Warding Circle vs Ghouls

Level 2.

This ritual is enacted in a manner similar to that of Ward Vs Ghouls (see Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 184), but creates a circle centered on the caster into which a ghoul cannot pass without being burned. The circle can be made as large and as permanent as the caster desires, as long as she is willing to pay the necessary price. Many Tremere chantries and havens are protected by this and other Warding Circle rituals.

System: The ritual requires three blood points of mortal blood. the caster determines the size of the warding circle when it is cast; the default radius is 10 feet, and every 10-foot increase raises the difficulty by one, to a maximum of 9 (one additional success is required for every 10-foot increase past the number necessary to raise the difficulty to 9). The player spends one blood point for every 10 feet of radius and rolls. The ritual takes the normal casting time if it is to be temporary (lasting for the rest of the night) or one night if it is to be permanent (lasting a year and a day).

Once the warding circle is established, any ghoul who attempts to cross its boundary feels a tingle on his skin and a slight breeze on his face - a successful Intelligence + Occult roll (difficulty 8) identifies this as a warding circle. If the ghoul attempts to press on, he must roll more success on a Willpower roll (difficulty of the caster's Thaumaturgy rating +3) than the caster rolled when establishing the ward. Failure indicates that the ward blocks his passage and inflicts three dice of bashing damage on him, and his next roll to attempt to enter the circle is at +1 difficulty. If the ghoul leaves the circle and attempts to enter it again, he must repeat the roll. Attempts to leave the circle are not blocked.

The Tremere have access to several other Warding Circle rituals: Warding Circle vs Lupines (Level Three), Warding Circle vs Kindred (Level four), and Warding Circle vs Spirits, Ghosts, and Demons (Level Five). Each Warding Circle ritual must be learned separately. The material components required for each warding circle are the same as those needed for the corresponding ward, but in larger amounts. The effects against the targeted beings are the same as for Warding Circle vs Ghouls.

Errata: Warding Circle vs Wraiths, Warding Circle vs Spirits and Warding Circle vs Demons are individual level 5 rituals. In addition, Warding Circle vs Fey is a level 4 ritual (equivalent power to Ward vs Vampires). As a guide, circles that ward out subraces (Brujah, Werewolves, etc. are level 3. Entire races (Vampires, Lycanthropes, Fey) are level 4, while incorporeal beings are level 5.