Rules reference
Character creation in Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
Creation steps and common decision points. Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition is a modern gothic horror tabletop roleplaying game where you play as a Kindred, a vampire struggling to maintain their humanity while navigating the complex politics of the Camarilla. Set in a dark reflection of our world, VTM5e combines personal horror with political intrigue, as players balance their Beast against their fading Humanity.
Key points
Use this as a checklist, then build your character in RPG Stack.
Copyable facts
- 14 clans: 7 Camarilla (Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue) and 7 independent (Banu Haqim, Hecata, Lasombra, Ministry, Ravnos, Salubri, Tzimisce)
- 10 Predator Types: Alleycat, Bagger, Blood Leech, Cleaver, Consensualist, Farmer, Osiris, Sandman, Siren, Extortionist
- Discipline system: In-clan Disciplines cost less XP than out-of-clan
- Hunger dice system: Replaces health, can cause messy criticals or bestial failures
- Humanity tracking: Starts at 7, decreases with immoral actions
- Blood Potency: Increases with age, affects feeding and Discipline power
Creation order (from system.json)
- Choose concept, clan, predatorType, sire, chronicle, generation (usually 13th).
- Distribute Attributes: one Attribute at 4, three Attributes at 3, four Attributes at 2, one Attribute at 1 (across all 9 Attributes, no category split). Max 4 at creation.
- Distribute Skills using a template: Jack of All Trades (1 at 3, 8 at 2, 10 at 1), Balanced (3 at 3, 5 at 2, 7 at 1), or Specialist (1 at 4, 3 at 3, 3 at 2, 3 at 1). Max 4 at creation.
- Assign 3 Discipline dots among clan Disciplines (max 2 in any at creation).
- Choose backgrounds, merits, and flaws. Distribute 7 dots among backgrounds.
- Choose 1–3 Convictions and 1–3 Touchstones tied to those Convictions.
- Set derived traits: Health, Willpower, Humanity, and Blood Potency.
Examples
Example: Concept first
Start with a simple concept (role + vibe), then choose attributes/skills that support it. You can fill details later.
Example: One signature move
Make sure your sheet supports a signature action you want to do often (investigate, intimidate, hack, heal, etc.).
Common mistakes (smallest fix)
- Mistake: Skipping concept and getting lost in options. Fix: Pick a role, pick 2 strengths, pick 1 weakness, then fill details.
- Mistake: Not aligning your sheet with the campaign. Fix: Ask what kind of scenes you’ll play (combat, investigation, politics) and build for that.
Vampire FAQ
What are the clans in Vampire: The Masquerade V5?
What are Predator Types in VTM5e?
How does the Hunger system work in V5?
How do Disciplines work in Vampire: The Masquerade V5?
What is Humanity in VTM5e?