Not too long ago, we introduced a new system called Primacy into the game, and it has been met with mixed responses. Some people have embraced it and are running with it. Some people are confused by it and are still trying to work it all out. Some people may think it's stupid and don't care about it. All of these are reasonable and fine, but this article is primarily focused on the group of people who don't quite understand the system, but want to. I hope it helps people who are already running with Primacy, and maybe even convince someone who isn't particularly interested in it, but my main focus is on people trying to figure it all out.

What's the point?
Why should I try to get more Assets, or mess with other characters? The easy answer is because it makes you more powerful, and adds to your resources (as in Allies, Retainers, etc., not Resources as in money). Combined, those two aspects make it harder for you to be killed or hurt socially (though certainly not impossible). It also means your word has more weight, so if a vote is going down, or the Vice President wants others opinion, you are more likely to get your way. If those aren't enough reasons to want to participate, then maybe Primacy isn't for you.

Gaining Assets
The key to Primacy is gaining Influence, and the key to gaining Influence is getting more Assets. Accomplishing this is pretty simple. For now, everyone knows there are Unaligned Assets out in the city that haven't been taken. So, all you have to do is find them, and convince them to join you. To find them, you can send any of the Assets you currently have out to try to Investigate an Asset. Select what skill you want to look for, and declare the action. If there are any Unaligned Assets in that skill, your Asset will come back and tell you.

Once you find a skill with Unaligned Assets you want to join you, you will need to successfully Coerce the Asset to join you. To do this, you will need a Subterfuge, Intimidation or Persuasion Asset (so it's a good idea to try to get one or more of these) to help you. You add your Manipulation or Strength to their rating and a Storyteller rolls a die. If you accumulate a number of successes equal to the Asset you're trying to Coerce's rating, then they join your team. This is an extended action, so it may take multiple Influence Actions and/or Downtimes to succeed.

Attacking Others
Once you're created a power base for yourself, you may want to spend all your time protecting it, or you may want to try to attack the Influence of a rival vampire. There are several ways to go about this. The first is a variation on Gaining Assets. This method involves trying to Coerce another vampire's Asset away from them. To do so, you must first Investigate an Asset as described above, but you will be penalized by the rival vampire's best Stealth or Subterfuge Asset. Once you're targeted an Asset, you attempt to Coerce them as above, but you are penalized by the rival vampire's Resolve or Composure and how Loyal they are to that vampire.

Alternatively, you can send one of your minions to try to kill a rival's Asset. To do so, you would Investigate an Asset as above to find your target. Once you're selected the target, send out one of your Brawl, Firearms, or Weaponry Assets to try to kill them. This will involve rolling your Intelligence or Presence plus the Asset's rating, and will be penalized by the Asset's rating plus their master's Stamina or Composure plus Protection.

Note that destroying the Influence of a rival vampire (this has to be justified through in game actions) can result in you gaining Influence at the Storyteller's discretion.

Juice
One of the most important aspects of Influence is Juice. Each character has an amount of Juice equal to their Influence. So, if you have 4 Influence, you have 4 Juice. Similarly, if you have 2 Influence, you will have 2 Juice. Juice can be spent to gain extra Influence Actions (usually you only get one), gain successes on Influence Actions, and to Increase another character's Primacy or Inferiority.

Gaining Successes
This can be extremely valuable as most Influence Action pools will be between 4 and 10 at best, gaining one automatic success on a roll that requires you achieving three or four successes can make a huge difference. For example, if you were trying to Coerce an Unaligned 3-point Intimidation Asset and my pool to coerce is 6. That means I would need to roll a 10 to succeed. However, if I spend a Juice to gain 1 success, I only need to roll a 7 or better. You can even spend multiple points of Juice to get multiple successes, so I could spend another Juice so I have automatic 2 successes, and then I only need to roll 1 4 or better to succeed. You can also grant successes to other character's actions, but you should always ask for something in return.

Primacy and Inferiority
Primacy and Inferiority reflect how well-liked or hated a character is. Anyone can spend 1 Juice to increase your Primacy or Inferiority by 1. They can increase either one as much as they want (as long as they have the Juice to spend). If you Primacy reaches 10 within a month, it reflects your character being praised by enough people in the corporation that your Status goes up by 1. Similarly, if your Inferiority reaches 10 within a month, it reflects your character being hated by enough people that their Status drops permanently by 1. This cannot reduce a character below 1 Status.