What is Heat?
Heat represents how much attention a character has drawn from Division 18. It tracks visible activity, risks to the Masquerade, and paper trails… digital or otherwise. Heat is a Kindred specific mechanic, as Division 18 are not Witch Hunters and will offer free drug screenings for any reports of Faeries.
Every PC starts with 1 Heat. It can rise through actions, rumors, or associations, and can only be reduced by:
- Lay low actions (Kindred naturally lose 1 level per 2 weeks)
- Boons to the right Kindred
- Burning bridges, relocating, or calling in favors with appropriate Contacts or Allies
Heat Levels
Heat Level | Label | Division 18 Response |
0 | Cold | Off the radar. You’re a ghost. |
1 | Warm | Passive surveillance: flagged face, no action (yet). |
2 | Watched | Division 18 starts following digital and feeding activity. |
3 | Suspect | Light harassment: civilian interviews, “random” patrols. |
4 | Hot | Tracked. Surveillance van nearby. Contact risk escalating. |
5 | Burned | Identified as a hostile entity. Detain/neutralize orders issued. |
Gaining Heat
Heat is assigned at ST discretion based on player actions. Use it to reflect visible footprint, not morality.
Each offense adds 1 Offense Point unless otherwise noted.
Every 5 Offense Points = 1 Heat Level.
Modifiers are cumulative (e.g., a messy feeding kill with witnesses is 3 offenses).
Custom Merits
Heat Magnet (••• or ••••)
Prerequisite: No Anonymity
Effect: You draw attention—intentionally or not. Whether it's arrogance, style, or old vendettas, Division 18’s eye keeps sliding toward you instead of others nearby.
••• : Once per week, you may absorb up to 3 Heat offense boxes from another Kindred. You take them at a 1:2 ratio—for every 2 offenses you absorb, you tick 1 box toward your own Heat. (e.g., absorb 3 ticks → gain 1 tick yourself; the rest dissipates)
•••• : Once per day, you may redirect any number of Heat offense boxes from one Kindred to yourself at the same 1:2 rate. In addition, you automatically lose 1 offense box per week from your personal tracker as long as you're below Heat 4. At Heat 3+, gain +2 to Intimidation or Presence vs mortals due to your unshakable notoriety.
For obvious reasons, Heat Magnets cannot be Off The Grid
Off the Grid (•••)
Prerequisite: No Fame
Effect: You are adept at hiding your tracks. Your Haven isn’t registered, your feeding isn’t patterned, and your face never sticks in memory. Your Heat level begins at 0 rather than 1.
Once per night, when you would gain a Heat offense box, you may roll Wits + Subterfuge:
Success: The box does not accumulate.
Exceptional Success: Not only does the Kindred not accumulate Heat, they also shake some of the Heat they already had. Remove a tick of Heat.
Additionally, your Heat offenses decay faster: you lose 1 level every week without an incident instead of two weeks.