Creating a Ghoul character is a little different from Kindred or Garou. Not only are you essentially mortal, with a touch of the weird, but you get some perks that make each Ghoul pretty unique. I'll try listing all of the changes here, with their unique benefits, so that anyone can join the Ghoul thread, if wanted!
Step One: Concept
Choose your Nature, Demeanor as normal, and then choose your following: Vassal (follower/servant/Camarilla), Independent (Missing Sire), Revenant (Normally Sabbat)
Step Two: Attributes
Distribute points as normal. All attributes start with 1 in them.
6/4/3 is the array Ghouls start with.
Step Three: Abilities
Distribute points as normal, no ability higher then 3 at this stage.
11/7/4 is the array Ghouls start with.
Step Four: Advantages
Choose Disciplines (1, plus Potence 1) *See Special Notations
Choose Backgrounds (5)
Rate Virtues (5 for Sabbat/Revenant Ghouls, 7 for Vassal/Independents) (Start with 1 in each virtue)
Step Five: Finishing Touches
Record Humanity (Equal to Conscience+Self-Control)
Record Willpower (Equal to Courage)
Record Blood Pool (1)
Ghouls cannot take a Path of Enlightenment
Step Six: Freebie Points
Ghouls start with 21 freebie points, spending as per the chart below. Optional, you may take up to 7 points of Flaws/Merits as per other supernatural.
FREEBIE POINT SPENDING:
Attribute --- 5 per dot
Ability --- 2 per dot
Discipline --- 10 per dot
Background --- 1 per dot
Virtue --- 2 per dot
Humanity --- 1 per dot
Willpower --- 1 per dot
*Note: Blood pool cannot be raised in the same way as vampires.
SPECIAL NOTATIONS:
Step 1 notes~
If playing a Revenant, you choose your disciplines from your family's list. Choose one of the following types of Revenant at character creation:
Bratovich: "Cross a stereotypical back-country hill clan with a Tzimisce, and season with a liberal amount of pure Neanderthal hunt-kill-mate mentality, and you’ll have a good representation of a Bratovitch" Family Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Vicissitude Weakness: Easily angered, resist frenzy at +2 Difficulty. Ducheski: To those elders who know of them, a Ducheski torture device or system of alembics is a sign of status, much like owning a piece of original artwork. Family Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy Weakness: Social Traits my never reach higher then 2 Grimaldi: Starting at birth, Grimaldis enjoy every luxury that life has to offer, from private schools and tutors to decadent vacations at the most exclusive resorts to the most wonderful toys. Family Disciplines: Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude Weakness: All Grimaldi are blood bound to a Sabbat member Bishop or higher. Obertus: Like the Grimaldis, the Obertuses have a secret objective that might well lead to their destruction should the Sabbat discover it. The Obertus family elders have come to believe that revenant existence is the key to the next logical step in human evolution: Homo obertus is destined to replace Homo sapiens, just as modern humans exterminated
the Neanderthal. Family Disciplines: Auspex, Obfuscate, Vicissitude Weakness: All Obertus suffer a derangement. Oprichniki: To this night, the Oprichniki remain hidden from the majority of the Clan, serving independent Russian Tzimisce. Family Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Vicissitude Weakness: Always have the 3 point flaw Haunted. Zantosa: The primary family pursuits these nights include petty crime, vice, black marketeering, and pushing the boundaries of sensation. Indeed, the only apparent reason the Zantosas haven’t been wiped out by a Black Hand-led pogrom already is that the end results wouldn’t be worth the effort expended to cleanse their penthouses, nightclubs, and movie studios. Family Disciplines: Auspex, Presence, Viccissitude Weakness: Any time a new sensation pleases the Zantosa, roll willpower. In the event of failure, they're addicted (Similar to Assasmite Antitribu addiction, or Ravnos)
Step 3 notes~
NEW ABILITIES:
Talents - Masquerade
Certain Domitors may call upon their more subtle servants to indulge in a little espionage. Independent ghouls may find that posing as vampires can lengthn their lives. Masters of this talent are the bizarre and acient ghouls of the Methuselahs; these servitors are often as power or more powerful then younger Kindred as they can move among the lesser vampires in search of prey for their masters. Ruddy? Oh, I fed recently. That must be it. Another vampire's ghouls would recognize you as Kindred. You receive invitations to Elysium. You can just about fool the ancillae who have Auspex You can sup with the prince without raising suspicion.
Knowledge - Vampire Lore
Unlike Kindred Lore, this Knowledge can be taken at creation. It represents the amount of lore you know about vampire society. Without this Ability, you may not even know your domitor's clan. This knowledge covers most of the basics that a sire teaches a fledgling childe, as well as any local political tidbits that the storyteller wishes to impart. You know roughly what vampires and clans are You know most of the Traditions You know the name of the prince You know that the Malkavians are named after Malkav You can name all 13 clans and give their nicknames.
NEW BACKGROUNDS:
Domitor:
You are bound to a vampire who provides you with blood and may offer protection. Of course, you cannot think to abuse your domitor's generosity. The level of this background implies two things: the general generation and power of your domitor, and how they favor you. Your domitor is 11th generation or lower, and considers you a valued confidant. Your master is Ninth or 10th generation, and is passing fond of you Your domitor is eighth generation, and will sometimes let you get a word in edgewise. Your domitor is seventh generation and expects you to do your job - nothing more. Your master is sixth generation, and remarkably has not yet grown sick of the sight of your face.
NEW MERITS AND FLAWS:
Pale Aura (1pt. Merit)
Due to some quirk of fate or your reaction to the Blood, your aura is naturally pale. Vampires reading your aura via Auspex assume you to be Kindred unless they have a strong suspicious to suspect otherwise.
Blood Flaw Immunity (3pt. Merit)
For some reason, you are resistant to the bloodline flaws of any vampire from who you drink. You can guzzle Nosferatu vitae until your stomach bursts, and your complexion won't change a bit.
Benevolent Domitor (3pt. Merit)
You MUST have the Domitor background to buy this Merit. Your domitor is actually rather fond of you, and will always treat you with some measure of compassion.
Kinfolk (4pt. Merit or Flaw)
If purchased as a merit, then you are still on amicable terms with your relatives, though they will never allow you to bring your vampire friends home. They have an interest in your well being, and have no problem giving you aid, though, they do not want you to be a ghoul. You must be independent to take this merit.
If purchased as a flaw, then your extended family believes you may compromise their security. They seek to either remove you from your diet, or kill you as a favor. Normally this is a Vassal flaw.
Revenents cannot be Kinfolk.
Supernatural Companion (4pt. Merit)
You are allied with a supernatural being, but not a vampire. This may be a werewolf comrade, or even a friendly mage. You may ask for help in times of need, but they may not always be there. If the kindred discover this relationship, they may disapprove...strongly
True Gypsy (5pt Merit)
The blood of Rom runs true in your veins. Perhaps you have a Ravnos domitor who chose you for potential. You may purchase Blood Affinities, or other Gypsy only abilities from the Gypsy rulebook.
Revenents may not choose this merit.
Unbondable (6pt. Merit.)
You cannot be blood bound.
Vicissitude Modifications (Variable pt. Merit)
Circular Vision (1pt. Merit)
One of your eyes has been moved to the back of your head. Poor depth perception, and you suffer a two-die penalty to any rolls that involve gauging distance, including the use of missle weapons. Take the monstrous flaw.
Fangs (1pt. Merit)
You may use the BITE maneuver, but lose 2 dice from any Manipulation pool that does not involve intimidation or causing fear.
Digestive Modifications (2pt Merit)
You are able to digest any organic material. Your stamina is treated as 2 pts higher for purposes of resisting ingested poisons.
Spurs (2 pt. Merit)
Long bone spurs protrude from your forearms, back and/or legs. You may slash with these for Str+2 Damage, however they are hard to conceal, and you must subtract 3 die from your Social dice pool, save those involving intimidation.
Carapace (3pt. Merit)
You're covered with bony or horny plates protecting you. Add 2 soak die to your pool, but add Monsterous pool.
Patagia (4pt. Merit)
Your bones have been hollowed and flaps of skin have been grafted onto your arms, giving you the appearance of a human pterodactyl. You may use these flaps to glide, though you may not actually fly. Subtract one from all soak pools to resist strikes from fists and blunt weapons, or any other forms of concussive damage (your bones are hollow). You gain monstrous flaw.
NOTE: Any of these modifications may NEVER be healed.
Virulent Strike (7pt. Merit)
Through strange Thaumaturgical sorcery, you can cause aggravated damage to supernatural creatures by striking them, biting them, raking them with bonecrafted spurs, whatever. This is considered standard Brawl damage against mortals, and should normally apply to only one attack from the user.
Artificially Aged (2pt. Revenant Flaw)
You have been fleshcrafted to look like an adult, though true maturity is still some time in your future. You suffer from temper tantrums, and lose one die from social pools that involve subtlety or sophistication.
Domitor Pariah (2pt. Flaw)
You are bound to a vampire who is not welcome among other kindred. If those kindred find out who you serve, they may come after you.
Romantic Notions (2pt. Flaw)
You believe your entire existance is to be a ghoul, and that you live for your Domitor. Willpower is 2 lower when dealing with matters of your Domitor using Dominate or Presence on you. Independents may not take this flaw, unless Storyteller gives permissions.
Vitae Sink (3pt. Flaw)
You must be fed every 2 weeks, rather then once a month. If not, you lose all supernatural traits and revert to a human once more.
Step 4 notes~
Ghouls are significantly weaker then Kindred, so in such, disciplines act a little differently. All ghouls start with 1 point in Potence, no matter what. They have the ability to learn any disciplines depending on who their sire may be, the exception to this rule would be Protean, Thaumaturgy and other Clan Exclusive disciplines.
If playing a Vassal, your 2nd discipline MUST be a discipline your Domitor knows.
If you're playing a Revenant, you choose your second Discipline from your family's traditional Discipline list. (Varies from revenant to revenant.)
If you're playing an Independent ghoul, you have no Clan discipline restrictions, but your 2nd discipline must be from the 'Innate' list; Celerity, Fortitude and Potence.
Typically, the Ghoul can only learn disciplines up to a specific level depending on the Domitor's generation;
13th-8th Gen - Max Level 1
7th Gen - Max Level 2
6th Gen - Max Level 3
5th Gen - Max Level 4
4th Gen - Max Level 5
Experience Costs:
New Ability 3xp
New Discipline 20xp
New Path 20xp
Attribute Current Rating x4
Ability Current Rating x2
Clan/Family Discipline Current Level x15
Other Discipline Current Level x25
Secondary Path Current Level x15
Virtue Current Rating x2
Humanity Current Rating x2
Willpower Current Rating
Ruddy? Oh, I fed recently. That must be it.