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In a Primacy chronicle, the characters are assumed to be powerful vampires in the Danse Macabre. This doesn't mean they are especially old or supernaturally powerful, but that they have influence over some aspect of mortal society. At the top of the ladder of Influence in the area is the Vice President (though the Senior Partners pull their strings as well). No matter what happens, the VP remains a Storyteller character. This is one of the main conceits of Primacy. It is better to manipulate the VP than to be the VP. In a Primacy chronicle, the players strive to use their Influence to shape the city where they rule, steer Kindred society, and convince the VP to do what they think is best. Influence is a new Advantage unique to Kindred like Blood Potency. Unlike Blood Potency, however, Influence rises and falls rapidly through play and does not inevitably drive the character who has it towards a grim end. Unlike Status Merits, Influence is not completely beneficial. Having five dots in Covenant Status is great it makes you the Bishop and makes your role in vampire society clear. Reaching the peak of Influence makes you a target for those below you because your power is a threat to theirs. Influence is a multifaceted trait that impacts play in many different ways. For the most part, its mechanisms build on the rules you already know. As a unique property of Primacy, however, Influence interacts with actions that are only taken at this scale of play. The Influence Advantage is a tool for managing great power and intrigue. Rather than presume that the players of cunning undead masterminds must be political geniuses themselves, Influence assumes a level of capability on the part of the characters and spares the players too much detail. Influence is a common language that makes it easy for casual players to interact in a complex game world. It reveals the stakes of actions, the wages of success, and the costs of failure. It just makes things easier. Influence Presentation: Powerpoint or Keynote
Influence Dots Players may voluntarily reduce their Influence to increase that of another character by one. Thus the players can extend the reach of their characters into the heights of power if they can work together in the face of great temptations. Every level of Influence brings with it more and more power to control and manipulate the mortal world and the assets of the city as described below. But Influence is a delicate resource. It can be gained and lost. Influence is rated on a scale of 1-10, and has three primary properties. Each level of Influence increases the values of the properties.
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Determining and Tracking Influence
If a character's total dots in Assets rise past the maximum for his level of Influence, he gains a dot of Influence. If the character's total dots in Assets drop below the maximum for the next-lowest level of Influence, he loses a dot of Influence.
If a character's Influence points are exhausted, he may reduce his Influence dots by one to restore a number of Influence points equal to half his old Influence dots. Thus, if Dante willingly gives up one of his six dots in Influence, he regains three Influence points (half of six, the level he just sacrificed) but must cut loose up to five dots worth of Assets.
In-game actions, such as defeating a rival vampire with greater Influence, can earn an Influence boost at the Storyteller's discretion.
Influence Points Input We will be having the Vice President make some decisions that characters will be able to sway using their Input. This is an opportunity to gain Status, and Influence from the VP.
Assets Assets represent mortal men and women under the character's influence. Assets may be motivated by money, blackmail, intimidation, the Blood or Disciplines it doesn't really matter at this stage. What matters is that these people do the characters bidding eagerly, miserably, warily, and shamefully.
Assets are a finite resource. There are only so many medical doctors, experts in the occult, gunmen, and speechwriters that can be brought into service by the undead without risking the Masquerade. The number of viable Assets that are worth the risk is even lower. In game terms, this means that only so many characters whether the players or the Storytellers can have dots in each Skill as Assets. The Storyteller declares how many Assets are in play for any given Skill.
This makes each Asset a distinct and precious resource, and the Kindred who controls that Asset becomes a target for allegiance or attack. If you want a good surgeon to save the life of your ghoul, you go to the vampire with a surgeon in his pocket.
This makes each Asset a distinct and precious resource, and the Kindred who controls that Asset becomes a target for allegiance or attack. If you want a good surgeon to save the life of your ghoul, you go to the vampire with a surgeon in his pocket.
Acquiring Assets Once the chronicle has begun, Assets are gained and lost only through in-game actions. The number of dots listed for Assets at each level of Influence is not guaranteed. One character with three dots in Influence might only have 21 dots of Assets while another has 25. It all depends on what Assets are available to be won.
Rather than buying new dots in Assets with experience points, players must lure or coerce Assets away from other characters, undertake actions to draw new Assets out of the city, or wait for the Storyteller to introduce a new Asset into the chronicle.
Recording Assets For example, Dr. Bell, the surgeon, might be a 4-dot Medicine Asset. Dr. Sparrow, the Psychiatrist, might be a 2-dot Medicine Asset, and Teresa Rice, the Paramedic, might be a 1-dot Medicine Asset.
Protection and Loyalty Protection If a vampire believes an Asset is at risk, she can assign it Protection. Protection steels an Asset against attack and
making it more likely to survive attempts on its life. If the vampire has Assets in Brawl, Firearms, or Weaponry,
the player may reflexively contest any attacks on the Asset by rolling Presence + the appropriate Skill, reflecting the
power with which the vampire has motivated her muscle.
(This is a free attack action; see "Actions" below.)
If the vampire has none of the appropriate Assets, she simply assures the Asset that everything will be all right or
devises a plan to keep the Asset safe until help can arrive. Increase the target number to kill the Asset by the vampire's
dots in Intelligence or Presence (player? choice).
Loyalty If a vampire believes an Asset to be at risk of coercion,
she can inspirit it and steel its Loyalty. If the vampire has
Assets in Intimidation, Persuasion, or Subterfuge, the
player may reflexively contest any coercion of the Asset
by rolling Manipulation + the appropriate Skill, reflecting
the strings the vampire is pulling with her Assets.
If the vampire has none of the appropriate Assets, she does her best to keep the Asset happy enough to stay
(or too frightened to leave). Increase the target number to coerce the Asset by the vampire's dots in Strength
or Manipulation.
Taking Action When "pulled back" to the level of lofty politics
and manipulations, Primacy play has a few distinct
changes from regular Vampire play. For one, a Primacy
character's Attributes are used a bit liberally. The assumption
is that masters lead their Assets by example.
Thus, a vampire with great Composure has Assets that
gain confidence from her grace under pressure and draw
on her Composure when taking action on her behalf.
A vampire with great Stamina has Assets that learn to
suffer and endure by pushing themselves harder with
the knowledge (and fear) of what they may be forced to
suffer if they do not.
Here's what makes actions in Primacy play distinct:
Acting remotely through mortal pawns is imprecise.
Primacy actions pair one of the vampire's Attributes with
an Asset's rating (also called an Asset Skill). At this level
of abstraction, equipment is not a factor it's included
as part of the Asset's dots.
Only a few basic actions are possible on a Primacy
turn unless the particular needs of a story open up new
avenues of action. The core actions of a Primacy turn
focus on gaining or denying avenues of influence and,
of course, the pursuit of Vitae. The following section
describes the core Primacy actions.
Attack an Asset Action: Extended, possibly contested (if target has
Protection). Each roll represents one night's attack. The
target number of successes equals the target Asset's dots
+ the master's Stamina or Composure plus any modifiers
from Protection. When the target number is reached, the
target Asset is killed (and removed from play).
The build up to death represents close calls, failed executions,
and minor injuries a hit man makes it into
the Asset's house but fails to close the deal, for example.
Eventually, every target is caught and killed unless the
masters pulling the strings intervene.
When Assets attack other combative Assets (i.e., Brawl,
Firearms, or Weaponry Assets), the action is contested
rather than extended. Whichever Asset gets the most
successes reduces the dots of the opposing Asset by one.
Protected Assets may reflexively force a contested roll.
Defend an Asset Action: Instant. Each success reduces the current successes
accumulated to kill the target Asset by one to a
minimum of zero. This represents the vampire healing or
bolstering the Asset after an attack. "Calm down, James",
the master soothes over the phone. "If you keep your
head, we can find this bastard and put him down."
Dice Pool: Strength/Manipulation + Intimidation/
Persuasion/Subterfuge Asset (Select a single Attribute and
a single Asset Skill. A character without an appropriate Asset
attempts the action with the Attribute dice alone.)
Action: Extended, possible contest (if target has
Loyalty). Each roll represents one night's coercion. The
target number of successes equals the target Asset's dots
+ the master's Resolve or Composure plus any modifiers
from Loyalty. When the target number is reached, the
targeted Asset moves into the coercing vampire's service
and becomes one of her Assets.
When an Asset is contested by a target with Loyalty, it
may itself be coerced by the target's master. An Asset sent
to coerce can be lured away by another master this way.
Rally an Asset Action: Instant. Each success reduces the current
coercion successes accumulated against the Asset to a
minimum of zero. This represents the vampire beating
the Asset down or convincing it to stay loyal.
"If you take his money, if you read his letters, if you
look in eyes, if you humor him just a little", the master
says with his hands around James throat, "I will find
you and eat the marrow from your bones. Do you hear
me, James?"
Investigate an Action This action is like a perception dice pool in street-level
play except that it represents the vampire's ability to glean
information through any of her minions out in the world.
As such, Assets tied to any Skill are potentially eligible for
this dice pool. Investigation, Politics, Stealth, Empathy,
Socialize, and Streetwise are viable choices for virtually
any situation while Assets associated with the particular
investigation are also good fits Firearms Assets ask
around about other gunmen, and Academics Assets ask
questions at a University function.
Action: Extended. Each roll represents one night
of investigations. Success reveals the Kindred master
behind the attack or courtship of the character's Asset.
The target number of successes required is equal to the
attacking Asset's dots plus the Influence dots of the
Kindred master.
The difference in Influence dots between the investigator
and the attacker penalizes the investigator's dice
pool. Kindred who operate closer to the same level are
more aware of each other's existence.
Every roll made by the attacking Kindred in his efforts
to kill or coerce the character's Asset adds one die to
the investigator's dice pool. More nights of attempted
murder leave more evidence. More secret meetings and
incriminating photos leave more signs behind.
Once the target number of successes is achieved, the
Asset used to attack and the vampire pulling its strings
are revealed.
Example: Dante's B&E expert has had his throat slit. He
was Dante's man for smash-and-grab jobs, so any number of
other lords might want him dead, but Dante wants to know
who in particular. What's scary is that this happened without
any warning, so Dante knows it's someone with clout. He has
Angela, the Weaponry Asset he's send to cut someone's throat,
ask around. Dante's dice pool is therefore Manipulation 3 +
Weaponry 3 + the number of rolls made to execute Dante's
Larceny Asset (1) = 7 dice.
The Storyteller knows it was one of her own characters,
Sycorax, who had Dante's thief killed. Sycorax sent one of her
five-dot Weaponry Assets, and Sycorax has eights of Influence,
so the target number for Dante's investigation is 13. The difference
between Dante's Influence (3) and Sycorax's Influence
(8) is five, so Dante's dice pool, down to two dice, is penalized
by five dice. The Storyteller decides to make the first roll of
Dante's investigation in secret. It nets 1 success.
When Dante's player makes the next roll and finds out his
dice pool is being penalized by five dice, he hesitates. Dante
sees that his Asset's investigation isn't turning up much, and
Dante puts this together with the short work made of his thief
and realizes that he's up against a major player in the Danse
Macabre. Even if he called in some favors (that is, spent two
Influence points for two automatic successes), he'd be out of
his league. If he wants to find out what's going on and protect
himself, he'll have to find another important Kindred to ally
himself with.
Dice Pool: Wits/Manipulation + Asset (Select a single
Attribute and a single Asset Skill.)
This action is like a perception dice pool in street-level
play except that it represents the vampire's ability to glean
information through any of her minions out in the world.
As such, Assets tied to any Skill are potentially eligible
for this dice pool (as mentioned earlier).
Action: Extended. Each roll represents one night of
investigations. Success reveals the rating and description
of one Asset in the control of the target Kindred.
The target number of successes required is equal to
the Asset's dots plus the Influence dots of the Kindred
master. The rating of the target Kindred's best Stealth or
Subterfuge Asset penalizes the investigator's dice pool.
A specific Asset Skill must be targeted for investigation.
Once the target number of successes is reached, the Asset
is revealed to the investigator (though the revealed
Asset's master does not know it). Additional Assets of
the same Skill can be revealed by continuing the action
and accumulating additional successes equal to the next
highest Asset's rating and so on.
A failed roll at any point during this process does
not end the investigation, but it does alert the targeted
Kindred that "someone" been asking questions. If the
target Kindred wants to know who, he must "Investigate
an Action" as described previously.
Example: Dante has tasked his Investigation Asset, a
ghoul PI worth four dots, with looking into the Duke's pawns
in Uptown. Dante wants to know if the Duke has anyone
knowledgeable in the occul, and instructs the PI to "listen but
don't go sticking your nose out. So Dante's dice pool is Wits
4 + Investigation 4 = 8 dice.
The Storyteller determines the target number by adding the
Duke's Influence dots (7) to the rating of his lowest Occult
Asset (1) for a total of 8 successes. The Duke has a spy in his
domain, though a three-dot Stealth Asset whose coaching
of other Assets helps throw off investigators. Dante's dice pool
is reduced to 5 dice by this spy.
After three rolls, Dante's PI uncovers the Duke's amateur
occultist, but Dante tells him to keep digging. He suspects the
Duke's got someone better than a one-dot occultist on the payroll,
and he's right. Once the PI accumulates four more successes he'll
find the Duke's mystic antiquarian (Occult 4), working
in a private library near the East Street subway.
Gain Influence Like feeding (p. 164 of Vampire: The Requiem), there's
no single method or proper dice pool for regaining
Influence points. They're a reflection of the promises,
favors, posturing, and social maneuvering that goes on
in the background. The player's character is presumed to
be better at networking and politicking than the player
himself, so all the player must do is dramatize the action
by putting together a dice pool that describes a scene.
Manipulation + Academics might describe the character
promising another Kindred a chance to visit the
private university library in the character's domain.
Strength + Brawl might describe the character sending
his own thugs to knock troublemaking mortals in line in
someone else's domain. Wits + Larceny might describe
the character identifying thieves in another's domain, so
they can be watched, used, or turned-in.
The actual ramifications of these actions aren't important
the library visit, the street brawl, and the fate of the
thieves don't have to be significant events in the city or
the chronicle though they do provide potential fodder
for the Storyteller when devising future stories.
Whatever dice pool the player assembles is modified
by the other Kindred in the city with dots in Influence.
Each vampire in the city, including those of other players,
may stymie the character's attempts to regain favors. Each
vampire that chooses to do so imposes a -1 penalty to the
dice pool. This penalty is cumulative but cannot exceed
a total -5 penalty. Kindred cannot stymie this action in
secret, however the player and his character get to know
which vampires interfered or spoke out against him.
Once the player has declared a Gain Influence action,
he cannot cancel it after learning what penalty will be
imposed. Whatever penalty is imposed must be risked by
the player and his character. The dice pool may be modified
by a Willpower point but not by Influence points.
Action: Instant. If the roll is a success, the player regains
one Influence point. If the roll is an exceptional
success, the player regains three Influence points. If the
roll is a failure, no Influence points are gained. In the
event of a dramatic failure, the player's character loses
no Influence but every character that opposed the roll
gains one Influence point.
Primacy and Inferiority As previously mentioned, one of the ways you can spend Juice is to increase another character's Primacy or Inferiority, which can lead to them gaining or losing permanent Status.
At the beginning of each month, a character's Primacy and Inferiority is set to 0. If a character's Primacy or Inferiority is ever increased to 10, then their Status is permanently increased by 1.
A character's Status cannot exceed the leader of their group's, but if it matches them, they can contest the title. A character cannot have their permanent status reduced to 0 except in the normal ways. Each point of Juice you spend in this way, increases your Inferiority by 1.
Like Willpower, Influence is made up of both dots and points. Influence points also called Juice, in the lingo of politics are spent and restored during play. Spend Juice to:
You will be able to use Input to sway decisions in much the same way we have used Stocks up to this point. If an issue comes to a vote, you will use your Input to back one side or the other (or abstain).
Assets are the main commodities of Primacy. They are the primary way that characters are likely to interact with the world, whether it means putting a stop to a threat against the Kindred court or making a power play against a rival vampire.
At the beginning of play, every player has a number of points, which are determined by their Influence dots that are to be distributed among their Assets. At this point, the Assets put into play in the game world by the Storyteller do not limit the players. This is where the players first get to impact the game world by putting Assets into play with their initial dots.
A character may have more than one Asset per Skill. Each Asset must be recorded as a separate trait. To distinguish Assets from another, they may be given names or some other descriptor, depending on their prominence in the chronicle.
Beyond just dots, Assets may be affected by two additional traits: Loyalty and Protection. Protection guards an Asset against physical harm, specifically attacks from other vampires and their minions. Loyalty
inspirits an Asset, helping it to resist coercion, seduction, and bribery.
These are simple binary conditions: An Asset is protected or it isn't. An Asset is inspirited or it isn't. A character can protect or inspirit a number of Assets at a time as determined by his Influence dots. Check the
Protection or Loyalty box for an Asset that is protected or inspirited. An asset can be simultaneously protected and inspirited.
Assets can be attacked. Some vampires are content to snuff out an opponent's advantage if it can't be stolen
away. Men in dark suits drag an enemy Asset from his bed and back to their master, where the vampire lord
devours him. Desperate junkies stab the enemy Asset in his driveway in exchange for a hit from their master. An
unidentified gunman shoots the Asset in his car, and then disappears into the city.
Assets can be turned away from their masters. Some
vampires aren't content to go through another Kindred
to get what they want. They resolve to make the Asset
theirs. Men with suitcases full of cash show up on the
Asset's doorstep. An envelope of incriminating pictures
turns up in the mail. The vampire herself looks the Asset
in the eye and commands him to come with her.
In Primacy, the core gameplay is largely unchanged. A
Primacy character can do anything an ordinary Vampire
character can do if she's willing to expose herself to
physical harm by going out into the World of Darkness
and doing things herself.
Dice Pool: Intelligence/Presence + Brawl/Firearms/
Weaponry Asset (Select a single Attribute and a single
Asset Skill. A character without an appropriate Asset
cannot attack.)
Dice Pool: Intelligence/Presence + Asset's Rating.
Dice Pool: Strength/Manipulation + Asset's Rating.
Dice Pool: Wits/Manipulation + Asset (Select a single
Attribute and a single Asset Skill.)
Dice Pool: Any Attribute + Any Asset.