Vampiric traits and powers for Dracula’s America

[Elder Days]

In an effort to incorporate some elements from folklore and gothic literature I’ve been working on a set of powers and traits for vampire characters. When a character first becomes a vampire they roll once on both the power and weakness charts. Whenever a vampire advances a skill level they roll again on each chart gaining a new power as well as a new weakness. Below is my first draft of the charts. They will undoubtedly need to be tweaked for balance, practicality and to maximize fun.

Vampire Powers
1-Shapeshifting: Wolf, Cauldron of Bats
2-Call Children of the Night: Summon Bats, Rats, Wolves
3-Mist-form: Become intangible for a turn. Can not attack or be attacked.
4-Speed: Increase movement to 6”
5-Transfix: As current Ablity
6-Scale Surface: Able to climb any surface ignoring penalties.


Vampiric Curses
-Ghastly countenance: lowers leadership ability
-Botanical foil: Weakness to a common plant or herb such as wolf’s bane, hawthorn, or garlic. The vampire cannot charge a character which bears one of these items.
-Bloodthirsty: Must make a check to avoid feeding. This includes when a living opponent is taken out of action in hand to hand combat or when the vampire is in possession of a hostage.
-Uninvited Guest: May not enter a private home without being invited. What is and what isn’t a private home should be designated before the game.
-Compulsion: Must test or be distracted. (Believe it or not according to folklore one way to escape a vampire is to throw a handful of tiny objects which the creature will then be compelled to count as you make your getaway.)
-Cannot cross running water except at a bridge.

[Fenrir]

These are a great idea- I love how you have incorporated the traditional vampire weaknesses in these rules!

As it happens, I myself have just sent a set of 'Vampiric Gifts' Skills over to the good folks at Osprey- this is going to be part of some ongoing, downloadable support for Dracula's America that- all being well- will be steadily trickling out over the coming months. I couldn't speak as to the exact time-frame as that is up to Osprey, of course!

The upcoming Vampiric Gifts are not quite as in-depth as your own ideas, but do include the ability to summon distracting swarms of vermin, compel a Transfixed victim, assume an ethereal/mist form, make flying leaps into combat (I like to think of the model turning into a cloud of bats!), and tap into their bloodlust to become deadlier in a Fight...
I thought about giving vamps shape-shifting in the early days, but in the end I decided to keep that as the preserve of the Skinwalkers and Forsaken lycanthropes!

[Cubs]

-Uninvited Guest: May not enter a private home without being invited. What is and what isn’t a private home should be designated before the game.

I like all those a lot, but this one reminded me of one of my favourite bits from Adventure Time.

[Elder Days]

Thanks Fenrir! I look forward to trying out the new powers when they are released. I’m likely just going to wait and roll any of my unrealized ideas into the new stuff.

I can see your point on shapeshifting. Gotta maintain faction flavor.