Vamily - The Errata-1

VAMILY: THE ERRATA
Written by Faraz Quraishi
Edited by Daniel Stelzer
With Contributions from:

Daniel Stelzer
Dylan Hughes
Sharei Faedrawolf
With thanks:
Elmer G
Alratan
Table of Contents
Introduction
Predator Types
The Road to Damnation: Humanity and Degeneration
Systems Adjustments
New Systems
The Jaws of Oblivion
Modified Discipline Powers
New Discipline Powers
New Compulsions and Flaws
Bloodline Loresheets
Appendix I - The Relics of Al-Ashrad
Appendix II - Reference Tables
Appendix III - Paths of Enlightenment
Index
Introduction
What is this book?
As of this writing, it has been just under four years since the release of Vampire: The
Masquerade 5th Edition. The overall system is great, and the setting is, of course, the main
reason we fans love to play it. But the details still leave a few things to be desired.
That’s where this book comes in. In these pages you will find a collection of adjustments
and optional rules, most of which have been rigorously tested in multiple chronicles to enhance
an already solid playing experience. Wherever possible, we try to explain the logic of the
inclusion of the change or addition, and we hope that you will find them useful in your
chronicles.
How to use this book

This supplement modifies and extends the rules in a wide variety of ways, and while all of these
changes are compatible, they do not all need to be used together.
Consider this book less like a single unit and more like a menu at a restaurant - pick and choose
whichever rules suit your specific chronicle, and feel free to build off of the ideas laid out on
these pages to make your own unique set of rules. Ultimately the goal is to tell a fulfilling and
fun group narrative set in the World of Darkness, so if any of this helps accomplish that goal, it
was worth it. Enjoy!
1- Predator Types
Predator Type as Preference
Predator Types (PTs) are one of the more interesting additions in V5 and lead to a new focus on
the act of feeding itself, but many players feel constrained by the specifics of their PT. The
corebook actually states explicitly that PTs do not constrain a character’s methods of feeding,
and rather reflect what they prefer or do out of reflex or habit (VtM Corebook pg 175), and it
specifically states that you can feed in other ways as needed. Only the Blood Leech, Farmer,
and Consensualist truly exclude you from feeding in other ways (via the Prey Exclusion flaw). In
terms of session to session gameplay, the benefit you derive from the PT comes not from the
act of feeding, but from the Discipline dot and the other Merits, though these are tempered by
further Flaws, usually.
This is enough flavor for many players, but some STs may want to further incentivize that
particular method of feeding. When a player character feeds in a way that satisfies their PT, they
heal a point of Superficial Willpower damage as if they had achieved a Desire. This gives
players more reason to think about their Predator Type, but it also provides another avenue for
Willpower regeneration which means players may be more likely to play more aggressively (and
carelessly) with their Willpower. This Willpower healing can only occur once per session to avoid
being abused (just like a Desire), and the character must also slake at least one point of Hunger
to gain the benefit - feeding solely to heal Willpower should not be allowed. Blood Leeches and
Consensualists must fulfill the limitations of their PT in order to feed at all, and as such, the first
feed of the night is the one which will derive the benefit of Willpower generation, even if the
vampire has no Willpower Damage that needs to be healed.
Predator Type as the Beast?

Alternatively, some tables might instead wish to focus on the depredations of the Beast and the
descent of Humanity as core chronicle themes. In the rules as written, Predator Types and the
Beast have very little to do with each other - the PT is just the way a character prefers to feed,
with the reasons for that choice left up to the individual character. But the table can instead
decide that the PT is a behavioral manifestation of the character's Beast (see Chapter 2 for
further discussion on Humanity and the interplay of the Beast) and is, in fact, the way the Beast
prefers to hunt and feed.
With this option, you can allow a vampire to heal Willpower any time they feed without slaking
Hunger. Why feed when already full? Because the Beast enjoys it, and the ecstasy of the Kiss
swings both ways - the character is feeding because it's fun.
When feeding in this way, the vampire will heal one level of Superficial Willpower
damage for every victim they feed from and the feeding must be performed at Hunger 1 or less
and on a viable target (based on the character’s Blood Potency), though if they are at Hunger 1
and drain the victim dry they will simply reach Hunger 0 normally without healing any Willpower.
Baggers, rather than counting each "blood bag" or whatever form of sustenance they are using,
instead consider a single "victim" as gorging themselves on all the available blood they have on
hand, as the Willpower healing is directly related to greedily feeding when you have no reason
to. Similarly, a Farmer must kill the animal(s) in question in large quantities to gain benefit.
Feeding solely to reward your Beast, by definition, causes Stains, and the vampire will
receive one Stain for each equivalent level of Hunger they would have satisfied, even if they
only heal the single level of Willpower damage. The more you indulge a greedy Beast, the faster
it will overtake you.
Predator Type Disciplines

In the corebook, Predator Types grant a single dot of a Discipline. In theory, this dot can be
worth either 5, 7, 10, or 15 experience, but due to the nature of the experience system and the
initial Discipline spread, gaining a third dot in your highest clan Discipline is worth significantly
more than any other option. Other choices, such as an out of clan Discipline or a point in one of
your other two clan Disciplines, are “suboptimal”, which can lead to players feeling like they left
experience points on the table, or choosing a specific PT because of the Disciplines it provides
rather than the character concept.
A simple solution to this is to instead award 15 experience points, specifically to be spent
on any of the PT Disciplines or in-clan Disciplines (though not Sorcery rituals or Oblivion
ceremonies). This enables multiple equally-viable discipline spreads for a starting character:
In-clan 1 In-clan 2 In-clan 3 Out of clan 1 Out of clan 2 Exp Spent

⬤⬤ ⬤ ⬤ 15
⬤⬤ ⬤⬤ ⬤ 15
⬤⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ 12
⬤⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ 14
Where ⬤ are dots assigned with character creation dots, and ⬤ are dots assigned via Predator
Type. In the latter two cases, the remaining experience can be added to the character’s starting
total.
NEW PREDATOR TYPES

The existing Predator Types are robust and cover a wide variety of archetypes, however there
are some alternative archetypes which can be interesting to play but have yet to be addressed.
Reaper
You feed from the elderly or infirm, "culling the herd," as it were. Due to their frail nature, your
victims rarely survive the feeding process, and this has driven your Beast to become spoiled
with satiety. These mortals don't have long to live, after all, so what's the loss of a few meager
weeks, months, or years with poor quality of life?
- Add a specialty: Awareness (Illness) or Medicine (Diagnosis)
- Gain one dot of Auspex or Oblivion
- Lose one dot of Humanity
- Gain the Feeding Flaw: (•) Ravenous Frenzy (see Chapter 6)
- Gain the Mythic Merit: (••) Unholy Will (Forbidden Religions, pg 86)
- Spread three dots between medical or law enforcement Allies, Contacts, or Influence
Default Pool: Resolve + Medicine or Composure + Subterfuge
The Mark
You make yourself out to be innocent and vulnerable, luring in other predators so you can turn
the tables on them and feed. Wandering in a bad neighborhood alone at night can be a bad
idea, even more so when you linger near dark alleys or in secluded parks. But is it dangerous
for you… or them?
- Add a specialty: Subterfuge (Vulnerability) or Awareness (Ambushes)
- Gain one dot of Auspex or Presence
- Gain the Advantage: (••) Mask
- Gain the Flaw: (•) Enemy - The authorities in the area have gotten reports from witnesses or
surviving victims, connecting you to the location of recent attacks.
Default Pool: Composure + Brawl or Resolve + Subterfuge
Predator Type Discipline Expansion

With the introduction of Oblivion, certain Predator Types from the corebook were modified to
incorporate it - but as a result, only Baggers have three disciplines to choose from, while the
rest have only two. One way to fix this is to expand all of the Predator Types to include a third
Discipline option:
Predator Type Disciplines
Alleycat Celerity, Obfuscate, Potence
Bagger Obfuscate, Oblivion, Sorcery†
Blood Leech Celerity, Potence, Protean
Cleaver Animalism, Dominate, Presence
Consensualist Animalism, Auspex, Fortitude
Extortionist Dominate, Obfuscate, Potence
Farmer Animalism, Celerity, Protean
Graverobber Animalism, Fortitude, Oblivion
The Mark* Auspex, Fortitude, Presence
Osiris Dominate, Presence, Sorcery†
Reaper* Auspex, Oblivion, Presence
Roadside Killer Celerity, Fortitude, Protean

Sandman Auspex, Obfuscate, Protean
Scene Queen Dominate, Potence, Sorcery†
Siren Auspex, Fortitude, Presence

* See page XX
† Tremere or Banu Haqim only
This spread maintains the relative availability of each Discipline, while allowing more flexibility
for players. This also makes the PT experience system presented earlier in this chapter far more
robust.
2- The Road to Damnation: Humanity and Degeneration
A Primer
Before making changes to the Humanity system, we should first take a step back and examine
the system as it currently operates. The use of the term “Humanity” has muddied the waters,
particularly for veteran players, and can sometimes diminish the clarity of the true flexibility of
the system. The most important point is that Humanity has nothing to do with morality or ethics.
Humanity has nothing to do with morality or ethics.
This is a stark departure from previous editions, and it also follows that in the mechanics of this
edition there is no such thing as objective morality or right and wrong. The rules no longer
enforce specific definitions of right and wrong, so set all thoughts of that aside.
What is Humanity?
A better term for Humanity would be "Self Image" or "Identity," because it ultimately represents
how much of the character, as a person, is left. Humanity stands in opposition to the Beast - a
vampire who falls to Humanity 0 is overtaken by their Beast and left a mindless wight, no better
than a predatory animal. Within every vampire there are two consciousnesses. One is the
Beast, an instinct-driven predator which always hungers and cares for nothing except satisfying
that hunger. The other is the vampire's human mind, their psyche, all the things that made them
a person - what they believed in, who was important to them, and so on. In that regard one can
almost consider them akin to the archaic Freudian concepts of the Id and the Superego. Those
with high Humanity have a strong sense of self and know who they are, while those with low
humanity are progressively eroded by the hunger of the Beast.
One way to visualize this is to think of Humanity as a pie chart rather than a linear
numerical tracker:
[Pie chart showing Humanity 7]
The pie is a character's personality, literally the pieces of who they are. As they acquire Stains
and then drop in Humanity, the Beast devours more and more of the pie. Eventually there won't
be any left, and the Beast wins - the character is gone, swallowed up by their own Beast. A
wight.
[Pie chart showing Humanity 4 with a beast chomping up the missing pieces]
To have Conviction
The word "Conviction" is defined as a firmly held belief, so we can see why they protect a
character's Humanity. Strongly held beliefs anchor a character’s identity, reinforcing their resolve
to fight against the Beast. These Convictions don't have to be ethical or moral. They can just as
easily be callow, selfish, and destructive. All that matters is that they are what the character truly
believes in. Convictions could be religious, they could represent one of the many Paths of
Enlightenment from older editions, or they could just be simple, hard lessons that the vampire
learned in their mortal life or unlife.
Touchstones, then, are the physical embodiment of those Convictions. Each Conviction
a character holds dear is somehow tied to a matching Touchstone, who might uphold the
conviction itself, or serve as an object lesson in why it must be upheld. This urge to connect to a
living, breathing person to reaffirm a character’s own beliefs is the natural way to reject the
undead Beast that seethes behind their eyeballs and demands a tithe of blood.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted

Humanity, Convictions, and Touchstones together represent how a character hangs on to what
they are and who they are. Convictions protect the vampire from accruing Stains, though in
extremis if a character blatantly violates their own Conviction, it could come back to haunt them
via stains. How do we then gauge what acts would cause a Stain, if there is no objective right
and wrong? Chronicle Tenets serve to impose a structured framework within which the vampire
must live, lest the Beast overtake them.
Chronicle Tenets are not what your players would like to never see happen in the chronicle
(commonly referred to as Lines and Veils).
Tenets are instead the subjective morality of the chronicle. Tenets do not need to define good vs
evil or even touch upon what we would consider traditionally ethical topics. What they do need
to do is present scenarios in which it is made very clear that to act in opposition to them will
cause a vampire to be stained, for they have stepped outside the framework of acceptable
behavior for that specific chronicle.
Tenets are meant to come up in play, and be broken on occasion. Those choices are
meant to be a source of tension and drama which drives the narrative, potentially leading to the
loss of a character’s Humanity as the Beast chips away at who they are. They are not meant to
be “invisible walls” via which the Storyteller can punish or sanction player characters for
stepping outside of the narrative. Instead they should set the general tone of what the whole
table would like to happen, in terms of the coterie’s general behavior throughout the chronicle.
The meat of a chronicle is often the question of whether this is viable or not.
Tenets such as “Thou shalt not kill, save in self defense” therefore carry with them the
implication that the coterie will be in a lot of situations where they will hold the life of someone in
their hands. These Tenets cue the players in to the types of dramatic choices they will have to
make, which is why it is often a great idea to let the players choose the Chronicle Tenets for
their chronicle together during Session Zero, rather than the Storyteller simply choosing ones
they find appropriate.
The Roads (and Paths) not Taken

In previous editions of the game, as Humanity was a specific code of objective ethics, vampires
who disagreed with these ethics would instead join a Road or Path of Enlightenment with an
alternative set of values. As Humanity means something different now, the old Path system is no
longer necessary. The old Roads/Paths can be easily simulated in the new system via
Convictions and, if multiple characters follow them, Chronicle Tenets. Further discussion of this
as well as several examples of the more popular paths from older editions can be found in
Appendix III.
Mr Beast, the Quicker Stainer Upper

The core of the Humanity system works extremely well, but some tables may not like the
all-or-nothing nature of Remorse rolls. At the end of the night or session, per the V5 Corebook
(pg 239), the player rolls dice based on the number of empty spaces in their tracker, and the
success or failure of this roll alone determines whether the character loses Humanity. This can
be an extremely tense moment, with immense stakes and sometimes very few dice determining
your fate. But it can also feel arbitrary and fickle, as a Humanity 6 vampire may only have one
stain for a minor deed and fail the roll one session, but in another session may have four stains
for truly horrible acts and still succeed. The other limitation is that in a longer running chronicle
which focuses on hard decisions, this setup can snowball very quickly with a series of bad rolls,
making a character nearly (or fully) unplayable.
One way to adjust this is to change how and when the roll is called for. While Stains are
tracked in the same way, there is no automatic Remorse roll at the end of a night/session.
Instead, the character continues to carry the stains of their actions with them for nights, possibly
even weeks. At the end of the current story, the Remorse roll is made following the standard
rules, with the player rolling 1 die for every empty box on their Humanity tracker.
The other way Remorse can be called is once all of the empty boxes on the Humanity
tracker have filled, the roll happens immediately in a Backlash, regardless of the current
in-game circumstance. As there are no white boxes left, the Remorse roll is always a single die -
a 50% chance of degeneration. If the Remorse roll happens during combat, the character is
automatically incapacitated for a round as they freeze up from their existential turmoil. If the
vampire succeeds in the Remorse roll, they retain their Humanity as normal, however the ordeal
leaves them shaken for the remainder of the scene with a -2 dice penalty on all rolls. This
penalty can be mitigated for the scene by taking a level of Superficial Willpower damage.
Should they fail, not only do they lose Humanity but this descent toward the Beast leaves them
shaken for the remainder of the night, with any Willpower damage mitigating the penalty for a
scene. Optionally, if the single die rolled comes up as a Critical (a 10% chance, however now
the chance of success is only 40%) not only is the vampire shaken for the remainder of the
night, but they further cannot use Willpower to mitigate the penalty at all.
This mechanical sword of Damocles hanging over your character is an intentional design
for an added layer of existential tension to unlife, however if your table feels this adds too much
stress to the game the Remorse roll can be performed at the end of the scene, instead. Carrying
Stains around can, of course, weigh on the character’s conscience and inform their roleplay,
and it can accentuate the game substantially if the player keeps track of where all of their Stains
came from and why, for dramatic roleplay purposes. This new system allows us to ask a new
question, as well: with these persistent Stains, is there a way to cleanse them prior to a
Remorse Backlash?
Reach out and Touchstone

While all player characters now begin play with touchstones, there is not necessarily any
mechanical advantage to spending time or even interacting with them. There is an optional rule
for Storytellers to allow the healing of Aggravated Willpower damage by spending time with a
Touchstone (VtM Corebook, pg 159), however they're otherwise ancillary to the character and
narrative, unless the Storyteller makes a point of incorporating them into the chronicle.
With the adjusted Remorse system, however, it’s important to have a method of
mitigating Stains before they build up to a point where they will trigger a Remorse roll, and it
makes sense to tie this to Touchstones and Convictions. There are two primary methods which
the character can use to try and wash away the Stains before they are overcome:
Spending a full night engaging with your Touchstone in some meaningful way.
Acting according to your Convictions in such a way that it is against your own or your
coterie’s best interests.
In the first case, “engaging” can mean a variety of things depending on the exact relationship
the character has with their Touchstone. It might involve a date or other meaningful face-to-face
interaction, or it could mean watching their routine, stalking them from a distance and spending
hours observing them. This does not need to occur during active play, and in fact is often better
suited as a downtime activity to add some drama and interest to the downtime narrative.
The Storyteller and the player should work together to determine what sort of
engagement the character takes with their Touchstone, with the culmination of this evening
coming down to a Skill test to summarize its effectiveness. Perhaps they went out to dinner or
took in a night on the town, rolling Charisma + Streetwise or Subterfuge as the character shows
their Touchstone hidden locales (or continues to hide the true nature of the relationship).
Stalking a Touchstone from a distance might instead be Resolve + Stealth. The Difficulty of
this roll is equal to 10 - Humanity rating: a Vampire at Humanity 8 would face only a Difficulty
of 2, while one at Humanity 5 would face a Difficulty of 5, for example. This formula reflects the
idea that as a vampire’s Humanity falls further and further toward the Beast, it becomes more
and more difficult to meaningfully engage with your mortal Touchstone, and at a certain point it
may incur more risk than benefit.
This roll can have a variety of outcomes which flow naturally from the system:
On a win, the kindred cleanses a number of Stains equal to the margin on the roll, to a
minimum of one.
On a critical, not only does the vampire cleanse some (or all) of their Stains, but they
also heal one level of Willpower damage (Superficial or Aggravated) immediately.
On a messy critical, the vampire is able to absolve their guilt successfully and heal a
level of Aggravated Willpower, however it comes at the cost of their relationship with their TS -
the kindred behaved cruelly and upset them, the stalker gets overeager and too close to their
Touchstone, they leave a clue to their existence or actively interrupt the night in some negative
way. This complication will undoubtedly have long-term repercussions.
On a failure, the character was unable to shake their guilt over their stains, and they
persist.
Finally, on a bestial failure, not only did the character fail to absolve their guilt with their
efforts that evening, but they have actively ruined the relationship with their Touchstone and
possibly put them in harm’s way - the vampire lost their temper and berated the Touchstone
publicly, or was discovered by the Touchstone who now is aware they have a stalker. This level
of complication damages the character’s relationship with their Touchstone and causes +2
stains as per the table in the V5 Corebook (pg 240), and will require a Project to repair. Until the
relationship is mended, the character cannot use this Touchstone again to attempt to clear away
stains.
Players and Storytellers should keep in mind that any level of engagement with a
Touchstone could put them at risk, based on the narrative of the chronicle in the moment.
Perhaps the character’s Adversary will catch wind of the existence of the Touchstone, or the
nature of the relationship could be a source of embarrassment for the character. The role of a
Touchstone is ultimately a selfish one for the character, no matter what they tell themselves
about how the Touchstone is being helped or protected.
In the case of a character following their Conviction at their own expense, it is at the
Storyteller’s discretion how many Stains are wiped away. If this occurred at the expense of their
coterie, ideally the other players will enforce any fallout for that decision, but if specific
mechanical repercussions are needed, consider the option of the character being temporarily
unable to utilize shared group resources such as hunting grounds or a Haven for the next story.
Finally, should a character have no stains but they do have Aggravated Willpower
damage, they can utilize either of these same systems as per the Corebook to heal that
damage. An Engagement roll can still be used if your table would like to add some risk to this
process and spice things up a bit.
Unleash the Beast

In previous sections of the book we’ve introduced new vectors through which the Beast can
insinuate itself into a character at your table, and thus create new Stains, and all of these
synergize with this alternate Humanity system. The final novel method of gaining stains is the
simplest to track of all - going Hungry.
In the default system, at Hunger 5 a vampire can no longer willingly Rouse the blood
(VtM Corebook, pg 211), and any time they’re forced to Rouse, they must make a Hunger
Frenzy test at Difficulty 4. With the above systems in place and with an appreciation for Stains
ultimately being the Beast’s claw marks on a character’s psyche as it shreds their Humanity, it
raises the question: why can’t a vampire continue to Rouse at Hunger 5? With this optional rule,
a vampire at Hunger 5 can willingly give in to their Beast and continue to Rouse the blood, but
must make a Hunger Frenzy test each time they do so. Because they no longer have any
Hunger to mark, they instead spend Willpower and receive a stain every time they indulge in
this extreme behavior - the Beast is ravenous, and it will do whatever it wants to feed. By giving
in and letting its Hunger overtake you, it invariably tears away at whatever is left of you as a
person. In this way, a vampire that regularly throws caution to the wind and continues to abuse
the power of their blood without being mindful of their own wrathful Beast will find themself
falling rapidly into its maw.
3- Systems Adjustments
The rules in this chapter clarify, expand on, or replace various mechanical systems from the
core rules, either to improve the flow of the game or to allow the Storyteller to tune the
mechanics to their particular chronicle.
Experience based on Narrative

The default experience system gives out experience at the end of each session, plus a small
bonus at the end of a story (V5 Corebook, pg 130). This system is serviceable, but in a longer
chronicle or when sessions are inconsistent narrative milestones this system can end up feeling
unfulfilling and detached from the actual narrative.
Alternatively, the Storyteller can instead give experience only at the end of each story,
focusing on the story as a single act of the larger whole. Stories generally last 2-4 sessions, and
the Storyteller can tailor the experience reward based on both the number of sessions and what
milestones the players hit. For example, a story centered around an investigation with multiple
false leads and several actual clues could reward extra experience based on how many of these
true clues the players find. Additionally, if a false lead ends up drawing the players into an
interesting side plot, this could also be rewarded with extra experience. The Storyteller can
choose how transparent they wish to be about what sorts of milestones will grant experience,
but regardless of this decision it is important to always let the players know during the session
when they've accomplished something worthy of a reward.
With this system, the entire table should gain experience together. All players should
receive experience points at the same rate, even if, for example, one of the players
accomplished a personal task that affects only them, or even works at cross purposes to the
rest of the coterie. Doing this helps reinforce teamwork and camaraderie amongst both the
players and the coterie, and keeps the game running smoothly.
After the end of a story, where there is generally a bit of downtime, the accumulated
experience is handed out in a lump sum, giving the players a larger amount to make use of
rather than a slow drip feed session by session. Generally speaking, a shorter story should give
each player 5-8 experience points at completion, whereas a longer or more pivotal story, such
as the culmination of a plot spanning several other stories, might give 10-15+ experience points.
This sort of pacing has many advantages:
Players can step back and focus on the greater narrative of the story, rather than
worrying about how much experience they will get at the end of the session.
The Storyteller can more easily keep track of experience gained, since they simply need
to track the stories told thus far.
The experience gain lends itself to the narrative, as there is often a bit of downtime
between stories which easily justifies the sudden gains in powers or advantages.
The Storyteller can also choose to limit character improvement to these periods of
downtime and wrap these advances into the downtime narrative. As a Storyteller it then
becomes easier to plan the next story around the coterie’s capabilities, as they won’t suddenly
change over the course of the story itself.
Haven Merits
Many modern Kindred, especially Ravnos, would benefit from a mobile Haven. Perhaps it's an
RV or a converted bus, or maybe it's a trailer that can be hitched to the back of a truck.
Regardless, there are currently no mechanics to reflect a mobile Haven. One option is to
expand the benefits of Location (VtM Corebook, pg 189) to represent the Haven itself being
Mobile. This would only apply to one- or two-dot Havens, and the Storyteller has final say on
what other Merits can be applied to a mobile Haven.
In the same way, the Laboratory Merit can be used to represent a Workshop, where
vehicles can be repaired or items crafted via the Crafts skill. Alternatively, Workshop can be its
own Merit giving those benefits in a similar manner.
Staking
The existing staking rules make it inordinately difficult to actually stake anyone in combat, and
it's always easier to simply beat your opponent into torpor through raw damage. It also very
nearly requires an attacker using Prowess, while few Fortitude powers do anything to protect
you. To solve this dilemma, staking can instead be implemented as a regular Melee Called Shot
with -2 successes as per the Called Shot rules (VtM Corebook pg 302-303), which must inflict at
least two points of damage to the target’s health track after all damage reduction is applied
(including Toughness and halving superficial). The damage modifier of a stake can vary with the
quality of its construction:
Type of Stake Damage Modifier
Improvised -1
Standard 0
Reinforced +1
An Improvised stake would be something like a broken pool cue or chair leg, a Standard stake
would be a sharpened piece of wood made specifically for the purpose of staking, and a
Reinforced stake would be something built of higher quality, perhaps with a metal shaft
inside—something the Second Inquisition might utilize.
With this change, Potence and Fortitude can both affect the chance of success when
staking, but are not required, and do not guarantee success. As a one handed weapon, a Stake
could theoretically also be wielded with Dexterity if it is contextually appropriate, for example if
the attacker attempts to simulate the opening cutscene of the Bloodlines PC game and throw
the stake at their target. Whether or not Dexterity can be used as the base attribute for the
staking attack is, of course, always up to the Storyteller’s discretion.
[Gameplay example of new Staking rules]

The Ravnos and Chimerstry
In previous editions, the Ravnos clan disciplines were Animalism, Fortitude, and Chimerstry (a
discipline of dreams and illusion). In this edition, Chimerstry has been folded into Obfuscate, but
the Ravnos have also replaced Fortitude with Presence. Fortitude has always been a key
aspect of the Ravnos' style and is exceptionally useful given their usual archetypes (particularly
with their new Bane) - and nothing about the illusions of Chimerstry necessarily depends on
swaying people's emotions. Linking the new amalgams to Presence also means that Ministers
can access them just as easily.
A simple solution is to replace the Presence requirement for these amalgams
(Chimerstry and Fata Morgana) with Fortitude, and make the Ravnos in-clan Disciplines instead
be Animalism, Fortitude, and Obfuscate. Obfuscate is already a discipline of mental trickery, and
in this case the Fortitude is “solidifying” that trickery to make it more concrete and let it stand on
its own.
Blood Bonds
In V5, the strength of a blood bond is a tracked stat that can rise and fall depending how often
the thrall feeds from their regnant. While the maximum Bond Strength is 6, the bond itself is
completed at Bond Strength 3, with the would-be thrall able to have “incomplete bonds” to
multiple kindred before one of them reaches that level. The bond does not truly break, however,
until Bond Strength completely reaches zero. This unfortunately eliminates any chance of a
waning bond being usurped by another kindred - they have to wait months until the bond fades
entirely on its own.
A simple solution is to adjust the rules such that if Bond Strength falls below 3 at any
point, the bond is no longer “complete”. Another would-be regnant can then attempt to exert
control and begin a new bond. The growing bond to a new kindred does nothing to actively
dilute the bond to the previous one until it reaches Bond Strength 3, at which point it is
“complete” and replaces the original bond entirely. If the original regnant refreshes their bond to
the thrall and restores the Bond Strength to 3, any headway the other kindred had gained is
similarly immediately purged.
Ghouls, and their Disciplines

Ghouls are a topic of interest as many of them are, ultimately, the vast majority of the
thralls in the setting. Per the core rules, the vitae that turns a mortal into a ghoul also conveys a
single level of one discipline, but it is never stated whether this power can be changed at any
point. One option is to allow the regnant to change this discipline and power whenever they give
the ghoul blood straight from the vein.
If a ghoul drinks decanted vitae, it simply extends their lifespan and their power does not
change.
Domain and Lien

One of the more interesting additions to the core gameplay of V5 is a mechanical representation
of a coterie’s Domain and hunting grounds. This Domain is represented by three backgrounds:
Chasse - The physical size of your Domain
Lien - How well your coterie can operate within the Domain
Portillon - How well defended the Domain is from outside hunting
These were adjusted in the official errata to be much more useful, however players often find
the Lien stat to still be underwhelming. To make it more useful, Lien can also add bonus dice to
any attempts to cover up a Masquerade violation directly committed by the coterie, as the
neighborhood swallows up these behaviors and takes them in stride. This is different from
Portillon in that Portillon specifically applies to outside forces and acts primarily as a resistance
trait, impeding the outsiders' rolls. Lien, with this additional value, instead provides the coterie
with bonus dice to clean up Masquerade violations within their territory - the neighborhood
protects its own.
The Hunt and Feeding

From a player’s perspective, ole-playing out each and every hunt individually can become time
consuming and tiresome. On the opposite end, simplifying hunting to just rolling hunting rolls
and describing an outcome can also feel a little unfulfilling.
A compromise to expand the feel of Hunting while not making it tedious is to adjust the
metric of success and failure. A regular hunt generally focuses on the question of, "do you find
something to eat or not?" Another way to look at it is instead, "how much time are you willing to
spend to find something to eat?" This sets some bounds on how much in-game time is devoted
to the act of hunting while also bringing time to the forefront as sunrise gets closer or a window
of opportunity narrows. More importantly, this allows the ST to tailor this "background hunting" to
still provide tension without distracting from the main action.
When dealing with tracking track, a standardized unit of measurement becomes
important. For simplicity, we refer to this unit as a Time Unit, as it can vary based on the context
of the scene at hand. The player decides how many Time Units they're willing to expend on the
pursuit of feeding, and for each of these they get to make a hunting roll, accumulating
successes toward a total difficulty (see VtM Corebook, pg 293). If they meet the difficulty in
fewer rolls, the hunt was efficient and successful and they saved some time. If they failed to hit
the target in the alloted time, they searched and searched but came up empty. They can choose
to devote more time to guarantee a meal, but that is also more time lost. As Hunger dice are
involved in each roll made, there are ample opportunities for Bestial Failures and Messy
Criticals as well, providing more opportunity for complications to arise and the Beast to roil.
These rolls can be made in rapid succession, and the Storyteller and player can then
work together to describe a short vignette which covers the trials and tribulations of that
particular hunt. Another option is for the Storyteller to allow the player (or better yet, another
player!) to describe the entire chain of events, taking into account the dice results. When
hunting as an extended test, the difficulty should also generally be higher than for a single roll;
for some examples, see Appendix II (page XX).
== Sidebar ==
The Relativity of Time
What is a Time Unit? It depends on the current story at hand. Perhaps the players are preparing
for an important Elysium and don't want to show up hungry - they've got a couple of hours, but
do not want to be late. In this instance, a good “default” Time Unit length of fifteen minutes
works well, with each fifteen minute interval getting a Hunting Roll.
Perhaps instead the characters are trying to escape from a Second Inquisition facility… now
every second counts, and 15 minutes is an unlifetime. A more appropriate duration for a Time
Unit in that scenario might be 30 seconds or a minute, which reinforces to the players the frantic
nature of this particular hunt. In this way, Hunting as an extended action using Time Units can
be tailored easily to whatever situation arises in your chronicle.
== End Sidebar ==
4- New Systems
This chapter provides new rules and systems which have no precedent in the existing official
text.
Discipline Reawakening
By default, the game has no system to allow kindred to alter the Discipline powers they’ve
learned. In this edition, Disciplines do not need to be taught: the potential just needs to be
awakened in the Blood. It makes sense, then, that this potential could be “reawakened”, shifting
one power to another.
Reawakening follows a few universal rules:
- Only one power per Discipline can be reawakened per story or period of downtime
- If reawakening causes a prerequisite to no longer be met, the dependent powers cannot
be used until they are reawakened as well
- Kindred cannot reawaken powers whose level is higher than their Blood Potency, unless
they have direct access to more potent vitae to use
The third feature is possibly the most important, as it has led to two different forms of
reawakening - the first relies on Resonances from mortal victims, the other on vitae from
another Kindred.
To use mortal resonances, the kindred must drink and absorb a matching Resonance for
in-clan Disciplines or a matching Dyscrasia for out-of-clan Disciplines, and the level of discipline
they can reawaken is limited to their own Blood Potency. For example, a Blood Potency 2
Gangrel can reawaken Eyes of the Beast (Protean 1) or Feral Weapons (Protean 2) with an
Animal Resonance, but not Earth Meld (Protean 3). Caitiff treat all disciplines as out-of-clan for
this purpose.
To use vitae, the Kindred must feed directly from another Kindred who possesses the
Discipline at the appropriate level, though they do not need to possess the specific power in
question. In this case, the “donor’s” Blood Potency dictates what level of Discipline power can
be reawakened.
Either way, the Kindred must focus on the new Discipline power before they retire for the
daysleep, burning away any Resonance or Dyscrasia to help recombine their vitae. When they
awaken the next evening, all powers of that Discipline will be unusable for the entire night, as
the blood shifts and adapts to its new pattern. Upon rising the next night, the reawakened power
and the rest of the Discipline will be available once more for the kindred to call on as needed.
This system can be used to reawaken any discipline except Blood Sorcery, which
depends on teaching rather than resonance—though at the Storyteller’s discretion, the Tremere
and Haqimites may have come up with strange vitae-based techniques to get around this
limitation. Similarly, it cannot replace rituals, ceremonies, or formulae, which are learned
techniques rather than aspects of the Blood itself.
We can rebuild it… we have the Resources
Resources is one of the most powerful backgrounds in the game… the Ventrue actually are
correct, money generally is power. A starting character with five dots in Resources is
inordinately more powerful than one with only one or two, as the vague description in the
Corebook implies that those five dots are equivalent to the character essentially being a
billionaire, with easy access to private jets, a hired security force, a fleet of armored vehicles,
and more.
One solution to this is to cap the level of Resources allowed at character creation, but
this feels like an artificial method of tying the players’ hands on the matter. A better option is to
instead divide the background into two halves: Cash and Investments. We recommend listing
them as separate Backgrounds for easy notation, or you can list them as Resources (Cash) and
Resources (Investments), if you prefer.
Cash
Cash refers not only to the actual cash a character has on hand, but any other liquid assets they
may possess. This should be capped at two to three dots at the start of the game, generally
speaking, as even a billionaire is unable to sling around millions of dollars on a whim - modern
financial systems and the difficulty of handling physical assets makes it foolish or impossible to
do so. In play, Cash can be actively spent during a story, much like Willpower. It can be used to
accomplish tasks, but can also be bartered via roleplay to act as temporary dots in other
Backgrounds, such as Contacts or Allies.
For example, your character needs to bribe a specific NPC to accomplish a task. You
would mark off one dot of your Cash, to represent your current on-hand cash being slightly
depleted. This dot is now unusable for the remainder of the Story. As long as your employment,
business interests, or Investments are in good standing at the end of a story, you automatically
replenish an amount of Cash equal to your rating in Finance or Investments (whichever is lower,
minimum of 1) in the downtime between stories. If you need to replenish further funds, you’ll
need to Generate Funds (see below). If you possess Cash without any Investments at all, it is
assumed you have some sort of job or source of active income which needs to be actively
maintained, either through Retainers or doing the work yourself.
Investments
Investments are where the rest of a character’s wealth lies. These assets are tied up in things
like the stock market, business investments, loans to others, and so on. These are inaccessible
in the short-term and cannot be used in real-time during a session or story. Generally speaking,
a character has free access to their Investments during downtime between stories, and a single
dot of Investments can be Cashed Out and permanently converted into a single dot of Cash
during this time.
Generating Funds
A character can also choose to take their chances and liquidate some Investments during active
play. This requires a Manipulation + Finance roll against a difficulty of the number of dots of
Investments being Cashed Out + 3, which may be adjusted up or down at the Storyteller’s
discretion.
On a success, the Investments are Cashed Out and will be available in two nights.
On a critical, the player can choose to have the funds available immediately within a few
hours or wait two nights to instead double the return on their investment and gain two dots for
every one liquidated (though the additional dots are temporary and will be lost at the end of the
story unless purchased with experience).
On a failure, the Investments become tied up in red tape or otherwise inaccessible, and
the character must wait until the end of the story to sort out their finances and recover their
assets: they are effectively inaccessible for the remainder of the story.
On a Bestial failure, the stock crashes, an underling steals the funds, or some other
terrible mishap occurs - the funds are lost AND Frozen - the player must undertake a Project to
recover them.
The final recourse during active play is an age old one - taking out a loan. Banks and
other legitimate financial institutions are rarely open at night to approve loans, so the source of
this loan will often be risky. Perhaps it's a mortal loan shark attached to organized crime, or
perhaps one of the primogen or the Seneschal offers money lending services. Regardless of the
form this loan takes, there will be a very short repayment period on it - generally one story, and
there will be interest owed. Storytellers are welcome to turn this loan and its repayment into a
story arc of its own, if they like. Kindred lenders generally do not care about money as their
currency is boons, and thus a major boon may be what's expected in return. A lender may also
demand some sort of collateral, be it a prized possession, a Retainer, or even a Touchstone.
The Embrace
While the Corebook explains how a vampire is created, there are no specific mechanics for the
Embrace itself. While leaving it solely to narrativeis fine, some tables may wish to start a
chronicle with the player characters as mortals, with their Embrace being part of the narrative, or
perhaps a player character may be driven to Embrace a childe as part of their story. That is what
these rules are for.
After the prospective sire has drained the childe, they feed the fresh corpse some of their
vitae. As the childe is soon to be a vampire, the sire does not Rouse, their Hunger instead
immediately increases by one (at minimum) which is transferred to the childe. The childe,
meanwhile, begins at Hunger 5 and this first taste of vitae lowers their Hunger to 4. Any
aggravated health damage the childe sustained secondary to being drained of blood (as per
VtM Corebook, pg 212) is automatically healed as part of the Embrace process. As this is the
childe's first awakening of the night, they must Rouse the blood for the very first time, which
could very well raise their Hunger back to 5 and is the reason many freshly-Embraced fledglings
awaken in frenzy. The sire can choose to Embrace the childe with more than a single point of
Hunger to help them keep control on awakening, but this of course comes at the cost of Hunger
to the sire. The sire automatically sustains two Stains to their Humanity for sharing their unlife
with another (VtM Corebook, pg 240).
When the childe becomes a vampire, they automatically add two dots in one of their clan
Disciplines and a single dot in another. They do not choose a Predator Type at the time of
Embrace; this must be learned through trial and error, as they determine the best type of
feeding method for them. By standard Mortal creation rules (V5 Companion, pg 46) a mortal
takes seven Merits and two Flaws at character creation, just like a vampire. This precludes them
from taking any vampire specific Merits or Flaws at the time of their Embrace, unless the
character has experience to spend. This can be altered using the alternate mortal creation rules
(see sidebar).
If a table would like to inject a bit of chance into the process and have it be based on
some actual skill checks, they can also require the sire roll a Resolve + Blood Potency test
against a Difficulty of 3 immediately after they have fed their vitae to the prospective childe’s
drained corpse (when their Hunger is at its highest).
On a win, the Embrace is successful and the childe is turned into a vampire. If even a
single Hunger die came up a 1 or a 10, the childe is a Caitiff and did not inherit their clan.
On a failure, the Embrace fails and you now have a corpse.
As a rule, childer embraced by a vampire of the 13th generation or higher will always be
Thinbloods. Any Caitiff that chooses to embrace will, similarly, always create another Caitiff.
== Sidebar ==
Something Less but So Much More
In the official rules (V5 Companion, pg 44-46), mortal characters are created using the same
attribute and skill distributions as kindred. We present here an alternate system to make the
Embrace a little more thematic and impactful. While it is true that many people in real life would
have what is considered a below average rating in a given attribute (“one dot” in the game’s
system), most people are generally average, perhaps with a few things they’re better at. A
common trope in vampire fiction is that the embraced person becomes almost supernaturally
evoked in some specific facet of what they were, but also loses something in the process,
something more than their pulse and lively skin tone. This theme can be easily mirrored in the
Embrace by instead creating mortals using the following attribute spread:
Four Best Attributes 3 Dots

Other Attributes 2 Dots
The Mortal also takes only five Merits and no Flaws at creation, with two dots of Merits or two of
Flaws held in reserve until the Embrace.
At the time of the embrace, they will choose one of their three-dot attributes to be raised
to four dots by the vampiric state, something that may represent their clan or their Beast, but not
necessarily. At the same time, one of their two-dot attributes will wither and be drained, as the
spark of life took a little something more with it - this attribute will lower to one, in some ways the
character is somehow less than they once were, despite their new gifts.
Finally, the player can spend the last two dots of Merits and two of Flaws to assign
themselves supernatural or mythical flaws specific to the life of a vampire, such as Bloodhound,
a Prey Exclusion, a Folkloric Block, etc. The rest of the process follows the usual steps, and the
character is now ready to enter the eternal night, something less than what they once were, but
also so much more.
== End Sidebar ==
5- The Jaws of Oblivion
In the Darkness… in the Blackness…
Oblivion is a unique Discipline in that it was introduced well after 5th Edition was first rolled out.
Introduced in Chicago by Night and Cults of the Blood Gods, it is special in that it is a Discipline
that can be naturally learned like any other (unlike Blood Sorcery), but it also has accessory
Ceremonies which require ingredients and are not limited to five power slots (very much like
Blood Sorcery). It was clearly envisioned in a way to not simply be "Sorcery but with
Necromancy" in the method by which Ceremonies stem off of specific powers and thus not just
any user of Oblivion can, with enough time and experience, learn every Ceremony. Partly this
was clearly a design conceit to help prevent the Lasombra from suddenly becoming expert
necromancers, but more importantly it was to also drive home that not even a necromancer will
necessarily have access to all ceremonies, they must pick and choose which are important to
them.
An unfortunate consequence of this design is that many of the ceremonies are ultimately
contingent on a small handful of powers, and thus certain powers become the clear choice, or
else the player will be permanently locked out of ever learning those ceremonies. Another
limitation is that many of the powers that tie in to certain ceremonies have very little to do with
that ceremony and it is unclear why you would need it in the first place - apart from mechanical
balance. For example, the Host Spirit ceremony requires Aura of Decay, despite that power
having nothing to do with spirits. Next, many of the necromantic powers of Oblivion are simply
not very effective, have cumbersome rules, or most importantly only work on mortals, making
their utility exceedingly niche. Finally and most importantly, because the ceremonies each rely
on a specific power, the web of prerequisites becomes extremely complex, to the point of
needing a spreadsheet to keep track of them.
Rather than simply open up Oblivion to allow anyone to learn any ceremony, the goal
should be to retain the spirit of the original design while also streamlining it for better usability.
The system laid out below assumes you are using the other Oblivion powers and
ceremonies in this chapter, starting on page XX, and incorporates them directly into the setup. A
version of the tables with only the official powers and ceremonies is available in Appendix II
(page XX). When reading through this Chapter, bear in mind that the system is generally
designed to be used as a whole, with the modified powers toward the end of the chapter slotting
into the modified Ceremony system. Many tables may wish to ignore the new system and
instead add the new powers and ceremonies to their chronicle, and the entries have been
written to account for this, as well - the powers and ceremonies’ entries are all written to comply
with the standard Oblivion system, and a less modified variation of the system’s tables are
presented in Appendix II (page XX) if your chronicle wishes to use a “lite” version of the system.
Section I: The First Step into Oblivion

The key to the new system is Core Ceremonies, basic ceremonies which must be mastered
before advancing to more complicated applications. These Core Ceremonies, like in the
standard system, require knowing specific thematically-related powers. In terms of in-character
training and progression, the core ceremonies can be considered to be the initiations which
induct the character into the mysteries of Oblivion, and they are often the most heavily guarded
of those secrets. Once a vampire has learned one of the Core Ceremonies, they have the skills
to master any of the other ceremonies in that Mystery with appropriate teaching. This gives
necromancers more flexibility in their choices of powers and ceremonies, restoring the
“mix-and-match” themes of this edition’s disciplines.
Since these Core Ceremonies are fundamental to the Mysteries of Oblivion, their
prerequisites are somewhat looser than the ceremonies in the book. A vampire with any of the
prerequisite Oblivion powers can be initiated into the Mystery.
== Sidebar ==
What's in a Name?
The discipline of Oblivion is a combination of several different disciplines from previous editions,
including Obtenebration, Thanatosis, Mortis, and most notably, Necromancy. Necromancy, like
Thaumaturgy, had many subdivisions and minor paths, each implemented as its own
independent set of Discipline powers: some dealt with disease, others with spirits, and still
others with fate and curses. Our intent here is not to bring back these Paths. While the system
presented here is somewhat reminiscent of the paths of older editions, we suggest tables
instead focus on them as cultic mysteries that one must be initiated into, like the Mysteries of
Shalim from Cults of the Blood Gods.
== End Sidebar ==
The Mystery of Corpseweaving revolves around disease, decay, and the manipulation of
dead tissue itself. Its Core Ceremony relies on an understanding of the matter which makes up
all biological things, the processes of life and death, and how these distinctions can be briefly
overcome. From these humble beginnings, the necromancer can then learn to channel longer
lasting life into the dead flesh, or manipulate those same energies to wither away the living. This
Mystery is especially common among the Samedi and those who approach the study of Oblivion
from a medical or scientific perspective.
Gift of False Life (Level 1 Core Ceremony)

As per Cults of the Blood Gods, pg 208.
■ Prerequisite: Ashes to Ashes or Touch of Oblivion
■ Ingredients, Process, and System: As per Cults of the Blood Gods, pg 208.
Corpseweaving
Prerequisite
Power Core Dependant Ceremonies Level
(Choose One) Ceremony (Learn any at equivalent Oblivion level)
Ashes to Awaken the Homuncular Servant 2

Ashes
Font of Putrefaction* 3
Gift of False
Life
Shambling Hordes 3
Touch of
Oblivion Befoul Vessel 4
Skuld Fulfilled* 5
* Presented in section XX.
The Mystery of Shroudwalking focuses on the veil between worlds, attuning the necromancer’s
mind to the world of the dead and the moment of passage from life to death. In time, the
vampire comes to understand the nature of the Shroud and can shape it to their will to repel
spirits or mend tears, even learning to rend their way through it and enter the Shadowlands.
This Mystery is especially common among academically-inclined necromancers and those with
a more spiritual approach to their craft.
Where the Shroud Thins (Level 2 Ceremony)

Description as per Cult of the Blood Gods, pg 205.
■ Prerequisite: Clotho’s Last Vigil or Shadow Perspective
■ Ingredients: The caster’s vitae, freshly cremated ashes, a wooden bowl.
■ Process: The caster mixes the vitae and ashes in the wooden bowl until it forms a greasy
black liquid, then smears the entirety of the mixture in and around their eyes until it is used up.
■ System: As per Cults of the Blood Gods, pg 205, however a standard Ceremony roll is
performed rather than what is listed in the text.
This ceremony must be performed on the caster themself, it has no effect if the mixture is
smeared on another’s eyes. The ceremony lasts a number of days equal to the margin, on a
critical it lasts a number of weeks equivalent to the margin, however the caster must keep the
concoction smeared over their eyes and if it is removed the effect ends immediately. This
ceremony is the gateway to all other ceremonies involving the manipulations of the energies
which suffuse the Shroud, and without a working knowledge of it any attempts at Shroudwalking
are doomed to horrible failure.
■ Duration: Variable
Shroudwalking
Prerequisite
Fortezza Sindonica 3
Clotho’s Last
Vigil* Harrowhaunt 3
Where the
Shroud Knit the Veil 3
Thins*
Shadow Split the Shroud 4
Perspective
Ex Nihilo 5
The Mystery of Spiritworking is focused on the manipulation of spirits, wraiths, and fetters. From
these basics, the necromancer can then learn to reach across the veil and manipulate ghosts in
various ways; this is the infamous technique that the Giovanni families first brought to the
Hecata, and the one that established them as the foremost necromancers among the dead.
Summon Spirit (Level 1 Core Ceremony)

■ Prerequisite: Oblivion’s Gaze or Ligare Mortuos*. If not using Oblivion’s Gaze, either Oblivion
Sight or The Binding Fetter can serve as prerequisite.
Spiritweaving
Prerequisite
Nekyia* 2
Oblivion’s
Gaze* Host Spirit 3
Summon
Spirit Bind the Spirit 4
Ligare Death Rattle 4

Mortuos*
Lazarene Blessing 5
* Presented in section XX.
One other mystical tradition is more common among the Lasombra than the Hecata. Commonly
referred to as “Abyss Mysticism”, devotees of Shalim find truth in the all-consuming void and the
eternal darkness beyond the world. The first step into the Mystery is to acknowledge Shalim’s
nature and accept it into the vampire’s soul, eternally connecting them to the Abyss - and
through it to their brethren.
Traveler’s Call (Level 1 Core Ceremony)

■ Prerequisite: Shadow Cloak or Stygian Shroud
Shalimite Mysticism
Prerequisite
Shadow Cloak Traveler’s Name of the Father 3

Stygian Call Pit of Contemplation 5
Shroud
Finally, not all of Oblivion draws on these core techniques. The powers of Oblivion are many
and varied, and over the centuries some necromancers have come up with unique practices
and special techniques that have never been incorporated into the Mysteries. These
ceremonies include The Knowing Stone (page XX), Blinding the Alloy Eye (page XX), and
Shade Gremlins (page XX). These can be learned by finding a willing teacher, nothing more.
Section II: Oblivion, Adjusted

In this section we cover the many adjustments to the existing powers of Oblivion. These
changes can be implemented without adjusting the Oblivion system at large, if your table
prefers, and the ceremonies have been given prerequisite powers as per the base system. They
are also compatible with the other changes in Section I,in which case the core ceremony
prerequisites in Section I take precedence.
Ashes to Ashes is a useful level 1 power, but only dissolving corpses is quite narrow in scope.
This change helps add a layer of investigative value to the vampire with Oblivion, as well as
assisting the Flesh Eaters and other organovores in their day to day feeding.
Ashes to Ashes (Oblivion ⬤)

As per Cults of the Blood Gods pg 204. This power also allows the vampire to perform
supernatural autopsies with ease.
■ Cost: One Rouse Check
■ Dice Pools: Stamina + Oblivion vs Stamina + Medicine or Fortitude
■ System: As per Cults of the Blood Gods pg 204.
The vampire can also perform an autopsy of sorts using this power, coating their own
hand with vitae and reaching through the tissue of the corpse as if it were a soft putty. Organs
can be removed or the chest or skull can be opened and studied in minutes without the need of
specialized autopsy tools, though at the Storyteller’s discretion they may still require Medicine
checks. Whatever examination is performed had best be thorough and final, of course, as once
the vampire has completed their study the remains dissolve into ash as normal (though any
organs or fluids removed can be preserved).
■ Duration: Variable
Oblivion currently has an odd division between “Necromancy” and “Obtenebration” powers, with
a lot less overlap and mixing of themes than other Disciplines. There are two separate
eye-based powers at level one, for example, one of which is designed for characters without
Auspex, the other of which only allows you to see fetters that are in the immediate area and
nothing else. One option to patch over the split is to merge these two powers together. This
helps make them more competitive with Shadow Cloak and results in a power that appeals to
necromancers and shadowcrafters alike.
Ceremonies that require either Oblivion Sight or The Binding Fetter as prerequisites can
use this power instead.
Oblivion’s Gaze (Oblivion ⬤) (Replaces Oblivion’s Sight and Binding Fetter)

The vampire closes their eyes, upon reopening them the eyes are replaced with a reflective inky
blackness, their sight attuned to the Abyss and the remnants of ghosts. They can see clearly in
pitch blackness and perceive ghosts which are not actively trying to mask their presence, and
can identify objects or locations important to ghosts. These “fetters” act as icons which bind the
dead to their existence, and finding them allows necromancers to better manipulate these
ghosts. Fetters emanate variable auras, some bursting with vitality and glowing gold light, others
radiating decay or odors important to the bound wraith, such as the smell of freshly baked
bread, gasoline, or cigarette smoke.
■ Cost: Free
■ System: The user ignores all penalties for darkness, including from supernatural sources,
however they still need their eyes to see and are affected by blindfolds as usual. Any ghost
which is present and not attempting to conceal its presence via stealth or supernatural means
becomes immediately visible. These ghosts appear as they wish to appear, either as humans
bearing the wounds that caused their deaths, as spectral monstrosities, or as perfectly
immaculate corpses. Ghosts do not automatically notice when a vampire spots them, but they
may react with fear or anger if the observer is discovered.
This power does not grant the ability to make physical contact with ghosts, however as a
minor action (see Corebook p. 298) worth two dice the user can attune their senses to the
energies of fetters, identifying them by sight, smell, and the other senses. This effect ends once
a fetter has been located.
■ Duration: One scene
Fatal Precognition has always filled a strange role. It doesn’t do anything that regular
Precognition can’t technically do, and rarely comes up in play for most people. Rather than
revise the power, we have chosen to change gears entirely and make the amalgam instead
reveal more about a corpse, including Kindred. Like with Oblivion’s Gaze, this revised power
replaces Fatal Precognition for the purpose of ceremony prerequisites.
Clotho's Last Vigil (Oblivion ⬤⬤) (Replaces Fatal Precognition)

■ Amalgam: Auspex 2
Some say that our fates are written when we are born, spun out by Clotho, the spinstress of the
three Moiroi. Whether or not this is true, with the correct type of sight a vampire can peer into
the eyes of the dead and learn details of the life once lived. The adage that the eyes are the
window to the soul has some merit, after all.
■ Dice Pools: Resolve + Auspex vs Resolve + Composure or Fortitude
■ System: The vampire peers directly into the eyes of a corpse; at least one eye must remain
intact, though it need not remain in the skull. A Resolve + Auspex test is made against a
Difficulty of 3; on a win, the vampire can view the details of the subject's death with precise
accuracy. The greater the margin, the more time prior to their death is seen: the identity of their
killer, their final words, what they did on their last day of life, and so on. How much more of the
subject's life is viewable with each extra success on the margin is up to the Storyteller's
discretion, as some deaths are often days, weeks, or even months in the making. The vision is
limited to only things the subject themselves perceived, viewed from their own perspective and
absorbed by the user in only a few moments.
This power can be used on other kindred via prolonged eye contact. This calls for a
contest of the user's Resolve + Auspex vs the target's Resolve + Composure, with defensive
powers such as Unswayable Mind applying. This eye contact must be maintained for at least
one minute for every decade the target has been a vampire, though it can be achieved
passively and intermittently during a conversation or other activity over the course of one scene,
it does not need to be continuous.
Even if the target is willing the contested roll must be made, as the Beast reviles such an
intrusion, however if the target is in torpor, daysleep, or has been staked, the test can instead be
made against a flat Difficulty of 4. If they are conscious (including while staked), the target
kindred will also experience the rush of memories along with the user, and on a margin of 3 or
more, both vampires will also witness the first few hours of the target’s unlife. The victim may
make an Intelligence + Occult or Oblivion roll against a difficulty of 3 to realize exactly what has
happened to them and who else has seen their past - remember, information is a dangerous
weapon for kindred, and the specifics of one’s Embrace are often a personal and
closely-guarded secret.
■ Duration: One minute, or one minute per decade of unlife, over the course of one scene. The
visions come in a sudden rush at the end of this time.
Passion Feast can sometimes be a useful power, but at the same time it is merely a temporary
salve for Hunger while competing with one of the most important necromancy powers, Aura of
Decay. Rather than adjust the ceremony prerequisites, our goal is instead to give Passion Feast
more general utility both in the living world and the Shadowlands.
Passion Feast (Oblivion ⬤⬤⬤)

■ Amalgam: Fortitude 2
As per Cults of the Blood Gods pg 206.
■ Cost: Free
■ Dice Pool: Resolve + Oblivion vs Resolve + Composure
■ System: As per Cults of the Blood Gods pg 206. Additionally, while this power only reduces
Hunger for the remainder of the night when in the living world, “night” in the Shadowlands never
ends. Though the vampire must Rouse every 24 hours as normal, the Passions of Wraiths can
sustain them in perpetuity there. Once the vampire leaves the Shadowlands, however, all this
subverted Hunger returns immediately; should this Hunger go above 5, the vampire must roll for
frenzy immediately on returning to the Skinlands.
As Passions are formed from raw emotion in its purest form, they can also act as
Resonances. When the vampire chooses to feed using Passion Feast, they choose whether to
gain an acute humoral Resonance or an intense Empty Resonance; the vampire has no way of
determining which humoral Resonance the Wraith possesses, even with the Bloodhound merit.
Any Dyscrasia or Resonance gained via Passion Feast works as normal, even if the Hunger
returns. As the vampire is feasting on the very essence of Wraiths, at the Storyteller’s discretion
they can receive Stains when employing this power.
■ Duration: Passive
Aura of Decay is extremely powerful, but at the same time inordinately niche in its usage. The
narrow scope of what it can affect severely limits its usefulness, as the vampire has to be
present and the power itself only lasts a scene. This is unfortunate when compared to the other
level 3 powers available to the Necromancer, and it’s doubly an issue when we consider that it is
the required power to learn multiple ceremonies. One solution is to instead mirror Touch of
Oblivion, affecting inanimate rather than animate matter.
The aura can then become a ceremony, mirroring folk legends of witchcraft and curses.
The Ravages of Lachesis (Oblivion ⬤⬤⬤) (Replaces Aura of Decay)

Though vampires are exempt from the passage of time, the world around them is not. With this
power the vampire can infuse objects around them with the entropic energies of the Abyss,
causing them to rapidly age and decay.
■ Dice Pools: Stamina + Oblivion
■ System: The vampire touches the object and infuses it with the essence of Oblivion, causing
it to age by up to one decade per success. The vampire has fine control of this aging down to
one week at a time; on a critical, the vampire can control the aging down to the minute with
precise accuracy, and it is so authentic it can even confound carbon dating technologies.
Repeated uses are cumulative, and some necromancers have been known to create
centuries-old forgeries in a matter of minutes. This power cannot be used on the living, and any
corpse under a week old is similarly unaffected as some residual life energy confounds the
effect (though blood and other bodily fluids can be affected, even when fresh).
The aging affects the entirety of an object, including its contents, but it is fundamentally
simply the passage of time and does not speed up biological processes such as decomposition.
Ammo can spoil in the magazine of an actively rusting gun, freshly fermented wine can be aged
in a cask, but a loaf of bread will not spoil and turn rotten; it will instead grow extremely hard and
stale. This aging can be rescinded by the vampire via a second usage of the power, even if the
object has crumbled into dust or dissolved, however the remains or residue must remain intact
for it to succeed. Once the sun rises, the effect becomes permanent and can never be reversed.
■ Duration: One turn
Font of Putrefaction (Oblivion 3 Ceremony)

As per Aura of Decay (Cults of the Blood Gods pg 20x-20x), however the aura is focused
around a small talisman which the vampire has created, which can be placed in a location or
planted in someone's pocket. The aura will continue to follow the Font until it itself decays.
■ Prerequisite: The Ravages of Lachesis
■ Ingredients: A small object made of natural fibers or wood, day old milk which has been left
out, freshly scraped mold, a mortar and pestle made from human bone
■ Process: The vampire sits in complete darkness and grinds up the mold with the mortar and
pestle, then mixes in the milk and vitae. The object is immersed in the slurry and rolled through
it until the entirety of the mixture is absorbed. When viewed in firelight, the Font should now
have a blackish red hue to it, but otherwise look unchanged in regular light.
■ System: The talisman is inert on creation but can be activated with a touch at any time. The
Font then exudes an aura as per Aura of Decay (Cults of the Blood Gods pg 205-206), with the
margin determining how many nights from its creation the Font lasts before it succumbs to its
own effect and decays into a rotten slime. Even if the vampire never activates it, the Font will
still spontaneously decay after the requisite number of nights have passed.
■ Duration: A number of nights equal to the margin
Skuld Fulfilled similarly has always felt more like a ceremony than a power, mirroring the effect
of many mythical and folk curses in its weaving and methods. As a level 5 power it is also
exceptionally limited in scope. Converting it into a ceremony which requires material from the
target in question brings it back in line with traditional folktales from a myriad of European,
African, and Asian traditions, and allows it to be expanded to not only affect mortals, but also
kindred and other supernatural entities. This utility is tempered by the need to collect a personal
item or part of the victim’s body.
Any ceremonies depending on Skuld Fulfilled should instead have Withering Spirit as their
prerequisite power.
Skuld Fulfilled (Oblivion 5 Ceremony)

As per Cults of the Blood Gods pg 207-208.
■ Prerequisite: Necrotic Plague
■ Ingredients: A small clay bowl, hemlock kindling, a small amount of pure mercury
(quicksilver), a short black candle, and a personal item from the target, ideally a part of their
body such as hair or bodily fluids.
■ Process: The vampire lights the black candle and sets its base inside the clay bowl with the
personal item. They hold a clear mental image of the target in their mind as they cut their thumb
and mix their vitae with the quicksilver, letting the bowl fill until the personal item is submerged
and the vitae and quicksilver mixture snuffs out the candle.
■ System: Against mortals, as per Cults of the Blood Gods pg 207-208.
Against other kindred or supernatural entities, the power works differently, causing all
Aggravated wounds the vampire sustained in the last lunar month to immediately reopen. The
number of wounds reopened cannot exceed the margin on the ceremony roll. If the vampire has
not healed any Aggravated wounds recently, nothing happens. If the vampire has more
Aggravated wounds than they have health levels, however, they will instantly collapse and fall
into torpor as the old wounds ravage their body.
If a personal item is used for this ceremony, the Resolve + Oblivion test is made against
the default difficulty of 6; if a piece of the target’s body (which includes hair or fluid) is used, then
the difficulty of the ceremony is reduced to 5.
■ Duration: Variable, dependent on whether the condition is treatable.
== Sidebar ==
How much damage was that?
Storytellers should not be expected to track every single Aggravated wound every SPC has
sustained in the last lunar month, on the off chance that a player may wish to use Skuld Fulfilled
on one of them. Instead, they can roll ten dice or less, depending on the type of SPC: a neonate
scrapper type may roll all ten while an elder socialite might roll only two or three. The number of
successes gives the amount of Aggravated damage that was sustained in the last lunar month.
== End Sidebar ==
Oblivion, Expanded
This section focuses on the expansion of Oblivion with a focus on the novel system for Oblivion
presented earlier in the chapter. Despite that, many of the powers and ceremonies listed in this
section can easily be adapted into a chronicle which is using the default rules for Oblivion
ceremonies, and tables should feel free to mix and match whatever they like to create a version
of Oblivion that is enjoyable for everyone playing.
One of the most important necromancy powers in this edition is Where the Shroud Thins, which
unlocks the vast majority of Necromancy themed ceremonies in the game. This is unfortunate
as it ties the players’ hands on what power to pick at their second level of Oblivion, and while
the power itself has extremely important utility, it does nothing but facilitate the usage of other
powers and ceremonies. We instead implement it as a level 2 ceremony which teaches the
vampire the first and most basic steps of interacting with the Shroud.
Where the Shroud Thins (Level 2 Ceremony)

Description as per Cult of the Blood Gods, pg 205.
■ Prerequisite: Fatal Precognition, Clotho’s Last Vigil (page XX), or Shadow Perspective
■ Ingredients: The caster’s vitae, freshly cremated ashes, a wooden bowl.
■ Process: The caster mixes the vitae and ashes in the wooden bowl until it forms a greasy
black liquid, then smears the entirety of the mixture in and around their eyes until it is used up.
■ System: As per Cults of the Blood Gods, pg 205, however a standard Ceremony roll is
performed rather than what is listed in the text.
On a win, the caster can freely perceive the strength of the Shroud for a number of nights equal
to the margin on the ceremony roll; on a critical win, it lasts for that many weeks instead. No
further Rouse checks or rolls are needed.
■ Duration: A number of nights equal to the margin, or until the mixture is cleared away.
Generally speaking, each clan-specific amalgam is intended as a “signature power”, one the
clan is famous for using. Good examples of this are the Arms of Ahriman, Dementation, and
Chimerstry. The two amalgams the Hecata received in the official books are Fatal Precognition
and Passion Feast; both are addressed in the previous section, but neither stands out as a
signature power for the clan of necromancers. Meanwhile the ceremony of Compel Spirit still
requires you to bully the wraith with threats to get it to do what you wish it to. Thematically this is
fine, but the only advantage the ceremony provides is that the spirits can cross the Shroud to
perform tasks. A non-necromancer would deal with a ghost in exactly the same way - find its
fetter, threaten to destroy it, and attempt to parley or ask it to leave.
In stories from all editions, the Hecata have far more terrifying and aggressive forms of
control for spirits, and the ability to Rouse the blood and simply reach out and force a wraith to
comply with your wishes is fairly evocative of the clan. In this section we propose two new
methods for doing this: Ligare Mortuos is a new signature power for the Hecata, a
straightforward method of control, while the Nekyia ceremony offers a more peaceful but less
certain method. Ligare Mortuos is the quick and easy path, while Nekyia is more benevolent but
also much more involved and difficult. Which method a necromancer chooses to employ might
now speak to the character of that necromancer.
Ligare Mortuos (Oblivion ⬤⬤) (Replaces Compel Spirit, but as a power)

The vampire bends a wraith to their will, using spectral chains to control the wraith like a puppet.
■ Cost: Free, or one or more Rouse Checks
■ Dice Pools: Resolve + Oblivion vs Resolve + Composure
■ System: The vampire must be in close proximity to the wraith in order to use this power,
typically through use of Summon Spirit (Cults of the Blood Gods, pg 209). The necromancer
extends their hand toward the wraith, thick spectral chains extending from their fingertips to
wrap around the wraith's neck, limbs, or equivalents as the vampire makes a Resolve + Oblivion
contest against the wraith's Resolve + Composure. Anyone able to perceive the wraith via
supernatural means will see the chains and undoubtedly hear the anguished and enraged
screams that ensue.
On a win, the vampire gains complete control of the wraith for a number of hours equal
to the margin, and it can be controlled as if it were a puppet to do the necromancer's bidding.
On a Critical the necromancer gains control for the rest of the night, while on a failure the wraith
breaks free and undoubtedly will turn its wrath on the necromancer. In the unfortunate event of a
Bestial Failure the wraith instead turns the chains on the vampire, holding the vampire in place
as it is freely able to manifest and physically maul the necromancer for a number of turns equal
to its margin (for sample wraith stats, see VtM Corebook, pg 377).
Once the spectral chains have been secured, the necromancer can act freely, directing
the wraith as a minor action to spy, attack other wraiths, be cast back to the Underworld, or even
batter itself ragged against a ward. The chains are extremely resilient and cannot be damaged
by anything short of a holy fire or weapon, or by another necromancer attempting to wrest
control with their own chains in a contest of Resolve + Oblivion.
With another Rouse check, the vampire can channel their own substance through the
chains to force the wraith to manifest physically for a single round and manipulate the world
around them, such as opening doors, retrieving objects, or attacking the necromancer’s foes.
The bound wraith always maintains control of its mind and cannot be forced to reveal
information, but the vampire can attempt to coerce or torture the wraith however they please
and gains +2 dice to these Intimidation attempts. Further wraiths can be ensnared in the same
way, however the necromancer takes a one die penalty on the binding roll for each wraith
already chained.
If the necromancer holds a wraith's fetter, the initial binding attempt requires no Rouse
check to attempt, though forcing the wraith to manifest a physical form still does. The
necromancer also gains an extra die on their Intimidation rolls against the wraith for a total of
+3. Controlling the wraith's fetter allows excessive power over the wraith, as the necromancer
can banish the wraith back across the Shroud as a reflexive action at the end of the command
period, only to summon it again later (via Summon Spirit) and chain it once more. Should the
necromancer lose physical contact with the fetter while the wraith is summoned and bound, it is
equivalent to suffering an automatic Bestial Failure on the binding roll.
Even by the standards of most necromancers, this power is exceedingly cruel and
malicious, and any wraith which escapes its bindings is often a scarred and wrathful spectre
wishing only to destroy the necromancer. Enslaving a wraith for the first time automatically
causes a stain, and the vampire may gain further stains depending on what they force their
puppets to do.
■ Duration: A number of hours equal to the margin, or one night on a critical.
Nekyia (Level 2 Ceremony)

Wraiths and spirits can be fickle, but with an overture, an offering of power, and a reminder of
the life once lived, a bargain can be struck to assist and provide favors for an industrious
kindred.
■ Prerequisite: Oblivion Sight or Oblivion's Gaze (page XX)
■ Ingredients: Food and drink which the wraith(s) might enjoy, myrrh incense, a white sheet
■ Process: The caster places the white sheet down as a tablecloth and then arranges the food
and drink in a circle in the center. They then open a vein to carefully drench the food in vitae
without dirtying the cloth, and light the incense. The caster walks around the cloth and
beseeches the wraiths' favor, offering them food and drink for an audience.
■ System: The vampire can Rouse as many times as they wish, making an offering to any
nearby spirits. The incense smoke gives any wraiths enticed by the feast a smokey corporeal
form with which to pick up and consume the food, drawing out the power from each piece as it
crumbles into ash and merges into their corpus.
Each Rouse Check worth of vitae will heal one level of Superficial Willpower or provide
one level of Passion to a wraith consuming it, and a number of wraiths equal to the margin will
be drawn to the feast (or even more on a Messy Critical).
The ceremony is only an offering and a gift; the caster must still entreat the wraiths for
their assistance through diplomacy and persuasion, or perhaps offer the food as payment for
services already rendered. Once the wraiths have consumed all the food, their smoky forms
crumble to ash as they return back across the Shroud (unless they use their newfound power to
manifest) and the sheet becomes permanently blackened.
If Ligare Mortuos seems too brutal or your table would like to retain Compel Spirit as a discrete
ceremony, another power can take its place as the “signature amalgam” of the Hecata. One of
the most common tropes in necromancy is that of a spirit companion, something V5 does not
offer. The level 4 ceremony, Bind the Spirit, allows a necromancer to bind a spirit to a fetter or
person, but this is mainly an offensive style of ceremony used to haunt an enemy, and not really
suited to binding a spirit to one’s own character. Instead, we suggest a new power, Unliving
Anchor, which allows the vampire to bind a spirit to them and use that spirit with the related
Spirit ceremonies more easily. The choice to make it a power was inspired by the inclusion of
Bond Famulus in Animalism - this fills a similar role but in a very different direction and allows
for a supernatural retainer with unique powers.
Both this power and Ligare Mortuos can be used together at your table if desired, but
unless the chronicle is a dedicated Hecata one or there are multiple Hecata in the coterie we
recommend choosing whichever suits your table best.
Unliving Anchor (Oblivion ⬤⬤)

The vampire channels the powers of Oblivion through their own inert corpse, turning it into a
fetter which binds a wraith to them permanently. This wraith may be willingly bound and can be
a trusted advisor and helper, or an unwilling servant bent to its master’s bidding. Many Giovanni
and Pisanob, in particular, use this power to bind an ancestor’s spirit, while Samedi will often
bind a lost teacher or good friend. This power does not inflict a blood bond or any other form of
mental compulsion. The vampire is, however, the wraith’s fetter, and thus the vampire’s
continued livelihood is important to the bound wraith whether they like it or not.
■ Cost: Free or one Rouse Check
■ Dice Pools: Resolve + Oblivion vs Resolve + Composure
■ System: The vampire must have direct access to the wraith to initiate the Bond, and it can
either be brokered willingly with the Wraith or the vampire can choose to press the Wraith into
their service against its will in a contest of Resolve + Oblivion vs Resolve + Composure. The
vampire can only ever have one bound wraith, and can bind another only if their current one is
released or destroyed. A character starting with this power can be assumed to already have a
bound wraith.
Bound wraiths are always at the beck and call of their vampire host, and Summon Spirit
can be used on them without the need for a Rouse Check and a five-minute ceremony. Other
ceremonies can be applied to the wraith at -1 Difficulty, and do not require a Rouse Check; if the
vampire does choose to Rouse, they can perform the ceremony in one-fifth the usual amount of
time.
The wraith itself can act as a retainer and perform small tasks for their vampire host,
such as spying on people through walls or watching over their host while they daysleep. They
do not have a telepathic rapport with their host, however, and must communicate verbally. As
the wraith is perpetually bound to the vampire, at the Storyteller’s discretion they may operate
autonomously or warn the vampire of dangers, however this choice is entirely up to the wraith.
When not summoned by the vampire, the wraith exists in the Shadowlands, and can freely be
sent to the other side to send missives or accomplish tasks as long as the Shroud is not
impenetrable (see page XX).
When summoned to the vampire, the wraith is clearly visible to anyone using Oblivion
Sight, Oblivion’s Gaze, or Sense the Unseen. Any powers that specifically reveal fetters, such
as Binding Fetter and Oblivion’s Gaze, will show the vampire as a fetter with a thick, bloody aura
- potentially even breaking Obfuscate.
The vampire can Rouse the blood and perform a Resolve + Oblivion test at Difficulty 3
(modified for the difficulty of the task) to gift the bound wraith with substance for one scene,
allowing them to manifest with a visible, vaguely-corporeal form. In this form the wraith can
perform minor actions such as picking up objects or flipping switches; they cannot actually harm
corporeal targets, but most mortals will be terrified at the sight of a ghost materializing in front of
them.
At the Storyteller’s discretion, dots of Mawla and/or Retainer can be purchased to
enhance the abilities of the wraith and allow it to provide more options to its vampire host (such
as manifesting invisibly or assisting with Oblivion ceremonies).
While Fatal Precognition is an underwhelming power, predicting someone’s death is a striking

and thematic application of necromancy. Enter the Edict of Atropos, the final power based on
the three Fates. Rather than simply predict a target’s impending doom, this power channels
some level of Dominate to instead curse the target to suffer that doom. The power is expanded
to include kindred and other supernatural entities, and in keeping with the general themes of
fifth edition primarily manifests in the form of a dice bonus for the user with a small and
persistent penalty to the victim.
Edict of Atropos (Oblivion ⬤⬤⬤⬤)

■ Amalgam: Dominate 2
This terrible power was a particular favorite of the famiglia Giovanni. The vampire looks into
their target’s eyes and sees the threads of fate before them, predicting the victim’s imminent and
untimely death while declaring this oracular vision aloud for all to hear. Is it truly the threads of
fate that the vampire sees, or have they been cut short by the vampire themself? No one can be
sure, though history has shown that the prediction is rarely incorrect.
■ Dice Pools: Manipulation + Oblivion vs Composure + Resolve
■ System: The vampire locks eyes with the victim and rolls Resolve + Oblivion against difficulty
3. On a win, they see the victim’s immediate future, declaring it out loud for all to hear. The
foretold doom will happen within three months, minus one week per point of margin, to a
minimum of one week. The exact wording of the declaration should be vague, and the player
and Storyteller should discuss the scope and limits of this terminal misfortune. Until the time of
death is to occur, the vampire gains an extra die on all checks made to either ensure the victim’s
death or directly spare them from its clutches. The victim, meanwhile, suffers a flat -2 successes
to all rolls directly taken to avoid their fate. Some Oblivion scholars postulate that some level of
brainwashing and self-doubt is instilled in the victim to ensure their death, for if others attempt to
assist the victim in escaping their fate the helpers receive no penalty.
Against another vampire or other supernatural entity, the vampire must win a contest of
Resolve + Oblivion vs the victim’s Composure + Resolve rather than rolling against a flat
difficulty, with powers of mental resistance such as Unswayable Mind applying for defense.
In the final 24 hours of the Edict, the vampire’s bonus improves to two dice, and should
the victim fail (or more importantly bestial fail) any checks, the most dire and dangerous possible
outcome should be the result. If the victim survives the day, the Edict expires and the victim
becomes immune to another Edict from any source for ten years. In the past, crafty Lasombra
have employed the Edict to act as a savior and earn the trust of their victims, but it can be a
very dangerous game: at any time the victim or an ally may make an Intelligence + Occult or
Oblivion contest against the user’s original roll to discern the true nature of the Edict, though this
does nothing to prevent it.
■ Duration: Three months or less
Despite ostensibly being the source of the Lasombra Bane, Oblivion lacks any actual powers or
ceremonies which affect technology other than the very-circumstantial Blinding the Alloy Eye.
Rather than devote an entire power to this, we propose a new Ceremony.
Shade Gremlins (Level 4 Ceremony)

Tapping into the entropic effects of Oblivion, the vampire can force minor Abyssal minions into
their shadow, using them to confound and deactivate any electronic device.
■ Prerequisite: Shadow Cast
■ Ingredients: A piece of natural magnetite (lodestone)
■ Process: The user sits in front of a powerful light source such that they cast a single absolute
shadow along the floor. They place the magnetite in their shadow and cast a handful of their
own fresh vitae onto the stone, allowing it to melt into the shadow and attract the gremlins to be
bound.
■ System: The vampire’s shadow becomes home to an untold multitude of gremlins which
specialize in the interruption and/or destruction of electrical circuitry. If at any time the vampire’s
shadow falls on a device which uses an electrical circuit to operate, it will instantly short out or
go inoperative for the remainder of the scene; on a critical win for the initial ceremony roll, it will
become permanently inoperable, in a potentially-spectacular fashion if the critical was Messy.
Shadow Cast can be used to bend the vampire’s shadow to affect specific devices, and the
effect generally occurs passively whenever the user’s shadow crosses over and covers an
object in its entirety, regardless of range. The power persists until sunrise or until the vampire’s
shadow is washed out with a light bright enough to prevent the usage of Oblivion.
■ Duration: One night
6- Modified Discipline Powers
The existing fifth edition books do a great job of fleshing out a variety of powers and
abilities across all of the many Disciplines, however some of them leave a bit to be
desired or have vague wording or redundant effects that can be adjusted. In this chapter
we focus on several of these powers, providing alternate or adjusted versions which
iterate on the basic design to improve the gameplay at your table. To avoid copyright
issues, page references are provided rather than reprinting official documentation, so be
sure to refer to the necessary books as needed.
ANIMALISM
Bond famulus fills an interesting role in the Animalism toolkit, however it has the unfortunate
limitation of ultimately doing nothing on its own, as it relies on its benefits to Feral Whispers and
Subsume the Spirit to truly be useful. The addition of a telepathic rapport with your famulus
when in physical contact and a small bump in the animal’s intelligence level to represent that it
truly is more than your average ghoul animal and helps improve the power overall.
Bond Famulus (Animalism ⬤)

Description as per VtM Corebook pg 245, however the link to your famulus is telepathic when in
physical contact. The animal shares some of your mind and thus gains a lexicon of basic human
vocabulary.
■ Cost: As per VtM Corebook pg 245
■ Dice Pools: Charisma + Animal Ken
■ System: As per VtM Corebook pg 245.
Along with whatever gift of the blood the vampire decides to give the famulus, they also
gain a point of Mental attribute over the baseline template of the animal (VtM Corebook, pg
373), and via its telepathic bond with the vampire it can understand and communicate in basic
human speech terms (telepathically or via Feral Whispers) and understand more complex
commands than even the most well-trained hound. Assume the animal has an intelligence level
and language skills equivalent to that of a child of five years of age (though presumably more
calm and mature) - it will not be able to carry on riveting conversations about complex topics,
but it can communicate many more ideas than a regular ghoul animal.
■ Duration: Only death releases a famulus once bound. As long as it receives vampire Blood
on a regular basis, the famulus does not age.
Animal Dominion is a thematically evocative and classical vampire power, exerting the vampire’s
will over all manner of beasts. By the default rules, it costs two Rouse checks and does not
actually summon animals to the character, only act on those already present. The assumption is
that the character will use Feral Whispers to draw animals to them first (which is another Rouse
check) or that the area will already have a large number of animals present to be controlled.
This is fine in practice, however as a level 5 power one would expect it to be a bit more powerful
when faced with two or possibly three Rouse checks just to achieve the desired effect. It is far
more costly than many other powers which are far more mechanically effective, and so a simple
solution is to lower the Rouse cost to a single Rouse check.
Animal Dominion (Animalism ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤)

Description as per VtM Corebook pg 247
■ Dice Pools: Charisma + Animalism
■ Duration: A single scene or until the directive is fulfilled, whichever is shortest.
AUSPEX
Premonition is a power that simultaneously can be extremely valuable but also extremely limited
in usage, depending primarily on whether or not the Storyteller makes use of it by giving its
user(s) regular "sixth sense" or "danger sense" style intuitions about hidden clues or impending
danger. This variability can unfortunately make it pretty limited in use, and so a simple solution
is to add an optional passive bonus to it.
Premonition (Auspex ⬤⬤)

Description as per VtM Corebook pg 249-250.
■ Cost: Free or One Rouse Check
■ Dice Pools: Resolve + Auspex
■ System: As per VtM Corebook pg 249-250.
At any point in a scene the vampire may choose to take an additional die at no cost on a
single Perception based Skill roll, representing some outside insight they have gleaned which
enhances their senses. Making use of this bonus die counts as your usage of Premonition for
the scene. If more than one character possesses the power they may each make use of the
extra die on different Skill checks, however once any player character uses the power in this
way then all other characters with the power must do the same, forfeiting any chance at
extrasensory insight or predictions of danger.
■ Duration: One Turn
DOMINATE
Submerged Directive is one of the more useful passive powers, however its description limits it
to only working with Mesmerize. Interestingly, it does require Mesmerize as a prerequisite and
therefore could be uselessly taken by mistake, but more importantly most of the other Dominate
powers have clear and useful ways of being deployed via a submerged directive, but that option
isn’t allowed. For example, cloud memory or forgetful mind could be easily submerged to force
the victim to forget the last few minutes or specific information when triggered, or a simple
Compelled action could be taken when triggered. Expanding Submerged Directive to allow other
powers to be submerged provides much more flexibility for the Dominate user.
Submerged Directive (Dominate ⬤⬤⬤⬤)

Description as per VtM Corebook pg 257, however it can be applied to any Dominate power.
■ Cost: No additional cost
FORTITUDE
Obdurate is a power that was added in the Winter’s Teeth comic book series that allows a
vampire gifted in both Fortitude and Potence to essentially make themselves impervious to
physical impacts, stopping cars in their tracks or falling from great heights without an issue… the
only problem is that, as written, it’s a worse version of Toughness with higher requirements. It
mitigates the same amount of damage as Toughness and simply adds the narrative edge of you
stopping a car, though if a car is going fast enough, it could still knock you into torpor even as
you stop it in its tracks. The entry also had some errors in grammar and conflicting dice pools
listed, below is a corrected and improved version.
Obdurate (Fortitude ⬤⬤)

■ Amalgam: Potence 2
Though Fortitude allows a kindred to resist damage from bullets, blades, and even burning fire
and sunlight, it does little to keep the forces of physics at bay when an overwhelming blow
staggers or knocks prone the unprepared vampire. By shoring up their physical hardiness with
Potence, the kindred may maintain a steady footing even when struck by a massive force.
■ Cost: One Rouse Check.
■ Dice Pool: Stamina + Potence
■ System: When activated, a vampire becomes a sturdy and strong immovable object.
Vampires falling from great heights hit the ground running while those struck by a fast moving
vehicle do not budge as the car crumples around them like tinfoil. The user may consciously
activate this ability in advance or instinctively activate it on impact, the roll is the same either
way. When suffering massive blunt force trauma, the vampire makes a Stamina + Potence
check against a Difficulty that is determined by the force of impact - falling out of a third story
window may only be Difficulty 2, whereas stopping a speeding sports car might be Difficulty 4
(Refer to Appendix II for example Difficulties). The margin is added to the user’s Fortitude and
this sum is subtracted from any Superficial impact damage before being halved, as normal. As
the vampire is essentially an immovable object, any object or vehicle striking them takes the full
damage it was inflicting back on itself without any reductions in an equal but opposite reaction.
This power cannot protect the user from damage from regular melee or brawl attacks,
unless the attack is a knockdown attempt in which case it would work as above. It similarly
cannot protect the user from bullets or other projectiles, unless perhaps an enemy was hurling a
wrecking ball at the vampire like it’s a shot put, then it might apply at the Storyteller’s discretion.
An object at rest remains at rest, so too can an object in motion - at the Storyteller’s discretion,
this power can include blunt trauma from colliding with solid objects, the vampire using their own
body as a battering ram.
■ Duration: One scene
Shatter has always been an odd power, lasting for only a round and requiring another power to
be activated first, and it ultimately isn’t impressive for a level 4 power. A revision brings it in line
with other level 4 powers and removes the “delay” before it can be used.
Shatter (Fortitude ⬤⬤⬤⬤)

■ Prerequisite: Toughness
As per Cults of the Blood Gods pg 104-105.
■ Cost: One Rouse Check.
■ System: Anyone who makes a successful Brawl attack against the user suffers reflected
Superficial Health damage up to the user’s Fortitude rating or the total damage incurred from
the attack, whichever is lower. Melee weapons also suffer reflected damage, and break once
they endure their damage modifier’s worth (unless it is holy, magical, or otherwise unbreakable).
Any excess damage over the Fortitude rating is halved and then taken off the Health track
normally. The power can reflect a number of attacks equal to the user’s Fortitude rating back at
attackers before the effect is dispelled and then behaves as per Toughness (see VtM Corebook
pg 258). It can be reactivated again in the same scene for the cost of a Rouse check each time.
■ Duration: One scene, or a number of attacks equal to the vampire’s Fortitude.
OBFUSCATE
Obfuscate is available to a variety of clans and offers a great deal of flexibility in how it can be
used. One of the major issues with the current base system is that Cloak of Shadows is
generally purchased solely to later allow a player to purchase Vanish, since it is functionally
inferior to Unseen Passage in every way save the Rouse check. This sort of "ability tax" is
unfulfilling and generally avoided in V5, so improving the existing power to give it added utility is
a simple step to make it more desirable while still keeping its functionality for ghouls unchanged,
as they cannot Rouse the blood.
Cloak of Shadows (Obfuscate ⬤)

Description as per VtM Corebook pg 261.
■ Cost: Free or One to Two Rouse Checks
■ Dice Pools: Manipulation + Obfuscate
■ System: As per VtM Corebook pg 261. Additionally, the vampire can place a hand each on up
to two individuals and Rouse the blood once for each of them to cause them to melt into the
shadows as well. As long as everyone in the group remains motionless, the power conceals all
of them; the vampire makes any necessary rolls to remain hidden .
■ Duration: One Scene.
Conceal is an Auspex amalgam despite there being no clear connection to the senses or
gathering information. Malkavians already have access to the most amalgams of any clan, and
nothing about Conceal is particularly specific to their clan - if anything, it seems like a power
that's exceedingly fitting for a Nosferatu or Ravnos. An argument can be made that the Auspex
is needed to see the concealed structure/object, but Obfuscate clouds others' minds, not your
own - you should have no issue seeing something you concealed yourself.
Conceal (Obfuscate ⬤⬤⬤⬤) (Auspex amalgam removed)

Description as per VtM Corebook pg 262-263.
■ Dice Pools: Intelligence + Obfuscate
■ System: As per VtM Corebook pg 262-263.
■ Duration: One night, with an additional night per point of margin on the win.
OBLIVION
For all adjustments, refer to Chapter 5
POTENCE
Uncanny Grip has always existed in a rather pointless position, as a simple level 1 Blood
Sorcery ritual accomplishes the same thing with fewer restrictions and does not leave traces
behind. The power has been expanded slightly to provide a more combat oriented option, while
maintaining the spirit of the original design.
Uncanny Grip (Potence ⬤⬤) (Moved from Level 3)

As per VtM Corebook pg 265. The vampire can also apply this strength to crush and bend solid
objects or rend their fingers through body armor and their enemy’s own flesh.
■ Cost: Free or One Rouse Check
■ Dice Pools: Strength + Athletics or Brawl
■ System: As per description in the VtM Corebook pg 265, however there is no Rouse check,
climbing with the power is free. Additionally the kindred can Rouse the blood to automatically
crush or mangle objects they can freely lift with two hands and made of all but the hardest
materials. In combat a Rouse Check can activate the power for one turn to perform a called shot
to snatch the weapon from an opponent’s hands and immediately destroy it without another roll.
If activated when successfully grappling an enemy, any armor the target is wearing is
automatically destroyed as the vampire’s crushing grip rends through it while finding purchase
on the target’s body. The vampire can continue to Rouse the blood each round the grapple is
maintained to automatically deal up to their Potence level in Superficial damage to the target,
this damage does not take an action and cannot be avoided by the target, only mitigated.
Finally, the hand or footholds created by the vampire are sturdy, and the vampire can
cling to a wall or ceiling to sleep through the day. Should this be attempted, the vampire need
not make any roll as they will hang from the ceiling without effort, however if they take any
damage while daysleeping in this way, they will instantly fall from their perch into whatever
awaits below.
■ Duration: Passive when climbing; one turn in combat.
[Gameplay example of Uncanny Grip in combat]

Fist of Caine is easily one of the strongest powers in the game, able to decimate your
opponents with Aggravated damage, not unlike the first level power, Lethal Body. It is stated in
the Lethal Body description that it ignores armor up to your Potence rating, however this same
feature is not clearly stated for Fist of Caine, and thus the only edit required is to specify that
Fist of Caine does not, in fact, ignore armor as Lethal Body does. Lethal Body then retains value
as it doesn’t require a Rouse Check and it ignores armor, possibly giving it an edge when
dealing with heavily armored mortals such as Hunters, while Fist of Caine is a pure brute force
power that does Aggravated damage to everything. One may argue this makes Fist of Caine
less powerful, or that it makes no sense in the context of hitting something so hard even Kindred
buckle under the force, but in terms of gameplay balance it gives both powers a niche that they
fill nicely. Lethal Body is better against mortals specifically but useless otherwise, whereas Fist
of Caine is still extremely powerful against everything, even if some Mortals may be able to
mitigate its damage slightly with armor.
Further, Fist of Caine is obscenely powerful if paired with Prowess, as even a single
success means you are automatically dealing six levels of Aggravated damage. This interaction
between the powers is as designed, and with both powers lasting a full scene it is surprisingly
easy to set up in advance of expected combat. It vastly outstrips any other possible damage
source short of firing an incendiary tank shell at someone, as even an Ancilla who is mediocre
at Brawling but possesses both powers can rather handily generate even more damage than
the baseline six. Rather than prohibit the usage of the two powers together, which clearly is
intended, the better solution is to cap the levels of Aggravated damage to your Potence rating,
which by necessity is 5. Excess damage would be Superficial, and a character with the power
would still be a terrifying foe, but it would be slightly more in tune with other powers of the same
level and make combat less one-sided at high level.
Fist of Caine (Potence ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤)

As per VtM Corebook pg 266.
■ System: As per VtM Corebook pg 266. Unlike Lethal Body, the Fist of Caine does not ignore
mortals’ armor and the Aggravated damage is capped at your Potence rating of 5. Any excess
damage is Superficial as usual.
■ Duration: One scene.
PRESENCE
As it stands, Awe is in an awkward position amongst the Presence powers due to it being a level
1 power (and therefore free) and simultaneously being one of the most powerful and vaguely
worded powers in the Presence list. By default it allows you to apply your Presence rating (plus
Discipline Power Bonus) to all Persuasion, Performance, and Charisma rolls, the last being
possibly the most overpowered aspect of it as Charisma covers a wide net and can be
substituted in for Manipulation in many social settings, depending on the style of the Social
action. The bigger issue is that it overlaps the usage of Entrancement, a level 3 power, to a
large degree, and functionally makes Entrancement far less valuable as a power. Moreover, the
power is meant to embody an aura of impressiveness yet does not give any implicit benefit to
Leadership, which is more appropriate than a Persuasion boost.
The simple solution is to remove the convoluted detection and countering rolls, and instead
make it function as an aura which provides a flat benefit at all times, whenever the kindred calls
on it. It also gains some utility in group combat situations, and leaves room for the much more
powerful Entrancement to truly shine as a Level 3 power. It no longer can be countered except
via the opponent simply rolling well or having mental resistance powers such as Unswayable
Mind.
Awe (Presence ⬤)
The vampire's Blood attracts the eye of everyone around. Anyone in the presence of the
vampire finds their attention inexplicably drawn to them, no matter the circumstances, as if they
were illuminated by a hidden spotlight.
■ Cost: Free
■ System: Add two dice to all Leadership and Performance rolls, as well as any other Skill rolls
to draw or maintain people's attention (such as creating a distraction to keep attention off other
coterie-mates). In combat, this power tends to draw enemies' focus and fire, leading to the
Presence-user being attacked first.
■ Duration: One scene or until intentionally ended
In a similar vein, Daunt is adjusted to instead work as an aura as well, giving a flat bonus that is
much more difficult to resist in combat and thus is far more useful.
Daunt (Presence ⬤)
Instead of attracting people, the vampire uses Presence to repel. With this power the user
appears threatening and exudes an aura of hostility and menace.
■ Cost: Free
■ System: Add two dice to all Intimidation rolls or other Skill rolls relying on fear and negative
force of personality (such as scaring off an animal). Additionally, anyone attempting to engage
the user in combat must win a Resolve + Composure roll at a Difficulty equal to the user’s
Presence rating. This effect does not work if there are no other serious threats, or if the vampire
engages an enemy directly—force of numbers and self-preservation instincts can outweigh
even the most terrifying of miens.
■ Duration: One scene, or until intentionally ended
Lingering Kiss has already had a revision in the official errata in the Companion. This was
mainly done to provide some extra benefit to the Kiss such that it would be more enticing to
take. Unfortunately, it also necessitated a gameplay conceit of being disallowed on a character
with the Unbondable merit. It did not mention any specific stipulations for a Tremere or
Thinblood victim, which could also impact its gameplay, but more importantly it was narrow in
focus with a Social Attribute buff which lasted only one night, which is a pretty limited benefit
given the drawbacks.
It has been adjusted to allow for more varied use, hinging on the vampire’s own magnetism and
radiance of personality to drive the target to gain the benefit, which the vampire is now in control
of. This allows for the power to be very useful against both your enemies and allies, with the
double edged sword that no advantage comes without a price, both to the vampire and the
victim. The power can be taken by anyone now, but regardless of the Merit or victim bane
combination there is always an implicit risk of the blood bond - this is by design. The penalty
incurred by withdrawal is substantial, but the risk undertaken to apply the Kiss in the first place
should never be mitigated. This is also why being Blood Bound partially disables the effects of
the power, the vampire needs to weigh their options and be careful when using it, lest they end
up on the losing side of the Kiss.
An alternative “twist” to the power is also provided, for tables to decide which they prefer.
Lingering Kiss (Presence ⬤⬤)

As per VtM Corebook pg 267-268.
■ Cost: Free
■ System: The vampire can choose to use this power during any non-harmful feeding in which
they sate at least one Hunger. The victim gains a bonus equal to half the user’s Presence rating
(rounded up) to any single Attribute, however any derived attributes such as Health and
Willpower remain the same. The effect lasts for a number of nights equal to the user’s Presence
rating and as long as the vampire continues to grace the victim with favor, the bonus persists.
The vampire can withdraw their favor at any time and the victim immediately suffers withdrawal,
receiving a penalty equal to the initial bonus to all actions not directly related to acquiring a new
fix.
When the benefit period ends, whether due to the duration expiring or the user
withdrawing their favor, the victim experiences withdrawal for a number of nights equal to the
user’s Presence rating. This withdrawal duration is unavoidable: even if the victim is cut off from
the vampire’s favor early, they will go into withdrawal for the full duration as soon as the benefit
ends. Similarly, if the user or another vampire comes along and applies another Lingering Kiss
on the victim to refresh the benefit period, any previous bonus is expunged and replaced with
the new bonus, they do not stack. The withdrawal durations, however, will continue to stack,
regardless of who gave the second (or third, or fourth…) Kiss, and the penalty will be equal to
the highest value acquired for the full duration of the withdrawal, regardless of who fed first or
more often. The Lingering Kiss is, ultimately, harmful and draining, its benefits fleeting. The
victim can take a level of Superficial Willpower damage to ignore the penalties for a scene,
however the only true respite from the withdrawal is to wait it out or not become a victim to the
Lingering Kiss in the first place.
The addictive nature of this Kiss works both ways by necessity - by some cruel twist of
fate, the vampire is always susceptible to a Blood Bond by utilizing this power on another
kindred, regardless of whether or not they possess the Unbondable Merit or the victim is a
Tremere or Thin-Blooded. Once the user is under the thrall of a Blood Bond, this power can no
longer be used on other kindred, only mortals.
Alt:The addiction inflicted by this power, however, goes both ways. If used on a full-blooded
vampire, there is always the risk of a blood bond, even if the target is a Tremere or the user is
Unbondable. This can even establish a new bond while the user is fully bound to someone else,
but the resulting Bond Strength can never meet or exceed the Strength of the existing bond.
■ Duration: A number of nights equal to the user’s Presence rating or until intentionally ended
[Gameplay example of adjusted Lingering Kiss]
PROTEAN
Shifting into animal forms, most popularly a wolf or bat, is a classic vampire trope—but the
powers devoted to it leave something to be desired. Compared to the alternatives, they’re
woefully underpowered and limited, and thus we offer this alternative, which not only improves
upon both powers but also shifts their intent to keep both of them distinct and viable throughout
a chronicle.
Shapeshift (Protean ⬤⬤⬤) (Replaces Shapechange)

The vampire can assume the shape of any animal (usually a wolf or bat, sometimes a feline or
snake), generally one associated with their clan or the type of prey they most commonly feed
on. The animal, while usually a spectacular example of their species, shows no signs to a
mundane observer of being supernatural.
■ System: No test is required. The transformation takes one turn, during which the user may
take no other actions. Upon transformation, the vampire completely replaces their own Physical
Attributes, senses, and Skills to those associated with that animal (see VtM Corebook pg 373)
with the exception of Intelligence, and also gains that animal’s natural limits of communication,
manipulation (most animals can carry one thing in their mouth), and so forth. The vampire can
use other Disciplines, at the Storyteller’s discretion. (By and large, they can use Auspex,
Animalism, Celerity, Fortitude, Potence, and Protean; many powers of Dominate, Obfuscate,
Oblivion, and Presence pose problems; Blood Sorcery is completely off the table.) A vampire
with Protean 3 can transform into only a single type of animal; at Protean 5 the vampire gains a
second animal form.
■ Duration: One scene unless ended voluntarily before that.
Unbridle the Bestial Form (Protean ⬤⬤⬤⬤) (Replaces Metamorphosis)

■ Prerequisite: Shapeshift
This power evolves the forms available from Shapeshift, turning the animal into a massive,
monstrous version of the creature, with power to match.
■ Cost: One or Two Rouse Checks
■ System: As per Shapeshift, however the animal in question can be up to twice its size and
utterly monstrous in appearance. This form is very clearly unnatural, breaching the Masquerade
and more than likely appearing terrifying to Mortals. Instead of replacing their own traits, the
vampire adds the animal’s Mental, Physical, and Social traits (see VtM Corebook p.373) to their
corresponding attributes. For example, if the animal has a rating of Physical 4, the vampire
spreads four dots among their Strength, Dexterity, and/or Stamina, adding to their base
Attributes. The vampire may also choose the higher of their or the animal’s Skill ratings when
making checks, and their claws and other natural weapons deal Aggravated damage to mortals
and unhalved Superficial Damage to kindred. Fangs and bite attacks deal Aggravated damage
to all targets.
If changing to this form directly from human or a different animal form, the vampire must
Rouse twice and the change takes a full round. If the vampire is already in a Shapeshifted form
and wishes to change to the Bestial version of the same form, they must only Rouse once and
the change is considered a minor action as they grow in size and ferocity. This extreme change
in form is taxing on the vitae, and the kindred cannot Blood Surge while maintaining it, though
they can still use their Disciplines (as per Shapeshift). Should the vampire Frenzy while in this
form, they will rapidly revert to the basic Shapeshift form over the course of one turn
immediately when the Frenzy ends.
■ Duration: One scene, or until ended (see above)
[Gameplay example of both powers in play using a bird form]
SORCERY
The Winter’s Teeth comic series added one of the more visually evocative and creative powers
to Blood Sorcery, Shape the Sanguine Sacrament. The power is primarily for writing messages
or creating images as written, however in the comic book’s panels it is often presented as a
weapon or in a threatening manner. This slight adjustment to its mechanics allows it to be
combined with other Blood Sorcery powers to creative effect, though it is extremely ostentatious
and would immediately break the Masquerade.
Shape the Sanguine Sacrament (Sorcery ⬤)

Learned only by the most ostentatious of blood sorcerers, this power is used to manipulate
blood or vitae into finely crafted images or three dimensional forms - whether entertaining your
fellows at Elysium with gaudy magician’s tricks or diverting the flowing rivulets into painstakingly
precise blood sigils, the blood manipulated in this way can defy the laws of gravity, levitating for
a brief period or coursing through the air to wherever the sorcerer wills it.
■ Cost: Free (or One Rouse Check if using own vitae)
■ Dice Pools: Wits + Blood Sorcery
■ System: The vampire manipulates a measure of blood or vitae within ten meters and direct
line of sight, causing it to animate and obey the user’s whim. With a successful Wits + Blood
Sorcery roll the user may craft the blood into any shape desired and/or move it freely in any
direction to hit a target. The Difficulty of the check may vary based on the complexity of the
shape or the target to be struck. A simple blood message or 3D shape would be Difficulty 2,
whereas a complex moving image or intricate sculpture would be Difficulty 4. Failure on the roll
means the blood fails to respond to the sorcerer’s will, while a Critical not only forms the image,
but negates any need for further rolls and the sorcerer may continue to change the blood’s
shape for the rest of the scene at will.
The blood can be used to splash a target, carry corrosive or poisonous vitae to a target,
or prepare a ward, warding circle, or similar ritual. When used as an attack, treat the roll as a
contest between the user’s Wits + Sorcery vs the victim’s defense roll, and any poisonous vitae
should be prepared in advance. When used for a ritual in which blood sigils are used, the ritual
can be performed in half the time. The sorcerer can use this power to draw in spilled blood or
blood that has already left a mortal’s body and feed, with the blood sating Hunger as if the
vampire had directly fed on the same volume of blood. Note that if the blood is not fresh, the
vampire may need the Iron Gullet merit to derive any benefit. For the fashion and Masquerade
conscientious kindred, this power can be used to draw every last trace of blood or vitae out of
clothing and fabrics with a Difficulty 3 roll.
■ Duration: One action, the effect lasts for the remainder of the scene unless dispelled by the
user.
Some might argue that there are many aspects of Blood Sorcery which could use some
tweaking and revision, but the most universally outstanding are the two poison powers in the
Corebook. It is an odd choice that two powers that traditionally were a part of Quietus in
previous editions and often paired with small, one handed weapons would rely on Strength for
their effects. Physical Strength seems out of place as the basis for a Sorcery power, and so a
much more reasonable alternative is given below, changing the poisons to be powered by the
caster’s force of will rather than how much weight they can lift.
Scorpion’s Touch (Sorcery ⬤⬤⬤)

As per VtM Corebook pg 274.
■ Cost: One or more Rouse Checks
■ Dice Pools: Resolve + Blood Sorcery vs Stamina + Occult or Fortitude
■ System: As per description in VtM Corebook pg 274, however the poison contest roll is now
Resolve + Blood Sorcery rather than Strength + Blood Sorcery. A vampire’s will and drive to
see the victim harmed is what determines the poison’s potency, not their physical strength.
Further, if the damage from the poison proves fatal to a mortal, the caster can choose to reduce
the damage, leaving their victim unconscious instead.
■ Duration: The poison remains potent for one scene
Baal’s Caress (Sorcery ⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤)

As per VtM Corebook, pg 274-275.
■ Cost: One or more Rouse Checks
■ Dice Pools: Resolve + Blood Sorcery vs Stamina + Occult or Fortitude
■ System: As per description in VtM Corebook, pg 274-275, however the poison contest roll is
now Resolve + Blood Sorcery rather than Strength + Blood Sorcery. A vampire’s will and drive
to see the victim harmed is what determines the poison’s potency, not their physical strength.
■ Duration: The poison remains potent for one scene
7- New Discipline Powers
Expanding on the breadth of powers already available, this chapter offers up some new options
for your table, as well as providing some much needed amalgams that are specific to the Banu
Haqim, as they are the only clan which currently does not naturally have access to any
amalgams.
ANIMALISM
Fifth Edition’s Disciplines are generally laid out in such a way as to give each clan at least one
amalgam power that acts as classic signature power for their archetype. In the case of the
Nosferatu, Unliving Hive (Animalism + Obfuscate) is that power, however the Ravnos are able to
use it as well. The level 5 power, Animal Dominion, allows any Animalism user to force any
animals in the vicinity to do the user’s bidding, however the rules are exceptionally vague and it
requires the use of Feral Whispers or something similar to draw the animals to you in the first
place. Stemming from the Nosferatu’s archetypal aesthetic of preferring vermin and scavengers
as their bestial allies, this power accentuates this relationship into something more stylistic.
Tide of Vermin (Animalism ⬤⬤⬤⬤)

■ Amalgam: Potence 2
The vampire calls out to all vermin and scavengers in the region, drawing them to her aid as she
redirects them to envelop the area, and her foes. The swarm of vermin will blot out the sky and
overrun all surfaces, terrifying mortals and hampering all supernatural foes in the vicinity.
■ Dice Pools: Resolve + Animalism vs Willpower, Stamina + Auspex, or Wits + Athletics
■ System: The vampire spends a full turn concentrating and then cries out in an inhuman
screech which includes frequencies even the human ear cannot hear, declaring the Difficulty
they are rolling against before rolling. At the Storyteller’s discretion, anyone utilizing Heightened
Senses in the vicinity may need to make a Stamina + Auspex contest to avoid being deafened.
The cry is answered immediately, with all vermin and small scavengers in a two kilometer radius
(rats, bats, pigeons, crows, etc, insects if the user possesses Unliving Hive) being drawn to an
area centered around the user in a swirling mass, which will persist until the end of the scene.
The swarm rapidly grows based on the Difficulty the user rolled against: a swarm large enough
to fill a large room requires only a Difficulty of 2, whereas an entire Stadium or large plaza could
be overrun with Difficulty 6 or higher. (refer to Appendix II for a suggested Difficulty table)
Any uprepared mortals caught in the swarm immediately flee, overcome with terror and
confusion. Kindred and prepared mortals may make a Willpower roll (or take a level of
Superficial Willpower Damage) to steel themselves and stay within the swarm. The swarm is
dense and deafening, incurring a -2 penalty to all perception and combat rolls, and for the
purposes of movement the swarm acts as difficult terrain requiring a Wits + Athletics roll or a
power such as Traversal to move within it or attempt to escape. Anyone trapped within the
swarm radius takes half the user’s Potence rating in Superficial damage, rounded up, every
turn, as the vermin batter people with their bodies in an uncoordinated hail. This damage can be
mitigated with Fortitude or armor, however the only way to truly avoid it is to escape the swarm
or find shelter from it, at the Storyteller’s discretion.
The swarm remains centered on the user as they move, and they can designate a
number of people up to their Animalism rating to be immune to the swarm as it parts around
them. At any point the user can further weaponize the swarm using Animal Dominion against a
Difficulty 4 roll regardless of swarm size. On a success the swarm can be directed as the user
sees fit, and can deal their full Potence rating in Aggravated damage to mortals or unhalved
Superficial to kindred, as the swarm batters itself bloody and swarms over any targets inside,
clawing and tearing flesh and stripping them to the bone. Be warned: another Kindred with
Animal Dominion can attempt to wrest the swarm from you and turn it to their own ends with
their own contested Dominion roll.
CELERITY
The Banu Haqim are the one clan who still do not have any clan specific amalgams, out of all
the 13 (14 if you include Salubri) clans. This is unfortunate as their particular Discipline spread
is completely unique - they are the only clan which combines Celerity, Obfuscate, and Blood
Sorcery in any capacity, and thus they are fertile ground for some very unique amalgams.
Afterimage (Celerity ⬤⬤)

■ Amalgam: Obfuscate 2
A particularly potent expression of their supernatural speed, the vampire can appear in multiple
locations in close proximity at once, moving rapidly between them while leaving perfectly
synchronized afterimages to distract… or strike.
■ Dice Pool: Manipulation + Obfuscate, Manipulation + Athletics in combat
■ System: The vampire moves quickly between two locations, leaving afterimages in both
places while remaining completely unseen as they travel between them. The two locations
cannot be further away from each other than the vampire can move in one round (see VtM
Corebook pg 298) and must be clear of any impediments and easy for the vampire to traverse in
a straight line. The vampire gains their full defensive pool when defending against as many
attacks as there are afterimages, and the vampire can choose to attack a single target, forcing
that character to defend as if being attacked by multiple attackers, subtracting one die for every
afterimage after the first one. This attack is still a single strike, the afterimages serving purely as
phantoms to confound the target. At Celerity 4 the vampire can create a third afterimage, and at
Celerity 5 another for a total of four.
The power follows standard Obfuscate rules, however all combat rolls are made with
Athletics replacing your combat skill in the dice pool, regardless of the type of attack being used.
If an opponent uses Sense the Unseen to successfully pierce the illusion, the vampire must still
use Athletics for their combat pool, however they gain none of the other benefits as their target
can see exactly where the strike is coming from.
■ Duration: One round.
[Gameplay example of Afterimage]
FORTITUDE
Apart from the suggestions in chapter 2, Fortitude and Obfuscate is a combination that has no
amalgam featured in any of the official material. The power below offers up an interesting and
stylish option for Caitiff (or possibly Ravnos, if the Chapter 2 adjustment is made) to employ.
Visage of Victory or Defeat (Fortitude ⬤)

■ Amalgam: Obfuscate 1
Warping the mind's impression of a wound as it is inflicted, the vampire meddles with onlookers’
perception, potentially swinging the tide of battle or allowing the user to escape.
■ Cost: Free
■ Dice Pool: Manipulation + Obfuscate vs Wits + Auspex
■ System: When sustaining any level of injury in physical or social combat, the vampire can
reflexively activate this power. A Visage of Victory makes the user appear invincible as if they
had taken no damage at all, adding two dice to all Intimidation checks or against any Insight
check directed against them for the remainder of the scene. A Visage of Defeat, conversely,
makes even the most minor wound appear horrendously grievous and life ending, adding two
dice to all Subterfuge and Stealth checks related to misdirecting or escaping from the attacker.
This power has no effect on the actual amount of damage taken.
OBFUSCATE
Obfuscate is further expanded with a few amalgams to accentuate certain clan combinations
and add more alternatives at the first level. Note that despite Flashing Daggers having a Rouse
Check at level 1, due to the Blood Potency 1 benefit of free Rouse rerolls for Level 1 powers,
this would apply making this power have a relatively low chance of raising Hunger.
Doublespeak (Obfuscate ⬤)
■ Amalgam: Presence 1
Many vampires have mastered the art of masking their true intent with an auditory illusion,
speaking one thing but a select few hearing something else entirely. A threat can be veiled
behind public pleasantries, a secret missive concealed as a greeting, or an order to strike
hidden in casual small talk.
■ Cost: Free
■ Dice Pools: Composure + Obfuscate
■ System: When speaking, the Kindred may select a number of listeners equal to their
Presence rating who will hear an alternate message rather than what is truly said. The veiled
statement must be brief and sync up with what the Kindred is truly saying in both length and
cadence; a Resolve + Obfuscate roll at Difficulty 3 is required to formulate the two statements.
Should the roll fail, it is the equivalent of drawing attention to the user, as per Obfuscate rules. A
listener using supernatural means of detection, for example Sense the Unseen, can attempt to
pierce the illusion as per the general rules.
■ Duration: One Round.
The Banu Haqim are the only clan that combines Obfuscate and Celerity, and that combination
provides for an extremely useful amalgam that is fitting for a clan of warriors who count some of
the most effective kindred assassins in the world amongst their number. Any vampire skilled in
Celerity and Obfuscate could easily learn this ability, of course.
Flashing Daggers (Obfuscate ⬤)

■ Amalgam: Celerity 1
Bending perceptions in a localized manner, the user is able to conceal small objects or weapons
on their body. Masters of this power can strike with apparently bare hands, revealing the
weapon at the very last second and catching their enemies by surprise.
■ Cost: Free or One Rouse Check.
■ Dice Pools: Dexterity + Larceny or Stealth
■ System: The user conceals an item carried on their person as long as it can be comfortably
held with one hand. If the user is being observed, this first requires a regular Larceny or Stealth
roll to palm the object or otherwise get it out of sight, with the item's size determining Difficulty at
the Storyteller's discretion. Additionally, this power can be used in combat to attack with hidden
weapons—though firearms become immediately visible (and audible) when fired, and melee
weapons become visible on impact with the target. When used in this fashion, add two bonus
dice to your surprise attack attempt and the power ends immediately; a Rouse check and roll
(as above) must be performed if the user wishes to reconceal the weapon. This power will not
foil surveillance systems, metal detectors, or security X-rays unless the user also has Ghost in
the Machine.
■ Duration: One Scene.
OBLIVION
Refer to Chapter 5 for more details on the new powers of Oblivion available.
8- New Compulsions and Flaws
Basic Compulsion
The fifth edition corebook has several basic compulsions which are a lot of fun to see unfold in
an adventure. Here is another one that can apply to any vampire, based on the Ghoul
compulsion from the Companion.
Daredevil
Self-preservation is overrated, and the vampire feels compelled to take every chance to
experience life at its fullest and take every risk, regardless of the consequences. The vampire
suffers a two dice penalty to all actions until they either partake of a new and risky experience or
the scene ends. This Compulsion won’t compel them to undertake suicidal actions, though they
may not always be able to accurately predict the consequences.
Clan Compulsions
Clan compulsions are interesting and fun, but often don’t fit within the context of a scene, while
the universal Compulsions may not be as interesting. These new Clan Compulsions are
generally meant to be an adjunct to the existing ones, providing an alternative option when
contextually appropriate in your game. If your table wishes to replace one or all of the
Compulsions entirely, that’s also entirely viable, of course.
Banu Haqim: Admonition

The vampire is gripped by profuse shame over the depredations of their Beast and they must
atone for their sins, be they real or perceived.
The vampire is driven to seek out embarrassment or injury at the hand of another, but
this damage (be it Willpower or Health) must come from a place of genuine wrath - it cannot
simply be asked for. The vampire suffers a three-dice penalty to all actions until they have been
made to suffer for their guilt or the scene ends.
Brujah: Elucidation
Exposing power structures and corruption drives the vampire to bring the secret web of intrigue
and control to light, most likely to later be destroyed.
The vampire pushes to expose the invisible chains of intrigue and power and rallying
others to aid them, with any action unrelated to either task receiving a two-dice penalty. The
Compulsion relents when the vampire learns of a new player or connection in the power
structures of the region or they convince an ally to assist them and take on this investigation by
changing their Desire.
Gangrel: Territoriality
One of the most primitive of drives, the vampire perceives the given area as their territory, and
aggressively acts to defend that territory and prove their claim to any they see as a threat.
The vampire marks the current area as their territory and will aggressively defend this
claim to drive away all trespassers. All other actions which do not subdue or drive off intruder(s)
suffer a two-dice penalty. This Compulsion ends when the Gangrel can no longer perceive any
threats in their territory.
Hecata: Apathy
Utterly detached from the emotionality of the living, the vampire sinks into an apathetic, lifeless
hole, dragging others down with them.
Sucking the lively energy from the room, the vampire is compelled to denigrate all
passion in others, suffering a two-dice penalty on all actions not used to apply cold, unfeeling
logic to bring others down and cause them to feel just as numb as the vampire. The Compulsion
ends when a target either abandons their Desire or becomes so disheartened that the
remainder of their evening is ruined.
Lasombra: Treachery
Looking out for number one is always the first priority, and the vampire will step on anyone in
their way in order to ensure that.
Anyone who trusts the vampire should worry, as the vampire turns on them in some
fashion, besmirching their good name, making them look bad in front of someone important, or
outright throwing them into danger if not delivering the strike personally. All actions unrelated to
pushing this unfortunately trusting person down are met with a two-dice penalty. The
Compulsion persists until the act of betrayal is completed, regardless of how long the
repercussions take to occur. The vampire does not necessarily need to even benefit from this
betrayal, their victim must simply suffer.
Malkavian: Oracular Oration

Fractured visions and portents come often to the vampire, and one suffering from this
Compulsion feels the need to explain them to others so that they can understand.
Explaining seemingly disparate imagery to someone else is often a fruitless endeavor,
nevertheless the vampire perseveres, suffering a three-dice penalty to all dice pools unrelated to
trying to help an outsider make sense of what their visions mean. The Compulsion ends when a
subject is able to piece together a rational meaning to their insights, be it accurate or not, or the
scene ends.
Ministry: Temptation
Unable to shake the need to lure another into their machinations, the vampire tempts and
seduces them into acting in the vampire’s interests rather than their own.
Always focused and never capricious in its seductions, this Compulsion is directed at a
specific target present when it occurs, driving the vampire to lure them into acting in the
interests of the vampire’s Desire or Ambition when they normally would not otherwise. Until they
make a meaningful effort towards the vampire’s goals, the vampire suffers a two-dice penalty to
all rolls unrelated to this temptation.
Nosferatu: Defacement
“I am not the ugly one, they are,” is the overriding thought in the vampire’s mind as they are
driven to bring others low, defacing things they cherish, exposing their inner ugliness, or outright
destroying their beauty.
The vampire goes out of their way to destroy or deface a thing of beauty that is important
to someone - this drive is not wild and indiscriminate, however, and is generally focused on a
specific target within the vampire’s line of sight when the Compulsion comes on. The
Compulsion ends when the vampire successfully defaces the target in some manner, suffering a
two-dice penalty to all rolls unrelated to this task in the interim.
Ravnos: Trickery
“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was making people believe he didn’t exist.” Like
infamous crime lords, the vampire pulls the wool over the eyes of others, taking advantage of
them for personal gain.
Duplicity becomes the name of the game, as the vampire strives to fool another into
indirectly performing a favor for them or perhaps giving them something unintentionally. The
vampire cannot use mental Disciplines such as Dominate in the pursuit of this goal, the victim
must be acting of their own accord, albeit unintentionally in the vampire’s favor. The Compulsion
ends when the vampire benefits from the actions of someone they have conned, suffering a
two-dice penalty on all actions unrelated to furthering this goal in the meantime.
Salubri: Consequentialism
The ends justify the means to the vampire, who will commit even the most heinous or terrible
acts, sacrificing innocents and loved ones alike, to see a task they feel is good and justified
come to fruition.
The vampire chooses a specific, possibly beneficent goal when the Compulsion
manifests and becomes utterly willing to sacrifice friends and allies or break Chronicle Tenets to
achieve it. Collateral damage does not factor into the equation for the vampire as all tasks
unrelated to achieving this goal are met with a two-dice penalty. The Compulsion ends when the
vampire has either achieved their goal or has suffered a Stain.
Toreador: Creation
Seized by an urge to create something of beauty, the vampire must forego all other distractions
to see their vision realized, be it in a painting, a song, a dance, or any other form of creative
expression.
Until the vampire successfully creates their work of beauty or expression, they can think
of nothing else, suffering a two-dice penalty on all rolls unrelated to seeing the art realized. The
work requires an extended action to complete, and the Compulsion will not pass until the work is
completed and displayed, though it need not be loved or even appreciated as art.
Tremere: Competition
Kindred life is very much a game of chess or poker, but the commonality is that it is always a
game, and games have winners. The vampire strives to be that winner, rising head and
shoulders above the rest to stand out.
The competitive edge in the vampire comes to the fore, pushing them to identify at least
one rival and strive to outshine them, regardless of the task at hand. The vampire takes a
two-dice penalty on any action not directly competing with someone in the scene. The
Compulsion breaks when the vampire outperforms their rival in two successive tasks or the
scene ends.
Tzimisce: Fortification
To have what you do not is one thing, it is another thing to have something and defend it
ardently from all perceived threats.
The vampire is unable to focus on tasks unrelated to defending or retaining control of
their possessions, be they objects or people, even if they are not actually under direct threat.
Any actions not taken in aggressive defense of your possessions is met with a three-dice
penalty, and the Compulsion relinquishes its grip at the end of the scene.
Ventrue: Implacability
Others’ wills and bodies are broken when faced with the vampire, forced to admit defeat in the
face of an unvanquishable foe. They do not bend around the threat, the threat breaks against
them.
The air of indestructibility of both mind and body are paramount as the vampire is
compelled to stand their ground, making a showing of how others’ words and blows are
meaningless and nonthreatening to them. Any rolls not involving Stamina, Composure, or
Resolve take a two-dice penalty and in combat the vampire eschews all rolls to dodge or
socially sidestep an attack in favor of meeting the threat head on and attacking or taking
damage in stride. The Compulsion breaks when one of your opposition gives up, is defeated, or
the scene ends.
FLAWS
Feeding
These new feeding flaws are meant to add some more nuance to the feeding difficulties that can
face a vampire on the streets of your chronicle.
⬤ Hirudinated Tongue - You are unable to lick your bite wounds closed like most kindred,
leaving obvious signs of your feeding.
⬤ Ravenous Frenzy - When you hunger frenzy, you do not automatically get the chance to stop
at Hunger 1. You must instead continue drinking to Hunger 0.
Mythic Clan Flaws

In previous editions, there were often various Flaws which were unique to specific clans. Many
of these flaws leaned heavily into the stereotypes of said clan, as older editions did in general,
and the majority of them are not appropriate to carry forward into fifth edition. A core precept of
V5 is that anyone can be any clan, and while each clan has their own flavor of specific Bane
and compulsion, ultimately these can simply be considered the equivalent of strange hereditary
traits within the vitae that embraced you, possibly passed down through a character’s sire or
grandsire.
These Mythic Flaws are no different, and are meant to provide interesting and fun new
flaws to let players lean into a specific flavor for their clan, though ultimately the number of
vampires of that clan with these specific brands of flaws are exceedingly rare, and more of an
exception to the rule than proof of it. If anything, those vampires who suffer with any of these
flaws could be the exceptions which prove the rule that no two vampires are alike, even within a
clan, and there are no stereotypes, only archetypal themes.
⬤ Defective Dispulsion (Banu Haqim Only)

The Tremere Blood Curse may have left the majority of the clan, but for some reason it still
lingers in your blood, albeit not as vicious as it once was. When feeding on kindred vitae, you
suffer one level of unhalved Superficial damage for every level of Hunger slaked. This flaw has
no effect on your Clan Bane - the few Elders stricken with this particular condition have been
known to run the risk of drinking themselves into torpor when the Hunger Frenzy strikes.
⬤ Always Angry (Brujah Only)

All Brujah are a bit hotheaded, but you take it to the next level, refusing to let go of your rage.
When Fury Frenzying, rather than make a Willpower test at Difficulty 3 after destroying your
provocation, you instead always make this test at Difficulty 5.
⬤ Severe Features (Gangrel Only)

The bestial features which crop up when you Frenzy last longer than usual for some
inexplicable reason. Rather than fading after one night, each feature persists for a number of
nights equal to your Bane Severity. Even if you choose to ride the wave, the single bestial
feature you manifest similarly lasts longer. If you choose to ride the wave repeatedly with each
successive frenzy, that same feature’s duration can instead be extended, adding your Bane
Severity to the remaining duration each time.
⬤⬤ Reproach of the Dead Flesh (Hecata Only)

Perhaps a manifestation of the Oblivion they share with the Lasombra, the Hecata’s
reflection in mirrors and reflective surfaces reveals their true nature - that of a moldering and
decaying corpse, regardless of what clothing or disguise they attempt to wear. The higher the
Bane Severity, the more grotesque their reflection’s visage, starting with a desiccated corpse
with dried and torn skin pulled taught over the bones and progressing ever further, the skin
rotting, the eyes shriveling in their sockets or infested with writhing maggots, layers of fungus
and mold draping from the exposed ribcage, etc. The player should vividly describe this
reflection, and it is an automatic Masquerade violation should a mortal spy it. Any disguise
attempts fail immediately should someone spot your reflection, and all Social rolls taken with
your reflection in plain view are done with a two-dice dice penalty (reduced to -1 if dealing solely
with other Hecata).
⬤⬤ Future Present (Malkavian Only)
Oracular visions can go awry, often at inopportune times. Plagued with visions of what
could be or could come to pass in the far flung future, you're often distracted during basic tasks
and often have trouble focusing. Any time you split a dice pool in combat, subtract two dice from
the pool before dividing the rest, and any tasks that call for dedicated concentration and focus
receive the same penalty as you struggle to ignore the flashes of insight and distractions. Minor
actions which normally do not take an action to perform now also require your full attention and
use a full action. You may take a level of Superficial Willpower damage prior to one of these rolls
to temporarily stave off the visions seething in the periphery of your vision, but you cannot then
spend Willpower to reroll any dice on it after the fact.
⬤ Shadow Prey (Lasombra Only)

Perhaps the Abyss has left its mark on you, as your shadow writhes and moves with a
mind of its own. It regularly betrays your true nature, and can be a Masquerade risk around
perceptive mortals. As your Hunger increases your shadow begins to take on a more and more
bestial form. Any attempt to notice the Lasombra or read their motives and intentions
automatically gains a number of bonus dice equal to your current Hunger level as the shadow
shifts and gives the Magister away. The only way to pacify your shadow is to use Shadow Cast
to wrestle the shadow into submission with a Difficulty equal to your Bane Severity, or take a
point of Superficial Willpower damage to quiet the shadow for a scene.
⬤⬤ Unsavory Mien (Ministry Only)

For some reason, something about you rubs people the wrong way. Maybe it’s greasy
hair or shifty, beady eyes. Maybe it’s the way you lick your lips or stare at people’s mouths when
they speak. In reality it’s nothing physical at all, but an unsettling aura and demeanor that
haunts your unlife, making it extremely difficult for others to tolerate you, let alone trust you. You
automatically receive a two-dice penalty on all Social rolls including Animal Ken, as even fauna
are repelled by your presence. The only way to counteract this enveloping aura of sliminess is
for a target to have tasted a Rouse check’s worth of your vitae; those who have done so are
immune to your mien. Interestingly, this vitae need not come directly from the vein and can be
decanted in order to avoid the Blood Bond, however the target must imbibe the full amount of
vitae themself—it cannot be, for example, mixed into a group beverage for several people to
drink. Good luck convincing anyone to partake willingly.
⬤ Vandalizing Vitae (Nosferatu Only)

Through a horrible twist of fate, your grisly appearance is transmitted through your vitae
not only to your childer, but to your ghouls as well. Any ghoul who feeds of your cursed vitae,
even if not directly from the vein, becomes horribly disfigured to match their master. Animals
lose their fur or grow cancerous boils all over their corrupted bodies while mortals find a
deformed stranger in the mirror. All of your ghouls automatically gain the Repulsive flaw, and as
long as they continue to feed on vitae it will remain. The only cure for their condition is to abstain
from vitae entirely until they cease to be a ghoul, at which point their deformities will slowly
revert over the course of a year, though they may still retain physical scars to go alongside the
mental ones. Animals cannot survive this process, and are changed permanently and will die
shortly after the last drop of vitae leaves their system, as their natural bodies cannot support the
grotesque additions. This has no effect on those you blood bond, provided they consume less
than one Rouse worth of your vitae. This flaw also has no effect on other kindred. If an existing
ghoul drinks your vitae, they will similarly be disfigured permanently, though this particular strain
of the Nosferatu curse is so notorious, even outside the clan, that you should not expect to
disfigure a rival’s ghoul, for example, and get away with it unscathed.
⬤⬤ Deceptively Hangry (Ravnos Only)

Your beast chafes with each bout of Hunger, passive-aggressively meddling with your
attempts to avoid conflict wherever possible. Should you fail a Rouse check on an Obfuscate
power, your Beast flares and meddles with its execution, causing small aberrations,
after-images, flaws in whatever facade you have erected. Anyone attempting to pierce your
deception gains a number of bonus dice equal to your current Hunger level. There is little to be
done about a hungry Beast, and the only means of completely negating this sabotage is to end
the illusion and try it again, or feed.
⬤ Woeful Opus (Toreador Only)

The Toreador Compulsion(s) affects you more severely, driving you to blood streaked
tears whenever you are stricken. The higher your Bane Severity, the more profuse this weeping
is, with some Elders of the clan pouring forth rivers of vitae when sufficiently moved or inspired.
Other than the obvious Masquerade breach this could cause, nearby kindred at Hunger 4 or
higher must test against Hunger Frenzy at a Difficulty equal to your Bane Severity or be driven
ravenous by your open display of emotion. The Diva can attempt to make a Willpower test
against a Difficulty equal to Bane Severity to attempt to stem the tears, and at the Storyteller’s
discretion the display may be so taxing that it causes Rouse checks.
⬤⬤ Vestigial Eye (Tremere Only)

The blood of Saulot still runs strongly through your veins—during your Embrace you
developed a rudimentary third eye which is blind and clearly visible on your forehead but offers
no mechanical benefit. Attempts to remove this eye always meet with failure, as the next night it
has returned, regardless of the method used to remove it. The eye is clearly a part of your
forehead and thus extremely disturbing to mortals, if not an outright Masquerade violation, while
other kindred may assume you are a Salubri and you receive a two-dice penalty to all Social
interactions with non-Tremere (including Salubri) if the eye is visible. Your Status with the
Tremere can never rise higher than one dot, as this mark is believed to be a bad omen, and
other Tremere will tolerate you but rarely trust you. Unlike a true Salubri eye, this vestigial eye
does not bleed with Discipline usage, but at Hunger 4 or higher it will begin to shine with a dull
red glow visible to anyone nearby.
⬤⬤ Rippling of the Beast (Tzimisce Only)

Your Beast remains poorly checked, tapping into your latent (or overt) gifts of
Fleshcrafting when roused. As your Hunger rises, the Beast uncoils within your flesh - your skin
ripples, your teeth sharpen, your fingers elongate into talons, etc. Whenever your Hunger
increases, roll a Willpower check at a difficulty equal to your new Hunger; on a failure, your
Beast manifests in your physical form until you next feed. As your Bane Severity increases, so
too does the inhumanity of the visage the beast takes, with onlookers gaining a number of dice
equal to half your Bane Severity (rounded down) as bonus die to any rolls to notice or detect
that you are not mortal.
⬤ Absolute Monarch (Ventrue Only)

A ruler must be obeyed at all times, and a failure to follow their orders undermines all that they
are. If the Ventrue fails on a roll to use a Dominate power or the results of that power do not turn
out as the Ventrue had intended they must test to resist Fury Frenzy at a difficulty equal to their
Bane Severity.
⬤⬤ Withering Countenance (Nosferatu Only)

Your visage is so abhorrent, it snuffs the life out of the world around you, your mere presence
causing plants to recoil, wilt, and die or food to actively spoil before your eyes. This
phenomenon is a clear Masquerade breach to the perceptive mortal, even more so than your
hideous visage, and the speed with which it occurs scales with your Bane Severity—a fledgling
simply causes flowers to shift away and meat or produce to slowly go bad over the course of an
hour, while more potent Elders afflicted with this curse cause the grass to brown and die
instantly with each step and mortal food to slowly dissolve into rancid slime within moments.
Depending on this severity, its aftermath could give away your presence or passage,
automatically providing bonus dice at the Storyteller’s discretion to any Survival or Awareness
rolls attempting to track or detect you. Most animals cower and flee from such an aura though
insects, scavengers, and vermin are strongly drawn to it. The Nosferatu may take a level of
Superficial Willpower damage to suppress the aura of decay for a scene.(Deprecated)
9- Bloodline Loresheets
With the advent of Cults of the Blood Gods, Bloodline Loresheets have now become part of the
gameplay ruleset of fifth edition, as a special form of Loresheet. The intent of Loresheets is that
each player character only have one, however the Bloodline Loresheets expand on this
limitation, allowing a character to have one of each, if they choose. The many “Descendant
of…” Loresheets in the Corebook and other supplements have been folded into this new
Bloodline system as Bloodline Loresheets, however despite this, four clans are notably lacking
in any form of Bloodline Loresheet. This chapter provides four sheets to alleviate this problem,
leaving Salubri as the only official “clan” which still does not have a Bloodline. Their omission
from this book was intentional, as they themselves are already described as being a Bloodline in
and of themselves in the modern nights, and thus a dedicated Bloodline Loresheet for them is
unnecessary.
DESCENDANT OF AL-ASHRAD
(BLOODLINE; Banu Haqim Characters Only)
One of the most gifted mortal mages of his time, Al-Ashrad was so powerful that he regularly
graced Haqim’s (yes, that one) company, serving as one of his closest advisors for over a
century while retaining his mortality. This could not last forever, of course, and he ultimately was
embraced by one of Haqim’s childer, the infamous blood sorcerer Ur-Shulgi. Al-Ashrad has now
cemented his position within the clan over the millennia and served as the Amr of Alamut since
before the first Crusades.
More recently, Al-Ashrad and his childer have spent hundreds of years working to break the
Tremere Blood Curse. None of these experiments bore fruit, until Ur-Shulgi arose from torpor in
the late 1990s and overcharged the ritual with a mass sacrifice of the Banu who opposed them.
Al-Ashrad himself is now on the run from his Sire, drawing on his vast collection of relics, occult
texts, apocryphal histories, and reputation as a fair and wise leader. Above all else, Al-Ashrad
has always sought knowledge, and his childer have generally been selected for the same. Now
his own childe, Amaravati, has taken his place at Ur-Shulgi’s side, and the childer of Al-Ashrad
are found the world over, wherever knowledge is waiting to be discovered.
⬤ Map the Skies: As long as you can see the night sky, you can pinpoint your exact location to
within a few meters. You Rouse the blood and smear vitae over your eyes while viewing the
stars, rolling Intelligence + Blood Sorcery against a Difficulty of 2. The stars do not need to
necessarily be visible to the naked eye, as in a city with excess ambient light, but if they are not
visible the difficulty is increased by 1.
⬤ ⬤ Al Hafeez: Through long study of the occult, you have developed a preternatural sense
for magical wards and protections. You gain the Magical Wards specialty in Awareness, and
once per story you can Rouse the blood and douse a ward, using your Resolve + Blood Sorcery
vs the original Sorcery roll. On a win, the ward will not respond to you or your actions for one
scene.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Cradlesong: You’re able to discern the supernatural pacts that cling to others. Once
per story you may Rouse the blood and look upon a target to see any spiritual or supernatural
ties which bind the target to another, including Blood Bonds. These ties stream out from the
target’s body, theoretically pointing to their source no matter how far away they are, though if
that source is not nearby they may be impossible to locate before the visions fade. Ties to
demonic or infernal entities glow a fiery orange, spiritual ties to wraiths or other denizens of the
Abyss and Shadowlands are a greasy black ichor, and blood bonds appear as a streaming arc
of blood which slowly drips on the ground — possibly provoking a hunger frenzy. Looking upon
these unseen connections can draw the gaze of those who know what to look for - your scrying
can be detected by Sense the Unseen and similar powers (rolling Wits + Auspex or equivalent
against a Difficulty of 3).
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Blood Monomacy: Like your forebearer, you are gifted in the art of blood-magic
duelling. When facing another Blood Sorcerer in single combat, you automatically receive two
bonus dice to resist and deflect all forms of Blood Sorcery, including Rituals. This skill has been
noted by your peers, giving you one dot of Infamy among other sorcerers.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Antiquary of Alamut: You have been entrusted with one of the many magical
relics in Al-Ashrad’s keeping. The details of this artifact should be worked out with your
Storyteller, and once per story you can wield its awesome might in the service of your cause.
The details and limitations should be well described prior to its usage in your chronicle; some
suggestions can be found in Appendix I (page XX). Unfortunately, your possession of this rare
gift has drawn the eye of Ur-Shulgi and his Loyalists, and you also gain a two-dot Adversary in
the form of a Web of Knives assassin who has been dispatched to recover the artifact by any
means necessary.
DESCENDANT OF DRACULA
(BLOODLINE; Tzimisce Characters Only)
Vlad III Tepes was infamous in life as a butcher and impaler of his many enemies, and as
kindred even doubly so, spitting on the Masquerade and avoiding the Camarilla's wrath to this
day, an almost mythical being to many. Like many of his Tzimisce brethren, he was reclusive
and territorial even during his centuries of open activity, with a deep spiritual connection to the
very earth of his homeland, a trait he passed on to his childer.
The Kolduns of the Eastern Steppe and their childer, Dracula foremost amongst them,
prioritized the manipulation of nature spirits and the land they are tied to, many even shunning
the use of Vicissitude as the crude art of fiends. Dracula himself was a known and rather open
practitioner of the fleshcrafting arts, however, and his descendants are instead generally chosen
for having the true heart of his namesake - the dragon, an insatiable desire to claim what is
theirs by right and take what they want by whatever means necessary. This deep rooted
connection to their possessions and domain has unlocked many of the same Koldunic abilities
in his childer, regardless of where they choose to roost.
⬤ Undying Loyalty: The flesh of your animal companions is disposable, but you refuse to let
their soul rest. After an animal you’ve ghouled has died, the next time you ghoul an animal of
the same species you can replace their spirit with that of your lost companion. This removes the
need to spend time bonding to and training an animal.
⬤ ⬤ Amicable Lord: You do not let your blood’s territorial nature breed paranoia. While
establishing your territory, you and other Tzimisce came to an understanding to respect each
other’s domains, at least on the surface. Gain two dots to spend in Haven, and you gain a
two-die bonus to all Social rolls when dealing with other Tzimisce at any clan gathering or in a
Tzimisce domain or haven.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Immortalized in Stone: You can retain a single Conviction by turning the corpse of its
representative Touchstone to stone, their statue continuing the role they had in life. To perform
the Koldunic ritual, a stone must be smeared with vitae and placed deep in the back of the
corpse’s throat. The Koldun then draws earth spirits to the stone with a rhythmic chant while
meditating over the body and gradually adjusting its position as it slowly petrifies over the
course of the night, its position becoming permanent when the Koldun arises the next evening.
The ritual can be used on other bodies, as well, to keep them as trophies, however anyone
inspecting these statues via supernatural means will discern their true nature immediately.
Damage or destruction of the Touchstone is literal in the case of the statue, and will cause
stains accordingly. After the statue is destroyed, you lose the Conviction it represents.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Legacy of The Dragon: Your ancestry is well known across the city, and like
Dracula, you hold both fame and infamy. Gain six dots to spread between local Status and
Fame within kindred society, however you also must take two dots of Adversary, representing a
small group of jealous sectmates or Tzimisce who are outraged by your ancestor’s many sins
against the Masquerade and have taken an interest in you, by proxy.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ The World is Your Hoard: The world belongs to you, and no one will doubt it.
When suffering a Compulsion it is always your Clan Compulsion, though you receive a two-die
bonus to direct actions taken to obtain that which you are obsessed with possessing.
Additionally, once a week you may draw power from the spirits of the land to turn your Clan
Curse to your benefit, converting one point of Aggravated Willpower damage into Superficial
Willpower damage when you awaken from your daysleep surrounded by your charge.
DESCENDANT OF PHAEDYME
(BLOODLINE; Ravnos Characters Only)
In life, Phaedyme served in the armies of Alexander the Great, masquerading as a male soldier
in his phalanx. She marched east with the young Macedonian king’s armies, making it all the
way to India before falling in battle and being saved from death by one of the Ravnos
antedeluvian’s own childer. The Old Lady of the Ravnos was impressed and intrigued by this
female soldier, holding her own in what was truly a man’s world, and she foresaw great things of
her childe.
How right the Black Mother was, as Phaedyme returned to Europe and spent the next several
centuries nurturing concepts like chivalry and martial honor. So great was her influence that all
of her followers came to be called Phaedymites, known the world over as trusted messengers.
They also often served as heralds of Cainite Princes, welcomed in any court and with a
reputation for keeping their word and acting fairly and justly, their exploits the stuff of legends of
gallant and honorbound knights. While Phaedyme seems to have disappeared from the public
eye after the Week of Nightmares, her childer continue her legacy the world over.
⬤ Trusted Messenger: The reputation of your lineage assists you as a known courier within a
Kindred sect. Gain two dots of Status in that sect, however you will often be expected to render
services for the power players, with your continued position being contingent on your discretion
and guarantee of delivery.
⬤ ⬤ Oathsworn: You have taken an oath which serves to help ground you and reinforce your
rational mind, giving you an additional Conviction which is not tied to a Touchstone. Should you
ever violate this Conviction, you gain double the stains you normally would, and if you fail your
Remorse roll the Conviction is lost and you must discuss with the Storyteller how to replace it
(likely via a Project).
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ On my Honor: Stories of your honorable ways have spread far and wide, giving you
three dots of Fame (Honorable). Once per story, this Fame may be staked in any one
Persuasion or Leadership roll to add three dice to your pool. At the Storyteller’s discretion,
should you be disingenuous in your words or fail to deliver on your guarantees, the Fame
immediately converts into Infamy (Dishonorable), with a long road ahead of you to redeem your
reputation.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Path of Chivalry: You have designated one of your Touchstones as your charge,
swearing yourself to their protection whether they're aware of it or not. You gain two bonus dice
on all actions while acting in defense of your charge, including combat rolls. Should you fail in
your duties as a protector, you double the number of stains earned for the injury or death of your
Touchstone. The only way to discharge your duty is for your Touchstone to die, at which point a
new Touchstone must be designated as your Charge.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Mommy’s Home: Phaedyme is notorious for how vehemently she defends her
childer when they were in danger. You may well find this out first hand - once per chronicle, you
can call on the fates to answer your call for help, and your methuselah forebear will come to
your aid…or avenge you after the fact. Discuss with the Storyteller what form this help might
take, though your character may have no idea of Phaedyme's intentions or that she intervened
at all. As a methuselah of great power, the form this help takes should be spectacular,
potentially able to shift the narrative of a chronicle.
SERPENTS OF THE LIGHT
(BLOODLINE; Ministry Characters Only)
Also known as the Cobras, the Serpents of the Light are believed to hail from Hispaniola,
though in truth they can trace their lineage back to the Followers of Set of Western Africa. The
first Cobras came to the West Indies as liberators, finding a family and powerbase amongst the
liberated slaves, and over time they incorporated this “No Masters” mindset into their unlives.
The supposed Antediluvians, including their own forefather Set, are considered the worst
masters of all, and as a result the Church of Set has branded the Cobras traitors to the faith.
The Sabbat embodied similar ideals of toppling regimes and freedom from Elders, and for a
time the two groups were synonymous - if you met a Cobra, you were more than likely going to
meet their Pack, violently, shortly thereafter.
With the collapse of the Sabbat, most Serpents now tend to find a local Princedom or Barony
and slither their way in, drawing kine to follow them through vices and pleasure, slowly
undermining the local rulers by extracting boons from their underlings and draining away their
power bases. The truth can be whatever the Cobras want it to be, and they are masters of
projecting a public image they wish others to see. One thing is certain: unlike many of their
Samedi brethren, the Serpents embrace life above all else and spend much of their unlife
among the mortals, living as they do.
⬤ Scent of the Beast: You are able to emit the pheromones of a certain class of beast
(mammals, birds, etc), with most Serpents having an affinity for reptiles. Add one die to any
Animal Ken rolls with that particular type of animal to represent these pheromones. This die can
stack on top of a Specialty for a total bonus of two dice.
⬤ ⬤ Touch of Life: Like many of your brethren, you are in tune with the beat of mortal life and
no longer need to Rouse the Blood for the Blush of Life.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Orisha's Fortune: Once per session you are able to bend the winds of favor to your
will, allowing you to spend willpower a second time on a single roll.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Bondage Breaker: Half Sabbat ritual, half ancient sorcery, you’ve developed a
method of diluting and breaking the Blood Bonds of other Kindred. Rouse three times into a
silver vessel, stirring the vitae with the shinbone of mortal who had been kept captive while
burning a personal item of both the regnant and their bondslave into the vessel. Then drink the
vitae from the vessel to empower your vitae—this vitae does not satisfy your Hunger, and will
only remain potent for the remainder of the night. The bondslave must willingly feed directly
from your vein for the bond to be weakened; if they do, it is as if they’d gone three months
without tasting their regnant’s vitae. This modified vitae serves only to break bonds, not to form
them.
⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ Packmaster: Though you’re no longer Sabbat yourself, you maintain ties to your
old Pack, and they to you. You gain the equivalent of five dots in Mawla to represent the 3-4
kindred who called you their Packmate, who will die for you and assist you in any way possible,
but would expect the same from you. Once per story you may call on the Pack to directly and
openly intervene in your cause, fighting on your behalf just like the old days. Because of your
time with the Sabbat, you must spread two dots between Adversary, Infamy (Sabbat), or
Enemies to represent all the bridges you burned along the way.
Appendix I
The Relics of Al-Ashrad
The following are some of the powerful relics that the Banu Haqim sorcerer, Al-Ashrad, has
acquired over his many centuries of unlife.
The Blood of Apostasy

To date, Talaq remains the only kindred to have truly regained his mortality, with the help of the
mage Maimonides. Granted an unnaturally long life by the mage's ritual, he ruled over Petra for
over a hundred years before being torn to shreds by Ur-Shulgi for his apostasy. Ur-Shulgi left
the bloody remnants of Talaq enshrined under Petra as a warning to others, and over the years,
the Banu have recovered multiple samples of his life blood. Perhaps this vial was drawn from
the vampire during his last mortal days, or collected from the stone tiles on which he met his
demise. Either way, it still holds a fraction of Maimonides' magic, and if drunk by a kindred it is
rumored to either temporarily turn them into a mortal for a day or allow them to walk under the
sun for 24 hours.
Tegyrian Blade
While he is best known for his diplomatic work as Vizier, the great Haqimite Tegyrius had been a
general under Alexander the Great during his mortal life, and he never forgot his martial roots.
Throughout his unlife he has forged many weapons to help him overcome the permanent limp
he acquired as a mortal. A Tegyrian Blade is a specially-crafted sword or dagger that answers to
a child of Haqim's will. When it is coated in Haqimite vitae, the blade can be animated to soar
through the air and attack of its own accord, acting as a ranged weapon for the scene. When
attacking with such a blade, the Banu Haqim must focus their attention on the attack and can
only take minor actions, rolling their Resolve + Occult as their attack roll. The Blade can also be
used as a standard melee weapon, and it can be coated in Sorcerous poisons to spectacular
effect.
Tariq’s Bane
Tariq the Silent is one of the most notorious diablerists in the clan’s history, and after the
Tremere enacted the Blood Curse against the clan, he vowed to destroy every Tremere he
found. A fifth generation methuselah of unimaginable power, he was extremely successful in his
crusade, so much so that a group of Tremere managed to capture him and permanently
increase his generation to thirteenth. Thinking this would be a death sentence, they released
him and assumed that he would swiftly meet his end, but to their chagrin (and purportedly,
demise) he not only survived but murdered his way through the ranks of the Black Hand to
become one of its commanders. While the experimental ritual used on Tariq has been lost, at
some point in the course of his research Al-Ashrad managed to distill a measure of the serum
from Tariq’s vitae. When introduced into a kindred body, either via ingestion or through a cut, the
serum assaults their vitae, severing much of the connection to their power - this effectively
raises the vampire’s Generation to thirteenth and lowers their Blood Potency to 1 for the
remainder of the night. The victim can attempt a Stamina + Resolve roll against a Difficulty of 5
to resist the poison for the scene; on a critical win they purge the poison from their system
entirely.
Fate of Antara
Antara ibn Shaddad is a powerful Banu Haqim known primarily for one thing - he was the
source of the Tremere Blood Curse inflicted on the clan during the Convention of Thorns.
Having led the life of a warrior and becoming disillusioned with the shadow wars of the Kindred,
he willingly submitted himself to the ritual in the hopes that it would broker peace and foster
compromise among his undead brethren. While Al-Ashrad wasn’t able to generate a cure from
Antara’s vitae, he was able to mimic the effects of the curse itself. You possess the prototype of
this theory, a small and simple goblet which, when filled with vitae, renders the imbibing kindred
completely unable to feed on other vampires for the remainder of the story: each point of
Hunger slaked from a vampire immediately inflicts one point of aggravated damage. There is no
roll to resist this curse (though Fortitude can reduce the damage as usual), and the target does
not need to drink the blood willingly, but it must come directly from the cup.
Appendix II
Reference Tables
Extended Hunting Roll Example Difficulties

Scenario Difficulty
Slum neighborhood, Skid Row, public housing projects or banlieues, the Rack, 4-6
an area with ample isolated targets
Bohemian or hipster neighborhood, gentrifying or blighted working-class 5-8

neighborhod
Healthy, working-class neighborhood, downtown business district, tourist 7-10

district, airport, or casino
Manufacturing, warehouse, or port district; urban parkland; middle class 9-12

suburban sprawl
Wealthy neighborhood or extremely crowded area with little privacy 12+
Default Oblivion Ceremony Specializations

Core Gift of False Life Knit the Veil Summon Spirit - Traveler’s Call
Ceremony (Shalimite
(Corpseweaving) (Shroudwalking) (Spiritworking) Mysticism)
Level 2 - Awaken the - Compel Spirit

Homuncular Servant
Level 3 - Shambling Hordes - Fortezza Sindonica - Host Spirit - Name of the Father
- Harrowhaunt
Level 4 - Befoul Vessel - Split the Shroud - Bind the Spirit

- Death Rattle
Level 5 - Lazarene Blessing - Ex Nihilo - Pit of Contemplation
Corpseweaving
Prerequisite
Ashes to Awaken the Homuncular Servant 2

Ashes
Gift of False Shambling Hordes 3
Life
Touch of Befoul Vessel 4
Oblivion
Lazarene Blessing 5
Shroudwalking
Prerequisite
Where the Fortezza Sindonica 3

Shroud Thins
Harrowhaunt 3
Knit the Veil
Shadow Split the Shroud 4
Perspective
Ex Nihilo 5
Spiritweaving
Prerequisite
Compel Spirit 2
Binding Fetter
Host Spirit 3
Summon
Spirit Bind the Spirit 4
Passion Feast
Death Rattle 4
Tide of Vermin Difficulties

Area Affected Difficulty
A large room, a one bedroom apartment 2
An entire floor of a building, a multi-floor small shop or bar 3
An auditorium, a large retail store 4
An apartment complex, one city block 5
A stadium, a large public plaza 6
Obdurate Difficulties and Damages (all damage is Superficial)

Type of Impact Difficulty Damage
Falling 50m or less, stopping a car moving 20kph or less 2 6-8
Falling 100m or less, stopping a car moving 50kph or less 3 8-12
Falling off a tall skyscraper, stopping a car at top speed 4 12-18
Falling from a helicopter at low altitude, stopping a speeding train 5 18-25
Falling out of an airplane at cruising altitude 6 25+

Appendix III
Paths of Enlightenment
Previous editions allowed for alternative Paths (and Roads) of Enlightenment as an alternative
to the old Humanity system. They're unnecessary in the current edition, as the Humanity system
is vastly more flexible, and thus we can instead view them as codes of ethics that many
vampires collectively follow, not unlike many of the cults in Cults of the Blood Gods. Provided
are some example Convictions and Chronicle Tenets to help with converting these Paths to 5th
Edition. Bear in mind that a character can always follow these Convictions, regardless of the
Chronicle Tenets, and the Tenets do not need to be tailored to a specific "path" to be playable. If
more than one character follows a Path, it can be helpful to have Tenets that inform that style of
game, however. If you happen to be playing an ex-Sabbat or Sabbat oriented chronicle, for
example, where many of the player characters lean toward alternate paths, then it might make
sense to set the Chronicle Tenets to line up with one or more Path in order to set bounds and
perhaps drive tension between the coterie members.
Novel paths can easily be formed, just follow the general guideline that a Conviction
should be worded in such a way that it is generally used to excuse an action that the character
might take, whereas a Tenet should be a generalized action or stance that should either always
be upheld or that the characters should never act on (but undoubtedly will). Both Convictions
and Tenets should be worded vaguely enough that they can be applied to multiple situations
with enough discussion, however Tenets should often include extreme adverbs like "Always"
and "Never" or other language to provide clear delineation for if and when they are broken.
Here are some examples from legacy Paths. For more information on the paths, feel free to
check them out on the White Wolf Wiki.
The Path of the Beast

Convictions:
● Survival is paramount, do whatever it takes to ensure it
● Don't stick your neck out except to kill your enemies
● Mercy is for the weak
Chronicle Tenets
● Don't shit where you eat
● Only kill when you have to
● Cruelty is beneath us
The Path of Blood

Convictions:
● Blood is power, diablerie is a right
● The matters of mortals are of no concern to us
● Those who denigrate Haqim also forfeit their life
Chronicle Tenets
● Always keep your word to a sibling in blood
● We are kindred, not Beasts
● Spread the word of Haqim, those who deny it must make you stronger
The Path of Bones

Convictions:
● Never deny your Hunger, feed whenever necessary
● Death caused by my own hand can be the most informative of all
● Your problems are not more important than my convenience
Chronicle Tenets
● Never lose control, master yourself
● Logic dictates our actions, not emotion
● Death should always serve a purpose and have meaning
The Path of Honorable Accord

Convictions:
● I always repay a debt, no matter what
● Those without honor deserve neither my attention, nor my compassion
● Duty is more important than anyone's personal concerns
Chronicle Tenets
● Loyalty lies in always following orders
● We always protect our own
● Never show cowardice in the face of adversity
The Path of Night

Convictions:
● Death is your tool, hone it like a master
● Mortals are our food
● Compassion has no place in a kindred heart
Chronicle Tenets
● We do not bend the knee
● All death must serve a purpose and be deliberate, accidents are beneath us
● Novelty in unlife is paramount, stagnation is the path of fools
Index
A Doublespeak - T
Absolute Monarch - Flashing Daggers - Territorially Pissy -
Al-Ashrad Oblivion
Descendant of - Ashes to Ashes -
Clotho’s Last Vigil - U
Relics of - Unsavory Mien -
Animalism Edict of Atropos -
Animal Dominion - Font of Putrefaction -
Bond Famulus - Ligare Mortuos - V
Tide of Vermin - Nekyia - Vandalizing Vitae -
Oblivion’s Sight - Vestigial Eye -
Passion Feast -
B The Ravages of Lachesis -
Blood Bonds - W
Shade Gremlins -
Woeful Opus -
Skuld Fulfilled -
C Unliving Anchor -
Castigation of the Maestro - Where the Shroud Thins -
Celerity
Afterimage - P
Paths -
D Phaedyme, Descendant of -
Daredevil - Potence
Deceptively Hangry - Fist of Caine -
Disciplines Uncanny Grip -
Powers (see individual Predator Types
Disciplines) Discipline Experience -
Reawakening - Expansion -
Domains - Psychopomp -
Dracula, Descendant of - The Mark -
Willpower Healing -
Presence
E
Awe -
Embrace -
Daunt -
Lingering Kiss -
F Protean
Fortitude Shapeshift -
Obdurate - Unbridle the Bestial Form -
Shatter -
Visage of Victory or Defeat -
R
Future Present
Ravenous Hunger -
Ravnos Adjustment -
G Reproach of the Dead Flesh -
Ghouls, Disciplines - Rippling of the Beast -
Resources Rework -
H Cash -
Haven, Mobile - Investments -
Hirudinated Tongue -
Humanity S
Explanation - Scarification of the Impure
Stain Mitigation - Shadow Prey -
Hunting, Extended - Serpents of the Light -
Sorcery
O Baal’s Caress -
Obfuscate Scorpion’s Touch -
Cloak of Shadows - Staking -
Conceal -

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VAMILY: THE ERRATA

Written by Faraz Quraishi

Edited by Daniel Stelzer

With Contributions from:

The Road to Damnation: Humanity and Degeneration

The Jaws of Oblivion

Modified Discipline Powers

New Discipline Powers

New Compulsions and Flaws

Appendix I - The Relics of Al-Ashrad

Appendix II - Reference Tables

Appendix III - Paths of Enlightenment

How to use this book

Predator Type as the Beast?

Predator Type Disciplines

In-clan 1 In-clan 2 In-clan 3 Out of clan 1 Out of clan 2 Exp Spent

NEW PREDATOR TYPES

Predator Type Discipline Expansion

Predator Type Disciplines

Alleycat Celerity, Obfuscate, Potence

Bagger Obfuscate, Oblivion, Sorcery†

Blood Leech Celerity, Potence, Protean

Cleaver Animalism, Dominate, Presence

Consensualist Animalism, Auspex, Fortitude

Extortionist Dominate, Obfuscate, Potence

Farmer Animalism, Celerity, Protean

Graverobber Animalism, Fortitude, Oblivion

The Mark* Auspex, Fortitude, Presence

Osiris Dominate, Presence, Sorcery†

Reaper* Auspex, Oblivion, Presence

Roadside Killer Celerity, Fortitude, Protean

Scene Queen Dominate, Potence, Sorcery†

Siren Auspex, Fortitude, Presence

Humanity has nothing to do with morality or ethics.

[Pie chart showing Humanity 7]

Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted

The Roads (and Paths) not Taken

Mr Beast, the Quicker Stainer Upper

Reach out and Touchstone

Unleash the Beast

Experience based on Narrative

Type of Stake Damage Modifier

[Gameplay example of new Staking rules]

Ghouls, and their Disciplines

Domain and Lien

The Hunt and Feeding

Four Best Attributes 3 Dots

Section I: The First Step into Oblivion

Gift of False Life (Level 1 Core Ceremony)

Ashes to Awaken the Homuncular Servant 2

Where the Shroud Thins (Level 2 Ceremony)

Summon Spirit (Level 1 Core Ceremony)

Ligare Death Rattle 4

Traveler’s Call (Level 1 Core Ceremony)

Shadow Cloak Traveler’s Name of the Father 3

Section II: Oblivion, Adjusted

Ashes to Ashes (Oblivion ⬤)

Oblivion’s Gaze (Oblivion ⬤) (Replaces Oblivion’s Sight and Binding Fetter)

Clotho's Last Vigil (Oblivion ⬤⬤) (Replaces Fatal Precognition)

Passion Feast (Oblivion ⬤⬤⬤)

The Ravages of Lachesis (Oblivion ⬤⬤⬤) (Replaces Aura of Decay)

Font of Putrefaction (Oblivion 3 Ceremony)

Skuld Fulfilled (Oblivion 5 Ceremony)