Clans of Vampire the Masquerade: A brief Overview of Each
Assamite: Based in the deepest roots of the middle east, Assamites, or Banu Haqim, are often feared as one of the most deadly of all the clans. Often Stereotyped as assassins or diablerists, their true mission is to further themselves from the Jyhad.
Starting Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quiteus Clan Weakness: Addiction to Vitae and/or Diablerie |
Brujah: Often Thought of as the "Bruiser" clan, Brujah have been slowly regaining their roots as intellects and scholars. Unfortunately for them, Brujah are quick to anger and passion, and this has been a major setback which has given rise to the roughneck, and rebellious image they have in modern nights.
Starting Disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Presence Clan Weakness: +2 difficulty to resist frenzy |
Caitiff: The Clanless. These are truly rare Kindred who have no inherent clan nor any inherent disciplines. They are often thought of as "Trash" or "Thin Blooded" although neither of those things may be true in any way. Kindred society's own outcasts, most of the others degrade or disrespect them at any given opportunity...sometimes to their own dismay.
Starting Disciplines: Any 3, May take Kinetiscisim Clan(less) Weakness: Must pay 6 times current rating to purchase powers with XP |
Daughters of Cacophony: Comprised strictly of females, The Daughters are thought to be a bloodline of the Toreador, or even possibly the Malkavians. These free spirits reject any affiliation with either the Camarilla or Sabbat. They are often called "Sirens" because their unique discipline Melpominee utilizes song to influince emotion.
Starting Disciplines: Melpominee, Fortitude, Presence Clan Weakness: Hear music in their head at all times. +1 difficulty to all perception rolls made. |
Followers of Set: Simply called Settites, the blood in their veins hails from Egypt herself. Settites believe that their clan originated from the Egyptian god Set and that ultimately he will once again walk the Earth. Because of that, everything that can be done to prepare for that arrival should be done. Followers of Set are often cunning strategists and corrupt business practitioners.
Starting Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis Clan Weakness: Take double damage from sunlight |
Gangrel: The highly animalistic and earthy Gangrel are nomads who serve as members of the Camarilla in modern nights. Often utilized as enforcers or guards, Gangrel are quite useful in many different scenarios. Gangrel are very near to the beast which dwells within, and after every frenzy they endure, their body will gain an animalistic feature which stays with them forever.
Starting Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean Clan Weakness: Gain animal feature after each Frenzy |
Giovanni: Having usurped clan Cappadocian, the Giovanni are both a clan and a family. They embrace strictly within their family alone, and focus their efforts on power, money, and the study of Necromancy. They often operate like The Mafia in the United States. They use any tactic from blackmail to brute force to further their family and its goals.
Starting Disciplines: Potence, Dominate, Necromancy Clan Weakness: +1 dice of damage to living creatures bitten. |
Lasombra: As leaders of the Sabbat, Clan Lasombra is comprised of Social Darwinist predators who believe themselves, and no other fit enough to rule the night. The traditions of the clan have not wavered at all going into modern nights, even as the Sabbat is bent to their will.
Starting Disciplines: Potence, Dominate, Obtenebration Clan Weakness: Cast no reflection |
Malkavian: One of the founding clans of the Camarilla, Clan Malkavian bears with them a terrible curse. Every Malkavian from the time of embrace will suffer at least 1 derangement. Kindred Theorists believe that their mind simply shatters during embrace and that ultimately this will get worse and worse as the kindred ages. Often called "Lunatics" because of their strange behavior, the most dangerous Malkavians seem to suffer no ill effects of their broken minds.
Starting Disciplines: Auspex, Obfuscate, Dementation Clan Weakness: Gain 1 derangement at embrace |
Nosferatu: The sewer dwelling Nosferatu are members of the Camarilla. Often called "spymasters" these elusive kindred collect the dark secrets of their enemies, and sell them for a hefty sum. They bear with them the most visible of cainite curses. Every Nosferatu at the time of embrace is horribly, and irreversibly twisted into a grotesque version of their former self.
Starting Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence Clan Weakness: Appearance score is a 0 |
Ravnos: Gypsies, thieves, con artists, and vagabonds. Clan Ravnos clings very deeply to its independent ways. Often found in casinos in modern nights, these illusionists are either conning foolish passers through at the black jack table, or are on the stage performing the most amazing magic that boggles the mind of the most promising magicians. You won't know what hit you until its too late.
Starting Disciplines: Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude Clan Weakness: Must have criminal vice (thievery, murder, etc) |
Salubri: Reduced to a mere bloodline in modern nights after the destruction of their leader Saulot, the Salubri are but a shadow of what they once were. Forever seeking Golconda, the Salubri enact a bloody ritual should they actually achieve it or even come close. There is said to be only 7 Salubri in exsistance and the clan is divided into two branches, Healers, and Warriors, each with their own unique traits and weaknesses.
Starting Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Obeah (Healer) or Valeran (Warrior) Clan Weakness: 3rd eye in the middle of the forehead |
Samedi: This supposed bloodline of Clan Nosferatu hails from the Caribbean. Voodoo practitioners who hold the dark demi-diety Barron Samedi in the highest of regards, Clan Semedi is often mistrusted and misunderstood. As if their way of life wasn't bad enough, the Samedi also possess a horrid curse of the embrace that causes their bodies to literally appear to be in the middle of rotting at all times with the smell to boot. This has earned them the nickname "Zombies"
Starting Disciplines: Fortitude, Obfuscate, Thanatosis Clan Weakness: Body in constant state of rot appearance is 0 |
Toreador: Clan Toreador is know for being the most sensual, beautiful, sexual, and seductive of all of the Kindred Clans. Members of the Camarilla, Toreadors require the cover of the masquerade to ultimately survive. They hunt in society for both blood and information and have given rise to the vampire stereotype of "the snob who hunts in society".
Starting Disciplines: Celerity, Auspex, Presence Clan Weakness: Must roll willpower to break hypnotic gaze at beauty in any form |
Tremere: The second youngest of the clans, The Tremere came into being in the Dark Ages. One of the strongest pillars in the Camarilla organization, they are both an integral part of its defense and support. Believed to be the strongest of all of the clans, Tremere are feared for their secretive nature, strict clan hierarchy, and the mastery of Thaumaturgy.
Starting Disciplines: Thaumaturgy, Auspex, Dominate Clan Weakness: Blood bound to Clan Tremere |
Tzimisce: A clan of scholars, and flesh shapers, Tzimisce are often seen as kind, intellectual, sophisticated and often a little strange. This is but merely a falsehood. Underneath all of the charm is a true monster capable of so many dark and twisted things. They side with the Sabbat on most ideological endeavors, as their ultimate goal is to transcend the state of vampirism and become something more, by any sick and/or twisted mean necessary.
Starting Disciplines: Vicissitude, Animalism, Auspex Clan Weakness: Must sleep in at least 2 handfuls of dirt from their homeland. |
Ventrue: The proud Ventrue are a long standing clan of genteel leaders, and intellectuals. They work very hard to be seen as the clan that can push the kindred society as a whole into the future. They consider themselves the oldest of all clans and as such are the rightful leaders of all Cainites. Few clans are able to challenge this claim. Many ultimately choose not to.
Starting Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence Clan Weakness: Extreme Prey Exclusion |
Baali: Believed to be a corrupted bloodline of Salubri or Cappadocian, Baali are a cult of demon worshiping fiends. Baali are infernalists who enlist the help of demons to gain power. This choice however leaves them extraordinarily vulnerable to holy icons, hallowed ground and especially true faith. Power gained at any cost.
Starting Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Daimonion Clan Weakness: Highly weak to holy icons, and true faith |
Blood Brothers: An Extremely rare bloodline created to function as the perfect combat units by Tremere Antitribu, and Tzimisce Kolduns for the Sabbat. They operate under a collective consciousness, a "hive mind" if you will, as each Brother shares the thoughts of the next and so on. Most Blood Brothers are fleshcrafted copies of each other, as an outward reflection of their lack of individuality.
Starting Disciplines: Fortitude, Potence, Sanguinus Clan Weakness: May not embrace |
Cappadocian: This supposedly extinct clan of Kindred was known primarily for its fascination with and the study of death itself, and the mysteries of the soul. Clan Giovanni believes itself to have given Clan Cappadocian the old Coup De Gras long ago, but kindred theorists find that hard to believe given the very nature of the clan.
Starting Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Necromancy Clan Weakness: Corpse-like complexion |
Gargoyle: Massive hulking rock beasts created for servitude by the Tremere for the strict use of the Tremere. These creatures are an amalgamation of kindred blood and Thaumaturgic sorcery. Almost always the thrall of a Thaumaturgist master very few have ever escaped servitude, but the few who have managed the feat have gone on to do extraordinary things. Ferox being the most noteworthy example.
Starting Disciplines: Fortitude, Potence, Visceratika, Flight Clan Weakness: Weak to mind controlling effects |
Kiasyd: As legend tells, an accident involving a member of clan Lasombra, fairy magic, and the blood of a god of the underworld saw the first Kiasyd grow to over 7 feet tall, turn ash white, and have its eyes turn black and elongate. Kiasyd are an extremely rare bloodline in modern nights. Known for their acute intelligence, spectacular manners, and the fact that they look like 7 foot tall space aliens, Kiasyd are the loremasters of the World of Darkness.
Starting Disciplines: Dominate, Obtenebration, Mytherceria Clan Weakness: Iron causes harm and possible frenzy |
Nagaraja: A bizarre, and feared clan of flesh eaters. The nagaraja are a rare and ostracized clan who bear a weakness that is both visible and frowned upon. That weakness being that blood alone does not sustain their un-life, and requires that they consume the flesh of their prey. This flaw is frowned upon by the Sabbat for its pure gut wrenching horror, and the Camarilla will simply not have it because of their precious masquerade. Nagaraja Also possess an adapted set of sharp irretractable teeth that make being sociable very difficult.
Starting Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Necromancy Clan Weakness: Must consume flesh for sustenance |
True Brujah: True Brujah, unlike their modern counterparts believe themselves to be direct descendants of Brujah himself and not that of his diablerist Troile. Nothing like the well established Brujah clan in terms of temperament, True Brujah are very stoic in nature. True Brujah are also unique in one other respect, that being that their discipline Temporis allows for the control of time itself. They bide their time often in the ranks of the established Brujah clan, awaiting the time when they can bring their modern brothers back into the fold.
Starting Disciplines: Potence, Presence, Temporis Clan Weakness: Emotionless |
Old Clan Tzimisce: Remnants of the time before the Tzimisce joined the fold of the Sabbat, Old Clan Tzimisce is a bloodline of very old kindred who did not take well to the ideology of the Tzimisce in modern nights. They are often well mannered and stuck somewhat in their own generation. The only major difference between themselves and their modern counterparts is the fact that Old Clan Tzimisce did not cultivate the use of Vicissitude, and instead utilizes Dominate in its place "as it should be".
Starting Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Dominate Clan Weakness: Same as Tzimisce |