Winona: Dark Haven House Rules & Rules Clarifications (v2.9)

Traveling Characters must be sent by the Thursday before the WDH game. If you show up to our game without prior notification from your home cronicle, it will be up to ST discretion whether the character will be allowed in or what you will be allowed in with.

This page contains the most recent version of the Winona Dark Haven House Rules to date. These rules are intended to clarify and supersede certain rules in our core rule book – Laws of the Night: Revised (LotN:R) as modified by the bylaws of OWbN.ST rulings supercede any instances of "it was ruled this way in the past." Please note that these rules are viewed as "a work in progress" and as such may be updated as our chronicle deems appropriate.

Note: A downloadable PDF file of the WDH revised houserules will be available after our chronicle rules discussion takes place.
 
WDH: House Rules
 


CLAN-SPECIFIC NOTES [Top of Page]
General Notes: In regards to clan-specific genre the latest revised Clanbooks will be used as a guideline. An example of clan-specific items that may be superseded would be clan advantage and disadvantages. Caitiff: A Caitiff must start at tenth generating or weaker. A Caitiff gets three disciplines from the cardinal eight, which will be considered "in-clan" and will not require a teacher.

MORALITY PATHS & PATH CONVERSION [Top of Page]
General Notes: Characters will not be permitted to start play on a Path without ST approval.

Switching Paths: (Work in Progress)

At this point the character makes a Conscience/Conviction test for the sin committed. If they succeed they will have retained their 1 Morality trait and must try again. If they fail they must then make a Self-Control/Instinct test the stave off frenzy. If they fail they enter Wassail (permanent frenzy) and either become an NPC or are retired from the game. If they succeed at this second test, they must make a static Willpower test with a difficulty of 7; ties on this test will go to the PC. If they fail this third test they will enter Wassail and become an NPC. If they succeed the third test they will discard their last point of their previous Morality and gain one point in their new Morality. The will also have 1 trait in any new virtues the new path requires, losing all points in the discarded Virtues. There will be no reimbursement or replacement for these lost traits.

ABILITIES [Top of Page]
General Notes: The Alertness and Blind-Fighting abilities will be permitted to characters. The Martial Arts ability is not be permitted to characters. In order to gain the special abilities of a weapon, such as "staking" "speed" "high caliber", etc. the character must have at least one level of the appropriate ability to use said special ability. Without the appropriate ability, the character can still use the item in question, just without the special ability. A character may spend a Willpower to enter a challenge he does not have the ability for in order to gain the special ability.Crafts: In order to craft a work the artist must spend a number of weeks working at a piece. The player will be permitted a simple test for each week of work. Each success will add one to the final craft rating, with the maximum rating, with the maximum rating being the characters crafts score. A simple or rushed work may be executed, but in no case will the craft score of the piece be higher than half (round down) of the characters craft score. Reproductions do not have the same impact as the original and thus may never have a score higher than 2. A piece that illustrates/uses multiple media/crafts or artists will use the average of the skills involved i.e. A movie may only have a score of the average of the director and the actor, or a read poem will use the average of the expression and the performance: oratory skills.

Expression: Works the same as crafts, but for written, spoken, or sung pieces. The expression rating is based off of the time spent preparing or practicing for the performance.

Lores: Each character is presumed to understand how powers that they possess work. Beyond this, the lore ability will be handled as follows:
  • • Starting Lores: At character creation a PC will be granted free lores that fall into the following categories; Genre Lore x1 (ie. Kindred Lore x1), Clan Lore x1, Sect Lore x1, and Background Lore x1 (must be academic/culturally derived, such as language, customs, et cetera. No combat applications.) As with all lore abilities, these must first be approved by an ST.
  • • Learning Lores: A PC may learn any lore provided that they have an appropriate teacher or source from which to learn. It will be left to ST discretion as to what is considered an "appropriate" teacher or source for any given lore. Note: Players should understand that when dealing with creature/sect/clan specific lore for such things as Lupines, Demons, Sabbat, Baali, et cetera, that once they achieve level 3 in these exclusive lores they can expect that they will then begin crossing into areas of knowledge that can often only be obtained through actual interaction with said creatures/sects/clans. Needless to say, this is when things will become increasingly dangerous for the knowledge driven PC.
  • • Kindred Lore: This lore is required to understand any disciplines that are not considered to be in-clan for your character. Furthermore, once a character has reached Kindred Lore x3 s/he may also understand the workings of any clan specific disciplines that are not considered in-clan for any clan that is not listed as being R & U, as defined by OWBN Rare & Unique Procedure (http://www.owbn.org). In order to understand the workings of clan specific disciplines for R & U clans, the PC must possess said clan lore. Clan/Sect specific lores are also required in order to even have knowledge of a specific Clan/Sect combination discipline.
  • • Lore Usage: To use information gained IC that would normally require a specific lore, a player must purchase the lore first, at an appropriate level.
Linguistics: A single point will provide written and spoken fluency in any given language. There is no limit to the number of linguistics abilities a given character may possess.

Meditation: Upon meditation, you can get one willpower back for each trait that is spent (up to a maximum of 5) or you can gain a one trait bonus on your next self-control test. It takes 30 minutes of game time to meditate. In order to receive both benefits, you must spend 1 hour of game time meditating.

DISCIPLINES [Top of Page]
General Notes: No secondary rebids will be used. You cannot use multiple abilities for multiple rebids in the same challenge. For example: If an applicable challenge can use Theology or Occult, you may only use one or the other for the whole challenge.
  • • A player may choose to place all three initial discipline levels in one in-clan discipline. Doing so will cost the character 3 freebie points.
  • • Anything not included here will be ruled to the best of the STs ability at the time.
Combo Disciplines: A character can learn any Combo Discipline with ST approval. They must have an appropriate teacher, with all of the appropriate disciplines (one rank above the power level needed for the combo discipline.)To teach a Combo Discipline you must have at least one of the Discipline Requirements In-Clan. You must have one level higher discipline level in all required Disciplines than the combo you are teaching. Animalism:
  • • Feral Whispers: A character with this discipline will be permitted to communicate with other supernatural, creatures in animal form or subsuming animal bodies.
  • • Beckoning: A character beckoning small creatures will, at storyteller discretion, summon more than 1 animal per social trait spent. A good rule of thumb is 1 blood point work of animals per social trait spent.
  • • Quell the Best: Can only be used to bring a Vampire out of Frenzy. Works as book on living creatures.
  • • Subsume the Spirit: The vampire will be permitted to use Obfuscate as well as Auspex by spending 2 traits. When Aura-Perceiving a subsumed creature you see a double-layered aura as with Possession.
  • • Drawing Out the Beast: The victim of this power is not permitted a Virtue test to resist this frenzy, nor may they spend a will power trait to stave off a frenzy for ten minutes. A character suffering from Quell the Beast may be subject to this power as normal. If the victim also has the power Drawing out the Beast, they will not be permitted to use it when subjected to drawing out the beast, as Drawing Out the Beast takes the place of a Virtue test, and the victim is not permitted a Virtue test. A Beast lost through use of this power returns at the end of the night, if not otherwise recovered.
Auspex:
General Notes: Auspex is a blind kindred's best friend. Even with Heightened Senses, the amount of information gleaned is vast. Heightened Hearing allows him/her to pick out voices, clothes rustling, the small creaks of furniture, et cetera. Heightened Smell lets him/her identify an individual's scent, with the obvious advantages thereof. Telepathy, when properly used, can substitute for eyes. Just bring along a
ghouled Retainer, and use Telephathy to scan their surface thoughts. Once you get used to the disjointed perceptions, things may function a bit easier.

Some other powers also require "line of sight". This, unfortunately, gets handled on a case-by-case basis. Many Dementation powers require line of sight; however, since a blind character can never literally have "line of sight", this is interpreted as "is aware of the presence of or is with earshot", usually the first. Additionally, Blind people can use Aura Perception, as is said in the Flaw (see Lot N:r-Flaws: Blind). Other perception based powers, therefore, also work.
  • • Heightened Senses: You must use the hand signs top designate the sense you are using. You cannot wear a card that says "Heightened Senses: Sight, Smell, Hearing, etc." for the entire night.
  • • Aura Perception: A player may ask "Is there more than one spirit in that body" to detect subsumed/possessed creatures. Aura Perception will not be permitted to detect magic upon an item/body that does not have an aura itself.
  • • Spirit's Touch: This power can find an enchantment upon an item and will frequently give an impression of the nature of the enchantment or enchanter.
  • • Psychic Projection: A character may use Auspex levels while projected without manifesting and without any additional cost. Characters in Psychic Projection are limited to using perception-based powers. Any powers that require a non-static challenge can only be used while the character has manifested his form. Projecting characters have no access to their bodies, which prevents the use of blood for any purpose.
Auspex vs. Obfuscate & Chimerstry: In the result of a tied challenge the number of levels of the discipline being used to attack/defend is added to the number of Mental traits being declared.

Chimerstry:
  • • Ignis Fatuus and Fata Morgana: You do not need to defeat an opponent in a Social Challenge to activate these powers. Pay the cost listed and the illusion springs into life, visible by anyone present. If a character has a valid reason to disbelieve the illusion, they may attempt a Static Mental Challenge against the illusionist's Social Traits at the time when the illusion Social Traits. Success on this challenge allows the character to see through the illusion (or hear through it, smell through it, etc.).
  • • Horrid Realty: Horrid Realty cannot be used to dictate reality without engaging in challenges. Each turn the illusionist may make a Mental Challenge to have the illusion create a new effect on the target, such as being hit by a chimerical attacker or engulfed in flame. For each round the damage continues (more burning, etc.) another mental challenge must be won. Damage from the attacks created by Horrid Reality is equal to the normal damage such an attack would cause, such as a punch doing one level and a pistol doing two levels. Additional effects of attacks, such as staking, must be tested as normal. Blowing for Aegis is cause for disbelief in a stake. Horrid Reality is visible to everyone, but can only damage one person.
Dementation:
General Notes: Learning Dementation does not give a character a Derangement, and it is not necessary to have a Derangement to learn this power.
  • • Total Insanity: After this power is used on a character the character gets 5 Derangements. After each hour actual game time one derangement goes away (ST choice). Total Insanity ends at the end of the night.
Dominate:
  • • Possession: If perceived with Aura Perception and the question "What creature type are you is asked" the result of the test provided it was successful will reveal the aura of the person possessing as well as the static aura of the creature being possessed. The vampire will be permitted to us Obfuscate as well as Auspex by spending 2 traits.
    • All mortals have a maximum 10 Blood traits in their system at any given time. In the case where a ghoul is ‘possessed' by a vampire, the maximum of 10 Blood traits still remains the same, with the exception that up to 3 traits of kindred vitae can be combined with the ghoul's, provided that the ghoul is fed accordingly. Kindred vitae that is fed to a ghoul will automatically fuse with their host's normal blood without increasing the host's total Blood pool. Only kindred vitae can be later accessed to fuel disciplines, accelerate healing, increase physical traits, et cetera. Using the kindred vitae in such a manner does not inflict harm upon the host as the kindred vitae is merely being separated from the host's normal blood.• While possessing such mortals, the vampire may only access powers inherent to the physical form, such as Celerity, Fortitude and Potence, but not other supernatural powers possessed by the mortal in question. The vampire uses the Blood Pool and maximum expenditures per turn of her host. If a character assumes another shape before possessing, the special powers granted do not transfer with her into the possessed body. This includes such things as the bonus Mental Traits from Shape of the Beast, the Dominate/Presence immunity from Felis Negrum, and the darkness immunity granted by The Form of the Cobra.
Fortitude:
  • • Aegis: As per LotN:R You an reflexively use Aegis at any point in a turn to negate all damage your character has received in that same turn.
Obfuscate:

Obfuscate can be broken by someone who sees them and then forcefully interacts with them. (i.e. A character with Heightened Senses identifies an Obfuscated character and attacks him, knocking him out of Obfuscate and making him visible to other players.) This only works for low levels of Obfuscate. A character that has Vanish from the Mind's Eye or higher is not made visible to other characters in this way if thee win their Vanish challenge at the end of the round.
  • • Mask of 1000 Faces: You may modify the specific details of clothing but not add or remove items in full by expending one mental trait per change of outfit. Thus, a ratty windbreaker can be made to appear as a new and stylish tuxedo jacket, but not a trench coat.
  • • Cloak the Gathering: Cloak the Gathering cannot be used on unwilling, torpored, or unconscious targets unless a static mental challenge is won against the target (static mental, st discretion against inanimate objects.).
Obtenebration:
  • • Arms of the Abyss: Expend a Blood and a Social Trait for each Arm of the Abyss. You may only use as much Potence or Fortitude through your arms as you have levels in Obtenebration.
  Potence:
General Notes: Potence does not modify ranged combat except where specifically mentioned in the power's description.
  • • Might: Might can be used to cancel Might so long as both parties are using Strength-related traits.
  • • Puissance: There is no Puissance-leap. This power is an Elder Discipline in the Brujah clanbook called Relentless Pursuit.
Presence:
  • • Awe: Awe can cancel Awe. Awe is a discipline that can only be used in the immediate area (i.e. cannot be used in Summon, Beckoning challenges etc.) Awe cannot be used to have everyone "look at you." That is a flavor description from LotN:R, not a mechanic.
  • • Summons: When you are affected by this power you have no idea you are being summoned and you are compelled to go there by yourself, politely excusing yourself in an unsuspicious, legitimate way. If a player cannot excuse them self in a believable manner, or is metagaming the Summons the ST may choose to narrate the character leaving and may allow some or none of the other characters in the scene to follow. The only powers that count as "exerting your presence" as described in LotN:R are Dread Gaze and Entrancement.
Protean:
  • • Shape of the Beast: Gangrel fight forms get 5 traits to divide between Physical and Mental traits. Learning Protean out of clan gives you 3 Physical Traits, and 2 Mental traits. Learning protean out of clan gives you 3 Physical Traits, and 2 Mental Traits (Cunning) in Wolfe Form as per the Gangrel Clan Book. See additional notes under Gangrel Clan Notes. Flying flight forms get three traits (x3 quick). Ground-based Flight Forms get 6 traits (x3 quick and three others) as per Gangrel Clan Book. If more then five steps away from the nearest attacker, anyone in Flight Form can declare a "Fair Escape" unless an attacker possesses more heightened speed or ranged attack. When going to fight form you automatically get Feral Claws, including the Sharp trait.
Quietus:
General Notes: The maximum number of Quietus toxin coatings that may be applied to any single weapon is one per Bonus trait. All blood poisons mixed in this way last the number of nights equal to the caster's permanent Willpower. Different Quietus powers cannot be used on the same weapon, as the different poisons render themselves inert when mixed.
  • • Scorpion's Touch: Traits lost to Scorpion's Touch also apply to the comparison of ties, causing the victim to bid fewer Traits. These traits can be regained by Prowess (strength-based) or Willpower.
  • • Dagon's Call: This power takes one turn to activate. Only base Physical Traits are applicable for the comparison of ties in these Static Physical challenges, not Traits added for blood expenditure, alternate forms, etc. Clarification, each level of damage dealt in to a target in this manner does not equal a Blood trait lost as well.
  • • Taste of Death: This power does two levels of Aggravated damage instead of one.
Thanatosis:
  • • Withering: If a Vampire's head suffers from the effects of Withering, she can still use Potence, Celerity, and Fortitude.
Thaumaturgy:
General Notes:    Thaumaturgical (i.e. Blood Magic) powers that require touch do not require skin contact, despite the rule on page 47 of Laws of the Night Storytellers Guide. Only effects that keep the thaumaturge from speaking (carving out her tongue, Vicissitude) will prevent her from using Thaumaturgy. Unless a power specifically requires the subject to hear the thaumaturge's voice, circumstances that simply prevent it from being heard (a raging storm, Silence of Death) will not hinder Thaumaturgy. While the Thaumaturgy possessed by the Tremere, Assamite, Setite, etc. share same game mechanics, in the World of Darkness these are widely different magical paths. You cannot learn paths or rituals from someone possessing a different Clan's ‘version' of Thaumaturgy and you cannot have more than one type of Blood Magic: Thaumaturgy, Ahku, Assamite Sorcery, Necromancy, etc.

Clans that have Thaumaturgy in-clan have access to the free ritual at each level of their primary path. When Thaumaturgy is learned out of clan, the Thaumaturge also gains the free ritual at each level.
  • • Elemental Mastery, Summon Elemental: Storyteller assistance is required for use of this power. Storytellers are encouraged to be harsh towards players who make frivolous use of Summon Elemental, as it can disrupt game play if not closely monitored.
  • • Hands of Destruction, Acidic Touch: This power lasts for the duration of the scene.
  • • Movement of the Mind, Control: To retain an immobilized victim, the thaumaturge must win another Mental vs. Physical Challenge at the end of every third turn. The use of the "Bomb" or "Win All Ties" mechanics in this challenge is at ST discretion.
  • • Neptune's Might, Blood to Water: Using this power requires an action, which includes a Physical Challenge to touch the target. A maximum of three Mental Traits may be spent on each use of this power.
  • • Path of Blood, Blood Rage: Blood Rage cannot be used to bring someone out of torpor. You can not force them to spend a blood to come out of torpor. The only way to get someone out of torpor is time or a trait of blood from a vampire 3 generations stronger.
    • Path of Blood, Blood of Potency: The generation(s) granted by this power only affect the character's Blood Pool size, her number of Blood traits expendable in a turn, her ability to awaken vampires from torpor, and her interaction with powers that compare generation. No other benefits of the lower generation are gained. No character can reduce her effective generation below 5th with Blood of Potency.
  • • Path of the Blood's Curse: All levels of this path are lost, without refunding of experience or other Traits used to purchase it, should the Thaumaturge permanently acquire a generation below tenth.
  • • Path of Transmutation, Gaol: Using this Discipline to trap an unwilling subject requires the thaumaturge to make a Mental Challenge against his subject's Physical Traits. The use of the "Bomb" or "Win All Ties" mechanics in this challenge is at Storyteller discretion. No Disciplines or supernatural powers can be exercised across the barrier created by Gaol. As stated in the power's description, a Gaol completely encapsulates the target. Once created, a Gaol may not be moved.
  • • Spirit Manipulation, Duality: This power may not be used to move creatures between worlds.
Thaumaturgical Rituals:
  • • Pavis of the Foul Presence: This is a Tremere-only ritual. This ritual does not affect Elder level disciplines.
  • • Deflection of the Wooden Doom: This ritual takes 10 minutes if the caster is casting it on themselves. If they are casting it on someone else, they can cast it on themselves and one other person per Occult ability they have. In this case, the ritual takes 1 hour to cast.
BACKGROUNDS [Top of Page]
Choosing Backgrounds: Any Background with more than two dots invested will require ST approval. There are special rules regarding Influence use and advancement, these rules are outline in the WDH: Player Packet.
  • • Mentor: A character may only have five points of Mentor. Once a Mentor is bought, it cannot be decreased to buy another Mentor. A Mentor x4 can only ever teach one advanced discipline, and a Mentor x5 can only ever teach two advance disciplines. However, when you use your mentor to purchase an advanced discipline, you do not lose the point in mentor. A character can never learn more than 2 advanced disciplines via the Mentor background. A mentor that is the same clan as the character may find a teacher for an advanced discipline that is out of clan for the mentor. However, this still counts towards the one or two advanced disciplines (depending on the level) and under no circumstances can two advanced "physical" disciplines (Celerity, Potence or Fortitude) be learned this way. Also, clan specifics and basic/intermediate disciplines can never be learned this way. Finally, not to tell everyone how to roleplay, but Mentors can be used outside of teaching disciplines
 
  • • Retainers: Characters will loose half their Retainers amount round up of Blood Traits at the beginning of every game.

MERITS & FLAWS [Top of Page]
General Notes: Certain Flaws are referred to as "Feeding Flaws". For each of the Flaws that appears on a characters sheet the character shall begin the session down a blood trait.

  • • Flesh of the Corpse: The value of this Flaw has been adjusted to cost 3 (instead of 5) in order to more accurately depict its limiting effects on the character. Any character that had the flaw prior to this rule will be required to pay 2xp rather than the doubled difference of 4 to pay this change off, as would normally be the case for altered removed flaws.
  • • Iron Will: Any time after a character is under the influence of Dominate, they may spend a Willpower to gain a metal test (no retests) against the Dominator. The character under the influence is still considered "the defender." If the Dominator wins, the Dominate is carried out with as normal, if the defender wins, the Dominate is not carried out. Only one "Iron Will" test is allowed per Dominate influence. Iron Will also works against Dementation.
  • • Blas'e: any time after a character is under the influence of Presence, they may spend a Willpower to gain a social test (no retests) against the character using Presence. The character under the influence is still considered "the defender." If the character using Presence wins, the Presence is carried out with as normal, if the defender wins, the Presence is not carried out. Only one "Blas'e" test is allowed per Presence influence.
  • • Natural Leader: This merit is considered to be identical to and overlaps with the merit Ability Aptitude: Leadership.
  • • Magic Resistance: This merit applies equally to the disciplines of Thaumaturgy, Necromancy, Dark Thaumaturgy, and Koldunic Sorcery, etc.
  • • Lucky: This retest will be allowed even after a Might retest. At the beginning of every game, those with Luck perform a simple test: Win=Three Luck Tickets, Tie=Two Luck Tickets, Fail= One Luck Ticket.
  • • Unbondable: This merit costs 6 points for Ghoul characters.
  • • Additional In-Clan Discipline: Not allowed by the WDH chronicle.
  • • Cannot embrace/Infertile Vitae: This is a not a Camarilla flaw and will only be worth 1 point instead of 2/5.

WILLPOWER, VIRTUE TESTS & SELF CONTROL/INSTINCT [Top of Page]
Willpower: A temporary Willpower may be used to refresh a single spent level in any ability.

Virtue Tests: The only available rebid on a Virtue test is risking a Virtue trait for the remainder of the night. A character may not overbid on a Virtue test, though the difficulty may overbid the player.

Self-Control/Instinct: You may not bid more Self-Control/Instinct traits than the character has blood traits. For some characters this total will be modified, such as by the Brujah clan flaw, or the merit Calm Heart. These modifiers will be applied after adjusting for the blood traits. Example 1: A Brujah with a Self-Control of 4 and 2 Blood traits is required to make a self-control test. This Brujah will only be permitted to claim 1 trait on the virtue test. Example 2: A Tremere with 5 Self-Control and the merit Calm Heart has only 4 blood in his system. He will be permitted to claim 5 traits on a Self-Control test. Had he 5 or more Blood traits he would be permitted to bid 6.

Frenzy: When a character is in frenzy the ST has control over their expenditures. For example, The ST may tell a frenzied character with Protean to sprout claws, etc.

STAKING [Top of Page]
Staking will be run directly out of LotN:R, one the physical challenge is won, the staker must win or tie two out of two simple tests. Staking is a mortal fear of vampires and as such when a stake is removed the victim must make a Self-Control/Instinct Challenge to avoid frenzy when the stake is removed.

* Remember, in order to use the "staking" special ability, the staker must have an ability appropriate to the staking method (Melee for a stake, Archery for a bow, Firearms for a stake launcher, etc. Occult is applicable if using Movement of the Mind to stake the vampire.).

While staked the vampire must still spend Blood to awaken each night. The use of Aegis can be used to negate a successful staking challenge if it is activated at the end of the turn as per normal. Since no damage is taken when Aegis is used, the stake never penetrated the body and the successful staking is void. In the case of Chimerical staking, blowing Aegis is automatically cause for disbelief in the illusion.

When relenting to a staking challenge, the vampire being staked must make a Self-Control test as the Beast will rise against what it perceives as a threat.