In the tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade, character creation and development involve specific systems for allocating points to various traits. Two key concepts within this framework are "freebie points" and "combination disciplines." Freebie points are a flexible resource used during character creation to purchase traits outside of the standard categories, such as Attributes, Abilities, and Disciplines. Combination disciplines represent advanced powers that are created by synergizing existing, separately purchased discipline abilities. This article details the mechanics of freebie points and the principles behind combination disciplines, drawing exclusively from the provided source material.
Freebie Points in Character Creation
Freebie points, also referred to as "bonus points" in the Revised Storyteller system, are a fundamental component of the character creation process. During character creation, players are allocated a specific number of points to distribute among predefined trait categories, including Attributes, Abilities, Backgrounds, and others. Freebie points serve as a supplementary resource that can be exchanged for dots in any trait, allowing players to refine and customize their characters. They are the only means of purchasing Merits at character creation.
The exchange rate for freebie points is fixed and does not increase with the trait's rating. The rates are as follows: - Attributes: 5 freebies per dot - Abilities: 2 freebies per dot - Disciplines: 7 freebies per dot - Backgrounds: 1 freebie per dot - Virtues: 2 freebies per dot - Humanity/Path: 2 freebies per dot - Willpower: 1 freebie per dot
The allocation of freebie points varies by character type. Most supernatural character types, such as vampires, receive 15 freebie points. Human characters, who generally receive fewer points in specific trait categories, are allocated 21 freebie points. It is also possible to gain additional freebie points by purchasing Flaws, though game masters are advised to impose a limit, typically seven, on the total extra freebies obtainable this way.
Combination Disciplines: Principles and Strategies
Combination disciplines are advanced powers that result from the integrated use of two or more existing discipline abilities. These are not separate powers that must be purchased with experience points; instead, they are tactical strategies that leverage the simultaneous or sequential use of known disciplines. The provided source material outlines several methods for creating these combinations, primarily through splitting dice pools or utilizing the speed-enhancing effects of the Celerity discipline.
One documented strategy involves combining Auspex 2: Aura Reading with Dementation 1: Passion. Normally, the Passion power allows a user to inflame a random emotion in a target, without the user being able to select which emotion is affected or verify the result. By first using Aura Reading to discern the specific colors in the target's aura, the user can target a particular emotion that is visibly present. This requires at least two successes on the Aura Reading roll to identify the aura's colors. This combination allows for a more precise and controlled application of the Dementation power.
Other combinations listed in the source material function as standalone powers that require specific discipline ratings as prerequisites. These are often unique to certain clans or bloodlines. Examples include: - Goddess Among Beasts: Requires Animalism. Allows the user to appear as an irresistible force of nature to an animal. - Hand of the Master Artisan: Requires Auspex. Enables the rapid creation of a work of art. - Eye for the Weakness of Steel: Requires Auspex. Permits sensing weak spots and openings in an opponent's armor during battle. - Scalpel Tongue: Requires Celerity. Allows for a clever, barbed quip that can shame a target into silence. - The Humberside Panic: Requires Celerity. Grants the user's Celerity to another vampire whose blood has been tasted, for a short duration.
The source material also lists numerous other combination disciplines, such as Blood Apocrypha (Auspex), Pulse of Undeath (Auspex), Ears of the Bat (Auspex), Stone Sight (Auspex), Guardian Vigil (Auspex), Waking Dream (Chimerstry), Lifesong (Dominate), The Rod Raw Rending (Fortitude), and Tenebrous Veil (Obfuscate), each with its own specific requirements and description.
Conclusion
In Vampire: The Masquerade, freebie points provide a crucial mechanism for character customization during creation, offering a flexible currency to purchase traits beyond the standard point allocations. Their fixed exchange rate and universal applicability make them essential for fine-tuning a character's capabilities. Combination disciplines, on the other hand, represent a layer of advanced tactical play, where existing discipline powers are used in concert to achieve effects that are greater than the sum of their parts. Some combinations are strategic applications of existing powers, while others are unique abilities with specific discipline prerequisites. Understanding both systems is key to developing a nuanced and powerful character within the game's framework.