Feeding: There's no right way, but there are wrong ways (for you)!

Picture this:

A tall, broad vampire, trained in the art of combat and stealth, feeds by... charming pretty young socialites at posh parties.

Maybe this tall, dark and mysterious vampire also has the social stats to support that method of feeding...but maybe they don't.

There are lots of different ways of getting your daily dose of Vitae. We've thought up a few common possibilities, though there are far more options! Feast your eyes on the below...

Feeding Strategies:

All the Right Parties: This Kindred prefers to be on the edges of their preferred social scene, be it débutante balls, house parties, raves, or model railway clubs, and feeds from the kine that come to know and trust them.  Good Manipulation is a must here, as well as Empathy, Socialise and an appropriate Skill to match with the social group in question.  (Academics for chess enthusiasts, Crafts for railway modellers, and so on...) Majesty can really grease the wheels using this method.

Because I'm Fabulous: This Kindred works on a least effort approach - why hunt your prey when you can make them want to come to you.  It's all about being desireable yet approachable - a difficult balance to strike, but one that can get you rich rewards if you can pull it off.  Good Presence and Manipulation are a must, along with Persuasion and Socialise. Dominate  And, of course, Striking Looks and Resources never hurt this approach. Again, Majesty is a big plus.

Clubs, Drunks and Drugs: Ah, the intoxicated Kine. So easy to hunt! Perhaps you'd offer to walk a couple of party-goers home and feed as you go - which would require Manipulation, Persuasion, Socialise and Subterfuge to appear trustworthy. Or perhaps you snag people in dark corners of the club for a speedy feed - in which case, Brawl, Stealth, Socialise and Strength would all come in handy. However, it's important to note that feeding from inebriated vessels does have an effect on the Kindred in question - they will feel somewhat inebriated themselves until the blood leaves their system.

If You Can't See Me...: Stealth, Obfuscate, Subterfuge, with Dexterity and Composure to match. This Kindred sneaks up on its prey - perhaps with some additional Larceny they break into houses and feed on sleeping victims; perhaps with a small amount of Brawl they jump people in dark alleyways. Dominate could come in handy, making sure victims don't scream or not remembering the entire experience.

Time for a Beating: Thugs, criminals, or perhaps people who are just there - these Kindred feed using violence. Strength, Stamina, Brawl or Weaponry, plus some Athletics to chase down quicker prey are all essential. If the Kindred wants to scare their prey into submission, Intimidate or Nightmare would be very useful, and Streetwise helps them track the prey down in the first place. Some Kindred may lighten their preys' wallets to make it look like a mugging, but beware - it's a Humanity 7 sin to do so. Of course, all those beatings are likely to cause Humanity issues somewhere along the line...

The Noah's Ark Approach: For Kindred of Blood Potency 2 or below (or in possession of certain abilities that allow them to always feed on animals), it can be easier to feed on unsuspecting animals. Whether this is urban or rural hunting, Animal Ken is an absolute must. Survival, Stealth and Athletics will also make things much easier. Perhaps you might set traps, using Crafts and Survival. Without a doubt, Animalism will help. Without Animalism 1, all animals will react strangely towards Kindred, and feeding on animals will always be more difficult without it.

Why do it Myself?: Ah, retainers. So very useful. A social-primary ghoul could be your source of Vitae, if they attracted prey and then brought it to you. This allows a Kindred to feed in safety and secrecy without leaving the comfort of their own home.

Trouble Spots

Characters can get into trouble when they use a feeding method that their character sheet doesn't support.

• Someone who lacks the social skills to appear trustworthy or friendly to potential vessels won't be able to get close enough to feed.

• Someone who wants to infiltrate a specialist group such as a neighbourhood watch committee or a hobby group needs to be able to talk the talk on the interest so they don't stand out.

• Feeding on the street requires a familiarity with said streets - otherwise the character may find it difficult to find suitable prey in the first place.

What feeding methods have we left out? Are there any unusual methods you've thought of that we haven't? What do you think of the skills we've flagged up for various methods? Leave your comments below, or email us at shadesofnorwich@yahoogroups.com!