Vampire: Prince of the City
Vampire: Prince of the City Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Prince of the City is set in the aftermath of a great tragedy (or opportunity, depending on your perspective). The former Prince of the city has met with Final Death by unknown, mysterious means. It's assumed that one of the elder vampires of the city, the Primogen, will take his place.
Each player assumes the role of one of the five Primogen of the city, and his or her goal is to outmaneuver opponents to become the new Prince.
The Primogen who accumulates and holds the most prestige at the end of the game wins the struggle and is awarded the title of Prince. The game ends after a predetermined number of turns is played (which allows you to set the length of each game).
Prestige comes in two equally important forms: personal prestige and city prestige. Personal prestige is gained primarily by dealing with troublesome events that arise in the city and that affect vampire society. City prestige is gained primarily by taking control of mortal institutions within the city as represented by zones on the board. At the end of the game, players add their personal prestige and city prestige to determine their total prestige — and who has become the new Prince.
Game Contents and Components
The following components are included in the game box:
- one rulebook
- one folding city board
- one deck of 100 playing cards
- five character cards
- five unique character miniatures representing each of the five Primogen vampires
- five 10-sided dice
- 3 sheets of punched counters and tokens (which should be separated before play)
City Board
The game board represents the city over which players vie for control. It is not so much a specific geographic map as an abstract representation of the areas of mortal influence that collectively run every aspect of the city. Each zone is clearly demarcated on the board, and they're all grouped into colored zone categories.
| Zone Category | Color |
|---|---|
| Religious | Orange |
| Government | Light Blue |
| Business | Purple |
| Arts and Entertainment | Pink |
| Research | Green |
| Industry | Red |
| Transportation | Yellow |
| Community | Dark Blue |
The zone in the middle of the board stands alone and represents Elysium, the one place in the city where vampires can meet in relative safety.
Each zone (except Elysium) is marked with a number value, which represents the prestige points won for controlling that zone with influence (as explained later). Elysium cannot be controlled.
A numbered track runs around the perimeter of the board and is used to track both the number of turns remaining in the game and each player's most recently tallied prestige total.
Playing Cards
The deck contains 100 playing cards that come in five different types.
- Activation cards represent special game effects that players may call upon if they control the zone described on a card.
- Event cards represent a number of different events that would not only occur within a city full of vampires, but for which the local Kindred would turn to the Primogen for a response and resolution. Any Primogen who expects to command the respect due to a Prince had best be able to solve any crisis that arises. Event cards have a unique card back, but are shuffled into the same draw deck as all other types of cards.
- Retainer and Equipment cards represent people and items that convey die bonuses or other game effects to a controlling player.
- Strategy cards represent the different methods that a Primogen may employ to garner more prestige or resources.
Drawing and playing cards is explained later in section 5.
Character Cards
Five character cards represent each of the five vampiric clans and the Attributes of each Primogen.
- Daeva: Sensuous, artistic and hedonistic. Daeva are the socialites and party-throwers of Kindred society. They possess supernatural physical power and grace, but it is their majestic social presence that other Kindred fear most — even while they cannot help but adore the Daeva for it.
- Gangrel: Animalistic, instinctive and shamanic. Gangrel are the hunters and mystics of the Kindred world. Few Kindred care to bring these vampires to violence. The clan's physical power and toughness is legendary, as are its abilities to transform undead flesh into the forms of beasts and to summon creatures of the wild.
- Mekhet: Ideological, intellectual and philosophical. The Mekhet are the spies and prophets of the Kindred. These often aloof vampires are supreme strategists. They always seem to be one step ahead in the Danse Macabre, and when other vampires seek to oppose clan members, the Mekhet disappear.
- Nosferatu: Monsters, outcasts and freaks. Nosferatu are the brutes and terrors of the Kindred world, and also the hoarders of its darkest secrets. Anyone opposing the Nosferatu who is not wary of their physical power and mental cunning comes to know terror from the clan's nightmarish control of fear itself.
- Ventrue: Royalty, generals and autocrats. The Ventrue are leaders and champions. These undead take command of any man or beast as suits their whims.
The numbered Attributes on each character card represent a vampire's ability to perform mental, physical and social challenges. A high score represents good ability, while low score represents poor ability.
Each character card also describes the supernatural blood powers called Disciplines that a Primogen commands. Unless noted otherwise in their descriptions, Disciplines cost one Vitae to use and each Discipline may be used only once each game turn. "Vitae" is the term the Kindred apply to blood, the cherished fluid that animates their undead bodies.
Character Miniatures
There are five unique character miniatures included in the game, each of which is associated with a particular character card. These tokens are used to represent the physical location of each player's Primogen on the city board.
Influence Tokens
These pieces are used throughout the game to represent the influence a Primogen wields. When a player has more influence tokens on a zone than any other player, he or she controls that zone and the portion of mortal society it represents. A Primogen's city prestige is determined by the total prestige values of the zones he or she controls.
Dice
A number of 10-sided dice are used to resolve challenges, influence contests and other game effects.
A player must abide by the most recent score rolled on any die, and cannot opt to use a previous score if a game effect has caused a die to be re-rolled. A die may, however, be re-rolled any number of times should game effects call for it. Game effects that call for a die to be re-rolled may be used on a die rolled by any player in any challenge or influence contest, not just on a die rolled by the player using the re-roll effect.
Players often assist one another (temporarily at least). Each player rolls the dice he or she contributes to a challenge or influence contest.
Counters
The bulk of counters used represents the amount of Vitae (vampiric blood) and personal prestige a Primogen has at any given time. These counters are paid out to players from the "bank" as Vitae and personal prestige are gained, and paid back to the "bank" as Vitae and personal prestige are spent or lost.
Masquerade Token
As the Primogen engage in their struggle for the Princedom, their activities inevitably threaten the Masquerade, the formal name vampire society gives to its efforts to remain hidden from mortal knowledge. Lest the Masquerade and thereby all vampires be threatened, Kindred society will not allow the struggle to go on too long before a Prince must be chosen.
The Masquerade token serves as a turn marker, counting down the number of turns remaining in the game on the numbered track on the outside edge of the board (the same track used to mark prestige).
Setting up the Game
Unfold the game board and distribute a random character card to each player (or players may choose cards if they prefer). Any spare character cards should be placed back in the box, as they are not used during the course of the game.
Each player selects the miniature associated with his character and places it in the Elysium zone in the center of the board. Each player should then take his set of influence tokens (the clan insignia on your tokens matches that on your character card), as well as six Vitae counters.
Players then decide how many turns they would like to play. A short game lasts six turns (approximately two hours), a medium-length game lasts nine turns (approximately three hours), and a long game lasts twelve turns (approximately four hours). It's not recommended to play for less than six turns or more than twelve. Fewer players can play through turns more quickly than a larger group, of course.
Place the Masquerade token on the numbered slot of the scoring track on the perimeter of the board that corresponds to the number of turns to be played. At the beginning of each new turn (including the first turn of the game), players move the Masquerade token down one space on the track. The Masquerade token always indicates how many full turns remain to be played after the current turn ends. The game ends when the Masquerade token rests on zero at the end of a turn.
Shuffle the deck of playing cards. Have a player cut the deck blindly, and then place the deck facedown on the card silhouette on the board. If an Event card is the top card on the deck after the cut (recognizable by its unique card back), put the Event card into play as normal per the rules on drawing and playing cards, detailed below. Remaining Vitae counters and the personal prestige counters should be placed in two separate "bank" piles to one side of the board within easy reach of all players.
Game Turn Sequence
Prince of the City is a turn-based game, with each turn consisting of a number of separate phases that are played in sequence. The order of each turn is as follows:
- Resource Phase
- Movement Phase
- Challenge Phase
- Influence Phase
- Resolution Phase
During each phase of each turn, play begins with the Regent (see below), and then moves clockwise around the board until each player has had the opportunity to act in that phase. Play then moves on to the next phase.
The vampire with the highest total Prestige from the previous turn is the Regent for the new turn and play begins with her. If this is the first turn, roll a die to see who goes first.
Resource Phase
The first phase of each turn is the Resource Phase. This phase is when players marshal the tools at their disposal to put themselves at an advantage. Before the Regent begins her Resource Phase, players should move the Masquerade token down one spot on the track. If the Masquerade token is moved to the zero spot, then this will be the last turn of the game.
During the Resource Phase, each player may take two resource actions from the following list.
Resource Actions
- Draw a card from the deck
- Hunt to gain one Vitae
- Consume a retainer to gain two Vitae
- Recover from or rescue another Primogen from torpor
- Perform an alternative resource action (as defined by a card in play)
During the Resource Phase, in addition to taking resource actions, players may also trade with or give away cards, Vitae counters or influence tokens to each other (see below).
Drawing and Playing Cards
A player who opts to draw a card takes the top card from the deck and places it in her hand. The card is hidden from other players' view, and the effects described do not take effect until the card is put into play face-up.
A player can hold no more than three hidden cards in her hand at any one time (unless game effects dictate otherwise). If a player draws more cards than her hand size allows, she must immediately play, discard or give away cards until she holds a legal number of hidden cards.
With the exception of the secondary effects of Strategy and Activation cards (discussed below), cards held in a player's hand may be put into play only during the Resource Phase, while the player is the acting Primogen (before she passes play clockwise to the next player in the Resource Phase). If a player should for any reason draw cards outside the Resource Phase, she must hold them in her hand until a subsequent turn's Resource Phase, or she must discard them immediately.
To put a card in play, a player simply places it face-up in front of herself in view of all others. Once a card is in play, the effects described are considered active. A card in play cannot be returned to a player's hand, although it may be discarded by the controlling player at any time.
A player may have no more than five cards face-up in play at any one time (unless game effects dictate otherwise). If a player plays or takes control of cards that would exceed this limit, she must discard or give away cards immediately until she is within the five-card limit.
Again, the limits are three cards in hand and five cards in play. Most cards are not of any play value while held in hand. Their effect is realized only once they're put into play face-up (timing when to put certain cards into play is an important element of strategy). An exception to this rule is the secondary effects of Activation cards and Strategy cards. These cards have a secondary effect printed in italics that reads:
Discard from your hand at any time to add or subtract one from the score of any die.
This secondary effect may be used during any roll in the game, even during a roll by another player or during a challenge or influence contest in which the card player is not involved. A player reveals and discards the Strategy or Activation card and announces on whom the card effect shall be used. The card must be played from the hand to get the secondary effect. Once the card is put into play face-up, its secondary effect can no longer be invoked.
If a card leaves play for any reason, it should be placed face-up in the discard pile. If the deck of playing cards ever runs out, shuffle the discard pile, have a player cut the deck blindly, and place the cards face-down in the deck silhouette so that the cards may be re-used.
Any rule on a card that seems to contradict a standard game rule written here takes precedence over these rules.
Event cards are handled differently than any other card type. Event cards are easily recognizable as the reverse of each has a different design from other types of cards. If an Event card ever lies on top of the deck, it is drawn immediately and put into play face-up near the game board. Thus, events unfold in the city during the game as players use their resource actions to draw cards from the deck and thereby reveal Event cards, which are put into play immediately. Event cards are not controlled by any player, and do not count toward the number of cards a player may draw, hold or have in play. Resolving Event cards is explained in the Challenge Phase rules. Finally, each Event card lists a game effect that remains active for as long as the Event card is in play. Follow the instructions for the event shown.
Hunting
All vampires need blood to sustain them and power their supernatural Disciplines. As Primogen expend Vitae, they must replenish their supply by preying on the city's mortal herd.
Any player who opts to hunt as an action gains one Vitae (he takes a Vitae counter from the bank).
A player may not possess more than six Vitae. Any extra Vitae gained beyond six are discarded.
Consuming a Retainer
Once addicted to the power of vampiric blood, mortals live and die to serve their undead masters. As an alternative to hunting, a player may choose to use a resource action to discard a Retainer card he controls to gain two Vitae (he takes two Vitae counters from the bank).
Recovering or Rescuing from Torpor
Torpor is a comatose condition to which vampires succumb when they are grievously injured or out of Vitae to nourish their undead bodies. As explained more fully later, the character miniature of a Primogen in torpor is temporarily removed from the board.
A Primogen in torpor recovers during the Resource Phase. The player must use his first resource action of the phase to return his Primogen to the board, placing his miniature in the Elysium zone and gaining one Vitae from the bank. The player will usually want to then use his second resource action to hunt or to consume a retainer to gain more Vitae.
Any player may take a resource action to rescue another Primogen in torpor, placing the roused Primogen's miniature in the same zone that the rescuing player occupies. The rescued vampire still receives one Vitae from the bank, and the rescuing player may also grant or trade additional Vitae to the rescued player (see below).
Performing Alternative Resource Actions
While in play and face-up, some cards provide additional resource action possibilities as explained on the cards.
Gifting and Trading
Players who are within range (see definition below) of each other during the Resource Phase may voluntarily give away or exchange Vitae counters or cards in any amount or combination.
Two players are considered to be in range of one another if they occupy the same zone or two connected, adjacent zones on the city board.
In addition, once each Resource Phase a player may choose one (and only one) of his influence tokens in play on a zone and give it to another player in range (so long as the other player agrees to receive the gift). The granting player removes his token and the receiving player replaces it with one of her own.
If two players are in range and both agree, they may also swap one influence token. For example, Rob agrees to exchange his influence token on City Hall for Lucy's token on the Airport.
A player may give away or trade only one influence token each Resource Phase, although he may receive any number of tokens as gifts.
If the movement of influence tokens results in a new player having more influence tokens on a zone than any other player, that player immediately gains control of the zone (see the Influence Phase for more details).
Movement Phase
In the Movement Phase, each player (starting with the Regent and moving clockwise around the board) may place his or her character miniature on any zone of the board.
Once placed, the character miniature cannot be moved again until the Movement Phase of the next turn (unless game effects dictate otherwise).
A player must place his or her miniature somewhere on the board (unless game effects dictate otherwise, such as when in torpor).
A player may place his or her miniature in a zone already occupied by another player's miniature, or in a zone that's occupied by any type of token (unless game effects dictate otherwise).
A player is not forced to move. If she chooses not to, her miniature is left in the same zone that it occupied in the last turn.
Challenge Phase
During the Challenge Phase, each player (starting with the Regent and moving clockwise around the table) declares one challenge. A player may choose from two types of challenges: a player challenge, which targets an opponent, or an event challenge, which targets an Event card in play.
A player may declare only one challenge each turn (unless game effects dictate otherwise). If a player chooses not to (or is not able to) declare a challenge, play passes to the next player until each has had an opportunity to declare a challenge.
Player Challenges
A player challenge may be declared only if a designated opponent lies within range (in the same zone or an adjacent zone on the board) of your miniature. The acting player chooses the type of challenge — mental, physical or social. Both the acting player and the target roll one die each, adding the appropriate matching Attribute from their character cards. The player who scores the highest is declared the winner, and may apply one of the following effects to the loser.
- Mental Challenge Effects: Steal one Strategy card of your choice that the loser has face-up in play, or steal one influence token from the loser in the next Influence Phase (the winner gets one additional influence token for bidding in the next Influence Phase, while the loser gets one less — see the Influence Phase rules).
- Physical Challenge Effects: Steal one Equipment card of your choice controlled by the loser, or steal up to three Vitae counters from the loser.
- Social Challenge Effects: Steal one Retainer card of your choice controlled by the loser, or steal up to two personal prestige counters from the loser.
A winning player may decline to apply the winning effect upon the loser (or reduce the effect) if he or she so chooses.
In the case of tied scores in a player challenge, there is no effect on either party.
Note that if the winner of a physical challenge elects to steal all of the Vitae the loser has left, the loser must go into torpor (see rules for torpor in section 6). The winner never receives more Vitae than the loser has counters remaining, and if the loser's Vitae loss is prevented (such as with the Resilience Discipline), the winner receives no Vitae.
Anyone who declares a player challenge against a target in Elysium (or if the challenger is in Elysium himself) loses personal prestige for breaking Kindred etiquette. If the challenge is social or mental, the challenger loses one personal prestige. If the challenge is physical, the challenger loses three personal prestige. This loss is applied on each challenge declared, whether it's successful or not.
Example: Lucy plays the Ventrue Primogen and during the Challenge Phase opts to declare a player challenge against Rob (who plays the Nosferatu Primogen). Their character miniatures are in range of each other. Lucy chooses a social challenge. She knows it puts Rob at a disadvantage since the Nosferatu have a low social Attribute. Each player rolls a single die. After adding their social Attributes and any other appropriate modifiers to the results of their die rolls, Lucy gets a total of 18 and Rob gets a total of 11. Lucy wins the challenge, and from her options elects to steal Rob's Professional Fixer Retainer card. The Ventrue Primogen easily manipulates the fixer's loyalties to her cause.
Using Disciplines and Card Effects During Challenges and Influence Contests
Primogen have many tools at their disposal to assist them in overcoming obstacles to their ambitions, be it use of special equipment, the skills of trained retainers, or the terrifying power of their Disciplines. Unless the rules of a Discipline or card state otherwise, their use and effect must be declared and any costs paid before dice are rolled for a challenge (whether it's a player challenge or an event challenge), or before dice are rolled for an influence contest (see Influence Phase rules, below). Players may keep declaring game effects in any order until all players decline to take further measures, at which point the challenge or influence contest is rolled.
Some card effects may be used after dice are rolled. These include re-roll effects and the secondary effects of Strategy or Activation cards played from the hand "at any time." Any re-roll effects obviously apply after the initial roll of a die, and multiple re-roll effects can be used sequentially such that the same die may be re-rolled several times. All players have the opportunity to keep playing game effects and modifying the outcome of a challenge or contest after the dice are rolled. Once all players decline to play further effects, the challenge or contest is resolved.
Example: Sarah is the Daeva Primogen, and during the Challenge Phase chooses to declare a player challenge against Jim the Mekhet (their character miniatures are in range of each other this turn and Jim has not activated his Obfuscate Discipline in the turn). Sarah chooses a physical challenge. To help insure her victory, she lets her Kindred blood flow and spends a Vitae to power her Vigor Discipline, giving her one extra die to roll on physical challenges. Sarah rolls two dice and Jim rolls one, and each adds his or her physical Attribute. Sarah rolls poorly and scores a total of 11, while Jim scores 10.
Jim would normally lose. He decides to use his Lucky Talisman card, though, which allows him to force the re-roll of any one die. Jim re-rolls his own die, and with his new die result his score is 12.
In response, Sarah discards two Activation cards from her hand to use their secondary effects to boost her score from 11 to 13, so she's beating Jim again. After exhorting promises of future assistance from Jim, Lucy plays a Strategy card and an Activation card from her hand for their secondary effects and boosts Jim's score up to 14.
No other Primogen has an effect to play, so Jim wins the challenge and elects to steal three Vitae counters from Sarah. Sarah only has two Vitae remaining, so Jim takes both of those and Sarah's Daeva Primogen is in torpor.
Event Challenges
An event challenge is handled in a similar manner as a player challenge. For event challenges, however, the type of challenge (mental, physical, social or territorial) is dictated by the card, and rather than rolling against an opponent, the acting player must score equal to or higher than the given difficulty number printed on the Event card.
If the acting player scores equal to or higher than the event's difficulty number, the player resolves the event challenge successfully. The Event card is discarded, and the player may claim the amount of personal prestige on the "Acting Player" line of the card, taking that many personal prestige counters from the "bank."
If the acting player scores lower than the given difficulty number, the player fails to resolve the event challenge successfully. The Event card remains in play and any player with challenges left to declare this phase may declare challenges on it. The failing player suffers a personal prestige loss equal to the amount listed on the "Acting Player" line of the Event card. That many personal prestige counters are paid back into the "bank." If the penalty is greater than the player's personal prestige, his score drops to zero. Players never "owe the bank" personal prestige beyond what they have to lose, and personal prestige losses never affect a player's city prestige.
The personal prestige amount listed on the "Acting Player" line of an Event card is both the reward if the player succeeds and the penalty if the player fails. Kindred respect those who take control of their worlds, but rumor-mongering Harpies mock those who fail.
Example: It's Rob's turn to act and he chooses to challenge the Event card Drunken Vandal. The card poses a physical challenge with a difficulty of 18. Rob's Nosferatu Primogen has a physical Attribute of 7, and the Discipline of Vigor, so Rob spends one Vitae to gain an additional die. In addition, Rob has the Brass Knuckles card in play, which adds one point to his final score. Rob rolls two dice (one base die and one for Vigor) and adds eight (7 for his Physical Attribute and one for Brass Knuckles). He scores a total of 21. Since his total is greater than the difficulty of 18, he resolves Drunken Vandal successfully and claims the "Acting Player" reward listed on the card (three personal prestige).
Territorial-Type Event Challenges
In addition to the mental, physical and social challenges that are applied in event challenges, there's a fourth type based on territorial control of the city. If such an event challenge is attempted, the acting player adds the number of zones he controls to the roll, rather than adding an Attribute. Similarly, assisting players (see below) add the number of zones they control in lieu of an Attribute.
Example: It's Lucy's turn to act and she chooses to challenge the Event card Strained Vitae Supply. The card poses a territorial challenge with a difficulty of 15. Lucy currently controls only three zones, so the result of her base die gets a +3 modifier. She spends one Vitae to use her Ventrue Primogen's Dominate Discipline to get an extra die for the territorial challenge. She also agrees to let Rob's Nosferatu Primogen assist her. Rob controls four zones, so he lends an extra +4 to the total score on the challenge. Lucy rolls two dice and adds 7, but scores a total of only 13, less than the challenge's difficulty of 15. Having lost the challenge, Lucy and Rob consult the card to find that Lucy loses two personal prestige as the "Acting Player" and Rob loses one personal prestige as an "Assisting Player."
Assisting a Challenge
Other players may assist during both player challenges and event challenges.
When a player challenge is declared, and before any dice are rolled or Discipline or card effects are used, any players in range of the target may assist either the acting player or the target player. Assisting players add their own Attributes (and any other modifiers from cards or Disciplines, but not an extra base die) to the relevant player's score.
Any number and combination of players may seek to assist either side of the same challenge. Players may announce, withdraw or change their assistance. The player who issued the challenge may even rescind the challenge in the face of increased opposition (but the player cannot then make a new challenge this phase in place of the rescinded challenge).
Once all players "pass" on committing, withdrawing or switching sides, then play continues to the use of Disciplines and card effects. Players are then committed to their chosen stance through the end of challenge. To be clear, it is possible for a treacherous Primogen to announce his assistance and promise his allies that he will use his Disciplines or other resources in the coming challenge, but then once the challenge proceeds, withhold the use of those powers and resources. The treacherous player's Attribute is still added to his side's challenge score.
When players assist a player challenge and lose, the winner may choose one of the challenge effects for each and every losing player. For example, if a player wins a social challenge against a target and one assisting player, the winner might steal a Retainer card from the target player and steal personal prestige counters from the assisting player.
The winner may also award any portion of cards, personal prestige counters, Vitae or influence tokens won to players who assisted her, but is under no obligation to do so (despite what any conniving Kindred might have said when the alliance was forged).
Any player, regardless of range, may also assist an acting player who declares an event challenge. The assisting player adds his appropriate Attribute (and any other modifiers) to the score of the challenge, but does not contribute an extra base die. Players assisting in territorial event challenges add the number of zones they control to the score. Again, players may withdraw their support and the acting player may even withdraw the challenge at any point before Disciplines or card effects are played or the dice are rolled. When players assist an event challenge, they receive the personal prestige listed on the Event card for "Assisting Players" as an award or a penalty, depending on the outcome of the challenge.
A challenging player may always decline other players' assistance. Though that seldom happens in player challenges, the acting player may not want to let certain opponents join in the potential prestige awards of assisting in an event challenge.
Example: Sarah's Daeva chooses to try and resolve the Influence Endangered Event card in play, which is described as a mental challenge with a difficulty of 18. Her mental Attribute is only 3, which alone is certainly not enough to resolve the challenge successfully.
She asks Jim's Mekhet for assistance since he can contribute his mental Attribute of 7, a possible extra die with his Auspex Discipline, and also an additional three points to the score due to the Laptop Computer card that he controls. Jim agrees to assist, and Sarah declines to allow any other player to assist her, so play continues.
Jim agrees to spend a Vitae to use his Auspex Discipline. Sarah rolls the base die for her challenge and scores only 3. Jim rolls the die gained from Auspex and scores a 6. The total score of both dice, both of their Attributes and Jim's Laptop Computer card comes to 22. This is enough to resolve the challenge successfully. Per the Influence Endangered Event card, Sarah gains three personal prestige counters as the acting player, and Jim gains two as the assisting player. If they had failed the event, Sarah would have lost three personal prestige and Jim would have lost two.
Influence Phase
Kindred society is inexorably linked to the mortal world on which vampires prey. Throughout the ages, Kindred have found it beneficial to garner influence in mortal institutions to both insure their safety and to gain standing in the Danse Macabre, the undead power game. Indeed, a vampire who controls the most influential elements of mortal society is to be respected and feared. He or she is a Kindred worthy of becoming the new Prince of the city.
The undead use any means at their disposal to gain power, from making ghouls of mortals and loyal servants, to corporate-ownership shell games, to acting as anonymous benefactors, to bribery, murder and coercion. The results of all of these methods are represented in Prince of the City by influence tokens.
Control of a city zone and thus control of the mortal organizations it represents is determined by the placement of influence tokens. When the game begins, no players have influence tokens on the board. During each Influence Phase, each player may attempt to place influence tokens to lay claim to zones and thereby gain city prestige. A player controls a city zone when he has more influence tokens on it than any other player.
At the beginning of the Influence Phase, each player takes a number of influence tokens from her "bank" of spare tokens. A player normally takes three tokens, plus an additional one for each of the player's domains. A player has a domain when she controls all of the zones of a certain color. For example, Sarah controls the Cathedral, the Synagogue and the Mosque (she has the most influence tokens in each), so she has a domain over the orange, religious zones of the city. Domains can also be established with certain Strategy cards if a player controls the selection of zones specified on the Strategy card.
If an influence token was stolen as a result of a mental challenge between players in the turn's Challenge Phase, the winner draws one extra influence token in the Influence Phase, and the loser draws one less.
A player's "bank" of spare influence tokens is limitless, so in the unlikely event that a player runs out of her clan-insignia tokens, players can improvise others (coins, glass beads or the tokens of a clan not being played in the current game).
Example: At the beginning of the Influence Phase, Lucy doesn't control any domains, so she draws the normal three influence tokens.
Example: At the beginning of the Influence Phase, Sarah has two domains. She controls all of the Industrial category (red) and all three zones required by her City Services Domain Strategy card. She therefore draws a total of five influence tokens (3+2) this turn.
Example: At the beginning of the Influence Phase, Rob notes that he lost a mental player challenge to Jim in the previous phase, and as Jim stole an influence token, Rob draws only two influence tokens (3–1), and Jim draws four (3+1). Neither Rob nor Jim controls any domains.
Bidding Influence
Once all players draw their influence tokens, influence attempts are made to get the new influence tokens onto zones of the board. Beginning with the Regent and going clockwise, each player targets a zone for an influence attempt, bids one or more of his available influence tokens and resolves that bid attempt. Thus, unlike other game phases, play may pass around the players several times during each Influence Phase as players vie for the different zones to which they assign available influence tokens.
When a player's order in sequence comes around, she may refrain from making an influence attempt, passing play on to the next player. If a player ever opts to pass, she may only bid influence tokens to contest other players for the remainder of the Influence Phase (see below). She may no longer target zones for bid attempts of her own that turn.
A player without any influence tokens remaining to bid this turn cannot make an influence attempt and must pass.
Once all players have passed, the phase ends, and any unused influence tokens are discarded (they are not accumulated from turn to turn).
During each Influence Phase, all players must keep the number of remaining influence tokens they have available for bidding in view of all other players, and they may be counted at any time.
For each influence attempt, the acting player targets a zone. The targeted zone must either:
- Be in range (the zone the player's miniature occupies or an adjacent one)
- Or, be any zone of the same color as a zone the player already controls
Once a target zone has been selected, the acting player bids one or more of her available influence tokens that she wishes to see placed permanently on that zone.
If the influence attempt is not contested by any other player or game effect, then the tokens are placed on the target zone immediately. If the bid is contested by any other player or game effect, then an influence contest (see below) must be resolved.
Contesting Influence
During an influence attempt, any other player in range of the target zone or who controls a zone of the same color as the target may also bid one or more available influence tokens to contest the acting player's influence attempt. Players may also contest an influence attempt using any existing tokens that have already been made permanent in a designated zone or zones of that same color, and/or with their character miniatures if they are on the target zone (see the rules below).
Once an influence attempt has been contested, all eligible players (including the acting player) may bid additional influence tokens on the target zone. This additional bidding may take place in any order and continues until all players have declined to bid more tokens, or they use other special abilities such as card effects or Disciplines. Once this bidding ends, each of the opposing players must resolve an influence contest. In influence contests, players receive the following dice and bonuses for their rolls.
Influence Contests
- +1 die per influence token being bid
- +1 die for each of the Primogen's existing influence tokens already in play on the target zone
- +1 point bonus per existing influence token already in play on a zone of the same color as the target zone
- +4 point bonus if a participating player's character miniature is in the target zone
In addition, players may receive other bonuses or penalties from other game effects (e.g., from the Dominate Discipline).
The highest scoring player in the influence contest may add the influence tokens she bid (if any) to the target zone on the city board. Any other influence tokens bid by other players are discarded. In the case of a tie for the highest score, no player wins and all bid tokens are discarded.
Additional players may bid influence tokens or apply their modifiers to assist the acting player, or to assist any opposing players. When players combine their influence in this fashion, all tokens bid by the successful players are added to the target zone. A player may combine his influence token bid or modifiers to another player's only with that player's permission. A player is never forced to accept assistance from another during an influence contest. Once permission is granted, though, the assisting player is not restricted on how many influence tokens he may bid in the influence contest. This flexibility becomes important as the assisting player could end up controlling the zone (see "Influence and Zone Control" below).
Influence Examples
The following is an example of a possible Influence Phase early in a four-player game.
Example: Lucy, Rob, Sarah and Jim have just begun the Influence Phase. Since no one has a domain yet and no mental player challenges resulted in the transfer of influence tokens in the previous Challenge Phase, each player draws three influence tokens with which to make bids this turn.
Lucy is Regent, so she makes the first influence attempt. She targets the Fashion Circuit zone. She chooses to bid one of her three influence tokens. Since no player is in range of that zone, and no players yet control any other Arts and Entertainment zones, no player may oppose Lucy's influence attempt. Lucy's attempt is automatically successful. She places her token on the zone.
Rob then chooses to target the University zone for his influence attempt. He bids one of his three influence tokens. Sarah is within range of the University and chooses to contest Rob's attempt, bidding two influence tokens. Rob decides to bid an additional token of his own in response, and the remaining players decline (or are unable) to participate. Both Sarah and Rob roll two dice. Rob scores 12 and Sarah scores 7. As Rob achieved the higher score, he places the two influence tokens he bid on the zone, while the influence tokens that Sarah bid are discarded. If Sarah had beat Rob, she would have placed her two influence tokens on the zone instead (and Rob's bid tokens would have been discarded).
It's then Sarah's turn. She only has one influence token left to bid this phase and chooses to place it on the Morgue. Although other players have influence tokens available to bid and are within range, they decline to oppose, allowing her to add this token automatically.
Jim is last and bids one influence token on the Nightclub Circuit. Lucy objects and is in range of the Nightclub Circuit, so she contests Jim's influence attempt by bidding her remaining two influence tokens against him. Jim then bids his two remaining influence tokens, giving him three dice to roll against her two. Lucy also receives a +1 point bonus to her score on the influence contest, because she has one influence token already in play on the Fashion Circuit zone (which is the same color as the Nightclub Circuit). Nevertheless, Jim scores higher and gets to place all three of his tokens on the zone, while Lucy's are discarded.
Since Rob has one influence token still available, play passes around the board once more. Lucy has no influence tokens available and must pass. Rob chooses to influence the Docks with his remaining token. Going unopposed, he places the token on the zone automatically.
All players have spent their available influence tokens for the turn, so play moves on to the Resolution Phase.
The following examples illustrate other rules about influence contests.
Example (using bonuses from tokens in the target zone): Sarah makes an influence attempt and targets the Morgue. She already has one token in that zone, and Rob has two in it. Rob declares that he will contest Sarah's influence attempt with his two existing tokens. Sarah bids one of her available influence tokens for the turn, plus she gains a die for her influence token already on the zone, so both players roll two dice. Sarah scores higher than Rob; his opposition fails. Sarah adds the token she bid to the zone so that she and Rob now both have two in it. If Rob had won, he would not have added any tokens to the zone as he did not bid any new ones, and Sarah would have lost the token she bid but kept the one already in the zone prior to her influence attempt.
Example (using bonuses from tokens in other like-colored zones): Jim makes an influence attempt and targets Little Italy, much to Lucy's displeasure. He bids one influence token, which gives him one die to roll. Jim does not control any Community zones, but Lucy controls the Latin Quarter, Nobility Hill and Chinatown, with a total of four influence tokens in play on those three zones. Lucy announces that she will contest Jim's influence attempt. Although she does not want to bid any influence tokens in the influence contest, she can still contest Jim using the +4 point bonus she gains from her tokens already in play. Jim must therefore score a 5 or more on his roll to win the influence contest and add his bid token to Little Italy. Had Lucy decided to bid a token, she would have rolled one die for the token and added her +4 bonus to her score versus Jim's single die for his bid token.
Example (using bonuses from character miniatures): Rob chooses to make an influence attempt on the Sewers, and bids one token in the attempt. Unfortunately, Lucy's character miniature is also on the Sewers, and she decides to contest Rob using only the +4 point bonus from her miniature to contest Rob's attempt (rather than also bidding influence tokens in opposition). Rob must therefore score 5 or more on his roll to succeed. If Rob gets 1 to 4 (4 being a tie), he fails to influence the zone successfully and the influence token he bid is discarded. If his character miniature had also been on the Sewers, he could have added his own miniature bonus of +4 to succeed in the attempt.
Example (multiple players): Rob announces an influence attempt on the Corporate Sector. He bids one influence token, but Sarah bids two of her own to contest him. Lucy decides to help Rob, bidding two tokens, and Rob agrees to the assistance. Jim then decides to help Sarah. With Sarah's agreement, Jim bids an additional token of his own. So, both teams of Rob and Lucy, Sarah and Jim, bid three tokens each.
They check other possible modifiers. Rob's character miniature is at the Corporate Sector (+4 points) and Lucy has a total of three influence tokens already placed on other purple city zones (+3 points). So, Rob and Lucy roll a total of three dice and add +7 to their score.
Sarah already has one influence token on the Corporate Sector zone (+1 die) and Jim is playing the Ventrue and elects to spend one Vitae to use his Dominate Discipline (+1 die). So, Sarah and Jim roll a total of five dice.
Fate smiles on Rob and Lucy as they get the highest total. Sarah and Jim's bid tokens (but not Sarah's token already in the zone) are discarded. Rob places his one bid token and Lucy places her two bid tokens on the Corporate Sector.
Influence and Zone Control
To claim control of a zone, a player must have more influence tokens in play on it than any other player. The player controlling the zone moves her stack of influence tokens onto the zone controller circle to mark her control of the zone (this makes tallying city prestige in the Resolution Phase a bit faster). In the Resolution Phase, players count the prestige listed on the zones they control to determine their total city prestige.
A zone with no tokens on it is considered uncontrolled. If two or more players have an equal number of tokens on a zone, there's no clear leader in the zone and it's considered uncontrolled.
If a player has an Activation card in play that corresponds to a zone the player controls, he may utilize the activation effect described on the card.
Whenever new tokens are added to or subtracted from a zone, the zone should be checked for any change of control.
It's possible for control of a zone to change hands several times in one Influence Phase.
When multiple players bid influence tokens on a zone during an influence contest, it's also possible that an assisting player rather than the acting one could gain control. In the last example above, Lucy assisted Rob. She bid more influence tokens than he did, and they won the contest. After she placed the tokens she bid, she gained control of the zone.
Resolution Phase
During the Resolution Phase, all players count and declare their total prestige scores, combining any personal prestige counters with any city prestige gained from any zones controlled on the board. Each player records his new total prestige score for the turn by placing a clan insignia influence token on the prestige track running on the outside edge of the board. Prestige is not cumulative turn after turn, but rather is recounted and reset each Resolution Phase.
If this is not the last turn of the game, play continues with the highest prestige player becoming Regent for the next turn. If this is the last turn of the game, the highest prestige player is the winner and new Prince of the city.
In the event of tied prestige scores, the player with control of the most total zones on the board is declared winner (or Regent for the next turn). If the number of zones is also tied, count the number of influence tokens on the board. If the number of tokens is also the same, then play continues for another turn.
If a player's character miniature is not present on the board (he's in torpor) during the Resolution Phase, his total prestige should still be counted, but he cannot be declared Regent or winner. The title goes to the player with the next highest prestige total, and whose miniature is on the board.
If the game continues, each and every player must lose one Vitae counter at the end of each Resolution Phase, returning it to the bank. If a player has no Vitae left as a result, he immediately goes into torpor (see below).
Counting Prestige
All players gain city prestige from the control of zones on the board. The prestige value of each individual zone is marked as a number on the zone. During each Resolution Phase, each player should count this prestige to find his total current city prestige for the turn. A bonus of three city prestige is gained for each domain that a player controls. Like counting all prestige, this bonus is temporary and should not be recounted in subsequent Resolution Phases if the domain subsequently is lost (i.e., the player loses control of one or more of the zones in that color category, or zones specified on a Domain Strategy card).
In addition to city prestige, players gain personal prestige counters from successfully challenging Event cards, stealing personal prestige in a social player challenge, by performing actions specified on Strategy cards they have in play, or from any other prestige gain not linked to control of city zones. Personal prestige is tracked by taking prestige counters from the bank when prestige is gained, or by paying it back to the bank when personal prestige counters are lost. If a player loses more personal prestige than he has counters to pay back to the bank, the surplus loss is ignored.
During each Resolution Phase, each player should tally his new prestige total, recording this total on the tracker provided for all other players to see. The tracker should be used only during the Resolution Phase, and players should not attempt to adjust their prestige totals or keep a running score during any other phase of the turn.
Torpor and Leaving the Game
If a player is reduced to zero Vitae, his Primogen goes into torpor, a nightmarish sleep that vampires suffer to recuperate. When a player is in torpor, her character miniature is removed from the board. The piece may not be returned until the Resource Phase of a subsequent turn.
Players in torpor may not draw cards, exchange or bestow resources, participate in challenges or bid influence tokens. A player in torpor cannot be named Regent or win the game.
A player in torpor may still assist or contest influence attempts made by other players if the torpid player has any relevant influence tokens on the board, although she cannot bid new tokens to initiate any attempt or to contest another player's influence attempt.
A Primogen in torpor may not be the target of a player challenge, and is not subject to any positive or negative effects caused by any Event cards in play.
If a player leaves the board for any other reason, she is treated as if in torpor until her piece is returned.
If a player must leave or withdraw from a game permanently (e.g., due to time constraints or other commitments), her character miniature is removed from play as above, although it is never returned to the board. Any cards the player had in play or in her hand are discarded. Any influence tokens she controlled in play are left on the board, and they automatically contest the influence attempts of other players until the game ends.
Timing and Order of Game Effects
All game effects are resolved in the same order in which they are played or activated. There is no way to interrupt or reverse an effect once it has been declared (unless otherwise stated by the game effect itself). If there is any disagreement over which player declared first, and players can't work it out in a courteous manner, declarations are determined in order from Regent, clockwise.
Example: Sarah has the Activation card for the Financial Sector zone, and she decides to use it to draw a card. Although Michael has the Activation card for the Power Plant, he cannot use it to cancel the effect Sarah has just activated, because Sarah goes first. If Michael had declared his use of the Power Plant before Sarah's action, he would have gone first, and she would not have been able to draw a card.
Advanced and Optional Rules
In addition to the basic rules, above, the following two can be added once players are experienced with the game. All players should agree on which of these rules (if any) are to be used before play begins.
"10-Again" Rule
The simplest of the advanced rules and one that is highly recommended after an introductory game is "10-again" for all dice rolls. On any roll of 10, the result is counted toward that player's total score for the challenge or contest, and the die is rolled again with the result also added to the total. A player can even roll multiple 10's in succession and keep adding 10 to her total until another number finally comes up.
Cards such as Professional Fixer that require a die to be rolled to consult multiple possible effects ignore the 10-again rule. Results of 10 are not re-rolled.
Any power that calls for a re-roll can force a 10 to be rolled again before the total is tallied. If a number other than 10 is achieved on the forced re-roll, the effects of the 10-again rule terminate.
Example: Rob rolls a 10 on his die during a challenge against Lucy. Lucy has a card that can force a re-roll, but she decides not to use it as she's still winning the challenge by a decent margin. Per the 10-again rule, Rob adds 10 to his score for the challenge and rolls the die again, getting another 10! Lucy's had enough and uses her card to force Rob to re-roll the second 10 before he adds it to his running tally and rolls a third time. Rob's first 10 is already added to his score and is not affected by being forced to re-roll the second 10. If Rob's forced re-roll results in a 3, he adds a total of 13 to any modifiers. If it results in another 10, the 10-again rule applies once again, despite Lucy's effort to break Rob's momentum.
Exact Player Order
For simplicity's sake, the standard rules consider that play always proceeds to the Regent's left. Since player order and the timing of game effects can often be crucial, however, experienced players may wish to play in a more precise order.
Before the game begins, find or create some markers numbered one to five to record the player order for each turn.
During each Resolution Phase, give out the order markers to each player in descending order of prestige totals, with "one" going to the player with the highest prestige, and counting down in descending order. (So, the player with the lowest total prestige gets number "five.") Players then act in that order during each phase of the next turn.
Two-player Game Option
Prince of the City can be played as a two-player game. The diplomatic aspects of the game are lost in head-to-head play, but it still has strategic value. The only suggested rules changes for the two-player option are:
- Increase the base number of influence tokens drawn at the start of the Influence Phase from three to five.
- Prior to play, remove any Event cards with a difficulty of 21 or higher from the deck.
Glossary
Here is a list of background terms for every player's reference.
- ancilla: Kindred too old to be considered neonates, but not yet elders, having spent roughly 50 to 150 years as part of the Requiem. (The plural term is ancillae.)
- ancient: The rare vampire who has existed for over a millennium.
- childe: Kindred "offspring"; also used to refer to particularly young neonates, or as a minor insult (akin to calling someone a "child" in mortal circles).
- clan: One of five families of Kindred whose lineage links back to times beyond Kindred memory.
- covenant: A faction of Kindred that shares certain political and theological beliefs. The covenants exist worldwide, although details often differ from domain to domain.
- Danse Macabre: The state of eternal infighting between Kindred among clans, covenants and age distinctions.
- Disciplines: The preternatural abilities and edges that Kindred possess, allowing them to vanish, turn into bats and perform myriad other inhuman feats.
- domain: A region ruled (ostensibly) by a single Kindred authority. The largest domains correspond to cities and often contain smaller domains within them. Domains (also called tenurial domains) may be geographic (the Southside) or abstract (city police). For the purposes of Prince of the City, domain is a specific term used to denote when a player has control of all zones of a particular color, or all zones listed on a Domain Strategy card.
- elder: A vampire who has survived for over 150 years; also a term of respect.
- Elysium: A location used for Kindred gatherings and declared a neutral, "no violence" sanctuary by the Prince.
- Final Death: A Kindred's real, true, ultimate death; when her unlife ceases and she never again rises as a vampire.
- ghoul: A mortal fed Kindred Vitae, possessed of various supernatural abilities, though far weaker than most vampires.
- Harpy: A vampire in a position prominent or estimable enough to raise or put down others in Kindred society.
- Kindred: The modern (and most frequent) term by which vampires refer to themselves and their race.
- kine: A term for mortals; the phrase "Kindred and kine" refers to everyone.
- Masquerade: The efforts and system of laws required by a Tradition of secrecy to hide Kindred existence from the mortal world.
- neonate: A young vampire engaged in the Requiem for less than 50 years.
- Primogen: An elder who advises the Prince (also plural).
Credits
Game Design and Development: Mike Nudd Developmental Assistance: Stephan Wieck Editing: Ken Cliffe Art Director: Pauline Benney Layout & Typesetting: Becky Jollensten Art: Sam Araya, Pauline Benney, Avery Butterworth, and Becky Jollensten Graphic Design: Becky Jollensten Playtesters: Justin Achilli, Tim Allan, Nick Ashton, Barny Baker, Andrew Bates, Philippe Boulle, David Brain, Bernard Bresnahan, Andrew Brown, Derek Brown, Dean Burnham, James Chamberlain, Eric Chiang, Anthony "Bunter" Coleman, Michael Correia, Simon Croome, Martin "Sausage Fingers" Cubberley, Stafford Dinage, Clive Dolphin, Joshua Duffin, Karsten Essen, Jackie Eves, Barry "Baz" Gibson, James Goodman, Robert Goudie, David Hammond, Steven "Jos" Joslyn, Seth King, Christopher "Salem" Kellahan, Matthew Kirk, Paul Mansfield, Jonathon Martin, Chris McDonough, Jenny Merrick, Benjamin Monk, Richard Orsler, Pierre Rebstock, Dan Roe, Paolo Sammut, Rob Savill, Mike Tinney, Haukur Valgeirsson, Ian Vincent, Stephan Wieck, Stewart Wieck, Iain Wilson, Archibald Zimonyi, Darcy, and all the folks at Drexoll Games in Vancouver.
© 2004 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. White Wolf, World of Darkness and Vampire are registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Vampire the Requiem and Vampire Prince of the City are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc.