Vampires in Vampire: The Masquerade remain in the shadows to hide their supernatural abilities from "misunderstanding" humans, as with their counterparts in fiction. However, Masquerade's Kindred come from powerful bloodlines with their own unique sets of gifts, called Disciplines. Essentially, the Disciplines of Masquerade's Kindred come in the form of physical superhuman feats, to otherworldly horrors. In turn, some Vampires run as fast as the wind - while others control people with a whisper.
Interestingly, Vampires don't get to "choose" the Disciplines they possess once they get "reborn." Thankfully, the TTRPG and games like Bloodlines 2 give players the chance to choose their Clan. Additionally, this choice influences the set of Disciplines they innately possess. However, which Disciplines stand on top of the list? Moreover, which Disciplines pose more danger than help in Vampire: The Masquerade?
Updated on March 21, 2022, by Rhenn Taguiam: With Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong serving as a spinoff to the upcoming Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, fans of the acclaimed TTRPG can finally have a fresh narrative experience that places them in the perspective of a Kindred. This time around, it’s from the perspective of three vampires with intertwined destinies in a darker rendition of modern Boston. However, for fans of the TTRPG who want to create their own Kindred in their own vampire stories, their personal vampires may want to choose certain Disciplines to help them survive the darker nights ahead.
10 Vicissitude
Perhaps one of the most horrifying Disciplines available to Kindred, Vicissitude allows Kindred to reshape their own flesh and bone, transforming themselves into creatures of otherworldly beauty and horror. Serving as the key Discipline of the Tzimisce, these Cainites use their talents exclusively to reshape their appearance, constantly finding the best way to “represent” the way they see themselves as the “evolution” of Cain’s descendants.
Unlike Protean that allows Cainites to “become” like nature’s creations, Vicissitude eliminates all pretenses and will allow Tzimisce to try and emulate God Himself. What’s more terrifying is how a skilled-enough Cainite can extend the effects of Vicissitude among others, transforming them into monstrosities they cannot imagine. Whereas Vicissitude is a separate Discipline up to the 20th Anniversary Edition, the Fifth Edition transforms Vicissitude into an Amalgam Power that manifests when combining Disciplines such as Protean, Dominate, and Animalism.
9 Dementation
When a human is Embraced into the Malkavian, they often suffer from a type of permanent derangement - a scarring of the way their mental selves view their reality. Thing is, most iterations of the Malkavian can extend this derangement among others. Called Dementation, this “spreading” of their gift can sometimes bestow wisdom on some and enforce madness on others. Light Dementation could simply enhance or dull emotions, whereas more extreme forms could turn a victim into the path of madness. This unique ability is quite unlike vampires in other games and media.
Up to the 20th Anniversary Edition, Malkavians can only exclusively use Dementation. However, the vast powers of Dementation have been compressed into an Amalgam Power, accessible only with a combination of both Dominate and Obfuscate.
8 Chimerstry
Considered as the “trademark” of the mysterious Ravnos, Chimerstry allows these Cainites to not only conjure illusions. Most Ravnos trained in Chimerstry enable them to fool both Kine (or human) and Kindred with impressive displays of illusions that fool the senses. However, the most skilled Ravnos can not only produce illusions but even will them into reality, breaking anyone’s literal suspension of disbelief.
A Ravnos training in Chimerstry could first only conjure various types of illusions, with their skill allowing them to affect one and up to all the five senses. However, the most dangerous Ravnos can not only make illusions permanent but even trap others into a maddening reality of their own desire. Chimerstry has become so powerful of an individual Discipline that it has become an Amalgam Power in Fifth Edition, accessible by combining Disciplines such as Obfuscate and Presence.
7 Animalism
One of the most terrifying parts of being a vampire is the constant battle with the Beast, or the manifestation of the darkest urges of a Kindred to become a monstrous predator. However, it’s Animalism that serves as the Discipline that enables Kinded to not only communicate and dominate over earthly beasts but to also control the Beast within.
Of all Kindred Clans, it’s the independent Gangrel, the loner Nosferatu, the mysterious Ravnos, and the uncanny Tzimisce that have natural access to such an ability. Among its natural powers involve allowing the Kindred to talk, command, and even summon earthly creatures - to the point of possessing animals themselves.
Those skilled enough in Animalism can tap into their Beast to the point of transferring Frenzy to others. While toned down in Fifth Edition compared to its 20th Anniversary counterpart, Animalism remains quite a powerful Discipline to possess.
6 Dominate
If there’s a horrifying thing that the curse of vampirism emphasizes throughout games and media, it’s that the nature of intimacy itself can become meaningless - particularly with Dominate, which essentially gives a Kindred the uncanny ability to truly dominate the minds of others. What’s perhaps more horrifying is how Dominate can completely dull the emotional and mental stability of a victim and convince them that what they’re really doing is of their own free will.
In both the 20th Anniversary Edition and the Fifth Edition, Dominate gives the Kindred the ability to forget or even command others, to the point of making them “resistant” to the commands and favors of others. A strong enough use of Dominate can have a vampire embed delayed commands or even rewrite entire memories.
5 Celerity
Kindred in the World of Darkness embodies the mythological Vampire's skillset of uncanny grace, dexterity and nimbleness. However, Kindred from Clans such as Brujah and the Banu Haqim possess supernatural speed with Celerity. In previous editions, Celerity gives Kindred a massive boost to speed and reflexes. However, the new V5 iteration now gives Celerity users access to different abilities.
Vampires with access to Celerity should prioritize using this Discipline as much as possible. Remember, Celerity's boost to speed (and therefore, reflexes) can help Vampires perform in combat and notice details outside of it. For instance, certain dot powers allow Vampires to pass various Dexterity checks inside and outside of combat. Moreover, Celerity eventually allows users to augment ally checks with dots in this Discipline.
4 Presence
A Vampire's natural charm always gets them the center of attention. For Kindred such as the Brujah, Ravnos, and Ministry, they augment their charm to supernatural levels with Potence. In previous versions, Presence doesn't have dot-based abilities - simply augmenting a Vampire's overall charm. However, in V5, Potence bestows special abilities such as extraordinary charm, hypnotic gazes, assume different appearances, or even use Presence to a limited degree over live feeds.
Interestingly, despite Presence's non-combat focus, creative players can find some use of Presence even in battle. Imposing Brujah can intimidate approaching foes, while the cunning Minister can inflict sheer terror to targets. Outside combat, Presence can almost always secure great relationships with allies - whether they're willing or not.
3 Auspex
Vampire literature depicts Kindred as beings gifted with heightened senses. However, Caine's Children in the form of Clans Hecata, Malkavian, Salubri, Toreador, and Tremere gain empowered vision through Auspex. Interestingly, of all Disciplines, Auspex is perhaps the most common amongst most of Caine's bloodlines aside from Obfuscate. Moreover, V5's Auspex has perhaps some of the most useful abilities as well.
Essentially, Kindred can use Auspex to greatly heighten their senses. However, their empowered eyes can sense the supernaturally-invisible, read auras, tap into emotions, and even scry for information. Unlike other Disciplines, there's extreme value in Auspex's ability to gleam insight - which is something players can find extremely helpful both in combat and in roleplaying.
2 Thin-Blood Alchemy
Due to their age and lack of blood potency, Thin-Bloods don't have enough power to tap into an actual bloodline. Instead, they only access base forms of Disciplines through Thin-Blood Alchemy, a new Discipline in V5. With Vitae or blood and some rudimentary form of alchemy, Thin-Bloods can tap into the powers of their Vampire ancestors.
Despite the rather disadvantage of tapping into "basic" forms of Disciplines, Thin-Blood Alchemy does give Thin-Bloods access to all Disciplines provided they have the right supplies and training. Moreover, the highest dots in Thin-Blood Alchemy lets Thin-Bloods tap into as high as Rank 4 Disciplines - making a skilled alchemist potentially more powerful than true-blooded counterparts. Thin-Blood Alchemy serves as a great Discipline for newcomers, as it allows them to experiment with stuff.
1 Oblivion
Formerly known as Obtenebration, V5's Oblivion signifies the Lasombra's mystical access to the shadows and darkness - a representative of the Vampire's affinity to the occult. With Oblivion, the Lasombra can manipulate the shadows to make themselves invisible, identify paranormal phenomena, or manifest darkness into physical objects. Interestingly, Clan Hecata's interpretation of Oblivion allows them to access Ceremonies, rituals that cement Hecata's reputation as necromancers. In turn, these Ceremonies often deal with ghosts, the dead, and other otherworldly beings.
Interestingly, Oblivion's strong themes on manipulating the darkness and shadows hold potential for a lot of mysterious archetypes. Moreover, new and old players can easily think of unique ways to use Oblivion's shadow manipulation to their advantage inside and outside of combat.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong is slated for a 2022 release and will be available for the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, the Nintendo Switch, and the PC.