Physical
Acute Sense (1-pt. merit) One of your senses is exceptionally sharp, be it sight, hearing, smell, touch or taste. The difficulties for all tasks involving the use of this particular sense are reduced by two. This Merit can be combined with the Discipline Auspex to produce superhuman sensory acuity.
Ambidextrous (1-pt. merit) You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with the "wrong" hand at no penalty. You must still use the rules for taking multiple actions, but will not suffer a difficulty penalty if, say, you use two weapons or are forced to use your off hand.
Eat Food (1-pt. merit) You have the capacity to eat food and even savor its taste. While you cannot derive any nourishment from eating regular foods, this ability will serve you well in maintaining the Masquerade. Of course, you can't digest what you eat, and there will be some point during the evening when you must force yourself to heave it back up.
Catlike Balance (1-pt. merit) You possess an innately perfect sense of balance. Characters with this Merit reduce difficulties of all balance-related rolls (e. g., Dexterity + Athletics to walk along a narrow ledge) by two.
Blush of Health (2-pt. merit) You look more hale and healthy in appearance than other vampires, allowing you to blend with human society much more easily. You still retain the color of a living mortal, and your skin feels only slightly cool to the touch.
Enchanting Voice (2-pt. merit) There is something about your voice that others cannot ignore. When you command, they are cowed. When you seduce, they swoon. Whether thunderous, gentle, persuading or simply talking, your voice commands attention. The difficulties of all die rolls involving the use of the voice to persuade, charm or command are reduced by two.
Daredevil (3-pt. merit) You are good at taking risks, and even better at surviving them. When attempting exceptionally risky actions (such as leaping from one moving car to another), characters with this Merit add an additional three dice to their rolls, and negate a single botch die that may result from such a roll. Generally, such actions must be at least difficulty 8 and have the potential to inflict at least three health levels of damage if failed.
Efficient Digestion (3-pt. merit) You are able to draw more than the usual amount of nourishment from blood. When feeding, you gain an additional point to your blood pool for every two points of blood you consume. This does not allow you to exceed your blood pool maximum.
Huge Size (4-pt. merit) You are abnormally large in size, at least 6'10" and 300 pounds in weight. Aside from making you extremely noticeable in public, this extra mass bestows an additional Bruised health level. Characters with this Merit may also gain bonuses to push objects, open barred doors, avoid being knocked down, etc.
Smell of the Grave (1-pt. flaw) You exude an odor of dampness and newly turned earth, which no amount of scents or perfumes will cover. Mortals in your immediate presence become uncomfortable, so the difficulties of all Social rolls to affect mortals increase by one.
Short (1-pt. flaw) You are well below average height - four and a half feet tall or less. You have difficulty reaching or manipulating objects designed for normal adult size, and your running speed is one-half that of a normally proportioned human.
Hard of Hearing (1-pt. flaw) Your hearing is defective. The difficulties of any die rolls involving the use of hearing are increased by two.
14th Generation (2-pt. flaw) You were created five or fewer years ago by a member of the 13th generation. Though you have 10 blood points in your body, only eight of them may be used to heal wounds, power Disciplines, raise Attributes, etc. Obviously, taking this Flaw precludes you from taking the Generation Background, and you may not start with Status, either. You are likely a clanless Caitiff, for your blood is probably too thin to pass down the distinguishing characteristics of a clan. Most 14th-generation vampires should also take the Thin Blood Flaw.
Infectious Bite (2-pt. flaw) You lack the enzymes that allow most Kindred to seal the wounds caused by their feeding. You may not automatically lick the wounds of your feeding closed. In fact, your bites have a one in five chance of becoming infected and causing mortal victims to become seriously ill. The precise nature of the infection is determined by the Storyteller.
Bad Sight (1- or 3-pt. flaw) Your sight is defective. The difficulties of any die rolls involving the use of your eyesight are increased by two. As a one-point Flaw, this condition can be corrected with glasses or contacts; as a three-point Flaw, the condition is too severe to be corrected.
One Eye (2-pt. flaw) You have only one eye - which eye is missing is up to you. The difficulties of all Perception rolls involving eyesight are increased by two, and the difficulties of all die rolls requiring depth perception are increased by one (this includes ranged combat).
Disfigured (2-pt. flaw) A hideous disfigurement makes your appearance disturbing and memorable. The difficulties of all die rolls relating to social interaction are increased by two. You may not have an Appearance rating greater than 2.
Child (3-pt. flaw) You were a small child (between five and 10 years old) at the time of your Embrace, leaving your Physical Attributes underdeveloped and making it difficult to interact with some aspects of mortal society. You may not have more than two dots in Strength or Stamina, except when raising Physical Attributes with blood points, and the difficulties of all die rolls when attempting to direct or lead mortal adults are increased by two. Characters with this Flaw must also purchase the Short Flaw.
Deformity (3-pt. flaw) You have some kind of deformity - a misshapen limb, hunchback, clubfoot, etc. - which affects your physical abilities and interactions with others. A hunchback, for instance, would lower a character's Dexterity by two dots and increase the difficulty of die rolls relating to social skills by one. It is the responsibility of the Storyteller to determine the specific effects of the deformity chosen.
Lame (3-pt. flaw) Your legs are damaged, which prevents you from running or walking easily. You are forced to walk with a cane or possibly leg braces, and have a pronounced limp to your stride. Your walking speed is one-quarter that of a normal human, and running is impossible.
Monstrous (3-pt. flaw) Your physical form was twisted during the Embrace, and now reflects the Beast that rages inside you. Characters with this Flaw appear to be savage monsters and have Appearance ratings of zero. Even Nosferatu have difficulty interacting with such individuals.
Permanent Wound (3-pt. flaw) You suffered injuries during your Embrace which your transformation somehow failed to repair. At the beginning of each night, you rise from sleep at the Wounded health level, though this may be healed by spending blood points.
Slow Healing (3-pt. flaw) You have difficulty healing wounds. It requires two blood points to heal one health level of normal damage, and you heal one health level of aggravated damage every five days (plus the usual five blood points and Willpower expenditure).
Addiction (3-pt. flaw) You suffer from an addiction to a substance, which must now be present in the blood you drink. This can be alcohol, nicotine, hard drugs or simply adrenaline. This substance always impairs you in some fashion (see "Poisons and Drugs, " p. 231, for particulars).
Mute (4-pt. flaw) You cannot speak. You may communicate with the Storyteller and describe your actions, but cannot talk to player or Storyteller characters unless everyone concerned uses Linguistics dots to purchase a commonly understood sign language or you write down what you wish to say.
Thin Blood (4-pt. flaw) Your blood is thin, weak and does not sustain you well. All blood point costs are doubled (e. g., using blood-related Disciplines or healing damage), and you are unable to create a blood bond. Furthermore, efforts to sire other vampires succeed only 20% of the time.
Disease Carrier (4-pt. flaw) Your blood carries a lethal and highly contagious disease. The disease can be anything from rabies to HIV, and Kindred who drink your blood have a 10 percent chance of becoming a carrier as well. You must spend an extra blood point each night on awakening, or you will begin manifesting symptoms of the disease (increased chance to frenzy for rabies, reduced soak rolls for HIV, etc.).
Deaf (4-pt. flaw) You cannot hear. While you may ignore some applications of Dominate, you may not listen to electronic or vocal media, and the difficulties of many Alertness rolls are increased by three.
Flesh of the Corpse (5-pt. flaw) Your flesh does not fully regenerate itself once it is damaged. While you are able to heal yourself to the point of regaining full functionality, your skin still retains the cuts, tears, bullet holes, etc., which you have incurred. Depending on the nature of the damage, this Flaw will make social dealings exceedingly difficult.
Blind (6-pt. flaw) You cannot see. Characters can compensate for the loss of vision by becoming more sensitive to other sensory input, but visual cues and images are lost to them. Actions involving hand-eye coordination are very difficult to perform, especially under stressful conditions. Difficulties of all Dexterity-based rolls are increased by two. Oddly, vampires with Level Two Auspex (Aura Perception) are still able to use this ability, thought the information is interpreted via the other senses.
Mental
Common Sense (1-pt. merit) You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever the character is about to act in a way contrary to common sense, the Storyteller can make suggestions or warnings about the implications of said action. This is a very useful Merit to give to beginning players unfamiliar with the game.
Concentration (1-pt. merit) You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances. Characters with this Merit are unaffected by any penalties stemming from distracting circumstances (e. g., loud noises, strobe lights, hanging upside down).
Time Sense (1-pt. merit) You have an innate sense of time and are able to estimate the passage of time accurately without using a watch or other mechanical device.
Code of Honor (2-pt. merit) You have a personal code of ethics to which you adhere. The specifics of this code must be worked out with the Storyteller prior to play, and the character must follow it strictly. Characters with this Merit gain two additional dice to all Willpower or Virtue rolls when acting in accordance with their code (e. g., defending the helpless) or when attempting to avoid situations that might force them to violate their code.
Eidetic Memory (2-pt. merit) You remember, with perfect detail, things seen and heard. Documents, photographs, conversations, etc., can be committed to memory with only minor concentration. Under stressful conditions involving numerous distractions, you must make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 6) to summon enough concentration to absorb what your senses detect.
Light Sleeper (2-pt. merit) You can awaken instantly at any sign of trouble or danger, and do so without any sleepiness or hesitation. You may ignore rules regarding how Humanity/Path restricts the number of dice available during the day.
Natural Linguist (2-pt. merit) You have a flair for languages. You may add three dice to any dice pool involving written or spoken languages.
Calm Heart (3-pt. merit) You are naturally calm and do not easily fly off the handle. You receive two extra dice when attempting to resist a frenzy. Brujah may not take this Trait.
Iron Will (3-pt. merit) When you are determined and your mind is set, nothing can thwart you from your goals. When you are affected by a Dominate power, you may spend a point of Willpower to shake off the effects. In addition, you receive three extra dice to resist the effects of any mind-altering magic, spell or Thaumaturgy path. This Merit does not affect Presence or other powers dealing with the emotions.
Deep Sleeper (1-pt. flaw) When you sleep, it is very difficult for you to awaken. The difficulty of any die roll to awaken during the day is increased by two.
Nightmares (1-pt. flaw) You experience horrendous nightmares every time you sleep, and memories of them haunt you during your waking hours. Upon awakening, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) or lose a die on all actions for that night. A botched Willpower roll indicates that, even when awake, you still believe that you are locked in a nightmare.
Phobia (2-pt. flaw) You have an overpowering fear of something. Spiders, snakes, crowds and heights are examples of common phobias. You must make a Courage roll every time you encounter the object of your fear. The difficulty of the roll is determined by the Storyteller, and if you fail the roll you must retreat from the object.
Prey Exclusion (1-pt. flaw) You refuse to hunt a certain class of prey. You might refuse to feed upon drug dealers, or policemen, or accountants, or rich people - if you accidentally feed upon such an individual, you automatically frenzy and must make a roll to prevent Humanity loss (difficulty 7). Witnessing other Kindred feeding on the object of your exclusion might also provoke a frenzy, at the Storyteller's discretion. Ventrue, owing to the limitations imposed on their feeding by their clan weakness, may not take this Flaw.
Shy (1-pt. flaw) You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try to avoid social situations whenever possible. Difficulties for all rolls involving social interaction with strangers are increased by two. If the character becomes the center of attention in a large group, difficulties are increased by three.
Soft-hearted (1-pt. flaw) You cannot stand to watch others suffer. You avoid any situation that involves causing someone physical or emotional pain, unless you make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). You must have a Humanity rating of 7 or above to take this Flaw.
Speech Impediment (1-pt. flaw) You have a stammer or other speech impediment that hampers verbal communication. The difficulties of all die rolls involving verbal communication are increased by two. You must roleplay this Flaw whenever possible.
Short Fuse (2-pt. flaw) You are easily angered. Difficulties to avoid frenzy are two greater. Brujah vampires cannot take this Flaw, as they already suffer from a similar malady.
Territorial (2-pt. flaw) You are extremely territorial, staking out a particular area as your hunting ground and reacting aggressively to trespassers. If another vampire enters your territory uninvited, you must make a frenzy roll. If you fail, you immediately attack the interloper and continue attacking until the intruder is dead or has left your hunting grounds. You are reluctant to leave your territory except in desperate circumstances.
Vengeful (2-pt. flaw) You have a score to settle, incurred either during your mortal days or after the Embrace. You are obsessed with taking your revenge on an individual or group, and it is your overriding priority in any situation where you encounter the object of your revenge. You may temporarily resist your need for vengeance by spending a Willpower point.
Amnesia (2-pt. flaw) You are unable to remember anything about your past, yourself or your family, though your past might well come back to haunt you. Your origins and the circumstances behind your amnesia are for the Storyteller to determine, and she is encouraged to make it as interesting as possible.
Lunacy (2-pt. flaw) You are affected by the phases of the moon, increasing your chances to frenzy. Under the crescent moon, difficulties to avoid frenzy increase by one. Under the half or gibbous moon, difficulties rise by two. When the moon is full, difficulties increase by three.
Weak-willed (3-pt. flaw) You are highly susceptible to Dominate and intimidation by others; Dominate attempts automatically affect you unless the Discipline wielder is of higher generation, and your difficulties to resist Social abilities such as Intimidation or Leadership, as well as mind-altering spells or magic, are increased by two. Your Willpower Trait may never rise above 4.
Conspicuous Consumption (4-pt. flaw) It is not enough for you to draw nourishment from the blood of mortals - you believe you must also consume your victim's heart, liver and other blood-rich tissue. Of course, this will necessitate the deaths of all of your victims (unless you are extremely creative), which might lead to numerous problems with the Masquerade and maintaining Humanity. Characters with this Flaw must additionally purchase the Eat Food Merit.
Social
Prestigious Sire (1-pt. merit) Your sire has or had great status in her sect or clan, and this has accorded you with a certain amount of prestige. Though your sire may no longer have any dealings with you, the simple fact of your ancestry has marked you forever. This prestige might aid you greatly in dealings with your elders or other neonates, or it might engender jealousy or contempt.
Natural Leader (1-pt. merit) You are gifted with a certain magnetism to which others naturally defer. You receive two extra dice when making Leadership rolls. You must have a Charisma rating of 3 or greater to purchase this Merit.
Debt of Gratitude (1-3-pt. merit) An elder owes you gratitude because of something either you or your sire did for her. The depth of gratitude the elder owes depends on how many points the player wishes to spend. One point might mean the elder owes the character a favor; three points might mean that she owes the character her unlife.
Dark Secret (1-pt. flaw) You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment to you and would make you a pariah in the local Kindred community. This could be anything from having murdered an elder to being a member of the Sabbat.
Infamous Sire (l-pt. flaw) Your sire was, and perhaps still is, distrusted and disliked by many of the city's Kindred. As a result, you are distrusted and disliked as well.
Mistaken Identity (1-pt. flaw) You look similar to descriptions of another Kindred, which cause cases of mistaken identity. This can prompt numerous awkward or even dangerous situations, especially if your "twin" has a terrible reputation or is wanted for some crime.
Sire's Resentment (1-pt. flaw) Your sire dislikes you and wishes you ill. Given the smallest opportunity, she will actively seek to do you harm. Your sire's allies also work against you, and many elders may resent you.
Enemy (1-5-pt. flaw) You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies, who seek to harm you. The power of the enemy depends upon how many points the player wishes to spend (five points indicate the wrath of a Methuselah, archmage or other potent supernatural foe).
Hunted (4-pt. flaw) You are pursued by a fanatical witch-hunter who believes (perhaps correctly) that you are a danger to humanity. All those with whom you associate, be they mortal or Kindred, may be hunted as well.
Probationary Sect Member (4-pt. flaw) You are a defector. You turned traitor to the Camarilla, Sabbat, Followers of Set or other vampiric order, and you still have much to prove before you are accepted by the Kindred you have defected to. Elders, ancillae and even neonates treat you with distrust and even hostility, and your reputation might even sully those whom you regularly associate with.
Supernatural
Medium (2-pt. merit) You possess the natural affinity to sense and hear spirits, ghosts, and shades. Though you cannot see them, you can sense them, speak to them and, through pleading or cajoling, draw them to your presence. You may call upon them for aid or advice, but there will always be a price.
Magic Resistance (2-pt. merit) You have an inherent resistance to the rituals of the Tremere and the spells of the mages of other creeds and orders. The difficulty of all such magic, both malicious and beneficent, is two higher when directed at you. You may never learn the Discipline of Thaumaturgy.
Oracular Ability (3-pt. merit) You can see and interpret signs and omens. You are able to draw advice from these omens, for they provide hints of the future and warnings of the present. When the Storyteller feels that you are in position to see an omen, you will be required to make a Perception + Occult roll, with the difficulty relative to how well the omen is concealed. If successful, you may then roll Intelligence + Occult to interpret what you have seen, the difficulty again relative to the complexity of the omen.
Spirit Mentor (3-pt. merit) You have a ghostly companion and guide. The identity and exact powers of this spirit are up to the Storyteller, but it can be called upon in difficult situations for help and guidance.
Unbondable (3-pt. merit) You are immune to being blood bound.
Lucky (3-pt. merit) You were born lucky - or else the Devil looks after his own. Either way, you may repeat any three failed rolls per story, including botches, but you may try only once per failed roll.
True Love (4-pt. merit) You have discovered, perhaps too late, a true love. He or she is mortal, but is the center of your existence, and inspires you to keep going in a world of darkness and despair. Whenever you suffer, the thought of your true love gives you the strength to persevere. This Merit grants you one automatic success on all Willpower rolls, which can be negated only by a botch die. This can be a great gift and also a hindrance, for your true love may require protection and occasionally rescue.
Nine Lives (6-pt. merit) Fate has granted you the opportunity to come as close to Final Death as anyone can get and still survive. When a roll occurs that would result in your death, the roll is made again. If the next roll succeeds, then you live - and one of your nine lives is used up. If that subsequent roll fails, then another reroll is made, until either a successful roll occurs or your nine lives are used up. The Storyteller should keep careful count of how many lives the character has remaining.
True Faith (7-pt. merit) You have a deep-seated faith in and love for God, or whatever name you choose to call the Almighty. You begin the game with one point of True Faith (see p. 272); this Trait adds one die per point to all Willpower and Virtue rolls. You must have a Humanity of 9 or higher to choose this Merit, and if you lose even a single point, all your Faith points are lost and may be regained only when the lost Humanity is recovered. Individuals with True Faith are capable of performing magical acts akin to miracles, but the exact nature of those acts is up to the Storyteller.
Touch of Frost (1-pt. flaw) Plants wither as you approach and die at your touch. Your touch leeches heat from living beings, as though you are made of ice.
Repulsed by Garlic (1-pt. flaw) You cannot abide garlic, and the smallest whiff of its scent will drive you from a room unless you make a successful Willpower roll (difficulty based on the strength of the odor).
Cursed (1-to 5-pt. flaw) You are the recipient of a supernatural curse. The strength and pervasiveness of the curse depend upon how many points you wish to incur. Examples follow:
- If you pass on a secret you were entrusted with, your betrayal will come back to harm you in some way. (1 pt.)
- You stutter uncontrollably when you try to describe what you have seen or heard. (2 pts.)
- Tools break or malfunction when you try to use them. (3 pts.)
- You are doomed to make enemies of those whom you most love or admire. (4 pts.)
- Every one of your accomplishments or triumphs will eventually become soiled or fail in some way. (5 pts.)
Cast No Reflection (1-pt. flaw) You actually cast no reflection, just like the vampires of legend. This can have a very detrimental effect when trying to pass as a human. Vampires of Clan Lasombra automatically have this Flaw (and you may be mistaken for one of them if you possess this).
Eerie Presence (2-pt. flaw) Mortals have an unconscious awareness of your undead nature, which makes then anxious and ill at ease in your presence. Because of this, difficulties of all die rolls relating to social interaction with mortals are increased by two.
Repelled by Crosses (3-pt. flaw) You are repelled by the sight of ordinary crosses, believing them to be symbols of holy might. When confronted by a cross, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 9) or flee from the symbol for the duration of the scene. If you botch the roll, not only must you attempt to flee, but the touch of the cross can cause aggravated damage (one health level of damage per turn that the cross touches your skin). This damage cannot be soaked, even if the vampire possesses Fortitude.
Can't Cross Running Water (3-pt. flaw) You believe in the old folklore, and cannot cross running water unless you are at least 50 feet above it. Running water is considered to be any body of water at least two feet wide in any direction and not completely stagnant.
Haunted (3-pt. flaw) You are haunted by an angry and tormented spirit, most likely one of your first victims. This spirit actively attempts to hinder you, especially when feeding, and does its utmost to vent its anguish upon you and anyone in your presence. The Storyteller determines the exact nature of the spirit, its powers, and whether or not it can eventually be laid to rest.
Grip of the Damned (4-pt. flaw) There is no ecstasy in your Embrace - only terror and pain. Mortals upon whom you feed struggle and shriek all the while as you attempt to feed, requiring you to grapple with them for as long as you wish to take their blood. For vampires with high Humanity, this experience may require a Humanity roll, at the discretion of the Storyteller.
Dark Fate (5-pt. flaw) You are doomed to experience Final Death or, worse, suffer eternal agony. No matter what you do, you cannot avoid this terrible fate. At some point during the chronicle, your Dark Fate will come upon you. Even more ghastly is the fact that you occasionally have visions of this fate, and the malaise these images inspire requires an expenditure of a temporary Willpower point to avoid, or else you lose a die from all of your actions for the remainder of the night. It is up to the Storyteller to determine the exact nature of this fate, and when it will occur. This is a difficult Flaw to roleplay; ironically, though it may seem as though it removes all free will, the knowledge of one's death can be quite liberating.
Light-sensitive (5-pt. flaw) You are even more sensitive to sunlight than other vampires are. Sunlight causes double normal damage, and the light of the moon can cause lethal damage in a manner similar to the sun, though it must shine directly upon you. Even bright lights hurt your eyes, requiring the use of sunglasses.
Physical
Bruiser (1-pt Merit) Your appearance is sufficiently thuglike to inspire fear or at least disquiet in those who see you. While you're not necessarily ugly per se, you do radiate a sort of quiet menace, to the point where people cross the street to avoid passing near you. You are at -1 difficulty on all Intimidation rolls against those who have not demonstrated their physical superiority to you.
Friendly Face (1-pt Merit) You have a face that reminds everyone of someone, to the point where strangers are inclined to be well-inclined toward you because of it. The effect doesn't fade if you explain the "mistake," leaving you at -1 difficulty on all appropriate Social-based rolls (yes for Seduction, no for Intimidation, for example) when a stranger is involved. This Merit only functions on a first meeting.
Twitch (1-pt Flaw) You have some sort of repetitive motion that you make in times of stress, and it's a dead giveaway as to your identity. Examples include a nervous cough, constantly wringing your hands, cracking your knuckles and so on. It costs one Willpower to refrain from engaging in your twitch.
Dulled Bite (2-pt Flaw) For some reason your fangs never developed fully – they may not have manifested at all. When feeding, you need to find some other method of making the blood flow. Failing that, you must achieve double the normal number of successes in order to make your bite penetrate properly. A number of Caitiff and high-generation vampires often manifest this Flaw.
Open Wound (2-4 pt Flaw) You have one or more wounds that refuse to heal, and which constantly drip blood. This slow leakage costs you an extra blood point per evening (marked off just before dawn), in addition to drawing attention to you. If the wound is visible, you are at +1 difficulty for all Social-based rolls. For two points, the Flaw is simply unsightly and has the basic effect mentioned above; for four points the seeping wound is serious or disfiguring and includes the effects of the Flaw Permanent Wound.
Permanent Fangs (3-pt Flaw) Your fangs do not retract, making it impossible for you to hide your true nature. While some mortals may think you've had your teeth filed or are wearing prosthetics, sooner or later you're going to run into someone who knows what you truly are. You are a constant threat to the Masquerade, and other Kindred may take steps to prevent a breach from ever occur-ring. You are also limited to an Appearance rating of 3 at most.
Glowing Eyes (3-pt Flaw) You have the stereotypical glowing eyes of vampire legend, which gives you a -1 difficulty on Intimidation rolls when you're dealing with mortals. However, the tradeoffs are many; you are a walking tear in the Masquerade and must constantly disguise your condition (no, contacts don't cut it); the glow impairs your vision and puts you at + 1 difficulty on all sight-based rolls (including the use of ranged weapons); and the radiance emanating from your eye sockets makes it difficult to hide ( + 2 difficulty to Stealth rolls) in the dark.
Mental
Coldly Logical (1-pt Merit) While some might refer to you as a "cold fish," you have a knack for separating factual reporting from emotional or hysterical coloration. You may or may not be emotional yourself, but you can see clearly when others are clouding the facts with their feelings (-1 difficulty on all Sense Deception and related rolls).
Useful Knowledge (1-pt Merit) You have expertise in a specific field that makes your conversation intriguing to an older Kindred. So long as your knowledge holds the other vampire's attention, he has a vested interest in keeping you around. Then again, once he's pumped you for every iota of information you possess, that patronage may suddenly vanish. (Note: This Merit should be played like a 1-dot Mentor with a specific interest. However, unlike a Mentor, Useful Knowledge does not imply a permanent relationship.)
Computer Aptitude (2-pt Merit) You are familiar with and talented in the uses of computer equipment. Other Kindred may not understand computers, but to you they are intuitive. All rolls involving computers are at -2 difficulty for you.
Precocious (3-pt Merit) You learn quickly. The time for you to pick up a particular Ability (or Abilities, at Storyteller discretion) is cut in half, as is the experience cost.
Impatient (1-pt Flaw) You have no patience for standing around and waiting. You want to do things now, and the Devil take the hindmost. Every time you are forced to wait around instead of acting, a Self-Control roll is required to see if you go haring off on your own instead.
Unconvinced (1-pt Flaw) You fail to see the need for the Masquerade, and have gone on record as saying so. Taking your stand has made you suspect in the eyes of your elders, and may have attracted the Sabbat's attention as well.
Stereotype (2-pt Flaw) You buy heavily into all of the vampire legendry you've read and heard. You wear a cape, speak with an accent and otherwise act in a cartoonish fashion. Such behavior is embarrassing in the extreme to other Kindred, who are likely to ostracize or mock you (+2 difficulty to Social rolls with other vampires who don't share your habits). Also, you stand out to hunters, and run the risk of violating the Masquerade every time you take to the streets.
Thirst for Innocence (2-pt Flaw) The sight of innocence – of any sort – arouses in you a terrible bloodlust. Roll Self-Control, or else frenzy and attack the source of your hunger.
Victim of the Masquerade (2-pt Flaw) The Camarilla's propaganda machine did too good a job on you. Even after your Embrace you refused to believe you were a vampire. You remain convinced that there is some logical explanation for your condition, and spend as much time as you can searching for it. You also have problems feeding, and may insist on trying to eat regular food. None of these habits makes you particularly pleasant company for other Kindred. This Flaw must be roleplayed at all times.
Guilt-Wracked (4-pt Flaw) You simply cannot come to grips with the fact that you must drink blood to survive. You suffer horrible guilt over each time you feed (roll Conscience, difficulty 7, or else frenzy every time you feed) and try to avoid doing so as much as possible. This means that you rarely have much blood in your system, leaving you vulnerable to both attacks and hunger-based frenzies.
Social
Elysium Regular (1-pt Merit) You spend an unusual amount of time at the vatious Elysiums in your city. You see and are seen to such an extent that all of the movers and shakers of Elysium at least know who you are. Extended time spent in Elysium also gives you extended opportunities to interact with the harpies and other Kindred of that stature – and they'll know your name when you approach them.
Former Ghoul (1-pt Merit) You were introduced to the Blood long before you were made Kindred. Your long experience as a ghoul gives you insight into and comfort with vampiric society. You are at -1 difficulty on all Social rolls when in the presence of other neonates (particularly those who haven't been educated by their sires), and have a standing -1 difficulty on rolls relating to knowledge of the Kindred.
Harmless (1-pt Merit) Everyone in the city knows you, and knows that you're no threat to their plans. While that sort of estimation may seem insulting, it's also what's kept you from being killed. No one considers you worth their time to deal with, and that low opinion keeps you safe. If you start acting in away that demonstrates that you are no longer harmless, others' reactions to you will likely change as a result.
Protege (1-pt Merit) Your sire watched you for some time before Embracing you, and spoke glowingly of you to acquaintances. These vampires may be inclined to look favorably on you by dint of your sire's recommendation; you are at -1 difficulty on Social rolls with all those who've heard good things about you.
Rep (1-pt Merit) Your fame has exceeded the bounds of your sect. Everyone knows who you are, what you've done and what you're supposed to have done (which might not be the same thing). The publicity can be good or bad; what matters is that everybody knows your name. Whether individuals outside of your immediate social circle know enough to match your face to your name is a different matter.
Sabbat Survivor (1-pt Merit) You've lived through at least one Sabbat attack and/or attempted recruitment. Your experience helps you anticipate situations where you might potentially be endangered by the Sabbat once again. You are at -1 difficulty on all Perception rolls when it comes to Sabbat-based matters. This Metit comes into play most frequently as a means of avoiding ambushes and the like.
Boon (1-6 pt Merit) Someone owes you a favor. The vampire in your debt might be the lowliest neonate in the city or might be the prince herself; it all depends on how many points the Merit costs. You only have that single favor owed you (unless you take the Merit multiple times), so using it properly is of paramount importance. Depending on status and other factors, the vampire who owes you a favor may well resent his debt, and might go out ofhis way to "settle" it early- even going so far as to create situations from which he must "rescue" you and thus clear the slate.
Bullyboy (2-pt Merit) You're part of the brute squad the local sheriff calls on when he needs some muscle. As a result, you get in on action that others miss entirely, score points with those in power, and occasionally get a chance to act outside of the law. How far outside the law the sheriff is willing to let you go depends on circumstance and how much the sheriff likes you.
Old Pal (2-pt Merit) An acquaintance from your breathing days was Embraced at the same time you were. Fortunately, your friendship has endured even death and unlife, and you find a constant source of support and aid in your old friend. She expects the same of you, which isn't always convinient, but at least you each have someone to hang onto who remembers the good old nights – and days. Storyteller Note: An Old Pal should be played as a very loyal Ally.
Open Road (2-pt Merit) Unlike many Kindred, you like to travel. You have a solid knowledge of safe travel routes and methodologies, not to mention haven space available in any number of destinations. Unless someone out there knows your exact route and is specifically looking for you, you can move between cities unimpeded by random encounters with Lupines, overzealous state troopers and the like.
Scholar of Enemies (2-pt Merit) You have taken the time to learn about and specialize in one particular enemy of the Camarilla. You are aware of at least some of the group's customs, strategies, abilities and long term-goals, and can put that knowledge to good use. This Merit is worth a -2 difficulty for all rolls pertaining subject of your specialization. On the other hand, you are at a +1 difficulty when it comes to dealing with other enemies, simply because you're so thoroughly focused on your field.
Scholar of Others (2-pt Merit) This Merit functions identically to the Scholar of Enemies, except that it applies to a group that is not necessarily inimical to the Camarilla.
Sheriff's Friend (2-pt Merit) For whatever reason (maybe your winning smile or perhaps just your superb groveling technique), the local head lawman likes you. He's inclined to overlook your minor trespasses and let you in on things you're not supposed to know about. He even gives you warnings about occasional crackdowns and times when the prince isn't feeling generous. Of course, abusing this connection might well turn a friendly sheriff into an enemy – and the change might not be apparent until it's too late.
Domain (2-4 pt Merit) The prince has given you exclusive rights to a piece of territory. The size and importance of that territory are in direct proportion to the cost of the Merit. A few blocks' worth of row houses might be worth two points, while four square blocks in the city's financial district could be worth four.
While the rights to this territory are yours, there are responsibilities that come along with it. If those responsibilities are not met, the prince may well strip you of your holding.
Alternate Identity (3-pt Merit) In addition to your normal identity, you've taken up an alternate role that allows you to run with another group or sect of vampires. This other self has a believable history and back story that can stand up to at least cursory checks, and he is accepted at face value (more or less) by his associates. However, your sire, Allies, Contacts, etc. don't know that you maintain this second identity, and treat this "stranger" accordingly.
Friend of the Underground (3-pt Merit) While you're not a Nosferatu, you know your way around the sewers, tunnels, ducts, subway tubes and other subterranean passages of your hometown. The local Nosferatu (and any other creatures dwelling down in the much) may not actually like you, but they're not inclined to kill you on sight when they see you in their territory. You are at -1 difficulty on all Sewer Lore rolls, and any rolls involving the subterranean world (sneaking from place to place underground, finding routes into sub-basements and so on). Nosferatu cannot purchase this Merit.
Mole (3-pt Merit) You have an informer buried in the Sabbat (or, less likely, one of the independent clans or the Anarch Free States) who funnels you all sorts of information as to what her peers are you to. What you do with the information is up to you, but abusing the knowledge might be a good way to get your informer killed. The other side has spies too, you know….
Rising Star (3-pt Merit) You're one of the up and comers in your city, a rising star in the Camarilla's firmament. Everyone wants to know you and be your friend, even as those in power groom you for positions of higher responsibility. You are at -1 difficulty on all Social rolls against any Camarilla vampires who aren't actively opposing your ascent.
Holder of Office (3-5 pt Merit) You currently hold one of the official Camarilla positions in your city. The degree of power you possess depends on the cost of the Merit.
Clan Friendship (4-pt Merit) One particular clan (not your own) has a special liking for you. You might have done the clan as a whole a favor at some point, or perhaps you're just a loud voice in support of their aims. Whatever the case, you're at -2 difficulty on all Social rolls involving members of the clan in question. Of course, the reaction your cozy relationship with another clan is likely to draw from your own clan leaders is an entirely different can of worms.
Broken Bond (4-pt Merit) You were once blood bound but have secretly slipped the leash, and you are free to act as you will once more. Your regnant has no idea that you are not in fact bound, and continues to treat you as if you were. At Storyteller discretion, the experience of having been bound once may render you immune to ever being enthralled again.
Primogen Friendship (4-pt Merit) The ruling council of the city values you and your opinions. You are called in to consult on decisions, and your recommendations carry great weight. Your position may not be an official one, but it's powerful nonetheless.
Harpy (5-pt Merit) You count yourself among the harpies, the vampires who rule the roost in Elysium. Yours is one of the voices that mock, exalt, praise or humble the Kindred of the city. Your opinion is very influential, which means that you're going to face all sorts attempts – from bribes to threats – to change it. You are at -1 difficulty on all Social rolls when acting in your official capacity.
Primogen (7-pt Merit) You are part of the ruling coterie of vampires in the city in which you reside. Your voice is one of the few to which the prince must listen, and you have tremendous influence in your clan. On the other hand, there are always others plotting to take your place, making your position a precarious one.
Botched Presentation (1-pt Flaw) When your sire presented you to the prince of the city, you flubbed it. Now you're convinced His Majesty hates you (whether he does or not). You need to succeed on a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) just to stand in front of the prince or one of his duly authorized representatives without running, blubbering or otherwise making a fool of yourself.
Expendable (1-pt Flaw) Someone in power doesn't want you around. Maybe she wants territory you possess, or is jealous of the attention you're getting from a prize mortal retainer – the details are irrelevant. What does matter is that she has the power to maneuver you into dangerous situations "for the good of the Camarilla," and has no compunctions about doing so.
Incomplete Understanding (1-pt Flaw) The whole matter has been explained to you, but you're still not quite sure how this whole Camarilla/Masquerade thing works. Your imperfect understanding of the rules and regulations of your new existence means that sooner or later, you're going to make a mistake. It's only a matter of time…
New Arrival (1-pt Flaw) You've just arrived in your new city of residence, and have done so without knowing anyone in the place. Existing factions may try to recruit or eliminate you, while the harpies size you up and take your measure. Meanwhile, your ignorance of the city's current events, history and politics (not to mention the personality quirks of the vampires already in place) may cause you to make a serious blunder.
New Kid (1-pt Flaw) You're the latest Embracee in the city, and everyone knows it. That automatically puts you at the bottom of the social totem pole. Other neonates take every opportunity to demonstrate your inferiority to you, proving that the dynamics of the schoolyard are alive and well in the Camarilla. Even if someone else is added to the ranks of the unliving, you're still regarded as something as a bit of a geek by your peers – a distinction that can have dangerous consequences if bullets start flying. All Social-related rolls are at +1 difficulty when you are dealing with other neonates.
Recruitment Target (1-pt Flaw) The Sabbat wants you, and they want you bad. Every effort is being made to recruit you, willing or no, and the press gangs usually show up at the worst possible time.
Sympathizer (1-pt Flaw) You have publicly expressed sympathy for some of the Sabbat's goals and policies. Your outspoken views on the subject have made you suspect in the eyes of the city's hierarchy, and you may be suspected of (or arrested for) treason.
Bound (2-pt Flaw) You are blood bound to another vampire. Your regnant may not necessarily treat you badly, but the fact remains that your will is not entirely your own. The knowledge gnaws at you, even as you find yourself lost in devotion to your vampiric master.
Catspaw (2-pt Flaw) You've done dirty work for someone high up in the city's hierarchy in the past the sheriff, the primogen or even the prince. However, instead of granting you favor, your deeds have made you an embarrassment or a liability. For the moment, your former employer's concern is to keep you quiet. In the long term, it's to get rid of you.
Escaped Target (2-pt Flaw) The flip side of Rival Sires, Escaped Target means that you had targeted a mortal for the Embrace, but someone else got there first. You cannot stand the humiliation of being cheated of your prize, and fly into a rage (+2 difficulty to avoid frenzy) whenever you see the one who got away. This hatred may lead you into other irrational behaviors, like Embracing enemies of the neonate, creating unauthorized childer or even trying to kill your rival. Furthermore, your petty and irrational behavior is well-known and quite noticeable, and as a result you are at +1 difficulty on all Charisma rolls until the situation is resolved.
Failure (2-pt Flaw) You once held a title in the city, but failed catastrophically in your duties. Now you are branded incompetent, excluded from circles of power and responsibility and generally ostracized by those on their way up. Your exclusion may make you a target for recruitment by the Sabbat (or so the whispers run, making you even more distrusted). Conversely, the consequences of your error – a breach of the Masquerade, an unauthorized Embrace, a lawbreaker allowed to escape might come back to haunt you.
Masquerade Breaker (2-pt Flaw) In your first nights as a member of the Kindred, you accidentally broke the Masquerade and were spotted doing so. Someone else covered for your mistake, but holds the favor over you. Now you exist in fear that your error will be revealed. In the meantime, your "savior" takes pitiless advantage of you.
Old Flame (2-pt Flaw) Someone you once cared deeply for is now with the enemy. He still attempts to play on your sympathies "for old times' sake" while working against you. Unless you succeed on a contested Manipulation + Expression roll against your former friend, you do not act against him unless the situation becomes life-threatening.
Rival Sires (2-pt Flaw) Not one, but two vampires wanted to gift you with the Embrace. One succeeded, one failed and she's not happy about that failure. Either you, your actual sire or both of you have become the target of the failed suitor's ire. Regardless, your persecutor is at +2 difficulty to refrain from frenzy in your presence. In addition, she may well he working actively to discredit or destroy you.
Uppity (2-pt Flaw) You are proud of your new status and clan – so proud that you've shot your mouth off to other Kindred and made some enemies. Wiser vampires laugh at you and chalk your rudeness up to youth, but others regard you as arrogant and insulting. These enemies will take action to embarrass or harm you. Furthermore, you are at +2 difficulty on all Social rolls against any vampires you have alienated through your yammering – and you may not know who they are.
At Storyteller discretion, you may also be required to make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) to keep your mouth shut any time the opportunity presents itself for you to brag about your lineage, your clan or your status.
Disgrace to the Blood (3-pt Flaw) Your sire regards the fact that he Embraced you to be a titanic mistake, and has let everyone know it. You are mocked in Elysium, taunted by your peers and actively despised by the one who should be giving you guidance. Any request or petition you make is likely to be looked down upon by friends of your sire, and your achievements are likely to be discounted.
Former Prince (3-pt Flaw) Once, you held near-absolute power in a city, but those nights are gone now. Perhaps you stepped down, perhaps you were deposed, or perhaps your city fell to the Sabbat; it matters little in your reduced state. What does matter is that the prince in the city where you now dwell is aware of your prior employment, and has concerns that you might be trying to make a comeback. The machinery of the Camarilla in the city where you now make your home is subtly stacked against you, and if the prince sees an opportunity to get rid of you he just might take it.
Hunted Like a Dog (3-pt Flaw) Another sect or group of vampires be it an independent clan or the Sabbat as a whole - has decided that you're a target for extermination, and pursues you relentlessly. On the bright side, the enemies of your enemy may well wish to help you out, potentially garnering you allies in this one instance.
Narc (3-pt Flaw) You are known to be a snitch, an informer firmly planted in the sheriff's pocket. Those on whom you might yet inform loathe you as a result, feeding you misinformation when they can in an attempt to discredit you. Given the opportunity, they might do you mischief. Regardless, your reputation as a full-fledged weasel precedes you, putting you at + 1 difficulty on all Social rolls against those who don't agree with your politics.
Sleeping with the Enemy (3-pt Flaw) You have some sort of intimate connection with a member of an opposing sect or inimical clan. You may have a lover, a childe, a friend or a contact working the other side of the fence, but regardless of politics you retain a friendly (or more than friendly) relationship with your putative foe. Your close ties to someone on the other side would be regarded as treason by your superiors within the Camarilla, and if you are discovered the penalty will surely be death.
Clan Enmity (4-pt Flaw) One clan in particular wants you dead. You have offended the entire clan, from elders to neonates, and as a result every member of that bloodline wants your head on a plate. The effects of the Flaw may manifest as anything from very public snubs and insults to actual attempts on your existence. You are also at +2 difficulty on all Social rolls relating to members of the clan in question.
Loathsome Regnant (4-pt Flaw) Not only are you blood bound, but you are also in thrall to a vampire who mistreats you hideously. Perhaps you are publicly abused or humiliated; perhaps your master forces you to commit unspeakable acts for him. In any case, existence under the bond is a never-ending nightmare, with your regnant serving to conduct the symphony of malice.
Overextended (4-pt Flaw) You've got your fingers in too many pies, and people are starting to notice. You have too many ghouls, too many retainers and too many influences, which means that a lot of people have a vested interest in trimming back your operations. These enemies take every opportunity to reduce your power and influence, and if that means lying, cheating or killing, so be it. Furthermore, your enemies block every attempt you make to move into new areas of control. You're boxed in, and the box is getting smaller.
Blood Hunted (4-6 pt Flaw) You have been made the target of a blood hunt, and fur you to return to your home city is death. For four points, this Flaw means that only your home city is off-limits to you. For six, it means that the entire Camarilla is howling for your vitae.
Laughingstock (5-pt Flaw) Somehow you've drawn the scorn of the local harpies, who make you their favorite and reflexive target. You are at a +2 difficulty on all Social rolls in Elysium and a + 1 anywhere else in the city. In addition, you are at +2 difficulty to use Intimidation or any Dominate powers on anyone who has heard the stories mocking you.
Red List (7-pt Flaw) You are either being considered for or are already on the dreaded Red List, the registry of those vampires the Camarilla most wants extinguished. Any Camarilla vampire will either attack you on sight or, more likely, call in for a great deal of help.
Supernatural
Deceptive Aura (1-pt Merit) Your aura is unnaturally bright and colorful for a vampire. You register as a mortal on all attempts to read your aura.
Healing Touch (1-pt Merit) Normally vampires can only seal the wounds they inflict by licking them. With but a touch, you can achieve the same effect.
Inoffensive to Animals (1-pt Merit) With rare exceptions, animals usually despise the Kindred. Some flee, others attack, but all dislike being in the presence of a vampire. You have no such problem. Animals may not enjoy being in your company, but they don't actively flee from you.
Hidden Diablerie (3-pt Merit) The tell-tale black streaks of diablerie do not manifest in your aura.
Additional Discipline (5-pt Merit) You can take one additional Discipline (Storyteller discretion) as if it were a clan Discipline. All costs to learn that Discipline are paid out as if it were native to your clan. A character can not take this merit more than once.
Cold Breeze (1-pt Flaw) A chill wind follows you everywhere you go. While it may make for dramatic entrances, this effect also discomfits mortals (+1 difficulty on all appropriate Social rolls) and also endangers the Masquerade. Cold winds sweeping through executive offices or crowded nightclubs can raise all sorts of questions.
Beacon of the Unholy (2-pt Flaw) You radiate palpable evil. Clergy and devour mortals know instinctively that there is something horribly wrong with you, and react accordingly. Churches and other places of worship are barred to you as well.
Deathsight (2-pt Flaw) Everything appears rotted and decayed to you. The world appears to you as a corpse; mortals look diseased or skeletal, buildings seem decrepit, and your fellow Kindred seem to be walking, moldering cadavers. You are at -2 difficulty to resist all rolls based on Appearance, but by the same token you are at +2 difficulty on all Perception-based rolls. In addition, you find social interaction difficult and are at +1 difficulty on all Social-based rolls.
Lord of the Flies (2-pt Flies) Buzzing harbingers of decay swirl around you everywhere. Their constant presence makes it difficult for you to interact socially (+1 difficulty when appropriate) and nearly impossible to sneak up on someone or hide effectively. The buzzing of the flies inevitably gives you away – all Stealth rolls are at +2 difficulty.
Physical
Early Riser (1-pt Merit) No one can explain it, but you seem to have the ability to exist on less rest than your fellow packmates, tending to rise at least one hour before everyone else. You always seem to be the first to rise and the last to go to bed even if you're been out till dawn. While your packmates may still be groggy, you tend to be awake and aware.
Vulnerability to Silver (2-pt Flaw) To you, silver is as painful and as deadly as the rays of the sun. You suffer aggravated wounds from any silver weapons (bullets, knives, etc.) and the mere touch of silver objects discomforts you.
Lazy (3-pt Flaw) You are simply lazy, avoiding anything that requires effort on your part. Preferring to let others do the hard work, you lounge around. For any action that requires preparation, there's a good chance that you didn't properly prepare. Physical actions (including combat, unless it's part of a planned offensive) increase by one.
Infertile Vitae (5-pt Flaw) During your embrace, something went horribly wrong, causing your blood to mutate under the stress of dying and rising again. All those you try to Embrace die. No matter what you do, you may not create any childer. However, your blood can still be used in the Vaulderie or for any other vampiric need, including making ghouls.
Mental
Introspection (1-pt Merit) You have keen insight into the ulterior motives of all your actions. Through this nightly excersie, you also have incredible insight into the underlying motives of others' actions. Add two dice to your Perception dice pool when you must take an action against someone with the same Nature or Demeanor as you.
Flashbacks (6-pt Flaw) You managed to make it through the Creation Rites, but not wholly intact. The most insignificant thing can throw you into a different mood or state of mind. Your behavior is extremely unpredictable. Because of your precarious emotional state, your Willpower fluctuates. At the beginning of each story, make a Willpower roll (you may not spend Willpower for an automatic success, obviously). If you succeed, you may participate in the story as normal. If you fail, however, your Willpower is considered to be 1 for the duration of that session. You may roll again at the beginning of the next session to see if you regain your wits.
Social
Sanctity (2-pt Merit) This Merit is sometimes called the halo effect; everyone considers you pure and innocent, though not necessarily not naive. You have a saint-like quality that is hard to pinpoint but cannot be denied. You are trusted, even if you are not trustworthy. At the Storyteller's discretion, you tend to receive lesser punishments for wrongdoing, and you are liked by most.
Special Responsibility (1-pt Flaw) Shortly after your Embrace, you volunteered for some task in order to gain respect and approval from your pack members. Now, you wish you had never opened your damn mouth! While you are not given any special credit for performing this duty, you would lose much respect from this pack if you were to stop. The nature and the details of your duty should be worked out with the Storyteller in advance. Ideas can range from lending money to pack members to acting as pack messenger or possibily gathering victims for Blood Feasts.
Assamite
Magical Addict (3 or 5-pt Flaw) Whether through a weak will, a lingering anomaly from your mortal days or overuse of ritual components like kalif, you have become addicted to the alchemical psycoactive drugs that some sorcerers use to focus their blood magic. Going beyond a mere physical or psychological addiction, this dependence goes so far as to affect your very mastery of the powers at your command. Your competence with Assamite Sorcery is dependent on the frequency at which you cater to your addiction.
If you take this Flaw at 3 points, suffer a +2 difficulty to all rolls related to blood magic, including (but not limited to) use of path powers and rituals, whenever you are not under the drug of your choice. For 5 points, you are completely unable to focus yourself enough to perform even the simplest blood magic if the drug is not in your system.
Only characters with at least one dot in Assamite Sorcery may take this flaw. Non-Assamites may take this flaw if they somehow receive tutelage in the Discipline.
UnBroken (3-pt Flaw) For whatever reason, the Tremere curse was stronger in you than most of your clanmates. This was no great liability while all of you were so afflicted. However, when ur-Shulgi cast the Breaking, the great ritual's power did not fully cleanse you. You now share your caste's thirst for Cainite blood – but for you, the very substance you crave is still a poison. The Tremere curse that once affected your clan has been weakened in you, but is not completely gone. When you drink non-Assamite Cainite vitae, each blood point enters your blood pool normally. However, on the way down, it inflicts one automatic, unsoakable level of lethal damage in a combination of unnatural toxic shock and internal acid burns. On the plus side, all your difficulties to resist the warrior's caste's addiction are at -1 difficulty – think of it as aversion therapy. If you are a sorcerer or vizier, this Flaw is worth one additional point (for a total of 4), but gain the warrior caste's addiction in addition to your own caste's weakness.
Brujah
Compassionate (4-pt Merit) You have the moral character if the Brujah of old, the proud warrior-poets who did what they did because their hearts called to them. If you ever fail a Conscience (but not Conviction) roll, you may spend a point of Willpower and attempt the roll again, at a difficulty of 1 higher than the last. If you succeed on this roll, it counts as if you succeeded on the first. You may do this only once per Conscience roll; you must accept the results of the re-roll. If you botch this second roll, you lose one permanent point of Willpower in addition to any consequences of the failed Conscience roll.
Uncontrollable (5-pt Flaw) Rage and passion constantly war in the soul of a volatile Brujah. Perhaps you were ill tempered before the Embrace, or perhaps your Brujah lineage awakened some latent fury. In any case, even more so than your clanmates, you are prone to frenzy. Difficulties to resist frenzy are always 10 for this character. Prepare for a short, hellish ride.
Dynamic Personality (5-pt Merit) People are drawn to you, due to some characteristic appeal you exude. You may perchase additional Backgrounds using your experience points at the end of each story – two experience points earn you one Background dot from the following group: Allies, Contacts, Herd, Retainers.
Obvious Predator (2-pt Flaw) Either your face or your immediate disposition lets people know that you have nothing good in store for them. Mortals react poorly to people who exude such a blatant air of menace, and all your difficulties for Social rolls increase by two (with the exception of Intimidation-related rolls).
Giovanni
Sanguine Incongruity (5-pt Merit) Giovanni with this atavism are few and far between – fewer than a dozen reported instances have occurred since the clan rose from the ashes of the clan that preceded them. Kindred possessing it do not bear the curse of Lamia; their Kiss causes no more damage than the blood loss itself. These vampires acquire a peculiar pallor upon their embrace, however – they look like corpses, and no amount of blood ingestion can flush their features (as other vampires are able to do). Giovanni with this Merit are afforded wide berth, as the Giovanni tend to be very superstitious about it.
Inbred (1-pt to 5-pt Flaw) Inbreeding, a common occurrence among the incestuous Giovanni clan, can take many forms, and this Flaw is best discussed with the Storyteller before a player takes it for her character. The Inbred Flaw covers all manner of physical, mental and emotional defects. A one-point Inbreeding is something simple and unobtrusive, such as eyes too close together or an underbite. A three-point Inbreeding is more severe: a congenial health condition (for mortals) or a crippling physical deformity. Five-point Inbreedings are grossly disabling or emotionally crippling – everything from uselessly atrophied legs to a permanent Derangement, decided on mutually by the player and Storyteller. Inbred conditions may or may not be immediately discernible, though their point cost should be relative to their magnitude.
Consanguineous Resistance (1-pt Merit) Your character cannot be blood bound by anyone who shares his mortal bloodline. That is, if you were born into the Giovanni family, you cannot be bound by anyone else who was born a Giovanni, though you can still be bound by Pisanob of the Giovanni clan, or by Kindred of any other clan. Similarly, a Dunsirn with Consanguineous Resistance could not be bound by others in who were born into the mortal Durnsirn family, but could be bound by a Milliner of the Giovanni clan (for instance).
Incidentally, the Giovanni are extremely suspicious of anyone known to manifest this quirk. Although this blood-borne aberration hasn't been documented, a few savvy Giovanni have a rough and superstitious idea of what it is and does. It's generally associated with being a rebellious and young smartass who needs to be put down (this is not as unfair as it sounds; by the time a bond resistance is really obvious, it's probably because a punishment isn't working). A character who is discovered to have this trait probably earns her sire's hostility at the very least.
Proxy Kissed (4-pt Merit) Before the Embrace, you received the traditional Giovanni Proxy Kiss. This means you have one free dot of Potence, and the other members of your clan tend to be comfortable that you were Embraced in "the proper Giovanni fashion." On the downside, you are partially blood bound to someone – probably someone other than your sire. Given the way the anziani like to balance things out, you may well have been Embraced by someone who dislikes or disagrees with your domitor.
You may take this Merit a second time (for a total of 8 points) to gain a free dot of Fortitude, indicating a very long servitude as a ghoul. If you do this, it means that you're: (a) partially bound to three Kindred, (b) one-third bound to one and two-thirds bound to another, or (c) fully bound to the Kindred who Embraced you, who will probably be in deep shit with the elders – if she isn't an elder herself.
Shadow Walker (6-pt Flaw) The Giovanni clan is by its nature inexorably tied to the realm beyond the sudario. Giovanni suffering from this Flaw are so tied to the Shadowlands that even in the lands of the living they are forced to interact with the world of the dead on a nightly basis. To shadow walkers, objects in the Underworld are as real as anything to be found in the physical world. Such vampires find that the ghost of walls may impede their flight, ghostly objects may strike them, and wraiths' powers work as if the Kindred were on the far side of the Shroud. This Flaw is similar to the Ash Path power Dead Hand except that Shadow Walker is always on and it in no way allows the character possessing it to perceive beyond the Shroud – see p. 164 of Vampire: The Masquerade for details.
The Storyteller may determine that certain Shadowlands topography interferes with you. Unless you have a Merit or power to do so, you can't see into the Shadowlands, so you have to be careful in feeling your way about – essentially a blind man subject to the Underworld landscape. You may be restricted by immaterial walls or environmental effects at a Storytellers discretion. More importantly, wraiths can affect you directly – a wraith attacking you inflicts damage without any special means on his part. Conversely, you can affect things in the Shadowlands with your physical body, though chances are that you do so blindly. Your possessions and weapons do not have this special facility, so it's possible for you to swing a sword that passes through a ghostly wall, or to have a gun that can't shoot ghosts whereas their relic guns can put holes in you. Obviously, this Flaw is appropriate only for a game in which interaction with wraiths is fairly common or a Storyteller wants to pay above-average attention to the Underworld.
Lasombra
Weather Sense (1-pt. Merit) This acumen is very much prized among seafaring Lasombra. A few sires manage to pass on its intricacies to their childer. You subconsciously sense impending bad weather. The Storyteller makes a Perception + Survival roll (difficulty 7) on your behalf to give up to several hours' notice of storms and other weather problems before they manifest.
Poseidon's Call (1-pt. Flaw) Your self-control varies with the weather. Make rolls to resist frenzy at -1 difficulty in completely calm weather, but +1 difficulty on rough seas, +2 in thunderstorms and +3 in hurricanes.
Pelagic Compulsion (2-pt. Flaw) You become increasingly agitated when on land. Raise the difficulty of all Willpower rolls made when you've been away from the sea for more than 24 hours by one.
Controllable Night Sight (2-pt. Merit) You can choose to invert the effects of light and darkness on yourself. Spend one turn in concentration to turn Night Sight on or off, plus one per each health level of injury you currently suffer. While Night Sight is active, pitch-black darkness seems brightly and uniformly lit to you, while any light brighter than a hundred-watt bulb creates a zone of pure darkness. The penalties for partial darkness apply instead to weak illumination. This Merit doesn't allow you to see through Obtenebration-created darkness, which glows with pure white light that obscures all details.
Uncontrollable Night Sight (2-pt. Flaw) Light and dark are permanently inverted for you. Pitch-black darkness seems brightly and uniformly lit to you, while any light brighter than a hundred-watt bulb creates a zone of pure darkness.The penalties for partial darkness apply instead to weak illumination. This Merit doesn't allow you to see through Obtenebration-created darkness, which glows with pure white light that obscures all details.
This is a very difficult Flaw to handle in a story, both for the Storytellers and players. Storytellers, be sure you know what you're getting yourself into if you allow a player to assign this Flaw to her character.
Death's Reflection (3-pt. Flaw) You cast a reflection normally, which would cancel out the clan weakness – except that your reflection always shows the state you'd be in if you were dead. Any Lasombra more than a few decades old looks in reflection like an ambling skeleton. Younger vampires appear as rotting corpses.
Malkavian
Immaculate Aura (1-pt Merit) Whether because of your iron control or small fluke of chance, your aura does not give away your insanity. The aura doesn't shift or swirl at all, even when you're confused, frenzied or in a psychotic fit.
Benevolent Blood (1-pt Merit) Your blood still carries the Curse of Malkav, but its effects have been lessened just a little bit. Any ghouls you create suffer none of the usual derangeing side effects of drinkig Malkavian blood – they can be loaded to the gills with your blood and not come one step nearer to gaining a derangement. (They might still be driven insane by life with you, though, depending on how demanding your reality is.) Of course, any childer you Embrace will still gain a derangement after the Embrace as usual – although your vitae is easily diluted by mortal blood, the pure stuff carries the Curse as one would expect.
Deadened Nerves (4-pt Merit) Whether it was a condition you held in life or an odd side effect of the Embrace, your nervous system is missing a few connections. You have very little tactile sense, whether pleasure or pain. The downside of thie is obvious: One of your sense is greatly impaired, which can keep you from noticing important warnings (a blade at your back, for instance – or in it). You suffer a +3 difficulty to all tactile-related Perceptions rolls, and the Storyteller may call for a roll to notice even the blatantly obvious; you might not even notice that you've been shot if the bullet doesn't knock you down outright.
However, your deadened nerves also protect you from pain, allowing you to ignore your wounds until your flesh is literally blasted from your bones. All penalties for wound levels are halved, rounding down; in orther words, you suffer no penalties until you reach the Wounded level, where you deduct only one die from your dice pools, and even when Crippled you can still act at a mere two-die penalty.
If the Storyteller is willing, it might be particularly rewarding for the Storyteller to keep track of the character's health levels, and not let the player know exactly how badly his character has been wounded. Even if the Malkavian stops to give herself a quick look-over, the Storyteller puts things in the most general terms (i.e., "There's a number of holes in your chest, but you have no idea whether the bullets are lodged inside or not," "Your left arm refuses to move, although you're not sure why," and so on). This is a fair amount of extra work on the Storyteller's behalf (particularly if in the interest of secrecy, the Storyteller makes all Malkavian's soak rolls in secret), but can add a lot of tension and verisimilitude to the game.
Disembodied Mentor (5-pt Merit) The voices in your head mall tell you things, but by God, they're useful things. You have a personal guide and advisor (bought as usual through the Background: Mentor) who exists largely in your own skull. He may have been a Malkavian who uploaded himself into the Network, or perhaps he's an imaginary construct with access to the shared memories of the clan. Either way, it's exceedingly hard for your enemies to cut you off from your mentor's counsel, and it's usually pretty easy to call on his advice when you need it. Unfortunately, this Merit also has its drawbacks; your mentor can find you wherever he chooses, and can be a real distraction when you're trying to do something he finds irrelevant. You're not freed from the obligations of your relationshit, either; you find yourself running errands for your mentor just as often as any other pupil, if not more so.
Sympathetic Bond (5-pt Merit) For whatever reason, you unconsciously cause a peculiar supernatural form of feedback through the links of the blood bond. Although you're not immune to being blood bound (and cannot take the Merit: Unbondable), if you do become bound to someone, your regnant also becomes blood bound to you to and equal extent. Even if she was already blood bound to another, she now has the unenviable position of being regnant to two vampires at once. This can obviously lead to some unplanned and quite twisted codependent relationships.
Stigmata (2-4 pt Flaw) You constantly seep blood from your phantom wounds; even through your flesh remains unbroken, you bleed. The bleeding is fairly slight, but is incessant, costing you an extra blood point each evening (marked off just before dawn). If you bleed from visible locations (such as the palms, a common place for stigmata0, you are at +1 difficulty to all Social rolls, although certain vampires will probably take your reputation as a seer more seriously.
The 4-point version of this Flaw indicates that you bleed from your eyesockets; this obviously makes it almost impossible to travel within human society unveiled, and very much disturbs other Cainites. (the difficulty of all Social rolls is increased by +2 rather than +1). In addition, the constant bleeding interferes with your vision, adding one to the difficulty of all visual Perception rolls.
Infectious (3-pt Flaw) Your bite transmits the madness of your clan. Whenever you feed from a mortal, the power of the Kiss holds them in place as normal. However, your mortal prey gains a temporary derangement for every three blood points you take from them; the madness lasts for a week or so. Malkavians with this Flaw are often the ones you hear about infesting asylums; it's the most low-key place for them to feed.
Nosferatu
Lizard Limbs (1-pt Merit) With a little bit ofeffort, you can shed parts of your body. When one of your appendages is restrained or grappled, spend one blood point and roll Willpower ( difficulty 8) . If you succeed, you can tear off that body part and wriggle away. Vampires can eventually regrow their limbs if they spend enough blood; however, if you're missing an arm or leg, you should have a -3 dice pool penalty to represent your injury. And remember to be careful: If you shed both your legs, you'll have a bitch of a time crawling away.
Long Fingers (1-pt Merit) Your fingers are unnaturally long and spidery. You gain an extra die on any roll involving coordination or grappling.
Oversized Fangs (1-pt Merit) You have enormous fangs, snaggly tusks resembling those of an elephant or walrus. They cannot be retracted, but they do an additional die of damage and add one die to your Intimidation dice pool.
Piscine (1-pt Merit) You are abnormally comfortable underwater and vastly prefer swimming to walking. You get a -1 difficulty on any Physical dice pool related tO underwater movement.
Slimy (1-pt Merit) Like a worm or mollusk, you have skin that secretes an oozing slime. Your difficulty to soak fire damage is reduced by one, and opponents who try to grapple you must score two more successes than normal.
Gaping Maw (2-pt Merit) You've got a nasty gash where your mouth should be. It can smile, it can frown, and most importantly, it can grin two or three inches wider than any human mouth can. An ordinary vampire can suck up to three blood points in a turn. You can drain up to four points a turn, provided you can latch your tooth-filled orifice around enough skin.
Projectile Vomiting (2-pt Merit) This talent is like the Eat Food Merit, but twice as versatile. Food comes in; food goes out very, very fast. A vampire with this ability can ingest, and possibly even taste, food and drink. He cannot pin any nutritional benefit from this ordinarily digestible matter, but he can store it for later use. When this need arises, the Nosferatu can not only disgorge his stored supply of food, but also aim it with a degree of precision. For the record, projectile vomiting in the Storyteller system usually requires a Stamina + Athletics roll; the difficulty is 8, and a victim can attempt to dodge this bolus of ejected victuals. Although this attack does not cause damage (save to one's pride), the type of food ejected may temporarilyobscure a victim's vision, cause him to slip or merely force him to weep with shame at a Camarilla Toreador's grand ball. Pity the poor vomitdrenched Toreador….
Sleep Unseen (2-pt Merit) You can use the Obfuscate Discipline to hide while you sleep during the day. Such prolonged use of this ability requires an extra blood point (or Blood Trait) to keep your body hidden for a full day. Of course, you must at least be hidden from sunlight, and vampires using the Auspex Discipline can still detect you, but mortals will ignore your very presence. This is a useful Merit for Nosferatu emissaries and travelers; many would perish without it.
Tough Hide (2-pt Merit) Thick, leathery skin envelops you. Add an extra die when soaking damage (for anything except fire or sunlight).
False Reflection (3-pt Merit) When using Mask of a Thousand Faces, a Nosferatu with this Merit can create a false impression of his disguise on recording media. He can have his picture taken, show up on videotape and even record an imitation of the subject's voice. Nosferatu without this Merit cannot disguise themselves to machines using the Obfuscate Discipline.
Foul Blood (3-pt Merit) The vitae flowing through your veins tastes truly awful. Anyone who bites or feeds from you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6) or spend the next turn choking, retching and gagging. Any idiot who actually tries to diablerize you must make three Willpower rolls (difficulty 9) to succeed. This makes blood bonds torturous, the Embrace becomes even more difficult, and ghouling is near impossible.
Reptile Buddy (3-pt Merit) Yes, those legends about albino alligators in the sewers really are true. You've been nursing a few of them with your vitae in the local spawning pool for years. Your careful breeding and vigilant training has produced a reptilian slave of exceptional intelligence. It has a mind as sharp as that as a five-year-old child and teeth as keen as butcher knives. The beast understands your native language perfectly and can even follow complex directions. Faster and deadlier than any human ghoul, it is a highly efficient killing machine fully capable of patrolling your domain with ruthless effi ciency. Reptile buddies also love to play "fetch" with human limbs (whether attached or severed).
| Ghouled Reptile Buddy |
| Physical: Strength 6, Dexterity 2, Stamina 6 |
| Social: Charisma 0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0 |
| Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 3 |
| Disciplines: Fortitude 2, Potence 2 |
| Blood Pool: 5 |
| Willpower: 5 |
| Attacks: Bite (7 dice), Tail Slap (6 dice)** |
Patagia (4-pt Merit) Leathery wings fold up into your horrid little body. Picture the gliding wings of a pterodactyl or a flying squirrel. Now visualize them hanging off the twisted skeleton of batlike wings. With the aid of an updraft or a strong wind, you can glide for short distances – rather useful for Nosferatu who skulk along rooftops, don't you think? Storytellers should know that a vampire with this Merit can glide at his normal walking speed.
Rugged Bad Looks (5-pt Merit) Your face is hideous, but it could almost pass for that of a really ugly human. If you were to cover every other part of your body, you could shamble into mortal society looking only slightly suspicious. While you might have a hunchback, reptilian scales over parts of your flesh or a foul stench that never dissipates, you can actually walk among mortals – with extensive precautions – without automatically breaking the Masquerade. Other vampires give you no end of grief for not looking like a "real" Nosferatu. By the way, this is as "attractive" as a Nosferatu ever gets; no Merit will ever increase a Nosferatu's Appearance above zero.
Blunt Fangs (1-pt Flaw) Your teeth are huge and square, not sharp like those of other vampires. To do damage with a bite attack, you must score an additional success ( thus,this extra success subtracts from the amount of damage you do) . Once you have sunk you teeth into your prey, you inflict a level of damage for every two blood points you take. Once your fangs are locked in a victim's flesh, you've got to chew and chew and chew….
Infamous Autarkis (1-pt Flaw) The Camarilla won't accept you as one of its own under any circumstance. The Sabbat wouldn't think of submitting you to Creation Rites – it's just not worth it. Something in your past, your reputation or your sire's background is so abhorrent that both sects reject you utterly. You aren't just autarkis; your infamy spreads throughout both sects of vampiric society. Although you might find a coterie that's willing to work with you, they would not dare take you to any gathering of Camarilla or Sabbat vampires for fear of damaging their own reputations. The Storyteller may allow you to buy off this Flaw but only after you've completed a story in which you've resolved and overcome this social stigma.
Stench (1-pt Flaw) Even other Nosferatu recoil at your horrific odor. Subtract two dice from any Stealth roll when evading any creature that can smell (unless you are upwind).
Anosmia (2-pt Flaw) You have no sense of smell or taste. The vilest odors and flavors imaginable cannot affect you; in fact, you do not even recognize their presence. You cannot attempt a Perception roll that involves either of these senses. However, any supernatural attack involving horrific odors and tastes does not affect you. Granted, Nosferatu who have surrounded themselves with unseemly funk long enough become immune to just about any foul odor, but you simply do not recognize smells at all.
Parasitic Infestation (2-pt Flaw) Other creatures live on or inside you. Exotic hemovores – chiggers, gnats, ticks, lice, mosquitoes, leeches and unnamable bloodsucking fungal spores – consider the creases, folds and scabrous layers of your skin delightful. Your flesh continuously twitches and writhes, and living things burrow inside you, possibly even nesting in the cavities of your body. Despite all you ringenious methods of discouraging them, this loathsome hosting will not disperse. You cannot command these vermin in any fashion; in fact, the worst of them are very defiant because they have been strengthened and corrupted by your foul vitae.
Each day, when you rise, roll one die. Divide the result by three, rounding up. The result is the number of blood points you lose to the blood-intoxicated parasites within and upon you. In addition, the constant itching puts on you edge; increase the difficulty of all Self-Control rolls by one.
Enemy Brood (3-pt Flaw) A brood of your fellow Nosferatu have an unceasing vendetta against you. You can run from them, but you can't hide. If you stay in the same city, they will pool whatever resources they have to make your existence a living hell. Traveling through the local sewers is a nightmare. If you flee, they will use their influence and contacts to call in favors in the next city you show your ugly mug. The Storyteller may allow you to buy off this Raw, but only after you've completed a story in which you've resolved and overcome this social stigma.
Necrophile (3-pt Flaw) No, you don't have sex with the dead, but you certainly enjoy their company. You are obsessed with dead bodies and "invite" them over to your domain. Your haven is distastefully decorated with severed and mutilated body parts of all kinds. You talk to your dead friends, dance with them, make art out of them and entertain frequently. Some vampires of particularly refined temperament may need to overcome a Courage roll (difficulty 4) to enter a room where you've left your guests and their accouterments. Toreador go apeshit; Toreador antitribu applaud. For some reason, this Raw is very popular among Leatherfaces.
Withered Leg (3-pt Flaw) For whatever reason, one of your legs does not work as well as the other. You subtract three dice when attempting any action that involves movement, and you move at half normal speed.
Putrescent (4-pt Flaw) After you received the Embrace, your body continued to decay. The mystic processeS that inhibit a vampire's natural putrefaction has little effect on you. As a result, you constantly rot. Subtract one die when your character soaks damage. If you are jarred or hit violently, roll Stamina (difficulty 6). If you fail, one of your facial features or limbs falls off. If you botch, you also take a level of aggravated damage; once this wound is healed, the missing body parts will regrow.
Traitor (4-pt Flaw) Oh, you're a bastard, all right, and if the other Nosferatu find out about this, they'll kill you on sight. You've been leaving information (through a designated drop point) about your alleged allies. This might involve regular e-mails, messages hidden at the same spot or a package you drop off for a courier. You must betray secrets about your allies, usually the members of your own coterie, every game session. At the end of the session, you must tell the Storyteller what you've done; if you haven't been enough of a bastard, one of your secrets winds up on the local information network.
Contagious (5-pt Flaw) Dead bodies contain all sorts of infectious bacteria, fungi and spores. There's a reason coroners wear gloves when handling corpses. Thanks to a rather virulent version of Nosferatu's curse, a few doomed varieties of Nosferatu retain these infections after their Embrace. Contagious Nosferatu can never interact with mortals without the possibility of spreading sickness and disease. A mortal who touches a Contagious Nosferatu must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 9) or fall prey to illness for the next week. At the end of each week, the victim must make another roll; once he succeeds, he recovers from the illness. While this may seem like a rather crippling Flaw, it does force players to think of new ways of interacting with the human world (many of which are detailed in this chapter) . To maintain a sense of game balance, most other supernatural creatures have ways of dealing with the Contagious Sewer Rat's disease: Werewolves regenerate very quickly, mages can mystically remove the infection from themselves or other mages, wraiths just don 't give a damn because they're incorporeal, and so on.
Incoherent (5-pt Flaw) You are incapable of human speech. Maybe your jaw has collapsed or you've been abandoned in the sewers for too long. Pointing, grunting, wheezing and wildly gesturing are all within your repertoire, but actually forming words is not. While a player portraying this character can describe what he is doing, the character can never utter a Word. The only exception to this is communicating with animals; you can express yourself to beasts with nonverbal language.
Toreador (2nd ed)
Controllable Thirst (1-PT Merit) Because Toreador spend so much time around mortals, resisting Frenzy caused by the smell, sight or taste of blood is easier for them. Whenever the Kindred makes a Frenzy roll over blood, reduce the difficulty by three.
Eye for Beauty (1-PT Merit) The Kindred is a natural critic. Reduce difficulties for Art Appreciation by four.
Mortal Double (2-PT Merit) You have the services of someone alive who looks just like you. This person might be your actual twin. (Other explanations are possible: a long-lost brother, a master of disguise, a Progenitor clone, a victim of Vicissitude, etc.) However, unless he is made into a ghoul, he will continue to age normally. Eventually, he will no longer be your exact double. The double may move about freely during the day, aiding you in hiding your vampiric nature. The double must be fully aware of your personal life, including all your relationships and activities. He must also be a good actor.
Refined (2-PT Merit) You a member of the elite. You are at home in high society and you never feel out of place around the "beautiful people." The difficulty on all Etiquette rolls involving high society is reduced by three. In addition, you are often invited to Toreador socials reserved for those of higher Toreador Prestige (or Camarilla Status) than yourself.
Blasé (3-PT Merit) You are not easily impressed by others. You automatically resist all Presence powers. However, if the Kindred using Presence is far more powerful than yourself, the Storyteller might require you to spend a point of Willpower to resist.
"Gifted" (3-PT Merit) The difficulty on all Creativity rolls and Artistic Expression rolls are reduced by three.
Greater Colors (3-PT Merit) The vampire sees colors more distinctly and with greater definition. The world is far more colorful. Unfortunately, the vampire is more likely to become enraptured by colorful objects. Despite the drawback, when used in conjunction with Aura Perception, the vampire will discover far more information about her target. The difficulty for reading a target's aura is reduced to five. The player may ask the Storyteller one question about the target for every success, and the Storyteller must provide accurate information. This may be used only once per story on a particular target. Finally, all Artistic Expression difficulties involving color are reduced by one.
Supernatural Spouse (4-PT Merit) You share a relationship equivalent to marriage with a supernatural creature other than another Kindred. Both of you receive the benefits of the True Love Merit for one another. This creature may be a mage, a werewolf, a changeling, a wraith or something even more unusual. Unfortunately, both of your kind would consider you threats if they knew of your relationship. You may declare your love for one another openly, although you risk becoming an outcast or worse. You and your spouse would die or kill for one another.
Powerful Ghoul (5-PT Merit) You have a very powerful ghoul Blood Bound to you. The ghoul has six points to put into any Disciplines other than Thaumaturgy, although at least one point must be put into Potence. The ghoul is also very competent, possessing 15 points to distribute among Attributes, 27 points to distribute among Abilities and 5 points to put into Backgrounds. The ghoul has reasonably good Virtues and Willpower ratings and will do anything you say, since it loves you so much. However, the ghoul might also get jealous of any relationships you have with others.
Vampire Spouse (5-PT Merit) You hold regnant over another Kindred, though she holds regnant over you as well. The two of you are in love, and you automatically have the benefit of the Merit: True Love. Your vampire spouse is your equal in terms of power and status. However, as a couple, you are very formidable. You allow nothing to get in the way of your love. You and your spouse would die or kill for one another.
Poor Taste (1-PT Flaw) You can never have the Art Appreciation skill. You are forever a Poseur, and you have no ability to judge a masterpiece from trash. In fact, if you had the choice, you would choose the trash.
Rival (1-PT Flaw) You have an intense rivalry with another Kindred. You are always competing with this individual, either for fun or out of spite. In besting this individual, you go to extremes, and he behaves similarly towards you. Your rival occasionally gets the best of you, but you do the same to him.
Tortured Artist (1-PT Flaw) You must suffer for your work. Your work is never good enough to suit you. You often suffer ennui for extended periods of time, preventing you from working steadily. In addition, you constantly find yourself in heartbreaking positions; perhaps you subconsciously lead yourself into those situations to acquire the experience you need for your work.
Vulgar (1-PT Flaw) You will never fit into high society. You are crude, rude and socially unacceptable, forever a Philistine. You are treated as having one less level of Status when invitations to Toreador socials are prepared. You will never be fully accepted as a Toreador. Many will question your Sire and possibly ridicule him for choosing you.
Artistically Inept (3-PT Flaw) You must work harder than most artists to accomplish great work. You are still capable of creating a masterpiece, but it is tougher for you than for someone else of equal training. All difficulties on Creativity rolls and Artistic Expression rolls are increased by two to a maximum of nine.
Social Outcast (3-PT Flaw) You have severed your ties to the Artistes and Poseurs. You no longer play their silly games. You will never rise in Clan Prestige, and you are the equivalent of an anarch. However, the anarchs will not accept you due to some past transgressions you have committed against them. You have no place in the world of the Damned.
Tremere
Embraced Without The Cup (3-pt Merit) When your character was Embraced, her sire dispensed with Tremere tradition, or perhaps didn't have the means necessary to finish the job, or just died before it could be done right. Your Tremere was drained of blood and then brought across, but never went through the Transubstantiation of Seven. As a result, even if your character took the oath, she didn't undertake any steps toward a blood bond with the Council of Seven. Because your character has no imperative toward the Seven, her loyalty to the Tremere clan comes solely from her own conscience. Effectively, you can do as you damn well please without any unnatural feelings getting in the way.
Of course, if any loyal Tremere find out about this oversight, your character will probably wind up hauled in for the Transubstantiation of Seven, as well as some detailed questioning about why she didn't come forward to fix this oversight ofher own volition. This may result in a binding to the council, or a tribunal of some sort, and ignorance may not be a valid excuse…
Bound to the Council (3-pt Flaw) Whether because of a highly suspicious regent, a faux pas in the past or a missive from on high, your character was bound to the Council of Seven – a condition that he hasn't escaped. This doesn't stop the character from having personal goals and motives, but love of the Tremere clan always comes first. You must spend Willpower just to go against Tremere policy; violating the oath, to your character, is literally as difficult as a blood bound thrall trying to betray her regnant. When the councilor their duly-appointed representatives (read: anyone with more Tremere rank than your character) says, "Jump," your character jumps, then waits around to find out how high before coming down.
If you somehow manage to get out of this problem, say by partaking of a Vaulderie, accepting another blood bond or using the ritual Abandon the Fetters, your character may well find himself marked for destruction should the proper parties find out. If the blood bond wasn't enough to keep him in line, and he was enough of a threat to merit it, then destruction is the only way to be sure that he won't be a problem later. The Storyteller can and should use all Tremere resources available both to check the character's loyalty and to hunt him down like the renegade he is ifhe fails to make the grade.
Double Betrayer (4-pt Flaw) At some point in the past, your character undertook the Vaulderie. She may have legitimately tried to join the Sabbat, or perhaps she didn't know any better or was compelled. Regardless, she now bears the mark of the Betrayer. She has since been redeemed and welcomed back into the clan's ranks, but the mark will haunt her always.
As usual with the mark, all Tremere can tell that your character betrayed the clan once. Those who know of your character's past will treat her with contempt; add two to the social difficulties for interacting with other Tremere, so long as they're loyal to the clan. Tremere who don't know the circumstances will probably assume that your character is a Sabbat traitor, and might try to capture or destroy her, or at least attempt to inform the pyramid of her whereabouts. Should your character ever fail in her reports or relapse in bad behavior, you can expect that she willbe hunted down just like the Tremere do with other threats.
Attuned Taste (2-pt Merit) For whatever reason, your character finds blood magic instinctive – more so than for most Tremere. When your Tremere tastes blood, she naturally tastes the subtle currents and occult correspondences in the vitae. To her, it's not even magic; it's just a heightened state of taste stemming from the Embrace and the Tremere clan's long experience with blood.
When your character tastes blood, she may automatically glean one fact about the source, as per the Level One Path of Blood power, A Taste for Blood. No blood cost or roll is required; the vampire simply garners information as if with one success. You may still choose to use the Discipline itself in order to gain more specific information, in which case the normal systems apply and the results of the Discipline use supersede this affinity.
This affinity is not always beneficial – your character may accidentally taste undercurrents of fear, extraordinary power or poison in vitae, and such tastes can cause nausea or incapacitation at the Storyteller's discretion. This sensitivity cannot be turned off.
Thaumaturgically Inept (5-pt Flaw) Tremere and the council took decades to develop the principles of Thaumaturgy, so it's not a "natural" Discipline. Over centuries it's spread through the Tremere clan as a habitual practice, but a few unfortunate Tremere never seem to get the hang of it.
Your character is one such unfortunate: He effectively adds 4 instead of the normal 3 to his difficulties ( to a maximum of 10) to use paths or rituals. He can still learn Thaumaturgy (higher-ranking Tremere will be happy to share their secrets so long as he earns the favor from them), but it takes real effort. Thaumaturgy still counts as a clan Discipline for him, though he can begin the story with no more than one dot.
Socially, this tends to mark the character as a poor student among other Tremere. He will likely be passed over for promotions or responsibilities simply because he "just doesn't get it."
Tzimisce
Pain Tolerance (2-pt Merit) Maybe you've deadened your nerves through Vicissitude. Maybe you're a tough bastard. Maybe it turns you on. Regardless, you ignore one-dice wound penalties. That is, at Hurt or Injured, you suffer no wound penalties. You still suffer full wound penalties at Wounded and below. You must have a Conviction or Courage rating of 3 or more to take this Merit. If you possess the advanced Vicissitude power Ecstatic Agony, you gain no additional dice until you are at least Wounded; your indifference to pain deprives you of its power.
Scarface (2 to 4-pt Flaw) You're a walking mess of scars. Although you heal damage with Cainite efficiency, the manner in which you do so is all too human. For some reason, the regenerating flesh returns as scar tissue. Vicissitude doesn't help; in fact, it aggravates your condition with stretch marks and cicatrices anywhere your skin breaks. While this doesn't hamper you physically, it does affect your interactions with other people. For 2 points, all Social roll difficulties increase by one.
If you purchase Scarface as a 3-point Flaw, your face and body are so horribly blemished that your Appearance rating can never exceed 2. This is in addition to the limitations mentioned previously. As a 4-point Flaw, the swath of scars is thick enough to hinder your actions through skin-resistance.
All Dexterity roll difficulties also increase by one, in addition to the other penalties this Flaw imposes at lesser levels. Youcan ignore this penalty for one specific action by taking one level of (unsoakable) bashing damage; essentially, you're tearing the scar tissue for greater range of motion. Once you heal that damage, however, the penalty returns.
Revenant Weakness (3-pt Flaw) You were once part of a revenant family. Following the Embrace, you suffered the double-whammy of your clan's weakness and your revenant family's limitation; whether it's the Bratovitch's propensity to fly into a rage, the Grimaldi's blood bond to the Sabbat, the Obertus' instability or the Zantosa's weak will. The Storyteller might also let you manifest a weakness from a lost or destroyed revenant line. This could add mystery to your background and allow for a bit of genealogical detective work.
Consumption (5-pt Flaw) Portions of the Antediluvian are not only within you, they're active and act like a cancer that devours you from the inside out. Your very blood is wrought with a corrosive, flesheating bacteria. At the beginning of each evening, you suffer one health level of bashing damage that cannot be soaked nor healed with blood. The only way to counteract the effect is by ingesting one-tenth of your body-weight in flesh to supplement your depleted carcass. Whether you kill and devour the skin frorn humans or raid the biohazard containers of liposuction clinics for siphoned fat, you need your ration of human flesh in order to survive. If you try and ingest this macabre meal before damage is done, you'll simply vomit it out like any other food – this does not impart the benefits of the Eat Food Merit.
Dracon's Temperament (3-pt Merit) Taking the notion of Azhi Dahaka to new levels, you've emulated the permutable nature of change and evolution into your very psyche. Like the protean Dracon, you are a whirlwind of temperaments. Unlike multiple personalities, which gives you more than one identity, you are the same person but with different and changing Natures. Essentially, you either have no anchored sense of self, or you're so mutable that you can be anybody. At the beginning of each Story, until its conclusion, you may choose one Personality Archetype to function as your Nature. This doesn't change your identity; it simply alters the way you perceive situations and how you deal with others. You also regain Willpower according to your new Nature and may be affected by other effects or Discipline powers as per your new Nature as well.
Haven Affinity (3-pt Merit) Caine's curse resonates strongly in your bones, but it possesses a proven advantage. You are connected to the soil of your prime haven, granting you an extra die to all dice pools when you operate there. It also acts as a mystic beacon to you, allowing you to home in on its location with a standard Perception + Survival roll (difficulty 6), + 1 difficulty when a state or country separates you; + 2 if you're halfway across the globe. This applies only to your prime haven and to none of your auxiliary shelters.
Revenant Disciplines (3-pt Merit) The ties to your revenant family stayed with you well past the Embrace. As such, the Disciplines that were innate to you as a ghoul have remained so as Cainite. At character creation, select the ghoul family from which you hail. Instead of the Tzimisce's standard complement of Animalism, Auspex and Vicissitude, you instead draw from your three family Disciplines for your starting allocation ( though you may buy other Disciplines with freebies, as normal). Also, you learn your family Disciplines at the cost of a clan Discipline. It's either or, however, meaning you cannot buy both the Tzimisce and family powers at clan cost unless they both share a particular ability like Vicissitude.
Ancestral Soil Dependence (2-pt Flaw) Dependence on their native soil hampered the Tzimisce's flight from Eastern Europe. Even a few childer sired elsewhere required the soil of a homeland they had never visited, making them particularly vulnerable to enemies who knew of this weakness. In the modem nights, rapid transportation makes such a threat much less severe, but even childer sired generations after their ancestors relocated occasionally manifest this Flaw.
The will of the spirits from the ancestral Tzimisce homeland weighs heavy on your blood – soil from a place important to you as a mortal won't do. You actually need two handfuls of the tainted Eastern European soil of the Tzimisce homeland Ancestral Soil Dependence most commonly manifests in the childer of koldun and the branch of the clan thought to be descended from Yorak. Characters Embraced in Eastern Europe can't take this Flaw (they're already dependant on the local soil).
Ventrue
Paragon (6-pt Merit) The Embrace has awakened within you an aspect of personality that others find particularly compelling. You may select any one Background from the following group: Allies, Black Hand Membership, Clan Prestige, Contacts, Fame, Herd, Influence, Mentor, Resources, Retainers, Sabbat Status or Status. Your maximum Trait score in that Background may exceed your normal generation limit by one. For example, a 10th-generation Kindred may take this Merit and enjoy the benefits of a Contacts Background of 6. You may take this Merit for only one Background, which may drop (and therefore rise again) at the Storyteller's discretion. Players should choose this Merit only for a Background that makes sense – a Camarilla archon is unlikely to have a Black Hand Membership Background of 7, for example.
Hypersensitive Palate (2-pt. Physical Merit) You have an almost supernatural ability to analyze blood you drink. Any sip of blood you are able to sample allows asingle Perception roll (difficulty 7 + [the age of the blood in hours]) to detect familiar tastes or distinctions, If any successes are scored, the Storyteller may require a second roll to correctly identify the flavors tasted (water from the Thames, French merlot, Lingenwald factory soot, a particular family's blood).
Mechanical Aptitude (2 pt. Mental Merit) You have an uncommon understanding of the astounding machines being developed in this wondrous age. Whenever your player makes a roll to assess, operate or design a mechanical device developed during the last 50 years, he enjoys two extra dice in his pool . This Merit is especially rare among elders and could become a serious advantage into the next century.
Medium (2 or 4 pt. Supernatural Merit) You have, either naturally or through training, in affinity for receiving ghosts and spirits around you. With the two-point Merit, you are able to hear, smell or otherwise vaguely sense spirits in your vicinity. You may communicate with them using whatever means you have for mundane communication but can exert no more power over them than you could any other discomforting stranger. With the four-point Merit, you are able to actually see or feel those spirits about you. You may be able to deduce their identity or history from your findings. What's more, you project a strange authority in the spirit world, affording you an extra success on any Social rolls to intimidate, soothe or otherwise persuade a neutral spirit. Spirits with their own motives may not be particularly respectful of your power, however. Either way, you stand out in the spirit world and may attract some unwanted attention with this Trait.
Prophetic (3 pt. Supernatural Merit) You see the future and detect pivotal moments in time. You may have some ritual or routine to perform when you try to glimpse future nights, but most often, your ability is sporadic and involuntary. You might be harassed by distant sounds echoing backward through time, or you might receive terrifically vivid mental images of a single future moment. The Storyteller may require a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty based on your proximity to a person or place that will be instrumental to history) to make sense of your prophetic signal. Prophecies may be itnportant or insignificant and may relate to the future of the world or your future alone.
13th Generation (2 pt. Physical Flaw) You were recently sired by a 12th-generation vampire. Few of your kind exist. You are considered to be part of an unofficial social step forming at the bottom of vampire society. You still hear the distinctions and predilections of your clan, but are largely overlooked by elders, ancillae and many 12th-generation neonates. You have to shout twice as loud to he heard and work twice as hard to be noticed. Neither entitles you to respect or responsibility, yet. It's a strange era for you: Most of your generation has not yet arrived. When they do, perhaps things will he different. As a 13th-generation vampire. you have a maximum blood pool of 10and may spend a single blood point per turn.
Archaic (2 pt. Mental flaw) You are uncomfortable with the trends of the night. Machines are noisy, coal is dirty, and gaslights make you understandably nervous. All of these things signal an increase in mortal power and just plain confuse you. Your unlife may hecome a genuine hell if this is the way things are headed. The difficulties of any Mental or Social actions you undertake are increased by two if they involve machinery or technology invented in the last 50 years.
Dangerous Bias (3 pt. Mental flaw) You are blinded by popular cultural illusions. You see individuals based solely on their economic position, social status and racial or ethnic background. To you, a valet or a foreigner is a kind of person distinctly different from an Englishman. The difficulties of all Perception, Empathy, Leadership. Streetwise and Investigation rolls are raised by two if they regard persons of a social or economic group other than your own. On any roll involving two of the prior traits, the difficulty increases by three instead. Your behavior, if properly roleplayed, migh very well make Manipulation and Charisma actions more difficult among these groups as well.
Frail Stomach (2-pt. Physical Flaw) You are physically unable to stomach blood that you consider filthy or poor. The overwhelming stink of kerosene and coal in a factory worker's blood might turn you away - or perhaps the sticky caramel-sweet blood of the aristocracy. This Flaw cannot be combined with Prey exclusion and is more than just a matter of distaste. To keep down any blood from a source deemed unfit by you requires a Stamina + Self-Control roll (difficulty 8). You may stomach a number of blood points equal to the sucesses. Anything else is regurgitated.
Harbringer of Gehenna (5-pt. Supernatural Flaw) This Flaw encompasses both the 14th Generation and Thin Blood Flaws from Vampire: The Masquerade. You are more than merely weak in the eyes Of Victorain vampires, you are a symbol of ruin. Your presence is offensive, at least, and, most likely, frightening for your fellow Kindred. You might find solace in the presence of neonates or fools, but many vampires would rather burn you than consider what you represent. Quite simply, anyone who knows the secrets of your weak blood probably despises you for it. Tread carefully.
Counsel of Primogen
Natural Leader (4-pt Social Merit)
Slowed Degeneration (5-pt Mental Merit)
Bad Liar (4-pt Social Flaw)
Mexico City by Night
Alternate Sense (7-pt Supernatural Merit)
Sins of the Blood
Blessed (7-pt. Supernatural Merit)
Indomitable Soul (7-pt. Supernatural Merit)
Devil's Mark (1-or 7-pt. Physical Flaw)
Spoiled Beast (3-pt. Mental Flaw)
Unrepentant Beast (4-pt. Mental Flaw)