Post by Squirrels / Constant on Sept 3, 2005 17:04:37 GMT -8
Prestige:
One prestige trait from another Clan is an amazing accomplishment. Prestige from two other Clans is amazing. Prestige from three or more probably means that your game is into prestige-pez. Three or more prestige from any Clan other than your own is ludicrous.
Primogen:
Players walking into game and being Primogen in two months or less is silly. Primogen need to demonstrate excellence either in disciplines, influences and/or backgrounds. How can you do that with less than two months worth of xp?
Revolving Primogen (a new one every month or less) is silly. Voting on Primogen is silly unless you are playing a Malkavian or democratically-minded gang of Brujah.
Status Inflation:
The less status you have the less is required of you and the more likely you are to be eligible to gain status. The more you have the more is required of you and the less likely you are to be eligible to gain status. If you are new to the domain it should take a while for you to gain status. You're new. Kindred shouldn't trust you. If you are a non-Cam-7 Clan it should be harder for you to gain status. Period. If you are a Caitiff, doubly so.
Lying:
Do it. Often. Do it even when there's no purpose to it. Kindred lie. All the time. Be evasive. Be deceptive.
Brujah:
The reason Brujah are oppressed is because they lose their temper and often speak painful truths. Brujah are also often uncomfortable with fancy airs and graces that go with being a respected city official. When was the last time you saw a Brujah PC yell? Lose their temper? Rant about injustice despite the potential cost to their status? Exactly. You probably want to play an Intellectual Brujah. Most intellectual Brujah end up being played like Ventrue with thug powerz. Don't be that guy (gal).
Malkavians:
Malkavian PC's always come up with cool derangements that promptly evaporate once they become a hinderance to their political career. Resist the temptation. Also resist the temptation to play a Malkavian whose derangement is so subtle that it takes a 15 minute monologue to explain after game.
Ever been on the street next to a crazy homeless guy/woman and you went out of the way to avoid them because their insanity made you afraid? That's the effect you're going for.
Malkavians tend to overcompensate and become functional, scheming paranoids like Tremere but without magic.
Nosferatu:
It would be helpful if Nosferatu PC's actually dressed like shit and put on make-up and wore a pin or badge that said "Mask of 1000 Faces" instead of dressing up all fancy and pretty and wearing a pin that says "I'm actually ugly" Unattractive people get discriminated against, often subconsciously. Tap into that discrimination factor by looking like crap.
Yes, your Nosferatu may have a very nice, clean haven in the sewers with a kick ass computer, but he/she probably has to walk through shit and runoff tunnels filled with mud in order to get there. Yes, sections of the Nosferatu sewers can be made quite habitable but sewers are filled with shit, water and garbage. (That's why they're called SEWERS.) There's no way you're going to live underground and get around that and if your PC has built sterile transit areas through the underworld then you're playing the wrong clan.
Bring a squeeze bottle filled with water and when players meet outside, squeeze out a puddle full of liquid to stand in. Watch the reactions of other players.
Two of the reasons Nosferatu do not become Princes is because a) the Prince is entitled to seize the lion's share of influences in the domain in order to preserve the Masquerade (this requires interaction with mortals) and b) spending a decade in the sewers talking to rats and ones fellow monstrosities SERIOUSLY erodes social skill.
Not every Kine is fooled by Mask of 1000 Faces. Remember that when you get cocky about your amazing powers. Children, the devout, the old, mystics, the insane can sometimes see through the Mask. Your PC should be afraid of the one slip-up that can bring the whole thing down.
Nosferatu players try to overcompensate and end up acting like Toreador socialities rather than skulking spies covered in filth with retarded social skills.
Gangrel:
Gangrel are great storytellers AMONG OTHER Gangrel. If your Gangrel sends an e-mail of more than one page, he/she is talking too much. If your Gangrel is going on a lengthy explaination about the recent Sabbat attack, he/she is talking too much. Gangrel do not become Princes often because they do not like to be constrained. Nothing limits freedom more than being Prince. Gangrel also, even if they do not frenzy often, adopt the mannerisms and psychology of animals to some degree. This interferes with dealing with mortals, managing influences, and employing the "people skills" necessary to rule a domain.
When was the last time your PC Gangrel growled? Crossed their arm and held their tongue in disdain? Walked out of a boring, pointless meeting? Sniffed the air? Dropped to a crouch and watched?
Nothing spoils the mystique more than a Gangrel who talks too much. Emulate the strong, silent hero/heroine types from action movies.
One prestige trait from another Clan is an amazing accomplishment. Prestige from two other Clans is amazing. Prestige from three or more probably means that your game is into prestige-pez. Three or more prestige from any Clan other than your own is ludicrous.
Primogen:
Players walking into game and being Primogen in two months or less is silly. Primogen need to demonstrate excellence either in disciplines, influences and/or backgrounds. How can you do that with less than two months worth of xp?
Revolving Primogen (a new one every month or less) is silly. Voting on Primogen is silly unless you are playing a Malkavian or democratically-minded gang of Brujah.
Status Inflation:
The less status you have the less is required of you and the more likely you are to be eligible to gain status. The more you have the more is required of you and the less likely you are to be eligible to gain status. If you are new to the domain it should take a while for you to gain status. You're new. Kindred shouldn't trust you. If you are a non-Cam-7 Clan it should be harder for you to gain status. Period. If you are a Caitiff, doubly so.
Lying:
Do it. Often. Do it even when there's no purpose to it. Kindred lie. All the time. Be evasive. Be deceptive.
Brujah:
The reason Brujah are oppressed is because they lose their temper and often speak painful truths. Brujah are also often uncomfortable with fancy airs and graces that go with being a respected city official. When was the last time you saw a Brujah PC yell? Lose their temper? Rant about injustice despite the potential cost to their status? Exactly. You probably want to play an Intellectual Brujah. Most intellectual Brujah end up being played like Ventrue with thug powerz. Don't be that guy (gal).
Malkavians:
Malkavian PC's always come up with cool derangements that promptly evaporate once they become a hinderance to their political career. Resist the temptation. Also resist the temptation to play a Malkavian whose derangement is so subtle that it takes a 15 minute monologue to explain after game.
Ever been on the street next to a crazy homeless guy/woman and you went out of the way to avoid them because their insanity made you afraid? That's the effect you're going for.
Malkavians tend to overcompensate and become functional, scheming paranoids like Tremere but without magic.
Nosferatu:
It would be helpful if Nosferatu PC's actually dressed like shit and put on make-up and wore a pin or badge that said "Mask of 1000 Faces" instead of dressing up all fancy and pretty and wearing a pin that says "I'm actually ugly" Unattractive people get discriminated against, often subconsciously. Tap into that discrimination factor by looking like crap.
Yes, your Nosferatu may have a very nice, clean haven in the sewers with a kick ass computer, but he/she probably has to walk through shit and runoff tunnels filled with mud in order to get there. Yes, sections of the Nosferatu sewers can be made quite habitable but sewers are filled with shit, water and garbage. (That's why they're called SEWERS.) There's no way you're going to live underground and get around that and if your PC has built sterile transit areas through the underworld then you're playing the wrong clan.
Bring a squeeze bottle filled with water and when players meet outside, squeeze out a puddle full of liquid to stand in. Watch the reactions of other players.
Two of the reasons Nosferatu do not become Princes is because a) the Prince is entitled to seize the lion's share of influences in the domain in order to preserve the Masquerade (this requires interaction with mortals) and b) spending a decade in the sewers talking to rats and ones fellow monstrosities SERIOUSLY erodes social skill.
Not every Kine is fooled by Mask of 1000 Faces. Remember that when you get cocky about your amazing powers. Children, the devout, the old, mystics, the insane can sometimes see through the Mask. Your PC should be afraid of the one slip-up that can bring the whole thing down.
Nosferatu players try to overcompensate and end up acting like Toreador socialities rather than skulking spies covered in filth with retarded social skills.
Gangrel:
Gangrel are great storytellers AMONG OTHER Gangrel. If your Gangrel sends an e-mail of more than one page, he/she is talking too much. If your Gangrel is going on a lengthy explaination about the recent Sabbat attack, he/she is talking too much. Gangrel do not become Princes often because they do not like to be constrained. Nothing limits freedom more than being Prince. Gangrel also, even if they do not frenzy often, adopt the mannerisms and psychology of animals to some degree. This interferes with dealing with mortals, managing influences, and employing the "people skills" necessary to rule a domain.
When was the last time your PC Gangrel growled? Crossed their arm and held their tongue in disdain? Walked out of a boring, pointless meeting? Sniffed the air? Dropped to a crouch and watched?
Nothing spoils the mystique more than a Gangrel who talks too much. Emulate the strong, silent hero/heroine types from action movies.