Laws of the Night

Rating:
Summary: This is one of the best M. E. T. books yet
Review: Comprehensive rules for teansferring from the previous editions, as well as table top, new clarifications on disciplines. A must have for any M.E.T. player.

Rating:
Summary: The Laws by Which we Play
Review: If you like V:tM and you haven't bought this book yet, hie thee to a bookseller (or click somewhere around here) and buy this.

The LotN 3rd ed are a huge improvement over 2nd ed vampire. These rules make running or playing in a LARP easy and fun.

fNord.

Rating:
Summary: A Necessity
Review: Laws of the Night contains just about everything you need to run or play in a Vampire LARP. I say "just about" because the number of contradictions and vaguaries make house rules a necessity. However, if you're a creative soul, I've found that this is really the only book that you truly need. If you're prepared to deal with situations that the rules don't cover and are capable of covering interpretations of the book's many contradictions, then you'll be fine.

It's fairly well-written and not too hard to reference. The photographs for the book leave a good deal to be desired. The models and scenes are corny and are a great source of amusement, but do little to contribute to the feel of the game.

If you're interested in LARPing, then pick it up. The mechanics are useful to know and can cover a wide number of games, not just Vampire. However, if like me you collect roleplaying games as interesting reads I'd pass it by.

Rating:
Summary: A Necessity
Review: Laws of the Night contains just about everything you need to run or play in a Vampire LARP. I say "just about" because the number of contradictions and vaguaries make house rules a necessity. However, if you're a creative soul, I've found that this is really the only book that you truly need. If you're prepared to deal with situations that the rules don't cover and are capable of covering interpretations of the book's many contradictions, then you'll be fine.

It's fairly well-written and not too hard to reference. The photographs for the book leave a good deal to be desired. The models and scenes are corny and are a great source of amusement, but do little to contribute to the feel of the game.

If you're interested in LARPing, then pick it up. The mechanics are useful to know and can cover a wide number of games, not just Vampire. However, if like me you collect roleplaying games as interesting reads I'd pass it by.

Rating:
Summary: Vampire Live, 3rd edition
Review: This is the new edition for minds eye theatre covering vampires in the world of darkness. A must for any vampire fan or live roleplayer, since it contains the core rules for play and all the information needed to set up or play in a game. For experianced players, the system has been revised and while broadly similar to previous editions, the changes made have been heralded as improvements over the faults in the 2nd edition rules. In brief, the best larp system's newest edition, which is an all round improvement on previous editions. Essential.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: This was a very hard to find book for quite awhile it was almost impossible, considered a collector's item among many M.E.T. players. Beautifully bound in black leatherette cover, embossed with silver lettering, silver edged pages, and ribbons to mark your place in the book. A beautfiful book.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: This was a very hard to find book for quite awhile it was almost impossible, considered a collector's item among many M.E.T. players. Beautifully bound in black leatherette cover, embossed with silver lettering, silver edged pages, and ribbons to mark your place in the book. A beautfiful book.

Rating:
Summary: Laws of the Night Revised and Revised again.
Review: Those of us with a long history in the live-action roleplaying genre remember the days of "Masquerade." I myself own every version of every Mind'e Eye Theatre product published, and one can easily see this book's vast improvement over the original game. The disciplines are certainly much improved, and a good stab was taken at Mob Challenges.
However, I feel the need to point out a few problems with the book. More than afew exist, but I'll get back to that.
Firstly, Storytellers and players should make perfectly clear which rules they'll be following. Make notes of specific pages, as the book is ridden with contradictions.
Secondly, rules vagaries still exist everywhere. As though contradiction wasn't bad enough, the rules thoroughly fail to cover even the most likely permutations. While White Wolf has a long history of "purposeful vagary," this might sometimes be qualified as sheer laziness.
Lastly, it should be pointed out that while the rules allow characters to be much more powerful overall, this is totally untrue in crossover games. The new Laws of the Hunt Revised allows mortals to out-Trait 11th Generation Kindred. Think about it for a minute.

In summation, this is an excellent book, but I must suggest that anyone running a game using it make very clear which rules and permutations you're using, and allow players access to your notes on Discipline use. My organization produced four pages of vampire system specific rules modifications and additions as well as a 53 page rule book covering the basic systems like Abilities, damage and Merits & Flaws. While this may not be a requirement of your game, some notation is almost certainly needed in any environment.

NOTE (circa 2005)

Alas, White Wolf has decided to pare down their offerings as their user base has sharply declined. In so doing, they made this book, and all others of this generation obsolete. They will not, of course, be supported in any fashion. As with all things, the World of Darkness declines.

Rating:
Summary: Laws of the Night Revised and Revised again.
Review: Those of us with a long history in the live-action roleplaying genre remember the days of "Masquerade." I myself own every version of every Mind'e Eye Theatre product published, and one can easily see this book's vast improvement over the original game. The disciplines are certainly much improved, and a good stab was taken at Mob Challenges.
However, I feel the need to point out a few problems with the book. More than afew exist, but I'll get back to that.
Firstly, Storytellers and players should make perfectly clear which rules they'll be following. Make notes of specific pages, as the book is ridden with contradictions.
Secondly, rules vagaries still exist everywhere. As though contradiction wasn't bad enough, the rules thoroughly fail to cover even the most likely permutations. While White Wolf has a long history of "purposeful vagary," this might sometimes be qualified as sheer laziness.
Lastly, it should be pointed out that while the rules allow characters to be much more powerful overall, this is totally untrue in crossover games. The new Laws of the Hunt Revised allows mortals to out-Trait 11th Generation Kindred. Think about it for a minute.

In summation, this is an excellent book, but I must suggest that anyone running a game using it make very clear which rules and permutations you're using, and allow players access to your notes on Discipline use. My organization produced four pages of vampire system specific rules modifications and additions as well as a 53 page rule book covering the basic systems like Abilities, damage and Merits & Flaws. While this may not be a requirement of your game, some notation is almost certainly needed in any environment.

Rating:
Summary: Laws of the Night Revised and Revised again.
Review: Those of us with a long history in the live-action roleplaying genre remember the days of "Masquerade." I myself own every version of every Mind'e Eye Theatre product published, and one can easily see this book's vast improvement over the original game. The disciplines are certainly much improved, and a good stab was taken at Mob Challenges.
However, I feel the need to point out a few problems with the book. More than afew exist, but I'll get back to that.
Firstly, Storytellers and players should make perfectly clear which rules they'll be following. Make notes of specific pages, as the book is ridden with contradictions.
Secondly, rules vagaries still exist everywhere. As though contradiction wasn't bad enough, the rules thoroughly fail to cover even the most likely permutations. While White Wolf has a long history of "purposeful vagary," this might sometimes be qualified as sheer laziness.
Lastly, it should be pointed out that while the rules allow characters to be much more powerful overall, this is totally untrue in crossover games. The new Laws of the Hunt Revised allows mortals to out-Trait 11th Generation Kindred. Think about it for a minute.

In summation, this is an excellent book, but I must suggest that anyone running a game using it make very clear which rules and permutations you're using, and allow players access to your notes on Discipline use. My organization produced four pages of vampire system specific rules modifications and additions as well as a 53 page rule book covering the basic systems like Abilities, damage and Merits & Flaws. While this may not be a requirement of your game, some notation is almost certainly needed in any environment.