Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 1

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1 SPI ADDENDUM: CWOD UNIVERSAL (MIND S EYE THEATRE) Effective Date: 26 December 2014 Last Updated: 26 December 2014 This addendum is organized into the following sections: 0. THE GOLDEN RULES: A few basic rules to keep in mind at all times. I. ERRATA & OPTIONAL RULES: Errata & optional rules. II. APPROVALS: Basic rules on how approvals work. III. GENERAL APPROVAL LIMITATIONS: A listing of general approval levels. IV. EXPERIENCE POINTS: How XP are allocated in the global chronicle. V. PLAYER CHARACTERS: Rules for creating and maintaining player characters. VI. STORYTELLER CHARACTERS: Rules for creating and maintaining storyteller characters (aka antagonists, NPCs). VII. SYSTEMS: The core rules systems used in the global chronicle. VIII. TRAITS: Rules pertaining to universally-available Abilities, Merits, Flaws, Backgrounds, etc. IX. ADDITIONAL BOOKS: A listing of books or excerpts sanctioned universally for the global chronicle. Text in red indicates new or changed items in this addendum cycle. Text in blue indicates new or changed items from the last addendum cycle. Text in green applies only to the specified Member Clubs. This addendum provides the rules for Shadowplay International s live-action Classic (or Old ) World of Darkness chronicle and provides a level playing-field throughout the organisation. Storytellers are not permitted to change or ignore approval requirements or take more than reasonable leeway to bend the rules to develop stories. Rules from this supplement and sanctioned White Wolf books must be particularly strictly observed when character death is a likely possibility. White Wolf, Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, Changeling: The Dreaming, Hunter: The Reckoning, Wraith: the Oblivion, and Demon: the Fallen are trademarks of CCP hf. All trademarked terms within are used with permission. Errata for published materials are treated separately from the materials they reference. If published material is sanctioned in whole or in part or if is not sanctioned has no bearing on the sanctioning of the commensurate errata. 0. THE GOLDEN RULES A. LARP is not a shoot-em-up. You don't get notches in your belt for killing other PCs. You don't win by making the game miserable for everyone else. This is a storytelling game, and you win by telling a good story with others. If you do insist on making the game miserable for everyone else, the presiding storyteller has every right to tell you, in plain and simple terms, No. Not here, not today. B. In all situations during a game session where there is a query relating to the rules and the interpretation and application thereof, the presiding ST's decision is considered to be correct. If a player disagrees with such a decision, they should wait until the game session has finished to raise their concerns to the ST. Alternatively they may lodge an appeal with the ST chain. C. The World of Darkness utilizes extremely disturbing themes. While characters can and do commit awful acts, this is never an excuse to traumatize a player. It is the responsibility of all storytellers and players to ask if the players of PCs targeted for inclusion in traumatic acts (e.g., sexual violence, human sacrifice, etc.) are comfortable participating, and to offer options such as fade to black or alternate scene otherwise. That said, the World of Darkness is a setting which deals with adult topics including, but not limited to, death, abduction, abuse and insanity. Players should notify the presiding ST if they become uncomfortable with any of the themes present in the game at any point. Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 1

2 D. If you know that something is not the intent of the organisation s interpretation of the books, departs drastically from common sense, or is otherwise wrong but appears to be technically possible due to vague wording or legal loophole, don t do it. Don t be that guy (or gal). I. ERRATA & OPTIONAL RULES A. None at this time. II. APPROVALS A. How Approvals Work: All character sheets are Low Approval for creation and updating. Anything from sanctioned material that can be applied to a character sheet is Low Approval unless otherwise specified in this document. 1. Guidance: If at any point a given Storyteller is uncertain about whether a given approval is appropriate, they may ask for guidance from Storytellers further up their reporting chain. B. Notifications 1. Notifications require an acknowledgement from certain Storytellers and are usually used for tracking purposes. They don't require standard approval, although they should be added to the approvals database (where available) as usual. Any additional information requested by a Storyteller in a comment on the notification must be supplied. 2. Items requiring Notifications enter play when the required Approval level has been satisfied. C. Universal Approval Lexicon 1. Approval Levels: a. Low Approval: Requires approval by the Venue Storyteller. b. Mid Approval: Requires approval by the Domain Storyteller. c. High Approval: Requires approval by the Regional Storyteller if in a Member Club with Regions; otherwise, the appropriate Genre Storyteller or Assistant National Storyteller. d. Top Approval: Requires approval by the National Storyteller. e. Global Approval Requires approval by the Master Storyteller, in addition to the Approval of a majority of National Storytellers (or their appointed representatives.) 2. Character Class: Groups or classifications that are optional to join (e.g. Sect, etc.). 3. Character Type: The inherent (and usually unchangeable) classifications for supernatural beings (e.g. clan). Characters are automatically assigned to the genre specific to their character type (see section III.C.4. for exceptions). Mundane mortal characters can be assigned to any genre at creation (but must be assigned to one genre). 4. Genre: A World of Darkness game based around a type of supernatural (e.g. Apocalypse). 5. Place of Power: A location where the power or presence of the supernatural is especially strong in some way (e.g. Caerns, etc.). 6. Player Character: a character portrayed by a player 7. Power Stat: The measure of a supernatural creature's inner strength and affinity. In Masquerade this is Generation, in Apocalypse it is Rank, in Ascension it is Arete, in Fallen it is Faith. Dreaming and Oblivion do not have a Power Stat. 8. Storyteller Character (NPC): A character created by a Storyteller as part of a genre storyline. 9. Venue: A location- and genre-specific game hosted by a chapter or domain, as defined by a Venue Style Sheet (VSS). D. Universal Approval Clarifications Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 2

3 1. Power Stats: Power Stat Traits are not dependent upon Member Class. See your National Storyteller for details regarding Power Stat Traits in your Member Club and what restrictions may be in effect. E. Grandfathering: If something was listed as a specific approval level in previous rules document has increased in approval requirement here, it will be "grandfathered". In order to keep the approval, a notification must be sent to the same level as the item's new approval level. This section will change with each addendum update to address specific changes between versions. F. Member Clubs Without Global Approval Database Access: If a player is from an Member Club that does not use the approvals database they are responsible for confirmation of items requiring special approval or notification when attending a game other than their home game. The confirmation (written or electronic) must be from the highest approval Storyteller for each item. This is in addition to any other VSS requirements at the game being visited. III. GENERAL APPROVAL LIMITATIONS A. Low Approval 1. Canon Materials: Antagonist storyteller character types that appear in specific books for the genre. 2. Canon Materials: Antagonist storyteller character types from genre-neutral books (Mafia, Midnight Circus, etc) 3. Canon Materials: Antagonist storyteller characters that come from character-types available for player characters in the genre. These NPCs may only use custom mechanics if such mechanics are available at Mid Approval to PCs 4. Character: Sheet rewrite for members who have played the genre for less than 4 months. This may be done once per genre (not once per character) and only on the first character that member portrays in that genre. 5. Character: Anything intended for your character type or class from core genre books and subgroup-specific books (e.g. it is Low Approval for a Euthanatos to access mechanics from the Euthanatos tradition book). 6. Character Activity: Brief cross-genre soft RP that has no significant consequences on PCs (e.g. a mage PC contacts a werewolf PC to ask permission to enter the werewolf s territory for some transitory reason). 7. Storyteller Authority: Minor magical items, rituals and effects that are part of local storylines do not require special approval. These must be temporary, not directly benefit player characters and be limited to the local venue. 8. Storyteller Authority: Temporary places of power. 9. Storyteller Authority: Minor changes to a scene, e.g. reversing a mistaken rules call within the session. High Notification is required if any participant is unhappy with the results. B. Mid Approval 1. Canon Materials: Ability Trait from a sanctioned MET source book that is not part of the genre source material for a character s home genre. 2. Character: Sheet rewrites to make a character game legal after an error has been made. (e.g. a rewrite to remove Creation Only merits purchased with MC or game XP). 3. Character: Fame Character: Lore Character Activity: One-time cross-genre participation in a game of a different genre (e.g. a mage PC attends a local vampire gathering to inquire of historical lore they may have of the area; a werewolf PC stalks in the darkness outside a mage gather on suspicion that one of them may be involved with Pentex, etc.). This includes hard RP. 6. Storyteller Authority: Storylines that include repeated use of cross-genre NPCs. 7. Storyteller Authority: All places of power unless otherwise specified. Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 3

4 C. High Approval 1. Canon Materials: Background, Merit or Flaw Trait from a sanctioned MET source book that is not part of the genre source material for a character s home genre. 2. Character: Fame Character: Lore Character: Holding an organization (Sect, Tradition, etc) position above city level. 5. Character: Permanent cross-genre participation between two genres (e.g. a Mage who regularly visits the Fallen in addition to dealing with his fellow Mages). A PC with this approval uses the Primary slot for each of the genres involved. 6. Character Background: Cross-genre background (e.g. a vampire PC that was once kinfolk; a mage PC who was once a ghoul). 7. Character Sheet: To infiltrate a different character type or class under an alternate identity (e.g. it is High Approval for a Brujah to create a fake identity and infiltrate the Ventrue). It is not possible to infiltrate a different genre. 8. Storyteller Authority: Use cross-genre NPCs that appear at a game or directly interact with player characters, except as otherwise specified. 9. Storyteller Authority: NPC Wraiths outside of the Oblivion genre, unless made as common wraiths (see Merits and Flaws). 10. Storyteller Authority: Significant alteration or removal of scenes from continuity, particularly involving significant effects (e.g. Torpor, loss of limb). 11. Storyteller Authority: One-time cross-genre game, with permitted genres specified in the application (e.g. a game that permits both werewolves and changelings to attend in order to resolve a plot that involves both genres). 12. VSS: Standard, single-genre VSS. D. Top Approval 1. Canon Affecting: Use of any unique magic items from source material. 2. Canon Material: Ability Trait from a non-sanctioned MET source book. 3. Storyteller Tools: Access to Military personnel or hardware - for each instance or use. 4. Storyteller Tools: Access to any kind of Storyteller "hit squad" called in by a player character to affect another player character 5. Character: Fame Character: Lore Character: Holding an organization (Sect, Tradition, etc) position above regional level. 8. Character Activity: Permanent cross-genre participation between two genres (e.g. a Mage who regularly visits the Lost in addition to dealing with his fellow Mages). 9. Character Background: Anything related to the Vatican: This requires approval from the Italian NST. 10. Character IC Knowledge: Learning a Lore that is specific to a special approval character type, organization, etc. (one to which the character does not belong). 11. Character Sheet: Rewrite for members who have played in the genre in excess of four months 12. Character Sheet: More than seven Traits of Merits, and/or more than seven Free Traits from Flaws. 13. Character Sheet: Conversion of a Secondary Character to a Primary Character. (Conversion of a Primary Character to a Secondary Character is not permitted.) 14. Character Sheet: To regain control of a retired PC and return that PC to play. 15. Character Sheet: Antagonist character types as player characters (e.g. a Black Spiral Dancer PC). Includes being an Antagonist character type in background. This is subject to modification in specific genre addenda. 16. Spirits, etc: Use of a true Deity or divine entity from any religion. 17. Storyteller Authority: Use of a dead PC as an NPC Wraith. 18. Storyteller Tools: Mobile places of power. 19. Storyteller Tools: Places of power that grant XP benefits. Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 4

5 20. VSS: Mixed-genre, permitting supernatural creatures of more than one genre to attach to a single VSS (e.g. a VSS that includes both werewolf and mage PCs). E. Global Approval 1. Canon Affecting: Use of any unique ("named") characters from source material. 2. Character: Fame Character: Holding an organization (Sect, Tradition, etc) position above national level. 4. Character: Access to Merits based in Dark Places on the Map (e.g., a police Contact in Egypt, a Caribbean island Haven, Resources in a Swiss bank account, etc.). 5. Character Background: Interaction with unique (named) Storyteller characters or major historical figures. This approval is waived if the interaction happens as part of storyline or chronicle interaction with officers on the MST's staff. 6. Character Background: Dark Points on the Map: Major historical presence. Being a major historical figure (e.g., Joan of Arc, Benito Mussolini, etc.), having significant interactions with a historical figure (e.g., being an advisor to Catherine the Great, Rommel's aide-de-camp, being a drinking buddy to Pancho Villa), or having significant effects upon events (e.g., the secret power behind Franco's Spain, a major figure in the Petrograd Soviet). 7. Changes to continuity on global lists. F. Not Sanctioned 1. Canon Affecting: Significantly reshaping paradigm in one or more genres (e.g. wide scale destruction of the Masquerade). 2. Canon Affecting: Any plot where supernatural future telling powers indicate that there is a risk of paradigm being significantly reshaped, except where this is due to a published mechanic for giving false results. 3. Custom Items: At this time, custom mechanics which do not fall under a sanctioned Creation Guide are not sanctioned. 4. Custom Items: Any custom item of any sort which mimics a published item in a current White Wolf product (sanctioned or unsanctioned). G. Supernatural Benefits inherent to a Character type of Class 1. Unless otherwise specified in this document or appendices, characters may never have access to supernatural mechanics or benefits inherent to another character type or class (e.g. only Gangrel may learn additional animal forms via Protean as described in the Gangrel clanbook). 2. Exceptions are powers, activated by one character, that bestow benefits on another character. 3. These rules may be superseded by genre-specific details in the Global Addendum. H. Altered Levels of Approval 1. Performing in-character actions affecting a large area requires approval of the principal Storyteller with the lowest approval authority over that area (e.g. affecting New York City would require approval from the city's Domain Storyteller, affecting parts of Scotland and England would require approval from the UK National Storyteller). I. Dark Places on the Map 1. Both Member Clubs and the Global Office have Dark Places on the Map. Those within the bounds of a Member Club are under the jurisdiction of the office of the NST, whereas those outside the bounds of a Member Club are under the jurisdiction of the office of the MST. 2. Interactions with Dark Places on the Map that do not have direct effect upon those locations require only Notification to the relevant ST chain. Travel, background ties, character history, etc. fall under this category of interactions. 3. Interactions with Dark Places on the Map that do have direct effect upon those locations require Approval of the relevant ST chain. Supporting a coup, exploring ruins, having effected historical change, engaging in a hard proxy, etc. fall under this category. Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 5

6 IV. EXPERIENCE POINTS (XP) A. Primary vs Secondary characters 1. Player characters are either 'Primary' or 'Secondary' characters. 2. Each player can have one Primary character in each genre. a. A player may elect to sacrifice a Primary slot in one genre to have a second Primary slot in another genre. This can be done only once. b. A PC with approval for permanent cross-genre participation between two genres uses the Primary slots for both of those genres. 3. Each player may have one Secondary characters in each genre. 4. Members with multiple characters must design and play them in such a way as to never interact in any way, even through a secondary source. 5. Primary characters add XP (XP) based on the Membership Class (MC) of their player. 6. Players can voluntarily take fewer than the allocated starting dots. B. Membership Class and Chronicle XP 1. Membership Class XP a. Primary Characters: i. Starts with up to 100 XP, with the particular formulae established by the individual Member Club (e.g., a member club may specify that Primary Characters start with 5 XP per MC, plus a base of 25). (a) AUSTRALIA, GWB, ITALIA: Primary Characters start with 5 XP per MC, plus a base of 25 XP. (b) IRELAND: Reference the system provided in the Irish CWoD Character Development Document. b. Secondary characters: Start with 30 XP. No additional XP is added for MC levels. c. When a player gains new MC levels, all their Primary characters add an amount of XP per level gained as noted in the multiplier for their Member Club (e.g., with the example above, 5 XP per level of MC). d. If a player loses MC levels, all their Primary characters lose XP equal to the worth of the MC. This may cause characters to go into "XP debt" (they do not lose dots from their sheet), which must be paid off before anything else is bought for that character. 2. These XP are added after normal character creation is complete, before entering play. 3. Any amount of unspent XP may be banked; however, banked XP cannot be spent at a higher rate than allowed in the Downtime rules of your VSS. 4. Membership Class XP are not counted against the Incremental Maximum (see below). C. Character Development Document 1. Experience earned by completing the Character Development Document (maximum of 4 XP) counts against neither the Incremental Maximum nor the annual limit for Over-Cap XP. D. Experience Trait Earning 1. Incremental Maximum: After entering play a character may earn XP up to the Incremental Maximum (exceptions noted in Over-Cap Experience Awards). a. The Incremental Maximum is calculated as 4 XP per month since the chronicle began. b. Example: John PC starts the third month of the chronicle with 7 XP. He can earn up to 5 XP that month, reaching the Incremental Maximum of 12 XP. 2. A player's direct Storyteller can award up to 2 XP per month for activities not related to a game. a. Example: bonuses for written downtimes, character journals, end-of-story bonuses, etc. b. No more than 2 XP per month may be awarded for a single activity. Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 6

7 3. Unless otherwise stipulated in the Global Addendum, no trait can be purchased if doing do would impose an XP debt. Regardless whether a given trait has been earned in play or approved at the requisite level, the character must earn the required XP prior to purchase. 4. Unless otherwise stipulated in the Global Addendum, changes due to applying a template, joining/leaving an organization, joining a bloodline, etc. neither incur an XP debt nor grant an XP return. E. Over-Cap XP 1. Each of the following awards can be earned in excess of the Incremental Maximum. 2. Multiple over-cap awards are cumulative unless noted, but may not exceed 10 overcap XP per year on any character. 3. Activities which can earn over-cap XP are subject to the discretion of the Member Clubs at Top Approval. 4. Unless otherwise specified, all such awards must be entered on the approvals database (where available) at Low Approval. 5. If players have portrayed multiple characters in the same game session they can split the over-cap XP between the characters (the full bonus is not applied to both characters) as they see fit. V. PLAYER CHARACTERS A. Character Sanctioning and Records 1. The player's direct Storyteller must approve all their characters for that particular venue. a. In order to place a new PC on a VSS not in your home Chapter/Domain, you must have the approval of the lowest level storyteller with jurisdiction over both your home VSS and the one on which you wish to place your PC. 2. Any time there is a discrepancy between the player's copy and the copy on record with your Storyteller, the Storyteller's copy is considered accurate. 3. A complete character record includes: a. Character sheet b. Verification of any special approvals c. Experience point log. 4. The experience point log must include: a. How starting points were spent at creation, including Free Traits. b. How XP was spent afterwards. c. A list of games attended and XP awards. d. All XP awards must be dated. B. Retirement 1. A player can choose to retire a character. 2. Once retired, the character becomes an NPC under the control of the player's direct Storyteller (or the temporary supervision of the supervising Storyteller of a particular game or convention), and cannot be portrayed by the originating player. 3. The character's activities are then limited to resolving unfinished business with other player characters or story elements, unless both the player and the Storyteller have agreed the character can become a recurring NPC. 4. Dead characters may not be resurrected, nor can they be brought back into play as PC Wraith. C. Character History 1. The players of characters whose histories include being a noteworthy figure in mortal or supernatural affairs in an area, being tied into that area's published IC events/history, interacting with the area's local supernatural population (e.g. attending court meetings, gatherings, etc.), or who resided in an area for more than 100 years, must gain the approval of the presiding storyteller for that area. For histories that have an impact outside of a character's home nation, the approval of that country's NST must also be gained. Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 7

8 a. Character backgrounds involving time spent in a Member Club s territory must have the written approval of that Member Club s NST or designated assistant. b. Character backgrounds involving time spent in a non-member Club region must have the written approval of the AMST-Dark Places on the Map. 2. Players should create well-researched background with tie-ins with other player characters. 3. Player characters cannot genuinely have been major historical figures or fictional characters. 4. No character can be made to engage in activities that would immediately set off realworld alarm bells (avoid IRA bombers, Nazi torturers, etc). a. Storytellers are strongly encouraged to deny any backgrounds that may lead to conflict with real world authorities or civic organisations. b. Any references to real world terrorist organisations in s or other communications must include a clear disclaimer that the communication is a prop for entertainment. 5. Players must create backgrounds for their characters that conform with the sanctioned chronicle history of an area, or be subject to desanction. 6. Do not use names from current or prior White Wolf works or other copyrighted fiction (White Wolf or non-white Wolf). D. Becoming a Supernatural Creature 1. Rules for becoming a supernatural creature are found in each genre s source MET material and genre supplement. (e.g.: A ghoul being Embraced, or a Sleepwalker Awakening.) 2. A player character that is changed from one Character Type to another requires High Approval to do so. If this Approval is not obtained, the change fails, usually resulting in either nothing happening to the character, or the character s death, depending on the change in question. 3. Characters that become another Character Type lose all items that are not native to their new character type. (e.g.): A Hermetic that is Embraced loses all Arete Traits) 4. Generic items such as Abilities, Attributes, and Willpower carry over at their current levels. All other modifications to the character sheet are determined by the High Approval Storyteller. Unspent XP are be carried over. Any XP or Free Traits spent on things that are lost as a result of the change are refunded to the character. The change, and any XP refunds, must be recorded in the XP log. VI. STORYTELLER CHARACTERS (ANTAGONISTS) A. General NPC Information 1. Each NPC must be approved by a principal Storyteller. 2. NPCs are created like player characters; they are subject to the same approval limitations as PCs unless specifically noted otherwise. E.g., High Approval (Low Approval for NPCs). a. Exception: Character Types are approved at one level lower for NPCs than for PCs, though Types from another genre always require at least Mid Approval. b. Exception: NPC Wraiths are always at least High Approval outside of the Oblivion genre, unless made as common wraiths (see Merits and Flaws). 3. Storyteller characters can be built with up to 100XP + the Incremental Maximum; High Approval is required to exceed this limit. VII. SYSTEMS Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 8

9 A. Mediation: It should be noted that in live-action role-playing, mutually agreeable mediation is a perfectly valid method of resolving inter-character conflicts. This can involve running mechanical tests for the first turn or two to establish a feel for how the conflict would go and narrating the rest of the scene from there, or talking briefly out-ofcharacter to find an end goal that is mutually acceptable and simply narrating the entire scene. Remember: the goal is to tell a story together; nobody loses at LARP, and the only win is a good story. That said, sometimes mediation is not possible, in which case we resort to the mechanical test system as described below. B. General System Information 1. Testing for all genres is performed using the Rock-Paper-Scissors system in the Mind s Eye Theatre, Revised Edition series of source books (e.g., Laws of the Night Rev. Ed., Laws of the Wild Rev. Ed., etc), except as modified in the Global Addendum. All tests must be performed with a narrator present. 2. Challenge Resolution Limitations: No player may declare more than twice the number of his maximum Attribute Traits in any challenge for any reason unless specifically allowed by the exceptions below. (e.g.: Ezekiel is a 9th Generation Tremere with eight Physical Traits, three Melee traits, a specialization in Melee: Cane, and a wooden cane that lends three traits. When he attempts to stake another vampire, he may bid up to (8+1+3) twelve Traits when comparing in the case of a tie. Since the maximum Physical Traits for a 9th generation Kindred is 13, Ezekiel could never bid more than twenty-six traits in this Physical Challenge regardless of how his Attributes, Abilities, and all other modifications stacked, unless noted by the exceptions below.) a. The additional Traits gained by Garou from shifting into Lupus, Hispo, Glabro, or Crinos Form are not subject to the above limitation. b. The additional Traits gained by spending Vitae are not subject to the above limitation. c. Any powers found in sanctioned MET books that involve shapeshifting (e.g.: Iron Avatar) are not subject to the above limitation. 3. Current Traits: When players compare Traits, they may declare up to their total, permanent number of Traits (excluding Traits lost in previous challenges or for other reasons). 4. Negative Traits: Negative Traits always apply during all relevant tests. (e.g.: if a character has the negative trait Lame at one trait level, all physical tests involving that negative trait whether or not the trait is called against the character require the bidding of one extra trait.) 5. Willpower Traits: Willpower is used as listed in Sanctioned MET books with the following exceptions: a. When spending a Willpower Trait to replenish all lost Traits in a category (Physical, Social, or Mental), each given category may only be replenished once in any game session. b. Expending a Willpower Trait allows a retest to defend against a Mental or Social Challenge; it does not automatically negate the challenge. This may not be used for such challenges as those involving perception, using Mental Traits with Firearms, or Mental versus Physical Challenges. It may not be used to retest challenges that are the result of a character's own power (such as Auspex), even if he is the challenge's defender (such as with Majesty). c. Willpower may not be used to automatically succeed in Static Challenges or Simple Tests. 6. Mob Combat: per Laws of the Night, Rev. Ed. pp Blood Loss: Humans (and other living beings in the World of Darkness) are considered to have a maximum of ten Blood Traits in their bodies. They suffer a level of Lethal damage for each Trait they lose beyond two, and become Mortally Wounded when completely drained of blood by a Kindred. This damage suffered Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 9

10 from blood loss cannot be healed until the blood is regained. Treat Lethal damage caused by blood loss as Aggravated for the purposes of supernatural healing. 8. Movement: Powers and other effects that increase a character's movement rate are not cumulative. Unless otherwise clarified in their appropriate genre supplement, a character may not attack and make use of such movement increases in the same action. C. Weapons and Equipment 1. Custom/non-standard items, mundane or magical, are not sanctioned at this time. D. Proxy Play 1. "Proxy" refers to sending your character sheet to a Storyteller other than your own, to portray a character without your physical presence. Refer to the host VSS for details on their proxy requirements. 2. Storytellers must keep players informed of proxy progress, providing updates at least on a fortnightly basis, and must portray proxied characters to the best of their ability and in keeping with the player's proxy instructions. E. Economies of Scale in VSSs 1. Storytellers can set up their own guidelines for monitoring commodities that fuel supernatural creatures, e.g. Blood, Quintessence, etc. 2. These must be recorded in the VSS. F. Exceeding Limits: No effect allows a character to exceed normal expenditure limits of willpower, or fuels such as blood, quintessence, etc., unless otherwise stated in this addendum or a White Wolf book. G. Pre-Game Effects: Activation of pre-game powers that take significant time to implement should be worked out with the ST, who can use their judgment regarding timings and other practicalities. VIII. TRAITS A. Recovering Traits 1. Temporary Attribute and Ability Traits are recovered at the beginning of the day after the end of the session. Genre-specific Traits such as Blood, Rage, Glamour, Pathos, Quintessence, etc, are regained as described in the Sanctioned source material or appropriate genre supplement. Willpower Traits are recovered naturally at a rate of one per week. B. Abilities 1. Linguistics: Linguistics is a single Ability, which allows a character to know languages other than her native tongue. Each level of this Ability allows the character to read, write, and speak additional languages as follows: a. : 1 extra language other than the PC s native tongue. b. : 2 extra languages besides the PC s native tongue. c. : 4 extra languages besides the PC s native tongue d. : 8 extra languages besides the PC s native tongue e. : 16 extra languages besides the PC s native tongue 2. Lore a. Refer to genre addenda for information regarding acquisition of Lores (both at character creation and during course of play). C. Backgrounds 1. Duplicating other Traits a. Any Background that would duplicate an Approval item is the same level of Approval as the original item. (e.g.: A Fetish or Wonder that duplicates a High Approval Merit is High Approval itself.) i. AUSTRALIA: Any Background that would duplicate an Approval item is a custom item and not sanctioned unless created in line with genre-specific creation guides. 2. Magic Item Backgrounds Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 10

11 a. If an item is transferred to another character, the gaining character must pay the XP cost for the item, while the character losing the item returns the XP cost to a temporary Magic Item XP Pool. This Pool can be used only toward the purchase of new magic items. Resource dots such as Willpower spent to make the item are also regained. b. These items are not considered custom items if built strictly according to a sanctioned Creation Guide. i. All such items must be entered on the database (where available) for tracking purposes. c. 5 Trait items and above are High Approval unless different levels are defined elsewhere. 3. Specific Backgrounds a. Influence: Per Dark Epic. i. Any influence purchased with XP cannot be permanently lost, but instead grows back at a rate of 1 per month ii. No more than 5 levels of a type of Influence can be brought with XP. iii. Influence is the only background that can exceed the limit of 5 points. b. Retainers: i. If a character sheet is needed for a Retainer, the Storyteller will create it with Attributes, five Ability Traits, three Humanity Traits, and 1 Willpower Trait. For each additional Background Trait spent by a player on a particular Retainer, add five XP to its character sheet (to a maximum of four additional Background Traits, or 20 XP.) Retainers may take Derangements and Negative Traits to gain up to seven Free Traits, but may not have Merits, Flaws, or Backgrounds (including Influence). ii. The Retainer s character sheet cannot have anything on it that requires Mid (or higher) Approval. Retainers do not gain XP in the course of play. iii. Retainers may be partially Awakened mortals specific to your genre at no cost. (e.g.: A Retainer in the Masquerade genre may be a Ghoul if the player chooses. Neither the player character nor the Retainer needs to purchase the Ghoul Merit for this.) Retainers may not be partially Awakened outside of the player character s genre. iv. Retainer XP spent is lost if the retainer dies or is otherwise removed from play. D. Merits and Flaws 1. Gaining and Losing Merits and Flaws a. If a Merit is no longer applicable to a character, it is lost without refund; if a Flaw is no longer applicable to a character, it must be bought off with XP. b. Players may not choose Flaws that describe qualities already inherent to the character. (e.g.: A Silent Strider taking the Haunted Flaw, or an infiltrator taking the Dark Secret Flaw: Infiltrator or Lasombra taking the flaw No Reflection.) c. Bonus Traits granted by Merits or Flaws do not apply to challenges involving supernatural powers. Exceptions are noted in the appropriate genre supplement. d. Generic Wraiths: Some Merits and Flaws like Spirit Mentor and Haunted bring generic wraith NPCs into play. These wraiths use the base statistics for a wraith (per the rules in Oblivion) without any Backgrounds, Merits, Flaws, or benefits from Membership Class. They have no starting Arcanoi, but can buy Innate Abilities or the first Basic level of an Arcanoi with Free Traits. They may never possess the second Basic (or higher) Arcanoi. Their character sheet cannot have anything on it that requires Mid (or higher) Approval. The Sharpened Senses power of such wraiths allows them to test against Basic level powers of concealment. e. Derangements do not fall under the Flaw cap. 2. Specific Merits a. Merits listed here are the only sanctioned versions of these Merits. Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 11

12 b. Ability Aptitude [Laws of Ascension Companion]: The character has have a natural affinity for a particular Ability; it is up 2 Traits on all tests directly related to that Ability only (not with supernatural powers that use this Ability). This bonus only applies to a single Ability (for those that require a specific focus such as Performance or Science). This Aptitude may not be used in combat. c. Ambidextrous [Laws of the Night Rev. Ed.]: As per the source. In addition, you do not need to have the prerequisite number of Ability levels appropriate to a weapon in order to get the advantage of using two weapons (or a shield) in combat. d. Iron Will [Laws of the Night Rev. Ed.]: As per the source, except: this is a free retest and does not require Willpower expenditure. e. Luck (aka Lucky) [Laws of the Night Rev. Ed.]: The character gets a free retest once per game session on any challenge. i. AUSTRALIA: In addition, this Merit may only be used defensively in combat or supernatural challenges. f. Natural Linguist [Laws of the Night Rev. Ed.]: As per this source. g. Nine Lives: Not sanctioned. h. Quiet Heart [Laws of the Hunt Players Guide] This is a 3 Trait Merit (not 4). Use instead this system: This Merit gives the character a free retest when attempting to resist Presence, Fascination, or other supernatural emotion-influencing powers. The character gets three bonus Traits against magic or Thaumaturgy that both influences your emotions and requires a Social Challenge. i. Supernatural Ally (aka Supernatural Companion): Not sanctioned. j. True Faith [Laws of the Night Rev. Ed.]: Not sanctioned for PC s, Global Approval (with consultation of all Top Approval ST s) for NPC s. k. Unbondable [Laws of the Night Rev. Ed.]: This Merit requires Top Approval. This Merit is not available to Tremere PC s. See your National Addenda for further restrictions and/or requirements. 3. Specific Flaws a. Flaws listed here are the only sanctioned versions of these Flaws. b. Mistaken Identity [Laws of the Night Rev. Ed.]: Resemblance with this Flaw to an actual player character requires permission of the player who portrays it (or the Storyteller responsible in the case of a NPC). IX. ADDITIONAL BOOKS All: The MST reserves the right to make use of the included Storyteller characters, unless otherwise noted. Though sanctioned for play, the history and settings in the book are not necessarily those of the chronicle. Mechanics from this book are not sanctioned, except as published as MET mechanics in this or other books; the book is sanctioned only as flavour/background material. A. World of Darkness 2nd Edition (WW2226) B. Blood-Dimmed Tides (WW3350) C. Dark Epics (WW5027) Sanctioned only for Influences (see above). D. Gypsies (WW2223) E. Laws of the Resurrection (WW5035) 1. Reserved for the office of the MST. (See Degeneration Plot for the use of this material) F. Mafia (WW2228) G. Midnight Circus (WW3068) H. Outcasts (WW3065) I. The Bygone Bestiary (WW4802) Global CWoD Universal Addendum Shadowplay International Page 12