Thaumaturgy encompasses blood magic and other sorcerous arts available to Kindred.

The Tremere Clan is

best known for their possession (and jealous hoarding) of this Discipline. The Tremere created Thaumaturgy
by combining mortal wizardry with the power of vampiric vitae, and as a result it is a versatile and powerful
Discipline.
Like Oblivion, the practice of Thaumaturgy is divided into paths and rituals. Thaumaturgical paths are
applications of the vampire’s knowledge of blood magic, allowing her to create effects on a whim. Rituals are
more formulaic in nature, most akin to ancient magical “spells.” Because so many different paths and rituals
are available to the arcane Tremere, one never knows what to expect when confronted with a practitioner of
this Discipline. When a character gains their first dot in Thaumaturgy, the player selects a path for the
character. That path is considered the character’s primary path, and she automatically receives one dot in it
as well, as well as one Level One ritual. Thereafter, whenever the character increases her level in
Thaumaturgy, her rating in the primary path increases by one as well. Additional rituals are learned separately,
as part of a story; players need to pay experience points for their characters to learn rituals up to the level
equal to their overall rating in Thaumaturgy, though they must find someone to teach the rituals in question.
Path ratings never exceed 5, though the overall Thaumaturgy score may. If a character reaches a rating of 5
Thaumaturgy, her primary path matches that score, if she increases her Thaumaturgy score afterward, and
may allocate her “free” path dot to a different path. You may additionally choose to increase your Thaumaturgy
rating as though it were a level below what it actually is. If you do this, you may gain a dot in another path than
your primary one, assuming that you have all the dots below it.

For example, if you have your primary path being the Lure of Flames at 3 dots, if you increase your
Thaumaturgy skill to 4 then the Lure of Flames matches it. However, you may also pay exp to buy the first level
of a discipline, choosing Thaumaturgy even though you already own it. This lets you learn a new path,
choosing the Path of Mercury in addition to your dots in Lure of Flames.

Thaumaturgical Paths

Paths define the types of magic a vampire can perform. A vampire typically learns his primary path from his
sire, though it is not unknown for some vampires to study under many different tutors. As mentioned before,
the first path a character learns is considered her primary path and increases automatically as the character
advances in the Discipline itself. Secondary paths may be learned once the character has acquired two or
more dots in her primary path, and they must be raised separately with experience points. Furthermore, a
character’s rating in her primary path must always be at least one dot higher than any of her secondary paths
until she has mastered her primary path. Once the character has achieved the fifth level of her primary path,
secondary paths may be increased to that level. Each time the character invokes one of the powers of a
Thaumaturgical path, the thaumaturge’s player must roll Resolve + Thaumaturgy. The difficulty is either listed
in the power, or determined by your Storyteller. Failure to get any successes on this roll indicates that the
magic simply does not work. A bestial failure causes some kind of loss or catastrophic backfire, such as losing
a Willpower point, spontaneous combustion, or accidentally letting a living statue run rampant. Thaumaturgy is
an unforgiving art.

■ Type: Sorcery
■ Masquerade Threat: Low-High. The individual appearance of the powers and Rituals in Blood Sorcery varies
as widely as their effects.
■ Blood Resonance: Sanguine. Although not inherent in the Blood itself, Blood Sorcery responds eagerly to
blood from human occultists, sorcerers, and cult leaders, as well as hemophiles and bibliophiles.
The Path of Curses

Early in the history of Blood Sorcery, the Path of Curses was developed and refined. It is still known by its early
names in certain circles: Maleficium, Hexen-Kraft, the Evil Eye. Victims of this path are subject to extreme
treatment and psychological feelings of inadequacy, often to the point of becoming social outcasts. Friends
tend to distance themselves from the victim, creating a social schism and driving the accursed toward
alienation.

All curses use the following Ingredients, Process and overall System.
■ Ingredients: Hair, blood, flesh, or any other part of the victim (which depending on the age of the vampire
decay pretty quickly), as well as clay or another malleable material. Additional ingredients may be required, as
detailed in the curse
■ Process: The thaumaturge creates an effigy using the clay and the parts from the victim. When directly
seeing the target she then proceeds to curse them in whispers. The curse must be chanted for 30 seconds per
level and often consists of dead, esoteric languages. You then roll Difficulty using the system explained above.
Any interruption during the process automatically forces you to restart, though you may not make another
rouse check if required.
■ System: Even if the ritual is successful, the target may cancel its effect. Once she knows which specific
curse has been inflicted upon her, usually requiring an Intelligence + Occult (or Fortitude) roll against a
Difficulty equal to the level of the Ritual + 2, or contacting a specialist on the matter, she then can spend a
number of Willpower per level of the Curse to negate the effect. This is the victim asserting his own strength of
will and personality to throw off the yoke of anathema. The thaumaturge can lift the curses that she brings
down at any time she wishes, which makes an excellent bargaining chip
■ Type: Sorcery
■ Masquerade Threat: Mid-High
■ Blood Resonance: Sanguine. Occultists, Paranormal Investigators and Gypsies

• Stigma
The most basic of curses, the victim is stricken with an invisible stigma that manifests only in the eyes of those
around them. Few can describe its actual form. People shy away from interacting with the marked victim and
will have a hard time taking him seriously. Social interaction becomes difficult, and frustration quickly follows for
the accursed.
■ System: The stigma lasts until the next sunset or for a week with a Critical Win. The victim is doomed to
frustration when performing any Social actions. All of the victim's Manipulation and Charisma rolls are at +1
Difficulty or add 1 dice to the opposing roll during this curse.

•• Malady
The thaumaturge causes the victim to suffer intense illness and discomfort, not unlike the plagues and
pestilences of history. During the Dark Ages, this power was used to strike down rivals and force them into
subservience to the thaumaturge. Cainites likewise feel the pain and suffering from the sickness instilled by this
curse. For elder Kindred, this is one of the worst curses - to be stricken down with illness as if a common
mortal! For roleplaying purposes, the intensity of this sickness worsens the better this ritual is cast, varying
from a headache to a strong flu.
■ System: If this power is successfully invoked, the accursed suffers the effects of severe illness for a week, a
month in a Critical Win. It reduces the victim’s Physical attributes by one.
••• Pariah
This curse touches upon one of the most feared elements of society, that of becoming an outcast. This power
goes beyond cursing the victim with simple social ostracism. While under the effects of Pariah, the accursed
appears to be the most hated of enemies to everyone they encounter. This alteration of perception is only in
body and form, the victim still acts and speaks as normal. But then again, few are willing to listen to the ranting
and ravings of a despised foe.
■ Ingredients: Blood from an Obfuscate user on top of the regular ingredients. Two rouse checks are required
to cast this power.
■ System: Upon a successful roll the subject suffers the curse for a period of one week, a month on a Critical
Win. Similar to the power Mask of a Thousand Faces, this power influences the perceptions of those around
the accursed, leading observers to believe that the subject is a dire rival. This will not necessarily result in
attack indeed, in most cases, it shouldn't - but will cause antagonism in whatever way is most appropriate to
the onlooker. Most people will just leave the accursed's presence with a look of disdain, but some may snub
her, insult her or even throw the first punch. Sense the Unseen can see through this involuntary disguise for
the duration. This ritual does not work on people that already know the accursed.

•••• Corrupt Body

This powerful curse is invoked by the thaumaturge, who approaches the victim and denounces his physical
form. Over the course of seconds, the victim's body distorts and perverts into a parody of itself. During this
transformation, the victim suffers extreme pain that wracks his body. This defilement leaves behind a victim
scarred both physically and mentally. Recently, Camarilla princes have had this power used upon violators of
the Traditions to enforce their will; a graceful Kindred dancer reduced to an uncoordinated oaf is not likely to
forget his mistakes.
■ Ingredients: Two rouse checks are required to cast this power.
■ System: During the three turns that the physical change occurs, the target suffers a three-dice penalty to all
dice pools. For the duration of the Corrupt Body, the accursed is constantly marks 3 squares of aggravated
damage as being sustained, and cannot heal them until it wears off. This is cumulative with other wounds.
Additionally, the thaumaturge chooses Strength, Dexterity or Fortitude to warp. This drops the appropriate
Attribute to 1 for the duration. The Storyteller should add any additional effects to aid in how nasty this power
is. Only one Corrupt Body can affect a victim at any one time. The power stays in effect for a week, a month for
a Critical Win.

••••• Fall from Grace

The magus is now able to curse his victim with supreme ineptitude, causing a loss in confidence and failings in
any and all tasks. Striking a combination of mystical dread and self-loathing in the victim, failure becomes
almost a certainty. Fate and circumstance now conspire to prevent prosperity. Victims of this power often retire
from the normal activities of their lives as nothing goes right; relationships fall apart, jobs crumble around them,
and accidents seem to become commonplace.
■ Ingredients: The blood of a Salubri and cypress leaves knit in occult forms, in addition to two rouse checks
are required to cast this curse.
■ System: While under this curse, all failures count as a Bestial failure. Additionally, even the most menial task
becomes more difficult to accomplish. Add a +2 Difficulty to all the rolls the target makes. In case of opposing
dice pools the enemy gains 2 automatic successes. The power stays in effect for a week, a month for a Critical
win.
The Path of Transmutation

Guns and knives melt into pools of metal, wood petrifies and becomes brittle, and common boundaries such as
walls and doors transmute to vapour. The laws of chemistry do not bind Warlocks employing the powers of
transmutation, as materials shift their state regardless of their temperature. This path is looked upon somewhat
unfavourably among the Tremere, as it reflects a "quick and dirty" effect rather than true mastery of alchemical
transmutation.
■ Type: Sorcery
■ Masquerade Threat: Mid-High
■ Blood Resonance: Sanguine. Scientists, engineers, technicians.

• Fortify the Solid Form

By fortifying a solid object, a magus increases the strength and integrity of an item. A thaumaturge mystically
transmutes a feather to become a crude blunt object, pencils become makeshift stakes, and a cardboard box
becomes as tough as metal.
■ Cost: One Rouse Check
■ System: This power increases the offensive or defensive capabilities of an object the caster touches. When
used for defence, the object should be big enough to cover some part of the body of the vampire, becoming a
reinforced cover. When used for offence, the object becomes a Weapon with a Damage bonus equal to half the
Thaumaturgy rating (rounded up). Objects that are already weapons are unaffected. This power cannot be
used to increase the structure of a living creature.
■ Duration: One scene or until the object is destroyed.

•• A World of Wet Clay

Thaumaturges with this power can deform a wall with a simple caress, leaving their fingers printed like it was
made of clay. The main use of this power is to deform solid objects but with enough invention allows the
creation of traps or artistic pieces. Quick uses of this power leave significant trails behind, like if the object was
melted or the concrete was altered when it was still wet.
■ Cost: A Wits+Transmutation roll, in addition to the standard Resolve + Thaumaturgy one. If either roll fails,
the power is unable to be used until the next scene.
■ System: Once activated, the vampire treats any inorganic solid material as if it was mud, being able to easily
disable most objects or with enough time, even able to burrow herself into buildings. Molding to deform
materials requires no dice pool test. Additionally, sculpting to create more complex structures requires a
Dexterity + Thaumaturgy roll; the Difficulty depends on the task required. Creating simple spikes is Difficulty 3,
while creating complex traps is Difficulty 6. This power can also be used for artistic purposes among others at
Storyteller’s discretion.
■ Duration: One scene or until a mass equal to that of a regular human has been molded.

••• Liquefy the Solid Form

A thaumaturge may "melt" solid objects and leave them in a liquid-like state. By employing this power,
attackers could find their weapons in small pools at their feet. Stakes rot away at a rapid pace, and blades
corrode into soft, nondescript puddles. After a time, the object returns to its original shape which many
thaumaturges claim is a recent improvement over an older, more dated version of this power.
■ Cost: One Rouse Check
■ System: Touching an object, the thaumaturge transforms it into a liquid, thus assuming a deformed state and
rendered useless. Only entire objects can be affected by this power. In combat this can be used against the
weapon of an opponent, a win rendering the item useless. This power does not work on objects that forcefully
contact the vampire, meaning it will not melt a weapon unless the user can catch it before it hits. As much as
many Tremere would like it, Liquefy the Solid Form may not be used on living (or unliving) beings. A
transformed object remains in a liquid state for one scene, after which it resumes its original shape.
■ Duration: One scene.

•••• Level 4 Imbue the Water of Life

The thaumaturge is able to crystallize vitae with the concentrated essence of other Discipline powers. Said
crystal grants one single use of the power to anyone who consumes it. Those that prefer commodities dissolve
them first in a potion-like fashion, others destroy them with their jaws. But some thaumaturges prefer to create
needle-like crystals and insert them with it. The sight of a thaumaturge decorated with bright red crystal
became synonymous with trouble since this power was discovered.
■ Cost: One or more Rouse Checks
■ System: Following a Rouse Check plus any needed to activate the desired power, the thaumaturge
crystalizes its essence. The resulting crystal (which can have any form) can later be consumed to activate the
effect of said power for free with the dice pool and rating of the original vampire. Crystals that house powers
that require a target need to be introduced into the body of the desired target to make use of the effects. For
the purpose of Dominate powers, the commands are said during the creation of the crystal. Imbue The Water
of Life can also create crystals from Kindred that have any amount of the user’s Blood inside them.
■ Duration: Depends on the power, but are used but up immediately and often last a single scene.

••••• Ghost Wall

After attaining this level of mastery, a thaumaturge finds herself no longer hindered by common barriers such
as walls and rock formations. With but a thought, solid objects shift to a vaporous state and may be traversed
with little difficulty. The Warlock passes beyond walls, as they are insubstantial and will not obstruct his
movement. Targets fall through a gaseous floor, and vaporous parachutes are useless in slowing the travel
speed of a skydiver.
■ Cost: One Rouse Check
■ System: The thaumaturge may transform an object within 5 metres. A transmuted object keeps its shape and
becomes transparent, as things are able to pass through it. This effect lasts for three turns, after which the
object in question reforms as if nothing had ever happened. Needless to say, this is an outrageous breach of
the Masquerade if any inappropriate eyes observe it. If an object cannot reform fully due to the destruction of
its environment, this power cannot be used again until the Scene ends. Should a victim occupy the same
space as the object after this power expires, she suffers aggravated damage as the Storyteller determines
appropriate to the circumstance. For example, a rock reforming within a body might inflict a single level of
Aggravated Health damage, where a person trapped within a tree trunk should suffer at least five. Objects that
reform partially within another object will remain this way until physically removed or invoked to be vaporous
again.
■ Duration: Three turns.
The Path of Praapti
(Sadhana Path)

Praapti is the power of instantaneous travel. The Indian Sadhana practitioners developed this Path to match
their mysterious Asian rivals, who have the power to travel instantly along lines of mystical force. Later,
turncoat sadhus sold the secret of this Path to the Tremere, who reverse-engineered it into what they call the
Path of Mercury. A handful of New Age Anarchs have also stumbled onto the secret of this path, which they
simply call Teleportation.
■ Type: Sorcery
■ Masquerade Threat: High. It's difficult to explain why a strange person disappears instantly.
■ Blood Resonance: Sanguine. Thieves, Circus Workers, the Demented

Individual levels of this Path do not have distinct effects. Instead, a higher mastery simply indicates a farther
distance that can be travelled. Ideally, the sorcerer must be able to see the target location or know it intimately.
Failure on a roll to activate this path means that nothing happens at all, but bestial failures are more
problematic. If the target location is within sight or is very near (the other side of a wall, for example), such a
failure causes the character the usual catastrophic problems for blood magic. If the sorcerer attempts a blind
teleport, however, they are much more dangerous. Typically, the sorcerer finds himself merged with a solid
object, suffering one aggravated damage per “1” rolled, even on non-hunger dice. Three or more levels of
damage also means that the sorcerer is stuck inside a large object such as a wall or the ground, and may need
help to break free.

Rather than having individual powers, the Path of Mercury allows characters to teleport further the more dots
they have in the path, as seen in the table below.

Level of Path Travel Distance Possible

• Up to 10 metres.

•• Up to 50 metres.

••• Up to 500 metres

•••• Up to 5 miles/8 kilometres

••••• Up to 500 miles/800 kilometres

Familiarity with the target location of a teleport location you cannot see affects the difficulty of the roll as
follows.

Familiarity with Location Difficulty Modifier

Intimate (your own haven) -2

Visited Regularly (Elysium as a harpy) -1

Unseen but understood (the other side of this wall) 0

 Unfamiliar (visited a few times) -1

Very unfamiliar (a location you only heard of) -2

Teleportation is rarely exact. Every “1” rolled on a successful roll throws the sorcerer off by 10% of the total
destination. The sorcerer may only bring himself and the clothes on his back by default. Each additional person
or 100 pounds of mass they want to take with them costs a rouse check. For example, if Chris wants to teleport
himself, 3 members of his coterie, and a 50 pound computer, he must make 4 rouse checks to bring them all
along, and if the roll is a bestial faliure…they’re all screwed.
The Path of the Levinbolt

Lightning has long been considered the dominion of the gods but has traditionally been out of reach of
thaumaturges due to a lack of understanding of the principles of electricity. As a result, this Path remained
relatively obscure until the birth of modern science and the efforts of John Blackwood. The ample supply of
electricity in the late 19th century meant that thaumaturges no longer had to wait until a convenient storm to
charge their powers but could gather the required electricity in mere seconds to direct as they chose.
Practitioners of Levinbolt learn to generate electricity with their vitae, use the flow of electrons as a means to
influence the world around them or power up their undead nerves and brain as auxiliary “meat computers”.
■ Type: Sorcery
■ Masquerade Threat: High Harnessing the power of the electricity with bare hands is a clear Masquerade
violation.
■ Blood Resonance: Sanguine. Scientists, engineers, technicians.

• Flicker
The vampire draws in ambient charge from around her; static electricity and ambient electricity in the air, or
actual electricity from nearby outlets and devices. The effect is not obvious, only visible in the snap of static
electricity from her fingertips. This charge can be used to cause glitches in machinery and other devices or to
directly fry it.
■ Cost: Free
■ System: No additional test is needed to create the glitches after the initial roll. Any use of a device or
machinery within a 10 metre radius of the vampire removes dice equal to half the Thaumaturgy rating rounded
up, as the electricity causes things like systems slowdown, glitches etc. The vampire can attempt to 'discharge'
the electricity into a machine, frying it. This requires a roll of Intelligence + Levinbolt vs a Difficulty determined
by the Storyteller based on the machine's size, surge protection and other factors, 2 being a regular laptop and
6 being a government drone. If successful, the electricity arcs from the caster's fingertips, frying the machine.
■ Duration: One scene or until deactivation.

•• Electroception
The vampire detects the electric fields generated by living beings and modern technology or machinery. This
allows them to “see” these fields even through walls, effectively adding a new sense to her arsenal.
■ Cost: Free
■ System: The user senses electrical fields related to electronic devices and living beings as part of their
standard perception tests. This power also allows the vampire to perceive objects, animals and people
otherwise hidden from the naked eye (such as behind a wall or in supernatural darkness) as long as they have
electricity. Anything that has a perceptible electrical charge may be found with this power, at Storyteller’s
discretion, including radio waves and other electrical signals. In the modern nights, radio and similar signals
saturate the city. Discerning between the multiple signals requires a Resolve + Levinbolt test, vs a Difficulty
decided by the specific signal. Deciphering walkie talkie or radio signals is usually rolled vs Difficulty 2, while
cell phone communication is rolled at 3. Landline or more encrypted methods involve higher Difficulties at
Storyteller discretion.
■ Duration: Passive.

••• Discharge
Rather than drawing in ambient charge from around the area; this time the effect is much more pronounced, as
their body takes on a deep blue hue as energy arcs across them, making this an obvious breach of the
Masquerade. The vampire immediately discharges this as a burst of electricity from their hands, either in the
form of an arc of blue lightning from their fingertips, or a full-body discharge of deep blue electricity. Upon
impact, the muscles of the target stiffen up, making it hard to move.
■ Cost: Free
■ System: Channelling the raw energy of electricity involves an Intelligence + Thaumaturgy attack roll (which
can be dodged like any ranged attack) with +2 to damage bonus. This causes the crippling injury stunned for a
turn and causes Aggravated Health damage to mortals and un-halved Superficial to Kindred. Alternatively, if
the character is being touched by the target (such as in a Grapple) this becomes a full-body discharge, resisted
by the target's Strength + Stamina. A mortal who takes even one point of damage collapses unconscious. It is
possible to use this power on humans in a non-lethal way, removing the damage but not the unconsciousness.
■ Duration: One use

•••• Eye of the Storm

The vampire draws in so much ambient charge that her body becomes the centre of a veritable electrical
storm, with significant electrical charge enveloping her body and fluctuating constantly in blinding flashes of
light.
■ Cost: Two Rouse Checks
■ System: Anyone attempting to make a Ranged or Thrown attack against the caster suffers a penalty to their
pool equal to the Thaumaturgy rating of the vampire. When fighting in Close Combat, the attacker suffers 3
Superficial Health Damage as the electricity reacts to the stimulus and 'lashes out' at the attacker.
■ Duration: One scene or until dismissed.

••••• Zeus's Fury

An advancement of the Discharge power, the strength of the vampire's bolts are such that the damage is an
order of magnitude higher, lightning arcs and bursts from where the vampire wills it to strike, more in line with
'real' lightning'.
■ Cost: One Rouse Check
■ System: This power uses the same base system as Discharge, with increased damage. The lightning does
Aggravated Health damage to mortals and vampires alike. If the target receives any point of damage, the
lightning discharges electricity around them. Anyone within three metres of them must make a Dexterity +
Athletics roll vs Difficulty 3 to avoid the bouncing lightning. Failing the roll causes the Crippling Injury Stunned
for a turn. A mortal who takes even one point of damage dies instantly.
■ Duration: One use.