Armory

One thing to bear in mind with equipment of this nature is that most of it is either outright illegal or highly restricted. Don't be shy about telling a player "no" if she comes up with some cockeyed plan to arm her coterie with .50-caliber machine guns.
Vampire is a horror game, not an action movie.

Firearms

Most nations have rather restrictive laws concerning the possession of fully automatic weapons, and handguns and sporting weapons are falling under tighter and tighter control. Even in the World of Darkness, it is difficult to acquire automatic weapons without black market connections or a valid collector's permit, and any use of such firearms in a city will almost certainly draw some degree of police attention. Storytellers should feel perfectly justified in making both the use and acquisition of such guns more trouble than it is worth for characters.

Firearm Traits

Caliber: The diameter of the bullet fired by the gun in question. Caliber is given in either a fraction of an inch (e.g. .45 caliber is 45/100 of an inch across) or millimeters (e.g. 9mm), with the exception of shotgun rounds, which are measured in gauge.

Damage: The base number of dice rolled for damage after a successful strike. All firearms do lethal damage against mortal targets. Against vampires, firearms do merely bashing damage, unless the head is targeted (which adds two to attack difficulties and one die to damage pools), in which case the damage is considered lethal.

Range: This is the practical shot range in yards. Weapons may be fired at twice this distance, but the attacks are considered long range (difficulty 8).

Rate: The gun's maximum cyclic rate, or the number of shots or three-round bursts it may fire per combat turn. This rate does not apply to full-auto or spray attacks.

Clip: The number of shots that the weapon holds. Automatic pistols, submachine guns and any rifle which is described as "automatic" or "semiautomatic" may be carried with one additional round in the firing chamber.

Conceal: P = Can be carried in the pocket; J = Can be hidden in a jacket; T = Can be hidden in a trenchcoat; N = Cannot be concealed on the person at all.

* Indicates the weapon is capable of three-round bursts, full-auto and sprays.

Revolvers

Revolvers are handguns that operate around a cylinder containing five or more rounds. They are generally more bulky than automatic pistols, but are less likely to become inoperable if they malfunction due to their relatively simpler construction. In game terms, this means that most botches with a revolver result in either a misfire (the round doesn't go off) or a shot going into a friend rather than the gun jamming or blowing up. Almost all modern revolvers are double-action, meaning that each pull of the trigger both fires the weapon and rotates a new round into place. Many older models (such as the Colt Peacemaker of American frontier fame) and some newer ones of very high caliber are single-action; this requires the firer to manually cock the hammer between shots, thus vastly reducing the rate of fire. Contrary to what some films have shown, it is impossible to silence a revolver.

Saturday Night Special: This is a catch-all term for any cheap, small-caliber revolver. The majority of crimes involving firearms are committed using these guns. Models are too numerous to list. The two main drawbacks of Saturday night specials are low stopping power and unreliability. However, they are easy to acquire on the street on short notice, ammunition is cheap, and they aren't as big of an investment and therefore are easier to throw away on the run.

Caliber: varies; the most common are .22, .25, and .38 Special
Damage: 3 or 4
Range: 10 to 15
Rate: 3
Clip: 5 , 6, or 8
Conceal: P

Smith & Wesson M640 and Colt Agent: These are representative of small "holdout" revolvers or "detective's specials." They are constructed with a rounded-off hammer to aid in rapid draws from concealment.

Caliber: .38 Special
Damage: 4
Range: 12
Rate: 3
Clip: 6
Conceal: P

Smith & Wesson M686 and Colt Python: Both of these pistols are well-designed mid-caliber revolvers with excellent reputations. These and similar models have seen widespread use among police forces in the past, though revolvers have been replaced almost completely by automatics in modern nights. Most revolvers like these come in a variety of barrel lengths, which have no effect on game play unless the Storyteller wants to tinker with the Range Trait.

Caliber: .357 Magnum
Damage: 5
Range: 30
Rate: 2
Clip: 6
Conceal: J

Smith & Wesson Model 29 and Colt Anaconda: These are a high-caliber revolvers used primarily for hunting and sport-target shooting. Few police departments adopted .44 Magnum weapons, as the heavier caliber pistols are harder to control and are more intimidating than police public relations would like. Characters with Strengths of less than 3 may have difficulty firing these weapons one-handed, at the Storyteller's discretion.

Caliber: .44 Magnum
Damage: 6
Range: 35
Rate: 2
Clip: 6
Conceal: J

Ruger Redhawk: The Redhawk is a massive, brutal revolver, used primarily for hunting. A larger version with a longer barrel, the Super Redhawk, comes with a sling and scope. Both versions are too bulky to be fired one-handed by any character with a Strength of less than 4.

Damage: 6
Range: 50, 100 for Super Redhawk
Rate: 2
Clip: 6
Conceal: T

Freedom Arms Casull: This weapon, named after its manufacturer, is custom-built on the frame of a Ruger Redhawk and is chambered for ammunition that is a modified rifle round. It is used primarily for hunting bear, moose and other large game, and can mount scopes. As with the Redhawk, it is impossible for a character with Strength of less than 4 to fire a Casull one-handed. A Casull is single-action, which has no game effect other than a relatively lower Rate and an intimidating pause as a character thumbs the hammer back. The expensive custom manufacturing required for a Casull makes it very difficult for a character with less than Resources 3 to acquire one.

Caliber: .454 Casull
Damage: 7
Rate: 1
Range: 40
Clip: 5
Conceal: T

Remington XP-100: Although not a revolver, this pistol is included here for the sake of simplicity. It and its relatives are single-shot, bolt-action pistols made for precise target shooting. Obviously, this means that the precision in question can be put to other uses by an enterprising character. The XP-100 is something of a sniper's weapon in a pistol size. It can mount a scope.

Caliber: .221
Damage: 5
Range: 50
Rate: 1
Clip: 1
Conceal: J

Automatic Pistols

The term automatic pistol is something of a misnomer, as automatic weapon has come to be synonymous with "fully automatic." Automatic pistols are more properly referred to as autoloaders, which means that they feed from an internal magazine and use part of the recoil when firing to load the next round into the chamber. Although many autoloaders are manufactured with magazines holding 15 or more rounds, recent American legislation requires all new autoloaders to be sold with magazines holding 10 rounds or less. Autoloaders are more likely to malfunction than revolvers due to their higher complexity (botches are more likely to result in a broken or jammed weapon), but are more commonly used because of their higher rates of fire, higher capacities and lower reload times. Autoloaders can be carried with a full magazine plus a round in the chamber ready to fire. The Clip Traits below apply to full magazines and empty chambers; the +1 indicates that they may be carried with a round in the chamber (though having a round in the chamber makes the weapon much more likely to fire if dropped).

Hammerli M280 Target: As with the Remington XP-100, the Hammerli M280 is a specialized target-shooting pistol. However, most M280s are made with ergonomic grips fitted to the hands of one specific user. In game terms, this adds one die to the Firearms dice pool of the intended user, but anyone else trying to use the weapon loses one die. This feature is available on most pistols, but the M280 is one of the few weapons on which it is standard. The M280 can mount a scope.

Caliber: .22 Long Rifle Damage: 4 Range: 30 Rate: 5 Clip: 5+1 Conceal: J

Sites M380: Manufactured in Italy, this slim and streamlined autoloader is intended for sale to people with minimal weapons training who feel the need to carry an easy-to-hide gun. It is designed for ease of use and maximum concealment. Two other functionally identical versions exist, the M9 and the M40, which fire 9mm and .40 caliber S&W ammunition respectively.

Caliber: .380 Automatic (9mm for M9, .40 S&W for M40)
Damage: 4 (5 for M40)
Range: 20
Rate: 4
Clip: 8+1 (9+1 for M9 and M40)
Conceal: P

Walther PPK: This German-made pistol is familiar worldwide as the signature weapon of James Bond. Although it lacks the punch of larger-caliber weapons, it is small enough to be easily hidden in an ankle holster or similar arrangement. Due to the widespread use of a silencer in the Bond films, it is relatively easy (though still very illegal, without proper permits) to get one for this pistol.

Caliber: .380 Automatic
Damage: 4
Range: 15
Rate: 3
Clip: 7+1
Conceal: P

Beretta Model 92: Made in Italy, this weapon is the most commonly used pistol in American police departments. It was also adopted in the early 1980s as the M9, the official service sidearm of the U.S. Army (though many service personnel still swear by their M1911s). The Model 92 is fairly representative of many high-capacity 9mm autoloaders, such as the Ruger P85 (Antonio Banderas' weapon of choice in Desperado), the Browning High-Power (with a 13-round magazine) and the Smith & Wesson 5900 series (the former service sidearm of the FBI), which are all identical to the Model 92 for game purposes.

Caliber: 9mm
Damage: 4
Range: 20
Rate: 4
Clip: 15+1
Conceal: J
Range: 20

Calico Model 950: Looking more like a science-fiction weapon than a traditional pistol, the Calico 950 is nevertheless a very effective weapon. It feeds from a high-capacity cylindrical magazine that locks onto the top of the weapon, parallel to the barrel, rather than sliding into the grip as most autoloaders' magazines do. The 950 has not seen much professional use, mainly due to its bulk. A submachine gun variant, the Model 960A, also exists, using the same magazine and action with a folding stock and longer barrel.

Caliber: 9mm
Damage: 4
Range: 20 (40 for 960A)
Rate: 4 (21 for 960A)
Clip: 50+1 or 100+1
Conceal: T

Glock 17, 20, 21 and 22: When the Glock 17 debuted on the market in the early 1980s, a sudden media flap occurred concerning its supposed "undetectability." Although the frames of Glock pistols are made of plastics and polymers, the barrels and other internal parts are more than sufficient to show up on X-ray machines and metal detectors. (Additionally, Glock manufactures these pistols with strips of metal in the handle so they are visible to detectors.) Perhaps because of their incredible media exposure, Glocks are extremely popular today. Glock manufactures several different models, all of which are listed here for simplicity's sake. Each model listed also has a compact companion model with a 10-round clip (an additional round may still be held in the chamber) and a Conceal of P.

Caliber: 9mm (model 17); .40 S&W (model 22); 10mm (model 20); .45 ACP (model 21)
Damage: 4 for model 17, 5 for all others
Range: 20 for model 17, 25 for all others
Rate: 4 for models 17 and 22, 3 for models 20 and 21
Clip: 17+1 (model 17), 15+1 (models 20 and 22), 13+1 (model 21)
Conceal: J

Heckler & Koch P7M13: The German firm of Heckler & Koch designed this pistol specifically for law enforcement use, combining maximum carrying safety with minimal difficulty in quick-draw and use. The P7M13's safety is part of the grip; it will fire as long as it is held, but the safety automatically engages if hand pressure is released from it, keeping the gun from going off if dropped. All Heckler & Koch weapons have excellent reputations for reliability (and high price), and the P7M13 is no exception.

Caliber: 9mm
Damage: 4
Range: 20
Rate: 4
Clip: 13
Conceal: P

Colt M1911A1: The classic ".45 automatic," the Colt M1911A1 was the standard service sidearm of the U.S. Army from its introduction in 1911 until the mid-1980s. It is still popular in military, law enforcement and civilian applications alike, and is possibly the most widely used pistol in the world. The M1911A1 has been seen in countless films, most recently and vividly in Last Man Standing. Lara Croft also uses these in Tomb Raider, so they must still be good.

Caliber: .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
Damage: 5
Range: 25
Rate: 3
Clip: 7+1 to 9+1, depending on the exact model
Conceal: J

SIG-Sauer P220 and P230: The partnership of Swiss SIG and German J.P. Sauer & Sohn has a reputation for consistently producing excellent weapons. SIG-Sauer offers a number of models of automatic pistols; the two listed here are fairly representative. Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully of X-Files fame carry a P220 and P230, respectively.

Caliber: .45 ACP (P220), .380 (P230)
Damage: 5 (P220), 4 (P230)
Range: 25 (P220), 20 (P230)
Rate: 3
Clip: 7+1
Conceal: J

IMI Desert Eagle: Although many professionals feel that the Desert Eagle is too much gun and too prone to mechanical failure, there is no denying the sheer intimidation factor this weapon carries. The Israeli-made Desert Eagle is the largest, most powerful autoloader in production today, and is almost impossible to fire one-handed (minimum Strength 4). In addition to its most impressive caliber, the Desert Eagle is also available in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum.

Caliber: .50 Action Express
Damage: 7
Range: 30
Rate: 1
Clip: 7
Conceal: J

Submachine Guns and Machine Pistols

Submachine guns, or SMGs, are designed to bridge the gap between pistols and automatic rifles. They are small weapons (under 3 feet long) that fire pistol-caliber ammunition at a high cyclic rate. Despite their similarity in use and appearance to rifles, SMGs operate internally more like pistols. SMGs are most commonly used by military special operations units, police SWAT teams and gangs, because the relatively close ranges at which all three groups usually enter conflict do not require the use of rifles.

Like automatic pistols, SMGs and machine pistols may hold an additional bullet in the chamber, hence the +1 notation to the Clip Trait. For the most part, chambering this additional round is excessive and time consuming, given the minimal benefit, but some gunbunnies are insistent upon doing it.

Beretta Model 93R: Classified as a machine pistol (a pistol-scale weapon that fires at SMG speeds), the Beretta Model 93R is a three-round-burst-capable version of the Model 92 (above). It incorporates a fold-down forward grip and folding stock. The Model 93R is not capable of true fully automatic fire, which makes it slightly more controllable than other machine pistols.

Caliber: 9mm
Damage: 4
Range: 20
Rate: 15
Clip: 20+1
Conceal: J

Ceska Model 61: More commonly known as the Skorpion, the Czech-made Model 61 is one of the smallest SMGs in production. It was widely used in Soviet bloc militaries, and has found its way into the armories of Third-World nations, terrorist groups and street gangs across the world. The Skorpion's relatively low-powered ammunition and uncontrollability are balanced by its small size and low cost.

Caliber: .32 ACP
Damage: 3
Range: 20
Rate: 15*
Clip: 10+1 or 20+1
Conceal: J

Glock 18: The Glock 18 is a fully automatic machine pistol version of the Glock 17, intended for law enforcement, military and antiterrorist use. Although it is similar in appearance to the Glock 17, it is deliberately designed to have incompatible parts.

Caliber: 9mm
Damage: 4
Range: 20
Rate: 19*
Clip: 17+1, 19+1, or 33+1
Conceal: J

Heckler & Koch MP5 series:The MP5 series is the most well-respected and reliable series of submachineguns in existence. A wide variety of variants exist, including the MP5K, a highly concealable, short-barreled version, and the MP5SD series, whose built-in sound suppresser makes it the quietest SMG in the world (not to mention impossible for civilians to acquire). MP5s can be seen in Navy SEALs, Die Hard I & II, and a plethora of other movies. Most Western military special operations units use MP5s.

Caliber: 9mm, though 10mm versions exist
Damage: 4 (5 for 10mm)
Range: 40 (25 for MP5K)
Rate: 21*
Clip: 15+1 or 30+1
Conceal: T (J for MP5K)

IMI Uzi: The Uzi was the first SMG to achieve widespread popularity (or notoriety…). Manufactured in Israel, it has spread across the world. In America, the Uzi is used by the Secret Service and many major police forces. Two smaller variants, the Mini-Uzi and the Micro-Uzi, are identical in function but lack the range and controllability of the larger model.

Caliber: 9mm and .45 ACP (all three models are available in both calibers)
Damage: 4 for 9mm, 5 for .45 ACP
Range: 50 for Uzi, 25 for Mini-Uzi, 15 for Micro-Uzi
Rate: 21*
Clip: 16+1, 20+1, or 32+1 for all models in 9mm; 16 for all models in .45 ACP
Conceal: T (J for Micro-Uzi)

Ingram M10: Also known as the MAC-10, this weapon was introduced in the 1970s and is still renowned for its durability. Its major drawback is its lack of control when firing long bursts, as its trigger allows it to fire only full-auto. Practice is required to pull off three-round bursts, and single shots are hard for all but the most skilled operators. A sound suppresser is available, but these are hard to obtain legally.

Caliber: 9mm and .45 ACP
Damage: 4 for 9mm, 5 for .45 ACP
Range: 25
Rate: 32+*
Clip: 32+1
Conceal: J

Intratec TEC-9: Although marketed as a pistol, this weapon is easy to convert to full automatic (Professional Skill: Gunsmith 1 and a decent toolkit gets the job done in an hour or two). Thus, it is encountered quite often in the hands of boneheaded thugs and gangstaz who want something cheap they can spray a room or an alley with. Professionals tend to stick with something less likely to blow up in their hands, as the TEC-9 is made poorly to begin with and impromptu modifications serve only to make it less reliable.

Caliber: 9mm
Damage: 4
Range: 20
Rate: 18*
Clip: 20+1 or 32+1
Conceal: J

Thompson M1928: The once-ubiquitous "Tommy gun" was the first submachine gun used by the U.S. military. Although obsolete today, it is still effective, and was a staple of 1930s gangster films. Its huge optional drum magazine gives it an unmistakable silhouette. Like the MAC-10, its trigger allows it to fire only full-auto, making three-round bursts a matter of experience and control.

Caliber: .45 ACP
Damage: 5
Range: 50
Rate: 15*
Clip: 20 or 100
Conceal: T

Rifles

For game purposes, the category of "rifles" encompasses any gun that is not fully automatic and fires a fast (compared to a pistol round), narrow-diameter bullet down a rifled barrel. Rifles are used for both hunting and sniping; the only difference between the two is often the level of craftsmanship of the weapon. Rifles may be bolt-action or lever-action, in which cases each shot must be moved into firing position by the user, or semiautomatic, where some of the gas or recoil from the previous shot works the action and loads the next round. Most bolt-action rifles feed from internal ammunition supplies rather than snap-in magazines, so they are slower to reload than semiautomatic weapons.

Rifles, like automatic pistols, may chamber a round in addition to those carried in their clip, so they bear the +1 notation to their Clip Trait. This is rarely ever used in practice, however – if you're shooting at something (or someone…) that needs to be hit 31 times to bring it down, maybe you'd better just leave it alone.

Remington Model 700: This is a fairly common bolt-action hunting rifle and a good representative of its type; a variety of other brands have similar Traits, varying only in superficial appearance. The military version of this, the M24 Sniper Weapon System, is modified heavily at the factory and is extremely difficult to acquire (Resources 4, military Allies or Contacts, and a lenient Storyteller).

Caliber: .30-06 and .308 Remington for Model 700, .300 Winchester Magnum for M24
Damage: 8 for Model 700, 9 for M24
Range: 300 for Model 700, 500 for M24
Rate: 1
Clip: 5+1, held internally rather than magazine-fed
Conceal: N

Remington Model 740: This is a smaller-caliber version of the Model 700, and is also a representative sample of its type and caliber.

Caliber: .223 Remington for civilian versions, 5.56mm for military versions (interchangeable)
Damage: 7
Range: 275
Rate: 3
Clip: 5+1, held internally
Conceal: T

Ruger 10/22: Another representative sample of small-caliber rifles used for small game or "plinking," this particular model is semiautomatic, but varieties exist with all forms of actions. It is possible to convert this weapon into a fully automatic (and fully illegal) version with a decent metal shop and the right knowledge (Professional Skill: Gunsmith 2).

Caliber: .22 LR (Long Rifle)
Damage: 4
Range: 100
Rate: 4
Clip: 10+1 or 50+1
Conceal: N

Weatherby Mark V: This is a British-made bolt-action rifle designed for hunting large game such as elephants, rhinos and light aircraft. Its recoil is powerful enough to inflict (7 - character's Strength) dice of Bashing damage on anyone who fires it without being properly braced (Storyteller's discretion: any position where the character is off-balance, firing from the hip, or firing while moving).

Caliber: .460 Weatherby Magnum
Damage: 10
Range: 300+
Rate: 1
Clip: 3+1
Conceal: N

Barrett Model 82 "Light Fifty": The heaviest weapon available on the civilian market, this monstrous 4'9"-long, 35-pound semiautomatic rifle fires the same ammunition used by heavy machine guns. Its hunting applications are dubious at best, though it can be legally owned by private citizens in the United States and most large gun stores can theoretically acquire one. The rifle is known in military service as the M82A1, and is used by U.S. Army Special Forces snipers. The M82A1 was the rifle used by God in Navy SEALs and by Robocop in Robocop II. As with the Weatherby Mark V, the Model 82's recoil can break the shoulder, upper arm, collarbone and/or ribs of an unprepared or weak operator.

Caliber: .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun)
Damage: 12; the .50 BMG round has the combination of velocity and mass to completely ignore any armor or cover lighter than a cinder-block wall or a military vehicle, though Fortitude will still help soak normally.
Range: Effectively 300, though professional military snipers have claimed kills at over 1500 yards in open terrain
Rate: 1
Clip: 11
Conceal: N

Assault Rifles

Although semiautomatic versions of most of these weapons do exist, assault rifles are military weapons. They are not generally found in the hands of civilians. For game purposes, this category includes both true assault rifles, which fire small rounds at a high rate of fire, and battle rifles, which use larger ammunition and fire more slowly. Both are employed in the same roles and can kill a target equally dead.

It should be repeated that weapons with full-auto capability, or even three-round burst capability, are highly illegal for anyone but police and military personnel to use or own. It is possible to acquire semiautomatic collector's versions of these weapons, which can be converted to full-auto by a character with Professional Skill: Gunsmith of 2 or better. However, any use of such weapons will likely draw police and federal attention (the ATF takes a very dim view of such antics). Storytellers should feel free to drop FBI, SWAT and whatever other acronyms they need on their player characters' heads.

Colt M16: The standard assault rifle of the United States' armed services, among others, the M16's design has been copied for both military and civilian versions. Newer versions are capable of only single shots and three-round bursts, though plenty of older models with true full-automatic capability are still out there. A cut-down carbine version, the M4, features a folding stock and shorter barrel, trading range for size.

Caliber: 5.56mm
Damage: 7
Range: 200 (120 for carbines)
Rate: 15 or 20, depending on the precise model
Clip: 20+1 or 30+1
Conceal: N (T for carbines)

Russian State Arsenals AK-74: The grandchild of the venerable AK-47, the AK-74 was the standard Soviet bloc assault rifle before the collapse of the USSR, and hasn't gone out of style. A variety of versions are out there; the only ones that really matter to game play are the folding-stocked variants and carbines.

Caliber: 5.45mm
Damage: 7
Range: 200 (120 for carbines)
Rate: 20
Clip: 30
Conceal: N (T for carbines)

Steyr AUG: The Austrian-made AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr) is surprising in that such a unique weapon has actually been adopted by multiple militaries. The AUG is a bullpup-configuration weapon, which means that its magazine and action are placed in the stock, behind the grip and trigger. This allows a shorter overall design with no loss of barrel length. The AUG also mounts an integral telescopic scope (see below) in its carrying handle. However, its most revolutionary feature is its modular construction: one AUG and a few conversion parts can be broken down and reassembled into a light machine gun, a submachine gun, a short carbine or the basic assault rifle configuration in about 15 minutes.

Caliber: 5.56mm (9mm in SMG configuration)
Damage: 7 (4 in SMG configuration)
Range: 200 (50 for SMG configuration)
Rate: 21
Clip: 42+1 (30+1 in SMG configuration)
Conceal: T (N for light machinegun configuration)

Colt M14, FN FAL, and Heckler & Koch G3: These 1950s-vintage battle rifles all saw – and still see – widespread use outside their countries of origin. The American M14 (in semiautomatic forms) is found in civilian hands and in Southeast Asia, the Belgian FAL is common in Africa, and the German G3 sees heavy use in South America. All three weapons have effectively equal game statistics; the G3 is about a pound heavier and probably more reliable than the other two, if anyone's checking. A version of the M14, the M21, is still in use in the U.S. Army as a sniper's rifle.

Caliber: 7.62mm
Damage: 8
Range: 275
Rate: 10
Clip: 20+1
Conceal: N

Russian State Arsenals AK-47: The AK-47 is probably the most widely distributed battle rifle in the world. Although its ammunition has been criticized as being low-powered and unstable at long ranges, the Soviets didn't seem to complain. The AK-47 has a reputation for reliability under the worst field conditions. As with the AK-74, there are folding-stock variants which can be hidden under long coats with a little practice.

Caliber: 7.62mm Soviet, not interchangeable with other 7.62mm ammunition
Damage: 8
Range: 250
Rate: 10
Clip: 30+1
Conceal: N (T for folding stock)

Shotguns

Shotguns are large-bore weapons (typically about half an inch) that fire either slugs or clusters of pellets down a smooth barrel. Shotguns are limited in range and ammunition capacity, bulky and punishing in their recoil, but they are intimidating as all hell and viciously destructive in close quarters. Shotguns are pump-, lever- or slide-action or semiautomatic. There are a few fully automatic shotguns available; these resemble large assault rifles and are nigh impossible to control and highly illegal to own. Unless otherwise noted, all of these shotguns feed from internal ammunition supplies (which makes them slower to reload than magazine-fed weapons).

Generic double-barreled hunting shotgun: Double-barreled shotguns are perhaps the ultimate in simple firearms. A wide assortment is available on the open market. Double-barreled shotguns can be cut down and sawed off for concealment at the expense of range and legality (and the risk of breaking the shooter's wrist without a stock with which to brace against the recoil).

Caliber: 12-gauge
Damage: 8
Range: 20, 10, or 5, depending on barrel length
Rate: 2; both barrels can be fired as a single action, using the same roll to hit for both rounds
Clip: 2
Conceal: N normally, but cut-down versions can reach T or even J

Benelli M3 Super 90: This is a semi-automatic shotgun in widespread use among SWAT teams, and a fairly representative example of its type.

Caliber: 12-gauge
Damage: 8
Range: 20
Rate: 3
Clip: 7
Conceal: T

Remington 870P, Ithaca M37, and Mossberg M500: These three pump-action shotguns are all in widespread use by regular police forces. In other words, one of these is what the cops are likely to pull out of the cruiser when responding to the disturbance your characters are causing. All of these can be cut down for concealment at the expense of effective range.

Caliber: 12-gauge
Damage: 8
Range: 20 (10 for cut-down versions)
Rate: 1
Clip: 5 (8 for Remington 870P)
Conceal: N (T for cut-down versions)

Franchi SPAS-12: This futuristic-looking semiautomatic shotgun is also in wide use by police forces across North America and Europe. It can be switched into pump-action mode (Rate drops to 1) in case of a malfunction. Its folding stock has a highly unusual brace that swings out to allow the weapon to be fired with one hand if it's still in semi-auto mode. This is the weapon Sarah Connor had at the end of Terminator 2.

Caliber: 12-gauge
Damage: 8
Range: 20
Rate: 3
Clip: 7
Conceal: N

Daewoo USAS-12: A highly unusual (and vicious) weapon from South Korea, this beast is a military shotgun with fully automatic capability. It is designed to look and operate like an oversized assault rifle, though its recoil is punishing at best and splinters ribs at worst. Malfunctions and mistakes with this weapon tend to be… spectacular.

Caliber: 12-gauge
Damage: 8
Range: 20
Rate: 6
Clip: 12 (magazine) or 28 (drum)
Conceal: N

Firearm Accessories

Telescopic Scopes: The most common variety of scope is the telescopic one, which magnifies the image of the target to enhance a weapon's effective range when aiming. Scopes add two dice to the character's dice pool score when making an aimed shot. This bonus applies after one turn of aiming and is cumulative with the Perception bonus for aim. An aimed shot made with the aid of a scope also increases the distance for a "medium-range" shot's distance by 50 percent (increase the weapon's Range Trait by 50 percent). A scope may be mounted on any rifle or assault rifle, and some revolvers or bolt-action pistols may mount scopes as well (see individual weapon listings above). Automatic pistols may not mount scopes, as this would interfere with the weapon's operation.

Installing a scope of any type requires Firearms 3 (or Professional Skill: Gunsmith 1), one hour, and 20 rounds of ammunition (which are used to ensure that the scope is aligned properly). Scopes that are improperly installed, or are knocked out of alignment, provide no bonus of any sort.

Night-Vision Scopes: Surplus night-vision equipment is becoming more and more common on the open market, though it is still quite expensive. Night-vision gear comes in three forms: light amplification (starlight), infrared (IR), and thermal.

Starlight equipment amplifies available visible light to a level approximating daylight. It does not function in total darkness. Starlight scopes reduce the difficulty modifiers for darkness by one, but will not reduce them below +1. Starlight scopes require a minimum Resources 2 to acquire.

IR gear converts invisible infrared light to a visible black-and-white image. Like starlight equipment, IR scopes and goggles do not function in total darkness. However, infrared equipment can benefit from an infrared flashlight or spotlight, which is invisible to the unaided eye. IR gear is available in both scope and goggle forms. IR equipment reduces the difficulty modifiers for darkness by two, but will not reduce them below +1. IR gear requires a minimum Resources 3 to purchase.

Thermal vision equipment is more sophisticated than starlight or IR, and literally displays heat as an electronic image. Thermal sights "see" through smoke or fog and can find living targets through thin walls. They do not pick up a vampire as more than a blurred image, however, unless the vampire has fed within the past two hours. Thermal vision equipment reduces the difficulty modifiers for darkness, fog or smoke by up to three and cover by one. Precipitation, however, reduces thermal vision gear's effectiveness (difficulties for darkness are only reduced by one and cover applies normally). Thermal scopes are primarily military equipment and require Resources 4 to purchase. They are legal, but government officials may make discreet inquiries about anyone who buys a thermal scope.

Laser Sights: Modern laser sights are negligible in weight. They attach to any weapon, but are most commonly used on pistols or SMGs. A laser sight projects a thin, very low-powered beam of light, typically red, which appears as a small dot on the target at which the gun is aimed. This is not enough to blind the human eye, though temporary dazzling may result (Storyteller's discretion for effects). Laser sights are widely available to anyone with the funds (Resources 3). The game effect of a laser sight is to add one die to the dice pool of any aimed shot made at a range of 30 yards or less.

Silencers and Suppressers: "Silencer" is often a misnomer, as very few firearms are totally silent. Guns make noise in three ways: the explosion of the round firing, the crack of the bullet breaking the sound barrier, and the metal against metal noise of the gun's action. To truly silence a gun, one must eliminate all three of these noise sources.

Most sound-suppressed weapons reduce noise by venting the exhaust gases from the round through a series of baffles that slow the gas to subsonic speeds (slowing the bullet in the process, as the expanding gas that propels it bleeds away). As pistol-caliber ammunition typically is slower than rifle ammunition and relies on mass over speed to cause damage, pistols and SMGs are easier to suppress than rifles. Any silencer strong enough to be effective on a rifle slows the bullet enough to reduce the weapon's Damage Trait by 2 or more, and some rounds (such as shotgun rounds or the .50-caliber BMG bullet) are too large to silence at all.

Silencers are bulky, often as long as the gun itself. Any weapon that has a silencer fitted to it rises one level in its Conceal Trait (e.g. a pistol with Conceal P goes to Conceal J when a silencer is attached).

The larger the round, the more difficult it is to suppress it. Generally, any gun with a Damage Trait higher than 4 cannot truly be silenced, only suppressed. For example, a suppressed Colt M1911A1 (firing .45 caliber ammunition, Damage 5) is about as loud as a dictionary being slammed on a table. While obvious as a loud noise, this may not be immediately recognizable as a gunshot.

Silencers are highly illegal for civilians to own without proper government permits, and quite difficult to acquire. A very skilled gunsmith might be able to build one from scratch if given tools and time (Professional Skill: Gunsmith of at least 4 and a minimum of one week), but its reliability would be questionable.

Disguised Weapons: It is possible to build a weapon, typically a submachine gun, into a briefcase or a similarly unobtrusive object (with Professional Skill: Gunsmith 4). The most common configuration is to place the weapon entirely inside the container with a blow-away patch over the muzzle and a mechanical linkage to the trigger to allow the character to fire the weapon without opening whatever it is hidden within. This allows the gun to be fired (at a +2 difficulty, and no aimed shots are possible). A weapon firing in this fashion is immediately obvious due to the muzzle flash, even if it is silenced. The container must be opened in order to reload the weapon.

The Heckler & Koch MP5K, the Glock 19 and the Ingram M10 can all be acquired with briefcases or satchels designed for the weapon in question. In most cases, there is a trigger assembly built into the briefcase's carrying handle, and the gun may be removed and used normally should the situation require such action.

Melee Weapons

Melee Weapon Traits

Damage: The base number of damage dice rolled after a successful strike. For melee weapons, this is based on the character's Strength Trait (and Potence, if any) plus a number of dice determined by the size, mass and design of the weapon in question.

Conceal: The amount of clothing under which the weapon may be hidden. P = in a pocket, J = under a jacket, T = under a trench coat, and N = the weapon is too large to carry concealed.

Minimum Strength: The minimum Strength (Potence applies to this total) that a character must have in order to wield the weapon in combat.

Blunt Weapons

Blunt weapons do bashing damage unless otherwise noted or a called strike to the head is used.

Small Clubs: This category includes blackjacks, quarter rolls stuffed into socks, collapsible tactical batons, tonfas, jo staves and lengths of lead pipe. Anything that is used to bash rather than slash and is less than around two feet in length is considered a small club for game purposes.

Damage: Strength +1 (add or subtract a die if the weapon in question is particularly heavy or light)
Conceal: J (P for collapsible batons or blackjacks)
Minimum Strength: 1

Large Clubs: Anything longer than two feet but shorter than about four and a half is considered a large club. This includes canes, baseball bats, pool cues, cavalry maces and staves that have been broken in half by angry Brujah.

Damage: Strength +2 (add a die or two for exceptionally heavy weapons such as maces or bats; subtract one for flimsy, improvised ones)
Conceal: T
Minimum Strength: 2

Staves: Staves are generally defined as "as tall as the wielder and as thick around as her fist," but any long blunt implement that's too large to be used with one hand is a staff for game purposes.

Damage: Strength +3, with a definite reach advantage
Conceal: N
Minimum Strength: 1

Edged Weapons

Edged weapons do lethal damage unless otherwise indicated.

Knives: This category encompasses everything from steak knives to Bowie knives to Japanese tantos.

The line between "knife" and "short sword" is generally drawn at about 12 inches. Fighting knives, which are generally double edged and balanced for the express purpose of rapid strikes in melee combat, tend to be illegal in many areas.

Damage: Strength +1
Conceal: P or J, depending on size and style
Minimum Strength: 1

Foils and rapiers: Lightweight swords used primarily for sport fencing in the modern era, most rapiers have no edge and a blunted tip. However, it's not that hard to sharpen one, and many Ventrue elders remember a time when gentlemen wore rapiers as a matter of fashion. Rapiers and foils are used to stab and thrust rather than slash, and will not parry heavier weapons without the risk of breakage (Storyteller's discretion).

Damage: Strength +2 (bashing, unless the tip is sharpened)
Conceal: T
Minimum Strength: 1

Sabers, katanas and scimitars: Sabers and scimitars tend to have curved blades between two and three feet in length. Sabers are European in origin, katanas are Japanese, and scimitars come from the Middle East.

Damage: Strength +2
Conceal: T
Minimum Strength: 2

Broadswords and longswords: These are generally thought of as European weapons, although the idea has come up in every civilization at some point or another. They are usually three feet or so long with straight, heavy blades.

Damage: Strength +3
Conceal: T
Minimum Strength: 2

Two-handed swords: Just what the name implies, these massive implements of personal injury are between four and six feet long and require both hands to use effectively (Strength + Potence of at least 7 is needed to swing one with one hand, as the balance is as much a factor as the weight).

Damage: Strength +5
Conceal: N
Minimum Strength: 4

Miscellaneous Weapons

Brass knuckles and sap gloves: These are designed to increase the force of hand strikes. Punches from a character wearing brass knuckles or sap gloves (gloves with pockets of lead shot sewn into the knuckles) do an additional die of bashing damage. Characters making attacks with claws do not gain this benefit.

Whips and chains: Aside from the recreational uses, some people swear by the versatility of a flexible weapon. Whips can be used to slash, or can entangle (treat as a grapple attack at range). Chains aren't quite as useful in that role, but hit harder.

Damage: Strength +1 (+2 for chains)
Conceal: J
Minimum Strength: 1

Thrown Weapons

Thrown weapons cause lethal damage unless otherwise noted. They use the same Traits as melee weapons.

Darts and shuriken: Darts and shuriken (throwing stars) are usually too small to do much damage in and of themselves, but they can easily be coated with various chemical compounds.

Damage: Strength -1
Conceal: P
Minimum Strength: 1

Knives and hatchets: Most knives and hatchets are far from aerodynamic; those that are balanced for throwing aren't always the best choice for hand-to-hand combat and vice versa (+2 to difficulties if using one type of weapon for the opposite application). It is possible to throw a knife or hatchet so that the hilt strikes the target instead of the blade, thus inflicting bashing damage rather than lethal (+1 difficulty to hit, and requires Throwing 1).

Damage: Strength +1
Conceal: P or J
Minimum Strength: 1

Spears: Although spears are rather uncommon in the modern world, they are sometimes still an effective recourse, particularly if the thrower is skilled enough to aim for the heart. Some ancient cultures used spear-throwers, or atlatls, which are little more than four- to six-foot sticks with notches at one end to hold the spear. An atlatl functions as a lever, giving the thrower two more points of Strength for the purpose of determining range, difficulty and damage.

Damage: Strength +2
Conceal: N
Minimum Strength: 2

Archery

Bows cause lethal damage by cutting and slashing rather than by impact, as arrows travel too slowly to cause much in the way of hydrostatic shock (the primary source of damage from bullets). This allows bows to penetrate most modern body armor, which is designed to defend against bullets, with relative ease (half the normal soak bonus, rounded down). They use the same Traits as melee weapons, with the addition of the Range Trait of firearms.

Characters using bows may take aim as per the aimed shot rules for firearms. It takes one action to fire a bow and one action to reload; reloading can be accomplished in the same turn as firing with two successes on a Dexterity + Archery roll (difficulty 7).

Unlike bullets, arrows can be made without special shop tools. Any character with Archery 3 and access to appropriate materials (stone or metal arrowheads, feathers, wood for shafts, glue, string and a knife) may construct arrows at a rate of one per hour.

Short Bow: This encompasses all bows that are between three and four feet long. Short bows may be fired from horseback. Anyone with Archery 3 or higher and a week to work can make a short bow.

Damage: 2
Conceal: T
Minimum Strength: 2
Range: 60

Long Bow: This includes such weapons as the Welsh longbow, which ended the military dominance of the armored European knight, and the Japanese daikyu, a seven-foot-tall cavalry bow. Long bows may be designed to be fired on foot or fired while mounted on a horse, but not both. A character with Archery 4 or higher and 10 days of working time can make her own long bow.

Damage: 4
Conceal: N
Minimum Strength: 4
Range: 120

Small Compound Bow: Compound bows use a system of pulleys to enhance the user's strength, thus allowing the same amount of power to be delivered with less effort. Compound bows are a relatively new innovation, and may not be constructed without specific tools. A small compound bow is about three feet long.

Damage: 2
Conceal: N
Minimum Strength: 1
Range: 90

Large Compound Bow: Large compound bows are the most commonly used hunting and target shooting bows. They are typically four feet long or larger.

Damage: 3
Conceal: N
Minimum Strength: 2
Range: 120

Crossbow: A crossbow is a mechanical device that vaguely resembles a modern rifle. It consists of a horizontal bow attached to the front end of a stock. The bow is drawn by crank or by hand, and the projectile (called a bolt or a quarrel) is placed in the stock. A mechanical trigger holds the bow drawn until it is ready to be fired. A crossbow takes five actions to re-draw and reload.

Damage: 5
Conceal: T
Minimum Strength: 2
Range: 20

Personal Armor

The modern media has perpetuated the perception that a "bulletproof vest" will stop anything that hits it, leaving the wearer little more than stunned. Sadly, this is not the case. Currently produced body armor is designed to absorb and spread the force of a high-velocity impact. The full amount of kinetic energy delivered by a bullet still hits the wearer – it's just spread over the entire area of the armor before it's transferred to the tender flesh and bone of the body. This usually results in spectacular bruising over the entire torso, a few cracked ribs and a few minutes of disorientation and panic.

Furthermore, body armor is only fully effective against relatively low-velocity rounds (pistol ammunition, in other words). Bullets with higher velocities (rifle rounds) typically punch right through such synthetic fibers as Kevlar and Spectra. On the other hand, melee weapons such as knives or clubs treat body armor like any other thick clothing, and cut or smash the wearer right through the material.

Some Kindred elders still keep metal armor from centuries past. This is both more obvious and less bullet-resistant than modern body armor, but it generally stops melee and brawling attacks more effectively than its present-night counterpart.

Unless otherwise noted, the armor listed below covers only the wearer's torso and thus does not protect against fire, sunlight, called shots to the head, neck, or limbs, or explosions.

Body armor is expensive. Unless otherwise noted in the entry below, assume that a character must have a minimum Resources of 3 to purchase modern armor and Resources 4 to purchase archaic armor (cheaper reproductions are available, but these are meant for display rather than use). Body armor is also rarely "one size fits all", and poorly fitted (read: stolen) body armor may have an increased Dexterity penalty at the Storyteller's discretion.

It bears mention that the armor Traits presented here are a bit more complex than those presented on page 214 of Vampire: The Masquerade. Storytellers who wish to keep complexity to a minimum should feel free to use those Traits instead.

Armor Traits

Bashing Soak: The number of dice that the armor adds to the wearer's soak dice pool against bashing damage. This is also the value used against thrown weapons.

Melee Soak: The number of dice that the armor adds to the wearer's soak dice pool against lethal damage from melee weapons. This is also the value used against lethal brawling attacks (e.g. Feral Claws) and low-velocity projectiles such as arrows or crossbow bolts.

Bullet Soak: The number of dice that the armor adds to the wearer's soak dice pool against lethal damage from guns.

Dexterity Penalty: The amount by which the wearer's Dexterity is reduced while wearing the armor. This may not reduce the Attribute below 1.

Perception Penalty: The amount by which the wearer's Perception is reduced while wearing the item. This may not reduce the Attribute below 1. This Trait applies only to helmets.

Conceal: The amount of clothing under which the armor may be hidden. W = windbreaker or loose shirt, J = jacket or suit, T = trench coat, N = the armor is too bulky to wear concealed.

Modern Armor

Reinforced clothing: This is less of a formal category of body armor than it is a mode of dress. "Reinforced clothing" covers such garb as biker's leathers or the heavy insulated jumpsuits worn by hunters and construction crews.

Bashing Soak: 2
Melee Soak: 1
Bullet Soak: 0
Dexterity Penalty: 0
Conceal: N/A, as these are normal clothes

Armor T-shirt: This is a thin Kevlar garment worn under street clothing, typically a loose shirt or sweater. It provides minimal protection, but is easy to wear concealed.

Bashing Soak: 2
Melee Soak: 0
Bullet Soak: 1
Dexterity Penalty: 0
Conceal: W

Light Ballistic Vest: This is a vest designed to be worn under a loose shirt or sweater as the armor T-shirt. Because it is thicker but designed for the same ease of concealment, it impairs movement more than does the shirt.

Bashing Soak: 2
Melee Soak: 1
Bullet Soak: 2
Dexterity Penalty: 1
Conceal: W

Medium Ballistic Vest: The most common type of body armor worn by security guards and uniformed police officers, this is designed to be worn over or under clothes, depending on the situation in which the wearer expects to find herself. This type of body armor comes with inside pockets where ceramic or metal "trauma plates" can be inserted for extra protection. Some models are designed expressly for combat wear and incorporate a variety of pockets for radios, spare magazines and other tools of the trade.

Bashing Soak: 2 (3 with trauma plates)
Melee Soak: 1 (3 with trauma plates)
Bullet Soak: 3 (4 with trauma plates)
Dexterity Penalty: 1 (2 with trauma plates)
Conceal: J

Flak Jacket: This is usually the same approximate thickness as a medium ballistic vest, but it extends to cover the arms and, sometimes, the lower abdomen. Flak jackets also provide minimal (one die of soak) protection against explosions.

Bashing Soak: 3
Melee Soak: 2
Bullet Soak: 4
Dexterity Penalty: 2
Conceal: T

SWAT Tactical Jacket: Made primarily for SWAT and hostage rescue teams, these garments are very expensive (minimum Resources 5 for civilians to purchase) and tend to draw police scrutiny if seen on civilians. SWAT jackets are designed for maximum ballistic protection with a minimum impact on mobility. They are designed to be worn over clothing (usually including an armor T-shirt) and cover the wearer from the shoulders down to the groin. They usually feature trauma plates and equipment pouches. The Dexterity penalty of a SWAT jacket is reduced to 1 for activities which rely primarily on the hands and arms (such as shooting).

Bashing Soak: 3
Melee Soak: 3
Bullet Soak: 4
Dexterity Penalty: 2
Conceal: T

Riot Gear: Although it's impossible to cover all the bases where personal injury is concerned, riot gear does make the attempt. This usually includes full protection for the torso and partial protection for the arms and legs against both melee and firearm attacks. Like a flak jacket, riot gear provides minimal (one die of soak) protection against explosions.

Bashing Soak: 4
Melee Soak: 4
Bullet Soak: 5
Dexterity Penalty: 3
Conceal: N

Bomb Disposal Suit: Explosions are perhaps the hardest source of combat injury to armor an individual against. Bomb disposal suits are designed specifically to defend against concussion and shrapnel, and add six dice to the wearer's soak dice pool for explosions only. The Dexterity penalty of a bomb disposal suit does not apply to delicate operations (such as defusing a booby trap).

Bashing Soak: 4
Melee Soak: 4
Bullet Soak: 2
Dexterity Penalty: 3
Conceal: N

Nomex Suit: This is a specialized item worn almost exclusively by race car drivers, firefighters and SWAT troopers. Nomex is a very expensive (minimum Resources 4) flame-retardant fabric. A Nomex suit typically covers the entire body except for the hands and head, and comes with gloves and a ski mask to protect those two areas. It provides three additional soak dice for the sole purpose of resisting fire. A Nomex suit is designed to be worn under clothing.

Bashing Soak: 0
Melee Soak: 0
Bullet Soak: 0
Dexterity Penalty: 0
Conceal: W

Tailored Armor: In recent years, several companies have begun re-tailoring Kevlar or similar materials into name-brand clothing. Typically, windbreakers, sweaters, jackets, tuxedos and business suits are modified to order. This process is very expensive (minimum Resources 4) but the result is virtually unidentifiable as body armor – a Perception + Streetwise roll (difficulty 10, dropping to 8 if Style is rolled instead of Streetwise) is necessary to recognize it.

Bashing Soak: 0
Melee Soak: 0
Bullet Soak: 2
Dexterity Penalty: 0
Conceal: see above

Archaic Armor

Imagine someone walking down your street in a suit of chainmail. Consider that reaction when taking the concealability of archaic armor into account.

Composite Armor: This usually consists of leather sewn with metal rings and studs, and perhaps some light chain mail. Composite armor covers the torso, arms and upper legs.

Bashing Soak: 2
Melee Soak: 3
Bullet Soak: 0
Dexterity Penalty: 1
Conceal: T

Heavy Armor: This is a suit of ring mail or chain mail worn over a thick layer of quilted padding. Heavy armor, as the name suggests, is quite heavy and a character must have a minimum Strength of 3 to make use of it.

Bashing Soak: 4
Melee Soak: 4
Bullet Soak: 0
Dexterity Penalty: 1
Conceal: N

Full Knight's Armor: Also referred to as "plate mail," this is what is normally thought of as full medieval armor. Actually, armor of this type was only used for a century or so before the Welsh longbow (and, later, the gun) rendered it obsolete. A minimum Resources of 4 is necessary to locate and purchase a suit of this type of armor that will fit the character, and a minimum Strength of 3 is required to wear it.

Bashing Soak: 5
Melee Soak: 6
Bullet Soak: 1 (Note that metal breaches inward – gunshot wounds are likely to be quite painful…)
Dexterity Penalty: 2
Conceal: N

Helmets

Helmets protect the head and, in some cases, the neck. Their soak values do not add to those of the suits of armor above, but are used separately for attacks that specifically target the head. A helmet is not a sure bet – a bullet deflected by one still transmits enough energy to break the wearer's neck. All helmets, obviously, are impossible to conceal when worn.

Military Helmet: Available in army surplus stores for a relatively low price, this is mainly designed to protect against shrapnel rather than bullets or bludgeons.

Bashing Soak: 1
Melee Soak: 1
Bullet Soak: 1
Perception Penalty: 0

SWAT Helmet: This is similar in construction to the military helmet, but is more heavily padded against melee attacks and has a transparent Plexiglas face shield and a padded neck cover. Some models substitute a gas mask for the face shield (increase Perception penalty to 2).

Bashing Soak: 2
Melee Soak: 2
Bullet Soak: 2
Perception Penalty: 1

Light Helm: Typically worn with heavy archaic armor, this is a padded metal helmet that protects the back and sides of the wearer's head.

Bashing Soak: 1
Melee Soak: 2
Bullet Soak: 0
Perception Penalty: 1

Full Helm: This is worn with a full suit of knight's armor. It is extremely heavy and uncomfortable, but it covers the wearer's entire head and neck.

Bashing Soak: 2 Melee Soak: 3 Bullet Soak: 0 Perception Penalty: 2

Explosives

Explosives cause massive property damage at best, and their use may be viewed as a serious breach of the Masquerade due to the intense investigation from federal authorities (any bombing of a public building is a federal crime and will be investigated by the FBI and ATF). Players who believe their characters can "get away with it" are referred to the examples of the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings. More than likely, elder Kindred will assist the authorities in such an investigation – no prince likes that sort of thing going on in her city. Almost all explosives are very difficult to acquire or manufacture, and Storytellers should have no qualms whatsoever about arbitrarily denying anything in this section to characters. The nastier something looks, the less likely it is to fall into the hands of those who would misuse it.

However, sometimes the only way to fix the problem is to blow it up, as has been illustrated in innumerable horror films and stories. Anarchs aren't the only ones who take this view: The Inquisition, for instance, is not above drastic measures. Characters may find themselves on the receiving end of any of the following substances.

Body armor generally does not protect against an explosion, although it may protect against the shrapnel thrown by one (see Personal Armor above). All explosions do lethal damage unless otherwise indicated, though characters at ground zero may well suffer aggravated damage, at the Storyteller's discretion – if there's a chance of their survival at all.

Grenades

Grenades are manufactured devices containing relatively small amounts of explosives or chemical substances. They are designed to be used by unskilled troops, and thus require no Demolitions roll to use. However, they do require a Throwing or Athletics roll to be thrown to the desired spot. Grenades are extremely difficult for anyone but police and military personnel to acquire.

Fragmentation grenade: The archetypal grenade, these are designed to propel hundreds of metal and wire shards in all directions upon detonation. The shrapnel, rather than the actual explosion, causes most of the damage. Fragmentation grenades do 12 dice of damage at the center of their explosion, reduced by one die for every yard of distance from the blast.

Concussion grenade: Concussion grenades are designed to incapacitate or kill through their explosion. They are theoretically non-lethal, but no explosion is truly "safe." Concussion grenades are the type most likely to be employed by SWAT teams. They do eight dice of damage, reduced by one die per yard of distance from the blast.

Chemical grenades: This category encompasses both smoke and tear gas grenades, which function identically except for their chemical payload. Both emit gas through holes in their cases rather than exploding. However, the chemical reaction that produces the gas also produces heat, and any character who tries to pick one of these up while it is "active" receives two levels of aggravated damage (soakable with Fortitude, difficulty 6). The clouds produced by these grenades fill a 10-yard radius and last for 10 minutes in relatively still air.

White phosphorus grenades: White phosphorus, or WP, grenades, are ostensibly intended for smoke generation. However, they produce their smoke through the burning of a phosphorus compound that cannot be extinguished without special chemicals. WP grenades inflict damage as fragmentation grenades, but WP damage is aggravated and continues to burn, being reduced by two dice each turn until it burns out. Any flammable substance (like vampires) in the radius of effect of a WP grenade maybe ignited at the Storyteller's discretion. WP grenades are extremely difficult to acquire, and Storytellers should feel free to arbitrarily deny them to characters.

Prepared Charges

This category includes any demolition or blasting charge that has been assembled with an explosive, detonator and detonation method (radio control, timer, etc.) when it enters a character's hands. Prepared charges require no special knowledge to use as general-purpose explosives, but a minimum of Demolitions 2 is necessary to set one and use it in its intended role.

Satchel charges: This is a catchall term for a two-pound mass of plastic explosive and a timer in a canvas bag. Satchel charges are designed to be thrown or dropped and fled, as the timers are usually 15 to 30 seconds long. A satchel charge does 20 dice of damage when it goes off, reduced by one die per two yards of distance from the blast.

Frame charges: These are also known as entry charges. They are small amounts of plastic explosive in an adjustable wood or plastic frame, and are designed to be locked into the frames of heavy doors or windows in order to blow them open. The most common use of frame charges is by SWAT teams in situations where rapid entry into a barricaded area is needed. Frame charges can generally open any door short of a bank vault if properly emplaced, and do six dice of damage to bystanders, reduced by two dice per yard of distance.

Shaped charges: This is more of a technique than a specific type of explosive device. Shaped charges are amounts of explosive material which have been constructed to direct a majority of the explosion's force in a specific direction. The Storyteller is free to decide the precise game effects of a shaped charge, but generally damage will be increased by 50 percent in the direction that the charge is intended to blow and reduced by 50 percent in other directions. Frame charges (above) are a common application of shaped charges. Shaped charges are also used extensively in demolitions work, whereby buildings are "imploded" by the destruction of key structural supports without flinging lethal shrapnel into the surrounding neighborhood.

Explosive Compounds

All Damage Traits listed are per pound of explosive present unless otherwise noted, and reduce by one die per yard of distance from the blast center. Storytellers may feel free to increase this for dramatic purposes – or to make a point to unruly characters.

Black powder: This is perhaps the only explosive that can be easily and legally acquired in any significant amount. Black powder must be packed tightly; it merely burns if scattered. Black powder can be detonated by heat or an open flame.

Damage: 1

Blasting powder: Blasting powder is an enhanced formula of black powder used in commercial mining operations.

Damage: 2

Nitroglycerine: Nitroglycerine is a clear, oily liquid. It is rather powerful, but it is also extremely unstable. In fact, it is likely to spontaneously detonate if subjected to such shocks as a character running with it. Nitroglycerine also detonates if exposed to heat or flame.

Damage: 3

Dynamite: Also known as trinitrotoluene (TNT), dynamite is nitroglycerine stabilized in an absorbing compound and rolled into sticks. Dynamite that is subjected to temperature changes over an extended period of time "sweats" pure, unstable nitroglycerine. Modern mass-produced dynamite can be detonated only with a specialized primer compound and may safely be ignited as an emergency flare.

Damage: 3 per stick

Plastic explosive: Plastic explosive is a generic term used to describe a number of similar compounds, such as American C-4 or Czech Semtex, which are stable and flexible. Plastic explosives will burn without detonating, and can be used to cook on. They can be detonated only by a primer charge such as a blasting cap or det cord. Plastic explosives can be molded like modeling clay and are the explosive of choice for military applications.

Damage: 1 to 20, depending on the precise compound

Primer cord: Also known as det cord or instant fuse, this is a specialized explosive compound manufactured in ropelike spools. Primer cord is used to detonate separate charges simultaneously. It can also be used as a main charge in some situations, such as cutting down trees, by a skilled explosive technician (Demolitions 3+). Primer cord can be detonated by a primer charge or by open flame.

Damage: 1 per two yards

Blasting caps: These are small charges, detonated by electricity or flame, designed to set off other explosives. They can sometimes be detonated by strong magnetic fields (Storyteller's discretion).

Damage: 4 if a character is in contact with a blasting cap when it goes off, but no effect past a foot or so of distance

Napalm: Napalm is gasoline that has been jellied to make it thick and sticky. It can be extinguished by being completely submerged or by oxygen deprivation, but otherwise burns indefinitely (in game terms – five to 10 minutes becomes irrelevant after the first 20 health levels of aggravated damage). Napalm can be ignited by anything that would ignite regular gasoline. If a character is unfortunate enough to be coated with napalm, roll one die. That many dice of aggravated damage (difficulty 7 to soak with Fortitude) are inflicted on the unfortunate soul on the first turn, and the napalm continues to burn, inflicting one less die of damage per turn until it reaches zero.

Military-Grade Weaponry

Military weapons should never fall into the hands of player characters in a Vampire: The Masquerade game. Heavy machine guns, tanks, attack helicopters, artillery, jet fighters and the like are so far outside the scope of personal combat as to be completely ludicrous. The modern battlefield is deadlier than can be described to anyone who hasn't been on one, and Kindred, for all their power, are no match for correctly used modern military technology. No reasonable amount of Potence allows a character to slug it out with a tank that mounts a 120mm main gun firing 100-pound armor-piercing sabot rounds. No realistic amount of Celerity makes a character fast enough to outrun an artillery barrage that saturates every inch of ground in a one-mile radius with shrapnel. No obtainable amount of Fortitude gives a character enough extra soak dice to survive the detonation of a 2000-pound laser-guided bomb. The Kindred are mighty personally, but on the modern battlefield, one character's personal might matters very little in the face of combined arms. As for Kindred of great age and potency, none has reportedly ever dealt with weapons matching their own sheer deadliness. The Storyteller is advised to use military force for dramatic effect alone.