DISCIPLINE CLARIFICATIONS

These are changes, additions, and clarifications to various Vampire Disciplines published in OWoD MET books.

Several Disciplines now have “add-ons,” extra powers not part of the normal Discipline progression that you may purchase with Free traits or Experience.

Index

The following Disciplines have changes and additions:



ANIMALISM

Animalism vs. Protean: The first three levels of Animalism can affect shapechangers (including users of Protean or the Life Sphere and fairies with animal affinities) in animal form.

Subsume the Spirit (Intermediate Animalism)
For fairies, exchange the places of Chimerstry and Dominate on the Discipline chart, LotNRev 136. -- Note that this power cannot be used on shape-changers in animal form.

Drawing Out the Beast (Advanced Animalism)
For characters not prone to Frenzy, replace "Drawing Out the Beast" with "Possession" -- just like the Advanced Dominate power, except it is a Social Discipline, not Mental. Use the Discipline chart for "Subsume the Spirit" (LotNRev 136) rather than the "Possession" chart (LotNRev 148), adjusted for fairies (as applicable) as above. (Characters such as vampires who are prone to frenzy may buy "Possession" as a second Advanced Animalism Discipline.)


AUSPEX

Astral Projection (Advanced Auspex)
When used in the mundane world, this power does not permit the character access to the Otherworlds unless the Silver Cord is snapped, in which case the astral traveler has no control over where s/he ends up. -- Astrally projecting characters are able to interact freely with ghosts and spirits in Twilight.


CELERITY

Celerity Add-On: [ to be named]
Prerequisite: Celerity 2
Cost: As "Out of Clan" Basic Discipline; does not count as a "dot" in Celerity in cases where that matters.
The character gains a number of bonus traits equal to his rating in Celerity (not counting this power) in challenges related to speed. This power costs one Mana trait to activate and may be used in combination with other Celerity powers, but the Mana expenditure is cumulative. This power lasts for the duration of the conflict, after which the character loses one temporary appropriate Physical trait from exhaustion.


CHIMERSTRY

Multiple targets: The Discipline descriptions refer to multiple "targets"; to affect more than one person, the user must bid an extra Social trait for each additional target. The exception is that all fairy targets in sensory range are automatically affected by a successful use of Chimerstry without requiring the user to risk additional traits (see immediately below); in this case, the user need defeat only the nearest fairy present in a Social challenge in order for a chimerical illusion to affect all of them. — If a fairy enters an area where a Chimerstry power is still active, his or her senses are immediately affected, but the fairy can try to detect its chimerical nature with an Awareness test (see below).

A note on Chimerstry and Fairies: Chimerstry calls upon the power of Faerie to create illusions from pure Mana, and as a result the fae are more adept at its use. For all Chimerstry powers the fae spend Mana traits instead of Willpower and gain one free retest per game to use the Discipline when they achieve Intermediate level. Finally, any fairy, whether they possess Chimerstry or not, may detect the use (and user) of this Discipline nearby with an Awareness test (difficulty equal to the Social traits of the user). — The downside of this, though, is that even if a fairy knows that something is a chimerical illusion, it is still a piece of the reality of the Otherworlds and so even low levels of this Discipline are potentially dangerous for them if the illusions are of something harmful (like a weapon or a fire); detected illusions can still cause Bashing damage, whereas undetected chimerical weapons cause Bashing, Lethal, or Aggravated damage according to type and the level of mastery of the user: Bashing at Basic, Bashing or Lethal at Intermediate, Bashing, Lethal, or Aggravated at Advanced. — A fairy can ignore a chimerical barrier s/he knows to be illusory for a single turn by spending a Willpower trait.

Thaumaturgy: Some creatures (notably liches) might possess this Discipline as a secondary path of Thaumaturgy. In that case, the illusion powers come from within the thaumaturge rather than from the Otherworlds; accordingly, the fae have no particular susceptibility to or facility with it. Of course, the thaumaturge must spend a(n additional) Mana trait, as with any Thaumaturgy.

Locations: In the Otherworlds or in a fairy Sanctum, all creatures are as susceptible to (if not as adept with) Chimerstry as the fae themselves, and all users of this Discipline are one trait up in tests related to its use.

Disbelieving: While fairies can detect the use of this Discipline with a successful Awareness challenge, other creatures successfully affected by the Chimerstry Discipline will normally have little reason to disbelieve an illusion created by it -- accidentally brushing up against a chimerical object and passing through it, for instance, or observing that some others present cannot see the illusion, or being alerted by someone else who has already seen through the illusion. When reason for disbelief is in doubt, the character may be required to win a static Mental challenge using the Investigation Ability.

Horrid Reality (Advanced Chimerstry)
Fairy targets aware that Chimerstry is being used on them are not hit "automatically" according to the Discipline description, but must be attacked normally with the chimerical weapon -- which however causes them real damage with a successful hit (including Aggravated attack forms, if the fairy is not aware of the illusion). The user has the choice of attacking with Social traits rather than Physical traits, but the fairy defends Physically.


FORTITUDE

Fortitude Add-On: [ to be named ]
Prerequisite: Fortitude 2
Cost: As "Out of Clan" Basic Discipline; does not count as a "dot" in Fortitude in cases where that matters.
The character gains a number of bonus traits equal to his rating in Fortitude (not counting this power) in challenges related to stamina. This power costs one Mana trait to activate and may be used in combination with other Fortitude powers, but any Mana expenditure is cumulative. This power lasts for the duration of the conflict, after which the character loses one temporary appropriate Physical trait from exhaustion.


OBEAH

Anesthetic Touch (Basic [?] Obeah)
This power does not work on the undead, but does affect other immortals.

Unburdening the Bestial Soul (Advanced Obeah)
This power has no effect on creatures lacking a Morality path (e.g., Otherworldly fairies), but can be used to restore Morality traits to mortals. -- Otherworldly fae cannot use this power as written because they do not understand paths of Morality. Instead, they lift the 'burdens' of morality, removing one Morality trait per permanent Willpower. When the target reaches zero traits from the use of this power, s/he gains a Seelie and Unseelie Legacy, just like one of the fae.


OBFUSCATE

Obfuscate Add-On: Conceal Object
Prerequisite: Obfuscate 1
Cost: As "Out of Clan" Basic Discipline; does not count as a "dot" in Obfuscate in cases where that matters.
The character can conceal inanimate objects (only) by causing others to overlook them. This is not true invisibility, nor does it permit the character to hide other things or creatures behind the obfuscated object. Once the character calls attention to the object (e.g., by attacking someone with it) the object becomes visible to all. Anyone seeking the specific object (not just a gun, but the specific gun the character has been seen to carry) may make an Investigation (or Awareness for magical items) challenge against the user to see through the illusion; characters with Heightened Senses and similar powers have the usual chance to spot the item (and gain bonuses if they are looking for the object in particular). -- "Conceal Object" cannot cause objects to vanish from sight, or objects currently in someone else's possession, but it can, with a successful Mental challenge (against all potential witnesses), conceal something someone else has just seen but is not paying any attention to at the time (including the entrance to the room). Naturally this will make people suspicious and they may seek the specific object as above. -- The object is hidden for the rest of the scene or until ended prematurely. The character using this power must be able to see it him- or herself when the Discipline is activated, but need not remain present for the rest of the duration.
The size of objects that can be hidden by "Conceal Object" depend on the user's rating in Obfuscate (not counting this power):

Obfuscate

 Size

1

 Object can fit inside a large jacket pocket

2

 Object can be hidden under a jacket without a large bulge

3

 Object cannot be hidden under a jacket, but still carried

4

 Object roughly as large as a full-grown human or a doorway

5

 Object up to five times the size of a full-grown human
Adapted from Vampire: the Requiem (e.g., MET Requiem pp. 186-7).

Obfuscate Add-On: Mask Object
Prerequisite: Obfuscate 4 and the "Conceal Object" add-on
Cost: As "Out of Clan" Intermediate Discipline; does not count as a "dot" in Obfuscate in cases where that matters.
The character may make an inanimate object appear as some other object of roughly the same size. This does not permit causing living (or undead) creatures to look like inanimate objects or vice versa. The limitations of "Conceal Object" apply.


POTENCE

Potence Add-On: [ to be named ]
Prerequisite: Potence 2
Cost: As "Out of Clan" Basic Discipline; does not count as a "dot" in Potence in cases where that matters.
The character gains a number of bonus traits equal to his rating in Potence (not counting this power) in challenges related to strength. This power costs one Mana trait to activate and may be used in combination with other Potence powers, but any Mana expenditure is cumulative. This power lasts for the duration of the conflict, after which the character loses one temporary appropriate Physical trait from exhaustion.


PROTEAN

A note on Protean for Fairies: Feel free to “customize” Protean to fit the character concept. The night-vision power of Gleam of Red Eyes might manifest itself differently. Feral Claws might instead be horns or antlers that allow for an Aggravated-damage-dealing head-butt. A water nymph with Protean 3 would likely meld into water instead of soil. An elf with Protean 4 might become a stag or a hawk instead of a wolf or a bat. The details should be worked out with the Storyteller.

Protean Add-On: Additional Element Meld
Prerequisite: Protean 3
Cost: As Basic Discipline (but does not count as a “dot” of Protean).
When a character gains the “Earth Meld” power, s/he may meld into one element (usually earth for vampires; fairies might meld into trees or water or stone). Each time this add-on is purchased the character can meld into an additional element. Characters cannot meld into elements that would normally harm them.

Protean Add-On: Additional Beast Form
Prerequisite: Protean 4
Cost: As Basic Discipline (but does not count as a “dot” of Protean).
- When a character gains “Shape of the Beast,” s/he gains one animal form (either a wolf or bat for vampires, for instance). Each time this add-on is purchased, the character has the option of assuming the form of an additional animal.

Protean Add-On: War Form
Prerequisite: Protean 4
Cost: As Intermediate "Out-of-Clan" Discipline (but does not count as a “dot” of Protean).
- This power enables the character to assume a hybrid “half humanoid, half animal” form based on the default Protean 4 form. Assuming the form costs one Mana trait and takes 3 turns (which can be shortened at the cost of one additional Mana trait per turn), or can be done instantly with a successful static Physical challenge vs. a difficulty of 10 traits. Changing back to natural form is free and instantaneous.
- Character gains + 1 Physical trait per dot of Protean (not counting this power) + 1 additional Physical trait per level of Rank. (So at minimum, a Rank 1 character with the Protean 4 necessary to possess this power would gain 5 additional Physical traits.)
- Character also gains the “Demon Shintai” characteristic Huge Size (MET Kindred of the East p. 143) (9-12 feet tall and 2 additional “Bruised” health levels) and Feral Claws.
- For each Rank above 1, the character may choose an additional characteristic from the “Demon Shintai” list (KoE pp. 142-143, excluding Claws as redundant). If you need access to a copy of KoE, let me know.


QUIETUS

Dagon's Call (Intermediate Quietus)
Infecting the victim costs one Mana trait. "Issuing the call" later on takes one action.

Quietus Add-On: Shield of Blood
Prerequisite: "Scorpion's Touch" (at least)
Cost: As "Out of Clan" Basic Discipline; does not count as a "dot" in Obfuscate in cases where that matters.
Your blood becomes a passive toxin that affects those who spill it. Spend a number of Mana traits and activate another Quietus toxin power (e.g., "Scorpion's Touch"); for the rest of the scene, whenever you suffer Lethal or Aggravated damage from an unarmed attack, your attacker is affected by one Mana trait's worth of that Quietus toxin; this happens as many times as you spend Mana traits. If you also possess "Taste of Death," your "Shield of Blood" will also strike those attacking with edged melee weapons. The cost of activating this power is cumulative with other uses.

Quietus Add-On: [ name forthcoming ]
Prerequisite: "Dagon's Call"
Cost: As "Out of Clan" Basic Discipline; does not count as a "dot" in Obfuscate in cases where that matters.
You may use "Dagon's Call" simultaneously with any of the other Quietus blood-toxin powers you possess, although you must spend Mana for each separately, make all applicable challenges, and spend any other traits required. For instance, you could use "Touch of the Scorpion" and "Dagon's Call" together in the same touch, or strike someone with "Baal's Caress" and then call back the tainted blood with "Dagon's Call."


SERPENTIS

The Heart of Darkness (Advanced Serpentis)
The user is also one trait up on all challenges involved in resisting supernatural powers that affect the emotions. If, however, someone gains possession of the heart, they gain a free retest against the owner of the heart in all such challenges (not to mention that the heart provides a strong sympathetic connection for use in certain kinds of Thaumaturgy or Sphere magic). Note that the heart is still subject to the same Weaknesses as its owner; a vampire's heart will burn in sunlight; a high elf's heart will be damaged while in contact with cold iron, and so on. -- Serpentis users not subject to staking instead gain a free retest in challenges where lack of emotion is a benefit. Vampires with "The Heart of Darkness" may purchase this benefit as an Add-On for the cost of an "out of clan" Basic Discipline.


THANATOSIS

Necrosis (Intermediate Thanatosis)
Damage from "Necrosis" is Aggravated.


THAUMATURGY

There are lots of clarifications to Thaumaturgy; this complicated subject gets its own page. Note that at least some paths of Thaumaturgy are more commonly available than in the Old World of Darkness setting, and some characters may possess the equivalent of a certain path as a "normal" Discipline.


VICISSITUDE

Horrid Form (Intermediate Vicissitude)
At Advanced mastery, the character gains a "Might" retest (Basic Potence) while in "Horrid Form."


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