Ogre Stomach and HMHVV Options

[Janice]

Would the Ogre Stomach metagenetic quality allow a vampire character to digest foods other than blood?

[Ravor]

Personally I would rule no.

[Ol' Scratch]

I'd allow them to digest it, but they wouldn't get any nourishment from it.

[Muspellsheimr]

The character’s unique stomach and intestinal organs (including
unusual gut flora) can digest a variety of substances that
normal metahumans cannot or have trouble digesting, such as raw
meat and cellulose-based plant material (like grass).
In game terms, Lifestyle costs are reduced by 20 percent and
the character receives a +2 dice pool modifier on Tests to resist
ingested toxins (see Toxic Substances, p. 245, SR4).

Digestive Expansion: This treatment expands the
range of substances a metahuman can safely digest—including
roots, grass, peat, and a number of plants that are
normally considered inedible. Includes a modification
of the taste buds and olfactory senses to make it easier to
“stomach� unusual foods. The character’s lifestyle costs
are reduced by 20 percent and she receives a +2 dice pool
modifier on tests to resist ingestion-vector toxins (see Toxic
Substances, p. 245).

A (deltaware) digestive expansion implant (p. 338, SR4) allows
the Infected to process a more varied diet, allowing them to
ingest things that would normally nauseate them without penalty,
but it does not alleviate their dietary requirement.

RAW, no, Ogre Stomach does not allow a Vampire to consume "normal" foods. However, it is beyond reasonable to rule that it does, & I would likely bitchslap a GM who does not allow it.

[Starmage21]

I agree with Muspellsheimr. Having actually played a vampire in a game, I can tell you that the blood is not the significant portion of the vampire's diet((which is especially true if your GM allows higher lifestyle costs to assume for that)), but rather the essence drain. Thats the real bitch there, especially if youre easily tempted to spend it on comabt applications.