Optimizing Zack Zealot

[Bartmanhomer]

Hey everybody. I'm playing Vampire The Masquerade First Edition game. The character that I'm playing is Zack Zealot. He happen to be a 15 year old vampire who's all brawn and little to no brain at all. I choose his clan Brujah. This is his sheet: https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1697987 I just need help optimizing my character. Any advice anyone?

[JeenLeen]

I might be blurring the editions within Old World of Darkness, but I think Dexterity is generally really important for combat based on how dice pools work. Unless you have a way to use Strength instead of Dex, or that's how 1st edition works, for melee, you'll probably have some trouble.

However, Celerity can probably compensate. It is crazy good.

Wearing armor can help you survive. You can probably wear Kevlar or something else decent-strong without attracting too much attention. A trenchcoat does wonders to hide armor and weaponry.

[Bartmanhomer]

I might be blurring the editions within Old World of Darkness, but I think Dexterity is generally really important for combat based on how dice pools work. Unless you have a way to use Strength instead of Dex, or that's how 1st edition works, for melee, you'll probably have some trouble.

However, Celerity can probably compensate. It is crazy good.

Wearing armor can help you survive. You can probably wear Kevlar or something else decent-strong without attracting too much attention. A trenchcoat does wonders to hide armor and weaponry.

Oh really? I didn't know there was armor In this game.

[JeenLeen]

Oh really? I didn't know there was armor In this game.

It might've been introduced in a later edition. I think I played 2nd edition revised, but I'm pretty sure every oWoD game I've seen had rules for armor. Basically, it added to your Soak pull for resisting damage. How much a given armor does might differ from splat to splat or edition to edition. So check with your Storyteller, but wearing even heavy clothing might give you +1 Soak.

[Bartmanhomer]

It might've been introduced in a later edition. I think I played 2nd edition revised, but I'm pretty sure every oWoD game I've seen had rules for armor. Basically, it added to your Soak pull for resisting damage. How much a given armor does might differ from splat to splat or edition to edition. So check with your Storyteller, but wearing even heavy clothing might give you +1 Soak.

I actually download Vampire: The Masquerade first edition game on my phone and there's armor included in this game.

[Bartmanhomer]

I actually used my freebies points to increased for my attributes.

[The Jack]

As a GM
Jesus how many freebies have you been given?
Vampire isnt normally a dnd combat fest, you'll probably get screwed over for this kind of munchkinness
Whats your reason to be so good at combat at 15? Where's the characterisation? People who learn to fight with hands or weapons dont really corelate with those who are well trained with guns, and neither corelate with olympian physiques.
5's in something is an extravagance that works very well for fluff ( people are impressed by you and want you to teach) but mechanically 4 is more effecient for the points.

As a helpful player taking into account your brujah..
Put a point into stealth and etiquete and medicine and more in alertness.
Moar willpower, at least 7. Its very cheap with freebies.
The generation background is the next best thing for a powergamer, after 5+ resources
More in conscience, since you're obviously building for a mass murderer.

[Bartmanhomer]

As a GM
Jesus how many freebies have you been given?
Vampire isnt normally a dnd combat fest, you'll probably get screwed over for this kind of munchkinness
Whats your reason to be so good at combat at 15? Where's the characterisation? People who learn to fight with hands or weapons dont really corelate with those who are well trained with guns, and neither corelate with olympian physiques.
5's in something is an extravagance that works very well for fluff ( people are impressed by you and want you to teach) but mechanically 4 is more effecient for the points.

As a helpful player taking into account your brujah..
Put a point into stealth and etiquete and medicine and more in alertness.
Moar willpower, at least 7. Its very cheap with freebies.
The generation background is the next best thing for a powergamer, after 5+ resources
More in conscience, since you're obviously building for a mass murderer.

I think I got the freebies points wrong.

[The Glyphstone]

Is it safe to assume you have no Storyteller, or game, to play this in? You're just making a character for fun?

[Bartmanhomer]

Is it safe to assume you have no Storyteller, or game, to play this in? You're just making a character for fun?

Well I used to play this game a few weeks ago. But as always many people dropped out of the game. And I'm trying to recruit a new game in PBP in this forum. I'm making this character for fun.

[fishyfishyfishy]

Attributes cost 5 freebies per dot. You can afford 3 extra dots in attributes with 15 freebies. You have spent them on a one for one basis.

I would not make a character before joining a game. Wait until you know what the setting will be like and what is allowed and if there are any house rules before creating a character.

[Bartmanhomer]

Attributes cost 5 freebies per dot. You can afford 3 extra dots in attributes with 15 freebies. You have spent them on a one for one basis.

I would not make a character before joining a game. Wait until you know what the setting will be like and what is allowed and if there are any house rules before creating a character.

Well lucky me I download the book on my phone so I could understand the rules better.

[The Jack]

Vampire is a game where rollplay and story matter more than stats. Vampire is the kinda game where getting "hirelings" to do things for you is often better than attempying them yourself.

When you 'build' a vampire character, you should make a person. You use those dots to give yourself what you think a cop, doctor, salesman, kitchen porter, academic, biker, pimp or hobo should have. You could throw in some extra dots to reflect misc interests and a few skills that reflect post-embrace adjustment. You want a character who's good and/or special enough to be a worthwhile embrace for a sire, but you don't want to enter snowflake territory for being too special.

Then you should think about clan and disciplines. Who would actually embrace such a character?

Ideally, you want to be broad with skills with maybe a couple of shiners, whilst varied in attributes. You want to be able to do most stuff without needing help, but very good in a few things so you can be helpful to others, because the entire vampire economy is in favours, and you want to be owed not owing. Vampire can be extremely punitive if you want to be a stupid character, mistakes are offenses.

[Bartmanhomer]

Vampire is a game where rollplay and story matter more than stats. Vampire is the kinda game where getting "hirelings" to do things for you is often better than attempying them yourself.

When you 'build' a vampire character, you should make a person. You use those dots to give yourself what you think a cop, doctor, salesman, kitchen porter, academic, biker, pimp or hobo should have. You could throw in some extra dots to reflect misc interests and a few skills that reflect post-embrace adjustment. You want a character who's good and/or special enough to be a worthwhile embrace for a sire, but you don't want to enter snowflake territory for being too special.

Then you should think about clan and disciplines. Who would actually embrace such a character?

Ideally, you want to be broad with skills with maybe a couple of shiners, whilst varied in attributes. You want to be able to do most stuff without needing help, but very good in a few things so you can be helpful to others, because the entire vampire economy is in favours, and you want to be owed not owing. Vampire can be extremely punitive if you want to be a stupid character, mistakes are offenses.

Sure. I'll keep that in mind.

[Bulhakov]

From my experience - don't waste freebies on physcial attributes - you can always temporarily boost them with blood.

Boost your starting Willpower - there will be lots of WP rolls (for self-control, frenzy, fear, resisting domination or magic), for high level skills (as the exp costs scale with level) or for extra discipline points (starting with 2 points in Celerity).

Get some flaws/merits for extra freebies (or to use them up). I remember "efficient digestion" was an awesome merit (you got 3 blood points from drinking 2).

[Bartmanhomer]

From my experience - don't waste freebies on physcial attributes - you can always temporarily boost them with blood.

Boost your starting Willpower - there will be lots of WP rolls (for self-control, frenzy, fear, resisting domination or magic), for high level skills (as the exp costs scale with level) or for extra discipline points (starting with 2 points in Celerity).

Get some flaws/merits for extra freebies (or to use them up). I remember "efficient digestion" was an awesome merit (you got 3 blood points from drinking 2).

Ok. I can do that. Thanks for the advice.

[Bartmanhomer]

Well I took everyone advice and update my character sheet.