Vampire: The Masquerade

Objective of the Game

"Vampire: The Masquerade" is a pen-and-paper role-playing game where players assume the roles of vampires existing in a modern world filled with supernatural entities. The objective of the game varies according to the scenario crafted by the game master, but generally revolves around power struggles, achieving personal goals, and survival in a dangerous, dark world.

Roles and Characters

Each player creates a vampire character who is part of the World of Darkness, a fictional version of our world: - Clans: Each vampire belongs to one of several clans, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and special abilities called Disciplines. - Attributes and Skills: Characters possess various attributes and skills they can use in conflict situations or to overcome challenges. - Background: Players develop a detailed backstory for their character, influencing their motivations and goals.

Game Mechanics

• Narrator/Game Master: One player takes on the role of the narrator who controls the world and the various figures within it. The narrator is responsible for creating the storyline and presenting challenges.
• Rolling Dice: The game typically uses ten-sided dice (d10) to determine the outcomes of actions and events.
• Difficulty Level: The narrator sets the difficulty level of a challenge, indicating how high the dice rolls need to be to succeed.
• Success and Failure: Simple successes, critical successes, and botches depend on the number and type of successes rolled.

Rules and Features

• Blood Points: This resource is crucial for most vampiric powers and the survival of characters. Blood points can be gained through drinking blood.
• Humanity: A measure of the character's moral standpoint, which can change as they commit immoral or unethical acts.
• Traditions: Vampires must adhere to the traditions of vampire society, most importantly the "Masquerade" law, which requires that the existence of vampires remain hidden from humans.

Strategy and Nuances

• Social Interaction: Success heavily depends on the social skills and the ability of characters to navigate vampire society.
• Alliances and Conflicts: Players must craft strategic alliances and often engage in subtle conflicts to achieve their goals.
• Long-Term Planning: Since the game is often played over multiple sessions, long-term planning is crucial for success.

As "Vampire: The Masquerade" is a storytelling game, it demands creativity and improvisation from all participants and offers an open structure for diverse playing styles and individual narratives.