Gameplay

Gameplay Mechanics

Main article: Gameplay Mechanics

Descendants of Darkness offers several ways to play:

• Immersive roleplay to explore the quirks of each species.
• Build or join families to create lasting bonds.
• Lean into PvP combat for strategy and rivalry.

Combat

Main article: Combat

Combat uses the Main HUD's species-specific attack button. Attack animations and names differ by species, while damage and attack rate remain consistent within the same age group.

Basics

• Be within 1.5 metres of the target.
• Click the main HUD button and choose your attack strength.
• Expect counterattacks and stay mobile.

Both players may enter species-specific combat animations when their personal animation settings are enabled.

Followers and speed boosters

• Followers stick to targets; attaching one to someone makes them trail you.
• If they attach one to you, they will stay close—use speed boosters to break away.
• Collisions from two followers can force close-quarters brawls.

Tips

• Open with a quick hit, then reposition.
• Use speed boosts after landing a hit to control distance.
• Assume your opponent can mirror your moves; plan escapes before you engage.

Related combat systems

• Power Attack
• Safe Zones
• Species-Specific Attacks
• Trial of Shadows
• Bounties

Safe Zones

Main article: Safe Zones

Within designated Safe Zones, the HUD blocks combat.

• Current Safe Zone: The Official DoD sim.
• No Safe Zones for private homes or other venues.

Feeding and Blood Levels

Main article: Feeding and Blood Levels

Feeding uses the Main HUD's Attack and Feed Button. Clicking the button near an avatar who is not a registered player begins an interaction with that regular human.

Player Blood

In the first age group, a player using Blood starts with 5.000 litres and loses 0.500 litres nightly, giving about 10 days before death without feeding.

Hunters and Witches use Energy in place of Blood on their player scans; see Hunters and Witches for their species-specific interactions with regular humans.

How to feed

• Move within 1.5 metres of the target.
• Click the main HUD button and choose your attack.
• Hold the first five seconds to start healing; after that you can move back to five metres and continue feeding.
• After the first five seconds, feeding works from any angle.

Human Blood

A new regular human normally begins with 5.000 litres of blood. Feeding reduces that amount. A human reduced to zero is dead and cannot be fed on again while depleted. A human who is not killed gradually regenerates blood over time.

Human recovery and revival items are covered under Elixirs.

Human scan states

Status	Meaning
Novus Sanguis	New blood with a full 5 litres.
Sanguis Plenus	At least 4 litres remain.
Sanguis Medius	Between 2 and 4 litres remain.
Sanguis Exiguus	Less than 2 litres remain.
Sanguis Nullus	No blood remains; the human is dead or fully depleted.
Ignotus	The human's blood status could not be classified.

Sanguis Nullus is the current term for a regular human with no blood. It does not mean merely that the avatar is unregistered.

The Human Scan guide explains the full result, including applicable Hunter Protection and Witch Resurrection states.

Player Age Groups

Main article: Player Age Groups

Each species follows its own progression through the darkness. In Descendants of Darkness, 1 age unit equals 1 real day. Early ranks advance quickly, while later ranks reflect long-term mastery, leadership, and legacy.

---

🩸 Vampire Age Groups

Rank	Days	Approx. Real Time	Description
Neonate	0 days	Immediate	Newly embraced and inexperienced. Bound to their sire, learning to survive undeath.
Bloodletter	30 days	~1 month	Hunger comes under control. Power awakens, but remains raw.
Nightborn	60 days	~2 months	Adapted to the night. Embraces instinct and the nature of immortality.
Proven	120 days	~4 months	Battle-tested and respected. Begins shaping influence within their domain.
Ancillae	240 days	~8 months	Established immortal. Navigates politics as enforcer or diplomat.
Prime Elder	420 days	~1 year 2 months	A feared authority. Their word shapes courts and bloodlines.
Ancient	700 days	~1 year 11 months	A witness to ages past. Rarely seen, but deeply unsettling.
Methuselah	1,050 days	~2 years 10 months	Reality bends around them. Their will echoes through blood and fate.
Firstborn	1,450 days	~3 years 11 months	Progenitor of bloodlines. Their vitae forms the foundation of dynasties.
Antediluvian	1,900 days	~5 years 2 months	Ancient beyond memory. Worshipped or feared as near-divine beings.
Primordial	2,400 days	~6 years 7 months	From the first nights. More essence than flesh, vampirism itself.
Eternal	2,950 days	~8 years 1 month	Beyond death and time. Transcended undeath into godhood.

---

🐺 Lycan Age Groups

Rank	Days	Approx. Real Time	Description
The Awakened	0 days	Immediate	The first transformation. Confused, unstable, struggling to control the beast.
Feral Cub	30 days	~1 month	Newly blooded. Learns to balance instinct and reason.
Lunar Stalker	60 days	~2 months	Movement under moonlight becomes natural. Reflexes and senses sharpen.
Bloodfang	120 days	~4 months	Proven hunter. Controls rage and fights for the pack.
Packwarden	240 days	~8 months	Protector of territory and kin. Learns leadership and responsibility.
Moonhowler	420 days	~1 year 2 months	Leads under the moon. Instinct and voice guide others.
Silverclaw	700 days	~1 year 11 months	Hardened alpha. Mastery of both beast and self.
Elder Fang	1,050 days	~2 years 10 months	Keeper of stories and wisdom. Strength tempered by experience.
Lunar Alpha	1,450 days	~3 years 11 months	Commands packs across regions. Chosen by moon and blood.
Primal Warden	1,900 days	~5 years 2 months	Guardian of sacred lands and balance. Faces threats beyond the physical.
Totem-Bound	2,400 days	~6 years 7 months	Spirit-bonded with an ancestral wolf. Exists between physical and astral.
Eternal Howl	2,950 days	~8 years 1 month	A living legend. Neither beast nor mortal, the eternal voice of the Moon.

---

🌙 Witch Age Groups

Rank	Days	Approx. Real Time	Description
The Called	0 days	Immediate	The awakening. A mortal drawn by curiosity, beginning their study and sensing the pull of the Craft.
The Solitary	30 days	~1 month	A lone practitioner experimenting in silence. Explores basic spellwork, meditation, and intent.
Keyholder	60 days	~2 months	At Hecate's crossroads, choosing a path. Begins forming a true connection to energy and will.
Disciple	120 days	~4 months	Seeks knowledge through mentors or texts. Learns structure, ritual, and disciplined practice.
Child of the Moon	240 days	~8 months	Identity forms. Guided by intuition, emotion, and lunar influence.
Guardian	420 days	~1 year 2 months	Protector and nurturer. The Craft becomes a way of life, embodying the Mother aspect.
Ovate	700 days	~1 year 11 months	Deep connection to nature and ancestry. Understands the web of cause and effect.
Entu	1,050 days	~2 years 10 months	Assists in rites and guides others. Helps lead rituals and mentor new practitioners.
High Priestex	1,450 days	~3 years 11 months	Coven leader and ritual master. Holds deep knowledge of magic, lore, and ceremony.
Elder	1,900 days	~5 years 2 months	The Crone aspect. Wise, powerful, and devoted to teaching future generations.
Enlightened	2,400 days	~6 years 7 months	Fully attuned to unseen forces. Magic and will become one.
The Veiled	2,950 days	~8 years 1 month	Exists close to the veil between life and death. Moves between realms with ease, transcendence.

---

⚔️ Hunter Age Groups

Rank	Days	Approx. Real Time	Description
Awakened	0 days	Immediate	The first call. A mortal touched by the Messengers, jolted awake to a truth most cannot see.
Listener	30 days	~1 month	Learning to hear what others cannot. The Messenger's voice grows clearer with each passing night.
Witness	60 days	~2 months	Has seen what lurks in the darkness. Can no longer deny the truth of their calling.
Pilgrim	120 days	~4 months	Walking the road. Seeks purpose, knowledge, and others of the Imbued to learn from.
Vessel	240 days	~8 months	Chosen as a channel. The Messenger's will begins to flow through them.
Hand of the Messenger	420 days	~1 year 2 months	Acts on behalf of the Messengers. Strikes against darkness with purpose and unwavering faith.
Voice of the Messenger	700 days	~1 year 11 months	Speaks the will of the Messengers. Others look to them for guidance and direction.
Sanctified	1,050 days	~2 years 10 months	Purified by trial and sacrifice. Their faith and resolve are beyond question.
Anointed	1,450 days	~3 years 11 months	Marked by the Messengers themselves. A beacon of purpose among the Imbued.
Exalted	1,900 days	~5 years 2 months	Raised above others by deed and devotion. Their name is spoken with reverence across the Order.
Chosen	2,400 days	~6 years 7 months	Singled out by the Messengers for a purpose greater than any single battle.
Ascendant	2,950 days	~8 years 1 month	Transcendent. The line between mortal and Messenger has all but disappeared. A living embodiment of the calling itself.

Abominations

Main article: Abominations

Abomination.

Once they were human. Now they are corrupted echoes that bleed deeper and leave scars on the ledger.

Quick facts

• Abominations are corrupted humans with larger blood stores than ordinary humans.
• Any living human has the potential to become an Abomination.
• The curse may awaken the first time an eligible human is scanned or struck.
• If the curse does not awaken, that human cannot become an Abomination for 30 days.
• Each Abomination has its own Essence reward.
• Every Abomination kill is permanently recorded and also counts as a human kill.
• Some Abominations may return after death. If one rises again, the hunt resumes.
• A fallen Abomination can be cleansed with a Human Revival Potion and returned to an ordinary human.
• The first player to slay an Abomination each day becomes the Dread Champion.

Becoming an Abomination

The Abomination curse is no longer limited to newly discovered humans.

Any living human can potentially become an Abomination.

The curse receives its chance to awaken the first time a human is:

• Scanned
• Struck

If the curse awakens, the human immediately becomes an Abomination.

The transformation is rare, and the curse only receives one chance during that period.

If the human does not transform when first scanned or struck, they cannot become an Abomination for the next 30 days, regardless of how many additional times they are scanned or attacked.

After the 30-day period has passed, the human may once again become eligible for the curse.

Identifying an Abomination

Each Abomination carries an individual echo or description.

A Blighted Abomination Scan may show:

• Abomination status
• Current blood
• Essence reward
• Echo or backstory

Abomination scans deliberately omit:

• Hunter Protection progress
• Witch Resurrection progress
• Revival scheduling or cooldown details

Hunter Protection and Witch Resurrection do not apply to Abominations.

Any Abomination-specific return behavior is separate from Witch Resurrection.

Rewards and tracking

Abominations provide additional rewards and tracking compared with ordinary humans.

• Abominations have larger blood stores than ordinary humans.
• The Essence reward varies by Abomination.
• The Essence reward is claimed by the player who delivers the killing blow.
• Every Abomination kill is permanently recorded.
• An Abomination kill also counts toward the player's human kills.
• Qualifying combat against an Abomination can restore Hunter Energy.

Cleansing an Abomination

A fallen Abomination can be cleansed using a Human Revival Potion.

When a Human Revival Potion is used on a fallen Abomination:

• The Abomination curse is removed.
• The Abomination rises again as an ordinary human.
• The restored human is protected from becoming an Abomination again for 30 days.

Witch Resurrection cannot revive an Abomination.

A Human Revival Potion must be used to cleanse the curse and return a fallen Abomination to normal human status.

The Dread Champion

The Dread Champion is a temporary power connected to the Abomination hunt.

Each day, the first player to slay an Abomination becomes the Dread Champion.

Only one Dread Champion can exist at a time across all species.

Dread Champion powers

While holding the Dread Champion title, the player receives the following benefits:

• Reach — Attacks strike at least 5 metres away.
• Every Direction — Attacks reach all around the player instead of only striking targets in front.
• Vigor — Maximum Blood or Energy is increased by +2.

The Vigor bonus increases the player's maximum Blood or Energy capacity. It does not automatically refill the player's resource.

Dread Champion powers remain active until midnight SLT unless the Champion loses them before then.

Stealing the Dread Champion

The Dread Champion title can be stolen through PvP.

If another player kills the current Dread Champion:

• The killer becomes the new Dread Champion.
• The Dread Champion powers transfer to the killer.
• The original midnight SLT expiration remains unchanged.

The expiration time does not reset when the title changes hands.

Any player's kill can steal the title, including a kill made by an ally.

Losing the Dread Champion

The Dread Champion can be lost in several ways:

Cause	Result
Killed by another player	The killer steals the Dread Champion title and powers.
Dies by any other means	The Dread Champion power is lost for the remainder of the day.
Midnight SLT	The Dread Champion power expires and a new Champion may rise the following day.

If the Dread Champion dies from anything other than another player's kill, the dread scatters.

No other player can claim the title again that day. A new Dread Champion cannot awaken until after midnight SL

Species-Specific Attacks

Main article: Species-Specific Attacks

Each species has different attacks for roleplay purposes, but attack damage and rate remain consistent within the same age group.