In the tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade, players create complex characters navigating a hidden world of vampires. A key component of this creation and development process involves two types of point systems: Freebie points and Experience points. These systems allow players to customize their characters at the start of the game and improve them over time. This article explains how these points are allocated, spent, and used to build and evolve characters within the game's rules.
Character Creation and Initial Point Allocation
The foundation of a character is built upon a set number of points distributed across various traits. The specific allocation varies depending on the type of character being created. According to the source material, different character types receive different base allocations of points for Attributes, Abilities, Backgrounds, and Freebie points.
- Changelings, Vampires, and Werewolves: These characters start with 7/5/3 points for Attributes, 13/9/5 for Abilities, 5 points for Backgrounds, and 15 Freebie points.
- Metahumans and Mundane Humans: These characters start with 6/4/3 points for Attributes, 11/7/4 for Abilities, 5 points for Backgrounds, and 21 Freebie points.
In addition to these base allocations, characters can earn additional Freebie points through other means. For instance, creating a character with a well-developed biography or history, typically consisting of two to six paragraphs, can grant an additional 12 Freebie points. Furthermore, normal player character vampires can receive bonus Freebie points based on their in-game age. A vampire with an Age rating of 1 receives 12 additional Freebie points, while one with an Age rating of 2 receives 35 additional Freebie points.
The source material also notes that players can acquire more Freebie points by taking Flaws. However, there is a limit to how many points can be gained this way. In one documented game setting, players may gain up to 7 additional Freebie points from Flaws. Any Flaws taken beyond this 7-point limit are for character flavor only and do not provide further Freebie points. It is also specified that some Merits and Flaws may be restricted or require pre-approval from game staff.
Spending Freebie Points
Freebie points serve as a flexible currency during character creation. They allow players to purchase dots in various traits beyond the initial points allocated to those categories. This provides an opportunity to round out a character, shore up weaknesses, or invest in specialized areas not covered by the initial point spread. Unlike Experience points, which are earned during gameplay, Freebie points must be spent at the time of character creation; any unused points are typically forfeited unless the character is reworked at a later time.
The cost to purchase dots with Freebie points is standardized across most traits. The following table outlines the standard cost for increasing traits using Freebie points.
| Trait | Cost (Freebie Points per Dot) |
|---|---|
| Attribute | 5 |
| Ability | 2 |
| Background | 1 |
| Discipline | 7 |
| Virtue | 2 |
| Humanity or Path of Enlightenment | 2 |
| Willpower | 1 |
Certain character types or game settings may feature modified costs. For example, in an elder character creation context, the costs for Humanity and Virtues are adjusted. Humanity costs 5 Freebie points per dot, and Virtues cost 4 Freebie points per dot, reflecting the different starting circumstances of elder characters. For ghouls and humans, the cost for Disciplines is higher, at 10 Freebie points per dot, as they have more limited access to such powers. Ghouls also have the option to take a Path for 3 Freebie points.
Experience Points and Character Development
Once a game begins, characters advance and grow more powerful through the acquisition of Experience points (XP). This system governs how a character's abilities and attributes improve over time. The rate at which Experience points are earned can differ based on the character type.
- Vampires: A vampire character earns 1 Experience point for every active year they spend not in torpor. This accumulation is capped at a maximum of 100 points to prevent characters from becoming excessively powerful.
- Ghouls: Ghouls earn 1 Experience point for every consecutive year of service.
Spending Experience points follows a different cost structure than Freebie points. The cost to increase a trait with Experience points often depends on the character's current rating in that trait, making higher-level improvements more costly. The standard Experience point costs for a vampire are detailed below.
| Trait | Cost (Experience Points) |
|---|---|
| New Ability | 3 |
| New Discipline | 10 |
| New Thaumaturgy/Necromancy Path | 7 |
| Attribute (increase) | Current rating x 4 |
| Ability (increase) | Current rating x 2 |
| Clan Discipline (increase) | Current rating x 5 |
| Other Discipline (increase) | Current rating x 7 |
| Thaumaturgy/Necromancy Path (increase) | Current level x 4 |
| Virtue (increase) | Current rating x 2 |
| Humanity or Path of Enlightenment (increase) | Current rating x 2 |
| Willpower (increase) | Current rating |
A special note applies to Caitiff characters, who lack a clan. For them, the cost to raise any Discipline is the current rating x 6, reflecting their unique and often difficult existence. It is also important to note that increasing a Virtue through experience does not automatically increase other traits that are based on that Virtue, such as Humanity, Path, or Willpower.
Elder Characters and Advanced Rules
For players creating more powerful Elder characters, the character creation rules are modified to reflect their advanced age and power. Elders have 15 points to assign to their Backgrounds. They are required to take at least one dot in the Age Background unless they are playing a "Pretender" character. For the purpose of character generation, elder vampires start at 10th Generation, which is a lower (and more powerful) generation than the standard 13th Generation for normal player characters.
The cost for Freebie points and Experience points for Elder characters is also adjusted. While the costs for most traits are taken from the standard tables in the Vampire: The Masquerade (Revised) rulebook, the costs for Humanity and Virtues are different. As mentioned earlier, Humanity costs 5 freebies per dot, and Virtues cost 4 freebies per dot. The Experience point costs are also altered to reflect the advantage these characters already possess. Furthermore, only Elders of 7th Generation and below can access 6th-level Discipline powers.
Conclusion
The Freebie and Experience point systems are fundamental to character creation and progression in Vampire: The Masquerade. Freebie points offer players immediate customization at the start of a game, allowing them to tailor their character's strengths and weaknesses. Experience points provide a long-term path for growth, enabling characters to evolve as the story unfolds. Understanding the costs and methods for spending these points is essential for any player looking to build a competent and compelling character for a chronicle.