Vampire: The Masquerade

Rating:
Summary: Vampire: A Personal Favorite
Review: Though any true player of White Wolf games already knows this, I think it needs to be said: Vampire is not a hack-and-slash kill-everything game. It's a serious, adult game which takes roleplaying to a level that other games barely touch. Vampire: the Masquerade is about personal horror. It's about what it means to be unliving, and the struggle that these denizens of the night face. In that light, White Wolf has done a beautiful job revising the game. The revisions are in every aspect, from systems to storyline. This edition outdoes its predecessor all-around, though this was a good game to begin with. I think that any White Wolf player, and perhaps any player of any roleplaying game, will appreciate the detail that the authors have gone to in this game. They continually focus on rich story and character material over heavy rules. The rules themselves are simple enough that you only need this one, large-print book to play; but the game unfolds as you buy supplement books. The game is what you make it, and this is an excellent place to start for anyone wanting to play White Wolf games. Vampire is easy to learn, particularly in the revised edition, and no matter what your level of expertise in the material, the game is enjoyable. A bit of warning, though: this is a game for mature players. I don't recommend it for young or immature people, or for teenagers with overbearing parents. That aside, enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: GURPS VtM vs. White Wolf VtM: The Comparison
Review: For some reason the reviews for the GURPS version of Vampire the Masquerade here are reviews for the original White Wolf product. The two games use completely different rule systems and are, well, completely different.

The White Wolf version of VtM is stand alone, you buy the book, some 10 sided dice (from a hobby store or White Wolf's website)and you're ready to play. The "Storyteller" rule system is pretty simple and has been revised and improved. There are many other White Wolf products that use the same Storyteller system (Werewolf, Demon, Mage and so on) so your World of Darkness can grow and expand. White Wolf's emphasis on Role Playing instead of dice rolling and complex rules probably make this a great choice for someone new to RPGs. Be warned however, White Wolf's products and website can be very, very dark and profane. Probably not a good choice for children in my opinion. The game itself is very original, imaginitive and popular.

GURPS (Generic Universal Roleplaying System) by Steve Jackson Games is a fairly detailed RPG system. The GURPS version of VtM is NOT a stand alone product. You must first own a copy of "GURPS Basic Set" (availabe here at Amazon.com) to play GURPS VtM. One difference is that GURPS uses 6 sided dice which are readily available (bonus). The GURPS system was developed as sort of an answer to everything thing that was annoying about the grandaddy of RPGs, Dungeons and Dragons. D&D was an immense rules system that spaned many tomes and modules, required many types of dice and was stuck in sword and sorcery mode. GURPS allows you to play any type of character, in any type of setting imaginable all from one book (GURPS Basic Set and some six sided dice). The GURPS rules system is going to be a larger investment in time to master than Storyteller, but it is detailed and logical. I personally like it.

Two last thoughts, you don't necessarily have to play a Vampire character in the GURPS version of VtM. You could play a Psychic or Combat Specialist who gradually learns about the Vampires and begin to unwravel the Masquerade. Eventually the characters could be embraced by Sabbat Vampires or attacked by the Camarillan Vampires. You could play a Vampire who goes into Torpor for a few centuries and wakes up in a post apocalypse future. Only the Game Master would be allowed to use the Vampire book as a source, and the game would run from the Basic Set. The players would gradually be drawn into the shadowy, secretive World of Darkness. Also the GURPS version is toned down a bit and is more appropriate for young people.

Rating:
Summary: Where did I put my Bauhaus?
Review: Vampire: The Masquerade is a one of the better World of Darkness series out there. Although I reccomend Hunter: The Reckoning for ideal beginnings, V:TM is truely fun for player and storyteller alike.

I'd also like to point out that, in order to get the right enviroment for a lot of these games, you might want to pick up some (if not all!) of the CDs the reccomend. It's good music, too.

As to the complaints that all WoD games are stand-alone: you storyteller can fix that. Get on their case about it. I know mine did.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome RPG, Great Book
Review: Vampire: the Masquerade is an amazing game to play with your friends. In stark contrast to RPGs like AD&D and Shadowrun, where your player attempts to be the coolest (and you live out a dream of, "if only I were my character"), V:tM dooms your character from the beginning. You are a vampire, cursed to prey upon the living, cursed to lose your friends, living out a solitary existence. Vampire emphasizes true drama--either comic or tragic, the game MOVES you.

If you have read this far, DO NOT TAKE THE SOFTCOVER VERSION. The 'softcover edition' that Amazon.com advertises is a GURPS adaptation (GURPS stands for Generic Universal RolePlaying System). It tells you how to turn Vampire characters into GURPS characters, and how to run a GURPS campaign with Vampires engaged in the Masquerade. It is loosely a rulebook for the game, but its rules make much less sense if you've never played GURPS.

Now, on to the rest of the game'

The storyteller has the best time with the game. She runs the chronicle with the pride of a playwright, knowing that she touches her audience. She has all the power; she also has all he responsibility. The storyteller has to invent the chronicle, plotting out each week's saga for the rest of you to endure. While the most rewarding, it's also the hardest job in V:tM. And somebody has to do it.

You'll probably notice the oddness of the feminine pronoun (She runs, she has, etc.). The writers of this manual have distributed the pronouns in the book to be roughly 51% female and 49% male, to accompany the national division of the sexes. If you're a male, it's a reminder of the alienation that female scholastics must endure. This book pulls that off flawlessly.

I have two complaints. The first is dice. Most pen-and-paper roleplaying games use dice, with the exception of Amber. AD&D uses seven different types of dice, and three to five of each. Shadowrun and V:tM are each more forgiving; they just use one. This is nice. Shadowrun dice are your normal 6-sided dice, which is awesome. In Vampire, the die is ten-sided, which is much harder to come by. This means no buying in bulk; I've simply found it impossible to get a package of 10-sided dice without extra AD&D dice added on.

My second complaint is that the book has almost no structure. I'd recommend putting post-its in as tabs for the sections that you want to have quick reference to; character generation alone involves swapping between different parts of the book 5-6 times. God forbid you have a rule conflict in a game; my group partitioned the book into sections to skim through whenever people were uncertain about a rule.

Once you've read the rulebook, though, you don't need it in the game. The most I've ever done is have the lexicon open so that I have my terms straight; you get a feel for what each level of each vampiric power does, and you don't have to look up Natures and Demeanors all the time. (Natures and Demeanors are personalities that you're required to take. There is a list of 30 and you take different ones for nature or demeanor).

Overall, this game is splendid. It has advanced over other RPGs to give true entertainment. Focused, fast-paced, and fantastically horrid, some gaming might give you nightmares, depending on who your storyteller is. Some gaming will be a lot of jokes and mudslinging at authority. Either way, you'll scare yourself with how casually you say, 'I suck down all the human's blood and kill him.' At some level, the horror of catching yourself saying that phrase is what the game is all about.

Rating:
Summary: A GURPS Version of WOD
Review: This is not a white wolf book, rather it is the conversion rules for people who are interested in playing vampire but not in learning a new system and who are already competent with the GURPS rules. If you are new to role playing and want to play a vampire then I suggest you find the world of darkness rules for this game as they are more expansive and complex.

However, if you already know GURPS and are interested in playing a vampire then I strongly suggest this book. The rules are clearly laid out for people to read and understand. Though it is not a stand alone product, it's not trying to be. And it allows people who like WOD but who don't want to learn a new system to use a system they already know to play it.

For those unfamiliar with vampire I'll do my best to give a rough over view. There are many different types of vampires known as Clans. Each clan has separate special powers which give them an edge up on one another. Some people find this system to be stereotype based, I have found, however, that the point is not to play a typical Brujah, Tremere, Venture, Lasombra or Toreador (just to name a few), but rather to create one who falls with in the lines of the clan but also is a unique individual. The Storyteller then guides the players though an advanture just like any other roleplaying game.

As for the format of the book it is a bit confusing for those who aren't used to the way White Wolf sets up books. Unlike most WOD books, however, the index is surprising useful and can be used to find just about everything that is needed in the book. I do suggest the use of sticky notes for some sections as quick reference or your can write in the margins if you don't mind writing in books.

One last thing for those with young children, Vampire is an intense rather dark game. It's not happy or light and fluffy. The plays are playing vampires who do kill people, and it is a horror based game. The book is dark and intense and probably not suitable for children under the age of 14.

Rating:
Summary: Vampire: The Kool-Aid
Review: Despite all the good reviews, this game is pathetic. Here are the reasons:

Horrible Stereotypes: If you're a Brujah character, you'll be like every other Brujah in existence. It's just that simple, if you want Celerity and Potence you play Brujah, if you want Presence you play Ventrue (those who've read the book understand the last sentence). The only good way to get a nice mix is to make a Clanless (Munchkin Alert!) or make up your own Clan (which Vamp players hate, because it forces them to think)

LARPs: I've chased LARP groups out of the graveyard near my house more than once. I hate them only because they don't respect the dead (or those that work during the day and SLEEP at night). You all don't have to LARP to play the game, I read the book. Sit around a table and eat pretzels like all other RPGers. Don't be afraid, it might develop your character and imagination to not run around at midnight and annoy all your neighbors and people who think you're in a dark section of the SCA.

Too expensive: For a book with no color whatsoever (and barely a system), it's as much as all the other RPGs on the market. Did I miss something? No color is stylish? That costs Extra?

Munchkin Factor 3: You'll have at least 3 munchkins in your group if you play with 4-6 characters. These munchkins usually have goth tendencies. No offense to goths, but y'all force normal people to hate you.

Game Mechanics are weak like a wet paper towel: the Soak die rules leave much to be desired, as two combatants could pound on eachother forever (I believe I had combat with 2 combatants last 3 hours once). The skills system is dumb, making a weak character able to do great things if he has enough of the skill.

Uncompatibility: All the WOD games CANNOT be played with one another. Mages are more powerful than Werewolves are more powerful than Vampires are more powerful than Hunters. Have fun you amalgamers!

We're Roleplayers!: The pompusness of Vamp players is quite annoying, since the system roleplays for them. Anyone could game Vampire. It's the same reason d20 has no respect with the game community elders (at least in my mind).

Finally, Suggestions: Don't play Vampire. If you want Horror, play Call of Cthulu or even one of the many free RPGs on the net. If you want maximum benefit of a WOD setting, play Hunter, the game with which I feel is the best of the series.

Just do me a favor and don't make it Buffy

Rating:
Summary: About Roleplaying Rather Than Rollplaying
Review: I picked up this book after playing the Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption computer game (which I liked well enough) just to see what the pen and paper game was like... Now I'm pretty much hooked on the gameline. The Storyteller system is appealing for its simplicity and its current incarnation is relatively familiar since I am also into Werewolf: The Apocalypse and had most of fundamental first edition WTA sourcebooks. I've never owned any of the first / second / whatever edition VTM sourcebooks, but from what I hear from long-time Storytellers and players, VTM revised edition is a major (or perhaps just much-needed) improvement. (I *have* seen a list of Abilities in VTM's earlier edition sourcebooks and some of Abilities were so redundant, obscure or arbitrary that they made me blush. I have also seen The Kindred's Most Wanted (an earlier edition VTM supplement) and, frankly, the particulars of most of the characters on the Red List made me really sad. I hope - no, pray (ha ha) - that there are no major appearances of Ferox, the renegade gargoyle with True Faith 9, in VTM canon.)

On the side, this book is rather Camarilla-centric, but that's what the Sabbat guide is for, and this *is* a game about masquerading as vampires, something the Sabbat would never admit to actually practicing (albeit to a lesser degree). It just seems like a huge jump from this book to the Guide to the Sabbat that I suspect I probably should've gotten the Camarilla guide (or even the Anarch guide) before the Sabbat guide. Certain clans (i.e., Assamite, Setite, Gangrel, Malkavian, Ravnos, Toreador) are just barely touched upon in this book that you only see a few (very narrow) sides to them, but that's due to the more major clan events happening after this book was written, and can't be helped. Of what the writers did manage to stuff in this book, they did a pretty good job. (However, if you want advanced Disciplines (ranks 6-9), you might want to get the Camarilla guide and the Sabbat guide.)

Anyway, VTM is great, and to have more than an inkling of what it's like, it's helpful to own this book. The other VTM books I've found extremely helpful (other than the Camarilla guide and the Sabbat guide) are just about every one of the revised edition clanbooks (although a person who's only interested in one clan only really needs one clanbook, certain clanbooks are actually what got me interested in those clans I previously disregarded or disliked. Of course, Storytellers should also have the Storyteller's Handbook).

Rating:
Summary: "A Storytelling Game of Personal Horror"
Review: "By becoming a monster, one learns what it is to be human"

I'm probably the only person who bought this book with no intention of using it as it was meant to be used--as a role-playing guide to the "Vampire: The Masquerade" game. I don't play role-playing games--I even have an aversion to games in general (mostly video ones)--but I really love vampires, so I had to buy this book. Probably the thing I like the most about it is all of the beautiful black-and-white drawings inside. They really get the imagination juices flowing.

The beginning part of the book is basically an introduction to VtM, familiarizing the reader with the basic rules, its Gothic-Punk setting, vocabulary, and tips on effective storytelling. Then it goes deeper into dice rolling, character creation, and bloodlines. This latter part is my favorite in the book, describing the attributes and abilities of the seven clans of the Camarilla: Brujah, Nosferatu, Tremere, Ventrue, Gangrel, Toreador, and Malkavian. (But if you really want further insight into these clans, then I'd highly recommend any--or all--of the Clanbooks.) There is also a character sheet at the end of the book you can Xerox, as well as an example story to further help players.

I think I've read this thing about half a dozen times (though not usually from front to back), and it takes about that many times to thoroughly comprehend and memorize all of the above--rules, guidelines, etc.--without having to refer to the book all the time (unless you're a fast learner). If you enjoy role-playing games--or if you're like me and just like anything vampire-oriented--then I highly recommend this book. It's well worth your time and money.

Rating:
Summary: Great Game
Review: This is a great start to the role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade

Rating:
Summary: An RPG to last through the ages.
Review: Vampire: The Masquerade is by far, the best role-playing game I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Created by the amazing minds at White Wolf, this game is perfect for beginners to role-playing or veterans with years of experience.

First lets explain exactly what V:tM is as a game.
Some of you may be familiar with the biblical story of Caine and Abel (and if you aren't, you will be after reading both, this review and the core-rulebook). Sons of Adam and Eve, Caine slew his brother Abel, and was marked by God and banished from eden. In V:tM, that mark was the curse of vampirism. Over the ages, Caine sired more Kindred, before he eventually fled the earth. These "Childer" of Caine began to sire more vampires, and eventually, they started splitting off into 'clans', thirteen of them. Each clan has it's own unique characteristics, and certain 'disciplines' that they are more attuned to. Disciplines are the vampires' powers in V:tM, and while some mirror the hollywood image of vampires, many are totally different, all creative and a wonderful tool for you to create powerful, intriguing characters that are apart from the normal mish-mash of much of role-playing. If you look at the second part of the title, you may ask yourself what is The Masquerade, and what's it have to do with Vampires? Well simply put, there are two 'sects' of vampires (as well as those clans who fall into neither sect), essentially the 'good' and the 'bad'. Who is good and bad is for you to decide. One, The Camarilla, focus's on the upholding of the Masquerade, the global act put up by Kindred so humans don't find out about them. The second, the Sabbat, cares nothing for the MAsquerade, and believes that Mortals should fear Kindred, and serve them as slaves, blood bags.. All this takes place in the White Wolf, World of Darkness, a techno-gothic punk sort of world, cruel, unforgiving, and extremely real.

Now that that's out of the way, why should you buy it? So it's got a great story, a richly detailed setting with a huge amount of supplement books to enrich it even further, and endless opportunities for fun. On top of all this, as an appeal to beginners, the dice system is excedingly easy to learn, and one need only buy the core rulebook (where in things like Dungenons and Dragons you need to buy -three- books to have a game as successful as one book of vampire). The dice system uses only one dice, and a very basic, but extremely effective 'point' system that allows for any type of game you could desire. While it doesn't require a huge amount of dice rolling and stat checking, you can have a game that revolves entirely around social interaction, or, if battle is more your thing, you need not spend countless hours of rolling just to figure out a simple action.

As an Experienced gamer, you'll find that Vampire: The Masquerade is loaded with creativity which can offer insight to your other games, as well as a vast amount of plot detailing in the core rulebook, definately enough to make a very in-depth campagin with whatever mood you want. In addition, the very way it's written, with examples being 'In Character' often, can be a huge push toward creating your own interesting campaign, an idea describing a simple skill can spark up an entire scenes creation.

Above all else, it's just downright a great read. I bought this game when I had my group of friends that we could all RP with in highschool, but as college came the troupe split up. I still read this book, as well as a great many other books by the White Wolf team, and enjoy every bit of them, even if I don't even play the games.

Besides...Amazon[.com] has a great price on White Wolf products, 30% off most (if not all) their titles..What have you got to lose?...I mean..aside from your time for being addicted to reading and playing this game.