Character Creation

Creating a vampire character in V20 follows five sequential steps. Dots allocated during creation represent what your character has developed since the Embrace; experience points represent growth during play.

The Five Steps

Step 1 — Concept

Choose:

Concept: A one-line encapsulation of who this character is. Not what they do — who they are. (“Broken idealist,” “ambitious debt collector,” “artist whose hunger ate her compassion.”)
Clan: Your vampiric lineage. Determines in-Clan Disciplines, weakness, and political affiliations. See Clans.
Nature: Your true, innermost personality archetype. Determines how you regain Willpower. See Archetypes.
Demeanor: The face you show the world. May differ radically from Nature. Also an archetype.

Step 2 — Select Attributes

Attributes are divided into three categories: Physical (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina), Social (Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance), and Mental (Perception, Intelligence, Wits).

Prioritize: one category is Primary (7 dots to distribute), one Secondary (5 dots), one Tertiary (3 dots). Every attribute starts with 1 free dot before you spend these.

Maximum at creation: 5. No single attribute may exceed this.

Step 3 — Select Abilities

Abilities are divided into: Talents (intuitive), Skills (trained), and Knowledges (studied).

Prioritize: Primary (13 dots), Secondary (9 dots), Tertiary (5 dots). No Ability may exceed 3 dots at creation without spending freebie points.

Step 4 — Select Advantages

Disciplines: 3 dots, distributed among your Clan’s in-Clan Disciplines. Caitiff choose any three Disciplines.
Backgrounds: 5 dots among any applicable Backgrounds. See Backgrounds.
Virtues: 7 dots distributed among Conscience (or Conviction), Self-Control (or Instinct), and Courage. Each Virtue starts with 1 free dot.

Step 5 — Finishing Touches

Humanity = Conscience + Self-Control (starting value; lowers during play)
Willpower = Courage rating (permanent Willpower)
Blood Pool = roll 1d10 (starting vitae in your veins)
Spend 15 Freebie Points (see table below)
Take Merits and Flaws (optional; see Merits & Flaws)

Freebie Point Costs

Trait	Cost per Dot
Attribute	5
Ability	2
Discipline (in-Clan)	7
Background	1
Virtue	2
Humanity/Path	2
Willpower	1

Merits and Flaws exchange freebie points for advantages and disadvantages (max 7 Flaw points taken at creation).

Experience Point Costs (During Play)

Purchase	Cost
New Ability (0 → 1)	3
New in-Clan Discipline (0 → 1)	10
New out-of-Clan Discipline (0 → 1)	15
New Path of Sorcery / Necromancy (0 → 1)	7
Attribute	current × 4
Ability	current × 2
In-Clan Discipline	current × 5
Out-of-Clan Discipline	current × 7
Secondary Path (Thaumaturgy/Necromancy)	current × 4
Virtue (Conscience, Self-Control, Courage)	current × 2
Humanity or Path	current × 2
Willpower	current rating

Experience Awards

Per chapter (3–5 scenes):

Award	Condition
Automatic	1 XP for completing the chapter
Learning Curve	Character learned something significant
Roleplaying	Character was played consistently and compellingly
Heroism	Exceptional risk taken for a genuine goal

Per story (3–5 chapters):