Playing as a Hunter

The hunter block

The human loop gives the group visible choices and shared consequences. It does not create a second vampire sheet.

Creed

Creed describes how the hunter hunts: entrepreneurial, faithful, inquisitive, martial, or underground. Desperation dice are available only when the Storyteller places the test inside that field.

Drive

Drive describes why the hunter hunts: curiosity, vengeance, oath, greed, pride, envy, or atonement. It is separate from Ambition and Desire, and each Drive has a redemption condition.

Cell

A cell can contain one hunter and still works. It shares Desperation, Danger, and Despair. If the cell splits, copy the current values first, then track each cell separately.

Edges and Perks

At creation, take two Edges and one Perk, or one Edge and two Perks. An Edge is an unrated asset, aptitude, or endowment with a fixed Attribute + Skill pool. A Perk refines an Edge and never requires Desperation dice.

1. 01

   Start with the human chassis

   Use the shared mortal chassis: one Attribute at 4, three at 3, four at 2, and one at 1; Health equal to Stamina + 3; Willpower equal to Composure + Resolve; one of the jack, balanced, or specialist Skill spreads; seven Advantage points; and two Flaw points. Take one to three Touchstones. Haven means a home or safehouse, not a crypt.

2. 02

   Desperation is a choice with a bill

   On a test inside the Creed field, the hunter may add dice equal to the cell's current Desperation. Those dice count for successes and criticals, but Willpower cannot reroll them. On a win, a 1 on any Desperation die lets the player keep the win and take Overreach, or accept Despair and lose the win. A failed test with a Desperation 1 enters Despair automatically.

3. 03

   Overreach raises Danger

   Overreach keeps the successful action but exposes the cell in a way that fits the Drive. Add one Danger for each 1 on the Desperation dice. Danger starts at the house default of 1, usually runs from 1 to 5, and does not carry into a new story. Give every tracker change a reason the players can see.

4. 04

   Despair replaces the vampire failure state

   Despair locks the cell out of Drive and Desperation dice until redemption. A hunter with no Touchstones is permanently in Despair, and a ghoul enters Despair when their vitae lapses. The Storyteller judges redemption by the Drive's condition; record what changed and why.

5. 05

   Hunt together, even when the cell is small

   The quarry is a Vampire city problem, but the cell's trackers make the pressure shared. Desperation rises after serious harm, an escaping or advancing quarry, or harm to innocents. It can fall when the cell learns something real quietly, protects innocents, or seriously harms the quarry. Danger rises from Overreach and exposure and rarely falls.

Tests in the hunt

The same dice can leave the cell in very different positions.

• The evidence room

  Inquisitive Creed, Desperation 2, searching a hospital archive.

  The test is inside the Creed field, so the player may add two Desperation dice. A win with no 1s gives the cell information. A 1 on a winning Desperation die opens the Overreach or Despair choice.

• The clean escape

  Underground Creed, Desperation 1, slipping past a ghoul lookout.

  The hunter gets away, but a 1 on the Desperation die means Overreach adds one Danger and the exposure must fit the Drive. The success stands.

• The missed warning

  Martial Creed, Desperation 3, failing to stop the quarry from reaching an innocent.

  The failed test with a Desperation 1 enters Despair. Until redemption, the cell cannot call on its Drive or add Desperation dice.

How Vampiro Life carries the hunt

The Storyteller keeps the hunter's human choices in the same chronicle as the vampire city. The cell record shows pressure and redemption between scenes.

• The hunter block stores Creed, Drive, Edges, and Perks. Ambition, Desire, and Touchstones stay on the shared character fields.
• The cell stores Desperation, Danger, Despair, and the reason for each tracker change.
• Desperation dice appear only inside the chosen Creed field and never become Hunger dice.
• Edges and Perks describe capabilities. Using a Perk never calls for Desperation dice.

Frequently asked

Can a cell have one hunter?

Yes. A cell of one is legal and uses the same shared trackers.

What is the difference between Creed and Drive?

Creed is how the hunter hunts and sets the field where Desperation dice may apply. Drive is why they hunt and names the redemption condition.

Can I add Desperation dice to any roll?

No. The Storyteller must place the test inside the chosen Creed field. Desperation dice are also unavailable while the cell is in Despair.

What happens when a Desperation die shows 1?

On a win, choose Overreach or Despair. Overreach keeps the win and raises Danger; Despair makes the test fail and locks the Drive until redemption. On a failed test, Despair is mandatory.

Do hunters use the Vampire Humanity ladder?

No. Despair is the human failure state in this adaptation. The optional VTM stain track is separate and never replaces Despair.

Do NPC organization hunters use this block?

Usually no. Organization agents and bystanders use the SPC templates, normally without Creed, Drive, or Edges and never with Desperation dice unless the Storyteller promotes one to a capital-H hunter.