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ZearothK posted:Man, Shadownessence. I was such an edgy teenage twat back then, I am so so sorry for being a bad poster. Still loved the site. Being a subforum mod on that site was the weirdest poo poo. We couldn't use buttons on people so we mostly had to bear bait problem posters who were dancing around the rules into crossing the line. But I kept the werewolf forum readable damnit.
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Sep 23, 2023 13:01
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Kurieg posted:But I kept the werewolf forum readable damnit. You did? (I kid, you did)
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Sep 23, 2023 13:49
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I don’t have anything to contribute to the ongoing conversation, so here’s another recap from our nightly adventures in New York. The players are investigating two mysteries for a friendly Nosferatu called Cockroach; they need to find out who killed her and who her sire is. They have gained an audition with the former Nosferatu Prince of New York to learn more about her sire, but we didn’t get to that part yet in this session. I wanted to dole out information in a certain order and had the players investigate other clues for a few nights and they even managed to pursue avenues of investigation I had not even prepared for! Luckily I’m pretty good at thinking on my feet, so my players couldn’t differentiate between pre-planned stuff and making stuff up on the spot. As usual, our coterie consists of Augustus the Amish Banu Haqim and Thomas the Triad Tremere. First the coterie wanted to learn more about the mysterious sire, Gerard Rafin. They wanted to search the city archives and probably for the first time in our campaign, did not start the night by hunting for food and could enter an establishment during business hours. Apparently my players had just assumed that they would wake up after business hours and I was glad to inform them that many places are open in the evening, and they don’t always have to do some breaking and entering. I asked them how they would approach the investigation, noting that the archives are large and time is a factor. I let them brainstorm for a moment, trying to deduct and guess how old the records would be. One of them mentioned that Gerard Rafin sounds like a European name, maybe they are an immigrant. This was a hidden modifier that brought the difficulty of the investigation roll down enough that the coterie quite easily found immigration papers for one Gerard Rafin, a tinker who had arrived at Ellis Island from France in the early 1900’s. This doesn’t help them a lot, but it was a nice way to include some local history in our game. So now the coterie knows they are looking for a French Nosferatu. And they already know one French Nosferatu, Uncle Smelly. Now my players are not familiar with the deep lore of VtM, but some of you might know that Uncle Smelly is Gerard Rafin. My players don’t connect the dots, but they want to find Uncle Smelly to inquire if he is familiar with other French Nosferatu. They had previously met Uncle Smelly at a quiet part of Grand Central Station, so that’s where they head to next. Now I can’t have them meet Uncle Smelly yet, that would be too easy, but I don’t want them to investigate a lead and not give them anything, so I quickly come up with a scene where they encounter an actual rat working as basically a security camera. The rat, being either a familiar or directly controlled by another vampire, can’t really communicate and has other things to do besides answering questions. The players try to ask it some simple questions, to which it either nods or shakes its tiny head in response. When the coterie starts asking for information the rat is not comfortable sharing, like the location of Uncle Smelly, the rat decides it’s done answering questions and stops replying. When the players don’t take the hint and keep pestering it, the rat scurries away. The players follow it. Then the rat gently guides them to a taxi. The players get it and keep the door open for the rodent, who then scurries off and the coterie finally understands that the conversation is over. After this my players were stumped on what to do next, since they didn’t have any more clues about Gerard Rafin before the upcoming meeting with Calebros. I gently reminded them that they are not only trying to find Cockroach’s sire, but also trying to find out who killed her and they have plenty of leads on that front. Thanks to previously finding an old newspaper article about the shooting incident where Cockroach was killed, or disappeared since no body was found on the crime scene, they know exactly where it happened. The crime took place in an old crypt in Evergreens Cemetery, so that’s their next destination. They find the crypt, which has had its lock replaced after the shooting, but to their surprise the lock has been picked and the door is open. And inside they find quite the scene. They find an old bullet shell the previous investigation had missed and traces of vampiric Vitae on the shell. One of the tombs is empty and instead there is a tight and collapsed tunnel. The players spend several hours clearing the tunnel to find out it leads to a labyrinthine tunnel network, which the players decide not to investigate further since they have no light sources and would get lost (and I as GM hadn’t even prepared for them to successfully clear the tunnel, so I’m glad I didn’t have to improvise a tunnel network). But the most incriminating detail in the crypt was a massive pentagram, drawn with dried Vitae, several red wax candles, herbs, and a goat skull. This ritual circle was a recent addition, having been made after the shooting incident. Both characters are quite skilled at occult stuff, so while it was not possible to identify the ritual performed here, they learned that it was not because the ritual was obscure, but down to two possibilities. Either whoever performed the ritual was very innovative, combining several ritual traditions into a new one, or a complete novice mixing elements from several rituals without understanding any of them. In either case they could tell the ritual was unsuccessful. And after that we rolled some hunting checks in preparation for the next session and called it for the night. This was a bit shorter session, but things are getting set up and I’m excited to see what happens next time. Next session they will meet the former Prince Calebros! The ritual in the crypt has also introduced a new and unknown element in the mystery! Also, unbeknownst to the players, the FBI Special Affairs Division is about to ramp up their operations. I’ve been rolling what they do off-screen and thanks to contacts and favors the players can see when they roll and how they roll, but not why. During this session, the SAD agents finish the investigation phase and have profiles of the player characters, now they will start to discreetly hinder them.
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Sep 23, 2023 14:08
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Yeah, as a teenager and then young adult into WoD in the 90s and 00s, myself and all my friends absolutely did the katana and trenchcoat bullshit.
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Sep 23, 2023 14:10
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That Old Tree posted:Yeah, as a teenager and then young adult into WoD in the 90s and 00s, myself and all my friends absolutely did the katana and trenchcoat bullshit. My first character was a katana and trenchcoater, though I did try to work the justification for such into his backstory. (Glass walker metis ahroun who was basically stuck in a back room his entire life, built his personality off of what he could figure out from the internet was "cool")
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Sep 23, 2023 14:15
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I'm glad I was already through with my trenchcoat-and-katana phase by the time W:tA came out. Not that I had that phase, but I did have a jams-and-nunchaku phase in the mid 80s.
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Sep 23, 2023 14:43
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Also, Lord Hypno: I love your chronicle reports.
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Sep 23, 2023 14:53
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Who among us hasn't made a starting character who is one of the world's deadliest killers.
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Sep 23, 2023 15:49
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"why on earth does your character have a Deagle? Those things are way too big and impractical." "I'm a werewolf. And I'm fighting other werewolves." "... yeah that tracks."
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Sep 23, 2023 15:52
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Lord_Hambrose posted:Who among us hasn't made a starting character who is one of the world's deadliest killers. It’s my game, and I’ll play it how I want! 
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Sep 23, 2023 16:17
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Trenchcoat and Katana was absolutely the default style of play for a while. A D&D game started in a tavern, an OWoD game started in a nightclub. It was The Way. I agree with Ferrinus that NWoD gets pretty wild too, and maybe it is just a case that OWoD is tackier about it. I *like* that tackiness when it comes in the form of a massive amount of Werewolves building a whole commune in the middle of Central Park and it has a magic trashcan that refills empty fast food containers. Or a gigantic radioactive worm hanging out in the middle of the Trinity Test Site that also has a whole werewolf commune living in its stomach. Or a vampire that's so powerful it's basically a Lovecraftian terror that is killed by the combined might of other vampires and orbital lasers made by techno-wizards. Of course some of that tackiness is very much not good and needed to go. V5 is an unfocused mess that's been developed under multiple regimes and had it's well documented tacky gently caress ups. I haven't read H5 because Reckoning without the Imbued doesn't interest me at all, but W5 feels like massive overcorrection. It's easily one of the most bland WoD books I've ever read. It's focus on "local" doesn't even really feel like a focus. It just feels like less. Let me give an example of something in W5 that made me scratch my head. In the Antagonist chapter they have a brief write up of Project Twilight, the secret anti-werewolf division within the FBI. Project Twilight is described as officially defunct but a skeleton crew is still running. I like Project Twilight, I think it's one of those classic tacky OWoD things that makes the setting fun, which is why it's baffling to me that they're being sunset in favor of another US Government Anti-Werewolf faction with the absolutely fear inducing name of the "Information Awareness Office", who has less direct knowledge of Werewolves than Project Twilight, but more resources. Why was the Indormation Awareness Office necessary and why is it so boring?
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Sep 23, 2023 16:19
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Free Gratis posted:V5 is an unfocused mess that's been developed under multiple regimes and had it's well documented tacky gently caress ups. I haven't read H5 because Reckoning without the Imbued doesn't interest me at all, but W5 feels like massive overcorrection. It's easily one of the most bland WoD books I've ever read. It's focus on "local" doesn't even really feel like a focus. It just feels like less. You also get weird instances where it is possible, if unlikely, you can redeem Black Spiral Dancers but not the Cult of Fenris which is... okay? I dunno, whatever, man.
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Sep 23, 2023 16:39
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Free Gratis posted:Let me give an example of something in W5 that made me scratch my head. In the Antagonist chapter they have a brief write up of Project Twilight, the secret anti-werewolf division within the FBI. Project Twilight is described as officially defunct but a skeleton crew is still running. I like Project Twilight, I think it's one of those classic tacky OWoD things that makes the setting fun, which is why it's baffling to me that they're being sunset in favor of another US Government Anti-Werewolf faction with the absolutely fear inducing name of the "Information Awareness Office", who has less direct knowledge of Werewolves than Project Twilight, but more resources. Why was the Indormation Awareness Office necessary and why is it so boring? lol, you'd imagine the Second Inquisition lore in V5 would mean Project Twilight would be stronger than ever, but no. A setting more inconsistent than the original WoD run is quite a feat. Lord Hypnostache posted:I don’t have anything to contribute to the ongoing conversation, so here’s another recap from our nightly adventures in New York. Always appreciate a play report. The rat leading them to a cab is my favourite character.
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Sep 23, 2023 17:20
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Dawgstar posted:You also get weird instances where it is possible, if unlikely, you can redeem Black Spiral Dancers but not the Cult of Fenris which is... okay? I dunno, I mean there were implications that it was possible to redeem Black Spirals with top level Gifts or by stuffing them in Erebus, if never explicitly stated, and with the obvious caveat that Garou society might not recognize it, or would recognize it with "We applaud your great courage, former Spiral. Please hold still and in honor of Gaia we will make this quick." To be fair to W5, the Black Spiral Dancers didn't really map to anything in real life, while the Get of Fenris, uh, did map to some unfortunate groups. 
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Sep 23, 2023 18:36
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Nessus posted:I mean there were implications that it was possible to redeem Black Spirals with top level Gifts or by stuffing them in Erebus, if never explicitly stated, and with the obvious caveat that Garou society might not recognize it, or would recognize it with ”We applaud your great courage, former Spiral. Please hold still and in honor of Gaia we will make this quick." Nessus posted:To be fair to W5, the Black Spiral Dancers didn't really map to anything in real life, while the Get of Fenris, uh, did map to some unfortunate groups. AmiYumi fucked around with this message at 20:06 on Sep 23, 2023 |
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Sep 23, 2023 20:03
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Lord_Hambrose posted:Who among us hasn't made a starting character who is one of the world's deadliest killers. You can take Red list as a 7-point flaw!
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Sep 23, 2023 21:27
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The problem with the Get is that the game can't really square the circle of what the tribe has become. The Spirals aren't playable because they're all evil and corrupted, if you cleanse them of their evil and corruption then they're not a spiral anymore. The Get of Fenris aren't playable because they've all fallen to religious zealotry and want nothing more than to give their lives to Gaia. This is "Good" and shouldn't be fixed, but they're unplayable because <reason missing>.
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Sep 23, 2023 21:37
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V:TM didn't directly embrace the trenchcoat and katana playstyle, but between Blade, Underworld and later The Matrix, the style was definitely in the zeitgeist. V:TR (technically World of Darkness) did, however, have the Dudes of Legend sourcebook that codified it all. Including special rules for tight leather pants, trenchcoats, katanas, stripper wear, and even the arfore mentioned Desert Eagle. I'd post some snippets, but honestly, viewer discretion is advised. I'll just post the official description: quote:Dudes of Legend: How To Be loving Awesome
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Sep 23, 2023 22:36
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I used to scoff at katana and trenchcoats. I still do, but now it's hypocrisy instead of elitism because I'm fully embracing lesbian stripper ninjas as ~queer~ TTRPG culture.
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Sep 23, 2023 22:43
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You guys are making fun of me. I deserve it, and I knew it was coming when I hit Post. I first knew Blade from the Tomb of Dracula marvel comics in the 70s when he had a huge afro, wore wraparound yellow shades, and as I recall a long, tan-colored leather jacket, festooned with spikes he’d throw at the vamps. It was kind of lame. So when the newer version of Blade emerged in the 90s comics and finally the 1998 film, I was awestruck. The first ten minutes of that film are my favorite segment of any superhero film ever, and it’s even better because there are none of the other dorky superheroes in it later. Yeah, I am still stuck there. In 1998. I’ve made the same character in Skyrim many times, although he carries a crossbow and a silver katana. Regretted play-seconds: 0 I will say I have also played bloodlines through as a Thaumaturgy Blood Assassin Wizard. And it was also fun. Never done Malk or Nos. Perhaps I should.
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Sep 23, 2023 22:48
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quote:Dudes of Legend: How To Be loving Awesome Honestly that sounds rad and over the top. 🤷♂️
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Sep 24, 2023 00:23
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One of the funner April Fools releases.
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Sep 24, 2023 01:56
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CAPT. Rainbowbeard posted:Honestly that sounds rad and over the top. 🤷♂️ Hooray, I guess.
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Sep 24, 2023 01:58
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MrMojok posted:You guys are making fun of me. I deserve it, and I knew it was coming when I hit Post. Malk is fun. High recommend.
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Sep 24, 2023 01:59
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MrMojok posted:Never done Malk or Nos. Perhaps I should. The best time to play Malk is your second time and you're hip to things. Nos is fun depending on how you like adapting to the playstyle.
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Sep 24, 2023 02:08
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Dawgstar posted:The best time to play Malk is your second time and you're hip to things. Nos is fun depending on how you like adapting to the playstyle. IME, Tremere was the easiest run by miles, most of the rest in the middle, and then Gangrel & Nosferatu both had a “I feel like I am actively denying myself from doing fun things” vibe* that made me install a bunch of mods and then stop playing *the Nos flaw gets stupid once you internalize enough of the mechanics and realize you don’t need to bother hiding as long as you keep moving except for specific segments
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Sep 24, 2023 05:15
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AmiYumi posted:Gangrel & Nosferatu both had a “I feel like I am actively denying myself from doing fun things” vibe* that made me install a bunch of mods and then stop playing I played Gangrel and really don’t remember feeling like I was missing things, obvious (Tremere / Malk) aside.
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Sep 24, 2023 14:05
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If playing a Nosferatu is wrong, I don't wanna be right.
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Sep 24, 2023 14:13
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AmiYumi posted:IME, Tremere was the easiest run by miles, most of the rest in the middle, and then Gangrel & Nosferatu both had a “I feel like I am actively denying myself from doing fun things” vibe* that made me install a bunch of mods and then stop playing Yeah, all you need to do as Tremere is level Thaumaturgy and do whatever else you want. Gangrel I don't feel like you miss out a lot but there's a definite lack of connection that you get with the other clans since the only other member you meet is Beckett.
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Sep 24, 2023 16:31
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Dawgstar posted:Yeah, all you need to do as Tremere is level Thaumaturgy and do whatever else you want. Skelter is also a Gangrel, and tells you so if you play as one. Edit: turns out that's a Wesp addition! But yeah, in the game files he's a Gangrel, he just never mentions it in the default game. Fuzz fucked around with this message at 18:58 on Sep 24, 2023 |
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Sep 24, 2023 18:56
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My first ever run was as a Gangrel. It seems slightly lacking in some extra Clan content but I had a great time, obviously. Except when I tried to go hand-to-hand with the werewolf. I was so proud of getting all 5 dots in Protean! Fat lot of good it did me.
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Sep 24, 2023 19:26
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Fuzz posted:Skelter is also a Gangrel, and tells you so if you play as one. Skelter barely matters, though. Now if it were Damsel... I kid of course, she could be nothing but doofus Brujah and we love her for it.
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Sep 24, 2023 20:45
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Yesterday I imagined a Malkavian who was Embraced in mistake for his twin brother, a big-shot, John-wick-type assassin, and his Malkavian mental quirk is the intense strain of convincing people that a) he isn't his brother, and b) he actually does have a brother and isn't just yet another Malkavian with multiple personalities.
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Sep 24, 2023 21:52
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The real twist? He's actually a Hollow Mekhet.
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Sep 24, 2023 22:34
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I mean, as a Malkavian he's just as likely the assassin who now thinks he's his own non-existent incompetent twin.
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Sep 24, 2023 22:52
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NikkolasKing posted:My first ever run was as a Gangrel. It seems slightly lacking in some extra Clan content but I had a great time, obviously. Same, and man, feral claws and then the war form seemed so rad but holy poo poo they were awful once you tried a melee character. The slow animations were horrendous.
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Sep 24, 2023 22:52
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Dawgstar posted:Gangrel I don't feel like you miss out a lot but there's a definite lack of connection that you get with the other clans since the only other member you meet is Beckett. I don’t see enough people praise the game for its Clan expression through clothing, but the art department did such a great job there: the Brujah go from gangbanger to biker, the Gangrel go from exposed to covering every inch of their body (self-isolating + possibly covering frenzy features), the Malks and Nos are majestic, the Toreador & Ventrue go from “my dad owns a dealership” to “I own this city”, and the Tremere have a “Columbo but a warlock” thing going on
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Sep 24, 2023 23:05
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Fuzz posted:Same, and man, feral claws and then the war form seemed so rad but holy poo poo they were awful once you tried a melee character. The slow animations were horrendous.
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Sep 24, 2023 23:10
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AmiYumi posted:To clarify, I meant the lack of “extra” things you get for being XX Clan (the things that make another playthrough stand out), coupled with the starting stat distribution that IIRC made my character bad at everything but Claws and Intimidate (very appropriate, but limiting early game where they had the most time to show off the different social skills and Disciplines) If I'm being honest then Toreador don't feel like they get that much more either. They really should have gotten like a cool Hollywood Haven from the Baron or VV.
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Sep 24, 2023 23:16
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The first thing I do in Bloodlines is give myself enough XP to get the 7/5/3 attribute spread of VtM. The skills are parred down enough that the dot distribution your given maps out the same as the 13/9/5 and we get three disciplines, so nothing needed there.
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Sep 24, 2023 23:34
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