Transmutation

From V5 Homebrew Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Of course it was a trap, she thought to herself. How could I be so naïve? Unarmed and unable to flee, hiding inside a fucking damped room in a fucking damped building a fucking mile away from the fucking city. Fucking precious. Voices came from the other side of the door, strolling along the corridor. They were looking for her and unless she did something, she was screwed. In no time they would find her and it would be the end. Water gathered together on small puddles, mirroring the dim light that the moon projected through a too small window to use for escape. She needed to get out of there. Fast. She reached out to one of the small puddles, willing her blood to interfere with the energies that bounded together the molecules of the water, changing them, forcing them to interact in a stronger way. From the puddle emerged a pommel that she grabbed eagerly. The small puddle disappeared as a slender blade made entirely of crystalized waterappeared in her hand, still too fragile to do anything. She willed her blood again to transmit its strength into the links that made the strange object, fortifying its structure. The door blasted open with a push, but she was ready and quickly slit the throat of the first enemy. The second pointed a gun at her but with a tap, the gun that was no more, liquified to the floor.

Nicknames: Path of Transmutation, Thaumaturgical Alchemy.

Guns and knives melt into pools of metal, wood petrifies and becomes brittle, and common boundaries such as walls and doors transmute to vapor. The laws of chemistry do not bind Warlocks employing the powers of transmutation, as materials shift their state regardless of their temperature. This path is looked upon somewhat unfavourably among the Tremere, as it reflects a "quick and dirty" effect rather than true mastery of alchemical transmutation.

For the purpose of balancing, the ST can decide to count them as:

  • Additional powers of Blood Sorcery, substituting in the dice pools or ratings the name of the Path for Blood Sorcery.
  • Considering Blood Sorcery powers from the core as the “Path of Blood” and decide which Path is in-clan while the others remain out-clan each like a standalone Discipline.
  • In-clan Disciplines for those clans with Blood Sorcery (not recommended).
  • Behind a 4-dot merit that adds it as in-clan Discipline.

Originally from Paths of Blood Sorcery

Characteristics

  • Type: Sorcery
  • Masquerade Threat: Mid-High
  • Blood Resonance: Sanguine. Scientists, engineers, technicians.

Level 1

Fortify the Solid Form

By fortifying a solid object, a magus increases the strength and integrity of an item. A thaumaturge mystically transmutes a feather to become a crude blunt object, pencils become makeshift stakes, and a carboard box becomes as tough as metal.

  • Cost: One Rouse Check
  • Dice Pool:
  • System: This power increases the offensive or defensive capabilities of an object the caster touches. When used for defence, the object should be big enough to cover some part of the body of the vampire, becoming a reinforced cover. When used for offence, the object becomes a Weapon with a Damage bonus equal to half the Transmutation rating (rounded up). Objects that are already weapons are unaffected. This power cannot be used to increase the structure of a living creature. However, a thaumaturge may use Fortify the Solid Form in conjunction with the Crystallize the Liquid Form to make a very solid piece of ice, molten metal, etc.
  • Duration: One scene or until the object is

destroyed.

Crystallize the Liquid Form

Tremere designed this power to prevent other Kindred from taking vitae. This can also be used to solidify water and molten metal. Liquids within living bodies may not be altered, though blood exiting the body may be solidified. Kindred may not consume solidified blood.

  • Cost: One Rouse Check
  • Dice Pool:
  • System: The vampire may transform One Rouse check (or about one litre of other liquids) per Transmutation rating into solid form for a scene. This substance will not change in temperature; solidified molten steel still burns and melts other material. The liquid must be within the thaumaturge's line of sight.
  • Duration: One scene


Level 2

A World of Wet Clay

Thaumaturges with this power can deform a wall with a simple caress, leaving their fingers printed like it was made of clay. The main use of this power is to deform solid objects but with enough inventive allows the creation of traps or artistic pieces. Quick uses of this power leave significant trails behind, like if the object was melted or the concrete was altered when it was still wet.

  • Cost: One Rouse Check
  • Dice Pool: Dexterity + Transmutation
  • System: Once activated, the vampire treats any inorganic solid material as if it was mud, being able to easily disable most objects or with enough time, even able to burrow herself into buildings. Molding to deform materials requires no dice pool test. Additionally, sculpting to create more complex structures requires a Dexterity + Transmutation roll; the Difficulty depends on the task required. Creating simple spikes is Difficulty 3, while creating complex traps is Difficulty 6. This power can also be used for artistic purposes among others at Storyteller’s discretion.
  • Duration: One scene or until a mass equal to that of a regular human has been molded.


Level 3

Liquefy the Solid Form

A thaumaturge may "melt" solid objects and leave them in a liquid-like state. By employing this power, attackers could find their weapons in small pools at their feet. Stakes rot away at a rapid pace, and blades corrode into soft, nondescript puddles. After a time, the object returns to their original shape which many thaumaturges claim is a recent improvement over an older, more dated version of this power.

  • Cost: One Rouse Check
  • Dice Pool: Wits + Transmutation
  • System: Touching an object, the thaumaturge transforms it into a liquid, thus assuming a deformed state and rendered useless. The Difficulty depends upon the size of the object that may be changed, being one for a lighter and five for an entire car. Only entire objects can be affected by this power. On combat this can be used against the pool of an opponent, a Win rendering the weapon useless. This power does not work on objects that forcefully contact the vampire, meaning it will not melt a weapon unless the user can catch it before it hits. As much as many Tremere would like it, Liquefy the Solid Form may not be used on living (or unliving) beings. A transformed object remains in a liquid state for One scene, after which it resumes its original shape.
  • Duration: One scene.

Gaol

When a Warlock invokes this power, he solidifies the air into an opaque, indestructible object. A crude shimmering prism forms around a victim's body, encasing him within unbreakable material. Doorways become impenetrable boundaries as the air between a door condenses to a resilient barrier.

  • Cost: One Rouse Check
  • Dice Pool: Resolve + Transmutation
  • System: Touching the air, the thaumaturge transforms it into a solid object. The Difficulty depends upon the size of the object that may be changed, being one for a brick and five to form a solid block of air that can encompass a single being. Once the air condenses, it becomes completely indestructible; this effect lasts for one Scene. Victims trapped within the solid air will not be able to break through this barrier (not even with Potence), though mortals will not suffocate.

The oxygen within the block is breathable, though liquid like. These victims will experience an uncomfortable sensation in their lungs from the alien dependency on the oxygenated fluid, and they may reject it altogether. When the effect of Gaol expires, the barrier around the subject dissipates into its original gaseous state. The oxygen within the target's lungs, however, will remain a fluid and, though breathable, must be purged from the body - coughed out - before it can transmute back into a gas. Subjects suffer one level of Superficial Health damage from this overexertion.

  • Duration: One scene.


Level 4

Imbue the Water of Life

  • Prerequisite: Crystallize the Liquid Form

The thaumaturgy is able to crystallize vitae with the concentrated essence of other Discipline powers. Said crystal grant to anyone who consumes it one single use of the power. Those that prefer commodity dissolve them first in a potion-like fashion, others destroy them with their jaws. But some thaumaturges prefer to create needle-like crystals and insert them with it. The sight of a thaumaturge decorated with bright red crystal became synonymous with trouble since this power was discovered.

  • Cost: One Rouse Check or several
  • Dice Pool:
  • System:
  • Duration: {{{duration4-1}}}


Level 5

Ghost Wall

After attaining this level of mastery, a thaumaturge finds herself no longer hindered by common barriers such as walls and rock formations. With but a thought, solid objects shift to a vaporous state and may be traversed with little difficulty. The Warlock passes beyond walls, as they are insubstantial and will not obstruct his movement. Targets fall through a gaseous floor, and vaporous parachutes are useless in slowing the travel speed of a skydiver.

  • Cost: One Rouse Checks
  • Dice Pool: Intelligence + Transmutation
  • System: The thaumaturge may transform an object within yards/meters equal to her Transmutation rating. The Difficulty depends upon the size of the thing that may be changed, being one for a laptop and five to transmute a city bus. A transmuted object keeps its shape and becomes transparent, being able to pass through it. This effect lasts for three turns, after which the object in question reforms as if nothing had ever happened. Needless to say, this is an outrageous breach of the Masquerade if any inappropriate eyes observe it. If an object cannot reform fully due to the destruction of its environment, this power cannot be used again until the Scene ends.

Should a victim occupy the same space as the object after this power expires, she suffers a number of health levels of Aggravated Damage the Storyteller determines appropriate to the circumstance. For example, a rock reforming within a body might inflict a single level of Aggravated Health damage, where a person trapped within a tree trunk should suffer at least five. Objects that reform partially within another object will remain this way until physically removed or invoked to be vaporous again.

  • Duration: Three turns.


Credits

Author: Sharei

Other Credits: Consultation and balancing input from ElmerG

Comments


You are not allowed to post comments.