Quick-Start Character Creation Guide
[TBD Click here to download new BNS Character Sheet] (When printing, select "FIT TO PAGE")
• Make sure you are familiar with our approval process.
• Decide your character’s concept.
• Choose an Archetype.
• Your character begins with 30 initial XP. You may spend this XP during the character creation process.
›› You may gain more initial XP by choosing flaws during the creation process (step eight).
›› Your Storyteller may award more initial XP, if you are portraying an experienced character.
• Choose a clan.
›› Remember that clan will determine your character’s initial (in-clan) disciplines (step seven).
›› Check with your Storyteller to determine if your chosen clan is common, uncommon, or rare in your game’s setting. If you wish to portray an uncommon or rare clan, you must use some of your initial XP to purchase a specific Rarity merit.
›› If you want your character to be a member of a bloodline, you must use some of your initial XP to purchase a bloodline merit.
Step Four: Assign Initial Attributes
• Rank the character’s attributes as primary, secondary, and tertiary.
›› Assign 7 dots to the character’s primary attribute.
›› Assign 5 to the character’s secondary attribute.
›› Assign 3 to the character’s tertiary attribute.
• Select one focus for each attribute type (Physical, Social, and Mental).
›› Physical focuses: Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina.
›› Social focuses: Charisma, Manipulation, or Appearance.
›› Mental focuses: Perception, Intelligence, or Wits.
Step Five: Assign Initial Skills
• Choose one skill and fill in the first 4 dots of that skill.
• Choose two skills and fill in the first 3 dots of those skills.
• Choose three skills and fill in the first 2 dots of those skills.
• Choose four skills and fill in the first dot of those skills.
Step Six: Assign Initial Backgrounds
• Assign 3 dots to a single background of your choice.
• Assign 2 dots to a second background.
• Assign 1 dot to a third background. If you have not already assigned dots to the Generation background, you should assign this point to Generation. If you don’t have a dot of the Generation background, your character begins play as a mortal.
Step Seven: Assign Initial Disciplines
• Assign 2 dots to a single in-clan discipline.
• Assign 1 dot in each of your character’s remaining two in-clan disciplines.
Step Eight: Choose Merits and Flaws
• You may spend some of your initial XP to purchase up to 7 points of merits. This limit of 7 merit points includes any merits purchased earlier in the creation process (including uncommon clans, rare clans, and bloodline merits). Your character can never have more than 7 points of merits across all categories.
• Choose your character’s flaws. You may receive a maximum of 7 XP from flaws. Add XP gained from flaws to your initial XP. With the Storyteller’s permission, a player may choose more flaws, totaling more than 7 points, but the character cannot earn more than 7 XP from flaws.
• After purchasing merits and adding XP from flaws you may use your remaining initial XP to:
›› Purchase more attributes, skills, or backgrounds.
›› Purchase additional dots of Generation. You must purchase the Generation background at the XP cost of the new Generation. For example, if you assigned one of your starting background dots to Generation, and would thus be a Neonate, and you wish to play a Pretender Elder, you would need to spend XP as follows: Neonate to Ancilla (new level x2) costs 4 XP; Ancilla to Pretender Elder (new level x2) costs 6 XP. Therefore, you must spend 10 XP to go from Neonate to Pretender Elder.
›› Purchase additional dots of your in-clan disciplines
›› Purchase up to 3 dots of common out-of-clan disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Presence, or Potence.
›› Purchase another dot of Morality.
• Note the character’s total Blood points.
• Note the character’s total dots of Willpower (normally 6).
• Note the character’s total health levels.
• Note the type and source of any Status and Prestige you're coming in with.
Step Eleven: Before the Game
• Submit your character’s background and completed character sheet to your Storyteller for approval. (Here's an example of how to submit a text-only sheet: Example Character Sheet)
• Prepare your costume, print out your sheet for easy reference, and go to game!
