Hey all,
Some of you may remember that I am playing a Vampire PC and I asked a question which spawned an extensive thread about regeneration and so on...
Sorry... I'll try not to do that again.
Therefore, I'm going to ask a "non-rule" question, but more a matter of opinion for GM's: "If, or when, you use Vampires in your games, do they 'change' in appearence before attacking or feeding?"
Need an example? Ok...
In "Buffy" or "Angel", Vampires look like normal human (perhaps paler and with worse fashion sense) but before they feed or whatever, they "Vamp Out" or "Put on their game face" (as the Buffy RPG puts it) which means their eyes change and their forehead scruntches up in a demonic-type of visage.
Need another?
In the movie "Underworld", when Vamps get pissed or do something wicked cool, their eyes change to a very light blue and they bare their fangs or whatever.
I'm trying to think of the best way to describe my character when she freaks out and I've been basically following the Underworld model, but I wanted your opinion as to what you would do or have done.
Thanks in advance.
Full Version: Another Vampire Question
Nah, I always make my vampires look kind of "sucked dry"- pinched cheeks, high foreheads.
Now, I normally don't have much description time. My group's last encounter was-
Me- "Well, he has very white skin..."
Shaman- "I make an assensing test."
Me- "SIX SUCCESSES!"
Me-"He's a vampire"
Shaman- "Guys, he's a vampire! Get him!"
Then the troll tackled him, they covered the vampire in freeze foam and they left the vampire outside until sunrise.
Now, I normally don't have much description time. My group's last encounter was-
Me- "Well, he has very white skin..."
Shaman- "I make an assensing test."
Me- "SIX SUCCESSES!"
Me-"He's a vampire"
Shaman- "Guys, he's a vampire! Get him!"
Then the troll tackled him, they covered the vampire in freeze foam and they left the vampire outside until sunrise.
My vampires always look like ordinary folks.
~J
~J
| QUOTE |
| and they left the vampire outside until sunrise. |
wow, he'll be pissed about that later! Sunlight in SR doesnt kill vampires in the slightest. They have a whopping moderate allergy to sunlight, so it does one single box of damage a minute, which they regenrate in 3 seconds. They can stay in sunlight forever with the equivalent of a sunburn.
Remember, vamps in SR are pretty far removed from stereotypical vamps of other mythos, and I LIKE it!
Remember, vamps in SR are pretty far removed from stereotypical vamps of other mythos, and I LIKE it!
Personally, I don't allow regen to work on allergies. I mean, if it does -- what's the frickin' point of the allergy?
It hurts, and it's one box closer to having to not roll a 1.
~J
~J
Maybe I've played too much WOD. I still don't think it's a good idea to regenerate allergic damage. BTW there's a B:TVS RPG? How'd a Buffy nerd like me miss that?
http://www.btvsrpg.com/main.htm
http://www.btvsrpg.com/main.htm
Hey Munchkin, there is also an Angel RPG.
And the Buffy RPG is fun. I played a vamp that was an ex Sunset Club magician, who retained her soul through magic. I was nearly as badass as the slayer herself at starting...WOO HOO...
Okay, all asides...aside...
Would a game face be applicable in the SR world... They don't even describe how they drink in the book do they? I mean if you look at some vamps, like Christopher Pike's vamps, they have only a bad reaction to sunlight, and they don't actually bite people's necks, they actually use a fingernail to open the vein/artery then drink...no game face...
Whereas then there are a wide variation of vamps depicted that drink with their fangs...and some that punture with fangs and drink... I think we need to know how they drink first.
Or maybe the abstract SR gametype allows for whatever the player wishes because tehre are many vampire varients.
And the Buffy RPG is fun. I played a vamp that was an ex Sunset Club magician, who retained her soul through magic. I was nearly as badass as the slayer herself at starting...WOO HOO...
Okay, all asides...aside...
Would a game face be applicable in the SR world... They don't even describe how they drink in the book do they? I mean if you look at some vamps, like Christopher Pike's vamps, they have only a bad reaction to sunlight, and they don't actually bite people's necks, they actually use a fingernail to open the vein/artery then drink...no game face...
Whereas then there are a wide variation of vamps depicted that drink with their fangs...and some that punture with fangs and drink... I think we need to know how they drink first.
Or maybe the abstract SR gametype allows for whatever the player wishes because tehre are many vampire varients.
Note that most vampires and nosferatu receive a sizable bonus to Charisma upon their transformation, on par with that of an elf. While the majority of Charisma reflects a personality improvement, part of it does reflect appearance... so that seems to suggest that, if anything, they actually become more attractive and alluring.
| QUOTE (Doctor Funkenstein) |
| While the majority of Charisma reflects a personality improvement, part of it does reflect appearance... so that seems to suggest that, if anything, they actually become more attractive and alluring. |
So for at least that bit, Shadowrun vampires are exactly like stereotypical pop culture vampires...
Just make them all look like models in latex and 18th century dresses, no need for a game face.
The ultimate goth-boy's dream (Or girl if you prefer). The ugliest vampire (If you view Cha as just looks) is an average human/dwarf. Take it as what you will, but in order to feed properly, they have to have the victim in one of two states:
*In an older SB it mentioned the bite as being very intense into pleasure and may cause addiction pitting (IIRC) the victim's Willpower vs. the Vampires current Essence. If the victim fails to generate as many successes or more than the Vampire's successes, they become addicted and basically hunt their own death.
- Total fear
- Total need
*In an older SB it mentioned the bite as being very intense into pleasure and may cause addiction pitting (IIRC) the victim's Willpower vs. the Vampires current Essence. If the victim fails to generate as many successes or more than the Vampire's successes, they become addicted and basically hunt their own death.
In response to Dende, the books specifically state there is a "bite" invloved with the process, so I'm imagining the Vamps actually use fangs to penetrate the skin to feed.
As for the regeneration of allergic damage, my GM and I decided that I could not heal the sun damage if I was still in contact with it. Therefore, as long as I stayed in the sun, I couldn't heal... but he did let me remain in "indirect" sunlight (shadows, shade, etc) without much damage, just discomfort.
Final P.S. - the Angel RPG isn't out yet, but will be soon.
As for the regeneration of allergic damage, my GM and I decided that I could not heal the sun damage if I was still in contact with it. Therefore, as long as I stayed in the sun, I couldn't heal... but he did let me remain in "indirect" sunlight (shadows, shade, etc) without much damage, just discomfort.
Final P.S. - the Angel RPG isn't out yet, but will be soon.
Actually, the books seem to suggest -and I've always ruled it that way- that vampires need only an emotional link with their target (ie, the target must fear or need the vampire) to activate their essence drain power. The bite is merely a way to guaantee that the "emotional link" will be created.
In addition, only a token amount of blood is to be transferred for the essence drain to take effect. A vampire drinking any more blood, by my book, will simply be sick, as if he'd drank any other beverage.
In addition, only a token amount of blood is to be transferred for the essence drain to take effect. A vampire drinking any more blood, by my book, will simply be sick, as if he'd drank any other beverage.
| QUOTE (Critters @ p. 46) |
| ...They prey on sentient beings, absorbing the life essence of their victims along with the victim's blood.<snip>Vampires will become sick to their stomachs within an hour of consuming anything but blood... |
Canon reference. They do, in fact, drink the blood. Where else do they get their nutrients?
Is there a good page number anyone can find mentioning the blood drinking of those infected with the virus in general? Many of them need flesh or blood, but do they like it? How much do they need, etc?
Also as far as change goes, most, if not all vamps get huge bonuses to much stuff, quickness, str, and char...Why the char? I really don't see how by basically dying and becoming stronger but also becoming an outcast would make you a better person...
I need to wait till I see my GMs book again, but I would like to check up on specifcs there.
Also as far as change goes, most, if not all vamps get huge bonuses to much stuff, quickness, str, and char...Why the char? I really don't see how by basically dying and becoming stronger but also becoming an outcast would make you a better person...
I need to wait till I see my GMs book again, but I would like to check up on specifcs there.
They only take what they need/want. If that means they only need 1 Essence to hit 12, then they take 1 Essence. If the person doesn't have 1 Essence to give... Well, they're either dead or a new HMHVV-infected person.
I'm not sure about the Cha bonus, but they are magical in nature. It could be attributed to many myths about vampires being supremely beautiful creatures.
I'm not sure about the Cha bonus, but they are magical in nature. It could be attributed to many myths about vampires being supremely beautiful creatures.
| QUOTE (Dende) |
| I really don't see how by basically dying and becoming stronger but also becoming an outcast would make you a better person... |
That's one of the problems with people's perception of Vamps in Shadowrun. They are not undead in any way, shape, or form. They are metahumans infected with a virus, but are still as alive as you and I.
A lot of old vamp myths say that vamps bite their victims over the heart. The idea being that the heart is the seat of the soul (from as far back as the ancient egyptians, and maybe longer) and therefor has more "spiritual power". The vamps of myth did not feed on blood alone, they fed on peoples' souls. In SR the soul would be Essence of course. So if you wanna go "traditional" you could rule that vamps must bite victims over the heart to get the full effect of the essence drain.
Personally, I figure blood is blood. If it comes from a living sentiant being it carries essence. So the Buffy/Angel thing about drinking pigs' blood or robbing the bloodwagon outside the hostpital for a little vampiric meals-on-wheels is a no-go.
And, yeah, I saw the Angel game when I searched for Buffy. Looks pretty sweet.
Personally, I figure blood is blood. If it comes from a living sentiant being it carries essence. So the Buffy/Angel thing about drinking pigs' blood or robbing the bloodwagon outside the hostpital for a little vampiric meals-on-wheels is a no-go.
And, yeah, I saw the Angel game when I searched for Buffy. Looks pretty sweet.
However, drinking the blood/essence of a living pig should be a-okay, canon-wise...
| QUOTE (moosegod) |
| Nah, I always make my vampires look kind of "sucked dry"- pinched cheeks, high foreheads. Now, I normally don't have much description time. My group's last encounter was- Me- "Well, he has very white skin..." Shaman- "I make an assensing test." Me- "SIX SUCCESSES!" Me-"He's a vampire" Shaman- "Guys, he's a vampire! Get him!" Then the troll tackled him, they covered the vampire in freeze foam and they left the vampire outside until sunrise. |
Ya know, there is a reason why you don't leave enemies intact.
"It's a trick; get an axe."
Which reminds me of a bad joke one of my crew made:
Question: "What happens when you interrogate a mage with stimpatches?"
Answer: "One pissed-off samurai."
-Siege
| QUOTE (Siege) |
| ...Which reminds me of a bad joke one of my crew made: Question: "What happens when you interrogate a mage with stimpatches?" Answer: "One pissed-off samurai."... |
Ha! Fragging ha!
In making my character, my GM and I decided that my vamp character basically needed two things for sustinance:
1) Blood (bi-daily or so)
2) Essence (In order to offset the essence loss)
Now, when my character needs to drink blood, she can get it from anywhere. Warm, live human is best, of course, but I can get by on pig's blood for the sustenence, but it wouldn't taste great (much like Angel says)
When I need to get essence, THAT's when I need a live body of some sort to get the essence, an animals will do, but are once again, not preferred.
Every time a vamp feeds, they don't necessarily need essence, so the pig's blood in the meantime, should be satisfactory.
Plus, it's gonna be cool to microwave and gulp down a big ol' coffee cup of B positive in front of the rest of my crew....
... once they figure out what I am.
1) Blood (bi-daily or so)
2) Essence (In order to offset the essence loss)
Now, when my character needs to drink blood, she can get it from anywhere. Warm, live human is best, of course, but I can get by on pig's blood for the sustenence, but it wouldn't taste great (much like Angel says)
When I need to get essence, THAT's when I need a live body of some sort to get the essence, an animals will do, but are once again, not preferred.
Every time a vamp feeds, they don't necessarily need essence, so the pig's blood in the meantime, should be satisfactory.
Plus, it's gonna be cool to microwave and gulp down a big ol' coffee cup of B positive in front of the rest of my crew....
... once they figure out what I am.
Silly breaking canon rules... Ah, well, fine enough.
Oh, watch out for when you go out to meet your J. If there's any food/drink other than blood, you get kind of sick. Alcohol is a big no-no, very sick.
Other than that, have fun. Let us know how long it takes them to figure out what you are. And their IC reactions. That should be funny.
Oh, watch out for when you go out to meet your J. If there's any food/drink other than blood, you get kind of sick. Alcohol is a big no-no, very sick.
Other than that, have fun. Let us know how long it takes them to figure out what you are. And their IC reactions. That should be funny.
Actually the speculation has begun. Within the span of 15 min(IG) My char saw him take a huge sot, and regen it 3 seconds later...My char also may have seen an impossible posion gas resistance by her too...Not to mention punching through Hardned Military Armor barehanded when my High Lev Weapon Focii went straight off his armor...
One player character does know, a mage, and her buddy, an NPC knows too. When she talked to him about it, it was away from us in general, so I don't know what she knows exactly. The others of us know OC, but not IC yet...and of the 2 others, I my char is the only that has questions.
One player character does know, a mage, and her buddy, an NPC knows too. When she talked to him about it, it was away from us in general, so I don't know what she knows exactly. The others of us know OC, but not IC yet...and of the 2 others, I my char is the only that has questions.
| QUOTE (tanka) |
| Silly breaking canon rules... Ah, well, fine enough. Oh, watch out for when you go out to meet your J. If there's any food/drink other than blood, you get kind of sick. Alcohol is a big no-no, very sick. Other than that, have fun. Let us know how long it takes them to figure out what you are. And their IC reactions. That should be funny. |
I don't know about breaking canon rules, but it just seemed to make more sense to us.
As for the food and drink, I already know. We role-played my "turning" and for the the first few days, my character couldn't understand why she couldn't eat anything without getting sick. So far, she has managed to dodge the whole "why don't you eat something? You look so pale..." type situation, but she is also the group's "face", so future social interactions should get very interesting...
So far, it's been a blast playing an non-munchkin Vampire PC trying to hide it from everyone and, of course, I'll let you know how things turn out with the group reaction, if you're really interested.
We have another game on Thursday night and I'm going to probably be forced to turn to mist in front of them.
Needless to say, the cat is about to be out of the bag...
Just remember to ask one of them to grab your things beforehand if you're not going to be able to come right back.
| QUOTE (FlakJacket) |
| Just remember to ask one of them to grab your things beforehand if you're not going to be able to come right back. |
Hey, I finally realized what was bugging me about your sig:
shouldn't that read, "and hope you don't meat a log?"
-Siege
| QUOTE (FlakJacket) |
| Just remember to ask one of them to grab your things beforehand if you're not going to be able to come right back. |
That may work, but one or more of them can still see me change into mist.
Plus, my character is kinda pissed at the moment (gassed, shot several times, flash-banged, etc.) and is in some sort of a "blood rage", so I'm not sure how much reason I am going to be able to put in my character's actions for a little while.
On the other hand, she may just pick up a guy she just killed and physically throw him down the hallway at the attackers in a blind rage.
Whee!!
| QUOTE (Siege) |
| Hey, I finally realized what was bugging me about your sig: shouldn't that read, "and hope you don't meat a log?" -Siege |
AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
*surrenders Official DS Perv title to Siege*
as far as a physical change in your appearance during your "fits of rage" ive been avoiding the buffy and angel analogy because EVERYONE and their dog looking at you would notice. although the eye color change ive let go because its neat, and there are variants due to the vampirism being due to a virus, they mutate, so variants of the original will surely exist, not to mention the future story implications of said variant, (possible, dende and ito ignore that remark).
the pigs blood isnt quite right, im letting him buy HUMAN blood from back ally chop shops and such, hey you can get anything if you got the
the not eating food or drink should be interesting do to the character being a decently know socialite, not to mention any magical security at the social events she is known to attend.
but as ITO said , tomorrow shall be interesting
the pigs blood isnt quite right, im letting him buy HUMAN blood from back ally chop shops and such, hey you can get anything if you got the
the not eating food or drink should be interesting do to the character being a decently know socialite, not to mention any magical security at the social events she is known to attend.
but as ITO said , tomorrow shall be interesting
| QUOTE (Sokei) |
| as far as a physical change in your appearance during your "fits of rage" ive been avoiding the buffy and angel analogy because EVERYONE and their dog looking at you would notice. although the eye color change ive let go because its neat, and there are variants due to the vampirism being due to a virus, they mutate, so variants of the original will surely exist, not to mention the future story implications of said variant, (possible, dende and ito ignore that remark). the pigs blood isnt quite right, im letting him buy HUMAN blood from back ally chop shops and such, hey you can get anything if you got the the not eating food or drink should be interesting do to the character being a decently know socialite, not to mention any magical security at the social events she is known to attend. but as ITO said , tomorrow shall be interesting |
Gee... that sounds ominous.
Don't you just hate it when your GM says stuff like that??
Jeez, Ito, I know I hate that...
/me cowers in the corner in a little ball...
[RANT]
AAAUUUGHHH!!! GOD DAMNED FINAL PAPERS...
and fucking professors who don't tell you the project they forced on you is a bad idea...and now you have to change it...all in the span on a week...all while failing a god damned math test because the profesor doesn't teach and forcing graduating seniors to take the test to make up for it, all while not giving back the old ones so non of us can learn what we did long...
It should be a happy last week of college ever, cept now it might not be because of jackass professors, all who just don't get it themselves because they are 70 years old.
WHEN WILL IT ALL END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[/RANT]
Sorry about that guys.
But suffice to say, this game session tomorrow...I don't care what goes down...or who shows up, cause every last mother fucker is going down. There won't be a soldier, scientist or door left standing...the bulding will be decimated.
/me cowers in the corner in a little ball...
[RANT]
AAAUUUGHHH!!! GOD DAMNED FINAL PAPERS...
and fucking professors who don't tell you the project they forced on you is a bad idea...and now you have to change it...all in the span on a week...all while failing a god damned math test because the profesor doesn't teach and forcing graduating seniors to take the test to make up for it, all while not giving back the old ones so non of us can learn what we did long...
It should be a happy last week of college ever, cept now it might not be because of jackass professors, all who just don't get it themselves because they are 70 years old.
WHEN WILL IT ALL END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[/RANT]
Sorry about that guys.
But suffice to say, this game session tomorrow...I don't care what goes down...or who shows up, cause every last mother fucker is going down. There won't be a soldier, scientist or door left standing...the bulding will be decimated.
| QUOTE (tanka) |
| Let us know how long it takes them to figure out what you are. And their IC reactions. That should be funny. |
Well Tanka, I just got back from tonight's session... and, well, between getting shot several times and regenerating, seeming to have great amount of physical strength, plus turning into mist in front of them in order to get the drop on some severely "entreched" soldiers, they had a pretty good idea that my character is not very "normal."
Our Sniper didn't really say anything, but then she is a rather "reserved" person. Our ninja asked me if it was some sort of magic I cast and my response was, "umm.... yeah.... kinda."
Anyway, once all the soldiers were taken out and subsequently looted, the rest of the group went ahead and I stayed to "clean up" (i.e. feed a bit to get my essence up). At this point they both asked the mage and NPC who know my secret about me. The NPC, who is rather blunt, just said, "Yeah, she's a vampire. Creepy, huh?"
The ninja was a bit dumbfounded and the sniper just said, "Eh, figures."
The rest of the mission they were kind of watching me strangely, but didn't really say anything. So now there are six people in game that know my secret and I need to try to keep it as contained as I can, especially since I have a social reputation in Seatlle.
This could get interesting...
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