In Vampire: The Masquerade your clan is similar to a character class in other roleplaying systems. Thought by some to descend from the first thirteen vampires created by the Biblical Caine, we’re only going to be using the seven from the core rulebook.

Each clan has a different feel and also has access to different abilities. Clans generally recruit based on compatibility, so if you were a rich business man, or influential politician in life, you’re much more likely to be embraced as a Ventrue than a Brujah.

Brujah

The Brujah, usually known as Rabble, are philosophers and rebels by nature. Their physical prowess only competes with their passion for humanity and all that it has to offer. They are one of the core Clans of the Anarchs. Their Beast represents itself as uncontrollable bursts of blind rage, rendering pointless their best arguments for peace and justice.

Clan disciplines:

• Celerity
• Potence
• Presence

Gangrel

The Gangrel live in communion with nature. Although they are generally regarded as loners, with no interest in Kindred politics and society, they often gather in packs, like wolves, creating their own communities. They are the other central Clan of the Anarchs. The nature of their Beast mocks them, punishing them with animal traits — both physical and psychological — whenever they lose control.

Clan disciplines:

• Animalism
• Fortitude
• Protean

Malkavian

Psychologists would diagnose the children of Malkav with schizophrenia, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Sometimes all at once. In reality, they have all of these things and none. Like the “wise madmen” of poetry their derangement stems from seeing too much of the world at once, from understanding too deeply, and feeling emotions that are too strong to bear. They self-medicate with blood, but that is just a temporary solution.

Clan disciplines:

• Auspex
• Dominate
• Obfuscate

Nosferatu

The Nosferatu wear their Beasts in their lapels, on their faces, and written all over their bodies.
Their curse may seem like one of the cruelest: upon receiving the Embrace — the act of transforming a mortal into Kindred — they suffer the most horrific metamorphosis, turning them into monsters of nightmare. Even though they display their monstrosity on the outside, the clan often gives fruit to the most humane and psychologically complex Kindred.

Clan disciplines:

• Animalism
• Obfuscate
• Potence

Toreador

Lovers of humanity, beauty, and splendor, theToreador are regarded as the most sensual of Kindred. Their pursuit of aesthetic perfection has drawn them for centuries towards the arts. They gather in art galleries and theaters to play their social games, and become involved in the lives of mortals like no other Clan. Their aesthetic sensibility is so acute that they have grown vulnerable to environments that don’t agree with their taste, suffering from anxiety and melancholy whenever they are not surrounded by beauty

Clan disciplines:

• Auspex
• Celerity
• Presence

Tremere

A thousand years ago, a powerful magician captured a vampire and performed a terrible ritual on her. The magician was obsessed with eternal life, and got the curse of Caine in exchange. Since then, the descendants of Tremere have been accumulating knowledge and bowing to a rigid hierarchy. However, since the

Second Inquisition laid waste to their Chantry in Vienna, their whole lineage has grown weak and disunited. Nowadays, the Tremere sell their services as mercenaries, and try to understand how to live with their newfound freedom.

Clan disciplines:

• Auspex
• Dominate
• Blood Sorcery

Ventrue

Traditional leaders, the Ventrue— or the Blue Bloods, as they are often called — exude majesty, power and privilege. They are educated on the idea that they are born to rule, and everybody else needs to obey them. The Ventrue have rarefied tastes when it comes to blood, and can only feed on specific types of people. The nature of this exquisite palate varies from one Ventrue to the next — some can only feed on middle-aged men, while others won’t taste any blood that doesn’t come from convicted felons.

Clan disciplines:

• Dominate
• Fortitude
• Presence