Character

Character Creation
Creation
Creating characters in Storytelling is a simple seven-
Character Creation
step process. Just make a copy of the character sheet, get
a pencil and begin.
1. Choose background. First, create your characters
concept. To help get a handle on your characters iden-
tity and motivations, come up with a short, two- or three-
word description of him/her. This usually, but not always,
includes some idea of a career: nightstalking journalist,
stoic mechanic, lost waif, petulant yuppie, angry
young man.
Second, choose your characters faction. If youre play-
ing a mortal, this is relatively unimportant. He could be a
cop, a private investigator or a convenience-store clerk,
but he is not defined by his factional alliances. A super-
natural being, however, is drawn into a world of ancient
legacies in which he is judged by even his involuntary
affiliations. His faction is both his strength and his curse.
For details on supernatural factions, see Vampire: The
Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken or Mage: The Awak-
ening.
Option: Preludes. An intense Storytelling method is
to roleplay mortal characters before they become initiated
into the supernatural world. That way, their introduction
to the terrible truths hiding in the shadows has more mean-
ing and can be especially traumatic, tragic or even trium-
phant. If youre creating a prelude character, wait to choose
his faction based on how gameplay events transform him.
2. Select Attributes, your characters innate capabili-
ties: Prioritize the three categories (5/4/3). Your charac-
ter begins with one dot in each Attribute automatically,
already filled in on the character sheet. Dots spent now
are in addition to these starting ones. The fifth dot in any
Attribute costs two dots to purchase.
Example: Olson wants his character to have a
Dexterity of 5. This costs him five dots. His first dot is free
and his fifth one costs two.
For more information, see Chapter 2: Attributes.
3. Select Skills, your characters learned capabilities:
Prioritize the three categories (11/7/4). The fifth dot in
any Skill costs two dots to purchase. For more informa-
tion, see Chapter 3: Skills.
4. Select Skill Specialties, your characters focused
areas of expertise: Take three Skill Specialties of your
choice. You can assign each how you like, whether each
to a separate Skill or all three to a single Skill. There is no
limit to how many Specialties can be assigned to a single
Skill. For more information, see Chapter 3: Skills.
5. Add supernatural template, based on the transfor-
mation your character undergoes: The Embrace, the First
Change or the Awakening. See Vampire: The Requiem,
Werewolf: The Forsaken or Mage: The Awakening. (If
creating a prelude character, wait to choose template based
on how gameplay events transform your character.)
6. Determine advantages, traits derived from your
characters Attributes: Defense (the lowest of Dexterity
or Wits), Health (Stamina + Size), Initiative (Dexterity
+ Composure), Morality (7 for starting characters), Size
(5 for most humans), Speed (Strength + Dexterity +5),
Willpower (Resolve + Composure), and Virtue/Vice
(choose one of each; see sidebar). For more information,
see Chapter 4: Advantages.
Note: Most advantages cannot be raised directly
through experience points. You must instead raise the traits
from which they are derived. (Morality is the exception.)
Virtues and Vices
Choose one of each. For more information,
see p 100.
Virtues: Charity, Faith, Fortitude, Hope,
Justice, Prudence, Temperance
Vices: Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride,
Sloth, Wrath
7. Select Merits, representing character enhance-
ments and background elements: Spend 7 dots on Merits.
The fifth dot in any Merit costs two dots to purchase.
Note that many Merits have prerequisites. For more in-
formation, see the sidebar and Chapter 5: Merits.
Merits
Mental Merits: Common Sense (), Danger
Sense (), Eidetic Memory (), Encyclopedic Knowl-
edge (), Holistic Awareness (), Language ( to
), Meditative Mind (), Unseen Sense ()
Physical Merits: Ambidextrous (), Brawl-
ing Dodge (), Direction Sense (), Disarm (),
Fast Reflexes ( or ), Fighting Finesse (), Fight-
ing Style: Boxing ( to ), Fighting Style: Kung
Fu ( to ), Fighting Style: Two Weapons ( to
), Fleet of Foot ( to ), Fresh Start (), Giant
(), Gunslinger (), Iron Stamina ( to ), Iron
Stomach (), Natural Immunity (), Quick Draw
(), Quick Healer (), Strong Back (), Strong
Lungs (), Stunt Driver (), Toxin Resistance
(), Weaponry Dodge ()
Social Merits: Allies ( to ), Barfly (),
Contacts ( to ), Fame ( to ), Inspiring (),
Mentor ( to ), Resources ( to ), Retainer
( to ), Status ( to ), Striking Looks ( or
)

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 Character Creation
Final Touches Note that when you spend experience points and want
to go up more than one dot in a trait, you need to pay for all
To round out details on your character sheet, fill in the intervening levels. That is, if you go from to
the name of the chronicle in which your character will in an Attribute, it costs you 45 experience points (20 to go
participate (provided by the Storyteller), and the name of from 3 to 4, plus 25 to go from 4 to 5).
his group of companions (if any). Finally, list any equip-
ment he carries. He is now ready to confront whatever
fate awaits him in the World of Darkness. Experience Point Costs
Advanced Characters (Option) Trait Experience Point Cost
For more experienced characters, the Storyteller Attribute New dots x 5
might choose to award experience points that may be spent Skill New dots x 3
before play begins. Skill Specialty 3 points
Seasoned characters: 35 points Merit New dots x 2
Expert characters: 75 points Morality New dots x 3
Heroic characters: 100 experience points

7
6

3
4 6

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