred's Clan.
The Path of Blood (Rego Vitae): Blood of Potency - Your Blood becomes more potent, but does not expand to fill your Blood Pool.
The Path of Curses - This Path is not allowed in Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture.
The Path of Focused Mind - Does not require a full round to activate.
The Path of Levinbolt - This Path is not allowed in Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture.
The Path of Mars - Levels 1 through 4 do not require a full round to activate.
The Path of Mars: Comrades in Arms - Cannot be cast in combat.
Mastery of the Mortal Shell - Levels 3 through 5 require the expenditure of 1 Mental trait
per round of duration.
Movement of the Mind (Rego Motus): Control - You can either paralyze a victim or move them, not both.
The Path of Transmutation: Gaol - This power requires a Mental vs. Physical challenge against the target to activate.
Vicissitude
Fleshcraft - You may convert a Physical trait into a Health level and you may reverse a previously applied version of this, but you may not convert a Health level into a Physical trait. Bloodform - This power requires an action to perform.
Rituals
A PC may automatically, without a test at check-in, cast a number of personal rituals equal to their Occult Ability rating. Only rituals that do not require special components may be pre-cast in this way. Only rituals that only have an effect on the person casting them may be pre-cast.Blood Allergy - This Ritual must be pre-cast on a specific target, requires a sympathetic link to the target (which is consumed during the casting), and requires physical contact with the target to activate. Pavis of Foul Presence - When cast, this Ritual has a number of charges equal to the caster's Permanent Occult Ability level.
LEARNING RITUALS If you wish to learn a Ritual, you require the following three things beyond the appropriate level of the appropriate Discipline:A teacher who knows the Ritual The Ritual is in-Clan A copy of the Ritual
If you have all three of these things, learning time is:Basic Ritual - 3 days Intermediate Ritual - 7 days Advanced Ritual - 10 days
If you have two if these three things, learning time is:Basic Ritual - 1 week Intermediate Ritual - 2 weeks Advanced Ritual - 3 weeks
If you only have one of these three things, learning time is:Basic Ritual - 2 weeks Intermediate Ritual - 4 weeks Advanced Ritual - 6 weeks
LEARNING DISCIPLINES In-Clan Disciplines have no learning time. Out-of-Clan Disciplines require instruction from someone who has the Discipline in-Clan and at least 1 level higher than the level you wish to learn. (Ex. - If you wish to learn a first Basic Discipline, your teacher would have to have the second Basic level of that Discipline.) To learn an out-of-Clan Discipline you must have a card signed by the player of the teaching character (this card should be stamped if acquired in a different chronicle) and inform the ST staff. The ST staff will then note that fact on your character sheet. The XP is spent when you actually learn the Discipline, not when you inform the ST.
Learning time for out-of-Clan Disciplines is as follows:
Basic Disciplines - 1 week Intermediate Disciplines - 2 weeks Advanced Disciplines - 3 weeks
Combination Disciplines
All Combination Disciplines listed in White Wolf Clanbooks are restricted to that Clan, unless otherwise stated. To learn a Combination Discipline, you must have one of the prerequisites as an in-Clan Discipline. Learning time for Combination Disciplines is 1 month per the highest tier of the prerequisites. (Ex. - A Combination Discipline that requires an Intermediate Discipline and a Basic Discipline would have a learning time of 2 months.)
Stacking Disciplines
Form powers may not be stacked with other form powers. Only the following powers may be stacked with form powers:Protean: Eyes of the Beast Protean: Feral Claws Serpentis: The Eyes of the Serpent Serpentis: The Tounge of the Asp
Visiting Players
As a courtesy, please have your home chronicle ST staff send your character sheets ahead of time, but always bring a stamped and signed copy with you. Any home-brewed Rituals that do not have a Mind's Eye Theater write-up must be submitted to the Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture ST staff ahead of time and a copy of what it does must be carried by the player.
Transfer Policy
If a character wishes to transfer into or out of Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture, the head STs, or a majority of the STs in a chronicle without a head ST, must agree. The player transferring must also submit to a full audit of their character sheet and item cards by both ST staffs.
Inactive Characters
Players can shelve their own character at any time subject to ST approval, but once that character is shelved, it must remain shelved for at least six months unless the Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture ST staff decides otherwise. Characters become shelved automatically after six months of no player contact with the Milwaukee: Nocturnal Rapture ST staff and inactive after an additional six months of no player contact.
Multiple PCs
Any player who has a Milwaukee-based PC and a non-Milwaukee-based PC must play their Milwaukee-based PC in Milwaukee at least twice within a three month period without PC flip-flop or they will not be permitted to play any character other than their Milwaukee-based PC in Milwaukee for the following three month period. Those periods are:January - March April - June July - September October - December