Fishmalks and Wareadors

            Of all the character stereotypes in World of Darkness, Fishmalks and Wareadors are the most annoying and distracting.  I have played in many Vampire the Masquerade games, and these characters pop up again and again.  While I’m sure many of you who are familiar with 2^nd edition or Revised edition are familiar with these, I’ll explain the terms.  A Fishmalk is a Malkavian who’s derangement is that he does wacky or silly things.  The name “Fishmalk” comes from a picture of Malkavian kissing (or talking to) a fish in Vampire the Dark Ages which typifies the goofy behavior.  A Wareador is a Toreador whose chosen art form is a martial art rather than a more conventional art, such as music or painting.  The term “Wareador” is a portmanteau of “war” and “Toreador.”  On the surface these two character types don’t seem that bad, but when you play them in the World of Darkness, they quickly become distracting to the mood and atmosphere of a session.   

I will tell you my seeeecreeets, Mr. Halibut.

            Why are Fishmalks so bad?  In the World of Darkness, the emphasis of gameplay is on the characters and the story, rather than on combat.  While Fishmalks aren’t combat focused, they disrupt the mood of the game through their antics.  They add inappropriate humor that can ruin a scary or poignant moment in a game.  I have never had a Fishmalk player when I was running a Chronicle, but I have played in several games with Fishmalks.  

One of the most memorable was a Malkavian PC with multiple personalities.  One personality was a nerd and the other was a D&D style barbarian.  The character wasn’t played for the drama, but rather for the silliness and the attention of playing that kind of character.  Not to mention that the player was a bit of a power gamer, who was able to convince the Storyteller to let him have two characters sheets, one for the geek with high Mental stats and the other for the Barbarian which was a physical powerhouse. 

I am an artist of destruction!

Speaking of physical powerhouses, Wareadors are the epitome of this archetype.  I really don’t know why Wareadors exist, except as way to power game the Toreador clan which gives Celerity, Presence and Auspex.  Prior to the 20^th Anniversary edition, Celerity was considered to be overpowered by many players because a starting PC could get 3 extra actions a turn by spending one point of blood.  The extra actions made that PC a combat monster, especially in Camarilla games where Assamites or other clans are not commonly allowed.  Toreadors also had a “better” clan weakness when compared to Assamites or even Brujah, the other clans with Celerity. 

The problem with “Wareador” is that it’s a combat focused character in a system that doesn’t rely on combat as a primary way to resolve conflict.   I’ll be honest.  I did play several Wareador characters when I started playing Vampire.  My first character was a Venetian duelist in Dark Ages Vampire who fought using the Florentine style (Twin-Sword).  I swear I hadn’t read any of R. A. Salvatore’s novels yet either!  And later, I played a Toreador who used two pistols.  However, those characters were in response to the Chronicle that was being run, which was more combat heavy and really not the kind of Vampire the Masquerade game that I would play in now. 

Laughter is the best medicine!

With either the Fishmalk or the Wareador, I believe that the PCs miss the point of Vampire the Masquerade.  Malkavians, in my opinion, shouldn’t be silly.  They should be frightening, one step removed from total psychosis or babbling lunatics whose words could be true and more terrifying because of that truth.  They should be more like Joker from The Dark Knight, and not the Joker from the 1960s Batman TV show with Adam West.  If you want to see a real psychotic, watch Goodfellas.  Joe Pesci plays Tommy DeVito, who is usually a very nice guy.  He laughs and has a good time, but the moment that someone shows him any disrespect, he snaps and stabs them in the throat with a pair of scissors.  And then a moment later, he’s laughing and joking with his friends while you’re bleeding out in your car.  Tommy is a psychotic, and when he snaps, it’s frightening.  Even his friends are scared of him when he goes berserk and try their best to avoid him.  Tommy’s psychotic tendencies are subtle, and terrifying. 

Wareadors don’t fit into the World of Darkness for a different reason.  Toreadors love art and the expression of their creativity.  A Toreador who was a martial artist might be extremely good at the exhibition of the martial art that they study, but might not be good at applying it.  A Toreador martial artist might use a flying round house kick, which is gorgeous in the dojo, but is almost useless in a real fight.  Certainly, this Toreador martial artist wouldn’t have ever killed anyone.  And the first time that this Toreador martial artist does kill someone, it would shake him to his core, making him question his values.  How would he feel as he realizes that he’s killed someone, even in self defense?  He’s a murderer.  This is a much different character from the Wareador who slices through every problem with his twin katanas and diablerizes his way up the generation chart. 

Add Chuck Norris Joke from 2004 here.

The problem with Fishmalks and Wareadors is that they don’t fit with the setting or the intent of the system.  When creating a character, regardless of the system, please consider the setting and the atmosphere of the game.  When your character’s concept is contrary to the theme of the game, it becomes difficult to fit that character into the story.  You wouldn’t play a Space Marine in a Forgotten Realms game or a Dungeons and Dragons style Wizard in a Star Wars RPG.  So, don’t play something silly or disruptive in Vampire the Masquerade!

My Gaming Bucket List

I've been roleplaying for almost 15 years, but there are still a lot of things that I've never done.  Here is a short list of the things I really want to try.  

1.  Play Werewolf the Apocalypse:  Sadly, I’ve played several Werewolf characters but never actually played in or run a Werewolf game.  

2.  Learn to play GURPS.  I’ve never even touched GURPS.  I hear it’s really good. 

3.  Play a D&D character from level 1-20 in any edition even Pathfinder.  I’ve run a campaign from level 1 to 20 for friends in college, but I’ve never played a character higher than level 7.

4.  Shadowrun!  I’m a huge cyberpunk fan, but I’ve never played Shadowrun.  One of my friends did get me the Core Book for Christmas, so hopefully I’ll be playing soon.

5.  Play in a Fantasy Flight Games Warhammer 40K RPG.  I don’t care if it’s Dark Heresy, Death Watch or whatever, but I love the setting for 40K.  Sur it’s grim dark, but there’s so much to it!  Only War comes out soon!  

6.  I want to run a D&D or Pathfinder game set in Planescape.  For extra points, I’d love to run it in 2nd Edition.  Planescape is probably the coolest setting from the old TSR days.  Exploring the planes, visiting Sigil. 

7.  I want to play in a superhero game such as Mutants & Masterminds or Champions.  I have played in a couple of one shots, but I'd love to develop a superhero character.  

8.  I've never played any of the New World of Darkness.  Honestly I'm just not into the fluff, but I hear that rule system is really good.  I'd like to try at least a one shot of Vampire the Requiem or just base World of Darkness.   

9.  Run a game at a convention.  I've been to a few gaming conventions and a lot of anime conventions, but I've never run a game at a convention.  I'll sign up to run one if I decide to go to a convention in 2013.  

10.  LARP.  I've made fun of LARPers for years, but I've never visited a LARP.  I'm trying to be more open minded in my gaming and branch out into new things.  LARPing might be fun, maybe...

How to Be a Better Player

     Reading various blogs online and listening to lots of podcasts, I’ve found endless amounts of information on how to be a better Storyteller or Game Master, but I have rarely found information on how to be a better player.  However, players far outnumber Storytellers.  For every Storyteller, there can be as many as 4 or 6 or more players.  So here are some general guidelines on being a better player.

1. Come to Every Session Prepared.  When you arrive for a session, make sure that you have all the stuff that you need to play:  pencils, your character sheet, appropriate dice, note book, and whatever else you need to play.  If you come to a game and need to borrow a pencil or dice every session, that behavior will begin to grate on the other players and Storyteller.  Also, you should make sure that your character sheet is up to date.  Spend experience points or level up before the session starts.  I recommend keeping all the materials for your character together in one binder.  Creating a 3-ring binder for a character can be a fun project.  Use a pouch to keep a set of dice and pencils in that binder.
2. Know the Rules.  Obviously if you’re a player should read the damn book and start learning the system.  Not everyone can afford to buy a book, but many storytellers will be happy to loan their rule book.  I’m not saying that you need to memorize the book, but you should learn the basics.  You should also make an effort to know your powers, disciplines, etc.  It slows down the game if you have to stop play and look up the mechanics for using Presence every time you do it.  I recommend writing down a quick reference chart for rules or mechanics you commonly use on a note card or piece of paper that you keep with your character sheet.
3. Share the Spotlight.  It’s easy to get caught up in what you are doing and it’s exciting to have a story be about your character, but don’t try to make every story about your character.  Share the spotlight with the other players.  Help them succeed or fade into the background a bit when the spotlight is on them.  Be a support character when it’s time for others to shine!  Think about Gandalf in LOTR.  He was never the central character; instead he helped others reach their potential and offered advice to them.  Remember that role playing is a cooperative effort and that everyone deserves a chance to show off and be the center of attention!
4. Don’t Be a Rules Tyrant.  This is a bit different than just being a rules lawyer.  The rules tyrant wants to argue ever ruling and apply his or her own interpretation of the rules to situation.  He or she can bring a game to a screeching halt in order to argue over which Attribute & Ability should be rolled or the exact location of a human heart or the damage of a specialty submachine gun.  There is a time and place for discussing rules, and sometimes it’s best to accept the ruling and move on.  Be open to a discussion with the Storyteller about the rule as well.  There are many ways to adjudicate a rule.  I recommend that if you have a serious problem with a rule or ruling that you wait until after the game and discuss it with the Storyteller rather than monopolize the game with an argument.
5. Write a Back Story.  Every player has a back story, but good players go a step farther and write down their character’s history.  However, the character’s history should fit with the setting and tone the Storyteller is using for the Chronicle.  You should include characters that the Storyteller can use as NPCs and plots that can be built upon in later sessions.  Also, you can use your character’s history to explain how and why the PC’s coterie works together.  I recommend that all players write a 1 page character history that expands on their character concept and explains who their character is beyond just their supernatural or adventuring role.
6. Work with the Group.  The goal of any RPG should be to have fun, but don’t have fun at the expense of other players’ fun.  First, you should create a character that fits into the world the Storyteller is using and that is playable.  Don’t bring a Werewolf to a Vampire the Masquerade Game.  Don’t play a Sabbat in a Camarilla game.  Of course there are exceptions to this rule, but keep in mind that the weirder the character you play, the hard it will be for that character to fit in with others.  On a related note, don’t play a loner.  Even Wolverine, the archetypal bad ass loner, works with a team or multiple teams and has had plenty of partners.   I recommend that players talk to their Storyteller and the other players when creating characters so that all the characters can work together well.  Group character creation is probably the best way to create characters.
7. Play a Character, Not A Stat Sheet.  While your abilities may be defined by the stats on your character sheet, that character sheet doesn’t define who your character is.  This problem isn’t as prominent in White Wolf games, but in Dungeons & Dragons it’s easy to lose yourself in the tactics of a combat encounter.  You should do your best to act and react as your character would, rather than doing what is the most tactically sound option available.  Remember that you’re not playing a tactical minis game or tactical war game.  You’re playing a character and your Toreador PC may not know much about military tactics or flanking.
8. Pay Attention at the Table.  I’ve run several games where the players have sat at the table playing with their smart phones or reading the book or even playing a game on their Nintendo DS rather than paying attention to the events that are occurring in the game that I am running.  When these distracted players are asked to act, they have no idea what’s happening and need to have everything explained to them again.  This can be even worse in a game like Vampire the Masquerade where minis aren’t generally used and every detail of a combat needs to be explained once more since there is no game mat and everything is in the players’ imaginations.  Remember you are sitting at the table to play an RPG, not to play with your smart phone or read some unrelated book.  Be considerate of others at the table.
9. Play a Different Type of Character.  Many players have a favorite Vampire Clan or Werewolf Tribe (or if you play D&D, a race or class) that they play all the time.  There is nothing wrong with that; however, playing the same thing over and over again can lead to stagnation and boredom with a system or a game.  Try playing something new or a new spin on your old favorites.  If you like playing Toreadors, try playing a Gangrel or a Nosferatu instead which will give you a completely different experience.  However, you could play a Follower of Set or a Venture which is a bit closer to your favorite.  Playing the same thing over and over can also because the other players get weary of your never ending stream of dual katana wielding Toreadors.  Think about the number of times you’ve played your favorite clan, if you think it’s been too often, play something different. 
10. Run Your Own Game.  The best way to become a better player is to run your own game.  You’ll be surprised what you’ll learn as you build your own story and run it for your group.   Things are very different on the other side of the screen when you are responsible for telling a story, adjudicating rules, and being responsible for the player’s enjoyment of the game.  You’ll get a deeper understanding of the rules and perhaps improve your role playing as you run many NPCs.  In order to run your own story or chronicle, you’ll need to read the book and develop a deeper understanding of the rules.  Running your own story will offer new opportunities for you and improve your own play because you’ll become more familiar with the rules, creating stories, and running different character types as NPCs. 

These are purely my suggestions on how you can be a better player (and one of these suggestions was based on advice from a friend). These are not the only ways that you can be a better player.  I would love to hear your advice or suggestions.  You can leave a comment or contact me via email:  readthedamnbook@gmail.com

Late Reviews: The Guide to the Sabbat

The Guide to the Sabbat, Revised Edition

By Justin R. Achilli, with W. H. Bourne, Anne Sullivan Braidwood, Joanne Fitzroy, & Jess Heinig

1999, 224 pages

             When building a campaign involving the Sabbat, a Storyteller has the choice of using the Cainites of the Sabbat as either one dimensional, slobbering maniacs or as deep, ideologically driven antagonists.  While neither option is necessarily bad, The Guide to the Sabbat gives Storytellers a variety of ways to use the Sabbat in their games.  Players can also use the information given in this book to create well rounded characters in a Sabbat oriented game.  The Guide to the Sabbat provides a complex view of the Sabbat which may border on the paradoxical.  This isn’t a bad thing, but any reader must be able to balance the Sabbat’s violence and depravity with its greater ideals of freedom and honor. 

The eyes are really a distraction.

            The book is divided into seven chapters with an introductory story and an appendix for allies and servants along with an index.  (I’m a big fan of indices in RPG books.)  The book is inconsistently illustrated.   At the beginning of each chapter is a beautiful full page illustration, but throughout the book there is a lot of bad artwork too, especially in Chapter Three:  Sons and Daughters, where you’ll find rules for new bloodlines.  While some of the art for the new bloodlines is good, such as the Malkavian-Antitribu wearing a straight jacket and holding some knives with her toes.  Much of the artwork is pretty bad, for some reason the artist couldn’t draw both eyes properly:  Panders, Gangrel-Antitribu, and Ravnos-Antitribu.  The Serpents of the Light example is a complete mess.  I have no idea what the artist is trying to depict. 

            Speaking of the new character options, some of the bloodlines aren’t available to Players at all.  Blood Brothers, Kiasyd, and Harbringers of Skulls are Storyteller only characters.   While creative players could use these bloodlines effectively in a game, generally, they should be avoided.  Otherwise, the options for Antitribu Clans are excellent.  The City Gangel and Country Gangrel division in the Sabbat provides a great variation on a classic clan that fits with the setting and the evolution of the clan. 

            New character creations rules for Sabbat Player Characters are intriguing.  Giving up backgrounds for an additional point in Disciplines is a wonderful option, although I would be careful as a Storyteller since power gamers may try to abuse this system.  The new Disciplines are better used for Storyteller Characters, especially Dark Thaumaturgy or the Disciplines for Blood Brothers or Kiasyd.  Finally, a note on the sidebar Tainted Blood.  This is a holdover from Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand which introduced the concept of Vicissitude as an alien and terrible force from the Deep Umbra which had been brought back by infected Tzimisce.  I wouldn’t use this variation unless I was also using the information from Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand.  Otherwise, the new higher level Disciplines are wonderful and provide some great story elements, but other than an Elder’s game, I doubt I would use these or see them used in a game. 

            Undoubtedly, the best part of The Guide to the Sabbat is the fluff.  The book opens with a history of the Sabbat and how Anarchs (The Proto-Sabbat) rose up against their elders and eventually killed their antediluvian progenitors (maybe).  The book then dissects the Sabbat and shows how diverse the sect is and begins to explore the paradox of the Sabbat.  While the Sabbat professes an ideology of freedom for its members, the sect itself is rigidly structure like a military organization but it is enshrouded by the trappings of religion, especially Catholicism.  However much the Sabbat speaks about freedom or individualism, the sect is just as strictly controlled by its hierarchy as the Camarilla. 

            While I have never been a fan of the alternative paths because I’ve played in too many groups that had Assamites that abused the Path of Blood, some of the paths presented are intriguing.  The Path of Honorable Accord and the Path of Lilith offer great options for players looking to explore moralities beyond Humanity.  As always, Storytellers should be careful with allowing players to use a path other than Humanity, since these allow Power gamers to follow the path of “I do whatever I want.” 

            The book really shines in the final Chapters where we learn the Sabbat’s ritae and their tactics for laying siege to a city.  Every page offers a great story hook.  The Ritae are more than a cinematic event to be used in the course of a game.  Each ritae must be prepared.  For example, The Blood Feast requires pack members to capture several kine or perhaps even a Camarilla vampire to be used as victims.  If you’re running a Sabbat game, the Player Characters can have a difficult time acquiring these victims.  Conversely, in a Camarilla game, the Player Characters could be sent to discover why a favored ghoul or retainer has disappeared and stumble onto a Sabbat Pack’s Blood Feast.  The same is true for almost ever ritae. 

            Chapter Six provides a deeper look into the functioning of the Sabbat as a sect and how individuals operate within the Sabbat system.  Ethics, perception, anti-hero concepts, Sabbat politics, propaganda, use of Ritae, and Sabbat chronicle themes are all covered in this chapter.  After reading this chapter, I felt like I was capable of running a Sabbat Chronicle.  While I have never been a big fan of the gratuitous violence of the stereotypical Sabbat Chronicles, I was sure that I could present a balanced view of the Sabbat in my own Chronicle because of this book. 

            The final chapter provides players and Storytellers with the tactics used by the Sabbat when attacking a city, and some of them are nightmarishly creative.  Whether you are running a Sabbat Chronicle or otherwise, these tactics make for great scenes within a story.  The section on Manchurians is probably the best part of the book, as the writer has some clever ideas on how to use a combination of disciplines to replace vampires in a city targeted by the Sabbat war parties. 

            The Guide to the Sabbat is a must have book for anyone running a game involving the Sabbat as protagonists or antagonists.  The book presents a balanced and complex view of the Sabbat and how it operates on a nightly basis.  While some of the artwork is poor, the text of the book is filled with potential plots for any Chronicle.  Don’t buy this book if you’re just looking for new bloodlines or crunch as most of the mechanical elements are for Storytellers only. The Guide to Sabbat's companion book, The Guide to the Camarilla is just as good, and the pair work together to describe perfectly the two warring sects. 

            While published in 1999, The Guide to the Sabbat is still available for purchase on DriveThruRPG as .pdf or print on demand or if you want an original printing, you can go to Amazon.com.