Post by Phsycodelic on Oct 11, 2016 23:13:33 GMT
Auspex
Malkavians, Toreador, Tremere, Tzimisce
Malkavians, Toreador, Tremere, Tzimisce
However, a vampire with Auspex needs to be careful. Her increased sensory sensitivity can cause her to be drawn in by beautiful things or stunned by loud noises or pungent smells. Sudden or dynamic events can disorient an Auspex-using character unless her player makes a Willpower roll to block them out (difficulty of at least 4, although the more potent the source of distraction, the higher the difficulty). Failure overwhelms the character's senses, making her oblivious to her surroundings for a turn or two. While the Malkavians and Toreador are more prone to these kinds of distractions, the Tremere and Tzimisce aren't immune.
Dots in Perception are very useful for using Auspex powers, as more successes help the character gain more sensory information.
When a vampire tries to use her heightened perceptions to notice a Kindred hidden with Obfuscate, she detects the subject's presence if her Auspex rating is higher than his Obfuscate, and she succeeds at a Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty equals 7 minus the number of dots by which her Auspex exceeds his Obfuscate). Conversely, if the target's Obfuscate outranks her Auspex, he remains undiscovered. If the two ratings are equal, both characters make a resisted roll of Perception + Awareness (Auspex user) against Manipulation + Subterfuge (Obfuscate user). The difficulty for both rolls is 7, and the character with the most successes wins.
Vampires with Auspex may seek to penetrate illusions created with Chimerstry. The Auspex-wielder must actively seek to pierce the illusion (i.e., the player must tell the Storyteller that his character is trying to detect an illusion). The Auspex-user and Chimerstry-wielder then compare relative ratings, per Obfuscate, above. The process is otherwise identical to piercing Obfuscate.
Since the powers of beings like magi and wraiths function differently from vampiric Disciplines, a simple comparison of relative ratings isn't applicable. To keep things simple, both characters make a resisted roll. The vampire rolls Perception + Awareness, while the subject rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge. Again, the difficulty is 7, and the character with the most successes wins.
[ 1 ] Heightened Senses ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 134 )
This power increases the acuity of all of the vampire's senses, effectively doubling the clarity and range of sight, hearing, and smell. While her senses of taste and touch extend no farther than normal, they likewise become far more distinct; the vampire could taste the hint of liquor in a victim's blood or feel the give of the board concealing a hollow space in the floor. The Kindred may magnify her senses at will, sustaining this heightened focus for as long as she desires. At the Storyteller's option, this may make hunting easier. Occasionally, this talent provides extrasensory or even precognitive insights. These brief, unfocused glimpses may be odd premonitions, flashes of empathy, or eerie feelings of foreboding. The vampire has no control over these perceptions, but with practice can learn to inteet them with a fair degree of accuracy. Expanded senses come at a price, however. Bright lights, loud noises and strong smells present a hazard while the vampire uses this power. In addition to the possibility for distraction, an especially sudden or potent stimulus (like the glare of a spotlight or a clap of thunder) can blind or deafen the Kindred for an hour or more.
System: It takes a reflexive action to activate this ability, but no roll or other cost is required. In certain circumstances, dice rolls associated with using the character's sense (such as Perception + Alertness) decrease in difficulty by a number equal to the character's Auspex rating when the power is engaged. The Storyteller may also use this power to see if the character perceives a threat. In this case, the Storyteller privately rolls the character's unmodified Auspex rating, applying whatever difficulty he feels best suits the circumstances. For example, sensing that a pistol is pointed at the back of the character's head may require a roll of difficulty 5, while the sudden realization that a rival for Primogen is planning her assassination may require a 9. Note that even this "precognition" comes only as a result of inteeting details the Kindred is able to notice. It's not an all-puse insight or miraculous revelation. At the character's discretion, she may selectively heighten one specific sense, rather than leaving them all on. In these cases, the difficulty to perceive stimuli using that sense drops by one, but the difficulty to avoid distraction or temporary bedazzlement increases by one. This power does not let characters see in pitch darkness, as does Eyes of the Beast, but it does reduce difficulty penalties to act in such darkness from +2 to +1, and the character may make ranged attacks in pitch darkness if she can hear, smell, or otherwise detect her foe.
[ 2 ] An Ear For Lies ( XXX - Page X )
Scions place great stock in the truth, and successful rulers and leaders learn to discern truth from falsehood, even when spoken by the most convincing liars, This power allows the user to know when someone is lying to him. To the Cainite, lies stand out, harsh and discordant from all other speech.
System: The player must make a Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty equal to the subject's Manipulation + Subterfuge). If successful, the character automatically knows if the subject lies to him for the duration of the social encounter. This ability does not detect lies of omission or half-truths, only direct and deliberate lies. If the subject believe what he is saying is true (even if it is not), then the character will not detect any falsehood. This technique does not give the character the ability to discern what the truth is, only to know when someone is lying.
[ 2 ] Aura Perception ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 135 )
Using this power, the vampire can perceive the psychic "auras" that radiate from mortals and supernatural beings alike. These halos comprise a shifting series of colors that take practice to discern with clarity. Even the simplest individual has many shifting hues within his aura; strong emotions predominate, while momentary impressions or deep secrets flash through in streaks and swirls. The colors change in sympathy with the subject's emotional state, blending into new tones in a constantly dancing pattern. The stronger the emotions involved, the more intense the hues become. A skilled vampire can learn much from her subject by reading the nuances of color and brilliance in the aura's flow. Aside from perceiving emotional states, vampires use Aura Perception to detect supernatural beings. The colors in Kindred auras, while intense, are quite pale; mage halos often flare and crackle with arcane power; the race of shapeshifters has strikingly bright, almost frantic, auras; ghosts have weak auras that flicker fitfully like a dying flame; and faerie creatures' radiance is shot through with capricious rainbow hues.
System: After the character stares at the subject for at least a few seconds, the player rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty 8); each success indicates how much of the subject's aura the character sees and understands (see the table below). A failure indicates that the play of colors and patterns yields no prevailing impression. A botch indicates a false or erroneous inteetation. The Storyteller may wish to make this roll, thus keeping the player in the dark as to the veracity of the character's inteetation. The Aura Colors chart offers some example ideas of common colors and the emotions they reflect that Storytellers can use. Note that it is nearly impossible to determine with certainty if a particular character is lying or not with this power - vampires are inherently deceitful by nature, but even mortals might react with anxiety to questions while still being truthful. It is, however, helpful in determine the target's emotional state, which might lead the vampire to decide that a particular target is suspicious. A character may choose to perform a very cursory aura scan of a large area like a nightclub's dance floor or the audience in a gallery. In this case, the player decides which characteristic of auras she's looking for, and that's the only information she's able to glean if the roll is successful. (At the Storyteller's discretion, on this general scan roll, more successes on the roll may more quickly yield what the character seeks.) For example, the player may specify, "Who's the most nervous person in attendance?" or "Are there any vampirically pale auras among the CEO's entourage?" Thereafter, the player may narrow down her scrutiny of a single individual, with an additional roll as normal. The character may focus in on a particular subject's aura only once per scene with any degree of clarity. Any subsequent attempts that result in failure should be considered botches. It is very easy for the character to imagine seeing what she wants to see when judging someone's intentions. After 24 hours, the character may try again at no penalty. It is possible, though difficult, to sense the aura of a being who is otherwise invisible to normal sight.
Condition | Color |
Afraid | Orange |
Aggressive | Purple |
Angry | Red |
Bitter | Brown |
Calm | Light Blue |
Compassionate | Pink |
Confused | Mottled Shifting Colors |
Conservative | Lavender |
Daydreaming | Sharp Flickering Colors |
Depressed | Gray |
Desirous or Lustful | Deep Red |
Diablerist | Black Veins In Aura |
Distrustful | Light Green |
Envious | Dark Green |
Excited | Violet |
Faerie | Rainbow Highlights In Aura |
Frenzied | Rapidly Rippling Colors |
Generous | Rose |
Ghost | Weak Intermittent Colors |
Happy | Vermilion |
Hateful | Black |
Idealistic | Yellow |
Innocent | White |
Lovestruck | Blue |
Magic Use | Myriad Sparkles In Aura |
Obsessed | Green |
Psychotic | Hypnotic Swirling Colors |
Sad | Silver |
Spiritual | Gold |
Suspicious | Dark Blue |
Vampire | Colors Are Pale |
Werebeast | Colors Are Bright And Vibrant |
Successes | Result |
1 | Can distinguish only the shade (pale or bright). |
2 | Can distinguish the main color. |
3 | Can recognize the color patterns. |
4 | Can detect subtle shifts. |
5 | Can identify mixtures of color and pattern. |
[ 3 ] Artist's Intent ( XXX - Page X )
By this gift, a Toreador may penetrate the "soul" of the inanimate artwork she is examining. Through such examination she may better interpret the work, perhaps even gleaning the artist's state of mind, the relation between artist and work, and the stages of the creative process itself. Much of this reveals itself through a series of progressively paler images as she looks further back into the work's past. Some Toreador use this to critique a piece, while others utilize the ability to monitor their patronages for unspoken rebellion or sadness, or to get the "real" story behind the letter proposing an alliance.
So far, this Discipline has proven unusable on "living" work, such as a play in performance, songs or pieces of music being played, or a story being told. Speculation on the reasons for this suggests that such work depends on conveys, however unconsciously, the performer's intent, whereas an inanimate pieces is unlikely to be "tainted" by such.
System: The player rolls Perception + Auspex (difficulty 7) for each work she wishes to examine. The number of successes determines how much she perceives of the work. The difficulty rises if she attempts to "read" a piece with multiple artists or a long creation span. Items such as cathedrals, castles and the like will leave the Toreador a gibbering vegetable from information overload.
Successes | Result |
1 | General feeling, no historical context ("The artist was melancholy while creating this."). |
2 | More specific, a vague sense of history ("He was melancholy when he started this, but I believe he grew happier as the work progressed. Perhaps he grew to like his subject, or something changed in his life."). |
3 | Details emerge, along with a fuzzy historical outline (He didn't like the subject at first, and he hated the work because of it, but after a while, he and the subject got along better, and the work went better."). |
4 | You have a definite idea about the artist's emotional state, and a fairly reasonable idea of the timeline of the work's creation. |
5 | You can see the work in stages, and know how the artist was feeling every step of the way. |
[ 3 ] The Spirit's Touch ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 136 )
When someone handles an object for any length of time, he leaves a psychic impression on the item. A vampire with this level of Auspex can "read" these sensations, learning who handled the object, when he last held it, and what was done with it recently. (For these puses, a coe counts as an "object" and can be read accordingly.) These visions are seldom clear and detailed, registering more like a kind of "psychic snapshot." Still, the Kindred can learn much even from such a glimpse. Although most visions concern the last person to handle the item, a long-time owner leaves a stronger impression than someone who held the object briefly. Gleaning information from the spiritual residue requires the vampire to hold the object and enter a shallow trance. She is only marginally aware of her surroundings while using The Spirit's Touch, but a loud noise or jarring physical sensation breaks the trance instantly. At the Storyteller's discretion, some impressions on objects may be so strong - a knife plunged into Caesar's breast, the tip of the Spear of Destiny, a fang pulled from the maw of Dracula - that any use of this power may be deemed a success.
System: The player rolls Perception + Empathy. The difficulty is determined by the age of the impressions and the mental and spiritual strength of the person or event that left them. Sensing information from a pistol used for a murder hours ago may require a 4, while learning who owned a bloodstained puppet fashioned a century ago might be a 9. The greater the individual's emotional connection to the object, the stronger the impression he leaves on it - and the more information the Kindred can glean from it. Events involving strong emotions (a gift-giving, a torture, a long family history) likewise leave stronger impressions than short or casual contact do. Assume that each success offers one piece of information, as per the chart below.
Successes | Result |
Botch | The character is overwhelmed by psychic impressions for the next 30 minutes and unable to act. |
Failure | No information of value. |
1 | Very basic information: The last owner's gender or hair color, for instance. |
2 | A second piece of basic information. |
3 | More useful information about the last owner, such as age and state of mind the last time he used the item. |
4 | The person's name. |
5+ | A wealth of information: Nearly anything you want to know about the person's relationship with that object is available. |
[ 4 ] Telepathy ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 137 )
The vampire projects a portion of her consciousness into a nearby mortal's mind, creating a mental link through which she can communicate wordlessly or even read the target's deepest thoughts. The Kindred "hears" in her own mind the thoughts plucked from a subject as if they were spoken to her. This is one of the most potent vampiric abilities, since, given time, a Kindred can learn virtually anything from a subject without him ever knowing. The Tremere and Tzimisce in particular find this power especially useful in gleaning secrets from others, or for directing their mortal followers with silent precision.
System: The player rolls Intelligence + Subterfuge (difficulty of the subject's current Willpower points). Projecting thoughts into the target's mind requires one success. The subject recognizes that the thoughts come from somewhere other than his own consciousness, though he cannot discern their actual origin without a successful Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty equal to the vampire's Manipulation + Subterfuge). To read minds, one success must be rolled for each item of information plucked or each layer of thought pierced. Deep secrets or buried memories are harder to obtain than surface emotions or unspoken comments, requiring five or more successes to access. Reading thoughts with Telepathy does not commonly work upon the undead mind. A character may expend a Willpower point to make the effort, making the roll normally afterward. Likewise, it is equally difficult to read the thoughts of other supernatural creatures. However, the character may project her thoughts without expending a Willpower point. These thoughts, however, are still obviously intrusions into the target's mind, but the character may attempt to disguise her mental "voice" with a roll of Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty equals the target's Perception + Awareness) so the target doesn't recognize her as the "speaker." Storytellers are encouraged to describe thoughts as flowing streams of impressions and images, rather than as a sequence of prose (powers such as Telepathic Communication are of more use for that). Instead of making flat statements like "He's planning on killing his former lover's new boyfriend," say "You see a fleeting series of visions: A couple kissing passionately in a doorway, then the man walking alone at night; you suddenly see your hands, knuckles white, wrapped around a steering wheel, with a figure crossing the street ahead; your heart, mortal now and hammering with panic as you hear the engine rev wildly; and above all, a blazing anger coupled with emotional agony and a panicked fear of loss." Such descriptions not only add to the story, but they also force the player to inteet for herself what her character gleans. After all, understanding minds - especially highly emotional or deranged minds - is a difficult and often puzzling task.
[ 5 ] Psychic Projection ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 138 )
The Kindred with this awesome ability projects her senses out of her physical shell, stepping from her body as an entity of pure thought. The vampire's astral form is immune to physical damage or fatigue, and can "fly" with blinding speed anywhere across the earth - or even underground - so long as she remains below the moon's orbit. The Kindred's material form lies in a tod state while her astral self is active, and the vampire isn't aware of anything that befalls her body until she returns to it. An ephemeral silver cord connects the Kindred's psyche to her body. If this cord is severed, her consciousness becomes stranded in the astral plane (the realm of ghosts, spirits, and shades). Attempting to return to the vampire's physical shell is a long and terrifying ordeal, especially since there is no guarantee that she will accomplish the journey successfully. This significant danger keeps many Kindred from leaving their bodies for long, but those who dare can learn much.
System: Journeying in astral form requires the player to expend a point of Willpower and make a Perception + Awareness roll. Difficulty varies depending on the distance and complexity of the intended trip; 5 is within sight, 7 is nearby or to a familiar location, and 9 reflects a trip far from familiar territory (a first journey from North America to the Far East; trying to shortcut through the earth). The greater the number of successes rolled, the more focused the character's astral presence is, and the easier it is for her to reach her desired destination. Failure means the character is unable to separate her consciousness from her body, while a botch can have nasty consequences - flinging her astral form to a random destination on Earth or in the spirit realm, arriving in a place where the sun is active (necessitating a frenzy roll, although the sunlight doesn't do any damage), or hurtling toward the desired destination so forcefully that the silver cord snaps. The player may spend a point of Willpower to activate this power, and an additional point of Willpower to gain the success necessary to perform the jaunt. This is an exception to the normal rule where a player may not spend more than a single point of Willpower per turn. Each scene in Psychic Projection requires another point of Willpower and a new roll. Failure indicates that the vampire has lost her way and must retrace the path of her silver cord. A botch at this stage means the cord snaps, stranding the character's psychic form in the mysterious astral plane. An astral form may travel at great speeds (the Storyteller can use roughly 1000 miles per hour or 1500 kilometers per hour as a general guide) and carries no clothing or material objects of any kind. Some artifacts are said to exist in the spirit world, and the character can try to use one of these tools if she finds one. The character cannot bring such relics to the physical world when she returns to her body, however. Interaction with the physical world is impossible while using Psychic Projection. At best, the character may spend a Willpower point to manifest as a ghostlike shape. This apparition lasts one turn before fading away; while she can't affect anything physically during this time, the character can speak. Despite lacking physical substance, an astral character can use Auspex normally. At the Storyteller's discretion, such a character may employ some or all Animalism, Dementation, Dominate, Necromancy, Obtenebration, Presence, Thaumaturgy, and similar non-coreal powers she has, though this typically requires a minimum of three successes on the initial Psychic Projection roll. If two astral shapes encounter one another, they interact as if they were solid. They may talk, touch, and even fight as if both were in the material world. Since they have no physical bodies, astral characters seeking to interact "physically" substitute Mental and Social Traits for Physical ones (Wits replaces Dexterity, Manipulation supplants Strength, and Intelligence replaces Stamina). Due to the lack of a material form, the only real way to damage another psychic entity is to cut its silver cord. When fighting this way, consider Willpower points to be health levels; when a combatant loses all of her Willpower, the cord is severed. Although an astrally projected character remains in the reflection of the mortal world, she may venture further into the spirit realms, especially if she becomes lost. Other beings with particular sensitivity to psychic activity, such as ghosts, werewolves, and even some magi, travel the astral plane as well, and can interact with a vampire's psychic presence normally (although the astrally projected character is not considered a "ghost" for powers such as Necromancy). The observing character notices the astrally projecting vampire with a Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty 8), requiring more successes than the Psychic Projection activation roll. Even those who do notice you won't be able to identify you; you are merely an immaterial shade hovering in the general area. Storytellers are encouraged to make trips into the spirit world as bizarre, mysterious, and dreamlike as possible. The world beyond is a vivid and fantastic place, where the true nature of things is stronger and often strikingly different from their earthly appearances.
[ 6 ] Babble ( Lore Of The Clans - Page 143 )
Prerequisites: Malkavian
As an alternative, you may use Dementation 6 instead of Auspex 6. This power allows a Kindred to speak with multiple targets using telepathy. All of their minds are linked, but they must communicate with each other by speaking out loud. Furthermore, each person linked speaks as if the person he or she is talking to is standing right next to him or her. For example, if Alexandria and Mister E. are connected with Babble, Alexandria can murmur quietly and be heard since he's in a movie theater, while Mister E. has to shout because she's on the dance floor of the local dance club.
System: The vampire may link a number of targets equal to her permanent Willpower. Malkavians may push the number of people connected to Babble to her Willpower + Empathy, if all the subjects possess at least one derangement and don't resist the Discipline. Kindred with the Malkavian Time Specialty may choose to use their Awareness instead.
[ 6 ] Cipher ( XXX - Page X )
The character can understand any written material, even in a language with which she is unfamiliar or scribed in code. Only words with some supernatural nature - such as a Malkavian's Scrawl or Thaumaturgical runes - are not always subject to this effect.
System: Cipher requires the expenditure of a blood point and a roll of Intelligence + Linguistics (difficulty 6). Each success allows the character to read a specific language or decipher a specific code for an entire scene. Thus, a character who speaks neither French nor Russian could, if he rolled two successes, read both French and Russian for one scene; alternatively, he could read one work written in French and encoded (one success for the language, one for the code). Multiple attempts may be made on a single written work, but each new attempt requires a blood point. A botch results in a false translation.
If the character is attempting to read supernatural writing, compare his total level of Auspex to the level of the writer's relevant Discipline at the time the words were written. If, for instance, the character is trying to read a Malkavian's Scrawl, compare his Auspex to the Malkavian's Obfuscate. If the Auspex is higher, the words can be read; if the Obfuscate is equal or greater, they cannot.
[ 6 ] Clairvoyance ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 139 )
By using Clairvoyance, a vampire can perceive distant events without using Psychic Projection. By concentrating on a familiar person, place, or object, a character can observe the subject's immediate vicinity while staying aware of her own surroundings.
System: The player rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty 6) and describes the target she's trying to look in on. If the roll is successful, the character can then perceive the events and environment surrounding the desired target for one turn per success. Other Auspex powers may be used on the scene being viewed; these are rolled normally. Clairvoyance does split the vampire's perceptions between what she is viewing at a distance and what is taking place around her. As a result, while using this power, a character is at +3 difficulty on all rolls relating to actions that affect her physical surroundings.
[ 6 ] Crocodile's Tongue ( XXX - Page X )
A character with this power instinctively understands what one other person in a conversation (living or undead) wants to hear. If he can find a way to phrase what he wants so that it sounds like what the person wants to hear, this may help him get his point across. This also gives him a way to ingratiate himself with people or accumulate favors. This differs from Telepathy in that the subject need not be actively thinking about what she wants to hear - a disinterested club patron may find out that this brash suitor offers her some secret desire, while a lonely student might have found his "soulmate" who shares his same dreams.
System: The character must spend at least a minute speaking with the subject, and the player must make a successful Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty 6). For the character to phrase his own idea in terms to which the target will respond favorably, assuming, for whatever reason that the Storyteller chooses not to roleplay such a situation, she may allow the player to roll Manipulation or Charisma + Expression (difficulty 6). Such reliance on mechanics should only be used as a last resort, however - the very nature of this power is social, and should rarely be dictated by dice instead of roleplaying.
[ 6 ] Discern The Aura ( XXX - Page X )
A more wide-reaching if less precise enhancement of Aura Sight, Discern the Aura allows the Kindred to glance over a group of individuals and pick out all those who show a specific color, emotion or state of being in their auras. The character could, for instance, glance around a room, an auditorium or even at passersby on the street and pick out everyone who is angry, or frightened or even Kindred.
System: The player rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty 8) and may choose to spend a blood point or not, as she prefers. The character can then identify a number of people with the specific color in their aura up to her number of successes (or up to ten times her number of successes, if she chose to spend a blood point). The power lasts until the number is reached, or until the end of the scene, whichever occurs first.
Each use of the power can locate only one hue. If the character wishes to find all Kindred (every pale aura) in the crowd, and then wishes to find everyone in the crowd who is currently frightened, that would require two uses of the power. This power can sometimes penetrate Obfuscate, per the standard rules.
[ 6 ] Eagle's Sight ( XXX - Page X )
This is a less selective form of Clairvoyance. The character can mentally scan a wide area as if he were airborne, allowing him to make very rapid searches or view very large areas. If the character also has Clairvoyance, he may 'zoom in' on a particular location.
System: The area covered is about 16 square miles (a radius of about two miles), and the apparent altitude is around 250 feet. It is not possible to look through solid objects using this power.
[ 6 ] Genius Loci ( XXX - Page X )
Tzimisce have a natural affinity for places, as their clan weakness demonstrates. This power augments that affinity, enabling the vampire to tap into the "ambience" or "spirit" of a specific place and thereby gain insight into situations affiliated with the nature of that place. For example, if the vampire uses Genius Loci while in a graveyard, she might gain insight into situations dealing with death. If she uses the power amid the burned-out shell of a building, she might receive warning of an impending fire; insight into catastrophes in general; or even an awareness of the forces behind a rapid, cataclysmic change.
System: The vampire must meditate in a certain location for at least an hour. The place must by symbolic of a given force or have been the site of strong passions or trauma (i.e., a shopping mall is not likely to give much insight, but a shopping mall where a mass murderer killed 23 victims with an assault rifle might well provide insight into situations involving violence or mass panic). The vampire must then roll Perception + Empathy (difficulty 8). Each success provides a clearer, less nebulous understanding.
Obviously, this power is extremely subjective. The Storyteller must use discretion when adjudicating its use.
[ 6 ] Insight Of The Talespinner ( XXX - Page X )
Prerequisite: Toreador
Insight allows a character to delve far into her own mind, finding entire books and stories. The Toreador can summon forth highly detailed characters and picture them in any situation to gain an innate feel for how each would react. In addition, the Discipline opens up the writer's vocabulary to its full expanse, allowing her to customize each character's vocabulary to fit his personality and background.
A Toreador using this power finds it easier to write good stories. This does not help creativity, since the writer must come up with the situation on her own. However, if the Toreador comes up with a good plot, the characters will practically tell the tale on their own. Often, the writer will not even know how the story will end until she is finished.
In addition to its artistic uses, the power has another function. An entertainer can attempt to tell a story off the top of her head. All those who are listening may try to resist. If they fail they find themselves caught up in the story they will be unable to do anything else. The character using this power may determine the length of the tale, but it cannot last longer than one scene.
System: If the Toreador uses this power to capture the full attention of the listeners, anyone within listening range must make a Wits + Empathy roll (difficulty 8) and gain three successes. Those who fail their roll must listen to the tale without interruption. In addition all Artistic Expression (Writing) rolls are at a -3 difficulty when using this power. This power costs a Blood Point to use.
[ 6 ] Prediction ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 139 )
Some people are capable of finishing their friends' sentences. Elder vampires with Prediction sometimes begin their friends' sentences. Prediction is a constant low-level telepathic scan of the minds of everyone the character is in proximity to. While this power does not give the vampire the details of his neighbors' conscious thoughts, it does provide a wealth of cues as to the subjects' moods, suppressed reflexes, and attitudes toward the topic of conversation.
System: Whenever the character is in conversation and either participant in the discussion makes a Social roll, the player may pre-empt the roll to spend a blood point and make a Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty of the target's Manipulation + Subterfuge). Each success is an additional die that can be applied to the player's Social roll or subtracted from the dice pool of the Social roll being made against the character.
[ 6 ] Sense Emotion ( XXX - Page X )
This power enables a character to extend her Level Two power of Aura Perception over a 10-foot radius. The character can sense the emotions of as many people as she desires (within the area of effect). The general mood, motivations and temperament of the crowd can be felt; the character may also gain a sense of the crowd's likely future direction and actions. Most importantly, the emotional nexus of the crowd, and its chief instigators and leaders, may be identified by this power.
System: A Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty 7) is necessary to use this power.
[ 6 ] Spirit Bond ( XXX - Page X )
This power allows the Cainite to establish a mental bond with an object or person. The vampire may "check up on" the object or person at any time after achieving this bond. Invoking the bond instantly reveals exactly where the object or person is located.
This power is best used sparingly - many who apply it in excess become paranoid and useless, checking on their bonds every waking hour.
System: The character must physically touch the person or object when she creates the bond. The player spends a Blood Point and makes a Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty 8). If this roll is successful, the character may invoke the bond at any time thereafter, as long as the player makes another successful Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty 6).
Although the bond reveals the geographical location of its subject, it does not reveal any local or "small-scale" information. For example, though the bond reveals that a Malkavian's dagger is located just outside Madrid, Spain, it does not reveal that it is in Duke Phillipe's castle, or that it is guarded by men-at-arms at all hours of the day.
A Spirit Bond lasts for 10 years (though the Storyteller may modify this to suit his needs).
[ 6 ] Sibyl's Tongue ( Lore Of The Clans - Page 142 )
Prerequisites: Malkavian
Many Kindred look to the Malkavians as seers and prophets, but elders of the Clan are the ones who are most often consulted for their augury. Those with Sibyl's Tongue can take their propensity for prediction one step further and actually seek out the answer to a question from the gestalt-mind of the Clan. If anyone in the Clan knows the answers, the elder will be able to pluck it out of their mind. However, there is a price: those elders who are unable to navigate the churning rivers of madness might find themselves dragged along in a direction they didn't intend.
System: The vampire must spend a turn focusing on the collective madness of the Malkavian Clan, and then rolls Wits + Investigation, difficulty 8. If the roll is successful, and if it is an answer that some Malkavian knows somewhere, the vampire gets an answer to her question, with each success adding clarity to the answer that comes back.
If the roll is failed, however, the collective madness begins to overwhelm the vampire. She gains two additional derangements immediately (Storyteller's choice) for the duration of the scene. On a botch, one of the acquired derangements becomes permanent, although it can be removed as normal (unlike the derangement gained from the Malkavian clan weakness). For particularly dangerous or powerful questions, the Storyteller may give the vampire a temporary derangement even on a successful roll, and even more dire consequences for failure.
[ 6 ] Telepathic Communication ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 139 )
Telepathy allows a character to pick up only the surface thoughts of other individuals, and to speak to one at a time. With Telepathic Communication, a character can form a more powerful link between his mind and that of other subjects, allowing them to converse in words, concepts, and sensory images at the speed of thought (and without the need for Willpower expenditure, unlike with Telepathy). Vampires with this level of Auspex can act as "switchboard operators," creating a telepathic web that allows all participants to share thoughts with some or all other members of the network as they choose.
System: The player rolls Charisma + Empathy (difficulty equals the target's current Willpower points) to establish contact, although a willing subject may allow the vampire access and thus obviate the need for a roll. The maximum range at which a subject may be contacted and the maximum number of individuals who may be linked simultaneously with this power depends on the Auspex rating of the vampire who initiates contact.
Auspex Rating | Number Of Targets | Approximate Range |
Auspex 6 | 3 Subjects | 500 Miles / 800 Kilometers |
Auspex 7 | Perception Rating | 1000 Miles / 1500 Kilometers |
Auspex 8 | Perception + Empathy | 500 Miles / 800 Kilometers Per Point Of Intelligence |
Auspex 9 | 2 x ( Perception + Empathy ) | 1000 Miles / 1500 Kilometers Per Point Of Intelligence |
[ 6 ] The Dreaming ( XXX - Page X )
A character with this power remains aware of events around him while he is asleep or in torpor. These perceptions take the form of dreams; such dreams are filled with images of things that might affect the character, but they are often hard to interpret. The only distance limit for this power is at the Storyteller's discretion. The character may potentially dream a bout any event that might have a serious impact on his existence.
System: This power should usually be arbitrated by the Storyteller but, if she likes, she can have the player make Wits + Empathy rolls (difficulty 7 ) in order for the character to envision specific images and events.
[ 6 ] The Mind Revealed ( XXX - Page X )
This power expands upon the abilities granted by Steal Secrets. Though it does not allow the user to probe deeply into the mind of her subject, it does allow unlimited access to surface thoughts. These thoughts are generally so fully formed that they do not appear as images or illusions, but as vague sentences and direct impulses. Knowing the language of the subject is not necessary - the vampire automatically understands the subject’s thoughts and intentions.
The Mind Revealed can be a boon in social situations (as lying to the wielder of this power is quite difficult and it’s easy for the user to know appropriate things to say) as well as in combat (where the user can know her enemy’s next move).
System: Using this power on a mortal or ghoul requires nothing more than a single turn spent in concentration. In order to use it on vampires, the player spends a point of Willpower and rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty of the victim’s Willpower). When in use, the power reveals the foremost thoughts in the target’s mind. In most situations, it is either what the target is just about to say or, interestingly, what she is deciding not to say. In combat situations, the surface thoughts normally appear as an image of the action that the target is about to take. This power affects only one target at a time and lasts for one scene.
If used to detect lies, all Subterfuge difficulties against the wielder increase by 3 (to a maximum of 9). If used in order to convince or seduce a target, the user of this power gains three additional dice. In combat, the user gains -1 difficulty to hit her target and -1 difficulty on defensive actions. The user must concentrate on her target, increasing the difficulty of all actions not related to this person (dodging an attack from another enemy) by 3.
[ 7 ] Anima Gathering ( XXX - Page X )
The power of Psychic Projection allows limitless exploration. However, many of the experiences that it grants cannot be adequately conveyed to individuals who cannot share them. Other would-be observers on the astral plane are left blind and deaf. The viziers believe Anima Gathering originated as a technique for leading warrior-caste mystics on vision quests. It allows a willing seer to bring a small group of companions into the astral realms with him.
System: All individuals who want to benefit from Anima Gathering must be in physical contact with the character who possesses the power or with someone who is in contact with him - in effect, they must form an unbroken chain of participants.
The player spends a blood point for each "follower" the character wishes to bring into the astral realm, up to a maximum of his Wits. He then leaves his body as per the system for Psychic Projection. As long as they remain in physical contact with the character, all followers are treated as if they know Psychic Projection, regardless of their actual Auspex rating (if any). This temporary power functions as if each follower had rolled a number of successes equal to those that the "leader" rolled.
On the astral plane, followers remain within close proximity to their leader - within 100 feet or so- tethered to him by a thin silvery leash. They may not break this connection. This imposes no penalties save for a faint awareness of the leader's location at all times. Any follower who looses her physical connection to the character instantly returns her body and looses a number of temporary Willpower points equal to 8 - the character's Wits. If this reduces her to zero Willpower, she falls unconscious until the next sunset.
[ 7 ] Karmic Sight ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 140 )
The power of Aura Perception (Auspex 2) allows a vampire to take a brief glimpse at the soul of a subject. This power takes Aura Perception several steps forward, allowing a vampire who has mastered Auspex 2 to probe the inner workings of a subject's mind and soul.
System: The player rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty equals the subject's current Willpower). The degree of success determines the information gained.
Successes | Result |
Botch | The character gains a Derangement or Psychological/Mental/Supernatural Flaw similar to one of the target's for one night, at Storyteller discretion. |
1 | As per five successes on an Aura Perception roll. |
2 | Subject's Nature, Demeanor, and Humanity or Path can be determined. |
3 | Any outside influences on the subject's mind or soul, such as Dominate or a demonic pact, can be detected. |
4 | Subject's Willpower, Humanity or Path, and Virtue ratings can be determined. |
5 | The state of the subject's karma may be determined. This is a highly abstract piece of information best left to Storyteller discretion, but should reveal the general balance between "good" and "bad" actions the subject has performed, both recently and over the course of his existence. If the plot merits it, the character may receive visions of one or more incidents in the subject's past that radically altered his destiny. With this degree of success, some fate-related Merits and Flaws (e.g. Dark Fate) can be identified as well. |
[ 7 ] Melange ( XXX - Page X )
Prerequisite: Malkavian
The Malkavian can look into the world and see a level beyond the current state of reality. This looks like a collage of shifting forms, but the Malkavian understands it and knows everything that goes on in that plane, without regard to physical barriers, distance or even time. He sees things hidden in objective reality, like Obfuscated creatures, the insides of locked safes, and the fact that his lupine ally is really a shape-changed mage.
It is easy for the Malkavian to see all of reality. The difficult part is knowing how to reference that moving tapestry to return to the physical plane of walking reality. The storyteller will explain what the Malkavian understands of the other plane through riddles, metaphors, or stream-of-consciousness babbling, and it is up to the player to interpret it.
While in the Melange state, all the player's rolls use half the number of dice (rounded up), and the character is prone to mutter incoherently and bump into things as she walks. The Storyteller should feel free to enforce this on the player, as well.
[ 7 ] Mirror Reflex ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 141 )
This power was developed by a Toreador elder who made a fearsome reputation through her fencing prowess, acting as a hired champion in dozens of Ventrue duels. Mirror Reflex is similar to Prediction in that it is in essence a low-level telepathic scan of an opponent, but this power taps into physical (rather than social) reflexes, allowing the character to anticipate an enemy's moves in personal combat.
System: The player spends a blood point and rolls Perception + the combat skill the opponent is using (difficulty of the subject's Manipulation + combat skill in use). Each success is an additional die that can he applied to the character's dice pools during the next turn of combat for any actions taken against the scanned opponent. The use of Mirror Reflex does take one combat action, and the power has a maximum range in yards or meters equal to the character's Willpower rating.
[ 7 ] Personality Metamorph ( XXX - Page X )
This power allows a Toreador actor to actually reach within her own mind and draw forth original characters, complete with backgrounds and personalities. The Toreador then takes on another personality as if it were her own.
Basically, this power gives the character controllable multiple personality disorder. The character could become a skilled assassin, an outstanding artist, a small mortal child, or the spirit of a murder victim. The only limits are those imposed by the Storyteller and the player's imagination. However, the alternate personalities should not be more powerful that the core personality.
System: By using two Blood Points, the character can create a new personality for one scene, though on additional Blood Point may be spent for every additional scene it is maintained. The new personality will have its own Social and Mental Attributes, Abilities and Virtues, along with its own Humanity and Willpower scores. In some cases, it might even have its own set of Disciplines. While the new personality is dominant, the character's actual Virtues, Abilities, Humanity, Willpower and Disciplines may not be used. Blood Pool is not affected, and Health and Physical Attributes remain unchanged.
[ 7 ] Pluck The Secret ( XXX - Page X )
The Cainite speaks a single word to her subject. The subject then reveals everything she knows about that topic to the vampire. The revelation may be delivered through thoughts or speech, depending on whether the vampire wants her subject to talk.
System: The vampire must see her subject, though eye contact is not necessary. The player spends a Blood Point and makes a Charisma + Empathy roll (difficulty equal to the subject's Willpower), though callous vampires may "bully" their subjects, in which case Intimidation is used instead of Empathy. The number of successes rolled dictates how lucid the subject's thoughts are, as well as how complex a topic the Cainite can stipulate.
Successes | Lucidity | Complexity |
1 | Random, garbled thoughts. | Single-word topic. |
2 | Simple ideas and concepts. | Two-word topic. |
3 | Clear, if uncomplicated, ideas. | Simple sentence. |
4 | Complex ideas presented plainly. | Simple concept with conditional statements. |
5 | Exhaustive and organized revelation . | Subjects of vast complexity. |
[ 7 ] Spirit Link ( XXX - Page X )
With Spirit Link, the character can engage in telepathic communication with a number of people. Everyone thus engaged can communicate at leisure with all the others in the Spirit Link. Each individual in the link can hear what anyone else says. This power may not be used to read minds.
System: Each success on a Wits + Etiquette roll (difficulty 6) allows one more person to be "hooked up."
[ 7 ] Stealing The Mind's Eye ( XXX - Page X )
Cainites who have been banished by others of their kind developed this power to spy on their rivals. The vampire links her mind with that of a mortal slave or ghoul servant, and passively views what the person sees, and hears what he hears. Although seemingly helpless to the whims of the "host," the vampire retains limited access to her disciplines.
Most Cainites do not like the feeling of helplessness that comes with this mental link, and engage other Disciplines, such as Dominate or Presence, to command the comings and goings of the host.
System: The vampire must see her chosen target. The player rolls Perception + Subterfuge (difficulty equals the target's Willpower) for the character to access the mortal's senses. If the target accepts the character willingly, reduce the difficulty by two. The connection lasts as long as the vampire concentrates. Successes indicate how many other mental Disciplines the vampire may utilize while within the mortal's mind.
Successes | Result |
1 | No Disciplines may be used. |
2 | The vampire may use other Auspex powers. |
3 | The vampire may also use Presence. |
4 | The vampire may also use Dominate and Dementation. |
5 | The vampire may also use Thaumaturgy and Chimerstry. |
[ 7 ] Soul Scan ( XXX - Page X )
The character can discover the location of anyone he knows, wherever the target may be in the world.
System: The character must successfully roll Perception + Investigation (difficulty 6, or 8 if the quarry possesses Obfuscate).
[ 8 ] Omniscience ( XXX - Page X )
The character immediately gains an absolute understanding of the personalities and identities of all those around him. The character understands others as well as they understand themselves (at least in the moment).
System: On a Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty 6), the character understands emotions, hopes, fears, the true nature of individuals (Kindred, kine, werewolf, mage, potential mage, etc.), the presence and type of spirits, and anything else the Storyteller decides he should know. The limits of this extraordinary power can only be determined by the Storyteller, who should base the information gained on the number of successes that are obtained (five or more successes provide complete and fully accurate information; fewer successes provide information of correspondingly less detail and accuracy). Obfuscate can block the working of this power; anyone with Obfuscate of equal or greater level than the character's Auspex is automatically immune to Omniscience.
The range of this power is typically line-of-sight, but the Storyteller may alter this as she sees fit.
[ 8 ] Psychic Assault ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 141 )
Psychic Assault is nothing less than a direct mind-to-mind attack which uses the sheer force of an elder's will to ovewer his target. Victims of Psychic Assault show little outward sign of the attack, save for nosebleeds and expressions of intense agony; all injuries by means of this psychic pressure inflicted are internal. A medical examination of a mortal victim of a Psychic Assault invariably shows the cause of death to be a heart attack or aneurysm, while vampires killed with this power decay to dust instantly, regardless of age.
System: The character must touch or make eye contact with his target. The player spends three blood points (and a Willpower point, if assaulting a vampire or other supernatural being) and rolls Manipulation + Intimidation in a contested roll against the victim's Willpower. The result depends on the number of net successes the attacker rolls.
Successes | Result |
Botch | The target becomes immune to the attacker's Psychic Assault for one night per each "1" rolled. |
Failure | The target is unharmed and may determine that a psychic assault is taking place by succeeding on a Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty 6). |
1 | The target is shaken but unharmed. He loses a temporary Willpower point. |
2 | The target is badly frightened. He loses three temporary Willpower points and, if a vampire, must roll Courage (difficulty of the attacker's Auspex rating) to avoid Rötschreck. |
3 | The target loses six temporary Willpower points and, if a vampire, must roll Courage as above. If this causes him to lose his last temporary Willpower point, he loses a permanent Willpower point and receives three health levels of bashing damage(soaked normally). |
4 | The target loses all temporary Willpower points and half of his permanent Willpower points (round down) and suffers three health levels of lethal damage (soaked normally). |
5 | The target must roll his permanent Willpower (difficulty 7). If he succeeds, apply the effect of four successes, and is also rendered unconscious for the rest of the night. If he fails, the Psychic Assault kills him instantly. |
[ 8 ] The Oracle's Sight ( XXX - Page X )
At this level of ability, the minds of subjects open to vampiric perusal. Simple desires and surface thoughts bubble out of the subjects' brains, filling vampire's mind with a cacophony of voices. Only Cainites with the greatest self-discipline dare to use this power; weaker ones have been overwhelmed by the deluge of thoughts and have lost their minds or been driven to self-destruction.
Of all the clans, the Malkavians seem best able to sift through the flood of mental images. Elders of other clans typically shy away from this power, while elder Malkavians embrace the confusion it creates.
System: The vampire is privy to every thought of everyone in her immediate vicinity. The effects of this power are automatic - no roll is required. Unfortunately, the vampire cannot control the flood of images, desires and daydreams. If the character wishes to sort through the barrage, the player rolls Wits + Leadership (difficulty 6). For each success, the vampire comprehends one clear thought or image. If the roll fails, she cannot control the flow of mental images and it continues unabated. If the player botches the roll, the vampire gains a temporary Derangement. The effects of the Derangement, as determined by the Storyteller, last until the character leaves the area.
[ 9 ] False Slumber ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 141 )
Possibly the source of many Malkavians' conviction that their sire is alive and well on the astral plane, this power allows a Methuselah's spirit to leave his body while in tor. While seemingly asleep, the vampire is able to project astrally, think, and perceive events normally.
System: No roll is needed. This power is considered to be active whenever the vampire's body is in tor, and astral travels are handled as per the rules for Psychic Projection. The vampire is not able to awaken physically at will, however - waking from tor is handled per the normal rules for such an action.A vampire with this power whose silver cord is severed in astral combat loses all Willpower points, as per the rules for astral combat under Psychic Projection, but is not killed. Instead, he loses the use of this Auspex power and half of his permanent Willpower points. Both the Auspex 9 power and the Willpower must be bought back with experience points. The vampire's soul slowly returns to his body over the course of a year and a day, during which time he may not be awakened from tor by any means.
[ 9 ] Master Of The Dom ( XXX - Page X )
Prerequisite: Tzimisce
The mighty power is available to only a few ancient Fiends. The Tzimisce mystically taps into the spirits of the land, effectively becoming one with the realm. Essentially, the Tzimisce metamorphoses into something less like a vampire and more like a guardian spirit; she knows most of what transpires in the realm and gains a measure of control over the land itself.
System: Once acquired, this power is always on. The Tzimisce picks a "fiefdom" on which the power centers (this should always include the dom, and the area should be relatively small - no more than a 10 mile radius). Within this area, the Tzimisce is lord and master. All difficulties of Dominate, Presence, Animalism, and Koldunic Sorcery powers used by the Tzimisce against natives of the fiefdom are reduced by one; the Fiend may control weather and climatic effects in the realm (Intelligence + Hearth Wisdom, difficulty 6 to 10 depending on what the vampire wants to do); the vampire may subtly shift landmarks, causing a traveler to become lost, stumble into a pit, overlook a haven, etc. (again, difficult 6 to 10 depending on what the vampire wants to accomplish); and she pay pinpoint intruders' locations within the fiefdom (generally, difficulty 7).
This power has a drawback: The Tzimisce is effectively "bound" to the fiefdom; she will never leave it willingly, and if forced out, she will suffer as though she were cut off from her special soil. If she drops to below one die in all Dice Pools, she withers and dies.
[ 9 ] Precognition ( XXX - Page X )
This power allows a vampire to see through time as well as space. The information gained is usually fairly hazy, and is not self-explanatory. The character simply gains an insight about what might occur in a specific place at a specific time. Keep in mind that this power is not exact. Precognition does not actually enable one to read the future; it instead enables one to identify what might happen if all the current circumstances do not change. Despite its limitations, this power can provide excellent guidance on where to focus one's actions, for it describes what factors will be of significance in the future.
System: By successfully rolling Intelligence + Alertness (difficulty 8), the vampire can see her current place of residence, or a place she knows, as it will be in the future provided no vampire or other supernatural entity (or a mortal controlled by such) takes direct action to alter that future (some exceptional mortals may also be able to change things). The number of successes rolled determines the distance into the future that the vampire can look.
Successes | Duration |
1 | One hour. |
2 | One day. |
3 | One week. |
4 | One month. |
5 | One year. |
As with all rolls, more successes enable greater perception at the Storyteller's discretion.
[ 9 ] Sight Of The Oracle ( XXX - Page X )
This power brings the possessor amazing insight and visions of the past, the present and the future. In some ways, it brings Auspex full circle - the first thing a user of Auspex learns is to sharpen her physical senses. With this power, the supernatural senses are sharpened to perfection.
System: Once learned, this power is always in effect. The possessor of this power enjoys the benefits of Heightened Senses at all times but does not suffer from sensory overload. She is at all times aware of everything that happens in her immediate vicinity, as long as it is not cloaked by Obfuscate, or another supernatural power, of equal or greater level. The user may also have visions of things and events that may be important to her, gain spontaneous insights into problems and hear the thoughts of those in her vicinity, possibly finishing their sentences or answering unspoken questions. The exact effects of this power are best left up to the Storyteller, but in general, it is impossible to surprise the wielder of Sight of the Oracle.
For Storytellers, this power is a wonderful tool to grant an important character information that he might not otherwise know… or to have him take an interest in the coterie, for better or worse.
[ 10 ] Pulse Of The Canaille ( XXX - Page X )
This is a more powerful variation of the earlier Precognition power. Pulse of the Canaille not only allows the character to sense what will happen in a certain place and time, but enables the character to sense the current moods, trends, attitudes and directions in which entire groups of mortals are heading. This power also enables the character to sense who influences or controls the affected mortals, and to identify these secret masters.
System: The character must make a Humanity roll; the difficulty depends on the size of the group being studied.
Difficulty | Size |
6 | Organization. |
7 | City. |
8 | Region. |
9 | Country. |
10 | Entire world. |
The number of successes obtained indicates how much is known, and may also show how tightly and in what ways the humans are controlled. If they are influenced by more than one supernatural creature, the character discerns all appropriate puppeteers.
Successes | Result |
1 | You sense the mood and attitudes of the mortals. |
2 | You also sense the mortars' future and potential. |
3 | You know the extent to which the mortals are controlled. |
4 | You sense the aura of the being(s) that controls them. |
5 | You know who controls them, and why. |
As with all rolls, more successes enable greater perception at the Storyteller's discretion.