Black Sun, White Moon Alternate System

Since we've had a lot of sessions drop out recently, and given that Nate's friends are interested in WoD themed stuff, I think I may try to go forward with one shots in a WoD-like game world. It will retain a few of the ideas mentioned in the main thread, probably including the "dream origins" of power, but very little else. I will try out a narrativist system that I have been working on for this, which will probably make it rocky at first. But we'll see how it goes.

The System:

A character consists of 5 traits, which are ranked 5-1 for a WoD intro character power level game: distributions can be changed for different power levels.

The characteristics are:
Action: Physical actions and fighting.
Drama: Social Interactions, Investigation: nonphysical exciting parts.
Background: training, equipment, wealth: ie anything you would get based on your upbringing/training/lifestyle.
Special: Magic/Special powers.
Chaos: randomness, for the player who likes that sort of thing.

A character may assign to each characteristic a number of traits equal to the points value assigned to that characteristic. A trait is just a descriptive term that illustrates how your character's rating is what it is. So a ninja with a high action might take "stalking tiger martial arts" "acrobatics", etc. You can "double up" on a single trait, which carries with it advantages and disads.

Anytime there is a challenge: either contested or static, the comparison is straight up: whoever has the higher number wins. However, the two parties in secret may "bid" any number of traits: each trait bid increases your "score" for that action by 1. Once the bids are revealed, all bid traits are Used up for the given scene.

most challenges will come down to Drama and Action, but Special and Background can be added to these characteristics as follows:
Background: at the beginning of each scene a character may assign background according to his/her traits: this assignment must be fairly specific. Challenges during that scene where the assigned uses come into play may add the background rating assigned to that action.
Special: more later.