Character Creation

Note: These steps don't 100% match the order in the book, because I've been typing for way to long and I have Opinions.

Steps

1. Figure out a concept. Who do you want to be?
2. Choose a clan.
3. Choose a sect. If you're not sure, choose the default for your clan.
4. Choose an archetype. Pick one word that describes your character (Bully, Royalty, Troublemaker, etc.). There is a list on page 87 in the book, but you're free to make something up.
5. Set defaults. Unless you take a Merit or Flaw that changes it, you start with the following:
   • 5 dots in Humanity
   • 3 Health levels on each track (Healthy, Injured, Incapacitated)
   • 6 Willpower
6. Assign initial Attributes. Are you better at Mental, Physical, or Social activities? Assign 7 points to your primary Attribute, 5 points to your secondary, and 3 points to your tertiary. Don't worry about Focuses just yet. You'll want to circle back to them after you look at your Disciplines.
7. Assign initial Skills. What are you good at? Put 4 points in one skill, 3 points in two skills, 2 points in three skills, and 1 point in four skills.
8. Assign initial Backgrounds. What kind of connections do you have?
9. Assign initial Disciplines. Put two points in one of your in-clan Disciplines and one point in the other two.
   • This is when you should consider your Focuses. Most powers have a little extra thing that you can do if you have the appropriate focus. Look at the powers that you are buying now and the ones you might want in the future. See what bonuses you get from different focuses. Then, go back and pick a focus for each Attribute. Your Physical focus has other effects outside of Disciplines; make sure to look over the description. If you absolutely cannot choose, the Versatile merit gives you an extra Focus on one of your Attributes. If one of your Attributes doesn't give you anything you want from any of the Focuses, the Stolen Potential flaw takes away one of your Focuses.
10. Decide your Generation. You CANNOT put points in Generation after character creation, or after your Embrace if you start as a mortal or a ghoul. (This isn't technically true, but if you are new enough to need a cheat sheet you shouldn't even THINK about Diablerie.) Your Generation determines how much XP you spend on other things, so it has to be purchased first, using the XP cost of the level you intend to finish on.
    • 0 dots in Generation: Mortal or Ghoul
    • 1 dot in Generation: Neonate (11th gen unless you take a flaw)
    • 2 dots in Generation: Ancilla (9th gen unless you take a flaw)
    • 3 dots in Generation: Pretender Elder (8th gen)
    • 4 dots in Generation: Master Elder (7th gen)
    • 5 dots in Generation: Luminary Elder (6th gen)
11. Note Generation-based stats.
    • Maximum blood
      • Neonate: 10
      • Ancilla: 12
      • Pretender Elder: 15
      • Master Elder: 20
      • Luminary Elder: 30
    • Maximum blood spent per round equal to your dots in Generation
    • Attribute bonus equal to your dots in Generation
      • The bonus raises your maximum Attribute score. You still have to buy the levels with XP.
      • The bonus can be divided among your Attributes however you like. For example, a Pretender Elder can have their maximum Attributes at 13, 10, 10, or 12, 11, 10 or 11, 11, 11.
12. Choose Merits and Flaws. You are not required to take any Merits or Flaws, but they add color to your character. You may take up to 7 points worth of Merits and 7 points worth of flaws. Each Merit costs XP according to its level. Each Flaw grants XP according to its level.
13. Spend XP. Record your starting XP, add your Flaw XP, subtract your Merit XP, and go through and spend the rest of it.
    • Attributes: 3 XP per level.
    • Skills & Backgrounds:
      • 11th gen or higher: 1 XP * current level
      • 10th gen or lower: (2 XP * current level)
    • In-clan Disciplines: 3 XP * current level
    • Regain Lost Humanity: 10 XP per level
    • Ritual (Necromancy or Thaumaturgy):
      • 2 XP * level of ritual
      • Must learn at least one level 1 ritual before learning any level 2, etc.
      • Cannot learn more rituals than your total dots in all paths of Necromancy/Thaumaturgy
    • Out-of-clan discipline:
      • Cost
        • 7th gen or higher: 4 XP * current level
        • 6th gen: 5 XP * current level
      • Requirements
        • Must have a willing teacher who knows the level that you are trying to learn
        • Teacher spends one willpower
        • You spend one downtime
        • For your first dot in an out-of-clan discipline, you must drink a point of the teacher's blood (1-point blood bond)
    • Techniques
      • 9th gen or higher: 12 XP
      • 8th gen: 20 XP
      • 7th gen or lower: cannot learn
    • In-clan Elder Powers
      • 9th gen or higher: cannot learn
      • 8th gen or lower: 18 XP
      • Must possess the first 5 dots of the relevant Discipline
      • Note that 8th gen characters can only learn one total Elder Power, whether it be in clan or out of clan
    • Out-of-clan Elder Powers
      • 9th gen or higher: cannot learn
      • 7th - 8th gen: 24 XP
      • 6th gen: 30 XP
      • Must possess the first 5 dots of the relevant Discipline
      • Note that 8th gen characters can only learn one total Elder Power, whether it be in clan or out of clan
      • Learning follows the same process as out-of-clan Disciplines