sadnessofthings

1. Start a new game and create a custom character in character creation. Give the character a unique name that no actual NPC in the game has, e.g. NEW_PORTRAIT.

This character is only for creating a dna, so you don't need to worry about anything except visuals.

However, if you also want to change the canon character's traits or other features, it's the easiest to do here at the same time as you create the new portrait.

If you want to change Goratrix specifically, make sure NOT to select the 'comely' trait when making the replacement portrait. True, he should canonically have it, but it just ruins the portrait, since it "beatifies" the portrait in a very ugly fashion.

Also note that the 'vampire' trait makes characters slightly more buff than usual.

2. In the char creation, under the portrait, there's an option to 'Copy DNA.' Click that and paste the result somewhere for later. This is just in case you want to tweak the portrait later or if you lose your save files.

3. Click play, make a new save and locate the save file you just made. Make a backup of it just in case.

The save file is in .ck3 format. Extract it and you get a text file named ‘gamestate.’ Rename this file as something like PORTRAIT_SAVE.

4. Start a new game - this will be the campaign that you're actually going to play.

If you want to play with the canon character whose portrait you're replacing, do NOT pick them as your player character now. Instead pick anyone whose portrait won’t be edited. This will make replacing the portrait that much easier, since you can ignore the main character’s portrait (meta_main_portrait) in the save file you’ll be editing.

Once you’re done with the editing and get to play, you’ll just pick the char you want then instead of whoever you choose now.

If you want to play a custom character, create it normally.

5. Click play, save, and locate the new save file. Extract it and rename the resulting ‘gamestate’ file. E.g. ACTUAL_CAMPAIGN.

6. Open the ACTUAL_CAMPAIGN file in Notepad++.

Search for the character whose portrait you're changing with first_name="[name]". It'll look like this, except that tumblr unfortunately ruins the formatting:

---

11416={ first_name="Goratrix" birth=900.1.1 nickname="nick_the_lightbearer" culture=56 faith=18 dynasty_house=4990 skill={ 5 6 8 9 10 7 } immortal=36 dna="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" mass=-2 traits={ 71 64 77 20 129 135 300 327 222 383 407 387 331 361 343 345 }

---

The strings that matter visually are the character's apparent age ('immortal'), the dna string, and mass. Traits can affect the portrait, too. The stuff that comes after traits doesn’t matter here.

7. Open the PORTRAIT_SAVE file in Notepad++.

Search for NEW_PORTRAIT (or whatever you named your dna donor char) and you'll find similar string as above.

Copy and replace with it the corresponding strings in the ACTUAL_CAMPAIGN file, starting with ‘immortal’. The name, faith, dynasty and other canon stuff is ofc left as is.

For example, below is my Goratrix edit. I've additionally altered his traits ('comely' is removed and I think I compensated by giving him 'intelligent' instead of merely 'quick').

I've also removed the non-canonical extra childe that the POD mod has given him and canon-compliantly made him bi. This edit also includes clothing overrides, but those can be changed anytime in the actual game when you play.

---

11351={ first_name="Goratrix" birth=900.1.1 nickname="nick_the_lightbearer" culture=56 faith=17 dynasty_house=4981 skill={ 5 6 8 9 10 7 } immortal=25 dna="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" portrait_override={ portrait_modifier_overrides={ custom_headgear=male_empty custom_clothes=male_clothes_secular_western_nobility_01_high } } mass=-6 sexuality=bi traits={ 71 64 77 20 136 300 327 222 383 407 387 331 361 343 345 } family_data={ child={ 14018 18897 19992 32560 }

---

The 'alive_data' and other strings that come after these aren't relevant for portrait visuals and can be left as they are.

Make sure the indentations and brackets in the code are correctly placed; if the save file doesn’t load or the game crashes, some bracket is probably in the wrong place.

8. If you want to change other portraits, create new dna strings and edit the ACTUAL_CAMPAIGN some more. :)

9. Save the changes. Make a backup copy of the ACTUAL_CAMPAIGN text file just in case you need to change something yet. If something is amiss, you don’t have to go through extraction again.

10. Add .ck3 to the end of the ACTUAL_CAMPAIGN file’s name in order to change the file type. Now you can load it in the game again and check the results.

11. Load the ACTUAL_CAMPAIGN.ck3 and this time pick the character you want to play.

12. I recommend Fullscreen Barbershop mod for more comprehensive screenshot possibilities and way more portrait options. The Steam workshop page for POD has instructions for the concurrent use of other mods.

“Unlike other Disciplines, which could be described as advancing organically through the victims chosen by the vampire, practitioners of Blood Sorcery require teachers.“ - VTM 5th edition pg 272

“Neonate Tremere often find a peculiar affinity for Thaumaturgy. Some develop proficiency with blood magic of their own accord, without extensive training, but this rarely extends beyond the rudiments of the craft. Rituals and alternative paths especially require study.” - Tremere clanbook revised pg 50.

Based on the above, the fledgling could maybe manage to somehow learn the blood strike at least on their own, but it fits my rp better that she has no clue at all. After all, “without extensive training” still hints at some training at least.

"A path, and Thaumaturgy as a whole, is not an innate ability like the superhuman physical strength, speed or even perception that Kindred may exhibit, but, rather, a set of skills allowing trained magi to draw upon their own immortality to shape their surroundings." - Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy pg 36-37