When a Vampire commits diablerie, he must make a contested Willpower roll against his victim, difficulty 6. If the victim is of lower generation than the Diablerist then the Diablerist must remove one die from his Willpower pool for each level difference over one. If the Diablerist is of lower generation then his victim, then the victim must similarly remove one die per level differnece over one. Note that as this is a Willpower roll, a clever Diablerist will attempt to erode the victim's willpower before the act. The net successes scored by the Diablerist determines the outcome of the diablerie:
+6 Successes
The Diablerist has fully consumed his victim's soul and suffers no adverse side effects. He gains benefits 1, 2, 3 and 4
+5 Successes
The Diablerist has fully consumed his victim's soul and suffers no adverse side effects. He gains benefits 1, 2 and 4
+4 Successes
The Diablerist has fully consumed his victim's soul and suffers no adverse side effects. He gains benefits 1, 3 and 4
+3 Successes
The Diablerist has fully consumed his victim's soul. He gains benefits 1, 4 and 5
+2 Successes
The Diablerist has fully consumed his victim's soul. He gains benefits 1 and 5 below. Black veins are visible in his aura for 40 days - the generation of his victim in days.
+1 Success
The Diablerist has fully consumed his victim's soul. He gains benefit 1 below. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 80 days - the generation of his victim in days.
0 Successes
The Diablerist has been unable to fully consume his victim's soul. Any single derangement possessed by his victim is transferred to the Diablerist. If the victim had no derangement, then the Diablerist can gain a shiny new one all his own. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 120 days - the generation of his victim in days. He gains benefit 1 below.
-1 Success
The Diablerist has been unable to fully consume his victim's soul. Any single derangement possessed by his victim is transferred to the Diablerist, as above. In addition, the victim takes on one of the victim's most notable opinions, principles or mannerisms. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 160 days - the generation of his victim in days. He gains benefit 1 below.
Unless already Bound, the Diablerist will become suceptible to being Bound by anyone who held his victim in Thrall. It will take only two drinks before he becomes bound to his victim's former Regnant.
-2 Successes
The Diablerist's soul has been contaminated by the victim's. The strongest beliefs and principles of the victim are transferred to the Diablerist. Over time he is likely to come to accept them as his own although they may be treated as derangements and bought off with willpower. In stressful situations, or where sudden, instinctive reactions are required, the Diablerist will tend to react as the victim would have done, although the Diablerist may spend Willpower to avoid this. In addition, the Diablerist gains any Derangements possessed by his victim, although where they contadict prior derangements of the Diablerist (eg. agoraphobia/ clastrophobia) the Derangement of the Diablerist predominates. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 240 days - the generation of his victim in days. He gains benefit 1 below.
In general, the Diablerist's personality will come to predominate over time, unless the victim had a tremendously strong personality. This will generally come about after a certain amount of Willpower has been spent (determined by the Storyteller.) Unless already Bound, the Diablerist will become suceptible to being Bound by anyone who held his victim in Thrall. It will take only one drink before he becomes bound to his victim's former Regnant.
-3 Successes
The Diablerist is half-and-half and hence extremely confused. He is effectively suffering from a severe personality split and will have two distinct sets of loyalties and impulses, which are precisely balanced in strength. These personalities will fluctuate depending on the situation and external stimuli. With places or persons familiar to one persona, he will be stable in that persona's mind set. However, in circumstances where his desires conflict or when under severe stress he will be very confused. The Diablerist can overcome his confusion by spending Willpower. The Diablerist may be able to access the knowledges and skills of the victim on a successful Willpower check but due to his confused state the difficulty to use all skills and knowledges is at plus 1 to 3, depending on the Diablerist's state of mind at the time. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 320 days - the generation of his victim in days. He gains benefit 1 below.
The diablerist will be subject to any Blood Bonds that the victim is in thrall to, although he will also retain any Bonds of his own as Regnant or Thrall. This is one of the very few ways to gain more than one Regnant. These Bonds will hold equal power over the Diablerist. Those held in Thrall by the victim do not become blood bonded to the diablerist.
Over time, the strongest of the two personas will come to dominate, eventually overcoming the weaker. The Diablerist gains any derangements possessed by his victim, although where they contadict prior derangements of the Diablerist (eg. agoraphobia/ clastrophobia) the Derangement of the Diablerist predominates.
-4 Successes
The Diablerist's soul has been partly consumed by his victim's. The Diablerist's Clan, Attributes, Blood Pool, Disciplines, Talents, Humanity, Virtues and Willpower remain the same, but his Knowledges and Skills are now those of his victim. Although many of the Diablerist's memories remain his own, some will be lost and most of his loyalties and opinions will be replaced by those of his victim. The Diablerist may spend Willpower to overcome such feelings but only if they conflict with strongly held principles. (ie. he could spend Willpower to resist the urge to do harm to someone he remembers saving his life, but not, in most cases, to revert back to his old taste in music.) The length of time such an expenditure of Willpower remains effective is up to the Storyteller. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 160 days - the generation of his victim in days. He gains benefit 1 below.
The Diablerist will be subject to any Blood Bonds that the victim is in Thrall to. Any Bonds the Diablerist had, whether as Regnant or Thrall will be broken. Those held in Thrall by the victim do not become blood bonded to the Diablerist, although the bond can be renewed with only two drinks of the 'Diablerists' blood.
Many of the victim's memories will be gained, although they may seem strange and foreign to the Diablerist. The Diablerist gains any derangements possessed by his victim, although where they contadict prior derangements of the Diablerist (eg. agoraphobia/ clastrophobia) the Derangement of the victim predominates. In general, the victims' personality will come to predominate over time, unless the Diablerist had a much stronger personality.
-5 Successes
The Diablerist's soul has been largely consumed by his victim's. The Diablerist's Clan, Attributes, Generation, Disciplines and Talents remain the same, but his Humanity, Virtues, Willpower, Knowledges and Skills are now that of his victim. Most of the Diablerist's memories will be lost and the rest will seem hazy and insubstantial. Only in places which are very familiar to the Diablerist or with his closest friends may his own personality occasionally surface. The surviving part of the Diablerist's conciousness can use Willpower to resist the victim's actions only if they conflict with his deepest convictions. However, in most circumstances, the victim's mind will predominate. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 80 days - the generation of his victim in days. He gains benefit 1 below. At the Storyteller's discretion, the victim may gain benefit 4 below.
The Diablerist will be subject to any Blood Bonds that the victim is in Thrall to. Any Bonds the Diablerist had, whether as Regnant or Thrall will be broken. Those held in Thrall by the victim do not become blood bonded to the Diablerist, although the bond can be renewed with but a single drink of the 'Diablerist's' blood.
The Diablerist gains most of the victim's memories, although a few may be lost, especially those extremely distasteful or incomprehensible to the Diablerist. It will be hard for the Diablerist to distinguish which memories are his and which the victims'. Over time, it is virtually certain that the victim will gain complete control of the Diablerist's mind. The Diablerist gains any derangements possessed by his victim, although where they are contadictory (eg. agoraphobia/ clastrophobia) the Derangement of the victim predominates. In addition a single derangement possessed by the Diablerist is lost.
-6 Successes
The Diablerist's soul has been completely consumed by that of the victim. The Diablerist's Physical Attributes, Generation and Appearance remain the same, but his mind and very soul (and hence Clan, Charisma, Manipulation, Mental Attributes, Knowledges, Skills, Disciplines, Talents, Humanity, Virtues and Willpower) are now that of his victim. The 'Diablerist' retains none of his former loyalties or memories. Black veins are visible in his Aura for 40 days - the generation of his victim in days. He gains benefit 1 below. At the Storyteller's discretion, the victim may gain some or all of benefits 2, 3 or 4 below.
The 'Diablerist' will be subject to any Blood Bonds that the victim is in Thrall to. Any Bonds the Diablerist had, whether as Regnant or Thrall will be broken. Those held in Thrall by the victim are now blood bonded to the 'diablerist' and will instinctively recognise their Regant.
If victim or Diablerist botch their willpower rolls, then it is as if their opponent had gained a complete success. If both botch, then both personalities are destroyed in the conflict. The body of the victim will decay, having met Final Death. The body of the Diablerist may likewise be destroyed, or left 'vacant', or something entirely other may sieze the opportunity to inhabit it.....
Whatever the outcome, the Diablerist must always make a Humanity roll. There is no excuse for Diablerie and whatever anyone tries to argue, sucking out someone's soul is definately one of the most henious and demented acts. Many Sabbat Paths, of course, actively encourage Diablerie and in those cases, no roll is needed.
Remember - Diablerising the Sabbat is always a bad idea. Unless the Diablerist gains 3 or more net successes, he will acquire the Vinculae of his victim.
The Benefits of Diablerie
Diablerie is not all bad news. For those who are lucky or careful, there may be one or more of the following benefits:
If the victim is of lower generation than the Diablerist, the the Diablerist gains one generation. If the victim's generation is more than 6 lower, then the Diablerist was bloody lucky to get away with it and can go down 2 generations instead.
If the Diablerist and victim share disciplines _and_ the victim has higher levels of those Disciplines, then the Diablerist gains one point in the Discipline in which the Victim had the highest rating.
e.g. Tabitha the Tremere diablerises Mandy the Malkavian.
Tabitha's disciplines are Thauamturgy 5, Auspex 1 and Dominate 2
Mandy's disciplines are Auspex 2, Dominate 3, Obfuscate 1, Celerity 2 and Thaumatugy 4.
Tabitha shares Thaumaturgy, Auspex and Dominate with Mandy. However, only in Auspex and Dominate are Mandy's levels higher. Tabitha will gain one dot in Dominate, as that is the shared discipline in which Mandy is most proficient.
If Mandy had had a rating of 3 in Auspex as well, then the Storyteller would have chosen whether Tabitha gained a dot in Auspex or Dominate, based on any random criteria which sprang to mind.
If the victim possesses Diciplines which the Diablerist doesn't share, then the Diablerist gains one dot in whatever is the victim's highest non-shared discipline.
e.g. Tabitha the Tremere diablerises Mandy the Malkavian.
Tabitha's disciplines are Thauamturgy 5, Auspex 1 and Dominate 2
Mandy's disciplines are Auspex 2, Dominate 3, Obfuscate 1, Celerity 2 and Thaumatugy 4.
Mandy has the disciplines of Obfuscate and Celerity which Tabitha doesn't share. Tabitha therefore gains one dot in Celerity, Mandy's highest non-shared Discipline.
If Mandy had had a rating of 2 in Obfuscate as well, then the Storyteller would have chosen whether Tabitha gained a dot in Obfuscate or Celerity, based on any random criteria which sprang to mind.
A small part of the victim's personality passes to the Diablerist. The Diablerist gains one dot in any single Talent in which the victim's rating exceeded the Diablerist's.
A tiny part of the victim's soul passes to the Diablerist, affecting their values and morals. Note that this change only affects Virtues and not Humanity.
If the victim has higher humanity than the Diablerist, then the Diablerist gains one point in whichever of the victims' Virtues is highest (but only if the Diablerist passes his Humanity roll and makes some vague attempt to roleplay a bit of remorse.
If the Victim has lower humanity than the Diablerist, then the Diablerist loses one point in whichever of the victims' Virtues is lowest (but only if the Diablerist fails his Humanity roll.) This is in addition to any lost by failing the humanity roll.
