Vampire Bite

[Steve]

In some stories and movies, the bite of a vampire is a pleasurable experience for the victim, often rendering them unable to resist.

 

I'm thinking this would be a Stunning Effect that can be applied to Change Environment per the APG as part of the attack. Maybe it could cause a temporary Ego Drain too?

 

Are there other ways to model the "bliss" of a vampire bite?

[Grailknight]

Special Effect of a Presence Attack comes to mind.  Or an Ego or Presence based  Entangle .

[Narf the Mouse]

Transform: Victim into Bella.

[Lucius]

 

Tactile Images

 

Mental Illusions

 

PRE with Limitation, only while biting, only vs bitten

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary, suddenly realizing it has two necks and they're both invitingly long, goes in search of some garlic

[Christopher]

You never really see superhumas get bitten and being unable to resist. So I would say straight STUN Damage Stuns those Normals that are thier Victims in films.

Maybe add some "IPE (Invisible to Target +1/2)" to simulate that they only realize an attack in retrospect.

 

In some interpretations the target must be either willing, mesmerized (Mind Controlled) or subdued beforehand. I think a EGO+20 result could be enough to let a Vampire drink your blood, asuming it is not a combat situation and the Vampire doesn't have to drink life-threathening amounts/won't be able to stop.

[JasonPacker]

Are you looking for the sort of early vampire mesmerism that allows the vamp to get in close to do the bite in the first place, or the more Anne Rice vampire "all I could hear was the pounding of the blood in both of our veins" style?

 

It sounds like the latter, and that would be a linked mind control, I would think, with a very limited effect.

[Steve]

I think I'm going more for the Anne Rice effect, which also seems to be how White Wolf's Kindred affect humans.

 

The idea of using a PRE attack or a linked Images effect for Touch is interesting. While the bite itself is painful, the draining gives the victim pleasant sensations, which helps the vampire in feeding by not having to continuously fight their victim. Perhaps making the blood drain an IPE and combining it with a Touch Images or limited Mental Illusions effect is closest to what I had in mind.

 

If a Killing Attack is IPE, does it cause no pain?

[L. Marcus]

Arguably, if it's fully Invisible.

[JasonPacker]

IPE is really about charging you for a power that nobody can tell you're using. If you're biting someone's neck, that's going to be pretty obvious.

 

I'm thinking "causes no pain" might well fall under special effects.

 

Linking in some power that causes the character to become docile and a willing participant is almost a requirement.

[Merrick]

I built one as a Compound Power for a player in my latest game.  Hope this helps!

 

Vampiric Kiss:  (Total: 65 Active Cost, 30 Real Cost)

 

Bite: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6-1, Penetrating (+1/2) (15 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Requires grab; -1/2), No STR Bonus (-1/2) (Real Cost: 7)

 

Drain Blood: Drain BODY 2d6, Constant (+1/2) (30 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Linked (Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand; -1/4), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (BIte must cause damage; -1/4) (Real Cost: 15)

 

Euphoria: Entangle 1d6, 1 PD/1 ED, Alternate Combat Value (uses OMCV against DMCV; +1/4), Works Against EGO, Not STR (+1/4), Takes No Damage From Attacks All Attacks (+1/2) (20 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Mental Defense adds to EGO; -1/2), No Range (-1/2), Linked (Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand; -1/4), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Bite must cause damage; -1/4) (Real Cost: 8)

[Steve]

For the bite, I'm thinking small fangs, so maybe only a 1 point HKA that STR can add damage to (so 2 DCs max damage).

 

The blood drain portion could probably go for 1d6 (or maybe less).In fiction, it can take a while to die from blood draining.

 

Entangle is one way I've been thinking of doing it, maybe with a Stunning Change Environment effect. This would be linked to the drain, which seems like the proper special effect.

 

After feeding, a lick seals the wound, so a small Heal seems appropriate.

[Sean Waters]

I've used Stunning (v EGO rather than CON) as a 'bliss attack'.  Well, not a bliss attack, well it was but it wasn't called a bliss attack.

 

It worked fine.

 

Actually it was built with and EGO attack that did no damage (this was before I knew all about Stunning as a CE effect.  It would have a much lower active cost now), but if you got stunned, it also hit you with a 1 point major mental transform (target to addict).  Have enough, er, blisses and you get addicted to wanting more.

[Merrick]

For the bite, I'm thinking small fangs, so maybe only a 1 point HKA that STR can add damage to (so 2 DCs max damage).

 

The blood drain portion could probably go for 1d6 (or maybe less).In fiction, it can take a while to die from blood draining.

 

Entangle is one way I've been thinking of doing it, maybe with a Stunning Change Environment effect. This would be linked to the drain, which seems like the proper special effect.

 

After feeding, a lick seals the wound, so a small Heal seems appropriate.

 

Y'know, it occurs to me that you could skip half this rigmarole by simply dropping the HKA.  I mean, unless you want your vampires tearing people's throats out, there's not much reason  to have it.  

 

You could just buy a Body Drain, with however much you deem appropriate, tack on No Range and an LP for "requires Grab."  Then the whole thing of having to worry about the wound closing is more semantic.  

 

Something like... this?

 

Drain BODY 1d6, Attack Versus Alternate Defense (Neck Guard; All Or Nothing; +0), Constant (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Inobvious to [one Sense Group], effects of Power are Inobvious to target and Invisible to other characters; +1) (25 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Must follow Grab; -1/2), Restrainable (-1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Must have Blood or similar vital fluid; -1/4)

 

Real cost winds up being 9 points per d6, so not a bad deal!  This seems like it might fit more of your needs in one power unless, like I mentioned before, you want your vampires to be able to rip people's throats out.

 

Also, for the euphoria, there's a write up in the Powers book for Emotion Control built as Mind Control but only to create one emotion.

 

Hope these musings help!

 

Regards,

Merrick

[Steve]

I've actually been thinking that Drain is probably the wrong power to do the blood drinking, since it would require a delayed recovery rate. I'm probably closer with an HKA, maybe with AVLD to require the target have blood and an unprotected neck or no damage.

 

The bite HKA is probably still needed, if only to deal with potentially armored foes. Giving it Penetrating might not be of of line.

 

Bite occurs (HKA) then the draining (HKA with constant and maybe Concentration). That seems more like a vampire bite to me since it is essentially causing bleeding damage.

[Merrick]

After Steve's comment, I got to thinking.  I also reviewed the Bestiary and checked with the Vampires they had built in there.  After doing that, I did my own little spin on the build.

 

(Total: 61 Active Cost, 29 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Ranged 1d6, Attack Versus Alternate Defense (No Blood or Similar Vital Fluid, Hide or Clothing too thick to bite through; All Or Nothing; +0), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Constant (+1/2), Does BODY (+1) (41 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Target must be restrained or willing (Grab, Entangle, Mind Control); -1/2) (Real Cost: 20) plus Entangle 1d6, 1 PD/1 ED, Alternate Combat Value (uses OCV against DMCV; +1/4), Works Against EGO, Not STR (+1/4), Takes No Damage From Attacks All Attacks (+1/2) (20 Active Points); Mental Defense Adds To EGO (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Linked (Vampire Bite; Greater Power is Constant or in use most or all of the time; -1/4) (Real Cost: 9)

 

I also intended to have a third element in there, Throat Rip, in which at any point during the actual blood drinking, the character could do an additional 1d6 killing plus strength as they push the proverbial table away and essentially spike their dinner plate.  I wasn't able to add it due to this particular character's point constraints, but I'm much happier with the way this build synergizes with the special effect.  It lacks the invisible power element due to point constraints, but could be easily added.

[Tasha]

Someone twigged onto the invis power effects. Just ignore this post

[Sean Waters]

Why not just build it as a cumulative mind control?  IIRC you get to add the points until you have reached the intended total before the target gets to know what you have been up to.  Traditionally vampires have to visit their victims several times to fully have them under their power, so a Mind Control along the lines of 'Don't notice what I'm doing', coupled with a Mental Transform, target to willing lackey/slave, should do the trick nicely, even if the target is conscious.

 

The MC would be the 'mesmer', invisible to most observers (without Mental Awareness) and, because of the cumulative, the target probably will not notice until too late.  Then the actual biting (the Transform) can take place.  The target of the MC will not notice, as they have been told not to, but anyone else observing will see something odd going on.

[Christopher]

I've used Stunning (v EGO rather than CON) as a 'bliss attack'.  Well, not a bliss attack, well it was but it wasn't called a bliss attack.

 

It worked fine.

 

Actually it was built with and EGO attack that did no damage (this was before I knew all about Stunning as a CE effect.  It would have a much lower active cost now), but if you got stunned, it also hit you with a 1 point major mental transform (target to addict).  Have enough, er, blisses and you get addicted to wanting more.

But what was the value for this Advantage? Using CON isntead of EGO for teh STUN effect is clearly an advantage, since most Characters (5E and 6E alike) will hace more CON then EGO.

 

Why not just build it as a cumulative mind control?  IIRC you get to add the points until you have reached the intended total before the target gets to know what you have been up to.  Traditionally vampires have to visit their victims several times to fully have them under their power, so a Mind Control along the lines of 'Don't notice what I'm doing', coupled with a Mental Transform, target to willing lackey/slave, should do the trick nicely, even if the target is conscious.

 

The MC would be the 'mesmer', invisible to most observers (without Mental Awareness) and, because of the cumulative, the target probably will not notice until too late.  Then the actual biting (the Transform) can take place.  The target of the MC will not notice, as they have been told not to, but anyone else observing will see something odd going on.

I think you misudnerstand something with MC there. Cummulative let's you add points towards the effect, but still tips off the taget that you are attacking it (building up the attack). You can still aim for a +20 point Adder "Target not aware it has been controlled after the fact", but the target is still aware of each attacks while you build up effect. Another thing IPE (invisible for Target) would not have to deal with.

Also a target would only let you bite it after the MC takes effect. Till then the target would be aware you are biting it and would not want you to continue it.

[Sean Waters]

But what was the value for this Advantage? Using CON isntead of EGO for teh STUN effect is clearly an advantage, since most Characters (5E and 6E alike) will hace more CON then EGO.

 

I think you misudnerstand something with MC there. Cummulative let's you add points towards the effect, but still tips off the taget that you are attacking it (building up the attack). You can still aim for a +20 point Adder "Target not aware it has been controlled after the fact", but the target is still aware of each attacks while you build up effect. Another thing IPE (invisible for Target) would not have to deal with.

Also a target would only let you bite it after the MC takes effect. Till then the target would be aware you are biting it and would not want you to continue it.

 

1. Using EGO is not that important, you can stick with CON if you visualise it as a physical sensation overwhelming you.  If you want to go with EGO then +1/4 should be fine, as you would expect EGO and CON values to be relatively close, at least in games that I run, but if your experience is otherwise, increase it to +1/2. 

 

2. I had always read the combination of 'cumulative' and 'don't remember afterwards' as meaning that the 'don't remember' would override the awareness of the attack, but I can see how that may not be right.  You can use IPE if you want to build a cumulative attack, and it can be very cheap: you only need a +1/2 to make the mind control invisible to the target, assuming the do not have mental awareness, or +1 to make the effects invisible to everyone.  In fact for +1 1/2 it can be made invisible even if you do have MA.  Let's do that:

 

Mind Control 1 point, Persistent (+1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Constant (+1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Completely invisible including target effects (+1 1/2), Cumulative (128 points; +2 1/4) (14 Active Points)

 

14 active points before any limitations.  Vampire meets target, infects target with their charm, then does not even need to be there as it keeps on working.  The power keeps going until it hits maximum effect.  Assume a 20 EGO human, and 'thinks their actions are their own'. That means that 26 minutes after meeting a vampire, you are in a EGO+40+20 mind control - basically you will give yourself to the vampire for biting or whatever else he is into - and you also have 60 points built up to reduce the breakout roll, or -12.  No stunning necessary.  14 points.  Geez...

 

If, like me, you think that is a very naughty build, how about +40 PRE?  Assuming a vamp has 20 PRE to start with, that is 42 point so effect, even if he has not set the situation up in advance, which he will, which will easily be enough to get horribly close the PRE+30.

 

Or you can do it with staged Mind Control.  MC 1: find me interesting.  Probably a straight 'beat EGO' in most cases.  MC 2: find me sexy.  Probably a straight 'beat EGO' in most cases, if you are already/still under the effect of the first MC and that is backed up with a Charm roll.  MC 3, let me kiss you and bite your neck.  Probably a straight 'beat EGO' in most cases, assuming 1 and 2 are still in place.  The neck bite then either does a mental transform of the 'brain worm' suggested above.  The fact that the target knows they are being mentally attacked is irrelevant in this situation because that does not increase the difficulty of the control.  6d6 MC should get most humans using that approach.

 

Bear in mind vampires do not just turn people all the time: traditionally the ones that they do turn they have spent a lot of time and effort on, all of which will lower their defences through role playing.  This is why PCs can be so hard to turn, because role playing can sometimes take a hit in favour of metagaming, which is why the strongarm tactics are sometimes needed.

 

Also you can make the SFX of all this mind controlling or PRE attacking 'pleasurable sensation'.

 

Finally, you can bite the victim whenever you like, but the victim will only cooperate if you have them in your power.  Of course most vampires are much stronger than humans and may have centuries of combat experience, so that might not be an issue: there is more than one sort of power.  Generally though, they are happy to take their time.  Oh, it's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase...