Ghoul House Rules

• Blood Pool
• The New Ghoul - Fatal Addiction
  Blood Pool
  • Burning Blood
  • Blood Flaws
  • Overdose
  • Elder Ghouls
  • Regeneration
  • Frenzy
  • Blood Bond
  • Breaking the Bond
  • Disciplines
  • Sex
• Ghouls, XP, and Disciplines
• Ghoul Feeding Policy
• Ghoul Blood Pools

Blood Pool

Posted: Thu May 15, 1998 By Judge Dredd

Human beings can hold up to 10 BPs (Blood Points), whether it is vampire or human blood. If a ghoul uses up vampire blood, the blood pool will regenerate at 1 BP of human blood per day. (So if a ghoul pumps her strength by 2, she uses 2 BPs and her blood pool drops to 8 Vampire / 0 Human. In 2 days she'll have a BP of 8 Vampire / 2 Human.)

If at anytime a ghoul has no Vampire blood in them they loose their ghoul status and are subject to MAJOR withdrawal symptoms. In addition, if at the time of their de-ghouling they have less than 5 BPs of human blood in them they will need to be hospitalized immediately. Needless to say, if a ghoul who is full up on vampire blood uses it all up in one sitting (ie, going from 10 vamp BPs to 0) they de-ghoul and die (since they then have 0 human BPs as well).

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The New Ghoul - Fatal Addiction

Posted Sat May 31 by Judge Dredd

With the release of Ghouls: Fatal Addiction, WW has finally gotten down to the specifics on Ghouls. I, for one, am very impressed with the book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the details of Ghoul physiology. Obviously, the new rulings out will conflict with some of our previous decisions so the following posts will detail the new rules in effect for Ghouls. They replace completely all other rulings.

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• Blood Pool
  • A ghoul has a Blood Pool of 10 just like any other human and unless emptied, it is normally assumed to have mortal blood in it. A ghoul ingests vampire blood by drinking it. The stomach may hold 2 BPs comfortably, any more and the ghoul risks Overdosing (see later section). Unless the ghoul is drained of some blood, this blood will only assimilate into the bloodstream at 1 BP per night. If drained, the blood will assimilate within minutes to replace what was taken.

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• Burning Blood
  • Ghouls may burn only 1 BP per turn. They can use their blood to heal damage (just like vampires, 1 pt per normal WL and 5 per agg WL), fuel Disciplines and pump physical stats (to a maximum of twice natural or 5, whichever is lower). However, Ghouls suffer if they run low on blood (in general, the total of vampire + human is the determining factor). If a ghoul is ever less than 5 BPs, they grow weak and loose a Health Level for each point of blood spent after that. If at less than 3 BPs, they must roll Stamina + Fortitude (diff = # of BPs down) or die. A ghoul at 0 BPs dies instantly. Blood spent returns as normal mortal blood at the rate of 1 BP per night.

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• Blood Flaws
  • In addition, the blood of certain Clans have properties that can be transferred to their ghouls. A ghoul who holds 5 or more BPs of Brujah, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Ventrue or Setite must make a Stamina roll (diff 5) or inherit minor flaws from their master. Brujah ghouls have Frenzy diffs equal to regular vampires. Nosferatu ghouls loose 1-2 points of Appearance (but will never go below 1). Ventrue ghouls prefer Ventrue blood almost exclusively. And Setite ghouls develop painful (-1 to all Die Pools) rashes when in direct sunlight.

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• Overdose:
  • A Ghoul can cram an extra Blood Point into their stomach for each point of Stamina they have. However, they must make a Stamina roll (diff 8) each scene or they will be unable to use ANY of their blood until a full scene is spent 'purging' themselves of the excess blood. In addition, they will suffer a Health Level of damage per point above their maximum.
  • While overdosed, a ghoul is closer to Frenzying (+3 to their difficulty which brings it up to regular vamp standards), temporarily gains a point of Dexterity and must make a Perception + Self-Control roll (diff up to the STer) each scene or suffer violent hallucinations. Also, ODing on the blood of one particular Clan automatically inflicts the Clan's full weakness on the Ghoul.

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• Elder Ghouls:
  • Elder ghouls are able to store more blood in their system. For each century of life, an elder ghoul can comfortably drink one extra BP (ie, a 150 year old ghoul can hold 3 BPs in their stomach). They also gain an extra point of Blood Pool for each 2 centuries of life.

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• Regeneration:
  • Ghouls can use their blood to heal back wounds just like regular vampires. They can also re-grow lost limbs, but not quite as well. A WP point must be spent as well as the blood points (1 for a finger or eye, 2 for foot or forearm, 3 for an entire limb) and they must succeed in a Stamina roll (diff 8). If the roll is failed OR botched, the limb may NEVER be re-grown. Elder ghouls gain a -1 to the Stamina roll for each century lived.

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• Frenzy:
  • Ghouls can Frenzy just like vampires can, just not as quickly. The ghoul must get 5 successes on an extended Self-Control roll just like vampires and can't roll more dice than they have vampire blood in their systems. But the Frenzy difficulties are 3 less than a vampire's.

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• Blood Bonds:
  • Ghoul Bonds are different than vampire Bonds. After the first drink, the Ghoul displays strong feelings toward the donor. After the second drink, the Ghoul is considered to be under an effect equivalent to a Vinculum score of 5 (From the PG to the Sabbat: "You respect the individual and help her whenever you can, even if it involves minor risks."). Ghouls may have to make Self-Control rolls to avoid taking a third drink. The third drink cements the Bond like usual.

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• Breaking the Bond
  • Breaking the Bond is also somewhat different. After not drinking for (12 - Willpower) months a Ghoul drops one stage (so a fully Bound ghoul would become only a 2 step Bound ghoul) until the Bond is fully severed. However, this isn't quite so easy. After de-Ghouling (which happens when 1 full month without being fed occurs or one runs out of vampire blood) the Ghoul goes through SERIOUS withdrawal symptoms much like the WORST dope fiend for a number of weeks equal to 6 - Stamina. Whenever the opportunity to feed (from any vamp) the Ghoul must succeed a Self-Control roll (diff 7) or attempt to feed however possible. Plus, each week the withdrawal continues the ghoul must make an Int + Self-Control roll (diff 6) or their cravings begin manifesting as obsessions for things OTHER than vitae (human blood, flesh, sex, etc.). A WP point may be spent to resist these urges unless the roll was botched.

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• Disciplines:
  • Ghouls may learn Disciplines OTHER than just Potence, Fortitude and Celerity. All Ghouls gain Potence 1 upon first tasting vampire blood but they may spend XP to gain others given time and training by their master (though no training is required for Potence, Fortitude and Celerity). A Ghoul may learn any Discipline their master knows and once learned may keep it even if their masters change. A ghoul temporarily looses the use of their Disciplines if they de-ghoul, however, but they return once the ghoul drinks more vampire blood (though they will loose a dot permanently after 6 months without a drink and an additional dot each month thereafter).
    • Ghoul Discipline Notes

      Clarification: Any lost discipline dots due to extended de-ghouling must be re-learned and purchased at the appropriate full XP cost. Please refer to BB 21/30 and BB 36/1 for the XP costs, as they are not the same as listed in Ghouls: Addiction.

      General Clarification: Ghouls are limited to a TOTAL of 3 discipline dots and no more on the MUSH. This may be any allowed combination of the disciplines a ghoul may learn as outlined in the above "New Ghoul" posts.

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• Sex:
  • Ghouls are NOT sterile. Though they may not age, their bodies still go through their usual bodily functions besides decay. So ghouls still need to eat, excrete, breathe, etc. They are also fully capable of sex. Male ghouls may impregnate women and female ghouls may become pregnant. BUT, a pregnant ghoul's fetus is ALSO ghouled. So, the only way for the woman to give birth is to de-ghoul first (or have the fetus removed surgically, if she was ghouled late enough). More alarming, is that the fetus gains ALL the benefits of ghouling, including Potence 1. A rather dangerous situation if the woman was ghouled late into the pregnancy, understandably.

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These rules were all taken directly from the 'Ghouls: Fatal Addiction' book. As always, direct any questions/comments/flames my way.

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Ghouls, XP, & Disciplines

Posted Thu Jun 5, 1998 by Coriolanus

I know that many of you ghoul players out there about had an orgasm after reading how Ghouls: Fatal Addiction (summarized most ably in Judge Dredd's above posts) expands ghoul discipline powers. But you know me, I have to jump in right away and limit the power! ;) The vampire wizards, Ramses, and Judge Dredd have all agreed on the following ghoul restrictions:

1. New ghoul disciplines cost 25 XPs as stated in our MUSH chart (BB 36/1), not the 20 listed in Fatal Addiction.
2. Since vampires must wait time before buying new disciplines, so must ghouls. Regardless of how rapidly you accrue XPs, a ghoul must wait at least 2 months RL in between acquiring discipline dots.
3. Unless your master is lower than 8th gen, you won't be able to buy any disciplines past the 1st dot.

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Ghoul Feeding Policy

Posted Tue Jun 10, 1998 by Coriolanus

"Ghoul: Fatal Addiction" dramatically increases the amount of vitae ghouls are supposed to be fed. According to the new rules, a ghoul is supposed to be fed /nightly/ to build up his blood pool; if he misses feedings, then his vitae metabolizes into human blood at the rate of 1 BP per 3 nights! It is impractical to try to calculate this on a MUSH, but at the same time it isn't right to let any vampire +mail staff saying, "I feed all my ghouls all they can hold--please give my 4 ghouls 10/10 vampire BP." Here is the policy for determining how much vitae a vampire can automatically feed to and maintain among all his ghouls (both PCs and NPCs).

The often-neglected HERD trait is the chief measure of how much easy blood a vampire has to spread around. To determine the maximum vitae level that a vampire can automatically maintain among all his ghouls, add the vampire's Generation trait to the "number of vessels" listed on p. 173 of V:tM for the vampire's Herd trait. The minimum amount, however, is 2 (even if the sum is 0 or 1). For example, an 11th Generation vampire with Herd 3 would have a blood supply of 17 which he could automatically maintain among all his ghouls (2 for Generation, 15 for Herd); a 12th Generation vampire with Herd 1 would have a blood supply of 4 (1 for Generation, 3 for Herd); a 13th Generation vampire with no Herd would still get the minimum blood supply of 2.

This calculated blood supply can be automatically divided up among all your ghouls. Let's say you are 12th Generation with Herd 2 (that gives you a blood supply of 8) and have 2 NPC ghouls who guard your business and 1 PC ghoul. You could +mail your Wizard that you always keep your PC ghoul at 4 BP and each of your NPC ghouls at 2 BP.

IMPORTANT: through IC RP, a vampire can keep a ghoul at a higher level by RPing a feeding and using the +bond command, which transfers 1 BP from vampire to ghoul each time. The above formula is only used to determine how much vitae a vampire can automatically maintain among all his ghouls. And remember, a ghoul cannot get more than 2 BP in any one feeding without risking OVERDOSE. Also, a ghoul with 5+ vitae BP of one clan may develop a Flaw.

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Ghoul Blood Pools

Posted Mon Jan 12 by Nyarlathoptep

Please refer to the previous postings in this group on Ghouls. We are adjusting the previously outlined method for determining a ghoul's Blood Pool. At this point, the Herd-Gen formula outlined by Cor will still be in effect. The results of this formula indicate the number of blood points a Dominator has available to easily give to her ghouls. This does not change in that respect. To bring into play the enhanced difficulty of feeding ghouls and maintaining them above the usual 2bp limit, the following is now in effect.

A Ghoul's Blood Pool will be set at a max level equal to the amount of blood points, as determined by Herd-Gen, allocated to that ghoul by its Domitor. For example, if a Domitor has a Herd-Gen restul of 5 and they have one ghoul, that ghoul's blood pool will be set to 5. +bonding to feed the ghoul will then max out at the set Blood Pool.

If the Domitor desires to feed the ghoul in excess of this amount, then they must request a judge for a feeding scene and the appropriate overdosing rules will be in effect. This way acts similar to the +pump ability of vampires. It is temporary. The other way is that the Domitor can increase her Herd background, thereby having more Blood Points to allocate. The Blood Pool numbers on a Ghoul's +sheet will reflect the / Ghouls still have a TOTAL Blood Pool of 10, as the remainder is made up of mortal blood.

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