Modernized Ptolemos

By Terence Duffy for the The Reavers bloodline and based on the Ptolemos discipline by Timothy Toner (thanatos@interaccess.com)

* First Strike

This allows a Reaver to gain the first and hopefully last blow of the battle.

System: The player may use up to his Celerity rating in adding to his initiative roll, however, for each point used for adding to initiative roll it cost the kindred a bp. Example John has Wits 3, Alertness 2, and Celerity 4. He normally gets 5 dice for initiative, however he wants to end this quickly, so he designates 2 points of celerity for initiative and uses last 2 to take extra actions -- cost for that decision=2 for initiative, 1 for extra actions. When used for initiative, the cost for Celerity is not bound by generation min+maxes.

** Blood Weapon

When a Machomenoi or Reavers is embraced, he chooses a single melee weapon to be his true weapon, a weapon he will favor above all others. This discipline has been refined so that with the expenditure of a single blood point, the reaver can call it into existence for a time in hours equal to an Sta+Melee (diff 7) roll. The true weapon is psychic energy in material form, sort of like the path of conjuration. Note the path of conjuration level 4 power reverse conjuration has no effect on the true weapon. Due to exceptional quality of the true weapon it always has a strength of one greater than the normal weapon of that type. If the true weapon is Knocked from the Kindred's hand it will vanish.

*** Mind of the Myrmidon

No Change

**** Weapon of War

This is a superior form of Blood weapon. At this level of power, a Reaver can call into being his true weapon merely by force of will and can cause grievous wounds to an enemy by utilizing the power of his blood. The Reaver merely makes a willpower roll (diff 7) and with a success the weapon appears. The weapon is now permanent (lasts for night) until willed away by the Reaver and it can be thrown by the Reaver to cause damage (with appropiate penalties). However, the true weapon can never cause injury to its creator. For all you slicky boys out there, only one true weapon can be in existence at same time; you can't throw your weapon and summon another to hand. You can, however, throw your weapon and will it out of existence and will it into existence again in your hand. By expending blood points, A Reaver can cause the wounds left by the weapon to become aggravated up to the strength of the weapon for that turn. Ex. 6th gen Reaver with a str of 6 has a medieval Broadsword for a true weapon=11, uses 3 blood points for celerity and uses 3 to cause 3 levels of aggravated wounds; aggravated wounds are soaked last. ex. 6 wounds, 3 of them aggravated. The victim soaks 2, now has 1 nonaggravated wound and 3 aggravated.

***** Deny Iron's bite

Recommend effective against melee weapons only.

****** Might of Arms

True Weapon now causes aggravated wounds that can only be soaked if the victim has fortitude and for every 2 blood point spent there is a +1 diff to soak (max 10 obviously)

****** Weapons Sense

Allows Kindred to know location, type, condition of weapons within 10'/perception rating. Perception+Alertness difficulty 6. Extra successes allow more information-magical, calibre, #+type of rounds, last used etc.

******* Armor of War

A superior form of Deny Iron's bite, the Kindred is now immune to all weapons of war. This includes firearms, arrowheads, and other instruments of destruction made for killing (Grenades, shells, nunchakus, etc). Rules for staking still apply.

******* Forge of War

The vampire can create any weapon that he or she has personal knowlege of use; weapons are bonded to kindred (can not be disarmed) however, they can be thrown. Distance weapons can be created, however no firearms, Just crossbows and bows; ammunition for weapons are created as well up to 12 per weapon. Cost is 1 blood points for non-distance weapons and 3 blood pointss for distance weapons such as crossbows and bows. For every bloo points spent above cost for weapon, damage is aggravated. Weapons created last for 2 turns after they leave the creator's hand, even if they return to the creators hand.

******** Weapon Mastery

The vampire can control weapons of war to such an extent that they will serve his wishes instead of wielder. Roll Manipulation+ (melee or firearms) diff. opponent's willpower. The number of successes indicates the number of botches the player can assign to weapon for the scene. In this case the wielders botch could be disasterous. The cost is 1 blood point.

******** Know Enemy

This allows the vampire to know merits and flaws, clan, generation, approximate skills talents, disciplines, approximate bloodpool, etc of an opponent. Roll Perception+Occult, target 7. The number of succeses indicated amount and specificity of information. This may only be attempted in Melee or brawl encounters. Opponents' Obfuscate ratings adds to the difficulty as the Auspex rating of the initiator lowers the difficulty.

******** Know Discipline

Tis power allows the kindred to recognize and duplicate any discipline used in her presence. Roll Perception+Occult and the target is level of discipline used +3. It is not cumulative with her own disciplines and does not include Thaumaturgy or Vicissitude. The vampire can not use disciplines of equal or higher to generation max. The power lasts for a scene or night depending on number of successes. She must pay double the normal cost if applicable to activate discipline. If the kindred botches she will never be able to learn the discipline attempted to duplicate until generation is lowered. (Probably never, not too many 3rd or 4th gen around).

********* Mind of the Warlord

A greatly improved version of Mind of the Myrmidon, Mind of the Warlord allows a group of kindred, kine, or combination thereof to meld psychically into a groupmind. Line of sight is not necessary; all sensory data is shared. All members of the group have the levels of celerity, potence, and fortitude of the kindred intiating the discipline. Initiative is determined for the entire group using the wits+alertness of initiater. Individual disciplines of vampires in group are available to other members at normal costs. The kindred enacting discipline is nominally in charge. All members of the effect have -1 to difficulties in combat and all involved are immune to lower levels of Domination. No one can join once discipline is in effect; all participants get highest brawl, dodge, and melee ratings of group. The initiater must roll Leadership+Occult diff 8 and get at least 3 successes. This discipline lasts for one scene. 1 permanent willpower pt and a blood point for every participant must be expended by initiater. The participants must be willing. A botch means a kine must make a willpower check diff humanity and get 3 successes or go catatonic (length of time up to storyteller) and kindred automatically gains a derangement and must make a willpower roll or lose a permanent willpower point. If a member of the group is destroyed while in meld the initiater must make willpower check diff 8 to maintain the links. All members must be line of sight when discipline is initiated.

********* Drain Discipline

Allows Kindred to drain a fellow kindred of his ability to practice a discipline, sometimes permanently. Roll Manipulation+Occult diff opponents willpower. Successes equal number of points dropped. Roll Wits+Occult diff 8 to see for how long it is lost.

1	Scene
2	Night
3	Week
4	Month
5	Year
6	Permanently(until raised by experience)

The disciplines affected must have been observed in operation by the initiater and the victim must be touched (however, Form of Mist and Ghost do not protect anyone from this type of attack.

Addendum

Scholar multidiscipline: Strike from the Shadows

(Requires Obtenebration 6 Shadow Step, Eyes of the Night/Ptolemas 2+)

This action requires extreme concentration, split second timing, and a good knowledge of your target. As your target approaches the spot, you project your true weapon through the shadows (aimed blow to the head?) and destroy him with no warning; you're 50 feet away (underground, in a building, in a van) and he has no way to counterattack.