From emailtojerry at gmail.com Fri Oct 20 12:25:26 2006 From: emailtojerry at gmail.com (Jerry Spaulding) Date: Fri Oct 20 12:25:30 2006 Subject: [Cam-rules-answers] Rules Answers 10-06 Message-ID: Q Subject: Anoushka's Ladder This question requires a lot of preperation. Ordo Dracul p176 "To learn a rung of Anoushka's Ladder, a character must have at least nine dots in other coils." MC 12 provides 270xp, and 4 'freebie' points. 1st dot of Coils to come from initial 3 disciplines. 2nd dot of Coils costs 14xp. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th dots of Coils paid using MC 'freebie' points. 7th dot of Coils costs 49xp. 8th dot of Coils costs 56xp. 9th dot of Coils costs 63xp. This makes 189xp for first 9 dots of Coils. 10th dot of Coils costs 70xp. To have the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder costs 259xp. MC 12+ players are the only ones which can start with the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder. MC 11 provides 250xp and 3 freebie points, increasing the cost of 10 coils to 280xp and 9 coils to 210xp. Because a character can only enter play with up to 10xp unspent, this means that it would take 6 months at 10xp per month to acquire the 1st tier of Anouskha's Ladder. The same would go for MC 10. MC 9 would take 7 months to earn enough experience to acquire the 1st tier. These figures does not include the 24xp for the Humanity required to use the coil. Is this how difficult the Camarilla is making acquiring this Coil? If so, why? "Apocryphal Coils are Low Approval for members of the appropriate related factions" and Membership in Sworn of the Ladder is Low Approval. This would seem to be contradictory to making it difficult to learn. -- Kyle Haines US2002034211 A The cost of the coils of Anoushka's Ladder are as they are in the book. So are the requirements. In the text, the group is very small and rare. However, as you point out it only costs around a few hundred XP to get on the ladder, for the coils. There is an error in your math though, as MC dots are spent AFTER MC xp. Joining the Ladder and doesn't necessarily mean getting the coils eiter. To get the coils however, anyone can earn that much in play and join in play, per the approvals you stated in your question. Q Subject: Geomantic nexus The merit Geomantic nexus from the Ordo Dracul book is listed as a haven merit. Does that mean that a cotorie can all pitch in dots together on it just like any of the other haven merits? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A As per OD p.202, "This Merit works somewhat like the Haven Merit, and can even be combined with it." So it is not officially a Haven Merit. You cannot share it with others. However, you can install on in a Shared Haven, its just that the Nexus must be bought by one person, even if all the others in the Haven reap the benefits. Q Subject: Multiple Reslience Activations In One Scene Question: The book seems pretty clear on this, but I want verification for the sake of some players. Can Reslience be "invoked" more than once per scene, thus allowing someone to downgrade more aggravated than their Resilience in one scene? For example: Adam the Gangrel goes into a fight with his Resilience x4 activated. His foe is Bruce the Gangrel. They both have claws out. If Bruce damages Adam for two aggravated damage (which downgrade to two lethal) can Adam spend a instant action to invoke Resilience again and be able to downgrade four more aggravated damage for the remainder of the fight? ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A The cost is 1 Vitae per scene to gain the benefits of the downgrading. Once it has been fully used, it can be invoked again, even if it is the same scene. This is different than, say, vigor, which specifies it can only be activated once per scene. Q Subject: Traffic? Maybe I'm confused as to how this list is supposed to work. I have not seen any traffic on it since the list was formed, even though I have seen two updates come out of it. Do you not recieve messages, do they just go to the moderator who does or does not answer them? Please help. Matthew Skipper UK0202-5100 A You won't see any posts to the list, except for the monthly one that answers all questions posted for the previous month. Q Subject: Question: How cool is Ignore The Ignore devotion from the Carthian book is something I believe is not being used as was intended. I want to clarify the actual use for it before purchasing it. Forgive me if this has been already addressed. This is how I understand it, correct me if I am wrong: A resisted action is any action in which your opponent subtracts your resistant trait from their activation pool. An example being Forgetful mind, Wits+Persuasion+Dominate - Target's Resolve. A contested action is any action in which you actively draw to "resist" the action. An example would be Monstrous Countenance, Presence+Intimidation+Nightmare versus Target's Composure+Blood Potency. Now on to Ignore. It states several times that the bonus granted by this devotion adds to resistance traits when a power would be resisted. At no point in the text does it mention "Contesting" or "Contested Actions". I'd say that's pretty clear in that it only adds to resistes actions. I have been told that since "resisted" is not capitalized in the text, it is using the term in a general english usauge sort of fashion, and not using it as a "key word" for the rules system. I think that the bonus towards contested actions are granted by the three devotions from the plot kit, Stalwart Heart and the others. If instead Ignore works the same way just by spending a willpower, I'd figure there's no reason for folks to go through the plot kit since they can buy resilince and one devotion to do just about as good as three devotions and the corresponding disciplines. OOC J Curl US2002021615 A Ignore only works on Resisted powers, such as Forgetful Mind so you are interpreting it correctly. Q Subject: A few questions for the Rules List... Questions grouped by relevance --------------------------- Grapple Test and bonuses to Unarmed Combat Draws. Does Feeding the Crone add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Does Wolf's Claws add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Do multiple "adds +1 bonus to attack pools in unarmed close combat..." stack up? If not why? They do not specify how they are to be used outside of flavor text and for the most part flavor text is useless as Vigor shows. (this question is specifically to address Feeding the Crone and Wolf's Claws... as they both add "nameless" bonuses to unarmed attack pools and do agg damage as well as a tertiary effect) Do size one adn smaller weapons add their bonuses to a grapple test? ----------------------------------------------- Animal Forms Strength and Clothing Options. Does your Strength increase with a larger size animal forms, or only the maximum capacity? IE do you need to be BP 6+ and have a maxed out Strength attribute to gain the benefits from a size 6+ higher strength capacity animal form? I'm not exactly following the reasoning behind it. I can understand smaller forms simply not having the capacities for greater strength. You become a bat, you are an average strength bat. You become a hippopotamus (size 7) however and unless you are an elder Kindred you are not an average hippotomus. Your average Kindred using Shape of the Beast assumes the form of the picked on, last to be chosen for the team hippo. This does not compute. What happens to your clothes when you assume Shape of the Beast? Why? What happens to garments or equipment worn while in animal form when you shift back? Why? -------------------------------- Telepathic Phone Calls Can Telepathy deliver orders and future Conditioning sessions once you have reached the "voice" only needed stage? ------------------------------- -- --Matt Burr --US2005053470 A 1. You are not grappling them with your mouth (nor can you) so no Feeding the Crone does not add to a grapple test. If you establish a grapple, then attack with a bite, then yes it would be aggravated damage. If you hold a knife in your left hand and punch somebody with your right, you will not cut them. 2. Yes, because you are using your hands to initiate the grapple. However, initiating a grapple does no damage, so they won't take any damage from the initiation. If you then do an overpowering maneuver to do damage with your claws, then yes it is agg. 3. Multiple bonuses can stack up, if the are applicable. If you have Boots of Kicking and they give you +1 to unarmed close attacks, and you punch someone, then you wouldn't get the bonus. If you two Rings of Skullbashing on your right hand and you punched someone with it, then they probably would. It is ST discretion as to if a power's bonus is really applicable to the situation. 4. No. As per the grapple rules on MeT p.219. 5. Your Strength does not increase when your animal form increases, just the maximum capacity. You are correct that you need to have a native strength of 6 to be able to have strength 6 in a Size 6 shape. If you have 6 Strength and go into a smaller form, it will decrease to the maximum shown on the chart. 6. That is a question better left to the ones who wrote the book. The wrote the precedent of reduced strength in bat form. 7. Your clothes disappear until you change back. As for why? Its MAGIC! 8. They stay with you and are draped about you when you turn back. Or not. It is ST discretion on that one. As for why, repeat after me: it is MAGIC. 9. Yes, but it counts as an "artificial or impersonal means" and would thus have a penalty assigned by the ST. Q Subject: Blood potency failure There is alot of flavor text about how high blood potency vampires start to deteriorate. However the only rule I can find dealing with this in any form is the issue that they have to feed off of vampiric blood and that that source is problematic. There are so many very easy ways to circumvent that it is silly three covenants can pretty much ignore the issues with that with just a little help from a few covenant mates. What about some rules for how a high bp vamp can burn themselves out? Dropping into torpor by using abilities too powerful? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A You can suggest new rules by discussing it with your local ST. They can then forward you suggestion up the change and it may make it into a future addendum. Q Subject: Global email lists approvals?? Team, It recently came up between on of my players and someone from a different Domain. I am seeking clarification for the future, to avoid the confusion that set some of the side play up. Player #1 responds to Player #2 on the email list, by hitting the "reply" button. Player #2 responds OOC on the IC list that Player #1 could not have done so and thus contacted Player #2 because Player #1 has locally approved computer stuff (my terms) that prevent anyone from tracking or ever responding to/contacting Player #2. (never mind how Player #2 consistantly get the emails his character reads and responds to ... technically a different issue) As I write this, that particular issue is still seeking final resolution OOC. The signature lines of the players involved had no ST contact nor any OOC information that this character is "untraceable" which really becomes the crux of the matter. (Most people don't post such information. Many times it is hard to get full name and Cam Number). Computer abilities (hacking) that affect the Global Lists needs something to let the other players know what is going on. This should be controlled by the Global IC Lists person. Whether it is posting to the list with no identification (as opposed to forgetting a sig line) or that a particular email is not traceable due to hacking skills, this affects IC game play. I hate to ask for an "approval" for such, but I don't currently see another way to document the issue on the Global scale. Since "Global" is affected, this becomes a "Top" application by defalt. That way the person can just post the approval number in their sig line and stop issues like this because it would be verifiable very quickly rather than trying to find and get a response from the VST in charge of the character and then having to track down the appropriate local *C if it escalates, as it seems to be doing in the case above. I know the AMST-Rules is trying to set up some different things where approvals are concerned. I would point out that this should be an application that could break the myth that "Top" is impossible. Comments? Dennis Gilmore #US2002023507 (#97-03080) A This would be something that would be between the two STs of the characters involved. If they cannot come to an agreement, then you would bring in the lowest level ST that would have jurisdiction over the two VSSs involved. Q Subject: Willpower/Resistance Clarification I'm sorry that this questions is very likely a repeat. Does spending a Willpower point add three to a characters "character's Stamina, Resolve, Composure or Defense to resist mental or social/emotional pressures asserted on him, or to make a concerted effort to avoid being harmed." as per page 109 of MET Core Rules or do we go by the "Resistance" part under the "Heroic Effort" section on page 178 of MET Core Rules. This sections states, "In combat, a point of Willpower spent adds two to your character's Defense to resist harm against a single attack....Otherwise, Willpower can be spent to bolster one your character's 'Resistance' Attributes - Composure, Resolve or Stamina - against a single draw when he is threatened." This section implies through two examples, but does not directly state, that spending a Willpower to bolster a 'Resistance" Attribute gives a two point bonus. Thankfully, there seems to be no contradicting information countering the fact that spending a Willpower point gives you a three point bonus on any challenges that aren't "offensive actions in combat" or uses of "a Skill or supernatural ability to attempt to incapacitate an enemy" per page 109 of MET Core Rules. ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A It adds two, as per the addendum. Q Subject: plot spillover Our requiem VST had local govt. officials enstate a curfew due to an NPC action. What is the approval level for this? we thought it was low (VST), since it was effecting only local area, but our forsaken VST says DST level. what is it? -- Yohan Horst-Constantine-Norwitch Honoured Philosopher of the Fiery Penultimate Pain ---------------------- Player info- Burnace Dean Coleman US2004061538 A If it has an effect that can be felt in other local venues, then it would be DST approval. Things that happen in a local level sometimes need higher involvement. For example, having the State Police impose the curfew would be Regional approval, and having the National Guard do it would be National Approval. Q Subject: Stigmata Several issues with this discipline have be brought up on the list. and there are several things which are not made clear. 1. Is the use of stigmatica a sin against humanity? The discipline deals damage, and should the user roll more successes than the mortal has health does that constitute manslaughter? 2. is the ability to stack the power being read right, can the power be used multiple times to continue to raise the BP of the subject. 3. can we look at provideing a solution to the cheese that this discipline has been abused for? -- ~~==OOC==~~ Andrew Hamblin CAM # US2004092171 A 1. It can be a sin against humanity. The character can do great harm to a mortal, and is well aware of this. If a mortal dies because of the use of this power, it is usually murder, though in the end it is ST discretion. 2. Yes, though this may change in future a addendum. 3. It is being looked into. I feel your pain as this is the one discipline I get the most questions about, and is abused most often. -- Jeremiah Spaulding US2002023190 AAMST Rules: Outreach US-ANST Special Projects CC ME-009-I From emailtojerry at gmail.com Fri Oct 20 12:33:35 2006 From: emailtojerry at gmail.com (Jerry Spaulding) Date: Fri Oct 20 12:33:41 2006 Subject: [Cam-rules-answers] Re: Rules Answers 10-06 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: And here is the version after being spell- and grammar-checked. Sigh. Rushed lunch breaks. Q Subject: Anoushka's Ladder This question requires a lot of preperation. Ordo Dracul p176 "To learn a rung of Anoushka's Ladder, a character must have at least nine dots in other coils." MC 12 provides 270xp, and 4 'freebie' points. 1st dot of Coils to come from initial 3 disciplines. 2nd dot of Coils costs 14xp. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th dots of Coils paid using MC 'freebie' points. 7th dot of Coils costs 49xp. 8th dot of Coils costs 56xp. 9th dot of Coils costs 63xp. This makes 189xp for first 9 dots of Coils. 10th dot of Coils costs 70xp. To have the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder costs 259xp. MC 12+ players are the only ones which can start with the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder. MC 11 provides 250xp and 3 freebie points, increasing the cost of 10 coils to 280xp and 9 coils to 210xp. Because a character can only enter play with up to 10xp unspent, this means that it would take 6 months at 10xp per month to acquire the 1st tier of Anouskha's Ladder. The same would go for MC 10. MC 9 would take 7 months to earn enough experience to acquire the 1st tier. These figures does not include the 24xp for the Humanity required to use the coil. Is this how difficult the Camarilla is making acquiring this Coil? If so, why? "Apocryphal Coils are Low Approval for members of the appropriate related factions" and Membership in Sworn of the Ladder is Low Approval. This would seem to be contradictory to making it difficult to learn. -- Kyle Haines US2002034211 A The cost of the coils of Anoushka's Ladder are as they are in the book. So are the requirements. In the text, the group is very small and rare. However, as you point out it only costs around a few hundred XP to get on the ladder, for the coils. There is an error in your math though, as MC dots are spent AFTER MC xp. Joining the Ladder is outlined in the book, and doesn't necessarily mean getting the coils. To get the coils however, anyone can earn that much in play and join in play, per the approvals you stated in your question. Q Subject: Geomantic nexus The merit Geomantic nexus from the Ordo Dracul book is listed as a haven merit. Does that mean that a coterie can all pitch in dots together on it just like any of the other haven merits? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A As per OD p.202, "This Merit works somewhat like the Haven Merit, and can even be combined with it." So it is not officially a Haven Merit. You cannot share it with others. However, you can install on in a Shared Haven, its just that the Nexus must be bought by one person, even if all the others in the Haven reap the benefits. Q Subject: Multiple Reslience Activations In One Scene Question: The book seems pretty clear on this, but I want verification for the sake of some players. Can Reslience be "invoked" more than once per scene, thus allowing someone to downgrade more aggravated than their Resilience in one scene? For example: Adam the Gangrel goes into a fight with his Resilience x4 activated. His foe is Bruce the Gangrel. They both have claws out. If Bruce damages Adam for two aggravated damage (which downgrade to two lethal) can Adam spend a instant action to invoke Resilience again and be able to downgrade four more aggravated damage for the remainder of the fight? ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A The cost is 1 Vitae per scene to gain the benefits of the downgrading. Once it has been fully used, it can be invoked again, even if it is the same scene. This is different than, say, vigor, which specifies it can only be activated once per scene. Q Subject: Traffic? Maybe I'm confused as to how this list is supposed to work. I have not seen any traffic on it since the list was formed, even though I have seen two updates come out of it. Do you not recieve messages, do they just go to the moderator who does or does not answer them? Please help. Matthew Skipper UK0202-5100 A You won't see any posts to the list, except for the monthly one that answers all questions posted for the previous month. Q Subject: Question: How cool is Ignore The Ignore devotion from the Carthian book is something I believe is not being used as was intended. I want to clarify the actual use for it before purchasing it. Forgive me if this has been already addressed. This is how I understand it, correct me if I am wrong: A resisted action is any action in which your opponent subtracts your resistant trait from their activation pool. An example being Forgetful mind, Wits+Persuasion+Dominate - Target's Resolve. A contested action is any action in which you actively draw to "resist" the action. An example would be Monstrous Countenance, Presence+Intimidation+Nightmare versus Target's Composure+Blood Potency. Now on to Ignore. It states several times that the bonus granted by this devotion adds to resistance traits when a power would be resisted. At no point in the text does it mention "Contesting" or "Contested Actions". I'd say that's pretty clear in that it only adds to resistes actions. I have been told that since "resisted" is not capitalized in the text, it is using the term in a general english usauge sort of fashion, and not using it as a "key word" for the rules system. I think that the bonus towards contested actions are granted by the three devotions from the plot kit, Stalwart Heart and the others. If instead Ignore works the same way just by spending a willpower, I'd figure there's no reason for folks to go through the plot kit since they can buy resilince and one devotion to do just about as good as three devotions and the corresponding disciplines. OOC J Curl US2002021615 A Ignore only works on Resisted powers, such as Forgetful Mind so you are interpreting it correctly. Q Subject: A few questions for the Rules List... Questions grouped by relevance --------------------------- Grapple Test and bonuses to Unarmed Combat Draws. Does Feeding the Crone add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Does Wolf's Claws add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Do multiple "adds +1 bonus to attack pools in unarmed close combat..." stack up? If not why? They do not specify how they are to be used outside of flavor text and for the most part flavor text is useless as Vigor shows. (this question is specifically to address Feeding the Crone and Wolf's Claws... as they both add "nameless" bonuses to unarmed attack pools and do agg damage as well as a tertiary effect) Do size one adn smaller weapons add their bonuses to a grapple test? ----------------------------------------------- Animal Forms Strength and Clothing Options. Does your Strength increase with a larger size animal forms, or only the maximum capacity? IE do you need to be BP 6+ and have a maxed out Strength attribute to gain the benefits from a size 6+ higher strength capacity animal form? I'm not exactly following the reasoning behind it. I can understand smaller forms simply not having the capacities for greater strength. You become a bat, you are an average strength bat. You become a hippopotamus (size 7) however and unless you are an elder Kindred you are not an average hippotomus. Your average Kindred using Shape of the Beast assumes the form of the picked on, last to be chosen for the team hippo. This does not compute. What happens to your clothes when you assume Shape of the Beast? Why? What happens to garments or equipment worn while in animal form when you shift back? Why? -------------------------------- Telepathic Phone Calls Can Telepathy deliver orders and future Conditioning sessions once you have reached the "voice" only needed stage? ------------------------------- -- --Matt Burr --US2005053470 A 1. You are not grappling them with your mouth (nor can you) so no Feeding the Crone does not add to a grapple test. If you establish a grapple, then attack with a bite, then yes it would be aggravated damage. If you hold a knife in your left hand and punch somebody with your right, you will not cut them. 2. Yes, because you are using your hands to initiate the grapple. However, initiating a grapple does no damage, so they won't take any damage from the initiation. If you then do an overpowering maneuver to do damage with your claws, then yes it is agg. 3. Multiple bonuses can stack up, if they are applicable. If you have Boots of Kicking and they give you +1 to unarmed close attacks, and you punch someone, then you wouldn't get the bonus. If you have two Rings of Skullbashing on your right hand and you punched someone with it, then you would probably get both bonuses. It is ST discretion as to if a power's bonus is really applicable to the situation. 4. No. As per the grapple rules on MeT p.219. 5. Your Strength does not increase when your animal form increases, just the maximum capacity. You are correct that you need to have a native strength of 6 to be able to have strength 6 in a Size 6 shape. If you have 6 Strength and go into a smaller form, it will decrease to the maximum shown on the chart. 6. That is a question better left to the ones who wrote the book. They wrote the precedent of reduced strength in bat form. 7. Your clothes disappear until you change back. As for why? Its MAGIC! 8. They stay with you and are draped about you when you turn back. Or not. It is ST discretion on that one. As for why, repeat after me: it is MAGIC. 9. Yes, but it counts as an "artificial or impersonal means" and would thus have a penalty assigned by the ST. Q Subject: Blood potency failure There is alot of flavor text about how high blood potency vampires start to deteriorate. However the only rule I can find dealing with this in any form is the issue that they have to feed off of vampiric blood and that that source is problematic. There are so many very easy ways to circumvent that it is silly three covenants can pretty much ignore the issues with that with just a little help from a few covenant mates. What about some rules for how a high bp vamp can burn themselves out? Dropping into torpor by using abilities too powerful? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A You can suggest new rules by discussing it with your local ST. They can then forward your suggestion up the chain and it may make it into a future addendum. Q Subject: Global email lists approvals?? Team, It recently came up between on of my players and someone from a different Domain. I am seeking clarification for the future, to avoid the confusion that set some of the side play up. Player #1 responds to Player #2 on the email list, by hitting the "reply" button. Player #2 responds OOC on the IC list that Player #1 could not have done so and thus contacted Player #2 because Player #1 has locally approved computer stuff (my terms) that prevent anyone from tracking or ever responding to/contacting Player #2. (never mind how Player #2 consistantly get the emails his character reads and responds to ... technically a different issue) As I write this, that particular issue is still seeking final resolution OOC. The signature lines of the players involved had no ST contact nor any OOC information that this character is "untraceable" which really becomes the crux of the matter. (Most people don't post such information. Many times it is hard to get full name and Cam Number). Computer abilities (hacking) that affect the Global Lists needs something to let the other players know what is going on. This should be controlled by the Global IC Lists person. Whether it is posting to the list with no identification (as opposed to forgetting a sig line) or that a particular email is not traceable due to hacking skills, this affects IC game play. I hate to ask for an "approval" for such, but I don't currently see another way to document the issue on the Global scale. Since "Global" is affected, this becomes a "Top" application by defalt. That way the person can just post the approval number in their sig line and stop issues like this because it would be verifiable very quickly rather than trying to find and get a response from the VST in charge of the character and then having to track down the appropriate local *C if it escalates, as it seems to be doing in the case above. I know the AMST-Rules is trying to set up some different things where approvals are concerned. I would point out that this should be an application that could break the myth that "Top" is impossible. Comments? Dennis Gilmore #US2002023507 (#97-03080) A This would be something that would be between the two STs of the characters involved. If they cannot come to an agreement, then you would bring in the lowest level ST that would have jurisdiction over the two VSSs involved. Q Subject: Willpower/Resistance Clarification I'm sorry that this questions is very likely a repeat. Does spending a Willpower point add three to a characters "character's Stamina, Resolve, Composure or Defense to resist mental or social/emotional pressures asserted on him, or to make a concerted effort to avoid being harmed." as per page 109 of MET Core Rules or do we go by the "Resistance" part under the "Heroic Effort" section on page 178 of MET Core Rules. This sections states, "In combat, a point of Willpower spent adds two to your character's Defense to resist harm against a single attack....Otherwise, Willpower can be spent to bolster one your character's 'Resistance' Attributes - Composure, Resolve or Stamina - against a single draw when he is threatened." This section implies through two examples, but does not directly state, that spending a Willpower to bolster a 'Resistance" Attribute gives a two point bonus. Thankfully, there seems to be no contradicting information countering the fact that spending a Willpower point gives you a three point bonus on any challenges that aren't "offensive actions in combat" or uses of "a Skill or supernatural ability to attempt to incapacitate an enemy" per page 109 of MET Core Rules. ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A It adds two, as per the addendum. Q Subject: plot spillover Our requiem VST had local govt. officials enstate a curfew due to an NPC action. What is the approval level for this? we thought it was low (VST), since it was effecting only local area, but our forsaken VST says DST level. what is it? -- Yohan Horst-Constantine-Norwitch Honoured Philosopher of the Fiery Penultimate Pain ---------------------- Player info- Burnace Dean Coleman US2004061538 A If it has an effect that can be felt in other local venues, then it would be DST approval. Things that happen in a local level sometimes need higher involvement. For example, having the State Police impose the curfew would be Regional approval, and having the National Guard do it would be National Approval. Q Subject: Stigmata Several issues with this discipline have be brought up on the list. and there are several things which are not made clear. 1. Is the use of stigmatica a sin against humanity? The discipline deals damage, and should the user roll more successes than the mortal has health does that constitute manslaughter? 2. is the ability to stack the power being read right, can the power be used multiple times to continue to raise the BP of the subject. 3. can we look at provideing a solution to the cheese that this discipline has been abused for? -- ~~==OOC==~~ Andrew Hamblin CAM # US2004092171 A 1. It can be a sin against humanity. The character can do great harm to a mortal, and is well aware of this. If a mortal dies because of the use of this power, it is usually murder, though in the end it is ST discretion. Remember though, mitigating factors give a bonus to the humanity draw, they do not prevent it from happening at all. 2. Yes, though this may change in future a addendum. 3. It is being looked into. I feel your pain as this is the one discipline I get the most questions about, and is abused most often. -- Jeremiah Spaulding US2002023190 AAMST Rules: Outreach US-ANST Special Projects CC ME-009-I From emailtojerry at gmail.com Fri Oct 20 12:25:26 2006 From: emailtojerry at gmail.com (Jerry Spaulding) Date: Wed Feb 21 15:15:58 2007 Subject: [Cam-rules-answers] Rules Answers 10-06 Message-ID: Q Subject: Anoushka's Ladder This question requires a lot of preperation. Ordo Dracul p176 "To learn a rung of Anoushka's Ladder, a character must have at least nine dots in other coils." MC 12 provides 270xp, and 4 'freebie' points. 1st dot of Coils to come from initial 3 disciplines. 2nd dot of Coils costs 14xp. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th dots of Coils paid using MC 'freebie' points. 7th dot of Coils costs 49xp. 8th dot of Coils costs 56xp. 9th dot of Coils costs 63xp. This makes 189xp for first 9 dots of Coils. 10th dot of Coils costs 70xp. To have the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder costs 259xp. MC 12+ players are the only ones which can start with the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder. MC 11 provides 250xp and 3 freebie points, increasing the cost of 10 coils to 280xp and 9 coils to 210xp. Because a character can only enter play with up to 10xp unspent, this means that it would take 6 months at 10xp per month to acquire the 1st tier of Anouskha's Ladder. The same would go for MC 10. MC 9 would take 7 months to earn enough experience to acquire the 1st tier. These figures does not include the 24xp for the Humanity required to use the coil. Is this how difficult the Camarilla is making acquiring this Coil? If so, why? "Apocryphal Coils are Low Approval for members of the appropriate related factions" and Membership in Sworn of the Ladder is Low Approval. This would seem to be contradictory to making it difficult to learn. -- Kyle Haines US2002034211 A The cost of the coils of Anoushka's Ladder are as they are in the book. So are the requirements. In the text, the group is very small and rare. However, as you point out it only costs around a few hundred XP to get on the ladder, for the coils. There is an error in your math though, as MC dots are spent AFTER MC xp. Joining the Ladder and doesn't necessarily mean getting the coils eiter. To get the coils however, anyone can earn that much in play and join in play, per the approvals you stated in your question. Q Subject: Geomantic nexus The merit Geomantic nexus from the Ordo Dracul book is listed as a haven merit. Does that mean that a cotorie can all pitch in dots together on it just like any of the other haven merits? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A As per OD p.202, "This Merit works somewhat like the Haven Merit, and can even be combined with it." So it is not officially a Haven Merit. You cannot share it with others. However, you can install on in a Shared Haven, its just that the Nexus must be bought by one person, even if all the others in the Haven reap the benefits. Q Subject: Multiple Reslience Activations In One Scene Question: The book seems pretty clear on this, but I want verification for the sake of some players. Can Reslience be "invoked" more than once per scene, thus allowing someone to downgrade more aggravated than their Resilience in one scene? For example: Adam the Gangrel goes into a fight with his Resilience x4 activated. His foe is Bruce the Gangrel. They both have claws out. If Bruce damages Adam for two aggravated damage (which downgrade to two lethal) can Adam spend a instant action to invoke Resilience again and be able to downgrade four more aggravated damage for the remainder of the fight? ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A The cost is 1 Vitae per scene to gain the benefits of the downgrading. Once it has been fully used, it can be invoked again, even if it is the same scene. This is different than, say, vigor, which specifies it can only be activated once per scene. Q Subject: Traffic? Maybe I'm confused as to how this list is supposed to work. I have not seen any traffic on it since the list was formed, even though I have seen two updates come out of it. Do you not recieve messages, do they just go to the moderator who does or does not answer them? Please help. Matthew Skipper UK0202-5100 A You won't see any posts to the list, except for the monthly one that answers all questions posted for the previous month. Q Subject: Question: How cool is Ignore The Ignore devotion from the Carthian book is something I believe is not being used as was intended. I want to clarify the actual use for it before purchasing it. Forgive me if this has been already addressed. This is how I understand it, correct me if I am wrong: A resisted action is any action in which your opponent subtracts your resistant trait from their activation pool. An example being Forgetful mind, Wits+Persuasion+Dominate - Target's Resolve. A contested action is any action in which you actively draw to "resist" the action. An example would be Monstrous Countenance, Presence+Intimidation+Nightmare versus Target's Composure+Blood Potency. Now on to Ignore. It states several times that the bonus granted by this devotion adds to resistance traits when a power would be resisted. At no point in the text does it mention "Contesting" or "Contested Actions". I'd say that's pretty clear in that it only adds to resistes actions. I have been told that since "resisted" is not capitalized in the text, it is using the term in a general english usauge sort of fashion, and not using it as a "key word" for the rules system. I think that the bonus towards contested actions are granted by the three devotions from the plot kit, Stalwart Heart and the others. If instead Ignore works the same way just by spending a willpower, I'd figure there's no reason for folks to go through the plot kit since they can buy resilince and one devotion to do just about as good as three devotions and the corresponding disciplines. OOC J Curl US2002021615 A Ignore only works on Resisted powers, such as Forgetful Mind so you are interpreting it correctly. Q Subject: A few questions for the Rules List... Questions grouped by relevance --------------------------- Grapple Test and bonuses to Unarmed Combat Draws. Does Feeding the Crone add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Does Wolf's Claws add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Do multiple "adds +1 bonus to attack pools in unarmed close combat..." stack up? If not why? They do not specify how they are to be used outside of flavor text and for the most part flavor text is useless as Vigor shows. (this question is specifically to address Feeding the Crone and Wolf's Claws... as they both add "nameless" bonuses to unarmed attack pools and do agg damage as well as a tertiary effect) Do size one adn smaller weapons add their bonuses to a grapple test? ----------------------------------------------- Animal Forms Strength and Clothing Options. Does your Strength increase with a larger size animal forms, or only the maximum capacity? IE do you need to be BP 6+ and have a maxed out Strength attribute to gain the benefits from a size 6+ higher strength capacity animal form? I'm not exactly following the reasoning behind it. I can understand smaller forms simply not having the capacities for greater strength. You become a bat, you are an average strength bat. You become a hippopotamus (size 7) however and unless you are an elder Kindred you are not an average hippotomus. Your average Kindred using Shape of the Beast assumes the form of the picked on, last to be chosen for the team hippo. This does not compute. What happens to your clothes when you assume Shape of the Beast? Why? What happens to garments or equipment worn while in animal form when you shift back? Why? -------------------------------- Telepathic Phone Calls Can Telepathy deliver orders and future Conditioning sessions once you have reached the "voice" only needed stage? ------------------------------- -- --Matt Burr --US2005053470 A 1. You are not grappling them with your mouth (nor can you) so no Feeding the Crone does not add to a grapple test. If you establish a grapple, then attack with a bite, then yes it would be aggravated damage. If you hold a knife in your left hand and punch somebody with your right, you will not cut them. 2. Yes, because you are using your hands to initiate the grapple. However, initiating a grapple does no damage, so they won't take any damage from the initiation. If you then do an overpowering maneuver to do damage with your claws, then yes it is agg. 3. Multiple bonuses can stack up, if the are applicable. If you have Boots of Kicking and they give you +1 to unarmed close attacks, and you punch someone, then you wouldn't get the bonus. If you two Rings of Skullbashing on your right hand and you punched someone with it, then they probably would. It is ST discretion as to if a power's bonus is really applicable to the situation. 4. No. As per the grapple rules on MeT p.219. 5. Your Strength does not increase when your animal form increases, just the maximum capacity. You are correct that you need to have a native strength of 6 to be able to have strength 6 in a Size 6 shape. If you have 6 Strength and go into a smaller form, it will decrease to the maximum shown on the chart. 6. That is a question better left to the ones who wrote the book. The wrote the precedent of reduced strength in bat form. 7. Your clothes disappear until you change back. As for why? Its MAGIC! 8. They stay with you and are draped about you when you turn back. Or not. It is ST discretion on that one. As for why, repeat after me: it is MAGIC. 9. Yes, but it counts as an "artificial or impersonal means" and would thus have a penalty assigned by the ST. Q Subject: Blood potency failure There is alot of flavor text about how high blood potency vampires start to deteriorate. However the only rule I can find dealing with this in any form is the issue that they have to feed off of vampiric blood and that that source is problematic. There are so many very easy ways to circumvent that it is silly three covenants can pretty much ignore the issues with that with just a little help from a few covenant mates. What about some rules for how a high bp vamp can burn themselves out? Dropping into torpor by using abilities too powerful? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A You can suggest new rules by discussing it with your local ST. They can then forward you suggestion up the change and it may make it into a future addendum. Q Subject: Global email lists approvals?? Team, It recently came up between on of my players and someone from a different Domain. I am seeking clarification for the future, to avoid the confusion that set some of the side play up. Player #1 responds to Player #2 on the email list, by hitting the "reply" button. Player #2 responds OOC on the IC list that Player #1 could not have done so and thus contacted Player #2 because Player #1 has locally approved computer stuff (my terms) that prevent anyone from tracking or ever responding to/contacting Player #2. (never mind how Player #2 consistantly get the emails his character reads and responds to ... technically a different issue) As I write this, that particular issue is still seeking final resolution OOC. The signature lines of the players involved had no ST contact nor any OOC information that this character is "untraceable" which really becomes the crux of the matter. (Most people don't post such information. Many times it is hard to get full name and Cam Number). Computer abilities (hacking) that affect the Global Lists needs something to let the other players know what is going on. This should be controlled by the Global IC Lists person. Whether it is posting to the list with no identification (as opposed to forgetting a sig line) or that a particular email is not traceable due to hacking skills, this affects IC game play. I hate to ask for an "approval" for such, but I don't currently see another way to document the issue on the Global scale. Since "Global" is affected, this becomes a "Top" application by defalt. That way the person can just post the approval number in their sig line and stop issues like this because it would be verifiable very quickly rather than trying to find and get a response from the VST in charge of the character and then having to track down the appropriate local *C if it escalates, as it seems to be doing in the case above. I know the AMST-Rules is trying to set up some different things where approvals are concerned. I would point out that this should be an application that could break the myth that "Top" is impossible. Comments? Dennis Gilmore #US2002023507 (#97-03080) A This would be something that would be between the two STs of the characters involved. If they cannot come to an agreement, then you would bring in the lowest level ST that would have jurisdiction over the two VSSs involved. Q Subject: Willpower/Resistance Clarification I'm sorry that this questions is very likely a repeat. Does spending a Willpower point add three to a characters "character's Stamina, Resolve, Composure or Defense to resist mental or social/emotional pressures asserted on him, or to make a concerted effort to avoid being harmed." as per page 109 of MET Core Rules or do we go by the "Resistance" part under the "Heroic Effort" section on page 178 of MET Core Rules. This sections states, "In combat, a point of Willpower spent adds two to your character's Defense to resist harm against a single attack....Otherwise, Willpower can be spent to bolster one your character's 'Resistance' Attributes - Composure, Resolve or Stamina - against a single draw when he is threatened." This section implies through two examples, but does not directly state, that spending a Willpower to bolster a 'Resistance" Attribute gives a two point bonus. Thankfully, there seems to be no contradicting information countering the fact that spending a Willpower point gives you a three point bonus on any challenges that aren't "offensive actions in combat" or uses of "a Skill or supernatural ability to attempt to incapacitate an enemy" per page 109 of MET Core Rules. ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A It adds two, as per the addendum. Q Subject: plot spillover Our requiem VST had local govt. officials enstate a curfew due to an NPC action. What is the approval level for this? we thought it was low (VST), since it was effecting only local area, but our forsaken VST says DST level. what is it? -- Yohan Horst-Constantine-Norwitch Honoured Philosopher of the Fiery Penultimate Pain ---------------------- Player info- Burnace Dean Coleman US2004061538 A If it has an effect that can be felt in other local venues, then it would be DST approval. Things that happen in a local level sometimes need higher involvement. For example, having the State Police impose the curfew would be Regional approval, and having the National Guard do it would be National Approval. Q Subject: Stigmata Several issues with this discipline have be brought up on the list. and there are several things which are not made clear. 1. Is the use of stigmatica a sin against humanity? The discipline deals damage, and should the user roll more successes than the mortal has health does that constitute manslaughter? 2. is the ability to stack the power being read right, can the power be used multiple times to continue to raise the BP of the subject. 3. can we look at provideing a solution to the cheese that this discipline has been abused for? -- ~~==OOC==~~ Andrew Hamblin CAM # US2004092171 A 1. It can be a sin against humanity. The character can do great harm to a mortal, and is well aware of this. If a mortal dies because of the use of this power, it is usually murder, though in the end it is ST discretion. 2. Yes, though this may change in future a addendum. 3. It is being looked into. I feel your pain as this is the one discipline I get the most questions about, and is abused most often. -- Jeremiah Spaulding US2002023190 AAMST Rules: Outreach US-ANST Special Projects CC ME-009-I From emailtojerry at gmail.com Fri Oct 20 12:33:35 2006 From: emailtojerry at gmail.com (Jerry Spaulding) Date: Wed Feb 21 15:15:58 2007 Subject: [Cam-rules-answers] Re: Rules Answers 10-06 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: And here is the version after being spell- and grammar-checked. Sigh. Rushed lunch breaks. Q Subject: Anoushka's Ladder This question requires a lot of preperation. Ordo Dracul p176 "To learn a rung of Anoushka's Ladder, a character must have at least nine dots in other coils." MC 12 provides 270xp, and 4 'freebie' points. 1st dot of Coils to come from initial 3 disciplines. 2nd dot of Coils costs 14xp. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th dots of Coils paid using MC 'freebie' points. 7th dot of Coils costs 49xp. 8th dot of Coils costs 56xp. 9th dot of Coils costs 63xp. This makes 189xp for first 9 dots of Coils. 10th dot of Coils costs 70xp. To have the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder costs 259xp. MC 12+ players are the only ones which can start with the 1st tier of Anoushka's Ladder. MC 11 provides 250xp and 3 freebie points, increasing the cost of 10 coils to 280xp and 9 coils to 210xp. Because a character can only enter play with up to 10xp unspent, this means that it would take 6 months at 10xp per month to acquire the 1st tier of Anouskha's Ladder. The same would go for MC 10. MC 9 would take 7 months to earn enough experience to acquire the 1st tier. These figures does not include the 24xp for the Humanity required to use the coil. Is this how difficult the Camarilla is making acquiring this Coil? If so, why? "Apocryphal Coils are Low Approval for members of the appropriate related factions" and Membership in Sworn of the Ladder is Low Approval. This would seem to be contradictory to making it difficult to learn. -- Kyle Haines US2002034211 A The cost of the coils of Anoushka's Ladder are as they are in the book. So are the requirements. In the text, the group is very small and rare. However, as you point out it only costs around a few hundred XP to get on the ladder, for the coils. There is an error in your math though, as MC dots are spent AFTER MC xp. Joining the Ladder is outlined in the book, and doesn't necessarily mean getting the coils. To get the coils however, anyone can earn that much in play and join in play, per the approvals you stated in your question. Q Subject: Geomantic nexus The merit Geomantic nexus from the Ordo Dracul book is listed as a haven merit. Does that mean that a coterie can all pitch in dots together on it just like any of the other haven merits? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A As per OD p.202, "This Merit works somewhat like the Haven Merit, and can even be combined with it." So it is not officially a Haven Merit. You cannot share it with others. However, you can install on in a Shared Haven, its just that the Nexus must be bought by one person, even if all the others in the Haven reap the benefits. Q Subject: Multiple Reslience Activations In One Scene Question: The book seems pretty clear on this, but I want verification for the sake of some players. Can Reslience be "invoked" more than once per scene, thus allowing someone to downgrade more aggravated than their Resilience in one scene? For example: Adam the Gangrel goes into a fight with his Resilience x4 activated. His foe is Bruce the Gangrel. They both have claws out. If Bruce damages Adam for two aggravated damage (which downgrade to two lethal) can Adam spend a instant action to invoke Resilience again and be able to downgrade four more aggravated damage for the remainder of the fight? ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A The cost is 1 Vitae per scene to gain the benefits of the downgrading. Once it has been fully used, it can be invoked again, even if it is the same scene. This is different than, say, vigor, which specifies it can only be activated once per scene. Q Subject: Traffic? Maybe I'm confused as to how this list is supposed to work. I have not seen any traffic on it since the list was formed, even though I have seen two updates come out of it. Do you not recieve messages, do they just go to the moderator who does or does not answer them? Please help. Matthew Skipper UK0202-5100 A You won't see any posts to the list, except for the monthly one that answers all questions posted for the previous month. Q Subject: Question: How cool is Ignore The Ignore devotion from the Carthian book is something I believe is not being used as was intended. I want to clarify the actual use for it before purchasing it. Forgive me if this has been already addressed. This is how I understand it, correct me if I am wrong: A resisted action is any action in which your opponent subtracts your resistant trait from their activation pool. An example being Forgetful mind, Wits+Persuasion+Dominate - Target's Resolve. A contested action is any action in which you actively draw to "resist" the action. An example would be Monstrous Countenance, Presence+Intimidation+Nightmare versus Target's Composure+Blood Potency. Now on to Ignore. It states several times that the bonus granted by this devotion adds to resistance traits when a power would be resisted. At no point in the text does it mention "Contesting" or "Contested Actions". I'd say that's pretty clear in that it only adds to resistes actions. I have been told that since "resisted" is not capitalized in the text, it is using the term in a general english usauge sort of fashion, and not using it as a "key word" for the rules system. I think that the bonus towards contested actions are granted by the three devotions from the plot kit, Stalwart Heart and the others. If instead Ignore works the same way just by spending a willpower, I'd figure there's no reason for folks to go through the plot kit since they can buy resilince and one devotion to do just about as good as three devotions and the corresponding disciplines. OOC J Curl US2002021615 A Ignore only works on Resisted powers, such as Forgetful Mind so you are interpreting it correctly. Q Subject: A few questions for the Rules List... Questions grouped by relevance --------------------------- Grapple Test and bonuses to Unarmed Combat Draws. Does Feeding the Crone add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Does Wolf's Claws add to a grapple test? Does it change the damage to agg? Do multiple "adds +1 bonus to attack pools in unarmed close combat..." stack up? If not why? They do not specify how they are to be used outside of flavor text and for the most part flavor text is useless as Vigor shows. (this question is specifically to address Feeding the Crone and Wolf's Claws... as they both add "nameless" bonuses to unarmed attack pools and do agg damage as well as a tertiary effect) Do size one adn smaller weapons add their bonuses to a grapple test? ----------------------------------------------- Animal Forms Strength and Clothing Options. Does your Strength increase with a larger size animal forms, or only the maximum capacity? IE do you need to be BP 6+ and have a maxed out Strength attribute to gain the benefits from a size 6+ higher strength capacity animal form? I'm not exactly following the reasoning behind it. I can understand smaller forms simply not having the capacities for greater strength. You become a bat, you are an average strength bat. You become a hippopotamus (size 7) however and unless you are an elder Kindred you are not an average hippotomus. Your average Kindred using Shape of the Beast assumes the form of the picked on, last to be chosen for the team hippo. This does not compute. What happens to your clothes when you assume Shape of the Beast? Why? What happens to garments or equipment worn while in animal form when you shift back? Why? -------------------------------- Telepathic Phone Calls Can Telepathy deliver orders and future Conditioning sessions once you have reached the "voice" only needed stage? ------------------------------- -- --Matt Burr --US2005053470 A 1. You are not grappling them with your mouth (nor can you) so no Feeding the Crone does not add to a grapple test. If you establish a grapple, then attack with a bite, then yes it would be aggravated damage. If you hold a knife in your left hand and punch somebody with your right, you will not cut them. 2. Yes, because you are using your hands to initiate the grapple. However, initiating a grapple does no damage, so they won't take any damage from the initiation. If you then do an overpowering maneuver to do damage with your claws, then yes it is agg. 3. Multiple bonuses can stack up, if they are applicable. If you have Boots of Kicking and they give you +1 to unarmed close attacks, and you punch someone, then you wouldn't get the bonus. If you have two Rings of Skullbashing on your right hand and you punched someone with it, then you would probably get both bonuses. It is ST discretion as to if a power's bonus is really applicable to the situation. 4. No. As per the grapple rules on MeT p.219. 5. Your Strength does not increase when your animal form increases, just the maximum capacity. You are correct that you need to have a native strength of 6 to be able to have strength 6 in a Size 6 shape. If you have 6 Strength and go into a smaller form, it will decrease to the maximum shown on the chart. 6. That is a question better left to the ones who wrote the book. They wrote the precedent of reduced strength in bat form. 7. Your clothes disappear until you change back. As for why? Its MAGIC! 8. They stay with you and are draped about you when you turn back. Or not. It is ST discretion on that one. As for why, repeat after me: it is MAGIC. 9. Yes, but it counts as an "artificial or impersonal means" and would thus have a penalty assigned by the ST. Q Subject: Blood potency failure There is alot of flavor text about how high blood potency vampires start to deteriorate. However the only rule I can find dealing with this in any form is the issue that they have to feed off of vampiric blood and that that source is problematic. There are so many very easy ways to circumvent that it is silly three covenants can pretty much ignore the issues with that with just a little help from a few covenant mates. What about some rules for how a high bp vamp can burn themselves out? Dropping into torpor by using abilities too powerful? Simon AKA Steven E. Jones US 2002066192 A You can suggest new rules by discussing it with your local ST. They can then forward your suggestion up the chain and it may make it into a future addendum. Q Subject: Global email lists approvals?? Team, It recently came up between on of my players and someone from a different Domain. I am seeking clarification for the future, to avoid the confusion that set some of the side play up. Player #1 responds to Player #2 on the email list, by hitting the "reply" button. Player #2 responds OOC on the IC list that Player #1 could not have done so and thus contacted Player #2 because Player #1 has locally approved computer stuff (my terms) that prevent anyone from tracking or ever responding to/contacting Player #2. (never mind how Player #2 consistantly get the emails his character reads and responds to ... technically a different issue) As I write this, that particular issue is still seeking final resolution OOC. The signature lines of the players involved had no ST contact nor any OOC information that this character is "untraceable" which really becomes the crux of the matter. (Most people don't post such information. Many times it is hard to get full name and Cam Number). Computer abilities (hacking) that affect the Global Lists needs something to let the other players know what is going on. This should be controlled by the Global IC Lists person. Whether it is posting to the list with no identification (as opposed to forgetting a sig line) or that a particular email is not traceable due to hacking skills, this affects IC game play. I hate to ask for an "approval" for such, but I don't currently see another way to document the issue on the Global scale. Since "Global" is affected, this becomes a "Top" application by defalt. That way the person can just post the approval number in their sig line and stop issues like this because it would be verifiable very quickly rather than trying to find and get a response from the VST in charge of the character and then having to track down the appropriate local *C if it escalates, as it seems to be doing in the case above. I know the AMST-Rules is trying to set up some different things where approvals are concerned. I would point out that this should be an application that could break the myth that "Top" is impossible. Comments? Dennis Gilmore #US2002023507 (#97-03080) A This would be something that would be between the two STs of the characters involved. If they cannot come to an agreement, then you would bring in the lowest level ST that would have jurisdiction over the two VSSs involved. Q Subject: Willpower/Resistance Clarification I'm sorry that this questions is very likely a repeat. Does spending a Willpower point add three to a characters "character's Stamina, Resolve, Composure or Defense to resist mental or social/emotional pressures asserted on him, or to make a concerted effort to avoid being harmed." as per page 109 of MET Core Rules or do we go by the "Resistance" part under the "Heroic Effort" section on page 178 of MET Core Rules. This sections states, "In combat, a point of Willpower spent adds two to your character's Defense to resist harm against a single attack....Otherwise, Willpower can be spent to bolster one your character's 'Resistance' Attributes - Composure, Resolve or Stamina - against a single draw when he is threatened." This section implies through two examples, but does not directly state, that spending a Willpower to bolster a 'Resistance" Attribute gives a two point bonus. Thankfully, there seems to be no contradicting information countering the fact that spending a Willpower point gives you a three point bonus on any challenges that aren't "offensive actions in combat" or uses of "a Skill or supernatural ability to attempt to incapacitate an enemy" per page 109 of MET Core Rules. ----- Jesse Masterson ~ US2002022815 A It adds two, as per the addendum. Q Subject: plot spillover Our requiem VST had local govt. officials enstate a curfew due to an NPC action. What is the approval level for this? we thought it was low (VST), since it was effecting only local area, but our forsaken VST says DST level. what is it? -- Yohan Horst-Constantine-Norwitch Honoured Philosopher of the Fiery Penultimate Pain ---------------------- Player info- Burnace Dean Coleman US2004061538 A If it has an effect that can be felt in other local venues, then it would be DST approval. Things that happen in a local level sometimes need higher involvement. For example, having the State Police impose the curfew would be Regional approval, and having the National Guard do it would be National Approval. Q Subject: Stigmata Several issues with this discipline have be brought up on the list. and there are several things which are not made clear. 1. Is the use of stigmatica a sin against humanity? The discipline deals damage, and should the user roll more successes than the mortal has health does that constitute manslaughter? 2. is the ability to stack the power being read right, can the power be used multiple times to continue to raise the BP of the subject. 3. can we look at provideing a solution to the cheese that this discipline has been abused for? -- ~~==OOC==~~ Andrew Hamblin CAM # US2004092171 A 1. It can be a sin against humanity. The character can do great harm to a mortal, and is well aware of this. If a mortal dies because of the use of this power, it is usually murder, though in the end it is ST discretion. Remember though, mitigating factors give a bonus to the humanity draw, they do not prevent it from happening at all. 2. Yes, though this may change in future a addendum. 3. It is being looked into. I feel your pain as this is the one discipline I get the most questions about, and is abused most often. -- Jeremiah Spaulding US2002023190 AAMST Rules: Outreach US-ANST Special Projects CC ME-009-I