Post by Disparagingtheboot on Nov 17, 2016 16:01:53 GMT -5
I've been giving some thought for how to make the Tremere a Bloodline, and I've come up with some stuff. This is assuming a world where magic-users exist, but they aren't quite Awakened, but it isn't a necessity since nothing I have is particularly dependent on Mage existing or not existing.
So, they're a universal Bloodline, but Mekhet and Ventrue are the most likely to enter in. My idea for Gift is that they can potentially learn any mortal sorcery, Theban Sorcery, or Cruac spell regardless of Covenant (they still have to pay the merit cost, though, and they can't take on minor templates, use psychic powers, or perform sorcery that requires a patron or power source without access to that patron or power source), and they have a series of Devotions related to magic. Sensing it, defending against it, etc.
Their weaknesses are the one from Masquerade, and I'm also thinking they either need to consume human souls or commit diablerie to use their powers, and because of this they're widely hated and distrusted, meaning most Tremere have to keep their Bloodline hidden.
Their gift sounds kind of overpowered, but I'm trying to balance it out. For one thing, they still need to shell out experience points for their spells. They have a very wide menu of things they can learn, but they don't have any more merit dots to spend than any other vampire. And then there's their weakness. The original Masquerade weakness was kind of infamous for not being that big of a drawback, and a lot of STs made up for it by emphasizing the restrictive, conspiratorial nature of the clan and how no one else liked them. I kind of codified that with the "widely hated and feared" thing, and I also added soul eating to tie them to Mage's Tremere, which helpfully gives them yet another drawback, and one that provides a good reason why other vampires don't trust them. It isn't just "they're jealous of their power" or "they're weirdos", it's that very few Princes are going to want a vampire that has to eat souls running around their city.
So, they're a universal Bloodline, but Mekhet and Ventrue are the most likely to enter in. My idea for Gift is that they can potentially learn any mortal sorcery, Theban Sorcery, or Cruac spell regardless of Covenant (they still have to pay the merit cost, though, and they can't take on minor templates, use psychic powers, or perform sorcery that requires a patron or power source without access to that patron or power source), and they have a series of Devotions related to magic. Sensing it, defending against it, etc.
Their weaknesses are the one from Masquerade, and I'm also thinking they either need to consume human souls or commit diablerie to use their powers, and because of this they're widely hated and distrusted, meaning most Tremere have to keep their Bloodline hidden.
Their gift sounds kind of overpowered, but I'm trying to balance it out. For one thing, they still need to shell out experience points for their spells. They have a very wide menu of things they can learn, but they don't have any more merit dots to spend than any other vampire. And then there's their weakness. The original Masquerade weakness was kind of infamous for not being that big of a drawback, and a lot of STs made up for it by emphasizing the restrictive, conspiratorial nature of the clan and how no one else liked them. I kind of codified that with the "widely hated and feared" thing, and I also added soul eating to tie them to Mage's Tremere, which helpfully gives them yet another drawback, and one that provides a good reason why other vampires don't trust them. It isn't just "they're jealous of their power" or "they're weirdos", it's that very few Princes are going to want a vampire that has to eat souls running around their city.