WHO GOES FIRST?

P 125 BASIC, p300 ADVANCED

Basic: This question mostly arises during physical combat – in debates, having the last word may be more valuable than dropping the
first allegation.
Unless one side has surprise – usually resulting from a success on an earlier test, perhaps of tactics or sneaking to set up an ambush –
characters act in descending order of action:
 Close combat between already engaged parties goes first
 followed by ranged combat
 followed by newly initiated physical combat, followed by everything else.
 If necessary, break ties by comparing Dexterity + Wits, or if equal, by dots of the Skill used.

Advanced:
 Every character has an Initiative rating equal to their Composure + Awareness.
 In some conflicts, such as in a formal duel, you might substitute Dexterity (or Resolve, for a very formal duel) for Composure
in the Initiative rating, but in most combat, staying calm enough to take meaningful actions is more important than anything
else.
 The participant in the conflict with the highest Initiative acts first; the rest of the combatants act in descending order of
Initiative. You do not make an Initiative test. Initiative ratings stay the same during combat, even if a combatant changes
the combat skills they use.
 In case of ties, player characters act before Storyteller characters. If necessary, break other Initiative ties as follows:
vampires before mortals, then by highest Composure. If you’re still tied, roll a die.
 At the beginning of the turn, each combatant declares and executes their action(s) in order of Initiative. They may also elect
to pass, placing them last in the order (keeping this place for the remainder of the conflict). Any subsequent passing
combatants are placed before any other person that also passed.

SURPRISE ATTACKS p300

Achieving surprise should generally need some sort of roll, such as Dexterity + Stealth vs. the best opposing Wits + Awareness. (Remember you can
Take Half for large parties of SPC foes to speed up play.) This includes attacks from supernatural concealment such as Obfuscate.
The first attack with successful surprise should generally be made against a static Difficulty 1, allowing for devastating strikes.

CONFLICT POOLS 125

CLOSE COMBAT p 301

 The attacker usually rolls Strength + Brawl for unarmed attacks
 Dexterity + Melee for one-handed melee weapons, or
 Strength + Melee for two-handed melee weapons.
 The defender rolls as above, or uses Dexterity + Athletics for dodging see below).
 In cases where both combatants are attacking each other, they both roll once, and the combatant who receives the most successes does
damage to the other.
 Optional: Award the combatant with the better reach (longer weapon) a bonus die in the first turn of combat.

BITE ATTACKS
Vampires can use their fangs as weapons during a Brawl-based attack. To attempt a bite attack, the players must declare their intention to bite
before rolling their dice. They can do so in two ways: either by succeeding in a grapple contest (p. 301) or directly with a Strength + Brawl called
shot with a 1-success penalty. Unless part of a grapple, bite attacks are easier to defend against and harder to target on exposed flesh.
A win on the roll lodges the attacker’s fangs into their victim, treating the foe as grappled and dealing them exactly two Aggravated Health damage
despite the margin of success or the damage modifier. The bitten foe can escape through a contest of Strength + Brawl as per the rules of grappling,
whereas the attacker may continue biting without the called shot penalty to their Bite Attack pool. Feeding does one point of Aggravated Health
damage to mortals per turn as well as slake 1 Hunger for the feeder. Against a vampire target, a feeding attack increases the target’s Hunger (as per
Feeding from Other Vampires, above), instead.
Other creatures are also capable of Bite Attacks, but only Vampires deal Aggravated Health damage”.

GRAPPLING p301
A combatant can attempt to grapple, hold, tackle, or otherwise restrain a foe by rolling Strength + Brawl. If they get more successes than
their opponent, they do no damage, but instead restrain the target, preventing them from moving and engaging other opponents, though the
target can still act against the grappler as normal. In the next round, the grappler may engage their foe in a contest of Strength + Brawl. If the
grappler wins, they can choose from the following options:
 Damage the foe based on their margin of successes, as a normal attack;
 Bite the foe (if a vampire) for two Aggravated damage (see Bite Attacks, p. 213) Bite attacks against a grappled foe suffer no bite penalty
to the attack roll.
 Hold them in place.
If the grappled combatant wins, they escape and can move freely the next round.
RANGED COMBAT p301
This system includes all manner of ranged weapons, from pistols, to crossbows, to vehicle-mounted machine guns.
 In a standard gun blazing battle, combatant test Composure + Firearms
 Sniper shot might instead use Resolve + Firearms,
 A “high midnight" showdown tests Dexterity + Firearms, at least for the first shot.
 Firing at a target beyond the effective range of a given weapon incurs a -2 dice penalty.
 Optional: Award the combatant with superior firepower (based on the weapons’ rate of fire) or the one who is willing to expend more
ammunition an extra die.
The Storyteller can change this test during the battle
 if the player characters are ambushing a truck, the aimed first shot might involve a Resolve + Firearms test. The truck’s guards react with
Wits + Firearms test, and the ambushers, now under counter-fire, return fire with Composure + Firearms tests.

THROWN WEAPONS p301

A character throwing a weapon at a target tests Dexterity + Athletics. For some vampires, this includes things not usually considered weapons, like
pieces of I-beam or cars. For hunters, this often includes Molotov cocktails.

DODGING p125
When engaged in a Brawl or Melee conflict, the defender can always opt to use their Dexterity+ Athletics instead of a combat skill to defend.
If they do, they inflict no damage on the opponent, no matter the margin, if they win.

MULTIPLE OPPONENTS p125

In a conflict where teaming up makes sense, a character facing multiple opponents loses one die from their pool when they defend
against each successive opponent that targets them. To attack multiple foes, a character must split their dice pool.

DEFENDING VS. RANGED ATTACKS p301

Defending against ranged attacks is usually done with Dexterity + Athletics, representing the ability to keep moving and making oneself a hard
target using any and all available cover. A pitched firefight between two attackers can also be resolved as an opposed conflict. In both of these
cases, modify the roll according to available cover:

A stationary target lacks a defense pool, instead defending with a static Difficulty 1.

RANGED WEAPONS IN CLOSE COMBAT p302

If engaged in hand-to-hand combat, the wielder of a firearm uses Strength + Firearms against the opponents Brawl or Melee pool.
 The opponent does not receive a penalty for lacking cover. Instead, the firearm user suffers a -2 dice penalty
 if targeting someone outside the scuffle as well as a -2 penalty for firearms larger than a pistol.

RELOADING AND TRACKING AMMUNITION p302

Vampire generally does not track ammunition expenditure for small arms, but given that an attack test in Vampire usually represents more than a
single shot, it can be wise to require reloading after a single attack with revolvers and other small-capacity firearms (such as the M1911, also known
as the “Colt 45”), after two attacks with most automatic pistols and rifles, and after three attacks from 30+ cartridge magazines.
 Reloading is a two-dice minor action (see above) for most weapons (assuming a revolver has a speed loader).

CALLED SHOTS p302-303

A combatant may seek to direct their attacks at a specific part of their target in order to produce a result other than maximal physical trauma –
shooting out the tires of a car, swatting a goblet out of the hand of the elder, or putting a bullet in the leg of a fleeing informant. Called shots are
also used when attempting decapitation or when trying to put a stake in the heart of a vampire (see p. 221). To do so, the attacker declares their
action and target before rolling the dice for their attack. After the attacker tests, they subtract successes; hitting a specific location is not just
harder, it also makes achieving a safe center-of-mass hit less likely.
 Usually, the modifier is -2 successes, though the Storyteller can modify this number up or down depending on the nature of the target.
 Hitting the tires of a car might only incur a -1 penalty,
 While piercing the fuel line of a plane taking off is done at -4.
 Staking a vampire is a called shot with a -2 success penalty and must inflict 5 points or more before halving (Stakes always have a damage
modifier of +0)
The exact effect of a called shot is up to the Storyteller, but it should not simply be more damage, as that is the assumed purpose of a normal
attack. Instead, called shots are more likely to aim for less damage, going for a non-lethal incapacitation at the expense of effectiveness.
EXAMPLE: Katarina is fighting three security guards. With Dexterity 3 and Brawl 4, her defense pool is 7 against the first guard’s attack, six dice against
the second guard, and only five dice against the third. If she wants to attack two guards during the turn, she must split her seven dice into two pools:
four dice and three dice, for example.

DAMAGE p126
The winner of each contest applies their success margin to the loser’s relevant tracker as damage. A character using ranged weapons likewise
applies their margin from their attack test.
Sometimes, circumstances mandate extra damage after the contest:
If the winner used a weapon, they add the relevant weapon’s damage rating to the total damage (see p. 304).

ARMOUR p304
Each point of armor changes 1 point of Aggravated damage from puncturing or bladed weapons (per damage roll) to Superficial damage, which is
then halved as usual. This protection is in general only useful to mortals and thin-bloods, as vampires already consider those types of damage
Superficial.

TYPES OF DAMAGE p126

In the Storyteller System, damage comes in two types:
 Superficial damage: causes bruising, sprains, and the like but not immediate life-threatening injury. Fists, kicks, and non-lethal weapons,
such as tasers, do Superficial damage to humans. Standard weapons do Superficial damage to vampires. Superficial damage in social
conflict means embarrassment or a bruised ego and has no lasting effect on the target’s image of others or themselves.
 Aggravated damage: causes broken bones, wounds, and life-threatening injuries. Sharp and piercing weapons do Aggravated damage to
humans. Normally, only fire, sunlight, and the claws and teeth of some supernatural creatures do Aggravated damage to vampires.
Attacks that reveal secret knowledge about the target or attacks from close friends and trusted figures do Aggravated damage to
Willpower.

TRACKING DAMAGE p126
Characters apply their damage to the relevant track: Health or Willpower. Unless otherwise stated, divide Superficial damage in half (rounded up)
before applying it to the tracker.
 Mark each level of Superficial damage on the character sheet by making a “/” on one box on the track.
 Mark Aggravated damage on the character sheet by making an “X” on the tracker.

IMPAIRMENT p126
Once the character sustains enough damage (of either type, or a mix) to fill their tracker, they are Impaired.
 Impaired characters lose two dice from all relevant dice pools: Physical pools from Impaired Health, Social, and Mental pools from
Impaired Willpower, and any other pools the Storyteller believe to be similarly weakened.
 At the Storyteller’s discretion, mortal SPCs are incapacitated at this stage.
 For every level of damage of either kind, Superficial or Aggravated, that a character takes while Impaired, convert one previously
sustained Superficial damage to Aggravated damage on a one-forone basis. Turn the “/” to a “X” on the track. Remember to halve
Superficial damage as usual before converting it.

THE END OF THE TRACKER

A character with their tracker completely filled with Aggravated damage is out of the conflict, possibly permanently. In a physical combat, they are
comatose or dead (if mortal), or fall into torpor (if a vampire; see p223).
Example: The officer from the example above suffers 6 levels of Aggravated damage (shotgun versus mortal), but he has only 5 health levels. He
promptly expires.
Filling the Willpower tracker with Aggravated damage outside of a social conflict has no immediate effects other than Impairment. If
it happens within a social conflict, the defeated character completely break down and loses face. They may be exiled from court, lose dots in Status
or other Merits, or suffer any other consequence the Storyteller decides. (Note that one such consequence may very well be the death of the
character.)

HEALING P 127

ADDITIONAL CONFLICT OPTIONS

ADVANCE
Working directly towards the goal(s) of the conflict: this could be cozying up to an elder when vying for a seat on the council, destroying evidence
before getting overwhelmed, gathering influence in a housing project, hacking a security system before being discovered, kissing students, etc.
Note however, that advance is not applicable to all conflicts. The prime example being combat, where there are no goals except hurting the
opposition and/or getting the hell out of there. Depending on the conflict, a prior Maneuver (see below) might be required to advance effectively..
Advances are usually run as an extended test (see p. 293) with the player rolling to accumulate as many wins/successes as possible.
EXAMPLE: In a Memoriam scene (see p. 311), Balzac’s player is trying to establish that Balzac once bested Antoine in a contest to Kiss as many students
as possible in one night of revelry in Paris’ 1889 student quarter. As Balzac advances (often through, well, making advances), the rest of the troupe
(taking roles as Balzac’s entourage) attempts a more direct approach.

MANEUVER p297
This option involves getting into an advantaged position, either in order to be able to take other actions at all or get an advantage, such as flanking
a foe, making sure you are alone with the subject of your desire, getting access to important people, finding cover from oncoming shots, etc.
Depending on the situation, a successful maneuver should result in one of these benefits:

 A straight dice bonus to the next action. A 1-3 dice pool bonus is usually enough, perhaps depending on critical successes or on the margin
achieved.
Example: a feint in melee, studying an opponent’s weakness before delivering the perfect insult or finding just the right tools for a hunt.

 Gaining a superior position. Whether by misdirection, speed, or stealth, this allows the attacker to strike the opponent unopposed (see
Surprise, p. 300), though getting the advantage might be very difficult or require accumulating enough successes on an extended test.
Example: flanking someone’s cover in a firefight, disengaging to return with a surprise attack, or working your way into someone’s grace as a
setup for betrayal.

 In some cases a maneuver is required to make an attack or advance towards the goal in the first place. Only after a successful maneuver
can the character attack the intended target or advance towards the goal.
Example: finding the target in a city-wide conflict, arranging to be alone with the target in a conflict of seduction and intrigue, getting into
position to take over a company.

BLOCK p297
 Actively opposing another character’s actions. This could be by positioning your character in front of an attacker, throwing distractions in
the path of someone working to gather support, laying down suppressive fire, etc. When blocking, simply set the result of your block roll
as opposition to the action you’re blocking.
Example: Balzac finds himself thwarted at every turn by a particularly perceptive superintendent while he is still trying to get private access to
his second victim of the night. The superintendent opposes Balzac’s Dexterity + Stealth (never his strong suit) with her Wits + Awareness (a
prime skill for a superintendent).

 Sometimes it is also possible to block someone’s block. If this is the goal, test at the furthest link in the chain of blocks first, and if
successful, the later block does not take place.
Example: One of the players, donning the mantle of Balzac's right-hand-girl for the Memoriam, intervenes by tying down the superintendent.
First, they roll Charisma + Persuasion vs. the superintendent’s Resolve + Insight, and if they win, the superintendent is “otherwise occupied” as
Balzac makes his sneak attempt to get to his victim.

ALL-OUT ATTACK p298

 Sometimes a combatant wants to go all in, discarding safety in exchange for greater effect. In this case, afford the attacker a +1 damage
bonus, but do not let them defend against any attacks. If using a ranged weapon, this tactic also empties the weapon. This option may not
be used with surprise. If the attack fails, anyone acting against the combatant gains one additional die to their pools the next turn.
Example: Nahum goes all out with his claws, looking for a quick beatdown. He is opposed by Clara and her blade. Nahum’s player rolls
Strength + Brawl vs. Clara’s Dexterity + Melee. Even if Nahum’s player scores more successes than Clara’s, he still takes their entire roll in
damage. Clara takes damage if Nahum wins, including one additional damage for the all-out tactic.

ALL-OUT DEFENCE p298

A character concentrating solely on their protection and nothing else (save for perhaps a minor action, see p. 298) gets a bonus die to all defense
rolls for the turn. If the character has access to solid cover and can hide completely behind it, this advantage can make them impervious to ranged
attacks, provided they are not flanked (see Maneuvers, p. 297).

MINOR ACTIONS p298

Some actions might not warrant a full exchange, but they are still not minor enough to justify being done for free. These should not be actions that
require a roll or that might otherwise be opposed in some way.
Minor actions subtract dice from your character’s main action, and the Storyteller might put a cap on how many are possible in one exchange.
Readying a weapon, handling equipment, moving more than a few steps, running an errand, and taking care of your haven might all
be examples of minor actions, depending on the scale of the conflict. A player who wants to do only minor actions in a turn may do so,
with the Storyteller setting a cap on how many are possible in a turn.
Example: In a later exchange, Balzac’s righthand- girl from the student quarter wishes to join the others in the hunt for Antoine. The Storyteller rules
that given the timescale, this short hop costs her player two dice, but not their whole action.

MOVEMENT IN CONFLICTS
Movement in Vampire is often abstracted, but it can nevertheless be a significant part of dramatic conflict. Perhaps a rabid wight is trying to close
with a ranged attacker, a would-be backstabber attempts to get into position, or the conflict is very mobile, taking place all over
the entire city.
 Generally, handle movement beyond the immediate as Minor Actions (see p. 298),
 But if the movement is significantly opposed, it can also be handled as a Maneuver (see p. 297). If necessary, the Storyteller can usually
provide a simple map of the conflict. In some conflicts, the troupe’s Relationship Map might even become an excellent conflict map!