One of the best parts of playing Bloodlines with the Unofficial Patch Plus is being able to squeeze every drop of efficiency from your character build. By carefully planning when to spend XP and when to hold off, you can claim free points from books, NPC teachers, and occult items without overlapping or wasting experience.
This Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines Ability Points & Free Attribute guide shows you exactly how to do it.
How Free Points Work
- đź”´ Must Invest: You need to spend at least one point in that skill before a book or NPC can raise it further.
- ⚪ Book or NPC: You’ll gain this skill for free if you’ve unlocked it.
- 🔵 Occult Item: An artifact or trinket that permanently boosts the stat.
The trick is to only invest enough XP to unlock the freebie, and then let the book/teacher/item push you further.
Attributes
Dexterity
- You’ll need to invest points manually.
- +1 Free Boost: Fae Charm (from Strauss, after “Gargoyle Removal Service,” if you don’t reveal Isaac).
Charisma
- Mostly manual investment.
- +1 Free Boost: Pearl of Dubai (from Isaac Abrams after completing “Going the Way of Kings”).
Wits
- Mostly manual.
- +1 Free Boost: Braid Talisman (loot in Kamikaze Zen, Chinatown).
Talents
Brawl
- Free training from Nines Rodriguez (after “Explosive Beginning” in Downtown, The Last Round).
- One Skill Book in Empire Arms Hotel.
- With one manual point invested, these freebies make it very cheap to max.
Dodge
- Two Skill Books: Ocean House Hotel (Santa Monica) and Giovanni Stronghold.
- Great to pick up for free if you’ve unlocked it with XP.
Skills
Firearms
- Skill Book: Santa Monica Suites.
- NPC Training: Romero, after his quest at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
- Skill Book: Society of Leopold Monastery.
- Once you’ve unlocked Firearms with a single point, you’ll get strong mileage here.
Melee
- Skill Book: Skyeline Apartments (Downtown).
- NPC Training: Nines, after “Elizabethan Rendezvous.”
- Skill Book: Fu Syndicate (Chinatown).
- Occult Item: Heart of Eliza (+1, dropped by Shu during “Bad Luck Farmer”).
Security
- Skill Book: Museum of Natural History.
- Occult Item: Antique Locket (reward from “Bad Luck Farmer”).
Stealth
- Skill Book: Pawnshop Lodgings (Santa Monica).
- Still needs XP investment for higher levels.
Knowledges
Computer
- Skill Book: Medical Clinic (Santa Monica).
- NPC Training: Complete “Missing Data” for Bertram Tung.
- Skill Book: Ground 0 (Hollywood).
Finance
- NPC Training: “Drug Trip” side quest (Trip, Santa Monica).
- Skill Book: Empire Arms Hotel.
- NPC Training: “Traffik” side quest (Fat Larry, Downtown).
Scholarship
- NPC Training: Beckett, during “Patron of the Ancient Arts.”
- NPC Training: Beckett, again after “Italian Dinner.”
- Unlock with manual points early for maximum value.
Tips for Efficient Runs
- Plan Ahead: Always check if a skill can be raised for free before spending XP on it.
- Invest One Point: Books and teachers usually require at least rank 1 before they’ll work.
- Don’t Waste XP: Stop investing once you know a book or NPC will cover the next rank.
- Occult Items Stack: Some stat boosts only come from unique items—don’t miss them.
With careful planning, you can save a huge amount of XP over a playthrough. Most combat skills—Brawl, Firearms, Melee—are easy to boost for free with a combination of books and NPC teachers, while Social Attributes like Charisma and Wits benefit more from occult items.