Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern art.
 - Tom Stoppard

Crafts System

1. To Craft an item, the player declares the item, weapon or armor they wish to attempt to craft, whether Basic, Uncommon, Rare or Ultra Rare, and either normal (non-masterwork) or Masterwork.

2. The player makes one Attribute + Crafts test. (Attribute to be agreed upon with a Storyteller, usually at character creation or when the character first begins to learn a Craft). Tests begin at standard Difficulty (6) with reduced difficulty where an applicable secondary skill is available.

3. If the player has enough successes based on the chart below, they succeed in creating the item and it will be completed in the time noted on the chart below. A Perception check may be made to judge if the attempt was successful.

Storytellers Note: In this system, difficulty does not change upward. Items are always created at difficulty 6 unless lowered by an applicable secondary skill. The only things that change from item to item are required Materials or Components, required successes and time to create.

    *Requires Ultra Rare Components (see that section down below for details)

• The Crafter may only attempt one item at a time, but with a signed and dated notecard, may pause a craft attempt period to start another and may pick up where they left off later.
• Successes are capped at a maximum of 10.
• No Blood expenditures are allowed.
• Willpower may be spent, however the crafter is down one WP for the entire duration of the craft attempt as noted by the chart above.
• After the initial roll, the Crafter must make a Perception + Crafts test to appraise their creation. If they succeed they may abort a failed item creation in half the time. It is also possible to think you've made a great item, but actually have failed.
• Botching a Craft check destroys a Material.
• A crafted item's Appearance rating is equal to the required successes needed to create it. Any number of successes over the required total of the declared item may be added to the item's appearance rating at a rate of half of the extra successes rounded down.
• Each rarity level of item requires two Materials (of the same rarity level) to create. Basic items require two Basic Materials, Uncommon Items Require two Uncommon Materials AND two Basic Materials and so on. Characters may attempt to Craft their own materials or simply purchase them. Materials once obtained or created never deplete unless there is a botch, or through applicable story (haven/workshop burns down for example).
• Crafters may work on seperate aspects of a large project at Storyteller discretion.

Masterworks

Masterwork Crafts allow the crafter to modify one of the following statistics: (shown in the table to the right)

Other things to keep in mind about Masterwork Crafting:

In order to craft Masterwork items, the crafter must have at least 1 dot in a corresponding secondary skill. If you are unsure of the correct secondary skill for your character's Craft, consult the suggestions listed lower on this page or ask a Storyteller for help. 

Masterwork items always bear the distinguishable marks of it's maker.

Failure to create an Ultra Rare Masterwork requires a Diff 8 Willpower check or a Derangement is gained.

We do not allow the creation of Masterwork Ammunition.

For unique or improvised weapons: (Nunchucks, Tazers, Chainsaws, Vials of weaponized acid, Railroad ties with spikes in it, etc.) Any of the above applicable changes are available at Storyteller discretion, depending on the type of weapon (Brawl/Melee or Ranged) or armor that it is determined to most resemble. According to the core rulebook, all unique or improvised weapons begin at +1 difficulty to use. 

Materials and Components

Materials refer to high quality tools or ingredients required to craft an item, Components refer to legendary rare items required for the most exotic Ultra Rare items and masterworks.

Basic level Materials (Cost: $500 per Material) include:
Canvas, Paints, Cheap Camera, Cheap Film, Soft Stone (Talc, Soapstone, Bone/Ivory), Whittling Knife, Gears, Watch Repair Tools, a Forge, an Anvil, a Simple Blueprint, a Beginners Gunsmithing Kit, Automobile Guidebook, a Wrench, etc.

And are needed to create Basic items such as:
Professional (salable) artwork, sculpture, or photographs, (note any artwork with at least three successes can be sold professionally), or other salable items, such as simple clocks, mechanics guides, basic blueprints, etc. (These items may not fetch much of a price, but it can justify a few dollars in a Kindred's pocket.) Brawl or Melee Weapons with a Strength + 1 or +2 damage rating, Armor with a +1 or +2 Armor rating, +1 to a Vehical stat, a Light Revolver or Shortbow, Basic Bullets and Arrows.

Uncommon level Materials (Cost: $1200 per Material) include:
Artist's Palette, High Quality Brush, High Quality Camera, High Quality Film, Regular Stone (Gypsum, Alabaster), a Chisel, Springs, a Clockmaker's Kit, a Crowned Hammer, a Leatherworking Awl, Expert Blueprint, an Oxy-Acetalyne Welder, a Detailed Vehical Blueprint, an Engine Winch, etc.

And are needed to create Uncommon items such as:
High-Quality Artwork. Brawl or Melee Weapons with a Strength +3 rating, Armor with a +3 Armor rating, +2 to a Vehical stat, a Shotgun, Heavy Revolver/Pistol, or Light Pistol, AP Bullets, Silencers/Supressors and Scopes.

Rare level Materials (Cost: $3000 per Material) include:
Treated Canvas, an Air Brush, Photographic Chemicals, a Professional Dark Room, Hard stone (marble, Granite), a Pneumatic Carving Tool, a Horologist's Blueprint, a Diamond Graver-Sharpener, a Quench Tank, Titanium Tongs, Black-Market Blueprint, a Chamber Press, a Diagnostic Computer, a Hydrolic Lift, etc.

And are needed to create Rare items such as:
Exceptional-Quality Artwork. Brawl or Melee Weapons with a Strength +4 rating, Armor with a +4 Armor rating, Nomex Armor, +3 to a Vehical stat, a Sniper Rifle, Sub Machine Guns, Semi-Auto Shotgun, Crossbow / Longbow, Tear Gas, Door Breacher or Fire Arrows.

Ultra Rare level Materials (Cost: $9000 per Material) include:
Iridescent powder and Master Painters Kit, A Prototype Camera, Ultra Sensitive Film, Very Hard Stone (Corinthian Marble, Malachite, Serpentine, Jade), a Laser Carving Tool, a Master Horologist's Kit, a Golden Torbillon, a High Temperature Forge, a Hydraulic Press, a Government Blueprint and a Gunsmith's Furnace, a Steel Press, an Assembly Robot, etc.

And are needed to create Ultra Rare items such as:
Legendary artwork. Brawl or Melee Weapons with a Strength +5 rating, Armor with a +5 Armor rating, +5 to a Vehical stat, an Assault Rifle, Phosphorus Rounds x10 or Dragon's Breath Rounds x10.

Ultra Rare Components

• Items designated Ultra Rare or Masterwork Ultra Rare require Components which much be gained before Crafting is attempted. These components can be anything from an item of occult significance to advanced manufacturing equipment.
• The costs associated with investigating the wherabouts of an Ultra Rare Component (bribes, paid researchers, the aquisition or translation of highly specialized blueprints or ancient texts) begins at $30,000, but is dependent upon the story.
• For some Ultra Rare items, their creation can only be attempted at the Masterwork level.
  The creation of an Ultra Rare Masterwork item will always have in-character consequences, (usually centered around the special Component required to create it.) Additionally, high success items may have other unforseen consequences such as the notice and attention of powerful NPCs like Church Inquisitors, Mortal and Kindred organizations or cults, State, Local or National Government and/or their associated agencies, Red Listed vampires and Other Creatures that may be attuned to items of almost religious significance.

Building from the Ground Up

(Storyteller and Player guidelines for how characters can create almost everything needed for crafting from scratch) Please note that each item listed here represents not only the high quality item itself, but the associated set-up of a proper Crafter's studio/workshop in the Emerald Domain.

Painting
Basic painting requires a Canvas and Paints
Uncommon Painting requires an Artist's Palette and High Quality Brush (as well as Basic items)
Rare painting requires an Treated Canvas and an Air Brush (as well as Basic and Uncommon items)
Ultra Rare Painting requires Iridescent powder and Master Painters kit (as well as Basic, Uncommon and Rare items) and the Component Flesh Canvas or for Masterwork Fae Blood

Photography
Basic photograpy requires Cheap Camera & Cheap Film
Uncommon Photography requires High Quality Camera and High Quality Film
Rare Photography requires a Photographic Chemicals and a Professional Dark Room
Ultra Rare Photography requires a Prototype Camera and Ultra Sensitive Film and the component Elder Vitae or for Masterwork Elder Malkavian Vitae (7th Generation or higher)

Sculpture
Basic Sculpture requires Soft Stone (Talc, Soapstone, Bone/Ivory) and a Whittling Knife
Uncommon Sculpture requires Regular Stone (Gypsum, Alabaster) and a Chisel
Rare Sculpture requires Hard stone (marble, Granite) and a Pneumatic Carving Tool
Ultra Rare Sculpture requires Very Hard Stone (Corinthian Marble, Malachite, Serpentine, Jade), a Laser Carving Tool and the Component Setite Sandpaper or for Masterwork The Parchment of Aemaeth

Clockwork
Basic Clockwork requires Gears and and Watch Repair Tools
Uncommon Clockwork requires Springs and a Clockmaker's Kit
Rare Clockwork requires a Horologist's Blueprint and a Diamond Graver-Sharpener Ultra Rare Clockwork requires a Master Horologist's Kit and a Golden Torbillon with the Component A Gnomon of Vitruvius or for a Masterwork a Nail of the Crucifiction

Blacksmithing
Basic Blacksmithing (Or Weaponsmithing or Armorsmithing) for Melee & Brawl weapons requires a Forge and an Anvil
Uncommon Blacksmithing requires a Crowned Hammer and a Leatherworking Awl
Rare Blacksmithing requires a Quench Tank and Titanium Tongs
Ultra Rare Blacksmithing requires a High Temperature Forge and a Hydraulic Press and the Component Blessed Precious Jewels or for Masterwork a Shard of Caliburn

Gunsmithing
Basic Gunsmithing (or Weaponsmithing) requires Simple Blueprint and Beginners Gunsmithing Kit
Uncommon Gunsmithing requires a Expert Blueprint and an Oxy-Acetalyne Welder
Rare Gunsmithing requires a Black-Market Blueprint and a Chamber Press
Ultra Rare Gunsmithing requires a Government Blueprint and a Gunsmith's Furnace with the Components Police Grade Recoil Pad or for Masterwork Military Grade Ballistic Metal

Mechanic
Basic Mechanic requires a Automobile Guidebook and a Wrench
Uncommon Mechnic requires a Detailed Vehical Blueprint and an Engine Winch
Rare Mechanic requires a Diagnostic Computer and a Hydrolic Lift
Ultra Rare Mechanic requires a Steel Press and an Assembly Robot with the Components Exotic Prototype Engine or for Masterwork Heron's Engine of Alexandria

Taxidermy
Basic Taxidermy requires a Basic Taxidermy Kit and Tanning Chemicals
Uncommon Taxidermy requires Glass Eyes and a Standard Mounting Frame
Rare Taxidermy requires Fine Taxidermy Tools and an Airbrush Kit
Ultra Rare Taxidermy requires a Master's Taxidermy Workbench and Custom Painted Eyes with the Components Illegal Pelt or for Masterwork a Lupine/Changing Breed Pelt

Woodworking
Basic Woodworking requires Carpenter's Tools and Various Nails
Uncommon Woodworking requires a Jigsaw and Various Screws
Rare Woodworking requires a Japanese Backsaw and a Phenolic Router Table
Ultra Rare Woodworking requires an Egyptian Adze and a Laser Scroll Saw with the Component A Page from the Lu Ban Jing or for a Masterwork the Hammer of Noah

Woodcarving
Basic Woodcarving requires a Whittling Knife and Carving Tools
Uncommon Woodcarving requires a Draw Knife and a Woodcarver's Kit
Rare Woodcarving requires a Reciprocating Power Carver and a Master Woodcarver's Kit
Ultra Rare Woodcarving requires a Wood Engraving Laser and an Electric, Water-Cooled Sharpening System with the Component A Chisel of Jörg Syrlin or for a Masterwork A Shaving from the Trojan Palladium

Trapmaking
Basic Trap-making requires Triggers and Trap Jaws
Uncommon Trap-making requires Steel Cages and Pressure Plates
Rare Trap-making requires Steel Enforced Wooden Pikes and Large Stone Blocks
Ultra Rare Trap-making requires Sally Ports and Enormous Springs with the Component an Ancient Roman Patibulum or for a Masterwork The Lathe of Daedalus

And so on...

At Storyteller discretion, materials requirements for Style, Computers, Underwater Baskets and other Crafts could be created using the above lists as guidelines.

Storyteller Guidelines for other Modifiers

Each moves the item on the rarity table. (Cannot go below Basic or Above Ultra Rare). These are guidelines for odd item creation requests, do not assume difficulties or scale. Work with your Storyteller to agree on a fair Craft difficulty. Storytellers reserve the right to refuse requests for some odd items.

+1: Built into ordinary object (Umbrella, Briefcase, Camera, etc), Collapsible (as an option other than creating a masterwork, on some items (Storyteller discretion) this will allow one lower Conceal rating, however it takes an action to unpack/uncollapse), made of an unusual metal. Silver, etc., Easy pull - bows only, reduce str requirement by 1.

+2: Passes metal detectors, weapon with an armor rating.

- 1: Obvious flaw, one shot gun.

Additional guidelines: Items with other special effects might be created by 'trading stats' (lowering Range rating on a bow/arrow to add a fire effect). This is at storyteller discretion.

“They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains, he remarked with a smile. "It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work.”
 - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "Sherlock Holmes"

Investigation System:

The following tests can be used to investigate something. This system is mostly straight from the Core Rulebook. The below is for Humans, Ghouls and Kindred. Investigations using Animals and Wraiths are handled at the bottom.

MENTAL FEATS:

Research [Intelligence + Academics/Occult/Science]: (Searching through records/databases or identifying objects/events)

Investigation [Perception + Investigation]: (searching physical evidence at locations/crime scenes)

Tracking [Perception + Survival]: (of people/supernaturals who are no longer in the area but once were based on gathered evidence or records.) Feats above are on page 205 of the Core Rule Book.

Patrolling [Perception + Streetwise]: (of places/domains looking for people/supernaturals/actions) House rule. For touring locations/domains looking for 'crimes in progress'simply by being perceptive. Auspex may apply.

SOCIAL FEATS:

Canvassing [Charisma + Streetwise]: (of places/domains looking for people/supernaturals/actions) House rule. For touring locations/domains looking for 'crimes in progress' by asking passers-by about a particular subject. "Hitting the Beat."

PHYSICAL FEATS:

Shadowing [Dexterity + Stealth/Drive]: (of people/supernaturals) Page 204 of the Core Rule Book.

OTHER:

Influences [Utilize Action]: (specific influence sphere) House rule. Influence Spending. Every two Influence traits spent equals one auto-success on any Patrolling, Canvassing or Research feat. (This is a Utilize Action, and as such is treated the same as any other Influence Action in terms of tying up Influence points or being seen through Seek Actions.)

Difficulties are based on the scope of the investigation. The difficulty for these feats depend on the size of area (for area searches) or the length of time (for individuals/events) being investigated, however no matter the size of the area investigated, when using Influence to aid in a Patrolling, Canvassing or Research feat difficulty doesn't matter, as successes added to a feat from Influence Use are automatic. 

Difficulty chart:

*The Rack, downtown, a single neighborhood, etc.

Note: There are cases when the difficulty can be modified by freedom of movement granted by either Positions (Sheriff, Scourge,) or it being a domain you are allowed freedom in such as your own clan's domain, or personal domain.

Cooperation:

Players may cooperate with a Leadership check. The players must choose a "lead investigator". In addition to making the investigation roll as usual, the lead investigator rolls Charisma + Leadership.  
 
The base difficulty is 8 for a group who has never worked together. This can be modified up or down by social issues like age, clan, gender, nature, history, previous experience training together, etc. Use of Awe or Entrancement can obviate any social issues with a character. Dominate is too specific to apply to the leadership roll, but can be useful for getting people to participate in the first place.
 
If the check succeeds, then for each assistant, the "lead investigator" receives 1 additional die to their dice pool.
 
Note:  Each assistant must be trained (have at least 1 dot ) in the ability being used in the investigation.

• Failure and botches may involve frenzy checks from the participants.
• Applicable Secondary abilities may apply for reducing difficulties as per normal.
• Applicable Specialties may apply for allowing testing up as per normal.
• Normal Obfuscate and Auspex rules apply for feats like Shadowing.

Generally successes from investigators are contested vs. those attempting to hide with either Manipulation + Subterfuge, Dexterity + Stealth or Wits + Stealth of your target, but may be modified by other circumstances at ST discretion. The number of successes over the target's successes determines the accuracy and detail of the results.

Investigation using Wraiths:

Wraiths may only attempt to shadow or spy on a target, since they cannot access public records, chat up folks on the street or spend influences, however, they can still be useful in gathering information, most specifically to follow specific people or spy on specific places and report back. Obviously, anyone wishing to do this must have enough Necromancy to summon and command Wraiths. Wraith Retainers which have already been summoned and bound do not require tests to get them to do a Necromancer's bidding, but in order to use "free-range" Wraiths, the Necromancer must first test to Summon and Compel the Wraith. 
 
Once a Wraith is appropriately committed to a task, the Necromancer then makes 2 static tests, the results of which can range from -2 to +2. This test represents all the challenges involved in completing the task, including the dangers of the Shadowlands, is a great deal less time consuming than running tests based on the stats of an individual wraith, and keeps the chances of failure and success (which are dependant on several random circumstances) as fair as possible. The number of successes/botches determines the outcome. Botches mean that the Wraith may return with a nasty Specter on its tail or simply not return at all. Zero means that the Wraith returns safely but with no information. One success means the Wraith returns safely with SOME information and two successes is complete success of the mission. All information gained this way is filtered to the Necromancer through an ST.

Investigation using Animals:

Similar to Wraiths, animals do not have the ability to make Investigation rolls or use Influences, but can still be used by those who can communicate with them, and they may still attempt to shadow or spy on a target. Without Animalism, one's ability to communicate to Animals is based solely on one's Animal Ken, and is limited to "What's that Lassie? Timmy's trapped in the well?" at best. So this is primarily for Kindred with Animalism. 
 
Like Wraiths, if one has Animalism and animal retainers, then one makes 2 static tests that represent the chances of the animal to perform the task (following or spying). If one has Animalism and no animal retainers, then first an Animalism check (manipulation + animal ken) must be made. At 1 success, the animal obeys the command for scene, at 2 for a night, 3 for week, 4 for 2 weeks, and 5 for month. Then, same static 2 tests are made. For Botches, the animal is going to fail to return or even be "caught" by the target that may then use them to possibly gain information on the Kindred who sent them. At zero successes, the animal returns safely, but with no information. One success means the animal returns with partial information and at 2 successes, it returns with complete success of the mission. "Complete Success" is limited by the capability of the animal in question, per ST discretion, and all information relayed to the animals' "master" is relayed by an ST in a manner appropriate to the type of animal. As for Wraiths, the 2 static tests are a simple and fair way to account for all the variables of completing a task without having to spend half your night not role-playing while you make tests for an NPC.

If one does not have Animalism, but still wants to try to get animals to do things, it is based solely on Animal Ken and requires a scene with an ST (and as mentioned before is not likely to yield much in the way of results).

Go to the next Rules section: House Rules: Clan Specific