Building Characters
Builds index
Close Fighter
Ranged Fighter
Mixed Fighter
Rogue
Expert
Tank
Duellist
Martial Artist
Heavy Weaponeer
Demolition Man
Mentalist
Pure Merchant
Civilian
Character Building in Blood Secrets
Blood Secrets has an open character advancement system. There are no "classes" in the game to restrict how to build your character's abilities as they advance. Other than limits on which Powers can be gained according to the supernatural species the character joins, and limitations on top-level skills by primary attribute, the character is free to choose any combination of abilities and skills, and there is nothing to stop them maximising almost everything given enough time.
However, this is hardly a recommended way of playing the game. Not only would this be extraordinarily time-consuming, it would seriously compromise the role-playing nature of the game. Those wishing to advance through the game at a reasonable pace with complimentary abilities and have the fun of playing a self-consistent character should form a philosophy of how they wish their character's abilities to progress. Following are a number of suggested ways to build characters in a "package" that makes some kind of sense.
Basic builds
The following character types are relatively straightforward to build and play. If you don't know the game that well, and don't yet have a clear idea of where to go with your character, these builds are a good starting point for your character design.
Close Fighter: One of the most simple character types to play, this character specialises in fighting close-up with melee weapons.
Strength is probably the best primary to pick, as it governs the use of most of the high-damage close weapons (Cutting and Bashing types). Fortitude, to keep the character alive in battle, and Speed, to help dodge and get your blows in, are the next most important abilities. Intelligence is also useful for using healing items, and Willpower will become increasing useful to resist mental attacks later in the game.
For situations where it is absolutely necessary to use ranged weapons, the character could build Dexterity or Perception. The former is actually probably better, as it includes the close/ranged crossover weapon type of Throwing, as well as most area-effect ranged weapons which are more likely to be attractive to close fighters.
Close is obviously the most important skill for the character type, with Armour and Parry also extremely useful. Otherwise, ranged weapon skills to complement ranged choices should be taken, as well as First Aid to use healing items.
Should the character wish to join the ranks of the supernatural, Lycanthropes are the obvious choice, with their emphasis on unarmed combat over complex weaponry, particularly Werewolves and Wereboars. There is scope for a role amongst the Vampire Houses as well, however.
When considering which human Societies to join, the Army and Animal Control would be complimentary to the close fighter's abilities, as would the more brutal criminal organisations. Of the Lycanthrope Lodges, pretty much any other than the stealthy Stubbs Students or the studious Lyceum are appropriate choices. Good Vampire Houses would be the Brothers in Belial for the more antisocial close fighter, the Swords of Asmund for the righteous, or the Order of the Dragon for the morally equivocal.
Ranged Fighter: Another simple build is to specialise in ranged weapons. This may be slightly harder that the close fighter for the beginner, however, as the urban environment of Blood Secrets can favour close quarter combat, and thus require that ranged fighters be played with a higher level of strategy.
Ranged fighters are likely to rely principally on firearms; consequently Perception and the Firearms skill are the obvious places to start. Speed is particularly useful to the ranged fighter, to get their shots in before a close combat enemy reaches them. Otherwise, Fortitude is useful as per usual, and Armour may be handy for when the enemy gets too close too quickly (although it is worth considering that heavy armour can negatively impact Speed). Close-ranged combat skills will also need to be developed to some degree. In this case, Dexterity is probably a better choice than Strength, as it is used in certain ranged weapons as well.
Unlike the close fighter, becoming a Lycanthrope is rarely a good idea as the were-form precludes use of equipment. Consequently Vampiric form is generally a better bet. In terms of choice of Society, the advice given above for close fighters remains good for ranged fighters as well.
Mixed Fighter: The mixed fighter develops deadly power with a variety of weapons to cover every type of engagement. Note that this is not merely a combination of close and ranged fighter builds; the mixed fighter has flexibility at heart. Consequently, while one obvious route to take is Strength + Close with Perception + Firearm, the better choice for a mixed fighter is probably Dexterity + Thrusting and Projectile (or possibly Throwing). Speed is also strongly recommended, to maximise chances of dodging (particularly important when switching weapons) and to overcome the generally low speed of projectile weapons. This build can be particularly devastating as the Projectile group is rich in area attack weapons, which can be used to soften up the enemy with an opening salvo, and hopefully buy time to switch to a close weapon for use against those who close for melee.
Lycanthropic mixed fighters somewhat limited for the same reasons as with ranged fighters. Vampires, with their wide spread of abilities and relative hardiness, are a more appropriate choice, particularly those with good all-round powers such as the Order of the Dragon or the Swords of Asmund. Again, general combat societies are generally the best choices for mixed fighters.
Rogue: Rogue characters use a very different skill set and strategic approach to dealing with enemies. In particular, Rogues activate their Sneak skill to hide from enemies, creep up on them, and then strike, using their Backstab skill to devastating effect. Consequently these skills, and Obfuscation on which they are based, are essential to the rogue. Also useful is Dexterity, as it supports a wide range of weapons while also serving as the base for certain other rogue skills (notably Lock Picking). Speed is also of particular use as it increases the chance that the rogue will act first; this is an important consideration in Stealth missions, where the character may want to escape the area with minimal interference in order to get the best outcome for these missions.
Both Werecats and Wererats make exceptional rogues, though Wereravens can also produce powerful rogue builds with a twist. Of the Lodges, the Stubbs Students excel at assassination and other stealth operations, and the more subtle Lodges such as the Lyceum, the Benandanti and Companions of Christopher may have ue of these skills in certain situations. The flexibility of Vampire characters also gives them fair rogue potential, particularly in combination with the Powers taught by such Houses as the Plaguebearers and, for a slightly different experience, the House of Bathory. Other societies making frequent use of the rogue skillset include the Army, the Yakuza, and occasionally the Triads.
Expert: Finally amongst the basic builds, there are those characters who specialise in using their intelligence, tactics and social skills to succeed. Such characters typically take either Intelligence (for maximum effectiveness of Powers and knowledge skills) or Charisma (for maximised social skills) as their primary. Also useful is Dexterity, for its wide range of combat and skill applications, Willpower for maximising Essence, and Speed for getting out of trouble if the plan fails. Note that Experts also frequently make use of the skills and tactics of Rogues, so everything written above may well be relevant.
In order to succeed in combat, Experts regularly make use of bombs and traps, so taking these skills is essential. Knowledge skills are useful for determining the abilities of one's enemies, allowing the expert to choose the best strategy. Other than this, Experts rely on Powers to hit hard in a fight. Consequently this build works best with the Wereravens or, for Charisma-based characters, Werecats of the Lycanthropes. Experts often prefer ranged to close combat, so the ranged Powers of the Academy of Ages are particularly useful for Intelligence-based Vampires, with the Chateau de Rais and House of Bathory providing good Powers for Charisma-based Experts. Human societies making use of the abilities of experts, particularly their social skills, include the Police and the various merchant organisations.
Advanced builds
The following character builds are designed to take more specialised roles in the game. Some require planning from the point of character generation, but the flexibility of advancement allows characters to obtain some resemblance of the builds below at any time. Starting players are advised to follow the advice above and become comfortable with the workings of the game before specialising along the lines below.
Tank: this is a melee character designed purely to take as much damage as possible. These characters make excellent front-line fighters as well as good solo characters, as they have a better chance of survival when faced with multiple enemies. Fortitude is the key to this class, not only to maximise Health but also to allow access to the best armour types available with a high Armour skill. Heavy armour makes Speed of limited use, so the character need not worry too much about this ability, but focus on Strength for combat effectiveness and Willpower to prevent incapacitation by mental effects. The Tank is a particularly appropriate build for Wereboars and the more offense-oriented Vampires.
Duellist: this build is effectively a front-line fighter taking the exact opposite approach to the Tank. Speed is the key to this character; it will allow the character to dodge blows rather than trying to soak up the damage, and striking first in the round can give the Duellist a key advantage. Dexterity is the main offensive ability, as it allows the use of Thrusting weapons; not only are these the fastest, they also have the best burst fire of all close weapons. Duellists may also wish to expand their combat options by developing their light automatic firearm skills. Certain martial arts can also make for a deadly Duellist. Most Vampires make good Duellists, as do Werecats and Wererats.
Martial Artist: for a special challenge, try designing a character around martial arts. The advice given for Close fighters and Duellists is all relevant to this build. Rather than spending XP on close combat skills, try cross-training multiple martial arts for different situations. While martial artists may be weak at the beginning, at upper levels they combine decent damage with high speed and a wide range of special damage and burst fire possibilities.
Heavy Weaponeer: not to be confused with the Tank, this character specialises in the use of the heaviest ranged weapons available, including automatic weapons, throwers and launchers. The first benefits from Perception, and the last two from Dexterity, so preferably choose one of these as the primary; purists will take Dexterity, allowing them to use grenade and rocket launchers at range and flame and gas throwers when enemies are closer. A decent Strength score will also be necessary just to equip these weapons. The Heavy Weaponeer combines high-damage, high range, area effect and special damage all in one devastating package. The downsides are limited options in the early game, and vulnerability at close range.
Demolition Man: this Expert specialises in explosives. Naturally, Intelligence is vital for setting bombs. Dexterity and Obfuscation are also useful, as bombs work best on unsuspecting targets; the Demolition Man will likely want to open doors undetected, sneak up on enemies, and place a bomb so as to cause maximum damage while the character has already fled and is nowhere to be seen, readying their next bomb to take out the weakened and confused survivors.
Mentalist: an option only for supernatural characters, the Mentalist specialises in manipulating the minds of their enemies. Charisma, Intelligence, or both form the base for this build, depending on the Powers that will be this character's weapons. Since most mental attacks are silent, this character may also benefit by developing stealth abilities to attack their targets out of sight. The potential of Sleep and Paralyze powers to incapacitate are obvious; an enemy in the throes of these powers may be rendered helpless and easy to dispatch. More insidious are Confuse and Control; these effects can result in the enemy turning on its fellows, allowing the mentalist to slink away and let the target do their fighting for them. This build applies primarily to Vampires, although Werecats and Wereravens do have some potential to make use of it.
Special builds
These builds are not designed about maximising effectiveness, but present the player with certain specific challenges. They are only really there for players interested in ramping up the difficulty or wishing to role-play certain roles.
Pure Merchant: this build focuses on developing experience and power through financial transaction alone. The game features which will allow this build have not yet been implemented
Civilian: for the ultimate challenge, try building a character who remains a human, even at the highest levels. Join the Army, Police and possibly Animal Control, or pick your favourite criminal organisation (or two). Then advance through the ranks to the upper levels, where encounters with the supernatural creatures begin to creep in. At this level, trying to take on a raging Wereboar in a straight fight is near-impossible. Your character will have to develop a wide range of skills and tactics, quite probably including those of the Expert and/or Heavy Weaponeer, to stand a chance.