The Inside Scoop on Gaming

VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE, REVISED EDITION (Limited Edition)

I own every version of Vampire the Masquerade and have a stack of supplements that you'd need a few dots in Potence to lift. So it is with, what I believe some authority that I present my thoughts on the Revised Edition of Vampire the Masquerade.

Love it or Hate it the Storyteller system created a revolution in gaming. White Wolf has traveled a long way since that initial printing and it is the subsequent evolution of the line that has prompted the Revised Edition of Vampire the Masquerade. When I became aware that a Revised Edition was planned I knew that I could settle for nothing less than the leather-bound, silver-embossed Limited Edition. There is something extremely satisfying in laying this weighty tome on the table as your players arrive for the night's session. For me the rulebook itself has becomes something of a prop. It reminds my players, and myself, of where we are about to enter. As if that wasn't enough, the Limited Edition comes with a fantastic book of art appearing in Vampire products from familiar artists such as Bradstreet et al. Also bound in black leather, it fits snugly with the rulebook into the sturdy slipcase that rounds off the package…beautiful. If you don't have a copy of the Limited Edition, chances are that you won't get one. White Wolf produced just 2000 of these worldwide and as far as I know they have all been sold.

Those of you familiar with Trinity will notice that some of the rules changes there have filtered through to Vampire. Damage has been divided into three categories, bashing, lethal and aggravated. Bashing damage is caused by punches, clubs (unless aimed at the head) etc. Bullets, and knives etc cause lethal damage, and aggravated damage is caused by the usual things (teeth, claws etc). The big difference is that bashing damage is halved for Vampires, better reflecting their undead condition, and that lethal damage cannot be soaked by mortal's (thanks Trinity). This makes the 'average' vampire far superior to mortals in combat, something that was inadequately reflected in earlier editions. Botching (White Wolf's name for the fumble) is far less likely to occur under the revised rules. You only botch if one or more of your dice (10 sided) comes up a 1 and none of the others show a success. Multiple actions are much easier to keep track of with each additional action simply removing a single dice from your pool. These are just a few examples of how existing rules have been streamlined to enhance play. Those of you who are familiar with earlier versions of Vampire will notice many more 'tweaks', that I'm sure will be welcomed by veteran players and accepted by newcomers.

Another reason for the Revised Edition was that the design team wanted to update the setting to reflect 1998. This has resulted in changes for some Clans including the Assamites, who are no longer bound by the curse of the Tremere, and the Malkavians, who retain the discipline of Dementation from Vampire: The Dark Ages. The Sabbat are much more active against the Camarilla and the threat of Gehenna (the Vampire Apocalypse) casts it's dark shadow over the setting. Some of the game mechanics have been changed to reflect this including some changes to Disciplines and Bloodlines. The concept of Bloodlines within Clans has always been present in the World of Darkness but game mechanics now reflect this by allowing some Clans a greater choice in what their Clan Disciplines are. The overall result is that the World of Darkness just got nastier.

The rulebook content is more comprehensive than previous editions, with all 13 Clans represented, including The Sabbat and Independent Clans. Merits and Flaws are also covered as are antagonists and derangement's. Flavor text abounds throughout the 310 pages, giving the reader a keen insight into the setting, including current outlooks and concerns. A great book for veterans and newcomers alike. There is always a sense of trepidation when something you love undergoes change. In this case something good has been made even better. More than a simple update, White Wolf has stripped Vampire to the basics and rebuilt it.

Andrew D'Arcy

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE, REVISED EDITION (Limited Edition)
Author: Justin Achilli et al Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Page count: 310 Capsule Review by Andrew D'Arcy on 10/13/98. Genre tags: Vampire	VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE, REVISED EDITION (Limited Edition) I own every version of Vampire the Masquerade and have a stack of supplements that you'd need a few dots in Potence to lift. So it is with, what I believe some authority that I present my thoughts on the Revised Edition of Vampire the Masquerade. Love it or Hate it the Storyteller system created a revolution in gaming. White Wolf has traveled a long way since that initial printing and it is the subsequent evolution of the line that has prompted the Revised Edition of Vampire the Masquerade. When I became aware that a Revised Edition was planned I knew that I could settle for nothing less than the leather-bound, silver-embossed Limited Edition. There is something extremely satisfying in laying this weighty tome on the table as your players arrive for the night's session. For me the rulebook itself has becomes something of a prop. It reminds my players, and myself, of where we are about to enter. As if that wasn't enough, the Limited Edition comes with a fantastic book of art appearing in Vampire products from familiar artists such as Bradstreet et al. Also bound in black leather, it fits snugly with the rulebook into the sturdy slipcase that rounds off the package…beautiful. If you don't have a copy of the Limited Edition, chances are that you won't get one. White Wolf produced just 2000 of these worldwide and as far as I know they have all been sold. Those of you familiar with Trinity will notice that some of the rules changes there have filtered through to Vampire. Damage has been divided into three categories, bashing, lethal and aggravated. Bashing damage is caused by punches, clubs (unless aimed at the head) etc. Bullets, and knives etc cause lethal damage, and aggravated damage is caused by the usual things (teeth, claws etc). The big difference is that bashing damage is halved for Vampires, better reflecting their undead condition, and that lethal damage cannot be soaked by mortal's (thanks Trinity). This makes the 'average' vampire far superior to mortals in combat, something that was inadequately reflected in earlier editions. Botching (White Wolf's name for the fumble) is far less likely to occur under the revised rules. You only botch if one or more of your dice (10 sided) comes up a 1 and none of the others show a success. Multiple actions are much easier to keep track of with each additional action simply removing a single dice from your pool. These are just a few examples of how existing rules have been streamlined to enhance play. Those of you who are familiar with earlier versions of Vampire will notice many more 'tweaks', that I'm sure will be welcomed by veteran players and accepted by newcomers. Another reason for the Revised Edition was that the design team wanted to update the setting to reflect 1998. This has resulted in changes for some Clans including the Assamites, who are no longer bound by the curse of the Tremere, and the Malkavians, who retain the discipline of Dementation from Vampire: The Dark Ages. The Sabbat are much more active against the Camarilla and the threat of Gehenna (the Vampire Apocalypse) casts it's dark shadow over the setting. Some of the game mechanics have been changed to reflect this including some changes to Disciplines and Bloodlines. The concept of Bloodlines within Clans has always been present in the World of Darkness but game mechanics now reflect this by allowing some Clans a greater choice in what their Clan Disciplines are. The overall result is that the World of Darkness just got nastier. The rulebook content is more comprehensive than previous editions, with all 13 Clans represented, including The Sabbat and Independent Clans. Merits and Flaws are also covered as are antagonists and derangement's. Flavor text abounds throughout the 310 pages, giving the reader a keen insight into the setting, including current outlooks and concerns. A great book for veterans and newcomers alike. There is always a sense of trepidation when something you love undergoes change. In this case something good has been made even better. More than a simple update, White Wolf has stripped Vampire to the basics and rebuilt it. Andrew D'Arcy Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 4 (Meaty)