Create-A-Clan Rules, Version 12-AUG-2007 Author: Ben Peal DISCLAIMER These rules have no association with White Wolf's design method(s) for officially-printed vampires. It is not the framework used by the White Wolf card designers. No guarantee is made that any point cost specifications given below match or even approximate the "point costs" applied by the designers when designing cards for White Wolf (there are official vampires that cannot be created using these rules). These rules cannot be used in V:EKN sanctioned tournaments. These rules are for fun and enjoyment, not for ammunition in criticism towards White Wolf and the designers/developers of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle. White Wolf and the V:TES net rep are free to silently ignore all messages which attempt to tie the rules below to the design of vampires by WW with regards to questions about the latter (or may choose to respond, of course). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DESIGN NOTES Thanks to LSJ for his versions of the Create-A-Clan rules. These rules are based on LSJ's versions and my own versions, and I've blatantly ripped off some of the text LSJ used. Thanks also to the players in Boston and on #vtes for their help and comments. OVERVIEW You make a crypt of up to 12 vampires (you may use fewer if you wish to double-up some of them in your deck). Each vampire is designed according to the rules below, basically getting 1 level of Discipline per capacity (a superior Discipline counts as two levels, as usual). Instead of additional levels of Disciplines, you may also give a vampire a special ability (like +1 intercept). When you're done, you build a library from your regular V:TES cards and a crypt from your custom crypt. CLAN AND CRYPT All vampires in crypt must be of that clan (except to include some bloodines, see below, and up to 1 Caitiff). The rules marked with "(Whole Set)" below apply to your set of vampires as a whole (including bloodlines and/or Caitiff). Your clan must have a name and default sect. All vampires in your clan must be of that sect. All vampires in your clan must have unique names. Vampires with the same name will contest. If you're playing in a public event, keep the vampire names clean. The judge may at his or her discretion enforce penalties for vulgar or offensive names. You may have no more than 2 copies of each vampire in your crypt (which can include 2 copies of each vampire in your bloodline and 2 copies of your Caitiff). You must use all of the vampires you have created. POINT ALLOWANCE Vampires get points to spend on disciplines, titles, attributes, and specials as follows, based on the capacity of the vampire: 2 capacity: 1 point 3 capacity: 2 points 4 capacity: 3 points 5 capacity: 5 points 6 capacity: 6 points 7 capacity: 8 points 8 capacity: 9 points 9 capacity: 11 points 10 capacity: 12 points 11 capacity: 14 points Each vampire need not spend all of his or her points. Leftover points are simply lost. DISCIPLINES AND CAPACITY Clan must have three "in-clan" disciplines, and the set of three must not be the same as that of an official clan. You choose the three disciplines for your clan. The following rules apply to specific disciplines: - If Obeah or Temporis is chosen, all vampires in the clan are Scarce. The Scarce rule is modified as follows: when you move a vampire with Obeah from the uncontrolled region to the ready region, you pay three pool for every other vampire in play with Obeah. Similarly for Temporis. A clan may not have both Obeah and Temporis as in-clan disciplines. - If Daimoinon is chosen, all vampires in the clan are Infernal and each gains 2 additional points to spend, 3 additional points to spend if the vampire is capacity 8 or higher. - If Mytherceria is chosen, all vampires in the clan have Cold Iron Vulnerability - If Spiritus is chosen, all vampires in the clan are Sterile - If Sanguinous is chosen, all vampires in the clan are Sterile. In addition, you must choose a city. All vampires in the clan are members of a Circle of that city. In addition, all instances of the text "Blood Brother" in your deck's Sanguinous library cards are changed to "vampire of your clan". Disciplines cost one point per level: - Basic: 1 point - Superior: 2 points A vampire with 5 different disciplines gets an additional 0.5 points to spend. A vampire with 6 (or more) disciplines gets an additional 1 point to spend. (that is, the fifth and sixth Disciplines cost 0.5 points less each.) A vampire with only one or two Disciplines must have only in-clan Disciplines. A vampire with three Disciplines can have at most one out-of-clan Discipline. A vampire with four or more Discipline must have all three in-clan Disciplines. (That is, the first two Disciplines must be in-clan, and one of the next two Disciplines must be the final in-clan Discipline). A vampire must spend more points on "in-clan" disciplines than on "out-of-clan" disciplines. The following disciplines may not be chosen as out-of-clan disciplines: Obeah, Temporis, Sanguinous. If Daimoinon is chosen as an out-of-clan discipline, that vampire is Infernal and gains 2 more points to spend. "Out-of-clan" disciplines may not be shared by more than two vampires. (Whole Set) No two vampires of the same capacity may share the same "out-of-clan" discipline. (Whole Set) No two vampires of 5-cap or less may share the same superior discipline. (Whole Set) No two vampires may share the exact same discipline spread (For example, AUS POT QUI and AUS POT qui are ok, but not two vamps with AUS POT QUI). (Whole Set) A clan may have no more than two vampires of the same capacity. (Whole Set) A clan may have only one vampire with 11 capacity. (Whole Set) ATTRIBUTES A Sabbat clan may have up to three untitled Black Hand vampires at no cost as follows (Whole Set): - the first must be of capacity 3 or greater - the second must be of capacity 5 or greater - the third must be of capacity 8 or greater One Black Hand vampire per clan may be a Seraph at a cost of 1 point. The vampire must have a minimum capacity of 6. (Whole Set) An Independent clan may have up to 2 Anarch vampires at no cost. Both must have a minimum capacity of 6. (Whole Set) One vampire in your clan may have the Advanced trait. Its name must be the same as another vampire in your clan (and it doesn't count as a different vampire from the base version for purposes of choosing disciplines). The advanced vampire's capacity must be the same (no cost) as the base vampire or one higher (0.5 points). The advanced vampire must have the same disciplines as the base vampire (paying the same cost), and may spend additional points on disciplines. Any leftover points from the base version and advanced version of the vampire may be used towards the Merged text. These points are doubled, with a maximum of 6 points for the Merged text. The abilities, titles, and attributes in merged text don't count against any of the "only 1 vampire may have this" restrictions, but cannot have been used in either the base version's text nor the advanced version's non-merged text. When building your crypt, you can have two copies of your base vampire and two copies of your advanced vampire. Note that a clan may have no more than 2 vampires of the same capacity, so if your base vampire and advanced vampire are of the same capacity, you may not have another vampire of the same capacity in your clan. (Whole Set) You may purchase Black Hand or Anarch as an attribute in Merged text for 0.5 points. This attribute does not count against the number of Black Hand or Anarch vampires in your clan. Clarification: Black Hand and Anarch attributes chosen for an Advanced vampire still count towards the number of Black Hand or Anarch vampires permitted for your whole set. One vampire in your clan may be Red List, and gains 1 additional point to spend. (Whole Set) TITLES Titles as follows: Camarilla - Primogen: 0.5 points, min 6-cap - Prince: 1 point, min 8-cap - Justicar: 1.5 points, min 10-cap, one per clan (whole set) - Inner Circle Member: 3 points, min 11-cap, one per clan (whole set) Sabbat - Bishop: 0.5 points, min 6-cap - Archbishop: 1 point, min 8-cap - Cardinal: 1.5 points, min 10-cap, one per clan (whole set) - Regent: 2 points, min 11-cap, one per clan (whole set) - Priscus: 1 point, min 8-cap Independent - 1 vote (titled): 0.5 points, min 5-cap - 2 votes (titled): 1 point, min 8-cap - 3 votes (titled): 1.5 points, min 10-cap, one per clan (whole set) - Baron: 1 point, min 7-cap, Anarch required Laibon - Magaji: 1 point, min 8-cap You must choose a city for each Prince, Archbishop, or Baron in your clan. The city you choose must be from a Praxis Seizure, Crusade, or Fee Stake card in print in the actual game. SPECIAL ABILITIES You may choose to give all vampires in your clan Flight, at a cost of 1 point each. Special Abilities Only one vampire can have a given special ability (not counting merged text). (Whole Set) Each vampire can have any number of special abilities, but cannot spend more points in special abilities than in Disciplines (attributes and titles are not counted as special abilities). Cost Ability Minimum Capacity 1.5 +1 bleed 6 1.5 +1 strength 6 1 +1 intercept 7 2 +1 stealth 8 0.5 +1 stealth when hunting 5 0.5 +1 stealth when equipping 2 0.5 +1 stealth when employing or recruiting (both) 2 1 Flight 2 0.5 +1 strength when in combat with a Red List minion 2 1 +1 strength when in combat with a specific sect 3 1 +1 bleed when bleeding the controller of a ready 4 vampire of a specific sect 1 +1 bleed when bleeding a Methuselah with no ready 4 titled vampire 1 +2 strength when in combat with a Red List minion 6 1.5 Blood hunts may not be called against this vampire 9 1.5 Vampires of a specific sect cannot cast votes in 10 referendums called by this vampire 1.5 +1 bleed (may be taken in addition to the basic +1 10 bleed) 1.5 +1 strength (may be taken in addition to the basic 10 +1 strength) 1 +1 intercept (may be taken in addition to the basic 10 +1 intercept) 3 +1 stealth (may be taken in addition to the basic 10 +1 stealth) 2 This vampire untaps after performing a successful 9, requires untitled, political action, if the referendum passes Primogen, Bishop, or 1 vote 2 This vampire gains two blood at the end of a referendum 9 in which he/she abstains 0.5 This vampire has one additional vote for each trophy 4 on him/her 1 This vampire may burn a blood to force a younger 8, requires untitled, vampire to abstain from voting (this may change that Primogen, Bishop, or 1 vote vampires votes) A la carte specials Up to two vampires may have a la carte specials (one each). The second, if any, cannot have any choices (A,B,C,D, or E) in common with the first (note that there's only one E choice, so that means that only one vampire can have a Discipline special). (Whole Set) Directed actions (a la carte): Text of special is one from A, one or zero from B (as indicated), one from C, and one from D. If the total points for the action is negative, the action costs 0 points (the negative portion is lost and cannot be spent elsewhere). A May enter combat with a vampire controlled by [B]: 1.5 points (min 7-cap) May enter combat with a tapped minion controlled by [B]: 1 points (min 7-cap) May enter combat with a younger vampire controlled by [B]: 1 point May enter combat with a vampire of a specific sect controlled by [B]: 0.5 points (min 5-cap) May enter combat with a titled vampire controlled by [B]: 0 points (min 5-cap) May steal up to 2 blood from a ready vampire controlled by [B]: 2 points (min 8-cap) May steal up to 2 blood from a younger ready vampire controlled by [B]: 1.5 points May steal up to 2 blood from a vampire in [B]'s torpor region: 0.5 points May only hunt by stealing a blood from a ready vampire controlled by [B]: 1.5 points (min 5-cap) May burn 1 blood from a vampire controlled by [B]: 1 point (min 5-cap) May tap a minion controlled by [B]: 0.5 points (min 6-cap) May burn a location controlled by [B]: 1 point (min 7-cap) May burn an equipment on a minion controlled by [B]: 1 point (min 6-cap) May look at [B]'s hand: 0 points (min 5-cap) May discard a card at random from [B]'s hand: 0.5 points (min 6-cap) May steal the Edge from [B]: -1 points May move a blood from a vampire in [B]'s uncontrolled region to [B]'s pool: 0 points May move a blood from a vampire in [B]'s uncontrolled region to your pool: 1 point B your prey: 0 points your predator: 0 points any Methuselah: 0.5 points C as a (D) action: 0 points as a +1 stealth (D) action: 1 point D [blank]: 0 points that costs 1 blood: -0.5 points (not usable on hunting actions) that costs 2 blood: -1 point (not usable on hunting actions) Discipline special (a la carte): Text of the special is as below, with [Discipline X] chosen to be any one non-bloodline Discipline. This ability is unique by Discipline. If two vampires have this ability with the same chosen Discipline, the ability will be contested by the vampires (who each pay one blood during their untap phases or yield the ability). As usual, vampires in torpor cannot choose to contest and must yield. The ability cannot be used while it is contested. E Cards that require [Discipline X] cost this vampire one less blood to play. 2 points (min Cap: 8) Comes Into Play Specials Up to two of the vampires in your clan may have a "comes into play" special. These specials cost 1 point and require a vampire of capacity 7 or more. They come in two types: those that put the card on this vampire, and those that simply put the card into play. (Whole Set) When you move from your uncontrolled region to your ready region, may search your library for a copy of and put it on , . Shuffle your library afterward. Card Payment Cost Requirements ---- ------- ---- ------------ Ablative Skin 1 - - Banshee Ironwail 0 paying one less pool - Blessing of Chaos 1 paying the cost as normal Dementation Body Bag 0 - - Bravo 0 - - Carrion Coffin 1 - Protean Chainsaw 0 paying the cost as normal - Chill of Oblivion 0 - Necromancy Corpse Balloon 1 - Vicissitude Conniver 0 - - The Crimson Sentinel 0 paying the cost as normal - Curmudgeon 0 - - Ecstatic Agony 1 - Auspex Ex Nihilo 0 paying the cost as normal Necromancy Fire Dance 0 - Priscus, Cardinal, Regent, or Archbishop Ghoul Escort 0 - - Grenade 0 - - Guru 0 - Sabbat Highway Haven, RV 0 - - The Hunt Club 0 - - Inveraray, Scotland 0 at no cost - Loner 0 - - Lyndhurst Estate, New York 0 at no cost - Masochism 2 - Fortitude Powder of Rigidity 0 - - Rebel 0 - - RPG Launcher 0 at no cost - Servitor of Irad 0 - - Shade 1 paying the cost as normal Obtenebration Smoke Grenade 0 - - Sociopath 0 - Sabbat Soul Decoration 1 - Superior Obfuscate + Superior Vicissitude Stolen Police Cruiser 0 - - Tapestry of Blood 1 paying the cost as normal - Trainer 0 - Superior Animalism True Faith 0 at no cost - Vaulderie 0 - Priscus, Cardinal, Regent, or Archbishop Will of the Council 0 - Primogen Wolf Companion 1 paying the cost as normal Animalism Clarification: Soul Decoration and Trainer come into play at the superior level. When you move from your uncontrolled region to your ready region, may search your library for a copy of and put it in play, . Shuffle your library afterward. Card Payment Cost Requirement ---- ------- ---- ----------- Aggressive Tactics 0 paying one less pool - Akhenaten, The Sun Pharaoh (Mummy) 0 paying one less pool - Arcanum Chapterhouse, Alexandria 0 - - Arcanum Investigator 0 paying one less pool - Blood Puppy 0 - - Bureaucratic Overload 0 - - Cairo Int'l Airport 0 paying the cost as normal - Centralized Background Check 0 - - Communal Haven: Temple 0 paying the cost as normal Sabbat Edge Vitiation 0 paying the cost as normal Serpentis Elysium: Sforzesco Castle 0 paying the cost as normal - Harzomatuili 0 paying one less pool Cardinal or Regent Hell Hound 0 paying the cost as normal - Kingston Penitentiary, Ontario 0 paying one less pool - Mehemet of the Ahl-i-Batin (Mage) 0 paying one less pool - Path of Death and the Soul 0 - - The Path of Lilith 1 - - Samuel Haight 0 paying one less pool - The Status Perfectus 2 - Anarch Threestar Cab Company 0 paying one less pool - any Trophy 0 - - Virolax Facility 1 - - Zoning Board 0 paying the cost as normal - Clarification: The Trophy special allows you to search your library for any Trophy and put it into play. LIBRARY CARDS You may spoof a normal hunting ground library card (2 pool, unique location, usual text). Give it a new name (and a new picture) and make it require your clan instead. Unique spoof cards with the same name will contest each other. A Laibon clan may have a "spoofed" Kholo card. Multiple copies of this card in your library are allowed. (Whole Set) You may spoof one additional (non-hunting ground, non-Kholo) clan card. Choose any library card that requires a non-Bloodlines clan. Give it a new name and picture and increase its cost by 1 pool. If it costs blood, increase the cost by one blood instead. If the card gives a bleed bonus to all members of the clan that you control, its cost increases by two instead, and it may only be played once per game. Change all references to the original clan to references to your main clan instead. The text must be identical to the base card otherwise (not counting flavor text, of course). (Whole Set) A unique spoof card with the same name as a non-unique spoof card will not contest. CAITIFF You may have up to one Caitiff. A Caitiff is a one capacity vampire. A Caitiff has no points to spend. A Caitiff may either have no Disciplines or one non-bloodlines Discipline. Caitiff are Camarilla. A Caitiff with no Discipline may take one of the following specials for free: - Gets +1 strength the first time he diablerizes an older vampire. - Gets +1 bleed the first time he diablerizes a vampire controlled by another Methuselah. - Once he has diablerized an older vampire, he gives you +1 hand size while he is ready. - When he diablerizes a vampire, the controller of that vampire burns 1 pool. - When he diablerizes a vampire, you may draw 4 cards (discard down afterward). A Caitiff with one Discipline (1 point) must take one of the following -1 point specials (which are not available to non-Caitiff): - This vampire cannot block older vampires. - This vampire cannot strike in the first round of combat against an older vampire. - You discard one card from your hand at random each time this vampire is blocked. - If this vampire goes to torpor, burn him instead. - This vampire cannot have equipment or retainers and cannot play action cards. - Cards this vampire plays are not replaced until your next untap phase. - A vampire may enter combat with this vampire as a (D) action BLOODLINE You may create a custom bloodline to augment your clan if you wish. The bloodline must have a distinct name (different than your main clan's name). The bloodline is constructed according to the normal clan rules, but with the following changes: The bloodline cannot share more than one Discipline as an in-clan Discipline with your main clan. If Sanguinous is chosen as an in-clan discipline for the bloodline, its Circle must be different than that of your main clan. The bloodline can have no more than 4 distinct vampires. (No more than 2 if Obeah or Temporis is chosen as an in-clan discipline.) You may choose to make some or all of your bloodlines vampires slaves of your main clan. This is a 0 point special. OTHER NOTES I recommend these tools for creating your cards: Damnan's site at: http://www.almadrava.net/damnans/ With tools found here: http://www.almadrava.net/damnans/downloads.htm For tournaments, I recommend having the following prize categories: - Overall Winner You know: the winner. - Road Less Traveled Each Discipline is scored by how many main clans used that Discipline as an in-clan Discipline. Then each main clan is scored as the sum of its in-clan Discipline scores. The player whose clan has the lowest value wins. - Best Artwork The players vote as to which clan had the best artistic design (in background and art selection). - Most Entertaining Each round, each player votes for one other deck at her table for the "most fun to play at a table with" award. The player whose deck gets the most votes wins.