[nWoD] Vampire Melee Optimization?

[Vallum]

Buddy of mine from colleg came down and is running a one shot nWoD vampire game for his birthday.

I was thinking on going with either a
-Greatsword
-Greataxe
-Katana/s (odachi or duel wield katanas)
-Unarmed

We start with 100 exp.

Its been ages sense I've played and need help with what to take to trick out this vampire.

[Kesnit]

Buddy of mine from colleg came down and is running a one shot nWoD vampire game for his birthday.

I was thinking on going with either a
-Greatsword
-Greataxe
-Katana/s (odachi or duel wield katanas)
-Unarmed

We start with 100 exp.

Its been ages sense I've played and need help with what to take to trick out this vampire.

More information would be helpful.

The best melee vampire is a Gangrel because their claws do Agg damage. (The weapons you listed do lethal.) If you want to use a weapon, Davea and Nos can be good front-liners.

Edit: What books are allowed?

[CN the Logos]

...I'm just curious, what's the set up for this game? Are you setting this in an era when greatswords were actually a thing? In feudal Japan? Or is your character just going to walk down modern-day Bourbon Street carrying a five foot long sword?

Because if it's the last option there, have I got a supplement for you. It's official material from White Wolf, and it's free. You're welcome. (http://flamesrising.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=80217)

[Vallum]

Sorry about the lack of information.

My ST has told me little or nothing about the setting. He has, 'something prepared,' but I haven't the foggiest as to what it could be, outside of the setting being set in modern day. Dunno what we will face, where our characters will be, or what will be useful, but what I do know is that its a one shot, and I'm hoping to beat some face in, and beat it hard.

I could probably beg my ST to allow just about any specific splat I'd like, (we have armory and the sequel, and I think he'd allow bloodlines). So, atm, core + vampire, armory + sequel, and could easily talk into getting bloodlines in.

[Sturmcrow]

Vigor, Strength and dual wield Bank Vault doors...

Unless they fixed the Size -> Damage in errata lol


Or go Dex + Melee + Fencing Fighting Style 5

Armory and Armory Reloaded will be your best friends.

Gangrel + Athletics + Red Hunger + Archery Fighting Style is my friends trick for grotesque ability to stake

[Selrahc]

Buddy of mine from colleg came down and is running a one shot nWoD vampire game for his birthday.

Has he said it's a combat focussed game? Is there a PVP aspect to consider?

[Vallum]

Has he said it's a combat focused game? Is there a PVP aspect to consider?

The games he runs are usually combat focused when he runs one, and, as a one shot would be, a pure social encounter would be lackluster, (I prefer my social intrigue games to span over a long period of time).

I wouldn't think PvP would happen unless the other player in our one shot is going to be a problem, which he shouldn't, as he's pretty mature about the game.

I know he likes guns, and as such will leave him to them while I would, in combat, be the big melee weapon guy that hits like a truck and doesn't die, (again, wish I could run a Promethean...).

[Vallum]

*double post*

[Fouredged Sword]

Consider ether a Deva or a nos. You get potency and celarity as a deva. There is a devotion called sudden strength that lets you add your celarity dots to your potency for a round. It is great for hitting really really hard.

4 dot weapon, 4 dots of strength, 4 dots of weaponry, 2 all out attack,3 willpower point, 3 potency, 3 celarity.

23 dice in an attack. Not bad. If you roll bad for initiative you use celarity to go first anyway. You drop 3 dice from your attack, but few things will survive the first attack.

Nos have another strategy. Nos have obfuscate. Vanish and make the first thing they notice from you be an ax to the back of the head. You still have potency, and you are likely going to ignore their defense and likely their armor(few think to armor their neck from decapitation).

Note obfuscate also hides the sound of a running chainsaw. Just a thought for a shock and aw ability.

[Pyrophilios]

Some builds I have used or seen used:

Offensive builds:

FS: Kung Fu (Core)
Whirlwind Strike OOOO
Req: High Dex, High Str
Combined with Claws of the Wild you get the "blender" build (favored by Gangrel)

FS: Boxing (Core)
Combination Blows OOO
Req: High Str
Combined with punch daggers or there sharp knuckleduster equivalent and Vigor you get the "ugly puncher" build (favored by Nosferatu)

FS: Fencing (Armory)
Moulinet/Nidan Waza OOOO
Req: High Dex
Combined with a scimitar or katana and fighting finesse you get the "one hit wonder" build (favored by Daeva)

FS: Spetsnaz (Armory)
Vital Attack OOO / Slash and Stab OOOO
Req: High Dex
Combined with a sharp wooden stake and obfuscate you get the "sudden death" build (favored by Meket) (Combines well with FS MAC to reduce armor penalties)

Retainer (Core)
Retainer OOOOO
Req: none
Have a burly bodyguard do all the nasty violence, replace if needed by liberal uses of Dominate (favored by Ventrue)( :smallwink: )

Defensive builds:

FS: Langschwert (Adv. Armory)
Fools Guard OO
Req: Really High Str
With maxed out Str, Vigor and Weaponry you can negate your enemy's attacks and damage him instead. Works well with high armor and the armored fighting Merit. Obuscate your two handed Longsword for everyday business and you get the "highlander" build (favored by Nosferatu)

FS: Aikido (Adv. Armory)
Renzoku Waza OOOO
Req: Really High Dex
With maxed out Dex and Brawl you can negate the attacks of multiple enemies and damage them instead by throwing them somewhere inconvenient. Combine with Celerity for a truly "untouchable" build (favored by Daeva)

FS: Gladiatorial (Requiem for Rome)
Brutal Sacrifice OOOO
Req: High Str and Dex
Embed a big weapon in your enemy and threaten him to pull it out for automatic damage. Especially funny with a five dice waraxe and Dominate command: Pullout axe (favored by sadistic Ventrue)

FS: Improvised Weaponry (Midnight Roads)
In Harms way OO Breaking Point OOO
Req: Wits, Dex and something with high durability (chains are great for this)
Sacrifice the durability of any object as armor and damage against your opponent. Called the "grievous harm with a blunt object" build (favored by Meket)

FS: Shurikenjutsu (Adv. Armory)
Ikki GokKen OOOO
Req: High Dex, Coils of Bane and Beast, Resilience
Throw multiple Molotov Cocktails or other incendiary devices. Called the "mad bomber" build (favored by Ventrue of the Ordo Dracul, absolutely hated by Meket)

FS: Combat Marksmanship/Filipino Martial Arts (Armory)
Bayonet Range OOOO/Rapid Fire OOOOO
Req: High Dex, High Com
Use a pistol in melee combat as a blunt object for Filipino MA or shout your enemy multiple times while grappling him. Called the "Bring a gun to a knifefight" build (favored by Gangrel with no sense for fair play)

[Vallum]

*awesome stuff

<3 wish I had this a few days ago, I'm archiving this for future nWoD use.