Everybody knows what the Nosferatu disciplines are about; Animalism is about mastery over animals, Obfuscate is about stealth and altering ones appearance, and Potence is good ol' sheer knock-you-on-your-ass stength. But surely theres more than that?
Nosferatu aren't as blessed as the other clans when it comes to wanky clan-only disciplines - our only special power is our own brand of Animalism, and thats only available to 8th gen or lower (welcome to level 6). However, we do have an awesome selection of merits, and the Information Network background simply kicks arse!! What are some of these powers, you ask...well, I'll tell you, but you'd better have info to trade with me... :)
Young Frederick was eager to show off
his new Projectile Vomiting (2 pt) merit
to the Toreador primogen
Some rather dextrous Nosferatu have longer fingers than most, and some can drain blood quicker than normal. Some can remain unseen while sleeping, some can fool even cameras with their powers of obfuscation, some have ghouled reptile buddies, and some can even fly!
NEGATIVITYOf course, with any good selection of merits, comes a comparably good selection of flaws top choose from...some Nosferatu smell so bad that they repell even other Nos, some have an inexplicable desire to decorate their havens with dead bodies, some are huge walking STDs, and some just didn't stop decaying after their embrace.
Who can forget the optional negative social traits...the Nosferatu clanbook says it beautifully....
how ugly is Repugnant anyway?"
The book lists Blighted, Blubbery, Charred, Dreadful, Engorged, Flaccid, Mangy, Nauseating, Oozing, Petrified, Putrefied, Pustulent, Reptilian, Repulsive, Rubbery, Scabrous, Scarred, Skanky and Withered as optional Nosferatu traits, but it also suggests you get out your thesaurus, so next time you want to play a nos, get creative! After all, which character sounds more interesting to play, a nos who is Repugnantx3, or a nos who is Oozing, Reptilian and Skanky? TACTICS
Potence jumps
Potence, especially at higher levels, can be used to jump distances that most cainites would be unable to even consider jumping. This can be quite handy when trying to catch an opponent who is trying to use their Celerity to escape. If you can't run that far in a round, jump. Jump at them and knock them on their ass.
Vanishing assassin
This tactic (courtesy of Troy Middleton) requires you to have a gun and Obfuscate 4 - Vanish from the Mind's Eye. Shoot your intended victim in the back, thus taking them by surprise. Vanish at the end of the round so they don't know where you are. Repeat. Simple, huh?
Animal messenger
This requires only Animalism 2. Say you're down in the sewers working on your haven and you decide to get ask one of your nos buddies to help you. Cellphone reception a little too shitty? Doesn't matter. Beckon a rat, tie a bit of paper with your message on it, tell the rat to go to a particular location. Simple.
Fucking people over with Cloak the Gathering
Say you're at a toreador ball. The torrie elder has pissed you off a bit in the past and you want to teach him a lesson. Cloak the gathering allows you to extend your powers over others, right? Mask of a Thousand faces allows you to mask smell, right? Use Cloak the Gathering to mask said toreador elder as an exact image of himself, but with the faint odour of vomit or faeces. Like that high society bitch hes chatting up is going to want to go upstairs and "see the etchings" of someone who smells like they've just crapped their pants....
This tactic can sometimes be made more powerful when used in combination with other powers, especially the 3pt Nosferatu-only merit called False Reflection. "Yes I did see him baring claws at me in Elysium, just look at the video tapes!"
Obfuscate/Auspex spy combo
A lot of you will have used obfuscate to wander round unseen in Elysium and spy on others. While this is all fine and dandy, there will come a time when you'll be sniffed out if you're not careful. This is where a combination of Obfuscate 2 - Unseen Presence and Auspex 1 - Heightened Senses is extremely useful. While unseen, get within auspex range of your intended target and then use auspex to listen in on conversations. Make sure you do not face the conversation while you are doing this as it will minimise the chances of you being accused of such a tactic, should your cloak be penetrated.
Protean/Mask sight combo
Not particularly useful, though if you want to hide your knowledge of protean from others it could come in handy. Mask of a thousand faces can conceal the use of Protean 1 - Gleam of the Red Eye. You might think that you'll impress the gangrel in a new city by showing them your eyes, but sometimes discretion is better.
Quell the Beast...
...in Combat
Use this discipline on someone before you fight them. One of the effects of Quell the Beast is to prevent the subject from spending willpower for the rest of the night, meaning that if they enter combat they won't be able to spend willpower to refresh their physical traits - overbid time! You will be able to overbid them sooner if you have Intensity (Potence level 4), as with that power you won't be losing physical traits in a hurry and will be put in a position to overbid much quicker. Beware of using this tactic against opponents with the first level of Potence (Prowess), as they have a free strength trait refresh up their sleeve and that aint stopped by Quell.
...to put them into frenzy
Quell the Beast helping to put them INTO frenzy?! Yep. They can't spend willpower, so they can't avoid frenzy checks.
...and bring them out
You might not have any appropriate retest for a normal social challenge to bring someone out of frenzy, but if you have Quell the Beast, you most likely have Animal Ken...
...to defend against Auspex
If you know a particular character is going to be looking for you with auspex, quell can help in two ways:
...in General
Use it in conjunction with any mental discipline. Use it any time you're going to be challenging them socially, or especially mentally. Use it any time you can bid the neg mental submissive against them, or when you just dont want them spending willpower. Have Animal Ken coming out your arse. Have Awe (first level of Presence) so you get another retest, or cancel somebody elses. Quell doesn't do a great deal on its own, but when used in conjunction with othere stuff it becomes a deadly part of the Nosferatu arsenal.