"
Treat your friend as if he might become an enemy.
"
Publilius Syrus
XP Expenditures that do not cost AP
Backgrounds
Backgrounds will be discussed again in the Influence chapter.
This is just a brief overview, and xp cost breakdown.
Retainer: Cost 1xp
Retainers are gained through RP. A retainer is as described in the books. It is someone that serves you and your personal needs even more so than a simple ally. How you go about procuring, training, and retaining this individual is between you and your ST.
Ally: Cost 1xp
Allies are gained through RP. An Ally is as described in the books. It is people that like you and can be called upon for favors, and who will likely call on you for favors in return. How you go about procuring, training, and retaining these people is between you and your ST.
Contacts: Cost 1xp
Contacts are gained through RP. A contact is as described in the books. It is people, or persons, who have information and for whatever arrangements you have made with them will grant that information to you. This could be because you pay them, or that you have blackmailed them. Whatever you come up with that works.
Information Network: Cost 1xp
Information Network is a Nosferatu only background. It represents a group of contacts among the Nosferatu clan and can be called upon for gathering Information about Kindred affairs.
Spirit Slave: Cost 1xp at creation
Spirit Slave is a Necromancy based background. Only those with the Necromancy power Compel can take it. See the local Wraith Packet, and later chapters of the Downtime system to learn more about what it does for you.
Herd: Cost 1xp
Herd is gained through RP. Herd is as described in the books. It is a background that represents mortals you can call upon to stay fed. Each dot is 1 blood that you can call upon during game.
Mentor: Cost 1xp at creation
Mentor is gained, and lost, through RP. Mentor is as described in the books. A Mentor is an advisor, teacher, and guide. Someone whom you look up too or at least feel you could learn from in some way. The relationship is a delicate one, and your levels in Mentor could fluctuate frequently during play. It is for this reason we have chosen not to charge XP for this background after character creation as the relationship is entirely determined by RP.
Resources: Cost 1XP
Resources determine your wealth, they are gained via RP. Resources are tracked via the Website.
Willpower: Costs 3 XP
Willpower does not take AP. All you need is ST approval, and to spend the xp.
Virtue: Courage / Conscience / Self Control: Cost 3 XP
For the next 2 game sessions you attend after spending the 3 xp, if you fail a test in the virtue you are looking to raise you fail to raise it. If you fail, the XP is still lost.
Morality: Cost 3 XP
For the next 4 game sessions you attend after spending the 3 xp you will be treated as if you were 1humanity higher than your current level. If you enter into a Morality test, regardless if you win or fail that test, you fail to go up in Morality and the XP is lost.
Attributes (Phys/Soc/Mental): Cost 1xp
You can only buy 1 Attribute per category per Downtime Period.
Ability Specializations: Cost 1 XP
You can only specialize in abilities that you have at least 3 or more ranks in. A specialization is a specific subset of a parent ability, such as Brawl specialized in grappling, or Investigation specialized in the Auspex Discipline. An ST may request further Justification for a specialization if it is in something he has not seen your character be involved in. For example if I specialize my dodge in avoiding automobiles, but have never been at risk of being run over, the ST may require me to put some AP into misc actions where I practice avoiding traffic before approving the purchase of my specialization.
Merits / Flaws
To buy off a Flaw costs double the XP.
To buy a Merit after character creation costs double the XP and justification.
Note: Not all merits can be purchased after creation, especially supernatural merits. If you wish to gain a merit discuss what it would take with the ST, when you have satisfied the requirements set by the ST you will be told to go ahead and spend the XP.
To take on a flaw after character creation does not cost XP, nor do you gain XP as you would at creation.
If you want to add a flaw to your sheet, discuss it with the ST.
An ST can add a flaw to your sheet at any time they feel it is deserved. These flaws must still be bought off at double the XP cost. Unlife can be a bitch like that.
